CHAPTER 25: TENSION AT THE MOTEL
Noon. Sunlight bathed the motel.
After taking nitroglycerin pills, Larry's condition stabilized. His pale face regained some color.
He no longer needed support, moving like an old lion regaining strength and surveying his territory.
His gaze occasionally swept darkly toward the entrance, where Lee was helping move boards to reinforce the gate.
Lee could feel those eyes on him. Like thorns in his back.
He tried focusing on the work, pressing boards hard against the gate's interior, securing them with wire.
"Hmph. Got some decent strength there."
Larry's voice cut through the working silence. "Real handy with manual labor, huh? Pick that up in prison?"
Lee's body went rigid. A wire barb cut his finger. Blood beaded.
He slowly looked at Larry, expression complicated. "Sir, I'm just trying to help keep everyone safe."
"Safe?" Larry scoffed, voice loud enough for everyone in the courtyard to hear.
"Talking about safety while locked up with a murderer?"
Murderer!
Those three words stabbed into everyone's ears like a scream!
Lilly unconsciously shifted closer to Glenn.
Carley's expression didn't change. Not even surprised. As a reporter from Alexandria, she'd known about Lee's situation for a while—had figured out his identity back at the drugstore.
Katjaa pulled Duck closer, looking at Kenny with some alarm. He shook his head slightly.
Though they hadn't known each other long, the journey had made them trusted partners.
Hanks was in light sleep. The argument woke him. He opened his eyes just in time to catch those words.
His gaze sharpened instantly!
Lee's face went ashen. He opened his mouth but couldn't make a sound.
That past he'd tried to bury was being ripped open, exposed before everyone.
"Dad!" Lilly thought about the numbers and tried stopping his reckless mouth.
If you're going to drag someone's past out, you'd better have the advantage. Being this hardheaded was a good way to get killed.
"What? Am I wrong?" Larry raised his voice instead. He turned to the group, finger pointing straight at Lee.
"You know who he is? Know why he was in prison?"
"He killed someone! A living person! Just because his wife slept with the guy!"
"This kind of dangerous hothead can't control his anger—he's a ticking bomb! You want to sleep under the same roof as him?"
The courtyard went silent enough to hear a pin drop.
Only distant walker snarls occasionally broke the suffocating quiet.
Lee squeezed his eyes shut in pain. His fists clenched at his sides, then fell open uselessly.
He couldn't argue. It was the truth.
"Oh? Just because his wife slept with someone else?"
Hanks's voice rang out—calm, but carrying undeniable force.
He walked step by step to the center of the courtyard, standing between Lee and Larry.
"Old man, if someone was sleeping with your wife, you planning to sit there and play the impotent husband?"
"If you can't even stand up when your wife's being disrespected, what kind of man are you? What kind of father?"
Hanks took a small step forward.
Though not necessarily taller than Larry, the aura of someone who'd survived death and dealt it out completely overwhelmed the other man.
His right hand rested casually at his side, mere inches from his holster.
That subtle movement made Larry's pupils contract. The words locked in his throat.
"He paid his price. The law judged him." Hanks's gaze swept over everyone.
"But now the legal system's collapsed. Outside there are flesh-eating walkers and living people worse than walkers!"
His voice turned sharp: "Now the standard for judging someone is whether they can fight! Whether they can find supplies! Whether they can protect others when danger comes!"
"Not like you, you old waste—sick and needing someone to find medicine, thirsty and needing someone to bring food, then putting down the bowl to curse the cook after eating!"
"Lee." Hanks turned his head, voice brooking no argument. "Go rest. You need to recover and maintain your strength."
Lee took a deep breath. He looked at Hanks with complex emotions, then silently turned toward a room.
Larry's face went iron-gray. His lips trembled, but he didn't dare say another word.
Hanks's cold eyes and subtle killing intent—one more sentence and the consequences wouldn't be what he wanted.
Lilly watched her father get shut down, then looked at Hanks's resolute back. Finally she just pressed her lips tight, swallowing her dissatisfaction and worry.
"From now on I don't want to hear any pointless arguments. Save your mouth for eating—that's more useful than anything!"
"Everyone go rest. Lilly, Glenn—you two come here." Hanks forcefully dispersed the group.
His gaze swept over the two. "My objective's clear. I'm taking Clementine to Savannah."
"Are you staying, or do you have other plans?"
Hanks had no intention of dragging along dead weight. If it was just Glenn, maybe he'd consider it. The rest, forget it.
Lilly shook her head almost immediately, voice carrying a hint of hope. "Savannah? It'll only be worse there!"
"My father's body can't handle the stress. We're staying here to wait for government rescue teams."
"We heard it on the radio before—National Guard's establishing quarantine and rescue zones."
Her eyes were firm. "We're not leaving. We'll stay at this motel. It's relatively defensible."
Glenn seemed far more conflicted.
He looked at Hanks, then at Lilly, finally lowering his head with hesitation in his voice.
"I'm afraid I can't go to Savannah with you. Can't stay here either. I have to get back to Atlanta."
"My friend T-Dog's still there. I don't know how he's doing. I have to find him."
"Fine." Hanks wasn't surprised. He didn't try to persuade them further. "Everyone's got their own path. We'll part ways here."
"But before I leave, I'm going to scavenge some supplies. For the road, and I'll leave some for you."
"After that—" he paused, "you're on your own."
Both nodded at his words.
Glenn's lips worked for a moment, seemingly finding it hard to speak, but he finally mustered the courage.
"Officer Hanks... um... there's one more thing. I... I need a car." His face reddened slightly.
"My car got shot up yesterday on the road. I can't get back without one."
"Sure." Hanks agreed readily. "If we find something suitable, I'll get you one."
"That's great! Thank you, officer!" Glenn's face lit up immediately, thanking him repeatedly.
"Don't celebrate too early. Right now we have to scrounge up both vehicles and fuel ourselves."
"You're coming with me into town in a bit."
As Hanks spoke, he walked toward the RV. "I also need to figure out if this big guy can still move."