Neo Soul King Yhwach

"Hey, it was a tough choice, but you took care of the kids That's what a real man does." —Kenny

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[Third Person Pov]

Lee sighed and crossed his arms as the group waited for his answer. "I'll stay here with Fred. Someone has to make sure he doesn't cause trouble when he wakes up. And before anyone says it, no—I'm not going to kill him. We're better than that." He glanced around, locking eyes with Kenny, who gave him a nod of approval.

Kenny turned his attention to Yhwach. "What about you, Jugram? Where are you headed?"

Yhwach's gaze shifted briefly to Lee, who seemed to linger on the brink of a retort but instead stayed silent. "I will assist Isaac and Marcus with retrieving the battery," Yhwach replied in his usual measured tone. "Efficiency will be key, and the fewer variables, the better."

Isaac smirked. "Sounds good to me," Marcus grunted in agreement, his grip tightening slightly on his monkey wrench.

Lee took a deep breath, his voice steady as he addressed the group. "Okay, we've got a plan. Everyone be careful, stick close, and stay sharp. We'll meet back here when it's done. Good luck out there."

With that, Lee opened the door, motioning for the others to file out. Carley lingered, her gaze lingering on Fred's unconscious body, her expression a mix of disgust and disapproval. Lee caught the look and gave her a weary smile. "I'll keep him under control. If he wakes up, I'll handle it. No violence unless we have no choice."

Carley frowned but nodded before following the others out. Lee closed the door behind her, the faint echo of footsteps disappearing down the hall.

Yhwach followed Isaac and Marcus through the dimly lit hallways. The silence was heavy, broken only by the occasional groan of the old school building. As they passed through another corridor, Yhwach's attention was drawn to a large sign affixed to the wall. The rules were listed in bold letters:

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PRINCIPLES OF CRAWFORD

ALL ILLNESSES AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS MUST BE DISCLOSED TO THE COUNCIL.

CHILDREN UNDER 14 NOT ADMITTED WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION.

ANYONE ASKED TO LEAVE CRAWFORD CANNOT RETURN UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

THEFT OR LOOTING WITHIN THE DISTRICT WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.

WASTE NOT! MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR RATIONS.

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Yhwach's eyes narrowed as he read the draconian guidelines. These were not mere rules—they were proclamations of dominance, meant to crush dissent and foster fear. These measures are not the marks of a strong leader but of a desperate one, he thought. Strength inspires loyalty. This? This only breeds compliance rooted in terror.

He continued down the hall, his gaze briefly catching on a photo of Oberson Crawford, accompanied by a message declaring his intent to protect the community. The man's carefully curated image, polished and commanding, only solidified Yhwach's theory. Either this man has manipulated the weak with remarkable charisma, or the people here have sacrificed their humanity in the name of survival. Likely both.

"Hey, Jugram," Isaac called from ahead. "The alleyway to the auto shop's down here. What's taking you so long?"

Yhwach turned to see Isaac and Marcus waiting by a door, their postures tense but ready. He straightened and joined them, his voice calm. "Nothing. I was merely observing these signs. They are...Interesting."

Isaac rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah, that propaganda bullshit. Who cares? We all know these guys are nuts."

Marcus added, "Some of these nuts can still shoot straight. Let's not underestimate them. A cornered rat can bite just as hard as a wolf."

Isaac scoffed but nodded. "Fine, fine. Let's just get this done. Most of them are at that meeting, remember? We're not running into any big surprises."

Yhwach glanced toward the door leading to the alleyway. "If we wish to avoid surprises, we should waste no time. Let us proceed." His tone left no room for debate as he opened the door and descended the narrow set of stairs, Isaac and Marcus following close behind. Behind the trio was a gate that moved back out to the open streets while the alleyway continued snaking around the buildings in the front.

"Let's continue through the alleyway. There's less chance of us being seen," ordered Yhwach. Neither man protested, so they slowly made their way through the alleyway. It was pretty clean with the occasional cardboard box and wood pallets being the only thing present in the alley. There was also a sign on the wall.

DELIVERIES MADE IN REAR.

AUTHORIZED MOTOR POOL WORKERS ONLY.

They must have been getting close to the auto shop. However, the end soon came as the path was blocked off by a fence and some wooden pallets that they couldn't get around. Whatever entrance to the auto shop was close by, they couldn't get through from this side.

"Great. Now what?" complained Marcus.

"We're close. Vernon said there's one in the alley near the fire escape." Isaac pointed out.

There must be another way to get there from here if they made a sign directing people to go to the auto shop.

Yhwach looked around and saw a shed, so he went outside to check it out. There was nothing too crazy on the shelves, but a small pool of light directed his attention to the back right corner of the shed. The roof had a small opening that seemed just big enough for a person to fit through.

"We can climb up the shelves and get through that opening. There's likely another place for us to jump down from." theorized Yhwach.

"I ain't got any better ideas," grunted Marcus. Yhwach decided to go first. He climbed up onto each shelf and made his way to the top. Thankfully, the hole looked big enough that even Yhwach and Marcus could fit through it, just like he thought. When he stabilized himself, he noticed another fence covering an alleyway that had barbed wire on the top of it.

Yhwach jumped and he made it with flying colors. However, a sound caused him to freeze. Now that he was inside the alleyway, he could hear someone tinkering with something in the building next to him. They were making enough noise that Yhwach's footsteps didn't seem to alert them, or maybe they were just concentrating on what they were doing. 

Isaac followed him and Yhwach held up a finger to his lips to tell him to be quiet. He did the same for Marcus when he joined them. Throughout the whole ordeal, whoever was inside still kept working. If they did hear any of the three men, they were putting up a hell of a ruse.

Yhwach hid behind a wall with Marcus and Isaac behind him and peered into the open doorway nearest them. Immediately, he could tell that this must have been the auto shop. Both loaders had vehicles on them, although one was high and one was low. There were a couple of workbenches near the back that had all kinds of tools strewn out. The room also smelled distinctly of oil, which made sense since it was an auto shop and all. 

The main problem, however, was that there was a man working on one of the vehicles with his back turned to them. As Yhwach suspected, he seemed heavily engrossed in his work as none of the noise they had made alerted him to their presence.

As I suspected, not everyone was at that meeting. That man could give us a battery. If he's a mechanic, he would know exactly where to find one. But revealing my true nature to my companions—is unnecessary. Better to handle this with caution. He'll tell us what we need, willingly or not.

He turned to Isaac and Marcus. "We have a mechanic inside. He's currently working on one of the vehicles. I'll sneak up on him and order him to drop his weapons. The two of you will back me up—quietly. If he can get us the battery, we'll avoid incapacitating him immediately. Understood?"

Isaac nodded, muttering, "Fine, we'll follow your lead."

Yhwach took out his pistol, his movements smooth and deliberate, and began creeping toward the shop. The man continued working, unaware of his approach.

Do not turn around and force me to kill you, he thought, suppressing a flicker of irritation.

The man suddenly cursed loudly, moving to grab something from a workbench. Yhwach froze, his fingers tightening around the pistol grip. But the man merely retrieved a tool and returned to his work, oblivious to the presence of his uninvited audience.

Yhwach quickened his pace, closing the gap with precise steps. As the man pivoted slightly, as if about to glance over his shoulder, Yhwach raised his pistol, pressing the barrel firmly to the back of the man's head.

"One wrong move," Yhwach growled. "and you'll wish the walkers found you first."

The man froze, his shoulders stiffening before he slowly raised his hands. Turning his head slightly, his face was a mask of shock and fear. Before he could speak, Yhwach caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Isaac and Marcus emerged, flanking him, their weapons at the ready.

Recognition flickered across the mechanic's face as his eyes locked with Isaac's, and Yhwach's sharp intuition immediately caught the subtle change in Isaac's demeanor.

