By the end of the beating, my healing had slowed, and the feeling of my bones mending felt sluggish and painful. I could hear the group that had captured me panting from exhaustion, which I took no small satisfaction in. I hadn’t made more than a grunt the entire time. I was used to beatings, and they hadn’t even gotten all that creative about it.

“We gonna keep moving, or what?” I asked after a few minutes of them recovering. “Not sure The First would appreciate all this extra time you’re taking.

That led to another blow, this one was Mary again. She wasn’t particularly strong, so I ignored it. I’d guess it was her eyes that had gotten her onto this team, not her strength or combat ability. I wasn’t sure of what all she could see, but I was curious. In my weakened, hungry state I wondered if eating her eyes would give me the same ability. I bet they’d burn all the way down.

I heard some movement, and gesturing. They cut me down and I hit the ground, then they started to drag me through the woods. It was uncomfortable, but the way they were moving and the sound of their footsteps made me think I was in the rear of the group. I used the ground to slide the cloth from my eyes and started testing my restraints, feeling them strain against me. I was able to make them give way slightly, but not by enough, even when I activated my Adaptive Empowerment. They weren’t taking any chances.

I gave up, and decided to preserve my energy for whatever might come next rather than try in vain to escape my restraints. The First wanted me alive. That meant he needed something from me, which meant more opportunities to escape.

The trek took a day and a half. We entered a deadzone early on, and when we did I immediately felt different. My wounds that had been knitting slowly because of a lack of food started to come back together as if I was at full strength, my head cleared, and the heat in my chest started to stabilize again. I even felt my hunger fade slightly. That was new. I pulled up my Citizen Sheet.

6th Level Postman/ 7th Level Marshall

Patriot Points: 1115

SPINES: Be the backbone of America!

Strength- 27

Perception- 23

Intelligence- 17

Nationalism- 4

Endurance- 24

Speed- 18

Job Abilities:

Neither Rain, Sleet, or Snow: You are unhampered by adverse weather

Express: You gain a 5% bonus to movement speed

Special Delivery: You can mark a delivery ‘special’ which will allow you to track it.

Handle with Care: When dealing with a fragile load, activate this ability to steady your hands and arms, to ensure safe delivery.

Under Cover: You may retain your previous class and those with the ability to read previous classes will see whichever class you choose to show.

You're Under Arrest: You may temporarily remove all job based bonuses from a target to ease apprehending them. This person will be highlighted in your vision while this ability is active.

Freeze: Incapacitate a single target for one minute.

The Eyes of the Law: Detect another citizen’s job.

Federal Authority: You cannot be affected by the abilities of others unless you choose to be.

Lie Detector: Monitor other heart rate and physical state to determine whether or not they’re lying.

Skills:

Walking- 38

Pistol- 14

Loading/unloading- 24

Customer Service- 15

Driving- 7

Melee Weapons- 13

Long Guns- 15

Investigation- 16

Tracking- 11

Virus:

Deadman- Bonus to all physical stats +5, negative to social based skills

Natural weapon- Teeth

Night Vision

Perfected Healing

Enhanced Stamina

Adaptive Empowerment

Energy Dispersal

‘Perfected Healing’ sounded like a helluva upgrade. I had noticed that I’d been healing faster and faster since I first gained the ability, but I guess it had gone up yet another notch with my recent travels. I had no idea what ‘Energy Dispersal’ was, but I assumed it had something to do with how the rads in the air were making me feel better.

We eventually reached the First’s cathedral, and I could feel that the mood there had dramatically shifted. The guards were no longer wielding only their ceremonial axes, they now had automatic rifles as well. Their patrol pattern was no longer relaxed, but instead tight and formal. I could smell gunpowder, and saw a number of groups moving into and out of the forest around the Church.

