After the discussion with Andrea, Michael descended down the tower and headed toward the building where Baldwin was held.
"Morning, Michael. Another great day, right?" A familiar voice called out. It was Mary, carrying a basket overflowing with vegetables.
"Good morning, Mary. It is, though it's still got a bit of a chill." Michael slowed his pace just enough to offer a quick smile before moving on. He greeted several other residents along the way, maintaining his usual rapport with the community, especially to those who don't know him yet.
By the time he reached his destination, the inside of the building was quiet. A vast contrast compared to the crowd outside, and the only ones in there except for Baldwin were the two guards stationed not far from Baldwin's cell. Michael gave them a silent nod of acknowledgment before stopping in front of one of the cells.
Inside, Baldwin was mid-pushup. "What are you doing?" Michael asked.
"Working out, as you can see." Baldwin grunted. He finished two more reps with effortless form before rising to his feet. He grabbed a towel to wipe away the sweat, and as he turned, Michael couldn't help but notice the man's build. Is his physique actually better than mine?
Baldwin caught him staring and frowned. "Why the look? Are you interested in men or something?"
Michael snorted, shaking off the thought. "Hardly. I was just wondering what happened to that 'Knightly' speech of yours. Why are you suddenly talking like the rest of us instead of that stuck-up persona you had last night?"
Baldwin let out a sharp laugh that ended as abruptly as it began. "Do you have any idea how exhausting it is to maintain that tone all day? Besides, I'm by myself now. There's no one around to criticize me anymore, so I'll talk however I want."
"So the high-and-mighty act was just a mask," Michael snickered. "Still, don't think a change in tone makes me forget you tried to kill me last night."
Baldwin shrugged and sat on the edge of his bed. "Not like I'm looking for your forgiveness. So, what's the real reason you're here? I know you didn't just come for a chat."
Michael crossed his arms, his expression turning businesslike. "Our group is launching an offensive on a nearby settlement tomorrow. I want you to join the fight. In exchange, you're free to go the moment the objective is neutralized."
Baldwin put on a shirt, his eyes narrowing. "That sounds less like a request and more like an order. Besides, what difference does one more man make? This isn't the Middle Ages; a lone knight doesn't win a gunfight. Wouldn't you rather I stay here? It's not like you trust me."
"That's exactly why you're coming," Michael countered. "I don't trust you to stay here and behave while we're away. I'm a lot more comfortable if I can keep you in my sights to prevent you from making any trouble."
As he spoke, Michael studied him. Baldwin might not have been his equal in raw strength, but he was undeniably dangerous. If they hadn't encountered him on unfavorable terrain the night before or that he wasn't present, he might have actually succeeded in killing Daryl and the others. How much more of a threat would he be with a gun in his hands? Michael wondered.
"Do we have a deal or not?" Michael pressed.
Baldwin went quiet for a moment, weighing his options. "Let's be clear. I help you fight, and as soon as the battle is over, I walk. Right then and there?"
"Yes, right then and there." Michael said.
"Then I want a car prepped and waiting nearby," Baldwin added, staring Michael down. "With all my gear inside, plus three days' worth of food and water. Then we have a deal."
Michael's jaw tightened. He let out a sharp click of his tongue. "Tsk."
Baldwin smirked, shaking his head slightly. "If you're trying to scheme against me, you're a hundred years too early." He'd seen and been through enough schemes that Michael's tricks are just child's play in his eyes.
Michael didn't admit to a thing; he just offered a sharp, cryptic grin. He hadn't lied about letting Baldwin go, but he certainly hadn't planned on returning the man's weapons or giving him a fueled-up getaway car.
"We move at dawn," Michael said, turning on his heel and walking away.
"Before leaving, can you at least have someone give me a book to read? Any book, I'm bored here." Baldwin shouted as Michael was leaving.
Michael did not say anything in response, but on his way out of the building. He ran into someone bringing food to Baldwin and ordered the woman to bring the man a mathematics book after handing over the plate of food to him.
And with that, Michael left the place with a smirk on his face.
