𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 ➳ 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬

Chapter 28 ~ The New Deal (No, Not That One)

It took less than a second for the gun to be wrestled out of my hand and soon, the roles were reversed. I was the one standing in the back and Rick was the one with the gun pointed at Dwight. I huffed indignantly, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Look at me. Why?" Rick demanded to know, his voice dangerously low.

"'Cause I want it stopped. I want Negan dead," he admitted softly.

I scoffed at his words but after a look from Rick, said nothing more.

"So why don't you kill him?"

"Can't just be me. They're all Negan,"

"That girl you murdered she had a name. Her name was Denise, and she was a doctor. And she helped people," I finally spoke up, bending down to Dwight's level as he sat on the bench.

"I wasn't aiming for her," he shrugged.

My eyes hardened then and I lunged towards him, hands outstretched and ready to throttle this guy. But Rick caught me around the waist, tugging me backwards as my feet kicked out towards Dwight, hoping to injure him. But just as Rick released me, Daryl slammed him against the wall. The knife he'd had was now aimed at Dwight's face and I grinned sadistically when I saw it. Daryl breathed heavily and I had hopes that he would take the man's eyes out.

"Do it. Do it!" Tara ordered him, visibly shaking from the anger she held within her.

"You wanna end it this way, you go ahead. I'm sorry... I am," Dwight said slowly as Daryl still held the knife to his face, "I know you want to,"

"He could just be here to see if you were here," Rick suggested calmly.

"We can't trust him," Michonne interjected, her voice wary.

"He owned me. But not anymore. What I did, I was doing it for someone else," Dwight continued, keeping his voice level, "She just got away. So now I'm here. So are you because of her,"

"Do it!" Tara hissed again.

"There's another choice," Dwight pressed him.

"Daryl... Daryl, you knew her,"

"Negan trusts me. We work together, we can stop him. You knew me then, and you know me now. You know I'm not lying... I'm not,"

"Do it. Do it!"

I thought he was going to, I really did. But after a few intense moments, Daryl lowered the knife. He still held him at arms' length though to make sure he wouldn't try anything.

"They have Sasha, if she's even alive," Rosita said quietly from the back.

"Why didn't you say something? He could be our only chance to get her back," Jesus said, his words calm.

"Because I don't trust him... But I trust Daryl," she said slowly, her eyes meeting dad's briefly

"Negan's coming soon. Tomorrow. Three trucks probably. 20 Saviors and him," Dwight informed us suddenly, Rick and Daryl's eyes both glued to him, "I can slow them down, bring some trees down in the road, buy a little time for you guys to get ready. If you can take them out, that's where we start. You kill them, I'll radio back to the Sanctuary,"

"The Sanctuary?" I scoffed, crossing my arms at the name.

"Where Negan lives. That's what they call it," Dwight nods before continuing, "I can radio back to them and say everything's okay. You drive the trucks back, and I can lead you right inside, and, with the right plan, we can wipe out the rest. Check to see if your friend's still alive. Then, we get the workers on our side, build our numbers up, and go from outpost to outpost and end this,"

We were all silent and I bit my lip. I hated myself for thinking it but it was a good plan. But nevertheless, I didn't trust him at all. I couldn't forget the loss of Denise.

"Keep talking..." Rick said quietly, surprising me slightly.

After telling us the rest of his plan, Dwight left shortly after in a truck, courtesy of us. Rick, Daryl, and I stood watching as the vehicle started up before roaring off into the distance.

"We just started it - the whole thing," Rick sighed, shaking his head.

"If he's lyin', I'm gonna kill him real slow," Daryl said between gritted teeth.

I smirked without humor as I stood between them, "I couldn't agree more. When this is done, I don't care if he's sorry. I'll help you kill him,"

"If he's lying, this is already over." Rick said seriously, arching his eyebrows briefly before walking off.

I sighed, kicking at a rock with the tip of my Converse.

"I have a bad feeling about this," I admitted quietly.

"Me too, Leia," Daryl said, a hint of playfulness in his voice.

I turned to him with an arched eyebrow at that. He tried to hold it in but soon broke and peals of laughter rang out in the night air. Grinning, I shoved him on the arm. He slung his arm around my shoulder then and we turned around.

"Dork." I mumbled as we began our trek back to the house.