It was getting late in the afternoon and Negan still had not heard anything from Arat and the group who had gone on the supply run to Alexandria. Nor had he heard back from Simon who was visiting the Hilltop. Instantly he knew something was up, they should have been back by now. Picking up his radio he decided to check in.
"Arat… come in" he spoke, before releasing the button and awaiting her reply… but there was nothing but static. "Arat… fucking answer" he growled through the radio, getting angrier by the second. In the back of his mind he knew he should have gone to Alexandria himself. But he had a moment of weakness. He wanted to be selfish, for just one day, he wanted to only worry about him and Sky. That had clearly proved to be a mistake. "Jesus fucking Christ Arat… you best be dead because there is no other explanation that I will accept for not fucking answering me" he growled once more.
"I'm sorry, Arat is currently… unavailable" came the smooth voice of Rick on the other end of the radio.
"Rick fucking Grimes… you got some god damn balls, I'll give you that. What the fuck have you done with my people. I thought I had made myself pretty fucking clear about what happens when you fuck with my people?"
"We had a little… shall we call it disagreement?"
"Meaning?" Negan growled angrily.
"Meaning most of them are dead. And those that aren't are about to be… unless you listen close and you listen good" Rick spoke calmly.
"Are you fucking kidding me Rick? You forget that I have a fucking army? And… I have all your weapons" Negan stated cockily.
"Had… You had all our weapons. We did exactly what you told us to do Negan, we found and stole more. But this time, you're not taking them from us" Rick said rather confidently. "You army is shrinking by the minute Negan… how much longer do you think you can stay on top huh?"
"You cocky little bastard" Negan spat. "I showed you mercy. I gave you back your son when that little prick tried to kill me!" he yelled. "And I let Daryl go when he escaped".
"Yeah… thanks for that" Rick chuckled. "But our little arrangement, it's done. We don't answer to you, not anymore and not ever again. We are done being the puppets in your little game".
"You want a fucking war? Is that it Rick? You want to go to war with me!?" Negan growled.
"You're damn right we do. After what you have done to us. To our friends. It's the least you deserve. We are about to bring the war to you Negan" Rick told him. "Oh and the last of your people here that are still alive, they won't be much longer. And your little lap dog Arat… well she is about to become permanently unavailable" Rick growled before Negan heard gunshots ring out through the radio followed by nothing but silence.
"You mother fucker!" Negan growled as he thumped the radio against his desk, but Rick didn't reply, he was gone.
'What the fuck are you going to do now Negan', he thought to himself. 'You really fucked this up didn't you?'. If it was a fight Rick wanted, then he was going to get it. He got on the radio to his men downstairs and ordered them to ready all the weapons, any man or woman capable of fighting was going to be a part of this war.
"Simon… come in" he said as he tried to contact his right hand man who had still not returned from the Hilltop community. But in reply came the voice of Daryl.
"Shit heads dead" he said bluntly.
Immediately panic struck Negan. That was half of his army, all of his best fighters wiped out. "You stupid mother fuckers" Negan spat.
"We're coming for you" Daryl growled.
In a fit of rage Negan tossed the radio against the wall shattering it to pieces. In the space of a day his whole world was beginning to crumble around him. He had no idea what he was going to do, but the only thing he did know was that he had to keep Sky safe. Grabbing up Lucille he hurried to the infirmary where he knew she would be.
