The Third Dixon [The walking dead OC x OC]

Chapter twelve

The woman's voice came back through the radio, steady and confident, cutting through the tension that had settled over the road.

"Now, we're gonna work this out right now, and it's going to go our way."

The static that followed felt almost worse than the words themselves.

Measi immediately raised her rifle, pressing her eye to the scope and scanning the tree line. She searched through the darkness, moving slowly from one section of woods to the next, looking for movement, a silhouette, anything that would give away their position.

Nothing.

That bothered her more than if she had found someone.

She was used to finding things.

People.

Threats.

Weak points.

But whoever this woman was, she understood how to stay hidden.

"Measi?" Nathan asked quietly.

She didn't lower the rifle.

"They're somewhere in the woods," she said. "I can't see them."

Her finger rested near the trigger as she continued searching.

She hated this.

Not because she was scared.

Because she couldn't do anything.

Rick was already moving, telling Glenn and Daryl to bring their prisoner forward. The man they had taken from the bike looked less confident now, especially with the attention of the entire group on him.

Rick grabbed the walkie.

"You can see we have one of yours," he said. "We'll trade."

The radio crackled.

For a moment there was only static.

Then the woman answered.

"I'm listening."

Rick kept his voice calm, but Measi knew him well enough by now to recognize the tension underneath it.

"First, I want to talk to Maggie and Carol. Make sure they're all right."

Measi lowered her scope slightly, watching the trees.

A few seconds passed before the radio came alive again. "Rick, it's Carol," came the familiar voice, quieter than usual. "I'm— I'm fine, but—"

The transmission cut briefly before another voice followed. "Rick, it's Maggie. We're both okay. We'll figure thi—"

The message broke off, replaced by static. Measi felt a small amount of tension leave her chest. Not much. Just enough to breathe. They were alive. That was enough.

The woman came back over the radio. "You have your proof. Let's talk."

Rick looked around at the others before responding. "This is the deal right here. Let them go, you can have your guy back and live."

Measi watched the woods again, trying to predict where they would be. She didn't like the way this was going. She didn't like that they were negotiating from a position of weakness.

Because she knew what people like this did when they had control. They used it. The woman answered almost immediately. "Two for one, that's not much of a trade."

Rick's expression hardened.

"You don't have another choice, or you would've done something about it already."