Matt, accompanied by Isaac Trigg, made a tour of inspection from the lowest basement with its water-purifiers to the park atop the roof. They inspected the massive airlock, capable of passing a large freight car, and the hydroponic gardens that occupied the entire seventh and eighth floors.
"Not so fast, Matt," Isaac puffed. "I'm not as young as I used to be."
Matt grinned, slowing down. "Is Nesbit back from Louisville yet?"
"Yes. He thinks the city should be converted into a vast warehouse where we could accumulate spoils from the other cities."
"That's not a bad idea," said Matt. "In a few years they won't have to be guarded against anything except the weather. Sawyer was telling me yesterday that he's discovered two hundred and thirty new species of the silicon amoeba."
"They adapt fast," Isaac agreed. "We didn't get the fort sealed any too soon. Let's take the elevator."
On the ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth floors, animals were contentedly munching in stalls or exercising on treads under sun lamps.
"I'm sorry about the dogs," said Matt. "I wish to hell we could have saved some dogs."
"Too wild," said Isaac.
Matt cast a slow glance over the floor before closing the elevator doors. They had trapped cows and pigs, sheep and goats, chickens, ducks, and turkeys, but there had been room for neither horses nor dogs.