Salvage Station 23

Chapter 2, Part 13

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The dining area of Salvage Station 23 buzzed with activity as the group gathered for their evening meal. The air was filled with the tantalizing aroma of Rosie's cooking, a welcome change from their usual fare of canned goods and stale crackers. She stood at the makeshift stove, stirring a large pot with intense concentration.

"What's on the menu tonight, Rosie?" Max called out, his stomach growling audibly. "It smells amazing!"

Rosie glanced over her shoulder with a small smile. "It's a stew. I found some root vegetables in that overgrown garden behind the station, and there was some canned meat that needed using up. I hope it turns out okay."

"Are you kidding?" Zoe exclaimed, inhaling deeply. "It smells like heaven!"

Olivia nodded in agreement. "It's a nice change. Thank you for doing this, Rosie."

As Rosie continued cooking, the others settled around the large, scavenged table. Eli and Zoe were still buzzing with excitement from their successful LED project.

"You should have seen it," Eli gushed, gesticulating wildly. "The light was so bright, it was like staring into the sun!"

David chuckled. "Let's hope it's enough to keep those Jacks at bay."

"Oh, it will be," Zoe assured him confidently. "We even added a strobe function that should disorient them if they get too close."

Aiden leaned forward, interested. "How long will the batteries last?"

"We've managed to rig up a pretty efficient power system," Eli explained. "They should last for several hours of continuous use. But we're working on a solar charging option as a backup."

Liam's eyes widened. "Solar charging? That's incredible!"

Max grinned, ruffling Liam's hair. "We've got some real geniuses here, kid. Who needs universities when you've got the apocalypse to inspire innovation?"

Everyone laughed, the tension of the upcoming mission momentarily forgotten.

Mia, who had been quiet, spoke up. "So, what's the plan for tomorrow? Last day before the big raid, right?"

Olivia nodded, her expression turning serious. "We'll do a final gear check in the morning. Then we'll run through the plan one more time, make sure everyone knows their role."

"And don't forget," David added, "we need to top off the fuel in the bus. We can't risk running low during the mission."

Rosie turned from the stove, wiping her hands on a makeshift apron. "I can help with that. I know a few tricks for siphoning fuel efficiently."

"Great," Olivia smiled. "We'll add that to the to-do list."

As Rosie began ladling the stew into mismatched bowls, the conversation continued to flow. Max regaled the group with one of his infamous jokes, earning groans and laughter in equal measure.

"Alright, alright," Aiden said, trying to stifle his chuckles. "Enough with the comedy routine. We should discuss our inventory. What supplies are we critically low on?"

Zoe pulled out a worn notebook. "Well, we're running dangerously low on antibiotics. And our bandage supply is almost depleted."

"Pain meds too," Liam added quietly, rubbing his healing leg.

Rosie chimed in, her expression serious. "And we're scraping the bottom of the barrel when it comes to food. This stew used up most of what we had left. We've got maybe two days of rations, three if we stretch it."

David nodded gravely. "Looks like we need to add food to our top priorities at the hospital then, alongside the medical supplies."

Olivia frowned, concern etching her features. "You're right. We can't afford to come back empty-handed. We'll need to find the hospital's cafeteria or any storage areas that might still have non-perishables."

As they ate, the group continued to discuss the mission, their voices a mix of excitement, anxiety, and determination, now tinged with an added sense of urgency due to their dwindling food supplies.

"You know," Eli said between mouthfuls, "I've been thinking about the hospital layout. If we can secure the pharmacy first, we could set up a base of operations there."

Rosie nodded thoughtfully. "That's not a bad idea. The pharmacy would likely have security measures already in place. Might make it easier to defend."

"Good thinking," Olivia agreed. "We'll add that to the plan."

As the meal wound down, Max raised his water-filled mug in a toast. "To Rosie's cooking! And to kicking some Jack ass in two days!"

Everyone laughed and raised their mugs, the clink of glass a bright sound in the dimly lit room.

Mia turned to Rosie, her eyes shining with gratitude. "This was really good, Rosie. Thank you."

Rosie ducked her head, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "It was nothing. I just... wanted to do something nice. You know, before..."

She didn't finish the sentence, but everyone understood. Before the mission. Before they risked everything.

A moment of silence fell over the group, the reality of what they were about to undertake settling in. But it wasn't a hopeless silence. It was filled with determination, camaraderie, and a shared resolve to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

Olivia finally broke the silence, her voice soft but firm. "Whatever happens at St. Mercy Hospital, we face it together. We're more than just survivors now. We're a family."

A chorus of agreement rose from the table, and as they began to clear away the dishes, the atmosphere was charged with a mixture of nervousness and excitement. Tomorrow would be their last day of preparation, and then... then they would face the Jacks and whatever other horrors awaited them at St. Mercy Hospital.

But for now, in this moment, they were together, they were fed, and they are ready to face whatever comes next.

~~~