No more hand holding

"Clear!..."

"...Oh, for crab's sake...did you really have to shout it out loud?" I dart my head around before turning to look at Kohta while he was peeking inside the communications room, the MP5 in his hands...If you're wondering what happened to the AR-10...well let's just say that Asami looked...funny right now...and from the way she was holding her big new gun...i'd say that she's rather afraid of it...

"Uhh...sorry...it's just that...i always wanted to say that..." He responds with a meek grin as he turns to me...

"Well, i can't see any them coming from behind...maybe we cleared out the station? Still, don't let your guard down" Saya speaks up right after.

(True, we did kill most of the corpses while coming up here...but still...)

"In either case, we should check inside for any information" Takashi points at the open door that led into the communications room.

The group nodded and moved inside...and the first thing everybody noticed was that...

"Everything is off...the equipment here wasn't emp resistant..." Takashi sighs as he looks around, glancing at the computers that stretched across the room in three long rows. With the first row being next to us and the third row being the furthest away, on the other side of the room.

(Not that surprising really...even the army can't fully EMP-proof their installations...the police...really didn't have much of a chance.)

"Hey, that computer is still working..." Alice speaks up as she points at the only functioning screen in the third row and Saya instantly runs towards that computer...

"It's...the J-alert system! It's still working!" Saya shouts the moment she looks at the screen...

(Ok...what's with all the shouting?)

"J-What?" Takashi asks...and Kohta...starts explaining what the J-alert system is with an excited voice...and by excited...i mean loud. But his explanation did cause the group to gather around the working computer...well...other than me and Saeko, i stayed by the first 'row' of desks...Saeko...she...

"How come it's still running?...Did somebody fix a nearby powerplant?" She asks as she pulls a tissue out of the small tissue box that was left on a table in the first row...then walks up to me...and...starts poking my mask with the tissue...

"Uhh...what gives?" I ask in a low tone as i stare at a smiling Saeko...

"Inconceivable!" Saya shouts as she starts to feverishly type on the keyboard.

"You had some blood on your mask..." Saeko responds as she tilts her head slightly.

"And no, i think it's running on backup battery power...it must be on alert mode, that's probably why it lasted so long too" Saya answers as she keeps looking at the screen.

"Ohh, like they have in hospitals" Shizuka responds...

(...Funny how everybody is too busy staring at the screen to even notice Saeko...she...never did do something like this in the manga...did she?...Come to think of it. She does seem a bit more...uhh...how to name it...affectionate?...Compared to how she acted with Takashi...)

Saeko then lowers her hand, walks to a nearby bin and tosses the tissue. And then...silence...the only sound being heard, was that of keyboard buttons being tapped...

A couple of minutes passed like that...with nobody saying a thing...until...

"Do you know what you're doing?" Rei asks while sitting on a table, resting her cheek on her hand.

"This was designed to be simple enough for even a kid to use!...but ARGHHH!" Saya stops typing and grabs the corners of the screen with her hands as she shouts...

"What's wrong? Takashi asks.

"...I...can't find the search function..." Saya responds in a low tone as she turns around and lowers her head slightly...all the while...i stared at Alice as she sneaked up to the computer and pushed a random button on the keyboard...

(Alice roll's luck...)

Saya glances at Alice before turning back to Takashi...then snaps her head back at her.

"W...what are you doing you stupid munchkin!" She shouts...again...

(Seriously...Let's just just rename this place into the shout room, ya?...)

"S...sorry...i couldn't help it" Alice apologizes with tears in her eyes as she lowers her head. Takashi then closed his eyes and nodded with a serious expression...to the point...that you'd think that he was actually thinking of something important...

Saya then turns her head towards the screen with a heavy sigh.

"Seriously, can't i take my...Wha..." And freezes as she keeps staring at the screen...that now showed the evacuation plans...

(And Alice rolls critical on the first roll, critical on the second roll and critical on the third roll...The static electricity in Alice's hand short wires the computer, causing it to acquire self-awareness and search itself...)

"This...Nice going munchkin!" Saya...shouts as she keeps looking at the computer...

(I will check outside...just in case)

I walk out of the room and take a look around as the group kept talking.

(Yet, no corpses...did we really clear this place out?)

"Is something wrong?" I didn't even manage to turn around in order to return into the room...and Saeko was already behind me.

