Mike Rossmassler

The collapse of the United States in the mid-twenty-first century was just the culmination of events that pushed mankind into its post-human phase. The human body is no longer permanent; limbs and organs are replaceable. Curiously, it seems that these synthetics are durable and redundant enough so as to compel and individual to continue to function, even after brain death. Humanity has been forced to deal with its own situation, as well as the rise of a new organism, the post-mortal. This document is an attempt to chronicle and scientifically describe the current status of our Earth. It is a product of a very small group of scientists and technophiles clandestinely researching and theorizing. It is a hand-written document that attempts to describe the history involved in making the world we see, both to preserve the form of the book from the degradation involved in digital copies, and to prevent its writers from being identified by the military police.

POST MORTAL SOCIETY

Post-Mortal Appearance:

The most common thread in the appearances of post-mortal individuals is that of decay. As the human flesh dies, internal maintenance systems rebuild only the necessary cells, and as a result, portions of post-mortal individuals are extremely decrepit. The typical post-mortal individual has had extensive limb and system augmentation and supplementation, and after death, these form the framework for the new individual. Musculature and connective tissue are maintained by synthetic regulatory systems, and since bone matter is long-lasting, tissue decay typically only affects the skin. Teflon coating on all synthetics programatically extended to cover any exposed organic tissue. As a result, post-mortal individuals take on a gaunt, skeletal appearance, which is made even more grotesque appearance due to the prostheses.

Post-Mortal Mobility:
Personal mobility seems to be unaffected by death, and in many cases, existing systems seem to have adapted human anatomy for greater strength and flexibility. Furthermore, due to the synthetic nature of the systems, post-mortal individuals are able to function under extreme conditions more readily than even fully augmented humans. System maintenance is controlled programatically, allowing these individuals to function seemingly forever. However, it seems that actions like operating complex (or even relatively simple) machinery are beyond the capabilities of these individuals. So, they do not drive cars, watch television or shoot guns. Post-mortals typically move with a shambling gait, though the level of coordination varies from individual to individual, and seems to depend on how long an individual has been reanimated. It should be noted that 'Warriors' retain a tremendous amount of coordination. Combat tactics will be detailed later, but suffice to say, post-mortal individual display markedly human attributes when placed in situations of extreme stress: they are capable of feats of extreme strength, dexterity and fortitude.

Post Mortal Conversion:
Observation of recently revived humans are often observed to forcibly remove their lower jaw. It seems that on some primary level, these post-mortal individuals identify the lower job as repugnant, and therefore feel compelled to remove it. One theory states that these individuals associate the lower jaw and its speech production ability with their former humanity, and are harnessing their resurrection to transcend their former humanity. This practice has lead to the colloquialism 'Jawless,' which is the most common slang term used to refer to post-mortal individuals. The other popular term is, of course, 'zombie,' due to the reanimation phenomena, and its parallels to popular culture. In an attempt to maintain scientific integrity, the proper term “Post-Mortal Individual” henceforth be used to refer to individuals who have been returned to semblance of functionality after biological death, due to the permanence of synthetic organs, systems and limbs.

The approximate 'age' of a post-mortal can be inferred from the amount of decay it has undergone, and a rough system can be derived from this.

The first level, an infancy of sorts, involved post-mortal individuals who have recently been resurrected. They typically exhibit minimal amounts of decay, and follow routines established prior to death. Movement is very limited, coordination is lacking, and individuals move in a clumsy fashion, as if unaccustomed to their bodies. The second level begins with the removal of the lower jaw and ends roughly when all of the skin has decayed, leaving a mass of Teflon coated musculature and synthetic implants. The third stage seems to entail modification of synthetic implants, though it is difficult to determine whether this is a conscious choice or simply a result of unchecked maintenance programs. Without extensive autopsy work, the most likely hypothesis seems to be a combination of both. Common examples of this third stage are elongated forearms and fingers, radical restructuring of facial features, and according to unsubstantiated rumor, the addition of duplicate limbs and unidentified appendages. Due to the degeneration of soft tissue and unmodified systems, it is assumed that reproduction is impossible. The suggestion of the production of new post-mortal individuals through technological resurrection is scientifically improbable.

Post Mortal Communication:
Lacking their lower jaw and its speech production capabilities, it is unknown how these individuals communicate. Coordinated activities have been observed, so it has been theorized that post-mortal individuals utilize a wireless network built around the sub-dermal and sub-cranial cellular devices implanted in their heads. It would seem that a hive mind-style architecture has evolved around this wi-fi communication.

