The last days：Domination

The moment Mark collapsed, Adam felt the weight of the battle begin to lift. His pulse was still racing, his body humming with the aftershocks of the power he had just unleashed. He took a steadying breath, but the relief was short-lived. As he looked down at Mark, the scavenger's broken form still twitching on the ground, Adam's instincts screamed that this was not the end. Not by a long shot.

With one last glance at Mark, Adam turned and quickly began to walk toward the alleyway's entrance. The crystal was warm in his hand, its energy pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat. He had won the battle, but that didn't mean the war was over. Mark had already proven himself dangerous once. Who knew how many more like him were out there, lurking in the shadows, waiting for a chance to take what Adam had?

Behind him, Mark stirred, but Adam didn't look back. He could feel the scavenger's eyes burning into his back, but he wasn't concerned. He was more focused on what came next. His instincts told him that the true danger was still out there, beyond the confines of this crumbling city.

As Adam stepped into the street, the cold wind hit him, sending a shiver down his spine. The city had fallen into an eerie stillness. The occasional moan of a distant zombie could be heard, but the streets were almost too quiet, as though even the creatures of the apocalypse were taking a moment to regroup.

He glanced up at the sky, the orange glow of the setting sun casting long shadows across the cracked concrete. The world felt different today, darker. The storm clouds had been gathering for a while now, both in the literal sense and the figurative one. Adam couldn't shake the feeling that everything was about to change.

He glanced at the crystal again, its light flickering in his palm. He could sense that it was more than just an object of power—it was a key. But to what, he couldn't yet say. And the way Mark had spoken earlier about "what's mine" made Adam uneasy. Mark had been hunting the crystal, but why? And who else might be after it?

Monica's face flashed in his mind. She had been with him through much of the chaos, and while their alliance had been purely strategic up until now, Adam couldn't deny the growing attachment he felt toward her. She was reliable, cunning, and surprisingly capable in a world that had few people left who could be trusted.

But even Monica, as loyal as she had proven to be, had her own ambitions. That much was clear. She hadn't come into this world just to survive—she had come to thrive. And while Adam had always appreciated her skills, there was something else lurking in the shadows of their partnership. Something Adam had been careful not to acknowledge. If push came to shove, how far would she go for survival?

He shook the thought off. Now was not the time to doubt his allies. Now was the time to focus on survival.

He moved toward the central market area, where he knew Monica had been scouting. He had to make contact with her, and quickly. Together, they could fortify their position—gather more supplies, maybe even recruit more survivors. But there was no time to waste. The longer he stayed out in the open, the more likely it was that someone else would try to take the crystal from him.

As he reached the market, he saw a figure standing near the entrance, half-shadowed by the remains of a collapsed building. Adam recognized the silhouette instantly.

"Monica," he called out.

She stepped into the light, a faint smile playing on her lips. She was holding a small bundle of supplies, her eyes scanning the horizon as if she could sense his arrival before he even called out.

"You're late," she said coolly, her tone carrying the same composed, detached manner she always adopted when she was working. But Adam could hear the undercurrent of relief in her voice. She was glad to see him. She had to be.

"I ran into a bit of trouble," Adam replied, stepping closer.

Monica's eyes flicked to the crystal in his hand, and for just a moment, Adam saw a flash of something—curiosity? Desire? It was gone as quickly as it came, but he couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't as unaffected by the crystal as she pretended.

"Trouble, huh?" She raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "The scavenger?"

Adam nodded. "Mark. He tried to take the crystal."

Monica's expression remained neutral, but Adam could see the faintest flicker of something in her eyes—satisfaction, perhaps, or maybe just approval. She didn't say anything about the fight, but he could tell that she was processing the situation. Monica was always calculating, always thinking three or four steps ahead.

"Well," she said after a pause, "you handled it. But you know as well as I do, Adam—this is just the beginning. There are others out there. More dangerous than Mark."

"I know," Adam replied, his voice firm. "That's why we need to move fast. We need to find a secure location and fortify it. And we need to find out more about these crystals. If they're as valuable as we think, we're going to need an army to protect it."

Monica's gaze turned thoughtful, and Adam couldn't help but feel that she was evaluating him. Not just his plan, but his every move. She was already thinking about how she could use this situation to her advantage.

"I'll make the arrangements," Monica said, her voice soft but resolute. "You focus on getting the crystal to safety. I'll keep watch."

Adam nodded. "Good. I trust you."

Monica's lips curved into a small, almost imperceptible smile. "You should."

As they moved through the market, gathering supplies and preparing to leave, Adam couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. He was too aware of the people watching from the shadows. He had a target on his back, and he knew it.

Just then, a distant sound reached his ears—the unmistakable growl of a mutated creature, followed by the sharper, more sinister sound of footsteps. Someone was following them.

Adam's grip tightened on his machete, and he motioned for Monica to stop. They were not alone.