Apocalypse Days: I Rule with Foresight and a Powerful Son
Chapter 96:

Chapter 96: 96:

Winter stood in a dimly lit room filled with about a dozen other individuals, each wearing the same patched but sturdy combat gear. The tension was clear as they waited for the officer at the front to speak. The group was composed of enhanced individuals—those like Winter who had gained extraordinary abilities during the apocalypse. As expected, these abilities made them valuable assets but also painted them as outsiders, even within the base.

He tugged at the strange collar thing he and the others had been made to wear as soon as they changed into their uniforms. At least he had been able to keep his rifle, they didn’t know it was one of those "magical Items" that had appeared in the new world.

The officer, a grizzled man with sharp eyes and a scar running down his temple, began the briefing. "You’re here because you’ve got what it takes to do what the rest of this base can’t. Outside the walls, it’s chaos. Mutated creatures, rogue scavengers, and remnants of the mist—those are just the obvious threats. Your job is to secure resources, scout for threats, and, above all, keep the base safe."

A holographic map flickered to life on the wall, displaying the surrounding areas. Pinned markers indicated supply caches, known enemy zones, and scouting routes. "You’ll be working in squads. No lone wolf nonsense," the officer barked. "Each of you is expendable if it means the survival of the base. That’s not a threat; it’s reality. Stick to your team, and you might live long enough to see the next supply run."

Winter’s gaze shifted to the map. He recognized landmarks from before the apocalypse, though they were warped and unrecognizable now. His thoughts briefly wandered to Zara. Was she settling in? Did she feel safe? He’d seen the fear in her eyes earlier, though she tried to hide it.

He couldn’t blame her, getting separated so soon also set his nerves on edge.

"Enhanced individuals like you are under constant watch," the officer continued, pulling Winter’s attention back. "You’re powerful, but that makes you a liability. Try anything funny, and the collars around your necks"—he gestured to the small metallic bands fastened to each of their necks—"will ensure compliance. You have some freedom, but don’t mistake that for trust."

Winter instinctively touched the cold metal around his neck, resisting the urge to scowl. So that’s what it was for. The others also had varying reactions to the revelation.

The officer pointed to a large, reinforced gate displayed on the map. "That’s your first mission zone. You’ll be securing a downed drone that contains critical data on the mist’s activity. Expect resistance—both from the environment and whatever’s out there waiting to kill you."

A soldier handed out packs containing basic supplies: rations, weapons, and communication devices. "Gear up. Move out in ten," the officer said before stepping away, leaving the group in tense silence.

As Winter checked his equipment, his mind wandered to Zara again. "Calm down," he mumbled to himself. "She’ll be fine, she’s tough."

"Move! Move! Move!"

*****

Meanwhile, Zara stood in the crowded assignment hall, Leo clinging to her side. The noise was almost deafening—soldiers barking orders, civilians complaining about their placements, and children crying as their parents tried to console them. Zara’s heart ached as she watched it all. It was chaos wrapped in a thin veneer of order.

"Zara Ashford," a stern voice called. She stepped forward, her stomach twisting in anticipation.

The woman behind the desk barely glanced at her. "You’re assigned to the farms—food production," she said, handing Zara a small card with her schedule and duties. "Report there immediately. Keep the boy with you for now."

Zara sighed, still trying to mask her disappointment. She had hoped to be placed somewhere where her scientific background could be useful, but instead, she was sent to do manual labour. As she walked toward the direction of the farms, her eyes scanned the base, taking in every detail.

The base was a tightly controlled system. Soldiers patrolled the streets and ensured civilians stayed in line. Civilians worked tirelessly in various sectors: farming, manufacturing, and maintenance. The hierarchy was clear: soldiers held the power, civilians kept the base running, and the enhanced were tools to be used.

Overhearing snippets of conversation as she made her way out, Zara learned that the massive celestial object in the sky—a moon-like anomaly—remained a mystery. Scientists studied it tirelessly, but no one knew its purpose or how it came to be. It was a constant, looming reminder of the apocalypse, casting an eerie glow over the base at night.

She was ushered into a truck of sorts with other people and driven across the base.

It was a ten-minute drive from the civilian housing to the farms, and the sight of soldiers stationed at checkpoints along the way made Zara feel like she was traversing a high-security prison rather than a sanctuary. Leo clung to her, one arm wrapped around her neck as his eyes darted curiously from soldier to soldier.

"Look, Mama," he said, pointing at a military jeep rumbling past. The vehicle was battered but functional, its back filled with crates of supplies.

"Yeah, I see it, baby," Zara murmured, her voice tight with unease.

