"A"
The chatter, Rick and Michonne, Ada's content as she hears it -- but she's chosen to to be out of the vicinity, in the trees. Days, it's been days since she slept and there's comfort in higher ground. Instinctual for her perhaps. She isn't sure at what point the conversation has taken a turn for the worse, and Rick's had a gun aimed at his head. How could she have dozed off that long? Merely felt like seconds when the voice that follows is unfamiliar
"....... You screwed up, asshole."
And like a jerk, the woman has perched to the edge tree limb, night vision scope of her rifle fixated to catch sight of them, the bastards here to cause chaos. People, if they could even be called such --
"You hear me, you screwed up."
Dangerous territory, Ada's already calculating her move, she could pull the trigger on Joe, but that's too risky. Michonne and Carl -- someone else beyond, Ada's found her way to the ground as Joe is making his countdown, only to see the presence of another ally. She's not certain, Daryl -- Rick's friends. Angled behind the crew, still concealed by the woods. She wants to sprint to Rick, kick a high heel into the back of that man's head, but that's not what needs to be done, Carl is underneath a man -- underneath him and Ada's focus has leered there, the gunshot keeps her from closing in, helpless, almost helpless to dive in. She's quick, but not reckless.
Eyes have spotted the sight of Rick, his teeth being daggers in the throat of Joe, even cringe worthy the sight of the blood squirting through his teeth -- finally she's come close enough to grab that bastard off from Carl. Just in time of hearing "Let him go, let the boy go." From Michonne, Ada's gloved leather fingers grasp that nasty mangled hair in their grip, he's almost turned to shoot her, she's almost shoved a knife through his back, but she sees Rick, that gruesome ferocity in his eyes. Carl's in Michonne's arms and this man? This sadistic fuck's arms are pinned behind him, because Ada's not loosening her grip for any manner and she's got him perfectly open to Rick, Rick's impaling, completely shredding into him. To the point where the spy can actually feel his heart stop beating in her grasp, she can feel the metal scraping his insides apart.
Silence follows, and it follows in a haunting manner. That smell, the one of blood is strong, and already Ada can feel the regret of not having been there, not having been close enough to stop this, for having dozed off. They'd clean the bodies, skip the introductions to Daryl, best saved. Carl sleeps in the car, with Michonne, Ada? Rick tells her to sleep, no other words uttered to her, but she can't, she paces the road all night. Vigilant and wired to the core. It's then where she actually able to meet Daryl.
"You a friend?" He poses, it's an obvious answer to follow, can't blame him for not feeling chatty.
"I love Rick." She answers, and it's a brief glance he gives, but he isn't the type to question this -- and not now.
A nod is offered in response to her answer "Daryl."
"Ada."
Confirmation and truly not much else is granted over the course of the evening. The two of them have circled and paced about the area, all evening and by morning, it was Ada who motioned Daryl to speak to Rick. ".... Try and get him cleaned up, please -- he needs you." No arguments, Ada's going to lean upon the other side of the vehicle, let Daryl reconnect, he's probably better at this. Ada remembers the last time she tried to talk Rick down, it didn't go well.
And before they hit the tracks again, she has her moment and she'll use it mostly for an apology.
"I'm sorry.."
"Don't..." Rick says, he's calm -- or numb. She isn't sure which as she takes a seat next to him. "Just... Don't, we're okay... Nobody died, that's what matters." He won't look at her. Maybe it's the amount of blood still coating his features, but she has to look at him right now.
"Rick, I fell asleep -- just seconds and his voice, I could have.... I wanted to snipe him right there, but I wasn't sure I had the shot..." Her words are broken apart, so vividly plastered by guilt. "Rick, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."
She wasn't any help here, she wasn't ANY help. It's quiet, for a while before Rick turns to face her, tugs an arm over her and pulls her against his side. Firm, affectionate touch, and for a brief moment it's okay. It is. It's enough for him to say it again.
"Ada, it's okay. Stop apologizing." His voice still callous, but it doesn't matter. He's right, they took a hit. But it would be okay. Regardless of his reluctance, Ada makes sure to help clean his face, his neck, make sure he doesn't run around painted in blood. They don't need more reminders. Not before the tracks; they need to focus on the target.... Terminus.
----
"Damn, it's a nice piece. Might have to beat ya' up for it." A jesting tone from the bowman, aimed at the spy and her specialized bow-gun. He's jealous it shoots exploding arrows, isn't he? They need a moment of lightness, it's even nice to see a glance from Carl. He's quiet, so quiet -- and they all know why.
"I'd trust the junior sheriff with it first, yours is all worn, poor bow. You'll have to let me fix her up some time.~" The term ' junior sheriff ' almost, almost gains a smile from Carl, but he's still trying to keep his mind elsewhere and his eyes are still at the ground. Daryl scoffs at her anyway. Not likely he'd let Ada mess with his -- she's well aware of that. Rick's mention of Terminus grabs her attention.
