Shadows

5) Kinda Cool

"She's getting worse." Rick said as he walked towards the RV. He had three different bags he was loading up.

"Good call on the transport." Alicia nodded.

"I figured she be more comfortable." Rick said.

"That just means you got room for more." She raised her eyebrows. "They're out there... so I'm gonna be there with you." She looked over at Abraham and Sasha. "We are."

Sasha nudged Alicia's shoulder. "Package deal."

The three loaded into the RV, setting all of there stuff down. After a few minutes Eugene climbed in as well.

Alicia stepped out for a moment now that she could talk to Rick alone. "If we see them out there... we kill them."

Rick nodded. "That's the plan."

She patted his shoulder. "We're gonna be fine Rick." She assured him. "I know we are."

Father Gabriel walked up to the two, smiling at Alicia. He went over the plans assuring them both that Judith and Jordan were both safe with him.

"Thanks Gabriel." She sighed, pulling him into a hug. "I really appreciate it."

"There's no need to thank me." He smiled. "It's all the Lords work."

—————

"We doing this?"

Alicia stared outside the window at the saviors lining the road. "No."

Rick opened the door, stepping out onto the road. Everyone except for Maggie followed him, guns in hand.

Abraham looked over at Alicia, nodding to her. She nodded back, and they both silently agreed that whatever happened, Negan was dead.

A man with a terrible hairline and an ugly ass face looked over the group. He motioned to the man on the ground. "He's someone with a whole lot of someone's who didn't listen."

"We can make a deal." Rick started. "Right here, right now."

"That's right. We can." The man smiled. "Give us all your stuff. We'll probably have to kill one of you that's just the way it is, but then we can start moving forward on business. All you have to do is listen."

"Yeah..." Rick sighed. "That deals not gonna work for us. Fact is I was about to ask for all of your stuff. Only I'm thinking I don't have to kill any of you. Any more of you."

They watched as another man spray painted an X on the guy on the ground.

"Sorry." The original guy said. "Our deal is the only deal. We don't negotiate."

Rick nodded and waved his hand, signaling for everyone to get back in the RV. "Then me and my people are leaving."

"Ok friend! Plenty of ways to get where you're going."

Once Rick was back inside the RV Alicia advanced on him. "What the fuck was that!?" She yelled. "Why didn't we blow those bastards to bits!?"

Rick shook his head. "I said we'd kill Negan... that's not Negan."

Alicia knew that but she decided to play dumb. "And how the hell do you know that?"

Rick shrugged. "I just have a hunch."

—————

Alicia looked out of the window as they once again came upon a blocked road filled with saviors.

"We making our stand?" Sasha asked.

"Yeah... we end it." Carl agreed.

Alicia nodded to him, agreeing with them both.

"No." Rick countered. "Not now. They've been waiting. They're ready. With one of us behind the wheel that's five on sixteen. We're gonna play it our way, how we want it." He looked at Carl. "Right?"

"Right."

"Alright go slow." Rick instructed Abraham. He nodded and slowly backed away.

Alicia was grinding her teeth as they fired a few shots in the air. Soon the turned around and drove off.

Alicia sighed, sitting down beside Aaron. He smiled at her. "You ok?"

She nodded. "Mostly ok." She placed a hand over her stomach. "It feels weird."

He nodded. "I know... but you've still got Jordan, and Daryl." He chuckled. "And Glenn, Abraham, Rosita, Maggie," he nudged her shoulder, "me."

She laughed. "Oh yes of course! What would I do without my Aaron?"

He shrugged. "You'd be a walker."

She looked down at her prosthetic arm. "Sometimes I forget that I've been bit."

Aaron scoffed. "I don't know how. I almost died when I found you out there." He shivered. "I literally had to cut off your arm."

Alicia grinned. "It was kinda cool... don't lie."