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Jo

"Jo!" I heard voices calling behind me but I didn't stop, I couldn't stop. The gate slammed such behind me and I broke into a jog and then a run, leaving Alexandria behind me. I veered off the road after only a couple of minutes and disappeared into the forest heading east. I moved parallel to the road for some time. I stood zero chance at keeping up with the trucks, but at least I had an idea what direction they were headed. It was a start. 

Daryl had blinked seventeen times, but I didn't know if that represented minutes, miles, number of guards...all I had to go on was east and the number seventeen. 

I hadn't been on the move for very long when I smelled smoke. I slowed and then stopped. I spun in a slow circle. Was someone else out here? For me to be able to smell the smoke so strongly meant it had to be a pretty big fire. I wrinkled my nose as I realized it wasn't wood smoke I was smelling. I lifted my eyes to the horizon and spotted huge plumes of white smoke. 

I jogged towards the smoke. As I neared it my hand hovered over my knives. But there wasn't anyone in sight. A walker appeared and I cut it down without even really looking at it. The body landed with a viscous squish but I was already walking towards the fire. I slowed as I approached. Mattresses. It was all of the mattresses they had taken from us. 

They took them simply to lower moral and because they could. It had been nothing more than a power play, just like setting this fire so close to Alexandria where we would be sure to find it. I ground my teeth. Negan was a clever bastard, I had to give him that. He knew his business. I hated him just a little more. 

I continued down the road, scuffing my shoes in an effort to attract walkers. I needed an outlet for my anger. I couldn't keep all of this bottled up, it would cloud my judgement. So in order to clear my head, I killed them. I let my body move and stretch and tried not to think too hard about what it meant for my sanity that I needed to do this. 

I lost count of how many I killed. It didn't matter. All that mattered was finding The Saviors. I traveled until dark. I hadn't seen anyone aside from the walkers the whole rest of the day. It did no good to keep moving after dark, it wasn't worth missing anything and I was tired. I started looking around for tree that would hold me. I found one and swung up onto one of the thicker branches and settled in for the night. 

I didn't sleep, not really, but I drifted in and out and tried to come up with a plan. I needed to find one of the main arterial roads that The Saviors used. Then I could lay my trap and find a savior for my very own. 

A little before dawn I dropped out of the tree, landing silently. It took another couple of hours before I found what I was looking for. The road looked well traveled compared to the others. I looked back and forth and nodded. This was it. I headed back into the woods and started banging my knife loudly against the trees until the walkers started to come. Normally I fought silently, but instead I yelled and shouted and made a ton of noise. I needed as many walkers as possible and I needed them fast. I had no idea how long it would be until a car came by and getting caught with my trap only half laid would be disastrous.  

I killed them, dozens of them. I killed them and I dragged their bodies down to the road. I laid them across the road in a barricade. I made the pile large enough that even one of the large trucks wouldn't be able to bash it's way through. By the time I got the pile the way I wanted it the sun was high in the sky and sweat was running down my back. My hands and forearms were covered in blood and gore. 

I walked back into the underbrush to wait. I tried to wipe my hands off on the leggings I was wearing but gave up. I frowned down at them when I realized I wasn't wearing my tradition gear. I had gotten so caught up in what was going on I completely forgot I didn't have the normal amount of protection covering my legs and arms. I just needed to focus. 

Judging by the leaf patterns this was a fairly commonly used road and I didn't have to wait long for a car to come by. An old model Toyota SUV came over the rise, it slowed and stopped twenty feet back from the roadblock. A woman climbed out, gun in hand. She was alone. She crept towards the bodies, a frown forming on her face as though she couldn't figure it out. She couldn't identify a snare even after she had stepped into it. She had spent too long thinking she was one of the predators. She was a savior. 

I slid from my cover in the forest, moving silently until I was nearly beside her. I slid up behind her and pressed the tip of my blade against her spinal cord. "Drop it," I ordered. "Or you'll never walk again." 

She sighed and after a beat, she tossed the gun aside and it clattered against the pavement at my feet. 

"Your knife too." I ordered. 

She complied and then glanced at me out of the corner of her eye. "What next?" She asked sharply. "You want my shoes?"

