As Cassie had expected Rick went on to give Merle a lecture about the new world and how they all had to stick together. As he did he took Merles hand gun off him reloading it intending to keep it himself. "We survive this by pulling together not apart" Rick continued trying to get through to Merle.
"Screw you man" was all Merle replied with which annoyed Rick.
"I can see you make a habit of missing the point"
"Yeah well screw you twice"
That was the last straw for Rick as he took Merles hand gun and pointed it at his head fed up of the rednecks attitude. "Ought to be more polite to a man with a gun" Rick told him cocking the gun "only common sense"
"You wouldn't your a cop"
"All i am anymore is a man looking for his family. I found my sister but I still need to find my wife and son. Anybody gets in the way of that's gonna lose."
Rick decided to leave Merle to think on what he'd just said to him but not before going through his pockets to make sure he didn't have any weapons on him. All he found was Merles small thing of drugs he had brought with him which didn't surprise Cassie at all.
"Got some on your nose their" Rick said flicking Merles nose as he walked away.
"What are you gonna do . Arrest me?" Merle laughed not taking Rick seriously. Just then Rick threw Merles drugs off the roof of the building and walked over to the ledge of the roof away from Merle ignoring his shouts of anger.
Cassie and Morales walked over to where Rick was stood Cassie putting a hand on his shoulder trying to offer him a silent comfort.
"Your not Atlanta P.D Where you from?" Morales asked
"Up the road always" was all Rick responded with as the threee stared at the city streets covered in walkers.
"Well Officer Friendly from up the road aways welcome to the big city"
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As the group stared down at the streets below them Cassie sighed at the amount of walkers down there.
"Well we're screwed"
"How's that signal" Morales asked T-dog wanting to know how bad the situation was and clearly getting frustrated at the sound of only static coming from the cb.
"Like Dixon's brain.Weak" T-dog replicausing Cassie to let out a small giggle and Merles to give him the middle finger.
"Keep trying" Morales insisted trying to keep hope alive within the group.
"Really what's the point. Even if we did get through to them there's nothing they can do for us" Cassie said making her point clear.
Morales turned to Rick and explained "Got some people outside of the city is all. There is no refugee centre that's a pipe dream"
"We'll then Cassie's right we're on our own now." He said turning to face her hoping for her to back him up
"Yeah it's up to us to find a way out".
Just when she thought they were getting somewhere and the group all actually had some hope Merle had to go and ruin it saying "Good luck with that these streets ain't safe in this part of town from what I hear"
When she heard Merle start to flirt with Andrea trying to convince her to sleep with him she tuned him out trying to find a way for them to all get out of the city and back to camp alive.
"The streets ain't safe. Now there's an understatement" Morales said repeating Merles words from before.
"What about under the streets, the sewers?' Rick asked and Morales had a small smile on his face.
"Oh man.Hey Glenn check the alley. You see any manhole covers?" Morales shouted before Glenn went running over the roof to check the alleyway behind them.
"No must be all out on the street were the geeks are" he called all heads turning to him as he ran back over.
"Maybe not. Old building like this built in the 20s big structures often had drainage tunnels into the sewers in case of flooding down in the subbasements" everyone looked to Jacque in shock at how she could know all that
"How do you know that?" Glenn asked saying what they were all thinking.
"It's my job.Was. I worked in the city zoning office."
The group headed inside following Glenn and Cassie as they were the only two in the group who knew where they were going. The pair had been in the building many times before and knew exactly where they were going. When they arrived they shone their torches down the hole seeing how far it went down.
"This is it,your sure?" Morales asked them wanting to be sure they were in the right place.
"Yup positive" Cassie replied
"We really scoped this place out the other times we were here" Glenn then added on to what Cassie had said "Its the only thing in the building that goes down but we've never gone down it. Who would want to right?" he said it as a joke but when the rest of the groups eyes landed on him he knew exactly what was coming next. "Oh. Great''
Andrea could see he wasn't sure about going down the hole so she told him "We'll be right behind you."
"No not you" Glenn said but he obviously phrased what he wanted to say wrong.
"Why not me? Think I can't?" Andrea asked pissed at Glenn's comment.
"I wasn't " Glenn stuttered.
"Speak your mind" Rick told him trying to put some confidence into the boy.
"Look, until now I always came here just me and Cassie. In and out, grab a few things... No problem. The first time we 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 looked as if he were about to volunteer to go with Glenn but he shot Rick's thought down fast.
"Not you. 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. And you've got the only other gun, so you should go with him." He pointed at Andrea for the second part and then turned to faceCassie. "You've got your bow so you should go as well. Morales will be my wingman. Jacqui stays here. Something happens, yell down to us, get us back up here in a hurry."
"Okay everybody knows their jobs" Rick said patting Glenn on the back impressed the way he had taken charge of the group.
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Andrea walked ahead of Rick and Cassie to the storefront. Once they all arrived Andrea went to lean on a counter and Rick headed towards her as he walked towards the door where the walkers were growling and banging begging to get in for something to eat.
