Warlord – Chapter 2
“Mr Bill don't forget to come here everyday for a week for antibiotics. After a week you will be much more lively if you pay attention to the wound. Don't touch water or else the wound will deteriorate.” A girl with golden hair said.
Because of genetic variations people were ready to give up beauty and appearance in order to survive.
However there was no doubt that she was a beautiful girl of fifteen or sixteen. She had mixed temperament of an innocent youthful face and mature of an adult in her tone.
She was wearing a tight red checkered shirt that formed a bow shape on the navel. It revealed her waist. Because of radiation and as well as environmental pollution the blonde girl's skin was slightly rough. But this tiny flaw could be easily ignored because of her beautiful face.
She was wearing a fit denim shorts on her lower body which was only 14 cm long. It was enough to wrap her round buttocks and slender legs.
She had the perfect combination of an angel's face and devil's body. The girl exuded a surprising appeal. The man in front of her swallowed a mouth of saliva as he hasn't been involved with a woman for more than a decade. If a girl like this was thrown to another base or to the wilderness then she would have been misused long time ago. In this era, the only two things that didn't lack were violence and sex.
It was an exception only in base Z7. Because the boss of the base was old Jack, the blonde girl's grandfather. If anyone dared to touch the hair of his granddaughter then the negro bodyguard behind the girl would make that man regret his actions.
So Bill had no choice but to swallow his saliva. He scratched his hair and dragged his lame body as he left the simple infirmary.
“Miss, it's time to get back home. The boss should be back any moment.” The negro bodyguard reminded the blonde girl.
"I know ." The girl replied as she looked back at the negro bodyguard: "Holt, you will have to go to the city. We don't have enough antibiotics."
Holt's face sank. The world had become chaotic and the so-called cities were no longer the safe heavens of old times. Instead they had become hives for monsters. Mutated creatures lurked in the ruins of cities. Moreover because of the virus infections humans had turned into zombies who wandered aimlessly. Once a living being was detected they would cluster around to eat it. Hunger was the greatest enemy of the zombies which didn't comprehend neither terror nor pain.
“We should wait for boss to come back and decide on it.” Holt whispered. He didn't dare to act like a hero and promise to Leah who was next to him.
Holt didn't dare to forget that half a year ago a team of 10 armed soldiers who had gone to the city for supplies. Only one person was able to come back alive. However virus infection was confirmed and Old Jack personally had shot and killed him. Holt didn't have the slightest intention to follow in their footsteps. He was aware that the lady would request the boss for the supplies and the boss will promise her. However he would pretend that he is sick and shirk away from the task.
“Let’s go home first.” Leah picked up few things and pushed the door.
Holt followed after her.
They passed through a dark passage. There was an open underground space in front of them.
Since 'the Catastrophe' the earth was baptized with floods and radiation. The surface was no longer suitable for human habitation. The humanity turned to live in fallout shelters from the old era or spaces such as this which were hundreds of meters under the surface. Z7 wasn't a full base but a mine. However it had perfect functional equipment. They were even able to recycle the water. But in comparison to anti-nuclear fallout shelters it could be described only in one word - simple!
In fact, Z7 base was the new mining base of Parker Conglomerate about 20 years ago. But as the number of workers increased it gradually became a semi-industrial base.
Z7 base lacked water and medicine. Fortunately the former was regularly transported by the conglomerate. Although it was a second rate drinking water but the human body could still use it as the amount of radiation content in it wasn't much. The majority of the base's income was used to buy the drinking water because of the high prices. But it could barely maintain the daily needs.
Parker Conglomerate didn't supply them with drugs and medicine. Those big lords didn't care about the poor as they never lacked them.
It was simply an extravagance to use precious medicine to save lives of one or two peasants.
There was only small amount of medicine in the Z7 base. Actually there were only two ways to get them. The first one was to buy it from the conglomerate at high prices. The second choice was to go to city and find them from ruins. You could find in warehouses, stores and hospitals of the deserted cities the medicine that haven't expired yet. However the second option was much more dangerous.
Leah saw many people rush to operation's area as they walked in the living area of the base. She stopped a teenager and asked: "What's happening?"
“Don't you know? Old Jack has found a hibernation capsule in the mine! There is a survivor from the old era and Jack has brought him back. We are going to see the survivor!"
The teenager respectfully bid farewell and joined the people who were rushing to the operation's area.
“Survivor?” Leah caught Holt's hand as her eyes lit up: "We gotta go and see! I hope he is a doctor! The doctor in the base is very busy and it would be awesome to have another!"
Holt couldn't refuse so he had to walk in front to open space for the little miss.
The unique voice of the hydraulic machine echoed out before the door of the work area. Clouds of steam burst out as the rusty dark yellow doors opened. They contracted for three meters and revealed the deep passage that led to the mine.
An old-fashioned tub came along the rail tracks and stopped by the door. There was only one tub in the base and old Jack was the only one who had the right to ride it. However there was another person on the tub.
A boy.
He was wearing a military uniform of the old era. The new clothing was enough to make people jealous and crazy. However those crazy people calmed down the moment they saw the miniature machine gun in his right hand. The boy seemed very tired. He was leaning against the tub and dozing off. Old Jack kicked his legs and the boy opened his eyes.
"Wow!"
Some people in the crowd shouted out loud: "Check his eyes! It's the yin and yang eyes! It's the eyes of the devil…"
Boom –
A gun fire interrupted the man's words. Old Jack had gloomy face as he held the gun towards the sky. A white smoke was still floating and curling from its muzzle.
