"Well, what does that mean?" Tova said impatiently. Brandt took a seat.

"The records from ten years ago show that the United States nearly crumbled after the war. They were supremely underprepared."

"We were underprepared and our country survived." I pointed out. Brandt stared at me, unblinking.

"I was there when it all happened, Alvarsson. We were lucky, that's all. Whatever happened to the United States was a different story." I was surprised by the reply. Brandt rarely talked about his time during the war, only mentioning it when it was required of him. There was only one other occasion where I could remember him talking about his exploits. But it was during a long, drawn-out lecture, and I had mostly ignored it.

"So do we continue?" I pushed on.

"We have to. That's the mission." It was Felman who answered. "Regardless of whether all of civilization is gone or not, we can't turn back now. We already knew that this was a possibility. We're what? Two days out from our destination?" he looked to Knud, who nodded in response.

"And anyway, we would be the first people to land there in ten years." Tova said. Brandt grunted at that.

"Hopefully no one else has already been there and taken everything of value."

"I doubt it." Tova said, picking up the folder and skimming through it. "The United States is a big country. I'm sure we'll..." her voice trailed off, and she held the file closer. "I think you forgot to mention something, Brandt." she pulled her eyes away from the folder. "It appears North America has some severe weather conditions."

"Say that again?" This time it was Knud, who perked up at the word 'weather'.

Tova continued, "It says here that North America, the United States, in particular, has been experiencing a harsh climate since the war. All the bombing must've ruined the country's surrounding atmosphere and caused the problem."

"How bad is it?" Knud asked. I could sense some worry breaking through his words. Tova shrugged, setting the file down.

"It says it varies between seasons."

Knud scratched his balding head and then shrugged.

"It shouldn't be too bad this time of the year. I take it we're pressing on?"

"Yes." Felman said after a short pause, a finality in the tone of his voice. Felman then got up, and the rest of the crew dispersed shortly after. Alone in the mess hall, I couldn't help but think of the very first conversation we had before we left Toft. As Brandt had said before we set sail, we could very well be chasing a "goldmine" that may or may not exist. A familiar uneasiness began to climb its way into my stomach as I stared at the open file. It was open to where Tova had stopped, and I saw a detailed map of the United States. This place had better be worth it.

Before I knew it, the next couple of days flew past quickly, and I found myself exploring the Voyager in my free time. The ship, a peculiar and fascinating work of craftsmanship, scarcely needed any tending. I saw that even Brandt, Tova, and the rest of the crew found themselves looking for things to do in their spare time. Besides the occasional maintenance and cleaning jobs that were to be found around the ship, the Voyager was essentially autonomous. I recalled a talk I had with Knud.

"Is this ship equipped with any weapons systems?" I had asked. We were on the bridge, where the captain oversaw the computers and screens.

"The Voyager used to be a warship, before and after the war. Then a sailing company I used to work for bought the ship, stripped it of its guns, and turned it into a regular raiding vessel. Ammunition, especially for seacrafts, is too expensive as it is."

"I've been on a few raiding ships, but they don't even compare to this one. This is way more advanced."

"That it is. She's a beaut, isn't she? I'm never parting ways with this one." He had patted one of the many modules that lay humming in the room, and my attention was drawn to it.

"Can they talk or something?"

Knud had given a short burst of laughter at my question.

"Don't be silly, of course they don't. They're smart, I can give you that. But they're not that smart. If they could talk I don't think I would be here."

"Then what can they do?"

"Well, they control everything about the ship. They do all the complicated navigating and course setting and steer the ship as seen fit. They also oversee the engine room and all other important compartments. But most importantly, they take care of security."

"Security? I thought you said there aren't any weapons."

"I meant 'security' as in defenses against attacks. They put the ship on lockdown and block off any intruder who would want to hop aboard. He had then grinned, scratching his head. "It really hasn't been tested before, though." I liked Knud. Sure, he looked like a buzzard, with his balding head and crooked teeth, but he was likable. As the days on the open ocean progressed and I got to know him, I realized the old man's personality was like the opposite of Brandt's. I had never seen Brandt smile or laugh throughout all my training, but Knud was quite the contrary. The old ship captain always squeezed in a joke somewhere if you talked with him, and usually, it wouldn't fly. But nevertheless, I enjoyed being in his company.

