The CROWN ☁︎ Negan

PART 36

The closer were Sally and Negan to The Sanctuary, the more at ease Sally felt. Her body was starting to tremble. It spread from the tips of her fingers, ignited her soles and exploded right at her core. Once again it felt like her chest opened up and swallowed the place up. She embraced the whole factory and became vital part of the machinery. The building was boiling.

"Take the blindfold off." Only with The Sanctuary in sight, Sally allowed Negan to end his time-out. He untied the cloth and clasped it in his hand. What reenacted in front of them was not a sight for sore eyes.

"Look at them welcoming us." Negan scoffed as the Saviors were coming out of the Sanctuary with their guns ready to fire. He observed the situation from the best seat in the house - the passenger seat. And he was disgusted.

The Saviors had no way of knowing it was them in the car and through it all they got all the way up to the front gate without any trouble.

Sally drove them the whole way back and she sensed Negan's mood was in decline. He kept mumbling under his breath, but Sally riddled what got on his nerves. As soon as she hit the breaks in front of the gate, she nudged half of her body out of the car window.

"Mom is home!" She shouted at them not even trying to hide the wolf voice in the slightest. She tried to warn them before Negan ate them all up. There was not much time left and they needed the Saviors sharp for the attack, for the war at their hands.

The gate opened and Negan with Sally crossed the walls of their castle.

"It really is you... We thought you both were..." Simon lowered his gun welcoming them.

"Is that why we got all the way over here without any obstacle? Because we are ghosts? Do you even see us?" Negan grouched.

Sally saw there was nothing good coming out of this. They needed to distribute their plan and needed to do it right away. She approached Negan and slipped her hand into his.

The congregation. She nudged him to the door.

"Get everyone now!" Negan said.

The Saviors were on command, they gathered in the main hall in no time. Negan talked to them from the railings above. He had to be quick, they were too vulnerable gathered all in one place like that, but it was necessary to brief them all at once. He laid out their strategy and as everyone was being dismissed a gunshot outside introduced their guests.

Rick!

Negan and Sally shared a quick glance. Sally's finger pointed up to the roof. Her route was destined. Still, Negan grabbed her arm and Lucille pointed at her chin made her meet Negan's eyes in silent agreement. Sally was not to act on her own, nor let her biased attachments make any excuses for Rick's group.

Just before she took off, Negan reached into his back pocket and handed her the blindfold. The promise of their fun times coming. Sally grabbed it on both ends and with one simple knot created a headband. Too bad they had no flowers at hand.

Negan stalled for a few seconds watching Sally as she turned and headed off to the roof until his lieutenants re-grouped around him.

On their way out to greet Rick's group, they picked up Gregory to come along and help with their cause. Negan loved to hear himself talk, the bargain was their first play. Little did he know, Gregory and his word were just leftovers for Hilltop people.

"Well, shit. I'm sorry. I was in a meeting." Negan smiled at Rick's cavalry. It may have been silly from him to come out of the building exposed like that. Lucille would have no power stopping the fully armed group on the other side of the barriers. But Rick was not ruthless, he wanted to talk first and give the innocent people a chance for redemption.