Chapter One: Wanted Dead Or Alive
"Are you sure you should go out there again?" Merrabeth watched as her sister tightened the straps to her gun harnesses.
"That moron left that bag right out in the middle of the open, those guns could prove useful later if I can get my hands on them before someone else."
Isabella double checked her magazines in her glocks before sliding them home on her thighs, "Those guns could be our ticket out of this rotting city. We can't stay here anymore, it's getting too dangerous."
The younger sister sighed and shook her head, "And what if it doesn't and you get hurt, what do we do then?"
"It's a chance we have to take Mer. We have to get out of this city, that raid group is getting closer everyday. I'm already certain they know I'm sneaking around. I've been lucky enough to slip them before they have proof yet."
Isabella gripped her sister's hands as she crouched at her legs. "It's not safe here anymore, and you can finally travel."
The younger closed her eyes, resting her forehead upon her sister's. She really did not want to be left alone again. Her sister had been slipping the raiders for a few weeks and yesterday was a closer call than Isabella had realized. Their trucks had driven by the building multiple times yesterday while her sister was away, as if they knew someone was still alive in here.
She had hid in the shower tub with the dogs guarding the bathroom door until her sister had finally made it back after her scavenging trip. She cried for hours in relief when her sister came back alive.
"I know."
"I'll be back shortly. Keep your gun close and make sure the door is barred behind me."
Isabella rose, kissing her sister's forehead. Making her way to the door she snatched her bow and made quick work of the oak shelf in front of the door.
She waited a brief moment listening for any sounds outside the door before softly unhinging the deadbolts.
Ringo gave a small growl at her thighs. She led her hand out to the German Shepherd, silencing the dog. With a few flicks of her fingers the beast moved paces back and laid down staring at the door.
With one last glance behind her she gave a small smile and slipped out the door. Not moving until she heard the bolts latch and the heavy shelf scuff the floor in the silent hall.
She moved swiftly and silently through the city to make her way to where she had watched the idiot cowboy strutt into town.
The sight of him trapping himself in the tank almost amused her at the irony of being trapped in what was once a power weapon now useless in this new world. It wasn't until she saw the bag of guns the moron had dropped that she really took stock of the situation.
She did note that the man she had been eyeing for a while had helped the poor bastard but had run himself into a shit show doing it. She had hopes he would be able to get her and her sister out of the city but that forming plan went to hell in a handbasket. So her next best option was to get the guns.
Creeping through the streets she finally came to the store that the man and the cowboy had trapped themselves in with a quite large number of people.
Looking up at the wall in front of her she shook her head, "The shit I get myself into."
Well at least the fall would kill her.
Before the moaning behind her got closer she gripped the pipes in front of her and heaved herself up.
"Come on Iz, just like in Mosul. Grip and pull bitch, grip and pull."
Slowly she made it to the roof, huffing as she made the last pull to the top. As she came over the edge her hands yanked her knife from her boot.
Knife in hand she panted with her back to the back to the ledge. She sighed when the dead didn't come at her.
She searched the roof and paused at the sight of bloodied cuffs and a hand. Jerking her knife up she crouched and observed in a frenzy. She saw and heard nothing, coming to a slow stand. She inched forward, looking at the scene before her.
The bloodied hand started a trail to the edge of the roof "Well fuck me."
Isabella was impressed whoever got stuck up here had the balls to chop of their own hand. She didn't quite know if she would have had it in her to saw off her own if it really came to it.
Coming to the edge of the building she looked at the shit show she was going to have to get through to get the bag.
The street was still littered with the dead. She would have to get closer to it and have the right timing to make a bolt for the bag.
Looking at the trail of blood with a wretched face she sighed.
Hopefully the sorry fucker was dead cause if not he was gonna be if he got in her way.
Slowly she made her way into the other building. Following the blood trail cautiously knife and glock in hand she cleared every room she came across. She came to the scene of pilot lights and the dead in astonished confuzzlement.
Whoever came in here had balls of steel and military training. Stop the bleeding, stabilize the wound and make for secured shelter all the while killing any dead that got in his way.
Muffled noise from down the halls of the room had her jerking to the door. She wouldn't be able to make it out of the room swift enough before whoever was here descended on her. She looked around, shoving the table out of the way. Open the area for easier defense.
Just as a man breached the door she yanked her Glock 17 back from its holster.
"Take one more step into this room and I don't care how quick you are with that thing. I will drop you and every other cocksucker who came with you."
