Carver Arrives

Walter is standing outside, gripping Matthew's knife tightly in one hand while a thin wisp of smoke curls up from the cigarette dangling from his lips.

"Walter?" Carley calls out, her voice filled with concern. "Are you okay?"

"I always liked this knife," Walter murmurs, unsheathing the blade with a slow, deliberate motion. "I gave it to Matthew when all this began. I know he's dead now. But who did it? Was it that kid? What's his name... Nick? I heard him talking earlier—something about shooting a man. I could see it in his eyes. I wasn't sure then, but now..."

Carley takes a deep breath, steeling herself. "It was him, yeah. Nick shot him."

"Jesus..." Walter's brow furrows, and he drops his gaze to the ground. "I don't feel good." He looks up at Carley with a mix of fear and anger. "Is...is Nick a good man? Or is he just like everyone else? Is he just one of those...those bastards who don't care about anyone but themselves?"

Carley reflects on her past encounters with Nick. When she and Clementine first met him and the rest of the cabin group, Nick had almost shot Clem. And then there was that time when he and the others had locked Clementine in a shack, all because Carlos, the so-called doctor, couldn't tell the difference between a dog bite and a walker bite. Nick had been whining about having to shoot his mother, acting like a victim while others had to put down loved ones too. And just an hour ago, he had shot Matthew, who posed no threat to her, Clem, or Luke.

She gulps, the weight of her decision heavy on her chest. "I guess...I guess he's like everyone else." Walter nods solemnly, accepting her words.

Just then, Nick steps outside, the tension in the air palpable.

"He was always going out alone," Walter mutters, his voice laced with regret. "I told him something like this would happen. But no, Matt always knew best."

"What's going on?" Nick asks, but Carley doesn't even bother to look at him.

Walter spins around, his expression fierce. "Tell me what you did. Just tell me, son. Tell me what happened."

From a distance, Nick's voice trembles with anxiety. "I... I thought he was going to shoot my friends. I shot Matthew. It happened so fast. I didn't know if I hit him. But I did, and... I didn't mean to."

"Do you know what you've done to me? Do you have any idea?" Walter's voice is thick with anguish.

"I didn't mean to. I'm so sorry. I'm really sorry, Walter," Nick pleads, his face pale with fear.

In frustration, Walter throws the knife away, its metallic clatter echoing.

The wind turbine spins faster, creating an ominous backdrop. Eddie, Carlos, Maria, and Luke rush outside, their faces tight with urgency. "This shit is outta control!" Eddie exclaims, his voice sharp. "Walkers are gonna come here because of the noise!"

"Nick, help me carry the guns," Carlos instructs, his voice rising.

Carlos hands Maria a rifle, while Nick reluctantly gives Carley a pistol. The group races toward the turbine, a booming sound reverberating in the air.

"What the hell was that?" Eddie curses as the power to the lodge suddenly cuts out. "Shit. The transformer's gone." He glances at Maria. "Go check on it, babe."

Maria nods, determination etched on her face.

"I'm going with you," Carley asserts, her eyes narrowing with resolve.

"Me too," Luke adds quickly.

"Alright," Eddie agrees, his focus shifting to the task at hand.

As Maria, Carley, and Luke dash off, Eddie opens the control panel on the turbine, squinting at the dim lights. Suddenly, the whole panel illuminates, casting eerie shadows. To his surprise, he sees Clementine standing nearby, clutching her lighter.

"What are you—" he begins, but stops short. "Thanks, kid." Eddie seizes the key and uses it to unlock the switch, bringing the turbine to a halt.

"Something isn't right," Nick mutters, his voice laced with unease.

"Yeah," Carlos agrees, scanning the horizon.

Just then, walkers begin to shuffle toward them, drawn by the noise.

"We don't have much ammunition," Carlos warns, his voice tinged with urgency.

Eddie looks at Clementine, concern etched on his features. "Go back in the lodge," he instructs firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. She sighs but obeys, sprinting back inside.

Eddie, Nick, and Carlos start firing at the advancing walkers. One of the creatures lunges for Carlos, knocking his rifle away, but he swiftly turns and shoots it. After taking down another, he begins to retreat.

A walker silently creeps up on Eddie, but he reacts quickly, delivering a powerful side kick to its chest. As it tumbles backward, he shoots it in the head.

"Somebody help me!" Nick's frantic shout pierces the air as he struggles against a walker.

Walter raises his gun, his finger hovering over the trigger, but then he hesitates, paralyzed by indecision. In that brief moment, the walker rips into Nick's throat.

Walter rushes toward Carlos and Eddie. "Where's Nick?" Carlos demands, panic creeping into his voice.

"I don't know," Walter replies flatly.

"Doesn't matter," Eddie shrugs, his indifference clear. He didn't like Nick anyway.

The three continue to fire at the encroaching walkers. Suddenly, the sharp crack of automatic rifle fire rings out. They turn to see a group of figures gunning down the walkers with ruthless efficiency. Carver, Bonnie, Troy, and Johnny surround Eddie, Carlos, and Walter.

