Death Smith - Book 2 - Chapter 5

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Gum, cash, and toes

The next day.

Mid-March, 14 AR.

United Kingdom, several miles west of London, The Workshop.

Lance stepped past the metal detector and body scanner, following the instructions of the security officer that stood next to him. Placed on the table next to Lance was a small plastic container with a number painted on the side. Inside of it were a bunch of random items that Lance still had in his pocket when he had entered the Workshop. A piece of chewing gum, car keys, some notes scribbled on paper, a receipt for the car he had rented, and a half-full bottle of water. The guard documented each item before taking a picture of the items inside of the plastic container. Afterwards, the guard sealed the container, placed it into a slot in the wall that was guarded by another security officer.

‘Probably the most secure piece of chewing gum in the world,’ Lance thought, suppressing a smile as he followed the instructions of the officer and got into a T-pose. He allowed the man to pat him down and make sure that Lance had nothing else on him. Although the sight might have looked like that of an airport or any other security point, there were some differences. The guards in the back were also quite heavily armed, with weapons far exceeding normal lethality.

In the queue next to him, Lance could see another Rifter storing her things. A large stack of blades and maces were sticking out of a pack she had next to her. She had proper documentation and labels for all of it so the guards would allow it inside. The Workshop did not mind you bringing in anything dangerous, explosive, or corrosive, as long as you found it inside a Rift or if someone made it out of Rift material and had documentation.

The piece of gum Lance had bought for a few pennies could sell for a dozen pounds or more if he had found it in a Rift. Beyond simply storing it and retrieving it from your inventory, it was harder to prove what was a legitimate Rift item and what was just being sold as one. Someone could use specialised instruments that could measure the faint radiation given off by Rift items, but that was expensive. This meant that most non-Rifters would either have to take a gamble when buying an item or go through more secure channels such as the Workshop where people checked and verified everything constantly. Several Rifters had found a steady job as being an appraiser of sorts, being able to verify if an item was legitimate or not for a client that wished to stay outside of the GRRO or other agencies.

Lance thanked the security officer and collected the tag for the container that he had stored. As he walked past the checkpoint, the large and open space that was the Workshop greeted Lance with its sheer complexity. He could still recall when he had first seen it with Thomas, having gotten a tour from Daniel. It had overwhelmed him then, and frankly, it kind of did that now. There were over a thousand people on this floor, with a large portion of them being Rifters. He could see people with similar guild uniforms, company logos, or simply individuals that were selling or buying at the behest of a Rifter. The Workshop had several floors and side sections, each with its shops, and speciality. GRRO engineers had designed and build this place like a fortress, with thick armed concrete pillars carrying the weights of the sections above it. The dullish grey concrete, a stark contrast to the many brightly painted shops, banners and even flags, all desperately trying to get a buyer’s attention.

Lance had saved up quite a bit of cash after several successful Rifts while working for R.A.M. He had up used a portion of it to pay off any outstanding debts he had back when he was still just a nurse. As of now, he had around 29.500 pounds to spend. ‘First off, basic equipment,’ Lance thought as he made his way towards the stairs and up to the second floor. It took Lance a few minutes to find what he was looking for, but eventually he found a small store that offered the more ‘mundane’ items. Stepping inside, Lance noticed another customer that was simply browsing, allowing Lance to introduce himself to the shop owner. Normally it was courtesy to display Rifter credentials to the seller, letting them know they weren’t just some random civilians that did not know what they were getting themselves into. But Lance letting a smartphone suddenly appear in his hand out of thin air would be enough proof during this initial introduction.

After going over a shortlist of what Lance needed, as well as a price range, Lance realised just how expensive all of this was when a basic blanket cost around six hundred pounds. In the end, Lance settled for two 20 litres large steel jerrycans and a smaller one of 10 litres. The average male needed around 3,5 to 4 litres of water per day, give or take. Rifters needed more depending on the climate, activity or if they needed to use the water for other things such as cooking, cleaning, or rinsing out wounds. With these items, Lance could store around 50 litres’ worth of freshwater or other liquids with him. The best part was that the inventory registered each container as just a single item, so it did not matter if the container held1 litre or the full amount. This meant that Lance wouldn’t have to carry around with him half his weight in water. Beyond that, he bought a small steel canteen and a sturdy and flexible camp blanket he could tie together to make a sleeping bag.

After agreeing upon a price, Lance handed his identification tag to be scanned before Lance deposited the money, fighting back the urge to widen his eyes when he noticed the total price being around 9.250 pounds. That meant that Lance had just blown through around a third of his savings. The sad part was that it would only get more expensive from now on.

