Two weeks later and once again Harry was out looking for supplies, well more than supplies, Harry was hoping to find something for Sophia's birthday which was coming up in a few days time. She would be turning thirteen years old, and considering the way the world was, each birthday was a milestone of success of what they'd accomplished. Staying alive was probably the number one achievement, considering how many times she'd almost died it was saying something. He didn't like to think of that though, he didn't like to think of any of his people dying.
He was finally heading to the mall they'd been heading to that day he and Daryl had hidden in the trunk of car and almost kissed, the day that they had seen this self-proclaimed 'Governor' massacre a group of people. For the past fortnight, nobody had headed out to scavenge anything, living on what they had, while Harry spent every moment he could at Fort Benning getting it prepared for the move. All the while trying to think up a way to tell everyone about magic that wouldn't scare the shit out of them. Everyone was just under the assumption he'd had a loop of unsuccessful hunts and hitting shops that didn't have anything left - shelves completely pilfered of anything eatable.
There was no denying that both of them were extremely cautious and watchful as they drove to their destination. The fact they were driving a van probably didn't help them feel even remotely secluded. It was like painting a target on your back really, given the knowledge they knew how close the other group was. "I should have put a notice-me-not on it," Harry muttered under his breath, as he watched the landscape go by his piercing green eyes. He saw nothing but walkers, cars, pile-ups as far as the eye could see.
"Do it," Daryl replied as he shifted gear going as fast as he dared, especially given they had no idea what was around certain corners. They were going the long way around, which meant they hadn't come this way before, either way, was risky but they'd both felt as if it was worth the caution. The van was the quietest of all the vans they had, which was why they'd chosen it despite its bright red color.
"Not until we stop, I don't know the effect it will have over you," Harry commented, "Just keep driving, if there's anyone following us they'll not live to regret it." his tone icy, he was taking no chances, not anymore. His sister had almost been captured and he had little doubt what they would have done to her, choked and Merle, a very close friend had almost been killed. Knowing what the Governor had done made Harry wonder why he even wanted to help anyone, but all he had to do was see Michonne, Mira, Andre, Chloe, Luke and Patrick to realize he couldn't judge everyone on the actions of a single group of men. Although he swore to himself if they ever met, green light would be the last thing they ever saw or a bullet, he wasn't quite fussy either way, although he had thought of exceedingly bloodier ways to kill them, ones that made Bellatrix Lestrange look tame in comparison. It honestly worried him that he was capable of thinking things like that, but this outbreak had changed them all.
Daryl shivered at that tone, for all the wrong reasons, he wasn't scared of Harry after all. He'd never heard him sound so ominous before, even when he spoke about things that had happened in his past. He'd pegged Harry right as a protector, one that would go to any lengths necessary while with them before the quarry even at the extent of his own life. Was Harry capable of going off on a suicidal revenge mission? Sure he had magic but against enough people he could still be shot and killed. This wasn't a question he knew the answer to, but Luna would know for damn certain so he made a mental note to himself to ask her as soon as they got back.
"They'd be messing with the wrong people," Daryl finally said, tightening his grip on the wheel, anyone who got on the wrong side of Harry was madder than a wet hen. He'd seen what he'd done so far with magic, and he knew he was capable of a lot more, he had read a few of the books Harry had, usually when they were in the watch tower or in Fort Benning.
Harry chuckled darkly, "That they would be," he said in agreement. Already had in fact if you counted what they had done to Merle and Luna. "STOP!" Harry called out suddenly, his amusement gone, as dark as it was. Daryl began to stop the van, not to the point of causing squealing with the tires trying to stop suddenly, though. He didn't want walkers to descend on them thank you very much.
Harry slid out of the van, not even bothering to close the door, but he did cast a charm so nobody would pay attention to the van, as he ran towards the tanker, a satisfied gleam in his eyes, coming this way had proved more fruitful than he had anticipated. Climbing up the ladder next to the cab, looking around he noticed an army vehicle up ahead stuck in the middle of a pile up next to two lorries. Carefully making his way to the end of the tanker, he with difficulty began to unscrew the manhole, which was used for emergency inspections of the gas or whatever was in it. A triumphant smirk appeared on his face, it was full! Completely and utterly full, if they watched what they were doing this could last them quite a long time. Screwing the manhole back on, ensuring there was no way for anything to spill out he moved back towards the ladder, noticing Daryl was already in the cab, a dead walker a few feet from him.
