The Lazy Chronicles: Apartment of the Apocalypse-Chapter 49: The Broadcast’s Origin

The room fell into a tense silence after the broadcast faded, the distorted voice lingering in everyone’s thoughts. Mallory absently scratched behind Scraps’ ears, her usual sarcasm replaced by a pensive expression. Across the room, Altair was already working at his console, fingers flying over the keyboard as he muttered calculations under his breath.

"Does he always look like that when he’s solving the apocalypse?" Zara asked, tilting her head as if studying an exhibit.

"Pretty much," Vanessa replied, leaning against the kitchen counter. "Except this time he’s wearing a ridiculous apron, which really takes the edge off the life-or-death situation."

Mallory smirked, but the worry in her eyes betrayed her unease. "You guys ever get the feeling that no matter how many times we win, we’re just one step away from the next disaster?"

"You mean like life in general?" Kaelyn asked, methodically checking her gear. "Yeah, welcome to adulthood."

"Adulthood sucks," Mallory muttered, slumping into her beanbag.

"It’s not exactly the apocalypse’s fault that you were bad at it beforehand," Vanessa quipped, earning a glare from Mallory.

"Less banter, more focus," Kaelyn snapped. "We’ve got a serious problem here. If that broadcast was real, the Architects are preparing for something big, and we’re sitting ducks if we don’t figure out what."

Altair suddenly swiveled in his chair, his eyes gleaming with intensity. "Got it. The signal’s bouncing from multiple locations, but the source isn’t far. It’s coming from the old telecommunications tower downtown."

"Great," Mallory said with mock enthusiasm. "Another death trap to add to our collection of terrible decisions."

"It’s not just any tower," Altair continued, ignoring her sarcasm. "That place was a major hub before the collapse. If the Architects are using it, they’re not just broadcasting warnings—they’re likely coordinating something massive. This could be our chance to gather intel and maybe even disrupt their operations."

"Or get eaten by mutants," Mallory added helpfully.

Zara grinned. "Either way, sounds like fun."

Preparations were swift. The group had developed a rhythm over the past weeks, a seamless blend of efficiency and mutual trust. Kaelyn took point, ensuring their weapons were in working order. Vanessa scouted the map Altair provided, plotting the safest route through the city. Zara sharpened her crowbar, humming a jaunty tune that unnerved everyone.

Mallory, meanwhile, focused on the most important task: snacks.

"Mallory, we’re going on a potentially lethal mission, not a picnic," Kaelyn said, watching as she stuffed granola bars and chips into her backpack.

"Hey, I work better when I’m well-fed," Mallory replied defensively. "Besides, if we’re gonna die, I’m not doing it on an empty stomach."

"Priorities," Vanessa muttered, rolling her eyes.

The journey to the telecommunications tower was uneventful at first, the streets eerily quiet except for the occasional scuttling sound in the distance. Scraps trotted beside Mallory, his small frame alert but fearless.

"Anyone else feel like we’re being watched?" Zara asked, gripping her crowbar tightly.

"We’re always being watched," Kaelyn replied without breaking stride. "The question is whether the watchers are planning to eat us."

"Thanks for the reassurance," Mallory said dryly.

The tower came into view as they rounded a corner, its skeletal frame silhouetted against the darkening sky. A faint hum emanated from the structure, accompanied by intermittent flickers of light from the upper levels.

"That’s not creepy at all," Mallory muttered, clutching Scraps a little tighter.

"Stay sharp," Kaelyn ordered, motioning for the group to spread out.

The entrance was unguarded, but the air inside was thick with tension. Wires snaked along the walls, their faint glow casting eerie shadows that seemed to writhe and twist. The sound of distant machinery echoed through the halls, a rhythmic thrum that set Mallory’s teeth on edge.

"Remind me why we’re doing this again?" she whispered.

"Because we’re the good guys," Vanessa replied.

"Ugh, I hate that for us," Mallory said, earning a quiet chuckle from Zara.

As they ascended the tower, the sense of unease grew. The halls were eerily empty, but signs of activity were everywhere—discarded tools, half-finished repairs, and the occasional scrawl of strange symbols on the walls.

"Anyone else getting serious cult vibes from this place?" Zara asked, eyeing the markings warily.

"Focus," Kaelyn said, though her own grip on her rifle had tightened.

They reached the control room without incident, a fact that made Mallory deeply suspicious. "Okay, this is way too easy. Where’s the ambush?"

As if on cue, a low growl echoed through the room. Mallory sighed. "Why do I talk?"

The source of the sound emerged from the shadows—a hulking mutant, its body covered in grotesque armor-like growths. It moved with surprising speed for its size, its glowing eyes fixed on the intruders.

"Mallory, get back!" Kaelyn barked, raising her rifle.

"Way ahead of you!" Mallory yelped, diving behind a console with Scraps.

The room erupted into chaos as the group fought to fend off the creature. Bullets ricocheted off its armor, forcing Kaelyn and Vanessa to aim for its exposed joints. Zara darted in and out of its reach, her crowbar cracking against its vulnerable spots with brutal precision.

Altair, meanwhile, frantically worked to access the tower’s systems. "A little help here? I can’t hack and dodge at the same time!"

"Welcome to multitasking!" Mallory shouted, lobbing a nearby wrench at the mutant’s head. It didn’t do much, but it made her feel slightly better.

Scraps, ever the fearless companion, darted forward and sank his teeth into the mutant’s ankle. The creature roared, momentarily distracted, giving Kaelyn the opening she needed to deliver a decisive shot to its exposed neck.

The mutant collapsed with a guttural groan, its massive body thudding against the floor.

"Nice work, everyone," Kaelyn said, lowering her rifle.

"Speak for yourself," Mallory panted, emerging from her hiding spot. "I think I pulled something diving for cover."

Altair ignored her, his attention focused on the console. "I’ve got something. The Architects are planning a coordinated attack on the remaining survivor enclaves. If we don’t stop them, it’ll be a massacre."

"Great," Mallory said, slumping into a chair. "Another apocalypse within the apocalypse. Just what we needed."

"Can you shut it down?" Kaelyn asked Altair.

"I can try," he replied, his fingers flying over the keyboard. "But it’s going to take time, and I can’t do it from here. We’ll need to bring this data back to the apartment and set up a more secure system."

"Of course we do," Mallory muttered. "Because nothing’s ever simple."

As the group prepared to leave, Zara paused to survey the room. "You know, for all the terror and near-death experiences, this was actually kind of fun."

"You need therapy," Mallory said, shaking her head.

"Don’t we all?" Vanessa replied with a smirk. freeweɓnovel~cѳm

With the data secured and their nerves frayed but intact, the group made their way back to the apartment. The city seemed quieter than before, the shadows deeper and more foreboding.

Mallory glanced at Scraps, who wagged his tail as if to reassure her. "Well, buddy, looks like we’re not out of this mess yet."

But as they approached the apartment complex, a strange sense of determination settled over her. For all her complaints and sarcasm, Mallory knew one thing for certain: she wasn’t about to let the Architects win.

Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m