So, Isaac knows this man. A connection to Crawford, no doubt. If Isaac is a traitor, he has played his part well. Oberson Crawford may be intelligent, but not enough to outwit me. I will keep this knowledge to myself for now.

Isaac smirked, glancing at the car the man had been working on. "Well, look at that. There's a battery right here. Why don't you go ahead and remove it while my friends make sure you don't try anything?"

The mechanic hesitated, his gaze flicking between Isaac and the others. "Who are you? How the hell did you get in here?"

Marcus stepped forward. "Hey, we ask the questions, not you. Get your tools and remove that battery, or today's your last day on earth breathing."

A tense silence stretched as the man weighed his options. Finally, he nodded. "Alright, you've made your point."

"Marcus," Yhwach ordered, "keep your gun trained on him." He approached the man, swiftly patting him down. Best to ensure he isn't hiding any surprises. His search revealed nothing aside from a wrench, which he passed to Marcus. Before stepping back, Yhwach briefly touched the man's shoulder, sharing a fragment of his soul. Even in death, he'll serve a purpose.

"We can guarantee your life if you cooperate," Yhwach said coldly. "Fetch me the battery."

The mechanic grudgingly followed the order, disconnecting the terminals and lifting the battery out. He turned abruptly, shoving the battery into Isaac's chest with surprising force, sending him stumbling. Seizing the moment, the mechanic bolted for the workbench.

Marcus hesitated for a fraction of a second, startled, but quickly regained his composure and tackled the fleeing man. A brief struggle ensued, but a swift kick to the face from Yhwach rendered the man unconscious. 

"That takes care of that. Isaac, you really couldn't keep your balance, you dumb fuck?" Marcus lashed out.

Isaac raised his hands defensively. "Hey, how was I supposed to know he'd pull that? I thought Crawford's people were supposed to be smart."

"Enough," Yhwach snapped. "We have the battery. Let's leave before anyone notices—or before he regains consciousness."

Marcus shrugged, glancing at the wrench he'd dropped in the scuffle. "Lost that, but whatever. Got my monkey wrench anyway."

"That's wonderful," Yhwach said dryly, "But. nobody cares. Now. Move."

They exited swiftly, leaving the mechanic sprawled on the floor, unconscious but alive—for now.

[Scene Break Location: Lee, Crawford's Council Room]

Left alone in the silence, Lee let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. His shoulders sagged, and he rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on him. The plan to raid Crawford was a gamble—a dangerous, messy gamble—but it was the only way out of this nightmare.

He paced the room, his thoughts drifting to his best friend.

Jugram... you surprise me more and more every day, bud.

A faint smile tugged at the corners of Lee's lips, the memory of Jugram's protectiveness toward the kids coming to mind. It wasn't something Lee would've expected from someone as cold and enigmatic as him—the same man who hadn't hesitated to put a shotgun to his face during their first meeting. And yet, there was something strangely comforting about knowing that even Jugram, with all his grumpiness and intimidating presence, had a soft spot when it came to the kids.

Still, he's as grumpy as ever, Lee thought, chuckling to himself.

But then, his expression turned thoughtful.

He must've gone through hell to end up like this... That strange aura of his, it's like his emotions can fill a room, make you feel it without him saying a word. It reminds me of my dad, back when he'd get stern with me and my brother for doing something stupid. Not as intense, but it's there—that weight.

Lee's thoughts were interrupted by a low groan.

"Ah, shit..." he muttered, instinctively reaching for his gun.

The sound came again, and Lee whirled toward its source. His eyes narrowed, and he raised the weapon, steadying it with both hands.

"Woah!" Fred froze, his hands half-raised, his eyes wide with fear as he stared down the barrel of the gun.

Lee's voice dropped to a low, dangerous tone. "Make one loud sound, and I promise, there won't be anything left of that mouth."

Fred swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. "H-Hey, take it easy. I wasn't gonna—"

"Save it." Lee cut him off, "You so much as breathe wrong, and I'll make sure you regret it."

Fred raised his hands higher in surrender. "Alright, alright! I get it! No funny business."

Lee didn't lower the gun, his eyes scanning Fred's face for any sign of deceit. "Good. Now sit down. We're gonna have a little talk."

Fred hesitated but obeyed, dropping into a chair with his hands still raised. "Look, man, I don't want any trouble—"

"Then you're off to a good start," Lee interrupted, his voice still hard. He kept the gun trained on Fred, but inside, he felt the familiar churn of unease. This wasn't who he wanted to be. But in Crawford, survival came first.

"Let's just make this simple," Lee continued. "You stay quiet, you stay still, and maybe—maybe—you get to keep walking out of this place alive. Understand?"

Fred nodded quickly, beads of sweat forming on his brow. "Y-Yeah. Loud and clear."

Lee didn't respond right away, his mind racing. The plan, the risks, the group—all of it weighed on him. But for now, he couldn't afford to let his guard down.

He couldn't help but wonder if the other groups that left had run into similar issues. Already, they had dealt with a person that hadn't been accounted for. Lee knew that the team going to rescue Lilly probably was going to find someone.

I trust all the people who came on this mission with my life. There's no reason to doubt them or assume that something will go wrong. I have to believe in them.

[Scene Break Location: Vernon and Carley, Crawford]

"The nurse's office is just down this hallway," whispered Vernon.

They had barely left the classroom and had only gone down a couple of rows of lockers, but they were already in close proximity to their destination. Carley was glad because that meant they could get the medicine quicker and get back to Lee, so he wasn't left alone with that man.

"Is the place going to be locked?" asked Carley.

"Logan never locks it, but that's not our main problem," Vernon replied.

The two of them arrived at the door. The big sign labeled NURSE let Carley know that this was the right door. As Vernon suspected, it was not locked. Carley glanced around to see if anyone was watching them, but the halls were silent.

She followed Vernon inside and shut the door behind her. There were a couple of beds to her left, a desk to her right with some folders, a tripod in the back-right corner, and a big desk with cabinets at the end. There was also a huge safe at the back-left corner that immediately caught her attention as it seemed so out of place compared to everything else in the room.

"This is our main problem. All the prescription meds are locked up tight in this safe and I doubt Crawford's kept the same 4-digit combination number since I left," explained Vernon.

He walked over to the safe and tried punching something in. Carley hoped that they were stupid enough to keep the combination the same, but Vernon's attempts at pulling the safe open proved futile.

"Figures. They changed it. No doubt it was due to Oberson's paranoia. Logan wouldn't be nearly smart enough to think about something like this." revealed Vernon.

Carley walked over to the tripod and looked at the angle it was pointed at.

"I don't get it. Why is this camera pointed at the safe?" she asked. Vernon glanced over and shook his head.

"It's not pointed at the safe. It's pointed at the bed next to the safe. Oberson had Logan record all consultations that he had with his patients just to keep it on record. Personally, I believe that shouldn't be information made public to him, but he can't handle not being a control freak." spat Vernon.

He looked back at the camera and the safe. His eyebrows raised upward as he started to come up with a plan in his head.

"Now that you mention it, this camera does cover the safe as well as the bed. If we can get a recording, we might be able to find the 4-digit combination. It would have to be before I left, however." said Vernon.

"When exactly did you leave?" asked Carley.

"Should have been...the night of October 5th if my memory serves me correctly. I don't know when they changed it, which is the main problem, I'll start looking through some of these papers. Maybe there's something in there that we haven't checked." volunteered Vernon.

While he did that, Carley walked over to the safe to get a closer look. There was a keypad next to two door handles that pulled outward. She didn't know how long it would take to find the code, but maybe there was a better way to open the safe. It did seem very reinforced and tough to break through, but they could try to bust through it.

"Can't we just bust it open with the tools we have?" asked Carley.

"Maybe with enough time, but we can't afford to sit around and wait here all day. That meeting isn't going to go on forever. It would be a hell of a lot quicker if we just knew the 4-digit combination." argued Vernon.

