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Andy's Brave New World: Part 2

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Andy’s Brave New World: Part 2
The group leaves Yosemite, encounters Crystal.

Based on a post by the

hospital. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.



Day 7, Morning

The morning sun caught the fresh paint scratches on the two

Ford F-350 Super Duty trucks as they pulled out of the Yosemite Valley
maintenance yard. Both were recent-model crew cabs in dark green, commandeered
from the park's heavy maintenance fleet, their diesel engines rumbling with
carefully checked fluid levels and fresh filters.

Andy drove the lead vehicle, while Daniela rode shotgun, her

Remington propped against the center console within easy reach and the
binoculars Andy had found yesterday hanging around her neck. She sat at
attention, eyes sweeping the tree line. Despite the A/C, they were sweating a
little under their body armor.

In the truck's bed, they'd packed their supplies with care.

Multiple jerry cans of diesel fuel secured in metal racks, the heavy weapons
cache (including the RPG and its rockets, carefully cushioned), cases of
ammunition, tactical gear, and the most essential survival equipment. The rear
seats held their medical supplies, communications gear including the Starlink
array, and several days of ready-to-eat food and water.

Sarah followed close behind in the second truck, its bed

loaded with the bulk of their food stores, camping equipment, tools, and
additional fuel. She'd gotten her way about the clothing, she wore a matching
set in a striking deep purple: high-waisted Alo Yoga leggings that hugged every
curve and a longline sports bra under a cropped zip-up jacket. Her highlighted
hair was styled in loose waves, and she'd even put on light makeup.

"If we get into any actual fighting, I'll be useless

anyway," she had insisted, gesturing at Andy and Daniela's tactical
loadouts. "You two are the ones with the training. I'm just a
driver." She gave one of her practiced smiles. "Besides, first
impressions matter. When we meet other survivors, one of us should look; approachable."

Andy had started to argue, but Daniela simply shrugged.

"She's right. We look scary. It'd be good to have someone look not
scary." The conversation had ended there.

Now, as they passed the park boundaries, Daniela pulled out

their carefully annotated road atlas. Their route would take them west on
Highway 140, then north on 99 through the Central Valley, avoiding both Fresno
and Modesto. They'd skirt Sacramento to the east, then cut west to the Bay Area
through the Delta region. The path balanced speed with security, staying on
main roads for ease of travel while avoiding major population centers.

"Time check," Daniela's tense voice crackled over

their handhelds. "0700 hours. Three hours to the first waypoint."

"Have you spent much time outside of the park?"

Andy asked, trying to see if conversation might help her relax.

Daniela shook her head, staring out the window at the wooded

hills. "No, not really. Just for track meets. Dad hates cities. He'd
always complain to the school that our trips weren't secure enough."

Andy had a sudden mental image of Miguel lecturing an

exasperated school bus driver on sight lines and evasive maneuvers. He chuckled
slightly. "Yeah, that sounds like him." Noticing Daniela still
looking somber, he tried to pivot. "Well, are you excited to see San
Francisco?"

A pause. "I don't know. I know it's the right place to

go, but I'm a little scared to leave Yosemite behind." She looked off into
the distance. "I'll definitely miss being in nature."

"You might be surprised, SF has a lot of parks and

green spaces. Maybe we'll end up somewhere nice."

Day 7, Midday

The Sierra foothills gave way to the Central Valley floor,

and with it came the strange emptiness of abandoned agriculture. Vast almond
orchards stretched to the horizon, their spring blossoms still clinging to the branches.
A dairy farm's holding pens still contained its imprisoned casualties, forcing
them to detour around the sprawling facility to avoid the smell. In an adjacent
field, a small herd of escaped cattle grazed freely, looking up at the trucks'
passage with mild curiosity. They passed a tomato field where harvesting
machines stood frozen mid-row, the ripe fruit beginning to soften on the vine.

"Movement, two o'clock, approximately two miles

out," Daniela reported suddenly, her binoculars trained on the horizon.
"Vehicle heading north." She tracked it for a moment, dust trail
visible against the morning sky. "Pickup truck, moving fast. Can't make
out details at this distance." Her voice remained neutral, but her grip
tightened slightly on the Remington.

Andy glanced in the indicated direction but kept the truck

steadily on course. In the rearview mirror, he saw Sarah's truck maintain its
careful following distance. After a few minutes, Daniela lowered the
binoculars. "Vehicle has maintained its course northward. No change in
direction."

The radio crackled. "Everything okay up there?"

Sarah's voice carried a hint of nerves.

"Just another survivor," Andy replied.

"They're heading away from us. Nothing to worry about."

They passed through Merced without incident. The smaller

city was eerily still, traffic signals dark at every intersection. A home
security alarm wailed somewhere in the distance, its battery backup still
functioning after a week without power. The highway was mostly clear, the
outbreak had moved too quickly for large-scale evacuation traffic.

