"Now, we're gonna work this out right now and it's going to go our way."
Clary clenched her jaw as she heard the woman speak, her hand gripped firmly on the handle of her blade. "Pick him up, " Rick demanded, causing Daryl to grab him and hold him up before forcing him to look to the forest. Clary grabbed the collar of the man's shirt, holding her blade to his throat before scanning the tree line for any signs of life. "You can see we have one of yours. We'll trade." Rick declared, the other side silent for a moment.
"I'm listening," the woman finally spoke, causing Clary to look at Rick. "First, I want to talk to Maggie and Carol, make sure they're all right." As he let go of the button, the walkie went silent. She allowed her blade to go closer to the man's throat as she waited for the static.
Clary's head snapped as the walkie crackled, a soft voice coming from the other side. "Rick, it's Carol. I'm— I'm fine but—" The connection shut off, cutting off Carol's words until it sounded to life once more a moment later. "Rick, it's Maggie. We're both okay. We'll figure this out—" Clary clenched her jaw when she heard the woman being cut off. "Shut up. You have your proof, lets talk." Clary looked over to Rick, his finger raised above the button before he pressed it. "Alright, this is the deal, right here. Let 'em go, you can have your guy back and live." She heard the woman let out a humorless laugh. "Two for one, that's not much of a trade." Rick waited a moment before answering. "You don't have any other choice, or you would've done something already."
The opposite end of the connection went silent and Clary dropped her sword from the man's neck before grabbing the walkie from Rick's hand. He looked at her confusedly as she pressed the button to the walkie. "You don't want just your guy? Fine, I'll sweeten the deal. You give Carol and Maggie back, you get your man and the Angel of Death." Everyone turned towards her with their eyes wide as she spoke, raising her finger off the button. Rick grabbed her arm, forcing her to look to him. "What are you doing—" he began to question, only leading her to give him a stern look. "Protecting my family."
Pulling away from Rick, she heard the static of the walkie before the woman's voice sounded. "You would give yourself up? I thought you were supposed to be strong? Do you— do you care for these women?" With Clary saying nothing, the woman laughed. "And here I thought the Angel of Death was dangerous—" Clary scoffed. "You better decide, bitch, or you'll see how true that is. You don't need those two, not if keeping them means you lose me," Clary countered, the woman going silent. "Why don't I keep them? They seem to be leverage." Clary took a step forward, staring into the expanse of forest before them to where she hoped her eyes were boring into that of the woman's. "Because whatever you do to them, what I'll do to you and the people with you will be a hundred times worse. You'll learn why people you knew feared me."
Everyone's eyes fell upon the teenager, dressed in her dark clothing and her gaze dark and taunting. She was terrifying, and that much they could admit. Even with her voice growing lower, her teeth practically bared as she angrily gave the woman terms. However, she kept her cool, relaxing to show a hint of confidence— or cockiness. "Unless you give them up, then I go with you willingly. That's the deal."
Raising her finger off of the button, she turned her head as Glenn came closer, shaking his head. "Don't do this, Clary. I can't lose you, too." Clary shook her head. "You won't lose either of us. I have to do this, to protect her just as the two of you protected me." Seeing Glenn's unsure gaze, she clenched her jaw. "This was what I did as Commander, protect my people. So please, let me do what I need to do." Glenn clenched his jaw, wanting to stop her from sacrificing herself, but he knew the type of girl she was— the type of leader she was. She was strong, and she was loving and being those two meant she'd do anything for the people she loved.
Glenn sent her a nod before she pressed the button to the walkie and spoke again. "I'm sure you're talking things over, so let me make it easy for you. Take the deal. Come on out and we'll trade." Clary waited for a few moments before the walkie buzzed back to life. "I'll get back to you." Clary clenched the walkie as she heard the static dissipate.
Handing the walkie to Rick, she made her way to the Savior and aimed her blade at his throat. "You're going to tell us whatever we need to know," she demanded through bared teeth, to which the man laughed. "Fuck you—" Clary pushed the blade farther against his neck, satisfied when she saw small dots of blood appearing. He went silent, his eyes wide as he saw the fury within her gaze.
As Clary pulled away, she looked towards Rick. "We need to question him, see what he knows about where they could be. They might take them to a halfway point or a safe house, somewhere they can get supplies." Rick nodded, motioning for the group of them to round up. Daryl pulled the man back into the compound, taking him into a room before throwing him to the ground.
As Glenn, Clary and Rick watched over him, Daryl stepped away. "I'm gonna go check out the tree line, see if there's tracks. If I find any, we'll head out from there. You just see what you get from that prick." Clary nodded before he headed out.
