Code Zulu Alpha: Nerd in the Apocalypse!

"Not right now, no!" I responded as I aimed at the sights.

I took down one deadhead stuck on the passenger side of a vehicle due to the seatbelt securing it. It could partially move when it leaned forward but it had no chance of getting way because the rest of its rotting body was already melding to the seat. The skin on its back was already falling off and its discolored bits were also staining the seatbelt.

Kaley was right in the middle of us while Katya was now the one guarding the rear. Tatiana was on my right while Ibarra was on my left as I continued to put down bodies one after the other.

-

*bzzt*

[Incoming fe- sprinters from the barracks!]

*bzzt*

-

*bzzt*

"Heard!"

*bzzt*

-

I turned to my right and about a dozen sprinters came into view. They spilled out from the double glass doors, destroying it in the process. Their bodies were in all sorts of decay and almost all of them were wearing military fatigues and still had some sort of equipment on them.

My eyes just twinkled on the premise of acquiring loot so I raised my rifle.

As soon as I switched the safety off, it was like Jerry Miculek hearing the beep in competition shooting. The ones in front just fell with their faces, scratching their helmets while the ones at the back either tripped and fell because of the ones in front or just nose-dived, the same as the ones in front.

I flipped the dust cover back and flicked the safety switch once more as I lowered my rifle but Tatiana and Ibarra already made their way towards the ones that tripped over. They were pointing their melee weapons down and they pushed against the zombies' head for a few inches to end their life.

I could almost hear the squelch as their blades sunk in but they moved fast because a few were still alive. A couple rolled over and tried to stand up but they were kicked down helplessly before a sharpened blade entered the back of their heads. Their weapons were stained with darkened blood even more and we didn't have time to wipe our blades for the moment.

-

*bzzt*

"Hey, fly inside to see if there's more. I didn't see them last time."

*bzzt*

-

*bzzt*

[Okay, bro.]

*bzzt*

-

I turned to the left for a moment and I saw the shoddy work the people here did for reinforcing their walls. The wall at the front wasn't solid compared to the walls at the back and the sides because it was made with a twisted metal bar, alternating with a cylindrical pipe. It was just patched to be whole with either plywood or a few metal sheets and the fluids of the obstacles we made outside were seeping out of it.

As of now, there were two places where the deadheads were coming from. It was supposed to be three but we already blocked the entrance by piling up bodies on top of one another. The two places were the barracks and the driveway to the left of it, spawning a cluster at a time. A few that were 'sleeping' were slowly standing up to join the ones coming for us but Kaley was making sure they stay down from afar.

-

*bzzt*

[No more sprinters from the surface but there's still a lot inside and lots of closed doors!]

*bzzt*

-

*bzzt*

"Gotcha! Nestle where you could see the entrance of their barracks and the driveway!"

*bzzt*

-

*bzzt*

[Okay!]

*bzzt*

-

"Guys, hold the ones coming from the barracks and the driveway at the same time! I'll try to make one of these vehicles run so we could block the driveway somewhat!" I shouted at the group.

"We know! I just have to- got 'em!" Tatiana yelled after pulling one from under a jeep and crushing its head with a stomp.

Kaley and Katya went for the driveway while Tatiana and Ibarra camped by the entrance of the barracks. Kaley started to fire shot after shot while Katya moved the bodies to the side while Tatiana and Ibarra just cut down anything that came out. The first thing I saw in the parking area was a couple of Escalades so I quickly tried to make them start.

It seemed to be the ones parked in this area were still in working condition because there were a few modifications done on them and they were full of petrol.

I drove the first one and parked it sideways, blocking almost half of the driveway and when I parked the other one, there were still a few meters left in the middle to be covered. I know the right vehicle to be nestled in and Katya gave me a look of approval when it came to their side.

"We're not firing it, it's there just in case!" I reminded Katya, looking at the jeep with the .50 cal.

"Don't worry, if a horde comes, we wouldn't hesitate." Kaley comforted her.

"Yeah, yeah… I understand..." Katya muttered.

"Need more mags?" I asked Kaley.

"I'm still good. Keep the ones for yourself." Kaley replied.

"Here's a couple just in case. It's a little too heavy bringing twice the mags." I replied as I placed a couple by the seats.

"I told you-" Kaley was about to give them back but I cut her off.

"Bah! Just keep them! Hold that space for now, okay? I'll call Marvin's group, and as soon as they get here, join us in the barracks!" I added quickly.

"Just make them bring an ammo can and keep these!" Kaley insisted.

I scratched my head in annoyance but I relented. I let Kaley give Marvin the instructions and I went to the area where Tatiana and Ibarra were currently camping on.

Tatiana was wiping her bastard sword while Ibarra was still in front of the entrance to the barracks. His spear was now attached to each other and the spearhead was almost reflecting the sun. The bodies around them either had their heads lopped off or a hole was bored straight through.

As soon as I walked towards them, a few unbroken lights in the barracks suddenly turned on, illuminating the inside.

"Right on time." I mentioned, smiling.

"I guess they managed to do it." Ibarra muttered.

"It's just filling it up with some gas and pushing some buttons." Tatiana chuckled.

"Let's head in." I continued.

The barracks in the front area only had two floors but it wasn't as symmetrical compared to the first building we descended from. From above, it looked like a huge 'P' without the hole in the middle. Aside from that, it seemed that more modifications were put in place by the soldiers that used to live inside it for their own comfort or security.

'Didn't do much for them though...' I thought to myself.

This place only had a single entrance if we didn't count the windows broken into by deadheads that tried to get in or by people that tried to break out.

The entrance we were in was the larger part of the 'P' and the staircase to the second floor was also located in the same place. There was a small reception area in front and a long hallway to the right where a few lights were turning on and off.

We made sure the ones lying down were dead by double-tapping them before we continued to move further in. The reception had a pile of the dead right in the center so it took us a bit of time making sure they wouldn't stand up. Kaley and Katya managed to join us with a few from Marvin's group which was Brian and Carlo.

"I thought I told you guys to stay with Marvin?" I said to them.

"Umm-" Carlo was about to respond but he turned to Kaley which answered for him.

"It's good, dad also came with them while Mikhail joined Artem's group. The guys that turned the generator on filled up their spots so it's okay, right?" Kaley said.

"Okay, standard room clearing even if the door is fucking open. You guys know the drill, right?" I said to them.

"Yes, Sir." Carlo immediately responded.

"Wouldn't forget it even if I tried." Brian chuckled.

Brian was carrying a Mossberg 930 while Carlo was carrying a Kel-Tec SU-16 with an under-folding stock. It had a few attachments on them but they were enough to protect oneself and take down deadheads.

"Come with me then. Let's see if you really learned how to." Tatiana started to talk with a commanding voice.

"Y-Yes, Ma'am!" the two immediately answered.

"We'll take the first floor while they take the second floor, got it?" Tatiana continued.

"Y-Yes, Ma'am!" the two immediately answered again.

"Ah- I think I want to take the first floor though. There are more doors to unlock here..." I interjected, completely oblivious that Tatiana was asserting dominance.

Everyone just looked at me blankly then the two turned to Tatiana.

"We'll take the second floor while they take the first floor, got it?" Tatiana immediately changed her mind.

"..." the two.

"Got it?!" Tatiana raised her voice.

"Y-Yes, Ma'am!" the two immediately answered once more.

They slowly ascended the staircase while my group went on ahead to clear the bodies in the hallway. We didn't hear gunshots from above but bodies continued to be chucked from the second floor as soon as we heard a small crash from above us.

In our case, I jauntily reached for my burgl- lockpicking tools for the first door.