Neo Soul King Yhwach

"Well, That's Easy. I've got the charm coming outta my ass. " —Larry

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[Third Person Pov]

Lee rubbed his chin, glancing between Vernon and Chuck. He didn't like the idea of letting them head out alone, especially with everything they'd been through. If something happened to them, it'd weigh heavily on his conscience.

"Vernon," Lee started, a small smirk tugging at his lips, "you got room for one more old man on this trip?"

Before Vernon could answer, Larry scoffed loudly, crossing his arms. "What's that supposed to mean, huh? I'm standing right here! You don't think I can handle myself? I've survived just as long as you have, Everett, and I've done it without dragging around a circus act!"

Lee held up his hands defensively. "Whoa, Larry, take it easy. I wasn't talking about you." He glanced to his right. "I was talking about our resident German friend over there."

Larry grumbled something under his breath, clearly not satisfied, while the group's eyes shifted toward Yhwach. The man stood in his usual composed stance.

For a moment, Yhwach considered the proposal, Then, as if amused by Lee's boldness, a faint smile curled at the edges of his lips. If I were him, that would indeed be the choice I'd make, Yhwach thought. Pair the most competent with the weakest to minimize the likelihood of failure.

Lee took a step closer, addressing him directly. "Well? What do you say, Jugram? Think you're up for it?"

Yhwach inclined his head slightly. "Very well," he began before continuing. "But only on one condition."

The room fell into a hush, everyone looking at each other in confusion. Lee raised an eyebrow. "What kind of condition?"

Yhwach stepped closer to Lee, leaning in until his words were a low whisper. Whatever he said, it was meant for Lee alone. Lee's eyes widened slightly as the words sank in, his lips pressing into a firm line.

"Alright," Lee muttered after a moment. "I'll do it."

Satisfied, Yhwach straightened, his gaze shifting to Vernon and Chuck. "If I were you, I would rather get started. Time is not a resource we can afford to squander."

"Right. Let's get moving, Chuck." Vernon replied. The Trio walked over to the back door while Lee looked back at the rest of his group.

"Everyone, check your weapons and make sure they're ready. We all have a part to play in this mission. All of us, even the kids. I know that this wasn't what we anticipated coming into this city, but it's what we're going to have to do if we want to get out of this city. No matter what, we don't leave people behind. We are part of the same group. We are a family. And a family looks out for every one of its members even if that means risking your own life to protect theirs. If you don't have people that you're looking out for, how can you expect them to do the same for you? How can you live life to the fullest if you shun the familial bonds that have kept us afloat thus far? You can't be alive if you're counting the days till you die. Our days are not numbered! We will surpass this obstacle. Tonight, we will be ready for anything." declared Lee.

[Scene Break Location: Yhwach's Group, Savannah, Sewers]

Yhwach silently walked down the dimly lit sewers with his guide right beside him and Chuck. Vernon had suggested that, now that he knew where the house was, the three of them should just go through the sewers to avoid detection. The two men beside him hadn't said anything since but Yhwach didn't mind. He was preoccupied with the coming mission.

What Carley said, she's not the only one who feels that way; I'm sure of it. Lee was right. This pointless war that she wants isn't going to help anyone. It will just affect both sides equally and once you start something like that...it's hard to stop. Chuck thought.

Chuck was no stranger to war. His father had been a decorated military veteran himself, given the Purple Heart for his actions in World War II. Even though he had benefitted from war, the next one had come back around and destroyed his entire family.

Well, things could have been different if you had chosen a different path. Even now, I still think that I was right to stand by what I believed, but I wonder if I could have been less radical about it all. Chuck thought.

"Why did you volunteer to come with me? I understand why Jugram came but You? I'm not saying I don't appreciate the help, but I'm curious." Vernon stated.

"Well, It's not that frequent to see people our age staying alive. I just figured I'd lend you a helping hand and thank you for making it this far. It gives me hope that there are still things old men like us can do." smirked Chuck.

"Don't let Boyd hear you call him old. He might get too distracted taking you down before we head to Crawford," said Vernon. His smile went away and he looked down at the ground, shaking his head.

"Fuck, I can't believe I'm actually going back there."

"Are you scared?" asked Yhwach.

"...Of course I'm scared. I've been scared ever since I escaped. It's why I hid down here and why I didn't want to interact with strangers anymore. I was scared that they would find us and give us a fate worse than death just like they did with my friends." whispered Vernon.

"Your friends wouldn't want you to be scared. They would want you to continue to live your life." Chuck said.

"That's the thing." laughed Vernon shakily. He looked back up at the path in front of him.

"When they died, I didn't feel anything. I just accepted it and took it in stride. After the death of my daughter and the deaths of so many others, I just don't have it in me to feel sad. I should have felt something, but, despite my best efforts, I couldn't. I don't know if that means there's something wrong with me, or that I'm just adapting to life as it is now."

Yhwach mulled over Vernon's words. Was it wrong to close yourself from the natural emotions that came whenever someone close to you perished? While feeling emotion made them human, sometimes it was more of a hindrance than a strength. 

Chuck on the other hand didn't really have anyone that he cared about too deeply before the turn. He supposed he was lucky in that regard. He had no kids, no siblings who gave a shit about him, his parents were gone, and all he had was a bunch of people that let him accompany them.

I can't say that I'm personally invested in anyone's survival besides the kids, but that's because they're kids and I don't want them to die as kids.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with you, Vernon," Yhwach began, "We all have to find strength in whatever way we can. If you have chosen to suppress certain emotions to endure, then that is your method. However," Yhwach's eyes darkened slightly, fixing Vernon with an intense gaze, "if you were to abandon your will to live altogether, then perhaps there would be something wrong with you."

