Once, the journey between the city and Springhead, situated just northeast, was a trivial thing—less than twenty minutes by car. But the apocalypse had changed everything. Now, that same stretch of road demanded two or three hours, a careful traverse around treacherous swamps, the skeletal remains of broken bridges, and the ever-looming shadow of the nearby town of Omen.
Springhead was originally a rich folk area before it became the scorched land it is now. The suburban area where the Tanaka household was located was one of the most luxurious in the state, but after the Dragon's attack, navigating such a place was like visiting the nether world of the dead.
After arriving at the base with the help of the marks they had left on their way out and the radio guidance from the base, Adam and his team hopped out of their vehicles and started storing everything they had acquired at the Command Center in a hurry. Meanwhile, Private Biscuits went off to restock ammunition and supplies for every member of the team.
In a matter of minutes, all the supplies were offloaded. Everyone then took the van, leaving the truck behind, with Adam behind the wheel, and they rushed back towards their destination.
"You know the destination we're heading to?" Sergeant Elena asked Adam.
"Better than anyone," Adam replied, his eyes focused on the road ahead. "It's a comic book store where we used to get our books and comics. We'll have to drive past Mallwart on the highway, but she said seven blocks west, which will take us to a small industrial area north of Crownbridge."
Elena frowned at that, prompting her to ask:
"An industrial area? When we went through the map, you said that the industrial belt of the city is much farther south. Having such an industrial zone nearby would be valuable for resource acquisition. Why didn't we discuss that?"
"The factories in that area are more focused on servicing Crownbridge's campuses. They are primarily printing factories for books and magazines. You'll only find books and paper, rather than mech and tech parts over there." Adam explained.
"I see." Elena nodded and reviewed the map she had with her, thinking carefully before asking, "What about the area where Megan was held?"
"Crownbridge itself. She said she's past Press Park to the northeast and a few blocks before central, in a workshop garage." Adam replied.
"That location!" Elena pointed it out on the map and started charting a few routes. "It seems that even though we are heading past the Mallwart resource zone, we are nowhere near the heart of the city."
"Brighthaven is huge in and of itself, while it seems compact on the map. Honestly, heading downtown isn't even something I want to do. Crownbridge is more peaceful, by comparison, but given Megan's broadcast from earlier…"
"It will be crawling with hostiles." Elena continued and added more notes to the map. "I'm not sure about the survivors, but I'm sure no one tries to pick a fight with bigger groups."
"Exactly." Adam nodded. "That's why I agreed to meet Megan's people, even though it's risky. Numbers are what we lack at the moment."
With that thought in mind, the van drove faster along the stretch of open road it had, before taking the exit sometime later, heading west opposite the Mallwart center they had looted a few hours ago.
The hour had long been past 0300, yet sleep remained a distant stranger to Adam's eyes. Kave, too, fought the persistent lecturing from Sergeant Elena, who insisted he get some rest.
The team had been on their feet since yesterday without rest, making these fleeting moments of transportation vital opportunities to conserve their stamina. Seasoned veterans like Sharp, Buzz, and Biscuits had already succumbed to rest, their bodies slumped in practiced trench-napping positions long before Elena could even begin her customary lecture.
Finally, Adam started counting down the blocks they passed after taking the turn past the comic store. Without a word, in eerie silence, he stopped the van at the fourth block and silently woke up the team.
"Everyone, I need you to be very patient with what's ahead. We're meeting survivors. I'm not sure of their numbers, but if a group has managed to stick to a place like this for some time, they're sure to have numbers on their side, that's for sure."
"Yes, sir." Elena was the first to reply.
"Also, this may sound absurd, but try to hide the Solarium logo, if possible." Adam hesitated a bit before continuing, so Elena completed it for him.
"They wouldn't take us seriously?" She asked.
"Yes, sadly." Adam nodded before explaining, "Wartopia was a big thing, so they may think we're posers, just some nerds playing soldiers. Fear is a power play; convince them that we're part of a militant group. If they aren't the raider type, they'll actually think highly of us."
"In that case, I have an idea." Kave stepped forward with a smile. "If we need to put up an act, let's do some serious RP."
✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧
Holding up a mop handle with a white shirt, Adam ventured forward in the dark, carrying a torch. Each step taken was a risk of getting a bullet right in the chest. He was thankful that he was wearing a good Kevlar vest, but that wasn't enough to save the vest's previous owner when Captain Creed blasted their head with a plasma bolt.
Even though there was a plan, Adam refused to send either Hammerhead or Elena in his stead, convincing them that only he could talk to survivors, and Kave's plan would work best this way.
But just as he approached a toppled barrel, Adam noticed a bullet hole in the side of the barrel, which suggested this place was marked as a sniper's boundary. In response, Adam raised his torch and waved it a few times, making sure to illuminate his white flag.
After waving it a few times, Adam waited for a minute before taking a few steps past the barrel. Only then did a voice call for him:
"That's close enough."
The voice was feminine, but in such a world, feminine voices from unknown places were far scarier than male voices. The first reason was that female survivors, targeted more by raiders, would often retaliate by shooting first and asking questions later; the other was the monsters that could mimic human voices and would use female voices for a higher success rate. However, Adam was sure that this was the former.
"I come in peace!" He shouted.
"Throw down your weapon and get on your face!" The feminine voice replied.
"I'd happily oblige, but I was told to come for Raj," Adam replied.
"I said, 'Weapon down and on your face!'" The owner of the voice didn't seem happy, as her tone sharpened.
"Megan Dorsett sent me."
…
A moment of silence followed, but deep in his heart, Adam had a chilling sensation, as if he were being stared at by some predator. Quickly, he shouted again:
"Magpie sent me."
Even after that last word, no reply came from Adam, but that chilling sensation began to fade. But then…
"Only her friends call her that."
The voice came right from behind him, sending a fright to his heart; he would have turned if not for the sharp and cold sensation felt at the back of his neck.
✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧
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