NOVEL NEXT CHAPTER 106: Day Six
Clark met Olivia when the group returned from the Portal Crusher settlement.
Clark frowned, "I still don't trust Atlas. His words are completely untrustworthy. Just think about it, Olivia. Why would he give us these bars out of nowhere? He’s up to something. He always is."
Olivia shook her head, holding up the vegan Ultra Manly Buff Bars. "Look at these, Clark. They even thought of us with these gifts. I think their intentions are good."
Clark grimaced at the sight of the bars. "Gifts? Since when does Atlas just give things away? He’s trying to soften us up, make us lower our guard. These bars are just part of his plan to trick us into thinking he’s on our side. But think about it—he's always been about control. What’s his angle here?"
‘How did they even manage to give away these gross things?‘
"Maybe he's just trying to build trust," Olivia replied, her voice calm. "Not everyone is out to get us, Clark. We've been through a lot, sure, but that doesn't mean we have to assume the worst every time someone offers a hand."
Clark leaned in, his expression serious. "Olivia, you’re not seeing the bigger picture. Atlas doesn’t do anything without a reason. He’s cunning. These bars? They’re just bait. He’s waiting for us to take it so he can reel us in. I’ve seen this play out before—he’s looking to control us, to make us dependent on him."
Olivia sighed, holding her ground. "Clark, I appreciate your concern, but I don't think that's what's happening here. Atlas has done nothing but help us. Maybe, just maybe, he's actually trying to work together this time."
Clark ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident. "And what if you’re wrong? What if this is all part of some twisted game he’s playing? You know how dangerous he can be. He’s not doing this out of the kindness of his heart. He wants something, and when he doesn't get it, we'll be the ones to pay the price."
Olivia met his gaze steadily. "Maybe. But until I see proof that Atlas is planning something, I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt. We can’t live in constant fear of betrayal, Clark. Sometimes, we have to take a leap of faith."
Clark exhaled sharply, realizing he wasn’t going to change her mind. "Alright, clearly I'm not convincing you, Olivia. I'm heading out with the hunters for the morning."
"Sounds good," Olivia replied. "See you this evening."
Clark shook his head as he walked away, a deep sense of unease settling in his gut. ‘This is going to come back to screw us,‘ he thought, but Olivia’s optimism was unwavering.
‘‘‘
Thirty minutes later, the Portal Crushers teleported into the Earth Children’s camp. "Everyone get on the floor now!" they yelled loudly as they ran in from the secondary teleportation point.
‘I’d definitely be tossing in some flashbangs if this were the real world. I wonder if it’s possible here? Seriously. Pay attention, brain. You’re leading this takedown,‘ thought Atlas as he stormed into the camp.
With the tension thick in the air, Olivia’s heart raced as she tried to make sense of the chaos unfolding around her. The Portal Crushers, clad in armor and demon dog helmets, wielding their weapons, had stormed her peaceful camp with a force that left no room for resistance.
“Get down, get down!” the Portal Crushers kept shouting, their voices echoing off the surrounding trees. The hippies, now weaponless with their hunters gone, were caught completely off guard. They had always prided themselves on their peaceful ways, but now, staring down the cold steel of the Portal Crushers’ weapons, they realized just how vulnerable they were.
Olivia’s voice cut through the panic, trembling with a mixture of fear and confusion. “What’s going on?” she shouted, trying to regain some semblance of control. But before she could get an answer, Atlas and John rushed up to her, blades drawn, their faces set with grim determination.
“Olivia,” Atlas began, his tone commanding, “I know you’re not going to believe us, so just get your people to calm down. We don’t want to hurt anybody.”
The reality of the situation began to sink in as Olivia looked around her. The Portal Crushers had already forced her people into a rough circle, the hippies huddled together on the ground, eyes wide with fear. Despite the lack of immediate violence, the threat was clear.
“Alright,” Atlas continued, his voice cutting through the chaos. “Here’s the deal. We’re taking over your settlement. Olivia, I need you to gather everything in this settlement that you guys want to take with you because we’re taking you home with us.”
One of the hippies, a man whose beret had been knocked to the ground in the scuffle, found his voice. “We’re not going anywhere. We have the right to protest. We have the right to our own settlement!” he declared, his words filled with defiance.
Atlas didn’t even flinch. “Isabella,” he said calmly.
Before the man could react, Isabella stepped forward, the hilt of her sword striking with precision. The protester crumpled to the ground, unconscious, his words silenced as quickly as they had been spoken.
The message was clear: resistance would not be tolerated. The Portal Crushers were here to take control, and nothing would stand in their way. Olivia, her heart heavy with the weight of the situation, could do nothing but comply as the fate of her people hung in the balance.
‘I should have listened to Clark,‘ she thought. ‘He was absolutely right. Atlas is a huge jerk. And I fell for it. Why can’t people just get along? It was hard enough dealing with all the stress of survival in this world without having to fight other humans.‘ This thought made her sad.
“Isabella, Alexander, take Olivia and help her grab everything you need,” Atlas commanded. "We have to be able to carry it all so that we can teleport with it."
"What about our co-op center?" Olivia asked, her voice tinged with desperation.
"That, unfortunately, is going to have to burn," Atlas replied coldly. "But you can take whatever is in there."
The Portal Crushers watched as the hippies reluctantly began gathering their belongings. It took them thirteen minutes to pull together what they could carry. The air was thick with fear, filled with the sound of muffled sobs and complaints. Some of the hippies were openly defiant, grumbling about refusing to leave.
Atlas, growing impatient, rounding them up. "OK, let's get you all out of here," he said, gesturing toward the teleportation point. The group shuffled along, their spirits broken.
"I'm not leaving here," one hippie suddenly declared, stopping in his tracks.
Isabella, without a moment’s hesitation, grabbed the man by his man bun and yanked him to the ground. "Oh, yes you are," she hissed, dragging him across the dirt as the others looked on in horror. The sight of their comrade being subdued so easily silenced any further resistance.
They walked to the secondary teleportation point, the Earth’s Children beaten down and compliant. Atlas took out his return token, crushing it in his hand.
‘Pssssshhhting.‘
In an instant, they were back at the Portal Crushers’ camp. The familiar surroundings offered no comfort to the captured hippies, who now found themselves at the mercy of their captors.
“Amber!” Atlas called out, his voice cutting through the commotion. “We’ve got the POWs.”
‘‘‘‘‘
CELESTIAL WAGER POV
Onboard The Celestial Wager, the atmosphere was buzzing with anticipation as the scene unfolded below. Zeltrax leaned back, his translucent skin glowing faintly as he watched the chaos.
"I had five hundred on at least one casualty," he muttered, his three green eyes narrowing as the Portal Crushers successfully captured the settlement without any deaths.
Kroxar, the tentacled cynic, chuckled darkly. "You should’ve known better, Zeltrax. Atlas doesn’t like unnecessary bloodshed. I had a bet on no casualties. Easy win."
Gorvax grumbled, "I was hoping for a little more action. These humans are too soft."
Virelia, the elegant waitress with luminescent tendrils, floated by, her voice smooth as silk. "It seems you’ve lost your touch, Zeltrax." She handed out some drink bulbs as she was speaking.
"Damn it," Zeltrax cursed under his breath, "all those coins... gone."
As he watched the scoreboard adjust to reflect the latest outcome, he couldn’t help but feel a sting of frustration. But in the end, it was all part of the game—a game where even the most cunning bettors sometimes walked away empty-handed.
***
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