The Slayer overheard Rick and Jadis talking over reclaiming the guns that the Scavengers asked for previously. Only that the Slayer ignored them while his eyes searched around to inspect each hooded or grubby-looking individual; fewer were armed with guns or melee weapons. Several of their eyes remained afraid or unsettled of the Slayer's presence nearby Gabriel, to which he notices as the Slayer has, but is concerned by Jadis at this point.
Never once did the Slayer shudder as he took the massive junkyard in his position. Seeing Jadis and her tribe of uglies had caused a familiar sense of agitated foreboding in the Slayer. Right from the first moment, the Slayer had laid eyes on them, and he had thought that they seemed altered by this new world's apocalyptic environment. After all, this large group had survived between a swamp full of garbage.
The Slayer couldn't imagine a way that all those people could have found enough food or supplies just by scavenging. If they had gone about this as Jadis had done with the stuff from that houseboat, Rick and Michonne told him previously. Even Jadis would have probably made an unpleasant henchman for Hell's legion like that crone Olivia Pierce. The thought of it caused a new wave of angry outrage to surge through the Slayer's body.
Rick told him that this woman was cunning and patient to get what she wanted. Before the Slayer appeared in this world, she had waited months for someone to retrieve the supplies from the boat, so she didn't have to bother. And then she had sneaked into a large community to steal everything and had taken Gabriel with her. Why had they bothered to take Gabriel with them in the first place? What had they planned to do with the priest if Rick wasn't there?
Though, the Slayer couldn't even help but desire some laughter at this leader's stupid haircut. It seemed so odd that the Slayer would have any sense of humor for whatever situation. Due to not wanting any regard from the Scavengers or even Rick's crew here, the Slayer stayed quiet as Jadis examines the weapons that Rick and Michonne had discovered.
"Operational? All?" Jadis questioned, having no emotion in her voice at all.
She kept inspecting several of the guns before her, wanting to check each one as they lay spread out on the floor of the van. First the gross haircut and now a robotic voice? Even all of them have unusual and probably made-up names. Lots of questions about Jadis and her Scavengers filled the Slayer's head. But probably the biggest one of them all is why on Earth do they speak that way?
"We cleaned some, and we oiled some. You can do the rest. We do this together." Rick said, looking at the people.
"Yes, yes, but operational?" Jadis questioned again, turning around to look at him.
VEGA: {Jadis is highly determined on something Rick Grimes does not know of, regarding their ill-disposed appearance and cultural behavior. This entire arrangement between the two communities could represent a scheme in some way.}
VEGA was right.
The Slayer furrowed his eyebrows as Jadis was getting on his nerves. The group here served no purpose in the war against Negan, despite their numbers. Rick may be trying to get these guys to help fight, but the trashy lady didn't seem to be trustworthy. She was more interested in the weapons more than this whole 'working together' bullcrap. Still, if they did try anything against the Slayer, they wouldn't stand a chance.
VEGA: {There might not be anything we could do to prevent this transaction. We would only put ourselves in a critical situation where Rick finds us untrustworthy.}
"Well, you can fire a few. Maybe try 'em if you like." Rick offers, trying his best to cooperate with them.
"How many?" Another notable member, Brion, asked.
Michonne took a step forward. "Sixty-three," she answered.
"We made an inventory," Tara offered up, pulling up a piece of paper from her pocket.
"No," was all Jadis had to put bluntly.
"You mean the inventory?" Tara asked, confused.
Jadis raises her eyebrows. "Not enough."
"What? W-what are you talking about?" Rosita scoffed, looking for any reason to go off on someone for the last two weeks.
Even Rick was at his limit. "You asked for a lot of guns. That's what this is," he insisted.
"Enough to fight your fight. Us? Nearly twice," Jadis retorted, maintaining eye contact with him. "Need nearly twice."
The Slayer gritted his teeth. Why does she need twice as much? Jadis here's got almost a hundred Scavengers, which makes the Slayer skeptical about this chick. She was a bit discouraging, which seems like this is very much her game. Rick has placed his trust in the wrong person. His decision is about to destroy him and all of his family's lives.
Rosita started stalking forward, irritation in her eyes. "We've wasted enough time. Let's go. Take our guns with us."
"No. Our guns to take. Our deal is still on." Jadis said.
The Slayer's face glowered at Jadis, in which two of her garbage pawns Tamiel and Brion, had soon taken notice of a heavily armored appearance very cowardly. With each of their stares still active, they began to back away. It was as if an unstoppable force had met an immovable object. Fear was the only emotion going through Tamiel and Brion's minds as they stared into the Slayer stone-cold eyes. At that moment, Jadis then begins to catch on and look at the Slayer as well.
"Why, hello. Never saw you before," Jadis purred with a small grin on her face.
The Slayer remained silent, but the atmosphere he emitted was quite deadly. Jadis foolishly desired to go near the Slayer as she stepped forward, but Farron immediately grabbed her gloved hand into a standstill.
"DON'T GO NEAR!" The female Scavenger blurted, her expression showed terror, unlike any of them seen before.
Rick and his company raised an eyebrow at Farron's behavior again. Now, things were getting a little more strange, and even Jadis couldn't help but feel off about this. None of her followers have ever expressed this to her before, but she didn't want to stop there.
Jadis turns to look back at Rick while pointing to the Slayer and asked, "Who?"
Rick looks at Jadis with a grim expression. "He's with us to help win this war. He's mute, so don't try to force him out of it. Now look, we're actually..."
Jadis held up a hand to keep Rick quiet, strolling up and around the Slayer while ignoring Farron's whines of despair. Her cold eyes perceived him up and down, checking out his Praetor Suit with a smirk. They were borderline malicious. Those were the eyes of a woman who was very sure that she could outsmart everyone, but now things were different from the likes of the Slayer.
Like a snake shedding its skin, she had released a lot of her former cultural boundaries. In a nutshell, they had all done it to survive, but Jadis and her people seemed to have given up on a lot of civilized conduct and norms. The Slayer had the feeling that this is about more than just the way they lived and spoke.