"Like I said, there's no way these guys just left it out here for anyone to see. We don't even know the first place to look for this combination of theirs. What are we supposed to do if we can't find it in here?" argued Carley.

Vernon let out a small sigh. "You make a valid point, Carley, but we're out of options. If anyone comes back to this place, all the noise we're making from busting down this safe will alert them before we even have the chance to retaliate. This mission's all about stealth, so we can't use brute force unless it's a last resort."

Carley tried to say something in defense of her plan, but her mind went blank. Try as she might, she knew Vernon was being smart.

"You're right. I'm sorry." apologized Carley.

"Nothing to be sorry about, I've been going through these files, but it doesn't seem like it has the code. The top one is for someone called Clara Daphne who came in with a slight fever. Logan just prescribed her some medicine and he wrote it down here. There's nothing that looks like a 4-digit combination." Vernon said, with a shake of his head.

Carley stomped over to the files and took a look herself. She could see a bunch of descriptors about Clara, her ailment, what prescriptions were given to her, and the time at which the appointment took place, yesterday, but Vernon was right. There was nothing about a 4-digit combination.

"Goddamnit. Maybe we can look through more of these files and see if we can find something, although I wouldn't hold my breath. I see no reason for him to write it down here, but we don't have many other options." Vernon stated.

"So, we're just going to waste time?" questioned Carley.

"Hey, unless someone comes in and gives us the code right now, I don't know what else to tell you. Even if we want to break in, a screwdriver and wrench might not cut it. This is a strong safe and it's not just going to fall apart due to ordinary tools." retorted Vernon.

"Yeah, but it's like you said, we're out of options." shrugged Carley. She took one of the files and started looking, but the quietness of the room meant she heard something else coming down the hallway. It sounded like...footsteps.

"Hey, Vernon, there's footsteps coming down the hallway," whispered Carley. Carley and Vernon immediately crouched down. The footsteps got closer and closer. It could have just been one of their group, but they weren't saying anything in greeting or alerting them.

Better safe than sorry.

The door quickly opened and someone came in. They were whistling, but Carley couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman.

"Alright, where did I put those files? I gotta store them or else Oberson will have my head." lamented the man.

Carley pulled her gun out and looked at Vernon, holding her gun in front of him and nodding upwards. He seemed to get the message, so Carley popped out and aimed her gun in the direction of the voice. It was only one man and he was clad in medical scrubs, so...he must have been a doctor.

"That's far enough. If you move an inch, we'll shoot you." threatened Carley. Vernon aimed his gun at the man as well, A small smirk spread across his face as he realized who this was.

"Logan. The man of the hour. We were just talking about you."

"Hang on, let's just—Vernon, is that you? I didn't think you would come back here after what happened." Logan nervously laughed.

"What can I say? Plans changed. I hope you don't mind the surprise visit to your office. Since you're here, it's perfect timing actually. We need you for something." explained Vernon.

"Need me? For what? And who's this?" Logan asked as he eyed the women warily.

"My name isn't important. Just do what Vernon says if you want to stay in one piece." rebuffed Carley.

"Alright, alright, jeez, feisty one, aren't you?" sighed Logan.

"Logan, as our gracious host, I think it's best if you give us access to everything in this office. That includes the safe which you know the 4-digit combination to. So, why don't you give it to us, so we can open this safe and take whatever we want inside?" Vernon innocently asked.

"Take it? Vernon, you know I can't do that. There are supplies in there that my people need. Prescription meds, all the hard stuff, everything's in that safe. If Oberson finds out that I did this..."

"Oberson isn't here right now." Vernon cut in, shutting Logan's protests up.

"We're the ones you have to watch out for. As my friend said, if you want to make it out of here in one piece, you better listen to us. This is the only time I'm ever giving anyone from Crawford a chance to keep their lives intact. If it was up to me, I would have gotten what I wanted and then killed you."

He directed a harsh glare toward Logan as he finished, making the man shrink within himself. If the display wasn't so pitiful, Carley might have found some satisfaction, but she was starting to get a little impatient.

Can't this guy just hurry up and do it already? He has no other options.

Indeed, the man didn't even have a gun on him. He must have just thought he was making a quick detour, so he didn't bother arming himself. How foolish his decision was. It only served to reinforce Carley's perception of how arrogant these people were, thinking nothing could touch them even after they kidnapped someone.

"How do I know you won't kill me anyway?" questioned Logan.

"If you open the safe, we won't kill you. We're not here to cause a mass murder. We're here to just get what we need and leave you." promised Vernon.

"Yeah, but if you keep stalling, we might not be so friendly. It's your choice," added Carley. For a few seconds, Logan just looked at the duo in the room with an undecipherable expression. Carley didn't know whether he was studying them or trying to appeal to them or...whatever, but she knew that, at this distance, she could easily kill the man if he tried anything. Her finger slowly inched closer to the trigger.

"Alright, I'll open it," Logan said. Vernon nodded and gestured for Logan to go ahead. The man obliged and slowly went over to the safe. He looked back at the two intruders, but none of their expressions changed. Vernon seemed spiteful, and Carley was just concentrating on the man, watching for any sudden movement.

If he was thinking of trying something, he must have decided against it, because he inputted the 4-digit combination and opened up the safe. Inside, Carley could see that the shelves were stacked full of medicine. Crawford had definitely been stockpiling since the start of the apocalypse.

"Here, I have a bag. Just grab whatever you can and put it in. I'll keep my gun on him just to make sure he doesn't try anything." ordered Carley.

Vernon nodded and quickly pushed Logan out of the way before gathering up the supplies. Logan seemed a bit fidgety and sweaty, but he didn't say anything to try and dissuade Vernon. It would fall on deaf ears, anyway. The man clearly had a bone to pick with Crawford, for good reason, and nothing was going to stop him from getting revenge.

It's not going to make up for all the deaths they caused, but it was good enough.

"Alright, we got a lot of antibiotics, and morphine, this should cover us for now," said Vernon, as he deposited the last of the medicine in his hand inside the bag.

"It's almost full. We should be good to go," replied Carley.

"Hold on! That's more than half our inventory. How am I supposed to explain this to Oberson?" Logan shouted. His face was completely pale and Carley almost felt sorry for him. Keyword: Almost.

"That's not our problem," Vernon answered.

With a sudden change in direction, he pistol-whipped Logan in the face. Half of the man's body landed on the bed while the other half sunk to the floor, so it looked like he was kneeling in his sleep. Vernon grunted in exertion as he laid Logan on the bed.

"There. If someone else comes in, they might think he's sleeping which will buy us some time. I know the classroom is pretty close to the nurse's office, but we'll probably be out of here before he or anyone else stops us." explained Vernon.

"What about the safe?" asked Carley.

Vernon closed the doors and looked back at the pair.

"The code is 8572. I was watching his fingers while he was typing in the code. We'll close it, so nobody notices anything immediately, although, I presume, he'll probably wake up and tell on us beforehand."

As Carley stared at Logan's unconscious body, a thought came to her head.

"If he's going to cause that much trouble, shouldn't we just...kill him?"

"No just listen, when Logan wakes up, he's going to have to answer to Crawford. If you ask me, that's a fate worse than death. He doesn't have any weapons on him and I damn sure am not taking him back to be with Fred. The two of them could come up with a plan and potentially take a weapon from one of us. Just leave him here and let's go." commanded Vernon.

Despite her reservations, Carley nodded in agreement, grabbed the bag, and headed for the door. At least they got what they came for. She hoped that everybody else was just as lucky on their missions.

[Scene Break, Location: Guards, Savannah, Crawford]

Two men, freshly ousted from Crawford's meeting, walked briskly down a dimly lit street. Theodore's steps were heavy, "Goddamnit, Cameron. If you'd just kept your mouth shut instead of ranting about raiding that women's group, Oberson wouldn't have kicked us out!"

