Chapter 30: Uneasy Peace

The quiet of the "safe haven" was unsettling. The survivors had spent days adjusting to this strange new world of order, food, and relative comfort. The barracks were cleaner than anything they’d seen in months, the beds more comfortable than they’d ever imagined. But beneath the surface of this apparent peace, tension simmered like an unspoken threat.Evelyn sat on the edge of her cot, rubbing her temples as she tried to make sense of it all. The promise of safety had been a beacon, but now that they were here, it felt fragile. The military presence was overwhelming—guards at every entrance, patrols moving through the compound like clockwork. It was more organized than anything they had encountered in years.Liam sat next to her, his voice low. "Do you think this is it, Evelyn? The real deal?"She didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she looked around the barracks at the others. Mara sat off to one side, her eyes narrowed, watching everything with a quiet suspicion. Harris, usually more talkative, hadn’t said much since they’d arrived. He seemed lost in thought, his gaze distant.Then there was Jack, sitting on the far side of the room, his posture rigid. The man who had once worn a uniform like the ones around them now looked like a stranger among his former comrades. His past was a mystery to the others, but Evelyn knew that he had served in a military group before everything fell apart. She also knew that his experience had left him with a distrust of any sort of power structure."Something doesn’t sit right with me," Jack finally said, breaking the silence. His voice was calm, but the look in his eyes was serious, more intense than it had been since they’d arrived. "I’ve seen this before—the way these people move, the way they control everything. It’s not as simple as it looks."Evelyn’s brow furrowed. "What do you mean?""I’ve been part of a military unit before all this happened," Jack continued, his voice quiet, but his words carrying weight. "We were supposed to be protecting people. But after a while, we got caught up in the same game—power, control, resources. And when it all fell apart, we turned on each other. I’ve seen enough to know when something’s off, and this... this place feels off."Mara shifted, her gaze flickering to Jack. "So you think this is just another trap?" she asked, her voice laced with skepticism.Jack met her gaze, his expression hardening. "I don’t know. But I wouldn’t be surprised. Look around. Everything’s neat, too neat. There’s no chaos here. No signs of struggle. It doesn’t add up."Harris, who had been unusually quiet, finally spoke up. "I agree with Jack. I’ve seen this before too—people in power pretending to offer peace when they’re really just keeping their cards close. We don’t know what’s happening here behind those gates."Evelyn felt a tightening in her chest. She had tried to push those same thoughts away, but now they were creeping in, taking root in her mind. She had wanted to believe this was the end of their journey, a place where they could rest and rebuild. But Jack and Harris were both right: there were too many signs, too many things left unexplained."Maybe we’re just being paranoid," Liam offered, trying to ease the tension. "We’ve been through a lot. It’s hard to trust anything that looks too good to be true.""Maybe," Evelyn said, but her voice lacked conviction. "But the truth is, we’re stuck here. We’ve got to make a decision soon. Do we stay and take the risk, or do we leave before it’s too late?"As if on cue, the door to the barracks opened, and a soldier stepped inside, his expression impassive. "The commander wants to speak with you," he said, his tone matter-of-fact. "You’re all to report to the briefing room."The group exchanged wary looks but stood up in unison. The soldier led them through the compound, past rows of soldiers patrolling and guards watching from towers. The air felt thick with tension, and Evelyn couldn’t help but feel like they were being watched.They were led into a clean, sterile room with a long table. Two officers stood at the front—one with a clipboard, the other standing rigidly with his arms crossed. Evelyn’s instincts flared. These weren’t the friendly faces they’d seen earlier. There was something cold about them, like they had already sized up the survivors and decided their worth."Sit," the officer with the clipboard instructed.They sat down, the air growing heavier as the silence stretched. The officer cleared his throat and began."We’ve reviewed your profiles and can confirm that you meet our basic criteria for residence. However, you’re all aware of the rules. You’ll follow our orders, and you’ll contribute to the community. We have limited resources, and those who refuse to cooperate won’t last long here."Jack’s jaw clenched. "And if we refuse to cooperate?"The officer’s expression didn’t change. "Then you’ll leave. Simple as that."Mara’s voice cut through the tension. "So, we’re just supposed to be grateful that you’re letting us stay?"The officer’s gaze flickered to her. "No. You’re supposed to contribute. You’ll be assigned roles and duties. If you want to stay here, you’ll work."Evelyn noticed Harris’s tense posture. He wasn’t saying much, but his body language told her everything. He didn’t trust these people, and neither did Jack. Her mind raced—was this really the haven they had dreamed of, or was it just another military outpost disguised as something more?As the conversation continued, Jack leaned in, his voice low, "This is the kind of place where people like us get lost. If we’re not careful, we’ll end up as pawns in their game."Evelyn glanced at Jack, then at Mara and Harris. The unease in the room was palpable. They hadn’t come this far just to fall into another trap, but leaving meant facing the unknown again."Let’s just take it one step at a time," Evelyn said, her voice steady, but her heart was pounding. "We’ll see what happens next."