Leo stroked the hair of his now dead sister. “Isabell, I wasn’t fast enough again.” Tears ran down his face making it hard for him to see anything. “This time, I can’t make up for it.”

He glanced at his shotgun, thoughts of taking his own life and ending the emotions he felt were strong. It was a simple act. Mat would assume he died from another one of the things in the building, and leave him behind. He was like that since the day he met him. A lone wolf who used others for his own purpose.

That didn’t mean he was a bad guy, just unreliable. So long as your goals and his were aligned, Mathew would help you out. Even more so if it helped him in the end. Over the years, Leo could see barriers that Mat had built up from before they met slowly fall down.

Leo had only a few ideas of what caused him to build them up, mainly the banishment from his family. It took this long to get to where they were at, and now that the world has gone to shit, it’s like they all suddenly came back up.

“Those with power survive the worst.” It was a saying Mat always said when a court case went bad for one of his clients. As people left crying, cursing at Mathew, and threatening him, Mathew always said that once they were gone. Leo thought it was a very negative way of thinking, but over time understood it.

The clients that lost a court case typically had no financial or social backing to convince the judge in their favor. Of course those who absolutely ruined the marriage by cheating, drugs, or some other crime were outliers to such a saying.

Leo looked down at his sister. “I wasn’t strong enough. Mathew had to save me, from my own sister of all people.” He grabbed the shotgun and looked down at it.

“I remember when I bought Lucky. I planned on killing that man and had zero thoughts of regretting my actions. If it wasn’t for Mat taking your divorce case, I would have done it.”

Leo gripped the gun tightly. “I won’t let anyone else end up like you Isabell. Even if I have to come back here and figure out why it happened in the first place, I will return. I swear it.”

A blue screen appeared in front of Leo and his gun had a soft glow around it.

Your weapon, Lucky, has been approved by The System.

Use it to slay those who do wrong.

Title Gained: Oath Taker

You have taken an Oath of Vengeance. Failure to uphold your Oath will bring damnation to your name. +3 Wisdom, +5 Strength.

Upon completion of your Oath, this title will upgrade and reward you based on accomplishment.

Leo blinked. These damn blue boxes took his sister away from him, now it’s giving him a chance to get revenge? “What is going on? Why are you doing this to us? Why Earth? Why her!” He screamed. He attempted to punch or somehow injure the box, but his hand just went straight through it.

He was slightly angrier due to his inability to cause damage to the blue box, so he punched the ground. Leo looked at the body of his sister. “I’ll be back, Bell. I promise that much.”

“That is slightly better than expected.” Mathew said.

The girl behind him leaned forward. “What does that mean, Martial Law?”

Mathew looked back at her. “Well, it pretty much means the Military is now in charge. Normal laws are thrown out the window in favor of what is best for humanity in the eyes of our Government. It’s to help keep peace, and it is absolutely abused by those with power. Everyone else still alive is going to be put to work to survive now.”

She raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean by ‘Everyone else’, why not us?”

Mathew smiled. “Well, uhh, what’s your name? I don’t want to keep calling you ‘girl’ or ‘little girl’ in my head.”

“Madison.” She motioned for Mathew to keep talking.

“Right, well Madison. I happen to be good friends with a Colonel of a military base nearby. He wouldn’t make me do grunt work like digging holes or guard duty. Stick with me, and you can live the good life.”

She made a questionable face. “What do you mean by that? Aren't you a little old to be into girls my age?”

If Mathew was drinking water, he would have spat it out. “No nonono...No. I don’t mean that, why did you instantly think that? God's sake.” He ran a hand through his black hair.

She laughed at him. “Oh your face is hilarious. I was making a joke to lighten the mood. I knew you didn’t mean it like that. But I am not going to be your servant or house maid or whatever you had planned.”

Mathew shook his head. “Aren’t you too young for those kinds of jokes?”

“I go to public school. If you think that’s bad, then I suggest you don’t go to one...ever.”

Mathew was about to respond that public schools are a thing of the past now, but held his tongue when he saw Leo start walking back to the truck. He pointed at the back that he set out a change of clothes for him. Leo nodded and smiled in thanks but didn’t say anything.

Once he changed he sat in the driver seat and didn’t say anything. Mathew didn’t either, but Madison did.

“Are you okay?” She asked.

Leo shook his head. “No, no I am not. I tried to look for your family. I really did. But, I didn’t see anyone. I’m...I'm sorry.”

She put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay. We can come back. That portal doesn't look like it’s leaving. Did you see the broadcast from President Bari?”

Leo nodded. “Yea.” He looked at Mathew. “So Mr. Big Brain. Where is the convoy picking us up?”

Leo put the truck in park as they watched countless people fill up their cars with gas. The line was backed up for miles, people already were on foot and decided to walk versus trying to fight the lines. Fighting was already being seen, but nobody pulled any weapons out yet.

“I expected this place to be empty when doomsday happened. I guess I was wrong with how people would react.”

“No kidding.” Leo said. “How much longer?”

