The settlement called itself New Denver. It was a fortress of scavenged steel surrounded by a jungle of genetically accelerated oak trees. The trees were fifty feet tall, their branches interlocking to form a natural roof over the compound. Inside the walls, the air smelled of diesel smoke and unwashed bodies. Outside, it smelled of rain and pine needles.
Ezra parked the car at the gate. The hum of the engine drew attention immediately. Guards appeared on the wall. Rifles aimed down.
"Engine off," a voice crackled over a megaphone. "Step out. Hands visible."
Ezra killed the ignition. The silence that followed was abrupt. The diesel generators inside the compound were loud, a constant thrum that shook the ground. His car's silence was an anomaly.
He stepped out. Tomas followed, hands aw
