A deep voice booms over the lab intercom:
"Attention! Effective immediately, all members of Research Teams C through A are being terminated from the project. Remaining staff will continue refinement of Haemonecrosis viridae Variant 09 and its substrains. Your severance will be processed. Take all belongings and exit in an orderly fashion."
The message ends. The silence doesn't last long.
Chatter erupts.
"Hah?!"
"What?!"
"This has to be a joke—"
"Shit.. First teams I-D and now the rest of us. The only ones who'd finish is the core team." A sharp androgynous voice spoke.
"Cass, Keep the card. Just place your team card back." A worried feminine voice spoke after the one.
"Ah, Dr. Vale. Yeah, I know. Thankfully i just finished SY-SR05 and the early variations." Cass stated as they stood up, grabbing his things. "See you who knows when."
"When the protocol activates." Dr. Vale chuckles softly, "Silas saw someone stealing data on ZV-SR09 the most, his only terminating teams to see which is it." She added.
"Isn't that..." Cass knew as Dr. Vale nodded her head solemnly. "Got it. I'll be careful."
—3 ½ Weeks Ago—
"This is Emergency Channel 02A. If you're receiving this transmission, do not—repeat—do not engage with infected personnel. Do not consume unfiltered water. Avoid exposure to—"
The spokeswoman's voice cuts off.
Her eyes flash red—just for a second. A glowing ring burns around her pupil.
A smile creeps across her face.
She lunges at the camera, mouth stretching unnaturally wide—the screen glitched as screams were heard, before it went to the next news.
—Present—
A deep, heavy breathing sharpened, before it levelled back to a proper breathing rhythm.
A small pained moan came out of the person. Who sat up as slow and gentle as possible.
"Max?" The androgynous voice asked, no answer for a few moments.
Their eyes wandered, seeing his backpack gone. The supplies they packed before leaving Shelter 6 for a supply run.
They panick set in as they saw none of the weapons; a hand gun and backup knifes. Gone.
He sucked in a sharp breathe as he stood up—his leg damaged. "?" He was confused.
The right shoulder, left forearm, center stomachache and a broken left leg all had deep wounds. Bleeding out.
They quickly used the bed sheets to wrap the wounds with the best of his ability.
"What the hell?" He mumbled, having no recollection of being hurt. His head was in searing pain.
He walked out of the room he was in, heading down the stairs—which was difficult—before reaching the livingroom.
"Astra? Max? Luke? Violet?"
He called out questionly, receiving no reply even after what seemed hours.
He walked up to the couch, only to notice a note on the coffee table, picking it up with the usable hand.
» Sorry, Cassius, but you're dragging us down. We decided to take your stuff since you can't even use it. « –Astra
Cassius felt dread for the first time.
His fingers trembled.
He was utterly confused but this just confirms what he thought when no one seemed to respond to his waking up.
They didn't even have the courage to say it to his face. Just a note. Just silence.
He collapsed to the couch, his breathing hitched from the pain of the wounds—maybe even this betrayal. He leaned back.
He laughs softly. "Astra... Astra... Should've been much smarter." He grins wickedly before using his strength back up, going towards a hidden compartment taking a red backpack, 2 hand guns, and 4 kinfes out.
He checked the backpack; 3 pairs of clothes, 7 rations of food, 3 empty water bottles, a laptop, a few washroom necessities, his ID for VIRELLA Co., and a first aid.
"Tch.. dont have enough for my current predicatiment..." Cassius sighs heavily, placing a hand gun and 3 of the knifes in the bag before closing it.
He placed the bag on his left shoulder, the handgun at his side, and knife in hand.
Using the rest of his strength, he took a few sheets for bandages, then headed out.
—A few days later—
Rain hasn't poured down since the start—4 weeks ago—even though it shouldn't be possible. It always rains during this month.
Cassius's breathing hitches, heavily. He was a desk rat, not a hiking or athletic rat. His back and front shirt was soaked in sweat, pain all over the body.
The wounds have stopped bleeding, but it still hurted.
