Dominic had asked Cole to try to gather information about the relatives of other comrades. If they could be saved, Stuart would be sent to bring them all back, and Dominic would take control of this base shortly after they vacated it, or even sooner if things went well.
As far as he could see, there were at least ten combat helicopters at this location, about fifteen transport ones, and five cargo helicopters. There were tanks and Humvees with integrated machine guns, which would come in handy to bolster his supplies.
But the most important thing among all this was the ammunition, which was hard to come by. Military weapons were not sold at a low price, especially high-quality ones.
"Are you going back? It's getting dark, and soon travel outside the center and the protected community will be restricted," Diaz said as Dominic prepared to leave, handing him a sheet with the names of soldiers requesting information about their families.
"I'm leaving; I have to go back," Dominic replied. He also needed to get in touch with Stuart to get all this new information.
It must be said that no one believed, but it's not like they had other options, so Dominic was their only chance of contacting their families. It's worth mentioning that everyone also thought he had some influence in the army; no one knew him, and suddenly he was a soldier.
But it was fine if they thought whatever they wanted. Once their families were in Dominic's hands, there was no reason for them to continue obeying orders from an army that had no future.
"We've arrived; report in tomorrow morning." Diaz handed him a suitcase with Dominic's belongings and bid him farewell.
Soldiers going on containment missions had more opportunities to rest since they spent all day killing walkers. This was a job nobody wanted to do but was necessary. For this reason, Dominic had a higher priority.
When he got out of the vehicle, he stood in front of Clark's house, looked at Daniel watching him from the second-floor window, and gestured for him to come down.
...
In the house next to the Clark's, Dominic had taken it over to sleep since he didn't have a place to stay, and he didn't prefer being in military settlements as they were unsafe.
When he arrived, the first thing he did was look for Daniel.
"So, what will you decide?" Dominic asked Daniel, awaiting his response.
The reason he wanted to help this man so much was to have him owe him a favor. Daniel's skills were the only thing Dominic was interested in, and indeed, he wanted him in his group.
"Tell me, what are they doing out there?" Daniel wanted to make sure that at least the sick would be treated with care in this shelter.
"You have to understand..."
"I'm not an idiot; you can tell me honestly what they're doing."
Dominic looked at Daniel and finally said, "Eliminating infected, containing citizens, and protecting. The first step the army is taking is trying to resist and hoping everything will eventually be resolved with special methods. But that's not going to work, so in the end, the military will evacuate this place, leaving us to fend for ourselves."
Not letting Daniel say anything, Dominic pointed out, "But I have a plan to protect us. I won't let your family or the others be abandoned to their fate, so you must trust me and just wait."
"Did you find all that out?" Daniel didn't know how Dominic had gotten that information.
He couldn't be completely honest with Daniel, but he certainly needed this man's skills, as he was the most valuable person he could find here. Knowing this, Dominic couldn't hide much from him.
"My father was a mercenary." Dominic made sure no one was around and said, "On his last mission, he found out that his team was being tested to experiment with the performance of a biological weapon. I don't know what the plans are for those who did this, but my friend says they are resetting society. The rich and powerful are hiding, letting us die from the virus."
Dominic took off his vest and left it on the couch. He then walked to the corner of the room where he had left his radio a moment ago. "For that, I've been preparing for the last five months. I can say I've been manipulating people to do what I ordered them to do. I couldn't let others know that a nineteen-year-old was giving them orders."
If Daniel didn't help Dominic with his next plan, he would give up on having him by his side. But he knew Daniel was a very intelligent man who understood what needed to be done. "If you help me and become a leader for them while I stay in the shadows and do exactly as ordered, you'll protect your family as a reward."
"You want me to be that mysterious leader?" Daniel looked at Dominic, who had also taken off his boots to rest.
Dominic nodded and said, "So far, only a few people know that I'm behind this whole shelter I've created. I currently have about eight hundred people, and I have enough supplies to live without worries for more than twenty years. If you're the face for the soldiers, I'll find someone convincing for the civilians."
"Why all this trouble?" Daniel didn't understand Dominic's way of thinking, but he understood it.
"If I'm a young leader, everyone will underestimate the right decisions. I can't allow my orders to be rejected since they're based on precise information. Dominic then told Daniel all the problems he would avoid.
Basically, if Daniel is the leader of the soldiers in Dominic's shelter, he would have more weight in his voice. If someone tries to kill him, nothing will happen since the real leader won't show himself so easily. Also, Daniel's character was perfect for these times when one had to unleash their inner demon.
"If things don't work out here, I'll take care of the soldiers and then take their resources. Helicopters will come to pick us up, and we'll leave this place. But if I succeed, things will improve for everyone." Dominic extended his hand and asked, "Will you be the Ace of my plan, Daniel?"
Daniel looked at Dominic and nodded. This teenager in front of him was a damn controlling demon who needed every step he took to be meticulously calculated. If he had to protect his family, then he had to be on the side of intelligent people.
"What do I need to do?" Daniel then sat down, knowing what his role would be from now on.