"What the fuck is this?" Negan asked, as Eugene landed the helicopter back down into Alexandria. It was clear that many of the residents were headed into the church and a few stopped to watch the helicopter land, before going in.
Eugene said nothing as he landed and Negan got out, carrying baskets of food. Deb hurried over to him, just as Eugene powered down the helicopter.
"Why are we having a town meeting?" Negan asked as Deb smelled the barbecue.
"You got this food from that town?" Deb asked. Maybe she would skip the meeting…
"What's going on?" Negan asked again. Eugene took some of the food towards the common storage area, while Negan and Deb headed towards the house with some of it.
"What's going on, is that Dexter and Rita are going to return Rick to those people. Michonne has to explain it to everyone now." Deb said in a grim manner.
"Whoa! What the fuck are you talking about? There is no way Darryl or Maggie would have let something like that happen!"
"Dexter stabbed Darryl. Siddiq is taking care of him now. And…well…Maggie went with them." Deb said.
Negan squinted at her.
"Because…"
"Michonne kind of put it in her head that there might be a version of Glen among them. Actually, I kind of put it into her head to maybe mention that to Maggie. I know that sounds messed up but Michonne returned here determined to turn Rick over. We had to figure out a way around Maggie and Darryl." Deb said firmly.
"Go back. To the 'Michonne returned here'. Michonne left here while I was gone?" Negan asked in a voice that emitted displeasure.
"Look, I don't know what's going on between you two, but yeah, she left after you took off with Eugene. She went to the prison and saw that they practically had an army there. It was only a matter of time before they found us."
"It STILL is!" Negan snapped. "Turning that Rick over, might not be enough for those weirdos! I just came from a town where the Rick from their time, is alive and running things! And let me tell you something: he's an even bigger bastard than anyone here THINKS I am!" Negan said.
"Shit!" Deb swore.
"Shit doesn't half cover it! Take the food over to the house. Are the kids there?"
"Herschel is now with us, along with Harrison, Judith and RJ."
"You keep Maggie's son the hell away from me then! I'm going to the church. Evil Rick from Mount Falls has agreed to help us with these portal people, if Michonne agrees to some things. So there might not be any reason for anyone to go to the prison."
"Did you not hear me? Dexter, Rita and Maggie are…"
"We have a helicopter. We can stop them before they get there. Take the food to the house then tell Eugene he's got another flight to make." Negan said as he turned and headed towards the church. Deb stared after him knowing full well, that Eugene would not be making any flights, if Michonne didn't agree to whatever this was Negan was talking about.
"You let Maggie leave here with crazy Dexter and that blonde psycho bitch?" Rosita asked in a most hostile tone. But Michonne was beyond used to attitude from Rosita. And Rosita is the one that started ask the trouble in Mount Falls. Her and Eugene.
"Maggie is Dexter's wife. I could hardly stop her from leaving to be by his side." Michonne replied.
"I think everyone here knows, that Maggie is not interested in keeping Dexter away from another woman." Rosita said flippantly.
"I don't know that," Father Gabriel said, "so I think it would be in everyone's best interests if those type of rumors weren't spread."
"I agree," Aaron said, "but I don't like the fact that we're hearing about all of this after the fact, Michonne. If I had known, I would have went with them."
"I know, Aaron and I'm sorry. I had planned on going as well, but too much has happened without keeping everyone in the loop."
"Yes," Laura said, "like where the hell Negan and Eugene went in the helicopter? Are they providing air cover for Dexter?"
"Hardly." Negan said coolly, as he walked into the church. Oddly, he wished he had Lucille in his hands right now. He suspected it was the sight of so many people that he couldn't stand, all in one building like this, that was making him long for the good ole days. Back when he just quickly bashed someone in the head and they didn't know it was coming. That kind of thing kept people in line. But Michonne wouldn't go for that kind of thing.
"Where is Eugene?" Rosita demanded to know.
"Uh, parking the helicopter." Negan replied in a duh sounding voice. "We brought food back. Barbecue. And liquor. Mount Falls has plenty of possibilities."
The word 'food' and liquor' shunted all thoughts of what would happen to Rick Grimes, as the church cleared out pretty quickly, leaving Negan and Michonne alone.
"What happened?" Michonne asked when they were finally alone.
Negan leaned against one of the pews.
"Why don't we talk about 'this' first? You let them take Rick out of here? Not that I give a fuck, but I know how you feel about him."
