Chapter 84 – Shadows of Authority

The meeting room of the New UNO underground command center was vast, sterile, and bathed in artificial light. A large digital screen displayed a map of the surface—fractured landscapes, scattered settlements, and marked territories of survivor groups. Five figures sat around a long, reinforced table, each representing a pillar of the new world order.

President Elias Voss, an American with sharp, calculating eyes, sat at the head of the table, his fingers tapping in slow, deliberate movements. He had led the remnants of world governments into unification after the disaster, shaping what remained of civilization into a structured force.

To his right, General Helena Zhao, a hardened Chinese military leader, leaned forward with her arms crossed. Her jaw was tight as she examined the reports. "The surface remains unstable. The survivor groups are becoming more organized. Some are even forming trade networks."

"The inevitable evolution of society," Dr. Adrian Lorne, the Israeli scientist, remarked dryly. He was a man of logic, devoid of emotion. "But without centralized control, it will only lead to chaos. We must act before they grow beyond our reach."

"The question," Minister Evelyn Roth, the cunning Brazilian politician, interjected, "is whether we should forcefully integrate them or manipulate them into compliance." Her voice was smooth, every word calculated.

The fifth member, Arjun Mehta, an intelligence specialist from India, adjusted his glasses, his dark eyes scanning over a separate report. "There's already dissent. One of the major survivor groups is led by a former general—he believes we knew about the disaster before it happened and let it occur. He refuses to acknowledge our authority."

A tense silence followed.

Voss exhaled through his nose. "Then he's a problem."

The Birth of the New UNO

It had not been easy to establish control in the wake of the catastrophe. The governments of the world had crumbled, their leaders either dead or missing. Those who had seen the end coming—scientists, military strategists, corporate elites—had taken refuge in underground facilities, waiting for the chaos to subside.

The New UNO had been formed from the ashes, uniting what remained of the most powerful nations. Each of the five members had brought their own people—engineers, soldiers, workers, medical experts—creating a new society beneath the surface. Their underground cities were heavily fortified, self-sustaining, and equipped with enough technology to outlast the apocalypse.

But survival alone was not enough. They needed control.

Divide and Conquer

"Currently," Zhao continued, "there are five major survivor groups strong enough to oppose us, and twenty-five smaller ones scattered across the region." She gestured toward the map. "If they continue growing, they will be harder to deal with."

"So we don't let them grow," Roth said with a small smile. "We offer them legitimacy—titles, recognition. In exchange, they provide us with 25% of their resources."

Mehta leaned back in his chair. "Some will accept. Others will resist. It's a calculated gamble."

Lorne adjusted his data pad. "Those who accept will weaken themselves by giving up resources. Those who resist will become isolated."

"And when they're isolated," Voss finished, his tone cold, "we remove them."

The Defiant General

Zhao pulled up another screen. A grainy image of a grizzled man in makeshift military gear appeared. "This is the problem. The leader of one of the major survivor groups—General Royce Carter."

"He was once one of us," Mehta noted. "Before the collapse, he had connections with multiple global military forces."

"He believes we allowed the disaster to happen," Zhao said. "He refuses to recognize our authority and is already influencing other groups."

Voss steepled his fingers. "We try diplomacy first. If that fails, we destabilize him—politically, economically. Turn the smaller groups against him."

Roth smirked. "And if that fails?"

Voss's expression hardened. "Then we remove him."

Unseen Forces

The meeting continued, strategies forming, decisions being made that would shape the surface world. None of them knew about James. Not yet. But the ripple effect of their decisions would soon reach him.

And when it did, the divide between power and survival would become a battlefield.

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Author's Thoughts:

The New UNO isn't a simple villainous force—they see themselves as humanity's last hope. But their methods? Ruthless. And with General Carter resisting them, things are about to get even more intense. What do you think? Will their strategy work, or are they underestimating the survivors? Let me know in the comments!