Code Zulu Alpha: Nerd in the Apocalypse!

Using my TX22 nestled gently on my other arm, I'd use it over my katana because I can't just invade space while I wasn't sure about the shit that might jump us, and a few mags of .22 LRs wouldn't hurt in exchange of that. In addition, Kuzma with his AK, Tatiana with her Benelli M4, and Kaley with her Reaper was enough backup—even if one was ways~ away in the back.

And as I suspected, there were at least a few dozen stuck in several places in this lengthy parking spot but I was delighted to see that none of them got inside the rest of the available trains.

I was aware of some of them making nests like this other station we cleared out in Manila with C4 attached to drones, but this time, the nests they picked were the underside of the train station. But yeah, I was still very careful about checking each one—making use of the RC cars Ken modified to run on almost every rugged surface, so I could also check the underside of the trains themselves.

Kuzma tapped me, "Hey, I thought this station was the end of Line 1, why does the railway curve over to that side and go on? I thought MRT Line was over there?"

I replied, "This place IS technically the end of Line 1 but it was extended to three more stations to connect to the MRT—but as you can see, not only was it blocked by what's left of the train that derailed last time, if I remember correctly, it was also under construction and if you look further~ over there, it's cut off on one end and you'd see the dead way~ over on that side and falling."

"Oh. Didn't notice that small cut over there."

Tatiana waved us off, "Let's check the train that derailed. There should be more inside even if it's a single car. We've checked everything besides that, correct?"

"Yeah," I nodded before I tried to contact June.

-

*bzzt*

"Yo. Can you fly over that toppled train car on our side? Just check for surprises, don't worry about the drone."

*bzzt*

-

*bzzt*

[Okay! Will do, will do.]

*bzzt*

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From the time I wiped my blade and switched to my rifle, June got back to me and told me that there weren't any good spots to check the train car on its side because all the windows were either— no, cracked in all places and had smudges of dried blood keeping her from peering inside.

Even the receiver couldn't pick up anything when she tried to make some noise through the drone's speaker—on top of its blades whirring nonstop—but despite all that, Kuzma still gave the train car a solid kick while Tatiana stomped on it from above to see if anything would respond.

And after a few more attempts, we then fully broke all the windows and make June fly the drone in to see once again.

-

*bzzt*

"Anything? There should be, right?"

*bzzt*

-

*bzzt*

[Yeah~ Should be— Oh! Look over on that end with those— ugh… d-dead rats— those are rat skeletons, right?]

*bzzt*

-

I jumped down and checked the spot.

-

*bzzt*

"Yeah, prolly tried to keep eating this one—who seemingly ate everyone else in this train car too—rats couldn't learn that it is instant death once they consume tainted flesh so they just kept going and going until this one ran out of its meat to give. Well— it still tried to fight back though, some bones in its stomach looked non-human too."

*bzzt*

-

*bzzt*

[N-Non human?!]

*bzzt*

-

*bzzt*

"I mean— rat bones."

*bzzt*

-

*bzzt*

[You— Don't say it like that!]

*bzzt*

-

*bzzt*

"My bad, my bad… We're done here, kindly check on the others. Thanks again."

*bzzt*

-

*bzzt*

[O-Okay! Want me to check the shopping mall? I could see several entry points?]

*bzzt*

-

*bzzt*

"Sure. It's an old one, anyway. Not as big as the usual ones."

*bzzt*

-

At this point, putting the idea of chopping up this wreck in the back burner, the three of us returned to the station platform. I checked the barrier we set up again and this time, Ruben, Brownie, and Brian were already chucking the bodies they'd pick off from the bunch over to the side—straight down the road below where a new spot for collecting them was designated.

Artem then approached me, "I heard your techie's checking the mall. The guys below said the floor below's pretty clear—same thing with the love hotel's first floor. Wanna bust down the roll-ups here and be done with it?"

"Let's wait for June first for the mall but you see that ledge by the love hotel? If you can jump on that and climb up that roof over there, if you turn to the right and hug the wall, you can probably reach the fire exit and reach the roof of the love hotel."

He smiled, "Walk our way down while you guys work your way up?"

Katya cringed, "That sounded way~ dirtier than usual."

Artem turned to Kuzma, "Who're you going with? I see you flying all over."

Kuzma chuckled, "You know me, I'm with the exciting shit—" then he turned to me, "No offense, dude, but you know—"

I waved him off, "Yeah, yeah, knock yourself out. Be wary of the tight hallways and the airlocks to some rooms. You can kick them down but there might be a party—"

Quinn cut us off, "Hey! The fuck you guys clearing those two buildings for if we still had this railway to clear off?! I'm not leaving here till it's squeaky clean!"

I nodded a few times, "Exactly."

"Haah?!"

"You think we'd all fit in that space? Stay here with Kaley and the rest while I go down to this love hotel with Tatiana."

Tatiana rolled her eyes, chuckling, "Pretty early but I'm game. Plenty of condoms there, I'm sure."

"Hah! ANYWAY~ Yeah, we'll clear this love hotel first before we clear the shopping mall."