The trip back to Basa Air Base began shortly before sunset.

Two Black Hawks lifted from the refinery’s landing zone, their rotors whipping dust and loose papers across the concrete. Below them, the newly reclaimed refinery slowly shrank into the distance. The silver storage tanks reflected the orange glow of the setting sun, and the processing towers rose from the coastline like giant steel sentinels overlooking the sea.

Chandrika sat near one of the windows, her rifle resting across her lap. Beside her, Ramos had somehow fallen asleep less than ten minutes into the flight.

She still didn’t understand how he did that.

The man had fought zombies, escorted engineers, and spent half the day making jokes.

And now he was snoring.

A slight smile appeared on her face.

Outside the window, Bataan stretched beneath them. The peninsula was still scarred by the apocalypse. Roads had cracks running through them like veins. Entire neighborhoods sat abandoned and overgrown, and fields once filled with crops had been reclaimed by weeds and small forests.

Yet there were signs of life.

Near one coastal road, she spotted several trucks moving in convoy formation.

A small checkpoint stood beside an intersection.

Smoke rose from a settlement where survivors had apparently restarted a bakery or workshop.

The sight made her blink.

There was more life outside Basa than she had realized.

The pilot’s voice suddenly echoed through the compartment.

"Crossing Manila Bay."

Chandrika looked west.

The sea was beautiful.

The setting sun had turned the water golden, and the fading light made it look almost peaceful enough to forget that the world had ended. For a few moments, nobody spoke. Even the soldiers seemed content simply watching the ocean.

Then Ramos snored loudly.

The spell was broken immediately.

One of the soldiers laughed.

Another threw a small packet of crackers at him.

The man didn’t wake up.

"He sleeps like the dead," one corporal muttered.

"Bad choice of words," another replied.

The compartment erupted into quiet laughter.

Chandrika found herself laughing as well.

The sound surprised her.

Again.

She had been laughing a lot lately.

Far more than she had during the previous year.

The realization made her thoughtful.

Perhaps it was because she finally felt safe.

Or perhaps...

She looked down at her hands.

No.

It was more than safety.

She felt useful.

That was different.

At Okada, she had hidden.

Inside Basa, she had trained.

And now she had gone on missions.

Protected people.

Protected something important.

For the first time since the outbreak began, she felt like she belonged somewhere.

The thought stayed with her until another voice interrupted.

"We’re approaching Pampanga."

She looked up.

The sea disappeared beneath them, replaced by familiar land.

Fields.

Roads.

Small settlements.

Then, in the distance—

Lights.

Hundreds of them.

Her breath caught slightly.

Basa Air Base.

Even from several kilometers away, it looked impressive.

Floodlights illuminated the airfield. Residential districts glowed with warm yellow lights. Vehicles moved continuously along the roads, and several helicopters could be seen landing and taking off.

From the sky, it no longer resembled a military base.

It resembled a city.

A real city.

A city that had no right to exist after the end of the world.

And yet it did.

The helicopter descended.

As they grew closer, she could see even more details.

People walking along the streets.

Children riding bicycles.

A market district still open despite the approaching night.

Generators humming.

Streetlights glowing.

Life.

Everywhere.

The helicopter finally landed.

The doors slid open.

Warm evening air rushed inside.

The smell of food immediately reached them.

Food.

Actual cooked food.

Ramos woke up instantly.

His eyes snapped open.

"...I smell barbecue."

Several soldiers stared at him.

One corporal looked horrified.

"You woke up because of food?"

Ramos climbed to his feet.

"I have gifts."

"What gifts?"

"My senses."

Nobody knew how to respond to that.

The group disembarked from the helicopter.

The airfield remained busy despite the late hour. Ground crews serviced aircraft while mechanics moved tool carts between hangars. Nearby, a pair of Black Hawks were being refueled, and an F-16 taxied slowly toward its shelter.

A soldier passed by carrying two bags of takeout.

The smell of grilled meat intensified.

Ramos looked like he had seen heaven.

"I’m starving."

"You slept for an hour," Chandrika said.

"I’m still starving."

"How?"

He looked offended.

"That’s a very personal question."

She laughed.

Again.

The sound was becoming easier.

As they crossed the airfield, they entered the main district of the base.

The atmosphere changed immediately.

People.

Everywhere.

Vendors sold food beneath makeshift canopies. Children ran through the streets while parents chatted near apartment blocks. Several soldiers sat outside a small café drinking coffee and playing cards.

