Chapter 16
He led me deep into the compound, taking me down several flights of stairs until we were no longer on ground level. I had never been this far into the factory before, only staying around the parts I was familiar with. It was uncharted territory and my imagination was running wild with what Negan had planned.
"Where are we going?" I asked Dwight anxiously, my voice slightly echoing off of the high, concrete walls.
He glanced at me over his shoulder, "You'll see."
"What did I do now?" I stopped walking and crossed my arms over my chest.
Dwight looked back over his shoulder and stopped walking when he saw that I had. He turned around in exasperation and rolled his eyes.
"Stop fucking around and follow me," he replied levelly.
"Dwight," I begged.
He sighed heavily and threw out a hand in defeat, "He just wants to meet with you. Nothing is going to happen, I swear."
"Thank you," I said with sincerity. He looked me over, his expression changing from annoyed to troubled.
"Just come on," he murmured and started back down the hallway.
Reluctantly, I put one foot in front of the other and began to follow him again, my mind running a hundred miles a minute. Negan wanted a meeting, but about what? Had he found out about my brief visit with Daryl? Could that be what this was about? Did he want to humiliate us some more? It hardly seemed worth the effort seeing as nothing had really happened, but I had learned so far not to underestimate Negan and his sense of boundaries.
We ventured further into the depths of the compound, the air surrounding us turning cooler by the second. I shivered and rubbed my hands along my arms as we passed underneath a flickering florescent light. I had never stopped to realize how extensive this place might be. I knew it was huge, but I had always kept my focus on what was right in front of me and I wondered exactly how much I had missed since I'd been here. How many opportunities had I failed to see? Faintly, I heard laughter irregularly laced through the steady beat of a distant melody. It became louder the further we traveled down the hall and pretty soon Dwight stopped in front of a set of doors. He turned to me with a muted gaze and placed his back against the push bar to thrust it open with his hip. The music hit me in full force as I slowly stepped inside a large, crowded room.
I thought that I had been fairly aware of the goings-on in this place and that there might be plenty of secret, nefarious Savior meetings or private rooms I would never be allowed in. And I was attentive to the fact that there were many things I wasn't aware of either, but I certainly didn't expect this. This room was basically a hideaway with music, drinking and pretty much anything else you'd expect to see in a place like this. It was packed with Saviors, many of them high ranking, but there were a few lower ranked ones, too. I think I was the only one present who hardly had a rank at all. Some people were dancing, some drinking and talking closely with one another, while others were playing games, cheering each other on. I suppose even the bad guys need time to unwind- killing the undead and plundering the living could be hard work.
Some people gave me disdainful looks as Dwight led me through the dim and smoky room. I could almost hear their thoughts without having to ask. It was evident I didn't belong here and no one was fond that I was. I felt extremely uncomfortable as I looked to my right and saw a topless woman dancing on a man, her breasts buried in his ecstatic face. Oh God, I thought and closed my eyes with a cringe. Considering all of the bliss that resided here, it was strangely depressing to see.
Dwight routed me to a dingy corner of the room in which sat the only circular booth table in the place, and of course, the man which all of this was for was reclined in the middle, ever enigmatic and enthusiastic. On his left sat Simon and situated at the end was Daryl with a vexatious look on his face. He was no longer dressed in a soiled sweater suit, but donned his regular attire, vest and all. I smiled at the sight.
"Damn, I don't think I've ever seen you smile like that before," Negan spoke loudly over the music. "I fucking like it."
My face relaxed back to its neutral state at his words and I saw him chuckle. He patted the empty pleather next to him, indicating for me to take a seat. I slid in next to him, wanting more than anything to be by Daryl, but knew I couldn't be. Dwight sat on the end beside me, blocking the only exit that I had. Negan tucked an arm behind me on the back of the booth, similar to how he did in his office over a week ago. It brought back unpleasant memories.
I glanced at Daryl to see his look of vexation turn to fury. Negan caught it and lifted a finger at him, raising his eyebrows with an admonishing smile. Daryl looked away.
"Simon, pour our new friends a drink," Negan said, picking up a burning cigarette from an ashtray in front of him. He took a long drag, holding it in as he turned to me and then slowly blew it out. I kept my eyes on him as he smirked, the smoke a hazy fog between us.
Simon reached for an unmarked bottle on the table, pouring a small amount of clear liquid into three glasses. He slid one to each of us, Dwight getting the first and fullest; he wasted no time in draining it. Daryl didn't touch his at all, but I put a hand to mine and started to lift it to my lips. I looked at Daryl to see him give a slight shake of his head, his eyes a warning, and I put the glass back down.
