Code Zulu Alpha: Nerd in the Apocalypse!

"Hmm? There's a few in the morgue since I had a few accidents. The others that were too injured were killed to avoid using the medicine supply. Where's the other whatchamacallit people again?" Oscar looked at Ferdinand.

"All of them are locked in the small apartment in the covered court in this school. A few soldiers are watching them." Ferdinand replied.

"How many were left?" I asked.

"There're ten left. What do you plan to do with them? I think sir Oscar have been very thorough." Ferdinand said.

"Oh, I'm gonna give them some breakfast- I mean lunch. You haven't fed them, right?" I replied.

"What?" Ferdinand looked at me weirdly the same with the people around listening in.

"You gonna put those things again?" Kaley asked.

"Hmm? Those things? Oh. No, there're a few more ways to get information from them aside from doing the usual thing. Sometimes, you get a few more tidbits if you finesse them. Some of them didn't talk yeah? I think I could make them spill a few. Wait a bit here, I'm gonna prepare something back home." I explained.

Kaley and I was about to get back to my Hayabusa but Oscar called me.

"Kid." he said as he threw a key.

"Hmm? Is this?" I asked as I looked at Ferdinand.

"Yes, it's the key for one of the jeeps here. I could phone you in if the helicopter arrives. We're not sure on their schedules since they've been coming at irregular times now. Is that enough? The jeep is also filled with gasoline and a few medical tools that sir Oscar here picked from the hospital." Ferdinand replied.

"Yeah, that's good. We could provide rations of food from our place to this camp every three days as promised. We can't give out food every day since we're also scavenging outside. I'll assure you that it's good food and would make you feel full for a long time. It would also last long than normal. You still need to ration your food like we do but it's better than nothing. Just keep contact with my place if you need anything else." I replied.

"No, the food is really all we need. It's good that our problem got solved quite easily by you guys. I don't know what I would've done if people here started to fight with each other. The food you've sent earlier this morning is really delicious. Everyone liked it and excited for the next time." he replied.

"Then it's all good. Thanks for this." I replied.

I asked Kaley to drive the jeep mounted with a .50 cal machine gun home while I took the lead with my Hayabusa. Ever since Raphael finished Oscar's SUV, he wouldn't drive any vehicle besides it. Raphael is now working on the ISUZU D-Max I acquired before after he finished on kitting out his Raptor that I always use when available.

The drive back was easy enough and the eyes of the people back home lit up when they saw the jeep being parked by Kaley just outside the gate. She went outside and walked beside me. The presence of zombies here roaming around is getting lesser and lesser because of the daily clearings compared when we're going far outside.

"Are you really giving all of the people from the DDR Camp and Woodlands some of our food? I know we have a lot but still..." she trailed.

"Don't worry, it's the best timing possible. Good thing Charlotte, Derek, and the rest did a really great job on our food production. We always acquire huge amounts when we go out but producing our own is the best possible solution. Harvest for the newly planted vegetables when it started is close too. Add to that the new farms we would have access to. If we could sustain the food source until harvest comes for the crops that would be planted in Woodlands, this barangay will be as good as secured if all goes well. We need to take care of a few more things here and there but food is the deciding factor to make the whole plan to work." I replied.

"So, we're not afraid of the camp here going AWOL?" she asked.

"Ferdinand is a good guy, considering on the ways he wanted their place to work with ours. You've met the guy, he's not as arrogant as the people at Woodlands and he listens to reason. He's willing to take a step back for the better of his people and that is one of the things that makes him a reasonable guy. Besides, they've caught a glimpse of what we could do. I think they would think twice if they tried to head to our place with ill intent. C'mon help me whip up a few meals." I replied.

"Sure!" she replied.

Kaley also learned a few more dishes from me and we made a simple fried rice with a few toppings but we made it more aromatic by adding a lot of garlics and onions. It's a sure-fire way to make a few stomachs grumble. The process was quick and we head back and found out that Oscar drove to Woodlands to check on a few other things.

We made our way to the covered court carrying a few containers of food and the soldiers posted there already knew what we are up to. I handed them an extra container and I made sure that the people from the cult saw what I did. I made the people who didn't utter a single word to be taken outside on the table we laid beforehand.

