"Don't shoot!" The familiar voice begged before the door of the driver side opened. Troy breathed deeply and his brows furrowed tightly. The white lights dimmed and he saw the person exit the car slowly, arms raised. "I'm stepping out slowly. Don't do anything rash son."
"You shouldn't have followed me." Troy's finger twitched on the trigger when the silhouette of James became clear after his eyes adjusted to the muted darkness again. His gaze quick flicked to the massacre of the RV and Troy threateningly stepped forward and demanded. "Why are you here?!"
"Saw you sneak out," James answered, tune low and voice controlled. He didn't react to the sound of the agitated snarls. James kept looking at him with the calmest gaze. "Lower the rifle Troy. I know you're not going to shoot me."
A sneer that was more distress than an act of gallantry. "Don't tempt me." The sound of the passenger seat opening made Troy move the nuzzle of his weapon in that direction. He blinked a couple of times, taken back as to why she was here and spoke, voice confused, "Madison?" She had her arms up, but her gaze was harsh and stoic. She had her chin raised and her eyes peered directly at Troy, calculated and in a manner that always looked for an angle. Troy grimaced, moody and wary by her motivations. If Madison had but a sliver of being able to use something to her advantage, she would.
"Put the gun down Troy," Madison bid coolly and after a bout of silence lowered her arms. In spite of Troy holding them under gunpoint, she was so strangely calm in the situation.
Troy didn't know how to feel. How to respond. He was confused, not anxious of what they'd find, but caught off-guard by their response. In particular James. It was easy to figure out what happened. What he had done to the Trimbols... to Mike. Troy locked his gaze with said man and the corner of his lips twitched. "I swear it wasn't supposed to go like this... He needed to look me in the face and say it to me James. Like Vernon did to you."
James didn't speak until Troy finished and bobbed his head, acknowledging his claim, "I know." Troy chewed on his chapped lips, tense stance faltering just that bit and he glanced at Mike's corpse. "Just put down the gun and we'll figure this out."
"Why?!" Troy snapped, eyes feral again. It didn't make sense that James, out of everyone, was this calm and understanding. Troy might have not been as clear headed and in control of himself during the act, but James his response was more messed up than anything. "You should draw your gun. Make me pay for killing your friend."
"He's dead, Troy. Whether he died by your hand, the dead, Walker's or someone else... that was his fate. I warned him and he didn't want to listen to me. He wanted to see for himself what was out here for him and his family... and he did."
"James," Madison interjected in a clipped tone. She glanced back and forth between him and Troy. James paused briefly, looked the mother up and down, as if she told him a joke, and shrugged. Troy was still confused, but relaxed when he couldn't detect any lies. Slowly, but gradually he lowered his riffle. His shoulders dipped down, the weight on them heavy and light at the same time. He didn't know if he should feel guilty or relieved, his mind and emotions at an all time high, but steadily faltering to as they were before. At a state where he didn't feel anger, fury or anything else.
James nodded and finally looked in the direction of the busted RV. It was too dark for Troy to see his expression. But his posture was neither tense or relaxed and Troy his eyes followed James walking towards the vehicle. Still wary and confused before he looked at the weapon in his hands. He felt empty and tired and blamed it on the adrenaline leaving his system.
"Do you regret it? Troy sucked in a breath and didn't realize that Madison was this close to him until he snapped his neck up in alarm. He avoided her gaze at first, unable to find the words to answer. The figure of James from his peripheral distracted him, but the Madison made sure she had his attention. Troy looked at the ground again, pondering about his answer and opened his mouth.
"- he owed me. Probably not what you want to hear after our last conversation, is it?" Troy scoffed and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "He said some things... and I-… I don't know." His voice faltered under a whisper.
"But that wasn't what you were here for." Seeing his lost appearance, Madison said, wanting to get an idea behind Troy's motives. Even if he acted on his emotion and lost control, it was clear from his response that killing wasn't planned. He had other motivations to be here and his clarification proved her right.
