I QUICKLY RETRACED MY steps back to the alley where I left Leigh, praying that he was alright. The thought in the back of my mind still said that the man was bluffing. I'm probably just overthinking it. It made me wish I hadn't of killed him out of anger now.

There was no way we were followed by anyone else, I would've seen it. God, I wish I listened to Leigh while I still could. Maybe then I wouldn't be in this panicking state. It made me not be able to help but think about everyone else.

I saw Duncan get stabbed, but didn't help, Cole got tackled, and I didn't have time to follow my dad to help him even though I had the chance. I kept thinking about Maggie, Alden, Gabriel and everyone else who I didn't see. I was so focused on myself that I don't even know who's alive right now.

So, I guess I'm just frantically hoping that I can find Leigh before any other fuckers do.

I sprinted past the wall, ignoring how I was leaving bloody footprints behind me and not bothering to slow down my pace. However, when I got to the dead end, I instantly stopped. Everything stopped as I bit my tongue in anger against myself.

Leigh was gone.

There was blood in his previous spot. The only thing left was his mask, which he never liked to take off. Only that. I ran my hands through my hair in frustration, thinking about where he could've gone in that short time.

I went back out of the spot and looked around, seeing if there was any sign of him. I turned the corner to see the woods again, maybe there were tracks. I inhale sharply before heading in that direction. It made sense for them to take him there as everywhere else was just open space and tall grass.

I trekked into the deep woods, which wasn't as dark since it was starting to get lighter. It was better for me that way anyway as I could see much clearer, however, the mud wasn't helping anything. Though I could just about see some footprints. Some were deep and rough, indicating they were rushing in attempt to cover them up or that there was struggle.

"Get off me!"

It was like I could sense it before it was even spoken. I immediately ran in the direction of the demand, brushing past the sharp trees and slipping through the bushes. My loose weapons clattered onto my body repeatedly, but I could worry about the later as I took out my sword and continued to run.

Up ahead were more walls that were partially overgrown, surrounding a really tall, metal tower. The grass was high in multiple places, making me realise that I had to be cautious. They could be anywhere, it made the tracks difficult to see. They were leading in that direction, so that's where I went.

I crouched through the grass, making sure no other masked wearers were in hiding. I quickly got to the wall and walked close to it until I saw an opening. I peered around the corner to see if anyone was there but I couldn't see anyone.

However...I did hear several voices.

One I recognised. I jogged past a few other abandoned buildings, following the voices. Once I heard a dog bark was when I knew I was getting somewhere. It couldn't just be any coincidence.

I thought I was getting somewhere until I turned a corner to be faced with another dark figure. I caught my breath in my throat, but I realised I still had my sword so I made an attempt to use it. Though it was no use.

I was kicked in the stomach, making me hurl over, but I didn't fall completely. I lunged and slung my sword yet the other person was quicker, dodging away from the wall and pushing me against the hard barrier. I groaned at the sudden attack, looking up to see their fist flying towards me.

My sword clattered out of my hands and before I knew it my hair was pulled and a cold knife was pressed against my throat. They harshly pushed my back to make me move and to not make a sound.

I thought about yelling out, but I wouldn't want to attract anymore unwanted attention. I suddenly felt their hands on my belt, as they were feeling for more weapons. They found my other knives, shit. They took it out of my holders and took it for themself.

Out of the corner of my eyes I saw a familiar figure, another masked person behind them with a sharp weapon to his spine.

"Lilia?"

It was Leigh. He didn't have anything covering his face apart from blood and a forming bruise. He daren't move, otherwise he would either get another beating or a blade in his back. He limped as he was pushed forward, his leg seemed to not be in good condition as it was last seen.

"Get moving and shut up." One of them ordered. I was pushed forward and forced us to move. The blade was pointed at the back of my neck, every step I took I was being watched by the person behind me. Without weapons I didn't know whether to risk it all and attack them with just my fists or to oblige.

Although with Leigh's condition I didn't want to risk it. So I kept on walking until we got closer to the other familiar voice I heard earlier. It was a gruff male voice and a woman.

