<3rd Person Pov>
The car rolled down the empty road. Rick kept his eyes forward, both hands steady on the wheel. Beside him, Shane leaned against the passenger window, his jaw tight, gaze fixed on a lone walker walking along the grassy field.
In the back seat, Itachi sat still with his eyes closed, his head resting lightly against the headrest.
Rick's eyes flicked towards Shane, then back to the road. He drew in a breath, slow and heavy.
"Shane," he said quietly. "When we get back… we should talk. Brother to brother."
Shane turned slightly surprised.
"If this is about Randall, there's no need," he said, with a sharp voice. "I get it, man. I really do. Kid was passed out when y'all brought him back."
Rick cut him off before he could keep going.
"This ain't about Randall." His voice was firmer now. "It's about everything that's been goin' on. And I mean it. I want to sit down and talk it out."
He paused, the car rolling on in silence for a beat. Then he glanced at Shane again.
"Like we used to."
Shane stared at him. After a long second, he gave the smallest nod.
"Alright," he said, voice quieter than before.
Rick looked back at the road, his grip tightening just a little on the wheel.
In the back, Itachi's eyes opened slowly. He said nothing, but he watched the reflection of the two men in the rearview mirror before closing his eyes again.
The car slowed to a stop in front of the Merle County Department of Public Works. A tall chain-link fence stretched across the entrance. Behind it, a wide lot sat in silence, with an old bus parked off to the side.
Rick killed the engine and stepped out first, eyes sweeping the lot. Shane followed, resting a hand on his holster, his gaze drifting across the bus parked crooked near the side. Itachi slid out last, following quietly behind.
"This'll do," Shane muttered, scanning the area.
Rick gave a short nod. "We'll leave the boy here. Maybe scavenge some supplies while we're at it."
From around the bus, a walker shambled into view, dragging its feet.
Rick nodded towards it. "There."
Shane already had his pistol up, aiming through the fence. Rick placed a hand firmly on his shoulder.
"Wait. We ought to learn somethin' from him."
His eyes flicked towards Itachi, who stood a few feet back, watching with all the interest of a man forced to sit through a rerun.
Rick pulled his knife. The walker slammed against the fence, teeth snapping, fingers clawing through the wire. One sharp thrust, and the blade pierced the walker's skull. The body sagged down the fence and slid to the ground.
Rick wiped the knife on his jeans and glanced back at Shane. "Gun's quick. Easy. But it draws more of 'em. There's other ways to do it."
Another set of footsteps dragged against the asphalt. Rick pointed.
"One more. Your turn."
Shane's jaw flexed. He hesitated, then shoved his pistol back into its holster. Knife in hand, he waited until the walker pressed against the fence. In one quick move, he stepped up and drove the blade through the chain-link into its forehead. The body slumped against the gate and slid to the ground.
Rick gave a small nod and unlatched the fence. The three of them slipped through, scanning the empty lot until it was clear.
When they circled back to the car, Itachi wordlessly popped the trunk. Randall lay there curled inside, wrists tied behind his back, a black bag pulled over his head.
Shane grabbed under one arm while Itachi took the other, hauling him up by the armpits. Randall stumbled as they dragged him across the asphalt into the center of the lot.
Shane ripped the bag from his head and tore the tape off his mouth. Randall blinked against the daylight, his face twisting in confusion.
"What the hell is this?" His voice cracked.
No one answered. They turned and started walking back without a word.
Randall's breathing hitched, panic rising. "Oh, come on—don't be stupid! I owe you guys! I can help protect what you've got!"
Boots kept crunching over gravel. No reply.
"You saved me just to leave me here? That's a death sentence!" His voice pitched higher, desperation clawing at his throat. "One guy—one guy can't make it alone! That's why I was with those dudes! I didn't have a choice!"
Rick stopped. He pulled his knife from his belt, flipped it once, and let it clatter onto the ground between them.
Randall flinched, eyes darting to the blade and back at Rick.
"Don't be stupid!" he pleaded, voice shaking. "I'm not like them. I'm just… some guy. I used to watch football and screw around online. Lived with my mom!" His chest heaved. "I lost her, same as you lost people!"
