ELEANOR . NEGAN

119.

Negan never felt as stupid as he did now – although he came quite close. To find out they were transported to Alexandria after believing they could come back and conquer it was a true gut punch. And he's been gut-punched before... but this fucking hurt. Mostly it hurt because he knew how Eleanor would feel if she found out; he prayed she didn't know.

At least now, the group had a plan.

But Negan was filled with hate at the moment. His heart was sunken and his mind was worried – even more so when he caught the same man from the transport bus standing on top of a rock like this was his little world and he was the God. Negan knew men like him – Negan was him. They called him the Warden, forever afraid to speak out.

He could use that to his advantage.

Negan stayed posted by the mini water dispenser as the group came up and whispered how many guards were on patrol. It was risky, especially when he wrote the numbers on a piece of paper, drawing out the area like a map. He knew he'd get caught eventually, but maybe that was his plan.

"Negan," Ezekiel mumbled beside him, showing up out of nowhere that Negan nearly crapped himself. "Give me the map–"

Negan flickered his eyes from the small tin cups to Ezekiel's face. He was still angry, maybe he was always angry, Negan didn't know. He wasn't primarily focused on the guy's feelings. "Yeah, just give me a sec'." The man turned around when the static of radios went off, mumbles of words too quiet for the 'prisoners' to hear. It caused the Warden to stir, the guards to look around too. What the fuck is going on?

They looked urgent – some guards leaving after the Warden, the rest staying behind for the prisoners.

"What was that all about?" Ezekiel whispered. "Do you think it's them? Do you think they're here?"

Negan had a harrowing feeling but he didn't know. "If it was them then the Warden wouldn't take guards away – they'd prepare." He tucked the map further into his pocket. "Probably some rut thinkin' he's the shit."

"Right." Then Ezekiel grabbed his arm. "The map–"

"Get back to work, inmates!" A guard yelled, stomping over with his gun clashing against his thigh. "Now!" He grabbed Ezekiel and pulled him back before turning to look at Negan. "Are you deaf?" He yelled.

Ezekiel was backing away but Negan stood his ground, his tongue running along his bottom lip with a snarky smile. "Look, man, I'm just having a drink–"

"I gave you an order."

"What happened to this being a free country–"

Negan couldn't finish his sentence before he was blindsided with the back of a gun. Did I just get pistol whipped? He groaned in pain and scuffled back, looking at the guard with a certain dangerous glare. "Stand down!"

He was fed up, clearly. If he endured any more bruises then he would definitely lose his shit. But now? He's already reached his tipping point. Negan didn't waste any time to charge for the guard, tackling him to the ground before throwing a punch at his guarded face. The guard groaned under the pressure before another man ran over and pulled Negan off him.

The man didn't have a chance to stand on his own two feet before he got kicked in the ribs, winded almost, all air wheezing out of him.

-

Eleanor was stupid – so fucking stupid.

She ditched the motorcycle about half an hour away from Alexandria and wandered the rest on foot. She stayed hidden behind trees and through bushes, just like Daryl taught her, and kept her breath steady. It was hard though, she can't remember the last time she's moved this fast.