It’s Not Easy Making Money In the Apocalypse – V6 - Chapter 11

“Tsk… Cock and Balls, it’s just a name, and a rather dumb one.” Scoria scoffed, nodding at Kane. “I hate to say this, but I agree with this skinny bastard. They managed to hold onto the building standing on the corpses of countless others. I mean, had they managed to get any real technology, would they just be one of the top five raider groups? They’d be the only raider group. If they found any technology of value, they’d be one of the top forces of Argos city.”

“Exactly!” Jacques snapped his fingers. “They haven’t shown a force. This either means they haven’t found the technology yet or they have yet to figure out how to use the technology that they found.”

Scoria shook her head hesitantly. “There is no saying there is any technology left to steal…”

“Have any of you heard of any technology leaking from Allco?” Jacques asked, looking at each of the four of us. “Don’t you think if someone had gotten that technology, it would have become known?”

“The brokerage would have hidden it.” Kane declared.

“The brokerage would have sold it to the highest bidder. We all know that the sale would have been leaked, even if the contents of the sale were not.” Jacques declared. “I haven’t heard of any massive sale including new and unknown Allco tech, do you?”

“Fine! Let’s say there is a possibility that the undeveloped technology of Allco is still there and waiting for the taking.” Pick declared. “You’re still asking us to take a very big risk in infiltrating against raiders, and all without any real proof that tech exists.”

“It’s not completely without risk, but I do have more than just hope. I’ve managed to get a couple of drunk raiders to talk…”

“Drunk raiders? Pah! They’ll say anything if you pay.” Kane waved his hand, but he did have his ear tilted to listen.

“What did they say?” I spoke up, causing the three others to look my way.

I didn’t have any pre-existing prejudice toward raiders like some of them. I had some bad experiences, but I also had raiders as friends. When it came to the Cock and Balls, I knew they already had access to world travel technology. These guys seemed to only consider military technology when they talked about worthwhile information, but I knew better. Most of the greatest technological achievements had no military application whatsoever. Either way, I wanted to know what Marsh had and what he didn’t have, and I planned to take it all.

Jacques gave me appreciative look before speaking. “The R&D compound had three floors. The Cock and Balls have very strict leadership. The initiates aren’t even allowed in the building. They can only stay within the gates. Once they have made enough contributions, they get upgrades to acolytes. An acolyte is allowed inside the building on the 1st floor. According to my reports from those who had seen the first floor, it’s mostly the lobby, conference rooms, and showcases. The showcases have all been stripped and the conference rooms are quarters given to the favorite and strongest acolytes.”

“Exactly… stripped clean.” Pick nodded, crossing his arms.

Jacques ignored his comment and continued. “The next promotion is a lieutenant. Lieutenants are allowed up to the 2nd floor. I was only able to hear second hand, but from what I hear, the 2nd floor was mostly offices that have since been cleared out for their personal space.”

“Personal space?” I blinked.

“Where did you get this kid?” Pick scoffed.

Scoria leaned my way and lifted three fingers. “Drug den, alcohol, and sex slaves… just about the only things a raider cares about.”

“R-right…” My cheeks turned red as I realized how obvious it was.

It wasn’t like I didn’t see similar activities among The Dragon’s Claw and the Fire Ravens. If the Fire Ravens had free time, they were doing drugs, and it’d be foolish to think the men who put their lives on the line to protect the Dragon’s Claw women weren’t receiving favors in exchange. I hadn’t attempted to bring any alcohol or drugs over from my world, mostly because they didn’t seem worth it. These guys wouldn’t even know what to do with the drugs, and I wasn’t even old enough to buy the alcohol. I felt like if I asked Mizuki or Lily for help getting it, I’d feel awkward. The little shelf of it that came with my place was likely all I’d have for a while unless I wanted to ask Caleb.

“The 3rd floor…”

“Is for generals, yeah, we got it.” Pick cut-in.

Jacques shook his head. “Non, mon amis. Only Marsh and one other go to the third floor.”

“One other?” Kane asked. “Who?”

“Someone who never returns.” Jacques leaned back. “He occasionally invites someone up. Originally, it was an honor. The best and the brightest were invited. They thought they were becoming Marsh’s, right-hand man. Then, silence. He comes down, and the other is gone. A month later he invites someone else. Eventually, no one wanted to take Marsh up on this so-called promotion. It started being a form of punishment instead.”

“He could just be killing them,” Scoria spoke, sounding uncertain.

“There is no shortage of serial killers in this world, people who have lost their minds due to the bleakness of the world. There are those no better than ferals.” Kane agreed.

“It’s possible…” Jacques nodded. “Although, it’s also possible that there is something up there. Perhaps, there is some kind of security he’s trying to bypass, and failure means death. Maybe he’s still trying to get access. Maybe, it’s something more. Maybe, he is carrying on the experiments left by Allco.”

“Or keeping something fed.” I shivered as I remembered the abomination.

The abomination I encountered wasn’t even the original intended effect. If Allco had experiments that were unfinished and abandoned, there was no saying what would have happened to them after all of these years. I couldn’t help but remember that Marsh had used the dimensional device to come to my world. Was that where these people were going? Was he sending them through and they were winding up dead?

That didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. If he was sending them and they were coming through the mirror, they might end up dead on the other side if they didn’t have sorcery, but then there should be a mountain of corpses lying outside the mirror. I couldn’t believe I would have been able to casually buy it at a garage sale if it had such a grisly association.

“Pah! This is all just guessing!” Pick threw his hands up in the air. “There is still an army of raiders in between us and that third floor.”

“What I think he’s asking is what kind of plan do you have to get us in?” Kane cut in, causing Pick to shake him a glare, although he did remain quiet after.

“Once a month they run an initiation for recruits.” Jacques declared. “You need a token given to you by a recruiter. These are raider plants in various communities. They scout for new blood, and when they find someone who seems promising, they slip them the coin and a location.”

“I take it you have these coins?” Scoria asked.

“I’ve secured a couple.” Jacques nodded. “As for this meeting, it is going to happen tonight.”

“Of course, it is,” I mumbled, getting a few looks and blushing. “I mean, he wouldn’t be telling us this and then letting us spend some time thinking about it or planning, would he? If we want a chance at the loot, we need to follow his plan or bust.”

Everyone’s eyes turned back to Jacques, who raised his hands.

“Mon amis, you make it sound so cruel. I picked the best time, this is true, but it was for efficiency. Any of you are welcome to leave and make your plans if mine do not suffice. I’m also trusting that you wouldn’t try to interfere or betray my plans to my enemies.”

“Before we continue, what are these plans?” Kane asked. “You become an initiate, and then what?”

He lifted his eyebrows. “Do I need to explain? It’s not complicated. We use our resources to quickly get promoted. Acolyte at a minimum, but it would be best if we distinguish ourselves as a lieutenant before.”

“Before what?”

“Before we make a mistake.” Jacques shrugged. “If we want to see what’s on the third floor, we should get Marsh to take us there. Of course, those of us who enter will move independently of each other. Whoever succeeds will be supported by those on the inside, as well as those on the outside.”

“Those on the outside, what do you mean by that?” I asked.

“Didn’t I say? I only have a few coins. Three, to be precise. Only three of us will be able to enter. The remaining two will remain on the outside as support. Specifically, Pick, myself, and you will be entering, while Kane and Scoria provide support on the outside.”

“Of course, I’d be inside.” I let out another sigh.