"I think you should rest," I said. "Stop walking so much, or I'm not massaging your leg again."
Clentine gave a sheepish smile. "I can walk as much as I want. And… so that you know, my leg wasn't actually hurting. I just said that so I could spend more ti with you."
I couldn't help but smile.
"You're not going to say anything?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I already knew."
Clentine blinked, startled. "Wait...you knew? Then why did you go along with it?"
I looked at her for a mont before answering.
"Because I like massaging you," I said calmly. "And you know I'm the best at it."
She nodded slightly, trying very hard not to look pleased with herself.
"Both of you...we're still here," Molly cut in, waving her hand between us. "Don't forget about the rest of us."
For a mont, Clentine and I just stared at her.
We had completely forgotten they were standing there.
"Sorry about that," Clentine said, looking a little embarrassed.
Molly laughed. "Relax, Clem. I'm just ssing with you." She turned toward . "Anyway, I've got sothing to talk to you about...the mission."
I nodded.
While Molly and I began discussing the assignnt I'd given them, Clentine quietly walked over to Michonne and started asking her questions about pregnancy.
"So... you found the prison?" I asked.
Molly nodded and handed a folder. "Yeah. Just like you described. Big fences, guard towers. The whole deal, it matches everything you told us to look for."
I opened the folder and studied the photograph inside.
The mont I saw it, recognition hit .
The prison.
The sa prison I rembered.
"That's good," I said, closing the folder. "Get a five-person team ready. I'm heading there now and tell Andrea to co with us, I don't want them thinking we're enemies."
"Okay, Boooosss," Molly replied sarcastically, giving an exaggerated salute.
"Just get out of here," I said, waving her away.
As Molly walked off, Clentine watched her for a mont before turning back to .
"Where's she going?"
"She's gathering the team," I said. "I'll be leaving soon."
Clentine frowned slightly. "Then co back soon, okay? I was planning to cook sothing tonight."
I smiled faintly and shook my head.
"I might be gone for a few weeks."
Her eyes widened.
"A few weeks? Seriously? Where are you going?"
Seeing the worry in her expression, I gently took her hand.
"I got so information about my dad's whereabouts," I told her. "I need to check it out, but I'll co back as soon as I can."
Clentine didn't look convinced.
"Hey," I said softly. "I'll be fine, don't worry so much, besides..."
I reached into my pocket and showed her the lucky cat necklace she had given .
"I've still got this. That's got to count for sothing."
She looked down at it and gave a faint smile.
"Yeah… " It's better," she muttered.
Then she looked back up at , her voice quiet but firm.
"Just be careful. And don't take forever coming back."
I nodded.
Then I leaned forward and kissed her goodbye.
---
I headed toward the main gate where a Humvee waited.
The vehicle had a mounted machine gun on the roof, its tal fra glinting in the morning sun. The sight of it made smile.
It was one of the vehicles we had recovered from the military base, along with twelve more Humvees, three tanks, crates of weapons, mountains of ammunition, military gear, and even a few RPGs.
We could have taken more.
But by the ti we reached the base, most of the equipnt had already been transferred to other military camps when the outbreak began.
Still, what we salvaged was more than enough.
Five soldiers stood lined up beside the Humvee.
The mont they saw , they shouted in unison.
"My Lord!"
Their salutes snapped through the air.
I returned it.
Each of them wore full military gear. Beneath their armor, however, was sothing far more valuable: special cut-resistant clothing. The material was designed to resist knives… and even walker bites.
Unfortunately, we had very little of it.
So only our best soldiers were allowed to wear it.
"Chicken," I said, turning to the team leader. "Is everything ready for the trip?"
He was about forty years old.
His nickna was Chicken.
Not because he was a coward.
In fact, he was one of the bravest fighters in the entire Blood Angel community.
The reason he earned that nickna was much stranger.
He was absolutely terrified of actual chickens.
"Yes, my Lord," he replied with a slight bow. "Everything is ready."
"Everything is prepared for you to go," Molly said from behind .
I turned.
"I also loaded your bike into the Humvee," she added.
"That's good," I replied.
Then I noticed soone standing nearby.
"But why is he here?"
I pointed toward the priest.
"Don't ask ," Molly said with a shrug. "He wanted to co with you."
Father Basil stepped forward and respectfully bowed his head.
"Hello, my Lord. I will be joining you, I hope you will allow it."
I sighed quietly.
I never quite knew what to do with this priest.
On one hand, he was useful.
On the other hand, he was unbelievably persistent, always following around like a loyal dog that refused to leave.
"I'm heading outside the walls," I told him. "It's dangerous, you could die, so stay here for your own safety."
"My Lord," he said calmly, "with you here, I fear nothing."
That was exactly the problem.
"…Fine," I said after a mont. "Co along. Just don't be a burden."
"I will not disappoint you, my Lord."
Soon after, Andrea arrived, slightly out of breath.
"Sorry, my Lord... I'm late."
Her helt was loose, and the night-vision goggles hanging from it weren't secured properly.
She must have rushed all the way here.
I nodded and gathered everyone together before explaining the plan.
Soon after, the gates of the Blood Angel community slowly opened.
Our convoy rolled out of the valley and onto the open road.
The world outside had changed.
Nature was reclaiming everything.
Grass pushed through cracked asphalt, vines crawled over abandoned houses, trees grew through rusting cars, and collapsed buildings.
The old world was slowly being swallowed.
We drove along the highway for most of the day.
Even as night fell, we still had a long way to go.
Eventually, we pulled off the road and made camp deep in the woods.
At dawn, we continued the journey.
As the Humvee rumbled forward, I couldn't stop the feeling building inside my chest.
Excitent.
Soon… I might finally see my father again.
My uncle, too.
If everything happened the way I rembered, they should be in prison.
With Rick Gris.
But the world had already changed so much.
Things were different now.
And because of that…
I couldn't be sure anymore.
All I could do was hope they were still there.
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