Maggie walked down the stairs to the door that lead to the basement prison. The last time she had come down these steps, she had come to kill Negan. That almost seemed like a lifetime ago.
But it wasn't. And if she had just killed him like she had intended to, Rosita and Eugene wouldn't be down here. Maggie opened the door and saw that Eugene and Rosita were in separate cells. She closed the door and stood before them, arms crossed.
"This is me now. Not a room full of half strangers. Tell me what's going on." Maggie said quietly.
Rosita was who Maggie expected to hear from first. But Eugene talked.
"Our goal was to relocate to Lakeville. And bring our resources there. We were not about to share anything that we have with Negan."
"But you went into business with him?" Maggie asked. "What was that all about?"
"To make it look as if we were going along to get along," Rosita sighed, "and we could see we had something with that liquor. But it was never our intention to let Negan become successful with it. We hid the viagra so it wouldn't taste the same."
Maggie's eyes widened!
"Viagra? What are you talking about?"
"You might as well know. Viagra is what gives the drink it's kick." Rosita admitted. "But if he doesn't have that anymore…"
"I wouldn't have helped him at all." Maggie stated, still not understanding their logic.
"I can't speak for Rosita, but there was a moment where I actually thought this whole thing could work." Eugene admitted. "That I could forget what happened. And then I saw him with Judith and RJ. He wants to run this place like Rick did, and Michonne is too…I don't know. She claims she sees what he is but she doesn't act like it. I'm just through."
"So am I. We don't know how many Saviors are still out there, waiting to take over this place with him." Rosita seconded.
"Did you all try to burn down the bar?" Maggie asked.
"We had nothing to do with that, Maggie, I swear." Rosita said. "Darryl told us about the serial killer. Eugene and I don't think there's anything to that. I know he said you left Lakeville because of it, but I'd rather deal with that than be here."
Maggie thought those were the saddest words she had ever heard in a long while.
"I'm going to go talk to Michonne. I'll make sure she lets you out of here and sends Negan packing. We've tried to be civil about this but he's the one that belongs down here, not you two."
And with that, Maggie turned and left the basement—her destination, Michonne's house.
Negan had not stayed with Michonne, even though he had wanted to. But he was very aware that she needed to be alone after their lovemaking. She didn't say that but he knew. He showered and dressed at her house, then went back to the bar. Deke had went along with the 'Helicopter Posse' so he was alone, sweeping up the damage from the fire. But his mind was not on his work.
He felt like days had passed since he had last seen Michonne instead of just one hour. Or two. And his head was filled with naked splendor. He sighed lustfully, wondering if he could invite himself over for dinner with Michonne and the kids tonight? Would that be too much after their morning together?
Negan looked up as Father Gabriel walked in.
"Father. What brings you by?" he asked, picking up some glass.
"I came to lend a hand."
Negan threw away the glass and looked at Gabriel skeptically.
"Really?"
"Yes, really. And I thought we could talk."
"Oh Christ!" Negan swore. "I figured there was something else to this visit. If this is about what happened to Eugene and Rosita, you all came up with the idea of jailing them. Not me. And chances are you'll find a helicopter, two boats and God knows what!"
Gabriel held up his hands in surrender!
"I am not here to talk about Eugene and Rosita. I am here to help you mend your bar for re-opening and to talk about Michonne."
"Talk about her, why?" Negan asked, pretending to be clueless.
"Negan, come now. It is evident to all that you have feelings for her."
Negan set the broom against the bar.
"Thank you, Padre! Because no one else seems to think that!"
"What do you think everyone thinks, Negan?"
"Oh come on! That I'm trying to 'take over' Alexandria by using Michonne, Judith and RJ. I wouldn't do anything like that."
"But you understand why people think you would?" Gabriel asked, taking the broom Negan had set against the counter, in hand.
"Let me ask YOU something: did you know about Rick's campaign to kill my people and me? Before I had to teach that red headed fuck and Maggie's husband, a lesson?"
Gabriel thought about how he was going to answer him.
"I knew that Rick had a plan to get us supplies."
"That's your fucking answer? Father, I just don't understand why people can't see my side of things? Do you really think if things were reversed, and I had killed up a bunch of you all, while you slept someplace, that Rick and your group wouldn't have come after me? Me and my own?"
