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Ch. 25 - Negan

"Boss, maybe you should just-"

"Don't you fucking dare tell me to calm down, Simon," I bark at my right-hand man. All these years he's worked at my side, he knows better than to suggest something that fucking stupid.

"Negan, sir, if I may," Gregory pipes up from the furthest end of the table.

"You may the fuck not," I snip at Gregory and smack Lucille down on the metal surface, my nerves at their wits-end due to the state of shit we're in.

Rick and his fellow dick-munchers of Alexandria have been planning some rebellion against The Saviors and me. They wanted to take us by surprise when we returned Sasha, not so safe and sound, but the garbage people warned us and were easy to persuade to our side. I thought maybe when they realized they had been double-crossed they wouldn't be dumb enough to try their luck again. Now, Gregory has come to tell me that Rick has gathered The Hilltop and The Kingdom to fight alongside Alexandria to overthrow The Sanctuary. Those sorry pricks don't know what kind of shit they're digging themselves into, and with Jade still missing, I don't know if I'll be able to contain myself from bashing every one of their heads in one by one.

"You're supposed to be in charge over there, Gregory. What the fuck do you do at The Hilltop? Lock yourself up in your musty-ass office and hope your problems magically solve themselves?" I lean forward and fold my arms on the table, staring intently at the man at the opposite end. The pathetic, weak, sorry excuse of a leader named Gregory. "Simon is banking on you, Greg, I would highly advise you not to let him down." I let silence fill the air before continuing, "Simon, who are you?"

"Negan," he says quickly. The response has become routine at this point, a universal truth within our compound.

"You let Simon down, you let me down, Gregory," I scowl at the white-haired man.

"I swear, the moment I heard about this puerile scheme, I went right to Simon. Anybody who fights against The Saviors will not be welcomed back into The Hilltop. I will ensure they know that Negan," Gregory stuttered through his attempted affirmation. I would almost believe his directive would work if it weren't for his trepidatious body language. Almost.

I kiss my teeth in dissatisfaction, scrutinizing Gregory's attempt to save himself. Pushing myself out of my chair, I pace back and forth between the walls of our meeting room. Ten days. It's been ten days since I've seen Jade. Although I'm at the peak of my nerves, I'm careful not to let my agitation show outwardly.

"How do you know they'll listen to you?" I hum. "They sure as shit managed to team up with Rick without you so much as suspecting any collaboration. So tell me, Gregory, how do you know they'll listen?"

"Well, uh," he hesitates. Red flag number two.

"Gregory, I believe you. That's why I brought you to the man. Now make him believe you too," Simon speaks up to reassure him, a hint of intensity in his tone.

"Right. Well you see-" Gregory is cut off by four synchronous gunshots. I stop in my tracks to see Gregory cowering in his seat. Then, through the window, I spot a barrage of vehicles decked with large sheets of scrap metal.

"You gotta be shittin' me," my grumble is laced with vexation. We'd waste bullets trying to fight these shitheads right now.

"What's out there?" Gregory has the nerve to speak first as if he has any right to. Like he's earned a place at the head table already.

"The fuck do you think, Gregory?" I snap over my shoulder.

"The hell is this, boss?" Simon whispers next to me. "This can't be their plan. That'd be a shitty plan."