A/N: Expect a lot of dark humor in this one.
Perception: Part IV
The shotgun Benitsubasa carried fell to the ground and the two rolled around on the floor after they took a tumble. Benitsubasa was never one to be taken off guard, and she was determined to ensure the ham head's surprise attack would be their last mistake. She needed to get on top to pin the fucker down so she could make short work of them like the last time, right before they wandered into the game with the needles and corpses.
Kazehana sprung into action, leaping onto the thug as he gained the advantage by pinning her down by the shoulders. After a brief struggle, she managed to pull him off the pinkette and drag him back by the arms, pinning them to his sides. This was all Benitsubasa needed to make him squeal. Her boot swung skyward into the bastard's junk and he howled in agony. With the bastard subdued she instinctively went to collect the shotgun intending to blow him away with it. Then she remembered something, she still had that black ka bar from earlier. Deciding it would be best to conserve ammo, she pulled the knife from her knotted belt just as Kazehana yanked off the mask to see if it was anyone they recognized on the off chance that it could have been one of Minato's other Sekirei or perhaps even Natsuo. It wasn't and that's all the Red Sekirei needed. She slashed the thug's throat with ease and Kazehana let him drop to the floor, blood pooling at their feet.
Benitsubasa stomped on his head, fracturing his skull to ensure he was dead. The Red Sekirei wiped her knife clean and secured it back into her belt. She turned to Kazehana and smiled. "Not that I needed your help, but thanks for that."
She bowed her head and winked. "Any time."
"You alright, Benitsu?" Minato asked. "That was quite the scare."
"Never better," she replied. "So, what now?"
"Check the body for a key. He might have something on him to get the gate open."
"Good idea."
After checking the deadbeat's pockets and patting him down thoroughly they found nothing worthy of note.
"Nothing. Mother fuck." she spat. "I guess this means we need to split up for now."
"Why do I feel like splitting us up is going to complicate things?"
"Because it will, duh."
"Not like we have much choice in the matter," Benitsubasa said, collecting the shotgun off the floor. She held the barrel and passed it to Minato through the bars of the gate. "Here, take this. You and Haihane will need it more than we will."
Minato swallowed a lump and reluctantly took it. "Right." then he remembered something Matsu mentioned. Something about blending in. He looked down at the henchman's body and then back to Benitsubasa. "Strip the body and hand me the outfit." He said.
"Why?"
"Matsu said we needed to find a way to blend in. That disguise he wore could help me slip past the guards. They might believe me to be one of them."
"Huh, you're right. Smart."
They stripped the corpse down to its heart-swarmed boxer shorts, taking anything useful and tossing everything else aside. Minato examined the clothes closely as Benitsubasa passed the articles through the bars one at a time; each made entirely of leather. Leather mask, gloves, pants, and robe. He swiftly donned the items, before finally lowering the pig mask over his head and onto his shoulders. It smelled terrible, like a fursuiter that didn't bother washing it for years.
"That solves one problem, but what about Haihane?" Kazehana asked.
"We'll just need to search for another outfit and take it by force if necessary."
"Without me watching your back that'll be easier said than done," Benitsubasa concluded. "Don't blow your cover."
A faint hum reverberated throughout the corridors.
"We best not waste time," Minato muttered. "Let's move out, quickly."
"You two gonna be alright?" Kazehana asked.
"We'll be fine. I'll do my best to not attract attention to us."
"Okay then, stay safe you two." Kazehana smiled.
Benitsubasa turned away and stepped through the gap where the thug launched his meatheaded ambush attempt, Kazehana following shortly behind.
"Come on, let's go, Haihane," Minato whispered as the two disappeared from view. He turned around and clicked on the flashlight, aiming the dim beam down to the end of the hall. "Don't want to draw any unwanted attention ourselves."
Haihane nodded. "Right."
