Code Zulu Alpha: Nerd in the Apocalypse!

In regards to my earlier announcement, only a handful of people noticed the way how JP looked like he was this close to committing bloody murder while I looked like the most relaxed stoner that had just received enlightenment. But before things went further between us, the number of cadets that tried to showcase their unique abilities at this moment was staggering.

I forgot that I didn’t give them the means to audition and a good number of them had already made their way to the stage, making it wobble.

[HOLD UP! HOLD UP! DO YOU WANT US TO DIE?! FORM A FUCKING LINE— NO, GRAB A PIECE OF PAPER AND WRITE YOUR NAME ON IT AND A BRIEF INTRO—INCLUDING YOUR TALENT—THEN GIVE TO UHH… Umm— What’s his name? AH— GIVE TO RANDOM CITIZEN #1!]

“M-ME?!”

[YES, YOU! IT’S YOUR LUCKY DAY! DO YOU KNOW HOW TO USE A COMPUTER— OF COURSE, YOU CAN… RIGHT?]

“I DO ACTUALLY! WANT ME TO ORGANIZE THEM!”

[EXACTLY! I’LL GIVE YOU SOME EXTRA POINTS IF YOU DO GOOD ON THAT JOB! ANYWAY~ I’LL GIVE ALL OF YOU TEN MINUTES— NO, FIFTEEN MINUTES TO GET EVERYTHING DONE AND WHILE WE’RE WAITING, I NEED A FEW MORE SEATS FOR ME AND MY GROUP AND PROBABLY A LONGER TABLE—]

Random Citizen #2 interjected, “D’YOU WANT ME TO BRING THE TABLE FROM THE CAFETERIA?!”

[YES! THAT COULD WORK!]

“THE NAME’S JAMES, BY THE WAY! RC #1’S NAME IS JAMES TOO!”

[HAA?!]

“I SAID—”

[YOU’RE GONNA MAKE ME EVEN MORE CONFUSED, I’LL STICK TO #1 AND #2— SORRY YOU GOT THE WORST ONE!]

“WHAT? OH! AH, FUCK! I’LL JUST GET THAT TABLE FOR YA!”

𝑶𝗏𝐋xt.𝗰𝑶𝓂

With that said, a quick look at the few bulletin boards that have several tasks—much like a guild would—I discovered that this place assigned either the most menial or should I say the most beginner-worthy task for the cadets and it just slowly ramps up until one was of higher rank.

It looked game-like from the way different requests were strewn about by random papers but there was a large and continuous request—that involved all of the cadets—for turning in heads that were cleared by their group or the ones above them.

The whole premise looked a little wonky for me at first but I realized that some groups were assigned nearby—like the ones maintaining a checkpoint—or assigned to tasks that would take a few or more days like liberating an area for threat-reduction or supplies.

JP had this large map of the city and the ones around it with various-looking pins but I noticed that he had more than half of the higher-performing groups working way~ further than what I would assign my people on. It could be the way he does things or it could be a way to have the ones underperforming have a chance to shine while the others go for a high-risk, high-return scenario.

‘Did his dad leave him all the work for this? Or is JP just copying someone’s homework? In any case, I would’ve opted for a different approach and I can’t just have them change things out of the blue…’

As I was thinking to myself, I noticed that JP was still glaring at me from behind while his right hand was doing the same thing from a farther distance. I could only shake my head and scoff at the way he took things so I turned to him and looked him in the eye before I opened my mouth.

“Listen—”

“No. You listen! If my dad—”

“Shut the fuck up, bitch. You fucking listen.”

“…”

“Good. A lot of things are probably going through your head right now but in the grand scheme of things, I’m fucking helping you. You’re like a sheltered, religious, conservative military brat that accidentally discovered how his dick works and you’re confused about why it functions that way.”

“You—”

“You have some very troubling problems, huh? It’s the zombie apocalypse and all and you’re having 1st world problems. You see, you think I’m gonna do what you think your dad’s gonna do when he discovered you swing differently but it’s the total opposite… kinda. In short, I’m gonna let you loose for the duration you’re with me but we’re gonna do about something about how you get poop on your dick so it’s a good time for anyone you’re with. Deal?”

