The days after boosting the signal felt really slow. Just waiting for a sign of anything.

Corey stood in the control room, staring at the radio console, its lights softly blinking as it broadcast their call for help. The group had agreed on a clear, simple message:

"Haven is a safe place. If you’re still out there, we can offer shelter and protection. Proceed to the coordinates. Approach cautiously."

Days passed without a response, but no one gave up hope. It was just a matter of time.

On the morning of the fifth day, while Corey and D’Souza were running checks on their perimeter defences, static crackled from the radio.

Corey froze, his heart skipping a beat. It was faint, but there was definitely a voice on the other end. He rushed over, adjusting the frequency to clear up the signal. The voice became clearer, though still patchy from distance and interference.

“...If anyone... hearing this... heading... we’ve got survivors.”

Corey’s chest tightened with anticipation as he leaned into the microphone. “This is Haven. You’re coming through. We’re hearing you.”

The voice on the other end cleared, and a woman’s voice came through, filled with relief but also exhaustion. “This is Chantell Joseph. There are twelve of us. We’ve been moving for days, avoiding the creatures. We heard your signal... Are you real? Is Haven safe?”

Corey exchanged a glance with D’Souza, both of them feeling a surge of excitement. They had heard from survivors.

“This is real,” Corey said, trying to keep his voice steady. “Haven is safe from the undead and the new enhanced creatures. Can you give us your position?”

There was a pause, and then Chantell responded. “We’re about six miles south of your location. We’ve had to move slow and carefully...”

“Well, you’re almost there,” Corey reassured her. “Keep moving toward the coordinates. We’ll have people ready to meet you. Just stay quiet and be careful.”

“Understood,” Chantell said, a note of relief clear in her voice. “We’ll see you soon.”

The radio went silent, leaving the room heavy with anticipation.

“They’re close,” Corey said, turning to D’Souza, his mind already planning their next move. “We need to bring them in safely.”

D’Souza nodded. “I’ll take Palesa and Ornelas with me. We’ll meet them halfway, make sure they’re not followed.”

“Good idea,” Corey agreed, grabbing his gear. “I’ll stay back with Ntlentle to secure the base.”

***

A few hours later, Corey stood on the upper level of Haven, his eyes scanning the snowy expanse beyond the facility’s perimeter. As the sun dipped lower in the sky, a distant movement caught Corey’s eye. He focused on the approaching figures, and soon, he could see D’Souza, Ornelas, and Palesa leading a group toward Haven.

“They’re here,” Corey said, a wave of relief washing over him.

Ntlentle appeared beside him, her eyes narrowing as she watched the group approach. “It’s more than I expected,” she said, her voice a mix of surprise and concern.

“Twelve survivors,” Corey murmured. “Hopefully they’re the first of many.”

The main doors of Haven slid open as the group arrived, the cold air rushing in as D’Souza led the survivors inside. Corey and Ntlentle were waiting to greet them, and Corey’s eyes immediately went to the young woman at the front of the group.

“Chantell Joseph,” she said, introducing herself with a tired but grateful smile. “We made it.”

Corey nodded, shaking her hand. “Corey Mendonca. Welcome to Haven.”

Behind Chantell, the other survivors slowly entered, their faces etched with exhaustion and relief.

“I’m Ricardo Larsen,” a muscular guy stepped forward, his blue eyes still sharp despite the weariness in his expression. “We didn’t think we’d make it this far,” he admitted. “But we heard your signal and just... kept going.”

Corey nodded. “We’re glad you made it. It’s been a long road for all of us.”

Marco Condesse, always hyperactive, gave a tired but friendly grin. “Feels good to be somewhere safe. We were starting to think there wasn’t anywhere left.”

Melisha, her long hair tied back, gave Corey a nod of acknowledgment.

“Melisha Bhudai,” she said softly, “It’s been rough, but we lost too many people to stop.”

Corey felt the weight of their journey, knowing how hard it must have been to survive this long.

Ntlentle stepped forward to guide the group. “There are rooms ready for you. We’ll make sure you get food and rest.”

As the rest of the survivors filtered in, they introduced themselves to Corey and Ntlentle.

A short woman with braided hair and striking features introduced herself as Emily Kimanthi, her voice calm and sweet. Next to her stood Nicole Njuguna, slightly shorter with sharp, dark eyes that constantly scanned her surroundings.

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Codie Richards, a stocky man with a shaved head and rough demeanour, stepped forward with a nod. Kesh Mulloo, a thin man with a quick smile and nervous energy.

Two other women, Ashlynn Baatjies and Robyn Katongo, stood near the back of the group. Ashlynn was a petite, fierce-looking woman, her eyes sharp and focused, while Robyn’s calm, calculating demeanour contrasted sharply with her quiet strength.

Lastly, Hamida dos Santos, a woman with light brown skin and long wavy hair, stood by the door, her eyes scanning the room as if she were still expecting danger to follow them inside. “We didn’t think there were any safe places left,” she said, her voice filled with guarded hope. “But maybe this is it.”

Corey could feel the tension in the room lifting as the survivors came to grips with the fact that they had finally found safety. Haven wasn’t just a facility—it was becoming something more.

D’Souza stepped forward, his expression serious but welcoming. “You’re safe here. But we’ve still got work to do. This is just the beginning.”

Chantell nodded, her eyes filled with determination. “We’re ready to help. Whatever it takes to keep this place standing.”

Ntlentle guided the group toward the living quarters, where they would finally get a chance to rest. Corey watched them go, a strange mix of relief and apprehension settling in his chest.

***

Haven’s once quiet halls were now bustling with the sounds of new life. The survivors from Chantell’s group had settled into the living quarters, grateful for the safety and warmth the base provided. They had been through hell, but they had survived.

