The Walking Dead: A New Beginning From the End of the World

The moment Jason understood his priorities within the CDC, he learned a lot about the place while closely studying the leading scientists who, in the distant future, could be the ones to discover a cure for the virus that was slowly wiping out humanity.

He knew it was only a matter of time before the CDC's external security became a priority for the military, but that outer layer of protection wouldn't last long. The military's presence to hold back the walkers in Atlanta was minimal—so much so that Jason could consider it insignificant. At a critical moment, these soldiers would abandon their posts.

That was why Jason knew he was close to becoming the absolute leader, the one who would make the best decisions for his group's survival. Many might think he had been wasting time just gathering weapons, supplies, and ways to stay alive in the future. But what they didn't know was that during this time, Jason had located the most relevant people who, sooner or later, would become part of Rick's group.

His ideal plan was to bring all of them to the CDC after the chaos began and before Atlanta turned into a sea of bloodthirsty undead. However, it was clearly impossible for him to find all of them. And even if he had managed to, how could he explain to them that they had been miraculously chosen to be saved from the end of the world?

Jason didn't want to fail or waste the valuable time he could dedicate to more important things that would ensure his group's future survival. While the idea of having these people with him would never be discarded, how could he ensure allies who would never consider betrayal?

In the world that was about to unfold, trust was the most important thing one could place in others. The downfall of many groups and operations had been compromised by traitors, so Jason couldn't afford to exclude people he was sure he could rely on.

That was why he wanted the people from Rick's group on his side.

He knew that in times of crisis, he had to watch out for desperate people and carefully choose who to accept into his group. He didn't need a hidden dagger within his ranks, waiting to strike while he slept. Nor did he need people who wouldn't follow his vision for the future.

"If you're smart, you'll have courage. And courage, in the end, will make the difference between good and evil."

Soon, laws would lose their value, and humans would lose their humanity. Hard times create strong yet ruthless people. This was something Jason had to always keep in mind if he wanted to build a powerful and stable organization, one comparable to the CRM.

As for the Janner scientists, they would be the most valuable members of his group—each and every one of them had to survive to continue their research. After all, this was their only chance to find a cure.

Regarding how Candace died in the original story, Jason knew that at some point, she became infected with the virus. He didn't know how or when it happened, but even after her death, she was used as an experimental test subject.

This was what caused Edwin to lose the will to continue his research. In that moment, humanity's last hope was lost in Jason's eyes.

That was why he couldn't allow the same thing to happen this time. He had to return as soon as possible after gathering the necessary long-term supplies.

The best moment to act would be when Rick's best friend, Shane, took Lori and Carl to a shelter in Atlanta. That was when they would meet the people who would later play a crucial role in the main plot of this world's development. And that would only happen once Atlanta was lost.

That was why Jason's first priority was to gather the resources he had left around the CDC, then return with everything and ensure the facility remained secure until everything outside was lost. Only then could he go after Rick's group, who by then would be living on a hill.

This shouldn't be misunderstood—Jason didn't believe Rick's group was indispensable. However, if he wanted to gain valuable soldiers, he knew the only way to establish a solid foundation was by starting with them. Each member of Rick's group protected their own with everything they had and always sought ways to survive. That was something he couldn't guarantee with other survivors.

Of course, they wouldn't be the only ones saved during this time.

By then, he would have ensured a strong base of survivors—people who sought the best option for survival.

Strong people whom Jason would protect above all else.

…

Atlanta, Five Hours After Leaving the CDC.

Jason, who had thought a lot during his preparation time, knew that currently, the CDC had enough power, weapons, food, and security. But in the future, it would lack energy for the generators and weapons for defense, along with ammunition to deal with the ever-growing number of walkers.

That was why Jason's next step, after securing his stay at the CDC, was to bring in the resources he hadn't been able to store earlier. Before, his authority and trust were minimal—he could barely act. But now that a few weeks had passed, anything he wanted to do would go largely unquestioned.

"The streets are lonelier than I thought..." George drove under Tyler's guidance to the farthest supply storage point from the CDC, which would soon become nearly inaccessible.

Watching the outside through a monitor, Tommy muttered, "It's normal for people to be hiding in their homes, terrified."

The road conditions along the way were good, probably due to the "Violent Incidents" and the "Emergency Action Notice" that had been broadcast repeatedly on television and radio over the past few days.

At this point, humans still didn't understand what was happening. Most of them remained at home, waiting for instructions on what to do, while the military acted under martial law.

That was why the journey was smooth. When they arrived at the first location, George retrieved a fuel tanker that Jason had prepared long ago. The others then began transferring additional resources onto a military-style cargo truck and a priority transport bus.

The supplies Jason had purchased were stored in places where relatively few people gathered, and crowds were uncommon. Because of this, there was little need for concern—at least for now. That was why only a ten-man tactical unit had been assigned to oversee the operation and assist in loading the supplies for transport back to the CDC.

At the same time, while Jason's nearly twenty-man group was preparing for the transfer, Andrea and Amy were saying goodbye to their father over the phone. The two sisters never imagined that this farewell might be their last.

"Andrea, listen to me very carefully. You must take good care of your sister. Remember, and never forget, that you are her older sister. While I'm not there, you must act as if you were her mother."

Andrea and Amy's father understood the situation in the country better than most, and his words carried a serious tone.

"Dad, I'm not a little kid anymore. I don't need her to take care of me," Amy said, slightly annoyed by her father's words, losing interest in the call.

"Ha ha ha, yes, you're not my little princess anymore." Their father chuckled at Amy's childish behavior, recognizing that she was going through a rebellious phase. His only concern was that his daughters weren't particularly close, which was why he had suggested this trip—to bring them closer together.

