Mankind

Chapter Nine

Steelton. Joan's home, for now, her prison. She had hoped someone back in O'Connor got her SOS but she couldn't be too sure that the radio even reached that far. She still didn't know what she was even doing here. Joan knew they took her for her work in Epidemiology and vaccines but they hadn't put her to work yet and it concerned her. All she's been doing is supply runs into the heart of the city.
Joan's unease only grew with each passing day in Steelton. The city, once bustling with life, now felt like a ghost town haunted by the specter of the epidemic. As she navigated the desolate streets on her supply runs, she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, as if unseen eyes followed her every move.

The Steelton Federation Alliance kept their true intentions shrouded in secrecy, leaving Joan to ponder the purpose behind her presence in the city. She had heard whispers among the residents, rumors of experiments conducted in hidden laboratories, and the pursuit of a mysterious boy rumored to be immune to the virus.

Joan knew she had to tread carefully. The Federation held sway over Steelton with an iron grip, and any sign of disobedience could have dire consequences. But deep down, a flicker of defiance burned within her, a determination to uncover the truth and perhaps find a way to atone for her unwitting role in the catastrophe that had befallen the world.

As morning came, so did a knock at the door. When she opened it, she expected to see Melody but instead, a Federation soldier stood before her. A brute, tall, and scarred, dressed in black fatigues with red circles around the shoulders and wrists, and she knew the red meant higher up in the ranks.
The soldier's gaze bore into her, cold and calculating, as if assessing her every move. Joan forced herself to maintain a facade of composure, though her nerves churned with apprehension.
"You're needed for a special assignment. The Director would like to see you." His eyes didn't blink one time. She turned in the doorway to grab her things but he stopped her. "You're needed now."

Joan's heart quickened at the soldier's curt command. She knew better than to defy the Federation's orders, especially when summoned by the Director himself. With a resigned sigh, she nodded in compliance and followed the soldier down the steps and to the truck.

What could this "special assignment" entail? And why was the Director personally requesting her presence?

The drive only takes about thirty minutes of dodging parked cars and obliterated chunks of road. They pass through multiple walls each with their own set of security teams and finally, the last wall holds the Federation's compound. The Steelton Stadium.

As they approached the imposing structure of the Steelton Stadium, Joan couldn't help but feel unease settling in the pit of her stomach. The stadium, once a bustling hub of entertainment and sporting events, now loomed before her as a symbol of the Federation's power and control.

The soldier escorting her remained silent, his demeanor unreadable as they passed through the heavily guarded gates of the compound. Joan's pulse quickened with each step closer to the heart of the Federation's operations, her mind racing with a myriad of unsettling possibilities.

Inside the stadium, the atmosphere was tense, the air thick with the scent of sweat and anticipation. Federation operatives moved with purpose and poise.

Joan followed the soldier through the maze-like corridors of the stadium, her senses on high alert as they approached a set of reinforced double doors guarded by two imposing figures in Federation uniforms. Without a word, the soldier nodded to the guards, who stepped aside to allow them entry.

Beyond the doors lay a vast chamber, dimly lit and filled with rows of monitors and equipment humming with activity. At the center of the chamber stood a figure clad in black, his back turned to them as he studied a large monitor displaying complex data streams.