Can't Have Shit in Kentucky (Project Zomboid) ch.14 (Patreon)

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"They're motivated," the Cowboy said, watching the entire exchange unfold. His mask was gone now, him and the Buyer safe inside one of the buildings. Their eyes were bright from watching a few screens whose cameras gave a direct view over the refugees. A part of him rankled that they were essentially having a whole group of people at their whim, it just didn't feel right to do it, but he understood the necessity of constant monitoring over the men and women now inside their camp. 

"People tend to be when faced with annihilation," the Buyer replied candidly, his expression set as he took note of the voting the Kentuckians were undergoing. "The only annoying thing about that is that people tend to take action when something has already happened, not before." 

"They're sending army units here with CBRN gear so someone up there probably listened to you, boss," Cowboy said, shifting his attention towards the Buyer. 

"It's not enough," the Buyer growled. "This shouldn't have happened in the first place." He paused, catching himself. "It's useless to bemoan after the fact. We need to get to work." At that, he turned from the screen and moved onto an adjacent room. At the very middle stood a table with the map of Knox County. Figures, dates, graphs, places marked and noted of. Cowboy took note of a lamp by the Ohio river, representing Lumiere. And in the lower left corner, a simple skull. 

The Rosewood Secret Base. 

"What happens if the base ain't what you think it is?" Cowboy found himself asking. Grunting, the Buyer looked up. 

"If the Base ain't the cause of all this, which I doubt is unlikely, then we can at least rule out other points of contention. I am going to have to rely on Blair to give me a definite answer though." the Buyer explained. "By destroying the base, we can at least put a stop to that fuck awful smell that's turning people into monsters. Remember, that shit came first." 

Cowboy could remember alright. His man had confirmed the foul smell weeks before. 

"Mm. But, I was asking about, y'know, what we are going to be doing if the base isn't it," Cowboy asked again. "Do we pull out?" 

"We can't," the Buyer said simply. "Uncle Sam is shooting down anyone trying to leave this place. We are stuck here for the foreseeable future. The only time that we can even hope to leave is when the Army fails to contain shit and this entire thing spreads out. Maybe then, we can pull out and head back to Last Light." 

Cowboy imagined that, the undead all spilling into the rest of the country. The US and the rest of the world burning underneath the snarls of the damned. His mind thought of his own family, tucked away safely in the Rockies. The Buyer had the foresight to move the families of his men far, far into the Rocky Mountain Range. His daughter often complained to him how boring it was, and how she missed California but they were safe there at least. 

"And you decided to stay here," Cowboy noted. 

"I did," the Buyer nodded. "I've always been a ride or die kinda guy, y'know? I am not going to let my employees go through all this while I am  off drinking margaritas off a model's tits, as attractive as that may be." He shook his head. "No, I am going to stay here with you all until the end." 

"The sentiment's appreciated," Cowboy said. "But we'd rather you not get hurt. If you die, how will we get paid?" 

The Buyer guffawed. The thought of his men treating him like a soft waifish flower amused him. He wasn't exactly a supreme badass that could handle people left and right without stopping but he wasn't entirely helpless either. "I am not helpless, believe you me." He shook his head. "I will not be dying anytime soon. I rather like being rich, and making more money. And if the world goes to hell, we all don't have civilization to spend our money on." 

He clicked his tongue. 

"Now, have you all figured out a route there?" The Buyer asked, leaning into the table. Cowboy shook his head. 

"And why not?" queried his boss. 

"We need a flight with the helo to see which roads are good to pass through or not," Cowboy explained. "Evacuation and refugees make travel chaotic, boss. The less we have to deal with blocked places, the less time we'll waste with clearing them. Plus, it's best to let the chaos of the outbreak die down first. Quicker when we don't have to worry about crowds." 

It was admittedly harsh, to let the chaos go play out. But theirs was not simple cruelty. They wouldn't have to deal with panicked civilians, or endless traffic jams, or getting accidentally bombed by the Air Force. 

Cowboy spied his employer. He had worked for the Buyer for a good while, ever since the man put out a call for men of his caliber. As such, he had a good idea of getting a feel for his employer. The Buyer was nervous, Cowboy felt. His fingers twitched too much, the way he viewed and looked at the battle-map on the table, his mind whirling with contingencies and other plans. Cowboy understood his sentiments, considering what was at stake if they couldn't get the facility burnt to the ground. 

"We are already here, boss," Cowboy began. "The guys are motivated, you purchased everything that we really need. All we need to do is get it done." 

"But will it be enough?" The Buyer asked, his expression set. 

"Only one way to find out," Cowboy said simply. The Buyer nodded at that. It was a fair assessment. 

"How are the men holding up?" continued the Buyer. There wasn't always a moment where he wouldn't ask about their health and well-being, how things could be improved, what they needed. Cowboy did not need to state how wealthy his employer was. And considering the equipment they fielded and would soon to bring, connected. 

"Spooked," Cowboy admitted. "They think you can see into the future."

The clauses of their contact which specifically stated that they were going to be facing infectious ravenous zombies had raised eyebrows among the men. Jokes had been shared at the Buyer's expense. They snickered at his apparent paranoia of mythical film creatures. 

They were no longer joking now. 

The Buyer laughed, a hearty and amused chuckle that was earned from a good joke. "If only you knew," he said cryptically. Shaking his head, the man turned to the Cowboy. "I want you to go with the helo. It'll be better for us if you directly know what's the road ahead gonna be like." 

"Consider it done." Cowboy nodded. "I assume you want me to leave now?" 

"Do so," the Buyer nodded. He paused, thinking for a moment before shaking his head. "If you need anything, just holler at me, alright?"

Cowboy offered him a two-fingered salute. His employer merely grunted, turning back towards the map. With that, Cowboy reached for his gas mask and with a hiss, attached it back to his face. He left the room, walking out into a hallway. As always, appearances deceived and there was much the compound hid. But he wasn't there to sight-see, he had a job to do. 

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A/N: A convo with the boys. 

Next up, a Buyer centric chapter.