Surviving the Apocalypse with my Multiplier System - Chapter 139

Chapter 139: Cold Snap 3
While the people who were huddled by the fires were still alive, many had begun to show early signs of frostbite on their fingers and toes.

Ella walked back inside to the noticeably warmer interior. She saw her father pull out another electric space heater, plugging it in on the other side of the sofa bed.

The color was gradually starting to return to her mother’s face, which made her feel relieved.

“How’s the situation outside?” asked Reginald. He had also heard the screams and cries, understanding what must have happened.

“Not good. Many people were found frozen to death inside their tents. The people screaming must be relatives of those who died,” reported Ella with a sad expression.

No one could have predicted such a steep temperature drop over just a few hours. It’s also unfortunate that it happened while most people were sleeping.

Reginald sat down beside his wife, placing his arms around her to warm her with his own body heat. “It seems that we will have to stay here for the time being. I can’t imagine what would’ve happened to us if we had been in our apartment last night,” he said solemnly.

Ella lowered her head, agreeing with his statement. They had no electricity and no heaters. Even the few blankets they did have wouldn’t have been enough for them to survive.

“Looks like Rayne indirectly saved us again,” she laughed, trying to lighten the mood a little.

Ella walked over to the kitchen area and filled the tea kettle with water from one of the many jugs that Rayne left.

Even the water that poured out was slushy, filled with chunks of ice. She placed the tea kettle on the electric cooktop and let it come to a boil.

While the water was boiling, she poked through the crates and boxes nearby, gasping at the amount of high-quality food. “Wow, they really have a lot! We won’t be going hungry anytime soon!” she rejoiced.

Her mom frowned. “Are you sure we should be using their supplies like this? In the current world, food items are worth more than gold.”

Reginald gently patted her shoulders with both of his hands. “Don’t worry, dear. Before we left, I had a talk with Julian. He reassured me that he has even more supplies than these stored away in a hidden location. He stressed that we were welcome to use anything as we pleased.”

She still didn’t feel right using these items freely, but nodded her head.

Ella found a few packets of ramen in one of the boxes and decided to cook them. She found a pot and started boiling some water in it, dumping the seasoning packet along with the dried noodles into the pot.

She found three bowls, divided the instant ramen between each, and brought them over to the sofa.

Her parents readjusted the sofa while she was cooking, folding the bed back inside.

The three of them quickly ate the hot ramen before it cooled down completely. Soon, warmth spread through their bodies, making them feel warm and full.

—

In the bunker:

Noah and Ian were safe from the cold snap due to the advanced heating and insulation technology used when the bunker was built.

They had 24/7 temperature monitors inside and outside, informing them of any sharp changes.

Ian was in a conference room with the remaining members of Alpha Team.

“Ivan’s group has still not come back, and all communication has been severed with them. The only explanation is that they were ambushed by Damien’s men at the REN Corp. lab facility.

We have some insulating gear left. I want to send a small team out to see if we can get information on what happened over there,” said Ian.

One of the senior members of Alpha Team clenched his fist. Ivan was one of his good friends within the organization, almost like a brother. He knew Ivan’s skills were top-notch, so whatever happened must have taken him by surprise.

“Sir, I would like to go investigate,” he said resolutely.

Ian looked over at him and nodded. “Very well, Deondre. You will lead this team. Pick one more member to accompany you and head out. Remember, I need you to come back alive. Look out for traps or ambushes before getting too close.”

Deondre nodded. “Yes, sir!” He then turned around and looked behind him. “Who would like to come with me?”

After a momentary silence, a few people stepped forward. Deondre looked at each member who stepped forward before pointing at a younger man.

“Mark, you will come with me. You’ve always excelled at scouting, so your skills will be the most useful here.”

Mark walked over and shook Deondre’s hand. “Let’s find them, brother.”

The two men went down to the armory to gear up, putting on the best thermal insulating clothing they could find, along with other useful tools and supplies.

When they stepped outside, the freezing cold air assaulted them. Ian had told them that the temperatures outside were freezing, but feeling it was a whole new level of understanding.

“We will jog as long as we can to maintain body temperature. If we keep a good pace, we can make it to the facility by morning,” ordered Deondre.

Mark nodded and began to jog into the forest alongside Deondre.

The jogging helped raise their internal body temperature, and the high-tech insulating clothing helped retain that heat. They continued forward until they reached the hidden garage where the Jeeps were kept.

After trying to start each of the Jeeps, Deondre frowned. “Looks like it’s too cold to start them. Let’s try the motorcycles,” he suggested.

Thankfully, after a few tries, both motorcycles started, and the two men continued their journey to the city perimeter.

As they approached the location of the facility, Deondre ordered them to park the motorcycles in a hidden spot a few blocks away. They made too much noise and would easily give away their position if they drove them closer.

They carefully walked toward the building, staying hidden in the shadows. So far, there was no sign of anyone in the area.

Deondre observed the surrounding area, trying to assess how Ivan would have set up the team to scout.

He spotted the tree line on the side of the facility and pointed to Mark. “Over there. Ivan would have posted someone in those trees for sure. Let’s check it out.”