Code Zulu Alpha: Nerd in the Apocalypse!

It was close to 8:00 PM after the first hour but nothing came into view.

However, we placed more items like high-lumen flashlights atop separate stands so we could use them as a spotlight and we parked our vehicles at the right spot in case we needed to give chase or check something more personal. We wouldn't even think of a getaway car because that thing would be put down, no matter what.

My group was stationed on the roof of a building inside the outpost where the only obstruction was the tower-like structure where Lawrence was lying prone. It was a place where a bell would toll on a schedule and it was now repurposed into something better. I could bring myself and a select few of my group to head there as well but we had more to offer compared to what Lawrence was doing.

We were in a 'central' area where my group could easily run or provide support to the area that needed it because we were right next to the fire exit and we only needed to climb a 10-feet ledge to get to the stairs that would lead to where Lawrence was. Aside from that, we were in the building where it was directly facing the roads where those beings would come from unless they took a roundabout route.

'This could go on for a while...'

Every five minutes, our radios would buzz one after the other, giving simple reports from their station directly to me. The reports could be anything from a stray animal scurrying about or a lanky deadhead randomly spawning, but the important thing was that everything was being relayed. A simple detail left untold could lead to more problems and if something needed more checking, one of our drones would fly overhead to check on the situation.

"Nothing by that court bro, just a couple of deadheads that got shot down earlier..." Lois commented, hovering his drone back in place.

"Report it back to the group and check the battery level of the drone we brought. Keep it at an adequate level at all times, charge it when you're not using it. I remember it not being full when I took them."

"Got it, bro."

For the duration of the second hour, most of us still kept vigilant. A few have started to slightly relax or do something similar but a quick call from the radio would get them back on track. Telling them a quick description of what we saw earlier would get them excited and look at where it would come from though a few were adamant if what we saw would ever appear at this time.

Meanwhile, Stefan and Petrov approached me, "Sir, permission to go around the block."

I was watching the feeds and listening to the radio chatter but I replied, "Sure, stretch your legs for a bit."

"Sir," the two nodded as they went down.

"How about you guys?" I looked at the rest of them.

Tatiana chuckled, "And get nagged when I'm a few seconds late for my report? No thanks."

"He really remembers every detail," Marina added as she turned to Tatiana.

"Yeah, and that's not even his strongest suit."

"Hmm? What is his strongest suit?"

"Oh~ I don't know if you'll see it. Maybe, just maybe."

Tatiana was just smiling from ear to ear while Kaley and I were sending curses telepathically. I wouldn't forbid someone to have a little fun but there was a time and a place for that. We already fucked up by having a few people know of our little secret so we had to be extra careful.

Lois was already side-eyeing once his ears perked and luckily, Chris was fucking oblivious. However, I had no idea about Mikhail but it seemed like he didn't really care or he still had no idea about what Tatiana was talking about. Despite that, I know that he was a cool dude and he wouldn't talk about things we shouldn't talk about.

Time continued to pass and it was already the third hour for the watch.

'Is that fucker gonna come or not?'

Our first batch of people have already switched with the ones below and only my group, Lawrence, and the ones in the hidden nests didn't. Lawrence and my group already planned to stay up the whole night, only taking a small break here and there. However, the ones hiding in the nests would be able to switch places with the ones with them but it was up to them to decide their own schedules.

Each nest would have six or more occupants and in the case of an attack, they would only engage after this outpost took the most of the aggro away from them. It was to ensure their safety and flanks coming unexpectedly from different angles were game-breaking. However, in order for that to happen, they should be unnoticeable so the ones we were waiting for would come for our outpost first.

It was at this time that we saw Cyrill coming up the fire exit with Stefan and Petrov. He was already wearing the gear I prepared for him and it was a stark contrast from what he looked like this morning. He looked more like one of my team members and I was sure that even his dad wouldn't recognize him.

Cyrill was wearing protective equipment and he was equipped with an SP5, an M1911, a K-Bar Knife, and a short machete. His vest and his belt were filled with the extra mags and the other tools I've lent him, and everything was placed nicely.

I chuckled as soon as our eyes met, "At least you still know how to wear them."

"Yeah, thanks for this..."

"You took a bath, at least? And where's the pseudo ghillie suit you're always wearing with Borris?"

