The Stronghold:

Their home. A two-story ranch near the outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona. Made from stone and wood, nice and sturdy in the event of an attack. The windows have steel shutters that can be pulled down over them. The ranch has a decent amount of land, but it’s really not a huge amount, and since both of the pair work full time, demanding jobs, there’s not been a mass planting effort. Still, there’s a fair stash of lettuce and wheat seeds that can be planted, and the couple have a few chickens that scratch a living in a coop next to the house. The chickens produce around a unit a day all together, and can be butchered for more units. There is also a rooster that the couple owns, which could dramatically increase the number of hens they could have. Infection of their animals is a great concern of the couple, and they make sure to test them for avian flu often.

Of course, this is by no means it. The pair have around nine hundred units of food stored in the house, all in non-perishables, and perhaps sixty more units in perishable food. The non-perishable food is stored in the basement, which is accessed through a trapdoor hatch underneath a rug beneath their living room. In an emergency, this storage is also their last retreat, as only one or two people can enter the basement at a time. The ranch has a well at the back of it that goes down far below the water table, so only in the absolute driest of summers does the couple ever run out of fresh water.

Besides this, there is a large storage shed out back, which contains enough lumber, nails, scrap and so on to repair the house several times, as well as adding a second layer of protection to the windows. There is also a tremendous amount of tarpaulin, in case they need to isolate a room as a quarantine area. Common household supplies, like detergent and bleach have also been stockpiled, and the couple has no less than four Medical Life Support Bags, along with enough antibiotics and antivirals to treat themselves for several years of sickness. They hope they don’t have to use these though. Specialist equipment the couple have includes solar panels and a wind turbine to keep essential power on, several respirators, dozens of disposable NBC overalls, gas masks and several boxes of backup filters. The only power tools they keep is a chainsaw and plane saw for making new logs if needed, as well as a ham radio.

For trade items, the couple has around $2000 worth of pre-Apocalypse trade items, which when combined with tradable tools, gives them around $15,000 of post-Apocalypse barter items. This goes up with the inclusion of their weapons: a semi-automatic Bushmaster AR15, which they have 6000 5.56 bullets for, a Remington 700 bolt-action rifle, for which they have 2000 .303 bullets for, two Glock 22’s for which they have 5000 bullets of 10mm for combined, and a Benelli Super 90 Semi-Automatic shotgun, which they have only 1000 rounds for. For close combat, they have axes, hatchets, the ever-present knives, and recently Trixie has been practising throwing and making tomahawks.

As well as a more relaxed Ford Focus, the couple has recently invested in a 2017 Jeep Wrangler, for which they have enough fuel to use until it goes bad. Besides this, they have two mountain bicycles, with messenger packs for all of them. They have a small trailer that can be hooked up to their truck, but besides that, they don’t have a way of carrying huge amounts of supplies from one place to the other.

Survivors:

The ranch contains two survivors, more if you include the animals. Robin and his girlfriend Trixie, who are both firefighters, their dog, Rocky, and the four hens and rooster they own are the main inhabitants of the ranch. They are preparing for a pandemic to ravage the US, as well as having the capability to deal with the societal breakdown that will likely occur in such a scenario. Whilst they haven’t dedicated themselves to a single disease, their big worries are Influenza/H1N1, Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, other viral plagues.
Robin is 27, and has been a firefighter since he was 19. He’s fit and strong, as would be expected, and has also picked up an eye for finding things even in high-stress situations. He’s an amateur handyman and gardener, but terrible with mechanical things. He has basic
first aid training, but nowhere near that of his girlfriend.

Trixie, 24, is also a firefighter, but unlike Robin, she’s a trained paramedic as well, and has taken it upon herself to learn mechanical skills. She can’t repair an engine block or anything like that, but she can get their car from broken down to functional, won’t short the entire thing out if she needs to use jumper cables, and has also begun to learn how to throw tomahawks. Both of the pair have been going to
a shooting range for the past few years in order to practise their aim, and consider themselves somewhat capable marksmen.

The final member of the group is Rocky- a 3 year old German Shepherd. He’s been trained well, and although he eats into the food that the group has, Robin and Trixie wouldn’t have it any other way.

The Lore:

“Ok, so, let’s just go through all of this again, right?”

“Alright.” Trixie nodded, ruffling her hand through Rocky’s ears as she did so. “So, in the Focus, we’ve got one of the medical kits, the Benelli, and the anytime ready kit, yeah?”

Robin went though the list and ticked off a few items. “Yeah, that sounds about right, I’ll double check in a minute. In the Wrangler, we have what, another medical kit, the Remington and a spare hatchet, yeah? Plus the other anytime ready kit.”

“Yeah, I checked the other medical kit in there, it’s still good, so no worries there.”

