CHAPTER 137: The Next Step

Adam strode into the meeting room. All the nervous faces turned to confusion, and then relief, as they saw him walk confidently. He didn’t show any bad effects of what had happened four days ago and the smile on his face was a huge difference to how he normally entered this room.

When he sat down in his seat, he could tell people wanted to ask him questions, but no one was sure where to start, so he addressed them directly.

“No, I haven’t been injured or harmed by what happened the other day. For the last three days I’ve been monitoring General Carmichael’s group, trying to figure out what trap is coming and how the preceding events would lead to our harm. The reason I didn’t want to talk is because there was a lot to watch.”

“Adam, you could have had others help you with that task,” said Rick.

“That’s probably true,” Adam said. “I was just concerned that I needed to do it all since I have a better sense for this weirdness than the rest of you.”

“Are you really ok?” asked his mom.

“Yes, mom. I’m fine. It only took a bit of time and distance for me to feel better.”

“Do you know what happened to cause it, boss?” asked Tom, sounding as concerned as Adam’s mother.

“I think I do. It’s the Blood Berserker named Gregor Munstean. If I get near to him then my power…conflicts…with his. It may result in him getting stronger, but I’ll get weaker. Possibly terminally. Unless I find a defense, I’ll need to stay away from him.”

“Then it was an attack?” asked Colonel Davian.

Adam looked contemplative and moved around a bit.

“I don’t know. Like I said, I’ve been watching them, and I’ve seen no evidence that they knew about it or understood it any more than you guys did.”

“Then did you find anything out about them or their plans?” asked Lucas.

Adam sighed. “I haven’t seen or felt any connection to invaders from their group. That doesn’t mean there aren’t any, just that it isn’t something open or obvious. I’m certain there is a trap here though, I’m just not smart enough to figure it out.”

“Maybe it’s just to cause internal conflict,” said one analyst.

“Or weaken us by preventing us from hunting and leveling. If we can’t get out of the base then we can’t take any more from our enemies,” suggested another.

“Those are possibilities,” nodded Adam. “For the moment the other group is also trying to learn. They don’t even realize I can watch and hear them, or that the areas they are occupying are part of our base. The wall is where they assume the base ends.”

“What have you found out?” asked Davian.

“Their prominent theory right now is that I’m an invader controlling everyone here. They’re blocking anyone from entering our base or exiting it. They heard about the Leputi in our base. This has led them to interrogate and conscript the people that were still living in Jackson, those who hadn’t come to the base when we called for the first evacuation. The civilians tried kicking up a fit, demanding to see us, but that was violently put down.”

“They can’t possibly think you’re an invader,” said his mother. Adam shrugged in response.

“It makes sense. They don’t know much beyond the early information we provided. The city hasn’t been attacked. Also, people are unnaturally loyal to me.”

“It isn’t unnatural when you save people over and over again,” said Mr. Fenton. “Conmen and agents rarely can keep it up for this amount of time.”

“Glad to hear it,” said Adam. “I was concerned that I had some kind of influence over people. Almost controlling them.”

“Why would you think that?” asked Rick.

“For…reasons,” said Adam guiltily.

“Are you hiding something important from us,” demanded his mom in a stern voice.

Adam tried to avoid eye contact with her before he let out a sigh and conceded. “Yes, I am. But it isn’t safe to talk about it right now. I promise I’ll mention it if it becomes a problem.”

His mother stared at him firmly, but didn’t demand any more. Tom barked a laugh.

“Anyway, for now Carmichael’s guys are trying to get into other rifts while making use of our hunting grounds for themselves. They’re trying to get as much info as they can from anyone they can.”

“General Carmichael is a thorough man, but not the most patient,” said Davian. “If he thinks his forces are strong enough, he’ll increase his aggression from posturing to open hostilities.”

“He has already tried,” said Adam, causing gasps and comments from around the room.

“Then why hasn’t he taken action?” asked Charles.

“Commander Rexus stopped him.”

“What?!” shouted Davian. “Rexus did?! That overconfident, shoot first questions later soldier did? If there was anyone to push an attack it would be him. Why?”

Adam frowned. “I’m not sure. He and his unit, except for Gregor, keep going out hunting and coming back with higher levels. At Tier 3, the hunting grounds would do nothing for them. To level they would need to be attacking invader based directly.”

“Then how are they leveling?” asked Lucas.

“Beats me. I can only see what happens inside the base,” answered Adam.

“Are they leveling to invade us?” asked Mr. Clemens.

“That’s also unknown. He just keeps telling the general to wait, that it’ll all work out. Meanwhile, Gregor is the one preaching violence. He keeps telling anyone that will listen how unsafe I am and riling people up against me.”