This was his chance to instill in Andrea the confidence she needed to protect Amy until they could reunite.

"I'll take care of her," Andrea responded with a slight smile as she watched Amy's reaction.

"Andrea, things outside haven't been normal these days. Every day, the news reports more and more bloodshed. You both need to be careful out there. Try not to move around too much in the coming days and wait for further updates."

"Dad, I will. I'll take care of Amy. You don't need to worry."

"I know you will, sweetheart," their father said, smiling on the other end of the call after hearing his daughter's reassuring words.

Shortly after, the two sisters drove down the road at a leisurely pace.

"Sister..."

"What's wrong? I know you don't like my music, but we've been listening to yours for hours, so this time it's my turn."

"Isn't that a CDC convoy? Why are CDC personnel in such a remote place? It doesn't look fake, and those trucks are huge..." Amy became frightened because she had been paying attention to the news in recent days, and now seeing a CDC truck was the worst thing that could happen.

Andrea looked in the direction Amy was pointing and, sure enough, she saw a group of people with intimidating gear and masks on their faces, with the CDC logo on their arms, stopped at the side of the road near a long convoy of trucks.

As soon as she turned the steering wheel, Andrea drove towards them.

"Hey! Excuse me, is something going on around here?" Andrea called out to the masked people while keeping her distance.

Andrea originally wanted to ask if it was safe to drive through this area. None of the people had their faces uncovered, so she needed to make sure it was safe to travel in their planned direction.

"Are you stupid? Why would you ask something like that?"

"Be quiet. Something serious must be happening if they're so well-protected."

Andrea whispered to her sister when she heard the words.

"We're going to be arrested. The military is taking over the country now," Amy whispered in panic to her sister, who had driven straight toward the convoy of parked trucks not far from where they had stopped.

"No, they don't seem to be doing anything important!"

In fact, Jason, who was supervising the supply cargo, had noticed a car heading in his direction a while ago. However, the weapons and resources had already been moved into the largest cargo truck, so he didn't care if the newcomers saw them.

Looking back, Jason spotted Andrea and Amy, who had stopped not too far away.

What are they doing here? Jason was a little puzzled, then approached them and asked in a serious tone, "What's the problem?"

Jason pretended to act firmly as the captain of the CDC security team.

"Good afternoon, I'm Andrea, and this is my sister Amy. You seem to be with the CDC—could something be happening here?"

"It's nothing serious. We're just collecting supplies."

Andrea became alarmed when she saw other agents approaching with long guns. That told her they were not just regular CDC personnel, so she quickly said, "Well, you seem busy, so I won't bother you."

When Andrea heard Jason say that nothing was wrong, she knew something strange was happening in this place, so she prepared to leave.

"Andrea, right?"

Jason, who had approached, removed the gas mask protecting him and looked at the two sisters inside the car, who seemed unsettled. He hesitated for a moment—he obviously couldn't tell them what was about to happen, so he changed his words at the last moment.

"The situation has been a disaster everywhere lately, so I recommend you don't stay out too long. Go home quickly."

"Thanks for the warning." Andrea reached a hand out the window, waved at Jason to indicate she understood, and then drove away.

Jason had originally intended to warn the two sisters, but thinking about it, even if he hadn't mentioned it, they would have kept driving down the road, meaning they were heading somewhere safe.

"Everything's ready, boss." Tommy returned with the last supply crate.

Once all the supplies were loaded, everyone boarded the trucks. Soon, a convoy of more than seven vehicles, including cargo and tanker trucks, moved toward their next destination.

That night, Jason and the others stopped at a warehouse where a group of twenty people was now resting. The "Urgent Action Notice" kept playing all day on the television.

Jason wasn't interested in what was being broadcast on TV or the radio. The only thing he cared about was when the TV signal would cut off and the internet would stop working—that would confirm the progress of the upcoming events.

Maybe it was just his thoughts, but suddenly, the TV screen started flickering, became increasingly blurry, and finally went dark.

"What happened? We have the best signal here..." Tyler looked at the blurry screen and stood up to check.

After inspecting the TV, Tyler switched through all the channels one by one—none had a signal.

"Looks like everything's gone to hell..." Butcher murmured in a slightly nervous voice.

"Damn it, the adult movies were supposed to be on at this hour." Tommy was slightly annoyed but also somewhat overwhelmed.

Jason checked his watch—it was 5:30 AM on July 8, 2010.

"The end of the world has officially begun!" Jason stood up from where he had been lying down, put his boots back on, and ordered, "Let's move out. It looks like things just got worse, and we can't waste any more time."

Over the next nine days, he needed to transport some of the supplies to a hidden location near the CDC facilities.

If they waited a week longer to start transporting the supplies, it would become much more troublesome. By then, a massive number of refugees would be heading to various locations in the city, causing traffic to grind to a halt.

Of course, thanks to their trucks having official clearance, they wouldn't have trouble getting through anywhere. However, the gridlock on the roads would be impossible to avoid.

In recent days, as Jason took time to collect supplies from the furthest CDC sites, he had gradually noticed more vehicles fleeing down the streets. People were beginning to sense that something was wrong.

Although the TV signal was gone, the radio was still broadcasting, warning citizens not to leave their homes and, most importantly, not to have physical contact with "people displaying violent behavior."

But as expected, the chaos didn't stop—it only intensified.

When people ran out of food at home, they had no choice but to go shopping. But thousands of families were going through the same thing, making the situation uncontrollable.

In times like these, criminals took advantage of the chaos. There were even shootouts in many places. Families who had never experienced anything like this finally couldn't take it anymore, packed their things, and planned to evacuate.