Chapter 23: Staffroom

After the little breakdown of Saya, Jim and others finally reached inside their destination - the staffroom. This brings a collective sigh of relief for the students while Jim decided tp barricade the door just in case.

But the wounds still limits his movements so he asked for help. "Hey you two, care for a little help?"

The two did not disappoint as they helped Jim lessen the workload and made it faster. They barricaded the door with tables, boxes, and everything that has weight. Once thats all done, they finally can rest a little.

While Rei got up and handed Takashi one of the bottled water found in the staffroom. "Here, Takashi." Takashi thanked him as Rei was about to give a bottled water to Jim.

"Jimmy san, right? Here, a bottled water." Rei said as she was about to hand a bottled water but Jim stopped her. "I appreciate it but I already have a canteen of water." Jim said while fishing out a canteen water in the bag.

After drinking a couple of gulps of water, Jim turned to Shizuka and asked an important question.

"Say Shizuka, with this big of a group, can your car fit as all in?"

"Now that you mention it....." 

Thankfully, Saeko comes in to saved the day, proposing an alternate plan. "What of the miniature buses used for club activity? The keys hang from the wall in here."

"That's a great idea Saeko," Jim gave her a thumbs up, he turned to where Kouta is and said. "Fatty, go check if the bus are still there."

"F-fatty?..... Hayy" Kouta looked dejected from being called a fatso but still followed the command, he glanced out the window just to see row of buses still there.

"They're here!"

Jim nodded. "Good, we just have to rest for a few minutes and need to get out of here before sunset."

"That should wok, but where should we go?" Shizuka asked.

"To check on our families." Takashi said. "Well stopped by everyone's home from closest to furthest. And if we have to, we'll help our families too. Once all done, we'll find a safe place to stay."

Shizuka turned to Jimmy who was eating a cracker from his c rations, and asked. "What about you Jimmy chan?"

"Hmmm?" Startled by the question, he stopped what his doing and replied. "I'll tag along with you all for now until I know where the nearest airport is."

"What the..." Rei muttered with a bewildered expression as she watched a news from TV. This draws the attention of others as Saeko turned the volume up.

"...government has started to do something about this ongoing revolt. However the politicians are doubting the SDF's ability to...."

Saeko changed the channel to a new one, showing the undead being put to ambulance but only to get back up leading to the police shooting them. Not long after, the reporters were also overrun by the undead leading to cutting coverage.

"There's been some sort of problem. F-from now on, we'll be broadcasting from the studio here. As you can tell, the situation outside has become grave. We advice you to stay in your home unless necessary. Once it safer outside, we'll bring you information about the ongoing situation."

Takashi slammed his fist on the table. "Is that all?! Why aren't they saying more?" 

"Because they're afraid of causing panic." Saya who get herself together from her sudden outburst from a while ago, spoke up.

 "Even now?"

"Because of what happened just now! Fear leads to chaos, chaos leads to anarchy. How would you expect the government to deal with the living dead in the time of anarchy?"

While Jimmy stood up and walk to where Saeko is and asked. "Saeko, give me the remote for a bit." He said with no nonsense voice.

"Oh, here you go." Saeko complied to Jims request and give him the remote. 

Jim did not waste time a he skimp the channels until he reached to a global news were the reporter was reporting the same undead that spread throughout the America.

"This unusual phenomenon that spread throughout the America has been yet under controlled. The government authorities have evacuated the White House and will relocate to a command center onboard an aircraft carrier. Their are report that this transfer is in preparation for the possible use of tactical warheads. We have currently lose contact with Moscow, Beijing has been set a blaze. London has maintain order but in Paris and Rome, there are reports of looting. Government has officialy declared-..."

Before the news could be finish, the TV turned static but what Jim has watch and heard is enough. Jims breathing hitched as he sat down, his worst fear come true as the whole ordeal was not only happening in Japan but in the whole world.

He doesn't know what to do anymore so he tried again to contact his HQ or anyone. "Trojan Six, this is Corporal Jackson from the cutoff squad and I am here in the island of Japan. The world seems descended to madness, there our outbreak of undead shits happening around the world. Do you copy? Over." He released the button and waited for some kind of respond. Nothing.

Desperation creep to Jim as he switched frequencies. "Agent Serpent Six, this is Corporal Jackson. Do you read?! Over." Again, only silence answered him, the Saeko and Shizuka were also getting worried, this is the first time they've seen him desperate. 

As Jim was trying out different frequencies hoping someone would hear him, Kouta approached Saeko and ask. "Busujima sempai, his a soldier right? What's he doing here at school?" The others also perked up, even Saya as they don't know the origin of the mysterious addition to their group.

Saeko did not disappoint as she share what she know. "Jimmy san said the U.S. deployed them in a country because of a war and how the operation in Ia Drang goes terribly wrong, wounding him and the next thing he knows he just woke up here."

"Hmph, his lying. As far as I know there is no ongoing war here in Asia that required for the U.S. to send their soldiers, hell if their was really a war going on we should have read or watched a news describing it at some point." Saya still a little salty about how Jim treated him, denied such claims.

But to Kouta - a military and gun enthusiast, put on a shocked look that did not go unnoticed by others. He looked at Jims direction, and mumbled. "T-the outfit.... t-that gun.... theirs no mistaking it..." 

He keep mumbling something that greatly annoyed Saya. "Oi Hirano, if you know something spill it out!"

Kouta ignored her much to Sayas frustration, he approached Jim and asked questions that will reveal much more about Jimmy that will greatly shocked even Jim itself.

"J-Jimmy san, are you a soldier?" Kouta asked with Jim replying sarcastically. "If the uniform and the dog tag I wear is not self explanatory, I don't know what is."

"R-right? Then is the M16 your carrying the current standard issued rifle in the U.S.?"

"What current? The M16 is the standard issued rifle to us. Now don't disturb me fatty, I'm in the middle of something." As he waved Kouta off.

"W-wait!! One last question." But Kouta still have a question, Jim looked at him in annoyance but gave him the permission to continue, much to Koutas relief. "Right now, what year is it?"

Jim now looked at Kouta with 'are you dumb' expression but still answered. "Its 1965 idiot."

With Jims answer, the other took a shocked expression with mouths almost hanging, making Jim uncomfortable. "W-what?"

Kouta took a deep breath and revealed something that froze Jim. "Your wrong, the current year is 2010. And if I guessed correctly, the Vietnam War you fought, already ended 35 years ago."

".....Eh?"