FEAR // BOOK 2 The New World Order

Rock in the road

"No. No no way in hell. That was not the deal. You people swore you could take the saviors out, and you failed. So..any arrangement we had is now done—null and void. We aren't trade partners, we aren't friends, and we never met. Hmm? We don't know each other." Gregory took slumped down onto his big fancy chair, his eyes falling on rick. "I owe you nothing. In fact, you owe me for taking in the refugees, at great personal risk."

"Oh you were very brave staying in here while Maggie and Sasha saved this place." Jesus speaks up. Cutting his bullshit, none of us were in the mood for it. "Your courage was inspiring."

"Hey, don't you work for me?" Gregory spit back, "aren't we friends?"

"Gregory, we already started this." Rick stepped up to the desk, hoping that we were able to convince him of being with us but I didn't see that happening.

"You started it." Gregory says turning back to rick.

"We did." Rick raised his voice the so ever slightly, bringing it right back down again. "And we're gonna win."

"These are killers." Gregory's face twisted up in disgust and fear. Expressing how much he didn't want to have to deal with the saviors.

"Is that how you want to live?" Rick questions back in disbelief. "Under their thumb, killing your people?"

"Sometimes we don't get to choose what our life looks like." Gregory says "sometimes Ricky you have to count the blessings you have."

There was always a choice, always.

"How many people can we spare?" Maggie asks. "How many people here can fight?"

"We?" Gregory scoffed. "I don't even know how many people we have Margaret. And does it even matter? I mean...w-w-what are you gonna do? Start a platoon of sorghum farmers? Cause that's what we got. They grow things. They're not gonna want to fight."

"You're wrong." I say finally feeling like putting my two sense in. "When people have the chance to do the right thing, they usually step up. I mean people just—"

"Let me stop you before you break into song, okay?" Gregory cut me off making my jaw drop in disbelief. How can one guy be so arrogant stupid and smart at the same time. "And by the way, who would train all this cannon fodder?"

"I will."

"Give me a week."

"Right here."

The three of us, Sasha, Rosita and me all say at the same time.

"Rhetorical, okay?" Gregory says in a singy voice. Loud and clear for all of us to hear. I rolled my eyes looking over to Daryl who just shook his head. "I don't want to know. I never want to hear another word about any of it, ever."

"Would we be better off without the saviors, yes or no?" Rick says right before I was gonna walk out, his voice raised, clearly irritated like the rest of us. There was no talking this guy into anything unless it's his idea.

"Yeah. Sure. Okay." Gregory says almost sarcastically.

"So what will we do to fix the problem?" Michonne asks, stepping between rick and Gregory, creating some space between them.

"I didn't say we had a problem." Gregory says "you did. And what happens outside of my purview is outside of my purview."

"What the hell man?" Daryl stood up fully. "You're either with us or you ain't. You're sitting over there talking out of both sides of your mouth."

"I think I've made my position very clear." Gregory stood up, fixing his suit at the wrists before placing his hands on the table, leaning into them. "And I want to thank all of you for not being here today. And not having this meeting with me or—or being seen on your way out. In other words, go out the back."