Nova walked through the ruins alongside Mira, his eyes scanning the devastation around them. The shattered remains of buildings, the desperate survivors clinging to life in a world that had long since crumbled—it was a sight he had grown accustomed to. As they stepped over debris, he turned to Mira and asked, "You're still young, Mira. What happened to your family?"
Mira's expression darkened. She lowered her gaze, staring at the ground as if trying to suppress a painful memory. "My mother... I found her trapped beneath the rubble, holding my little brother in her arms. My father... I don't know. I never found him. I don't even know if he's alive or dead. But I have hope. I have to believe he's out there."
Nova exhaled, nodding solemnly. "I'm sorry for what you've been through. But don't worry—we'll find your father. I promise."
Mira gave him a small smile, grateful for his reassurance. "How old are you, Nova?"
Nova chuckled. "Fifty-two. Consider me your second father. And you?"
"Twenty-two," she replied playfully.
He laughed. "If I had married early, I might've had a daughter just like you."
Their journey continued, but an unsettling sensation gnawed at Nova. A feeling of being watched. His instincts, honed over decades of survival, screamed at him. He stopped in his tracks, eyes narrowing as he scanned the desolate streets.
"Mira, hide in that building. Now."
Without hesitation, Mira sprinted to an abandoned structure, disappearing into the shadows. Nova braced himself, scanning his surroundings, but before he could react, a heavy blow struck the back of his head. The world spun, and darkness swallowed him whole.
---
Nova awoke to searing pain. His wrists were bound tightly, his body slumped against a damp, decaying wall inside what appeared to be an old warehouse. Blood trickled from his broken nose, the metallic taste filling his mouth. He struggled against his restraints, but they were tight—too tight.
A deep, mocking voice echoed through the room. "So, what do we have here?"
Nova looked up to see a group of seventeen men, their leader, a rugged brute named Zack, inspecting his belongings. "Not much," Zack scoffed. "Some food, a little water... oh, what do we have here? A shotgun and a sword? Seems like you had a few tricks up your sleeve."
Nova's glare was ice cold. Zack smirked and without warning, drove his fist into Nova's face, a sickening crack echoing through the room. Nova groaned in pain as blood streamed down his lips.
---
Meanwhile, Mira crouched in the shadows outside, her mind racing. She had to get Nova out. But how? She had only a handgun and a dagger.
She exhaled sharply. "Think, Mira... You can't take them all head-on. But you don't have to. You just have to be smart."
An idea struck. She fired two shots into the air before sprinting behind a pile of debris. The gunfire sent the gang into a frenzy. "Who the hell is out there?!" Zack barked.
Several of his men rushed outside to investigate, leaving their defenses weakened. Mira seized the moment, slipping through the shadows toward the building's entrance. She moved like a ghost, swift and silent.
A lone guard stood outside the door where Nova was being held. Mira picked up a glass bottle from the ground and hurled it across the alleyway. The sharp sound of shattering glass made the guard snap his head toward the noise. He took a step forward—but it was a mistake.
Mira lunged, her dagger flashing. She drove it into his thigh—once, twice. The man screamed, dropping his weapon. She yanked the blade free and pressed her gun to his head.
Inside, Zack's eyes darted to the door as his man's screams filled the air. He cursed under his breath and stormed outside, dragging one of his men with him.
Mira stepped into the doorway, gun still aimed at the wounded man's skull. "Move, and he dies."
Zack's face twisted in fury, but he hesitated. The injured man wasn't just some thug—he was Zack's right-hand man.
"Drop your weapons," Mira commanded.
Zack gritted his teeth but nodded. His men hesitated before tossing their guns to the floor. Mira kept her aim steady. "Now, free Nova."
Zack walked back into the room, his jaw clenched, and cut Nova's restraints. The older man collapsed to the ground, bruised and barely conscious. Mira's heart clenched at the sight, but she couldn't waver now.
Nova, still dazed, grabbed his shotgun and bag. He looked at Mira, surprise flashing in his pain-ridden eyes. He had underestimated her.
They backed toward the exit, keeping the hostage between them and the gang. Outside, the rest of Zack's men had returned, raising their weapons. "Kill them!" one of them shouted.
"No," Zack growled. "Let them go."
Mira and Nova didn't wait for a second invitation. They moved quickly, dragging the bleeding hostage with them for another three hundred meters before finally shoving him aside and sprinting into the night.
Nova's breathing was ragged. Each step was agony. "Mira…" he mumbled. His vision blurred, his strength failing him.
"I've got you," Mira said, looping his arm over her shoulder. "We're almost there."
They stumbled into an abandoned building. Mira lowered Nova onto the cold floor, panic creeping into her voice. "Nova? Stay with me!"
His world faded into darkness.