Back from my out of body trip (My excuse for a late chapter). Geoffrey Dees belongs to ChaoticCrazy. Enjoy.
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I turned back into the apartment and proceeded to look for the kitchen.
"Liquor cabinets downstairs," Hirano replied looking up from the M1A. I moved past Miyamoto and Takagi who were starting to sleep off the alcohol. I left the AR-10 with Hirano and told him to cover the balcony and call out if there was a problem. Walking down the stairs, I checked my gum, only to see it was completely covered in blood.
Note to self: look for more Dentyne gum.
Moving over to the liquor cabinet, I pulled out some bottles at random and set them on the counter. One of them looked familiar.
Bacon Vodka
100 Proof
Made in America
Wow! Didn't expect to see this in a woman's apartment.
I popped off the top and took a swig. Memories of my off time a decade ago started to come back. Hopefully my buddies were still alive. If the entire world was facing a zombie epidemic, then I probably wouldn't see them again.
"This is for you Nav," I whispered, taking another swig.
-CLICK-
I spun around and saw Komuro with the Ithaca pointing at me. Quickly, I grabbed the rifle and pulled it right out of his hands, racked the slide and dropped it to the ground. Komuro started reaching for the revolver. As soon as it was out and starting to point at me, I gave his hand a quick smack and managed to get him into an arm-lock. I pulled the revolver out of his hands and swung the cylinder out, letting the rounds fall to the floor.
-Clink-Clink-Clink-Clink-Clink-
As snapped the cylinder closed and handed it, butt first, towards him. He grabbed it without hesitation.
"You want to tell me what that was about?" I asked
"You think your some kind of God! You think just because you're a soldier you can order us around. Just looking down on me and treating me like a kid! I can take care of myself!" he burst out starting to wave the gun around.
"Listen up," I replied; steel in my voice, "I could have left you to die back at the school. I don't even know you kids and I still risked my life to save you. If this is worldwide, you need to put aside your differences with me. If not, we could go a few more rounds until you're black and blue," I finished, kneeling over and picked up the Ithaca.
"Can you teach me that?"
I turned to see Miyamoto on the stairs, looking at me, with virtually no trace of any alcohol induced effects. I assumed she was talking about my martial arts style.
We don't have enough guns to arm everyone. Even if she is handy with a spear, you should always have a backup. Besides, there's no telling how much stress that stick can take before breaking.
"Alright. The only thing is that when I tell you to do something, you do it now hesitation. Understand?" Without waiting for an answer, I moved passed her, going up into the loft of the apartment. I put down the Ithaca and drew my KA-BAR. I held it out, handle first, to her. She took it and kept looking at me waiting for instructions.
"Stab me," I said calmly
"What!" she screamed at me.
"By the way no screaming. Those corpses only respond to sound. Now, try and stab me."
She looked uncertain. After about a half a minute, she gave a feeble attempt to try and stab me. I just took a small step to my left.
"You want to learn to defend yourself? You do as you're told. Now try again. This time, do it like you mean it."
Miyamoto took hold of my knife and gave tried again, this time with some power. I grabbed her wrist and pushed her elbow in and behind her back, grabbing the knife out of her hands and moving back into a comfortable fighting stance.
"How did you do that?" another voice asked. Behind Miyamoto, Takagi was up and staring at us.
"Practice, practice and more practice. Also by limiting my alcohol consumption. I don't need to be seeing doubles of everything."
"Oh my God, it was just one drink," She replied, throwing her head into her arms.
"Are you sure it was one drink. Are you sure it wasn't twenty drinks?" I asked, already knowing the answer. Busujima and Marikawa were watching us, obviously amused (possibly more so due to the inebriation). I refocused my attention on Miyamoto. Before I could start my spiel, Hirano cried out.
"Hey, uhh, Mister Ambrose!"
"Just call me Alex. No need to make me feel older than I am. What's the problem?"
"Five houses down! Little girl in the corner of the yard!"
I didn't need anything to see the girl. No more than ten or eleven. I knew what I had to do.
"I'll be back," I said, making an unrecognized iconic reference. I grabbed my KA-BAR from Miyamoto and worked my way to the front door. Komuro was there waiting. (A/N; For my purposes, there will not be a motorcycle.)
"I'm coming," he said.
Time to let bygones be bygones.
"You even point that thing at me and you dead. Understand?" I asked, indicating the Ithaca. He just smiled. I went outside and opened up the gate. I turned towards the balcony.
"Hirano, can you cover us?"
"No problem," he replied, thumb raised. I could hear him flick the safety off and rack the AR-10. Without checking on Komuro, I broke into a sprint towards the house, plowing through the horde. I could see the 7.62 rounds tear through the heads with deadly accuracy.
Guess his training worked out.