She felt the card in her pocket—the one listing her details and assigned duties at the farm.

When Zara and Leo arrived at the farms, the smell of damp earth and greenery greeted them. She was struck by the sight of lush green fields and strange building dotted in between stretching across the outskirts of the base.

It was a sprawling area divided into sections, some open fields and others contained within massive greenhouses. The greenhouses were domed structures made of reinforced glass and steel, radiating faint, artificial light even during the day. Solar panels lined their tops, harnessing every bit of energy available. Workers moved quickly, tending to the plants.

A soldier at the entrance waved her through after a brief glance at her ID card. "You can go to dome 10," the solider pointed towards a large dome one the side of the field. Zara nodded, taking a deep breath before walking to the building. Inside, the open field was bustling with activity. Rows of vegetables grew in neat lines, tended by men and women in worn clothing. Large water tanks were scattered across the area, connected to a network of hoses and sprinklers. The greenhouses were equally busy, their interiors filled with fruit trees, herbs, and experimental plants glowing faintly under UV lights.

"Mommy, I want to come down," Leo mumbled, kicking his feet slightly.

"Not now baby, I’ll let you down soon. But you have to promise to stay close to me," Zara whispered to Leo, adjusting her hold on him as they made their way toward a group of workers huddled near the building’s edge.

Thick, transparent panels arched high above, filtering in an artificial, bluish light. Inside, rows upon rows of crops were neatly planted in raised beds. Small irrigation tubes snaked between them, feeding water and nutrients to the plants. The air smelled fresh, almost unnaturally so, with a faint hint of damp soil. Fans overhead hummed softly, circulating the air. Workers bustled between the rows, tending to the plants, while others gathered tools and crates near a central workstation.

Leo clung to Zara’s side, his eyes wide with wonder. "Plants, Mama!" he said excitedly, pointing at a bed of tomatoes.

"Yes, Leo, lots of plants," Zara replied, her tone warm despite the anxious pit in her stomach. She wasn’t sure how long Leo would remain this enthusiastic once the work began.

"Hey, you’re the new one, right?" A voice broke Zara’s focus. She turned to see a woman with dark curly hair tied in a messy bun and dirt-smudged cheeks approaching her. She had a friendly, curious look in her eyes.

"Yes, I’m Zara," she replied, adjusting Leo on her hip.

"I’m Clara. Welcome to the farms. This is where the magic happens—or at least where we pretend it does," Clara said with a chuckle, holding out a dirt-streaked hand. Zara shook it awkwardly. "Is this your little one?"

"This is Leo," Zara said.

"Hi, Leo!" Clara greeted him with a wave. Leo shyly buried his face in Zara’s shoulder.

"Well, let’s get you settled," Clara said, leading Zara toward a group of women who were seated on overturned crates near a workstation. "Ladies, this is Zara—and her little helper, Leo. She’ll be joining us."

The group turned to look at Zara. Their expressions ranged from polite smiles to wary glances. A tall, blonde woman with sharp features was the first to speak. "I’m Tessa," she said curtly, offering a nod.

"Nice to meet you," Zara replied softly.

Another woman, shorter and rounder with warm brown skin and an easy smile, waved. "I’m Mireille. And don’t mind Tessa; she’s always like that."

"I’m Asha," a petite, freckled woman added, giving Zara a once-over. "Cute kid."

"Thank you," Zara’s brows furrowed, not sure she liked this Asha’s tone. "He’s a little shy at first with strangers."

"He’ll get used to it," Clara replied with a shrug. "Come on. We’ll show you what to do."

They led Zara into the greenhouse, where rows upon rows of plants stretched as far as the eye could see. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and greenery. Clara explained the setup as they walked.

"These are mist-resistant crops," she said, patting a vine heavy with bright red tomatoes. "They grow fast, and they’re tough. We don’t know why, but they’re the reason this base isn’t starving. We rotate planting cycles, harvest daily, and keep everything running like clockwork."

Zara couldn’t help but marvel at the operation. She had so many questions about the crops and their resistance to the mist, but before she could ask, Asha spoke up.

"I saw you and your group when you came in last night," she said with a smirk, her eyes glinting with curiosity. "Was that...?" She trailed off, snapping her fingers as if trying to recall. "That guy you were with—dark hair, green eyes, tall as a tree? He looked like he could break someone in half."

Her tone was filled with intrigue, and the other women leaned in, clearly interested. "Serious-looking too," Asha added, her smirk widening. "Like he’s got this whole mysterious, brooding thing going on. Who is he?"

"Winter," Zara said, almost instinctively.

