Episode 4: The Compound

Jack drives the truck fast down the main highway back to where it all started and ended, the ride was pretty silent for the most part. Sarah looked out the window thinking about what Jax said back at Fort Cambell, she wonders if Dex really could be out there or not. Lamar sits in the bed of the truck with Will, Lamar is reading an old comic from Willmington, Will just stares at the cars and trees that they pass and the occasional walker feeding on something. Jack turns to Sarah for a brief moment and then says, "When we get there, we'll finally get some answers, maybe we'll know if Dex made it or not." Sarah didn't respond, but she acknowledged what he said, she continued to look at the sky above them. Jack took a deep breath as he looked back at the road.

A few hours passed and Sarah was now driving to let Jack rest up a bit, Sarah sees that they were just passing the old motel that they ended up in after the police station. Lamar began to fall asleep in the bed of the truck, Will looked around a bit and didn't say anything, he was tired but didn't want to fall asleep yet. Sarah drove for a little while longer and after about an hour and a half she saw the first signs of Willmington, she sees some old signs put up to help on supply runs. Sarah kept driving, they passed Willmington up which was burnt to the ground, there was a little bit of smoke left from the fire but it was for the most part gone. Jack was just waking up as they passed it, he saw what remained of his former home, he couldn't help but to get a little emotional over seeing it like that. They just drove, eventually Sarah made it to the outskirts of the main town, Sarah took a deep breath and slowly sped up to go through it.

Sarah passed the police station and they tried not to look at the horrors that remained there, they kept going for a short while longer and eventually made it, "It's been months, never thought I'd ever come back here." Sarah looked at Jack after he said that and they all got out and walked up to the blown up front gate, Lamar looked in and said, "Seems like the walkers all just went away." Will saw the big hole in the wall and said, "I think Ryker returned to use them as a weapon against Gate City, he's done it a million times, I'm sure he'll do it again." Sarah began to walk forward and she stepped in, "How do we know who is ours and who isn't?" Sarah looked at the bodies and said, "There's no way of telling anymore, they either turned or were eaten and left to decompose, lets get to the Science Building remains." Lamar took in the sight and they all walked slowly to the science building. Sarah saw that the main door was opened, she didn't think much of it and she continued slowly up the stairs with everyone. They eventually got to the second floor where it all went down, Sarah grabbed the door handle and took a deep breath and slowly opened it.

As they walked in they saw an old corpse impaled at the end of the hall, Jack ran up and saw that it was Hailey. "Found Hailey... " Lamar looked at the corpse and said, "I doubt they would kill a walker that they damn well needed in their army of walkers." Will looked around and said, "Where's Dex?" Jack then said "They didn't do this." Sarah climbed over a desk in the doorway to a classroom and saw blood every where and medical supplies. Sarah took a moment to process it and she dropped to her knees already crying. Jack and the others walked in and saw it, Lamar looked at it and said, "Dex did this." Jack was happy but sad and said, "He must have put Hailey out of her misery." Will picked up an old radio that was on the ground and saw D carved into it and he turned to them and said, "He's out there." Sarah was in shock on the ground, Lamar and Will got Hailey's body and took it out where they went to bury her.

Sarah was sitting over the medical stuff and blood, she then said to herself before getting up, "I'm going to find you... hang in there... Dex" she got up and left the room and joined Jack and Lamar with Will. They stood over Hailey's grave and Jack kneeled over with his last bit of whiskey and he poured it on the grave saying, "Here's that final drink you asked for..." Lamar looked over and began to walk to the truck, the others eventually followed as they all loaded up to head back and prepare to search for Dex.

Gate City:

James walks into the meeting room where Dr. Green walks up to him with a letter from a scout team, "James, we received a letter from the scout team Beta, they said that Ryker and his men are on the way now ... We need to prepare our defenses now." James grabbed it and looked out the window at all of his people living their normal everyday lives, he turned to Louis and said, "Get anyone ready who is willing to fight, I'll try to get into contact with Sarah." Louis nodded and left the room and began to round everyone up, James walked to the radio at the desk and decided to send a message out to his people before the fight. "This is it... This is what we dreaded for so long now, this is something that we knew would happen eventually. This won't be the end of it at all, this is just the beginning, this first attack is the first of many. We will stand our ground and defend our home with all we got." James looked up at the window to see people already preparing defenses, he grabbed his pocket watch to check the time, "Come on Sarah, we need you now more than ever..." Louis got supplies from his bar to aid the people in hiding and the ones fighting, Dr. Green and some others were boarding up the medical center while she works on the stuff for the growing outbreak in Gate City. James climbs up on the main tower and pulls his watch out slowly and checks the time again, he then looks at the sun high in the sky. James looks off into the distance as Kate climbs up to the post with him.

