Destined to Lose: The 5th book

Chapter 5: Returning Power

"Another meeting, let's go." Dwight opens the door to get my attention.

"Do I really need to be there?" I question out loud to him.

He comes back in as I ask him the question and answers, "you're not a worker or a wife, you go where everyone else goes until we know what's going on."

"Fine, asshole." I mutter, still annoyed he still has the angel wing vest on. Everyone from before sits in the meeting room, talking about what happened, and what went wrong. Gavin explains, "now, we were due for a delivery today from my place. Spotters haven't seen anything. Yeah, the transport truck would've turned around, seeing the state of things, but nothing's come up any of the roads. Chem outpost doesn't miss deliveries." He pauses for effect.

Simon adds, "something happened."

"That Rick guy happened." Gavin goes on, "our outposts are getting hit while.."

The blonde women with a neck tattoo who brought me back here runs into the room, "what is it?" Dwight asks.

"They're coming up the stairs."

Eugene questions on a worried tone, "walkers?"

She corrects home "the workers. They said we'd have to shoot them."

When we begin to walk out of the room we are surrounded on either side by their workers, who's hushed whispers and tones come to a stop. Simon hollers to them, "workers are designated to stay on the ground level."

Someone comments out, "jesus christ."

Simon goes on, "specifically, their activity is constrained to the factory floor and the outdoor gardens."

A man retorts angrily, "it's too hot down there. And we sure as hell ain't going outside. When you gonna fix the power?"

Simon explains, "it doesn't need fixing. We're conserving fuel."

Someone retorts back, "mm?"

Simon tries to graciously add, "it's a shared sacrifice."

"Oh. You're sharing now." The man spits back.

Simon is angry and tries to bounce at him, "oh, that sort of tone is not gonna work for me.."

Dwight stops him, pushing me aside a bit to get in the way, "hey, everyone, everyone! Look, we're gonna get through this. Okay? We just need some more time."

I decide to try and move into the crowd a bit as another man speaks out, "we need some more water! There are young people, old people!"

Simon gives the same explanation, "we're rationing that out, too."

A women speaks up, "we work, you protect us. That was the deal. That's how it was supposed to work."

More people holler and agree, "Yeah."

Someone yells, "we need water!"

Another asks, "do you have a plan for getting us out?!"

"You heard the man! You all need to get back to the factory floor." Gavin tries to stop them from asking questions and closing in.

"Where's Negan? Is he dead?" Another women asks. No one answers though.

So someone else shouts, "answer the question."

Simon tries to get control again, "everyone has to return to the factory floor now!"

"I'm not going anywhere." A man says.

Simon stands up to him again, "I need to correct you on that point."

I shout from behind a person, wanting to stir up the trouble, "Where's Negan?!"

One of the guys from the meeting yells out, "Gun" and a gunshot rings out.

I duck instinctively like the others and I hear Regina demanding out, "I am Negan! Anyone else want a bullet? Anyone?"

It's quiet enough to hear someone whistling and everyone turns to one of the side staircases. The whistle continues and there's a chuckle. Everyone bows down onto their knees. Including me. If Negan is alive, maybe their plan didn't work. Maybe I'm stuck here after all. I try and make eye contact with Gabriel before he kneels down as well next to Negan, both covered in what I assume is the dead's blood and guts. He speaks out loudly, "Ah, Regina. Now, why'd you have to go and do that?" He continues to talk with power to everyone in the hallway that now seems so small, "I am guessing that a lot of you fine folks thought I was dead, chewed up, never to be crapped out again. Well, here's a little refresher on who the hell I am." He yells even louder as he talks, "I wear a leather jacket, I have Lucille, and my nutsack is made of steel. I am not dying until I am damn good and ready." He takes one breath and finishes, "now, if you'll all excuse me, I am in deep need of a sandwich, a shower, and some of that, uh, wilting lion orchid deep-tissue shit that Frankie learned in San Francisco. Hell, I might do it all at once. But after that, we have some serious business to attend to." He points forward at Simon, "like talking to my right-hand man. You see, we got to figure out how all this could've happened like it happened. And then... Well, and then we're gonna get back doing what we have always done. We will save people."

A women somewhere behind me shouts, "thank you, Negan. Thank God for you."

He smiles and turns to Gabriel and says something I can't hear. He adds, "gentlemen, gently take him to number 4. Gently."

Negan leaves and everyone slowly starts to stand up and return to their jobs or places or whatever. My stomach is in knots on what I'm about to do but I begin my walk towards Negan's room. Dwight stops me by grabbing my arm and says, "where do you think you're going?"

"To Negan." I reply lowly.

He questions, "what for?"

I remark back briefly, "to figure what my place here is. Doesn't look like Daryl's coming for me."

He lets my arm go and I turn to walk away. He says to me, "yea, I'm sorry bout that."

"Me too" I mumble under my breath, shaking as I walk.