20 January 2031,
Inside City A, at the edge of Sector 17, inside a rundown building.
Raj entered the small, dimly lit apartment with a heaviness in his steps given sunset was just an hour later.
He made his way directly towards his room. Given the size of the apartment, he still had his own personal room. Reaching there, he locked the door behind him, the faint creak of the hinges the only sound in the quiet space.
Without pausing, he crossed the living room to a loose floorboard near the corner. Crouching, he pried it up, revealing a small wooden box stuffed with cash.
"Bastards," he muttered, slamming a fresh wad of notes into the stash. His lips curled in frustration as he counted.
"That manager—taking the bigger cut, as if he did all the work. After a haul like that, this is what I get?" His voice was bitter, his hands moving with practiced speed as he hid the box again, pressing the panel back into place.