Flexible Survival: New Arrival
David Silver
Copyright 2010 by David Silver
Smashwords Edition
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The helicopter's rotors roared as it lifted up and away, leaving me on top of the large building that I would be calling home. They said I would be given food, lodging, and a job here. Zephyr Inc. I think I read about it once or twice before it all went south. They made some drugs or something. Never kept much on top of that sort of thing. I still wasn't very interested, except that it was up to them if I lived or not.
Life got a little crazy since P day, mutants everywhere. Most of the normal people, like me, had died off, became mutants themselves, or were still in hiding. They found me hiding. It seemed the farther away from the cities you went, the less likely you were to be found, by anyone, mutant or not. It seemed like a great idea until the food started to run out. I knew I should have paid more attention when I was in the scouts.
I was led to the elevator as it swished open. I shrieked like a girl. Standing there was a tall blue person. He had blue fur over most of his body, feathers across his head. A grin was on his beak. Could beaks smiles? He was doing a good job of it. "Welcome to Zephyr Inc!" he said eagerly, "I'm the pilot. Any time you need a ride past that first one, I'll be the guy for it." He grabbed for my hand and shook eagerly. Gryphon, that's what he was. He had the tail of a lion, and the head of a hawk, or eagle or something. He was dressed like a newscaster, with an aviator jacket and some goggles that draped lightly over his forehead.
He ushered me into the elevator and smacked the button. He seemed quite amused as I gaped at him all the way until the door finished closing. A mutant. They sent me to a hive of mutants, great. This wasn't the kind of help I was aiming for.
The elevator sunk rapidly through the building as soft jazz played from a hidden speaker in the roof. Before I could get too edgy, the doors slid open. A man, human, mostly, stood there facing me in the narrow hallway. Behind him, a reptilian tail swayed. An alligator? I wasn't a zoologist, couldn't say. He didn't give me much time to stare at it as he barked at me, "Welcome, recruit. Here are your supplies."
He shoved a first aid kit in one hand, and a small pistol in the other, "Standard issue," he assured. "Good luck out there." He was slipping something onto my ear, like a blue-tooth headset, but very light, and mostly clear.
"Good luck?" I said, shaking a little. This wasn't going how I planned it at all. "Isn't there, I mean, what am I supposed to be doing?"
"You fight." he says, "You earn yourself, and us, money,in the form of freecreds. Don't worry though. So long as you keep that Comm on your ear, we can track and rescue you if things go too badly."
"What!" I shouted, "You're kidding. I don't even know how to use these things." I tossed aside the medkit and it slid lightly towards the wall across the smooth floor, "And what kind of gun is this?"
"Laser pistol."
"Laser."
"Yes."
"That's a little sci-fi isn't it?"
"Welcome to the present,"he stood up straight, "The nanite powered hand held heat deterrent device is a critical tool for new employees in the workplace."
"Ah, ok. So where's the work place."
He gestured for me to step closer. When I did, he stepped to the side. The wall went clear behind him, showing the city spread out, "Welcome to your work place."
"You're shitting me. I was told I'd be safe here, not playing laser tag with mutants. There has to be some kind of misunderstanding."
"No mistake. You are Michael Podro, are you not?"
"That's what it says on my ID."
"Ah, thank you for reminding me."He reached over and flicked my ear and a flickering image came up, blank at first, but soon filling in with my surprised expression, my name. Competence level: 0
"Zero?"
"Is it mistaken?"
I wanted to argue, but competence level zero felt just about right. With a heavy sigh I slumped back against the wall beside the elevator, "Fine, do I at least get shown how to shoot this thing?"
"Squeeze the trigger while pointing the open part at the enemy. Nothing more to it. It has no recoil."
So simple, even a baby could do it, "Right. Do I get to sleep on this?"
"Afraid not. We have a mission for you."
"A mission? Come on, I just got here. You just shoved a gun at me, and you already have some kind of crazy mission for me?"
"Fraid so, but it's not far." He turned away from me and pointed down into the city, "See that little gas station about a block and a half from here. We need it scouted, emptied, and reported on."
"Emptied?"
"Get rid of the mutants."