3rd Pov.
After finding their way back to Richmond, the group sneaks in through the sewer system. They climb out of grate into an alley and it actually reminds Y/n of that time when he and Lee had to deal with walkers in the sewer some years back. Though this time the sewers weren't filled with the dead so traversing the sewers wasn't so bad.
David: I'm thinking this'll go a lot better if we split up. A group this big can't exactly sneak around. Particularly if they're expecting us.
Tripp: Eleanor's in there somewhere. I'm going after her.
Conrad looks at Tripp.
Conrad: Then I'm coming with you.
David: Lingard brought her to the clinic. That's your best bet. Javi. That's where you'll go to get Kate and Gabe. Then bring them to my house. It's the one with the raven on the hitching post. We'll all meet up there... after I pay a little visit to Joan... Stay out of sight. They'll be keeping an eye out for us.
Javier: As soon as I can get Kate and Gabe, we'll see you back at the house.
David: Roger that.
David leaves with Max, taking him with him as he's a part of the plan to get at Joan. No better evidence than a literal witness and involved individual. This way he also won't be able to get himself out somehow.
Tripp: I'll scout ahead.
Tripp and Conrad leave to go scout, leaving Javier, Clem, and Y/n. Javier looks at them and asks what their plan is, but it's already set in stone.
Javier: What about you two?
Clementine: I'm pretty sure we've still got some friends in the New Frontier. If they know where AJ and Molly are being held, they'll tell us. As soon as we find them, we're taking that truck and getting the hell out of here.
Y/n: Yeah. It'll be best for all parties involved if we head out before things get too crazy. Probably.
Javier: Well, you two are owed a vehicle.
He's given a nod by Y/n, but Clementine warns Javier of his brother before anything else is said.
Clementine: Keep an eye on David. He may be playing nice, but I'd still watch your back.
Y/n: She's right. He might be family, but blood is only so thick.
Javier: Give me a little credit, kids. I can handle David
Clementine: I really hope you're right. Family means something different now. You have to make it for yourself.
Y/n: We did. Though it's a little easier for us since our family was pretty much dead. Either way, I know you'll do what you've gotta do.
Clementine: See you when we see you.
Clementine and Y/n leave to go find their old friends and Dr.Lingard as Tripp returns with Conrad by his side.
Tripp: David said to hang a right up at that corner. Seems clear so far.
Javier: Let's move.
Javi, Tripp, and Conrad sneak along the street. Javi joins Conrad in hiding behind a car with Tripp as Soldiers are nearby the group. Only two, but all it takes is one to spot them and shit goes down. They've gotta be careful about their next moves or it's all over. The two soldiers begin talking about Javier and one says he's just a ball player so they shouldn't be worried.
Tripp: There's the medical center. We go in, we get Elle, we get Kate and Gabe, we get out.
Conrad: Not that easy, man. We've seen them AKs before, and they ain't afraid to use 'em.
Soldier 1: Alright. Let's hang out here for a while. Smoke break.
Tripp: Damn it. We need a distraction.
Tripp picks up a rock and hands it to Javi.
Tripp: How's your throwing arm?
Javi throws the rock at a transformer, making it spark and collapse. One of the soldiers notice it and point it out to the other one with him, telling him they've gotta attend to it and call the fire crew.
Soldier 1: What the fuck? Shit, we need to get the fire crew or that shit could burn down the block.
Tripp looks at Javier.
Tripp: You couldn't've just taken out a window?
Javier shrugs.
Javier: Did the trick, didn't it?
The group runs away while the guards are distracted while at the same time, away from them, Clementine and Y/n are sneaking around the city by taking alleyways and corners. Clementine goes to walk out, but Y/n pulls her back just before a person walks by them. As they go past, he looks at her.
Y/n: Jeez, that was a close one.
Clementine: Thanks for the save.
Y/n: Listen, I get you want to find AJ and Molly soon, as do I, but we gotta be careful about this. Otherwise it'll make finding them and getting back to them a lot harder than it needs to be.
