Chapter 32 Disturbance in Peace

As the clock struck six in the evening, the vibrant city of Makati basked in the gentle descent of the sun. The fading rays cast a warm, amber hue across the urban landscape, painting the skyline with a tranquil, almost nostalgic glow.

It was a beautiful sight for Richard to the point he didn’t want to look down on the streets, as it would ruin the view.

For the last hours, he was busy replenishing the spent ammunition and fuel during the scavenging operation.

He returned to his seat and opened his tablet. He opened a tab that gave him access to the CCTV camera of the condominium. He tapped the seventh floor and there he saw soldiers still unloading boxes of food from the M939 trucks. The truck that they took from the Super9 didn’t fit the height ceiling so it remained in the ground-floor garage.

He would probably receive the detailed report of the food they have scavenged tomorrow as it was still being processed.

Richard switched to the next camera and this time it was on the eighth floor where the condominium clubhouse was located. There survivors from three buildings were socializing in the swimming pool, gyms, and restaurants.

Watching them made him feel at ease as he wanted to make the people they rescued feel a sense of normalcy. That even in the apocalypse, there is still a functioning community

However, in the function room which was turned into a mess hall where soldiers and survivors eat, there seemed to be a commotion happening.

He zoomed the camera and there he saw his men talking to a lady who was pointing her hands aggressively toward them. Behind the soldiers were the pharmacists that they rescued in the Super9 shopping mall.

“What’s happening?” Richard wondered. The cameras on the function hall don’t have a built-in mic so he couldn’t listen to what they were saying.

All the people inside the mess hall are turning their heads towards the lady and his soldiers, a sign that things are escalating. Just then, a group of ladies approached and Richard recognized them instantly. It was his little sister, Lisa, and her classmates.

Now, they seemed to be arguing, making him grow curious about it. He pushed a small button under his table, and immediately after, a person entered his office.

“Sir, you pushed the button…what can I do for you?”

“I want to know what’s going on on the eighth floor,” Richard said as he turned his table, showing Mark the live footage of the in-progress argument.

“I will check…” Mark said as he picked up his radio and turned the knob. Seconds later, he spoke. “Clubhouse team, what’s the situation over there?”

Richard flipped the screen back to him and saw the soldier in the commotion reach for his radio.

“Sir, a lady is complaining about the presence of the survivors rescued earlier. She is demanding that we kick them out.”

Richard’s head snapped at Mark after hearing that. “Ask him why.”

“Why?” Mark asked.

“Uhm…the lady said they don’t belong here and might be infected…though we have explained that they were cleared but she won’t accept any of my explanation—hey lady—stop!”

Richard’s gaze flickered back to the screen and saw her sister getting slapped by the lady. His eyes widened, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

“Okay, I’m coming down there,” Richard rose to his feet and walked out of the office with heavy footsteps.

“I’m coming with you sir,” Mark hurriedly followed Richard and caught up to him.

“What’s the matter sir, you look worried,” Mark asked as they hurried down the corridor toward the commotion.

Richard clenched his jaw, his worry etched across his face.

“It’s Lisa,” he replied tersely as he pushed the button of the elevator.

The elevator door opened, and Richard entered before completing his sentence.

“She’s in the middle of that commotion.”

Arriving at the eighth floor, Richard and Mark walked down the corridor, turned right at the corner, and stepped into the function hall. The soldiers who caught sight of Richard immediately stood in attention and saluted.

The survivors present in the function hall were all looking at him, recognizing him. In the middle, Richard saw the commotion unfolding, and the soldier who was getting in between and stopping met his eyes.

“Sir?” The soldier stood in attention, letting the aggressive girl out of his grasp.

“Brother?” Lisa said, her right hand on her cheek, rubbing the part where she was slapped.

Richard walked toward her, his expression stern yet protective. He gently touched her bruised cheek and spoke. “Are you alright, Lisa?”

“You…you are the leader right?” The lady who slapped his sister asked. ．

Richard turned and faced the lady. She is in her mid-forties and judging from her face, she seemed to be Korean.

“I am and may I ask why you are causing a commotion?” Richard demanded.

“That is because your soldiers just admitted survivors outside. I was just worried about the safety of our camp. What if they are infected or something?”

“But I believe my soldier explained to you that they are cleared, meaning they are not what you are scared of.”

“Still it’s dangerous to let unknown people in. We’ve been through hell, and we can’t afford to take any chances,” the Korean woman insisted.

“So you are saying that we kick them out because you feel scared?”

