"After I save the world, I still have to live with myself. I'm not leaving them behind."
~ Eugene Porter
What were ashes and what were snow flurries floating through the air, Abraham could not tell. Both particles landed on him, finding their way into his orange hair and sticking to his clothes. He paid no mind to either of them, walking instead among the ruins of The Sanctuary.
No one was in sight, not even any bodies.
It was only himself.
So he kept walking, his boots trampling loudly over the ice as he tried figuring out why he was here. What purpose did he have here? Hadn't he completed his mission at The Sanctuary months ago?
These were the questions that crossed Abraham's mind as he put more and more distance between the factory and himself. It was then when the factory became part of the background that he became aware of someone watching him.
"Who's there?" Abraham demanded; his breath taking form in the cold air.
Footsteps from behind caused him to spin around quickly, glaring at the person who suddenly emerged.
But his gaze instantly softened once he saw who it was that was approaching him.
"Eugene?" Abraham choked. "But you're d-"
"Deceased? I know." A perfectly normal-looking Eugene interrupted. Not at all resembling what Abraham had last seen of him.
"So I'm dead too?" Abraham took a few steps closer to the man, trying to see if he was indeed really here.
"Abraham, I may have been one of the most intelligent men alive but not even I can answer that for certain. Yet if that's the case, then the others must be deceased as well," Eugene answered.
"Bullshit! I don't believe that!" Abraham shouted, getting in Eugene's personal space. However, Eugene seemed completely unfazed by this.
"What evidence do you have that they are still alive? Your conscience?" Eugene retorted, angering Abraham further.
"Shut up!" He grabbed Eugene by the collar, lifting him up off the ground. "You don't know shit, Eugene! You never have!"
"Well, I must disagree. You're the one who doesn't know shit. Seeing how you got everyone captured because of your wounded ego. Because of your selfish pride," Eugene rasped.
"Wha-What in the hell are you goin' on about?!" Abraham shook the smaller man furiously. "Enough of these nonsense riddles and get to the point!"
"The point is," Eugene untangled himself from Abraham's grasp, falling to the ground roughly. "If they are dead, it will be because of you."
Abraham's fist collided with Eugene's cheek, knocking him down to the snow. Eugene merely got back up and dusted himself of the snow as if nothing had happened.
But Abraham stood shaking with rage; tears collecting in his despaired eyes.
"Don't lie to me, Eugene. Not again," Abraham warned.
"You are the only one lying here, Abraham. You've been lying to yourself since the moment you decided to tamper with the explosives," Eugene explained.
"I did that to make sure these brats wouldn't get what they wanted! I didn't know exactly what their little display was for, but I sure as hell knew it wasn't for altruistic reasons!" Abraham spat. "Like they claim their actions are for! It's all bullshit."
"As is your explanation. Why did you really do it?" Eugene pressed on, never flinching as he said so.
"Because of what they did to Jesus. I saw how much it hurt Sasha. How helpless she felt; how she blamed herself!" The redhead shouted.
"And now, she might die for your actions. So will Rosita."
Abraham paused, feeling his body becoming numb at this statement. "N-No."
"However, that is not the whole truth. You can claim it was for vengeance, but all those months together gave me insight as to who you are," Eugene continued, studying how each word was like a stab wound for Abraham.
"You don't know shit about shit!" Abraham roared back at a still and silent Eugene.
"What I did, it was for all of-" Abraham started to argue before Eugene interrupted.
"It was for you."
Abraham stared back in shock as these four simple words hung in the air; the howling of the wind the only sound between the men.
"You can't bullshit a bullshitter," Eugene smiled as Abraham broke down in front of him."It's easier to tell your secrets to a dead man, considering you already told some of them to Rosita."
"The last time- The last time I couldn't do anything. I was missing, and people died because of that. I had to do something before these tykes did." Abraham sank to the ground. "I couldn't let more people die again. I hated that feeling of relief, but I knew I couldn't remain a coward!"
