Caroline looked at the wall safe when she noticed the keypad and she looked at the buttons.
"This looks like the keypad on Dad's wall safe," Caroline said.
"Great. How're we gonna figure out the password?" Daryl asked.
"Look around. There's got to be something," Katherine said.
They spread out as they searched the room and Connor smiled when he found the key to the middle desk drawer in the coffee cup on the desk.
"Look at what I found," he said and Daryl took the key from him. Daryl used the key to open the middle drawer and he and Connor searched the drawer for the password to the wall safe.
"Find anythin'?" Caroline asked.
"Nope."
Caroline was holding Nikki in her arms as they looked at the bookcases and Nikki picked up the photo frame.
"All for one and one for all," Nikki said as she looked at the words on the photo frame and Caroline frowned.
"What?" Caroline asked.
"That's what this says," she said, pointing to the words on the photo frame.
"You can read?"
"Mom taught us how," Mark said as he walked closer.
"But this isn't in English. It's in French," Murphy said after he walked to Caroline and he looked at the photo frame.
"I told you I can speak lots of languages like Mama. She taught me how to read in a lotta languages, too," Nikki said with a smile.
"Hold on," Daryl said as he walked to them, held his right hand out for the photo frame and Nikki handed him the photo frame. He walked to the wall safe and Caroline followed him. Caroline looked at the keypad screen when she saw there seven spaces and she frowned.
"It's not gonna fit," Caroline said.
"Let me see," Katherine said and Caroline handed her the photo frame after she walked to Caroline. Katherine looked at the words then at the small screen and she pressed her lips into a thin line. "No. It can't be that easy."
"What can't?" Peter asked.
Katherine pushed the buttons on the keypad and TPUEUPT appeared on the screen. She pushed the Enter key and the green light appeared on the top of the keypad. A small click filled the air as the wall safe door opened and Caroline opened the door a little more.
"What does tpueupt mean?" Chandler asked.
"It means tout pour un et un pour tout. Or one for all and all for one. Let me explain. The password was a puzzle….," Katherine explained.
"And you are good at puzzles," Connor said with a grin.
"So…. Seeing how the whole sentence didn't fit. I used the first letter or each word as the password. But… If anyone knew the sentence in English? They could open the safe. That's why I used what was written on the frame."
"Tout pour un et un pour tout," Nikki said.
"Right."
"Whoa!" the boys said at the same time.
Daryl looked into the wall safe when he saw the ledgers and file folders and he removed the ledgers and file folders. He handed the ledgers and the file folders to Conner, Katherine and Murphy then Daryl closed the wall safe. A small click informed them the wall safe was locked and they walked to the desk. Connor, Katherine and Murphy placed the ledgers and file folders on the desk and Connor and Daryl looked around for something to carry the ledgers and file folders.
"What about these?" Mark said as he pointed to the plastic containers under the table in the middle of the room. After Caroline placed Nikki on her feet and Nikki walked to Mark, he and Nikki crawled under the table when they pushed the plastic containers to Connor and Daryl then stood up.
"Good idea," Daryl said and he picked up the plastic containers. He walked to the desk when he placed the plastic containers on the floor and he placed the file folders and ledgers in the plastic containers.
"How are we going to get these through the vents?" Katherine asked.
"We're not using the vents," Chandler said as he walked to the doors and headed off into the hall.
"What do you mean we ain't usin' the vents?" Daryl said as he went to catch up with him.
"I know I shoulda told you about this, but I wasn't sure if we'd find anything."
Murphy, Katherine, Connor and Caroline carried the plastic containers as they and the kids headed down the hallway and Chandler stopped at the elevator doors and Daryl leaned against the wall.
"We could've taken the elevator?!" Katherine asked.
"Only if you're in this building," Chandler said.
"Where are we going?"
"To the main floor."
"Which means we have t'carry these back to th'main buildin'," Murphy said.
"Yeah."
"Let's go," Daryl said and Chandler pushed the button. The sliding doors opened as they walked in the elevator car and Chandler pushed the button. The sliding doors closed as the elevator car moved down and Daryl watched the numbers moving on the panel above the sliding doors.
