WARRIORS OF THE WALKING DEAD: SAVIORS OF MANKIND
CHAPTER FOUR
Rick and Daryl stood at the back of the courtyard as the soldiers assembled. The Major stood up on a stand with a microphone so they could all hear him. Rick and Daryl both had a feeling of trepidation as they awaited the announcement.
"All right everyone, listen up. I've gotten orders from a General Sorenson that we're to mobilize and move out by the end of the week. They are recalling all units back to Washington." Major Reese announced, telling them the main point right off the bat.
There was some murmuring amongst the men.
"Hold up. I'm not done." He said, his voice getting quiet and intense.
"I need to tell you guys something and It's important…" He paused, taking a deep breath. "When I signed up for the military, I wanted to be a hero. I quickly learned that all of us, and yet none of us were heroes. That we rise and fall as a Core, however today we have a decision to make. We have 600 people whose lives depend on us that will be left behind if we go. These people didn't sign up for this, and frankly, neither did we, but we're faced with a rare moment. In the chaos of what the world has become, we have a choice to make. Do we follow the orders that have been given or do we stay and protect the people we swore to protect?"
Jackson took a moment, taking a deep breath as tears popped into his eyes.
"My wife and child died 3 days into this…plague. I know that all of us, have lost loved ones that we'd do anything to get back. Today, you have the choice to save someone else's loved ones. Today, we have the choice to be the hero we all signed up to be. Now it's up to you. I will support you either way, and I will understand your decision. There is honor in both, but as for me…I will be staying here." He finished, stepping off the stage and leaving a stunned crowd standing behind him.
Daryl looked at Rick and saw the raw emotion in his eyes and knew he was thinking of Lori. Daryl put his hand on Rick's shoulder and walked back inside as the stunned soldiers began to talk amongst themselves.
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Andrea and Rachel stood with Michonne, Katelyn, and Carol, watching the scene unfold. They knew that the outcome of this situation would determine the fate of many people under the protection of Major Reese's battalion.
"What d'ya thinks gonna happen?" Carol asked, turning to face the women.
"See how quickly that group over there is leaving." Andrea said, pointing toward a large portion of the men.
"Yeah." Carol said, puzzled.
"They're completely loyal to him. Their minds were made up the minute he said what he was gonna do. The rest of them…I don't know." Andrea shrugged thinking how much she liked Major Reese. Maybe too much.
In some ways, he reminded her of Rick…in the early days. Moral, upstanding, and brave. A man who stood up for what he believed in. The difference, however, was in the "big world"-"small town" viewpoint. Where Rick was happy living a small life in a small town where he knew everyone, Jackson wanted to save the world.
Andrea smirked, looking at Rachel.
"What are you smirkin' at?" Rachel asked, her smile broadening.
"I was just thinking how good Major Reese looks in his camis." Andrea commented off-handedly.
Rachel chuckled, but when Michonne chimed in with;
"Mmmm hmmmm." They all burst out laughing.
No one had ever seen Michonne smile, let alone joke which made them all laugh harder.
"I didn't think you noticed stuff like that." Andrea said elbowing Michonne playfully.
"I'm pissy…not dead." Michonne joked back, walking through the doorway and back into the building.
It only made them laugh harder.
That's how Daryl found them.
Approaching them with an expression that said it all, Daryl wandered over confused.
"What the hell's so funny?" He asked, thinking they'd all gone crazy. Before Michonne went inside, he could swear he saw her smile. He thought her face would crack if that ever happened.
"We were just appreciating our fine men in uniform." Andrea said suggestively causing Carol and Katelyn to burst out laughing again.
Daryl frowned and Katelyn tried to stifle her guffaws but it only made it worse.
"Woman, I don't know what you're laughin' at!" Daryl snapped, only half irritated. He liked to see her laughing so he couldn't really get mad.
"Is Rick okay?" Rachel managed to ask, after she got her giggles under control.
"Define 'okay'", Daryl said.
"Don't be difficult." Katelyn smacked his arm playfully causing Daryl to grunt. She put her arms around him and squeezed, letting him know that the only man she was interested in looking at, was him.
And it worked to.
Andrea rolled her eyes at how easy men were.
"He'll be all right. Give him time." Daryl said, almost sweetly causing Andrea and Carol to smirk.
Who'd a thought Daryl Dixon could be tamed.
Rachel nodded, but her gaze followed him.
Carol nudged Andrea, nodding toward Rachel's gaze and the two shared a glance of understanding.
"Told you." Carol whispered at Andrea.
Rachel smiled at Daryl and excused herself.
"Where's she off to?" Daryl asked, confused as to why she left.
"I'm sure she's going to offer Rick some comfort." Andrea said, smirking.
Daryl snorted in disbelief.
"How's she gonna help?" Daryl asked, not understanding what they meant.
"Never mind, big guy." Andrea chuckled, patting him on the shoulder as she went inside.
"What?" Daryl asked, confused.
Katelyn kissed him on the mouth to distract him, but also because he was so adorably dense sometimes.
"Don't think that's gonna work." He said after she got done kissing him.
Katelyn laughed.
Okay, maybe not as dense as she thought.
"I still don't get what you guys are laughing at." Daryl grumbled.
"I know, and that's part of why I love you." She said, taking his hand to tug him back inside.
Daryl growled and picked her up, kissing her properly.
"Get a room!" They heard a random soldier call out, causing them to chuckle and the other soldiers to start laughing.
Katelyn blushed.
Daryl smiled proudly, as if to say, "This is my woman," in his own backwood country kind of way.
"Come on. Let's go rescue our daughter from her uncle." Daryl said.
"He's fine. Sara's watching him." She chuckled, finding Merle and Sara's relationship interesting.
At first, she'd been disapproving of Sara's desire to befriend "the Ogre", Katelyn's personal nickname for Merle. After watching them though, she found it funny. No matter how much Merle blustered, Sara didn't seem to mind and usually got the best of him somehow. Merle didn't seem to be able to be truly awful to her either. He even watched his language somewhat when she was around which was hilarious to watch. Katelyn realized that a part of him had been scared of what he'd almost done in the shed that day. It was one thing for him to kill strangers bent on hurting him, but he almost did irrepairable harm to Daryl.
He was also on his best behavior because of the situation. When he'd been with her father, he had to tow the line, but was expected to kill and lie. Here, he was expected to be honorable and if he wanted to live here, he had to at least pretend. She only hoped that his love of Daryl and Hope was enough to begin to change him permanently.
She hoped for Daryl's sake.