Code Zulu Alpha: Nerd in the Apocalypse!

After a series of laughter and several assurances that I wouldn't put stress on the helicopter and everyone by doing another barrel roll, we finally managed to secure our equipment inside the helicopter. Each one of my group also boarded inside while Kaley was right next to me, acting as my co-pilot. We said our goodbyes to everybody atop the roof then we soon flew in the South direction to head to the love hotel we marked as a perfect spot.

It would only take a few minutes to reach that place but I hovered over the other places we haven't scouted yesterday to check on their current situation by simply capturing a bit of footage. I was also hoping that once we reach Karuhatan, we might catch a glimpse of where might the other group was hiding. However, just by picking out a few good spots from the map, I could probably guess a few areas where they could be in.

"Bro, where do you think the other group is hiding?" Jared asked from the back.

"What do you think? You're the one that flew that drone, right?" I asked back.

"Hmm, I'm guessing either that general hospital or that other mall which was the same one our group from Meycauayan cleared." Jared replied.

"Hmm, if they're a big group, that could be the case." I said.

"But what do you think?" Lois asked.

"I'd probably say the same thing but if we're dealing with a smaller group, they should be holing in someplace inconspicuous. Something like a bookshop that's always getting ignored or even a simple apartment. In your words, I'm talking about a 'sleeper base' where it looks like a normal place but once you get inside, it's loaded with everything they need." I replied.

"Something underground then?" Matthew chimed.

"Hmm, it's possible but this place is kinda prone to flooding. Not as much as Malabon but it would be worrisome if all the items you took were rendered useless by water. It would be harder to evacuate that way as well." I replied.

"So, something elevated and inconspicuous… but there's also an option of having multiple exits so quick evacuation is possible..." Kaley started to think.

"Don't think about it too much. Any building could fit that category but the safest bet is to establish a proper connection first. Once they decided to talk with us, we could figure out a few things from them and we could decide if we are better off allying ourselves with them. In which case, we already know what to do if they could do more harm than good." I explained.

The group became quiet as we soon passed that area once more. I picked up my radio for a courtesy call once more and like last time, no one responded. However, we didn't stay there as long because we have other problems to take care of. There were two more barangays before we reach Monumento but they were already seeing the difference of Karuhatan because of how few the zombies roaming there were.

It only took a few minutes to pass by those areas and we finally reached Monumento. The ones that have never seen this place yet had their eyes glued to the windows, taking every bit of information their eyes could process.

"This is… a lot..." Cynthia muttered once we reached Monumento.

The noise produced by our helicopter riled up a few of them so we needed to act quickly. The only thing on our side was that the deadheads below were so fucking close to each other, making their movements slow and staggered as possible. I already briefed my group on what to do once we landed so they were already holding their weapons the moment we touched down.

Tatiana, Mikhail, Ibarra, and Matthew immediately went for the access door that could lead them to the floors below while Jared, Lois, Lawrence, Cynthia, and Max brought out their rifles to make a 'wall' of our own.

"You know the plan, guys!" Jared exclaimed as he was the first one to jump outside.

Suppressed gunfire started from the shooting group because they needed to gun down the deadheads that would be approaching the love hotel. Putting down as much as possible by the entrance would make their bodies pile on top of one another, making a wall to keep them away. For the trick to work, they need to shoot them down surgically so the position the bodies would fall down would allow a blockade to be made.

On the clearing group's side, Kaley and I weren't hearing as much gunfire because as they went down, they were trying to be as quiet as possible. Small gunshots could be heard but it wasn't as frequent as the one of the shooting group.

Kaley and I followed quickly after vacating the helicopter but we first took out every piece of equipment we had secured on the helicopter. She would be joining the shooting group shortly while I would dash down to join the clearing group.

The shooting group brought out all the weapon crates but some of the ammo cans were left inside the helicopter. We carried it then placed it right behind them while opening each can for their use. The ammo cans didn't only contain different cartridges but they also contained spare magazines for our guns. Cynthia volunteered to be the one reloading each magazine because the group had already gone through a couple.