“Didn’t you say that he had your weakness? Now he is inciting people against you?” asked Mrs. Clemens.

“That’s right,” agreed Adam.

“Do we need to hit them first?” asked Randall. “Like in the bible? Do unto them before they do unto you?”

Most of the room turned and stared at Randall, dumbfounded.

“We know someone who hasn’t gone to church much,” snickered Tom. Randall made a fist and went to stand up, but Tom used [Turn Away] causing Randall to threaten Lucas instead of him.

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“Knock it off, you two,” threatened Lucas. Randall sat back down in a huff, sulking while Tom silently taunted him more.

“What is the next step we should take?” asked Rick.

“I’ve been thinking of that,” answered Adam, indifferent to the others’ shenanigans. “Having Carmichael blocking us in doesn’t really matter when we can portal between controlled Rifts. I’ve changed the Rift Menu permissions so that Lashtam, Lucas, Elias, and Brittney can open and close portals, as well as monitor outside the walls.”

“What should we be doing?” asked Brittney.

“Having Carmichael here doesn’t matter as long as we don’t fall behind them in strength. We need to continue gaining levels and taking invader bases. If we start from Thompson’s Station or Pickwick Dam, we should be able to find weaker invader bases in the surroundings while avoiding Carmichael’s scouts. It’ll cost us a bit more in [System] currency, but we should replenish that by taking additional Rifts.”

“Makes sense,” agreed the intelligence group.

“We’ll start rallying the troops,” said Lucas.

“We need to make sure the walls are heavily manned even while we send the Sentinels out,” suggested Davian. “We must seem just as holed up and on guard against the general as before. Can’t let him know we can get out.”

Several people nodded at that and one of the US Army logistics staff began drawing charts and lists on paper. Adam was glad he didn’t have to be the one to organize that.

“Lucas and Lashtam, send out human scout and Leputi pairs to look for good targets for our raids. The easier the better just to build our strength and get things running. Davian, get the required troops ready while they decide on the targets.”

“What will you be doing, Adam?” Davian asked him.

“I need to step out of the base for a short period. I figured a few things out about my abilities, and I want to do some experiments. I’ll head to the former Bobomon Rift and look for a few invaders over there.”

“I’ll grab a few of the General’s Guards so we can go with you, boss.”

“Sorry Tom. What I’ll be doing is too dangerous to others and I’d rather not risk anyone on this,” cautioned Adam.

“Is it dangerous to you?” asked his mom.

“It shouldn’t be. I was just concerned for others.”

Adam’s mom didn’t seem convinced. She was silently moving her mouth, deciding how to respond.

“Your excellency,” jumped in Lashtam. “It would be prudent to have allies nearby for safety. I will post some operators in the Rift you jump to, and some of our Scouts will watch you from a distance to ensure your safety.”

Adam nodded. “That should be fine, as long as they keep their distance.”

“I see how it is,” Tom complained morosely. “Taking the bunnies instead of us.”

Alissa slapped him in the back of the head. Tom barely moved from it.

“Guess your vitality is getting higher,” she commented.

“That and my strength,” bragged Tom with a smile.

With that, Adam stood and went to get ready, followed by the others heading to where they needed to be.

***

Gregor entered the meeting room in a huff. His skin was still tinted red, showing that he was being influenced by the rage generated by his class. They had to use an extra sturdy chair for him due to his size and muscle mass. With too much force he plopped into the chair, followed by the sound of creaking metal as the legs on the chair bent.

With a curse, Gregor slammed his hand on the large executive table, cracking it and sending all the papers on it flying. He growled, staring death at the table and then at the papers that all the officers and intel staff were trying to grab.

“Didn’t go well, big guy?” asked Jack Fleming with a taunt. Gregor’s glare was turned on him and Jack winced despite being used to the large man.

“Now, now, Jack,” scolded Willis Abrego. “You know not to joke with him when he’s in this state.”

“I know,” admitted Fleming, known for causing trouble. “Sorry, all. Sorry, Gregor.”

Gregor glared at him from the edge of his seat, looking like he was going to spring forward. Then he took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. After two more breaths, his skin returned to its normal color.

“One of these days, Fleming, I’m not going to be able to stop myself from ripping off your head,” Gregor said seriously, meaning it more as a warning than a threat. Everyone knew that Gregor would be distraught if he actually did it.

“Yeah, with such strong people around, I should probably watch my mouth,” Fleming chuckled nervously, ending it with a gulp upon seeing the intensity of Gregor’s eyes.

“To repeat Fleming’s question, without the attitude,” started General Carmichael. “Were you able to make any progress?”

