How long did she sleep? She didn't know. The last memory she could contextualize was that explosion. That blinding blue flash that had stunned her for a moment. And then nothing. Sometimes she thought she abused Ice too much, a drug popular among raiders. But it made her feel so good. The feeling of euphoria and joy it provided made her feel so alive, so in control of a world that seemed to have crumbled. It gave her the strength to face the hardships of survival in a devastated world. Opening her eyes, Filomena finds herself inside a spacious vehicle. Her hands and feet are tied.

Filomena is sitting on a chair, the vibrant colors of her hair reflecting her rebellious attitude and the contempt she feels for the world. Her tattooed face shows she doesn't adhere to conventional rules. She's the master of her destiny. Four people are watching her attentively. Those four look so miserable and defenseless, a perfect embodiment of everything she despises. As she watches them with a sarcastic smile, her heart beats in anticipation of what's about to happen.

"Well, well, look who we have here, a group of idiots who think they can challenge us." she taunts them. "You better release us. Right now." she urges them threateningly.

Her provocation is evident, and she doesn't hesitate to show her contempt for them.

"I see we're talkative, girl. I'm Otilia. Tell us what you are doing around here." the blonde woman, who seems to be the leader, asks her unimpressed.

The woman makes the mistake of approaching. Instantly, Filomena spits at her, hitting her in the face. Otilia wipes her face with her hand.

That despicable act of spitting in the face of the authoritative-looking woman, Otilia, is just a way to make her disdain clear. She hopes they've caught the message.

Saverio, the fifty-year-old man accompanying her on this reckless journey, tries to violently free himself from the restraints without success, then looks at them threateningly. His eyes radiate anger and challenge, and his sharp voice is like a blade ready to cut any attempt at dominance from them.

"You're picking a fight with the wrong people." he states confidently.

The hatred she feels for them, for everything they represent, is so intense she can almost taste it. She's sure her gaze and her voice are clearly conveying her sentiment. She and Saverio aren't here to be their victims.

"Be honest with yourselves, you won't get anything from us." Filomena says, sneering.

"Exactly, your threats won't make us flinch." Saverio confirms.

"You can remember my name: Filomena."

"And I'm Saverio. And know that you won't break us."

Their names are finally revealed, as if they were to be deprived of their ignorance. She is Filomena, and even if they don't understand it, she represents everything she detests in this world. Saverio, the armed force, the other side of the coin, presents himself as a tangible warning against their supremacy.

She feels powerful, even in this vulnerable situation. Their words, their threats, are futile. They know they're seeking information, but they've decided not to give them anything. The challenge has been thrown, and they're ready to endure it to the end.

The chestnut-haired boy seems on the verge of exploding with anger, his hands itching to strike them. His contorted expression embodies the frustration they're trying to evoke.

"I wish I could make you pay for what you've done!" the boy says through gritted teeth. Filomena bursts into laughter. She doesn't know who he's angry at, but they haven't done anything. Not yet, at least.
"Who knows you?" Filomena taunts him.
"I'm Michele, and you bastard raiders killed my family!"

The boy would like to lunge at their captives, but the mature woman steps in, blocking his path with her arm. Filomena thinks she's ruining the fun.

Otilia, the leader of their team, struggles to hide her contempt for them. Despite her efforts, Filomena can read the hatred in her eyes. It's a triumphant feeling.

"Your threats are useless. You're our prisoners." the blonde woman says with determination.

Filomena is skeptical of this confidence. A thrill of satisfaction runs down her spine when the red-haired boy starts to give in. Fear creeps in, and she sees him off to the side with lowered eyes, as if he wanted to avoid eye contact.
"Hey, red, what's happening? Come closer... Tell me..."
"Don't listen to her, Milano. She's trying to act tough, this raider scum." the brunette girl next to him tells him.
"Don't worry, Brina. I didn't expect anything better from Raiders." he replies resolutely.

"I've got it! I have two names for scum like you!" Brina exclaims as if she's had a revelation. "With those outlandish colors, you're definitely Nice-Hair, while you're clearly Shit-head." she says with a smirk. "Let's try it... Hey, Nice-Hair and Shit-head, are you having fun?"
Brina, with her sharp sarcasm like a blade, manages to elicit a mocking chuckle from them. Her irreverent response is like a breath of fresh air in this tension-filled room. Filomena can't help but admire the audacity.

