TWD - Chapter 572: Preparing for the Knoxville Operation (Patreon)

In late July, Dr. Jenner's work on the Walker Disruptors finally made a major breakthrough.

"Calista!"

Calista was bent over a map of the East District spread across her desk. At the shout, she jerked her head up and frowned. "Dr. Jenner? What's happened?"

Jenner came rushing in, panting hard. He was clutching a small glass vial, and he slapped it onto the desk the moment he reached her.

"We did it! The upgraded Walker Disruptor works!"

Calista picked up the vial. It looked no different from the old version. She gave the liquid inside a curious shake. "How well?"

Jenner hauled in a breath. "Forty minutes! A full forty minutes now!"

Her eyes narrowed in surprise. "Forty minutes?"

"That's right!" Jenner gestured wildly, unable to contain his excitement. "It used to last thirteen to fifteen minutes. We've more than doubled that!

"We tested it over a dozen times. Even the shortest-lasting sample worked for more than thirty-five minutes. The longest lasted forty-three!

"Professor Martin improved the formula and adjusted the proportions of the key ingredients..."

Martin Sorensen appeared in the doorway behind him. Past sixty, he hadn't been able to keep pace with Jenner, but his eyes shone with the same excitement.

Calista looked up. "Have you tested it in the field?"

Jenner slapped his thigh. "Calista, that's exactly what I was going to tell you!

"Benson and his people have been helping at the Knoxville outpost, right? I had a batch rushed over so they could try it while clearing the surrounding area.

"The results were incredible!

"Benson just reported back. His twenty-person team cleared more than five hundred walkers from three blocks around the new outpost in two days. Not a single casualty!"

Martin Sorensen added, "Of course, the Reapers are already exceptionally strong in close combat. Combining their skills with the new disruptor is what made that kind of efficiency possible."

Calista turned the little vial between her fingertips, excitement creeping into her expression. "Can we mass-produce the upgraded Walker Disruptors yet?"

"Yes," Martin said without hesitation. "If we have enough ingredients, we can make a hundred vials a day."

Calista's eyes lit up. She stood at once. "Dr. Jenner, Professor Martin Sorensen, and Milton are to put everything into production starting now. You can take over the production lines used for other products if you need them.

"The Knoxville operation begins in two weeks. Everyone participating needs two vials, plus reserves. We'll need at least two thousand altogether."

Jenner stared. "Two weeks?"

"The sooner, the better." Calista's gaze hardened. "I want the East District of Knoxville back as quickly as possible. No delays."

After a beat of silence, determination flashed in Jenner's eyes. "Then I'm not sleeping tonight."

Martin undercut him in a low voice. "You barely slept last night either."

Jenner shot him a glare. "Last night was last night. Tonight is tonight!"

Calista smiled faintly at the two scientists. "Go on, then. Just don't work yourselves into the ground."

Jenner and Martin turned to leave. At the doorway, Jenner abruptly stopped and pointed to his companion.

"Oh, one more thing, Calista. Martin says they had to leave some large research equipment behind at the UTK laboratories because they couldn't transport it at the time.

"If that equipment still works, it could be a tremendous help to us!"

Calista answered with firm conviction. "Don't worry. We'll get it."

After the two men left, she stood at the window for a moment. Then she pressed the communications bell at the corner of her desk and sent for Leah and the others.

Within ten minutes, Leah, Rickson, and Deanna entered her office.

"Cali, something going on?" Leah asked around the half-eaten piece of bread in her mouth. Apparently, someone had pulled her straight out of the cafeteria.

Calista pushed the glass vial into the center of the desk. "Dr. Jenner just brought me the upgraded Walker Disruptor. It lasts forty minutes now."

All three immediately looked interested.

Rickson was first to speak. "What's the production capacity?"

"A hundred vials a day."

Deanna responded almost at once. "A hundred a day gives us fourteen hundred in two weeks. Another production line would double that without a problem. That is enough to equip everyone and keep reserves."

Calista looked at each of them and began assigning duties without wasting a word.

