The Walking Dead: A New Beginning From the End of the World

In the room where Rick lay, Jason looked at Shane and said, "That would be complicated because, as you know, the CDC has strict rules, and my authority isn't that significant. I can use what little authority I have to get Rick in, but if I bring a group of people to the center, even Rick might not be allowed entry. Do you understand?"

Initially, Jason had also hoped to bring Shane and the others directly to the CDC. However, without Shane, it was highly unlikely that Rick's future group could fully reunite. Therefore, Shane had to take Lori and the others to Atlanta as originally planned.

Once everyone was together, Jason would be able to bring them back. But first, he needed to secure a fixed point where his authority was maximized, allowing him to make decisions without consulting a superior. Only then would most people listen to him.

"All right. I appreciate your help during these difficult times! Jason, thank you so much. I knew you were a great guy when you stopped that thief."

After resolving this important matter in his mind, Shane relaxed considerably. His tone was noticeably calmer as he extended his hand and patted Jason's shoulder gratefully.

Jason returned a reassuring expression and instructed, "Let's move quickly! Help the nurse with the stretcher; we'll clear the way. By the way, don't worry about the outside. Just help me get Rick and the other subjects out of the hospital."

When Jason exited the room, he spotted two infected individuals and warned, "This place is no longer safe. Let's get out of here immediately."

Shane observed the soldiers in black tactical uniforms and masks. He instinctively thought that Jason held a much higher position than a mere CDC worker. Not wanting to fall behind, Shane moved his comatose friend.

As they advanced, Jason remained vigilant, scanning the hallways and slightly open rooms. His weapon was naturally poised. Upon hearing a sound to his left, he reacted swiftly and fired.

Bang!

With precise aim, the bullet pierced the walker's head, sending blood mixed with brain fragments splattering across the wall.

The infected person, whose brain was destroyed, lost all control over its body and collapsed motionlessly to the floor. Blood continued to gush from the wound, forming a pool and releasing a strong odor.

Since these walkers had only recently turned, their movement speed and reaction time were much faster than Jason had expected.

"Some of them are fast. Be careful," he warned.

Seeing the infected fall, the nurse accompanying the group seemed to lose all her strength and collapsed onto the floor, gasping heavily.

"Don't stop! Keep moving!" Billy shouted in a deep voice.

"Don't look to the sides; focus only on what's ahead," Shane advised. As a police officer, he was more accustomed to seeing such scenes, but even he was shaken by the decisive actions of those around him.

Jason observed all of this coldly. His spirit remained intact, feeling nothing but calm. He had long learned that he was a cold-blooded person, resolute in his actions to achieve his objectives. Whether it was a walker or not, he wouldn't hesitate to act if it meant ensuring his survival.

"Keep moving! Don't stop!" Jason commanded as he resumed walking.

As Jason advanced, he turned to the right and noticed some walkers to his left. He took two steps forward and opened fire.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Thanks to the suppressor on his weapon, the noise was muffled and less noticeable. Two more infected fell weakly to the ground.

"Let's keep going!"

However, just as Jason was about to turn around and continue leading the way, a group of horrifying walkers emerged from a blind spot that few had noticed.

"Watch out behind you!" Shane yelled in alarm, ignoring his task as he saw the danger approaching.

But Jason reacted faster. He spun around abruptly, extended his leg, and kicked the chest of the first figure emerging from the room with force.

The unexpected kick caused the walker to lose balance and fall to the ground. Jason then stepped on the walker's back, pulled out his dagger, and stabbed its head, ending its life.

Those who had served as soldiers and were familiar with Jason found his decisiveness natural. However, for those who didn't know him well, he appeared to be someone without compassion.

Jason withdrew the dagger and stared at the other approaching walkers. Without waiting further, he aimed his weapon and fired.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Shane and the nurse began pushing the stretcher forward. Meanwhile, Jon, Billy, Sam, and the others carefully moved the test subjects from behind.

"Contact!" Sam shouted before opening fire on the enemies. The number of walkers around them continued to grow, and it seemed the soldiers had left the area for some reason.

"Turn right!" the nurse directed with a trembling voice. Following her guidance, the group advanced safely.

Jason led the way confidently, eliminating any walkers he encountered with a simple headshot.

The path ahead became impassable, and walkers approached from behind. Jason and his group suddenly found themselves surrounded by infected.

"Take them down calmly. Remember, we have the advantage," Jason instructed without panicking as he began firing.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

As the situation intensified, Jason and his group halted and started clearing the path. There was no other choice but to shoot, as the route was completely blocked. For everyone's safety, continuing forward was too risky.

With bullet casings hitting the floor, they eliminated over a dozen walkers emerging from rooms and hallways around them.

After a while, the group continued down the corridor. Shane was surprised, as he hadn't initially seen Jason as a leader type.

"Tyler, we're getting close to the exit," Jason reported over the radio.

Upon reaching the main door, Jason signaled Shane to wait. Jason and two others cleared the remaining walkers in the area.

"All clear! Let's move!" Jason announced.

A short while later, the roar of an engine echoed, and a specially prepared truck appeared, stopping in front of the hospital.

"How are you?" Tyler quickly got out and opened the truck's rear door.

"Everything's fine." Jason had no time for conversation. He loaded Rick's stretcher into the modified truck. The test subjects were also successfully secured.

