Salvage Station 23

Chapter 3, Part 2

~~~

The bus rumbled through the deserted streets, its passage breaking the eerie silence that had settled over the city. Inside, the atmosphere was tense, a mixture of nervous anticipation and steely resolve.

Liam's hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, his eyes darting between the road ahead and the rearview mirror. In the seat beside him, Olivia sat with the map spread across her lap, occasionally murmuring directions.

"Take a left at the next intersection," she said softly. "We need to avoid the main roads as much as possible."

Liam nodded, carefully maneuvering the large vehicle around a cluster of abandoned cars. "How much farther?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Olivia traced their route with her finger. "About twenty minutes, give or take. Depends on how clear the roads are."

In the back of the bus, the rest of the group sat in tense silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Max, in an attempt to lighten the mood, leaned over to Aiden.

"Hey," he said with a forced grin. "Bet you a week's worth of dish duty that I take down more Jacks than you today."

Aiden raised an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You're on. But let's hope we don't encounter any at all."

"Agreed," Rosie chimed in from across the aisle. "The fewer we see, the better our chances of getting what we need and getting out safely."

Zoe, who had been fiddling nervously with one of the LED devices, looked up. "Do you really think these will work against them? I mean, we've never actually tested them on real Jacks."

Eli placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "They'll work. The light is intense enough to cause serious damage to their photosensitive skin. Plus, the strobe function should disorient them long enough for us to get away if needed."

David, who had been silently observing the conversation, spoke up. "Remember, everyone, these aren't just for offense. They're our primary defense too. If you see a Jack, don't hesitate to use the light. Better safe than sorry."

A murmur of agreement rippled through the group.

As they continued their journey, Mia's curiosity got the better of her nervousness. She turned to Olivia, who was still focused on the map.

"Olivia," she began hesitantly, "I've been wondering... why do we call our base Salvage Station 23?"

Olivia looked up, a hint of sadness flickering across her face before she composed herself. "Well, Mia, we call it Salvage Station 23 because it was the 23rd place we tried to set up a permanent base after the world went to hell. The others... well, they didn't work out. But this old train yard, it had everything we needed. Good walls, lots of materials to salvage, and enough space to grow. So we made it our home, our Salvage Station 23."

The bus fell silent as everyone absorbed this information, a reminder of the long, difficult journey that had brought them together.

After what seemed like an eternity, Liam's voice cut through the quiet. "We're here."

Everyone's attention snapped to the windows. The imposing structure of St. Mercy Hospital loomed before them, its once pristine facade now marred by the ravages of time and abandonment.

Liam carefully guided the bus towards their destination, parking it right next to the fire exit of the hospital. The sudden silence as the engine cut off was almost deafening.

Olivia stood up, steadying herself against the seat. "Alright, everyone. This is it. Remember the plan. We move as a unit, we watch each other's backs, and we get what we need as quickly as possible."

She paused, looking each member of the group in the eye. "I know we're all scared. But we're also prepared. We've trained for this. We can do this."

As the reality of what they were about to do settled heavily upon them, the group began their final preparations. Weapons were checked one last time, LED devices were powered up, and deep breaths were taken to steady nerves.

Then, with a nod from Olivia, they began to file out of the bus, stepping into the unknown dangers that awaited them at St. Mercy Hospital. The fire exit stood before them, a silent sentinel marking the beginning of their perilous mission.

~~~