Chapter 64
The sun was high in the sky before the Saviors stopped looking, a distant burning mass that was intense and domineering like an overprotective mother; it followed them everywhere. Negan had allowed Andy to lead the pusual, choosing to stay back and not employ much effort in the task. He wasn't there to turn over furniture and crawl into dark places; he had lackeys for that. He was only there in case Daryl and Everly were found and to show the Alexandrians that he was serious about locating the two. He might be cool as a cucumber soaked in ice on the outside, but his middle was current;y a geyser, boiling and building up heat.
Whoever coined the phrase "don't lose your cool" clearly never experienced what it was like to contain pure internal fury. To feel it churn mercilessly inside of you from an infinite pit of resentment and violence. It wasn't "the cool" you were afraid to lose, because that was just the cover; it was the heat.
Don't lose control of your heat, or you might just scorch every motherfucker around. That's how the saying should go. It seemed more…defined, accurate. Negan felt he could collect his cool. He was by no means a "nice guy" despite the convictions with which he used to control others and make them bend to his power; like presenting a genial and calm façade with a bat of an eye. His easy charm had gotten him very far in life. However, containing his heat while he was this enraged, that was a different story. It was like hoping a teeming volcano wouldn't blow when ash and embers were already spewing out of the top. And once it erupted, everyone was in the line of fire, and no one was safe.
"We didn't find anything, sir." He heard Andy's report ringing in his ears, and he forced shut the gusher that stewed furiously under his forged calmness.
Before negan could respond, his walkie crackled, and he heard Gavin's voice speak out of it.
"Gavin to Negan. The Kingdom is clear. We'll be heading back up north shortly."
As the radio cut off, Negan blew hot air through his nose, calming himself. Where the fucking fuck could they be?
"Update me if you find anything," was his curt reply. He didn't have the patience to say anything else. He looked at Andy. "You'll be staying here for another week. I'll provide additional Saviors to make the task easier on you. Do not let any shithead in or out of this place unless one of you goes with them."
"Yes, sir," Andy replied. If he was disappointed at all about his extended retreat in Alexandria, he didn't show it.
"And have them stop digging that stupid fucking moat." Negan pointed to the gate. "It's a waste of fucking time."
"Definitely, sir. I'll be sure to put them to work on something else."
"Preferably on finding some shit to give to me," he replied. "I came here looking for three things and I'm leaving without a damn single one."
"I apologize. It won't happen again." Andy had the decency to look embarrassed. He'd been so busy making sure the Alexandrians stayed in line that he didn't pay attention to what they should have been doing.
"You're doing a good job," Negan forced out a compliment despite wanting to bite his tongue off. "Prove to me you can do better."
He smacked Andy on the shoulder hard twice, a small and silent ending remark that was more of a warning than a farewell gesture. He called to his Saviors, gathering them up by the door to give final orders before he went back to the Sanctuary. He didn't want to go home. Being idle was not being useful, even if he did feel discouraged at the moment, but he couldn't press himself any more than he'd had. Something bad was in the works deep inside of him and he had to control that first before it became any worse.
"One thing before I go." He turned away from his men and approached the young woman named Tara. She looked nervous as he halted in front of her. "I'm not entirely convinced you guys aren't hiding something from me. You can't smell bullshit without checking under your shoes and you certainly don't stop looking when you can't find the source. So, until I find out where the shit smell is coming from, I'll take me a little refresher." His eyes flicked to Eugene a few feet behind Tara. "Well, he ain't so little, but refreshing enough, I suppose."
Eugene looked around in befuddlement.
"You can't," Tara pleaded, but shut her mouth when Negan looked down at her.
"I will." He smiled, his teeth shining in the sunlight. "Come on, thumbsucker. Let's take a ride."
"Eugene!" Tara called to him ad two Saviors bracketed his sides, grabbing his arms and pushing him toward the warped gate.
He looked back at her frightened, but he walked forward without a fight. He didn't know what to do otherwise. What else could he do?
"Ah, don't get your giant fucking tits all in a twist." Negan waved his gloved hand at her. "He'll be all right. I'll fucking take care of him, I swear. I don't fuck too hard with people I like, and boy, do I like Eugene. He's got that awkward teddy bear thing going on which I find funny as fuck. A kid in a grown-up costume one might say, but smart as a whip. I think I can make a man out of him."
"Take me instead. I don't mind. Just leave Eugene," Tara tried again, desperate. She felt responsible for all of this and she couldn't let Eugene be a prisoner. It wasn't fair.
"Nah." Negan shook his head and looked her over. "You seem interesting, but I don't know you enough to give you a first date. Maybe next time." He winked. "Tell Rosita it was a pleasure… And give Rick my wishes for a speedy recovery."
He turned, strutting over Alexandria's threshold and past his gathering men. His two Saviors who held Eugene waited for instructions on where to put him when Negan pointed to his truck. Without a word, they escorted the dismayed man to the passenger door and shoved him inside. A single quick whistle from their leader beckoned the rest of them to get into their vehicles; all except the ones who were staying behind.