Vernon gave a slight nod, "Maybe you're right," he muttered, though the doubt in his voice lingered.

"If you don't mind me asking," Vernon continued after a beat, glancing between his companions, "how old are the both of you? From one old man to another."

"I thought it was rude to call someone old." Chuck wryly stated.

"Well, I called myself old first, so I believe I get a pass," smirked Vernon.

Chuck shook his head, a grin tugging at his lips. "Alright, alright. I'm 59."

Vernon's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Damn," he said with a laugh. "And here I thought I might've found someone older than me. I'm 64."

Chuck's jaw dropped in mock offense. "Do I look that haggard to you?" he gasped, clutching his chest dramatically.

"Don't we all look that way?" Vernon solemnly said. The mood quickly turned from jovial to depressing. Chuck couldn't disagree with the man there, but he hoped that things would change soon.

Yhwach's calm, unbothered voice broke the silence. "I don't look that way," he stated, his tone laced with the kind of confidence that brooked no argument.

Both men turned to him, bemused. Vernon let out a short laugh. "Fair enough," he said, shaking his head. "Alright then, Jugram. How about you? How old are you, really?"

Yhwach regarded Vernon with a faint smirk, his eyes narrowing slightly. "What do you think?" he asked, "How old do you believe I am?"

The question gave Vernon pause. He studied Yhwach carefully, taking in his striking appearance—the immaculate hair, the magnificent mustache, and the sharp, piercing gaze.

"Hmm," Vernon mused, stroking his beard. "I'd wager somewhere around...forty-five? Maybe fifty?"

Chuck raised an eyebrow at Vernon, smirking. "Well, if he's that well-preserved, maybe I should be asking him for his skincare routine."

Yhwach's smirk deepened as his eyes glinted with amusement. "A reasonable estimate," he said cryptically, his tone making it clear he would not elaborate further.

Vernon shook his head, laughing softly. "Figures. A man of mystery."

Yhwach said nothing, merely continuing his steady march through the sewers. His thoughts, however, turned inward. If only they knew what age truly means to one who has seen empires rise and fall, who has borne the weight of countless lifetimes... What would they think then?

Vernon noticed that Chuck's demeanor had changed, and Vernon quickly apologized. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be a drag, but this place just sucks the soul out of you sometimes. You might not understand this, but leaving in fear, like a cockroach, always looking behind you to make sure there isn't a foot that's going to stomp on you, it gets exhausting fast. I think...the main reason I decided to join is because I'm tired of that feeling. I just want to go somewhere else where my spirit can recover. Somewhere...hopeful. I haven't felt much hope in a long time."

"You have nothing to apologize for, Vernon. After what you've suffered, I can't judge you for being pessimistic about everything. You had so much taken from you and it must have hurt knowing you couldn't do anything about it." reassured Chuck.

"I couldn't, then. I can now." spat Vernon.

Chuck nodded in resignation. Yhwach and Chuck knew Vernon was going to have a bone to pick with Crawford and he didn't blame the man for that, but this kind of misplaced anger could cause him to do something stupid, and Chuck didn't want the guy to jeopardize his life solely for revenge.

"We can do something like take their supplies and save our friend, but let that be the end of it, Vernon. Don't go getting yourself killed over something stupid." lectured Check.

"Something stupid?! It's not stupid to want to avenge your friends. I know that if I had stayed, I would have been killed eventually no matter how many people tried to convince me otherwise. I saw the looks we were getting way before any of my friends saw those looks. Leaving people to fend for themselves just because they have to fight battles out of their control is just sickening. Yet, the people inside Crawford just eat up this persecution with glee. I don't have it in my heart to feel sorry for any of them. They chose their path and now I must choose my own." Vernon stated.

"I'm not saying you can't feel the way you want to feel. Hearing the things that happened to you makes me sick as well, but revenge is a two-way street. I've had my own battles with feeling wronged in the past, but I don't know if I came out of it a better man. Now, in my old age, I've taken time to reflect on what I've done wrong and made peace with it, but that doesn't mean I still can't make bad decisions. Crawford wants you to stoop to their level, Vernon. They want you to kill them without hesitation because that means you've proven their way was the right way to get results." explained Chuck.

Yhwach observed Chuck no—Charles. was wise, What he said about Vernon wasn't just true; it reflected a deep understanding of human nature. And yet, Yhwach couldn't help but think Vernon's response might provide an opportunity to delve further into the cracks of this group's morale.

Vernon's jaw clenched before he spoke. "How am I proving their principles? My very existence—despite all their attempts to kill me—shows how foolish their so-called principles really are."

Before Chuck could respond, Yhwach stepped in. "Perhaps. But remember, killing and stealing to get what you want? That is exactly how these people have lived their lives since they set foot in this city. We might be taking their supplies because we have no choice, but violence. That is a choice." His gaze locked on Vernon.

He continued, his words deliberate, each one carrying the weight of someone who had seen countless lifetimes of bloodshed. "Recall what you told Larry when he was ready to march out the door to retrieve Lilly: If you die for something senseless, your friends would not think highly of you. They'd mourn you as a fool, not a martyr."

Vernon fell silent, his shoulders slumping as Yhwach's words settled in. He didn't respond immediately, the only sound in the tunnels was the faint dripping of water echoing in the sewers. After a long moment, he let out a hefty sigh, "You're right. How could I forget my own advice?" he muttered, shaking his head.

He looked down at the damp ground beneath their feet. "I guess...this is the closest I've ever gotten to revenge against Crawford, and I got caught up in it all."

