Neo Soul King Yhwach

[Third Person Pov.]

"We're taking Jolene back for information. She could still have a lot of useful info about the bandits. As long as we put her in a room and keep someone guarding it at all times, we will not have a problem." Lee said.

"Makes sense. We do have the manpower for that and provided we don't lose anyone else, that's a lot of people. Okay, I'll go tell Larry and Clementine about the woman and bring a couple of things back for them." Carley replied. She left to go to the meat locker while Lee turned to Kenny.

"Alright, are you ready to-"

Kenny didn't let Lee finish as he sneaked out the door. Lee internally sighed and followed Kenny to make sure he wouldn't get himself in trouble. He saw that Danny was sitting near the front door of the barn. He was looking in the opposite direction with his rifle leaned up against the hay bale he was sitting on. He was ranting about something under his breath, but Lee couldn't quite make it out over the sound of the thunder.

He and Kenny slowly inched their way forward to try and grab Danny's gun from him. It wasn't the best plan, but the man was completely oblivious to any movement that was happening behind him.

The rain also is useful for masking any noise that we might make. As long as he doesn't see us, we should be golden.

Of course, Lee's magical luck meant that Andy decided to walk to the barn at the exact moment that Lee and Kenny had almost reached Danny.

"Danny, what are you doing outside the barn?" asked Andy.

"Oh shit!" whispered Kenny. He quickly hid in a stall while Lee followed him. They couldn't see anything outside, but the brothers' voices carried over to let them know what they were talking about.

"Just guarding the place, like Mama said," Danny replied.

"Well, quit sittin' out in the rain like a damn weirdo. Mama says we can't keep that many folks alive and not expect trouble. Pick one to keep and kill the rest." Andy stated.

"Can I pick which one to keep alive?" Danny asked.

"Not the kid. Not enough meat on her to trade."

Is this guy a fucking pedophile too?

Lee peeked out the stall door and saw Andy walk away. Danny got up and started to walk inside. Lee quickly closed the door and turned to Kenny.

"Can you see him?" asked Kenny.

"It looks like he's heading for the meat locker. We'll take him out together. Since he has to walk past us, we can take him out when his back is turned to us." explained Lee.

He peeked out the door once more and saw that Danny was setting up a bear trap.

Probably in case anyone escapes. He hasn't realized that we've already found a way out of this prison. Soon, the inmates are about to start rioting.

Lee could almost laugh at the irony that he was irritated to be treated like a prisoner when the sole reason he wasn't in a jail cell right now was because the dead started rising.

"Where is he now?" asked Kenny.

"He's setting up a bear trap near the front. I didn't get to see if he passed us or not." relayed Lee. He peeked out the stall door and immediately saw Danny staring down at him sadistically with a gun pointed at his face.

Thinking fast, Lee quickly raised the barrel upward as Danny shot. He didn't suffer anything besides a momentary loss of hearing. Danny quickly backed up and tried to reload, but Lee took out his sickle and stabbed him in the chest. Danny groaned in pain and punched Lee down to the floor. He took the sickle out of his chest and aimed his gun at Lee once more.

Kenny, what are you doing? Help me!

Lee glanced over to the stall and saw that Kenny seemed a bit nervous. Whatever the case was, he chose not to do anything. Instead, he just sat there looking at the pair. Thankfully, Lee's savior came in the form of Carley who appeared out of nowhere and impaled Danny in the shoulder with the hay hook. Danny dropped the rifle and Kenny immediately picked it up.

Carley backed Danny into a corner and stabbed him once more causing Danny to stumble and catch his foot inside his own bear trap. He fell to the ground screaming in pain as the rest of the group made their way inside the barn. Larry was carrying the unconscious form of Jolene.

Kenny came out of the stall. Lee just stared at him hard. He couldn't believe that Kenny had almost left him to die just because he went against him and saved Larry. It was like deja vu from Hershel's farm all over again. No matter what happened, Lee knew that Kenny didn't make an honest mistake this time. He knew exactly what he was doing.

Before Kenny could speak, a cry could be heard from the outside of the barn.

"NOOOO!"

It sounded like it was coming from the house, so Kenny ran out immediately to try and look for his family. Lee just looked at Danny and picked up a pitchfork. The red mist was starting to cloud his vision once more. All the pain, anger, and suffering that this man had caused his group made Lee irate.

"Ya see!?" Danny groaned in pain, looking up at Lee and Carley, "You understand now, don't ya?! You can have me!" Lee watched Danny in disbelief as he listened to everything the crazed man was saying, "It's how the world works now! Give part of yourself. So others can live!"

"Give part of yourself? Travis never volunteered to be food!" Carley stated that she felt disgusted by the man in front of him and the things he had done to someone she considered her friend.

"You gotta keep me alive. If you kill me, the meat gets tainted! You can't eat it!" Danny stated.

"You're already tainted." retorted Lee.

"You ain't gonna kill me, just like your friend didn't kill Jolene…You don't have what it takes! Fucking coward!" antagonized Danny.

This man didn't deserve mercy. He had taken the life of one of Lee's group members. He had shown no remorse even when he was facing death in the eye.

This man is too far gone.

With a roar, Lee impaled Danny in the chest with the pitchfork. Danny tried to stop his impending doom, but it was too little too late. His face was etched in surprise as he died almost immediately from his wounds.

"No!" screamed a voice. Lee turned around to see Clementine was horrified at what he had just done. The rest of the group seemed like they didn't care with Carley and Larry giving off looks of satisfaction at Danny's death.

Oh shit. I forgot Clementine was right there.

Lee tried going to her, but she hid behind Carley in fear. Whether Danny had deserved it or not, he should have thought about killing a man in cold blood in front of a child.

Clementine is too young to understand why this needs to be done. Some mentor you are, Lee Everett.

"God, no!" screamed Katjaa.

Lee looked back at the house.

"Katjaa!" he screamed.

"Just go. We'll keep Clementine safe," said Carley. Lee nodded and started to walk outside the barn. The former professor sneaked over to a couple of hay bales and crouched behind them.