“Anything in the trailer, or did we decide to keep that empty?”

“No, that’s empty.”

“Alright. So, aim for this bug out is to have the trailer hooked up and for us to all be in the car in five minutes. Three. Two. One… BUG OUT, GO!” The firefighter clapped his hands together and took off, a quick whistle from Trixie enough to get Rocky moving. The dog knew that when this happened, he had to head to the red car and wait for them to open it for him, the owners of the house running ASAP. In the event of a bug out, they had a few waterproof barrels of food- around twenty or so units, stashed in their cupboard, and Trixie stacked up two of them, even as Robin picked up two rucksacks from their bedroom and hurried back down the stairs again. The door to the Wrangler opened with a loud bleep, and he swung the rear door open, tossing a treat to Rocky as the dog leapt up and into the back seat. The two rucksacks went in next to him, and he panted eagerly, Trixie placing the food barrels into the trailer, and then beginning to attach it to the rear of the car.

“Two minutes, come on!” Clapping his hands twice, Robin returned to the house, fumbling a keychain and unlocking their gun cabinet. The AR was hefted out, along with a box of ammo, and he tossed the rifle over his shoulder, the strap making sure it stayed there. The two pistols were locked in their holsters, and so he simply had to pick up the belts, locking the door behind him as he got into the shotgun seat of the car. When he was strapped in, he clicked the stopwatch and nodded. “Three minutes twenty four. Point three one five.” He chuckled a little bit. “We did good. You get the water as well?”

“Yeah yeah, it’s in the trailer.”

“Amazing. We should do decontamination practise next, shouldn’t we?”

“Probably, but I’m pretty buggered out right now.”

“Well, that’s the way things are. We should at least try.”

“Alright, fine fine.”

“Remember to repack the food!”

Survivors-
Dean Westin: Divorced father of three. 32 years old. National Guard soldier and Veteran of two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. School security officer
Genevieve Tyler: Divorced mother of three. 30 years old. Administrative assistant.
Julia Tyler: Widowed grandmother. 88 years old. Homemaker.
Peter Westin: 10-year old boy
Duncan Westin: 4-year old boy
Jeana Westin: 8-year old girl

Nutrition:
7 cases (160 total units) of military MRE’s and TOTM’s (taken from national guard armory on drill weekends)
Survival Straws
Iodine tablets

Supplies:

Reloading equipment and supplies used for trimming and cleaning casings, smelting and casting bullets, measure and pour powder, and fashion pistol, rifle, and shotgun rounds. Enough supplies to manufacture over five thousand rounds of 5.56, .300 BLK, 9mm, 6.5 Grendel, 10mm, and .40 S&W

Medical:
5 Combat Casualty Care medical kits (each enough to stabilize almost any wound that isn't immediately fatal, with enough in each kit to treat 3 patients)
12 Individual First Aid Kits (each first aid kit can treat most serious, non-fatal wounds (though tourniquets in each kit can stop arterial bleeding) and is enough to treat one adult patient)
2 Full-size Field medic bags (includes anesthetics and opioid painkillers, with enough to stabilize and even treat most serious wounds that don't require extensive surgery. Each kit can treat 5 adult patients.)
2 field stretchers.

Year’s supply of analgesics, antihistamines, digestive medicine, energy-based diet pills, depressants, and broad-spectrum antibiotics.

Tools/Maintenance supplies:
1 Carpenter/Plumber/Electrician/Masonry tool kit
1 Vehicle Maintenance tool kit
Air compressor, pneumatic nailer, pneumatic hammer drill, palm air nailer, large bolt cutters , power hand saw, electric jigsaw, 3 climbing and hauling kits (rope and webbing (in rope bags), carabiners, ascenders, pulleys, and harnesses), battery powered drill w/ extra batteries, gator grip universal socket wrench
1 Armorer’s tool kit

Specialized:
Solar-powered battery charger
12 Survival Kits
Waterproof notebooks and notepads, Rite in the Rain pens, fine and large-tip sharpies in a variety of colors,
50 Chem light packs
40 min chem light packs/dispensers
7 Camelbak-style water bladder packs
7 Respirator masks
SINCGARS radio system base w/ four external radios (borrowed from national guard armory shortly after inventory was conducted).
Six backpacks of various size- 2 3-day ruck sacks, 2 1-day travel packs, 1 duffel bag, 1 sling-style backpack

Trade: 30 cartons of full-flavor cigarettes, 30 menthol

Tactical gear-
3 adult plate carriers with (Large, medium, and small) and 2 micro plate carriers all with level III soft armor and level IV lightweight front, rear, and side plates..
2 short swords
3 large field knives
2 tomahawks