They were three people in total. One was an older lady that could be easily described as a stereotypical meth head. The second one was a younger dude with a very thin mustache and it appears to be that he has memorized the bible since he's been silently quoting it nonstop. The last one was an older man with a bald head but covered in several tattoos and he has very large eye bags. His lower lip is darker than his upper lip maybe due to excessive smoking. The three are covered in bruises and several scars and they are in handcuffs.

"Oscar did a number on them and I'm wondering what secrets do they know that the other seven don't know." I thought to myself.

The soldiers are watching them closely while Kaley is on my side ready if anything happens.

I on the other hand is wearing a bright smile that is starting to confuse everyone.

"Hello~!" I greeted them joyfully.

"..." the three.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you. I'm just here to ask a few more questions. Have you eaten yet? I brought some food." I asked.

They seemed to be ignoring me still but I pulled out one container and waited for their reactions.

"I guess you three already have, the lord provides, right? I was blessed as well so I thought I could bring some extra I've got. Do you three mind if I eat? I thought we would be having a potluck here like we do in church but I guess I'll eat by myself for now." I started to eat a spoonful and the young guy immediately gulped when I made a face.

The golden yolk slowly poured over the fried rice when I scooped a spoonful and their eyes are starting to get glued at me. There's still smoke coming from the container since the ones I placed them in are insulated. I would occasionally blow some of the steam towards them so they could also smell the aroma of the food.

"U-um, we still haven't eaten for several days... C-can I have some? Please?" he asked.

"Several days? This would be easier than expected." I thought to myself.

"Oh! You still haven't? All of you? Oh my lord, how could I be so foolish!" I exclaimed as I stopped eating.

I grabbed the paper bag where all of the food containers are placed and instead of giving it to the three, I handed them to the people that Oscar has mentioned that already talked. They hurriedly grabbed the containers and gorged on everything. The way that they eat clearly gave me an idea that what the kid was saying is true.

"S-sir?! Please! C-can we have our share?!" he asked again.

The lady beside him is looking at me with contempt while the bald guy I think already knew of my plans.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT HE'S DOING?!" the bald guy shouted.

"I-I'm just so h-hungry..." he sheepishly said.

"God fasted in the desert for 40 days, I'm sure that by His grace we could survive this test my child. He gives us a face of an angel but he's clearly the devil himself trying to tempt us! WE'LL NEVER ANSWER A SINGLE QUESTION FROM YOU OR THE MURDERER YOU SENT EARLIER!!!" the lady bellowed.

"Murderer? That's rich. Then tell me, what did you do back at that place? Isn't that murder as well?" I replied with a fake smile.

"That's the will of God! The Father says so! Your days are numbered and Father's disciples will come here eventually to save us! What we did isn't murder! It's retribution for those people! If we weren't informed that such people are living, they would have stained the new world God created for us! The only way for them to be forgiven is to be chosen!" she snapped back.

"Informed?" I thought to myself.

"You won't succeed in tempting us with food. God will provide." the bald guy said.

"Oscar said that you three never uttered a single word. I'm now confused since you won't shut up. Okay, I'm done with you three for now." I said then they looked at me with confusion.

They were escorted back but they were now in a different room than the seven.

"Don't give them water only the seven. They're underestimating hunger and dehydration too much." I said to the soldiers.

"Three days." I thought to myself.

"Okay, the other seven. It's their turn now." I said to the soldiers.

I asked them several questions that I already knew the answer to but I still asked them since I've got Kaley here with me. Also, I need to have a baseline when they're speaking the truth and lying so if I started to ask questions where I wanted answers, I'll have some things to watch out for. There's a few subtle things people do when they lie or are hiding something. I'm watching out for subtle cues but the moment I asked about the three earlier, each and every nervous tick, change of voice, and some hand gestures that indicated that they were lying appeared immediately.

"It seems that there's something special about those three. I only made a different approach since what Oscar did to them didn't make them talk. I could go a step higher on what Oscar did but the kid there is almost ready to talk. Let's observe things for now." I thought to myself.