"Rick, can we talk about this for a minute?" She inquires, catching the short distance between them and he's hesitant but lets her go on. "Scoping places out, it's something I've done for a long time, for a living... Look, I wasn't much help last night." Quieter in tone, as if to not unsettle anyone, but that wasn't going to be a defense. Everyone's eyes lowered to the thought. Perish it. "There's no reason for all of us to go in like this, it's stupid and dangerous, let me scope it out. --"
"No." He interrupts Ada's reasoning, defiantly. "I'm not sending you in there by yourself, we'll sneak in through the woods, all of us. If there's people waitin' for us? We don't know how many, I'm not gonna' let you run in there alone. Strength in numbers, no discussion." Stern glance, and he's turning away from her, and Ada's already livid. His reasoning is illogical -- but she can't fight it. She should have darted ahead days ago, like she wanted to, but she didn't. This was going to end poorly. She knows it, sanctuary is nothing but false hope. False hope.
"We shouldn't be --"
"Just stop, Ada. We have to know, alright? If there's a chance, a chance it's legit, we have to know... We have to go." Her words being interrupted again have left a bitter expression.
"Goin' in there alone is suicide, ya' got us with ya', and we ain't helpless, got no idea what's in this place, but you gotta' have numbers. Kinda' part of being in a group, we'll be a'ight."
Daryl's insight. Ada still isn't going to exactly smile to this decision, but they go with it. She's even loyal enough to her word not stray off -- not until they split up to scope out. The second Rick turns his back, Ada's playing that disappearing act. And the amount of curses that leave his lips when he realizes this, she had the audacity to leave a note.
;; Go in, I'll cover you guys. I'm watching. ;;
Lipstick stained the paper, and it's of zero comfort to Rick.
Ada's found way to higher ground, and ever so carefully slunk her way into Terminus first, she might have lied slightly. She wasn't watching, not fully. The distraction came from stumbling into human remains and shifty as all Hell? They didn't look all the decomposed.
----
By the time she's caught up to the sounds of gunfire, long after Rick, Carl, Michonne, and Daryl have entered, the panic had already set in she knew she was right, this was bad, and it was probably best that Ada went separate, she was a key player now. This game could be won, element of surprise, drowning that fear of catching up to the group too late, that sniper on the roof, barraging shots at them, Ada's headshot him already. Hookshot onto the rooftops and following the commotion, in the distance it can be heard --
"There's one in red! Rooftops, rooftops!"
Only one bullet grazes the spy's side, and it's not anywhere near enough to keep her down, and she's hidden quickly, down the side of one building, playing spectator, relieved to see the others are unharmed, and Gareth's voice is of no consolation, she can't make a move now. A reload of an explosive arrow. Time to wait and stir --
"Drop your weapons now!" Gareth, isn't he so charming? No....
The others are searching, but Ada's not bound to be found. Focus is on her friends. Silent contemplation of a next move. They're not dying on her, these Terminus bastards? They aren't getting away with this.
"Ring leader, go to your left, train car, go."
...... Rick has to see her, because his eyes have subtly caught the glimpse of red, limped into the building. Ada's watching. Waiting. They'll be okay. As soon as they're out of the firing range. Rick sees her surely as Carl is walking towards the cart.
"They're screwing with the wrong people."
And the second those words leave his lips, the others in that cart are going to find out -- explosion right outside, those bastards at the fence, they're done like that and still nobody can quite get a pinpoint on the spy, one of them tries to grab her, from behind and it's too easy to slip between his grasp and twist his neck, the cracking of his bones, Ada's taken him out in a flash.
Bang Bang Bang --
Her aim is nothing to be tested, and she's just too quick, a break of luck for Rick's group -- more than luck. That lock on the box car is her next target, there's more of Terminus' people on the assault now, but she's got them all running in the wrong direction, turned around -- and she's using another arrow to break that shackle off the box cart -- she's almost belted when the door is opened, til Rick speaks up.
"She's on our side!"
The commotion was a grand distraction, but -- "I didn't get them all, come on -- we have to run." And she backs out, piercing bullets through three followers, covering the large sum of people, letting them pile out of the cart. The knife strapped to her belt is grasped by Rick, they could get out that fence, but What good was it? Survival first, Ada clears a path towards the open section where the group had laid down their weapons, that'll have to do. Daryl and Abraham are the first to bolt for the guns, Michonne for her sword. They'd need all they could get, up to and including the guns buried outside the gates.
A unanimous "Let's go!" -- and it isn't long before the group is loose, Rick having sliced an opening in that fence, Ada's still covering the backside -- just really one last question....
Where do they go? Terminus is going to follow.