Cameron rolled his eyes and waved him off, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Oh, hah hah. You know, Theodore, you're a real pain in the ass. No wonder Lucas didn't let you tag along when they went out searching for our so-called 'enemy group.'"

Theodore shot him a sharp glare. "The fuck does that have to do with anything? Instead of bitching and moaning like usual, Cameron, maybe you should've used that empty head of yours for once. You practically handed Oberson a reason to toss us out."

"Right, because your idea to just sit there and nod like a spineless puppet works so well," Cameron retorted, his tone mocking. "At least I've got guts. Unlike you, Theo."

Theodore stopped abruptly, his fists clenching. "You wanna say that again, loudmouth? 'Cause I'd be happy to shut you up for good."

Before Cameron could reply, a sharp BANG shattered the tense air. Both men froze. Cameron's hand instinctively flew to his gun, his eyes wide. "Shit! What the hell was that?"

Theodore tilted his head, his brow furrowed as he scanned the street. "Sounded like a gunshot...but it's close. Too close for it to be someone on watch."

Cameron's gaze darted around, his nerves on edge. He noticed they were near the maintenance shed. "Think it came from there?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"How the fuck should I know?" Theodore snapped. "Dumbass, the question was rhetorical."

"Well, excuse me for trying to figure it out," Cameron hissed back, pulling his pistol from its holster. He crouched low, gesturing toward the nearest building. "Come on. Let's check it out. Quietly."

Theodore sighed but followed, his own weapon drawn. As they approached, Cameron stamped out the cigarette he'd been smoking, The two moved in silence, their footsteps muffled against the cracked pavement.

No other sounds were made that he could hear, so Cameron slinked over to the maintenance shed wondering if maybe someone was trying to carry something and just dropped it. He could have misheard after all. He got closer to the edge of the maintenance shed and didn't see anything suspicious from the back, so he walked along the edge towards the front and peeked his head out.

What they saw horrified them.

There, lying on the ground, barely clinging to life, was Dante. He had a wound in his neck and was gurgling something, barely conscious.

"Dante! What the hell happened to you?" cried Theodore. Cameron quickly aimed his gun inside the maintenance shed to see if there was anyone in there, but whoever had been there was long gone.

"Fu-Fuckers...ack...from woman's group...took fuel...they're here." coughed Dante. He didn't say anything more and slowly succumbed to his wounds. Their eyes widened. They didn't know the full story, but Dante had given him enough information.

Sure enough, Both men turned and bolted for Crawford's new meeting room. They had to warn everyone that their enemies had paid them a visit.

[Scene Break, Location: Kenny & Mark, Earlier, Crawford]

Mark quickly followed Kenny outside of the school and crouched behind a bush, following the man's directions with every movement he made. The maintenance shed was the farthest from the school and time was of the essence. They couldn't afford to leisurely walk over there, but they also had to make sure not to go too fast lest they get caught.

I really hope we don't run into anyone. I seriously don't want to kill someone else like I did with those two men at Hershel's farm.

Mark wasn't scared about Crawford, so much as he was scared of what their predicament might force him to do. He still remembered the day when he sniped two of the men who followed them to Hershel's farm. He didn't even try to have a conversation or anything, he just pulled the trigger and watched their bodies fall like a sack of potatoes.

It was different with these guys. They were the ones who had killed his friends first. The men they saw seemed to show no remorse for these senseless killings, so Mark couldn't feel too bad that they were stealing supplies from the community. You reap what you sow.

Still, he wanted that to be the end of it. Get the supplies they need, get Lilly, and get out. Nothing needed to be more complicated than that, because if Mark found himself in a situation where he had to kill to get away...he would of course do it. The aftermath would be the hardest part.

I can't lose my humanity to these guys. If I do, I'm no better than them.

If there were genuinely good people in Crawford, Mark pitied them. They didn't deserve to be punished for the mistakes of their fellow group members, but he didn't have a choice. As much as he wanted to call all the good people of Crawford, if there were any, to rise up and take control of the situation, he couldn't. He wasn't a leader like Lee or Lilly or Yhwach was. He was just a guy who did what he was asked, listened to anyone who wanted to talk to him, and, above all, made sure he could survive. His personality wasn't conducive to being a dominating force and he preferred it that way.

Sometimes, I wish I was like Lee or Jugram. Always knowing what the right thing to do is and knowing how to calm everyone down when they're arguing. Lee's got that talent and I'm glad he is our leader.

Could Mark ever be a guy like that? He always preached about working together and saving humanity, but that wasn't enough. He just didn't have...it.

I can't wait to get out of this place. It's just giving me the creeps. Sneaking around under people's noses like this is both terrifying and exciting, but I don't know which emotion is stronger. I know I just want to get out of here, get back on the road, and find a decent place to stay...maybe with some decent people too.

"What the hell are you thinking so hard about?" snapped Kenny.

Mark blinked dumbfounded at the man before realizing that they were hiding behind a house. Involuntarily, he had copied Kenny's movements, but he was so wrapped up in his own mind that he hardly registered where they were even going.

"Sorry, what are we doing?" Mark asked with a shy smile.

Kenny rolled his eyes. "This ain't the time to be in fairytale land, Mark. We got a mission to do. I'm saying that we're getting close to the maintenance shed, but we're going to go around the backyards of these houses instead of creeping near the main street. If there's anyone prowling like that other asshole was, we should be safe from them spotting us."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good plan." agreed Mark.

Worry about what you're going to do in the future afterward. This isn't the time to be distracted. Kenny needs me.

Silently, Mark and Kenny tiptoed their way across each backyard. The first one was pretty nondescript. Someone was definitely living here as evidenced by the lawnmower near the sliding glass door in the back, but, thankfully, no one was inside the house. They moved to the second backyard which had a brown shed for storing tools and a small swimming pool that had been dried out for the fall. The weeds were a bit more clustered near the fence than the actual house, but it still looked well-kept enough that Mark surmised someone was also living there as well.

All the while, they spotted no activity near them, so Mark assumed that they must not be near the walls, which meant that they would have an easier time getting the fuel. He turned left with Kenny and went down another street. They went a few blocks down until they saw a playground signaling that they were close to the maintenance shop.

The playground in question didn't have much besides some swing sets, a few benches, some slides attached to a big cacophony of steps and platforms that kids could presumably move around in and jump off of. There was also a merry-go-round in the far corner.

Even the playground looks creepy in the middle of the night. This place is just creepy in general.

If it wasn't for the lighting of various street lamps, Mark and Kenny would basically be running blind. He supposed he should thank Crawford for figuring out some way to get light, but that didn't mean he was any less terrified of getting caught.

"Alright, we're almost there. We only need a couple of cans to fill the boat up, so we'll each take one and get out," ordered Kenny.

He still had his weapon in his hand and Mark still had his rifle, so they would have to stow them away, which meant they wouldn't be able to defend themselves unless they dropped the fuel and took out their weapons.

If it's a straight shot on the way back, we should be in the clear.

Mark fought to keep the fear of death from paralyzing him. This wasn't the time to be scared or have second doubts about coming along with Kenny. If he ever wanted to be someone who was looked up to and respected, like Lee, he had to stay strong in the face of adversity.

The two of them crossed the playground as quietly as they could and made their way to the building just to the left of it. Mark could see the walls and roof loom high in the sky, but the place was otherwise concealed by darkness.

"Mark, you got the flashlight on ya?" asked Kenny.

"No, I think Jugram still has it or maybe we left it back with Ben. I'm not sure." Mark whispered.

"Alright, we're going in blind then. Just grab something that looks like a fuel can and we'll hold it near the light or something. I don't fucking know. We'll figure it out." declared Kenny.

