Logan assumed the two refugee siblings stood in the sterilization hall without speaking.
Their clothes were burned in spots. Dried blood clung to the edges of their sleeves. The boy held the radio tight to his chest like it was sacred. The girl stared at the ground, swaying slightly, knees buckling from exhaustion.
Chris moved first.
He knelt and offered a bottle of purified water. "Drink slow."
The girl took it without looking up.
The boy hesitated, then followed her lead.
Logan stood behind the observation glass, arms crossed, watching everything. He hadn't said a word since opening the gate. The system provided a full scan without infections, hidden weapons, or active mutations. Just two malnourished teenagers trying not to die.
Still, the sight of the radio in the boy's grip made Logan tense.
System Notification: New Guests AdmittedTemporary Status: Shelter OnlyNames: Marcus (15), Clara (13)Skill Levels: N/AEmotional Stability: LowLoyalty: UndefinedCurrent Sentiment: Fear, Gratitude
Chris stood and looked toward the glass.
"You going to come talk to them?"
"No."
Chris sighed. "They think you're the one who saved them."
"I'm the one who'll decide what they become."
Later that night, Logan sat in the command center, reading the System's new expansion entries. As expected, admitting civilians had triggered new protocols.
Settlement Phase: INITIATEDZero Point has transitioned from Outpost to Proto-SettlementNew Systems Available:• Civilian Management• Food Distribution• Morale Management• Internal Security Roles• Mental Stress Tracking (Population-Based)
A new bar appeared beneath the general influence map.
Stability: 54%Stress Index: 22%Projected Risk: ContainedWarning: Fear-based law active – Loyalty will degrade with time unless reinforced or softened
Logan rubbed his temple.
The System didn't sugarcoat the consequences of his leadership style. Fear brought control. But control without care? That turned into rot.
He tapped the refugee profiles.
Marcus had a small aptitude for scavenging. Clara had no skills recorded—System couldn't detect anything yet.
But their psychological flags were already ticking upward.
Nightmares (Unstable)Silence (Persistent)Authority Aversion (Passive)
He leaned back in his chair.
They weren't just mouths to feed.
They were ticking clocks.
Chris entered the room quietly, still chewing on a protein bar.
"They're asleep. I set up cots near the secondary wall. You could've at least said hi."
"I'm not their father."
"No. You're their leader."
Logan looked at him sharply.
Chris didn't back down.
"They're not soldiers. You want soldiers? Start a conscription camp. But if you keep bringing in people—and you will, Logan—then you must accept this isn't just a stronghold. It's a home."
Logan said nothing.
Chris tossed the empty wrapper into a bin and walked away.
The console blinked again.
Settlement Morale Event: First ArrivalEffect: +5 MoraleTemporary Settlement Title Earned: Bastion of Second ChancesDuration: 72 HoursDuring this time, new arrivals will assume that the refuge is welcome
Logan tapped Modify Settlement Title and replaced it immediately.
Bastion Name: Zero PointTagline: Entry is earned, not given.
He sat back and stared at the ceiling.
The silence was beginning to sound like echoes.
The siren was quiet—a low-pitched beep pulsing inside the bunker's walls.
Not enough to wake the entire compound.
But enough to rouse Logan.
He sat up fast, grabbing his weapon and tablet from the side rack. He had already accessed the breach log before his boots hit the ground.
Security Alert: Unauthorized Access AttemptLocation: Armory SectorBreach Code: Manual Override – FailedDetected Subject: Marcus (Temporary Resident)
Chris's voice came over the shortwave seconds later.
"Logan, it's the kid. I caught him by the vault door. He didn't touch anything but was trying to figure out the code."
"Is he still there?"
"I got him sitting in the hall. Didn't fight. He… looks scared."
Logan clipped his tablet to his vest and headed for the north corridor.
System Prompt: Civilian Infraction – First DegreeSubject: Marcus (Age 15)Offense: Unauthorized Access AttemptOptions Available:• Verbal Warning• Confinement• Public Reprimand• Execution (Not Recommended)• First Strike Protocol – Trial Variant (Requires Witness)
The System had shifted.
