Dinner had been nothing but a carb overload, and by the time it finally settled, the sky had gone dark. Natalie slipped into her ultra-thin climate suit, the kind that clung like a second skin, and tossed on a T-shirt and shorts over it. Then she headed out. The outside temperature had dipped below 120°F, but the ground was still scorching hot. Walking barefoot would've fried the soles of her feet in minutes. She stepped out of the complex, found a quiet corner, and pulled her Knight XV out of her storage space. She hadn't driven far when she spotted something up ahead—on the right side of the road, an old, beat-up van was surrounded by at least a dozen men with bats and knives. Natalie slowed, watching carefully. A line of nails had been scattered across the road, a perfect trap for tires. Any normal car would've blown its tires driving through. It was an ambush. That van had already been taken out, its tires shredded, leaving its passengers trapped and surrounded by a group of robbers. But Natalie's car wasn't afraid of a few spikes. These tires could handle more than nails—Natalie was sure even a grenade wouldn't make them flinch. She raised an eyebrow with a sneer and was about to floor it straight through when something about the van ahead caught her eye. It looked familiar. The mob was going wild, smashing the van with bats and pipes until the glass shattered into pieces. Then the doors burst open, and two people jumped out, swinging back with everything they had. Natalie recognized them instantly, and her plan changed in a heartbeat. She spun the wheel hard, aimed straight at the mob, and charged. At the last second, she slammed the brakes, stopping just inches from the van—and still managed to send four thugs flying. The whole gang froze in shock and scrambled out of the way, terrified they'd be next to get run over. What kind of monster is this? A black, armored tank? From the looks of it, this beast could crush a sedan flat without slowing down. Natalie rolled down the window and shouted, "Get in!" The two who had just jumped from the van had been watching the strange black vehicle with guarded eyes. But when they saw Natalie behind the wheel, their faces eased with relief. They ran over and climbed in without hesitation. The gang tried to rush after them, but Natalie raised her nail gun and fired a few sharp bursts. Several of them went down fast. Olivia and Harold scrambled into the backseat, grinning with joy. "Nat!" "Idol!" It was them—out hunting for fuel. "Hang on," Natalie warned. Then she slammed the gear into reverse, floored it, and rammed back. Anyone still standing in her way got plowed over. If someone tried to run, she spun the wheel and chased them down. In no time, the street was littered with broken bodies, and the ambush scattered in every direction. The spikes on the road hadn't slowed her down one bit.In no time, the street fell quiet again. Olivia and Harold stared at Natalie in shock. Olivia gasped, "Oh my gosh! What is this car? Harold, do you know it?" Harold shook his head quickly. "Never seen anything like it." Natalie finally eased the car to a stop and turned toward them. "You two okay?" "We're fine!" Olivia answered, pressing a hand to her chest, her voice still shaky. Back during the flood, all it took was punching a hole in someone's inflatable boat, and the whole crew went down. But now? Facing a mob like this meant a real fight. From a distance it was fine—Natalie had her nail gun, and Harold carried a crossbow. Outnumbered, they could still take people out without much trouble. But when enemies closed in this close, it was different. The numbers were against them.If they fought head-on, someone was bound to get hurt. One mistake, and they could lose their lives. Olivia let out a shaky breath. "Nat, thank goodness you showed up when you did!" She glanced around the empty street. "Looks like we were the first ones they hit. No other cars here, no supplies either." Natalie caught the faint disappointment in her tone and teased, "What, hoping for more victims?" Olivia flushed. "Of course not. I just meant, we went through a fight and came out empty-handed." She had clearly gotten addicted to robbing the robbers. Harold, meanwhile, looked at Natalie with admiration. "Idol, you're amazing! You're gorgeous and can fight—you drive like a pro too! Do you even have a flaw?"Natalie grinned shamelessly. "Nope. Not a single one." Their van was wrecked beyond repair. Between the shredded tires and smashed glass, it wasn't worth fixing. Natalie asked, "Anything left inside?" Both shook their heads. "We'd just started out," Olivia explained. "Didn't even get to collecting fuel yet. Yesterday's metal barrels are already used up. We thought we'd find more tonight, but now the first thing we need is a car!" Natalie started her engine. "Don't worry. I'll take you along. We'll find one faster together. I've got to hit the mall anyway, and we'll pass plenty of cars along the way." "Thanks, Idol!" "Thanks, Nat!" Olivia leaned back in the plush seat, her eyes roaming over the luxurious interior. She couldn't help but think Natalie really was a rich girl.Even in the middle of the apocalypse, she was riding around in something Olivia had never seen on any road before. Still, as powerful as this monster was, it had to consume fuel like crazy.