"Wait, why are you all coming?"
Glenn was stupefied watching the stream of people going down the stairs while carrying multiple bags with them.
"Well, wouldn't it be better for all of us to relocate to your base? I don't think you'd reject us since we have a lot of medical practitioners among our ranks." Officer Shepherd reasoned. It was also her excuse when she told Michael about the change of plans earlier.
'Besides, who'd be in their right minds to want to still stay here when we've already had multiple attacks on this place in the span of only a couple of days? It's better if we move now before it's too late, it's obvious that the city is slowly becoming more dangerous with each passing day.' Shepherd shivered. She thought the city would be safest with all the countless hiding spots in the area, but the appearance of a mutant walker shattered that fantasy.
'Why does a monster like that even exist? Was this chaos really a failed government experiment?' Shepherd was suddenly reminded of a memory from months ago where she happened to overhear a conversation between two individuals who looked like they came from a secret government agency.
{They still haven't found something to fix this? Just what the heck are they doing that they are taking so long to create one? This is why I was so opposed to their idea, and look at what it got us now!}
{It already happened. No use blaming them over spilled milk. Who'd know they were already conducting experiments despite strong opposition? We can only hope that it's not too late.}
*****
"Are you really planning on moving ahead?" Andrea asked Michael in worry.
"Yeah, we only have an hour or so of daylight left. I need to make sure the road ahead is clear since we have a lot of medical personnel coming along with us. One of them dying would be a huge loss to us." Michael lightly patted her hand that's on his shoulder while sitting inside an SUV he had hotwired earlier. He wasn't actually planning to scout ahead by himself, but the sudden change of plans urged him so. He's also worried about one thing.
'Daryl should have rendezvoused with us after meeting his brother, but until now, not even a shadow of him was seen.' Michael and the others were sure that he must have gotten himself into trouble, but they didn't even know where to find him and could only put their trust in him that he'd turn up okay.
That was supposed to be the plan, but Michael had insisted on looking for him and at the same time, to clear the path for the convoy.
'Damn, I hope he didn't get captured. That would complicate things.'
"Do you really not want me to come with you?" Rick approached them and asked. This is already the third time he had insisted on coming with him.
Michael chuckled at his persistent attitude. "I'm gonna be fine. Besides, aside from me, you're the only one who can keep your colleagues in check. We can put some trust in Shepherd to not make any trouble, but that friend of hers is another matter. So keep an eye on him, and if he does something, quietly take care of him when you've reached the Prison."
Rick grew silent. Michael just wasn't sure if it was what he said or because he got rejected again.
After a moment, Rick finally opened his mouth. "I..I don't think I'd be able to do that, man. I can't kill him and trying to get rid of him is a bad idea too."
Michael raised an eyebrow and looked up to him from inside the car. "Huh? Are you still that guy who said he wanted to kill Shane not long ago? Besides, this is not the first time you're killing someone."
Rick shook his head. "This and that are different. I don't have any problems killing someone who'd posed a threat to us, but they just joined us. We can't just suddenly go and kill one of them over some minor disagreement. It would cause a crack in the trust we barely managed to establish."
'Right, I had completely forgotten that Rick was still a little soft during this time.' Michael sighed.
"So correct me if I'm wrong, you don't have any problems killing someone, but you need a justification for it?"
"Yes, because he's already one of us after their group joined us today. We can't kill him like we do with our enemies." Rick replied like it was a matter of fact.
"Wasn't that the point when I told you to do it quietly?" Michael responded with a raised eyebrow.
Rick took a deep breath. "It's a good plan, but they are not idiots, Michael. They will know it was one of us who got rid of one of them, and we also can't afford an internal conflict right now."
"Then let's hope he won't do something stupid while I'm away, because I wouldn't mind personally putting a bullet to his head." Michael gave Rick a quick glance before starting the engine of the car and moments later, he drove away.
Rick scratched the back of his head, looking stressed while watching the car slowly getting smaller.
The black SUV entered the highway and had now left the downtown area of the city.
The ride was silent and peaceful the whole time when suddenly, the car came to a screeching halt.
Screech!
Michael drove the car to the side of the road before quickly exiting the vehicle. He rushed out and left the highway.
He arrived at a small and quaint neighborhood surrounded by nature. Though his stay didn't last long before he passed through the place.
He was actually sprinting through the area like he was running for an olympic competition. His eyes constantly scanned his surroundings, looking for something. He did not stop sprinting as he passed through woodlands and small neighborhoods along the way. Though he would stop from time to time to catch his breath before resuming again.
His actions were obviously questionable. Why did he leave a perfectly working car, only to use his legs which is far more exhausting than driving and going in the same direction?
Michael instinctively felt suspicious, maybe wary, or maybe he's just being overly cautious earlier. But he suddenly had this feeling something wrong is going to happen and knowing how the Governor does things. He had a growing suspicion that the Governor must be planning something devious, something dangerous.
'I think there's really a high chance that Daryl got captured and our actions today are now made known to them. Not through Daryl, but Merle.' Michael does not doubt Daryl's loyalty, but Merle on the other hand, might leak their operation under the threat of his brother getting killed.
'There's a fifty-fifty chance that there might be an ambush somewhere along the highway. I need to make sure that I'm only being overly paranoid or else the convoy is in trouble.'
He could also go back and share his suspicion to the others and re-route their path to avoid any possible ambush on the way.
Michael kept going at it for a couple more minutes before coming to a skidding halt.
'The heck am I doing? I could just go back and re-route our plan to avoid this road. Idiot!'