TWD - Chapter 504: The Monroe Stumbling Block (Patreon)

The living room fell silent for several seconds, everyone wearing a different expression.

Deanna remained calm, even composed. She believed she had declined as tactfully as possible, leaving neither side any reason to openly fall out.

Reg rubbed his hands together uneasily.

Aaron and Eric, meanwhile, looked embarrassed. They knew exactly how unreasonable the condition sounded. It was obviously a polite rejection.

Tyreese frowned.

Expect Calista, the leader of Rock Fortress, to leave the heart of her base, travel deep into unfamiliar territory in Virginia, and personally visit this strange little community with its laughably naive approach to defense?

That was absurd.

Tyreese was the first to shake his head. He looked at Sasha, his expression clearly saying, That’s impossible.

Zach curled his lip and muttered just loudly enough for his own people to hear, “Sure. Maybe next time I’ll have my cat send her an invitation to come over for some fish treats. Let’s see if she shows up.”

He was young, mouthy, and had never been shy about saying exactly what he thought.

Sasha remained silent for a moment.

She could tell that Deanna was an idealist who had never really been hit hard by the apocalypse. There was no chance of changing her mind anytime soon, and staying here any longer would serve no purpose.

“I understand, Ms. Deanna.”

Sasha stood, her voice returning to its cool, professional tone.

“I’ll report your condition to Ms. Calista exactly as you stated it.

“But I also have to remind you that time may not favor those who choose to wait and see. The threats we encountered are real. Thank you, and thank the Alexandria community, for your hospitality. We’ll leave tomorrow.”

No anger.

No argument.

She simply ended the discussion.

That actually caught Deanna off guard.

She had already prepared several arguments in case Sasha questioned her decision or tried to persuade her further, but she hadn’t expected the other side to accept the rejection so cleanly.

Reg quickly stepped in to smooth things over, offering them some food and fuel for the return trip.

Aaron and Eric looked as though they wanted to say something, but under Deanna’s gaze, they ultimately kept quiet.

The negotiations had reached a dead end.

Deanna arranged for them to spend the night in an empty detached house.

The moment the door closed behind them, Boone was the first to lose his composure.

He set his canteen down on the table with enough force to make a loud clang.

“Come here personally to talk?” he said, imitating Deanna’s warm but distant tone before switching back to his own voice.

“Ma’am, do you have any idea how many walker parties and lunatic toll booths there are between Knoxville and here?

“You want our boss to leave two or three thousand people behind at Rock Fortress, cross several states, and come all the way here just to hear a lecture about ‘the importance of community democracy’?”

Tyreese sighed, though the corner of his mouth twitched despite himself.

“Boone, keep it down... but yeah.”

He shook his head.

“That demand isn’t realistic. Calista would never agree. The risk is completely out of proportion to the benefit.”

The place was certainly well managed.

But in reality, it looked like something that would shatter the moment it was struck hard enough.

Right now, Alexandria felt less like a secure community and more like a sleepwalker that desperately needed to be shaken awake.

Noah sat curled up on the couch and muttered, “They have no idea what they’re turning down... and no idea what’s really out there.”

What had happened to Greenwood and his brother had left him with a bitter, angry sadness toward Alexandria’s innocence.

Kango nodded.

“They don’t really believe how dangerous the raiders are. Aaron’s probably seen signs like the ones we found, but he still wouldn’t say for sure. Was he afraid of causing a panic?”

Sasha was the calmest among them, though a trace of relief crossed her face now that the mission was essentially over.

She had completed the reconnaissance, made an assessment, established contact, and delivered a warning.

If they refused to listen, that wasn’t her responsibility.

“It’s not that they don’t believe danger exists. They don’t want to believe the world they’ve worked so hard to preserve could be this fragile.

“Deanna’s an idealist. Before the apocalypse, she was probably some kind of politician. She believes in order, democracy, and self-sufficiency. She wants to prove that civilization can be rebuilt on top of the ruins.

“But she underestimates what’s still hiding in those ruins.”

She turned toward her team.

“Pack up and check your gear. Once we get the supplies tomorrow morning, we leave as soon as possible.

“We need to report the concrete evidence of the mad raiders and Alexandria’s situation to Rock Fortress, along with the other small camps we marked along the way.

“As for Deanna’s condition...”