He was like a statue in her eyes. The Slayer couldn't help but feel slightly uncomfortable with the way Jadis was gazing at him, so evaluating and weighing. She's not like a fighter nor a butcher would either, but more so like how a vendor would assess the Slayer's goods and worth.
Suddenly, a gloved hand began to reach and stroke where the Slayer's torso remained vigorously, fondling the Praetor suit's armor that he wore. Jadis softly cooed as she felt preserved, tasting an odd sense of pleasure rushing up to her spine. Rick didn't even know what was is going on here. His expression right now is beyond confused on both sides of the situation, where the Slayer couldn't see that the rest of the group became bewildered at this moment.
The Slayer wasn't sure what kind of conversation Jadis wanted, but her buzz distracted her enough that she started paying more attention to his hulking figure, and she began to blush. Jadis had gotten closer and instinctively grabbed the Slayer's upper arm. He raised an eyebrow in curiosity as Jadis squeezed the Slayer's bicep and was surprised to see how firm it was to touch despite the armor.
Strangely enough, Jadis could've sworn she had somehow felt how husky the Slayer was, but she did get a good grip on his bicep. She gave it another squeeze, and her mouth curled into a devious smile as she looked him over. Her hands suddenly parted, showing off that same sneer while doing ever so.
A greedy gleam had been flashing over her face.
"Interesting," Jadis said quietly. Her voice shifted to a more seductive tone without her realizing it.
"Helmet off."
The tension after that desiring statement was almost perceptible, causing the Slayer to shake his head. Rick saw that she soon gave off a cold, unwelcoming look.
"Helmet off..." she repeated, but then tilts her head to Rick. "...or we won't help."
While Rick and Michonne's neutral expressions showed hints of disbelief, Rosita and Tara almost looked like they were going to explode.
"What the hell!?" Tara shouted angrily.
"Bullshit!" Rosita cursed, almost trying to rush at Jadis, causing a few Scavengers to block her path.
"Leave him out of this. This agreement is between me and you, Jadis. Please, it's for you and your group's benefit." Rick said sternly.
"Yes. But aligned to you?" Jadis mentioned calmly.
Rick was a bit quiet at this before answering, "Yes, he is."
"Then let me see." Jadis looks back at the Slayer with the same smirk.
The rest of Rick's group stared at Jadis for a moment before turning their attention to the Slayer, looking at the garbage lady in silence. Realizing her implications, they glared at the Slayer as well, tensing their shoulders.
"Just take off the helmet," Rick said reluctantly, his face remaining stern. "We need their trust to help us fight, big guy."
The Slayer was near surprised at being put under the spotlight so suddenly, but as Rick stared at him through the visor of the helmet, the Slayer couldn't help but feel a little bit miffed.
"It's obvious since we don't know anything about you, big guy," Michonne commented, not faltering at his fierce expression. "We've never seen you before, and for someone to just appear out of nowhere with skills such as yours and help us fight without much effort makes it quite understandable for us to be cautious."
"I am sorry, but I'm afraid they are right," Gabriel admitted, stepping forward, "We've had people who have claimed to be on our side before. Sometimes they're speaking the truth, but other times, they get us in such graver trouble."
"Look," Rosita rumbled, "Will you take off the damn helmet and get over yourself?"
Tara agreed, "Damn right."
VEGA: {If Alexandria desires to gain their trust, then you have to do this. I perceive that they will regret their decision sooner or later.}
The Slayer could feel anger building and considered threatening everyone here to make them back off, but he quickly composed himself, taking a deep breath. After a staring contest with Jadis, the Slayer decided to comply. It's been a long time since the Slayer took this helmet off. Jadis did not seem to change her reaction at all. It looked like the Slayer had to do this to gain some trust.
Something inside Jadis made her feel jittery or somehow a bit too scarce to speak her mind. Each of her garbage henchmen gave the Slayer the same look as Jadis had, but with only a hint of contempt if the Slayer became some stranger to them. The Slayer couldn't understand why Rick wanted to work with this junkyard full of creeps.
He knew he would have to do this eventually, but the Slayer was still reluctant about it. The Slayer sucked his pride up and looked directly at her. He cleared his throat, which churred with eons of disuse for anything other than yelling.
It was quiet.
Nobody moved an inch from what the Slayer was about to do. Just then, the Slayer made the first movement slowly. It's as if he was trying to gain the trust of some wild prey animal. His left arm gradually grasped the underside of the back of his helmet. With an audible click and a hiss of air, the helmet disengaged from the Slayer's Praetor Suit. Slowly enough, the Slayer took his helmet off and held it in his hand. Everyone, including Rick and Jadis, finally saw what was under his helmet.
The Slayer's face fits on its own. He preserved a strong, square jaw with stubble around his mouth. Short brown hair parted neatly to the side, showing no strand of it growing old. His slightly tanned skin was held broken by longingly-healed cuts and claw marks that the Slayer suffered yet survived. Funny though, half of the women here, even Jadis was in awe, seeing a manly face such as the Slayer. Even with the scars, the Slayer was handsome by most of the standards, which adds more to his lethal masculinity. The Slayer's eyes, however, intrigued everybody the most. He completely caught everyone off guard from his eyes.
Jadis finally saw what they were, and it was terrifying. The Slayer's eyes were a sharp blue. It was the bluest blue Jadis or Rick had ever seen. They showed Jadis the strength, the rage, the sheer unstoppable will of a beast. He looked into Jadis' eyes without even blinking, which these eyes of mine immobilized her as if she was stone.
There didn't seem to be any shine in them.
They seemed hollow and empty.
The Slayer's eyes were cold, dark, and emotionless.
Jadis felt like curling up into a ball and crying. Then something caught her eye, something beyond the anger and terror, something that felt different. Forcing herself to look beyond the Slayer's scowl, Jadis felt like she went deeper into his mind. As she passed the glare, Jadis was startled to find something else here. Jadis realized she wasn't looking into his mind anymore. She was looking at the Slayer's soul. Claiming that the eyes are windows to his soul with each human finally observing the soul, so very sure now.
