The air inside the bunker was thick — not just from the scent of oil lamps and stale breath, but from tension. Sin stood at the head of the metal table, a cracked map of the city spread before him. Beside him sat Ejilah and Aron, silent but alert, waiting for their boss's next words.
The world outside was chaos. Cities burned, technology had fallen, and the skies were watched by foreign eyes — alien ships hovering like silent gods.
Sin exhaled slowly, dragging a finger across the map.
"Everything's down. Satellites. Networks. Phones. Cars. Even the goddamn streetlights," he growled. "The military's tech was the first thing the aliens took. Their comms are fried, their surveillance blind."
Ejilah leaned forward. "So what now?"
Sin looked at both of them with the weight of a man who'd seen too much. "Now we survive — and prepare to rule."
He tapped on a marked location: *Central Reserve Bank*.
"That vault is untouched. Fortified underground, but still accessible. The security system is tech-based — useless now. The soldiers guarding it? Scattered, gone to protect civilians or their own families."
Aron frowned. "You want us to rob a bank… while the world's falling apart?"
"Exactly," Sin said without hesitation. "Money still has power. Gold. Resources. When this alien nightmare ends — and it will — whoever holds the wealth will rebuild the new world."
Ejilah stayed quiet, but his eyes locked with Sin's. He understood the logic — cold, brutal, and real.
Aron, however, shook his head. "We should be helping people, not stealing from what's left of the world."
"Helping who?" Sin laughed. "The military can't save anyone. Their new prototype weapons are strong, but they don't have enough numbers. You want to fight? With what? We're not soldiers."
Aron stood up, fists clenched. "Maybe we're not soldiers, but we're not cowards either. People are dying out there — including Louisa."
The name slipped out before he could stop it.
Ejilah glanced at him sharply. Now it made sense. Aron's anger wasn't just about morality — it was personal. Louisa his new girlfriend was missing, and Aron was cracking under the fear of losing her.
Sin grunted. "We don't have time to play rescue heroes."
"I'll go," Ejilah said suddenly.
Both Sin and Aron turned.
"I'll go find Louisa," he repeated. "Alone. You two hit the bank."
"You're serious?" Sin asked.
Ejilah nodded. "I've made it this far. I'll make it through."
Aron protested, "You don't even know where to start."
"I'll figure it out," Ejilah said. "Besides… I need to get stronger."
Sin narrowed his eyes. "You're walking into a death zone."
"Then maybe death will teach me something."
Silence. Then Sin nodded. "Fine. You want to risk your neck for a girl — that's your business. But Aron and I will secure the vault. You'll have a fallback when the smoke clears."
Ejilah stood. "If it clears."
In his mind, the words echoed louder than anything: "It's time to level up. "
***
Authors note: posted several chapters today so reader could read more.
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