"The last time when you were with me you saved me. That's all I wanted. I wanted to save people. Protect them. If you could, why couldn't I?" Abraham murmured as he poured forth all his guilt and grief.
"I just wanted to be a hero."
"But you are," Eugene assured sadly.
"I was. In the old world, I was known as a war hero. But now, who am I? Because I can't just be useless."
Suddenly, Eugene vanished into the winter winds and the world before Abraham shifted into-
A laboratory filled with the cries and screams of those people he risked his own life to protect.
~
Dante was leaning over Abraham when he came out of his deep slumber and into the living world, scribbling down notes furiously in his clipboard.
"Wnnnnnne," Abraham groaned incoherently, calling Dante's attention.
"Patient 60 has regained consciousness," Dante said into his tape recorder as he reached for the suture kit. Abraham merely looked back at the masked man groggily, blinking his eyes several times.
"Sorry, but we gotta ration our anesthetics. So for the rest of this procedure, you're going to feel everything." As Dante said this, Abraham tried moving his arms only to find they were bound with restraints. He furiously shook at his straps, seeing that his legs and torso were also tied down.
Dante merely watched, trying desperately to find some sort of humor in this situation. He remembered something that Negan told him. That bastard seemed to be constantly on Dante's mind as of late.
"Laughter makes the job easier," Dante repeated, recalling what Negan had told him when he confronted the man about his brutality. That seemed to have happened ages ago; his stint as a Savior a distant part of a past.
"It's how you cope."
Maybe that's why Negan had been invading his thoughts. Dante and the rest of his medics had been pretending to enjoy doing this; pretending to enjoy killing that the line where pretending was drawn had started to blur.
Something that Dante had learned upon that confrontation Negan never enjoyed.
Killing was something done out of necessity for him, something that seemed right at the time. This was why Dante let Negan live that day instead of killing him; instead of letting Maiya kill him.
Ultimately, Dante failed to find any humor before him. Sighing, he turned on the nearby radio and let himself get lost in the beat as he walked around the operation table.
"By the way, I wouldn't look down if I were you," Dante warned, seeing Abraham trying to crane his neck. Instantly, Abraham's eyes widened in horror as he caught a glimpse of what Dante warned about.
And what he was about to do.
Now it was Abraham's turn to scream as the needle went into his stomach.
~
In the other stations, the medics were much more successful in their attempts at laughter as they were able to crack jokes and make clever puns.
"I guess she's having a shockingly good time," Cora grinned down at a convulsing and screaming Rosita as 450 volts passed through her body.
She was moving around so violently that if she did not have the mouth guard she would have bitten off her tongue instantly. This continued for several minutes until her eyes started rolling into the back of her head, which is what shut off the ECT machine.
"There's practically smoke coming out of your brain," Cora frowned, watching Rosita stare ahead blankly. Cora slowly pulled the mouth guard out, causing some drool to fall down Rosita's chin.
She did not even notice as she continued blankly staring up at the ceiling.
Cora carted off an unresponsive Rosita back into the mortuary chamber, taking out a terrified Sherry in her place.
"This is for you." Cora shoved the same mouth guard used on Rosita into Sherry's mouth. "And so is this." She injected a large needle into the woman's arm, making the latter give a sharp cry in pain.
The shot knocked her into unconsciousness, allowing Cora to easily move the woman onto the operating table for more injections.
Each injection would cause her to twitch and bring her senses back from numbness. It was not until the 5th shot that she woke up screaming and pulling at her restraints in vain.
From the next station over, Dwight could only tearfully watch how his wife jerked back and forth as immense pain entered her body. He desperately tried to free one of his hands to reach her; just one hand to grab onto hers to comfort her.
"Look over here." Dillon turned Dwight's head, centering it so he could mark lines on where he would be cutting. "We've never had someone like you here, with a burn like this. I have to be extra careful with you," Dillon observed, drawing dark lines across Dwight's face.
Meanwhile, Dante had finished with Abraham and brought out his next subject. He gently placed a sleeping Michonne on the table, binding her arms and legs. As he prepared his operating stand with new tools, Michonne's eyes fluttered open and she lurched forward, freeing her right hand of its straps.