Turning to the man as he sat on the floor, she pulled up a chair before sitting in front of him. Rick and Glenn stood closer to the door as she just looked at him, silence filling the air until he chuckled. "Sorry, kid, you're a little too young for me—" he went silent as she pulled out the switchblade, the blade flicking out as she pointed it to him. "And you're too much of a fucking creep for me. Trust me, all I want from you is where your people took mine." The man scoffed. "What makes you think I'll tell you? You gonna show me the wrath of the Angel of Death?" The man chuckled. "The people who are scared of you? They're just a bunch of little pussies scared of a little girl. I'm not." Clary let out a laugh, surprised that the man that had looked at her in fear just moments ago had gotten so brave. Maybe it was the knowledge that he would die no matter what that made him unafraid, but Clary would change that.
Moving from the chair, Clary stood in front of him before sending up a punch to his jaw. He groaned, his head falling staying for a few moments before he looked up. "You're not getting anything from me." Clary looked to him, letting out a humored laugh as she knew she would make him talk. "Rick, Glenn, step out," she demanded, hearing one of them step forward. "Clary—" Glenn began until she turned, the two men surprised at the nothingness her eyes held. She didn't feel pain or worry or anger, rather just wanting to get the information she needed. The two nodded before stepping out and shutting the door.
Everyone waited around the door, wondering what the girl would do. Their questions were soon answered as screams of agony sounded from behind the closed door. They could hear her faint demands but they went unnoticed with the screams from the man, pleading with her to stop. The cries lasted for a while before she stepped out, rubbing her bloodied hands on her jeans. "He said there's a safe house the Saviors use not too far from here, that it's probably where they would go. He gave a rough location but he doesn't even know exactly where it is—" she was cut off as Daryl joined the group. "But I do," he declared as he came closer. "I picked up tracks, so let's grab the asshole and let's get a move on." Daryl gave a look to Rick before the two went in the room and grabbed the man.
As he came out, everyone saw the new blood spilling from his mouth, a few of his fingers twisted in an unnatural direction and cuts along his face and down his chest. No one spoke as they saw the damage the girl had done, silently thankful that she was on their side whether they cared to outwardly admit it or not.
Before they started to move, Rick pulled out the walkie. "Have you thought about it? Talk to me," he demanded, hearing nothing for a few moments. "You weren't listening. I said I'd contact you," the Savior said, Clary noticing the nonchalant undertone. "Well, you told the Angel of Death that. But would it make any difference if I said I was sorry about that?" Rick questioned. "What do you think?" The woman counteracted to his own.
There was a small pause as the group watched him, Clary reaching out before he placed the walkie in her hand. "I'm still on the table, and I think you can't pass me up. None of you Saviors would give up that chance. So I think we're gonna make the trade, so tell us where," Clary demanded, tired of the back and forth. "We haven't agreed to that, oh mighty Angel of Death." Clary let out a chuckle. "But you will, I know you will."
There was a few moments of silence before the static sounded. "You know what? I'm not so sure. We'd be taking most of the risk." There was a pause. "Although I must say... getting you might be worth it. The key word is might." Clary clenched her jaw before pressing the button once more. "You think there's any other option? The other choice won't work out well for you," Clary promised, her tone dark and cold. "I guess we'll have to take our chances."
As the woman cut the connection, Clary passed the walkie back to Rick before turning to Daryl. "Let's get moving, fast." With a nod, the group followed Daryl as he allowed the tracks to guide him.
As they moved, Glenn moved towards Clary before speaking. "If she agrees to the trade, you know we're not letting you go right?" Clary shook her head. "Yes you will. It's not if she agrees, it's when. And when she does, you have to let me go." Turning to Glenn, the man clenched his jaw. "You don't have to do this. You don't have to risk your life every chance you get, Clary—" she cut him off. "You think that's what I'm doing?" Glenn's face softened as she shook her head. "I'm trying to protect Carol. I'm trying to protect Maggie and the baby. Right now, getting them back is more important than losing me."
Before Glenn could argue, the walkie crackled to life. "Asshole, are you there?" The group stopped in their tracks hearing the woman's voice. Rick held the walkie up to his lips before speaking. "I'm here," Rick said, the woman speaking not moments later. "We've thought about it. We want to make the trade. Our guy and the Angel of Death for your people." Glenn's eyes widened as he looked to Clary, who placed a hand on the handle of her sword as it rested against her hip. She gave a nod to Rick, surprising many that she didn't even look afraid at the risk she could be facing. "There's a large field with a sign that says 'God is Dead,' about two miles down I-66. Good visibility in all directions." Rick nodded. "We'll meet you there. Ten minutes?" He confirmed, hearing the woman reply, "Ten minutes."
