Bloodlines.

Chapter Eight: The line up, part one.

Negan leaned back slightly, letting the weight of his presence settle over the group as he swung the bat casually over his shoulder. His grin was as wide as it was menacing.

"Which one of you pricks is the leader?" he asked, his voice smooth but laced with danger.

Simon, standing off to the side, didn't hesitate. He pointed directly at Rick. "This one!"

Negan scoffed, stepping closer to Rick, his grin widening as he swung the bat lazily back and forth.

"Hi. Rick, right? I'm Negan," he said, his tone mockingly friendly. "And I do not appreciate you taking out my men. Also—when I sent my people to take out your people for taking out my people—you took out more of my people." He paused for effect, his grin growing sharper. "Not cool."

Rick's face was a mask of grim silence, but Negan's amusement only deepened.

"You have no idea how not cool that shit is," Negan continued, his tone darkening as he began to pace in front of the group. "But you're gonna be up to speed shortly. Yeah, you're so gonna regret crossing me in a few minutes."

Negan stopped abruptly, turning to look directly at Rick. His expression hardened, the playful smirk giving way to something far more sinister.

"You see, Rick, whatever you do, you don't mess with the new world order," Negan drawled, leaning in slightly. "And the new world order is this. It's very simple, even if you're stupid—which you probably are." He paused, letting the tension build.

"Here it is," he continued, his voice low but sharp. "Give me your shit, or I will kill you."

Negan began pacing again, dragging the bat along the dirt as he walked the line of kneeling group members. His eyes scanned each of them, lingering just long enough to make them squirm.

"You know who I am," he said, his voice rising slightly. "And you know what I can do."

He stopped in front of Daryl for a moment, his gaze lingering before moving on.

"You work for me now," Negan said, addressing the group as a whole. "You have shit? You give it to me. That's your job." He paused, swinging the bat back over his shoulder. "Now, I know that is a mighty big pill to swallow." He turned his gaze back to Rick, his grin returning.

"But swallow it... you most certainly will."

Alyssa laughed darkly from her place in the lineup, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth.

"Who's the prick with the bat?" she said, her voice laced with defiance as she spat blood onto the ground.

Negan stopped mid-stride, his grin widening as he spun around to face her. His eyes sparkled with amusement as he stepped toward her, the bat resting casually on his shoulder. He crouched slightly, leveling the barbed wire-covered bat right in her face.

"You," he said, his tone almost playful, "look like Rick the Prick over here." He pointed the bat toward Rick for emphasis before returning his attention to Alyssa.

Alyssa smirked, her gaze unwavering despite the bat inches from her face. "Maybe that's because I'm the spawn of Rick the Prick's giant balls," she quipped, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

The air around the lineup grew tense as the Saviors exchanged glances, some snickering nervously. Negan, however, threw his head back and let out a loud, genuine laugh, clearly amused.

"Oh," he said, still chuckling as he stood upright again, "I have a feeling I'm going to like you."

He tilted his head, his grin widening as he leaned down closer to her. "You've got some guts, kid," he said, almost admiringly. "Let's hope those guts stay inside you tonight."