The Yellowstone Caldera

Several hours had passed and everyone had been locked tight inside the bunker. Ash had begun to fall like snow across the United States. The Ghost, and Daniel walked up and down the corridors checking in on their survivors. Blankets and rations had been passed out. It would be a few days until the last cryo pods would be finished, so everyone stayed up.

"Commander and Vice Commander, here are the reports you requested. From what we can tell, the Yellowstone Caldera has blocked out the sun, it didn't take long. It has yet to stop fully erupting, meaning most of the Eastern US will be blanketed in far too much ash for us to safely dig out of."

"We have counter measures in place to help with the ash, what about the gas?"

"Atmospheric reads state that if we were step foot outside, we'd die within seconds. It's only going to get worse."

The Commander and Vice Commander nod and look at each other, this was a far worse scenario that they'd imagined. "We need to keep people calm, but give them answers, they're scared."

"Agreed but what are we supposed to tell them? Oh, yea by the way, we're all trapped in here with only enough food to last us 4 years?"

"Obviously not, the hydroponic farm will kick up in the second year and feed the whole bunker. Problem is, we have everything ratioed to the hundredths, we anticipated American using this, but adding the Japanese and us, it will take a toll on us. At the moment, we're about 3,500 strong, and the Bunker was made to hold 3,850. We have plenty of space, but something tells me we're gonna run into issues governing them in this enclosed space.

As they continue their walk, the tremors from Yellowstone finally reach D.C, the bunker shakes and alarms blare as the sleeping giant goes for a new record, blowing its top sky high, pressure that had been building up, was finally escaping in the blast. waves of magma and lava burned everything in their way, the world was a dark and ashy place, barren and it would be lifeless soon. The super volcano had come to end the world, a third time and it came with the wrath of god. Once the tremors stopped, everyone was informed to begin making their way to the auditorium, this would be where the Ghost and Mercenary would address their people.

"Everyone please be seated. Today, exactly eight hours ago, the Yellowstone super volcano erupted a massive oceanic plate was obliterated, we have no idea as to what caused this, but we know once the cryo pods are finished we will be riding this out in a deep sleep, it will be as if none of us aged at all. At this time, there are no raiders," Bubba and his crew look down holding the notes of those they'd lost trying to flee to Cuba. "Nor are their faithful or any other individual faction. We are all American and we have welcomed the Japanese refugees as citizens as well, only together can we..."

"Why allow in the raiders? I can understand the Japanese, but the raiders have been making it impossible for us to live! Had they just come back with us, we might have seen this coming and had more time!" shouted a civilian who was met be cheers and signs of agreement.

"The Overlord was your former president..."

"Yea! And he's been stealing our supplies!" "I say we throw him out!" "YEA!" "TOSS HIS ASS OUT!"

"THERE WILL BE ORDER IN THIS AUDITORIUM! Nobody is getting tossed out. The Overlord and his team have been informed they will be under constant surveillance while they live here. Any attempts on their lives shall be answered by me. Am I clear?"

The citizens murmur amongst themselves but comply. Meanwhile, Madie and the science team had been working on the last few cryo-pods.

"How are the pods coming along Dr. Madie?" asked Leon entering the cryo-bay. "They're slow going but we only have ten left, care to give us a hand?"

"Sure thing." said Leon grabbing a tool kit and began to fix a pod. He looked up at the screen playing the broadcast from the auditorium.

"I'm worried about him, Commander Ghost I mean." said Leon. "Why's that? His surgery was a success."

"It's not his surgery, he's made himself some kind of a symbol, a culmination of our strength, he's pushing himself way too hard."

"He has, but remember, he might mimic atlas trying to hold the world on his shoulders, but he has a strong will, and even stronger people in places to help him. Like you and I, we have to be strong and have faith in our leader."

"Yes, but can't you see it? Vice Commander Daniel called him All Might, an anime hero, during his fight with Richardson. I did some digging using our AI, All Might was a symbol too, and didn't give up during his big fight. He won but at what cost?"

Madie looked over to Leon who hadn't stopped working. "The Ghost isn't All Might, just comparable to him. Deep down, there's a force stronger than even his mind driving him. We don't know what that is exactly, but we can be sure, whatever it is, isn't going to let him fail."

"Yea, we can only hope." said Leon closing the panel and turning the pod on. "Faith in our symbol, The Ghost of Ottawa."