"Is that the leader of those people?"
"What will happen to us now?"
"We will surely die!"
Airon stood before them, looking at those walls of angry and resentful eyes. That look was not at all good, so he had to pay special attention to each and every one of these people who needed to be observed.
After thinking for a few minutes, Airon stepped forward and shouted, "I introduce myself, I am Airon, leader of a community near this place."
"You must all be wondering why I am here, and I am not saying this to justify myself! But some hours ago, a group from this place attacked my people!"
As he said this, Airon raised his hand and his index finger touched his forehead. "I had to intervene, investigate, and seek purpose. In a short time, I discovered what they do and have been doing until today. Many of you were deceived, but others do it with full consciousness that they are harming innocent lives in a struggle to achieve a goal we share."
"But make no mistake, right now you are all my prisoners and the most normal thing would be to kill you all. I feel nothing for you, nor do I expect anything from you. All I want is for you not to become a future problem for me or my people."
Airon paused, ordered his thoughts, and said, "But every human life is precious, my friend taught me that. So I will give you a chance, a chance that I hope you all take. In life, you only get two chances, you lost the first one a moment ago, so you have one left. Take this opportunity as your ticket to live."
"Everyone will go through a long process of investigation. Those who have nothing to do with this and only seek to survive will be sent to a special base where we ensure their future through a vaccine."
"A vaccine?"
"Impossible, you're lying!"
"What do I gain from lying, you idiot?" Airon's eyes chilled upon hearing this nonsensical exclamation, and he said, "You were probably one of the many idiots who shouted and caused the death of many of these people."
"What?"
Airon shook his head and pointed, "Both you and us are tired. I don't have the time or the need to lie to you with absurd facts in your limited minds. But if you all want to live a life where the last thing you'll see are walkers, you are welcome to join the S.C.T. organization."
When Airon finished speaking, he looked at Mendez, who nodded indicating he understood. After that, he began to organize this place and proceed with open communication with the people in this place.
...
Mendez looked at all the people in this base of the Fireflies, their eyes were something that really troubled him and led him to a unique place in his memories.
Two months ago, a base in Georgia. Days after Airon returned from Texas with new survivors, many of whom belonged to the cult of the final judgment base.
They hated the leader who never appeared before their eyes, blaming him for the deaths of many people and pointing to their pain as the source of the hatred they harbored within.
Airon, like any other leader, had seen that in the eyes of the survivors, but all of this was something they expected, so they were devising a plan so that they wouldn't have to interfere with force and fear.
It wasn't until months later, after Airon had ruthlessly eliminated many of those who wanted to take the base, that many decided to interfere before something similar happened in other bases.
"My fellow citizens, I stand before you today to talk about a leader who is often vilified and despised by many. This leader is someone who is fiercely dedicated to making this apocalyptic world a better place for everyone, but very few can see his true intentions."
"It is a great irony that those who hate him the most are often the ones who benefit the most from his leadership. They do not see that he wants what is best for everyone, regardless of their race, creed, or social position. He is a visionary who has a clear understanding of the problems we face and is determined to find solutions."
"Yes, I speak of a leader who has been given many names: dictator, tyrant, oppressor. But those who use these words do not understand the complexity of the situation we find ourselves in. In a world where resources are scarce and chaos reigns, strong leadership is essential. This leader understands this better than anyone."
"He has taken bold steps to ensure that everyone has access to food, water, and shelter. He has created an efficient distribution system that ensures that those who need these essential items receive them. He has also implemented strict measures to maintain law and order, to ensure that those who break the rules are held accountable for their actions."
"But it's not just about survival. This leader also wants to ensure that we thrive. He has invested in education and research to find new ways to improve our lives. He has fostered innovation and creativity, and created an environment where people can pursue their passions and dreams."
"Yes, there are those who oppose him, who see him as a threat to their own power and influence. They will stop at nothing to undermine him, to sow seeds of discord and discontent. But we must not be swayed by their lies and deceptions. We must see the truth for what it is: that this leader only wants what is best for all of us."
"In conclusion, I urge you all to look beyond the rhetoric and propaganda. Look at the facts, look at what this leader has achieved and you will see that he is a man driven by a deep sense of compassion and a desire to make our world a better place. Let us support him in his quest and work together to build a better future for all of us. Thank you."
...
Méndez, like many soldiers, understood what the leader of the organization was really thinking, and it was only for that reason that they had all decided to follow him to the ends of hell. Therefore, they are giving it their all now to retake South Carolina as soon as possible.
After taking control of this place, they found many places where there were weapons and removed them only for safety. In addition to that, they quickly began transferring personnel, moving people to the Reginald base where they had prisons ready to receive unreliable personnel.
Helicopters had been working all day and a large horde had left the city, and shortly afterwards the main avenues were sealed off to prevent walkers from returning. Tomorrow would be another day, and the work would continue to be endless.
But everyone is grateful that there weren't many problems, and now it could be said that it is not too soon to say that they had obtained another victory.