I received a few passing glances, but most of them were curious or concerned rather than damning. Thinking about it, the group that had captured me hadn’t said anything about my destruction of the gate, or the factory, though it was likely too soon for the latter action to have been brought to anyone’s attention. At least that’s what I hoped. That meant that either I’d been apprehended simply because I was traveling through Eden without permission. Or, they were ordered to apprehend me, but didn’t know why, or if they did then it was being kept secret.

I was dragged through the center of the great hall, but instead of being taken directly to the room in the back, we stopped just before ascending the steps to it.

“Take him to one of the cells,” said Mary.

From there I was dragged down a side hall and taken down a set of stairs. They dragged me down it, so I returned the favor by freezing one of them mid step and making him tumble down several steps. That earned me another brief beating, but I was healing so quickly that it didn’t impact me much. The pain itself was negligible.

There was a row of cells, and I could tell we were underground. They were smart enough not to untie me before throwing me inside the one at the far end. I saw no other occupants, though I could smell blood and rot all around. Given that we were in a deadzone, I’d guess that this was where those deadmen that didn’t follow blindly found themselves.

I was left alone, and wriggled around to take stock of my surroundings. The bars to the cell were thick, and appeared stronger than anything I’d be able to bend. I sat still for a few moments, listening for anyone approaching. A large rat slinked through the bars and made his way toward me. I stayed still, and he went straight for the nearest exposed flesh, my face. I lunged forward and bit into him with my teeth. He struggled for a few seconds, scratching at my face, but stopped after I bit down a bit more. I enjoyed a well earned snack and was relieved to have my hunger slightly abated.

Suddenly the cell was lit by bright green light. I squinted as my eyes adjusted to it, and I saw The First making his way toward me, flanked by the Edenites who had captured me and Mary. He was wearing the serene expression I’d first seen on him. He looked me over, and I saw his eyebrow twitch, likely at the fresh blood on my mouth. He turned around and looked left and right, regarding each of the deadmen with him with a few moments of eye contact. I counted seven of them, including Mary.

“You have done both myself and Eden a great service,” he said, approaching each of them and placing his hand on their shoulders. “I know my request to bring him alive may have confused or angered you, especially considering how many of your comrades were lost in doing so, but in spite of that you kept the faith, you did your duty.” He moved back to the far end of the cells. “This is not traditionally how this is done. I would prefer to honor each of you in the usual ceremony, but this is a time when every second may count. Kneel, each of you, and I shall grant you the Eucharist.”

I frowned. Watching as all of the deadmen assembled kneeled, their eyes filled with fervor and bodies trembling with anticipation. Only Mary seemed to be in full control of herself. I’d heard the Eucharist mentioned multiple times now, I knew that each of the deadmen brutes had received it, but I had no idea what it actually was.

The First drew a sharp knife from his black robe, and for a moment I tensed, but he didn’t take any steps toward me, and instead he drew back the sleeve of his robe and slowly, almost delicately, he sliced off a thin sliver of his own flesh. He held it in between two fingers, and moved to the nearest of the deadmen, a Brute who tilted up his head and opened his mouth as the First approached him. He placed the sliver of his flesh into his mouth, and it was swallowed whole.

The Brute went completely still for a moment. Then his entire body began to shake. He fell down off his knee and his muscles began spasming as he let out a scream somewhere between intense pain and the grandest elation.

The First didn’t wait for him to finish, instead moving to the next in line. This continued, with him slicing off flesh and one of them eating it, until he reached Mary. He leaned down to speak to her at eye level.

“Be strong. I will not allow you the mercy I will grant these others if it is asked. You are too valuable for that.”

She gritted her teeth and nodded. When the First put the flesh into her mouth she swallowed it, and I watched as she resisted the spasming far longer than the others did.

I noticed that the First had completely healed between each of them, barely a drop of his electric green blood leaving his body. That confirmed that he had a healing factor at least at the level of my own, and possibly much stronger. After he was done, he walked toward my cell, and leaned casually against a wall next to it, his serene expression fading, replaced by madness in his eyes and a wide toothy grin..

“Well Donny. Since they are indisposed, how about we have a nice chat, you and I?”