3rd Person Pov

The group was still huddled together near the farmhouse, tension hanging heavy in the air after Rick's revelation about Randall. Then movement caught Rick's eye. He straightened and looked past the others.

"They're here," Rick said firmly.

Every head turned.

Daryl and Itachi were walking up, both having cleaned up and changed into fresh clothes before returning.

When they got closer, Daryl was the first to speak.

"Boy's got a gang. Thirty men," he said, eyes sweeping the group. "They got heavy artillery, and they ain't lookin' to make friends. They roll through here, our boys are dead. And our women—they're gonna wish they were. And that even includes Sophia."

Silence fell like a stone.

Carol's hand shot up to cover her mouth. Glenn muttered, almost to himself, "Jesus…"

T-Dog spat the words out. "That ain't a group, that's a pack of animals."

The words hung in the cold air, the group staring at Daryl as the reality began to sink in.

Itachi finally spoke, his voice cutting through the uneasy silence.

"They've got more than rifles. One armored car, military style with a mounted gun on top."

Eyes widened. A murmur rippled through the group.

"They're well supplied," he went on. "Not from scavenging towns. From taking it off other survivors. Killing them, stealing what they had."

Andrea's arms crossed tight over her chest. Glenn's face went pale. Even Dale's gaze faltered.

"And judging by the track they're running," Itachi finished, "they're not moving on. They're scouting the area. Planning to stay close."

Rick's eyes stayed fixed on Daryl and Itachi. His voice was steady, but there was a hard edge to it.

"Do they know about the farm?"

Daryl shook his head. "No. Nothin' about the farm."

Rick just gave a single nod.

"No one goes near this guy," he said, his voice carrying over the group.

Lori stepped forward, eyes searching his. "Rick, what are you gonna do?"

"We have no choice," Rick answered. "He's a threat. We have to eliminate the threat."

Dale's voice cut in, sharp. "You're just gonna kill him?"

Rick didn't flinch. "It's settled. I'll do it today."

Dale stepped forward, shaking his head. "You can't do this. You don't want to do this. I know you don't."

Rick's eyes hardened. "Knowing what we know now, I don't see a way out of it."

"But you can't just decide on your own to take someone's life," Dale shot back.

"The group seemed supportive," Rick said flatly.

Dale's voice rose, frustration spilling out. "Because they didn't speak back? You didn't let them. There's gotta be a— a process."

Rick's tone sharpened. "And what would that be? We can't call witnesses, go before a judge."

"So he's automatically guilty by association and sentenced to death?" Dale fired back. "He's just a kid. Please give me some time to speak with everyone. People are scared. They need time to discuss this."

Jacqui joined in. "Let's just save everyone the time and vote now, because I'd rather have walkers in the barn than that scum walkin' free for another night."

Daryl snorted. "He won't be walkin' much anymore."

Carol glanced at him. "What did you do?"

"Had a little chat," Daryl answered, leaving it there.

Rick stepped in before Dale could speak again. "Fine. I'll inform Hershel if he wants to be part of this. Everyone else, you've got an hour to think it through."

Then he turned and walked off, not giving Dale the chance to finish.

The group began to scatter, some breaking off into smaller knots, while others headed back towards the house or their tents.

Itachi walked over to Jenner and stopped right in front of him. 'Could you come with me?

Jenner studied him for a long moment, then gave a slight nod. Without a word, he slipped into his tent and returned with a first aid kit. Together, they made their way towards the shed.

Amy noticed them passing by the house. After a brief pause, she left the porch and started walking towards them.

"Can I come as well?" she asked.

Itachi slowed, considering her request for a moment before giving a single nod.

As they walked past the farmhouse, Amy glanced at Itachi. "How did the meeting go?"

"They'll hold another meeting in an hour. Randall's group… they're dangerous."

Amy didn't press him further, though worry lingered in her eyes.

As they drew closer to the shed, a faint noise leaked through the door, broken, stuttering.

Whimpers.

Itachi stopped at the door, his eyes flicking to Amy. "Are you sure you want to go inside?"

She hesitated, her lips parting without a word. Then, with a small nod, she steadied herself. "Yes."

Itachi pulled the door open.

The smell hit first, a mix of stale blood and sweat. Randall was bound tightly to a support beam, chains biting into his wrists. His body was a wreck of bruises and cuts, limbs bent at unnatural angles. Only his lips moved, a hoarse whisper spilling the same words again and again.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"

His eyes were open, glassy and unfocused, like there was nothing left behind them.

Jenner shook off his surprise quickly and stepped in without a word, crouching beside Randall to assess the damage. His hands moved with clinical ease as he opened the kit and began tending to the worst of the injuries.