Chuck and Yhwach exchanged a look. Both thought the same thing, though neither spoke it aloud: You're not the only one.

"Anyway, we're here," said Vernon. He opened the door to the morgue and Yhwach immediately noticed Boyd jump out of his chair.

"Jesus Christ, Vernon!" Boyd exclaimed, his voice a mix of relief and frustration. "Where the hell have you been? It's been hours, and I was getting worried that Crawford had found you."

Yhwach's expression remained impassive, but the words "Jesus Christ" felt strange to him, even after months of hearing them. During his time in this world, he'd stumbled upon a Bible in Irene's room and read it out of curiosity. The history, the beliefs—it was fascinating how these people clung to a concept so grand yet so flawed. Yet even still, hearing the name invoked so casually remained...strange.

Still, he had little time to reflect further as Vernon's voice snapped him back to the present.

"Sorry about my absence," Vernon said, his tone apologetic. "But I met up with the rest of Lee's people and... to put it bluntly, the plan has changed."

"The plan has changed?" echoed Boyd.

"Yes. We're going to go get payback on Crawford for Brie, Joyce, Clive, and the rest. Pack all our supplies up, because we're moving them to Lee's hideout. Chuck and Jugram came to assist us with this process." smiled Vernon.

Boyd's eyes widened. "Payback? How? What are we doing?"

"Patience, my friend. I'll tell you on the way there."

[Scene Break Location: The Rest of the Group, Savannah, House]

Lee sat down next to the window located inside the study. He didn't know why he had found himself coming all the way up here, but he supposed that he just wanted a quieter place to collect his thoughts before the big mission tonight.

On the first floor, it was too...distracting. It wasn't loud, but it was crowded. The faces of the men and Carley going on this mission distracted Lee because it reminded him just how many lives he was responsible for. That was his duty as leader: to protect his people. Yet, he was sending most of them into the lion's den. There was no guarantee that they would all be alive by the next morning.

Lilly is one of my people too. One of my most trusted advisors and my friend above all. I can't just abandon her, but Crawford has the numbers, and the weapons, it seems like they hold every advantage. We might win, but we sure as hell aren't going to get through this unscathed.

As a matter of fact, their first introduction to Crawford resulted in the deaths of Katjaa and Doug. Their next encounter led to Lilly's capture. What would their third encounter lead to?

More deaths that I can't prevent. God, this is a bad idea. We don't have a choice in the matter, so it's not like I can do anything else, but...this is a bad idea.

The intentions of their plan were noble. They were going to get parts for a boat, get more medicine, rescue their friend, and screw over Crawford in the process. If they were lucky, the community wouldn't even know they were there.

Lee scoffed. His group wouldn't be that lucky and he knew it. Everyone else down there probably knew it too. Carley surely knew it which is why she had no problem proposing an idea to thin Crawford's numbers by killing anyone they had to. The definition of having to do something varies from person to person. It was all based on circumstances, personal biases, past traumas, and whatever else a person wanted to place importance on.

Since Doug had died at the hands of these men, Lee knew that Carley would probably feel like she had to kill a lot of people to accept his death. That girl...something had changed since he had seen her last, but he didn't know what. Maybe she was just determined to make sure her boyfriend's sacrifice wasn't in vain.

Was he taking it too far to be afraid of the possibility she was going to snap and become a mass murderer?

No, Lee had to trust her, just like he had to trust everyone else in his group. They hadn't survived this long, because they were stupid. They were just angry and terrified of what Crawford might do to them if they failed. Lee was scared too. He had to be scared because he was the one giving the orders. He was the one who greenlighted the mission. He was the one that would be to blame if things went wrong.

Why do we always have to suffer no matter where we go? We never asked for this. We just wanted to find a place that we could survive in, but everywhere we've gone, there's also someone who just wants to kill us or steal from us.

What did that say about the state of the world? Was humanity truly gone? Was charity just a relic of the past?

There was a knock on the door and Lee turned his head to see Carley slightly open it.

"Hey, Lee. Do you mind if I sit with you for a little bit?"

Speak of the devil.

He didn't have a reason to say no, so he just nodded which she took as an invitation to come in. She sat down next to him and looked out the window herself.

"Alright, what are you brooding up here for?"

"I'm that obvious, huh?" smiled Lee.

"Well, it's kind of weird that a guy like you makes a heroic speech about family and hope and then just retires to study. Something tells me that you have doubts that you didn't want to voice in front of everyone. You think it might scare them and leave them less focused." Carley pointed out.

She's sharper than she looks.

"I can't hide anything from you, can I? How can I not be scared? If someone dies, that's on me. If someone gets hurt or we get captured, that's on me." voiced Lee.

"You're only one man. We all decided to do this of our own free will. Don't beat yourself up if something happens. That's just life and we have to keep moving forward. Now, that doesn't mean you can just die on us. You have to be there, Lee. This group won't function as well unless you're the one leading it." supported Carley.

Lee shook his head at her praise, a small smirk on his face.

"Carley, I really don't think I'm that special."

"Well, you're one of my best friends, so I think that makes you very special. I'm even more special than you, but let's just keep that between us." joked Carley.

The two of them shared a chuckle at that remark and Lee found himself staring at her for a bit longer than necessary. The sunlight made her hair seem lighter than usual and her eyes were almost glowing inside the dimly lit room. Not for the first time, Lee was reminded of just how beautiful she looked.

"It's not polite to stare, you know?" teased Carley.

