Chapter 86 – A Line in the Sand

The tension in the air was thick as I stood in the command room, staring at the hastily printed copy of the New UNO's announcement. The words felt like a noose tightening around every independent survivor's neck.

Surrender, comply, or be left to rot.

I clenched my jaw and threw the paper onto the table. Around me, my group stood in silence, absorbing the weight of the news. Ray's expression was hard, his eyes scanning the document as if looking for any loophole. Vivian, arms crossed, exhaled sharply.

"So, they finally made their move."

"Yeah," I muttered. "And it's exactly what we expected. They're dividing the major groups, giving them titles, and taking a cut of their resources. Twenty-five percent." I tapped my finger on the table. "If they get away with this, it's only the beginning."

Mason leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "They're not asking. They're telling us how it's going to be."

I knew what this meant. The greenhouse had changed everything. With a stable food source, we weren't just surviving anymore—we had the means to build something lasting. That also meant we were now a threat. The New UNO wouldn't allow independent settlements like ours to thrive. They wanted to pull everyone under their control before we could grow strong enough to resist.

"They won't stop at twenty-five percent," Ray said. "First, they'll make demands. Then, they'll find excuses to take more. And once they have enough leverage, they'll force absolute compliance."

I nodded. "Which is why we need to act now."

Lily, who had been quiet so far, spoke up. "So, what do we do? Are we fighting them?"

"Not yet," I said. "Fighting an enemy we barely understand would be reckless. But resisting? That's a different story."

Ray stepped forward. "We need allies. If we don't start building a coalition now, we'll be swallowed up before we even realize it."

"Agreed," I said. "We need to reach the smaller groups before the UNO does. Right now, most of them are isolated, scared, and scrambling for survival. The greenhouse changes the game—we have food. We have something they need."

Vivian narrowed her eyes. "But how do we get them to trust us? Some of these groups won't be easy to convince."

I turned to Ray. "That's where you come in. You've been out there, you know how these people think. We need to make the right moves, offer them something real, and show them that standing together is the only way to keep our freedom."

Ray nodded. "I can reach out to a few of them personally, but word spreads fast. Once we make a move, the UNO will take notice."

"Then we move carefully," I said. "We don't want to paint a target on our backs before we're ready."

Mason rubbed his chin. "We'll need a plan to integrate these groups. Security, food, living arrangements—it can't just be 'join us, and good luck.' We need a structure."

Vivian smirked. "Sounds like we're building a resistance."

I didn't say it out loud, but that's exactly what we were doing. The UNO wanted to rule the surface world like their underground city was the last hope for civilization. But we weren't going to let them dictate our future.

"First," I said, "we identify the most at-risk groups. The ones the UNO will approach first. If we can convince them before the UNO does, we set the stage for a larger network."

Ray pulled out a map, marking several known survivor groups. "These guys are closest to us and the weakest. If the UNO starts recruiting, they'll go after them first."

"Then that's where we start," I said.

I could see the gears turning in everyone's heads. It wasn't just about us anymore. If we didn't make a move, the smaller groups would be swallowed up, one by one, until only the strongest remained. And by then, it might be too late.

Lily looked at the map and frowned. "If we start bringing more people in, won't that make us a bigger target?"

"Yes," I admitted. "But it also makes us stronger. Right now, we're alone. If the UNO decides to crush us, they can do it easily. But if we have allies—if we have numbers—we become a real problem for them."

Mason leaned forward. "Then we'll need a recruitment strategy. If we just show up and say 'Hey, join us,' some of these groups will be too scared to take the risk."

Ray nodded. "I can talk to them. Some of these people know me. But we'll need to offer something they can't refuse. Protection, food, a future."

Vivian tapped the table. "And we'll need to be ready for pushback. Some of these groups will be wary. And if the UNO finds out what we're doing, they won't just let it slide."

I took a deep breath. "That's why we have to be smart about it. We reach out quietly, build relationships, and only reveal our full strength when the time is right."

The room fell silent as the weight of our next steps settled on everyone.

"Let's get started," I said.

Because whether we liked it or not, the war had already begun.

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The New UNO is making its move, and James and his group have to act fast! The struggle for power is beginning, and alliances will make or break the survivors. Will James succeed in uniting the smaller groups before the UNO tightens its grip? Let me know your thoughts!