Code Zulu Alpha: Nerd in the Apocalypse!

The rest of his team looked at me with faint smiles though some were looking at me solemnly. All of them were built athletically but Mikhail was still the biggest among all of them. There was a woman at the back with longer legs than Tatiana but Artem was still the one standing out due to the pressure he was exuding compared to the rest of them.

Artem had dark blonde hair cut short, a scruffy beard, and grey-whitish eyes. He was a 6-footer but his body was built for war. I couldn't see much from his torso due to his body armor and equipment, but glancing at his arms and legs told me that it would be a fun day when we give each other lessons.

"Ah, da, I see. I said, 'Oh! Hello! Are you Sky?' Pardon my accent, I'm still having trouble removing that and learning your language. I'm Artem, you've met a part of my team but the ones I came with are..." Artem began to introduce the rest of his team.

His eight other members were composed of five men and three women. I discovered that the one with long legs was Katya and her eyes were piercing blue.

'Like Aoi...' I thought to myself.

The few others that stood out were Kristoff wearing a smiley patch on his body armor, Bogdan smoking an expensive Cuban cigar, and Natasha because she had the same name as a certain someone from a different cinematic universe. I remembered the names of his other soldiers and I began to introduce my own.

"It is said that we start attacking each other, right?" Artem gave a wide smile as he turned to Tatiana.

"If you two start, we'd see who's the top fighter. Sky and Kaley already beat Ilya which only you and I have had a 50-50 chance." Tatiana commented with a cheeky smile.

As soon as Tatiana said that, there was a lot of tension in the air when Artem's eyes changed even if he was still wearing a smile. The rest of his team got surprised too when they heard the news but they were even more shocked to learn of Kaley's achievement.

'Well, she did technically but Ilya wasn't fighting back… I didn't even have a proper fight with Ilya but Tatiana just decided that because I won the whole thing last time... ' I thought to myself.

"Interesting." Katya commented from the back, staring at Kaley.

Kaley wasn't able to say anything because each one of us just started weighing and checking each other out to see who would make the first move. Artem and I were just looking at each other but I also started to let out a little bit of pressure to see what his reaction would be like. It was good to check out the competition and my future comrades but I broke the silence because we still had a lot to do this morning.

I just jabbed him lightly on his torso after drawing the pressure back, much to his surprise.

I just chuckled as I gave a smile, "Breakfast first, I still need to run-down the plan to you guys. Did you prepare the list of your equipment as I asked Vera to tell you guys?"

The tension immediately lightened as Artem replied, "Da, Katya, please."

Katya handed the list to me but I gave it back as soon as I flipped through it much to her surprise.

'They don't have a lot… I guess some of them aren't getting replenished… Mikhail's PKM is here though...' I thought to myself.

"Okay, I'll be holding onto them for the time being but you could take them back as soon as we go out. They'd be recorded by Rin and placed in a safe area because I already had plenty prepared for the mission. We'll talk about living arrangements later but we should head back soon. I'll introduce you to the rest of the people coming with us." I said.

"You barely glanced through it..." Katya commented as she glanced at Artem.

"Want me to recite everything?" I chuckled as I looked at her straight in the eye.

Katya was taken aback by my statement while the rest of my own team were waiting in anticipation. However, she didn't speak a word so we soon went back after bringing the rest of their equipment back home.

"I think we've been forgotten..." I heard Honassan's voice from the back.

"Shit, come with us you two! We have a few things to discuss!" I exclaimed, quickly turning around.

When we got back, an early breakfast was already prepared for us and the sun was still not summoned by our rooster. It was fun to see their faces giving looks of confusion by our hospitality and how Tatiana was just prancing around piling a huge pile of food on her plate.

Zeus woke up and saw us eating with new people but he approached them slowly, heading to Artem first.

"Zeus, that's Artem. Artem, that's Zeus." I introduced them.

Zeus just stared at Artem first while he stuck his hand out, waiting for Zeus to get even closer. However, Zeus started to climb over him much to his surprise. Zeus was so excited and even I wasn't sure about how did this occur.

"Woah! Easy down there little woofer!" Artem exclaimed, not moving an inch after he raised his plate as high as he could.

"Hmm, do you have something on your pockets again?" Tatiana asked, shaking her head.

"Ah, shit. Da, I do. Did you smell my hot pockets? You can have it if you want? It's cold though so it's a cold pocket now?" Artem tried to talk to Zeus.

"Woof!" Zeus immediately answered.

"Okay, I'll give ya one. Which one though, hmm~" Artem opened several as he started to choose which one to give him.

"Did you have several on your pockets all along?" I asked, confused.

"Da, I always do." Artem replied, pulling out one then throwing it high for Zeus to catch in which Zeus did.

"Nice. I think we'll get along pretty well." I chuckled.

