Ground Zero
Given the whole suspicious nature of this set up you have a feeling the truth will not help you here; you'll have to bullshit your way it. You try to remember some of the stuff you were reading on the documents upstairs.
"No, I'm from GZS Headquarters, Shipping Division. And I hope you got some answers because there's been a bunch of fucking mistakes in where things were getting transported! Who are YOU?"
" I'm Owen! What the fuck? I ain't in charge of that! I'm just security!"
"I don't give a shit WHO you are! Where's your supervisor?"
" I..uh I guess Lisa is my supervisor, but she's not here!"
"Oh? And where the hell is she? GZS Headquarters is VERY displeased!"
"I don't understand, Lisa wasn't in charge of any kind of shipping. She was an egghead! A researcher! We were down here for other reasons but you should know that!"
"LOOK! I work in a cramped fucking office with boring paper work all goddamn day, I don't have a window, someone keeps stealing my stapler, and they don't tell me shit unless it's to scream at my fucking face. I don't care WHY you're here! All I know is; I got my ass chewed out by HQ for someone else's fuck ups! We got Shelters all over the goddamn tri-state area with mixed up equipment during the building process and we're only NOW just finding out about it! You know how BAD that makes us look to our customers? I got sent down here to see if I could find out anything and all I've found out is the goddamn City is crawling with fucking cannibalistic mutants! Now that I've FOUND someone who might have some answers for me, I'm not just gonna dismiss that! So open up the goddamn door and let me in!"
Your act and tone is very convincing of someone who's had to deal with red tape and silly corporate orders. (Though you do know something of them having had to deal with them at your own job in your "old life") obviously the security guard knows about them as well, because he lets you in.
When the door opens up, you see a surprisingly scrawny man. You were expecting someone a little more burly, but he still wields an assault rifle slung around his shoulder making the need for physical strength unnecessary.
"You you don't look like a GZS employee shouldn't you be in a suit and tie or something?"
"I'm not gonna be running all over the nuclear wasteland in a hot ass suit and tie! Shit, I swear we hire dumber and dumber security guards each year. Just goes to show even natural selection fails sometimes in the face of near mass extinction. So where the hell is this Lisa?" you ask walking past him and noticing the well lit room and its sterile appearance. Some sort of generator sits in a corner giving off a low hum.
"I told you she's not here; she went to the surface again. She should be back soon." The security guard says still eyeing you suspiciously.
"Again? Why's she going up there in the first place? Ain't nothing left up there."
"You're telling me. I went up once and nearly got myself killed. Since then Lisa says she'd rather me stay guard here and not get in the way of here so called research. Fine by me."
"I still don't understand, what's this research?"
"Uh well um it's supposed to be a secret. I'm really surprised you being from HQ that you don't know about it "
"I told you, I get BURIED in paperwork, and they don't tell me shit. I mean I've heard things here and there, but I don't know what else was going on here."
"Well I guess it really doesn't matter now I mean what's done is done and HQ probably should know anyway okay well you know how GZS has dealings with the military and the government and shit right?"
"Sure."
"Well it's something like that going on, but I don't know the intricate details about it, just what I know from Lisa, but I guess GZS was trying to develop some sort of radiation drug, y'know something to make the body immune to the shit."
"That does sound pretty useful, but this place doesn't exactly look like a complex lab for doing something like that."
"Oh, its not. This is just a research outpost as it were. The real drug was made somewhere else, but it needed to be tested right? So they decided to test it here, a batch of it got dumped in the water supply months before the bombs hit. The idea is that the survivors of the initial blast would still be able to live and not get cancer, sterility or tumors and all that other bad shit that radiation causes. So even people caught in the cities would survive and be able to eventually rebuild and get civilization up and running again. I think they wanted to dump the drug into ALL the major cities, but it looks like world war three happened sooner than they though eh?"
What you just heard sounds like some sort of science fiction tale! Then again being the cynic you are, you can't say you're completely surprised by it. Though now you have a more important question.
"Okay, but if that was the intention what's with all the mutants in the City trying to eat me?"
"Uh well I guess it didn't work the way it should've? That's sort of why Lisa and me were still here. Lisa was supposed to record the results of the drug after the bombs hit and that's what she's been doing. Lisa says the drugs are affecting people's minds, and combined with the already fucked up situation I'd say it probably explains a lot already. Though I gotta say there was some pretty bad rioting even before the bombs dropped so I wonder if the drug was starting to affect the minds of people even then but that's silly I mean me and Lisa haven't been affected by it at all, I dunno."
"YOU and her drank the water too?"
