Daughter of a Dixon ✔️

65: Five-Thirty AM

The next day, my dad and Rick went out on a short supply run, to get some things we would need for the walker execution plan.

So, naturally, I took that as an opportunity to sneak out.

My plan was to go to Michonne and try and convince her to let me help, but I thought better of it as I limped across the silent house, the huge immobilizer still on my leg. I had a feeling that, if I asked her, she would immediately tell my dad, and the same went for Glenn, who was my second choice. They were both too honest for that type of thing.

Instead of going to either of them, I decided on Rosita instead. She was, in short terms, a bad ass, and I had a feeling she would want all available hands to help with the plan, injured or not. She was that type of person.

I found her quickly, as she was in the armory, inspecting weapons and making sure they were operable. When she saw me approaching, she put down the gun she was working with, and cocked her head to the side with curiosity.

"I need your help with somethin'," I told her, my voice lowered.

"What is it?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"This plan, the one to lure the walkers away from Alexandria somehow, I want in- need, in."

She furrowed her eyebrows, and scoffed at me, gesturing to the brace on my leg. "How do you expect to help with that?"

"Look, it doesn't matter how I do it. If I just... sit in a car, shoot some stray walkers out the window. If I get set up at a checkpoint with a gun, I don't care. Just something. I can't be on lockdown anymore, not while people are out there risking their lives to keep us safe. I won't, Rosita."

I could tell my words had caught her by surprise, and she let out a breath as she looked at me through narrowed eyes. After a minute, she nodded her head, glancing down at the tabletop full of guns before looking back up to me.

"Okay," she said, shrugging. "You're gonna be with me. Rick's plan is to lead the walkers twenty miles East, out of the Safe Zone, and then another twenty for good measure. Daryl, Abraham, and Sasha will be doing the leading. On the path they're going to ride, there's an opportunity for the walkers to split up, an intersection. You and I will be there, and if the walkers split, we'll take up leading them, get them back on the right track. Sound like a plan?"

I felt slightly deflated that I was being used on a precautionary measure, (if the walkers split, we'd take care of them. If not, our job would serve no purpose) but I figured it was the best I was going to get. I gave Rosita a nod, and she returned the gesture.

"Good; the plan is gonna kick into action bright and early tomorrow morning. You and I are gonna have to get up before light, considering you don't want anyone else to know."

I was taken aback. "Uh, how'd you know I wanted this to be a secret?" I asked, surprise in my voice.

Rosita had already turned her attention back to her guns, but she smiled softly at my statement. "You wouldn't have come to me if you didn't."

I wanted to protest that statement, but I found no words to provide as evidence.

"You might wanna get a smaller brace," she told me, picking up another weapon. "You're gonna need to at least have a semi-working knee in case things go bad tomorrow."