Chapter 4: TOO FAR? p2
"Damn right, you deserved it. You can be the biggest idiot sometimes." Rick said angrily.
I shrugged my shoulders basically saying yeah, "It is really good to see you though brother." Then we did a little 'bro hug', "How's everything? Did you find Lori, and Carl? I tried to find them when everything went down, but we just had so much happening up here." (That's a lie, he never tried to find them since he knew it would work out.)
Rick appeared to tear up just a bit thinking about it, but said "Yeah, yeah it took me awhile to find them, but I did. Thankfully they had Shane there."
I nervously rubbed the back of my head a little, "Yeah, Shane's a good guy." I don't know how I should handle the Shane situation. Just straight up killing him would be the easiest method, but he does deserve a chance for protecting both of them. Maybe my presence will change something. I'll put him under surveillance, and if he ends up going into crazy town we will just drop him quickly.
I looked at Glenn then Daryl, and back to Rick, "You going to introduce your companions?"
Rick waved his hands to my men, and asked "Are you?"
Everybody introduced themselves to each other, and after I noticed Daryl glaring at me, but I'm not going to say anything. He'll get over it. All of my men ended up taking their ballistic Anbu masks off and started to watch the trees. I looked at Boar, "Boar, head back to Kit and have him drive Sophia to the highway. And follow in the other SUV." I turned towards Rick, and said "We're closer to the highway at this point so let us escort you back. I would love to see my nephew."
As we walked towards the highway, I started to feel bad about Glenn, and Daryl getting caught in the middle of my 'joke'. So I started to try and make amends with them. Glenn wasn't too hard to butter up, he still had that innocence about him. Daryl kept silent for the most part, but near the end of our trek he warmed up a tad, and said "You only got the drop on me because tweedledee and tweedledum behind me kept making racket."
I just smirked, and said "Okay."
Few more minutes of walking we finally reached the highway. As we were walking up the little hill to get to pavement, I started to hear commotion and yelling, "AYE! Stop right there!" Then I see Shane start running at us with his shotgun...
I know we only met a handful of times, but how does he not recognize me. We did make a mistake on our end though, as we were walking we somehow had Rick, Glenn and Daryl in the middle of us. I could see how he would think there is some kind of problem. I discreetly talked into my mic, "Bravo team, come behind them silently, but do not engage unless you see me signal."
At this point Shane reached us, and everybody else in Rick's group was standing behind him. Before it could escalate Rick came to the rescue and put his hands up a little then stood in front of Shane, "Woah! It's fine! This is my brother, you've met him before, David. The rest are from his group. They found Sophia, they're bringing her to us right now!"
Carol instantly perked up and got closer to us, and said "You found my daughter!? Is she okay?"
I shook my head yes, and said "Yes to both of your questions. Actually I'm surprised they aren't here yet. I'm sure at any moment now."
Carl ran up to his Dad for a quick hug, and then looked at me, and said "Hey, Uncle David."
I ruffled his hair a little, and said "Hey little man. You taking good care of your dad and mom?"
He smiled, and childishly said "Yes." While trying to fix his hair.
As I was about to ask him another question when I heard a vehicle approaching. It had to stop short from us because of all the abandoned cars. Everyone turned to look, but Carol started running to it. Sophia got out of the passenger side, and met her mom halfway. It was quite an emotional scene.
"Well, at least everything turned out okay." I turned away from the touching scene, and looked over to where some Bravo team members were hiding among the cars, and said in my mic "Alpha team and Bravo team report back home and return to normal duties. I'm going to stay here for a little bit, I'll radio for pickup when I'm ready."
The look on everybody's face when 8 people stood up and start jogging away, when they had absolutely no idea they were there... Priceless. I looked over at Rick, and he was looking at me, shaking his head.
*AN: I should have mentioned this earlier but I have no desire to add Rick's group to David's. I don't really have a reason why other than I don't want to write it like that tbh. even though it would make sense to at least include or offer Rick, Lori, and Carl a spot. spoiler alert I plan on them making the prison their base. since it will benefit what I have in mind.*
Alpha team got into their suburban which of course couldn't fit all 7 of them in seats, so two of them went to the back of it and opened the back door to sit in the trunk area.
I went over to where Rick had gone to, and just straight up told him, "I would offer you and your people a spot at my camp, but we're already packed to the brim as it is. I know we're family, so that's why I can only offer you, Lori, and Carl a spot there."
Rick started to rub the back of his head, and looked at his group that had started to loot the surrounding cars... "I can't take you up on that offer." He pointed at them, and said "These people need me, they depend on me. Yeah, Shane would probably do a good job leading them without me, but I can't just do that to him..." He choked back a little sob, and continued "I'm not stupid, I've seen the way he looks at Lori and Carl. He loves them and.."
That took a sharp left turn. I knew he was smart, but I didn't think he would figure that out so early. I quickly cut him off, and said quietly "Wait a second, you don't think she had an affair do you?"
Rick turned away from me for a second to wipe his face, and replied "That's the thing, David. They did something, I just know it. They thought I was dead, and I'm sure things just happened over time, but God damn it that's my wife and son."
"I could make him disappear if you want?" He just looked at me like, 'why would you suggest that'. "Ahaha, I'm just messing around... unless?"
He chuckled a little bit, and replied "No, I don't want that. Stop being an idiot."
I put a hand on his shoulder, and said "Well, the way I see it you have two options. First option, let it go and never bring it up. Second option, sit Lori, and Shane down in private and talk it out."
