Chapter 25-Breaking out
Rick's P.O.V
Rick drove the truck into Alexandria and stopped it as Glenn, Maggie, and Deanna walked up to him as he climbed out of the truck. "We need to make room. The people of the Kingdom will be joining us."
"What happened?" Deanna asks.
"They were ambushed. Most of them were killed."
"T-dog?" Glenn asks as Negan climbs out of the truck.
"No, Ezekiel, Alvaro, and T-dog are okay," Rick says as Morales climbs out of the truck. "We found another friend, though."
"Morales," Glenn says with a smile.
"Hi, Glenn," Morales says. The man hugs him.
"You're family?" Morales shakes his head. "I'm sorry," Glenn says.
"They would want me fighting with you guys," Morales says as Rick looks around and looks at Jessie as she walks to them.
"Where are Carl and Ron? And Daryl and Rosita?" Rick asks.
"The man you shot at, the man at the gas station, they went out to help him. When Daryl and Rosita got back, I sent them out to find them," Deanna tells Rick.
"I'm going out there," Rick says.
"You might be looking for hours. Daryl and Rosita could be back with them right now. Daryl is the best tracker we have. He'll find them. Give him an hour. If they aren't back, we'll go looking."
"An hour," Rick says before he walks away.
Carol's P.O.V
Carol stopped the car inside the Hilltop and climbed out. She looked at Gavin, Alden, and Merle as they walked up to her. "How'd it go?"
"We lost some people. Most of the Kingdom's fighters. Ezekiel is taking the rest of his people to Alexandria. The outposts are gone. Now we are just waiting for them to surrender."
"Anybody we give a shit about die?" Merle asks.
"You should care about all of them," Carol says. "But T-dog is fine."
"You know that isn't what I meant," Merle says.
"Daryl's fine, so are Deanna and Rosita," Carol says as she walks towards Barrington house. "Gavin, a word."
Gavin nods as he follows her into her office. She shuts the door. "Deanna radioed me on my way back. They took the satellite station saviors prisoner. Most of them, at least. Do you know anybody else who lived here that's with us?" She asks.
"Alden did, and I lived there for a short time before Negan moved me to the next outpost. To get supplies from the Kingdom."
"Send Alden to Alexandria with Merle. You and I will stay here and hold down Hilltop."
"Alright," Gavin says.
Daryl's P.O.V
The gates to Alexandria open, and Daryl, Carl, Ron, Siddiq, and Rosita walk into the community as Rick and Jessie run up and hug their children. "You okay?" Rick asks.
"I'm fine," Carl says.
"I'm okay, Mom," Ron tells his Mom.
"Carl, what the hell were you thinking? What the hell were you guys thinking?"
"We help people, Dad. That's who we are. It's who Mom wanted us to be. I'm honoring her. That's why I did it."
"Go clean up, both of you," Rick orders the two boys, who nod as they walk away. Rick looks at Glenn as he walks up to them. "Can you get him settled?" Rick asks as he looks at Siddiq, Glenn nods as he walks away with the man, and Rick looks at Daryl. "I owe you."
"Rick, he's a good kid, hell I think he's the future, but he's gotta be careful. A walker almost got him, man. I got it before he did. I would rather die than have that kid die. I'm not telling you to stop him from saving people. He's right. That is what we do. Just make sure he knows that we'll help him do that," Daryl says before he walks away but stops. "And maybe next time, don't shoot at a stranger. The guy is a doctor; strangers will help us. They'll become family if we let 'em. We were all strangers at the start of this, and we're family now," And then he walks away.
Alden's P.O.V
The truck came into Alexandria, and Alden climbed out and looked at Glenn, Deanna, Sasha, and Abraham as they walked up to them. "What's the plan?" Sasha asks.
"I'm going to try and convince them to join us," Alden says. "That's the plan, the whole plan."
"They're loyal to Simon," Abraham says.
"They want to live," Alden says as he walks up to the cage, and the saviors look at him.
"The other traitor," One of them says.
"You're the traitors," Alden says. "But you don't have to be. You can fight for the living side, the winning side. Negan is here, and he is going to kill Simon. The Sanctuary is going to surrender because those men want to live. They're surrounded. If they fight their way out, they'll die anyways. They'll have no ammo. We've won this fight. It ended the second we came to Alexandria. So you can fight with us, be apart of the world we are building, or you can stay here. Maybe you'll die after, or maybe you'll be watched and carry a knife. You have the night to think about it," Alden says.