Sarah's voice crackled over the radio: "Hey, I've had

cell signal for the last few minutes, must be near a tower that's still
running. There's a Beacon post from yesterday, someone near Turlock warning
about a big pileup blocking the 99 around Keyes Road. They've been detouring
around it on country roads."

"Noted," Daniela responded crisply, already

marking the atlas. "OK, here's the alternate route. We'll exit at Pueblo
Avenue, rejoin the 99 past the blockage." She paused, then added with
mechanical precision: "Adding fifteen minutes to estimated arrival time.
Let us know if you see any other posts while you have signal."

"Actually, let's stop real quick so I can give you my

phone, it looks like I'm more likely to get signal than you, and I shouldn't be
looking at this while trying to drive this thing."

The valley heat was building as the day wore on. The radio

stayed quiet. Each member of their small convoy seemed lost in their own
thoughts, processing the scale of the abandonment around them. Occasionally
they'd pass a house or farm with a hastily painted "Help" sign. Once
they saw a pickup truck that had crashed into a pole, its driver still sitting
upright behind the wheel, succumbing to the virus before the accident could
kill them.

As they approached the outskirts of Modesto, Daniela began

scanning the atlas with renewed intensity, plotting their route around the city
center. The midday sun cast a strong heat, and in the distance a thin column of
smoke rose from somewhere in the city's north- whether from an electrical fire
or something else, they couldn't tell.

"Contact ahead, approximately one mile south,"

Daniela reported suddenly, binoculars trained on the distant road. "Single
vehicle, silver Mercedes sedan. One subject visible outside the vehicle."
She paused as she assessed the scene. "Vehicle appears to have front-end
damage. Subject is; actively signaling for assistance."

Andy keyed his radio. "Sarah, hang back for as

sec." Through the windshield, he could just barely make out a glint of
metal on the horizon.

"Copy that," Sarah responded, as she let her truck

slow to a stop behind them.

"Update on subject?" Andy asked.

Daniela adjusted her optics slightly. "Female, white.

Light-colored hair. No visible weapons. Standing clear of the vehicle,
continuing to wave." She swept her view across the surrounding terrain.
"I don't see any other movement."

They approached slowly, staying in the northbound lane,

until they were about a hundred yards from the Mercedes. Andy could now make
out a figure in light-colored clothing standing near the disabled vehicle's
front end, still waving periodically.

"Hello!" a woman's voice carried across the

distance. "Please, I could really use some help!"

"Stay where you are!" Andy called back through his

opened window. "Are you alone?"

"Yes! Just me! My car hit something back there, I think

the suspension's broken!"

Andy glanced at Daniela, who gave a slight nod. "Could

be a trap," Daniela said quietly, though her tone suggested she didn't
really believe it. "Though; it's a really crappy location for an ambush. A
random gravel side-road in the middle of the fields? Plus you have poor sight
lines, no cover, and multiple escape routes for potential targets."

"Agreed," Andy said. He keyed his radio again.

"Sarah, we're going to pull up closer. Stay a little bit behind us."

They rolled forward slowly, closing the distance to the

disabled Mercedes. As they got closer, the woman took a few steps back from her
car, keeping her hands visible. Andy's breath caught slightly as her features
came into focus. Even disheveled and stressed, she was stunning, the kind of
beauty that belonged in magazines, not stranded on an abandoned highway. Tall
and gracefully built, probably 5'9", with the kind of natural curves that
didn't need strategic athletic wear to enhance them. Her light red-orange hair
fell past her shoulders in natural waves, gleaming in the midday sun despite
the obvious lack of styling products. Her face was a study in classical proportions,
high cheekbones, full lips, straight nose, and large bright blue eyes framed by
naturally long lashes. Even with smudged makeup and a light sheen of sweat on
her forehead, her beauty remained striking.

She wore form-fitting designer jeans that accentuated her

long, slender legs, paired with an ivory silk blouse that was wrinkled and
stained with grease from her attempted car repair. Impractical Italian leather
boots completed the ensemble, the kind meant for Los Angeles sidewalks rather
than Central Valley backroads. Despite her obvious exhaustion and the stress
evident in her expression, there was something magnetic about her presence, an
effortless grace that made even her nervous fidgeting seem elegant.

Andy keyed his radio. "Sarah, we're going to talk to

her. She's almost certainly not a threat. Your call whether to stay in your
truck or join us."

"Come with me," he said quietly to Daniela.

"Stay alert." He opened his door and stepped out, Daniela following
smoothly with her rifle held low but ready.

The woman's face brightened with a nervous but dazzling

smile as they approached. She took a step forward with her hand extended, but
stopped when Andy halted several paces away.