Lee nearly jumped as lightning appeared in the sky. The rain was pounding down a bit harder now. Lee wasn't paying attention to the weather, but, rather, to the cornfields. The leaves slightly rustled before a walker appeared on the property.

Is the electric fence on? We're going to have to get everyone out of here as quickly as possible before walkers show up.

The walker lumbered around until it was hit in the back of the head and fell down to the ground dead. Lilly came up to the fence with a knife and looked around.

"Lilly!" whispered Lee.

"Lee?" asked Lilly. as Mark came up behind her.

Lee smiled when he saw her, "You have no idea how good it is to see you."

"We can catch up later. What the fuck is going on? You guys should have come back a couple of hours ago." said Lilly.

"The St. Johns are fucking cannibals! They attacked us and threw us in the meat locker after cutting Travis's legs off!" explained Lee.

Lilly and Mark had expressions of shock and disgust on their face. Lee couldn't blame them. The fact that the innocent-looking farmers actually ate other people was something that even he couldn't process.

"Shit! I knew there was something shady about these fuckers. How about my dad? Is he okay?" asked Lilly.

"When we were all trapped in the meat locker, Larry had a heart attack," said Lee.

Lilly's eyes widened in fear.

"However, Carley and I were able to save his life. She administered CPR while I forced some nitroglycerin pills down his throat. Honestly, I have no idea how that worked, but it did. He's currently in the barn with the others." Lee stated.

Lilly breathed out a huge sigh of relief. Lee was glad that he chose to try and save Larry in the meat locker. He could only imagine how Lilly would react if he told her that he killed her dad.

Not in a good way. Hiding the truth would only serve to make me look even more untrustworthy.

"The others? Is everyone else okay?" asked Mark.

"They still have Katjaa and Duck in the house. I don't where the fuck Kenny ran off to after we left the barn, but he's probably trying to rescue them right now. I'm going to go back him up."

"Are you sure you don't need anyone to go with you, Lee?" asked Mark.

"Nah, You two should see if you can get eyes on Andy or Brenda from a longer distance. You guys all have rifles and they won't expect you to show up. Maybe you can pick them off by surprise, so we can save Katjaa and Duck." explained Lee.

"Sounds great. What about the other one? There were three of them living here." Lilly said.

"Danny won't be a problem anymore." Lee curtly replied. Lilly understood what Lee was trying to say and nodded respectfully. Mark also had recognition in his eyes, but none of them pressed Lee on what he really meant. He preferred it that way.

Oh please. Just because you refused to acknowledge what you did doesn't make its impact any less severe. You murdered a man in cold blood in front of a child. Some parent you are.

The voice sounded suspiciously like Lee's ex-wife, but he chose to ignore her. Danny deserved whatever he got. There was no room for doubt or guilt. Right now, he had to focus on getting the rest of his people out safe and sound.

Lee quickly started to make his way towards the farmhouse. he could hear Katjaa whimpering, so Lee assumed that Kenny hadn't come to the house yet.

Strange. Where else could he be?

"Something's up. I'm gonna take the boy and check around back," said Andy.

"No, please, don't take my boy!" pleaded Katjaa.

"Let go, woman!" yelled Andy.

"Settle down. I don't wanna hurt y'all." Brenda stated. Lee heard the opening of a door in the house signifying that Andy had taken Duck elsewhere. Now, it was just Brenda and Katjaa in the house. So Lee walked up to the screen door as a silhouette appeared.

"Andy? Danny, is that you? What's going on out there?" asked Brenda.

There's no point in hiding. Everything's out in the open now.

"Danny got what he deserved back at the barn!" declared Lee.

"Oh, God..." whispered Brenda. Lee saw her shadow quickly back away from the door and proceeded to walk up the final flight of steps.

"Come here..."

"Let me go!" screamed Katjaa.

As Lee finally got to the front door, he saw that Brenda had taken Katjaa hostage and was pointing a gun at her.

"Lee!" screamed Katjaa.

"Get back! Don't come in here! You just had to go snooping around, didn't ya?!" shouted Brenda hysterically.

"Let her go, Brenda!" ordered Lee. He chose to open the door. Brenda took this as a threat and decided to point her gun at him. She still had Katjaa by the neck. Lee wasn't someone who was used to combat situations, but he could tell Brenda was a lot more nervous handling a gun than her two sons. Maybe she wasn't as used to murder as the boys were.

Either way, Lee was going to try a different approach. A part of him didn't want to kill any more people if he didn't have to. If Brenda could be talked down, maybe she would let Katjaa go without any fuss. Of course, the group would probably just kill her afterward, but Lee had to alleviate his conscience somehow.

"Lee, please don't you take another step!" demanded Brenda.

"Brenda, come on, now, you know you don't wanna do this!" said Lee.

Brenda aimed her gun back at Katjaa and backed away towards the stairs. Lee froze in anticipation of what she would do. Had he read her wrong?

"Just go away and leave us be!"

Lee decided to push his luck and inch forward a bit more. This caused Brenda to become a lot more nervous and she pulled her gun back onto Lee.

Lee knew he had to think of something to calm her down. It didn't take him long to remind himself of Brenda mentioning her husband to him and Andre after they came back from the woods with Danny. He glanced at the portrait of Brenda and Terry, "Think about your husband, Brenda! Do you really think he wanted his dairy turned into a... a slaughterhouse?!"

Brenda shifted her gaze from Lee to the portrait of her and her husband, starting to feel ashamed of what the dairy had become after his passing. She quickly shook this feeling away and took another step up the stairs, "I'll kill her, Lee!"

"Don't do this..." Katjaa begged as Brenda put her revolver to her head again.

Brenda didn't say anything for a few seconds almost as if she was considering Lee's words. It didn't do much to move her in the way he wanted. She pointed her gun back at Katjaa and moved further up the stairs.

Fuck, I'm at a dead end. Whenever she goes up the stairs, she points her gun at Katjaa and whenever I get too close to her, she points her gun at me until I respond. There's gotta be some way out of this mess.