Claudia's office
"Are you really going to kill them?" Jeffrey asked as he stood and he walked to the window. He looked outside while Claudia turned the high back chair around and she looked at him.
"No. But we have to be careful. It appears two of them are Bishop and Cardinal," Claudia said.
"Bishop and Cardinal?! What are they doing here?"
"I have no idea."
"Uh… Chief, we have movement in the Old Section," Alexandro's voice said over the walkie-talkie and Claudia removed the walkie-talkie off her belt.
"What sort of movement?" Claudia asked then let go of the button.
"One of the elevators has been activated and someone used the computers."
"There shouldn't be anyone in there."
"Yeah. Fernando and some of the guys are heading there. What do you want them to do?"
"Capture whoever gets off that elevator!" she said then she placed the walkie-talkie on her belt. She headed for the door after she placed the Berretta in the holster on her right hip. Jeffrey followed her out of the room as they walked to the elevator and Claudia pushed the button.
The Old Section
The sliding doors opened as Daryl looked out into the hallway and he nodded. They walked out of the elevator car when Caroline found two carts and she walked to the carts. She pushed the carts to Connor, Katherine and Murphy and they placed the plastic containers on the carts.
Daryl led them down the hallway while Connor and Murphy pushed the carts then Daryl placed his right hand up to stop them. He looked around the corner when he saw the front door, but several men headed for the front door and he saw they were armed with rifles.
"Someone's comin'," Daryl said.
"How'd they know we were here?" Katherine asked.
"Uh….," Chandler said then he frowned. "I forgot the main computer tracks the elevators and might have noticed us using the computers."
"Which means we shouldn't have used 'em," Connor said with a sigh. He saw the hurt look in Chandler's eyes and Connor leaned over, placing his hands on Chandler's shoulders. "Hey. No need t'get upset. We're not angry."
"I'm angry. Now we're stuck."
"No. We're not. We need to go that way," Mark said after he removed the small, black controller and he looked at the screen. He pointed to the right as Daryl went to check the hallway then he motioned for them to follow him. They headed down the hallway while Daryl checked the side hallways and Mark looked at the screen of the small, black controller. "We have to go right."
Daryl checked the hallway when he saw the fire exit door at the end of the hallway and he slowly went down the hallway. Caroline walked next to him as they checked the rooms on either side of the hallway and they signaled for the others to follow him. They stood in front of the fire exit door as Daryl opened the door enough to look outside and he opened the door wider.
"No way," Daryl whispered after seeing the white van. He carefully walked outside as he headed for the back of the van and he was surprised to find the back of the van was open. He thumped his fist on the door, but he didn't hear anything. He opened the doors then signaled for them to go to the van and they left the building. Daryl and Connor placed the plastic containers in the back of the van after Caroline, Murphy, Katherine and the kids got in the van. Daryl closed the doors and he and Connor got in the van. Daryl saw the key in the ignition as he started the engine and put the van in gear.
"Wait!" Peter said as he walked to the passenger seat and he looked at the GPS. He knelt down when he reached under the GPS and he unplugged the GPS. Daryl steered the van by the buildings while Peter sat down and Daryl went down one of the side paths.
"Shit," Daryl said after he saw the guards at the end of the side path and he stopped the van. The guards pointed the rifles at the van as Nikki started crying and Murphy held her in his arms.
"Get out of the van!" the guard said in Spanish and Connor rolled down the window.
"Not until you tell her you're sorry," Connor said in Spanish.
"What the hell is he talking about?" the other guard asked in Spanish.
"You made a little girl cry. Tell her you're sorry and we'll think about getting' outta th'van."
"Is he serious?" the other guard asked in Spanish.
"Yeah. I'm serious!"
"Get out of the van!" the first guard said again in Spanish while Claudia and Jeffrey walked to them and Daryl frowned when he saw Jeffrey.
"No way," Daryl thought as visions of Rick moved through his head.
"Are you ok?" Caroline asked in a soft voice. She had felt the confusion and surprise coming from her brother and Daryl turned to look back at her.
"Not sure."
