[We were on the roof walking to where Merle should have been when in a fit of rage Daryl pointed his crossbow at T-Dog and with that Rick immediately points his gun at Daryl.]
Rick: I won't hesitate I don't care if every walker in the city hears it
[Daryl lowers his crossbow and Rick lowers his gun and puts the safety back on.]
Daryl: *To T-Dog* You got a do-rag or something?
[T-Dog reaches inside his pocket and gives Daryl a blue bandana as Daryl takes it and puts down his crossbow and walks to Merle's hand.]
Daryl: I guess the saw blade was to dull for the handcuffs. Ain't that a bitch
[Daryl puts the hand in the bandana covering it then walked over to Glenn and put the hand inside Glenn's backpack.]
Daryl: He must have used the tourniquet--- maybe his belt would've been much more blood if he didn't.
[We followed Daryl inside.]
Daryl: Merle you in here!?
[We were looking around for Merle when we ended up in an office with two dead geeks.]
Daryl: Had enough in him to take out these two sons of a bitches. One handed. Toughest asshole I've ever met my brother feed him a hammer he'll crap out nails.
Rick: Any man can pass out from blood loss no matter how tough he is.
[We continued into the kitchen.]
Daryl: Merle!
Rick: we're not alone here remember.
Daryl: Screw that he's bleeding out you said so yourself.
[We saw fire on a stove, A belt and blood.]
Glenn: What's that burnt stuff?
Rick: Skin he cauterized the stump
Daryl: Told you he was tough. No one can kill Merle but Merle.
Rick: Don't take that on to faith he's lost a lot a blood
Daryl: Yeah, didn't stop him from busting out of this death trap.
[We walk over a broken window]
Glenn: He left the building why the hell would he do that
Daryl: Why wouldn't he. He's out there alone as far as he knows. He's gotta do what he's gotta do. It's surviving.
T-Dog: You call that surviving just wondering out in the streets maybe passing out what are his odds out there?
Daryl: No worse than being handcuffed and left to rot by you sorry pricks.
[T-Dog turns away and Glenn and I put a hand on our face as Daryl walks to Rick and the two-look face to face.]
Daryl: You couldn't kill him. I'm not so worried about some dumb dead bastard.
Rick: What about thousands dumb dead bastards? Different story?
Daryl: Why don't you take a tally. I'm gonna go get him.
[Daryl pushes forward but Rick stops him.]
Rick: Daryl, wait
Daryl: Get your hand off me! You can't stop me!
Rick: I don't blame you he's family I get that I went through hell to find mine I know exactly how you feel. He couldn't have got far with that injury. We could help you look a few blocks but only if we keep a level head.
Daryl: I can do that
T-Dog: Only if we get those guns first. I'm not strolling the streets of Atlanta with just my good intentions, okay?
Athena: Yeah, and I really just came for my backpack that I dropped when we got swarmed. No offense, Sage.
Sage: Eh, none taken.
[We then went to set up a plan. Glenn said he wanted both me and him to get the bags which caused Rick and the others to disagree]
Rick: You're not doing this alone.
Daryl: Even I think it's a bad idea and I don't even like you much.
Glenn: It's a good idea. Okay if you just hear me out. If we go out there in a group, we're slow drawing attention. If it's just me and Allie, we can move fast. Look.
[Glenn uses a clip for the tank on the map we made a paper for the bag. A clip for Daryl and eraser for T-Dog and Rick. The map had squares for the building and alley. T- Dog and Rick where gonna be two blocks away.]
Glenn: there's a tank,five blocks from where we are now, there's a bag of guns. Here's the alley I dragged you into when we first met, that's where Daryl, Athena, Sage and I will go
Daryl: Why us?
Glenn: Your crossbow is quieter than his gun. While Daryl and Sage wait here in the alley me, and Athena run up the streets grab the bags.
Rick: what you got us elsewhere?
Glenn: You and T-Dog right, you'll be in this alley here.
Rick: Two blocks away why?
Glenn: We might not be able to come back the same way walkers might cut us off if that happens, we won't go back to Daryl and Sage we'll go forward instead all the way around to the alley where you guys are. Whichever direction we go we got you on both places to cover us. Afterwards we'll all meet back here.
Daryl: Hey kid what did you do before all this?
Glenn: Deliver pizzas why?
[We nodded]
[Glenn, Daryl, Sage and I went to the alley where me and Rick first met Glenn.]
Daryl: You got some balls for a chinaman.
Glenn: I'm Korean
[With that Glenn and I went to the gate and I heard Daryl say something.]
Daryl: Whatever
Sage: I got your back.
Athena: Thanks.
