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[RAISON D'ETRE]

1.01 || i'd happily handle the backlash

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"Dumbass dropped his bag like all the way over there. He's fucked. We should go. I think just staying to watch him die is mean." 

Adaline says, gesturing at the bag across the street from the guy they were watching. "Ada, we can't just go." Glenn argues.

"His horse is dead. And it's distracting some of the dead for now but it's not exactly the most permanent solution because there's a lot of dead and not a lot of horse left. He's screwed. Let's just go before we get stuck here." Adaline says.

"Ada, we can help him. We can't just leave him for dead." Glenn says.

"Well, why the hell not?" Adaline asks.

"Ada, I don't have the time right now to explain why we can't leave someone for dead in the middle of the street. We just need to help him." Glenn says and she huffs impatiently.

"Fine. If he gets in the tank, there'll be a radio and we can talk to him." Adaline says.

"Thank you." Glenn says and she shrugs.

"He has to survive to get in the tank for that information to be useful, though." She says.

"I don't need pessimism right now, Ada." Glenn says.

"Well, you're not going get optimism from me so, take it. I could knock you out and drag you back to the rest of the group." Adaline says and he frowns. "What? I wouldn't do it. You'd slow me down if there was any dead in the way." She says and he sighs.

"We'll work on that." He says and she frowns.

"Work on what?" She asks.

"Don't worry about it. Just know we'll work on it." Glenn responds before looking back down at the street and she rolls her eyes, shaking her head a little before looking back down at the street too. "See, he's heading for the tank." Glenn says.

"Fantastic, he has some semblance of common sense." Adaline responds dryly.

"You're making this very difficult right now." Glenn says and she shrugs.

"You're the one that insists on working with me all the time." Adaline responds.

"Yeah, I know." He responds.

Adaline huffs impatiently before they hear something slam shut at down on the street. "I guess he made it into the tank. That's impressive. Really didn't think he would." She says and then a second later, a loud bang echoes from inside the tank and Adaline frowns. "Are you serious?"

"Should I radio now?" Glenn asks.

"Give it a second." She responds.

"Why?" He asks.

"Because if I'm right, that second bang was him firing a shot inside the sealed tank which means his hearing is gonna be a little iffy right this second." Adaline responds.

"Why do you know all of this?" He asks.

"Again. Why am I the only person prepared for an apocalypse?" Adaline asks and Glenn rolls his eyes at her. "Try it now." She says and Glenn sighs before lifting the radio. "The frequency should be fine. We took the radio off one of the military guys' bodies anyway." She says and he nods.

"Hey, you." Glenn says, briefly lifting his finger off the button and Adaline looks at him with a brow raised.

"'Hey, you'? Seriously?" Adaline asks.

"Not helping." Glenn responds and she rolls her eyes as he presses the button down again. "Dumbass. Yeah, you in the tank. You cosy in there?" Glenn asks and Adaline sighs impatiently, idly tapping her foot as she waits for him to respond.

"You think Shane's railing Lori right now? I do." Adaline says.

"Jesus Christ, Ada. Your attention span is awful." Glenn says.

"It'd be better if I cared but I think this is a stupid idea and that we're risking our lives for absolutely no reason whatsoever." Adaline responds.

"Hey, you alive in there?" Glenn asks when they don't hear anything through the radio.

"Oh well, guess he's dead. What a shame. Let's go." Adaline says.

"Ada," Glenn says and she groans slightly impatiently. 

"For the love of," She grasps the radio, pressing the button down. "Hey, if you're alive, answer the goddamn radio, dumbass. We don't have time for this." Adaline says impatiently and Glenn pulls the radio away from her.

"Would you stop that?" He asks and she shrugs.

"Being nice wasn't getting an answer." Adaline responds.

"Hello? Hello?" The man says and Adaline looks at Glenn smugly and he just rolls his eyes at her. 

"There you are. You had us wondering." Glenn responds.

"Where are you? Outside?" He asks and Adaline frowns, reaching over to press the button down on the radio.

"Well, we're not in the tank with you, are we?" She asks and Glenn pulls it away from her again. "What? Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer." Adaline responds.

"Can you see me right now?" The man asks.

"No, because you're inside a tank! We can see the tank." Adaline says.

