The sky was streaked light blue and indigo with menstrual pink splashes as the seemingly endless night was coming to an end.
It was during this time that Rick made his weak ass threat of murder against Negan who then answered him by dragging his lame, undeservingly egotistical narrow ass by the collar like one would an errant puppy or preschooler and threw him into the camper.
Tomeka was still aboard when Negan jumped in and got behind the wheel.
The Savior Gavin had been keeping her company off and on all night. Even going so far as to give her water and snacks without being told. He even let use the bathroom.
Tomeka liked him. She liked any older man who was kind to her since her father Cortez never was.
Rick and Tomeka made eye contact as Negan drove off.
He squeezed her hand fleetingly as if to tell her everything was all right.
Tomeka nodded.
Feeling brave and wanting to impress Rick, the girl asked Negan, "Mr. Negan, sir, where are you taking us?"
"Us? Little girl, there is no us. I am teaching Prick here a lesson," Negan replied.
Braver still, she inquired, "What exactly?"
"What happened to all the respect? In my day, we knew better than to ask adults these kind of questions."
"You being grown and a male and white does not make you better than underage, female and black me. It just doesn't. And so what you are in charge of my people for now. If my twelve and three fourths years have taught me anything is nothing, not a goddamned thing lasts forever. Good or bad. So, if I have a question, I am gonna fucking ask it. Where are you taking us?" Tomeka heard how he spoke to people. She felt him out and figured he would respect her for this.
She was right. If she had not learned how to read adults, she would have been dead years ago.
Like she suspected, he responded well.
"Well, goddamn, little lady. I like you. I have a question or six for you. Tell me about Priyanka."
"Why?" She asked.
"She trusted you with her son. You are in her inner circle. The Pharaohs. I have heard of you guys. You have an outpost in, uh, Richmond. As of three weeks ago, they are mine. Is it true, its queen, its leader as it were is it really a teenaged girl? Is that girl, Alice Richter? You probably know her as Jagadamba? Or Jacie Tony?" Negan asked clearly flaunting his past with Priyanka.
Tomeka became silent determined not to give him what he wanted.
Rick was beyond surprised to hear about Richmond.
I knew Jagadamba and her rabble were keeping a secret, Rick thought.
"I don't know what you are talking about," Tomeka going out her way to seem hard.
Negan sniggered as he realized something.
"You like him, don't you? It's those big, blue eyes of his, isn't? Eyes so deep you could swim in them. I am telling you if I liked dick, we would have solved this quandary another way," Negan then made an obscene hand gesture.
Tomeka face turned red hot with embarrassment and anger. Only other time, she was ever teased like this was by her dad albeit way more viciously.
"Leave her alone. Fuck with me. I can take it," Rick said with authority.
Negan stopped the vehicle. He threw the hatchet out the door and Rick behind it.
He said, "Let's test that theory."
Then closed the door behind him.
Tomeka reacted by jumping to her feet to try to go after him. Negan gently shoved her back down.
"Little girl, you cannot help him. Even if you did, it wouldn't make a damn bit of difference. He is never going to notice or care."
"What are you talking about?"
"You have a crush. I even go as far as to say you love him. He will always see you as you are right now. A tall, skinny, awkward brown little orphan Annie with a ponytail instead of a fro. Only thing missing is braces and glasses. You are plain."
Tomeka held in tears.
He's not telling me something I don't already know. ASSHOLE. He is like my dad, shethought.
Then Negan softened.
"That is how Rick see you. You see, he is an idiot. I can see beyond all that. I see a cross between a young Tyra Banks and Regina King. Do you know they are?"
She shook her head no.
"Tyra Banks was a supermodel, actress, talkshow host, all around badass bitch. Above all, she was gorgeous. She was black with green eyes and red hair, too. Mocha skinned. Great figure, I mean. Damn. I mean forget Regina King, she was hot, too but she was no Tyra.
In a couple years, you are going to blossom like a flower. Tig ol' bitties, hips, little waist. The whole nine. He will never see you but I do. In six years time, you are going to be a total knockout and I am going to be on the lookout for you," Negan reached out to tweak her chin.
She scooted back.
Negan laughed.
I have never been complimented and threatened and creeped out all at once, Tomeka thought.
Negan quickly forgot about Tomeka and began taunting Rick.
"Give my hatchet. Find my hatchet," he said over and over sticking his head through the open window.
Tomeka felt like she was in hell. She felt bullied. She hadn't felt this way since before she stabbed her father in the eye.
In the midst of this, she interrupted.
"What did you do our people in Richmond? At the hotel? Did you kill them all?"
"It may have escaped your notice but that is Rick's forte. Not mine. I personally wasn't there. But, I was told five of them bit it. Only was supposed to be one but you know how that goes."
"You just murdered two people and you act like it is nothing."