Kate loads her gun and says, "We'll pull through this, I'll be damned if I let more die due to these people." , James looks at her and said, "Thank you for all you people have done for us" Kate looked at the small Willmington militia and said, "After all you did for us, this is the least we can do..." James and Kate continue to look off into the distance as they prepare for a big fight. Mitch, and Izzy sat around with a radio trying to get in touch with Sarah but had no real luck yet. Dom and Jim helped Louis pass supplies out as Dr. Green got the medical center ready for a lot of patients.

Preperations:

Sarah was driving the truck fast while Jack tried to communicate with Gate City, Will looked around and saw some signs for Gate City, he opened the back window and said to the pair, "We're getting close to being in range, just another minute or two." Sarah nodded, she turned to Jack and said, "When Ryker gets there, he'll know where Dex was when he saw him, I'll make sure he talks." Jack looked at her and said, "I'll be by your side the whole time, just don't get too carried away." Sarah lightly nodded and kept on driving. Lamar loaded his gun and gave a handgun to Will and said, "When we get there, we'll need to be ready, when they do attack, stick by us because with whatever they will be throwing at Gate City, we don't want to get lost in it, okay?" Will nodded and loaded his pistol as they eventually found a bunch of walkers, Sarah saw them and said, "I've never seen walkers moving like that, it's like someone is controlling them" Sarah speeds up as they pass up the walkers all around them, Sarah continues down the road for a while longer, Jack finally reaches Gate City on the radio.

"Gate City this is Jack do you copy?" Jack put the radio down to wait for a response, eventually he got one. "Jack... get here now, scout team beta spotted Ryker and his crew on the way." Sarah grabbed the radio and asked how things were at Gate City, Izzy responded with, "We're pulling through so far, how was the Compound?" Sarah paused for a bit and said, "He's out there somewhere... Dex wasn't there and he left his radio behind in a classroom where he must have patched himself up. Ryker will know where he last saw Dex, I'll make sure he tells us, we also laid Hailey to rest, after all she did it was worth the trip." Mitch then responded, "That's good to hear... We got some preparations to do, so we'll talk when you arrive. Gate City out." Sarah put the radio down and continued to drive onward to Gate City.

Riley, a soldier at Gate City stood on the watchtower searching for Sarah or Ryker. She looked around and searched well until she saw something. She grabbed her radio and said, "We got something." Nick, another soldier keeping watch responded with, "Ryker?" Riley took a closer look and saw Will waving them down, "It's Sarah... Open the gate." Nick opened the gate for the truck and walked to the door of the truck and said, "How'd it go?" Sarah looked out and said, "It went well." Jack decided to get out to help clear some walkers that have been roaming around, Kate and Lamar decided to go an help him, Sarah continued down the road to park the truck in it's spot, she and Will got out to aid in preparations. Sarah walked over to Louis' bar and used the ladder to get to the roof since it was the highest building on the ground level. Sarah sat down and saw a couple walkers roaming around peacefully, she wondered if Dex was even out there. Sarah sat for a while longer and looked at the sun above her, she slowly closed her eyes.

Wilmington 5 Days Before Siege:

Dex walks up to Sarah and hands her a beer as they sit on the watch tower by the main gate. Dex sits slowly and takes a deep breath and says, "You every figure out where exactly you will go when you find Will?" Sarah takes a drink and says, "Aren't you coming with?" Dex chuckles and responds with, "Maybe, I don't know, I'm not really a people person, but I may, you are a cool person to be around." Sarah looks at the sun and says, "Maybe home... back in Texas, we'll go home and see what's left of it..." Dex looks at the walkers walking around below and says, "Sounds nice... I think I'm going to go and try to find my old friends, the ones who I fell in with at the start." Sarah looks at the walkers as well and says "You never told me much about them." Dex paused for a bit and then said, "Mia, Rachel, Luis, Josh, John were the first ones, I woke up and they weren't there one morning, they were my best friends, we were all so close, it seemed as if bad people came through, I don't know if they are dead but there wasn't enough to say they are so there's hope... The other group was Mel, her parents Mike, Katie, her parents died and we were all we had, she took off one night and left a letter that mentioned how she wanted to escape her past... I've been alone ever since then until I met you." Sarah drunk her beer again and said, "Maybe we'll meet again someday down the road." Dex laughed a bit and said, "Maybe"

Ryker:

