A technomancer's journey in an apocalyptic world

Chapter 25: Departure (part-5)

'Clank clank clank' was the only sound that came from inside the vehicle that stood within the confines of Fort Genesis. Anyone who would have peaked inside the large articulated trailer would have caught sight of a shirtless but sweating Ryan.

Ryan had just finished installing another piece of vital equipment inside the vehicle, which was none other than a toilet and a separate shower towards the end of the second part of the articulated bus. As he gave the screw one last turn before he let out a satisfied nod, "The shower, as well as the toilet and the sink, along with the installation of the respective pipes leading the dirty water from them to the storage area."

He picked up a piece of paper on which he had made a list. He then proceeded to cross out the shower and toilet he had been working on his vehicle for some time now and had finished with most of the interior and the only thing left for him to work on was the exterior.

"Ryan, can we enter?" a voice came to his ears that made him plop on the floor as he spoke with a tired voice, "Come in, come in."

As Ryan granted Michalina permission to enter she climbed into the trailer using the stairs but she was not alone as along with her was a group of curious soldiers their eyes were wandering taking into the sights of the inside of the trailer.

Michalina did not pay too much attention to the interior as her eyes fell on Ryan as she neared him she gagged a little at the smell of sweat as she spoke while pinching her nose, "Ewww Ryan you smell like a dead rotten rat."

Ryan glared at her as he spoke with a low growl, "I have been working here for who knows how long, of course, I would get sweaty, and if you have any problem, I might introduce you to my spanner."

"Brother Ryan would mind giving a tour to us.", one of the soldiers politely asked Ryan with a smile on her face.

Ryan looked at another who had taken an elf-like look except for her skin unlike Angela was as fair as milk, Ryan flashed her a small smile as he spoke, "Sorry sister Blake but I will only give you a tour when I have finished it."

Blake pouted at that as one of them spoke with a frown, "So what else is left?"

Ryan looked towards her as he spread his hands while still sitting on the ground as he spoke, "The entire exterior and the lights are left you do not think I would leave with such an exposed vehicle and without any lights."

Michalina frowned at that as she spoke, "I understand brother, but you need some rest desperately you look a zombie."

Ryan waved her off as he spoke, "As you can see that I am fine, and as for the matter of resting, I believe I am doing it while currently speaking with you all."

Ciara had just stepped out of the building as the sound of shouting came to her ears. Ciara decided to jog towards the source of the commotion as she reached there she found what happened to be a group of her soldiers.

As Ciara neared them, she heard them arguing back and forth about something, 'Pink Pony', 'No Venomous Anaconda', amongst many other things that came to her ears making her confused, 'What are they arguing about?'

Do I have to intervene?', as the thought entered her mind she could not help but let out a groan, after all her highly trained and specialized from time to time had the problem of forgetting their age and act like children.

She took a couple of steps before turning her head slightly to the right and saw Ryan placing a rather thick iron sheet at least a centimetre thick on what was once the window of the former articulated bus. Having located her son, she decided that it would be best to avoid her soldiers and thereby spare herself from severe headache, and as such Ciara made a beeline towards Ryan.

"Ryan, how goes your work?"

Ryan perked upon hearing his mother's voice as he spoke, "Fine mom just working on the exterior of the trailer, putting up additional defences, so why don't you hop inside otherwise you might get dragged into their nonsensical fight."

Ciara nodded with a smile as she climbed into the trailer using the ladder as she stepped inside her eyes wandered around, taking into the sight of the interior.

"So why are they arguing against each other."

Ryan snorted at that as he spoke, "Since they were annoying me, I decided to have a little fun at their expanse as such they were requested by me to come up with a suitable name for the trailer."

Ciara snorted in amusement as Ryan decided to give his mother a small tour of the trailer.

"You have done an amazing job. Ryan, I am so proud of you."

Ryan blushed at the praise as he spoke, "Well then you should wait for the finished product it would be a thousand times better than the one I have now, after all, I have exterior lights and the system for defence left to complete."

"Did you eat your breakfast and lunch?"

Ryan nodded at his mother's question as he spoke, "Yes, I received both of them big sis brought them for me."

"I just wish you did not have to partake in such a dangerous endeavour."

"Me too, mother but unfortunately we do not have the luxury of such choices."

"Then promise me you will not try to be careless and try being a hero."

"Of course mom, I promise that I will not be careless at the same time I will not try to play the part of being a hero."

"Oh, Ryan I have a small request that I would like to make."

"What is it, mom?"

"I want you to take one more person with you for your trip as such I hope you will make another set of equipment for her."

"Who will be joining us, mom?"