"Sorry for the gun to your face" Andrea started causing Rick to turn around.
"People do things when their afraid."
"Not that it was entirely unjustified. You did get us into this"
"He didn't know Andrea lay off him. We get it your pissed about it but blaming Rick won't help anything"
"Cassie she has a point" Rick said trying to calm his twin. "If I get us out, would that make up for it?"
"No..." Cassie shot Andrea a glare which made her continue to say "but it be a start"
"Next time though take the safety off. It won't shoot otherwise"
"Oh"
"Here" Cassie said extending her open hand to Andrea who gave her the gun.
"See this little red dot that means it's ready to fire" she said with a smile handing Andrea back the gun.
"Thanks" Andrea said returning the smile. Cassie wouldn't deny that Andrea got on her nerves most of the time but there would be times like this when the two could be friends maybe. But it was a huge maybe.
"You may have an occasion to use it" Rick added Andrea giving him a small smile.
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As Andrea stared into a jewellery cabinet Rick walked over to his sister who was looking at the front doors. The walkers were still banging on the door and the glass was starting to shake showing it wouldn't be long till it broke.
"Cassie"
"Yeah Rick"
"Im so glad I found you"Rick said pulling his twin into a tight hug. Cassie rested her head on his shoulder and pulled him close to her not wanting to lose him again. She held onto him as if he could vanish again before her and she couldn't go through that again. She couldn't bare to lose him again.
"I know you are and once we get back to camp we can have a proper conversation. Cause we are getting out"
"I see you brought your bow with you"
"Mhm. And you said joining the archery team in high school was a waste of time"
"We're just lucky you enjoyed it so much you kept at it so you still remember how to shoot it"
"I remember. Every Saturday you,me and Shane would practice our aim you guys with your guns me with my bow"
"Simpler times"
Rick let out a chuckle as the two twins pulled away. As they did Cassie saw Andrea holding a necklace. She walked over and saw at the end of the silver chain was a small mermaid
"Is that for Amy?" Cassie asked Rick behind her as she looked to Andrea who had a small smile on her face.
"Yeah it is. She's my little sister back at camp" she explained to Rick "She's still such a kid in some ways. Unicorns, dragons she loves all that stuff but mermaids they rule. She loves mermaids".
"You should take it" Cassie told her.
"There's a cop staring at me"
"Ahh he won't care" Cassie reassured her as she took the necklace handing it too Andrea to place safely in her pocket.
Just then the glass of the first set of doors shattered and the walkers started to get in banging on the second set of doors. Just then Glenn and Morales came running through Jacque close behind her.
"Glenn, did you find a way out?" Cassie asked with a bit of hope in her voice that they might get back home.
"Nope, nothing" Glenn said with a sigh.
"Well we need to find a way out and soon" she replied determination in her voice.
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The group headed back to the roof to try and think of a new plan to get out the city.They passed the binoculars between them looking down onto the street infested with walkers as they tried to find a way out.
"That construction site down there don't they always keep the keys for the trucks on hand" Rick stated obviously trying to get an idea started.
"Doesn't matter you'll never make it past the walkers"
"You got me out the tank" Rick stated, all eyes going to glenn.
"Yeah but they were feeding. They were distracted"
"Can we distract them again?" Rick asked, obviously not wanting to give up on his idea.
"Probably not unless you got another horse tucked away cowboy"Cassie replied with a light laugh trying to lighten the mood after glenn told her about her brother riding down the streets on a horse which she couldn't help but laugh at at the time.
"Wait their drawn by sound right"
"Yeah like dogs when they hear a sound they'll come"
"Anything else?"
"Yeah apart from hearing us they'll see us ,smell us and if they catch us they'll eat us" Cassie told her brother wanting to make sure he had all the facts before he further planned out his idea.
"They can tell us by smell?" Rick questioned the thought of smell being an issue never crossing his mind.
"Can't you?"
"They smell dead we don't it's pretty distinct" Andrea stated.
Rick looked at Cassie with a look in his eyes she knew all too well from their childhood. It meant he had a plan, just not necessarily a good one. She trusted her brother but that didn't mean she was looking forward to whatever plan he had cooked up.
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The group stood in the department store as Rick walked around gathering all the supplies they would need for his plan.
"You know i missed you a lot until you decided that THIS was our best plan"
"I agree if bad ideas were an Olympic sport this would take the gold" Glenn added on. The only reason these two were the ones to say something against Rick's plan was because they were the two affected by it.
"They're right. Just stop for a minute and take some time to think this through" Morales agreed obviously thinking they could think up a better idea.
"How much time. They already got through one set of doors that glass won't hold forever"
"I hate to say this but he's right" Cassie said Glenn looking at her eyes wide and mouth open, shocked at the fact she was agreeing with this absurd idea.
They ran outside where there was a walker lying from where T-dog and Morales had killed them earlier. They dragged the corpse inside placing it on the floor in front of the group who stood in a semi circle around it.