"Anything?" Harry enquired, jogging around and getting in the other side, searching the glove box. He found a flask, a knife presumably for protection, and in the bag at his feet was a change of clothes and a throw. Daryl promptly flung the wallet with money, drivers license and credit cards out the window. "Bet you never saw yourself doing that a few years ago." he chuckled dryly referring to the money.
Daryl snorted in amusement, removing the keys from the ignition when he moved his foot it was caught on something. Glancing down, he picked up the gun, this must have been how he killed himself then. Glancing at the chamber to see if there were any bullets, latching it back, he put the safety on and shoved it in the waistband of his pants. Both of them immediately exited the cab of the tanker, Harry absently making his way around, keeping a keen eye out for any walker or human.
"You ain't got no gas containers with you," Daryl pointed out, the thought of leaving it there and someone possibly finding this haul was not something Daryl wanted to contemplate.
"I won't need it," Harry explained, shaking his head, not surprised Daryl wasn't automatically assuming he couldn't do something with this load, the biggest thing he'd seen him shrink was a trunk after all. "Diminuendo," and the tanker began to shrink, getting steadily smaller and smaller until it sat at on the road in front of them looking like nothing more than a children's toy. "There are two lorries and an army vehicle up ahead, definitely worth a look." he didn't have his compound bow with him today, so instead he took out his gun from his holster and began to walk along the road, his silenced gun shooting any wandering walker that was moving and groaning he came by. Half the time Daryl beat him to the punch, it was an unspoken challenge of sorts between both of them when they were out like this to see who could take the most down. Or three of them when Merle came, they'd been doing it since they left the cabin.
Daryl, of course, collecting his arrows as they moved, wiping them with his ever present rag that was always about his person when he had a moment - either that or just reloading it and springing it back out at another walker. It was obscene how attached he'd gotten to the Dixon brothers, especially Daryl. It had been the same with Luna, probably because of how fucked up they all were, and could understand each other in a group filled with people who'd had it easy all their lives.
"Alohomora," Harry muttered at the padlocked lorry, removing it and yanking the shutter up, jumping in, squinting to get a better look inside. Beer, it was full of bloody beer, grumbling in disappointment he jumped back down, he was sure the others would get the use out of them. Without pause the lorry received the same treatment as the tanker, Daryl was already getting into the second lorry.
"What have you found?" Harry queried, hoisting himself inside, hoping it wasn't also filled with beer.
"Lotta stuff, probably goin' to a store," Daryl's voice echoed a little in the truck. Some of the stuff wouldn't be usable, like the trolley's of milk, newspapers weren't good for anything. If he dug around more he'd probably find butter and bread as well, all moldy and shit now. It would take too long to shift the lot out to investigate, he knew Harry would just make it small like the other lot. He did grab two Hershey bars, cookie and cream ones before he jumped from the truck landing gracefully despite his size. As soon as the doors were closed, it was miniaturized.
Now there was only one more place to check, he flipped up the flap and inside was a few crates of boxes. Nothing would compare to the haul they'd seen so far in Fort Benning. There was a vault filled from top to bottom with every weapon in existence down there with more ammo than they'd likely use with two wizards in their ranks.
"Bloody hell," Harry muttered as he yanked the wooden lid of the crate, giving a low impressed whistle. "Sniper rifles, with ammo." that was just the one box, it hadn't even been touched. Hearing the quiet whooshing of an arrow being ejected Harry made his way back out of the army vehicle and promptly began to help Daryl against the sudden incoming of walkers. His crossbow was shoved aside in favor of using both his own guns to bring the advancing horde down. The clattering of magazines from the guns was the only noise they made as they reloaded and kept firing until there was a large pile of walker bodies in front of the lorry.
"There's more coming, we gotta go," Daryl said eyeing the massive collection of walkers ahead of them, they weren't in immediate danger, but there was no point to waiting around and wasting bullets.
