Code Zulu Alpha: Nerd in the Apocalypse!

Iskoh's screaming got drowned out by the engine's sound but it overpowered it momentarily when I attacked corners over and over. We were dangerously close to hitting each guard rail and barrier but I would pull out just at the exact same time. There was much to be desired with the suspension but it was enough to give our mayor a heart attack-like event.

I ended my run after chaining a Rockford turn with a wide drift back to our same spot, and I could smell the burnt rubber once we went out. Iskoh was leaning forward while his hands were on the top of his knees and he was about to throw up. However, he kept everything together before coming right in my face.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!!!"

"I wish I knew, heh. Well, a lot of things to be completely honest."

"AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO GO EASY ON THE FIRST TURN, AT LEAST?!"

"I did. Wanna go again?"

"AGAIN?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN AGAIN?! Geez… I'm supposed to give you this car as a surprise after you drive it but-"

"Wait. Really?"

"Yeah, I know you have that Charger from last time but it wouldn't hurt to have extras. This is a nice sleeper, right?"

"Hmm~ I know someone from back home that would definitely appreciate this. He's looking for something plain and this might work just right. You don't mind me giving it to someone, right?"

"Sure, sure. Just keep that thing away from me. I didn't even know it could do that..."

"Heh. So, where's your real car then?"

"No. You're not driving that. It's too… too-"

"Hmm?"

"Shit… Fine… I drive an M3. I drive it around and sometimes even outside."

"M3? BMW, right?"

"Yeah."

"Cool."

"What?"

"Hmm?"

"You don't sound impressed."

"Eh~ Just not my thing… I love muscles and tuners but not so much for that type of stuff… looks too… classy… you know, for rich people and shit."

"Uh-huh… Forget my DB9 then..."

"Damn! Well, that still looks classy to me too… I'd give some considerations with an LFA and a 911 though… they look slick like the rest but I'd be glad to drive them. Anyway, where else do you need help with? We'll be going back in this afternoon and you better make use of us while we're still here."

"Hmm..."

Iskoh thought for a while as he looked at me and when I thought he would send me outside with the rest of my crew, he asked for something that was equally important in this day and age.

Iskoh gave me a sly grin, "I'd give you a copy of that once you arrange everything to your tastes. How much time do you need?"

I shook my head but I was smiling internally, "I'd have this done before we go home. Are you sure that this is everything?"

"Yep. Everything in this city plus a little extra."

"Extra? I'll get on it then."

I was almost covered with a mountain of public and private records and files on thick ledgers or pulled out hard drives. With that said, Iskoh and his assistants still offered help so they could learn how I do things.

I created a new database and a system for them to use so that everything they had could be accessed and used easily either by an electronic device or just plain old paper and pencil if it comes down to it. They already had something set in place but it was full of holes and needed more than just a touch-up.

What I started to make included proper lists, documentation, and information about everyone and everything.

With his people, I pulled out all of their records and created a file for each one of them that contained their past life and their current job or designation within his rule. In doing that, it could also reveal people that are either missing or already put down to get a proper idea of the people we were leading.

Aside from creating lists for his people, the inventory system I created for him included logs of who gave and received the item plus what, when, and how much or many was the given item. The inventory system spanned rations, guns, ammo, food, water, gas, medicine, vehicles, and etc.

Everything else was interconnected within everyone's profiles and it was the same exact thing I was running back at home.

The extra information Iskoh talked about earlier was the records in the outskirts and the outer edges of the City of Manila. It included bits of information about the cities of Pasay, Mandaluyong, Makati, and Quezon. They weren't as big because they were from schools, barangay halls, or hospitals but every bit of information about people, supplies, and anything else could help.

While I was continuously working, my radio was on and I was listening in to Artem's group that just hit up the Philippine General Hospital with a portion of Iskoh's own troops. With that said, Jared, Ibarra, and Mikhail came with them while Kaley and Tatiana stayed behind.

