FROZEN SOVEREIGN: THE ICEBOUND OVERLORD

A Deal With IVDS

CHAPTER SEVEN

 Zane sat across from her, his fingers tapping the table once before going still. “The bunker…” he began, “…has already been built.” Trigger’s brows lifted slightly. “It was constructed by your company,” Zane continued, “about twenty years ago. That got her full attention. “Oh?” She leaned back, interest piqued.

 Zane didn’t pause. “I’ve seen the structure. It’s old, but the foundation is still solid. What I need isn’t a new bunker…” His brows furrowed slightly. “I want it restructured. Reinforced. Upgraded to the highest possible standard.” A small smile appeared on Trigger’s face. “Go on.”

 Zane leaned forward. “I want full environmental insulation. Materials that can withstand extreme climate changes. Internal temperature regulation—constant, unaffected by external conditions. Even if the outside drops to extreme levels…” He paused briefly. “…it shouldn’t affect the inside.” Trigger’s lips curved again. She already understood where this was going.

 Zane continued, “The power supply must be independent. No reliance on public grids. I want something that can run for years without interruption. Backup systems, redundancies—everything.” He didn’t stop there. “The land above it is large. I’m giving your team full freedom to work on it. Build whatever is necessary.” Trigger nodded slowly.

 “And above the bunker…” Zane’s voice lowered, “…I want a fortress.” Silence settled briefly.

 “Not just a structure,” he added. “A full defensive build. Reinforced exterior, layered protection, impact resistance. Something that cannot be easily destroyed.” Trigger’s smile deepened.

 Zane’s final words came calmly. “Something that can survive a high climate collapse.” Trigger crossed her legs and looked at him directly. “…You want something that can withstand temperatures as low as minus two hundred degrees… and beyond.” There was a pause. Then she added lightly, “…like an apocalypse?”

 Zane’s eyes lit up. “…Exactly.” He leaned back, clearly satisfied. Trigger let out a soft chuckle. In her mind, she had already placed him as another rich heir in disguise. People like him weren’t rare in her line of work. The extremely wealthy always feared death, collapse, and losing control. Over the years, IVDS had built countless underground bunkers, private fortresses, and survival structures that ordinary people would never imagine existed.

 But this… was different. This was the first time they would be working on something already built. Still—with IVDS, nothing was impossible. She straightened. “Alright,” she said. “Let’s talk about scale.” Her gaze sharpened. “What’s the size of the land?”

 “Very large. I can’t say for sure. It should be documented on the land deed,” Zane answered. Trigger nodded, already calculating. “I’ll need to see it myself,” she said, “and verify the current bunker dimensions before any planning or payment structure can be finalized.” Zane gave a small nod. “That’s fine.”

 Minutes later, they were in Trigger’s car. The vehicle moved smoothly along the road as the city gradually thinned out on their way to Nova Domicile. Inside, Trigger spoke again. “Our company doesn’t just build bunkers,” she said. “IVDS operates through several specialized subsidiaries.”

 Zane turned his attention to her. “One focuses on advanced combat and survival training,” she continued. “Close combat, tactical movement, endurance conditioning, weapons handling—everything tailored to the client’s needs.”

 Zane’s gaze deepened. Training… His mind drifted. In his previous life, he had scavenged countless times—hungry, exhausted, alone. And every time, there were people worse than the cold. Thugs. Rogues. Desperate survivors who would kill for a single can of food. Once, he had been ambushed in a narrow alley, attacked with a sharp blade that carved a deep cut across his thigh. He remembered the blood. The pain. The infection that followed. It had festered for weeks. He barely survived. Even until his death… the scar remained. Zane’s fingers clenched. If he had strength back then… skills… weapons… that situation would have ended very differently. His eyes turned cold. “…What about equipment?” he asked.

 Trigger continued smoothly. “Another subsidiary handles advanced materials and specialized fabrics.” Zane listened closely.

 “Thermal-regulated combat wear. Multi-layered insulation suits. Phase-adaptive fabrics that retain heat in extreme cold and release it in extreme heat. Carbon-weave inner linings, aerogel-infused padding, frost-resistant outer shells…” She glanced at him briefly. “Clothing designed for environments that would normally kill a person within minutes.” Zane’s interest was hooked immediately.

 IVDS was something else. It wasn’t until the apocalypse that most of these fabrics became widely used. At first, governments sold them at extremely high prices to the elite, thinking the snowpocalypse wouldn’t last long. But it did. It lasted until he died. Madelyn had bought those jackets—for herself, Edgar, and Ruby. She hadn’t even considered him, despite using his money… despite him being the one who risked his life scavenging. This time… He would stockpile them. And make sure they never got any.

 “These materials are also used in construction,” Trigger added. “Cryo-resistant alloys, thermal-stable concrete composites, insulated steel cores, anti-fracture reinforcement layers.” She continued, “For extreme cold environments—like an ice apocalypse—you need structures that won’t become brittle and collapse under pressure.”

 Zane nodded slowly. These were exactly what he needed. He would take all of it. Still… a flicker of concern passed through him. Money. He had already spent over seven hundred thousand dollars on the first batch of food supplies. He still needed weapons, medicine, and enough water to last over a decade. Looks like he needed to liquidate his family’s assets as soon as possible. “…Weapons?” he asked suddenly. Trigger’s eyes flicked to the rearview mirror. She smiled. “Of course.”

 “Including?” Zane pressed.

