I'm getting some really intense dead rising vibes from this place...

Because...you know...zombies and Shopping malls

(Still, wouldn't it be funny if the granny here actually had a dog?

Heh...Now that i think about it...can animals even get infected?

I know corpses are attracted to the sounds they make

Like, the way little ol'Zeke got a horde right outside of Rika's house

Yet i have not seen a single animal corpse yet...

Walking or otherwise...and i think should be glad about that too...

The last thing i need is resident evil zombie dogs...

Yea...jumping through windows and being able to run faster than your average human?

...No fucking thank you...

...But in any case...time to get back to it)

I get up from the cushioned bench i was sitting on and exit the store that i decided to take a break in

Which also happened to be the same store that i saw Saeko enter before Takashi interrupted me, yet...

Sadly by the time i got here, Saeko was nowhere to be seen

As...after Takashi dragged me along to check the barricaded doors, a good one hour had passed

During that time, Rei left too...

Saying that she wanted to check the stores for things that we could use

...Though i think she just got salty because she wanted to be alone with Takashi...

And apparently, he was too dense to get the memo

(...Still, if both Rei and Saeko disappeared...

Could they be at the bike store like in the manga?

Hmm...I did spot such a store while i was walking with Takashi...so

...Yea...let's go check that out, i want to make sure that Saeko is still in the building...)

I nod to my self and start walking down the second-floor walkway

(The store was on the second floor, so if i keep going straight from here i should find it on my left )

While i kept walking i looked to my right, over the railing and at the floor below, to see some of the other survivors strolling about

I could not make out who was what though, other than the fact that they were all guys

(So far i didn't have to interact with any of them...and honestly...i aim to keep it that way too)

After a couple of minutes, i also spotted Kohta, Saya, Alice and Takashi down there, speaking near the entrance of a store

Shortly after i saw Takashi and Kohta walking away while Saya left with Alice in the opposite direction

(Kohta is done with the store? That means he must be heading towards the bike store along with Takashi right?

Hmm...yeah, that could work)

I pick up the pace and keep moving forward

And in the end, thankfully, i was right

As after i got near the bike store, i saw both Rei and Saeko inside

(She is still here, good)

Before i could take another step though, i saw Takashi and Kohta pop up from the stairs that were to my right

Some seconds later Rei called out to Takashi

And he along with Kohta walked inside the store

(Nobody realized that i was here?...eh...meh whatever)

I turned around and walked towards the nearest bench

(I'll just wait for them to finish, don't feel like joining in anyway)

After i sat down I took off my bag, open it and looked inside

(Uhh...why did i leave all these god damn clothes in here...got to leave them in the humvee first chance i get...

...at least they work well enough at hiding the two handguns for now)

I then take the bokken off the bag's side and look at the wooden blade

(Hmm...Wonder how sturdy this thing is...

The one that Saeko used didn't even have a scratch on it, even after she went nuts on multiple corpses with it)

I strap the bokken back on the bag's side and lean my back on the wall behind me

Several minutes later, the guys finally got out of the store

This time, they did end up seeing me after they walked out

"Oh, Naier!" Kohta waves at me as he shouts

I turn my head and look at the two guys as they moved towards me

"Found anything useful?" He asks the moment he got near

"Not yet, but i am interested in checking any electronic stores in this place

As i have the feeling that the other group might have discarded everything in there as busted" I reply as i fold my arms

"Hmm...but if we find anything that works...Won't the other group demand that we hand it over?

They have already laid claim to everything in here" Takashi responds

I just...chuckle as i get up and throw the bag over my shoulder

"If they find out...yes...So we just make sure that they don't"

I reply as i motion the two guys with my head and start walking

"Well...look who just became ruthless" I hear Kohta say as he laughs through his nose

"What you mean 'became', i'm an evil overlord buddy, ask mister rainbow knight if you don't believe me" I say as i turn around and point at Takashi

Who just rolls his eyes and shakes his head

"Uhh...You actually said something like that back in the car as well...What gives?" Kohta asks as he scratches his head

I jerk my shoulders lightly as i let out a dry laugh

"Ehh it's a long story, with the short version being...