"Don't leave yet," Negan said to the Savior behind the wheel as he swung inside the cabin next to Eugene. He slammed the door, exhaling as he slouched in the seat in an attempt to relax.
The newest member sat rigid in his seat, staring out of the windshield in an open attempt to remain impassive, but the sweat that pooled at his hairline and leaked down his doughy face betrayed him.
"You ever had a friend, Eugene?" Negan asked in an overtly friendly way. "And I don't mean any of those dick-fucks back there because they don't count. You were forced to get to know them, but I'm talking about someone you truly wanted to know and enjoyed being with. You ever have a friend like that?"
Eugene cleared his throat and kept his eyes ahead of him. "If you're implying if I've ever had relations with a woman, then no."
Negan laughed. "That's sad to fucking hear, but what exactly is a friend to you? Someone to fuck?"
"N-no," the socially feeble man stuttered. "I just assumed that was what you were insinuating. Excuse my discourtesy."
"No, cut that shit out." Negan sat up. "Don't apologize all the damn time, it's pointless."
"Sor-" Eugene began, but took a deep breath. "Alright then."
"You know," Negan began, twisting his torso to face Eugene, "you shouldn't be nervous about coming to the Sanctuary. It ain't a punishment, it's an honor. Do you feel honored?"
"Yes, sir," Eugene answered strongly. He watched a lone brown leaf scuttle over the asphalt. "I have had friends before. Good ones, in fact."
"I'm glad to hear it." Negan smiled a toothy smile; a predatory one. "You know what makes companionship impenetrable, though, right?"
Eugene glanced at Negan form the corner of his eyes, unsure. He shook his head, beads of sweat burning his eyes as he blinked and looked straight again.
"Honesty," the leading Savior said, letting the fact sink in. "Now, when you agreed with that big busted chick back there, Tara, about not knowing where Daryl and Everly are…are you being honest with me?"
Eugene nodded earnestly but silently.
"You're not chaffing my balls either when you guys tell me you aren't up to anything?"
"No, sir." Eugene could hear a slight tremor in his voice.
Negan smiled, tonguing the corner of his mouth as he watched the waterfall streaming down the portly man's face. "You wanna be my friend, Eugene?"
Eugene hesitated, indecision holding him back as his eyes followed the same dead leaf trying to outrun the wind. Agreeing to be friends with Negan was a dangerous concept, maybe more so than just being a neutral and submissive acquaintance. Being a friend would mean making a promise. A promise Eugene was not prepared to give, but he didn't know how to refuse. He truly didn't know where Daryl and Everly were, that much was factual, but he did know other things. Things that Negan would not be too pleased to hear and would put everyone he cared about and liked in mortal danger if they were disclosed.
Negan chuckled at his silence. "You don't have to answer right now. You can mull it over if it's that difficult for you, but I'm choosing to bite the bullet and trust you, Eugene, and that comes mighty hard for me these days. I feel like we can have a true friendship, you and me, but it can't go anywhere if you're not truthful with me. You've never told a lie, have you?"
Eugene broke his stare from the blowing leaf in the road to catch Negan's eye. He was fearful and self-conscious.
Negan leaned closer and continued. "You've never looked someone in the eye and made them believe something that wasn't real? Never pretended to be something you weren't?"
The Alexandrian looked at his hands in his lap and saw them trembling. He curled his fingers into each other, sheltering them tightly in his wet palms. "No, sir."
"That's good, Eugene. That's a good start. I think you and I are going to work very well together, but if I find out you're lying to me right now…" Negan's breath fluttered over the moisture on Eugene's neck, cooling him, and he cringed away, squeezing his eyes shut. "I'll gut you like a fucking fish and drape your innards on my front fucking door like a holiday wreath."
The other man held back a whimper, a trapped sound that never left his throat but was audible nonetheless. It made Negan smile again; brought a sense of pride to him as he sat back in his seat and draped a lazy arm out of the window.
"So, is there anything you want to share with me before we start back?" He asked, and Eugene sighed, looking resigned. He opened his eyes, his chin wobbling as he gazed out of the windshield once more at the barren road ahead.
"No," he said resolutely. "Absolutely nothin'."
Negan scoffed a short laugh, unsatisfied but not ready to give up. He looked at the driver who understood to start the ignition and drive.
"Enjoy the ride." He sat back, resting his aching head against the headrest as he closed his eyes. "You never can tell if it'll be the last one that you'll take."
Tricia walked around the hotel lobby, trying to ascertain where she should begin to piece together this puzzle. The main heart of the problem was in the conference room guarded by two people she swore could not be Negan's troops. Something was off about them; they didn't look right. They looked determined and anxious; like they were waiting for something bad to happen. They wouldn't let her into the room, especially if Kai had ordered for her to be excluded.
What is going on, you bastard? Why are you leaving me out of this? What is so important that you can't share? She thought furiously.
The rubber treading of her soles fell in rhythm with her heartbeat as she stomped over the glossed tile. Kai might not allow her into the meeting, but she was going to hear their conversation and learn of their dealings, permissible or not. This community was as much hers as it was his. She was a co-leader, too, and that meant she had authority over what happened in it. It didn't matter what Kai wanted or how important he thought he was.