(Uhhh...is she...following me around?... She crept up behind me when i was by the building's front door too...huh...)

"We're being too loud, i needed to make sure that we didn't attract any attention" I answer as i glance around...she just nodded and turned to look at the stairs...

Me and Saeko then stayed outside for a couple of seconds...until..

"Still...evacuation...not backup?" Takashi asks as he stops by the door's frame.

"You have seen how bad things are here...they are probably trying to focus on getting survivors to safety first" Saya responds as she exits the room and starts going towards the stairs.

"The plan is to go there then" Takashi responds as he begins walking behind her.

"Yes, but we need to hurry, the extraction will only last for a couple of hours in the early afternoon...tomorrow" Saya answers as she stops walking and turns to look at him.

(Wait...early afternoon?...in the manga it was 'just' afternoon...)

"And...where it's happening? " Takashi asks as he walks past her and stops by the stairs.

"Shintoko third elementary school" Saya's voice became more...serious... and both Rei and Takashi tensed up the moment they heard the location...and while the group kept talking, i pulled the watch out of my pocket.

(...It's five and forty...we have less than half a day...and i'm not counting the night...while we did leave the estate in the middle of the night...i really don't think that it's a smart idea to go off driving in pitch black darkness...The corpses are already blind, so they won't be affected by the lack of light...and...the headlights will make us shine like a lighthouse for the ones that 'can' see...and i don't know what's worse between the two. Both can...)

"Hey hold on! And what about my parents!" Rei's loud shout knocks me out of my thoughts.

(Huh, wait we reached this part already?...uhh...ok...)

"The initial reason we came here, was to look for Rei's dad, so...let's go do what we came for?" I turn to Takashi as i 'ask'...He nods and puts his hand on Rei's shoulder, who was already next to him by the stairs.

"Of course, your dad comes first, do you know where his office is?" Takashi asks...and Reis's face instantly lights up as she nods.

"Y...yes! Follow me, it's on the second floor!" She shouts. And so, we followed Rei as she ran down the stairs to the second floor and then started sprinting through the hallways.

(...And all caution went out of the window...)

"There, it's that room!" She shouts as she points at a door that had a sign that wrote 'public safety division' on it...and...

"Dad!" She shouts as she bursts through the door...

(...Screaming out the top of your lungs as you smash into an unchecked, closed room? In the middle of a frigging zombie apocalypse?...Seriously...What the fuck?...)

Still, i kept that though to my self...as...well...

"There's...nobody here..." Rei's lively attitude instantly plummeted to a negative degree...and the whole group just...stared at the empty room...

(And the whole atmosphere just went to shit...)

I glance at the whiteboard...and notice...that i could actually read the backside from where i was standing...or...you know, see the letters, as they were upside down.

(Ohh...perfect...let's skip this whole shindig, no?...)

I slightly nod to my self and start walking towards the whiteboard...

"Naier...can you and Saeko keep an eye out?" Takashi grabs my arm as i walk past him...

(...oh Jeez)

"There's something written on that whiteboard" As i say that, Rei turns her head to me. Takashi just raises an eyebrow and tilts his head...then lets go of my arm.

I walk over to the whiteboard...flip it...and Rei instantly shouts that this was her dad's handwriting...

"How did you even...do you have x-ray vision or something?" Kohta asks as he stares at the whiteboard...

"Nah, it was visible from where i was standing, no such thing as superpowers i'm afraid" I answer as i tilt my head.

(Well, that was a lie...but...my 'superpower' is about to expire anyway.)

And the group turned lively once again...well...all but one. Saya still looked extra grumpy. Her arms folded and her head turned towards the window that was next to her...

(I'll take my two cookies and say that the reason she is like this, is because of the gun thing...well...let's see...)

I walk up to Saya as she kept staring outside...up to the point...that i was actually next to her.

"Why so glum?" I ask. Saya jerks her shoulders and darts her head to me...and just...stares.

(Wow, she's really out of it...)

"...It's nothing..." She responds as she turns her head back towards the window.

I just fold my arms and keep staring at her...Saya glanced at me a couple of times...until she let out a sigh.

"I...hate feeling useless." She finally speaks up in a low tone as she draws her Luger.

