Part 7

As Oliver made it back to his homebase, a search team was already dispatched to search them. He was escorted to the office, where their commander, experienced marine, sits on the chair back towards the door. The room was dimly lit by 4W LED bulb in the ceiling light with a green cracked lamp shade, not because of lack of power, but because he wanted it that way. Shelves were full of books, a radio, a cd-player and rows of cd cases. On top of the cupboard stands an old tv with a dusty cathode ray tube, a cow skull on top of it. When Oliver stepped into the room, the commander asked without turning around.
"Where the hell were you people?"
"I'm sorry for getting late at comeback, but we established a trade opportunity with nearby station built into train station. We got some food."
He turned around and looked at me with his single eye, other eye has covered by eyepatch.
"So where are the other two?"
"They met their pre-war friends and they are coming shortly after."
"They met their friends. What makes you think I believe you?"
His voice is stern and cold.
"Because it was like he said." Said Sebastian behind Oliver's back and they drop their bags of merchandise on the floor.
"Good score, now take it to the storage. After that we need to talk."
"Yes, sir."
They took their merchandise to storage center and came back with their own share of the loot.
"So here's the plan. I'm going to assemble two teams who is going to be actively trading merchandise with that base. You are going to search the city for more survivors, as it is already familiar to you."
"So when we are going to start?"
"Whenever you are ready for a long trip. Rest well."
"Okay we have a deal."
"Next time inform me before you plan doing anything like this again. This isn't a gulag, we are all like one family now."
"We understand that."
"Alright, then close the door when you leave."

After a good sleep Marcel stepped out of his bedroom to step out onto the balcony to stretch out. He immediately saw humanoid figures walk strangely outside. He walked to the guard post to ask about it.
"We know already. Take a close look, they are not humans."
"So what the fuck are these then."
"Fucking walking dead. They started to appear out of nowhere."
"Ah shit in a basket. That was what we needed now. Double the guards, don't let these things in, I go check how much armory guy has in stock."
"Will do. Aleksei, get the looters team up here! Stay focused everyone, if these walkers get in, everyone are in danger."
They watch as the walkers wander towards the north of the city, but more came from the south and east districts. Things started to escalate as the walkers clash with skinless dogs and nosaleses, resulting mess of limbs and a stentch that threatened to drown them.
"Oh fuck, get the gasmasks."
"Damn that reeks." They pull on the masks and continue watching, it made breathing little bit harder, but the stench wasn't wiped out completely.
"That is years of rot. How the hell are they even walking?"
"Who the fuck gives a damn? Point is, better not risk of letting them get in here. Lock and load."
They check their weapons and ammo. Meanwhile Marcel came back from the armory and tried to contact anyone via the radio transmitter, when suddenly power went out.
"Dima, get up! Generator is down!" He knocked on the electricians door, Dima pulled the door open and looked at him with his flashlight turned on.
"Come, hurry. We need to get it fixed, I need to contact the other stations."
"Right away. I go get my tools."
They run to the other side of the bunker where he entered the code and followed Marcel down into the cable tunnels.
"The generators are worn out. We may get few years out of it but we need other means of power."
"I have the engineer work this out."
The tunnels are dark, floor is covered by water and dirt. One side the tunnel ends with a collapsed section, other side goes to the generator room door, blast door with ramp leading to surface and junction with sewer tunnels below. The sewer tunnels are filled with water since the pumps at the water treatment plant are out of order for a long time. Corpses float in the water mixed with debries. Dima enters the code to the blast door leading to the generator room and opens the door, enters and starts working. About half an hour later machines start to work again, lights flicker on and he walks out of the room.
"Rat had been climbed into main breaker box and electrocuted itself. Bloody freaks."
He throws the rats corpse into the sevage.
"It should work now for a while, I sealed the hole. Those damned rats climb and chew everything."
"That's what they do. I need to go back, hurry up."
"I'm right after you."
He closes the door and locks it and follows Marcel back to the base. Marcel runs up the stairs back to the radio room, where Kalmer already contacted someone.
"I got three stations on line, train station including. They are ready." He said while swiping his long red hair off his eyes.
"Thank god. You can continue, I going to help others get ready to evac at first notice."