The Endgame Chronicles (by Hugh White) novel Chapter 44

Chapter 44

When Hayley drove her armored truck up into the mountain estates, she saw rows of villas stacked neatly along the hillside.

Each house sat far apart, private and secluded, overlooking all of Aecraton like it was their personal kingdom.

Anyone who could afford to live here had to be one of Aecraton’s richest or most powerful.

Hayley sent the dogs out to scout for survivors.

“East, South-you two check the left side.

“West, North-head south.

“Heart, Joker-you’re going uphill.

“Front Legs, Spade-you stay here. If anyone shows up, let me know!”

“Woof, woof!”

The eight dogs bolted off, spreading out to follow her orders.

Hayley, unhurried, pulled out a sign from her pack and staked it in the ground. On it, she scrawled, “Private Territory. Trespassers Will Be Killed.”

She didn’t bother adding “Beware of Dogs”.

This was one of her outer radiation zones-territory she didn’t plan to check on regularly. She simply didn’t have enough dogs to cover everything. The sign was enough. If anyone ignored it, they would pay the price.

By the time she finished, the dogs had returned, and still, there was no alert in her mind.

Hayley glanced at the ten villas spread across the slope. She knew she would have to clear each one to claim the land.

She left four dogs outside to guard the area and brought East, South, West, and North with her to begin the sweep.

The first villa looked untouched, its front gate still secured with the original lock. Hayley pulled a wire from her inventory and fiddled with it until the lock popped open.

After this long in the apocalypse, she had picked up all sorts of skills.

Inside, the villa was still a bare unit, completely unfinished. She gave it a quick once-over, then marked a big “H” on the mailbox outside.

Immediately, a map unfolded in her mind.

Ding! [Territory expanded by 500 square feet! Reward: 100 points!]

1/3

Chapter 44

+25 Bonus

Hayley smiled. That was more like it.

She kept moving, villa after villa.

Out of the first eight, only two had been renovated. The rest were just bare units, untouched since construction. She didn’t see a single person One by one, she claimed them, expanding her territory with ease.

When she reached the ninth house, things changed. A car was parked in the small front garden.

She brushed her fingers along the window and found only a light layer of dust. Whoever owned it hadn’t been here long.

She studied the windows of the villa. Every curtain was drawn tight.

Hayley knocked on the door, then pressed the doorbell. The chime echoed through the silent neighborhood, but no sound came from inside.

Her brows lifted slightly. Pulling out her wire again, she worked on the lock. But this time, she felt resistance the door was locked from the inside.

That sealed it. Someone was definitely in there.

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