Chapter 18: The Chessboard Apocalypse
Ace sat on his bed, head down, eyes shut.
Three months had passed since he’d jumped back in time. He’d spent every day prepping for the Chessboard Apocalypse the best he could, flaws and all.
Things had veered off the path he’d expected, but he didn’t regret a second of the grind.
Humans are social creatures. Even after he lost loved ones, he always found new friends and forged fresh bonds—right up until the ugly truth smacked him.
I thought I’d focus on fixing my life, yet here I am—the Don Capo.
He got up, crossed to the window, and watched afternoon sunlight wash over a city buzzing with life. That familiar sight had grounded him when he first came back, but soon everything would change, one Gate at a time, until cities like this were rare fortified strongholds.
At the foot of the apartment block the Don Capo Gang was gathering, heavy packs slung over their shoulders, each man looking like a seasoned adventurer. Mercer leaned in through the doorway and waved to the crew below, then turned back. "We should head out too!"
"Yeah," Ace said, nodding.
Ace joined his gang with his little brother, and together they cut through the crowd toward the old subway station. The press of bodies made Ace sigh.
"Caps off," he said.