As the both of them cut the connection, all eyes turned towards the girl. Rick met her eyes before she began speaking. "We're close, there wasn't static on the other end. If we could tell, she can too. We have to get there quick—" Rick cut the girl off. "So what do we do? You call the shots, you're the one at risk here." Clary would be lying if she said that she wasn't surprised Rick allowed her to give input. "I'll go in first. You guys circle around the building but stay hidden in the trees. I'll go to first to make sure there's no one else. If they did call backup, I can take them, but you all just need to stay hidden. They don't know who you are and that'll protect Alexandria if things go south." Rick nodded before signaling to Daryl to continue tracking, to which he did.
They continued on for a few minutes until they reached the safe house. Clary looked to Rick, who nodded before signaling to everyone to set up. As they walked away, Clary met Glenn's gaze before making an X over her heart, all the words they had no time to say being said in that one motion. He nodded, responding with the same marking before getting set up.
As she made her way to the safe house, she heard voices at the entrance to the building. "Paula said kill floor. Rigo, Lee, you stay out her and keep an eye out for those bastards. We'll get Paula." She heard a door opened and shut before she peered around the corner to see two men standing at the door. Grabbing a rock by the wall, she tossed it opposite from her, causing the two men to look that way. She came up behind the closest one, slitting his throat. As he fell, signaling to his partner that she was there, his eyes met hers as she dug the blade in his stomach. His eyes were wide with recognition as they glazed over, his body slipping from her sword.
Letting out a soft whistle, Rick and the others made their way out, their hostage in hand. Clary sheathed her sword, picking up her gun as she knew the Saviors were not hand to hand combat people, rather relying on their guns. Far off, she heard the screams of men and wondered exactly what was happening and if it was by the hand of Maggie or Carol.
As they opened the sliding door of the safe house, Clary and Glenn raised their guns only to find Maggie at the end of it. Determination was replaced with fear as Maggie saw her husband and the girl, relieved that she hadn't had to be traded off. Glenn pulled Maggie in a hug, the woman pulling away only to grab tightly onto the girl and hold her close. Clary stayed for a moment in the woman's arms, relief filling her body until it was replaced with anger.
Pulling away, she raised her gun looking past Maggie.
"Where are they? I'll kill them myself—" Maggie shook her head. "They're dead. They're all dead, the ones that took us. They're all dead." Clary heard the shakiness in the woman's voice, looking worriedly to her as Glenn tried to steady her. "Hey, are you okay?" Clary watched painfully as she saw the woman shake her head. "I just— I can't anymore." Glenn pulled her in for another hug, giving Clary a reassuring nod.
Reluctantly looking away from the scene before her, Clary looked over to Rick to see the man still in his hold. Grief was written all over his face as he looked down the hall, knowing his people were gone. Clary moved closer, her hand on her handgun as Rick stared the man down. "Your friends are dead. No one's coming for you. So you might as well talk." Footsteps approached the two surrounding their hostage. "Let him burn."
Both Clary and Rick looked towards Daryl the man's gaze dark and full of anger as he looked at the Savior. Giving Daryl a look, Rick turned towards the man. "How'd you get the bike?" The man scoffed. "We found it," he said, causing Rick to clench his jaw. "Was Negan in that building last night or was he here?" Rick questioned, the man pausing for a moment before turning his head to look at Rick. Surprising them, the Savior chuckled. "Both." The man met Rick's gaze with a dark smile. "I'm Negan shithead. And there's a whole world of shit—"
Everyone jumped as a gunshot rang out, the Savior falling to the floor with a gunshot wound in his temple. Everyone looked to Clary as she dropped her gun from where it had been aimed before holstering it. Rick looked to the girl, his eyes wide. "What the hell did you—" Clary cut him off. "Asshole wasn't Negan. It's some mantra they use, that they're all Negan. They worship him like he's some god, but he's really just a coward that hides behind his people." Clary looked towards Rick, seeing that he still looked as if he didn't believe her.
With one last look, the girl shook her head. "We should head back and be prepared," Clary declared, her eyes resting on the man's body. "For what?" Rick questioned, the others looking to her with the same question in mind. "What comes after." Clary said nothing else as she made her way to Maggie, supporting her with Glenn as they made their way back to the compound they had destroyed.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Once again, you guys blow me away. Thank you so much for 5k reads! You guys are absolutely amazing and I can only hope you continue to fall in love with this story as much as I continue to fall in love with writing it.
Much love <3