The silence hung heavy around the crackling fire, its warmth doing little to cut through the stale air. The wind seemed to have vanished entirely, leaving only the faint sounds of shifting embers. The hunched figure finally broke the quiet.

"The name's Creek," he said, his voice grating but eager. "Thanks for rescuing. And what should I call my saviors?"

Lucas leapt up, all too eager to introduce them. "This is my best friend, 'Ira,' " he said, pointing at Viktor with exaggerated cheer. Then he gestured to himself with a grin. "You can call me 'Gaud,' and he's our Boss." He nodded toward Nyx, who observed Creek from behind his mask, silent and unreadable.

Lucas recalled the names Nyx had chosen for their mission, a precaution to keep their identities under wraps.

What a strange group... probably a little shocked from the disasters, Creek thought, sizing them up. Probably just kids. The one in the plain mask must not be true of being the leader. His eyes lingered on the sinister, red-masked one, who sounded older, 'He's probably the true leader' and he felt a greedy thrill at the prospect of these "helpless" newcomers.

The quick flick of his tongue across his lips didn't go unnoticed, though. Nyx's gaze fixed on him from behind his mask, observing every twitch with an unspoken intensity, though he kept his expression concealed, his demeanor neutral.

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

"How did you get stuck here?" Lucas asked, feigning curiosity.

Creek's eyes gleamed. 'Perfect, just the question I was hoping for.'

"I was out gathering resources with my team and got separated," Creek replied with an exaggerated sigh, letting his voice waver slightly.

Lucas leaned forward, playing along with exaggerated surprise. "Oh, a team?" He exchanged a look with Viktor. "Are there more of you?"

Yes, just the reaction I wanted, Creek thought, unable to suppress his grin. Boss was right; people are desperate to flock together in a crisis.

"Yeah, there's a whole group of us," Creek said, feigning enthusiasm. "If you'd like, I can take you to them. Just follow me; I know the way."

"Great news! Lead the way, Creek!" Lucas chirped, sounding almost too excited.

They fell into step behind Creek, making their way along a street littered with scorched concrete and the rubble of fallen buildings. Creek led confidently, his back to them, oblivious to the wary glances exchanged by the group behind him.

Hehe... fools, all of them, Creek thought, his mind already buzzing with visions of reward. So gullible.

Behind him, Nyx kept his silence, observing every subtle movement of their so-called guide. In the dim light, Lucas and Viktor traded looks of exasperation.

This guy couldn't be more obvious, Lucas thought, inwardly amused.

How could anyone be this clueless? Viktor mused, scratching his head.

Still, they followed, each step bringing them closer to Creek's promised "team"—and whatever ambush awaited them.