Man with the Bat || a Negan novel

Chapter 26: Lost but Never Found

Negan's POV

A fucking tiger. They had a mother fucking tiger. Now I could probably kill Satan himself if he was to rise up right now, but a tiger, well I didn't know about that. Tigers were motherfucking killers, they could rip heads off like none other and devour their enemies with one bite. Now that I think about it, why don't I have a tiger? 

"How the fuck does he have a tiger?" I mutter underneath my breath, Simon turning towards me with an outrageous look as if he too couldn't believe it. 

"Here boss" Simon hands me over a firearm, avoiding any further conversation about the tiger. I gladly took it, placing it on the hood of the car and firing away. But as I fired, I noticed a familiar face within the midst of the battle.

"That widow is alive!" I exclaim, shocked to see that short haired cutie stabbing someone in the throat. How the hell was she alive, matter of fact how the hell did I let Rick fool me into thinking she was dead? Did that idiot actually outsmart me for once? 

Write it in your diary Ricky, won't happen again.

"Where's Mia?" I shout over the sounds of gunfire, hoping for a positive answer from Simon but he just continues firing and hollers, "Haven't seen her."

A knot formed in my stomach, how could I have forgotten about her within all this? She wasn't a part of this fight, she was only here because I insisted she tag along. Thought it would be cool to show her how badass and dictator-like I can be. I thought it would be kind of a turn on, but now here we are twenty minutes later, gunfire raining down upon us like a motherfucking storm, a tiger on the prowl for evidently all not on the 'good' side, and a Mia is missing. 

Damn. Gonna sleep well tonight. 

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted her. She had a figure I could recognize from miles away and from how far she was from me, that's how far she felt. I needed to get her near me, I had to protect her. 

"Simon" I summon him, nudging my head in her direction, "Let's make our way-" I broke off my words as I noticed her legs transitioning from stagnant into a run. 

"Where is she-" I wonder, just as I notice her target. 

Carl.

The same Carl who had a glock pointed at his head in that moment.

I processed what was happening, just as it did.

"No" I dryly heaved as I pushed myself up.

"Boss! Get down" Simon attempted to pull me down, just as the gun went off.

"Oh fucking hell, no, no no - MIA!" I cried out in a desperate attempt, but it was too late.

I watched as she selflessly shoved Carl to the side, the bullet meant for him piercing her. Her body jolted from the impact and I helplessly watched as she crumbled to the ground. My feet broke into a sprint before I had time to process the events, nailing every bastard that got in my way with the back of my rifle.

"Mia, oh my god" I heard Carl's voice before I saw him, "Dad! Dad, help!"

But dearest daddy wasn't in sight.

At last, I was there, and in that moment I wanted to be anywhere else but here. 

There she lie, blood profusely spilling from her abdomen, tainting the white shirt she wore. Her eyes weren't shut yet, but they were threatening to close any second. Her breaths coming out in raspy heaves. 

"You stay the fuck away from her" Carl threatens me, aiming his gun up, but he wasn't going to shoot me. He was too focused on her, just as I was.