Gerald stared at the guard for several seconds, his anger slowly turning into something colder. “Take me to your leader. I want to speak with Victor immediately, because I want to understand how you people can remove all four tires from my vehicle after I have spent the last three days working like an ordinary refugee and contributing to this settlement. I have followed your rules, carried your supplies, helped with your work, and caused no trouble, so explain to me why my vehicle is suddenly being stripped for parts simply because someone decided the tires were useful.”The guard looked at his companion, and both men suddenly laughed.One of them stepped forward with a mocking smile. “You really think you can walk in here, demand to see the leader, and complain about resources? You're a refugee. You don't give orders here.”Gerald's expression hardened. “I didn't ask for special treatment. I'm asking for my property back. If you want something from me, you can ask instead of steali

The robbers slowly lowered their weapons.There was no longer any confidence in their faces. A few of them glanced at the men Gerald and the others had already disarmed, clearly realizing that trying to fight would only make the situation worse.Gerald kept the weapon trained on them. “Nobody move. You tried to threaten us a moment ago, so don't expect me to suddenly trust you because you've realized you're outnumbered.”The robber leader swallowed hard and slowly raised both hands. “Fine. We'll cooperate.”“Good,” Gerald said. “That's the only sensible decision you've made since we arrived.”He looked toward Janet and Jason. “Start packing. Take the food, medicine, batteries, tools, and anything else that can be useful. Don't waste time carrying things we don't need.”Janet immediately grabbed an empty bag and began filling it with canned food. Jason followed, moving between the shelves and gathering equipment.The other settlers quickly joined them.The robbers remained where they

The old man's final words left everyone silent for several seconds. Janet's mother looked at him with disbelief while Gerald studied his face carefully, trying to determine whether he was telling the truth or simply repeating a rumor he had heard from someone else.“Do you actually know what you're saying?” Janet's father finally asked. “You're accusing the people who run this settlement of making residents disappear. That's a serious accusation. Are you certain you really saw what you claim you saw?”The old man nodded without hesitation. “I know exactly what I'm saying. I've lived here long enough to know what happens. At least five people I personally knew have disappeared since I arrived here, and every time someone asks where they went, we're given some excuse about them leaving for resources or moving to another part of the settlement.”Gerald folded his arms. “What if they're simply leaving to search for resources and never returning? The world outside is dangerous. People

Gerald found Janet near the vehicle, where she was helping her parents arrange the supplies they had brought back from the resource mission. She looked up when she saw him approaching, but the moment she noticed the expression on his face, her smile disappeared.“What happened?” Janet asked, walking toward him. “You look like something went terribly wrong.”Gerald glanced around to make sure nobody was close enough to hear them before lowering his voice. “We need to talk somewhere private. What I'm about to tell you is going to sound impossible, but you need to trust me until I show you the evidence.”Janet immediately became worried. “Is it Jason? Did you find him?”Gerald paused for a moment before answering. “I found something worse. I went into the restricted section because I believed the guards were hiding something about the people who disappeared. I was right, but I wasn't prepared for what I found.”Janet's breathing became faster. “What did you find?”Gerald looked direct

The uprising spread through the settlement within minutes. The guards who had once controlled every entrance were suddenly overwhelmed by the very people they had been protecting. Refugees poured into the restricted section, demanding answers about their missing friends and relatives, while several settlers who had discovered the truth began pointing toward the executive buildings.Gerald didn't wait.“Don't let Victor escape,” he told the people closest to him. “If he's responsible for this, we need to find him before he disappears.”Several settlers immediately followed him.Gerald moved through the executive corridor with Janet, Jason, Jude, and a group of angry residents behind him. Doors had been forced open, offices had been overturned, and executives who had previously walked through the settlement with authority were now desperately trying to escape.One of them attempted to run through a side passage.A group of settlers intercepted him.“Where are you going?” one of them