He didn't care about his team, they were insignificant. Plus, he KNEW Astra is the one stealing the information and stool the vial that went missing shortly after dismissal.
But he had no proof.
Cassius sighs deeply, sucking in any possible air mainly, as he continued forward.
'If my memory serves me right, Unit B-13 should be over here.' He thought to himself.
The fallen leaves and sticks, along with the winds and animals were all he can hear. He dragged a light brown sack behind him, resources he found on the way here, especially some medical supplies.
His vision was quite blurry due to his current sate, not mention that his glasses was destroyed during his first mission a week into the apocalypse.
So yes. He is blind as a bat.
Only in close proximity, he can see afar.
"..hah...." He breathed out. His throat felt like it's been on fire, even if he used his water arcane to drink.
"Not....doing...this...ever...again..." he mumbled in-between breaths.
His eyes widen.
"Finally...!"
A cemented archway in a form of a tunnel leading downwards was right in front. Big font words on a large sign: »Unit B-13«
He quickened his pace, reaching the doorway, still intact. Beside was a scan, for ID's. These units were previously made for the VIRELLA Co., the facility he worked at.
He grabbed the ID that was hanging around his neck and tapped it onto the scanner.
[Beep]
The lock disengaged within 10 seconds, the door opened automatically.
Cassius smiled brightly as he grabbed the pack and handed in. Smell of dust hit his nose.
"It had been decommissioned... 3 years ago... i believe.." He muttered as he carefully went down the staircases, hearing the doorway close behind him. Florescent lights flickered on.
After 5 mins, he reached a second door, mustering his strength, opening it.
A entrance way greeted him, with two closets and shoe racks. He took his worn out shoes off.
He walked in, being greeted with a design familiar to him. A large communal space with a kitchen, a dining area, a livingroom with bookshelves, and a large TV. Although everything was dusty.
He looked to the right, a long hallway with 5 rooms. Looked to the left, another long hallway with another 5 rooms. A stair way on each end going down.
Looking forward once again, a the living room had a large window. He went up and saw onthe other side, a large power and water system just a few feet downwards.
He sat down on the single seat there, sighing in relief. Buzz.
—. . .—
[Calibrating Shelter Ascension System...]
[...]
[Shelter Ascension System Active.]
[...]
[Shelter 13 has been established.]
{Welcome, Shelter Leader. Please state your name and shelter name.}
—. . .—
Cassius flinched, not by being scared, but by surprise. "What..?"
No response.
Just a floating bioluminescent screen, at least 3 feet away, as if it knew of his eye condition.
—. . .—
{An F grade soul core has been detected. Please state the name and shelter name.}
—. . .—
"F?.... Ah.." He mumbled as he pulled out an dull grey soul core, something that appeared after killing a dozen of the infected.
He thought for a moment.
"Name: Cassius Parish. Shelter Name: Deviant Springs."
—. . .—
[Updating...]
[. . .]
[Update complete. F Grade soul core consumed.]
{Welcome shelter leader, Cassius Parish. This is shelter 13, Deviant Springs. You are now responsible to making this shelter adequate for survival and maintaining basic needs for other residents in the future. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.}
—. . .—
Cassius was genuinely impressed, watching the soul core just disappear. He thought for a moment before speaking.
"What is the radius of this shelter?"
—. . .—
{The current radius is: 500 Meters. To increase the radius by another 500, an E Grade soul core must be used.}
—. . .—
"Ho...." He was seriously impressed. "How do i access things?"
An answer didn't come through, but.
—. . .—
[Shelter Ascension System]
Shelter Name :: Deviant Springs
Designation :: Shelter 13 (Unit B-13)
Type :: Bunker
Grade :: F
Level :: 0
EXP :: 0/100
Inhabitants :: 1
Magic Core :: Dormant (locked)
Atmosphere :: Neutral
Currencies
Soul Cores :: 32 (F)
Karma Points :: 0
Ascension Credits :: 0
System Tabs
[ Infrastructures ]
[ Inhabitants ]
[ Inventory ]
[ Evolutions ]
[ Defenses ]
[ Arcane Integration ]
[ Staff & Roster ]
[ Shelter Level System ]
[ Level Mapping ]
—. . .—
"Ah." He was surprised, "It can also notice other soul cores..?"
