Number 7

[Welcome to Paradise]

These words couldn't have been missed from a mile away.

A bold statement - particularly so in this world of death and rot where everywhere was considered nothing less than a hell on earth.

"Kinda makes me sick.", Gus muttered, speaking to nobody in particular.

"It's... electricity... I can't believe someone still has it up and running. Or perhaps they've worked to get things running once more?"

It appeared to be the latter - it would have been excessively strange for the power to go out throughout the City yet for one particular place to have access to electricity.

Yet the very existence of electricity gave credibility to the bold claim that had been displayed - that perhaps within that building truly was a paradise.

"Should we keep going?", the father asked, looking to Gus for direction.

"We're gonna keep goin' alright. Till we find out who's at the center of this."

Was that woman alone just a piece of the puzzle?

She was someone whose skill and intuition in battle he couldn't merely shake off, but what if she came from an entire organization of people like that?

What would Gus do?

Fight or submit.

These were the options he was given.

"Let's move. We don't got all day."

The three pressed on, heading towards the hotel with haste.

'I ain't never been the type to submit.'

----

"I'm so glad you could make it. And you've even brought a couple of souvenirs with you. Or perhaps they're guests? Please, right this way."

Standing at the front entrance was the very woman who had come to the house earlier, and her demeanor never failed to unsettle Gus.

There was just something off about her. Something he couldn't stick his finger on.

'Is it just that she's from the City? But even compared to these other City folk... it just don't seem right.'

"What's wrong? You seem a bit... out of it. Is something like this really so shocking? Well, I suppose in this ruined world, perhaps it is."

With the wave of her hand, the white haired woman motioned for Gus and the others to follow her inside.

"This is only the beginning. Please come in. We have plenty to offer."

"Wait just a minute now."

While he felt that it might not mean much, the man's grip fell upon his weapon, which he refused to let go of.

"You're not going to confiscate my gun? You're not going to question us or anything? This whole thing... it's off. Why did you even invite us here in the first place?"

If this woman was inviting Gus and the others inside, it would only be natural that they wouldn't want him to have a weapon, regardless of their intentions. The fact that the woman hadn't even mentioned it was strange.

"Oh, you mean that toy? Well, if you're so concerned... then why don't you try and fire it on me?"

"You-"

At the provocation, Gus lifted up his weapon to fire - however before he could get a shot off he was met with another man who grabbed the barrel with ease, tilting the weapon away.

"I do hope you'll remain peaceful during your visit."

With a professional tone, the man who stood before him with the barrel of his rifle in hand was one dressed in a suit, as if he were some sort of butler.

He was an older gentleman with graying hair, however this didn't diminish a shred of his elegance as he lowered the weapon before releasing his hand from it.

"Any act of violence towards our employees will be considered a declaration of war. Please understand that and think things through before daring to pull the trigger."

Turning his back to Gus, who grit his teeth in irritation at encountering the second person who was able to move in a manner that superseded human capability, the older man walked off without so much as hesitating.

"You have much to learn from that man and his child. It may very well be more dangerous for you to enter this place with a weapon than without one."

Folding his hands behind his back, the man entered the hotel as he headed off, his voice diminishing as he exited their sight.

"After all... if any accidents were to occur... you will be held accountable."

With these words, the man disappeared into the building.

"With that being said... please come in."

And thus, with an inviting smile, the white haired woman looked at the man without an ounce of fear - and Gus now understood why.

'So long as that man is around, she thinks she's invincible - don't she?'

----

"Right this way."

As if they were customers in a restaurant, the woman led the three inside as the scenery opened up before them - and the scene which they witnessed was something far removed from reality.

A large golden statue of a man towered above the center of the room, and surrounding it were fountains and amenities of all sorts.

From a pool to a bowling alley, a water slide to a casino, a movie theater to a restaurant, this hotel was nothing less than the ultimate vacation resort.

However the strangest thing of all was the fact that all of this was up and running.

"Isn't the world supposed to be... destroyed?"

These were the words whispered by the father who looked around him in awe, holding his child close to him as he gazed upon the scene with amazement.

"Indeed, it is supposed to be destroyed. However our great leader has a vision, and remaining in ruin is not a part of his vision. He constantly strives to rebuild everything that he once built, and this resort is only the first step."

The response from the white haired girl took the breath away from the man, though Gus wasn't having any of it.

He averted his gaze, disregarding the amazement that even he himself felt at the sight.

Yet the words of the girl seemed to be infused with such passion - or perhaps even such obsession - that they instilled a fire even in his cold heart.

