The following morning, Rick rounded up the group's strongest fighters and prepared to venture into the prison. The group consisted of Lauren, Maggie, Glenn, Daryl, T-dog, and Rick. The plan was to push their way into the cell block and clear it out.
"Don't break formation!" Rick shouted as their unit moved into the cell yard. The group stood back to back in a circle, moving like a well-oiled machine. This formation had been perfected over the winter. In every house they had cleared, the six of them worked best together.
Everything was fine until T-dog came across what seemed to be a couple of dead prison guards with some sort of face shields on. Lauren half laughed when Daryl tried to shoot an arrow at one, only to have it bounce right off the plastic.
"Now, did you really think that would work?" She asked, an amused smirk tugging at her lips.
"Whatever." He grumbled.
They all stood there unsure of what to do for a moment before Maggie pulled one of their heads back, forcing her knife up through the walker's neck.
"You see that?" She smiled back with a look of pride.
"Nice!" Lauren praised, walking over to high-five her.
Lauren, Glenn, and T-dog followed Maggie's example, yanking back heads and piercing the brain from underneath while Daryl and Rick managed to get the second gate closed.
"Looks secure." Glenn observed once they all caught their breaths.
"I don't know, man," Daryl pointed to one of the bodies on the ground. "That's a civilian."
"So the interior could be overrun by walkers from outside?" Lauren followed his train of thought. He nodded.
"Well if the walls are down what are we gonna do?" Glenn questioned. "We can't just rebuild this whole place."
"We can't risk a blind spot." Rick shook his head, meeting Lauren's eyes. She nodded in understanding and sighed.
"We have to push in."
The cell block was easy to clear. Most of the prisoners' bodies were trapped in cells so putting them down was fast. Once the rest of the group made their way inside, Rick announced what needed to be done next.
"Tomorrow, we'll find the cafeteria and infirmary." He declared.
Lauren nodded and Beth spoke, "We'll sleep in the cells?"
"I found a set of keys on one of the guards." Rick nodded. "Daryl has a set too."
Daryl scoffed, "I ain't sleepin 'in no cage." He looked around for a moment before finally throwing his crossbow down. "I'll take the perch."
Everyone began splitting off to claim their own cells and Lauren soon enough found her own. Lori opted to share a room with Carol, and her brother obviously with Carl. It seemed she would be sleeping alone. She shrugged, fine by her. After claiming her cell, she joined the others back in the common room. They decided to just bite the bullet and push further into the tombs the same day, set on finding the infirmary and cafeteria.
"Alright, Daryl and I will take pointe. Lauren, Hershel, and T, I want you two on the sides, and that leaves Maggie and Glenn. you two take up the rear." Lauren exchanged a concerned look with Maggie.
"Rick, can I talk to you for a second?" She asked politely, pulling him aside. Once they were out of earshot, she whispered. "Why the hell is Hershel coming with us?"
"Because he volunteered, Lauren." Rick explained. "We need every ablebody we can get, we don't know what's in there."
"Yeah exactly Rick," She hissed. "We don't know what's in there! Need I remind you that he's the one who's delivering Lori's baby? If something happens in there-"
