Chapter 11: The Warlord's Map
The subterranean command center remained quiet save for the low, rhythmic hum of the air scrubbers mounted above the primary conduit. Rowan smoothed the thick paper of a massive topographical survey across the corkboard on the reinforced western wall, pressing steel pushpins into the corners until the map hung taut against the stone. The print detailed the entire coastal geography, stretching from the cliffs of Blackwood Crest inward through the commercial avenues, shipping yards, and municipal utility corridors.
He pulled an industrial marker from his workbench, popped the cap with his thumb, and drew a thick circle around the regional distribution center near 14th Street.
Two million square feet of dry goods, preserved meats, and canned produce sat under
