Chapter 35 - Ghosts Pt. 1

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Tess wasn't sure how long she had been unconscious for. Or if she was even conscious now. Everything was dark. She could tell that she was sitting but she couldn't move; her hands tied behind her. There was a muffled dripping sound coming from somewhere beyond the darkness and the air was cool. It had all the makings of a dingey basement but at this stage it very well could have been the inner recesses of her mind.

Her head was throbbing from where she'd been hit and she could feel dried blood that had crusted under her nose while she had been unconscious. As she tried to regain her bearings, Tess suddenly remembered who she thought she'd seen at the entrance of the township. She wasn't so certain if she trusted her mind right now.

Tess was now aware that she had a hood over her head and she could feel it brushing against her face as she struggled to get off the chair. Both her ankles were tied to a respective chair leg and her arms were twisted painfully behind her, bound with rope at her wrists. She pulled at her constraints to no avail. They were tied far too securely for her to get out of them like this.

Suddenly, Tess heard the click of a lock and the groan of rusted metal as the door to the room was opened. She could hear muffled voices and then, through the hood, she could tell a light had been turned on. The door creaked closed and a single pair of footsteps dragged something along until they stopped in front of her.

Tess was frozen solid the entire time. The owner of the footsteps didn't say a word but she heard them clear their throat, almost like they were bored. She waited for them to speak, to interrogate her, and very quickly the hood was torn off from her head. The light blinded her momentarily and she recoiled, squinting as her eyes adjusted.

The man that sat in front of her was pale, older, maybe late forties. He had graying, brown hair that was combed back in a tidy coif and light stubble covering his jaw. He looked smug and disconcertingly calm, scouring his eyes over her with sinister appeal. Tess shifted uncomfortably in the chair and scowled at him.

"Hello." He smiled unnervingly, "Theresa, was it?"

"Who the hell are you?" She bit back, cagily.

"I'm the Governor." The man preened, "Welcome to Woodbury."

Woodbury? Where had she heard that before? Tess looked around at the room she was sitting in. It was dank and decrepit and potentially was once a boiler room. Water dripped from a leaky pipe into a tin bucket in the corner of the room. It didn't exactly feel like much of a warm welcome.

"Thanks. Loving the welcome wagon." She sneered, unimpressed, yanking at her bonds. "Do you do parties?"

"Sorry about the drab interior. Rome wasn't built in a day, y'know. These things take time."

Tess' eyes narrowed further as she thought to herself, No, but it burned in one.

"I've been advised that it's best to take precautions with you." The Governor shrugged nonchalantly. Warily, Tess eyed him.

"By who exactly?"

"An old friend of yours."

"I don't have any old friends…"

"I guess I must be using the term, friend, loosely then." He shrugged once more, appearing to grow bored as he leant back in his chair.

Tess didn't recognize him and it was safe to say she knew next to nothing about the guy but anyone who introduced themselves as The Governor, was clearly a megalomaniac. His unnerving stoicism and the lecherous gleam in his eye told her that he was far from a nice guy. Something about him felt unhinged.

"Where are Maggie and Glenn?" Tess demanded to know, pulling at the rope around her wrists again.

"Why? Are you planning a jail-break?"

"Whatever this old friend wants, Maggie and Glenn have nothing to do with it."

"Your pals have their own problems to deal with. Y'know, actions have consequences, cause and effect. Besides, do you think I'd be so stupid as to put them in the same building as you? If you somehow did manage to break out of here, you'd have to cross our courtyard and you'd be gunned down before you could even get halfway. It's a risky game and, well, I don't really like to lose."

The measured, falsely sweet way that The Governor spoke sent chills down her spine. People like him were always more dangerous than they appeared. Every move he made, every word he spoke, was calculated and with purpose. But for what purpose, Tess still didn't know.

"So what do you want?" She asked through gritted teeth.

"I want information." Leaning in towards her with his elbows on his knees. Tess glowered in return and moved back as far as she could.

"On what exactly…?"

