It Comes With The Name

Chapter 15: Secrets Get You Killed

The following morning Lauren, Rick, Shane, and Jimmy stood around the truck once again, the same way they had yesterday, theorizing possible routes Sophia could have taken.

"So what, you think she took this road here and then she went north?" Shane asked, running his finger along one of the lines on the map.

"Yeah." Rick nodded, turning to Jimmy. "What's up that way?"

"A housing development." The boy responded after thinking for a moment. "It went in maybe 10 years ago."

"Take a run up there after gun practice." Rick told Shane. He had somehow managed to convince Hershel to allow a day of gun training further out on the property. "I'll hold down the fort here but take a partner. After what happened with Daryl yesterday I don't want anyone going out alone. We stay in pairs."

Glenn approached the group, carrying a basket of peaches. Lauren absentmindedly grabbed one from the basket as she continued listening to the men talk.

Shane grabbed one as well, taking a bite before saying, "I'll take suggestions on a partner."

"See how they do on the range and then take your pick." Rick shrugged and took a peach as well, nodding to Glenn. "Thanks."

Lauren had given up volunteering herself at this point. She knew no matter how good she was on the range, Rick and Shane would do everything in their power to keep her safe and back at the camp. Shane looked at Glenn expectantly. Glenn, who had been nervously eyeing Lori from across the camp, froze like a deer in headlights when he turned back to see everyone looking at him.

"My binoculars?" Shane asked, pointing to the binoculars hanging around Glenn's neck.

"Right, yeah." Glenn set down the basket, fumbling with the binoculars. He took them off and handed them to Shane before picking up the peach basket again and hurrying off. "Okay, bye."

Lauren furrowed her brow as she watched Glenn walk away. He had been noticeably more fidgety than usual. Last night Lauren had seen him come back to camp after dark looking pretty shaken up and he had seemed to be avoiding her all morning.

What the hell is going on with him?

She didn't have time to dwell on it. She turned her head to see Beth and Patricia walking towards the group. Beth gave Lauren a bright smile and Lauren returned it. This girl really was the sweetest. The women approached and Beth turned her attention to Rick.

"We'd like to join you for gun training today." She said timidly.

Rick shook his head. "Hershel's been very clear. I can't involve any of you in what we do without his okay."

"He doesn't like it, but he consented." She told him. Rick glanced at Lauren who shrugged. How was she supposed to know anything? She couldn't say with 100% certainty that it was true, but Beth didn't strike her as someone who would lie.

"Otis was the only one who knew guns." Patricia explained. "Now that he's...gone, we gotta learn to protect ourselves. Her father saw the sense in that."

"No offense, but I'll ask Hershel myself." Rick said. The women nodded, understandingly. Before anyone could speak any further, Shane came jogging up from the RV where he had apparently wandered off.

"Rick, man...we got a problem."

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Carl had somehow managed to get ahold of one of the guns from the RV. And not just any gun, Lauren's semi-automatic. Both Lori and Lauren were understandably pissed.