Lightning crackled outside the house causing the room to be momentarily illuminated. Out of the corner of his vision, Lee saw a pair of outstretched hands reaching across the banister of the stairs. They looked cold and dead.

Travis poor kid. He finally turned. Wait a minute. If I can get Brenda to move back far enough…

Lee decided to walk towards Brenda once more. He just had to complete the current song and dance a couple more times and he could save Katjaa. Plus, he didn't have to be the one to directly kill Brenda.

"Stay back! Don't do anything stupid!" yelled Brenda.

"What happened, Brenda? Your family was obviously smart! How did it come to this?!" asked Lee.

Brenda shook her head in denial. She clearly didn't want to answer any of Lee's questions.

"Just stop!" said Brenda. She walked farther up the steps. Travis's hands were right behind her now.

Just one more.

Lee continued to walk forward until Brenda pointed her gun at him once again.

"I don't wanna kill you, Lee!"

That makes two of us. But you fucked with the wrong group, Brenda. I'm sorry it had to come to this.

"Please, don't make this any worse!" pleaded Lee.

"Just stop!" shouted Brenda. Lee did not stop and he kept moving forward. Likewise, Brenda did not stop moving up the stairs until she screamed in fright as Travis grabbed her and bit into her neck. Katjaa was able to break free and run from her as Travis feasted on the now-powerless Brenda St. John.

"They took Duck! Where's Kenny?!" asked Katjaa.

Just then, voices could be heard shouting from outside.

"I said, don't move asshole!" warned Andy.

"Don't you fucking hurt him!" shouted Kenny.

Lee and Katjaa quickly rushed outside to see what was going on. Katjaa gasped as she saw Andy holding her son at gunpoint. Carley was nervously aiming her gun at Andy, but Lee could tell that Carley was not as confident in her abilities as he thought.

It's different claiming you can shoot a man and actually being able to do it. I wouldn't wish that kind of burden on her.

"Let him go, goddamn it!" exclaimed Kenny.

"That ain't gonna happen!" retorted Andy.

"Andy, don't!" pleaded Lee.

"Shut up!" spat Andy. While his attention was directed to Lee, Kenny decided to make a break for the gun in his hand. Unfortunately, Andy caught wind of his rescue attempt and quickly aimed the gun back at Kenny and shot him in the stomach. Katjaa screamed and ran to her fallen husband's aid.

Thankfully, he wasn't dead, but Lee could tell that Andy was not fucking around. Unlike his mother, he was not afraid to put a bullet in someone if they tried attacking him. Lee stayed put, likely thinking better of rushing the man after Kenny's failure.

"Dad!" screamed Duck.

Lee put his hands up and walked towards Andy slowly. "Andy!" he exclaimed.

"Who the fuck do you people think you are? Look at what you've done!" Andy stated.

This son of a bitch is turning this on us?

"You brought this on yourself," stated Lee.

"No! Uh-uh! You did this! All we wanted was a little gas to keep ourselves safe." defended Andy. A shot rang out and Andy clutched his left ear in pain. Or rather what was left of it. Lee turned around to see Mark had shot Andy from a distance, but he was looking at Lee with concern.

Duck took the time to run away while Lee charged Andy. Andy recovered and tried shooting Lee, but Lee was able to turn the gun sideways, and a stray bullet shot in the other direction. Both men tried wrestling for control of the rifle, but it was becoming a stalemate. Lee was able to smash the gun in Andy's face, but they both fell down the hill and crashed through the picket fence. Dazed, Lee tried getting back up but was met with a kick to the head.

It seemed like Andy had gotten up first. He went over to the generator and turned the electric fence on. Smiling in delight, he started to drag Lee by the back collar of his jacket towards the fence. Lee tried to struggle against him, but he didn't have enough leverage.

Suddenly, a war cry was heard from the other direction. Lee fell to the ground as he heard Andy grunt in pain. He quickly turned around to see Carley trying to fight Andy. Of course, the reporter stood no chance as Andy hit her in the head before she crumpled to the ground.

No, he's hurt enough people. HE'S HURT ENOUGH PEOPLE!!!!!!

The rage that had taken over Lee came back in full force. The red light started to show itself once more. Lee quickly tackled Andy and started beating the ever-loving shit out of him. 

One punch became two which became three which became four. The rest of the group watched him. Some watched him with satisfaction, others with worry. in the end, everyone watched as Lee turned Andy's face into raw beef. It wasn't long before the man's face was bruised and broken.

But as Lee pulled back his right arm for another strike, he suddenly felt a firm grip around his elbow. The punch was stopped just an inch from Andy's battered face. Lee twisted around, his breath coming in ragged gasps, ready to lash out at whoever dared to interrupt his vengeance.

His eyes met the cold, impassive gaze of Yhwach. There was no warmth, no empathy in those eyes—just detachment. Yhwach's grip was strong far stronger than Lee ever expected out of him, his expression unreadable.

"What are you doing?" Lee snapped, his voice low and dangerous. "Get your hand off me!"

Yhwach did not move. "This is unnecessary," he said, "You've already made your point."

Lee's eyes burned with anger. "He deserves this! You don't understand what he's done!"

"I understand more than you might think," Yhwach replied, his voice turned cold. "But this is not the way to deal with it."

Lee's breath hitched in anger as his eyes looked deep into Yhwach's eyes yet he contained his anger since he didn't want to start a fight with someone he started caring about thus far, as he asked with a clearly irritated voice. "Then, what do you suggest we do?! Let this bastard go?!" 

 Yhwach expression was still unreadable yet Lee felt his grip soften ever so slightly but still not completely removed as he heard Yhwach say with a calm voice "We can figure that out later for now... Restrain your anger it's not something a leader should do in front of his group... Even if not for the group, Do it for clementine." 

Yhwach said the last part more quietly so that only Lee could hear and as expected Lee's eyes faltered ever so slightly as the realization dawned upon him more and more when he looked towards a scared clementine looking at him with a concerned yet scared face. Lee closed his eyes for a moment, letting out a heavy sigh, then muttered "I... Understand..." 