"Thank you so much for stopping," she said,

letting her hand drop gracefully to her side. "I'm Crystal. Crystal
Parker."

Andy kept his stance neutral but ready. "Where are you

coming from? Where are you headed?"

"I'm from Manteca," she replied, her eyes flicking

briefly to Daniela's rifle before returning to Andy. "I was trying to get
back to my apartment in L A, but;" She gestured at her car with a delicate
wave. "The highways were so crowded with abandoned cars, I thought the
back roads would be safer."

"Did you get sick?" Andy asked directly.

"During the outbreak?"

Crystal nodded. "Yes, but just a mild fever for a day

or two. Not like;" Her voice caught slightly. "Not like everyone
else, like my parents." She stopped, composing herself with visible
effort.

Behind them, Andy heard Sarah's truck pull up. Crystal's

eyes shifted to watch Sarah's approach, something subtle changing in her
expression.

"What happened to your car?" Andy pressed.

"I hit something; maybe a pothole or debris, I'm not

sure. There was this awful noise and then;" She gestured helplessly at the
front end. "I don't know anything about cars. I tried looking at it, but;"

"Why are you going to L A? Are there people waiting for

you there?" Andy asked. "Anyone you know who survived?"

Crystal's shoulders dropped slightly. "No, I; I haven't

been able to contact anyone. I just;" She gave a small, elegant shrug,
simultaneously helpless and dignified. "I didn't know what else to do.
Where else to go. I thought maybe; maybe going home made sense?" The last
part came out as almost a question, like she was realizing for the first time
how little sense it made. A pause, then, "If you don't mind me asking; what's
your name? Where are you all headed?"

"I'm Andy," he answered. "That's Sarah and

Daniela. We're heading north to San Francisco."

Crystal took this as permission to step closer, extending

her hand again. This time Andy accepted it, noting the contrast between her
dainty fingers and the engine grease on her fingertips from her attempted
repairs. Their eyes met as they shook hands, and Andy found himself momentarily
stunned by her beauty up close; the perfect symmetry of her features, the
remarkable clarity of her blue eyes, the way the midday sun caught golden
highlights in her hair. She gave a small wave to Sarah and Daniela behind him,
her smile warm and practiced. "Nice to meet you all. Sarah, I love your
jacket."

"Thanks" mumbled Sarah, briefly taken aback by the

brief change in topic.

"I hate to ask, but;" Crystal glanced back at her

Mercedes. "Is there any chance you could take a look at my car? Or;"
She hesitated, then continued with careful tact, "Or maybe give me a ride
somewhere I could find another car? I know it's a lot to ask, but I'm really
not sure what to do out here."

"Give us a second to discuss it," Andy said. He

gestured for Sarah and Daniela to follow him a few paces away, out of earshot.

"Looking at the front end damage and the way it's

sitting, could be a broken control arm, maybe the sub frame," Daniela said
quietly. "Either way, we'd need a lift and replacement parts. Not something
we can fix on the road."

"So the car's done," Andy summarized.

"Question is, do we give her a ride?"

"To L A?" Sarah asked skeptically. "That's

like three hours away, more like six at the speed we've been going, and totally
the wrong direction. To another car, maybe. Honestly;" She glanced back at
Crystal, who stood waiting with perfect posture. "I know I'm not exactly
Rambo here, but at least I can handle myself OK. She looks totally
clueless." Sarah paused, then added with careful casualness, "She is,
uh, gorgeous, though." Her eyes flicked to Andy's face, studying his
reaction.

Andy kept his expression neutral, though his heart raced

slightly at just the thought of Crystal's striking features. The idea of
leaving her stranded here seemed unthinkable, but he didn't want to appear too
eager.

"We could offer to let her come with us to San

Francisco," he suggested, trying to sound logical rather than hopeful.
"She'd never make it to L A alone anyway."

"Well, she has no supplies, no useful skills;" Sarah

started.

"We don't know that," Daniela interjected, then

paused. "Well, yeah, she probably doesn't. But still, we should help
her," the younger girl said firmly. Her voice softened. "Dad always
said the whole point of our preparations was so we could help others when the
time came. That's why we trained so hard, why we stored so much." She
glanced at Crystal, then back at the group. "Someone like her, no survival
skills, no supplies, no real plan; that's exactly who he meant. We have room in
the trucks. It's not that much further to San Francisco."

Sarah sighed. "Fine. We can give her a ride to San

Francisco. But that doesn't mean she is a part of our group."

Andy raised an eyebrow, a slight smile playing at his lips.

"Oh, we're officially a group now?"

"Yes," Sarah said defensively. "We are. The

three of us."