"Look, I don't know who you're fightin'. But I am not part of it." The voice told the other. As I got closer I was certainly surprised to see my dad talking to one of the masked people, who had actually taken theirs off. Next to them was Dog, sitting down and panting happily. Dad tried to get Dog to follow him, however he just sat there next to the unknown woman.

Dad seemed to recognise the woman, which confused me. Who the hell was she and how did he know her?

Out of the bushes, more masked people came out. They had their weapons raised and walked closer to him, making them known and him aware that he was heavily outnumbered. That was when the person behind me pushed me forward and made us seem by the other woman. I tried to get out of his grasp however he put the knife to my throat once again, gripping me tightly by the back of the neck.

"Found 'em nearby. They're part of the group." The person behind me told the woman.

She eyed us both up and down, before her eyes landed on Leigh. Leigh didn't want to look at her, but he was basically forced to. He sneered at her, she couldn't help but smirk.

"Working with the enemy now are we Leigh? I didn't think that low of you." The woman spoke, making my dad and I confused at how she knew him.

How on earth did these people know him? What was Leigh not telling us and did anyone else know about this?

"Oh screw you Leah." Leigh replied with growl to his tone.

Leah continued to smile until her fake face dropped, "Once the others get ahold of y ou you won't be talking like that for very long." She told him before looking at me. I tried to look at Leigh, however he couldn't bare to look up, his guilty eyes were facing down.

Leah didn't say anything, she just watched for a second until her eyes trailed back to my dad. "You know her?" No response, he just glared at her.

She looked at me, stepping down onto the ground and trailing over. She stared at my blind eye and then up and down my long scar, "What's your name?"

"Fuck you."

"Well that's brave." Leah commented as the person's grip on my neck got tighter, making me grunt.

My dad stepped forward, "Stop that." Leah ignored him and held up her hand. She looked at him and then back at me, noticing his protective instinct.

Leah looked at the person behind me a gave a nod, signalling to stand down. He obliged and took away the knife and let go of my neck. I let out a gasp I didn't realise I was holding, bringing my hand up to the back of my neck and sending the person a glare.

"What's your name?" Leah repeated.

I thought about whether lying or telling the truth. When we first came I overheard my dad saying how he didn't know us that well. I had to admit it was good cover, but where would that leave Leigh and I? Hopefully it was the right choice because if I told the truth then he would be screwed for lying.

"Jessica." I answered in the spot, obviously a lie.

"Jessica..." Leah added, hinting for my last name. I sighed, briefly looking to my dad quickly and back at Leah.

"Jessica Grimes."

She nodded and tutted, taking a step back. The older woman the looked at the masked reapers behind everyone, "Bag 'em."

Suddenly a bag was thrown over my face and before I knew it I was tackled and restrained so I couldn't resist anything. Ropes were tied around my wrists despite my kicking, ending up in me getting punched.

My vision ended up feeling funny, until I blacked out completely.

•

By the time I fully woke up was when I realised I was being dragged somewhere. My hands and feet were tied with rope and there was a thin bag over my head, which I could slightly see through. I saw a few other people in front of me dragging my dad, yet I couldn't see Leigh. We both continued to be dragged until a door squeaked open and we were forcefully sat on chairs beside each other, but slightly apart.

A tall man with a hat was standing in the doorway with his arms crossed and a familiar person nervously stood next to him. "Let's see if you were right." He spoke firmly, as if he had some sort of authority. I caught a glimpse of his head turning and he put his arm around the man next to him, "Come on boy, we're gonna have a little talk about your actions."

Before they shut the door I eventually realised it was Leigh being dragged away by the man.

The bag was then took off my head. I slowed my heavy breathing down and looked around with caution. We were in a wooden room and Leah was stood with her back to us.

My dad, who I had to act like I barely knew, spoke up first. "I came back for you. I looked everywhere for you. I'm sorry you ended up with these people."