Clementine: I-I know. It's just... I want to find them already.
Y/n rubs her back.
Y/n: And we will. But we've gotta be quick and quiet as usual. Our patience will be rewarded, I promise.
Clementine nods and the two begin sneaking around again. After a couple of minutes, they make their way into the hospital where they find nobody around in the lower main room. It often happens around this time of day as people are on break for lunch or getting dressed to start night shift.
Y/n: This way.
They sneak past the doctors and nurses who are still around until they find a staircase; they walk up it and begin looking for Dr.Lingard. While they thought about finding a friend, that would be a last resort if they don't find Lingard first. Though they are going to have to check the floors and it might take a while. Away from them but still entering the hospital, Javier looks at the other two.
Javier: You guys find Elle. Tell her we're moving Kate.
Conrad: Sounds good. We'll meet you here.
Tripp and Conrad leave Javi enters the hospital room where Kate and Gabe are.
Gabe: Javi!
Gabe hugs Javier.
Gabe: We thought you were... I was super worried. Like, a lot.
Javier: Hey, buddy, I'm fine. I'm just fine.
Kate: They said you guys were denied entry.
Javier goes over to Kate after letting go of Gabe.
Javier: It's true, we're on borrowed time. The people who run this place, they're ruthless. We have to move.
Gabe: Where's my dad? Is he coming? Javi? Where is he?
Javier: Your dad is taking care of a few loose ends. And right now, he needs me to take care of you.
Gabe: Oh, okay.
Javier: David has a house in town. He thinks we'll be okay there.
Gabe: Then let's go.
Before they can go, Kate stops them.
Kate: Wait, Javi. While you were gone, this woman, Joan, came by. I felt like she was sizing me up. It was creepy. She implied David was in trouble, like he was no longer in charge. She kept saying Gabe and I didn't need to worry, but... it only made me worry more. I got a bad feeling from her.
Javier looks at Kate and explains the details.
Javier: Joan's been running this place behind David's back. She's pulling the strings.
Kate: What do you mean?
Javier: The people who shot you answer to her. She ordered raids on other settlements. We found all this stuff from Prescott.
Kate looks at Javier shocked.
Kate: She was behind Prescott?!
Javier: David's rounding up allies to confront her right now.
Kate: Javi, I know you know this already: this is not our fight. We already lost Mari because of these people. Now the whole place is about to become a war zone.
Gabe: What? What do you mean?
Javier puts his hand on Kate's shoulder.
Javier: It's David's fight, Kate. And we're in it with him.
Gabe: He needs our help! Kate, c'mon!
Kate: You're not hearing me. This is not our problem!
Soon Eleanor and Tripp enter the room with Conrad. Eleanor is worried about what's going on and asks, well, what's about to go down.
Eleanor: What's going on? Tripp said we had to move to David's house.
Kate: We're not doing that. We're getting the fuck out of Richmond before it's too late.
Eleanor walks over to Kate to check on her.
Eleanor: Getting out? You shouldn't even be sitting up.
Gabe: What? What about my dad? We can't just leave him!
Kate looks at Gabe.
Kate: Gabe, we don't even know who he is anymore. We have to get away before he gets us all killed!
Gabe: But he won't know where we are! Again!
Kate: I can't go back to how things were before. I'm sorry. I just can't.
Javier looks at the situation and he already made a promise to his brother. He can't go back on it. So he decides to side with Gabe on getting back to David's place before anything else can go down. Even if Kate doesn't like the decision, it's all they've got.
Javier: We're gonna go to David's house.
Kate: Javi.
Javier: It's the best bet we got. It's... all we got.
Eleanor: I've got a gun in the room they gave me. Sounds like we might need it.
Tripp: I'll come with you. We'll catch up with you guys.
Javier: Sounds good.
Kate tries to walk, but falls down. Javi tries to help her, but she motions him away.
Kate: Don't.
Kate manages to pick herself up and Gabe looks at Javier.