"In this corrupted wasteland that the world has become, this place alone serves as a paradise unlike any other."

And upon hearing this, the man found himself shivering at the dedication with which she spoke.

'It ain't right.'

'Nothing about this place is right.'

"Please come this way. The other guests have gathered as well. There will be plenty of time to experience the other attractions later, but for now will you allow us to provide a meal?"

"A meal? You're going to feed us?"

The father looked at the woman with confusion, still awestruck from the scenery around him.

"Of course. Did you not get the memo?"

Yet the woman responded in a matter of fact manner, as if such a thing was obvious.

"After all, this is a banquet."

----

It was straight up unnatural.

The vast selection of food on the menu would lead one to believe that the world hadn't been destroyed in the first place.

The destruction of society resulted in the cease of any flow of goods. From the farms to the factories, nothing was being produced or transported anymore from one place to another.

How then, could so much food be readily available within this place?

'Do they have people in other places working to produce such things - all of which are being sent solely to this hotel?'

This was the only answer Gus could possibly imagine.

It was similar to a Kingdom where numerous peasants labored tirelessly in order to pay their taxes to the King, all of which went towards ensuring that such a King lived in absolute luxury compared to his subjects.

Even so, transportation was a major issue.

Even if they had some people tending to livestock or plowing fields out in the world, how could they transport such things without vehicles?

As a matter of fact, why was their electricity working?

They must have gathered an immeasurable number of people. Engineers, farmers, mechanics, drivers, laborers, etc.

But this was exactly the point that made absolutely no sense.

If they had gathered such a supply of people, would they not all be dissatisfied with putting all their efforts to a central location?

Perhaps in the old world where everything was up and running, the people were forced to get jobs to make ends meet. But in this world, it took everything anyone had just to survive, so there was no time to do regular work that wouldn't immediately benefit oneself.

A father would fight the undead in order to scavenge and feed his children. Anyone unable to do that would starve. There was no longer any such thing as a salaryman, as an engineer, a lawyer, a doctor - all of these jobs couldn't exist anymore.

For all of these people would have to give up their former lifestyles in order to survive.

Scavenging, and perhaps farming. These were the only ways to obtain food. However farming could only occur far away in the countryside, so to the City folk like the ones here, collecting scraps and raiding stores was as far as they should have been able to go.

There was also the fact that this place had running water - it was even coming out of the fountains. How was such a thing possible? Did they have their own well? The City systems must have been contaminated long ago, and they surely weren't in operation.

No matter how he thought about it, this entire place seemed like an anomaly.

Perhaps to someone who wasn't so concerned with the logistics, it truly would seem like a paradise.

However behind every paradise lies a dark dystopia.

----

"Now that you've had some time to look over the menu, is there anything in particular that you'd like to try?"

Numerous groups of survivors had been gathered - all of which had been seated for the banquet.

Gus, Boris, and Tina were only one group of many who had been gathered by the white haired woman.

They currently were seated at a booth, as if they were truly inside a standard restaurant - a scene which would have been completely normal were it not for the state of the outside world.

"This menu don't got no prices. How the hell you expect me to decide when there ain't no pricetag on it?"

However Gus wasn't about to just accept the strange atmosphere.

"Oh, that? Well, there are two reasons for that. The first is that given the state of the world, the worth of paper money is questionable at best. It would be quite difficult to put a price on any item anymore using standard methods."

At the logical response of the woman, Gus nodded in agreement.

"I suppose that's right. Then what are we expected to pay-"

"The second reason is because everything is free."

However as the white haired woman interrupted him, Gus denied his urge to slam his fist on the table as he thinned his eyes.

"Hell you mean free? Ain't nothin' in this world that comes without a pricetag. Even if that pricetag is a man's soul."

Standing up, the man didn't pull his gun, this time keeping it on his back as he approached the woman.

"What game are you tryna play?"

"You mean to ask if there's a catch. Some hidden charge, or some fine print. I can assure you that there is no such thing - not for the food, at least. Regardless of whether you accept the meal or not, there will be no drawback to doing so. Your stomachs will be full - that is all. And we won't ask for any sort of compensation, or anything in exchange. Of course, you're free to deny the offer if you so choose."

Without hesitation, the woman denied the man's suspicions in an instant - however this only furthered his suspicions.

If the food really was free, that only meant that she was plotting something greater - something that utilized the promise of free food to draw people in.