Andy's smile faded as he recognized her genuine concern. He

raised a hand and gently touched her arm. "Hey, I get it. Don't worry, I
was kidding. We'll stick together, I promise."

Daniela nodded, and Sarah relaxed slightly.

"Okay."

Andy turned and walked back to Crystal, who had been waiting

with patience. "To us, it looks like the damage here isn't something we
can fix, it needs replacement parts and proper equipment."

Crystal's shoulders dropped again.

"Also;" Andy continued carefully, "L A isn't

a good place to go, now that we don't have working agriculture." He
gestured vaguely around them at the quiet, empty fields. "They're gonna
have real trouble with food after they scavenge everything already there."

He paused to let that sink in. "We can give you a ride

to somewhere you can find another car if you want. But you're also welcome to
come with us to San Francisco. The Bay Area is better for a lot of reasons; it
has better natural resources, direct access to farmland, etcetera. Your
choice."

Crystal bit her lower lip, considering. "Could I; could

I think about it on the way back to a main highway?"

Andy nodded. "Of course. No rush to decide."

"Okay," Crystal smiled warmly. "Thank you

again, I really appreciate this. Let me just grab my things."

Sarah and Daniela headed back to the trucks while Andy

accompanied Crystal to her Mercedes. She popped the trunk, revealing a large
designer suitcase. As Andy reached for it, she gave him another dazzling smile.

"You all seem so; prepared," she said softly.

"I've been feeling so lost, but watching how organized you are, how you
think everything through;" She trailed off as Andy lifted her suitcase.
"It's impressive. Makes me feel a little less scared, you know?"

To everyone's surprise, Crystal walked to the front of

Andy's truck, opening the passenger door.

"Oh, I;" Andy started, but Crystal was already

sliding smoothly into the middle seat between the driver and passenger
positions.

"I hope you don't mind," she said. "I'd love

to hear more about your plans, and why you think L A isn't safe. If I'm going
to change my whole direction, I should probably understand why, right?"
The back row was too full of equipment to sit there, so she settled in next to Daniela,
the tight fit of three people in the front inevitable.

Sarah caught Andy's eye, rolled hers, and shrugged before

silently getting into her truck. Andy's mouth went briefly dry at the thought
of Crystal pressed against him in the cramped space, but he climbed into the
driver's seat and started the engine.

Day 7, Early Afternoon

The abandoned fruit stand provided a welcome break from

driving, its weathered picnic tables shaded by an old oak tree. Fresh peaches
and plums, barely starting to over-ripen, made a sweet complement to their
rehydrated camping meals. The afternoon sun filtered through the leaves,
casting dappled shadows across their impromptu lunch setup.

It hadn't taken much to convince Crystal to change her plans

and head to San Francisco instead of Los Angeles. Though Andy wasn't entirely
sure she'd fully grasped the strategic reasoning behind why L A was a poor
choice, she seemed to have quickly intuited that his group knew what they were
doing and that she'd be better off following their lead.

Daniela had grown surprisingly talkative during the drive,

opening up to Crystal about her father's training regimen after Crystal had
shown genuine interest in her rifle. Now she sat quietly eating her peach, some
of her usual tension eased.

"So," Sarah asked, casually as she picked at her

meal, "Have you thought about what you'll do once we reach San
Francisco?"

Crystal dabbed delicately at her mouth with a napkin.

"I suppose I'll need to find my place, see where I can be useful."
She pretended not to notice the implication of separation behind Sarah's
question.

"What kind of work do you do?" Sarah pressed.

"I'm a receptionist at an investment firm,"

Crystal admitted with a small, self-deprecating smile. "And before that I
was a model. Neither are exactly critical post-apocalyptic skill sets."
She straightened slightly, her natural poise asserting itself. "But I used
to babysit for some of the executives' children. I'm good with kids, really
good, actually. I've been thinking maybe I could help set up some kind of care
center, for orphans or children who've lost their families." Her voice
softened. "There must be so many of them now."

Andy stood, brushing crumbs from his pants. "Need to

hit the head," he said, heading toward the small concrete building at the
edge of the property.

When Andy emerged from the bathroom, he was startled to find

Crystal standing outside, her sudden presence making him take a quick step
back. Her beauty was striking. She stood with her arms clasped behind her back,
the posture naturally thrusting her full, pert tits forward against her silk
blouse. Her head was tilted slightly to one side, a delicate smile playing
across her full lips as she looked up at him through long lashes. She'd
deliberately left the top few buttons of her blouse undone, the thin fabric
draping open to reveal tantalizing glimpses of lace-trimmed cleavage and
smooth, flawless skin. The silk draped enticingly over her narrow waist, and
her entire stance radiated a calculated vulnerability that made her seem both
alluring and in need of protection.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, raising a hand

gently in hello. "I just wanted to talk. Privately." She stepped
closer, close enough that Andy could smell her perfume, something light and
expensive that she must have brought with her despite the apocalypse. Her
proximity was dizzying, making it hard for him to focus. Andy was glad that the
bathroom building hid them from view of the others.