Alice though i was trying to make Zeke my evil...minion?

So she asked Takashi for help, meaning he became the good hero in the equation" I say with a shrug

Kohta just chuckled as he tilted his head

"Don't you think Zeke is a little...too fluffy to be an evil minion?" He responds as he looks at me and folds his arms

"Well...i would not say no a sarcastic, sentient ninja robot dog" I say as i turn away from the two and start walking down the stairs

We went on with some mindless chatter for some time as we roamed about on the first floor

Until...

"Where is the help we have been promised?!

You can't keep us in here like prisoners while you do nothing!"

The three of us stop in our tracks and turn towards the shouting voice

"B...but...Asam...this Officer is still a new police officer she..."

"I don't care! You are a cop! So do your god damn job and protect us!" Another female voice interrupts Asami

While the voices came from the store next to us, i could not see any people in the store...maybe they were in the staff room?

"Is that supposed to be a meeting...or a screaming blame fest?" I say as i frown

"All they are doing is dump their problems on the officer" Takashi responds

"And the fact she's outnumbered everybody to one does not help either..." Kohta adds right after

"Well then...think it's about time we repaid her for letting us in?" I say as i turn to the guys

They both grin slightly as they look at each other before they shift their sight to me

"Got a plan?" Kohta asks

"As a matter of fact my friend, i do...And you are the main part of it" I say as i point at Kohta, take off my bag and kneel down

Kohta folded his arms as he stared at me with his head slightly tilted

"Pop quiz time" I speak up as put my hand in the bag

"What can a cop have and it's normally considered illegal to own in japan?" I say as i reach the bottom of my bag

Both guys narrowed their eyes as they started thinking...or...well Takashi did

"Guns" Kohta responded almost instantly

"Two points for you...

Now, what was our dear cop missing?" I ask again as i pull out the P220

"A gun..." Takashi responds as he looks at the handgun

"Correct" I say as i get up and walk up to Kohta

"You found this on the ground outside, and You thought a cop would be better off with it" I say as i give the gun to Kohta

And before he could respond

"Pay attention to the 'You' in this Kohta

We must not make them realize that we, as a group, would give away a gun

You are the gun expert here, make a connection with the gun and the police force and then, 'return' it to her" I say as i take a step back

Kohta start grinning like a madman

"I have mixed feelings about giving away the gun...But...

Heh...i got you covered, Asami will be rocking a new handgun by the time i'm done" He says as he looks at me with the grin still on his face

I nod, return to my bag, close it and pick it up

"Alright, better if we are not seen all gathered out here then, so, i am going to go deal with some unfinished business" I say as i turn my back to them, wave my arm and start walking away

(Alright, that should settle that matter)

I nod to my self and wear the bag on one shoulder then move towards the nearest escalator

(Now...i REALLY need to find Saeko...)

And so, i returned to the bike store...only to have the same result as before

(Fucking figures)

It was empty

I sigh under my breath and start wandering around the second floor again

Hoping to find our crazy purple-haired Samurai mid-way

(Ok...let's see...Saeko looked...shaken up after what happened in the parking field

So if i was a sadistic, yet possibly slightly depressed person...where would i be...

Roof?...hmmm

The giant windowed wall on the front part of the mall?

Smashing up mirrors in the toilets?

Uhh...she could be anywhere but...

...Well i got nothing to lose, so let's start with the windowed wall as it's the closest one)

With that, i continue walking on the second-floor walkway towards the front part of the building, where the giant glass wall was visible from here

Upon reaching the end of the walkway i turn to the left

With the glass wall to my right now, i look at the walkway ahead

And...