"Well, you look healthy. Well rested." The Governor replied, teasing her with a question and she rolled her eyes.

"So what? You want to know my night time routine?"

For the first time since he'd entered the room, his malicious smirk disappeared and he glared at her. Tess got the impression that he was used to people cowering beneath him.

"I want to know where you rest your head at night. How many of you are there?" He growled at her but Tess matched his tone,

"Why would I tell you anything?"

A flicker of mixed emotions crossed his face as he tried to decide his next move. The Governor settled back in his chair and gave her a dazzling smile which was no doubt intended to woo her. It did anything but.

"It could be mutually beneficial for us." He suggested, "A partnership of sorts."

Tess could have laughed.

"Odd way to start a partnership. Of sorts."

For a second time, The Governor's patient and polite mask slipped. His right eye twitched and the top of his lip curled, growing vexed by her continuously argumentative behavior.

"Where is the rest of your group?" He questioned her impatiently.

"There is no 'rest of our group'. It's just us."

"So why ransack a nursery?"

"Maggie's pregnant." Tess lied quickly, hoping it would appease him and, hopefully, free Maggie of any wrath. The Governor shook his head, disappointed.

"Nice try but I'm not buying it."

"Ask all the questions you want. I'm not telling you shit."

"Are you sure about that?" The Governor quirked an eyebrow at her.

"Positive."

"Ah well, no harm in trying." He sighed and got to his feet, "Well, not for me. Can't say the same for you I'm afraid." He gave her an odious grin and pulled his chair back to the side of the room before heading for the door.

"You're going to have plenty of time to catch up with your old friend. The world's a small place; even smaller now. Perhaps you'll be surprised by what Woodbury has to offer you."

Tess didn't know what that meant. Whatever it was, it sounded sinister. She watched him leave, feeling uneasy and as he left the room, he didn't latch the door again. Tess could see the shadows of three people beyond the crack in the door. They conferred quietly and Tess struggled in vain to free herself from her bonds. The rope scratched and burned the skin of her wrists as she tugged against them and winced as she attempted to pull a hand through.

Two sets of footsteps retreated from the door and Tess stilled, watching the lingering shadow of the last person. It grew in size as the person drew nearer and pushed the door open. Tess knew now that she hadn't been mistaken. Her old friend entered the room.

Caesar Martinez stood in the doorway, arms folded across his chest and a smug look on his face. Tess immediately recalled the last time she'd seen him, standing in the doorway at the end of the hospital corridor. It was an unnervingly similar scenario. Deep-seated rage boiled within her as she thought about what his cowardice had cost her.

"Surprised to see me?" He asked smugly, closing the door behind him.

"Surprised you've managed to survive this long." She spat back at him in disgust.

"I could say the same for you. I thought you were a goner back at the hospital."

"No thanks to you. You sorry piece of shit." She hissed, jerking in the chair. She wanted nothing more than to lay into him.

"What happened to your friend?" Martinez asked disinterestedly, "Hayward?"

"He's dead."

"Shame. I guess you really can't save them all, huh?"

"What the fuck is your problem? What do you want?"

"Y'know, I never liked you."

"The feeling's mutual, asshole."

"I really don't think you're in any position to be speaking to me like that."

"I really don't think you're all that intimidating. You need to tie me up to get the upper hand? You're fucking pathetic, Martinez."

"You can think what you want of me but I'm not stupid. And I'm not above hitting a woman."

Martinez reeled back and sent a fist flying into the side of her head. The force threw her head to the side and made her ear ring. She gasped, stunned and sat quietly until her ear stopped ringing. She sucked in a few deep breaths, preparing herself for what was to come. Tess raised her head and started Martinez right in the eye.

"Go fuck yourself." She snarled at him and her head snapped back as he punched her again.

"Sorry, what was that?" He mocked her. Tess could taste blood in her mouth and she leant to one side to spit it out. Ruddy saliva dripped from her lips and she gave him a demented smile with her red-tinted teeth.

