"Who exactly are we waiting for?"
Rick paced around restlessly as Jesus stood with binoculars up, facing west. "The patrol guards," said Jesus. "I know their schedule pretty well. They should be here soon."
Daryl grunted from the car. "Why do we need 'em anyhow? Let's just go."
"I would not advise that," Jesus warned. "You cannot enter the Kingdom without an escort."
"They know you, right?" said Rick. "You're friendly with them?"
"Yes, but I'd rather not piss them off and break their rules. Ezekiel would consider that rude."
The three men were standing at a blockade in the middle of the road. They drove as far as they could before they hit the barrier constructed of old truck tires, concrete blocks, and spikes fashioned out of tree branches. It wasn't very tall and there was plenty of room to get around, but Jesus had insisted on prudence. And so, they waited. Behind the barrier was a small ghost town filled with little shops, restaurants and ma and pop stores. Rick continued to pace, hands on hips, wiping the sweat from his brow with his shoulder. Jesus was relaxed and unconcerned as he kept watch down the road. Daryl leaned against the car, arms folded and looking bored.
Jesus made a victorious sound. "Right on the money," he said. Rick and Daryl were instantly alert, moving in Jesus's line of sight. Behind the blockade, two men on horseback were heading towards them, each one carrying a long spear and wearing what appeared to have been riot gear. The one rider spotted the three first, raising his spear threateningly.
"Who are you? Stay where you are! You are trespassing on the sovereign land of—"
"Scott," said the other rider, lazily. "Relax man, it's Jesus."
The man named Scott blinked then smiled. "Oh, hey Paul! Welcome back!"
"Scott's the only one I know who still calls me Paul," Jesus mentioned fondly to Rick and Daryl. The other two stared back at him, stone-faced.
"Right," said Scott, "who are your friends, Paul?"
"This is Rick Grimes, leader of a peaceful community, and Daryl Dixon, his companion," Jesus introduced. "We are requesting an audience with King Ezekiel."
The second rider moved in, his voice more authoritative. "He is expecting you," he announced. "Please follow us. We will escort you back to meet with our King."
Jesus nodded and he, Rick, and Daryl squeezed through the barrier, trailing behind the guards. Rick leaned towards Jesus. "King Ezekiel?" he whispered.
"Yeah. I know how that sounds, but I promise, he's not a nut job. He just likes to be... theatrical. Try to play along."
They continued to walk through the deserted town, the soft clip-clop of the horses hooves the only sound to be heard. Rick and Daryl strolled side by side as they kept several paces back.
"Hey," said Daryl. "How is everyone? Carl, Little Asskicker, how're they holding up?"
Rick chuckled softly to himself. "It's been a while since you've called her that," he said.
Daryl smirked, shrugging his shoulder a bit.
"They're ok," answered Rick, after a moment. "Carl, he's... he's pretty mad at me."
"Nah," Daryl assured. "Not at you."
"He wants us to fight back and he thinks I'm giving up. I couldn't tell him. Not about this, not about the plan. It's not that I don't trust him, it's just... I'm trying to protect him. Michonne is doing her best to keep the peace. Abraham and the others... they're itching for a fight."
"Good," Daryl growled. "'Cause that's exactly what they're gonna get."
Rick nodded, and the two fell silent again, contemplating their future in the battle ahead. They turned a couple of streets until they saw high walls circling the perimeter of some large structure. Scott on the horse looked to Rick and smiled. "Welcome to the Kingdom," he said as the wall began to open for them. Rick and Daryl entered inside, their eyes exploring their new surroundings. A large, brick building with a courtyard greeted them, and people were strolling about watching them curiously. The place looked like a school, converted now into a safe haven for many people, it seemed. The two riders got off their horses. Scott took both animals by the reins and waved goodbye as he headed for the stables. The other rider nodded curtly to Rick.
"King Ezekiel waits in the auditorium," he said. "Please, follow me."
Rick and Daryl exchanged looks, then followed Jesus and the rider into the school.
The auditorium doors opened with a piercing squeak. The room was large and dark, with long rows of cushy red seats facing towards a grand stage draped by heavy, blue curtains. A single light shown down on the center of the stage. A man was sitting in an elaborate chair, his dark skin contrasting greatly against his white dreadlocks and beard. He wore a thick coat, heavy boots, and feathers were tied back in his hair. In his hand was a long, bulky chain. As Jesus, Rick and Daryl approached, the man stood, extending out an arm. Jesus smiled up at the man, but what Rick and Daryl saw at the end of the chain made them both stop dead in their tracks.
