Code Zulu Alpha: Nerd in the Apocalypse!

We had a mini-argument/education about dragons and weebs right at the place we were standing on, but I got the last laugh when Zeus stood his ground err– seating arrangement. Jose was looking at me, telling me to make Zeus move over to the back but I just started the engine and looked back at him with a cheeky smile.

"Heh. You lost, suck it up!"

"First I get chastised for looking like a proper officer, then I got shit on by not knowing what a weeb is, and now, a fucking dog had more priority!"

"Woof!"

"Unbelievable…"

It didn't take long before Jose begrudgingly sat behind Zeus and me, but even if he was shaking his head the first few moments, he was wearing a faint smile.

We were driving for a few moments and then he opened his mouth.

"Hey."

"Yeah?"

"That RORO has a lot of space for vehicles. Are you bringing a few? That's why you're bringing it, right?"

"Yeah, something like that. I'm thinking about our two Raptors and Tatiana's Humvee."

"That's it?"

"Hmm, maybe a jeep or two but I'm thinking about a couple of off-road bikes. I want to bring my Hayabusa but it wouldn't be a great fit terrain-wise."

"How about ATVs?"

"Oh~ That'll be good too. Maybe a couple of them would be handy. They don't take up as much space like the off-road bikes we'll be bringing."

"The way we're going at this feels like we're storming some capitol or something. Anything I need to know?"

"I'll tell you about it soon but just remember to not go too hard with the partying."

"Why not tell me now?"

"I just don't want to repeat myself. I'll tell the whole plan when everyone's that coming is gathered together. Trust me, what we'll be doing is not complicated. The complicated thing is gathering all the players from the other side in one place and it's been dealt with."

"Hmm, I'll trust ya then. Anyway, don't tell me we're just gonna go over to your place so I could get inked. That's some permanent thing, I must say."

"Yeah, we'll shave your head too."

"WHAT?!"

'He's really going for it, heh. I'm expecting more pushback but whatever~'

It took us a few more minutes to reach my compound and instead of dropping him at Daisy's place so he could get a tattoo that he 'wanted', I just called Daisy over. Luckily, she wasn't with Jay's group right now and it didn't take long for her to meet with us.

Daisy walked up to me with a bright smile, "Hi~! You finally want me to have your other arm?"

"What? It's a mis–"

"I'm working on a design if I ever had to ink something on you but–"

I waved her off, "Daisy, it's not for me. It's for Jose."

Jose just casually waved his hand to greet Daisy, "Hi, it's for me…"

The light on Daisy's eyes almost immediately died down, "Oh…"

Miraculously, I noticed that happening so I took her attention as I leaned over, "Daisy, I'd love to get inked by you someday but this thing with Jose needed to happen a little bit sooner. How about this? I don't know if Kaley would be up to it but I'd like to have something matching. I'll promise you that."

As soon as I said that, Daisy's eyes lit up, "Deal! It's a promise, alright? Break it and I'll ink dick and balls on your forehead while you're sleeping!"

'What have I gotten myself into?'

I nervously chuckled, "Sure, sure… You got my word… So, I'll leave Jose to you?"

Daisy and Jose both turned to me and said, "You're leaving?"

"I'm just gonna check up on Kaley and the others. I believe they went to the gym after eating lunch. They would've greeted us when we arrived but they didn't. I bet they're still in the middle of going at it."

"O-Okay, I'll join you guys later?"

'Later? Oh…'

"Hmm~ sure."

"Great! So, Jose, what type of ink are you looking for? And where do you want it?"

"Umm, a dragon maybe? Maybe on the side of my neck–"

"Pfft, a dragon? Are you a weeb?"

"Wha– Why do you– Did he put you up to this?!"

Daisy never looked so confused, "What?"

"Nevermind… How about artist's choice then? You've tattooed a lot of people and I've seen your work. What do you think might suit me?"

"Oooh~ I love that idea! I know! I know! How about…"

I didn't hear much of their conversation when I walked back to my house, but instead of going straight to my gym, I went to my room to get a change of clothes. I wore something appropriate for getting a workout and even if the sun was still up in the sky, it'll be nice to have fewer people in the gym.

But once I walked up and opened the door, I was in for a surprise.

Tatiana was wearing gym clothes and open-finger gloves, and she was beating the shit out of one of our heavy bags.

The music was blasting as always but each time she would make contact using her legs and her fists, it would make a sound loud enough to resound throughout the gym. Furthermore, the heavy bag would just fly back with each full-powered strike and it looked like she was never injured.

I was about to stop her since there was still a thought in my head that she was bearing through the pain but seeing Kaley and Cynthia sparring with each other without a care for Tatiana stopped me.

'It's still too soon for a normal person but… Well… She's Tatiana, that's why.'

The three of them were so busy they didn't notice me coming through the door but I grabbed a pair of mitts and slammed them hard.

It instantly took their attention but I just smiled at them before I looked straight at Tatiana.

"If you're done beating the shit out of something not moving, why don't you come here and we'll see how much you needed to catch up?"

Tatiana raised an eyebrow as she smiled and tilted her head, "Is that so? Then why don't you wear gloves instead of mitts to find out?"

"Nah~ That'll be bullying. Let's see what you got first before you get a taste of our mat once again. I'm afraid you forgot what it tastes like after all this time you're cleaning out my fridge."

As soon as I said that, Tatiana was doing the thing where she'd smile while her mouth was slightly agape while shaking her head, wearing an expression with the mix that says: 'Good one!', 'The audacity of this motherfucker!', and 'I'll break your dick once I get enough distance!'.

Tatiana instantly bridged the distance between us as she rushed over, and she opened up by a fan kick with her right foot that was quickly followed up by her signature jumping spinning kick.

Both attacks came with no pause and I had to put my game face on.

The first one would've hit me right in my face if I didn't step back but the wind it generated when it passed by told me that it came with a lot of power. However, the second one was more dangerous because it had all of her weight and it was her most practiced move.

"Aren't you supposed to use your mitts?!"

"I will if you stop aiming for my face!"

"Fair enough!"

"Then let's fucking go!"

I instantly yelled out a series of combinations and Tatiana took a short breath and a short exhale before her body almost moved on its own.

I placed the mitts in the correct position and I joined her own rhythm.

Tatiana threw a crisp one-two punch that landed quickly on the mitts I placed in front of her, and I quickly braced myself to receive a high kick that was supposed to aim for my temple.

I placed the mitt at the right second but the following attack would probe her condition.

It was placed several inches higher than my head and Tatiana needed to use the momentum of bringing her foot down from the high kick to jump and twist her body in the air to reach the fourth placement of the mitt from our combination.

"Hmph!"

Tatiana just harrumphed before she fluidly brought her foot down before jumping and twisting her body like I thought she would. However, she added another spin as she was in the air and once she connected with the mitt with her right foot, the force she put into that attack was so powerful, it blew the mitt off of my hand.

The mitt flew several feet from where we were and Tatiana landed on her feet without issue.

However, I just had to do it.

I braced myself as best as I could before violent and scathing emotions rushed through my head and the temperature dropped by several degrees in an instant.