"You’re saying you saw that yard packed with box trucks - exactly the ones we need?"
Emily asked, surprised.
"Yeah, exactly! I’d say there were at least a dozen of them. And those huge fuel tankers too, way bigger than what we’ve got. The place was full of them."
Juniper Kumar replied, beaming. She was usually the optimistic one in the group, and now that the pressure had finally let up a bit, it showed.
"Then how co we didn’t see it on the way in?"
Emily glanced at her, confused.
"Because that loading yard is tucked around a corner!"
Juniper excitedly traced a shape on her palm and showed it to Emily. "Look, its gate is on the east side. When we ca in, we were heading from west to east, running parallel with the place. By the ti we turned onto the north-south road, we were already next to its main gate - but in the dark, the headlights didn’t hit it. And our bus windows have steel plates on them... so we couldn’t see anything.
"But heading back, we were coming from the north-south road and turning west. Zipped right past the gate at an angle. That’s when we caught it."
Juniper finished her explanation with a proud grin.
Magnus got the gist, though honestly, he didn’t care much about how they’d missed it. What mattered was whether Juniper was lying - if soone had gotten to her and was using her to lure the team into a trap.
But judging by her reaction, probably not.
He hesitated, then decided to let Emily and the others in the bus know - they might be dealing with enemies ard with automatic rifles. The air in the bus turned tense imdiately.
Juniper spoke up first, nervous, "Do you think we can take them? Maybe we should forget it - those trucks... we can find box trucks out on the streets, or in another loading yard. No need to pick a fight."
Magnus paused, silent for a mont, then looked at Juniper. "Did you see anything else there, besides the tankers and box trucks? Any sleeper buses like ours?"
"Uh... we didn’t really pay attention..."
Juniper turned to glance at the three others with her. They all looked equally unsure.
This hadn’t happened in his past life - that alone made Magnus wary. Trucks were everywhere, yeah, but what worried him more was how close that place was to Sophie’s yard. If those people were trouble, they’d have to scout elsewhere again.
And what if they really were with the Emberleaf Legion?
Back then, they took Springvale City in just 48 hours. What if this ti, soone in that scout party spotted their convoy, thought there were other well-equipped groups like theirs, and decided to strike early, clear out the supplies first?
That... could doom the whole Ice Regint. Everyone’s eyes were on Magnus, waiting for his final call. He thought for a mont, then turned to the won and said, "When we passed by this place earlier, they had to have seen us. But they didn’t co out to stop us. There are only two reasons for that - either they an no harm, or they’re wary of us. They don’t know who we are, whether we’ve got guns, or how many of us there are."
"So..." Magnus paused before continuing, "we’ll stick to the plan. I’ll take ten people in. Emily, you and the others stay out to cover us. If we’re not back in twenty minutes, you move out. Wait for morning, then try to get us out - or trade supplies if you have to."
Juniper gave a displeased look, mouth twitching. "Do we really need those damn trucks that bad?"
"We can live without the trucks, but we can’t afford to ignore who’s in there. If it’s the Emberleaf Legion and they march on the city tomorrow, none of us are getting out alive."
Magnus threw that line out, then didn’t wait for more questions. He just walked straight to the driver’s seat and climbed in. So situations allowed for group decisions. This wasn’t one of them. Letting others make the call back then got the Ice Regint killed.
*****
Just as Juniper had said, the lot was tucked right at the corner. The bus ca to a slow stop at the gate. Magnus got out with his squad as planned.
Facing down rifles with a nail gun, in broad daylight, while the enemy’s hidden? Even back in his previous life, Magnus hadn’t been in this bad a spot.
What made it a bit better was that it was still early in the apocalypse. Even the Emberleaf Legion still held on to so soldierly discipline. At least for now, they were still trying to protect what was left, not destroy everything.
This place wasn’t a proper depot, just a parking yard big enough for trucks - about thirty spaces and five garages.
The squad moved in groups of three. Luxe stuck close to Magnus. They reached the garage doors. Magnus raised his hand, motioning for a stop. All five garages were unlocked. That usually ant sothing was inside.
Then suddenly - "Bang! Bang!" - two gunshots rang out. Bullets struck the pavent right at Magnus’s feet. Fragnts kicked up and smacked his shin.
The hit wasn’t direct, just deflected, but it still had enough force to make him grunt in pain. Thankfully, his motorcycle gear had shin guards. Without them, the bone would’ve cracked.
"Who’s there?!" Luxe panicked, her voice shaking. "You think you’re tough, hiding and taking potshots? Co out if you’ve got the guts!"
She yanked the trigger on her nail gun, firing in rapid bursts at the garage doors.
Magnus quickly grabbed her shoulder. "I’m fine. Don’t lose it," he said firmly. Then he looked to the truck cabs on either side.
He expected it - and there they were. Two dark barrels aid right at them from each side.
And just then, two garage doors were yanked open at once.
"Don’t move! Hands on your head! Drop your weapons!" shouted a group of voices from inside.
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