It was emanating with power.
It beat like the loud drums of bravery.
It pumped righteous justice.
And it bled pure, unadulterated, determination.
It's how the Slayer felt, and these were his real emotions. Jadis saw a warrior for justice, a desire to protect the weak, and guilt for surviving. These new emotions caused Jadis's eyes to fill with tears. It was a rainbow of traits that mixed to create an awe-inspiring aura, one that demanded presence, striking fear into the hearts of all kinds. Somehow, the sight of his soul made everyone in the junkyard remember all of their wrongdoings.
From their childhood long ago to that very second now. Every sin they had committed crawled on their backs. Hundreds of voices told them to repent. Their hands and her feet felt as if they became frozen in ice. They can hear the strain of their still recovering wounds fired up once more like they stood inflicted there and then.
With all her might, Jadis tore herself from the Slayer's eyes as she choked out, "Augh!"
Almost falling backward, Jadis felt arms around her as both Tamiel and Brion immediately rushed over and caught her before she hit the ground. Rubbing her head wearily, Jadis looked back up, where the Slayer was gazing back at her coldly, although his eyes were a little unfocused, suggesting he was showing little concern for her. Jadis's legs almost gave out under her from everyone's continued eye contact alone.
While shivering uncontrollably, Jadis's arms curled around herself, kneeling to the ground, weeping. The Slayer assumed his glare had done its job and turned to face everyone else surrounding him.
"You...what did you just do?" Rick asked with some hesitation, in a low, rustled tone.
"W-Whoa..." Tara muttered softly, shocked.
"..." Both Michonne and Rosita gazed on silently with their eyes widening.
The Slayer raises an eyebrow at Rick alongside the wide-eyed reactions of each human. He just remained unconcerned for whatever their problems became transpired. The traces of horror left behind allowed a great disturbance within each member of the Scavenger group easily. Tamiel and Brion carefully shuffled over to Jadis, dragging her up to her feet by each arm, with their nervous eyes not forgetting the Slayer's fierce glare.
Gabriel was next to ask, "A-Are you alright, Jadis?"
Jadis' attention hooked onto where the priest stood before scrolling her eyes towards the Slayer, fearfully, "W-What are you?" she asked.
As the Slayer returned his attention to Jadis and her garbage pawns, their fear only became graver when he cleared his throat again. A sound similar to an old machine churning to life.
My second move to Jadis would become forever etched into her memory as the Slayer knelt to the flat soiled ground, lettering his finger-drawing again.
The Slayer stated like this:
WE KEEP HALF
YOU KEEP HALF
IF YOU CHEAT
YOU WILL BE SORRY
"H-How much?" Jadis asked, stuttering a bit.
Jadis became silent for a few minutes before looking at Rick again, doing her best to return to her calm smugness, but she couldn't. Rick looked at the Slayer strangely as he resumed his stance again, and then over at Michonne, who gave him a knowing nod of her head.
After turning back to Jadis, he hooked his thumb upon his belt. "We're keeping ten for ourselves to find more. Please, try not to make this harder than it needs to be right now. He's on our side. So he won't hurt either of you, and I'll make sure that. He'll answer me if he does. We'll get you more guns, and we fight together." he haggled.
For a few seconds, Jadis looked like she was going to crumble, but she did her best to hide her fears.
Raising her head without hesitation, Jadis agreed quickly. "Fine. More soon, we'll fight."
The Slayer's scowl soon came back to its original expression, watching her dart off in such a hurry. Rick turned briefly away from the van and once again at Michonne. Several of the Garbage Pail Kids stepped up to the end of the vehicle and started collecting their agreed-upon portion of firearms. Meanwhile, Rick and his group waited to pack the rest back up and get out of here. As Rick pinched the bridge of his nose and willed the headache he felt was coming to stay away, Michonne sidled up beside him.
"You get a few more days before what happens next." Michonne tried to comfort him.
Looking at her with a raised eyebrow, Rick was practically smirking. "A few more days?"
"That's right," Michonne remarked. "We'll find more and figure it out. Soon. In a few more days."
Rick just stared back at her and nodded.
Then, Michonne's eyes scrolled back over to the Slayer while he held his helmet. He turned his head towards another direction. For some reason, the Slayer always had this absurd thought that these people would imagine what he looks like overall. Now, she and Rick had finally recognized why the Slayer reacted upon not taking off his helmet around anyone else.
The Slayer already told them that he couldn't remember much about his past life, but he still had a motive to carry out for more years to come. Previously, the couple had always wondered about the Slayer's Praetor Suit's upgraded screen where they could see some of his facial features, but it was a bit blurry because of the visor. There are times where the Slayer might have considered showing the people of Alexandria his face, but it all didn't come to him entirely. No matter which way the Slayer looked at it, there was no way out of this stigma of theirs.
"Please," she said, sounding much calmer than she looked. "Put the helmet back on."
The Slayer looked glad to hear that, seeing as how his exposed face only worsened the situation. After the Slayer immediately complied, he moved quickly and used both hands to put the helmet back on, clasping it on the back again. Then, the Slayer pressed the security clamp in on the back of his armor. The vents on the sides and back of the helmet let out a hiss, pressing out all the air inside. After that, it started letting the air back in through a filter. The HUD booted up, and just like that, things were back to normal.
"Are you okay now?" Rick asked, seeing the blank expression laced through the Slayer's features.
Once the Slayer was fully relaxed, he nodded to Rick, silently wondering what they could do to pass the rest of the time until it enacts. It did make the Slayer observe the puzzled expressions on the other people's faces.
Father Gabriel looked astonishingly surprised by the way the Slayer revealed himself to the crowd earlier. Tara and Rosita felt their world spinning, but they held on for dear life, as their minds were nothing but a disorganized mess.