"Try it bitch! Where's my brother?" The crossbow hick kept trying to advance on her when she popped a shot off at the dead coming from out of the corner of her eye without taking her eyes off the hillbilly prick in front of her.
The pistol came to the other men walking into the room.
"Alright let's everybody calm down."
"Says the guy with a group of dicks and guns."
"Where the fuck is my brother skank!"
Isabella took her eyes from the Cowboy to the trailer trash in front of her.
"Fuck if I know Katiness," she took on step forward with a glare. "And you call me that one more time you'll be dead before you hit the ground."
"Wait, wait. You're her right? The chick from a few days ago, saved my ass from that pack at the depo right?"
A Chinese kid came around the door frame.
A slight recognition came to her, the kid was the one she wanted to get her and her sister out of the city.
So, the little shit did survive.
"You're the little shithead that I've been seeing scavenging. The one that nearly got himself killed the other day."
Her gun lowered slightly as she recognized the black man not far behind him and when she looked at the cowboy she realized it was the dumbass from the tank.
Looking at him she dropped her gun and cursed. Of course it was her fucking luck.
"I'm guessing you're going for that bag of guns you left behind?"
The men tensed at her words.
"Oh fuck off, there in the middle of the road in broad daylight. Not hard to figure out why you're back in town. By the way, surprised you made it out of that tank cowboy."
Isabella's eyes twitched as the redneck kept his crossbow aimed at her. She holstered the pistol but kept her dominant remaining with her knife.
"Well if I've got no shot at those guns I'll be on my way. I've got places to be, stuff to loot."
As she moved forward the hick tensed, "Not till you tell me where ma brother is skank."
Isabella drew in a large breath, then surged forward. Her fist wretched out to knock out the crossbow for the jackass's hand elbow connecting with his face as her leg swung up catching him in his junk.
When he dropped she was on him in seconds, sitting on his chest, arms under her knee, and gun to his head.
"I told you call me that again and I would kill you."
She paused as a barrel came to the side of her head, "Not before I drop you."
The woman smirked, chuckling, "You're lucky your cute Katniss."
She withdrew her gun as the man below her went deathly still. When she glanced down she saw the man's face lit a fiery red as he eyes went from her face to where her waist sat on his chest.
She smirked as she watched his eye go directly to her crotch that was inches from his face.
"Alright alright easy cowboy. I'm movin'."
"What are you doing here anyway, I thought you were dead after you led that pack away from me" the Chinese kid had tensed but was more worried about the cowboy shooting her then her shooting the hick, interesting.
"I came in here cause I wanted a closer shot out for that bag, didn't want some asshole comin' up behind me while I was in here," as she rose she holstered her gun, but left the straps lose. "Usually I don't mind it from the back, just not with a knife or bullet in it."
"Who ever came in here is either one tough S-O-B and real stupid."
"Why's that?"
She looked at the burly black man behind everyone then nodded to the flames behind the cowboy.
It was then the group turned to the scene and she stepped aside for them to do their own investigation.
The Chinese kid came up to her as the rest of the group talked, "What do you want with those guns anyway? Every time I've seen you you've been scavenging supplies."
"I can get out of the city with that much ammunition, now I'm fucked."
Isabella groaned while rubbing her head. Her first plan went to shit now her second one was following in a blaze.
The Chinese kid looked puzzled, "Why would you need those to get out of the city?"
Isabella debated wether she should answer truthfully or not. Sighing she saw no other choice, she needed those guns.
"With that much firepower I can get my family and I out of the center of town."
The kid paled at the words, the city center was the worst part of town. It had the thickest amount of geeks stumbling around every corner and building.
The cowboy walked up to them at that point looking to be contemplating.
"What if I said you help us get them? I'll give you a few?"
"And trust you won't shoot me in the back after you make me do the dirty work?"
The cowboy shook his head, "You help us get them and you get your pick of what you want. No shooting anyone."
"Aw, hell naw. She ain't gettin' nothin'."
Isabella looked at the hick coming into the circle and smirked, "Just to piss off the redneck you got a deal."
"But I get that bag in my hands before any of you. I'm not trusting you won't shoot me the minute I'm not useful or keep up your end of the deal." The Cowboy nodded, sticking his hand out.
"Sounds fair to me, but if you run off with them I will find you."
Isabella chuckled, "Names Isabella cowboy."
"Rick, Rick Grimes."
