Chapitre 138: Chapter 137: Shadows Over the Slums
As the morning sunlight streamed through the haze of smoke, Cole stood on a rooftop overlooking the war-torn slums. His face was stoic, but inside, his mind raced with the weight of what lay ahead. The resistance had managed to push back the city's forces for now, but Cole knew this victory was temporary. The city would not let the slums go unpunished. They would come back harder, and the next battle could break everything they'd fought for.
The slums were alive with activity below. Fighters were moving through the streets, carrying supplies, tending to the wounded, and fortifying positions. The air was thick with the scent of burning debris and the underlying hum of tension. Everyone knew the city would return, but no one was ready to back down.
Lina climbed up onto the rooftop, moving quietly until she stood beside him. She didn't say anything at first, just gazed out at the destruction. Her usual fierce expression was softened by exhaustion. It had been a long, brutal night, and there were more battles ahead.
"Looks like we bought ourselves some time," she finally said, her voice low.
Cole nodded, not taking his eyes off the horizon. "Not enough, though."
"Time's never enough," she muttered. "But it's all we've got."
Cole's grip on the railing tightened. He could feel the weight of leadership pressing down on him more than ever. The people of the slums were looking to him, trusting him to lead them through this war. And while they had scored a victory, it had come with heavy losses. The dead and wounded littered the streets, and the weight of their sacrifice was something he couldn't ignore.
"They'll regroup," Cole said, his voice dark. "And when they do, it won't just be soldiers and tanks. The city's got more resources than we can imagine. It's only a matter of time before they unleash something worse."
Lina glanced at him, her jaw clenched. "So what's the plan?"
Cole stayed silent for a moment, his eyes scanning the broken landscape before them. He didn't have a solid answer, not yet. The resistance had been fighting on instinct, using the slums as their battlefield, but that could only get them so far. They needed something more. They needed a way to strike at the heart of the city, to hit them where it hurt.
"We take the fight to them," Cole said finally, his voice filled with determination. "We stop waiting for them to come to us. We hit them before they have a chance to regroup."
Lina raised an eyebrow. "You want to go on the offensive?"
"We don't have a choice," Cole replied. "We've been playing defense this whole time, and it's only gotten us so far. If we want to survive, we need to change the game."
Lina's eyes narrowed as she considered his words. "It's risky. If we move too fast, we could lose everything."
"I know," Cole said, his voice hard. "But if we stay here and wait, we'll be slaughtered when they come back. We have to disrupt their operations, force them to spread their forces even thinner."
Lina's expression hardened, a grim smile forming on her lips. "Sounds like you've got a plan."
Cole finally looked at her, his eyes blazing with determination. "I do. But first, we need to rally the people. This fight is bigger than us, bigger than just the slums. We need everyone on board."
---
By midday, Cole had gathered the core leaders of the resistance in the basement of an old, abandoned warehouse they had turned into their makeshift headquarters. Ty, Zack, Maria, and Lina sat around the table, their faces marked with exhaustion but their eyes sharp with focus. The room was dimly lit, the only light coming from a single hanging bulb that flickered intermittently.
"We've bought ourselves time, but not much," Cole began, his voice steady as he addressed the group. "The city's forces are going to regroup, and when they do, they'll hit us harder than ever. We can't wait for them to come to us. We need to go on the offensive."
Zack leaned forward, rubbing his temples. "How exactly do you plan on doing that? We're barely holding them off as it is."
Cole placed a map of the city on the table, his eyes narrowing as he pointed to several key locations. "We know the city's operations are heavily reliant on a few key resources—power, supplies, communications. If we can disrupt those, we'll force them to divert their attention. We hit their supply chains, their communication towers, their power grids. We make it impossible for them to coordinate their attacks."
Maria, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. "You're talking about hitting targets deep inside the city. That's dangerous. We're talking about sending people into enemy territory."
"I know it's dangerous," Cole replied, his voice firm. "But it's our only shot. If we keep fighting them head-on in the slums, we'll be wiped out. We need to force them to spread their forces, to make mistakes."
Ty scratched his chin, a thoughtful look on his face. "So, hit-and-run tactics, sabotage, guerilla warfare?"
"Exactly," Cole said. "We hit them where it hurts, and we disappear before they can retaliate. We keep them off balance."
Lina folded her arms, her expression unreadable. "You're asking people to risk their lives, Cole. You're asking them to go into the lion's den."
"I'm not asking anyone to do anything I wouldn't do myself," Cole replied, his eyes locking with hers. "This is a fight for our survival. If we don't take the fight to them, we lose everything."
The room fell silent as the weight of Cole's words sank in. They all knew the risks. They all knew what was at stake. But the alternative was far worse.
Ty finally broke the silence, a grin spreading across his face. "Hell, I'm in. I've always wanted to blow up a power grid."
Zack chuckled, shaking his head. "You're insane."
"Probably," Ty replied, still grinning.
Maria sighed, running a hand through her hair. "It's risky, but it's better than sitting here waiting to die. I'm in too."
Lina remained silent for a moment longer, her gaze never leaving Cole's. Finally, she nodded. "Alright. Let's do it."
Cole felt a wave of relief wash over him, but he knew this was just the beginning. The fight was far from over, and the challenges ahead were greater than anything they had faced so far.
---
The next few days were spent preparing for the operation. Cole and his crew worked tirelessly, gathering intel on the city's key infrastructure points, mapping out their routes, and assembling the necessary supplies. The resistance fighters moved through the slums with renewed purpose, their determination strengthened by the knowledge that they were no longer just defending—they were taking the fight to the enemy.
Cole barely slept, his mind constantly racing with thoughts of what was to come. Every detail had to be perfect, every step had to be planned. The city's forces were powerful, but they were also arrogant. They didn't expect the people of the slums to strike back, to take the fight to their doorstep.
On the night before the operation, Cole found himself standing on the rooftop of the safe house once again, looking out over the slums. The fires had been extinguished, but the scars of battle remained. The people of the slums had lost so much, but they had gained something too—a sense of unity, of purpose. They were no longer just surviving. They were fighting for their future.
Lina joined him on the rooftop, her footsteps quiet as she approached. She stood beside him, her gaze fixed on the horizon.
"Tomorrow's going to be rough," she said quietly.
Cole nodded, his jaw tight. "Yeah. But we're ready."
She glanced at him, her expression softening for a moment. "You've come a long way, Cole. From the streets, to the fights, to… all of this. I don't think any of us would've made it this far without you."
Cole's lips curved into a small, grim smile. "I couldn't have done it without all of you."
For a moment, they stood in silence, the weight of what lay ahead pressing down on them. There was no guarantee they would make it through this. But they had come too far to turn back now.
"Whatever happens tomorrow," Cole said, his voice low but firm, "we don't stop. We keep fighting until they can't ignore us anymore. Until they understand that we're not going to back down."
Lina nodded, her eyes fierce. "No matter what."
The next morning, as the sun began to rise over the war-torn slums, Cole and his crew set out on their mission. The fight was far from over, but they were ready.
And this time, they were taking the battle straight to the heart of the city.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone