Government Shelter (12)  

<Author's note: The things (racism, sexism, political views, etc.) depicted or mentioned in this story do not reflect the real world and are purely coincidences. If they do, please keep in mind that they are simply for world-building and are only work of fiction. Thank you for your understanding.>

7:54 pm.

The sky turned into darkness and the base was illuminated by electricity coming from both solar and generator.

It's been more than an hour since Nathan started killing.

In that short amount of time, he already claimed the lives of more than 200 people, leaving the streets and buildings of the base with dismembered corpses.

"NATHAN, I WISH TO TALK TO YOU. LET'S END THIS IN PEACE. THE LEADERS OF THE BASE HAVE AGREED TO NOT ONLY TEACH YOU HOW TO FLY A HELICOPTER BUT ALSO GIVE YOU ONE AS WELL. THERE'S NO NEED TO KILL ANYMORE."

Sweet Dave was speaking through a megaphone and behind him were Lisa, Nur, Yasmin and Ida who were holding rifles with their flashlights switched on.

Because the five of them didn't exactly know where Nathan was and they knew that not only was he powerful and could disappear but those who encountered him were met with the sweet kiss of death as well, they decided that their safe bet was to stick together and call him out as they follow the trail of corpses.

Unfortunately, the information that there was a crazy bloodthirsty Chosen One on the loose inside the base killing everyone that encounters it spread like wildfire. Everyone who didn't want to die shut themselves inside the buildings.

Even some of the kids became aware of the situation and were so afraid.

Moreover, the information that it was Sweet Dave who allowed the Chosen One to enter the base was also leaked, leaving Sweet Dave in a dangerous position.

Fortunately, there were still some people who supported him so he wasn't immediately detained. However, he would definitely face an unfavorable ending soon regardless of whether he solves this issue or not.

But he didn't care about that.

Despite everything, what mattered to him was the safety of the people in the base, especially the kids and those who need special attention.

As long as he could stop this crazy bloodthirsty Chosen One and save the people, he doesn't care what happens afterward.

If they want to kill him or torture him first before killing him for what he did, he would still accept it.

"NATHAN, I WISH TO TALK TO YOU. LET'S END THIS IN PEACE. THE LEADERS OF THE BASE HAVE AGREED TO NOT ONLY TEACH YOU HOW TO FLY A HELICOPTER BUT ALSO GIVE YOU ONE AS WELL. THERE'S NO NEED TO KILL ANYMORE."

Lisa, Nur, Yasmin and Ida stared at the mess caused by Nathan.

Their knees buckled and their hair stood up.

If a single Chosen One is capable of doing such a thing, how much more if there were two?

In their hearts, they all decided that in the future they won't just casually accept anyone who would seek asylum in their base without a thorough and proper screening.

Yes, they could deal with Nathan with the military-grade weapons inside the base. But that would mean leveling the base which was unacceptable because that would mean not only killing innocent bystanders but also destroying the structures of the base.

To sacrifice the lives of many people and the base just to kill a single person was something that many inside the base couldn't accept.

And yes, they also thought about setting a trap or double-crossing Nathan but they eventually decided to drop the idea and just stick with a fair and honest deal.

Who knows what other things he's capable of.

"NATHAN, I WISH TO TALK TO YOU. LET'S END THIS IN PEACE. THE LEADERS OF THE BASE HAVE AGREED TO NOT ONLY TEACH YOU HOW TO FLY A HELICOPTER BUT ALSO GIVE YOU ONE AS WELL. THERE'S NO NEED TO KILL ANYMORE."

Sweet Dave's call for a peaceful ending landed on deaf ears. There was still no sign of Nathan.

"Do you guys seriously think what you're doing is going to work? We've been doing for more than an hour already and it's like we're going nowhere. All I'm seeing is more and more corpses," said Yasmin.

The others didn't say anything and stared at Sweet Dave.

Seeing no reaction, Lisa added, "And what we're doing right now is like we're calling out a little brat who misbehaving to come out."

"Lisa," Nur said with a stern tone.

She stopped talking and looked around her surroundings with her flashlight.

Although it seemed like she was against Sweet Dave at this moment, in actuality, she wasn't. She knew he had a kind heart -- she would even go as far as to say that he and his late wife, Sansa, were the kindest people that she knew. And if there was something that she didn't like about them, it was that they were too kind that they wouldn't mind even if others would take advantage of them right in front of their face.

And because of that, for better or for worse, she will always be loyal to Sweet Dave.

Sweet Dave, on the other hand, didn't say anything and continued calling out through the megaphone, "NATHAN, I WISH TO TALK TO YOU. LET'S END THIS IN PEACE. THE LEADERS OF THE BASE HAVE AGREED TO NOT ONLY TEACH YOU HOW TO FLY A HELICOPTER BUT ALSO GIVE YOU ONE AS WELL. THERE'S NO NEED TO KILL ANYMORE."

Ida stared at the corpses lying on the street.

Although she had witnessed some brutal violence ever since the zombie apocalypse started that was enough to give anyone a lifetime of nightmares and she wasn't exactly close with Nathan and they only met a handful of times, it still felt surreal to her that someone she knew was capable of doing such a thing.