Logan had made laws.
Now it is expected of him to uphold them.
He entered the hallway. The lights flickered overhead. Chris stood nearby, leaning against the wall, shotgun slung but idle. On the bench beside the locked armory door sat Marcus—thin, trembling, hands folded in his lap.
No sign of defiance. Just guilt.
"I wasn't gonna take anything," Marcus mumbled before Logan said a word. "I just… wanted to see."
Logan stared at him in silence.
"I'm sorry," the boy added quickly.
Chris gave Logan a look, half warning, half expectation.
"You know what he's here for," he said softly. "So do I. He was looking for safety. Not a gun."
Logan opened the System panel.
The options hovered.
He selected First Strike Protocol.
Engaging Trial VariantWitness Present: ConfirmedLaw In Violation: None (Code Violation – Security Policy)Judgment Authority: LoganSubject Mental State: Fearful / ReactiveRecommended Action: Reprimand and Assign Task-Based RepaymentEffect: +2 Morale (Civilian Group) / +3 Stability
Logan knelt in front of Marcus.
"You broke into a locked sector. Even if you didn't take anything, you crossed a line."
Marcus nodded fast. "I know. I swear I won't do it again. I just… I don't want to feel useless."
Logan looked into his eyes.
There it was.
That quiet desperation. Not to survive. But to matter.
"Then you'll work," Logan said. "You'll clean the lower chamber. You'll haul water. You'll shadow Chris on scav runs. You'll earn your place."
Marcus blinked. "You mean I can stay?"
"If you break another lock," Logan said, "I'll bury you under the antenna dish."
Marcus nodded so fast he nearly dropped off the bench.
Chris let out a breath.
"Fair," he said.
Logan stood and returned to the console.
Judgment Rendered.Settlement Morale +2Marcus – Loyalty Shift: Fear → RespectCivilian Group Mood: Cautious OptimismReputation Change: Emerging Identity (Zero Point is now seen as Structured)
The walls didn't creak.
But Logan felt something shift.
And it wasn't the building.
It was them.
At sunrise, Clara found her way to the communications bay.
She stood quietly at the entrance, fingers clasped together, eyes wide at the glowing panels and surveillance feeds.
Logan didn't look up from the terminal.
"You lost?"
"No," she said softly. "I wanted to ask something."
He tapped a key.
"Speak."
"My brother said you were angry, but fair. That's what he told me last night."
Logan didn't answer.
She stepped closer.
"Do you think the world's going to come back?"
He finally looked at her.
"No."
She nodded like she already knew.
Then she said something strange.
"I heard a new voice on the radio this morning. Not the usual Haven woman. It was a boy."
Logan turned to her.
"What did he say?"
Clara tilted her head, thinking.
"He said, 'We found a place with running water. They have blankets. And nobody yells at each other.'"
Logan opened the frequency logs.
There it was.
New Broadcast Signal Detected: Haven Child Frequency – Sector D12Transmission Source: Mobile Relay (Unconfirmed)Message Contents: Civil TestimonyPsychological Tactic Detected: Morale Undermining
Chris entered moments later with a wrench in one hand and a canteen in the other.
"You see it?"
Logan nodded.
"They're using children now."
Chris leaned over the console. "Trying to make you look like the monster."
"They're trying to remind people what comfort looks like."
He selected the feed and recorded a counter-message.
Begin Recording…
"This is Zero Point. We don't offer blankets. We offer walls that don't collapse. We don't offer stories. We offer rules. You want to live forever? You can try somewhere else. You want to survive what's coming? Earn your place here."
End Transmission
The System analyzed the message.
Counter-Psych Protocol TriggeredEffectiveness: ModeratePublic Image Shift: +6 Respect / -3 ApproachabilityFaction Identity Solidified: Harsh but Stable
Chris looked at him.
"You ever gonna try being the nice guy?"
"I'm not the nice guy," Logan said. "I'm the last one standing."