"The only time i used this, i could not even shoot correctly...and if i'll have to shoot a second time...I know i won't do any better!" She raises her voice as she turns to me.

"Y...you said to Saeko, that if she needed help with her gun, she could come to you. W...well i also need help with my gun!...Or was your offer only aimed towards her?" She extends her arm towards me and 'shows' me the gun.

(Called it)

"I'm pretty sure i said me...or Kohta...but...uhh...can i look at the gun for a bit? " I ask as i point at the Luger...Saya blinks a few times before she reluctantly hands it over.

"I'm going to kill you if you break it" She says as she keeps staring at the handgun...i didn't respond...i just 'aimed' the gun as i placed its stock against my shoulder.

(Hmm...while the gun's detachable stock does make it easier to aim...it still is a bit...weird to handle...)

I then take off the drum magazine as i keep the gun aimed...all the while, Saya just stared at me.

(...The drum also seems to add some noticeable weight...wonder if it's full or not...that should be...thirty-two rounds?...In either case...i think Kohta's decision was the right one.

While the luger is about...what?...Less than a kilo with no mag inside? And the Mp5 can be between two to three depending on the model, it's still wielded with both hands...so it should be easier to handle. I should also check its sight...even with the dot dead...it might be able to still act as a zooming lens...the silencer should also make the gun more 'forgiving'...As for the recoil, can't really tell. but both guns use the same ammo type so...)

"Hey what are y..."

"Kohta...the MP5 we have uses 9mm's?" I ask as i turn to him...he looks at me and nods.

"I think Saya should have it, her luger ain't exactly...easy to use...The MP5 can be used with both hands, and as it uses the same type of ammo, the recoil can't be that much worse" I start walking towards him before giving Saya one last glance...and she...was looking anywhere but here.

"Well...yea...but i gave the Ar-10 to Asami, we don't have any other long-range weapons left, as the M1A1 is used by Rei" He answers as he turns to look at Asami.

(...Yea that...has been bothering me for some time now...and...while i'm NOT going to ask why Rei is using a frigging long-range gun as a stabbing pole...i really should keep it in the 'why the crap?' section. Especially now that we have a person that can use it as a for what it really is...a frigging gun)

"AAA...K...Kohta...y...you can have the gun. A...Asami feels anxious just holding a gun like this. she's...used to her handgun..." Asami runs up to Kohta and extends the rifle to him...

"...But...i wanted us to snipe together..." I hear him respond in a low tone as he keeps looking at her...

"A...Asami...likes it more when you use this gun...it makes you look...cool"...Less than two seconds later...i was holding the MP5 along with its sling...

Asami breathed a sigh of relief the moment the gun got off her hands. she then turned to me and nodded with a smile, before turning back to Kohta.

(Or...we don't have a person that can use Rei's gun. Asami...knows how to get what she wants...or in this matter...how to get rid of what she doesn't...)

With that...i walk back to Saya and hand her both the MP5 and the Luger.

"It's heavier, but should be easier to use...the sight might be dead, but check if it can act as a zoom lens...it uses the same ammo type as the Luger, so you can actually change bullets from one gun to another...now the thing has a suppressor...but don't expect the gun to be muted, it doesn't work like that. It will still sound like a dinner bell for the corpses...and uhh...that about it...i think..." I fold my arms as i speak. Saya just kept looking at new the gun...and then...i take a couple of steps back...

(Just in case mister 'wild slap' appears...not for me though...if Saya slaps my mask, she will blame me for her aching hand later...)

"I'll show you some of the technical stuff, once we're not running around" As i finish, i turn around and look the group...Takashi nods, and starts talking. While i walked towards the exit. I stopped by the door's frame and looked outside...

(Well...that went...fine)

Behind me, i could hear Takashi talking about our plan. which was going to where Rei lived to find her mother before heading towards the school...and then, i felt a hand on my shoulder.

"...These...technical stuff you mentioned...can i expect, that it'll be you that'll show them to me?"...Turning around, i see Saeko looking at me.

"And...i also never used a gun before. The lesson...i would rather it be with one teacher...and one student." Saeko kept her eyes locked to my face...and even with my mask on...i could honestly feel her staring at me...i...just nodded. Not much else i could do in this situation to be honest...as she already knows how i feel about Saya...and her wording was...way too precise.