—. . .—
{To access, please stat: Shelter Ascension.}
{Yes, the system can notice all resources on the shelters radius.}
—. . .—
Cassius just stared.
Blank. Hungry. Hollow.
—. . .—
[New Objectives]
▸ Prepare Quarters
▸ Upgrade Communal Room
▸ Upgrade Power Core
▸ Prepare a meal
▸ Administer first-aid
—. . .—
Cassius leaned back, covering his face with a free hand.
Then he laughed.
Low. Bitter. Hysterical.
It wasn't from madness. Maybe. Possibly.
"This feels far to surreal. What the fuck is happening? First a vial was stolen and a zombie apocalypse happens, then being abandoned by that damned traitor, and now this. Im definitely losing it."
He voice was hollow, hunger was finally setting in, the pain hurt way more after relaxation.
—. . .—
{My apologies shelter leader, I can not access any information on anything mentioned. However, I can detect moving life forms 900 miles away from the shelter, North East. I cannot detect information on these life forms until the enter the 500 meter radius of the shelter.}
—. . .—
"It's fine. Must be the infected..."
He sleepily mentioned, drowsiness began to hit. He grumbled before getting up, making a quick meal.
A salad with the fruit that has went rotten.
—. . .—
[Objective: Prepare a meal]
+ 15 EXP
{Shelter level increased. 15/100}
—. . .—
He rasied a brow, before dragging himself to a find a room for himself. Bringing his things.
He went to the left side, first door. A small room; enough for a twin sized bed, a proper desk, a bookshelf and a wardrobe. Again. Dusty.
He placed the light brown sack onto the desk, his backpack as well. Beginning to sort the stuff.
Clothes into the wardrobe.
The laptop onto the desk.
The bottles on the desk.
The last ration on the desk.
The pack had bed sheets, blankets, and a pillow; making the bed. Surprisingly the perfect size.
—. . .—
[Objective: Prepare Quarters]
+ 9 EXP
+ 1% Clean
{Shelter level increased. 24/100}
—. . .—
"Funny..." He sighed.
He went out into the hall, recounting the doors. 6. He swears there were 5.
He walked across and opened the door. A decent sized washroom; a bath/shower mix, a toilet, a sink, a mirror, a medicine cabinet with a second mirror, a shelves.
He went up to the sink, turning the facet on. Water.
He became excited. "Finally! A proper shower!"
—. . .—
{It is not recommended for shelter leader to be in the shower. A bath with herbal remedies will be better, due to shelter leaders wounds, it would be painful for the shelter leader to stand anymore.}
—. . .—
Cassius paused. "Eh? Is there herbal remedies here?"
—. . .—
[Calculating. . .]
{Yes. There is healing herbs in the medicine cabinet, they have 50% potency to healing all wounds. Except broken bones.}
—. . .—
Cassius grins like a mad man. He hurried waddles to his room, grabbing a set of clothes, his body wash, shampoo and conditioner, and his tooth brush and paste, and lastly a hair brush.
He went back, prepared a proper bath, following the 'systems' instructions for a best amount of herbs into the water to maximize his healing process.
He also searched for a towel, the shelves had everything needed for the washroom in comparison to the bedroom.
He sat into the water, his body immediately relieving itself as the wounds healed up fast.
"This is paradise..." He spoke to himself.
—. . .—
[Objective: Administer First Aid]
+ 5 EXP
{Shelter level increased. 29/100}
—. . .—
"This is also considered first aid..?" He asked weakly.
—. . .—
{Correct. Herbs are considered in the first aid section.}
—. . .—
Cassius nodded to himself, making a note before just sitting there. After a while, he got out, dryed and clothed.
All pain gone in that single soak. All the dirt and dryed blood gone.
He felt so much cleaner and better then previously.
He dragged his tired body to the bed, if knowing the facility, it would be comfortable. It was.
He immediately fell asleep.