Chapter 5- War Crimes

A baby crying.

Metal scraping against metal.

The low groan of the Walkers.

That's what Kurt could hear around him.

When he concentrated, he realised that he was responsible for the metallic noises. He had found a small piece of scrap and had been dragged it against the bars of his cell for days now. It was as sharp as it was ever going to be. The women that were watching him were stood outside, as Kurt had asked for a little privacy while he relieved himself.

He knew their names were Michionne and Rosita, but that was all he really knew. Maybe Rosita was involved with the burly redhead that watched him sometimes, but never spoke. He didn't know.

Michionne stepped inside the dark room, gun low as she took a seat. "I talked to Rick about you."

Kurt didn't move, didn't speak, his face passive.

"I keep wondering why you're being contained here. You're not a threat to us. We could probably use another set of hands."

Kurt slipped the metal piece under his makeshift bed. "He spun me a tale about me being safer in here. People don't trust me."

"You're right, they don't. That's because they see you as a prisoner. Now, I don't know where you came from or who your allegiance is with, but I don't think you're a bad guy."

Kurt nodded.

"But for you to have survived as long as you did on your own, that gives me pause."

Kurt nodded again, that was understandable.

"So maybe it is best for you to be in here now. This new world messes with us, makes us crazy."

"So does being held captive. I can help you guys."

Michionne agreed. "I know. But we have a civilisation here, we can't risk that because of one anomaly."

Kurt understood that too, even though he hated what it meant.

"I'm sorry," Michionne muttered as she left the room, taking the light with her.

Kurt scraped the metal against the bars once more, louder this time, even though nobody could hear him.

"Kurt," Negan barked. "Wake up."

Kurt came to very quickly, paranoid and ready to fight. Negan steadied him, arms pressed tightly against him.

"Steady there. Nothing's hurting you."

Kurt took a deep breath and reassessed the situation. He wasn't going to be hurt here. He nodded as he calmed down. "Dreams."

Negan nodded, as though understanding. "Happens to the best of us."

"What's on the roster for today?" Kurt climbed down the watchtower after Negan.

"Some of the guys are scouting, some are collecting reinforcement materials, but we need you before we can put any of that to good use."

Kurt tilted his head. "Need me how?"

Negan grinned. "If we weren't about to be stormed, I'd have a very different answer to that question. But for now, I need you for defence strategy coordination. You're the person with the most experience of the threats to come. You know them, how they think."

"I don't think I know them as well as you think I might."

Negan shrugged. "You're still the one who knows them best. Any small detail might be able to help us. Unless your goal isn't to help us."

Kurt frowned. "I don't follow."

"I'm wondering if you have any allegiances, any inside information on anyone you might have connected with. You said you bonded with some of them."

Kurt yawned. "I told you everything I know. They didn't confide in their prisoner very often, if that's what you mean."

Kurt thought about Glenn, about why he was there. Rick wouldn't send Glenn to scout the perimeter, would he? He used Glenn to get supplies because the boy was fast on his feet and resourceful. He had Michionne and Rosita for the stealth stuff. There was no way that Glenn would have known he was there, he looked just as surprised as Kurt did when their eyes met.

"I want a rundown of everyone that you met there and anything about them you might be able to divulge."

Kurt took a breath. He knew that Negan would be able to see through him if he changed any details. But he also knew that there were certain things he wouldn't be able to tell the man. Things that might put people at real risk.

Kurt decided to tell Negan everything he knew, which wasn't much but it was more than he thought he would be able to remember. He chose not to speak of Glenn besides what Negan already knew of him. It was the least he could do for him after his escape and what he likely put the boy through after he left. He ran down each person he knew of, each person that had watched him and every detail they had revealed about themselves. It hadn't been much, but knowledge was power.

Negan nodded and made mental notes of everything that he was hearing. From what Kurt was saying, the group didn't sound like much of a threat to him, but he knew how callous they were from the simple fact that they kept Kurt captive for nine weeks with barely any food or water. Someone who had survived alone was worth a lot to any group and organisation nowadays, even Negan knew that much and he hated working with other people if he could avoid it. Kurt could help teach survivability to some of the others, maybe work with the children. He had high hopes for Kurt, he just hoped he wouldn't have to make the hard choice if it came down to it.