It made me wonder how he still knew her as he had never mentioned Leah before. Leah shook her head, "These people are my family. They never stopped looking for me. When they found me, I came home." She had finally turned around to face us, mostly my dad. She walked forward. "How about your family, Daryl? The ones you told me about? Who was out on the road?" 

"My family picked the wrong fight with the wrong people a long time ago. It's like I told you, I'm alone."

Leah tilted her head, as if she wasn't completely convinced. "And what about your daughter? Where is she?" I forced myself to gain my composure as my dad looked away from her gaze for a moment, before shaking his head. "I'm sorry. Wish I could've met her."

The woman then looked at me, "What about you, how do you know that group?"

"I barely know them either, so I can't tell you shit." I grumbled, making her quick to slap me round the face.

She let out a frustrated sigh, "How do you know Leigh?" Leah randomly asked. "Apparently you seemed close."

"I could ask you the same thing."

Leah couldn't help but smirk for a second, "You'll find out soon enough." She told me and then looked back at my dad for a second, "You're filthy." She muttered and brought over a metal bucket that was on the side. A cloth was inside it and she lifted it up, squeezing some of the liquid out of it. Leah wiped his face, getting rid of the red stains, which looked liked it been painted onto his face. 

Suddenly she stood up and went behind him, holding the cloth against his mouth. I saw and felt helpless, not being able to do anything. My hands were tied to the chair and so were my legs. 

"Hey!" I yelled at her, however it didn't phase her since. Then the door opened, in came the masked reapers from before, though they weren't masked anymore.

"Carver." Leah looked at the dark haired man and nodded towards me. As Leah walked away from my dad, who went limp, she chucked the cloth and he caught it whilst marching over to me. He grinned and licked his bottom lip mischievously, making me want to nearly gag. He was tall and had a white mask attached to his belt.

"Sweet dreams." He whispered in my ear, pressing the cloth against my mouth and added more and more pressure by the second. My grunts were muffled against the thick material whilst the feeling of a lack of air getting to my luns pained me.

I then felt Carver harshly punch me in the face, causing me to go dizzy once again. I tried my best to keep my eyes open and fight back to the comfort of the darkness, however I eventually passed out for a while. My heavy breathing slowed as I heard a sharp whistle echo through my brain, making me not able to hear the quick conversations around me.

There was a lot of rusting which I couldn't make out the cause, my head pounded faster than my heart. I heard the movement of the bag being thrown over my dad's head however mine wasn't put back on. I then felt my chair scrape along the wooden floorboards, it echoed in my head and pained me more.

I felt another blow to my face which ached even more. My head then shot to the side, however someone grabbed the top of my hair and lifted my head up despite my muffled groans. There was blood running down my nose and past my lips, which felt sour, and there were previous cuts on my forehead from when we were running away in the woods earlier, which had now opened up.

I peeled open my eyes to see my dad on an upside down board and a large bucket below his head, a bucket full of cold water was present next to him. I tried to let out a gasp, but I felt the cold tip of a blade press into my back, causing me to not even dare to breath loudly.

Carver picked up the bucket and suddenly poured it onto my dad's face for a bit. The sound of him choking on the water and coughing made me nearly sick again. Leah was watching from behind with her arms behind her back. They did it a bunch of times, pulling him up, demanding questions that he didn't answer and then going back to nearly drowning him. 

Every time he didn't give a straight answer the person behind me would either attempt to cut me with their knife or slam my head on the arms of the wooden chair I was tied to. I could sense my dad's anger with ease as he gritted his teeth regretfully. We both knew we couldn't tell them anything. I just hoped that wherever Leigh was, he wouldn't tell them a word.

"Up." Leah demanded again. Carver put the bucket on the floor and looked back at my dad.

"Again! The others. Are they still out there?" Carver repeated. "Hmm? Are they close?"

My dad coughed, "I don't know."

"Who's the leader? Is it the woman?"

"I ain't one of them."

"Bullshit." Carver spat, turning around to look at the man behind me. He nodded at them and then the knife in the bottom of my back plunged out without hesitation, making me bite my lip to hold back a yell. Then it punctured my hand, cutting through my palm and into the wood of the chair.

