MY RIDER SYSTEM

06. Trust No One

The monster struck, sending Kael and itself tumbling off the rooftop. Kael managed to grab the ledge in time, the sudden pull nearly dislocating his shoulder. He hung on for dear life as rain poured around him.

Rain fell heavily, soaking the metal beneath Kael’s hand. His grip slipped for a moment, then tightened again as the monster below grabbed his ankles and yanked him down.

“Let go of me!” Kael yelled, his voice cracking with panic.

The creature’s claws sank deeper, tearing into his skin. Kael yelled in pain and kicked wildly with his free leg until a final hard strike knocked the monster away.

It fell, crashing to the ground below with a horrible thud.

Gasping for breath, Kael hauled himself up over the ledge and collapsed onto the rooftop. He lay there for a long moment, catching his breath and trying to calm the pounding in his chest.

“Still alive…” he muttered between ragged breaths, almost in disbelief.

Suddenly, glowing words appeared again in front of him.

【 Countdown Initiated 】

【 168:00:00 】

168:59:59... 168:59:58... 168:59:57…

Kael froze, staring in shock.

“No way... it’s actually counting down?” he gasped.

That was when he heard a loud scream coming from inside the shop and his eyes shot open. ‘The others!' he realized.

Kael scrambled to his feet and ran for the rooftop door. He rushed down the ladder, his heart racing as much as it did.

The moment his boots hit the shop floor, his entire body froze.

The place was a nightmare.

Blood covered everything from the broken furniture, to the shattered glass, and the bodies that lay everywhere. Some were human, others less so.

“God…” Kael whispered.

A cry snapped his attention to the far corner of the shop. A woman was pinned against the counter, a monster tearing into her with its claws. Without thinking, Kael snatched a kitchen knife from the floor and charged. But before he could reach her, two more monsters burst through the windows, tackling him to the ground.

He hit the floor with a grunt, the knife sliding just out of his reach. The people above him didn’t look human anymore. Their faces were twisted, more like beasts than actual people. Their hot, rotten breath hit his face as their claws ripped into his jacket.

“Get off me!” he shouted, struggling beneath their weight. He tried to push them off, but they were too strong. Desperate, he yelled, “Tucker! Selena! Help!”

The creatures crawled closer, their jaws snapping at him and then, in a flash of steel, everything changed.

Selena burst in from the side, machete raised high, and swung hard. The blade sliced clean through one monster’s neck.

From the other side, Tucker charged in, bringing his axe down with a heavy crack that split the second creature’s skull.

Kael flinched as dark, almost black blood splattered across his face and chest. The creatures dropped lifelessly to the floor.

“Judging by the blood,” Tucker said, pulling his axe free, “these ones were newly turned.”

Selena wiped her blade clean with a rag. “That won’t keep them down for long,” she muttered. Then her eyes darted to Kael, and she pointed her machete toward him. “Were you bitten?”

Kael blinked, clearly scared of the happenings around him. “I… I don’t know—”

“Were you bitten?!” she snapped, stepping forward.

“No!” Kael yelled, shaking his head. “I swear, I wasn’t!” His voice cracked as he looked around the ruined shop. “Everyone’s… gone…”

Before he could finish, movement caught his eye.

A man stumbled out from behind a fallen shelf. It was Jonn, one of the survivors. Kael quickly recognized him. He was the person who helped block the door to the entrance when Kael was first rescued. Now, he was clutching his arm, rubbing furiously at the blood that streamed down from it.

Selena’s eyes widened. “Jonn?” she said softly, almost pleading.

Jonn shook his head in panic. “No, wait! Please! I can fight it! I’m fine!”

But Selena’s face hardened. Without hesitation, she lifted her machete.

Kael’s eyes went wide. “Selena, wait—”

He was too late. The blade came down, slicing into Jonn’s shoulder with brutal precision. He screamed, stumbling back, but Selena struck again—then again—until Tucker stepped forward, finishing it with one brutal swing of his axe. His face was not spared from the blood of their lastest victim.

Consequently, Kael ducked behind the counter, trembling. The sound of metal hitting flesh and the blood that poured from it, it all felt unreal. He wanted to look away, but he couldn’t. They'd just killed a man.

When it was over, Tucker breathed heavily, wiping his axe. “That’s all the monsters,” he said.

“And the survivors?” Selena asked quietly.

Tucker only tilted his head toward the bodies.

"Shit," she cursed, wiping blood from her cheek. “Then we move. This place is compromised. More infected will be on their way soon.” She began gathering a few supplies, stuffing whatever she could into her pack. “Grab what you can. We leave now.”

Kael stayed hidden regardless, watching them through the tiny gap. Try as he might, his hands wouldn't stop shaking.

That was when Tucker turned and his gaze landed directly on him.

Kael ducked instantly. He had hoped they wouldn't notice him. But that's when he heard slow, heavy footsteps coming his way.

When he looked up again, Tucker was standing over him now, wearing the calmest, most friendliest smile Kael had ever seen.

“It’s all right, kid,” Tucker said gently, holding out his hand. “You can come out now. Everything’s been taken care of.”

Kael hesitated but he finally took his hand. Tucker pulled him to his feet with surprising strength.

“Thanks,” Kael muttered, still trying to steady his breath. “I really thought I was done for.”

Tucker’s eyes flicked to his side, noticing the spot stained red. “Looks like you’ve been nicked pretty bad.”

Kael instinctively covered the wound. “It’s just a flesh wound,” he said rather quickly.

Tucker chuckled under his breath. “I’m sure it is.”

Not wanting to linger on it, Kael forced himself to change the subject. “What about Selena? Where is she—

His words stopped. His eyes went wide.

Selena lay motionless on the blood-soaked floor, her weapon resting just out of reach.

“What… what happened to her?” Kael whispered, only to realize the man still hadn’t let go of his hand. His grip had only tightened.

“Tucker?” Kael whispered.

Gone was the friendly smile. In its place was a cold, emotionless stare. The warmth in his face drained away, replaced by something dark.

“I’m sorry, kid,” Tucker said softly. “You shouldn’t have come here.”

Kael jerked back, trying to pull free, but Tucker was simply too strong. With one brutal motion, he yanked Kael forward and slammed his forehead into his own.

The impact sent the boy crashing to the floor. He could feel the pain creep in from behind his eyes as the room spun around him.

“Why?!” he coughed, trying to crawl away. “What the hell is wrong with you?!”

Tucker said nothing. His boots crunched over broken glass and pieces as he advanced, the axe hanging loosely at his side.

Fortunately, Kael’s hand brushed against a jagged piece on the floor. Acting on instinct, he grabbed it and swung upward, stabbing it deep into Tucker’s shoulder.

The man roared and stumbled back for just a moment. He ripped the glass out, blood streaming down his arm, then charged again.

Kael barely had time to raise his hands before Tucker tackled him to the floor. The impact knocked the air out of his lungs. Tucker’s knees pinned Kael’s arms, and his hands locked around the boy’s throat, squeezing tight.

Kael kicked and clawed, struggling to break free with everything he had, but Tucker's grip was iron. “Stop… please…” he rasped, his voice barely a whisper.

Tucker’s expression didn’t change. “Don’t fight it, kid.” he said quietly.

And in that moment, Kael’s movements slowed. He could feel his strength fading with every breath. The edges of the world went black until, finally, everything disappeared.