Mathew looked at his phone. “Less than ten minutes.” Mathew had to rub at his eyes since the light in his vision came back.

“Are you alright man?” Leo asked. “You keep rubbing at your eyes.”

“Yea, just some light or something from the gun shots. I’ll be fine soon once it goes away.” Mathew looked around worried for their safety.

It was only five minutes and a line of four black SUV’s rolled into the parking lot. A lot of people gave them a look but ignored them in favor of attempting to get gas. Mathew pointed at them. “Our ride has arrived. Walk fast. Madison, stay behind Leo and I. If anyone attacks us, run to them. The passphrase is ‘Apple Pie’.”

Both Leo and Madison gave him a weird look at his choice of passphrase. “What? It had to be something simple, and it’s so generic nobody would expect it to be a passphrase.

“Whatever man.” Madison said as she got out. She decided to help carry one of the bags Mathew had brought. It was the lighter one, with clothes in it. Mathew and Leo grabbed the others and started to walk to the convoy.

A few people were on edge since they both had guns out, but since neither of the men pointed it at the crowd, nobody felt too endangered by them.

A woman in full combat gear stepped out from the front vehicle. She looked at the three of them and nodded. “Pass phrase?”

“Apple Pie.” Mathew said. “I hope my request went through before the dollar bill became worthless.”

“Mr. McGonalds. You were indeed lucky. Your request came through mere seconds before we changed our policy. Is it just you three?” He nodded.

“Excellent. Please step inside.” She held the back door of the second SUV open for them to all get in. Madison got int first and climbed into the back row. Leo climbed in and sat behind the driver seat. As Mathew was getting in, a family was running to them.

The woman drew her gun and two more doors opened with men wearing masks also pointing their guns at the family.

“Wait! You have to take us to where you are going, please!” The father said.

“I apologize sir, but we do not take free riders. Unless you have funds to pay for our services, we will not take you. Please step away from the convoy or we will be forced to protect it using lethal force.”

When she finished her warning all of them racked their guns, putting a bullet into the chamber. After that they removed the safety from the guns, making it very obvious they will shoot if needed.

“I have my cards. You can charge them, I don’t care how much it-”

“We no longer take digital money, nor cash. If you have other forms of finanical assets then please, I am all ears.” She said,

The father looked at Mathew with a pleading look in his eyes. “Then take my kids. Their names are James and-”

Mathew held up a hand. “I am sorry sir, but my answer is no.” Mathew looked at the woman. “I won’t pay for anyone else unless they say the passphrase. Lets go please, we have a long way to go don’t we?”

He closed the door as he got in next to Leo who stared at him. “We could have taken the kids Mathew.”

“No Leo, we couldn’t.” Mathew shook his head. “If we took their kids, then everyone would offer up their kids. It’s best to keep them together as a family either way. Madison is different, she is a friend of your sister. Nobody else is coming with us, okay?”

Leo wanted to argue, but realized what Mathew was saying. Madison was in the back half asleep. She looked up, “I agree with Mat. I am glad you took me with you two though. I don’t know what I would have done. Probably ran in after my mom.”

She was quiet for a moment before she spoke again before the convoy started to drive off. “Can we go back one day and try to find her again?”

Mathew was about to say no, but Leo spoke first. “Yes, I already made a promise to go back myself. Whoever did that to my sister will pay.”

As the Convoy took off, the woman in the front seat turned around and looked at all three of them. “Hello there, you can call me Vanessa. We won’t be together long enough to worry about names though. Our….current expert in what is going on has pointed out that people should start acquiring abilities, special titles, and skills. Any of you three acquire that yet? Also, if you have any other information, we are willing to trade for it.”

Leo and Madison shook their heads while Mathew was in thought. Should he share his extra title? “What do you have to trade?” He asked.

“Our subject expert is willing to trade information for information. When we make a stop you can talk to him.”

Leo raised an eyebrow. “How is there already an expert into what is going on? It’s been barely half a day. The sun isn’t even coming up yet.”

Madison yawned as if to emphasize how late it was. Mathew checked the time and realized it was well past midnight.

“He is the best we have so far and has been right about practically everything. Trust me when I say he is the reason we are as well equipped as we are. He isn’t officially part of the convoy.”

“Wait, he is another passenger?” Mathew asked. “I thought only myself and my people were on this convoy?”

She winced. “We had to make room for a few close family and friends of people. One of our drivers has his son as a passenger. Hence the extra vehicle.”

Mathew nodded understandingly. “That’s alright. I was making sure nobody took my slots I paid for. When are we stopping? I would like to talk to your expert. Also, how far away is our destination?”

“The Air Force Base we are taking you to is several hours away, but it fits the criteria you established. Low manned, far from a city, the only problem is none of your listed contacts are there that we know of. But I assure you this is the best place to go. All of our family and friends are going there as we speak.”

Mathew thought about it for a moment before nodding. “That’s fine. I can make new friends after all.” He smiled internally as he said the word ‘friends’.