"Winter," Asha repeated, her eyes lighting up. "Of course, that fits him." she said, turning to the others. "Doesn’t that fit? Like, he has this cold, brooding look, but it’s hot. You know? He was like something out of a dream."

The other women laughed and nodded in agreement, while Zara’s cheeks flushed. She shifted uncomfortably, not sure of how to react to people speaking this way about him.

"I don’t know," she said, trying to steer the conversation away, but Asha wasn’t done.

"I mean, come on. Did you see his jawline? And those shoulders?" She continued, oblivious to Zara’s discomfort. "He’s definitely enhanced, right? Bet he’s got some crazy strength or something."

Tessa snickered. "I thought you were married, Asha?"

"Doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a good-looking man," Asha quipped, earning laughter from the others. "I’m 100% sure he’s one of those enhanced types. Have you seen the way those guys move?"

"Enough," Clara said gently, placing a handy on Asha’s arm. "You’re making the poor girl uncomfortable. They’re clearly a family."

Asha rolled her eyes but relented, and Clara turned to Zara with a kind smile. "Don’t mind her. She gets carried away. Anyway, do you have any abilities?"

The question caught Zara off guard. "No," she said quickly, her grip on Leo tightening. "Just... just me and my son."

Tessa sighed. "Wish I had powers. I’d do anything to get out of farm duty. It’s backbreaking work."

Zara frowned, letting down the squirming bundle in her arms. "Is it really that bad?"

The women groaned collectively. Clara stretched her arms over her head, her joints cracking audibly. "You have no idea. Your muscles will ache in places you didn’t know existed."

"Backbreaking work, long hours, and dirt under your nails you can never get rid of."

Mireille nodded. "My knees haven’t stopped aching since I got assigned here. If you can, take the boy to the child care center. It’s no place for kids here."

Zara glanced at Leo, who had wandered a few steps away to poke at a patch of mint. "I’ll think about it," she said, watching him closely.

Asha nudged Zara with her elbow. "If I were you, I’d take that little guy to the childcare center. They’ll look after him while you work."

Zara glanced back at Leo, who was back and now tugging on her sleeve and pointing at the rows of plants. "No, he stays with me," she said firmly as she pulled him closer. What part of that did she not get?

"Suit yourself," Asha said with a shrug. "Just don’t let him wander. Management doesn’t like disruptions."

As they began working, Clara showed Zara how to harvest the crops, carefully clipping tomatoes and placing them into baskets. "It’s simple but tedious," Clara explained. "You’ll get the hang of it."

Leo squirmed by Zara’s side, his attention drawn to the baskets of tomatoes. "Red!" he exclaimed, reaching for one.

Zara smiled despite herself, at least he still had some of the education they’d given him before the apocalypse. "Yes, red," she said, letting him hold one of the smaller tomatoes.

She wondered if the daycare would run school programs and what the kids would be taught in it.

As they moved to the field, the women wasted no time gossiping. The talks moved from who was working on what patch to who was caught outside during curfew and everything in between. Zara worked to copy their motions—digging small holes for seedlings, watering, and covering the soil—while Leo sat on the ground beside her, playing with a clump of dirt.

"—is pregnant you know?"

A chorus of gasps followed the statement. Zara frowned as well, remembering her conversation with the woman in the hospital.

"Well you get more privileges if you’re pregnant so I can’t blame her," Tessa shrugged, pulling out a particularly stubborn weed.

"yeah, but a baby?" Asha shook her head, "what if something happens?" Her voice dropped, "how would she escape?"

"They’d obviously prioritize her—"

Zara tuned them out, going through the motions as the time passed.

Somehow, the conversation shifted to the base’s enhanced individuals. Clara leaned in slightly, her voice low. "Most of the enhanced don’t stay in the civilian areas. They’re either out on missions or in the administrative building if their powers aren’t physical. Management doesn’t trust them around us."

"Why not?" Zara asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Because they’re too dangerous," Asha replied, lowering her voice further. "The ones with physical or combat abilities are always armed and escorted by guards. The others, like the telepaths or whatever, are locked in offices doing God knows what. They’re not like us, so they keep them separate."

Zara listened intently, a frown on her face. These ladies have clearly never interacted with enhanced people before. Was their fear based off what they’d been fed by the people in charge?

She thought of Winter, biting her lip worriedly. What kind of missions was he being sent on? Would be be returning today? How long would it be before she saw him again? She glanced down at Leo, who had fallen asleep in her lap, his tiny hand clutching her shirt. The thought of him growing up in this rigid system made her chest tighten.