Post-Mortal Hierarchy:
Observations of the daily activities of numerous port-mortal individuals would seem to indicate that the majority of their time is spent carrying out the daily activities recorded by memory augmentation implants. However, this behavior only seems to manifest itself for the beginning of the post-mortal individual's new 'life cycle.' Individuals tend to follow preset activity cycles for approximately ten to fifteen days, at which time, all contact is lost. All attempts at tracking mysteriously fail, and any Global Positioning Signal from tagging mechanisms are invariably disabled within hours.

Satellite infrared photography are unreliable, as a significant number of limb and system prostheses are heat shielded and therefore show no signature. However, the one conclusion that security forces seem to have made is that there is some sort of caste system involved. The strongest indicator for this hypothesis is the correlation between implant and assigned task. Individuals with the most specialized implants are the most rarely seen.

Post-Mortal Hierarchy:

Worker class:
The most common sighting of post-mortal individuals (after the initial 'adjustment' period) is of individuals with implants designated for heavy-duty lifting transporting vats of algae. Observation indicates that this algae is left in easily accessible areas until it is needed. It is theorized that this worker class comprises approximately 80-90% of the post-mortal population. These 'Workers' are typically the least modified of all post mortal individuals, typically using prostheses designed for manual labor. 'Worker' class individuals have only been observed in the first two stages of maturation.

Warrior Class:
The only other recorded sightings art of post-mortal individuals who originally had military or black-market military prostheses. These individuals typically accompany groups of 5 or more 'Workers', especially if these groups are working in areas near city-fortresses. 'Warrior' class post-mortals are easily distinguished from the 'Worker' class, by their elongated limbs, distended facial features and a height differential of 2-3 feet. This places 'Warrior' class individuals in the third stage of maturation.

Priestess Class:
Rumor and visual contact indicate the existence of a third and final class. Though no recorded evidence exists to confirm this, enough distinct sightings would seem to strongly suggest that these rumors are true. All contact between humanity and this class seems to be between scavengers outside city walls. Hearsay and conjecture make fact difficult to sort out from fiction, but all accounts indicate that this third class is comprised solely of women (rather, of the corpses of women). Popular opinion refers to these post-mortals as 'priestesses,' Typical limb prostheses are derived from black-market cosmetics, suggesting that these individuals fall into the third (or possibly a fourth, unknown) stage of maturation. It is not known why this class is made up solely of women, but popular theory suggests that this is a result of a post-mortal cultural matriarchy. Recent rumor suggests a religious functionality to this caste, as opposed to governmental. Hive mind theory, built around a distributed computing model, lends a certain amount of credence to this speculation.

Post-Mortal society.

It must be stressed that the following is built entirely of rumor, as eyewitnesses are nearly impossible to come by (for reasons as will soon become apparent). However, due to the significant amount of details that are consistent from source to source, these 'rumors' may very well contain certain elements of truth.
The most common element of all of the rumors is the existence of a central central meeting place or temple. This place is typically referred to as 'Golgotha,' a name which is both disturbing and fitting. Knowledge of the 'Priestess' class gives the temple theory a certain amount of credence. Other rumors indicate that this 'Golgotha' is an ossuary of sorts; a macabre monument to relatives and ancestors who cannot return to the post-mortal life. 'Worker' class individuals have been recorded collecting bodies and disinterring graves, which also gives support to this theory. This 'Golgotha' is rumored to exist in catacombs beneath Los Angeles Airport, deep within tunnels dug specifically for it.

The Golgotha:
The most complete description of the 'Golgotha' comes from a scavenger who was captured by the army after a botched outpost robbery. After undergoing advanced interrogation, he recounted a story about an extensive underground warren. However, due to the stress of the interrogation session coupled with a simultaneous withdrawal from amphetamines, it is entirely possible that the story was fabricated. This information was received second-hand from a person in the vicinity of the interrogation session, and cannot be confirmed in public, to protect the informant's safety.

The scavenger's story begins with finding a large supply of illegal narcotics in a hanger in the Los Angeles Airport. Having consumed a quantity of the drugs, the scavenger passed out, and upon waking, found himself cradled in the arms of a 'Worker' class post-mortal. The scavenger explained that the passages were pitch black, and that only by shifting his Optical implants to the infra-red spectrum was he able to discern any information on the layout. The scavenger reported being taken down a long passage that featured deep recesses on each side, bearing all manners of decomposed corpses arranged as if they were being presented in a museum. The scavenger noted that in some cases, 'Worker' class post-mortal individuals 'slept' at the feet of the interred corpses. It is in this researcher's opinion that these recesses are actually shrines set up to various family members or relatives.

