BLOODLINES [twd]

{15}

"You're exploring a lot these days," Dwight told Bailey.

"Summer. Tan," she lied. "What's that?"

Dwight was with a group of men as they worked on a vehicle.

"Doesn't look like you're fixing up a run truck. That thing looks too shitty to hold more than two people," she added.

"Just a prop your old man wants," Dwight said.

The truth is that the car was being welded at the windows and such as a music box. Hilltop was out of line and they needed a small reminder of who they belonged to. Especially after the bout with Alexandria.

"Fancy," Bailey remarked and poked at the metal middle finger.

"Made it myself," Simon said as he walked over.

"Hey, Uncle Si," Bailey greeted. "This doesn't look like my ride to Gavin's outpost."

"That had to take a bit of a backseat, darlin'. I'm afraid Negan told us to put a hold on it until this was done," Simon answered.

"That's fine," Bailey lied again. She pulled the sunglasses from her head to her eyes to block out the rays. "What's with that man, D?"

"Man?" Simon repeated.

"D came into Doctor Carson's office when Sherry and I were there. Guy looked bad," she recalled Daryl.

"Ah.. Dixon," Simon noted. "He's just a new plaything for your Daddy, sweetheart. Don't pay any mind to it."

Simon patted Bailey's shoulder and walked away. Bailey watched him bark orders at a couple of the men to hurry up then he ducked inside.

"Daryl, was it?" Bailey asked Dwight.

"You heard Simon," Dwight said with a grunt as he hammered in a steel grate to the window.

"Since when is Simon my boss?" she asked.

"Well, he's mine."

"Not as much as I'm your boss."

"You're not my boss. I just have to be your 'yes man'."

"I don't need 'yes' for an answer. I want an actual answer, D," she urged. "What's up with him?"

Dwight looked around to make sure no one was listening. "He helped after you got Sherry, Tina, and me out. Then, we stabbed him in the back because we thought he was another Savior. That's all. End of story."

"Does Dad know that?"

"No. And I'd prefer it to stay that way."

"So, no one knows that I helped?"

Dwight rolled his eyes. "The longer you stand here talking to me, the more suspicious it might seem."

"It won't," she promised. "Because all I'm doing is telling you to stop working here and fix my car instead."

"Negan said-"

"And Bailey said," Bailey cut him off, patting her chest. "To go fix my car."

Dwight put his hand on the car and leaned up. He locked eyes with Bailey.

"Now," she ordered. "Whatever this carnival shit is can wait. I want my car done now."

Dwight tossed the hammer on the roof of the car and jerked the gloves off his hand. Annoyance built in his chest and he tossed the material to the ground.

"Yes, Ms. Smith," Dwight submitted, following behind Bailey to the car she chose for her journey.

--

The next morning, Lucas sat on the stairs of the trailer and tossed the metal middle finger around in his hands.