Clementine goes after Gabe alone

Clementine

"David took him!" Clementine cried out as the blue truck sped away.

Kate stepped forward, "We can't wait any longer. We have to go help Richmond. I'm getting on the bulldozer."

"But Gabe!"

Kate cut her off. "Gabe wanted to go! He did! We all heard it!"

Clementine lowered her gaze, "You're... you're right." It was true. Gabe said he would go with David, but still... the way the situation had played out was just wrong, it made her uneasy. Maybe she could have understood Kate's point of view if she had seen Gabe getting into the truck with David,safely driving away; if she had been able to give him a proper goodbye. But after watching David try to kill his brother, smack Gabe in the face with a wrench, slam the garage door shut in their faces, and recklessly speed away, taking her friend with him? There was no way that could end well.

"I'm going to save Richmond. Someone has to."

Kate had made her decision, and now it was time for Clementine to make one of her own. She scanned the lot, her eyes resting on a motorcycle. "I'll use that motorcycle and go after Gabe." she turned to Javi. "Javi, you should help Kate." As much as she would have liked to have Javi with her, Kate's plan sounded like a suicide mission. She would need all the help that she could get.

Javi moved towards her, shaking his head. "What about you Clem?"

"I can take care of myself." she said fiercely.

"We're out of time!" Kate shouted.

Clementine returned her focus to her Javi. "Javi... I'm sorry. I've been here before. More than once." she paused, thinking back to all the people she had lost over the years. She couldn't help but wonder if they could have survived if she had taken different actions, made different choices. She looked up at him sadly, "It's not going to end well for everyone." And it wasn't. There was no way they would all make it out alive. "You have to decide." Javi stood, frantically looking back and forth between herself and Kate. Clementine could tell that he had no idea where to go, and how could he? How could he make a choice that could be life or death for one of his loved ones? "It's hard to be caught in the middle, I know that. Don't worry about me, Javi! I'll be okay! We're running out of time!"

Javi lowered his voice, "I can't let Kate go on her own, it's too dangerous. I'm going with Kate to save the city."

"Okay. I understand." But she didn't... Not really. Even though Clem herself had suggested that Javi go with Kate, a small part of her had hoped he would side with her. She knew it was stupid, why would he pick a girl he had only known for a few days over someone he had spent years with? But still, Clementine was going after his brother and nephew-- his own flesh and blood, Kate was risking her neck to try to save a community that had done nothing but hurt them.

It sort of made sense to split up, to make sure all grounds were covered, but she was only thirteen! How was she going to rescue Gabe? She had become pretty tough over the years, but who knew what she might have to go through to get to him? She could get caught in the middle of the herd and that would be it. No one would ever know what happened to her, she would just cease to exist. Her life would end and a monstrous being would take over her body. She would become the thing she hated most of all.

Javi looked back at her, clearly displeased with the situation they had been forced into. "Be careful out there, Clem."

"You too," she glanced at Kate. "Both of you." She lingered for a moment as Javi began pulling rifles out of the lockers behind him. Clementine took a deep breath. There was no turning back.

She she jumped onto the motorcycle and pushed down the gas pedal as far as it would go, speeding in the direction she had seen the truck drive off in. She squinted at the road and saw a trail of mangled walkers lining the road. David had left her a path to follow.