Allegiance

A pool of blood had already formed near Cassius, with more than a dozen corpses strewn around him. His clothes were splattered with spots of blood.

The three remaining men, terrified by the sight of Cassius, who seemed like a god of death, immediately bolted for the elevator.

"Trying to run?"

Cassius hurled his massive sword with a vicious swing. The blade pierced through all three men in one strike, leaving everyone around dumbfounded. What terrifying strength!

Mallory watched Cassius in awe, quickly reevaluating his plans. This guy is too strong. I can't confront him head-on. I'll need to outsmart him.

The garage reeked of blood and decay. The only men left standing were Cassius and Cole.

In just five minutes, Cassius had wiped out every man from the third building. Those who hadn't shown up were the lucky ones.

Cole, trembling like a leaf, pulled a cigarette from his pocket. His shaking hands struggled to light it, the flame of his lighter flickering and failing multiple times.

Cassius strolled over with a casual smile, pulling out his own lighter. "Out of gas? Here, I've got you."

Cole stared at him in horror as Cassius leaned in and calmly lit the cigarette for him, puffing on it a few times to get the flame going.

"Not even a hand to block the flame? No 'thank you'? That's pretty rude, man," Cassius said, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "Come on, it's common courtesy. I light the cigarette; you should hold it up. Basic stuff."

Cole froze for a moment before stammering, "Th-thank you..."

Before he could even finish the words, Cassius's fist slammed into his chest with bone-crushing force. Cole's ribcage collapsed inward as he flew back, smashing through the windshield of a Porsche. Shattered glass scattered across the floor.

"I can't stand rude people," Cassius muttered, lighting a cigarette of his own. He scanned the area, locking eyes with onlookers from the nearby buildings. Some quickly averted their gaze, terrified of catching his attention.

Maisie and Angela, relieved at their choice to align with Cassius, obediently handed over the chains they carried.

In a dark corner of the garage, a group of twelve women cowered, shaking in fear. They had seen Cassius massacre nearly every man from the third building and were terrified they might be next.

Cassius halted his steps and turned to face the huddled women. His voice was calm but commanding.

"Lift your heads."

None dared to disobey. Slowly, they raised their heads, eyes filled with fear.

Cassius sighed inwardly. Not a single decent-looking one among them. Just a bunch of old hags.

"Clean up all the guts and organs scattered around," he instructed, waving a hand dismissively. "Each of you can collect a bottle of water from Cole's house when you're done."

Hearing those words, the women suddenly found renewed energy. Even those who discovered their husbands' bodies among the carnage showed no emotion as they silently got to work. Still, a few couldn't help but quietly sob.

As Cassius walked away, Mallory's face darkened. He turned and muttered to his lackeys, "What do we do now? Cole's entire crew got wiped out."

"It's not the killing that's the problem," Mallory said coldly. "It's the supplies. But maybe it's for the best—fewer mouths to feed." A sinister grin spread across his face. Cassius just did me a favor. Once I deal with him, I'll take all of Cole's resources for myself.

Meanwhile, Cassius arrived at Cole's house. The place was packed with supplies, though he didn't seem particularly interested. He wandered in casually, more curious than anything.

"Let's see what's in the bedroom," he said nonchalantly.

Maisie and Angela nodded and began opening doors. As Maisie cracked one open, a foul stench assaulted her senses.

She turned on the light and gasped at the sight before her—a decomposing corpse sprawled across the bed. Recognition hit her like a punch to the gut.

"This... isn't that my old friend?" she whispered.

Stepping closer, Maisie saw the corpse's eyes frozen wide open and mottled with livor mortis. Her fists clenched in rage. They didn't even spare the dead! Memories of Cassius slicing through these men earlier flashed in her mind, giving her a bitter sense of satisfaction.

Angela entered the room, her delicate eyebrows furrowing at the scene. "If Mick had sold me off, I probably would've ended up like her," she murmured softly.

"Same here," Maisie agreed quietly. "Check the other bedroom."

"Got it."

"What's going on in here?" Cassius asked, stepping inside. His nose wrinkled in disgust as he caught sight of the body on the bed.

"Nothing," Maisie replied, her voice low. "Just... a friend of mine."

"Uh-huh. Get rid of it, will you? Damn thing reeks," Cassius said, pinching his nose. "These sick bastards kept a corpse for days. That's twisted."

Maisie nodded, walking over to open the window before hauling the body out and tossing it outside.

"Master, there's a ton of cigarettes and liquor in the master bedroom!" Angela called out from the other room.

Cassius perked up slightly at that. 

Cassius strolled into the master bedroom, his eyes widening slightly. "Well, damn. Cole was living it up, huh? Stockpiled all this stuff and still acted like a tightass."

He grabbed a bottle of red wine, popped it open, and casually walked back out. Spotting Maisie as she stepped into the hall, he called out, "Go get the bottled water ready. We made a promise—gotta keep it."

"Got it," Maisie replied with a nod.

Cassius made his way to a rocking chair, plopped down, and took a swig from the bottle. He sighed contentedly as the rich flavor hit his tongue.

Angela hesitated for a moment, then knelt down beside him. "Is there… anything I can do?" she asked softly, her voice filled with both hope and fear. She wanted to prove her usefulness, afraid that if she didn't, she might one day be abandoned like Maisie's dead friend.

Cassius chuckled and patted his lap.

Angela froze briefly, her cheeks flushing, but then she smiled shyly and climbed onto his lap, straddling him.

"Here, have some wine," Cassius said, handing her the bottle.

Angela accepted it with delicate hands, pressing the bottle to her lips. She tipped her head back, her elegant neck exposed as she took a deep gulp. A few drops of red wine trickled down the corner of her mouth, glistening against her skin in a way that sent Cassius into a moment of admiration. She was stunning—every bit the sensual beauty.

At that moment, a group of women appeared at the doorway. They paused, momentarily taken aback by the sight of Cassius and Angela on the rocking chair. Still, they didn't show much shock. Over the past few days, they had seen too much; they had become numb to such scenes.

However, jealousy simmered in their hearts. They envied Angela's beauty, her smooth, flawless skin, and even the subtle scent of body wash that clung to her.

They actually get to bathe?!

The women looked down at their own blood-stained, grimy hands, faces hardened by exhaustion and filth. Compared to Angela and Maisie, they felt like trash—worse off than when they'd scavenged for scraps in the ruins.

"This is your reward. Take it and go," Maisie said, standing by as she handed out a bottle of water to each woman.

The women accepted their share, but as they glanced around the room, their eyes couldn't help but linger on the stacks of food and crates of bottled water piled in the corner. Greed began to creep into their thoughts. 

One of the women pulled a few others aside, whispering urgently. 

"All that stuff in there... it's Cole's stash from before. Are we really just gonna walk away with a single bottle of water? Doesn't that seem a little too... cheap?" 

A woman in her forties immediately chimed in. "Exactly! We just hauled a bunch of bloody corpses for them, and all we get is one bottle? What are we, beggars?" 

"Right! There's no way the three of them can eat all of that. And with all the men dead, there's more than enough for us!" 

Their murmurs grew more excited, their minds drifting back to how things used to be before the world fell apart. They spoke with a newfound sense of entitlement, as if imagining themselves reclaiming some semblance of power.

After a short discussion, the group of twelve selected a representative. She led them back to the entrance of the house, wearing a friendly smile as they prepared to negotiate.

"Hey there! I think we've met before," the woman said cheerfully, addressing Maisie.

Maisie frowned slightly, studying the woman's face. She couldn't place her at all. After a long pause, she finally asked, "Who are you?"