[CHAPTER 13]
Leo ended up waiting for about an hour as he watched the injured people slowly get up and moving. A few of them had new outfits as some of them wore more blood than clothing. While he waited Leo played some board games on his HUD with Aegys while discussing plans for the trek to the shelter. Needless to say the only games he won were games of chance.
Standing from where he sat near the door, Leo addressed the room. “Alright everyone, it seems like we are ready to get out of here. First things first, who here has any fighting experience?”
Two of the people who were injured stepped forward. The one of the left spoke up, “We’re both guards for the stadium and I’m a retired PMC platoon sergeant.”
“Perfect, come up here. Aegys, like we discussed.” The two guards moved closer.
New Purchase: Hard-light vanguard shield x2
Points reduced to - 60
New Purchase: Cerberus SMG
Points reduced to - 50
New Purchase: 9mm SMG Magazine (30 rds)
Points reduced to - 46
A medium sized box appeared in front of both of the guards. “In each of these boxes is an SMG with two extra magazines, a belt to hold the magazines, and a ring. I’m assuming you both know how to use an SMG?” Once they both nodded Leo continued. “The rings will project a hard-light wall two feet above and to the side of you. As long as it stays blue, it will block the attacks from anything below a Five or a Six. If it goes orange then you are close to running out of energy and need to either stop getting attacked, or close it to let it recharge. If it goes red then you have approximately three seconds to find other cover. The light on the rings also shows the status. Any questions?”
Both guards shook their heads and Leo motioned them to gear up. While they did that he turned back to the crowd. “I need three people who know enough about guns to point the dangerous end at the enemy.” Three people stepped forward, one guy and two girls.
The guy was average height and wore glasses. “I play AR shooter sims.”
The two girls looked like twins. They each had half of their black hair dyed, one blue one purple. “We play mesh shooters.”
Leo nodded at them. “Good enough. These are for you.”
New Purchase: Mk I Hummingbird x3
Points reduced to - 16
A box appeared at each of their feet. “These will connect with your augs and display a crosshair. Point it at one of the Antithesis and once it turns red, pull the trigger. You only get eight shots so use it wisely.” They all nodded, picked up the boxes, and moved over to the two guards.
Leo addressed the crowd once more. “Alright, here's the plan. We are going to leave the store and follow the hallway over to the northern stairwell. Once there we will go down to the shelter and get you all safe. You will need to stay close, and stay quiet. We don’t want to ring the dinner bell for the plants. If either myself or these two guards tell you to do something, do it. It may save your life. Get ready to move.”
Leo called out, “Evan, I need you here.” while he moved over to the group of five he gave weapons to. Once Evan got there, Leo reached behind his back and pulled out his last Hummingbird. Handing it to Evan, “This is for you. It has eight shots, the same deal as these three.” He nodded at the three he gave Hummingbirds to. He looked to the guards and brought them in to talk quietly. “All of my experience is leading my team through city streets in a game, which I’ve already been reminded multiple times today does not equal real life. I’ll tell you my plan but if you two have any feedback please tell me. I’ll most likely lean on your experience in a PMC.”
Both guards briskly nodded as the older one spoke up. “Sounds like a plan. The biggest thing I can think of is to have you at the front with us two behind and to the sides. Have those four you gave pistols to in the back just in case. Can that wall plug the hallway?” he gestured at the hard-light bulwark blocking the door.
“It can. You think we should use it to cover our back just in case the Antithesis come from there?” Leo asked.
“Exactly. It will make sure that those four will only need to deal with small-fry and should keep any kind of horde from coming up behind us. Other than that we just move as fast and as quiet as possible.”
Leo thought for a moment before he nodded. “Agreed, I’ll go check the hallway to make sure it’s clear and set up the bulwark. Then you two can get the group moving out..” he stepped away and looked over the crowd. “Make sure you are ready to go, we move out in a couple minutes.”
With the crowd getting ready Leo moved to the door and de-activated the bulwark. He cracked the door open slowly and peered out into the store. After a few moments watching carefully and looking for clues from Predator’s Gaze Leo was sure there were no Antithesis in the store. He quickly moved to the store entrance keeping his footsteps as light as possible. He glanced both ways down the hallway and, once he was sure there was nothing there, set up the bulwark off to the side effectively blocking that section of the hallway.
He waved towards the door where the guards were and watched as the group of survivors streamed towards the hall. Leo began moving down the hall glancing into stores with Predator's Gaze active to try and catch any hidden Antithesis or survivors. The walk to the northern staircase would take about five minutes if he was walking at a normal pace. With a group of survivors behind him and all of them trying to stay quiet it would take ten minutes if they didn’t encounter anything.
Of course, once he had that thought, Murphy decided to rear its ugly head. One of the shops they had passed by was one dedicated to Antithesis horror games. A common advertisement for these stores were motion activated hologram projectors which would project a picture when someone stepped too close. One of the survivors must have triggered it because suddenly a shrill scream pierced the silence quickly followed by multiple others.
They all waited as the world seemed to hold its breath once the screams died down. A few breathless moments later they relaxed a bit as it seems they got lucky with no nearby Antithesis.
Leo looked back to see a sheepish looking young woman. “Please try not to trip the ads again. Let's go.” the last part he directed at the entire group and they continued on their trip.
They got a few more meters down before two Model Threes came running down the hall. Leo barely had a chance to point his gun at them before both SMGs the guards carried barked, pulping the heads of the Antithesis.
Targets Eliminated!
Reward - 14 Points
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
‘Wait, I thought Threes were ten points?’
‘Interesting. We’ll have to look more into this later.’
