Nelson gave a small nod. He honestly didn't want to hand over Tartrate, but he kept reminding himself—he was an adult now. Adults were supposed to give Christmas presents to kids. Besides, Denton had mentioned before that he really wanted to raise Tartrate for a few days. So, Nelson lent him the cat just to make him happy. He kept repeating that in his head again and again. They wrapped up Christmas dinner feeling full and cheerful. When they finally stopped chatting and eating, it was already 1:00 a.m. As Caroline cleared the table, she said, "After we wake up, let's pack and get moving. It's time to start fresh after Christmas." No one argued. Even though Shane had been sent away, they couldn't be sure he wouldn't come back. The earlier they left, the safer they'd be. The conflict between Nathaniel and Andrew was finally over. Andrew's people probably wouldn't cause trouble for a while. It was the perfect chance to leave. They cleaned up a little more, talked quietly for a bit, and then everyone went to bed. But miles away in Luxvale, a naked man sat on top of a huge, black, round-faced mutant cat. He stood on the highest building in the city, getting more restless and more unhinged by the second. "Where am I? Where the hell is this place?" The black cat trembled, its big, round eyes full of panic as it looked back at its master, unsure where to go. Bang! A gunshot rang out from a nearby rooftop, sharp and loud, like a fight had just started. "That way!" the naked man snapped, pointing toward the sound. The cat didn't dare resist. It bolted in the direction he pointed, sprinting at full speed.On the rooftop they'd left behind, three men stood frozen, shaking, covered in cuts and bruises. Only after the naked man and his cat disappeared into the distance did any of them dare to speak. They met each other's eyes and saw pure fear. "Who the heck was that guy?" "No clue. He's completely insane! I thought we were done for." "It's the apocalypse! Where does he expect me to find cupcakes? I gave him a bread roll made from cockroach powder, and he almost killed me!" "And that Nelson ... which one is the real one?" "It's Christmas, right? Why does our luck suck this bad?" The naked man and his cat didn't hear a thing. They just kept running farther and farther from Hornvale. ... The next morning, Caroline got up early and started packing just like they'd planned. It didn't take long. She dumped everything into the storage space so she could unload it again once they reached the mobile base. She even packed up Nelson's entire lab. She was about to put Handsy and Medusa away as well when someone pounded on the door downstairs. It was the army—her customized car had arrived. Curious, Caroline went down to check it out. It was a peculiar car. It was longer than a normal car but slimmer, with wheels nearly three feet tall that looked indestructible. The whole ride was jet black, and the body and windows were made from special material—bulletproof, fireproof, airtight, and tough enough to handle ability attacks. "This ride comes with a bucket you can extend or fold in," the young soldier said, hitting a button. A huge compartment slid out from the back, rolling on six small wheels.It was over ten feet long and just as wide and tall as the car itself. All three sides could open up, and though the panels looked thin, they were clearly built strongly. A massive tarp could even cover the whole thing. "Also, the materials block long-range illusion attacks," the soldier added. Caroline's eyes lit up. That was impressive. She hadn't expected the army to deliver something so cool this fast. Before she could finish admiring it, the soldier grinned. "The bucket was designed by Commander Zimmer's team. We worked through the night to attach it to your car. "Normally, we don't get gear this fancy, but now ... hehe." He didn't say the rest, and Caroline understood. She'd caught a lucky break. Everyone had mounts now, but mutant creatures still needed rest and food. Long trips were rough on them. That car, though, could handle anything, including harsh roads, bad weather, and even ability hits.