[ WP ] Civilization has fallen , but brave treasure hunters have heard the legend of Ft. Knox . The automated defenses , however , are still online .

`` Why exactly are we doing this?'' Karen asked from the back seat. 
 
 Jeff grumbled a reply. 
 
 `` I could n't hear you.'' 
 
 `` Because we want to get rich,'' replied Jeff, clearly this time. His probing, beady eyes never left the road and his tight grip on the steering wheel had n't lessened in intensity for the last 100 miles. He was ready to swerve off the road at the first sight of an ambush, or an RPG. 
 
 The middle-aged woman sitting next to him in the front passenger seat was Merlina. She was fast asleep with a baseball cap covering her long, angular face. The gang never could figure out how Merlina slept in a moving car in the middle of the day with the threat of being blown up hanging over her head. She said car rides bored her. No one inquired further because napping in the car meant she always volunteered to stand guard at night. 
 
 Karen stewed in Jeff's answer for a bit. It did n't make any sense to her. After another mile of silence, she spoke again. 
 
 `` But how- exactly how do we get rich by stealing gold? Who wants gold in this wasteland?'' 
 
 This time, the questions were directed toward the young girl sitting next to Karen in the back seat, reading a severely battered copy of The Road. She put her book down and looked at Karen with the expression of an exasperated adult trying to potty train a toddler. 
 
 `` For the last time, Karen, please pay attention during the morning meetings when we discuss these things.'' 
 
 `` I did.'' 
 
 `` No, you were busy making eggs in the cloud.'' 
 
 `` Were n't they great?'' 
 
 `` Yes...'' the girl conceded, `` but no one asked you to.'' 
 
 `` Well, I'm sorry for trying to make your lives a little better,'' replied Karen in a hurt voice. 
 
 The young girl, who everyone called Nuri, backed down a bit. Karen was the only person in the group who could take what looked like bits of canned shit and some leaves and conjure up a meal you could serve at a restaurant. That is, if restaurants were still around. She had been a 3 star chef back in the day, and judging by what she could do even with trash, a very good one. 
 
 `` No, we really appreciate what you do, Karen. But the plan meetings are important. My life or your life could depend on what we discuss in them.'' 
 
 `` Yeah, I know. I'm sorry,'' said Karen, in a tiny, apologetic tone, her eyes downcast. No one who saw her right now would believe that she had taken down four grown men with only a spatula and a kettle. 
 
 Nuri tried to get the conversation back to the original issue. 
 
 `` Anyway. The reason we want the gold is that pretty soon, most of the bottle caps will start to disintegrate and people will start looking for a new currency. Groups and tribes will be much bigger by then and people will try to take civilization back to where it was. Since gold is something that is limited in supply and was once valuable, many people will consider bringing it back as a currency. Having our own stockpile at that time will be like having the winning lottery ticket. Do you get it?'' 
 
 `` Well, that makes sense, I guess,'' Karen was satiated. She turned back to the cargo hold of the station wagon and tapped on the shoulder of the man sitting there, looking out the rear window for signs of trouble. He looked back. 
 
 Gerald had a memorable face. Actually, he had a very plain, pale, forty-something face with some very memorable features. He had a knife wound below his left eye, his lower lip was mostly missing and there was a ghastly scar that started at his ears, crossed his chin and ran all the way down his throat. Jeff called it the devil's beard. The group was sure that this scar was responsible for Gerald being deaf and mute, but did n't know exactly what had caused it because Gerald could only write his name and did n't like being questioned about his past. Everyone had been suspicious about him at first, but that feeling had evaporated when Gerald threw himself between Nuri and a.357 round. 
 
 Karen pointed to him and made a circle with the index finger and thumb of her right hand. 
 
 `` You okay back there?'' 
 
 Gerald smiled and returned to examining the road they had left behind. 
 
 `` We're almost here. Get-'' 
 
 Before Jeff could finish, something hit the bonnet of the car, throwing up sparks and a second later, the sound of a high caliber sniper shot rang through the air. 
 
 Jeff immediately drove the car into the bushes beside the road. The second shot hit the tarmac where the car had been two seconds ago. Everyone waited with bated breath. 
 