XXXXXX
4 days prior to Minato's trials…
Chiho sat with her hands firmly folded on her lap, observing Minato as he slept in Dr. Gordon's office. She was given free rein of most of the building just like Jigsaw's other subordinates had once they left. She could only imagine what the psychopath had in store for him. Whatever it was, he didn't deserve it. No one did. She prayed it wouldn't be as soul-crushing as what she witnessed mere hours ago.
The silence in the room was soon broken up as the door behind her opened. She turned around to see who it was; a towering male built like a brick shithouse. A pig mask obscured his features. He lumbered towards her slowly and looked down at her. He saw she was afraid. He made his way to the opposite side of the bed and sat down on a chair.
Chiho could guess who the tower of a man before her was, remembering Yukari's words about no one wanting to mess with him.
"Are you Mister Mathis?" She asked, fighting the urge to shake.
He looked down at her, silent as a grave. After a moment that felt like a year, he leaned back through the doorway and looked down both ways of the hall. She had no idea what he was searching for, but he must have been satisfied with what he saw. He returned to being upright and again aimed his gaze at her. His hands went up to the sides of his mask and pulled it up and off his flesh.
"Aye."
His face was not what she was expecting, not that she had the slightest hint at what it might look like. The angular features of his veneer made it obvious he hailed from the west, as did his long, inky-black hair and mustache. His red-hued irises softened as he crossed his hands, mimicking her own posture.
"Forgive m'silence, wee lass. It's a pleasure to make yer acquaintance." His voice very much suited his size; it was like steel scraping off rust. He peeled off a glove and offered his bare, pale hand. He nodded stiffly as Chiho shook it to appease him.
"Pleased to meet you," she said shyly, unable to identify his accent.
"Dinnae be afraid, wee lass." His words were toned to such that he was trying (somewhat badly) to be disarming. "Nobody here wants t' hurt yeh." His eyes looked to the side and narrowed ever so slightly. "Well, maybe one."
"Who are you referring to?"
"The child killer." he grumbled. "John has put things in place to ensure she doesn't, though."
"So the Black Sekirei is helping you as well? How the hell did he convince her to do that?"
"Exploiting her Ashikabi's well-being."
"I see, hmm, I guess that does make sense." she blinked. "What is it that you want with me? On the way here, John mentioned you weren't one for small talk."
"I'm not, but I make exceptions from time to time depending on circumstances. You're one of the few worthy enough in my eyes."
"How come?"
"Much like you, I was exploited when I was sick. MBI performed experiments on me, unspeakable atrocities. I'll be honest, if I were in the same position you were to exact revenge on those who did me wrong I would not have shown mercy. Your heart is pure and worth protecting."
"You want to protect me?"
"Aye, lass."
"How on Earth did John capture the Black Sekirei?"
"He instructed Dr. Gordon with retrieving a sample of a poison developed by MBI, the same drug they experimented on me with, the same thing he used to render Higa's Sekirei helpless once they were put in their test. It was a countermeasure Minaka planned to use if any of the Discipline Squad went out of line. A kill switch if you will. I died many times over only to be brought back from the brink as they experimented on me and my comrades trying to perfect it. I lived, obviously, but my friends, however...weren't so fortunate. Lawrence used a much more advanced and safer sample on her Ashikabi during one of his checkups, telling him it was simply a vaccine for a virus going around. It wasn't enough to kill him as it did me, but more than enough to temporarily break the bond between himself and his flock. They were terminated as a result, albeit temporarily. It gave John more than enough time to kidnap them and put his plans into action."
"I guess it makes sense that he would use a failsafe in case the Sekirei Plan went south."
"Aye. The game master always has a safety net in place."
"Can you tell me what John's planning next?"
"Considering all the Jinki he's been hunting down have been acquired, my assumption is that he'll be targeting Minaka next. I overheard him and the boy's mother discussing matters earlier. If all goes well they should be ready by daybreak tomorrow."
"How does Minato factor into this?"
"He's the game master's son and as of now is the most powerful Ashikabi in the Sekirei Plan. He's leverage, along with the rest of his family."
