1 DAY BEFORE THE MISSION
The cafeteria buzzed with life—chatter, laughter, and the occasional brawl. Nothing serious, just playfighting among soldiers. The duo sat at a corner table, alone. Their plates were filled with mashed potatoes and steak, a rare luxury in the wasteland, thanks to the supply runs between the remaining N.U.R.O bases.
"Hey Seth, when do you think we'll get another mission?" Sarah asked, looking over at her younger brother.
"Dunno... not anytime soon," Seth replied, taking a bite. "Since the raid at the mountains, it's been quiet. Some activity at a village, but nothing major."
They were N.U.R.O's top soldiers, deployed only on high-threat missions, and so far, things had been eerily calm. Around the base, they were referred to as "freaks of nature"—cold-hearted in battle, but fiercely protective of each other. Sarah, charismatic and playful during missions, and Seth, as cruel as he was skilled, had earned their place through fear and respect. No one liked them, but no one dared challenge them either.
The siblings had been through it all together. With no parents since the flash, they relied on each other for everything. Seth had a bullet scar near his eye, a constant reminder of their brutal past. It made him look intimidating, even without the cold expression he always wore.
They finished their meals, and Seth stood up first. "Alright, let's go."
As they started to leave, a soldier from another table threw mashed potatoes at Seth. Sarah's eyes narrowed, her usual playfulness vanishing in an instant. The soldier smirked, clearly thinking he was untouchable.
"Who did it?" Sarah's voice was calm, but there was a dangerous edge to it.
The soldier, cocky as ever, leaned back in his chair. "It was my sweet ass. Now, why don't you come over here and hang out with us?"
Sarah didn't flinch. "You really wanna do this?"
"It's okay, Seth," Sarah said, before turning to the soldier. Seth watched, silently observing his sister's every move.
Stolen novel; please report.
The guy tried to wave her over with a grin. "Come on, sit he—"
Before he could finish, Sarah grabbed him by the head, slamming it against the table with brutal force. Blood splattered across the plastic surface as his face met the hard edge. The room went silent, and the other soldiers stared in shock.
"Anyone else wanna make fun of him?" Sarah's voice was icy. She looked around the room, daring anyone else to step out of line. The soldiers, male and female alike, stayed quiet, fear settling in.
She casually dragged the now-bloodied soldier to the floor, letting his body collapse with a sickening thud. She walked back to Seth with a feminine swagger, her gaze never leaving the room.
"Well deserved," Seth said, his voice colder than usual. They continued walking out of the cafeteria, Sarah letting out a soft chuckle.
The cafeteria, barracks, and training rooms were connected by glass tunnels, offering a limited view of Sector B10 and the snowstorm outside. The command room, however, was separate, situated away from the rest of the facility. It had four helipads for the tandem rotor helicopters that transported supplies, and trucks couldn't make it up the mountains during a snowstorm.
They stopped for a moment, watching the snowy landscape. Sarah leaned her head against Seth's shoulder, holding his hand as she stood a bit taller than him.
"It's eerie, isn't it? Watching everything go to crap," Sarah said, her voice quiet, almost nostalgic.
Seth didn't respond immediately. He stood there, staring out into the blizzard, his grip on her hand tightening. He let out a soft sigh, a tear slipping down his cheek.
"Hey, what is it?" Sarah asked, sensing the shift in her brother's mood. She turned him toward her, her eyes soft with concern.
"I just... I don't know," Seth admitted, his voice cracking slightly. He pulled Sarah into a tight hug, burying his face in her hair. He always feared the worst when it came to her—never wanted to imagine a world where something happened to her.
Sarah didn't say anything right away. Instead, she hugged him back, rubbing his back gently. "Let's go to the barracks and read a book or something, okay?"
Seth nodded, still clinging to her, but he followed her into the barracks, where they had their own double bed. It was an odd setup for N.U.R.O, where most soldiers had their own bunks. But for the siblings, it was a symbol of their bond—a bond that no one could break.
Sarah helped Seth get into bed, pulling the covers up to his chin. She tucked him in like she used to when they were younger. She climbed into bed beside him, resting her head on his chest.
"Want to play Macau?" Sarah asked, holding up a deck of cards. It was Seth's favorite card game, a version of Crazy Eights. She knew his response before he even said it.
"You know I'm gonna win."
Sarah smiled as she shuffled the deck, already preparing for a long night of card games. Outside, the snowstorm raged on, but inside, they were safe in their world—a world where nothing mattered except each other.