"What if we don't need to think about it?" One of them asks.
"Then you'll be let out," Deanna answers.
"But I want to make something very clear if this is some bullshit plot to kill one of us in our sleep. I will tie you up and feed you to that herd outside of the Sanctuary."
"Understood," A woman says.
"Alright," Glenn says. "Three of you will let out at a time, the ones who will fight. You'll be kept in a building, locked up during the night until we can trust you. During the day, you'll be let out, but you will be watched. We'll ask you questions, and you'll answer them honestly."
"Understood, boss."
Simon's P.O.V
Simon stood on top of the catwalk and looked at Gary as he walked over to him. "We need to let a few people go. We won't have the supplies."
"Drop Negan's wives," Simon says. "Besides Amber, she's fun."
"Leave the rest?" Gary asks.
"No, let Frankie and Tanya go. I want them to deliver a message for me," Simon says with a grin.
"You got it, boss."
"I'll need fat Joey," Simon tells Gary, who nods as he walks away. A couple of minutes later, all the workers were gathered at the bottom. "I know shit has been tense, but we have a way to get out of here, and all of you are the key," Simon says.
"How?"
"You'll distract them," Simon says and whistles. Gunshots start to go off, and workers fall to the ground letting out screams as Jared and Gary throw two grenades at the door, blowing them open and bringing part of the wall down. The walkers begin to enter the Sanctuary and start to feast on the screaming workers as the saviors shoot at them. The sounds of gunshots and explosions surround the Sanctuary for over fifteen minutes before it stops, and all the walkers and workers lie dead. "How much ammo do we have left," Simon asks Jared.
"A couple of clips," He answers.
"Alright, grab what we have, the girls and fat Joey, and meet me outside. Make sure their lookouts are dead," After the lookouts were shot and killed by saviors who went out the back. Simon walked out, and a couple of minutes later, the remaining saviors came out. Simon nods to Gary, who grabs Amber.
"Let her go!" Frankie shouts.
"No, she has a mission, she'll take care of me, but the three of you also have a mission," Simon says as he looks at Frankie, Tanya, and fat Joey. "Joey, yours is very important."
"Anything, boss," Joey says.
"You're a good loyal man," Simon says as he withdraws his gun and shoots Joey in the heart. Frankie and Tanya jump back as Joey falls to the ground. Dead before he hit the ground. Simon withdraws his knife and starts to carve into his throat until he pulls his head off. "He still probably weighs more than us, even without his body," Simon says. He holds it out to Frankie. "Take it, or you'll join him."
Frankie quickly grabs the head. "What do you want with us."
"One don't kill his walker. I want Negan to see that they were close. Now," Simon says as he holds a map out to her. "That will lead you to Alexandria. Here is what you two are going to do, you're going to go to Alexandria, and you're going to tell Rick and the piss patrol about what happened here, you're gonna give Negan that head, and then you're gonna tell Rick, Daryl, and Deanna that when I come to Alexandria again, I want all of the traitors on their knees in the middle of those streets and I'm going to kill every single one of them. Then Rick is going to pick two of those women to be my new wives and one of his friends to die. Tell him if he lets me put a bullet through Daryl's head. I'll only take twenty-five percent of his shit the first time if he does and tell him Carol better be there with them, so I can take her hand. You got all of that?" Frankie quickly nods, and Simon smiles as he hands her the keys. "Have fun. You better be convincing, 'cause if you don't and they fight, you'll die with them. Now go. NOW!" Simon shouts at the two women, who quickly run for the car. "Alright, gents, let's go find those dumb bitches," Simon says as they walk towards their cars.
Rick's P.O.V
Rick was sitting on his porch eating when he saw Glenn running up to them. "There is a car," He tells Rick, who sets his plate down and follows Glenn to the gate where Daryl, Deanna, Negan, and all of the rest were waiting.
"Open the gate," Rick says. He opens the gate, and Frankie and Tanya walk toward them. A bag in their hands. "What's in the bag?"
Frankie reaches into the back and pulls out Joey's head.
"Joey," Negan says as Frankie drops the head. Daryl shoots the walker's head.
"Simon's out, and he has a message," Frankie says.
Thanks for reading. Next chapter, the group hears the message and prepares to figure out how to kill Simon and end the war. Simon continues with his plan, and the group decides where to make their stand. As always, suggestions, ideas, and feedback are welcomed. Until next time.