We heard someone running up to us, so we both looked, and it was Carl, "Dad, look at what I found in a car." Then he showed us what appeared to be a black blanket, but then he unrolled it revealing an assortment of bladed weapons.
His Dad made him give it to him, and told him "I'm taking these for now, but maybe later Uncle David can show you the proper way to handle these weapons."
Carl looked bum, but instantly lit up when he heard that last part, "You really mean that?"
Rick looked at me, and I cleared my throat, "Uh, yeah sure thing buddy. That's no problem."
Carl smiled, and went "Yes, let's go!"
Our heads instantly snapped to the treeline, maybe 20 feet away, when we heard some movement. Rick pulled a machete out of the blanket, and I readied my rifle. Then a deer walks out and stops maybe only 10 feet away from us, and just stares at us. Carl looks at Rick and I then back to the deer, and starts creeping forward with his hand out to the deer.
Oh fuck, oh fuck. Why did this fucking deer have to show up. It doesn't make any sense. We are nowhere near where... GOD DAMN IT. I stepped forward to grab Carl, and I yelled "Carl, get back here. It's not sa..."
*BOOM*
The deer falls down along with Carl. Rick and I rush towards him on the ground. Rick understandably starts to cry hysterically, while I'm trying to put pressure on the gunshot wound. Then Otis comes out of the woods, waddling over, "I didn't see the kid, I didn't see him, I didn't see him."
At this point everyone is running over to see what happened, when Lori sees Carl on the ground. "Oh, my baby. No no no no."
Shane of course, aims his shotgun at Otis, "Who the fuck are you?"
I quickly shut that shit down, "He's Otis, He lives near here." I look at Shane, and yell "Bring your truck over here, NOW." Shane immediately runs to the truck and backs up near us, "My base is too far, he'll never make it. He's losing too much blood. Rick, help me load him in the back seat."
We get Carl loaded in the back seat with Rick, and I hop in the driver seat, Lori gets in the middle while Shane gets shotgun . I speed off towards the Greenes, and I say "Hershel Greene is our best chance to save him, at the very least he can stabilize him for transport so we can make it to my base."
We quickly get to the farm, Hershel was outside on the porch. I exit the truck yelling for him, "Hershel, I need your help. A kid got shot by Otis."
Hershel hurries down the steps, and yells "Patricia, come outside I need you help." The door swings open and Patricia runs down the steps, "David, bring the kid inside to the first guest bedroom."
Once Carl gets put on the bed, Hershel and Patricia get to work trying to save him. While they're doing that I stepped outside to radio Cat. "Cat, you got a copy"
"Loud and clear." came Cat's voice.
"I need you to send somebody with a mechanic to the delta checkpoint. They have an older RV broken down, I believe it's a radiator hose. After they get it fixed have them take the group to the Greene's Farm. Send Dr. Bahl to the Greene's Farm with an escort please."
Cat sounded a little worried, "10-4." he still had his radio held down so I heard him shouting orders, "Is everything all right?"
"Not really, Otis accidentally shot Carl, my brother's son."
"Jesus, it's like you Grimes love being shot. I sent Kit with a mechanic to the highway, and Dr. Bahl is on her way with Crow, and Fox."
*AN: If you want a visual of Dr. Bahl. Look up Dr. Bahl from Manifest. Side note, that show is actually pretty good, like a solid 7/10*
I chuckled, "It's really starting to look like that, thanks."
I waited outside till Dr. Bahl showed up, and ushered her to Carl's room to take over. About a hour later Hershel and her came out to the front room, to deliver news. Hershel spoke first, "Carl will live. Thanks to Dr. Bahl, we were able to remove the bullet without further damage. And stopped the bleeding. He is a very lucky kid, if the bullet had been just a few centimeters to the left, he would have needed some serious surgery."
Thank God it didn't end up with us needing that equipment from the highschool. I looked over to Rick and Lori, they were holding each other crying, and thanking Hershel and Dr. Bahl.
Rick asked, "Can we see him?"
Dr. Bahl replied, "He needs rest. Let's wait till the morning and see how he's doing. I'll stay overnight and watch over him to make sure nothing changes."
Dr. Bahl looked over at me and I mouthed 'Thank you', and then I walked over to Hershel to ask him outside to talk. He agreed so we made our way to the front porch.
"Thank you for helping, Hershel. I need to ask for a selfish favor."
Hershel sighed, and asked "What do you need?"
"Can you allow my brother's group to stay here for the time being." I pointed down to a cluster of trees just a little off his driveway, "They can set up their tents right there, and I would appreciate it and I'll owe you one."
Hershel scratched his chin in thought, and replied "I'll allow it, but on some conditions. They respect my farm, and help out around here occasionally."
"Easy! I'll let Rick know. Thank you again!" Then Hershel walked back inside.
Eventually Rick's group showed up, and everybody got settled in.
*AN: I don't plan on making abrupt endings a habit, but I had to end it so I could upload this chapter. Next chapter will have a lot of action with the prison being the main cause. I'm pretty excited to finally start writing action scenes now that I think I've built the story up enough. If you have a preference on rather Shane lives or die, let me know we can vote it. Also do you want him to solo the prison which could make for some bad ass scenes or take it with a few teams and I'll approach it smart. I feel like I've been leaning towards this being team oriented for the most part throughout the story so I can keep it consistent or switch it up. Let me know if you have a preference.*
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