Gabe: I didn't see Clem with you guys. Is she okay? I know, I know. She's tough, but... I don't know. It'd be nice to hear she's alright.
Javier: Clem's fine. And I know you like her but-
Gabe: I don't like her!
Javier: Look, I know you do, but all I'm going to say is she's already in a relationship with Y/n. And I'd be careful around them, especially him. Don't try hitting on her.
Gabe looks down.
Gabe: Okay.
With Y/n and Clementine once again, they're checking the rooms in the hospital for any sign of Dr.Lingard, but so far they've come up short. Luckily, they haven't ran into any hospital staff as of now. Y/n peaks behind one of the corners in the hospital and doesn't find anybody there, so he motions to Clem for them to move.
Y/n: This way.
Clementine follows him and they move into the hallway before suddenly coming across a guard group coming their way. They pause for a moment, trying to look around for anything and Clem finds an unlocked door. She grabs Y/n and pulls him into the room which turned out to be some old broom closet. They listen as the guards walk by them and soon the sound is gone by them as the guards leave.
Clementine: Sounds clear.
He looks down at Clem and smiles.
Y/n: You sure? Maybe we could stay like this a little longer...
Clementine rolls her eyes.
Clementine: As lovely as that would be, we've got a job to do.
Y/n: (Sigh) I know, but it's always good to take a break. Either way, lets go.
They hop out of the broom closet and go into another room, but this one isn't as empty as it first looks. Y/n and Clem see a group of three guards just playing cards and one looks back at the two just a moment too late. The duo quickly runs over to the three and Clem stabs one in the back of the throat, while Y/n brings his bat down on one's head while shooting the last in the head with a flame bullet.
Clementine: Shit that was close.
Y/n: Lazy bastards almost got the drop on us by accident.
Clementine: I think we should be a little more careful next time.
Y/n: No kidding.
There's a pause between the two as they look at the bodies and Y/n asks what they're going to do with with.
Y/n: So... What do we do about the corpses?
Clementine: Hm...
She scans around the room and that's when she comes across a trash shoot that led outside to a dumpster. It had been built into the place in case a patient turned and they had to dispose of the said patient. Y/n quickly hoists one of the men over his shoulder and tosses him down the shoot, then he does the same with the other two. They land in the dumpster and Y/n aims his hand out of the window where he saw the dumpster, shooting at the lid to make it close. Afterward he just wipes his hands.
Y/n: You know what they say, "Cleanliness is next to greatness."
Clementine: (Sigh) I don't know where you read these things. But you're cute so I'll just go along with it.
Y/n: You know it.
He leans down, giving Clem a kiss on the cheek before turning to the door and this time they look out for a minute before walking out. Just in case. Nobody comes after that minute and the kids leave their position to search the rest of the hallway doors. Not yet coming across Lingard. Away from them, Javier, Kate, and Gabe are sneaking through the streets of Richmond trying to stay unseen.
Kate: You know this is what David lives for, right?
Javier: What?
Kate: A brawl. I only ever saw him truly happy when he was talking about being at war. The world going to shit? I guarantee that was the best day of his life. He gets to live life on the front line. I'm sure it's like Christmas every morning.
Javier nods in agreement.
Javier: He definitely could get pretty warlike from time to time. My jaw still aches occasionally.
Kate: Oh, I'll bet it does.
They reach David's house, where they find Ava standing at the front door. She's a little irked. As soon as she spots them, she runs over to three with a look of urgency plastered on her face.
Ava: Took your damn time! Come on, we have to hurry!
Javier: Wait a second. David told us to come here...
Ava: He's talking to the others now. Trust me, shit's about to fly. He's gonna need our help. We gotta get on the move. He's waiting for us, there's no more time to lose.
Javier: Holy shit. Well, c'mon, let's go!
Ava: They'll be safe here. Don't worry.
Javier: I'll come back for you. Both of you.
Kate: You better...
