The skeleton of a city stands before me, a panorama of desolation where the crumbling buildings bend to the relentless will of nature. The colors seem faded, as if a sepia filter has covered everything with its nostalgic patina. I gaze upon this decayed urban landscape, thinking of all the lives that have been lost in this former concrete and steel jungle. The temperature has gradually risen over the years, famine has become the norm, and water has turned into a precious and increasingly scarce resource. Revolts, disorder, a world on the brink of collapse, prey to chaos and scavenging. And violence, ever-present, like a lurking shadow.

Violence breeds more violence, an endless cycle that seems to have no end. As things spiraled downward, every individual was forced to think of themselves. Solidarity was crushed by the necessity to survive in a disintegrating world. The law of the strongest prevailed once more, leading to the destruction of billions of lives deemed "weak" by their tormentors. The path to rebuilding a civilization, a society worthy of the name, now seems an impossible task. The words echoing on the radio seem so naively optimistic when I think about it.

Meanwhile, our journey through this desolate land continues.

"Self-diagnosis complete. Aside from a few minor dents, no significant damage." Milano communicates to Otilia, our captain.

"And the solar panels?" Otilia inquires.

"Efficiency has dropped to 79%. A check-up will be needed when we reach Rinascita." Milano reports.

"The water, oxygen, and refrigerant gas reserves are more than sufficient to reach Rinascita." Brina asserts after conducting the necessary checks.

"Let's be cautious not to overheat the batteries and keep consumption constantly monitored." Otilia orders.

"Yes, Captain!" Milano responds promptly.

After several hours of travel, the sun begins to set. The night is no less dangerous, but it spares us from the scorching sun that tyrannizes the sky with its deadly heat. Shortly after, our path leads us to an unexpected adventure. The radar signals a vehicle, an unusual presence in this landscape of destruction. The vehicle's position, a few hundred meters away from us, beneath a collapsed bridge in a river that has been dry for decades, seems out of place and mysterious.

"Turn off the engine and non-essential systems." Otilia orders. "Put on your helmets." Otilia takes command, and I feel the adrenaline start to pulse through my veins, knowing we're heading towards a potential conflict.

Otilia grabs a precision rifle from the weapon compartment, opens the door, and climbs onto the caravan's roof. She lies down and steadies the rifle, aiming in the direction of the unknown vehicle.

The vehicle is a black armored van with four enormous wheels. It's clearly heavily fortified, with a trapezoidal snout shape that seems designed for ramming.

Through the communication system in our helmets, Otilia informs us of what she's seeing.

"The vehicle is stationary. There are two individuals outside. Their clothing is very similar to what we saw in the video recordings from Eureka."

"They're Raiders!" I exclaim, instinctively drawing my pistol from its holster. The mention of Raiders triggers an instinctive reaction in me. They have been responsible for so much pain and suffering, a group of marauders without morals or compassion. I grip the pistol in my hands, feeling the urgency to do something to stop them.

"They could be. They're too close to home. We need to take action." Otilia states, visibly concerned. "Brina, Milano, get ready for action."

"Finally, it's our turn!" Brina exclaims, a mix of excitement and anxiety in her voice.

"Alright, alright... we can do this..." Milano comments, visibly hesitating.

"Milano, it's not the time to be scared. You've been trained for situations like this. I'll cover you from above."

"I want to join too!" I declare, making it clear that I want to be part of the action. I want to make those bastards pay for everything they've caused. I grip the pistol in my hands, feeling the urgency to do something to stop them.

"Negative, Michele. You're not trained. Let us handle this; we know what we're doing. Your inexperience would put all of us at risk."

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I clench my fists in frustration. I know I lack the necessary training, but hearing it said so openly hurts.

"Relax, Zombie, I've got this!" Brina teases me, winking.

"Milano, take the EMP grenade launcher. Brina, prepare smoke grenades and tranquilizer rounds. We need to capture them alive," Otilia orders decisively.

"Milano, position yourself on the bridge without being seen. Be ready to sabotage their electronic systems with the EMP grenade."

"Brina, go to the left flank and use the embankment barriers to hide and protect yourself."

The two of them equip themselves and exit the caravan. Brina and Milano exit the Caravan with tactical precision, ready for the imminent action. I see them move with agility, taking cover and maintaining their positions. Otilia, rifle in hand, watches attentively from the caravan's roof, ready to intervene if necessary.

