It took us twice as long to return to Alexandria. The crates were heavy, and everyone was drained—mentally and physically. But we made it back.
As soon as the gates opened and we stepped inside, the residents who had been waiting rushed forward. Relief, awe, and confusion all mixed in their eyes.
I quickly stepped forward and raised my voice, commanding clarity into the chaos.
"Annie, Francine, Jessie—head to the infirmary, now." I pointed toward the clinic. "Get treated immediately."
They didn't argue. Tobin, Scott, and Bruce stepped up to support them, guiding the wounded women through the crowd as Olivia opened the doors to the medical building.
The rest of us—sweaty, bruised, but alive—filed in behind the crates.
Deanna met me at the gates, visibly tense, but the moment she saw us intact, her shoulders dropped with visible relief.
"It's done," I said simply, meeting her eyes.
She exhaled, then nodded. "Thank you."
I nodded back. "Let's talk. Your office."
She agreed with a quiet nod, and we walked together toward the town hall. On the way, I signaled Merle and Daryl to take the crates to the storage warehouse, and I called over Olivia to help them inventory everything. She didn't ask questions—just fell into step with them.
As we moved, I scanned the crowd. People whispered, stared, murmured our names like legends. Some just watched in stunned silence.
Then I spotted Enid, leaning against a wall near the edge of the street. Her arms were crossed, her face unreadable.
Then, I saw Glenn helping with the crates.
Poor Glenn. He didn't know what was coming.
Because Maggie?
She was already mine.
And the worst part?
I didn't even feel bad about it.
Not even a little.
Inside the office, I immediately asked about the population. She said there were fewer than 50 people—approximately 45, including the six of us currently here. I spoke to her about organizing patrols and implementing double patrol shifts. She simply nodded in agreement.
I also informed her that another community would soon be joining us, and she looked genuinely surprised by the news. While we were on the topic, I added that tomorrow I'd be heading to Hilltop. It's been almost a month now, and Maggie will surely be upset—I did tell her I'd only be gone for a month.
After finishing the conversation with her, I excused myself and stepped outside. The air was cooler now.
Just outside the entrance, I spotted Daryl and Merle leaning against the wall, waiting for me. Daryl gave me a nod, while Merle, arms crossed, looked like he'd been getting impatient.
"We're heading to Hilltop tomorrow," I told them as I approached. "Just the three of us."
Merle raised an eyebrow. "Only three of us?"
I nodded.
Daryl didn't argue. He simply gave another nod, as if he'd already expected this.
Before heading back inside, I turned and spotted Graves walking along the inner perimeter. I waved him over.
"I need you to step up," I told him. "Help organize patrol rotations. Keep the outer perimeter tight. And more importantly, start training the others—survival basics, defensive tactics, the works. We can't afford dead weight."
Graves gave a sharp nod. "Understood."
With everything in motion, I glanced back at the compound, the low hum of activity still echoing through the air. Tomorrow, we head to Hilltop—but tonight, we prepare.
I strolled around the area for a while, taking in the sight of people hard at work despite everything that had happened just yesterday. There was a quiet resilience in the air—everyone was doing their part, rebuilding, recovering. Eventually, I found an empty chair on one of the balconies overlooking the compound and sat down, letting the cool breeze wash over me as I watched the community move.
Not long after, someone sat down beside me. I turned my head, and to my surprise, it was Aaron.
"Mind if I talk to you?" he asked, his voice calm but tinged with something deeper.
"Sure," I replied simply.
He sat down, resting his arms on his knees and taking a deep breath before speaking again. "I just wanted to say thank you."
I glanced at him. "For what?"
"If it weren't for you and the others… I don't know what would've happened. I already imagined the worst," he admitted, his voice quiet.
I gave a small shake of my head. "We're allies now. You don't need to thank me. We've got each other's backs, that's how it works."
He nodded slowly, a hint of relief in his expression. "Even so… I still needed to say it."
With that, he stood up and gave me a faint smile. "I'll see you around, Rick."
I leaned back in my seat, returning the smile. "Yeah. See you around."
He walked off, leaving me alone again with the view of a rebuilding world—one step at a time.
My mind began to drift toward Hilltop. I'd already hinted to Jesus that if he couldn't make a move on Gregory soon, then I would. Hopefully, that would be enough to pressure him into acting. Gregory was a snake—charming on the surface but always scheming underneath. And with what's at stake now, we couldn't afford dead weight or manipulators leading communities.
Later, I paid a visit to Spencer in the holding cell. Seeing him behind bars felt oddly fitting. The man had always looked out for himself first, even at the cost of others. A traitor wrapped in the skin of a politician.
As I stood there, watching him sulk in the dim cell light, a thought crossed my mind—I might just throw Gregory in there too.
Men like Spencer and Gregory… they were cut from the same cloth: selfish, manipulative, and dangerous when left unchecked. They didn't care about people, only their own comfort and image. And in this world, that kind of thinking got others killed.
One day soon, they'd both answer for the damage they caused.
Unbeknownst to Rick, the moment he left hilltop, Jesus had already begun taking action—quietly, decisively, and without hesitation. While Rick had hoped his words would push Jesus to move, he hadn't expected him to act so quickly.
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