"Jesus, my old friend, it pleases me to see you return safe and sound. And are these the new allies you've promised me?"
"Yes, your majesty, this is..." Jesus turned and saw that Rick and Daryl remained frozen on the spot, staring slack-jawed up on stage, their eyes wide as saucers and faces paler than milk. Jesus looked down and swore under his breath, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.
"Shoot. sorry Rick, I forgot to mention..."
The animal rose to his feet next to Ezekiel and stretched, its large mouth opening to reveal long, pointed teeth. It roared as it yawned, the noise reverberating off the stage and into their ears. The chain around its neck clinked as yellow eyes pierced into the newcomers below.
"I forgot to mention," Jesus repeated, "but Ezekiel has a tiger."
All Carol could think about was fire. The houses in Alexandria burning up like a match and the bodies of her friends strewn on the ground.
"Carol."
Or maybe Alexandria was fine and it was only Daryl who had been attacked. Did they ambush him in the woods, while on a hunt?
"Carol, wait."
What if Daryl had returned home, found out about her leaving, and then gone after her? What if he ran into them on the road, like she had done, and they got him there? No, she couldn't live with herself if it were true...
"Carol, stop!"
Morgan launched a hand out and grabbed Carol by the crook of her arm. Carol whirled on him. "What the hell's the matter with you?" she spat. "Aren't you the one who wanted to go home?"
"You're not thinking this through," Morgan hissed.
"Were you not listening? That man was wearing Daryl's vest. I saw him with his crossbow. Don't you know what that means? It means something happened back home— something terrible— to him, to the others, to Alexandria..." Carol ran her hands through her hair, staring down at her feet. She blinked a few times, her eyes gazing skyward, and she sniffed. "I thought I could live with it," she confessed. "I thought I could go on the rest of my life not knowing what became of them, but I can't. If they're dead, if he's dead, then I have to know. I just have to know!"
"That's enough," Morgan said. "You're gonna stop and listen to me now. Let's say Alexandria is under siege. What the hell are you planning to do? You only have a knife. It's a day's journey back home on foot, maybe more. If you're worried about Daryl, if you're worried about your friends, then you're gonna need some help."
"I don't have time for this!" Carol shrieked.
"You're scared, I get that!" Morgan said. "I'm scared, too. But we need to be smart about this. We're gonna need horses, for one. Weapons. Even if we weren't planning to fight anyone, we'll need something to protect ourselves. But what we really need is someone on our side. The Kingdom trades with the Hilltop, we know that much for certain. If anything happened back home, chances are, the Hilltop would have told Ezekiel. Hell, he might know more than we do at this point."
"Or he knows nothing, and we'd just be wasting time."
"That spy said Ezekiel is planning to attack Negan, right?" Morgan said. "Then we already know we have an ally in him! You need to tell him what you heard, what you saw. If you tell him, he'll listen to us. He'll be more inclined to help us. I don't think you give him enough credit. Ezekiel is a smart man. He knows more than you think."
Carol was breathing fast. What Morgan said was true, but even Ezekiel could not answer her more immediate questions. Was Daryl safe? Was he alive? She found herself shaking at the very thought of the answer. She realized, however, that her worry and fear for what became of Daryl was clouding her better judgement. She stared down at the knife in her hand. She looked at herself, wearing only a tank top and old tennis shoes. Morgan was right. They needed to be smart about this. Carol closed her eyes, taking several calming breaths.
"Come back to the Kingdom," Morgan pleaded. "We'll find Ezekiel, he'll tell us what he knows, and we'll make a plan from there."
Carol opened her eyes again. "Ok," she nodded. "Ok, but let's hurry."
Ezekiel was stroking the top of Shiva's head as Rick explained to him everything that had happened at Alexandria since the night Negan and his men trapped them on the road to the Hilltop. When he got to the part with Glenn, Rick could not bring himself to finish. He choked back on his words, and fell silent. Ezekiel closed his eyes. "The man is a menace," he said. "Jesus knows all too well how deep my hatred for him goes. It makes me wonder at times what his soul was like before the world had ended. Was he always like this? A madman? Or did the new world turn him into what he is today?"
"I don't think I ever want to understand him," Jesus said. "Everything is upside down now. People like him, they're the ones who run the show."
"Yes, I'm afraid so," Ezekiel sighed. "The world is grown so bad, that wrens make prey where eagles dare not perch." Ezekiel leaned back in his chair, shaking his head as Shiva licked the ends of his fingers. Rick looked to Daryl. Daryl nodded back, silently. "Ezekiel," Rick began, "I'm not asking you to fight our battles for us. We have many people back home who would be willing to assist in the war against Negan, to put an end to his madness, but we cannot do it alone. I only ask for your help."
