Morning came, and we gathered everyone from the community in the central courtyard. I stood on the stage with Deanna, Jesus, and the others by my side. We officially announced the formation of the Republic—an alliance of four communities. The people listened with curiosity and cautious hope, whispers spreading like wildfire as I declared myself as the first leader of this Republic.
Some clapped. Others looked around, uncertain. But I saw the spark of something new—trust, ambition, and a belief that maybe things could change. Deanna and Jesus took time after the announcement to speak with our people, walking among them, asking questions, offering help, and building connections. Their presence reassured many.
Three days passed.
Deanna, Jesus, and the others eventually returned to their own communities to spread the news and prepare their people for the transition into the Republic. That left me time to focus on our own foundation. I headed toward the training quarters, searching for someone I needed—Eugene.
I found him near the edge of the range, tinkering with scraps of metal, clearly still shaken from the recent events with his friend.
"Hey, Eugene," I called out.
He turned, surprised. "Rick. What do I owe the honor of this visit?"
I got straight to the point. "What do you think we need to reinforce this camp? Long-term."
Eugene gave me a look—hesitant, guarded. "Do you trust me? I mean, I just got here. You saw what happened with my friend..."
"I didn't ask about that. I asked if you have a plan or not," I said, firm.
He looked at me, then away, thinking. "If I were to recommend something... I'd say we build concrete walls. At least ten meters high. That'd keep out most walkers and give us the high ground. We can design it with platforms, guard stations—maybe even a system for funneling walkers if they get too close."
I nodded. "Sounds good. And bullets, as well as guns? Can you make them?"
"Guns, no," he said. "But bullets? Yes. With the right equipment and materials, I can definitely produce ammunition."
"Perfect. You'll be in charge of both," I said.
"Wait—me? Both?" he stammered.
I stepped closer, staring him down. "Can you do it?"
He hesitated. "I... I can."
"Good," I said. "Talk to Guillermo. Tell him you're working under my direct orders. You'll oversee the wall project and get started on bullet production. I want us fully stocked by next month."
Eugene swallowed, then nodded. "Alright. I'll get started right away."
Back in the series, Rick never made full use of Eugene's potential until Negan got his hands on him. But here, under the Right Arm—he will shine. And soon, we'll have more bullets than we can count and a fortress none can breach.
After my talk with Eugene I assured him that i will give him my full support I them went to my way where I saw Michonne I'm the gate hey what's up hey gleen and the others haven't come back yet I'm sure they're fine I assured her right I hope so I leva her be then decided to go to find cark eventually I saw him with Sophia and duanne along with Beth and Otis talking to something I just let them be since they are having monments like this
After my talk with Eugene, I assured him of my full support and reminded him that he's not just building walls—he'll also be in charge of producing bullets for our future defense. I told him to coordinate with Guillermo for materials and manpower, and that whatever he needed, he'd get it. Eugene looked stunned at first, but I could see the gears turning in his head. This was the start of something big.
With that settled, I headed on my way and soon spotted Michonne standing guard at the gate.
"Hey," I called out.
"Hey," she replied with a concerned look. "Glenn and the others haven't come back yet."
"They're tough. I'm sure they're fine," I said, trying to ease her worry.
"Right… I hope so," she murmured, turning her eyes back to the distance.
I gave her a small nod and let her be. Then, I decided to look for Carl. I hadn't seen him much today.
Eventually, I found him near one of the large oak trees by the training grounds. He was with Sophia, Duane,akong with the other children, and Beth. They were all sitting in a circle, talking and laughing about something I couldn't quite hear. Seeing them like that—carefree, smiling, like kids again—it made me stop and just watch for a moment. In a world that's fallen apart, moments like these were rare. They deserved every second of peace.
I smiled to myself and walked away quietly, letting them enjoy their moment.
The next morning, Glenn returned—along with Leah, Daryl, Merle, and several others. Behind them were dozens of unfamiliar faces. I stood at the entrance, watching as they filed in, tired but hopeful. New people. Survivors. That was always good.
I approached Glenn. He looked exhausted but nodded at me with a small grin.
"These are the only ones left in Atlanta," he said. "We cleared the area as best we could. Tomorrow morning, we'll head back to gather the rest of the supplies we scouted yesterday. I'll take a larger group with me."
I nodded. "Good job, Glenn. I'll come with you tomorrow.
He blinked in surprise, then nodded again. "Got it."
What caught me off guard was seeing Daryl and Merle with him. So that's where they'd been all this time. Quiet as usual, Daryl gave a nod, while Merle just smirked, chewing on a toothpick.
The Republic was growing.
The next morning, we mobilized a large group to retrieve the remaining supplies from the city. We moved with precision, avoiding the walkers with ease. A few cars were used to draw the herds away, creating a clear path for the operation to run smoothly.
I stood atop one of the buildings overlooking the scene, Merle beside me, arms crossed and chewing on something as usual. Below us, dozens of people worked in unison—loading crates, clearing buildings, and hauling anything useful back to our trucks and carts.
It was a rare sight these days—people cooperating like that. Efficient. Focused.
"I don't know how long this'll take," I muttered, scanning the city blocks. "A week, maybe more, with the back-and-forth."
Merle grunted. "As long as we don't lose anyone, that's fine by me."
And he was right. For now, we were doinmg things right.