The Hunter's Prey

Chapter 15

We took a few days to recuperate and prepare for our next battle. Rick, Ezekiel and Maggie all came up with a plan. We'd attack first. Before they had the chance to strike us. I helped get most of the cars mobilized and ready for the battle. We used pieces of metal to make a shield from the bullets that would surely rain down on us.

This was it. This was how Negan fell. We'd barge in and catch them off guard. What was even better, we had an inside man. Not Eugene. He turned his back on us. Coward. I was starting to like him too. I didn't know who it was. Rick said the less people who knew his name the better. I felt as though I wasn't going to like who it was. I stayed quiet. This will be over soon.

Rick, Ezekiel and Maggie pulled every fighter they had and met up. The crowd was big. We could win this. We finally had the people. Rick, Ezekiel and Maggie talked for a few minutes as they stood on top of a truck. Everyone had a cloth tied around their arm. Red, green and white. It's how we distinguished our groups. Green was for Hilltop, white for Alexandria, and red for the Kingdom. I had a white one. I hated the idea, but Rick said it was helpful or something. Maggie, Rick and Ezekiel stopped talking and Rick turned to us.

"When I first met him, Jesus said that my world was gonna get a whole lot bigger. Well, we found that world. We found each other. That bigger world is ours by right. That we've come together for it, all of us. It's that much more true, it's ours by right. Any person who would live in peace and fairness, who would find common ground, it's their right, too. But those who use and take and kill to carve out the world and make it theirs alone- we end them. We don't celebrate it. We don't have shame about it, either. There's only one person who has to die and I will kill him myself. I will."

You can dream, Cowboy, but he was my kill and no one was getting in my way. I was going to watch as he begged for his life. Then I was going to take his life in the slowest and most painful way there was. It was the least he deserved. He ruined my life. It's only fair I show him a glimpse of the pain he forced me through.

"But if it's the others." Rick continued. "The others who prop him up, stand by his side, even those who just look the other way- so be it. Then we keep making the world bigger. Together."

"Together. Bound forever. To quote The Bard, 'For he today who sheds his blood with me shall be my brother." Ezekiel placed a hand on Rick's shoulder before turning to Maggie. "For she today my sister."

"We've practiced. We've been through it over and over again. We all know the plan doesn't end this morning. That we may have to live in uncertainty for days, maybe more." Maggie began to speak after a brief pause.

We wouldn't live in uncertainty. I'd make sure Negan was dead. No matter what. This ended today. Not tomorrow. Not the day after. Today. This is what I've been waiting for. If it meant I had to go against those I love, I'd do it. Negan's been in control for too long. It was time someone brought an end to it.

"We have to keep our faith in each other. If we can hold on to that with everything we have, the future is ours." Maggie looked over to Glenn, who smiled and nodded. "The world is ours."

Everyone dispersed to get into their vehicles. We were going to bring the battle to Negan, before he could bring it to us. We needed to catch him off guard and this was the best way to do that. Rick walked up to me as I started to climb into my car.

"(Y/n)." I nodded as he reached my side, as Daryl tailed behind him. "I need you and Daryl to take out this list of lookouts."

Rick handed me a paper and I quickly scanned it.

"Ight." I closed my car door and folded the list.

"Make sure none of them radio back. We need to be able to sneak up on Negan without him knowing." I hummed as Rick put a hand on my shoulder. "We're gonna win, but if you feel differently about killing him-"