The General's Daughter

Chapter 8

We just stared each other down. But he was different. He wasn't testing me like I was prepared for him to do. Without me even saying anything the first man set his gun on the ground and backed away. He took a deep breath, not once breaking eye contact.
     "I'll do whatever you ask. Just don't hurt him."
     "Then answer my question." I loosened up on the shorter one. To him it could be a chance to get away. But all three of us knew I was faster.
     "We've been watching you for a while. Trying to see what you were like.. We have someone back at the community we're from. You act a lot like him. Which means you're military. Trained to survive." He paused, choosing his next words carefully. "That means you're smart. But it also means you don't want to hurt anyone unless provoked. We weren't going to hurt you."
     "I'm also smart enough to see you didn't give me a straight answer, and changed the subject."
     "So I'm guessing you're higher ranked than we originally thought. Corporal?  Drill sergeant?" He must have seen my slight tenseness at the last word. "Master Sergeant?" He got his answer when I automatically stood straight and gave him my full attention. "Alright Sarge. Mind if we call you that? I'm Aaron, and my partner you got a hold of is Eric."
I heard the rustling before they did. Knew one was coming. Eric happened to have a knife on him that I took hold of as a walker started to Aaron. With one swift movement, I let go of Eric and threw his knife.

By the time Aaron turned around to thank me, I was gone.
...

I sat in the loft of the barn, absentmindedly stabbing my knife into the wood. It was a good place to stay the night. I thought over what Aaron had been talking about. He said they had been watching me. It was obviously long enough for them to figure out that I was in the military and not just wearing the jacket. But they didn't catch the name. There was grime over it that I hadn't bothered to wipe off. Letting out a deep breath I ran my fingers through my hair. I almost wished Merle was still here. At that thought I burst out laughing. I wished for a dead man from my imagination to still be here. But I wasn't in as bad of shape as I had been concerning my head wound. Now it was my side and arm I was mostly worried about. I had used my left hand to throw Eric's knife. That resulted in several cuts to have reopened that I had gotten on the journey here.

I knew now why exactly I had seen Merle and not Dan. It had been years since I lost Dan, but him being dead was just a fact of life now. Merle was connected to one person who wouldn't get out of my head. His little asshole brother, Daryl. I didn't know if the only surviving Dixon still thought of me, or was convinced I was dead. But I knew, He'd be one to survive. My only hope was that he was taking care of my little girl like I had asked.

Suddenly the sound of hushed voices caused me to pull my legs onto the loft and lay low.
     "Aaron. The blood drops end in this area." I could only assume it was Eric.
     "I know. But remember what the General said? It could be a trick." He paused and I spotted their forms just outside the slightly opened door.
     "Yeah I do remember. But Rhoady said that military people know how to make things real clear when they don't wanna be found. I just don't want us taking on more than we can handle." I stiffened at the words.
     "Eric. She's hurt. Needs somewhere to stay. Besides, you know just as well as I do how much we need someone like her."
There was a silent agreement between them before one walked away. Next thing I knew the door was being opened.
     "I feel stupid for doing this, but I have a feeling you might be in here. At the community we come from, there are two people who were in the Military too. We need more people like you. Sarge I can see you didn't want to hurt Eric. All is forgotten."
There was a groan that suddenly became a snarl as a walker made its way through the barn door. I watched at Aaron backed up. In those few moments it was clear he didn't have a weapon. The walker pinned him to the wall as he just hardly kept it back. Pain shot up through my body, but the snarls abruptly stopped as I put the damned thing out of it's misery.

Aaron stopped flinching, and let out a breath. He just started wide eyed at me for several moments.  He let out a breath.
     "Thank you." I flinched and almost pinned him to the wall when he extended his hand. "Alright." He put his hands up and backed away. "My fault." He paused. "Will you come?"
     "I need to think." I turned my back on him which would be a slap in the face to any man. A clear statement that I wasn't scared of him. But my shoulders were tense, and Sam use to tease me that I always had eyes in the back of my head. The poor bastard wasn't wrong. I remembered the kid when we had first met, stuck on the same team as recruits, but he was younger. I also could never get it out of my head that gunshot that rang through the air, the last of the night aimed at a living person after the fall of the prison. The shot that ended his life. I shook my head.
     "Alexandria offers safety, and medical supplies to get you fixed up. Some of us are like family to each other there."
Family. The word hit me like a punch that knocked the breath out of me and sent me straight to my ass. That was one thing I didn't have any longer, and probably wouldn't get back.
     "I'm not ready..." I mutter before turning on my heel. "Hell I ain't fit, to be in your little make shift paradise. You're lookin into the eyes of a killer. Someone who couldn't protect her own family. And you still want that? Hell who's to know you ain't just leading me off?" I looked into his eyes and straightened up while shaking my head. "I could just kill you now and your people will only think a damn Walker got to you." Pausing I tested his patience as I paced around him. "But you already know."
Aaron stayed silent, he watched me with a curious pity.  "You seem like a good person. But I don't think you want me in there. But you two are good at what you do. You need backup out here I can help. But I need a big more proof."

And I got exactly what I asked for. Aaron showed me pictures of the place he spoke of along with people. It wasn't long before I was convicted he and Eric were worth backing up.