“Shut up! If anyone dares to speak then I will personally send him to meet the God!”
No one dared to violate old Jack's orders in the Z7 base. The crowd turned quiet in obedience.
“Grandpa!”
Leah rushed out as she pushed the crowd. She also checked the boy wearing the military uniform in the tub. His right eye glowed like gold.
Leah could not help but shout out.
At the same time old Jack jumped down from the tub. He walked towards his granddaughter while he blamed Holt: "Holt you damned idiot! Why have you brought Leah to the work area? Why haven't you taken her home?"
Old Jack wasn't walking slowly but someone was faster than him. A figure rapidly rushed through his side and came to stop in front of Leah. Old Jack saw that it was the survivior… Zero.
Zero looked at Leah as the girl in his dreams and the one in front of him overlapped. Except the color of her hair and eyes everything else was so similar to the girl in the dream.
His hand trembled as he touched Leah's face.
“Li …” Zero called out the girl's name from the dream.
Leah was in a trance as she looked at the strange boy who affectionately stared at her. Leah saw her own reflection in the eyes of the boy.
“Phuck off, kiddo!” Holt's voice awoke Zero and Leah.
Holt punched out as his huge fist went for blow towards Zero's face.
Zero's eyes flashed. No one knew when or how he moved but everyone saw the sturdy Holt already knelt down.
Holt was about to cuss but he felt coldness in his mouth. He saw a black barrel stretched out and inside his mouth. Cold sweat dripped down his spine.
There was no trace of feelings but coldness as Zero looked at Holt. The boy didn't look like he was watching a person but a corpse.
“Stop!”
A scream echoed from behind. Zero turned back to see Leah similar to an angry cat. She shouted in an angry tone: "Put the gun away! I forbid you to treat Holt in that manner!"
Holt couldn't speak but gratefully looked at the girl.
Zero hesitated but still recovered the barrel. The moment the barrel left Holt's mouth Zero felt a kick that hit him on his calf and he was forced to kneel down. He wanted to get up but felt the muzzle at his temple.
"Amazing! You just woke up and dare to act wild in my base!? Do you think that I won't kill you and feed to the zombies in the wilderness?"
Old Jack was roaring as saliva splattered out from his mouth and splashed onto Zero's face.
Zero's expression didn't change as he looked at Old Jack: “You won't …”
“You are quite confident, boy.” Old Jack replied.
Holt took the opportunity and got up from the ground. He immediately hit Zero with a left hook. Zero's head bent to the right and then he slowly turned back. His left cheek was swollen. Zero spat out and coldly looked at Holt.
Holt wanted to hit few more punches but he was interrupted by Old Jack: "Bastard! Do you dare to turn deaf ear to my words? I will throw all of you to the wilderness! I will see if you have the ability to go against those monsters."
Old Jack looked at his granddaughter: "Leah take him back and give him enough to eat and drink. Afterwards do an ability check."
Leah doubted her ears as she shook her head: “Ability identification? Grandpa do you suspect that he has power? It's impossible! Survivors haven't experience the Catastrophe. Their genes haven't gone through the evolution… ”
“This is the era of shit! There is nothing impossible.” Old Jack walked towards Leah's side and whispered: "Haven't you noticed his eyes yet? It is the dragon's eyes…"
Dragon's eyes…
Leah looked at the gold like pupil of Zero. There were silver stripes at the edges. Indeed, that wasn't an ordinary eye that human could have.
“The rest of you get back to work or else I will get mad Ron to take care of today's wages!”
Old Jack shouted and the crowd dispersed.
“Come with me.” Leah came to stop by Zero: “What is your name?”
“Zero…”
The coldness in his eyes faded away. The figure of the girl was reflected in his golden pupil. She was so similar to the girl from the dream. She was the only one who he couldn't be ruthless with.
A piece of hard bread which was no different than a stone and a cup of water that had so many impurities floating on it. Those two were Zero's food. He looked at the bread and water on the table. They were totally different from the food that was in his memory.
He confirmed from the computer of the hibernation capsule that he had slept for fifty years. His body functions and appearance were same as it was fifty year ago. Computer had controlled the nutrient levels in his body.
However nutrients couldn't replace real food. That's why Zero felt weak and hungry when he woke up.
But his appetite was lost as he looked at the food in front of him.
“Eat faster.” Leah urged: “Don't looked at their ugly look. They are not contaminated by radiation. This is the special good from grandfather. You won't be able to eat the food supplied to the base.”
“It is not the old era anymore. Only the nobility is qualified to enjoy fresh meat and fruits. As for you…get the point already.” Leah leaned over the table as she looked at Zero with interest.
Zero frowned but he still picked up the bread from the plate and chewed it.
Leah chucked as she watched him eat. She asked: "So what's the special ability in your right eye?"
“Right eye? What's wrong with my right eye?” Zero was puzzled as he tried to swallow the bread that was as hard as a stone.
He hasn't checked himself in front of a mirror since he woke up so he wasn't aware that he had a golden eye. Moreover there were no problems with his vision. That's why he wasn't aware of the 'golden eye' until Leah asked him. He focused on his right eye.
The silver stripes distributed on the edges suddenly concentrated in the middle and formed a vertical pupil similar to a beast's.
Zero's perception of the world became totally different!
If you have read The Dark King then you should be aware of my taste when I choose a novel. Those who can’t handle some mild shit then I recommend to leave this novel and read ISSTH or something in between those lines…