Code Zulu Alpha: Nerd in the Apocalypse!

"Grab some of that ice and place it on your head." I pointed to the tin bucket with ice.

"Ah~ this feels good hermano! Thanks!" Mr. Cuervo said.

I was silently staring at him for a while and the room quieted down.

"Hermano, I told you my story, and thank you for listening to me. Can you tell me yours? I'll accept whatever you do to me, but the reason for your hatred, I gotta know." Mr. Cuervo deeply sighed.

"We need a drink, bring more out. I did say I'll tell you my side of the story." I replied, looking down.

"Yes! Yes, hermano!" Mr. Cuervo pulled out bottle after bottle.

I downed several glasses and told him what happened to my family that night. I don't know how much time had passed since we've been here but it felt like it was just an instant. I could blame it on the amount of alcohol we've consumed but my head was clear as day despite that.

Two men were just talking to each other several floors underground. No distractions and no bullshit.

He listened to everything that I said and he never mentioned anything about my parents being weak when they got killed by someone whose brain was already fried from the substance. I'm not sure if it was giving me respect or something else but his expression revealed it. He was giving me the same look when he talked about seeing his mother dead from an overdose. It was different how his only known parent died compared to mine but it was caused by the same thing. The same thing that somehow had made a part of how we were today.

After I told him my story, we were just sitting with a glass in our hands while staring blankly at the ceiling. Words were already exchanged but now we needed to exchange silence.

The silence was only broken when the ice at the bottom of the glass gave out and the ones on top fell over.

"Hermano, saying sorry won't help in your situation but I'll say it anyway. I'm sorry for doing what I did. What I did before, it indirectly caused what happened to your parents. I don't even want to head down the path in figuring out who brought those things to that fucker who killed them. It was all in circulation and I was part of it. I know, I'm a bad person through and through. Despite that, I am trying my best to get completely out but the past would always drag me back once I thought I was about to. It is fucking hard to go legit, trust me. However, I am still trying my hardest." Mr. Cuervo said.

"Hmm, you know someone said, 'What is better- to be born good, or to overcome your evil nature through great effort?'" I muttered.

"Isn't that the dragon where those priests live high in the mountains? Party Snacks or something?" Mr. Cuervo chuckled faintly.

"Yeah, killed him in my first playthrough though." I replied.

"What?! You fucking- well, looking at your katana, I guess you made a biased decision." Mr. Cuervo said.

"I did. How did you know that game?" I asked.

"Well, my kids wanted to have that game for years and I bought them the best PCs and the ultimate copies. However, I'm the one who ended up playing until I finished the main storyline. Was good, not gonna lie. I didn't kill Party Snacks though." he downed another glass.

"Paarthurnax." I muttered.

"Ah- fuck you hermano, I can't pronounce that shit. I wish my kids and I could play that together, that would be awesome." Mr. Cuervo poured one for me.

"You could." I said after sipping on the glass.

"What?! How?!" he was so shocked his mustache almost fell off.

"Mods. There's a lot more you could do by using them, not just playing together. More skills, weapons, storylines, even boob physics." I replied and he was mindblown.

"Hermano, before we talk more about that, are we good?" Mr. Cuervo asked.

"Are we? I just threatened to kill you. I'm sorry, I got to get to the bottom of things before I decide on something difficult." I replied.

"Well, not gonna lie, I was upset but now I understand your situation. We're good." Mr. Cuervo said.

"Well, not gonna lie either, I was about to kill you the first time I knew about your past but like 'Party Snacks', I understand your situation. We're good. For the record, I didn't kill him on the rest of my playthroughs." I replied while slightly copying his words.

"Hah! Well, it's fine to threaten people in my rules hermano. Just don't do it for real while inside, heh." Mr. Cuervo breathed a sigh of relief as he chuckled.

I offered him a handshake and he gave me a strong one. We downed another glass and I made another friend.

I decided to tell him the general direction from where we came from and about the specials that we faced in my city. I showed him the videos of the things I've documented so this place would be aware of the danger that was coming. I told him about the abomination we saw in Irene's place and he was shocked and disgusted. It seemed that he doesn't like anything with extra limbs and he was getting goosebumps.

I left it to him to find the culprit and he said it would be part of his priority. However, I would still be on the lookout myself and even Irene's group.

