Dominic had only done what he could all this time; he was a simple human with knowledge of the future and couldn't perform fantastical feats. He made mistakes like anyone else and often took unnecessary blame, making him seem more ordinary than some claimed he was.
If many agreed, he'd make a good leader; no one else could handle the responsibilities this role demanded.
In a room where the most select individuals had been gathered, Stuart was among them, leading all the private security soldiers and those who had later joined him. Daniel was also present; having assumed leadership of the military at the base, Dominic had decided to take over. He was accompanied by Sergeant Castro, his right-hand man.
Further back sat Victor, whom Dominic deemed a perfect candidate to control the masses and keep people informed with necessary words. Antonio, leading the operations team, was present, as was Nelson, handling numbers in the room.
All these talented men awaited one person—the one who had brought them together initially to prepare for this world's end—who had caught most by surprise.
As they waited, Antonio began to speak out of boredom, saying, "At least now we won't pay taxes; I was about to go bankrupt with so many expenses."
"Weren't you an arms dealer?"
"That job was out of necessity; my real business was laundering money for certain people who left me with good interests." Antonio shook his head, as if the crimes he had committed were now worthless.
Victor, looking at everyone gathered here, knew this was the structure Dominic would use to lead the group of survivors in the future. Being here meant he had an important role to play in this place's future.
"We have reports that Atlanta has been bombed; Los Angeles is expected to be attacked in the coming days, so we have little time to mobilize all resources for the massive ships stationed outside." Stuart shifted the conversation to crucial matters needing expert opinions.
Victor, the most insightful, immediately said, "To expedite things, we should merge with the coast guard; they'll have good knowledge of the sea and be better at using the huge ships than the few experts we have."
"The problem is whether they'll want to join us; many won't trust us, and some flat out won't risk moving from their safe position." Daniel shook his head, knowing the downsides and the time they'd lose.
"So, are we the only ones fleeing to that giant island? We'll need the coast guard, who know the sea better than any of us; they'd be our strongest support." Antonio got serious, clarifying an essential point.
Stuart, who had been silent suddenly, said, "In that case, we'll mobilize the military and withdraw the coast guard. As far as they know, we're still the military power in the country."
That was a good idea; they were military and had the power to mobilize nearby bases to increase their numbers.
But there was a problem in all this, and that was loyalty. What guaranteed they wouldn't be betrayed by the men who decided to accept so easily?
"That will be solved with a bomb." At that moment, a voice came from the still-closed door, and Dominic appeared with a fresh bandage on his hands. His disheveled appearance, slightly lost eyes, and sharp gaze made him look older than he actually was. His gaze swept over everyone present, and before sitting down, he said, "I'm Dominic, the man who has brought you all together and who has contacted each of you."
The only one in this group who didn't know him well would be Stuart, but seeing that no one was surprised, he admired the fact that everyone respected him.
"The only reason you didn't know me well from the start is that I believed, and still believe, that many would underestimate my orders. We don't have time to consider who's fit to lead and who's not, but before we move forward, I want to make something clear." Dominic sat in one of the empty chairs.
He was about to make it clear that he would continue to be the leader; no one else could handle his responsibilities because no one knew the future like he did.
"My orders from now on will pass through all of you, and you'll be responsible for carrying them out. I don't ask for your opinions because I don't need them; I suppose I've proven enough to know that I'm not inexperienced. Everyone will have the freedom to make their own decisions in moments of crisis; you'll learn how I act and when to consult me and when not to."
Dominic immediately added, "We have only one path ahead, and that's our survival. I have data indicating that all countries in the world have fallen into chaos; in the coming months, the armies we consider world powers will disappear, along with many opportunities."
Dominic displayed real data through a projector and said, "These are the opportunities we have at sea; we'll need them if we ever wish to reclaim our lands or expand our territory."
A plan to retake Los Angeles...
"For the world, Daniel will be the absolute leader of this organization called the Colony of Renewal, a name that will signify the future for many." Dominic assigned ranks to everyone within his group, and surprisingly, no one objected.
Stuart looked at Dominic, assuming he was the most suitable to issue orders, so he asked, "Where do we start?"
"We'll need to annex all coastal bases; I'm sure we'll take some military ships if we move fast enough." Dominic pointed at the map and all the opportunities they had.