Chapter 141: Before Dawn

The metal case held only four sets of Environment-Adaptive Protective Gear.

After searching the area a little longer and confirming there were no more, the group carried the case back to the warehouse. The other refugees crowded around as soon as they heard. Justin set the case on the ground, and Tom took out one set to see if it still worked.

Each set consisted of protective gloves, goggles, a lightweight face mask, a cooling vest, and a detachable fluid pouch that connected to the vest. Every piece was an inconspicuous dark gray and covered in dust after all those years, but none of it was visibly damaged.

An instruction manual lay at the bottom of the case. Tom flipped through it, and the text and diagrams were still readable. He had seen people at his old settlement use the gear but had never worn it himself, so he had to piece it together from memory and the manual.

He put on the cooling vest first and adjusted its position, then fixed the fluid pouch to the back and connected the fittings. After that came the gloves, goggles, and face mask.

The gear wasn't a full-body suit. The cooling came from a circulation layer inside the vest, and the pouch had to be filled with ice water, or ice and a little clean water, before use. The gear couldn't produce cold on its own.

Tom flexed his fingers and adjusted the goggles and mask. Everyone was watching him.

"Well?" Chen asked. "Does it work?"

"We need ice first." Tom patted the empty pouch.

"Jack has some," Justin said. "I'll ask him for some when I go over tomorrow morning."

Tom nodded. "Good."

He told Justin, Chen, and Wesley to take one of the remaining three sets each. The three gathered around him, following the manual and the order Tom had used: cooling vest, fluid pouch, gloves, goggles, mask. Before long, all four were fully suited up.

They walked around the warehouse for a while, then tried bending, crouching, and raising their arms. The material was soft, and it didn't feel restrictive.

Justin picked up a heavy box. The moment he gripped it, the friction in his palms increased, and even with dust coating the surface, it didn't slip. Chen walked into a dim corner and back under a light bulb, and his goggles adjusted to the change without affecting his vision. Wesley breathed through the mask and walked a few laps without feeling any resistance.

Tom checked the connections between the vests and pouches once more, then moved his own limbs around.

Justin put the box down. "It really is good. It doesn't get in the way at all."

The others agreed. After testing it a little longer and confirming that the gloves, goggles, and masks all worked, the four took off the gear, tidied it, and returned it to the case.

Justin glanced at the time and spoke to the people still gathered nearby.

"That's enough for tonight. Get some rest. We can deal with the rest tomorrow."

No one objected. They returned to their places, and the warehouse gradually fell quiet.

Before dawn the next day, Justin and Tom left the agricultural supply center in a CUEV and headed for Jack's place. The wasteland was still dark, and the temperature hadn't begun to climb. They didn't stop along the way and reached the shelter before daybreak.

Most of the people there hadn't woken up yet. Only Lyle and Toby, on night watch, were beneath the canopy in front of the shelter. When they saw headlights in the distance, they stood up, and once they recognized the CUEV, they hurried to the entrance.

The CUEV had barely stopped when Justin and Tom climbed out.

"What happened?" Lyle asked at once.

Justin blinked, then noticed how tense the two looked.

“No, nothing's wrong,” he said, a little embarrassed. “There's just something we wanted to tell you.”

Lyle and Toby relaxed.

"Then why come so early?" Toby asked.

Justin quickly told them about finding the protective gear the night before, and about Tom's idea of looking for RCCUs at the electronics mall.

Lyle and Toby exchanged a look.

"Wait here," Toby said. "I'll let Henry know."

"Thanks," Justin said.

Toby went back into the shelter. A little while later, he returned with Henry.

"I know what RCCUs are," Henry told them. "There might really be some at the electronics mall. Last time, we were so focused on PCCUs and energy-storage units that we never noticed." He raised an eyebrow. "But what's the rush? You came before it's even light."

Justin laughed awkwardly. "It's been on my mind all night. I wanted to go while it's still cool."

Henry shook his head with a half-smile. "Fine. Wait here. I'll go get Elias."

He turned toward the trading post to wake Elias.

Watching him go, Tom remembered something else and stopped Lyle.

"Could you get us some ice? We need it for the gear."

Lyle stared at him. "You found protective gear too?"

"Four sets. We couldn't find any more."

"I'll have the trading post prepare some."

Elias returned with Henry not long afterward. He looked at the CUEV parked outside, then at Justin and Tom.

"The ice will take a little while. But you only have one CUEV. Is that enough?"

"We were hoping to borrow another," Justin said. "All four of us are going. If anything happens on the way, we can look out for one another."

Elias nodded. "All right. Take another one back with you. You can all drive?"

"Yes," Tom said immediately. "Noah taught quite a few people the other day."

"Good."

With that settled, they chatted near the entrance until the sound of another CUEV came from the distance. Vane pulled up with an insulated cooler of ice in the cargo bed.

