Chapter 117-Sending scouts out
Daryl's P.O.V
Daryl was talking with Ezekiel when there was a knock on Ezekiel's office door. "Come in!" Ezekiel says. But he paused as he saw Negan opens the door and looks at them. "What do you want?" Ezekiel asks, keeping his voice calm.
"I wanna talk," Negan says. "I figured I'd wait till you were with Daryl, so you didn't take that badass sword and take my head off."
"What do you want to talk about?" Ezekiel said flatly as Daryl stood between them, back and forth.
"So you gave a great speech," Negan says with a grin. "Nine out of ten speech, I agree with most of what you said, but I think you made a mistake."
"How is that?" Ezekiel scowled as Daryl watches the two.
"You shouldn't have told them about the weapons. The arrows, the bombs, the knives, and axes." Negan says.
"They need to know what they are up against," Daryl says.
"Up? Up against what?" Negan gestured behind him "Jesus fuck Boss, I'm sorry about what happened to them but you saw Kathy! She was in a real shitty way, Alden said she was drenched in blood and almost ranting 'we are the end."
Ezekiel stood, staring daggers "You believe she was...what? Hallucinating?"
"No, I'm saying that you should have told them about the herd, yes and they needed to be dealt with, but walkers using weapons? Bombs? You any idea how terrifying that is?" Negan explained calmly.
Daryl pressed his lips together "So what do you suggest?"
"Daryl, let me tell you something when I was leading the Saviors into war. I lied about how capable all of you were. Call it 'strategic omission' I was confident we could win, but I knew that you were going to be a hard-ass group of people to beat and that we could lose, but I did not tell them your numbers or firepower. You wanna know why? Because that would have caused panic and fear, and I needed my men to see this as an easy fight. You people just told them that something attacked Oceanside and apparently it was caused by the Dead evolving. Something that looked like a walker moved like a person. But used weapons and spoke, you see, those people out there are scared, and they are putting their shitting pants back on. This could cause a damn panic if word get's out." Negan says.
"I disagree. Being scared makes us stronger. We're prepared for what is coming. Being scared makes us stronger." Ezekiel says.
Negan gritted his teeth "Zeke-"
"I let you stay here because Daryl and the others wouldn't have come otherwise. That does not mean I like you. Thanks for the advice. Now leave." Negan stared for a moment then nodded tightly as he left.
Carl's P.O.V
Carl looked at his father as he spoke. "I just got off the radio with Reilly. Mark and Brandon are going to the Kingdom. They'll scout Oceanside with whoever else decides to go from the Kingdom." Rick tells Carl, who nods.
"Is Brandon smart?" Carl asks.
"Reilly says that he has been better, that he will be able to do what is needed out there. He also says Mark's their best scout so he'll look after them."
"Okay, I'll radio Ezekiel and tell him to pick two people to go out and scout the place. I'll be sure to say to just look around then head back." Carl says as he leaves.
Morgan's P.O.V
Morgan walked into the room he shared with Rosita, looking at her as Coco slept on the bed. "What is it?" Rosita asks, worry clear on her face.
"I wanna go to Oceanside with Brandon and Mark." Morgan says. "I told Ezekiel I'll go."
"I'll go with you. I'll ask Alicia to watch Coco." Rosita was already standing and heading to their bags.
"No, you need to stay here. If something goes wrong out there, Coco can't be left alone." Morgan tried to hold a hand out to her.
"Hey." Rosita says as she stands up and grabs her husband's hand in turn. "We are a team. Where you go, I go, Coco will be fine, and she'll be fine when we get back. Because we will get back, we don't die, Morgan. Right?" Rosita asks.
Morgan nods with a smile. "We don't die."
Rosita nods as she kisses him. "When do we leave?"
"Tomorrow, it will be dark soon. We'll leave in the morning."
Morgan nods as he looked at their daughter again and rubbed her head.
Troy's P.O.V
Troy stood on the wall and looked at Nick as he climbed the ladder and stood beside him. "I wish he was here to see all of this." Troy suddenly says as he looks at Nick, who looked back with a surprised look. "This is what Jake wanted the ranch to be. A place for people to build a life. I fucked that all up and got him killed. He should be here to see all of this, not me. He should be the one with a wife and a baby coming."
"He isn't." Nick says. "A lot of people should be here that aren't. Ofelia, Jake...Travis." His voice hitched on the last name.
"I got two of those people killed. I led the walkers to the ranch. Jake got bit because of that, and they got trapped in that bunker because of that, and that is why Ofelia got bit. Daniel should have killed me, Alicia should have killed me, but they didn't." Troy looked down, his hands tight.