"Ada, stop it." Glenn says.

"You're so boring." She complains.

"We can see you. You're surrounded by walkers. That's the bad news." Glenn says.

"Glenn, that makes it sound like there's good news and there isn't. There's just worse news." Adaline says quietly.

"There's good news?" The man asks and Adaline sighs, looking at Glenn pointedly.

"No." Glenn admits before lowering the radio slightly and Adaline shrugs. "Shut up." He says and she smiles slightly in amusement. 

"Listen, whoever you are, I don't mind telling you, I'm a little concerned in here." The man says.

"Good. You definitely should be." Adaline remarks before Glenn can speak, when he presses in the button.

"Yeah, man, you should see it from over here. You'd be having a major freak-out." Glenn says.

"Oh, because that's so much better than anything I've said!" Adaline says incredulously. 

"I said it nicer than you would have." Glenn retorts and she throws up her arms incredulously.

"Got any advice for me?" The man asks and Glenn glances at Adaline with a raised brow and she shrugs.

"Run?" She asks and he frowns. "You got a better idea?" She asks and he sighs, shrugging slightly.

"Yeah, we say, make a run for it." Glenn says into the radio. 

"That's it? 'Make a run for it'?" He asks.

"Well, I'd lay down cover fire for you, but I'm slightly lacking in a sniper rifle." Adaline says dryly.

"And besides, our way's not as dumb as it sounds." Glenn adds. "You got eyes on the outside here. Two sets of eyes." He says. "There's one geek still up on the tank but the others have climbed down and joined the feeding frenzy where the horse went down." Glenn says.

"Yeah, but I'd be quick about this because that horse is only gonna distract them for so long." Adaline says.

"You with us so far?" Glenn adds.

"So far." The man in the tank responds.

"Okay, the street on the other side of the tank is less crowded. If you move now while they're distracted, you stand a chance. You got ammo?" Glenn asks.

"In that duffel bag I dropped out there, and guns. Can I get to it?" He asks.

"Only if you want to watch as your intestines are pulled out of your abdomen and eaten in front of you." Adaline responds.

"Tact. We're gonna work on tact." Glenn says and Adaline shrugs. "She's mean but she's right. The bag's not an option. What do you have on you?"

"Hang on." He responds and Adaline sighs softly, tapping her foot impatiently. "I've got a Beretta with one clip, fifteen rounds." He says and Adaline winces slightly, scrunching her nose up.

"Make 'em count." Glenn says.

"Still think we should have just left him for dead. It wasn't our problem and now you've made it our problem." Adaline says and Glenn rolls his eyes at her.

"Jump off the right side of the tank, keep going in that direction. There's an alley up the street, maybe fifty yards. Be there." Glenn instructs.

"Hey, what's your names?" The guy asks and Adaline looks down at the radio incredulously.

"Have you been listening? You're running out of time." Glenn says and Adaline shakes her head slightly.

"Idiot." Adaline mutters under her breath and Glenn nudges her as they head over to the ladder on the side of the building.

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Adaline drops down off the ladder once she's far enough down, glancing out of the alley towards the street when she hears gunshots. "Hurry up." Adaline hisses at Glenn.

"I'm going as fast as I can." He retorts and she rolls her eyes before heading towards the entrance to the alley. "Ada, wait." Glenn says, rushing down the rest of the ladder to catch up to her, the two of them reaching the entrance at the same time as the man from the tank. "Whoa, not dead!" Glenn exclaims when faced with his gun.

"Rick?" The brunette asks incredulously.

"Ada." He says and she hesitates slightly before glancing past him. 

"Move. Everyone move." Adaline says, pushing both of them down the alley.

"Come on! Come on!" Glenn says, rushing them both as Adaline follows close behind them both. 

"Glenn, stop shouting come on! It's not making us move any faster!" Adaline says, ducking out of the way when Rick aims his gun at the walkers behind her. 

She stops at the ladder as Glenn climbs up it and Rick fires another shot down the alley. "Ada, go." Rick says and the brunette shrugs before grabbing the highest rung on the ladder she could reach, pulling herself up before climbing up as fast as she could to give Rick space to climb up behind her. 

