Chapter 79
The Lydia Problem
The weakest, most common Afflicted are fast, strong, and excellent climbers. But they're as intelligent as a dog with far less self-control. The easiest way to kill them is by setting traps. I have several diagrams for traps based on descriptions from Future Man 10/16 himself...
What traps? Leo wondered while walking to school. The ones he'd told Mr. Osmond about? Uh, oh. Those traps could be dangerous, and not necessarily to the Afflicted. He made a mental note to talk to Mr. Osmond, and message The Professor.
Shank 66: Bad enough you're a terrorist, but now you're trying to bore us all to death, too?
Leo laughed at Shank 66's response to The Professor, right before running into a lamppost. Ow.
***
Leo pretended to pay attention to his class while attending an implant meeting set up by Mr. Osmond. It would have been hard to say which of the two was more boring.
Zrrkr #1: The Cobras showed up at my place yesterday. They're the local street gang. These ten guys were huge, and they all had guns. The Cobras fence stolen goods in my part of the city and they do not like competition. Of course, they found out about my stupid sister selling so-called-stolen Bio-Blessed.
Air-Mage 87: Did you call the police?
Zrrkr #1: Are you stupid, Liam? Some of the Cobras are police.
Teach: I've heard about that street gang. I'm glad you're still alive.
Zrrkr #1: You're telling me. I was trying to look calm, but inwardly I was terrified. The Cobras wanted to know how our friend could have robbed a dispensary, since they've tried to rob dispensaries many times, and didn't believe it was possible. Also, they have strict orders to kill anyone selling counterfeit Bio-Blessed.
Teach: Which your sister was doing.
Zrrkr #1: Well, I told these guys our friend was an implant-wearer thief who brought us this stuff and told us to sell it and split the money with her. I acted stupid. Showed them the case of counterfeit Bio-Blessed. Worth ten thousand, if it was real. Told them we got it tested. Turns out The Cobras know about the trick where you add one real Bio-Blessed pill to the batch to get the batch to test positive. So they had one of their guys open the case and check. While his buddies pointed guns at me and my sister's heads, this guy tried five or six of the counterfeit pills from different bottles. I thought we were going to die. Then the guy says the pills are real, and The Cobras take them and leave. They even paid us a thousand dollars for the case and gave us a list of things they'd pay our friend to steal for them.
Teach: Sounds like you had an exciting day.
Zrrkr #1: You have no idea. Say what you like about Mr. Al. He makes a good product. Then my dumbass sister says, “selling counterfeit Bio-Blessed might be dangerous. Maybe I should stop.” Man, I hit that girl so hard. Beat her ass into a new shape.
Teach: Well. I'm glad you didn't get killed by gangsters, Angie. But I called this meeting to discuss the end of the world next week. It is possible the end of the world has been averted, but we should prepare in case it has not.
Both the teacher and Mr. Osmond droned on. Leo's focus moved back and forth between the boring class and the implant meeting. He wished they didn't have to do it this way, but understood that the less attention they brought to themselves, the better.
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Air-Mage 87: Thanks to different time zones. October 16th, billboard midnight should arrive at different times around the world. If the world does end, we should get plenty of warning.
Teach: Unfortunately, Liam, the billboard watches in each time zone are synchronized to ensure they all hit billboard midnight at the exact same second. So no. No warning.
Future Man 10/16: I could have told you that. About there not being any warning, not the billboard watches.
Teach: In Leo's previous timeline, our city's stadium sheltered the survivors. I think that's our best option this time around, too. We'll spread the word that's where to go if the world ends, work out evacuation routes, and gain access to armored rescue vehicles to ensure a higher civilian survival rate this time around.
Zrrkr #1: Maybe we could throw a giant end-of-the-world party at the stadium. That way, if the world ends, we're already there.
Leo shuddered.
Future Man 10/16: Bad idea, Angie. End-of-the-world party means a bunch of Afflicted surrounded by alcohol-impaired people. It will be a lot easier to keep the Afflicted out if we wait for them to change first, so we can tell the difference.
Teach: Agreed. I have another concern I wanted to bring up with the group. Last time around, Leo was persona non grata. Just another nobody. This time around, he's the boy who predicts the end of the world. If the world does end. Some terrifying monsters are going to want to speak to Leo, and his presence may put the entire city at risk.
Leo felt sick. This was something he'd been trying not to think about.
Future Man 10/16: The city will be at risk, regardless, but if I have to run, I run. I spent my last life running and I don't want to do that again, but I may not have a choice. If I do run, then the less you guys know of my plans, the better.
Teach: I suppose you'll want us to look out for your sister?
Future Man 10/16: Lydia stays with me!
“Leo. Leo? Are you okay?” It was Mrs. Brown.
Leo was shaking. His grip on his pen was so tight he'd snapped it in half. The entire class was staring at him. “I'm fine, I'm fine,” Leo said, forcing himself to relax, smile, and put down the broken pen. “Muscle spasm.”
“Maybe you need a drink of water,” Mrs. Brown said.
Leo nodded and quickly left the classroom, ignoring the other kids' laughter. He headed for the nearest bathroom, collapsed in one of the stalls, and put his head in his hands.
Spider-007: We get that you're scared Leo, but calm down. Lydia will be fine. Even Angie likes your sister, and Angie's a bitch who doesn't like anyone. We'll look after her. I promise.
Zrrkr #1: Charlotte's right. About both things. We'll look after your sister.
Thinking objectively, Leo knew Mr. Osmond and the others were right. Lydia was a ten-year-old girl. Dragging her around with him would put her in far more danger than she'd be in if he left her behind with decent people who'd take care of her.
Future Man 10/16: You're right, Charlotte. I'm scared. I've seen too many people die. If the Change happens, nothing I do will guarantee her, or anyone else's, safety. That terrifies me.
Spider-007: If this Change happens, my entire family, my parents and two brothers, will become Afflicted. I don't like my family most of the time, but they're my family and I don't know what I'll do if they're gone. I'm really hoping this Change doesn't happen. But if it does, I promise I'll make sure your sister is looked after.
Future Man 10/16: Thanks. Charlotte. Make sure you get some kind of offensive skill leveled up before October 16th like back stab or death strike. Concealment is good, but it will only take your Assassin character so far. Angie, make sure you have some kind of defensive ability. Same deal, in reverse.
Zrrkr #1: Noted.
Spider-007: I'll keep that in mind.
Leo returned to class, largely ignoring both his class and the implant meeting. Mr. Osmond continued messaging them about all the things they needed to do to prepare—everything from what stores and warehouses to raid for supplies (post Change), to the use of odor-concealing chemicals to avoid detection.
By the time lunch came around, Leo felt drained, physically and mentally. In the cafeteria, a bunch of kids, including Brick and his cronies, clustered around one of the tables and appeared to be arm wrestling. They looked up as he entered the cafeteria.