All Nightmare Long

Chapter 529

Author's Note: I had to repost this chapter due to remembering Beth was in the line up. Sorry. Over five hundred chapters and the first one I had to redo, not bad. Brain was dead. Please review (don't throw things please).

Archie looked out the window then at Gregory. "They just got out of the truck, time to be the leader that you think you are," he told him.

Gregory looked at him. "You should be on my side you know? I mean, they could get you killed."

"I trust them more then I trust you," Archie hissed. "At least I know the names of the people that live here. Now, let's go out there and greet our guests," he said as he pushed Gregory slightly out the door.

Gregory looked at him. "Just be quiet, if we play our cards right, we can get out of this mess," he said as he opened the door letting the saviors with guns come in. "Hello," he greets as he closes the door.

"Hello, you're Gregory," Simon greets.

"Guilty as charged," Gregory answers. "Welcome to Hilltop Colony," he adds.

"Thank you," Simon says.

"Do make yourself at home," Gregory offers as he glances at Archie.

"This isn't a social call," Simon says as he glances at Archie. "Who are you?"

"Archie, I'm training to be Gregory's right hand, just in case something happens to him, not that anyone would want anything to happen to him," Archie said.

Gregory cleared his throat. "Right, well I didn't think this would be a social call," he said as he looked at Simon.

"We need to talk, and it's getting a little claustrophobic in here," Simon told Gregory. "Right?" he asked as Gregory nodded. "Let's talk in your study, I want to see that painting. Can't remember who told me about it, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter much anymore. Don't know if you heard what happened."

"What happened?" Gregory asked.

"Well those people you used to deal with, our brothers and sisters in arms and operations, well they've been removed from the field of play," Simon told him.

Gregory looked at him. "Brother and sisters what do you mean?"

Simon laughed a little as he looked at Archie then back at him. "I think you know what it means," he told Gregory. "It means we need to talk," he said happily. "You being the number two, you can come too, it's important for the right hand man to know what's going on," he said as he guided Gregory into the office by his shoulders.

Archie stood by the bookshelf while Gregory and Simon went by the desk and looked at the painting.

"Wow, just wow," Simon said as he admired the painting.

"In regarding last night," Gregory started to say, clearing his throat.

"Gregory," Archie said as he straightened up.

Simon held up his hand. "Let the man speak, he is the leader," he instructed.

Gregory shot Archie an annoyed look before continuing. "Message received. Loud and clear."

"What was the message?" Simon asked as Gregory and him looked at each other. "You said it was loud and clear."

"I…just think you were showing us who was boss," Gregory told Simon.

Simon laughed as he looked back at the painting. "Oh, it's…it's just breathtaking. See that's management by example. Crap you got to deal with, right?

Gregory laughed. "You're telling me," he said as he glanced at Archie.

"So last night, that was us working our assess off to provide you with an example. You've got a nice place, tall walls. People in here probably forget what the corpses look like, what the smell like. Now we were going to kill them for you, to remind you of the service we can provide, but you cleaned up the mess yourself. Good on you," Simone told Gregory.

"Well we must have picked up some skills from your people," Gregory said as Archie rolled his eyes.

"Some of us are out there, collecting for you, we do run into the dead now and then," Archie said as he moved closer to Gregory, who shot him a shut up look.

"Well that's good, real good," Simon answered.

Gregory sat down. "Well, if you think about it you still saved us, by sending us out there, by teaching us."

Simon nodded. "Well that's a nice way to look at it. I appreciate that."

"Well, I'm a team player, I mean we are team players, right Archie?" Gregory asked.

"Yeah, team players," Archie answered.

"I think that's why the people chose me," Gregory added quickly.

Simon nodded. "Well the other people of ours you were dealing with, I think they got spoiled, working with a guy like you."

Gregory laughed. "Yeah well," he said as he lowered his head.

"Yeah, I think they got a little soft. That's what got them butchered, I imagine," Simon told the two men.