"AAAHH !WHOA WHOA!" And Takashi starts shouting...i turn around to see him flailing his leg as Zeke was with one leg lifted in the air right under him...and the group then bursts into laughter...

"Oh man...that was lame..." Takashi groans...

"So...back into the car and on to Rei's neighborhood?" I ask while the group was getting back its bearings.

"Yea..." Takashi responds.

"My house...is actually not very far from here, with the car it should be less than five minutes away" Rei adds right after him. With that, we start heading towards the exit...

"Ohh...one more thing Takashi..." He turns around to look at me as i call his name...

"You ain't getting into the car with them smelly pants..." I fold my arms as i speak.

"Bad Zeke! Now Takashi will have to run behind the car!" Alice 'scolds' the dog...who...uhh...just started liking her pointed finger...

"Yep, you're not getting inside the car if you'll make it stink, it has horrible ventilation!" Saya adds up right after.

"Uhh...we...have extra pants, i'll just change into one of them" Takashi responds.

(We?...You mean the clothes 'i' gathered in the estate...huh)

And so, we headed back towards the car. Thankfully, with no trouble following us. Once there, we took off the net, unlocked the trunk and got inside...well, more like Alice went inside and unlocked the hatch for the rest of us...as Shizuka...could bearly fit through the trunk with how tight of a squeeze it was because of her...assets...then all of us got in...well, all of us but Takashi...for him...i just grabbed a pair of black trousers that i didn't have any side pockets and tossed them towards him...i wasn't about to give him the best pants i had, thank you very much...

(Wish i had a pair of pink spandex to give him)

I found my self chuckling as Takashi closed the trunk in order to change.

"...What's so funny?" Saya, who was sitting next to me, asked.

"Nothing..." I respond, She narrows her eyes, frowns, folds her arms...and keeps staring.

The reason Saya was on the back, was because Rei was in the front seat now, that way she could show Shizuka where to go...

(I'm actually surprised that Saya's willing to sit on the center of the Humvee...seeing as it has no seats)

"Uhh. What do i do with the old pants?" I hear Takashi ask as his head pops through the hatch.

"Throw them...the whole reason you changed was so they would not end up inside the car to begin with" Saya turns to look at Takashi as she speaks, he nods and tosses the pants behind the car. He then climbs inside and sits next to Saeko, who was next to Saya...Kohta and Asami were in there usual...'spot'...that being the leg section on Takashi's seat. Alice was in the front on Rei's lap.

And like that, Shizuka turned on the car and drove off while following Rei's directions...

"By the way...how are we going on fuel?" I ask as i look behind me at the jerry cans.

"Umm...the car was refueled in the estate...i have yet to refill it...and the fuel indicator has moved to about the...uhh...third-fifth?" Shizuka answers.

(Hmm...if i remember correctly...a Humvee needed like five, twenty-liter jerry cans to fill up...and the miles it could go depended a lot on how heavy it was, from two miles...all the way up to twelve. Now, ours is not 'armed'...but i don't know if the armor plating it has is 'standard' for a humvee...)

As i turn around, i notice that Saeko was staring at the open hatch...

"The weather doesn't look too friendly" She speaks up as she keeps looking through the hatch.

"Well we're in the car...we should be fine" Takashi responds.

"Won't we have to exit after we reach our destination though...or...you intend to cannonball the car through the buildings " I tilt my head as i turn to him.

"Pfft..." Saya puts her hand over her mouth as she lowers her head and leans forward.

"Uhh...actually i don't think this car will even fit on the streets we need to take...Takashi, the roads around my house are too narrow...don't you remember that?" Rei turns around from the front seat to look at Takashi as she speaks.

"Uhh...oh...right..." He trails off as he nods...

(...wait...what?...Ohh shit...that ain't good)

"There should be a convenience store on the road ahead. Before it starts getting too narrow...we can park the car there. It has a small alleyway next to it, it worked the first time around...so it should work here too...right?" Rei then turns to me as she asks.

(...What's with everybody turning to me for this crap, I ain't the frigging here leader dammit...)

"Got to see the place first" I answer, Rei nods and turns to look ahead.

And...she was right. It didn't take us too long to actually reach the convenience store after that. We really weren't that far, guess Rei's father had that fabled, work being close to home thing.