"What are you doing? Come on!" Glenn shouts.

"Stop telling me to come on! It's not making me move any faster!" Adaline shouts back.

"I was talking to him!" Glenn responds. 

"Oh. Sorry!" She says before grabbing Glenn's offered hand when she reaches the platform, letting him pull her up, moving out of the way so Rick could get up too. 

"Come on, get up." Glenn says as he helps him before the two of them lean against the rail, Adaline looking between them both with a slight frown. 

"You two doing okay over there?" Adaline asks.

"Shut up, Ada." Glenn grumbles, leaning over the rail and the brunette chuckles softly. "Nice moves there, Clint Eastwood." Glenn adds, glancing at Rick. "You the new sheriff come riding in to clean up the town." He asks.

"It wasn't my intention." Rick responds.

"Yeah, whatever. Yeehaw. You're still a dumbass." Glenn says.

"Seconded, honestly." Adaline chimes in and Glenn glances at her. 

"How do you two know each other?" Glenn asks.

"She's my sister." Rick says. 

"Oh, this is your adoptive brother, Rick." Glenn fills in.

"How many Ricks do you think I know?" Adaline asks incredulously. "This is Glenn. He won't leave me alone." Adaline says.

"We're friends." Glenn says.

"I don't know you that well." Adaline says.

"I'll wear you down." Glenn says and she hums. 

"You're more than welcome to try." Adaline responds, patting his shoulder. 

"By the way, she wanted to leave you to die in that tank." Glenn says.

"I'm not exactly surprised." Rick responds and Adaline shrugs, glancing down briefly.

"Are they trying to climb up or is it just me?" Adaline asks as Rick puts his gun in Glenn's bag.

"Oh, no." Glenn says, looking down at walkers gathering.

"Just saying, if we sacrifice anyone, it should be Rick. We'd have more time to run than if either of us went down." Adaline says to Glenn.

"Ada, come on. Seriously." Glenn says and she shrugs as he glances up at the next ladder. "Bright side? It'll be the fall that kills us. I'm a glass half-full kinda guy." He says and she inclines her head briefly. 

"Yeah, if we don't land on the walkers and get eaten." Adaline says and he looks over at her incredulously. "What?" She asks and he sighs before starting to climb the ladder. "Oh, I was kidding!" She calls after him before following him up the ladder. 

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Adaline walks ahead of the two of them across to the roof of the other building, glancing back when Rick speaks, asking, "Are you the ones that barricaded the alley?" 

"Somebody did. I guess when the city got overrun. Whoever did it was thinking not many geeks would get through." Glenn says.

"Dumbass." Adaline mutters.

"Back at the tank, why'd you stick your necks out for me?" Rick asks.

"Mostly because Ada didn't want to." Glenn says.

"Well, fuck you too." Adaline responds, reaching down to pull up the hatch. 

"But," He says pointedly and the brunette just narrows her eyes at him. "Call it foolish, naïve hope that if I'm ever that far up shit creek, somebody might do the same for me. Guess I'm an even bigger dumbass than you." Glenn says as he starts climbing down the ladder.

"I'd definitely stop and think about it." Adaline says.

"That actually means a lot from you." Glenn says and she smiles.

"Can you be happy and move faster please? Because I'm honestly about to start shouting 'come on, come on' at you." Adaline says.

"And it's gone." Glenn says and she shrugs with an amused smile before he continues climbing down the ladder.

"Did you actually manage to make a friend?" Rick asks, looking at the brunette.

"Fuck you, I have plenty of friends. I have Glenn and Jason." Adaline says and Rick raises a brow. "No, that's the end of the list." She says and he hums. "Hey, that's already too many. I'm considering getting rid of Jason." She says before following Glenn down the ladder.

"Do we have to go back to everyone else? Merle's there." Adaline complains as they head through the building and down the steps on the other side.

"Yes." Glenn responds, lifting the radio. "We're back. Got a guest plus four geeks in the alley." Glenn says and Adaline rolls her eyes.

"You know, I have a crowbar." Adaline says.

"Are you crazy?" Glenn asks.

"No. But you all might be." Adaline says as two people run out of the store in full padding. "This is ridiculous. What do they think we do when we don't have them?" Adaline asks.