Now I was leaning at the stern of the Voyager, looking down at the churning white waves that crashed below. From the corner of my eye I noticed a tall figure coming from behind. It was Felman.

"We should reach our destination by tomorrow morning." he said, also peering over the back of the ship. I could sense that he wanted to talk about something, so I pushed to continue the conversation.

"To be honest Felman, I don't like this."

"Neither do I, but we don't have a choice. It's a big risk, but like you said, there's always going to be one either way."

"Do you think the rest are up to it, Tova and Roscoe, I mean."

Felman paused before answering.

"I think they are. If anything goes wrong, we'll have to rely on each other if we're going to survive. I've heard Roscoe's good with that sword of his and is also a good shot with a rifle. As for Tova, I'm sure she can hold her own."

A small pang of worry hit me.

"Do you think anything could go wrong?"

Felman gave a snort of laughter.

"Anything could happen. We don't even know if the people there are still alive or not."

We stood in silence as the waves continued to crash rhythmically against the Voyager. Then I looked at Felman, noticing the thin scar that ran down the side of his neck. Relieved to find another topic for discussion, I brought attention to it.

"Remind me again, how did you get that during training? I don't think I was there when it happened."

"The scar? It was during one of our breaks, while I and a couple of other guys were fishing. I was at the edge of the ship, trying to catch a fish in my spare time." the taller sailor smiled scornfully. He looked around before continuing. "But Brandt, that damned old man, came up from behind and surprised me mid flick." his hand strayed to the small mark left behind. "The hook caught me but when I turned to him, he didn't seem to notice. Anyways, all he wanted was for me to do some menial task, and then he walked off. It took me quite a bit of self-control to not scream in pain." I smiled, envisioning the encounter. Felman rubbed his scar, a frown on his face. "Hurt like hell, though. Good thing the hook wasn't too big." The tall man looked up, and his frown deepened. "You see that?" I looked up as well and saw the faintest sign of land just beyond the horizon, a thin black line barely noticeable by the naked eye. And above the black line, dark clouds loomed ominously. Our destination was in sight.

"So how do we go about this?" I asked. The question seemed to be on everyone else's mind, as we all gathered around a map of the surrounding area. Knud pointed to a large landmass that was labeled as "The United States". He then pointed to where the position of the Voyager was.

"The computers read that we're about 13 miles from shore. If you want to get this over with quickly, I suggest that we continue on this course." The old captain moved his finger in a straight path to the country, which landed on a sector that was labeled "New Jersey".

"I looked over the file a bit last night," Tova said, "and the place we'll land at should be all city. But the information is outdated, so don't be surprised when it turns out to be a jungle."

"So no natural resources?" Felman asked.

"Not where we're going to enter. We'll have to move more inland to find that." Tova answered.

"Well, we should get going then." Brandt said, looking at all of us before turning to Knud. "And I presume you'll stay with the ship?"

The captain nodded, grinning.

"I will. And if you run into any danger, just holler." We broke from the briefing and went to prepare our gear. My backpack slung around one shoulder, I carried a duffel bag to the staging area and proceeded to open it up. Inside lay my personal assortment of firearms, packed away neatly in their own separate gun cases. I pulled out a case where my pistol of choice was located and opened it up, revealing a Glock variant. It was a relatively dated weapon, going all the way back to before the war. Still, I found that it was reliable enough. I checked the firearm before placing it in the holster that came with it. It was still clean from the last time I carried it with me. Digging deeper, I found the four magazines that accompanied it. Ammo was scarce and expensive these days, and so I couldn't afford any more rounds. This would have to do. Depositing the magazines in their respective pouches on my belt, I secured the rest of my gear. My sea knife would also come with me, along with a couple of smoke grenades. I clipped the two cylindrical canisters to my belt and made sure they wouldn't fall out. I turned to the sound of boots and saw Roscoe place his own bag on the floor. Kneeling, he unzipped the bag and drew out an assault rifle, fitted with a holographic sight and angled grip. He checked the weapon and attached a sling to it. The rifle was also an old model, and I strained to remember what it was called. Roscoe caught me looking at his rifle.