"Well, you will know when I will disclose the identity of others as well.", making Ryan pout at that.

Ciara while touring had noticed a ladder in each of the separate compartment as such she could not help but ask Ryan, "Son, is this ladders meant for roof access?"

Ryan's eyes widen slightly as if he Ciara's word had made him remembered something as he spoke with a gasp, "Yes mom I completely forgot about that, let me take you to the roof."

Ryan quickly climbed up with the help of the ladder, and after opening the roof hatch, he soon found himself standing outside on the roof of the trailer along with Ciara who soon followed after him.

The mother and son duo stood there side by side without speaking basking in the sight for a moment before she spoke with a sigh, "It seems I have to intervene, those children are on the verge of breaking into a fistfight."

Ryan smirked at Ciara as she climbed down and made her way towards the arguing group, Ryan decided to sit on the roof as he watched his mother take control of the situation and disperse the arguing 'children'.

It was well past dinner time when Ryan placed the last of the items on his list manned turrets, and thus finishing the construction of his trailer.

Ryan did not wait any longer as he went towards the shower, and after a long cold one, he laid his tired body on top of his bed and fell asleep shortly after.

It would around the time for lunch that a very hungry Ryan would wake up and make his way to the cafeteria.

"Hey, Bro glad to see you awake I wanted to wake you up for breakfast, but mom told me to let you sleep for the time being, so I hope you had a nice sleep."

Ryan flashed her a smile before his stomach grumbled signifying his hunger, but at the same time it managed to make him blush a bit, as he replied to Michalina, "I had a rather pleasant sleep since forever, and now I am hungry."

"So what will you do today, brother?"

"Testing, I wish to test if it is working properly or not, and if it is then we will leave by tomorrow at the earliest."

"I see then I better get ready."

Ryan nodded at that as he looked at the food that was on his plate, 'fish'.

Seeing the curious look on his face Michalina decided to reply to his unasked question, "Donna and Chloe caught them, and it does feel great to have something other than the cheap slop that we have been eating for the last few days."

Ryan nodded at that as he spoke, "It sure feels nice to eat something palatable for once in a very long time."

"I hope we get some canned food out there."

"I hope the canned goods will not be rotten. Though considering the world we are currently living do not get your hopes too high sis."

Michalina sighed at that as she spoke, "One can only hope."

"Hey, sis, do you know who all are going to accompany us?"

Michalina shrugged at that as she spoke, "Well Major is keeping it close to her chest as such I do not know who else will be joining us."

Ryan frowned at that as he spoke, "Why are referring to mom as Major even when you are off duty and spending your free time alone with me."

Michalina gave him a faux smile as she spoke, "Sorry, mom is keeping it close to her chest, so happy now?"

Ryan narrowed his eyes at that but chose not to comment, 'Something is wrong, I wish I could pry it off from their mouth.'

"Mom asked me to make another set of gears."

"For whom?"

"For the sixth member of the expedition."

Michalina snarled as she spoke, "What is that women thinking?"

Ryan glared at her with a look full of disapproval as he spoke, "'That woman' as you so eloquently called our mother provided us with another companion, and frankly speaking I do not see any harm in that."

"Why is that?"

"From one we became two, then from two we became five and now six but unlike before I know that at the group will be a bit balanced we can form a proper group of twos and not an unbalanced group."

Michalina nodded at that as she spoke, "I see I think that I am finally able to understand what she was thinking, and I have no problem with that."

Ciara looked at the trailer that stood in front of her, with a great sense of pride.

The articulated trailer made up by fusing a semi-truck with the front part of the articulate bus, and it did not end there as the trailer covered by iron sheets to increase the defensive capabilities.

The trailer had a wedge snowplough at its helm, and the roof had barbed wire fencing to prevent anyone from climbing, it made it look like a crown on top of the trailer.

Four turrets, one at the front, one at the back along with two others that each occupied a particular compartment but facing the opposite direction to each other.

Multiple lights placed on the trailer looked akin to precious jewels on the crown.

Any windows that were present had bulletproof glasses on them, with railings as well and that included the windshield.

Overall the trailer looked menacing to her, and the first compartment held the driver's cabin along with the radio operator's workplace. It also contained unique machines that Ciara was unable to make head or tell then turret control, workbench, equipment locker, gun locker, ammunition locker, as such basically it was a command unit.

The second part was the living space with beds, kitchen, storage area, field laboratory, medicinal cabinet, lavatory and shower.

Each compartment had two doors one on the left and the other on the right, and as the engine came to life Ciara left a tired sigh, 'So tomorrow at the crack of dawn both my children will leave the safety of the fort and venture into the lands unknown.'