An hour had passed since the building was secured.
The gunfire was long gone, replaced by the steady movement of soldiers through the school.
Rangers patrolled the hallways in pairs, checking classrooms, offices, and storage rooms while others guarded the entrances.
The atmosphere was still tense, but it was no longer chaotic.
Andrew walked slowly through one of the corridors, his weapon hanging from its sling.
Soldiers passed him occasionally, some carrying equipment while others spoke quietly among themselves. The smell of gunpowder still lingered faintly in the air.
Outside, the storm had finally begun to calm. Rain continued to fall against the windows, but the violent downpour from earlier had diminished to a steady shower.
Andrew stopped beside one of the windows and looked outside.
The school grounds were covered in puddles, with rainwater running across the pavement. Vehicles were parked near the road, their surfaces shining beneath the grey sky.
For a moment, he simply stood there.
They had taken the school and rescued the people who had been held captive.
But now they had wounded soldiers and civilians who needed medical attention, along with prisoners to deal with.
Andrew pushed himself away from the window and continued down the hallway.
He eventually reached the gym.
The large room had been turned into a temporary collection point. Tables had been pushed together, and equipment taken from the bandits had been laid out across them. Weapons were separated from ammunition, while other items had been placed into smaller piles.
Several Rangers were going through everything, checking weapons and sorting the ammunition while making notes of what had been recovered.
Andrew walked further into the gym, looking over the collection.
There was considerably more than he had expected.
Hale noticed him and walked over, a clipboard in one hand.
"Lieutenant."
"Hale."
"We've finished gathering most of the equipment. Still going through the building for anything we might have missed."
Andrew glanced at the clipboard.
"What did they have?"
Hale looked down at his notes.
"Several assault rifles, along with a few military chest rigs and vests. We found some helmets too. There are also several shotguns and handguns."
He turned the page.
"Quite a bit of ammunition. More than I expected from a group like this."
Andrew looked toward the tables again. The amount of equipment certainly suggested that the bandits had been collecting weapons for some time.
"Anything else?"
"Axes, hatchets, knives, miscellaneous tools. Nothing particularly unusual."
Hale paused before looking back at the clipboard.
"And four grenades."
Andrew's expression changed.
"Grenades?"
Hale nodded.
Andrew looked around the gym again, this time with a little more concern.
"Where the hell did they get those?"
"Don't know yet."
Andrew let out a quiet breath.
"Good thing they didn't use them."
Hale nodded.
"Yeah. If they had, we might have had a lot more than wounded people."
Andrew looked toward the weapons again.
"We were lucky they didn't think of using them."
"Or they didn't know they had them," Hale said.
Andrew looked back at him.
"What?"
Hale raised the clipboard slightly.
"They were all kept together in a box. It was tucked away with some of the other equipment. If you didn't know what you were looking for, you could easily miss it."
Andrew shook his head.
"Unbelievable."
Hale gave a small nod.
"If they had been more disciplined, they might have thought of using them."
Andrew glanced toward the box where the grenades had been found.
Before he could say anything else, Collins approached them from across the gym.
"Lieutenant."
Andrew turned toward him.
"Sargeant. How are the prisoners?"
"Talking," Collins replied. "We managed to get quite a bit out of them."
Andrew glanced at Hale before looking back at Collins.
"Anything about the weapons?"
"Some."
Collins folded his arms.
"Most of the military equipment was scavenged. According to them, they found it near one of the collapsed evacuation points around Macon. There were dead soldiers there, along with abandoned vehicles and equipment."
Andrew's eyes moved toward the tables covered with rifles, vests and ammunition.
"So that's where they got all this."
"Looks like it."
Andrew thought for a moment before asking, "And the grenades?"
Collins hesitated.
"Grenades?"
Hale nodded toward the box.
"Four of them."
Collins looked toward the box, clearly surprised.
"I didn't hear anything about grenades."
"Apparently, neither did most of us," Andrew said.
Collins shook his head.
"Then I don't think the prisoners knew much about them. They said the group had been collecting whatever they could find at abandoned military positions they could get to, but they weren't exactly keeping records of where everything came from."
Andrew looked back at the equipment.
"Did they say which evacuation point?"
"Not specifically. They described where it was, though. One of them remembered seeing a lot of military vehicles and bodies around the area."
Andrew nodded slowly.
That explained the weapons and the military gear, at least.
It also made him wonder how much equipment was still scattered around Macon.
"If they found this much at one evacuation point," Andrew said, "there could be more out there."
Collins nodded.
"That's what I was thinking."
Hale looked again toward the equipment spread across the tables.
"Well, now that the bandits are dealt with, we can finally get back to what we came here to do."
Andrew looked at him.
"Retake Macon."
"Exactly." Hale glanced around the gym. "And this place might actually help us do it."
"The school?"
Hale nodded.
"Solid building, plenty of space, and it's in a useful location. We could turn it into an FOB and use it as a forward position while we work on securing the surrounding area."
Andrew considered the idea for a moment before nodding.
"I agree. It would give us a lot more flexibility. Instead of operating everything from Terminus, we could use this as a base for operations further into the region."
He looked around the gym again.