She hurriedly released her left hand just as Dante turned around. She took advantage of his disbelief and grabbed the scissors he held from him, holding them out defensively for protection.
"Just calm down," Dante reassured softly. "Give those back to me. You don't know what you're doing."
"I know exactly what I'm doing," She whispered, glancing at the other distracted medics.
"This mask protects me from those scissors," Dante took two steps backward, gripping onto his tray.
"But not your suit." Michonne drove the scissors into his hazmat suit, puncturing the fabric but not his flesh.
Dante jumped backward, knocking over the tray and falling beside the next operating table. The tools were sent flying through the air, scattering all over the floor when they landed.
Michonne wasted no time in cutting her remaining straps, but as she was about to get off the table she found herself to be surrounded by the other medics. She raised her hand, swinging at anyone within range.
"Stay back. Or I'll destroy your suits," Michonne threatened, glaring at the people in front of her. They remained still, watching her through their unreadable masks.
"Jeffrey's brother already tried this," Dante suddenly said from behind, injecting a syringe into her neck.
"What?" Michonne gasped as the needle entered her. "Carl-"
"He's safe," Dante confirmed, holding her as she succumbed to the injection. "Now, sleep. It'll be better this way."
She felt herself stop fighting, letting her body drift into a state that sounded so welcoming right now. As her eyelids closed, the sight of Dwight staring back at her was the last thing she saw.
"Did she cut you?" Cora asked worriedly as Dante placed Michonne back on the table.
"No. But this suit is ruined," He sighed, glancing down at the hole. "We have some spares right?"
"Yeah, like two," Cora replied.
"I'm going to go change, but can you all clean up?" Dante gestured to the floor. "Oh, and if you all can bring me a saw, a marker, and a scalpel, please?"
~
"I already know why you're here," Cindy greeted the group coldly as they entered through the gate.
"If you already know, then you really did set up Rick and allowed them to be captured?" Tara seethed.
"No." Cindy paused, seeing Tara's confused expression. "You forgot the part where we also attacked."
"Do you even feel anything?!" Tara shouted, stepping closer to the young woman.
"I feel anger and hate. But if you mean remorse, then no." Cindy's eyes narrowed at the surprised faces in front of her.
"Cindy, you have to let go of this-," Tara started to explain, but Morgan interjected his own opinion.
"We're on our way to the Castle, and if it's vengeance you seek then I will not stop you. But I will also not help you. No one will prevent you and your people from getting your vengeance. You have my word."
"Morgan!" Ezekiel exclaimed, turning to his friend. "When did we agree-"
"No one stopped Glenn from his vengeance. No one stopped me from mine. And no one should stop Cindy from hers. It's only fair," Morgan asserted.
"But that isn't the way-" Tara began to challenge, but Morgan's answer overpowered hers.
"No one stopped any of us. Did you all forget what happened at The Sanctuary? How we all did unspeakable things to The Saviors and no one objected to it? We all crossed lines we never thought we would. Even before that, I promised to never kill again." Morgan shook his head incredulously. "Look how far I've strayed from that."
"If my women go, we will kill both Rhee's. And no one will stop us," Cindy demanded.
"No one," Morgan swore as the others behind him glanced down uncertainly.
"This also makes you a traitor to both sides," Tara pointed out.
"I never promised I wouldn't ever attack Maiya. Just not at that moment," Cindy smirked as she turned around to gather her women.
~
The sounds of the front doors opening and the winds blowing in jolted Glenn awake followed by the sound of his sister's voice.
"Ah, what the hell has happened here?" Maiya cried to her subordinates. "One person dies when I leave for a few hours! And you don't know where my brother is?"
"Maiya!!" Glenn shouted, running towards her from the infirmary.
"Glenn!" Maiya smiled as she held the other person Glenn had pushed off the wall. "Where have you been?"
"I've been in here!" Glenn glanced nervously at the injured person his sister supported.
"You're telling me he's been in here this entire time, and you never checked?" Maiya deadpanned to her guards.