"They have to feel included somehow." Glenn whispers.

"So you admit it. They are just dead weight." She whispers back, pointing at him.

"Yes. But we can't do anything about it now." Glenn responds.

"I knew you were just as bad as me." She says.

"Ada, nobody is as bad as you." Glenn says and she rolls her eyes.

"Whatever." She says and the three of them run down into the alley and towards the now open door as the other two kill the two walkers. 

"Let's go!" Glenn calls over his shoulder.

"Don't make me say it!" Adaline responds.

"Not you!" He responds and she huffs as she steps through the door.

"Where have you two been?" Jason asks when he sees them. 

"On a roof." Adaline responds, gesturing over her shoulder.

"Why?" He asks.

"I don't like any of you being here." Adaline says with a shrug.

"Real nice, Ada." Andrea remarks and the brunette shrugs.

"I've been very clear about how stupid I think this is." She responds.

"You found Rick?" Jason asks.

"Oh, yeah. Hey, we found Rick." Adaline says dryly, pointing at him.

"Thanks, Ada." Jason says and she nods.

"No worries." She responds before frowning when Andrea pins Rick to a stack of boxes, pointing her gun at his head. "Andrea, you don't even know how to use that." Adaline says.

"Ada," Jason hisses.

"What? She doesn't." The brunette says.

"You son of a bitch. We ought to kill you." Andrea says.

"Good luck with that." Adaline mutters under her breath.

"Ada, she's pointing a gun at his head." Glenn whispers.

"Glenn, the safety's on." Adaline whispers back.

"Just chill out, Andrea. Back off." Morales says as he pulls off his helmet.

"Hey, why are you guys dressed like low budget hockey players?" Adaline asks, gesturing between Morales and T-Dog.

"Saving your ass from the geeks in the alley." T-Dog responds.

"Doesn't explain the padding and the helmets." Adaline says, shaking her head a little.

"Come on. Ease up." Jacqui says to the blonde.

"Ease up? You're kidding me, right? We're dead because of this stupid asshole." Andrea says.

"I mean, to be fair, if you guys didn't stop getting in our way, I think Ada was probably gonna kill you." Glenn says.

"He gets me." Adaline says, pointing at him briefly. 

"Guys," Jason shakes his head at them.

"It's true. Merle's gonna be the first to go. I'd happily handle the backlash from Daryl if I got to push Merle off the roof." Adaline says with a shrug.

"Andrea, I said back the hell off." Morales says, walking over to them. "Well, pull the trigger." He goads.

"If you're gonna pull the trigger, you might wanna turn the safety off." Adaline suggests.

"Ada!" Rick says and she shrugs.

"Just trying to help." The brunette responds before sighing. "People always tell me to be nicer and offer help but when I do, they never like what I have to say. I can't win." 

"Your help would have probably just gotten him killed. I think this time is kind of understandable." Glenn says.

"Such a double standard." She says, shaking her head and he clears his throat to mask a laugh.

"You're both ridiculous." Jason says.

"We're dead. All of us. Because of you." Andrea says.

"Well, if you were worried about dying, you probably shouldn't have come, Andrea." Adaline suggests.

"We're not gonna die." Glenn says.

"I know. We're not. She will." Adaline responds. 

"Ada, we've talked about this." Glenn says and she rolls her eyes.

"She might." Adaline says.

"Slightly better." He responds and she hums softly.

"I don't understand." Rick says, glancing around. 

"What else is new?" Adaline and Jason ask at the same time before looking at each other. 

"Don't do that! It makes me feel stupid." Adaline says, pointing at him and he throws his arms up with an offended frown on his face.

"Look, we came into the city to scavenge supplies." Morales says.

"Why's he taking over? We're supposed to be in charge." Adaline complains quietly. 

"Because they don't trust us to be in charge. That's the whole reason we were forced to bring them with us." Glenn responds.

"This is stupid." Adaline grumbles under her breath before the three of them move to follow everyone else. 

"You know what the key to scavenging is? Surviving! You know the key to surviving? Sneaking in and out, tiptoeing. Not shooting up the streets like it's the O.K. Corral." Morales says as they stop in the main area of the mall.

"Every geek for miles around heard you popping off rounds." T-Dog says.