"Get out of the van!" Claudia said as she removed the Berretta out of the holster and she pointed the Berretta at Daryl.
"No!" Peter shouted, climbed onto Daryl's lap, knelt on Daryl's legs and Peter held onto the steering wheel. He blocked Daryl's view as Daryl frowned and Peter looked back at him.
"What're you doing?" Daryl whispered.
"Making sure you don't get shot," Peter whispered then he looked at Claudia.
"What's it gonna be? You let us leave or do you shoot th'kid?" Connor asked.
Claudia closed one eye as her right index finger brushed against the trigger and she licked her lips. Peter kept moving as she tried to get a clear shot of Daryl's head then she pointed the gun at Connor.
"No!" Chandler said, climbed onto Connor's lap, knelt on Connor's legs and Chandler held onto the dashboard, blocking her view of Connor.
"Both of you move!" Claudia said.
"Ain't gonna happen!" Chandler said and Peter shook his head.
"Looks like we're at a standoff," Daryl said.
Jeffrey glanced at the van then at Claudia and he placed his right hand on the top of the gun.
"We don't kill the living," Jeffrey said and Daryl's heart jumped in his chest.
"Daryl, what's wrong?" Caroline whispered after she felt the odd feelings coming from her twin.
"That's somethin' Rick would say," Daryl whispered.
"Who's Rick?" Peter asked.
"My brother."
Jeffrey headed for the van as Peter carefully turned to face the driver's side window and Jeffrey smiled at the boy.
"Hey, Peter," Jeffrey said.
"Hey," Peter said.
"Want to get out of the van?"
"No. You'll kill Mister Daryl."
"You'll kill Mister Connor, too," Chandler said.
"Come on, Guys. You know we wouldn't do that," Jeffrey said.
"Then tell them to put their rifles down," Peter said, pointing at the guards.
Jeffrey looked back at the guards when he signaled for the guards to lower their rifles and the guards looked at Claudia. Claudia nodded and the guards lowered their rifles.
"Well?" Jeffrey asked, but neither Peter or Chandler moved.
"Looks like they're stayin' where they are," Connor said and Chandler looked back at him. "Right?"
"Yeah," Chandler said with a nod.
"This is getting ridiculous," Claudia said as she moved toward the van then stopped when Connor removed the gun from his black Navy pea coat and he pointed the gun out the window. Murphy had removed the gun from his black Navy pea coat as he moved to the driver's seat and he handed the gun to Daryl. Daryl pointed the gun out the window as Jeffrey looked at the gun and Jeffrey sighed.
"Look…," Jeffrey said with a tone that Daryl recognized as Rick's. "No one has to get hurt. Just get out of the van and we'll talk."
"We did talk. Explained why we were here and what we wanted. She's the one who's so gung-ho about killin' us," Daryl explained.
"He's right," Caroline said as she appeared behind Daryl's shoulder and Jeffrey could just see her. She noticed the look in his eyes as he looked from her to Daryl and Jeffrey frowned, lowering his head.
"She has her reasons. Just like I have mine," Jeffrey said.
"What are you talkin' about?" Daryl asked and Jeffrey turned to look at Claudia.
"When I arrived? You checked under the car, in the trunk and in the front seating area, right?" Jeffrey asked and Claudia frowned.
"Yeah. So?" Claudia asked.
"Did you check the back seating area?"
Claudia's eyes widened when she removed the walkie-talkie from her belt and she pushed the button.
"Is the sedan still at the gate?" she asked then let go of the button.
"Yeah," Alexandro's voice said. "Why?"
"There's something or someone in the…" she said when the walkie-talkie made a loud crackling sound and she looked at the walkie-talkie.
"Hello, Claudia," a man's voice said and she nearly dropped the walkie-talkie.
"Hello, Matthew," she said then let go of the button.
"I guess you're surprised to hear my voice."
"I thought I'd never hear it again. Are you still in the sedan?"
"No. I'm in your office."
"How….?! How did you get there so fast?!"
"You forget. I know this place just as well as you do."
"What's goin' on?" Daryl whispered to Jeffrey.
