Daddy's Little Girl

Chapter 7: Mermaids

Kat's P.O.V

My-my daddy is alive? My daddy is alive! I knew it, he couldn't die, he wouldn't. But he thinks I did...? Merle you're lucky you're cuffed to that damn pipe right now, 'cause so help me God things would not be pretty if you weren't! I think to myself as we all sit around waiting for T-Dog to fix the Walkie-talkie.

"My God, it's like Times Square down there." Andrea complains as she looks over the ledge.

"How's the signal?" Morales asks.

"Like Dixon's brain, weak." T-Dog says. Merle flashes him the middle finger.

"Keep trying."

"Why? There's nothing they can do. Not a damn thing." Andrea is really starting to piss me off.

"Got some people outside the city is all." Morales tells Rick, "There's no refugee center. That's a pipe dream."

"Then she right, we're on our own." Rick says, "Up to us to find a way out."

"Good luck with that. These streets ain't safe in this part of town from what I hear. Ain't that right, sugar tits? Hey, honey bunch, what say you get me out of these cuffs, we go off somewhere and bump some uglies? Gonna die anyway." Merle 'charms' as he eyes Andrea.

"I'd rather." She says rolling her eyes, I let out a little laugh.

"Rug muncher. I figured as much." Merle mutters.

"Can I gag him?" I ask, looking around the group. He picks up a small rock and throws it at me, missing as it falls down the balcony.

"The streets ain't safe...." Rick repeats, trailing off.

"Now there's an understatement." Morales replies.

"What about under the streets? The sewers?" Rick asks, he's always a quick thinker. Probably why he was sheriff. Everyone's heads snap around and stare at Rick with wide eyes. 

"Oh man! Hey, Glenn, check the alley. You see any manhole covers?" Morales tells Glenn. Glenn rushes over and almost fall of the damn building.

"No, must be all out on the street where the geeks are." Glenn says.

"Maybe not, old building like this built in the 20's. Big structures often had drainage tunnels into the sewers in case of flooding down in the subbasements." The other woman tells us.

"How do you know that?" Glenn asks, confused.

"It's my job, was. I worked in the city zoning office." She explains. We all head back inside the building, all except for Merle. We go down to the subbasement where low and behold are the drainage tunnels. 

"This is it? You sure?" Morales asks doubtfully.

"I really scoped this place out the other times I was here. It's the only thing in the building that goes down. But I've never gone down it. Who'd want to, right?" Glenn says looking down, but when he looks up we're all looking at him, "Oh. Great."

"We'll be right behind you..." Andrea begins, but is cut off by Glenn.

"No, you won't. Not you."

"Why not me? Think I can't?" Andrea says getting upset.

"I wasn't...." Glenn tries to say.

"Speak your mind." Rick tells him.

"Look, until now I always came here by myself. In and out, grab a few things. No problem. The first time I bring a group. Everything goes to hell. No offense... If you want me to go down this gnarly hole, fine. But only if we do it my way. It's tight down there. If I run into something and have to get out quick, I don't want you all jammed up behind me getting me killed.  I'll take one person." Rick steps forward, "Not you either. You've got Merle's gun and I've seen you shoot. I'd feel better if you were out in that store watching those doors, covering our ass." He points to me and Andrea, "you two have got the only other guns so you should go with him." He points to Morales, "You be my wing-man. Jacqui stays here. Something happens, yell down to us, get us back up here in a hurry."