CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Andie walked into the common area as Beth raised a gun into the air and fired a bullet at the ceiling. The four who were in the middle of a fight started to separate, and Merle shoved on Maggie and Michonne, yelling at them to let them go.

The brunette whistled as she walked over to them. "Let's go for a little ride, huh?" She said, and they all looked over at her.

"What are you talking about?" Glenn questioned as he got to his feet, no longer stuck underneath Merle.

"I have something I wanna do, he's getting on people's nerves — two birds, one stone."

"You're not going anywhere with him."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to give you the impression that I was asking your permission."

"Nobody's supposed to leave."

"Remind me, when exactly did I revert back to being the group's prisoner?" She questioned as she looked at him. "You're not my father. Not that I obeyed his orders either."

"Where are you going?" Maggie asked, seeing that she had no intention of backing down.

"We're running low on supplies and we know that the Governor's preoccupied at the moment. I plan on going on a supply run." She told them. "You want me to bring someone else with us so you can be sure that we're not gonna intervene with Rick's meeting?"

"And if I said yes?" Glenn asked.

"Well, you're starting to piss me off, but I guess I'd ask for a volunteer."

"Go." Carol said as she walked in from the cell block. "I think you could all use a break from each other. Take Merle and go."

"Can I come with you guys?" Beth asked, and Andie looked over at her. "I wanna learn from you while we're out there."

"Let's go then." The brunette quickly rifled through the bag that Merle was trying to take to go after the others, and she grabbed less fire power than he wanted.

The three of them loaded up into the truck, and Carol shut the gate behind them after Andie drove out. Beth was sitting in the back, and a very irritated Merle was in the passenger seat.

"You know I'm right." He said as he looked over at them. "You said yourself that your people aren't assassins."

"You don't know my group."

"I'm trying to help your group." He told her. "I know the folks here are strong, good fighters... But they ain't killers."

"The night I met Rick, Glenn, and Hershel — they were holed up in a bar, trying not to get killed by the men in the group I was with before." Andie started. "The group wanted them dead because two of their members were laying dead on the bar floor. They wanted information on the farm, had threatened to kill Rick and take it. So, Rick shot and killed them both.

"When the Governor tore down the gate, had me pinned down in the field, there was one of his men in the guard tower. He kept shooting at Carl, but I had a clear shot, so I killed him." She told him. "We're not assassins, but that doesn't mean we won't kill to protect what's ours."

"For some reason, that doesn't surprise me about you." He said, and she glanced at him. "We could go, you know? Me and my brother, we have a few calls we use when we hunt. I'll give him a heads up. He'll warn the others. You can get the Governor for what he did to you, I'll take care of the rest. We'll be home before you know it."

"Hey, Merle, read my lips." She turned her head and looked at him. "No."

"I get it." Merle smirked. "What my brother sees in you."

"Daryl's my friend." She shook her head as she looked out at the road. "At least, I thought he was."

"What made you change your mind?"

Beth was watching them from the backseat, and Merle glanced over his shoulder at her. He tried to ask her what she thought, but she simply turned her head and looked out the window at the passing trees.

Andie stopped the truck outside of Southern Discount, and Merle looked up at the store. "Look familiar?" She asked before climbing out of the cab.

Beth followed closely behind the brunette, who had her hatchet in hand. They started into the store, and the youngest picked up a small basket to help her collect things they may need. She was excited when she found beans, and Andie chuckled as she helped her look for more food.

Merle found them a few minutes later with a basket full of baby formula, and he held it out toward Andie. She paused as she looked at him, then she reluctantly took the basket. They loaded their findings into the backseat of the truck, and then Andie saw a single walker making its way down the street.

"Beth, come here." She called her over as she pulled the rifle off of her back.

"Isn't it a waste for one walker?" The blonde asked.

"Not if it's teaching you to be better with a rifle."

"What do I do?"

"Hold it like this." Andie helped her situate it in her hands and against her shoulder. "It's got a much stronger kickback than what you're used to. Make sure you're holding it firmly in place before you're ready to shoot. Now, look through the scope — there's two lines that cross in the center. You see what I'm talking about?"

"Yeah."

"You want the walker's head where the lines intersect."

"Okay. I see what you mean."

"Good. Now, cock the gun and put yourself back in this position." Andie told her, and she did as instructed. "You feel secure in your posture, on your feet?"

Beth paused a moment before answering. "I-I think so."

"Find the walker in the scope, then pull the trigger."