Reaching the security room door, she withdrew a skeleton key from her pocket and unlocked it. The guard inside twirled in his computer chair to face her as she entered and she ordered him out. He didn't say anything to her, obeying her commands at will and without question.
See? She told Kai telepathically in self-defense. I am important here.
She sat in the chair which was still warm and indented, getting comfortable and scooching nearer to the desk as she studied the many keys and monitors at her disposal. The multifaceted windows blinked at her, oscillating from one picture to the next. There were many cameras in this hotel. There had to be with how expansive it was, and to Somerset Hotels, security had been a vital thing when the world was still functional. But while she had taken the time to study each corner of the grounds in person, she never really had stepped foot inside here other than to peruse the room when she had first come.
"Come on." She mentally cursed herself for shooing out the guard so quickly. She should have asked him to give her a quick lesson on scrolling through the cameras and zoning in on the one she needed.
Tricia thought that maybe if she started to press some buttons she might figure something out. She'd never been tech savvy, but she knew enough to know which buttons were okay to push and which ones may be questionable. She spied a headset perched above the long keyboard and slipped them on. She'd need them to hear every word if she wanted to learn what was so secret that she couldn't be part of its revelation.
It took a few minutes, but she figured out how to switch back and forth between cameras. Each monitor was labeled with an area of the grounds: Area A (front lobby), Area B (basement), Area C (front gates and field), and so forth. She looked at each one, trying to decide which would lead to the inside of the conference room. She chose Area A first since the conference room was located right outside of the lobby, but with no luck. She cursed and tried again, choosing Area E (hallways and maintenance) this time, but that was a dead end, too.
Another one. Try them all, she told herself and chose Area D (personnel). At first, she came across empty rooms, then a few that were occupied by Somerset soldiers set about one task or the next. When she thought she'd hit another brick wall, she found it, gasping as Kai came on the screen along with about a dozen others. Dwight was there, and she dented her brow in confusion. She hadn't seen him come in. When did he get here?
She couldn't hear anything through the headphones, and she grew desperate as she felt the time to discover the truth was emptying to the bottom of an hourglass. She hit one button, then the next with no results. Muting and unmuting the computer did nothing either. She grabbed the headset on her ears, intent on taking them off to examine them when she felt a button and pressed it. Suddenly, she heard voices and her stomach clenched as she was able to finally listen in on the seemingly private conversation.
"I'll head out east to the herd that's still drifting about around there. Trevor, John, Kurt, Tom, and Josue will go with me. Once we have everyone here on the same page as us, they'll start to hit Negan's outposts, wiping them out." Dwight glanced in the direction of a very bearded and long-haired man. "Jesus, you'll go back to the Hilltop and convert them. From there, go to Alexandria and take it back. We can't do this without them."
"What the fuck?" Tricia asked herself. What in the hell were they planning? Wipe out Negan's outposts? What did that fucking mean?
"The plan is," Dwight continued to instruct the whole room, "to cripple him while we're ahead. He won't have much of an army to fight back with if most of them are dead. He'll get wind of what's going on way before we want him to, but he's already got a whole team, maybe even half of the Sanctuary, out looking for me, Daryl, and Everly. We've already killed a portion of them. From here, we hit as hard as we can until they're mostly, if not all, eliminated."
A few people around the table and standing to the side let out a subdued cheer. Dwight grinned while Kai remained impassive, astute.
What are you thinking, you asshole? Why are you in on this? Tricia narrowed her eyes at the form on the monitor.
The burned man sat forward, leaning his elbows on the table as he dipped his head privately before looking back up.
"Once we start this, there's no going back. We've got to see this to the end," he said, taking time to look at everyone. "Kai here is agreeing to give us very strong arms and means to win this. When it's all done, and Negan is dead," Dwight's tone lowered on that particular word, "he's going to take over the Sanctuary as leader, and with him, we'll have something to actually work towards and live for."
Oh, you sneaky son of a bitch, she scoffed a derisive laugh and said aloud, "I should've known. Nothing is ever good enough for you, is it, Kai? Not me, not the countless other women you've plowed through. Not even the large sum of power you've already got. Incorrigible."
She shook her head as she continued to listen, her anger growing in capsizing waves as she witnessed the betrayal.
"Does anyone have objections to that?" The backstabbing bastard asked.
"I'd melt the other half of your face off if I could," Tricia mumbled, her teeth clenching as she watched no one speak against the notion.
"Great. Then, let's go over our plans one last time before we adjourn."
Tricia had heard enough. She muted the headset and tore them off her ears. She sat fuming for a few long seconds, trying to understand why this was happening. Negan had been nothing but a generous, albeit demanding, leader. He gave as much as he took, and while she knew his methods weren't always ones that those weak at heart would understand, they had a purpose, a reason. It kept them all alive and safe. And what were these cuckolds doing? Trying to take it away. They were going to ruin everything.
"Not today," she said with a glower at the screen and bounded up from her chair and out of the door.