His voice broke harder. "I went to school with Maggie, for God's sake!"
That made Rick and Shane freeze.
Randall saw it—saw the crack—and kept clawing at it. "I went to church! Rode the bench on varsity baseball!"
Rick's face tightened, his voice sharp. "You went to school with Maggie?"
Shane stormed back towards Randall. "You go to school with Maggie? Answer the damn question!"
Randall shook his head frantically, words tumbling too fast to catch. "I—I… she didn't know me! Didn't even know I existed! But I knew her. I knew her dad. I swear, I would never hurt her—never hurt her family!"
Rick's hand tightened around the knife hilt at his belt. His voice was barely a whisper. "Jesus…"
Shane's face twisted. He ripped his pistol free, eyes blazing. "He's a threat!"
Itachi finally stepped forward, his voice cutting through like steel. "Not yet."
Shane snapped his head towards him. "You out of your goddamn mind?"
Itachi didn't blink. "We need to know if more people know about Maggie. If he told anyone. If his group knows where the farm is. After that, you can do whatever you want with him."
Randall lurched forward onto his knees, shaking violently. "I didn't tell anyone! I swear, nobody knows! Please—don't kill me! Please!"
Shane aimed lower, finger brushing the trigger, breathing hard.
Rick finally broke from the shock. His voice was steady, but his eyes were still shaken. "He's right. We don't know who else knows. We have to bring him back."
The silence stretched. Shane's eyes darted between them, rage simmering, his chest heaving. Then, with a sharp breath, he shoved the pistol back into his holster.
"Fine." He just turned around and started heading back towards the car without another word.
Randall collapsed forward, his bound arms twisting awkwardly behind him as he hit the ground chest-first. Tears cut messy tracks through the dust as he writhed helplessly, his voice breaking into frantic sobs.
"I don't wanna die out here! Please—don't do this!" he gasped, choking on his own panic. His body jerked against the restraints like he could claw his way free, but the ropes only bit deeper into his wrists. He kicked at the ground, twisting, thrashing, but there was nowhere to go, no escape.
The car pulled up the dirt path and rolled to a stop in front of the farmhouse. Everyone was already waiting, gathered in a loose cluster near the porch, tension hanging heavy in the air.
Itachi was the first one out. Amy took a step forward, worry plain on her face. He gave her the faintest smile, then a small shake of his head. She stopped where she was, just watching him, her eyes following as he moved towards the trunk.
Without another word, he popped the trunk open. Randall was inside, curled and bound. Itachi motioned to Daryl. He didn't ask a single question, just came over without hesitation. Together, they hooked under Randall's arms and started dragging him across the dirt towards the old shed.
Rick had stepped out by then, his eyes going to the rest of the group. "We need to talk. All of us." His voice was low but carried enough weight to get them moving.
He led them a little further out, away from the farmhouse and the shed, until they were in a clear patch near the RV. Shane stayed at his side, arms crossed.
Andrea, Glenn, Carol, Dale, Jenner, T-Dog, Jacqui, and Jim drifted in closer, forming a rough circle. Amy lingered back with the kids and the Greene family near the porch.
Rick stood in the center, hands on his hips for a moment before dropping them. His eyes swept the circle.
"That boy," he started, his voice low, "knows Maggie."
The reaction was instant. Eyes widened. Andrea swore under her breath. Jenner looked down, lips pressed thin. Carol's hand shot to her mouth.
Glenn stepped forward first, face pale. "Wait—what? He knows Maggie?"
Rick gave a tight nod.
Glenn's voice cracked higher, urgent. "So what does that mean? Are we keeping him here?"
Rick shook his head slightly. "We don't know yet. But we'll find out soon."
No one spoke after that. The circle stayed silent, each of them caught in their own thoughts about what came next.
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🧪 Author's Note:
Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Let me know your thoughts on the story and the character interactions down in the comments — I always love reading your reactions.
Big thanks to everyone for the support and for sticking with this fanfic. Couldn't do it without you. It really means a lot.
Thanks again for reading 🖤