chapter forty five

Jared's mind raced as Paul’s words echoed in his ears. He felt the weight of Benjamin’s command, but the temptation to solidify his power was gnawing at him. Kennedy represented a symbol of resistance, a hope for the community to cling to, and that was dangerous. Yet, Benjamin had been clear about maintaining order, not spilling unnecessary blood. If he went against Benjamin's orders, he might find himself in a worse position than Kennedy. He needed to play this smart.

Jared turned to the rest of the soldiers still stationed around the community. “Listen up!” he barked. “We’ll follow Benjamin’s orders to the letter. We keep the peace, maintain control, and we don’t do anything without me saying so. Am I understood?”

The soldiers nodded, but Jared could see doubt in some of their eyes. They had all seen Benjamin’s ruthlessness; they knew what he was capable of. Jared knew that to them, he was just another soldier, easily replaceable if he stepped out of line. He needed to gain their