Apocalyptic Rebirth: With a repairman system space, she rises again.-Chapter 680: Where is Emmet?

Dominic didn’t even acknowledge the Warden’s existence. He remained perfectly still; his dark eyes locked onto the wall that separated the juvenile section of the prison from the main one. It was as if he were already peeling back the layers of the building with his mind.

The moment Sunshine’s vehicle rolled to a stop; Townsend leapt toward it. He scrambled to open her door, beaming as if he were welcoming the President of the new world. "Mrs. Quinn! A pleasure, a true honor! What brings such a distinguished person to our humble... well, prison?"

Sunshine stepped out, ignoring the flattery. "Take us to the canteen, Warden."

Townsend blinked, his smile faltering into a look of pure confusion. "The... the canteen? Why? We haven’t prepared a lunch service, if you are here for an inspection....I would like to let you know that you will not be disappointed. We feed them not too well, like it’s a five-star hotel but not too badly like they are pigs or something. If I were to rate our canteen, I would give it two stars."

Leah and Dominic exchanged a gaze that said they were lost.

"Suni...." Leah called the name inquisitively.

"We’re going to try the soft approach first," Sunshine said, looking at the Stewards. "Milk, snacks, a quiet room. We talk like human beings. If that fails, then we switch to Dominic’s approach."

"I don’t think he deserves milk," Leah muttered, crossing her arms. "The kid is a nightmare. I heard Ceasar was telling stories about the boy all night. From what he revealed, the boy should be in the main prison."

"I don’t like ’soft,’" Dominic added, his voice like grinding stones. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Warden Townsend looked between the three of them, his head spinning. "Dominic’s approach? Soft approach? I’m sorry, I’m still very confused. Is there a protocol for this in the handbook? What is going on?"

Sunshine started walking toward the gate leading to the juvenile section, leaving the Warden scrambling to keep up. "Townsend, we are here to see Emmet Jotter."

Townsend blinked. "The troublesome fellow! Whatever would you need that brat for ma’am?" He asked as he led the way.

Sunshine did not fill him in. She led the others through the gate, into the facilities. They passed by a basketball field, which had some six kids playing a game. The juvenile section was not as bad as most people imagined. It was less like a prison and more like a foster home.

When they reached the canteen, Sunshine ordered a spread of freshly baked snacks, and Warden Townsend, eager to stay in her good graces, insisted on putting the entire order on his personal tab. He clearly thought the treats were for Sunshine herself_ a VIP peace offering of sorts.

He scurried behind her, balancing a heavy paper bag and a steaming coffee, his voice a constant stream of nervous chatter. "I must say, Mrs. Quinn, the new additions to the juvenile section are... well, they’re a handful. Disobedient, stubborn, absolutely no respect for the schedule. It’s like trying to herd mountain lions."

Sunshine didn’t even look back, her heels clicking rhythmically against the concrete. "I’m sure a man of your experience, Townsend, will have them back to order in no time. You have a way with people."

Townsend puffed out his chest, nearly dropping a coffee. "Well, I do try my best. Firm but fair, that’s my motto!"

They entered the courtyard, where the air smelled of damp stone and industrial soap. The kids were outside, spread across the pavement doing chores under the hawk-like gaze of their supervisors and guards. Among them, a girl with messy hair and a defiant scowl was dragging a heavy brush across the stones.

The moment she saw Sunshine, Estella froze. Her eyes went wide, then narrowed into slits of pure fury.

"Hey you, stop!" she screamed, dropping the mop with a wet thud. "Where is he? Where did you put Emmet?"

She began to bolt toward Sunshine, her face twisted in a mix of fear and rage. One of the guards stepped in, his hand moving toward his tranquilizer gun as he caught her by the arm, but Sunshine raised a sharp hand.

"Release her," Sunshine ordered.

The guard hesitated, then stepped back. Estella didn’t stop until she was inches from Sunshine’s face. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest, her small frame vibrating with indignation. "Explain. Now. What did you do to him?"

Sunshine looked down at her, her expression softening just a fraction. "Emmet is okay, girl. He’s just having a harder time adjusting to the new environment than you are."

Estella rolled her eyes so hard it looked painful. "Adjusting? We’re in a cage! We’re all having a hard time. We don’t want to be here."

Sunshine tilted her head, a small, knowing smile playing on her lips. "Are you sure about that? Because from where I’m standing, you’re eating three hot meals a day. You’re safe under a bubble shield that keeps the enemies out.

You’re sleeping in soft beds without having to worry about a mutated monster ripping your throats out in the middle of the night. Next week, you will resume classes in school. You are going to live normal safe and fulfilled lives. What do you have to complain about?

I am the one paying for the food, school, medical care, clothes and other things you need. I will be the one to find you all families if adoption is something you would like. Which of us is making a bigger loss here girl?"

Estella opened her mouth to argue, her face reddening, but the words died in her throat. She looked at her clean clothes, then at the sturdy walls around them. Other than being asked to do some minor chores today, they had not been mistreated.

If things were as the woman said, then they were luckier than most people in the apocalypse to be here. But the pride of a teenager was a stubborn thing. She shuffled her feet, looked at the ground, and muttered something under her breath before turning and walking back to her brush.

Dominic tsked; his arms crossed over his chest. "That girl is incredibly ill-mannered. No discipline at all."

Sunshine made a soft humming sound in her throat but kept her thoughts to herself. She watched Estella’s retreating back, wondering how Dominic_ a man who prided himself on seeing everything_ couldn’t see the glaring resemblance between Estella’s rebellious streak and the fire in his own daughter, Ala.

They moved deeper into the facility, passing the rows of tidy dormitories and heading into the high-security wing. The air grew colder here, the silence heavier. They stopped in front of the single room which had been assigned to Emmet.