His time working for R.A.M. had been hard work but R.A.M. had taken care of the rest. Lance had worked long hours, mined rocks until he was exhausted. Beyond that, he also had to endure the occasional monster attack. But Lance never had to think about food, water, and shelter. R.A.M. provided it all for its Rifters. Beyond that, they either provided equipment or would allow a Rifter to rent it. The downside was that everything Lance collected or killed would be the property of R.A.M, save for the occasional item he had dared to keep for himself. Now that he wanted to focus on levelling up, it meant that he had to look for different types of jobs and Rifts, one that allowed him more freedom. It meant that he had to take care of everything by himself now.

Saying a mental goodbye to his savings, Lance went towards the next shop and got the things he would need.

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‘I am so broke,’ Lance thought, having no other choice but to come to this sad conclusion. He still had enough to pay for rent and food for two months, but it did not compare to the costs of buying Rift items. For now, Lance was done with spending cash on anything worth more than a candy bar. He opened his inventory and took stock of what he now had with him.

[Inventory slots: 16/16]

[Damaged smartphone 1x]

Lance figured it would be wise to keep the phone in his inventory, seeing as it was the most expensive item he possessed. Doing so would preserve its battery life, prevent damage, or get it wet. Selling it had tempted Lance at one point, this to get some more spending power, but he had decided against it in the end.

[20 Litre steel jerrican filled with water 2x]

[10 Litre steel jerrican filled with water 1x]

[1,5 Litre steel canteen filled with water 1x]

Although 4 slots were quite a sizeable chunk of his storage space, Lance figured it would be worth it. He could strap the smaller canteen on his hip to save space and for easy access. It meant that he could bring around 51,5 litres of water with him. That would hopefully last him 12 to 13 days, or more, if he rationed it.

[Camp blanket 1x]

Lance figured a single blanket would be enough for his first expedition. It meant that he wouldn’t have to sleep on the rough floor or in the cold, provided there wasn’t any rain. It came with a sling so that he could carry it. But it was bulky and would hinder his movements somewhat.

[Ash 1x]

[R.A.M. Work uniform 1x]

It would take him 2 slots to bring Ash with him inside a Rift and get him at least dressed. Shoes, weapons, and armours would take up too much space. Not that Lance had the cash for it. The uniform itself had been Thomas’s R.A.M. uniform that Lance had wrapped around his torso when he escaped the Rift. It was worth at least 2500 pounds and was ‘technically’ still R.A.M’s property. But Lance figured he could borrow it a while longer before returning it. Beyond that, they had already dropped the loan, so it wasn’t like he was stealing.

[5kg of dried Red bark fruit 2x]

[5kg of Treja roots 2x]

[5kg of dried Rirkling meat 1x]

Food rations would either play a major role or hardly at all. He still remembered his other Rifts and the occasional wildlife or edible plants they had found. The fruit was both hydrating and rich in vitamins, the roots rich in fibres and carbs, and the meat was fat, oily, and rich in proteins. And the best part was, everything tasted horrible! It was the cheapest option Lance could find that was still healthy and edible. He would have preferred already cooked and prepared meals, but that would take up more space in his inventory. Better to cook onsite. If that wasn’t an option, Lance could eat the meat raw. But at that point, it might be better to throw yourself off a cliff rather than suffer culinary torture.

[Leather raincoat 1x]

It was a crude and poorly stitched together raincoat made of leather. It reeked, was uncomfortable to wear, but it was cheap and waterproof. In case of a downpour, this would come in handy. If not, Lance figured he could use it as a waterproof roof to sleep under. The worst-case scenario was that he could rip it apart and boil it, to serve as a last-ditch meal when everything went wrong.

[Steel entrenching tool 1x]

Bulky, tough, and easy to use. It was a simple tool, with an option to turn the head into a small shovel or into a small pickaxe. He could strap it to his belt if he wanted it to. It weighed a fair bit and could hinder his mobility if he did not wield it. Lance figured he could also use the pickaxe as an improvised weapon of sorts. If not, it would help mine ores, make digging up roots easier or turn the shovel part into a makeshift grill to hold over a fire.

[Broken steel shield 1x]

Lance figured it was wise to bring Thomas’s shield with him. The broken shield did not offer as much protection as it had once had, but it was better than nothing. He decided that training Ash to use a weapon and shield would work best for the earlier Rifts, so a steel shield would come in handy.