"She's talking with Doctor Becker," Jeffrey whispered.
"Look… If I let you take what you want, will you just leave and take your people with you?" Claudia asked and let go of the button.
"My people?!" Matthew's voice asked. "I assure you I am here on my own."
"Then who….?" she asked as she looked at the van.
"As for what I want… You know full well what that is."
"No. You are not taking control of the laboratory."
"I am the only scientist and researcher you have left. And I know my way around… Around certain people."
"If you're talking about Hernandez? He's no longer a problem."
"You finally made a deal with him?"
"He's dead. The Apocalipsis got him when he tried to take over the laboratory."
"I see."
Claudia looked at the walkie-talkie then she looked at Jeffrey and he saw the anger in her eyes.
"How did you get Jeffrey to bring you here?" she asked then let go of the button.
"Why don't you ask him?" Matthew's voice asked.
Claudia walked to Jeffrey. She locked eyes with him while Daryl looked from one to the other and Peter carefully moved so he was sitting on Daryl's lap.
"Well?!" Claudia asked.
"I caught up with Becker shortly after he ran off. We got ambushed by those things. I was nearly killed. He saved my ass. Told me I owed him for saving my life. I asked him what he wanted and he told me I had to remove his tracking device," Jeffrey said and Peter frowned.
"That's why we only could track his," Peter whispered to Daryl.
"You removed his tracking device?" Claudia asked.
"I had to or…," Jeffrey said
"Or what?"
"He'd shoot me, open the car door and let those things take me."
"Why didn't you kill him?"
"We had fought before those things attacked. He overpowered me and took my gun."
"Shit."
"Claudia?" came from the walkie-talkie and she looked at the walkie-talkie.
"What?" she asked then let go of the button.
"Would you be so kind and escort our guests and our former leaders' children to your office?"
Claudia growled as she looked at the van and she flexed the fingers of her left hand.
"They won't get out of their vehicle," Claudia said and let go of the button.
"Did you try saying please?" he asked then laughed.
Claudia felt like tossing the walkie-talkie as she snorted a breath of air and she looked at Daryl.
"Will you please get out of the van?" she asked.
"Did she say please?" Caroline asked and Daryl nodded. Daryl opened the driver's side door then held Peter in his arms and he got out of the van. Connor, Murphy, Caroline and the kids got out of the van as they went to stand next to Daryl and Caroline looked at her brother.
"Follow me," Claudia said. She walked to the guards while Daryl glanced at Caroline and Caroline shrugged her shoulders. Claudia turned as she looked at them and she sighed, rolling her eyes. "Please."
"What're you gonna do with the van?" Caroline asked.
"We're going to take it back to the garage. It will be searched, cleaned and refueled."
"Sorry. We can't let you do that," Katherine said.
"Why?"
"We have our reasons," Daryl said and she saw the hard look in his eyes.
"Fine," Claudia said with a sigh.
She walked by the guards as Daryl nodded his head and they go get back in the van. She heard the sound of the engine starting when she saw the van heading toward her and she got onto the golfcart. Jeffrey went to sit next to her as she started the engine and the golfcart headed for the paved road. He glanced at her as Claudia looked straight ahead and he sighed, crossing his arms over his chest.
After arriving at the lab, Daryl opened the driver's side door and he got out of the van. Caroline, Connor, Murphy, Katherine and the kids got out of the van as Caroline walked to her brother and he glanced at her.
"Let's go," Claudia said as she and Jeffrey headed for the sliding doors then she turned, looking back at them. "Please."
"I think it would be best if only you, Jeffrey and I go talk with Doctor Becker," Katherine said.
"Why?"
"I can be very persuasive if I need to be."
Claudia saw the cold look in her eyes as she nodded and Katherine walked to her.
"Hold on," Daryl said. He walked to Katherine and Claudia and he pointed to the sliding doors. "Let's go."
"What about them?" Claudia asked, looking at Caroline, Connor, Murphy and the kids.
"We'll be fine," Connor said with a grin.
