Chapter 32

Back to School Again

Mr. Osmond sighed. He'd gotten little sleep for the past several days and looked exhausted. “I'm too tired to think. Did you notice anything else in the game that might be useful?”

“Not much.” Leo told him about the piece of paper with the picture of a water reservoir and the possible number.

“I've seen that sign in many locations in the game,” Mr. Osmond said. “I assume it's humor, since swimming in a water reservoir was a bad idea even before alien protozoa took them over.”

Mr. Osmond rubbed his eyes, and continued, “Leo, either the world's going to end, or it's not. If the world doesn't end, then it's business as usual. So let's focus on what we do if the world does end. The game we played is obviously based on your end of the world scenario. The aliens are your Afflicted. The alien symbionts are implant wearers, and the Bosses have far too much of a resemblance to your end of the world Bosses not to take this game seriously.”

Leo nodded. “Unfortunately, the programmers neglected to mention how to stop the world from ending, or how to win the game.”

“Correct. And we can't ask them about it, because they are dead.” Mr. Osmond sighed and put his head in his hands. “Not to come across as depressing, but what if there isn't a way to win? What if this is the human race being judged? What kind of species gives virtually all of their world's resources to a tiny fraction of their populace? A fraction that does nothing while billions of their own kind starve? Does our species even deserve to win?”

“All I know is I'm sick of losing. The Bosses do have a very few weaknesses. Let's talk strategy when you've had time to rest.”

Mr. Osmond nodded. “Go home, Leo. Tomorrow, I want a list of every item that you think could help us survive. Food, fuel, weapons, water filters, the whole bit. I want the locations of every hiding place you ever used. Anything that can help us.”

“Will do. We'll be better prepared this time around.”

“So will they,” Mr. Osmond responded. “If you think the rich bastards running our planet are ignoring all this, you're deluded.”

Leo stood up. “Do I have to go to school tomorrow?”

“I believe so,” Mr. Osmond responded. “You've attracted enough attention. Time to blend in.”

Leo sighed. “Great.”

***

He took his time walking home. When he arrived, it was almost midnight and the TV was on.

The story I've heard, and keep in mind, this is unverified, the story is that there's a crazy kid out there. Let's call him Chicken Little. Now, Chicken Little puts on an implant, goes crazy, and starts running around saying the sky is falling. Instead of going, “Oh you poor crazy person,” everyone believes him to the point where the aliens — I mean the humans—have to step in and say “No we're not going to destroy the world.” Of course, they're not going to destroy the world. Unlike so many people down here on earth, they're not complete idiots...

Lydia was sleeping on the couch, Sparkles curled up next to her. Leo couldn't find the remote, so he unplugged the TV.

“Hey, I was listening to that,” Lydia mumbled.

“Why aren't you in bed?” Leo asked.

Lydia rubbed her eyes and sat up. “What do you care? Mom was looking for you earlier and you weren't answering your texts. I had to tell her you were in your room studying so she'd go away.”

“I've been busy. Saving the world and stuff.”

“Whatever. I feel sorry for that stupid kid that put on an implant and went crazy,” she said. “What a moron.”

“Yeah.” Leo felt very tired. “He must be stupid, all right. Go to bed.”

Leo went to his room, but it was a long time before he went to sleep.

Tuesday, October 7th, 2059

8 days to the apocalypse

Leo stared at the school entrance. He'd fought monsters and dealt with torture and imprisonment. School should be less of a pain in the ass. He looked around. At least four drones were hovering nearby, following him. To be expected. With a sigh, he messaged Mr. Osmond.

Future Man 10/16: Do I have to go to school?

Teach: I believe it's for the best, Leo. Show everyone you're okay. Go along with the agency's bullshit. You'll attract less unwanted attention by hiding in plain sight.

Spider-007: Something happened last week that you might enjoy. You know Brick and his friends posted a video of Angie punching Brick in the nose?

Future Man 10/16: Yeah, Charlotte. So?

Spider-007: Well, they cut the parts of the video where Brick burped in Angie's face and called her a crippled bitch. They just showed her punching Brick, and they complained about implant wearing bullies, getting Angie banned from our school campus. Not that she cares. Well, Angie's younger sister Jessie heard the three boys bragging about it and got pissed off. Not sure why, since the two sisters hate each other.

Future Man 10/16: What happened?

Spider-007: Well, Jessie isn't up to Angie's level of crazy, but she's close. She got a couple of friends to trip Brick. Then she kicked him in the face while he was down and threatened to kill him if he didn't take down the video and apologize. You could tell Brick was a little scared.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Future Man 10/16: Good.

Spider-007: Try not to stress school too much. Do you think the world's going to end?

Future Man 10/16: Don't know. Hope not.

Leo stepped forward. Someone noticed him.

“Hey, it's Leo!” someone shouted. “Leo's back!”

The kids surrounded him. “Hey! They dragged you out of here in handcuffs. What happened?” someone shouted.

“Nothing much,” Leo responded, trying to sound as casual as possible. “Wasn't that exciting really. You see, first they...”