"It's here, see" Rei then points at the left part of the street, towards a store that was not too far from us...the store itself was not that tall...about one and a half floors, to its left, an alleyway and next to that alleyway a two-story building...and that's about it...i could not see anything else around to use for cover. As most if not all the buildings around here were apartments.

"Can't see any better cover...uhh...Shizuka..see if you can park the car in reverse, better if we're able to leave fast in case of an emergency...and you know, engine off. Though, parking there in reverse with the engine off might be a bit...impossible...just do what you can " As i speak Shizuka nods and tries to do as i asked.

I then climbed up the hatch until i was completely out and looked around as Shizuka tried to park the car. Luckily...the alleyway was wide enough to fit the Humvee...and...i could actually see what seemed to be another alleyway behind the building...but...well...plainly put, the car was way too fat, it couldn't go back there...now this alleyway was not that long...about the same distance as the store...which must have been...two, two and a half Humvees at maximum...in other words...

"...We're still too exposed...uhh. Let's make sure nothing is trying to creep up on us...then go inside the building...we'll think of a plan in there" I say as i look back into the hatch. The group glanced at each other before Takashi nodded at me.

After the rest exited the vehicle and Shizuka locked it. We went to the front part of the store.

"We attracted some attention...hmm...well, not all that surprising, we're in a residential area after all" There must have been a total of...fifteen corpses? Coming from several directions.

"Where do we go from here?" I ask as i turn to Rei.

"Umm...this way" She points to our left, I nod and turn to run towards the right. Pulling the bokken out of the side straps as i head straight towards a stop sign that was a little further off, on the opposite side of the road.

I switch my hold on the wooden blade to a reverse grip, pull my arm back, and then take a strong swing at the sign it self...to the point that i actually felt the vibration all the way to up my shoulder...

I dart my head around, shake my arm, and move back towards the rest.

The corpses on the 'left side' were not past the group yet...but i could see them moving towards the upper part of the street now...

(They changed direction...good)

After i got back to the group...we just...went back into the alleyway...and watched as the corpses waltzed past us and headed straight towards the sign.

"Is it a good idea to leave them there?...What if we make noise inside the building?...They're way too close" Saya asks in a low tone as she looks at me, occasionally glancing at the corpses...

"Not much else we can do...shooting them will cause more to come, dynamite will get a horde on our face...going close...is too risky with all of them jumbled together like that" I respond.

"Let's see if we can go inside first" Takashi starts walking towards the road as he motions us to follow him.

We turned left and then headed straight to the store's front door...which...was wide open.

The insides also looked, rather untouched and we had a good view too, as the front wall was made of glass that was still intact...a bit weird if you consider that this place has water and non-perishables...even if most of em are in the junk food category...also, i couldn't see any blood or any signs of struggle.

We go inside, close the door behind us and take a better look around.

Most of the building was pretty much a giant room with two big rows of shelves, both filled with items on both sides. All that was in the center and to my right. In the wall ahead, three large 'wall' fridges that still had unopened bottles inside, to my left was a counter with the register and behind it, a metal door, in the store's left wall...to my right, a thick tinted glass wall that led to what i think was a storage room. Next to it, a door with a toilet sign over it. There was also a narrow corridor straight ahead and to my left, that ended with a rather sturdy looking metal door...

"Hmm...this place has waterproof clothing?" I ask.

"Uhh...it's a convenience store you idiot, why would it have clothes?" Saya groans as she turns her head to me.

"...Don't we need waterproof clothing...?" I ask again as i turn to her.

"Ahh...there should be a clothing store next door, to the left...we can go and look there" Rei speaks up.

"Ok...we'll split in half then. Some people will search this place...while the others will go and get some waterproof clothes" Takashi turns towards the group as he speaks.

"I'm going to the clothes store" I raise my hand before anybody else could speak.

"Huh...why do 'you' want to go?" Saya asks as she folds her arms.

"I'd like to buy my own clothes...lest i end up with a pink hoodie...or a jacket with a dog face or something" I respond.

"But...dog hoodies are awesome..." Alice lowers her head slightly as she whines.

"And who would do something so childish anyway?" Saya asks again.

(Other than me?...To be honest...i can totally see you doing it...no way i'm telling her that though)

"Just to be sure" I respond.