"Murder is what your boyfriend did to my people. They were asleep for fuck sakes. They didn't see it coming. No chance to defend themselves. Nothing.
The big red one had to take one for the team. Bruce Lee was the dirty white boy's fault. They knew what was about to happen to them. Actions have consequences. Pure and simple.
I am going tell you like I told them, to make this truly square, I would have to kill all of you. I didn't. And I won't. Unless I have to. I like to save people. Hence the name. You don't realize it yet but I saved all of you tonight. I showed mercy."
"You remind me of my father," Tomeka said ruefully.
"I remind of you a great man?"
"Anything but. He was a monster. You are a monster."
"Let me guess. Rick killed him and that is why he has your undying devotion?"
"No, me and J.B. did. She slit his throat while I stabbed him in the eye. I wonder what's going to happen to you when your time comes?"
Negan snorted as Rick beat the window to be let back in.
"I got your fucking hatchet," Rick said tempted to bury it in his skull. However, he was certain this act would mean death for people. So, he refrained.
Negan knew before he left them to their own devices, he was going to have to thoroughly put them both in their place.
Thirty minutes passed.
The sun actually dared to finally come out. It felt hollow and cold despite the heat of the day.
Fuck the sun, Maggie thought seeing her husband's still tennis shoed feet out the corner of her eye.
The RV returned.
He pulled Rick out and instructed Tomeka to follow.
She stood stunned when she observed the corpses of Abraham Ford and Glenn Rhee up close. She saw from the RV that he had beat two men to death. She didn't see the extent of the brutality until then. She hated him even more. But, her fear of him also grew exponentially.
He motioned for Daryl and Priyanka to be released. Baby Dare was assigned to Laura who had lost her baby two years before.
He wanted all the Alexandrians to see the limit of his mercy and the exquisite fullness of his wrath.
Negan went on for a couple minutes about how half their shit was his. How they were all Negan now.
Then he looked at Rick and Carl for that matter and saw defiance lingering there. Priyanka and Tomeka, too.
He called on Carl therefore scaring the whey out of his rival Rick, his former lover and the twelve year old girl.
He asked the young father-to-be was he a southpaw, left handed.
He replied no.
Figuring the boy was a righty, he instructed him to take off his belt.
"That hurt?" Negan asked as strapped it around his forearm.
Carl responded, "No."
Negan replied in an almost lighthearted manner, "It's supposed to."
Carl hunched.
He told him to lie down.
Carl reluctantly obeyed.
I am not going to see Jag or Enid or Judy or Ceej or Ana or Marco or my unborn ever again. I am a about to fucking lose my life, Carlthought.
The thought more angered him than saddened him.
Negan asked his henchman, Simon for a marker. Being a Johnny on the spot, he had one.
"This ought to feel colder than a witch's titties in a brass bra," he said laughing and reveling in all the tension. He also noticed the tattoo on Carl's neck. He recognized the initials J.B.C.A.
Her daughter's initials on the back of his neck. Definitely her son in law, Negan thought.
He looked over at Priyanka and smirked.
He walked over to Rick and handed him the hatchet before instructing him to cut off his arm still making eye contact with Priyanka.
"Do it to me. Don't make me do this," Rick begged over prostrate son.
All of his anger at his son for what he did with his girlfriend dissolved. For a moment anyway. All he wanted was that boy alive.
Crying and snotting, Rick continued to beg. Eventually both Michonne and Priyanka spoke up for him.
"We get it. You're in charge," they said in unison.
"Rick, here doesn't. He is still looking at me like I took a shit in his eggs. Cut off his arm or I will beat his brains out myself but not before I order my men to kill every other bitch and bastard here first. Starting with her," Negan pointed at Tomeka.
He then told Davy to, "Really get up on her. Make sure little miss father killer really feels that muzzle against that head of hers. I usually don't kill kids as young as het. But, since she's a murderer, I will make the exception," Negan said.
Her bravado melted away like butter in a too hot pan. She began to cry and shake. So scared at the thought of dying that she urinated on herself.
Carl saw this and heard what Negan said.
Remaining very calm and feeling like he was dead either way, and only able to see his wife's face and hear her voice, Carl said, "Dad, just do it."
"But, Carl-"
"Do it," he reiterated.
Rick took a deep breath and in a barrage of tears, held up the hatchet to do it.
Just as Rick wad about to bring his arm down, Negan stayed his hand.
"Now see. This is where I want you, Rick. You get it now? I decide what happens to you. You, your son, that little Lyle Melendez over there, you all are Negan now. Say it."
He grabbed Rick by the hair.
Like sand in his throat, Rick replied, "I am Negan." This was officially the worst moment of his life.
Negan instructed his men to lower their weapons as well as to, "Grab the redneck and my hot ex and her kid and let's get the fuck out of here. Leave these assholes to their own devices."
As the Saviors scattered to leave, Negan was sure to say, "See you soon, Rick. See you soon."