Weapon System in Zombie Apocalypse-Chapter 29: Their Next Objective

Thomas sat at the large oak desk in the Conrad Hotel's command office, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the polished surface.

Phillip entered and closed the door behind him and stepped forward, placing a tablet on the desk.

"Morning, sir," Phillip greeted.

Thomas nodded. "Morning. Have a seat. We've got a lot to discuss."

Phillip pulled out a chair and sat down, handing the tablet over to Thomas. "Here's the latest supply report. We've done an inventory of all food, water, ammunition, and medical supplies. We're in decent shape for now, but if we keep taking in more survivors and maintaining the operations tempo we've had, we'll run dry within two to three months."

Thomas swiped through the data, his brow furrowing. The numbers weren't encouraging, but they weren't disastrous either—yet. They had to act before things deteriorated. "Two to three months isn't good enough. If we're going to keep this place running and take care of our people, we need more than that. I'm not interested in just scraping by."

"Agreed," Phillip said. "The good news is, we've identified a potential solution. There's a Landers Supermarket about five kilometers northeast of here. It's a large complex—warehouse-style. If we can secure it, we're looking at up to six months' worth of non-perishable food supplies, maybe more depending on what's still intact."

Thomas leaned back in his chair, considering the plan. "Five kilometers is a manageable distance. What do we know about the area?"

"Well we don't know yet. We haven't reconned the area. I was hoping you could give us a military drone that can survey it."

"Okay, what type of drones are you looking for? I'm sure it won't be a drone that needs runway."

Phillip nodded, understanding Thomas's point. "Exactly. We don't need anything too large or complex. Ideally, something tactical—short takeoff or vertical launch capability. We're thinking along the lines of a VTOL drone or a rotary-wing UAV. Something like the MQ-8 Fire Scout or the RQ-11 Raven. It should give us real-time reconnaissance without drawing too much attention."

Thomas pondered for a moment. "I have a few options in the system shop."

Thomas opened the system interface, scrolling through the available options in the shop. The interface presented him with a variety of drones, each equipped with different capabilities.

[System Shop Options:

MQ-8 Fire Scout (VTOL, equipped with high-resolution optics and thermal imaging, operational range: 15 kilometers) – Cost: 300,000 Blood Coins

RQ-11 Raven (Portable hand-launch UAV, real-time surveillance, effective range: 10 kilometers) – Cost: 75,000 Blood Coins

PD-4 Recon Falcon (Advanced quadcopter drone with enhanced stealth and long-duration flight capability, operational range: 12 kilometers) – Cost: 150,000 Blood Coins]

Thomas clicked on the PD-4 Recon Falcon's details, nodding in approval as he read its capabilities. "This one fits our needs. It's designed for stealth, has a solid operational range, and provides long-duration surveillance."

He selected the drone and finalized the purchase.

[System Notification:

PD-4 Recon Falcon purchased successfully.

150,000 Blood Coins deducted from account.

Drone deployed to Conrad Hotel Helipad.]

Phillip raised an eyebrow at the price. "150,000 Blood Coins, huh? That's a hefty cost, but I'd say it's worth it."

"It's not about the cost," Thomas replied. "It's about survival. If this drone helps us secure those supplies without losing anyone, it'll pay for itself. Now, let's set up the rig for the drone in another room where we can monitor the area without interruptions," Thomas continued. He stood from the desk and motioned for Phillip to follow. Together, they made their way through the corridors of the Conrad, eventually reaching the control center—a spacious room equipped with multiple monitors, communication arrays, and tactical planning tools.

Technicians were already waiting for them. One of the operators greeted Thomas with a salute before gesturing to the primary monitor. "Sir, the PD-4 Recon Falcon is operational. We're ready to begin the live feed."

"Good. Let's get a full sweep of the area surrounding Landers," Thomas ordered, taking a seat near the central display.

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The screen lit up, providing a bird's-eye view as the drone smoothly navigated the city skyline. The onboard camera captured a mix of eerie stillness and ominous movement. Abandoned streets stretched below, vehicles left in disarray, and signs of past conflicts were evident—burnt-out husks of cars, barricades, and dried bloodstains marking various intersections. Here and there, small groups of zombies staggered aimlessly, though none appeared organized or in large hordes yet.

"Increase altitude slightly," Phillip instructed. "Let's see if we can spot any major clusters."

The drone obeyed, climbing to a safer height and tilting its camera downward. The surrounding buildings loomed in the feed, casting long shadows in the early morning light. After a few minutes, the Landers Supermarket came into view. The building was massive, with a large parking lot in front that showed signs of decay—overgrown weeds and shattered glass from looted cars.

"Switch to thermal imaging," Thomas requested.

The screen shifted to a heat-based display, revealing glowing signatures within the supermarket. Several scattered humanoid shapes moved slowly through the aisles inside. However, there were no signs of a concentrated horde, which was a relief.

"Looks like there are still some hostiles inside," Phillip muttered. "But nothing unmanageable. Could be zombies, or maybe stragglers from other survivor groups."

Thomas nodded, analyzing the thermal data. "It's too quiet, though. We need to proceed cautiously. They might be dormant, but any sudden noise could wake them up and trigger a swarm."

The drone continued its survey, circling the perimeter of the supermarket. They identified key entry points, including a front entrance, two side loading docks, and a rear emergency exit. Nearby, a few alleyways and side streets could potentially be used for tactical positioning.

"We'll need a strike team to secure these entry points," Thomas said. "One squad at the front entrance, another covering the loading docks, and a third holding the emergency exit. If things go south, we'll need a clear path for retreat and extraction."

Phillip tapped a few notes on his tablet. "Agreed. We'll need at least three fireteams, fully equipped. One team can handle initial breach and recon inside while the others secure the perimeter."

Thomas continued observing the feed as the drone completed its surveillance sweep. "No signs of rival survivor groups nearby?"

"None so far," one of the technicians replied. "If anyone was camped near the supermarket, they're either gone or staying hidden."

"Good. We might have the element of surprise on our side." Thomas leaned back slightly, his mind already planning the operation in detail. "Now, to increase our chance of success, we'll have to lure the zombies out from the supermarket using a loud noise. We'll drop bombs on random areas and the loud noise it produces should be enough for the zombies to be drawn out."

"And what hardware are we using here in this mission?" Phillip asked.

"We'll go in by air as it is difficult to get there by foot or vehicle due to the road being blocked."

"Copy that sir—let's get to preparation."