A technomancer's journey in an apocalyptic world

Chapter 26: The Village (Part-1)

"Tomorrow at dawn, a group of brave residents of Fort Genesis would venture forth into the new world, a world that has changed to an unforgiving and cruel one. The world we know nothing about, they will have no maps, no means of help and rescue, as such we applaud them for their bravery and raise our cups praying for their health and safe return."

Upon hearing Ciara's words, all of them raised their cups as they cheered loudly, Ciara waited for a moment before she continued, "Now I am going to call upon those who are participating aside from Michalina and Ryan."

Upon hearing her announcement, both Michalina and Ryan leaned forward, eager to learn the name of their companions.

"Jessica, Nigella, Nikita and Angela please step forward."

At her announcement, the four stood up and took their place beside Ciara who gave them a nod before she spoke again, "Angela wishes yo say something, Angela if you please.", Ciara gave her a small smile full of encouragement as she stepped forward.

Angela cleared her throat as she began, "First of all I would like to apologize to all of you for the insulting you all and how childish I had acted at the same time, I would like to thank you for putting up with my tantrum."

Her speech was greeted by thunderous applause as she stepped back, Ciara herself was proud at the display of Angela's maturity as well as the willingness to forgive, at the same time she caught the brief flash of annoyance that passed through Michalina's face.

It was at the crack of dawn, and the entire base was already awake and had gathered around the vehicle as the final preparations were taking place.

"Ryan remember my words and listen to every command that your older sisters give to you."

Ryan nodded at that as Ciara's eyes went towards Michalina as she spoke, "Lieutenant Michalina, as the commander of the mission make the Black Wolves proud."

Michalina gave a salute before Ciara's eyes soften a bit as she spoke, "Take care."

Michalina gave a small smile as the crew boarded the trailer.

Ryan took the driver's seat as Michalina occupied the passenger's which was coincidently the radio operator's seat as well, she turned on the radio thereby establishing contact as she spoke, "This is Commander of 'Alpha Raven', Lieutenant Michalina requesting to departure, over."

The radio crackled softly as a voice spoke from the other side, "Request to Leave granted. Stay safe out there 'Alpha Raven', over and out."

Michalina grinned at that as Ryan disengaged the breaks as the trailer slowly began to move forward.

Jessica who was standing behind them spoke with a hint of amazement to her voice, "Ryan you know how to drive a truck."

Her words brought everyone back to reality as they finally noticed the person who was their driver for the day.

Even Michalina was taken aback at that, "Bro you know how to drive."

Ryan gave them a grin that seemed to stretch his face as he spoke, "There is no car, truck, plane or any other vehicle that has been created or thought of by man that I have not driven."

Taken aback by his proclamation they were momentarily stunned before Nikita quickly spoke with a hint of fear in her voice, "Where did you drive them?"

Ryan scoffed at her with a look that screamed, 'Are you stupid?', as he spoke, "Of course 'GTA' where else would I have learnt", with that, he stepped on the accelerator hard as the trailer lurched forward with enough force that those who were standing promptly found themselves on the ground.

Zhan lowered her binoculars as her hands shook she looked at her old friend Ciara as she spoke with a voice filled with fear, "You taught him how to drive."

Ciara beamed at her as she spoke with pride in her voice, "I tried to teach Michalina how to drive properly but I failed but Ryan he learned everything I knew.", she wiped out a nonexistent tear of joy from her eyes.

"I see I think I should prepare a eulogy, they were some of the bravest people I know of.", Zhan looked at the trailer with sad eyes.

"Hey, I taught him well."

"That is coming from someone who was banned for nearly a decade because of reckless driving, the very person when she is on driver's seat her passengers pray to the God to put them out of misery, the very same person whose driving is classified by torture by superiors, I do not think so."

The trailer followed the river as it moves west, they passed through the land with thick tall grass, so big that the grass reached the roof of their trailer but what placed the cherry on top of the cake was that many a time they heard growling and howling hidden behind those tall grasses, the turrets moved to keep a close look for anything dangerous as from time to time the sound of the collision came from the front.

He might not have reacted much on the outside but he was scared he did not know what kind of creatures hid behind those grasses and he was in no hurry to get acquainted with them.

The occasional shots from the turret were like a hammered on his heart he wished that they would be able to leave the grassland behind as soon as possible and if possible he would be able to get himself free from the bindings, he glowered towards Michalina who was driving without a care of the world around them whereas he was tied up to the passenger chair, they had tied his hands in such a way that he was unable to destroy the rope without destroying his clothes and he so did not wish to be naked.

Soon the grassland was left behind as they stepped into the plains again, "Micha look to your left the jungle is coming to an end and if we move forward we will soon reach the decommissioned nuclear power plant with an hour."

