Day 49: Bargaining
The corridors of the museum were dimly lit, the shadows stretching long and deep as Eli and Raya made their way through the labyrinthine passages. The rendezvous point was just ahead—a small room tucked away in the far corner of the museum, its entrance concealed behind a large tapestry. It was the place they had agreed upon if things went wrong, and now, it was the only place that felt safe.
Eli's mind was heavy with the weight of the blood he had spilled, the looters he had killed. The helmet on his head felt tighter than ever, as if it was closing in on him, trapping him in a prison of his own making. The anger that had driven him was still there, simmering beneath the surface, but it had become something else—something that gnawed at him, even as he tried to push it away.
He could feel Raya's eyes on him as they walked, her gaze lingering on the dark stains that covered his clothes, the blood that marked him as something different. She had thanked him for saving her, but Eli couldn't shake the feeling that her gratitude was tinged with something else—something closer to fear.
When they reached the tapestry, Raya pushed it aside, revealing the hidden door behind it. She glanced back at Eli, her expression unreadable, before stepping inside. Eli hesitated for a moment, his thoughts swirling with conflicting emotions, but then he followed her, stepping into the room that would serve as their sanctuary.
Inside, the others were already gathered—Cass, Luke, Ben, and the rest of the group. They looked up as Eli and Raya entered, relief flashing across their faces at the sight of Raya safe and sound. But that relief was quickly tempered by the sight of Eli—by the blood that stained his clothes, the blood that told a story of violence and death.
Cass's eyes locked onto him, her expression hard to read. "Eli," she said, her voice steady but laced with concern. "What happened?"
Eli looked around the room, at the faces of the people who had become his family, his reason for fighting. They were safe now, but that safety had come at a cost—a cost paid in blood. His mind raced, trying to find the words to explain, to justify what he had done.
"I… I had to stop them," Eli said, his voice rough. "The looters… they were everywhere. I couldn't let them get to you."
Cass nodded slowly, but her eyes didn't leave him. "You did what you had to do," she said, her tone measured. "But you don't have to do this alone, Eli. We're a team—we fight together."
Eli wanted to believe her, wanted to believe that they could face this threat together and come out the other side. But the anger that had driven him, the anger that had fueled his every action since the looters had arrived, wouldn't let him rest. It whispered in his ear, telling him that the only way to make things right was to keep going, to keep fighting until every last looter was dead.
"They took everything from us," Eli said, his voice low but intense. "They destroyed our home, they made us run, they pushed us to this. If we kill them all, if we take back the museum, maybe… maybe things can go back to the way they were. Maybe we can get some of what we lost back."
The words came out in a rush, as if speaking them aloud would make them true. He could feel the eyes of the group on him, could see the concern in their faces, but he couldn't stop himself. The looters had become the embodiment of everything that had gone wrong in his life, and killing them felt like the only way to set things right.
Cass stepped forward, her hand resting on his arm, her touch gentle but firm. "Eli, I understand how you feel," she said softly. "But killing them won't bring back what we've lost. It won't undo the past. We can fight them—we can take back the museum—but we have to do it together. We have to do it for the right reasons."
Eli looked at her, his mind racing with conflicting emotions. Part of him knew she was right, knew that no amount of bloodshed could bring back the world they had lost. But the other part of him, the part that had been consumed by anger and pain, refused to let go of the idea that this was the only way—that killing the looters would somehow fix everything.
"They deserve it," Eli muttered, his voice strained. "They deserve to pay for what they've done."
Luke, who had been silent until now, stepped forward, his expression serious. "They do," he agreed. "But we can't lose ourselves in this fight, Eli. We have to remember who we are, why we're fighting. We're not just killing them because they're our enemies. We're fighting to protect each other, to survive."
Eli's grip tightened on his knife, his knuckles white beneath the blood-streaked bandages. The logic in their words fought against the anger inside him, but the anger was strong, persistent. He wanted to believe that killing the looters would make everything right, but deep down, he knew it wouldn't.
But he couldn't let go—not yet.
"We take back the museum," Eli said finally, his voice hardening with resolve. "We fight them off, and we make sure they can never do this to anyone else."
Cass nodded, her gaze steady. "We fight together," she said. "We take back what's ours."
The group murmured in agreement, their expressions a mix of determination and apprehension. They knew the battle ahead would be difficult, that the looters were prepared and dangerous. But they also knew that they had no other choice. The museum was their home, their last refuge, and they would defend it with everything they had.
Eli could feel the weight of the moment, the gravity of the decision they were about to make. The looters had forced them into this corner, had driven them to the brink, but now it was time to fight back. The anger inside him simmered, but he pushed it down, focused instead on the task ahead.
"We go together," Cass said, her voice strong. "We take back the museum. For us, for everything we've lost."
Eli nodded, his grip on the knife loosening slightly as he prepared himself for what was to come. The anger was still there, but it was no longer in control. They would fight, but they would do it together, as a team—as a family.
The group moved out, their steps silent as they made their way back through the museum, toward the atrium where the looters had gathered. Eli stayed close to Cass, his thoughts a whirlwind of emotions, but his focus sharp. The battle ahead would be brutal, but he was ready.
As they neared the atrium, Eli's heart began to pound with anticipation. The looters were close, their presence a dark cloud hanging over the museum. But this time, they wouldn't be fighting a divided group. They would be facing a united front, a team determined to take back what was theirs.
Eli's mind was clear as they approached the entrance to the atrium. The looters were waiting, but so were they. This was their home, their sanctuary, and they would defend it with everything they had.
The time for anger was over. The time for action had come.