"Howdy, folks," Carver smirks, approaching Carlos with an unsettling confidence. "Where's Rebecca?"

Eddie's confusion deepens; he has no idea who this Carver is.

Carlos spits in Carver's face defiantly. "It's nice to see you too." Carver's smirk fades as he retaliates with a punch to Carlos's face.

Seeing her father attacked, Sarah rushes outside, throwing her arms around him. "Dad!" she cries, fear etched across her face.

"Inside," Carver orders coldly.

Eddie and Walter, however, recognize Bonnie. "It's you!" Walter exclaims, shock rippling through him.

Bonnie's expression flickers with guilt for a moment before hardening into resolve. "Keep moving," she commands.

Inside the lodge, Rebecca hurries upstairs, Alvin hides on the stairs, and Clementine crouches behind a couch, her heart racing as the chaos unfolds outside. Eddie, Walter, and Carlos's pistols are taken from them, leaving them at the mercy of Carver's group.

Bonnie whistles, her voice echoing in the large space. "Look at this place."

"You believe this fucking place, Bonnie? Power and everything. Lots of windows, though. It's fucking huge. Bill's gonna hate it. The rest of 'em could be anywhere," Johnny remarks, surveying the surroundings.

Clementine peeks over the couch, her breath hitching in her throat. When it seems safe, Alvin gestures for her to come over quietly, and she sneaks toward him.

"Man, how the hell are we gonna cover these guys and look for them too?" Johnny grumbles, moving toward the nearest window.

Carver's group lines up their hostages, binding Walter and Sarah's hands with zip ties. Troy glances at Eddie and notices his missing arm. "What do I do with this one? He only has one arm," he asks Carver with a hint of mockery.

Carver's gaze shifts to Eddie, who kneels on the ground next to Walter and Carlos, his expression calm despite the chaos. Eddie locks eyes with Carver, unflinching. "Nothing. He seems smart enough not to try anything," Carver replies with a smirk.

He drags Carlos in front of the group and punches him in the stomach, causing Carlos to crumple to his knees, gasping for breath.

"Dad!" Sarah cries out, her voice cracking with fear.

"Listen, I'm only gonna ask you once. Where's Rebecca?" Carver demands, menace dripping from his words.

Carlos ignores the question, focusing instead on Sarah. "Sarah, look at me. It's gonna be okay," he reassures her, though his own fear is palpable.

With a swift motion, Carver breaks one of Carlos's fingers, eliciting a cry of pain. "Rebecca? Our baby deserves to be raised in a place of safety! I know you're out there. And Alvin, and Luke, and the girl. This is real simple. You want this over quickly, you all play nice and show your faces!" Carlos yells, desperation seeping into his voice.

"Don't hurt my dad, please!" Sarah pleads, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Eddie, though outwardly calm, is a nervous wreck inside. He realizes that this Carver and his group are the very ones Carlos and the others have been fleeing from. He curses them all—Carlos, Nick, Luke, Alvin, Rebecca, and even Sarah—for leading Carver to their doorstep. He feels a swell of anger and fear for Walter, Maria, Clementine, and Carley, who are now all in danger because of them. His eyes dart around, praying that Clem, Maria, and Carley won't be caught.

Carver, growing impatient, breaks another one of Carlos's fingers after receiving no response about Rebecca.

"Just stop! Don't hurt my dad, please!" Sarah cries, her voice rising in panic.

"Fuck you! Shoot him! Somebody just shoot hi—" Carlos shouts, but his words are cut off as Carver grabs his hair and presses a knife to his throat.

"Say goodbye, Carlos," Carver sneers.

"Don't look, sweetie. Don't look," Carlos whispers to Sarah, trying to shield her from the horror.

"Dad!" Sarah screams, her voice filled with terror.

Eddie, caught in his own thoughts, is oblivious to the scene unfolding before him as he worries about Carley, Maria, and Clem.

"Nobody? Now that's disappointing," Carver scoffs, his disappointment palpable.

"Bill, stop!" Rebecca's voice breaks through, filled with urgency as she emerges from hiding.

"Ah," Carver smirks, throwing Carlos to the ground as he turns his attention to Rebecca, Alvin, and Clementine, who descend the stairs.

Shit, Eddie curses in his mind. Why didn't Clem stay hidden? His expression twists in anger for a brief moment. It must have been Alvin and Rebecca who encouraged her to come out.

"You alright?" Carver asks, caressing Rebecca's face as he steps closer.

"Fuck you, Bill," she retorts defiantly.

Rebecca, Alvin, and Clem join the others in the lineup, creating a tableau of fear and uncertainty.

"You don't want to do this. Please, let these people go," Walter implores, his voice steady despite the situation.

"Just shut up," Bonnie snaps.

"Clem. Can you reach my hands?" Carlos whispers urgently, desperation in his voice.

"Shut up, Carlos. Leave my girl alone," Eddie interjects, his tone sharp with protectiveness.

"Everything under control?" Carver asks, his eyes glinting with malice. "Let's just get our people home, alright? This won't take long."

"Don't try anything, Clem," Eddie warns softly, and she nods, her heart racing.