Rio watched Rick and Daryl drive away, the car slowly leaving despite many protests. Merle walked around freely, much to the boy's dismay. He stood not far behind, making snide remarks about what was about to go down. About how Rick shouldn't be meeting with the governor on his own, how he should kill the Governor before he killed him.
The boy made his way inside, heading over to Glenn who was sitting at the table, sorting through boxes.
"Carl, come here." Glenn called to the boy from besides Rio. He passed a box to the boy, who passed it on to Carl.
"You stash these in the loading dock. Alright?" The older boy told him. He then turned to Beth, handing her a second box filled with ammunition. "Put more up on the catwalk. If anyone gets pinned down, we need to make sure that they have plenty of ammo."
He sighed, picking up a rifle and some tools. "I'll go work on the cage outside." Glenn turned to Rio, "you coming?"
"Yeah." The boy nodded, grabbing a gun off of the table for himself.
"What we should be doing is loading some of this firepower in a truck and paying a visit to the Governor." Merle interjected, making his opinion known. "We know where he is right now." He emphasized.
"You suggesting that we just go in and kill him?" Glenn challenged, looking over at him with a raised brow.
"Yeah, I am."
"We told Rick and Daryl that we'd stay put." Michonne told him.
"I've changed my mind, sweetheart." Merle replied snidely. "Being on the sideline with my brother out there ain't sitting right with me." He shook his head, a faux-frown sitting upon his face.
"He knows what he's doing." Rio said almost confidently. Despite knowing all that this man had done, he felt no fear in challenging him, or arguing or insulting. "You don't need to protect him."
"Sure as hell he does, I just don't like being put." He answered, looking to Michonne as he spat the last part.
"The three of them are right in the middle of it. No idea when we're coming. They could get taken hostage or killed. A thousand things could go wrong."
"And they will." Merle chided.
"My dad can take care of himself." Carl remarked, turning to face the man.
"Sorry son, but your dads head could be on a pike real soon." The man spat, a sick sound of pleasure in his voice.
"Don't listen to him." Rio said to Carl, grabbing his arm to stop him from leaving.
"I'm not." He replied, shrugging his hand away and walking out of the room.
"Don't say anything like that to him, to either of them." Maggie spoke up, defending the boys. Merle lifted his head in acknowledgment, not in understanding.
"It's not the right move." Was all Glenn said, telling Merle that he wasn't going to give in. "Not now. Can't take the risk of putting them in the crossfire."
He paused before sticking a finger out to the older man. "That's my decision. It's final." Glenn walked off.
Rio followed him out soon after, Maggie giving him an encouraging smile. He headed out to the yard, sitting down on the steps beside Glenn.
"Why are you doing this?" He asked.
"Doing what?"
"Acting like you're Rick." Rio rushed out, trying not to linger on the sentence for too long. "You're trying to take charge but you kinda just sound assholey."
"It doesn't matter—."
"I'm your brother. You said so yourself. I have a right to know what's going on." The boy interrupted. He turned to face Glenn properly now, looking in his eye to make sure he was being honest.
"I—." He stammered. "If I don't do something, who will? Daryl wasn't here and Rick couldn't lead. I had to step up."
"Well, step back down!" Rio argued, his tone startling them both. "They're both back now, you can just be... you."
"But is that better for the group?" Glenn tried to argue.
"Yes. We need Glenn-Glenn back."
"Glenn-Glenn?"
"Uh-huh." He nodded. "You keep us together."
"Well, thanks Rio-Rio. I'll keep that in mind."
"See what I mean? You're being such an ass." Rio laughed. Glenn pulled him into a side hug, slinging his arm over the boy's shoulder.
"I'm not doing it on purpose, promise."
***
They walked back in later, smiles dropping as they entered the cell block. Guns were slung over the table again, Merle stood around them taking his pick.
He dropped his rucksack to the table whilst taking another look at the array of weapons. Maggie looked up at them pleadingly, having already tried to talk him out of it.
"Hey." Glenn began. "You're not going." He slammed the door behind him, grabbing the attention of the oldest Dixon brother.
