Code Zulu Alpha: Nerd in the Apocalypse!

Emily and Angelica looked at each other first before Emily responded with a simple nod.

"As you two know, Jomarro will only be staying for a few more days since we'll be hauling everything here in his shop. If you have any things you might want that we might have, give me a list, and then we'll work on a deal." I said.

"Wait, I decided that I'll be coming with you today to check on a proper house. I'd like something where it's close to yours and has a large space so our dogs could run around. I'll let Mike and Elaine take over while I'm away. I'll come back the following day though since we'll only be able to make one roundtrip each day, right?" Mike interjected.

"Yeah, that's true. If we continue bringing the same vehicles, we might be able to finish clearing your place before the year ends. Emily, can you tell me why you decided to not come with us? Your parents will be there, why won't you be there yourself?" I continued as Jomarro started to mull on something.

"It's got something to do with Angelica's proposal, Angelica?" Emily looked at Angelica.

"Yes. Since our stores are close to each other, we decided to work as one and pool our resources. Regarding that, I would like to ask for your help too." Angelica said as she looked at Jomarro.

"Me? I already said I'd be going back with him. What do you want?" Jomarro was confused by her statement.

"Not you, your workers. If we're gonna stay here, we'd need more muscle as we could get-" Angelica continued but Jomarro stopped her.

"It's up to them if they wanted to go with you. But I'm telling you now, they seem on board and excited we'd get to leave this place. I hope you two understand that this is a golden opportunity and you two are kinda not getting the point of this kid inviting you to his place." Jomarro said as Oscar nodded a few times while holding a little puppy in his arms.

"Moving is not as easy as you think. I still have missing family members and the only place I know they might come looking for me is this place. I'm not gonna leave a note here telling them to drive to another place while I start to settle in. In this place, I'm meeting people from all over and I could get information whether they came across them." Angelica replied with a bitter look.

"You have missing people? Then give me their names and if possible, their most recent picture, so I could make a copy and give it to one of my people. We're also on the search of some people that are also missing and we've made contact with other people in the same boat. If they're holed up somewhere where someone's operating a HAM radio or something similar, we'll be able to make contact." I said then her eyes showed hope.

Angelica still had her wallet with her and she gave me the driver's license of her husband. After that, a picture of her family of four where two teenagers were smiling brightly with them.

"There are a few more people missing who were friends or family of my workers so I need to get back later to fetch their names after we are done. If you found clues about anything at all, anything, please contact me and I'll have you well compensated." Angelica was about to cry but she kept strong.

"It's the same thing for me that's why I'm staying here." Emily added as she gave me a picture of her other family members.

"This is good but I want you to be strong enough that whatever happens, whether we find them or not, you won't do anything stupid to yourselves. Wait, did you even try to get help from the HAM operator here?" I said, looking at them.

"We did… but we had to watch him while he does it or he just doesn't at all. He's annoyed at us doing it but we can't just keep on hanging around that place all day. To be fair, there are a lot more people showing up at his place every day asking for a few more minutes on the HAM radio, trying to achieve the same thing as us." Angelica replied.

"Then go to that place to request for your time in great weather conditions. It could transmit to farther places compared to when the weather conditions are bad." I advised.

"Kid, seems to me that comms are very much needed here. I guess we'll bring a few handheld HAM radios next time. Maybe even long-range radios to or even simple walkies, right?" Oscar suggested.

"Yeah, batteries too." I replied.

We solidified a few more things and we four shook hands. Jomarro called Mike and Elaine over and he left them a couple of his own guns. He instructed Mike to check their own truck for anything because they would soon use it to move to our place. Also, like Jomarro predicted, none of his workers wanted to stay at this place and some were even asking to come with us already. However, this place still needed people to watch it, or else it would be swept clean by other people.

I just assured them that we'll be coming back for them because I need able-bodied people at my place as always. We left Jomarro with his people for a while and we drove around the Intercity.

Oscar and I took a small trip to Emily and Angelica's store to drop off a few guns left especially for them. It was a couple of hunting rifles and shotguns with a mix of handguns. We also gave them extra magazines and ammo and we made sure the people that would be handling them knows how to use them properly.

"We're just dry-firing them for now but remember to hold them tight when it's actually loaded with live rounds, yeah? Also..." Oscar said as he instructed them.

I was teaching Emily how a lever-action rifle works but Lois suddenly interrupted me.

