12 Presidential Broadcast

"It's nothing too fancy but it's enough to give you a little bit of a headstart compared to everybody outside. It has a revolver chambered in .38 Special with a box of extra rounds, a fixed blade knife, a radio, a flashlight, a first aid kit, some water, and rations for a couple of days," I said as I held the bag firmly, eventually letting go when Nathan grasped it fully.

"This much? Boss..." Nathan trailed, looking at the contents of the bag as he opened it.

He was about to return a few items but I pushed the bag onto his body with a bit of force, "No. Listen, what's in there isn't even enough for a bug-out bag. I want to give you more but that's all I could spare for someone leaving. I really wanted you and your family to stay but if you wanted to leave, that's your decision."

Nathan scratched the side of his head as he looked down, "Sorry, Boss. I really don't have anyone here besides you all, and you know I'll stick with you any given day but Jane has everyone in Novaliches. I… I can't just ask her to not be with her family but Boss, thanks for everything. If… If something ever happens, I hope you still take us back."

"Sure. The earlier you get back, the better, but if the rest of her family doesn't want to leave their place, dig deep, secure all of your resources, and keep an eye on everything that's happening. However, if something ever goes wrong, we're always at Channel 9."

After that, the two of us shared a handshake but when I glanced at Nathan's wife, she looked pissed off and still seemed to be half-doubting what was about to come. However, I found it surprising that he managed to convince her to hunker down with her family.

I could only hope that their decision to go someplace else doesn't bite them in the ass and be lucky enough to survive this thing. It didn't take long before we bid our goodbyes then they drove off as I went back inside.

"Uhh… Umm… H-Hey, Boss…" I heard someone from behind as I was walking back to my house.

I looked back and saw Ariel, scratching his bald head and still sweating from unloading the supplies that arrived for the nth time.

"Yeah? What is it?"

"I'm also thinking of leaving..."

"You too?" I sighed as I scratched the side of my head.

One of my workers heard what Ariel said and he immediately walked up to us with a disgruntled expression. It was Mark, he had long blank hair tied to a tight ponytail and he was a few inches shorter than me. He was fit and muscular and he had tanned skin. His sweat was also invading the tank top he was wearing due to unloading all of the items our vehicles would bring inside the compound.

"Dude! I'm telling you, it's an eight-hour drive there. You don't even know if she's still there or even if she will come with you." Mark argued, annoyed.

"I know, but I'd still need to try," Ariel said with the same expression Nathan did when he told me that he would leave.

"Dumb fuck, your funeral," Mark said as he shook his head in disbelief and stormed off.

Ariel just watched Mark leave us without talking back to him. He just wore a complex expression as he waited for my answer. However, I felt like whatever I said, he would still go out and try his chances.

"You sure?"

"Yes, Boss. I should be there for her."

Ariel was talking about his daughter that he left with his relatives. He left her when she was still a baby but he was sending money from different odd jobs until he met my parents and worked for them, and now me. His daughter had no knowledge of him being her father and all she knew was that someone's been sending her to school and sending money like a sponsor every now and then. That was why Mark asked if his daughter would even recognize him.

"Boss... if she comes with me, can she stay here? This would be the safest place I could think of," Ariel said as he looked at me with a solemn expression.

I thought for a while before I replied, "I think it would be better for you to go further into the provinces and head to General Luna, Quezon. It won't be a short trip but it would be much closer than coming back here. Besides, Unc Junior and Aunt Michelle will be there and they won't turn you away and your daughter."

"T-That sounds great, Boss… W-Where is it a-again?"

"Alright, come with me first."

I led him to my house and drew him a map and gave him a bag that contained the same items I gave to Nathan. He thanked me and gave me a very deep bow before he departed.

'I hope you guys are lucky enough...' I thought to myself.

After a while, Unc Conrad, who was Aunt Sharon's husband, came home. He was taller by a foot than Jared and he had long hair and a full beard, and he was always wearing a calm expression but mostly kept to himself. He also brought back supplies and several cases of hard liquor which was heavily celebrated by the group. He was welcomed by his wife and his kids and he was later introduced to the newcomers.

'Everyone's doing good so far. We need to hoard everything that we can before it gets here...'

Everyone was busy working on something but I checked my phone momentarily for any messages or emails the people that haven't reached this place might've sent to me. However, there were still no messages then I felt someone tapping a few times on my back.

When I turned around, I discovered that it was Rin holding a notebook and a bunch of scratch paper.

"Yeah?"

"U-Umm… Sir, I made a little draft of the inventory system that you told me to make. I think the one I did here might be a good start…"

"Oh? Let's see then…" I said as I went to her side so she could show me her work.

"Ah— Right, what I did is I made separate sheets for each house, room, storage area, and facility but there's a master list that would have everything listed alphabetically AND by category. Can you see the tags here, sir?"

"Uh-huh."

"I'm planning to stick them or include them with each list to easily identify them but there will also be subcategories to further identify each item we have; be it for food, equipment, medical supply, guns, etc. Sir Oscar helped me with naming the weapons and vehicles properly but I'm still struggling with the categories he suggested I place them in. I'll learn them soon but I won't be able to list everything in this system that we'll make…"

"Hmm? How so?"

"I don't have access to your r-room, sir… A-Are you gonna do it yourself or… should I not include it?" Rin was jitteringly waiting for my answer but I asked to borrow her notebook so I could have a closer look.

"May I?"

"S-Sure…"

I flipped through her designs and some of her ideas that she would implement if certain criteria were met, and I was just smiling from ear to ear. What Rin did with the notebook was an artwork in itself. I couldn't even give much pointers—aside from changing the categories Oscar gave her—because she did it the way I would do it.

I just gave her a pat on the back then I handed her a spare key to my room.

