Apocalyptic Rebirth: With a repairman system space, she rises again. - Chapter 361

Chapter 361: The other side.
“Suni….honey!” Hades cried, rushing to Sunshine’s bedside. “What happened? Someone mentioned chest pains and surgery. I was so scared that I was about to lose you!”

“As you should.” Leah muttered.

Nimo covered Leah’s mouth. “Stay out of this.”

Castiel climbed on to the bed and clutched Sunshine’s hand, crying. “Mommy I am so sorry. I promise to take your side always.”

Ariel tried to pull him down. Meanwhile, Earl was already getting his gadgets to check her vitals.

And then White, eyes glistening like twin saucers waddled forward on the bed on two legs, trying to balance himself and the bottle of milk in his paws. He held the bottle to Sunshine, his peace offering.

“So this is the spoiled bear.” Nusra whispered.

Nimo nodded. “The baby of the Quinn family and usurper of Suni’s bed.”

Leah guffawed.

Sunshine had yet to accept the apology milk tribute. White whimpered and looked at Hades.

Hades translated: “He says that he is sorry for stealing milk and crying so much. He did not know that you would end up sick.”

Sunshine was sure it was not what White said. He was probably thinking, “Do I get more milk after giving her this?” She sighed and accepted the milk bottle anyway. “Fine, I forgive you, you mass of soft nice smelling fur. But we need rules buddy.”

She sat up and pulled the bear into her arms. “Milk is shared. Whoever finishes their share does not steal another person’s. But, if it is given to you willingly, you can take it.

Two, no stealing blankets at bedtime or I am going to put in double beds and split you all up. Three, crying is allowed but exaggerated tantrums are not. If you do it again, I will make you sleep with Zulu.”

White blinked. He did not like the talkative parrot because it called him a fat round white ball.

“Last rule White and this is a serious one.” She said in a sterner voice. “I am your mother, so I have the right to discipline you. If you are bad, I can pinch your ears or smack your bottom. I can take away your toys, cartoons and other privileges. And you cannot rely on dad to save you or ignore me.”

He clutched Sunshine’s arm and let out a soft grunt of agreement.

They hugged.

Everyone sighed. The milk war was over.

*****

In the afternoon, fresh from her rest in the medic bay, Sunshine stood near the out going trucks, her boots planted firmly on the ground as she faced squads zero, one and six. They were armored equipped and ready. For today’s mission, they were heading to the other side of the mountain to take over the territory.

Sunshine scanned the faces of the _ loyal, disciplined and sharp.

“Everyone ready?” She asked.

A unified yes ma’am came from every mouth.

“Let’s go.” She said.

The trucks roared and left the gates, engines humming steadily against the biting winter air. The cold was sharp enough to sting exposed skin, but Sunshine barely felt it; her focus was locked ahead.

Philip was loud with the jokes, and his subject of choice was a priest, a parrot and a crocodile walking into a bar.

“He is nothing, if not consistent when it comes to the priest.” Nimo chuckled. “Everything changes but that remains the same.”

Behind them, Leah was hiding her smile as she listened to Philip’s silly jokes.

“The priest orders a glance of wine. The parrot squawks, make it holy water! The crocodile sighs and says, just give me something that pairs well with tourists.”

Nimo squealed, slapping Sunshine on the back. “Do you get it? The crocodile plans to eat some tourists.”

Sunshine winced. “I get it Nimo. My back does not need to get it.”

They heard struggles over the radio and someone saying “not the wing slap.”

To Sunshine, it sounded like Father Nicodemus was finally making Philip shut up. But, thirty seconds later, the jokes started up again.

“So I take it that this is a regular part of all your journeys.” Leah stated.

Nimo turned her head back and nodded. “It is tradition for Phillip to annoy Father Nicodemus with his jokes.”

“This base is strange.” Leah muttered. “Elsewhere, people don’t really laugh anymore. Except for the children, somehow they are still laughing.” She closed her eyes and leaned against the window.

Sunshine closed her eyes as well. She knew well what was on Leah’s mind.

Within forty minutes, they had arrived on the other side of the mountain. The area was covered in snow and quiet–too quiet as if the whole place held its breath.

Of the two beautiful resorts that had once existed there, the first was nothing but a heap of broken concrete and toppled beams. Major Elio scanned the rubble.

“Just animals inside,” he reported. “Nothing else.”

Sunshine nodded, that was expected. The apocalypse had driven most animals into hiding. But the second resort still stood_ its sign half hanging from a mutated pine tree. The glass windows were frosted, walls corroded and dirty but still intact. As soon as the truck rolled to a stop in front of the building the danger became obvious.

Razor hounds prowled around the entrance. Their claws scraped the ground. The familiar sound of their laughter that kept annoying Nimo.

“There are way too many hyenas on this mountain. Was this their sanctuary?” Philip complained over the radio.

“They are mutated so call them razor hounds. To answer your question, yes, there was a hyena sanctuary in the West of the mountain. They are an endangered species so the sanctuary was helping with that.” Nala replied. “They must be searching for food.”

Sarah reached for the radio. “If they are endangered, we should preserve some. But, if they cannot be taken alive and your lives are in danger, do what you must.”

The armed men and women stepped out of the trucks. Immediately, the razor hounds snapped their heads at the approaching group, sharp tails swaying, nostrils flaring, hunger burning in their movements. A low growl rippled through the pack.

“Positions,” Sunshine ordered.

The squads moved like a well oiled engine, in sync.

Nala and Nimo took the right flank. O’Toole and Major Elio took the left. Hadrian stayed near Sunshine, watching and calculating.

A razor hounds broke into a sprint, snarling as it leaped. Nimo fired first, dropping it mid air. Another came from behind the resort steps; Sunshine slammed it with a heavy strike, rolling with momentum before finishing it cleanly.

The fight was fast but brutal. The hounds were starving and reckless. They threw themselves at the squad with little sense of self preservation. Major Elio fired only twice, each shot precise and controlled_ before the last creature collapsed.

Silence settled, broken by the icy wind brushing across the empty parking lot.

“Too bad.” Father Nicodemus muttered before whispering a prayer into the wind.

The carcasses were dragged onto the cart, their limbs tangled and stiff.

Meanwhile, Sunshine already had a megaphone in hand. “Greetings to the people inside,” she said professionally. “We are from the base on the other side of the mountain. We would like to speak to whoever is on charge.”

There was no answer.

Sunshine changed her tone. Her voice carried a cold edge of authority. “You have three minutes to open your doors. If you don’t we will come in using force.”

The seconds ticked by becoming two minutes. Then just before the deadline could elapse, one side of the door creaked open. A head peeked through_ a woman, her hair in knots, her cheeks hollow.

“We….we do not want trouble and we don’t have food.” She said.

Major Elio scanned the inside. His eyes narrowed slightly. “No weapons except for knives. Just a few people inside, twenty to twenty five.”

Sunshine stepped forward, shrinking her hammer. “We are not here to hurt you or take your food, we want to help.”

“How?” the woman asked.

“You ask too many questions.” Nimo told her. “We killed the mutated hyenas. If we were here to harm you, we would already be inside. As you can see, we are very capable. We are all in the army, sent to help. Now open up so we can help you and move on.”

The woman hesitated, then opened the door wider. “Please come in. Those animals will come once they see you outside.”

Major Elio shook his head and whispered to O’Toole, “The naivety of people in this apocalypse still amuses me. If it were me, that door would never be opened.”