The rest gave their names except for the hick. She wasn't surprised, his body language told her when he got the chance he would be willing to shoot her.
"So how do you want to do this?"
And that is how she came to be standing in the alley with Glenn and as she learned Daryl.
"You got some balls for a chinaman."
"I'm Korean," Glenn glanced at Isabella as she kept her eyes on the street, focused on the bag. "You sure you wanna do this?"
"Easy kid, I gotch' your back. You just focus on running, I'll deal with anything that gets too close. Besides, if they shoot me you're my collateral because if I go down because of one of them I will make sure you go with me."
Glenn swallowed, he knew Rick and T-Dog wouldn't go low and shoot at her but he really couldn't say the same for Daryl. The Dixon had been eyeing the woman ever since he got his weapon back like he wanted to shoot her at any minute.
"They won't, I'll make sure you get your guns and make it back to your family."
This made Isabella pause. She liked the little shithead, it would be a shame if she had to kill him.
They both waited for a few moments until Isabella yanked Glenn forward in the street. They both crept hastily down the sidewalk, Isabella leading them closer and closer.
Glenn saw his chance when they got closer and if reading his mind they bolted together into the street. He quickly grabbed the bag and Rick's hat when he tripped.
He panicked when something latched onto his foot but it was quickly released as Isabella yanked him to his feet. "Move your ass kid!"
Glenn didn't argue as he bolted back to Daryl. Isabella ran backwards killing anything that got too close.
She was distracted when she heard yelling and then a white van sped at her. Barely dodging out of the way, she only chanced herself a moment of distraction to look at what was happening.
Just making out Glenn being yanked to the back of the open van by two vatos.
Moving quick she drew her bow and released an arrow into the arm of the man yanking Glenn into the truck.
The poor boy almost made it out of the vehicle before he was yanked back in by the injured man, "Daryl, Isabella!"
"Hey let him go, you jackass!"
She could not let them take him or she wasn't getting those guns.
The van tore off just as she made it to the alley as Rick and T-dog tried to bolt after it.
She shoved them back into the alley as the dead descended on them, "Go, go. We can find him later!"
The group ran behind the chain fence, Daryl and Isabella pushing it closed in an attempt to slow the dead as they made their escape.
The moment they made it back to the room they met in, Rick had his gun on her as he shoved her into the wall.
"What was that, did you plan that?"
"If I wanted you dead I wouldn't have helped you get the guns asshole. I don't know who that was but if you don't get that gun out of my face we are gonna see what you had for breakfast." Isabella's spare knife was shoved against Rick's gut.
He looked at the knife then at her. He stared for a few long moments at her as if deciding if she was telling the truth or not. With a sigh he released her.
Isabella barely focused on what the men were saying to the poor boy they had captured until he mentioned where his group was located.
"I know where he's talking about. I've been keeping an eye on them for a while. There group keeps getting bigger and they have a lot of fire power."
Isabella looked at the boy when Rick nodded to her, "It's close to the east end right?"
The boy looked scared that she knew where they were.
"Can you take us there," Rick looked at her questioningly.
"That was not part of the deal cowboy."
The two stared at each other having a silent battle.
"Two shotguns and as many handguns as I want."
"Deal."
And with that the group drug the boy to his group's home base.
"You sure you're up for this?"
"Yeah."
T-dog nodded to Rick as Isabella drew her compound and loaded it.
"One wrong move and you get an arrow in the ass just so you know."
"G is gonna take that arrow outta my ass and shove it up yours. Just so you know"
"As kinky as that sounds dipshit. That'll be the last thing he does."
The men looked at her as she smirked down at the boy who shivered, fully believing every word she said.
"Who G?"
"Guillermo, he's the man here."
"Okay then let's go see Guillermo."
As they crept forward, Isabella kept her bow drawn.
When the doors opened, she covered the left side of Rick while hick covered his right.
She didn't speak as Rick negotiated until the Mexican mentioned the guns.
"Oh fuck no they belong to you."
Her bow pulled tight as she moved her tense aim to the leader.
"Watch it puta, wouldn't wanna ruin that pretty face."
"Watch yourself chico conserje, you're in over your head jackass."
The man looked stunned before he quickly sobered, watching Rick nodded to T-dog across the way with a rifle pointed at the man's head.
With a nod, Isabella's attention and aim were drawn to the roof. She watched as Glenn's panicked face came into view.