Ryker slowly arrived with many soldiers on horseback, he looked at the wall where Riley and Nick were aiming their rifles at him. "Bring James out now! I just want to have a little chat" James was already on his way up the ladder, he walked to the front and looked down and said, "Time for talk is over, you and your people will either leave and never come back or die." Ryker laughed a bit and said while looking at his watch, "You best watch what you say, I have a massive group of the undead waiting to be unleashed on you." James looked at him already knowing that he is playing him, he said, "I'm done with your games, leave now or die, I'll only ask you this once. Like I already said, time for talk is over, it's time for your reign of terror to end." Ryker lit a cigar and then responded with "You do what you gotta do in order to survive, all I've done was try to survive, my methods are different from yours but hey!... It works, I'm down for killing you, one less headache, and damn your place here... It would make as a great new base of operations since your friends from Willmington ruined my last place." James looked at him resisting the urge to start shooting, he replied saying, "You went after so many people, killed or enslaved them, you burnt communities down, you did it only for power, I should shoot you right now for what you did, I honestly want to but the difference between us is that I give people second chances, no matter what, that's why we have built a whole new civilization here." Ryker cut him off and then said, "Since you won't budge how about I bring out some of your friends to see if their deaths will make you budge." Ryker brought out Jack, Lamar, and Kate and threw them down on their knees, "Don't test me!" Ryker pulled his gun out and loaded it and aimed it at Kate's head and said, "I'll fucking do it!!!" James knew he had to talk him down from it, "Ryker! We can peacefully resolve this, we have room, we have been working on an expansion to this place, it can be for you and your people. Like I said I'm all for second chances." Ryker looked at him and said, "After what you did to her! Second chances aren't enough!" He loaded his gun and shot Kate in the back of the head, as she fell he loaded his gun again and went to shoot Jack next.

Lamar saw this and was already in the process of cutting his ties, as Ryker went to shoot Jack in the head Lamar jumped in and was hit bad in the stomach region. James was in shock from this and out of rage he and the others started shooting, Sarah ran over to the front gate which was well blocked by old cars, she peaked through and saw Lamar and Kate on the ground, Jack already cutting himself free while everyone else was distracted. Sarah didn't know what to do or think, she was in shock by what she had seen. She pulled her gun out full of rage and said, "I'm going to fucking kill you!" Jack fell over and was struggling to untie himself, he eventually did and he ran over to Lamar. Jack put his hands over Lamar's wound and said, "Lamar, come one you need to pull through, I'm not losing another friend today, come on" Lamar looked at him but couldn't speak, Jack picked him up and started to run for the gate where Sarah went to open it.

"What happened?" Jack was panicking and said, "I think it speaks for itself right now!" Sarah closed the gate and they went running over to Dr.Green who was already making a run for them. Doc got to them and asked quickly, "How much has he been bleeding?" Jack said in response, "Too long, let's get him in now!" Sarah left Jack and the doctor to help Lamar to the medical center, Sarah ran over to Mitch and Dom who were shooting at the Raiders, "We need to make a plan now, we can't keep shooting especially if it isn't getting anywhere, we need to make a plan, and fast!" Mitch looked at her as they crouched behind cover, "James said that he is getting the explosives ready as we speak." Sarah looked at Ryker's crew and then said to Mitch, "No we can't do that, there are many walkers in these woods right now, we can't draw anymore to us, where exactly is he, I have a plan." Mitch pointed to the communications center, Sarah didn't hesitate to start making a run for it.

There were bullets flying everywhere as Sarah kept going, she eventually made it and she entered fast and went up to James. "James we gotta stop this explosive plan, on the way back there were too many walkers to handle if we start making more noise. We need to push Ryker and his crew back, and capture as many as possible, especially Ryker..." Sarah paused for a bit, James looked at her and asked, "What? What is it?" Sarah looked at him and said, "We need to get our people to safety and make an opening for his crew to enter, when they get in, they will be surrounded, we can make it look as if we are scattered and hiding, when in reality there iks a large crew waiting to stop them in their tracks, we need to make it look like there was an accident that blows a massive hole in the wall, when they use that as an opportunity we strike." James looks at her and says as he looks at a map of the area, That could work, there is a weak spot in the north wall, it's close to them but if we make it seem as if we are carrying these explosives to throw at them then the explosion will seem like an accident. We need to be smart about this, if it doesn't work, we go with my plan." Sarah nodded and they wasted no time with it.

