Chapter 79: The Waiting Game

The days following Victor Carlisle’s visit were tense. The community moved forward with their daily tasks, but there was an unspoken sense of dread in the air. Everyone knew they were living in the shadow of a potential new threat—one that wasn’t as simple as fighting off bandits or raiders. This was political, larger than anything they’d faced before. They were no longer dealing with rogue groups or individual dangers; they were dealing with an organized force claiming to represent a government. And that government was demanding control.

Gabriella stood near the edge of the settlement, overlooking the fields that stretched out toward the horizon. It was a peaceful sight, yet the tranquility of the landscape only contrasted the storm brewing inside her mind. The scout who had volunteered to follow Victor and his men had been gone for three days now, and there had been no word from him. It wasn’t unusual for their scouts to stay out for extended periods, but with the stakes this high, the waiting was becoming unbearable.

Andrew approached from behind, his steps soft on the dirt path. "You’re thinking too much again," he said, his voice gentle as he came to stand beside her.

Gabriella sighed, her eyes still fixed on the distant fields. "I can’t help it. Everything feels so uncertain. We don’t know what’s coming or if we’re even prepared for it."

Andrew put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. "We’ve faced worse with less. We’ll figure this out, Gabriella. One way or another."

Gabriella leaned into his embrace, taking comfort in his steady presence. "I just don’t understand how they expect us to pay taxes. The world’s changed. Money has no value anymore, and what little we produce here we need for ourselves. How are we supposed to give it to some mysterious government in exchange for vague promises of protection?"

"It’s not about the tax," Andrew replied quietly. "It’s about control. They’re trying to reestablish power, to bring people under their rule again. They don’t care if we have money or resources to spare. They just want us dependent on them."

Gabriella nodded, her heart heavy. "But if we resist… if we refuse to pay… they might come after us with more men. Maybe even more than we can handle."

"That’s why we’re waiting for the scout’s report," Andrew said, though Gabriella could hear the uncertainty in his voice. "We need more information. We need to know what we’re up against before we make any decisions."

Gabriella pulled away slightly to look at him. "And if the scout doesn’t come back?"

Andrew didn’t answer immediately. His eyes darkened as he stared out at the fields. "Then we’ll have to make our own plan. We can’t sit here forever, waiting for someone to show up. If we don’t hear from him soon, we’ll send out another group to investigate."

Gabriella’s stomach twisted at the thought of sending more people into danger. She hated feeling helpless, hated the idea that their fate was resting on the whims of a group of strangers claiming to be part of some new government. But what other choice did they have?

"We’ll find a way," she said, trying to reassure herself as much as Andrew. "We always do."

As the day wore on, the tension in the community was palpable. People continued with their usual tasks, but there was an edge of anxiety to everything. The council had been meeting regularly to discuss possible responses, but without more information, it felt like they were preparing for a battle in the dark.

Miriam, one of the council members, approached Gabriella as she helped repair a section of the fence that bordered the fields. "Any word yet?" she asked, her voice low.

Gabriella shook her head. "Nothing. It’s been three days. I’m starting to worry something happened to him."

Miriam sighed. "We can’t wait much longer. The longer we stay idle, the more power they have over us. Victor and his men could come back at any time, and we need to be ready."

"I know," Gabriella said, pausing in her work. "I just wish we had more to go on. We don’t even know how big this so-called government is. For all we know, it could just be Victor and his men trying to scare us into submission."

"Or it could be something much larger," Miriam pointed out grimly. "We have to assume the worst, Gabriella. We can’t afford to underestimate them."

Gabriella nodded, the weight of leadership pressing down on her once more. "The council’s been talking about it. We’ll send out another group if we don’t hear from the scout by tomorrow. We can’t wait forever."

Miriam gave a curt nod of agreement. "Good. I’ll prepare the others in case we need to act quickly."

As Miriam walked away, Gabriella stood for a moment, staring at the fence she had been working on but seeing none of it. Her mind was consumed with the choices they would soon have to make. Every decision felt like it carried the potential to save or doom the community.

She had just returned to her work when a shout echoed from the gates.

"Rider approaching!"

Gabriella’s heart leapt in her chest as she dropped the hammer she had been holding and rushed toward the gates. Andrew and several of the other community members were already gathering near the entrance, their eyes fixed on the approaching figure.

As the rider came closer, Gabriella recognized the scout. He looked exhausted, his face pale and drawn, but he was alive. Relief washed over her as the gates were opened, allowing him inside.

The scout dismounted, nearly collapsing to the ground as the strain of the journey caught up with him. Gabriella and Andrew rushed to his side, helping him to his feet.

"What did you find?" Andrew asked urgently, his voice laced with tension.

The scout took a deep breath, his eyes wild with the knowledge he carried. "It’s worse than we thought," he said, his voice hoarse. "Much worse."

Gabriella’s stomach clenched. "What do you mean?"

The scout glanced around, as if making sure no one else was listening, before lowering his voice. "Victor and his men… they aren’t just a small group. They’re part of something much larger. I followed them to a settlement, a big one. It’s organized, and they have a lot of men. Armed men. I heard them talking about other communities—how they’re planning to force them into submission, just like they’re trying to do here."

Gabriella’s breath caught in her throat. "How many are we talking about?"

The scout shook his head. "Dozens. Maybe hundreds. They’ve already taken control of several communities in the area, and they’re moving fast. Anyone who resists… well, they don’t last long."

The weight of his words settled over them like a suffocating blanket. Andrew clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. "So they’re trying to rebuild the old world, but through fear and force."

"Exactly," the scout confirmed. "And they’re not going to stop. They’re planning to come back here soon to make sure we comply."

Gabriella felt the blood drain from her face. "How soon?"

The scout looked grim. "Maybe a week. Maybe less."

A heavy silence fell over the group as the enormity of the situation sunk in. They had been hoping for more time, more information, but now it was clear that they were running out of both.

"We need to prepare," Andrew said finally, his voice hard. "We can’t give in to them, but we also can’t fight them on our own. We need allies."

Gabriella nodded, her mind already racing with possibilities. "We’ll send out word to the other communities we’ve traded with. See if any of them are willing to join us. We need to stand together if we’re going to survive this."

Andrew placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch steady and grounding. "We’ll get through this, Gabriella. We always do."

But as Gabriella looked out over the peaceful settlement, the laughter of children and the chatter of their people drifting on the breeze, she couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of foreboding. The peace they had fought so hard to build was once again under threat, and this time, the enemy wasn’t just a band of raiders.

It was a system. A system that threatened to destroy everything they had worked for.