The scavenger stated that the journey concluded at the gigantic boulder. Another 'Worker' class post-mortal appeared from the wings, and with 'his' help, the two post mortals rolled aside the boulder. Inside, the room was a gigantic chamber, roughly cylindrical and very tall. A stone platform, either a table or an altar was placed in the center of the chamber, and the scavenger was placed upon it. The 'Workers' receded, and 'Priestess' flanked by two 'Warriors' appeared from a nearby passageway. The three post-mortal stood in silence for some time (most likely communicating via wi-fi), after which a 'Worker' returned and carried the scavenger to the surface. The scavenger could not recall the exact location of the warren, probably due to the effects of the drugs, but in any case, seeking it out would be ill advised (see the section describing human/post-mortal interaction).

Theories about 'Golgothan' architecture:
Based on existing evidence, it seems likely that the 'Golgotha' structure described by the scavenger is structured similarly to an insect hive. That is, branches of smaller chambers are situated along radial tunnels, with multiple entrances and exits. It is probable that each branch would represent a common strain, be it a genealogical connection, or even a shared brand of implant. The previously mentioned 'shrines' would tend to indicate the former, and suggest that post-mortals hold a certain amount of reverence for permanently deceased individuals.

Central Server Architecture:
In order to furnish the required wireless and cellular networks, post-mortal society would require access to technology, and a sufficient power source. The broadcast equipment at Los Angeles Airport could easily be converted for this purpose. It is also likely that the turbines installed at LAX prior to the collapse of the economy would provide more than enough power for a moderately-sized datacenter. It would seem that the airport was purposefully chosen for this reason, as well as the fact that the runways provide thermal and ultraviolet shielding from satellite detection (though access to any of these satellites has been impossible for several years now).

Post-Mortal Wi-fi networking:
Some research has been done in an attempt to determine what (if any) data is moving to and from post-mortal wireless and cellular networking. However, background noise from autonomous computer systems (spam and zombie bot networks) make it difficult to filter out any incoming transmissions. As for outgoing, individual post-mortals have been recorded outputting massive streams of data over short periods of time. 'Worker' class individuals tend to use more archaic hardware and encryption schemes, and therefore more data is available on their transmissions. 'Warrior' class individuals use government specified hardware, and all specifications on make and model have not been released to curious parties at this time. Some data packets have been captured, but without government encryption schema (which are unlikely to be released), their translation is next to impossible. What is known of the outgoing transmissions is this: the message typically consists of five parts. The first part seems to be an identifier of sorts, a hexadecimal code which identifies the sender. The second portion (also in hex) identifies the receiver. The third portion is entirely in binary, and does not correspond to any known language or signage. The fourth position seems to be another hexadecimal identifier. Preliminary analysis suggests that there is some correspondence between this number and the 'Priestess' class, as there seem to be only a handful of values in this portion of the message. The fifth and final portion of the message is the most easily transcribed; the GPS coordinates of the broadcaster.

The information contained in these messages is disturbing to say the least. At first glance, it indicates that even after death, post-mortals retain a sense of individual-ness (recognizing states of 'me' and 'not-me'). Also, the third section indicates an existence of common mode of data communication. It may be difficult to call this a language, given that it essentially constitutes 'thoughts' within a larger brain/hive-mind. The inclusion of GPS data is also disturbing, especially when it is observed in conjunction with individuals who have been tagged prior to broadcasting messages. This indicates at least some body-awareness, and an ability to recognize foreign influences. It is also interesting to note that post-mortals rarely react to being tagged with hostility. The most confusing portion of wireless broadcasts are the fourth section. Theory in the scientific community suggests it relates to the 'Priestess' class, but this does not fit in with the single hive mind theory. What is more likely to be the case is best described by the analogy of a multi-processor computer system. Various tasks are assigned to sub-units, and relay data back to a central organizational structure. Whether or not this is the case is debatable, but the other popular theory is one of a state machine, with the fourth portion indicating a mood or state that the individual is currently functioning under. Again, it is entirely possible that this section serves another purpose, but a combination of the two theories seems most likely, with a unique 'Priestess' serving as a communication hub to the greater whole for all individuals in a specific state.