With tactical and elegant movements, they reach their respective positions without making a sound and, most importantly, without being detected. The tension in the air is palpable as we wait for Otilia's signal. Milano positions himself on the bridge, ready to use the EMP grenade launcher. Brina hides on the left flank, using the natural barriers of the embankment. They're ready, prepared for the coordinated action about to unfold.

"Brina, do you have the target on the left?" Otilia asks for confirmation.

"Affirmative." Brina responds via radio.

"Milano, be ready to launch when you receive my signal. Brina, hit the enemy as soon as the EMP grenade goes off. There might be others inside the armored van. So, be prepared to throw a smoke grenade if anyone comes out. Both of you, keep your infrared visors ready."

"Roger." Milano nods.

"Ready." Brina confirms seriously.

The two enemies seem engrossed in a heated discussion and have no idea of what's about to befall them.

"Now, Milano!" Otilia orders through the radio.

Milano, without further instructions, fires the EMP grenade from the launcher in his hand. Being on top of the bridge, he has a significant tactical advantage due to his elevated position. The grenade soars downward, covering a distance of about twenty meters.

The EMP grenade is a weapon designed to disable electronic components within a radius of approximately six meters through an electromagnetic pulse. This electromagnetic shockwave induces high currents in nearby electrical and electronic devices. In some cases, the current spikes are so intense that they generate enough heat to melt circuits or break fuses.

In other words, once the grenade detonates, their helmets and suits will stop functioning. The vehicle and its technological systems, including communication systems, will be deactivated and unable to attempt an escape. Even the most advanced firearms, if equipped with electronic control devices, would become unusable.

The bomb detonates in a blue flash. I can feel the annoying vibration even from here, though we're outside its range. In the blink of an eye, Otilia and Brina both open fire. The first dart, fired by the blonde, containing a powerful tranquilizer, embeds itself in the right raider's neck. The substance quickly spreads through his body. He doesn't even have time to realize what's happening. Immediately after, Brina's dart strikes the right arm of the left raider. The man still tries to flee, shouldering his rifle and spinning in all directions, trying to locate the source of the attack. But his attempt is short-lived, as the tranquilizer takes effect, and the enemy collapses to the ground, unconscious.

"Enemies neutralized," Otilia confirms precisely through the telescopic sight. "Ready to stop anyone trying to exit the vehicle."

Brina gets ready to launch the smoke grenades. Milano wields his rifle and takes aim at the armored van's door.

A minute passes.

"No reaction. Begin the approach to the target." Otilia orders, maintaining cover with her precision rifle from the caravan's roof.

Brina and Milano immediately confirm via radio that they've received the order and begin to cautiously approach the vehicle, keeping their weapons ready to fire. They utilize any possible cover along the path, gradually getting closer to the enemy vehicle. Brina reports that the two raiders are unable to react. It's a moment of respite, but we know the work isn't done yet.

Milano points his rifle at the door. Brina slowly opens it, staying to the side. Milano enters, ready to face any threat that might emerge. He quickly checks the interior, looking in every direction. "Clear!" he shouts through the radio. We're safe, at least for now. It's time to move on to the next part of the operation: immobilize the raiders and gather information.

"Fantastic. Handcuff the enemies' legs and feet. Get ready to transfer them to the caravan. They risk suffocating without the oxygen from their suits, now out of commission."

Brina, Milano, and I, now that the situation is under control, load the two bodies into the back of the caravan. We securely fasten them to the seats, ensuring they are immobilized. We remove their helmets and thoroughly search them, checking for hidden knives or surprises.

They are a man and a woman.

The woman is young, appears to be around Brina's age at first glance. Her long hair reaches down to her shoulders, with two distinct colors. Half of her hair is a vivid artificial red, while the other half is silver, equally unnatural. Did she dye her hair? I wonder, amazed.

The man is tall and sturdy, seeming to be around fifty years old. He has shaved hair and many scars on his face. He has an unsavory look about him.

We also collect everything we find inside the Raiders' vehicle: data banks, fortunately shielded from EMP attacks, water, various weapons, and ammunition.

"Have you seen how amazing I am, Zombie?" Brina asks me with satisfaction.

"You guys were incredible." I sincerely compliment.

"I'm still trembling!" Milano confesses, visibly moved.

"Great job, team. You moved well. No one got hurt." Otilia congratulates them.

"I'm proud of you." she adds.

Brina and Milano give each other a high five.

"Now let's see if our guests are in the mood for a chat."