The world had turned to stone, and when it returned, the rules had changed. You had once been a diplomat for the U.S. government, navigating tense negotiations, brokering peace in the face of conflict. None of that mattered now.

Survival was the only language people spoke.

And Stanley Snyder? He was fluent.

You had known him before—not well, but enough to recognize the sharp-eyed soldier who now stood before you, rifle slung over his shoulder, gaze locked onto you with something unreadable.

“You,” he muttered, almost amused. “Didn’t think I’d see another government suit walking around in this mess.”

You crossed your arms, leveling him with a steady stare. “I could say the same for you. Last I checked, trigger fingers weren’t much use without orders to follow.”

A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. “You’d be surprised.”

The tension was thick—part familiarity, part danger. The world had changed, but some things hadn’t. Stanley was still a soldier. You were still a diplomat. And in a world without governments, without laws, that meant one thing:

The game had reset. And neither of you knew whose side you were on anymore.