Poker Face

Chapter 44 - Dwight

"Two down, one with Carson," Dwight informed Negan after finding an intruder from Alexandria held at gunpoint in a hallway near a side-entrance to the Sanctuary. He recognized the woman from the line-up in the woods and ordered the Saviors to lower their weapons and take her to a cell, warning that Negan wouldn't be happy with them killing her before getting whatever information they could.

After alerting Negan, Dwight stepped out into the yard where the first guard had been killed and found a large gash in the fence. He carefully slipped through it, drawing his crossbow as he crept closer to the edge of the woods. As he drew farther from the lights of the Sanctuary, he realized it was a mistake but before he could turn back, he was grabbed by the collar and slammed up against a tree and his arm was pinned to the side to force him to drop his weapon. His eyes adjusted to the dark and he saw his attacker: it was Daryl. Behind him was Rosita, the same woman he'd targeted and bothered at Alexandria.

Daryl held a knife to Dwight's throat while Rosita just glared at him, the daggers in her eyes almost as sharp as Daryl's knife.

"Just do it," she hissed.

"Wait wait wait," Dwight choked, trying to press himself back against the tree and away from the knife. "I can help you. I want Negan gone."

"Bullshit," Daryl spat, pressing the knife against him just hard enough that it almost broke skin.

"You're with the girl who just broke in, right?" Dwight asked, his voice desperate. "She's alive. She said she was alone. I won't say you were here. Negan's not gonna take this break in lying down but I can keep you updated on what he's planning." Daryl's eyes bore into him, clearly conflicted. On one hand, Alexandria could use all the help they could get. On the other hand, Negan liked to set traps and Dwight himself had tortured and beaten Daryl within an inch of his life.

"Daryl, kill him," Rosita hissed again, but Daryl lowered his knife, his fist still balled in the collar of Dwight's shirt and his forearm trapping Dwight against the tree.

"What's he planning?" Daryl asked flatly.

"I-I don't know," Dwight choked. "Nothing yet but- but I can give you information about our other bases. P-please, I know you have no reason to trust me and I don't care what you do once Negan is dead, but I want him dead." Daryl glanced back at Rosita who looked furious because she knew they had to let Dwight live for the time being in case he was telling the truth. "Negan will most likely make the pickup at Alexandria in a few days a punishment. I'll do what I can on this side to slow things down but I don't think he'd be expecting a counterattack if you can find the weapons."

"Well that might be a problem considering you took all our guns," Rosita hissed.

"You and I both know Rick will get more," Dwight replied.

"Rick is a fucking pussy," she spat. "He's not gonna do shit."

"Don't be so sure," Daryl grumbled. "It's true, I never seen him like this. Not when Carl got shot, not even when he lost his eye. Rick lives for his kids but Carl ain't gonna let him take this lying down."

"I hope you're right," Rosita sighed.

"Come back at 7:30 tomorrow morning," Dwight said softly, his face serious. "Stay out here and I'll get you some plans on our other outposts. I'll be able to tell you more in a few days when we come for pickup."

"Why should we trust you?" Rosita finally asked. Dwight looked straight at Daryl with his answer, still trapped against the tree.

"Who do you think let you out?" he asked. Daryl stared back skeptically.

"I figured it was that girl," he grumbled dumbfounded after a second. "The one always hanging around Negan. She don't look too happy with him."

"Aven?" Dwight replied, puzzled as he mostly only saw Aven either fawning over Negan or doing his bidding. She came across as far from unhappy. "No, she's in too deep. Had some hope for her when she first joined us but I think she's loyal to Negan."

"Is she the one who gave me her water after you poured mine out?" Rosita asked, pursing her lips annoyedly. "The one he fucking made out with that night?" Dwight nodded. "How close is she to Negan?"

"He got rid of his wives for her," Dwight replied. "They're practically attached at the hip at this point."

"So she's important," Rosita confirmed.

"Why?" Daryl interjected quietly, referring to Dwight letting him go. He was still grappling with what to think and how much to trust.

"Negan took everything from me," Dwight said solemnly. "And there's nothing I can do. You people, Rick and Alexandria, you can take him down. But you need help because Negan is always ten steps ahead."

"You don't act like you want him taken out," Rosita challenged.

"I got away from him once and this happened," Dwight said, pointing at the burnt side of his face. "The safest thing for me to do is stay close to him, keep earning his trust." Daryl backed off of him and Dwight stayed put with his hands up to reinforce that he wasn't a threat.

"I don't need to know what you're planning if you attack," he continued. "But I can make sure the Saviors are as unprepared as possible. 7:30 tomorrow morning," he repeated. "I can get you information on taking down the other bases. Because of this break-in, we're ramping up security on the perimeter so stay hidden until exactly that time. I'll make sure I'm the only one around."

It was another long twenty minutes of back-and-forth between the three, Dwight trying to prove himself and Daryl and Rosita questioning him skeptically. Ultimately, the two went back to Alexandria to speak with Rick and the others about Dwight's turn, and Dwight returned to the Sanctuary.

The next day, he did as he said and cleared a section of the yard to wait for Daryl. He was taken by surprise when Daryl showed and sent a message in first via arrow. The note read "Counter attack tomorrow," letting Dwight know the Saviors would be attacked during pickup at Alexandria.

Dwight quickly went inside to grab his crossbow and came back out, fastening a note with plans on Negan's other outposts and sending it through the fence. No sooner than he did, Aven approached him having watched the whole thing.

"Walker," he mumbled when Aven asked what he was shooting at. She wasn't happy to see the guards gone, clearly having grown protective of her boyfriend, and Dwight knew he had to be more careful.

Dwight's heart nearly stopped when he got to the meeting with Negan and the Saviors and learned that the Alexandrians thought Jadis would help them when in reality she and her people were going in as a threat. If Daryl and Rosita thought for a second Dwight had purposely kept that information, they wouldn't trust him and Negan would never fall.

Dwight nervously went about his duties before, during, and after Jared's punishment but as soon as he had time off, he loaded up a small bag and left the premises alone on his bike, hoping to find Daryl and Rosita still near the Sanctuary to warn them, but to no avail. He rode halfway to Alexandria when he realized he'd have to turn back soon if he wanted to get back without being questioned about his absence. Still, he took the time to set a road block of fallen trees in the hopes of stalling the Saviors. It was all he could think of to help at that point.

Just before the sun began to set, Dwight walked his bike through the gates of the Sanctuary. As soon as they closed, he heard a long, familiar, two-toned whistle. He looked up to see Negan, Aven, and a group of armed Saviors waiting for him.

"Dwighty-boy!" Negan chimed almost gleefully. "Where ya been?"