Kai was mostly quiet through the whole meeting, setting the stage up for Dwight to take the spotlight. All of this was his idea after all. He was the mastermind and the one these people had come to see. He agreed every now and then, not really having too much to argue against. It seemed Dwight had stayed up late last night thinking everything through, much like he had about turning him in. But he was glad he'd given him the chance to redeem himself. Hearing about the deaths of a few of the Saviors already was enough to restore some of the faith he'd lost.
"That about sums it up." Dwight's conclusion interrupted his thoughts. "Kai will remain here with half of his soldiers in case anything should arise. They'll be our back-up."
"So, you're not going to get your hands dirty, huh?" A particularly attractive black woman directed at Kai who smiled back charmingly.
"Not really my style, cupcake. You're welcome to stay back with me if ya want. We don't even have to swap names."
She rolled her eyes. "I'll pass, thanks."
"It's important he remains here, Sasha," Dwight told her. "Just like not everyone from our other communities are going to fight. We need people who can run things while we're out there."
"Understandable enough," Jesus cut in. He didn't like the way Kai was looking at Sasha, sizing her up like she was dessert after an unsatisfying meal. "If everyone is prepared, I think we should get a move on now. The day is half-way through, and we've got a lot of prepping to do."
At the behest of the groups agreement, they stood from the chairs and queued up at the door. Jesus remained by Sasha's side, watching Kai as he rounded the table, a sly grin slipping up one side of his face.
"You stay by me," he whispered to her.
She snorted lightly and teased. "Why? Getting jealous?"
"Worried," he corrected. He was willing to work with Kai to overpower Negan, but that was the extent of it until he got to know him better. So far, Kai wasn't making a very good impression on him.
"I'm not afraid of that meathead. He ain't gonna try anything with me," Sasha squinted her eyes at the subject of their discussion. "But we do have to stay civil with him. He's our main ticket out of this hell."
"Then avoid him, because if you keep looking at him like that than anything but courtesy will come out of your mouth."
Sasha smacked his shoulder with the back of her hand, beginning to smile. They waited until the Somerset leader left the room to leave themselves.
"Actually, give me just one second. I'll meet you out there," she told Jesus, who reluctantly agreed with a crease between his eyebrows.
When he finally left, she went up to Dwight who remained behind in the conference room with Trevor. They were waiting for the right time to show themselves.
"I want to do it," she told him.
Dwight released a single breathy laugh. "Do what?"
"I know a way to lead the walkers to Negan without jeopardizing too many lives. There's this van in Alexandria that we use a lot to scavenge. It plays music pretty loudly. It's a great distracter for the dead. Let me get that and meet up with you guys and I can get the horde there in no time. You just need to tell me what ways to go."
Dwight studied the woman, watching her dark eyes dance back and forth with his. She looked desperate; almost charging herself up to argue against the disapproval she thought might come with her request. He did want to tell her no, but who was he to refuse her? They both wanted to same things, and if she was experienced at dealing with the dead in the manner she just described, she might be the best bet of getting them there and cornering Negan before he could do anything about it.
"Okay," Dwight agreed, and Sasha's eyes widened slightly. She smiled and sighed in relief, covering her face with clasped hands.
"Thank you," she said thickly and sniffed. "Really. You don't know how much it means to me."
"It's no problem, but I do have conditions," he revealed. She brought her hands down and listened. "This isn't a suicide mission. You get them there and you get the hell out. You're not a hero; not yet, anyway. And you aren't a damn martyr either. You hear me?"
She nodded, wiping a single tear that fell. "I do."
"Good." Dwight nodded with her. "I'll get you a map and explain everything once we settle things here."
"Ok-" Sasha's word lodged in her throat at the raucous echo of a gun. The three of them looked at each other with wide eyes before rushing out of the room and to the corner of the lobby.
In a row on their knees in front of the main doors were all of the Kingdom and Savior soldiers who had not been included in the meeting. One lay dead, Tricia's smoking gun already aimed at another's head and she scowled dangerously at Kai.
"You want to tell me more lies?" She yelled at him and the group on their knees cowered, bowing their heads but remaining calm. "I heard what you all were up to, you filthy backstabbers. You want to destroy everything we've worked so hard for and I'm not going to let it happen! You are not going to murder Negan!"
The Somerset soldiers kept their guns aimed at the line of bodies as they were commanded, but they began to furrow their brows, feeling confused. Their confusion was expounded even more when their other leader, Kai, began to laugh out loud.
"Oh, man, Tricia. You've really gone off the deep end here. I'm the one who wants to go against Negan? I'm sorry, but if I'm seein' this fuckin' correctly, you're the one who has all of his men drawn up at gunpoint. You're fuckin' crazy."
"Shut up," She bit out through her teeth.
"Naw, I ain't shuttin' the hell up, lady." He looked at his troops. "Stand down, soldiers."
"Stay put!" Tricia screamed, aiming her gun at them. They shrunk back, angry now, but did as was ordered. She trained her gun on Kai. "You think I'm an idiot, but these aren't even Negan's men. I know they defected from the Sanctuary. I heard as much from your secret fucking meeting!"