Lee mentally slapped himself and looked away with a shameful expression on his face. What the hell was wrong with him? Why he was thinking about that at a time like this? He really needed to get his head in the game. Even if there was a chance that the two of them could ever be more than friends, her boyfriend had just died and they were about to go on a suicide mission. This wasn't the time to stare or make lovey-dovey eyes like a teenager.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking." apologized Lee.

"I guess I'll have to forgive you this time." huffed Carley, her tone still light to let Lee that she didn't take serious offense to his actions.

"How are you coping with what happened today?" asked Lee.

"I'm doing fine. I mean, it has been a little rough, but I've been managing." Carley replied. The reply seemed almost too quick and rehearsed. Lee wasn't really fond of the idea of pushing deeper, but he had to for Carley's sake.

She wouldn't let me get away with an answer like that. Sorry, Carley.

"Carley..."

"What? I said I'm fine!" yelled Carley.

Lee raised his hands in surrender.

"Hey, I'm just trying to help you, Carley. Bottling your emotions up isn't good for you. It's me, Lee. You can trust me."

Carley just stared down at Lee mutely. While her eyes showed signs of irritation, they also displayed hints of tiredness. Lee was certain that Carley didn't want to appear weak by crying. Maybe she thought Lee would be scared away by making her cry.

"If you want to cry, it's okay. We're alone here. No one can see." reassured Lee.

"I'm fine, like I said. It's just, we were having a little bit of an argument before he died. Doug didn't think he was good enough for me...because he was insecure or whatever. I told him that I was attracted to him and just wanted to give the relationship between us a chance, but he wanted to talk about his feelings later once he knew what he wanted to say. He...never got to." revealed Carley.

"Oh, Carley. I'm so sorry. I know he cared about you deep down. I...uh...had similar arguments with my ex-wife. As you know, we had different views on how we wanted to build our future together. She was more career-oriented. I wanted a family. Just because you were having a spat with him doesn't mean you two didn't love each other or were drifting apart." reassured Lee.

"Well, your marital spat caused her to cheat on you and caused you to kill the guy sleeping with her. I think it destroyed your relationship very thoroughly." retorted Carley.

.

..

...

"Okay, well you didn't have to point that out," muttered Lee.

"Sorry, it's just...I wish I got that closure with Doug. Now I'll never know what he thought of me in his final moments." said Carley.

"I'm sure he cared about you, like I said," Lee replied.

"He cared about me. The thing is, I don't think I ever loved him," revealed Carley.

"Wait, what?! You were going to dump him?" asked Lee.

"No, you idiot! It's just...our relationship didn't last long enough to even think about love. I was attracted to him, sure. I mean, it's hard to not be attracted to a guy who is smart, braver than he looks, and very compassionate. After we found this house, I cried a lot in my sleep, and the next time I woke up...it was like I just accepted he was dead and moved on with my life." explained Carley.

"That doesn't mean you didn't care about him. We all process grief differently and this might be your way of doing so. You don't have to feel ashamed for it." Lee responded.

"Still, I just threw away his memory like it was nothing. I'm not the type of woman who falls madly in love with a guy she just met. Knowing that, I can understand why I'm not that sad, but that just gets even more sad for not being sad and that-that's...just..."

Carley couldn't hold back the waterworks and started sniffling a little bit. Lee sat down next to her and held her in a side hug as she cried into his chest. They just stayed in the same position for a few minutes with Lee gently rubbing her back and Carley unleashing her anguish. Once she finished, she gently left Lee's grasp.

"Do you feel better?" asked Lee.

"Yeah. I actually do. Thanks, Lee." Carley replied.

"On a serious note, Lee, we talked a little bit about what our future plans might be while you were gone. There are only three spots on the boat left and...we have a lot more than three people. The popular consensus is that the people not going on the boat should just leave the city, but that was...before we decided to infiltrate Crawford."

"Even if we do, they're going to be on our heels once they figure that we stole their supplies and rescued Lilly. We need to get out as soon as possible," said Lee.

"Yeah, assuming everything goes without a hitch, it's going to still be night by the time we get back. But I don't know if moving around in the dark is the best idea. It would be easier for walkers to get the jump on us." reminded Carley.

"Yeah. I should have asked Vernon if Crawford did any night patrols or runs before he left. That would have been nice to know." groaned Lee.

"How so?" asked Carley.

"Well, if they did do night patrols, then we know that they're skilled navigators in the dark. That means they'll waste no time tracking us down if they catch on that we stole their supplies and rescued Lilly. We'll have to hope that they don't find us before morning. If they don't, then we should be in the clear by the time anyone figures anything out. Or maybe, Crawford is expecting someone to come rescue Lilly."

Lee put his head in his hands. There were too many possibilities to prepare for and not enough time. He wished he could go into this mission with a bit more than blind hope, but that was all they had. That was all he could give to the rest of his people to inspire them and prepare them for what was about to come. Usually, it was enough, but Lee didn't know if it would be this time. That scared him.

"Hey, we're going to get through this, Lee," promised Carley. She put a hand on his shoulder to give him some comfort.

"You've never steered us wrong before. This time, it won't be any different."

"How can you be so sure? I've messed up in the past plenty of times. You know that better than anyone." retorted Lee.

"Of course, you've messed up. We've all messed up, but that doesn't mean we don't get opportunities to redeem ourselves. Lee, everything you've done since the world ended is redemption for the crime you committed. Do you think anyone here sees you as the guy who murdered the state senator? Lee, you are their savior. You saved us from the St. Johns, you saved us from the bandits, and you'll save Lilly from Crawford. That's the Lee we all know and believe in." praised Carley.

Yeah, that's what friends are for. To give you advice when you're feeling down and pull you out of that hole you find yourself in.

