Unbreakable threads

Chapter Ninety Three : Deanna's Interview

Deanna folded her hands, her sharp eyes glancing between Rick and Alyssa. "The group outside," she began, her tone neutral but probing, "did you know them before the apocalypse?"

Rick leaned forward slightly, his voice steady. "No. Not most of them. Carl," he said, nodding toward Judith in his arms, "is my son. Alyssa's his half-sister. The rest of the group... we met after everything fell apart. But we've survived together. That makes us family now."

Deanna nodded, her expression thoughtful as she processed the information. "And you two," she said, her gaze flicking between them again. "You're the leaders of your group, yes?"

Alyssa smirked faintly at the assumption, but before she could respond, Rick cut in. "I am," he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Deanna raised an eyebrow at the swiftness of his response but didn't challenge him. Instead, she turned her attention to Alyssa, her curiosity clear. "And what about you, Alyssa?" she asked, her voice calm but direct. "You're not a leader?"

Alyssa leaned back slightly in her chair, crossing her arms. "Not officially," she said, her tone blunt. "I don't make speeches. I don't take votes. I do what needs to be done, and people follow if they want to."

Rick's jaw tightened slightly at her words, but he said nothing, letting her speak. Deanna, however, seemed intrigued. Her gaze lingered on Alyssa, studying her closely. "You don't seem to hesitate," Deanna said, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "You're tough. I can see that."

Alyssa shrugged, keeping her tone flat. "You have to be," she said simply. "If you're not, you die."

Deanna nodded slowly, clearly pleased by her response. "That's true," she said. "But surviving is one thing. Building something... that's another. Do you think you're capable of that?"

Alyssa's eyes narrowed slightly at the question, and for a moment, she didn't answer. Then, her voice came, cold but steady. "If it's worth building, yeah."

Deanna leaned back, her smile widening slightly. There was something about Alyssa's bluntness, her ruthlessness, that struck a chord with her. She saw potential—raw, unpolished, but undeniably strong. "I think you're going to be good for this town, Alyssa," she said finally, her voice filled with quiet certainty.

Alyssa didn't respond, but her sharp eyes stayed locked on Deanna. She didn't trust easily, but there was something about Deanna's calm confidence that held her attention. Rick, however, shifted uncomfortably, clearly not thrilled with how the conversation had turned.

Deanna made a few more notes, her gaze lingering on Alyssa for a moment longer before moving back to Rick. It was clear, though, that her curiosity about Alyssa wasn't going away anytime soon.

Deanna shifted slightly in her chair, her smile warm but her tone thoughtful as she began to talk about herself. "Before all of this, I was a congresswoman for Ohio," she explained, her words steady but carrying a hint of pride. "I worked to serve my community. That's always been my goal—helping people."

Rick sat back slightly, still holding Judith close, while Alyssa's expression remained unreadable, though her sharp eyes stayed fixed on Deanna.

Deanna continued, gesturing slightly around her as she spoke. "Alexandria was designed as a sustainable community before the world fell apart. Solar panels, water filtration systems, even a self-contained sewer system. It was meant to be ahead of its time."

Alyssa raised an eyebrow slightly, her interest piqued despite herself. "All that... and it just sat here?" she asked, her tone skeptical.

Deanna nodded. "The community wasn't fully occupied yet when the outbreak started," she explained. "The army directed my family to come here. They knew it could be a safe haven, and they helped us make it into one. My husband, Reg, is a professor of architecture. He helped design and build the walls you saw outside."