Holding my breath I nervously knocked on the door three times, while waiting my mind was racing for what is to come.
After waiting for a while the door slowly opened a little and I saw someone look from the crack, which after he removed the door locking chain and opened the door fully.
What came into my sight was a 30ish year old, brown haired woman looking ferociously at my direction and asking something of his companion behind me in Spanish.
''Uhh guys? What's going on here?''
I mustered my courage to ask what they intended
''Strip.'' Answered the woman without offering any explanations.
''Here? Why should I? I am not into too aggressive chicks, and i'm definitely not swinging into dudes.''
''Quit your fucking bullshit and strip.'' Called out the man behind me and I could feel cold steel pushing at the back of my head.
Quite frankly never have I ever been threatened at gunpoint and I could sense from their tones that they were serious so I slowly raised my hands and started to take off my equipment and clothes.
The man behind me grabbed the back bag I was carrying and coldly watched as I started to lose more pieces of clothing covering my body.
After an excruciatingly long minute I was finally only left with my underwear and the woman in front of me stopped from going any further.
''Stop. That is enough, we just had to make sure you had not been bit for our safety.''
''Well you could just have believed me when I told you so.''
''Oh well do you believe everything that a stranger on internet tells you?''
''Fair enough.''
''The name is Elena. How and why did you come to this place.''
As I recounted my last few days for her and tried to ask what the hell was going on with the blockade, the sound of something crashing was heard down the stairway.
''Don't mind the sound, it's just Carlos venting his frustration on those walking pieces of shit, by the way you have some luxury goods stashed in your bag'' Elena smiled faintly as she looked at the man that took my back bag waving protein bars and high calorie supplies.
''Uhh yeah, I guess. Was lucky to buy a lot of them before this mess started.''
''Then you don't mind sharing right?''
It truly was not a question but asked just for the sake of appearances.
''The dude truly has some nice stuff here, now we can eat happily for a few days'' The man flicked a protein bar at Elena and put his pistol away before unwrapping one for himself.
''You truly are a lucky guy Jaume, finding wealthy straggler just minute after you started the lookout.'' Elena said in good humor and Jaume just shrugged his shoulders in response.
''What can I say, my status board luck agrees with you 100%''
At that moment Richard realized he had the level up from before and hadn't had the time to check it yet.
He called up his status board silently in his head and saw one new item on the status.
✶ Richard Morrison ✶
Title Job / Class Deathseeker - None -
Level 1 Primary attributes Secondary attributes Skills Expand/hide Unspent attributes Strength - 10 Luck - 7 Unarmed - 5 Sword skills - 2 5 Agility - 6 Charm - 5 Knife skills - 3 Ranged attacks - 4
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Vitality - 8
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Staff mastery - 1
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Stamina - 7
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Hp 98/102 Intelligence - 11 Mp 55/55 Spirit - 9
''5 whole points??? That's insane amount of upgrade that I could get right away and on the street I was toiling and sweating like a chump.''
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Richard thought to himself silently and finally remembered the words from the previously unknown man, Jaume.
''Uhh hey Jaume. How much is your luck value since I feel super lucky to get a safe place to be with such good people as you?''
Richard hoped that little flattery could help getting any useful information about stats and secretly compare his stats on the high or low end.
''I usually would want to keep everything about stats secret because it can reveal too much about your ability but since you were so generous with all these snacks and water I might as well tell you that this son of heaven has 11 points in luck!''
''Wow! That's quite a number, did you put your level up bonus points in it?''
''Oh look at our little noob, now it is quite probable that you are just level 0 or 1 coward since if you don't even know that charm and luck are secondary attributes that can't be assigned any points.''
Jaume mocked Richard openly for his weakness and Elena intervened before the cheery mood was totally gone,
''Come on now Jaume, we can now just take it easy for today and move on to the planned escape from the city tomorrow, there is no point in arguing about it now.'' Jaume raised one eyebrow doubtfully and looked at me slightly coldly.