Rick's group seemed just a tad better off with the Slayer's face concealed. Still, each of them almost looked like they would collapse any second. Thankfully, they didn't. There were now just questions about the Slayer's existence, well-being, and experience with being a mute survivor.
For all the Slayer knew, this was only a new beginning for him. After the Scavengers took the number of guns they've agreed upon, Rick and Michonne got back in the van. The Slayer knew that Rosita and Tara followed behind with the car, and Father Gabriel would be coming with them in the car they'd also arrived.
But for some reason, the Slayer saw Tara playing with her hands nervously. Was this because of him, or was it something else? If this woman is hiding something from the group, the Slayer would know that she was hiding something.
"You coming?" Rick shouts out.
The Slayer's eyes gave Tara another suspicious look until he finally got into the back of the large van, though Michonne was looking at the Slayer weird.
"What were you looking at?" Michonne asks.
He glanced at Michonne for a moment before shrugging.
Rick didn't look convinced. "You sure about that? You wouldn't just look at nothing." He asked.
Looking down, the Slayer sighed in response before shaking his head. He needed to tell them about Tara. Michonne thinks for a second before she remembers that they've brought paper and markers.
"Here," Michonne said, taking out the equipment as the Slayer's use for communication. "We brought these in case."
Just as the Slayer took the paper and marker, he did the best he could and letter down each word correctly. After a few seconds, the Slayer gave his message to Michonne in which she accepts.
It read:
TARA IS QUIET
SHE IS HIDING SOMETHING
After that had been read, Rick began to frown.
"Why do you believe that?" Rick asks.
The Slayer only shrugged in confusion, gesturing like it was a feeling to him.
Silently, both Rick and Michonne gave each other a questionable look, unsure about all of this.
"I'll double-check on all this. I'll ask when we get back to Alexandria." Rick said, noticing the Slayer tilting his head to the side. "Don't worry, you're not in trouble, but try not to shrug things off if I'm supposed to know what it is."
"Come on, let's go. The others have driven off." Michonne said to Rick, having him nod as he starts up the van.
They passed through the storage container that served as the tunnel entrance into the trash community and then right outside to head on back to Alexandria.
Returning to Alexandria again from the junkyard was a bit peaceful. As soon as that front gate got rolled closed, it was like leaving our troubles outside the walls. Not quite, obviously, but just enough. The Slayer still received a mixture of reactions from the people. Some were still scared of him, a bit more relaxed, and some looked pissed off.
The Slayer didn't press the matter any further, spending most of his time walking down the narrow road paths to explore around the safe zone. He always needed to make sure this place seemed secure, though his behavior attracted a few onlookers from afar. The Slayer had no time for relaxation, not caring about how people reacted to his motive.
The Slayer did think about visiting Father Gabriel despite all these emotions he's been feeling. But what good could that help? On the other hand, could visiting Father Gabriel become something less troublesome? The man didn't think of the Slayer as hostile or consider that he was unbidden, but the Slayer still doubts himself to try making connections. Except there wasn't much else to do around here but march around like an idiot.
After all, people persisted in staying away from the Slayer after listening all about the reveal of his face. With every passing glance that these residents would give him, the Slayer's eyelids would become heavier and heavier. His shoulders more slouched, lowering eyebrows to an aggravated squint. The more they learn about the Slayer, the more scared and hostile they become.
Aside from all that, the Slayer remained confident that Rick will have a word with Tara about her strange behavior. Although the Slayer didn't know whether or not she'll start despising him for it, he thinks Rick and his people would be more offended by secrets getting kept from each other. The Slayer narrowed his surroundings as he treads throughout Alexandria, with some of the nearby residents unsure of his destination, just knowing that he needed some time to himself after the incident with Jadis.
He wasn't trying to be quiet nor stealthy, though. Walking around without direction became boring when the Slayer started to find his way over to sit on a grassy spot near Alexandria's large pond. By the time the Slayer came to a state of relaxation, he cautiously took off his helmet, taking some fresh air into his lungs. The Slayer then decided to look into the sky, checking out the innocent scenery before closing his eyes to enjoy the solitude.
The Slayer then frowned at a thought or two. He had chosen this voluntary damnation for eternity. He bled for the sins of humanity while they were living it up on some far off in his dimension. But at least the humans here are safe, and the Slayer will have to make sure of that.
Just then, the Slayer heard a door squeaked open somewhere from one of the houses until it got closed shut. His eyes peered right over to see Rosita making her way down Alexandria's road, then stopped right in front of the gate. She was carrying a backpack of some sort and a painful expression on her face as she opened the gate slightly.
The Slayer pondered at this as he placed his helmet back on and stood up to check it out. Rosita's eyes inspected the surrounding area in front and behind her. Just as she soon spotted the Slayer over by, causing her to get somewhat scared yet irritated of his silence.
"Oh. You're still here. Is this all you ever do? Where the hell do you go around stalking on everyone, huh?" Rosita asked coldly, receiving nothing more than just peace.
Despite the distance, Rosita could feel her heart rate increase as she saw the Slayer march right over. He pulled out a marker and notepad to start writing his next words.
WHERE YOU GOING
Rosita frowns when she reads the first line. "I'm going to Hilltop and help the recruitment with training." was the only thing she said, opening the gate all the way.
Despite the vague answer the Slayer had received, the woman here had a strange sounding to it in the weirdest way. Her eyes showed a hint of toxicity and somewhat combined with resentment as well.
After that, Rosita looked back at the Slayer with her arms crossed and faced him down. "Why are you outside here?"
The Slayer tilted his head a bit before writing down the next few lines.
LOOKING AROUND
CHECKING SAFETY
FOR EVERYONE
OKAY FOR NOW
Rosita lifted her head to scowl at him when she read the Slayer's paper, "What does, for now, suppose to mean?" she asked coldly.
While scrolling his head upward to process in thought, the Slayer finally managed to use his marker to draw down on the paper again.
UNTIL THE BATTLE COMES
UNTIL HELL BREAKS LOOSE
UNTIL MONSTERS RISE
I WILL FIGHT
AND END THEM
Rosita blinked as she gave out a confused expression. She then decided to ask in blunt annoyance, "Oh, really now?"
