Krappkarmin: nyaha… thanks for the support, man… I really appreciate it… ^_^ And thanks for correcting my spelling on Hanagata's name!

Teh tarik: Don't worry, I've polished off the whole plot since I started with the prologue… You'll know soon enough…=

Chris: Do you know that I've named one of my characters from you? ^_^

Sereneione: Thanks! Glad you like it!

Immortal_Soul: Ehehehe…

Pumpkin: Yeah, I hope I haven't offended any Hanagata fan!

DaHell: Nyaha…

DISCLAIMER: Ain't mine. Period.

Chapter Five: The Tunnel

"Where are we going?" Kiyota asked as they followed the three girls who were heading towards the library door. The overwhelming stench of decaying flesh was so strong almost all of them gagged. Bodies were strewn everywhere and dark pools of blood covered the expensively carpeted floor.

"To the tunnel. Keep close." Jo warned as a few more slaves who survived the last onslaught advanced towards them. She heaved up her machine gun, took aim, then fired.

"Look, we really thank you for helping us." Sakuragi said arrogantly. "But we can take it from here. We'll just go to our van and we'll be out of your hair in no time."

"As much as we'd love that, you can't leave." Chris responded calmly, shooting the slaves in the forehead with perfect aim.

"And why the hell not?" Demanded Kiyota.

"Your car's broken."

"What?!"

"I said your car's…"

"I heard you the first time." Kiyota scowled. "I just can't believe it."

"Kiyota?" Maki called.

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

The three girls grinned. Kiyota scowled even more.

When they were going down the stairs, Sendoh noticed that Fujima was lagging behind. He was clutching his right thigh, his face distorted in pain.

Sendoh waited for him. When Fujima came nearer, he asked, "Are you alright?"

Fujima glanced at Sendoh in surprise, then relaxed. "It's nothing. I think I pulled a muscle or something."

"Want me to take a look at it?"

"No, thanks. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" He looked doubtful.

"Yeah. Don't worry too much." He smiled.

"Well, if you're sure…"

"Hey!"

Both guys looked down from the staircase where the rest were waiting.

"I said keep close!" Jo said, totally miffed. "Ya got a deathwish or what?"

"I'm sorry." Sendoh called back. "But Fujima was having a proble…" his speech was cut off when Fujima nudged his elbow painfully at Sendoh's right. Sendoh glanced at him in surprise and pain.

His eyes were pleading. "Don't tell." He whispered.

"He… uh, was… well…"

"What?" Sakuragi asked, annoyed.

"I was having a problem understanding the whole situation." Fujima smiled as he walked down the stairs, acting as if everything was normal. "Sendoh was just explaining it to me. Right, Sendoh?" He glanced back at Sendoh, his smile firmly in place.

"Uh, yeah." Sendoh confirmed, scratching his ears while going down.

"You sure pick a spot for a lecture." Chris said, not fooled for a minute but smartly keeping her mouth shut.

"Well why didn't you say so?" Sakuragi exploded. "This Tensai would have explained it all to you!"

"Tensai?" Maya asked.

"He's delusional. Don't mind him." Uozumi responded.

"Oh."

Sakuragi failed to hear Uozumi's remark for he was laughing loudly, enough to scare the remaining slaves away.

Chris lowered her gun and stared at him in wonder.

This guy must be useful after all.

A few minutes later, the group was already in the first-floor kitchen. Maya and Chris were at the back, guns on their hands and cautiously peering at every corner. Jo was taking out a small gadget from her backpack and stuck it on one of the walls. Taking out a black laptop, she began pressing keys. The rest stood at the center of the room, watching and waiting. Finally, the wall parted, revealing a long and wide tunnel. Lights flicked on above. On both sides were canals with murky waters flowing in it.

Chris and Jo took the lead, the rest following, while Maya took the rear and checked their backs once in a while.

"You guys don't seem to be affected by those creatures. Y'all taking this coolly." Sakuragi remarked.

Chris answered him without turning around. "What do you want us to do? Run around screaming like some damned banshees?"

Everybody paled, then said nothing. Uozumi was staring straight ahead, pretending to be deaf. Sakuragi's face turned as red as his hair. Kiyota was opening and closing his mouth, trying to say something but looking like a fish with eating problems in the process. Sendoh, Fujima and Maki were staring at the muddy water like it was the most fascinating thing in the world.

Jo gave them a quick, amused glance over her shoulder. "Ah, yes. I remember hearing something in my earpiece about someone shouting about dying first when we first came in the mansion. Was that you?" she asked Kiyota, feigning innocence

He flushed, then stuttered. "Well… ah… under the circumstances… you know… ah… it's only… you know… natural…"

"Meaning?" Jo prompted, her back already turned.

"We were surprised!" He burst out.

Chris snorted. "Not as surprised as I am when I woke up in my house staring face-to-face with a black, half-dead man with his brains dripping down his face and had a bad case of bad breath."

"That was different." He argued.

"How so?"

"Well, for one thing, you had a gun!"

"Really? Are you sure?"

"You mean you didn't?" He asked incredulously.

"I'm not very fond of sleeping with guns." Chris retorted drily.

"So what did you do?" Maki asked, interested.

"I twisted his head off." She replied calmly.

"You had a Negro slave in your house?" Sendoh asked, shocked.

Chris seemed baffled with Sendoh's shocked face. "Yeah. Why?"

"Where, exactly, is your house?"

"You were standing in it a while ago."

Everybody except Maya and Jo gaped at her.

"That is your house?" Kiyota croaked.

"'Was' is the operative word. I don't live there anymore. Slaves and all. You understand."

"Why?" Kiyota asked.

She rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Because my mom bought the mansion so I had to live there with her. Boy, you sure are nosy for a man."

He gasped in indignation. "What the hell does that supposed to mean?!"

"Ugh. Do I have to spell it out for you? It means…"

"NYAAAHHHH!"

"Fujima! Are you okay?" Sendoh asked concernedly, holding out a hand for him. Fujima was in one of the canals. Dirty water was dripping on his face and his clothes were hopelessly soaked.

"I'm alright." He answered, taking the hand Sendoh offered and hoisted himself up.

"What happened?" Jo demanded as she ran towards them. The rest of the group followed.

"I fell." Fujima answered sheepishly, raking his fingers on his hair.

"You what?!"

"What were you doing? Sleeping while walking?"

"Actually, I went to the side a little nearer than I expected and lost my balance." He explained.

Sakuragi was looking at him disapprovingly. "You should be careful. You look like a drowned rat."

"You even smell like a dead rat." Kiyota piped in.

"Gee, thanks." Fujima answered without sarcasm.

"C'mon guys! Let's move it!" Maya hollered.

Everybody moved forward again. Some were bickering as usual and the three girls were cautiously peering forward or backward. Sendoh casted a worried glance at Fujima.

Something was seriously wrong.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I'm not very familiar with the facts about Slamdunk so if there are any errors… please bear with me… Oh, and by the way, thank you for all those who reviewed… Y'all are greatly appreciated… ^_^