“What?! I’m not—”

“Stop fucking lying to me and yourself. Why don’t you join the audition too so I could see what else you can offer on the table?”

“Wait. What?”

I rolled my eyes as I fished out a blank piece of paper from their table, “Tell me what else you can do. Are you a tank, healer, mage, thief, or whatever, write it down. You don’t have to write that you have some Lopez-like qualities but do make it pretty. Make your right hand do the same and talk to me once you’re done.”

“W-Where are you going?”

“Me? I’m gonna look and stay with Seb for the moment so he’d feel safe while you’re around. And yeah, no one else knows about your little secret aside from me and Isaac so you should learn to respect your seniors quickly before we spread it like a pyramid scam. If that ever happens, your dad will probably enroll you next door and I promise you that you don’t fucking want that. Those people will try to expel the g— the ‘happiness’ away from you, trust me.”

JP suddenly had a thought pop up inside his head, “Wait. Are you—”

“An Alumni? Yep.”

“No. I meant, are you— no way… Do you go both ways— Ack! THAT’S MY SHIN, YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!”

I leaned in and whisper with ‘that’ look, “Labels go both ways, alright? I also dislike being called what I’m not but yeah, people make mistakes. I can’t cancel you so that kick’s the penalty. Weird time we live in, huh?”

“F-Fine! I’m sorry—”

“But seriously though, why’d Lopez big-dicking around here like he owns the place? Tell me… he’s not immune or something… is he?”

“…”

“No fucking way—”

“He’s not! He’s… He’s really important—”

“I know that part already but why? If anything—”

“It’s because of me.”

“Huh? Why?”

“It’s… It’s my blood. I have—”

“Oh! Do you have Royal Blood? I mean AB- Blood?”

JP looked surprised, “Yeah… I do. And Lopez is the same. So… you get why he’s so important now? That’s why he could do what he does and eat what he wants here because dad wanted me to— Wha— Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You’re telling me… that if I manage to find you another person with the same blood type… I can break his neck?”

“What—”

“You know, we can also harvest all his organs and whatnot before—”

“Wait a second—”

“JP. He touched my wife.”

“…”

“The world had gone to shit and so did its people—including me—but nobody touches my wife unless she wanted to. Thanks for the info, I’ll even let you pick the music on our road trip.”

At that point, JP was looking at me with fear, worry, and confusion but I left him on his own for a moment to look for his half-brother.

Looking around, I easily spotted Seb sitting with his own group, helping them increase the chances of getting picked by telling them a few quirks I might somehow like from the small time we’ve spent together. Furthermore, unlike the majority of the cadets present, he looked like he was the only one who doesn’t want to go—unless, of course, I took his whole group with me.

From what I heard yesterday, he was in a weird power dynamic with JP but in regards to the activity they were partaking in, he’d prefer if there was no power dynamic at all and if JP would be more honest with his feelings. It didn’t come much of a surprise that he goes both ways in regard to this topic but I was more surprised that he was chill about the whole scenario.

I would’ve lost my shit and instantly went for the nuclear option because, from the way JP acted if I somehow tell his secret to his dad, he’d lose in that exchange in any shape or form.

‘This shit is too complicated… Too~ Fucking~ Complicated~’

In any case, I’ve made myself known to the group and Seb just simply gave me a glance but all eyes were suddenly put on us when they saw us acting like we knew each other—which was already apparent if they saw us come back with them yesterday.

“‘Sup. How’s the CV coming along?”

“You still remember us, huh? You still know our names, at least?” One of the guys named Alexa remarked with a snarky smile.

“Wanna bet that I do? How about 1000 pushups?”

“Wha— Fuck, no. A-Anyway, umm… my talent’s really weird. Would you care to just hear about it? I can’t do an audition with what he have here…”

“Huh? What is it though?”