"It'll need a lot of work before we can properly use it, though."
"That's why we'll need equipment," Hale replied.
Andrew nodded.
"We'll return to Terminus once the weather clears and bring back what we need."
He glanced toward the windows. Rain was still falling outside, although the storm had weakened considerably.
"We're not going anywhere until this rain stops. Roads are going to be bad enough without adding a convoy to the problem."
Hale nodded in agreement.
"What about the school?"
"We leave a security detachment here."
"How many?"
"Enough to secure the building and keep an eye on the prisoners, but not so many that we weaken our force back at Terminus."
Hale thought about it briefly before nodding.
"That should work."
Andrew looked once more across the gym, at the piles of weapons and equipment the Rangers had recovered.
The school had been taken from the bandits.
Now they had a chance to make it useful.
"If everything goes according to plan," Andrew said, "this place won't just be a school anymore."
Hale gave a small nod.
"It'll be the first step toward taking Macon back."
••••••
The rain had passed through Woodbury the previous day, leaving the streets wet and muddy in places. Now the sky was clear, and sunlight reflected off the puddles as residents went about cleaning up after the storm.
Merle walked down one of the streets, watching people sweep water and debris away from their homes and businesses. Others were carrying buckets, wiping down windows, or checking the damage caused by the rain.
He looked around the town.
Woodbury is a nice place. The people are nice too.
Too bad its leader isn't.
Merle learned what the Governor was really like, and sooner or later, they'd have to take care of him.
The sooner, the better.
As he continued down the street, Merle noticed the Governor standing farther ahead, talking with a group of people he didn't recognize.
He watched them for a moment, wondering who they were and what the hell the Governor was talking to them about.
Merle kept walking, but his attention remained on the group.
The Governor was speaking with a woman Merle had never seen before. She was standing close to him, listening carefully as he talked. A few other unfamiliar people stood nearby. Something else he noticed was the rifle on her back. The Governor usually didn't allow newcomers to keep their weapons.
Merle slowed down.
If he wanted to know what was going on, he needed to get closer.
He glanced around the street before changing direction slightly, heading toward a nearby building. He stopped beside it and leaned against the wall, pulling out a cigarette.
From there, he could hear parts of the conversation.
"...hope you told the truth and my men will find them," the Governor said.
The woman crossed her arms over her chest.
"They will find them. If they don't do something stupid, that is."
Merle took a drag from his cigarette, pretending to be more interested in the street than the conversation.
Who the hell are these people?
He shifted his position slightly, trying to get close enough to hear more without making it obvious that he was listening.
The army boys had given him a safe place and a second chance after getting him off that rooftop.
In return, they expected information.
Merle figured this counted.
He took another drag and listened.
At that moment the gates of Woodbury opened, and a large van slowly drove into the town.
The Governor immediately turned toward it.
Martinez, standing beside him, followed his gaze. The woman and the rest of her group also began walking toward the vehicle.
Merle did the same, casually joining them as they approached.
The van came to a stop, and its rear doors were opened.
The Governor stepped closer and looked inside.
His expression quickly changed.
Weapons and military equipment filled much of the cargo area. Rifles, ammunition, military gear, and other equipment had been packed inside.
But there was something else.
Two people were lying on the floor of the van, their hands bound. Their eyes and mouths had been covered.
A boy and a girl.
The Governor stared at them for a moment before looking toward the men who had brought the van in.
"What the hell is the meaning of this?"
One of the men stepped forward.
"We found them at the stash."
The Governor's eyes narrowed.
"You found them there?"
"Yeah. They were there when we arrived. We caught them before they could get away."
The Governor looked back into the van.
"And you brought them here?"
"We figured you'd want to deal with them yourself."
Merle remained quiet, looking over the equipment before his eyes settled on the two captives.
Something about the two didn't sit right with him, especially the boy.
The Governor stared at the two captives for another moment before making his decision.
"Take them to the cells," he ordered. "I'll deal with them later."
The men nodded and pulled the two captives out of the van.
As they were taken away, Martinez watched them disappear toward the nearby buildings. A doubtful look briefly crossed his face, but he said nothing.
No one seemed to notice.
The Governor turned his attention back to the van.
His eyes moved over the weapons and equipment packed inside. Rifles, ammunition, military gear, and other equipment filled much of the cargo area.
He looked toward the woman.
"So this is the whole stash?"
"Every bit of it," she replied.
The Governor nodded slowly, taking in the amount of equipment.
"This is quite a haul."
"That's why we came to you," the woman said.
The Governor gave a small smile.
"Then I think we have plenty to talk about."
••••••
Rick stood beside a police cruiser, checking the equipment inside before closing the trunk.
The safe zone was already busy that morning. Police officers moved through the streets, while civilians went about their daily routines.
Rick adjusted his belt and looked toward the road.
A small military patrol was preparing to leave the safe zone as well.
Their vehicles would be heading in roughly the same direction as him.
Lori approached, watching him get ready.
"Where are you going?"
"There's a farm outside the secured area that needs a police visit. We've had a report of a missing person, so I'm going to check it out."
Lori glanced toward the soldiers.
"Then why don't they deal with it? They're going there anyway."
