As the world snapped back into focus, Grace and her team found themselves inside another building on the other side of the block.
The abandoned high-rise was eerily silent, its walls cracked and windows shattered from past destruction that mostly came from the flood, and earthquakes.
Considering how close Mapleton City was to the restricted zone, the place where all the recent tremors had originated from, the current destruction of the city was not a surprise.
Not only that, but Mapleton City was also heavily destroyed by the flood and previous earthquakes. Even the hurricane during the rain disaster left its permanent marks on the city.
"Move quickly and stay low," Grace whispered as she led the way toward the stairwell.
The distant whirr of the military helicopter continued outside, its searchlight sweeping across rooftops and streets. Below, the infected lurked in the streets, their movements sluggish yet relentless, drawn to any sound or movement.
Kevin glanced at Grace as they descended the stairs. "Shouldn’t we head back to Greenstone? We can regroup and figure out what’s happening there instead of running around in an infested city with the military at our tail."
Grace shook her head. "If we leave now, we might not get another chance to reach the restricted zone. The military is already tightening its grip on Mapleton. If we hesitate, we could lose our only opportunity."
No one argued further. They trusted her judgment.
They exited the building through a back alley, staying in the shadows as they moved. Every step was careful, precise. The infected lurked nearby, but the team had enough experience to avoid drawing unnecessary attention.
After weaving through the city for nearly half an hour, they finally reached an abandoned residential complex several blocks away from where the soldiers were still searching.
"Inside," Grace instructed, pushing open the rusted entrance door.
The team swiftly made their way up the stairs, stopping only when they reached the seventh floor. The apartment they chose was empty, but it provided a clear vantage point over the city.
Grace extended her hands, focusing her energy as she summoned a protective barrier around the apartment. Unlike the massive barrier over Greenstone, this one was quick and easy to form - small but efficient, shielding them from external threats.
Kevin and Silas blocked the windows, ensuring no one from the outside could see them, while still leaving gaps for observation.
They all gathered near the covered windows, watching as the helicopter continued to hover over the area. It circled for another ten minutes, scanning for signs of movement before finally retreating into the distance.
Only then did they breathe a little easier.
With the immediate danger passed, the team sat down on whatever furniture they found in the room to discuss their situation.
"That was too close," Nina muttered, rubbing the back of her neck. "What the hell is going on in Mapleton?"
"The military is looking for survivors," Davian said with an unreadable expression on his face. "But something about it doesn’t feel right."
Grace turned her attention to 2025. "Glow, see if you can extract any data from the watch."
[Processing… Running full data retrieval…]
The team waited in silence as 2025 worked.
Meanwhile, Aleena leaned forward. "If they really are taking survivors to safe zones, why does it feel like they are hunting people instead of helping them?"
"That’s exactly what’s bothering me," Grace admitted. "In the previous timeline, things played out in a way that changed the world within the first three years of the apocalypse. The moment true chaos spread, the world divided into three groups."
She traced a finger along the dusty table, drawing three sections in the dirt.
"The first group was the higher-ups - elites who had wealth, power, and connections. They formed their own safe zones, protected by the strongest fighters, using government resources to ensure their own survival."
"The second group was the government and military," she continued, tapping the second section. "They became tools for the elites, controlling the world in their favor while maintaining a facade of ’helping survivors.’ But in truth, they only cared about those who were valuable to them."
Finally, she pointed at the third section. "And then there was everyone else. The general public - they were left to fend for themselves. They were forced to fight for scraps while the higher-ups hoarded resources and the military only protected those they deemed important."
Silas frowned. "And you think that’s already starting to happen?"
She exhaled. "It might be. The question is, why are they really gathering survivors? What are they looking for?"
Before anyone could respond, 2025 chimed in, it’s voice filling the room.
"Data retrieval complete. Displaying results."
A digital screen appeared above the dusty table, showing various files and reports. Grace skimmed through them, her sharp eyes catching keywords immediately.
- Subject Identification: High-Priority Survivors
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- Evaluation of Physical and Energy Capabilities
- Transfer to Secure Facilities Only
- Special Cases Require Direct Clearance
"They are searching for people with powers." Kevin’s voice was barely a whisper.
The rest of the team stiffened.
Aleena’s eyes narrowed. "They are looking for people like us."
Grace scrolled further through the files, absorbing every detail. The military wasn’t just rounding up random survivors. They were assessing people based on their abilities - strength, endurance, and most importantly... superpowers.
"These safe zones aren’t for everyone," she muttered. "They are collecting people with strong powers."
"And what happens to the ones who don’t meet their standards?" Nina asked darkly.
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It was Davian who provided the answer, based on how things turned out in the previous timeline. "They will be forced into slavery, experimentation, or to fight against the infected. It could be any of them - or all of them."
Silence filled the room.
Kevin clenched his jaw. "And we just barely avoided walking straight into their hands."
Grace tightened her grip on the table. "Which means we are running out of time. Whatever’s happening in the restricted zone - it might be connected to all of this. If the government is getting involved this aggressively, something big is coming."