 After a minute of silence, Merlina spoke first. 
 
 `` Are we there yet?'' 
 
 -- -- 
 
 `` I thought you said it was abandoned,'' Jeff grumbled as he inspected the damage to the hood of his rusty old Toyota. He had grown quite attached to the car. They had been using it for almost a week now. 
 
 `` It is. The major was n't lying,'' replied Merlina, who was flat on the ground, eyes glued to her binoculars. 
 
 `` How do you know he was n't?'' asked Nuri. 
 
 `` Because he was begging me to take the gun out of his mouth.'' 
 
 `` Oh.'' 
 
 `` So, what,'' it was Karen this time, `` did another group get here before us? Maybe they barricaded themselves in.'' 
 
 `` No, that's not it either.'' 
 
 `` And why's that?'' Jeff had finished inspecting the car and was n't too happy. 
 
 `` Because, if it were Lurkers or Tards, they would've drawn us in closer and hit us with rockets or grenades. That, my friends was a warning shot.'' 
 
 Merlina rolled back from the edge of the road to the thicket of trees where the rest of the group were and sat up. 
 
 `` And do you know who still fires warning shots in this hell hole?'' 
 
 Nuri got it first. 
 
 `` Robot turrets?'' 
 
 `` Bingo!'' 
 
 Gerald nodded knowingly at the word robot. Nuri had been teaching him to lip read and he could now pick up a couple of words in every sentence. 
 
 Merlina ran her hand through her close-cropped raven hair. `` I do n't think there's any easy way to get through, unless...'' She turned to Jeff. `` Did we pass any other buildings on the way here?'' 
 
 `` Nothing military. There's a farmhouse, half a mile back.'' 
 
 A smile pierced Merlina's thin lips. `` That may be our ticket in. These places always have a secret way in and out and I bet that farmhouse is one.'' 
 
 Nuri scoffed. `` Come on, Merle, this is n't the Middle Ages. No sane person would compromise the security of such a stronghold with a stupid secret tunnel.'' 
 
 Merlina's smile grew larger. `` And that's exactly why it makes sense to build one. Besides,'' she continued, in a more serious tone, `` we definitely ca n't get in this way. These military automated turrets are very smart, have night vision and tons of ammo attached to them. Even in the car we would n't make to even 500 feet from the gate.'' 
 
 `` So, that's decided then,'' said Jeff, `` We're going to the farm.'' 
 
 -- -- 
 
 Nuri pursed her lips. `` I know I bet you two bottle caps, but I have decided not to give them to you.'' 
 
 `` Suit yourself, kid,'' said Merlina. 
 
 The fivesome was standing in a semicircle, staring at a door. It looked pretty harmless, but there were two very interesting things about it. Number one, it had been completely hidden behind a large dresser. Number two, it was completely metallic with a small button next to it. 
 
 Jeff asked what they were all thinking. 
 
 `` Is that an elevator?'' 
 
 Merlina wordlessly pressed the button. The whir of machinery coming to life wafted up through the wooden floor of the farmhouse they were standing in. The place had been deserted and robbed, but nobody had found the hidden door. 
 
 Several seconds later, the door opened silently and revealed that it was indeed a run of the mill elevator. 
 
 `` Well, no use wasting time standin' around,'' said Jeff and got in. The others followed. 
 
 There was only one button inside as well. Karen pressed it and the metal box started to go down. 
 
 `` What if this is a trap?'' mused Karen. `` What if the door opens and we find ourselves face to face with a machine gun?'' 
 
 `` Well, then we die,'' replied Merlina. 
 
 `` But I still have things to do!'' 
 
 `` What things?'' 
 
 `` I have important things in my life, Lina,'' said Karen testily, `` For your information, I have a very handsome man waiting for my return.'' 
 
 `` Who? Bald Robert? Mr.'I have no idea what foreplay is'?'' 
 
 `` Yeah, but how did-? Did you-? When?!'' 
 
 `` Last month.'' 
 
 `` That lying sack of shit! I'm gon na -'' 
 
 The elevator jolted to a halt and the door opened. 
 
 On the other side of the door was a machine gun turret, pointed right at them. 
 
 -- -- 
 
 *Hit the character limit. Continued below. *