Rifles-
Sig Sauer MCX Short Barrel Rifle (SBR) chambered in .300 BLK with SilencerCo Omega Silencer.
Custom AR-15 SBR chambered in .300 BLK w/ a 10” barrel and SilencerCo Omega 9k Silencer
Custom AR-15 chambered in 6.5 Grendel w/ a 20” barrel and a ThunderBeast Ultra-9 Silencer
2 Ruger 10/22 (.22lr) take-down rifles with integrally suppressed barrels

Pistols-
Sig Sauer P226 TacOps (9mm) w/Dead Air Wolf-9SD Silencer
Springfield XD Mod. 2 (9mm)
Smith & Wesson M&P22 Compact (.22lr) w/SilencerCo Micro-Octane Silencer
Springfield XDm 9 (9mm)
Sig Sauer P365 (9mm)

Shotguns (All 12 gauge)-
Remington 870 Home Defense
Remington Tac-14
Stoeger over/under sawed-off
Origin 12 SBV w/ SilencerCo Salvo 12

Ammunition-
20,000 rounds of .22lr (5,000 subsonic, 15,000 supersonic)
10,000 rounds of 9mm (5,000 supersonic, 5,000 subsonic)
10,000 rounds of .300 BLK (5,000 supersonic, 5,000 subsonic)
3,000 rounds of 6.5 Grendel
2,000 rounds of 12 gauge 2 3/4 00 quadrangle buckshot
2,000 rounds of 12 gauge 2 3/4 birdshot
3,000 rounds of 12 gauge 3" sabot slugs
3,000 rounds of 12 gauge 3" 00 quadrangle buckshot
1,000 rounds of 12 gauge 3" flechette sabot shells
1,000 rounds of 12 gauge Dragon's Breath
Dozens of rifle and pistol magazines

Storage:
Weapons-
Sig Sauer P226 kept next to bed in a small biometric safe
Sig Sauer MCX kept in a secret compartment in bed headboard when at home, in sling-style backpack with survival supplies when away from home.
Remington Tac-14 kept hidden between driver and passenger seats of Tundra
Springfield XDm 9 kept in Tundra glove compartment
Springfield XD Mod. 2 kept in Genevieve’s purse.
Sig Sauer P365 kept in biometric safe next to bed when at home, in IWB holster when away from home.
All other guns are kept in a large biometric safe with loaded magazines and extra ammo.

1 closet in master bedroom, dedicated to holding medical gear, specialized gear, tactical gear, and armorer’s tools, with more kept under the bed.

Shed on the balcony full of tools/equipment

Vehicles:
QuietKat FatKat QKM1000 w/ two extra batteries and charger
Toyota Tundra
Nissan Sentra

Stronghold: 3rd floor, 3-bedroom apartment with a below-ground garage under the building. No elevator, two sets of stairs, one large balcony overlooking one side of the building. 12 total units in that building, with the top four apartments all being 3-bedroom options with a lofted bedroom. 1,075 sq feet total, with a master bedroom enjoying a walk-in closet and master bathroom. There are 2 closets in each of the other bedrooms, each of them using sliding doors. Each bedroom has one window facing out to the same side as the balcony. In addition there is a storage room across from the lofted bedroom that also houses the hot-water heater and furnace for the unit. The only entrance to the apartment opens into the living room, which also features a sliding glass door that exits on to the balcony. Opposite the living room is a small dining area with a bar-style counter and chairs that look into the small kitchen. Directly in front of the front door is a set of stairs that lead up to the lofted bedroom and the storage area. Just beside the stairs is a hallway that leads to a bathroom on one side and a bedroom on the other, with a coat closet underneath the stairs and the master bedroom at the end of the hall.

City: La Vista, Nebraska
Lore:

Post-traumatic stress from 3 tours, a drinking habit, and a sex addiction did not add up to a great father or husband. Too bad Genevieve didn’t know this before they got married 10 years ago. She had filed for divorce ten years later and it had taken only six months for it to be finalized. Dean wasn’t going to fight her on it either- she’d stuck with him long enough trying to help him work through his issues, but she realized it just wasn’t going to be enough. Sometimes in order for a person to get better, you have to stop helping him, and that’s what she did.

Westin was never able to move out of the three-bedroom home he had once shared with his ex-wife and kids. There were too many memories here, and he didn’t want to pack-up and try to move into a new place. Besides, when she finally came around to letting the kids stay the night, they would need somewhere to sleep, and it would be a lot easier to do with their old bedrooms already in place.

With the family gone though, that left a lot more room for Dean to store all of the extra crap he’d been running out of room for. The Army vet had been fascinated with the zombie apocalypse in his late teens and early twenties. Enlisting in the military had only fueled his obsession with firearms and disaster preparation and surviving “off the grid.” Westin ended up using much of his enlistment and re-enlistment bonuses on weapons, silencers, ammo, and body armor. Even the kids had their own plate carriers now.

