Chương 46: Christmas Present

26th December 2019

The Bay City has changed a lot in the last 3 weeks. Alex walked around the Bay City's villa and the main base. There was not much he can do at this point. There were now simple walls and fences all around the city. Guard posts could be seen on the outer wall.

The Mayor is still missing. Benny, the Mayor's assistant, is still doing a great job handling the city's affair in his stead. Ever since Alex announced that he was preparing a refugee shelter a few days ago along with the viral video and the media's continued reports about the doomsday topic, the locals around the bay city were restless. The arrival of the army and the destroyer ship at the bay also increased the public's concern. Today there's actually a Bali local TV news reporter that came to do a coverage on this.

Alex told all of his staff, the army, navy and all of the workers to gather in the main base at 16:00 today. He also told Hendrik to also bring the big family. It's time for them to finish their long holidays. He's going to make an important announcement. Alex also invited the TV reporter to the main base.

When Alex arrived earlier at the main base, he drove around with Tony, his construction manager, to check the progress of the base. The main priority was the high stone wall. Alex drove around the wall and he's satisfied that the 13-kilometer wall were all done. It just needed a little bit finishing touch. If the stone wall was not done, the base could be compromised. Although the stone berms were only 70% done, Alex was not really worried about this as its main function was to be the secondary defense.

The 200 hectares land clearing were done and the farmers had been seeding the fields. The irrigation path from the river was very crude and done poorly, but it can still be improved in the future.

Inside the base, 60 warehouses were done out of the 100 goal. The big sized building for storage, indoor garden and research center were already functional. The current base has the capacity to hold 30,000 people. So it's currently satisfactory for Alex.

Alex saw dozens of vehicles parked inside the base. 60 trucks, 40 jeeps and the 10 APC (Armoured personnel carrier) were delivered as promised by the Regent.

[Pindad Anoa APC]

mass: 12.5 tonnes

Length: 6m

Width: 2.5 m

Height: 2.17 m

Crew: 3 + 10 passengers

Main armament: 12.7mm Machine Gun, STK 40 automatic Grenade launcher.

secondary armament: 2x3 66mm smoke grenade

operational range: 600km

Speed: 90km/hour

This are the perfect doomsday vehicles. For the vehicles to be functional once the EMP attack began, the mechanic and engineering team had to refit its engine. As a result, the max speed went down to 70km/hour. Next, Captain Donnie guided Alex into one of the warehouses and showed him the Autocannon.

[Rh202 Twin Gun]

20mm twin mounted autocannon

mass: 1640 kg

length: 5m

barrel length: 1.8m

width 2.3m

height 2m

crew 3-4

traverse: 360

Rate of fire: 880 rpm

Effective firing range: 1600 m high flying targets and 2500 m ground targets.

The Regent gave him four pieces of this canon. 'What a great Christmas present', Alex thought. At the moment, Alex stored it in the warehouse as it still won't be needed. Alex then went to check the last buildings in progress.

In the Command Center, all the officers from the Navy, Army, including the blacksnake leaders and his managers are there.

"It's almost the time. Let's gather everyone to the open field."

16:00

Alex is standing on the center of the stage, behind him are Captain Donnie, Commander Tom, Benny, Doctor Andy, and Nina. There are more than 7,000 people that have gathered in front of him; 200 workers from Jakarta, 4,000 hired workers, 1,000 farmers, 100 mechanics, 100 doctors, 300 blacksnake gang member, 250 death squad foxtrot company, 80 navy marines and a few hundred of their families. There are some Bay City locals who came to help in the past few weeks. There are also Hendrik, Devita, Alex's big families, Cindy and Theo.

Alex walks a few steps to the front and starts his speech,

"Thank you everyone for all your hard work in preparing this base. Some of you might already know and I am here to clear your doubts. We are building this place as a refuge base to prepare for the doomsday. Yes, some of you might have heard it from the TV or the news. We believe the doomsday will come, therefore we are seriously preparing for it. As you can see, this place will be the perfect place to defend from the plague. We had prepared the walls for protection, weapons to defend ourselves, food and supplies for survival. We even have lab and medical center prepared."

The army, navy and the gangs were already aware of this news, but the workers weren't. Some of them were simple workers and peasants, thus they find this news hard to understand. While the ones who understood this were starting to be worried about their family back home.

Alex continues,

"The doomsday will start on the 31st, 5 days from now. We know most of you have families outside the base. Therefore as of today, our contract is over, all of you will get the salary as promised plus 3 times the amount as a bonus. Use it to buy yourself some supplies and prepare for the doomsday. But I am reminding you that when the doomsday starts, all those money will lose its value. For those who want to stay and continue in building the base, you are welcome to stay. We will provide, food, shelter, and protection. I urge the others who are going back home to spread the news to bring your family and your friends to this base. But I am reminding you, when you are within these walls you will follow my rules."

A moment later, Alex's staffs start handing out the salary of the workers. Out of 5,000 workers, more or less 800 people decided to stay. Alex then continues his speech,

"This message is also directed for all the others. For those who came from Jakarta or any other places, we will provide you a ticket back home. I want you to think about this carefully, when the doomsday starts, it will be hard to contact your family and friends back home. Make sure you won't regret it if you decide to stay."

After a few hours, the last count are: 150 of his staff, 600 workers, 200 farmers, 30 mechanics, 50 doctors, 250 black snake gang. 250 army, and 80 navies. Not one person from the army and navy left. Together with some of their families and other Bay city locals, there are now just about 2,000 people decided to stay. The workers will continue their daily tasks, the doctors will continue the research and the others will continue their training.

Alex then gathered his family and took them to a nice dinner. Alex's dad, his younger brother Hendrik, his older brother Jimmy, wife and 2 kids, Devita's parents, Devita's little sister Vily and little Brother Victor and his girlfriend. Alex's family members with Devita totalled 14 people. Alex don't know which of them would survive the plague. Alex slowly explained the news to them. They are currently in despair to prepare for the death of a family member in 5 days... who in their right mind could do that.

The next morning, Alex had a chat with Devita and Hendrik. Alex asked them to take care of the family as he has 4 days left to get everything ready. As much as he wants to spend the next 4 days with them, he still has the responsibility to prepare for every person in his base.

Alex left Jerry and Nina in charge of management and security. He expected that with the media crew and the people who left to spread the news, people will start moving into the base.

Before he left, Cindy came to talk to him. She had talked and heard the news from the professor, she wished to stay and help Alex.

"Don't you have a family to look after?"

"I have a grandfather, but he's been missing for weeks."

"..."

"Is that considered normal for an American family?"

"No.no. don't get the wrong idea, he's also an archeologist professor and it is normal for him to go adventuring for months. He's quite famous though, you might know him. Dr. Henry Walton Jones?"

"Nope, no clue." craziness runs in the family he guessed...

"So what do you think? I could be useful, I can read the relic's sign for you. I can also speak 8 different languages and I'm also not afraid of using guns... I like to be in the place where there is action... What do you think?"

In the end, Alex took Cindy, Theo and of course Aria with him for his last preparation.