"What's your plan here? The Saviours outnumber them by a lot, are you just going to engage in combat and hope that's enough or is there a real strategy here?"

Negan grinned. "Now you're thinking like a survivor. I've sent Simon back out there, he's virtually undetectable when he wants to be, to gauge their progress. Last time he said two weeks, but I want to know if that's changed. Dwight is doing an increased perimeter check, ensuring that all of our defences are as sturdy as they can be. Simon will try to find out which entrance they'll use, and we'll be ready for them then. Let's just say I have a little game in mind."

Kurt rolled his eyes. "You and your theatrics. I hope you're not underestimating them."

"I'm not," Negan replied coolly, "but I'm also not worried about them. I'm more than confident in our restitution."

"Spoken like a true leader who has no idea what's coming next."

Negan nudged him. "Thanks to you, I do. You were one attentive prisoner. I still can't believe they would just chain you up and leave you to rot. Don't they know how resourceful a lone survivor could be?"

Kurt winced. "That was exactly what alarmed them. They had a somewhat successful dynamic going on, they didn't want anything that could disrupt that." Kurt's eyes turned distant. "I begged them, said I would run straight in the other direction if they just let me go. Or I would help them, every pair of hands helps in an apocalypse. But they refused. A few tried to help, but there was nothing they could do."

"Because of this…Rick?"

Kurt nodded, swallowing heavily. "He had supposedly been through a lot. Was untrusting of anyone he didn't know and he wasn't wrong to feel that way. Would I have imprisoned someone like me? Probably not, but I understand his reasons. These aren't the best of times."

Negan nodded back. "I didn't."

Kurt smiled. "At least someone recognises my value."

Negan coughed. "Don't you have a tower to be watching from?"

Kurt gave him a quick mock salute and laughed as he made his way to the tower.

Negan watched him leave, eyes narrowing slightly.

Kurt quickly climbed the tower, mind swimming with thoughts of his captors, wondering how this was all going to work out.

"Hey, Nate. I'll take over for a while."

Nate nodded. "Hey, Kurt? Are…are these guys really as dangerous as Negan says they are?"

Kurt pursed his lips thoughtfully. "They're small in number but they're smart. Vicious. And they will do absolutely anything to survive."

"Reassuring," Nate chuckled.

"I think we'll be okay," Kurt said, hoping to infuse more certainty into his voice than he was feeling.

Nate nodded gratefully at him before descending the ladder, leaving Kurt alone atop the watchtower with just his thoughts and the wind to occupy him. He hadn't seen a Walker in days, and he secretly hoped they weren't at the prison.

Glenn quickly shut the wire fence behind him, securing his backpack more firmly on his shoulder. Rick and Michionne immediately strode over to him, concern all over their faces.

"What did you find out?" Rick barked.

Glenn blinked. "I drew a quick map of the perimeter, it's heavily guarded and sturdy. But if we can take it, it's one hell of a way to survive."

Michionne frowned. "What aren't you saying?"

Glenn's eyes flickered to Rick quickly. "I saw Kurt."

Rick clenched his jaw. "That son of a bitch is no doubt telling them everything. We're fucked."

Glenn shrugged. "Can you blame him? We didn't treat him the best. He was no threat to us and we locked him up like a circus animal. Wouldn't you want some sort of revenge?"

Rick glared at the boy, but Michionne put a hand on Rick's arm. "He's got a point, Rick. I liked Kurt a great deal, actually, but he's not our responsibility anymore. We have our own people to protect. We can't hold back when it comes to dealing with him. We do what we planned and treat Kurt the way we would treat any other Saviour. We don't know for sure whose side he's on."

Rick shook his head. "Yeah we do. He's on his own side, he always has been. He'll ally with whoever is helpful to him but, at the end of the day, he's on his own team and rightly so."

Michionne bit her lip. "Why do you say that?"

Rick shrugged. "Wouldn't you be? All your family and friends dead, nowhere to turn to. Hell, when we found him he was half-gone. He had no one else. Wouldn't you concentrate on number one?"

It was a question that lingered in all of their minds as they planned and strategised. They prepared for Kurt having told The Saviours everything, so the element of surprise was likely ruined. So they planned contingencies and made sure that every base was covered. The prison was attracting more and more Walkers every day, they needed the Sanctuary to protect their people.

And if Kurt Hummel was an obstacle, then so be it. He would have to be taken out.