Episode 9: Advice of Strangers

Set some months after episode 8, Advice of Strangers find the survivors in an abandoned half destroyed town.
==Episode==
We open in the streets of an empty town. Half the buildings are burnt out and the others are early quite. Their are no signs of life. From the patches of snow here and there we can tell its near the end of winter.
Cory: This place is weird... where are the walkers.
We pull back to see the remaining survivors dressed in winter gear observing the town that was once Black Pine Ridge. The welcome sign is a half demolished weathered mess.
Slade: Kid please try not to jinx things alright remember that place we thought was safe the other month.
Mark: Yeah we were just lucky the cold slows walkers down or none of us would be standing here talking.
Salvatore: The kid has a point this place is just way to quite.
Christopher: It dosen't matter we look for supplies and we move on that's how it works.
Everyone splits up and it has become apparent the group has become adapt at scavenging and survival in this new world. They are alert and quite and cautious to keep a member of the group in their line of sight at all times. Mark and Sal are walking together observing the fire damage.
Salvatore: You Ive been thing this was not a normal fire that did this.
Mark: So what suddenly your a fire man?
Salvatore: No just look at the place it looks like someone tried to blow half this place to hell.
Mark: What the army?
Salvatore: No idea but whoever they were it was a sloppy job
He indicates a charred still alive bisected walker crawling towards them. Its really quite harmless but its groans could draw attention.
Salvatore: I got this one.....
He walks over and pulls out a crowbar from the inside of his coat and slams the sharp end through the top of the monster's skull.
Salvatore: I sure hope this guy was a walker when he burned... not the best way to go.
Mark: Yeah... come on lets get the stuff and go.
They enter the building the walker came out which is shown to be a grocery store.
Later most of the group is back in the main part of the street with a pile of items. Corey is looking through a battered journal with interest.
Slade: Kid what are you doing... that could be someone's diary...
Moe: Or last testament show some respect.
Corey shakes his head grinning like he has a real find on his hands.
Corey: No its a manual.... a way to deal with the walkers.
The two men exchange a glance has Sal and Mark return with a box of canned goods. They notices Corey's exited expression.
Salvatore: whats with him?
Slade: Kid reckons he's found a zombie how to manual.
Corey runs over to Mark and hands him the book.
Corey: Look.
Mark flips through the pages and we see a few
Journal writer: November 12: No matter how hard I try I can't end it... maybe I really am crazy......
December 2: weird day I fell in a bog and then found myself in the middle of a bunch of walkers but they ignored me.... could it be the smell? 
December 29: Their like dogs, dumb as fuck rotting dogs but still dogs, mask your smell and use noise to distract them and its easy to get around them. Good thing too since I think its gonna get a lot warmer soon.
Mark: Fuck me!
Christopher: Uh guys a little help.
The group looks up to find Christopher coming out of the shadows with a gun pointed at his head followed by a tough looking guy and several others most of them hiding in the shadows holding weapons. The group pull their own weapons
Man: Negan send you?
Mark: Negan... sorry dosen't ring a bell... let our friend go and we can discuss things.
Man: Maybe but the way I figure he's my insurance in case their are more of you son's a bitches hiding out their.
Salvatore: Its just us and do what the man says before we get inpatient.
Moe shoots him a look
Moe: Careful l do you want a repeat with what happened to Lauren.
Salvatore: No but...
Martha: Jesus Christ Andrew they've got a kid with them do you really think their with Negan.
The now identified man turns to face a woman who is tracing up the street with a shotgun slung over her arm 
Mark: Look I have no idea who this Negan guy is but we're just passing through let out friend go and we will get out of your hair.
Martha: He's right I was watching them they just took some food, said they were heading west and we know Negan's bunch went south.
Andrew: Here,( he lowers his gun and pushes Christopher to the group).
Christopher: Hey, I'm not a sack of potatoes
He shuffles over to his group.
Mark: Ok you mind telling me what the hell we did to piss you guys off.
Andrew: Well for starters....
Man: Walkers
Andrew: Shit... follow us.
Mark: Were not going anywhere with you guys.
Moe: (putting a hand on his shoulder) Mark we don't have a choice and we don't know how many there are.
Mark: Fine lead the way.
The group follows Andrew's group to an old pub whose doors and windows have been bricked up. One of Andrew's men taps on the door to the delivery hatch which opens and everyone is ushered inside. and the door is shut. The basement has been emptied and made into a form of guard post while the sound of people on the top floor can be heard. Their is a tunnel to the left.
Salvatore: Prohibition tunnels?
Martha: Yep run throughout the town... makes it easier to get around and fortify buildings.
Andrew: stop telling them trade secrets.
Slade: Hey its cool were all friends here even if you did get the drop on one of us....
Christopher: Hey not the point.
Mark: (frowning) not the point, what I want to know is who are you guys and who or what is Negan?
Andrew: Trouble but I think we can explain it over dinner, those walkers will hang around for a wilt until they realize their is nothing here.
The group look at each other considering. The offer of a free meal out ways their suspicions.
Later
The group is seated in the basement of a hotel having followed the tunnels. Its been converted into a community dinning area. The door to the ground level has been bolted shut and blocked. While the adults talk we can see Corey in the background playing with some kids in the group his age. Moe watches him thoughtfully.
Salvatore: So let me get this straight some son of a bitch hi jacks your crew and pretty much makes you his slaves.
Martha: Yeah said he was "protecting us" though I think we would have taken our chances with the walkers.
Slade: why didn't you fight back?
Andrew: We tried but these bastards played dirty, threatened the women and children.... Negan put a bullet through Maratha's oldest because she wouldn't "please" him.
Moe: Monsters.
Andrew: Yeah we just lucky we came here  when we did.
Slade: Why?
Andrew: The guy who wrought that book your friend found.
Mark: What one guy drove off a whole band of murderers?
Andrew: Not exactly.... (we enter a flashback  where the convoy enters the town)
Andrew v.o: Negan thought the place was the best spot to camp out during the winter.... he didn't know their was someone else living their.
We see one of Negan's thugs dead on the floor his throat slashed open has the shadow of the attacker can bee seen running into the snow.
Martha v.o.: That pissed Negan off , son of a bitch didn't like it that there was someone making a fool of him.... he started blowing up the town trying to find this guy.
Next we see Negan's crew chase the man his face still hidden from view across the burning streets and corner him climbing a building. We see a crazed smile on the man's face has he shoots the lock off a door leading to about 50 walkers spilling out of a building.
end of flashback
Andrew : Negan lost half his men to that guy that night... some of us used the confusion to slip away and hide in the woods until Negan left. He comes by some time look for that guy but I don't think he'll find him... man was a ghost.
Slade: World is full of some strange folk now.
Moe: No... it was always full of them we just never noticed until now.
Next day
The group is loading supplies up into a van. Mark is off to one side with Christopher talking to him.
Mark: Your sure about this?
Christopher: Yeah I'm staying.... I know it might not work but yesterday taught me I cant keep this up... next time it might not be a person willing to listen who has a gun pointed at my head. (He sighs) I'm tired Mark I just want to stop running.
Mark: Ok... I don't blame and I wont stop you but... try not to get ambushed next time alright.
He gives him a friendly slap on the back and walks over to the rest of the group. Everyone is in the car except for Salvatore who is going over the map with Martha.
Martha: You'll want to take highway 9 if the roads are still holding up it should get you to the foot of the Rockey's in a day.
Mark: Thanks.
Martha: Listen you guys watch yourself out their especially with that kid.
Mark: I know but we just gotta keep rolling you know.
Martha nods while Mark gets into the car and drives off.
Martha: God speed.
End