I glanced down at them thoughtfully and she made in the back of her throat as she realized I was toying with her. She ran her eyes over me and I watched her notice all the knives. 

"I want you to take me to Negan." I stepped back and scooped the gun and knife up off the ground. I slid her knife into my belt and moved my own into my left hand so I could hold the gun with my right. I was better with a knife, but she would be more intimidated by a gun. They all foolishly were. 

"Get in," I said motioning towards the SUV.

"So you're her huh?" She asked. I arched a brow. "The knife chick Negan is so obsessed with." 

I arched a brow. 

She snorted and shook her head. "Yeah, you're her. Kind of disappointed. I expected you to be bigger, taller, more butch." 

I shrugged. "Get in," I ordered, motioning with the gun.  

She climbed over the center counsel and settled into the drivers seat. 

"So you've heard of me," I said conversationally as she started settled into her seat. 

"Course, word gets around," she added. 

"And what does the word say?" I ground out the words but I was surprised and genuinely curious. They must not be as militarized as they seem for there to be that much gossip. It meant there was probably a fairly large civilian grouping in Negan's compound. If it was as big as I hoped there was a chance I could slip in and blend in without immediate detection. 

She shrugged, feigning a casual attitude I could tell she didn't feel. "That Negan is obsessed with the wife of one of his prisoners, but he didn't bring her back. Word is she's a lethal bitch who doesn't use guns, but wears knives strapped to her like she thinks she's rambo or something." 

I snorted shaking my head. "Start it up." I said motioning with the gun. "Let's go." 

She nodded and turned the engine over. As soon as it started she made a move. I wasn't surprised, I had been waiting for it. The casual way she told me about the rumors about me said she didn't believe them. She reached for the gun, her whole focus on it, because that's the weapon she wanted. I jerked the gun back and lifted my left arm up and into her field of vision. She remembered too late I had a knife in my hand. I caught her. I pressed the spine against her neck and she went still, her eyes widening. 

"You should have listened to the rumors," I said in a low, dangerous voice. I rotated the knife carefully so the very tip of the blade pressed against her skin. She gasped and tried to squirm away from the pain. I held very still and waited. Her breathing slowed and she lifted her gaze to meet mine. Her eyes were hard but she nodded, acknowledging I had the upper hand. I slowly took the knife away from her neck and motioned to the steering wheel with it. "If you would," I said flashing her a smile that didn't reach my eyes. 

She nodded and put the car in gear. I wasn't sure if it was completely settled between us, but it was for now. If I was in her place I would happily drive me to their compound and figure out a way to signal the rest of the saviors. 

She drove us for nearly an hour in silence. I considered asking a few questions but I didn't think I was going to get anywhere with that. As of right now she thought I was a badass and remaining silent would help with that image. No reason to ruin the image Negan and his men had apparently constructed for me. I kept the gun on her and watched her for any signs that she was ready to attack once more. Despite keeping my eyes on her rather than road however, I memorized the route she took, noting the turns. 

We crested a hill and she slowed the car and put it in park. "That's Negan," she said, jerking her chin to the valley below. We were on State Highway Seventeen. So that's what Daryl had been trying to tell me. 

I cautiously turned and glanced in the direction she pointed, keeping the gun aimed at her. Now would be when I would fight to get free, when we were too close to my camp for me to use the gun without alerting everyone. I was just going to glance, but instead I stared. There had to be hundreds of people down there. The factory was huge, and it was surrounded by cars and fencing that I could see even from this distance. It was like a fortress. 

"He's down there?" I asked, my voice broke lightly. She would assume I meant Negan. I gnashed my teeth together to get a handle on my emotions. Daryl was down there. 

"Yeah," she replied matter-a-factly. Then she turned to face me. "We're all Negan," but instead of sounding determined like the others who said it, she simply sounded resigned. "Look, whatever you're trying to do, you can't. I get that your husband is down there, but...Negan gets what Negan wants. It doesn't matter how good you are, you'll never get in and back out, and then Negan will just have you both...hell, he's probably hoping you show up." 

She was right. I knew she was right, and looking down at the compound below us I realized it was impossible for me to do this alone. If I wanted to get Daryl back I was going to need an army. 

