Chapter 51
The war is not far...
The next morning Gareth held another shooting-class. More recruits got better. Wesley, Aapo, Richards and Kal were already good shots and were training on moving objects such as a moving piece of wood that was stringed to a tree (similar to Andrea and Shane training in season 2). Bonita, Eduardo, Doug, Eliza, Zhang and Sabrina followed well. Over thirty Hilltop-residents had also agreed to fight.
"They're doing good" said Heath, who joined the class during a break.
"Yeah, some of them have had experience, like Aapo and Richards, but Wesley, Bonita and Eduardo for example learn quickly" replied Gareth while he checked the revolvers and pistols that had just been used. "I think the best can take practice with riffles already"
"Yeah, Aaron and Rosita agreed to help in that matter" mentioned Heath. "Sorry that I haven't had the chance to talk yesterday… I met someone…"
"You mean Jessie?" asked Gareth.
"How did you… you noticed it, didn't you? Yeah, it's her. And she was quite broken over Ron, so I had look after her and Sam. She still is" Heath replied. "I heard ya got Maggie knocked up again, congratulations!"
"Thanks! I've never been happier!" replied Gareth.
Hotel:
Maggie looked after Emma as Rosita was off for riffle-class. The ten year old had never been at a hotel before and explored the place with interest.
"Not so fast, people live here! The older ones are taking a nap, so please stay please a little quieter!" Maggie tried.
"But it's so big! And so many stairs! Is there a library here?" asked the girl.
"I don't think so, but I think Brianna has quite a lot of books" replied Maggie.
"Can we go ask her?"
"I don't know…she might be having a nap, she is pretty old already" Maggie tried to reason.
"Who is old?" came Brianna's voice behind her.
Maggie turned around and saw the elder woman come down the stairs.
"Of course you can borrow something to read, sweetie" said Brianna. "I have some quite interesting children's books back in my room. What does that sound like?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" replied Emma smiling.
"I'll get you a few soon. Hey, Maggie, are you sure you are up for this? You should get used to avoid stress. You're not that far yet, but it'd be good if you start to slow down a little. I wouldn't mind looking after her"
"Is she sick?" asked Emma, curiously.
"No, I'm not. I'm pregnant" replied Maggie.
"Another peanut? Will it this time be a baby?"
Maggie knew Emma didn't mean it like that, but it still got to her. Peanut. She had almost forgotten that she or he had ever existed.
"Brianna, I think I'll take that offer that you just proposed" Maggie said silently. She left the elder woman and the girl with each other and went for her and Gareth's room. She broke down on their bed.
A few hours later, at the shooting ranges:
Fifteen of the Hilltop-residents were already shooting riffles. Aaron, Morgan and Rosita were good at teaching them. Gareth and Heath were watching from the side.
"You still did a great job" said Heath. "Teaching these people in a matter of days how to use a handgun"
"Yeah…" replied Gareth. "You know, the kingdom is gonna send fifteen soldiers to help us. Heavy armed stuff"
"Yeah, I heard bout them. The guy in charge, Ezekiel, has apparently a pet tiger, Shiva" replied Heath.
"Excuse me? A fucking tiger?" asked Gareth.
"Yeah, that's what Aaron said" explained Heath. "By the way I almost forgot. I found this at ya old house"
Heath gave Gareth his watch. The one that Maggie gave for him as a Christmas-present. The one that belonged to her father, Hershel, who also happens to be his father-in-law.
"Not sure if it works or not, but I heard that it's a big deal with Maggie's family" continued Heath.
"Thanks" replied Gareth.
That's when Daniel came up.
"Hey, Gareth, it's lunch time!" the man mentioned, then turned to Heath. "You're welcome as well"
"Sure, I'll get Maggie" replied Gareth.
Gareth walked into the hotel and came across Brianna and Emma reading something.
"Hi, Brianna, I thought Maggie was baby-sitting her" wondered Gareth as he saw the two together.
"Oh, you're wife… wasn't able to look after her and I took her shift. She's resting in your room" explained Brianna.
