Last One Standing ~ TWD Daryl Dixon

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Daryl

I led the way down the ditch to the overturned Humvee. Smoke was rising from it, but I didn't know if it was just the engine settling or if a fire had started. If it was a fire it was a guess how long we had until the fire hit the gas tank. 

"Hey, give me a hand with this," Rick called, heading towards the back where the guns and supplies had been.

"Yep," I responded stepping up and the two of us lifted an overturned wooden crate out of the back.

"Got it," Rick cracked open the crate. It was full of dynamite.

I stared down at it and drew in a breath. "We can use these," I said and I swung my backpack around and started loading it. A plan slowly began forming in my head. I could use this to clear the walkers away from the trailer Jo was stuck in and take out what was left of the saviors. 

"What?" Rick asked in confusion as he watched me gather as much dynamite as my pack could hold.

"Well think about it. There ain't no kingdom no more," I said grimly. It was a huge loss for us. The kingdom's group had been the largest, without their numbers we couldn't go head to head with The Sanctuary, even if Rick's last plan for the scavengers did work. 

"Yeah..." Rick agreed cautiously.

"We know what we got to do," I told him resolutely. "We blow open The Sanctuary and let the walkers flood in. They'll surrender. We'd be done. Hell, we could end this by sundown," I said. I shook my backpack, settling the dynamite already in there so I could fit more. 

Rick went very still and looked from the dynamite to my face as though he couldn't believe I was considering this. "They have workers in there, right? Families too aren't there?" he asked like he didn't already know. He didn't get to be self-righteous now. He was the one who started this. He was the one who risked our family for his war. I wasn't going to let him risk any more of our people to save them. 

I pressed my lips together. I wasn't actually asking for permission. "We'll hit the south side of the main building. The workers live on the north side. They'll be up the stairs before the walkers even get in."

"What if they don't?" Rick challenged. "There are people in there who aren't fighters. Doing this could change that. Make them pick up guns and stand by the Saviors. And if The Saviors don't surrender maybe everyone fights us. And like you said, we don't have the kingdom no more. We can't take the risk. We're not doing this."

We stared each other down. In other words he wasn't willing to take the risk for Jo. But I sure as hell was going to do whatever I had to do to get her out of there. I wouldn't risk Negan getting his hands on her, no matter what Rick said. 

I wasn't asking for permission. 

"Naw, you ain't doing this," I said and I turned to head back towards my bike, my backpack over one shoulder. Rick reached out and grabbed my shoulder. I whipped around to face him, my free hand curling into a fist. I'd had enough.

"There's a plan," he said, working to keep his voice calm and level. "And everyone's going to stick to it." 

And he pointed his finger in my face.

I slapped his hand out of my face. "Not everyone Rick," I growled stepping into his space. "Was it part of the plan for you to leave Jo behind so that asshole could get a hold of her? Huh? Was that part of your plan? You swore to me man, you swore you wouldn't let anything happen to her and you left her behind."