Chapter 238 Island in the North Part 2
"Specter-1 to Globemaster Charlie-Three-Niner," Graves radioed.
"This is Globemaster Charlie-Three-Niner, send traffic," the pilot responded, his tone equally professional.
Graves adjusted his stance, ensuring his voice was clear over the comm. "Globemaster, we have a humanitarian situation on Fuga Island. Coordinates for supply drop are as follows: 19.2830° N, 121.9398° E. Request immediate dispatch of relief supplies. Over."
There was a brief pause before the pilot replied, "Copy that, Specter-1. Preparing for supply drop at designated coordinates. ETA five minutes. Over."
"Specter-1 acknowledges, Charlie-Three-Niner. We will secure the drop zone. Over and out."
"Let's set up for the drop," Richard said, his eyes scanning the open area that would serve as the drop zone. "We need to ensure the supplies land safely and are distributed effectively."
Together, Richard and Graves moved swiftly, their advanced suits allowing them to cover the terrain with ease. They positioned themselves strategically, ensuring a clear line of sight to the sky and an unobstructed area for the cargo to land.
As the time for the drop approached, the distant rumble of the C-17 Globemaster could be heard, growing louder as it neared. The villagers gathered, their gazes turning skyward. Children clung to their parents, while the elderly leaned on makeshift canes, all watching the sky in anticipation.
The C-17, a massive silhouette against the morning sky, approached the drop zone. Its rear cargo doors were open, revealing the pallets of supplies secured within. The pilot expertly maneuvered the aircraft, reducing altitude and aligning with the drop coordinates.
Inside the aircraft, the loadmaster stood ready, his eyes fixed on the green light that would signal the release.
As the Globemaster flew over the drop zone, the green light flicked on. "Go!" shouted the loadmaster. Immediately, the crew pushed the pallets out of the aircraft. Each pallet, rigged with a GPS-guided parachute system, sailed out of the cargo bay and into the open sky.
The villagers watched in awe as the pallets descended, their parachutes deploying with a snap, slowing their descent. The GPS guidance systems steered the pallets toward the designated landing area, ensuring a precise drop.
Richard and Graves stood ready, monitoring the descent. As the pallets touched down, the impact was softened by the shock-absorbing material on the bottom, preventing damage to the contents.
"Perfect drop," Richard murmured, his eyes on the pallets.
The villagers rushed forward, but Richard raised his hand. "Wait! Let us check for safety first."
He and Graves quickly moved to the pallets, scanning them for any signs of damage or hazard. Satisfied that the supplies were secure, Richard signaled the villagers to approach.
Men and women hurried to the pallets, unstrapping the bindings and uncovering the contents. Boxes of food, medical supplies, and essential goods were revealed, much to the relief of the islanders.
"Form lines! We'll distribute these orderly," Richard instructed, his voice authoritative yet calm. Paolo helped with the translation and the villagers complied, forming queues as Richard and Graves oversaw the distribution.
As the supplies were handed out, the air filled with murmurs of gratitude. Children clutched packets of food, their eyes wide with wonder. The elderly received medical supplies, their expressions softening with relief.
"Okay, this is worth it," Richard murmured. He approached Paolo and asked. "So, is this situation the same on other islands? Like, do you communicate with the
other islands here?"
Paolo nodded his head. "We use boats to reach them, and we sometimes trade food and medicine. But the situation here is the same as the island there," he pointed towards the north, indicating the direction of the neighboring islands. "They too are struggling with food and medicine shortages."
"Well don't worry, because we are going to get you out of here and transport all of you to New Clark City," Richard assured him.
"Is it real that the mainland is infested with…zombies?" Paolo asked hesitantly.
Richard met Paolo's gaze, his expression solemn. "Yes, it's true. The mainland has been overrun by what we call 'infected'. It's a dangerous place, but we've established a safe zone in New Clark City. It's secure and well-defended. It's a place where you would feel that the apocalypse didn't even happen."
Paolo's eyes widened at the confirmation. "And you can really take us all there? To safety?"
Graves chimed in, "That's the plan. We're setting up transportation to move everyone safely. Speaking of which sir, I think you should arrange their transportation."
"Right," Richard said. "I'll be leaving the island for a bit, in the meantime. You'll handle everything from here. If they have questions, assistance, anything, just radio me."
Graves nodded. "Understood. I'll take care of things here."
With that, Richard put his helmet on and then decided to give one of the features of the Titan's Guard Mark II a try. It's a flight capability. Activating the system, Richard felt the suit's engines come to life, a low hum resonating through the armor. He crouched slightly, preparing for takeoff.
"Testing the flight system," Richard informed Graves, who gave a thumbs up in response.
With a burst of power, Richard lifted off the ground, the anti-gravity technology of the Titan's Guard Mark II propelling him upwards. He soared into the sky, gaining altitude quickly but steadily.
On the ground, Paolo had his mouth agape, watching in amazement as Richard ascended into the sky. The other villagers also stared in awe, their eyes tracking the flying figure until he was just a speck in the distance.
Richard tested the maneuverability of the suit, banking left and right, ascending and descending. The suit responded with remarkable agility, and its flight system was stable and responsive. He circled the island once, ensuring he had a good feel for the suit's capabilities. He also noted the speed, which is equivalent to fourth to fifth-generation fighter aircraft.
After a few minutes of flight, Richard set his course to Aparri Port. As he approached the port, he reduced his altitude, scanning the area for a suitable landing spot. He identified an open space near the port's main buildings and descended gracefully, the suit's engines humming softly as he touched down.
Once on the ground, Richard deactivated the flight system and from there, zombies in the area began scrambling towards him, attracted by the noise of his arrival. Instinctively, Richard activated another feature of the Titan's Guard Mark II - the plasma blades. With a flick of his wrists, the plasma blades extended from the suit's gauntlets, their blue hue glowing intensely against the daylight.
The zombies, mindless and driven by their insatiable hunger, continued to advance toward Richard. He took a defensive stance, preparing to engage. The first zombie lunged at him, its grotesque features contorted in a feral snarl. Richard expertly maneuvered, slicing through the creature with a swift motion of his plasma blade. The zombie fell to the ground, effectively neutralized.
More zombies approached, but Richard sliced and hacked them with ease. The blade easily cuts through their body as if the blade is not cutting anything but air.
After the threat was neutralized, Richard opened his system navigated to the shop tab, and then browsed the naval vessels. This is the first time he is going to purchase a ship so this is another experience for him.
"Okay…let's see."
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