Zero's Law: Lord Of The Karma System

Karma Isn't Fair.

CHAPTER 6: Karma Isn't Fair

Ten days later.

The door to Zero's ward creaked open, and Dr. Kemp walked in, a big folder containing some papers tucked under one of his arms.

"Here are your discharge papers, Mr. Lindsey." He placed the folder on the tray table, adjusting his glasses. "I have prescribed some mild painkillers. You can pick them up at the pharmacy on your way out. Take them only if you need them, avoid lifting anything heavy, and... absolutely no drinking for at least three weeks."

Zero nodded, quietly playing along. He didn’t need the medication anymore... not with the way his body have already fully recovered, unnaturally fast. Still, he let the doctor think otherwise.

"You will also need a follow up with a local physician in about a week, just to be safe." Kemp continued. He hesitated, studying Zero’s face. "And... try not to do anymore dangerous heroic deeds for the meantime, Mr. Lindsey. Two hospital stays in a month isn’t a record I would want for anyone."

Zero gave a quiet chuckle, playing the part of the weak patient. "I will try to behave."

Dr. Kemp signed the final page, tore it off, and handed it over. "You are free to go then. Do you have someone coming to pick you up?"

Zero hesitated. He hadn’t thought that far ahead. He didn’t exactly have anyone he trusted anymore... not after what happened with his wife.

"I will call a cab," he said quickly.

The doctor gave a curt nod. "Good enough. Take care of yourself, Mr. Lindsey."

"You too doc". Zero said.

With that, the doctor left. Zero gathered his few belongings, stepped out, and made his way down the corridor. After days of feigning weakness, he was finally walking out of this place.

At the pharmacy, he collected the prescribed pills anyway... another prop for the act he was determined to maintain. He tucked the small paper bag under his arm and pushed through the exit doors.

But just as he cleared the lobby, two men in plain clothes cut across his path.

"Mr. Lindsey?"

He quietly observed them. One was tall, broad-shouldered, and had a coffee cup in hand. The other was lean, sharp-eyed, already flicking open a notepad.

"We are Detectives Harris and Cole," the taller one said. "We would like a few minutes of your time."

Zero’s stomach tightened. "About what?"

"We are taking statements from everyone involved in the crash last week. You up for a few questions?" Cole, the leaner one answered.

Zero blinked, and gave a stiff nod. "Yeah… yeah, of course."

Cole clicked his pen. "Witnesses say you ran into the wreckage and pulled out survivors." He raised a brow. "Can you confirm that?"

Zero kept his expression even. "Yeah. I got a woman out. And… a child."

Harris sipping his coffee, gave Zero a long look. "Risky thing to do. That bus could have gone up in flames any second."

Zero let out a dry laugh, letting it turn into a cough. "I realized that, yeah."

Cole scribbled notes, while Harris studied him. "Still, it was a hell of a thing you did. Most people would have run the other way."

Zero let out a humorless laugh. "Maybe I should have."

Neither detective commented.

"So what of the boy, how is he?"

"He is alive and doing very well, thanks to you." Harris said.

"I am glad to hear it." Zero replied.

Cole leaned in slightly. "Did you see anyone else alive inside the bus?"

Zero’s mind flashed back to the fat man trapped in his seat, then to the dead man... the one who had grabbed him. The one who had left something behind. He hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "There were others. But by the time I got to them… it was too late."

Cole nodded, jotting notes. Harris took a step closer. "And the man who grabbed you?"

Zero’s heart skipped. "What?"

"The paramedics said there were burns on your leg," Harris said evenly. "Looked like someone held on. You remember who?"

Zero's steadied himself. "I… don’t know," he muttered. "It was chaos, filled with smoke and fire. And people's faces were blurred together."

The detectives watched him a beat longer than was comfortable. Then Harris exhaled, rubbing his jaw. "Did you see how the crash started? Any details you can recall?"

Zero shook his head slowly. "I didn't see much. Just caught the bus running a red light. The tanker didn’t stand a chance."

Cole quickly jotted it down.

"Alright. That will be all for now. We may need to follow up." Harris said, taking a long sip of his coffee.

Cole scribbled onto a new page quickly, then tore it out from his notepad, and gave it to Zero. "If you remember anything... anything at all... call us. Don’t sit on it."

Zero nodded, though he had no intention of ever making that call.

"Take care of yourself," Harris said simply, and the two detectives walked off.

Zero folded Cole's note, and slipped it into his pocket. Then he walked out through the hospital gates.

The sun felt harsh on his face after days indoors. A cab rolled past slowly... it was empty. He raised a hand, and it pulled up to the curb.

"Where to?" the driver asked.

"Pipe-view motel," Zero said, sliding in.

The driver nodded and pulled into traffic.

Zero leaned back against the seat, staring out at the passing streets.

[WELCOME BACK TO THE WORLD, HOST.]

"Yeah".

Less than thirty minutes later, the cab pulled up in the parking lot of a rundown motel.

Back when Zero was still investigating Marcus Fisher... he had discovered that the man was involved in illegal distribution of drugs. And one of his contacts frequently visited this motel. So Zero had also rented a room in the motel, close to one of the ones that the man preferred to rent in order to monitor him.

Zero got down and paid the driver. "Wait for a bit, let me grab my things inside, then we will be on our way".

"No issue, it's your money". The driver replied.

Zero made his way into the motel, passing thugs smoking, hookers, wayward teenagers and some other kind of lowlifes.

He wondered how many of them the System would label as 'virtuous' or 'corrupt' if he dared to check.

[DO YOU WISH TO OPEN THE LEDGER?]

'Not now,' Zero thought, not shifting his attention from the path ahead. 'Not yet.'

He got to the room he rented, took out a key from his pocket and opened it. Luckily, he had paid a months rent in advance, so the motel owner haven't touched the room yet.

He got in, and shut the door behind him. The room was a mess... empty beer bottles, and takeouts cartons littered the ground. His clothes and underwears were strewn about.

Shit! Someone had been here. Zero quickly rushed to the place that he had hidden the spy microphone, and camera that can tap into the next room where the suspect stayed. Luckily, the items were still where he had hidden them.

He took them, and quickly started gathering his things, (the ones that he still needed)... they ended up not amounting to much. He packed them into a bag, and left the room.

He went straight to the receptionist office, where he returned the room's key and checked out of the motel.

He was just stepping outside when he saw a skinny thug pulling a young woman by her hair.

"Let go of me!!" The woman yelled in pains.

"Shut up bitch!!" The thug said, and gave her a smack across the face.

Zero didn't even think, he just moved. He dropped his bag and was upon the man in an instant, with a power packed punch to the jaw.

Spit flew out of the thug's mouth. He turned limp, and collapsed to the concrete floor, totally knocked out.

The woman only stared at Zero for a few seconds before turning to run out of the motel, not even bothering to thank him.

The system screen flashed into existence.

[YOU HAVE WRONGLY ATTACKED AND KNOCKED OUT A MAN. THIS ACTION HAS ATTRACTED A PENALTY]

Zero was dumbfounded. "Wait... Wrongly attacked? A penalty? What do you mean?"

[I MEAN THAT YOU ARE IN THE WRONG HERE]

"How?" Zero stared at the screen unable to believe it. "He was assaulting a woman".

[THAT WOMAN WAS A PROSTITUTE AND A THIEF. SHE DRUGS MEN AFTER SLEEPING WITH THEM, AND STEALS THEIR MONEY, AND BELONGINGS.]

[THIS THUG WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HER KARMA]

"He was supposed to assault her just because she stole? How is that fair?" Zero questioned the system.

[LIFE ISN'T FAIR. NEITHER IS KARMA]