"We-uh, we thought maybe we had shot him. But we also didn't want to leave our posts in case we saw you approaching or Alex-," The guard sheepishly answered before Maiya cut him off.
"You shot at my- I realize I never gave you commands to let him in, but shooting at him?!" Maiya roared. "Get back to your posts! Staying there was the smartest decision you all made! And for the ones who went with me, go to the wall and towers with them!"
Everyone quickly left the lobby, following their Commander's immediate instructions. Maiya grumbled, readjusting herself to carry her injured guard. She ignored her brother, moving past him towards the infirmary.
"Who's in there?" Glenn suddenly asked as he trailed behind his sister.
"....No one I need right now," She gestured to the guard.
"Then who do you need? The medics?" Glenn demanded as his sister knocked on the infirmary door. "Where are they?"
Maiya gave no response, knocking harder and louder this time.
"Are they in the lab?" Glenn crept closer to her.
"Open up! We have an injured guard out here!" Maiya hollered. Instantly, the door opened and Maiya practically shoved the guard inside and into the other person's arms. Who they were, Glenn didn't see since it all happened so fast. And when Glenn approached the door, Maiya blocked him.
"Glenn, listen to me." She shut the infirmary door. "Stay here while I get the medics."
"That other guard mentioned Alexandria. What's going on? Why would they be coming here? Why were their cars outside?" Glenn inquired, growing more frantic with each question.
"Just stay here!" Maiya growled as she ran in the opposite direction, leaving a stunned Glenn behind. He had never seen his sister this agitated before. Not even when he first arrived here and uncovered her secret.
Now, she looked several years older than she really was. She looked like a cornered animal that was about ready to bite.
She looked dangerous.
For a second, Glenn even believed she looked like she could kill him.
~
"I'm so, so, sorry, Cindy. For what I did to you. For what I made you into... this," Tara lamented as she drove.
"It's how the world is now. I had to grow up. It looks like you also need to," Cindy scowled. "No one can be a pacifist anymore."
"That's not true. Yeah, this world may be tougher. But- shit!" Tara suddenly slammed on the brakes. The car skidded to a halt right next to a large tree covering the road. From behind, other cars did the same, nearly causing a collision with one another.
"What the hell is this?!" Tara hopped out of the car to see what was going on. Already out of their car were Aaron and Eric, looking at the tree.
"It's just like last time with The Saviors," Aaron groaned.
"They're wanting to trap us?" Eric looked at the man, who was now shivering in the rain.
"I-I," Aaron stammered fearfully.
"Let's see if we can find another way then." Tara trudged back to her car through the dense water. She waved at the other cars to turn around before getting back inside.
"It's just going to get worse," Cindy stated, looking out the window.
"What?" Tara raised her eyebrows as she attempted to drive off. She pressed her foot on the gas pedal, but the car would not go. She tried again, but the car remained stuck.
"The rain. It's just going to get worse," Cindy clarified. "Thunderstorms like these always lead to flooding."
"Shit!" Tara realized as she opened the car door. Below, over four inches of water had already collected around the car. Tara looked behind and saw some of the other cars in the same situation.
The lucky ones had already driven off.
"We have to get out!" Tara blurted out.
"And go where? This water is rising fast!" Cindy had also opened her car door to see the water rapidly increasing.
"Exactly!"
"We'll get swept away!" Cindy exclaimed.
"Climb on top the car then!" Tara began to pull herself upwards. Once she stood on the roof, she went to Cindy's side to pull her up.
"I see Aaron and Eric over there, Tara pointed to the other car, trying to see through the heavy rain.
"Anyone else?" Cindy wiped away the water that had collected over her face.
"Mmm. Yeah!! Another car is coming! It's Gabriel and Jesus!" Tara gestured wildly to them. They were already helping Aaron and Eric get into their vehicle, telling them to jump onto the roof instead of crossing the flooded road.
"We're going to have to jump over to Aaron's car then Jesus's," Tara panted. "You go first."
