He nodded slowly, then activated the audio system connected to the gate. He cleared his throat, his voice amplified as it echoed through the speakers outside.

"This is private property," Daniel said, his tone cold and commanding. "State your business."

The group outside froze, their heads turning toward the camera as they registered his voice. There was a moment of tense silence, and then one of them stepped forward, his face mostly obscured by a thick scarf. He raised a hand, as if to show he meant no threat.

"We're just looking for supplies," the man called out, his voice muffled by the layers. He sounded desperate, tired. "Please, we don't mean any harm. We just need food, water—anything you can spare."

Daniel narrowed his eyes, his finger hovering over the button that would activate the electric fence. He didn't want to hurt anyone if he didn't have to, but he couldn't afford to take risks. He leaned forward, his voice low and deliberate as it came through the speakers.

"Why should I help you?" he asked, his tone challenging. "How do I know you're not here to try and take what's mine? I've seen people do worse for less."

The man hesitated, lowering his head for a moment before speaking again. "Please," he said, his voice cracking slightly. "We're not here to fight. We have no weapons. We're just trying to survive. The cold—" He paused, his voice thick with emotion. "The cold came so suddenly. We lost everything. We didn't prepare. We don't know where else to go."

Daniel's eyes flickered across the security feed, studying the group. Four figures in total—bundled up, hunched against the cold. Their movements were slow, cautious. Desperation etched into their posture.

"How do I know you're not lying?" Daniel asked, his voice sharp. "For all I know, you could be scouts, testing the waters before bringing others back to raid this place. How many of you are really out there? What's stopping you from coming in here and taking everything I've built?"

One of the figures—a different one—stepped forward, this time with more urgency. A woman, her eyes visible between her scarf and hat. She raised her hands, her voice pleading. "We swear we're alone," she said, her tone filled with desperation. "We've been on the road for days, and we haven't seen anyone else. We're not a threat. We just need help."

Daniel clenched his jaw, his finger still hovering over the electric fence activation button. He didn't trust them. He'd seen too much of what people were capable of when they were desperate. People lied, stole, killed—especially when survival was on the line.

Suddenly, one of the group members stepped forward, his posture aggressive, his voice rising in anger. "Selfish bastard!" he shouted, his voice muffled but clear enough to convey his rage. "You think you can just keep everything for yourself?! We're freezing out here! People are dying, and you're hiding behind your fucking walls!"

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Claire's eyes widened as she focused on the man's face, her expression shifting from surprise to recognition. She sighed, her shoulders tensing as she muttered under her breath, "Shit. That's Brad."

Daniel looked over at her, his brow furrowed. "Brad?" he asked.

Claire nodded, her lips pressing into a thin line. "My ex," she said, her voice filled with annoyance. "This is going to be... interesting."

Daniel exhaled, his eyes narrowing as he looked back at the screen. The situation had just gotten a lot more complicated.

His eyes narrowed, his attention locking onto the man. The guy's hands were clenched into fists, his body tense, shaking not just from the cold but from pure rage. Daniel could feel the intensity in his words, the resentment. The man's voice carried the weight of someone who had lost too much, who had been pushed too far.

"You think I owe you something?" Daniel shot back, his voice cutting through the cold air like a knife. "I prepared for this. I worked for this. And you think you can just show up and demand that I share what's mine? Why didn't you prepare? Why didn't you take care of yourselves before it got to this point?"

The man let out a harsh laugh, shaking his head. "Prepare?" he spat, his voice dripping with bitterness. "How the hell were we supposed to prepare for something like this? The temperature dropped overnight! We didn't get a warning, no one knew what was happening. You think we all have the luxury to stockpile and hide away like you do? Some of us were just trying to make it through the day!"

Daniel could hear the anger, the desperation, the frustration. It was a familiar sound—one he had heard countless times during the first cycle of The Great Cold. People who hadn't prepared, who hadn't believed, who thought everything would go back to normal until it was too late. He'd been one of the few who saw the writing on the wall, who understood what was coming and did something about it.

Another figure stepped forward, pulling their scarf down to reveal a man's face. The exhaustion was evident—dark circles under his eyes, chapped lips, a gaunt look that spoke of hunger and hardship. He spoke, his voice calmer, though strained.

"Look, we get it," the man said, trying to deescalate. "You're just trying to protect what's yours. But we're not asking for much. We're not asking to come in and take over. Just... some food, maybe a little water. Enough to get us to the next town. If we keep going, we won't make it."

Daniel paused, his mind racing. He didn't want to kill these people if he didn't have to, and they weren't triggering any warnings from the system. There was no sense of danger beyond their desperation. But letting them in was risky. If they were lying, if they were scouts for a larger group, he'd be exposing everything he'd worked for.

Claire's hand rested on his shoulder, her grip firm. She leaned in, her voice low, almost a growl. "We can't trust them," she said, her eyes fixed on the screen. "They'll turn on us the first chance they get. Let me handle this."

Daniel glanced at her, seeing the intensity in her eyes—the same possessiveness that had been growing ever since her awakening. She wanted to fight, to protect what was hers. And maybe, deep down, she wanted to prove herself to him. But Daniel wasn't ready to cross that line—not yet.

"No," he said, shaking his head. He turned back to the microphone, his voice coming out steady. "I'm not letting you in. But I'm also not going to kill you—unless you give me a reason to."