The Walking Dead: Price of Survival

As Deanna wrapped up her presentation, the room came to life. Alexandrians who already had jobs moved to their designated tables, while those without roles—along with the newcomers—hesitated for a moment before making their way to where they felt they belonged. Conversations started up as people found their places, and for the first time, the community began to feel more structured.

Gabriel made his way toward the Training and Education table. Earlier that morning, Price had spoken to him, believing that he was the right person for the role. Most of the people in need of training were civilians—men and women who had never fought, never survived outside the walls. Gabriel would help them transition, teach them what it meant to stand their ground. Spencer joined him, stepping in under Price's leadership to help shape the next line of defenders which will only be short-term as their goal is only for alexandrians to learn how to hold a melee weapon, and a gun then how to use it against walkers or hostile survivors.

Nearby, Deanna approached Rick, asking him to take part in Administrative and Community Management alongside others who could help organize the community. Maggie and Michonne stepped up, eager to learn and help, while Davidson also joined, saying he had experience leading people in the past.

Over at the Construction and Maintenance table, Darius Kane and Tyreese took their spots, ready to put their strength to use. Noah joined them, eager to learn from Elijah and Reg, who had been maintaining Alexandria's infrastructure since the beginning.

The Scavenging and Supply Runs team filled up quickly. Glenn, Daryl, Izzy, Riley, and Darius Warner decided to join them, knowing the dangers but understanding the necessity of their job. They would be the ones keeping Alexandria stocked with food, medicine, and ammunition.

At the Medical and First Aid table, Beth and Elliot stepped forward. Both had backgrounds in healthcare, making them valuable additions. With Dr. Holloway and Denise already in place, the medical team was starting to take shape.

Before the gathering ended, Caleb and Carl approached Price. Caleb asked to join his group, while Carl stood next to him, waiting for an answer. Price studied the boy before nodding at Caleb, accepting him. When he looked at Carl, he simply said, "You'll need your dad's approval first." Carl frowned but nodded, knowing Rick would have the final say.

Elijah's wife, Melina, and their eldest daughter, Sarah, moved toward Farming and Food Production, joined by Carol wanting to maintain her neighborhood friendly persona. If Alexandria wanted to last, growing their own food would be just as important as fighting off threats.

At the Armory and Weapon Maintenance table, Eugene and Tara are seated with Olivia along the other members, making sure Alexandria's weapons were properly stored and maintained. Guns wouldn't do much good if they jammed at the worst possible moment.

Finally, Security and Patrols started to come together. Sasha and Bob took their spots, prepared to guard Alexandria, keep watch over the walls and scout for possible dangers that are lurking nearby. The defenses were still weak, but with time and effort, they could turn the town into something stronger.

As the groups formed, Price stood off to the side, arms crossed, watching it all unfold. It was a good start, but there was still a long way.

-----

Price's POV

I stood in front of them—the ones who would be under my command.

Scavenging & Supply Runs. Training & Education. Security & Patrols. Armory & Weapon Maintenance.

These were the foundations of Alexandria's survival, and every single one of them now reported to me.

I let my gaze sweep over the crowd, committing their faces to memory. Some were already hardened by the world outside these walls. Others? Soft. Sheltered. Unprepared. But that was going to change.

"My name is Price." My voice carried through the space, firm and steady. "Some of you might've heard of me already. Some of you might not. That doesn't matter. What matters is this—if you're standing here, that means you answer to me. In simpler terms, I'm the one in charge. And I don't tolerate slackers."

I picked up the papers with their names, scanning them for a moment before setting them back down.

"First order of business—supply runs. The people who handled scavenging before we got here, raise your hands."

Five hands went up. I nodded to them, calling them out one by one.

"Aiden." "Nicholas." "Heath." "Scott." "Annie."

"Now, these five—plus the ones I will call out— Glenn, Rosita, Izzy, Riley, Darius Warner, Patrick, Bob, Flor, and Anne—you're the Scavenging & Supply Run team. Glenn's leading. He's got the most experience, and that means what he says goes."

I let my eyes scan the room.

"Any objections?"

Aiden shifted, looking like he was about to say something, but before he could, Spencer elbowed him lightly in the ribs. Aiden clamped his mouth shut. Smart move.

"Next—Training and Education." My eyes locked onto the ones responsible for turning Alexandria's civilians into survivors.

"Gabriel. Spencer."

They stepped forward.

"You two will train the Alexandrians who still don't know how to handle a weapon nor shoot a gun. You will take them from civilians to survivors. But listen carefully—I don't want you coddling them. This isn't a game. They need to realize that if they don't learn, they die. It's that simple. Alexandrians from these and other teams are highly encouraged to join"

The room was dead silent. Some shifted uncomfortably, but I wasn't here to make them feel good—I was here to make them strong.

"I'll be providing the training structure. Once I judge that they are capable enough, the two of you will be reassigned to security. That means your job right now is short-term—but that doesn't mean it's not important."

Gabriel nodded. Spencer? He looked like he was processing the weight of the task. Good. He needed to understand what was at stake.

I let the silence hang before moving on.

"Security. This is where the real defense of Alexandria happens."

I called out the names, each one stepping forward as I did:

Abraham

Sasha

Gerald

Elly

Gage

Becca

Jonas

Nathan

Wes

Oscar

Luis

Harrison

Celia

Travis

Markus

Emily

Devon

Holly

Jared

Samson

Felix

Danielle

Victor

Mia

"Security is broken into two parts—lookout duty and patrols. There will be five watchtowers built inside the walls, manned 24/7. That means shifts, rotations, constant vigilance. You see something off, you don't hesitate—you report it immediately."