"Oh fuck you guys." I spat, letting out an airy laugh to help me ignore the springing pain shooting throughout my body. I didn't dare move my fingers or try to attempt to get it out.

The board was then tipped upside down again and more water was poured onto my dad, making him gag again repeatedly. Thankfully Leah then stepped in, "Enough." She ordered.

Carver stopped for a moment, "Shaw?"

"I said stop. I'll handle them."

"He'll crack. I just need a little more time." He explained before briefly looking over at me. "And so will she when I get to her."

"I've given you enough time already. I said up!" Leah shouted. The water dripped as my dad pulled him, his bag soaking wet until it was pulled off. He panted and gasped for air, looking at Leah and then at my state. "I need you to cooperate. Both of you." She looked at me whilst saying that.

"I told you everythin'."

"You told us nothing. Talk." She demanded. "The one we answer to won't be so nice."

"I traded with them. They gave me some food. I hauled some gear." He lied easily, "I knew them less than a week." Leah was unconvinced yet again, walking away and going towards the door. "Go ahead, kill me if you want. I got nothin' else to say."

Leah was about to open the door but then another reaper walked in, looking around before muttering to her. Leah nodded and then he left. She looked at me and then at the other man behind. "Wells, get her up." She said. Wells then pulled out the knife in my hand, allowing the blocked blood to seep out without a care. The rope around my legs were untied and I was shoved up with Wells' firm grip on my arm.

Leah marched over to me, taking my arm and guiding me out of the building. She had the bag in her hands and put it over my head before tightening the ropes around my hands. Then we started walking.

"Listen, either one of you needs to cooperate before you get badly hurt." Leah whispered, "It's only a matter of time."

"We've told you everythin' we know." I spat. "I only just started to tag along with them before he came. We're in the same boat here."

"I can tell he cares about you, I can see it." She surprisingly admitted, "I want to know why."

I scoffed, mostly to ease my nerves as I hoped she wouldn't catch on to anything. "Oh yeah? Tell me how you two know each other then?"

I could almost feel her smirk radiate, "Why do you care if you barely know him?" I didn't know what to say to that so I kept quiet, trying to shrug her grip off my arm but she just held it tighter. "And some friendly advice, keep out of Carver's way."

"Why's that? Is he supposed to scare me?" I questioned briefly, she just shook her head and tutted.

"He has a grudge against you both. His brother was out there with us and never came back with a few others." Leah explained shortly, before looking at me. "So until he finds out where he is, you're gonna have to deal with him."

My heart nearly stopped for a split second, making me overthink about earlier when I was hiding from that Reaper. Before I killed him. No, maybe it was a different guy...

We walked into another building, the creaky door echoed as we stepped onto some harder ground. The bag was then taken off my head, allowing me to look at the new room I was in.

It appeared bigger, but it didn't make any difference to me. There was some wood in the corner, which had been left over from when they appeared to board up the window. The light was dim, a small light bulb dangling from the ceiling above the hard ground. Nobody else was in the room. Room. It was hardly a room. More of a metal shed.

"Wait here, he'll be back," was the last thing that Leah said before she left the room, hearing a lock click so I couldn't get out. He? I felt butterflies in my stomach, however it wasn't in a good way. I couldn't help but wonder why he would want to see me and I kept panicking about the fact that they could still be questioning my dad.

I found myself sitting on one of the seats, clutching my hand to stop the bleeding. It stung like hell to touch, but I didn't want to lose much blood. The small wound in my back killed as well as there was nothing I could do about that either.

The silence stung more, there was no chatting, ticking from the clock or creaking of the doors. Until the lock clicked once more, making me shoot up from my seat.

There was a sound from behind the door, "You got ten minutes, Perkins. Don't waste it."

Then the door opened and in came the man who I worried about most. His face was bruised, suiting a nearly purple eye. His face had some cuts on it that had been cleaned, also his scar looked sore. He wasn't wearing his mask anymore so it was like it had been cut back open or bashed again. He was wearing clean clothes, a black attire like the rest, but with no mask.

He