He inhaled sharply, turning his gaze from Yhwach to the broken man beneath him. Andy was barely conscious, his face a mess of bruises and blood. Lee could hear the others watching, feel their eyes on him, judging his every move. This wasn't who he wanted to be—not for them, and definitely not for Clementine.

Slowly, painfully, he unclenched his fists, Yhwach still held Lee's elbow firmly as his eyes scrutinized Lee and after a short moment let go of the grip as Yhwach gave a subtle nod saying "Sometimes, the punishment fueled by rightful anger isn't the most justifiable."

Lee looked at Yhwach who looked back at him with a knowing expression.

Is he thinking about my crime?

In any case, Lee got off of Andy and started walking back to the group, Yhwach's eyes lingered on Andy, who lay broken but still very much alive. The man's face was swollen and disfigured, yet, even after all that, Andy remained conscious. He spat blood, glaring at Lee, and let out a derisive laugh through his cracked lips.

"Is that all you got, Lee? You ain't shit!" Andy taunted, his voice dripping with venom, despite his brutalized appearance.

"It's over!" declared Lee.

Yhwach watched them without emotion, His mind, however, was elsewhere, contemplating the deeper truth beneath all of this.

This is what men become when survival becomes their sole focus, Yhwach thought, his gaze piercing through Andy's battered form. When a man is backed into a corner, faced with the inevitability of loss, he turns into something else entirely. Logic, reason, morality—none of it matters anymore. Desperation eats away at their soul until they are left with nothing but the instinct to survive at any cost—no matter who they must sacrifice.

He had seen it countless times, Across The World of the living, Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, Desperation turned the noblest of men into monsters, capable of unspeakable cruelty. The St. Johns were no different. Andy's once kind nature was now replaced by something darker. His family had used their farm and the promise of safety as bait, luring in those too desperate to see the trap. And now, when faced with failure, they would fight to the death to protect what little control they had left.

"Fuck you! As soon as Dan and Mama get out here, you're all fucked!" laughed Andy. Lee couldn't believe how delusional Andy was being.

"They're both dead!" yelled Lee. He saw Andy's face change from mirth to shock to despair. Some part of Lee was satisfied at the pain his news had caused Andy. Maybe now, he would understand the pain that he had inflicted on the group when he chose to chop up Travis for dinner.

"What did you do? What the fuck did you do to my family?!" shouted Andy.

The man is broken. Look at him, Lee. He's pathetic. A pathetic, shriveling mess.

Lee just turned around to walk away once more, but Andy had other ideas.

"Don't you dare walk away from me, Lee!" yelled Andy. He dropped to his knees. Whether it was out of surrender or pain, Lee didn't know.

"Get back here and finish this, Lee!" yelled Andy.

Finish it. I've already killed Danny and basically got Brenda killed. Should I finish it like I finished the senator all those months ago?

Lee looked at Clementine and Duck. Both kids were beside Carley and Katjaa respectively, but they were paying close attention to what Lee was going to do. The rest of the group was also watching Lee like a hawk.

This needs to be done. The most dangerous kind of man is someone who has nothing left.

Shaking his head in disgust, Lee picked up the rifle from the ground and aimed it at Andy's head. Not even giving himself time to think, he pulled the trigger and Andy St. John fell down dead. The reign of the St. Johns was over at long last.

He died just like that. It was so simple, so quick. Is that how we're all going to die?

Honestly, Lee could almost laugh at the fact that Andy St. John died in such a pitiful fashion. He deserved so much more and perhaps he should have gotten so much more. Perhaps he should have put the decision in someone else's hands like Yhwach.

Lee looked over at Clementine who peeked out at him from behind Carley. Duck was being comforted by Katjaa, but everyone else looked straight at the scene in front of them. Lee got the feeling that most of them didn't care, but it didn't make him feel much better about what Clementine had witnessed.

During the fight, the generator started to emanate sparks before it eventually fizzled for good.

Once the inhabitants died, this dairy died as well. Everything about this place is dead.

"They're getting in!" Clementine pointed out. Now that the electric fence wasn't working, the walkers that were near the property started climbing over the fence. The fence buckled under their weight and immediately fell down making it easier for the ones behind them to advance towards the house.

"Let's go!" ordered Lee. Everyone followed him almost immediately while Yhwach took one last second to look at an undead Brenda who was now walking out of the house. but he turned around and followed the rest of the group.

The St. John Dairy was no more.

[Scene Break Location: Woods, En Route To Motor Inn]

Everyone walked in the woods in silence. Kenny's family is in front of everyone right behind them. was a single file line with Yhwach, Mark, Carley, Clementine, and Lee. Lilly and Larry brought up the rear. Mark had decided to carry Jolene in Larry's place, so Larry could focus on relaxing his heart without the added stress of a prisoner draped on his back.

"Hey, Lee. I just wanted to thank you for saving my dad back at the dairy." Lilly stated.

Lee shook his head. "Don't thank me. You should be thanking Carley. She's the one who fought to save him when everyone else hesitated. If it wasn't for her, your dad wouldn't have made it."

Lilly's gaze softened, caught off guard by the comment. "Carley, huh? Guess I owe her more than I realized." She paused for a moment before continuing, her tone shifting to something more reflective. "You know... you were right, Lee. I didn't want to admit it at first, but that dairy situation made it clear. I've always looked to you to back me up. So has Kenny, even if he won't admit it. So does everyone who needs someone strong to lean on."

Lee glanced at her, unsure where she was going with this.

"You're not just 'Jugram''s sidekick," she said, before continuing. "You're someone who can stand on his own, make the hard calls when no one else can. People are going to see that soon, everyone's going to look at you as the leader of the group." praised Lilly.

"What? Leader? I don't know about that." muttered Lee.

First Jugram and now Lilly. Why the hell is everyone so determined to have me be the leader?

"Lee, you wouldn't be that bad," reassured Lilly.

"Yeah, I can think of worse people to lead this group," grunted Larry. Lee couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Did Larry just fucking compliment me? Am I dreaming?

