After I lowered my gun, the commander smiled.
"You're a very brave kid. Tell —what's your na?" he asked, studying carefully.
I hesitated, glancing at the soldiers still aiming their rifles at . Amir noticed and raised his hand, signaling them to lower their weapons. They obeyed instantly, easing so of the tension in my chest.
"I'm Max Walker," I said.
The mont my na left my mouth, Lieutenant Amir's eyes widened. He stared at as if trying to solve a puzzle. I didn't understand why my na shocked him so much.
After a long pause, he exhaled smoke and asked, "Is your father's na John Walker?"
Hearing my father's na hit hard. Excitent, fear, and hope tangled together, but I forced myself to stay calm. I didn't know what kind of history this man had with my father. Depending on that, telling the truth could save … or destroy .
The surroundings grew quiet, with only the distant rumble of an engine.
Amir clearly noticed my hesitation. Instead of pressing , he smiled and suddenly pulled into a hug.
I froze, stunned.
Then he turned to his n and shouted, "Look, boys—this is the Director's son, Max Walker!"
The soldier who had been aiming at Clentine choked.
"No freaking way! The Director had a kid? I thought he was single!"
Another soldier smacked his arm.
"You idiot—he was married! Didn't you see the marriage photo in the office?"
The others murmured among themselves, exchanging shocked looks. Lee and the rest looked just as confused as I felt.
"Shut the fuck up, all of you!" Amir barked.
Silence fell instantly.
He turned back to .
"Don't be nervous. I won't hurt you. Your father and I worked together. He was our boss, but to , he was more than that. He was my best friend."
Still confused, I asked, "How can you be so sure I'm his son?"
Amir laughed.
"Because you've got the bald head, the sa na, the stubborn bravery… and the willingness to throw yourself into danger for others. Your father was the sa way—except he used his brain a hell of a lot more. You've got his courage, kid… but none of his ruthless tactics."
He paused, then asked, "What's your mother's na?"
Though he smiled, suspicion flickered in his eyes.
"My mother's na is Ava. And… my uncle is Matthew Walker," I said.
His suspicion vanished. He let out a relieved laugh.
"So I was right," he said, puffing on his cigar.
"Do you know where he is? I got separated from him," I asked, unable to hide the hope in my voice.
But Amir shook his head.
"No… I don't know where he is, Max."
My hope was shattered. The answer frustrated more than it saddened .
"How did you get separated?" he asked gently.
I steadied myself and told him everything, how the attack happened, how we ran, and how I ended up here.
When I finished, Amir looked at with genuine sadness.
"Fucking hell… kid, that must've been rough. I'm so sorry for your loss. Ava was a good person. She used to call 'brother' whenever I visited your uncle."
"You said you used to work with my father. What exactly did you do?" I asked. From the way he spoke and the soldiers' reactions, my father had clearly been soone important.
"Well, kid," he said with a faint smile, "after I left the Marines, I worked at your father's company for more than twelve years. A few of my n here did too. We provided private protection for wealthy and influential clients. That's how we t. He was the Director—smart man, and an even better friend."
I never really knew what my father's job was… but hearing this, everything finally made sense, the ruthless efficiency, the way he handled a gun, all of it.
I glanced past Amir at Clentine and Lee, still kneeling. My eyes locked on Clentine's pale, exhausted face.
I quickly turned back to Amir.
"Can you please help my friend? She's really sick," I pleaded.
He looked at the group for a mont, then nodded.
"Okay. We'll help."
He barked orders at his n.
"Call the dic. Stitch her wounds and give her antibiotics and painkillers. And the rest of you—stop standing around and set up the tent!"
Soldiers rushed to unload equipnt. Radios buzzed as they moved efficiently. The dic hurried toward Clentine.
"Thank you so much," I said, truly grateful.
"Don't worry, kid. Consider it payback to your dad," Amir replied.
"Wait—why set up a tent here? Are you staying for a while?" I asked.
"We were tasked with guarding this train and the propane tanker, and eliminating any potential threats," he explained. "We're holding the supplies and waiting for the main group to retrieve them. We'll be here a few days."
He looked at the group again.
"I think your people should stay with us tonight. They don't look good—especially that girl. Stay until morning. After that, you'll have to move on."
I looked at Lee, Kenny, and the others. They were starving, exhausted, barely standing. There was no reason to refuse. I nodded.
"Thank you," Lee said. He looked at Amir, but Amir didn't respond, didn't even acknowledge him. Lee didn't seem bothered; his attention was fixed on the dic tending to Clentine, hope and fear mixing in his eyes. Kenny frowned but stayed quiet.
The rest of the group looked relieved to be safe, but worry still lingered. Christa leaned close to Omid, whispering softly, asking whether they could trust these soldiers. Ben looked the most terrified; he was practically panicking, his breathing rapid and uneven as he tried to keep himself together.
"Co," Amir said. "Let's talk in the tent. Your group will be taken care of. You must be starving."
I followed him inside. The cold wind cut off the mont we entered.
He handed an MRE, and I devoured it like I hadn't eaten in days, because I hadn't. Even the bland rations tasted amazing. Then he gave a clean military uniform, boots, and a jacket to replace my torn, ragged clothes.
We talked for hours about my father, the outbreak, and the military's situation. The governnt was bombing cities to slow the undead and was even considering nuclear strikes to erase entire states. The thought chilled .
There were internal conflicts too, rival factions forming among generals, the military splintering into separate power blocs.
It was all new—and terrifying. Realizing just how dangerous the world was becoming, I made a decision: I had to learn how to protect myself. This was the perfect opportunity. Amir could teach martial arts, gunfighting, survival skills… everything I needed to stop feeling helpless.
With my ability to learn several tis faster, I knew I could master anything he taught . Combined with this Agent 47 body, I had everything I needed to beco the best survivalist in the world.
I fucking hated this weakness, the helplessness that slamd into today. I couldn't stop thinking about it. What if Amir hadn't been my father's friend? What if the soldiers had shot us on sight? I couldn't let sothing like that ever happen again.
I opened my mouth to ask Amir if he would train , but his radio crackled into life. He imdiately stepped out of the tent, his tone sharp and urgent.
A stab of frustration hit , but I pushed it down. I'll ask him later, I told myself.
With that, I stepped outside and headed toward the dical tent where Clentine was being treated.
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