( Holy crabs...well, that was fast, I should be a friggin detective or something)

Saeko was leaning against the railing as she stared outside, at the corpses on the parking field

(Ok...Naier

Do NOT fuck this up...Or you're so fired)

I take a deep breath and walk towards Saeko

She...must have been really out of it

As she didn't even react when i leaned on the railing next to her

"How are you holding up?" I ask as i stare at the corpses bellow

Saeko turns to look at me before lowering her head and looking back at the corpses

"I'm...sorry" Was the only thing she said

I laugh lightly through my nose

"Don't be, mistakes happen...or did you forget all the bad calls i made so far?" I respond

"Yours were diferent...I..."

"Nothing is different Saeko, you made a bad call in the heat of the moment

And...i don't know about the rest, but from my side at least...

I am actually more bothered to see you down in the dumps like this"

I say as lean even more on the railing before springing my self back and turn around, leaning my lower back on the railing as i cross my legs

Saeko just turns to look at me

A slight smile appearing on her lips as she turns her sight back towards the field

"Should you really...be this forgiving?" She says as she keeps looking at the shambling corpses outside

"Only when that person deserves it" I answer back

"But...maybe i don't des..."

Yet before she could finish

"Saeko! Naier!"

A childish voice interrupts her mid-sentence

I turn my head to the left to see Alice running towards a with a panicked expression

The moment she got close she drops her hands to her knees and starts taking deep breaths

"Sh...Shizuka...is in big trouble!" With her hands still on her knees, she shouts before either of us could speak

I turn to look at Saeko

Her glum expression disappears as she nods at me

"Where?" I ask as i turn to Alice

"The store with all the beds and pillows" She responds as she points her hand behind her, at a store that was towards the left part of the building

I nod and give Saeko one last glance before breaking into a sprint

(It should be fine...Asami should have the gun...

And Kohta should be able to deal with this...He better be...

Because if that guy as much as touches Shizuka while i am there...

I'm going to rip the nerves out of his fucking skin)

It must have taken me less than a minute to actually get there

And the moment i entered the store

I saw Shimada sitting on the corner of the bed with a shit-eating grin

Staring at Asami as she pointed the gun at him

Shizuka was on the other side of the bed, her pants unbuttoned and her blouse over her chest, which she was trying to cover with her hands

I look around the store as walk up to Asami

(The rest of the group is not here yet...Hmm?)

As i got close Shimada turns to me and raises an eyebrow

"Huh, and what are you supposed to be?

The group's clown?

Or are you that ugly that you need a mask to even walk around?"

(Great...donkey talk)

The guy started laughing through his teeth as he pointed the knife at me

"Say ugly, I will do ya a favor

Get that gun off that stupid cop bitch and i will let you use the front hole" He says as he points the knife behind him

Shizuka's eyes go wide as she turns her sight to me and starts violently shaking her head

While Asami started darting her head between me and Shimada...clearly in panic

I just let out a deep sigh

"Is your brain always a dumpster fire?

Or it's just a 'now' moment because it got overridden by your dick?" I 'ask' as i tilt my head

Shimada's eyebrow twitches lightly as his grin turns into a scowl

"Ohh, so you think you are a fucking hero ahh, fuckface?

Maybe i should fuck that bitch right in front of you, maybe that will teach you what happens when clowns like you run their mouth" He says as he slowly gets up from the bed and glares at me

Yet, he does not move any further

"Just!...Stop this already!" Asami cries out as the gun keeps shaking in her hands

By now, both groups had gathered here

"Clown huh...

Heh...let this clown tell you what will happen then...

Either...you stop this by your self...here and now

Or...

You get stopped by force...

Yet, know that if we have to resort to force to stop you...

...Don't expect to be forgiven"

The guy then just starts laughing...hard

"Forgiven?! Why would i want to be forgiven by you fuckshits?

You know! Maybe i should fuck the rest of your little group while i am at it!

These bitches are probably wasting away if the only thing they have around is guys like you!" He says as he points his knife at me and slowly steps away from the bed

I...just smiled under my mask

"Because...

Your dumpster-fire of a brain just done and fucked up" I say as i fold my arms

And then, a shadow behind him

A thin shining line going over his head and warping around his neck

Followed by the sound of...