Ezekiel smiled broadly, standing up from his chair. "And you shall have it, Rick Grimes. Too long have I been biding my time, waiting for the right moment to move against these devils. I crowned myself king in order to protect the people of my kingdom, to make their lives better, and I cannot do that with the looming threat of Negan and his men so close to home." Ezekiel began to laugh. "Fate has brought us all together today! And not just you, my new friends. Would you believe we have another visitor, one with far more insight on the matter than ourselves? He comes with invaluable information, and I know with his help, we will all succeed in our task to right the wrongs that have befallen so many innocent people."
Ezekiel turned from his chair, facing the curtain on stage left. Daryl and Rick looked at each other, confused. Even Jesus seemed unsure on what was happening.
"Come on out, weary traveler," Ezekiel boomed. "Make your presence known."
Rick and Daryl looked up. The curtain drew apart. And out from the shadows, out from nowhere, came a man with a half burnt face. A man with stringy blonde hair, slicked back on his head. The room fell deathly silent.
"Everyone," Ezekiel beamed. "I'd like you all to meet Dwight."
Carol and Morgan returned to the Kingdom to the bemusement of the young guard on gate duty. "Did you two sign out?" He called down to them, flipping through his little sheet. "Hey, you didn't sign out!" Carol ignored the man as she ran to the school. Morgan waved to him. "You've got a breach in the back wall," he said. "One of the planks is broken. Maybe you people aught to look into that."
"What are you talking about? What plank? Hey, stop that man!"
Carol turned around to see two guards blocking Morgan's path. She looked to him, desperately. "You go on," he told her. "I'll meet up with you, just go!" Carol nodded, and continued back towards the school, running up the steps and throwing the double doors open.
The hallway was bright and empty. Carol didn't know where to go. Ezekiel could be anywhere in this place, and she didn't have time to look through every single room. If that's what she had to do, then so be it. But it would be nice if she didn't have to. Carol decided that the best place to start was the greenhouse. That was his favorite spot, after all.
Carol ran down the hall and turned the corner, heading for the stairs. She stopped as she saw a man in riot gear walking from the other direction. He stared at her. "Is everything all right, ma'am?" he asked.
"Where's Ezekiel?" Carol huffed, out of breath. "I need to speak with him."
"King Ezekiel, ma'am."
"Yes, yes," Carol said, impatiently. "King Ezekiel. Please, can you tell me where he is? It's urgent."
The patrol guard regarded her for a moment. "Whatever it is, you can leave a message with me and I'll be sure to relay it back to him."
"No!" Carol yelled. "No," she repeated, calmer this time. "It's extremely important that I speak with him. What I have to say isn't something that can be left in a message. Please, can't you help me? I must speak with him."
"Is someone hurt?" Asked the guard.
"Yes," Carol answered. "No. I don't know. Maybe."
The guard looked uncomfortable, but nodded to her. "King Ezekiel cannot be disturbed at the moment, I'm afraid. When he is available, and the auditorium is clear, you can speak freely to him then."
"The auditorium?"
"Ma'am," said the guard, "I think you should come with me."
Carol could duck under his arm and make a run for it. But he was stronger, and faster than her, no doubt. She would have to play along.
"Ok," she said. "Ok, yes. Yes, you're right."
Carol followed the guard down the hallway. She wondered how much longer she would have to play the part of the obedient, fragile woman. They passed a clock on the wall, and it reminded her that time was short. Anxious beyond measure, Carol tried to come up with another plan, until the sound of running feet caught her attention. Both she and her guard looked up to see a second man in riot gear heading straight towards them.
"Scott?" said her guard, bewildered.
"Oh man, you need to get out here quick," said the younger guard. "We're gonna be in so much trouble, dude."
"What are you talking about?"
"The new guy told the kid on gate duty there's a breach in the back wall," said Scott. "Well, he ain't kidding. A plank is loose. Anyone can get in and out of there. We gotta get this fixed right now."
"Shit." The older guard looked to Carol apologetically as he made her sit on a small bench. "You wait right here, ok, ma'am?"
"Ok," said Carol, meekly. The guard put his hand on her shoulder. "Everything's going to be just fine. We'll get this sorted out and I'll be right back, understand?"
"You're too sweet," she said, patting his hand gently. The guard smiled then followed the other man back down the hall in a quicken pace. Marveling at her own dumb luck, Carol got to her feet and turned in the opposite direction. She ran as fast as she could, heading now for the auditorium.