The
Wall Thirteen
Council
Head Grimes paced back and forth in his office. Reports have been coming in
from the outer districts of a possible breach and walkers inside the city. Rick
already ordered the NCD out to take care of the problem but hasn’t heard
anything back.
“Hudson,
any word?” Rick as desperately.
“No, sir.
I’m sure the situation is not as serious as the reports are making it out to
be. The people are just scared. They haven’t had to deal with walkers for
decades because of your heroism in establishing this city.” Troy heaped on the
compliments.
“Hudson,
I’d prefer that you get your head out my ass and find out where my daughter is.
One walker inside the wall is serious.
The people are looking to us for help.” Rick stared out his massive window at
the peaceful garden beyond; with the sun shining and pedestrians walking calmly
in the streets, you would never think there was a crisis.
“Of course
they are. The NCD are doing all they can to contain the situation. The Dead
Heads are pretty bold to try this. Perhaps we should expand our efforts to find
their leader and take the head of the snake, so to speak.” Troy suggested
hiding a smirk.
“We’ll
worry about that after we clear any remaining walkers. And find my daughter
goddamn it!” Rick was losing his patience; his blue eyes lit with anger.
“Of
course, sir.” Troy backed out and left the office closing the doors behind him.
He learned long ago when Grimes reached his breaking point, better not push him
any further. Troy heard stories of what he was like before the city was
established and it was enough to make his skin crawl. He spotted Councilman
Betty Patterson standing in an alcove of the main hall.
“Betty,
how are you?” Troy plastered a practiced smile on his face.
“Troy,
walk with me.” Betty spoke in the soft tones that make men weak. Her long
chocolate brown hair smelled of lavender when she pass by him, Troy inhaled
deeply. “I heard there are walkers in Columbus Square, is that accurate?” She
asked with feigned concern.
“Reports
are conflicting but,” Troy was interrupted.
“Cut the
shit Troy, you’ve been a bad boy haven’t you?” A knowing smile spread across
her red lips.
“If all
goes well we can clear out the poor from the outer ring and topple the Grimes
dynasty all the while blaming the Dead Heads for the suffering and the untimely
death of our benevolent leader.” Troy spoke in low tones.
“Does he
know you’ve closed the gates to both walls?” Betty asked.
“He knows
nothing. He’s so absorbed in his own problems that he doesn’t see much else.”
Troy assured.
“What
about the project? Has Subject J accomplished the mission?” Betty glanced
around making sure no one was close enough to hear. Because they were in plain
sight, the casual onlooker would think that two council members were simply
conducting small talk.
“J has
come into contact with the Dead Heads but lost the target after a fight.” Troy
informed.
“A fight?”
Betty turned to face him, cool gray eyes meeting deep black. “Idiot! We need
her alive, you moron!” Betty raised her voice unintentionally, her words echoed
in the wide hall.
“I
understand. I will informed Major James to send more NCD to,” Troy was
interrupted again.
“No!
You’ll see to this yourself, Troy. This project is very important to me and
I’ll not see it destroyed by the Dead Heads or your incompetence.” Her rose
lips twisted into a snarl as she forced her words past clenched teeth.
“Me? I
can’t go out there! I’ve lived in Charleston my whole life even before the
Wall. I haven’t gone outside the inner gates in years…” Troy pleaded.
“Shit man
grow some balls. Listen Troy, if you’re going to play in my sandbox, you’d best be prepared to get dirty. Now you’re going,
I’ll notify Major James to expect you in an hour. You find that girl and bring
her back to me now or I’ll make you sorry you were ever born.” Betty’s sing
song voice was dripping with venom.
Across the
city a small group slowly make their way into the maze that is the outer Wall.
Hank took up point holding his borrowed pistol firmly in front of him.
“Take this
next left.” Carl spoke softly directed behind Hank. The group moved swiftly
keeping noise down to a minimum. Hank came to a stop just outside a closed door
marked ‘Armory’.
