Chapter 402 - 284: Base (2)
The SUV had more than enough room to drive through the side gate. Once the vehicle and Sweetie—who had jumped down and swaggered in—were both inside, Saul Archer had someone close the gate and asked, "Hey, Sweetie’s here too! So, where’s our vice-captain? And this is...?"
Paige Summers, the "this" he was referring to, had been about to get out of the car to say hello and take a look at the equipment in the guardhouse. But at his words, her expression immediately soured. She stayed in her seat, tilted her head back, and shot him a vicious glare.
’This is so frustrating!’
’This oblivious fool!’
’I may have shrunk, but my face is still the same!’
...
Of course, Paige Summers knew it wasn’t his fault, but she couldn’t resist taking her frustration out on him just then.
She let out a quiet sigh, turned her head forward again, and sat motionless.
The other three got out of the car. The corner of Marcus Monroe’s mouth twitched, but he remained silent.
And Levi Young was even less likely to say anything; he had no desire to rub salt in Paige Summers’s wound.
The atmosphere grew awkward.
In the end, Sean Raines had no choice but to smooth things over, though he grumbled internally, ’Just who are the Bloodfall people here? You’re all just ignoring the guy, leaving it to me, the outsider, to break the ice.’ He said aloud, "Well, uh, we can talk about all that later. First, let’s go see your Captain Chapman."
Saul Archer heard him and knew better than to press the issue.
He gave them directions, then watched the SUV drive away with Sweetie standing on its roof, feeling completely baffled.
’They all showed up, so why isn’t the vice-captain here? And that little girl... she looked so familiar. Where have I seen her before?’
In the car, Paige Summers stewed for a moment before deciding to let it go.
Her focus immediately shifted back to the scenery outside.
The open space near the main gate had been considerably enlarged, forming a semicircle. A flowerbed stood in the center, filled with green plants that were now in bloom, creating a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere.
Behind the flowerbed and directly opposite the gate was a lovely three-story building, likely the place dedicated to registering and housing visiting Superpower Users.
To the right, a wide road led directly into the heart of the base.
Overall, the base’s general layout hadn’t changed much, though all the roads had been widened. The front section was still mostly factory buildings, with the residential district located in the rear. At the very back, a separately fenced-off area, complete with its own walls, had to be the top-secret cultivation zone.
As for Claire Chapman, she was in the administrative section in the central part of the base.
For distinction and, more importantly, security, the administrative section was surrounded by walls and security checkpoints. It wasn’t long before Paige Summers’s group arrived at its main gate.
Bloodfall Base was currently populated mainly by Bloodfall’s own members and Marcus Monroe’s former subordinates, totaling just over a hundred people. Since it was still morning, the administrative section was quiet, with few people around besides the guards.
The guards were familiar faces, apparently from Mason Hayes’s contingent. Sean Raines had fought alongside them before, so none of them were strangers to him.
They entered the office building without any trouble. Paige Summers took in her surroundings as she walked.
This building left a deep impression on her. The first time she came to The Foundry, it was here that she had met Chase Woods, a soldier from before the apocalypse. He had given her research data on the virus that caused the apocalypse. She’d passed that data on to Nadia and Andy long ago; it was said to be extremely valuable...
So, as she entered, she recalled the scene of her meeting with Chase Woods, and her feelings became somewhat complex.
Still, the building looked so much brighter than it had on her last visit!
It had been renovated, and the walls were now a pristine white. This was especially true in the first-floor lobby, where—thanks to the masterpiece of some unknown Earth Ability User—the walls were so polished you could almost see your reflection in them!
She surveyed the lobby with an amused, yet wistful, sigh.
Claire Chapman knew this history, so Paige Summers wasn’t surprised to learn that she had chosen the very office where Chase Woods died as her own.
’A way of honoring his memory, I suppose.’
As it happened, Claire Chapman was in today, studying documents in her office.
With the first phase of the base’s construction complete, everyone was eager to go out and hunt.
This served two purposes: one, to scout the surrounding area, and two, to find opportunities to recruit new members for the base.
’It took so much effort to snatch this huge base from the Zombies, and now we only have a little over a hundred people. It’s pathetic!’
This was a source of some distress for Claire Chapman.
’It’s not an option to have so few people, but we can’t be too obvious about recruitment, either. After all, Southreach is still watching.’ So, she planned to start by targeting the smaller, outlying settlements.
Of course, every settlement would have its mix of good and bad people. No matter how desperate Bloodfall was for new members, they couldn’t just accept anyone. The selection process would require careful effort.
And so, she was currently reviewing the files of some Superpower Users with whom they had already established contact.
She hoped to bolster their numbers a little before the team from Central City arrived.
When the knock came, her eyes remained fixed on the documents. "Enter."
Several sets of footsteps entered. She looked up, her expression one of surprise and delight.
"What are you all doing here! Come in, come in, sit down. You all..." Her voice trailed off mid-sentence when she saw Paige Summers. After a moment’s inspection, her smile returned.
"This must be a girl from the Lowell Family, right? She looks so much like Paige Summers!" she remarked to Marcus Monroe.
She knew Paige Summers had no sisters, but a little girl who looked so much like her couldn’t be unrelated, so her mind went straight to the Lowell Family.
Paige Summers sighed to herself.
’Ugh.’
’If everyone at the base is going to be like this, how many times will I have to explain myself?!’
Sean Raines was clearly enjoying himself off to the side, while Marcus Monroe and Levi Young simply took a seat. Claire Chapman found their reactions utterly baffling.
Paige Summers folded her arms, glaring sideways at her. "Are you an idiot? What’s wrong with you? You think they’re so bored they’d have nothing better to do than bring some girl from the Lowell Family all the way here?"
Claire Chapman blinked. Then her eyes shot wide. She scanned Paige from top to bottom and side to side before pointing a trembling finger at her. "Y-y-you... You’re Paige Summers?!"
Before Paige Summers could praise her for getting it right, Claire immediately followed up with, "What in the world did you eat to do this to yourself?"
’This clown!’
Paige Summers was instantly furious all over again!