The Airport’s Defensive System

The airport evolves from a vulnerable refuge into a carefully monitored perimeter whose apparent security conceals dependence and risk.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

An Attractive Target

Why Survivors Arrive Resources in one place The airport has water, fuel, solar power, and an airfield. To desperate travelers it looks like a ready-made shelter. Repeated attacks Intruders arrive at night, drawn by the light and the apparent supplies. Hig and Bangley learn that their refuge must be defended rather than merely occupied.

The Night Watch

Sleeping Outside A decoy house Hig sleeps beyond a berm while leaving a porch light burning. Jasper alerts him to approaching strangers, and Bangley arrives with night vision and weapons. A practiced defense Repeated attacks make the routine feel almost procedural. The safety of the airport depends on Hig’s warning and Bangley’s response.

The Sniper Tower

A Longer Line of Sight Construction beyond the airport Hig and Bangley build a tower on the plain. From it, Bangley can watch the approaches and fire at long range. Security with a human cost The structure makes defense more effective, but its range turns distant strangers into targets before they can explain themselves. Protection and preemption become difficult to separate.

The System Is Tested

The Perimeter Reaches Out Hig caught in the open Nine raiders stalk Hig far from the airport. The radio links him to Bangley, who observes the attack from their tower. Firepower at the edge Bangley uses a hidden mortar to prevent Hig’s death. The defensive system works, but only because the partners remain connected across the open country.

The Home Under Attack

Defense Without Hig A breach at the stronghold An organized force attacks Bangley’s house in daylight. The damaged home shows that the airport can be reached despite years of preparation. Dependence revealed Bangley survives, but only barely. When Hig returns, the defense is no longer a system maintained by two men at a distance; it has become a shared responsibility.

In the first months after collapse

During the first years at Erie

After the early raids

During the ambush after Jasper’s death

During Hig’s westward absence