Amy froze in the doorway, her breath catching as her eyes flicked from Randall's mangled body to Itachi. She stayed there in silence, unable to look away from the scene in front of her.

Jenner worked with steady hands, eyes fixed on Randall's injuries as he cleaned a cut across the man's shoulder. "He's in bad shape," he said flatly. "You both really didn't hold back."

Itachi stood just behind him. "Don't let him die yet. Not until we're done with him."

Jenner glanced up, then nodded.

He worked in silence for a moment. "He's not fatally wounded. Infection's the only risk."

Amy finally spoke quietly. "Isn't this too far?"

Jenner answered for Itachi without looking up. "If you'd heard what his group does, you wouldn't be asking that."

Itachi exhaled slowly. "They're rapists and killers. They hunt survivors, take what they want."

Amy didn't answer. She just stood in the doorway, watching Randall, her expression caught somewhere between fear and disbelief.

When Jenner finished tending the wounds, he packed the kit and gave Itachi a nod.

They stepped out together. Amy stayed in the doorway for a moment, her eyes fixed on Randall, before she finally followed them.

By the time they arrived at the house, the sun had already set.And the others were already waiting to decide Randall's fate.

Everyone was gathered in the dining room, seated in tense silence. The only one missing was Beth.

Glenn spoke first. "So how do we do this? Just take a vote?"

Andrea frowned. "Maybe we make it unanimous?"

Lori rubbed her forehead. "How about majority rules?"

Rick held up a hand. "Let's—let's just see where everybody stands, then we can talk through the options."

Shane's answer was blunt. "Where I sit, there's only one way to move forward."

Dale pushed back immediately. "You're just gonna kill him? I mean, why even bother voting? It's clear which way the wind's blowing."

Rick's voice was calm, but hard. "If people believe we should spare him, I want to know."

Dale shook his head. "Well, I can tell you it's a small group. Maybe just me and Glenn."

Glenn shifted uncomfortably. "Look, I—I think you're right about most things, pretty much all the time, but this…"

Dale cut in, sharp. "They've got you scared."

He turned towards Maggie. "How about you? You agree with this?"

Maggie's face tightened. "Couldn't we keep him prisoner? "

Daryl snapped, standing up. "What the hell is that? You got a killer on your hands and you wanna put him in a bed and feed him?" His voice turned bitter. "Why don't you bake him a damn pie while you're at it."

Dale tried again. "You don't know — he's just a kid—"

Daryl cut him off, voice loud and angry. "Oh, right. Excuse me staying with a group of killers and shooting our boys don't count."

Dale stared at them, hard. "So the answer is to kill him? If we do this, we're saying there's no hope. The rule of law is dead. There is no civilization."

Daryl spat it out. "You only see it now? There ain't no cops, there ain't no judges, we make the rules. And I ain't wastin' food on no sonuvabitch who tried to kill us."

Rick held up his hands. "Alright. Let's calm down."

Patricia asked, "If you go through with it, how would you do it? Would he suffer?"

Shane shrugged. "We could hang him. Snap his neck."

Rick rubbed his temple. "I thought about that. Shooting might be more humane."

Itachi's answer was flat. "I could kill him while he's asleep. He wouldn't feel anything."

T-Dog spoke up. "And what about the body? We bury him?"

Amy's voice was small. "We could burn it."

Dale cut in, furious. "You're talking like it's already decided."

Jacqui snapped back. "What other choice is there? We can't keep him. We can't let him go. It's more humane to end it now than keep him locked up in a shed for the rest of his life."

Dale stared at them. "Is this what it's come to? We kill someone because we can't decide what else to do with him?"

Itachi's voice was blunt. "We kill him because he tried to kill us first."

Dale's hands shook. "He's been tortured. He's going to be executed. How are we any better than those people we're so afraid of?"

Jenner looked at Dale. "I don't see any of us hunting other survivors or women."

Dale turned to Rick, desperate. "You once said we don't kill the living."

Rick's reply was cold and simple. "Well, that was before the living tried to kill us."

Dale saw no faces move with him. He swallowed hard. "I won't be a party to it. I can't." With that, he stood and walked away.

Rick sighed and let his eyes drift around the table, searching each face one by one. No one moved. No one spoke. Dale stood alone. "Then it's decided. We'll do it tonight. Shane, Daryl, and Itachi stay here for a bit."

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🧪 Author's Note:

Thank you all so much for the support and for 300+ power stones!

Hope you enjoyed this one! Let me know what you thought of the story and the character interactions in the comments — I love reading your reactions.

Thanks again for reading 🖤