The purpose of their run was to acquire more medical supplies, more importantly, oxygen tanks, nebulizers, and a few more wheelchairs. They could also take whatever they could carry but those items listed earlier were the priority. It was to take care of the elderly Iskoh had in this place and just like me, he wouldn't leave them for dead even if they had less to contribute than others.

PGH occupied a large area with separate buildings for each medical care they could provide general or specialized. With that said, the nursing home they needed to hit was just by the corner near the Supreme Court. It had a small parking area at the front and the rest of the building that comprised PGH was right behind it. A large mall was right at the back but that was a story for another time.

Like any other mission where stealth was optional, it didn't take long before things started getting louder and louder.

[GRAB THOSE TANKS! GRAB THOSE TANKS! WE'RE HEADING BACK!]

[GOTCHA! GOTCHA! THERE'S A COUPLE MORE AT THE BACK!]

[LEAVE IT!]

[FUCKING LEAVE IT! WE ALREADY GOT A LOT!]

[HEARD! HEARD!]

[RELOAD!]

[LET'S HEAD BACK!]

[NO! WE NEED TO CIRCLE AROUND!]

[WHAT?!]

[WE CIRCLE AROUND, SPLIT INTO TWO BY THE CATHEDRAL AND THEN WE CIRCLE AROUND TO MEET IN THE SAME PLACE! WE COULD TAKE THEM DOWN BY THAT ALLEY WE DROVE PAST!]

[THE TRUCK'S TOO HEAVY AND THEY CAN'T DRIVE AS FAST AS US!]

[MY POINT! WE LEAVE IT AND DRIVE AROUND! KILL THEM NEXT AND DO THE SAME SHIT!]

[THEY'RE GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER!]

[EVERYBODY SHUT THE FUCK UP! I'M AIMING YOU CHICKENSHITS!]

[WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?!]

[A COUPLE JUST HID IN THE ALLEYS! ONE JUST JUMPED INSIDE A CONVENIENCE STORE!]

[WE TAKE THEM DOWN HERE! WE'RE NOT LEAVING! THAT'S JUST A SMALL HERD!]

[NO! WE'RE HEADING BACK!]

[GUYS!]

I heard a lot of back and forth from my team and Iskoh's soldiers but what followed after several gunshots were engines revving to maximum output. They were all arguing about what to do but in the end, they actually did some part of their own plan to benefit each other.

From what I could hear, they stayed right until the last second before driving off with their faster vehicles to lose or take down the ones that survived. Gunshots, shouting, and engines were overlapping each other but a couple of explosions came when someone shouted that there would be a fire in a hole.

Their comms were good despite the chaos but I got to give them a little hand. I picked up my radio and provided a simple trick.

-

*bzzt*

"Don't drive on the straightaways even if it's easier to take aim and shoot. Once they have line of sight on you and your guns, they'll also take measures and start zigzagging. Take corners since they also need to slow down and that's one way to break the line of sight for a few seconds. Wait till their heads pop out from the corner and you'll have an easier time."

*bzzt*

-

*bzzt*

[WHAT CORNER ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!]

*bzzt*

-

*bzzt*

"There's only two. Left and Right."

*bzzt*

-

*bzzt*

[WHO IS THIS, EVEN?!]

*bzzt*

-

*bzzt*

[GOTCHA, BOSS!]

*bzzt*

-

My group recognized my voice and I could faintly hear their tires screeching as they started to make turns aside from racing the ferals with their vehicles. I heard Artem telling Katya to just circuit around the block so it's easier and I could judge by how the shots got patterns that they did as they were told. However, things weren't the same for one of the groups that came with them.

Everyone heard a loud crash as guttural screams followed but the sound of claws digging into flesh silenced everyone. We could all hear a lone soldier crying for help while being pulled outside but hearing everyone's reactions after that left me baffled.

-

*bzzt*

[What the fuck?]

*bzzt*

-

*bzzt*

"What happened?"

*bzzt*

-

*bzzt*

[They… They took him...]

*bzzt*

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