"Can these thirty-four trucks hold all our supplies?" Magnus looked at Liana.
She shook her head. "No way. I’ve spent the last few days stripping out the bus seats with the crew and sealing up the windows. They’re cargo buses now."
"You actually thought of that?" Sophia raised a brow.
Liana grinned. "What’s the big deal? If we had the right tools, I could even cut two buses and make them into one big one - strip out the seats and make a proper motorho."
"Seriously?" Sophia’s eyes lit up. "Tell what you need. I’ll bring it."
"A cutter, a chanic, and a welder."
"Done." Sophia thumped her chest. "I’ll get it all."
Magnus didn’t look convinced. Still seed too simple for him.
"Speaking of the motorho!" Sophia suddenly turned to him, eyes narrowing. "Magnus, why’s Isla the only one living in it? Weren’t we all supposed to share it?"
They were still holding the eting in the vehicle’s living area. Isla was inside. Sophia hadn’t tried to keep her voice down, so the others imdiately fell silent. Charlotte shot her a glance.
Sophia gave a snorted laugh and looked away. But just then, the door to the bedroom opened. Isla stepped out slowly, walked to the couch, and looked around the room.
"I’ve thought about it too," she said softly. " living here alone doesn’t feel right."
"Keep staying," Charlotte chid in with a smile. "You’ve got a different background. If you stayed in the buses with the rest of us, people might bug you more. Once everyone’s used to having you around, you can move back out."
"No... I don’t want special treatnt." Isla bowed her head slightly. "I haven’t contributed as much. I don’t want others talking behind my back. I’ll move out tonight. Magnus, you should take this place. You’re the only man here, it’d be more convenient."
"I’m fine. I’m used to the sleeper truck. You stay," Magnus answered flatly.
Sophia rolled her eyes. "Convenient? Please. The only reason he won’t move in is because he’s enjoying freeloading off us girls in the sleeper."
Her words made Isla visibly uncomfortable. Truth was, she didn’t like being singled out either. She wanted to be part of the group. But she knew people might gossip.
"Don’t mind her," Magnus said, giving Sophia a sharp look. "Just stay where you are. Like Charlotte said, wait till everyone’s used to you, then move."
Isla nodded silently and went back into the room.
Magnus brought the conversation back on track. "Tomorrow and the day after, we rest. Then we head out to take Ashbrook Town."
That got everyone’s attention. Emily frowned. "Ashbrook Town... you really want to give up everything we’ve built here?"
"Ashbrook Town’s got underground grain vaults too - bigger than what we’ve got here, that’s for sure," Magnus said calmly, pointing at the map. "Staying holed up here isn’t a long-term plan. Sooner or later, we run out of food. Going to Ashbrook’s inevitable."
"Ashbrook Town..." Charlotte furrowed her brow, tapping the map lightly with her pen. "That’s over 400 kiloters from here, down south past Springvale City. Not easy to get there."
Magnus traced the line south on the map. "Emily, Sophia - any run-ins with Cliff’s n these past few days?"
"Yeah," Emily answered first. "Twice. But both tis it looked like recon squads - not real attacks."
"We had a scuffle too," Sophia added. "Took one of theirs alive. Word is, Cliff’s been busy digging up teorites. Doesn’t seem interested in us right now."
Silence followed. Everyone shared the sa unspoken concern.
Their base in the Ironvale County bunker was north of Springvale. Ashbrook lay to the south - straight line was 400 kiloters, but taking a safer route ant 700 or more. For Ice Regint, this wasn’t a trip - it was a damn campaign.
"Magnus, I need to know where you stand on this." Charlotte’s tone grew serious as she looked him in the eye.
He didn’t flinch. "Say what’s on your mind."
"I want to hear it from you. Are you set on taking Ashbrook? No matter what it costs us?"
He paused, then nodded. "Yeah. We have to take it."
"Then let’s stop splitting forces," Charlotte said flatly. "Two days of prep here, then we abandon the bunker. We go all in - whole regint to Ashbrook. Whatever it takes."
Magnus hesitated. "Won’t that be too risky? What if we run into Cliff’s main force?"
"You think just sending you and Sophia is any less risky?" Charlotte shot back.
Emily chid in, "I doubt they’ll move a full unit out. They’re still neck-deep in that teorite ss. Leaving the city with a full team? Makes no sense - unless they’re also eyeing Ashbrook."
Magnus shook his head. "That’s not happening. If Cliff was after Ashbrook, Vulture wouldn’t be alive right now."
"Then we’ve got no reason to hesitate," Charlotte said firmly. "We move as one. This bunker’s solid, sure - but like you said, food won’t last. We’ll have to leave eventually. Might as well be now."
All together... The idea stuck with Magnus. Truth be told, splitting up was only ever about playing it safe. Avoiding a head-on collision with Cliff’s n.
But now, with the Nature Crystal in hand, even running into Baxter’s army wouldn’t be a death sentence. Not guaranteed, anyway.
The real threat was their damn tanks, missile trucks, and mortars - those could wipe out a squad in seconds.
Still... if they pulled it off - seize Ashbrook, control the grain, maybe even force Cliff to a deal - then Ice Regint might just survive this hell.
"Alright then." Magnus flicked away his cigarette, stood up, and looked at his people. "Just like Charlotte said - we rest two days. Then we move out at dawn. Ashbrook’s ours."
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