[We ran out the gate staying low we passed a car with a geek inside and went low and moved before it saw us. We made our way unnoticed by walkers, we went over a small fence with bags behind it near the tank. We saw the bags and Glenn grabbed the bag with the guns and I got my backpack quickly. We both were about to leave but turned back so Glenn could get Ricks hat and I could get mine which was the REAL REASON why I came. We noticed geeks were noticing us, so we ran back to Daryl and Sage. When we got there, we saw one guys beating on Daryl and another holding Sage. The men saw us, and we immediately tried to get away.]
Man: Thats it that's the bag take the vato take it?
[Glenn was then knocked down and the next thing I knew I was on the ground and heard screaming. I tried to make a run for but was cut off by walkers and a car and then all of a sudden me and Glenn where being forced in the car yelling for Daryl.]
Glenn: Daryl! Daryl! Daryl!
Athena: Sage! Sage! Get of me!
[ They captured us.]
~*~*~*~*~
[Turns out there's more to these guys they wouldn't tell us what they want but we figured it had to do with helping the elderly we were with I spent time with Glenn, and we got know each other.]
Glenn: How did you survive?
Athena: I just did
Athena: For the first two weeks I was with my parents then the next two just my dad and then I was alone. Most of my siblings, aunts and uncles were somewhere else and two of my brothers got separated from me and my mom and dad.
Glenn: I'm sorry. How many siblings do you have?
Athena: Birth, I have three siblings. Adopted, I have four. So, seven, I make eight.
Glenn: What are their names?
Athena: The Oldest is Katniss she's 16, and my biological sister. She's four months older than Elaina she is also 16. Then Jack who is 15. Ian who is 12/13. Kai is also 12/13, then Charlie my younger adoptive brother is 8. My twin brother Liam is 11/12
Glenn: You were adopted?
Athena: Petty much. Katniss, Ian, and Liam are my biological siblings.
Glenn: Do you know what happened to your parents?
Athena: No. Kat was the only one who had any real interaction with them, but we did keep in touch with our birth relatives. My parents left my brothers and I in St. Mercy's Orphanage when I was 4. We were lucky we managed to stay together. (chuckles)
Glenn: What is it?
Athena: It's just weird. My brothers and I spent our entire lives making sure we never got separated from one another. I used to wonder what it would be like, if I didn't have them and now that I don't, all I want is for them to be here with me.
Glenn: I get it.
Athena: I was going to leave.
[When I said that I saw a pained expression on Glenn's face.]
Athena: I wanted to leave to look for them, but I don't want to leave because then I'd have to say goodbye and I hate goodbyes, but I know what it's like to be abandoned. So, I didn't want to make anyone else feel that way either."
Glenn: Well, I'd like it if you stayed with us.
Athena: I dropped my hat again" [I said as a joke sort of, and we both laughed lightly.]
~*~*~*~*~
(Rick's Pov)
[We were asking the kid who was with the people who took Glenn and Athena, well I was asking.]
Rick: Those men you were with we need to know where they went.
Kid: I ain't telling you nothing
T-Dog: Man, what the hell happened back there?
Daryl: I told you, this little turd and his douch bag friends came out of nowhere and jumped me and Sage.
Kid: Man, you're the one jumped me puto. Screaming about trying to find his brother like it's my damn fault.
Daryl: They took Glenn and Athena could've taken Merle too.
Kid: Merle? What kind of hick name is that? Wouldn't name my dog Merle.
[Daryl went to attack the kid, but I pushed him back.]
Rick: Damn you Daryl back off.
[Daryl than went to Glenn's backpack to get the doe rag with Merle's hand.]
Daryl: You want to what happened to the last guy who pissed me off.
[He then put the hand on the kid and the kid freaked out throwing the hand to the floor where it rolled next to me, and I moved. While Daryl was on the kid.]
Daryl: Gonna start with the feet this time.
[I moved Daryl of the kid getting annoyed. I looked towards Sage, who had been looking at Athena's bow]
Rick: The men you were with took our friends all we want to do is talk to them see if we could work something out.
~*~*~*~*~*~
(Athena's POV)
[Glenn was talking to some of the elderly why I was playing chess with a man when all of a sudden two guys came and took Glenn, I rushed over to them but one of the guys stopped me telling me to stay and Glenn would be back and left.]
[ Something isn't right]
[Glenn]
[A while later]
Glenn: Rick and the others are coming for us.
Athena: What really?
Glenn: Yeah, I just saw them
Athena: Did you talk to them? What did they say? What happened?
Glenn: I didn't talk to them they were talking to the leader my guess about us.
Athena: Why'd they take you if it wasn't to return you to Rick."
Glenn: They needed help.
Athena: Help?
Glenn: Yeah help
[I didn't believe Glenn, but I let it go]
~*~*~*~*~*~
(Rick's Pov)
Daryl: Guns cost more than gold and gold don't protect your family. Or put food on the table. You willing to give that up for those kids.
