Volume 2: Safety in Numbers

"Safety in Numbers", also called "Volume 2" is the second volume of The Walking Dead: Haven.

Summary

 * After working together to avoid certain death, Karen, Mal, Finn and Annie come face to face with a third party who present them with a tempting offer.

Issue 5
Mal, Annie, Finn and Karen face the stranger as he tells them he just wants to talk. Annie interrupts, asking if he is bit – as he is missing an arm – but the man tells her not to worry and introduces himself as Sergeant Raymond Kemp. Mal orders the man to leave, but the latter tells the group he scoped them out and has supplies he's willing to share with them if they help him with something.

Karen asks for proof of the supplies before hearing him out, and Ray acknowledges he thought they might ask that. He looks over his shoulder and calls to someone out of sight. As he admits that he hopes they feel the same way about travelling with children as he does, he is approached by two boys – one a teenager, the other under ten – whom he quickly introduces as his sons. The elder son backs his father up by saying he is not lying as he puts a duffel bag filled with supplies on the ground. Ray tells the group there are only enough to last a day, but the group can have more if they help him. Mal explains Nebraska is running on empty in terms of free supplies an admits they don't really have a choice, so he asks what Ray wants from them. Ray tells them he needs help rescuing his daughter.

Karen asks what happened to Ray's daughter, and the man tells them 'bad people' are holding her hostage – adding that if they agree to help him he'll take them to a place where they can discuss everything in full. He emphasises how he has supplies and his elder son begs for their help, which secures Karen's sympathy. Finn criticises her decision heavily, but Karen explains that he of all people should understand why she wants to help.

Ray asks Mal and Annie for their help. Though Mal is hesitant, Annie says she wants to help, stating how she feels indebted to Karen – who previously saved her life – adding that it would be wrong not to help a child in need. Mal reluctantly agrees to hear Ray out.

When asked, Finn says he has no choice but to come as Mal has his gun and Karen has the remainder of his supplies, expressing extreme distaste towards being capitulated and going as far as to call Ray's daughter a brat he has no reason to care about. As Finn turns away, Ray's eldest son offers a handshake to Mal, introducing himself as Austin and his brother as Noah, but the gesture is rejected. Karen swoops in and accepts the handshake in Mal's stead, introducing her own group, but is concerned when Austin keeps hold of her hand for slightly too long and she has to tell him to let go.

Ray beckons the group to follow him and Austin and Noah swiftly trail after their father, picking up the duffel bag of supplies as they go. Mal and Karen linger back for a moment as the former asks the latter if she still has his knife, then notes it's good she does.

The group arrives at a small house situated in the woods around sunset. Mal remains extremely distrustful of Ray while Annie tries to break the ice with Noah to little avail. Austin reveals that his family has been somewhat sheltered as he states he doesn't know what it's like to sleep on concrete and notes that his father was 'prepared' for the outbreak. When Finn questions this Austin explains that Ray was a doomsday preparer, but the former merely disregards the man as a nutcase. Austin contests that Ray was right in the end, which is what matters.

Mal notes a walker sitting in a car outside the house, which Ray explains is used as a guard dog – if they come back to find it killed, they know someone is in the area and to be on their guard. Mal seems to think Ray got the idea from somewhere but the latter says it is his own creation before heading inside with his sons.

Mal approaches Karen again, and attempts to apologise for “testing” her and Finn the day prior. Karen notes it was a dumb idea but he isn't the only one who has had them recently – noting her plan to make a deal with Mal himself was somewhat ridiculous. Mal tries to explain something further but halts himself, saying that he'll tell her when they're done with Ray. He says he wants to make sure that she'll side with him and Annie over the Kemps if it comes to it, and Karen says she will.

Inside the house, Ray tells Karen and Mal to take a seat, then sends Austin to the kitchen to fix some food. Finn attempts to gather more information by asking if the house is where their food is kept, but Ray says he doesn't keep all of it there and that the rest is well hidden. Austin returns with food and passes it out to the group as Karen notices Noah is missing. Ray explains the boy has probably run upstairs as he does not like strangers – then tells Austin to take Noah some food as he can handle the situation on his own.

Mal says Ray does not seem very concerned about his daughter, which he takes as an insult. Finn interjects by asking Ray what his daughter's name is in an attempt to catch him out, but Ray quickly provides a very detailed history of his daughter, Phoebe, then tells them he wouldn't be risking his neck – or his sons' - with strangers if his child wasn't in danger. Karen tells Finn not to jump to conclusions. When Ray thanks her she states it is more for her own benefit – noting that while Finn is harsh, he has a point that anyone can make up a sob story.

Ray explains that he joined a large group to keep his kids safe, but realised they were dangerous – explaining they had harsh punishments for the smallest of offences. They planned an escape, but in a resulting struggle Phoebe was captured. Caught between a rock and a hard place, Ray decided he could not risk Austin and Noah as well lest any or all of his children wind up dead. Karen asks how he knows the group has not already hurt Phoebe, and Ray says he doesn't but has to try to get her back. He proposes the group aid him in rescuing the girl and in return they can have a fair share of what he stole from the enemy group during his escape, but Finn notes that they are terribly unequipped for such a venture – prompting Ray to look at his AK-47 and ask if they really thought he only stole food.

Issue 6
Noah is seen in his room reading a comic. Annie enters, startling the boy, and asks him numerous questions about how he has survived. She shows a particular concern for Noah's relationship with his father which he brushes off and persists in his efforts to find out where his brother Austin is – displaying a strong attachment to the older Kemp brother. Noah explains he is not afraid of the zombies and has always seen them as wild animals, leading Annie to realise he was born shortly before or during the outbreak.