The blonde did as she was told, but she missed the first shot. She sighed as her shoulders sagged, and she looked at Andie.

"No, don't do that." The older girl shook her head. "You didn't fail, you missed. It's your first time with a rifle. I'd be surprised if you hit it first try. Did you see which side the bullet passed the walker on?"

"The right."

"Good. Learn, correct, try again."

Beth stood firm on her feet as she raised her shoulders and positioned the rifle again. She looked through the scope, listening as Andie told her to steady her breathing, then she fired again. The walker dropped, and she smiled brightly as she looked back at Andie.

"Did you see that?" She asked, bouncing on her feet.

"You'll be Daniel Jackson in no time." The brunette chuckled as she reached out and took the rifle from her. "Let's get this show on the road. I have one more place I wanna hit before we head back to the prison."

—

"What the hell were you doing?" Rick questioned when Andie, Beth, Merle, and Carol walked back into the cell block.

"Well, Dad," The brunette looked at him. "We went on a supply run, got food... Oh, yeah, and bullets." She tossed a bag into the middle of the room, and he walked over to go through it.

"Where did you find all this?" Glenn asked as he looked at the ammo over their leader's shoulder.

"A place Merle knew about."

"You took Merle and Beth with you on a supply run?" Rick questioned.

"I thought Merle could use some fresh air after Maggie put him in a choke hold because he tried to beat Glenn again. And Beth wanted to learn a thing or two while we were out." Andie told him, and he looked up at her. "I'd have asked you for your permission, but you were out wasting time and fuel. And, uh, I don't need permission to leave the prison."

"You have a problem with the way I run things?" He asked as he stood up straight.

"I'm just getting a little tired of everyone treating me like I'm incompetent."

"More like I'm worried you're a ticking time bomb."

"You took Daryl and Hershel and left the prison. Glenn hates Merle, and Merle likes pushing buttons to get a rise out of people. I deescalated a situation and got us supplies that we needed — food, munitions. Instead of a thank you, I'm being scolded." She shook her head as she started for the stairs. "But please, tell us about your fruitless endeavor with the Governor."

Rick grinded his teeth as she walked past him, heading up to her cell. He took a deep breath as he placed his free hand on his hip, a gun in the other.

Their leader cleared his throat. "I sat with this Governor for quite a while."

"Just the two of you?" Merle asked, and he nodded. "Should've gone while we had the chance." He then looked up at Andie, and she flipped him off.

"He wants the prison." Rick continued. "He wants us gone. Dead. He wants us dead for what we did to Woodbury... We're going to war."

Their leader walked out of the cell block, going out to the catwalk to take watch, and the others looked up at Andie; she was standing on the perch. The brunette was leaning on the railing, her arms resting on it as she looked back at the rest of them. Daryl looked over at his brother before starting up the stairs.

"Hey, sugar baby?" Merle said, and Andie's head dropped as she groaned in annoyance.

"You never shut up the whole time we were gone. Can't you just—"

"I have a question. And don't worry, I'm not askin' your age."

The teenager stood up straight and crossed her arms over her chest. "What is it this time?"

"The way you taught little blondie today..." He started, and she nodded as Daryl looked between Andie and his older brother. "How'd you get to be a decent instructor so young?"

"It's fairly easy to teach something you've been doing your whole life."

"You've been shooting rifles your whole life?" He questioned.

"Guns."

"How long you been using guns?" He asked, and she shrugged.

"Since before I could write my name."

"No clues to your age, huh?" He chuckled, and she rolled her dark eyes. "Your daddy a survivalist nut or somethin'?"

"No."

"Military?" He asked. "You made a reference to Saving Private Ryan out there."

"I watched a lot of movies."

"So, what did your old man do?" He asked, and she just looked at him. "He a serial killer?"

Andie cracked a smile as she looked at him. "You solved the puzzle." She said sarcastically.

"Why are you so cagey?"

"Why are you so nosy?"

"What about your mama?"

"What about her, Merle?" Andie questioned. "Do you have a point to this interrogation?"

"I find you interesting."

"Yeah, well, I find you annoying." She said as she turned for her cell.

"What was your mama doing while your old man was teaching a child to use a gun?" He asked, and she stopped as she turned to look back at him.

"She kept her mouth shut and her head down — stayed in line, obeyed orders, didn't speak out of turn." Andie told him, and his expression turned far less amused as he looked up at her. "Call me sugar baby again, and I'll show you what else the men in my family taught me."