T-Dog: If I knew we get Glenn and Athena back I might agree. What you think that vato across the waste is just going to hand them over?
Miguel/Kid: You calling G a liar?
Daryl: You a part of this?! You want to hold on to your teeth?!
T-Dog: Question is do you trust that man's word?
Daryl: No, the question is what you willing to bet on it? Could be more than them guns could be your life. Glenn and Athena worth that to you?
[I put the safety on my gun and look at them.]
Rick: The life I have I owe to him. I was nobody to Glenn just some idiot with a kid stuck in a tank he could have walked away but he didn't neither will I. Now Athena's my family now I can't leave without her I'm not going to abandoned her I told her I'd take care of her, and I will.
Daryl: So, your gonna hand the guns over?
Rick: I didn't say that. There's nothing keeping you guys here, you should get out get back to camp.
T-Dog: And tell your family what?
Sage: Either way I'm not leaving. I promised Kira that I would look out for Athena, so I'm not leaving without her, and Glenn is her brother, how do you expect me to tell my best friend that I just abandoned the only family she has?
[We all looked at each other and their face expressions told me that they were staying to help get Glenn and Athena back and we all started loading the guns up.]
Miguel/kid: Oh c'mon this is nuts. Just do like G says.
~*~*~*~*~*~
(Athena's Pov)
[I was playing with the dogs when all of a sudden, an elderly man started having an asthma attack. We couldn't find his inhaler so an older lady went to get her grandson who might have it.]
[A couple of minutes later. The women returned with her grandson, and I was next to Glenn next to the man who had an asthma attack When I heard a familiar voice.]
Rick: What the hell is this?
Glenn: Asthma attack couldn't get his breath out all of a sudden.
T-Dog: Thought you two were being eaten by dog's man.
[Glenn and I turned around to look at the three chihuahuas who started barking. Rick then talked to G. Sage then attacked me with a hug]
Athena: Hi, Sage.
Rick: Can I have a word with you? You're the dumbest son of a bitch I ever met. We walked in there ready to kill each and every one of you.
G: I'm glad it didn't come to that.
[I didn't bother to hear the rest of their conversation. G took me, Rick, Daryl, T-Dog, Sage and Glenn to another room.]
Rick: What about the rest of your crew?
G: The vatos trickle in check on their parents their grandparents see how things are and most decide to stay, its good thing too we need the muscle. The people we've encountered since things fell apart are the worst kind plunderers, the kind that takes by force.
Rick: That's not who we are.
G: How was I to know? My people got attacked and you show up with Miguel hostage, appearances.
T-Dog: Guess the world changed.
G: No, It's the same as it ever was, the weak get taken. So, we do what we can here, the vatos work on those cars talk about getting the old people out of the city but most can't even get to the bathroom by themselves so that's just a dream. Still, it keeps the crew busy, that's worth something. So, we barred all the windows welded all the doors shut except one entrance. The vatos they go out, scavenge what they can. To keep us going, we watch the perimeter night and day, and we wait. The people here they all look to me now. I don't even know why.
Rick: Because they can.
[ Rick then gives G some of our guns and ammo]
[Cut too outside]
[ We were walking to the van]
Glenn: Admit you two only came back to Atlanta for the hats.
Rick: Don't tell anybody
Athena: Yeah, that stays between the six of us."
Daryl: You've given away half our guns and ammo.
Rick: Not nearly half
Daryl: For what so a bunch old folks are gonna die momentarily anyhow? Seriously how long do you think they got?
Rick: How long do any of us?
[ We suddenly stopped to see that our van was missing.]
Glenn: Oh My God
Daryl: Where the hells our van?
Glenn: We left it right there who would take it
Rick: Merle
Daryl: He's going to be taking some vengeance back to camp.
[We were jogging to the camp as it was getting late that the next thing, we knew it was dark. Then we heard gunshots.]
Rick: Oh my God
Glenn: Go! Go!
[We now started running as fast as we could to get to the others. As soon as we got there, we stared killing the walkers. Rick, T-Dog, Daryl and Glenn used the guns while I used my bow and Sage used her Knives.]
Rick: Baby! Carl! Nora!
Glenn: Kira!
Kira: Glenn!
Carl: Dad!
[I saw Carl Run to his dad and I felt relieved to see Carl, Nora and Lori okay. I then saw Kira next to Glenn.]
Rick: Carl
[ We looked all around for more geeks. I walked to Rick and the others. I looked at Andrea only to see that Amy was dead. NO Amy, I didn't know her well, but I knew that she was a good person. Carl and Kira stared crying because Amy was dead and Andrea lost a sister, her only family, half of us were dead and we weren't safe]
Jim: I remember my dream now why I dug the holes.