"Everyone's been doing great lately. Rock Fortress is stable for the time being, but we can't just hide in the mountains like groundhogs! I'm sure you've all noticed—every one of us has been pretty busy."
Ancheta sneaked a glance at her and muttered quietly, "Pretty busy? I've been spinning like a top. I haven't had a proper night's sleep all month!"
Mike, standing beside him, couldn't hold back a snort of laughter, and Leah shot the two of them a helpless glare.
As the team's only combat engineer, Ancheta hadn't had a moment of rest since they began building the defensive fortifications. Calista practically treated him like an octopus, wishing he had eight arms to work with.
She finally understood what it felt like to be the boss.
As long as someone wasn't dead, you worked them to the bone.
Calista swept her gaze across the group.
"So right now, manpower is what we lack the most. Next comes supplies. Our stockpile is already more than enough, but you know how it is—more is always better!"
She silently thanked fate for giving her such a good identity after crossing over, and thanked her past self for the insane stockpiling before the apocalypse. Only because of that could Calista speak with such extravagant confidence.
If other survivor groups—those struggling every day to scrape together supplies—heard her say that, they'd probably start a fight on the spot.
It was simply too infuriating.
The extravagantly confident Calista tapped several locations she had just circled on the map with her slender finger, signaling everyone to remember them.
"Send people to scout these places. If there are military survivors, bring them back and fold them in.
If there aren't, gather whatever supplies you can. When the military established their safe zones, they probably didn't manage to evacuate everything. A lot of things were likely left behind."
Carver's eyes lit up as he gave a roguish whistle.
"Wow. So you're planning to 'take over' friendly forces—and their belongings?"
"Exactly!" Calista nodded without the slightest shame. "But before we go, we need to settle things at home first. And along the way, we'll pick up a little 'junk.'"
Ideally, they would first build the barbed-wire perimeter project she had been dreaming about.
Then they'd solve Rock Fortress's water and electricity issues.
Just as she had expected, within the first month of the apocalypse, Twilight Manor's internet, electrical system, and water supply had all shut down one after another.
Which meant the outside power companies and water plants had already fallen.
The government had most likely completely collapsed.
Fortunately, as a winery estate deep in the mountains, the manor already had backup generator units and a mountain spring water system. They could barely keep Rock Fortress supplied.
That alone already put them far ahead of most survivor camps.
At the same time, if those military bases had survivors, they would try to bring them under their control.
If no one was there, they'd have to leave them for now and wait for another opportunity.
Everything would depend on the reconnaissance team's report.
Calista already had a clear order of priorities in mind. Her finger slid across the map.
"Ancheta."
"Here!" Ancheta straightened immediately.
"Who were the people with you last time when you blew up the road and built the defenses?"
"Jonathan handled the demolition. Then there were Leon, Hank, and Maya," Rickson spoke up. They were all members of his squad.
"Then the home front is yours. You can also bring Tom—he used to be the manor's mechanical maintenance worker. There are two core tasks.
First: use the winery's existing generator units and mountain spring system to stabilize our own power grid and water purification cycle. No more tripping breakers all the time.
Second—Mr. Howard!"
She turned to the experienced retired professor.
"You take Martha, Mira, and the others and make use of those greenhouse sheds behind the winery. Study what we can grow.
Fruits, vegetables, grains—whatever survives easily, plant it! Even if we ration the canned food we've stockpiled, it'll only last four or five years. We need to think long-term.
I remember there are some seed reserves in the barn. You're the expert in this—use them as you see fit."
"Don't worry, Calista. Leave it to me." Howard pushed up his reading glasses.
"Rickson, Evans—once we leave, Rock Fortress will be under your watch. Everything else stays the same. If any survivors come looking for shelter, Rickson, you handle it."
Calista winked at Rickson.
Rickson gave an "OK" hand sign.
Calista had already discussed recruitment standards with Rickson in private. She decided to borrow Rick's classic three-question rule.
How many walkers have you killed?
How many people have you killed?
Why?
However, she gave Rickson significant autonomy. Based on that foundation, he could further screen people by instinct and profession to select the most useful ones.
Because in the early stage, when manpower was scarce, quality mattered more than quantity.
They couldn't afford to bring unstable elements inside.
Only when the trusted core circle grew larger would they consider expanding the outer ranks.
Rock Fortress needed a stable core.
Leah was actually a little hesitant about the recruitment standards.
Rickson's personality was hard and uncompromising. If someone was useless or disobedient, he might refuse them outright.
She wanted to persuade Calista to think it over again.
Calista's brows twitched slightly. Before Leah could speak, she cut in and addressed the combat team—Leah, Carver, and the others.
"Next, let's talk about giving Rock Fortress's defenses a little extra boost!"
Sorry about that, Leah.
She knew her sister well. Just like in the original storyline, Leah was cold on the outside but warm on the inside—too soft-hearted at times.
If they were all leaving, someone like Rickson with a stubborn, hardline style was exactly the kind of person needed to guard the gate.
If someone more gentle stayed behind, they might return from the trip only to find their home looted.
Calista pointed to several marked spots dozens of miles away from Rock Fortress on the map.
"Here—there's a fairly large building materials market in the suburbs of Chattanooga.
Here—a factory that specializes in producing protective netting and barbed wire.
And here…"
Her finger stopped on a more distant location.
"There's a small broadcasting station. The staff probably evacuated already, but maybe we can dig up some 'junk'—like communication equipment."
Mike rubbed his hands together, excitement written all over his face.
"You're taking us out for some zero-dollar shopping!"
Leah, momentarily thrown off, followed Calista's proposed route in her mind before adding,
"Do we have a route planned? What about personnel?"
"I've already planned the route. We'll avoid big cities and known military safe zones, sticking to mountain roads and rural highways. As for personnel and equipment, you decide. After all, you're the professionals, sister."
Calista blinked and gave Leah a soft, obedient smile.
Faced with that look from her little sister, Leah completely forgot what she had been about to say.
A sweet and adorable little sister like this had to be protected.
She quickly scanned her team and picked the members.
"Then it'll be me, Cali, Carver, Turner, Bossie, Mike, Danny, and Jenson. Eight people.
Two Humvees.
Bring plenty of weapons and ammo—especially sniper rifles and suppressors. Let's keep the noise down."
During her last trip out, Leah had hauled back a massive stash of military weapons. Rock Fortress was now extremely well-equipped.
Calista had already prepared for this. She took out a marked route map and handed it around for everyone to look over.
"Understood!" everyone answered in unison, their eyes shining with excitement.
Taking the initiative and expanding their territory felt far more thrilling than simply sitting back and defending.
Two days later, two modified Humvees quietly drove out of Rock Fortress.