[Scene Break Location: Crawford's Hideout, Savannah]

Lilly spat out a tooth, glaring daggers at Valentina, who stood smugly before her.

"What?" Valentina taunted, wiping her knuckles. "Want to lose another one?" Her smirk was sharp, daring Lilly to test her patience further.

Lilly's glare intensified, but she kept silent. Valentina tilted her head, the smirk fading into a frown. "Honestly," she said, her tone turning almost contemplative, "I don't understand why Oberson kept you alive. Normally, anyone who crossed him would've been... well, let's just say they wouldn't be here to glare at me."

Kevin, who had been lazily leaning against the wall, chimed in with a mocking grin. "Maybe Oberson's got a thing for her? Love at first site, you know?"

Valentina rolled her eyes, letting out an exaggerated sigh. "Please. He wouldn't waste his time on a woman who doesn't know how to listen."

Kevin shrugged. "Eh, well maybe he's just bored. Likes a challenge? Taming a lioness could be his new hobby."

Lilly let out a disdainful snort, causing Valentina to narrow her eyes at Kevin. "If you're so bored, maybe you should find someone else to entertain yourself with," she said sharply.

Before Kevin could retort, a loud knock echoed through the room, silencing all of them. The sudden sound made Valentina instinctively straighten, her hand twitching toward the weapon at her side.

"Finished your little chitchat?" came a familiar voice from the other side of the door. It creaked open to reveal Andrew, Crawford's right-hand man. "Oberson's about to host a meeting. I need one of you to gather more intel on the prisoner." His gaze flickered briefly to Lilly, who was trying hard to mask her unease.

Kevin pushed off the wall, raising a hand. "I'll go—"

"No, I'm going," Valentina interjected, cutting him off mid-sentence. "You just went to get yourself coffee an hour ago. I'm not sitting around here all day while you slack off."

Andrew glanced between the two, his brow furrowing. Kevin hesitated for a moment, then sighed dramatically. "Alright, alright. Fine. I'll keep the lioness company."

Valentina smirked, already heading for the door. "How generous of you, Enjoy your coffee break, slacker."

Kevin shook his head, muttering under his breath, "Yeah, you're welcome," as the door swung shut behind her. He turned to Lilly with a crooked grin. "Well, looks like it's just you and me, Beautiful. Don't worry—I'll try to keep the sarcasm to a minimum. Try."

Lilly didn't dignify him with a response, and Kevin laughed softly, settling back into his post.

[Scene Break Location: The Rest of the Group, Savannah, House]

Night had approached them. Everyone had moved to the backyard, going over last-minute details before the plan was set to move forward. Carley reloaded her gun while Mark and Marcus were checking over Lee's map once again. Clementine, Duck, and Ben seemed a little worried in one way or another. Kenny walked over from the shed.

"Check out what I found in the garage. Hatchet, hacksaw, and some other tools. Might come in handy on this little break-in."

"Larry and I can take a look. We only have guns and no melee weapons." volunteered Mark.

"Sure. Just bring something back here and make it snappy." snapped Larry.

"Can't we get some of that stuff too? All we have is guns and they make noise," complained Ben.

"We don't need much. Just the hacksaw and hatchet should be fine. We have some tools of our own as it is." placated Mark. He took out the hatchet and hacksaw and landed the latter over to Larry.

"Where the hell are Chuck and Jugram anyway? It's getting late," growled Larry.

"Right here," said Chuck as he walked through the gate carrying a bag of supplies. Behind him, Vernon, Yhwach, and Boyd were carrying supply bags of their own. Boyd looked around at the group in amazement.

"Is this your group? This is a lot of people." marveled Boyd.

"Yeah, everyone, this is Boyd. Boyd, to give you the rundown that's Lee. He's the leader. Then you have Kenny, his son Duck, Clementine, Larry, Mark, Carley, and Ben, Hand the bags off to Ben and Isaac." instructed Chuck.

"Nice to meet you all. I'm glad we found some people willing to take the fight to Crawford." smiled Boyd.

"Boyd and I know the layout, so we can help you get in and out quicker. Anyone have a problem with that?" asked Vernon.

"No problem here. Let's just get moving already." Larry said impatiently. Boyd raised his eyebrows in surprise at Larry's gruff tone.

"The woman that they captured is his daughter," explained Chuck.

"I see." nodded Boyd.

"Alright, everyone. let's get a move on," ordered Lee.

Chuck put his shovel over his shoulder as he looked at Isaac, "You ready, son?"

"Yeah. Let's get this done." Isaac nodded with an eager smile on his face, holding his tomahawk in ready. His smile faded away from his face when he saw Clementine and Duck among the group going to Crawford. He shook his head in disapproval. He quickly masked his look of disapproval after setting his eyes on Chuck again.

As the group prepared to move out, Yhwach placed a hand on Lee's shoulder, stopping Lee.

"Lee, we're not going with them." His tone left no room for argument as he gestured toward Clementine and Duck, who both blinked in surprise.

The children froze. Duck, wide-eyed, stammered, "What? Why not?!" Clementine chimed in softly, her voice trembling, "But... we can help."

Before Yhwach could respond, Kenny cut in, his tone defensive and frustrated. "What the hell are you saying? Duck's coming! I'm not leaving him here, not after... not after everything we've been through! He just lost his mother, for Christ's sake!"

Yhwach turned his gaze toward Kenny, "I am telling you this because if they join us on this mission, they will die." he said bluntly. The weight of his words seemed to press down on the group.

Lee raised a hand in an attempt to de-escalate. "Hang on, Jugram. I understand Crawford's dangers. But we can look after them. We've done it before, and we'll do it again if we have to."

