2023
He smiles. "It's good to have dependable men around."
Obreal nods to the guard at the door, who immediately disembarks at his signal. Obreal stares at the tent entryway for a minute, clearly in distrust of his guard. "This mission is very dangerous and it is possible for you to lose your life if you aren't very careful." Your confident nod encourages him to continue.
"You don't know this, because lower ranks aren't told about the secret operations of The Guard. In the past 20% of 13 PI, we have established contacts with two other thriving city-states. About 20% ago, a scout equipped with a special vehicle encountered a large complex with locked doors and high walls." His finger casually dances around a map, showing you where the other city is. "In addition, within the past 5%, our scouts followed a foreign vehicle discreetly back to a second encampment over here." He points to an area very far West of Metropolis.
Obreal grins for no reason, and continues: "After more scout work, we discovered this other city-state has been making round trips to an old Navy Base. They are collecting large numbers of explosives and a handful of rocket-propelling weapons. They aren't taking any hand weapons - things that might actually useful for fighting zombies."
"We can only conclude they are going to attack us or destroy one of our defensive walls." He pauses, then "I'll keep it short. I need a man to blow up their cache. I'm asking you." Obreal looks at you to see if you object. This would definitely be more fun than blowing holes through zombies. "Master Obreal, it'd be an honor."
Obreal gives you a weak smile. "Kid, they have hundreds of explosive weapons stockpiled. It isn't going to be a pretty explosion. I want you to set up our solarbomb and race the fuck back to Metropolis. I want you back here for a reward and I want to see some fireworks from one of our towers. Up until that point, I don't want to hear anyone talk about this mission. Is that understood?"
You leave Obreal's tent, stumbling on the outside as you collide with the guards who had blocked you on the way in. They had no reason to be waiting so close to the tent entrance. You curse under your breath and push your way home.
The following days is spent in preparation. Obreal's right-hand-man Charles maps your way through the land you will travel. You are issued a personal weapon to use on your mission and to keep when you return to the city.
You will be sabotaging a large stockpile of torpedoes and missiles clumped into an old movie theater 483 miles away. You are to get to the movie theater as quickly as possible, set a solar bomb and drive for your life. The estimates Charles gave you of the ensuing blast radius are frightening.
Charles repeats over and over that you must be swift and precise, and you are not to unload any ammo without need and you aren't to be seen or heard.
Master Obreal himself takes the time to shake your hand before you descend down the pale ladder on the outside walls of Metropolis. You get into a motorcycle, armed with a short range pistol and a medium ranged rifle, and drive off. The solarbomb, larger than you had expected it to be, is bungie corded to the back of your bike.
The further away you get from Metropolis, the greater a sinking feeling you get in your stomach becomes. When you get out of range of the perimeter sharpshooters, the feeling has burrowed itself permanently. Here, out in the wilderness, you are on equal footing with zombies.
Most of the zombies you end up encountering are of no bother to you, lumbering around. You decided to break the monotony a few times by stopping over on the side of the road and flashing a few bullets into nearby roamers, trying to predict which random directions the dried blood and flesh bits will fly.
Eventually the sky fades to blackness, and you start getting tired. Your map tells you that you are still an hour away from your target.
Half of you wants to get the job over with in the dark, but another side of you wants to shack up for the night so you can be prepared in the morning to do a better job.
Obreal nods to the guard at the door, who immediately disembarks at his signal. Obreal stares at the tent entryway for a minute, clearly in distrust of his guard. "This mission is very dangerous and it is possible for you to lose your life if you aren't very careful." Your confident nod encourages him to continue.
"You don't know this, because lower ranks aren't told about the secret operations of The Guard. In the past 20% of 13 PI, we have established contacts with two other thriving city-states. About 20% ago, a scout equipped with a special vehicle encountered a large complex with locked doors and high walls." His finger casually dances around a map, showing you where the other city is. "In addition, within the past 5%, our scouts followed a foreign vehicle discreetly back to a second encampment over here." He points to an area very far West of Metropolis.
Obreal grins for no reason, and continues: "After more scout work, we discovered this other city-state has been making round trips to an old Navy Base. They are collecting large numbers of explosives and a handful of rocket-propelling weapons. They aren't taking any hand weapons - things that might actually useful for fighting zombies."
"We can only conclude they are going to attack us or destroy one of our defensive walls." He pauses, then "I'll keep it short. I need a man to blow up their cache. I'm asking you." Obreal looks at you to see if you object. This would definitely be more fun than blowing holes through zombies. "Master Obreal, it'd be an honor."
Obreal gives you a weak smile. "Kid, they have hundreds of explosive weapons stockpiled. It isn't going to be a pretty explosion. I want you to set up our solarbomb and race the fuck back to Metropolis. I want you back here for a reward and I want to see some fireworks from one of our towers. Up until that point, I don't want to hear anyone talk about this mission. Is that understood?"
You leave Obreal's tent, stumbling on the outside as you collide with the guards who had blocked you on the way in. They had no reason to be waiting so close to the tent entrance. You curse under your breath and push your way home.
The following days is spent in preparation. Obreal's right-hand-man Charles maps your way through the land you will travel. You are issued a personal weapon to use on your mission and to keep when you return to the city.
You will be sabotaging a large stockpile of torpedoes and missiles clumped into an old movie theater 483 miles away. You are to get to the movie theater as quickly as possible, set a solar bomb and drive for your life. The estimates Charles gave you of the ensuing blast radius are frightening.
Charles repeats over and over that you must be swift and precise, and you are not to unload any ammo without need and you aren't to be seen or heard.
Master Obreal himself takes the time to shake your hand before you descend down the pale ladder on the outside walls of Metropolis. You get into a motorcycle, armed with a short range pistol and a medium ranged rifle, and drive off. The solarbomb, larger than you had expected it to be, is bungie corded to the back of your bike.
The further away you get from Metropolis, the greater a sinking feeling you get in your stomach becomes. When you get out of range of the perimeter sharpshooters, the feeling has burrowed itself permanently. Here, out in the wilderness, you are on equal footing with zombies.
Most of the zombies you end up encountering are of no bother to you, lumbering around. You decided to break the monotony a few times by stopping over on the side of the road and flashing a few bullets into nearby roamers, trying to predict which random directions the dried blood and flesh bits will fly.
Eventually the sky fades to blackness, and you start getting tired. Your map tells you that you are still an hour away from your target.
Half of you wants to get the job over with in the dark, but another side of you wants to shack up for the night so you can be prepared in the morning to do a better job.