They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of her story hanging in the air. Finally, Priya spoke again, her voice steadier this time.
"Do you think... there's a chance we could build something here? Something better than just running and surviving?"
Advik Bhardwaj stood, his gaze thoughtful as he crossed his arms. "That's the plan. We're going to gather resources, make this place self-sufficient. We're not just surviving anymore, Priya. We're going to live. And we're going to fight for it."
She nodded, a spark of hope returning to her eyes. "I'd like to help, if I can."
"You will," Advik Bhardwaj promised. "Rest tonight. We'll talk more tomorrow about how you can get involved."
As he turned to leave, Priya called out softly, "Advik?"
"Yeah?" He paused at the door, glancing back at her.
"Thank you... for rescuing me."
He gave her a small but reassuring smile. "Always."
With that, he stepped out into the hallway, the door clicking softly shut behind him. He exhaled deeply, the tension slowly leaving his body. There was still much to do, but for the first time in a while, he felt a sense of hope.
Advik Bhardwaj sat at the large oak desk in the Leela Palace Hotel's command office, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the polished surface.
Sandeep entered and closed the door behind him and stepped forward, placing a tablet on the desk.
"Morning, sir," Sandeep greeted.
Advik Bhardwaj nodded. "Morning. Have a seat. We've got a lot to discuss."
Sandeep pulled out a chair and sat down, handing the tablet over to Advik Bhardwaj. "Here's the latest supply report. We've done an inventory of all food, water, ammunition, and medical supplies. We're in decent shape for now, but if we keep taking in more survivors and maintaining the operations tempo we've had, we'll run dry within two to three months."
Advik Bhardwaj swiped through the data, his brow furrowing. The numbers weren't encouraging, but they weren't disastrous either—yet. They had to act before things deteriorated. "Two to three months isn't good enough. If we're going to keep this place running and take care of our people, we need more than that. I'm not interested in just scraping by."
"Agreed," Sandeep said. "The good news is, we've identified a potential solution. There's a Reliance Smart Supermarket about five kilometers northeast of here. It's a large complex—warehouse-style. If we can secure it, we're looking at up to six months' worth of non-perishable food supplies, maybe more depending on what's still intact."
Advik Bhardwaj leaned back in his chair, considering the plan. "Five kilometers is a manageable distance. What do we know about the area?"
"Well we don't know yet. We haven't reconned the area. I was hoping you could give us a military drone that can survey it."
"Okay, what type of drones are you looking for? I'm sure it won't be a drone that needs runway."
Sandeep nodded, understanding Advik Bhardwaj's point. "Exactly. We don't need anything too large or complex. Ideally, something tactical—short takeoff or vertical launch capability. We're thinking along the lines of a VTOL drone or a rotary-wing UAV. Something like the MQ-8 Fire Scout or the RQ-11 Raven. It should give us real-time reconnaissance without drawing too much attention."
Advik Bhardwaj pondered for a moment. "I have a few options in the system shop."
Advik Bhardwaj opened the system interface, scrolling through the available options in the shop. The interface presented him with a variety of each drones, equipped with different capabilities.
capabilities.
[System Shop:
MQ-8 Fire Scout (VTOL, equipped with high-resolution optics and thermal imaging, operational range: 15 kilometers) –
Cost: 300,000 Blood Coins
RQ-11 Raven (Portable hand-launch UAV, real-time surveillance, effective range: 10 kilometers) – Cost: 75,000 Blood Coins
Abhiyaan ENU800 (Advanced drone with enhanced stealth and long-duration flight capability, operational range: 12 kilometers) – Cost: 150,000 Blood Coins]
Advik Bhardwaj clicked on the Abhiyaan ENU800's details, nodding in approval as he read its capabilities. "This one fits our needs. It's designed for stealth, has a solid operational range, and provides long-duration surveillance."
He selected the drone and finalized the purchase.
[System Notification:
Abhiyaan ENU800 purchased successfully.
150,000 Blood Coins deducted from account.
Drone deployed to Leela Palace Hotel Helipad.]
Sandeep raised an eyebrow at the price. "150,000 Blood Coins, huh? That's a hefty cost, but I'd say it's worth it."
"It's not about the cost," Advik Bhardwaj replied. "It's about survival. If this drone helps us secure those supplies without losing anyone, it'll pay for itself. Now, let's set up the rig for the drone in another room where we can monitor the area without interruptions," Advik Bhardwaj continued. He stood from the desk and motioned for Sandeep to follow. Together, they made their way through the corridors of the Leela Palace, eventually reaching the control center—a spacious room equipped with multiple monitors, communication arrays, and tactical planning tools.
Technicians were already waiting for them. One of the operators greeted Advik Bhardwaj with a salute before gesturing to the primary monitor. "Sir, the Abhiyaan ENU800 is operational. We're ready to begin the live feed."
"Good. Let's get a full sweep of the area surrounding Reliance Smart," Advik Bhardwaj ordered, taking a seat near the central display.
The screen lit up, providing a bird's-eye view as the drone smoothly navigated the city skyline. The onboard camera captured a mix of eerie stillness and ominous movement. Abandoned streets stretched below, vehicles left in disarray, and signs of past conflicts were evident—burnt-out husks of cars, barricades, and dried bloodstains marking various intersections. Here and there, small groups of zombies zombies staggered aimlessly, though none appeared organized or in large hordes yet.
"Increase altitude slightly," Sandeep instructed. "Let's see if we can spot any major clusters."
The drone operator obeyed, the drone climbing to a safer height and tilting its camera downward. The surrounding buildings loomed in the feed, casting long shadows in the early morning light. After a few minutes, the Reliance Smart Supermarket came into view.