𝙍ick and Adalyn got dressed as quickly as they could. Adalyn waited for Rick to at least get his pants on before she opened the door, stepping out into the hallway. The man was sitting on the stairs, a painting in his hands. Carl stood over him, gun aimed at his head.
Rick's eyes went wide. "Carl, hey, um..."
And then Daryl, Glenn, Michonne, Maggie, and Abraham were running up the stairs, guns drawn, while Michonne held her sword tightly in her grip. Adalyn groaned softly.
"It's okay, guys," she said.
Rick looked at the stranger. "You said we should talk," he stated. "So let's talk."
Adalyn handed Rick his shirt, and he put it on.
They gathered in the dining room, sitting at the table. Adalyn's hands were balled into tight fists as Rick spoke to the man. "So, how'd you get out?" he asked.
"One guard can't cover two exits or third floor windows," the man answered. "Knots untie and locks get picked. Entropy comes from order, right?"
Adalyn's eyes flickered up to Daryl, who looked like he was about to murder this man where he sat.
"Right," Daryl stated.
The man sighed. "I checked out your arsenal."
"You did what?" Adalyn demanded, and Rick's hand flew to catch her by the wrist.
The man looked at her, offering a smile. "I haven't seen anything like that in a long time. You're well-equipped, but your provisions are low. Very low for the amount of people you have. Fifty-four?"
"More than that," Maggie answered.
His eyes flickered to her before he spoke again. "Well, I appreciate the cookie. My compliments to the chef."
"Yeah, she ain't here," Daryl said.
The man nodded slightly, leaning to look Daryl in the eyes. "Look, we got off to a bad start. But we're on the same side- - the living side. You and Rick had every reason to leave me out there, but you didn't. I'm from a place that's a lot like this one. Part of my job is searching out other settlements to trade with. I took your truck because my community needs things, and both of you looked like trouble. I was wrong. You're good people. And this is a good place. I think our communities may be in a position to help each other."
"Do you have food?" Glenn asked.
"We've started to raise livestock," the man said. "We scavenge, we grow. Everything from tomatoes to sorghum."
"Tell us why we should believe you," Rick said.
"I'll show you," he said. "If we take a car, I can take you back home in a day, and you can all see for yourselves who we are and what we have to offer."
Maggie leaned forward. "Wait, you're looking for more settlements," she said. "You mean you're already trading with other groups?"
The man smiled, leaning back in his seat. "Your world's about to get a whole lot bigger," he said with a chuckle.
And so they loaded up for the trip. Got together supplies, enough gas to get them the way there and back. Adalyn hugged Carl goodbye before they went. She kissed Judith on the head.