“No, sir,” answered Gregor after he turned to the general. His skin might have calmed down, but his eyes were still full of fire, ready to burn anyone who looked at him.

“You have the highest offensive power of everyone here. What happened?” asked one of the officers.

Gregor struggled to keep from raging again. “Those barriers protecting what they call the Rift bases…no amount of force can break them. They seem to take and slow all power used against them. The harder I punch or slam things into them, the slower it makes my strikes. It’s like they negate all force and didn’t seem to be weakening.”

“How many did you try?” asked Jamari Gillum, the outrider.

“Three. I had people show me to the former scrapyard, devoid of scrap now. Then there was one in a greenhouse and one at a mall.”

“The kid got in,” said Kevin Spence, “Is he that much stronger than you?”

Just mentioning Adam caused Gregor to spring to his feet, skin tinting red once again and heat radiating off him. His eyes started to get the faraway look that accompanied his berserker rage. People at the table slid away from him and eyed the door.

A strong hand clapped Gregor on the shoulder and squeezed.

“Calm down, big guy,” said Commander Rexus. “No one thinks you’re weaker than him.”

Gregor’s eyes came into focus as he looked at Rexus, who was unaffected by the intensity of his stare.

“It isn’t that, Rex,” said Gregor, taking more deep breaths. “It’s just that we can’t let that guy do whatever he wants. We don’t know who he works with or for. Or even what he and this base are capable of.”

“We know, Greg. You’ve been saying the same for the last few days and no one disagrees. This isn’t your issue alone. You might be physically the strongest, but you’ll be even stronger when we all work together,” Rexus said reassuringly. “Humanity will need to be its strongest to win and that will take us all working together. Just like our company did back before the [System] came.”

Gregor stared for a few moments and then nodded to him. He righted the table and sat back in his chair.

“Unless we can figure out some different method, those Rift barriers are impenetrable. I can’t believe the kid got in without help from the inside,” huffed Gregor.

“Then what’s the next step?” asked Dalton Coleman.

“We need the base. I’m not sure how those walls will fare against more invaders,” said the general, “but they’re better fortifications than we’ve had since the [System] came. Commander, are you still saying we need to play nice?”

“My stance is the same,” said Rexus. While his tone seemed mild, his flashing teeth showed a bit more hostility. “If we go to war with them then we doom our chances. We won’t be able to hold against invaders on the back side, should they come, or the kid has a way of calling them. We’d also build too many resentments. There is unnatural loyalty to him. The people we’ve conscripted just keep using his name to threaten us.”

“Unnatural indeed,” said Tyler Zito. “Why any adults would want to follow someone so young seems odd. We haven’t found any signs of mind control that we can identify though. The people aren’t interested in throwing their lives away, they just have a greater belief in him than anyone else.”

“If we were to attack,” started the general, and upon seeing Rexus going to open his mouth he raised a hand. “I said if. Hypothetic. Should he be on the invader’s side then we’ll have to fight eventually. What are our chances?”

Rexus thought for a minute. Then he answered. “We probably have a stronger core, with ten Tier 3s, but their levels on average are higher. Now that we are momentarily safe, we also don’t have access to leveling opportunities without greater danger. Plus, we can’t forget the equipment. Their gear is way stronger than what we have.”

The general turned to Kevin Spence, who was squirming in his chair and wincing at Rexus’s words. “What is it, Spence?”

“Sir. I think you are underestimating their core group. The kids. They are stronger than their levels suggest. I think each could stand toe to toe against us as long as they didn’t draw a bad matchup. There are also more of those kids than us. Then there is the kid general…”

As Spence called Adam a general, many hateful glares struck him. He shook them off and put up his hands defensively.

“Sorry. Fine. The kid. Adam. I didn’t truly see him fight like his friends, but there was something about him that makes me confident most of us wouldn’t last against him in a fight.”

“Invader backed traitor,” spat Gregor. “Of course, they’ve given him something to make him stronger than us!”

“He’s that strong, eh?” Rexus questioned Spence. After a nod, people looked away from the excited glint in the commander’s eyes.

“Then what do we do?” asked an officer.

“We need to find some resources that can put us on equal footing to them. If we can’t take the bases directly from the kid, then we should find an open invader base and try to get it. Sitting here long term is a death sentence, whether the kid is in cahoots with them or not.” People nodded at Rexus’s statement.

“For now, food and shelter are taken care of as long as we aren’t attacked. Stronger equipment and a more defensible base are the priorities. Send out the scouts. We’ll continue to keep them within their walls and will watch their moves.”

At the general’s words, the officers began discussions about who to assign where. No one could help but notice the fury seething in Gregor, waiting to explode out. They also ignored the excitement that seemed to have perked up Commander Rexus.