RTS System in the Apocalypse-Chapter 84: Looting Opportunity - II

The looting operation continued for three more days. The scale of Pandora District, though small in space, was immense in its value and hidden novelties.

Garages were packed with luxury vehicles: sports cars, SUVs, and hybrids that tried to look humble on the outside even though they costed a fortune.

Safe boxes came in every flavor for the Scouts. Some took minutes of cracking. Others weren’t worth the time, all marked then temporarily abandoned.

Cash, documents, and other items surfaced occasionally. If one was unlucky, nothing would even turn out.

Secret doors led to hidden chambers. Hidden chambers led to basements. Basements led to bunkers.

Some were stocked as if the owner expected a siege. Rooms were filled with racks of canned food, sealed water, and medical kits stacked in rows. Others were nothing but empty shells with a single chair and a dead battery lamp.

Even greenhouses became a reality, though the heat staved anyone before they could investigate for long.

Dmitri and the soldiers didn’t care for the drama behind such scenes. If it wasn’t gold, clean metal, or jewelries, they belonged to the sides. If it was, then either went into the bag or marked for inventory.

On the fourth morning, the bags were finally piled in one place. The threads stretched out so much that it wanted to tear itself apart.

"How’s the count?" Dmitri strolled across the pile, face frowned as he thought of another problem.

"Got a large amount of gold bars," Adrian said. On his hand was a document holder stacked with papers—a row of items and materials that each squad has either marked or taken.

He flipped a page.

"Standard bars, most of them. We counted seventy-four full bars and a mess of half-kilos. Coins too, if that counts."

Then he went to the next.

"Jewelry: we got enough to fill three duffels. It’s a goddamn gallery of watches, chains and rings. If not for where we are, I’d even say we probably stumbled upon a pageant event."

Adrian tapped the bottom section, "There’s people of cultural profiles, and some who just likes to collect dumb rock."

"Dumb rock?" Dmitri was confused.

"Diamonds mostly, but not the small cuts we’ve seen at the mall. If those are luxurious, these are extra-luxurious. I bet even our gold stash over here can’t compare to these."

"It’s a not a dumb rock then," Dmitri nodded, "We already have a great haul. What’s stopping us from loading these things?"

"Cars. Most of them got that push-button thing. Conveniently great," Adrian sarcastically remarked, "but to lock a fingerprint behind it? We gotta reincarnate those zombies back if we want to use it."

"Think the car would even recognize a rotten print?"

"I doubt so. You wanna try?" Adrian chuckled. "Jokes aside, it’s not a problem. Our timely Engineer has come in play."

"Sound like they’re good in everything," Dmitri was impressed.

"Aside from killing zombies," Adrian tried to give a correction. "They should be here soon and—"

A hybrid electric vehicle pulled into the driveway.

It wasn’t some tiny thing that common people used to drive. It had a big frame, high clearance, and cargo space large enough to make the duffels look like weekly groceries.

The driver stepped out. It was Hopkins, Dmitri’s squad member.

"Took you long enough. Value’s already depreciated."

"Stop being so dramatic," Hopkins snorted and slammed the door shot.

Adrian stood close to the vehicle, admiring the sleek design. He peered through the tinted glass and examined the spacious interior.

"How’d the modification go?" He asked.

"No more technology nonsense," Hopkins snorted. "At least that’s what I understood from that guy’s words."

"That guy?" Adrian was speechless. "You mean Tomasz?"

"Yeah, words flew like a string to me."

"Must have been boring then," Dmitri patted Hopkins’s shoulder. "Where’s the rest?"

"They’re pulling in," Hopkins jerked his chin toward the street. "Had to makre sure the other rides don’t throw a tantrum."

Adrian’s eyes narrowed. "All of them?"

"Yeah," Hopkins scratched his head. "Tomasz gave a look around. Every trial worked like a charm. I said we only need three at most."

"Good," Dmitri said. "We stop treating Pandora like museum junkyard. then."

He pointed at the duffels. "Bars first. Diamonds next. Jewelry last. Don’t stack anything or it’ll rip apart. If a tear shows, you carry it by hand. No complaints."

Adrian flapped his clipboard. "We’re not fitting everything in one ride."

"Of course not," Dmitri scoffed. "Why do you think we need more vehicles? Food and necessities are a must, but this car will store all of the valuables at once."

Hopkins grinned, "I like the sound of that."

Adrian nodded once. "This one can be turned into a cargo box. Suspension should be great. We can trust a rich man’s taste when it comes to cars."

"Then do it," Dmitri said. "Stop flattering them as if they’re your ancestors. And mark the cars we’re taking. We don’t want the colony firing on us on sight."

Adrian grumbled and called Echo Two for help. Hopkins adjusted the HEV’s position to let a few more vehicles in—one pickup truck and another SUV.

Dmitri watched on the sides as the troops stuffed duffels, bags, food and water boxes, and medical supplies into the vehicles.

Engrossed on a peculiar mood, Johannes voice suddenly reached out behind him.

"Dmitri, seems you’ve had a great haul," he chuckled, unsurprised about the hauls.

Pandora was indeed an unopened treasure, but he knew it only worked because the owners were dead.

"Made up your mind?" Dmitri didn’t bother and was direct with his words.

"I did," Johannes glanced at Evelyn beside him. "Loitering around here won’t do us well. Both of us reckoned that joining you would be much better than anything else."

"Seemed like something stopped you earlier," Dmitri caught up.

"A fair trade for a companionship toast," Johannes laughed. "We got a treasure trove marked for your taking. You don’t have to doubt about it. We can grab it now if you want to."

"Cargo’s full," Dmitri cued on the line of vehicles. "But we can stop by for a look."

His eyes paused, taking notice of Tyrus’ figure not far from them.

"He got the same idea too?"

"That guy?" Johannes and Evelyn turned their backs slightly. "Ah, him? His offer’s more generous. I can see from his face he doesn’t want to stay here either."

"I have a feeling that I have been scandalously talked about," Tyrus finally arrived, not minding the presence of the two agents. "It’s not a generous trade to you, soldier. I propose a trade of equal value."

"Lay it down," Dmitri was intrigued.

"Three assets," Tyrus said.

He lifted one finger, "First, resources. My personal caches, and even that of my family. All fully sealed and catalogued to your liking. Gold, stones, whatever you like, and whatever I don’t."

He lifted the next, "Second, Project HELIX. Documents, protocols, failures, successes. A complete chain of information, on my end, that even your agent here cannot comprehend."

Johannes nerves enlarged and raised a clenched fist towards Tyrus, "Damn it, I’m not his goddamn agent!"

Tyrus ignored the background noise and lifted the last finger, "Third, my expertise on the subject, and the mystery of this alien virus that turned our world apocalyptic."

He lowered his hand, "In exchange, your provide me protection, access to captured samples, and permission to operate."

Tyrus’s eyes became cold, "That is equal value."

"Doesn’t sound convincing to me," Dmitri probed.

"I understand," Tyrus shrugged. "Loyalty is an honorable matter for soldiers like you. However, it is of little importance to me."

"Following the strongest bidder?"

"It’s not hard talking to you indeed," Tyrus smiled.

"Heh, guess you’ve just found yourself a coattail to cling yourself to."

That remains something to be seen—whose coattails is riding whom, Tyrus commented internally. "Very well, how shall our trade proceed?"