Javi and Ava leave; Kate and Gabe enter the house. They march their way quietly through the streets and to the church where they enter side by side. Joan, Lingard, Clint, David, and Max are already there. David is already at Joans neck, trying to get her to confess to her actions in front of Clint and Lingard. Turns out, he'd left just before Clem and Y/n had gotten to the hospital but they're unaware of this.
Joan: I don't like your tone, David. If this is about your brother...
David: Don't pretend like you don't know what this is about. You've got a lot to answer for.
Joan: Me? You must be joking.
Javier walks further in without Ava who stays in the back, and the other spot him. David looks at him.
David: Javi! Kate and Gabe?
Javier: Safe.
David: knew I could count on you, brother. We're gonna fix this. Together.
Javier: Of course. Kate and Gabe are safe. I've got your back.
David: Thank you. It means a lot that you do.
Javier looks at the other council members and asks what's going on.
Javier: What's going on here?
David: We're just getting started.
Joan turns to David, still fronting her innocence.
Joan: You smuggled your brother into Richmond? Despite what we agreed? Clearly, you have no respect for any of us. This is serious, David. You know we can't let this go.
Javier: You don't deserve respect! Not after the things you've done.
Clint, confused, asks about what he's talking about.
Clint: What things? What's this all about?
Javier: She's been ordering raids on peaceful communities. Sending your men to murder and loot.
Lingard looks at Joan.
Lingard: Raiding? Joan, is this true?
Joan: Ha! He's pointing the finger at everyone! First Badger, now me.
Clint: That's a serious charge. You come in swinging, you better have proof.
David: Here's our proof.
David pushes Max in front of the group.
David: This lowlife was part of the raids.
Max: I...
Joan glares at Max, her subordinate, trying to intimidate him.
Joan: Well, Max... What do you have to say?
Max starts to stutter, but Javier speaks to him to give him courage.
Javier: Don't be afraid of her, Max. We've got your back.
Max: Me, Badger, and... and Lonnie, we ran the ops. Off Joan's orders!
Lonnie groans.
Lonnie: Goddamnit, Max.
Max holds up his tied hands.
Max: I'm washing my hands of this, man!
Clint looks at Joan as does Lingard.
Clint: Joan... How could you?
Joan pours herself a drink and takes a sip.
Joan: The real question is, how could I not? What would happen to us without your fertilizer, Clint? Or your pills, Paul? Do you think our community would survive? I did what I had to, to ensure that we would. It wasn't easy... But someone had to do it.
Javier: So you survived, but at what cost? Do you even know how much suffering you've caused?
Joan: I've no doubt it's less than I've prevented. All of you remember the winter... how much we lost. Friends.
She looks at Clint.
Joan: Lovers.
She turns to Lingard.
Joan: Children.
She turns to David and he looks away.
Joan: I made a promise, I would never let that happen again. The raids were just to keep up us going, 'til Richmond reached sustainability. We're so close. So close to our dream. Do we really want to risk it all by fighting amongst ourselves? We should all be on the same side of this, David. On Richmond's side. Surely you can see that?
Javier: Prospering off the suffering of other people? That's no way to live. No way at all.
David: You're damn right about that. We lost Mariana to those raids. How many others lost their kids, too?
Joan: I'm sorry, David. It breaks my heart about your child. It's...it's something I'm going to have to live with. Take them!
David: What the hell?
Guards start to approach them and one grabs his arm along with Javier's.
Joan: Put them in a cell until I can figure out what to do with them.
David: Don't you fucking touch me! That's an order!
Clint: They don't take orders from you anymore, David. You're done here.
Ava leaves the church quietly, slipping out of the back before anything else can happen.
Clint: You put yourself before the group.
Javier: You won't get away with this, Joan! All of this'll come back on you eventually!
David: Paul, come on!
Lingard: I'm sorry. My hands are tied.
David: This is not over, Joan. I have friends here. Allies.
The Frontier soldiers kick Javi and David in the back of the knees, making them kneel. Javi is hit in the head with a gun and knocked unconscious.