The group had all got beige trench coats and rubber gloves on. Cassie's trench coat had a small hole in the back so if need be she could grab an arrow. Rick grabbed a fire ax and was about to start chopping when he stopped. He pulled out the man's wallet and read it aloud to the group going through the contents. Once he was done he raised the ax to chop the walker up when Glenn spoke up.
"One more thing. He was an organ donor"
And with that Rick started to hack away at the walkers the smell of her rotten guts filling the room. It grossed everyone out, all turning away as Rick continued to swing and swing. Mutters of "oh god" came from the group as the smell got worse and worse.
"This was such a bad idea?" Glenn muttered trying not to puke in the process.
"Really this was a bad idea?"Cassie asked him the sarcasm clear in her question.
Rick handed the ax over to Morales who was to continue chopping away as the others were to spread walker guts all over Glenn,Cassie and Rick. That was Ricks great idea- the three would go out covered in walker guts so they smelt like the walkers around them meaning that the walkers wouldn't know they were living. They would then make their way to the construction site and grab a truck before driving back to get the others. As they began to spread the walker guts on the trio Glenn immediate began to regret agreeing to Ricks plan.
"Oh god this is bad it's so so bad"
"Don't worry Glenn it'll be over soon"
"Cass is right just think of something else like puppies and kittens"
"Yeah dead puppies and kittens" T-dog added causing Glenn to turn around and puke all over the floor vomit just missing Cassie's shoes.
"God T what the hell is wrong with you. Next time we should just let Merle beat the crap out of you"
"Sorry Glenn"
"Whatever man you suck"
"Do we smell like them?" Rick asked, making sure his plan would work before he led his sister and the man who saved him into danger.
"Oh yeah. Here you go Glenn just in case" Andrea said, carefully placing her gun into Glenn's waistband. It wasn't really necessary as Cassie had her bow and Rick had his gun but there was nothing wrong with extra protection.
"Be ready for if we make it back"
"What about Merle Dixon?" T dog asked.
"We can't just leave him"Cassie said at the same time Rick tossed the handcuff key to T-dog.
"We need more guts" Rick simply said before filling the silence with the sound of walker guts being chopped up.
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Rick,Cassie and Glenn walked out the door, Morales closing it quickly behind them. 'Oh well no going back now' Cassie thought. They dragged their feet and slouched down to give the appearance that they were walkers. Two walkers looked at them briefly as the walked past but payed them no attention as they shuffled past proving that Ricks plan was going to work.
The three crawled under a bus emerging on the other side only to be met with a huge herd of walkers waiting for them. They continued to shuffle their way through the herd making sure not to draw attention to themselves and trying to make sure they blended in.
"It's gonna work, I can't believe it" Glenn whispered to the siblings.
"Shut up" ,"Don't draw attention" the twins said at the same time as they shuffled down the street. It was then they felt the rain drops start to fall from above.
They tried not to panic as they continued to walk the light drops of rain becoming heavier and heavier until it was full on pouring, starting to wash off the guts. The walkers around them could now start to smell the living around them and moved closer to the trio trying to work out wether or not they were dead or alive.
"The smell's washing off. Isn't it? Is it washing off?" Glenn asked, panic clear in his voice.
"No it's not. Well maybe"
However as the rain continued to fall on them more the walker guts washed off and it became clear to the walkers all around they were alive. One walker charged at Rick so he crushed its skull with the ax.
"Run!" Rick yelled as the 3 began to sprint down the street. As they ran they killed walkers that got too close Glenn with a crowbar he'd found, Rick with his ax and Cassie with her knife,her bow in her other hand.
They threw their weapons over the steel fence and began to climb over the walkers right behind them. The three threw off their gut coats and started to get ready to leave. As Glenn ran to find the keys to the truck Rick began to shoot Merle gun as Cassie began firing off arrows.
"Guys c'mon!" Glenn yelled, causing Cassie to swipe the arrows she had shot as they ran to the truck. Rick climbed in the driver's seat, Cassie in the middle with Glenn in the other window seat. All of a sudden a walker came over and started tapping on Glenn's window causing him to yell for Rick to drive and they sped off before any more came over.
"Oh my god,oh my god they're everywhere"
"He's right Rick how do we get the others out"
"Tell the others to meet us at the roll up doors. You two are gonna use noise to draw the walkers away"
Rick pulled up the truck next to a red sports car which made Glenn gasp at how cool it was. It was a major upgrade from the car he used to deliver pizza in.Rick smashed the window causing the car alarm to start opening the door as Cassie got in hot wiring the car for Glenn to drive. The two twins gave each other a quick hug before Cassie jumped in the passenger seat and they drove off Glenn radioing the others telling them where to meet them and to be ready.
Glenn pulled up outside the store in the car, the noise of the alarm dragging all the walkers away from the door and towards the car. They then drove off the walkers following them as they did making room for the others to get out and to Rick in the truck.
Once they were sure the others were with Ri k and safely out the pair drove out the city and headed towards the highway. As the red sports car zoomed down the highway as well as the sound of the alarm blaring Cassie and Glenn's whoops and cheers of happiness could be heard. The pair high fived as they were on their way home and had gotten a cool car in the process.