Post-Mortal Distributed versus Localized Consciousness:

Leading research in advanced Artificial Intelligence systems has proposed a new methodology referred to as “Inherent Democratic Networking.” This system proposes a state-machine driven system with completely transparent information sharing. Each individual broadcasts its location and relative information to a master system which relates all of this information to other individuals in the area. Decisions related to the individual's immediate surrounding and situation are made by the individual, with more complex tasks offloaded to the central system for rendering. Higher order tasks are coordinated by the central architecture, and automatically distributed to each individual for processing and response.

Human/Post-Human Relations:

As of the writing of this document, no serious attempts have been made to communicate with the post-mortals on a political level. On a personal level, they do not appear to understand any sort of human language (or at any rate, do not respond to them). Physical interactions are ill-advised due to the possibility of retaliation. Post-mortal individuals, while lacking human dexterity, possess strength exceeding even the top level government implants (with post-mortal government black-ops being at the high end of the spectrum, in the range of a hundred to a thousand fold increase over equivalent pre-death implant performance rating). This can be attributed to a release of the control systems that govern implant functionality; a state caused by brain-death and the subsequent failure of systems synced to brain activity. The exact degree of functionality ( strength, flexibility, dexterity, durability, etc) depends on the model and condition of the implant.

It must be noted that interaction of any sort with post-mortal individuals is extremely dangerous. Though most 'Worker' class individuals will ignore observers, interlopers will be met with resistance. 'Warrior' class individuals, on the other hand, are actively dangerous. Since groups of 'Worker' class individuals are often accompanied by 'Warrior' class individuals, interaction with any post-mortal has been deemed illegal by the Government.

This law was enacted after a single 'Warrior' class post-mortal was engaged in combat by security detachment of 10 soldiers. The party was armed with standard issue equipment (pistols and SCAR MK16s), and were outfitted with standard issue governmental implants. Video feed transmitted via a DV implant in the Sergeant's head revealed that the 'Warrior' class individual was outfitted with similar implants, though it appeared that one arm had been heavily modified. Initially, the 'Warrior' class individual ignored the detachment, but when soldiers were moved into flanking positions, the 'Warrior' class changed its behavior dramatically. While the 'Warrior' initially displayed the gait and speed that seems to be common amongst the post-mortal, when it perceived a threat to itself, it abruptly assumed a combat ready stance. At this point the video becomes heavily distorted, but extensive reconstruction shows the 'Warrior' leaping to the top of a nearby building, a jump of nearly 40 feet. Following this, several soldiers open fire. Synchronizing the video with bio-readouts from the central headquarters that the 'Warrior' kills the two soldiers sent to flank it in a matter of seconds. System information indicates that the first soldier experienced massive blunt force trauma to the head, and the second soldier's head was separated from his body immediately afterwards. In the following minutes, the eight remaining soldiers regroup and redeploy. Infrared and ultraviolet scans are taken, revealing nothing. The team breaks into two groups of three, headed by a command squad of the Sergeant and another enlisted man. The groups enter radio silence, and approximately ten seconds later, all of sensors of one group of three soldiers register the addition of massive weight to their skulls and spines, killing them instantly. It is presumed that the 'Warrior' toppled a concrete wall, crushing the group as they moved down an alleyway. Moving down a parallel alleyway, gyroscopes fitted in the inner ear of the three nearby soldiers registers an impact. The group then enters a doorway in the adjacent building, and emerge through the collapsed wall. Following this in quick succession, each soldier registers piercing trauma to the head, beginning on the broadcast suite side. Presumably, the 'Warrior' impaled each of the soldiers with a piece of rebar, in an effort to prevent communication. Registering the deaths of the majority of his squad, the Sergeant begins to communicate the situation to his command. What follows is the only recording of a 'Warrior' in close combat. Other incidents may exist, but this is the only recording that has been leaked to the public, albeit in a form edited to remove much of the gore and government sensitive information. The 'Warrior' falls from the building above, onto the shoulders of the last remaining soldier. The screen is then blacked, presumably to censor the decapitation of the soldier. When the picture returns, the Sergeant is looking upwards at the 'Warrior', a full three feet taller than the already augmented man. The 'Warrior's skull is visibly distended, missing the lower jaw, and completely devoid of flesh. Its ocular implants are still functioning, and the rest of its systems appear in perfect order. However, when it raises its right hand, the fingers on it conform to no known make or model, civilian, government, black market or otherwise. Each digit is nearly a foot long, and several inches in diameter. Nevertheless, they display remarkable dexterity, encircling the Sergeant's head, while the other hand forcibly removed the camera from the Sergeant's skull. At this point, the digital video signal ends, presumably due to the death of the sergeant.

