Daniel looked at all the soldiers before him and said, "We've lost the military chain of command; communications are cut, and everything leads us to one point... We're alone; there's no more government."
"If you ever thought everything would return to normal, you're just lying to yourselves because the world as we know it has vanished. From now on, a very important task falls upon us, and that is to slowly reclaim everything that was taken from us."
Daniel's voice was strong, dignified, and filled with a sense of unwavering will that resonated with all the soldiers standing before him.
"Do not doubt; remember that this time our fight has a more special meaning than just fulfilling the ambitions of politicians who have been using us for their own gain. You are now fighting not for a leader but for the future of the world and your children."
Pausing, Daniel placed his hand on his chest, giving a completely different salute, and said, "Glory to humanity!"
"Glory to humanity!"
"Glory to humanity!"
"Glory to humanity!"
Dominic, who was at a distance watching all of this through binoculars, felt quite good knowing that the military power under his command was so significant.
"In total, with the entire coast guard, we have around 6,359 soldiers and more than 7,289 civilians, along with the 3,278 who were rescued on this island, totaling just under seventeen thousand people on this island."
"We are few considering the population of Los Angeles." Dominic looked at Stuart and, after a moment of thought, said, "Let the coast guard take care of bringing all the civilians into this sea, not now, of course, when everything is stabilized."
All these people were not organized, and according to Victor, organizing them would take at least a week.
Dominic knew that his men's main job should be to defend this island and themselves. The soldiers were the best of the best he could get in this place; they knew how to handle weapons like anti-aircraft and tanks, something an ordinary civilian did not.
They were all a priority, but their job wouldn't always be holding a weapon and standing guard in the watchtowers. What they needed most was manpower; the military should be helpful in setting up watchtowers and unloading resources.
"How are the architects with the base plan right now?" Dominic looked at Stuart, who had been silent after giving the report.
Stuart lowered the binoculars and said, "The plans are finished; we have covered all concerns about base protection. But with the plans finished, the workers have started construction."
What Dominic learned from Stuart was that he was a quite heroic man, loved his country, and, as a special forces soldier, had a clear sense of sacrifice.
When Dominic began to worry that he would be pushed aside, he started reading Stuart and understood that he was following his orders because the benefit was not for him but for the people.
In Stuart's eyes, Dominic prioritized people's survival and the security of each soldier's families, who were now under his command.
"What do you think of all this?" Dominic, dressed in black tactical gear and holding a black sword, looked at Stuart, wanting to know more about what he hid.
Stuart looked down and said, "I've always been fighting for my country; I believed I was making a better future, but I realized too late that my sacrifices didn't make a difference."
Without letting Dominic say anything, Stuart, who was now thinking about what to say, pointed out, "We all fight for something; as I was taught, I also had my struggles, but they never meant that something I always believed in... But now it's different; I can really fight for something, and for that, I'll be grateful to you for the rest of my life."
"My intention was never to reach something like this; things developed in a way I couldn't control." Dominic was honest with these words.
Truth be told, it was never his intention to have a safe place like this. There was nothing he cared less about than people, but when he saw the eyes of all those soldiers who truly knew him, he felt a bit pleased.
Stuart shook his head as he didn't recognize Dominic and said, "You're someone incredible; despite your age, you've achieved things no one else has, and I'm sure you'll take us too far with your goals."
"Are you willing to be ordered by a kid?"
"You're no longer a kid; you have more balls than many men in this place."
Dominic smiled genuinely for the first time and extended his hand towards Stuart, who was a bit confused. "I really don't know how far I'll go, but let's protect this place together."
"Yes, sir." Stuart extended his hand and shook Dominic's with an open smile. He was sure that Dominic was born to be a great leader, especially when he started sacrificing himself for others.
...
Night had fallen on this place; the lights of all the houses were off, and there were faint fires in large metal drums shining slightly along the main streets.
The electricity stored thanks to solar panels was being used in construction right now, so there wasn't much to waste.
Alicia, who was holding a sword similar to Dominic's but white, was training very hard without her mother seeing her.
She maintained controlled breathing, her movements were long, and she kept a unique rhythm in each of her attacks. Being young, she still had a talent for adapting to situations, and this was no different.
"How many walkers are you going to kill, Miss Alicia?" Dominic appeared behind Alicia without her noticing.
"I'll be on scouting missions; you mentioned you would lead that group, so I hope to be good enough to help you." Alicia lowered the sword after saying this.
The famous scouting group, once everything progressed, planned to start clearing more remote areas to have control of Los Angeles and to remain at a higher point beyond expected parameters.
"We'll kill more than walkers, Alicia; are you sure about this?"
"I can do it; I really must do it."
Dominic nodded, checked the time, and said, "If you're interested, we could train hand-to-hand combat; I could teach you some more special things."
Alicia smiled and said, "Are we just going to train?"
"We're just going to train; it's not yet time to repopulate humanity." Dominic joked before lunging towards Alicia, causing her great surprise.