Chapter 24: Leadership

Adam gave the new spell to Tarin and, together, went down to the second floor, where Carlos welcomed them along with Alfred and Han.

"We got the message, on behalf of everyone I would like to...."

"Are you sure everything is in order? I don't want to go up to my house and get another zombie," Han interrupted out of the blue. Carlos looked at him angrily, but then turned to look at Adam questioningly.

"If even the system considers that there are no more hostiles, then you shouldn't even hesitate."

Han nodded and, without further ado, disappeared into one of Carlos' neighboring apartments.

"So it's all finally over eh? My building is finally safe, so all of us who survived can relax a bit."

Carlos would be lying if he said he wasn't relieved, his plan had failed and most of the apartments were now owned by Adam, but the Ambusher had given him quite a scare and getting out of it alive was a relief. Besides, the people who had once supported him now didn't want to have to face a zombie in their lives again.

"You're wrong. This is just the beginning, in seven days things are going to change and we don't know if for better or worse; and the zombies are evolving faster than we are. We will have to continue cleaning the nearby buildings and hope that no zombie has become strong enough to exterminate us easily."

Carlos looked at Adam, all the relief he felt gone. He realized that he was partly right. Again he remembered the scene when Adam and his group killed the Ambusher and couldn't help a shiver.

"I want to join you," Alfred suddenly interjected.

"What class are you? If I may ask," Adam said.

"Biologist."

Adam was curious about the Class. Before he could ask, Alfred continued speaking.

"My offensive skill is quite complicated and I think I will need some time to master it."

"Alfred, I don't think it's good...."

"No dad, I'm sure this is much more important than you think. Didn't you feel completely helpless against the Ambusher?"

Carlos hesitated for a few moments, but finally nodded. Adam, meanwhile, realized that among the survivors of the superblock there might be more people with Advanced Classes who could prove useful.

"Carlos, a question. How many survivors are there in the superblock?"

Carlos looked at Adam with some hesitation, but in the end decided to answer.

"About 15, including 3 children, 5 women and 7 men; including me and my son and not counting Noah, who came from outside the building."

"Did any of them have an Advanced Class?"

"Advanced Class? You mean professions?" Carlos didn't understand the question at first, but soon caught the meaning. Adam nodded.

"I'd have to talk to some of them, I don't know some of them very well, but I'm sure there's a Musician among them, an Architect and Alfred is a Biologist." Carlos paused for a moment before continuing. I think you should get everyone together and ask them directly, after all it was you who cleared the building of zombies and they know it.

Adam was about to refuse, but stopped himself before speaking. A little irritated, he realized that he had unwittingly become the owner of the shelter and therefore its leader, which brought with it several responsibilities. If he didn't meet and talk to the survivors now, he would have difficulties with the shelter later, of that he was sure.

Adam was not used to being the boss, but unless he wished to lose the property, there was no other option. For a moment, he thought about giving up the shelter to whoever wanted it and freeing himself from a whole mountain of future responsibilities, but a spark that had lain dormant inside him awoke at that moment.

Adam thought of all he had been through so far, of the zombies he had fought and all the danger he had been exposed to. He would never have believed that he was the kind of person who could risk his life like that.

The Nuevo Sol shelter was the fruit of his efforts, so why should he cede control of it to someone who hadn't fought to get it? For a moment he thought about perhaps handing it over to someone in his group, but no one seemed to be interested in that.

Carlos and Alfred watched him. Alfred, a little confused and impatient, was about to say something, but his father stopped him. He suspected what was going through Adam's mind.

Adam thought a while longer until he came to a decision.

"Gather everyone together, I'll call the people in my building too."

Carlos nodded and then motioned for Alfred to follow him. Adam, for his part, went to talk to his group.

Miriam, Marlen and Noah ate something while enjoying their break. Tarin was on the other side of the room, off to the side, and seemed to be deep in thought as he ate.

"I have something to tell you," said Adam. They all turned and looked at him curiously.

"I think we should inform all the survivors about the shelter and make it clear who is in charge."

Marlen nodded without much thought, but Noah looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you think they're going to accept it that easily? I've lived with a few survivors and there are many who are as stubborn as a mule."

"I don't expect them all to be happy, but I don't care. According to the system, I'm the boss. Those who don't agree should find another place to live."

"What about my brother? I'm sure you know how ambitious he is," Tarin spoke from where he sat and ignored the look Marlen gave him again. Adam sighed.

"Yes, I know, but I also think we should work together, as I honestly have no idea what to do with leadership and the only thing I seem to be good at is killing zombies."

"A highly prized skill in this day and age, no doubt," Noah said in a somewhat mocking tone. "I don't know about you, but I think that's the most important skill for a shelter leader to have, especially in the early days."

The others nodded in support of Noah.

"Anyway, I've asked Carlos to gather the survivors of the superblock. We should alert everyone in this building and meet in the courtyard."

"I can warn them if you want," said Marlen, who left before Adam could remind her not to cause trouble with Tracel. Adam looked at Miriam and she guessed what he was going to say by the look on his face.

"I'll see to it that she doesn't cause trouble."

"I'll go too, I think it will be hard to convince my mother to leave her room," said Tarin.

Noah and Adam were left alone. Adam looked at Noah and soon realized something important he needed to clarify.

"What are you going to do Noah?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't take this the wrong way, but the National Guard has a bad reputation. Besides, your home isn't here and I doubt I can stop you if you want to leave and join your... your comrades," Adam had been about to say "your kind," but restrained himself, not wanting to make the conversation more aggressive.

Noah put his gun down on the table and looked at Adam.

"I'm not really clear on what to do myself. I mean, back home I'm probably in for a whole damn hell, since I live in the center of Katara. This city doesn't have many inhabitants and is a quiet outpost for a National Guard, but the capital will undoubtedly be swamped with zombies."

Adam nodded. For a moment he was relieved to be living in the small town of Vinte.

"As for the National Guard, I have nothing to say; our reputation is more than deserved. I don't know what's going on out there, but if even I would exercise caution in front of my comrades, I can't imagine you.

Noah started pacing back and forth.

"That's right, what worries me is Manaria, I don't know what the contingent of guards there will have done, nor what will have become of the prisoners, but if they all got a class and a special package inside their bars, I can't even imagine the mess."

Adam felt a shiver as he listened to Noah, he had completely forgotten about the high security prison in Manaria. A notorious prison located in the city of Vinte, not far from the new haven of Nuevo Sol. Murderers, life sentences and rapists, plus the numerous political prisoners held by the government. A recipe for disaster.

"I think I'll stay here for now. You have the right idea, we need to start killing zombies and level up fast before everyone ends up going to shit. Also, speaking honestly here. I have some contacts, living in this suburb, which could be useful to us when dealing with criminals."