"You know, you fucks almost got away with that shit you pulled a couple of weeks ago, plotting to escape out of here with my guns," Negan started amiably, like he was reminiscing on good times. "I thought about even letting you guys go through with it to see how far you'd get. I was pumping myself up for the most dangerous game. I've never actually hunted down a human before and I was mighty hungry for the experience," he laughed at the reference. "However, I am smart enough to realize that sometimes things don't always go the way you've planned. I would've been terribly disappointed in myself if I had given you fucks the chance to get away. That would've been the motherfucking loss of the year, for sure."
I looked away from him and down at the glass in my hand, turning it around and around on the table with my finger tips. Daryl didn't move, choosing instead to stare at Negan.
"But what's done is done. You guys got a well deserved ass kicking and you've grown from it. No sense lingering in the past, am I right? Now, buck the fuck up, buttercups, and take a fucking drink before I force this whole handle down your goddamned throats," Negan finished with a smile, smashing his burnt down cigarette in an ashtray.
I picked up my drink without hesitation, wanting it desperately anyway; I would need some damn alcohol to get through this godforsaken meeting, if you could even call it that. I had only held myself back because of Daryl's subtle protest, but I used Negan's threat as an excuse to go ahead and do it anyway. It tasted horrible, a trail of flames spreading all the way down my throat to my stomach.
"What the hell is this stuff?" I choked out, scrunching up my face in disgust.
"It's an original brew, my dear," Simon leaned over the table to answer me, looking proud. "Think of it as a very watered down Everclear, about 90 proof or so. Want some more?"
"You made this?" I inquired.
"Hey, good alcohol is hard to come by in the post-apocalyptic world," he answered in a mock admonishing way. "We're in hard times here and that means you gotta take up some damn vocations if you want anything you had before. I just happened to want liquor."
"This is liquid fire," I retorted with narrowed eyes. Simon's eyes went wide as he sat up abruptly, choking slightly on the sip he had taken.
"I love it!" He exclaimed seriously. "Liquid fire. How did I not think of that before?"
He turned to Negan with a searching expression and the latter let out a brief, genuine laugh. Simon wiggled his eyebrows at me, giving me a toothy grin so that his eyes crinkled at the sides and tipped his glass to his mouth to swallow another sip. I rolled my eyes, knowing full well he was making fun of me, but I chose to ignore it and took another burning sip from own my glass. I looked at Dwight who had had no problem emptying his glass and he looked glazed over. I felt slightly amused before seeing how miserable he was, his scarred face red and doleful.
Negan seemed to enjoy the exchange between Simon and I, but focused his attention on Daryl instead, reaching over to inch his glass closer to him.
"I take you for one who has a keen taste of homemade infusions. I'm sure you were selling moonshine out of your toilet before your bumpkin ass ended up here. Try it, you just might like it."
Daryl gave him a long look and made a grab for the glass. He held it in his hand, tipping it back and forth against the table. Negan started to slowly lean forward with a small smile on his face as he waited for Daryl to take a drink. Daryl brought the glass up to his mouth and threw it back, downing it effortlessly in one swallow. He slammed the glass back down with a grimace.
"Verdict's in?" Negan asked, tapping a finger against the wood of the table.
"I've had better," Daryl answered gruffly.
"Oh, shit!" Negan smiled and looked at Simon. "You gonna let him talk shit like that?"
"I didn't expect any less from a backwoods boy. He's probably used to the taste of fermented horse piss," Simon taunted with a chuckle. Daryl shot him a glare.
"Oh, we're just busting your balls, Daryl. We're all friends here," Negan said as he leaned back. "See how fun things can be when you give in a little? It can be like this all the time. You just have to remember who you are…"
They exchanged meaningful looks, Negan's advising and Daryl's indignant. Simon broke the tension by leaning forward and pouring some more liquid fire into Daryl's glass.
"You look like you could use it," Simon said with an artificially concerned expression, patting him on the back. "Chug-a-lug, buddy!"
Daryl only sat there, but he did let his hand drift to the glass again. His eyes roved to mine and he pushed his lips together signaling that he was over this and I arched an eyebrow at him in response that said, Me too.
"Alright," Negan sighed, taking his arm back from behind me, "It's time we got down to what I brought you two here for. I've got a proposition and I know for a damn fact you won't say no, but I'll pretty it up for you anyway.
