Apocalypse Notebook 3

Saturday night.

Jason ignored the incoming call, silencing the ring. The old man was probably steaming with rage on seeing the accounts emptied.

Who cares, though? After tonight, he would rise to become a kingpin in the city.

He placed his precious materials into the leather backpack and pulled the string tight. Flipping and buckling the cover, he sighed.

No matter how much he prepared, drained his funds, and maxed his cards, butterflies flapped in his stomach.

The descent of the red mist, heralding the apocalypse, filled him with dread. A stray bullet might end all his preparations, and an infected touch might terminate his life.

"Hello?"

"Babe, where are you?"

"Be there soon. Have you gathered the girls I asked?"

"You mean half the cheerleading team and the eye candies?"

"That's the ones. We're going to have a blast tonight."

"Babe, I don't know what orgy you have planned, but some of these girls won't play."

"Who won't play? Didn't you forget how I got you? See you soon."

Jason ended the call.

Breathing in and exhaling it all out, he raised his head.

He stepped, butchered, blackmailed, and tortured his way to a despot.

This time, he would do it in style.

Riding the elevator down to the basement parking lot, he jumped into the U-Haul occupying his reserved spot. He had traded in his BMW for this crammed-to-the-brim baby.

After a few lights over and a little traffic backlog, he arrived at his destination.

Jason parked the U-Haul in the alley and tossed the key into his backpack. Nodding at the containers and crates sitting along the narrow lane, he turned to face the large gates of the research center.

This building housed some sort of biogenetic research lab and medical faculty. He didn't waste time searching its history. What he knew was that the building possessed the infrastructure that withstood the test of five years of dystopia.

From here, he had a cool walk to the warehouse two blocks away.

His phone rang,

"Hey, what's up?"

"Don't what's up, Jason. Where did you have your girl drag my girlfriend off to? You'd better not be testing me, man."

"Hey Hank, chill man, aren't we friends? Where are you, by the way?"

"Where else? I'm down at this club, you told me to meet you. Larry and Gil are here also."

"Nice, I'll see you by one man, put the tabs on me."

Jason smirked while ending the call.

The club in the West Village was the one with the most amount of turnings. That area proved to be a hot spot.

Those three were instrumental in trying to usurp and question his authority during the shaky early days when he killed Domingo. They always wanted a share in everything he owned. Sure, he used them, but he could do without their assistance.

For those whom he knew and had no need for, he planned to ruthlessly cut them away.

He dialed up the few cronies who were born subordinates.

These were those whom he knew and found throughout the years. They belonged to the members who unsuspectingly acted as cannon fodder during the last battle.

Confirming they were home or alone in the dorms, he sighed.

Good help was hard to find.

*

Manager Will wiped across his balding head while looking under the lighted magnifying glass.

Signing in frustration, he raised his head.

"Qin, see if you can figure it out. There is a misalignment of the pin and chamber. I'm afraid that it might even end up killing the owner when fired."

The middle-aged man stood up and wiped his hands with a nearby towel.

"I'm going to the loading bay to handle the paperwork for the delivery. If Mr Fallam arrives, lead him to the rear office.

"Ok, Boss. But I have to be home by eleven."

"Come on, man. We both know you live alone. You're just heading home to play those games you young nerd play."

The thin young man sighed. This Boss of his really knew how to stretch overtime.

He sat down at the desk but decided to take the firearm with him to the counter at the front. That way, if the customer arrived, he just had to unlock the door.

Qin switched on a small desk lamp and fiddled with the device, careful to leave the loaded clip on the side. Truthfully, he had no idea what the Boss wanted him to find. It had only been two months since he was hired, and the store didn't even have a front sign.

Most items were bought online and required shipping. He was hired because of his software and computing skills. This part-time job helped pay the bills and fund his university tuition.

A tap on the glass door had him raise his head.

The person appeared to be about his age and dressed in a cloak with a brown leather knapsack on his shoulder.

Qin left the counter and walked to the door.

"Mr Fallam?"

"That's me. Mr Will, the manager, is expecting me about the cargo delivery tonight."

Opening the door, he ushered the well-dressed man inside. One look indicated he was from a home of wealth.

"Give me a second. I have to close the shutters and lock the door."

Jason nodded as he watched the man.

"Do you lock the shutters from the inside?"

"Yes, Mr Will is one who likes to come early and open the store from the entrance beside the loading bay."

"Ok."

Qin completed his securing of the front of the store before ushering the young man to follow.

Both left the front and walked down the hallway to the rear loading dock.

Jason followed the unsuspecting young man, scanning the layout as they walked. The shop at the front occupied a small area of the building. Through a short corridor and another door, they entered a large warehouse.

A large loading bay, with wide shelves crammed with crates covered in shrink wrap, taped cardboard boxes, and batches of sealed drums, came into view.

They walked down a marked yellow path to a small enclosed office.

The spectacled clerk knocked on the door and entered,

"Mr Will, the client Mr Fallam is here."

The stocky bald man rose from behind the desk with a beaming smile.

"Mr Fallam. Welcome sir. I hope you had a good day."

Jason nodded after seeing the overstocked warehouse,

"A great day, I must say."

ccc