"These medicines… they look like they were made recently." As she examined the items, Alicia picked up one bottle after another and was surprised to find that they were all new.
"Recently?" Hearing that, Jason turned his head instinctively and asked, "Were they made in a lab?"
"Not exactly…"
As she said this, Alicia turned the bottle in her hand and showed him the design before continuing, "Medications produced in labs should have their own codes. None of these seem to have been made by highly trained professionals—the quality is pretty crude… They were likely made by survivors or experts working with limited equipment, but good intentions."
Jason couldn't help but reflect. If these cannibals were able to trade for these medicines, that meant the source was somehow connected to them—so there had to be a community large enough to provide such resources. With that in mind, Jason knew he had to act with greater caution.
First, they'd been attacked by the Vultures. Then, they ran into a group raiding another shelter. And finally, they were ambushed. It was reasonable to assume that the walkers they encountered on the road were tied to the same group. If all these factions were connected, it was a serious issue—and one that wouldn't be resolved without full involvement.
For now, the only thing Jason could do was contact his base once they reached Alicia's community. After that, he would fully investigate the bastards who had shot at him and his people.
"That doesn't matter for now—it's useless to overthink it. This whole area is flat. We've got a vehicle now, and as long as we stay away from the red zones marked on the map, we'll reach the shelter safely. We'll be there soon…"
Texas had some favorable zones, but many others were sparsely populated. The surrounding areas were flat and open, so both people and walkers could be seen from a long distance—greatly reducing the risk of dangerous encounters.
"Alright…"
Seeing that her shelter was drawing closer, Alicia's spirits lifted with hope. However, she knew it wasn't the time to relax. After everything they'd faced in the past twenty-four hours, the possibility of arriving alive was still incredibly uncertain.
Whether it was possible or not, the two continued driving.
As dusk fell, they needed to find somewhere to spend the night. They made several stops along the way to rest. Inevitably, they wouldn't reach Alicia's shelter that day.
There were too many walkers roaming the small town nearby, and both of them—exhausted from a day of tension—had no desire to get into another fight.
So Jason drove the car down a more isolated road, away from the houses, and lit a campfire. They intended to sleep in the vehicle, close to the fire.
The bright flames cast a vivid light. Jason and Alicia sat side by side, staring at the starry sky, each lost in thought.
Alicia lay back on a blanket on the ground, placed her hands over her abdomen, and asked Jason, "What do you think you'd be doing if none of this had ever happened?"
"Good question… Thinking about it, I'd probably be in trouble at work. Who knows? I wasn't a particularly interesting guy before the walkers ruined everything." Looking at his palms, Jason replied, his mind lost in deep thoughts.
Hearing his answer, Alicia let out a soft laugh and said, "Seems like you didn't care much about where the world was headed before all this began… and now you're doing everything you can to protect what's left of it."
"I guess you're right."
After taking a bite from the nutrition bar in his hand—and handing one to Alicia—he glanced at the dog sleeping inside the car and said, "Leading so many people isn't easy. When you realize how many lives depend on your decisions, you start wondering if you're doing things right."
"Facing enemies, keeping people busy with useful tasks, protecting yourself from other humans driven by fear or bad intentions… There's conflict, resource management, production planning… A lot to handle."
"The last time I had to lead, it didn't feel good. I was forced into it—and it wasn't pleasant." Alicia sighed. "Now I just try to protect my family, care for my people, and build some kind of future."
"Don't worry, my community handles that."
After thinking it over for a moment, Jason replied, "All my people's strategic zones are in the eastern half of the U.S. Texas wasn't a priority, but if something important starts here, I'll relocate all the survivors to Atlanta. That city should be free of walkers by now."
"And the other cities?"
Jason simply shook his head. Then he tossed the rest of his nutrition bar to the dog and watched it chew while adding, "There's no point expanding out of control. But as long as I have a solid, stable base, we'll be fine."
Woof! Woof! Woof!
Just then, the furry dog chewing on the bar seemed to sense something. Suddenly, it stood up and alerted Jason and Alicia, barking toward the darkness.
That strange behavior caught their attention. Instinctively, they grabbed their weapons and looked in the direction the dog was barking.
In the shadows, a car with its headlights on was slowly approaching along the road.
"Alicia, take cover!"
Seeing the car suddenly appear, Jason gestured toward Alicia while wondering if their pursuers had found them again.
Getting Alicia into the vehicle and fleeing was already impossible, so they chose to use the car as cover and prepare for a possible shootout.
As far as they knew, the campfire might have caught the attention of the car's occupants, and now it was approaching with caution.
The vehicle slowed down and stopped at a distance. Both doors opened, and a figure stepped out.
Due to the darkness, Jason could only make out a middle-aged man, who warned, "Don't come any closer! I've got a gun and I can shoot at any moment!"
"Don't shoot, we don't want any trouble."
The man, clearly experienced in situations like this, raised his hands and said calmly, "I saw the fire from the road. I came to see if you needed help."
"We don't need help!"
Jason replied firmly, "Now turn around and go back the way you came. We'll pretend we never saw you."
The man didn't leave. He stepped forward and said, "There's no need to do this. I'm committed to helping anyone in need. I can give you food, and—"
"I said—go back the way you came."
Even at the mention of food, Jason's expression didn't change. He raised his weapon and warned, "Take one more step, and you won't like what happens next."
He chambered a round with a dry click, making it clear he meant business.
"Alright, we'll back off…"
Seeing Jason's resolve, the man sighed in resignation. Then he slowly walked back toward his car door.
Before getting in, he said kindly, "If you're planning to cross Texas, be careful. There's a group of survivors stirring up a lot of trouble lately, and the walkers are everywhere."
Surprised by the gesture, Jason raised an eyebrow and replied, "Thanks for the warning."
"Good luck to you."
The man returned to the vehicle and seemed to talk to his companion through the windshield.
Then the engine roared to life, and the car slowly began to pull away.
Jason called out to Alicia from the other side, "Alicia, come over here."
At that moment, the man in the car heard the name and instinctively turned his head to get a better look.
When his eyes landed on Alicia's face, lit by the glow of the campfire, he froze. He could now clearly see both of them—Jason still hidden behind the car, and Alicia standing right in front of the fire.
Recognizing their faces, the man was stunned. But he quickly snapped out of it. After the car moved a few more meters, he suddenly attacked the driver.
"Stop the car!"
The vehicle screeched to a halt, and he jumped out, rushing toward the campfire.
Seeing the two of them by the fire, he asked in disbelief, "Dear God… Alicia—is it really you?"