(Extra Chapter)
After a full day of high-intensity work acting as "Whisperers," pulling an all-nighter to draft plans, and then spending the entire morning finalizing details and rolling everything out, Calista finally crashed once the adrenaline wore off.
When she woke up, it was already noon the next day. After a quick wash and a bite to eat, she immediately went to find Leah.
"Get Carver, Mike, Turner, and Bossie. We're heading to Blackberry Ranch to check it out in person," Calista said as she checked her gear.
"No matter how good the plans look on paper, we need to survey the site. And we'll clear out any remaining walkers while we're at it."
Leah smiled at her sister's restored energy.
"Already arranged. Just waiting for you to wake up."
Soon, the six-person team assembled and drove an off-road vehicle toward Blackberry Ranch at the foot of the mountain.
Thanks to the earlier Whisperer plan, which had drawn most of the surrounding walkers toward Lorenzo's stronghold, both the road to the ranch and the ranch itself were unusually clear.
Only a few scattered walkers remained, either moving painfully slowly or trapped in abandoned vehicles. None posed a real threat.
But Calista wanted absolute safety, clearing the way for inspection, planning, and the large-scale construction to come.
They stopped near the ranch entrance.
What had once been a picturesque vacation ranch now lay in disrepair.
Abandoned RVs and camping gear littered the grass, and the main buildings showed varying degrees of damage.
"Spread out. Stay in contact."
The six split into a loose formation, spacing themselves dozens of meters apart, close enough to support each other while covering more ground.
Calista and Leah moved together along the bed of a dried-up creek.
They stepped lightly, checking every blind spot where a walker might be hiding.
"Left side. One in the shadow of that RV," Calista whispered, raising her rifle slightly.
Leah glanced over and spotted it.
A half-torso walker, its rotting intestines dragging behind it, clawing mindlessly at the ground beneath an overturned RV.
Sensing the living, it jerked its head up and let out a hoarse growl.
Leah raised her suppressed rifle without hesitation.
A soft shot.
The bullet pierced straight through its forehead. The walker snapped back and went still.
"Clear."
Elsewhere, Carver and Turner ran into a minor situation.
Near a campsite restroom, they found three walkers trapped inside, two men and one woman.
The door had been jammed shut from the outside, leaving them to rot inside. Now, hearing movement, they slammed wildly against the thin wooden door.
"Look at that. VIP suite," Carver grinned, pulling out his pistol. "Time to check them out."
"Too loud," Turner stopped him. "No suppressor. Use this."
He handed over a heavy axe.
Carver took it, weighed it once, and grinned.
He signaled Turner to cover him, then kicked the already fragile door open.
The three walkers stumbled out immediately, howling.
Carver stepped forward instead of back, slipping past the first one's lunge. His axe flashed down, crushing the second walker's skull.
At the same time, he drove a sharp kick into the third, sending it crashing back into a stall.
The first walker turned and lunged again.
Carver didn't even look. He swung the axe backhand.
Bone cracked.
The walker's neck was nearly severed, its head hanging at an unnatural angle before the body collapsed.
The one in the stall tried to rise, but Turner was already there. His knife drove cleanly through its eye socket and twisted.
Less than ten seconds.
No unnecessary noise.
"Area clear," Turner reported over the radio.
Mike and Bossie's side went just as smoothly.
As long as they didn't run into a full horde, scattered walkers were nothing to a team of seasoned mercenaries.
The six advanced methodically, clearing every remaining walker with efficient precision.
Gunfire was rare. Most of the work was done with blades, the dull sounds of steel striking flesh echoing quietly.
Occasionally, a walker would appear from an unexpected spot, a hotel window, a storage basement in the commercial area, but each one was dealt with instantly.
Blackberry Ranch was divided into five zones: resort lodging, dining and conference, sightseeing, activity experience, and commercial shopping. Including the surrounding forest, it covered 4,200 acres.
An hour later, all main human-use areas had been thoroughly cleared. No walker threat remained.
"Alright, now we can plan properly."
Calista put away her weapon and pulled out her map and notebook.
The six began surveying the site.
Calista pointed at a section of the map.
"This area is flat and close to water. The creek is dry, but groundwater should still be accessible. This can be our main farmland."
"The residential zone can expand around the existing resort buildings," Leah added. "Use that central plaza as a hub. Easier to manage and defend."
"Livestock pens go on that leeward slope," Carver said, pointing. "Reinforce the existing fencing and it's good to go."
"Defense is the priority," Bossie said, marking the map. "We need a full perimeter fence, higher barbed wire, at least four watchtowers with full coverage. Entry points need barricades and checkpoints."
Mike stroked his chin.
"If we could connect this to Rock Fortress, that'd be ideal."
Turner shot him a look.
"Connect it? What, run barbed wire and forest all the way between them? What, you gonna wall off the entire area?"
They continued discussing, marking positions, estimating distances, and evaluating terrain advantages.
Calista's gaze drifted farther, toward Black Bear Creek flowing down from the Great Smoky Mountains.
"Elena's water project is key," she said, pointing toward it.
"We can start an irrigation channel here. Use the natural slope to bring water down to the farmland and residential areas.
If we can set up even a small hydroelectric system, that solves our long-term power problem."
"Maya's already out gathering materials," Leah said. "Barbed wire, construction supplies, everything Elena needs."
"Once the materials are in, Ancheta can get the perimeter defenses up quickly."
Calista nodded.
"Once the defenses are in place, we move everyone from the temporary camp here.
Then we start everything at once. Farming, construction, water systems. Everyone works. Everyone earns points."
With the initial plan mapped out, the six returned to the vehicle.
Calista suddenly clapped her hands.
"Oh right, we're not doing all this for free. We'll have Mrs. Howard calculate points for today when we get back."
Laughter broke out inside the vehicle.
Looking back at the worn but promising land, each of them felt a surge of excitement.
This was a new beginning.
Agriculture, livestock, housing, and eventually industry.
A truly self-sufficient survivor community was no longer just an idea. It was taking shape, step by step, in their hands.
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on p-@-treon.
p-@-treon/GhostParser (40 Chapters Ahead)
You can also follow as a free member to read a few advanced chapters.