Only a nod was all the Slayer had replied.
"Yeah, sure," Rosita mumbled with a nod, not giving a hoot, followed by her aggravated tone of voice. "Listen, I don't have time to babysit you or some other shit to deal with from Rick. Stop following me, alright? We've already got enough problems, and we don't need any new shit; get it? If anyone wants to know, then go on and tell. Nobody gives a damn."
There it was again, her same old attitude from previously. Only this time, it feels like Rosita didn't want anybody here in Alexandria to follow her for some reason. The Slayer's eyebrow raised at this strange theory popping inside his head before realizing what it means. Rosita was going to do something drastic.
Rosita then comes around a car before opening it to toss the backpack inside with herself in the driver's seat. "Close the gate when I'm gone-"
Her eyes set onto the Slayer notepad once more, and it stated:
YOU ARE LYING
YOU WANT TO KILL NEGAN
THROW YOURSELF TO DEATH
Rosita almost felt livid from the inside, looking up at the Slayer while he just stood there motionlessly. She couldn't believe the Slayer, of all people, would lecture her about being rash and reckless. The Slayer didn't know why he kept trying to talk to her. After all, the Slayer never seemed to care about how dangerous any situation was to him.
Rosita shook her head and looked away, "What I'm going to do is none of your fucking business. And I most certainly knew you were going to be a problem. So, don't even think about following me because I don't care what happens to you. You can't pull some shit on me because I'm not like the others. You should watch your ass if you know what's better for you. Besides, all I care about is making that bastard pay and fight for my friends."
Starting up the engine, Rosita gave the Slayer one last scowl of hatred before driving outside of Alexandria's walls and already down the road before disappearing.
VEGA: {My sensors are recommending to detect or measure any demonic energy indicating such a threat upon this dimension of Earth. Try to be cautious, Slayer.}
As the Slayer's eyes looked onward after Rosita had left, he concluded that women are so angry and confusing in this dimension.
Meanwhile, Tara was sitting by her front porch after exiting the house. She couldn't help but think about what happened earlier today as she looked at the ground. Not only did the Slayer manage to alarm nearly every resident here in Alexandria, but he also seemed to have terrified Jadis and the rest of her apostles. Tara still wondered if there was something to the Slayer once he had arrived at the community. Soon, Rick immediately starts making his way towards her, causing Tara to look at Rick after approaching her.
"Oh, umm...Rick."
"Hey there, Tara. Everything okay with you?" Rick asks, which makes Tara seem a bit paranoid.
"Umm...yes?" Tara said before looking almost a bit caved in. "I was just coming over to see you. Why are you asking?"
Rick crosses his arms against his chest. "Oh, just asking. That's all."
"Umm...ok?"
"You know you can tell me anything, right?"
"Yeah, I know. Is something wrong, Rick?" Tara asks, who was starting to get suspicious.
"Nah, no," Rick waved his hand dismissively. "Just making sure you're okay."
As Rick turns to walk off, Tara hesitates before calling for him.
"Hey, Rick..."
Rick pauses. "Yes?"
"...there's something I need to tell you."
Dr. Samuel Hayden remained standing at the end of the table, currently in confrontation with the Sanctuary's ruler and leader of the Saviors.
Negan.
Right now, the Savior leader himself honestly didn't know what to expect of this surprising yet bizarre intruder of the Sanctuary. His posture seemed breathless with what four of his Savior patrollers have discovered so unusually, face-to-face with a towering android that stood feet away from where Negan remained. Then, Negan saw Hayden glowing a bright blue color all around while enduring within the very dark and dim concrete room.
The silence was looming all around its atmosphere as the robotic android didn't move a limb or two. Hayden's thoughts were almost intact about Negan sitting in the back, in some way resembling a king of this post-apocalyptic Earth.
The man himself rose from his chair and continued holding the barbed-wire bat on his shoulder. Almost impudently, Negan looks at Hayden with his face was nearly blank, yet it shows terror underneath.
"You must've been in some serious shit, tinman." Negan strode over, deliberately raising his head to Hayden intimidatingly.
Still, the cyborg didn't seem cowed. The opposite is calm.
"So you must be the head of the Sanctuary here. I've heard much about you from the group of scouts who have brought me here." Hayden said, looming over where Negan stood tall.
"It's kind of rude that you haven't even mentioned who I am to everyone here. Because I'm sure as fucking hell, that they didn't leave out details of who I am to their sorry asses. What's my name? And it begins with an N." asked Negan, looking up at the 3-meter-tall android who slowly looks at him.
"You're Negan, correct? Excuse me again for leaving your name out as if it was a residue left out," answered Hayden, his robotic synthesizer just as polite yet creepily bold at some point.
Negan chuckled indulgently, and that was when Hayden realized that the man was incredibly insane if he didn't before.
"And that's right. You know for a second there, I've always thought big-ass killer robots like you couldn't talk. I mean, while you look a whole lot like a creepy motherfucker, I once met if anyone else should know, I know you still think otherwise. Glad to see there's an opposite to that shitty silent treatment, am I right tinman?" Negan grinned, chuckling crazily again.
The cyborg eventually gave Negan a slow nod and then knelt on one knee to keep his height from hitting the ceiling. Hayden remained unsure about this man; he appeared in a joyous mood, but he remembered how volatile it felt with the Savior patrollers.
"That seems agreeable, yes," Hayden replied before placing a hand on his torso. "As for introductions, I'm Dr. Samuel Hayden. I would like to apologize for this sense of intrusion with four of your patrollers, but I believe that this won't be put aside thoroughly, yes?"
Negan laughed, "Very rare to find other doctors in this world nowadays. Well, not especially the ones who are big fucking robots. But for now, it's a start..."
Negan goes back to his seat and sits down. "I would offer you a seat without realizing that you'll crush it underneath with that heavy metal ass of yours, but you are not here as a guest...oh no..."