When they were married, Genevieve had never questioned Dean’s preparatory measures. He wasn’t going as far as to build and bury a bunker somewhere out in the middle of nowhere, and with the climate the way it was politically, socially, and globally, it wasn’t a terrible idea to be prepared. It had started to become too much for their three-bedroom apartment, though. Once she’d caught him skipping work to sneak off with the last tramp he was unfaithful with, though, space cleared up quick.

Now the closet in the master bedroom was loaded with all of his tactical equipment, while the medical supplies were kept in the boys’ bedroom closets. With not much use for entertaining, the dining-room became a reloading station for all of his custom ammunition needs. The shed on the balcony had enough room for all of his tools and equipment, and Jeana’s room held everything else he had managed to amass, including a radio base and a few man-packs he’d managed to take from one of the vehicles at his unit and the supply room after they’d been counted for the annual inventory.

Stealing from his armory was bold, but the 32-year old Staff Sergeant couldn’t help the feeling in the pit of his stomach that the clouds were darkening and it was about time to start circling the wagons. If he was wrong and this feeling passed, he could return the equipment like nothing happened. It was this disturbing sense that had been keeping him up at night lately, and causing him to check and double-check that his supplies were in order. He had a pulley system rigged and ready to go on the balcony in case he had to evacuate in a hurry, and he was prepared to destroy the staircase in case it was necessary to hold up there.

Often times, Dean would find himself thinking and worrying about his family. Even though they hadn’t lived together in years now, he couldn’t help but feel responsible for their safety and security. They were all the way across town now, living with her mother in the house that she had grown up in. It was a blessing for his ex-mother-in-law, really, who now had someone to cook and clean for and to help her take care of the house and herself in her aging years. After her husband had passed away five years ago, it had been harder for her to live on her own. Sam, her five-year old boxer loved having the kids around to play with as well.

With disaster looming in his mind, Dean had been planning for several different scenarios. If the worst happened, the freeway would be shut down, forcing most people to try to flee on the streets. By street, it would take him thirty minutes to reach his wife and children, or for them to reach him. If he had to hoof it though- if the roads and streets all became impassable- he could hike there with a 20-pound pack in about five hours. He had begun keeping a “get-home” bag with him whenever he was out, his Sig MCX folded up in it and a panel of soft armor in the laptop compartment at the back of it. Just in case he ever forgot, or he ever needed it, his Remington Tac-14 shotgun was kept between the seats of his pickup truck, and he left his old XDM 9 in the glove compartment.

Looking over at his night-time nemesis, the clock at his bedside, he glared at the digits that seemed to glare right back at him- “0245”

“Fuck this,” he grunted as he got out of bed in his boxer briefs and headed downstairs. He had a glass of The Macallan in the cupboard and a couple of whiskey stones in the freezer. Soon the two elements were combined with well over four fingers of scotch in a low-ball as he opened up his closet. First grabbing his humidor and popping it open, he perused the selection of cigars he had left and selected a mid-grade one. Cigar and scotch in hand, he set both down on the coffee table in his living room before going back to the closet and fetching his cleaning kit and his 6.5 grendel, as well as the Sig MCX he usually kept in a hidden headboard compartment on his bed. Setting both of them down, he cut his cigar with the knife in his maintenance kit and lit it with his trusty table lighter he left in the living room. He didn’t plan on getting his deposit back anyway, and his neighbors didn’t care if he smoked inside.

And so it was that army veteran Staff Sergeant Dean Westin, divorced father of three, popped the pins on his weapon systems and sat down to drink scotch, smoke a cigar, and clean and oil his two favorite guns. The task was banal and almost muscle memory, but required focus, keeping his mind off the thoughts that plagued his sleep. Tomorrow he would swing by Scooter’s on the way to work and pick up a triple shot venti white mocha, because even if he passed out in the next hour or two, that little sleep was going to suck.

The Oakwood ranch was originally built as a hideout for a wealthy celebrity. When Anna bought it, it already had a 2 meters (around 7ft) brick wall surrounding the main buildings, with a steel gate protecting the entrance and small watchtowers in the corners.

Map:

Buildings:

• The main building is a two-story house. The first floor contains a large kitchen joined with a dining room, one whole wing is turned into a large food storage. There is also a small living room with the wood heater. Second floor contains four bedrooms and three bathrooms. Under the house there is a small cellar, that can be used as a short time shelter in case of a tornado.
• Barn - large barn used both as a stable for the horses and as a storage for hay, straw and fodder for the livestock
• Armory - small building in the middle of the courtyard, containing all the weapons and ammunition. Armory is locked all the time and only Anna and George have the keys.
• Shed - simple wooden shelter for all the tools and equipment. Part of the shed is designated for the diesel generator.
• Well - a deep well suplying fresh water
• Henhouse, pighouse and a cowshed - wooden shelters for the animals, with fenced coops.

