"Where is Mom?" Nick asked as Evil Rick got out of the helicopter. He eyed Michonne and watched as Evil Rick reached back to help her out.
Michonne saw Evil Rick toss a pouch to the younger man. Nick gave Evil Rick a wary look.
"What's this?"
"Some nice crack cocaine I found on a run. Now go smoke it up and don't bother me about your mother."
Nick suddenly pointed a gun at both Evil Rick and Michonne! Michonne backed back, her hands up. Was this Rick kidding? Was crack cocaine in that pouch?
"Where. Is. My. Mother? Answer me, you fuck!" Nick half snarled. But Evil Rick didn't bat an eye and began talking to Nick in a soothing voice that one would use on a dog.
"Now, now, Nick. Come on. Your mother is just fine. She stayed behind to get supplies and will be flown back by Eugene. Michonne here is a hostage, that's all. So go relax with my 'gift' and it's all good, okay?"
Nick kept the gun on him and Michonne could see that whatever these two men had in the way of a relationship, it was not good. Nick hated Evil Rick. Probably because of Madison. She decided to run interference.
"He's telling the truth. I'm here until he gets what he wants. Nothing more. Your mother is fine."
Nick looked from Evil Rick to Michonne and lowered his gun. Her eyes looked more truthful to him. Nick whipped the poach at Rick, slamming it in his face, before turning around and walking off! Evil Rick swore and pulled his gun, his intention clear: to shoot Nick in the back!
"Okay, okay! I'm sure he didn't mean it!" Michonne hissed, putting a hand on the gun that he had pointed at Nick. Evil Rick slowly lowered it and returned it to his belt. He then slipped an arm around Michonne's waist and steered her towards a very large, colonial looking house. She could feel warmth pulsating from him and she could not help but relax against his hold. His familiar hold and yet, the Rick Grimes she knew, would have never acted so disrespectfully towards another human being.
"Why did you do that?" she asked quietly, keeping an eye on Nick's back as he disappeared off into the distance. There were more people here in Mount Falls than Alexandria had room for. Negan had been right. This place…it did resemble how towns used to look.
Negan. She had to think of him.
Michonne pulled Evil Rick's arm from around her and stopped, facing him.
"Look, I had no choice but to come here or jump out of that helicopter. But I'm with Negan. Both of my children love him. There is no room for anything else."
"Meaning me?" Evil Rick asked.
"Negan told me about how you feel about Judith. RJ isn't open to anyone but Negan. I'm not saying you can never see RJ. But now is not the time. We need to get back and help corral your people into the world they belong in."
"I think Negan and Madison are up to the task. I also think they'd look good together, don't you?" he asked, before his mouth captured hers unexpectently! Michonne was shocked by the feel of his mouth upon hers and his words, which caused her to break off the kiss.
"Excuse me?" she asked breathlessly.
Evil Rick's arms enclosed around her, pulling her to him.
"I think they'd be good together. I sensed a certain chemistry between them." Evil Rick now whispered, moving to kiss her again. But Michonne wrenched herself out of his hold!
"No. No, I didn't see all that you saw. Sorry. Look, why don't you give me a tour of this town, okay?" she asked, looking around him. There was an ice cream shop! Judith and RJ probably WOULD like this town. And that's what it clearly was. A town.
But Evil Rick just stared at her.
"What?" Michonne asked politely.
"Why are you pretending not to like me? And I know that you do." Evil Rick said firmly.
"I just need a moment to take all of this in." Michonne responded, just as firmly. At the rate this man was going, she didn't know how much longer she would be able to put him off, or make him understand why nothing could happen between them at all. And she needed to figure out, what it was about him that gave her the nagging suspicion that he was the man she had been missing all of these years?
"Okay. I suppose that's fair." Evil Rick replied, taking her hand and walking down a sidewalk with her. "What would you like to see first?"
"Actually, I'd like to know why you left your universe and decided to live here? You don't have the undead wandering around where you're from. Why would you stay here?" she asked, feeling comfortable clasping his hand.
"It was an accident, really. I just sort of found this place. Then I found people that didn't know how to rebuild from nothing worth a damn."
"Then you found Madison, right? Madison and her kids?"
Evil Rick paused, then spoke.
