Jason's words left the duo in front of him frozen. They didn't want to admit it and immediately protested what they had just heard.
"Are you lying to us?" Aaron stood up right away, visibly upset.
But Jason didn't flinch. Instead, he looked over at Glenn, who was standing beside him. Glenn activated the computer in front of the pair and played a video. Immediately, the footage from the camera on Jason's helmet was projected for everyone to see. The duo witnessed the bodies of soldiers lying on the ground—then watched in horror as those same bodies rose again.
"How is that even possible?"
Moments later, the footage showed the special walker that Jason had killed. It was clearly faster, stronger, and more agile than any of the other walkers around.
This video had already been analyzed by Jason, who had contacted central command. Without a doubt, this anomaly raised many questions about how such a thing could happen. His intention wasn't to scare them—he simply wanted to show that his information and decisions carried more weight than any of theirs.
Jason raised his hand, looked at the cold-sweating pair, and said, "This anomaly is still being analyzed, so I don't want anyone else knowing about it—just the two of you."
However, Deanna had other thoughts racing through her mind. After all, they had lived safely here for over a year, and there hadn't been many walkers or survivors nearby. Otherwise, they wouldn't have gone so long without recruiting new members.
But now, faced with the possibility that mutated walkers could appear at any moment, she didn't know what to do next. After a few minutes, she finally said, "Jason, I'm starting to realize a lot of things right now. Like I said before, we've kept ourselves hidden for too long, and it seems the problems have only grown. The less contact we have with others, the more disconnected we feel from the outside world."
"So after what I just saw, I hope your group can guide us and teach us how to survive. The only thing I can do is keep the community stable—but you all are clearly on a whole other level."
"Jason, I know you can bring us real change and help most of us survive in this new era."
Hearing Deanna's sincere words, Jason sensed that the video had changed the way she saw the world. She had no other choice—Jason, in her eyes, was all that remained of the military. This refuge, Alexandria, truly needed to change, but the one holding it back was Deanna herself.
He knew that his goals might align with hers, but the methods and steps required were very different for each of them right now.
With that in mind, Jason looked at Deanna and asked, "Deanna, making changes here means a major shift in your way of life. Are you really sure this is what you want?"
Deanna remained silent. She knew she didn't fully understand the weight of her own words, so she simply stayed quiet and reflected.
"Right now, the Alexandria community is like a village isolated in the middle of a war. That footage opened my eyes. Do you think it would be comfortable to let this town adjust to the pace of war?"
Jason's description of the community struck Deanna deeply. If she were honest with herself, his words made her uncomfortable.
Seeing Deanna's expression, Jason realized this matter wouldn't be resolved quickly, so he simply changed the subject.
"I have countless plans to carry out in the future, and I may not stay here for long. If you don't want to believe what I say, you can select a group of people from your community who are willing to leave with my group. There's only one important condition: those people must follow my orders without question."
Deanna lowered her gaze, lost in thought. Aaron said nothing and focused on listening. Of everything he had heard, the idea of evolved walkers was what truly worried him.
Just as he was about to ask himself whether he'd ever face such a creature, Deanna stood up and extended her hand toward Jason.
"I still need time to think. I can't choose on my own what everyone else truly wants, but thank you for your suggestions."
"No problem. I'll be here waiting."
As Deanna and Aaron left the modified RV, Daryl entered along with Michonne and they sat down near Jason. Michonne was the first to speak: "Deanna's a good person, but this community is made up of weak people."
"I'm pretty sure they've only survived by sheer luck. Nothing here guarantees survival. Even if I had a choice, I'd rather spend a few days out there than live in this place."
That was true. Even Jason didn't fully like some of the people in Alexandria. In the original story, this place didn't become a true community until Rick took control. Like any random group of survivors, it had its share of violent men and useless sons.
Of course, there were also many good people. They just hadn't experienced firsthand what it truly meant to survive the end of the world.
Jason hadn't come here to find a large number of survivors. Though there was still time before Rick's group would arrive, Washington wasn't exactly bursting with survivors.
If he thought about it, how was it possible that Aaron hadn't found more survivors, given that this was his mission from the start of the apocalypse? He and others had traveled dozens of kilometers beyond Alexandria, and yet this place never became a super-community.
Jason turned around, clapped his hands, and shouted to the people in the vehicle: "Everyone, come over here. Let's talk about what we need to do."
From the moment he arrived, he knew he had to address the deficiencies of this refuge as soon as possible. He now needed soldiers and far more resources, since the food supply was limited. It was urgent to go out.
He had been secretly selecting the key individuals who could help him significantly in the future—men and women who, with proper development, could bring him many benefits. Now it was time to accelerate that growth and prepare for what lay ahead.
With that in mind, once everyone had gathered, Jason began organizing the next set of tasks.
"How many from the original group that came with us have decided to join the assault squad?"
As he asked, Jason looked toward his most trusted people—the ones in charge of that task.
…
In an open field, seventy-five people had gathered. They were young, a mix of men, women, and teenagers. Nowadays, height didn't matter—nor did minor physical limitations.
If a man was missing an arm, one would be provided strong enough to kill hundreds of walkers. If someone was short, they were perfect for scouting duty.
The instructors here were Jon, Billy, Elias, and Jason. They stood watching the recruits, who would be trained with what little they had available. Each recruit held a clean military file and a standard-issue assault rifle—unloaded.
Due to a lack of time, they wouldn't begin with physical or marksmanship training. Most of these people had survived over a year of the apocalypse. Their determination could be seen clearly in their eyes.
Stepping forward, Jason scanned them in silence. His eyes passed over these new soldiers who would become the foundation of this refuge. Knowing that Deanna couldn't give him a clear answer, he wasted no time and focused on what he could control.
The scene in the open field drew a lot of attention, and several of the refuge's residents came over to watch closely what the new arrivals were doing.
"At ease!"
The loud command startled some of the recruits. A few didn't understand what Jason meant, but that's where Merle came in—stepping into the ranks and adjusting the stance of those who were too stiff.
"My name is Jason, commander of the S.C.T. community! You should know that our group operates in another part of the country, so you have no idea how big we've become."
Jason walked with his hands behind his back. His voice was strong and clear so everyone could hear him: "You of all people should know what the world outside this place is like. Every one of you has lost a part of yourself."
"You all know the value of having three meals a day! You know how incredible it is to sleep peacefully at night, and you know how comforting it is to hold a weapon in your hands!"
"The S.C.T. community will defend what we thought was impossible. We will rebuild what we lost and eliminate the threats we face! Only those who know the despair of losing everything will fight hard enough to recover it."
"You must all know who you're fighting for—understand who you're offering your life to! The S.C.T. community stands for one purpose: rebuilding humanity in a new order that will benefit all."
Everyone felt their blood ignite. Jason's powerful words stirred them, and even those watching from afar fell silent. Deanna watched Jason and was surprised by how he trained the people who came with him. At that moment, she finally understood what Jason truly wanted.
"We will fight for a new future!"
Jason stood before them, raised his hand in a respectful military salute, and declared, "Glory to humanity, and may fortune always be on your side!"
Everyone had been watching intently, and once Jason's words rang out, they returned the salute and shouted: "Glory to humanity!"