Chapter 67: Navigating the Unknown

The compound's residents milled about with the usual mix of grim determination and nervous energy that came with surviving the apocalypse. Mallory leaned against a wall, observing the bustle as Clara, Greg, Alex, and Altair worked on their plan for heading north. The weight of the flash drive containing the lab's research data pressed on all of them, but Mallory managed to maintain her air of casual indifference.

She munched on a bag of pretzels she'd "borrowed" from the compound's kitchen while occasionally glancing at Blinky, who was chirping happily and collecting dust bunnies. The tiny robot had become a source of amusement—and sometimes envy—for the group.

"Mallory," Clara called, snapping her out of her snack reverie.

"Hmm?" Mallory responded, flicking a pretzel into the air and catching it in her mouth.