"I think Rick would have come after you. And you alone. Not innocent people." Gabriel asked.
"That Abraham fuck was eyeballing me that night!"
"What you call 'eyeballing', others have said was quiet desperation to be spared."
"Who's been saying that shit?" Negan wanted to know.
"My point is, Negan, Maggie could have lost her baby that night. Some things are not forgivable. I think you should consider leaving and starting anew someplace else."
"Is that right? Why? This place has been my 'home' for five years. I have as much right to be here as anyone else. More so than Maggie and that creepy husband of hers."
"Dexter? I don't see anything 'creepy' about him." Gabriel said, and began sweeping.
"No," Negan said, walking behind the bar and pouring himself a whiskey, "no one else does. Can I ask you something?"
Gabriel stopped sweeping and gave him his full attention.
"Of course."
"I saw the videos of all of you all, when you first came here. When you first joined Rick's group, back down South, were he and Michonne together then?"
"No. Or at least I saw no signs of a relationship other than friends. I was too embroiled in my own misery to take notice. And we were always fending off enemies."
Negan eyed him.
"What does that mean?"
"It means that were others before The Saviors."
"Others that your group killed?" Negan asked slyly.
"I did not participate in any of those coarse murders. But those happenings were different. The acts were committed in self defense." Gabriel sniffed.
"Uh huh." Negan replied suspiciously, just as Judith and RJ wandered in, looking around. Negan realized school had to be out by now and he glanced out of the window. He saw a few other children making their way to their homes. RJ's mouth hung open as he looked around. He had only been in here a few times after school but now, the bar looked and smelled terrible!
Judith looked around as well, focusing on the back area, where Uncle Negan slept.
"Did the fire get back there?" Judith asked. Negan glanced back at his office/cot area.
"No, thank God! My food was spared too. You see the fridge wasn't touched." he replied. Gabriel smiled at them.
"What did you learn in school today?" he asked.
"We learned about money," RJ said proudly, as he pulled out a twenty, a ten and a five dollar bill, "this makes thirty five dollars."
Father Gabriel smiled approvingly but Negan frowned!
"Uh, why are you learning that?" he asked. Gabriel looked over at him.
"I think that it is important to know, in case civilization returns." he said.
"You think that's going to happen?" Negan asked skeptically. "I think someone needs to have a talk with 'Ms. Nola' the teacher. Or at least sit in on some classes."
Meanwhile, Judith had made her way back to Negan's private quarters and saw that his refrigerator actually had a lot in it. Still, it had to be lonely eating alone here, with the bar in such bad shape. She closed the door to the refrigerator and walked back out into the bar.
"What do you need help with, Uncle Negan?" Judith asked.
"I need the tables wiped down, honey. And RJ, I want you to go home. Your Momma wouldn't like it if you were here with all of this broken glass."
"Judith is here?"
"Judith's bigger." Negan told him, sensing a tantrum coming on. "Besides, your room needs picking up. So go on and I'll see you later."
RJ nodded and walked over to give Negan a hug, before leaving the bar. The place smelled bad and he really didn't want to be there anyway…
Father Gabriel looked at Judith, who had not caught Negan's faux pas, being the age that she was. He walked over to Negan and began speaking in low tones.
"How do you know what RJ's room looks like? Isn't it on the second floor of the house?" Gabriel asked.
"I've been on the second floor before, okay? I've used the bathroom there when I've been over."
"Oh." Gabriel said, still sounding suspicious. But his chance to question him further was interrupted by a lot of screaming and yelling! RJ had just reached the porch of his home, as had Maggie, who was about to knock. Michonne whipped open the door and looked surprised to see Maggie and RJ there, but then looked towards the front gate. Darryl had Carol with him in a buggy and she had blood on her! Siddiq and Dexter ran out of the infirmary!
"My God!" Michonne hissed. "RJ, I want you to get inside and stay there! Where is your sister?"
"At Uncle Negan's! What's wrong with Aunt Carol?"
"RJ," Maggie said, "do as your mother says. It will be alright."