"I couldn't agree more," Harry muttered, with one last spell he scooped up the miniature army vehicle and put it in his pocket along side the others he'd shrank previously before both of them were making a speedy exit towards their van, intended to get the hell out of there and to their original destination - which was to get some food - and as Harry desired something for Sophia's birthday.
The rest of the drive towards their destination wasn't quite as smooth, between a few pile ups they found themselves faced with another large group of walkers, these ones they would have to pass in order to get to the 'mall'.
"That's a medic tent," Daryl said pointing towards the direction he could see it in, "Might have medical supplies in em."
"Can we risk setting off the runes? What do you reckon?" Harry said, trying to find somewhere they could without causing cars to explode and the like, it would cause far too much noise than he was comfortable with. There was no way he could see where he could throw the runes without causing a backlash so he quietly exited the van and hopped up holding the door and the roof to keep himself steady.
"Only one car over there looks like someone picked it clean, probably ain't got any gas in it." Daryl said pointing to the opposite direction from the medic tent and what was probably a safe place before it got overrun the first person that died and came back a walker, which was probably quite quickly in likelihood. It would explode sure, not with the same intensity as it would if there was gas inside.
"Could work, I'm going to put a silencing charm over two-mile radius just to stop any noise from getting out," Harry nodded thoughtfully, "Silencio maxima!" there was no telling if it had worked since they were in the radius of the spell. After a few minutes of searching he found the runes, holding one in his palm, palm up, he levitated the stone away from him and towards the largest group of walkers. He only had two left - well ones he'd brought with him at any rate, no doubt Luna had made more. Out of instinct as soon as he let the stone fall they both ducked, listening to the rune wailing out loudly, attracting the attention of all the walkers in the vicinity.
Harry mentally urged them all to be within the mile radius of the blast, he wanted to keep his last one in case things don't go well in the shopping center (mall) not that using it in an enclosed space was a good idea...but it wasn't any better than using a damn fire spell. He winced at the sight of walkers blindly falling from the building closest to them, trying to get to the sound, despite the fact they were injured in the fall, they continued to crawl towards the sound. There was a helicopter on the roof, the roof itself was slanted slightly, it must have sustained damage when the helicopter landed. He made a mental note - to be careful, and look up when he was in the surrounding buildings. Just in case there had been any other accidents.
Then his thoughts ceased as a deafening blast permeated the air, destroying every walker within its range. One they were sure they wouldn't be hit with any flying debris they booth stood up, finding blackened charred land where the walkers once stood. The air causing the ashes to whirl around and scatter in every direction. Removing his daggers both of them then proceeded to take care of the remaining walkers, only going so far - there was little point to going too far. They only did the immediate perimeter around the 'safe zone' or sorts that had been built up either that or it had been put there to help those they could when the military was bombing the damn city with napalm.
"Here, it's charmed you can put whatever you want in there and it won't fill up or be too heavy just watch you don't put glass in next to glass and the like or it will break - nothing can prevent that." Harry said, handing over the black sack, similar to the white one he'd given to Mira and not yet retrieved from the kitchen. Daryl took it and between the pair of them they took all the medical supplies, guns, bedding, absolutely everything in the tent that was usable or may have a use upon their move to Fort Benning. The only thing left when it was completely clear was the used bandages and bloodied sheets. Daryl had even put in the paraffin jar candles they'd been using and solar lamps. "Not a bad haul,"
Daryl grunted his agreement, as he carefully swung the bag over his shoulder, readying his crossbow again. Where they were going they'd certainly need his weapon of choice.
He sort of hoped there was books in the mall or even a bookstore. Sophia loved to read, but there had to be at least some books in that massive shopping center. Bracing themselves for the next round, they were soon immersed in killing walkers, close calls, and bloodied clothes, it was the biggest group of walkers they'd picked through with hand to hand combat - even Fort Benning had been much easier and cleaner than this grueling work.
