Chapter 159: 159
Matthew heard his wife volunteering and he immediately cut in to our conversation.
“Wait! You don’t know how to use guns, it’s dangerous out there!” Matthew said as he walks up to us.
“Then come with us and stay close. Better yet, teach me how to use one now since I’ve been wrong in not learning it. We need to find decent people inside there that could help us here. I don’t want to see people dying again. The bonds that they have here after a few days is tight and I’ve talked to each one of them yesterday. They almost all have the same sentiments and me doing this helps us a lot.” she explained.
“Can’t the kid just record them and you analyze it here?” Matthew replied.
“Hmm, I used to do that before but up close and personal would be much better.” she said while Matthew gives a disgruntled expression.
“What are you so worried about? We got your daughter and this young man with us. He’s better at you with shooting guns.” she added.
“Hey! I’m good with guns too! At least include me… I’m just less better…” he retorted.
“Of course, you are.” she gives a helpless smile while she looks at us.
“Okay, here’s the plan for this morning. Project Fishing will be conducted by me, Kaley, Oscar, Matthew, Marisha, Earnest and Shayne. I need you three to come with us to act as our filters. Carol can start on doing the rounds of checkups inside the compound. Tatiana and Jared will bring a few people a bit forwards near the high-end school we went to before to check for supplies but check the school as well, they’re sure to have a lot of medical supplies in their clinics and food on their canteens. If you could grab a few books and other teaching materials, that would be great, if the place is not looted yet.” I said.
“Hey, we’re almost nearing the elementary school from thinning out their numbers and we’re also creeping in to the other entrance towards here from the 1st road. I was thinking that we slowly make a few rounds inside the other houses as well since we’ve been only killing them. There’s a few houses that appears to have been abandoned and we’ll give those places a shot for a few more supplies to take here.” Jay said.
“Sure, you already know what to do.” I replied.
I first gave the three people that would be coming with us protective gear and guns for the look. I remember that I still have Matthew’s sidearm with me from before in exchange for the cigars as a joke but I forgot to give it back. I was looking in my armory and I handed him a Chiappa Rhino Revolver 60DS Chambered in .357 which is painted black.
He was quite surprised from it but he still took it nonetheless.
“This looks kinda different.” he said.
“Yeah, notice that the barrel is located lower than the normal one. It could help with the recoil. Instead of it mostly going upwards when you shoot it, it would instead go backwards more. That could help with faster aiming. I didn’t add anything to it since it’s good as it is and the sights in there is enough.” I said.
“Hmm, thanks.” he replied.
“No problem, I guess you’re too old to handle the Anaconda so I’ve given you a more forgiving one.” I cheekily smiled.
He was about to retort as his eyes almost turned bloodshot but his wife stared him down.
I gave the ladies a couple of sidearms while I gave Earnest a Steyr Aug though I changed the barrel for a shorter one.
“Dude! This looks sick! It’s a 4-4, right?” he exclaimed.
“A what?” Matthew was confused.
“A 4-4.” Earnest replied.
“No, it’s not.” Matthew replied.
“It is, it’s called a 4-4. To be precise a B 4-4.” Earnest replied.
“B 4…4?” I thought to myself and then I had a realization.
“Earnest, *chuckle* it really is called a Steyr Aug. The B 4-4 that you’re talking about is from when we’re playing Anti-Strike years ago!” I exclaimed while laughing.
“Wait! Didn’t we always press B then 4, and then 4 again when buying it?” he asked.
“What is what?” Matthew grew more confused.
“It’s a game dad.” Kaley chimed.
“Your pop culture references; all I remember the Steyr Aug is from that Christmas movie.” Matthew said.
“Hold on now, now I’m the one confused. What Christmas movie actually has a gun in it?” Earnest asked.
“Oh boy.” I thought to myself.
“How old are you kids? Never watched Perish Hard 1? That’s a Christmas movie!” Oscar was annoyed.
“It actually is. He’s actually right.” I thought to myself.
They’ve been going back and forth while Kaley and I was wearing helpless smiles.
“Hey, enough chit-chat. Let’s go now. Just stay close to us and you’ll be safe. Avoid talking about our place and the details of it and if you can’t, reply with a vague answer or change the subject, okay?” I told them.
We even brought a few luxury items and I loaded my phone with a few films which would definitely entertain a group of soldiers stuck in camp babysitting people. Marisha, Earnest and Shayne looked the part now but Earnest is still sticking out like a sore thumb because he’s really that small more so his wife.
A few minutes passed and they have changed and we took the Tatiana’s HUMVEE while Oscar drove the truck. We drove to the road near the 2nd entrance of the DDR Camp where the highschool was located and what greeted us is their receiving area guarded by two military jeeps with .50 caliber Machineguns on top.
The soldiers noticed me and Oscar and they made a small salute and we approached them.
“Is there anything we can do for you sir?” They asked.
“I’m gonna take a few people of your hands today. Call your CO.” Oscar said.
The soldier grabs his radio and a few minutes later another soldier came up and the soldiers guarding stood in attention. He made a proper salute towards us and it’s the same guy whom I met when I came from the supermarket.
I gave him a list of names and he stared at it for a while. He made a few glances towards me but I kept a serious look throughout. The rest also went out to check the place while we talk to the people that are being brought out one by one past their receiving area.
Oscar take a quick glance at them and some of them weren’t in the list of medical personnel that we’ve looked at earlier.
“Kid… I think we’re taking the wrong people.” he trailed.
“No, that’s correct. I picked them as well. Some of them I know personally so it would be easier to integrate them on our place. I was surprised they were on the list. I think their boss left them here or something happened where they’re supposed to be staying in.” I said.
“Where were they supposed to be then?” Oscar asked.
“Past the Pulo area, a few miles past the construction company where we went to get the dump truck.” I replied.
A few of them were surprised to see me standing next to the soldiers. I’m hearing soft murmurs while their hands are covering their mouths, afraid that I might read their lips or it’s just me overthinking it. They numbered a few dozen and I scanned each one that are ‘possible’ candidates to be taken in my compound. Meanwhile a few inside I saw peeking through some of the gaps wondering what is happening.
“Bon, JP, Robin, Renante, and Jomari. Come here.” I said to the five muscular people on a corner that looked like laborers wearing simple clothing.
The five were surprised but happy nonetheless at seeing me.
“What’s up guys, where’s Rodney, your boss?” I asked.
“That Mr. Potater looking, bald asshole? F.u.c.k that guy! When the broadcast aired, he told us to haul everything from his shops and when we finished, he pointed a gun at us and drove us away! We have nowhere else to go to so we went here. A few more of the guys from the public market there are missing and we can’t seem to find them.” Bon said.
“Your boss did? Anyway, how’s the sound of moving to my place sound like? I could use a few more strong hands. Almost all of my workers are in there though Nathan and Ariel went our separate ways to go to their families.” I asked the five of them.
“What?! Mark and Dong are there?” JP said.
“Yep.” I replied.
“Really?!”
“F.u.c.k it! Let’s go after I get my bag.”
“I’ll go!”
“Me too!”
The five agreed happily and they immediately went back to their quarters to get their belongings. The others who were listening in on us had excited faces and they gave me looks of wanting to be taken as well.