Only Gus, and neither Boris nor Tina had been given the same threatening invite. Perhaps this was because this woman had deemed him to be the leader of his group, but Gus didn't believe that was all.

Perhaps only specific people were threatened in such a manner, while others were enticed to come to this place with the promise of food or luxury.

Gus was not the type of person to so readily accept such an offer, and he likely wouldn't have come were it not for the threatening message and interaction he had with this woman.

This only furthered his suspicions for this entire thing.

'Fight or submit... that's the reason they've gathered everyone here.'

Taking a seat, the man realized that both Boris and Tina were looking at him with anticipation, as if waiting on his decision as to whether or not they could order food.

"Get what you want. I'll have a burger and a cola."

With the wave of his hand, the two immediately began their orders as soon as they were given permission - like children waiting on their father.

How funny that Boris was the only real father in this group.

"I'll have the grilled chicken."

"I want steak! Steak!"

"Tina, you won't be able to eat something so chewy. She'll have a meatloaf instead."

"Ehh... but the steak tastes better..."

"And you can't eat it. I've already seen you try. You'd choke."

"I want lemonade too!"

"And I'll have an iced tea."

Without holding back, the two placed their orders, at which the white haired woman nodded with a smile, jotting down the information quickly.

"Understood. I'll be right back."

As the woman headed off, Gus couldn't take her eyes off her.

She was plotting something - but was this woman truly the mastermind?

Or was she merely being puppeteered by another?

'Fight or submit... they're gathering people to come underneath them.'

'They use their numbers and inhuman combat abilities to convince most to submit, and anyone who doesn't show up is considered an enemy.'

'Even my gun I can't seem to fire without having that strangely elusive man show up and stop me.'

'So basically... they're splitting people into two groups.'

'Subordinates and enemies.'

'And anyone who doesn't submit is deemed a threat.'

----

"I see that you've all settled in quite nicely."

When most of the people gathered had finished their meals, or were coming close to doing so, a certain man spoke boldly as he made his way to the center of the restaurant.

While he was not a good looking man, he carried a certain charisma about him that was unquestionable - one which stole the attention of the people around him and instilled into them a sense of greatness.

"One and all, I'm certain that you're tired of the dangers of this new world."

With grace in his stride, the man scanned the crowds around him, taking note of the people present.

Many were people whose clothes were dirty and torn, some stained with blood. A few carried ragged backpacks - likely with their only possessions as they wandered this desolate world.

A sense of exhaustion was present within all the people in this place - exhaustion at having to survive in such a wretched world that had been wrought from this calamity.

"Truly, a horrible thing has happened to humanity. Whether this is the result of some experiment gone wrong, or some sort of natural disease, I myself do not know. However the fact of the matter is - we have survived."

As he said these words, power filled the voice of the man, at which many of the exhausted people perked up.

"Indeed, we've fought many undead, slain many of our former loved ones and comrades, walked numerous trails and eaten many horrible things the likes of which one might not even be able to call food."

Looking up with determination, the man's tone lowered as his words echoed through those halls.

"But even so - we've survived."

Those words, spoken with such vigor, resonated with each and every person there as some were brought to tears.

"Carrying on the burdens and hopes of those loved ones who might have died in the Calamity or after, we are the ones who are tasked with rebuilding this world. We are the chosen people who have evaded the ravages of this infection, and I dare say that it is our duty to ensure that those deaths are not in vain."

Spreading his arms, the man grinned as he presented the scene around him to all.

"Therefore... we shall rebuild this world."

Raising a finger, the man continued.

"Your stomachs were empty! Your backs were uncovered - your bodies cold. Your throats dry and your wounds aching. Even the slightest morsel of food, the slightest sip of water, the most insignificant first aid was nothing more than a luxury to you people. Yet in the old world, these were all things that we took for granted. Things that we had access to each and every day."

Folding his hands behind his back, the man began to pace as he made his way through the restaurant.

"And even now, this restaurant - no - this entire hotel must seem like a fantasy. For after traversing this wasteland it must appear to be an impossibility for something like this to exist. Yet... here I am. And here it is."

With a grand smile, the man came to the front of the restaurant as he now held out a hand towards the crowds, all of which could not take their eyes off him.

"So I ask of you, survivors. Will you not join me in building up this paradise?"

And then, with a grand grin, the man's next words filled the hearts of the people as they were presented with an ever so tempting decision.

"Will you come under my reign?"

----

A strange air overtook the room as the man asked this question.

The people present merely looked to one another, a strange sense of unity overcoming them.