Cyrill was taken aback as he defended himself, "Wha- br- I did! It's hard to take one if you almost broke your rib from you two! I still have the suit, I'll wear it in some cases..."

"Cheh, you're lucky I only used my arm for that punch. If I twisted my whole body..."

Cyrill took another step back, clutching his sides, "I get it, I get it. I know you held back and I promise I'll remember it for the rest of my life..."

Lois added, "I only used around 10% of-"

"No, you didn't!" Cyrill exclaimed.

Strangely enough, the three of us began to talk with one another even if Cyrill was still a little bit reserved. He might be still feeling guilty about the things he had done before and in all honesty, he should. The thing we did with him earlier was just a foolish attempt of ripping a bandaid abruptly in one swing but in our case, the bandaids covered our whole body.

"So, you mean to say that you're supposed to be in the same squad where Jared is when you're still going to school?" Tatiana asked.

Cyrill just nodded but I continued, "Not exactly but that was the plan. This motherfucker just suddenly got kicked out from high school and the rest should be self-explanatory. He just hanged out with the wrong crowd without our notice and his downward spiral started. We blamed ourselves at first because we didn't notice it but we stayed vigilant from then on. When this fucker roped in Rus-"

Cyrill cut me off, highly embarrassed, "B-Bro… I think they hear-"

"What? Heard enough? We already dealt you with some physical pain, have some emotional pain at least! Oh! That reminds me, there was this time we saw him trying to pawn off these copper wires he stole from this-"

"The fuck did you know about that?!"

"Wasn't listening? I saw you stealing them right after the typhoon brought them down so I told the cops on-"

"IT WAS YOU?! WHAT THE FUCK?!"

"THOSE WERE THE POWER LINES CONNECTING TO MY HOUSE, YOU MOTHERFUCKER!!! DID YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW IMPORTANT ELECTRICITY AND INTERNET WAS TO ME AT THE TIME?! I WOULD'VE SHOT YOU THE MOMENT I SAW YOU HACKING THEM OFF!!! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW LONG IT TOOK TO GET POWER TO MY HOUSE AND THE FEES I HAD TO PAY?! HUH?!"

"I WAS STARVING THAT TIME!!!"

"YEAH!!! I FUCKING KNOW!!! YOUR DAD WAS TOO!!! Trying to feed the rest of you… That was when you're still mooching off of his hard work, remember that? Wait, I'm sure you remember that differently. You're losing weight on drugs while he's losing weight trying to save every penny he could..."

Cyrill was taken aback once more, "I..."

"Your mom has been telling you and your siblings that Unc Zardon has been spending all of his money on his 'chick' rather than all of you. It became like that when he got fed up but in the beginning, it wasn't like that at all..."

Cyrill got silent as he was looking down then Lois interjected, "Way to bring the mood down, don't you think?"

"Yeah, I'm still not good at talking to people."

Our small group on the roof became silent for a few moments and it was only broken when the series of reports started flooding my radio once more. Lois and Chris started flying their drones once more while Cyrill was still standing at the same spot, looking down on his feet. It was never my intention to bring up sore spots but I could never let some things go.

I just stood up and approached him, "Punch me."

Cyrill raised his head in confusion, "What?"

"Punch me."

"Wha- Why?"

"You don't want to? See how clean this face looks? Punch me."

"I-"

"PUNCH ME!!!"

I looked at Cyrill dead in the eye as I got up in his face and started shoving him. His look of shame had already dissipated and it was getting replaced with aggression as the veins on his forehead started to appear. The moment he balled his fist and aimed it on my face, I took it head-on much to the surprise of everybody. However, I also balled my fist and sent it on the same spot he did to me.

Cyrill toppled over as he fell on one knee, giving me a look of disbelief.

"WHAT THE FUCK?! I THOUGHT YOU SAID TO PUNCH YOU?! WHY DID YOU PUNCH ME BACK?!"

"Duh, self-defense."

"SELF-DEFEN- WHAT?! THEN WHY DID YOU- WHAT?!"

I rolled my eyes and said sarcastically, "I told you, I'm still not good at talking to people."

Everyone around us couldn't comprehend what just happened but the two of us just started laughing. I offered a hand so he could stand up but the jolly atmosphere immediately changed.

Explosions came one after the other and blood-curdling screams came from the far distance.