Food
The survivors need around 7 units per day.
Live hens – eggs = 1 unit/day
Live cows – milk = 2 units/day
1 grownup pig = 250 units (50-60 days)
1 grownup cow = 600 units (150 days)
Livestock: 30 hens, 12 pigs, 20 cows
Storage – 1400 units (flour, cans with various things, oil,…)

Basic supplies

• Firewood – 30 m3 (1000 ft3) – 12 months’ supply for heating during winter and hot water during all year
• Planks – small amount of planks for repairing buildings, fences,…
• Nails, rope, candles
• Food for animals - hay, straw, grains, corn. Horses can live off current supply + grass for 6 months (but can survive on grass only), pigs for 6 months, hens for 9 months, cows hay + grass 12 months (but can also survive on grass only).
• Fuel for diesel aggregate – 4 large 500l/260 gal tanks, enough for 400 hours of operation
  tank [+]

  
• Engine oil

Advanced supplies

• Medical – antibiotics (for full 20 full treatments), operating equipment (5), painkillers (50)
• Mechanical – diesel aggregate with spare parts, indoor wood heater (heating + water)
• Various – batteries, matches, wire

Tools

• Tools for taking care of the animals - pitchforks, buckets, baskets
• Axes, hammers, chainsaw, regular saw
• Toolbox with spanners, pliers, etc.
• Tools for gardening - shovels, hoes, spades

Trade
Cigarettes, alcohol - around $4000 worth pre-Apocalypse

Weapons

• 5 M16A4 assault rifles + 15000 rounds 5.56×45mm NATO
• 10 Glock 31 semi-automatic pistols + 15000 rounds .357 SIG
• 2 semiautomatic shotguns Beretta 1301 + 2000 rounds
• 1 AWM sniper rifle + 1000 rounds .300 Winchester Magnum
• 5 Raptor FX3 crossbows + 2000 arrows
• Machetes, axes, knives

Vehicles

• 5 horses
• A small tractor
• 1 SUV - belongs to Ethan
• 1 pickup truck - belongs to Anna

Anna May (43) – the owner of the ranch
Ever since she was a little girl, Anna was a huge fan of post-apocalyptic stories. Whether it was a book, movie, TV show, comic book or anything else, she read it breathlessly, not as a fiction, but as a description of possible future. Thinking about the end of the world has became a hobby for her - she would come up with various scenarios and then spent hours figuring out what she would do.

When she got married and had a son, she didn't have that much spare time anymore, but when her husband died from a bacteria resistant to all common antibiotics, her interest in the matter has been reignited.

Her parents were rich real-estate magnates which meant she had nearly unlimited trust fund. During the last worldwide economic crisis, Anna could see all the signs of the society being close to the collapse. The danger was averted back then, but Anna decided that she needs to be truly prepared, not just fantasize about it.

She bought the Oakwood ranch and started a long journey to make it a self-sustainable safe house, collecting a few like-minded people along the way.

Ethan May (26) – Anna’s son, studied medicine and works as a physician
Ethan’s father died when he was very young, so Ethan spent most of his life only with his mother. Her enthusiasm for prepping influenced him mostly in a negative way - while he won't say it out loud, he thinks his mother is a bit crazy, and he definitely doesn't believe that the end of the world is coming.

His grandparents’ money allowed him to study one of the most prestigious university and he became a doctor at the age of 24. At the time, he was already dating Rachel and soon married her. His mother thoroughly approved his career choice (it is useful to have a doctor in a family when the society collapses), but she isn't too happy about Rachel, as she is a damsel used to life in a big city, with nearly useless education and not very positive attitude.

Ethan is currently taking a vacation, spending some time with his wife and daughter at the Oakwood ranch.

Rachel May (24) – Ethan’s wife, majored in history of art, currently a housewife

Alex May (6 months) – Ethan’s and Rachel’s daughter

Bob and Mary Colbright (35, 38) – married couple, hired by Anna as farmhands

George Andrews (41) – hired by Anna as farmhand, weapon enthusiast, ex-military
George has always been a fighter. Ever since he was a child, he used any excuse to fight other children, often older and bigger than him. After being kicked out of high school and almost ending up in jail, he decided to join the military. The army life finally taught him to control his temper (at least to some extent) and George discovered his love for guns of any kind.

He served for over 15 years and saw all kinds of cruelty that one human can do another. This made him believe that everyone has to be responsible for their own safety - no one else can keep you safe other than yourself. When the society first shook during the economic crisis, George saw that a lot of people were on the brink of turning into violent monsters. Luckily, the crisis was averted back then. But he wanted to be prepared for when the next one inevitably comes.

