𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗔𝗪 | 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗜𝗩
❝𝖦𝖤𝖳 𝖨𝖳 𝖮𝖵𝖤𝖱 𝖶𝖨𝖳𝖧.❞
𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗦𝗜𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗪𝗔𝗦 𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗙𝗘𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 three men in front of us rummaged around, speaking with menace and completely unaware of our presence.
Badger: Fuck ‘em. You know what? I don’t care if I didn't hit that little bitch, I’d do anything to have a shot at hitting the girl who took her down in time. Just wanna see her head pop.
I felt my hand scrunch into a ball at them talking about Mariana like that, then looked slightly surprised at the mention of me. It wasn’t exactly a good mention.
Max: You sure as hell are stupid, ain’t you?
Lonnie: You only just realizin’ that now?
Max: I told you. Joan is on the warpath. Last thing we need is people gettin’ wind of all this stuff.
Badger: Look at all this shit. We’re frickin’ rollin’ in it.
Max: I’ll give you that.
Lonnie: Just glad we found some more smokes. That shit is the new gold.
With a sign from David, we all moved forward, sneaking up on the group of men.
Javier: How about we see your head pop, you piece of shit!?
David jumped up, punching Badger in the face, breaking his nose. The man fell to the ground, blood dripping down his face and his gun dropping to his side.
Max: David!?
David: I thought better of you, Max. I really did.
Max: David. Come on, man! We’re a unit. There’s no need for–
But he stopped his sentence, firing at us with his gun, all of us jumping for cover. I fell beside Clementine, both of us breathing heavily as the bullets shot through the wooden crate we were behind. David started to shoot at Max while Lonnie ran away in a swift motion.
David: Stop him!
Jesus: He’s getting away!
Clementine: I’m going after him!
Emma: Good luck!
Clem raced after Lonnie with Jesus and I stayed behind the crate with Javier before Badger got up from where he was laying, running up some metal stairs.
David: Go! You two! Get Badger!
I got to my feet, loading up my gun and running after the man, Javier following after me. I watched as Badger tipped over a shelf, but I slid under it before it could completely fall, Javi having to jump over it to keep up. The man’s eyes widened at us still after him and he dodged up some stairs, closing the door of an office.
Emma: Come on, Javi!
Rushing up the stairs after the guy, my boots clanging up the metal staircase in an unsettling rhythm before I reached the top, slamming my shoulder into the door. It burst open, Javi running in first, but freezing like a statue when he saw Badger loading up a shotgun. I moved into the office as well, pointing my gun at Badger, but Javi put up his arm to stop me with a pointed look.
Badger: Now I finally get to see your head pop, little girl!
Emma: Fuck you!
I rushed him, choking him up against the wall with one arm, my other hand grabbing the gun so it wouldn’t fire at me or Javi. The man growled, slamming his head into mine, making me fall backwards, stars in my eyes. I was on the ground, everything slowly coming back to normal, but Badger pointed the shotgun at my head. However, Javi ran forward, tackling him to the ground before he could pull the trigger. I got up as Javi elbowed the man in the face, his already broken nose snapping further to the right, more blood pouring down his face and into his mouth.
After a few more hits, Badger had enough, pushing Javi off him and swapping positions, grabbing onto Javi’s throat and crushing his windpipe as he struggled for breath. I charged him, using the butt of my gun to hit him around the head, making the man fall backwards and into pipes that led into the wall. Getting an idea, I grabbed Badger’s head, smashing it repeatedly into the metal, my blood boiling in rage at what he said to me and what he said about Mariana.
Badger’s eyes widened, finally taking in what was happening and he grabbed the wrench that was attached to the pipes, hitting me around the face. I felt a burn of pain, a metallic taste seeping into my mouth, making me grimace. As I was distracted with the pain, Badger pushed me harshly into the window behind me, half of my body falling out of it, nearly tipping over the long drop below.
Tripp: Emma!
Javi: Oh, fuck!
Javier ran forwards, trying to help, but Badger held up the wrench, Javi running right into it and falling to the ground practically unconscious. Then the man grabbed me back into the room, using his foot to push me to the ground.
Badger: Ever since you joined New Frontier and we kicked you out, you’ve been nothing but a fly in my ointment.
Emma: I’m so sorry it’s been so hard for you…
I spat it out at him, blood dripping from my mouth as I glared up at him, reaching my arm to try and grab my pistol that had fallen to the ground, but Badger instead picked it up with a smirk.
Badger: If I’d known you were back…
He used his military boot, kicking me around the face, my nose bleeding into the blood that was coming out of my mouth.
Badger: I’d have made sure I’d shot you in the head when you saved that other bitch! But this will have to do.
I watched as he pulled the trigger on the gun and I quickly moved my head. The bullet ricocheted off the metal, giving me time to kick the man in the knee and grab the shotgun that he had dropped before. He was about to shoot another bullet into my head, but I was too fast and I shot him in the stomach with the shotgun. I was aiming for the head, but I wasn’t used to these types of guns, the kickback being harsh.
The man fell to the ground of the office as Javier began to stir, his eyes widening at the sight of me walking slowly towards Badger, who’s stomach seemed open like a cabinet.
