The cold night air bit at Kane's skin as he parked the SUV near the abandoned warehouse on the city's fringe. Flickering street lamps cast long shadows over cracked concrete and rusted steel beams — a forgotten skeleton of a building where few dared tread.
This was the meeting place.
Kane stepped inside, the familiar scent of dust and decay settling around him. The dim glow of a single lantern illuminated two figures waiting in the gloom.
The first was a woman in her late twenties, her sharp eyes reflecting a restless intelligence. Fingers twitching nervously against the side of her worn jacket, she pulled a strand of dark hair behind her ear. Her reputation preceded her — a skilled hacker, orphaned young, surviving on sheer wit and grit.
The second was younger, early twenties, with an easy smile that hid scars deeper than skin. A jack-of-all-trades, her background was a mystery but the streets whispered her past — a survivor, a fighter, a reluctant partner for risky jobs.
Kane nodded in greeting. "Thank you for coming."
The hacker's eyes flicked to the SUV. "You said double pay. That's serious."
"It is," Kane replied, voice low. "Two hundred thousand dollars. Cash, no questions asked."
The younger woman grinned, cracking her knuckles. "Sounds like my kind of job."
Inside, Kane outlined the plan without revealing too much. No mention of his sister. No hint of the stakes beyond the immediate target — the bank vault, the guards, the security systems.
"We go in quick, silent, and clean. No mistakes." Kane's tone was measured but firm.
The hacker pulled up digital schematics on a tablet, tapping swiftly. "I'll handle cameras, alarms, comms. Anything electronic, I'll blind it."
The other nodded. "I'm your eyes on the ground. Quick reflexes, no panic."
Kane studied them both, measuring trust with a cautious heart. They were orphans like him — forged by loss, hardened by survival. Perhaps that was why a thread of kinship already wove between them.
"We meet here for the next week," Kane said, "to prepare. We keep this place off the grid."
The two women exchanged glances but nodded.
Upstairs in the safety of his home, Kane checked on Reina. The toddler played quietly, her toys still alive with flickering energy.
He didn't mention the new allies — not yet. Trust came slowly, and for now, Reina's safety was paramount.
Over the following days, the abandoned warehouse became a nerve center. The hacker — Maya — worked her magic, infiltrating security networks, mapping patrol schedules, and finding blind spots.
Her fingers flew over keyboards and devices, eyes sharp and focused.
Beside her, Lena, the younger woman, practiced tactical drills and scouted routes, her energy calm but electric.
Kane watched and learned, occasionally testing drone prototypes and reviewing plans. The tension was thick but purposeful.
Though their backgrounds were tough, moments of warmth emerged — shared meals, quiet laughter, and small conversations that hinted at something deeper.
One evening, Maya caught Kane's eye. "You're different from the others, you know."
Kane smiled faintly. "I've had to be."
Lena chimed in with a grin. "Yeah, we all have. Maybe that's why this feels… right."
The three shared a rare smile — a fragile bond forged in shadows.
As the countdown ticked ever lower, the stakes rose.
Global Collapse Countdown: 43 Days, 8 Hours, 54 Minutes
The raid was no longer just a plan.
It was a turning point.