"I know that we didn't get off on the right foot. I took you guys away from what was probably your first home in a long damn while, correct?" Negan gave us both an inquisitive look. He seemed sincere, all traces of his previous mirth temporarily gone. "I did that for a reason, however much you might hate my fucking guts for it, but I needed you two. I didn't just bring you here solely as punishment for what you and your group of asshole lickers did to me, but I saw potential and I'm ready to cash that in."
He leaned forward, putting his elbows on the table. He pointed a finger at Daryl, "You are one hell of a man. I put you through the fucking wringer and you're still badass as hell. You look just the same as you did when you first got here, and I'll be damned if that isn't mighty resilient of you!
"And you," he turned towards me, shifting his body so that his knee hit mine, "I wasn't sure what I expected out of you, but certainly not what you gave me. I have to admit that I am extremely fucking glad I chose you as my second pick because, truth be told sweetheart, these dark walls in this occasionally unholy ass place light the fuck up when I'm with you. It's a damn crying shame we met under the circumstances that we did because I bet we could've been great fucking friends otherwise."
The meaning of his last statement wasn't lost on me. It will be a cold day in hell before I'm anything other than a prisoner to you, I thought contemptuously. My thoughts must've been clear on my face because Simon snorted a laugh into his drink.
"Hey, maybe with a little time the extreme dislike she seems to feel for you will turn to true love. Happened to me with my ex-wife except the other way around," Simon quipped as he leaned against the table, his glass still against his lips.
"Very true, Simon," Negan said as a slight smile dimpled his face. He directed narrowed eyes toward Dwight. Dwight responded to the overtone of his comment with a neutral look and silence.
"But in the meantime, I'm happy just to have you around, darlin'," Negan put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me close to him, settling his body closely next to mine; his fingers grazed my right arm and they moved back and forth across my skin languidly. I stiffened, feeling awkward. I didn't dare look at Daryl. I could only imagine too well the sort of look he was giving Negan right now.
"Oh, man," he continued, "I've gone and gotten myself distracted. Where was I, Simon?"
"You were about to offer the vagrants a chance at a meaningful life," Simon answered.
"Oh, right," Negan looked down with furrowed eyebrows. He shot Daryl a wide smile and smacked the table with a loud thump, rattling our glasses on top. He tightened his arm around me. "Your lives are about to change for the better, my friends! I'm gonna take the both of you on as my new novices and you guys should consider it quite the privilege seeing as I never do this. You're still newborn babes, butt-ass naked and squalling at the hairy, crusty teat of the new world. I'm gonna make sure that you guys grow into something to be glori-damn-fied and feared. You'll be learning from the very best. Thank me whenever you're ready."
I looked at Daryl who sat grumpily and didn't look thankful at all. I could only sit there against Negan, not daring to move a muscle other than my wary eyes. Negan whistled out across the room at someone and a familiar blond haired man walked up to the table.
"The-o-dore! My man," Negan gave the guy a large grin.
I squinted my eyes at him, trying to figure why he looked so familiar, and then I knew. He was the Savior that Suzanne had warned me about, the one who had been watching me. He threw a dark smile my way.
"Yes?" Theodore asked subserviently.
"It was you," I whispered to him, leaning forward against the table to get a closer look. Suddenly, it all came flooding back; the first night Daryl stayed in the common area, the whispered threats from the darkness and a barely visible face looming angrily up at me. How could I not have remembered that?
"Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you, didn't I?" Negan answered. He grabbed the glass from my hand and took a small swig. "Ole Teddy here made me well aware of your and Daryl's secret mission. Turns out, you guys aren't as fucking sneaky as you thought you were. He caught on rather quickly after watching you for a while after you pissed him off, and he came to me to let me know all about it. I like that shit. That's the type of shit that I fucking appreciate. So, I gave him a much needed promotion. And look at him now. He's as fucking cool as a bull's balls in winter."
I glowered at Theodore, wishing for him to drop dead right then and there. He smirked at me and crossed his arms, standing in a solidly arrogant stance. Negan gripped my bicep, his arm still wrapped around my shoulders, and pulled me back to his side. I looked over at Daryl who gripped his glass so hard his knuckles turned white. I took a few deep breaths, not really sure what I was afraid of but only knew that I just was.
"Hey, calm the fuck down, people. Like I said, let's let bygones be bye-they're-fucking-gone," Negan emphasized his point with a small wave. "You did some shit to me, I did some shit to you. We're even stevens, partners! Actually, I don't think you guys have loosened up enough yet, so maybe this next part will help. We are going to take a much needed trip to Alexandria in the AM and you two sorry shits are gonna come along for the ride!"
