章節 28: Looking for Survivors
"Eagle Actual to all units designated at point Alpha. We are moving upstairs to look for survivors. Keep your eyes peeled and your head on a swivel."
After announcing his plan to his troops working in the shopping mall, he and his squad left the supermarket and climbed the escalators. They moved slowly and covertly, their rifles oscillating as they scanned the area.
Stepping onto the second floor of the shopping mall, Richard's squad began checking every retail space in the mall.
"Are there any survivors hiding anywhere here?!" Richard shouted. "Come out now! We are here to rescue you."
No one responded to Richard's calls. The squad continued their cautious sweep, moving from one tenant space to another. Clothing stores, restaurants, and various shops stood silent and abandoned.
As they cleared each space, Richard's squad communicated through hand signals and nods.
Entering a restaurant, they found overturned chairs and shattered glass. No signs of life. Moving to a clothing store, discarded garments were strewn across the floor.
Richard's radio crackled with updates from members of his squad, each reporting the same—no survivors.
They reached the central atrium of the mall, where the escalators intersected. Richard's gaze swept across the open space and furrowed his brows.
"There's no way there aren't any survivors hiding here," Richard muttered under his breath.
He gazed towards the walls, beyond is his army fighting the hordes of zombies. He checked his tablet to get a visual of his army and there, they were holding out on their own. The assault rifles, light and heavy machine guns, and the main armaments of the LAV-25 and M117 Guardian all worked together to create a wall of lead.
It was no man's land down on the streets. Richard's jaw clenched as he toggled the channel on his radio, connecting to the troops fighting outside. "Graves, this is Eagle Actual. Report on the situation."
A burst of gunfire punctuated Mark's response. "Eagle Actual, we're holding the line, but the numbers keep coming. It's getting intense out here!"
"Roger that, don't worry, I have told Blackwatch to send Jolly 1 and 2, and Viper 1 to your position. So hold your ground, Actual out."
Turning his attention back to the mall, he looked around at the vacant spaces that once buzzed with activity. He used to shop here before the apocalypse, to see it in this state saddened him.
"Spread out further," Richard ordered his squad. "Check every corner, every nook. There's got to be someone hiding, waiting for help."
With that, they resumed looking for survivors. At the far end of the second floor was a pharmacy. There, Richard realized another important thing. In the zombie apocalypse, food is as important as medicine.
"Once we clear this area, we will loot this pharmacy," Richard said.
"Copy that sir."
Approaching the counter, Richard's gaze settled on the barricaded roll-up. It was a solid barrier, presumably put in place to safeguard whatever lay behind it. A decision needed to be made – to breach it or not. A glance at the anxious faces of his squad members indicated their readiness for action.
However, before addressing the barricade, Richard's instincts prompted him to ensure the area was secure.
"Hello, is there anyone here?! We're from the military and we just cleared this shopping mall of zombies. If there are survivors, come out now!"
The words hung in the air, and then, a seemingly inconspicuous storage door swung open with a creak. Swiftly, Richard his M4 Carbine aimed towards the source of the sound.
From the shadows emerged a figure, clutching a cane that was wielded like a makeshift weapon. Tremors of fear rippled through the man's body.
"Survivors!" Richard exclaimed.
The pharmacist's eyes widened at the sight of military personnel.
"Oh thank god you have come!" The pharmacist quavered.
"Open this roll-up so we can help you," Richard ordered and the pharmacist promptly complied. As the roll-up yielded to the pharmacist's efforts, he climbed over the counter and embraced Richard graciously.
"Thank you, sir! Thank you!"
Richard chuckled as he pushed the pharmacist gently, breaking off the embrace. "Easy there brother…calm down. Are there others with you?"
"Yes, there are eight of us. Five women and three men, including myself," the pharmacist replied. "Hey guys! Come out it's safe. The military is here!"
From the storage room emerged the survivors, stepping hesitantly into the open. Among them, three men and five women, all looking at Richard's squad with a mix of relief and caution. Richard's team stood ready, offering a reassuring presence as the survivors slowly approached.
One by one, they climbed over the counter, and Richard's men conducted quick but thorough checks to ensure none of the survivors were injured. The tension began to ease as the survivors realized they were in the hands of the military.
Richard fell on his knee and asked them.
"Didn't you hear us shouting earlier? We were calling for survivors."
The pharmacists shook their heads in unison.
"We don't…we only heard explosions and loud noises…we didn't hear your voices."
Richard clicked his tongue, the noise of their military hardware on the streets drowning their voices. Which means, there are still survivors inside aside from them.
"I guess it's best that we take over the PA system of the mall," one of his soldiers suggested and continued. "We can use the speakers to broadcast our presence and instructions for any other survivors still hiding."
Richard nodded in agreement. "Good idea."
He shifted his gaze back to the pharmacists and asked. "Uhm…ma'am…sirs, do you know where the main PA system controls are?"
One of the pharmacists replied. "Yes, I do. The controls are in the mall management office, third floor, just down the hall."
"Great," Richard smiled as he glanced at his soldiers behind him. "You two come with me, and you remain here, watch over them."
"Copy that sir," the soldiers nodded in acknowledgment.
"Oh…before I forgot," Richard returned his gaze to the pharmacists. "As you are the pharmacist working here, can I ask you all a favor? Can you gather essential medicines and medical supplies from this pharmacy?"
The male pharmacist nodded. "Of course, we'll start gathering everything we can find. We've got some first aid kits, painkillers, antibiotics, and other supplies that might be useful."
Richard patted the pharmacist on the shoulder. "Thanks, that would be a huge help."
With that settled, Richard and his two soldiers made their way toward the third floor and the mall management office. As they climbed the escalators, they moved with caution, rifles at the ready, knowing that any corner could hide danger.
Reaching the third floor, they cautiously advanced down the hall, their senses on high alert. The door to the management office was slightly ajar, and Richard motioned for his soldiers to take positions on either side of the door. With a nod, he pushed the door open, sweeping the room with his weapon.
The room appeared clear, and Richard motioned for his soldiers to follow him in. The office was cluttered with papers and abandoned equipment. In a corner, he spotted the control panel for the mall's PA system. Stepping over a fallen chair, he made his way to it and grabbed the microphone.
Pressing a button, he cleared his throat and spoke into the microphone.
"Attention survivors! My name is Richard Gonzales, commander of a Private Military Company called Blackwatch. We have secured this shopping mall as a safe zone. If you can hear this message, come out so we can evacuate you."
Satisfied with the announcement, Richard pressed another button to loop his message. After that, they exited the control room.
Richard and his two soldiers looked around their surroundings, waiting for signs of movement. His voice, still playing repeatedly on the mall's PA system. Minutes later, figures emerged from retail spaces and hallways in a cautious manner.
"Oh my god…there's still a lot of them."
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