"Thanks" replied Gareth and he went on to his and Maggie's room.
Gareth opened the door and saw his wife lying on the bed.
"Everything okay?" asked Gareth.
Maggie looked over to him.
"I just…Emma called this baby 'Peanut' and I know she didn't meant it that way, but it still hurt m' and reminds m' that nothing ain't safe in this world"
"Maggie…" Gareth tried, but she interrupted him.
"Gareth, I haven't lost m faith or anyhtin' like that, I just was shocked that I almost forgot her"
"It's okay, you're not the only one. I haven't really thought about Peanu… the first one in a while" Gareth replied. "But she wasn't yet a real baby. The pregnancy could have gotten interrupted at any moment"
"Yeah, so can this one still. And with what is going to happen soon…" Maggie replied.
"It might, but this time I'll make damn sure that it won't happen. Look, Heath got this from our old house in Alexandria" Gareth pulled out the watch. "If this thing can make it through a bombing, you'll make it as well. And if I'm not around, I know that you can somewhat look after yourself. You beat up Spike even when he was a food taller than you, and while still being pregnant"
"Yeah, I guess" Maggie replied. The following her stomach rumbled a little. "I'm hungry and it's lunch-time"
"I wanted to ask you anyway to come with me for lunch, so may you?"
"Of course!"
The following evening:
Ezekiel and fifteen Kingdom-residents came, bringing extra ammo and men. Paul, Gareth, Rick, Daryl, Carol, Michonne, Aaron, Daniel and Tim were waiting for them. It was time to discuss the strategy.
"So how big is the man-power?" asked Ezekiel from everyone.
"I have thirty-one ready to fight" replied Rick.
"We have thirty, but it might get a dozen more" said Paul. "Excluding me, Gareth and Daniel"
"Twenty-eight" mumbled Tim. "Might get bigger"
"So, fifteen, thirty, thirty-one, twenty-eight, that's over a hundred. We outnumber his men, right?" asked Ezekiel.
"Yeah" replied Tim. "Negan's plan is to attack is to send a quarter of his men, which are all ones that are not in our fraction, inside the walls to, melee-style, trying to take over this place. He does not except Rick's people in here"
"Why not?" asked Gareth.
"Joshua, Me and dozen of others claimed to have followed them and that we killed a lot of them. Not all, but most. Negan bought it. Now back to the plan… but he has a back-up plan. If there is resistance that can hold against the quarter, he starts to use firearms and explosives. When it goes that far, I will back-stab him with the rogue-fraction, trying to dwindle them down. Joshua stays next to him until the numbers are down enough for him to take him down. Whether alive or not" Tim finished.
"That's a risky plan, Timothy" said Ezekiel.
"It's the only way" explained Tim. "He'll notice if we try something. My fraction will not take place in any fatal attacks against your people, we won't be able to get inside the walls. It'd go too much into a blod-bath, since you do not now who is on who's side"
"We'll use snipers, automatics" Rick said. "Stay together in small teams, not break ranks. If we do that, we won't lose many. If they come with axes and machetes running at ya, they're easy targets"
"Except for the Hilltop-people" said Gareth. "Thirty men and women have good aim, but in a real situation they'll might lose their shit"
"We'll mix up the teams" proposed Aaron. "I can take a few in mine"
An hour and an half later:
Two days. That's when Negan would come. In two days. Gareth lied next to Maggie, both in the aftermath of lovemaking.
"Two days?" asked Maggie.
"Two days 'till we fix this mess, and after that we finally might live in peace and harmony with each other. Maybe finally a world that can be even better than the one before" Gareth said.
"That sounds almost too good" replied Maggie. "But with this little one coming, I think I'll should give it a shot"
"Yeah, Me too. I'd hope I could jump directly into the moment after the birth of him or her. See you hold a little baby that is ours. But in order to get there, I need to make it through this and that means preparing to do things. Fight, shoot, kill, maybe even leave someone behind in the fighting. But it's for you, him or her and everyone else"
All out war might start at the end of next chapter! Please review and spread the word!