My heart skipped a beat. I would be getting out of here? My wide, hopeful eyes found Daryl's but he didn't seem as excited. That was probably smart of him, but I couldn't stop the uncontrollable joy that sprung up in my chest. Could this finally be our chance?
"Don't get any bright ideas," Negan's mouth was instantly to my ear, his breath a hot trickle down my neck. "I can read that look on your face from a mile away. You're still mine, no matter where you are at in this world. Don't ever forget that."
Negan pulled back to address Daryl too with his next words, "Which leads me to my next name of the game. This is your chance to prove yourself to me. Do not fuck it up. You will be sorely fucking sorry if you do, and I think you both are intelligent enough to understand what the fuck I mean. Correct?"
He gave us a speculated look to see if we got it. I nodded my head quickly and Daryl made a grunting noise of consent.
"Perfect!" Negan beamed and focused on Theodore again. "Bring Roxanne over here. I want her to meet Daryl."
"Oooooh, Roxanne," Simon salaciously smirked as Theodore left the table. He looked to Negan. "You're gonna make me jealous over here."
"Don't worry, drink some more liquid fire and you'll forget all about it in the morning," Negan replied. He took another sip of my drink and then held the glass up to my lips, beckoning for me to drink it, too. I did and his smile was sweet; it sent a bolt of electric shock to coil around the flames already in my belly.
"Dwighty, boy," he smacked the table in front of Dwight. The latter looked up drunkenly with half-lidded eyes.
"Yeah?" he slurred out.
"You gonna make it there, buddy? You don't look so damn good," Negan's face was an expression of amused concern. Dwight huffed out a chafed, acerbic laugh.
"I'm fine," he firmly assured and attempted to pour more liquor into his cup, sloshing some on the table.
Negan's hand slammed over the top of his glass, his fingers closing on top of Dwight's. They gave each other a hard stare before Dwight eventually backed down and looked away. I smiled secretly to myself.
"I think you're done," Negan decided and pulled the glass from Dwight's now limp hand, setting it to the side.
The intensity of the moment was interrupted by Theodore who strode back up to the table, a pretty woman by his side. Excuse me, a pretty, half-clothed woman by his side. I groaned inwardly because I could only guess what kind of catastrophe was about to unfold for everyone to see. I sunk further down into the soft pleather of the booth.
"Hey, Roxie," Simon sang out with a flirty smile. She gave him an exaggeratedly coquettish wink in response. I would've laughed if the situation had been different and we were among friends, but I was too anxious and we weren't. Daryl was flat out pissed.
"Thank you, Theodore," Negan dismissed him and Theodore gave a nod before backing away. I glared after him with a silent promise to myself that I'd settle things with him at a later date.
"Daryl, this here is Roxanne. She's one of our more…approachable women in the Sanctuary. She's a savior of a different kind if you can pick up what I'm laying down. I think you two might hit it off." Negan gave her an expectant look, "Roxanne?"
Roxanne smiled enticingly at Daryl and sauntered up to him to place a light hand on his shoulder. He shifted back uncomfortably, not looking up at her.
"I'm good," Daryl declined, taking a gulp from his glass.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Negan remarked sarcastically, his smile gone. "Is this making you uncomfortable? You look like this is making you uncomfortable. If you were a fucking queer, all you had to do was say so, Daryl. We don't hold secrets here."
Daryl fixed Negan with a direct glare, his jaw muscles working hard under his skin. Negan suddenly laughed, throwing his head back.
"I'm busting your balls again, dickhead! Sheee-ut! Have some damn fun. Roxanne?" Negan tipped his head toward Daryl and she grabbed his hand with an attractive lift of her full lips.
She pulled Daryl up and sat him in a wooden chair close to the table. As she started giving him a lap dance I placed a hand over my face, one eye peeking out at the spectacle. To be honest, she wasn't a half bad dancer. It helped that she was good-looking and fit, but Daryl was not amused in the least. I could tell he felt humiliated and I wanted nothing more than to stop what was happening.
"Maybe I'll let her give you the next song," Negan whispered to me.
I put my hand down and looked at him with an alarmed expression. No fucking way, I yelled in my head. I didn't care if he brought Lucille out and shoved her wired head in my mouth, I wasn't doing it. He laughed at me.
"I can bust your balls, too, kid," he rasped and brought his face down until his lips met mine.
Hey guys, I bet you're all ready for the season to start back Sunday. I know I am! I'm curious to see what happens this second half. (I'm personally hoping for a background episode on Negan. That'd be aaaawesoooome!)
Big thanks to lolasskicker for being my beta! Saves me a whole lot of trouble and they rock at it, so win-win. :D Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.