"Well yeah, our personal water recycling system has it. I mean if we were going to be here, we damn well had to be pretty resistant to radiation wait a minute I just realized something you mean GZS sent you down here without this knowledge? Oh shit! You realize how many rads you've probably soaked up without the drug's protection? Oh man, you were right! They must hate your guts at HQ! Ha ha ha ha ha! Sucks to be you!" Owen laughs uncontrollably
"Yeah, yeah "
"Man, I mean shit! They pretty much sent you to die! I mean really why the hell would they worry about whether shelters got the right equipment shipments now for anyway? GZS already got their money, did you actually think they were going to go send someone personally to each shelter correct the mistakes? They were already built man! Use your head!"
"Uh huh, so "
"Ha ha ha ha! I mean damn, you work in shipping, GZS fucking up shouldn't even be news to you! Look at what happened with this goddamn anti-radiation drug! I mean what asshole fucking moron thought up those shelter elevator designs?"
"Why what's wrong with the elevator designs?" you ask innocently, which suddenly puts Owen in a less jovial mood, he begins to get suspicious again.
"Something ain't right here anyone who works for GZS knows how idiotic the computerized shelter elevator set up is. People got fired for that one. Why hell why do you think WE have a ladder? You claim you're from HQ and you don't know? I don't care HOW much you say you're out of the loop I'm a lowly security guard and even I heard about the fucked up elevator designs!"
Owen goes for his assault rifle slung on his shoulder, and you charge slamming him into the wall with an elbow to his face. You then pistol whip him a couple times before taking his rifle away from him. He holds on to his bloody face looking at you.
"Ughhhh, shit my face " he groans.
"Okay look, I was probably wrong for lying about working for GZS and "
"Fuck you you goddamn piece of shit "
"HEY! Asshole! I'm the one with the gun here! Now I don't want to kill you, but "
Owen unsuccessfully tries to grab his rifle back, you kick him back down.
"Are you fuckin' kiddin' me? I nearly shot you, dumb fuck! I'd probably be able to kick your ass even without these guns, so you better just calm "
Owen once again attempts to attack you, this time you butt him with the rifle hard, and kick him out the door then lock it.
"Fuck you then asshole! Let the mutants eat you!" you shout, you expect to hear banging on the door, or even pleading, but you don't hear anything. After a few hours pass, you open up the door, and Owen is gone. You close the door back up and explore your surroundings a bit more.
There's not much to explore though, just two simple bedrooms, an eating area, bathroom and the "living area" which you're already familiar with. The generator provides power, and a water recycling system provides water. Looks like there's some sort of food dispensing system as well, though what it dispenses isn't particularly tasty. You could be set up here for awhile if you wanted to be, though perhaps you just want somewhere to rest first before getting out of the city.
"No, I'm from GZS Headquarters, Shipping Division. And I hope you got some answers because there's been a bunch of fucking mistakes in where things were getting transported! Who are YOU?"
" I'm Owen! What the fuck? I ain't in charge of that! I'm just security!"
"I don't give a shit WHO you are! Where's your supervisor?"
" I..uh I guess Lisa is my supervisor, but she's not here!"
"Oh? And where the hell is she? GZS Headquarters is VERY displeased!"
"I don't understand, Lisa wasn't in charge of any kind of shipping. She was an egghead! A researcher! We were down here for other reasons but you should know that!"
"LOOK! I work in a cramped fucking office with boring paper work all goddamn day, I don't have a window, someone keeps stealing my stapler, and they don't tell me shit unless it's to scream at my fucking face. I don't care WHY you're here! All I know is; I got my ass chewed out by HQ for someone else's fuck ups! We got Shelters all over the goddamn tri-state area with mixed up equipment during the building process and we're only NOW just finding out about it! You know how BAD that makes us look to our customers? I got sent down here to see if I could find out anything and all I've found out is the goddamn City is crawling with fucking cannibalistic mutants! Now that I've FOUND someone who might have some answers for me, I'm not just gonna dismiss that! So open up the goddamn door and let me in!"
Your act and tone is very convincing of someone who's had to deal with red tape and silly corporate orders. (Though you do know something of them having had to deal with them at your own job in your "old life") obviously the security guard knows about them as well, because he lets you in.
When the door opens up, you see a surprisingly scrawny man. You were expecting someone a little more burly, but he still wields an assault rifle slung around his shoulder making the need for physical strength unnecessary.
"You you don't look like a GZS employee shouldn't you be in a suit and tie or something?"
"I'm not gonna be running all over the nuclear wasteland in a hot ass suit and tie! Shit, I swear we hire dumber and dumber security guards each year. Just goes to show even natural selection fails sometimes in the face of near mass extinction. So where the hell is this Lisa?" you ask walking past him and noticing the well lit room and its sterile appearance. Some sort of generator sits in a corner giving off a low hum.
"I told you she's not here; she went to the surface again. She should be back soon." The security guard says still eyeing you suspiciously.
"Again? Why's she going up there in the first place? Ain't nothing left up there."