When he met Anna, he felt like he had finally found someone who understands his fears and his urge to be prepared. He joined her on the Oakwood ranch and while she took care of being stocked with food, tools, having livestock to be self-sustainable and finally some people to help out with all that, he made sure that the newly built armory is as well-stocked as he could manage. He bought guns and ammunition, legal or ilegal, with Anna’s silent approval.

He is a bit irascible, but willing to give his life for his friends’. That is when he actually manages to make some friends, not everyone has patience to withstand his temper.

Edward Moore (36) – hired by Anna as handyman – amateur mechanic, plumber, electrician, carpenter and anything else needed

“Come on, ride faster!” Anna shouted to George, who was way behind her again. She laughed, she knew how much he hated horse-riding. But he did agree with her that horses were extremely useful means of transportation in various crises, so he continued to learn, frowning and cursing along the way. Anna slowed her mare so he could catch up with her, and enjoyed the afternoon sun with her eyes closed.

“If there wasn’t an infant on the ranch, we wouldn’t have to ride so far,” he growled when he finally reached her, tottering from side to side as he tried his best to remain in the saddle.

Anna rolled her eyes. She had gotten used to his tempers, but sometimes she just ran out of patience. “I am not going to kick my granddaughter out. And you look like you still need a lot of practice anyways.” George grumbled something, but she wasn’t listening to him anymore. “I think this is a good spot.”

Nodding, George got off the horse, obviously relieved. He looked at the animal with distrust. “Shoo,” he waved his hands, when the horse came closer to him, wanting some treat.

Anna giggled. “Maybe you should tie him to something, so he doesn’t run off. Unless you want to walk all the way back, of course.”

“That might be better,” George mumbled, but tied the reins to a tree. Finally showing some excitement, he took out his Glock and handed it to Anna. “Well dear lady, I hope you have enjoyed mocking me. Now it’s my turn. I think that tree will make a good target,” he pointed at one pine about thirty meters from them. There was a steep slope behind it, so bullets wouldn’t go flying around in the forest. Not that it would matter, there were never any people around in these woods.

Anna shrugged. “Don’t be so certain.” She took the gun and tried to remember what he had been teaching her. She squeezed the grip and switched the safety off. She knew that there is already a round in the chamber - it didn’t seem too safe to her, but George always said that carrying a gun with an empty chamber has about the same effect as carrying a brick in your holster. Straddling a bit, she pointed the gun towards the tree and gently pulled the trigger.

The horses neighed, they were used to the ranch being used as a shooting range, but still they didn’t like the noise much. Other than that, her shot had little effect, the tree remained unharmed.

George laughed. “Now who is it that needs practice?”

“Shut up.” She took a deep breath and aimed more carefully. Exhaling, she pulled the trigger again and this time a small explosion of bark on the trunk appeared. “Aha!”

“You just got lucky. Again,” George said, but she saw he was smiling.

Survivors:
Eric Freeman – A good hearted, but distrusting man of forty-eight years Eric is the a-typical prepper. He’s not expecting anything nation breaking but has prepared for a devastating natural disaster all the same. Lately he’s amped up his efforts, and refreshed his supplies as something seems off in the geo-political environment. He works as a pilot for FedEx, and has served ten years in the US Navy as a fighter pilot before retiring. He’s a widower and the legal guardian of his niece Tonya, and has no children of his own. His skills are limited, but he’s a decent survivalist and a competent hunter. He’s also happens to be a trained pilot, with particular skill in flying large multi engine aircraft.

Peter Wan – A twenty-two year old electric engineering major from Korea. Peter isn’t much of a prepper but he’s renting out Eric Freeman’s spare bedroom so that he can attend his classes at UT, he also works part time at a nearby pizzeria. Peter is proficient with electronics, and configuring radios and he’s got a pretty good head on his shoulders. Peter doesn’t spend too much time around the house, and has only been staying with Eric for about two months.

Tonya Wisher – Tonya is a twelve year old girl originally from Montana who now lives with her only uncle outside of San Antonia Texas. Her parents were killed in an accident a year back, and after being passed around from one family member to the next she finally settled in with Eric Freeman, her mother’s brother. Eric bought her a puppy to help cheer her up, and enrolled her in the local Girl Scouts. She’s a smart girl and quick to learn and hardly any trouble, of which Eric is very grateful.

The Stronghold

Set at the end of a cul-de-sac on Blueberry Street in New Braunfels Texas is Eric’s one story three bedroomed suburban residence. The house has been prepped for natural disasters, having a decent amount of canned food and clean water stored in the attic, (about two hundred units) and a solid concrete foundation. From within the attic there is access to the roof and a number of small windows which can act as makeshift shooting ports in the event of a siege. The attic is the most secure part of the house, with stacks of prefilled sandbags, fire hydrants, shovels, and axes all ready to be used, along with a twelve foot ladder should escape into the back yard be necessary, and an inflatable raft with an electric pump.

