The next morning.
Lilith was currently making a healthy breakfast with the abundant amount of food at the base.
Atkinson couldn't find anything fresh except for a few canned foods, beans, dried meat and rice: food that has a long shelf life.
Unlike Atkinson, the family needs to eat fruits and vegetables every once in a while to stay healthy and not get diseases.
Those foods do not have all of the essential minerals and vitamins. Hoping that EverMart food shop chain was not raided completely yet, he decides to clear out the entire preserved foods section.
There are no showers in the bank so he used half of the bottled water little by little to wash his body.
He decided that he would only wash his body when he starts to stink or every week. The family haven't showered for days so they showered last night with 4 bottled waters!
It might seem that Atkinson doesn't have a lot of fresh water in storage but he actually does, as more people will be joining his base, the water and food supply will be depleted very quickly.
So conserving as much food as possible is vital.
"Mom, is there any milk?" Cam asks as he chows down on his canned ground beef with pasta. He had never enjoyed such delicacy in a month.
"Sure, I'll go ask Mr. Young to see if he has any," Lilith replies gently as she cleans her hand from cooking.
Atkinson gives her a nod and an insectoid zombie hands her three cans of evaporated milk in a can.
Meanwhile, Jacob is working with insectoid humans outside clearing out the fire trucks. Atkinson allowed five insectoid humans to protect and work under the family.
He made them wear motorcycle helmets and civilian clothes so they won't be confused with zombies not controlled by Atkinson.
There isn't as much room in the fire trucks as one would expect.
Jacob was a little surprised by the sheer number of various compartments on the sides of the fire trucks.
Towards the back, there is a small
There is actually one firefighter suit or bunker suit with a built-in bullet proof vest. Jacob was excited, although the suit is heavy, his body can definitely handle it.
It'll protect him against bites, claws and even save his life if someone shoots him.
"Please, Mr. Young come eat with us," Lilith said, "isn't it awkward to watch us eat?"
"Erm, yes ok sure," Atkinson was looking outside at Jacob and his crew, "then please just call me Atkinson since we'll be living under the same roof."
"Yes, come eat with us Atkinson!" Cam spoke enthusiastically with a mouthful of his second plate of ground beef and pasta.
Atkinson took an office chair and sat opposite of them.
After they were done eating and cleaning. Lilith and Cam followed Atkinson outside to meet up with Jacob for today's mission.
Jacob just finished clearing all the random supplies in the fire trucks into the basement. He left the medkits, cleaning supplies and a few tools.
"Atkinson, what are we doing today?" Jacob asks as he hugs Cam up in the air.
"Alright, since we always need food so it's important that we search and find as much as we can everyday" instructed Atkinson.
"I'll have my zombies to get more large refrigerators so we can store more food for the long term, the generator is in good condition so energy is not worried"
"We will need more electricity when our numbers increase," Atkinson added, "I will assign 10 insectoid humans to protect you guys from other zombies and people."
"Cam has to come with us as well?" Jacob asks, "Not to put you down Cam, but you won't be able to help us, it's dangerous work.
"No, I highly recommend you guys go together to get used to seeing the ugliness of zombies and humans," Atkinson explains, "this way, if you guys are ever by yourselves, the chances for survival is higher. Cam has to learn early on the ways of surviving in the apocalypse"
"I ain't god, so I can't promise that if one day I'm gone you guys are going to survive much longer"
"He's right Jacob, now that we have powerful bodyguards, it's like training in a way" Lilith listens and believes in the philosophy that nature is better than nurture.
She doesn't want Cam to grow up weak and trapped in his safe bubble that could easily be popped when they are gone.
Jacob realizes and agrees with Lilith. They pack some canned foods and gas for trade in case they encounter enabled survivors who might not be so friendly.
In the head of the fire truck, there are two rows of two seats so there is plenty of room despite the bulky gadgets.
Lilith is actually a native of this city, Qubert, so she knows all of the major locations like malls, stadiums and schools etc.
"You know Jacob, when the incendiary bombs came I thought we were goners," Lilith says, "I think we must've hit the jackpot finding someone like Mr. Young."
"Yeah, the government was supposed to save us, rescue us, protect us… I guess in the wild nature, all civility and laws disappears" Jacob sighs in disappointment.
Cam was dozing off in the back with a teddy bear and a blanket. Eating too much makes one drowsy.
As for the insectoid humans, they clung around the fire truck.
There wasn't much to talk about. So after a couple of hours of driving past blockades and changing courses from small hordes of zombies, they finally reached the shopping center where the EverMart is located.
As they drove into the shopping center, they saw what looked like an extremely large base.
What seems like hundreds of people going to and fro buying and selling items. Some were carrying corpses of zombies while others were hauling other goods.
Those people drove around in trucks and vans. As for everyone else, they rode makeshift wagons connected to bikes.
Very ingenious.
When they entered through the entrance, an arch, almost everyone's head turned around simultaneously.
Instantly a commotion was heard.
"Woah, look at that fire truck! It's got those insectoid humans clinging on the side!"
"Really crazy, did someone tame those zombies!?"
"Must be a powerful force to use diesel like this… definitely not gonna mess with them"
Some got closer to the fire truck, while others huddled together in conversion.
The shopping center is a plaza surrounded by parking lots . There were check-in stations that aren't used anymore and the parking lot area has been converted to makeshift trading and gathering areas.
The EverMart isn't far to reach, but it looks heavily guarded. People on the roofs with binoculars and guns showed their might.
Jacob told Lilith and Cam to stay in the fire truck and pull up the shaders. He isn't stupid, he knows that women and children will definitely be targetted and end up in horrible situations.
Before the apocalypse he had actually been part of a non-profit organization for freeing modern-day slaves from the underground markets. [ED: not fun fact, the underground world exists and there are sadly modern-day slaves. Do NOT dig too deep into them, donate to organizations]
The average normal people would never hear of it and dealing with or against the underground world is extremely dangerous.
When laws backed by a civil society don't exist anymore, the underground world is bound to open its evil jaws.