"That all you got?" Tess taunted him and a smirk pulled at his lips.

"I've got all day." He assured her and struck her across the other side of her face.

Tess lost count of the amount of times Martinez's fists struck her body. Her abdomen ached, no doubt bruised all over and it was uncertain whether any ribs were broken. Her face was mottled and the skin on her left cheek had spilt and was leaving a trail of blood down her chin and neck. The left half of her face had been so badly abused that her eye had begun to swell shut. She was undoubtedly concussed and beginning to find it increasingly difficult to stay awake.

"You had enough?" Martinez finally asked as he massaged his hands that were covered in her blood.

Tess wanted it to stop. She really did. She was teetering on the edge of dangerous territory where she mightn't be able to come back from. Yet, at the same time, she was far too proud to beg. Especially to him. She tried to respond to him but it came out as a garbled mumble.

"You're gonna have to speak up." Martinez patted her cheek patronizingly and each slap stung, making her want to cry.

"I want to talk to Merle." She told him slowly, having trouble enunciating her words.

"The hell you want to talk to him for?" Martinez scoffed.

"I want. To talk. To Merle." Tess repeated, firmer this time.

"I fuckin' heard you. Why?"

What she said next was likely the worst decision she could have made. But boy, did it feel good to see his cocky pride turn into belligerent rage.

"I figure he throws a better punch than you." She jeered at him, coughing through the blood.

Martinez sent a final, white-knuckled fist careening into her face and Tess toppled over in the chair, unconscious.

—

Merle didn't know why he had been summoned or specifically requested. Martinez had left the cellar, fists covered in blood and looking angry, and had chain smoked a series of cigarettes before saying anything. It was approximately forty minutes before he stamped out his final one. The blood on his hands had dried but he looked no less angry.

It was only then that he finally turned to Merle and told him that the woman in the cellar wanted to talk to him. 'She asked for you. Hell if I know why', he'd told him. Merle was only moderately intrigued. He didn't know this woman. Or at least, he didn't think he did. He was certain he'd remember her if he had slept with her. Or maybe he wouldn't; there had been many alcohol and drug induced one night stands in his life.

Merle had his sights set on Glenn when it came to overseeing their new prisoners. He was rather enjoying exacting his revenge, even if, deep down, he knew Glenn wasn't deserving of it. Curiosity got the better of him in the end and he strolled across the courtyard to face his summoner.

He didn't really see why it was necessary to keep her separated but Martinez had been in the ear of The Governor and got his way. As he ventured into the cellar below one of their stock rooms, he quickly found out why.

Tess lay, tied to a chair, in the center of the room. She was passed out and in such an awful state that it took Merle by surprise. He was many things, a misogynist, racist, anti-Semite, but he wasn't the type of person to beat a woman. He'd been lying if he said he'd never hit a woman but it was only ever once and he'd hated himself for it. It was never like this. His mother had raised him better than that.

"Jesus Christ, what the hell, Martinez?" Merle muttered to himself and grabbed the bucket full of water from the corner of the room, as well as the chair.

He sat both down in front of her and hauled her up until the chair was standing again. Tess' head lolled about her shoulders and it gave Merle the opportunity to better see her face. It was stained with purple and red bruises and her cheek and lip had been split. Merle had never bothered to get to know Martinez all that well but he'd never expected this from him.

He thought about trying to clean the blood from her face for her while she was still unconscious but that was a kindness he wasn't willing to get caught extending. Instead, he picked up the bucket from beside his chair and dumped it over her head.

Tess jolted awake, shuddering and gasping from the sudden cold shower. She blinked with her one good eye, trying to clear her blurry vision. Her entire body ached miserably and her shoulder muscles were starting to cramp from her arms being pulled back for so long.

"You look like a goddamn mess." Merle's gruff voice commented from above. Tess breathed out a shaky laugh,

"Still better looking than you I bet."

"Least you still got a sense of humor."

"What can I say?" She tried to shrug but it was too painful and instead tilted her head back to look him in the eye. "It's my most redeeming quality."

