The walking dead - a dead world requiem ( TWD X CoD Crossover) Chapter 75 74 - Merle Dixon

The JLTV rumbled along the cracked rural road, suspension groaning softly as it rolled through shallow dips and broken pavent. Pine trees blurred past on both sides, their shadows stretching across the hood in long stripes.

Inside the cab, Andrew sat in the front passenger seat , one elbow resting against the door, radio in the other hand, his eyes forward.

"Fort Ironwood, this is Ranger Actual," he said into the radio. "Approaching periter from the west. Objective complete."

Static hissed for a second.

"Ranger Actual, this is Fort Ironwood. Stand by."

A brief pause.

"Lieutenant rcer, this is Major Griggs. Go ahead."

"Copy. We have checked multiple agricultural sites. Vineyard and dairy farm abandoned or compromised. One farm and one cattle ranch occupied and still operational. The civilians were cooperative. I have negotiated a supply arrangent."

There was a short silence on the line.

"Good work," Griggs said. "That's a solid win, Lieutenant."

Andrew allowed himself a small nod.

"However," Griggs continued, "we've got a situation here."

Andrew's jaw set. "Go ahead, sir."

"The individual we pulled off that rooftop yesterday, the one recovered by one of the overwatch squads, he's becoming agitated. Keeps demanding and is trying to leave. Says he needs to find his brother. Claims his brother was part of the group that stirred up the walker horde."

In the back seat, one of the Rangers leaned forward slightly.

"That's the guy they found cuffed on the roof of the building surrounded by walkers?" he muttered under his breath.

Another Ranger shook his head. "Yeah. Heard about that."

Andrew kept his eyes forward.

"What's his status?" Andrew asked.

"Uninjured. No signs of infection. But he's insistent," Griggs replied. "I'm assembling a team to head out and locate this survivor group."

Andrew was quiet for a mont, thinking.

That's rle, he and Daryl were present in the show but not in the comics. And from what i noticed this world has things from both the show and the comic plus call of duty and god knows what else, with all of this, is going to be difficult knowing what to expect in the future.

Sighing, Andrew asked.

"Does he know where their camp is?"

"Claims he does," Griggs answered. "Says he can take us there."

Andrew exhaled slowly.

"Sir," he said, "my team's already outside the wire and mobile. We can handle it. We'll take him with us, have him lead the way."

Another pause.

"You sure about that, Lieutenant?" Griggs asked. "You've already been out most of the day."

Andrew didn't hesitate.

"I am. We're good to go."

A second of silence passed.

"Alright," Griggs said. " He's been taken to Wiltshire Estates, thankfuly there haven't been any problems, considering his personality. I'll call ahead to inform them of your arrival."

Andrew absorbed that.

"Copy," he said. "We'll divert to Wiltshire Estates. Ranger Actual out."

The radio clicked off.

Inside the JLTV, no one spoke for a mont.

The engine's low rumble filled the space, tires humming against asphalt.

Then one of the Rangers broke the silence.

"Guess the day's not over."

Andrew stared down the road, where Fort Ironwood's distant outline had been replaced by a maze of tree-lined streets and overgrown turnoffs leading deeper into the outskirts.

"No, it isn't," he said.

···

The road narrowed as they left the open stretch behind, trading fields and scattered farmhouses for dense tree lines and half-forgotten subdivisions. Asphalt gave way to cracked pavent, weeds pushing through in thick green seams. Street signs leaned slightly off-center, so bent from impacts. A few mailboxes lay knocked over in the ditches, victims of panicked driving and abandoned vehicles.

Wiltshire Estates rose out of the trees like a fortress that hadn't been ant to be one.

A tall brick wall ringed the entire community, with tal bars that climbed another six feet above the masonry. Through the gaps, rooftops were visible—sloped shingles, chimneys, a few solar panels hastily bolted into place. At each corner of the wall, watchtowers stood above the line, sandbagged platforms with mounted floodlights and dark silhouettes behind firing slits.

The JLTV slowed first. The Humvee followed suit.

Both vehicles rolled to a stop in front of the main gate.

It was a heavy steel double-gate, scarred with weld lines where additional plating had been bolted on. Razor wire coiled along the top. A pair of portable floodlights sat on either side, angled outward toward the road.

Waiting just beyond the gate stood several figures.

Most wore National Guard fatigues, rifles slung, posture wary but disciplined.

And one man in civilian clothes.

Andrew recognized him instantly.

rle Dixon, he thought.

Before anyone inside could move, rle stepped forward.

Without waiting for permission he began walking straight toward the vehicles.

Two Rangers shifted, rifles rising just enough to track him.

"Hold," Andrew said calmly.

rle stopped about ten feet from the JLTV, hands loose at his sides.

"You boys ready to roll or you plannin' on starin' at all day?"

Andrew stepped out of the JLTV.

Dust crunched under his boots.

"You're rle Dixon," Andrew said.

"Last I checked."

Andrew nodded once. "You agreed to lead us to the camp where your brother's staying."

rle's jaw tightened at the ntion.

"Yeah," he said. "Old quarry north of here. Told your people already."

"Still willing?" Andrew asked.

rle scoffed. "Ain't exactly got better plans."

Andrew gestured toward the JLTV.

"Then get in. You ride with ."

rle glanced past him at the Rangers, the Humvee, the disciplined spacing of ard soldiers.

A beat.

"You get to my brother," rle said. "After that, we'll see."

