Wasteland Rules: A New Dawn (The World After Book 3) by J.G. Martin

the city
and are resisting their attempts to break out from the bridge. Reinforcements
are on the way to both cities, but it will be a close thing.”
       “What are we doing to help them?” Derek asked anxiously.
“If they fall, then we will all be under the thumb of the U.S.T.G. We have just
replaced one threat with another.”
       “The only thing that will help is if the N.R.T. comes to
the C.C.A.s aid and opens a second front.” Augie said in a serious tone. “But
they have stayed neutral so far, even though they had a mutual defense
agreement with the C.C.A. They seem to be more concerned with the perpetual
skirmishes with Aztlan in the disputed territory of Arizona.”
       “How could we convince them to honor their agreement?”
Derek wondered aloud.
       “They aren’t exactly fond of NASA right now.” Rora
smirked.
       “What does that mean?”
       “Our friend the general here posed as an N.R.T. general
to get us out of L.A. and made some promises that the N.R.T. couldn’t keep.”
Rora answered. “They have some lingering bitterness towards us over that.”
       Derek eyed the General. “Great! You alienated the one
ally we really need.”
       “Just so we are clear. The Society is not in the habit of
picking sides in a conflict.” Augie retorted. “We are focused on working for
the betterment of mankind.”
       “I would think that preventing the U.S.T.G. from
enslaving the continent would be for the betterment of mankind. And considering
you created the problem by having us eliminate Doors, I think you have a
responsibility to help.” Derek stated angrily.
       “We couldn’t have foreseen this.” Augie bristled.
       “That may be, but we have to do something to fix it.”
Derek insisted.
       “Well, Rora and I did have a conversation about this.”
Augie began. “It is possible there is something we could provide to all the
factions in exchange for their declaring a truce. Something that would benefit
mankind.”
       “So let’s give it to them.”
       “We don’t have it in our possession yet.” Augie
acknowledged grudgingly.
       Derek groaned. “Of course, it’s somewhere dangerous and
guarded by mutants or Reapers or something worse, and you want me to go
retrieve it.”
       “Not necessarily.” Augie replied. “We aren’t sure exactly
where it is, so it might be somewhere safe. I’ll let Rora explain.”
       “Come on, nothing for you guys is ever easy.” Derek
interrupted. “I’ll probably have to crawl over broken glass and walk through
fire to get this thing.”
       Rora laughed. “Just hear me out and then you can whine
about the trials and tribulations we will have to endure to get it. Keep in
mind, I know you love this stuff.”
       “Fine. What are we looking for?”
       “Before the Collapse the world’s governments prepared
backups in case of a doomsday scenario. They created vaults and stored seeds
and other valuable materials and information in them.” Rora explained.
       “Those vaults were sabotaged and everything destroyed.”
Derek pointed out. “Even though most of them were sealed up tighter than Fort
Knox and in remote locations, someone still managed to get in and ruin
everything. Are you saying they missed one?”
       “That is true that all the known vaults were destroyed,
but the U.S. government was working on another vault with the Collective. My
father was involved in the project and he said it was more ambitious than the
existing vaults and included frozen embryos for all life on Earth. When I asked
where it was and what had happened to it, he wouldn’t say. The only thing he
would tell me is that before he left the Collective he made sure that no one
would find it until the right time. So I am assuming it still exists.” Rora
explained to them.
       “We can’t ask him and if he hid it so well, how do you
intend to find it?” Derek asked.
       “I believe that the location, or at least