The next item I told him about was finding the last two members of the Russian Army. It took me some consideration first but I revealed the real backstory of our Retired MMA Fighter but not my Security Detail for good measure. I told him that having someone like Tatiana made me convince Ilya to come over to my side. Our agreement was that he needs to bring them to me alive and well and in exchange, he could keep a generous portion of their gear. Some of them we wouldn't be able to take home, for example, were the HUMVEEs unless we bring the cargo helicopter here.

I never told him of my 'associates' yet who are Iskoh and Rod, not until he decided on something we talked about that he should do personally. He asked for some time and I gave him till next month. I gave him lots of time because doing something like that without issue needs careful planning and great execution. He gave me something in exchange for the time given to him and we shook hands once more.

We finished a couple of bottles just by talking to each other but then he had an idea.

"Hey! Hermano! Before we fucking forget, teach me how you play together!" Mr. Cuervo excitedly said.

"Well, the files are not on my phone here. They're in my bag in my room." I replied.

"Then off we go! Vamonos! Mas rapido! My kids would love it when they wake up tomorrow! Teach me how to do it here and I'll remember it for their PCs tomorrow!" he immediately stood up.

He quickly dragged me the same way back and he didn't even ask me to turn around when he's typing the codes. Looking at it, it was pretty straightforward and I could operate it by myself. I guess he didn't mind now but I was pleasantly surprised by knowing the codes.

They were his kids and his wife's birthdays.

We came up to the gym and passed by several people on the way. We immediately reached my room and when I opened it, someone dragged me aggressively.

"Oh my~ You got a feisty wife there hermano! Hahahaha!" Mr. Cuervo exclaimed.

Kaley was shocked to see Mr. Cuervo behind me while she was in the process of undressing me. She was only wearing a silk robe and she immediately shrank down.

"Oh! Ahaha… didn't see you there Mr. Cuervo..." Kaley muttered.

"No problem, no problem. We were just here on important business and we need to get something from his bag, right hermano?" Mr. Cuervo said.

"Yeah, wait- can she come down with us?" I asked.

"Your woman? Sure! Whoever wanted to come with you herma-" then the closet opened.

"We'll come too!" Tatiana exclaimed, blushing from drinking a bit much.

"What are you doing here?! What do you mean by we?!" Kaley was shocked.

"You didn't know she was there?!" Mr. Cuervo and I simultaneously exclaimed.

"Hi~ Tatiana told me we should hide and see what happens here… it's already been a couple of hours and I'm sleepy… My phone was about to die too… Hi friend~ I said we'd talk later, right? It is past later now, where were you~? We're waiting here for hours! Kaley didn't even notice us… hehehe~" Cynthia slowly came out with her eyelids almost dropping but she was holding an empty bottle.

"Cynthia! What are you doing here?!" Mr. Cuervo exclaimed.

"Hey~! Don't fucking scream at me Marco Antonio Cuervo!" Cynthia suddenly snapped.

Kaley and Tatiana's eyes widened from shock.

"You don't talk to your brother like that!" Mr. Cuervo also snapped.

"WHAT?!" Kaley and Tatiana exclaimed.

"Brother?! You're like my dad because of how old you are! You fucking chulo!" Cynthia exclaimed.

"They're both drunk but Cynthia's in the deep end." I thought to myself.

"Cynthia! You're drunk! Go to your room and sleep now! I have something important to do!" Mr. Cuervo ordered.

"No! I'm coming with wherever my friend is going! Kaley and Tatiana are coming, I will too!" Cynthia linked with Kaley and Tatiana's arms before marching outside.

"Cynthia! We don't even know where they're going!" Tatiana exclaimed while being dragged.

"They're still inside the room!" Kaley added.

"Oh, HURRY UP YOU FUCKING CHULO!!! Friend, please hurry a bit before I fall asleep, do you have a charger I could use?" Cynthia dragged the two back.

"She's fucking strong dragging those two easily.." I thought to myself.

"Type C, right? I have one, want me to bring a power bank? Or you'll just stick it in the outlet?" I asked.

"Hehehe~ Stick it in~ hehehe~ You heard what he said? My friend said stick it in~ hehehe~" Cynthia grinned.

Now I was more afraid of her than anyone.