Sighing, Claudia led Katherine, Jeffrey and Daryl inside the lab and they walked along the main lobby. Daryl scanned the surroundings with his eyes as she led them to the staircase and they headed up the stairs.
"You're Daryl, hunh?" Jeffery asked as he looked at Daryl.
"Yeah," Daryl grumbled.
"Need to know something."
"What?"
"When we first met? You gave me a really odd look."
"So?"
"It was like you recognized me."
"You remind me of someone I know."
"Who?"
"My brother."
"What was your brother's name?"
Daryl wasn't sure if he could trust Jeffrey as he sighed and flexed his fingers.
"Merle."
"What happened to him?'
"Someone killed him."
"Oh."
They walked down the hallway when Claudia stopped at the door to her office and she was angry to see the door was open. She opened the door wider as they walked in the room and she looked at the man sitting at her desk.
Doctor Matthew Becker was a medium size man with a lean build. He had a long face with a straight nose, thin lips and beady dark eyes. His brown hair was brushed back on his head and his ears stuck out slightly from his head. He was wearing a white shirt, a black leather belt, black body armor pants and boots and a white lab coat. The top part of the black body armor was sitting near the desk and a gun was sitting on the desk.
"Where are the others?" Matthew asked after he noticed Connor, Murphy, Caroline and the kids were missing.
"They didn't want to join us," Katherine said and he gave her a stern look.
"I see," he said as he sat back in the chair. "And you are?"
"I am Doctor Katherine McManus."
"Are you a scientist?"
"No. I am a medical doctor and surgeon."
"Who is your friend?" he asked as he looked at Daryl.
"He is my guard."
"Don't remember seeing either of you before. Why are you here?"
Katherine stayed silent. Becker leaned forward as he placed his forearms on the desk and he was slightly amused when neither Katherine nor Daryl flinched.
"Who are you working for? Hernandez?" Matthew asked Katherine. Katherine stayed silent and Becker sighed, rolling his eyes.
"Look, Becker. You're not wanted here. Leave," Claudia said when the lights flickered and she removed the walkie-talkie from her belt. "Alexandro, what's going on with the power?"
"We're experiencing some power outages," Alexandro's voice said.
"Damn."
"Having problems?" Becker asked with a smile.
"Nothing we can't handle," Claudia said as she placed the walkie-talkie back on her belt. She nodded her head to Katherine, Jeffrey and Daryl. They followed her to the door as Becker cleared his throat and she turned to look at him. "I have been thinking. When Hernandez came here? He knew Sam and his team were dead. No one outside this laboratory knew that."
"What are you implying?"
"Well….," she said as she turned to look at Jeffrey. "After he saved your life? You said he wanted you to remove his tracking device. Did you?"
"I told you I did," Jeffrey said then he looked at Becker.
"May I see the wound?" Katherine said and Becker moved his sleeve up. She looked at the bandage slightly covered with blood and she moved the surgical tape back. She looked at the bloody wound when she placed the bandage back and he placed his sleeve down.
"Did you tell Hernandez about Sam?" Claudia asked.
"No. I didn't tell him," Matthew said.
"You're lyin'," Daryl said, looking at Becker and Becker glared at him.
"Right…," Claudia said as she looked at the ceiling. "Lock the door and windows and block any escape routes after we leave the room. And deny Doctor Becker any computer access."
"Authorization required," the female computer voice said.
"Hold it," Daryl said as he looked at the ceiling. "Whose authorization is required?"
"Doctor Samuel… Authorization approved."
"How….?" Claudia grumbled then she sighed. She led the way then closed the door and she heard the click of the door being locked. They headed down the hallway while Daryl glanced at Jeffrey and Jeffrey saw the look in Daryl's eyes.
"You're doing it again," Jeffrey said.
"Doin' what?" Daryl asked.
"You're giving me that odd look."
Daryl stopped walking as Claudia and Katherine went down the stairs and Jeffrey walked back to him.
"Look. I know you don't trust me. I don't blame you. But I'm not your enemy," Jeffrey said.
"Been told that before," Daryl said.
"Would it help if I properly introduced myself."
"Maybe,"
"I'm Jeffrey. Jeffrey Grimes."