"My Mom tried to kill you." Nick says. "Most people would have died from that, Troy. Maybe it was luck, or maybe it was god's mercy, but you lived. You lived for a reason, so you could redeem yourself and honor the people you got killed and the people you loved. You've done that. Troy, Daniel, and Alicia both know it. I know it, Strand knows it, and Luciana did too. They have forgiven you. You're redeemed, Troy." Nick says. Troy looks at him and smiles.
"Thanks, Nick. I knew I was right when I decided you were my favorite person out of your family." Troy says with a smirk, making Nick laugh.
Negan's P.O.V
Negan stood in the middle of the Kingdom, looking around. Needless to say his hackles were up when he just tried to give Ezekiel advice, letting out a sigh. He took a moment to calm himself, not wanting Kate to see him like this.
"Dude!" Jerry says as he walks up to him. Negan looks at the man and smiles widely.
"Hey, Jerry, how's the misses?" Negan asks, the big man always able to bring a smile to everyone's faces.
"Good, the kids are too. And what about you Mr Daddy to be?" Jerry lightly slapped his shoulder.
Negan stared then said "Oh it's-"
"Dude your nervous!" Jerry said in some disbelief and awe.
Looking around, Negan hissed "Hey don't say that too loud."
Brushing this off, Jerry said "Whoa man relax, it's first-time jitters. Hey, listen when Ezra was born? I was freaking out myself, Nubila tolerated it the whole time. Jittery all the while but look man freaking out like this means you care. I mean every parent freaks out for the first time so it's all good."
Negan gave a slight smile "Huh, thanks. Anyone told you you're too damn cheerful for your own good?"
Jerry grinned at Negan "Hey people like us got to make sure these guys know not to be so serious."
The two chuckled then Jerry stopped for a moment, staring at something.
"What is it?"
"If looks could kill, you would be dead ten times over," Jerry says as he looks over Negan's shoulder. He blinked and looked to see Sherry, who is glaring at her former leader and husband, then away, staring at nothing.
"Should I talk to her?" Negan asks with a frown.
"Well, she won't kill you inside the Kingdom, but she might give you a black eye." Jerry warned.
"She wouldn't be the first woman to give me one, and she certainly won't be the last," Negan says as he walks away from the man and up to Sherry, whose back was to him.
After a moment, she asked coldly "What do you want?"
"So, I was kind of hoping we had a mutual understanding. You don't like me, and I understand-"
"Understand? What just cause I didn't shoot you in that cabin that was had an 'understanding?" Sherry whipped her head to him, eyes fiery. "I have lived to learn with you alive, but you think it's gonna be fucking fine and dandy? I stayed away from you."
Negan just stared at her in silence.
"I mean you think I forgotten? Burning people's faces, forcing woman like ME to sleep with you, making people fucking kneel to you? No I haven't. Yet for some reason, those people care about you. I don't get it. But I do know that I would have died happy if I never had to see you again."
"...You finished? Ok let me get something straight." Negan started, stepping towards her as she kept her glare up. "I don't plan on dying any time soon. I'm gonna live so my girlfriend can live. So my child can live, I'm gonna continue being a better person for that kid. So you're gonna have to deal with me being alive and living because if this brings up any past ideas of you trying to exact revenge for what I did to you, to Dwight, for Tina. You try anything to take me away from Kate and my child. I'll make you regret it," Negan warned her. "I'll become the monster you all fear to protect Kate, my child, Alicia, Merle, and Ofelia. I'll let that monster go if this herd, people, or you push me to that point, so be smart." Negan says before he walks away from Sherry, leaving her standing there.
Carl's P.O.V
Carl walked through Alexandria looking as the people started to make preparations and closing down the gates. "Hey!" Magna says as she comes up behind him. Carl turns around and looks at her. "I wanna ask you something."
"Okay, what is it?" Carl asks as he kept walking with her keeping stride.
"This place, how long has it been standing?" Magna asks.
"Since the start." Carl answered, Magna giving him a startled look at that. "We've lost it a few times to walkers and people, but we have always brought it back. We haven't been here since the start, but the previous leader, she was a good woman. Brought us in, she died when the walkers got in, and we brought it back for her. I keep this place going for her, for my family,"
"What was her name?" Magna Curiously wondered.
"Deanna, Deanna Monroe." Carl says. "Why do you ask?"
"We've seen places like this, we've been in them, and they never last." Magna said cynically, shaking her head
"Our communities will. We've been through hell and back, and we're still here. We're the ones who live. No matter what." Carl says before he walks away from the woman.
