BXBX NOVEL Chapter 78 Bargaining
Chapter 78 Bargaining
The Pave Hawk helicopter touched down on the rooftop of the residential building where the four survivors were housed. Richard was the first to disembark, quickly turning back to extend a hand to assist Sara.
"Thanks," Sara said, accepting the help and stepping onto the rooftop.
Together, they made their way toward the entrance of the building. Richard observed the security personnel watching them closely, their faces showing signs of concern due to the unscheduled visit. He gave them a brief nod, signaling that everything was okay.
They walked down the stairs, with the sounds of the helicopter slowly diminishing behind them.
As they reached the floor where the survivors were located, they prepared to engage in the discussions that lay ahead, security personnel who had been guarding the residential building escorted them to the room.
The soldier knocked at the door.
"Open this door! The commander-in-chief of Blackwatch is here to see you."
The door opened after a few moments, revealing Renato, who looked slightly disheveled. Behind him, the room seemed well-lit, with Mateo, Juan, and Emilio seated around a small table.
"I apologize for an unannounced visit," Richard said. "But I would like to speak with the four of you if that\'s okay."
"You are the commander-in-chief? The boss of this military camp?" Renato said, slightly confused as he scanned Richard\'s appearance. He had expected someone in his forties or fifties with rugged looks and silver badges of high rank. Instead, he saw a young man, not much older than himself, wearing a formal uniform that one would often see in high-ranking military personnel.
"Yes, I\'m Richard," he replied, noticing Renato\'s surprise. "And I get that reaction all the time. The woman next to me is Sara, she is the Chief of Staff for the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance. She will be joining me for this? discussion."
Renato nodded, still processing the information. "Alright then," he said, stepping aside to allow Richard and Sara to enter the room. "Please, come in."
Mateo stood up as a sign of respect as the two Blackwatch officials entered. Juan and Emilio followed suit, all eyes fixed on Richard and Sara.
Richard gestured for everyone to sit. "Thank you for allowing us in," he started.? "We\'re here because we believe you might have valuable information about the locations of survivor camps. If you possess such information, we would be happy to hear about it. Our priority in Blackwatch is to rescue as many survivors as we can."
The four survivors exchanged meaningful glances with Juan giving a nod to Emilio, seemingly indicating that he revealed something.
"Well," Emilio began, clearing his throat. "If I were to give you that information, would we get some sort of reward?"
Richard and Sara exchanged glances and then turned their faces back to Emilio.
"Reward? What are you talking about? Why is it that I\'m getting the impression that this is some sort of a bargaining chip for you?" Richard asked his voice firm but not aggressive.
"I agree," Sara concurred. "And the fact that you have that question psychologically indicates a few things." Sara leaned forward, her gaze unwavering as she looked directly at Emilio. "The dilation of your pupils, the slight tension in your jawline, and the involuntary tapping of your fingers suggest anxiety, possibly from holding onto valuable information that you\'re not sure about sharing."
She then turned her attention to Juan, who had given the nod earlier. "And Juan, the brief nod you exchanged with Emilio, followed by the way you avoided direct eye contact with us, suggests that there\'s a shared secret or understanding between the two of you. Or perhaps, it? suggests you both, or the four of you, had a prior discussion about this."
Richard glanced to his right, amazed at Sara\'s analysis. She\'s the type of woman that you wouldn\'t want to lie or cheat on with.
"Well, if you want rewards for sharing the location of the survivor\'s camp, we can give you one. Hmm, but I wonder what kind of reward you four would expect? Money is kind of useless in this apocalyptic world, better accommodations? That we can arrange."
"How about we get to work with your army?" Emilio spoke.
"My army?" Richard breathed. "Well, unfortunately, we are kind of full at the moment. We have one thousand highly-trained soldiers at our disposal, adding the volunteer corps, there\'s not enough space for new recruits. We can, however, exempt you from community service."
"Community service?" Emilio repeated.
"Yeah, you see just because we rescued survivors doesn\'t mean we\'ll have to pamper them or treat them as guests. Everyone in the camp has a role to play to ensure the camp\'s survival and functionality," Richard explained. "Survivors contribute by maintaining the cleanliness of the Oriental military camp. This includes tasks like cleaning clogged canals to prevent flooding, collecting and disposing of garbage, and assisting in food distribution."
Sara added, "Food is limited, and it\'s important that we ensure it goes to those who are contributing to the camp\'s well-being. Wasting it on individuals who don\'t want to do their part isn\'t fair to others."
Juan chimed in, "So if we don\'t work, we don\'t eat?"
Richard nodded, "Essentially, yes. Everyone must contribute. It\'s the only way to ensure the camp remains sustainable in the long run."
Emilio sighed, "Alright, we understand. "Having to do nothing is a good reward."
"Though it won\'t not be permanent. That privilege would only last for a month or so," Richard clarified. "After that, everyone is expected to contribute in some capacity.
Renato spoke up for the first time since the conversation began, "And if we give you the information about the survivor camps, will our contribution lessen?"
Richard considered for a moment, "If the information is valuable and leads to the rescue of more survivors, then yes, your workload could be reduced."
Sara nodded in agreement, "Accurate and actionable information can be invaluable. It could save lives, and in return, we could offer some leniency in terms of your duties."
"Understood, then we\'ll start sharing about this camp in particular," Emilio began. "Are you familiar with the place called World\'s Resort Manila?"
"World\'s Resort Manila…" Richard repeated he was familiar with the name. "I believe it\'s a hotel or a casino located near the Manila International Airport. What about it?"
"Well, in that hotel, there are over two thousand survivors living in it. It\'s also a fortress as it is defended by a general of the Philippine Army with five hundred soldiers working for him."
"That sounds good," Richard commented. "I thought the Philippine Army had collapsed."
Emilio shook his head. "Don\'t let that fool you. Because that camp is led by a notorious, psychopathic general that raped women in exchange for them getting to live inside the camp."
Upon hearing that, Richard\'s eyes widened. "What the fuck…"