"Oh, okay. So, you're a spy now? Is that it? A little sneak who digs around in shit looking for gems? I mean, fuck it. When does it fuckin' end? I can trust no one, you can trust no one. Everyone is always lookin' over each other's shoulders." Kai stomped one step forward and bellowed angrily, "Do you even know that the fuck ya're doing here?"
She faulted then, her gun shaking. Did she misinterpret the meeting? Was Kai working on his own tactic while playing the part of another? She steadied the weapon in her hand and laughed. She needed to be certain before she gave him the benefit of the doubt.
"I'm as much a part of this as you are. I run this place, too!" She reached behind her back with her free hand and unclipped the walkie she'd hooked there before beginning this showdown. She held it up for everyone to see. "How about I call Negan and ask him to update me on 'the situation', or whatever the fuck it is since you won't let me in on anything anymore! Maybe I can give him a little update myself on what's going on here, yeah? Does that sound like something I should do? Maybe I'll be running this whole place by myself tomorrow."
Kai started toward her no longer willing to bitch back and forth, but she aimed her gun at a nearby Kingdomer who closed his eyes and prayed silently. Her counterpart halted, his jaw muscles bulging as he crushed his teeth together in rage.
"Take one more step and it'll be another one dead."
Tricia brought the walkie to her mouth, taking a deep breath as she hit the button.
"Don't," Kai whispered, holding out a hand in sudden anticipation. "Let's talk about this."
She shook her head and said /tr/ but that was it, because a bullet had blown through the side of her head. The sudden noise had everyone jumping back, gasps falling out of mouths as others were heaving in air. Kai looked to the source of the bullet and saw Dwight standing there, Trevor and the sexy black woman named Sasha behind him.
"Stand down!" He ordered his soldiers once more and they lowered their weapons, asking their leader what the hell was going on. "Give me a fuckin' minute, will ya?"
The Kingdomers and Saviors alike got back to their feet, their legs like semi-cooked noodles after the adrenaline rush they'd just experienced. The Somerset soldiers were whispering to each other, throwing looks of dismay and distrust around while Kai spoke with Dwight. Finally, the leader demanded silence in the room.
"What Tricia said was true," he admitted to a round of shocked faces.
So much for saving fucking face and not looking like a traitor, he glared at Tricia's limp body. It was too late to pretend that he didn't have a part in this. Even if the newcomers did put on a show and pretended to take over Somerset, they knew Kai was affiliated with them.
"I know a lot of you here didn't come willingly and I was a big reason for that. I would apologize, but I don't believe it'll mean shit to ya. So consider this instead… Dwight came to me in a time of need. He was one of Negan's closest lieutenants, and yes, he betrayed him, but he had his reasons. Good ones. I didn't agree at first, but I heard 'im out, listened to his woes and offered whatever services I could because I began to see it, too… I saw the hurt on your faces, saw how much anger you guys held in your hearts and that hurt me." Kai was speaking out of his ass, but he hoped his silky words would win them over. "I didn't realize how blind I was until Dwight pointed that fact out. So I'm offering you the chance now to fight beside those who suffered the same as you did. I've given them my word for coalition. If you don't agree with that, then you can leave when everything is done. We won't stop you, but fight against us and we will put you down… Are there any questions?"
"What about our children?" A woman called out, worry in her eyes.
"They'll remain safe at the orchard, but like I said, you can see 'em until this shit is over. It's a security issue."
"Security my ass! I want to see my kids!" Someone yelled and others began to agree, growing irate.
"Hey!" Kai barked and there was instant silence. "I'm not fuckin' playin' around with this shit. This is life or fuckin' death, so if you choose fuckin' death then walk out of that goddamn door!"
No one moved or said a word. Kai lowered the finger he had pointed indignantly at the lobby doors and smoothed back the small pompadour of hair on his head. He faced Dwight who looked disappointed, his arms crossed.
"You done?"
"Yeah, I'm fuckin' done," Kai muttered with a roll of his eyes.
Dwight stepped up and addressed the crowd. "In that case, who's ready to fight?"
It was dusk, the sun slipping past the trees like a child getting under the covers, ready for bed. Daryl and I had spent the majority of the day resting, lying close to each other and spending these last peaceful moments alone. Maggie had stopped by with dinner not too long ago, and I could tell she was becoming more restless as the day became darker. We'd done nothing but wait all day, our breath bated and aching in our lungs. It was times like these that I wished cell phones were still around. A short call, a quick text, anything to let us know what was happening on the outside, but all we could do was look forward to their return.
I was drifting into a dreamless sleep once again, snuggled safely within my lover's strong arms, when our door burst open, Maggie at the handle.
"They're back! Get ready!" She was jubilant and smiling.
Daryl was out of the bed in a matter of seconds, pulling on a clean shirt and jeans over his bare skin. I got out of bed and reached for my own clothes, feeling the cool air pickle over my own nakedness. He caught me by the waist before I could put my shirt on and twirled me around. He was somber, his sapphire eyes soft in the little bit of light that was on.
"I wanna chain you to the bed."
I quirked an eyebrow at him.
"Not for that purpose, but that would come later." He kissed me and then whispered. "I don't wanna let you go, but I know you'll hate me if I don't."
