We bring the three police officers back to the warehouse we were staying in, Rick, Noah, and Alyssa are looking over the map we drew.
"Your friend," The woman cop starts. "What's his name? I need to talk to him. Your plan is going to get me and my friends killed."
"We're gonna make it work." Sasha sasses, walking in front of the cops.
I scoff as I pass the woman, "You underestimate us." I follow Sasha and walk in front of the cops, their vision now watching my back.
"It would work if you had different cops to trade." There's some sense of pleading in the woman's voice, her voice quivers ever so slightly as she speaks.
This catches everyone's attention and we all turn to look at the cop.
"Dawn's running Grady into the ground. A bunch of us want her out and she knows it. Pretty sure she knows we want Lamson to replace her, too."
The man who headbutted Alyssa looks at the woman, "Dawn doesn't know that."
His face pisses me off.
"She might." The woman cop retaliates. "And she's smart. So there's a good chance you can't make this deal work and that'll leave us all dead. But if you let us go, we'll take care of Dawn ourselves and then we'll let your friends go and this is over."
"No," Lamson speaks up. "We're not gonna do that." Everyone looks around at each other confusedly and suspiciously.
"Do you want to die?" The woman asks.
"No. I just need you to shut up right now."
Thank you, Jesus.
"You can make this work." Lamson starts. "But you gotta be able to talk to her."
"Noah told us all about her." Sasha says, rolling her eyes.
"I've known her for eight years, ma'am. I know this woman. And my only interest is peaceful resolution, not dying, and sleeping in my bed tonight. So, please...let me help you."
Okay, I trust him zero percent but I kind of like him.
"Hey, Rick." Daryl calls, motioning for Rick to come over to us. "You're gonna want to hear this."
Rick has Lamson tied up to a pole, isolated so that he can talk to him alone.
Alyssa's sitting on the floor, reloading her gun before we head downstairs. I walk over to her, fidgeting with my fingers. I'm not good at apologizing.
"Hey," I say somewhat quietly, avoiding eye contact with her.
"Hi." She responds, shoving bullets into the magazine of her pistol. Her words don't have sass in them though they don't have traces of her usual giddiness.
I sigh and bite my cheek, "I'm um...sorry about earlier. You just can't go off-"
Apology, not lecture.
"I'm sorry."
Alyssa looks at me, "Why?"
I make a confused expression. "What?"
She stands up, "Why are you sorry? You were right, Rick would have come and I almost died. I shouldn't have gone over there to help Daryl. I'm sorry."
I become lost for words. I'm not used to people apologizing to me, usually when I apologize Nick would hit me or lecture me on why I shouldn't do whatever it was I did again.
Not everyone is like Nick.
"I don't really...thank you?" I'm not exactly sure what to say because this conversation didn't go the way I thought it would. I hate it when conversations don't go the right way.
A thud catches my attention. I quickly turn to the south side of the warehouse and look back at Alyssa. "Where the fuck is Lamson?"
She looks at me with her eyes wide, she stammers a little before saying, "Sasha was supposed to be watching him."
"Son of a bitch!" I yell, beginning to run to the area where I heard the bang.
I clench my jaw as anger blurs my vision when I see Sasha on the ground, her forehead bloody with a cracked window above her, and Lamson running.
"Alyssa! On Sasha! I got the cunt!" I yell, following the cop as quickly as I can.
My footsteps are loud with suspense as the cop runs down the steps and outside. I follow right on his heel but not quick enough to grab him. Air comes in ice cold as I breathe heavily, my feet smack the ground with every step, and my knuckles are white with how tightly I'm gripping my gun.
Guess I broke in my fake foot well.
We're running for a while before he takes a right turn and I don't know where he went. "Damn it." I whisper, turning down an alley.
I have to find him, for Alyssa. I pinky promised I'd bring Beth back, alive.
I gasp as I almost run into Rick, his breathing just as heavy as mine.
"Alyssa told me, where is he?"
I look around, "I don't know, he turned and just like disappeared."
He nods to the cop car behind us and says, "Get in."
I nod and run around to the passenger side of the car, Rick climbs in the driver's side and immediately starts the car. The car shakes lightly as the engine rumbles and Rick slams his foot on the gas pedal.
"Jesus." I whisper, grabbing the handle above me to keep me upright.
I roll down the window next to me and lean out of it, my gun locked and loaded. I squint my left eye shut and stare through the sights of the pistole.
"There!" I yell, pointing to a man in a black cop's uniform running down the road.
Rick grabs the intercom and orders, "Stop. Stop right now." His voice is full of venom and ice. He's pissed and I'm glad I'm not Lamson.
The cop doesn't falter he just continues running as Rick continues saying, "Stop." When the man continues running, Rick groans and says, "I won't ask again." And to no avail, just makes Lamson run faster.
"Hold on." Rick says as he slams on the gas pedal. I grab the handle on the roof of the car as Rick slams the car into the man from behind.
Lamson screams as he flies forward before slamming his head on the ground. He just lays there, groaning and saying, "Help me."
Rick climbs out of the car and I follow, Lamson is still asking for help as his mouth, ears, and head bleed.
