Downtime and Death (Apocalypse Gates Author's Cut Book 5)

by Daniel Schinhofen

  “We can here,” Alvin said grimly. “That’s one of the bonuses of this room.”

  “If there’s a range, maybe we can use rifles to hit it from far enough away,” Bill said slowly. “Did the M240B do anything to it?”

  “I wasn’t exactly aiming,” Alvin said with a shake of his head, “so I don’t know.”

  “Mousie, take anyone who doesn’t want to do this back to the main room,” Alvin said. “Keep them company and let us know when Jarvis is ready.”

  “I’d rather stay,” Kuro said.

  “This is just testing. We won’t be fighting it,” Becky said. “You can show them the rest of the base. Just skip the bedroom and playroom.”

  “If that is your desire, Gothy,” Kuro said, heading for the door.

  “Okay,” Alvin exhaled. “If you’d rather not be here for this, follow Mousie.”

  “You all go ahead,” Bill said. “I’ll stay here and learn what I can. You can go see what other wonders Al has under wraps here.”

  James hesitated before shrugging, “Okay.”

  “Sis…” David said.

  “Go spend time with Bridget and see the rest of the place. This won’t take long.”

  “Okay,” David said, following James.

  When it was just the three of them left in the room, Becky looked at Bill. “I want you and Alvin to tell me when it stops affecting you.”

  “How are we testing it?” Bill asked.

  “Simulation, Green River today, but with empty streets,” Becky said. “Ruffian, beside us.” When the room faded, Becky opened the driver side door. “I’ll drive Ruffian close enough to make it come out, then drive away from it. We can find out the range that way. It’ll be easy.”

  “Smart,” Bill said.

  “Shotgun,” Alvin said.

  “Guess I have to climb in, then,” Bill said, looking at the car.

  ~*~*~

  When the three of them left the room, they found the others relaxing in the main room. “Do you like the base?” Alvin asked.

  “Don’t know,” James replied. “We were watching you,” he pointed at the TV. “That was a good way to test it.”

  “Thanks,” Becky grinned. “We know it has a quarter mile range, which gives you some room to work on shooting it from a distance.”

  “Can we work on that here?” Bill asked.

  “You few can,” Alvin said. “When we go to leave, I’ll collect the keys from you.”

  “Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes,” Jarvis called from the kitchen. “Sir, you need to get a bigger table.”

  “Okay,” Alvin said, a pad appearing in his hand. “Gothy, want to show them the other rooms while I get the table set?”

  “Okay, Hero. Come on, folks. You’ll be jealous of this part.”

  “I’m already a little jealous of this place,” Susan said.

  “Just wait until you see the rest of it,” Becky laughed.

  Fifteen minutes later, they were back from the tour. The automated rooms had been the most shocking part, and they were all impressed. Alvin was standing next to a twenty-person table, which had been set with fine crystal and china. “So, you like it?”

  “I hate you right now,” James snorted. “This place is so far beyond what we have. Heh, and I was so excited when I showed you around.”

  “I get a lot of hate,” Alvin grinned. “The Humvee and Ruffian are good to go, so if you want a vehicle touched up or some of your leathers patched, we can do that.”

  “I’ll take you up on it,” Bill said. “My truck could use some help.”

  “Can you patch Kevlar?” James asked.

  “No, we need a composite armorer for that,” Alvin frowned, “which isn’t a room. Not yet, at least.”

  “Too bad... my vest needs some help. I’ll just have to buy a new one soon.”

  “If you’d like to take your seats, we can start dinner,” Jarvis said from the kitchen. “Tonight, I shall be serving you a re-creation of the eleven-course meal that was served on the Titanic.”

  “Eleven courses?” Alvin asked with a raised eyebrow.

  “Yes, sir. Don’t worry— they are not large courses, and this dinner will last two hours,” Jarvis said.

  “I’m glad I’m hungry,” Susan said. “You’re the one who’s been making all those meals on the auction house, right?”

  “Yes, miss. I am indeed the one who made them, but it was Alvin who placed them in the auction house.”

  “I’m looking forward to this even more, now,” David said. “I snagged that steak the other day, and damn…”

  “The cheesecake,” Bridget sighed.

  Jarvis smile broadened, “Thank you all. I hope to put those meals to shame with this one.”

  ~*~*~

  Dinner was a smashing success— even the dishes people were not fond of had been polished off with enthusiasm. Most of the courses were one to three ounces while the entrees were six ounces each, and each had been paired with a beverage that enhanced the flavors. Susan was the only one disappointed because she could not have any alcohol, sticking with water.

  Sitting there feeling utterly full, the group relaxed with coffee. Jarvis had been complimented after each course, and was standing nearby, waiting to refill any cups with a large smile on his face.

  “Is there any way we can steal him for our settlement?’ Susan asked.

  “I cannot leave the base, Miss Susan,” Jarvis replied solemnly, dashing her hopes.