"Ok...then..."

"I will go too" Saeko cuts Takashi off.

"Me too" Saya adds shortly after.

"I want to pick something for my self too..." Rei was the next one to speak.

"I..."

"Ok...no more, or we'll all end up going there" Takashi cuts Shizuka off...who instantly pouts and looks away...

With that, me and the three girls headed out and went...to the store next door...like...literally next door. And said door, was also wide open.

We went inside to find the place empty...and untouched. Again, one big room with a couple of wide, short benches on the center. Several rows of clothes that extended from the wall to my right and headed towards the wall to the left, with all rows stopping a little before the center of the store. A lot of clothes were also hanging to my left and the register was also in the far off corner on the left. Straight ahead, were a couple of full-body sided mirrors hanging on the wall. Also, said wall didn't go all way, stopping at about...three fourths in distance from the wall to the right? And behind it, was another room with even more clothes hanging in rows...also...here...was where i found what i was going to...'buy'.

"Ok... let's get what we need...along with some extras for the others so they can choose...that way they can't say that we didn't give em a choice." As i say that the girls nod and spread out...I?...

I went straight to the back...on waterproof trench coat section and...uh...to put it plainly. World war two, German officer trenchcoat...the only difference, was that the collar ended with a hood. Other than that...it looked exactly the same, lapels, buttons, length, everything...also...it was obviously black. It's a shame that its looks might remind some people of the atrocities committed in that era...but...i want the trenchcoat...because i like the trenchcoat, i couldn't care less about that ideology...also, it seemed less...heavy...i suspect that was because it wasn't leather. The fabric was still rather thick though.

I take off my glove and feel the outer texture...

(...Guess it's the same material as the coat that Saeko wore in the manga?...hmm...)

I take off my bag, sling and jacket. Then fasten the sling back on me and wear the trench coat. I also pull the hood up before turning to look towards the mirror to my right.

(...I might not be able to jump over fences with this...but hell i look like a badass...the hood might not be 'big', but it still covers the mask if looking from the side.

Ok...bought, done with mine. Let's get some stuff for the others now...i remember that Takashi, for some reason, didn't wear anything to cover his pants...hmm...ehh whatever, I'll just get a bunch of waterproof jackets and ponchos.)

I leave the trenchcoat unbuttoned, take my jacket along with some more waterproof jackets, fold them and shove them in my bag before throwing it over my shoulder.

(Ok... let's go...)

I give the mirror one last glance and then walk back to the front room. Where the girls were trying out different waterproof clothes...and holy crap...i know i didn't take long...so why there were so many ponchos tossed on the floor...

"Saeko, are you sure you want to wear that?...You'll have to carry around an umbrella as it has no hood and you don't want to wear a hat." Rei looks at Saeko as she speaks, who was already in her own...coat. The same coat she wore in the manga, black with a purple hue in color, two rows of buttons, a belt that was tied to a ribbon around her waist, under that, the coat had four equal cuts on the sides that made it separate into four segments. Forth, back, and sides.

"I already have one" Saeko replies as she opens the Japanese style umbrella she was holding, a deep purple in color from what i could see.

"Hey opening an umbrella inside a building is bad luck you know..." Rei folds her arms as she stares at Saeko, all the while in her own camo poncho.

"Heh...it's almost as if you're trying to...impress...somebody" Saya's eye twitched slightly as she spoke with a forced grin. She was wearing...a bright yellow raincoat, that one didn't have a hood either, so she was also wearing a bright yellow hat.

"Is it that weird, that i want to be presentable?" Saeko closes her eyes and smiles as she folds the umbrella.

"A...anyway, that should be all...let's get ready to return?" Rei asks.

"Y...yea...I'll go get Naier...so much about girls taking too long to dress up. He's taking longer than u..." Saya shakes her head and turns to walk towards my direction...only to end up face to face err...mask with me.

"So we done?" I ask.

"...Y...yea..." Saya responds as she keeps staring at me...her mouth slightly open.

"...You...look like a supervillain now" Rei also ended up staring at me as she kept blinking...

"...Uhh...isn't an overlord in the supervillain category to begin with?" I tilt my head as i ask.

"I think it suits you...perfectly" Saeko...while she spoke in a normal tone with a slight smile...was also staring.

