Chapter Text
Clem inspected the Walker slumped against a rushed car. It was one of many with a 76 branded into its neck. Clem assumed it had something to do with the New Frontier. There was something odd about the corpse; visible veins spreading from the left inner elbow, yet no visible bite could be found.
”What’s that?” Javi knelt down, lifting the arm in question. “It looks like it was injected with something.”
The skin was bruised with bumps; “These looked like they were left by an IV.”
”Maybe we should take him, let Sarah and Eleanor check it out.” Clem suggests. The New Frontier was up to something and she wanted to find out what. “Look, they have a working car.”
She stands and makes her way over, wanting to make sure the car would actually run. The car shuttered and popped but looked like it would make it back to Prescott.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Javi questions, gesturing to the Walker.
”We’ll take it back to Prescott, figure out what’s going on and Sarah and I will be on our way.” Clem explained.
”You make it sound easy.” Javi shakes his head. “You should stay with us. At least until you find your group.”
Clem paused but shook her head; “Let’s just get back to Prescott.”
Together, Clem and Javi heaved the corpse into the backseat, double buckling just in case. Javi sat down in the driver seat and shifts the gears into reverse as Clem got in the passenger side. He pulls out of the Junkyard, retracing their route back to base.
———-
The sun was setting as Javi rushed through the front gates, making a beeline for the infirmary. Clem trailed behind dragging the Walker that was too tall and too heavy for her on her own. She grumbles as she struggles, cursing Javi under her breath.
Tripp was walking down from the gate when she looked up. He had a look on his face that was a mix between annoyance and intrigue.
“What the fuck are you doing?” He asks in a tone that said she better explain quickly.
“This Walker’s by messed with, I want Sarah and Eleanor to check it out.” She drops the Walker to roll up its sleeve to show the bumps.
Tripp looks between the arm and Clem and back again a few times. His brows crease more and more by the minute. Clem keeps her face blank as she waits for him to speak first. Tripp pinches the bridge of his nose and takes several deep breaths.
“I’m starting to regret letting you in.” He finally says.
“Good thing we’re leaving soon,” Clem shrugs. “Just need to get this check out first.”
“You’re leaving now. I’m not having you bring in Walkers.” Tripp crosses his arms. “I understand you’re looking for your brother and I sympathize with that, but I can’t put my community at risk.”
“Fine.” Clem shrugs and turns to the infirmary. “Sarah, we’re leaving!”
Sarah’s head popped up from where she was cleaning up supplies. She stands and trots over to Clem and Tripp. She wipes her blood stained hands on her jeans and fixes her ponytail just to have something to do with her hands. She sees the Walker and takes a step back like it would jump up at any second.
“Why did you bring in a Walker?” Sarah asks.
“I need you to check out the arm.” Clem says. “Tripp doesn’t want us doing it here, but I think this has to do with who took Ben.”
“What do you think I can do?” Sarah looks at Clem in bewilderment. “I can treat minor injuries, but I’m not a doctor.”
Clem sighs. She opens her mouth to speak, but is interrupted by a rumbling in the ground. Everyone falls silent as the sound of large vehicles fill the air, getting louder by the second. The three of them barely have enough time to register what was happening before a large truck barrels its way through the front gate.
Clem grabs Sarah to dive out the way as the truck tips on its wheels and lands on its side. Walkers begin crawling out of the back, their groans drown out everything else.
“Where is he?” A man shouts.
Clem didn’t see what was thrown, but the air quickly filled with smoke that burned her eyes. She distantly heard Tripp yell something about tear gas, which would explain why her eyes wouldn’t stop watering. She blindly grabs for Sarah’s arm and stumbled for cover.
“W-what’s going on?” Sarah whimpers “Are we under attack?”
“Just stay down!” Clem snaps.
She couldn’t see to aim and didn't want to risk shooting someone on their side. Was this the New Frontier? Someone was shouting about how they killed their friends and she thinks back to the junkyard. This had to be a retaliation.
“Hey you two, come on!” Tripp’s voice cuts through.
Clem would vaguely make out his large form as he loaded up a van. It was Sarah’s turn to grab Clem and they sprint for the open back door. Tripp doesn’t wait for the door to close before speeding out the busted open gates behind another car.
“The Walker!”
Clem had completely forgotten it and now it was being left behind. Tripp shot her a glare through the rear view mirror that told her he wasn’t pulling over. Her face scrunches in frustration. They could’ve learned something from that Walker and now it was gone.
Behind them Prescott burned, becoming nothing but a Walker nest as the screams and gun fire slowly died out the further away they drove. Sarah watched from the back window like she couldn’t look away. Carefully Clem takes her shoulders and turns her away.
“Remember what Ben taught you.” Clem says.
Sarah nods and silently counts to ten under her breath.