"I can tell Sarah wants me to find my own way once we

reach the city," she said, her voice gentle, her blue eyes meeting his.
"And I understand, I'm not trained like Daniela or resourceful like her.
But;" She took another small step closer, her voice dropping. "I'd
much rather stay with your group. With you."

Andy started to respond, but Crystal continued, her voice

taking on a subtle warmth. "I know I'm not useful in the traditional
sense, but;" She glanced down, then back up through her lashes. "I
could make it worth your while. In other ways." Her lips curved in a
small, knowing smile. "And I wouldn't be reluctant about it at all. You're
very attractive, and I'd be happy to show you my appreciation. Very
happy."

She placed a delicate hand against his chest, then slowly

slid it down his torso until she found his hardening shaft through his tactical
pants, giving it a gentle squeeze and rub that made his breath catch. Her
breath was hot against his neck as she whispered, "I think I could make
you feel really good. And I'm not jealous. I've seen the way you look at Sarah.
If you also wanted her too, I wouldn't mind at all."

She turned smoothly and pressed her round ass against his

crotch with practiced ease, grinding against him in a way that made his hand
instinctively slide from her arm to her tit, squeezing the soft fullness
through her silk blouse. She threw him a knowing wink as she pulled away,
fixing her blouse. "Just think about it, please, sir" she said, then
walked back toward the picnic area with her natural model's grace.

Andy leaned against the concrete wall, his heart racing and

body still responding to Crystal's touch. The fantasy was immediate and
overwhelming, Crystal's skilled hands and mouth pleasuring him, her full lips
on his, while Sarah rode his cock, both women competing for his attention. He'd
already decided he wanted Crystal to stay with them even before her
proposition, though he'd need to find a way to present it to Sarah. Taking
several deep breaths, he straightened his uniform and walked back to the group.

"I've been lots of times." Sarah said, as Andy

caught the tail end of their conversation. "Recently for photoshoots at
the famous spots, the Golden Gate, Lombard Street, Palace of Fine Arts. So
mostly tourist spots I guess."

Andy grabbed a few apples from a nearby crate, tossing one

to each of them. "These look good," he said, trying to keep his tone
casual, though his mind was still swimming with erotic possibilities. "We
should take a few crates for the road."

As he distributed the fruit, he noticed Sarah's quick glance

between him and Crystal.

"I've only been twice, for track meets. We mostly

stayed near the Golden Gate Park." said Daniela.

I used to go pretty often." Crystal chimed in.

"The modeling agency I was with was actually headquartered in San
Francisco rather than L A. They claimed it was part of them being a more
realistic, less superficial brand." She looked to Sarah. "We also did
photoshoots at those spots, I wonder if we ever overlapped and just didn't know
it." she said sweetly. "You're a model? I mean you look
amazing."

"Oh, thanks, no, just Instagram" said Sarah

self-deprecatingly. "Nothing legit. I had like, a decent following, good
for free gear from sponsors and stuff but not really enough for a living."

"No, that's cool! I could never, too much effort to

post and make hashtags and plan everything out. I was always better when people
told me where to go, what to wear, how to pose, you know. But, it sounds
empowering to be in control of your content. Although I guess then you've gotta
cater to your audience more directly. Did you ever think about Only Fans?"

Andy raised an eyebrow, while Daniela chomped on her apple

only half attentive. "No, never." said Sarah firmly. "Not my
thing." Her cheeks took on some color as she bristled at the suggestion.

Crystal raised a hand in graceful apology. "I didn't

mean any offense, sorry. We didn't have much money growing up, and I wasn't
great at school. I don't think there's anything wrong with using what you have.
She turned to Andy. "What about you, Andy? Have you been to San Francisco before?
Where are you from actually? You haven't said much."

There was a brief pause at the table. Crystal had just

broken the unspoken post-apocalypse rule against asking people about their past
if they didn't volunteer it. Perhaps in realization of this, Crystal slid a
hand surreptitiously under the table and rested it gently against Andy's thigh.

"I'm from Seattle." he said, in a stiff tone. He

thought to his parents and brother, back in Korea, probably dead. "I've
been to San Francisco a few times." he said curtly. Crystal gave him an
understanding, apologetic smile, which he tried to return. "Are we
done?" he said, glancing around the table. "Go to the bathroom if you
guys need, and we should head out."

Day 7, Afternoon

The early afternoon sun cast shadows across Interstate 580

as their two-truck convoy approached Oakland. Traffic thinned out considerably
after they'd managed to navigate around several major blockages, but abandoned
vehicles still dotted the shoulder sporadically, silent witnesses to the chaos
of those final days.