"I don't need permission." He snarled, the guns clattering and clanging as he sorted through them.
"I can't let you."
"You can't stop me." Merle smirked.
"If you're gonna live here with us, it's gonna be on our terms." Maggie said.
Merle turned away, ignoring her as he picked his rucksack up, slinging it over his shoulder.
"If Michonne can do it, why can't you?"
"'Cause it's my brother out there, that's why." He yelled. "What's the matter with y'all?" Merle jogged up the stairs to Glenn, stopping beside the door.
"I'm not gonna let you put them in danger."
"Nut up already, boy." He grumbled. "This guy cops a feel of your woman and you pussy out like this? Get out of my way."
"No." Glenn stood his ground, lip trembling.
"Get out of my way!" Merle yelled, pushing him aside. Rio pulled his flip-knife out of his pocket, holding it up as he stood before the door.
The two kept tousling and shouting, each trying to get their own way. They tumbled down the stairs, Merle pinning Glenn to the floor.
Rio ran down, knife still pointed at the man.
"Get off of him." He yelled. "Now!"
Merle ignored him, grabbing at Glenn's face, holding his bladed hand over it. Rio kicked Merle in the side and he turned to him.
Maggie grabbed him in a headlock as Michonne held up his arm, her other arm grabbing Rio by the shirt, pushing him back. A gun shot rang out as the five fought, startling them all.
Glenn pushed Merle's hand away as he was distracted, looking across the room to Beth, standing with a pistol in her hand, aimed at the ceiling.
"Let me go! Let me go!" Merle started again after the silence that followed the shot. He pushed everyone away, standing up before them all.
He walked away, storming out of the room. Rio left too, heading down a different direction.
The boy walked down a hall, running his hand over the wall as he made his way around. Rio made his way into the cafeteria, scrunching his nose up at a faint smell. He walked through, his footsteps quiet against the white laminate floor. It wasn't very white anymore.
He took a look around the room leisurely, kicking cans that were scattered across the floor. One made a particularly large clang and then he stopped, becoming weary of the loud noise.
Rio gripped onto his knife, still in his palm from the Merle situation. He pressed his shoulder to the double doors, his free hand gripping the door handle. He pushed down, opening into another hallway.
Darkness cascaded further onwards, no apparent light at the end of the hallway, yet he continued. Rio looked around cautiously before he hurried down the hallway as quickly and quietly as he could.
He kept looking between the doors, making sure they were both open and that no one was coming. From either end.
The second door was already ajar so Rio kicked it gently, letting it swing open.
It opened into another empty room with windows along each wall. Rio swore he caught sight of something that resembled a bookshelf.
Rios' jaw dropped as he ran inside, finding out it was actually a bookshelf. Multiple actually. He skimmed the titles, looking for one he'd be familiar with. He didn't know why he'd expected a prison to have kids' books. The boy looked over one, grinning at the title. He had to take it, the title was inviting him to.
'The book thief'
He went to leave, flipping through random pages when he felt a tug on his leg. Rio threw the book down, hitting the head of the Walker that was on the floor, so malnourished and decating that it was practically bones walking. Still, the creature tugged at his jeans, tearing the bottoms as Rio fell backwards. He let out a laugh, positioning himself onto his elbows.
Rio stood up, grabbing his knife and shuffling over to the Walker. It couldn't move. It was so fragile and the mold that grew basically trapped it to the library wall. The boy lifted its head, plunging his knife through the creature's skull before leaving, trying to retrace the steps of where he'd come from.
He reached the cell block in time to find Michonne as she packed a bag and her sword from the table. Merle watched her intently as she did.
"You know I'm right." He said, Michonne stopping to listen. She turned to him unhappily. "The folks here, they're strong, good fighters. But they ain't killers."
"Rick is." Michonne tried to intimidate him, stepping closer as she said each name. "Maggie is. I think Rio is and Carl put down his own mother."
"Mercy killing. That doesn't make him an assassin."
"Mmm, but you are."