Andrew t his eyes. "That was the deal."

rle nodded once, sharp and final.

"Alright, soldier. Let's get to that camp."

He then walked and climbed into the JLTV.

Andrew did the sa.

The engines rumbled back to life.

Wiltshire Estates slid away behind them as the convoy pulled back on the road.

The convoy rolled north, tires crunching over the gravel road as the estates disappeared behind a line of pine trees. Dust rose in lazy plus and settled back into the brown grass along the roadside. The JLTV led, the Humvee following at a careful distance, engines low enough to leave their movents audible but not announce them like a parade.

rle leaned against the doorfra of the JLTV, arms crossed, eyes scanning the rooftops that peeked over the treeline. His jaw tightened, lips moving in a silent snarl. Andrew stayed in the passenger seat, eyes on the road ahead, voice calm.

"You sure you know where you're goin'?" rle asked, sharp. "Don't tell we're cruisin' in circles so your boys can feel important."

Andrew didn't flinch. "We follow your directions. Trust us, and we'll get there."

rle snorted. "Trust, huh? That's a hell of a thing to throw at soone you just pulled off a rooftop yesterday."

Andrew glanced at him. "You agreed to lead us to the camp. I intend to hold up my end."

rle shifted, leaning forward slightly to peer out the side window. "Yeah, well… don't expect to get sentintal about it. You save , I save my brother. That's it."

A Ranger in the back muttered sothing under his breath, and rle caught it imdiately. He smirked, teeth flashing briefly. "What'd you say? Can't hear you over the sll of wet city?"

The Ranger said nothing.

rle grinned. "Figured." He turned back to the road, eyes narrowing. "You see that? Ain't much left. Used to be street after street. Bars, houses, folks alive, kids laughin'. Now…" He gestured vaguely at the burned-out shells lining the route. "Now it's ghosts."

Andrew's voice stayed low, asured. "This is what's left. And we're going to keep alive what we still got left. That includes you and your brother."

rle let out a short, harsh laugh. "You sound like one of them officers back in the barracks. All polished and certain. Might actually be tellin' the truth for once."

The convoy passed through a stretch of what had once been a suburb. Burned cars leaned against each other like casualties of a long-forgotten war. Windows were boarded haphazardly, so covered with sheets, others left open to the sky. A few walkers shuffled along a distant street, more curiosity than threat, and Andrew's Rangers kept them in sight without breaking pace.

rle followed every movent, every clatter and groan, his expression unreadable. "Your n moved like damn shadows," he said quietly. "Didn't hear 'em." After a pause, he added, "How the hell'd all of you survive in that ss of a city?"

Andrew's reply was simple: "Discipline. Focus. Awareness. Sa reason you're still alive."

rle let that sit for a mont, then muttered, almost to himself, "Hell… don't give the credit, soldier boy. Just doin' what I gotta do."

They passed under a tangle of power lines. So poles were split in half; wires drooped dangerously low.

Almost an hour passed in tense quiet. Conversations were few. Rangers spoke softly when necessary, checking equipnt, scanning the road, nothing more. Every so often, rle muttered to himself, comnts half in anger, half in worry.

Then, in the distance, he raised a hand. "There. That ridge. See the smoke? Couple tents. A trailer or two. That's it."

Andrew raised binoculars, focusing past the trees. An RV was parked, canvas tarps covering what might have been storage areas. Smoke from a small fire spiraled into the early evening sky.

rle's voice was low now, almost reverent. "If my brother's still kickin', he's there. Otherwise…" He trailed off, jaw tightening.

Andrew gave a short nod. "We're almost there. Stay ready."

rle watched from the side window, hands gripping the fra, teeth set. For all his bravado, a flicker of hope shone through, though he wouldn't admit it.

"We're getting close," Andrew said.

rle leaned forward, jaw tight, eyes sharp. "Damn… I hope he's alive."

The convoy crested the small rise, dust trailing behind the vehicles.

···

The camp sprawled across a flattened ridge, a mixture of tents, tarps stretched over wooden fras. Smoke curled lazily from a central fire pit.

Rick erged first from a tent. His eyes widened slightly as they caught the dust cloud approaching. Beside him, Shane straightened, one hand resting lightly on his shotgun. Glenn and a few others shuffled forward from the tents, curiosity written across their faces. Children peeked from behind canvas walls, their hands gripping the edges of fabric.

···

rle's head snapped toward the ridge, scanning. "There," he muttered. "That's him."

Andrew slowed the JLTV, bringing it to a stop at the edge of the main clearing. The Humvee parked behind it. Dust settled in lazy clouds, and for a mont, the only sound was the wind rustling through dry grass.

Rick's brow furrowed. "Who… who are they?"

Shane's gaze narrowed. "Look like military."

From the JLTV, Andrew stepped down first, MP5 slung across his chest, handgun at his side. rle followed, arms crossed, his jaw tight, scanning every person. The Rangers moved smoothly from their vehicles, spreading slightly but keeping distance, silent, disciplined, ready.

"Easy," Andrew called out, voice firm but calm. "We're not here to fight."

Rick's hand hovered near his holster, Shane's still resting lightly on the shotgun. Glenn stepped a little forward, more curious than nervous.

Andrew raised his hands slightly, palms open. "I'm Lieutenant Andrew rcer. Army Rangers."

The group exchanged glances, unsure but clearly relieved there were no weapons drawn at them.