The Truth Will Out
Jesus thought he had left his past as Malcolm Bright buried in the remains of New York. He thought wrong.
Fandom: Prodigal Son, Walking Dead
Tags: Grabbed By The Chin, bad things happen bingo crossover, Jesus was Malcolm Bright, pre-Daryl/Jesus/Rick, spoilers for up to episode 11 of Prodigal Son, Paul is good with kids and they like him as well, canon-level violence, kidnapping, whump, mental whump,
Chapter 7
Square Filled: Grabbed By The Chin
Malcolm's head jerked up startled out of his spiralling thoughts when the door to his prison swung open. Malcolm's heart dropped and fear coiled in his chest at the sight of John walking in with Carl slung over his shoulder.
"Don't touch him!" Malcolm hissed as he jerked against the chains before gasping as his vision whited out for a moment thanks to the pain of his dislocated shoulder.
"I won't need to, as long as you do what I tell you too like a good little boy," John reminded as he dumped the teen's limp body onto the dirt floor and Malcolm swallowed hard at sight of Carl lying there unprotected. How the hell had John gotten back Rick and Daryl and Malcolm went cold at the thought that John had killed one or both of them.
"What do you want with me, John?" Malcolm whispered, sounding as defeated as he was beginning to feel. He had to protect Carl; he couldn't let John hurt him.
"I want you to accept your place! Accept your mission and together we will cleanse this planet as God intended!" John stepped over Carl to grab Malcolm's chin and forced Malcolm's face up. Malcolm refused to look away from the mad man; he would not show weakness even if he felt it.
"If I do, if I willingly go with you… Will you leave these people alone?" Malcolm needed to know all his options, his stomach twisted at the thought of leaving with John, but to keep the people he cared about safe he would do it.
"You are starting to see what you were meant for little Malcolm. I swear on the Father and Son that if you leave with me then this community and all the people inside will be left alone." A wide, victorious smile spread over John's lips as he saw the way Malcolm's body slumped in defeat and his head hung down.
"I will leave with you then John… I will accept my mission from God, from you." Malcolm whispered in defeat, fighting back a wince when John cooed at him as he stroked his hair.
"I knew you would come around to my way of thinking little Malcolm, you just needed a little push in the right direction." John reached up and unlocked Malcolm's wrists from the cuffs and Malcolm cried out as his arms fell and his dislocated shoulder burned blindly hot once again.
"We'll have to wait until we have gotten out of Alexandria before I can set your shoulder little Malcolm. Until then, think of it as a reminder of your mission and your devotion." John said as he gripped Malcolm's chin again and used that hold to force Malcolm up to his feet. Malcolm clutched his hurt arm as he shakily stood up and his eyes darted over to Carl who was still lying on the floor unconscious.
"Let me check on him if he's hurt there is no way that we will be getting out of Alexandria alive." Malcolm pleaded and his heart stalled for a moment when John gave him a thoughtful look.
"Make it quick little Malcolm," John grunted and released his hold on Malcolm's chin. Malcolm caught himself before he collapsed on the floor; he managed to stumble over to Carl before his knees gave out on him. Malcolm let out a breath of relief when he pressed his fingers to Carl's neck and felt his pulse and it was strong and steady.
"Thank God," Malcolm let out a breath as he hung his head in relief that Carl was going to be fine. Malcolm blinked slowly as a glint of metal caught his eye and he fought back a smile when he discreetly slipped one of his knives out of Carl's waistband, the teen had somehow hidden it from John. Malcolm shifted until he was standing upright and he settled into a protective crouched position.
"What exactly do you think you're doing little Malcolm?" John hissed when he saw the stance Malcolm was taking over Carl.
"Something I should have done all those years ago, I should have killed you instead of locking you in that box." Malcolm snarled as he brought the knife up in a practiced stance.
"You weren't capable of that back then and now even less." John laughed at the way Malcolm was glaring at him with such anger.
"You have no idea what I'm capable of," Malcolm growled, anger was filling him to the brim and he wanted nothing more than to gut this man and end this once and for all.
Malcolm flipped the knife in his hand, taking an offensive position now. He hated killing living people but needs must and all that. Malcolm gasped as his body jolted when a loud gunshot rang out in the small basement. Malcolm's eyes widened as John dropped to the floor with a hole in his forehead.
"Rick! Daryl!" Malcolm gasped at the sight of the two men standing in the doorway of the basement, Rick holding his still smoking Colt Python.
"You both okay?" Rick's eyes darted over the two while Daryl's eyes widened at the sight of Paul missing his beard and hair.
"Much better now, Carl's still unconscious I think." Malcolm swayed on his feet as the adrenaline fled his system and he felt unsteady on his feet and his vision began to gray at the edges.
"Whoa, I got you, Paul." Daryl was at Malcolm's side and the man blinked in confusion when did Daryl move?
"You're safe now, we ain't gonna let anyone hurt ya anymore," Daryl promised, his accent washing over Malcolm in a soothing, relaxing way and that was all his body needed to shut down and Malcolm fell into darkness with the knowledge that Rick and Daryl were there to catch him.