“There is
usually four guards on duty, two forward by the door, one in the weapon’s cage
and one positioned on the second level landing. Our goal is to take the two
front guards and the one on the landing, if we don’t get him he can take us out
from above. Last is the guard in the weapons’ cage but we’ll burn that bridge
when we come to it. Ready?” Carl laid out the plan quickly and everyone knew
their role.
Jen and
Trinity will hang back with Marla until the all clear was given. Daryl stepped
up to the door, arrow already loaded.
“I’ll take
the bird’s nest.” The three men nodded acknowledgement and Carl reached for the
door. He knew once he opened it a firestorm will erupt. Taking steadying
breaths Carl twisted the knob and threw the door open with a loud thud, staying
low to the ground he raised his weapon to cover Daryl as he ran further into
the interior.
No bullets
met them, no alarms sounded, no men yelled for back up. Hank, Carl, Daryl and
Jason stood in an empty armory with four dead guards; all shot in the head
execution style. Their hands and feet bound behind them, their eyes
blindfolded.
Along the
far wall was a message written in black paint. Scrawled on the wall was, ‘There
is no life behind the Wall, Dead Heads.’ The weapon’s cage was bare, the wall
racks looted; some clips and bullets littered the floor as if someone emptied
the cache in a hurry.
“What the
hell?” Daryl exclaimed as he read the message. “They did this. They did this to
make it look like it was us!” He kicked an empty clip against the wall in
anger.
“Gone,
everything…taken.” Jason spoke solemnly.
“My God, I
can’t believe they would do this. That they would go so far…killing their own
guards?” Marla spoke in disbelief. Even when Carl explained to her that the New
Charleston government was responsible for the walker bomb days ago and that they
have been leading a campaign of scare tactics to blame the Dead Heads she still
couldn’t believe him.
“So you
all didn’t do this. The government did? But why, what’s their purpose of
scaring people like this?” Hank asked as he walked around looking for any
weapon they might have missed.
“Because
people who are scared are easy to control. They just want to be safe, you tell
them what you need to do to keep them safe and the people will fall in line.”
Carl explained unsure how his father could do this. He’s seen his father do
terrible things to keep him and Judith safe but this wasn’t making sense. There
is another reason for this but Carl didn’t want to say until he knew for
certain. He had to get to the inner wall, he had to see for himself.
“We did
this.” A small voice spoke from the doorway. Hank’s daughter Jen was there but
she too looked to her left and the speaker.
“We did
this. Me and Jiff and Kay and Connor. We were hired to do this, it’s why I didn’t
say anything earlier.” Trinity walked out of the shadows and into the glare of
all in the room. Carl reached her in few steps grabbing her shirt at the
collar.
“Who? Who
told you to do this? Who was it!?” He yelled, his spittle hitting her face.
“I don’t
know his name, I swear. We got our orders from a Major something. He got his
orders from a councilman I think. Honestly that’s all I know. Kay did most of
the negotiating.” Trinity gripped his wrist trying to wriggle her way loose.
“Carl!”
Marla roared at him to let her go. Carl put Trinity back on her feet.
“And what
did you get out of it? What was the deal, girl?” Daryl spoke as he circled her,
pacing back and forth. When Trinity didn’t answer Daryl stepped in front of
her, loaded and arrow, and place the tip to her forehead in one fluid movement.
“You better say something.” He warned.
“Daryl,
wait.” Marla tried to deescalate the situation. “Maybe she really doesn’t know,
okay. Killing her solves nothing.”
“Daryl,
stand down.” Carl said calmly. Daryl didn’t hesitate, at Carl’s command he
lowered the bow and returned the arrow to the quiver on his back. “We need to
keep moving. We’re going to one of our safe houses, there’s food and water and
some weapons. But there’s a whole army of walkers between us and it.”
“Then
what?” Hank asked.
“Then we
go to the inner Wall. There’s someone I need to visit.” Carl’s tone is steady
and methodic.
To continue…