The ground floor of the house is fairly typical for a usual suburban dwelling. The decorations are sparse but homey and the rooms are kept clean. In the kitchen is an extra twenty units of perishable supplies for regular use, usually restocked by Eric every week or so. In the living room is the TV and a portable radio and a couch which can double as a bed or door barricade. The spare bedroom is kept in good condition by Peter, and is usually left alone by Eric. In Tonya’s room, besides the normal furnishings, is a hand portable radio, and in her closet a hastily made up survival bag with six units of nonperishable food, and several other basic essentials.

In the master bedroom Eric has a two walk-in closets, one of which he’s turned into his personal armory. Within he keeps his AR-15 with about four hundred 5.56 rounds, two 9mm Glocks with about ninety rounds, and a 12 gauge pump action shot gun with roughly thirty rounds. Also stored in that closet, which is kept locked at all times, Eric keeps his own massive survival backpack with twelve units of nonperishable supplies and a compound bow with a quiver of twelve arrows, and a two foot long machete. In there he also keeps an expansive first aid kit, including a range of anti-biotics, gauze and bandages, and water treatment tablets.

Out back in the fenced in yard is a six month old border collie named Bella, whose more Tonya’s pet than an actual guard dog. Nevertheless she is pretty good at protecting the outdoor portion of the house from marauding cats and squirrels, keeping Eric’s tool shed safe, and in the case of real intruders could alert those inside the house with her loud yips. Within Eric’s shed are three barrels of gasoline and a generator, should the electricity be cut off. Eric also keeps his extra plywood for boarding up the windows, and a wide array of tools for practical use on the house and vehicles.

In the carport out front Eric keeps his GMC pickup truck parked next to his beloved Harley Davidson motorcycle, along with his and Tonya’s bicycles. Peter owns his own Prius which is usually parked exposed in the driveway.

Lore:

The terminal grew calm like always in the waning hours of the day. The constant chatter of arrivals and departures faded into quiet calm as Eric Freeman, still in his suit and tie patiently waited for the arrival of the twelve o’clock flight. It was late, very late. Checking his shiny silver watch once more Eric sighed and loosened his tie. It was already fifteen after two, he’d landed his own plane nearly three hours ago having expected his niece to arrive shortly after. This of course didn’t happen and Eric found himself waiting one extra hour, and then another, and another. The delays apparently having been serious, either by bad weather or mechanical errors, either way it was making Eric very nervous.

Standing up Eric ambled over to the window and peered out into the darkened night sky, scanning for any wing lights. Besides the illuminated loading platforms and the blue LED runway lights the skies and airstrips were devoid of light, aircraft or anything else. Eric was about to return to his bench when a distant red glimmer caught his eye, far off in the distance.

“Finally,” he muttered turning away from the window. Despite his impatience Eric felt a certain level of relief that nothing worse occurred mid transit, if that was indeed her flight. And Eric couldn’t imagine who else would be arriving at such an unholy hour. Sure enough after another twenty minutes or so a collection of yawning passengers, toting with them their carry-on bags descended the escalator and gathered around the luggage return. Others wandered over to the only open coffee service left in the airport to buy themselves a late night drink. Eric watched the small crowd disperse, looking for the visage of his niece Tonya Wisher. He’d seen her less than four months ago, and well-remembered her tearstained face at his sister and brother-in-law’s funeral. Tonya had then been shunted around between relatives and friends before at last being dropped into Eric’s custody. The paperwork was signed, the social service inspection complete, and the deed done well before a shocked and anti-social Eric could even take it all in. Normally Eric would’ve been aghast at the terrible idea of him being the legal guardian of a living, breathing child, but how could he say no to his recently orphaned niece?

“Tonya, over here.” Eric called, spotting her descending the escalator. She looked exhausted and disheveled and she rushed over to him, dropping her backpack and embracing his waist in a tight hug. For a moment Eric wasn’t sure what to do, standing perplexed before kneeling down and returning the embrace, patting her blonde hair and uttering an assuring, “Easy now, everything’s going to be alright. We’ll make it through this. We can make it through anything.”