"Lilly, go on ahead. I got something I want to say to Lee." Larry stated. Lilly just nodded her head and walked further ahead. Lee looked at Larry who was looking back at him with interest in his expression.

"Why did you save me? You could have let me die to protect your secret. Why didn't you?" asked Larry.

"It was the right thing to do. No matter what happened, I couldn't just let you die without at least trying." Lee explained. He meant every word he said.

"The right thing? Doing the right thing all the time will get people killed. What kind of dumbass logic is that?" asked Larry.

"Hey, it wasn't just your life at stake. Imagine your daughter finding out that you died and she didn't even get to say goodbye. How do you think that would make her feel?" asked Lee.

Larry narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "Are you trying to date my daughter?"

"What? No!" hissed Lee.

"Good. Just because you saved me once doesn't mean you can do whatever you want with her," warned Larry.

"Look, I'm just saying that we can't live in fear because of the possibility that the right thing is the wrong decision. Will we mess up at times? Sure. That doesn't mean we shouldn't keep trying to do right by others. Even if it isn't in our best interest."

"Living in fear…" whispered Larry. He seemed like he was about to say something, but he just shook his head and walked up to where Lilly was. Lee decided to check in on some other people now that the initial icebreaker had gotten him into a more talkative mood

Lee moved forward to where Yhwach was. As soon as the Quincy King noticed him, he immediately sighed as he noticed Lee almost had the same stupid grin. No matter what, the two of them were comfortable together, almost like two brothers reuniting after a long time.

At first, it was hard to put a finger on. But after a moment, Lee's eyes landed on Yhwach's mustache. It seemed longer than usual. The memory of the last time they had faced Andy at the St. John's rushed back. Lee had been too angry and too focused on the fight to notice any changes then. But now, in the quiet of the woods, the difference was stark.

It wasn't just the mustache. Yhwach had seemed... off. The way he spoke, the subtle nuances in his mannerisms—sure, Yhwach had claimed to be German, and maybe this was just some cultural difference. But no, Lee had been paying attention to him since Hershel's farm, where he first noticed Yhwach's mustache gradually getting shorter with each encounter. Now it was longer?

Could it be my eyes playing tricks? Lee wondered. His family had always warned him about reading too long in the dark, saying it might lead to glasses like his father wore. The thought brought a small smile to his face before he noticed Yhwach staring at him.

Right, better speak up.

"So, how did your mission go? I assume Doug's back at the motel, right?"

Yhwach gave a slight hum "Yes. None of our group got injured, but I can't say the same for Hershel's family."

Lee frowned, feeling a knot tighten in his chest. "What happened?"

"Bandits," Yhwach replied, his tone calm yet carrying the weight of the events. "I brought the group into a small town to see if we could gather supplies. While we were there, we encountered two men—Frank and Felix. Bandits, essentially. We managed to convince them to leave without any bloodshed, but they followed us back to Hershel's farm. They took Shawn and Chet hostage, demanding all of Hershel's supplies in exchange for their lives. Negotiation wasn't an option this time. I had Arnold stall them while Mark and I provided cover from behind the barn. When the shooting started, Arnold didn't have any cover."

"Arnold?" Lee asked, confused.

"Another one of Hershel's sons," Yhwach answered, "He was killed in front of his father. Because of me."

Lee paused, taking in the weight of Yhwach's words. The guilt was evident, but Lee knew better than to let him shoulder all the blame. "Hey, that wasn't your fault," he said firmly. "You didn't make a choice that killed Arnold. Things were out of control, and you made the best call you could at the time. Sometimes bad things happen, but it wasn't because of a bad decision on your part."

Yhwach internally smirked, though it didn't show on his face. Lee had taken the bait—letting guilt worm its way into him. Just as planned. Or rather, arranged. "Bad things. It seems like my decisions have led to more of those than good lately." Yhwach's voice carried a practiced weariness. "I'm too old for this. I should be retiring, not leading people into battles."

Lee shook his head, his expression softening. "You've made good decisions, Jugram. Like trusting me, and not letting my past define who I am. That gun you gave me was more than just a weapon—it was a sign that I could redeem myself, even in the eyes of someone like you."

Yhwach's lips curled slightly into a subtle internal smile, though not one of satisfaction with how things were unfolding. It was the smile of someone watching pieces fall into place—not according to some master plan like Aizen's schemes, but rather as he had arranged. The guilt he projected onto Lee was calculated, a way to keep him emotionally tethered and useful.

Lee's sudden outburst startled both of them. "SHIT!" Lee cursed, drawing a few glances from the others walking nearby.

Yhwach raised an eyebrow, feigning confusion. "What?"

"The gun you gave me! The St. Johns took it, and I completely forgot about it in the chaos. I should've searched the house before going after Andy. Now, it's gone."

Yhwach chuckled quietly. "So? It's just a pistol. We have more back at the motor inn."

Lee's face tightened. "It wasn't just a pistol to me, Jugram. It was a symbol of our relationship—how far we've come. It was proof to myself that I was not just a worthless criminal. That I can be more, redeem myself."

Yhwach turned his gaze fully on Lee now, his tone shifting to something more grounded. "Our relationship isn't defined by an inanimate object. Lee, we've both come a long way. I'll have your back, no matter what. You don't need a gun to prove that. It's your actions that have defined our relationship. And so far, you've done right by me. You even managed to save most of the group back at that dairy without our help. That's the kind of man I want by my side."

Lee felt a mixture of pride and uncertainty. He had always looked at Yhwach as a distant, almost untouchable figure. But here, Yhwach was reminding him that their bond went deeper than simple survival.

Yhwach, meanwhile, watched Lee carefully. While his words had been genuine enough, his mind was already calculating the next step. Lee was useful—more than useful. His loyalty, combined with his desire for redemption, made him easily manipulable. It wasn't about friendship or trust. It was about control. And in this world, control was everything.

Lee and Yhwach looked at each other in mutual understanding. They both had issues that were affecting them, but they came together and ironed them out. That's what best friends do.

