Strategies and Visions

"What do you plan to do with the survivors? We can't keep them here forever."

"Our food stocks are also nearing its end. We can feed them for 15-20 days at max. And all the stalls have already been looted."

Eudimor, with his arm crossed above his stomach, nodded his neck forward. His brows winced out of stress and eyelids wrinkled. "I know. We need to escort them to the evacuation site as soon as possible."

Fein and Kuina walked into Eudimor and the rest at the diner. A heavy atmosphere swirled around them. The underground air was already moisty, their heavy aura made it even harder to breathe.

It seems the adults are talking, we aren't probably needed here.

Kuina took a step around when Fein stepped into their discussion.

"You all must be talking about something serious." He walked around the table and sat on a chair. "Mind if I sit along?"

Eudimor turned his head at him and smiled. "Of course not. I was just about to bring you here. We needed more strategies."

"What are we strategizing about?" Kuina closed her baffled jaws and joined into their meeting.

"We were planning to send the survivors to an actual shelter."

"Why? Is it not a shelter?" Asked Fein.

"It is. But we cannot provide them proper livelihood here."

"Is there even any place that can?"

Eudimor leaned closer to the table, his fingers crossed under his nose. The light from above reflected on the can lids of food, glittering on his palm. "I'm sure there is. When the disaster struck some people were evacuated somewhere. We only need to find that safe place."

Fein flinched. His eyes lowered at the spoon resting inside an empty food can.

Rene might be there.

"How do we find that place?" Spoke Johan. "We've explored this town for months and i can assure you that there isn't any evacuation unit here."

"Maybe it is in a different town." Donna's head clung in between both her hand palms.

"Looking for them will be a hassle."

"We also need to find a vehicle to transport them to that place."

"In simpler terms we need to look for a lot of things."

Fein raised his sights from the spoon. "Is there no way we can narrow down the possibilities instead of searching everywhere? Like we can easily find a bus in the town's garage."

Ran swung his toes left and right as they were raised on the table, his chair tilted backwards while he clicked his tongue. "If we knew we'd have found it already."

"We can start from the next town."

"Since it is a longer mission.." Eudimor continued to speak. "We'll depart in teams of two."

"Yes. But we can't all leave together."

"If we all don't leave together it'll take even more time. We cannot afford that Johan."

"How about we set a time limit for each group?" Fein raised his middle, ring and tiny fingers keeping the rest low. "Three days. Three days for each group."

"Are you expecting the rest to wait for them to return, then leave and manage to find a shelter before the deadline?"

"No." Fein grabbed six empty cans. "Team C will remain in the hideout." He put two cans together and encircled his finger around it. Sliding two more cans away he said. "Team B will depart first. The day before they return.." he pulled those cans closer and slid another two cans far. "..team A will start their journey. In this way team C won't have to be alone for too long."

"We can also shuffle teams this way." Donna stared at the cans with astonishment.

"This process would've taken a lot lesser time if we could use cellphones." Fein's glances shifted at Eudimor. "But i heard there's no network working."

"Yes." Eudimor untangled his arms. "I don't have any objections with this plan. Or you can say that I can't think of anything better. Haha."

"And. What about the teams?" Ran removed his feet from the table.

"Except Nicole who's injured, we have six people. Donna is also good at using daggers, correct? I'll have you team up with Fein. Ran should stay back with Kui first. I'll team with Johan. Every team will have a gun and a dagger user."

"I have no objections to it."

"Me neither."

"Well i have objections with it!" Ran, slamming his hand on the table, stood up. "Why should i stay back?!"

"We need people to keep the survivors safe, Ran."

"That's right. And there's no one more capable than you."

"Flattery doesn't work on me, Eudimor!"

Fein glared daggers at Ran from the sharp corners of his eyes. "We need to safeguard people and our equipment. Ran."

The message was relayed to Ran. If he stayed back in the hideout, he'll get one day chance to rummage through Eudimor's treasure chest and find the information of the suppliers.

"Fine." While frowning, he returned to his seat. It was rather quick.

"Which of us will depart first, Eudimor?"

"Let's see, Johan came back just recently. He probably needs some break before going back to missions. If you don't mind, Will Donna and Fein go first?"

"You wanted me to stay back, didn't you?"

Fein paused from putting in his hand gloves and tilted his head at Ran. Aforementioned, Fein and Donna both started to prepare for their depart. Time was less and the amount of work was big.

"Really? Did i?" He continued to inspect his Glock 16 pistol.