"How can John be so confident that he can capture the man without being noticed? He has a whole army at his call."
"He said it involves a limousine, an 18-wheeler, and a tunnel. Expect the unexpected is all I can say."
XXXXXX
Kazehana held the lantern firmly under her chin while walking alongside Benitsubasa down the corridor. She'd found herself surprisingly calm after finding out they were heading straight into danger. She kept her focus forward, watching her feet step carefully across the cracked tiles of concrete flooring. In the distance, she heard a faint hum resonating throughout the corridors ahead.
Benitsubasa took point and cautiously peered her head around a turn in the hallway. She gave the all clear soon after and instructed Kazehana to follow. Her lantern illuminated a large open space filled with thick black curtains hanging everywhere. As she followed suit, the walls became visible—all of which had doors attached to them. Some of the rooms seemed to contain nothing more than piles of trash and detritus. Others contained beds, tables, chairs, couches…even toilets. All of these chambers were empty save for the occasional rat scurrying about.
"Looks like these psychos have set up camp here for quite some time." Benitsubasa said quietly as they walked past yet another room full of garbage. "They've got pretty good security too considering how easy we snuck inside." she sneered sarcastically.
"They've been expecting us."
Kazehana aimed the lantern's beam around the room more until she came across a baseball bat leaning upright against the wall. It had a multitude of nails embedded in the splintering wood at the very top. She collected it immediately.
This entire situation reeked of trouble waiting to happen. There was something else bothering her besides the fact there were dozens upon dozen of armed men roaming freely within arm's length of each other. Why would they leave it behind for them to scavenge? Was it because they knew better than to try and take advantage of a Sekirei? Or perhaps they thought they could get away easily due to having numbers on their side instead of brains. Either way, it meant they wanted to play fair and square, no doubt what Jigsaw would have wanted. That was fine, except for the part where none of them appeared particularly bright, especially the first goon they made short work of. This was supposed to be a psychological torture chamber, right? So far, aside from the odd scream echoing somewhere nearby, everything sounded perfectly normal. What kind of twisted gamesmanship involved playing nice with your opponent rather than beating them senseless the first chance you got?
Collecting the bat and resting it on her shoulder like a soldier with an AK, Benitsubasa led her deeper into the labyrinth. Their footsteps echoed loudly as they passed several closed doors leading further underground. Every sound amplified tenfold as she tried desperately hard not to think about the dangers her Ashikabi would face alongside Haihane. Now they were at least two floors below ground level, judging by the pitch darkness. Just when they thought the maze couldn't go any deeper they came across a spiral staircase. Descending them they found endless dark tunnels stretching endlessly beneath the earth. Even the light coming from her lamp couldn't penetrate deep enough to reveal anything outside its radius now.
"Just how deep does this place get?" Kazehana wondered aloud. "This used to be a University, so what purpose would all these tunnels serve?"
Benitsu shrugged. "Beats me. Honestly, I could care less. I just want to get out of this place."
She turned left onto a narrow passage lined with wooden planks nailed together tightly above her head. At the end of it stood three metal gates barring entry to whatever lay beyond. One gate remained shut tight despite the hinges clearly showing signs of wear and tear. Two others swung wide open revealing a dimly lit cavern before disappearing completely into shadows.
As they approached closer, Kazehana realized why: someone had carved symbols into the stone. Each symbol represented a letter of the alphabet in English, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Arabic, French, German, Spanish, and Italian. These letters formed sentences written in blood dripping slowly down toward the bottom of the stairs. Most likely whoever wrote these messages didn't survive making it through alive.
"Looks like we're not the only ones being hunted in this place."
"Indeed. Can you read any of this shit? Because I sure as hell can't."
Kazehana shook her head. "Afraid not." she sighed. "Minato probably could though if he were with us."
"The brainiac probably could too. Shame he kept the radio on him. All we can do now is move on."
