Chapter 164: Back to the Colony - III

South Two entered through the eastern approach twenty minutes later. Its Scouts crossed the adjoining streets first, followed by the Vanguards and Guardian APCs. The vehicles joined South One inside the staging area, while the remaining infantry secured the eastern side and relieved several Colony guards along the outer barricades.

The civilian gathering remained near the northern entrance. Most had obeyed the marked boundary, though their questions continued whenever another vehicle appeared through the gate. South Two’s arrival only drew more residents from the surrounding streets.

Anton remained near the western lane until the last Guardian APC cleared the entrance.

The company had reached its destination, but the operation was not finished. Vehicles needed inspection, ammunition counts had to be consolidated, and the platoons still had to transfer responsibility for the checkpoints established between the Colony and Site Three.

A soldier approached from the central road.

"Platoon leader, Selene is coming from the council building."

"Who is with her?"

"Councilors Maya Ross, Billy Turner, and Milana Porter."

Anton nodded. That covered the immediate problems well enough. Maya handled the residents and their complaints, Billy controlled the Colony’s supply movement, and Milana oversaw trade and recovered civilian goods. The rest of the council had little reason to leave their work merely because a crowd had formed at the northern gate.

Selene arrived several minutes later with two Army Soldiers. Maya walked beside them, while Billy and Milana followed with several papers held between them.

Selene looked toward the vehicles occupying the staging area.

"South One and South Two have both arrived?"

"Yes."

"And the road?"

"Open for military and recovery traffic. Checkpoints are established along the major intersections, but several adjoining structures remain marked for later inspection."

Maya glanced toward the northern entrance.

"The residents believe the city is open again."

"It is not, councilor."

"They saw your vehicles come through."

"That proves the route can support the company. It does not make the surrounding streets safe for civilians."

Billy unfolded one of the papers.

"Uh, thank you for your work. How many supply vehicles can use the route without interfering with the checkpoints? I want to avoid civilian traffic causing problems once movement is authorized."

"Coordinate that with the recovery teams after the company submits its route report. The number will depend on which sections they are working through."

"So we cannot schedule anything yet?"

"Not accurately."

Milana looked toward the civilians gathered beyond the staging lanes.

"They will ask about houses and businesses next. Some of them came from Westgate and Highcross before reaching the Colony."

"They already asked," Anton replied.

"And what did you tell them?"

"That nobody leaves without authorization."

Milana’s mouth tightened.

"That will hold for today, sir. It will not hold for long. These people want their homes and property back. I hope you understand."

Anton did not disagree.

The road had changed the Colony’s position in less than an hour. Before the company arrived, the northern barricade marked the end of controlled territory.

Now a chain of checkpoints connected the settlement to Site Three, Westgate, and the districts cleared between them.

The civilians saw a route back into the city.

The soldiers saw several kilometers of responsibility.

Maya watched the crowd for a moment.

"Can the recovery teams accept requests for missing people?"

"They can receive names and addresses," Anton answered. "That does not mean every request will be searched immediately, and the teams cannot guarantee they will find anyone or anything."

"That is still better than telling the families nothing."

"Make the limitations clear to them."

Maya nodded.

Billy adjusted his papers.

"We will need a separate ledger for anything returning through the northern gate. Supplies from the military road cannot be mixed with ordinary scavenging."

Milana glanced toward him.

"You are already claiming the entire road for your office?"

"I am preventing half the Colony from carrying bags through the gate and calling everything personal property."

"They will do that regardless."

"Then your office can argue with them after mine records it."

Selene interrupted before the exchange continued.

"The council will collect names, addresses, and property requests. No civilian enters the route until the Commander approves a movement policy."

Anton looked toward her.

"The military restriction remains even after that. Some sections will stay closed."

"Then mark those sections on the report. We will not promise access where your soldiers still operate."

Selene shifted her attention toward Maya.

"Inform the crowd. Keep the explanation simple."

Maya walked toward the northern entrance with one of the escorting soldiers. Billy and Milana followed, still speaking quietly over the papers between them.

Selene remained beside Anton.

"Alexei also received your other report."

Anton lowered his voice.