"Guys, make it some sort of cone a few meters away so they don't pile up and accidentally reach the second floor, okay?!" I exclaimed as I slung my rifle on my body and secured my pistols and my katana.

"Got it, bro, just get down already!" Jared exclaimed.

"47!" Lois exclaimed.

"Fuck this shit, we're not starting that again!" Lawrence bellowed.

"59 MOTHERFUCKERS!!!" Jared yelled.

"What the fuck?! I'm only at 27!" Max got flustered when he discovered the current record.

Kaley and Cynthia just wore helpless expressions but Kaley started shooting below while I ran to the access door the clearing group went into earlier.

-

*bzzt*

"What floor are you guys at?"

*bzzt*

-

*bzzt*

[Still on the 8th floor, Boss!]

*bzzt*

-

*bzzt*

"Coming behind you guys. Did you secure the stairs to the other floors?"

*bzzt*

-

*bzzt*

[Yeah, Matthew and Ibarra are guarding them!]

*bzzt*

-

I ran down as fast as I could and I saw Matthew watching Ibarra cut down the ones coming from the stairs while Mikhail and Tatiana were kicking down rooms, leaving a trail of dead bodies on the hallway.

'We need to go faster.' I thought to myself.

Much to their surprise, I jumped down the stairs, straight to where Ibarra was at and cut down each body slowly coming up. I was already halfway down the stairs and I was a few steps closer to the 7th floor.

"The fuck are you doing?!" Matthew exclaimed.

"Ibarra and I will clear the ones in the hallway and the stairwell while we let Tatiana and Mikhail bust doors one by one!" I shouted back.

"How about me?!" Matthew was about to follow us, drawing his machete.

"Just float or something but keep your shotgun close! Make a bit of noise with your revolvers so most of them would head up! Don't worry, we could fucking handle it! We could, right?" I replied with my katana and pistol on hand then turned to Ibarra.

"Yes, Sir!" Ibarra gripped his machete and pulled out his fixed blade knife.

"Don't get left behind!" I smiled wickedly as I secured my mask.

I jumped down lopping off the head of a dead civilian then I raised my pistol to the left, shooting down three deadheads still wearing their uniforms. One of them had its cap flying because of a bullet boring a hole through its head. But as the bullet went through, it scratched another one wearing a tank top on its right shoulder, spraying darkened blood on the wall. However, it also fell at the same time, with a hole in its head, like the one behind it because I wouldn't miss at this distance.

There was only a decorated wall on my right side so I went ahead and dashed to the left side and gripped my katana as I swung it upwards, making an entrance to a deadhead's chin, straight to its head. After that, I kicked one that was approaching my right side but a quick flick of the wrist, chopping down its head, made it stop altogether. I fired another shot toward a biter wearing nothing but underwear that came from a room and it tripped the other infected that was right behind it wearing a tuxedo when it fell down, allowing an easy shot.

I quickly kicked the door open from where they came from and I saw another 'businessman' tied on the bed, ridden with bite marks and staining the white sheets with its juices. One clean shot to the head finished it then I started gunning down the ones coming from the other rooms that were open.

"Fucking shit, there's a fucking lot coming from the stairs!" Matthew shouted as he unloaded round after round.

It seemed that most of them were on the lower floors and they were just coming up when they heard the helicopter. Even Ibarra used his Glock 17 to help Matthew clear the ones coming up the stairs and he even emptied his magazine.

"SHOOT THEIR FEET!" I shouted.

"WHAT?! IS THIS A NEW TYPE?!" Matthew shouted back.

"JUST SHOOT THE ONES IN FRONT ON THEIR LEGS AND FEET! IF IT'S WALKING ON ITS ARMS SHOOT THEM TOO! UNLOAD ALL THOSE FUCKING BUCKSHOTS!!!" I bellowed.