The two of them sneaked over to the door and Kenny started feeling around for some kind of handle. Mark still had his rifle held out, but it was practically useless in the dark. Still, it was better than nothing. Kenny finally found the door handle and opened up the shop. Mark quickly went in behind him and the two of them looked around. Even though the room was dark, the moonlight helped them at least see a few things that were right in front of them.

To their left lay a folding table that had a few tools, nuts, and bolts on it, but was otherwise devoid of anything useful. However, to their right, were a few fuel cans that instantly made Mark sport a wide grin on his face.

"Holy shit! We hit the jackpot," exclaimed Kenny.

"Yeah, we did. This will be more than enough to take back for the boat." agreed Mark.

"Yeah, we only need a couple of cans. We probably can't fit more than that. Why don't you grab one and I'll grab the other?" Kenny instructed, putting his fire axe away, so he could grab one.

Mark slung the rifle over his shoulder and grabbed the other one.

"Say, Kenny, while we're here, do you have a plan on where exactly you're going with the boat?" asked Mark.

He figured he might as well see what the man was cooking up before he made his final decision on whether or not to accompany him.

"Not really. If everything works out, I was hoping to find an island where we could live off the land. A place to grow crops, get fresh drinking water, and no walkers would be ideal, but I need people who know how to farm before I can even think about doing that. Plus, we need supplies like seeds and shit, so...for now, I was just thinking we could live on the water and go to shore for supplies when we need to." Kenny explained.

That's not a bad plan, but...it's not as concrete as I would have hoped.

Mark just nodded in acknowledgment and got out of the maintenance shed.

"You interested in coming along?" inquired Kenny as he followed him.

"I was thinking about it, but I was just trying to get your input. It will help me weigh my options better." Mark said.

"Let me stop you from doing that and give you one option: surrender." said a new voice.

Mark jerked his head towards the source of the voice and saw an older man pointing a pistol at him. Based on what Mark had heard about Crawford, he was surprised old people were even allowed to stay here, but this guy might have been an exception.

"Who the fuck are you?" asked Kenny.

"Name's Dante. I saw you two sneaking around my backyard like you didn't want to be seen. My question is, who are you and what the fuck are you doing with those cans of fuel?" asked Dante.

"Nothing. We're just inspecting it on Crawford's orders." lied Kenny.

"I heard your conversation, dipshit. I know you're not from this community. And here I thought you would actually tell the truth once you got caught, but you're even less honorable than I imagined. You're part of the same group as that woman we captured, aren't you?" confronted Dante.

Mark put down his fuel can. He had to get this guy off their backs somehow.

"Look, man, why don't you put down the gun? If you kill us, our people are just going to come get revenge. Do you really want that?"

"Acting all tough while a gun's pointed at you is the dumbest shit I've ever seen. How did you dumbasses last this long?" humorlessly chuckled the man.

"I'm just saying that nobody wants to kill each other anymore. Haven't enough people died? Look, even if you kill us, that's not going to solve anything." soothed Mark.

Please be one of the good ones.

"So what you're basically saying is, you don't want to kill us, but you're happy stealing our supplies?" accused Dante.

Oh yeah. I forgot we're stealing Crawford's supplies.

Before Mark could say anything back, Kenny charged at the man and instantly went for his gun. The two of them struggled for a brief moment while Mark just stared dumbly, shocked that Kenny would try something so risky. By the time he came back to his senses, both men were still trying to get the upper hand on each other.

I have to help him.

Mark moved to help Kenny and a gunshot rang out. Any words he had to say died in his throat as he took in the scene in front of him. The gun had gone off. For a brief moment, the two men just looked at each other...before Dante slowly slid down to the ground clutching his neck.

His gun clattered next to him, but Kenny didn't even pay attention. He picked up the gas can and looked back at Mark with panic in his eyes.

"Come on! We gotta get out of here," whispered Kenny.

"Kenny...what the hell did you do? We're not supposed to attract attention." Mark said in a flabbergasted tone.

"We had no choice. That bastard would have taken us out no matter what you were going to say to him. That's how these people are. Now, come on. This isn't a time to argue! We need to get back before anyone comes investigating." rebuked Kenny.

Mark grabbed the fuel can, took one last look at the man, and then bolted out of there without a word. As the two of them snuck their way back to the school, Mark could only feel a pit in his stomach at what they had just done.

If their cover got blown because of Kenny's actions, there was going to be huge consequences.

[Scene Break Location: Larry, Boyd and Chuck, Crawford]

"How do we do this? Even if we sneak up, the classroom will most likely be guarded by someone." reminded Boyd.

Larry bit back a snarl at the old man. He supposed that Boyd was right. They did have to come up with a plan, but he just couldn't shake the feeling that Crawford might have done something to his daughter. Standing around and talking was just going to waste more time.

"If there's a guard, someone distracts them while the others go in and get Lilly. We'll stay back a little, so we can assess the situation before we move in and come up with a detailed plan. It's just basic military strategy. Let's go!" hissed Larry.

Idiots. Just use common sense. It's not hard.

"Larry, Lilly's not going to be in any more danger if we just wait a few seconds to gather our bearings and map out what we're going to do," Chuck said. Larry immediately turned and glared at him.

Chuck held up his hands in surrender with a small smile. "I'm just saying, she wouldn't want you to rush in and get yourself hurt. Anyone can see that she cares about you and your death would hurt her a lot more than whatever Crawford might have done."

"Yeah...I get it. We at the very least need to find out where the classroom is before we can do anything. It all depends on what we have available to us, so I need to map out the layout and figure out how to get any guards away in the first place." muttered Larry.

"Sounds like a plan." smiled Boyd. He patted Larry on the shoulder in an effort to be supportive, but Larry just shrugged him off and kept moving down the hallway. They were getting close to the other side of the first floor. The path branched off in two ways.

On the left was the door to the gymnasium, but they didn't have any interest in going there. On the right, the hallway kept going and, if Larry remembered correctly, one of the doors in this hallway was the prisoners' jail. He held out a hand to instruct the other two to stay back and peered around the corner.

The hallway looked normal save for one thing. A man was standing on the near side of the wall, so Larry assumed that he must be the person who was tasked with guarding Lilly. After all, why else would anyone be there?

Better not be a loiterer or I'll snap his neck then and there.

Before the man turned in his direction, Larry ducked back behind the wall.

"Okay, we have one man standing there. I didn't see anyone else, so it looks like it's just him," whispered Larry.

"Can I get a look at him?" asked Boyd. Larry didn't see a problem with that, so he scooted over to the middle and let Boyd take charge. The man took a quick look at the man and then hid from sight, his eyebrows raised as he recognized him.

"That's Kevin. He's one of the most annoying assholes in this place and that's saying something. We're not going to have an easy time dealing with him."

Of course, he used to be part of this community. He would know a lot of inside information.

"Does he have any weaknesses? Anything we can exploit?" interrogated Larry.

Boyd scratched his chin and shook his head. "Not really. The guy's built like a brick shithouse, so I wouldn't get into a fistfight with him. He's not as intelligent as some others, but he's not dumb either."

"Besides, I don't think we should be getting into a fistfight with him. I don't know if you noticed, but most of us are...of advanced age." Chuck lazily observed.

Larry whirled around and sent a pointed look in Chuck's direction.

"Are you saying we can't handle this ourselves?"

"No, I'm saying it's not good enough to fight someone 30 years younger than us, especially with your...condition. We don't need you getting worked up, so just calm down. I'm not saying we don't save Lilly, I'm just saying we don't need to be reckless about it." placated Chuck.

"What kind of condition does he have?" asked Boyd.

"From what Lilly was yelling about back at the mansion, I suspect it's some kind of heart condition that flares up whenever he gets too angry or puts too much stress on it, which he's probably been doing ever since his daughter got taken," Chuck explained.

Larry wanted to hiss at the man for making him look like some pussy in front of a guy he barely knew, but he held his tongue. Instead, he focused on his breathing to try and calm himself. Soon, he felt the anger melt away and it was replaced by tranquility.

