Now that they'd gone out, it was the perfect moment to sneak inside and check things out. Even if the missing supplies weren't there, there had to be at least some of Natalie's stuff left in the house. Jacob's leg looked pretty bad. Even if it healed, he'd probably limp for the rest of his life. Maisie might be fine if she were healthy. But after those needles Natalie shoved into her, who knew how long she'd last? If they couldn't grab food quickly, that sly Lillian would run away in a heartbeat. No way she'd stick around to care for Jacob while he was limping. Then, he'd be left alone, struggling to survive. What was he supposed to do then? The thought made Maisie tense up. She immediately started fiddling with the door lock, trying to break in. But that fancy lock wasn't going to be easy. Before she could make any progress, a sudden howl cut through the air. She looked up to see a dog's head peeking out from a second-floor window. "Ow, ow, ow!" Maisie yelped, realizing it was the same vicious guard dog that had hurt her son. Rage boiled up, and she cursed loudly. "You dumb beast! What are you barking for? Think you're some kind of genius guard dog? "How can you bite anyone?! Were you starved in your previous life or what? "I'm gonna skin you, tie you up, and roast you over a fire! I'll taste what pig-flavored dog meat is like!"After venting, she glared at the lock in frustration. There was a vicious dog inside. Even if she got the door open, rushing in would be suicide. She'd get killed before finding any supplies. Glancing up again, the dog's head was gone. Maisie smacked her lips. She thought it'd be better to head home first and find something to poison the dog before trying again. Animals loved to eat. She would poison the dog first, then go in and grab the goods. Just as she was about to leave, the villa's door swung open from the inside. She stared in shock as the big white dog charged out, barking at her from behind the gate. Wait, this dog can open doors?! Cursing and panicking, Maisie limped home as fast as she could, pushing through the pain. If that dog got through the gate, she was done for. "Ow, ow, ow!" The gate was tough, but Lucky kept clawing at it, eyes locked on Maisie and getting more frantic by the second. I must let that ugly old hag know exactly how fierce I could be! Breaking in was bad enough, but she actually had the guts to curse at me! Maybe Lucky was just too frustrated and anxious. After all that effort, the damn lock still wouldn't budge. She was panicked and furious, worried her target might escape. Then, a gentle laugh cut through. "Lucky, calm down." Lucky glanced up, still tense, but she relaxed a little when she saw who it was."Ow!" That was her way of saying hello. "Just stay here. Leave it to me." Lucky watched as the newcomer went after Maisie, clearly satisfied. Meanwhile, Natalie and Cassian finally pulled up near the official base. It sat right next to Northlorn, in Sunhaven City. Technically, this area was part of Sunhaven City, but it was much closer to Northlorn than the city itself. They made it in under two hours. By then, a massive crowd was already lined up outside. Staff shouted through bullhorns, trying to keep things organized. Cars queued on the left, while pedestrians snaked around on the right. Natalie parked at the end of the car line. It was so long that she couldn't even see the front gate. Luckily, there were way fewer cars than people, so the line of cars moved faster than the foot traffic. Sitting in their air-conditioned car, Natalie and Cassian were comfortable and chatting, making the wait bearable. But soon, chaos erupted ahead. "Someone passed out!" "When are we getting in? It's so hot! Are we stuck here all day? This is torture!" "Hey! Don't cut in! You're supposed to be behind us!" "Who says I'm behind you? Got proof?""You're so shameless!" "Who're you calling shameless?" "You! What's your problem?" "I'll beat the crap out of you right now!" With everyone already on edge from the apocalypse, standing in the heat made tempers flare fast. Chaos erupted in minutes. Families yelled as someone collapsed from the heat. Others argued over line-cutting. Some tried to push ahead or muscle through, and a few even attempted to jump the car line to steal a ride. Natalie watched as three guys from the foot line charged over, yanking open the door of a car in front of her and shoving their way inside. The car shook violently, and the original two skinny owners were thrown out, battered and bruised.