ORDER (sequel to Trouble) [TWD]

aftermath

"Better than yesterday," she breathes as Carl stands from his chair to let her sit down, "Morning sickness is the worst."

"We're about to head out to the next route. Is there anything you need?" Ryan asks her, reaching over to massage her shoulders.

"Mm.. No. I think I'm just going to check the crops with Enid today. Are you all ready to go?"

"All packed," Sakiko answers, "Aaron is getting us a car by the gate. We shouldn't waste much more daylight. We're gonna try and beat the dads back home."

"That's good," Maggie agrees, "Is there anything I can do?"

"You're already doing it," Ryan reassures, "Let us do this."

--

"Do you think the group was this.. put together," Sophia looks for the word, "When they were looking for me? Us?"

"Probably not," Carl figures, "Not to hurt your feelings. They just.. didn't know what to do back then. Two walkers meant everything had gone to shit. No base camp until we got to the farm. Not as good with weapons."

"So, you're saying that we're smarter, safer, stronger, and better than our parents and all?" Sakiko asks, turning in the passenger seat to look at the three in the back.

"Pretty much," Carl nods.

"Eyes on the road, people," Ryan calls.

Sakiko purses her lips, reaching over to rub Ryan's thigh, "We're here, babe. We're gonna find him."

The group had been going out every other day or so. They road the streets and tracked any sign of life for Glenn. He had still been missing since the herd went through and he told Michonne to go on home. 

A couple weeks ago, when things were still fresh, the five of the group had found tracks from Michonne's group. They followed it into a small town, finding bodies of Alexandria's people decaying.

After Sakiko and Nanami deducted which way Glenn and Nicholas had ran to the feed store, they made it to a little nook area where they found Nicholas' body.

Finding Nicholas' body was like a punch to the gut. There was no sign of Glenn- only a broken flare gun.

Sakiko was the one to inspect Nicholas' body. There, she found a gunshot in his head. They weren't sure what that meant. 

Maybe Nicholas crossed the line and Glenn finally killed him.

Or, as Nanami suspects, Nicholas was bitten and Glenn shot him out of mercy.

It'd been awhile since they found that lead, though. After that, Glenn's trail went cold. They didn't find his remains. They didn't find any vehicle tracks.

The only walkers that were even near the area had been taken out by slim weapons. They looked  like wounds made by spears (as deduced by Ryan).

Maggie was nearing the second trimester and the empty space Glenn had left behind was taking a toll on her. As she'd told Sakiko and Ryan, it was the not knowing that hurt. If she just knew what happened, she could take that and move on. Find some semblance of grief to use or to hold him in her arms again. But, the disappearance.. The lack of answers.. The nothing.. That was what hurt. That was the awful part.

Sakiko and Ryan were a given when the idea came up. Ryan would do anything to find his brother. Sakiko would do anything to help his family and she had tracking experience that only Daryl could rival.

Nanami joined after the first. He didn't want to intrude on his sister's time with her husband, but they both reassured him that all the help the better. He had his own tracking knowledge and was quick to fall behind them in searching.

Carl joined after that. He was still working through his injury- perception suddenly a thorn in his side. But, he trusted the Rhees and Dixons. And Maggie helped him through a lot growing up. It was only right he come with them and get used to being outside with his new disability.

Sophia was here and there. Aaron joined them on a few times. Eric, too. One time, Enid came with them, but they all agreed that Enid's help was needed more with Maggie. 

Anyone that was able and willing had assisted in the search for Glenn Rhee. 

But, this was another trip of no answers. The group returned to Alexandria with no leads and another space marked off the map.