"I wouldn't hate you." I ran a hand down his cheek. "I'd just never forgive you."
He snorted. "What's the difference? You'd still bitch at me about it for the rest of our lives."
"Yes," I agreed, "but rightfully so. You aren't leaving me here. I don't care how scared we both are of losing the other. If you die-" I choked and swallowed "-either one of us dies, I want to be together when it happens."
Daryl sighed, closing his eyes and resting his forehead on mine. "That ain't gonna happen."
It was like a mantra he was using to convince himself. I wanted to believe it, too, but I had to be realistic.
"Please, stay here," he tried one last time, and I pecked his lips.
"No."
I twisted out of his arms and got dressed. He sulkily did the same, lacing up his boots on the edge of the bed while I pulled back my hair. When we finally got outside, there was a large crowd waiting. Jesus was giving directions and those he spoke to ran off to their duties as soon as he was done.
"We miss anything?" I asked Maggie as we came up to her side.
"Holy hell, so much." She was beaming. "Everything at Somerset went smoothly."
"Somewhat," Jesus butted in.
"And Dwight's already on his way to corral the horde. He's gonna lead them to the Sanctuary!"
"What does that mean for us?" Daryl asked Jesus.
"We'll go to the Hilltop, get as many people as we can to join us. I waited to come back for Maggie since many of them look up to her; more so than they ever did Gregory."
Maggie scoffed at the mention of his name, but she couldn't keep the grin off her face.
"You can come with, or get ready to hit up Alexandria once we're done there. Shouldn't take us an hour, but I figured you two could inform the Somerset soldiers while we're gone. Save us some time."
I nodded, looking to Daryl for confirmation. He didn't seem to mind either.
"Half of Somerset is already hitting Negan's outposts and it's only a matter of time before he becomes privy to that. He's still got Saviors circling the city like bloodthirsty sharks, so let's see how he reacts before we bring you two out. Sound good?"
"Good enough," Daryl replied gruffly.
"Cool. We'll be back sooner this time," Jesus promised.
Maggie turned to us. "You've got this. All the soldiers staying here are filing into the auditorium with King Ezekiel. You'll give them a rundown there. Let them know what to expect."
"Good luck." I hugged her and clarified. "To all of you. We'll be waiting."
"Thanks," Jesus said.
I gave Sasha a hug. "Be safe," I whispered.
"Always." Her arms tightened around me, holding me few extra seconds.
Then they were gone, and Daryl and I strolled into the old auditorium, ready to take on the roles of commanding sergeants.
It was fully dark by the time they reached the Hilltop. It had been touch and go at some points, dodging Saviors or ambushing them at a moment's notice. It was only necessary a couple of times, but Maggie was high on the adrenaline. She finally felt useful, like she was conquering something after being in a dark hole for months. She was finally clawing her way the hell out of it.
The Hilltop guards lifted their spears at the late and unexpected sight of Negan's vehicles, but as Jesus and Maggie emerged from one, they lowered their weapons and ordered the gates opened.
"You're back!" Will greeted, a young Hilltop man who was always eager to please and had a pregnant girlfriend. She wasn't as far along as Maggie, but the couple was ecstatic to be parents.
"They are indeed," Gregory called as he came down the mansion steps and across the yard. He gazed at all the parked cars outside of the walls and the countless eyes staring back at him. "And what, might I ask, is all of this?"
"An army," Maggie's smirk was a shining terrestrial star. "And anyone who wants to join us, do so now! We have weapons! Armor! Everything we'll need to take the Saviors down!"
"Hush!" Gregory whispered harshly and waved his hands at her, gazing around anxiously at the cheering crowd. "Do you want to draw ever biter here within shouting distance!"
"I honestly couldn't give a shit, Greg," Maggie admitted.
He glared at her defensively. "You love causing trouble, don't you? That's what gets you up every morning, I can tell. It's also what got your husband killed and left you a knocked-up widow."
She didn't have time to evaluate her decision, whether it would look becoming of her or not. She clenched her right hand into a fist and swung as hard as she could, hitting Gregory in the corner of his disgusting mouth. He fell back, a yell of shock and pain accompanying him. The cheering had already dwindled to a voluminous wave of voices, but they died almost instantly at the sight of their leader on the ground, bleeding by the hands of an angry pregnant woman.
"Don't you ever speak about my husband that way again!" She pointed a warning finger down at him. "If it weren't for you, he might still be alive! You're the one who sent us after Negan with no warnin' whatsoever about what we were getting' ourselves into! You used us!" She screamed.
"Maggie," the Hilltop superior struggled to sit up, dazed.
"No!" She pushed him back down in the dirt with the heel of her boot. "Your time for talking is over. You've already sold us out to the Saviors, don't pretend otherwise."
There were small gasps around the crowd, and Gregory didn't confirm or deny the accusation. He didn't need to.
"I won't permit you to damage anything else or have a hand in snuffin' out anymore lives. You're done."
Maggie signaled for help and two Hilltop men approached the adverse pair. She pointed down at him and the men took both of his arms, dragging him up to his feet.
"Lock him in his room. Make sure he has no means of communication and no way to get out."
