*WARNING: Please be advised that this chapter contains mature content and strong language.*
Chapter 42
Quinn's POV
I came in on the tail-end of Daryl and Rick's conversation.
"I haven't told Tyreese yet. I don't know how he'll react."
"Let's go find out," Daryl spat coldly as he started down the stairs.
He caught my gaze for a split second before brushing past me. I averted my eyes to Rick, but his expression was as blank as Daryl's.
"Tyreese, you down here?" Rick called, his voice echoing off the cement prison walls.
"Rick, that you?" Tyreese shouted back.
Rick didn't answer as he headed down the hall, meeting Tyreese at the crossways that lead down four different corridors.
"You guys gotta see this," he said in a concerned tone.
"Can we take a break? There's somethin' we need to talk about," Rick reasoned.
"It can wait," Tyreese snapped. "C'mon."
Rick, Daryl, and I exchanged glances before following Ty down the cold halls. He haulted as we came around the next corner. He pointed his flashlight at a rat nailed to a board.
"The hell?" Daryl questioned as he walked towards it.
"I was just out here lookin' for answers and I found this. Same person that killed Karen and David did this. Remember the mice at the fences? They showed up the same day she was killed. We got a psychopath livin' with us."
"Tyreese—"
"We gotta find 'im, Rick. And I'm not gonna sleep until we do."
"Tyreese," Rick started again. "Whoever did this, I don't think that's who killed Karen."
"Why?"
A loud explosion caught our attention and cement fell from the cracked roof. We ran through the dark halls and out of the prison into the bright sunshine.
"Get back," Rick ordered lowly.
We hid behind a tan shed as we looked out into the fields. The Governor was back.
"Rick," he started, clearly spotting us. "Come on down here. We need to talk."
"It's not up to me!" Rick shouted back after a moment of silence. "There's a council now. They run this place!"
"Is Hershel on the council?" he asked in a mocking tone.
A woman made her way over to an SUV and pulled Hershel out of the back. I curled my fingers into fists. I saw Maggie cover her mouth as tears formed in her eyes.
"What about Michonne?" he asked. "She on the council, too?"
Michonne was dragged to the front and pushed to a kneeling position next to Hershel.
"I don't make the decisions anymore!" Rick repeated.
"You're makin' the decisions today, Rick!" the Governor insisted. "C'mon down here and let's have that talk."
I felt my heart leap into my throat as Rick spoke to his son before sending me a nod and heading down the gravel drive to the army waiting at our gates.
"We can't take 'em all on," I finally said.
"We'll go through the Admin building and through the woods like we planned," Daryl noted. "We ain't got the numbers no more."
"When's the last time someone checked the stash on the bus?" I asked.
"Day before we hit the Big Spot," Sasha said, uncertainty in her voice. "We were running low on rations then, we're lower now."
"We'll manage," Daryl assured. "Things go south, everyone heads for that bus."
I nodded. "Let everybody know."
"What if everybody doesn't know when things go bad?" Ty asked. "How long do we wait?"
"As long as we can," I responded.
I watched as Rick and the Governor had a conversation. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I knew it was bad by the look on Hershel and Michonne's faces and the way Rick hesitated before answering.
Daryl handed me a gun. It was large and I had no idea what kind it was, but I could learn how to shoot it. I held it against my maroon shirt. Three gunshots rang out and I snapped my head in the direction just in time to see him take out three walkers head on. I looked through the scope to get a better look.
C'mon, Rick.
A shudder supressed my body as I watched Rick speak with reason. All of the sudden, the Governor jumped down from the truck and took Michonne's sword in his hands, making his way forward. He held it close to Hershel's neck.
I pressed myself against the fence and tightened the grip on my gun. I heard Rick's firm voice echoing through the empty woods, but I couldn't make out a word he was saying. I kept my eye on the Governor's lips through the scope.
"Liar," he said.
The sword swung back and crashed into Hershel's neck, slicing it almost all the way through. Hershel's face went white and he fell over on to the grass.
"No!" I yelled through the fence as immediate tears fell from my eyes.
I put the point of the gun between the fence and fired. I couldn't even imagine how Maggie and Beth were feeling. I fired round after round after round. I couldn't hear anything, I couldn't feel anything. All I was focused on was killing the Governor and his people no matter what it takes.
Hershel was my father figure. Not only that, but he had saved me countless times. He had taken us in when we didn't have anywhere else to go. He saved Carl's life. My mind swam and I tried to focus on shooting. Hershel deserved to live. The Governor didn't.