"Patrols will be conducted outside the walls in the morning 'til late afternoon. We are not waiting for threats to come to us—we're going to find them first. Your job is to detect any sign of trouble before it reaches Alexandria's gates that means walkers, but more importantly—people. Once the sun comes down some of you will be assigned to the watchtowers and in the gates. Abraham's leading. He will assign all of you later once we are finished here"

They all nodded, some more confidently than others.

"Finally, the scout team." I looked at them, my voice firm. "I'll be leading it personally. Daryl you're with me. I'll be choosing three others. This team is strictly reconnaissance—tracking threats, mapping terrain, gathering intel. This is not a combat team. We are ghosts. We go unseen, unheard, and return back."

A few looked intrigued, but I wasn't offering this role to just anyone. I'd be watching them, seeing who was fit for the job.

I turned my attention to the final group.

"Armory and Weapon Maintenance."

I called them out:

Eugene

Tara

Olivia

Kent

Anna

They stepped forward.

"Your job is simple, but it's one of the most important. Guns are our bread and butter. If they jam, we die. If they break, we die. I want every firearm in top condition, and I want a complete list of every single weapon and round of ammunition we have in the armory."

Eugene raised his hand.

"I know how to make bullets."

I stared at him for a moment.

"Can you teach the others?"

Eugene straightened his posture, his signature southern drawl coming through. "Yes, I can."

"Good." I gave a single nod. "Then you prioritize ammunition that's in high demand. If we start running low, I expect you to tell me before it becomes a problem."

I looked out at them one last time, taking in their faces.

"Let me be clear. What we do here determines whether Alexandria survives or crumbles. This place has been lucky so far, but luck runs out. If we want to last, we have to be strong. We have to be prepared. And that starts now."

The air was heavy, filled with the weight of my words. I needed them to feel it. To understand it.

"You all have your orders. Now get to work."

And just like that, Alexandria's future began.

-----

We gathered at Deanna's house, the so-called leadership meeting now becoming routine. Rick, Maggie, Michonne, and the rest of those handling the Administrative and Community Management side were already there, sitting beside Deanna.

I leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, scanning the room. These meetings were necessary, but that didn't mean I enjoyed them. Too much talking, not enough action.

We started with a rundown of each team's plans. The first to speak was a long-time Alexandria resident from the farming and food production group. She laid out their ideas for expanding crop production, wanting to diversify what they grew. Smart move. Monoculture farming is a death sentence in the long run. Then she looked my way and mentioned that it would be helpful to find plant seedlings during supply runs.

I gave a simple nod. "Consider it added to the list," I told her.

Then she shifted to talking about improving fish yield in the pond—sustainability, long-term food security. Good thinking. If they played their cards right, that pond could be a lifeline. She seemed passionate about it, so I made a mental note to check on it myself later.

Next up were Dr. Holloway and Dr. Cloyd. Pete wasn't here. Typical. I glanced around, half expecting him to stroll in late with that smug look on his face, but nothing. Holloway took the lead, informing us that their antibiotic and painkiller stockpiles were running low—not an issue now, but if we didn't act fast, it would be.

"Noted," I said. "I'll make sure it's on the list for the next supply run."

Then came Elijah and Reg, reporting on the watchtower construction. "We start tomorrow," Reg said. "We've got enough materials for now, but if we want to keep expanding, we'll need more."

I nodded. "I'll make sure the supply team keeps an eye out for more materials."

Then it was my turn. I straightened up, looking over the room. "Patrols start tonight. Abraham is sorting out the roster."

A woman in the back raised an eyebrow. "Is he qualified?"

I let the silence hang for a moment before answering. "He was a sergeant in the U.S. Army before all this." I looked her dead in the eye. "So yes, he's qualified."

That shut down any further questions.

Then came the supply run discussion. I told them Glenn was leading the run tomorrow, and that's when Davidson decided to chime in.

"I heard Aiden used to lead the supply runs before. Why not him?"

I kept my face unreadable, but inside, I was already getting tired of this conversation. "Because Aiden is immature and pampered," I said flatly. "Glenn is better suited for the role. I can personally vouch for him." Davidson didn't have a rebuttal. No one did.

Finally, I got to the last point. "Gabriel and Spencer will train the Alexandrians who still don't know how to handle a weapon," I said. "Gabriel might've been a priest before, but he was in the same position as them once—weak, unprepared. Now he's not. He'll help them make the same transition."

Deanna took over after that, wrapping up the meeting. I didn't stick around for pleasantries.

Outside, I spotted Rick, standing near the porch while Maggie and Michonne spoke with Deanna. I walked over to him.

"How's it going in the administrative world?" I asked, voice laced with sarcasm.

Rick exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's… a lot of talking."

I huffed. "Yeah, figured as much."

There was something else on my mind. Something that needed addressing.

"Did you notice Jessie's bruises during the party?" I asked. Rick's face darkened. "Yeah. I asked her about them." He shook his head. "She said she fell."

"She's lying," I said, cutting through any doubt. Rick's jaw clenched. "You sure?"

I nodded. "Spencer confirmed it. Pete's been abusing her." Rick exhaled sharply, hands on his hips. "That son of a bitch…"

I continued. "I've told the patrol teams to keep an ear out for any fights inside the houses. But if we're going to deal with this, we do it smart." Rick's eyes met mine. We both knew what had to be done. He gave a slow nod. "I'll look into it."

That was all I needed to hear.