She could take both the men at his sides before they pushed him off but the problem lay getting past the assholes in front of her and into the building. She didn't have a lay out or the fire power to do what was necessary.
Fuck.
She pulled back when Rick nodded at both her and the hillbilly bowmen.
When T-Dog met back up with them in an empty building she watched the men go back and forth on what to do.
"So you're gonna hand the guns over."
She perked up at that, staring at the man who gave her his word.
"I didn't say that. There's nothing keeping you two here, you should head back to camp."
"And tell your family what?"
Isabella stared at Rick as his companions grew a hard air about them. This was a suicide mission, she seen them before. The look of determined resignation on his face. He was perfectly willing to die for a kid who he just met, who had saved his life.
"I said you could take your pick, you better do it now. I can't ask you to come with us."
Isabella tore her gaze from him to look at the other two men. They paused for only a moment to look at her.
As she looked at Rick she sighed and shook her head. Merrabeth was going to kill her.
"Fuck it, not the first time this shits happened to me, won't be the last."
They jerked at her watching her step forward. She unzipped her jacket to reveal her chest holsters with her Glock 17's as she stepped toward the table.
When she picked up a shotgun and checked the munitions and started to load it.
"You owe me one for this Cowboy, my services don't come cheap."
Rick nodded at the woman in gratitude, handing her extra shells that she stuffed in her pockets.
"Sure you can handle it princess?"
Daryl smirked at the women next to him as she loaded the shotgun in her hand with precision.
"Put you on your back, didn't I redneck?"
Her response caused Daryl to sputter and T-Dog to laugh.
"Naw man, I think she'll be just fine."
Rick chuckled as poor Daryl angrily cocked his shotgun with red ears.
Isabella was glad she knew about the Vato group and where their homebase was. She really didn't want to have to shoot any of the old folks from the nursing home they had held themselves up in.
She didn't look at the group of me as she pulled her share of guns from the bag when Rick handed his shotgun to Guillermo after his sob story.
They watched as she took her promised shotgun, rifle and four of the pistols she planned to take from the bag and placed them in the chair beside the bag.
"Don't make me regret this vato. You got a lot more to worry about then this little group coming after you."
Guillermo nodded in understanding. He had already had a run in with the raiders he thought she was talking about.
"Handled um' before, we'll deal with them again soon enough."
Isabella nodded, turned and walked out of the room.
As she passed Glenn she nodded to him with a barely seen smile. The kid turned and followed her out, followed by the rest of the group
When they were out of the complex and on the road, Isabella didnt stop walking from them.
"Hey wait!"
Isabella turned at Glenn's words, her face blank. She really didn't want to deal with them now. She had to think of another plan to get her sister out of the city.
"Where are you going?"
"Home, I've got planning to do and scavenging to handle."
"Maybe we can help you?"
Rick stepped forward to the pair.
Isabella shook her head with a scoff. Fuck her bleeding heart or she would not be in this situation to begin with.
"You already did, you gave me my guns. Our business is done."
"Come on, you've saved my life twice. There has to be something."
Glenn's eyes reminded her so much like her sisters, maybe that's why she didn't just take her guns and leave them to themselves when Rick gave her an out.
Sighing, Isabella shook her head, "You got a pen?"
Glenn's eyes lit up as he looked back to the men behind him. They each looked at each other with scrunched faces making Glenn's bright grin drop.
Shaking her head, Isabella slightly unzipped her jacket and reached for the sharpie she kept.
When Glenn turned around, she was yanking the poor boy to her. She jerked his arm up, uncapping the sharpie with her teeth.
As she scribbled on his arm, the other men inched closer to look at what she was doing.
One Glenn's arm was a clear message as she pulled away.
You owe me 1 - Maple Complex 1520
"You ever figure it out, you come find me."
Glenn looked at his arm, his bright grin that reminded Isabella of her sister coming back to his face.
Rick reached his hand out before she could leave, "Thank you."
"See you 'round cowboy."
Isabella let go of her hand and started walking away.
"See ya 'round dumbass', try not to get yourselves killed. The dead are the least of your problems in this world."
The men watched as she started to jog away, then moved into a swift sprint as she hit the turn.
Maybe they would see the woman again, maybe not. Only time would tell.
When the group made it to the area where they had stashed their truck Daryl started his complaints.
"Admit it, you just came back for the hat." Glenn smirked at Rick
"Don't tell anybody."
"Shouldn'ta let her go, specially since you gave away half our guns and ammo."