Cindy pursed her lips at the woman, tucking her body down as she ran towards the other car and pushed herself off. She hit the car roughly, but managed to cling on despite the slipperiness.
Tara inhaled deeply, sprinting forward and leaping into the air. Her hand caught onto the side of the car and the other one reached for Cindy's. The girl pulled Tara up with all her strength, both gasping once they were safe.
"I don't think I can do this again." Tara steadied herself against the wind and rain.
"We're going to have to. But they'll help us," Cindy pointed to the men waiting for them with outreached arms.
"Okay, you ready?"
Cindy nodded hesitantly before rushing forward off the car once again. Just like she said, the men caught her and pulled her to safety.
"This looks a lot further..." Tara whispered to herself. "On the count of three. 1... 2..." A sudden burst of courage sent Tara running. At the moment she was about to jump, her foot slipped and she tumbled down.
Tara gave a strangled cry as she fell headfirst into the water below. Already, the current was overpowering her and sweeping her away.
"Haaallg!!" Tara took in a mouthful of water when she meant to cry out for help. The water went inside her lungs, robbing them of whatever oxygen she had.
Her arms splashed around frantically, searching for anything to latch onto. The current was getting stronger, the water colder, and her strength weaker.
But suddenly, her hand caught onto another and she was pulled from the watery depths. Tara gasped desperately for the fresh air as the hand's grip slowly began slipping.
"Tara!" Jesus was barely holding onto Aaron; the latter who was barely holding onto the car.
"J-Jesus!" Tara grabbed onto his wrist tightly with her other hand.
"I-I can't hold on," He gritted his teeth, feeling her hands sliding off his. "Pull yourself up!"
Tara opened her mouth to respond when thunder rumbled above, startling her. She lost her hold on Jesus and felt herself sinking back down, but Jesus caught her once again.
"Tara," Jesus calmly addressed her. "It'll be okay."
"N-No, don't let go!" Tara shouted just as Jesus swung her upwards with all his might. But by doing so, he let himself fall down.
Tara hit the car door painfully, but that wasn't what made her cry out. Nor was it Aaron's death grip on her wrist.
It was that Jesus never resurfaced again.
~
Maiya's stomps to the lab echoed her storming off from her brother. With her boots, it made the sounds even louder.
She only stopped stomping when she was halfway down the stairs, realizing she was about to enter this lab without any sort of protection.
Not even a surgical mask.
"Damn," She muttered, deciding she would get one from the lab.
"Maiya!" A voice called from above the stairs.
"I thought I told you to stay behind!" She sped up her walk.
"I just need to know! Please! Tell me they're not in there!" Glenn caught up to her and pressed her against the railing.
Maiya gave a low snarl as she shoved him back and continued downwards.
"Maiya!" He continued calling out to her.
"There's nothing down here for you!" She yelled, never once stopping to glance back. But when she finally reached the bottom, she did stop.
The door loomed in front of her like a giant void.
If she entered, she would never be able to come back out.
"Maiya... what's wrong?" Glenn paused beside her.
She swallowed, slowly pulling out her key. She did not want to get any closer as she could already hear what was happening on the other side.
"Are-Are you okay?" Glenn stuttered.
"Of course. I just never really go in here... When they're experimenting." Maiya's hand was drawn back to her chest.
"What?" Glenn was taken back by this statement.
"Glenn, please. Don't make me go in there! Afterwards, I'll be okay. But not during!" Maiya pleaded.
"Why... not..." Glenn whispered darkly.
Maiya only lowered her head, biting her lip in silence.
"Give that to me!" He snatched the key from her and stuck it into the lock.
"Glenn! Don't!" Maiya's head snapped up instantly.
"You're scared, aren't you?" Glenn questioned as he turned the key.
"Yes! But you were too!" Maiya reached her hand out for him, but Glenn had already pushed open the doors. "You never went in there either!"
"I was," Glenn remembered when he used to deliver patients here. "I wore earplugs and everything. I couldn't even bear to sneak a peek."
"But now," Glenn stated as light covered the both of them. "We have to face that there's nothing to fear."