She took a deep breath as though steadying herself. "Look, you still have some choices that won't get you killed, or worse. Go home, burn this car, roll it down into a lake, make it disappear," she glanced at me. "If you would rather use the gun, there's a silencer in the glove compartment." Her jaw tightened and she swallowed thickly but she never took her eyes off the road in front of us. 

I took a deep breath. I couldn't let her go. She feared Negan far more than she would ever fear me. I fiddled with the knife in my hand. She finally looked at me, tears swimming in her eyes as she looked at the knife in my hand. "Please," she said. "He'll kill me anyway for bringing you here. Just make it quick." 

I did. 

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Daryl

I didn't know why Carl was here. I had heard M-16 go off. Hell the whole place had heard it, which meant Carl came with a plan. When I first heard it I hadn't thought it was him, but it wasn't Jo's style either. She would have been more sneaky. I regretted telling her where I was now. Looking around I knew there wasn't a way for her to get in here, not without risking getting caught. She was good, but no one was that good. And she would risk it. Maybe not right away, but she wouldn't leave me here. She was too damn brave for her own good.  

Negan had been playing with Carl all day. Or maybe it was me he was playing with. I couldn't tell anymore. Everything was a mind game with him. Hell, I was half convinced he was torturing Dwight right along with me and Dwight was just too dumb to realize what was happening. He made Carl visit his wives, and who knows what he said to the kid in there. Then he made Carl watch while he burned the guys face. The kid had seen enough in his life, I knew he was tough, but Negan had a purpose behind everything he did, and he seemed too friendly with Carl. He was up to something. 

Once I cleaned up the mess inside, Dwight had drug me out to work the fence. Negan liked to keep Walker's chained up to the outside of his fence but they fell apart too fast to keep chained up and he wanted us prisoners to bring in new ones. The only weapon I was allowed was a wood pole no more than four feet long. Made me wish I had paid more attention to Morgan and maybe got a few lessons from him. 

The gate opened and two trucks came rolling out. The rear one slowed and I heard Negan's voice call out my name. "Daryl!" 

I walked slowly towards it, the wood pole gripped tightly in my fist. 

"You seem worried, so I'm taking the kid home," Negan said, leaning out of the window. 

I narrowed my eyes. "If you do anything to him-" 

Negan's eyes hardened. "Dwight!" Negan yelled, slamming his palm against the side of the truck. "Daryl needs a time out, put him back in his box for a while." 

Dwight grabbed me by the back of my shirt and dragged me towards the factory. I stumbled a step and when I caught myself I happened to look up. I forced myself to keep my expression neutral and looked away from where Jesus was crouched on top of the truck. 

Dwight shoved me back into my cell and slammed the door behind me, the lock sliding home. I dropped down onto my butt to rest my aching feet.

I sucked in a breath ad scrubbed at my face. Jesus was a wily bastard, and he and Jo were friends. Who knows how good of friends by now the bastard. I ground my teeth. I never should have told her where I was. It was less than a day later and she was already here running straight at the compound half cocked without stopping to think. 

I should never had told her. Seeing her in Alexandria I could tell she wasn't good. She had that look in her eye, she was barely holding onto her control. And I had been an asshole to her the only chance I got to talk to her, to touch her. Instead of reassuring her I had yelled at her. I scrubbed at my face. 

I wasn't in the cell long when I heard someone approach the door. I tensed and turned towards the door, already in a crouch. The lock turned but the door didn't open. I frowned, leaning towards the door, trying to listen to what was going on. There was a strong possibility this was another of Negan's goddamn traps. He had been pushing me all day and it would be just like him to cap today off with an ass kicking. 

A piece of paper was shoved beneath the door. I hesitated for only a moment and picked up the paper. 

Go now

Was scrawled in handwriting I didn't recognize. I turned over the paper. There was a key and a single match taped to the back. I frowned. A motorcycle key and a match. The motorcycle key could be Jo, but this wasn't the key she wore around her neck, and the match...

Sherry

I cracked open the door and peaked out, but no one was around. I strained my ears but didn't hear anyone so I crept silently into the hallway. No one. I started running. 

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Jo

It was late afternoon by the time I hid the car and walked home. I didn't push it into a lake however I did put it someplace no one would find it. The car was recognizable as one of The Saviors, it might be useful to get me through the gate someday. Just not today. I hated the thought of leaving Daryl behind, but I wouldn't do him any good getting caught. I needed help. 