With little choice remaining, the two proceeded onward following the path laid bare by the bloody handprints. After passing numerous dead ends and false paths, they finally reached a half-opened door. Sneaking inside, they found it revealed a long hall containing multiple cells lining both sides; each cell holding different prisoners in various states of undress. Many wore bandages wrapped loosely around parts of their bodies, presumably broken bones caused by blunt force trauma inflicted upon them by the thugs wandering about. Several of them sat slumped over unconscious, barely breathing. Those still conscious stared blankly off into oblivion, seemingly unaware of anyone standing near them. None of them paid attention to the newcomers whatsoever, instead muttering mish-mashed gibberish. Not even when they entered close proximity to them did any of them react toward their presence. Instead, everyone continued staring vacantly into nowhere.
There were dozens of cells containing rambling people according to Benitsubasa's count, certainly more than thirty. Some were male, others female. All were middle age adults wearing hospital gowns stained red with dried blood. Lord knows how long they had been here. Something told her that none were friendly. If those cell doors opened, their own game to gain their freedom might begin. Whatever happened to them may remain unknown unless they find a means to escape this madness. For now, they need to figure out exactly what they intend to accomplish in order to make things easier on themselves.
Passing by another cell, Kazehana and Benitsu were taken off guard by a rather eccentric individual. He rushed to the steel bars imprisoning him, sniffing at them with a creepy sneer.
"I can smell your cunt!" he seethed. His voice reverberated echoey throughout the dungeon, causing Kazehana to stumble in surprise. Her foot triggered a pressure plate and the next thing she knew all the cell doors unlocked and slid open.
His eyes glowed brightly as he glared directly into hers now that he was free along with all the other crazies. A strange aura emanates from his skin, causing the hairs on her arms to stand erect. Without warning, he lunged toward Kazehana swinging wildly with wild abandon.
"Get over here! I'm gonna rape you good!"
"I'd like to see you try!" Benitsu spat.
Before Kazehana could dodge properly, Benitsu grabbed hold of his wrist and pulled back violently, breaking the bone instantly and sending shockwaves coursing through him. With such brute strength, Benitsubasa effortlessly tossed the crazed prisoner halfway down the corridor landing heavily atop a pile of rubble. Blood gushed forth from underneath as he screamed incoherently amidst writhing pain. Seconds later, the screams stopped abruptly leaving silence in its wake.
Shortly after, the other prisoners emerged and began to give chase like abnormal titans. The sight sent chills running down Kazehana's spine.
"There's too many!" Kazehana shouted. "Run!"
"Not before I bust out some of their teeth!" she took the bat from her and charged into the group of zombified nutcases. "Batter up, motherfuckers!" she yelled gleefully. She ran forward and somersaulted into the air with the bat raised high. As gravity took over she swung the bat down as hard as she could on the dome piece of one of the inmates, embedding the nails through his gelatinous brain and killing him instantly. She pried the bat out of his fractured skull and once again swung for the fences.
XXXXXX
Minato and Haihane crept silently toward the nearest stairwell. The shotgun was slung casually around his shoulders by its strap while he kept a watchful eye on the path his flashlight illuminated. Despite appearing calm, neither dared speak lest they alert anybody who lurked unseen among the corridors ahead. In truth, they hadn't seen much action thus far since being forced to split up. But then again, maybe they shouldn't worry about it too deeply. Maybe they needed to focus solely on getting out safely without losing track of each other during the process. And most importantly, avoid becoming fodder for Jigsaw's sick experiments.
A sudden noise caught their ears—a loud thud followed closely by screaming voices mixed with laughter. Shouting ensued seconds afterward but fell silent quickly thereafter. Both looked at one another wondering which direction the commotion originated from. Then suddenly, a man burst through a doorway brandishing a machete overhead ready to strike. Before he could swing however, Haihane leapt straight upward using nothing more than pure momentum alone and landed a flying kick Liu Kang would have been jealous of. The deadbeat staggered back and shook the cobwebs before attempting to pursue them again. Another flying kick sent him back even further, but it seemed to only piss him off. As he neared them again, Minato readied the shotgun.
