Five Seconds Later

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Game

**note to reader**

This chapter includes themes that may scare or disturb its readers. If you wish to skip the chapter entirely, there is a summary published right after this so you can safely read.

**note end**

***

"Dean, stay still. Do what they say."

"You heard him – they're going to kill somebody! I can't just... just kneel here and watch!"

"Keep it down. Please. I can't have it be you."

"Cas..."

***

 It was around midnight, judging from the position of the moon in the sky. Clouds were beginning to mask all that was beautiful, suffocating the light from every star. The men from the trucks had been gathering around in a circle, whistling two notes in unison. It was eerie, the way it echoed around the circle. Dean was kneeling beside Cas, whose trenchcoat was splayed around him in the grass. Sam was across the circle with Jess next to him and Charlie beside her. From Charlie it was Bobby, Tyler, Anaise, and Katherine, who was next to Cas. From Dean's left it was Alex, Claire, Mandy, and Lacey.

"Now, we're going to give you all one chance to join us." Logan came into the center of the circle, the gun he had slammed Dean's shoulder with still in his hand. "Before Negan gets here... and he'll be here pretty soon. Any takers?"

There was a brief pause of silence over the group before Tyler piped up, his voice shaking.

"How would we do that?"

Anaise shot him a glare, but Logan looked plesed. He squinted toward Tyler, as though sizing him up.

"I'll show you." Logan grinned, his gaze averting to the circle surrounding the hunters. "Who are we?" he shouted, and the whistling, which had been strong and unbroken to this point, came to a swift end. The crowd waited a moment, then cried back, "We are Negan!"

"Wait." Dean shook his head in disbelief. Cas nudged him, narrowing his eyes. It was best to stay silent, but Dean seemed unaware. "Negan.... Negan isn't a real person?"

"We are Negan." Logan patted his chest proudly. "We are part of him. That's all we had to do to be incorporated into his group. We're the Saviors. All you have to do is say it, and you can be one of us too."

"I am Negan." Tyler scrambled into the center of the circle with no hesitation, staying on his knees before Logan. He clasped his hands together and sat there pleadingly. "Please, take me with you. I am Negan."

"Well, damn." Logan chuckled. "A convert so soon?" He held out a hand to Tyler, who eagerly took it. Anaise stared straight ahead, her jaw set, and Charlie was visibly upset. "Anyone else?"

There was silence amid the circle, and Logan laughed again, his voice hoarse and hollow. "Alright, kid. Get on over with the others." He watched Tyler get to the edge of the circle and blend into the crowd.

A reverend silence fell across both groups as a car suddenly roared in the distance, speeding down the street adjacent to the bunker before swerving wildly into the drive. It was a blood red Mustang, tires black as ebony and windshields tinted to conceal its driver. Dean shot Cas a worried look.

It took another moment for him to step out – his leather jacket was crooked, buttoned tight around his waist as he dragged a strange object behind him in the gravel. The car door slammed and out he walked, his combat boots heavy on the grass as he came.

"Hey, kids." The man strode right beside Cas into the center of the circle, where the light was at its brightest and he was fully visible. He was a tall man with broad shoulders hidden under a boxy, creased leather jacket. In his right hand was a wooden baseball bat, barbed wire tightly wound around it. "Sorry to be late to the party. I'm Negan, and tickled as shit to meet you." He took a slight bow, and Logan left the circle at that cue.