The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 456

Chapter 456

Zeph watched Nicole go, a faint smile at the corner of his mouth.

Poppy didn’t quite follow. She looked up at him.

He reached over and ruffled her hair. “No matter what happens, whether Nicole and I are around or not, you have. to learn to protect yourself. Don’t end up like them.”

She only half understood, but she nodded anyway. “Okay.”

They followed at a distance, moving quietly over two hills before a wooden house came into view at the base, with a cave dwelling beside it.

At the faint noise outside, several men stepped out.

Nicole counted quickly. Including the four who had just returned, there were ten in total.

These people… No, they didn’t deserve that word. They were monsters.

They crowded around the two girls, grabbing at them, faces full of disdain. “Nothing there to grab.”

“Seriously? Is this the best you could do?” one of them asked.

“You think I didn’t try?” the other replied. “The streets are full of starving people, and anyone with money has armed guards. It’s not that easy.”

“As long as it works, who cares? Don’t be picky. They’re going in the pot sooner or later.”

Two men stepped forward, grabbing the girls by the hair. Ignoring their sobs and pleas, they dragged them toward the stream behind the grove, planning to wash them first.

Dusk was settling in. One bruised boy was left behind, while the others shoved the captives into the cave on the right.

Nicole lifted her binoculars and took everything in.

There were more people locked inside. Women on the left, men on the right.

It was dark and damp. They ate, slept, and relieved themselves in the same space. It was worse than a pen for

animals.

The men weren’t stupid. With patrols stationed in the city, it was no longer safe there. So they had moved deep into the mountains.

Far from any oversight, they could do whatever they wanted. There were probably more like them, scattered in places just like this.

Something tightened in Nicole’s chest.

Out front, a fire had already been lit. Water was set to boil.

Zeph didn’t want her watching anymore. He fitted a suppressor onto his gun. “You take the two behind the grove. I’ll handle the ones in front. They probably don’t have guns, but stay sharp.”

Nicole nodded and pulled on a bulletproof vest, just in case.

Poppy and Cola got one, too. Zeph sent them off with the rabbits to find somewhere safe and stay hidden.

1/2

+15 Bahus

The rabbits, sitting in a cage with no protection at all, stared blankly.

Right. Everyone else got gear except them.

Nicole had barely moved when Cola slipped after her, determined to follow. He wasn’t about to leave his human.

Poppy, left behind again, stood there without a word.

She wanted to help, too.

Nicole circled around the back of the grove.

Two men were forcing the girls under the water again and again, holding them down until they choked. Their faces twisted with amusement, filthy curses spilling out between laughs.

They hadn’t considered any danger out here. Neither of them noticed Nicole standing above the pool.

The sun dipped lower, casting long shadows across the water.

One of the men caught sight of a reflection. At first, he didn’t think much of it, but then he realized something was

wrong.

The shadow looked too slim. It looked like…a woman.

A woman.

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