Vagabonds

Chapter 11: The Secret Room

Jackson and Maria knew they had to investigate further. They set out on foot towards the east, leaving the safety of the town behind. As they journeyed further into the wasteland, they noticed the landscape changing. The trees grew sparser, and the ground became rocky and uneven. The air felt heavy with an eerie silence.

They walked for hours, with no sign of life except for the occasional mutated creature lurking in the shadows. Jackson and Maria grew increasingly anxious as they approached the source of the signal.

As they crested a hill, they saw a massive structure looming in the distance. It was a massive metal dome, with smokestacks rising from the top. Jackson and Maria exchanged a wary glance before continuing forward.

As they drew closer to the structure, they saw a group of people gathered outside. They were heavily armed and looked dangerous. Jackson and Maria crouched behind a boulder, observing them from a safe distance.

One of the armed men stepped forward and shouted, "Who goes there?"

Jackson and Maria knew they had to be cautious. They stood up slowly, showing their empty hands. "We're just travelers," Jackson said. "We're not looking for any trouble."

The man narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"We followed a signal," Maria replied. "We're trying to find out what it is."

The man looked them up and down, sizing them up. Finally, he motioned for them to follow him. "Come with me," he said. "But don't try anything funny."

Jackson and Maria followed the man inside the dome. They walked down a long corridor, passing doors that led to different rooms. Finally, they came to a large room filled with strange equipment.

There were computer screens, wires, and machines that Jackson and Maria had never seen before. A man sat at the center of the room, typing furiously on a keyboard.

He looked up when Jackson and Maria entered. "Who are you?" he asked, his eyes darting between them.

"We're just travelers," Jackson said again. "We followed a signal here."

The man stood up, eyeing them warily. "What signal?"

"The one coming from this dome," Maria said.

The man's eyes widened. "You picked up the signal?" he said. "That's impossible. It's encrypted."

Jackson and Maria exchanged a glance. The situation was becoming more mysterious by the minute.

"Who are you?" Maria asked.

The man hesitated for a moment before answering. "My name is Dr. Smith. I'm a scientist."

"What kind of science?" Jackson asked.

The man smiled, a bit of pride in his voice. "The kind of science that can save the world."