Corey knew that simply bringing people in didn’t mean they would trust each other right away. They were all battle-hardened, survivors who had learned to rely only on themselves and their immediate group.

Inside the common room, Corey and D’Souza gathered the group for their first meeting. The new arrivals stood in a loose circle, their faces reflecting a mixture of weariness, suspicion, and cautious hope. Ntlentle, Palesa,Ornelas and Dr. Moloi joined them, ready to welcome these new survivors into Haven’s plans.

“We’ve built something here,” Corey began, addressing the group. “Haven is more than just a shelter—it’s a place where we can fight back. But to do that, we need everyone on the same page. We’ll protect each other, but that means we have to work together.”

Ricardo, always the bold one, was the first to speak. “We get it, Corey. We’ve been surviving out there for a long time. We can pull our weight.”

Chantell nodded in agreement. “We’re not looking for handouts. If you need us to help with patrols, supplies, whatever—we’ll do it. You’ve given us a home, and we won’t let you down.”

Corey glanced at D’Souza, who crossed his arms and studied the newcomers. “That’s what we’re hoping for. But survival out there is different than in here. We’ve set up defences, reinforced the perimeter, and we have systems in place to keep Haven secure. You’ll need to learn how we operate—this isn’t the same as running through the wild.”

Emily, one of the quieter members of the new group, stepped forward. “You’ve built something impressive here, but we’ve got skills too. We can add to what you’ve started.”

Corey nodded, appreciating her measured approach. “That’s exactly what we were hoping for.”

Dr. Moloi cleared his throat, stepping into the conversation. “We’ve sterilised the environment here with the VX-9 stabilising agent. It keeps the virus from mutating, but we still need to keep the cold air running at all times. This facility is our only chance at creating a long-term solution.”

“So it’s all about staying cold?” Codie asked, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. “What happens if the power goes out?”

“The creatures will be able to get in,” Dr. Moloi explained. “The refrigeration units are powered by an independent grid, and we have backup generators. But keeping those systems running is priority number one.”

“We’ll rotate teams to make sure everything’s maintained,” D’Souza added. “Everyone will have a role to play.”

Nicole spoke next, her sharp eyes flicking between Corey and D’Souza. “And what about defence? You mentioned patrols. How often do we expect trouble?”

“We’ve kept most of the creatures away with the cold perimeter,” Ntlentle replied, stepping forward. “But that doesn’t mean we can let our guard down. We set up alarms to detect movement, and we rotate patrols regularly.”

Ashlynn, a fierce-looking woman with an intensity that couldn’t be ignored, asked, “What do we do if the creatures get past the perimeter?”

“They won’t,” Corey said confidently. “The cold keeps them at bay. But if something does slip through, that’s when the filtration system will kick in.”

Melisha, who had been listening quietly, gave a small nod. “We’ll do whatever it takes. We didn’t make it this far to die now.”

As the group discussed the logistics of life inside Haven, Corey could feel the shift in the air. There was a quiet understanding between the two groups—they all wanted the same thing: to survive and to fight back. But it was clear that trust would take time.

Later that day, Corey and Ntlentle led the newcomers on a tour of Haven’s critical areas. They showed them the control room, the refrigeration units, and the armoury where their limited weapons and supplies were stored.

“This place is solid,” Codie admitted, his usual tough demeanour softening slightly as he examined the setup. “Better than anything I’ve seen in months.”

Ricardo seemed impressed as well, though he couldn’t resist adding, “Still feels weird being inside. We’ve spent so much time out there... this almost feels too safe.”

“Safe isn’t a bad thing,” Ntlentle replied. “But we’re not sitting idle. We’ve got plans, and we’re going to need all the help we can get.”

As the tour ended, Emily turned to Corey. “You’ve built something good here. But we need to figure out what comes next. There’s still a world out there—people like us who need help.”

Corey nodded, grateful for her practical mind-set. “We’re working on it. But first, we need to make sure Haven is as secure as possible. That means ensuring our defences are always online and gathering more resources.”

Back in the common room, the group reconvened to discuss their next steps. Palesa, always thinking ahead, brought up the need for more supplies. “We’ve got enough food to last for a while, but it won’t hold out forever. We’ll need to start making regular supply runs, and we’ll need to map out any locations that might still have resources.”

“We can scout the nearby towns,” Ricardo suggested. “I know a few places we passed on the way here that might still have supplies.”

Corey glanced at D’Souza, who nodded in agreement. “We’ll put together a supply run. A small team—just enough to move fast and quiet.”

As they began planning the supply run, Corey noticed that Chantell and Emily were already working closely with Ntlentle and Palesa, their conversations filled with practical ideas for expanding Haven’s security and managing its resources. The integration was happening, slowly but surely.

As the meeting came to a close, Dr. Moloi stood, addressing both groups. “I know we’ve all lost a lot,” he said, his voice steady but filled with emotion. “But what we have here is hope. We have the means to stop the virus, and maybe even find a cure. But it’s going to take time, and it’s going to take all of us working together.”

There was a quiet moment of reflection as everyone absorbed his words. They had been through hell, but Haven represented more than just survival—it was a chance to rebuild.

Later that night, Corey and Ntlentle stood on the balcony overlooking Haven’s perimeter, the cold wind biting at their skin as they watched the moon rise over the mountains. The facility was quiet, the lights from inside casting a warm glow against the stark snow.

“It’s strange, isn’t it?” Ntlentle said, her voice soft. “Having this place. Feeling like we’re finally moving forward.”

Corey nodded. “It is. But we’re not out of the woods yet. The creatures, the virus... they’re still out there. And we’ll have to face them again.”

Ntlentle leaned against the railing, her breath visible in the cold air. “But this time, we’re not alone.”

Corey smiled, feeling the weight of the past few months lift just a little. “No, we’re not.”