"Madison and I are good for one another. Her husband had died and she was left to raise two kids alone."
"She has two children?" Michonne asked.
"Nick and a girl named Alicia. She's not on drugs, minds her manners and had a bright future ahead of her, before this world went to hell." Evil Rick said in a tone that Michonne swore sounded kind.
"But Nick wouldn't still be alive if he'd been still doing drugs, all of this time?" Michonne asked skeptically.
"He's not."
"But you won't let him forget it?" Michonne sensed.
"I just think he's put Maddie through hell. Now is not the time for it."
Michonne didn't quite get what he meant by that. It was almost as if he was saying that Nick had been on drugs recently. Either way, giving the man more drugs, wasn't the answer, or very nice. She also heard anger in his tone. Anger in defense of Madison.
A man walked up to them wearing a police uniform of some sort. He was swarthy looking, though if Michonne had to guess, she would say Hawaiian or maybe Hispanic.
"Travis." Evil Rick said and Michonne could hear impatience in his tone. This Travis eyed Michonne before looking at Evil Rick.
"I thought we agreed that strangers here, had to do two days in jail before being allowed to wander around in town?" Travis asked, his tone resentful.
"I cleared her. She's fine."
"Who is she? And where is Madison?"
"Christ! Did Nick go running to you about this? I told him his mother is taking care of some business and will be flown back with Eugene."
Travis said nothing to that. He looked at Michonne.
"And you are?"
"None of your damned business, Tafoya! And your jealous bit is old. Really, damned old. If Maddie had wanted to be with you, she would have stayed away from me. So run along and do your job out of my sight, someplace else." Evil Rick said coolly.
Travis just stood there. Evil Rick was about to get in his face, when Michonne intervened—yet again!
"I'm not staying. We share a child and Madison IS returning, okay?" she said, hoping no one drew a weapon. Travis broke off eye contact with Evil Rick, turned and began to walk off. But Evil Rick pulled his gun and quickly shot Travis in the leg!
People came swarming out of respective businesses and homes! Nick hurried over to Travis, kneeling down beside him, as did another young, teenage girl. There was no way in the hell Michonne was allowing RJ to come to this place with THIS Rick! Meanwhile, Evil Rick found a porch, stood on it and addressed the people in the street.
"There's nothing to see here, people! Sheriff Travis over there, got a bit out of line, forgetting that he's supposed to be protecting and not threatening the good people here. There will be a special recall election to judge whether he's the right man to be protecting us here in Mount Falls! Now please, get about your business. The Sheriff will be looked after by a doctor." Evil Rick told them.
The people slowly dispersed and the teenaged girl helped Travis over to a building that Michonne assumed, had a doctor in it. Nick approached her and Michonne steeled herself for some kind of confrontation.
"You're Michonne, right? My mom said that Rick was hot for you."
Michonne folded her arms.
"Your mother has nothing to worry about. I'm with someone else."
"Negan, right? You know that Rick wants my mother to fuck him so that it breaks the two of you up, right? And my mother actually cares for Rick. There would have been a time when she would have told a guy like that where to go." Nick said quietly, watching Evil Rick as he spoke to a few townspeople.
"That's not going to happen, Nick, okay? And I'm not staying."
"Wow. Rick told me before that you were a hostage. If you're not here to stay permanently, than Rick has brought you here to…"
"Show me around." Michonne said, tired of this conversation. "I shouldn't even be here. Rick here was supposed to help my people get rid of some other people. People that he knew, that were threatening us. Next thing I know, I'm flown here. So I'll be in and out before you all know it and your mother will be back here, by Rick's side and all will be good again. It was nice meeting you." Michonne said, turning and walking away. Jesus! She didn't need any of this crap! She still didn't know for sure if Evil Rick was her Rick or even how to prove it. All she did know, is if there were 'portals' to other universes with people that looked like them, in them, and it was possible that Evil Rick was her Rick Grimes. How and why his personality changed, is what she needed to understand.
Michonne nodded and said hello to some of the townspeople, as she passed them, looking at one fast food restaurant called 'Two Guys and Some Burgers' and noting that it had a drive through! She looked in another direction and saw a gas station and a church. Mount Falls had gas? How?
