Cracks Beneath the Surface

Morning bled in through the shattered skylight, painting the ruined mall in pale gold. Dust motes floated like specters above the sleeping survivors. Ada knelt by the main entrance, adjusting a tripwire she and Vega had set overnight.

"We need to reinforce the east side," Vega said quietly, approaching with two salvaged boards slung over her shoulder. "There's a hole big enough to drive a truck through."

Ada grunted in agreement, finishing the knot. "We'll block it after breakfast. Rotations start in an hour."

Vega nodded, lingering a moment longer. Their eyes met briefly—wordless understanding passing between them. Tired, but determined.

Just as they turned to organize the day's tasks, shouting erupted near the food line.

Two men were arguing, loud enough to echo against the gutted walls. A wiry man with a scar across his jaw shoved an older woman aside, snatching a ration pack from her hands.

"You think you get extra 'cause you're old?" the man sneered. "Everyone's gotta survive."

The woman stumbled, nearly falling. Another survivor tried to intervene, but the scarred man shoved him too.

Vega's expression darkened. Ada's jaw tightened.

They moved simultaneously.

Ada reached the scene first, stepping between the aggressor and the others with lethal calm.

"Drop it," she ordered, voice low but carrying.

The man sneered. "Or what? You gonna shoot me over a can of soup?"

Vega was already flanking him, silent as a blade. "If we have to," she said, voice like steel wrapped in silk.

The man hesitated—calculating. He glanced at the others, at the uncertain, fearful faces around him.

Ada took a slow step closer. "There are rules here. You break them, you're out."

The weight of her words—and the way her hand rested casually near her sidearm—sank in. The man cursed under his breath but dropped the ration pack, kicking it away petulantly.

"Bitch soldiers," he muttered as he backed off into the crowd.

Ada exhaled slowly, picking up the crushed pack and handing it back to the elderly woman. She met the woman's teary gaze with a nod—brief, but enough.

Vega's voice buzzed in her earpiece, private and low. "First crack in the dam."

Ada glanced around. Fear, tension, hunger. It was only going to get harder.

"We patch it before it breaks," she replied.

The system pinged just then.

[System Update: Leadership Module Unlocked.] [New Mission: Establish Order — Set survivor protocols. Assign roles. Prevent internal collapse.]

Ada's lip curled into something that wasn't quite a smile. "Looks like the Architect agrees."

Vega smirked faintly. "We gonna hold town hall meetings now?"

"Something like that."

They spent the rest of the morning drafting basic rules—fair distribution of supplies, work shifts, curfews. Nothing harsh, just enough structure to keep the fragile group from tearing itself apart.

Ada stood on a toppled display stage, laying down the law with clipped, efficient words. Vega watched from the side, arms crossed, sharp-eyed for any signs of trouble.

Some faces showed relief. Some, resentment.

The scarred man glared openly, but for now, he stayed silent.

Later, as they checked barricades on the second floor, Vega bumped her shoulder lightly against Ada's.

"Not bad for your first dictatorship," she teased.

Ada snorted quietly. "Democracy's overrated."

They shared a rare, fleeting grin—gone as fast as it appeared, but real.

As night fell, Ada and Vega sat back-to-back near the emergency stairwell, weapons within easy reach. The survivors' breathing filled the dark like a tide.

Ada's eyes remained open, scanning shadows.

"Tomorrow," she said softly, "we need to start training them. Basic drills. Evacuation routes. Weapon handling for a few."

Vega nodded, resting her head against the cool wall behind her. "You think they'll last?"

Ada didn't answer immediately. Her mind drifted back to the scarred man's defiance, to the way desperation stripped people raw.

Finally, she said, "Some will."

Vega's gaze flicked sideways. "And the others?"

Ada's fingers brushed the grip of her pistol, a silent promise.

"The others won't have the chance to endanger them."

Silence settled between them—not heavy, but resolute.

Above them, the broken city whispered to itself in the dark.

And somewhere beyond the ruins, bigger threats stirred.

But for tonight, Ada and Vega held the line.

Together.