Merle eyed her carefully, surprised by her persistent smart mouth. He had to give her credit where credit was due. She had to be tough as nails to still be behaving the way she was in the condition she was in.

"Do we know each other?" He asked curiously, brow furrowed.

"No." She replied, swallowing thickly. "No, we don't. But I know your brother. Daryl."

She had his full attention now.

"You know where he at?" He pried, hoping he'd have better luck getting the info out of her than with Glenn.

"I do." She affirmed, "But I'm not gonna tell you that." Merle grit his teeth, annoyed,

"And why is that?"

"Cause I trust you about as far as I can throw you. Which, y'know, seeing as I'm tied up right now… That's not very far."

"You're hurtin' ol' Merle's feelin's. The hell do you want then?"

"Well, I'm not gonna lie, I kinda just wanted to keep my teeth intact." Tess sighed tiredly. All this talking was making her jaw ache.

"But, I also wanted to tell you that what you're doing here, it's not too late to stop it. Let Glenn and Maggie go. They don't need to be here."

Merle leant back in his chair and stared at her in surprise. Did she think he was stupid?

"And you? If I let you go lookin' like that, you think Officer Friendly isn't gonna bring a world of pain down on our asses?"

"That's why I'll stay." She suggested but Merle barked a laugh, making her frown.

"Is that so? What makes you think you've got shit worth bargaining? Cause the way I see it, the Chinaman and his lady friend do need to be here. He's one of the bastards that left me up on that roof, you see? Made me chop off my own hand."

"I know what happened." Tess retorted, curtly. "I met Daryl that day in Atlanta. He came back for you. But you'd gone."

"Shit for brains never could track me." Merle scoffed and it instantly made her feel angry, a protective urge coming over her.

"You know fuck all about Daryl." She hissed and Merle laughed,

"And you do?"

She only glared at him, gritting her teeth. Merle seemed to find something in the way she was looking at him that told him all he needed to know. He laughed again, dryly.

"Oh you think you do, don't you?" He mocked her, "You got the warm 'n' fuzzies for my baby bro? That's real cute."

Tess' stomach curled with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. This was not the way she had intended for this conversation to go. She had nothing to say to him and continued to scowl at him but he was unperturbed. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying himself.

"You kinda struck me as a dyke, so I'm shocked. Well, actually, Daryl always was a pussy so I guess it's not that surprising."

"No wonder they locked you up on that roof." Tess sneered under her breath.

"What'd you say to me?"

"Daryl is better off without you." She told him.

"You think you know what's good for my lil' brother?"

Tess refused to answer him.

"No?"

She only blinked at him.

"You've got one hell of a poker face, I'll give you that. I bet he's got a massive hard on for you. You two bumpin' uglies?"

Merle chuckled to himself, not thinking Daryl capable of any such thing, let alone able to find someone interested in him. Tess was actually glad that her face was so battered as it helped to hide the blush she felt creeping up from her chest. Merle didn't have any idea what kind of person his brother had turned into and how much he had begun to matter to her. She wasn't going to tell him either.

"You want any chance of getting your brother back, you need to let Glenn and Maggie go."

"That ain't possible, sweetheart. You tell me where he is and then maybe, maybe I'll think about it."

Tess kept her mouth shut again, refusing to give him the answers he so desperately wanted.

"No? Well then, you've got nothing to bargain with and I have no reason to be here."

"If you've laid a finger on either of them, I swear to God I'll-"

"You'll what?"

"Untie me and find out.'

"You've got balls kid, I'll give you that. Maybe women in the army really ain't such a bad thing after all?" Merle mused to himself but then shrugged like it didn't matter. He wandered over to the door and opened it, stopping in the doorway to say one last thing before leaving.

"It's time that you realized you've lost. No one knows you're here, no one's comin'. You better settle in."

The sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach told her that he was right. Tess knew they were on their own. The others weren't coming for them. They didn't even know that they were gone. Not really. Tess thought about the job that they had gone out to do and how important it was for the most vulnerable member of their group. The baby wouldn't have the food she needed and perhaps it would all be gone before the others could go look for them.