"The ice is ready."

Tom hurried over and opened the lid. It was full.

"Is that enough?" Vane asked.

"Plenty, thanks," Justin said.

"Vane, give them the CUEV too," Elias said.

Vane nodded without a word.

Elias looked at the two of them. "Stay in contact once you reach the electronics mall."

"We will," Justin said seriously.

They didn't linger. Justin and Tom each drove a CUEV back to the agricultural supply center, taking the insulated cooler filled with ice along with them.

After they left, Elias and Henry went back to rest. The sky had just begun to turn pale when Jack and Megan drove a CUEV to the trading post.

Elias told them what had happened that morning. Jack's interest was immediately piqued.

"Isn't an RCCU just a home air conditioner? The electronics mall had those? Why didn't we find them last time?"

"We were all focused on PCCUs and energy-storage units," Elias said. "RCCUs are fixed units too, so it's only natural we overlooked them."

Jack thought it over. "Then let's talk to Walter and see if we can get power over there quickly."

They didn't stay long at the trading post and soon drove to the shelter, but Walter and Colt weren't there. Dale told them the two had gone to the underground clinic that morning to plan the lighting.

Jack and Megan headed to the underground space and went down the newly finished steps. They found Walter and Colt among the pallet columns.

Both were carrying camping lights and walking around the space, glancing up at the ceiling and walls. When Walter saw Megan, he waved her over.

"You're just in time. We're deciding where to put the lights. Take a look."

Megan joined them. Walter pointed to the center of the space.

"We're planning two rows down the middle, running along the pallet columns all the way to the far end. That covers the main area, and we don't have to worry about the columns blocking the light." He gestured around them. "Then a few more along each wall, to light the spots hidden behind the columns and beams. No matter where the beds end up, there'll be a light nearby."

"We need them on the entrance steps too," Colt added. "All the way from the top to the bottom. Otherwise, someone's going to miss a step carrying an injured person at night. We'll also leave one by the water station and one where the medical supplies will go."

Megan walked through the positions they had pointed out, holding up her camping light. When she returned, she nodded.

"This looks well thought out. I have no objections."

"Then we'll install them there," Walter said.

Jack, who had been standing nearby, finally spoke up.

"You've settled the layout? Good. I need to talk to you about something too."

"What is it?" Walter asked.

Jack explained the situation at the agricultural supply center and told them he had promised to run power there.

"Could we get cable over there today?" he asked “It doesn't need to be anything fancy. Just like we did with the water line.”

Walter thought for a moment. "Running it over isn't a problem. I just don't know if we have enough cable left. The agricultural supply center isn't close, so it'll take a lot."

"They're going to the electronics mall today anyway," Jack said. "I'll ask them to look for some while they're there."

"All right. We've already planned the lighting here, so I'll go see how much cable is left. But you should still tell them. We'll need more eventually."

"Will do."

They left the underground space and returned to the shelter. Jack walked over to a CUEV parked outside and switched on the communication system.

"Hello? Anyone there?"

After a brief burst of static, a voice came through.

"I'm here. Is that Jack? This is Justin."

"Justin, it's Jack. You're heading to the electronics mall today?"

"Yes. We're about to leave."

"Perfect. Besides RCCUs, see if you can find any cable. What we have left might not be enough to reach the agricultural supply center. If you find some, bring a load back, and we'll see if we can get power over there today."

There was a short pause before Justin answered.

"Understood. We'll make cable a priority."

"Good. Be careful out there, and stay in contact."

"Will do."

The call ended. Jack switched off the system and turned to Walter.

"Done."

Walter nodded. "Then I'll go count what's left."

He and Colt headed toward the storage area.

Megan didn't waste any time either. She went into the shelter to check on Nolan and the refugee who had been shot in the leg, and Jack followed her in.

Nolan's injuries had mostly healed. Megan examined him again, looked over the wounds that were still closing, and confirmed there was nothing else to worry about before telling him to keep resting.

They moved on to the other patient.

His name was Wayne. Two days earlier, everyone had moved him from beneath the canopy into the shelter. Megan crouched beside him and carefully unwrapped the bandages around his wound.

The injury to his leg still looked serious, and the bullet was still inside. After several days of cleaning and dressing changes, though, there were no obvious signs of infection. Megan treated the wound again and replaced the bandage with a clean one.

"So far, so good. There's no infection," she said. "In a few more days, when the underground clinic is ready, we can schedule the surgery and remove the bullet."

"Thank you," Wayne said, again and again. "Thank you so much."

"You don't have to keep thanking me." Megan packed away her supplies. "Try not to move around too much, and tell me right away if anything changes."

Wayne nodded quickly.

Once she finished treating him, Jack pulled over a chair and sat down beside Wayne.

"By the way, you mentioned before that you know a little about farming," Jack said. "Could you tell me about it?"