"Negan, I've told you before I hardly recognize this Rick. He's just not the same man."
"Yeah…so tell me where you went when I left here. Deb said you took off."
"And she didn't tell you where?" Michonne asked knowingly.
"Okay, she did and I don't like it worth a damn! How could you go there alone? You see what Dexter's crazy bitch wife is like? You were going to face down a group of people like her?"
"I was going to offer them 'Evil Rick'. He's who they'd want. But when I got there, I saw someone else that died here that lives there. I saw many more people roaming around the grounds and decided we don't have time for any of this. Not with what we could possibly be facing from this other Rick. I came back here, told Dexter and Deb, and it was Dexter that took action."
Negan folded his arms.
"Somehow that doesn't surprise me. He's crazier than fuck."
"Well he left Maggie and Darryl with no choice."
"Yeah, Deb told me what he did. I don't personally have a problem with it. But if neither Maggie or Dexter comes back, they're leaving two orphaned boys behind."
Michonne gave him a hard look.
"Do you really think that Dexter will be the one NOT to come back? I'm worried about Maggie though. She didn't just go for moral support."
"Yeah…I know about that too. Look, let's get Eugene to do what Laura suggested: let's give them air cover." Negan said, reaching for her hand. "Then we can discuss what happened in Mount Falls."
"That sounds ominous." Michonne replied. "Why don't you tell me right now what happened?"
Negan squeezed her hand.
"I would feel better if we could get this Dexter/Maggie shit out of the way first."
Michonne pulled her hand from his.
"Why don't you give me a hint?"
"Okay," Negan said, not looking forward to telling her what he was going to have to tell her, "first, Evil Rick lives up to his name. He is the biggest bastard you will ever want to meet. He has a ready made family, some woman and her two kids. He didn't seem to think much of Carl from his universe, or his wife. They're both gone, just like here."
"Okay," Michonne said, waiting to hear more because she knew there was more, "what else?"
"Well, Rosita and Eugene did not lie. The fuckers ran their mouths about Judith and RJ."
"I'm guessing he wants to meet them?" Michonne asked tiredly.
Negan took a deep breath.
"Chonnie, he only wants RJ. He said some shit about Judith not being his in his universe…if that's true then I don't know who she lives with in the other world. I also wondered if that's true here? Is Judith Rick's?"
"Oh God!" Michonne sighed and turned away from. Negan now knew what Evil Rick had said was true. He moved so that she was forced to face him.
"He wants RJ. RJ was scared shitless of 'Amnesia Rick' here, so he's definitely not going to like this Rick. And this man is trying to be a father over again, because apparently, Carl was a disappointment to him. I don't know how we explain to Judith that she can't go when we take…"
"We are NOT taking RJ to Mount Falls!" Michonne snapped. "I asked you not to go! For this very reason! So we're not going and if he somehow gets it into his mind to come here, he's going to get a bullet. Now I think we need to tell Eugene to get the helicopter ready."
She began to walk away huffily but Negan grabbed her arm!
"I didn't do any of this to hurt you! Or us! That place, Mount Falls, is like the way things used to be! We cannot just look the other way and not get some of what those people have!"
Michonne pulled her arm from his grip!
"But there is a price for getting this stuff, right? My son for all of this? We're doing just fine…"
"We could be doing better, Chonnie! Hell, we have more than most of the nearby strongholds have! We need to be dealing with a community like this! He wants to meet with both of us. He wants to meet with you to iron out some details about when he gets to see RJ…."
"You can go back and tell him never." Michonne replied and walked out of the church. Negan stared after her and swore out loud! In the back of his mind, he knew he had went about this whole deal wrong, but he just wanted Alexandria to be doing better than they were. He wanted his family to be doing better. And nothing in this life was free. He had no intention of sending RJ to that man without being there himself!
He sighed and followed after Michonne. Negan strongly suspected that her anger towards him would carry over to their bedroom. The idea of being frozen out in that way by her almost brought tears to his eyes! He had to make her understand that things would be alright. He had to make Michonne see that things were handled.
Dexter drove the RV that still had a bit of gas in it. It was used mostly for emergencies, but Dexter figured a prisoner exchange was definitely an emergency!
Rita sat in the seat next to him. She glanced behind her at Maggie, who gave her a hard look. Rick's hands were bound. He was sitting next to Maggie on a couch.
