Police swarmed the place. The café had been declared as a crime scene and Victor Louise was the victim of this groutious murder.

It wasn’t his fault.

But somehow, they thought otherwise.

Seth gritted his teeth, getting away from here was currently on top of his list. Next to look at his phone in search of an answer.

The fucking game – not a game – was the only key to stay alive.

“Hey!” Fingers snapped in front of his hollowed eyes. “Do you know who the victim is?”

Seth nodded, but then shook his head hurriedly. The Victor that he know was still alive. If he brought up his professor’s name, there would be one hell of a problem. Though, with what awaiting them at midnight, he didn’t know why he still care.

“Do you know the victim or not?”

“No, sir. I just met him a few blocks away from here.”

“Then what were you doing with the victim in the first place?” The detective looked at him in distaste. Afterall, he was still reeking of blood as some red refused to be wiped clean with a wash.

Seth tightened his blanket, kindly provided by the paramedic before he was handcuffed. Clenching his jaw, he hoped his voice to not shake. “He wants to talk to me.”

“About what?” The detective tapped the sharp point of his pen to the notepad, averting his look.

The end of the world, he tempted to say, but knew it wasn’t wise.

Nine thirty, that was the time now. In another two and a half hours, the first wave invasion would begin. The game – the System, told him so. Repeatedly, in the last hours.

Seth would die, so, there was no need to inform the police of that piece of information. At best, he would be categorized as crazy and straight up to mental hospital. At worst … well, the image of him being interrogated by this detective and brutally forced to admit things he didn’t do was not appealing.

So, that left him with little choice. Seth stood on shaky legs and dashed through the police lines.

“Stop him!”

Even with a cuff on, Seth was a pretty decent sprinter. Evading police officers and getting away from the café was a matter of not tripping and colliding with bystanders.

Heart beating like crazy, Seth pushed on his limit. It had been years since he left his highschool’s track team. He had tried to keep his regime, but being reminded of his dad was painful.

“Stop there, you punk!”

“Stand down!”

He ran like a demon was on his heel. No time to look back, he was lucky they didn’t pull a gun and–

Bang!

He was wrong.

Obviously, they needed him to stop right there and then. Another blood on his person was not a problem, he was already covered from it earlier anyway.

Running towards a jam-packed shopping area, Seth intended to lose the police there. Quick on his feet, he gritted his teeth as his chest seized in hope air would rush into his lungs. His legs burned from sudden overuse, but getting away from the police was only the first step.

He had entered this place of home décor shop before, spending time because he’s a loser and had nothing else to do.

A sandy blonde worker actually saw him breezed from another aisle, but she was probably behind on sales this month. She let him pass, in case he need something and will quickly pay before the closing hour.

He was in luck. No one in the store stopped him, despite the cuffs and dried blood on his clothes. Besides, this was New York, not the city of angels where people flaunts as if they were the lead role of a soon-to-be-make box office success.

Seth staggered towards the stacks of brand new kitchen appliances. Rounding it, he slumped on the floor. Thankfully, no CCTV on his sight. After catching his breath and unsuccessfully fiddle with the cuffs, Seth managed to pull out his phone the police hasn’t confiscated.

Opening the User Interface’s donut icon, Seth was readily greeted with a pop up window of a new bonus mission. He didn’t hear the accompanying ‘dong!’ earlier, as he was in the middle of a murder case, apparently.

[A new bonus mission received.]

[Bonus Mission 4: Run away from the police.]

[Rewards: 20 exp + 20 cells.]

[Time Left: 2 hours 10 minutes.]

But, seeing as he already got away from the police, his phone ‘dong-ed’ again.

[Bonus Mission 4: Run away from the police, have been completed!]

[20 exp + 20 cells received.]

That was not the information he wanted at the moment, so Seth closed it with a single touch. Backing away from the [Missions] section, the futuristic blue theme showed him the main page of this so-called System.

[Status]

[Mission]

[Inventory]

[Ally]

[Shop]

Seth touched each of them.

[Status]

[This personal Information will be hidden from other Systemists.]

[Full Name: Seth Holden

Date of Birth: 15-02-2001

Living Blood Relative: 5 people]

___

[Nickname: Jet Lynx

Level: Undecided

Exp: 20

HP: 273 / 300

Core: Undecided

Regeneration: Undecided

Strength: Undecided

Speed: Undecided

Resistance: Undecided

Technique Mastery: Undecided

Skill: None

Gift: None

Balance: 1.230 cells]

Bummer. He gained no important information from there. the [Inventory], [Ally], and [Shop] also provided him with a simple, [Not available at the moment.]

But on [Mission], Seth figured he could look for a clue as to what the first wave invasion actually meant. Besides the obvious, of course.

He read through the missions given by the ga– System first.

[Main Mission 1: Survive the first wave invasion.]

[Mission Detail: At 00.00 tonight, the first wave invasion will hit Earth starting from the most populated area. Survive until the second wave invasion in 100 days 0 hour.]

[Rewards: Second wave invasion’s survival kit + multiple level ups.]

[Time Left: 99 days 2 hours.]

It was a long mission he couldn’t fail for the next hundred days. If not, it meant death. It was survival mission after all.

Then, on the [Bonus Mission]’s page, he quick read it.

[Bonus Mission 1: Give Sarah Dickson a payback slap.]

[Rewards: 10 exp + 10 cells.]

[Time Left: 6 days 14 hours.]

[Bonus Mission 2: Babysit Marnie Witherspoon for three days.]

[Rewards: 150 exp + 150 cells.]

[Time Left: 3 days 2 hours.]

[Bonus Mission 3: Punch Eric Witherspoon in the face.]

[Rewards: 10 exp + 10 cells.]

[Time Left: 0 days 2 hours.]

Still nothing. But the bonus mission’s time window correlated to the first wave invasion that supposedly will happen in about two hours from now. Seth reread it again and again.

[Bonus Mission 3: Punch Eric Witherspoon in the face.]

[Time Left: 0 days 2 hours.]

Eric Witherspoon, his late father’s ex-bestfriend and her mother’s new husband, would die tonight. He didn’t know – nor did he care – that his mother could also die tonight.

Seth closed his eyes, trying o think what to do now with this little piece of information.

[Bonus Mission 2: Babysit Marnie Witherspoon for three days.]

The words flashed in his eyes, as of trying to tell him that he should really do it. Should he?

‘Save your little sister too. She’s important.’

Victor Louise told him.

Not the professor he just mocked earlier today. No. But someone who managed to survive the first wave invasion and then got sent back in time to warn him.

To warn Seth.

There were bigger things he didn’t understand, but the digital clock reminded he only had one and a half hour to get his shit done and not die.

So, with a groan, he stood up and came face to face – to her bigger than average, frontal assets, actually – with the sandy blonde worker earlier.

“Gosh!” Seth almost knocked over the stacked goods behind him. “What do you want?”

“Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that?” the worker said, twirling her sandy blonde hair around her finger. The store’s nametag pinned on her chest said that her name was Amy. “It seems you need a hand.”

A universal handcuff key dangled in front of him. Teasing.

Seth’s eyes widened. “What’s the cost?”

Amy smiled, wickedly.