"It was Cristine's idea. Suggested we do this smart and controlled. She even offered to join... I don't think it would have ended this bad if she did. She is practical like that. Should have let her come with me." Troy forced a smile with a light shake of his head. Madison watched him struggle to find his words and deliberately touched his arm. It made Troy snap his head up, piercing blue stare guarded. Wary, but accepting of the manipulation with one another. He and Madison never revealed their true cards. Madison was always on her toes when it involved Troy and his bizarre willingness to play along. However, there was something else inside Troy's stare that was difficult for the blonde to pinpoint at first. But the more Madison observed his unsure body language, the more she saw the complicated emotions play out on Troy's face. Whether that had to do with sticking to the original plan or this unexpected massacre of the Trimbols; Troy actually seemed to care about what Cristine would think. Almost defeated that he had disappointed her in the end. Madison pressed her lips together and remembered to keep that to herself. Troy Otto actually had someone, other than his family, that he trusted and cared about. And she could use that as a wild card. Whether Troy was aware of that or not was another thing. Madison didn't know how deep the high regard ran or if it was just a camaraderie built on survival.
"You wanted to scare them in coming back if they thought it was the Nation attacking them from the rocks," James piped up after placing Mike's body on the ground. "Cristine was furious with me... for keeping secrets and risking our people. A bit ironic, but she is definitely my child." James tilt his head before rubbing the back of his neck, but didn't finish what he was about to say. Just that he didn't know how to feel about noticing the traces of his ruthlessness and darkness inside his daughter. She was the same as him and that was the last thing he wanted for Cristne. With the killing came burdens and sleepless nights. Cristine already placed the burden of his actions on herself... how was she going to give what happened here a place if she knew? James glanced at Troy from the corner of his eyes and narrowed them thoughtfully. "We need to make it seem like this is Walker's doing. Like the two of you planned." James rose to his feet and pushed his hands into his hips. He looked at the trailer, his back facing Madison and Troy as he talked out loud, "we strip the RV. Walker wouldn't waste supplies."
"And the bodies?" Madison implored.
James turned, looking past Troy at Madison. "He scalped Phil at the outpost… burned the rest of the bodies… that's what we'll do." James walked up to the two and rested his hand on Troy's slouched shoulder. The latter slightly ducked his head and avoided eye contact by looking away and chewing on his lips. "Other than Cristine, we don't know who else knows you snuck out… but if anyone asks… you were with me all night. Bonded over the betrayal of our close friends. Understood?"
"…"
"I need a yes Troy. If we're going to do this right and believable. You do exactly as I say."
"Why are you doing this? You don't owe me." Troy let the question finally slip. His brain swimming with so many illogical questions and his expression was open confusion now. He looked between the two people he respected for their wits and ability to exploit situations. Made the sacrifices necessary and not look back. James backed his initial plan when Jake wouldn't. It wasn't until the veteran agreed with him that it swayed Big Otto to do all of this and Troy didn't know how to feel about that. That his father would trust the word of a friend over that of his own son. His blood. "Why aren't you angry?"
James narrowed his eyes. "I'm furious. But, what's the use throwing a skilled soldier and leader to the wolves when there's a war? Your father is back at the Ranch with a handful of soldiers, your brother is negotiating peace with the Nation, and we're out here in the wild with our people. They are scared and need to be guided. All I'm asking you- ordering you is that you control whatever demons you're struggling with son." Troy was entranced by the unbiased words of James and felt his chest swell at the next question, "we need to save our people and I need to know if you're ready for that. Are you ready to fight for our home and our people?"
Troy swallowed, his throat was dried up, but this familiar feeling when he picked up his weapons to protect his home from the enemy. To defend it from falling in the hands of hostile forces. Just like his father prepared him all his life. It was what he was meant to do. It was his calling. Troy felt the shallow remains of doubt and guilt over what he'd done vanish and with renewed vigor answered the question, voice strong and sure, "yes, sir."
The rest of the night, the three of them stripped the inside of the RV clean of all the supplies. James thought it best to bury the supplies instead of wasting them. After, they put down Vernon, Kathy, and Gretchen, dragged the bodies out, and laid them together on the dirt. James took Troy his machete and started the arduous task of scalping Vernon's heax. It was then that Madison offered to stand as a lookout. An excuse so she didn't have to witness or think about it. She was willing to do anything for her children's safety, but actually seeing James in action and seeing the lifeless body of Gretchen in front of her, a slither of remorse slipped through her mind. She was Alicia's age and too unprepared and innocent for this world. Yet here she was covering for the teen's murderer and an accomplice. Madison crossed lines, too many to count. But those deaths were swift, a bullet to the head, a push into the dead, and never having to think about it. All in the name of family. She had no room to speak given the awful things she had done. And this feeling would pass, it always dif but right now, Madison felt sick.