"It's a Heckler and Koch model. Ancient, if you ask me." He grinned and pulled on a tactical vest equipped with magazine pouches over his jacket. He nodded to my pistol and stood up. "When was the last time you used that?"

"My last raiding party, about four or five weeks ago."

"So you've been on a few then, have you?"

I shrugged.

"I've been on enough."

"Did you use it at all?" Roscoe slung his rife and closed his bag. I shook my head and he then started to check the sword at his side. "Hopefully we won't have to engage anyone. I'm low on ammo as it is, even with that short stop back at the city."

We started to head up and met Felman as we got there. His long hair was tied up more securely than normal, and he brandished what looked to be a semi-automatic shotgun.

"Tova and Brandt are waiting." he said briefly, and we climbed up to meet them. Brandt carried his handaxe in a frog at his side, and Tova had her own handgun, which rested in its holster. Having a full view on the top deck, I noticed that the inky storm clouds I first saw were now up close. Dangerously close. The black gloom hovered in front of us, and as I looked towards land, I saw that the blanket of darkness stretched out as far as the eye could see.

The Voyager glided easily through the water, and the coast got closer and closer. My heart was racing, and I looked over to everyone else. Felman stood calm, at the ready. Roscoe balanced on the balls of his feet, curling one side of his mustache with a finger. Tova was jotting down notes on a small notepad, constantly going back and forth between her notes and the clouds above.

"I don't like the look of this." She said, flipping the pad closed.

"I could've told you that." Brandt said dryly. An ominous silence fell over us, and before long, we saw the first signs of buildings. I was surprised at the sight. The surrounding area of the coastline was almost as gloomy and dark as the clouds that hovered over them. Lifeless concrete structures spanned far and wide, covering the entire beach. The beach itself was rocky and littered with washed-up piles of trash and debris. As I peered over the bulwark, I now saw that the water here was murky and full of garbage and other miscellaneous waste.

"Well, I guess no one's home." Roscoe said as we drifted onward. The ship turned portside and we sailed along the coast, coming up on a cape. We were about two hundred yards out now, but the Voyager slowly started to angle in on the cape.

"This is the United States?" I wondered aloud. The place was bleak, to put it lightly, and there was no sign of life anywhere. And the only plant life that was visible appeared dark, enshadowed by the storm clouds. Where was everyone?

"This is New Jersey, actually." Tova said. "It's only one out of fifty states that make up the US."

I was listening to Tova's explanation when something in my peripheral vision caught my attention. The quick movement was between two half-collapsed buildings. Eyes straining, I stared, trying to catch the movement again. I saw nothing. A queasiness clutched my stomach. Then Brandt's voice broke me from my thoughts.

"Captain Knud said he'd pull the ship along that mole there. That's where we'll get off." Brandt pointed to a natural dike about a hundred yards to our right. A crumbled lighthouse on the edge of the pier, its green paint weathered away and its glass windows shattered. We pulled alongside the mole and the Voyager anchored. Knud came down to us, pulling on a ragged beanie.

"I'll stay here and wait for you. When do you expect to be back?" Brandt looked to Felman. Felman glanced at his watch, and then at the cloud-obscured sun before answering.

"First we'll just scout around. Then we'll head back before sunset. If we don't make it back by then... well, just hold on until we come back, alright?"

Knud nodded and trudged back up to the bridge. Then he stopped and turned back to us, a grin on his face.

"Remember, if you need anything, just give me a shout."

Now that we were up close with the deserted city, we found little indication of where exactly we were. Rusted and abandoned cars sat idle on the streets, and faint signs of plant growth were visible within the cracks of the sidewalks and roads. While most of the buildings were still standing, a good number of them had collapsed. There were no signs of movement, now that I was closer. The movement I had spotted earlier must've been me daydreaming. The five of us marched in a file, with at least 15 feet distance between each of us. Felman was at the head, then Brandt and Tova. Roscoe and I followed behind. Keeping watch of our back, my gaze jumped from object to object, making sure nothing snuck up on us. We had been walking for about ten minutes when Felman called for the group to stop. I looked ahead and saw that the tall sailor had halted in front of an ornate looking building. Wide steps led up to where four ionic pillars supported the elaborate structure.