  “Thank god,” Alvin chuckled. “Otherwise, I might wake up and find out you’d been kidnapped.”

  “Unlikely, sir. After all, I’m heavily invested in your welfare. If you die without an extra life, I will die, as well.”

  “About that,” James said, “is there any easy way for us to get the kind of XP you seem to be raking in?”

  “Not that I know of,” Alvin said.

  “Sir, if I may?” Jarvis asked.

  “Go ahead, but don’t get in trouble.”

  “The trader job is an option. It would let you link settlements together. When doing that, you can get a small percentage of XP for goods traded between the two settlements. However,” Jarvis was quick to add, “it does mean you would be facing the same dangers that they do. It is technically easy, but fraught with death.”

  “Pass,” James said. “I have a kid on the way.”

  “Pick out names already?” Becky asked.

  “We have a few we’re considering,” Susan said. “Until we know the sex, we’re going to keep them a secret.”

  “Probably a good idea,” Becky admitted.

  “Al, can I come back tomorrow and try out the training room?” David asked. “I want to test out a few things.”

  “Go ahead, but wait until the afternoon,” Alvin chuckled, “just to make sure everyone is awake and not engaged.”

  David missed his sister’s eye roll. “Thanks!”

  “Speaking of tomorrow,” Susan sighed, “I need some sleep. Thank you for having us over. I’ll have to see about upgrading my rooms when I can.”

  “Oh, come with me real quick,” Becky said. “Ladies, all of you come with me.”

  “Gothy?” Alvin asked with a raised eyebrow.

  “I just want to show them the bathroom,” Becky said, leading them toward the bedroom.

  Alvin chuckled, “Fine.”

  A few minutes later, they came back out. “Now I really have to,” Susan sighed. “I’m jealous and hate you a little right now,” she told Becky.

  “It’s okay. When you get your own, you’ll love me,” Becky smirked.

  “Very likely,” Susan smiled, trading hugs. “I’ve also been wondering where you got that dress.”

  “From the capital of Svargax,” Becky smiled. “You can try sending Night a message asking for dresses to be included in the trade items she makes available.”

  “Not sure I should do that, but maybe,” Susan smiled.

  Goodbyes were said, hugs and handshakes were exchanged, and after a few m
inutes, all the guests were gone, leaving just Alvin, Becky, Kuro, and Jarvis in the base.

  “Jarvis, you outdid yourself,” Alvin said. “That buff is a bit high, isn’t it?”

  “I wanted this to be memorable,” Jarvis smiled. “I figured an increase of four to Aptitude for twenty-four hours would make that likely. Having just become a Master Chef, I wanted to try out my newest buff.”

  “Grats, Jarvis,” Becky said. “That’s amazing.”

  “Thank you, miss.”

  “Let’s go to bed, Hero,” Becky said, her eyes smoldering.

  “I’m not going to say no to that,” Alvin said, his arms going around each woman.

  Chapter Five

  After breakfast, Becky took Kuro with her to go see Megumin, leaving Alvin by himself. Sitting on the sofa in the rented inn room, Alvin fiddled with one of the items Matriarch Bloodnight had given to them. Jarvis had not been able to tell them anything about the set and the kiosk had failed to identify it beyond a name.

  The parts looked like clunky jewelry. There were six pieces: a thick metal collar with a dull green gem, two equally thick bracelets with the same gem, a larger metal circle with the same kind of gem, inscribed with an angular marking, and two more bracelets that were wider in diameter. All of the pieces had two ultra-thin needles on the inside, meaning whoever wore them would be pierced.

  As a set, it was a “damaged Twurgh relic,” and each part was a “piece of a damaged Twurgh relic.” Jarvis was not familiar with the name Twurgh, meaning it had been added recently, probably with the last major change.

  “What are you, and what the fuck is a Twurgh?” Alvin sighed, looking at the items arrayed on the coffee table. A knock on the door got his attention, and he got up to see who it was.

  “Sorry to bother you, Al. I was hoping to borrow your training room,” David said eagerly.

  Chuckling, Alvin stepped aside, “Feel free. What did you want to do?”

  “There are a few explosive concoctions I want to try. That just seems like the perfect place to experiment with things that can blow up in my face. I can’t die in there.” David’s eyes went to the jewelry on the table, “What are those?”

  “Broken, from what we can tell,” Alvin snorted. “The kiosk doesn’t identify it. Only says that it’s a ‘Twurgh relic.’”

  David’s steps slowed and he frowned, “Twurgh?”

  “Yeah. Do you know the name?”

  “I’ve heard it before,” David said, changing course to the table. “Can I look at them?”

  “Sure,” Alvin said, returning to his seat. “I’d go with you to the training room, but I still have to spend eight hours outside my base.”

  “No, it’s fine. I’d rather not explode both of us. Pretty sure sis would be upset with me if I did.”

