[TWD x Resident Evil] — Chapter 278 - Drug Dealers Who Still Know Gratitude

Rat Boss's heart sank.

Monkey was right.

He looked at the dealers clustered together, talking in low voices, guns in hand. Nearly ten of them for every one of him.

If these people turned now, he and Monkey would end up stripped naked and dumped on the roadside. They wouldn't even leave the underwear.

His hand drifted to the gun at his hip.

Just do it. Pop Paco first. Set an example.

No.

Can't.

That would blow the whole powder keg sky-high.

Rat Boss's brain ran hot, cold sweat sliding down through his thinning hair.

Glenn handed me this mess. Not so I could tuck into my shell and hide.

Screw it. Going all in.

Rat Boss drew a slow breath. On that ratty, scheming face of his, he forced up an expression that said I have this completely under control.

He let go of the gun and walked straight at the dealers.

Paco and a few of the others stopped what they were doing as he approached.

"I know what you're thinking."

Rat Boss planted his feet and looked at each of them in turn.

"You're thinking that Asian kid dumped us here and ran."

"You're thinking you'd be better off taking these guns and going solo."

"Let me tell you something." He pointed in the direction Glenn had disappeared. "He went back for the woman who took a bullet for him. If he wanted to run, he wouldn't give a damn whether she lived or died."

"He made you a promise — somewhere with real food to eat and walls to sleep behind."

He paused and read their faces.

"I'm no different from any of you. Worthless lives, every one of us. But right now, we've got a shot at living a different way."

"These things." He swept his arm across the weapons littering the ground and that beast of an armored vehicle. "That's our ticket to something better."

"Your choice. Do it or don't."

"Anyone who wants to leave, go now. I won't stop you."

"Anyone who wants to stay and get rich together, who wants to be my brothers — stop dicking around and get moving."

He turned around and didn't look at them again. Walked straight to the armored vehicle and started fiddling with it, pretending to work out how to get the thing rolling.

Monkey stood off to the side, heart in his throat, palms soaked through.

Dead silence.

A few seconds passed. Then Paco moved.

He swung his rifle onto his back and rounded on the men behind him.

"What the hell are you all standing there for? You deaf? Brother Rat said get to work. Move!"

He took off toward the stack of fuel drums without another word.

One man. Then the rest.

The dealers looked at each other. Then they got to work.

Not a single one of them left.

They fanned out across the battlefield, looting, hauling, loading supplies, carrying out Rat Boss's orders to the letter.

Rat Boss leaned back against the armored vehicle and watched it all. He quietly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. The knot in his chest finally came loose.

He cracked into a grin that looked worse than crying.

Damn.

What a rush.

---

The prison.

The heavy iron gate ground open with a scre

➤ Next: The Prison United