Timeline &priorities?!?

Is it just me or does anyone else have an issue with the timeline here and some of the issues about the WA story being ignored! Ok, timeline issues, Puck states that Alex is barely 17! This story is set 17 years post outbreak. In chapter 48 - the ink runs dry, Nick is 14, yet Alex is already in training (and has issues already etc)! Now, according to the WA story Robbins had relations with a woman from the colony before (SPOILER) his untimely death! Surely this makes Nick older than Alex, but I put Nicks age at just 16!!! He was born just short of a year after the outbreak. So I'm a little hazy about this!?
In addition, the actual Goldhunt is clearly taking place during the colonies great expansion into the neighbouring industrial area that pegs depicts in on of her narrations during WA. In the meantime I was under the impression Micheal and his soldiers where busy hunting Ink.... how is it they have time to write/shoot a movie, after all Micheal pushed CJ to get her to prioritise his request to hunt Ink?
I’m aware that my comments would mean there would be no side story to tell otherwise, but I’m just sceptical that they are able to do this all while the very real threat of Ink, the little ones, the behemoths, the infected and Scratch are still roaming about out there?!? CJ was hell bent on maintaining the gun trucks for the colonies protection and growth and made no attempt to hide her feelings during the main story, pressuring Micheal to have it back on multiple occasions.
Again I’m not hating here, just commenting on some story holes which I’m hoping will be filled in soon. Overall, I’m not over the moon with this side storyline when compared to the main story and Lockdown. Any thoughts?

The thing about Alex being in training before Nick makes sense to me. Alex is about 6 or 7 months younger than Nick, but Alex went into the training when he was supposed to. I felt it was pretty clean Nick had been delayed from going in, and Burt was even worried that if he waited any longer he wouldn't fit in with the others "younger kids" Alex would have went in when he was 13, he did his 3 years of training but had to repeat a year making him 17 when Goldrush started.

As for when the Soldiers would realistically have time to do do their movie thing and go looking for the gold, there was a 4 month period where there was very little progress being made on the mission to hunt Ink. It was totally make sense that after a few month of minimal leads they would have a little bit more free time. Its maybe even around the 3 month mark. Plus their lie of looking for Boulder survivors would be something they would want to do.

I like the story, more of the Soliders is always good. But it makes sense to me, and I really like what little look we get into what the world turned into.