TWD The Crusade

After the community (Presley flashback) Part Two

Presley sits at a table and eyes the empty room and watches Mason come in. he turns back to the two men holding rifles and motions to them.

"jay, mark go fucking eat you don't have to tail me all day."

Jay lets out a laugh and motions to mason.

"What else would we do boss?"

"tons of things you could be doing." Mason winks to jay and mark lets out a laugh nudging jay.

"always the den." Mason form stiffens as he makes a face and jay remains quiet as mason motions out.

"Why don't you two go eat." his voice sounds firm and a bit angry as jay nods to him.

"yea boss..." the two men walk out and mason comes up to a chair and sits across from Presley as Presley looks around.

"no lewis, konnor or Evan tonight?"

"no lewis isn't here he had some work to do for me, konnor is well a family matter called him away and Evan well he won't be here for a long time."

"Is he okay?"

"fine he just can better serve the community elsewhere and that's where he will be for a while."

"I hope he will be okay." Presley smiles and mason nods to her.

"I don't let anything happen to my people Presley they come first."

"well, it's really nice of you to invite me here to eat with you. I mean it seems like other new people eat with everyone else."

"well, konnor likes you and konnor is important here so by proxy so are you."

he cuts into his food and Presley asks.

"is that the only reason?"

Presley asks sounding a bit disappointed as mason glances up.

"We have very few females here Presley. I mean strong females who get it and understand what we do here. personally, if I can talk honest I think you can be very important here a role model for the younger girls they need to know they are worth it."

"I don't know if that's really me. I mean I was engaged to a guy he wasn't a good guy"

"But you are still here aren't you and where is he Presley?"

"dead...." Presley says it coldly and mason chews into a piece of meat listening to her say the word dead. he nods his head and asks.

"and he is dead because you did what you had to do to survive didn't you?"

"yea I did." She nods her head agreeing and mason smiles at her as he states.

"You are strong. it takes a lot to deal with the fact that sometimes strength means getting someone killed and if that someone is a bad person was it something you should really regret?"

Presley remains quiet but tenses feeling Mason's hand on her shoulder as he whispers.

"the answer is no Presley you shouldn't regret surviving" 

Presley nods her head agreeing and mason picks up her fork and she takes it eating some food he rests his hands on her shoulders as he states.

"We test people here Presley and I want to test you and see how you do. your test will start tomorrow."

"What kind of tests?"

"trials everyone goes through them. it's so we know our weaknesses and we can better form groups to make sure we stay strong. I promise nothing bad will happen to you. you have my word. do you trust me?"