One old man sold bread from a pushcart.

Another operated a tiny repair shop beside the road.

The apocalypse felt very far away.

At least here.

A little girl suddenly ran past them carrying a paper airplane.

Another child chased after her.

"Wait for me!"

A woman apologized as she hurried after them.

The entire scene felt absurdly normal.

Chandrika slowed her steps.

She couldn’t help it.

She simply stared.

The city lights.

The conversations.

The laughter.

The smell of food.

People living.

Actually living.

She had seen it before.

Yet after visiting Bataan and seeing how empty most of the world remained, the sight affected her differently.

Basa was a miracle.

Ramos noticed her expression.

"You okay?"

She nodded slowly.

"It feels bigger."

He blinked.

"What?"

"The base."

She looked around.

"I feel like it keeps growing."

He followed her gaze.

Then smiled.

"That’s because it is."

She looked at him.

He pointed toward the streets.

"Three months ago, there wasn’t a bakery over there."

Then another direction.

"That apartment building didn’t exist either."

Another.

"And those market stalls are new."

He shrugged.

"People keep building things."

She remained quiet.

Because he was right.

The city wasn’t merely surviving.

It was growing.

The thought warmed her chest.

Then another voice interrupted.

"Well, well."

She turned.

Ryan stood near the entrance of the headquarters building.

A cup of coffee occupied one hand.

Of course.

The man apparently existed entirely on caffeine.

His eyes moved from Chandrika to Ramos.

Then toward their bags.

"You two are back."

Ramos pointed toward the market.

"I smell barbecue."

Ryan nodded.

"So do I."

A pause.

Then—

"Should we investigate?"

Chandrika sighed.

"You just ate."

"So?"

"You always eat."

Ryan looked confused.

"I don’t understand the problem."

Ramos nodded.

"Me neither."

The two men looked at one another.

Then simultaneously—

"We should get food."

She couldn’t believe these people.

Ryan finally looked toward her.

"How was the refinery?"

Her expression softened.

"It was good."

"That’s it?"

She laughed.

Apparently everyone asked that question.

"It was amazing."

Ryan smiled knowingly.

"They definitely got to you."

She sighed.

"They really did."

The man laughed.

Then he gestured toward headquarters.

"The Commander is inside."

Her eyes blinked.

Why did her heart suddenly beat faster?

Ryan noticed immediately.

Unfortunately.

A dangerous smile appeared on his face.

"Oh."

"What?"

"Nothing."

She narrowed her eyes.

"You did that on purpose."

"I have no idea what you’re talking about."

Liar.

A terrible liar.

Ramos suddenly looked between the two of them.

Then his eyes widened.

Then he smiled.

No.

No, no, no.

Not him too.

"Oh," he said.

"Don’t start," she replied immediately.

"I didn’t say anything."

"You were going to."

"I absolutely was."

Ryan looked delighted.

The two men exchanged a glance.

She suddenly felt threatened.

Thankfully, the doors to headquarters opened.

Adrian stepped outside carrying a folder.

He looked tired.

As always.

Yet the moment he saw them, his expression softened slightly.

"You’re back."

Chandrika nodded.

"Yes."

"How did it go?"

She smiled.

"The refinery is going to work."

He blinked.

"Really?"

She nodded again.

"The engineers said so."

For some reason, he smiled too.

A genuine smile.

Not the calm expression of a commander.

Not the composed look he wore during briefings.

Just... happiness.

Because something important had been reclaimed.

Because another step toward rebuilding civilization had been taken.

The sight made her smile as well.

Ryan looked between them.

Then slowly sipped his coffee.

Ramos looked like he was trying not to laugh.

Neither of them said a word.

Not yet.

But she had a very bad feeling about the future.

Above them, the sky slowly darkened.

The lights of Basa shone brighter.

People continued walking through the streets.

Children continued laughing.

Market stalls remained open.

Vehicles moved through illuminated roads.

The city lived.

It breathed.

And after seeing the empty world outside its walls, Chandrika realized something.

The apocalypse had killed countries.

It had erased governments.

It had destroyed civilizations.

Yet somehow, against impossible odds, this place remained.

This city refused to die.

And standing beneath its lights, surrounded by people who continued to build, laugh, and dream of tomorrow...

She found herself believing that maybe humanity wouldn’t die either.