Ch: 9 [Scavengers pt2]

With the first scavenger taken care of, I move silently through the mall, utilizing the shadows and debris to conceal my presence. My heart pounds in my chest, and my senses are heightened as I remain vigilant for any sign of the remaining scavengers.

I come across another scavenger, this one inspecting a broken vending machine for any salvageable items. He's alone and seems focused on his task, making him vulnerable to a surprise attack.

I carefully approach him from behind, making sure to stay out of his line of sight. As I get closer, I grip my knife tightly, ready to strike when the moment is right.

When I'm within striking distance, I launch into action. With a swift and precise motion, I cover his mouth to muffle any sound and drive the knife into his back, piercing his heart. He lets out a muffled gasp before slumping to the ground, lifeless.

I swiftly drag his body behind a nearby counter and hide it from view, making sure to leave no traces of my presence.

Two down, four to go.

I continue to move stealthily through the mall, avoiding any areas where other scavengers might be congregating. My objective is to isolate and eliminate them one by one, taking advantage of their disorganized search pattern.

As I progress, I hear voices coming from a nearby corridor. Two scavengers are engaged in a heated argument, their voices echoing through the empty space. I carefully approach the source of the sound, taking cover behind a wall to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"I told you I saw him go this way!" one of the scavengers exclaims angrily.

"And I'm telling you, you're seeing things! There's no one here!" the other one retorts.

My eyes fell on a bottle cap of Nuka Cola. It was lying at the corner of the broken billboard near my feet. I remember that it's the currency of this world. Now, I have an idea. These guys are scavengers... So, what will happen if I slowly roll this cap toward them? Will they fight over a single cap? Well, only one way to find out.

Carefully, I pick up the bottle cap, holding it between my fingers. Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I gently roll the bottle cap along the ground, aiming for a spot just within the scavengers' line of sight.

The bottle cap rolls silently across the floor, catching the attention of the arguing scavengers. They both turn their heads towards the sound, their eyes locking on the shiny currency lying on the ground.

"Hey, what's that?" one of them says, pointing towards the bottle cap.

"I don't know, but it's mine!" the other one exclaims, rushing towards the bottle cap.

As the second guy picked up the cap, the other one held his machete on his neck, "I saw it first."

I hold my breath, watching the tension escalate between the two scavengers. The situation is unfolding exactly as I hoped - they're fighting over a single bottle cap, displaying their greed and desperation for even the smallest of resources.

The scavenger with the machete demands, "Give it to me, or I'll gut you like a fish!"

The other scavenger, now holding the bottle cap, looks visibly nervous but defiant. "No way! I saw it first, it's mine!"

They began to fight among themselves and they were standing near the broken railings on the fourth floor. I quickly rushed and slide down, kicking their legs, "Bye, bye..."

The two scavengers lose their balance and stumble over the broken railings. They let out startled cries as they plummet down to the lower floors of the mall.

Their screams fade into the distance as they crash into the debris below. I quickly ran and hide in the nearest shop. It's an old toy shop.

You hear one of the scavenger's voice coming from the top floor. "What the fuck was that? What the...?"

Another scavenger responds, "Boss, those two fuckers fell down!"

"What?! How the fuck did that happen?!" Boss demands.

"I don't know! There's no way they just fell!" the second scavenger claims.

"Yeah, I know, that's what I'm saying! Let's go to the fourth floor. That fucker must be the one behind all this," The scavenger's leader yelled angrily.

"But..."

"Just do what I fucking say!" He shouted angrily, "I don't see the others. Get your weapon ready. I am gonna so shoot that sneaky bastard."

Here they come. I noticed a big net box filled with small balls. A perfect place to hide.

I quickly move towards the big net box filled with small balls and hide myself inside, making sure to stay as quiet and still as possible. The net box conceals me from view, and I can only hope that the scavengers won't think to check inside.

I hear those two fuckers approaching, their footsteps heavy and angry voices echoing through the mall. My heart pounds in my chest, and I grip my knife tightly. Only two of them remain.

The scavengers reach the fourth floor, and I can hear them scouring the area, searching for any signs of the mysterious intruder. Their footsteps draw nearer, and I hold my breath, trying to control my breathing.

"Boss, look at this!" one of the scavengers exclaims.

"What is it?" the leader asks.

"Blood... there's blood here. Looks like someone killed those two and hid the bodies," the scavenger explains.

"Shit!" the leader growls, his voice filled with frustration.

"Should we leave? This place gives me the creeps," the other one suggests.

"No! We can't leave until we find the bastard who did this!" the leader declares angrily. "You go and check over that toy store. I will take a look at that food store, hopefully, there are some canned food left."

I carefully listen to their conversation, grateful for the net box concealing my presence. The scavengers split up, and now is my chance to strike. I decide to take out the one searching the toy store first, as he is closer and less likely to have backup.

"Fuck, this creepy place. Do this, do that and fucker only thinks of food," the scavenger complained to himself.

I can see him coming closer from the gaps. A little more and...

"Haaa... Balls... no one plays with these anymore... Oh, well, may as well take a couple of them..." He extended his hand to grab a ball.

With a swift motion, I grab the scavenger's hand and yank him into the net box, using his surprise and momentum to my advantage. The scavenger stumbles and falls onto the balls.

I waste no time and immediately launch into action. I cover the scavenger's mouth with one hand to prevent him from screaming and use my other hand to drive the knife into his throat, ending his life quickly and silently.

As his body goes limp, I left him in there and got out of the box. Now only, one remains. I took out my handgun and peeked out from the store.

Caution still at the forefront of my mind, I scan the area for the leader. He's searching the nearby food store, unaware of the fate that has befallen his comrades.

Taking advantage of his distraction, I carefully move closer, making sure to keep my footsteps light and my movements stealthy. I find a concealed spot behind a broken display shelf, giving me a clear view of the scavenger as he rummages through the food supplies.

As he bends down to inspect a can of food, I swooped behind him and pressed the gun on his head, "Move and I will splatter your brain."

The scavenger freezes in fear, his hands trembling as he slowly raises them in surrender. "Easy now, don't shoot. I ain't lookin' for trouble, man."

I keep my gun trained on him, making sure he understands that I'm in control of the situation. "You and your buddies caused quite a ruckus back there. Now, you're the only one left. Tell me why you followed me and what you want."

The scavenger gulps nervously, sweat beading on his forehead. "We... we heard rumors of someone new wandering around the wasteland. We thought maybe we could catch you off guard and take your supplies for ourselves. It's a tough world out there, you know? Survival of the fittest."

I narrow my eyes at his response. "So, you thought ambushing someone and killing them was the way to ensure your survival?"

He stammers, trying to come up with an explanation. "Look, man, I know it sounds harsh, but it's a cruel world out there. We gotta do what we can to stay alive. Just spare me... Take everything I have... I have a kid, man, waiting for me at home. I am sorry, but I gotta feed my family."