Holding a calculus book in his hand, Baldwin let out a dry laugh as he couldn't believe the experience he's having in this place right now.
"I indeed say any book, but to actually give me a calculus? What a petty bastard." Baldwin threw the book on the foot of his bed before lying down on it and stared at the upper bunk. A couple of seconds passed, he suddenly sat up, grabbed the book by his feet and flipped through the pages.
Baldwin let out a sigh and murmured, "This reminds me of my university days."
Michael was walking towards the front yard when he spotted someone familiar near the outdoor kitchen in the yard. 'Right, they did mention someone joined us right after dealing with the walker siege. Just didn't expect to encounter her this early though, she must have been living around the area for quite a while before she encountered Andrea.'
Michael walked over towards her. "Michonne, right?"
Michonne was busy wiping off the water from the plates when someone called out to her. She paused what she was doing and turned around to look. "Ohh, yes. Can I help you?"
"No, I just wanted to say hi. Though are you coming with us tomorrow?" Michael smiled and asked.
"I don't see a problem with it, so yeah." Compared to most of the survivors who are not familiar with Michael, Michonne wasn't the least bit intimidated and just answered honestly, and a little bit curt too like she was annoyed from getting disturbed.
Michael looked at her lonely figure and that gloomy air around her stuck out like a sore thumb even when she's in the midst of people who are filled with smiles and hopes on their faces.
"So how is it here? Like it so far?" he asked.
She lightly nodded her head and replied. "I don't know. I'm just glad I don't have to wander aimlessly anymore."
'Though I would have immediately left if I found this place even a bit suspicious.' She added inside.
"That's good to hear then." Michael said before leaving under Michonne's curious stare.
Disengaging from Michonne, Michael made his way towards the edge of the camp where he saw a group of people discussing something near the fence and circled around a table with things laid on top of it.
Daryl was hunched over the table and was saying something when he noticed someone approaching them and looked up. It wasn't only him who noticed, the others like Rick, Glenn, Oscar, Andrea, Jill and a couple more others also noticed his arrival.
"You're right on time. We just started discussing the offensive tomorrow.," Daryl said, tapping a circle drawn on the laid map. "I confirmed it last night with our informant, the settlement is low-walled, but they've got clear lines of sight. If we don't hit them fast and hard at the first light, they'll pin us down in the open. Fortunately for us, we can prevent that by just blasting a hole open using the RPG."
Michael leaned over the map and saw that the distance between the two communities is really not far from each other. "We're bringing Baldwin with us tomorrow. I want you to stay with him and keep an eye on him. If he tries to slip away or turn his gun on us, I want you to immediately drop him."
Then he turned to Oscar and T-Dog. "I want you two to help him with that."
"Got it." Oscar answered with a reassuring nod while T-Dog acknowledged his order with a nod.
Daryl grunted, not looking too pleased with that arrangement. "Isn't it just better to leave him here? He'd just be an added worry tomorrow."
Michael looked at the people around him and sighed. "That's what he said too, and I told him that I'm not comfortable enough to leave him here when most of our fighters are not around. Don't forget that we would have died last night if he was armed with a gun instead of a sword."
Daryl looked away and just clicked his tongue after. "He was just lucky," he muttered.
Compared to his reaction, the others were startled to hear that revelation from last night.
"How come you did not tell me anything about that last night?" Andrea showed concern with a mix of relief.
"It wasn't particularly important since we're still alive." Micheal just shrugged his shoulders.
"Was he that strong?" Rick asked while looking at Daryl.
Daryl grunted and replied. "He was just lucky since he caught us off guard and was riding a horse. I could have killed him if it weren't for the helmet he was wearing."
"Enough about last night. We're getting off track from what matters most." Michael immediately brought the discussion to an end before it became a lengthy gossip.
They spent the next hour coordinating the teams for tomorrow: one squad to create a diversion at the south gate, while Michael and the main force breached from the rear. They checked the numbers of ammunition on their inventory—the remaining supply was tight, but enough for a decisive blow if they made them count.