Choking...

I had seen Kohta hiding behind some mattresses a little further away from the bed that Shizuka was on for some time now

And the moment mister 'thinking with your dick' got far enough from the bed

Kohta run-up on it and...well we got where we are now

Shimada drops the knife as he starts clawing at his neck

The rest of the whole thing played out 'normally'

Kohta 'asked' Shimada to listen to what the police officer has to say before kicking him to the ground after he stopped resisting

Takashi then disarmed him while Kohta slowly sneaked away

With me following behind him

"Well, maybe i should call you rainbow knight number two" I say as i walk up to Kohta

He just darts his head to me before he starts chuckling as he rubs his nose

"That was some good teamwork there, you...saw me hiding behind these mattresses didn't you?

I saw you looking at me for a moment...or well i think i did...you know...mask" Kohta responds

I just nodded

"Yep i saw you hiding back there, figured you would have a better chance disarming him

So i just got him talking...

Still...UGHHH, i just want to rip his teeth out right now" I say as i jerk my shoulders and bring my hands up to my chest and bend them in a claw-like motion"

Kohta just nods repeatedly

"Yea i know what you mean...the things he said..."

"The mask does NOT! Make me look like a clown" I say as i turn to him and point at my face

Kohta just...stared at me like an idiot

...And several seconds later

I just burst out laughing

Kohta following suit shortly after

"Seriously though, good call there" I say as i strongly pat Kohta on the back, sending him a step forward

"OW, oi take it easy, i'm a long-range player, no defense" He says as he starts shaking the shoulder i just pat...ok...the shoulder i just slapped

"Really...you seemed pretty up close and personal to me back there" I say as i point behind me with my thumb

"That was a co-op stealth move, it doesn't count" He responds as he grins without opening his mouth

"Whatever you say Rambo..ow knight mark two" I say as i lift my hands to shoulder height and shrug

Kohta just shook his head

"Your naming ideas though...need some major improvements" He says as he folds his arms

I dart my head to him

"What?! But Rector was an awesome name..." I say as i keep staring at him

"Hey! Leave my gun out of this! It was a great weapon!" He says as he points at me

"Ehh...Yea won't deny that, it was pretty lethal after all" I say as i tilt my head and look away

"In any case, i'll get going, see ya later captain" I pat Kohta on the back again and change direction

I move to the second floor and head towards at the nearest door that led to the mall's actual staircase

(Well...that is over...next is...

The clinic huh?...It's been some time since the last time that i actually fought corpses in close quarters...

Maybe i should sit this one out? The others should be able to handle it...

...Other than that, i know i don't wanna be at our next group meeting

What with Rei being more bitchy than usual)

Upon reaching a gray fireproof double door, i open it and meet two sets of normal stairs

One on the left going down, with the label 'Gararge' on the wall to my the left

The other going up

The label 'Third floor - roof' the wall to my right

I pick the right staircase and start going up

(Still...if i don't go to the clinic...that dude from the other group will die

And...uhhh...Takashi...never used the shotgun

He won't be able to make that hole in the ceiling if he does not take it with him...

Uhhh...crabs...looks like i managed to drive my self to a corner here...

I wanted to stay back and deal with Saeko...

But i guess i'll have to go to the clinic whether i like it or not

...Ugh, hospitals in a zombie apocalypse...what could ever go wrong...)

Upon reaching the top i am greeted by another single gray metal door

I give its handle a push and the door opens with no resistance

The first thing that welcomed me to the roof

Was a gust of cold wind

(And of course, it would be windy up here)

I walk straight to the other side of the building and sit by the edge

I put my hand under my chin and look at the field below me

Then turn my head towards my left at the general direction that the Humvee should be at

(I should find out where they keep the canned food and water

If the mall falls...nobody will care who takes what

Speaking of food...normally i should be starving by now

I have not eaten anything since yesterday noon?

Yet...i don't feel hungry...