James got on the radio to give the orders to the soldiers, Louis went over to his bar, and grabbed some molotovs that he was making, he ran out and met up with Will who was carrying a crate of explosives to the wall, "Will, when we get there I need to to place the explosives down by the wall, when you do, I will throw a couple molotovs out there, when it is clear of course, when it blows it will look like it was an accident and they should use it as an opportunity to strike, but be careful." Will nodded as they rushed to the wall, Will placed the explosives down and set them up with Louis. Louis placed some gun powder around the wall and they ran back, Louis grabbed his radio and said, "Anyone by the north wall, get the hell out now, you only got a few seconds before I blow this damn wall up." Will watched as the people along the wall get away, he looks to check if it's clear, Louis grabs his radio and says into it, "Ambush team get ready. When it blows me and Will will play the parts of people who were too close and got thrown back, before they can kill us, AND I MEAN BEFORE! You jump out." Louis lit a molotov and said, "I hate this" he held his breath as he went to throw it, as it landed a big explosion happened.

Louis and Will were sent back from it, outside the wall Ryker saw this and he looked at it, he turned and said to his crew, "There's an opening, I'll take a small crew in, the rest keep firing at them. We end this now!!!" Some people followed him, Jax led the others outside to keep fighting, Ryker followed behind his fighters who mentioned that it was all clear. Ryker walked up to Louis and Will and loaded his gun, before he could raise it to them James held a revolver to the back of his head, the others were held at gun point. James turned and yelled for them to block off the hole in the wall. Ryker turned his head a bit to James and said as he dropped his gun, "No need for violence old friend... Like you said, second chances." James chuckled a bit and said, "That's the difference between us, I would gladly give up my own life for my people, you on the other hand, will do anything to save your own." Ryker let out a big smile, Sarah ran up to join in and when she stopped she saw his smile as he said, "You aren't wrong there." Sawah saw the knife come out of his sleeve, she yelled, "James look out!!!" Ryker drove his knife through James and stabbed him again in the leg and again on his side, "See, you just gave up your life, I did anything to save myself." Sarah ran and grabbed Ryker and threw him to the ground, and knocked him out, as James fell Sarah held his wound yelling fro help, Will went running for Dr. Green. James looked at Sarah while trying to breath and said, "I'm not gonna pull through... Just promise me one thing... P... promise me that you'll look after these people they need it." Sarah looked at him and said, "No... no, you're going to make it, we need you more than ever. Dr. Green ran up and Louis helped her aid him to the medical center, Sarah kneeled over Ryker as he looked at her, "Y... you're that bitch from Willmington... Come to finish the job."

Sarah looked at him and calmly said, "The only way you live is if you tell me where Dex is." Ryker looked at her and said, "He's long gone, but if this gives me a chance to live then I'll tell you where I last saw him... He was in Tennessee, he ran and fell into the river, my guess is he ended up near Nashville, maybe making his way here now considering the outcasts from Gate City live around there." Sarah said, "The Outcasts?" She stood up and aimed her gun at his head, he looked at her already panicking, he said, "No, no, we had a deal." Sarah looked at him and said, "This is for all you took from us." She shot him in the face, Dom came running down and he ran to Sarah and said, "They are finally retreating, too many walkers are coming in." He looked at Ryker and said, "They'll be back for them." Sarah looked at him and said, "Jax wants to be in power and if Ryker is dead he wouldn't mind."

2 Days Later:

Sarah walks to the medical center and enters slowly, she had some flowers in her hand, she walked to the backroom where Lamar was, she pulled up a chair and he turned his head to her, "Hey Sarah." Sarah looked at him and asked, "How long do you think you'll be here?" Lamar looked at the window and said, "Not much longer, doc said I should be fine in a day or two... When we find Dex what do you plan on doing?" Sarah looked at him and said, "I don't know, I was thinking we grab our crew from Willmington and live out in a nice little place not far from here, it's something me and Dex wanted to do... I was also thinking of heading home, to Texas." Lamar looked at her and asked, "What about the people here?" James walked up slowly with a cane to support him and said, "We'll be fine, when you all are finally back on your feet and have everyone together you can go wherever, just know that you're all welcome back whenever you like. We'll always keep our doors open to you guys after all you did for us." Sarah looked at James and said, "We'll stay either way until we finish Jax off, I won't let more die because of this group, Ryker was just the start, Jax is the end." James smiled a bit and said, "That reminds me... we got a hard to understand radio message from someone, it seemed like it was from the ones who left us a while back, the code was one I haven't heard in a long time, it means that they are on their way with someone of importance. I think it may be your friend." Sarah started looked at him and said, "Then we stay and wait for him..." James looked at her and said, "We can't wait for him, I'm afraid we can't wait any longer, we must strike now if we are to ever finish off the Raiders, once Jax is gone, they'll scatter, join new groups or form new little ones, but they won't really be a threat anymore. Most of them aren't there by choice, many are either forced to work or are forced to fight, we limit casualties if there are any, once we kill Jax, we give them a choice." Sarah looked at James and said, "We'll follow you wherever you go, you inspire hope, we'll have your back through this." James looked at her and said, "Well, let's do this then."