"I think you should rest," I said. "Stop walking so much, or I'm not massaging your leg again."
Clementine gave me a sheepish smile. "I can walk as much as I want. And… so that you know, my leg wasn't actually hurting. I just said that so I could spend more time with you."
I couldn't help but smile.
"You're not going to say anything?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I already knew."
Clementine blinked, startled. "Wait...you knew? Then why did you go along with it?"
I looked at her for a moment before answering.
"Because I like massaging you," I said calmly. "And you know I'm the best at it."
She nodded slightly, trying very hard not to look pleased with herself.
"Both of you...we're still here," Molly cut in, waving her hand between us. "Don't forget about the rest of us."
For a moment, Clementine and I just stared at her.
We had completely forgotten they were standing there.
"Sorry about that," Clementine said, looking a little embarrassed.
Molly laughed. "Relax, Clem. I'm just messing with you." She turned toward me. "Anyway, I've got something to talk to you about...the mission."
I nodded.
While Molly and I began discussing the assignment I'd given them, Clementine quietly walked over to Michonne and started asking her questions about pregnancy.
"So... you found the prison?" I asked.
Molly nodded and handed me a folder. "Yeah. Just like you described. Big fences, guard towers. The whole deal, it matches everything you told us to look for."
I opened the folder and studied the photograph inside.
The moment I saw it, recognition hit me.
The prison.
The same prison I remembered.
"That's good," I said, closing the folder. "Get a five-person team ready. I'm heading there now and tell Andrea to come with us, I don't want them thinking we're enemies."
"Okay, Boooosss," Molly replied sarcastically, giving an exaggerated salute.
"Just get out of here," I said, waving her away.
As Molly walked off, Clementine watched her for a moment before turning back to me.
"Where's she going?"
"She's gathering the team," I said. "I'll be leaving soon."
Clementine frowned slightly. "Then come back soon, okay? I was planning to cook something tonight."
I smiled faintly and shook my head.
"I might be gone for a few weeks."
Her eyes widened.
"A few weeks? Seriously? Where are you going?"
Seeing the worry in her expression, I gently took her hand.
"I got some information about my dad's whereabouts," I told her. "I need to check it out, but I'll come back as soon as I can."
Clementine didn't look convinced.
"Hey," I said softly. "I'll be fine, don't worry so much, besides..."
I reached into my pocket and showed her the lucky cat necklace she had given me.
"I've still got this. That's got to count for something."
She looked down at it and gave a faint smile.
"Yeah… " It's better," she muttered.
Then she looked back up at me, her voice quiet but firm.
"Just be careful. And don't take forever coming back."
I nodded.
Then I leaned forward and kissed her goodbye.
---
I headed toward the main gate where a Humvee waited.
The vehicle had a mounted machine gun on the roof, its metal frame glinting in the morning sun. The sight of it made me smile.
It was one of the vehicles we had recovered from the military base, along with twelve more Humvees, three tanks, crates of weapons, mountains of ammunition, military gear, and even a few RPGs.
We could have taken more.
But by the time we reached the base, most of the equipment had already been transferred to other military camps when the outbreak began.
Still, what we salvaged was more than enough.
Five soldiers stood lined up beside the Humvee.
The moment they saw me, they shouted in unison.
"My Lord!"
Their salutes snapped through the air.
I returned it.
Each of them wore full military gear. Beneath their armor, however, was something far more valuable: special cut-resistant clothing. The material was designed to resist knives… and even walker bites.
Unfortunately, we had very little of it.
So only our best soldiers were allowed to wear it.
"Chicken," I said, turning to the team leader. "Is everything ready for the trip?"
He was about forty years old.
His nickname was Chicken.
Not because he was a coward.
In fact, he was one of the bravest fighters in the entire Blood Angel community.
The reason he earned that nickname was much stranger.
He was absolutely terrified of actual chickens.
"Yes, my Lord," he replied with a slight bow. "Everything is ready."
"Everything is prepared for you to go," Molly said from behind me.
I turned.
"I also loaded your bike into the Humvee," she added.
"That's good," I replied.
Then I noticed someone standing nearby.
"But why is he here?"
I pointed toward the priest.
"Don't ask me," Molly said with a shrug. "He wanted to come with you."
Father Basil stepped forward and respectfully bowed his head.
"Hello, my Lord. I will be joining you, I hope you will allow it."
I sighed quietly.
I never quite knew what to do with this priest.
On one hand, he was useful.
On the other hand, he was unbelievably persistent, always following me around like a loyal dog that refused to leave.
"I'm heading outside the walls," I told him. "It's dangerous, you could die, so stay here for your own safety."
"My Lord," he said calmly, "with you here, I fear nothing."
That was exactly the problem.
"…Fine," I said after a moment. "Come along. Just don't be a burden."
"I will not disappoint you, my Lord."
Soon after, Andrea arrived, slightly out of breath.
"Sorry, my Lord... I'm late."
Her helmet was loose, and the night-vision goggles hanging from it weren't secured properly.
She must have rushed all the way here.
I nodded and gathered everyone together before explaining the plan.
Soon after, the gates of the Blood Angel community slowly opened.
Our convoy rolled out of the valley and onto the open road.
The world outside had changed.
Nature was reclaiming everything.
Grass pushed through cracked asphalt, vines crawled over abandoned houses, trees grew through rusting cars, and collapsed buildings.
The old world was slowly being swallowed.
We drove along the highway for most of the day.
Even as night fell, we still had a long way to go.
Eventually, we pulled off the road and made camp deep in the woods.
At dawn, we continued the journey.
As the Humvee rumbled forward, I couldn't stop the feeling building inside my chest.
Excitement.
Soon… I might finally see my father again.
My uncle, too.
If everything happened the way I remembered, they should be in prison.
With Rick Grimes.
But the world had already changed so much.
Things were different now.
And because of that…
I couldn't be sure anymore.
All I could do was hope they were still there.