Andy kept one eye on his rearview mirror, checking that

Sarah was following OK. Crystal had switched to riding with Sarah after their
lunch stop, the two women seemingly settling into an uneasy quiet, while
Daniela maintained her vigilant watch of their surroundings from his passenger
seat.

The highway curved sharply around a hill, and suddenly there

was movement, a pickup truck appearing from the opposite direction. Both
vehicles slammed to a stop instinctively, tires screeching on the asphalt.

"Contact front!" Daniela called sharply, already

reaching for her Remington. "Armed individual, driver's side!"

Andy killed the engine and was out of the truck in one fluid

motion, his ranger training taking over. He reached through the rear window of
the cab, grabbing the AR-15 mounted behind the seats. Daniela mirrored his
movement on the passenger side, her rifle trained steadily on the other
vehicle.

Andy keyed his radio quickly: "Sarah, Crystal, stay in

the truck, get down below the windows. Now!"

The man from the other truck had taken cover behind his own

door, his rifle held ready but not directly aimed. He was middle-aged, wearing
casual clothes and looking almost as startled as they were.

"Identify yourself!" Andy shouted, his voice

carrying the authority of his ranger training.

"Hey, easy!" the man called back, his voice

strained but not aggressive. "I don't want any trouble! My name's Mike
Peterson, I'm just trying to get to my mom up north. She's alive, I got a
message from her yesterday!"

"Keep your hands visible!" Daniela commanded, her

young voice carrying surprising authority.

"Look, I'm sorry!" Mike responded. "You

scared me as much as I scared you, wasn't expecting anyone on this road!"
He carefully kept his rifle pointed down. "I swear I mean no harm!"

Andy studied the man's body language. "Alright,"

he called out. "Let's both put our weapons back in our vehicles. Show of
good faith. Then we can talk!"

There was a moment of tense silence before Mike nodded.

"Okay! On three?"

"On three," Andy confirmed. "One; two; three!"

Both men slowly placed their weapons back in their vehicles,

movements deliberate and visible. After a moment's hesitation, Daniela followed
suit, carefully placing her Remington back in the cab.

Andy let out a deep sigh of relief and keyed his radio

again. "Sarah, Crystal, you can come out now. Stand a few paces from the
truck, hands where he can see them." He raised his voice to Mike:
"We've got two more people in the second truck. They're coming out now, no
weapons!"

The rear doors of the second truck opened cautiously. Sarah

emerged first, her designer athletic wear incongruous against the tension of
the moment. Crystal followed, her beauty drawing Mike's attention momentarily
before he caught himself and returned his focus to Andy.

The two men walked toward each other, meeting roughly

halfway between their vehicles. The late afternoon breeze carried the salt
smell of the nearby bay, rustling through the wild grass growing between the
highway directions.

"I'm Andy Rhee," Andy offered, his posture relaxed

but alert. "We're coming from Yosemite, heading to San Francisco.
You?"

"Gilroy," Mike replied, running a hand through his

graying hair. "Been on the road since yesterday. My mother's up near Mount
Shasta, finally got a message through on Beacon that she made it." He
glanced at their trucks. "Any trouble on the roads?"

Andy shook his head. "We've been checking Beacon for

updates about blocked sections. Had to detour around a big pileup between exits
234 and 236, and there was another rough stretch near the 99-120 interchange,
but otherwise it's been quiet. You?"

"Seen a few other people on the move," Mike said.

"Most heading either to San Jose State or the Presidio. Stopped at SJSU
myself, they gave me some medical supplies, antibiotics." He patted the
bag at his hip.

"What's the situation like at San Jose State?"

Andy asked.

Mike shrugged, his expression uncertain. "Pretty loose

organization, if you can call it that. There's a professor trying to coordinate
things, but;" He paused, searching for words. "Nobody's really in
charge. Most folks are just passing through, or locals coming out of their
homes to get supplies when they need to. Everyone's still pretty shell-shocked,
you know? Scared. Confused about what to do next."

"I see," Andy nodded. "You need any supplies?

We've got two full trucks here."

"Thanks, but I'm good," Mike replied.

"Stopped at a Walmart on the way up, loaded up pretty good. What's your
plan?" he asked.

"We're heading to the Presidio to check things out,

probably look to settle there," Andy replied. He explained the logic that
made San Francisco an ideal place to settle.

Mike nodded thoughtfully. "I've been debating between

heading there myself or maybe taking over a farm somewhere. My dad was a farmer,
I grew up on a ranch, so I know the basics at least."

"If you're thinking farming, the San Joaquin delta

would be your best bet," Andy suggested. "Close enough to the Bay to
stay connected, and the river means you won't need complex irrigation systems."
He paused. "Though once people get more organized, there might be
competition for that land."