Just then, Negan leans in a bit with a slight smile on his face. "...you are here as an intruder."
Negan thought this might push through a vibe of fear onto the tall android, but only to receive a nod of acknowledgment.
"I understand, Negan. After all, nothing is free. I am ready to answer all your questions to the best of my abilities." He replied truthfully.
Negan's smile almost began to stumble from Hayden's response. He had always thought himself smarter than the crowd, quick enough to see the way things were. Sometimes, Negan would either completely change the circumstances to be in his liking or control or completely crush anybody with his superior intellect. Maybe even both, with every instance of which becoming placed in a situation that Negan finds suboptimal. When it comes to Negan, nothing intruders could do would ever matter. Not in the long run, anyway. The sensible ones mattered. But now, things were essentially starting to fall aside to Negan when speaking to Hayden in such a cold tone.
A huge grin split his face: "This is exact-fucking-ly why I'm here! You're a quirky giant bastard, aren't you?"
"If you say so," Hayden said, clapping his hands together. "What is it that your community here provides itself to survive this destruction of the world?"
Negan extended his arms as if presenting a show, "We work with a point system here. People have to work their fucking asses off to earn their keep. If you want food? You earn points. If you want clothes? You earn points. And they obtain points by working. Do you get the gist, tinman?"
"Very," Hayden nodded.
Wasting no time, Negan nodded as he cocked an eyebrow. "Now, what were you doing in my territory?"
"Dean has already told you about my existence here, correct?" Hayden asks, watching Negan roll his eyes with slight annoyance.
"You told him. Not me. Now, I want you to tell me. Again, what were you doing in my area?"
"I wasn't fully aware that this was your territory, Negan. I've been spending years scavenging for aid on my mechanical body until I came across the undead creatures, and used the best of my combat experience to execute them from doing more harm. Especially for your patrollers." Hayden attested with full confidence to garner any reactions of approval and agreeance.
"And you wouldn't know that with all of my people around the area?" Negan persisted, raising an eyebrow.
"Then how would I have known, sir? None of the trees have your name written everywhere." Hayden remarked though he didn't want to displease or make Negan believe that he seemed untrustworthy.
The android was starting to adjust to this weirdness of Negan. However, with Negan looking at Hayden, it was still making him uncomfortable. Negan put in a near troubled expression when he was interested, but he couldn't let this show of defiance continue. He didn't know whether to believe him or not throughout the interrogation. Whenever Hayden spoke, Negan would grasp that some moments of irritation are going to happen. After all, Hayden shouldn't be the one to display signs of conviction upon the Savior leader but only dread within.
"Looks like I've got some wise ass?" Negan thought to himself before resuming with his questions.
"True, but a lot of people should know that it's mine." Negan said before continuing, "Almost everyone knows that the shit out there is mine...all mine...every last piece."
The tall cyborg tilts his head before saying, "I can see why you would want a forest, considering that it keeps any other creatures or trespassers from luring themselves within your territory."
"Well, why the hell not, doc? Why not have a huge section of the fucking forest while I'm at it, huh?" Negan leered with a shit-eating grin.
Hayden couldn't help but wonder how much of this man's taunts were all bravado, coercion tactics, and pushing buttons to aggravate him. Accurately enough, Hayden felt like anything than to admit defeat. Hayden endured becoming built up to persist as a genius and is more than capable of conflict, due to his capacity and mechanical body.
"How much did it cost you, Negan?" asked Hayden, only to observe Negan who tries to hold back his laughter.
"Fucking christ, are you joking? Please tell me you're joking, doc? You think I paid for a fucking forest?" Negan smirked and almost snorts a hint of laughter.
"Well, yes? If it is yours, then you must have paid for it before all of the civilization led to its downfall. How much money did you pay-?"
"Pfft- Hahahahahaha! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Negan couldn't hold it back as he ended up roaring with laughter hysterically for a few seconds.
Just as his amusement died down, Negan smirks and glances at Hayden. "Oh my. Oh god. Doc, look, there's no such thing as paying with money now. For the time being, we pay with supplies and resources. Any idiot should know that."
Smirking at Hayden, Negan notices that the tall android seemed to be thinking.
"Hmm, I see. I suppose I wasn't aware of that newfound cryptocurrency at this time being. I apologize for the misunderstanding, Negan." Hayden answered, noticing that Negan was laughing a bit quieter now.
"Good God, you sound and talk so annoyingly as Simon." Negan said in a deep and rough tone, "My second-in-command. He always manages to get shit done and not backslide like any past idiot I've dealt with before. So, where the fuck have you been all this time, doc?"
"I have already told you. I've been scavenging-"
Negan raises his hand to silence Hayden. "I ask. You're answering tinman. Don't think you're some smartass with all this. Though out of curiosity from what Dean has told me, you used to be human, right?"
Once Hayden receives the question, he slowly nodded and replied, "Yes, I was."
"How did it happen? You wouldn't just randomly pick yourself out a new hunk of metal without experiencing what it's like to be human now, would it?" Negan leaned in and smiled with annoyance, "Because in case you haven't caught on, you must be talking bullshit right now to me about your...little story."
Hayden almost fell silent at how Negan was playing this game of theirs. After such a good run, another stupid mistake, one that could still cost the tall android in the future. Using that generic cover story was somewhat out of place here, and Hayden started doubting every decision he took since his arrival on this Earth. As for Negan, he successfully figured Hayden out from the way he acted seconds ago and was still waiting for the cyborg's answer.
"You see, doc. I don't like it when assholes piss me the fuck off about things I don't fucking know about." Negan said, his frown curling up slightly into a smile, somewhat sympathetic. "People are the ultimate resource in the Sanctuary. Do you want to consider your little story remembered as scavenging for scrappy metals of shit? To me, doc...that's not life. You don't bullshit a bullshitter because they know damn well how much a bull can spew shit out of your mouth and let dumbasses be a part of that shit. So let's start this over now, shall we? How did it happen?"
Hayden knew he had to somehow tell the truth, but leave out other details of his situation.
