Atlanta, Georgia — Six Days Before the Fall
The streets smelled of asphalt, coffee, and exhaust. Sunlight glinted off the windshield of a parked sedan. Kids laughed as they chased a soccer ball. Nothing about this scene suggested the apocalypse was looming.
Except Zephyr saw it differently.
He walked along the sidewalk, backpack on his shoulders, scanning the city with trained precision. Every alley, street corner, and parking lot was cataloged mentally. Lines of sight. Escape routes. Concealment opportunities. Weak points in fences. Backup paths in case of blockades.
Every step he took was deliberate. Every movement quiet.
That was all he had.
And he wasn't wasting a single one.
[System Update]
[Skill Gained: Scouting Lv.1]
He smiled faintly. Training didn't just happen in gyms or with weapons. Every mile he walked, every staircase climbed, every observation made counted toward survival.
Early Recon — Depot Observation
From a vantage point atop a small overpass, Zephyr scanned the horizon.
The National Guard Depot sat about fifteen miles west — a blocky fortress of metal fencing, concrete barriers, and rows of military vehicles.
Trucks and Humvees lined the lot.
Storage containers hinted at supplies.
Security cameras flickered in the sun, though many were obviously outdated.
His mind ran through contingencies.
If I approach too early, I risk notice.
If I wait too long, chaos will reduce my options.
The Oshkosh HEMTT he remembered from maps and satellite images loomed in the center of the lot — massive, armored, and perfect for a mobile base.
[Objective Updated]
Target: Oshkosh HEMTT
Distance: 15 miles (direct)
Approach Strategy: Pending reconnaissance
Route Planning
Zephyr pulled a notebook from his backpack, flipping to a blank page.
He began sketching potential routes:
Main roads — fastest, but heavy traffic during chaos.
Side streets — longer, safer for solo movement.
Alley networks — slower, requires careful observation, potential for ambush.
Each route got pros and cons: time, visibility, cover, and resource points along the way.
[Skill Gained: Planning Lv.1]
He marked potential safehouses in case of early outbreaks — abandoned warehouses, storage facilities, and under-construction buildings. Not for looting yet, but as fallback points if things went wrong.
Observing the City
Zephyr spent the afternoon walking, noting everything:
Hardware stores along his route — tools, rope, nails, generators.
Gas stations — fuel, portable generators, basic food.
Residential blocks — potential MREs or water caches if needed.
Construction zones — ladders, wood, metal scrap.
Nothing was touched yet; Atlanta still slept in blissful ignorance. But in his mind, every item was a resource, cataloged and ready for later.
[Skill Gained: Situational Awareness Lv.1]
He paused at a small park, watching children play while parents chatted nearby.
They have no idea what's coming.
His lips pressed into a tight line. Empathy was a luxury he couldn't afford right now. Not when seven days could mean the difference between life and death.
Physical Conditioning
At sunset, Zephyr found a quiet alley and performed a brief training session: pull-ups on a fire escape, push-ups, sprints. The System tracked every movement.
[Training Complete]
[Physical Abilities Slightly Increased.]
He paused, chest heaving, sweat drying in the warm evening air.
Every step, every rep, every observation counts.
By the time the chaos begins, I'll be ready.
Nightfall Observations
From the roof of a half-empty parking garage, he surveyed the depot with binoculars. Security rotations, entry points, and perimeter weak spots were all logged in his mind.
If I move at night, I can avoid detection. If I take the side alley network, I can reach it unnoticed.
He reviewed his gear — pistol, knife, multitool, water, rations. Minimal, efficient.
[Skill Gained: Planning Lv.2]
[Skill Gained: Stealth Lv.1]
One week remained.
One week to turn preparation into survival.
Zephyr exhaled slowly, watching the city glow in the streetlights.
"Alright," he whispered.
"Day one of planning complete. Tomorrow, we refine. Map paths. Note resources. Watch, learn, and wait. Then… we take what I need."
He packed up, descending quietly into the streets of a city that still thought it was normal.
The countdown had begun.
(To be continued…)