She suspected that Evil Rick was returning to his universe and pilfering what was needed. And if that was true, then maybe the other evil beings, knew he was here. But yet they wanted Amnesia Rick. Michonne wondered if he was the Rick that actually belonged with them after all?
She found herself walking into the church and sitting down in a pew to think about all of this. She just needed time away from Evil Rick's advances and Nick Clark's accusations. As she was thinking along those lines, a familiar voice spoke.
"Hello. You're new to Mount Falls, aren't you?"
Michonne looked up and saw a priest. That looked like Negan! Michonne slowly stood up.
"Uh, no, I"m just visiting…" Michonne trailed off. What the HELL kind of game were Evil Rick and Nick playing? Not to mention Rosita and Eugene? They had to know there was a version of Negan that was here that was a priest!
But Michonne kept her freak out to herself. In her mind. Oddly, 'Father Negan' answered her question…
"Ah. I can tell by the look on your face that you've met my brother. My twin. I get that look every once and awhile. We have some of my brother's people from a community he ran, living here with us." Negan nodded. Michonne just stared at him. The look in his eyes and the expression on his face was one of…peace and relaxation.
"Negan has a twin?"
"Yes. We stopped being close years ago. For reasons not important now." he said casually, looking her over. "You know my brother, how?"
Michonne blinked hard, to pull herself out of the trance that she had been in.
"He lives in the community I'm from. I don't understand why Rick or others that have been here, would not have mentioned seeing you?"
"Well that's because they haven't seen me. I doubt Mr. Grimes or anyone west of this structure, has ever been in here."
"But there's a gas station and fast food…"
"There are three gas stations and plenty of junk food." Father Negan said. He had cleaning materials in his hands.
"I'm sorry! I interrupted your work." she said, standing up.
"Would you like to help? Me with the tidying up? I get the feeling from the way that you're looking at me, that my brother is more than just someone who lives in your town?" he asked in a gentle, knowing way.
Michonne nodded and slowly took a cloth from him. She followed him to some of the front pews and began dusting.
"My name is John, by the way. Not Negan. But I call myself 'Father Negan', I guess, just to keep the people that know my brother, from thinking that everyone in our family is bad." he said as he dusted.
"He's not that bad. But you know, with what happened, anyone that's alive this long, has to have done things they regret." Michonne said, trying not to stare at him. Father Negan/John, looked exactly like Negan, build wise as well.
Father Negan gave her a kind look.
"There are things you do because you have to, and things done because you give in to your base desires. My brother always walked a fine line. Even with his late wife, Lucille. I did not realize he named a weapon after that dear, sweet lady." Father Negan said in a 'tsking' manner.
"I struggle to accept that part of him daily," Michonne said, saying more than she meant to, "and it's because I've accepted and come to love…your brother is not popular in Alexandria."
"Alexandria is the place where you live with my brother?"
"Yes." Michonne said, dusting.
"Did he come with you?"
"No. We're in trouble and we needed Rick's help. But that isn't working out." she said, now stopping what she was doing and setting the cleaning supplies down. "I don't want to get you in trouble, Father Negan. If Rick doesn't know you're here now, that's best. He's not the Rick I used to know."
Father Negan looked perplexed!
"You knew Rick from someplace else?"
"Yes and once upon a time, Rick and your brother knew one another as well. I should get going." Michonne said. "I am glad I met you."
"I did not catch your name?"
"It's Michonne." she said, smiling wanly at him, before leaving the church. Once outside, she looked around quickly and hurried away from it! Evil Rick and some others in this town would have a fit if they realized Negan had a twin brother living here! Meanwhile, inside the church, Father Negan stared out of window after Michonne curiously. So curious, that something within him told him, that maybe it was best that he made an effort to seek out his twin again, in the near future.
RED RIVER CREEK PRISON-
Dexter, Rita, Negan, Madison, Maggie and Eugene, walked into the cafeteria only to see a Black Exploitation version of Michonne, a pregnant Andrea, The Governor, Miguel Prado and Morgan. At least that is what Maggie saw.
Rita had been about to speak but Maggie took over.
"Your Rick is being guarded by Tyrese. So take him…and me, back to your world."
Evil Michonne eyed her, then burst out laughing!
