Chapter 51: Race agaisnt time (2)

"What do you think you are doing, Luke?" Amanda asked.

"This guy lured you guys to the area I was, hoping to involve me in that situation," Luke replied.

"Calm down…" Celia said. "We can talk this through, I am sure it was just a coincidence."

"It wasn't," Luthi said without flinching. "I guided you people because I could tell that Luke was here and that he could help."

"Aren't you going to say anything in your defense?" Luke asked.

"I can't say anything, because I don't want to lie," Luthi said. "If you want to kill me, then I will accept that. However, that will only cause you trouble. You may have the requirements to be helped by an elf and a dark elf, but there is nothing saying that you might end up hanging on one side of the balance based on your actions."

"Why would that change now instead of when I killed fellow humans?" Luke asked.

"Because you killed them exercising self defense," Luthi explained. "If you kill me, your agreement with Rina will end and she will disappear."

"Is that true, Shalia?" Luke asked.

"Yes," Shalia nodded.

"What happened to those dark elves?" Luke asked.

"They died, they assumed spiritual forms to come to this world and their existences became linked with those two," Shalia explained. "So, when their allies died, there was nothing linking them to the world of living."

"What will happen to me if either of you die or disappear?" Luke asked. "You will just lose our support, nothing more."

That wasn't so bad. Still, the more help humans get, the better. While Celia wasn't a frontline and didn't need all that much the support of an elf that increased her health and stamina regeneration, it was better than nothing. Besides, the elves would be able to exert a greater influence the more they become close to their partners.

"Are you fine that I caused the death of your friends?" Luke asked.

"We warned them, but they insisted on the fight, their death is no longer our problem," Shalia said. "Still, the issue with her is another matter. Her actions and her friends' actions caused us some problems, even if things ended up well."

In the end, Rina was silent because she was in the wrong, and Luthi was probably confident that Luke wouldn't do anything to him and risk losing one of his partners. While he wasn't in deep need of a healer, the fact that her presence alone could make Luke recover stamina faster was just too useful to ignore.

"I am sorry… Shalia," Luke said and then withdrew his sword. "In the end, there is nothing much that I can do here without causing problems to myself in the future."

"... That is true," Shalia said. "At least, this situation will put her in her place for a while… She is an idiot, but a useful idiot. So, getting rid of her would be a waste."

In the end, Rina couldn't even defend herself from Shalia's words. She acted based on her morals, which caused that difficult situation. She could only accept that outcome in silence and with her head down.

Luke began to clean the blood from his sword and then checked the items of the corpses. His luggage was starting to get heavy, but abandoning so many weapons was out of the question. In any case, Andrew's spear had a burning effect. Still, it was only a tier-three weapon… he didn't have any potions with him, but at least his boots granted Luke Plus two levels in Dash. So, even if the skill reaches the maximum level, that item could make it reach the level of twelve.

"Luke," Amanda said.

"Why are you still here?" Luke asked. "Go look for the other members of that group, without Andrew to lead them, you can do whatever the hell you want with them. Wasn't it because of that that this situation began in the first place?"

"... I just wanted to tell you that Billy called again," Amanda said. "He said that we only have until sunset to escape Miami."

"... Why?" Luke turned around and then asked while frowning.

"Everyone knows that firearms works against monsters, one can obtain experience and gold coins by relying on them…" Amanda said. "So, it seems that the military leader in this area is planning to decimate the city with everything on their arsenal to kill the zombies and obtain power. According to Billy, he won't nuke the place since he doesn't have the necessary codes, but he won't need it if he uses his arsenal. Only those most loyal to him will participate in the mission."

"That is why things got complicated with Andrew… he didn't believe that and we decided to try to escape the city, while the others wanted to stay and keep grinding," Celia added.

"That fucking little…" Luke said while clenching his teeth.

Luke wondered if he hadn't been naive in thinking that he would have one week to escape the city in the last case scenario. Still, as expected, humans always find another way to make things even more complicated. After a while, Luke calmed down and began to think. If the army was going to kill the zombies in the town while using powerful ammo, they would probably use choppers and other aircraft. If Luke manages to get his hands on one…

The only one they could pilot was probably a chopper, but such a vehicle would need to make a stop now and then while crossing the Atlantic Ocean. They might find some fuel where the army is located, though… Luke wanted to hijack a chopper and force the pilot to take him to the base to steal fuel and then force him to take him to Italy. It was a reckless plan, but it was the only one he could think of…

In the end, Luke grabbed his loot and then brought it back to the pickup where Amanda's group was. He would need all those weapons, and the best way to do that was by using those idiots, even though that made him absolutely enraged.