Chapter 13: CH 12: Lucifer

Carl enters the bakery and apparently the general store. The shop had about everything in it. It's packed with goods and tidy. Spool of fabrics on the back wall. Animal feed in the corner, candy of different colors, shapes and size, canned food labeled and stacked, bags of oats, sugar and flour near the scale and the baked good are displayed in enclosed shelves behind the woman who was busy scribbling place her pencil down and greets him kindly from behind the counter.

"Hello, is there something I can help you with?"

"You can."

Her smile deepened, "And what is it you need?"

"Where is Negan, Olivia?"

Olivia's smile falters slightly, but she quickly composes herself, "I'm sorry, who?"

"Oh, come now," Carl chuckled, walking purposely up towards her. He leaned forward and placed his hand on the counter, "You know exactly who I'm talking about."

Carl picks up multiple scents but pinpoints the one that only matters. He tilts his head and glances at the closed door behind her.

"Where is he?" He asked again.

Olivia swallows a few times, her eyes shift around her store and look back at him.

"And who are you to be asking for someone I do not know."

"In a manner of speaking you will find out soon enough as to who I 't make me ask again."

Olivia cleared her throat, "I do not know this person."

"Nothing is stopping me from checking what's behind that door but I'm doing the right thing first. Being a gentleman."

"There's.. there's no nothing behind the door, I swear" She stammered.

"You swear? Now, why would you go and say that?" Carl knows she's hiding something, "Now, I really want to see what's back there."

Olivia's forehead creases with worry but shakes her head and insists, "I swear, it's only my office.

Carl raises his eyebrow and shakes his index finger, "Ah, ah ah, I know you're lying. He takes a step toward the door."

"Stop! No one is in there he's not in there" Oliver burst out.

Carl turns to face her and smiles, "I know he's not in there, but he WAS here. What was he doing here?"

Olivia shakes her head, "I can't give you the information you need. I value my life too much.

"Then you shouldn't have done business with him."

Carl watches Olivia reach inside her pocket for a handkerchief and dab at the perspiration on her forehead "I had no choice, he said he'd kill me if i-."

Carl stepped forward, stopping her from speaking, "This is boring and your fear is getting on my nerves. I could kill you right now and search that backroom myself."

Olivia placed her hand on her chest and gasped, surprised, "Such a child, speaking that forcefully with me, how dare you!"

With effortless speed Carl reached out and wrapped his fingers around her neck pulling her within inches of his face, "I am no child woman."

Carl stares deeply into her eyes, showing her who he truly is. The realization is instantatious, he enjoys seeing true fear on her face. "Yes, this is me, the true me. Like him, HE did this to me. Now, if you say you value your life, you would speak as I am with you."

"Now," Carl squeezed tighter after each purposeful words, "What is his purpose with you? What did he take from you? Where. Is. He?"

Gasping for air, Olivia claws at her neck, Carl knew she could barely breathe and he did not care. She should have never called him a child.

Rick had hung up with Glenn when he saw his son smiling confidently walking down the steps of the General store.

"Did you get it?"

"I did. He was here, did his damage as we all can see and stole a few items from her storage."

"What did he take?" Daryl asks.

"Several bags of grain and her homemade wine." Carl answered.

Sasha worriedly glanced at the shop, "Is, is Olivia alright?"

Carl shrugs, "She's alive, yes. Might have trouble speaking for a few days or so."

"Carl!" Rick, Michonne and Daryl shout in unison, Jesus shakes his head in disappointment.

Carl feign innocence, "What? I got her to talk."

Sasha quickly left to check on Olivia.

Good, she's gone, I wasn't sure how to share this with you all as I don't know how serious Uncle Daryl courting is but here, take a look at this. " Carl hands his father several slips of paper.

Michonne, Daryl and Jesus lean over to read the paper in Rick's hand.

"Is that?" Michonne stops and pulls the papers from Rick's hand, "My father's work!"

She flipped through each one. "It's certainly not in his handwriting but it's here, it's all here." Michonne is both elated and worried.

"Yes, Olivia made a copy of it as instructed by Negan."

Michonne looks down at the papers in her hand, "Which means, Negan has what's left of the original."

Carl nods, "Yes and it gets worse."

"How worse?" Rick asks,

"This is not the only copy. Olivia made two more."

"Who knows who all has this. Do you know what this means and without the full formula?" Michonne doesn't wait for a response, "Something horrible can happen, will happen. This is not good."

Michonne frowns again, the worry etched on her face. She makes eye contact with Rick, "I must go home."

The Rhees are already at the dock, waiting for them. Both dressed in black, Maggie's hair is fashioned in a messy braid. A Bandana covers the top half of Glenn's hair; the rest of his hair falls past his shoulder. Their weapon of choice; cutlasses, gleaming brightly in the midday sun are strap to their waist.