It took me a long time to walk home. I was exhausted and sore, than I realized. I needed to rest. I had pushed it once more. Pushed it beyond what I was capable of. I ran a hand over my face. I just needed to rest. 

I walked through the gate, and came face to face with Rosita. 

"Did you do it?" She demanded. 

I frowned at her, too tired to understand what she was asking. 

She shook her head in disgust. Eugene shifted nervously over her shoulder. "Is he still alive?"

I stilled, my over tired brain thinking she was referring to Daryl, "As far as I know," I said in a low, raspy voice. 

She scoffed at me. "Then what the hell were you doing out there?" She demanded. 

I opened my mouth to respond, to defend myself, but she had struck a nerve. I was feeling ashamed and guilty. I shouldn't be here, not while Daryl was out there depending on me. But I was here for a reason, I needed help. Hell, I was going to need an army to get inside that compound. In the end I just shook my head. Rosita was too angry to listen to anything I had to say right now, so I just walked away. 

"Hey!" she yelled after me. 

I didn't look back, I just wanted to get home. 

"Jo you coward!" she screeched after me. 

I stilled, my hand flexing at my side. I glanced over my shoulder and let her see that dark place that lived in my brain. 

She took a half a step back unconsciously but then her jaw tightened and she wrapped herself in her uncontrollable anger. "If I had half your talent!" she exclaimed taking a step towards me. 

"Then you'd already be dead," I told her with certainty and I turned and continued walking towards home. The stairs have never felt so tall and my shoulder actually tweaked when I reached for the door knob. I was a mess. 

When I opened the door Olivia was standing in the kitchen feeding Judith. 

I looked around, surprised to find Olivia there. "Where is everyone?" I asked. 

She sniffed a little disapprovingly. "Michonne and Rick both left this morning to go out scavenging," she looked over my shoulder "Isn't Carl with you?" she asked her voice rising in alarm.  

I frowned. "No."

"He's been gone for a while...I think they thought he and Enid were with you." 

I closed my eyes as a feeling of dread went over me. That was ridiculous, half of Alexandria would have watched me walk out of the gates by myself. If Rick thought Carl was with me, then he wasn't looking for him. I sighed. "I'll go look for them," I promised Olivia. 

She nodded and glanced back at Judith. 

"Or," I said thoughtfully. "I can stay with Judith if you would prefer until Rick or Michonne are back..."

After a moment Olivia shook her head. "No, I think we need to find Carl as soon as possible. He's been gone at least all day." 

I nodded and took a deep breath. "Okay, then...I'm going to quick go clean up, grab some food and then I'll head back out." 

Olivia nodded and turned back to Judith. 

I trudged towards my shower. I turned the handle until the water was as hot as it would go. I was tired and sore and the water burned my skin for the first few minutes, but it helped clear my head. 

I didn't want to go back out into the forest, and frankly it probably wasn't the best idea for me to do so. I started to run through the people that were around, it wouldn't be the worst idea for me to take some back up with me, but I wasn't sure who I could bring. Rosita would have been a capable choice but I had just pissed her off epically. Aaron maybe...no, he was supposed to go on that run with Rick. I had no intention of bringing Spencer. Tara might very well be the only one of us left here. Probably I would just go alone, weather it was a bad idea or not. 

I rinsed all the blood and dirt off, watching it swirl around my feet and disappear down the drain. I stood beneath the hot spray for as long as I dared. I needed to get out there and find Carl before he did something stupid. Knowing Carl and what had happened recently I had a pretty good idea what he might be up to. I just wasn't sure how he would go about finding The Savior's compound...maybe the same way I had in the beginning...Jesus. And if Jesus hadn't seen them, maybe I could get him to be my backup. I trusted Jesus. 

I stepped out of the shower, wrapped myself in a towel and headed towards my bedroom to get dressed. Upstairs I heard the door open. I sighed, wondering who I was going to have to deal with now. 

I heard the sound of heavy boots overheard and then I heard the two-note whistle that made my blood run cold. I gripped the top of my towel and turned towards the stairs. 

Negan. 

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