They looked around the restaurant. The fresh memory of delicious food that couldn't be found anywhere else in this world was still in their minds - some still even remaining on their platters.

The fact of the matter was that this was a feat which shouldn't have been possible - yet here they were.

When humans desire something, they dream about it. They will fantasize within their minds about such things, and regardless of how impossible they may be, they will envision them.

They will read and write stories about such things. They will theorize and play with the ideas, even knowing that they could never possibly be achieved.

And it is perhaps these dreams that encourage developers and scientists to pursue such things.

Flight. Space travel. Cell phones. There are many things present in modern society which were at some point nothing more than a dream - however this dream presented a goal.

And to every person present in that restaurant, the dream of living in a modern society was instilled deeply into their hearts.

They came to realize through the gory and depressing experience of survival just how many things they had in the old world, and just how much they had lost as a result of the Calamity.

Yet now - this dream had presented itself within their minds as a possibility.

The dream was no longer a mere dream - it was a reality that they could harness.

All they had to do was accept the offer of this man.

"So you're saying that if we become your subordinates that you'll allow us to live in this new society and we can build it up as if we were living in the old world?"

"Precisely."

As one man asked this question, Gerard made clear his intentions - at which the crowds became silent.

However, that silence didn't last long.

"I'll do it."

"Me too."

"Me and my family as well."

"Us too."

"I'll join you!"

"Over here also!"

One after another, the cries joined in.

The people present in this place had hesitated momentarily under the pretense of having to obey someone, however this was almost instantly dispelled.

Even in the old world, many of these people worked under managers or bosses. This was no different.

It was as if they were accepting a new role within a company - something quite familiar to many.

One by one, the majority of the people added their cheers to the crowd, and soon enough there were only a select few who hadn't agreed.

"What should we do, Gus?"

Boris looked to Gus with concern in his expression - clearly fearful for what the man would do if he accepted without permission.

"I ain't acceptin'. But you? Do what you want."

"Then, me and my daughter as well!"

Setting the man free from his captivity, Gus let out a sigh.

'He was useful, but not in a fight. If I'm gonna deny this man of my servitude and end up going to war, I ain't gonna need someone weak around to hinder me.'

"Wonderful. Truly wonderful. So many who have decided to rebuild this world. Is there anyone else?"

Pressing his question, the large man looked around to the crowd - his eyes falling upon a few particular people who hadn't accepted.

"I ain't doing it."

Standing up, Gus spoke in an obstinate tone as he prepared to leave.

"I ain't gonna become someone's dog."

"I see. What a shame. And the rest of you?"

"That's right. I'm not gonna serve anyone."

"I don't need things like this. I'll figure out how to survive on my own."

"I can't trust this. Whole thing seems fishy."

A group of pessimists seemed to gather with one another after witnessing Gus reject the offer, making their own declarations as they all stood up as well.

"Where do you think you're going?"

However right as Gus placed his hand on the door, the large man spoke out with disgust in his tone.

As if a switch had been flipped, the man's demeanor immediately changed from the delighted expression that he once bore to one of sinister intentions.

"What do you mean by that?"

With his hand on the doorknob, Gus turned his head back as he shot these words at the man.

'Surely he ain't gonna keep us trapped here, now is he?'

"Now, now. There's no need to be so hasty in your decision. You can rethink, you know. I won't judge. But if you insist on storming out... then I'll have to resort to more drastic measures."

As the man said such things, shock and fear spread through the crowd as uncertainty made itself present.

The very man who had taken them in with kind words and a bold speech was now acting so maliciously.

Why did he change so suddenly?

Wasn't he worried about how the people who had submitted to him would view this change of heart?

"Ah... you all look so concerned. Why have I changed - this is written all over your faces. Heh..."

With a smirk, the man chuckled to himself as he gazed around.

"That's something you pawns wouldn't possibly understand. You're already under my reign. I no longer have a reason to appeal to anyone here. You six. Seize the six who refused my offer. Have them thrown in the basement."

Pointing to a group of mostly timid and weak looking men, Gerard called out an order which spread confusion throughout the room.

"Excuse me?"

One of the men who was called upon merely looked to Gerard, unable to comprehend the order that he had just been given.

After all, of the six people who had refused, all of them carried some form of weapon.

On the other hand, the six who had been chosen to take such people captive were unarmed.

"What could we possibly-"

"Ah... I forgot to mention something."

Looking up to the ceiling, the man stroked his chin as he directed his words to nobody in particular.

"That's an order."