Chapter 11: Ashes and Decisions
Rick Grimes's offer to go to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) had illuminated a small but fragile glimmer of hope amidst the mourning and devastation that had descended upon the camp. The group was divided amidst the ashes and loss. Some, like Rick, Lori, and Glenn, clung to the idea like a lifeline, while others, like Shane, saw it as a pipe dream, a waste of fuel and time.
Jayden listened silently to these arguments, a storm raging within him. He knew the truth. The CDC was not a refuge, but a tomb. Dr. Edwin Jenner was the last guard at humanity's last bastion, and that bastion had long since fallen. Should he share this information with them? Should he dissuade them from this desperate journey? No. He couldn't. To reveal his knowledge of the future so openly was to jeopardize his own existence, the very secret of the system. How would people trust him? Would they treat him like a prophet or like a madman? At worst, it could unpredictably alter the course of events, leading to an even worse future.
He changed his plan. Instead of stopping them, he would go with them and prevent the worst from happening. He would make sure they escaped the CDC before Vi locked those steel doors forever. This was a new mission: Damage control.
With a mental command, he spent the assignable points he had earned when he leveled up. "Assign points to Perception (PER)," he thought. This was more important than brute force. The ability to notice details, sense danger, and read people's intentions would be vital in a closed, tense environment like the CDC.
He then checked his system profile. [Name: Jayden Mendoza]
[Level: 3]
[Hit Points (HP): 120/120]
[Stamina (STA): 120/120]
[STATISTICS]
Strength (STR): 12
Agility (AGI): 12
Stamina (END): 12
Perception (PER): 11
Intelligence (INT): 10
[Assignable Points: 0]
Just then, a groan caught the group's attention. Jim, the man bitten during the camp attack, lay at the base of a tree, shaking in sweat. The bite had raised his fever, and his consciousness was hazy.
"We must deal with him," Daryl snarled, raising his crossbow. "Before he transforms. This is mercy."
These words tested the group's moral compass once more. Killing someone before they could transform? Was it murder or necessity? Rick and Shane stopped Daryl. They couldn't cross that line yet.
Jayden looked at Jim's pained face. He knew his fate in the series. There was no way to save him. It was one of the unchangeable, cruel rules of this world. He watched silently. These moments were a test of how long the group could maintain their humanity.
Finally, the decision was made to leave. The CDC would be given a chance. A weary determination hung over the group as they gathered their belongings and prepared their vehicles. The quarry had been their first refuge, but now it was only a memory filled with pain and loss. As they left, no one looked back.