Other encounters with 'Warrior' class have shown that they are remarkably resistant to weapons fire. Impact from .50 Caliber round fired from a Barrett XM500 did minor visible damage to the upper shoulder of one 'Warrior,' but the individual forcibly entered a nearby building and could not be located afterwards. Theoretically, the individual escaped under its own power, so presumably a much more powerful weapon would be needed to cause lethal damage. The only weapons that fit this category are anti-tank weaponry that chamber extinct ammunition, or are heavy weaponry mounted on aircraft and helicopters without sufficient kerosene-based fuels.

HUMAN SOCIETY

Humanity is on the decline as the genome begins to unravel. Genetic engineering has been combined with cyborg technologies to produce individuals that essentially immortal. Molecular Recombinant Recycling systems eliminate the need for complex production cycles, though the consumer urge still drives a semblance of an economy, which is merely a front for more recycling systems. Global warming has sufficiently altered the environment such that much of the world is covered by tepid swamp-lands. The positive side effect of this is that this algae is digestible by even moderately modified digestive systems.
A Brief History:
Pressure from religious sectors leads to the full ban of cloning, but a flush of military technologies allow for synthetic systems and limbs to replace natural equivalents and low cost, and with essentially unlimited lifespan. This leads to a new breed of transhumanists, who drastically redesign the human body's form and function. Eventually, the technology becomes sufficient complex and powerful that it eliminates any traces of mortality. The repercussions are twofold: one, the traditional farming industry collapses, due to virtual elimination of diet restrictions due to advanced digestive system replacement. Second, the medical industry collapses, as the durability of the new technology reduces the need for traditional medicines to virtually zero. The government is driven to bankruptcy though a combination of military contracts and the collapsed economy. Oil and Natural Gas are completely gone, as are reserves. Food and medical transportation have been virtually eliminated, decimating the population. Over 95% of the world's population has died from starvation, influenza and war. The economy in ruins, the country lapses in a near feudal state. Army and National guard units are sent in to major cities, fortifying them against what remains of the revolting lower classes.
Cities have been transformed by the military into medieval-style castles, with freeways converted into parapets. Neuvo Angeles, what remains of Los Angeles has emerged as the preeminent city in the United States, controlled largely by a military contingent that functions out of the Staples Center. The increasingly hermetic social upper class have secured their wealth and status through government and military contracts, and ownership of the synthetic food plants. They have retreated into sanctuaries within the downtown skyscrapers, escaping into virtual, online worlds and powerful illegal narcotics. The poor have been forced into slums beneath the algae vats that provide the necessary food products. Within these slums, gangs have arisen, selling drugs to the rich and the poor, and supplying their members with military grade and beyond black market body modifications.
Class Structure:
The population of Nuevos Angeles is largely reminiscent of that of the Los Angeles of the early 21st century; a mix of immigrants from across the world. Translation technologies are embedded sub-cranially, often when cellular/wi-fi systems were implanted. With the advent of these technologies, language barriers have essentially been eliminated.
Implant Classification:
Since the advent of fully-functional prostheses, as well as their coupling with Neural Interface Devices, humanity has undergone a post-human renaissance. Prior to the fall of the economy, it was possible to replace all four limbs, as well as digestive systems, implant cellular and wireless access devices, and install maintenance supervisory systems for approximately $500,000, out of pocket. The most common recipients of these surgeries were the fashionable rich, labor union workers, criminals, and the military Within Nuevos Angeles, four distinct social strata have emerged from these four classifications. The individual people in each class have varying degrees of synthetic prostheses, as well as much lesser degree of organic prostheses.

The Lower Class:
When the economy collapsed, white collar workers had the most difficulty finding new lines of work. Those that did found themselves working as algae farmers and collectors or as prosthetic manufacturers. With the fortification of Nuevos Angeles, the entire eastern half of the city has been converted into a farming section, as well as manufacturing section. The top level is an elaborate stage of algae mats and factories, laid out for easy collection, as to reduce the need leave the walled city. Beneath this, the farmers and workers live in shantytowns.
The typical lower class individual has a very specific prostheses, almost exclusively prostheses used for heavy lifting and construction.

