Chapter 95
Choose Your Leader
Leo stared down at the crowd from the top of a dead High-Level Boss, unsure of what to say. The sun had set and night was rapidly approaching.
“I nominate Gretchen,” Mr. Osmond said.
“I second the nomination,” Trent called out near the front of the crowd. He looked exhausted.
“What is your implant character?” The elderly ex-security guard, Frank, asked.
Gretchen held up her arm and made her wrist glow violet. “Crusader/Rare. It's like Knight, but comes with enhanced verbal persuasion skills. I'd hoped to use it to improve church attendance, but now the skills work. It's a little scary.”
“I third the nomination,” someone else said.
“It figures her church is going to vote for her,” Frank grumbled. “Does she have combat experience?”
“I suppose your managing a group of minimum-wage security guards might constitute combat experience,” Mr. Osmond said. “If you want to run against her, Frank, step on up.”
People laughed.
“I've seen more action on my job than you might think,” Frank said, face getting red. “I also saw plenty of action getting to the stadium.”
Leo spotted several Afflicted heading their way. Shank's whirling blades swooped down and took off their heads. Shank stood in the periphery of the crowd, keeping watch.
Leo got down from his perch on the dead Boss, his gunk-covered shoes making sucking noises. “Guys. We're attracting Afflicted, and it's getting dark. This might not be the best time to hold an election.”
“I propose we agree on Gretchen as a temporary leader,” Mr. Osmond said, “since she's been doing that anyway, and we can discuss alternatives and a possible election in the future.”
“Fine, whatever,” Frank said. “Let's get out of here.”
***
Five minutes later, Leo was sitting next to Mr. Osmond in the back of one of the pickups returning to the stadium. It was oddly peaceful watching the road go by in the ruins of what had once been a city.
“So Mr. Osmond, I didn't know you and Gretchen were friends,” Leo said.
“You smell like squid,” Mr. Osmond responded, referring to the stuff Leo had been standing in.
“Sorry.”
Teach: Leo. What were you talking about earlier? You said you know how the School's Out intended for us to win the game?
Future Man 10/16: I do. And I know how to save the human race. It won't be easy. Fucking aliens made sure there were no easy answers. But it's possible. Before I tell you more, I need to know if I can trust you.
Teach: Trust is a strong word. Trust me with your wallet? Probably not.
Future Man 10/16: Trust you with the fate of the fucking world!
Teach: I don't know.
Leo sighed and put his head in his hands, feeling tired and frightened.
Future Man 10/16: That sounded honest, at least. It'll have to do. You see, what the School's Out programmers planned, and I'd bet my life on this, is...
***
Back in the Stadium, Leo realized he was so exhausted he could barely stand. The previous nights, with little to no sleep, were catching up with him. After his intense discussion with Mr. Osmond, he'd learned from Howie, Angie's friend and cook, that Lydia was fine and helping out the kitchen staff. Leo decided to lie down and rest his eyes for a while, before helping out the clinic with his group heal skill.
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He found an unused corner in one of the offices and lay down. That was the last he knew for quite some time.
***
Pastor 11:6: I neither needed nor wanted your support earlier, yet you gave it. I'm guessing you want something from me, Mr. Osmond? or should I call you “The Professor”?
Mr. Osmond choked on his coffee and broke into a coughing fit. It was a long time before he recovered.
Teach: Gretchen! Please! Don't ever suggest to anyone that I'm The Professor! Far too many people want to kill him.
Pastor 11:6: So you're not The Professor?
Teach: Though the two of us are similar, I like to think The Professor lives an average, unremarkable life. He's a man who could use his knowledge and contacts to make himself rich but doesn't, in part because if he does, it's only a matter of time until he's found out and killed.
Pastor 11:6: Like short selling a bunch of stock?
Teach: It was a necessary risk, what with the world ending in less than a month.
Pastor 11:6: Indeed. I didn't want to take charge, but I haven't met anyone better suited for the job, so it seems I have little choice.
Teach: I nominated you because I believe our skill sets complement each other. I want to be your behind-the-scenes man. The one who provides useful intel and suggestions to help you run this place in a smooth, orderly manner. I believe we should form an alliance.
Pastor 11:6: I'll take your offer under consideration.
Teach: I'd been hoping Leo was exaggerating the danger of these High-Level Bosses. If anything, he was understating things. If that being we just fought had been aware of its surroundings or done anything to fight back, it would have killed us all. We need to be better prepared for next time.
Pastor 11:6: Did you tell Leo that by mobilizing our strongest fighters to take out that thing, we sacrificed two busloads of refugees we were unable to defend?
Teach: No. And I don't intend to. Leo is far too emotionally invested in things and it would only upset him. Also, it was the right call. If that thing had come after us, a lot more people would have died. It's up to a leader to make the hard choices.
Pastor 11:6: God help us all.
***
October 17th 2059
1 day Post Armageddon
Leo had intended to rest his eyes for a bit before seeking out the clinic to offer his services. When he woke up, it was morning, and Imp informed him he'd slept for over 12 hours.
“Why didn't you wake me?” Leo grumbled.
You needed the sleep, Leo. Though you have leveled up on handling sleep deprivation, that skill will only take you so far.
Leo left the empty room below the stadium and climbed the stairs entering the stadium itself.
He pushed through the crowd, ignoring angry looks. Some people were crying, others were staring off into space, still in shock from what they'd experienced. He didn't remember the misery in others from the last time around. He was sure the misery had been there, but he'd been too preoccupied with his own suffering to notice.
He spotted a flag with a red cross on it, which he assumed was the makeshift hospital where he needed to go help out. But first, he needed to check on Lydia. And he was starving.
“Leo! Leo Edwards! You asshole!” It was Brick.
You've got to be kidding, Leo thought. He turned and walked over to Brick, who was lying on a makeshift stretcher near the red cross flag. Brick's left arm and leg were covered with bandages. From the looks of things Brick had been bitten by an Afflicted but managed to escape.
One of the few good things about Afflicted is they weren't contagious. Assuming Brick didn't die of infection or something, he'd be fine.
The effects of the Bio-Blessed Brick had taken before the change were barely noticeable. Brick's teeth were longer and sharper, but that was it. Brick had been too poor to afford much Bio-Blessed and some of what the dumb-ass had taken had been counterfeit.
“You don't look so hot, Brick,” Leo said, looking down at the larger boy.
Brick glared at Leo, trying to stand up despite his injuries. “Fuck you! You fucking loser. You lied to us. Why didn't you tell us the world was going to end?”
“I did tell you, and everyone else, repeatedly,” Leo said. “But you all thought I was crazy.”
“You should have tried harder.” A couple of Brick's wounds looked pretty severe, and some of his bandages were turning red, like they were bleeding again.
Considering what Brick had put him through, Leo felt little sympathy. He pulled out the envelope he'd been carrying with Brick's money in it. “Well, Brick. It's October 17th, and I promised you $1000.” He tossed the envelope, so it bounced off Brick's chest. “Here you go. $1000 in cash. Don't spend it all in one place. I was planning on also kicking your ass for being a prick, but you look like you've had enough already.” Leo looked around. “What happened to your cronies, Tanner and What's His Face?”
Brick started crying. “We were hanging out, and the monsters came from nowhere. I barely got away, but my friends didn't make it. I could hear their screams but I couldn't do anything! Why didn't you tell us the world was going to end? Asshole!”
Leo turned and walked away.