"Sweetheart, I'm sorry. I don't think I got you're name."
"Because I didn't tell ya my name,"
When survival is no longer living its time to take back their world from the dead. Can they do it together or is being so similar to each other more toxic...
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Negan said lunch time. Ha! I didn't wake up 'til three. Mateo shook me awake before he left to go with Simon. I waved him off and went back to sleep. 'Cording to Dr. Carson I had mostly minor injuries that he saw often, my ankle is swollen, and I should try not to go back on runs for a bit. Fat chance.
I finish pullin' my new jeans up my legs as a knock sounds off the door. Three reps, heavy, loud and clear. Negan.
I button my pants and lazily pop the door open before sittin' back on the end of the bed to put ma boots on.
"Sorry slick. Didn't mean to skip out. I'm exhausted." I greet. Negan doesn't reply. He whistles cheerfully striding around the room-now beginning to look like a home, scattered with random knick knacks Mateo found and the few stray items I brought back from home.
"This yer family?" I look up to find Negan palmin' a small portrait of myself, jasper, Brandon, Dallas, and Mikala. All decked out in their formal full dress uniforms, their matching medals of service gleaming in the sun, their smiles bright. They had just received their outstanding volunteer service medal for assisting in the clean up for the 9-11 attack. They were so proud of themselves. Mama took the photo. It was their last military service together before jasper and Mikala retired for Mateo.
"Those are ma brothers, their best friend and Mikala, ma big brothers wife." I answer pointing to each of them over Negans shoulder.
I quickly remove the photo from Negans grasp, setting it back down before bumping the discarded photo album beside it closed.
"I've been thinking long and hard. I wanna make you a lieutenant but before I do I wanna make sure you can handle it. I've talked to Simon about you joining him out to one of our feeder communities tomorrow. If you can handle that I want to set you up in one of our outposts for a short while. How's that sound?" Negan inquires once again taking his time wandering around the room. He swings Lucille around a few times, seeming in an awfully cheerful mood.
A lieutenant? I've been in the sanctuary a week, outside two. Did Negan really think he could trust me already? Could he really be so stupid? He doesn't seem stupid, he seems cunning, manipulative and strategic. It's a test; a test to see if he can trust me.
But can I trust 'im? He... he ain't someone I want to put my trust in lightly, I've seen the coin toss inside that mans skull beneath that hair gel and carefree attitude. The anger when he don't get his way, when someone crosses the line he drew. It ain't somethin' I wanna see again. Would bein' a lieutenant make it somethin' frequent? I could ask Simon but it would all go back to Negan anyhow. Eh, I'll figure it out.
"Sounds fun. What 'bout my truck?"
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My truck... is a "work perk" if I got the guts to be a lieutenant, 'parently. Bastard.
Negan did however give me the points from everyone else on the run. I may have binged on extra things, like a large bottle of body wash and a couple extra pairs of clothes. Mateo and I will be able to eat for a few weeks.
"Do you have to go?" Mateo begs as I pull my denim jacket on. "I though you wanted to go, how will this help?" He whines.
"Mateo, think 'bout it. We pull a Kansas City shuffle and we gonna be the mud on Negans boots. He might even hunt us if I pull some stunt like that," I begin, sittin' him down on the bed. "But in here, we're kings. Food, showers, clean clothes, ain't no skin walkers gonna get us. I think Negan actually got somethin' goin' in this new world, and I wanna be part of it."
Mateo frowns at the ground. "Hey, no poutin'. I'll be back later." I pat his cheek, kissing his forehead before I grab my walkie talkie. I meet Simon outside the door.
"Let's go." He grins leadin' the way out the the small pack of vans all rev'n to go. Negan stands at the rail, Lucille restin' on top as he whistles happily watchin' us leave. I give 'im a two finger salute jumpin' up into the truck with Simon. He returns the gesture with a cheeky smile.
Simon and I sit in the back, Simon lounges as if the jolts and sways of the truck are natural, I brace my elbows on ma knees and lean towards the space between myself and Simon.
"I gotta couple questions for ya."
He pries an eye open, eyebrow raised. Then he leans foreword. "Negan mentioned you becoming a lieutenant, probably didn't explain much either. Go ahead. I'll fill you in." He waves a hand, mimicking my posture.
"How often does Negan go 'round smashin' heads?"
"Depends on how severe the rule broken is. He's serious about the rules. He may smash a head or two when we meet new groups. They're becoming more and more of a rarity now though."
"Does being a lieutenant mean yer fixin' to smash heads?"
Simon laughs. "No. No. We may kill one person for not co-operating but Lucille is Negan's pride and joy. The only reason you may find yourself holding her is because he wants you to clean her."
"What perks come with being in Negan's little posse?"
"You're Negan. You're the law. You keep the riff raff down. Your limitless up on top. No points to worry about. Continue to do what your doing girly and you'll be top of the world. It took me two years for Negan to make me a lieutenant. You got something working in your favor, weather it's your spunk or just your determination. Negan loves it. And I like how you think." Simon praises.
I lean back against the side of the truck, grasping the bench beneath me as the truck begins to sway and bounce.
"I gotta 'nouther question real quick. If I get ma truck back, am I 'loud to go out when I want?" I ask as the truck slides to a stop. Leaning backwards at a sickenin' angle I grab the hand grab above my head to keep from fallin' over.
"Go out, sure. I've done it once or twice, but if you mean like going on solo runs it's out of the question. Negan will want to know where your going. He'll want updates. He's on top of things like that." Simon shakes his head. The truck lurches back into motion for a moment then stops at a less nerve racking angle.
"Time to see what running a community is like. Welcome to hill top." Simon shoves the back doors open and climbs out into the sun light. A giddy feeling squeezes my stomach. I jump to my feet and follow Simon into the light.