"You really think it was smart to use the one vehicle that has gas in it, on this?" Rick asked. "We should have taken horses."
"I don't like horses." was Rita's reply and she rubbed Dexter's shoulder as he drove. Rick eyed Maggie but he could see she was disinterested in what was going on between Dexter and Rita.
"You should have stayed and made sure Darryl was okay." Rick said in a low voice.
"He's fine. Siddiq is taking care of him. Besides, Dexter knows how to maim without killing." Maggie said in a calm voice.
Rick heard something in those words and decided to press the issue even further.
"So, you knew he was capable of just stabbing someone, long before this?"
Maggie turned to face him.
"You don't know what things have been like without Glen. Be glad you don't remember what things were like the night Negan just killed him in cold blood. I married Dexter because he articulated the rage I felt. And I came back to Alexandria to kill Negan. Somehow everything got out of hand." she murmured.
"You aren't Negan. You're not capable of…"
"The Maggie you remember from the prison isn't. Things changed when we got to Alexandria, Rick. We had so many hopes and dreams. Glen and I." she said, eyeing him.
"What?"
"You would tell me if there was a version of Glen in that universe, right?"
Rick didn't like where this was going!
"I have not seen Glen, Maggie. That doesn't mean he's not there. You didn't come along hoping to see him, did you? Maggie?" Rick asked, just as Dexter passed a sign that showed directions to the prison. He had never used those directions. He had been dragged there through the woods. Dexter made a hard, left turn and drove down some winding roads, before reaching the gate. Maggie peered out the window and saw Tyrese! If Tyrese was alive then surely Glen was, right? He had to be!
Dexter stopped the RV and he and Rita got out first. She hurried over to Tyrese and gave him a big hug!
"Glad to see you made it. Who else is inside?" Rita asked, nodding towards the prison. Tyrese dragged his eyes off of Dexter and addressed Rita.
"Michonne, Morgan, Andrea, Phillip and Miguel." he answered. Dexter raised a brow.
"Miguel? Miguel who?"
Rita turned to him.
"Miguel Prado. God, he's always leering at me. Why he felt like he had to come along, is beyond me." Rita sighed with disgust. Dexter could barely repress a smile. Now he would have the chance to kill Miguel twice.
Before Eugene could get anywhere near the helicopter, the sound of an incoming one, got everyone's attention. Eugene and Rosita looked at one another, as a helicopter that they recognized, landed outside of the walls of Alexandria.
"Shit!" Rosita hissed. "That helicopter is from Mount Falls!"
"Oh God!" Eugene moaned as the helicopter landed and Rick and Madison got out. A few people that had been eating barbecue, gaped, having been unaware that there was yet another 'Rick Grimes'. Negan hurried over to them, not liking the unexpected visit at all. Michonne slowly made her way over to them, after telling the kids to stay inside the house.
Madison gave Rosita a wary look as she and Rick walked up to the gate, and Rosita understood that Madison herself, did not want to be here. Rick, who had flown the helicopter, smiled at her.
"Rosita. Nice to see you again."
"You too, Rick." was Rosita's response.
"So…are you going to open up the gate and let us in?" Rick asked in a semi impatient tone. Negan walked up then.
"Rick. Wasn't expecting you. We were just on our way out."
"Really?" Rick asked in a tone that sounded like disbelief. Michonne moved to his side and he smiled at her.
"Michonne. Wow. You look so different from the Michonne I know. And I mean that in a good way…"
"I don't care how you meant it. Unless you've come to help close that portal, you can turn around and go back home." she replied, giving Madison a dirty look.
Rick dragged his eyes off of Michonne and looked at Negan.
"I take it you didn't have time to explain things."
"Look," Negan said "Eugene and I returned to find that our Dexter, stabbed someone and took off with our version of Rick. They're going to give him back but we want to offer some back up, in case your people are less than honorable."
"Well," Rick said, "first of all, I'm sorry that there is a second version of Dexter. And secondly, I would be happy to help you all close the portal so we can get on with our lives. So here's how it's going to be: you take Eugene and Madison in the helicopter I gave you all. Michonne and I will follow you in mine."
Negan said nothing for a moment.
Then he spoke.
"No. I was actually thinking that Madison and you could follow Michonne and I."
Before Rick could respond to that, Negan cut him off!
"Look, I JUST told her about everything. She's not going to get into a helicopter with you alone. She doesn't really want to look at anymore 'Rick's'. You need to give us the time to prepare the kids for everything, that you agreed to."
