Episode 86: We are set to go.

As always, we arrived at our usual spot in Rat Town to set up the stall. By now, the townspeople had come to expect our presence, and as soon as our truck pulled up, their faces lit up with anticipation. A small crowd had already gathered, waiting for us to unload. As we stepped out and began setting up, many familiar faces came forward to greet us.

"Morning, Azra!" a cheerful merchant called out. "Got the good stuff today?"

I grinned. "Of course, only the best for our loyal customers."

Others joined in, striking up light conversations. They saw that I am no longer the same barbaric old me, so a lot of people in Rat Town were comfortable to speaks with me.

"Natasha, that bread of yours is something else!" an elderly woman praised, smiling warmly at my wife.

Natasha chuckled, wiping her hands on her apron. "I'm glad you think so! We worked hard on it."

Selene, standing beside Natasha, offered a polite nod as another customer complimented the bottled water we provided.

Twenty minutes in, and the rush was already beginning. I had barely gotten the stall fully arranged before I had to fire up the grill. The demand for our hotdogs and burgers had skyrocketed—people were now treating them as the ideal way to start their morning. The orders came flooding in, and soon enough, Scarlett had to step in to help me with the cooking.

"Azra, how many patties do you have ready?" she asked, flipping a sizzling burger.

"Not enough for this rush," I responded with a smirk. "Keep them coming. We're in for a busy morning."

Scarlett smiled, slightly sweating as she helped me. "Figures. I don't know that just cooking this thing would take skills."

Over on Natasha and Selene's side, things weren't much different. Their counter had a long line of eager customers, all waiting to purchase bulk quantities of sourdough bread and bottled water.

"Please, I need five loaves!" one man urged, practically pressing coins into Natasha's hands. "My family has been waiting for this since last time."

"We'll get you sorted," Natasha assured him, handing over his requested goods.

Selene worked efficiently beside her, packing up bottles of water while managing the flow of the line.

The demand was overwhelming, and within an hour, we had completely sold out—every last loaf, bottle, burger, and hotdog. As we announced our stock depletion, a chorus of disappointed groans spread through the crowd, which is funny to me, this means our services really do mean a lot to these people.

"You're out already?!" someone in the crowd exclaimed. "But you just got here!"

"Sorry, folks!" I called out, raising my hands. "We're completely out of stock. You all cleaned us out faster than ever today."

Many customers sighed but understood.

"When will you have more?" a woman inquired.

I glanced at Natasha, then back at the crowd. "We'll need at least two days to restock. We're heading out on a scavenging run to gather more supplies."

That explanation seemed to satisfy them. In a world like this, everyone knew that supplies didn't magically appear out of nowhere. Merchants had to travel, take risks, and scavenge in dangerous territories to restock their goods.

"Makes sense," one man muttered. "We'll be waiting."

Although, in reality, our resupply came from my secret ability, there was no need to mention it. As far as they knew, we were just like any other merchants, venturing out into the wastelands to secure fresh stock. And let's be honest, I do cut down on the amount we were selling today, ass we got more important thing to do.

With our business for the day wrapped up, I leaned back against the truck, exhaling a long breath. "Well, that was hectic."

Scarlett chuckled, stretching her arms. "You could say that again. I think my arms are sore from all the flipping."

Natasha smiled as she wiped her hands clean. "It's a good problem to have, though."

Selene nodded in agreement, glancing at the empty tables. "It just means people love what we're selling. We're doing something right."

Looking around at our satisfied customers packing up to leave, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. Business was thriving, and as we prepared to close up shop for the day, I knew that our little stall had become something much bigger than I initially expected.

After we packed up our stalls, we decided to spend some time exploring Rat Town, talking to the locals to gather information about the layout and situation surrounding CLUB MED—the location we planned to raid. Casual conversations were our best strategy; we didn't want to raise any suspicion about our true intentions.

I sought out Rooney, knowing he was one of the most reliable sources of information regarding the surrounding areas. Keeping my inquiries vague, I asked about the general state of the area beyond Rat Town without specifically mentioning the private hospital.

Rooney leaned against a wooden post; arms crossed. "The Rat Town guards don't venture too far out," he explained. "We mostly stick to hunting and clearing threats near the town—mutants, zombies, and the occasional raider group."

"What about farther out?" I asked casually. "Anything worth noting?"

He shrugged. "The area around CLUB MED? Pretty barren. Aside from the hospital itself, there's nothing much there. Still dangerous, though—full of zombies. But over time, their numbers should've thinned. No one's gone near that place for months."

That was promising. If no one had been there in a while, the remaining zombies were either dying off naturally or getting picked off by wandering guards.

"So, you think it's less populated now?" I pressed.

Rooney nodded. "Yeah. We used to see zombies wander out from that direction every now and then, but my men and I have been taking them down when they stray too close. If you ask me, that place is probably much quieter than it used to be."

He studied me for a moment, then smirked. "Why? You thinking of heading out that way?"

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Nah, I'm heading much farther. Planning to pass through that area on my way to Boulder City."

He nodded in understanding. "Makes sense. If you're cutting through, you'll have to pass near CLUB MED. With that truck of yours, you should be fine—you'll be moving too fast for anything to be a real threat."

I laughed, playing along with his assumption. "That's the plan. Speed is my best defense."

I know better to speak of my true intention out in the open, this world has a unique way on stabbing at your back, never ever let your desire out in the public. At 12 PM, we regrouped at our truck and set off, leaving Rat Town behind us. After driving about a kilometer away, we pulled over at a vantage point overlooking the vast, decayed sprawl of Jouston City. It was a perfect spot to stop for lunch and discuss our findings.

We set up on the truck bed, passing food around as we reviewed what we had learned.

"So," Natasha began, taking a bite of her sandwich. "We have three main takeaways. First, the zombie population at CLUB MED has probably decreased."

Scarlett nodded enthusiastically. "Second, the place has had zero-foot traffic for months. Meaning, no scavengers, no raiders, nothing."

Selene leaned forward; her eyes gleaming with excitement. "And third? No one's ever gone inside. That means untouched loot and a clean operation."

A grin spread across my face as I looked around at the team. "That's as golden as intel gets."

Alfred, ever the pragmatist, nodded. "The conditions seem optimal for our mission. We will, of course, maintain caution, but this information greatly improves our odds."

Scarlett stretched her arms, cracking her knuckles. "Then what are we waiting for? This just made me even more eager to hit that place."

I laughed. "Trust me, you're not the only one."

With our spirits high and our determination stronger than ever, we finished our meal and prepared ourselves for the raid. CLUB MED was waiting for us, and we were more than ready to take it on.