"Come on man, you're just pissed cause she kicked your redneck ass."
T-dog laughed when Daryl grunted, jerking his crossbow higher.
"Not nearly half and to be fair it wasn't our half"
"What, to a bunch of old farts who are gonna die anyway and a crazy chick who could kill us next time she sees us? Seriously, how long do you think either of them got?"
"How long do any of us?"
The men stopped when they turned the corner and their truck was gone.
"Where the hell is our van?"
"Who the hell would take it?
"Merle."
Daryl looked at Rick is slight panic, "He's gonna be takin' some vengeance back to camp."
"Isabella, the place she gave me is close to here. If we hurry was can catch up to her,"
Glenn's eyes skirted to the distressed men.
"If I think I know her a little, she has a vehicle."
"No way man, I'd rather fuckin' run it."
"There's no garenity she has a truck or that she'll even help us."
"She will."
Glenn stared at Rick as he debated. T-dog slowly began to nod, "He's got a point. Car will get us back faster than runnin' man."
"Shit." Daryl kicked the dirt when he saw the decision in Rick's eye's before he even nodded his head.
Glenn looked at the scribble on his arm again and started to run, "Come on, it's close. If we're lucky we can catch her before she makes it back."
When Isabella had recklessly given Glenn where she and her sister were staying she had figured they would be long gone before the kid would ever even consider coming to find her. If she planned it right she and her sister would already have gotten the hell out of dodge and have left a note for the poor kid that she had left and he was welcome to whatever she left behind.
So, when she was rounding the corner four blocks from her apartment complex and saw the group of men skirting along the sidewalk a block ahead of her on the other side of the street. She knew she fucked up, and it could get her sister killed.
"Fuck my life. Nothin' ever goes the fuckin' way I need it to does it."
She bolted across the street as she drew her bow. When she drew back and fired, she cursed when she missed. As she jerked into an alcove she felt a swish go by her ear. When she looked, she noticed a bolt in the dead that way now infront of her stuck in the throat of it.
Pulling a knife, it wizzed into its head as it headed for her.
"Daryl, Daryl stop."
"Fuck that, that shank is trying to kill us."
She heard a grunt as she knocked another arrow.
"Isabella, Isabella it's Glenn. We're not here to hurt you, we need your help."
Glancing in the window of the car beside her she watched the reflection of Rick restraining the hick while T-Dog tried to get Glenn to come back.
As she sighed she saw a dead man stumbling up behind T-dog.
"Please don't let this be a mistake." She mumbled, swinging around the corner, aimed and dropped the dead man just behind T-dog causing all the men to jerk around.
When they looked back Isabella was already jerking Glenn to a crouch behind the cars.
"You know full disclosure, when I told you where I lived I had full plans to already be gone. What the fuck do you want now?"
"Look, we're sorry. But we need your help."
Isabella glanced at Rick as he spoke.
Fucking great, life just keeps getting better and better.
"Fine, we'll talk. But you need to shut up."
The men nodded, noticing the increasing number of walkers around the street.
"Shut up and keep up."
As she finished, Isabella bolted down the street with the men following her in a crouch.
Glenn yanked her arrow out of the walker as they passed, figuring she would need it. Spotting the one she fired at them, grabbing it as well.
As they crept down the blocks, Isabella stumbled.
The doors that she kept chained to the apartment build were wide open.
The men heard her sudden gasp, looked to the doors she spotted and just caught her voice before she bolted up and ran for the open doors.
"Merrabeth."
Her bow was on her back, jacket yanked open, and Glock drawn balance on her military issue knife when they reached the doors.
Rick had his pistol drawn the same way she did, both moving in disturbing sinc to clear the lobby.
The men followed as she took the stairs two at a time, Isabella on point with Rick and Daryl clearing every turn she made up the stairs.
When they made it to the top floor, she kicked the door open. Sweeping to the immediate opening on her left she cleared it then turned and moved to the right. Her eyes strayed to each door they passed leaving the men behind her to sweep and clear them with a slight push.
Rick stopped on her other side as Isabella's back hit the wall near a door. She gave it a series of bangs and knocks once, then twice.
"Mer open the door or I swear to god I'll break it down!"
A soft mumble came from behind the bolted door, "Izzy?"
They could hear scraping and bolts unlatching.
When the final lock seemed to undo itself, Isabella snatched the door handle and thrust it open.
The men moved to follow but an animalistic growl jerked them to a stop with guns up.