Tess wished she had just done the run with Daryl. Or perhaps never have even gone out at all. Could they have just stayed if she hadn't been so afraid and simply told him how she felt? Perhaps now she'd never be able to. Her chest ached as she thought about him. Would he come looking for them? For her? She didn't think that even Daryl would be capable of tracking them down.

She knew no one was coming and what that meant was that if she wanted to get out of here, it would have to be by her own doing. But she didn't have the energy. The easy way out would be to give The Governor and Merle what they wanted. Tell them everything they wanted to know. Maybe, just maybe, that way Maggie and Glenn could go free. The nearly decade long grudge that Martinez had against her guaranteed that she wouldn't be stepping foot out of here without escaping.

There was no way that she was going to give these people what they wanted though. The Governor could rot in hell for all she cared and in order to protect the people she cared about, the people she loved, she'd sooner die. The finality of her situation wasn't lost on her and she couldn't deny that she was afraid. But this was bigger than her now.

Tess sat alone, listening to the water drip on the floor, for at least a couple hours. She didn't know what time it was or if it was still even the same day. Being knocked unconscious twice on two separate occasions had destroyed her sense of time. Tess was aware how risky it was to be suffering from such repeated trauma to the head and hoped it would be the last time she'd be knocked out.

A muffled noise that sounded like footsteps and something being dragged, crossed the ceiling above her and then disappeared. Tess held her breath, straining to listen. There was a series of sporadic thuds that drew nearer and nearer and Tess guessed it must've been coming from the stairs.

She reflexively clenched her fists and prepared for Martinez to return. The lock on the door clicked open and the metal hinges groaned as they moved once again. To her surprise the Governor had returned. He walked in, ignoring her at first and was followed by a smaller, bespectacled man who stood by the door.

The Governor planted himself in the same chair as before and finally took stock of her. She met his gaze and waited for him to say something. The man behind him held a notepad at the ready and she cautiously flitted her one good eye between him and the man seated in front of her.

"Well isn't that just a shame." The Governor hummed disappointedly to himself. Tess had a feeling it was purely because she was no longer pleasing to look at.

"Martinez has a penchant for being a bit heavy handed. I apologize. Although, he does seem to hate you quite a bit, doesn't he?" The Governor pondered aloud curiously and then shrugged, as though no longer interested.

"None of my business what happened in a past life. I'm a man of industry. The future, that's my business. Shall we talk business?" He asked her, hitting her with another signature smile that said 'I'm a masking psychopath'.

"Business?" Tess scoffed wryly. "Your business is kidnap and torture."

"Come now. Don't let a few bad apples spoil the bunch. I'd really like for this to be a productive conversation. While I don't condone the acts of a few rotten apples, I can assure you that they are the least of your worries. Now, where were we?"

"I said it before and I'll say it again, there is no one else." She stressed to him but he didn't believe her.

"Interesting. Your friends are singing a different tune. I guess you're better trained in this than they are, am I right?"

Tess didn't reply and The Governor sighed.

"Last I saw of your friend Glenn, I think Merle was giving him some much needed one on one time with a recently deceased. And Maggie… lovely Maggie, well let's just say I'm sad our time was cut short." The corners of his lips curled into a sinister smile and Tess' breathing quickened as her rage built.

"You're a sick son of a bitch." She snarled at him. "What do you want from us?"

"I want what's mine." The Governor's calm, cool exterior disappeared as he lent in. His eyes were manic and Tess could feel his hot breath against her face.

"We're. Not. Yours." She said in a low, dangerous voice. "I'm not telling you dick. So either kill me or let me go."

The Governor reeled back and sucked in a deep breath. He stood up so quickly that the chair beneath him rocked and he paced back and forth briefly before pulling out a long, serrated knife. Tess eyed it cautiously. This man was certifiable. She thought surely this was it for her.