Father Gabriel ran out of Negan's and Negan kept both hands on Judith's shoulders, as they watched from the bar. Michonne and Maggie reached Darryl and Carol about the same time as Siddiq and Dexter.
"What happened?!" Michonne yelled. "Where is Ezekiel and Angel?!"
Darryl looked her in the eye.
"I don't know where Angel is but Ezekiel is dead! Carol is just barely alive! Carol told me they were attacked by someone before she passed out!"
Michonne just stared at Darryl.
"What do you mean Ezekiel is dead? How can that be?" she asked, trying to quell the growing horror that was building up within her, at the idea of Ezekiel being gone.
Dexter watched as Siddiq, Maggie and Darryl carried Carol to the infirmary. He then looked at Michonne.
"We need to do something to find Angel."
"I agree." Michonne said in a tone that she hoped didn't give away how sick she was over this whole thing. She looked at Deke, who had helped Darryl with Carol.
"What did you see out there?" she asked him.
"Ezekiel was beheaded. Carol's been stabbed a few times and there was no sign of that other guy you all were talking about. Not to be rude, but it's possible he did it."
"Angel? No! He's devoted to the Kingdom!" Michonne said firmly and Dexter eyed her. Michonne seemed sure Angel was innocent, while he himself, was not so sure…
"Look, he's nowhere around! There were two horses out there. The one Ezekiel and Carol were on, ran off or something. The other one that 'Angel' is on, went off in another direction down some wooded path." Deke told her.
"Okay, well maybe Angel went after the killer!" Michonne reasoned, but now wondered if he had went to get help at the prison? She looked at Dexter.
"Tell me you don't believe that?"
"No. Of course not. But I do think we need to get out there and help him. I'm going."
"I'm going too!" Michonne seconded, just as Negan walked up.
"I sent Judith home with RJ. What happened?"
"Someone attacked King Ezekiel, Carol and Angel. King Ezekiel is dead, Carol is unconscious and Angel is missing." Dexter said grimly, just as he saw Deb coming towards them. He excused himself from Negan and Michonne to talk to her. Negan noticed that they did not go to the infirmary, but back to the house they all lived in together. Negan tore his eyes off of them and looked at Michonne.
"I'm sorry about King Zeke and Carol."
Michonne nodded then turned and walked back towards her house. Negan fell into step beside her.
"So…I was hoping I could come over for dinner tonight…"
"I need you to stay with the kids." Michonne said brusquely.
"Why?"
"Because Dexter and I are going out to look for this killer. I know you didn't approve of Ezekiel and I, but I am not about to let whoever killed him, get away with this!"
"Shit, Chonnie! It sounds like that guy that stole my horse killed them and rode off!"
"Angel wouldn't do that!"
"How do you know? Besides, you should let the Kingdom men handle that. When Carol awakes she'll be the new leader. Let's just stay out of it." he said, touching her arm.
"Negan, Deke said that he thinks Angel chased the killer to the prison! I have to help! Or at least see if everyone is alright!"
Negan said nothing for a moment.
"Okay, but I go with you and Dexter. Maybe Maggie could watch the kids?" Negan suggested.
"No. I think you should stay…"
"I'm not letting you go search for a damned killer, alone! And Dexter looks pussified as shit!"
Michonne raised a brow.
"Pussified? Really?"
"Yeah, really! I'm going to go pack some things. You get some stuff and then we'll head out. With Dexter."
Michonne touched his shirt.
"Thank you." was all she said, as she headed to her house. Meanwhile, Dexter was handed a wedding ring by Deb,
"You found this outside of Negan's bar?"
"Right at the point where the gasoline was poured. I found the actual can in the tunnels." she said. "I think the person that did this was a woman."
"Someone jilted by Negan?" Dexter asked.
"I would think that a married woman here would not want anyone to know that she was seeing him. I don't know. But when we find out who owns that ring, we'll find the arsonist. I'm going to let Negan know."
"Let me ask you something," Dexter said, "did you notice from the beginning, how much Michonne looked like Amanda?"
Deb frowned.
"Wow, Dex. Where is that coming from?"
"I don't know. You heard about what happened out there?"
Deb shrugged.
"I saw Carol carried in…"
"Deb! Ezekiel is dead! Beheaded by someone and Carol was stabbed! Angel is missing!"