Hirano had also given Komuro a crash course with the Ithaca. The kid was doing pretty well, aiming just a bit lower and letting the recoil guide the sights towards the head. As I got closer, I heard a burst of fire. It was full-auto, nothing like what we had. Worst of all, it was from the yard. I hauled ass even faster, probably breaking a few records, trying to get to the yard in time. I pushed my way through the last of the horde, pulled my MK. II out and came face to face with a kid I knew all too well armed with an AK-look-a-like.
"Geoff? How the hell'd you get stuck in this mess?"
"Talk later man. Got to kill me some zeds," he replied. The girl looked fine, maybe a scratch or two.
"Komuro, grab the girl. I don't think we're going to get out that way," I said, indicating the front gate. The dead were literally starting to squeeze through.
"Everyone on the ledge. Hopefully, they won't be able to grab us."
"You're entrusting our lives to the stereotype of short Japanese?" he asked rhetorically.
"You got any better ideas?" I came back. He just grunted in response, slinging his MPi-KM over his shoulder and scrambled to the top of the wall. I made sure his M37 was secured and then had Komuro hold the girl over his shoulders. Still in the corner was a small dog, probably weighing no more than twenty pounds. I picked him up in one hand, holding my pistol in between my teeth while I hauled myself up the wall. Not that safest way, but I doubted the NRA would be revoking my membership. The horde had grown even larger now; up to a couple hundred. There was no way we were getting out on our own.
"What's the plan now?" Geoff asked.
"I was thinking about pushing you in and running like hell," I replied with a grin. My hopes for this fictional plan were dashed when I saw a Hummer. Busijima, for some reason I'll never understand, was standing on top of the truck.
"The calvary has arrived," my grin getting, if possible, even bigger. The truck crashed through a good quarter of the mob before it came to a stop. Geoff jumped in, followed by Komuro. Once they had taken a seat, I passed the dog down.
"Hirano, pass me the M1A," I ordered. Almost instantly, the rifle was out of the truck. I picked it up, flicked the safety off and charged the bolt. I hoped in, steadied myself and smacked the roof with the palm of my hand.
"Go!" I shouted and lurched forward. Had I not prepared myself, I probably would have landed on my ass missing most of my head. I took careful aim and started firing. I had made about five clean misses out of twenty rounds.
Damn. I am getting old.
I released the mag and dropped it onto the seat, holding my hand out for another.
"I haven't loaded anymore," Hirano simply replied. Not much I could do about that. I safe'd the rifle and dropped in. I needed to take a quick inventory.
"G, still got all your weapons?"
"I have my Bowie and I got a Spetsnaz shovel. Obviously my MPi-KM. I didn't expect Z-day to happen, so my 1911 and M21 are at home. Same for my bayonet. I have five regular capacity banana mags and one seventy-five Chinese drum. Four mags for the 1911 and M21. As far as ammo goes, I've got about two hundred .45 ACP and five hundred 7.62x39 and 7.62 NATO for both rifles. Of course that's all at my house."
"Hirano, what do we have?" I asked, knocking him out of his man-crush fantasy. These guys would get along.
"We've got the M1A Super Match with five magazines and a bayonet, the AR-10/SR-25 also with five mags and an Ithacca M37. We've got fifty shells and five hundred rounds for both rifles."
I took a moment to think it over. I had known G for quite a while. I wouldn't want anyone else with me when the shit hits the fan. And that's really something to say about the kid. I knew he wouldn't want to leave his guns behind.
"Who is this?" asked Busujima referring to Geoff.
"Oh sorry. This is Geoffrey Dees, a friend of mine. I smuggled in some of his things," I answered. G just stared at her looking like he was going to fall out of his seat. I nudged him.
"Keep it in your pants. Who's gonna make classic movie reference if you die? No way I'm losing you because you couldn't control your thoughts," I said, watching both Busujima's face and G's turn a lovely shade of red.
Smuggling in an assault rifle to Japan; $836.27 Smuggling in the ammo; $163. 43 Seeing his face go red; Priceless.
Marikawa started slowing down and I looked out the window. We were getting closer to the bridge. The barricade was partially intact with the dead still roaming around. The river looked like it had about three feet of water. Previous experience told me that it would be safer to go through the river than try to break down the barricade. I tapped her on the shoulder and pointed towards the running water.
"Take the water route. It'll be much safer," She just nodded her head and suddenly yawned. It was contagious as I yawned too. I looked down at my watch and read 5:52. I had spent all night completely awake. I would have to make time to sleep soon. That and everyone else. All the girls looked like they were ready to pass out. The guys, we're starting to show sign of sleep deprivation. As soon as we crossed, I'd make sure they all got some sleep. I took a moment to top off my current magazine and field stripped it. Still in working condition.
I don't care what people say about American products. We still make some nice guns.
"Marikawa. Once you get to the other side, park it. Hirano, you and Geoff have the first watch. Wake me in an hour or if anything goes wrong," I ordered. The last thing I saw was Hirano nodding his head.
There you go. Sorry it took me so long. I got into a slump. If anyone wants to send in some OCs let me know. As usual please review. I'm always looking to make this better.