Isabella gave a sharp hut and the growls stopped.
Slowly creeping into the apartment, Isabella was on the floor cradling a hysterical young woman.
"Shh,shh, its ok. I'm here."
"Them came into the building, they came into the hall! I was so scared."
T-dog shut the door behind them, bolting it shut, and turned to watch Isabella lift the woman up in her arms.
"It's ok, you're ok. I will never let anything happen to you."
As Isabella set her sister on the couch she spoke aloud to the men.
"Kitchen, water, now."
It took a moment for the men to leave their daze of the expensive room they were in.
Glenn came to first, bolting to where it looked the kitchen was. Coming back with a bottle.
As he handed it to her, the young woman seemed to jerk at the appearance of others in the room.
The Belgian mal seemed to growl upon the scare of the young women.
"Atlas, fuss"
The dog stopped growling as it jumped on the couch and wiggled its way into Merrabeth's lap. Draped across in a guarding fashion Rick had only seen in military dogs.
The German Shepherd that Daryl had kept in his sights finally moved at Isabella words from between the men and women to sit directly at Isabella's heel.
Isabella sighed, "It's ok, they won't hurt you. They would never make it close."
She remained crouched despite the scoff she heard from the hick.
"How close did they get?"
"They were right at the door, Izzy. I told you, you shouldn't have left me."
"I know, I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
"Who are they?"
Before she could answer Glenn stepped forward, "I'm Glenn, sorry to barge in."
Merrabeth slowly nodded at the Asian kid who looked no older than her.
"That's T-dog, Rick and the grumpy one with the crossbow is Daryl."
Isabella gave a half smile when Merrabeth giggled.
"I'm Merrabeth."
Rick tipped his hat, "Pleasure Ms. Merrabeth but if you wouldn't mind can I talk to your sister."
The girl nodded her focus coming to T-dog who took it upon himself to introduce himself and try to help calm the young woman down.
Isabella moved to the kitchen with the rest of the men following. She yanked bottles of water from the counter, tossing each man one before putting the counter between them and her sister in the next room.
"So, to what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you jackass's again?"
After Rick finished chugging he slightly bowed his head, "We came to ask another favor."
"Shit cowboy, I'm all out of those today. Try again."
Glenn jerked up at a thought, "Then a deal."
The group looked at the young man to continue.
"We'll help you and your sister get out of the city if you help us back to our camp."
"And you can't get your own ass there yourselves because?"
"Ma brother, jacked our truck. Headed out of town towards camp."
"And he is not going to make nice."
"What the fuck ya expect, ya'll left 'im fer dead."
Rick shook his head at Daryl, "Be that as it may, we need to get back to camp and running will take too long. We were hoping you could take us."
Isabella said nothing for a time, her mind racing. This is what her original plan was. Get Glenn to help her out of town, drop him off close to his camp and make for Mert County to the Greene's.
Now she had an even better deal with extra man power and the guns that were her second plan.
Only problem was she didnt know if she would be able to fit everyone.
Fuck it, they were leaving today after the too close call with the raiders literally at her fucking door.
"Fine, you help me out of town I help you back to your camp," her glare turned harsh as she stared at Rick. "But if you try to steal anything or get my sister hurt. I swear to god the end of the fucking world will look like heaven compared to what I will do to you and everything you love."
The harden glare that came from Rick left after he realized he would do the exact same thing if anything threaten his family.
"Deal."
"Alright, let's get ready to blow this strip club."
Glenn choked on the water he was drinking as Isabella walked away. Daryl slapped him in the back to help the poor embarrassed boy.
"Merrabeth pack the rest of the essentials, we're leaving."
"But Izzy."
"No buts. The raider were at my fucking door, I've kept us here too long. We are leaving."
Merrabeth simply nodded, getting up limping towards the kitchen. Glenn offered her a hand to help her as the other men watched her.
"What's wrong with her?"
Isabella paused on her way to their room at the his question.
"She broke her ankle and tore her achilles heel before all this shit. She's still healing, it's why we're stuck here." She
Before she continued to her room she paused again. "Stupid question but how familiar are you with firearms?"
"I'm a sheriff, pretty well."
The hick just grunted making Isabella shake her head, "Fine you two come with me."
The two men followed inquisically. Entering the expensive decorated room filled with book shelves of books on almost every wall. They watched as she went to a dresser looking structure, pulling down a hidden keypad and punching in numbers.
