Although he is admittedly grateful when K provides the badge and ID, the futuristic card also spurs so many questions Aaron would like to get answers to. There’s a look of open fascination on his face as he puts his knife back into the sheath he keeps at his hip and then reaches for what looks like a small LCD display, only touching, not taking it from K’s hand. This is beyond cool, man. The only technical gadgets in or around Alexandria are their solar walkies; the rest of modern technology pretty much died with mankind. No mobile phones, no television, no computers. After ten years of tech detox the ID card with its ever-changing display feels a bit like magic to him, like peeking through the key hole of a door that leads to another world.

“Thank you.” He draws his hand back, trying not to look too much like a prehistoric human mesmerized by flickering flames, and when he finally tears his gaze away from the display to turn his attention back to K Aaron is smiling. “I don’t think we’ll need them, but it’s good to know there’s an easy way to prove our story, should we have to.” Our story, not K’s. K may be the traveller from another world, but Aaron is the reason why K knows about Alexandria, about the people living there. Should anything happen to either K or the people Aaron calls family? It will be solely Aaron's responsibility, his fault.

And the stakes are even higher than that, aren’t they? He has the safety of the gateway to consider, all the other worlds it connects.

Aaron may be many things, but he isn’t a scientist, you see. He’s a mediator, a scavenger, a survivor and a fighter. He’s smart enough to understand that his mere presence inside this building could pose a risk to other travellers and the worlds they may visit after his, but he thinks he knows too little, understands too little to make a realistic assumption how dangerous the wildfire virus really is. All he can do is try to better this messy situation the only way he knows how: by saving one life at a time, getting K the items he needs, and then help him return to his world, hopefully unaffected by the wildfire virus. Or help him to settle into this new life and turn this twist of fate of them crossing paths into a chance for K to experience freedom and a life free of slavery

He brings his right hand up to give K’s shoulder a squeeze, then pats once, twice as a wordless response to the thank you. ’It’s okay. No problem.' Supplies are no longer as tight as they have once been, not with them growing their own vegetables and fruits, with crops and livestock. And despite his accident Aaron’s still a capable hunter who rarely has to return home empty handed. The times when he and Rick had to go on week-long runs just to feed their people are thankfully over, and so Aaron is confident that they can spare a pack filled with a mix of canned and fresh supplies.

When K provides the information about his service issued gun Aaron is neither surprised that K does, indeed, have a gun on him nor is he bothered by it. Everyone in this world is armed after all (Aaron being no exception). “That’s good news, my friend. You may want to switch weapons and stay back.” He turns to look in K’s direction, to catch his gaze and hold it, somehow hoping that the other man will understand why Aaron has to stray from his original idea and make this suggestion. This has nothing to do with your skills as a fighter, K – it’s a precaution to fend off an enemy who can’t be killed with swords or guns. As capable as Aaron is to keep people save and protect them on their way from one camp to another, the current situation is different because there are other variables to calculate with. Everyone in this world is already infected, but K is new, from an entirely different earth. “Knives and hammers are great to fight walkers, but they only have a very short range and they are also messy. I’ve been covered in blood and walker gunk so many times that I’m definitely a carrier by now, but you’re clean.” As in ‘hopefully still free of the wildfire virus that will turn you into a walker after your death’ – and Aaron will do his best to keep it that way, keep the door to K’s world open so that it should be possible for the other man to return to his homeworld, to live (and in a distant future: die) there without causing another exodus.

“There are no research labs or hospitals left in my world. No real knowledge about the origin of the virus or how it does what it does. Just theories and speculations why a bite is always deadly, but dousing yourself in walker blood to mask your scent isn’t.” There is a pause as he takes a breath, looks down at his boots. Uneasy. “I’m sorry I can’t offer better information.” After ten years of living with the virus.

As if on cue the noises coming from the other side of the door pick up, grow a little louder as someone - something - is stumble-bumping against the surface of the door with increasing force, drawn by the sound of Aaron’s voice.

“Only few. Four at most.” Smiling faintly, Aaron raises his fist, bangs it against the door to hear the answering grunts. Counting, calculating, he wants to give K a chance to pay attention to the new enemy and get used to the sounds. Sound is for walkers what light is for a moth - which may also serve as a warning: use your gun wisely. While a bullet may take one walker down, the sound of a gun being fired may lure three or four out of hiding. “They will try to get in the moment I open the door. I will take care of them and pull them into this room once I’m done. Their stink will hopefully be enough to send potential visitors running in the opposite direction..."

All this is still better than slavery, right? Aaron definitely believes that it is. An enemy that can be defeated - and more importantly: a battle K wouldn’t have to fight alone.