"Because you love Rick? Rick has a fiancee over there. Andrea. And she's about to have his baby. It's about time he stepped up and did the right thing." she said in a no nonsense tone.
Rita snorted!
"Look, we all know that OUR Rick is still here someplace. But this loser fuck that escaped, will have to do to plug the hole. I say we take him and 'Dexter' here, and move on."
"Interesting that you only want to take someone that benefits you." Evil Michonne said coolly.
"Hey! Rick benefits Andrea! So can we go already?!" Rita snapped.
Maggie noted that the Governor was quiet and he was making goo-goo eyes at Andrea! Miguel, however, spoke up…
"I think we ought to take some of their people, and leave some of ours here. Our real Rick still needs to be dealt with."
Negan shook his head!
"Excuse me, but hell no! Your Rick is trying to come between me and the woman I'm with. You need to get him and get the fuck out of here! So no one stays. But anyone that wants to leave here, Dexter…Maggie, goodbye, good luck and Merry Christmas!" Negan said boldly. Madison now spoke.
"Your Rick is with me. And he's made a life for himself here with my children and myself. You have a Rick to take back. You don't want the dead creeping into your world. Just go…"
"Wait a minute," The Governor finally spoke, "Rick sent you in his place? Where is he?"
"Yes," Andrea said, "where is he?"
"He ran off with my woman and I want you to take him and get the fuck out of here!" Negan snapped again, agitated. He didn't know why the situation was not clear to these slow fucks! Goddamn! If Michonne was forced to fuck that evil piece of shit…
Evil Michonne folded her arms.
"What are you talking about? You just said that our Rick ran off with your woman. She's right beside you."
"Honey," Negan said to her, looking her in the eye, "SHE is not my woman! You are, in this universe and YOUR fucking Rick, took off with her in a helicopter! I will give you the goddamned coordinates, but I want you to go to the town, get him and get the fuck out of here!"
Miguel coughed!
"You could use a drink, my friend." he said quietly.
"For your nerves." The Governor said with a tone that sounded sympathetic.
"We don't have time for that." Rita said, but Dexter disagreed.
"I think a drink is a good idea," he said, looking at Miguel, "show us the way. I'd like to get to know all the people I'm going to be living with, from now on."
Meanwhile, Eugene approached Maggie.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing? What about Herschel?"
"I'm coming back, Eugene. I'm going to find Glenn and bring him back here."
Eugene gave her a sympathetic look.
"I get what you're thinking. And the laws of probability say that there might be a version of Glenn there. But what if he's happy with someone else? Or worse yet, what if he's like these people? And we're trying to close the portals. What if you can't get back?"
"I'll get back," Maggie said with determination, "but I need for you to make sure that Darryl raises Herschel and not Michonne. I don't want my son anywhere Negan."
Eugene said nothing as he watched Negan walk off with Dexter, The Governor and Miguel. He could not have guessed that only Dexter, The Governor and Negan, would return to the cafeteria.
MOUNT FALLS-
Michonne ran right into Evil Rick, as she approached his part of the town…
"Where the hell did you get off to?" he asked, taking her arm. But Michonne pulled out of his grip.
"We need to return to that prison and make sure that your people go back where they belong. After…I will come back here with you and we can work out something." Michonne said, making her meaning sound unclear.
"That isn't quite the way I wanted the day to go." Evil Rick told her.
"I know but you're not the type of man to let unfinished business go unfinished. You have a lot of drama happening here as well. Not to mention, if we don't plug up the portals, either Madison or Negan, will point your people here."
"And I'll just kill them all." was his response.
"Come on, Rick. I looked around this town. You're stealing from your universe and chances are, more than a few people realize it. Others will come to stop you. Someone might be waiting for you when you dip into the till again. We need to send everyone back where they belong."
"And then? Then you come here to be with me?" Evil Rick asked in a tone that was hard and yet, almost pleading.
"Yes. I will return here with you." she answered. But she knew it wouldn't be to be with him. She wanted to know more about Negan. From his brother—the priest. She sensed there was still a lot more to know about the man she was making a life with, than he had ever bothered to reveal to her. And maybe, just maybe, she could reunite the twins one day.
What Michonne was really thinking, was that there was still hope for her relationship with Negan, something she had not been so sure of, when Evil Rick landed his helicopter in this town.