"You crazy son of a bitch. I think you-I think you broke my back." He's breathing heavily with each word, his voice a little more high-pitched than before.
"Didn't have to be like this." Rick says, his hand resting on his holstered revolver. "You just had to stop."
"I couldn't." Lamson pants, his body still laying limp on the floor. "I don't know you."
I smirk and crouch down in front of him, "Well now you do."
"I think I'm gettin' the idea." Lamson responds, looking at me.
"You just had to stop." Rick sasses.
"Take me back. Take me back to the hospital."
As we hear walkers snarling and groaning, Rick and I look back before looking at each other, knowing we have to speed this up before we all die.
"I did it for your friend." Lamson lies.
"Not after this, no. Can't go back, Bob." Rick grunts, rolling his eyes.
"I was gonna iron it over. She's under it. And you've been out here too long."
Rick aims his revolver at Lamson's head and puts his finger on the trigger.
"You'll die." Rick nods to my whip and I nod in response, grabbing my whip and cracking it.
"You'll all-" Lamson's words are cut off with a crack of my whip on his head, his skull splitting open. The sound of the crack ricochets off the walls surrounding us and blood colors the tip of my whip red and shiny.
"Shut up." Rick groans.
I look around at the quickly approaching Walkers as I wrap my whip up, "Think they heard that?"
Daryl approaches Rick and me as we walk into the room I found Sasha in, Lamson-less.
"He wouldn't stop." Rick notes.
"This change things?" Daryl asks Rick.
"It has to." Rick looks at the cops and then at Daryl.
"Maybe not."
"Well she said the plan won't work. The guy who did is dead. Maybe we gotta rethink this."
"They also said the cop in charge didn't have any love for him. Maybe you did her a favor."
Rick groans quietly, "I dunno if they'll play ball."
"Let's find out." Daryl says, nodding to me and turning back to the group behind us.
The two cops are tied to chairs and Alyssa is finishing cleaning Sasha's wound.
All three of us approach the group as the woman says, "He was a good man. He was attacked by rotters. Saw it go down."
"Huh." Rick scoffs. "You're a damn good liar."
"We're hangin' by a thread here. He was attacked by rotters. That's the story."
"You said a trade was a bad idea." Daryl speaks up. "What changed?"
"Lamson was our shot. So it's this or you gun in guns blazing, right? You don't want that."
Daryl approaches the woman and points at her, "If this is some bullshit you're spinnin' and thin's go south-"
"I know." She interrupts. "I know the good ones from the bad. Let us help you."
Rick hesitates before turning to the man who headbutted 'Lyss and asks, "What 'bout you? You wan' live? How much?"
The man pauses before saying, "Dawn's afraid she'll look weak in front of us. Thinks it'll tip things against her." The man looks at the woman and nods, "Hell, it will."
He looks up and looks at me, not Rick who is standing right in front of him. "She'll see this trade as a rip-off," I approach him with my arms crossed as he speaks to me. "If she thinks you took out one of our guys. So it's a good thing Lamson got aced by rotters.:
Rick looks at Daryl and I for our opinion.
Rick, 'Lyss, and I are all on the ground, waiting for Dawn or whomever else is coming to make the trade.
The rest of the group, plus the police officers, are up on a roof, ready to snipe if need be.
Tyreese's voice comes through Rick's Walkie-Talkie, "They're headed towards the vantage point."
"Okay, copy that." Rick responds, putting the Walkie-Talkie back in his waistband.
Alyssa rocks nervously on her heels as the silence engulfs us again, the anticipation of waiting for whoever is coming is enough to tear our heads apart.
"Rick..." Alyssa says quietly.
"Hm?" Rick responds, keeping his eyes on the road ahead.
"Keep your beard, you look cool."
Both Rick and I scoff, "Okay." He replies.
I whistle quietly as an alert that a car is approaching. Rick nods and begins walking towards the driving car, Alyssa and I follow, we all have our hands up to show we're not a threat.
I have a slight hunch this won't work, Dawn sounds like an asshole and the police officers are more asshole-y than here, so why would she want them?
Alyssa lets our a shaky breath as the police car stops in front of us and two cops get out with their guns held at Rick and I's heads.
"Officer Franco, Officer Officer McGinley. I'm Rick Grimes. This is Adrian," He motions to me with his hands still in the air. I'm looking at the men through narrowed eyes and a clenched jaw.
"And Alyssa Walsh." He motions to Alyssa who waves at the men before realizing they're not friends and putting her hands back up in the air.
"I was a deputy in the King County Sheriff's Department. I'm here to make a proposal."
The cops look at one another with apprehension and suspicion, three new people stand before them, dirty, bloody, and bruised.
"Lay your weapons on the ground." The driver officer orders. He looks almost exactly like Damien and I know Alyssa sees it too because we both look at each other.
"All right." Rick complies, slowly grabbing his revolver and laying it on the ground. Alyssa and I comply by taking our knives and guns (and my whip) and softly laying them on the ground. We spin around slowly to show that we don't have any more weapons on us and the two cops approach us.
"What's your proposal?" The non-Damien cop (Franco) asks.