"Christ, Dexter! Why did you let me run on about that stupid ring?! What do you mean Angel is missing?"
"Deb, Deke thinks that Angel is the one that did this. We have to find him before people that don't know him very well, do." Dexter said firmly.
"Okay, so let's go and find him…"
"Yeah, well, Michonne and Negan are coming too."
"Shit!" she cursed. She then looked at her brother.
"You don't think that serial killer from Lakeville found his way here, do you?"
Dexter didn't quite know what to believe now. Something was off about the whole thing. Ezekiel was beheaded, Carol was stabbed, yet left alive and Angel was missing. He couldn't say he was sure of anything anymore.
"I don't know." he finally answered. "But I'm going to let the others know I'm going out with Michonne and Negan."
Deb nodded.
"Okay, I'll go upstairs and get us some stuff together. We might have to rough it."
"Oh joy!" Dexter said with little enthusiasm. He had done enough of that 'sleeping under the stars while keeping guard', during the first few weeks of this undead apocalypse. He left his house and hurried over to the infirmary. Darryl and Siddiq were in the corner talking. Maggie was sitting at Carol's side. She looked up when Dexter entered.
"Where were you?" she asked as Dexter approached Carol's bed.
"Talking to Deb. We're going with Michonne and Negan to find Angel. He could need help."
"Michonne and Negan are going out? To help Angel? Why?" Maggie asked. Dexter shrugged.
"I talked to Angel earlier. He has gotten to know Michonne somehow and…" he trailed off.
"What?"
"He seemed overly fond of her. He said things like 'she would be a good leader for the Kingdom', stuff like that. He didn't seem to have any regard for Carol here at all."
"Come on, Dexter! You don't think…" Maggie trailed off as Carol began to come around.
"No. That's why Deb and I are going out there." Dexter said and he realized he was still holding the mysterious wedding ring. "Actually, Maggie, do you know who this belongs to?"
"Oh my God!" Carol cried out, now fully awake. "My ring! I thought Angel had stolen it! My God, where did you find it?"
Maggie smiled wanly and Dexter slowly handed back Carol the wedding ring that Deb had found in the tunnels, next to an empty gasoline can.
"What the fuck is going on?" Deb asked suspiciously.
They had ridden for almost an hour, before they found the blood splattered road. There was a wooded path that lead someplace and Michonne and Negan seemed to know exactly where all of this was!
"Shut up, Deb!" was Negan's reply and Dexter tried to run interference.
"You two, come on!" he snapped. Meanwhile, Michonne slowly climbed down off of her horse and kneeled by a particular blood splatter with some kind of matter lying within it. Chances were, it was where Ezekiel was beheaded. But where was the head?
"No you come on, Dexter! They both know what's down that path, don't you?" Deb asked. Michonne slowly stood up.
"Ezekiel and his men had found a prison for the Kingdom residents to move to. I knew about it and was helping. I helped often. That is how I came to know Angel. Okay, Deb? Are you happy now?"
Dexter looked at Michonne. Deb was not happy but he was. For now all the pieces were beginning to fall into place. Sort of. Michonne knew about this prison and Dexter guessed Carol didn't. Michonne began spending time with Ezekiel and something happened between them. That he couldn't prove, but it made it entirely possible that it was not Negan that Carol was trying to kill in the bar that night.
It was Michonne. And Carol knew it would be too obvious to kill her in her house, while she was staying there. Plus if Negan died too, that was a plus. Dexter looked around on the road and the neighboring woods, for any sign of Angel while tuning out all of the arguing…
"Did Carol know about this new home? The prison?" Deb demanded to know.
"No. It was going to be a surprise." Michonne answered.
"And Ezekiel asked you to help him with it? You and Angel?" Deb asked, now staring at Michonne hard.
"Yes! Now can we get back to the task at hand!" Michonne snapped.
"So when they left Alexandria, Ezekiel and Angel were going to tell Carol about this place? See I think it's fucked up that whatever happened, happened here! Almost as if someone didn't want them to return to the prison." Deb noted.
"Who is someone?" Negan asked.
Deb got off of her horse and walked up to Michonne.
"Where were you after Eugene and Rosita were detained? Did you leave Alexandria?"
