Mallory stared out one of the factory's reinforced windows, her arms crossed tightly. The city stretched before her, cloaked in eerie twilight despite the rising sun. Alex approached, his usual smirk replaced with a more subdued expression.
"Do you ever feel like we're just playing a game we don't know the rules to?" he asked, leaning against the wall beside her.
"Every second," Mallory admitted.
Alex glanced over at her. "You've got that look again. The one that says, 'I'm about to do something insane.'"
She turned to him, a faint smile on her lips. "When do I not have that look?"
"Fair point." He hesitated before adding, "So, what's the plan? And don't say 'win,' because that's not a plan—it's a wish."
"We take the fight to them," she said firmly. "But first, we prepare. We need more supplies, stronger defenses, and a clear strategy. And that means splitting up again."