No, that's what family does.

Everyone in the group was like family to him. Yhwach, Clementine, Lilly, Carley, Doug, and even Larry and Kenny. Family fought but they came together when it mattered most to protect the ones they cared about. Lee cared about everyone in this group. As long as he was around, he would try his hardest to make sure that no one was going to suffer the same fate as Travis.

Maybe that's why everyone wants me to be a leader. They know that I'm going to keep them safe.

Lee heard someone grunt in pain and saw Kenny had stopped and was hunched over.

"How are you doing?" asked Katjaa.

"I'll be fine. I'm just not as young as I used to be." Kenny answered.

He saw Lee approach him and his eyes darkened.

"Hon, go on ahead and give me and Lee a second?"

Katjaa and Duck left with the rest of the group while Kenny stood up to his full height. Neither man spoke to each other for a few seconds. There was an unspoken tension in the air that threatened to disturb the peace of the entire group.

What was said next would make or break Lee and Kenny's relationship with each other. Maybe even for good.

"There's going to be fallout," Kenny said.

"For what?" asked Lee.

"The fact that you didn't back me up when I needed you to. Instead, you tried to play hero like you always do." accused Kenny.

"I'm not trying to be a hero, Kenny. Larry was alive and you were jumping the gun when we clearly had nitroglycerin pills on us. We had a way to save his life and you just didn't care!" admonished Lee.

"Fuck you, man. You don't get it. You can't always be the good guy. Sometimes you gotta make the hard decisions. Sure, it worked this time. But what about the next time? If you were wrong, Clementine could have been killed! Did you ever think about that?" asked Kenny.

"If you want to bring up the people closest to you, then remember that I saved your wife and kid. Did you think about that?" retorted Lee.

Kenny didn't reply. Lee guessed that he had no reply for that. He noticed that Kenny was holding on to something in his right hand.

"What's in your hand?" asked Lee.

"A camcorder. The same one I showed you earlier. Kat was able to grab it while she was in the house. Don't see the need for it considering its practically useless."

"I don't know about that. That thing could have some useful information. We shouldn't dismiss it so easily."

Kenny threw the camcorder at Lee who caught it easily.

"You do whatever you want with it. Clearly, you know better than me, professor." Kenny muttered sarcastically.

"Kenny, come on…" started Lee, but Kenny was already walking away.

I guess that's that. The Larry situation may have driven a permanent wedge between me and Kenny. I don't know how I'm going to fix it.

Clementine came up beside Lee. She seemed to be moping a little bit, but Lee couldn't blame her after the things she saw. He was lucky that Clementine was pretty strong for an 8-year-old girl, or else he might have a harder time on his hands explaining what just happened.

"Come on, Clementine. Stay close."

"Lee, did you have to kill those men?" asked Clementine.

Lee kneeled down in front of Clementine and said, "I'm sorry you had to see that. But I did it only to protect us. They killed Travis and there's no telling what they would have done if we gave them the chance to escape."

"Okay." said Clementine.

"Hey, Dad, what's that noise?" questioned Duck. The group stopped and the sound of an engine could be faintly heard in the distance. It didn't seem to be getting any closer or farther, so whatever was making it was stationary.

"Sounds like a car..." replied Kenny.

"Are we really going to meet more strangers?" mumbled Mark.

Lee went to the front of the group and peeked out from behind the bushes. There was an abandoned car with its lights on and the door opened. Surprisingly, there didn't seem to be any people near it, which weirded Lee out.

Who just leaves a car unlocked in the middle of the woods?

"Alright, I see a car. It seems to be turned on, but there's no sign of the owners." Lee told the group.

"You think it's a trap? It could be the bandits," stated Lilly.

"Only one way to find out," replied Lee. He readied his rifle and yelled, "Come out or I'll shoot!"

Nobody answered the call, so Lee sneaked up to the car. Upon closer inspection, the car was out of gas and the keys were still in the ignition. There wasn't a bunch of bandits that came out of the woods and attacked them. No, there was absolutely nothing. At least, there was nothing in the front seat.

"Oh, crap!" exclaimed Kenny.

He was looking at the back of the car. Inside the trunk were bags and bags of supplies. Food, medicine, water, and whatever else you could name.

"Baby, you gotta see this! There's a shitload of food and supplies back here!"

Everyone gathered around to take a closer look.

"This food could save all of us," exclaimed Katjaa.

"Not all of us..." muttered Carley.

"I don't know, guys. Something about this seems a bit off. Who would just leave a bunch of food and other supplies in the middle of the woods?" asked Mark.

"Doesn't matter. It's ours now." Larry replied.

"Look, we don't know if these people are dead," Carley stated.

"If they come back, then we're just monsters who came out of the woods and ruined their lives," Lilly said.

"Lilly, are you serious?" asked Larry.

"Dad, normally, I'm all for it. But something about this situation doesn't feel right at all."

Yhwach, who had been standing off to the side, finally spoke "I concur with Lilly. The car was left wide open, the keys still in the ignition. Whoever owns this is expected to return. It would be unwise to assume they are dead without evidence."

Mark shook his head. "So what, you want us to track them down?"

"I'm suggesting," Yhwach responded, his tone firm, "that we do not take these supplies under the assumption that they belong to the dead. There is a difference between survival and recklessness."

"Dad, whose car is it?" asked Duck.

"Don't worry about that, Duck. It's ours now," said Kenny.

"Have you not been listening to anything that we've been saying?" accused Yhwach.

"LOOK!! We need this food to survive!!! Since the St. Johns turned out to be assholes, we don't have any more places to get food besides continuing to hunt. Is that not registering with anyone here?" questioned Kenny.

"For once, I actually agree with this asshole. These people are fucking stupid if they left all their shit in the middle of the woods where anyone could pick it up. I say we teach them a lesson by taking everything!" said Larry.

"Well, hang on. If all we need is food, then why don't we just take the food and leave everything else?" asked Carley.

"What do you think they're going to eat when they get back?" retorted Mark.