"You have two of my people, I have two of yours. We want to make an exchange. Then we'll be on our way. No one gets hurt."
"Who?" Franco asks.
"Officers Shepherd and Licari for Beth and Carol. You picked up a woman yesterday after your people hit her with a car."
Officer McGinley-the Damien look alike- relaxes ever so slightly and looks at Officer Franco.
"Noah, he's with you? That's how you know?" Officer Franco questions.
"Yes, he is." Rick nods.
"What about Officer Lamson?" Franco asks.
I clench my jaw, praying to whatever there is to pray to that they believe our story.
"He was attacked by the dead before we got to him.
"Where are your people?" McGinley asks.
Just as he asks that, one of our people shoots a walker that is approaching us from behind. The two cops immediately turn around and look at the walker before turning back to us.
"They're close." Rick says.
The two officers look a little more nervous now that they know they're outnumbered. They're fidgeting with their guns as they're aiming at us and sweat is rolling off of their foreheads.
"Radio your lieutenant. I'll wait." Rick says, stepping back.
Officer McGinley unlocks a black door inside of the hospital and creaks it open, I lead Officer Shepherd-the woman, inside and Daryl leads Officer Licari.
Alyssa walks so close next to me that she's practically breathing down my neck. I can't deny that I'm nervous. It feels like I can hear everything around me just because I'm searching for any noise that could cause me to grab my gun.
McGinley leads us up dark steps and into a hallway upstairs. My heart feels like it's about to jump out of my chest as we walk through the hallway. Alyssa seems nervous and excited at the same time. Nervous this trade isn't gonna work, excited to see Beth, one of her favorite people, again.
Beth was one of the only people who really got Alyssa, other than a select few. Beth and Alyssa would sit with the kids and make bracelets or have sleepovers for six nights in a row. I know Alyssa doesn't talk about Beth much but I know the absence of her is really taking a toll on her. I'm excited for their reunion, for Alyssa to really be herself again.
We walk through the hallway and stop in front of wood double doors. Rick looks through and sighs, a group of police officers stand twenty feet away.
"Holster your weapons." Dawn's voice comes through Officers Franco and McGinley's walkie-talkies.
"You too." Rick orders quietly. We all comply but holstering our guns and knives.
Franco and McGinley creak open the doors and walk through, we all follow closely behind them.
Beth pushes Carol, who's in a wheelchair, forward. Beth has two stitched-up cuts above her left eye brown and below her right cheekbone.
"They haven't been harmed." Rick is the first to speak.
"Where's Lamson?" A woman with brown hair, who I assume is Dawn, asks.
"Rotters got him." Shepherd lies.
"We saw it go down." Licari says.
"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that." Dawn's voice isn't very apologetic. "He was one of the good guys."
My breath shudders in suspense as it goes quiet again.
"One of yours for one of mine." Dawn orders.
Rick nods, "Alright."
"Move." Daryl orders, shoving Licari forward and motioning for them to bring Carol to us.
Daryl grabs her bag from the officer that's pushing her and I bring Shepherd forward, Dawn brings Beth forward. She shoves Beth to me and I shove Shepherd to her.
I hug Beth quickly when I see her and Alyssa comes running. She wraps her arms around Beth and squeezes.
"'Lyss, one second, you can hug her when we're done." I whisper.
Alyssa nods and lets go of Beth. Beth smiles and walks to our group.
"Glad we could work things out." Dawn's voice breaks the silence.
"Yeah." Rick says.
As we're walking away Dawn speaks up, "Now I just need Noah."
My heart stops and my blood runs cold.
You've gotta be fucking me.
Everyone stops and quickly turns around, Rick puts his hand on his gun though he doesn't grab it.
"And then you can leave." Dawn finishes.
"That wasn't part of the deal." Rick grunts angrily, all of us follow him as we walk closer to Dawn again.
"Noah was my ward. Beth took his place and now I need him back."
"Ma'am please-"
"Shepherd!" Dawn's voice silences the woman cop.
"My officers but their lives on the line to find him, one of them died."
"No, he ain't stayin'." Daryl orders, shoving Noah back lightly and standing next to Rick.
"He's one of mine. You have no claim on him."
Damn it, I knew this was gonna happen. Nothing ever goes to plan, ever.
"The boy wants to go home so you have no claim on him."
"Well, then we don't have a deal."
"The deal is done." Rick's voice is louder, more infuriated.
"It's- it's okay." Noah says, stepping forward.
"No. No." Rick voices, putting his hand out to Noah.
Noah approaches Rick and says, "I gotta do it." And hands him his weapon.
"It's not okay." Beth whispers.
"It's settled." Dawn smirks.
Noah begins slowly walking towards Dawn, his footsteps slow and apprehensive.
"Wait." Beth suddenly yells, quickly walking towards Noah and hugging him tight.
Noah chuckles, "It's okay."
"I knew you'd be back." Dawn says.
Beth slowly lets go of Noah and approaches Dawn. "I get it now." She says.
Suddenly, Beth stabs Dawn and a gunshot rings through the hallway. Blood shoots out of Beth's head and she falls to the ground, dead.