He was about to rescue his daughter. He would rescue his daughter. There was no point getting worked up when the finish line was in sight. I vowed to be a better person after the dairy and I have to stick by that. I can't repeat the mistakes of the past.

"Okay, here's what we're going to do. Boyd, you know the layout of the school better than we do. You're going to come up with a distraction to lead Kevin away from the hallway. Chuck and I are going to go to the door he's guarding, free Lilly, and get out before he comes back. All you need to do is just lose him through the gymnasium. If he goes outside, you can give him the slip and rendezvous with us back at the 2nd story classroom. Are we clear on that?" ordered Larry.

"It's a good enough plan for me." nodded Boyd.

"Same here," added Chuck.

"Good, because I don't have time for amateur hour. We need to do this quickly. You go on the other end and make a noise to lure him away from the door. Chuck and I will wait here until he's gone and then move in." Larry stated.

Boyd nodded and tiptoed back down the hallway they came to get to the other side. While he was doing that, Larry and Chuck closely listened to see if the man would move from his spot. Luckily, he didn't make any unexpected movements. He just stood at his post glancing in each direction once in a while just to break up the monotony.

It's not the best plan, but we have to adapt. If Boyd gets killed, it's not that big of a deal to me.

A stab of guilt pierced his heart at that moment causing him to frown.

Where did that come from?

Larry was never one to get too caught up in emotions or that sensitive bullshit, and he definitely shouldn't have felt bad about using someone's full capabilities to get his daughter, but the whole thing made him feel...slimy.

I never would have cared before. My daughter is the only priority. Not the rest of these guys. What the hell is going on with me? I just met the guy. I don't have any loyalty to him.

Larry didn't have much more time to ponder his emotions as Boyd made his move.

CLANG!

A rock ricocheted off the wall near the man who quickly took notice and looked in that direction.

"Who's there?" asked Kevin.

Predictably, no one answered. The man just scoffed and turned back to the wall in front of him. It didn't seem like the noise bothered him enough to follow it. Larry grumbled under his breath.

This guy isn't as dumb as he looks.

CLANG!

Another noise came from the hallway and Kevin looked back over again. Now, he was much more alert and aimed his gun at the end of the hallway with his back turned to Larry and Chuck.

"Who the fuck is there? Show yourself!" demanded Kevin. This time, he stalked off in the direction of the sound.

"If it's you, Valentina, I'm going to fucking kill you," muttered Kevin. Once he turned the corner, Larry quickly sneaked out from the opposite side and crouch-walked over to where Kevin had just been. Based on the approximate position, he picked out a few classrooms and peered into each door.

The first two didn't have anything, but the third one made his eyes go wide. Inside the room was an ordinary classroom with a front desk, some student desks, and some chairs. There was nothing that suggested this place was used for anything else, but learning, besides one main difference that was sticking out like a sore thumb. Lilly was sitting near the front desk, arms and legs bound and a gag on her mouth, but she was otherwise unharmed. Larry put his hand on the door and Lilly's head jerked up immediately.

As soon as she recognized her dad, Larry could practically see her shoulders sag with relief and her eyes shine just a little brighter in the dark school. 

Larry didn't realize it at first, but he was slightly shaking with relief as well. His daughter was somewhat safe but there were some scratches and bruises. It could have been much worse.

Unlike the rest of the building, candles had been set up presumably to make sure Lilly didn't try anything in the dark and also give Kevin a way to watch her every move. He slowly opened the door and motioned for Chuck to go inside, before he took one last glance around the hallway.

Kevin was nowhere to be seen and the tension constricting Larry's heart dissipated ever so slightly. He was going to free Lilly and get out before Kevin came back. He closed the door and walked over to Lilly who was already being helped by Chuck. He tore her gag off and Lilly said, "Dad, I was wondering when you would show up. Where's everyone else?"

"They're on their own missions right now. Chuck, Boyd, and I came here to save you," informed Larry.

"Other missions? Did they...not want to come help?" frowned Lilly.

"It's nothing like that, Lilly. We just have a lot of other things to do and we wanted to spend as little time here as possible, so we split up into groups. While you were gone, Kenny found a boat, so we're working on getting parts for it along with extra medicine." explained Chuck.

Lilly quirked a brow in pure shock.

"He found a boat? Where?"

"It was in the shed at the house we were at. Apparently, the thing had been there the whole time, but no one had bothered to look until Duck and Clementine, of all people, were the ones to find it. It doesn't even need that much to go, so I assume, once we get the parts, Kenny's going to be out of here soon enough." Chuck stated.

"Can't say I'm sad about that." Lilly sarcastically replied. Chuck pressed his lips together but didn't say anything and started working on removing Lilly's bonds with his spike remover. The whole thing looked awkward as Lilly had to keep her hands on the floor and Larry was worried Chuck might accidentally cut her if he went too fast.

"You really don't have anything better to cut the ropes?"

"Unless you want me to use the shovel, I don't. Relax, I'm not going to injure her." soothed Chuck. Larry tried to protest that he wasn't worried, but he knew that wasn't true, so he kept quiet and let Chuck work. It occurred to him that he should probably keep watch on the door just in case Kevin came back.

After a little bit, Chuck freed Lilly's hands and the woman took the spike remover and got to work freeing her legs.

"Lilly, they didn't rape you, did they?" asked Larry.

"No, the bastards didn't do anything besides threaten and beat me, although that might have changed if I was left in here any longer. The guy who was guarding me, Kevin, Where did he go?" wondered Lilly.

"Boyd lured him away. We better get out of here before he comes back," warned Chuck.

Lilly finished getting rid of the last of their bonds and Larry peeked out the window on the door to see if Kevin was nearby. He didn't see anything, so he quietly opened the door and peered his head outside in both directions.

No one was in sight.

Larry moved out of the door and tiptoed back the way they came with Chuck and Lilly following behind him. Strangely, he didn't hear any footsteps or any noise being made besides their own. Did Boyd lure Kevin to another part of the school or did they go outside through the gym?

He peeked around the corner…and barely got his hand up against an incoming fist. The hit still landed, but Larry just staggered backward instead of suffering any real damage. Kevin was looking at him with fury.

"You sonuvabitch! Did you really think I would fall for such a stupid trick like that?" growled Kevin.

He went in, but Chuck intercepted by raising his shovel and attacking the man. Kevin blocked it with his forearm and tried kicking at Chuck who barely dodged. Sensing Kevin was distracted, Larry quickly ran up and sent a right hook to the man's chin. At the last second, Kevin angled his face so that the blow hit the side of his cheek. Still, it sent him careening back a few steps, a bruise starting to form fast on his left cheek.

"You old fuck! I'm going to make you and your friend wish you never left the senior center after I'm done with you!" yelled Kevin.

"Bring it on," smirked Larry.

I'm double your age and I still can kick your ass.

Lilly tried attacking Kevin with the spike remover, but he grabbed her arm and stopped the weapon from moving any closer to him. She tried punching him with her left hand, but he simply grabbed that arm too, and flung her into a wall of lockers. Lilly fell to the ground, a bit dazed, but otherwise, fine.

Kevin tried advancing on her, but Chuck came back and swung his shovel. Once again, Kevin blocked him, but this time, he moved expertly to the side and elbowed Chuck in the face causing him to stagger back.

Larry let out a cry of anger and held up his fists in a challenge to the younger man. Kevin smiled and held up his fists in return. Not wasting any time, he immediately moved in to give Larry the good 1-2. One of them hit Larry in the side, but the old war veteran tanked the hit to give a nasty body shot of his own right in Kevin's ribs. He struck true and Larry let out a grim smile of satisfaction as he could hear something crack.

"You...Old...Piece...Of...Shit!" coughed Kevin.