"Uncle Glenn, Aunt Maggie!" Carl shouts, waving happily at them.

The couple return the wave, both smiles beaming.

"I see you still haven't modernized your weapons." Jesus noted with distaste.

Glenn placed his hand on his waist, "We can adapt if need be but later you must show me what new weapons you made."

Jesus frowned, "You mean give you any weapons I've made, there is no entry for you. I've changed the codes to the weapon room."

Glenn guffaw loudly, "That was one time, many, MANY years ago Jesus."

'It was a year and three months ago.' Jesus thought

Jesus turns to acknowledge Maggie, "Mrs Rhee."

"Jesus."

And that was enough pleasantries for Jesus, he waves to Rick and makes his way towards the Bandit Hunter.

"I don't think we'll ever be friends, him and I." Glenn says to no one in particular.

Daryl shakes his head, "Shouldn't have taken something without asking. You know how Jesus is with his toys."

"Let me have a look at you." Maggie said, placing a hand on Carl's shoulder, taking him in.

He stood before her as a young adult, gone was the face of childish youth. She can see with those few more inches he's gained, he's taller than her and the detailed outline of his still healing scars.

"Look at you, both menacing and handsome and how you've grown too." Maggie tears up and hugs him.

"Ah come now Maggie-" Glenn began but stopped when he saw the scowl on her face.

"Let me have this, I haven't seen my nephew in over a year. Really sorry you all had a hard time getting a hold of us when you needed us. Radio system was down during that trouble we ran into with the House of Blake."

Glenn gave Carl shoulder a squeeze then faced the group. "but We are here to aid."

Rick nods, "Yes and just in time too. Come, we have much to -"

"Oh My…" Glenn claps his hand together and places it at his mouth in complete excitement, cutting Rick off, "Holy hell, Miss Brownfield?! From the Tournament of the Dead! Rick did not say you'd be here too. Maggie, Maggie! Look who's here too."

"Yes, I can see darling." Maggie faces Michonne, "Sorry, he's been a fan. We were there at that tournament you won."

"We had no intention of staying. None, ok but that two head slip you did on Day one, Damn." Glenn could not contain his excitement indeed. "We needed to see if you'd make it out alive." Glenn adds.

Michonne smiles, "Everyone seems to enjoy that move."

Maggie was impressed by the move, "That was one hell of an ingenious maneuver you did in the maze."

Maggie stuck her hand out and Michonne firmly shook it, "Warm greetings and thank you. That was the best win we made those last two days."

"Win?" The confusion written on Michonne's face.

Yes, winning." Maggie smirks.

The tournament doesn't allow illegal gambling.

Glenn guffaw loudly, "That stupid rule never stops anyone with a deep pocket to make a wager."

"Had the league found out youd both been in trouble."

"Trouble? Trouble follows us wherever we go and we embrace it." Glenn smiles menacingly, "My dear Miss Brownfield, don't be trouble. To clarify any misunderstandings as such, we are the infamous pirates Grisly Glenn and Crimson Maggie Rhee of The Celluloid Dream.

"You're pirates?" Michonne exclaimed.

"We are."

Michonne glances at Rick and he shrugs his shoulders. She looks up at their ship which is both massive in size and menacing, honestly frightful really. She did not know how she missed the colors.

Their colors were boldly raised a black flag with a red and gold bird. Michonne turns to face the couple again. The amusement on their faces at the realization on her face.

"To know the trades of the sea and air I needed to understand the players." Rick added.

"Ah, that you do Cap," Glenn slap Rick on the back. "It's how he lost that hand of his."

Michonne is astonished by this revelation, "You? You did that to him?"

"Rick here is very VERY bad at Baesin" Glenn began, stroking his trim beard, "I told him it was a bad idea. To abide by the code but he still played the game but hard headed, this one. My men in anger, held him down, and took a knife straight through his hand. It had gone gangrene and I did what must be done."

"Where were you to stop this? Were there no doctor?"

"The doctor here," Glen pointed to his wife and wink at her, "was busy attending to my needs at the time."

By the time we realized what happened it was too late." Maggie added.

"There's a code, Miss Brownfield." Glenn raises his index finger in the air, "No dice, no games of any kind while in flight or sea. It can get very violent and both men knew better. It was an uneventful punishment"

Both Rick and Daryl nod their head in agreement.

'So this is how Rick lost his hand, didn't think much of it really but to lose it over a lying game, shocking, damn near scandalous but I applaud his dedication to his career path.' Michonne thought

"And to that, I say," Maggie reaches out and links her left arm into Michonne and right into Carl, "let us speak of this Negan and course of action inside."

Code note: hello 👋 😊