"You just rang the dinner bell." Andrea says.

"Get the picture now?" Morales asks before a walker starts hitting a rock against the glass door and everyone rushes away from it.

"You people are such pussies!" Adaline says incredulously.

"Ada, what did we say?" Glenn asks.

"No, they are!" Adaline says. "So we have to kill a few walkers to get out of here. Who gives a fuck? Just nut up and do it. You think I carry a crowbar for fun? No! That shit's heavy. It's just useful for caving in skulls. Stop being such little bitches about it. You asked to come. Glenn and I were doing perfectly fine without you. But no, we get stuck in a supply closet for two days and suddenly we need six useless dead weights." Adaline complains angrily and Glenn sighs. 

"Six useless dead weights? Who saved your asses in that alley?" Andrea asks, turning to the brunette. 

"Oh, T and Morales killed two geeks we could have walked faster than! Congratulations, on earning your places." Adaline retorts incredulously. "You don't even know what the fucking safety on a gun is. You weren't exactly gonna get far shooting Rick in the face! God, who even gave you a gun?" Adaline asks.

"My father." Andrea responds.

"Well, the guy had a lot of blind faith in you magically figuring that shit out. I commend him for that. Brave stupidity. Because I wouldn't have given you a gun if there was a walker eating my goddamn arm and that was the only option!" Adaline snaps.

"Okay!" Glenn says, stepping between them.

"This is stupid! You all being here is gonna be what gets us killed. It's supposed to be a quick in and out. Emphasis on quick. You know what's quick? Two fast people. You know what's not quick? A fucking chorus line!" Adaline snaps impatiently. 

"That's a weird way of saying eight people." Jason remarks.

"That's the final number of dancers from A Chorus Line. She's made that comment a couple times." Glenn says quietly before looking at the brunette. "Maybe we should go take a few? Calm down a little?" He suggests and she glares at Andrea for a moment before turning and walking across the room with an impatient huff. "Proud of you!" He calls.

"Fuck off!" The brunette shouts back.

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Glenn nods a little before turning to look at everyone else. "She's not very happy with this whole arrangement. And she really doesn't like Merle." He says, holding his hands up briefly with a shrug before pausing. "Where is Merle?" He asks.

"On the-" Jason pauses, looking in the direction Adaline had walked off in. "On the roof. Which I think is where she's headed." He says. 

"I'm gonna go find her." Glenn says with a nod before walking off in the direction the brunette had gone and Rick looks at Jason.

"I don't know, man. She and Glenn were getting along within about five minutes of meeting. It's a little rude, really. Took me four months to get her to hold an actual conversation with me when I first met her." Jason says with a shrug. 

Glenn heads towards the stairwell, pausing at the bottom of it when he hears Adaline counting to herself quietly before heading around the corner, sighing softly when he sees her sitting on the floor before heading to sit down beside her. "Hey." He says.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you. I didn't mean it." She says.

"I know. It's okay." Glenn responds and she sighs softly. "You don't do well with big groups. I get that. It's a lot of people. And it's a lot of people you don't really like." He says as she picks at her nail. 

"It just that all they've been doing while we've been here is complaining about how many walkers there are. And how dangerous it is. And it's just always, 'oh, my god, we're gonna die'. And it's just-" She frowns at her hands slightly. "I don't understand why they offered to come if that was what they were worried about. It doesn't make any sense. And them just constantly complaining is driving me insane. There's infectious dead people walking around. What did they think it was gonna be like?" She says.

"Ada, I get it. Okay? I get why you're frustrated. You don't have to explain yourself." He says and she glances up at him briefly. "Hey, I don't like this either. Okay? I just don't have the nerve to say anything about it to their faces." He says and she smiles slightly.

"That's because you're a way better person than I am." Adaline responds.

"You're a much better person than you think you are." He says and she shakes her head a little. "You are. Difference between you and me is you've been through more than I have. So, we approach things differently." Glenn says.

"Bet you weren't happy when the world ended." She says.

"No. No, I was more concerned about making it out of my apartment alive." Glenn responds with a slight smile and she laughs softly. "Hey, don't forget, when we met, you saved my life." He says and she rolls her eyes.

