ᗯᕼEᑎ TᕼE ᗪEᗩᗪ ᑕOᗰE ᗩᒪIᐯE [ ᴅᴀʀʏʟ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ]

- 19 -

      I must have passed out once more due to the lack of action going on in the room. When I tuned back in to what's happening, I could hear the familiarity of Ricks voice speaking over the walkie talkie.

"Have you thought about it? Talk to me" Rick spoke after a prolonged silence over the line. Paula picked up her walkie talkie, raising it to her lips.

"You weren't listening, I said I'd contact you" she responded.

"Would it make a difference if I said I was sorry about that?" Rick asked.

"What do you think."

"I think we're gonna make the trade, so tell me where."

"We haven't agreed to that" Paula said as she paced back-and-forth in the room.

"You will" Rick responded confidently.

"You know what, I'm not so sure, we'd be taking most of the risk not getting much in the way of a reward" Paula said truthfully.

"The other option won't work out for you" Rick stated. I knew what that meant. After a short paused, the ginger responded.

"We'll take our chances" Paula said, and with that she put the walkie away again. Carol began to talk to Paula knowing how things would play out with the response she gave Rick. Carol tried to tell her she didn't have to do this. The older woman in the room reminded her of how our people had  killed all her people, however, Carol told her that we didn't want to. She brought up how Paula's group had ambushed our people on the road, tried to take all our stuff, and threatened to kill them.

"Damn" the old woman said, "well now we know what happens to T's group. . . those idiots" she said, whispering the last part in disappointment.

"Fair play" Paula said, "you guys were just defending yourselves."

I had been unfamiliar with any of the events that they had been talking about as I assumed they happened when I wasn't around. It wasn't until I hear something that confused me that I turned my full attention back to the conversation.

"Sweetie sweetie" the older woman spoke, "we are all Negan" she said, and took a puff of her cigarette.

"What do you mean?" Carol stuttered out. "What does that mean" she repeated herself again as she got no reply. All we got in return was the older woman bursting out in another coughing fit. Slowly my mind caved in on itself as questioned swirled around in my mind, and I tuned out the conversation of Paula and Carol.

Negan?, I questioned

They are all Negan?

So are they all just named Negan?

No. . that would get confusing. . .

Maybe it's a code name or something. . .

Or a group name. . .

But they said the group was called the Saviors so. .
that can't be. .

Can it. . . ?

Im confused. . . .

.• ______ •.

A short time had pass with Carol and I sitting in the room after Maggie had been taken out to be interrogated. Paula finally picked up the walkie, now done talking to Carol.

"Asshole, you there?" She said.

"I'm here" Rick responded.

"We've thought about it, we want to make the trade" she said. I felt a wave of relief come over after Paula had been stalling for quite a while.

"That's good" Rick said in a husky voice. Paula looked down at Carol who was still holding the cross necklace. She then turned away, and gave Rick the location of the building. She walked over by me, giving me a side eye. Once Rick had the location he informed her they would arrive in about 10 minutes. The look Paula had on her face was one of worry. She began pacing the room, shaking her head.

"That was too easy" she said scratching her head. The older woman commented saying that maybe they were just eager to get their people back, but Paula wasn't convinced saying.

"There's no static—there should have been static, there close" she said. Paula began pacing the room again, talking about what Rick could be doing or how they might ambush them. I let my head fall back against the wall, a quiet noise was made on impact, one that went unnoticed by everyone except Carol.

"Look, you have to listen to me please" Carol said "Rick is a man of his word" she tried to reason. Paula cut her off as she pulled out her walkie talkie, and called up her guys. They began talking as I looked over at Carol. She looked worried, nervous about what was going to happen. Or maybe what we were going to have to do.

I looked at her giving her a warm look as I mouthed 'it's going to be ok, don't worry'. She managed to give me back a weak smile, but I could tell it didn't do much to calm her nerves. Paula and the older woman started to get there stuff. They opened the door to leave, stabbed the walker that was waiting for them, and closed the door behind them as they left.

Now it was just Carol and I 

And a dead body. . .

___________________
Chapter 19: End