The plan began an hour later.
Everyone stood near the back entrance of the department store.
A dead walker lay on a plastic sheet in the center of the room.
Jackson looked down at it and grimaced.
"Man… this is the worst idea ever."
Ramirez nodded.
"Agreed."
Glenn handed out pieces of cloth.
"Use these."
Rick stepped forward first.
He took a deep breath.
Then began spreading walker blood on his jacket.
Carl's face briefly flashed in his mind.
If this worked… he would see his son again.
Andrea hesitated before doing the same.
Amy looked pale.
Merle refused entirely.
"I ain't doing that."
Ghost didn't argue.
Instead he walked over.
In one quick movement he handcuffed Merle to a metal pipe beside the stairwell.
Merle exploded in anger.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
Ghost spoke calmly.
"You refuse cooperation."
Merle struggled against the cuffs.
"You can't leave me here!"
Ghost ignored him.
Rick stepped closer.
"We'll come back for you."
Merle glared at them.
"You better."
Meanwhile the others finished preparing.
Within minutes the group smelled exactly like the walkers outside.
Glenn looked around nervously.
"Well… here goes nothing."
Ghost opened the door.
The sounds of the street flooded inside.
Walkers shuffled slowly between the cars.
Rick stepped out first.
The walkers turned toward him.
But instead of attacking…
They simply groaned and continued wandering.
The smell worked.
Glenn whispered.
"Don't make sudden movements."
The group slowly walked through the street.
Walkers passed within inches of them.
Amy nearly panicked when one brushed her shoulder.
Andrea grabbed her arm.
"Stay calm."
Ghost moved at the front of the group.
Watching.
Analyzing.
Guiding them through the horde.
Halfway down the street thunder suddenly rumbled overhead.
Rain began falling.
Rick looked up in horror.
"That's not good."
The rain slowly began washing away the walker blood.
One walker suddenly stopped.
It sniffed the air.
Then looked directly at Glenn.
Glenn whispered.
"…Uh oh."
The walker lunged.
Everything exploded into chaos.
"Run!"
The group sprinted toward the truck parked at the end of the street.
Walkers followed behind them.
Rick reached the vehicle first and jumped inside.
Glenn slammed the door behind him.
Cole fired several shots to clear the road.
Ghost climbed into the back just as Ramirez floored the accelerator.
The truck sped away through the ruined streets of Atlanta.
Behind them the walkers slowly faded into the distance.
Glenn laughed nervously.
"I cannot believe that worked."
Rick leaned back in his seat.
"That was insane."
Cole glanced toward Ghost.
"You just saved all of us."
Ghost didn't answer.
Instead he looked toward the highway leading out of the city.
Somewhere beyond those roads waited a survivor camp.
A quarry.
And the people who would become their new family.
Including:
Lori Grimes
Carl Grimes
Carol Peletier
Sophia Peletier
And very soon…
Ghost would change the fate of one of them forever.