RABBIT 14: Breaking Down Doors

The retired factory towered over the five, uncomfortably silent from the outside. Walking up the unstable steps, they entered the second floor and began their search of the inventory inside. Two items were necessary; something to break open the steel door of the apartment basement, and something to break the chain lock of the power station.

The boxes stored on the second floor were mostly empty, with stacks of cardboard pressed against the brick walls. Michifuku-san scavenged the boxes, rubble and corners of the first and second floor in search of something to use. The dark night sky barely gave light to the inside of the factory, making it much more difficult to scavenge. Despite this, Michifuku-san found what she was looking for in no time.

Michifuku: "Daikubara-san, over here!"

Using both her arms, Michifuku-san dragged a cinder block from out of the rubble. She then pulled down a protective net hanging from the ceiling, and placed the cinder block inside of it. Daikubara-san picked up the net, swinging it behind his shoulder with the block still inside.

Daikubara: "How the hell'd you even find these?"

Michifuku: "Experience."

The other three were struggling to find their footing, nevermind locate an item of use.

Michifuku: "Oh, you guys - here~"

Michifuku-san kicked two wrenches towards the group, with Kuro-san picking them up.

Konsako Akihi: "Will this work?"

Michifuku: "Mhm, with the right amount of energy. Just apply force on opposite sides of the chain, and it should break!"

There wasn't much else of use in the factory, and given the limited time for retrieving Tatesada-san, the five left, making their way towards the south apartments.

Konsako Akihi: "You're going to break the door with that?"

Daikubara: "Uhuh."

Konsako Akihi: "From the aforementioned, the door to this basement is the same type as the store, right?"

Konsako Akihi: "Why not break that one instead?"

Daikubara: "That'll be our next target if this basement ends up useless. But given the circumstances, I'm not interested in risking it."

Konsako Akihi: "I guess that makes sense…"

Kuro: "...You won't risk it, but you'll chase after that guy anyway?"

Michifuku: "Eh?"

Kuro-san unexpectedly inserted himself into the conversation, pointing towards the topic of Tatesada-san's disappearance.

Kuro: "It should be obvious that he's bait… and you're still going to search for him?"

Kuro: "It's pointless."

Daikubara: "Uhuh? So what are you saying? We should power that gate and leave him behind? Kobayashi and Itogaya too?"

Kuro: "If they wanted him dead, he would be dead. But they chose to drag him into their den."

Kuro: "Because they want you to venture after him."

Daikubara: "Yeah, yeah. No shit. I know that."

Kuro: "Then why–"

Daikubara: "Nonna' your business. You play your little part, and I'll play mine. I ain't relying on you for anything else."

Daikubara: "If you wanna abandon the rest of us, go ahead. I don't give a damn. But you're not turning me into more of a coward, either."

Kuro: "..."

Michifuku: "Besides, we actually do need Tatesada-kun…"

Michifuku: "Assuming we fail to even open the gate from this, we still might be able to power the computers in the storage building."

Michifuku: "And those computers might be our way of opening the gate, and we'll definitely need Tatesada-kun for that, since he knows how to use them. Better than us, at least…"

Kuro: "...That's fine, then."

Leaving it at that, Kuro-san made his way towards the power station with Konsako-san and Ishimasu-san following behind.

Konsako Akihi: "...M ake sure you guys come back, okay?"

Michifuku: "You too! We're counting on you guys."

Daikubara-san was ready to leave without a further word, but was stopped when a small girl pulled on his arm, surely hurting his shoulder.

Daikubara: "...What do you want, kid?"

Ishimasu Kanana: "You're the same as Akihi-aniki, right? You don't wanna see anyone get hurt… Kuro-san couldn't understand that, but I can."

Ishimasu Kanana: "'Cus, I'm like that too…"

Daikubara: "Don't get ahead of yourself, kid. It's like Michifuku said. We need the brat."

Ishimasu Kanana: "..."

He separated himself from the small girl, moving forward…

Ishimasu Kanana: "Don't hesitate, Daikubara-san!"

Daikubara: "..."