"Bro, Oscar told you about my list, right? Can I take Mikhail with me? They're kinda heavy." Lois tapped my back.

"Yeah, he did. He didn't tell me what items are listed though. Wait, did you say heavy?" I looked at Lois.

"Yeah, some of them. I found a few cool things yesterday like those light-weight drones and this high-powered telescope but I also spotted this V8 engine with the transmission from this unfinished car so I figured we could use them to make something like a sleeper-" then Oscar suddenly loomed over Lois.

"You fucking little shit, you found a fucking V8 lying around and you didn't tell me?! Where is it?! Mikhail! Where are you?!" Oscar pulled Lois and called Mikhail over.

"S-Sir Oscar, how do I-" a worker from Emily's shop was asking a question but Oscar snapped.

"Just pull that fucking thing there and it would go bang. Ask someone else! I'm busy!" then Oscar disappeared with Lois and Mikhail.

"This old man..." I was shaking my head but Kaley and Tatiana decided to teach the others how to operate the guns we brought them. A few of them actually knew what they were doing so it went easier than what I thought it would be. Some of them already have guns of their own so I focused more on Angelica and Emily.

All of a sudden, I heard tires screeching and doors opening suddenly.

I turned around and saw one of the SUVs we encountered yesterday but it was now full of dents and bloody bits were staining the grille.

Five teenagers came out with frazzled clothes and unkempt hair but the driver wearing a beanie locked eyes with me.

"YOU!!! IT'S HIM!!!" he suddenly rushed towards me with a balled fist but I saw it from a mile away.

He swung his right hand but I caught his arm, twisted it sideways, then I swept his feet as I was holding him by his collar. Air came out of him as he coughed violently because I pushed him down when he was about to hit the floor. I caught a whiff of his clothes and it definitely gave me an earthly and medicinal smell.

"Marijuana? Is this kid high? How did they even get here?" I thought to myself.

I didn't have the time to check his body for hidden weapons because a foot was already close to my face. Another teenager wearing a tank top and baggy shorts came at me while I was still on one knee from slamming their driver. He smelled the same way but there was this stench that was making my nose and eyes water.

He was about to kick my head but I caught his foot and I made him spread his legs apart by kicking his other foot the opposite side. He involuntarily did the splits and the pain on his face was apparent. He fell on the kid earlier but he hit his head on the pavement and a dull thud was produced. It didn't crack his head open but it would definitely form a little bump.

The last guy was still planning to rush me but the soldiers just managed to intervene.

"HEY!!! WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE?!" the soldier bellowed.

I was about to answer but the kid I knocked down and his baked cohorts started shouting.

"IT'S HIM!!! HE ALMOST KILLED US YESTERDAY!!! IT'S HIM!!!"

"HE THREW A GRENADE AT US!!!"

"WE BARELY CAME OUT ALIVE!!!"

"KILL HIM!!!"

"HE'S FUCKING DANGEROUS!!!"

"HE WAS LEADING A LOT OF THE DEAD AND HE LET THEM CHASE AFTER US!!!"

They started to make a scene and everyone who heard them stopped what they were doing. They looked at us and they started whispering to each other. It was obvious the kids were fucked out of their minds and they just came here to lay the blame on me. I'm not sure what happened to the other SUV but I'm betting that the other one didn't survive with the passengers.

"Sir, is what they're saying true?" one of the soldiers asked.

"Well, they're not lying per se but if I wanted to kill someone, they wouldn't manage to escape. You see-" then one of the girls with the most annoying high-pitched voice shouted over me.

"SEE?! HE JUST ADMITTED IT!!! WE WERE JUST DRIVING AROUND FOR SUPPLIES THEN HE TRIED TO KILL US!!!" she screeched.

"Supplies? What kind? From a dispensary?" I chuckled.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU MURDERER!!!" she screamed as she stomped on the ground.

"I have video evidence though." I casually pointed to the camera on my shoulder.

I was about to show the soldiers the footage from my bodycam but several thuds came from the trunk of their SUV. Everyone's eyes shifted to where the sounds were coming from but the young adults were more concerned about the camera on my shoulder.

"Hey! What's inside the trunk? You got something in there?" one of the soldiers asked them.

They were not responding and was just looking at me with a panicked expression. I even snapped my fingers to get their attention and it took a while to get the proper response.

"Nothing... it's just our friends." the other girl with a pale face finally responded.