Chapter 17: Weapons

Raviah stood before the underground vault door for several minutes before finally turning away. She had enough questions already.

The strange mechanism, the unknown power source, and the fresh scratches all pointed toward a unsettling truth. Someone was already moving in the shadows, and now the pharmaceutical industry was beginning to notice her massive preparations.

Her medical facility could save lives, and her food reserves could prevent starvation. Yet neither would matter if a dangerous threat breached the farm’s boundaries.

Raviah understood that brutal lesson better than anyone who had not yet lived through the end of the world. Medicine could repair a deep wound, and food could sustain a dying body. Neither could stop an armed enemy from reaching the people she intended to protect.

She needed real defenses immediately. She did not require reckless firepower or an illegal private arsenal that would draw government attention. Instead, she sought a legitimate security infrastructure capable of protecting an isolated agricultural estate.

Raviah contacted several trusted security consultants through Sol Haven Agricultural Holdings. The first assignment she handed them was a complete tactical assessment of the entire valley.

Every single entrance was inspected, every potential blind spot was mapped, and every dirt road approaching the valley was analyzed.

The consultants recommended a layered security system rather than relying on a single defensive measure. Raviah approved their detailed proposal without a moment of hesitation.

The reinforced southern gate received additional heavy access controls. The high observation towers were connected directly to a centralized surveillance hub. Perimeter cameras were carefully positioned to provide overlapping coverage across the treeline.

Motion sensors were installed along the most vulnerable sections of the property. Emergency lighting was added around all critical structures, illuminating the dark valley floor. The farmhouse itself received reinforced steel doors and secure internal partitions.

Raviah also ordered comprehensive protective equipment for her future security personnel.

She acquired tactical ballistic protection, heavy helmets, protective riot shields, and heavy-duty communications equipment. Emergency medical packs, advanced first-aid kits, and high-grade night-vision equipment filled the supply crates.

Everything was acquired through legitimate commercial and authorized security channels. She made sure every item came with the necessary permits and pristine documentation.

She refused to leave anything to chance while the old world’s laws still functioned. Equipment alone was not enough to hold the line. People needed proper training to handle the coming horrors.

Raviah hired experienced security personnel to establish a permanent protection team for the estate. She recruited former law-enforcement officers, experienced private security specialists, and veteran emergency-response personnel.

She did not need reckless men who wanted to play soldiers in the woods. She needed disciplined professionals who understood restraint and order.

The security team was divided into rotating shifts. Someone would always be watching the outer perimeter. Someone would always be monitoring the live surveillance system. Someone would always be available to respond to immediate emergencies.

Raviah also established strict rules for everyone on her payroll. No unnecessary confrontation with local residents was permitted. No unauthorized use of equipment would be tolerated. Absolutely no one was allowed to enter the underground facility without her personal permission.

Every incident had to be recorded in the system logs, and every security breach had to be reported immediately. The goal was not to create a private army. It was to build an impenetrable shield.

Training began across the expansive property. Personnel practiced emergency evacuations, strict communications procedures, field first aid, fire response, search protocols, and coordinated defensive drills.

Raviah occasionally observed the drills from a distance, her dark eyes tracking their movements. She paid particular attention to how the guards responded under sudden pressure. Competence mattered far more than intimidating appearances.

Meanwhile, she continued securing additional defensive resources through authorized channels. Her procurement team handled the mounting paperwork while her legal advisers reviewed every single transaction.

Nothing was purchased under a false identity, and nothing was obtained through criminal contacts. If the farm was going to become her ultimate sanctuary, Raviah wanted its legal foundation to remain as solid as its concrete walls.

She knew that once civilization collapsed, written laws would become meaningless paper. But until then, she intended to remain completely invisible to public authorities. The rigorous preparations continued day after day. Another week passed, and then another quickly followed.

The quiet valley became increasingly difficult to recognize. The fortified southern entrance was almost complete, its steel gates gleaming in the morning light. The tall observation towers overlooked the surrounding hills, casting long shadows across the fields.

The glass greenhouses shimmered beneath the bright afternoon sunlight. The underground medical center was nearly operational, its sterile rooms waiting for patients.

Food and medicine filled the cold storage chambers, and the first livestock deliveries were scheduled to arrive. Raviah had built the solid beginnings of a self-sufficient sanctuary.

Yet the more she prepared, the more uneasy she became. Someone else was preparing too, leaving faint footprints across the region. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ

The unknown corporate buyer was still quietly draining regional food supplies. Mr. Ling had noticed her massive pharmaceutical purchases and voiced his suspicions. Even the head contractor who had questioned her blueprints had clearly begun wondering what she was truly building.

Raviah needed reliable information. She summoned her senior security consultant to the farmhouse office late one evening.

The man arrived shortly afterward, knocking firmly on the heavy wooden door frame. He was a broad-shouldered professional in his late forties with years of experience protecting high-value facilities.

Unlike many of the talkative contractors, he rarely asked unnecessary questions. That was one primary reason Raviah trusted his judgment.

He placed a thin digital tablet on her desk. "Doctor Solomon."

Raviah looked up from her blueprints. "What is it?"

"There have been several unusual inquiries over the past forty-eight hours," he said softly.

Raviah’s calm expression sharpened instantly. "About the property?"

The consultant hesitated, his jaw tightening slightly. "About you."

A heavy silence filled the spacious office. Raviah slowly set down her pen, the small click echoing off the walls.

"Explain," she commanded.

"We’ve noticed unfamiliar civilian vehicles parked near the southern road," the consultant reported, crossing his arms. "They stay for an hour, then rotate out."

"Contractors?" Raviah asked, her eyes narrowing.

"No," he replied firmly. "The registration plates don’t match any construction firms on our approved list."

"Journalists looking for a story?"

"We don’t think so," he said, shaking his head. "Their positioning is deliberate, and they avoid using cameras when our guards approach."

Raviah leaned back in her chair, her fingers resting lightly against the armrests. "What do they want?"

"We don’t know yet," he admitted. His professional expression became noticeably grim as he glanced toward the window. "But whoever they are, they’ve been remarkably careful to stay just beyond our property line."

Raviah’s eyes narrowed.

The consultant looked directly at her, his voice dropping an octave. Then he delivered the concise words that made the warm room suddenly feel ice cold.

"Someone has been asking very specific questions about you."