"Makes sense," Mike said, considering. "Hey,

we should share Beacon handles, keep each other updated on how things are
going."

"Good idea," Andy agreed. They quickly exchanged

their information.

"Alright then. Good luck," Mike said with a final

nod.

"You too," Andy replied, turning back toward his

truck.

They watched Mike's truck shrink into the distance before

Andy walked back to where the others waited. The late afternoon sun cast their
shadows long across the asphalt as he summarized the encounter.

"He's heading up to Mount Shasta, his mom survived,

managed to get a message to him," Andy explained. He saw the brief
flickers of pain cross their faces at the mention of family, each of them
carrying their own weight of loss. Sarah's hand moved unconsciously to the
delicate necklace she wore. Daniela's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly, while
Crystal wrapped her arms around herself, as if suddenly cold.

"He stopped at San Jose State," Andy continued

quickly, pushing past the moment. "Says there's some professor trying to
coordinate things, but it's pretty disorganized. Mostly just people passing
through, getting supplies when they need them."

"God, I was so scared when he first stopped,"

Crystal admitted, her voice still slightly shaky. "But he seemed nice! I
hope he finds his mom." She brightened slightly. "It's kind of
encouraging, right? Making new friends already?"

"We're getting close to Oakland now," Andy said,

his tone growing more serious. "This will be the most populated area we've
been through. We should pull off somewhere, check Beacon for updates." He
glanced at their loaded trucks. "And we need to cover those beds with
tarps, don't want to advertise how much supplies we're carrying."

Daniela was already moving toward the trucks. "There's

an exit about a quarter mile ahead," she said, consulting their marked-up
atlas. "Looks like it leads to some kind of business park. Should be good
cover, and easy access back to the highway."

The Business Park.

The business park was quiet, its empty parking lot offering

a clear view of the approach. Sarah and Crystal worked on setting up the
Starlink array while Andy and Daniela methodically secured heavy tarps over the
truck beds, their practiced movements suggesting they'd done this before.

"I've been thinking about where to set up

initially," Andy said, pulling the tarp tight before securing another
tie-down. "There's a Korean consulate building in Presidio Heights I've
visited before. It would make a good temporary base."

Daniela paused in her work, considering. "Security

features?"

"Yeah, it's built for diplomatic security," Andy

confirmed, testing the tarp's tension. "Reinforced doors, security
windows, probably some basic defensive architecture. It's in a quiet
residential area, but walking distance from the Presidio." He moved to
secure another corner. "Plus it's designed to be relatively self-contained,
might have backup generators, water storage."

"Got signal," Sarah called from where she knelt by

the array, her designer leggings collecting dust from the pavement. Crystal
leaned over her shoulder, their phones illuminating their faces as they
scrolled through Beacon updates.

"The building, is it big enough for all of us?"

Daniela asked practically, her young voice carrying that familiar tactical
edge.

"Three stories, if I recall correctly, and lots of

office space we can convert," Andy replied. "And importantly, it's
far enough from Downtown that we'll be far from the chaos there, and we won't
be right in the middle of whatever organization efforts are happening at the
Presidio, but close enough to stay connected."

Crystal fidgeted with the hem of her silk blouse.

"About that;" she began softly. "I was wondering if; if maybe I
could stay with you all?" Her blue eyes flickered between them, settling
briefly on Andy before dropping to the ground. "I know I'd be another
mouth to feed, and I'm not exactly survival-trained, but I could help out. I
could handle the cooking, cleaning, keep watch at night;" She trailed off,
her offer hanging in the air.

Sarah and Daniela both turned to Andy, waiting for his

response. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the parking lot as he
made a show of considering the request, though his mind was already made up.

"We packed about three months of food for the three of

us," he said thoughtfully, watching Crystal's face fall slightly before
continuing. "But getting more shouldn't be too hard at this point. There
are probably plenty of places we can scavenge from once we're in the
city." He adjusted the tarp's final tie-down. "As long as you're
willing to help with some scavenging runs, which we should do anyway to build
up our supplies, it should work out fine. I can go with you, show you the
ropes."

Daniela's face brightened with obvious approval, while Sarah

maintained a carefully neutral expression, offering a small nod of agreement.

Crystal's relief was palpable, her usual poise returning as

she straightened up. "Thank you," she said softly. "I promise
I'll pull my weight."

Arriving at the consulate. Andy and Sarah.
Day 7, Late Afternoon

The late afternoon shadows stretched across the quiet

streets of Presidio Heights as their little convoy approached the Korean
consulate. The building stood stolid and official-looking among the surrounding
residences, its windows dark but intact. As they drove through the SF
neighborhoods, they'd seen scattered survivors, mostly women. Most kept their
distance, watching the trucks pass with wary curiosity before returning to
whatever tasks occupied them in this new world.