Annie asks if Noah has ever killed a walker, and the boy nonchalantly responds that his father and brother do it for him. Annie hands him a knife and tells him his father and brother might not always be around. Initially confused that she would give it to him when they do not know each other, Noah accepts what she has bestowed when she tells him she does not want to see another child die. Noah quickly returns to reading his comic as Annie leaves, pleased with herself.

Mal and Finn arm up in the living room, still very irritable towards each other. Mal notes how Finn could leave at any time had he just asked for his supplies, but Finn responds that they had few supplies regardless and Ray's offer was too good to pass up even if he does trust the man less than Mal.

Mal admits that something about Ray concerns him but he cannot figure out what, which does not please Finn – who emphasises the desperation of the situation. Mal attempts to make amends by subtly suggesting they ally with each other rather than Ray as they have the same goal and face the same risks, and though Finn half-heartedly agrees, he notes that he is armed and if Mal puts one foot out of line he won't hesitate to retaliate. Finn then leaves the room, slamming the door behind him.

In the kitchen, Ray chats to Karen about his past. He reveals that he lost his lower left arm during the Gulf War in the early nineties after being caught off-guard by a landmine. Afterwards he was sent home to find his wife had given birth to Austin. Karen asks when Noah was born, and Ray tells her his youngest son was born in 2001 – making him only two during the initial outbreak of the zombie virus – and admits belief that he failed to raise the boy right. Karen tries to cheer him up by saying he's done better than others could and that Noah just seems a little shy, a compliment which Ray accepts wholeheartedly before asking what Karen got up to before the outbreak.

Karen says she was in the Tenth Grade and that her parents didn't make it, but she survived with her sister. The two were later separated and haven't seen each other in three years, so Karen took to linking up with groups to survive as it is more trustworthy – a sentiment which Ray agrees with.

Ray then asks which of the two 'jackasses', Finn or Mal, Karen is dating, which she is taken off-guard by. She tells Ray that she only met Mal recently and she isn't Finn's type – Ray agrees with the latter point, then looks over the woman's shoulder as Mal arrives in the kitchen and asks Karen to round up the kids. Karen initially protests but is halted by Ray who says they need all hands on deck, which makes her leave.

As soon as Karen leaves, Ray begins to single Mal out, noting how Karen isn't bad to look at and he'd hate to see her taken advantage of. Mal once again notes that Ray doesn't seem all that concerned by his daughter's absence, which the amputee plays off as confidence – something he suggests Mal try to find. Ray's jabs begin to irritate Mal, who threatens the man and says that peoples' lives are at stake... but Ray recognises that Mal is only in it for himself, then tells the man that they can't possibly fail their task of rescuing Phoebe. Mal says he hopes Ray is right, the soldier cutting him off as he turns around asking if he will kill him if he isn't – recognising that Mal is a killer and he'd do it without a second thought, perhaps even in front of Austin and Noah. Mal says Ray is fucked up and Ray notes this was not a denial of his point, then slings his good arm around the bandit's shoulder and suggests they regroup with the others.

As everyone gathers in the living room, Mal approaches Annie and hands her a Walther PPK as a late tenth birthday present. The bandit tries to ensure she'll use it carefully but the child assures him she knows what she's doing. Mal asks her to keep an eye on Ray, which she agrees to do with no questions asked.

Finn tells Karen he thought they were done with large groups. Karen tries to alleviate his concerns by saying they're basically all working towards the same goal, but Finn notes that Mal said a similar thing to him earlier. Looking at Mal, Karen asks Finn not to cause trouble, and Finn says once they're done they can leave. Karen agrees half-heartedly, which makes Finn glare at her with irritation.

Ray tells his sons to stick close but to retreat to the house if things turn sour – and to leave him behind if they absolutely have to. Austin says he'll look after Noah no matter what, and Ray has to ask Noah again to make sure he heard before the younger boy hums in agreement.

Ray asks Karen if everything is prepared, which the woman confirms. The man says they'd better get moving, then says their enemies won't know what hit them.

Issue 7
Karen, Finn and Noah wait in a treeline. Finn pushes Noah for information on Ray, but Noah insists that Phoebe is real. They are interrupted by Austin, who claims to have been doing something important (and also taking a toilet break due to nerves). Karen explains to him that Mal, Ray and Annie are scouting out the community allegedly holding Phoebe hostage.

Annie sits atop a tree, looking at the community they need to infiltrate. She deciphers that the community has taken refuge in a Megamart superstore, and that some of them are trading in a parking lot with another group. Mal is angered that Ray did not inform him of other groups and threatens to leave, but Ray holds the promise of food over him.

Once Annie notices the trader group leaving, they decide to regroup and follow through with rescuing Phoebe.

Credits

 * Mal
 * Finn
 * Annie
 * Karen
 * Raymond Kemp
 * Austin Kemp
 * Noah Kemp
 * Megamart Guard 1
 * Megamart Guard 2
 * Megamart Guard 3
 * Megamart Guard 4
 * Trader 1
 * Trader 2
 * Trader 3

Trivia

 * First appearance of Austin Kemp
 * First appearance of Noah Kemp
 * The photograph at the end of Issue 5 depicts a military portrait featuring Raymond Kemp.
 * The photograph at the end of Issue 6 depicts a portrait of Austin Kemp during a stint in the boy scouts.