The first time she met the leader of the Civic Republic, she dirtied his rug with the walker guts she was covered in. She wasn't sorry, and she wished she'd actually had a bit more to spread around the room. Roger Murray looked at her like she was a half-drowned kitten, not the guard taking down half a herd of walkers–delts, they called them–on her own. She watched as the wide smile he had for her faded as he took in the scrawny teenager. Pitied her, when he saw the scars marking her previously pretty face.
She fought not to roll her eyes as he started up his monologue about the Republic and what they were trying to build. He reminded her of a conman that once passed through Senioa, pretending to be a preacher. She and her daddy had spotted his games from a mile away, and she saw the same kind of conniving, self-centered righteousness in the man in front of her.
She didn't say anything the whole time she was in the room–wasn't given the chance to. He spoke at her or about her to Okafor as if she weren't capable for answering for herself. She had to bite her tongue to stop herself from snapping at him.
Later, when Okafor led her out of the room the two shared a look that let her know they were on the same page.
NowRick looked at her with a wave of empathy that agitated her. He obviously was stuck on decade-old Beth Greene, and had yet to move onto Councilor Greene of the CRM.
She stood still at the center of his cell and waited for him to reckon the two, but she could see it warring on his face as they stared at each other. She understood his struggle. It would be so easy to keep looking at him and remember who she used to be. He was wrapped up in all of the last good things she'd had.
"You know, Maggie–"
She cut him off instantly, the name like a bucket of cold water splashing in her face.. "I'm not here to talk about Maggie ." His eyes widened at the hostility in her voice and he looked even more confused. But they probably only had a few more minutes alone together before someone (Murray) barged in to kick up a fuss. "Just like Michonne was told yesterday, you both have very few choices here. I don't know if I can get the rest of the Council to overlook this last adventure you went on."
He sighed and sounded exhausted as he pleaded with her. "Beth–we have children . Waiting for us. Our family, your family. We just want to go back to them, keep them safe. I know you haven't forgotten how important family is."
The side of her mouth lifted up at the notion. "You're right. Which is exactly why you can't leave. Why no one is allowed to leave." He looked at her unbelievably, but she didn't give him a chance to ask any questions. "When people leave, they can come back. They can return with more people, more guns, tanks, " she expressed. "Having random people out there knowing where we are, any of our locations, makes them a threat to everything we have. I know you haven't forgotten how important that is."
It was a dirty taunt, but he did quit looking for the man that killed her father and destroyed their home. Set them all on this path of destruction and separation.
He looked pained as he stared at her now, and she had to remind herself that he brought this all on himself every step of the way. But then his eyes hardened. "How are we supposed to make a decision if we don't have all the information?"
She gave him a dull frown. "Promotions and briefings have to be a unanimous decision from the Council and High Command. They'll have to reevaluate your standing. But even then, you get the Echelon briefing, not your wife. It's need to know." And for a good reason. Letting the wrong person know the truth could be a detriment to its completion.
"And she doesn't need to know?" he asked with a sneer. Now she was starting to see the side of Grimes she'd only heard about before. Sassy, hardened and headstrong, an act he only put on for those he did not fully trust.
Her lips twitched up a small amount. "She can earn it, just like you did." She looked him over once more. "Think about it."
With that final note she pounded twice on the door, alerting the guard what she was ready to exit. It swung open in moments and she strode from the room, intent on putting all of this mess behind her until the rest of the Council and High Command arrived for the opening of the Summit that night. She had plenty of tasks to do in the meantime.
Out of nowhere Amanda Shepherd appeared with a thermos of coffee and an apple. The Councilor took the fruit from her wordlessly, and motioned for the woman to speak as she took the first bite.
"The schedules for everyone's arrival has been finalized, officially. There were a few changes with Kublek and–"
"If it's been dealt with, I don't care." She said hastily. Sometimes the details just do not matter. "Any reports of breaches?" The last three weeks had had nothing but one breakthrough after another, which is why they had Thorne and Grimes sent here to assist in the first place. However it seemed as though the delts in this area of the mountains had finally decided to start causing trouble. Just when they really needed them to lay dormant.
"Um, yes. Two ongoing on the far bank of the river about 5 miles apart from each other." She closed her eyes and reminded herself not to lose it at her assistant. "They've counted at least 200 in each herd." The younger woman stops in her tracks and takes one more bite of the apple before shoving back at the other woman with one hand and pulling the thermos away from her with the other. "I'm heading out, make sure everything is ready for tonight," she commanded as she started to walk off.
She heard the other woman stumble after her. "But, ma'am! Councilor Murray–"
"Can go fuck himself," she stated with a growl as she reached the outer door and stepped out into the sunlight.