Early in the morning, four Humvees equipped with machine guns departed from Alexandria and split into two different directions. These vehicles were accompanied by two large military trucks and several additional vehicles.
The objective of these two convoys was the Kingdom and Hilltop. Considering that the Saviors had not yet made an appearance in these communities—a rather strange situation—Jason wanted to have eyes and protection in those places, just in case.
Given the presence of abnormal walkers, it made sense for these key communities—so important to Jason—to be under protection. A lot was happening without his knowledge, so as long as his people were stationed at certain critical points, no real harm could be done.
Meanwhile, in Alexandria, everything continued as usual. Instructors trained new recruits, more experienced groups went out scavenging for resources, and others had begun working the land to grow vegetables.
Some time had passed since two helicopters had departed for the central base carrying the mutated walker Jason had eliminated. It was necessary to thoroughly examine what kind of problem was emerging in those inaccessible areas.
…
A siren blared inside a helicopter where Jason was traveling with a group of forty soldiers—and, of course, his closest allies were present.
Originally, Jason had suggested that Maggie join the group returning to the base to reunite with her family. After all, they were still alive, and he couldn't ignore that fact—unless he simply didn't care, which wasn't the case. But Maggie had insisted she wouldn't leave Alexandria until the land had been properly cultivated. They were also about to set up direct communications with the central base.
This time, due to various factors, only Morgan, Glenn, Daryl, Billy, and Liam were accompanying him to evaluate whether getting involved with a military base was a good idea.
Since the arrival of Raúl Méndez, they had learned that a distress signal had been received. The situation of those people trapped in a military base was urgent. Jason didn't have much time, but upon hearing that there were pilots among the trapped soldiers, his priorities shifted completely.
His community lacked experienced pilots—not just for helicopters, but also for larger aircraft needed to strengthen their power.
Pilots weren't as easy to find as helicopters, fighter jets, or other aircraft. Therefore, considering he had long planned to visit a military base, he believed this was the right moment.
In the co-pilot seat of the helicopter Jason was riding in, Raúl listened to the liaison officer's report with a cold expression. Small beads of sweat continued to run down his forehead, and upon hearing the last part, he paused for a moment before responding:
"This is Captain of Squadron AA. I'm under the direct orders of Commander Jason. We will handle your extraction."
"We're approaching the military base where you're trapped! How many walkers have invaded the area, and what do you see on the outside?"
"Zz… I can't reach the man currently monitoring the surroundings, but we estimate several thousand walkers," Colonel Ben Miller replied, unable to give a clearer answer. Originally, he hadn't expected anyone would come to rescue them.
Raúl clenched his fists tightly and tapped his thigh with his fingers, trying to come up with a solution. First, he tried to calm himself, then began to imagine what they were about to face.
They had too little information to act confidently. It was even possible that they were walking straight into a trap without realizing it. There were too many unknowns, and that weight bore down on him as he prepared to brief Jason.
But he knew this wasn't the time to stress. No matter what happened, he was confident Jason would lead the group through the crisis. This way, they could secure many things their community urgently needed.
"That definitely doesn't sound good…" Daryl murmured, closing his eyes. He believed rescuing the soldiers was worth the risk and was ready to face the danger—but he couldn't say the same for everyone else.
Glenn said nothing. He knew Jason would always prioritize the group's safety. If this couldn't be resolved without casualties, he would abandon the mission.
"This is not looking good…" Jason thought silently. After a few minutes, he said:
"Raúl, inform the soldiers in the base that we're coming in. If there are walkers, we'll draw their attention with the helicopters and lure them out through the breach they came in from."
"The noise and our presence will be enough to make them follow us. We've used this method before. Once they're far enough, we can enter more safely."
Raúl listened to Jason's words in silence, nodding occasionally while considering different possibilities. When Jason finished speaking, he contacted the squads flying alongside them.
Each of the three CH-47 Chinook helicopters was under the command of a captain who issued brief orders to maintain group coordination.
Considering these soldiers were complete strangers, Jason didn't fully trust them, so he informed everyone:
"Our top priority is to rescue those inside the base, but remember: we don't know them. If anyone picks up a weapon, order them to drop it immediately. We can't trust them unless we have a clear idea of their mental state. After being trapped for so long, they might not be in their right minds."
"Understood, sir!" they all responded in unison. They knew from the start they couldn't take risks for unknowns, and blind trust could get them killed. Betrayal was always a possibility.
"We need to secure the weapons immediately. If we give them a chance to reclaim their gear, it could cause serious problems," Daryl added, agreeing with Jason's stance.
Morgan looked at Daryl and nodded.
"I heard a group exploring north of the prison was killed by strangers after being tricked. Rick led a counterattack and killed all those men."
"How times have changed… After the Governor's attack, nothing's been safe," Glenn muttered with heavy thoughts. He hadn't killed anyone since the beginning. Would he be able to do it if necessary?
"Stay focused! This will be a learning experience and help us solve many future problems for our community. And listen carefully—thank you for standing by me, even when my decisions may put your lives at risk."
Morgan was the first to respond:
"Don't blame yourself for that, Jason. We all know our future wouldn't be any better without those decisions. I owe you my family's life, after all."
Jason gave a faint smile and nodded silently. He had spent days thinking about how often he put his people at risk, and he knew that had to change.
Sitting with the others, he narrowed his eyes and began analyzing the situation. The walkers were likely scattered across the base, so their arrival would definitely alert them. If he wanted to place a team near the armory, it would have to be quick.
However, finding the armory in such a large base would take time they didn't have—and that would make them vulnerable. The safest move was to control the survivors while the others lured the walkers away.
He remembered how easy it was to move walkers using sound—without wasting energy or ammo. That thought boosted his confidence several levels. He wouldn't endanger his team!
With that in mind, he suddenly opened his eyes and shouted:
"Notify those in the base not to move, even if they don't see any walkers, until we arrive. If they break this order, there will be consequences. Squadron AA-1 will deploy in two minutes near a nearby building. Your mission is to contain the survivors until the walkers are drawn away by the noise."
"Kill any straggling walkers while assessing the base's condition. If anything seems suspicious or the survivors act strangely, you're authorized to act."
"Then search for vehicles and take them to the breach in the perimeter. If we're lucky, you'll be able to seal the hole where the walkers got in. Don't trust anyone. They are not our friends."
He then turned to Squadron AA-2 in the second helicopter:
"Squadron AA-2, your mission is to eliminate scattered walkers and report on any useful vehicles and supplies found on the base."
"Maintain constant communication. We need to know everything that's happening—for security above all. Remember: if things get complicated, we pull out."
"Understood, sir!"
A series of orders came out of Jason's mouth. Each time he spoke, the mission leads relayed instructions to their respective squads.
Even Daryl and Morgan remained silent. After receiving the orders, everyone began preparing for action. No one hesitated. They knew every minute counted.
"Zz… We've got the base in sight. Confirmed—more than ten thousand walkers. Squadron AA-1 ready to deploy!"
"Zz… Now!"
"With luck, we won't face the walkers directly…" Jason murmured with a cold expression.