“Not just me! Everyone is, I’m just simply representing them,” the Korean woman said, looking around at his fellow sympathizers.

“Is that true?” Richard asked loudly, his eyes glancing at each survivor. They lowered their heads but he could see the fear on their faces. “Look, I haven’t told you this but we have commenced an operation earlier to scavenge for food and supplies at the nearest shopping mall. And we found survivors like these pharmacists. Are you saying that the people we throw the people we rescued because you are feeling scared? Don’t feel entitled. Just because we made this our base of operations doesn’t mean you are above survivors from the outside.

Remember, I’m the boss here, and every soldier that you see around is under my command. What if I order them to take you out on the streets instead?”

As if on cue, the soldiers present in the function hall stomped their feet in unison, intimidating the group of survivors who had supported the Korean lady who demanded to expel the newcomers.

“Look, if you all want to have a peaceful life, there’s only two things you have to do, and that is to comply and contribute. Any person who disrupts peace will find themselves on the streets.”

Upon saying that, a Korean lady who is about the same age as him ran towards the woman’s side.

And she spoke worryingly at the woman in Korean, which he could understand. The lady then turned to Richard and bowed her head,

“I’m sorry sir! It’s my mother, I apologize for everything she has caused—”

Suddenly, the radio on his shoulder crackled to life. “All stations there are flyers in the air! I repeat flyers are in the air!”

“Flyers…” Richard repeated and glanced at Mark, and instantly spurred towards the exit. In the sky, about thirty flyers were hovering and looking down on them predatorily.

“Shit!” Richard cursed and shifted his gaze to the people in the open. “Everyone get inside! All units open fire!”

The soldiers outside aimed their M4 Carbines up and fired at the flyers who droned in. Gunfire filled the air as tracers streaked toward the hovering flyers. The survivor scrambled for cover by hiding under the building.

Richard joined in the firefight, firing his M9 Beretta at the flyers.

The flyers’ wings began to riddle with holes as the soldiers’ gunfire found its mark. Some flyers died before they could even reach the ground while others were able to swoop in, but the soldiers they were targeting were able to roll to the side, dodging the grasp of their talons.

As minutes went by, more soldiers exited the hallways and into the open area. Armed with an M249 machine gun, they aimed at the flyers and spat a hail of bullets at the incoming flyers.

More flyers fell lifelessly to the ground, as they scored scores upon scores. However, there are still survivors in the area, one of them was a lady Richard knew.

“Emily?”

It was Denise’s sister, who was standing there, her head craned up, staring at the droning flyers. One of the flyers noticed her defenseless and targeted her.

“Emily!” Richard shouted and Emily simply jolted in her place and didn’t move.

“This is bad…” Richard ran as fast as he could to her location near the pool while firing his pistol at the swooping flyer.

“It won’t die…” Richard cursed and the flyer was almost at Emily.

The moment he got near to her, he leaped and together, they fell into the pool with a loud splash. The flyer, frustrated by missing its prey, screeched in the air as it circled around, unable to reach them underwater.

Richard quickly surfaced, pulling Emily with him to the pool’s edge.

They gasped for breath, and Richard scanned the area. The firefight with the flyers continued, but at least they were momentarily safe in the water.

“Are you alright, Emily?” Richard asked concernedly.

“I… I’m okay,” Emily said shakily as she nodded her head.

“Why did you just stand there and not run?”

“I couldn’t…I was scared…”

Richard gazed up and saw that the flyers’ numbers were dwindling. The remaining flyers, noticing that they were hunted down easily, flew away in retreat.

“It seems that they are going away,” Richard observed. “Let’s go.”

Richard helped her out of the pool, lifting her under the arms as she climbed up the pool’s edge.

It was his turn to climb up but he got momentarily distracted at the sight of her soaked white blouse, and through it, he saw her lacy white bra that covered her ample bosom.

“Richard?”

Richard snapped out of his trance, realizing what he was staring at, and immediately averted his eyes.

“Oh…sorry,” Richard climbed out of the pool, his face slightly flushed. He was grateful that Emily hadn’t noticed his momentary lapse in composure.

As they both stood on the pool’s edge, dripping wet, Mark approached him.

“Sir! Are you okay?”

“I’m fine Mark, give me the sitrep,” Richard said.

“No casualties in our men and the survivors,” Mark answered.

Richard took a glance around and saw corpses of Flyers, their black blood pooling underneath. “We have to clean this mess, I think it’s time that we invest in air defense.”