The world smelled like iron and smoke.
Aiden Cross stumbled out of the ruined delivery van, palms burning where shards of glass had nicked him. His lungs clawed for air. The high-pitched ringing in his ears drowned out everything—the honking, the screaming, even the sound of his own heartbeat.
All around him, Crescent City burned.
Cars crashed nose-first into lamp posts. People trampled over each other to escape something he couldn't see. In the distance, skyscrapers leaned as though the earth itself was trying to shake them off. Sirens blared, then died mid-wail.
Aiden wiped his face with his sleeve. Blood streaked across his forearm. His blood. His brain refused to process what had just happened: one moment, he'd been delivering a package to the downtown biotech tower; the next, a thunderclap of light split the sky, and the world cracked open.
Then came the "System" screen.
That damn floating window with glowing red text:
> [Welcome, Survivor.]
[You have been selected for the Day Zero Program.]
[Survive for 24 hours to unlock Starter Perk.]
He'd swiped at it, thinking it was some AR ad. It had followed him. Still followed him now, pulsing at the corner of his vision like a parasite. He didn't know what it meant, but he knew one thing—he wasn't imagining it.
A scream tore his attention back to the street.
A girl bolted out of a shattered café, clutching a toddler. Behind her, a thing—no, a nightmare—scrambled on all fours. Its carapace gleamed slick and black. Its mouth opened too wide, mandibles clicking.
Aiden's stomach flipped. He'd seen monsters in games, but this was different. This thing smelled like rot and chemicals. Its claws gouged furrows in the concrete.
"Move!" Aiden shouted. His voice cracked. The girl tripped, the toddler wailed. The creature lunged.
He didn't think—he just moved.
His sneakers slapped the pavement as he sprinted, yanking a broken stop sign from the ground. The metal squealed. He jammed it between the monster and the girl like a spear. The impact jolted up his arms.
The creature hissed, hot saliva spattering his face. He shoved harder. His whole body trembled.
Then, at the edge of his vision, the System blinked:
> [Action Detected: Defensive Assist.]
[+10 Survivor Points.]
"What the hell—" he gasped.
The monster screeched, recoiling. Its mandibles snapped inches from his cheek. With a grunt, Aiden twisted the stop sign, catching it in the jaw. It staggered back, legs clicking like scissors.
"Run!" Aiden barked at the girl.
She bolted, clutching the toddler. Aiden turned and sprinted too, his heart hammering against his ribs.
"Run or die," he muttered under his breath. "Run or die."
The System pulsed again:
> [Survivor Points: 10]
[Starter Perk Unlocked in 22h:47m]
He ducked into an alley, chest heaving. His hoodie clung to his back with sweat. The city felt wrong, like the rules of physics had been bent. The sky above roiled with storm clouds tinged neon green. A faint humming undercut everything, as if some giant machine had switched on beneath the streets.
"Aiden Cross."
The voice froze him.
He spun. Out of the shadows stepped a woman in a torn lab coat, silver hair whipping in the unnatural wind. Her glasses were cracked, but her eyes burned with focus.
"You're late," she said.
He blinked. "Excuse me?"
"You're supposed to be dead." She adjusted the strap of a glowing black case slung over her shoulder. "But since you're not, you're coming with me."
Aiden stared at her. "Lady, I don't even know who you are—"
Another screech echoed from the street. The monster was back.
"Move!" she snapped.
She grabbed his wrist, pulling him deeper into the alley. Despite the chaos, her grip was like steel. She didn't look back once.
Aiden stumbled after her. "You're insane—"
"Insane is staying out there."
They burst out onto another street. This one was eerily empty. Burned-out cars lined the sidewalks. Holographic billboards flickered nonsense. A hot wind carried the stench of ozone.
She released his wrist and finally looked at him. "You saw the System?"
"You mean the creepy floating pop-up?" he said, still panting. "Yeah. It's been stalking me since the flash."
Her eyes narrowed. "Then you're one of us."
"One of who?"
"Survivors."
As if on cue, his System pulsed:
> [New Quest Received: "Reach Shelter 09"]
[Reward: Starter Perk Upgrade +100 Survivor Points]
[Time Limit: 01:00:00]
A countdown began in the corner of his vision. 59:59. 59:58.
He almost choked. "You're seeing this too?"
"No," she said. "But I know what it means. Follow me if you want to live."
"Are you seriously quoting Terminator right now?"
Her lips twitched. "Do you want to argue or survive?"
He hesitated, then cursed under his breath. "Fine. But after this, you're explaining everything."
She turned, striding toward a stairwell leading underground. "If we survive, I will."
Another screech echoed behind them. The countdown ticked 59:30. His chest tightened.
He glanced at her again. She wasn't just some random scientist. She moved like she'd done this before. Like she'd been waiting for him.
"What's your name?" he called.
"Nova," she said. "Now run."
He ran.
---
They descended into the subway, their footsteps clanging off the metal stairs. The tunnels glowed with emergency lights, casting everything in hellish red. Shadows stretched like claws.
"Shelter 09?" he panted.
"Underground survivor hub," Nova said. "If it's still standing."
"If?"
"The first hour is always the worst." She adjusted her case. "After that, the weak are gone."
The words hit him harder than the sprint. He swallowed hard. "And the kid and the girl back there—?"
Nova didn't answer.
They reached the platform. Abandoned trains sat like corpses. The hum of machinery grew louder.
Aiden's System pulsed again:
> [Warning: Hostile Signature Approaching]
The screech returned, echoing through the tunnels.
Nova dropped her case and flipped a latch. Inside was a sleek black pistol that looked nothing like any gun he'd seen. "Cover your ears."
"Wait—"
She fired.
The shot cracked like thunder. Blue energy lanced down the tunnel, slamming into the monster as it rounded the corner. It shrieked, its carapace cracking. Still, it kept coming.
"Run!" she barked.
He didn't argue.
They sprinted along the platform, jumping over debris. The countdown ticked 45:00. 44:59. His legs burned, but adrenaline pushed him.
Behind them, the monster screeched, claws sparking against the rails.
They reached a heavy door marked "Shelter 09." It was dented, scorched, but intact.
Nova slammed her palm against the scanner. "Come on, come on—"
Nothing.
"It's dead!" she hissed.
Aiden's System pulsed:
> [Emergency Option Available: "Force Entry" — Cost: 10 Survivor Points]
He blinked. "Force entry?"
> [Confirm? Y/N]
He didn't even think. "Yes!"
A surge of heat shot up his arm. The door's lock sparked, then blew apart with a hiss. The door creaked open.
Nova stared at him. "How did you—"
"Long story!" He grabbed her arm. "Inside!"
They tumbled through. He slammed the door shut behind them just as the monster's claw slammed into it, leaving a dent.
Silence.
He bent double, gasping. Nova leaned against the wall, clutching her case.
After a moment, she said quietly, "You're stronger than you look."
He glanced up. Her silver hair glinted in the emergency light. For the first time, she almost looked human.
"I'm not strong," he said. "I'm just—scared."
"That's why you'll live," she murmured.
His System pulsed one last time:
> [Quest Complete: "Reach Shelter 09"]
[Reward: Starter Perk Upgrade +100 Survivor Points]
[New Perk Unlocked: Adaptive Reflexes (Rank F)]
A rush of warmth flooded his body. His limbs tingled. The countdown reset to 23:59:59.
Nova met his eyes. "Welcome to Day Zero."
---
(End of Chapter 2)