"This looks like a government office of some kind. A courthouse, maybe." Felman beckoned to me with one hand. "Alvarsson, come with me. Let's clear this." As I jogged up the line he turned to the rest. "The three of you keep watch. Call us if you see anything suspicious." Brandt, Tova, and Roscoe nodded and Felman took to the stairs, two at a time. I followed after him, almost running up the steps to keep up with his long stride. We reached the front and I noticed that the double doors at the top were busted in. Felman looked up at the clouds, as did I. They were swirling now, and I heard the taller man curse under his breath.

"We'll have to hurry back to the ship soon. Come on, let's do this." I drew my pistol and Felman raised his shotgun to his shoulder. We entered the dark foyer in silence, weapons ready, eyes searching. We proceeded down a hallway to our left. The entire place was lifeless, with windows smashed in and papers and furniture scattered about. A strong storm must've wrecked this building hard. It was only until we were going through room after room, when we discovered the first signs of life. Opening a musty smelling door to an office, the pitter-patter of feet took me by surprise and I almost yelped in response. My peripheral vision just barely caught the tail end of the animal. It could've been an opossum, or some other rodent, I reasoned. As I exited the room I observed that I could vaguely hear other animalistic noises resonating throughout the drafty halls and rooms. The skittering sound of feet on stone. The quiet, almost inaudible sound of one's calls, and the momentary pause before one answered back. But why were these wild animals doing inside here, instead of roaming the streets?

"The animals are heading inside for shelter." Felman said to himself, inadvertently answering my question. Head craning, he motioned to me. "We should be doing the same, but I think I found something. Come on, Alvarsson." I followed his lead and we reached another set of doors.

"Look." Felman said, gesturing to three rough 'x's' that were carved onto the wooden door. I gripped my pistol a little harder now, a light wave of nausea overcoming me. I steadied myself, then looked at the taller man.

"I'll open and you clear." He nodded and we both took a deep breath before entering. Quickly, I turned the knob to the room and shoved the door open, allowing the taller sailor to advance. Just a second later, I also stepped in, taking the left side of the room as Felman cleared the right side. Nothing. This was one of the larger rooms, with rotted wooden pews lining both sides and a raised dais at the back. A decaying carpet lined the room, giving off a putrid smell. Stepping lightly at opposite ends, we both cleared the long benches, also encountering nothing.

"Here." Felman said, waving me over the front of the podium. "There was a group here. I can't tell how recent, though." I came around and saw remnants of bedrolls and articles of clothing. Lifting a shirt out of the way with one foot, I uncovered a handgun. Looking around I also saw bullet casings that were strewn about, all of different caliber. "Looks like this group ran into something." Felman said, swallowing. I turned and saw that some color vanished from his face. "We have to go, now." He said finally.

"Agreed." I concurred. Then a thought hit me. "But where are the bodies?"

The taller man looked at me, eyebrows raised slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"Like you said, there was a sizable group here, and there's evidence of a pretty big gunfight. But there aren't any signs of casualties anywhere."

"Uh, Alvarsson..." I turned and saw that he had kicked the pile of beddings and clothes to one side, revealing several giant brownish stains on the carpet. We both kneeled over the discolored floor.

"Blood." we both said to ourselves. With shaking hands, I held my weapon at the ready, my heart racing. We both stood and began to make our way back to the entrance.

"Let's get the hell out of this place." Felman said as we picked up our pace. Abruptly, we heard the sound of shouts and screaming echo throughout the building. Without a word said between us, we dashed past the rows of pews. My heart was out of my chest now, and my breathing came in quick breaths. Adrenaline surging and blood pumping, I didn't know what I felt or thought. What I did know was that I was in danger and that death was a very real possibility. The sound of sparse gunshots reached our ears, and we surged forward. In what seemed like an eternity, we finally reached the front of the room.

And then the doors, the doorframe, and the wall around the doorframe came crashing down on us in a flurry of smoke and debris. The booming sound that came along with the crash instantly told me that it was an explosion of some kind. Without time to turn away or dodge the sudden collapse, we both fell to the blast. I face-planted next to Felman, ear ringing, my entire body screaming in pain. Then slowly I looked up, my sidearm raised, tears streaming down my dust-covered face. And then I saw it. Through the settling smoke, around half a dozen figures approached us.