Kenny scoffed, his anger reigniting. "You don't get it, do you?! They're safer with me than without me! Duck's my boy! You don't get to tell me what's best for my boy!"

Yhwach's patience finally snapped. A faint ripple of spiritual pressure washed over the group like an invisible force, pressing down on everyone for a brief moment. It wasn't enough to harm but enough to silence. The oppressive sensation sent a chill through them all.

"I'll only repeat this once," Yhwach began before continuing. "Crawford is too dangerous for children. Think about it. Instead of Lilly, that could have been Clementine or Duck. Crawford has more men than the bandits, and unlike them, these men are disciplined, strategic, and far more dangerous. Kenneth," he emphasized the name sharply as he turned to Kenny, "you already risked your son once at the riverfront. He almost got caught. If it weren't for Lilly, who knows what might have happened? They could have tortured him, extracted information about us, and put us all in greater danger. And now, that's likely what they're doing to Lilly."

Larry, to everyone's surprise, stepped forward. "He's right."

All eyes turned to him, Larry glanced at Clementine and Duck, his stern expression softening ever so slightly. "The reason I'm ready to march into Crawford's hellhole isn't just because Lilly's my daughter... It's because..." He stopped short, his gaze lingering on the children.

The adults exchanged knowing looks, piecing together what Larry couldn't bring himself to say.

Kenny swallowed hard, finally lowering his head. He didn't want to admit it, but Yhwach's words, combined with Larry's unexpected agreement, had struck a chord. The lingering chill of that strange pressure from Yhwach still clung to him, a foreign sensation he couldn't shake.

Lee stepped forward, "Alright. Jugram, you've made your point. Kenny, we'll keep the kids here. They'll be safe. Let's focus on what needs to be done."

The tension in the group remained, but the decision was made. Yhwach crossed his arms as he looked over the group. "Do not mistake my caution for indifference. If this mission fails, it is not only the children's lives that are lost—it will be all of ours."

Kenny kneeled down in front of Duck.

"He's right, Duck. These people are worse than the bandits. They're actually smart and know what they're doing. I took a risk bringing you to the riverfront and you almost got caught. I'm not making a decision like that again, no matter how much you complain! Are we clear?" added Kenny.

"I thought you trusted me," whined Duck.

"This has nothing to do with trust! This has everything to do with your safety. I just lost your mother and I was almost foolish enough to lose you." exclaimed Kenny.

"Listen, you're not just going to be sitting here," Lee added. The two kids looked at him in confusion.

"All the supplies that we brought are in this very house. We need someone brave and strong to guard them. I thought that safety concerns aside, you two would be the best for the job." smiled Lee.

"We're just guarding stuff. Can't someone else do that?" asked Clementine.

"No, of course not. This is a special job for special kids like you. If someone from Crawford comes here while we're away, we need you to protect our supplies. Of course, we also need someone to protect you as well." Lee said.

"We can look out for each other," promised Duck.

"I don't doubt it Duck, but the mission we are on would be easier with a smaller group. After all, it's a stealth mission. How about you two look out for the other people that are staying behind and they'll look out for you?" proposed Lee.

"Okay. Who else is staying with us?" asked Clementine.

Lee looked around at the other members of the group and he thought about who would be best to take and who would be best to leave behind. He didn't dare think about leaving Carley or Mark behind even though he wanted to. 

"Ben. You're going to stay behind with Clementine and Duck. The rest of us are going to head to Crawford." ordered Lee.

Ben looked slightly disappointed, but otherwise accepting, "Can I ask why?"

"We need someone to look out for Clementine and Duck. I don't want them to be the only ones between Crawford and our supplies. If they come looking for us and find us, we need you." said Lee.

Lee thought he heard a scoff after that last remark, but he didn't look to see who it was.

"This isn't about putting you on the sidelines. If anything, you've been put on the front lines. You are the only line of defense we have against Crawford. Most of us are going to be gone on this mission, so what does that mean? That means you are going to be almost more important than any one of us. There's less room for you to screw up. We're putting a lot of pressure on you, but that's only because I know you are capable. Do you understand where I'm coming from?" asked Lee.

"Yeah, I get it. I'll just have to make sure everything's safe back here. I won't let you down, Lee." promised Ben.

"Hey, we're going to protect you too!" pouted Duck.

"Yeah, we know how to shoot. We might be the ones protecting you!" smiled Clementine. There were a few chuckles at Clementine's innocent yet determined tone. Lee, seeing everyone was done, started heading out through the gate.

His group filed behind him like soldiers in a platoon. No one had anything to say. The only sounds Lee heard were the crickets singing a hymn about their impending march to hell.

[Timeskip & Scene Break Location: The Group, Savannah, Crawford]

"This should be it. We're right underneath the center of Crawford, the old school should be directly above us," announced Vernon.

The group was underneath a manhole that the old man had led them to. Lee had to admit that his knowledge of the sewers was a big help in getting to their destination quickly. He didn't know if they would have found an exit as fast and close as to where they needed to go without his expertise.

"Okay, people, this is it. Remember the plan. We stay quiet, we stay hidden, and we stay together. We find what we need and we get the hell out before anyone even knows we're there. Got it?" reminded Lee.

Everyone nodded. With a heavy sigh, Lee climbed up the ladder and slowly tried to remove the manhole cover. Nobody was shouting or rushing to his position, so he figured that was a good sign. His fingers slightly trembled, but he steeled his nerves and removed the entire manhole cover so that the group could get through.

He peeked outside and didn't see anyone around. The street was eerily devoid of any human activity. It should have calmed Lee down, but it was a bit strange to him.

