18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 314

When the Porras clan weighed in, no one dared to object. They were the backbone of the neighborhood watch, the unofficial sheriffs of the block. Plus, the proposal promised revenue and reduced patrol shifts a no-brainer. And if the new tenants stirred up trouble, wasn't there a guarantor to fall back on?

So, the decision was unanimous.

Stella gave him a thumbs-up, and Bran's heart swelled with a sweetness that rivaled the richest honey.

Heeding Jasper's advice, Stella took a detour and didn't go directly to Cody and Lukas but sought out Austin instead.

Austin was a sharp one; he caught on immediately. "Ha, your influence is something else, Stella." he laughed. "I tried talking to Bran before, but he shot me down without a second thought. Looks like you're the only one who can sway him."

Soon after, Lukas' walkie-talkie crackled to life. "Stella, Cody and I are looking for a bigger place. Austin mentioned you might have something suitable. What's the deal?" They were hoping for something roomy, but Austin went above and beyond, offering them a villa. "It's a nice place, though someone died there," Stella said with a smile. "If that doesn't bother you, feel free to come and take a look."

"We've quit our jobs; we'll be there soon." The rent wouldn't be cheap, but seeing the place first was sensible.

In half an hour, four of them arrived at the gated community, and Stella showed them the vacant villas.

The place was a mess, left as-is after the body was removed and the crime scene cleared. Bloodstains still darkened the floor. In the days before the calamity, no amount of money could make someone stay in a house with such a dark past. But times had changed. Living threats were far more concerning than the dead.

After touring all the available houses, they didn't pick the largest one. The rent was steep, and a larger space was harder to defend.

They settled on Villa 42, which was similar in layout to Villa 50 but with a half-built wall that could be finished once the everlasting night ended.

When it came to discussing the rent, Stella stayed out of it, but Austin volunteered to negotiate.

Bran didn't mince words. "A hundred pounds of rice or flour."

whispered, "Come on, Bran. They're friends of Stella. You've got to

Now we're renting out a

and they can provide a patrol from each family. Don't talk to me about the rules

Bran relented. "Fifty

"Stella rarely asks for a favor. You're slashing fifty pounds just

"What's your offer?"

me to dinner."

feeling the

Bran a favor. Why not maximize

speechless. With food being so precious, she suggested using tea, tobacco, and liquor as rent payment. They settled on three pounds of tea leaves for a month's

quarters elsewhere, this villa was a slice of paradise even in the shroud of eternal night. The four new tenants embraced and cheered; they finally had a place to call their

easily moved in one trip. The sprawling garden, spacious rooms, and cushy beds were more

Lukas and Angela took the ground floor, while Cody and Kitty claimed the

corn, and peanuts to plant, all they needed was

apartment to this spacious

but they all knew the low rent was a favor for Stella and Jasper's sake. In gratitude, they

her ruse was obvious, offered a compromise. "How about Jasper and I take one share, and the extra can be

need the supplies; a symbolic gesture was

the wealthier residents with a knack for survival. Facing

trading or

didn't bother with such petty

useless in the eternal night, and diesel generators cost a fortune. Even if they invested heavily, fuel was a problem. The government had anticipated the endless night

were familiar with government tech from their office jobs and knew these generators converted mechanical energy into electricity. It's not high-tech by any means. They had used a similar setup with bicycles for power when living on the 18th floor. Now improved, the simple generators were easier to pedal and more efficient. They were costly,