Basements

Surprisingly, the food was similar to what Lucas usually ate on Earth, and he wolfed it down happily, too famished to think about anything else for the moment.

Just like him, the other people inhaled their food as if there was no tomorrow. So Vance and Ryker didn't find his actions weird.

It was only when Lucas was satisfied and his stomach was half-filled that he slowed down and sighed in relief.

Smiling at Vance and Ryker, who were observing him with amusement in their eyes, he decided to focus on the next problem at hand.

"Vance..." He hesitated, not knowing how to start. But he had to know how the world had come to this and what had happened.

"Do you mind telling me when this disaster struck? I can't seem to remember the exact date."

While Ryker gave him a cryptic look, Vance heaved a sigh of defeat and shook his head. "It was some day in September. I can't recall the exact date."

'Almost seven months ago. No wonder, they had yet to find a way to end the monsters.' Lucas analyzed. 

"While our part of the world was safer and yet to be attacked, it could not be said the same about other places, especially the ones situated in the middle and the east. They bore the brunt of the attack the most."

Vance shook his head again, his eyes filled with unprecedented sadness.

"Vance, let's not talk about it." Ryker patted the man's hand gently and gave Lucas a look.

"Yes, Vance. Let's not talk about it anymore." Lucas understood that he had scratched an unhealed wound and felt guilty about it.

"Do you mind telling me about the tranquilizer you shot at the monsters?" Lucas directed his gaze toward Ryker, leaving Vance to handle his thoughts.

"Those tranquilizers were created by Patrick. We don't know what's different in those zombies' blood. We're unable to kill them," he explained, and Lucas nodded thoughtfully. "We can only render them incapable for a few minutes at far, nothing more."

"In that case, Patrick is going in the right direction. Maybe he needs to adjust the composition or add something else to create the poison that can kill them," Lucas stated as a matter of fact, and Ryker and Vance nodded at him slightly.

"Yes, that is what he is worried about, and we are too. The humans are dying and if this continues, it'll not be long before this world gets destroyed completely."

"Agreed. We need to come up with something that can protect us and end this mayhem as quickly as possible," Lucas mumbled.

He was fine perishing after a mishap in his laboratory. But dying under the hands of a zombie, no way. Never.

"Fortunately, those creatures can't cross the wall we have constructed around our city. Otherwise, it'd have been difficult for us to survive in this world as well," Ryker stated all of a sudden, and Lucas relaxed all the more when he noticed the man not being suspicious of him anymore.

"May I ask why, though?" Lucas tried to probe more, even though he was close to the danger line. "I noticed that the walls around the city are higher than normal. But can this stop those creatures?"

Ryker, for the first time, smiled genuinely since the conversation started.

"It's not just that. We have sprinkled the tranquilizer a few meters from the wall. Fortunately for us, those creatures still have the sense of smell in them. So, they can never cross the wall." 

'So, those creatures aren't capable of aerial attacks. And they can't reach the wall as well, considering how well-prepared the people here are. Incredible!'

Lucas now understood why only Velomore had remained to stay safe while the other parts had been massacred. He was genuinely impressed by the residents. They had done an amazing job at protecting themselves, and he didn't forget to voice his thoughts.

But an odd silence fell over them the moment he did so, flummoxing him with the awkwardness.

"Did I say something wrong?" he questioned, silently recalling all that he had said. But he couldn't remember anything that might have triggered such a heavy reaction from the two men.

"It's nothing. Finish your food, Lucas. We'll show you around the place, or you may rest for some time before we show you around. Anyway, from tomorrow onwards, you'll be busy as hell."

Vance changed the topic, and Lucas gave him a look. But he didn't dwell on it more, allowing him to have his way.

Once Lucas was done, he followed Vance and Ryker out of the dining hall silently. He didn't dare speak a word until prompted. He didn't know what word he said would trigger them.

"I'm not sure where to start. But there is one place you must know." Vance spoke as he idly led Lucas around. 

"God forbid, if one day we too are attacked by those creatures, we try to block them as much as possible. But if we are unable to do so, we hide and save our lives."

"Hide?"

"Yes." 

Lucas's eyes widened when Vance pulled a barely noticeable lever on the wall they were standing beside, and a floor ahead of them opened, leading toward a staircase.

They started to climb down the stairs and didn't stop until they reached the basement. "This is Basement 1, and the entire basement is Patrick's laboratory. He'll show you the place tomorrow. Come."

Lucas stared ahead of him. Other than the small passage they were standing at, the entire place was the laboratory, the door to which was closed.

Lucas was curious to see how Patrick's lab looked. But he knew it had to wait and followed Vance and Ryker, curbing his curiosity for the time being.

Unlike the previous time when they had pulled on a lever, this time, Vance approached the nearest wall, and it was only then that Lucas noticed the abnormality in the wall. 

With a gaze filled with fascination, he saw Vance place his hand on the glass layer against the wall, and immediately, the screen came to life. Vance's name and picture came on the screen before the floor beside him opened again.

"Only the people of Velomore are allowed to enter this place," Ryker explained, and Lucas now understood why he had registered his fingerprints and got a picture of his clicked.

"Come." Ryker tilted his head, gesturing for him to continue walking.

Again, they climbed down the stairs. 

"And this will be our place of hiding, Basement 2."

Unlike Basement 1, Basement 2 was completely open and stretched far and wide, and it didn't take much for Lucas to realize that not just the entire building but even the arena he had seen while deboarding the chopper was covered. It was as if Basement 2 occupied the entire city.

"This sure is impressive," Lucas commented. "I'm assuming this place occupies the entire city."

"Umm...no. We have left some space to grow crops. We need food to sustain ourselves, don't we?"

Lucas got the answer to his unasked question, and he nodded.

"Is this place impenetrable?"

"More or less," Vance replied. "We've never faced any danger so far to use this place. So, we can't say otherwise. We're just hoping this place will shield us when danger falls."

"Understandable. Is there anything else I must know?"

"Yes, there is one more thing you must know."

Ryker glanced at Vance who nodded at him subtly. "And for that, we'll have to leave the building first."