Chapter 7: My Twin Has Awakened

[SAMUEL SMITH — AWAKENED.]

I stared at the notification, because my twin brother had awakened, and of course he had, since Samuel had always been lucky and had gotten everything he wanted even in my previous life, including my fiancé.

“What happened?” Adrian asked.

I showed him the message, and his expression darkened. “Your brother has awakened already?”

“You know him?”

“I know what he is capable of.”

Before I could question him, another explosion rocked the hotel, and Adrian ordered me to move, so we rushed through the emergency exit into the parking area, where the streets were chaos, with cars crashed into one another, people running in every direction, and infected humans attacking anyone unfortunate enough to cross their paths.

I had never seen anything like it, but Adrian opened a black SUV without a second glance. “Get in.”

I climbed into the passenger seat, and he started the engine, but before we could move someone appeared in front of the vehicle, and I realised it was Michael, covered in dust with his shirt stained with blood.

“John!”

I immediately reached for the door lock. “What are you doing here?” I asked through the window.

“Open the door! Samuel is hurt.”

I almost laughed, because Samuel was hurt, the same Samuel who had stabbed me in another timeline. “Find a hospital.”

“John, please! He’s your brother!”

“And you’re my fiancé, remember?”

Michael went quiet, and I watched him struggle to find the right words. “Baby, whatever happened between us, we can talk about it, but we need to stay together.”

I looked at Adrian. “Drive.”

Adrian didn’t hesitate, and the SUV moved forward and forced Michael to jump aside, and I watched him disappear behind us without feeling guilty for once.

[SYSTEM MESSAGE]

[MISSION UPDATE: REACH A SAFE LOCATION.]

[TIME REMAINING: 21 MINUTES.]

[BONUS REWARD: 15 SYSTEM POINTS.]

I leaned back. “Where are we going?”

“An abandoned military storage facility.”

“You have access to a military facility?”

“I have access to places most people don’t know exist.”

“That isn’t an answer.”

“It’s the only one you’re getting.”

I rolled my eyes, because this man was becoming irritating, and a few minutes later Adrian turned into a narrow road surrounded by thick trees, at the end of which stood a tall metal gate. He entered a code and the gate opened, revealing several vehicles, boxes of supplies and a small building.

I stepped out and looked around. “This is your safe house?”

“For now.”

Adrian locked the gate behind us, and I followed him inside the building, where there were weapons, bottled water, canned food, medical supplies and a few computers, and for the first time since waking up I felt like I could breathe.

Then the system chimed.

[MISSION COMPLETE.]

[REWARD: 15 SYSTEM POINTS.]

[BONUS: BASIC INVENTORY UNLOCKED.]

I opened my status panel.

Name: John Smith

Level: 1

Strength: 4

Agility: 5

Intelligence: 8

Endurance: 3

System Points: 30

Skills: Basic Combat

I had thirty points now. “What can I use these points for?” I whispered.

“Planning another conversation with yourself?”

I turned, and Adrian was watching me. “Do you ever mind your business?”

“Rarely.”

I shook my head and looked away, but the computer on the table suddenly beeped, and Adrian walked over and opened a live security feed that made my heart stop, because the camera showed the hotel entrance with Samuel standing there, and something about him was different.

Dark veins covered his neck and a strange black symbol glowed beneath his skin, and when he raised his hand a nearby infected creature immediately stopped moving, then turned toward the camera while Samuel smiled.

“He’s stronger than I expected,” Adrian muttered.

I stared at the screen. “What did he just do?”

Adrian’s expression became serious. “He can control the infected.”

My mouth went dry, and then Samuel looked directly into the camera as if he knew I was watching, and he smiled again.

“Come out, John,” he whispered, and the computer speakers crackled. “I know where you are.”

[SYSTEM ALERT!]

[NEW ENEMY ABILITY DETECTED: INFECTED COMMAND.]

[THREAT LEVEL: HIGH.]

[HOST, YOUR TWIN BROTHER IS HUNTING YOU.]