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

"Jason, do you seriously want to take out the lead scientists of the CDC? Damn, you nearly sent them to the afterlife." Through the earpiece in Jason's right ear, he heard Tommy's voice. Tommy was following him closely in a van equipped with a monitoring team tasked with keeping him updated.

"Don't use the microphone just to say nonsense. The boss has it under control."

"Is that you again, Billy? For God's sake, can't you just go to hell?"

"We're good, Jason. Proceed." Tyler spoke hastily, while the background was filled with verbal squabbling.

Jason couldn't focus with the explosive duo of Tommy and Billy, but now he forced himself to push thoughts of them aside, as he had admittedly made a mistake.

The initial plan was to establish contact with the Jenner scientists, who had been thoroughly studied and deemed to be very kind people. Jason knew that this first attempt at contact would be ideal for forming a connection with the CDC.

"I'm bleeding…" Jason muttered, realizing he had hit the back of the Jenner family's car much harder than he intended. While this was part of the plan, the situation had adapted well enough to keep things on track.

Edwin helped him out of his truck, while his wife, Candace, also stepped out of their car. She approached to check on the man who had collided with them. Since Jason's truck had rear-ended their vehicle, the two were understandably confused, which helped prevent them from overthinking the details.

At this moment, Jason, playing the role of a victim, claimed he wasn't feeling well and pointed to his head. His acting had to be among the best of his life. He glanced at the Jenners' car.

At that moment, Edwin, seeing that Jason seemed fine, gradually let go of his panic. He then examined the damage to his car closely.

"Oh God, my mother's car!"

"Sir, I truly apologize! I just turned my head for a moment and sped up without looking ahead. Because of my foolish mistake, I unexpectedly hit you. I'm really sorry! But don't worry, I'll take full responsibility for helping to fix the damages, so feel free to call your insurance company."

As Jason apologized, his expression was sincere, and his slightly nervous tone combined with his apologetic demeanor made the Jenners feel more at ease about the incident.

Who wouldn't? Seeing a man with a kind expression, half his face bloodied, repeatedly apologizing and showing concern only for the condition of those he affected.

"Look, it's okay. The important thing is that we're all relatively fine. You don't need to worry too much. Are you sure you're alright? I see your forehead is injured—do you need an ambulance?"

Candace, looking at her husband, intervened with a serious tone: "No, too much hassle with an ambulance."

Edwin had been a bit upset initially, but seeing Jason's kind attitude, his anger subsided slightly. Candace, knowing her husband well, understood he shouldn't remain too angry and tried to find a solution that worked for everyone.

Jason quickly waved his hands and said, "No, no, hospitals are a hassle. It's nothing serious; don't worry. I'll head home and buy some medicine for the wound. Do you know if there's a pharmacy nearby? I took a detour because of traffic, so I'm not familiar with this area."

Candace glanced at Edwin, who understood what she meant by her expression and nodded slightly. Seeing this, Candace confidently said to Jason, "How about this: my husband and I are doctors. If you don't mind, come to our house, and we'll give you the medication you need. Our home isn't far from here. Your injury, in my opinion, isn't as serious as it looks, so once we've helped you, we can settle the matter of the accident."

'Did it really work?' Jason's eyes, which had shown only regret moments ago, now sparkled with excitement. His initial plan was in motion, making it unnecessary to consider illegal methods of entering the CDC.

Thinking of all the possibilities, Jason silently celebrated this small success, though his outward expression didn't change in the slightest.

"Thank you so much, but if you just give me a first aid kit, I'll treat the wound myself."

After reaching an agreement, he got back into his damaged truck and followed the Jenners after confirming everything was in order. Having moved to the next phase of the plan, he sent a message to Tyler, who had remained quiet during the call.

[Jason]: "I'm heading to the Jenners' house. Everything went as expected."

[Tyler]: "I honestly didn't think you'd manage to get into their house. I thought you'd resort to violence."

During this time, Tyler had witnessed some of the terrible things Jason had done to extort more money from mobsters. He and his group had emptied a few vaults full of cash, where they also found weapons. Of course, there had been some casualties along the way.

[Jason]: "I'll handle this discreetly. Connect the call when things are calm on your end."

Upon arriving at the Jenners' home, Jason entered with a curious gaze.

After receiving the medication, Jason treated his wound himself, working quickly without showing any sign of pain.

Observing the Jenners' house, he found it consistent with the reports he had studied. The décor was of good quality, reflecting the couple's successful careers.

With his keen observation, Jason noticed that most of the books on their shelves were about virology and pathology, as well as famous works by renowned scientists worldwide.

"Your house is beautiful…" Jason couldn't help but compliment it.

"Thank you. Though it's a bit messy, we never have time to clean or hire someone to do it since we're both so busy with work." At that moment, Candace approached with a freshly brewed cup of coffee.

Edwin, now completely calm, sat on a sofa across from Jason and said, "Here, have a cup of coffee. The only thing we drink in this house is strong coffee, so that's all we've got."

"No, no, you've already done so much for me, even though I caused you all this trouble." Jason extended his hands, accepted the cup, and placed it on the table in front of him. He consistently displayed kindness and gratitude, ensuring he exuded a friendly demeanor to build the trust he needed.

Unsure of how he might eventually gain access to the CDC, he had to make the most of what he could do for now.

Candace also set a cup of coffee in front of her husband, sat beside him, and asked Jason, "Sir, are you sure you're okay? Hospitals may be chaotic right now, but are you absolutely sure you don't need to go to one?"

