Code Zulu Alpha: Nerd in the Apocalypse!

When I lifted up the bottle, Enrique's eyes lit up.

"Damn vato, you actually won it eh?" Enrique commented.

"Want to have a taste? You said you haven't tasted this yet." I replied.

"What? No vato, but thanks. I want to win my own. Well, as long as you don't join next time or don't use that samurai of yours I guess I'll be fine. I get it why my love said I wouldn't be able to follow you. The helicopter last time was actually you guys, eh? I heard it a few days ago." Enrique said while Tatiana almost attacked him again.

"Well, that's good thinking that way. Yeah, but we'll be coming back soon. I just want you and your group to listen to Irene and I'll make it worth your while if you do a great job. Just think of this place as an extension of Mr. Cuervo's place. It wouldn't be as wild but it would be peaceful at least. I'll still allow you to join the games every week." I explained and his group rejoiced.

We started packing our bags but I noticed that Nikolas and Alexei's bag were still on the side. I looked at the two's bruised faces and they asked me and Ilya for a moment alone.

"Okay, let me guess. You two are staying, right?" I started.

"Yeah." Nikolas replied but Alexei was silent.

"How about you? Still having second thoughts?" I asked Alexei.

"No, we've decided already yesterday but I still haven't told Vera. I guess I'll just call her later." Alexei said.

"You two are really hitting it off eh?" Ilya commented.

"You're one to talk, heh." Alexei scoffed.

"Okay, enough about that. Tell me why you two or staying first and tell me a valid reason or else I'll just knock the both of you out and I'll tie you two at the back of the helicopter with the guinea pigs." I said.

"Yeah, why is that? Miss the beating that much?" Ilya chuckled.

"Alexander and Kuzma. We're supposed to look for you too but you ended up here luckily. Vera is still looking for them and only time will tell." Nikolas said.

"..." Ilya was silent.

"We're here already and this was my main goal for getting a few of my team at your place. I know that Tatiana wouldn't stay here but I think just us three would be enough considering the type of zombies here." Nikolas said.

"Hmm, I already asked someone with pull here to look for your people. Isn't that enough already? I already made a deal to look for them in exchange for a generous amount of equipment that we wouldn't be able to take home." I replied.

"Well, if either of them sees a familiar face, it would be easier to make them come with us instead of someone introducing themselves and telling them that they know us. I'd be wary if a random person came looking for me asking me to come with them." Alexei explained.

"Also, even if we tell them what they should do when they encounter them, we can't say that it would always be a peaceful one considering that we already lost contact for a while. Ilya already told us what he experienced here alone and that was rough." Nikolas added.

"If you think about it, unless you expand your territory, you have more than enough soldiers that could hold the fort. Your civilians too have the proper knowledge and training so I think you could let go of us for the time being. We could also help to guard this place if you want this to be an outpost of some sort. I don't know about you but I think this place needs us more." Alexei said.

"Okay, I'll allow it but this thing isn't permanent. If by some chance I needed the two of you back home and I decided to pick you up here, you'd ride the helicopter no questions asked, okay? I don't want to say this but looking for them for a few more weeks or even a month would be too much. The percentage of you guys locating them basing it on the time that has passed would be the number closest to zero. I hope you understand what I'm talking about. I'm just stating the facts here because I don't want you blindly hoping that you'll find them." I explained and they nodded with serious expressions.

"Good. You three could make use of the guns and the other equipment from the winnings. You could also use the Tacoma to not interfere with Irene's runs outside while using her truck. However, I'd like it if you'd help her with this place as well while you're looking for clues for Alexander and Kuzma's whereabouts. If by chance you found them yourselves, contact me immediately and we'll decide what to do after that. Hmm, use this too but don't fucking lose it." I said as I handed Ilya my Tavor and the magazines filled with ammo.

"This too? How many guns do you have at home coach?" Ilya was surprised but he still accepted it nonetheless.

"Yes. The answer is yes." I chuckled.

"That's not even- nevermind." Ilya was shaking his head.

"How about that pistol coach? Not letting go of that?" Ilya joked.

"Well, I think I'll keep this on me for a while more. I think I like this one but I'll add the rest of the integrated suppressor to make it quieter. It's more compact like this but I guess it depends on the situation." I replied.

We concluded the conversation but the two were now looking at Ilya.

"What?" Ilya looked back at them.

"Not even gonna say thanks for us staying here you fucker?" Alexei chuckled.

"Well, with the guns I have I'm pretty good. I guess I'll take good care of you two fuckers. You two have a lot of shit to shovel every day I tell ya. You'll get the same tan as me too." Ilya cheekily said.

"Hah! You're great at hand-to-hand but once guns and other things are involved, it wouldn't be the same as last time." Nikolas added.

"We're no strangers to hard labor. We could fit here just fine. I might need to know about some of the slang here." Alexei said.

"We'll see but thanks for lending a hand here. Finding those two would be easier. Not to mention, Enrique and the other people he came with seemed good people but I need to be wary with them and keep another eye open just in case. You two being here would make the power struggle a bit easier." Ilya said as they gave each other a tight hug.

"I hope that doesn't become a problem." I thought to myself.

We came back to the group and the helicopter has now a few dozen guinea pigs, freshly harvested vegetables, and several pounds of cured meat wrapped in paper. Aurora and Irene didn't charge me for it because I already gave a lot to their community. Arturo even came and he thanked me for the medical supplies I've left them. They wanted to give me more items but it wouldn't fit the helicopter.

I've left Irene a copy of some of the files for survival and a few other things that they needed to know to build or make anything from scratch. I told her the situation for Nikolas and Alexei and she was ecstatic to have more people guarding her place. The two would be staying with Ilya and Aurora for the moment while Enrique's group would be given a proper place to lay their heads on.

Before we left, I asked for a picture with everybody so I could show back home another group of survivors from the other side. I never did the same thing with Mr. Cuervo's place because Jared was already recording with his phone right from the get-go.

We would be leaving the place with a few things left unsolved but sometimes that was how the world works. We still have lots of stuff to do back home and staying here for much longer wouldn't be beneficial.

We boarded the helicopter and Tatiana just discovered that the two would stay behind.

"You two are serious about this? I already figured Nikolas would stay but even you?" Tatiana said to Alexei.

"Yeah." Alexei replied.

"Well, I'll just tell Vera that you found someone here like Ilya. I'll find someone for Vera back home, don't worry Alexei!" Tatiana was cackling, laughing.

"What?! No! I'll call her after you guys leave!" Alexei was worried.

"Hah! Just kidding. Don't die, you three. We'll be coming back soon, okay?" Tatiana bid her goodbye and the three gave their nods while smiling.

Enrique tried to say something before we lifted off but Tatiana immediately closed the door. Kaley and Cynthia were laughing at her annoyed reaction when we were flying back home. Jared on the other hand was not speaking a word and his eyes were still bloodshot from yesterday.

"You okay dude?" I checked on him.

"Fuck no dude. I drank too much." Jared replied.

"Hah! Then you could choose to stay back at home the next time we go here." I said.

"Fuck no, I'm coming with. That place was wild bro, I'll tell you that- BllrGHHrrGH!!!" Jared suddenly vomited and luckily he had a paper bag ready. He just threw it outside not caring to where it would land.

It took us a few hours and we finally reached back home. Everyone welcomed us but someone was not present. I looked around waiting for him but he was not there.

"Who you're looking for kid?" Oscar asked.

"Where's Zeus?" I asked with a worried tone.