Michonne's grip tightened around Andrea's hand as she noticed the sword blocking her path.
"I've killed too many people today, don't you think?" I said calmly. "Why don't we just sit and talk?"
Her vigilance around me made it clear she knew exactly what I was capable of. Her eyes flicked briefly toward the bed.
"Are you done?" I asked the nurse who had just pulled the bullet from my left shoulder.
"Not yet, sir. I still need to dress the wound."
The bleeding had already stopped, which didn't surprise her. She was aware of my accelerated healing ability.
"Ask what you need to ask," Michonne said impatiently, though I sensed the fear she was trying to conceal. "Then we're leaving."
She still hadn't become the hardened Michonne from the later seasons.
I turned to Andrea. "Tell me everything you know—where the farm is located, how many people were there, how you survived. Don't leave out any details."
She glanced at Michonne, then back at me, before beginning her explanation.
The farm was located in Senoia, Georgia. From the original group, only a handful had survived. Beth, T-Dog, Hershel, Lori, and her unborn child were all dead.
The Walking Dead universe had changed dramatically. My knowledge of the future no longer felt reliable with so many deviations from the original timeline. I wondered whether they would ever find the prison—or if it was even worth searching for now.
The nurse finished dressing my wound.
Andrea looked at me and asked, "We're both looking for the group. Can we help each other?"
"We don't even know where to start," I replied. "How do you plan to find them?"
"Well," she said confidently, "they probably didn't go far from the farm. We could check nearby settlements. There's a strong chance they're hiding in one."
I agreed—it was the most logical approach.
"You don't look well," I added, studying her more closely. "What happened to you?"
She hesitated before answering. I already suspected the reason.
"As usual, we were fishing at a lake about forty or fifty miles from here," she said. "We were attacked by a group called the Collectors. They take body parts as souvenirs before eating their victims. They took my arm… and one of Michonne's ears."
Andrea glanced at Michonne's missing ear. "Somehow, we managed to escape their camp and came here so I could treat my wound."
I had heard of the Collectors. Their leader, known as the Butcher, had once been part of the Hunters. Recently, they had been terrorizing several camps. Bounties had already been placed on them—one of the reasons I had come here in the first place.
"Can you tell me where they're located?" I asked.
"I don't remember the exact location," Andrea replied, "but I can show you."
"Perfect," I said. "Stay here for a couple of days—on me. We're preparing to hunt them down, and your guidance would be invaluable."
"I'd love to help," she said without hesitation. "Those bastards need to pay for what they did to me and my friend."
As I was about to ask more, Michonne leaned toward Andrea and whispered, "What are you doing? We need to leave. I don't trust this boy."
"He seems decent," Andrea whispered back. "And where else can we go? This place is safe. We're exhausted from running. Let's rest for a few days."
They continued whispering, though I could hear every word. Eventually, Andrea convinced Michonne to stay.
"Give yourself five credits, and thank you," I said politely to the nurse.
"No problem, sir," she replied cheerfully before heading back into the stall.
"Well, you seem to be fine now," came Robert's voice from behind me.
I turned to see Robert and Daniel walking toward me.
"Alright, I won't waste your time. Let's talk business," Robert said, getting straight to the point.
"Go ahead," I replied.
"Based on information from our scouts, there's a large horde of undead about thirty to forty miles away," Robert said gravely. "It's estimated to be ten to eleven thousand strong and is moving in this direction. If we don't act now, it could grow into the hundreds of thousands."
He paused, scanning the tense room, before continuing. "Before that happens, we need to break the horde apart. That's why the four communities are holding a meeting tomorrow at the office. I hope you'll be there."
One of the main reasons these communities had survived so long was their refusal to let walker herds form unchecked. Hunters were routinely hired to clear surrounding areas, preventing smaller groups from merging into something far more dangerous.
However, when a massive horde began moving toward their territory, everything changed. Every nearby settlement came together to confront the threat. Their best fighters would gather in one place—not to eliminate every walker, but to fracture the horde, divert it away from their communities, and destroy it gradually over time.
That strategy had worked until now, and the communities were still standing.
"I'll be there," I said calmly.
"I'm coming too," Clementine said, her eyes locking onto mine. "And don't even try to stop me—I am coming."
I let out a long sigh and nodded. That only made her smile as she turned to Molly.
"Are you coming along, Molly?"
"Of course," Molly replied with a grin. "I'm the scout. How do you expect to get there if I don't show you the way?"
I turned back to Robert. "I found information about the Collectors—and their camp location."
Robert smiled. "That's excellent news. How did you get that information?"
His curious gaze followed my gesture toward Michonne and Andrea.
"Oh," he said, studying the two women. "So they know about the Collectors."
He stepped forward. "Hello. I'm Robert—one of the leaders here. If you help us eliminate that barbaric group, we'll be very grateful. And, of course, we're willing to pay you for your help."
Michonne remained silent, allowing Andrea to answer Robert and Daniel's questions.
After a moment, Daniel spoke. "From the look of it, both of you are skilled fighters. How would you feel about serving as guards? In return, we'll provide three meals a day and a place to stay."
His gaze lingered, especially on Michonne.
The two women exchanged quiet words before Michonne finally spoke.
"We're willing to join—but only on one condition. If we don't like what we see, we're free to leave whenever we want."
Robert and Daniel exchanged looks.
"We don't usually allow that," Daniel said at last. "But we're short on manpower. We'll agree—on the condition that you inform us at least a week in advance before leaving your post."
Both women nodded.
"Good," Daniel said. "Head to the weapons shop and collect your supplies. Hand this over—they'll know what to do. As for the Collectors, we'll discuss that next week."
He handed each of them a slip of paper. Andrea and Michonne studied it, clearly unsure.
"If you're wondering where the weapons shop is, we can take you there," Clementine said cheerfully. "We're heading that way anyway. Come on."
Both women nodded, and together, we headed toward the weapons shop.