Retribution - The Walking Dead

I'd do the stars with you any time

Negan rubbed his hands over his face. She was right.

"I'll go with her." Daryl volunteered himself. He and Carol nodded at one another, ever a great team.

"Right." Maggie and Daryl exchanged glances. She continued. "Once we all get there we'll split up again, take all four corners. Daryl and Negan can meet up in front of their camp. Carol, we'll meet at the back."

"Take out anyone you come across tonight," Carol instructed the intently listening group that was huddled around. "Do it quietly and don't let them turn, we can't blow our cover."

"Negan," Maggie was pulling her bag over her shoulders as she spoke. "You go in there and get Knox talking and keep him talking."

"Easy, done." Negan answered.

"Make him think you've come alone. Daryl and the others— "

"No," Carol interrupted Maggie. She was shaking her head, looking between her and Negan. "No. We should all just get out of there as quick as we can. Slip in and slip out,"

"He needs to be distracted," Maggie argued.

"Negan isn't bait!"

"Hey," Negan's voice was a low grumble.


Carol turned to face him, he'd put his hand on her shoulder. She had her back turned to everyone else, it could have been just the two of them there now.

"You know doing things quietly ain't quite my style, darling." He grinned and spoke quietly as he tightened the strap on her bag, so sure of himself. "I am finishing this tonight. I'm gonna deal with Knox. You get Vincent into your arms and you run. Okay? Don't wait, don't look back. You run."

Carol frowned as her eyes spoke with Negan's. He was still smiling at her, still so sure that everything was going to turn out right.

"Negan, if you're doing this so that— "

"I'm doing this so you can sleep at night again." He took Carol's pistol from the holster on her belt and tucked it into the front of her pants then pulled her sweater down to hide it from view. "He has fucked with the wrong family. Just you focus on getting our boy home. I'll be right behind you."

"He's right," Maggie agreed. Her approval seemed to take everyone by surprise. Carol turned to face her again. "We have to deal with this threat tonight. We can't risk him following us back here. We don't want to be caught up in a war that isn't ours to fight."

No one had anything to add to that, so Maggie continued with her plan. "Daryl and the others can stay hidden at the front side while Carol and I cut through the back and sneak into the orange trailer, that's where Daryl saw Vincent last. Negan can take care of Knox before he realises what's happening."

"All right." Negan's tongue was swiping over his bottom lip as he nodded to himself, "Let's fucking do this!"

He clapped his hands and then shook his arms out as he turned away from the group. With one last look around the group, Carol followed behind him to say goodbye.

Maggie kept talking, she spoke directly to her own people now. "He's a dangerous man, don't forget that. I want eyes on him, do not let him tell you what to do. Make sure y'all stay in pairs, don't be alone with him."

After it became clear it wasn't Knox Maggie was talking about and that she didn't give a damn about who was hearing her, Daryl and Julie left too.

Julie watched with a tilted head as Carol and Negan said their final goodbye. She laughed to herself, it was like they weren't ever going to see each other again. So dramatic and so different to the quick goodbye she'd just shared with Daryl. He'd simply kissed her cheek and squeezed her hand.