While Negan had gone away from his team to look for Kat, Simon had taken advantage of it to turn things in his favor.
Once everyone returned to the meeting point, the Saviors had waited for Negan. His team hadn't seen him for a while and said they didn't remember exactly how and when they had lost sight of him. Obviously Negan had done it on purpose hoping to find Kat alone, but things hadn't gone as he had hoped: the Saviors were not the only ones to wander in the woods that day and the man who attacked Kat was the confirmation.
The sun had almost set and the air was getting cold, when Simon, already impatient and angry with Negan, decided to take matters into his own hands.
<Okay people, listen! It's a while since Negan disappeared and despite his team trying to find him, there is no trace of him. Or he has been attacked and wounded, which is unlikely since we are talking about Negan, or he is already on his way home. Or ...>
<Or? What?> one asked.
<Or he found the girl> Simon knew that others were beginning to wonder why Negan was strange lately and wanted to turn his own men against him.
<Doesn't it seem strange to you? I mean, since that bitch came, he's not been the same: after what she did, he didn't even punish her, and when it was time, she casually disappeared. Not to mention how he reduced his room and how he nearly killed me and Dwight. And the man this morning? Destroyed like that because he was nervous. What do you think he will do when he finds the girl? Will she also tear her apart? No, no. "She need a more exemplary punishment" it seems to already hear him. She will come back to work for us and live safe and sound without a scratch because he has a weakness for her at the bottom... And he says some crap when he talks about not beating women because it is not part of his principles. Who is wrong pays. Here's how you live now. How we live. If we are wrong, we pay, while she doesn't. This thing must end, but we must be strong if we want it to work. We can arrange things at the Sanctuary and with the communities. Who is with me?> The speech was convincing enough but needed more to convince the men and Simon knew it.
<Do you think that when, and if he will come back, we will all come back to live happily ever after? Without repercussions?
Who should have checked the cell mh?> Two men shyly raised their hands <And who would have had to check his room?> Two others raised it <And who did it late to look for the weapons?> To which almost all of them raised a hand.
<Ah, see, then we understand each other now... And do you think no one will pay the consequences? Just nobody? Are you really sure? Do you think he will not be angry with me? You are wrong if you think it will be all right, because it will not. All for a stupid slut... He had all the women he wanted, included the poor Dwight's wife but he wants the one he can't have. We have to do something: alone against us he can do nothing> the men had been convinced knowing for sure that someone would have died on his return.
<Who's with me?> Simon shouted.
There was a general shout of approval from all men.
<Then let's get back to us what is ours> and so saying they went back into the cars to go back to the Sanctuary.
Simon had finally got what he wanted: the command.