Saved

XXIX

When we pulled up to the Satellite Outpost it was very quiet. I glanced at Negan, and he had a glare situated on his face as he got out of the truck, Lucille in tow. I sighed, and got out as well, grabbing my swords from the floorboard on the way out, and shoving them into the sheaths on my back. When I finally was ready, I walked up next to Negan, who was standing by the front of the car waiting for me, and staring at the almost silent outpost. You could hear the hum of the UV lights from the greenhouse where they were growing marijuana, but other than that, it was very quiet. 

"Did they know we were coming?" I whispered, glancing up at Negan, and he shook his head as the others came to join us. 

"We going in boss?" Arat asked, moving to my right side with Gary, while Norris and Mark flanked Negan's left. 

"Yeah. Let's go. Keep an eye out for anything... weird." Negan said, and then strode forward without waiting for a response. It didn't take long for him to reach the door, and he gestured for someone to grab it, while he raised his bat, and I pulled out my gun. Norris moved up, and yanked the door open, but there wasn't anyone there, so Negan walked in slowly. It was dark, which was strange since we had rigged this outpost with a generator run by compost, curtesy of one of the saviors back at basecamp who used to be an engineer. 

"Hello? Anybody home?" Negan called, loudly, and a moment later, feet came shuffling down the hall, and a tall woman with bright red hair came into view. I lowered my gun when she seemed almost relieved to see us. 

"Sir, sorry, my name is Paula. I was left in command of the outpost when Simon took most of the men." The woman sputtered out, looking confused, relieved, and slightly scared to see us there. But when I glanced up at Negan, he had his fake scary smile in place, and I knew she probably had a reason. Simon wasn't cleared to leave the outpost, especially not with most of the men. 

"Where is Simon?" Negan asked, stiffly, but politely, and I finally tucked my gun back into the holster. 

"He was leaving to go to Hilltop, to demand more supplies when we received the news sir. Three Saviors stole medicine and ran from the Sanctuary sir. They were seen headed this direction, so he sent half the men to go find them, and took the others to Hilltop." She explained, and I suddenly understood. He wasn't being defiant, he was following orders. Which was good. 

"Who was it that stole from us?" I asked, glancing up at Negan who had his jaw clenched so hard it looked like the muscles in his cheek were going to pop. 

"Uhm, it was a man and two women. They didn't name the women, but the man's name was Dwight? They said he was a soldier." She answered hastily, and I couldn't hold it it. 

"Fuck. I fucking warned him didn't I?" I hissed, turning away from her and pacing a few steps away from Negan.

"You what?" Negan asked, an angry tone in his voice, and I froze as I turned to look at him. 

"I just... I kind of hinted that we were going to be keeping an eye on him. I didn't think..." I whispered, trying not to make him angrier, but before I could say anything else, he pulled his arm back, and swung it down across my face, the force of the barbed bat hitting the side of my head jarred my entire body, making me drop to the floor. Everything was blurry, and I could hear him yelling at me, but I couldn't understand what he was saying, all I could see was the blood dripping down my face onto my hands braced against the floor.

I wouldn't let him see me cry. I wouldn't.

I looked up at him, still not able to focus, but I wanted him to think I was listening, and I schooled my face so he wouldn't see the rage or the fear. When the ringing in my ears finally stopped, he had practically finished his rant, and he had moved to Arat who was staring at me over his shoulder, staring pityingly at the girl kneeling, bloody and probably bruised behind her master.

"I want you to go find Simon. See if he's had any luck with Hilltop. Take Gary with you. The others will find Dwight. Norris, try and radio them, and tell them I want them brought back to me, alive. They're mine to punish." All three nodded, and Mark was left on his own as Negan strode over to me, and grabbed my right bicep in his hand, and lifted me. I couldn't help the cry of pain that left me, but he was holding my arm so tight I was sure he would leave bruises, and it felt like my arm was going to rip right out of the socket, rip away from my body, and leave me dying on the floor. 

I  scrambled, trying to gain my feet as he drug me through the outpost, but it was impossible, he was walking to fast for me to be able to get purchase on anything, and he didn't care to watch where he pulled me, leading me straight into walls several times, and by the time we got to wherever he was taking me, the ringing was back, and I could hardly see through the blood streaming down my face from the several cuts caused by the corners of the walls. 

"Now. Riley. I'm sorry that I hit you. But you had to be punished. You told a man, a desperate man, that we were onto him. Right before we fucking left. Now, anything that happens to him, those girls, or my men, is on you. Because you practically gave them the go ahead, get out of jail free card! I mean fuck! What the fuck were you thinking? You had to know that he would run. You had to know. If not, well then you're a fucking idiot. So which are you? A traitor, or an idiot?" He growled, turning back to my still form, that was crumpled on the floor. 

"An... an idiot. I would... I would never... I would... never... betray you... on purpose." I forced out, feeling like I couldn't feel my tongue, which was quite possible by now honestly.

"But damn girl! You aren't a fucking idiot! So what am I supposed to believe?"

"I... didn't know he was..." I choked, spitting the blood accumulating in my mouth out onto the floor, and coughed for several long minutes, choking out blood before he spoke again. 

"You thought he was stupid?" He guessed, trying to finish my sentence for me, and thank god he guessed right, because all I was able to do as I choked on my own blood, was nod my head, and even that sent pain stinging through my entire body. 

"Fuck. Right. I'll go get the doctor. Stay here." Negan grumbled, looking more pissed that I was hurt bad enough to need the doctor, and not even a tiny bit regretful about what he had done. Fuck I need to get out of here. 

I need Daryl. For once I'm willing to admit it. I need my husband.