When the shelf started to move she backed up and went for the closet.
If Rick could ever picture a movie scene he would kill to see in real life it would be from one of those spy movies. The one where the wall flipped and showed an arsenal of high tactical weapons.
That was the exact scene right in front of him now.
"What the fuck."
"Holy shit."
Both men jerked their eyes to the woman who come out of the closet with a large black case damn near her size and two black duffle bags.
"Take your pick, pack what's practical in this. And you touch this case I blow your brains out."
Rick walked to the wall of guns in a daze with Daryl, "What exactly did you say you did for a living again."
"Military defense contractor."
Ah that made sense.
"Military ma ass, this is some James Bond type shit."
Daryl was both thoroughly impressed by the arsenal the woman had and completely distrustful.
Who the fuck need help getting out of a city with this type of heat. Then he thought about what she said about her sister and it made sense.
The girl wouldn't be able to drive and he bet she was a shit shot by how hard she was shakin' earlier during her hysterical meltdown.
Isabella did not grace the comments with further explanation, just thrust clothes from drawers into her other black duffle.
Rick and Daryl got to work on the guns, taking what was reasonably. None of the heavy hitting automatics that were too heavy to carry. At the sight of the heavy automatics, both men took a glance at the black case the woman threatened not to touch.
It was definitely the cream of the crop, which was hard to beat considering the impressive arsenal she had. Quite a few were only granted to military personnel with special training and permits to even own.
After the bags were packed and brought to the couch, Merrabeth finished with Glenn and T-Dog, who went to help, in the kitchen with the food and water they were taking.
Isabella tossed Merrabeth a 12 gauge shotgun, "You remember what daddy taught us?"
Her answer came in the form of the loading sound of the gun.
"Thata girl."
Everyone carried a bag and a gun as they exited the apartment, the two dogs shooting ahead of the group sniffing the ground clearing the way. Every time the dogs gave a slight growl, Isabella shot forward compound drawn at the ready. Handling every walker that came her way.
Daryl soon started to get the idea, recognizing the growls, and started alternating with woman
When they made it to the underground garage they didn't have to travel far. Finding the old one and half cab F-150 that Isabella had hidden.
"Get everything loaded, Merrabeth get in the truck."
"Where are you going?"
"Going for my ride. Altas, Ringo blibe." (Stay)
Before anyone could follow her she bolted out into the dark.
"Do as she says,"
Rick grabbed Merrabeth and gently coaxed her to the doors of the truck.
"Get in the truck, in the back. I'll get the dogs."
"Come on man, forget the fuckin' dogs."
Merrabeth was about to jab at him until Atlas cleared the side of the truck and into the bed with not so much a sound. Ringo followed suit after watching Merrabeth get into the trucks well.
The men just paused to watch then loaded quickly into the truck just as they heard the sound of a motor.
Isabella rode forward on a blacked out Suzuki Hayabusa.
Rick started the truck and rolled the window down.
"Keep up and keep back. Ill ride ahead, I come back around a corn you hall ass backwards."
Rick nodded as Daryl rolled the passenger down, shotgun at the ready.
Rick stayed at a distance from Isabella as she said. There were a couple close calls, a few walkers jutting out in front of her. Trying to yank her from the bike but failing to do so.
He understood now why she would need help getting her sister out of the city. The bike was necessary to scout ahead to avoid the large groups and it was very apparent that Merrabeth could not drive, given her shaking and healing ankle.
When they finally made it out of the city, Isabella dropped back to the truck.
"How far till the first turn?"
Her yelling barely made it to Rick but he heard bring up five fingers.
With a nod, her body slid almost glued to the bike beneath her then she shot off like a rocket.
Gone from sight with in seconds.
"Her and that fucking bike."
Merrabeth's swearing made a few of the men chuckle.
"She even know how to ride that thing?"
Merrabeth stared Daryl dead in the eyes, "In her words, she knows exactly what type of power she wants between her legs."
Glenn and Daryl went flush red while Rick kackled.
"Your sister is one badass woman."
"Yeah, well sometimes that is not a great thing when she's willing to go Mac-10 on that death machine."
T-Dog chuckled, "You alright girl, you alright."
The silence that fell on the group was palpable. All the men were worried about if Merle had made it to the group or not
After a while Isabella came back. Dropping to cruise with the truck, giving a nod that the way was clear.
As they travel the tension slowly grew for both parties, worrying what they would come to at their destination.