"Look, this is about survival. And as much as it pains me to say this, I think we should take what was given to us. After everything that has happened today, we shouldn't just ignore this opportunity." said Katjaa.

Then Yhwach turned to Lee, his piercing gaze locking onto him. "Lee, you've been unusually quiet. What's your decision?"

Lee blinked and realized that everyone was staring at him. He gulped to himself as he started to understand the position that he had been put in. Whatever he decided would be whatever the group did. All of them had too much respect for him…besides maybe Kenny.

"What if it's not abandoned? What if it is someone's?" asked Clementine.

Yhwach's eyes softened just for a moment as he glanced at Clementine before addressing the group again. "We could take half the supplies. Leave enough for whoever owns this, if they return. That way, we ensure our survival without robbing them blind."

"That...doesn't seem like a bad idea," replied Lilly.

It was ultimately Lee's decision.

"I agree with 'Jugram'. We're going to take half of the supplies and leave the rest for the people who own this car. That way we can still give them a fighting chance and also remind them that they shouldn't be so careless with their own supplies." Lee declared.

Most people nodded their heads in agreement, but, of course, there had to be someone who was willing to be just a little more difficult.

"What the fuck, Lee? We should take everything! We need this stuff!" said Kenny.

"We have medicine and a fresh source of water back out at home already. The only thing we need is food and some other miscellaneous items. I don't even think we've fully cleared out the pharmacy yet. There's probably a couple more trips we could make." Lee replied.

"Macon's a death trap waiting to happen. We could just get everything we need right now." rebutted Kenny.

"Look. Lee made his decision, so I don't know why you're still finding a reason to complain." Lilly chastised.

"Oh, so now you and him are best buds?" accused Kenny.

"Hey, that's not fair. Lee presented his opinion and you just have to accept that." Mark defended.

Lee was starting to get a headache. After everything they had been through, the group was willing to be undone by a petty argument. Sure, Kenny probably wasn't a fan of him, but it seemed like he just wanted to start an argument for the sake of starting an argument.

I'm tired of this. I need to end this now. No more petty arguments.

"ENOUGH!!!" boomed Lee. Everyone stopped talking and immediately looked at him in shock. Clementine and Duck both jumped in fear.

"I'm sick and tired of all the bitching that's going on around here! That's what it is at the end of the day, pointless bitching about pointless topics. Whether it's Kenny bitching at me, Lilly bitching at Kenny, or Larry bitching at just about everyone, I'm sick of it. I know I'm not the only one here who feels that way."

Lee paused for a second to gauge everyone's reaction. Larry seemed a bit irritated that he was insulted, but he didn't say anything. Kenny and Lilly studied Lee, but their expressions were unreadable. Everybody else was just focused on Lee's words.

"Now, I've had people come up to me asking me to be the leader. I never wanted it. I didn't like the pressure, the expectations, or the burden that leadership would give me. I always thought there was someone better that could actually keep these people safe. I don't think that anymore. Truth be told, I'm still unsure of how I will fare as a leader. But I WILL be the leader of this group. Because I'm the only one that's committed to everyone's safety no matter who they are."

Kenny was about to speak, but Lee cut him off immediately.

"Yes, even you, Kenny. I've saved your family multiple times. 'Jugram' stopped Duck from getting thrown out of the drugstore and I saved both him and Katjaa from the St. Johns. I saved Larry's life and everyone knows how much he doesn't like me. If you really feel that there is a group that can do better, show me where they are! Based on the company we keep near us, I don't think you'll find much luck."

"So, now, with that in mind, we're going to open the trunk, we're going to take half the supplies, and we're going to leave and never come back here. Matter of fact, scratch that. We'll come back here in the morning and see if any supplies are still left. If the car is gone, we have our answer. Does anyone have any more objections they would like to present to the class?"

Lee looked around at everyone, but no one seemed to say anything. With that, Lee walked to the trunk with the keys in his hand and opened it. Everyone silently followed him as he divided up the supplies into two halves before giving boxes to the other group members.

When Yhwach came up to Lee, he said "Lee, I'm proud of you. That was something that needed to be said."

"Are you sure? I might have laid it on a little thick," questioned Lee.

Yhwach's eyes were cold, but there was something like approval in his voice. "You did what was required. That is all that matters."

"Hey, Lee. I found some batteries in one of the boxes. I asked Kenny if he still had the camcorder, but he said he gave it to you. If you want to check what was on it, now would be a good time." said Carley.

"Batteries? You know what those are?" joked Lee.

"Shut up," muttered Carley. Lee strapped the rifle to his back and took out the camcorder. He inserted the batteries into the camcorder and pressed play. Carley decided to watch it with him.

The video started out looking at the Motor Inn. Yhwach and Mark were carrying a couch out of one of the motel rooms, but Mark was struggling to keep it upright. Larry, Kenny, and Lee were all pushing cars into place to form a barricade. The video then zoomed in on Clementine drawing on the floor while Lee was talking to her.

The person then dropped the camera and Lee saw a few people approaching from the steps of their feet.

"Jake, Bart, Linda, and all y'all fuckin' sickos from the Save-Lots! They call y'all bandits, but you're fucking rapist monsters—"

Lee didn't who the voice belonged to, but he had a pretty good idea based on what Kenny had told him about Jolene.

The camera quickly cuts to another scene. Lee saw that the teenagers were all sitting down in the common area.

This must be from today. This crazy woman was near our home today?

Jolene was fixated on the conversation happening between Lee and Clementine.

"Oh, darlin', baby. Look at you. Look at you. Oh, you need a mama, sweetheart. We won't let them bandits get you, will we?"

"How are you doing, Clementine?" asked Lee.

"Okay."

"Where's your hat?"

"I don't know. Can you help me find it?"

"Sure. When did you lose it?"

"I had it a couple of days ago."

"I promise, if I find it, I'll let you know."

The camera whipped back around towards Jolene's face. Lee glanced at her body, draped over Mark, as she spoke in a bone-chilling tone.

