The morning had stretched into early afternoon, sunlight cutting through the cracks in the cabin's wooden walls. The scent of smoldering wood and strong tea lingered in the air, mixing with the quiet tension of waiting.
Liam leaned against the kitchen counter, fingers wrapped around a steaming mug, while David sat at the head of the table, his golden eyes sharp and unreadable. Across from them, Caleb and Daniel sat stiffly, exhaustion lingering in their postures after months on the road.
Three months. That's how long they had been gone.
And now, here they were, sitting at David and Liam's table again, expecting something.
David let the silence stretch, Liam sipping his tea slowly, as he studied the two men before him. Daniel met his gaze head-on, masking whatever nervousness he might have.
Caleb, on the other hand, was more cautious, his fingers tapping lightly against the wooden surface, as if expecting this conversation to take a bad turn at any second.
Finally, Caleb spoke. "We have something for you."
Liam, who had been unusually quiet, let out a slow hum. "I'd hope so. Otherwise, that would've been a very long vacation."
Caleb didn't rise to the bait. Instead, he reached into his bag and pulled out a folded map, placing it on the table. David didn't move to touch it yet. He simply arched a brow, waiting.
Caleb exhaled. "It's a settlement. But it's bigger, these people are trying to rebuild."
David finally tilted his head, mild interest flickering across his face. "And?"
Daniel glanced at Caleb before adding, "They have a system. A leadership structure. Walls. Supply chains. And they're expanding."
Liam took a slow sip of his tea, unimpressed. "Good for them."
Caleb pressed on. "We got close enough to see how they operate. It's not perfect, but it's stable. They have resources we don't, and they're gathering more. If we play it right, we could take advantage of that."
David finally leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. His expression was unreadable, but there was something in his gaze that made both Caleb and Daniel straighten instinctively.
"And why," David said smoothly, "do we care?"
Caleb hesitated. Just for a second. But that second was enough.
Liam's lips curled into a smirk. "You think you came back with a deal, but you didn't, did you?"
He tilted his head, playful and mocking all at once. "Tell me, boys, what exactly do you think we need?"
Caleb opened his mouth, but David cut him off with a quiet chuckle, shaking his head. "See, that's the problem. We don't need anything."
Caleb's jaw tightened, but he stayed composed. "You might be self-sufficient now, but that won't last forever."
Liam's grin widened, but his eyes glinted with something sharper. "Won't it?"
Caleb shifted uncomfortably, but Daniel held firm. "The world is changing. The strong don't survive alone forever—they rule."
David looked at him for a long moment, then finally sat back in his chair. "Alright. Let's say we are interested in this little settlement of yours." He tapped a finger against the table. "What do you suggest we do about it?"
Caleb exhaled slightly, recognizing that they had been given an opening. "We won't approach as enemies. Not yet. We integrate, learn more—who's in charge, what their weaknesses are. If it's worth it, we move in."
"And if it's not worth it?" Liam asked, still lounging but clearly invested.
Daniel said bodly, "Then we burn it down and take what we want from it."
For the first time, Liam actually laughed. "Now that's an answer."
David's smirk was a pleased one. He reached for the map Caleb had placed on the table, unfolding it with casualness. His eyes scanned the markings, the notes, the details Caleb had recorded.
"What makes this settlment so interesting?", David murmured.
Caled allowed himself a smirk,"Researchers."
David and Liam's gaze snaped to him, but he did not flinch.
"It's a gouvernement base then?", David asked.
Daniel shook his head, "The mayor of the city used his connections to force the researchers to stay."
Liam looked at him, pleasantly surprise,"Bold of him to assume the millitary won't come anymore."
With a sigh, David looked at each of them before nodding, they officially had the okay to began seizing control of the settlement.
"Don't come back without good news."
"We'll go in the morning."
On this note, the duo were free to go.