After a simple identity check and preliminary inspection, the heavy metal gate slowly opened with the creak of a winch, leaving only a narrow gap just wide enough for people to pass through.
Beyond the gate was a tightly controlled passage leading upward.
"Keep up! Stay quiet!" Maya called from inside the gate, motioning for them to enter.
Marcus took a deep breath and stepped through the gap first.
Knox, Clifford, Anna, Gwendolyn, David, and the others followed closely behind.
When they passed through the gate and truly stepped into Rock Fortress, the sight struck them hard all over again.
Inside the gate, the areas on both sides did not lead directly into the living quarters. Instead, there was a relatively separate zone enclosed by barbed wire. The quarantine zone.
Dozens of thick military tents stood in neat rows. The ground had been leveled, and drainage ditches had even been dug.
Some Rock Fortress staff were busy working.
In the distance, faint voices and the sound of machinery could be heard from the auxiliary buildings around the three main castle buildings.
Although this was only the quarantine zone, its order, cleanliness, and basic facilities already far surpassed their old camp.
There were designated water points, sorted waste areas, and even temporary toilets that were relatively clean.
The residents of the Norris community were told to line up again. Ellie registered them, handed out temporary numbered wristbands, and explained the strict rules during quarantine.
They were not allowed to leave the designated area without permission. All actions had to follow orders. Food and water rations were to be collected on schedule. They also had to accept regular health checks and questioning.
The whole process was strict, almost cold, but it was not as rough as they had imagined.
Ellie handled everything by the book, with no insults and no extra sympathy.
Each resident received a bowl of hot soup and an emergency biscuit.
The biscuit was the same kind they had received from Leah before, dry enough to choke on, rough and powdery, and older than most people present.
But at that moment, it represented a stable supply.
Once everything was roughly settled and night began to fall, Marcus and Knox stood behind the barbed-wire fence of the quarantine zone, looking toward the main buildings.
The place was brightly lit. They could vaguely see people moving around, and even smell the faint, long-lost scent of cooking smoke drifting over.
"This is... Rock Fortress..." Knox murmured, his voice trembling slightly.
He saw Dr. Evans in a white coat and Harry the dentist walking out of a building, laughing and chatting. That was probably the medical station.
He also saw Defense Force soldiers dressed like the people who had gone to move supplies from the warehouse unloading goods in batches. After the warehouse manager registered them one by one, the supplies were carried into storage.
Marcus remained silent, his hands gripping the cold barbed wire tightly.
He still felt uneasy about losing their autonomy and dignity, and worried about the strict control and unknown evaluations ahead. But more than anything, he felt the relief of finally setting down a crushing burden.
They no longer had to worry about tomorrow's food. They no longer had to fear for their safety at night. They no longer had to watch helplessly as companions were wounded and died.
This fortress would, for now, separate them from the man-eating world outside.
"We... survived," Marcus finally said, his voice hoarse.
Knox nodded, his eyes reddening as tears escaped despite himself. "Too bad Benjamin didn't get to see this. He would've liked it here."
The two of them thought of all the companions who had died in one accident after another since the virus outbreak, and neither spoke again.
For Rock Fortress, the arrival of these sixty-one people meant more than just an increase in population.
It meant its sphere of influence had expanded eastward. It meant gaining valuable technical personnel and another group of basic laborers.
Life would be better from now on.
...
Rock Fortress's quarantine zone was separated from the main base by only one wall, yet it felt like an entirely different world.
For the newly arrived Norris group, every minute they spent here was filled with silent scrutiny and strict discipline.
Quarantine life was orderly from the moment they entered.
A fixed daily schedule. Emergency biscuits and a small amount of hot soup distributed at set times and in fixed portions. Scheduled physical examinations. Rotating rounds of seemingly endless questioning.
The questioning was personally led by Rickson and Calista, each working out of a temporary tent.
Rickson handled the first round of information review and registration, while Calista made the final assessment.
After deciding to accept the Norris group, Calista had already come up with this idea.
Learning and adapting were essential skills for any competent time traveler.
She had "borrowed" Rick's admission criteria, "learned" from Michonne and Negan's walker defenses, and was now continuing to "refer to" the Commonwealth's intake screening system.
Calista was confident that Rock Fortress's power would continue to grow, and there would definitely be far more people in the future.
That meant that, in addition to the three questions, the base needed a more complete intake process.
Rickson sat behind a simple folding table, asking questions while taking notes.
It was not much different from interrogations during their old mercenary jobs, except torture was off the table, and the questions had to be a little gentler.
His tone carried no emotion. He started with the three basic questions, then mainly asked about each person's past experience, their skills, and their role in their original community.
Marcus was among the first group to be questioned.
Facing Rickson, he tried to stay calm and explained in detail the coordination and management work he had been responsible for at Norris Dam, as well as how he had struggled to organize the survivors after the apocalypse.
"I may not be much of a fighter," Marcus admitted honestly, "but I understand how to manage a small group, assign tasks, and handle internal friction. I'm also familiar with the basic structure and operating principles of the dam."
Rickson recorded everything in silence, occasionally looking up at him. The pressure was so intense that Marcus's palms sweated, but he did his best to speak clearly.
When Knox answered, he carried the plain practicality of an old technician, along with a little lingering pride.
He described in detail his decades of experience on the dam maintenance team, as well as his knowledge and hands-on ability with hydraulic machinery, pipelines, and basic electrical systems.
"Give me tools and materials, and I can figure out most mechanical problems."
Knox could even name the possible models of several key valves and generator units at the dam.
Rickson marked the "Technical Value" section of his evaluation form as important.
When David entered the tent, he still carried a trace of resistance.
Rickson did not beat around the bush. He asked directly what David's previous security duties had involved, and what combat experience he had.
David answered in a muffled voice, admitting that he had mainly handled gate duty and patrols. He had some experience dealing with walkers, but had never received professional military training.
When asked what he thought of Rock Fortress, he stayed silent for a few seconds before answering stiffly, "You're strong. We need to survive."
Rickson wrote on his evaluation form: "Extreme personality, requires observation. Physical ability acceptable, with basic combat experience."