'Every day the world is just getting crazier and crazier. I don't know what to do and think anymore…' she thought.

"NATHAN, I WISH TO TALK TO YOU. LET'S END THIS IN PEACE. THE LEADERS OF THE BASE HAVE AGREED TO NOT ONLY TEACH YOU HOW TO FLY A HELICOPTER BUT ALSO GIVE YOU ONE AS WELL. THERE'S NO NEED TO KILL ANYMORE."

As they continued to follow the trail of corpses and call Nathan out, they suddenly heard a cry for help from behind.

"Please… don't… go! He..lp… me!"

"Sweet Dave, hold on! I think I heard something!" said Nur.

Sweet Dave and the others stopped.

"Please…!"

"Could it be…?" said Lisa.

They immediately turned and pointed their flashlights to the location where they heard the voice.

They saw a building where half of it collapsed and there a man covered in a pile of rubble with his arm was stretched out and holding onto a person's leg.

Although Sweet Dave and the rest couldn't clearly see the face of the man under the pile of rubble, they could see the person's face whom the man was asking help from.

It was a familiar face. Well, at least to Sweet Dave, Lisa and Nur.

It was the little girl named Zita. The same girl who tried to trade a [Grade D] Wooden Stick for Nathan's black-colored System items.

She was looting System items on the ground -- exchanging the ones in her possession for a much better one and also picking up other items that she could trade in the future.

"Zita! What are you doing here?! You should be at the safehouse with the others!" Lisa said and quickly went over.

The others went over as well.

"I-I came here to help and fight!" said Zita.

"Do you have no idea how dangerous it is out here?! There's a crazy murderer on the loose!" said Lisa.

Yasmin and Ida stared at Zita and didn't say anything. However, they were really amazed that this child had the guts to come out here.

As for Sweet Dave…

He stared at Zita for a quick moment before turning to Lisa, "Escort her back to the safehouse. We'll handle things from here."

Lisa nodded and approached Zita.

Zita took a step back with the items on her arms and she said, "No! Please let me help and fight! I heard about the crazy murderer. He's a Chosen One. I'm also a Chosen One so I can help! I can prove it to you!"

Although she said she was also a Chosen One, they paid no heed to it. And even if they were to take her words seriously, what good was it? She was only a child and the enemy was a bloodthirsty powerful Chosen One who was capable of killing so many people on his own.

The zombie apocalypse and the power that the System may have turned the world upside down, but even then there was no way they would use a child to fight.

While Lisa grabbed Zita, Sweet Dave and Nur immediately helped the man covered in the pile of rubble.

All of a sudden, there was another male voice.

"You called for me?"

Everyone stopped and turned towards the direction of where the voice was coming from.

It was none other than the person they've been searching for.

The crazy bloodthirsty Chosen One Nathan.

Sweet Dave went towards Nathan, leaving Nur all by himself in helping the man trapped under the pile of rubble.

As for Lisa, she quickly grabbed Zita on her arms and ran back to the safehouse.

There was no way she was going to risk this child's life.

And lastly, Yasmin and Ida who faces were pale as a ghost.

"We didn't have a choice! We were forced to go with them or they would've had us killed!" Yasmin quickly said and the fear in her voice was obvious.

"It's true! We were forced to accompany them!" Ida said with a voice that was also wrapped with fear.

Nathan swept his gaze on all of them before finally landing on Sweet Dave.

"I'm here now. So where's my helicopter?"

"Nathan, the leaders have met and discussed the situation."

"Heh~ You guys already assigned new leaders? That was quick."

Sweet Dave ignored Nathan's remark. He heard about what happened to Makeda and her companions. "They have decided to give you the helicopter that you asked for as long as you stop killing. If you don't --"

"Are you ordering me?" Nathan said coldly.

"I'm not. I'm just saying that they want to end this right away and as quickly as possible."

"Prepare the helicopter and extra gallons of fuel that can fly me at least 12 hours in the open area at the northeastern part of the base. Also, encircle it with children as well -- at least 30. And also, make sure that there are no adults near the helicopter except her," Nathan said and pointed at Yasmin.

"Encircle it with children?! We're already giving you what you want! What else are you planning?!"

Nathan scoffed and said, "Do you take me as a fool? What if the helicopter is rigged with explosives and I go near it? So before I could fly away from here safely, I'm going to use them as meatshields."

"I swear with my life that the helicopter won't be rigged with explosives or whatsoever."

"Your life? Is it even worth anything? I can easily take it right now."

Sweet Dave gritted his teeth.

Although he understood Nathan's concerns, to use the children as meatshields was such a low move, especially for a man.

Nathan sneered and continued, "If you refuse to accept my conditions, then it can only mean that you people are really planning to set a trap against me. So what is it? Trust me, I still have plenty of energy left to kill you people. You people are left with three choices: either give in to my demands, continue fighting, or leave this base and face the threat of the zombies outside in the darkness. Choose right now."

"We agree to give in to your demands. But at least grant us one condition -- Let me be there with the children. Please."

Nathan squinted his eyes.

'What is with this old man's obsession with children? I knew it, he's definitely one of those Old Booty Warrior Caucasians that's common in brown-skinned Asian countries,' he thought. "Okay. Just you, Booty Warrior."