The central base, where they had spent months, was finally in sight, and Jason's attention was fully drawn to the development of his own kingdom. The outer wall made of shipping containers was only halfway done, and more containers still needed to be installed — not to mention several missing watchtowers.
When the convoy arrived at the gate of the third wall, a few armed guards immediately contacted central command, and soon, there was movement outside the second wall as vehicles and personnel began to mobilize.
The distance had been relatively long before, and people inside the trucks hadn't felt much. But now that they were within the first wall of the base, their most instinctive feeling could be summed up in one word:
Enormous.
Whether it was the heavily fortified walls, the vast crop fields, the reinforced gates, the shooting points, anti-air defenses, or the electricity — everything was immense.
Under Jason's orders, the convoy passed directly through the second wall and entered the central zone of the base.
The convoy slowly reached the base's main gate, immediately drawing the attention of those manning the mounted machine guns at the firing points.
Jason was the first to step down from the modified RV, signaling for Tyler and Mike in the distance to come closer. A group was already waiting by the gate — some were soldiers on duty, while others were workers performing their tasks.
Dale and Amy were carrying out a special inspection assignment — an old, experienced man paired with a smart, diligent young woman. There was no flaw in that kind of combination.
Amy greeted him with an excited smile, and Jason nodded back in response.
"Commander! Welcome back." Dale embraced him warmly, his old face glowing with relief, then looked at the enormous convoy still rolling in behind him.
"All these people… they came from where you went?"
"Most of them came back from Washington with me. We'll have to work hard to integrate them into the central base. There are good men and women in that group — strong leaders who'll help me in the future."
Amy looked at him with admiration and said loudly, with a hint of awe, "It's incredible that you brought back so many people at once. You really can start anew wherever you go."
Dale glanced at Jason, understanding what she meant. He'd said similar words when Shane returned — and whenever he saw strong men with distinct character.
"The group you sent reached the base in Georgia safely. I heard they've successfully established contact," Amy said, genuinely happy to see Jason safe. But she quickly realized it was time for a proper talk — and when Dale spoke next, she knew he was right.
"Jason, now that security's been reinforced, everyone entering or leaving the base must be inspected. Strangers are to surrender their weapons as per protocol."
"I'm glad to hear that. Everything feels more sophisticated now — a strict military atmosphere. Has that caused any unrest among the people?"
"Everyone understands it's for our protection. Life's peaceful, and we've got enough entertainment like before. You know, Sunday movies are a hit — they even managed to replay past World Cup matches, and those who don't remember the games place bets."
Before Jason could respond, footsteps sounded behind him, followed by several voices speaking in unison.
"We don't mind surrendering our weapons. This place is beautiful."
The voice belonged to Ezekiel, and everyone turned to look at the people surrounding him. They had all served under him, and he was the first to share his thoughts.
"Jason, you've kept every promise you made. All my people trust you — and so do I. You pulled us from death's grasp, and we're endlessly grateful."
Nodding to express his gratitude for their understanding, Jason turned his head to Mike and Tyler, who had just arrived by his side.
"Unfortunately, Lori was bitten by a walker. She needs to see Carl and her daughter, Judith, one last time. We have to do this… for Lori's children."
"What!?"
"Oh God…"
At that moment, they saw several people get off the RV behind the convoy. Daryl and T-Dog were carrying a stretcher, while Glenn and Maggie supported Rick, who could barely stand.
Rick's complexion was terrible, yet he followed closely beside the stretcher carrying his wife. His grief-stricken expression worried everyone who saw him. Michonne and the others exited the truck just behind them, their faces filled with mixed emotions.
Dale and Amy hurried over to check on Lori. She had developed a high fever; her face was pale as paper, though she was still conscious — but clearly anxious. She must have wanted to see her children as soon as possible.
"It's harsh to say, but she brought this on herself. She loved leaving the base so much, acting like an expert at it. As you ordered, she was allowed to go without being stopped. Is this the outcome you expected?" Tyler looked at Jason with curious eyes.
This wasn't the first time Jason had used a chain of calculated moves to deal with troublesome individuals — he'd done the same with Carol's husband before, and he'd expected a similar outcome if Lori continued to ignore the rules.
"My sweet Black is still protected?"