Stanley looked upon the refurbishments of the newly crowned Clan MacStewart community centre. It had been a long road, longer for some than others. A long awaited inheritance and a dream of forming a community centre to act as a lightning rod for those of the MacStewart Clan, those bearing the name, by relation or association, family, relatives, friends. Stan had elected to form this centre in the new world due to his vision, Scotland and the UK might have been the old MacStewart stomping ground and that is where the clan chiefs were stationed, and it is true that is where their power is strongest. But in America there were far more new MacStewarts, with a fire in their bellies for community and heritage but they were mostly orphaned from the clan chiefs. The chiefs instead choosing to spend money on refurbishing crumbled castles, there was a word for this, vanity projects. The word whistled out between his lips as Stan looked upon the community centre. It was just a shame it was being done during such dark times.
The community centre had been bought land and all buildings using the bulk of the inheritance. It was previously a school built sometime around the 1950s, but due to people moving out of the surrounding area and into the city it had become disused. It had then been bought by a summer camp company due to it facing one of the many mountain lakes, but that had eventually fallen through as well. It had no bunker in the event of a nuclear disaster but it had the next best thing, a gigantic mountain in between it and the city. That surely will protect it from the epicentre. It was fairly out of the way but within driving distance from the main city arteries so people could get there easily. Yes, the children will have fun on the lake while the adults discuss and debate over a cup of coffee. Then Stan remembered and the world went a little greyer. "but what of the future..."
He walked around to the back of the school past the fence to the edge of the water, part of the grass was under water "The lakes flooded again". He had built a water screw power generator into a small burn that came off of the lake. It should provide a constant source of power, and when the lake overfills or it rains, that just means free power for the centre. He then looked at the old campsite, the canoe shelter, the wooden jetty. Someone had thoughtfully left some old canoes there that could probably be repaired. Across the water way in the distance there was a house with its own jetty. Stan wondered who also lived on the lake.
As he walked back passed the playground onto the outside lunch benches that were under an awning he passed the rusted statue of Ben Franklin. He hadnt had it installed, but Ben Franklin was a good sort of chap and it added extra value to the property.
He then entered through the back door to one of the classrooms. It was in a state of disrepair, the paint was peeling and the windows were not insulated, there was litter all over the floor, but it was a start. He then walked into some of the more refurbished parts of the building, the reception area by the new glass double doors, had a new front desk a fresh coat of paint and the most of the rotten wood had been removed. The main reception had been constructed out of brick and mortar and was considerably strong, though some of the rest of the classrooms had been added later. Those were the bits that had stood up better to the test of time.
Stan then ventured into what must have been the teachers lounge. It was covered in metal mesh, wall to wall, like a chicken wire coop. The contractors were finishing stapling it down. A faraday cage is easy to make once you know how, all it requires is a mash smaller than the wavelength you want to keep out, or in, and a ground like a lightning rod. The ground they were using here however was the mains electricity. The place looked a mess but in the event of a CMR or EMP nuke whatever was inside the cage would survive, atleast i hoped. This would be the computer room.
He went back to the main reception and into the next room, one of the classrooms that had been refurbished into a sitting area. There were many leather couches and bookshelves crammed with books he had bought from libraries that were going out of buisness due to the internet. There were books on all subjects and it was a clan tradition that even the earliest discoverers of the clan had remarked that their stone hovels always had a bookshelf in Gaelic their native tongue. This room had new fireplaces too.
He then headed back out to another classroom, this must have been the shop class or maybe the science class. It too had been painted and swept. There in the centre stood the pride and joy of the community centre. A brand new, CNC machine and station. It could cut and shape almost any metal you gave it. The cost of the machine alone was huge and equalled the cost of the Rangerover outside. Sadly there were no steel billets to feed into it. But there were quite a few aluminium billets as these were far cheaper. It was supposed to be rented out to other companies to help pay for its upkeep, but it could equally be used by the Clan to make just about anything that could be designed on computer. And of course there was a huge databank of jobs it could be given.

The location is on the outskirts of Plattsburgh, New York State. It has a rive fed by the ocean and is equidistant to Albany and Montreal. There are mountain ranges and forrests around, but Plattsburgh even has its own airport.

There are a numbrer of buildings within the school and outside. However i havent drawn a map yet.
The Water Screw Turbine.

$500,000 inheritance
$200,000 wealthy backer
$30,000 backer

Jerry Cans x20 ($79.99)$1599.8
AmeriVacs AVS-20 Commercial Vacuum Sealer $1,799.00
Box of 1000 seal bags ($81.23) x2 $162.46
CNC Milling machine $84,000
EinScan-SE 3D Scanner $1386.07
Mac mini 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 with OS X Server $899

Stanley MacStewart (PC)

The Architect of the Clan Center and main recipient of the Inheritance. When he was young and still in the UK Stan always wanted to join the British royal marines, he tried to train himself up but sustained an injury to his knee which quickly destroyed his chances. It was during the war in the middle east and Stan had a long time to think over the morality of killing farmers for oil. When the knee injury healed 5 years had passed and he no longer wanted to kill people for a living, he just wanted to look after his family.
Bradley MacStewart (Brother)

Bradley, a mildly autistic young man and brother to Stan. Bradley enjoys mathematics and discussions on the military. Most of the survivalist improvements to the Clan Center were Bradleys doing.