  “Just make sure you tell the simulation to end if you die,” Alvin chuckled.

  “Oh… is that a thing?”

  “I don’t know, but I’d rather you not lay there for hours.”

  “That’s a good point,” David said, nodding as he picked up the collar. “Maybe some kind of slave binding? I mean... the other pieces could be wrist, ankles, and belt. Add in this collar and maybe if they work, they immobilize the person wearing them.”

  “Why call it a relic, then?” Alvin asked. “I had that thought earlier. The needles inside might administer a jolt or something to stop an escape attempt.”

  “Maybe they’re a relic because they’re no longer in use?” David suggested. “Then again, ‘relic’ can also mean something lost. I take it this didn’t come from a ‘Twurgh,’ since you don’t know what that is.”

  “It came from a Matriarch… maybe a Twurgh was another type of demon that invaded them in the past,” Alvin said, looking at the items with renewed interest.

  “It reminds me of German,” David said. “Yeah… it was an old game…” Eyes unfocused, David looked into the distance. “Twurgh… Twerg, maybe?”

  “What’s that?”

  “Twerg is an old Germanic name for Dwergaz. Dwarves,” David looked at the collar, getting excited. “This could be a Dwarven relic.”

  Alvin picked up one of the metal circlets. “Worked metal, gems, and one with a rune inscribed in it… That does make a certain amount of sense. The craftsmanship is below what I would expect of Dwarven, though.”

  “It’s a relic,” David said as he picked up the largest piece and looked at the rune. “You already went to the Elven world, so it makes sense that there’d be a Dwarven world, too.”

  “I hope their world isn’t as fucked up as the Elves’,” Alvin said, putting the first piece of the relic away. “At least it gives me a thread that I can pull on. Thanks, David.”

  “Oh, sure,” David said, handing the collar back with reluctance. “I’ll go test out my explosives. If you think of anything to try with those, let me know, please.”

  “Sure thing, bro,” Alvin chuckled as he put the rest of it away.

  Another knock on the door made both of them pause. Alvin opened the door to see James standing there. “What’s up?”

  “I’m hoping you’ll let me use your training room,” James said. “I want to test a few things out.”

  “Well, this will be interesting, since David wants to use it, too,” Alvin chuckled. “Come on in. What were you thinking of trying out?”

  “I… oh, if David wants to use it, it’s not important,” James said, pausing in the doorway.

  “I’m sure the room can accommodate both of you at the same time,” Alvin said.

  “No, it’s fine. I’ll try to catch you guys later,” James said, backing up.

  “Oh, no. Get in here,” Alvin said, snagging James and pulling him into the room. He shut the door. “I want to know what’s got you all skittish.”

  James looked wistfully at the door behind Alvin before sighing. “Promise to keep it between us three?”

  “Sure,” Alvin nodded.

  “Yeah,” David said, clearly just as curious.

  “Susan being pregnant and all… I don’t know how to take care of a baby… and, well... your room can let me figure it out without me hurting my kid,” James said hesitantly.

  Alvin laughed, “That’s it? Damn, James, I thought it was going to be something bad.”

  “Stop laughing,” David said. “He just wants to make sure he’s the best dad he can be.”

  Alvin held up a hand, “Not laughing at that, though it is amusing. My mind came up with a dozen different things he might want to test, all of them completely out of character for our straight-laced deputy. To hear it’s to learn how to care for his soon-to-be child makes me laugh at my own thoughts.”

  “I don’t even want to know,” James said, shaking his head.

  “Let’s see if we can set it up for you both to use the room,” Alvin said, still chuckling as he moved past the two men. “Explosives and a baby— what could possibly go wrong?”

  The simulation gave them the entirety of the settlement, so James went into his room in the bunker and asked for a newborn, along with a guide on how to hold and change a baby. David went to his workshop and the simulation gave him a little of everything to play with.

  Leaving the two alone, Alvin checked in with Jarvis in the kitchen. “What are you doing, Jarvis?”

  “Preparing food to put on the kiosk, sir,” Jarvis replied. “I can now sell things myself directly, so I’m taking full advantage of that with the normal pantry. The pantry has enough stock to cook three meals for fifteen daily, thanks to your upgrades to the base. Since we won’t use all of that, I’m cooking some of it to sell.”

  “What are you going to do if we have a surprise feast, though?”

  “I’m only cooking a dozen meals, so that leaves plenty for another banquet, sir.”

  “I’m thinking I should charge you for using my materials,” Alvin said with a raised eyebrow.

  “I don’t think miss would agree with you, sir.

  “Probably right,” Alvin shrugged.
“Not that I would, anyway. Just don’t go overboard.”

  “I will not, sir. What are your plans for the rest of today?”

  “Nothing,” Alvin grinned. “I’m using this week to do as little as possible. Oh, David said that the Twurgh relic might be Dwarven.”

  “Hmm, that is interesting, sir… I’d comment, but…”