In the two weeks since Michonne had joined the group, she fitted in so seamlessly it was as though she'd been there the entire time. Like all others she was asked to take the classes in defense, or rather she had taken one class. The sword she carried wasn't for show, she knew how to use it with a lethal accuracy. Harry knowing he would be away more often due to his decision to get Fort Benning up and running as soon as humanly possible, had asked Michonne if she would take over from him. It may have been a question but Michonne saw it as an order and had agreed immediately. Andrea and Mira were probably Michonne's closest confidants, they knew in explicit detail what she had been through. They also knew of her restlessness, she was used to being on the move constantly, and sitting in the prison safe while Daryl and Harry went out to hunt or scavenge rubbed her up the wrong way.
"He won't let anyone else go with him," Andrea said, nodding her agreement at the feeling since she felt it too. "Usually Merle and Luna sometimes go, or they go on their own, but nobody has gone out since the whole Governor thing Harry thought it best we keep a low profile for a while."
"It's a good idea," Amy pointed out shivering a little at the prospect of meeting such a horrible person. She'd thought Randall was bad, and in a way, he was worse, but he wasn't a threat anymore whereas this other man and his group was. Nods of agreement went around the women who had finished their chores, classes and everything that needed doing and were now just sitting talking quietly amongst themselves drinking coffee trying to keep warm. Amy however, went back to washing the remaining plates they'd used since it was her turn today.
"How long have you been in the prison?" Michonne asked, her sleeping son against her chest, her hands absently stroking his hair, she'd barely let her son down let alone out of her sight since they were reunited. Only when she was teaching others how to fight, and her chores? She did with her son as close as possible. The first few days she'd mostly ate and slept, recovering from what had been done to her both physically and mentally. Since she realized her son was alive she hadn't a single hallucination about her boyfriend...perhaps because she didn't need him anymore? She was slowly accumulating information about everyone.
"It's been," Andrea mentally began to calculate the approximate time, "Near enough maybe eight months I think." it was difficult to tell the real amount of time. They didn't really know the time of day let alone how many days, weeks, months they'd been in the prison. "We were on a farm before this, Rick and the others were determined to stay due to the fact he had just found out his wife was pregnant. One of the people on the farm, Hershel is a vet, probably the closest they'd get to a doctor."
"What happened?" Michonne asked, wondering what had caused them to leave the farm. "Considering how secure you've made this place...did you learn from trial and error?"
"A lot," Andrea admitted, shaking her head, to think she'd thought they were doing alright given the circumstances. It wasn't until the group split and began to fade of any tension that she realized how bad it had been. "All of us didn't work well together, we weren't the cohesive unit we are now." she often wondered though if they'd all come here, and all had one leader - Harry - if things would have been different. "We first went to a Quarry when this whole thing started, we weren't going to the safe zone they were declaring in Atlanta but they began to bomb the city, we came this way, Harry, Merle and Daryl were already there."
"They didn't make a very good first impression," Amy snorted in amusement, "They didn't care what people thought of them, and refused to follow Shane which just wound him up. In fact they prowled around like angry bears, we didn't realize at the time it was because Shane had dismantled the protections the guys had placed around the quarry, you know an early warning system in case walkers came through the forest of the front of the quarry itself." she informed Michonne as she sat down, even Mira didn't know this information actually.
"We were worse," Andrea grimaced, "Ungrateful comes to mind." seeing the confused look on Michonne's face she hastened to explain as best as she could. "We didn't exactly like them, I'm ashamed to admit, Merle more than the other two, he was more uncouth back then. Being in a relationship has calmed him down somewhat although he can still be incredibly cheeky we no longer take it to heart. Shane wasn't exactly the best of leaders...used to send Glenn to get supplies, canned goods from Atlanta, and Harry and Daryl took turns hunting and for most part brought something back for all of us to eat. They kept us fed and put up with everyone's slurs, not that they were innocent they gave as good as they got." she still felt deeply ashamed of herself, she had always said never to judge someone but she had...and they did even more so these days in a bid to survive.
"A good leader delegates," Michonne commented.
Andrea snorted derisively just like Harry did actually, showing how much their 'leader' was present in each of his people. "He delegated everything, all he did was sit around and bark orders or he was screwing his best friends wife." now Harry tried to take all the burdens on his own shoulders, making it his duty to keep them all safe getting everything they could possibly need or want.