"What?" Gregory was flabbergasted, coming to his senses. "This is an outrage!"
He struggled with the men, fought against them with all that he had, but they were younger and stronger. He yelled that they were his men, his people. They were supposed to support and protect him, but his enraged pleas fell on deaf ears. The day for blindly following orders was over. They weren't his anymore. They belonged to themselves and would faithfully serve whomever they chose to lead.
Today, it turned out, they chose Maggie Rhee.
"They're back," Daniel announced as he burst forth into the auditorium.
Daryl and I had concluded our priming only a few minutes go and were now going over questions each person had and confirming that everyone understood Alexandria's layout, occupants, and history. King Ezekiel took in a deep lungful and sat forward in his throne upon Daniel's news, looking to us for the word to move forward.
"Is everyone prepared to leave? No unasked questions or lingering second-guesses?" I asked the room, turning to meet each eye. When silence remained, I nodded up at the king. "I think we're ready to go."
The king stood up, his maroon colored robe swirling around him. "Then let us venture forth into danger. With the burning light held captive in your hearts, we will see the way to victory. Lead us, warriors. Lead us to ascendance."
I caught Daryl's eye, giving him a sly but self-conscious wink. I wasn't sure I was as great as King Ezekiel believed me to be but I appreciated it nonetheless. Actually, I proudly put all of my confidence into the man at my side. He was the burning light that guided me and subsequently would guide us all tonight. Daryl smirked down at me before waving an arm at the crowd, indicating for them to follow us outside.
"Has anyone scoped out this place recently?" A Somerset soldier matched our stride.
"I'm not sure," I answered honestly. We'd been monitoring the channels of the dead Saviors' radios and most conversations were kept short and specific. Some of them were frantic and disoriented, and that was good. It meant the Somerset people were doing their part, but we'd be better off with more information. "But we do know that Negan has men stationed there just inside of the gate - if they're still there."
"No possibility he's waiting for you there?" The man asked.
"Yes, there's a chance, but that's why we're going in quietly." I glanced up at Daryl. "Maybe we should send a truck ahead, survey the roads there to make sure he hasn't set up any ambushes. There's no way he hasn't searched Alexandria already, but he might think we'll turn up eventually."
"That's a good idea," Daryl agreed.
I looked back at the solider beside us. "Would you be willing to take charge of that?"
"Hell, yeah," he agreed. "Someone's gotta do it."
"Great. Take two men with you, maybe one from your community and one from here. And use the route I told you about. Those roads are less travelled, so you might run into trouble along the way, but keep your objective in mind. If everything looks clear, turn back, and stop after a mile. We'll meet you there shortly."
"Yes, ma'am," the man dipped his head and power walked forward, intent on his mission.
"You're good at this," Daryl complimented, and I blushed.
"I'm just trying to think this through logically, but thanks anyway." In reality, I'd learned a lot of it from watching Negan.
Daryl leaned over and whispered in my ear, "That's what makes you good at this."
I didn't comment back, taking the compliment and treasuring it. Our large group met that of our friends and those from the Hilltop. There were hundreds of us, and that didn't count the rest of Somerset that was going around to Negan's outposts one by one.
"Oh, trust me, there's more of us." Sasha read my expression clearly. "Somerset can't do it alone, so we've got some more hitting outposts near here."
"Maggie was the genius who came up with that." Jesus elbowed her.
"What can I say?" She shrugged. "I'm in a fight-like-hell-with-big-guns kind of mood. Are we ready for this shit?"
"More than fucking ever," I concurred and latched onto Daryl's hand.
We piled into a car, Daryl at the wheel and me beside him in the passenger seat. Jesus, Maggie and Sasha sat behind us, bumping knees and elbows but uncomplaining. I was busy examining the gun Daryl had handed me, keeping it pointed away from everyone and my finger far away from the trigger.
"You point it and shoot," Jesus told me from the back.
"Har har," I mocked over my shoulder, but flashed him a smile. "I know how to use it… Daryl showed me a long time ago." I gazed over at him lovingly and he returned the gesture. "But it has been a while. I wasn't exactly a seasoned user then and I'm definitely not now."
"It's pretty easy, to be honest." Jesus sat on the edge of his seat and leaned over Sasha.
"Personal space!" She whined, but the bearded man ignored her.
He took the weapon and flipped the left side up. "The most important thing to know about this gun is the safety is the trigger. Don't put your finger on it unless you're ready to shoot. It's single-double action, which affects how easy the trigger is to pull, but we'll talk about that later. This little switch here releases your magazine. This gun in particular only holds 15 rounds plus one in the chamber, and they'll go fast if you don't pay attention. You do have extra magazines on you, correct?"
I patted the little satchel at my side.
"Good. Find a way to reach in there quickly when you need to reload. Like this." His arm brushed over mine as he flipped the side of the satchel up, allowing easier access to the contents inside.
"You flirtin' with my girl, Jesus?" Daryl asked teasingly, looking between the road and us.
Jesus didn't look directly at him, but slightly turned his head Daryl's way. "If I had the option to teach you proper gun safety, we'd already be at the part where I show you how to cock it back. Trust me."