With a sigh of reluctance, Hayden soon explained, "I was born into a powerful family. Years traveled by, I became an intellectual and philanthropist. But everything changed when I was diagnosed with incurable brain cancer. I was left with a few months to live."
That seemed to make Negan back off from Hayden as he leaned back into his chair, his face contorted in confusion for a moment.
"Damn. That must've sucked hard, doc. I mean, it is hard to think about those kinds of things." Negan sighed before clearing his throat that making it seem weak.
It showed bits of self-remorse as Negan continued eyeing Hayden with a neutral look. During that moment, Hayden was beginning to notice a bit about Negan's different traits of wellbeing. Right after the tall cyborg had mentioned his brain cancer, the man in front of him almost backed off from this subject. Did something had happened to Negan before the outbreak on this Earth?
"But still, how did you escape that shit?" Negan asked.
"I avoided my death by transferring parts of my frontal and temporal lobes into this 3-meter tall mechanical body. It was all thanks to an expert neurosurgeon I had." Hayden answered as he stands up to let Negan observe his appearance. "He told me that the parts of my brain were free of cancer, and I chose to replace my human body rather than simply replace the cancerous parts of my brain."
"How long ago did your transfer your brain into this body?" Negan asked, meeting Hayden's gaze while he frowned a bit when the tall cyborg gave back a tilted look.
"Approximately years right before the outbreak had started, I kept most of my appearance well-hidden during all this time inside an abandoned facility faraway. It's comparatively easy to remain hidden in those ruins, but I wasn't so certain about this part of the area." Hayden said, leaving out some of the truth before watching Negan.
Negan eventually nodded as he then asked, "And you say you're a doctor? What kind?"
Hayden listened carefully as he remained still. "I have received my first Master's degree in Theoretical Physics, at Oxford University. I've also shown prodigious talent in several fields: including thermodynamics, electromagnetic theory, and nuclear physics. After rising to prominence as a renowned scientist, I built my foundation to fund up-and-coming young scientists and educational programs in schools. I was even appointed as General Director of the Global Science Council."
Negan blinked a bit, rolling his eyes with boredom yet showing some interest. "Great...I found myself Doctor Smarty-Pants 2.0, except with a robot body, that's for sure. Anything else that's not so boring? Dean even told me that you're a tinkerer, right?"
"That is correct, Negan." Hayden nodded. "I've spent my years perfecting any sorts of genetic engineering and engineering technology, as well as helping people, achieve the goals that are desired."
Negan hummed a bit before smirking, "A people's person, I assume?"
"Yes, you can call me that. I work for the good and betterment of humankind. I have no other agendas. And I could help aid your Sanctuary in return, that is..."
Another risk, and even more fuel for Hayden's anxiety. Negan watched him carefully, Hayden's straight and confident posture seemed indefinite. Sure, he handled most people who are nothing but a hassle to the Saviors, but the man still had a few interests and doubts about the tall android before him.
Snorting, Negan crossed his arms and asked, "The good and betterment of humankind? Well, if you're so sure about saving the rest of humanity itself from going down the drain, how can I know if you honestly want to kill me and take in charge afterward like the rest? After all, you got the fucking robot body, and here I am now. So, why should I even trust your word upon helping my Saviors, including the Sanctuary?"
With that said, Hayden knew very much that Negan was not the person you would take advantage of, especially when it comes to the Saviors. Perhaps, it's hard to say. At first, Hayden almost felt pressured when coming face-to-face with Negan, but none of that matters now. Hayden could not feel any pride in his superiority over ordinary humans. He had failed mankind for the first time.
He allowed demons from Hell, to destroy his greatest gift to humanity, and thus deprive it of the limitless energy he stole from the devils. It bothered Hayden slightly that it wasn't his cybernetic self that stopped the invasion, but that single-minded brute. The Slayer was a brutal monster, a killer without mercy or remorse, and a primitive being.
But in the end, what did it matter? Without Hayden, the Slayer of Demons would still be imprisoned in Hell. Though, without the Slayer, Hayden would most likely be dead. Just ago, had the demonic invasion was ended, Hayden needed to deal with the aftermath. Simply because he was the last living being on his Earth and he no longer had subordinates to do the grunt work for him.
Not even VEGA. Hayden's second glorious creation. His most loyal friend and competent assistant imaginable to sacrifice with no vain at all. The AI was the nearest thing to a friend he had ever had, and the next stage in his technological evolution was one of the most extensive accomplishments of humanity.
But what was done, was done. There was no point in thinking any longer, as much as Hayden wanted to satisfy himself in it.
He had an utter disaster to deal with tens of thousands of employees dead, their souls trapped in the depths of Hell. Most facilities were in absolute ruins, and the Argent Tower was demolished beyond repair.
That's when it hit him. He felt a chill for a moment. Could Hayden be losing his humanity and empathy? The only fear that Hayden ever had before embarking on his campaign to exceed humanity. But then again, he thought that it's a reasonably common emotion to feel.
Even Olivia's betrayal pierced through Hayden the most, putting so much shame into himself. He was to blame for her descent into madness. There was so much faith Hayden had put in her. He sponsored her education and personally guided her through the steps of business and science.
But in the end, that one artifact he sent her, the one that made her join the UAC and his research institute. It sparked her obsession with Hell and demons, leading to her insanity. Olivia was the first protégé of his foundation and his favorite student, but now, she was his greatest failure and disappointment.
One Hayden would remember until the end of his days. Aside from that, he had to deal with various authorities soon. It wouldn't be long before somebody noticed that all communications from Mars had stopped. Somebody would demand answers, and he was the last man alive that could be held liable. Could he be forced to sign his resignation? Would numerous factions opposing him gain any real traction? Well, he did still have his wild card.
The Crucible.
Bounded with a near-endless ocean of energy. Hayden wasn't sure if it was due to some form of transdimensional connection to the sealed Well, or perhaps warping space and time to achieve otherwise impossible energy frequencies. Perhaps also as a means to easier extra universal travel. Hayden thought he could convince the Board of Directors that the Crucible is worth the sacrifice of Martian facilities.
