A Vision

The next morning, Jason woke up early and, upon leaving his room, found Guillermo outside the lower unit. His expression made it clear he was having a tough time; his mind still seemed trapped in the events of the previous night.

During dinner, a much larger amount of food had been consumed than usual, which worried Guillermo, who was responsible for managing supplies. Large quantities of food and wine had disappeared in one go. In his former refuge, those provisions would have lasted a long time.

Jason didn't want to waste time on unnecessary conversations because he knew what this man was looking for. He pretended not to pay attention to his surroundings and quickly prepared to leave. At that moment, the last thing he wanted was to hear about matters unrelated to his main objective.

However, Guillermo, who was looking at some sheets inside a folder, sensed something passing by his side. When he looked up, he realized it was Jason—the very person who had authorized a celebration to finalize the upcoming plans within the prison.

Guillermo extended his hand and stopped Jason, still not understanding a few things that were bothering him:

"Wait, Jason!"

"Guillermo, you know I have a lot of urgent matters today. If it's not important, let's talk later!" Jason stopped and glanced sideways at Guillermo.

"It is important! I want to know what you meant when you said I should handle all decisions regarding supplies. Will you do anything else after bringing the construction materials?"

Jason, hearing this, turned toward Guillermo and clearly stated:

"A preselected group and I will be leaving the prison for an indefinite period. We don't know when we'll return, but it will definitely be before all the ongoing orders and plans are completed."

"Alright, I'll make sure to do my job. Take care, and don't worry about this place's safety." Guillermo said, not wasting any more of Jason's time. He knew the man before him had many more things on his mind than he did.

"See you later, Guillermo." Jason nodded at Guillermo and walked toward the main yard to organize all the preliminary operations for his indefinite exploration.

…

Today was the first day Jason's plans began to take shape—the starting point of everything to come. At exactly seven in the morning, all the participants in the operation gathered in the field.

After dressing in a dark uniform, Jason stepped out of the facility and stood before them.

"Gentlemen, today marks the first day of our great operation—the one that will change our future forever!"

His gaze swept across every person present. His words, filled with seriousness and determination, resounded strong and clear, ensuring that everyone understood him without difficulty.

Once everyone awaited his next words, Jason continued:

"I only have one small request for all of you... Take care of yourselves. Nothing is more important or valuable than your own lives! No matter what happens, as long as we have a base to return to, I will always do everything in my power to lead everyone toward a better future."

"Therefore, if there's any danger you're not prepared to face, the first thing you must do is save your life. Understood?"

"Understood, sir!"

He raised his hands in the air, looked at everyone, and shouted:

"Alright then, let's move out, gentlemen!"

As if Jason's words held magic, all the small unit captains moved to their vehicles, and within seconds, the entire group was in motion.

Jason observed everything before turning around. He looked at the group with whom he had started this journey. Except for Sam Valdez, all of them—along with Elias's group—would accompany him on a very different journey this time.

"Gentlemen, I'm glad to have you by my side once again. Let's support the collection team and then proceed according to the established plan." Jason glanced at everyone and smiled slightly.

"Understood, boss!"

This time, the first followers who had chosen to stand by him before the world fell apart would accompany him on a special journey. Except for Sam Valdez and Tyler Thorpe, the rest would be in his group, along with Elias's four-man team.

"Sir, it's truly frustrating not being able to join you this time!" Sam Valdez looked at the group he was most familiar with and couldn't help but complain.

Jason, understanding Sam, patted his shoulder and said:

"Sam, your presence as the head of the outer guard is irreplaceable in this prison. I completely trust you and your abilities."

"Haha, looks like no one trusts me." Tyler approached with a friendly smile.

"Come on, kid, I taught you how to shoot, and now you handle weapons correctly. You'll definitely be useful for defending the inner facilities and managing all communications." Billy Fisher smiled slightly.

"Alright, guys, it's time to move out!"

Jason, who had been delayed, looked at everyone before saying goodbye to Tyler and Sam Valdez. This time, he had no idea what he would find on this journey, but he knew he would have no advantage or prior knowledge—something that would put his skills to the test.

The prison gate had already been opened, and several level-one authority personnel from the collection team were in the trucks, while the defense team was positioned in Humvees equipped with machine guns and off-road vehicles.

The rest of the people who stayed behind at the base gathered their tools and returned to work. Everyone inside the prison was constantly busy—so much so that time never seemed to be enough to accomplish everything planned.

Before long, there was significant movement throughout the prison. Everyone was occupied with their respective tasks, but most importantly, no one showed any signs of discontent.

Under the guidance of an architect inside the prison, the place was gradually being distributed in different ways. With continuous work and movement, it was only a matter of time before resources began arriving at the prison.

In the prison yard, several machines previously selected by Jason worked tirelessly. Large trenches were being dug for foundations, and the floors of laboratories and other facilities were quickly being remodeled under Jason's instructions.

Jason had also ensured that a large-scale radio station was installed. Of course, this task fell to Tyler, and a suitable team was assigned to work under his orders. Several students assisted with the work, but establishing communication with the outside world was not authorized.

Everyone knew that the more survivors they attracted, the more likely hunters would come looking for their resources. Therefore, it was decided not to establish any external connections until the prison was fully remodeled.

…

Somewhere outside the prison, Jason watched as the last batch of materials was successfully removed. During this time, there had been no issues, and everything had proceeded smoothly.

Many continued working quickly and efficiently, and under Shane's supervision, everything was progressing well.

"Come on, guys, this is the last stop before we finally head back to the prison!"

As he walked in from outside, Jason observed the work, then frowned slightly and raised his hand to check the time. It was still early, and it was time for him to start moving as well, prompting him to leave this place for now.

While everyone was working, Jason spoke in a calm voice:

"It's time for me to go. Finish this task and return to the prison. We'll stay in contact via radio—there won't be any issues."

"Is it really necessary to leave?" Upon hearing Jason's words, Rick couldn't help but ask, looking at him with a complicated expression.

When the nearby crowd heard the conversation, they all fell silent and chose not to interfere. This plan had been set in motion days ago.

"Don't miss me. There are people who need my help somewhere in this city, so we'll take a look at what's happening beyond our operational area." Jason stepped forward and looked at Rick.

"I guess it can't be helped. Be very careful, and come back if you see the place isn't safe!"

"Don't worry, I'm not alone." Jason said as he got into a vehicle with his group of eight men, excluding himself. They were all experienced soldiers and combat-trained men—this was no ordinary team.

As a pair of off-road vehicles drove away, Jason silently considered everything he could do before the next wave of events unfolded. He had arrived at the prison long before the worst would come, and he had no intention of staying in one place, waiting for trouble to knock on his door.

"This is only the beginning..."