Snorts and giggles drifted from the back seat as I held back my own. Daryl seemed surprised albeit confused which made holding down the laughter even harder. Jesus waited for an answer, smiling and swaying with the SUVs movement. He winked at me when Daryl said no more.
"Key word there being cock," Jesus clarified.
"I got it," Daryl replied quickly, leaning against his door.
The three of us couldn't hold it in any longer as Sasha, Maggie, and I erupted into fits of laughter. It was strange to feel this good, to let it take me over and give me comfort even as we traveled to a certain battle. It was almost hysteria, that's how crazy I felt, but I grasped onto the feeling as I grasped onto my side, doubling over from the soreness my laughter caused. And I didn't stop; not until it was all out of me.
For the rest of the ride, Jesus familiarized me with my gun. It was a Sig Sauer P229, one I had actually used before but didn't remember everything about. I was a bit embarrassed by that, but Jesus told me not to worry. When you don't use something every day, it's easy to forget how it works. He was proud of Daryl for giving me a knife as well. It was a simple pocket knife, but it was long and sharp; potentially potent. That's what was vital. I remembered how to use the knife more clearly than the gun. Knifes didn't make me uncomfortable quite as much as guns did, so it was easier to retain that information taught to me many months ago.
"What's the best spot for stabbing someone?" Jesus tested me.
"Uh," I scrunched up my face, "anywhere?"
His brows dropped and his mouth went flat at my answer. I giggled.
"I'm joking. Kidneys, throat, or in the stomach and top it off with a twist."
"Atta girl," Jesus praised. He turned to Daryl. "You've taught her well. I could've spent this entire time flirting with you instead."
"Take a seat," Daryl responded evenly, but I knew he wasn't offended. "We're nearly there."
"Roads have been pretty clear," Maggie pointed out as Jesus sat back with a contented sigh.
"Could be all the walkers nearby have already paid Alexandria a visit after the havoc Negan caused here last time," Sasha concluded, examining the dark surroundings outside of the car.
Daryl slowed the vehicle down to a speedy creep as he came within a mile of Alexandria. I watched the road ahead, anxious for the soldiers who I sent ahead. I was beginning to worry when we didn't see them, the previous glee we'd all been high on quickly deflating.
"They should be around here," my voice shook, and Daryl rested a hand on my shoulder.
"Is that them?" Sasha asked just then.
"Where?" I whipped my head around, my eyes searching frantically for glistening wires and the soft glean of a black leather jacket.
"Right there." Sasha sat forward and pointed as Daryl stopped the car. Twenty feet ahead I saw the reflection of a taillight.
"Drive slow," Jesus cautioned, and Daryl did, moving up to the red reflector at a snail's pace.
Before we could fully reach them, the Somerset man stepped out from the woods, waving his arms in greeting. I nearly filled my panties with urine, but I recognized him immediately.
"Dear Lord in Heaven," Maggie expressed. "That scare the piss out of anyone else?"
"Yup!" I answered promptly.
Daryl pulled up to the man, rolling down my window as he came to a stop. The soldier leaned his arms on the door, smiling.
"Everything is clear up until Alexandria. I saw some people on the wall, so you should probably kill your headlights."
"They won't see us from this far," Sasha pointed out, but Daryl turned them off anyway.
"The gate looks pretty fucked from what I could tell, and there's dirt all over the road. It's a damn mess like you said."
I blew air of out my mouth in a raspberry. "Okay. This is it then. Everyone clear on what to do?"
To the agreement of everyone in the vehicle, I asked the Somerset man his name. He introduced himself with an apology as Mike. I asked him to help inform all of the vehicles behind us to park and turn off their lights. This is where we would approach on foot. Daryl pulled into the brush, off from the road but close enough to reach it quickly and drive out if necessary. The lot of us converged on the road, whispering the in the darkness and listening for any unusual sounds.
"You stay behind me," Daryl demanded as he came up to my side. "They'll shoot on sight as soon as they see us."
"We'll make sure that they won't," I assured him, ignoring his grumpy tone as I grabbed his collar and pulled him into a deep kiss. He returned it passionately, but as soon as we broke away he was back at it again with his warnings.
"I mean it, Everly. Behind me."
"Okay!" I didn't mean to sound short. He feared seeing me get hurt, but I was frightened of the same thing. And I couldn't admit to him that once the bullets started to fly I wouldn't hide behind him anymore. This time, I would be protecting him.
Edited by Nightperidot.
It's another twenty pager (just barely over twenty-one). I had soooo much more to add, but it would be another ten to fifteen pages if I had added it all. I decided to call it quits since I already missed my Monday deadline, erg, but I won't have to disappoint you too much longer with my broken promises of timely updates! The story doesn't have much longer to go. (Although, each time I write a chapter, there are always soooo many details to add that it ends up making them longer than I anticipated, which means more chapters.) My beta will be going out of town this weekend, so I'm not sure how soon I will be able to post Chapter 65. I'm going to work on getting it to her before she leaves, however.
Anyway, I hope you guys are continuing to enjoy the story and are happy watching TWD this weekend! I'll catch up on it eventually...