LOYAL [TWD] (third book to TROUBLE)

final warning

A month flew by in the blink of an eye.

Nanami was out at the camp, all day, every day. He worked all day, every day. Working on the bridge was exhausting, but it made him feel good to be a big help in such an important event.

He worked so that the communities would be closer. That's what Rick told him. So, that's what he did.

He could never guess the plans that his sister had going.

And with each passing day, another Savior disappeared.

Nanami and Carl assured Rick that they would figure it out.

--

A month went by agonizingly slow and painfully.

Sakiko was back and forth between Hilltop and Kingdom. Training. Preparing. Watching and waiting. Maggie, Glenn, Daryl, and Rosita knew the plan as well as she did and Sakiko was elated to have the most important people to her so close and supportive.

But, even those didn't know the full extent to her plans.

--

"Justin's body was found," Carl grabs Nanami's arm, rushing him to a tent.

"When? By who?"

"Maggie and Kal came by to drop off the Hilltop's part of the deal. On their way, Justin had already turned and came through."

They duck into a tent and Nanami peers at Justin's body.

"Any idea?" Carl asks, watching as Nanami inspects the body.

"Here," Nanami points to the wound in his chest, "Puncture wound. This is what killed him. He turned naturally."

"There's bites, though," Carl pulls the sleeve up to show walker bites.

"After," Nanami denies, "Those are still fresh. This is what killed him."

Nanami rips the shirt a bit more, eyes the wound. He could feel Merle's training nagging in the back of his head.

"Too clean to be a knife. It's an arrow. A bolt."

"Daryl?" Carl asks and Nanami's head snaps to him, "Sakiko? She's been using the bow since the war."

Nanami's silence gave him the answer.

"But.." Nanami begins, "Sakiko hasn't been here. She's been at Kingdom this whole time."

"Michonne said she saw her at Hilltop not long ago. Plus, Rosita's been MIA.. Maybe they're working together. You know how close Sakiko and Rosita are."

"Goddammit," Nanami swears, massaging his temples with the butt of his palm.

--

"Kiko-"

"Drop it," Bea demands, pointing her weapon at Daryl and Maggie.

"Bea," Sakiko scolds, "Put it down."

Bea side eyes Sakiko but a look from Cyndie makes her lower her aim.

"Kiko," Daryl tries again, lowering his crossbow, "What is all this?"

Sakiko looks at Maggie, "It's not just me."

"What?" Maggie questions.

"Oceanside needed my help. So, I helped."

"You kill Justin with that thing?" Daryl asks Bea.

"He killed my husband," Bea uses her reason as her excuse.

"Please," Arat begs from where she was on her knees.

"They got a reason?"

"We've all done things," Arat tries.

"People will find out. There's been what..? Five missing Saviors?"

"She's the last one," Cyndie says, "After this, it's over."

"Maybe for you, but it won't be. With something like this, it keeps going."

Daryl looks at Sakiko. She looked.. present. Determined.

"This was our home," Cyndie motions to the land they were on, "My mother and my grandmother found this place for the group. There were so many of us then. Men and women. Kids.. My mom and I built a garden. Me and my brother used to play right here."

Cyndie looks at Arat, tears in her eyes as her voice breaks.

"But, then, the Saviors came. And Simon wanted what we had. He gave us our final warning.. Afterward, we ran. And we tried to forget. But, then your people came and asked us to fight. We did because we couldn't forget. After Rick ended it, we went along because we didn't think we had a choice."

"And then Sakiko came to us," Bea reveals.

"This wasn't the plan," Maggie tells Sakiko.

"No, it wasn't your plan," Sakiko points to her.

"What.." Maggie struggles.

"It's not all about me. I'm not the only one that lost something to the Saviors. And it definitely isn't all about Rick."

"Doing it like this," Daryl speaks up, "It ain't.."

"It's the only way it could've been done. If we made it a big show, it would've been just like Negan. Everyone else wants to try and forget so it wouldn't be understood like when Maggie hung Gregory. This is the only way."

--

The next morning, Saviors walked off the campsite.

Nanami couldn't blame them, though. Someone was hunting them down, picking them off one by one.

"Alexandria will have to finish it off," Rick informs.

"There's still Kingsom and Hilltop," Carl offers.

"Hilltop, maybe. Kingdom.."

"You think Sakiko had something to do with this," Carol blames.

"What else should I be thinking right now? I questioned Daryl but it wasn't him. He has nothing to do with all this."

"Sakiko has been home through this whole thing-"

"We can't take it off the table."

Nanami sighs and knocks his knuckle against the table before turning and walking away.

"Where are you going?" Carl calls.

"To talk to Sakiko."