"You could have walked away from that walker before it caught you even if it was half a foot away when you spotted it. One of its legs was broken. It was dragging one foot on the floor." Adaline says.

"Doesn't matter. You still killed it before it killed me." He says and she shakes her head slightly.

"You're ridiculous." She says.

"You're the one that willingly spends time alone with me." Glenn retorts.

"I think you'll find I came out here to sit in a corner alone." Adaline says.

"I was going to let you. But we were just concerned you'd gone to the roof to push Merle off it." Glenn says and she laughs slightly, shaking her head. 

"No, that's my next job. You wanna give me a hand?" She asks.

"Don't think we should piss Daryl off." Glenn says.

"Wimp." She says with a small smile.

"Hey, I have every right to be scared of him. He turned up with a crossbow." Glenn says.

"Why did that surprise everyone? Him and Merle are dodgy as fuck rednecks. Of course he has a crossbow. Merle's got a plastic baggie full of drugs in the seat of his bike." Adaline says.

"Why do you know that?" Glenn asks.

"Because he offered me meth." Adaline responds.

"You said no, right?" Glenn asks.

"Yes, Glenn. I turned down the meth." Adaline says.

"I'm just checking." He responds and she shakes her head slightly with a small smile before they both look up when they hear gun fire above them.

"Is that Merle?" She asks.

"I think so." Glenn responds.

"Should we go find out?" She asks, looking over at him.

"Probably." He responds and she hums before he gets up, offering her a hand, pulling her up to her feet.

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Her and Glenn rush up the stairs towards the roof, Adaline pushing open the door when they reach the top of the stairs, shaking her head when she sees Merle standing with one foot on the edge of the roof, shooting down at the street. "You better be killing things and not wasting valuable ammo, you piece of shit." Adaline calls as everyone rushes up the stairs behind him. 

"Let's just stay over here." Glenn suggests.

"Why?" She asks.

"Because it'd be really easy for you to push him off the roof right now." Glenn responds and she rolls her eyes.

"I wouldn't do it if he's making it easy for me." She argues, gesturing at him.

"Yeah, you would." Glenn says.

"Yeah, I definitely would." Adaline concedes as everyone else steps out onto the roof.

"Hey, Dixon, are you crazy?" Morales asks.

"Oh, jeez." Andrea says when Merle takes another shot.

"Why didn't you stop him?" T-Dog asks, looking at Adaline and Glenn.

"I'm not gonna run at the lunatic holding a gun. We have common sense." Adaline responds. "Besides, the walkers are all already at the door. All he's doing is taking some more out. If anything, he's actually being helpful for what I'm certain is the first time in his already too-long life." Adaline adds.

"Be nice." Glenn says.

"I don't want to." She responds, looking at him.

"Fair enough." He says and she smiles.

"Hey! You ought to be more polite to a man with a gun! Huh?" Merle says, pointing the gun towards them before jumping down off the wall. "Only common sense."

"Eat shit, Merle!" Adaline responds.

"Because that's so much better than running at him." Jason remarks and she shrugs.

"Man, you wasting bullets we ain't even got, man!" T-Dog says and Adaline frowns slightly, tilting her head.

"Pretty sure the second 'man' was totally unnecessary." She mutters to Glenn and he shrugs.

"And you're bringing even more of them down on our ass! Man, just chill." T-Dog says.

"Hey! Bad enough I've got this taco-bender on my ass all day. Now I'm gonna take orders from you?" Merle asks.

"Ah, blatant racism." Adaline mutters under her breath.

"I don't think so, bro. That'll be the day." Merle says.

"'That'll be the day?' You got something you want to tell me?" T-Dog asks.

"Hey, T-Dog, man, just leave it." Morales says.

"No." T-Dog responds, pointing at the man. 

"Alright? It ain't worth it." Morales says. "Now Merle, just relax, okay? We've got enough trouble." He adds and Adaline glances at Glenn when she sees him shift in her peripheral to see him shaking his head at Rick.

"You want to know the day?" Merle asks.

"Yeah." T-Dog prompts and Adaline sighs.

"I don't think this is going to end well." She mutters to Glenn and he shakes his head a little.

"I think you're probably right." Glenn responds.