(Ok...this is getting awkward...)

"So...we're...done?...or..."

"Y...yea, let's go" Saya was the first one to 'wake up'. She instantly turned around as she grabbed the tip of her hat and lowered it.

"...Yea...the others...are waiting" Rei was the second one to speak as she started to pick the extra ponchos.

Saeko...just turned to help the other two while giving me an occasional glance.

"You want me to hel..."

"N...no, we can handle it" Saya cuts me off, her back still turned to me...it almost felt like she was...hiding.

And like that, the girls gathered everything and we headed back to the store where the others were waiting. After entering and closing the door behind us.

"We're back." Rei speaks up.

"Ahh welcome back, did you find wha..." And...Takashi freezes...i don't know if he was looking at me...or Saeko...as she was standing next to me...again...

"Bark!" And...a wild Zeke appeared...who with a jump, latched on to my sleeve. I lift my arm to head high and turn my hand until Zeke and i were eye to eye...he...just started wagging his tail as he looked at me.

"Really now minion?" I start poking the dog in its belly until it finally let go of me...He landed next to my boot and then instantly ran back to Alice.

"So...are we going to keep staring at each other?...Or is there anything worthy of mention in this place?" I ask as i turn to Takashi. He shakes his head and then nods.

"Uhh..yea...we found that the shutters in this place can be lowered manually...don't know how noisy that'll get though, so we didn't try to lower them...then the door behind the counter leads to a small room with a computer, a couple of lockers and a cabinet...the computer doesn't work...and" He then turns towards the corridor to the left, the one with the door at the end.

"This door leads to the back alleyway, we can go straight to the car from there...and next to the door, there's a staircase that leads to a giant room that i think was used as storage space, it had a couple of boxes scattered around, but otherwise, it was empty...and dark...there were only a couple of very small windows on one of the walls...and that's about it." He points at the corridor as he speaks before turning back to look at me...and...before i could even answer...

"You brought anything for us to chose?" Shizuka skips past Takashi and looks at us. She folds her arms until they touched her shoulders and bends her knees slightly...

"Uhh yea...i have some in there, the girls have the rest" I toss my bag to her as i speak. She nods as she catches it, then runs up to the girls...and after that...well, we sort of took a small break.

The place was not looted so it had a buttload of food and water...let's just say...i haven't eaten so much junk food in my whole life combined...but hey, better than eating nothing...also apparently...i'm the only person in here that likes sour stuff...as the group looked at me like i was some sort of alien when i decided to eat some vinegar chips...

And so, after Kohta had his...uhh...event...with the condoms...Which, fun fact...i still don't know why Shizuka took them off the counter and started walking around with them in her hand...also another fun fact...Asami did not seem TOO mad about the whole thing. Shizuka then, after we found the net launcher under the counter had her own weird-ass fantasy on how it works...and then, the rest then got dressed for the rain, as it did start raining.

"Alright...so we're ready to go?" Takashi asks as he takes a sip out of the bottled water in his hand, the group responds with a nod.

(...Actually...we're not...leaving the fact that i don't know how this will go after getting Rei's mother. The Humvee is way too exposed...and...the sky is beginning to turn orange...i got no idea how far that school is at...or how long it'll take to find Rei's mom

I know that i always say that Takashi is the leader here...but...i don't like this...i guess...it's time for a temporary...override)

"I don't think all of us should go" I speak up as the group starts to move...they all stop and turn to me.

"Is something bothering you?" Saeko asks as she looks at me.

"Yes, two things. One...is that the Humvee is way too exposed, even if we cover it, the alleyway is too short, way too easy to spot..." I say as i fold my arms.

"And second...We're about to go into your neighborhood...Can you really kill the corpses in there?" I turn to Rei and Takashi as i speak.

"Are you telling us to stay behind? If it came down to it i think we..."

"Actually i'm not telling you to stay behind, i'm preparing you...because you two 'must' go" I cut off Takashi, causing him to freeze.

"...Wha...first you tell us that we might have to kill our relatives if we go...then you tell us that we MUST go? Do you know how this even sounds right now?" Rei glares at me as she folds her arms.

"Yes, i do...but we don't know how your relatives look...and we don't know the area...so, you're the only ones who can...confirm" I respond...and both turn to look at the ground.