 “Close-range weapons: tactical knives, reinforced batons, shock rods. Mid-range: compound bows, crossbows, modified launchers. Long-range: precision rifles, automated defense turrets, surveillance-linked targeting systems.”

 Zane’s interest only grew. “I want them all… in large quantities,” he said simply. Trigger’s smile widened slightly. Inside, she was thrilled. This was a major client. If he followed through, her commission alone would be enormous. “I’ll walk you through the full process,” she said, carefully masking her excitement. Zane nodded. Then he spoke again. “…Does your company also have access to firearms?”

 This time, Trigger froze for a split second. Her grip on the steering wheel tightened. That topic… was sensitive. Highly restricted. Confidential. She forced a small smile. “We can focus on the bunker first—”

 “I’ll pay extra,” Zane cut in calmly.

 Silence filled the car. Trigger glanced at him through the mirror again. This was risky. But the reward… “…I’ll ask,” she said finally. Zane leaned back slightly. That was all he needed.

 The car slowed… then stopped. Trigger looked ahead. Nova Domicile stood before them. Zane stepped out first. Trigger followed, her heels clicking softly against the ground as her sharp eyes swept across the entire property. A slow smile formed on her lips. She could already see it—the fortress Zane wanted. And it was going to be magnificent.

 Zane and Trigger stepped out of Nova Domicile after completing a thorough assessment of the land and required materials. Trigger adjusted her sleeve slightly before turning her iPad toward him. “Mr. Vaughn,” she began in a professional tone, “regarding the bunker renovation…”

 She paused briefly, organizing her thoughts. “As you’re aware, the structure beneath is enormous, and your requirements are far from ordinary. On top of that, you’ve requested completion within less than two weeks. While that isn’t impossible, it will require a significant increase in manpower and operational intensity.”

 Zane remained silent as he listened. Trigger continued, “Based on my estimates, the total cost for the bunker alone will be approximately two hundred and thirty million dollars.”

 A faint breeze passed between them, but neither reacted.

 “You’ll need to come with me to IVDS to finalize the contract and make full payment.” She shifted slightly, gesturing toward the property behind them. “As for the fortress above ground… every inch of this land will be utilized. The current building will be completely demolished.” Her eyes gleamed with a hint of excitement. “I’ll personally design a foolproof blueprint for your indestructible fortress—one that meets every specification you’ve outlined.”

 She met his gaze directly. “That project will cost no less than five hundred million dollars. However, we can proceed with a structured down payment.”

 Trigger folded her arms lightly. “As for the additional materials and equipment you’re interested in…” a small, knowing smile touched her lips, “…I’ll walk you through the entire process once we arrive at the company.”

 Silence lingered for a moment. Then she asked, “What do you think?”

 Zane didn’t say a word. A bunker and fortress—seven hundred and thirty million dollars. He had only about four hundred and ninety-nine million left, which would not be enough. But that wasn’t the end of it. If he liquidated his family’s company assets… the total value would exceed one point five billion dollars. More than enough. His thoughts moved quickly. Full payment for the bunker. Down payment for the fortress. All other items—weapons, thermal fabrics, and combat training—paid in full. The remaining balance for the fortress… later.

 Two minutes passed, but Zane was still silent. Trigger studied him carefully. “Is everything alright, Mr. Vaughn?” she asked.

 Zane looked at her. “Yes.” He paused briefly, then spoke. “I’ll make full payment for the bunker.”

 Trigger breathed a soft sigh. She had thought he might back out. She had already imagined her luxurious life after the deal was completed. Zane was her first big client. Finally, she wouldn’t be trampled on and called useless by her colleagues.

 “I’ll also purchase all the materials and equipment I showed interest in, in full.” There was a slight shift in her gaze.

 “As for the fortress…” Zane continued, “I’ll make a down payment. The rest will be completed later.” Trigger nodded. “That works.”

 “Then we’ll structure the contract that way,” she added.

 Zane gave a small nod. “Let’s go.”

 Minutes later, they arrived back at the café. Nothing seemed different. Trigger walked in without slowing down. Zane followed. She moved past the main seating area toward a quiet section near the back. Then she stopped. Her hand reached out. A section of the wall shifted slightly. A door that was barely visible opened. “After you,” she said.

 Zane stepped in. The moment he crossed the threshold, his steps slowed. His eyes lifted. The entire space opened before him. Steel, glass, and light blended together seamlessly. Multiple levels stretched upward, connected by suspended walkways. Screens flickered across the walls, displaying streams of data. People moved around silently.

 Nothing about it felt ordinary. Zane stood still for a moment his mouth slightly open. This… was IVDS. A place like this would definitely survive a sub-zero blizzard. He felt reassured that he was making a deal with the right company. Trigger stepped in behind him. The door closed quietly. “Welcome,” she said, “to IVDS.”

 Zane didn’t respond. His gaze moved slowly across the structure. Evening light filtered through the high glass panels, reflecting across metal surfaces and casting long shadows across the floor. Zane felt he had stepped into a place far beyond what he had expected.

 By the time Zane returned to the Vaughn residence, it was already past 8 p.m. “You finally know how to return home!” Madelyn barked the moment he reached for the stairs. After an exhausting day, Zane felt too tired to argue. He continued walking up the stairs without paying her any attention. “Come back here!” She threw a stack of documents at him.

 Zane turned and looked at the paper lying a step below. Nova Domicile purchase document.

 “Where did you get the money to buy this place? I heard about the commotion you caused this morning. Why do you insist on going against me, Zane Vaughn!” Madelyn screamed at the top of her voice.