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ACT ONE
(bloodshot eyes)

THE GROUP swarmed around the shed as distressed looks filled each of their faces. The prisoner had gone missing, and even though Rick was explaining it, it still felt unreal. "The cuffs are still hooked. He must've slipped 'em."

"Is that possible?"

Carol asked making Aiden answer with his arms crossed. "It is, but he definitely broke his wrists."

Hershel nodded at Aiden's words, reclosing the shed door as he finally spoke up. "The door was secured from the outside. How do you—"

Hershel was abruptly cut off as yelling came from the woods. "Rick! Rick!" Shane sped walked over to the group.

"What happened?"

"He's armed! He's got my gun!" Shane yelled back, his bloody nose on full display.

While Carl asked if the man was okay, T-dog and Aiden began noticing Veroníca's absence.

"I'm fine. Little bastard just snuck up on me. He clocked me in the face."

"Alright, Hershel, T-dog, Get everybody back in the house. Glenn, Daryl, come with us." Rick commanded while checking the ammo in his gun.

"No." Aiden cut in, still looking around. "I'm not going anywhere without my sister."

"Me neither." T-dog agreed.

Rick just shook his head a bit, stopping as Carol spoke. "Let's just let him go, that was the plan wasn't it? To just let him go?"

"The plan was to cut him loose far away from here, not on our front step with a gun! T-dog, get everybody inside. Then you and Aiden search the area for Veroníca." Rick commanded making the man nod as the leader began walking away.

As Rick walked beside Shane. Glenn and Daryl followed closely behind.

"Get inside!" Aiden yelled, immediately picking Rory up as he began running towards the house.

T-dog stayed farther behind, pushing Carol lightly as everyone ran inside.

    "I saw him head up through the trees that way before I blacked out. I'm not sure how long." Shane explained, pointing to the left as Rick nodded.

"Couldn't have gotten far. He's hobbled,
exhausted—"

"—And armed." Glenn added.

"So are we. Can you track him?" Rick turned to Daryl who was looking at the ground.

"No, I don't see nothing."

"Hey, There ain't no use in tracking him, okay? He went that way. We need to pair up. We spread out, we just chase him down. That's it." Shane demanded making Daryl squint at the bloody man.

"Kid weighs a buck twenty-five soaking wet. You trying to tell us he got the jump on you?"

"I say a rock pretty much evens those odds, wouldn't you?" Shane took a step closer to Daryl making Rick get in between the pair.

"All right, knock it off. You and Glenn start heading up the right Flank. Me and Shane'll take the left. Remember, Randall's not the only threat out there. Keep an eye out for eachother, and for Ronnie."

After Rick's commands, he began walking away as Shane followed closely behind him.

Glenn and Daryl went the other direction, Daryl examining the ground as Glenn nervously looked around.

Aiden groaned in frustration as he dragged his hands down his face, the duo had started searching when it was light outside. Now it was pitch black and there was still no sign of his sister.

"Maybe Glenn and them found her?" T-dog suggested.

Aiden shook his head, glancing around before speaking. "Not risking it. I have a bad feeling."

"Look.. she'll find her way back, what we should be doing is checkin' in on lil man."

At T-dog's words, Aiden stared at the man for a second before nodding. The duo beginning their trip back up to the house.

When they got inside, both of the men headed for the little boy on the couch. He sat next to Maggie who was reading a book with him.

As she saw the men approaching she smiled at them, ruffling Rory's hair before standing up and making her way into the kitchen.

When she was out of earshot, Rory spoke up. "Did you find Ma?"

"Not yet, lil man." T-dog said, smiling sadly at the boy before glancing at Aiden.

When Aiden sent him a look, T-dog nodded before leaving the two alone.

Aiden then sat down beside his nephew, a forced smile on his face as he spoke. "Your mom is badass."

The young boy didn't reply, instead he just slowly nodded making Aiden speak again.

"She's probably out there giving Shane shit about lettin' that prisoner beat his ass." Aiden joked making Rory laugh a little. "She's okay, Rory."

"I hope so." Rory said sadly, dropping his head onto Aiden's shoulder.

   Glenn and Daryl examined the walker they had just killed. The walker happened to be a dead Randall, making the duo confused.

Daryl moved the kid's neck side to side, speaking to Glenn as he stared at the dead walker. "Got his neck broke."

Glenn didn't reply, watching as Daryl flipped over the pale body.

He then pulled up the shirt, checking for wounds before putting the shirt back down. "He's got no bites."

"Yeah, none you can see." Glenn corrected.

"No, i'm telling you. He died from this." Daryl pointed at the broken neck, immediately shutting up when the duo heard a raspy breathing.

They shared a look before standing up, looking around with their weapons raised.

They followed the sound of the breathing, shocked when they ran into a body laying on the ground.

As Daryl shone the flashlight at the body, it was clear who it was.

"Vee?" Glenn gasped, immediately dropping his machete to the side as he bent down next to the woman. "Vee, come on. Wake up."

He lightly patted her cheek as Daryl kneeled on the other side of the brunette. "Veroníca? Veroníca!" Glenn said in the woman's ear.

He then shoved her shoulder lightly, feeling her pulse as Daryl pointed at her neck. "She was choked."

The men shared a look at this, and when Daryl stood up, Glenn pushed Veroníca once more. "Vee! Wake up, Come on.. Please."

There was no response from the woman making Glenn sigh. The sigh was like a cue, seeing as immediately after the woman's eyes began blinking open.

As soon as her eyes fully opened, Glenn widely smiled. "She's up!" He said to Daryl who just examined their surroundings. "Hey, hey. Are you okay?"

"Shane—Shane.. He killed Randall." Veroníca's voice was hoarse when she spoke, making the corners of Glenn's lips turn downwards.

When here words clicked the men shared another look before Glenn began helping the woman up.

She stumbled a bit, her head still foggy and the ringing in her ears not helping.

As soon as she was fully standing, Glenn wrapped an arm around her torso as he pulled her along side him.

Daryl walked ahead, speeding back to camp seeing as the newfound information meant that a killer was loose in the woods.

     Glenn rubbed Veroníca's back soothingly as Daryl opened the front door to the house.

As the trio walked in, all eyes turned to them. They entered the living room while Daryl spoke. "Rick and Shane ain't back?"

"No." Andrea said while Rory ran over to his mom.

As he threw his arms around the woman, Glenn dropped his arm from her torso. Daryl spoke again. "We heard a shot."

"Maybe they found Randall."

"We found him, and Roníca." Daryl said, shutting down Lori's suggestion.

"Was Randall back at the shed?" Patricia butted in while as she subtly examined Veroníca.

"He was a walker."

"Did you find the walker that bit him?"

"No.. Weird thing is, he wasn't bit.. He was killed." Glenn explained, earning gasps which made the man continue. "By Shane."

"No.." Lori muttered, taking a step closer to Daryl as she changed the topic. "Would you please get back out there and find Rick and Shane? Find out what on earth is going on."

"I know what's going on." Daryl remarked, pacing for a moment before nodding. "I'll find 'em."

Lori thanked him as he exited the house.

As soon as he was gone, Aiden walked over to his sister. He examined her bloodshot eyes and the bruises forming around her neck before mumbling. "I'm going to kill him."

He then pulled his sister in for a hug, not needing her to explain seeing as he had already put it together that Shane was the one who did this.

Aiden was serious about killing him, next time he saw the man he would beat him to death. Even if that got him kicked out of the group.

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