Inside the Fifth Building – Continued
"Absolutely not, Nick!" Madison's voice rose sharply. "And what do you mean by 'the others'? You didn't even talk to us first!"
Nick looked startled but stood his ground. "I meant us, Mom. Me and the others."
"Yeah, we want to join," Chris echoed.
"Chris!" Travis barked, glaring at his son.
Daniel turned to his daughter. "Ofelia… don't tell me you're with them too?"
Ofelia hesitated before nodding. Daniel sighed, then faced the group. "Well… it's not a bad idea to let them join."
Madison's eyes widened. "What do you mean by that, Daniel? They're kids! For Christ's sake!"
"Chris, this isn't a game," Travis said sternly.
"I know that, Dad," Chris replied, meeting his father's eyes. "But I'm not helpless."
Alex remained silent, observing everyone's reactions. Deep inside, he thought Victor and Daniel had a point—the children would eventually need to defend themselves if something happened to their parents. Leah, on the other hand, was trying to convince their kids to abandon the idea entirely.
"If it's about money you're worried about," Sofia said, "we can still earn units by working here, right?"
"We can," Chris replied, "but compared to being a soldier, it's not nearly as much."
"Ahem," Victor cleared his throat, drawing attention. "If I may?"
Alex raised an eyebrow. "What is it, Victor?"
"Letting them train isn't a bad idea," Victor said. "You can't protect them forever. What if you're gone one day? What will they do then?"
Madison and Travis fell silent, their anger giving way to grim reflection.
"Victor's right," Alex said at last. "They can at least learn how to protect themselves in this new world."
Angel suddenly spoke up. "Oh—by the way, Taylor's here too."
"What?!" several voices echoed.
"Taylor? That Taylor?" Madison asked in disbelief.
"Yeah," Angel said, nodding. "We confirmed it earlier with some people here. Looks like… she has a relationship with Marcus."
Victor's expression darkened slightly. He'd noticed earlier how Alex kept glancing at Sofia. So that's how it is, he thought. You're no different from me, Alex. The only difference is that you fight for your family… while I fight for myself. But in the end, we're both the same.
"Let's just wait for Marcus to come back," Alex suggested to the group.
"No!" Nick interrupted. "I don't want to wait. I want to start training now!"
Ray and Chris nodded in agreement.
Madison opened her mouth to protest, but her daughter spoke first. "Mom, I want to join too."
"Alicia, this isn't—" Madison began, but Travis raised a hand.
"Wait. Let's just allow them to join the training for now," he said. "At least until Marcus returns. That should be enough for the time being."
Madison hesitated, then sighed. "Fine. But this better not go too far."
"I'll talk to Ray about it," Alex said, standing up. He gave his family a reassuring hug before heading out.
Outside the Building
Alex stepped outside, realizing he didn't know where to find Ray. He approached a nearby soldier. "Excuse me. I'd like to speak with Ray."
The soldier recognized him immediately and nodded. "Follow me."
As they walked through the compound, Alex observed the people around them—laughing, working, and living as if the apocalypse had never happened. It felt almost… normal.
When they arrived at the headquarters, the soldier gestured for him to go in.
As Alex entered, the soldier watched him leave. Another soldier approached from the corridor.
"You're going to recruit him?" the newcomer asked.
"Not yet," the first soldier replied. "I'm still observing him."
"James has been getting impatient," the other said quietly.
The first soldier's face hardened. "Tell him to stay calm. We'll move once we've recruited more people. We need numbers before we make our first move."
The other soldier nodded grimly. "Agreed. The plan comes first."
Then they both walked off in different directions.
Inside the Headquarters
Alex was led deeper inside until they reached an office. There, he saw Ray and another familiar face—Max.
"Alex! You made it," Max said with a grin.
"Yeah," Alex replied, shaking his hand. "It's good to see you."
Ray leaned back in his chair. "So, what brings you here?"
"Ray," Alex began, "would it be possible for us to join the recruit training program? Just to try it out—for now."
"You mean all of you?" Ray asked.
Alex nodded. "Yes. Everyone."
Ray considered it for a moment before nodding. "There's no harm in trying. Alright, we'll do it your way."
"Thanks," Alex said gratefully.
"Don't mention it," Ray replied. "You're one of Marcus's people. That's good enough for me."
Ray turned to Max. "How are the departments holding up?"
"Everything's mostly on schedule," Max reported. "Just a few minor issues."
"What about the Medical Department?" Ray asked. "Have they implemented the safety plan—to ensure no one turns inside the base?"
"Almost," Max said. "But there's been a minor disturbance."
"Minor?" Ray repeated, frowning.
"Yeah. Some people have been causing trouble. No clear leads yet."
Ray's expression hardened. "Prioritize it. I've got a bad feeling about this."
Max nodded silently.
"Oh, right—you're still here, Alex," Ray said, turning back to him. "Did you need something else?"
"Actually, yes," Alex replied. "Can you tell me when Marcus would be back?"
Ray studied him for a moment. "Do you have something to say to him?"
"Yeah."
"They're on a mission," Ray answered.
"More specifically… in training."
"Training?" Alex echoed in surprise. Then a faint smile appeared on his lips. So Marcus is already preparing… as expected.
In a world like this, it's kill or be killed. He's one step ahead, as always. I'll need his help to make sure my family stays safe.
"When will he be back?" Alex asked.
"They're already on their way here," Max said from the side.
Alex's heart quickened. So they're done already…
Looks like I'll be meeting Marcus much sooner than expected.
He clenched his fists lightly and thought, Show me the Marcus of the Apocalypse.
"I wonder what have you become".
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