Sanctuary

Chapter 30

Rachel flicks on her radio. She was supposed to have checked in hours ago, but she'd been busy following a trail.

"This is Rachel. Just checking in. I've got a trail, little bugger keeps slipping away from me. I'll radio again in about four hours, over."

The radio crackles in her hand. "Rachel, it's Negan. You need to get you're ass back to the sanctuary, over."

Rachel frowns. "But i've got a trail, over."

"We've been attacked. I don't want you out there, you hear me? Over."

Rachel's heart pounds in her chest. "Attacked? By who? Is everyone okay? Over."

"Rachel, just get your ass back here! Over and out."

Rachel stares at the radio. She tosses it on the passenger seat, then speeds down the road.

~

She pulls in through the gates of the sanctuary. Rachel steps out of the truck.

"Gareth, what the hell happened?" She asks as he makes his way over to her.

"Some woman from Alexandria came in, all guns blazin. She's in a cell now though," Gareth says.

"Where's Negan?" Rachel frowns.

"He's around, not sure where," Gareth shakes his head.

Rachel heads inside. She scours the corridors searching for Negan. She finds him in his room, standing near the window sipping a glass of whiskey. Negan turns to her, sighing with relief. He makes his way over to her, placing his glass on the coffee table. Negan wraps his arms around her, lifting her off the floor.

"Jesus, Rachel. I was worried about you," he says.

Rachel breathes deeply, taking in his scent. "I'm fine. Are you gonna put me down and tell me what the hell happened here?"

Negan loosens his grip, but still refuses to let her go completely, his hands firmly gripping her waist. "We lost four men, no, five."

Rachel shakes her head. "How?"

"Woman's a badass, obviously. She came in here on her own. Her only objective was to take me the fuck out," Negan says.

"Do we know who she is?" Rachel asks.

Negan clenches his jaw. "She's from Alexandria."

Rachel's face drops. "You can't think Rick knows about this?"

Negan takes his hands from her waist and grabs his whiskey. "No, i don't. It was a suicide mission, and she assured me that Rick knows nothing about it."

"So what are you going to do?" Rachel frowns.

"I'm going there a few hours after sunrise, gonna have to lay down the damn rules again."

"Negan, you just said he had nothing to do with it," Rachel reasons.

Negan takes a sip of his whiskey. "No, he didn't. But i've had a little birdie tweeting in my ear. Rick's looking to rise up against me."

"Who?" Rachel asks.

Negan taps his nose, his mouth curling into a smile.

"So what are you going to do about the woman?" Rachel frowns.

"I'm gonna take her back to Alexandria, safe and fucking sound," Negan smiles.

Rachel raises an eyebrow. "Really?"

Negan wraps his arms around her waist. "Really. And, i want you to come with me."

Rachel looks up at him. "I'm not sure i want to. From the sounds of it, things could get ugly."