"Here, update your records and your designs once more but keep a tight lid on the number of our guns and ammunition. Keep that on a separate list and don't show it to anyone. Anyway, good job. I wouldn't have done it any other way."

"Y-Yes, sir! Thank you!" Rin gave a faint smile before she excused herself.

I looked at my watch and it was almost 4:00 PM

Everyone was still busy doing their own thing but I took a seat on my porch. Zeus eventually found his way towards me then he approached me and laid his head over my lap. His tail was slightly wagging as I caressed his golden fur.

"Open the gates!" Oscar shouted from the other side of the gate.

"Coming!" Lois replied.

The vehicles they brought out just arrived from another run and my workers helped with unloading them. Our storage areas were already full of supplies and we were already using empty rooms or open spaces to store them.

'Everything is almost ready.' I thought to myself.

I was about to help them when Kaley sat down next to me. She placed her arm over my shoulders and she leaned close. I looked back at her and she gave me a smile.

"It still feels like what happened earlier was a dream..." Kaley muttered.

"Yeah, I—" before I finished what I was about to say, a blaring sound assaulted our ears.

It was a deep humming sound at first then it got higher and higher, almost unbearable to the ears if listened to for long. They were the sirens that would only sound for emergency situations like when the super typhoon Ondoy came to the Philippines in 2009.

It rang for a few minutes before it stopped but the look on everyone's faces changed. All of a sudden, the door behind us opened and Olivia rushed out.

"Guys, come here! Check the TV! QUICK!"

Everyone stopped what they were doing as we all rushed to my house.

The president was on the screen, geared with protective equipment, with an M16 hung on his shoulder by a sling. The soldiers behind him were also equipped with the same gear and they were all ready for war.

A person from behind the camera gave the president a signal and he started to speak through the mic.

[Philippines, this is the president speaking. I hereby declare this country, effective immediately, in Martial Law! In a few hours, military personnel and the DDR, which stands for the Department of Disaster Resilience, will be deployed and stationed at select places in every city and province. Several countries have already declared a state of emergency and they have set up FEMA Camps like our DDR Camps. All concerned civilians are required to head to these places for the military's protection. These camps will have food, water, housing, and emergency medical services.]

'A little late but better late than never...' I thought to myself.

[The government is doing its best to contain this… this… pandemic and everyone's cooperation is of utmost importance. The information that the US has given us is that signs that a person is infected are erratic movements, bloodshot eyes, high fever, violent behavior, dark veins on the skin, and increased strength and speed in a few cases. We are constantly monitoring and studying the infected to get more information and we are exchanging it with every country possible.]

'Is it the same for every country?'

[Do not, I repeat, do not attempt to save or try to talk to the infected! If you see any signs or any doubts that someone is, inform us or the closest soldier immediately! Only take care of it if you're armed and if it's only by itself. A bullet or a strong blow to the head instantly kills these fuckers so you should aim for that. Avoid a large group if you're greatly outnumbered and don't be ashamed to run and regroup when necessary. However, the last thing I want is a stupid son of a bitch endangering himself and everyone because he felt sorry for them. I'll fucking kill you myself if I discovered anyone doing that! They're already dead and making sure they stay down is the best thing you could do for them.]

'Ruthless as usual...'

[My advice for everyone not able to go to our DDR Camps is to conserve what you have, secure your area, form groups, and stay level-headed at all times. If you're not able to fight with them, avoid going out as much as possible. A mention of a cure or a vaccine is not coming any time soon but the CDC and other organizations said that they have started to work on it. However, I need to be honest with all of you. That kind of thing would take time and we need to rely on ourselves until this cure is available. This will be a hard road ahead and I won't fucking sugarcoat it.]

[In any case, keep yourself healthy because we would rely mostly on our bodies in this type of situation. Also, not just a bite or a scratch will infect you as also mentioned by CDC. There have been multiple reports of people that recently died due to an accident, sickness, or natural causes rising up from the dead. So, if you are staying near a hospital or even a cemetery, leave that place immediately. Before I forget, to those who have special cases like needing Insulin or other shots, I suggest you stockpile or head to our DDR Camps to get them. Lastly, this would not be the last broadcast and we would continue doing this every day as much as possible.]

The president gave a proper salute to everyone then the broadcast was replaced with reporters repeating what the president said over and over on different channels. After that, instructions to get to the closest DDR Camps and basic survival guides were what followed and it was now on repeat.

I took a deep breath and looked at everyone.

All of them were silent and just glued to the screen. Most of them were worried but there were a select few that had the same eyes like mine.

'As expected, it's the normal response.' I thought to myself.

Oscar stood up and said, "We have a little more time left before we lock this whole place down, is everybody here?"

Unc Zeidrick stood up and said, "My family's running a little late but I already sent them messages and calls. Charlene is with Izzy at the noodle factory while Russel is at the gas station just outside the highway."

"Your wife, daughter, and your son? Kid, come with him and fetch them immediately. I'll go for one more run to get more supplies," Oscar said.

"Yeah, I'll bring the sedan," I replied as I fetched the keys for it.

After a short bit, Unc Zeidrick and I hopped on the sedan and drove outside. We could feel the added pressure in the air and the scenery outside was entirely different after the broadcast. There was a lot of running and shouting and we saw a lot of shops immediately closing down.

Unc Zeidrick dropped me off at the gas station to look for Russel while he drove ahead to fetch his wife and daughter.

A huge number of people were swarming the small convenience store on the gas station, either buying everything they could or blatantly stealing as they grabbed what they could carry.

I saw Russel in a scuffle with a shoplifter and he was almost ripping the guy's shirt off by pulling him back. However, the guy wouldn't let go of what he stole even if he was almost naked. I pulled him off of the guy and the guy ran off with a few packs of ramen.