The air in Paleview City felt different now.
It wasn't the lingering stench of smoke or the quiet that came after violence. It was something less tangible—an undercurrent in the silence, a weight in the atmosphere that told everyone the world had changed. The sun dipped low on the horizon, casting a reddish-orange glow over buildings that still bore scars from the earlier chaos. Streets were quieter than they should've been at this hour, with civilians either tending to the injured or mourning those who wouldn't return.
Derek sat alone in the small, reinforced living room of his mansion—one of the only luxuries awarded to him by the system. The large monitor, mounted above an empty shelf, flickered to life.
A static screen snapped into a government insignia. No build-up. No cinematic opening.
Just a voice.
"This is a national emergency broadcast from the Central Governmental Communication Network."