Uhh whatever, i'll eat when i feel like it)

My sight then stops at the grouped up corpses

(And then...we have Saeko...

What am i going to do with her...

She is starting to act up and i don't think that little five-minute pep talk i had with her by the windowed wall can act as a replacement for the shrine...

Ughh come on Naier, think, think...

You stoped Takashi and Saeko from getting together

So if she dies now...it's all on you)

As i kept staring at the grouped up corpses i also noticed something

A corpse in a blue uniform

(Huh...wait...is that?)

I lean my head forward and squint my eyes as i try to get a better look

Not that it really helped mind you

But...i was sure of it

(The cop girl...Huh was the mass gathered there because of her?

...But...with so many corpses, there should have been nothing left of her

So...she just happened to follow whatever caused the corpses to gather there?

Or she turned before they could tear her to pieces

Whatever the case...there is still some time before the rest spot her...

So if i could just...)

"So this is where you were hiding after all"

I turn around to see Kohta walking towards me

A map and binoculars in his hand

"I needed some fresh air" I say as i turn my body to the side, so one leg was hanging over the wall while the other was on the ground

"Uhh should you be sitting like this? It's a long drop you know" He asks as he sits on the ground next to me

"I'll be fine" I answer as i raise my arm and then let it fall on the ground

(I also need to be able to see Asami coming so i can leave before she decides to bail because of me)

"Well just avoid Saya for a while" He says with a chuckle

"Huh...what do you mean?" I ask

"She was pissed that you skipped the meeting" He responds

(Ain't Saya always pissed though?)

"I will make sure to stay out of her way for now then" I say as i turn to look at the mountains in the distance

Kohta then filled me in on the meeting

That being that Takashi and the rest agreed on looking at a bank vault for working electrical equipment

And that we ain't sharing...

After that, we then stayed silent for some time

Kohta scribbling on his map

While i kept checking the door that led to the lower floors

(Still even if we find working phones and computers...

The electrical grid is dead, we can't charge them...

That is where the solar panels should normally come into play

...But...we need to find a place to stay permanently for that to happen)

After turning my head towards the door for what must have been the tenth time

I notice that it was actually left open

I keep staring at the door...

And see an orange-haired head pop out slightly from the open gap

And then retracting back behind the door

(...Yea...time to leave)

"Well, i got stuff that needs doing, so i'll leave ya to it" I say as i get up, take one last glance at the corpse in the cop uniform and shake Kohta lightly on the shoulder

He reacts with a nod

And so, as i moved towards the door, Asami peeked through it again

Only too see my staring back at her

She kept staring at me before letting out an awkward laugh

"A...asami was just...

This officer...was just..emm" She whispers

I just open the door as she takes some steps backwards

I enter the building turn around and close the door slightly making sure that Kohta has not seen us

Then turn to Asami

"I think he will be quite happy to see you right now" I say as i walk past her

"Ummm Asami was really just..."

I just turn around midway on the stairs and chuckle as i shake my head

"Come on officer, get going

Or you made me get up and leave the roof for no reason?" I say as i fold my arms and tilt my head

Asami fidgets about for some seconds, until

"T...thank you" She bows down to the point that she almost folded in two

I just nodded as i turned around and walked down the stairs

Seconds later i heard the door open...and close

(You owe me big time Kohta..

...Playing cupid for your sorry ass while i still have my own shit to deal with...

Why isn't anybody trying to hook me up with Saeko and Saya?

Huh...Probably because one more toxic than a golden toad

And the other can get hot and bothered by beating you to death

Not that they know that but ehh...whatever..

...Better than Rei's self-centered, bitchy attitude)

After going down the stairs i take the exit on the second floor and started uhh...window shopping...for the lack of a better term

Until i stopped outside an electronics store to check the insides

(Nothing has been taken)

Everything was still neatly organized on the shelves

(Figured, the people here did not even bother...

Don't they realize how important even working wires are right now?

Matters not, better for me, more stuff to take...)