"You're telling me. I went up once and nearly got myself killed. Since then Lisa says she'd rather me stay guard here and not get in the way of here so called research. Fine by me."
"I still don't understand, what's this research?"
"Uh well um it's supposed to be a secret. I'm really surprised you being from HQ that you don't know about it "
"I told you, I get BURIED in paperwork, and they don't tell me shit. I mean I've heard things here and there, but I don't know what else was going on here."
"Well I guess it really doesn't matter now I mean what's done is done and HQ probably should know anyway okay well you know how GZS has dealings with the military and the government and shit right?"
"Sure."
"Well it's something like that going on, but I don't know the intricate details about it, just what I know from Lisa, but I guess GZS was trying to develop some sort of radiation drug, y'know something to make the body immune to the shit."
"That does sound pretty useful, but this place doesn't exactly look like a complex lab for doing something like that."
"Oh, its not. This is just a research outpost as it were. The real drug was made somewhere else, but it needed to be tested right? So they decided to test it here, a batch of it got dumped in the water supply months before the bombs hit. The idea is that the survivors of the initial blast would still be able to live and not get cancer, sterility or tumors and all that other bad shit that radiation causes. So even people caught in the cities would survive and be able to eventually rebuild and get civilization up and running again. I think they wanted to dump the drug into ALL the major cities, but it looks like world war three happened sooner than they though eh?"
What you just heard sounds like some sort of science fiction tale! Then again being the cynic you are, you can't say you're completely surprised by it. Though now you have a more important question.
"Okay, but if that was the intention what's with all the mutants in the City trying to eat me?"
"Uh well I guess it didn't work the way it should've? That's sort of why Lisa and me were still here. Lisa was supposed to record the results of the drug after the bombs hit and that's what she's been doing. Lisa says the drugs are affecting people's minds, and combined with the already fucked up situation I'd say it probably explains a lot already. Though I gotta say there was some pretty bad rioting even before the bombs dropped so I wonder if the drug was starting to affect the minds of people even then but that's silly I mean me and Lisa haven't been affected by it at all, I dunno."
"YOU and her drank the water too?"
"Well yeah, our personal water recycling system has it. I mean if we were going to be here, we damn well had to be pretty resistant to radiation wait a minute I just realized something you mean GZS sent you down here without this knowledge? Oh shit! You realize how many rads you've probably soaked up without the drug's protection? Oh man, you were right! They must hate your guts at HQ! Ha ha ha ha ha! Sucks to be you!" Owen laughs uncontrollably
"Yeah, yeah "
"Man, I mean shit! They pretty much sent you to die! I mean really why the hell would they worry about whether shelters got the right equipment shipments now for anyway? GZS already got their money, did you actually think they were going to go send someone personally to each shelter correct the mistakes? They were already built man! Use your head!"
"Uh huh, so "
"Ha ha ha ha! I mean damn, you work in shipping, GZS fucking up shouldn't even be news to you! Look at what happened with this goddamn anti-radiation drug! I mean what asshole fucking moron thought up those shelter elevator designs?"
"Why what's wrong with the elevator designs?" you ask innocently, which suddenly puts Owen in a less jovial mood, he begins to get suspicious again.
"Something ain't right here anyone who works for GZS knows how idiotic the computerized shelter elevator set up is. People got fired for that one. Why hell why do you think WE have a ladder? You claim you're from HQ and you don't know? I don't care HOW much you say you're out of the loop I'm a lowly security guard and even I heard about the fucked up elevator designs!"
Owen goes for his assault rifle slung on his shoulder, and you charge slamming him into the wall with an elbow to his face. You then pistol whip him a couple times before taking his rifle away from him. He holds on to his bloody face looking at you.
"Ughhhh, shit my face " he groans.
"Okay look, I was probably wrong for lying about working for GZS and "
"Fuck you you goddamn piece of shit "
"HEY! Asshole! I'm the one with the gun here! Now I don't want to kill you, but "
Owen unsuccessfully tries to grab his rifle back, you kick him back down.
"Are you fuckin' kiddin' me? I nearly shot you, dumb fuck! I'd probably be able to kick your ass even without these guns, so you better just calm "
Owen once again attempts to attack you, this time you butt him with the rifle hard, and kick him out the door then lock it.
"Fuck you then asshole! Let the mutants eat you!" you shout, you expect to hear banging on the door, or even pleading, but you don't hear anything. After a few hours pass, you open up the door, and Owen is gone. You close the door back up and explore your surroundings a bit more.
There's not much to explore though, just two simple bedrooms, an eating area, bathroom and the "living area" which you're already familiar with. The generator provides power, and a water recycling system provides water. Looks like there's some sort of food dispensing system as well, though what it dispenses isn't particularly tasty. You could be set up here for awhile if you wanted to be, though perhaps you just want somewhere to rest first before getting out of the city.