Apocalyptic Rebirth: With a repairman system space, she rises again. Chapter 209: Who stays or goes?

Her decision was final, and she had no plans of changing it. The main reason for her wanting other bases around was to avoid overcrowding at her own base.

The only reason those survivors had made it inside was because Alfred had been outside. If not for him, the gates would have remained closed.

Now that they had eaten and their wounds treated, it was ti to take them elsewhere.

"eting adjourned." Sunshine declared.

Hades stretched his arms and smiled. The eting had ended in a record ti of twenty-two minutes. He could finally take his wife back ho and they could nap, or kiss. Or nap and kiss at the sa ti.

First, he needed to get White out of their bed. The bear cub could not get used to sleeping in their bed. He would throw it to Ariel. One more sibling to keep an eye on.

Father Nicodemus stood up suddenly, his voice breaking. "Sunshine please....I beg you to reconsider, this is a death sentence!"

Hades’s smile faltered. Never had he wanted to throttle a priest so badly. Didn’t the man hear his wife say eting adjourned?

Did he need an explanation of the aning of those words?

Sister Anna clasped her hands together, her eyes shimring with unscheduled tears. "For our lord’s sake, please reconsider, not all of them are the sa. You saw the video; so helped like Alfred did."

Dwayne sighed heavily and said sothing that went against all he believed in. "The sister has a point. I saw a young woman that remained near the gate, helping those that could not walk and the soldiers that were stepped on. Maybe so of these people deserve a chance."

The opinion started changing slowly and suddenly, rcy was the the of the eting.

Sunshine stared at the black screen and exhaled. "It’s only fair that we offer the good ones a chance. We’ll review the footage and decide on who stays and who leaves."

Major Elio had been quiet from when the eting started, only nodding when he agreed and shaking his head when he disagreed.

Sunshine gestured at him to watch keenly as he would see what they missed.

He nodded and leaned forward, using his sharp eyes to observe every movent on the screen while making small brief notes.

Around him, argunts on who would stay or leave continued. He ignored them until he heard the priest suggesting that maybe everyone should just stay.

"God would want us to be rciful."

The Major wanted to slap Father Nicodemus back to his senses. He and the sister still believed in the goodness of people in the apocalypse, and they preached hope. They needed a harsh reality check.

Maybe the next ti so mutant attacked, they could be thrown outside and handed weapons to fight alongside Sunshine and the soldiers.

As for the decision on who stayed and who left, it was not his business, but he only knew one thing, Augustus Bellam had to leave.

When the last face had been judged and the final nas marked down, Major Elio straightened in his chair. He cleared his throat, his deep voice cutting through the murmuring.

"Major is sothing wrong?" Sunshine asked.

"I wish this could wait but it cannot." He began, his gaze sweeping across the room. "There is sothing that you must all know."

The others stilled especially those who knew that the Major didn’t talk carelessly. So, this had to be important. Hades tilted his head, intrigued. Sarah turned toward him, hands still clasped tightly on the table.

"This concerns one of the newcors." Major Elio continued. "Augustus Bellam."

The nas had already been matched to the faces in the video; Augustus Bellam was on the list of those leaving the base. He was among those that trampled on others to make his way inside.

In fact, he was the one that shoved Emmaline into the snow and stepped on her back. He had nearly broken the old woman’s spine.

Elio circled the na in his small notebook. "This matter was first brought to my attention by Ariel Quinn, we all know how smart that kid is. He was the first to notice that sothing about the man was off and urged to keep my eye on him."

Hades and Sunshine traded gazes. Ariel had not reported this to them. "And what did Ariel say exactly?" Sunshine asked.

"He said the man was....strange. He was the only survivor with clean shoes, well put clothes and a heavy fur coat. He did not seem to be familiar with the other survivors and no matter how much crying he did, there were no tears in his eyes. He was odd all around. At first it thought that Ariel was overthinking. But after watching Augustus closely I realized that he was right."

Major Elio told Lisha to replay the video and Elio paused the fra. Augustus Bellam had not co from the base of the mountain like the others; he ca from the forest. Obviously, he was not with the survivors!

"How did we miss this?" Hades said.

Sunshine let out sharp breath. "It was a chaotic mont, thank God Ariel caught on fast."

Elio’s voice dropped, heavy with unease. "During the night, I tracked his behavior. Six tis__six! He excused himself, claiming he needed the rest room. But not once did he go to the rest room, he strayed each ti. He seed to be searching for sothing. He was counting soldiers on patrol and lingered near the entrance of the second wall while smoking. At one point he tried to follow a nurse into the gate leading inside the second wall. When he was stopped, he claid that he was lost."

Silence hovered in the air.

Sunshine leaned forward, her mind racing. "Coming here was intentional for him. Perhaps he is one of Jon’s spies? I an he did try to sneak a spy cat in here."

"I would not put it past him." Hades comnted. "He has always wanted to know what is beyond the third wall."

Hadrian’s lips curled into a sneer. "We should cut off one of his arms and send him back to Jon."

"Holy mother of God!" Father Nicodemus shouted. "I think...."

Major Elio winced. "Father enough! Did you not see in the footage that man stepping on an old woman’s back? And it looked like he enjoyed it! Augustus is a dangerous man."

Sunshine inhaled slowly, her hands tightening against each other until her knuckles whitened. "We do not know for sure if Jon sent him, Hades will find out for sure and if that is not the case then we have to find out where this man ca from and what he wants. So, he stays for now."

The room erupted, with many disagreeing but there was no room for changing Sunshine’s mind.

When the eting adjourned, Sunshine’s voice cracked through the walkie-talkie, sharp and clear. "Bring all the newcors to the information center."

The order was heard, and soon all newcors were herded into the wide hall. The air was circulated with anticipation, the newcors chattered brightly, so laughing, others marveling at their supposed new ho.

Mayor Townsend strode forward, his hand raised in a clown’s wave, his smile stretched wide as he approached Hades. "My friend! Thank you for welcoming us into your base. As a leader....."

Hades’ expression remained stone. "Return to your line Townsend." He ordered in a flat voice. "You will wait with the others."

Mayor Townsend’s smile faltered, his pride wounded, but he obeyed. A few people even laughed at him.

Lisha enrolled a list of nas; one by one they were read out. Those called to the left were directed to the registration table, joy softening their faces as they got thermal bands that they had seen on the arms of permanent residents.

"Does this an we now have access to the whole base?" Augustus asked.

No one bothered giving him an answer, only sharp looks.

Lisha announced loudly, "Those on the right, follow the soldiers. You are to leave the base imdiately."