Maybe I'm just being paranoid.

He immediately crawled over to the bush by the sidewalk and the rest of the group quickly followed him out of sight. As each member kept coming up, Lee felt like he was looking at the street for an eternity. Maybe bringing 10 people on the mission wasn't the best idea for staying undetected.

"Strange. I figured we would hear people even though it's night. Where is everybody?" wondered Vernon.

"What, are you disappointed?" retorted Marcus.

"It's just strange, is all." mused Vernon.

"Could they be switching shifts?" Carley asked.

"Maybe...but it's strange," Vernon replied.

Isaac shook his head with a nervous look on his face, "I don't like this. Not one bit."

"You'll get through this, Man." Mark offered him some support, "You'll see."

Isaac nodded at him, "Alright."

"Can you stop reminiscing and start doing shit? I need to get my daughter now!" growled Larry.

"Quiet. I hear someone," said Yhwach.

Everyone shut up and looked over to their left from behind the bush. Lee saw a guy with biker gear walking down the street muttering to himself about something or other.

"Of course, I have to take this shitty fucking watch duty when Oberson is having a meeting. What a fucking waste of time. Fuck Tony and fuck Andrew too. This guy really had to make me do it of all people? Me?"

That guy must really hate himself.

"Okay, Marcus and I will sneak up, and try to take him out quietly. The rest of you wait for our signal and then follow us over. Everybody got it?" ordered Lee.

Everyone nodded, so Lee motioned to Marcus and the two of them sneaked off to catch the man by surprise. He was still walking at a slow pace, not bothering to pay attention to his surroundings. Lee drew his pistol and waited until he and Marcus were in prime position to strike before he made his presence known.

"Don't. Fucking. Move. Asshole."

The man froze and instantly put his hands up. As Marcus cocked his weapon, he started to sputter out the words, "W-Whoa. Take it easy. I'm surrendering here. I'm not a threat."

"That's for us to decide," Marcus stated.

"Where the hell is everyone? Why are you the only one out here?" interrogated Lee.

"Everyone's at Oberson's meeting room I don't know the location since Oberson changed it when a new group stumbled upon the city. The only reason I'm not there with them is because I was supposed to be guarding the wall." stammered the man.

"Those people guarding the wall...are they the only ones not at the meeting?" pressed Lee.

"Yeah, they should be. Everyone else is there, I swear man! Wait...are you guys part of the same group as that lady we captured?"

"You know about her? Where the fuck is she?" growled Lee.

"I-I don't know..."

"You don't know? What if I paste your brains all over this street? Are you going to know then?" threatened Marcus.

"Look, she's in the prisoners' den. It's a classroom inside the school next to us, but I don't remember exactly where it is. It's guarded at all times if we have someone in there. Please, you have to believe me, man! I had nothing to do with the people that were killed. Please, don't kill me!" pleaded the man.

Lee took one long look at Marcus before he pistol-whipped the man in the back of the head. The man quickly crumpled to the ground and Lee turned to Marcus again.

"Quick, carry him inside the school. I don't want anyone to see him before we're done." offered Lee.

"Sure thing, Lee."

Marcus scooped up the man's unconscious body while Lee motioned for the rest of the group to follow them towards the school. As Vernon got closer, he took a better look at the man.

"That's Fred. What was he doing out here?" asked Vernon.

"We'll explain later. Right now, we need a safe place to hole up in and regroup. Somewhere that Crawford won't think to find us in." explained Lee.

"A safe place...the council room on the 2nd story should do the trick. It's only ever used by Crawford and his inner circle and it's definitely not going to be used from what Fred said. I've never been in there, but Crawford probably has some kind of map that can tell us where to go." said Vernon.

"Got it. Let's go there. Lead the way." said Lee. Vernon rushed to the front of the group and headed inside the school while everyone followed him. The sound of their footsteps was probably louder in Lee's imagination than in reality, but with every step he took he feared getting caught. They went up a flight of stairs to the second story and Vernon immediately went to his right. Lee followed him as he went down one hallway and another until he reached a classroom door.

Vernon slowly opened it and beckoned everyone to come inside. Lee walked inside and immediately noticed a door on the far side of the room labeled ARMORY. Curious, he tried to open it but was immediately met with a lock.

"Figures," he muttered.

"One of Crawford's goons probably has the key. I doubt it's on someone like Fred. It's got to be someone he trusts." Vernon explained.

"What did Fred have on him?" asked Yhwach.

"Just a pistol and a couple of cigarettes," grunted Marcus.

"What did that parasite say? Did he know where my daughter is being held?" demanded Larry.

Lee turned around and addressed everyone in the group. "So, the reason that this place is so barren is because Crawford is hosting a meeting about us, we don't know where it is since they changed locations. The only people on the streets are guarding the walls apparently. Lilly's in a classroom somewhere in this building, but Fred didn't know exactly where it was. It's guarded at all times, so...someone's watching her right now."

"If they're all at Crawford's meeting room, then we just lucked into a perfect window of opportunity. We can get everything we need, rescue Lilly, and get out before they even know what hit them," exclaimed Vernon.

"Alright, so we're looking for fuel, medicine, a battery, and Lilly. Four things to do before we leave," announced Lee.

"Why is this guy still alive? He doesn't hold any use to us." Carley said disdainfully. Lee gave her a pointed look.

"We're not killing anyone we don't have to. We're not Crawford, understand? If we do get caught, he can be a bargaining chip at the very least. I'm not going to get more blood on our hands than necessary."

"More blood on our hands? These guys started it and we're finishing it. How can you-whoa, what is that?"

