Another month passed.
Lilith finally sent Lucien good news through the Grace System.
The Lifeline Routes were nearly complete.
Lucien read the report twice, and a smile slowly appeared on his face.
At last.
The most complicated portion of the World Fortification Plan was approaching completion.
Routes connecting major evacuation shelters, fortified cities, emergency supply points, medical stations, and retreat corridors had already been tested repeatedly.
If disaster struck, entire regions would no longer need to improvise while everything was collapsing around them.
The paths already existed. The contingencies already existed.
People only needed to follow them.
Lucien was still enjoying that thought when another message appeared.
Lilith wanted her reward.
His smile disappeared. Lucien stared at the message.
He had known this moment would come.
Knowing had not prepared him.
He considered pretending not to see it, but hat would probably make things worse.