"Yes, boss," Tyler said, glancing at Jason with a look that suggested he understood exactly what those words meant.
No one stopped the group, and Dale, who had approached Rick, silently offered his support.
They soon arrived at the plaza in the backyard without any obstacles. However, Lori wasn't taken to the dormitory area — even if they were leaders, Jason wasn't foolish enough to endanger his people that way.
Several people went directly to the dorms and soon found Carl and Judith.
Jason stepped forward, placing a hand on Rick's shoulder. Seeing how dazed he looked, Jason felt uneasy but still spoke in a firm tone. "You need to stand tall, Rick. Carl and Judith are about to lose their mother — they can't see you broken, do you understand?"
Shane also came over, speaking gently. "Listen, Carl and Judith will be here soon. Do you want me to talk to him first?"
As he thought of his son, Rick's expression finally shifted slightly. He looked at his wife on the stretcher and slowly shook his head.
"Lori's time is running out. Let her spend a little time with the kids."
"We could use the cryogenic chamber on Lori, but that wouldn't mean saving her — not with our current technology. If we don't find a cure, she'll never truly be saved. So make your choice."
"Mom! Dad!"
Just then, Carl's voice echoed from afar.
Moments later, a small boy came running in — fair-skinned, dressed in clean clothes — accompanied by Beth, who was carrying Judith, barely six months old.
As Carl rushed in, the first thing he saw was his father, and then Jason standing beside him.
"Jason! When did you get back?"
Smiling and crouching down, Jason didn't answer his question. Instead, he placed both hands on Carl's shoulders, his expression turning serious.
"Carl, you've become a really strong young man, did you know that?"
"Yes! I've been helping take care of my sister, and I also help people around the base with their work! You don't know, but the kids train now."
"That's amazing. You'll be a great leader one day. But now you need to listen carefully — your mother had a very serious accident. She's a little sick, and you have to be strong and support her. Can you do that?"
Upon hearing that his mother was hurt, Carl's face immediately tensed, as though he was about to cry. But seeing the eyes of the adults around him, he pressed his lips together and nodded firmly.
"I'm an adult now. I'll comfort my mom so she can recover from her injuries."
Seeing his son like that, Rick finally reacted. He knelt and embraced his boy tightly.
"I'm sorry!"
"Carl!"
Jason stood up and looked at Beth, who was holding the baby, and gave her a small nod.
Beth returned the nod, her eyes scanning the people nearby before finally landing on Daryl.
"You're back."
"Hey, kid."
"Where's your brother?"
"He's on a mission. Didn't make it back with our group…"
Rick finally stood up and led Carl over to the stretcher where his wife lay. At that moment, Lori seemed to sense their presence — she turned her head slightly and looked toward her son.
Breaking free from his father's hand, Carl ran straight to his mother's side, throwing himself onto her.
Though she felt like every bone in her body might crumble, Lori struggled to sit up, placing her hands gently on Carl's head and then looking at Judith in Beth's arms.
When she reached out for her daughter, Judith was still asleep with her eyes closed. But as if sensing her mother's warmth, her big eyes fluttered open, and a smile instantly formed on her face.
Lori's composure shattered — two streams of tears rolled uncontrollably down her cheeks. Her heart was filled with endless regret, but it was far too late to make anything right.
Just as the family of four mourned together, another group suddenly burst in — led by Candace and her husband, Edwin, along with several women close to Lori and a few other leaders.
A large number of people flooded the room where Lori had been brought. The once spacious area quickly became crowded, and everyone wore heavy expressions.
It wasn't that Lori had built up so much popularity — most of these people were there for Rick. Only a handful of women had come specifically to see Lori.
But the family clearly wasn't in the mood to face anyone's pity. The visitors could only wait by the door for a while before leaving temporarily.
After all, Carl couldn't hold it together forever. The boy, nearly nine years old, already understood something about life and death — this world had forced him to.
What surprised Jason, though, was that the boy was much stronger than he'd imagined. He had overlooked Carl for a while, preoccupied with other matters, but Carl had been growing in his own way.
"It seems everyone finds their path eventually… I'm truly sorry I can't protect everyone. But some people—" Jason's eyes darkened as he looked toward the stretcher, "—some don't deserve to be saved."