"Water?" Troy's presence made her briefly shut her eyes, pretending he wasn't standing right next to her for a few seconds. But he was here, as real as the wet sound of James sawing the head of his dead friend. She sighed and her eyes flickered open, moving to the side where Troy held the water bottle and patiently waited for her to accept it. Madison curtly looked at the taller youth, saw nothing in his gaze that showed guilt or remorse and took the bottle. Troy acted as if he didn't just murder his childhood friend and family; signs of someone with unginged sociopathic tendencies. Troy wiped his hand on his pants after he stared at Madison's peripheral for a second and breathed out a short breath that sounded like a chuckle. He lightly scratched the side of his nose and scraped his boots on the sand. "You know," he began in a light voice, "I never got the chance to say this with everything going on, but you and your family earned your keep. You've really proven yourself, even Nick. I mean he's right at home with the militia..."
"I told you he would." Madison shifted, her answer neither hot or cold. "Seems you were wrong about him not deserving his place here."
"Hey, I can at least admit that. It's not the first time that's happened. Some people just surprise you like that. They're the ones that go against the grain. Especially the ones you think won't do shit at a first glance. The ones you're sure shit is done to. If I had to do it over, I would definitely change some of the calls I made about the ones I didn't pick at the start. They definitely deserve it more than others anyway." Troy exhaled deeply, gaze faraway. Putting everything in perspective and concluded that when it really mattered his closest people betrayed him while a certain scowling medic he knew for just a few months had his back and knew the true meaning of loyalty.
"You're talking about Cristine." Madison decided to probe and hoped Troy would catch the bait... hoped Troy would play long enough to at least slip details that determined if he was just talking about hjs odd idea of a friendship or more. Glancing at him from the corner of her eyes, Madison was a bit taken aback by Troy's brief smile and kept her face as relaxed as possible during the times he looked at her.
"She's a tough one for sure. Loves to argue just to make a point. But always loyal to the cause. I still can't quite figure her out though. She cares, at times a little too much, even for strangers. Then all of a sudden there's something that doesn't make her that different from us. From me. She doesn't know she gets like that though... it's- I don't know. I get her more when she's like that and she gets me too, even if she doesn't admit it. I think she just worries about what people will think of her when she lets it out. Really let it out. She hasn't, but I think she wants to and needs to. Something is still stopping her, but she'll be more of an asset if she does." Troy pulled his shoulders up and scrunched his brows together. Feeling Madison her narrowed stare, he chuckled. "So. What is your conclusion as a school guidance counselor? You have enough material to analyze my rant about my friend?"
Madison didn't outwardly betray that Troy had caught onto her. Pushing back her shoulder, she gestured at James and said, "let's help James. The sun will come up soon and we need to be back by then." Madison ended the conversation without denying or confirming Troy's claim. Troy tipped his chin down and rubbed the traces of blood on his bruised knuckles with his sensitive fingertips. He opened his mouth, thinking of his conversation with Cristine a few hours back. Her loyalty and trust were something else and Troy welcomed it. He said he wouldn't look at her differently or bat an eye at the things she did and proposed so they could live. Troy was convinced neither would she. He fucked up, but deep down he was sure that Cristine would understand. For the greater good. James did and if his response was something to go by... then he could imagine Cristine's reaction. She and her father were the same. With that thought, Troy remembered how Madison poked and prodded. He wasn't thrilled with her trying to look for an angle. To use something that could cripple him in the long-run. Their game was fun, yes, but Troy wasn't going to stand for anyone trying ruin the true loyalties and responsibilities he had as an Otto. Whether that was his family, the militia, or his friendship with Cristine. He'd protect those things.
"Madison," Troy stopped the mother in mid step as he said her name. Troy couldn't see her face, but knew she listened to him. "Whatever it is you do for you and your family's sake, be my guest. I know you won't jeopardize any of this for your children's safety. It's why we never miss a beat. It's kind of funny seeing you do it with James too, but leave Cristine and her family out of it. At the very least, I'd watch your back if you do decide to get on her bad side. She doesn't like being used for petty stuff and she isn't stupid." Troy titled her head and said with a relaxed smile, "fair warning: Cristine was an infectiologist before this and can and will hurt you without you even realizing it."
Share your thoughts please!
Did you see this plot twist coming? What do you think of Troy interaction with both Madison and James?
What do you guys think of Troy's little protective streak when it comes to Cristine?