Suffering: Male Reader x TWDG

Chapter 21: Only Option?

"This is pure skill" you say with a grin as you hack your machete into the side of a bandits neck severing the tendons. She gurgles and collapses onto a heap on the soft, wet ground. It has been a few days since your breakup with Jessie, or should you say Jessica? It's not like you view her as much of a friend anymore, well she definitely doesn't anyway.

The good news is that there has been quite an influx of bandits in the surrounding areas; perfect to take your mind off of things, the bad news is that this is not a typical behaviour. Bandits don't just appear in large swathes unless forced to move from the area they previously inhabited, at least, that's what Anderson says.

This means that either they ran out of resources at wherever they were staying, or that something or someone drove them away. The leading theories are that there was either a horde of infected, or that there is a sizeable group out there that fought them off. If the second theory is true, we just have to hope that they're as friendly and understandable as we are and that they don't shoot on sight.

You move on further into the camp, a branch cracks to your left and you twist around to see an infected lurching towards you. Expertly, you stab your blade into its skull and with a swift tug, pull it out, its blood mixing with the bandits which is already staining your blade a shade of crimson.

You wonder how the others are doing, because of the increase in bandits you've had to split up to tackle them all. It's just you and Captain Anderson assaulting this camp; if you can even call it a camp. There's just one medium sized tent and about four people.

Moving on, you see Anderson kill a man who was urinating against a tree, dragging the body into a bush out of sight of the remaining two bandits who are both pondering the events of their day over the crackling flames of a fire.

I could easily take both of them on you think to yourself as you creep closer, blood dripping from the machete which you twirl in the air slightly in anticipation of your next kill. Anderson heads towards the opposite side of the bandits so that they are sandwiched between the two of you. You're both still hidden as you observe them.

Anderson gives a nod. You both run out and attack, you punch the bandit in the face, she's a young woman with ginger hair. She staggers to the floor and puts her arms over her face presumably to protect it. You stab your machete into her stomach and twist, she squeals in pain and clutches the blade trying to wrench it from her insides.

This only worsens her predicament as the sharp blade cuts into her fingers. She looks up at you with huge gaping eyes, "Please" she pleads, her voice wavering. You pull your machete out. She breathes a sigh of relief but before anything else can happen you swing the machete down on her face, cutting through skin, muscle, and bone. Ending her. Why did she have to plead for her life? It makes it harder.

You glance over to Anderson who's cleaning off his knife. The other bandit lies at his feet, an older looking man with a huge scruffy beard; his eyes rolled back into his skull. "Good work Ghost" he says with a nod.

You take off your mask, "Thank you sir" you reply. He slips his knife back into its small sheathe and walks over to the tent. You watch as he enters and looks around. "Anything good in there?" you ask.

Anderson groans and shakes his head, "Nah, it's all shit". He pulls his mask off and tucks it in his pocket, "Lets get back to Fort Summer" he says as he begins to stride off away from the camp. You walk closely behind, you've been told many times by numerous people that it's rude to walk next to someone that outranks you, but it's difficult when the person slows down deliberately to walk beside you.

"I'm not offended by you walking next to me" Anderson says with a smile, you resign and let yourself walk next to him, keeping his pace which gradually increases again now that you're beside him.

The walk to Fort Summer only takes around 2 hours and by the time you arrive you're quite tired. The gates are opened, both you and Captain Anderson walk in with your heads held high; another successful raid under your belt. You're informed by the man on the gate that the other Rangers aren't back yet.

You and Captain Anderson head to the cabin to get changed, you remove your bulletproof vest and place it on your bed before heading out the cabin and to the showers to freshen up. The shower was much needed and very refreshing, the warm water runs over your face. You smile as you wash.

After the shower you walk around Fort Summer looking for something to do, you watch as the General exits his office and walks over the courtyard towards the cabins. He stops, noticing you, and begins to change direction, heading instead over to you.

When he reaches you, you salute. He gives a nod,

"At ease" he says, his southern accent full of authority.

You stop saluting and give him a smile.

"So Y/N, I heard about the fight with Mark" he sighs, "It hasn't done wonders for our relationship with Dixieland"

You look down at your feet, "Well, he won't stop provoking me" you say sheepishly, it feels like you're being told off by your dad which isn't a great feeling and brings back some sad memories.

"He should be out of the medical cabin today, and tomorrow he'll be sent to Old Beaver Ranch with the rest of Bravo team, who I should remind you, were supposed to guard Dixieland this time and are quite upset".  

You don't really care if Bravo team are upset or not, they could sulk for all eternity for all you care, you just want Mark to suffer for what he did. "What's his punishment going to be?" you ask, possibly a bit too eagerly as the General frowns.

"Never you mind that" he replies sternly before walking off. You clearly hit a nerve with that question and should probably tread carefully around him for a while.

10 Minutes Later

Captain Anderson's POV:

"We can't have Mark disrupting our operations" you complain, standing over the General who you've managed to catch off guard by the lake.

He sits on the grass looking out to the water, "It's not that easy, what am I supposed to do?" he asks, "My hands are tied, I can't just kick him out of the Militia".

You think for a moment, "Let me handle him and he'll never cause problems" you reply lowering your voice. The General seems to know what that means and furrows his brow, "Oh come on Dallas, don't tell me you're getting soft" you say with a chuckle, "You know this is the only option to fix relations with Dixieland".

He nods, "Do it, but I don't want to know about it and don't drag Y/N into it" he grunts, his voice filled with a hint of regret at what he's just told you to do. You nod and walk away, Mark will have to die to keep this friendship and alliance with Dixieland alive, many people in the Militia don't even know him and you imagine that the ones who do probably have a distasteful opinion of him anyway. He won't be missed.

A/N: A short chapter today, if you enjoyed the chapter, make sure to give it a vote or I'll convince Captain Anderson that he needs to deal with you too...