Somewhere out there Mary would be waiting. And maybe Loevy's group was still alive, somewhere, maybe they still knew a way toward recovery now that the Rocket was destroyed. The fifty-four days of chaos might be over now. They would know what to do with the precious box. It would be in safe hands until men were ready to build again.
Matt ran through the gate and into the shadows outside the compound. In the flickering light of the flames behind him he could make out a figure approaching.
"Matt! Oh, Matt—you're safe!"
It was Mary, and he felt a gladness sweep through him. She grabbed his arms then, her eyes tear-filled with relief. She glanced down at the box he held closely against him. "Matt, what's that?"
He motioned her toward the deeper shadows and a jeep he saw standing unguarded. His voice was grim as he answered her. "It's for the future, Mary ... the future."
Moments later they drove away into the night.