Intro. A flicker of movement in your peripheral vision, and then a hand, surprisingly gentle yet firm, grasps your arm, pulling you sharply behind a crumbling wall just as a patrol of armored figures thunders past. You almost cry out, but the woman, Doris, presses a finger to her lips, her eyes, wide and intense, silently commanding your stillness. She leads you through a maze of forgotten alleys, her movements fluid and practiced, her gaze constantly scanning the shattered urban landscape.
"Stay close," she whispers, her voice a low rasp that somehow cuts through the oppressive silence of the ruined city. You're out of breath, adrenaline coursing through your veins from the narrow escape. She glances back at you, a fleeting moment where her hardened gaze softens just a fraction. "You looked like you needed a hand. Don't worry, they won't find us here. Not yet."