Forsythia - Daryl Dixon (BOOK TWO)

Chapter Eighteen

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It seemed to Rick that they couldn't catch a break ever since the Governor. After everything that has happened, his sister going missing is the worst thing he had to go through. Maggie had just lost her sister and Rick wasn't going to let that happen to him.

Carl was devastated but tried his best to hide it, but Michonne could see right through the boy. Daryl, on the other hand thought back to what Natalia told him. Daryl told Rick that she always felt watched and maybe there was another group of people that they didn't pay attention to.

Rick, however, didn't know where to start looking until Carl and Judith suddenly went missing. Colman and Agatha purposely dropped Carl's hat for Rick to find and left him trails and clues to follow. To Agatha, it was just a sick joke they played to entertain herself and Colman. Their group always worked in the shadows and never made a mistake.

Natalia with the sack over her head didn't know what was going on. It was only when Judith began to cry, she knew she was standing next to Carl and Judith. As Judith cries echoed, Rick had picked up on his daughter's discomfort and immediately, Rick and Michonne were on their feet followed by the rest of the family.

Hearing Judith cry, Natalia struggled in the hold of Colman to reach her kids. But Agatha had enough of Natalia's struggles— Agatha kneed Natalia in her gut and kicked her with the tip of her boots once Natalia hit the ground. Carl, under the sack too, began to panic at the sound of his aunt in pain.

Agatha, however, went too far in hurting Natalia. The black haired woman was now on top of Natalia, drilling her fists into her face. All that Natalia could do was take it as her hands were tied and her face was still covered.

Soon after, when Colman urged Agatha to stop beating Natalia, Rick had found the carpark they were in. The place was dark and only one area was lit up.

At the sight of Colman and Agatha and several men, everyone had their guns pointed at them.

"Let them go." Rick had growled at the smiling faces that belonged to Agatha and Colman.

The sight of his son captured along with his sister infuriated Rick. Daryl grew anxious as Natalia laid on the ground with a bag over her head. The man tried his best to look closely if she was still breathing.

"It's finally good to talk to the man I've been watching for a while." Colman said to Rick as he stood tall with a grin. "I'm Colman and this is Agatha."

"I don't give a shit who you are." Rick cocked his gun at Colman as Rick inched closer with gritted teeth and eyes sharp like daggers. "You messed with my family— you made a big mistake."

Before Rick could inch any closer with Michonne, Glenn, Abraham and Daryl following suit, Colman raised a hand.

"I wouldn't come near if I were you." At Colman's words, the men who were hiding in the shadows revealed themselves. The numbers of Colman's men shocked Michonne and Maggie— they were outnumbered.

Agatha pulled Natalia on her knees and removed the sack from her head. Her busted lip and red eye angered Daryl and Agatha witnessed Daryl having difficulties with holding himself back from attacking. A wicked grin spread across Agatha's thin lips as her eyes traveled to Michonne.

"What do you want from us?" Rick hissed at Colman as his eyes darted from Carl and Judith to a beaten Natalia.

"I might have...eavesdropped and heard that you and your people are looking for a community." As Colman spoke, Michonne noted that he carried himself just like the Governor and spoke arrogantly like Gareth.

"We have just what you're looking for." Colman said with a tight smile that he flashed for Rick.

"No— they don't." Natalia spat out a little bit of blood as she spoke.

"Shut up." Agatha warned as she pulled her gun and pointed it at the top of Natalia's head.

"We're not interested in what you have to offer." Rick tensed as Agatha cocked her gun at his sister. Unlike Colman, Agatha had no problem showing her wickedness to everyone.

"I'm afraid that you don't have a choice, Rick." Colman said.

A chuckle erupted from Colman as Rick wondered how he knew who he was— Colman took closer steps towards Rick and his family.

"This is Daryl, Michonne, Glenn, Maggie, Carol..." Coleman counted them as he walked near them. "I know every one of you."

"You've been watching us."

"Yes— we have. Ever since you stepped foot into that prison. It was a shame what happened though. I was on your side, Rick. I didn't really like the Governor very much."

"We're taking too long, Col." Agatha said as she stood next to Natalia with her gun still at her head. "Wrap it up."

"Agatha isn't much of a talker like I am." Colman said as he stood in front of Rick with his hands behind his back.

"That look in your eyes...I saw that look when you bit into that man's neck to save your son." Colman smirked. "It's intimidating Rick, I have to admit. But unless you want your kids and sister to still breathe for days to come, you and your people will drop your weapons and put your hands behind your back. Make it easier for us."

Everyone waited for Rick's sign but when Rick didn't immediately comply to Colman's instructions, Agatha took it upon herself and shoved Natalia to the ground. Agatha pointed her gun at Natalia's thigh and shot her.

Natalia let out a pained cry and Rick gasped; before Rick could tackle Colman to the ground, Colman rammed his elbow in Rick's face while Colman's men surrounded Rick's people.

"Relax, Rick. It just scraped her— that's all." Agatha eyed Daryl.

Rick was now on his knees, clutching his nose as his eyes were on his sister. Natalia was also looking at Rick and shook her head as she read his thoughts on attacking Colman.

"The next will be right between your son's eyes, Rick." Agatha stepped on Natalia's new wound on her thigh and Natalia immediately grunted in pain, gritting her teeth.

"Tell him, Natalia— before Carl and Judith join Beth!" Agatha mentioned Beth loudly for Maggie to hear.

"Ricky." Natalia called out breathlessly from the floor.

But before Natalia could beg Rick not to put Carl and Judith's lives at risk, Colman indicated for his men to tie Rick's people's hands behind their back.

Colman bended down to Rick's level as Rick's hands were being tied. "I'll tell you everything you need to know about us."

"Separate the A's from the B's." Agatha called out to her men as Rick's family were being gagged and tied. "Don't put them together!"

Agatha grabbed a hold of Natalia and dragged her onto her feet. As Natalia stood with shaky legs, her eyes bore into Agatha's.

"You are gonna regret what you did." Natalia snarled at Agatha. "You just wait."