18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 544

Stella squinted in the direction he pointed, barely making out a patrol boat skimming the ocean's surface.

The crew seemed to be wearing uniforms from the Southern Base. Sure, there were patrols in these waters, but they were still over ten nautical miles from the dock. With fuel being so scarce, expanding the patrol area this much wasn't standard procedure.

Had something gone wrong?

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

Gunshots echoed, and several crew members dropped into pools of their own blood.

One of them, clutching a sharpened ice pick, was lunging toward Stella's back...

Jasper fired his gun.

Stella spun around, quickly drawing her weapon, and took down the crew members scrambling toward the cockpit.

Did they really think they could pull one over on her? She had just let them dig their own graves.

The captain, terrified, stumbled backward, frantically trying to explain himself. Stella raised her gun and sent him to meet his maker.

The patrol boat was closing in, and if they got much closer, they'd spot the cargo ship.

Without hesitation, Jasper took over the controls to stop the ship, while Stella dashed to the hold, releasing all the packaged glass and camouflaging it properly.

Up on the third deck, she released other supplies: steel rods, plates, several hundred pounds of aged grain, and medications.

This was a scavenger's pirate ship; nothing was out of the ordinary.

After setting everything in place, she hurriedly slid down the rope and launched the fishing boat into the sea, struggling to hook the two vessels together with the cargo ship's large iron hook.

Climbing back aboard, she saw the patrol boat even closer, gradually slowing to a stop.

One of the patrol soldiers picked up binoculars and began to scrutinize the scene.

About ten minutes later, the patrol boat approached the freighter and started hailing through a megaphone.

"Attention to the folks on the cruise ship, you have entered Griffith Base's territorial waters. If you are not survivors from Australia, please leave immediately."

had just survived a brutal fight against marauding pirates. She walked to the bow and waved a red flag, signaling, "Friendly,

closer, they were surprised to recognize

was on the ship, he waved excitedly, "Sis,

consisted of five soldiers. Bran, climbing up eagerly, asked, "How'd you manage to

sleeve. “Your brother-in-law and I went out scavenging for supplies. We stumbled upon pirates hijacking a ship and nearly

everyone instinctively drew their

the night before last, wounded more than half of them before we were captured. But they started infighting, giving us a chance

saw the remnants of a gasoline fire and bullet holes on

here under the

a beat.

lung infection, and he's been

hasn't made it public yet, but the hospital is out of the needed

buzzed, nearly losing her footing, but

"You go back immediately; I'll

from Kindle Chest, the base

patrol boat, and Bran instructed his soldiers to escort the couple back,

the wind whipping past Stella's face,

her lips pressed

been a major concern; how

infection

severe, but causing

held her hand, finding

was only forty

for Jasper's quick

fetched the car, "Stella, don't worry too much. There will be

was in turmoil, and she sat silently

at

Vanessa and the hospital director were discussing

eyes reddened when she saw Stella. "Stella, your

lips trembled. "What

waiting for

no medication available at the hospital, the antibiotics Stella

said it was a miracle he had held

the right medicine,

days, both

Seeing Stella return, she couldn't hold

face set as she walked to

"Stella wants to be alone

his complexion ashen and lifeless, his