I take a step back and turn around

Then head to the railing at the other side and lean on it

(Now...how do i go about the blood transfusion

In the manga, they end up going to the clinic because

One, Alice guilt trips them into it

And two, Asami tries to play the fucking hero

...I...got another plan)

And as to be right on cue i spot the guy with the shaved head waving at me from one-floor bellow

Think his name was...Hiro or something?

"Hey! Mask man, have you seen the Police officer?! The granny ain't doing too good!" He says as he starts taking deep breaths after he stopped shouting

I point at the ceiling with my index finger

"Roof!" I shout back

He nods and starts running towards the escalator

After he reached the second floor he turned to me again

"The old lady and that hot nurse from your group are on the first floor!

After the escalator keep going left and you will see them!" He shouts before going through the fireproof double door

(Alright... let's go)

I nod to my self, lift my self from the railing and follow Hiro's directions

(I also need to get our guns from the Humvee, i am not going to a frigging clinic unarmed

Something that the other group does not need to know...

Hiro will eventually see the guns if he comes along but...if i just let him die...

...Uhh...

What the fuck am i even...

Pull your self together, i am not going to let that guy die just because he finds out that we have guns...

I'll end up worse than Shido if i keep thinking like this...)

I shake my head and start running

After going down the stairs and turning left i keep running straight

I kept looking at the stores as i sprinted past them

Until i finally saw a group of people inside a store ahead of me to my right

I stop running and then enter that store

Shizuka, Takashi, Rei, Saeko and Saya were already there

From the other group...

A woman in the black shirt, the old man and some...balding office worker were there

"About time you showed up" Saya, who had changed to her new clothes said to me with a frown

"Sorry" I just shrugged and said nothing more as i walked towards Shizuka

As anything i might have said would probably have ended up with Saya backlashing

And now was not the time

I look at the granny and then at Shizuka

"How bad is it?" I ask

"She suffers from R.A and needs a blood transfusion" She answers

"Or?" I ask back

Shizuka just lowers her head and does not answer

I just nodded and stayed quiet

Kohta along with Asami and Hiro arrived a couple of minutes later

Alice also joined up shortly after

Carrying a bunch of...what i think were emergency packs?

Could not really see from this distance

The rest...went on as in the manga

Takashi asking to donate his blood and Shizuka got all fidgety

Kohta showing his more than basic knowledge on how blood and plasma transfusions work

And finally

Saya dropping the 'why us' bomb

As Shizuka froze in place seemingly bewildered by the fact that Saya even said that

"I hate to say it...but"

(Alright, time to change the flow of this party)

"I'll go" I cut Takashi off

My whole group turned to look at me like i just said a bad joke

"What!? Naier! you can't just..." Saya begins to speak as her eyes went slightly wide before her usual frown returned to her face

"But i'm not going for free" I add up right after

Now the other group looked at me funny

"Please! I will give you all of my share, just save my wife!" The old man shouts as he puts his hands together and bows slightly, His face still looking straight at me

Causing the other group's frown to deepen even more

"You are awful, you are going to blackmail us now that we are in need?...

Even after we decided to let you all in?" The woman in the black shirt hissed at me

I just chuckled

"I won't take anything out of your pockets or stockpile" I say as i shake my head

"After we go to the clinic...Whatever i get in my bag stays with me" I say as i point at my bag with my thumb

"And no i don't mean i will hog all the blood the old lady needs to twist your fingers either

Painkillers, antibiotics, bandages, disinfectants...things like that"

The other group begins to relax slightly

"And if the clinic has nothing...

Then i again, won't take anything from you"

A short silence followed after that, until...

"I will accompany Naier" Saeko spoke up

(Hmm...oh, Saeko

Wait...what?

...Saeko?

I am sure she did not go to the clinic in the manga...)

Probably realizing that i was staring at her, Saeko started speaking again

"If you are aiming to fill your bag with items, you will be vulnerable, it will weigh you down and make noise" She says as she rests her hand on the hilt of her Katana

"So i will come along" She says she keeps staring at me

I...could feel a slight smile appear on my face

"If the building has corpses inside, it might end up in close combat

If you want to come, you are more than welcome...