Hearing this, Jason smiled slightly, noting how cautious the scientists in front of him seemed about hospitals. He said, "If I really wanted to go to a hospital, I'd better hurry; otherwise, this wound on my forehead will heal before the doctors even get to me."

"Ha, ha, ha, good joke."

"It seems you're quite the optimist. Your humor caught me by surprise."

"Don't worry, I know my body very well. Also, don't address me as 'sir.' I'm Jason Momoa; you can just call me Jason."

"I'm Candace Janner, and this is my husband, Edwin Jenner."

Edwin, who had been mostly silent until now, suddenly spoke: "Jason, from what you mentioned earlier and judging by your exceptional stitching on the wound on your forehead, may I ask if you're a student or work in a hospital?"

Hearing this question, Jason understood from Edwin's expression that the situation must be quite complicated. That's why he answered: "I don't work in any hospital, nor am I a student. Until a few months ago, I was a cross-trained special forces operator. I studied medicine extensively so my subordinates wouldn't die in the field."

Jason didn't tell them he was a captain in the special forces, nor did he mention how his disobedience once saved a village that clearly posed no threat of leaking information about their overseas operations.

"In my early years serving in war zones, I watched many people die in my hands. So, before becoming a captain, I completed a program to train as a cross-disciplinary soldier." Memories flooded Jason's mind, and he couldn't hide the cold, angry expression that surfaced—anger over certain events, both related and unrelated to him.

The feeling was strange—familiar yet partially rejected by his body.

But Edwin's next words snapped Jason out of his thoughts.

"I can't believe it. You're truly a versatile individual."

"Something like that..."

Edwin fell silent for a moment, glanced at Candace, and suddenly said, as if he had made up his mind: "Jason, I know we just met under undesirable circumstances, but I have a very serious question to ask you."

"If it's about the car, don't worry. While I can't say I'm rich, I'll take full responsibility for the damages I caused," Jason said, waving his hand to emphasize how concerned he was about the Jenner's car and determined to make amends.

Edwin smiled faintly, his face showing the fatigue of endless work shifts, but then he added: "No, it's not about the damages. Jason, what you mentioned earlier is very intriguing. I know military personnel trained in medicine possess excellent medical skills. Now that you're no longer in the service, I was wondering if you'd be interested in joining our security team at work."

"Edwin!" Candace suddenly realized what her husband was trying to do. She turned to him with a look of surprise and asked in a confused tone: "Edwin, what are you doing?"

"Candace, please don't interrupt me yet."

"Jason, can you answer my question?"

The CDC was losing most of its staff by the minute. In Atlanta, at least, Edwin and Candace were likely the last scientists still trying to find a cure for the deadly virus spreading through the streets worldwide. Because of this, they desperately needed people to handle manual tasks within the CDC, allowing them to focus entirely on their work.

Jason, who had expected anything but this, was caught off guard. He hadn't anticipated things unfolding this way. His purpose was to protect these two scientists so they could discover a cure. He knew their survival could play a crucial role in shaping the future of this world.

Moreover, the CDC seemed to lack personnel or survivors, making it an ideal shelter for the first days of the chaos.

Understanding what Edwin wanted to do, Jason knew that if he wanted to protect this pair of scientists, he had to get into the CDC. If this opportunity hadn't presented itself, he would've used force to enter.

"I don't have a job right now," Jason replied. "I've heard from some former army colleagues that they're being deployed all over the country without much explanation. So, I'd be happy to work as a security guard. Also, if you need it, I know a few friends skilled in computers, medicine, and electronics."

Jason paused briefly before adding: "If there's work available, we'd be thrilled to take up any positions where you work. Many of them have been struggling to find decent jobs since leaving the military."

"Really? Then, can you briefly describe your field and that of your friends?"

Edwin's expression immediately brightened with pleasant surprise. He looked at his wife and nodded apologetically toward Jason.

"I'm sorry, Jason. Could you give us a moment?"

Without waiting for Jason's response, Edwin led his wife into the kitchen. Jason didn't move. Instead, he pulled out his phone and sent a message to Tyler.

[Jason]: "I want you to listen to every word they say. Don't miss a single thing."

Then he waited silently for the couple to return.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, the conversation grew heated.

"Candace, I think we need to hire external staff to secure the CDC without military intervention."

"Edwin, have you lost your mind? He's just a civilian now, and we don't know much about him or the people he recommended. Do you really want to trust strangers you've just met for the first time in your life?"

"Does it matter? You, more than anyone, know how devastating this virus can be. Its transmission rate, the silent incubation period—leading to death and then transforming the infected into flesh-hungry monsters—makes it an imminent threat. Once it reaches a critical threshold in the population, it will trigger an unstoppable domino effect unless addressed appropriately. And we know the military's intervention won't be adequate."

Edwin massaged his forehead, his voice calmer but laced with contained desperation:

"You know the chaos that will unfold if we don't act in time. The military will impose martial law, but even their resources won't prevent mass infection. Drastic measures will only fuel fear. And when fear takes over, people won't stay put."

Silence filled the kitchen for a moment. Candace knew all too well the truth of Edwin's words—this was the fear that had driven most CDC staff to abandon their posts.

"Fine. Then go ask him if he agrees or not, but don't force him."

Candace understood she needed to focus on their research. Worrying about anything else would be impossible with just her and her husband left at the CDC.

Edwin sighed, his face full of helplessness, and wondered: "If the virus fully breaks out, who can escape infection?"