Chapter 104

- Narrator -

«Milton Mamet, huh...» Xenon narrowed his eyes, subtly using [Domineering Presence] on him to pressure him. Milton for his part did his best to act tough but failed miserably so. He could detect the dangerous tone Xenon used but he was never good at confrontation.

«Y-yes.» He gulped in fear, sweating nervously at the tense silence that followed. Xenon took his time looking at him, observing the way he could not hold eye contact for long.

«What was your relationship with the governor?» Xenon asked, watching him struggle to come up with an answer. «I already know the answer, Mr. Milton, and I don't tolerate liars.»

«I was his assistant.» Milton admitted.

«So, you were privy to the shady business going on at Woodbury, I assume?» Xenon raised an eyebrow at him, daring him to say otherwise.

«Yes...» Milton nodded his head hesitantly.

«Good, that wasn't so hard, was it?» Xenon smiled in satisfaction. «But I'm curious. Why did you choose to join us despite knowing that we killed your former boss? It sounds pretty dumb to me.»

«It was a calculated risk.» Milton sighed in relief as the pressure disappeared. «I have a better chance at surviving with a group as well equipped as yours, and your leadership certainly proved superior if you could both deal with the governor... permanently... and take over Woodbury with ease. Not to mention, I thought it was unlikely you'd hold me responsible if you didn't hold Merle responsible, and I wasn't even directly involved. At most, the governor would ask for my advice every now and then...» Xenon smiled at his explanation.

«Not bad...» He nodded in satisfaction. «And you're right. I could care less about your past loyalties, quite frankly. What I care about is how loyal you are now. And from the looks of it, you seem like a smart person.» Xenon narrowed his eyes at him. «And as a smart person, you would quickly realize it's a terrible idea to cross me... won't you?» Milton could not have nodded faster than he did. «Good. Then as long as you follow my rules, we're all good.» Milton nodded again.

< + 5 Obedience with Milton Mamet >

Xenon was surprised at the notification but quickly dismissed it as he was currently busy. He proceeded to ask him a few more questions about his occupations, interests... But as an ending note, he told him that he should tell the others about what he already knew of the governor, as that would get rid of any doubts they still had on the matter, and ease their inclusion into the group. Andrea would guide them to their place of residence after being instructed by Xenon.

- Narrator -

The people of Woodbury settled comfortably that night, as their living quarters were not terrible by any stretch of the imagination, although they couldn't be compared to the apartments they occupied before. But they'd gladly move anywhere if it meant the safety of their families.

It was noon, and everyone was grouped in the cafeteria that was more crowded than it ever did, but it was still manageable. Xenon got up and cleared his throat, prompting everyone to stop talking and turn their attention to them.

«Let me begin by welcoming the new additions to the family, the people of Woodbury, whom I hope you all treat as your brothers and sisters going forward. Now, I understand our meetings were under extraordinary circumstances, and I understand that none of you were aware of what truly happened behind the curtains, and neither do I blame you. But I hope we can put the past behind us, and move forward together towards the future.» Xenon made sure to look at their reaction, specifically the people of Woodbury, and was glad to notice that there didn't seem to be any strong feelings about the matter. «First order of business today is Housing. Motherbase, the name of our home, can currently only take about ten people at most while providing comfort for everyone. In other words, we have reached maximum capacity. But we've hardly used up all the space we have available for us. That is why I will be starting a new construction project, to turn all cellblocks into livable conditions. And that includes reworking the plumbing, electricity, and aesthetics, as well as installing different pieces of equipment to improve comfort. I do not have the details down yet, and I will be having an extensive conversation with all concerned parties.

Now I know what you're all thinking, Woodbury is very close to us and has more than enough houses for a group much bigger than ours. If we're not going to use the place, why the hell did we take over in the first place? There are various reasons why we took over Woodbury. One of them is definitely to use it for housing in the future when it becomes absolutely necessary. But also because I do not think it's wise to allow any group to have a settlement as close as that to us. They are more than welcome to join us, should there be such a case in the future, but I'd feel safer the more distant we were. Also, for as long as we have not used Motherbase's open area to its maximum potential, I will not consider spending resources to keep another base. I'd rather have our entire workforce gathered in a single place, to provide maximum productivity and security.

Moving swiftly on to our second item of business, and that is occupations. We are a group of eighty-two people that includes seven children, eleven teenagers, nineteen women, and thirty-four men. The way we operate in Motherbase is by assigning jobs to each member of the community, while also having everyone trained to be able to survive against walkers. As of right now, almost all the jobs available are construction-oriented, and we need all the help we use.»

«Excuse me?» One of the women that came from Woodbury interrupted Xenon, raising her hand to speak.

«Yes?» Xenon frowned at the poor timing of the interruption.

«Can we apply for guard duty or something different?» She was one of the guards at Woodbury and was afraid she would have to do something she didn't like for a long time. Xenon merely looked at her neutrally, his face not giving off any emotions.

«Allow me to answer this one for you, Xenon.» Rick asked, and Xenon motioned him to go ahead. «You seem under the impression that this is a democracy, that this is still the land of the free. Let me correct you there. This is not a democracy. We can't afford democracy in these trying times. Our leader here is Xenon. He speaks, you listen. He tells you to do something, you do, no questions asked, because he'll tell you everything you need to know in your debriefing. Feel free to give your opinions and suggestions when they are asked of you, and there will be plenty of opportunities to do that. In the meantime, keep your thoughts to yourself.» The woman in question was evidently offended, but the glares she was receiving from almost everyone else stopped her from saying anything.

«Moving on.» Xenon said, not willing to fixate on the little details. «Everyone is already aware of this, but I feel the need to highlight it whenever the opportunity presents itself, especially to the new members of the family.» His tone turned more serious. «We take our duty very seriously here, especially when people's lives depend on it like guard duty for example. And I wish to draw particular attention to alcohol and similar substances. Drinking or being drunk on duty, or even tipsy is absolutely unforgivable. Feel free to drink after duty at night if it helps you sleep, but with moderation. We need you in top condition the next day. And feel free to get hammered on the weekends if that's your cup of vodka. But I need to remind you that a drunk person is treated as sober. Both will be held accountable for their actions, and neither can claim to be drunk as an excuse. We do not need more drama than we're already living, and I will never compromise when it comes to the safety of any member of the group.» He paused for a while, letting the words sink in before he smiled at everyone. «Finally, let me welcome the people of Woodbury again, and let me assure you that you will enjoy being part of a group that can SURVIVE the end of the world, and builds a better future for you and your children because that's what truly matters in the end. I'm sure you'll quickly forget the fact that you need to listen to some douchebag's orders in the safety of your HOMES.» There were a few chuckles at the last sentence.

«Now now, don't put yourself down. You're hardly a douchebag.» Shane joked, then he looked at Merle, who was standing against the wall. Few muffled laughter could be heard, though Merle was not bothered by it in the least, secure in the knowledge that he was, indeed, a douchebag.