Chapter 3

While I handled the logistics, my father turned our already fortified compound into an impregnable fortress.

His property was a self-sufficient marvel. A deep well provided clean water, filtered through a system he designed himself. A massive array of solar panels connected to a bank of high-capacity batteries ensured we would have power long after the grid went down. The house itself was reinforced concrete and steel.

But now, we went further.

I hired private contractors, paying them exorbitant amounts in cash for their speed and discretion. They didn't ask questions.

We installed a perimeter of motion-activated industrial shredders, repurposed from a scrap metal yard. Anything that crossed the invisible laser tripwire would be torn to pieces.

Beyond that, a ten-foot-high solar-powered electric fence.

And beyond that, a series of camouflaged pitfall traps lined with sharpened stakes.

We replaced every window with shatterproof, one-way glass. From the inside, we could see out perfectly. From the outside, they were just mirrors.

The entire house was lined with industrial-grade sound-dampening panels, turning our home into a virtual anechoic chamber. Silence would be our armor.

I also purchased a silent, all-electric ATV for reconnaissance and a cache of silent weapons: high-powered crossbows, razor-sharp broadhead arrows, and combat knives.

The days blurred into a frantic race against time. The warehouse filled up, and at night, my father and I would use his flatbed truck to move the supplies to the compound, stocking the massive underground pantry and storage rooms he had built years ago.

With ten days left, I started trying to contact my brother, Andrew. He was an Army Ranger, currently deployed on a classified mission somewhere overseas. Getting through was nearly impossible.

I called every number I had for him, leaving vague but urgent messages. "Andrew, it's Gabrielle. There's a family emergency. You need to come home. Now. It's about Dad."

I hated lying, but it was the only way to get him here without sounding insane.

Finally, five days before "The Great Silence," he called back.

"Gabby? What's going on? I got your messages. Is Dad okay?" His voice was strained, full of concern.

"He's fine, but you need to come home," I insisted. "Take the first flight you can get. Don't ask questions, just come."

"I can't just leave, Gabby. I'm on a mission."

"Make an excuse. A family death, anything. Andrew, I am begging you. If you don't come home now, you will regret it for the rest of your life. Which won't be very long."

The silence on the other end of the line was heavy. He knew me. He knew I wouldn't say something like that unless it was serious.

"Okay," he said finally. "I'll be there in 48 hours."

The relief was so overwhelming I almost collapsed.

The day before the world ended, Matthew started calling me. I ignored the first few calls. Then, a text message came through.

"Gabrielle, where the hell are you? Some people came to the apartment and said they own it now! What did you do?!"

Another text. "And why are all these loan companies calling me? They say I owe them hundreds of thousands of dollars! This is your fault! You bitch, you're trying to ruin me!"

I read the texts and felt a cold, satisfying smile spread across my face.

Ruin you? Matthew, I'm just getting started.