With all slots filled, Lance would have to carry the rest of it with him. For shoes, he still had the sneakers from back when he had been inside the first Rift. They weren’t the best in terms of survival, but enough to protect his soles during this next Rift. Lance had torn his former tattered nurse’s uniform into thick strips and rolled it together into makeshift bandages, hand wraps or to help tie things down. He had bought a cheaper variant of the uniform R.A.M. used, with much less padding or protection.

In terms of offence, he had bought a steel hand axe and a small utility knife. The former was useful for chopping wood, while the latter was like a Swiss army knife, only longer and sturdier. All of it made him look woefully unprepared, but it would do for now. He still had around 500 pounds to spend at one point. He could have gotten some extra socks or something useful, but Lance had spent it on an information broker and facilitator.

What made the GRRO so successful was in part the way they allowed Rifters to find one another and to help in clearing a Rift. There was the obvious monitoring and policing element to it, but most of the time the GRRO helped facilitate Rifters in whatever they needed, be it buying or selling items, securing travel options to different countries, or finding suitable parties. Lance could have used the information the GRRO had on hand, but he instead preferred to spend the 500 pounds on a specialist, letting him search through the hundreds of options and factors to find a suitable match for Lance. In the end, Lance had settled on a broker he had heard good things about from both Matt and another Rifter he had talked with in the past. Lance would probably hear in a few days, with the broker finding a good match for him that ticked all the specifics that Lance required.

It had tempted him to buy a sidearm such as a pistol, but he knew he lacked the funds for it. Daniel and Dieter had explained why they did not use guns, seeing as most skills did not work with modern weaponry, making them far less effective when facing higher-level monsters. Still, Lance had seen with his time with the R.A.M. how effective a machine gun could be on the lower levels.

So, with an empty wallet and a filled-up inventory, Lance decided to go back home after retrieving things from the security checkpoint, including his well-protected bubble-gum. Hopefully, the minty flavour would wash out the sting of spending nearly 30.000 pounds in a single day.

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[You have stored an item in the inventory.]

[You have combined and retrieved four items from the inventory.]

Lance watched Ash suddenly spring into existence, fully dressed and wielding a shield and axe. Ash’s eyes scanned his surroundings and his own hands before Ash got into a defensive stance, just like they had practised.

“You need to be faster, Ash. Don’t just look at your hands to see if you are armed. Feel the weight of the shield or how your hand grips the handle of the weapon,” Lance commented, moving over towards his companion as Lance pointed at the axe handle. Ash was wearing the repaired R.A.M. uniform and had a broken shield in one hand, the axe in the other. Ash looked silly, but Lance knew just how effective an axe and shield combination could be.

[You have stored an item in the inventory.]

[You have combined and retrieved two items from the inventory.]

Again, Lance stored Ash and the items Ash had on him, only to bring him out again. This time, Ash was wearing just the uniform. To his credit, Ash stayed still and composed, no longer pausing and hesitant. Beyond training Ash during the last few days in combat, survival skills and basic tasks, Lance was also training Ash to adapt to being retrieved from Lance’s inventory. Lance needed Ash to react quickly to his environment, either to protect and shield Lance or simply to remain neutral and be able to blend in.

Lance continued to store and retrieve Ash, each time switching things up. One moment Ash had a knife in his hand, the other moment it was a steel jerrycan or suddenly a raincoat. Each time would be another experience for Ash. It was slow going, but Ash was getting better at it. Beyond that, he was also teaching Ash how to hide when Lance wasn’t there, only to come back out when Lance used a codeword. His idea was to bring Ash with him during his next Rift. Lance knew he still lacked the experience, training, and equipment to solo a Rift, so he needed to party up with actual Rifters. “All right, try to hide again,” Lance said, closing his eyes and counting to ten, allowing Ash the time to scout his surroundings and pick a spot.

Ash’s current capabilities and Lance’s lack of Rift experience was the reason Lance had used a broker. Lance needed to partner up with a group that had plenty of Rift experience so that he could learn from them. But the group had to be more defensive, more hesitant to go out. Lance figured that a more defensive team would allow Lance more freedom to explore on his own and to bring Ash out in the field. Teaching ash how to hide from monsters and Rifters would be a valuable skill to have during that time.

‘I hope this works,’ Lance thought as he opened his eyes. He glanced sideways and instantly spotted Ash’s toes sticking out underneath the curtains as he tried to hide in a way a child might do.

‘God help me…’

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Author: Osirium

Copyright: 2022 OsiriumWrites

Released: 2022