23 23. To the shelter

"Where is that place? We are already walking for days." One older woman complained and Maria understood her. It was quite hard even for young people. Older people had harder time.

Lucky they found few trucks and cars and could travel for two days with it. But rest of highway was clogged. So they had to walk.

Chen glanced at woman and rolled his eyes while he pointed at Maria that looked like she will faint any moment. "She is overusing her powers to help us. I know you all are tired, but soon we will go down the highway and then we can take cars and trucks to travel further. She said we must go as far east as possible."

The woman was stunned. " Why? "

Everyone listened up as Maria's voice traveled from front. "Because nuclear plants. We must put mountains between us and rest of USA. Even though we survived this crazy situation, that doesn't mean that we can survive nuclear power plant explosion."

Woman suddenly thought of something. "We are going to the safety shelter?"

Maria nodded while she checked the map. Zero let her be conected to the satellite and GPS systems. Day when they left she went to that island only with Brian and told him about the space as she stuffed everything usable in that place. But there Zero found something interesting as well.

On one of computers was a map of underground shelter they owned, but as it seems they just had no time to go there. It is in mid of nowhere. And it was closed for years so there was no food, no air nothing.

But Zero used satellite system to turn on the shelter system and while they walked there, the shelter is recharging and refreshing on its own.

Maria was actually flabergasted by her employers. She had no idea they were that wealthy and that scared of possible disasters that they bought even this. But as it seems they were right.

On their way Zero would gather all gasoline, oil or food from cars. After all, early or later these things will leak.

And not only that. They found many military trucks stuck in mid of road and everyone carried more weapons.

Strangely, or luckily, they met just smaller groupations of zombies. Tens or more. But never more than few dozen. That is what they saw, but not real truth...

She had that strange gut feeling that they need to hurry up. "Let's hurry up, I'm getting that feeling again."

By now more people followed her and among them as well many children. But even children by now knew when she says she had strange feeling, always bad things happen.

Not even hour later they could see the side road they needed to go and rushed to gather cars. She would go from car to car and unnoticeably fill to the brim.

At first there were something over hundred people with her, but now they are almost three hundred. Hearing that they could take cars, they all rushed to sit down and rest until the others didn't slowly back off and clear the roads.

Maria drove slowly and then stopped as she wanted to make sure everyone had vehicle. Brian shook his head and pointed at other seat. "Sit down and rest a bit. I'll drive."

She shook her head. "No. I need to stay awake. There is storm coming. We must get to shelter before it. I fear it won't be simple fall rain."

They already drove trough torrential rain and knew this is something similar.

Jasek looked at her seriously and wanted to say something, but was dragged back to car. Inside car he looked at Brian. "I am not going to hurt her."

"Idiot, I know. But she needs to concentrate. Didn't you realize that she cleaned the zombies in passing?" Brian saw it, but others didn't realize.

The only reason they never met larger horde was because she sent light balls in advance that burned the zombies to dust.

Jasek was stunned. "How many?"

"I guess over hundred thousand in one or two hordes, while the other had few tens of thousands. She is trying to keep herself awake until shelter. I guess she will be affected after that for few days or weeks." Brian could literally see her face.

She really was using last of her strength to keep awake. That is why she chose to drive herself.

The rain caught on them halfway trough. The streets were filled with water and became slippery, but they couldn't stop now. Not even for second.

As they neared another hidden path, they had to stop as there was large gate. Maria rushed to gate and while she was in matter of moments wet to bone, she just let Zero connect to security and open the gate.

Huge metal doors slowly opened up and she rushed up the hill to another huge gate. There she opened door and told everyone to stay in cars until they didn't check the place for zombies.

She came inside just with Brian as she needed just to use her light to clean the place. And something else as well. The place was huge and virtual map could be seen on the screen.

five levels for hundreds of people. Each level had smaller and bigger appartments.

Those people renovated it and actually planned to sell it to people for good prise. "Zero. How are beds and apliances?"

"Water works. Electricity works. Gas works. Beds are usable, but not comfortable. Should I change?" He asked.

"Not yet. They have to work for better conditions. This should be their basic accommodation. As long it is usable, it is fine. Put part of food in pantry. But only the food that has long shelf life. And drinkables. And the animals as well. The green house is working? " She added few more simple things and went out.

Whole process took just few minutes so when they came out, everyone sighed in relief. Outside was cold storm rain and wind so when they entered warm shelter, they felt rejuvenating. Right on top floor is huge hallway where everyone gathered.

Maria went to big computer and on wall they saw the projection of map. "As you all are first settlers here, you can choose what apartment you want. But one family one apartment. I still plan to rescue more survivors. World is like this, we can't think only on ourselves."

So single people got appartments where they got their own rooms, while families hot whole appartments on their own.

As the crowd talked about it, she rose her hands and Brian yelled. "Quiet!"