Perkatory: Coffee, Zombies, and the Brewmaster System

Zoe's chest heaved as she stumbled into the alley behind Perkatory. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her mind spinning with fear. The memory of the machine's blinding light was seared into her brain, its ominous hum still echoing in her ears.

"Zoe, breathe," Darren said, grabbing her shoulders and steadying her. "You've got to calm down. Panicking isn't going to help."

"Calm down?" Zoe choked out. "That thing… it could kill us all! It's in my café! What if it—"

Darren didn't let her finish. He reached into her bag, pulling out one of the pre-made calming brews. Before Zoe could protest, he pressed the bottle into her hand and guided it to her lips.

"Drink it," Darren ordered. "Now."

Zoe hesitated momentarily, but Darren's determined expression left no room for argument. She took a shaky sip, then another. The effect was almost immediate. The tension in her chest eased, her racing thoughts slowed, and the edges of her panic dulled.

"Better?" Darren asked, his tone softer now.

Zoe nodded, closing her eyes as she steadied her breathing. "Yeah. Thanks."

"Good," Darren said, stepping back to give her space. "We need you focused."

As Zoe's mind cleared, the familiar voice of the Brewmaster System chimed in, its usual snark conspicuously absent.

"Zoe, I need you to listen carefully," it said, its tone measured and uncharacteristically serious. That flash of light wasn't random. It was a scanning pulse. The machine was analyzing its surroundings, and based on its energy signature, it's preparing to activate a much more dangerous ability."

"What kind of ability?" Zoe asked aloud, earning a confused look from Darren.

"A localized annihilation field," the system replied. "Anything caught in its radius will be… let's just say go. Permanently."

Zoe's stomach dropped. "What do we do?"

"I have a recipe," the system said. "It's for a frozen coffee blend that can temporarily make someone immune to the machine's abilities. But it won't last long. You'll need to act fast."

"How fast?" Zoe asked, her voice trembling.

"Seconds," the system said. "You'll also need to overload the machine. Based on my analysis, dumping excessive speed-enhancing coffee into its processing center could cause it to malfunction and shut down."

Zoe's mind raced as she absorbed the information. "I'll need my equipment," she said aloud. "It's back at my apartment."

Darren frowned. "Zoe, are you sure about this?"

"I don't have a choice," Zoe replied, her voice steady. "If we don't stop that thing, it'll destroy everything."

Without waiting for a response, Zoe turned and sprinted toward her apartment. She reached the small space in record time, her mind singularly focused on the task. Her hands moved with practiced precision as she prepared the frozen coffee blend, the faint glow of her equipment casting long shadows on the walls.

She paused momentarily, staring at the shimmering liquid in the bottle. This brew was untested, and its effects were unpredictable, but she didn't have time for doubts. She grabbed another bottle of her speed-enhancing coffee and tucked it into her bag.

"Here goes nothing," Zoe muttered, raising the speed-enhancing brew to her lips.

"Hold it!" Darren's voice rang out as he burst through the door. He grabbed the bottle from her hand before she could take a sip. "You can't go back in there, Zoe. It's too risky."

"Darren, I have to—"

"No," Darren interrupted, his tone firm. "If something happens to you, Perkatory—the city—is done. We need you alive."

Zoe opened her mouth to argue, but Darren's determined expression stopped her. Without another word, he grabbed both bottles, downing the frozen blend first and then the speed-enhancing coffee in quick succession. He winced as the effects hit him, his muscles tensing and his eyes narrowing.

"Darren, don't…" Zoe started, but he was already heading for the door.

"Dr. Vance!" Darren shouted as he stepped outside. "I need you to relay Zoe's instructions."

Dr. Vance, who had been waiting in the alley, nodded. His telepathic ability allowed him to communicate with Darren even as he darted back toward the café.

"Zoe says to throw the entire crate of speed-enhancing coffees into what looks like the machine's processing center," Dr. Vance relayed, his voice calm despite the chaos. "Then get out as fast as you can."

Darren gave a sharp nod and sprinted toward the drive-thru window. His enhanced speed turned him into a blur as he vaulted through the opening, landing with a soft thud inside the café. The machine's hum was deafening, its glow casting an eerie light across the room.

Darren spotted the crate of speed-enhancing coffees on the counter and grabbed it, his movements swift and deliberate. The symbols on the machine's surface pulsed erratically as if sensing his presence.

"Come on," Darren muttered, hefting the crate. He located the machine's processing center—a small, open compartment that emitted a faint heat—and dumped the entire crate inside. The bottles clattered against the metal, spilling a cascade of shimmering liquid.

The machine reacted immediately. Its hum turned into a high-pitched whine, and the glow of its symbols became blinding. Darren didn't wait to see what would happen next. He bolted for the door, diving through the opening just as a deafening explosion rocked the café.

Zoe and the others ducked for cover as the shockwave rippled through the alley. The noise was deafening, the force of the blast shaking the ground beneath their feet. For a moment, no one moved.

"Matthew," Zoe said, her voice trembling. "What do you sense?"

Matthew's eyes were wide, his body still tense. But after a moment, he exhaled slowly, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "I… I'm not detecting any danger anymore."

Zoe's heart leaped. She scrambled to her feet and cautiously approached the café. The windows were shattered, and the interior was made of debris and scorched metal. But the machine was gone, reduced to a smoldering heap of twisted parts.

"It's over," Zoe whispered, her voice barely audible.

------------------------------------------------------

The following day, the survivors of Perkatory worked together to clean up the mess. The machine's remains were carefully gathered and taken to a secure location for disposal. The café's broken windows were boarded up, and the counters were scrubbed clean of soot and debris.

Zoe stood outside, watching as the community rallied to repair the damage. Darren approached her, a tired but satisfied smile on his face.

"You did good," he said.

"We all did," Zoe replied, her gaze lingering on the café. "But this isn't over. Machines like that don't just show up out of nowhere."

Darren nodded, his expression turning serious. "Then we'll be ready."

Zoe allowed herself a small moment of hope as the sun rose higher in the sky, casting a warm light over Perkatory. They'd survived this. Whatever came next, they'd face it together.