"Don't feign! You said it back at the meeting.. that i should safeguard the equipments!"

"I only said it that way because i knew it'd stop you from protesting further. Though i will not deny that I'm not interested in the message that you received." He stocked up his fanny pack with bullets and hid them underneath his thick coat. "Let me know what you discover."

Ran caught up on the idea that he was being used by Fein. It made blood rush upto his head. His teeth gritted and fists tightened.

Don't get too high, Fein! You're using ne only because I'm letting you!

He stomped away from Fein's sight with no more words said. Fein didn't need to foresee, he knew Ran would be up to something as well. But did it bother him? No.

"I know its pointless but take care outside. Be careful of the amount of time you use. We need you back in three days." Said Eudimor.

Fein tapped on his gloves and replied. "If we don't make it back before the third night, just assume us dead and continue with the mission."

With a grim tone he said "okay."

All the scavengers gathered under the pit to bid them farewell. It became a tradition because it might be the last goodbye they'll be saying to each other. No words of hope or 'see you again', just a plain 'goodbye' and 'I wish all of you to thrive'. Things that a soldier would say before they'd leave for war.

As they departed into the mist of fading sunlight, their hearts burdened with heavy weight. It was as if a truckload of boulders were pressing down their hearts.

It was a heaviness that couldn't be shaken off just by clenching your fist on your chest. It'll keep constricting your throat with restlessness.

Donna and Fein both dashed in harmony with Fein following after her. He inspected the ruins and buildings all with his eyes. Oddly there were some crows flocking over the ruins. Some were resting and a few waited like hunters, sitting on the rubbles.

I thought all the birds went extinct either for dragons or for undeads. Absurdly they are still alive.

Uncannily a crow, a little closer to them, glared at Fein, slowing him down in his way. Rather than flying away to their tapping noise of boots, the bird remained.

What does it want, wondered Fein.

"Are you alright Fein?" Donna glanced at him from the sharp end of her eyes. "Do you need rest?"

"No. Its alright…" that he said but his voice was definitely shaking. "I can keep up."

"If you say so."

His focus shifted from the bird to that shoulder broadened with thick clothes running ahead of him.

The woman in front of me should be in her early 30s. Her appearance doesn't describe her as someone who's used to actions. She must've learnt to use her weapon to survive in the disaster.

Even so…

His eyes somewhat glimmered with respect for her.

Within a small time, she pulled herself together and built up. Even i can't keep up with her despite possessing average stamina.

He resumed running together with the lady. Soon it got darker. They shifted from running to walking steadily.

The dragons have started to surf the grey skies. Donna and Fein proceeded with extreme caution under the dim moonlight.

At this time of the night even undeads start to hide. They might lack intelligence, but they were aware of their predators.

"The night has gotten darker. We have covered most of the distance. So I think it would be fine if we hid until dawn." Suggested the lady with her hands on her waist.

"Sure. But where should we go? If we enter the wrong place, we might end up going right into the undead's diner."

His spine shivered as he remembered the time he slept next to a body that the undeads were feasting on at his place.

Recalling that awful memory his lips formed a triangle and the brows wrinkled with disgust.

"I know just the right place."

As expected of a scavenger, she knew exactly where to hide.

Fein decided to rely on the lady. Somewhere in his brain he believed that she wasn't a person who'd leave him in danger. It was fine to follow her.

Following her trail Fein entered a building. It was unnaturally mostly intact. Even the elevator worked. They stepped into the elevator and pressed a floor on the top.

"Did you know of this place?"

"Well. This is the place where i worked before." She smiled. "I know the security system of this place very well."

"I see." So she worked in an office at the outskirts of this town. Her house might've been somewhere near here. Then.. Why was she in the hideout so far away?

The doors of the elevator opened on the sixth floor. Fein allowed her to enter her office first then stepped out from the elevator later.

"Hey, Fein." She looked over her shoulder. "Do you mind staying alone for some time? I'll be right back."

He nodded. "Alright. I'll look for a way to shut the elevator and seal off any entrances."

Donna raised her hand and patted his head before leaving. "You're a good boy."

It startled Fein. He was unprepared for such affection. He hadn't felt the warmth for years. Then suddenly someone complimented him.

His ears turned red. He had no idea he was so starved for affection. He hid his embarrassing face behind his hand.

No!

He rubbed his face.

I cannot be shaken with these feelings now. I've to block any entrances for undeads. I should get to work.

The moment he stepped a foot ahead, his nose started to bleed, his vision flashed and his goosebumps raised.

It was another vision!