[TWD x Resident Evil] — Chapter 623 - Incitement Successful

"What they said on the radio about that absolutely safe fortress, I'm pretty sure every word of it is true."

Vincent kept pushing, raising the stakes.

"They've stockpiled unimaginable food reserves and water purification equipment in there. Probably even have their own Medical Area."

He slammed his palm against his thigh, a performance of pure, righteous outrage.

"General, what I find completely intolerable—"

", is that they have the audacity to broadcast on all frequencies, openly recruiting on our turf."

Vincent planted both hands on the table and leaned in.

"This is a direct challenge to Fort Benning's authority."

"If capable survivors from all across America actually start dragging their families over to them—"

"they will build up an enormously powerful armed force. Fast."

"There can only be one legitimate ruler of Georgia. That is the United States Army."

Vincent's words landed with pinpoint precision on every officer's most sensitive nerve.

In a world where order had collapsed, territory, population, and supplies were everything. Anyone growing powerful right under their noses was making the most direct declaration of war possible.

Carter crushed his cigar hard into the ashtray.

He stood and strode to the enormous Atlanta Military Map hanging on the conference room wall. His rough fingers tapped twice on the outskirts of Atlanta.

"What kind of safe location could there even be around here..."

"I think I remember now. The Georgia Correctional Facility, isn't it?"

"That place probably has extremely well-stocked supplies. The president's original plan was to use it as a wartime emergency shelter..."

The others furrowed their brows. Practical concerns came out fast.

"General, are we really going to wade into this mess?"

"Sending a large force to take it over, the fuel and ammunition alone would be a staggering number. And a direct assault on a prison means casualties. Guaranteed."

"There's no need for us to do this kind of thankless work."

"Casualties and consumption?"

Carter snapped his head around. Hesitation showed plainly through those downward-slanting eyes.

That was just the way he was.

Vincent saw it, and his anxiety spiked.

"General, do you still not understand the situation we're in?"

"The outside world has been rotten to the core for a long time! Those politicians in Washington have probably already turned into Rotters wandering the hallways."

"We are the absolute rulers of this land."

He pressed both hands against the edge of the mahogany table and swept his gaze across every face in the room.

"That prison has excellent conditions. Abundant stockpiles. It absolutely should not belong to a bunch of civilians armed with scrap and junk."

"Fort Benning is desperately short of spare parts for large generator sets. Desperately short of Antibiotics. And because of our enormous population, even clean meat is nearly gone."

"This mob cleared out the prison for us, then went out of their way to broadcast the exact coordinates to the entire world."

"If we don't go in under the banner of federal government requisition and take that place completely, we'd be doing a disservice to every rank insignia on every shoulder in this room."

Right.

If the hard approach won't work, try the soft one. If the soft approach won't work either, go hard again. Either way, their raw strength is no match for this side.

And besides, promise them military protection, and they'll be falling over themselves to come crawling.

The atmosphere in the conference room turned frenzied. They were already greedy to begin with. With Vincent stoking the flames, they could practically feel the supplies in their hands already. No room left to think about anything else.

Strong? How strong can civilians be against an army?

Dark thoughts kept flashing through their minds.

War was ideal. The more of their own men died, the more resources these senior officers could divide among themselves. They had a name for it: purging useless deadweight, rational redistribution of resources.

These warlords had long since treated military regulations as worthless scraps of paper. They were nothing but armed bandits wearing legitimate uniforms.

No, with military force behind them, they were far more terrifying than any common bandit.

"Vincent is completely right."

A white officer on the right slammed his hand on the table.

"All high-value supplies in civilian hands should be unconditionally surrendered to the Military for unified deployment."

"If they refuse to hand them over, or dare to resist—"

The killing intent in his eyes came on like a light switching.

", that is treason. We are fully entitled to resolve it on the spot. No survivors necessary."

That kind of high-sounding justification had long since become second nature in this room.

Discussion picked up quickly. They began working out how to run a propaganda offensive first, agitate the survivors inside the prison, get them fracturing from within.

Vincent stood at the far end of the table, already bursting with satisfaction on the inside.

This was unfolding even better than the script he'd written for it.

That Asian kid, Glenn Rhee.

And all you idiots who don't know you're already dead.

When Fort Benning's Armored Vehicles roll up to your prison gate and the main cannon swings toward your walls,

let's see how you keep strutting around then.

"General, I request to immediately join this operation." Vincent straightened up and volunteered at full volume.

Carter fixed a long, measured look on him and nodded with evident satisfaction.

"Well done, Vincent."

"Your intelligence is extremely valuable. The Military does not shortchange people with brains."

He walked back to the head of the table and clasped his hands behind his back.

"Have the 1st Armored Company assemble in the plaza immediately."

"We're going to probe this mob first. Find out whether they actually have real strength, or whether they're just posturing from behind a Radio Station."

The orders came out without a beat of hesitation.

"Bring the 8-wheeled Stryker Armored Vehicles. Heavy-weapons-modified Hummers."

"And have the ground crew fuel up the Apache Attack Helicopter on the tarmac right now. Load the Hellfire missiles."

Carter's eyes hardened.

"If they have no intention of cooperating with the Military, we'll give them a wake-up call."

"Let these country bumpkins see what real modern military firepower looks like when it comes down on you in this godforsaken world."

"Yes, sir!"

Everyone rose at once, stood ramrod straight, and snapped off a crisp salute.

The meeting broke. The officers moved fast, doors swinging open, boots scattering down the corridor, each one heading back to muster their unit.

Vincent walked the corridor back toward the barracks and felt it in every step: light, almost weightless. Even his silhouette radiated something brazen and swaggering.

Since the apocalypse, he had never felt this good.

The sense of revenge was physical. The feeling of being about to grind someone, someone who had once humiliated him so arrogantly, under the heel of his combat boot. It made his breathing come out rough and heavy.

He pushed open the iron door to his room and dragged a tactical pack stuffed with personal combat gear out from under the bed.

With practiced ease, he crammed several loaded spare magazines into the pockets of his Tactical Vest.

He picked up a heavy Kevlar vest, pulled it on, and buckled the clasp at his waist.

He walked to the worn full-length mirror in the corner.

Vincent looked at the fully armed figure staring back at him, aggressive, ready, dangerous, and smiled a twisted smile.

A super fortress?

A paradise for building your little army?

Just wait until Fort Benning's Stryker cannon blows a massive hole straight through those walls you're so proud of.

Just wait until the Apache's rotary guns turn everything above your heads into a sea of fire.

Every last one of you will end up on your knees. Sobbing. Begging. Rotters in everything but name.

Go to hell. All of you.

➤ Next: Smith Has Come to Take Ashley Home