Sapphire of Espionage

Chapter 7: Surviving without money

Frustrated by the lack of cooperation, the agents' impatience boiled over as they forced entry into the home despite the woman's protests. "Get out of my house before I call the cops," she demanded, her voice a mix of anger and fear.

In response, the agents confiscated and destroyed her phone, eliminating her means of calling for help. They began a thorough search of the house, leaving no stone unturned in their quest to locate the elusive trio.
---
The city's pulse throbbed around the trio as they navigated its streets, a stark reminder of their precarious freedom. Hunger gnawed at Kaida, her stomach's protests breaking the silence. "I'm so hungry," she confessed, her thoughts turning to more earthly concerns.

Alvis, ever focused on their situation, dismissed the notion. "This isn't the time to be thinking about food," he chided, though his own hunger betrayed him with a timely growl.

Kaida seized the moment, "Let's go get some food," she suggested, only to be reminded by Alvis of their financial predicament. "We don't even have money for food," he pointed out.

Undeterred, Kaida proposed a solution that crossed moral lines. "That's not a problem. We can just steal from the people," she said, a hint of desperation in her voice.

Ian, the moral compass of the group, was quick to reject the idea. "No way, stealing is wrong no matter how much it benefits us," he asserted, his principles unwavering.

Kaida, frustrated, challenged him. "Got any better idea, Mr. Nice Guy?" she asked, her tone laced with sarcasm.

Ian's response was one of optimism and faith in the kindness of strangers. "Well, we can just go to a restaurant and ask for free food nicely, I'm sure they'd understand," he suggested, hopeful for a compassionate ear.

Kaida was skeptical. "They'll think we're scamming them," she countered, her cynicism a stark contrast to Ian's idealism.

Alvis attempted to refocus their priorities. "We'll worry about food later, guys," he said, trying to steer them away from the immediate issue.

But hunger was a powerful motivator, and both Kaida and Ian were united in their dissent. "No," they said in unison, their stomachs ruling over strategy.

Reluctantly, Alvis conceded. "Fine, let's just go with Ian's plan," he agreed, albeit with reservations.

Kaida, still doubtful, acquiesced. "It's not gonna work but worth a try," she admitted, the trio's survival instincts pushing them towards an uncertain solution.

---

The trio found themselves in a bustling restaurant, surrounded by the aroma of freshly cooked meals. They settled into their seats, and a menu was promptly offered to them.

Ian flipped through the menu, a sense of nostalgia washing over him. "Been a while since I used one of these," he remarked.

"Or ate good food," Kaida added, her stomach rumbling in agreement.

"So, what are we ordering?" Alvis inquired, looking over the extensive list of dishes.

Ian called the waiter over to their table. "Uhm, ma'am. Can we please have food? Like, we're really hungry," he pleaded.

The waiter responded with a professional smile. "Okay, anything you want is on the menu."

Ian didn't hold back. "I'll have three burgers, a large pizza, a bucket of chicken nuggets, some fries, and a soda," he listed, his mouth watering at the thought.

"And your friends?" the waiter turned to Kaida.

"Meat! A steak, some ribs, sausages, chicken legs, and cheese sauce on the side," Kaida ordered, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.