It was a long day. He lost count of how many times he told his classmates that it was all a misunderstanding, that the agency prison where he'd been tortured was like summer camp. “Nice people. They seemed scary at first, but they were okay once you got to know them,” he said multiple times.

Even his teachers talked to him about it. Mrs. Brown pulled Leo aside when her class ended. “Leo, I know you didn't go to any summer camp. I can see it in your eyes. I've heard about what the agency does to people.”

“Well, if I was lying, and the agency is like you say,” Leo responded, “I'd be pretty stupid to tell you the truth, wouldn't I?”

“True,” she responded. “Let me know if you need anything, okay?”

“Thanks.” Leo left for his next class. It would seem there were still nice people out there in the world.

Not surprisingly, Brick and his cronies met him in the cafeteria at lunch hour.

“Way to get busted, Leo.” Brick opened a Bio-Blessed pill container and tossed a few pills into his mouth. He had a bruise on his face.

Leo smiled. “Like I've been telling everyone, it was all a misunderstanding.” He leaned closer to Brick and whispered. “Or was it?”

“I don't care. As long as I get my thousand dollars on the 17th.”

“I'll meet you on the seventeenth of October, next Friday. We'll sort it out then.” Leo couldn't resist. “Is that Jessie over there?”

Brick didn't even blink. “Fuck you, Leo. Us and Jessie are friends now. We took down that video and apologized, and she hooked us up with a sweet deal.”

His two cronies nodded for emphasis. “So fucking sweet,” left crony said, pulling out a Bio-Blessed pill container of his own and tossing pills into his mouth, chewing them loudly. “These taste better than the last batch.”

Brick held up the pill container and whispered. “Stolen. One of Jessie's friends hit a Bio-Blessed dispensary. Stole everything. Thousands and thousands of dollars' worth of Bio-Blessed. The dispensary's keeping it quiet, so there's nothing in the news. Jessie sold us a thousand dollars worth of stolen Bio-Blessed pills for one hundred dollars.”

“No way. Really?” Leo said, trying not to laugh.

“Yeah. Really. We'll even hook you up, Leo. We'll get you one hundred dollars' worth of Bio-Blessed for twenty dollars.”

“That's okay,” Leo responded. “See you around.”

“Your loss, man,” Brick doubled up his fists and punched the air a few times. “We're going to be so ripped when we're through with this stuff, I'll be punching through walls!”

Leo joined an exhausted Jason for lunch. It seemed Leo wasn't the only one who'd been forced to come to school today.

From what Leo remembered from the last time around, there had been no successful heists of Bio-Blessed dispensaries. The dispensaries had some very high-tech theft deterrents. But there had been quite a few cases of counterfeit Bio-Blessed being sold. Curious, he reached out to Mr. Al.

Future Man 10/16: Hey Mr. Al. Are you there?

Mr. Al: Leo. Hey, Future Man. How are the pills?

Future Man 10/16: The pills seemed to be working, but then my mom confiscated them.

Mr. Al: Hate it when that happens, man. I'll get you some more for 15. Hell, for you, 12 Demon Tears. I'll have to arrange a discreet delivery, since you have so many agents on your ass. I don't dare be anywhere near you.

Future Man 10/16: How did you know all that?

Mr. Al: I keep track of my customers. Especially the implant-wearing customers. I know people who know people.

Future Man 10/16: I was wondering if you knew anything about counterfeit Bio-Blessed sales?

Mr. Al: You want counterfeit Bio-Blessed? That will cost you. For 20 Demon Tears, I'll get you $1000 worth of counterfeit Bio-Blessed that you can sell for maybe $500. Be careful. If anyone finds out your pills are fake, they will kill you.

Future Man 10/16: So you make fake Bio-Blessed? How does that work?

Mr. Al: I got this pill-making unit set up. I use sugar, white flour, and some mild stimulants to make pills that look and even taste just like the real thing. Because I like you, Leo, I'm warning you not to go with anyone else. My pills test Bio-Blessed positive. Because I mix one real Bio-Blessed pill in with every batch. The dispensaries don't test for how much, just for its presence.

“Leo. Leo. Are you there?” It was Jason.

Future Man 10/16: Thanks, Mr. Al. Let me think about it.

“What?” he said, his mind returning to the here and now.

“Do you think the world is going to end?”

“I don't know,” Leo responded. “But I'm scared. My advice is hope for the best, and prepare for the worst.”

“Do you know anything about...?” Jason pointed at his left wrist.

“I'm looking,” Leo responded.

“I know any 'plant wearer can make one in 30 days,” Jason hissed.

“I'm sure a lot of 'plant wearers are,” Leo whispered back. “Thing is, with the end of the world, they're making them for friends or family.”

“What about you?” Jason asked.

“I'm trying to save the world, Jason,” Leo responded. “Implant replication reduces implant capabilities, which I desperately need.”

“If the world ends, I need a 'plant, or I'm dead!” Jason hissed.

“Okay, Okay. If we can't find you one before the world ends, I'll make you one. I promise. You'll be okay.”

Jason looked unconvinced.

Leo messaged Mr. Osmond.