Max

The bar was silent and empty, save for Max, who sat at one of the tables gripping the small, cold metallic comm device in his hand. The glow from it cast an eerie blue glow onto his face, highlighting the shadows under his eyes. Across the crackling line, Kieran´s voice cut through with a calm that put Max on edge.

"So," he said. "You´ve secured a place for the army?" 

Max took a steady breath, his gaze flickering to the main door and back to the device in his hand. He kept his tone flat, wary. "They´re out scouting now. And if you haven´t already guessed, I don´t trust you. You´ve always kept your cards a little too close. Stop gathering information from me."

Kieran let out a soft, light chuckle. "Sorry."

After a long silence between them, Kieran continued. "I think trust is a luxury neither of us can afford."

"People are inherently selfish," Max said. "Everything they do, it´s for their own wellbeing. Take the baker- one doesn´t believe he gets up early and bakes bread to sell it out of goodwill. We, as customers, trust that the baker is selfish enough to care about himself and his family such that he wakes up and provides bread to you and me, to earn his daily money." 

After a pause, he continued. "I believe we are the same. I am here because I wish for a better life for my son. You wouldn´t be helping us if there wasn´t something in it for you. But we´re working together out of necessity. Let´s not pretend this arrangement is anything more. I don´t trust noblemen to do the right thing."

“Is that why you’re keeping details from me?" Kieran said softly. When Max didn´t answer, he commented again. "I think you´re wrong," he said. Max´s grip on the comm tightened. "People can be kind too."

Max sighed and looked up, noticing movements a bit further away out the window. "Perhaps . . . and also, you should focus more on securing your end of the deal," he said to Kieran.

"I´m in talks with the council," he replied. "It´s impossible to get them to listen, but soon, the Prowlers should be repositioned. They won´t bother you after a few weeks. I have a friend. She can feed them false information."

Max clenched his jaw, fighting back the urge to argue. He couldn’t afford to jeopardize the alliance, thin as it was, but every word from Kieran left him feeling exposed, as if he were teetering on the edge of betrayal.  

Outside, footsteps echoed. Max froze, his instincts immediately going on high alert. Those were heavy footsteps, not the familiar, easy stride of Lancer returning from his rounds. His heart pounded as he realized what was happening. Prowlers.

"Too late," he murmured back before he clicked off the comm, the silence in the bar amplifying the feeling of isolation that lingered in the air. The door burst open, and a group of Prowlers stormed into the bar, their dark figures filling the room with an oppressive presence. Max gripped the edge of the bar, his knuckles white, and forced himself to meet their gaze with a steady, cool expression.

One of the Prowlers- a tall, imposing figure- stepped forward, his eyes glinting with cold amusement. He didn´t bother hiding his face under a hood, unlike the four others who came with him. 

“Some say rebels have been lurking in the shadows around these parts,” he sneered. "You wouldn´t happen to know something, would you?"

Max’s expression was one of feigned indifference. “If you’re looking for trouble, you’re wasting your time. This place is empty.” 

The lead Prowler raised an eyebrow, gesturing for his men to search the room. They spread out, knocking over tables and chairs, eyes scanning every corner. Max’s pulse raced, but he held his ground, his gaze unwavering as he watched them desecrate the place.

Upstairs, Siri and Ash crouched in the darkness, hidden in the shadows. Siri pressed a trembling finger to her lips, her hand resting over Ash’s mouth. She could feel his heart pounding, almost in sync with hers, as the ruckus downstairs grew louder. Ash, confused and frightened, made to stand up, but Siri clamped a hand over his arm, shaking her head fiercely. Her wide eyes met his, silently pleading. Stay quiet.

Below, one of the Prowlers drew dangerously close to the stairs. Max tensed as he saw the man’s gaze linger there, as if considering something. He moved subtly, stepping forward to draw the Prowler’s attention away from the stairway. His mind raced, calculating. He couldn’t let them find Siri and Ash. He wouldn’t.

 “If you’re done with your inspection, I suggest you leave,” he said, his voice dangerously calm.

The lead Prowler turned to him, his gaze hardening. “You seem awfully nervous, old man. Got something to hide? You guys are lowlives. I know there is a crime on every one of your names.”

Max swallowed, refusing to back down. “Only thing I’ve got here is a bar and a lot of wasted time.”

The Prowler smirked, clearly amused by Max’s defiance. “Well then, let’s see what’s upstairs, shall we?”

Max’s chest tightened, his mind racing. He knew they’d never leave until they searched every inch of this place. But he also knew he couldn’t let them find Siri and Ash. “Nothing worth wasting your time with,” he said, his voice firm, even as his hands trembled slightly.

Ignoring him, the Prowler signaled to two of his men to head upstairs. Max gritted his teeth, desperation flashing in his eyes as he watched them move toward the stairs. He had to think fast- he couldn’t let them go up there.

“You know,” Max began, his tone deceptively casual. “For all your strength, you Prowlers don’t seem to have a lot of brains.” The insult was subtle, but enough to get their attention.

The lead Prowler stopped, turning back to him with a dangerous glint in his eye. “Is that so?”

Max smirked, his eyes daring. “It takes more than brute force to keep people loyal. You wouldn’t understand.”

The Prowler’s expression darkened, and in a swift, brutal motion, he grabbed Max by the collar and shoved him back against the bar. “Enough games. Tell us who or what you’re hiding, or I’ll make sure this ends badly for you.”

Max felt the cold press of the obsidian blade against his throat, but he held the Prowler’s gaze, unflinching. He wouldn’t give them the satisfaction. “I don´t even know who you´re talking about,” he said evenly, even as his heart thundered in his chest.

"A girl. Around sixteen. Brown hair. Purple eyes. She killed two of our own four months ago."

"Prowlers getting their asses handed to them by a teenager is definitely something to be ashamed about," he remarked. "And here I thought you guys were invincible. Well, before that one time multiple Prowlers were found dead in the square a couple of weeks ago, at least."

"How do you know about that?" he asked, his grip tightening further and face contorted with anger.

Max chuckled, coughing. "Everyone knows. . . a dead Prowler is the most interesting thing that´s happened in decades."

Upstairs, Siri held Ash close, her hand firm over his mouth as he began to squirm, his eyes wide with fear and confusion. He didn’t understand what was happening, and the need to do something, to help, made his body tremble. But Siri’s grip was iron; she couldn’t risk him making a sound. Below, she could hear Max’s voice, defiant and taunting, but there was an edge to it- a finality. Her throat tightened as dread settled into her bones.

Ash’s eyes darted to hers, pleading, and she finally loosened her grip. He took a deep, shuddering breath, and they crept to the edge of the staircase, peering down just in time to see the Prowler raise his knife, his cold eyes fixed on Max.

“Last chance,” the Prowler said, his voice low and deadly. “Tell us what we want to know, or suffer the consequences.”

The Prowler’s face twisted in irritation, and with one swift motion, he brought the blade down, the sharp sound of metal slicing through flesh echoing through the bar.

Siri gasped, clamping her hand over her mouth as she watched in horror. Beside her, Ash’s eyes went wide, a silent scream trapped in his throat as he stared, unable to look away. Max's body slumped, a final defiance frozen in his expression.

Siri pulled Ash back, her hands shaking as she held him close, her mind racing. They couldn’t stay here. They had to run, to get away before the Prowlers found them. She whispered in Ash’s ear, her voice barely a breath. “Stay quiet. We’re leaving.”

Ash shook violently, his small hand gripping hers tightly as they crept back into the shadows, hearts pounding as they slipped out of sight. 

The last thing Ash saw was Max's lifeless form, left behind as they fled into the darkness.