"Oracle detected several unclear intentions around the road and the company’s vehicles. She could not identify anyone."

"Impressive. She did not have that ability before."

Anton chuckled. "Well, the Commander gave her an opportunity to break through."

"I envy her breakthrough." Selene sighed. "It will take us a while to do that as well. Does the crowd know she is here?"

"No. Bastion One is inside the western warehouse. Its doors have remained closed."

"We should keep it that way."

"I already doubled the watch around the vehicles."

Selene glanced toward the warehouse.

"Was there anything more specific?"

"They had interest in the road, supplies, and the movement of the guards. Nothing she could isolate, or deeply specify."

"That could describe half the people standing near the entrance."

"It could."

"And the other half?"

Anton looked toward the crowd.

"That is why the watch was doubled."

Selene accepted the answer. "This would be easier if the Commander were here. Can we call an aircraft to hover over the gate?"

"Not now." Anton shook his head. "The crews are busy killing infected up north. The Commander wants us ready for an offensive there in a few days."

"I wish I could join." Selene yawned. "It sucks being stuck here doing office work."

Maya reached the inner barricade before the civilians could surround her. The soldiers maintained the boundary while she raised one hand for quiet.

The questions continued for several seconds before the nearest residents began silencing the people behind them.

"The road into the city is not open for civilian travel," Maya said.

Several voices rose immediately.

"My family is still there!"

"We have houses inside!"

"The soldiers just came through! What do you even mean by that?!"

"Do you take us for fools?!"

Maya waited until the guards restored order.

"The military cleared a route for its vehicles. That does not mean every building beside that route has been searched or declared safe."

A man near the front raised his voice.

"Then let us search our own homes."

"No."

The answer came from Maya without hesitation.

"You may submit the names and last known addresses of missing relatives. The council will forward them to the recovery teams operating along the route."

"And our property?"

Milana stepped beside her.

"Property claims will be recorded separately. A recorded claim does not grant permission to enter the city."

"That could take weeks!"

"It could," Milana replied. "Entering without permission could get you killed before sunset. The soldiers may not shoot you, but the infected will. Choose wisely."

The man fell silent, though his expression remained dissatisfied.

Billy directed several Colony workers to establish two tables away from the military lane. One would accept missing-person requests, while the other recorded addresses, businesses, and vehicles residents claimed inside the cleared districts.

The arrangement gave the crowd somewhere else to move.

People slowly left the barricade and gathered around the tables instead. The questions did not disappear, but they stopped pressing against the military entrance.

Inside the western warehouse, Kimmy felt the crowd begin to divide.

Bastion One remained parked near the rear wall with its doors closed. Soldiers occupied both sides of the entrance, while another squad watched the vehicles stored farther inside.

Yunera sat beside Kimmy.

"They are moving away."

"Yes."

The dense pressure near the northern gate separated into smaller groups. Some moved toward the new registration tables, while others returned through the streets leading deeper into the Colony.

Kimmy followed them without forcing her attention toward any single person.

The warehouse itself had become clearer during the wait. She could sense the Guardian APC around her, the stacked containers beyond its armor, the open spaces between the parked vehicles, and the walls surrounding the staging area.

None carried a living aura, but their shapes and positions remained clear without touch.

The crowd outside remained less orderly.

Relief passed through several people once they learned that missing-person requests would be accepted.

Frustration came from others.

A few worried that their homes had already been emptied by soldiers or survivors.

Beneath those impressions, the patient interest returned.

Kimmy tried to follow it, but the impression shifted with the civilians moving between the tables. She could not tell whether it came from someone submitting a request or a person already leaving the area.

Her hand moved toward Yunera’s sleeve.

"It is still there."

Yunera turned.

"The same thought?"

"Something close to it."

"Can you tell where?"

Kimmy listened until the impression faded again.

"I tried to follow it, but the impression faded before I could."

Yunera looked toward the closed rear doors.

"Then we stay inside. You will get another chance, sister. Take your time."

Kimmy nodded. "Thanks. I... I needed that."

Yunera lightly pinched Kimmy’s arm, then leaned back in her seat.

Outside the warehouse, the crowd continued thinning while the council recorded its first requests.

The northern road remained closed.