Sasha paused.

“We report it exactly as she said it. What happens after that is Calista’s decision.”

Everyone nodded.

Rather than waste more time in this polished little “utopia” that made them all uncomfortable, dealing with people who refused to see reality, they would much rather head back.

Deanna soon sent over several cans of food, some dehydrated vegetables, and a small container of gasoline.

She was efficient, and she wasn’t a bad person.

She was simply far too idealistic.

As the group quietly packed their belongings, preparing to slip out before dawn the next morning, someone knocked on the door with measured force.

Zach opened it.

Two young men stood outside.

Both wore the same pampered, arrogant expression.

“Who are you?” Zach asked, scratching his head.

“I’m Spencer Monroe. This is Aiden, my younger brother.”

Then they simply stood there, chins slightly raised, looking past Zach toward Sasha and the others with amused expressions.

For a second, Zach was genuinely confused.

Who the hell are these two?

Then their surname registered.

His eyes widened theatrically.

“Oh! So you’re the privileged sons! My apologies. Please, come in!”

Aiden immediately stepped forward.

“You...!”

Spencer stopped him with an arm.

“Heard you’re leaving?” Spencer said, leaning against the doorframe. “What a shame. I thought we’d get a chance to learn a little more about your... hmm, ‘powerful’ Rock Fortress.”

Aiden leaned sideways to look inside, his gaze sweeping across their weapons.

“That’s all you brought? Guess you’ve been traveling pretty light.

“Makes sense, though. With things being so chaotic outside, carrying too much would just mean leaving more behind for the walkers... or someone else, right?”

There was a barb in every word.

His gaze lingered on Kango’s rifle as though he were silently asking whether the thing could even kill anyone.

Kango glanced at him once, then ignored him.

Boone acted as if he hadn’t heard anything and continued tightening the straps on his pack.

Tyreese frowned while checking his own bag, but didn’t bother responding either.

Sasha was cleaning her weapon.

At Aiden’s remark, she looked up and calmly swept her gaze over the two brothers.

“Thanks for your concern.”

She couldn’t be bothered wasting energy on people like them.

Spoiled rich kids before the apocalypse, and somehow still arrogant after it.

Compared to their parents, they left a far worse impression.

Zach, however, had nowhere near Sasha’s patience.

He snorted and muttered at exactly the right volume for them to hear.

“Yeah, too much gear gets heavy. Makes it harder to run for your life.

“Especially those spoiled soldiers who hang every little gadget they own off their belts so they jingle like Christmas decorations when they run. They’re usually the first ones to die.”

“Last guy I saw wearing that much nice gear had grass growing over his grave by now... Oh, wait. Never mind. He turned into a walker, so he never got a grave.”

Spencer’s face darkened.

Aiden’s smile stiffened.

Aiden straightened and spoke with the entitled tone of someone saying, Do you know who my family is?

“Alexandria has survived this long because of order, intelligence, and unity. Not reckless bravado and sour grapes.

“We don’t even know whether your base is any better than Alexandria, yet you’re already talking about expanding everywhere and absorbing other communities.

“That approach won’t work here.

“Mom was trying to help you. She gave you a perfectly reasonable option. Have your leader come here, sit down, and talk like civilized people.

“Too bad you don’t seem capable of appreciating the goodwill.”

The way he said it made it sound as though Sasha and her people had just climbed down from the trees and hadn’t yet learned how to use a fork.

“Spencer! Aiden!”

Aaron’s voice came from the hallway.

He hurried over, clearly displeased.

“Deanna’s looking for you. Captain Sasha and the others need to rest.”

The brothers shrugged.

Spencer gave Sasha one last look, a fake smile curling across his lips.

“Have a safe trip back. I hope your ‘Ms. Calista’ receives our sincere invitation.”

He placed heavy emphasis on “sincere.”

Then he and Aiden turned and walked away with the swagger of two men who looked like they had just finished a round of golf on the community lawn.

Aaron looked mortified, as though he wished the floor would open up and swallow him.

“I’m sorry. They...”

He sighed.

“Have a safe trip, Captain Sasha. Really... I’m sorry.”

He looked deeply helpless about some of the people in his community, especially when they behaved like this and made everything worse.

Sasha simply nodded.

“Take care, Aaron. And good luck to Alexandria.”