Badger: Fuckin’ bitch! You– you– you took my goddamn guts out! I’m… I’m… Fuck… Oh, you messed me up good.
Emma: Karma’s a bitch, Badger.
Badger: Bring it, then… See if I… see if I give a shit.
I took the wrench from the floor, blood already smeared on it. I heard footsteps come up beside me as Javier finally stood up and Tripp entered the office.
Tripp: Get it over with.
Badger: Come on… What are you waiting for?
Javier: Emma… Are you sure?
Emma: I’m sure.
I brought the wrench beside my head before swinging down with all the force I had, hitting him in the face. I kept doing it, the memory of my dad hitting Carver all those times taking over me, and I followed what he’d done until Tripp grabbed my arm, stopping me.
Tripp: For God’s sake, Emma! Get a goddamn hold of yourself!
I let the wrench swing one more time, Badger’s face no longer there.
Javier: Come on, Emma.
I dropped the wrench with a breath of air, picking up my pistol from the man’s limp hand, placing it back in my holster. Wiping the blood from my face, I let out a sigh, then more gunshots could be heard from below.
We all ran out of the office, finding David and Max still fighting, but David managed to disarm him, hitting him to the floor.
David: He’s all yours.
Max: Stop… Please!
David: Raiding. Looting! You betrayed who we are! You betrayed Richmond!
Max: C’mon, David… this is Richmond!
David: What’s that supposed to mean?
He aimed the gun at the defenseless man, eyebrows furrowed in anger.
David: What’s that supposed to mean!?
Max: I ain’t got nothing to say!
Javier: There’s no use holding out, Max. The best you can do is make things right.
Max: We– we weren’t doing it without support inside Richmond. Joan was in on it. We did it on her orders! She– she said we needed it to survive. I wanted to let you in, but she told me you’d never go for it. I’m… I’m sorry.
David: It is too late for sorry, you backstabbing shitbag.
Max: Please– don’t kill me! I’ll help you! I– I’ll tell everyone in Richmond about this! I’ll help you get back inside! Expose her to the others…
Javier: Maybe he’ll be useful.
Max: Thank you! Thank you!
Emma: Don’t get your hopes up, dickhead.
David moved forward, hitting Max with his gun, making the man fall to the floor and pass out.
David: I needed that.
We all sighed, taking in the rest of the storage boxes before walking out of the warehouse, finding Jesus and Clementine gasping for air outside. As soon as Clem saw me, she ran over, wiping away the blood from my face with her hand, eyes wide in worry.
Clementine: What the fuck did they do to you!?
Emma: Nothing worse than what I did to them.
She nodded, understanding, falling into step beside me.
David: Where’s Lonnie?
Jesus: He gave us the slip. High-tailed it back towards Richmond.
David: Son of a bitch. If he warns Joan…
Clementine: Wasn’t there one more?
I looked at her, raising an eyebrow and she sighed.
Clementine: Oh… That’s what you meant.
David: What? It’s good riddance… that son of a bitch nearly killed Mariana.
Jesus: Did that make you feel better?
David: I wouldn’t shed any tears if I were you.
Jesus: Maybe I’m shedding them for the kid.
Emma: Look, it was an in the moment decision… I got carried away. I don’t know what happened…
Jesus: Hold on to that doubt. It means you’re still human.
Clementine: Hey! She did what she thought was right! I would have done the same.
She looped her arm with mine and I gave her a thankful smile.
Clementine: Sometimes there’s just no other way to make things right.
Emma: I just had the memory of my dad… he, uh, beat someone to death with a crowbar… I just went with that gut feeling.
Jesus: My people need to know about what we found here.
Javier: What about your missing friends?
Jesus: I’m not holding out much hope. Don’t have time to keep looking. They’d want me to get home and warn them. So that’s what I’m gonna do. Sooner the better.
Javier: You’re a good guy, Jesus. That’s rare.
Jesus: I could say the same about you. I won’t forget about you. You have my word.
Tripp: It’s a shitstorm out there, man. I don’t see how you’re gonna make it.
Jesus: One step at a time.
Then he walked away, into the trees and out of sight.
David: We need to get back to Richmond fast. I have loved ones in there…
Javier: We both do.
Emma & Clementine: We all do.
Tripp: I gotta break Eleanor out of there. Once she’s safe, I… I’m gonna tell her how I feel. You said it yourself, Javi: if it ain’t messy, it wouldn’t be important, right?
David: We’re gonna need allies in Richmond. Lingard and Clint – they’re our best bet. If I can get to them before Joan does, maybe we have a chance. I know I was ready to say goodbye before, but I can’t do this without you, Javi. Can I count on you? I won’t be able to pull this off myself.
Javier: Of course, David. You’re my brother. I never forgot that, even if you did.
David: I’m glad to hear that, Javi. You and I – we should talk, when this is done. If Lonnie raises the alarm, they’ll be waiting for us at the gates. There’s a way in round back that’ll get us around any sentries. We can take Badger’s truck.
Javier: I doubt he’ll mind.
David: C’mon, we gotta get on the move.
He got in the driver’s seat, Javi getting in the passenger and me, Clementine and Tripp climbing in the back.
David: The herd is closing in.
He pushed down on the gas pedal, the truck moving forward and back towards Richmond.