LOGINThe clerk gave Nicole a cold look, clearly in no mood to explain. "You wouldn't understand how it works even if I told you. Just focus on your work, tend your crops, and get along with your neighbors. Leave running the base to us."The staff already fielded more questions than they could handle. As far as the clerk was concerned, survivors needed to focus on feeding themselves and rebuilding their lives instead of pestering people who had work to do.The base had plenty of problems to deal with already. Explaining them to residents who couldn't help solve them would accomplish nothing.Nicole let it go, took the keys, and headed up to the third floor.The housing on Platform B was the first to open. Areas 1 through 3 housed active-duty military personnel, while Area 4 was reserved for civilians.No matter which military base they came from, anyone who wanted to keep serving had to accept a new assignment here.Military personnel made up the vast majority of the settlement's rou
Nicole decided to keep the containers in her storage space until she knew more.This was a military base, with warships patrolling the waters and fighter jets overhead. Little seemed to escape notice, and one careless move could expose her secret.They left Platform A and crossed the footbridge back to the submarine.Platform B had no deepwater dock, so they had to leave the submarine at Platform A and find another way to reach their rooms.A ferry ran between the platforms, but it only made the rounds every three hours.With Cola hidden in the backpack, Nicole wasn't eager to squeeze in among strangers. Someone might notice him, and she had no idea how people here would react.Claiming he was a military dog might have worked at the southern base, but she couldn't count on that here. Keeping a dog when so many people could barely feed themselves would draw attention they didn't need.Back aboard the submarine, they let Cola out to stretch his legs.Nicole and Zeph discussed the
The monthly food allowance was three pounds of sweet potato or potato flour per person.The flour was nothing more than dried potatoes or sweet potatoes ground into powder. Flavor hardly mattered anymore. People needed whatever food they could get.Residents could also get three pounds of seed potatoes on credit, then use part of their harvest to pay off rent and supplies.When none of Nicole's group spoke, the staff member tried to reassure them. "These potatoes produce a good crop, and they're ready to harvest in two months. I know it's tough right now, but give it time. We're working to make things better."One cramped room would barely leave the four of them space to move. Nicole had enough supplies to pay for more, so she decided to rent three rooms.With resources already stretched thin, letting newcomers buy on credit was a generous offer. The base was doing what it could to keep people alive, and Nicole saw no reason to draw on that help when she could afford to pay.Se
Nicole told the truth. "We found a shipment of rare metals while we were scavenging. The munitions factory needed them badly enough to give us a submarine in exchange."The questions kept coming. How did they survive months at sea? What did they eat, and where did they get drinking water? The staff pried more than the nosiest neighbor.Once their information cleared review, they were told to report for a medical exam.Nicole frowned, but the staff offered no explanation. They simply directed the group to the rooms next door, with separate areas for men and women.A military doctor examined Nicole, checked her pulse, and asked about her medical history and any symptoms. Then she said, "I'll need you to undress."Nicole gave her a puzzled look. "What for?""It's part of the screening. You can leave your underwear on."Despite her discomfort, Nicole complied. The doctor briefly inspected her skin, then nodded. "Alright. You can get dressed.""Were you looking for mutations?" Nic
As submarine 2688 passed Platform C, they spotted a large sign with red lettering. [Welcome home. Registration: Platform A, three miles to the right.]A footbridge connected Platform A to a deepwater dock.They pulled into berth 79 and climbed out. Several other submarines of the same model occupied nearby berths.Years of food shortages left most survivors painfully thin. To avoid drawing attention, Nicole found some old clothes for them to wear and used makeup to give their faces a gaunt, exhausted look.Hiding Cola took a little more work. Until they knew the rules here, he would have to ride in a hiking backpack on Zeph's back.Nicole worried he might squirm and give himself away. "You need to stay hidden, okay? Some people out there might try to eat you."Cola bristled, looking ready to charge out and take them on.Nicole quickly changed tactics. "What I meant was, they've never seen a dog before. A big, strong boy like you could scare someone. Then I'd have to give them
"Kale, lettuce, and cabbage."Nicole immediately got out the drone. With the sea calm, Zeph flew it over the ship to take pictures.Sure enough, vegetables grew in battered jars and old bottles. Despite the makeshift planters, the plants looked surprisingly healthy.Joshua let out a sheepish laugh as the last of his suspicions eased. "You should've led with that."The little garden was a reassuring glimpse of home. Even out here, the survivors found a way to grow their own food.Joshua finally shared the coordinates of the new settlement.The weather held, and his years of naval experience helped him spot trouble early enough to steer them clear of several approaching storms.After more than 20 days at sea, they were just over 200 nautical miles from their destination.The seabed rose steadily beneath them, and the currents became easier to navigate. Sonar showed a depth of just over 1,000 feet, compared with the nearly 30,000 feet of water beneath them a couple of weeks earlie
After paying the deposit, Nicole drove straight to the largest outdoor gear store downtown.The outdoor gear market was fiercely competitive. The store was in full clearance mode, shutting down with brutal discounts. Some items were marked down to 20% of the original price.Perfect timing.Nicole
"Ah!"Nicole Floyd jolted upright in bed, gasping. Sweat streamed down her forehead, her eyes unfocused and hollow.The sight in front of her cut through the haze in her mind.This was her old apartment, the one from before the apocalypse.Ding, ding…Text alerts kept chiming. She grabbed her p
Just after midnight, the timer refreshed. One hundred thirty minutes remaining.That meant time could stack.Nicole nearly laughed out loud. Seconds mattered. During crucial moments, even a minute could mean the difference between living and dying.She decided that unless it was absolutely necess
Nicole jolted, then immediately checked with her mind.The storage space was still there. The supplies were still there, too. She tested it; she thought of an item, and a coal briquette appeared in her hand.Sweeping the space again, she noticed the glowing timer had reset to zero.That was when