Merle chuckled at her. "When I have to be."
"Then how do you explain letting me get away?"
"I must've been seduced by your sterling personality." He teased her. "You coming with me or not?" He suddenly said more seriously. "Me and my brother, we have a few calls we use when we hunt. I'll give him a heads up. He'll warn the others. You shogun the Governor's ass. I'll take care of the rest. We'll be home before you know it."
"And what about Andrea?"
"Bullets fly, she's gonna have to make her choice real quick."
"You're on your own." Michonne said to him, nodding before she turned, she stopped for a second. "You get people killed, it's on you."
"Where's Daryl's kid?" He called.
"What?" Michonne froze, it was then that Rio stepped out from behind the wall, looking over to the two as the woman groaned catching sight of him.
"Won't he wanna come and help?" Merle asked, not noticing the boy yet.
"You are not taking a child." Michonne argued with him. Rio stood beside her and Merle's face lit up.
"Why not?" Merle asked, kneeling down. "What do you say? Wanna come on a trip with Uncle Merle."
"Uncle Merle." Michonne scoffed, stepping between him and Rio. "Do you even hear yourself sometimes?"
"Family business." He replied, grinning over at Rio creepily. "It's up to you."
"No." He left just as soon as he'd arrived.
"What? You don't wanna come save Daryl's ass?" He called out after the boy as he ran away.
Rio flipped him off, not turning around as he headed out to the yard. Carol and Carl stood by the tower, talking about something unbeknownst to Rio.
"What's up with you?" Carol asked him, genuinely.
"I'll give you two guesses."
"Merle giving you shit?"
"Yup." He replied, leaning against the watchtower wall.
"Don't take it personally." She said, reaching a hand out to his shoulder. "I don't understand why he thinks he can say the stuff he does."
"Because he's a psycho?" Rio blurted out.
"Psycho's a bit far." Carl laughed.
"You think so?" Rio replied genuinely, scrunching his face up.
Carol nodded, a smile creeping upon her face too.
"He just asked if I want some family time with 'Uncle Merle.' What's wrong with him?" Rio huffed, throwing his arms up. Carol bit back another laugh at the reasoning of his frustration. "Can't he tell that I can't stand being in the same room as him."
"I don't think anyone can stand being in the same room as him." Carl grumbled.
"Asides from Daryl."
As if on queue, the sound of vehicles could be heard quickly approaching. Daryl's motorbike broke through the greenery, letting out a loud noise. The Car followed after Rick and Hershel sat in the front, visible from the windscreen.
Carol and Carl unlocked the gate, holding it in place until they got closer. The motorbike slowed as Daryl approached, the car following behind.
"Now!" Rio called out to Carl and Carol, signaling for them to open the gate.
The group burst through. The vehicles halting to a stop before Rick Hershel and Daryl got out. Daryl smiled awkwardly at Rio, as if to say 'look! I actually came back.' It almost made him forget about Merle, almost.
Everyone gathered outside, Rick hurrying them away once the commotion caught the attention of the surrounding walkers.
"Let's get inside." He ordered.
He headed in, picking up the hiring rifle that leant against the wall. He turned to everyone who watched him expectantly.
"So, I met this Governor. Sat with him for quite a while."
"Just the two of you?" Merle piped in.
"Yeah."
"Should have gone when we had the chance, bro." Merle scoffed. "Right kid?"
"I'm not coming with you. I said this already." Rio replied angrily. Daryl pushed him to his left, away from Merle who just walked past.
Rick continued explaining what had happened. Everyone on edge to know about what went down and what was about to go down. Rio looked at his face, he didn't like the expression painted across it.
"He wants the prison. He wants us gone." He announced. "Dead. He wants us dead for what we did to Woodbury."
The group held their breaths, hoping that it didn't mean what they thought. Rick fiddled with the gun in his hands looking down at it and then back up at them all. He let out a long drawl.
"We're going to war."
***
I saw the ballad of songbirds and snakes today it was so good. i recommend to like everyone
anyway hoping to post the new chapter soon bc i quite like it lol