Rick shook his head.
"They're on patrol. Their job is to keep the roads and secured areas safe, check for threats, and make sure nothing gets through."
He closed the driver's door before continuing.
"The military can't handle every civilian problem. They're already stretched thin."
Lori frowned slightly.
"So they're leaving that stuff to the police?"
"Yeah."
Rick looked toward the patrol again.
"Things are slowly being handed back to us. Civilian tasks, local disputes, welfare checks, things like that. If it's a security problem, the soldiers deal with it. If it's something the police can handle, it's our responsibility."
Lori nodded slowly.
"So you're basically going back to being a cop."
Rick gave a faint smile.
"That's the idea."
He opened the driver's door and climbed inside.
The military had saved them.
Now, little by little, they were helping everyone else start putting things back together.
Rick reached for the door, but before he could close it, Carol approached him.
"Rick."
He looked over at her.
"Can you look for Glenn too?" she asked. "I haven't seen him all morning."
Rick paused for a moment before nodding.
"Sure. I'll keep an eye out for him."
"Thanks."
Rick gave her a reassuring nod.
"If I find him, I'll let you know."
Carol stepped back, allowing him to close the door.
Rick started the engine and looked once more toward the military patrol waiting nearby before pulling out of the safe zone.
...
Less than half an hour later, Rick reached the dirt road leading to the farm.
The military patrol continued down the main road while Rick turned onto the dirt track.
He followed it until he reached the wooden gate at the entrance to the property.
Rick stopped the cruiser and stepped out, looking around.
Something imidietly caught his attention, a length of chain-link fencing had been installed along part of the property, slowly beginning to enclose the farm.
Considering the importance of the farm, it wasn't surprising that a fence was being installed around the property, along with the regular military patrols in the area.
Rick looked toward the buildings, taking in the work that had already been done.
His arrival hadn't gone unnoticed.
An older man stepped out of the nearby barn and began walking toward him.
Rick watched him approach as the man stopped near the cruiser.
"You're the officer they sent about my daughter, aren't you?"
Rick nodded.
"That's right. I'm here about your daughter."
The older man let out a concerned breath.
"Maggie left earlier today with one of the delivery boys."
"Do you know who the boy was?"
"Glenn. He's Korean. One of the young men who makes deliveries between the farms and the safe zone."
Glenn?
Rick nodded, listening.
Hershel paused for a moment.
"Maggie and Glenn left together. They said they were just making a quick run to a nearby county."
"And they haven't come back?"
"No."
Hershel looked toward the road.
"It's been hours now. They should've been back by this point."
As Rick and Hershel talked, one of Hershel's children walked past them carrying a crate.
"Man, I wish they could just get the cell towers working again."
Rick glanced at him.
The teenager pulled his phone from his pocket and looked at the screen.
"If I could get a signal on this thing, you could've just called Maggie instead of having to come all the way out here."
Rick shook his head.
"That isn't as easy as you think."
The teenager sighed, putting the phone back in his pocket.
"Yeah, I know."
He continued toward the house, still looking mildly annoyed at the useless phone in his hand.
Rick looked toward the road.
"Do you know which county they were heading to?"
Hershel thought for a moment.
"Coweta County. It's not far from here. Maggie's been there before."
Rick nodded, committing the name to memory.
"I'll see what I can find out."
He turned and walked back toward the cruiser.
A moment later, Rick climbed into the driver's seat and picked up the radio.
"Dispatch, this is Rick Grimes. I'm at the farm regarding the missing-person report."
There was a brief burst of static.
Rick continued.
"The missing individuals are Maggie Greene and Glenn Rhee. They left the farm earlier today, headed toward Coweta County. They were expected back hours ago and haven't returned."
He waited.
For several seconds, there was nothing but static.
Then the radio came to life.
"Rick Grimes, return to the safe zone as soon as possible."
Rick frowned.
"Why? Do we have something?"
"Information on the missing individuals has been obtained. The military is taking control of the investigation."
Rick stared at the radio for a moment.
"The military?"
"That's correct."
Rick was clearly caught off guard by the response. He hadn't expected the situation to escalate that quickly.
"Understood. Confirming: I'm to return to the safe zone and leave the investigation to the military?"
"Affirmative."
Rick lowered the radio.
Whatever information they had received, it was apparently enough for the military to take over.
He opened the driver's door and stepped out again.
Hershel was still standing near the fence, waiting for an answer.
Rick walked over to him.
"We might have a lead on where Maggie and Glenn went."
Hershel's expression immediately changed.
"You found something?"
"Not yet. But there's enough information to give us somewhere to start looking."
Hershel nodded, some of the worry leaving his face.
"Thank God."
Rick gave him a reassuring nod.
"I'll let you know if we find anything."
He turned and walked back toward the cruiser.
Hershel watched as Rick climbed inside and started the engine.
A moment later, the cruiser pulled away from the farm and headed back toward the safe zone.
________________________
Hey everyone, about posting chapters later then I used to.
I'm starting to have a hard time writing. I intend to write and post a chapter weekly, but I thought of letting everyone know that there will still be inconsistencies with the chapter size and when is posted.