Although she couldn't see his face, it was obvious from his gesture… Daikubara-san was smiling.

Michifuku: "Daikubara-san, wait up! There's something I forgot to ask you~"

Daikubara: "What?"

Michifuku: "Am I a kid or a brat?"

…

Ishimasu Kanana: "Are power places really this tiny?"

Konsako Akihi: "It gives us less time to waste, at least…"

Konsako Akihi: "Kuro-san, do you mind?"

Kuro: "...Mm."

Holding the wrenches tight in either hand, Kuro-san fit the ends into the gaps of the chain lock, pulling tensely against the opposite directions. Ishimasu-san lifted the chain and held it in place to offer him more support, and eventually the chain snapped with a loud crack.

Konsako Akihi: "Let's see what we're dealing with…"

…

Equal to the chain's crack, loud banging could be heard from the first floor of a south apartment. Daikubara-san swung the net recklessly and fiercely against the hinges of the steel door which blocked them from entry. With each swing, a painful grunt exited his throat. All Michifuku-san could do was sit and watch, knowing she lacked the same strength as Daikubara-san.

Soon enough, the hinges of the door were mined off, and the two moved out of the way of the heavy tumbling door.

BANG!

Michifuku: "That'll sound like music to Tatesada-kun."

Peeking around the corner, a small source of light lit the concrete floor some feet down from where the two stood. It was undeniably a basement, though an improperly unlit one. Carefully watching their steps, they made their way down the dark stairs and reached the spotlight, which shone from the small window in the corner of the basement. The street light from outside had reached through, emanating a manhole positioned in the centre of the lit floor.

Lifting the manhole up together, the two stared endlessly into the abyss it covered. Only the rusty tip of the ladder leading down could be seen.

Michifuku: "So much for that light… how the heck are we going to navigate down there?!"

Daikubara: "We might get enough light from the grates. But if we're climbing into a trap, we're screwed."

Michifuku-san dropped the two hinges belonging to the door into the hole, awaiting the echo it would create when landing. After a few seconds, that echo was heard.

Michifuku: "It has to be no less than twenty-feet…"

Daikubara: "I'll go down first–"

Before he could prove that resolve, a creaking sound forced the two to turn towards the door they had broken down.

The wooden floorboards next to the entrance had moved.

…

The minute power station was even smaller on the inside, as most space was taken up by large generators, and a ladder connecting to a second floor. There was only one window on the second floor, and the only entrance/exit was the front double door which had been now unlocked.

The six generators were all on the first floor, and remained unpowered.

Konsako Akihi: "Daikubara-san said there should be spare fuel near the generators. Can you have a look, Kuro-san?"

Kuro: "...Mm."

While Kuro-san searched for the spare fuel inside the building, Ishimasu-san flipped the lids of the generators open to save time.

Kuro: "Here."

Pulling a locker open, Kuro-san located the barrels of fuels necessary to power the generators. As Konsako-san was unable to properly move, it would be up to Kuro-san and Ishimasu-san to fill the generators themselves.

Konsako Akihi: "Quickly - there looks to be enough for all six, but we haven't got any time to waste."

…

The floorboard outside of the basement continued to creak. Something must have heard the two breaking and entering.

Michifuku: "D-Daikubara-san, what do we do?!"

Daikubara: "Get away from the light."

Pulling her into the darkness, they waited with bated breath as the floorboards creaked louder and louder, the noise getting closer. Who was it… or rather, what was it?

No light emitted towards the basement door, meaning whatever was coming wouldn't be seen; it would be heard.

But, that small advantage wouldn't last much longer, as the floorboards stopped creaking. It was obvious it hadn't left, as the creaking had only gotten louder right before…

It was likely already inside the basement.

Michifuku-san held onto Daikubara-san's arm tightly, trembling in fear of what was to come. The only noise to be heard in the basement were the pitter patter heartbeats of the girl, and the loud thuds building inside the man's chest.

Until–

-a loud scream was forced out of Daikubara-san, and a dark liquid splattered against Michifuku-san's pale skin.