Before

It took a week before the ringing in her ears finally stopped. According to Dr Edwards, the migraines would likely come and go the rest with varying intensity for the rest of her life.

Her eyesight improved more each day, though her physician doubted it would ever compare to the days before the gunshot. He said the same about her movements, and her ability to speak.

She'd taken to ignoring everything he'd said on principle.

He created therapies for her to re-learn her skills, with restrictions she disregarded as she'd push herself past her limits, sometimes losing as much ground as she'd gained. It didn't matter though. She was determined to get out of Atlanta as soon as possible even if that meant she ended each day with a splitting headache and muscles that ached as if she'd been tortured. The pain helped keep her mind off of it: the reality she was forced to accept now that it'd been nearly six months since the day in the hallway.

They weren't coming back.

Now

The tails of her overcoat swept behind her as she moved at a brisk pace towards the holding rooms. They rarely made use of this area except for initial intake interviews, and she never attended those anymore.

When Officer Stokes quietly approached her a few weeks before about their newest recruit, she knew that it was only a matter of time before they ended up here. She just wished it hadn't come to a head so close to the Summit. She had a speech to prepare for the masses.

Thorne and Stokes were standing outside the door of the interrogation room waiting to intercept her before she entered. "Ma'am, the–" the warrant officer started before being interrupted by her superior.

"You will both stand at the back of the room to observe," her voice firm and not inviting any discussion. "You will not speak, you will not move unless the subject does. Under no circumstances are you to use lethal force. Do you understand?" The frown on her face deepened as neither soldier responded. "I said, do you understand?" She lifted her chin and glared at the taller women as she spoke.

Finally, they replied in unison. "Yes, ma'am." Eyes downcast. Just the way she liked it, and with perfect timing as Beale joined them.

"Stokes, Throne," he nodded to them both. "I hear you'll be joining us today. This is your first interrogation since your Echelon Briefing, isn't it Thorne?"

The Councilor fought the urge to roll her eyes, not sure why small talk was necessary at this moment. She tuned out the South African's response as she moved into the room she and Roger Murray would be questioning the escapees.

The middle aged man was already sitting at the table, a video camera to his left pointing towards the lone seat on the opposite side. At the sound of her arrival he turned in his chair to greet her with a fake smile before standing. "Elizabeth!" She kept her face emotionless despite the fact that his voice always seemed to bring on one of her migraines. "When I heard your consignee was causing trouble again , I wasn't sure if you'd get involved with the investigation this time. You've kept your distance the last few times." Each word was dripped with a hint of condescension and she had to swallow down the urge to throw a punch his way.

"You know that I have always kept an interest in Rick Grimes'...affiliation with the Civic Republic."

The door to the room swung open again as the other three members of the CRM decided to join him. It was almost as if he timed his response for their arrival. "I find that hard to believe considering why we're here today. He snuck his wife into our ranks? And you had no knowledge of it?" He smirked, as if he'd caught her red-handed. His arrogance was cringeworthy at best.

She raked her eyes over his form as she calculated her next words. It was bold of him to confront her with the others in view, yet not surprising. He was known within High Command for his underhanded comments and loyalty to himself above all others. While he had maintained his spot on the Council, he was still trying to scrape his way back up to a higher standing. "Security for the Summit has been my priority for the last few weeks. I've been dispatching delts throughout the surrounding deadlands so that all those traveling in, will do so with ease. Yourself included," she enunciated with contempt.

In truth, she hadn't known about Michonne's arrival until the pair had gone missing. Stokes apparently thought she could handle it herself, and what a misjudgment that was.

The two Council members stared each other down before Beale cleared his throat. "Let's get started, shall we? I have a feeling we're all going to have a long night."

Murray broke away first, giving another false grin to the Major General before taking his seat. Beale briefly met her eyes before taking the remaining seat on their side of the table. He knew she would rather stand.

The blonde took up post behind the tripod camera and nodded at the newly appointed Command Sergeant Major. "Bring her in."