Capítulo 115: Chapter 115: The Tension Mounts
The slums were quieter than usual the day after the battle. It was a strange kind of silence, one that hovered over the streets, filling the spaces between broken windows and crumbling walls. It wasn't a peaceful quiet—it was the kind that came after a storm, when everyone was waiting to see if the worst had truly passed.
Cole stood on a rooftop, looking down at the streets below. His body still ached from the fight, and the adrenaline that had kept him moving through the battle had long since faded. The slums had won, but it hadn't been easy. People were injured, some were dead, and the air was thick with the knowledge that this wasn't the last time they'd have to defend their homes.
"You're thinking too hard," Lina said from behind him. She walked over, joining him at the edge of the roof, her sharp gaze sweeping across the streets below. "It's quiet now, but you know they'll come back."
Cole nodded, his face set in grim determination. "Yeah, they will. And next time, they'll be even more prepared. They'll bring more forces, more weapons. They're not going to let this stand."
Lina crossed her arms, her expression serious. "We need to be ready for that. The people fought hard yesterday, but they're exhausted. We can't ask them to keep going like this."
Cole knew she was right. The people of the slums had risen up to defend their homes, but they weren't soldiers. They were tired, scared, and many of them were still reeling from the aftermath of the battle. If the city brought the full force of its military next time, Cole wasn't sure how long they could hold out.
He clenched his fists, frustration boiling inside him. He had always been a fighter, but this—leading a revolution, trying to rebuild a community while defending it from a force that vastly outnumbered them—it was a different kind of battle.
Lina seemed to sense his frustration. She placed a hand on his arm, her voice softer now. "We can't do this alone, Cole. We're going to need help."
Cole turned to her, his expression unreadable. "And who's going to help us? The city doesn't care about the slums. They never have."
She hesitated for a moment, then spoke. "Not everyone in the city's against us. There are people out there—activists, sympathizers—who don't agree with how the slums have been treated. We need to reach out, find allies who can help us when the city comes for us again."
Cole's eyes narrowed as he considered her words. It was a dangerous game, trusting people from outside the slums. But he knew she was right. If they were going to survive, they couldn't keep fighting alone.
"Fine," Cole said after a long pause. "We'll send out feelers, see who we can trust. But we're not relying on anyone else. We keep fighting, with or without their help."
Lina gave a small nod. "I'll start making some calls."
---
The rest of the day passed in a blur of recovery and planning. The slums were still licking their wounds from the previous day's battle, but Cole knew they couldn't afford to rest for long. The city had backed off, for now, but it was only a matter of time before they returned. They had to be ready.
Ty and Zack were busy fortifying the remaining barricades, preparing for the next wave. They had already scouted the surrounding areas, looking for weak spots that could be exploited in the next fight. Cole joined them for a while, offering his input on where they could set up ambush points and how to better distribute their forces. They didn't have the luxury of time or resources, so every move had to count.
"You think they'll hit us harder next time?" Zack asked as they finished setting up a new defensive line near one of the slum's main entrances.
"They'll bring everything they have," Cole replied, wiping the sweat from his brow. "They know we're not backing down, so they'll try to crush us fast before we can organize."
Zack grinned, the adrenaline from the previous day still lingering. "Good. Let 'em try. We'll give them a fight they won't forget."
Cole admired Zack's confidence, but he couldn't shake the weight of responsibility pressing down on him. This wasn't just about survival anymore—it was about protecting an entire community, and one wrong move could cost them everything.
---
As the sun began to set, casting long shadows over the streets, Cole gathered with the rest of the crew at the safe house. It had become their headquarters, the place where they made all the decisions that would affect the slums. Tonight, it was filled with tension.
"We've gotten word that the city's regrouping," Maria said, her expression grave as she addressed the group. "They're calling in reinforcements from outside the city. They're not going to let this stand."
Cole leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. "How much time do we have?"
"Maybe a week, at best," Maria replied. "They're moving fast."
Ty, who was seated nearby, let out a low whistle. "So we've got seven days to prepare for the next attack. Great."