"I don't think we would have ever learned to get on. Lori, she was trying to make it seem as if the outbreak hadn't even happened. More interested in making lemonade with mint in it for everyone to create a sense of 'normalcy' all the while letting her son run amok. Harry furiously laid into her for that." Amy said remembering vividly what happened, hearing her sister then Harry tear into them viciously over time at the farm.
"Isn't that what we are doing?" Mira pointed out thoughtfully, getting an understand on why Harry was always asking where the kids were. She didn't need to ask to know that Harry had probably kept Lori's son safer than the mother had.
"For the kids, yes, not ourselves," Andrea shrugged.
"Where's Sophia?" Mira asked, noticing that the girl wasn't with Amy and from what Harry had said before he left she should be with her.
"She's with her mum, Luke, Chloe and Oscar," Amy answered, that was Harry's fault, their constant need to know where Sophia, Andre and Luke were. He'd drummed it into their heads to always ask, always make sure. Big Tiny was the worst when it came to respectively asking where they were - it was amusing to see the giant man so concerned and he was so good with Luke and Andre.
"Did you keep in touch with the others? Do they have a place nearby?" Michonne asked, restarting up the conversation. Thinking despite the fact they had split into two groups that there had been some sort of communication.
"We've never heard from them since," Andrea admitted sombrely. While she couldn't stand Lori it didn't mean she didn't worry about the others, like T-Dog and Glenn and even Maggie and Beth, they were good people. "Harry admitted that Rick had the ability to lead people we just hadn't seen much of it...they're probably holed up somewhere and safe." she often wondered if she honestly thought that or if she was just lying to herself.
"Another coffee?" Mira offered standing up, the prison kept the bitter chill of them. She had dinner to make for everyone, with what little resources they had left. Or rather what they all thought was left, they didn't know about Harry's trunk. She also suspected a great deal of the supplies had gone to Fort Benning, and wondered when Harry would reveal they were moving. It would take them a long time to get to Fort Benning...days maybe even a week or so give or take how bad the damn pile ups were. Not that she knew exactly, she'd never been.
"No thanks," Andrea said smiling, she still had half a cup left, she didn't drink much when they had coffee like this, without milk it was a bit too strong for her.
"Alright," Mira said, moving away once Michonne shook her head negatively, she already needed the toilet but didn't want to move and disturb her son.
The smell of food was just beginning to circle the room when two dogs bound in followed by Axel, Chloe and Patrick with their arms straining at the large boxes they were carrying(one each), Patrick looked ready to topple any given moment apparently the box was much too heavy for the teenager. "Goin' to need the help, its packed," Axel grunted in relief when he was finally able to put the box down.
"Carol? Take Sophia and the dogs out the back and give me five minutes," Harry murmured quietly to the now confused woman who nonetheless nodded. With boxes of their own, mother and daughter made their way inside, their boxes joined the others on the table which was disappearing behind the load they'd just brought in. Everyone else continued going back and forth until the load was in.
"I want each of you to take an item from this box for Sophia, there's enough wrapping paper and tape to wrap them," Harry said gesturing to the box in his hands.
"It's her birthday?" Andrea gasped, the pendant she had gotten for Amy - she wore it every day, and still had it on actually, mermaid pendant she'd retrieved from the store they'd been raiding in Atlanta which nearly cost them all their lives.
"It is, she'll be back in a second so not another word until later," Harry commented, "I'll go and put this in my room." and with that Harry disappeared out of the room, awed and respectful looks following him. Except for three, Daryl and Merle were just amused and Luna just grinned, it was such a Harry thing to do she wasn't the least bit surprised.
Everyone gathered around to separate the items into different piles, food went over to Mira, Carol and Sophia, clothes, toiletries, batteries and the like all went into storage. The smell of food was distracting but they did have to clear the area so they could actually sit down and eat.
An hour later they celebrated Harry and Daryl's find by digging into the food.
----
A few miles away a desperate group on the cusp of starvation began to feel hope as they read the signs proclaiming sanctuary for all...with one of their own heavily pregnant it couldn't have come at a better time. Rick ignored the feeling in his gut and stalked on with his people and family hot on his heels, hungry beyond belief but the prospect of something better at the other end gave them strength and energy.