Even the kick from the gun wasn't enough to stop me. I heard the engines rave and the army tank rolled towards us, pushing down the fences. I stepped backwards, trying to find some cover.
"I'm out of ammo," Beth said, sobs racking her body.
"Run to the bus! I'll cover you!" I yelled over the chaos.
The tank shot at the prison, making things blow up and that's when I realized Glenn was still inside.
"Maggie!" I yelled.
"Glenn!" she confirmed.
"He's inside!" I shouted. "Go, go! I'll cover you!"
Once I saw that Maggie made it inside and Beth made it to the bus, I ran out of the gateway and down towards the Governor and his people.
"Rick!" I yelled as my feet slammed into the ground.
I came around the corner of the bus to see them beating on each other. I grabbed the Governor by his hair and yanked him off Rick. I threw him to the ground and punched him with all the rage I had. I was pulled off and Rick replaced my spot, but someone else dragged me further away. I scrambled to my feet and pushed the man backwards. I punched his face in until I was only punching a puddle of blood. I stood, breathing in heavily.
The back of my head was throbbing, but I didn't stop for anything; they had gone too far and now they would pay because the adrenaline and rage that was pumping through my veins wouldn't be stopping any time soon.
I ran up the yard, shooting the last few bullets I had. I threw the gun on the ground and took out my pistol. I hid behind a car as the sound of bullets hitting metal came close to me. I checked to see how many I had; six. Better make 'em count, Quinn, I told myself as I ran back up towards the prison.
A rumbling sound came from behind us and we whipped around to see the gray bus leaving. Sasha and Maggie helped Bob up. He'd been shot.
"Get to the woods. I'll cover you guys," I yelled as I shot another down.
"Quinn—"
"Just go!" I shouted over the gunfire.
Maggie looked like she wanted to argue, but didn't protest any further. I ducked behind a bush and watched as Lizzie and Mika shot one bullet, hitting a girl dead on. I smiled and stood, noticing Tyreese standing next to me.
"We gotta get outta here!" he called to the girls.
They nodded roughly before heading off in the wrong direction.
"Hey! We go that way!" He stopped and looked back at me after jumping off the ledge.
"You go and you get them somewhere safe!"
He hesitated before nodding and running off after the girls. I ran behind the army tank, taking out some walkers with my knife.
"Quinn!"
"Daryl!" I yelled.
Three walkers separated him and I. I slowly walked backwards.
"Meet me around the south side of the woods!" he yelled before running off.
I nodded even though he couldn't see me. I ducked under the walkers and ran down into the courtyard. Our safe haven was now hell all because the Governor was too selfish. If he couldn't have it, nobody could. That's how his tiny brain functioned. I noticed him near the bus.
He was leaned over Rick. I took off at full speed towards them, shoving anything in my way, walker or not. The Governor had a death grip on Rick's neck, so hard his face was turning purple. I pushed him off and wrestled him as he grabbed my own neck.
"Rick!" I called, trying to focus on not choking to death. "Stay with m—stay...stay with me, Rick."
I lifted one hand and laid it into the side of his face. All of the sudden, I was on my back and he was now on top of me, holding my neck tighter than Rick's. Not ten seconds later, a familiar silver sword pierced right through his chest. He let go of me and I rolled out of his grasp as he fell to the ground. I immediately stood, holding my neck.
"Rick!" I yelled as I stumbled over the lumpy ground. I fell to my knees at his side.
"Carl!" he yelled. "Where's Carl?"
"I don't know," Michonne answered.
Rick stood and I knew I had to follow him. I turned around and ran up the prison yard. Rick was out of sight and I didn't see anymore group members. I breathed heavily and just as I was about to turn around, my feet were pushed from underneath me. My head hit hard and I felt fists being connected with my face.
I heard a large explosion and had just enough time to take a glance at the tank being lit on fire before another hit to the face. All of the sudden, another wave of furry ran through me and I shoved the man off. I rolled on top of him and gave him his payback.
"Please, please," he said.
I didn't stop, I gave him what he deserved.
Finally, I gripped his face between my blood-covered fingers.
"I'm not going to kill you, that's their job, but just know that you deserve this."
I looked up at the walkers headed towards us. I stood and shot him one last look before jogging off to the south side of the woods.
"Don't look back," I muttered. "Just keep walkin'."