Carver was inside, maintaining his treasures: a row of cold weapons gleaming with a sharp chill, from large machetes to small throwing knives.
It was not summer yet, but the weather had already warmed up quite a bit. After training, many members of the Defense Force ended up hot enough to strip to the waist.
Carver was bare-chested, the muscles in his arms shifting as he sharpened a blade. Beads of sweat slid one by one down the groove of his spine.
Hearing footsteps, he assumed it was a teammate and said without looking up, "Door's unlocked. Take whatever you need... Calista?"
When he saw it was Calista, Carver froze. He immediately straightened, instinctively trying to hide the oil-stained towel behind his back, only to realize how stupid that looked and stop halfway.
"Morning, Carver!" Calista answered, her gaze sweeping over the row of weapons. "Interrupting your maintenance?"
"No! Ready whenever." Carver quickly grabbed the black tank top draped nearby and pulled it on, moving so fast he looked a little flustered. "Is there a mission today?"
"Mm-hm. We're heading into the mountains later to replenish wall materials. We need a main force." Calista leaned against the doorframe.
"Michonne will lead the way. I'm bringing Maggie too. She wants to have a look and help out. Can you handle the hauling for us?"
Carver's eyes lit up.
Not because there was a mission, but because Calista had said they needed a main force. Coming from her, those words carried a natural trust.
And he would be going on a mission with her. Not a large-scale clearing operation, but a small-team job, close range.
"I Can Handle It!" he answered quickly and loudly. Then he realized he might have sounded too excited, coughed once, and steadied his voice.
"I mean, mission guaranteed. Anything special I need to prepare?"
"Just the usual. Bring extra restraints. We'll catch a few more today. I haven't moved around much lately either." Calista finished speaking and was about to leave, then remembered something.
She turned back and added, "Maggie has decent experience, but she's never handled walkers our way. Keep an eye on her."
"Understood!" Carver nodded, and the secret delight in his chest swelled like a soap bubble.
She had specifically told him to keep an eye on her. That was not just a mission order. It felt more like... a kind of trust.
Heh. At the very least, it meant she acknowledged his combat ability and experience.
He watched Calista leave, her blond ponytail swaying once in the morning light before disappearing around the corner.
Carver turned around and used a slightly blurry metal plate on the wall as a mirror, quickly straightening the tank top he had just put on. He ran his fingers through his hair twice, until it looked right.
Only then did he walk to the weapons rack and choose the kukri that felt best in his hand and had been maintained to perfection. Then he strapped a dagger and several emergency throwing knives to his thigh.
After thinking it over, he also put on the tactical gloves he usually found too troublesome to wear.
"Keep an eye on her..." Carver murmured, the corners of his mouth lifting despite himself. He had to let her see him complete the mission cleanly and efficiently.
An hour later, at the assembly point by the east gate of Blackberry Ranch.
Calista was still wearing the same dark gray tactical pants and fitted black tank top that were easy to move in, but she had changed the open shirt outside into a dark green camouflage combat jacket. It made her skin look even fairer and her posture straighter.
Maggie had also changed into sturdy work pants and boots, with her machete and pistol at her waist. Her eyes carried a nervous eagerness.
Michonne arrived right on time. She was no longer wearing a hoodie either, but a Defense Force combat uniform, with a headband tied around her hair.
She greeted Calista, then let her gaze rest on Maggie for half a second, which counted as a greeting.
At this point, she and Maggie were not familiar at all. They had only met once in passing when she went by the prison. She knew Maggie and the others had arrived at Blackberry Ranch a few days ago, but they had not run into each other yet.
Maggie, on the other hand, was more curious about her.
Back at the prison, Michonne had said nothing. Now she was the same, quiet and hard to approach, like a silent expert with a sword. But Maggie was not shy, so she greeted her. 'Hi!'
Michonne paused, then returned a slightly stiff smile.
Carver was the last to arrive. In truth, he had been ready ages ago. He had only taken a lap nearby so he could appear "just on time."
Fully equipped, he walked up to Calista with steady, powerful steps, his back held especially straight. "Calista, the team is assembled."
Calista gave a soft "Mm" and looked over the three of them. "Today's mission is the same as what we discussed this morning.
Michonne leads and identifies targets. Carver handles threats and control. I'll do the processing. Maggie, stay beside me. Watch first, then try it yourself."
She paused and looked at Maggie, her tone softening a little. "Maggie, stay close and don't wander off. The Great Smoky Mountains may look quiet, but a walker could be hiding anywhere."
"Don't worry. I'm not here for sightseeing." Maggie patted the hilt of her knife.
The four-person team set out, moving at an unhurried pace into the woods.
Michonne took the lead, her figure appearing and disappearing among the trees.
Carver naturally walked a little ahead and to Calista's side, close enough to protect her flank while still able to turn back and see her at any time.
On missions, he seemed to become that mercenary who lived by the blade again. His senses sharpened to the limit, missing no rustle of wind or grass. Whenever he noticed movement, he gave a simple hand signal in advance to warn the others behind him.
After they had walked for a while, Maggie moved closer to Calista and whispered, "You two work together really smoothly. Like you've been doing this for a long time."
Calista kept her eyes on their surroundings and answered casually, "That came from practice.
At first, I didn't know anything. I learned hand-to-hand combat and weapon handling from Leah and the others. I was clumsy too. Carver yelled at me, and he beat me up during training."
Carver, walking a few steps ahead, stiffened, his ears practically perking up.
He... he yelled at Calista? And beat her up?
Oh. There had been one time, a long time ago, back when the virus had just broken out.
She had been serious during training, but her stamina had been terrible. She could not withstand even one move from him, and her body had been so delicate that even a casual block could leave bruises.
There was also an outdoor practical lesson when Calista had almost been knocked down by a walker playing dead. In that panic, he had shouted, "Duck! Do you want to die?" Then he cut the walker down with one slash.
Carver thought back heavily and had to admit that his tone back then might have been a little harsh.
He had not expected Calista to still remember it so clearly.
"He yelled at you?" Maggie asked in surprise.
"Not really yelled. More like shouted once," Calista said calmly, even sounding a little nostalgic.
"Back then, I, I had only just started being the leader. I was afraid of dragging everyone down and afraid they'd look down on me, so I kept trying to rush to the front.
He thought I had a death wish. And it wasn't just Carver. Leah had never been harsh with me before, but she snapped at me that time too!"