You can probably handle close combat better than me anyway" I say as i nod

Saeko smiles at me and nods back

Saya...darted her head between me and Saeko...

"I...will come too" She barked up

The whole group then turns to look at her

"What, my mama gave me..."

(OH SHIT!)

"You are H-Q" I cut her off as i point at the two letters on her shirt

Saya follows my finger until she ends up staring at her chest

"Where are you looking at you pervert!" She shouts as she covers her chest

(Idiot almost blurted out that her mother gave her a gun)

"Shizuka will need somebody with a brain to help her keep the old lady alive

And...there is something else i want to ask of you anyway..." I say as i lean slightly forward

Saya just shifted her head away and didn't speak back, her frown still visible on her face

"Asa...this Officer will go too" Asami says right after

"Na...Nakoaka! Bu...but it's way too risky!" Kohta shouts

(Ohh sure, now you say that it's risky

But when said i would go, you just twiddled your thumbs

Kohta ya frigging Traitor)

I chuckle under my breath

"Hmm...i will go too, same deal with Naier" Takashi says shortly after

Rei then turns to look at Takashi and opens her mouth...

"Then i'm coming as well, to get things for my group" But is cut off By Hiro

(Hmm...no you ain't hero)

"As i'm already playing the role of the black sheep in here...

I would rather have Kohta with us" I say as i point at our gun nut

"But then only your group will get things from the clinic, we need that stuff too you know!" Hiro shouts right after

"Yes, but as i saw, Kohta has some medical knowledge on blood transfusions, so he will be better at gathering what the old lady needs

Plus we will have better coordination like this

Don't take this the wrong way, but i tend to avoid leaving things on luck

What is the point of saving one person, if we end up losing two in the clinic because we could not work together efficiently?" After i finish speaking i fold my arms

Hiro just stared at me

"This officer will get things for her group" Asami speaks up shortly after

Hiro...still did not budge

"Did you forget why we are going there in the first place?

The more time you spend trying to cut a bigger deal for your group, The closer you bring the initial task end up in failure" I say as i point at the old lady

Hiro finally sighs and backs off, he raises his arms and with an annoyed smirk he takes a few steps back

(I am doing this to save you, you sarcastic fuck...ughh...whatever)

And so

"Me, Takashi, Kohta, Saeko and the Police officer...We good?" I ask

Everybody finally responds with a nod

"Alright...Takashi " I say as i turn to leave and motion him with my hand

Takashi nods and runs up to me

"Once we are out...I along with one more person from our group will go to the Humvee to get our guns and some bags" I whisper to him

"Hmm, are you sure we should take the guns?" He asks

"As i said, nothing to luck, Asami seems to be getting along with Kohta so i don't think she will rat us out even if she sees the guns"

Takashi turns to look behind him as i speak only to see Asami staring intensely at Kohta with big round starry eyes

"I think they are more than just...'getting along'" He says as he laughs awkwardly and scratches his cheek

"Even better then" I say with a shrug

"Hey, what are you two whispering about?" Kohta asks as he walks up to us

"How you and the cop make a nice couple" I answer casually

Kohta's eyes go wide as he bends over and starts choking, his hand over his mouth as his face turns into a Saya style tomato red

Asami then runs up to Kohta

"What happened! are you alright?" Kohta lifts his head to meet Asami's face...a few centimeters away from his

He yelps and falls back on his ass

Asami reacts by also yelping as she leaned her body away, pulling her arms back until her hands touched her shoulders

I keep staring at the two for some seconds before taking my eyes off and look at the rest of the group

Shizuka and Alice were smiling gleefully

Takashi was also smiling, albeit awkwardly

Rei was giggling

Saya had closed her eyes and was shaking her head before turning to look at me with a tilted head, hey eyebrows almost making a straight line

Saeko was just staring at me with an odd expression

"Aaaanyway...Let's go ah?"