Carol's P.O.V
Carol walks into Ezekiel's office and looks at her husband who was gazing out the window with a scowl, which brought a concerned look to her own face. "You okay?"
"He came in here and criticized me." Ezekiel growls.
Carol sighed, knowing that her husband never liked the man and did his best to avoid him. "He is just worried about his family, about his child that's coming." Carol says. "I know you hate the man. But it's just for the time being."
"How can you be okay with it? You were here when our people were gunned down by his men." Ezekiel turned to her, in disbelief somewhat clearly.
"Because he has changed. He saved us at Richmond, saved our family. He does what he can every day to make up for what he did to the Kingdom, to Glenn, and to Abraham. That has to count for something. It does to me." Carol tells him. "I never told anyone this, but I figured Carl wanted him alive."
"What?" Ezekiel paused, confused "I don't understand. You were ok with it?"
Carol sat down, shrugging "Not at first, but I love Carl just as much as I loved Sophia. Like I love Henry. He's gonna outlive all of us and I'll always trust his judgement. And as for Negan himself, I'm not asking you to like him. All I'm asking is that you open your mind up now that he's here. Try to see the man he is now, not the one he was before." Carol says as she takes his hand.
Ezekiel stares at her for a moment before he nods with a sigh "I will try, my love. I will try to see the man that you and Daryl do. I will try to give him a chance. I promise."
Carol nods as she kisses him. "Thank you."
Morgan's P.O.V
The next day
Morgan puts the bag on his back and looks at Daryl as he walks up to him. "You sure about this?" Daryl asks him.
"I'm sure. If that herd shows up, we know how to handle it. Just make sure Coco is taken care of." Morgan tells him.
"We'll protect her like she's our own child." Daryl says. "Just be safe, brother. Just make sure you come back."
"I will," Morgan says as Daryl hugs Rosita.
"Keep him out of trouble."
"I think I would have better luck killing that herd by myself," Rosita says with a smile.
"Yeah, you're probably right. If you're not back by noon, we'll come looking," Daryl tells them.
Morgan nods as they climb in the car with Mark and Brandon and leave the Kingdom. Daryl sighs as he walks away from them. A bad feeling in his gut.
Ten minutes away from Oceanside
Morgan, Rosita, Mark, and Brandon climb out of the cars and look around. "Stay close. We stay in eyesight of one another," Morgan tells them. "Rosita and I will take the front."
Staring around the area, Brandon asked worried "We sure they'll be around here?"
Mark looked at his map "They lived about 10 minutes by car from here."
Mark and Brandon nod as they start to walk through the woods, slowly listening for any noises. They walk in silence, not hearing anything till they see Oceanside. Walkers walked around the former community. "Jesus," Rosita says as she looks around.
"Fuck look." Brandon pointed at the buildings, burnt to a husk "No walker could do that. You think Kathy was right, that the dead are evolving?"
Mark swatted his shoulder "Hey shut up man that gives me the creeps thinking about it."
Rostia whistled and pointed ahead to stop the argument as they headed forward
"Let's clear them," Morgan says as they start to go through the camp, killing the walkers one by one. But as Morgan hits a walker in the head. It falls to the ground. He stares at the back of his head as he sees thread. "Rosita," Morgan says. Rosita looks at her husband and walks up to him.
"What the fuck?" Rosita says as she pulls her knife out and cuts the thread. Morgan flips him over and pulls the mask off. "Oh my god."
Mark came over, brushing off his sledgehammer "Uh hey what is it?"
"These aren't walkers. They're people using walker's faces as masks. Kathy wasn't lying." Morgan says. "We need to get back."
Brandon looked around then paled "Oh shit."
"What?" Rostia looked around then froze.
In the ruined husks of the buildings were Walkers, but something was wrong. They were just standing inhumanely still, just staring at the four scouts motionlessly. They run into the woods.
Suddenly, an arrow goes through Mark's shoulder, as he screams and falls to the ground. Brandon pulls him behind a tree as they hear the growls of the walkers yelling "Ooly shit holy shit, what the fuck these guys can control them?!"
Rosita looks around the street, and her face pales. "Oh my god," She says as she stares at the giant herd moving towards them.
Thanks for reading. Morgan, Rosita, Brandon, and Mark know the truth, but now they are corned by the herd and must get out of the woods to tell the others. Next chapter Morgan and Rosita fight for their lives, Brandon makes a choice, and Daryl starts to worry about his brother. As always, suggestions, ideas, and feedback are welcomed. Until next time.