Deb's answer was a backhand from Michonne! Negan jumped off his horse!
"Shit!" he yelled. Dexter jumped off of his and grabbed Deb, as she began to claw at Michonne's braids!
"Cut the shit, Deb! Michonne didn't do this!" Negan yelled.
"Watch yourself!" Dexter snapped at Michonne. But Michonne advanced on the two of them!
"No, you two watch yourselves! You all came into our community and didn't tell us that you had a serial killer chasing you! My children could be in danger now!"
"That's bullshit!" Deb yelled. "And that still doesn't answer the question. "Where the fuck were you? Hell, where were you, Negan? Deke worked like a servant cleaning that bar of yours and I didn't see you in there!"
"That's because I was with Michonne." Negan said.
"Where?" Deb asked.
"He was in my house. And that's all you need to know! We alibi one another, not that we need one! How dare you suggest that either one of us would have done something like…"
But Dexter shushed everyone! There was a noise. A chomping noise. Michonne heard it too and turned to look down the wooded path she had ridden down, many a time to meet with Ezekiel at the prison. She unsheathed her sword and eased down into the forest. Negan followed after her and Deb took out a revolver and followed after him. Dexter had a knife and was the last in. The chomping got louder behind a fallen tree and when Michonne peeked over on the other side of the trunk, she found a healthy looking walker eating Ezekiel's head!
Michonne screamed and stabbed the walker in the head! Negan shook his head at the sight and Deb was about to say something, when a horse came racing down the path, from the road they were on! As it passed them, they all saw Angel's headless body in the saddle! Dexter looked around calmly. Were was Angel's head?
"Fuck no!" Negan yelled. "We're getting the fuck out of here! Your asses can find another place to live!"
"Oh shut up, Negan!" Deb snapped.
"I'm dead serious! None of this shit was going on, BEFORE your asses showed up at Alexandria! You've brought a serial killer here to our communities! Don't follow us! Come on, Chonnie!"
Michonne felt tears slip down her face at the sight of Ezekiels messed up head. She started to reach for it, but Negan pulled her away from it, slipping a hard arm around her waist and began walking her back to the horses. Deb gaped after them and then looked at Dexter!
"Is he fucking serious? He's kicking us out of Alexandria?"
Dexter didn't answer that. But he made a decision. One that unfortunately, would delay his dark passenger cravings.
"A serial killer didn't do this. Carol did." he said. Deb turned to look at him, as did Negan and Michonne.
"What?" Michonne asked in a hollow voice. "What are you talking about?"
Dexter looked at Deb.
"I should have said something before, but I was so concerned about Angel. That wedding ring that you found next to the gasoline in the tunnels? It belonged to Carol. And she seemed to think that it was found after her 'attack'."
Deb stared at Dexter, then walked up to Negan and Michonne.
"Were you fucking Ezekiel?" she asked Michonne. "Because I found a wedding ring, next to a gasoline can that in all likelihood, was used to burn up Negan's bar."
Dexter walked up to them.
"Carol probably didn't realize she had lost it when she hid the evidence."
"No!" Michonne said, shaking her head. "No, she wouldn't do anything like that. And if she thought something was going on, she would have confronted me. No. You're wrong. And it doesn't explain…" she trailed off, thinking about how Angel never thought Carol was a proper queen.
"You know something!" Deb exclaimed, but Negan didn't like the sound of any of this shit! He had always had a vibe about Carol. Not one quite this extreme but still…
"Okay, okay. We've got to do something. I guess you all aren't kicked out." Negan grumbled. But Dexter spoke up.
"We need to prove that her wounds were self inflicted. This 'murderer' beheaded two men and did nothing to the woman. Either he's being chivalrous or…"
"Or Carol did it. Somehow she knew and she killed them both." Michonne whispered. Deb and Dexter glanced at one another. Michonne had as much as confirmed the motive just now. Negan looked at Dexter. Somehow, he knew the creepy fuck had a plan.
"You came up with this theory. How do we take her down without Chonnie here looking like the bad guy?"
Dexter looked at Deb, who knew what he wanted to do. Dexter then looked at Negan.
"I have a plan." he said. "One that makes Carol disappear, so to speak."