"It's a military base in Texas. They were the ones supposed to come rescue us, not you—but you arrived first, and we haven't received any response from that military base that contacted us," said Ben Miller, clearing up the doubts in the room.
"They're being attacked by walkers. It'd be impossible to get there in time and save them…" Daryl commented, unable to hold back.
"That's not exactly true. We could get there in less than three hours on a C5. Of course, only if we make a short stop and then pull out quickly," Eric suggested to Jason, who had remained silent until that moment.
Ben looked at Jason and said, "There are good soldiers and entire families at that base. We can save them—if you make the decision. They'll most likely die if we don't."
Jason fell silent, then stood up from the table. "This wasn't part of the plan. It's a very risky request that I need to think through carefully."
After saying that, Jason walked out of the room and headed to an open area nearby. This had become a real dilemma. On one hand, he had just given a speech about saving everyone and rebuilding humanity. On the other, someone was now asking for his help.
If he chose to go to Texas to help the survivors at that military base, he could be putting his own people in danger—something he clearly didn't want to do. They had already taken many risks getting this far, and he had no intention of changing all his plans and exposing himself like that.
It wasn't just a personal decision. Sure, he wanted to save those people in Texas—but he also had to consider the safety of his family. Just as he was about to turn around, Jason felt someone approaching beside him.
"They say they can hold out for about six hours. So… what's the decision going to be?"
Hearing Daryl's words, Jason fell into silence. He hesitated for a moment, and before Daryl could say anything else, he asked:
"What do you think about all of this?"
"We've done a lot together… and we made it through."
In his own way, Daryl understood what Jason was thinking—and what he truly wanted for everyone. He wasn't stupid. Even if people only watched him quietly, he was one of the sharpest in the group. So he added:
"But out of all the people left in the world, we're the only ones who can actually do something. I'm ready. I'll stand by whatever decision you make."
Of course, Daryl didn't want to point out just how dangerous this mission was. He knew what Jason was thinking—and also that the best thing for everyone was to go and try to save those people.
"Hmm… looks like my old friend Daryl is getting more and more devoted to the community. Later, the children of those you save will write old legends about a man with a big crossbow riding a motorcycle."
When Jason said that, Daryl smiled and replied:
"Shut your mouth! Get back in there and get this thing started. If we take any longer, it might be dark by the time we return."
"Alright."
After those words with Daryl, Jason regained the confidence he needed. He committed himself to the idea that, under his responsibility, no one would get hurt. Those people needed a hero—and his community would go help them.
When he returned to the others, Jason asked everyone to gather—both civilians and the soldiers from the military base. In no time, they stood in front of him, and he said:
"I know this is tough. There are people who need our help, and I believe we can do this without too much trouble."
"Ben Miller, I considered what you told me, and I think we can do something for those at the military base. But I need one thing: I want the majority of your soldiers to stay here loading all the supplies into the C5s and start flying them to our base in Atlanta."
"However, to go to Texas, I need you to come with me—since you know that base and you've been in contact with their people. I need you to contact them now and tell them to get everyone ready—people, weapons, food, and all the supplies they can carry in a short time."
Jason took a deep breath and continued: "Gentlemen, we are the S.C.T. community, and right now, there are people who need our help. We'll do what we know best—we'll save them and return as soon as we touch down. Eric, I need you to get a C5 ready for takeoff ASAP. If you think you can't make the trip, tell me now so I don't put my people at risk."
"Yes, sir!" Eric replied with a serious expression. He immediately left with some soldiers to prepare and inspect the remaining C5s on the base.
Many of the soldiers from the three squads that had come with Jason's group remained silent. None of them were truly afraid. This was what they had trained for—to save lives, kill walkers, and build a future.
On the other hand, many of the soldiers smiled with satisfaction. If Jason had refused to save those people—no matter how difficult it was—they would have questioned whether he was truly a good leader willing to give everything.
"Alright, men! Along with the civilians, begin moving all supplies from here to the extraction zones headed for Atlanta. A squad of fifteen men will come with me—the rest will stay here to ensure everything runs smoothly!"
"Yes, sir!"
"I'm going with you, Jason. I swore I'd follow you wherever you go, and this time won't be an exception," said Morgan as he stepped forward.
"No. I need you here to make sure everything gets done properly."
"You can leave Elias. Daryl and the others also want to go to Texas—and hopefully see if the world is starting to change," Morgan insisted, unwilling to back down.
"I'll go with you, Jason. No exceptions!"
"And I'll go with my master!"
Daryl turned to grab his gear, and Carlos followed, cracking a lame joke he had once heard from Glenn. Daryl didn't say a word—he just kept walking.
…
Half an hour later, a C5 aircraft was in motion, positioned on the military base's highway, ready to take off toward Texas—where a base was under attack from a horde of walkers.
Jason left Elias and the majority of his troops in charge of the location. Since they needed to remain at the base for a while, the entrance was sealed off to prevent any walker intrusion.
Those who accompanied Jason on this mission were Daryl, Carlos, Morgan, and Billy—along with other soldiers. Also on board were some military personnel from the base who weren't pilots, and Colonel Ben Miller himself.
After a few minutes of preparation, the C5, piloted by Eric, took off, and Jason's group set off on a surprise journey to Texas.
"Guys, with this damn trip, we're gonna accomplish a lot… and we'll finally be out of Atlanta!" Carlos shouted with a wide smile.
"Easy, kid. A minute ago, you told me you were scared of heights."
"I'll close my eyes."
"Hahaha."
In no time, the C5 was soaring toward Texas, with one shared purpose uniting them all: to save the people at the military base—and return as soon as possible.