Inside a room within the prison, Jason gathered all the captains from every group, both internal and external, within the community. Everyone had documents in their hands and passed them among themselves.
Looking around, Jason sat next to the architect so he could explain the contents of the documents in a few words. This meeting was very important, as it would not only transform the prison but also clarify the ranks for everyone.
The people reviewing the documents in their hands didn't seem to pay attention to anything else, carefully studying the contents of this information. After about half an hour, everyone finished reading, and Jason waited to hear their thoughts.
"What do you think about the plans that will be implemented next? Is there anything that needs to be added or discussed?"
Everyone looked at each other, and Rick was the first to take the initiative to speak: "Well, I heard the architect's words and read the information. Let me ask a question first. Where are we going to get so many construction materials? Just considering the refuge's wall—eight meters high and three meters thick—Jason, have you considered how many materials are needed for this?"
Raúl, who heard Rick's question, said: "Considering that we need to build walls 600 meters long, that would be about 12,600 cubic meters of cement. In short, that's a huge amount of materials. The requirements to properly build this structure are detailed in the main report of the plan."
"Hmm, taking into account that it might not be enough, where are we going to get so much cement? Not to mention the steel plates and bars!"
Upon hearing these figures, everyone's mood was slightly affected. The requirements to make this place according to the proposed plans were unimaginable.
"You're right to express your concerns. Although the planned structure demands a lot of resources, finding them won't be difficult. Around the prison, according to Sam Valdez's reports, there are many resources from abandoned constructions. Also, several places have been scouted during expeditions, so this isn't a serious problem."
"Even if that issue is resolved, there's still the problem of steel plates. This material isn't as common to find, am I right?" Guillermo interjected with a perplexed look.
"This can't be that bad..."
Hearing someone speak up, Guillermo turned his head toward the voice, which belonged to an Asian man named Glenn.
Seeing Guillermo looking at him, Glenn responded:
"The last time we went out, I also noticed that there were large piles of construction materials in an open space not far from here, but most of them were covered with fabric and straw. It was hard to tell what they were, but you could see large objects shining. Shane and the whole group saw them."
Shane, who was sitting beside Jason, also nodded, indicating that Glenn was right.
Of course, Jason had also left some resource caches that only he knew about in western Georgia. Very close to that location, if he hadn't encountered setbacks along the way, he had planned to find them during expeditions, but it seemed Glenn had discovered one of those points.
"Ha ha ha, that's incredible!"
Standing up, Jason nodded toward Glenn and said: "Since several resource sites have been found, we need to go to those places and take a look. In the meantime, does anyone have any suggestions?"
"The ranking system is perfect for providing an overview of ranks and restrictions. As long as we don't have restricted areas where weapons and food are stored, this will be good for seeing who has authorization to be in those locations," Shane said while looking at the armbands with three black lines marked on his arm.
These armbands were already being made by a group of experienced men and women in sewing. Soon, everyone should have these identification bands.
Rick, beside him, studied the wall plan for a while, and now that he heard what Jason said, he made a suggestion.
"Jason, I think we should dig a moat outside the outer wall. Not only could we store water, but it would also give us a wide field of view for protection."
Rick's proposal was supported by Hershel and everyone unanimously, so Jason gave the green light for the work to begin.
Shortly after everyone's discussion, an even more refined plan emerged in the hands of the community. Seeing that the plan was coming together, Shane and the others began explaining the armband system, which would identify people based on their work.
This was accepted by everyone, and soon the armbands were distributed to all survivors within the prison. Of course, at first, it might be confusing, and some would make mistakes, but at the very least, it was necessary to have some level of supervision in this large place.
...
Early the next morning, Jason called all second-tier authority figures in the prison to hold a meeting and inform them about the discussed plan.
Merle leaned close to a group that was discussing nonsense. With an intimidating look, he got closer and closer to the face of a young man named Carlos. Carlos's face instantly turned grim, and he asked:
"Excuse me, is something wrong?"
Without moving, Merle stared at Carlos, placed his arm over his shoulder, and said:
"Am I the only one who thinks these armbands are a load of crap? I might get confused and use it to wipe my ass. What do you guys think?"
"Shh, if someone hears you, it could get you into trouble. I actually think it's a good idea, considering there are people who want to harm our community. It was truly terrifying when we encountered some thieves—it's a good thing everything was resolved quickly."
Carlos usually liked to strike up conversations with everyone. Sometimes, he even remained quiet because he just couldn't stop talking.
"I think the same. This was a good idea to classify ranks and, as mentioned, have clear restrictions on areas where not just anyone can enter," Jim said with a sharp look. With a single glance, he eyed the armband with a class-three authority mark on Merle's leg.
Daniel approached and said:
"Well, considering this is the first expedition since we arrived at this place, the results will be crucial for our development."
Merle looked at these new faces and nodded. They were good men, and they seemed well-trained—except for Carlos.
"Well, you're right about that. A lot of people want to take things that don't belong to them—what a bunch of idiots. Anyway, I hope you all have a good trip."
After saying that, Merle walked to the back of the room. He definitely wouldn't take part in such a minor mission—there were more important things to do, like cleaning weapons and drinking alcohol.
With a nervous smile on his face, Carlos took Merle's attitude seriously and asked:
"Does he have level-two authority? He seems like a complete slacker."
When Daniel looked at Carlos, he said: "He has level-three authority. He may be unbearable in terms of behavior, but he's responsible for training people—and he does it well."
"Level-three authority?" Carlos's eyes widened upon hearing that the old man had the highest level of authority within the community.
Seeing Carlos's astonished expression, Jim smiled slightly and began talking about today's mission.
"It seems to be a material-gathering mission. Large groups of people with level-one authority will be helping in the coming days to load the materials while a group covers the area."
After hearing this, Carlos looked around and asked:
"So, do all these people seem really strong, or is it just me?"
"Well, some are military, and others are police officers. It's no surprise that most of them have the experience needed to protect themselves outside the prison," Daniel said calmly.
"I hope we don't run into a walker horde—it would be terrible if we came across one up close." Carlos was genuinely nervous.
Just as Carlos finished speaking and was about to turn around and leave, Jim grabbed him from behind:
"Hey, don't worry, I'm not done yet!"
Carlos widened his eyes and waited to hear all the information. Daniel was also intrigued by what Jim had learned from the others.
"I heard that Captain Jason is leading the collection team this time. It's said that this mission will last a long time, and the experience gained will be immense. Everyone is eager to learn more from this captain."
"From what I've researched, so far, everyone who has followed Jason on external missions has never suffered a casualty. Most importantly, many who go out this time will have the opportunity to receive a vaccine after the mission is over."
"It's incredible that no one dies when they go with Jason—he's truly reliable, and it looks like everyone is looking forward to heading out with him today."