"In two weeks, we launch the operation to reclaim Knoxville's East District.

"Leah, you'll oversee the Defense Force reorganization and command the main assault.

"Rickson, coordinate logistics and support from the outposts.

"Deanna, manage supplies and arrangements for resettlement afterward."

The three nodded in unison. "No problem!"

"Then get to work."

Leah had already turned toward the door when Calista stopped her.

"Leah. Hold a full Defense Force assembly this afternoon. Call in every squad captain and announce the deployment plan."

"Understood!"

The three left to carry out their orders.

***

That afternoon, the industrial park square filled with members of the Defense Force.

Leah stood at the front, her voice carrying clearly to every soldier.

"In two weeks, we'll launch the main assault to retake Knoxville's East District. Our goal is to capture the entire eastern area, with the UTK campus as the boundary!"

She paused, her eyes sweeping across the assembled troops.

"Our main force will consist of five regular battalions and three reserve battalions, one hundred soldiers in each.

"Maya, Wells, Benson, and I will each lead a regular battalion from the Knoxville outpost near the edge of downtown, advancing east.

"The other four units will depart from the industrial park and advance toward downtown.

"We'll clear both approaches simultaneously until the forces meet.

"Of the two remaining reserve battalions, one will guard our settlements and outposts, and the other will provide mobile support on the battlefield."

Quiet discussion rippled through the ranks. No one questioned the order. Instead, anticipation burned in their eyes.

Rock Fortress's Defense Force had grown to a thousand soldiers. The days when a handful of fighters had to carry the entire burden were long gone.

Each battalion numbered a hundred soldiers, divided into ten squads. The earliest recruits, drawn from mercenaries and National Guard personnel, had risen to become battalion and squad commanders, the backbone of the force.

Even later arrivals such as Abraham, Rosita, Martinez, Tara, and Dawn and the people who came with her had become squad leaders or soldiers in the regular battalions.

Spencer, meanwhile, spent his days working alongside his father, Reg, on the construction crews of the Construction Department.

Aiden had volunteered for the Defense Force. Though assigned to the reserves, he would also take part in the East District operation.

People who had once struggled merely to survive the apocalypse were now the pillars holding the settlement together.

Having finished with the Defense Force, Leah turned toward a different group standing off to one side.

They were special "volunteers," former local toughs from Knoxville who had been among the first to surrender. Cole's scavengers and Eddie's Cutthroat Gang had long since become loyal to Rock Fortress.

"Cole, Eddie. This time, you'll work with Rickson to organize the combat supplies, transport them to Knoxville, and handle battlefield logistics."

Leah looked around the square. "Any objections?"

Nobody spoke. All eyes remained fixed on the Defense Force's commander, full of eagerness for the coming battle.

"Good!" Leah nodded. "Dismissed!"

***

At a forward outpost in Knoxville, Benson crouched behind a ruined wall, looking over the blocks his team had completely cleared.

Theodore sat beside him, carefully wiping down the short blade at his waist. Its edge glinted coldly in the moonlight.

"Benson, when can we go back to base?"

Benson smiled. "Soon. The assault starts in two weeks. Once that's over, we can go home."

Theodore nodded.

After a quiet moment, Benson said with unmistakable admiration, "Rock Fortress really is something."

Theodore glanced up. "What makes you say that?"

"Those Walker Disruptors. We couldn't have done any of this without them these last two days. Three whole blocks, more than five hundred walkers, and not a single casualty."

Benson's voice grew more assured. "I wouldn't have dreamed of pulling that off before."

"Yeah," Theodore agreed. "You know, now that we have walker attractants and Walker Disruptors, maybe one day they could develop a cure or a vaccine for the walker virus. Do you think they could actually end the apocalypse?"

Benson was taken aback. He spread his hands. "I don't know. I hope so."

"Yeah!"

They remained crouched together by the broken wall, watching the first light of dawn approach.

War was on the horizon, and the will to fight had already taken hold.

Rock Fortress had gathered its strength. All that remained was to wait two weeks, then march east.