Maybe, he intentionally sent the Doom Slayer into Hell to retrieve it, that the demonic invasion was just an unforeseen counter-attack. Humanity would achieve something valuable despite the anarchy that engulfed Mars.
Hayden could easily hide the fact that it was his most trusted subordinate that opened the gates of Hell. It seemed like a good course of action, but he would need a proof of concept. Something to confirm that the Crucible is as compelling as Hayden surmises.
That's when Hayden created a makeshift copy of the Argent Tower's energy transmission device from salvage lying around the Argent facilities. One of his advantages of having a cybernetic brain was instantly designing machinery, and he put that one to great value here. Hopefully, the Crucible would then replenish the magnetized assembly of the machine to keep the blade's integrity.
However, the energy wasn't contained within the magnetic trap, as if the sword somehow increases its power output. It wasn't before long until Hayden had been absorbed from the chamber, bringing him to this Earth filled with unspeakable wars. Maybe the Slayer was right in the end.
Maybe all of those demons do need to die. Right now, Hayden almost felt mournful in front of Negan who had been waiting for an answer.
Hayden eventually sighed before looking at the man gently, "Because I can understand how people are most sufficient to you and your rules. This world is in a state of accelerated decay. Between the dead and a human's disparity, it is condemned to death and suffering. I will find solutions to these problems, slay the monsters, and ascend any human that lacks a level where equality in the face of law and nature can be restored. I would not call myself a hero either, the absurdity of using such terms aside. I do not judge myself in any way. I simply do what I can to support humanity, and for that purpose, I will do what I must. For now, I am merely a scientist...and my only goal is driving the progress of mankind forward."
For once in a whole while, Negan became speechless of Hayden's articulated reasoning. Nobody in his compound has ever spoken to him like that. Even the other communities that grant him supplies have never lectured him like that. Often because Negan possesses an abundance of faithful followers.
Negan had equal parts of charisma and was sometimes completely mad or crazy. Everyone in the Sanctuary has become loyal to him because they either want to be him or fear him. And he has numbers because of what he provides. The more followers people have, the more they are feared and respected. As a result, it will gain even more followers.
It's a chain reaction. He is also uncontrollable and unpredictable because people never know what he is going to do. He could be laughing one second, the next, bashing your brains into the dirt. Or maybe he won't.
"I will not impose anything on humanity. I merely want to offer infinite energy, advanced technology, and the assistance of capable intelligence. I hope that within decades, I can transform the civilization into one with considerably less unnecessary violence and more cooperation..."
After that, Hayden walks over to him and leans into his face menacingly.
"...but if you are so disgusted by what I've done, then you might as well kill me and be done with it. There are times where people must realize, combat, and accept themselves as you become the opposition because you have to confront yourself. Whether it comes in the form of alcoholism, your constant danger sinking, anyone's suicidality, or not being able to control any communities near you."
All of this became so different right now. Hayden was raising his voice to Negan, invading his personal space. And most of all, showing no signs of fear whatsoever. If anyone did that to Negan, they would straight away be punished or executed.
However, this time, Negan did nothing as he just stared at Hayden. He was amazed by him. Negan's expectation has become subverted at how Hayden strives to have the last word and reduces Negan down to his most basic psychological parts. Not only has Negan failed to take control of a situation, the leader of the Saviors in the Sanctuary with more than enough footsoldiers got bested by a three-meter tall mechanoid. Hayden once had a horrible state of cancer that he didn't want to become succumbed to, so he just became an android to prevent such a thing. And here now talking to Hayden, never has Negan seen a man or robot with that amount of guts.
"Do you still have any more questions?" asked Hayden, pulling his face away from Negan's.
Negan smirked slowly and drawled, "Well, color me surprised, doc! I got to tell you, nobody, and I mean nobody has ever got up in my face with them beach-ball sized nuts to tell me what I don't fucking know about them."
"So, after we are done here, I'll be completely free to live?"
"For now...since I'm being generous today, you Dr. Tinman, just got me on a good day." Negan answers before standing up to go and open his door.
Dean, Laura, and Derek were waiting outside, while Mark was only a few feet away from them. The Savior leader took a small glimpse at Mark, who looked down and recoiled quickly, rolling his eyes back to the group of Saviors before him.
Negan's forwardness continued as he lets his barbed-wire bat slide back down as he begins to speak, "You sorry shits have earned yourselves some bonus points. Take the doc here to go check around the marketplace and maybe possibly, get Simon to come over and give him the grand tour!"
With that said, the group of Saviors became completely surprised by how Hayden wasn't screwed over by the likes of Negan. Especially Mark, who blanked and instinctually tried to shift upwards nervously.
Dean gives Negan a puzzled look. "But boss, he's an intruder."
"Was an intruder." he corrects him. "Now, Sammy here is our guest of honor."
"He could be a spy from the other communities-!"
Snickering, Negan leans in closer to Dean. "Does Tinman here look like he's from Rick the Prick's gang of messy roughnecks? Hell, Rick wouldn't be hiding shit like this from me! But now, that's his loss."
Negan then held up two fingers, "Two times. As for the doc, bring him back once he's done. I like to have another chit-chat with him again."
"Yes, boss."
The Savior group escorted the new guest out of the room, closing the door behind Negan.
Hayden was in relief, but for now, his decisions encircled through his mind.
"Although I still think Negan isn't trustworthy of me, I hope this cooperation will benefit us both."
A/N: [Am I getting bizarre or what? We also got to see Hayden and Negan finally meeting each other. And already, Hayden is getting on Negan's nerves for staying composed and non-judgemental despite talking to a man who is a loud, in-your-face character that leans all the time to break his back. The Slayer showed the PTSD in himself towards Jadis to make her weep like a sap. Then again, everyone in Alexandria is still wondering who the HELL is, the Doom Slayer. But I'll get in touch with that next time or so forth. Later!]