16 New Target

As John walked through the shelter grounds, a familiar voice called out to him. He turned to see his father Liam approaching, a tentative smile on his face.

"John, there you are. I've been looking everywhere for you," Liam said. An awkward silence hung between them for a moment. Their relationship had been strained for years after the divorce and subsequent tragedies that followed.

"It's good to see you," Liam offered sincerely. "I know things have been...difficult between us. But I'm thankful you're here and doing alright."

John snorted and met Liam's gaze with disdain, "You're a real piece of work, you know that, right?"

"My friend! Here you are," Theodore's voice rang out throughout the building. Liam and Theodore had been friends for a long time. Quite fitting for these two bastards to be friends, John thought.

Liam turned his attention away from John with an awkward chuckle. As they engaged in conversation, John decided to try out his new Appraisal skill. He locked his gaze on Theodore's figure and a system screen materialised.

[Theodore Reynolds]

[Strength: ??]

[Vitality: ??]

[Agility: ??]

[Energy: ??]

His eyes widened as he realised he couldn't see Theodore's stats. Perplexed, he peered into Liam's stats.

[Liam Sarack]

[Strength: 7]

[Vitality: 5]

[Agility: 6]

[Energy: 3]

He could see Liam's stats, but not Theodore's. If fantasy novels were anything to go by, then this meant that Theodore's stats were much higher than his. His jaw clenched as it dawned on him that he wouldn't be able to simply kill Theodore.

What should he do? Should he escape? This so-called shelter just became much more dangerous. Just then, Theodore glanced at him, his usual gentle smile now looked sinister.

"John, can I have a word please?" Theodore asked, all of John's senses were tingling, he felt danger looming. 

"Actually," John began, his voice missing his usual confidence, "I have something to attend to."

He spun around, but as if by art of magic, Theodore materialised right in front of him.

Caught off guard, John flinched, his eyes widened. 

"This will only take a second. Let's go," Theodore commanded. Left with no choice, John followed the man. Perhaps there was a way out of this, but he had to avoid a confrontation. He would come for Theodore, but not today.

Theodore guided John to the university's dean office. Theodore stood amidst the dimly lit, debris-strewn office. Machines hummed, flickering with otherworldly energy. The invaders' technology laid out in every corner of the room, proof of Theodore's alliance with the invaders and Maria's words.

As John approached, his eyes locked onto Theodore's sinister figure. The man's frail, old body looked menacing somehow. There was an air about him, as if he was feeding on the world, gaining strength simply by existing.

Theodore's eyes fixed upon John, their depths hiding a darkness that sent shivers down John's spine. He extended a gloved hand, as if inviting John into a league of supervillains. 

"John, my boy," Theodore intoned, his voice a chilling hum. "See all this here?" He gestured towards the alien technology adorning the room.

"All of this, it's merely the beginning." He took a seat behind the once-prestigious desk, his fingers lacing together, an eerie calm cloaking his words.

John hesitated, eyes darting between Theodore and the bizarre machines that surrounded them. This was Theodore's grand scheme, the place where he leveraged his connection to the aliens to shape his vision of a new world.

The silence thickened, and the room felt like it was closing in, the machines humming with malice. John sensed that Theodore was about to drop a bombshell, something that would bind their destinies even tighter.

Theodore leaned in, his voice a hushed secret. "John, I've been given insight. The invaders, the system, all of it... They're the keys to humanity's next level. We can become something greater, beyond our wildest dreams."

John's doubt and unease deepened. He couldn't shake the feeling that things would soon take a turn for the worse. He had never felt he needed a cigarette as much as he did now. "So, what's in it for you and me?" he asked cautiously, hunting for truth in Theodore's half-truths and riddles.

A twisted smile crept onto Theodore's lips, as if he was mocking, looking down on the world. "I want you to join me, John," he said. "Together, we'll unlock the system's potential and seize control of this new world. It's a partnership, forging a brighter future for us both."

John's mind raced. He had to be careful, hide his real intentions, and find an escape from this dangerous deal. "I need time to think," he said, pretending to be uncertain.

Theodore's grin widened, a hint of menace glinting in his eyes. "Of course, my lad. Take your time. But remember, the clock's ticking. Who knows what the world will look like in a week or two."

As John left, he lit up a cigarette as he leaned against the wall. As he exhaled a cloud of smoke, he wondered if this was the first moment of peace he has had since the apocalypse started. 

As the sun dipped below the horizon and the breeze rustled the trees outside, the final rays of sunlight sneaked through, casting a warm glow on John's face. Shadows danced and obscured his rugged face. He turned his gaze to the ceiling and closed his eyes, revelling in that brief moment of respite. Who knew how long it would be before he had a moment to catch his breath again.

As John took a moment for himself, a blonde young woman with piercing blue eyes passed by, catching a glimpse of the tired rogue. 

"Beautiful," she whispered in a daze, a candid acknowledgement of John's transformation. She was taken aback by her own words, her thoughts attempting to unravel the cause. This was her childhood friend, but she had never seen him this way. Why now? What had changed? What about Julian, her boyfriend?

Blushing deeply, she turned on her heel, leaving John to his lonesome. Her conflicted thoughts clung to her like parasites, feeding and taking from her.

In the midst of his repose, a sudden chime from the system shook John awake. His eyes snapped open, and he reentered the world of quests and rewards, a world that refused to release its grip on him.