Carley pointed directly to the left corner of the room next to the armory door and Lee, to his shock, saw a box of what looked like grenades just sitting in the corner.

"Are those...grenades?" gasped Kenny.

"Looks like it," responded Yhwach.

"Well, if we ever get in a pinch, we can let things go boom. It would be a nice diversion to have." smiled Isaac.

"Either way, we have to focus on getting our supplies first. We're not trying to make a loud entrance by doing that before we're ready to get out of here. Leave the grenades where they are for now. We need to figure out who is going to do what when it comes to our tasks." explained Lee.

"They use this place as the command center?" asked Carley.

"Yeah, this is where Crawford usually holds his daily council meetings. Luckily for us, they changed places and there's a map of Crawford that we can look at to point ourselves in the right direction," revealed Vernon.

He pointed to a small hand-drawn map as he spoke.

"If we're looking for a battery, we might be able to find one at the auto shop. There's one in the alley near the fire escape."

"As for the fuel, there's a maintenance shed across the playground here. That's where they used to store the fuel when I was there, so it's our best bet. And all the medicine should be in the nurse's station. It's actually on this exact floor, but it's a few classrooms down from us. As for Lilly, well I'm going to assume it's this classroom marked Jail on the first floor. It's on the opposite side of the school." Vernon said.

"Okay, now that we have a reasonable guess of where everything is, we'll split up and get these tasks done quickly and quietly," Lee stated.

"Marcus and I can go get the battery." volunteered Isaac.

"Fine by me." shrugged Marcus.

"I'll get the medicine since I know what we're looking for," added Vernon.

" I'll go with you. since you could use someone to watch your back," said Carley.

"I'll get the fuel from the maintenance shed if anyone wants to tag along," said Kenny.

"I'll go with you." volunteered Mark.

"Well, I'm getting my daughter as soon as possible. That's non-negotiable. I don't need anyone's help, but if you wouldn't mind..."

"I'll help you, Larry. I know this place like the back of my hand. We can easily find a way to safely get your daughter out without a fuss." Boyd replied.

"Make it three old men and you got a deal." grinned Chuck.

"Well, we need someone here to guard Fred while we're all gone," ordered Lee. Yhwach looked at Lee, but Lee just looked away and let out a discontent sigh.

"Speaking of going places, where are you going, Lee?" asked Kenny.

Where am I going? That's a good question.

_______________________________________________________________

What Should [M] (Lee Everett) do?

A) Battery with Isaac and Marcus.

Team up with Isaac and Marcus to retrieve the battery. It's crucial for powering the boat, but the risks of encountering hostile survivors or walkers in the area are high.

B) Medicine with Vernon, and Carley.

Lee heads out with Vernon and Carley, focused on securing necessary medical supplies to keep the group healthy.

C) Fuel with Kenny and Mark.

Partner with Kenny and Mark to collect fuel for the boat. Fuel is essential, but dealing with the dangers of Crawford and the walkers makes this a perilous mission.

D) Save Lilly with Larry, Boyd, and Chuck.

Accompany Larry, Boyd, and Chuck to rescue Lilly. She's being held captive, and while saving her could lead to tensions with others in the group, leaving her behind might weigh on your conscience.

E) Stay and Watch over Fred In Yhwach's place.

Stay at the hideout and take Yhwach's place to watch Fred. It ensures the group's safety from any unexpected attacks or sabotage from Fred, but it means trusting others to handle the critical missions.

_______________________________________________________________ 

Bonus: What should [M] (Yhwach) do?

A) Kill Fred

Use his soul-distribution ability to extract valuable information from Fred. If Yhwach takes this approach, he can tag along with one of the groups afterward, except for the group Lee chooses.

B) Watch Fred (No Killing)

Remain with Fred, ensuring he stays alive and under control without resorting to violence. This allows Yhwach to monitor the situation and maintain a calculated presence.

C) Custom Vote ( Make a custom Vote )

Self-explanatory 

D) Who should Yhwach join? ( Only works if Choice E) is made )

Also self-explanatory 

_______________________________________________________________

Relationships [M] (Lee Everett):

Carley: 14/15

She doesn't really care if you go with her or not.

Kenny: 8/15

He's itching to get to the maintenance shed.

Larry: 10/15

He just wants to go find his daughter.

Mark: 13/15

He's okay with whatever you do.

Ben: 14/15

He doesn't really care that you left him behind since you gave him a responsibility.

Chuck: 9/15

He would be disappointed that you're treating the kids like they're kids if it wasn't for the close call you guys had earlier.

Isaac: 7/15

You actually gave him some kind of trust by letting him come to Crawford. Maybe you're not such a bad guy, after all?

Marcus: 9/15

He's starting to develop a rapport with you.

Vernon: 8/15

You've proven to be genuine and you share a common goal. You've also done well so far, so he has nothing to complain about.

Boyd: 7/15

Same as Vernon.

_______________________________________________________________

(A/N): Alright, I've decided to start adding some outros at the end of each chapter. Let me know what you think about it! And, to keep things fun, Let's start a little chain comment at the end of every Zaegar outro. ( For those who don't know Zaegar...You'll soon know about him soon enough... )

Comment: "Munch, Yum, and Mmm," or sometimes just "Mmm." You know the drill!

Next Chapter: The Crawford Expedition

The group prepares for their most dangerous mission yet: infiltrating Crawford, Tensions run high as each member faces their own dilemma, and not everyone will make it out unscathed. Choices will be made. And when it's all over, they may have lost more than they ever anticipated.

Zaegar: "Here, want some popcorn? Shit's getting hype around here. But don't choke on it; the real fun hasn't even started yet."