Andy pulled up to the front of the consulate, studying the

building's facade. The American and Korean flags still hung limply from their
poles. The front entrance featured heavy double doors with reinforced glass
flanked by simple columns and dotted with CCTV equipment, now nonfunctional.

"Stay in the trucks," Andy instructed over the

radio. "Daniela and I will check the entrance first."

They approached the front doors cautiously, Daniela's hand

resting near her holstered Glock. Andy tried the handle, locked, as expected.
He knocked firmly, the sound echoing through the empty building.

"I don't see any signs of forced entry," Daniela

observed, examining the door frame. "Any electronic security would be
disabled when the power went out. Probably a pretty heavy deadbolt
though."

Andy nodded. "Let's try the back. No point destroying

the front entrance if we don't have to." He keyed his radio: "We're
going to check the rear access."

The fence around the property's perimeter was tall but

manageable. Andy went first, scaling it smoothly before dropping to the other
side. Daniela followed with the grace of someone who'd trained for exactly this
kind of situation, her feet barely making a sound as she landed.

The back door was similarly secure, but its handle was less

robust than the front entrance. Andy retrieved the fire axe from his pack,
testing its weight before taking a controlled swing at the handle mechanism.
The sound of splintering metal seemed impossibly loud in the quiet
neighborhood. Two more precise strikes, and the handle fell away entirely.

A careful push revealed an empty hallway beyond. Andy did a

quick sweep before returning to the door. "Clear," he called softly.
"We'll open the garage from inside." He radioed. "Gimme a
sec."

Minutes later, Andy and Daniela manually hauled the heavy

garage door upward, revealing a spacious underground parking area. Sarah and
Crystal guided the trucks inside, the engines' echoes filling the concrete
space before falling silent. As the door lowered behind them, sealing them into
their new sanctuary, Crystal's voice carried a mix of relief and uncertainty.
"Home sweet home?"

After securing the trucks, Andy pulled one of the Glock 19s

from their equipment and checked the magazine. "We should clear the
building together," he said, tucking a couple of flashbangs into his
tactical vest. "No splitting up."

Daniela nodded, already holding her father's Mossberg with

practiced ease. "Standard sweep pattern?"

"Sure. Let's trade" he said, handing her the

pistol and flashlight. "I'll take point."

The basement level revealed its first surprise in a

mechanical room, a commercial-grade backup generator system connected to
substantial fuel storage. Daniela examined the setup with interest, her usually
sober expression breaking into a rare smile.

"Looks like there's about three hundred hours of

runtime with the current fuel," she calculated, sweeping her flashlight
across the gauge. "If we're careful about power usage, could stretch that
a while."

"That would be amazing." Sarah breathed, her eyes

lighting up.

"Yeah, let's leave it off for now though." said

Andy.

Adjacent to the generator room, they discovered a

significant water storage system and septic setup. "Diplomatic buildings
always plan for siege scenarios," Andy explained, his own relief evident
in his voice.

"Four, maybe five months of water," Daniela

estimated. "If we're careful."

"Gosh" Crystal whispered, touching one of the

tanks, almost reverently. "I never thought I'd be so happy to see plumbing
equipment."

"Me neither" said Sarah. "I need a shower so

bad."

They continued their sweep, finding a heavy steel door

marked 'Security' that refused to budge. "Probably need specialized tools
for that one," Andy noted, making a mental note to return later.

The next door revealed a surprisingly well-equipped gym, free

weights, cardio machines, and resistance training equipment. Sarah's eyes lit
up immediately.

"Oh thank god," she breathed, running her hand along

a rowing machine. "I was terrified of losing this." She gestured
winsomely at her meticulously crafted curves. "Do you know how many years
it took to get my body like this?"

Crystal watched her uncertainly. "You're worried about

that? I'm barely holding it together right now, I couldn't imagine making
myself more tired and exhausted on purpose."

"I'd literally rather die than lose this body,"

Sarah replied firmly, her hand trailing along her flat, gently muscled abs. The
seriousness in her voice made it impossible to tell if she was exaggerating.

Andy watched this exchange with raised eyebrows, then

noticed something else. "There's a sauna in here too," he noted,
pleased. "Would be a real luxury to turn on some day."

The main floor revealed a layout typical of diplomatic

buildings, a reception area leading to various offices, with a modest break
room and a more formal dining space clearly meant for official functions. The
kitchen behind it was industrial-grade, though smaller than what you'd find in
a restaurant. The second floor held more offices, their doors standing open to
reveal desks still covered in papers and family photos, frozen in time.

To be continued. Based on a post by the

hospital, for Literotica.

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