"I'll tell you the day, Mr. 'Yo'." Merle says and Adaline frowns, tilting her head a little. "It's the day I take orders from a-"

"Mother-" T-Dog cuts himself off mid-word as he punches Merle and Adaline winces slightly.

"Hey, come on, Merle. That's enough." Morales says.

"Come on." Andrea exclaims and Adaline sighs, folding her arms over her chest as everyone starts shouting over each other before Rick attempts to intervene, just to get punched by Merle.

"Well, this is wonderful." Jason remarks.

"No it's not." Adaline says with a frown, glancing at him. 

"Sarcasm, Ada." Jason responds.

"Oh. Right." She mutters before wincing when Merle kicks T-Dog in the chest. "That looked like it hurt." Before Glenn rushes over with everyone else to help. "Are we supposed to be helping?" Adaline asks.

"Probably. But I don't really want to willingly walk in front of his fist." Jason responds.

"No. Me neither." Adaline says as everyone continues shouting over each other as Merle kicks T-Dog in the ribs before grabbing his shirt and punching him in the face. She glances over at Rick to see him slowly getting up before heading over to him, giving him a hand. "You good?" She asks.

"I'm fine." Rick responds.

"Then go stop him. As much as I'd like to, I have access to weapons and he will be getting permanently injured if I intervene. And people keep telling me I can't do that." Adaline says and Rick shakes his head at her.

"That was very mature of you. I'm proud." Jason says.

"Why, thank you." Adaline responds.

"Yeah! Alright! We're gonna have ourselves a little powwow, huh?" Merle says, getting up, holding his gun and Adaline raises a brow. "Talk about who's in charge." 

"I vote me. Anybody else?" He asks. "Huh? Democracy time, y'all. Show of hands, huh? All in favour? Huh?" Merle asks, holding his own hand up. "Come on. Let's see 'em. Oh, come on. All in favour?" Merle asks and everyone else slowly starts raising their hands. "Yeah, that's good. Now that means I'm the boss, right?" He asks before turning to look at Adaline and Jason. "How about you two?"

"Not a chance." Adaline responds.

"Ada," Glenn says pointedly.

"No." The brunette says. "You want me to put my hand up, come over here and make me. Either I put mine up or you lose yours." Adaline says.

"It's fine. Democracy. You're outnumbered." Merle says and she rolls her eyes as he turns back around. "Anybody else? Hmm? Anybody else got a problem with that?"

"Yeah." Rick says before hitting him in the face with the butt of the rifle as he turns, knocking him back before getting down to pin him as he cuffs him to the pipe to the side of them. 

"Who the hell are you, man?" Merle asks.

"Officer friendly." Rick responds and Adaline frowns.

"Good grief, that's possibly the stupidest thing I've ever heard him say." Adaline mutters to Jason and he nods.

"You might be right." He responds as Rick grabs Merle's pistol.

"Look here, Merle. Things are different now. There's only us and the dead. We survive this by pulling together, not apart." Rick says.

"Screw you, man." Merle responds. 

"I can see you make a habit of missing the point." Rick remarks.

"Yeah? Well, screw you twice." Merle says and Rick presses the pistol against Merle's temple.

"Ought to be polite to a man with a gun. Only common sense." Rick says.

"You wouldn't. You're a cop." Merle says.

"All I am anymore is a man looking for his wife and son. Anybody that gets in the way of that is gonna lose." Rick says and Adaline pauses before looking at Jason.

"Should we have told him already?" She whispers quietly to Jason and he narrows his eyes slightly with a pause.

"Nah, let him find out when we get back. He saw us and didn't ask. Besides, it'll be a nice surprise." Jason mutters and she shrugs as Rick gets up to his feet.

"What are you gonna do? Arrest me?" Merle asks before Rick throws whatever it was he'd grabbed off Merle off the roof. "Hey! What are you doing? Man, that was my stuff! Hey! If I get loose, you'd better pray. Yeah, you hear me, you pig? You hear me?" Merle shouts

"Yeah, your voice carries." Rick remarks as he walks past Adaline and Jason. 

"Do you hear me, you filthy pig?" Merle shouts and Adaline rolls her eyes.

"Merle, shut the fuck up." Adaline snaps impatiently.

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