Survival

Chapter 45 Unfamiliar face

Mischa grinned as she and her new group of co-workers went through the utility room lined with thick coats, hats, gloves, and helmets. Shortly, she'd be back out in the world and one step closer to finding Vita and Gunnar. April walked her through the motions of preparing herself for the outdoors: a world she hadn't seen in nearly two months. It would take a lot of restraint not to run as soon as her eyes adjusted to daylight. Quinton, she had to stay until they could both make a calculated and intelligent break for it. He seemed to need the escape as much as she did lately.

"Your eyes will be extra sensitive to UV rays and natural light now, so you'll need a pair of these." April handed Mischa a boxy set of tinted glasses.

When Mischa brought them up to her face, the rubber jutting out from the frames reached her cheeks and sealed tight like a scuba mask.

"This seems unnecessary," Mischa said. She set the black monstrosity back on the table.

"What is unnecessary, new recruit, is blindness. When you lose your sight, no matter how short an occasion, you are vulnerable. We are in charge of your protection and will not tolerate avoidable risks," a male security officer said. His temper was as short as his buzzed hair.

April began to secure a thick black vest, thrown over her chest and back. Her appearance resembled the security officers' more and more. Not wanting to be yelled at again, Mischa donned one of the thick vests under the thick yet loose shirt provided. The protective wear was heavier than anything she had worn before. If Quinton were here, he would have joked about the backward nature of becoming medieval knights in what was supposed to be a futuristic society.

"Should I even bother asking about the bulletproof vests?"

 April put on a forced smile."We can't risk losing the few of us that actually made it into the facility."

Her eyes scanned the room and her voiced dropped. "At first they told us it was for wind projectiles, then when we rarely encountered storms they told us, 'You never know if rogue survivors of the disaster will attack for a spot in here.'"

Mischa leaned close to April and whispered, "Do you honestly believe that?"

She shrugged. "Lives are worth protecting."

"What about those survivor's lives?"

What if Vita or Gunnar were the ones approaching? She doubted either could pose much of a threat, but if this facility had fewer and fewer scruples, the outcome would devastate her.

April simply looked down at the ground as the corners of her lips sunk. At that moment, Mischa could feel a pair of eyes upon them, the same cold stare that had reprimanded her before. She'd have to wait to get better information from April when her questions didn't put her friend at risk.

The thick pants and shirt caused Mischa to waddle over to the supply room where she picked up a bamboo woven basket to strap to her back. A couple of the other gardeners carried large black bags together which must have contained the tools. Were they too paranoid to even leave them in a shed outside?

A woman in a white lab coat entered the room and spoke with the security officer. Her gaze scanned the room until her eyes landed on Mischa. She motioned for Mischa to come over before turning back to the officer. Mischa's palms began to sweat as she slowly made her way over. White coats only meant one thing.

"This isn't the right booster," the security officer said.

"She can't have the regular one."

"Why not?"

"According to her file, the chemical poses too much of a risk to her current health."

The officer crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at her. "Other women here get the same shot without any effects. Why the sudden change?"