"I'm not gonna kill you." The Governor shook his head. "Not yet. Let's see what's behind door number three."

He turned to face the bookish man that was still standing by the door and told him to 'bring him in'. Tess had forgotten about him. She began tugging at her bonds once again in anticipation of Martinez's arrival but two other men arrived, dragging a third in by his armpits. Tess' heart raced as she recognized the familiar frame, dark, tightly curled hair and unmistakable shoddy tattoo.

She remembered now why Woodbury had sounded so familiar.

"M-Marcus?" She stammered fearfully.

"Tess…?" His speech was slurred and he appeared unable to keep his head up.

"No. No! This has nothing to do with him!" Tess shouted to the men in the room as the two that had delivered Marcus placed him in the chair and left.

The Governor circled them like a hawk, twirling the serrated knife in his hands.

"A little birdie told me the two of you were old friends from way back. Serendipitous, no? It's like I said, it's a small world."

"Let him go." She implored him, "Please."

"Let him go? But he's just arrived. Don't you want to catch up? Swap stories?"

Tess was exhausted with The Governor's mind games. She was at her wits end and on the brink of dissolving into an unstable mess. It was one thing to know that Glenn and Maggie were somewhere nearby being tortured on some level but to have Marcus physically in front of her, was far worse. He was there for one reason, to make her talk and he'd suffer if she didn't.

"Marcus?" She called out to her friend, tears welling in her eyes. "Marcus, can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear, boss." He nodded affirmatively but his words were disjointed.

"I'm so sorry." She apologized, feeling helpless. "You're gonna be okay, yeah? Everything's gonna be okay."

"Are you willing to talk business now?" The Governor smirked slyly. "Or do you need more convincing?"

He stood behind Marcus' chair and clasped his left shoulder, pulling him upright in the chair. With his right hand, he tapped the blade of his knife against Marcus' shoulder in a threatening manner. Tess' heart was pounding in her chest as she tried to think of a way out. A way to get themselves both free of this maniac. She knew there was nothing she could do though.

The Governor, displeased by her silence, brought the blade down to Marcus' chest and made a long, horizontal incision. Tess squeezed her good eye shut as he groaned in pain and The Governor tutted in disapproval.

"I encourage you to watch." His tone of voice told her that it was less a suggestion and more a demand. "Tell me where your friends are or Marcus here is going to pay the price."

Tess was conflicted and crushed. Marcus didn't deserve this but she couldn't betray her friends. She thought about the fragile state of her group and how ill prepared they would be to take on a man like this with the militia he had. She thought about how much they had already lost; who they had already lost.

The Governor made another cut, across his abdomen.

She thought about Carl and his newborn sister, having already faced so much adversity. They deserved a life better than this. She had to give them that chance. Lori couldn't have died for nothing.

The Governor drove the knife into Marcus' knee.

She thought about Daryl. She thought about him a lot. It broke her heart to know that she loved him and he would never know. Part of her hoped he'd never find her, not after she was dead, not like this. However she couldn't bear the thought that he would never know what had happened. The guilt consumed her.

"I'm sorry F.C." She sobbed, "I can't." Tears streamed down her face and her head pulsed agonizingly. She was to blame for this. His blood was on her hand.

"I know." Marcus wheezed in anguish. "Don' giv'em nothin'."

The Governor sighed loudly.

"I can't say I'm not disappointed. I do admire your tenacity though. Both of you, really, well done." He applauded slowly and rounded Marcus once more like a condor over its prey until he stood behind him. "But I don't like loose ends. Keep your eyes open, you're going to want to watch this."

Time froze and disappeared all at one. One second The Governor was pulling back Marcus' head by his hair and then next, he was slicing through his neck until the blade vanished in a fountain of blood. Tess was slack jawed and shuddering. She watched the life drain from Marcus' eyes as The Governor kept his head up to look at her. He coughed and sputtered and gasped for air, choking on his own blood until there was nothing left.

The Governor finally released him and he fell, hunched in the chair.

Dead.