"I know Jessica but fortunately the river is moving towards the North from here as such I believe we can avoid that place, I show do not wish t know what kind of mutated monstrosity is roaming around that place.", her eyes fell on a glowering and growling Ryan who was sitting beside her as she spoke with barely concealed mirth, "Is there something you want to say, Ryan? I know you are enchanted by my beauty but please stop looking at me like that while I am driving.", she batted her eyelids for a minute as Jessica tried to hold back her laughter.

"Shut up! How dare you lead a mutiny against me and not only prevented me from driving but kept me as a prisoner."

Jessica snorted at that as she spoke, "You call that driving? If it were any other time not only you would have been locked up but also banned from driving until you are a hundred years old."

Michalina nodded at that as she spoke, "I know you idolize mom but let me tell a tidbit that you do not know about her, her driving is classified as torture and she is banned from driving on open roads for a decade, so please do not follow her example if you want we could teach you to drive like a civilized person."

Ryan huffed at that as he spoke, "Well sorry but I like her style better and it earned me a lot of praises in GTA, though can you untie me my limbs are falling asleep."

Both Jessica and Michalina exchanged a glance at his words as Jessica untied him as she spoke, "How about you go and check the outside through the turret cameras maybe you might find something you could hunt."

Ryan gave a brief nod before he stomped away from them and as soon as he was out of earshot Jessica placed a comforting hand on Michalina's shoulder as she spoke, "Do not worry we will teach him how to drive like a human and not some suicidal maniac that belongs in an asylum."

Ryan drank from a glass of water as he took a seat on the bed that was folded into a pair of seats like those from a train, he looked through the small but sturdy one way glass window as he says the stones and trees pass by swiftly as they trailer moved with occasional swaying and rumbling of the trailer.

Small signs of civilization well more like ruins of civilization started to appear in the form of broken and demolished buildings as an alarm sounded, Ryan knew what it meant and was further confirmed when Michalina's voice came out through speakers, "Battle stations, Horde ahead!"

Ryan did not waste any time as he punched a button as shutters began to move to cover the window Ryan dashed towards the turret seats.

As he took his seat, Jessica shouted at him, "Ryan you wanted to gain some blood points so, take control of the front turret and earn them."

Ryan gave her a dazzling smile as he jumped to his seat as he looked through the screen and saw a small group of zombies.

The trailer had stopped a good few meters away from them, and it seemed that the zombies had yet to take notice of them, he then notices a couple of zombies kneeling and feeding on someone which made him feel a pang of sadness, 'If I were driving we would have been here ages ago and may have saved the poor soul.'

He disregarded the other zombies loitering around as the turret camera zoomed in to the group of feeding zombies, it was when he received a shock, "Everyone come quick."

At his shout, everyone gathered around as they all looked at his screen, "Look at that and tell me what you all can see."

"Zombies are feeding on the unfortunate person, what is.", Nikita's eyes widen in disbelief as she spoke, "That is a zombie, not a person, but a zombie feeding on a zombie?"

"Some form of Cannibalism?"

Nigella's brow scrunched at that as she spoke with a shake of her head, "No Angela I think 'Zombiebalism' is the right word?"

Everyone looked at her as if she had grown a second head before returning to the screen, as Nikita continued while pointing towards the screen, "See that zombie is a few weeks old at the very least seeing the rot on its body as do the duo feeding on it."

Michalina did not know why, but she did not like the sound of it as she spoke, "Ryan zoom out and show me the other zombies."

The turret controller was like a fighter plane screen with a TV screen in front for the operator to see through it, along with various buttons by its side, accompanied by two joysticks for controlling its upward and sidewise movements.

The turrets even had two pedals like structure near the foot area to control the zooming function of the camera and last but not the least the seat belts for safety. The controllers are then arranged on single rows on either side of the trailer.

Michalina frowned as she whispered loud enough for everyone to hear, "Those Zombies while at a glance looks like they are loitering but in reality, they are protecting the feeding duo."

All of a sudden the duo that was feeding collapsed as if they were puppets whose strings had been cut then they began to convulse as an unearthly scream tore through their throat as they began to shift as they all looked at them with their eyes wide, one of the zombies began to sprout spikes which came out of its back and hands while the other began to grow more muscular as another set of hands began to grow.

"Michalina had seen enough, "RYAN KILL THEM!!!", she all but shouted as she dashed to the driver's seat with Jessica following after her, the others did not waste any time as they quickly commandeered the rest of the turrets.

The front turret that looked like twin M2 Browning swung towards the one with the spike as it opened fire drawing attention from the rest, but it was too late it had already destroyed the head of the zombie and then it focused on the one that was still growing another hand, Michalina tied her seat belt before she blared the horn drawing the attention of the group and soon more joined them hearing the sound of the horn and gunfire, she did not wait any longer as she stepped on the accelerator and the trailer lurched forward with the intent to ram the horde hard.