Salvage Station 23

Chapter 1, Part 2

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Olivia crouched behind a rusted freight car, her heart pounding. The approaching bus had finally slowed, its engine sputtering as it rolled to a stop just outside their makeshift gate.

"Everyone in position?" she whispered into the walkie-talkie.

"Roger that," came Eli's voice, tinny through the speaker. "Zoe and I are on the water tower. We've got eyes on the whole yard."

"Good," Olivia replied. "Remember, no one moves unless I give the signal."

The bus door creaked open, and Olivia held her breath. A figure stepped out - tall, broad-shouldered, definitely an adult. Male, probably. He raised his hands slowly, showing he was unarmed.

"Hello?" the man called out. "We don't mean any harm. We're just looking for shelter, maybe some supplies. We have things to trade."

Olivia hesitated. The man's voice sounded tired, desperate even. But that could be a trick.

Another figure emerged from the bus - A teenager, by the looks of it.

"Please," the teen said, and Olivia was surprised to hear a girl's voice. "We've been driving for days. We're out of food, almost out of gas. If you're out there, we could really use some help."

Olivia's walkie-talkie crackled. "What do we do, Olivia?" Zoe whispered.

Olivia closed her eyes, weighing her options. The smart move would be to send them away. But hadn't they built this place to help people? Wasn't that the whole point?

She made her decision.

"I'm coming out," Olivia announced, loud enough for the newcomers to hear. "Don't try anything."

She stepped out from behind the freight car, hands raised to mirror the man's pose. As she got closer, she could see them better. The man was older than she'd thought, with gray streaking his beard. The girl looked about Olivia's age, her face pale with exhaustion.

"I'm Olivia," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "This is Salvage Station 23. Who are you?"

The man smiled, relief evident on his face. "I'm David. This is my daughter, Mia. We've been on the road since... well, since everything went to hell. Heard rumors of a safe place out this way."

Olivia nodded, still wary. "How many of you are there?"

"Just us," Mia said. "There were more, but..." She trailed off, her eyes darkening with memories.

Olivia knew that look all too well. She made a decision.

"Alright," she said. "You can come in, but there are rules. First, we'll need to check your bus for weapons. You'll surrender anything you have. Second, you'll be under watch for the first few days. And third..." She paused, making sure they understood the gravity of her words. "If you try anything, anything at all, to hurt my people, I'll personally make sure you regret it. Clear?"

David nodded solemnly. "Crystal clear. Thank you. You won't regret this."

As Olivia waved for Eli and the others to come help, she couldn't shake a nagging feeling. She hoped David was right, that she wouldn't regret this. But in this new world, trust was a luxury they could rarely afford.

"Welcome to Salvage Station 23," she said, gesturing towards the gate. "Let's get you settled in."

As they walked, Olivia couldn't help but notice Mia's curious gaze darting around the train yard. There was something in her eyes - a mix of wonder and... recognition? Olivia filed that observation away. In this world, every detail could be the difference between survival and disaster.

The gates creaked closed behind them, and a new chapter in the life of Salvage Station 23 began.

~~~