Time continued to pass and we soon finished breakfast. The rest of my team joined us and I did a refresher course about our operation. Vera did a great job of relaying my information because I didn't have to explain much to Artem and his group. I checked their weapons and added a few things for their use. The rest of my people woke up and I introduced and they were once again surprised by the warm welcome.

'Must be really bad at Rod's place if you're a foreigner...' I thought to myself.

It was already past 6:00 AM when we were ready then all of us boarded the cargo helicopter clad with our equipment. I wasn't driving this time and I was just looking at everybody.

'I wish they'd perform well as Tatiana and the rest. Maybe even better since they're all here except for a few...' I thought to myself.

It took us a few minutes to reach the DDR Camp in Monumento but once we did, it took them some time to take in everything that we did from the past day. It was the same as we left it yesterday but it was the first time for them to see it up close. It was then that we let a few people down the love hotel.

The people were Vera, Lois, Cynthia, Chris, Russel, and two other soldiers and they were tasked with communication and surveillance. The two soldiers with them were for their safety but they know a thing or two about long shooting and basic communication.

They were already in place and I saw them setting up so I made Honassan flew the helicopter as low as possible so we could take the roof of the DDR Camp in the main area for ourselves. We just hovered by the corner of the building first to shoot down the ones atop the roof. There was still the issue of space so the cargo helicopter could land so we hovered on the other side where there were no bodies bleeding out.

"You guys know what to do." I said as I was the first one to jump down only carrying my pistol and a fixed blade knife.

"Da, we need to be quick." Artem commented as he followed.

I rolled as I landed to break my fall and the rest followed after me. They either jumped down or were let down slowly by a rope.

"Catch!" Kaley shouted as she threw my rifle and my katana down.

"Thanks!" I shouted back as I guarded the ones still trying to get down.

As soon as they did, we moved as quickly as possible as we threw the tents and other stuff laying around the roof. There were still bodies stuck inside some of the tents but we just let gravity handle it as we also chucked them down. Deadheads were coming straight for me since I was the one further in but I just gripped my katana tight and drew it in a flash.

I sliced diagonally as part of its shoulder came off along with a part of its head, containing brain matter. The removed pieces fell to the flooring first before the rest of its body did. The rest of its brain just sloshed inside after its body hit the floor but a few bits jumped out, staining the flooring.

Tatiana and the rest followed after me while Artem and a few of his soldiers went for the other side. It was almost a race between us as we ravaged each deadhead that came close just with our melee weapons.

Body after body littered the flooring but the ones behind us were chucking them down. A small splat would be heard after they did that but the sound of flesh getting sliced apart was more of a continuing occurrence. As soon as we reached the end of the roof, there was one deadhead left with a broken neck, standing in the middle of us.

The bone of its neck was protruding from the side and each movement it made would make darkened blood squeeze out from where the bone was sticking out. The blood just fell down slowly as bits of pus mixed in followed after that. Artem already offered it to me but a small propane tank came flying and hit it square on its body.

It just fell down due to the impact along with the propane tank that was thrown.

"Stop being so ceremonial about it. I thought we're in a hurry?" Katya mentioned casually before turning around.

"She did that?" I asked, turning to Artem.

"Yeah, she's a feisty one. She's stronger than she looks, like a gorilla." Artem mentioned.

"THE FUCK DID YOU SAY TO ME?!" Katya immediately turned around.

"Stop acting so mysterious, you're a brute like the rest of us." Artem mentioned after dodging a thrown lantern.

"Here they go again..." Bogdan commented.

"Can't they just fuck already? Wait- did they?" Tatiana added.

"Dunno, they're acting like an old married couple but they're still sleeping in different beds..." Natasha chimed in.

'Those two, huh?' I thought to myself.

"Don't throw the tables! Just drag them to the side!" Kristoff waved Mikhail down which was chucking item after item.

"The chairs too, we didn't bring any." Natasha added.

"We guys made a mess below. We could start shooting some of them." Bogdan continued, puffing another smoke.

We would handle the mess below later because it was more important to have a safe space where we could operate.

Three helicopters were atop this area and we needed to remove one for a tight fit or two for a comfortable landing. It was supposed to be a tight fit before but luckily, Micah was here with us. Her job wouldn't be as dangerous but it was important that she was here.

Micah and Avalos checked the two helicopters and it didn't take long before they managed to turn the engines on. We brought extra fuel just in case but I guess we wouldn't be using them as of now.

"I'd be going ahead! See you guys later!" Micah waved goodbye.

"Ms. M, I'd be leading with this helicopter, please follow me closely!" Avalos shouted.

Micah just signaled with her hands as they slowly hovered and left the area. It was then that Honassan nestled the cargo helicopter and we began to remove the equipment left inside. I wore my headpiece as I turned to the ones in the love hotel.

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*bzzt*

"Send the drones in."

*bzzt*

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