"Y'all thinkin' you're safe, sittin' there actin' like things are the way they used to be. The dead don't kill their own. It's the living you gotta be afraid of...the people I used to call friends... The people who took... Don't worry, little girl. Bandits got their eye on that dairy. As long as they keep getting food from them, you'll be safe. I promise."

Yhwach's eyes darkened as he watched the footage. reflecting a profound understanding of the world they now inhabit. The threat of humanity was far more insidious than any shambling corpse. They could deceive, manipulate, and ultimately destroy what little hope remained.

The dead don't kill their own. It's the living you should be afraid of...

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Episode 2 Completed.

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Choice 1: What does Lee do with the man?

A) Save him (CHOSEN): Mr. Parker gets amputated and dies later on. Travis ends up handing over an energy bar which can be used to feed an extra person in the group. Both Andy and Danny greet the Motor Inn group.

B) Leave him: Travis tries to get the gun and gets shot, eventually dying at the motor inn. Mr. Parker is left behind and Andy is the only one to greet the motor inn as Danny is collecting Mr. Parker. Whoever is shot will be safe from being eaten.

C) Let Yhwach handle it: Yhwach rips the bear trap apart with ease, but Travis dies. Yhwach gains a clue about the trap's unusual design. Both Andy and Danny greet the Motor Inn.

D) Nothing: Lee does nothing, watching as Mr. Parker and Travis die. The group loses trust in Lee, Andy arrives at the Motor Inn alone as Danny stays behind to collect the bodies.

Choice 2: Where does Yhwach Go?

A) Go with Mark to the gas station: Yhwach helps fill up extra cans of gas. He gains 1 point with Mark

B) Go with Doug to the convenience store (CHOSEN): Yhwach finds extra food and bathroom utensils. He gains 1 point with Doug.

C) Go to the bar alone: Yhwach meets Frank and Felix early. Since he is alone, Frank and Felix (Might Be Able To) kill Yhwach and take his weapon before driving off never to be seen again.

Choice 3: What does Yhwach Do?

A) Shoot Frank and Felix: Frank and Felix are killed, but Yhwach also dies as a result. If Yhwach were to go with Mark to the gas station, Yhwach would survive. Frank and Felix's group do not find Hershel's farm.

B) Continue the conversation (CHOSEN): Yhwach manages to convince Frank and Felix to leave, but their group tails Yhwach's group to Hershel's farm.

Choice 4: Who gets sent back to the Motor Inn? ( Whoever gets sent back is safe for the rest of the episode )

Travis/Ben stay – Ben gets shot and served.

Travis/Kenny stay (CHOSEN) – Travis gets shot and served.

Travis/Lilly stay – Travis gets shot and served.

Ben/Lilly stay – Ben gets shot and served and Lilly gets killed by Danny during the search for Jolene.

Ben/Kenny stay - Ben gets shot and served.

Kenny/Lilly stay – Kenny gets shot and served and Lilly gets killed by Danny during the search for Jolene

Choice 5: What does Yhwach do?

A) Flank the group: Yhwach and Mark are able to get into position and start shooting at Frank and Felix's group while Arnold stalls. Everyone in Frank's group dies along with Arnold.

B) Shoot them immediately: Frank and Felix's group are killed along with Yhwach, Hershel, Chet, and Maggie.

C) Negotiate with them: Yhwach negotiates with Frank and Felix and both groups eventually come to an understanding. Frank and Felix's group agree to help out on the farm in exchange for supplies. They are set up in a neighboring farm. No one is killed.

Choice 6: What does Lee do about Larry?

A) Kill him: Lee loses 2 points with Carley but gains Kenny's respect. Kenny's points max out while Lilly will drop to a 4 once she hears what happened. She becomes a lot more mentally unstable in Episode 3. The group is more fractured while Lee starts going down a darker path.

B) Try and resuscitate him: Larry dies before reanimating and biting Carley before he is killed. Carley is also put down, but Lilly would not be as mentally unstable about her father's death. Kenny drops to a 4 while Clementine also drops 1 point.

C) Use nitroglycerin pills (CHOSEN): Larry is saved and Lilly's relationship with Lee increases. Kenny's relationship goes down to a 4, but your relationship with everyone else increases. Kenny is a bit more guilty about his actions since Larry was saved.

D) Nothing: Kenny ends up killing Larry and everyone drops points with you for not doing anything.

Choice 7: What does Lee do with Jolene?

A) Take her (CHOSEN): Jolene is captured for information. Nothing more can be revealed at this time :)

B) Leave her: Jolene is left for the walkers and her fate is left unknown. At the end of Season 1, it's revealed that the walkers came and ate her causing her to turn.

C) Killing Her: Jolene would die, with Kenny's relationship slightly increasing by 1 point, While Carley decreases by 1 point.

D) Nothing: Lilly would kill Jolene when she finds her father. Lilly would tell Lee about Jolene's fate in the woods. Lee would disagree/Agree with Lilly's decision depending on the choices prior and their relationship.

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Character Fates:

Lee: Alive (Determinant)

Yhwach: Alive (Determinant)

Clementine: Alive (Determinant)

Kenny: Alive (Determinant)

Katjaa: Alive (Determinant)

Duck: Alive (Determinant)

Lilly: Alive (Determinant)

Larry: Alive (Determinant)

Carley: Alive (Determinant)

Doug: Alive (Determinant)

Mark: Alive (Determinant)

Ben: Alive (Determinant)

Travis: Dead

Mr. Parker: Dead

Hershel: Alive (Determinant)

Shawn: Alive (Determinant)

Chet: Alive (Determinant)

Maggie: Alive (Determinant)

Arnold: Dead (Determinant)

Frank: Dead (Determinant)

Felix: Dead (Determinant)

Ray Carlson: Dead (Determinant)

Daniel Dunkin: Dead (Determinant)

James: Dead (Determinant)

Andy St. John: Dead (Determinant)

Danny St. John: Dead (Determinant)

Brenda St. John: Dead

Jolene: Alive (Determinant)

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Author: What are your thoughts on episode 2?

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A Reminder that the story will end if Yhwach dies.