"Aaron!"
A woman's voice called out as she stepped into the room, immediately recoiling at the stench. "How long has it been since this place was cleaned? It's revolting—ahh!"
Before she could finish, a dark shadow lunged at her.
Thud!
Miles tackled her to the ground, pinning her beneath him. His hand clamped tightly over her mouth, muffling her scream. A faint floral scent wafted to his nose, and the smooth, delicate texture beneath his fingers momentarily distracted him.
"Damn, you're quick!" Ansel shook his head in mock disbelief. "I was right here and still missed. Bro, were you born for this?"
"Shut up!" Miles retorted, securing the woman's wrists behind her back with his belt in a few swift movements. "I'm a friend to women, not whatever you're implying."
Holding her tightly, Miles whispered, "I'm not here to hurt you. I just need answers. Cooperate, and I'll let you go."
Under the dim light, the woman's slender figure trembled. Her fearful eyes met his, and after a moment's hesitation, she nodded, ceasing her struggles.
"Good," Miles said. "Now, did Aaron capture a man named Ryan yesterday?"
The woman froze, her eyes widening in shock as if she'd just seen a ghost. She twisted her head to look directly at him, her gaze sharp and unyielding.
"I asked you a question. Have you seen him?"
Her muffled voice emerged as Miles removed his hand. "Miles! You're Miles?!"
"You know me?" Miles studied her, certain her face was familiar, but unable to place it.
"Even if you turned to ash, I'd still recognize you!" Her expression turned icy, her voice laced with venom. "If it weren't for you, we wouldn't be in this hellhole!"
Miles frowned but remained silent.
Mary's cold laugh echoed in the room. "That stolen cache of supplies must've served you well. I heard you even built a fortress with it. You knew the apocalypse was coming, didn't you?"
"Mary?" Recognition dawned on Miles.
"You bastard!" Mary screamed, struggling fiercely against him. But Miles's grip on her arm held firm, rendering her efforts futile.
"Did you capture Ryan?" Miles's voice was steady and cold.
"Of course I did!" Mary spat, her voice trembling with anger. "Because of you, my family was ruined! You owe me a life for a life!"
Miles smirked, unbothered by her accusations. He couldn't deny her words—after all, she wasn't wrong. He had stolen an enormous cache of resources from her logistics zone, and as its general manager, Mary bore the brunt of the blame.
"And yet, here you are, still alive," Miles observed. Her well-maintained appearance suggested she held some status in the base, certainly far better than the other laborers.
Mary's lips twisted in a bitter sneer. "Surviving on meals made of cockroaches and scraps? You call that living?"
"That's just bad luck," Miles said, scratching his nose. "You happened to get caught in the chaos."
Mary's fury only grew. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be in this mess! My brother and I wouldn't be treated as hostages!"
Miles's brow furrowed. "You're a prisoner too?"
"Sis? Are you in here?" A young man's voice echoed from the hallway.
Mary's eyes widened in alarm. "Get out of here! Hurry—mmph!"
Miles swiftly clamped his hand over her mouth again and gestured at Isaac and Ansel. Without hesitation, they positioned themselves on either side of the door.
"What did you say?" The voice grew closer, and soon a young man in his early twenties entered the room, his steps faltering as he saw them. "What are you—"
Thud!
Isaac's fist connected with the back of the young man's head, sending him sprawling. Before he could recover, Ansel leaped onto him, pinning him down. In a matter of seconds, the young man was tied up and gagged, struggling helplessly on the ground.
"Damn it, stay still!" Ansel growled, pulling a knife from his boot.
"Wait!" Mary broke free of Miles's grip, her voice desperate. "Don't hurt him!"
"Where's Ryan?" Miles ignored her, addressing the young man. "Hand him over, and we'll leave you in peace."
The young man glared at him, his pale face flushed with anger. Despite his bound state, his defiance was palpable. "Who are you people? How do you know I captured Ryan?"
"Aaron, calm down!" Mary pleaded, her gaze darting between her brother and Ansel's blade.
"I'm Miles," Miles said plainly. "We may have a misunderstanding here, but if you release Ryan, I'll make it worth your while."
Aaron's eyes widened in recognition. His shock quickly turned to rage. "You! You're the bastard who ruined us! You dare show your face here?!"
Thwack!
Ansel's fist landed squarely on Aaron's mouth. "Watch your tone, brat. You're not in a position to talk tough."
"Go ahead, kill me!" Aaron spat blood, his tone unyielding. "I'd rather die than give you anything!"
"Aaron, stop!" Mary's voice cracked with frustration. She turned to Miles, her expression weary. "We're in this hell because of you. If you want Ryan, fine. But I have two conditions."
"Name them."
"First, you take us with you. Second, I want ten percent of your supplies."
Miles chuckled. "And what if I decide to betray you once we're out?"
Mary's gaze was steady, unwavering. "You've proven yourself capable of stealing billions in supplies without anyone noticing. That makes you an extraordinary man, possibly an esper. There are over thirty thousand people in this base, and only three are espers. If the base leaders find out about you, what do you think they'll do?"
Miles's smile faded.
Mary pressed on. "You're a free man, living comfortably with your hoard of resources. Do you really think they'd let you keep your independence?"
"And your solution?" Miles asked, intrigued.
Mary drew a breath. "Work with me. Disasters have leveled the playing field. Danger and opportunity walk hand in hand. Many private factions are rising, like this base controlled by the Cody family. They've amassed military power, land, and people, becoming a dominant force."
"You're an esper with untold resources," Mary continued. "With my help, you could do the same. Perhaps even carve out your own kingdom."