Rock Fortress Command Center.
Leah and Calista arrived almost at the same time, their hair tied up messily. Clearly, they had both just woken up.
Right after them, Rickson, Bossie, Carver, and the others rushed in one after another, all still bleary-eyed but visibly tense.
"Close the door," Calista said, walking to the map table in the center of the room. "Something happened at the prison. They were hit by a planned attack. The enemy used grenades.
Rick was shot and is unconscious. There's a large breach in the wall, and they have casualties. They're asking for emergency medical aid and support!"
The command center fell silent at once.
"Who did it?" Rickson was the first to break the silence, his loud voice still hoarse from sleep and tight with suppressed anger.
"We don't know," Calista answered cleanly, "but anyone capable of getting grenades and organizing an attack like this definitely isn't just some scattered group of stragglers.
We have to assume there's now a hostile, organized armed group near the prison."
She could not say Woodbury outright, but it was close enough.
Leah's brows drew tight. "The prison has no real leader right now, and their wall is breached. Morale must be falling apart. If the attackers go back again…"
"They won't be able to hold for long. The prison doesn't have many fighters," Calista said, taking over.
"So support has to arrive as soon as possible, and we can't just send some medicine over.
We need to help them stabilize the situation and rebuild their defenses until they can stand on their own again."
"I'll lead the team!" Leah said immediately. "You stay here and hold the base!"
"No," Calista said, shaking her head. "This time, I have to go myself."
"Cali, we don't know what's going on out there! You're the commander of Rock Fortress, not the leader of an assault team." Leah's voice rose, clearly against it.
"Let me finish, Leah. It's exactly because I'm the commander that I have to go." Calista paused, lowering her voice so only Leah could hear.
"Some calls have to be made on-site. Some 'feelings' can't be explained clearly over the radio."
The hint was vague, but Leah saw something almost instinctively certain in her sister's eyes. That usually meant Calista knew something no one else did, something she could not say out loud.
Leah pressed her lips into a thin line. She knew that once her sister had that look in her eyes, there was no point trying to talk her out of it.
She abruptly let go, turning her head away in frustration and anger, her chest rising and falling.
Calista looked over everyone in the room again.
"First, this isn't a simple escort mission. Once we get there, the situation may be worse than they said.
We need someone on-site who can make decisions, judge the situation, and decide whether to help them defend at all costs or assist with evacuation if necessary.
I'm the best person to take that responsibility."
She paused, then continued, "Second, we don't know who the attackers are or what they intend to do next. If they're still nearby, or if they have another plan, we need to show enough force to deter them."
"Third," Calista said, looking at Leah. Her voice softened slightly, but remained firm. "The base needs you.
Other than me, you're the best person here at holding everyone together and coordinating defense and internal affairs. While I'm gone, things here can't fall apart.
You stay behind and work with Rickson to keep the rear secure. That's the only way I can go handle things outside with peace of mind."
"Who are you taking? How are you getting there?" Leah still had a deep frown, but in the end, she gave in.
"We need speed, and we need weight behind us." Calista's finger moved across the map. "Deploy both the Black Hawk and the Bell 407. Franklin and Lee will fly the Black Hawk. Thompson and Kenny will fly the Bell 407."
She began naming people. "Carver, Mike, Bossie, Turner, Jenson, Wells. The six of you will come with me on the Black Hawk as the assault and escort team.
Maggie and Glenn will take the Bell 407. They know the inside of the prison and can connect with them quickly.
Also, load medical supplies onto the Bell 407. As for a doctor, the prison is too chaotic right now. Evans… isn't very mobile, and Harry is in the factory area, so Lily will go."
Lily was a professor at the UTK Medical School. Her field was basic medicine, and she had extensive clinical experience.
"What about weapons?" Carver pressed. "If we run into those bastards…"
"We'll bring plenty," Calista said clearly. "Our primary mission is rescue and stabilizing the defensive line, but if those people come back, we'll deal with them too.
Bossie, bring your drone. Once we arrive, we'll need a quick reconnaissance sweep around the prison."
"Understood!"
"Cali." Leah still could not help grabbing her arm. "Promise me you won't push yourself. If things look wrong, pull back immediately. Your safety matters more than anything."
Calista patted the back of her sister's hand reassuringly. "I know. I'll handle everything."
She turned to the others. "Everyone, finish gearing up and get ready to board as quickly as possible. We leave as soon as there's a little more light at dawn. Clear?"
"Understood!"
Everyone quickly scattered to make preparations.
Calista glanced at the prison's location on the map, her eyes cold. "Governor… whether it was you or not, you made the wrong move this time."
...
At the same time, Glenn and Maggie at Blackberry Ranch also received news of the prison attack through Danny's communication.
Both of them were frantic with worry. Once they learned that Calista would personally lead a team to reinforce the prison, Glenn practically dragged Maggie back to their quarters.
They silently packed their personal belongings into their backpacks, not daring to disturb Lori next door.
Lori was still pregnant. No one dared tell her the news, at least not until they confirmed the prison was safe.
Maggie's hands kept shaking, and several times she could not get the zipper of her backpack closed.
Glenn tried to comfort her, but his own voice came out dry and tight. "It'll be okay, Maggie. Hershel and Beth have to be all right…"
"Rick was shot and is unconscious! Glenn, it's a gunshot wound! The prison wall collapsed!"
Maggie jerked her head up. Her eyes were bloodshot, tears gathering in them, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.
"There are so many walkers! How are they supposed to hold them off? Dad is old, and Beth is still so young…"
The fear in her heart left her unable to continue.
Glenn hugged her tightly, trying hard to make his comfort sound confident. "That's why we have to get back faster.
Calista is going herself, and she's bringing so many people. There are helicopters too… We'll get there fast."
At dawn, outside the hangar at Blackberry Ranch.
When Glenn and Maggie ran over with their backpacks, the first thing they saw was the familiar silver-blue 407, its rotor already beginning to turn slowly.
But in the next moment, their footsteps suddenly stopped.
Behind and to the side of the 407, a much larger black shape was undergoing its final pre-flight checks by the ground crew.
Its entire body was matte black, with sharp, angular lines, short wings, heavy landing gear, and a distinctive slanted tail.
Even someone who knew little about the military could feel the vast difference between it and the civilian helicopter beside it from its powerful outline and imposing presence alone.
"Oh… my God…" Glenn sucked in a breath, his eyes wide.
He knew Rock Fortress was powerful, but this real Black Hawk armed transport helicopter still went far beyond anything he had imagined.
For a moment, the despair brought by the prison attack seemed to be diluted slightly by the sight of this steel beast.
Maggie froze too, staring at the black helicopter with her lips slightly parted.
But her daze lasted only a few seconds.
The shock of the Black Hawk was quickly buried by the faces of her father, her sister, and the others in her mind.
Maggie yanked Glenn's arm, her voice urgent. "Stop staring! Get on! Hurry!"
Her urging snapped Glenn back to himself.
Right. This was no time to stand there in awe.
...
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