"So you two...must go...for better or for worst...that also means that somebody who can fight for more than one person must go" I turn to look at Saeko as i speak, She nods without even blinking. I then to Kohta...who also nods with a serious expression.

"And you are..."

"I'll stay with the Humvee...i'm the only one left among the ones that can go into close range in a fight...Shizuka, Alice, you two also stay" I cut off Takashi as i look at the two girls...i expected Shizuka to start pouting or something...but...she just nodded with a serious expression as she shoved Alice under her chest.

"And what about me?" Saya asks as she stared at me...

(Right...careful wording here...)

"...Saya, Asami...you two can decide whether you want to go or stay, you will be useful both here and there.

"I will go" Asami walks up to Kohta as she speaks.

"...I...guess i'll stay then" Saya responds right after.

"Alright, so we're ready to..."

"No" I cut Takashi off again...causing the group to turn towards me once more.

"Two more things..." I go to my bag, open it...and take out the walkie talkies. Then toss one to Takashi.

"Huh...but...these don't reach very far" He tilts his head as he speaks.

"Open it" I turn on mine as i speak...Takashi nods and does so.

I press on the talk button, the moment i do, the other walkie made a small 'click' sound. I let go of the talk button and then press it two times, the click sound then got heard two times...

"That clicking sound can still be heard even when the radios give off nothing but static, we can use that" I respond as i wave the radio in my hand.

"Uhh...and...how do we?..."

"A way to let others know if there is trouble or not...hmm...One-click represents 'all fine', Two clicks means 'Alert', Three clicks will stand for...'we need back up'...four...will count as...'Do not come looking for us'...and five...will count as 'Reset'...or cancel" ...The group ended up going silent moment i mentioned the 'fourth' click...

"...Do we...need a fourth click..." Shizuka asks as she glances at the group, before turning to look at me.

"Yes...we do" I respond.

"But that obviously doesn't mean that we should strive to use it...we never did...let's keep it that way" I add up...Shizuka looks at the ground before lifting her head to look at me again, she closes her eyes and nods with a smile.

"And one last thing...as these will produce static noise when pressing the talk button...make quick clicks only...the more you have the talk button pressed, the more you endanger the other group...and...uhh...keep the fact that we have a working car under the carpet at all times...as the person you're speaking to, might not be the only one that's actually listening" Takashi nods as he looks at the walkie talkie.

"Any questions?" I ask...

"Uhh...just one..." Takashi turns to look at me...

"Why aren't you the leader again?..." He asks he raises an eyebrow and scratches the back of his head with a slight grin.

"Easy. I'm an overlord, i work behind the lines" I respond as i shrug.

"Supervillain" Rei says with a slight grin.

"Ninja penguin" Shizuka adds up right after.

(...My...'Titles' keep pilling up ehh...)

I just lower my head and shake it before turning to look back at Takashi.

"Oh and...i think we need to lower the shutters...that wall won't last two seconds if somebody...or something...decides that it wants in" I point at the glass wall as i speak.

"Uhh...yea...there's a crank handle inside the room that's behind the counter with the register..." Takashi nods as he points at the metal door.

(Hmm...alright...the rain should mask some of the sound...so it should be fine to lower them)

I nod to my self as i think...

"Well...that's all..." As i say that, the group nods and starts moving again. With me, Saya, Shizuka and Alice staying in place.

"Oh...Naier, As you'll need to lower the shutters from the outside. If you're going to go out with the Benelli...you might want to use a condom..." Kohta speaks up as he points at the small box on the counter.

"K...Kohta!...Wording!" Shizuka, while her lips were still curved up to a smile, is left with her mouth wide open as she starts blushing...and then covers Alice's ears.

"T...that's it! I'm going to kill you fatso!" Saya's face was even redder than Shizuka's as she 'lifted' her sleeve and stomped towards Kohta.

"Huh?!...B..but i explained why we..." Kohta puts his hands in front of him as he starts backing off.

"I don't care! I'm going to strangle you!" ...And...Saya ended up chasing Kohta around the store...I don't think i've ever seen her face being so...red...

"Let's...lower the shutters...all of them...you'll use the back exit..." I keep looking at Saya as i speak...

"Uhh...yea..." Takashi responds as he also keeps looking at the duo...