Teddy walked over to the window and watched as the members of his cult were gathered in the middle of an open space. All of them had expressions of fear, their future uncertain, at least in their eyes.
When Dominic thought about what to do, the same question always arose in his mind: are they the good guys or the bad guys? For some, this question has a quick answer, but for Dominic, there are two very important perspectives to consider.
If he wants to lead, he must understand that for people to follow him without hesitation, they must fear him. Humans are strange creatures; today, there's only one kind of person in the world—those who want to survive.
Dominic wasn't one of the bad guys; he was simply a survivor, just like the vultures were. But in the future, everyone must understand that his people are untouchable; no one, absolutely no one, can harm his people in the slightest. For those enemies who remain alive, this is a very clear idea.
"Will you give me that key?"
This simple question broke the silence in the room, making everyone wonder what the answer from this calm old man would be. But the response didn't take long. Teddy reached into his jacket and pulled out a key that was identical in appearance to the one Dominic had.
"I'd like to let you see the world I'm going to build. If I ever plan to have children, I want that dream world, longed for by all living beings in recent times, to be appreciated by everyone."
Dominic pocketed the key, sighed slightly, and said, "No one values what they have; it may be a phrase repeated by many philosophers, but it's more than true. Now, everyone can work twelve hours just to have food on their plate. Can you believe that?"
"You have a difficult dream to achieve." Teddy shook his head in disapproval, rejecting Dominic's way of thinking, and said, "You're very stubborn and think you'll always win, and believe me, your defeat is closer than ever. If you killed hundreds of people just for a few deaths in your group, I can't imagine what kind of leader you are."
"Maybe this is this is the leader these people need. I'm just a good survivor, and what I think we all need, I do without hesitation. I'm aware of the dangers in this world; I don't deny it, and I know it's dangerous to act this way at any time."
"But if I ever lose, you won't see my defeat."
Dominic pointed to the room's door, and Teddy walked out without saying a word. He knew his end had come, and he didn't regret anything at all. But he did feel frustrated and bitter about tasting the sweetness lightly on his tongue, only to have someone suddenly come and steal everything that was his.
...
Outside the Mall
Dominic followed several members of his group and walked outside, where all the survivors of this place had been gathered. Among them were children, the elderly, men, and women who were crying.
After assessing the situation, he nodded in response to Stuart, then pointed to an open space and said, "I want Teddy to stand in that position, on his knees, of course."
As soon as Dominic's words ended, two soldiers grabbed Teddy by his arms and dragged him to the spot he had indicated. Then they struck him in the knees, and he fell to the ground.
Everyone watched in silence; no one spoke, as the decision on what to do with all these people was about to be made. And Dominic, after looking at Stuart, said, "First of all, my condolences for your losses. There was really no other way to achieve my goals."
"My name is Dominic, leader of the global organization New Dawn Unification, which operates primarily in Atlanta, Georgia, and Washington... Since the outbreak began, I've worked within my capabilities to ensure the safety of people. Months and months of hard work by my people have achieved unique stability today."
"Thousands of people depend on our decisions, and our only reason for coming to Texas is because we received a distress signal from some survivors at a military base. But as you may know, the walkers are evolving in unpredictable ways—stronger, faster, and much more aggressive."
After saying that, Dominic sighed and then said, "We're serious when we say we're fighting for a new future, and the future we seek isn't by killing the living, but the dead. That's why I'm giving you an opportunity. Those who want to keep living should stay on that side."
Pointing to where the survivors were gathered, Dominic said, "But if you think I'm a damned demon and plan to follow orders, you can join Teddy and die gloriously alongside your leader."
"You'll kill us all anyway."
At that moment, a voice came from the crowd, catching Dominic's attention, and he said, "You might be right, or you might not be. Who will know that in the future? I'm a man of my word; we don't want to kill you all, so make your decision now."
At that moment, Stuart walked up beside him and said, "Negan has taken care of eliminating the cannibal base completely. Right now, they're taking their weapons and food. On the other hand, Merle eliminated those who resisted and saved the children and those who didn't want to fight."
Looking at Stuart, who was reporting what had happened, Dominic nodded silently, and he couldn't help but think it was a good outcome amid all the bad, and it's no wonder Merle's leadership is so bloodless.
To eliminate all the cult members, their group of two hundred split into three different groups, and right now, they had all achieved their objectives.
"It seems they've made a decision..." Dominic looked at the people who had walked towards Teddy and nodded. At least one hundred seventy people decided to live, while about thirty sought their deaths.
"They're damn fools; they have no idea," Stuart muttered in a deep voice.
"Kill the elders and leave the young ones; they'll serve as human test subjects for the vaccines at our research center. At least they'll be useful for something; we mustn't delay here any longer."
"Yes, boss!"
Stuart nodded and signaled while speaking aloud about what was about to happen. Then, gunshots and screams were heard behind Dominic.
At the entrance of the shelter, a series of armored cars approached, and the snipers, along with the rest of his group, had arrived. Daryl led the group, and after seeing the numerous corpses on the ground, everyone felt uncomfortable.
"We can go back now, Daryl!"
"Yes, we always win."