ZSEN

Chapter 12 - Preperation

"Nathaniel, there are many things they could do. The holograms can be controlled and set how strong or hard they are to face, but with real ones, you just can't do that. It's unpredictable."

"Hmm, yeah, that makes sense. So they could still bring a random Corrupted."

I sit right next to her, knowing full well there's space to my right and another entire couch across from us.

"Now, I did try to think of everything they'd probably make us do and well there's plenty of shit they could do. However, I realize a very good point. With your condition and with me have already gone through the tests, they could have a specific final test designed for us based on how we performed."

"So that means they could have had nothing planned until now, with all of them meeting up and reviewing everything maybe."

"Precisely, Nathaniel! That's what I was thinking. I've been stressing myself out about what they'll do."

"Well, you shouldn't stress about it. We can't possibly know what they'll do Lizzie. Yeah I get it, it's stressful, but for fuck's sake you're amazing Lizzie, we'll do fine I'm almost certain of that."

She lets out a long sigh...

"Nathaniel... You've encountered one of those corrupted, yes?"

"Yeah kind of. I saw one in person but The Warriors were fighting it as well as some of Delta squad F76."

"Yeah, well, those things just touch you and you're corrupted... There's never a good experience with one. You go out there and everything changes. No matter how many times you hear stories about it or prepare, the experience is always fresh and horrible. Nothing can ever stimulate you or give you the same experience as actually facing one face to face. Anyone who says they don't fear them or say the feeling has gone still, they're full of shit. That or they have a death wish. Even then, if you want to die... Nobody wants to become corrupted... or die such a painful death... It's not easy losing someone to one of those things. We just know so little of them. When they turn, we have no idea if the person is still conscious or aware of everything. But we do know that they can't control themselves when corrupted... When someone close to you turns corrupted, those kinds of questions come up in your head. It happens so fast, corruption flows through fast and it's strong, it takes over within seconds... You just blank out and stare... You keep thinking of them and you just keep hoping that maybe there's a chance."

"Has that happened to you, Lizzie?"

She pauses and looks to me... and back down again...

"Corrupted, no matter how big or strong, no matter if they were once human or not, no matter if they're conscious or not, they are all equally dangerous! None have mercy whatsoever. This isn't like the movies. They don't take a long pause before ended the life of the main character. They do not hesitate to kill... There's no happy story when facing one of those fucking things."

We sit in silence for a bit...

She eventually starts talking again, telling me about how guns work and all these tips and tactics for guns. She also teaches me the easier ways to move through obstacles or even just moving around in general. It sounds weird but, it makes sense. Like for example, how to slide or roll to cover from gunfire without burning or hurting yourself.

She also teaches me words or phrases that are generally used in tactics. Like, she taught me this one thing, which is really neat and I never heard of before. When calling out something in a direction from your position, you use a clock signal. For example, if something were behind me I'd call it out with six o'clock. Twelve would be straight ahead, three would be my right, and nine would be my left.