Zack, ever the optimist, grinned. "More than enough time. We'll be ready for them."
But Cole wasn't so sure. They had been lucky in the first battle, catching the task force off guard and using the narrow streets to their advantage. But the city wouldn't make the same mistake twice. They'd come back with better tactics, better weapons, and more manpower. The slums were tough, but they weren't invincible.
"We need more than just barricades," Cole said, pushing off the wall and moving toward the table where the map of the slums lay. "We need a plan. A real plan."
Lina, who had been sitting quietly up until now, leaned forward. "I've been thinking about that. We need to do more than just defend the slums—we need to show the city that we can hit back."
Maria raised an eyebrow. "You're talking about going on the offensive?"
Lina nodded. "We know the city's coming for us. But what if, instead of waiting for them to make the first move, we take the fight to them? We could hit their supply lines, disrupt their operations before they can even get here."
Zack's eyes lit up at the idea. "I like it. We hit them where it hurts."
Ty, always the cautious one, frowned. "It's risky. If we move too soon, we could provoke them into coming at us even harder."
Cole listened to the back and forth, his mind racing as he considered the options. Lina was right—they couldn't just keep waiting for the city to strike. But Ty had a point too. If they weren't careful, they could bring the full wrath of the city down on the slums before they were ready.
"We'll need to be smart about this," Cole said, his voice cutting through the conversation. "We hit them, but we do it in a way that throws them off balance. Disrupt their plans, slow them down, but don't give them a reason to come after us with everything they've got."
Maria nodded, her eyes thoughtful. "We can start by gathering intel. Find out where they're vulnerable."
Cole looked around at his crew—at the people who had been with him through every fight, every battle. They had come this far, and he wasn't about to let the city take it all away from them.
"Let's get to work," he said, his voice steady. "We've got a week to make sure the city regrets ever coming for us."
---
The next morning, Cole and Lina set out to gather information. They had contacts throughout the city, people who were sympathetic to their cause or just willing to sell information for the right price. It wasn't glamorous work, but it was necessary. They needed to know what the city was planning before the next wave hit.
As they walked through the slums, the weight of what was coming hung over them like a dark cloud. The people in the streets greeted Cole with nods of respect, but there was an unspoken fear in their eyes. They had won the first battle, but everyone knew it wasn't over.
"You think we'll get through this?" Lina asked quietly as they navigated the narrow alleyways.
Cole glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "We don't have a choice."
She gave a small smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "That's what I like about you, Cole. Always so optimistic."
He chuckled softly. "Someone has to be."
They reached the edge of the slums, where one of their contacts, a former city official named Reggie, was waiting. Reggie had been feeding them information about the city's plans for months, and now, they needed him more than ever.
"Reggie," Cole greeted him as they approached. "You got something for us?"
Reggie looked nervous, his eyes darting around as if he expected to be watched. "Yeah, but it's not good. The city's planning something big. They're calling in more troops, and they've got orders to 'end this rebellion by any means necessary.' They're not just going to push you out this time—they're going to wipe you out."
Cole's jaw tightened. "How soon?"
"Could be a few days, could be a week," Reggie replied, wiping sweat from his brow. "But they're coming. And they're bringing everything they've got."
Cole exchanged a glance with Lina, who was already thinking ahead.
"We'll be ready," Cole said, his voice steady despite the gravity of the situation. "Thanks for the heads-up."
Reggie nodded and quickly disappeared into the shadows.
As they made their way back to the slums, Cole's mind raced. They had known this was coming, but hearing it confirmed didn't make it any easier.
"We've got our work cut out for us," Lina said, her voice calm but serious.
Cole nodded, his gaze focused straight ahead. "Yeah. But we'll be ready."
The city thought it could crush them, but Cole wasn't about to let that happen. They had fought too hard, come too far, to be taken down now. The slums weren't just a place to live—they were a symbol of resistance, of hope. And Cole was determined to make sure that symbol stayed standing.
No matter the cost.
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