The Upper Class:
Society's elite were similarly hit by the recession, and subsequent economic collapse. Those who were able to secure government positions and contracts were able to secure a life of relative luxury. They have secluded themselves within the skyscrapers that they formerly used for business. Their free time is spent either involved in the internet, or on recreational hallucinogenic drug use.
Wealth affords the elite wider access to prostheses; and the interchangeability of many modern prostheses has brought technology to the height of fashion. The popular brand or style changes often, as the owners of the prosthetics plants gain and lose popularity within the social circles.

The Gangs:
Within the walls of the Nuevos Angeles, a number of gangs have returned to popularity within the lower classes. They make their income through the sales of illegal drugs and through the manufacture and smuggling of black market prostheses. Firearms are strictly regulated by the military, resulting in a number of prostheses with integrated weapon systems like retractable blades, razor wire and pneumatic hammers. Gang members tend to have a number of these prostheses, in addition to their blue-collar prostheses.

The Military:
With the collapse of the economy, individuals within the upper echelons of the military and the government secretly collaborated to secure their power through future generations. The result of this is a police-state that is governed by a triumvirate of Police Generals. Each is in charge of a third of the military force, with the intent that two of the Generals could work together in the even that the third overstepped the boundaries of his power. The average soldier is highly modified, and as a result, highly controlled by 'handlers,' who, in turn, have their behaviors observed, recorded and controlled by another handler. Military prostheses are designed to optimize strength and performance. In addition, soldiers are equipped with early Twentieth Century firearms. Much of the war machine that was utilized at that time is obsolete, due to the non-existence of gasoline, and a lack of education on how to use the equipment.

Cultural Establishments:
The predominant form of recreation for human civilization has become digital immersive environments. The extreme harshness of the exterior world has led to extensive digital simulations, which have merged with social networks to form online worlds. Divisions within the online worlds tend to reflect the social boundaries of the physical worlds. As such, the upper class, who tend to be better educated, tend to favor a social environement with ties to their place and manner of education. The lower class, who tend to have less education and poorer internet connections, have flocked to a social environment that centers around gang affiliation and social circles.

Education:
Due to the ubiquity of integrated computers and cellular/wi-fi access, the process of acquiring knowledge has become a significantly easier process. Conversely, processing of that information is a skill that is rapidly fading. As a result, the latest generation of people have access to a vast amount of facts, but very limited ability to apply that situation to complex situations. This phenomena has lead to an extinction or simplification of a number of sociological phenomena. For example, 'magicians' who have traditionally made a living through trompe l'oeil and sleight of hand have now found that many of their secrets are described in explicit detail. In addition, social institutions like religion have undergone a series of redactions such that the dogmata of mono- and polytheistic religions have been thoroughly merged. Extensive accessibility to the nuances of these religions have caused confusion about the attribution and correlation of many of the details. So, God or gods are referred to by numerous names, with people invoking the names of different deities for different situations, despite the fact that they may or may not be referring to the god who was originally associated with that name.

City Limits:
Ten years have passed since the collapse of the economy, and the population of greater Los Angeles has been decimated by the economic ruin and the civil war. The surviving populace, approximately 325,000 people have been “quarantined” into the downtown center by what remains of the government. Those who live within the city wall are only allowed to leave via express written permission. Travel, inside and outside the city walls is done entirely on foot or by bicycle. Rickshaw and Cycle-carriage is a popular form of transportation for those wealth enough to afford it.
The external city walls have been built by fortifying the areas beneath the local freeways. The triangle inside the 110, the 10 and the 5 has become the last bastion of civilization on the west coast. Given the difficulty of producing and distributing cement, the military has resorted to cannibalizing nearby buildings and fences to secure the borders. In further attempts to secure the walls, connecting roadways (on/off ramps and outlying freeways) were demolished with strategically placed explosives. Working-class individuals with heavy-lifting prostheses were employed in moving the ensuing chunks to reinforce the walls. The final result is a raised roadway that can be used to patrol the borders of the city.

Life Outside the City Walls:
In order to better protect the civilian population, the military has deemed it illegal for any individual or group of citizens to venture outside the city walls without an armed military escort. However, there exists a small, scattered population of individuals who live life outside the rule of law. Official military figures place the population at approximately 200 individuals in the Greater Los Angeles/Orange County area. Surviving on scavenged foodstuff, these individuals do not seem to have any central organization, and are generally either apocalypic doom-sayers or lunatics. It should be noted that these groups appear to co-exist with post-mortal society, though it is entirely possible that any conflicts simply go unnoticed.