Jason briefly entered the truck, then turned and threw a black object to Shane.

Shane caught it and saw that it was a walkie-talkie. He understood Jason's intention and also noticed him taking out a backpack and handing it over.

"Shane, we'll communicate through this. The channel is noted on the back. Make sure you don't run out of battery. Once Rick recovers and the situation at the CDC stabilizes, I'll contact you."

"Got it! Listen, man, I really want to thank you for everything you've done. I wouldn't know what to do without your help!"

Shane's eyes were sincere at that moment. He was truly grateful to Jason and also happy for his good friend Rick, who had unexpectedly met such a valuable ally in these circumstances.

"Needless to say, if you want to thank me, you can buy me a drink when Rick recovers!"

"There are weapons and ammunition in the backpack, along with a note detailing the situation and what is known so far. Safe travels, my friend."

"Please, help me take care of Rick."

"Don't worry!"

George drove all the way back to the CDC, taking a detour since the road leading to Atlanta was now starting to become blocked.

Looking at the test subjects that had been prepared, Jason made sure they were properly secured. Meanwhile, the group as a whole discussed everything they had just experienced.

"Something unimaginable is happening!"

...

Shortly after parting ways with Jason and leaving the hospital, Shane picked up Lori and Carl and briefly talked about what had happened at King County Hospital.

When Lori realized that someone had taken care of keeping her husband safe, she thanked God for their luck. She hadn't expected that a person her husband and Shane had only briefly known would end up saving his life at such an alarming moment.

"Shane, when we settle down, we'll never forget this favor."

"Yeah! If it weren't for him, I really don't know what I would have done today..." Shane said emotionally as he drove.

"Mom, is Dad okay? That man named Jason is amazing. Is he some kind of special soldier?" Little Carl didn't understand half of what he had heard. He only knew that his father had been rescued by a soldier and his squad.

What mattered most to the innocent boy at that moment was which army the heroes who saved people belonged to.

Lori lovingly stroked Carl's hair, secretly sighing, thinking that her son was still just a child, but even so, she had to warn him. "Carl, Mom doesn't know either, but you must remember that when we meet that person soon, we need to thank him, okay?"

Little Carl nodded vigorously. "Okay, I will, Mom!"

"Yes, you will, Carl!" Shane leaned toward Carl, determined to protect the boy.

At that moment, after packing up and getting into the truck, a rather comfortable atmosphere could be felt.

What they didn't know was that the urban area of Atlanta had already turned into a hell on earth, and countless people were frantically fleeing toward the outskirts of the city.

That same night, Shane and the others found themselves stuck on the road, staring at the endless line of cars ahead of them. Many people even stood on top of their vehicles, trying to get a better look at the situation they were in.

Lori took some pieces of bread from a backpack and handed them to Carl and Shane, who discussed their next plan while eating.

At that moment, Carl noticed a girl near where he was sitting, staring at the bread in his hand. The longing in her eyes was so strong that even Carl, who was just a child, could feel it.

So Carl broke off a piece of bread and casually handed it to the girl.

"Are you hungry? I'll give you some of mine, I can't eat that much. My name is Carl, what's yours?"

The girl timidly looked at the bread in Carl's hand, took it silently, and then looked back at her mother.

At that moment, the girl's mother also heard Carl's words and turned her head. Seeing this scene, she smiled and said to Carl, "Sweetie, Sophia has food, you don't have to—thank you, though!"

Lori also noticed this, turned her head to look at Carl, and gently said, "Carl, don't bother others and just eat quietly."

"It's okay, the boy is very kind. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have realized that my Sophia was already hungry. Hello, my name is Carol. This is my daughter, Sophia, and my husband, Ed." Carol always spoke softly, as if she was used to talking that way.

Lori nodded politely at Carol's words and introduced Carl and Shane.

Then, both sides fell into silence, and when the situation started to feel awkward, Carol spoke up again.

"Are you heading to Atlanta for shelter? Or are you going to see some relatives?"

"We're heading to a shelter, we don't have any relatives there." Lori slightly shook her head. A dejected look crossed her face as she thought of her husband once again.

Carol noticed Lori's expression change, glanced at Shane as if she sensed something, and randomly changed the subject.

"We're also heading to the shelter. We should gather more people! After all, no one knows what's happening there. If we have more people, many things will be easier to handle. Do you understand what I mean?"

Lori felt that Carol's words made sense, so she turned to look at Shane.

Shane had also heard Carol's words, thought about it, and then spoke.

"Carol, I think you have a good point. To be honest, I'm a county police officer."

Upon hearing the words county police officer, Carol clenched her hands tightly where no one could see, but her expression didn't change at all, and she continued listening attentively to Shane's words.

"I think we can use my status to contact some colleagues along the way. That way, no matter what happens in the future, it'll be much better than facing it alone."

"He's right, it's better to act as a group rather than being separated."

With a smile on her face, Carol cheerfully waved before indicating that she would go talk to her husband. Then, she turned and got back into the car.

Shane, on the other hand, checked what Jason had given him in the backpack and was surprised by what he found inside. Military rations, medicine, ammunition, and several pistols, among many other important things.

Jason was definitely well-prepared, and Shane was grateful that he had been willing to help him.