Undeterred, he tried attacking Larry again and the two of them went at it for a few seconds. Larry got a couple of hits in on Kevin's side while Kevin got one good hit in on his body as well. Lilly had just finished getting up and was about to charge before another person joined the fray and kicked Kevin in the back causing him to groan. 

Larry was surprised to see that Boyd had come back and was now aiming another attack on the man, which Kevin barely dodged. He grabbed Boyd and sent him flying into Lilly, who was charging at him, knocking them both down. Despite the physical strain, Larry wasn't having any problems with his heart. He hadn't felt more alive in years.

Chuck got up and tried attacking Kevin, hitting him in the upper back with his shovel. Kevin groaned in pain and frustration before he grabbed the shovel and pummeled Chuck to the ground with a punch to his chest. Larry rushed in and Kevin turned around to eat a punch directly to his nose. He dropped the shovel, his nose broken and gushing blood. With another grunt, Kevin tackled Larry to the ground and tried attacking him, but Lilly aided her father by pouncing on top of Kevin, trying to get at him.

Seeing that he was outnumbered, Kevin let Lilly drag her off her father before slamming her back against the wall, causing her to lose her grip. Instead of moving in to inflict further damage, he ran towards the gym door before anyone else could attack him and quickly left the school.

"Shit! He's going to get reinforcements! We have to go after him!" exclaimed Larry.

"We don't have time. We need to get back...to everyone and come up with a plan. If we let him lure us outside, we'll be easy pickings." Lilly said.

Larry took a closer look at his daughter who had a couple more bruises. His eyes flashed with concern, something they usually didn't do.

"Lilly. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Nothing a good night's rest can't heal if we'll even get that." scoffed Lilly.

Nearby, Boyd, and even Chuck, got up from their positions. Chuck had a bruise on his face where Kevin had elbowed him but looked no worse for wear.

"I second that. Let's get out of here and get back to the house. We got what we came for." said Chuck.

The four of them quickly ran back to the second story, their goal having been accomplished, but the threat of retaliation still looming large.

[Scene Break Location: Crawford Meeting Hall, Savannah, Crawford]

Oberson Crawford sat in his corner office, savoring the last lukewarm sip of coffee from his chipped mug. 

Across the room, Andrew hunched over a battered table, sketching on a salvaged whiteboard. Better this than listening to Cameron's endless whining, he thought, setting the mug down. Nearby, William leaned against the wall, arms crossed and wearing a scowl.

"You're dreaming, Andrew," William said, breaking the silence. "No one gets through this shit clean. You wanna take what we need? Fine. But don't feed me some fairy tale about doing it without spilling blood."

Andrew didn't look up. "That's because you're a hammer, William," he replied calmly, adding a final arrow to his diagram. "And to a hammer, everything looks like a nail. There's a smarter way to do this."

William let out a harsh laugh. "Smarter, huh? You mean softer. That 'women's group' idiots you're so worried about aren't gonna hand us their supplies because you draw a pretty picture and say please."

"Soft isn't the same as stupid," a voice chimed in. Nolan, lounging in a chair by the window, smirked as he twirled a pen between his fingers. "Unlike you, William, some of us have more than two brain cells to rub together. Andrew's right—why waste bullets and risk our necks if we don't have to?"

Jonathan grunted in disagreement. "Sounds like cowardice to me. If you want to get something done, you don't pussyfoot around. William's got the right idea—go in hard, get it over with."

Micah slouched in a corner, chuckled darkly. "I don't care how we do it, as long as it's quick and I get a cut of whatever we take. But if you ask me, Andrew's plan's got too many moving parts. Complicated plans? That's how you get killed."

Morgan, standing near the door, shook his head. "Complicated plans keep people alive, Micah. Rushing in guns blazing? That's how you get killed. We don't need another Arthur situation. We need precision."

"Thank you," Andrew said, setting his pencil down with a finality that silenced the room. He turned the whiteboard to face the group, revealing a detailed map of the group's suspected location. Lines and arrows indicated points of entry, weak spots, and supply caches. "This is how we do it. We hit their base first—quietly. Take out their guards if they have any without drawing attention. Then we move in and grab some hostages. No escape means no backup."

He pointed to a circle marked. "Next, we take their supplies. They'll panic, and that's when we use their fear against them. We keep them contained and wait them out. No one has to die unless they make it necessary."

William stepped forward. "And what happens when they fight back? 'Cause they will, Andrew. People don't just roll over when you threaten their lives."

"They won't have the chance to fight back," Andrew countered, "If we execute this right, they'll be too scared and too scattered to organize any kind of defense."

Before William could respond, Hector, a quiet man with a buzz cut, spoke up. "Andrew's plan makes sense. But it hinges on everyone playing their part perfectly. One screw-up and it falls apart."

"Exactly," Frederick added, nodding. "I say we tweak it. Combine the brains of Andrew's plan with the brute force of William's approach. Hit them where it hurts, but don't go overboard."

Bruno grunted in agreement. "I like it. it balances things out. Strategy and strength. No half-measures."

Roger, sitting at the edge of the table, shrugged. "Or we just pick one and stick to it. Half-assing two ideas is a good way to end up dead."

Oberson held up a hand, silencing the debate. His eyes scanned the room, lingering on each man in turn. "Enough. We're not here to bicker. Andrew, your plan is solid, but Hector and Frederick have a point. We'll adapt as needed. William, if this goes sideways, you'll get your chance to do things your way."

A knock at the door interrupted him. Theodore and Cameron burst in, their faces pale and their breaths ragged.

"What is the meaning of this, Theodore, Cameron?"

You're ruining my night.

"Oberson!" Theodore gasped. "They're here. That women's group—they killed Dante and took some of our fuel. We have to act now."

The silence in the room was so thick you could practically hear a pin drop. Even Oberson didn't expect the other group to retaliate this quickly, not after they had just lost three people.

"Did you see them? Where are they now?" interrogated Oberson.

"No, I didn't see them. I ran back as fast as I could. They're probably still here." confirmed Cameron. Oberson was about to bark out orders, but the fun wasn't over just yet. Kevin came in, beaten and bloody, and put a hand near the entrance to steady himself. Some people gasped at his appearance and Oberson, although he would never admit it out loud, was starting to get a little worried.

"Kevin, what happened to you?"

"The woman's group...some of them came to try and free her. I tried fighting them off, but they managed to get her free, so it was four against one. I figured that I needed people to back me up, so I gave them the slip and ran here...as fast as I could." groaned Kevin.

"What's going on? Are we under siege?" asked a panicked voice.

"They're going to kill us tonight?" shouted another. Panicked whispering started to spread amongst the meeting, but Oberson quickly raised his hands up to calm everyone down.

"Alright, everyone, our community is under attack. These monsters have decided that the lives of Bruce and Jason weren't enough. They're also going to hurt more of our men, kill more of us, and take our supplies. I won't let this injustice stand. We're going to need everyone to fight back. I'll take a small team to scope out where they are while the rest of you get your weapons ready and watch the streets for any movement. We're not letting them escape!" boomed Crawford.

Everyone cheered although, unbeknownst to Oberson, some had looks of trepidation on their faces like Hector, Valentina, and Nolan. He knew that some might not be ready for this kind of mission, but it didn't matter. This was about defending his community and if you didn't pull your weight, you weren't fit to be a part of his community.

I won't let them get away like Vernon and Boyd did. This ends tonight.

[Scene Break Location: Lee's group, Crawford's Council Room]

Lee looked up as someone barged into the classroom, four people to be exact. Lilly, Larry, Boyd, and Chuck all came in breathing heavily. His attention was immediately drawn to the bruises on Chuck's face along with the ruffled clothing on all four of them.

"Lilly, you're okay!" exclaimed Lee.

"Yeah, just peachy," Lilly muttered sarcastically.