"They're dead?" Gregory asked.

"Very, very dead," Simon answered as he nodded. "Extremely dead."

"That's horrible, isn't it Archie?" Gregory asked as he looked at the other man.

"Very, sorry for your loss," Archie answered.

Simon nodded. "But you know," he said as he got off the desk and went over to the couch, "it all worked out. Because the people that killed them, they work for us now. And they are real go getters, you know?"

Archie looked at Gregory who hung his head. "You know, it's a shame when things like that have to happen. Please tell Negan I understand the benefits of crossing the aisle. And if Archie here ever needs to take over, he understands."

"No, no reason for that," Simon said.

"No?" Archie asked.

"Because for now, I'm your Negan because that's what Negan wants. But thank you, it means a lot that you recognize what we bring to the table," Simon told Gregory. "You know one of the go getters actually stayed here for a while, Negan saw her on his last visit. Oh what was her name?" he asked as he snapped his fingers. "Summer that's it."

"I found her injured while we were scavenging, brought her back here. She stayed maybe three or four days, didn't tell us where she was from or anything. Left before the doc told her to, she was a feisty lass," Archie explained before Gregory had time to interject.

"Barley spoke, didn't even say thank you when she left. And she was part of the group that did this huh? Now, I'm sorry that we ever gave her refuge here," Gregory told him.

"See that's why you are still here, you understand what we bring to the table. That's why you're still here and others aren't. You understand that right?" Simon asked.

"I understand," Gregory said as he nodded.

"Good," Simon stated.

"Yes, that's good," Gregory said.

"Anything else you want me to know?" Simon asked.

Archie looked at Gregory, glaring at him. "I think we both understand," Archie answered still looking at Gregory.

"Any hitches in the giddyup I should be aware of?" Simon continued pressing. "Gregory?" Simon questioned as he got nothing but silence.

Gregory looked at Simon. "Actually there is," he admitted.

Archie glared at him as Gregory and Simon both walked out of the office, among the saviors. Archie glanced at Jesus, who was standing among them, Jesus gave a quick smirk to the other man as he joined him.

Gregory looked at Jesus and Archie before opening the closet, both of them glaring at him, Jesus gently shaking his head.

Gregory opened the closet door, looking confused as he saw nothing but boxes filled with liquor in the closet. Jesus shook his head while Archie gave a smirk toward Gregory.

"Are you serious?" Simon asked.

Gregory stepped over to the box and pulled out a bottle. "This is…"

"Scotch," Simon finished for him.

"Well not just," Gregory started to explain.

"Hate this stuff, tastes like ashtrays and window cleaner. I'm a gin man, but it does look like it could harden a coinsure. Wow, what a gesture," Simon said.

"You say you hate it?" Gregory asked as he took the bottle.

"Negan will love it," Simon told him. "Now I'm going to say it's from me, not mention you OK?" he questioned. "I really want the head line on this one," he said as he went and grabbed the box of the other scotch. "You wanna slide that one back in?" he asked holding the box. "Sorry I shouldn't have asked. You wanna slide that one back in. Period," he stated as Gregory opened the box. Gregory gave a side glance to Jesus and Archie who both smirked. "This is big Gregory. It's huge and I won't forget it. I really, really appreciate this. Thank you," he said as he turned. "Now we're going to go through the place and take half of everything you have, but only half," he said as he made a sound with his mouth. "Take this to the Negan truck OK?" he told the younger man who nodded. "Exhuent gentleman! Get to work. Oh, and take the painting," he told one of the men. He started to move forward and snapped his fingers. "Oh! One more thing Gregory, can I get a kneel out of you?"

"Excuse me?" Gregory asked.

"Kneel," Simon ordered.

Gregory nodded as he knelt. Simon bent down. "That's a solid kneel Gregory," he said as he patted his head. "You remember that for next time.

Archie and Jesus both looked at him as he got up.

TBC