''Fine, I'm going to get Carlos and Marc for good snacks so just chill here for a moment Elena and don't let the newbie expose our location here.''
''Of course, we have big plans tomorrow so can't have zombies finding out we are still here.'' Elena winked at Jaume playfully and he in turn just nodded and went his way.
I could not help but feel curious what kind of big plans they had to escape the city but before that I had to know why the streets were so relatively deserted and so Elena helpfully clarified some of the situation.
''When the tragedy occurred, the Spanish government sent all nationals sms messages informing them to leave the city area as quietly as possible and carry as much supplies and necessities as possible. Every family, every man woman and child owning cell phone with Spanish phone number in the area got the same message telling that unbelievable things such as zombies are here.''
''While most people did not believe it, there were links in the message that had few different videos of zombie attacks as proof and so vast majority fled the city as quietly and fast as they could, since in the message it was also said that the entire city must be quarantined and all exits to be blocked to contain the zombie infestation.''
''I see... that explains a lot, but still how could they be so ruthless that they did not even consider tourists and people like me ?''
''I don't think you should hate the way the government handled this, it was elected to serve the people of this country, right? And by wasting resources, such as rescue operations in tourist filled streets they would put their limited manpower overtaxed. So they made a cruel decision and basically left you to your own luck. We too are still here because we were too slow, granted we slept over the alarm but I guess it's every man and woman for themselves. Even our neighbors could have forcibly awaken us but did not do so.''
I was speechless at the cruel decision to leave out all tourists and travelers from the evacuation order while at the back of my head I knew that it was sort of a logical decision. Tens of thousands tourists on the one hand, and even more locals on the other.
''So what now? How are we going to escape the city when all exits are blockaded?''
''We know a secretive way but it is going to be likely a little dangerous.''
''Isn't it the same as here?''
Elena laughed at my comment and replied in a gleeful manner. ''Yeah it indeed is, so you want in?''
''Fuck yeah I am in, there is no way I'm going to stay here.''
''Alrighty then, welcome to the crew. Pick a room in any of the apartments and rest till morning, it is going to be a long day. Oh right, you will be sharing the food you brought for all of us to be in tip-top condition so take some with you and we will knock on your room when it is time to depart.''
''Yeah it's fine, I will go prepare myself for the great escape then.'' Richard said in a mild manner and started to unload his food and drink supply for the crew, leaving essentials only for the day for himself.
As Elena watched Richard picking a suitable room for himself a cold sneer formed on her lips and chuckled quietly, and when Richard had finally picked a room and took residence in it Elena chuckled quietly and mumbled.
''If all goes well tomorrow, you don't need to prepare too much...''
Later that day, when the dusk was settling in Marc, Carlos and Jaume came knocking Elena's door.
Three reasonably quiet knocking sounds echoed in the hallway as Marc, Carlos and Jaume waited a moment for response from behind the door.
''Elena it's us''
''Come in.''
As the three men entered Elena's room and closed the door the previously unseen member of the crew Marc asked Elena in direct manner.''
''So is he of any use to us?''
''Everyone has his or her usefulness, even that little lamb.''
''So how do you intend to utilize his...talents''
''I was thinking of ways to escape this city, and finally the final piece of the puzzle fell in our laps. You tell me what do you think his talents are?''
Jaume exclaimed at this point. '' You can't possibly think about escaping from THERE ? ''
''Bingoo, and the winner of this round is our lucky star Jaumeeee!''
''Well it felt bit too strange to see you being all nice and shit, boss lady you gave me the creeps with you smiling like that to that chump.''
Jaume faked excessive shuddering while shaking his head, which after he broke into a big grin. '' Seems like our time locked up in Valencia is about over, and the chump brought us some pretty fucking nice snacks to celebrate his promotion of trash to bait.''
Elena covered her mouth with her hand and laughed quietly before telling the crew seriously.
''He can't find out about it before it is too late, act normal, don't scare him off and try to refrain from telling him useful information about stats and so on. That way it should be easier for us to lure him in ''
'’All right, cheers for tomorrow!''
**CHEERS**