Kenny and Mark hadn't come back yet, but both Isaac and Carley greeted Lilly enthusiastically. Marcus, Yhwach, and Vernon just gave slight head nods to acknowledge her presence.

"Who's that?" asked Lilly, pointing to Fred's unconscious body.

"It's a long story," Yhwach said.

"Did everything turn out okay? You guys don't seem like you're in the greatest of shape." frowned Lee.

"We freed Lilly, but the guy guarding her saw through our plan and tried attacking us. We were able to fight him off, but not before he roughed us up a bit as well." Chuck explained.

"Are you hurt badly?" questioned Lee.

"No, we're still good to go. Don't worry about us. We're not the invalids." grumbled Larry.

"The main problem is he escaped and he's probably going back to tell Crawford about what just happened. We're going to be hunted down in a few minutes, so we need to get out of here now." declared Lilly.

She looked around at everyone, her brows furrowed when she realized there were people missing from the room.

"Where's everybody else?" asked Lilly.

"Ben and the kids are still back at the house guarding our supplies just in case they decide to attack us in the middle of the night. Kenny and Mark are getting fuel for the boat, but they haven't come back yet. They should be here soon." explained Lee.

"Yeah, they had to cover the most ground, so it makes sense that they're not back yet. Still, I don't like this. We can't waste any more time here if that guy knows that we're here. Couldn't you pursue him?" commented Isaac.

"No way. I wasn't going to risk getting caught in a trap." defended Lilly.

The door banged open and Lee saw Kenny and Mark stagger in, panting heavily. The good news was that they both had fuel cans in their possession, but he still felt a bit uneasy at the implications of what could have happened that made them look so haphazard.

"There you are! What the hell happened? You look like you've seen a ghost." said Vernon.

"Kenny and I...ran into some trouble," revealed Mark.

"You too? What kind of trouble?" demanded Lee.

"We were at the maintenance shed about to leave the fuel when some guy confronted us. I tried to talk him down, but he instantly knew we weren't with this community. Then, Kenny decided to try and get the guy's gun. They had a struggle...and he got shot. We took the fuel and ran away." recounted Mark.

More than a few eyes widened at the tale. It was one thing to beat up someone when you had no choice, but to kill someone...that was bad for secrecy. There were those like Yhwach and Vernon who didn't really care, but Lee knew they wouldn't. He was more concerned about the bigger picture and what this meant for their escape.

"Is he dead?" asked Yhwach.

"I mean...yeah, he was shot in the neck. There's no way he was surviving that," confirmed Mark.

"That gunshot could have attracted anyone. What the hell were you thinking of rushing a guy with a gun like that? It could have ended much worse if he managed to get a shot off on one of you two." chastised Lilly.

"Don't you fucking start now. The bastard was going to kill us no matter what. I had to get him out of the way and that was the only plan that would have worked. Talking to him wasn't going to solve anything." complained Kenny.

"I'm surprised you even considered talking it out." retorted Lilly.

Some things never change.

"This isn't the time for another argument. We have to go now. Get your weapons ready." Lee addressed the group.

"I don't have my guns anymore. Crawford took them all." pointed out Lilly.

"Here, I got an extra pistol from the unconscious dude," Marcus stated. He tossed the gun over to Lilly.

"What do we do about him?" asked Isaac.

"Just leave him. We got what we came for. He won't be a problem anymore." reminded Lee.

With that, the group was sent to work mobilizing. Ammo was checked, guns were drawn, and Lee even saw Yhwach grab a few grenades from the stack in the corner. When he looked up and found Lee's questioning gaze on him, He gave him an unreadable look back.

"It's for insurance. You can never be too careful."

Lee didn't have anything to argue against that, so he nodded and the crew silently made their way out of the school. At the head of the group were Mark and Kenny, but Mark had decided to give Larry his fuel can, just so one of them could have their guns out in case they ran into trouble.

It would be kind of hard to see if they were hiding in the dark. These rifles don't have night vision scopes.

Carley was carrying the bag of medicine, Isaac was carrying the battery, and everyone else had their weapons out. The hard part was almost over, or at least Lee thought it was. Now, they just had to make a clean break tonight and get out of this city in the morning before Crawford found them. The group went down the stairs, their hurried footsteps clattering throughout the school hallways. Lee internally cringed, wondering if anyone was listening to them waiting for an ambush.

Mark got to the door and opened it. He quickly aimed around, but the darkness made it hard for him to see all the way down the street. Nevertheless, he took a look at the areas under the street lights and then back to where the manhole was.

"Are we all good?" asked Kenny.

"Yeah, should be a straight path to the sewers," said Mark. He looked back at the far end of the street and thought he saw a shadow move...within the darkness.

"Wait, what is-?"

BANG!

A gunshot rang out and Mark's thoughts were cut short as a bullet ripped through his forehead, sending his body staggering backward. His glasses fell off his face, etched in a final expression of surprise, and landed next to his body.

"Shit! Get back! Get back!" yelled Kenny.

Everyone quickly moved back inside the school just before a couple more shots rang out near the doors. Luckily, no one else was hurt, but they were down one man. It happened so quickly that Lee barely had time to process Mark's death before his mind was racing to come up with a new exit strategy.

"We'll leave at the other side of the school. They know we're here! Vernon, can you find us another way to enter the sewers?" questioned Lee.

"Yeah. I can find one." Vernon said in a monotone voice. Even though he was still processing Mark's death, but, nevertheless, he turned and led the group toward the other end of the school in search of a new exit.

Mark, I promise your death won't be in vain.

Meanwhile, Cameron felt a jolt in his heart as the man he had shot at went down like a sack of potatoes. The moonlight had betrayed him, illuminating the man in plain view for everyone hidden in the darkness to see. Cameron had led a few people to the maintenance shed to try and retrace the intruders' steps, but, once they had seen the man step outside, they immediately stopped and got into position.

Shots rang out around him as someone saw the outline of another man, but they all missed. Cameron wasn't really paying attention to what was going on. He was only thinking about the man he had shot and how his actions beforehand probably had been the reason he was now lying in a pool of his own blood.

You shouldn't have killed Dante like that. You brought this upon yourself. If you were smart, you should have just walked away and left your partner to your fate. It would have been better for everyone.

After all, he knew all about what it meant to walk away. He had walked away from his son which had led to his wife finally walking away from him. It had been so painful and then to have that pain compounded by seeing a dead comrade, well, it made it all the easier for Cameron to inflict his pain onto others.

Yeah, he didn't really feel bad at all at this point. Why should he when the only person who made him feel bad basically wanted nothing to do with him? He should put his full energy towards protecting the people of Crawford, so he could actually find a meaning behind choosing to live this way. That was his purpose and one he would fulfill to the best of his ability.

"Good job, Cameron. We got one of those savages down." praised Oberson.

Cameron nodded, pleased at the compliment. Doing things like this would grant him a more secure role in Oberson's inner circle and maybe then he could actually do what Theodore asked and change things for the better.

That's if I even want to, because, as far as I'm concerned, we're not that bad off compared to people on the outside.

Oberson took out his walkie-talkie and directed his commands to everyone listening.

"Everyone, we found them at the school. It looks like they've been taking shelter in there. Now, we know they can't exit our community unless they exit the school, so I want people watching it at all times. Remember that we don't have to go to them. They have to come to us." Oberson pointed out.

Nobody responded for a couple of seconds until the walkie-talkie sprang back to life. Cameron could hear gunshots on the other end.

"Oberson, they're here and hitting us with everything they have! Come to the other side of Broad Street near the entrance to the gymnasium," ordered Andrew.

"We're on our way."

Oberson turned off the walkie-talkie and looked at Cameron and the rest of the people accompanying him.

"You head over to where Andrew is. I'm going to take an alternate route and see if I can get another angle on them," instructed Oberson.

Cameron, like the rest of the men, didn't question anything and ran over to Andrew's position.

To Be Continued ( Due to word count Limit )