18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

So it was settled. Jasper took his leave to rest.

The next day, Bryce sent out a messenger to arrange negotiations with Alpha Outpost, while Stella asked him for some dynamite and gasoline. "Stella, what do you need these for?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

Not one to beat around the bush, Stella replied, "We can't have our dog unprepared. What if he gets tired halfway or drops it in the wrong place?"

"Oh, right, almost slipped my mind." Bryce quickly made arrangements, but not without adding a word of caution. "This stuff is dangerous. What if the dog runs around the base with it and someone who's not careful takes a shot? It could be disastrous. How about we practice with mud first, and use the real stuff when it's showtime?"

"That works," Stella agreed. "But don't forget about the sniper rifle. We can't be expected to supply both the manpower and the weaponry now, can we? Besides, we don't have access to that kind of gear."

"No problem, I'll figure something out."

Sly old fox, always on guard.

In the evening, Bryce watched from the veranda of the mansion as Cooper, the dog, ran, crawled, and jumped around with the mock dynamite, attracting the attention of the entire base. Even Bryce was itching to own such a fine dog.

Alpha Outpost must have taken a considerable hit as well, as they agreed to the negotiations. However, they insisted on setting the location. This didn't sit well with Bryce, but considering his ultimate goal wasn't negotiation but annihilation, he finally agreed to their terms. However, the terrain was disadvantageous for them, making it impossible to set an ambush in advance.

"Did you find the sniper rifle?" Jasper asked after surveying the area.

After some effort, they managed to acquire one through special channels. It wasn't the latest model, with a range of only about 1800 meters, but it was more than enough for Jasper.

Jasper wasn't in favor of setting an ambush ahead of time. If they were going to negotiate, it should be done out in the open to attract the attention of the other party. Any sneaky actions would only make them suspicious. In the end, Bryce agreed.

The negotiations were set to take place two days later, but Jasper asked to leave a day early.

Alpha Outpost was composed of disgraced exiles, and they might think in sync with Jasper. Therefore, he wanted to plan and set up in advance to avoid being caught off guard.

As Jasper was the key to the operation, it would be embarrassing if anything were to hinder him.

Bryce quickly came up with a solution. "Rosie is still young. If a battle breaks out and limbs start flying, it could traumatize the poor kid, don't you think?"

It was clear that he was worried they might have ulterior motives and take Rosie hostage. If they disagreed, they would not only be unable to leave the base, but they might also lose their lives.

Jasper was prepared for this. "No problem. But Rosie is a bit timid. I don't want her to get hurt before I return."

Bryce readily agreed. "Don't worry, Rosie is such a darling. I'll make sure she's well taken care of and won't lose a single strand of hair."

No one was a fool. Bryce was a cunning fox who took advantage of the situation. Without his tactical position, how many people would be willing to risk their lives for him?

When they got back to their quarters, Jasper told Rosie the truth. "Rosie, Stella and I have to go out tonight and won't be back until tomorrow. Can you stay here by yourself?" Rosie didn't want to be alone. "But I want to stay with you guys."

"We have a mission. It wouldn't be convenient if we took you with us." Jasper touched her head. "Don't be afraid. Wait for us to come back."

Although Rosie was reluctant, she agreed. "Jasper, I'll take care of myself."

Stella began packing, and Jasper handed Rosie a silenced pistol, hinting for her to hide it well.

Rosie hid it perfectly. No one could find it.

After playing with her for a while, around midnight, the two of them along with Cooper prepared to leave. Cooper was reluctant to leave Rosie and nuzzled her for a good while. After leaving enough food and instructing her to bolt the door, Jasper turned to leave.

Stella found Teddy. "Teddy, you know Jasper and I well. We're all in the same boat now. We're leaving Rosie here, which shows we're sincere. If we come back and find anything wrong with Rosie, you know what will happen, right?" Teddy swore, "What are you saying? I consider Rosie as my own daughter. If anyone dares to touch her, I'll hand you his head as a stool."

Jasper started the car, glancing up at the window of their quarters as he left. The house was dark, but he knew Rosie was standing by the window. He took a deep breath and drove off.

Leaving Silver Asylum behind, the Hummer disappeared into the night.

The negotiation site was 30 kilometers from the base, situated between two mountains, one high and one low. Just looking at the terrain, it was clear that Alpha Outpost had ulterior motives as well.

If Jasper wasn't mistaken, they also wanted to kill Bryce and then take over Silver Asylum. Therefore, a sniper was essential. What Jasper had to do was eliminate them before Alpha Outpost could set up their ambush.

The negotiations were scheduled for nine o'clock the next morning, but he had planned to arrive at dawn, which would be more than enough. Considering Alpha Outpost's disdain for Bryce, they wouldn't be prepared to this extent. Upon reaching the location, he turned off the headlights.

After sitting in the darkness for 15 minutes and confirming with Cooper that no one was around, Stella parked the car in the Arcadia. They moved in the dark to a crucial crossroad on the way to Alpha Outpost and found a hidden spot with a good view. With Cooper on guard, Stella rested her head on Jasper's shoulder.

She was nudged awake by a gentle push. "Someone's coming," Jasper whispered.

In the distance, car lights flicked on. Stella glanced at her watch. It was 4:10 in the morning. Using night vision binoculars, she saw there was no one following them.

Jasper and Cooper immediately took action, hoping to catch the other party off guard.

Being completely ignored, Stella thought, "Do I really have such a low presence?"

The other party had come in the dark, hoping to get an early start. They had not anticipated that just as they opened the car door, they would feel the cold muzzle of a gun against the back of their head. This was a disgrace to their reputation. In an instant, they questioned their life decisions. This was a complete humiliation.

The rifle backpack was ruthlessly snatched off his back. The man raised his hands and slowly turned around, only to find out that it was a woman. What in the world was going on?

"You underestimate women?" Stella retorted, smacking him across the face with the butt of her gun, causing a gush of blood to drip down his forehead.

The man reeled back, his head spinning, only to find another man holding a gun against his head.

Four eyes met. It was quick to discern that the other man was a professional, and far better in his craft than him. Also, there was a ferocious dog, ready to pounce and tear him to shreds at any moment. Three against one, he stood no chance.

Stella asked, "So, do you want to die, or do you want to die, or do you want to die?"

The man felt desperate, "Lady, do I have any other options?"