Ava exhaled, fingers tapping against the table.
Bai Manor. A fallback. A fortress. A place to rebuild.
Lucas had been playing the long game before she even stepped into his orbit.
And now?
He was offering her a seat at the table.
Ava leaned forward, voice measured. "If we have a backup, why stay here at all?"
Lucas grinned. "Because the bunker isn't dead yet, Beauty. And while it's still breathing, there's plenty to take."
Ava's jaw tightened. "You don't just want to leave. You want to strip this place for parts."
Lucas tilted his head, amused. "Harsh way of putting it. But accurate."
Ava inhaled sharply. "And how much time do we have before it all collapses?"
Lucas flicked a trade token into the air, catching it without looking.
"Three months. Maybe four if they can find a decent food source."
Ava's pulse kicked up. "That soon?"
Lucas smirked. "Sooner, if Zhao makes the wrong move."
Ava sat back, mind racing.
Three months. That wasn't enough time to fix anything.