"I don't recall us 'agreeing' to a specific time." Rick countered.
"No but it was more than a few hours."
Michonne sighed. This Rick was an asshole.
"Fine. I'll go with him. Let's just get going." she said curtly.
Evil Rick nodded to her, then walked off to talk to Madison. Negan gave Michonne a look of disbelief!
"I can't believe you agreed to that shit!" Negan snapped.
"Hey! We don't have time for this! Let's just make sure that we get our people back, while putting this other Rick's people back where they belong. I'm hoping that when they see him, they might drag his ass back there. I will let him know how things are going to be, okay?"
Negan suddenly kissed her, hard! Yes, he wanted Evil Rick to see that Michonne was his but more importantly, he needed for Michonne to know it too. He felt her response to his kiss and satisfied himself that she could not be charmed by this piece of shit. Michonne ended the kiss, touched his cheek and walked towards Evil Rick.
"Let's get going." she said shortly to him. Rick nodded to Madison, who looked distinctly unhappy as she turned and walked off with Eugene and Rosita. Why had he come here now? Evil Rick had to have known that nothing was settled in just the few hours he had left him. Negan shunted his worries aside. Chonnie had a good point. These people didn't know that their Rick was here. They thought he was dead. Maybe this was a chance to get rid of Amnesia Rick and Evil Rick in one fell swoop.
Michonne waited for Evil Rick to say something as they followed some distance behind Eugene's helicopter. But he said nothing for a long while. That is, not until they arrived at the prison. Eugene's helicopter landed.
Rick did not land his. Instead, he smiled at Michonne and said his peace.
"We have a problem, Michonne."
"What? You can land down there."
"No. That isn't what I mean. See, I began this journey here to Alexandria, to see my son and make sure that he was living decently."
"And you see that he is. Now land." Michonne said with irritation.
"I haven't seen HIM."
"And you won't." Michonne said, facing him. "And if you don't land this helicopter, right now, I'll make sure your people know that you apparently faked your death. They'll be interested in having you back."
Rick now grinned at her!
"No." he said, as if he had not heard a word she had said, "The problem is that I'm attracted to you. So that means Negan and I are going to have a problem."
Michonne was a bit taken with his bluntness and found that she could not help but feel that he was interested in her. It was clear. Unlike Amnesia Rick.
"No you won't. Because you're with someone else." Michonne replied.
"Here's what's going to happen: I'm going to fly us back to Mount Falls, where I'm then going to make love to you, until you agree to my demands. And I think it will only take one time…"
"Land the helicopter. Now." Michonne said between gritted teeth. She could not believe he had said that to her! And yet, Michonne could not shake the feeling that something was off about this Rick Grimes. Something that made her not challenge his declaration.
But Evil Rick Grimes did not land. He actually turned the helicopter around and flew off in the other direction! Negan jumped out of his helicopter and yelled! Madison's eyes widened and she backed back! Negan looked at her!
"Where the fuck is he going with Michonne?! Answer me, goddamnit!"
Madison tore her eyes off of the retreating helicopter and looked at Negan. Rosita jumped out as well. The noise of the helicopters had attracted the attention of the people now occupying the prison.
"I don't know…but I could tell…I could FEEL his interest in your relationship with Michonne."
"Jesus!" Negan snapped. "So he went back to Alexandria to get the kids too?"
Madison shook her head!
"If I know Rick," she said, looking Negan in the eye with regret, "he's flown her some place so they can be alone—whether she wants to or not."
Negan just stared at this bitch, unable to believe that he hadn't seen it before! This fucker, this Rick Grimes, was not interested in seeing his son. Not really. This Rick was after Michonne. And the signs were right in front of his face! He took a deep breath and told himself that Michonne could handle herself. For now. At the moment, all he could was make sure that at least ONE Rick Grimes went back through that goddamned portal and never came back!
Meanwhile, Michonne stared at Rick, who had no more to say to her as he flew her off to God knows where. She then realized what it was that was confounding her. And yet what she was thinking, could not possibly be.
THIS man, this 'Evil Rick', was really HER Rick. She didn't know the how or why. She could also be wrong. But there was just something there. Michonne stopped herself from touching his arm and he looked over at her as he flew, as if he sensed she was about to touch him. Michonne looked away and told herself to keep calm. Once they landed, she would find a way to figure out of her suspicions were correct.