Leo looked at the guards, “I barely had time to realize they were there. How are you two so fast?”
The guards chuckled lightly, “Lots of practice. The biggest is that our weapons aren’t holstered.” He nodded at Leo's pistols resting in their holsters.
He sheepishly pulled out one of the pistols. “Yea, that might make a difference. Let's keep moving.” The group kept moving, taking out a couple more Model Threes and even a Model Four that Leo spotted hanging out behind a support pillar.
Finally arriving at the northern stairs, they ran into a problem. The Bulwark Leo had placed when he originally climbed the stairs was blocking the way, and the staff was on the other side.
‘Well shit. Aegys, am I able to deactivate the bulwark remotely?’
‘Oh thank the gods. I really did not want to have that conversation’
Leo navigated to the menu that Aegys helpfully highlighted for him and watched as the wings of the bulwark folded inwards. The entire group trooped down the stairs and eventually reached the defenses in front of the Shelter.
“Leo! Took you long enough!” Kat shouted as she walked over and punched him in the shoulder.
“Yeah, yeah. I had to pick up some people. How are things going here?” Leo was looking over the defenses. People seemed more relaxed and the coffee bar looked rather empty.
“Nothing too crazy. Had a short rush of some smaller Models, but not nearly as much as we would expect to have at this point in an incursion. How was the second floor? Beyond getting kebabbed by a Four.”
He chuckled at that. “Wasn’t too bad. Found this group huddled in the backroom of The Nexus. Got them down here where there would actually be some food.”
Kat nodded as they followed the last of the group into the shelter. Leo was still looking around when his attention was caught by his Predator’s Gaze. He held his hand up to Kat to tell her to wait as he walked over to the wall near the shelter door.
Glowing to his sight were four separate lines that seemed to go from the shelter to down the hall, both on the floor and the walls.
‘Aegys, any idea what these might be? I was still on the lookout for Antithesis tracks.’ Leo had an idea, but was really hoping he was wrong.
‘Fuck me, I just can’t get a break. How do we fight them? I can’t just go kill all the people who are infected.’
Leo turned to Kat and gestured off to the side. Once they were out of earshot of the door, “Aegys just confirmed, there is a Model Seven Infestation in the shelter. I have a solution for it, but we need to close everybody up in the shelter for twenty minutes. We’ll need to keep an eye out for people puking as they will have been infected.”
Her eyes widened. “Model Sevens? How did they get in? We’ve been watching the doors this whole time?”
“They snuck along the walls. I may need your help buying stuff, I’m short on points after my adventures on the second floor.”
She nodded resolutely. “Of course, whatever you need.”
Leo led them back towards the door where he spotted the senior guard that he put in charge what felt like days ago.
Seeing him walk over, the guard stood at attention. “Welcome back sir.”
Leo waved him off. “None of that, what was your name again?”
He relaxed his stance. “My name is Reid sir.”
“Leo. Now, we have a bit of a situation I need your help with.” Leo said while leading Reid off to the side. He explained the situation and watched as his eyes widened.
“This is definitely not a good situation. I will work on getting people inside and get some guards stationed around the shelter to watch for people. Give me five minutes.” Leo nodded at the man and he hurried off, calling to some nearby guards.
Leo turned to Kat. “I’m likely going to need help buying the Model Seven Proofing Pills. I only have a little over 100 points after fixing up that group and getting us down here.”
“Of course, whatever you need. I have a surplus of points and nowhere to really use them right now. I’ll get a station set up to make sure that everybody gets one.”
Leo set off to set up the foggers. ‘I can set these off remotely right?’
He saw a spot highlighted with a flaming circle up near the corner of the ceiling.
New Purchase: Anti-Parasitic Fogger x5
Points reduced to - 95
An orb the size of a baseball appeared in his hand and he tossed it up into the corner where it stuck to the wall. After making sure it wasn’t about to fall he hurried around the shelter to set the others. One went on the ceiling in the middle of a room, one went into an air vent, and the last two went in their own corners.
After getting the foggers set up, Leo headed for the entrance where he found both Kat and Reid waiting for him.
Reid looked at him. “Are we ready sir?”
“Foggers are set up. Kat, we have the pills?”
She nodded at a nearby table with multiple boxes on top. “Ready.”
“Perfect. Aegys, can we send out a notice to everybodies augs?”
WARNING! WARNING!
A Model Seven infection has been detected!
Samurai Phoenix is releasing the cure, please do not panic.
Samurai Katerina is distributing Model Seven pills after the treatment.
WARNING! WARNING!
A Model Seven infection has been detected!
Samurai Phoenix is releasing the cure, please do not panic.
Samurai Katerina is distributing Model Seven pills after the treatment.
Leo watched as everybody froze when the orange box appeared in their vision. A few yells broke out before quickly dying down as everybody looked to the entrance.
Clearing his throat, “You read that right, we will be closing the shelter doors to effectively clear this infection. Some of you will end up puking, that means you were infected and it has been cleared. Once the foggers are done, form a line and we will get everybody a Model Seven pill after we scan you to make sure you’re clear.” He nodded to Reid who then pushed a button to close the large door.
As soon as the door finished closing a button appeared in Leo’s vision. Mentally ‘pressing’ it he watched as the foggers he set up lit up with the visage of a Phoenix before orange motes of light began to gently filter out and into the crowd.
‘You have way too much fun with this don’t you?’
Chuckling at his AI, Leo handed his medical scanner to Kat, who looked at him questioningly. “We need to scan them as they come up. It will populate any medical issue they have so you should be able to tell if they are still infected.”