"As soon as I'm free, I'll have fun with your body, and then I'll shave you bald. If you entertain me, maybe I'll spare your life." Saverio responds impassively.

Seeing the reactions in the eyes of the four losers who think they've captured them is almost orgasmic for Filomena.

"This annoyance is all your fault, Filomena." Saverio says.

"My fault? If we hadn't taken refuge under the bridge, the storm would have swept us away." she retorts annoyed. She remembers now. They were arguing about this when they were attacked.

"We should have headed straight for the shelter, you damn whore. We would have arrived in time, before encountering the storm."

"But shut up, idiot, I'm not risking my life for such a stupid idea."

"Do you think you can stand up to me, woman? Don't test me."

"Try it, asshole. I'm not like those little whores in the survivors' shelters that you can easily play with."

Michele lunges forward, avoiding being stopped by Otilia, and hits Saverio's ugly face with a powerful right hook.

"I'll kill you, bastard!"

With difficulty, Otilia and Milano drag the chestnut-haired boy named Michele away.

Saverio slowly turns his head in the direction of the boy who hit him.

He spits blood in his direction.

"Is this what you call a punch, miss? You're lucky I'm tied up."

Filomena bursts into laughter. "Well, you do have some guts!" The situation seems so absurd to her that she can't stop laughing.

"Michele, you need to calm down, or I'll have to tie you up too. I'm the one conducting the interrogation and deciding what to do with these criminals." the blonde woman reproves him.

The chestnut-haired boy calms down, with a beaten-dog expression. What a pathetic creature, Filomena thinks.

"Where is Toronto?" Otilia asks the prisoners.

"Toronto is everywhere! Hahaha!" the prisoner laughs.

"What a psycho..." Brina thinks aloud.

"She's high. When the effect wears off, she'll sell her own mother for a dose, and that's when she'll start talking." Otilia states disgustedly.

Then the blonde woman takes out a transparent container with blue pills inside.
She shakes it in front of her.
"It was in your things. It's pathetic that despite the world we're in, people waste precious resources on getting high. You're the scum of the worst kind."

For the first time since the beginning of this situation, Filomena starts to feel a bit anxious. She absolutely needs Ice. She would gladly take a pill right now. Afterward, she'd feel great immediately. She swallows, starting to sweat cold.

Saverio doesn't let Filomena's anxious gaze go unnoticed.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it... This fucking junkie will spill everything!" he complains, annoyed by his companion.

"I-it's not true, Saverio. I can resist! I'm fine..." Filomena tries to reassure him.

"Fucking junkie!" the man curses.

"Trust me, I won't say anything!" she tries to convince him.

Saverio doesn't respond and reflects for a few seconds, then turns to the four of them and says: "Listen, idiots. You have no idea what you've done. But since I'm feeling generous, I'll explain it to you." He clears his throat and then continues.

"Toronto will want a report from us soon. If we don't communicate our location as soon as possible, he'll get angry. And when Toronto gets angry... well, you don't want to find out."

"Tell us more about Toronto." Otilia urges him, unimpressed.

"You don't want to know about Toronto, and you don't even want to meet him. He's ferocity. He's the one who will clean up this corrupt world. He's a wolf in a world of sheep. I advise you to run, little sheep."

"Do you want to convince us that Toronto is a demon? A hungry wolf?" Otilia provokes him, trying to extract more details.

Saverio looks at her with a sardonic smile. "You wouldn't expect to understand, you who are just puppets in the hands of fate."

Brina bursts into laughter. "Look who's talking. You two are tied up here, at our mercy. Who's the puppet now?"

Saverio seems momentarily surprised by this response, then his smile widens. "You think you have the power right now, but Toronto has a broader vision. And when you face him, you'll understand you're nothing."

"What did Toronto ask you to do?" Otilia asks, trying to extract as much information as possible.

"Isn't it clear yet? To clean up the world." Saverio responds with a devilish smile.

"You want to kill the survivors?" Otilia asks shocked.

"BINGO! It's the law of the jungle, sweetness!" Filomena enthusiastically intervenes.

"The weak will be swept away, and we'll build a world of strong men!" Saverio adds satisfied.

"You're insane..." Michele says horrified.