"Stay back or I'll shoot!" He gasped, laboring to aim as his arms shook from fear, immediately blowing his cover.
"You ain't got the balls to shoot me, boy!"
XXXXXX
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to them, they were being observed through the scope of a sniper rifle by none other than Mr. Mathis. He peered through it as if it was one of his favorite toys. Bless the inventor of the thermal scope, he thought to himself. Pressing the butt of the firearm into his right shoulder, he aimed at the tallest red and orange outline made out to him in the dark. The old engineer had granted him six bullets. Five more than he needed. A wide, manic grin formed on his maw. "I~ can~ see~ you…~"
The leather of his glove whined as his finger curled around the trigger.
XXXXXX
Blissfully yet dangerously unaware of the danger, Haihane went to land another kick to the bastard's jaw.
This time he went flying back and the speakers on Minato's radio whined with a brief feedback. Matsu's desperate words filled the air and bounced off the walls. "Get down!"
Maybe it was instinct. Maybe it was trust in his third Sekirei, but Takami's firstborn did as he was told as a thunderstorm apparently invaded the labyrinth. A two-way mirror shattered into a million pieces and he could have sworn he felt something brush over his hair. Both he and Haihane dropped to the concrete. Something collided with the far wall. Raising his head he found their pursuer on the ground, dead. He had been shot right between the eyes.
"What the hell just happened, Matsu?!" he shouted in a panic.
"Never mind that! Run now! Get to the door before he reloads it! I'll explain once you're there! Go! Go! GO!"
"You heard her, Haihane! Let's high-tail it!"
She looked at him and nodded. "Right!" she said excitedly.
They bolted for the door, the floor flying beneath their feet. They dived through the opening and the door slammed shut behind them the moment they cleared the threshold. Minato took a moment to catch his breath before raising his head again. He really wished he didn't. The room they were in contained several corpses mutilated with amputated limbs strewn about like confetti at a child's birthday party. From the looks of things the individuals didn't seem to be dead for very long. Whatever happened to them must have been very recent as not a single one of them had begun to rot yet. Their faces showed signs of extreme torture: missing lips, crushed skulls, blackened eyeballs gouged out of sockets, severed fingers, et cetera. It wasn't pretty stuff. No wonder these guys are so fucked up. These poor bastards didn't get enough love growing up. Or perhaps someone beat the crap out of them because of whatever reason led them to be locked away here. Either way, no matter where life takes them, nobody deserves anything like this fate. Especially not somebody trying desperately to save an innocent bookworm trapped within.
XXXXXX
Mathis took aim again, searching for the duo with slow, terminator-like sweeps of the neck. Finding nothing he raised the bolt action rifle to his shoulder and went on his way to the next room.
"Next time, boy. Next time."
XXXXXX
"Matsu, what the hell just happened?!"
"You were shot at. Jigsaw now has you playing a game of cat and mouse now and it's up to me to help guide you through it. You're safe where you are right now, but once you enter the next hallway you need to do exactly as I say to avoid getting killed."
"So don't move until you give the all clear?"
"Exactly."
"What the hell happened here? Why are there so many mutilated bodies everywhere? It looks like the cover of an edgy grindcore album came to life!"
"Everyone there was a victim of one of his games. He stockpiled the bodies to freak you out it seems. It's just another way of testing your will to live."
"So in other words he's showing me what will happen to everyone if I fail to further motivate me?"
"Exactly."
"So how do we get through this place without being spotted by the sniper?"
"Some of the mirrors are two-way, others aren't. You need to hide behind the ones that can't be seen through."
"How would we be able to tell them apart? We won't have enough time to check if he'll blow our heads off the moment we try!"
"Don't worry, I can spot them for you. Also, his rifle is bolt-action and he only has five bullets left now. It'll take a few moments to reload once he fires again. That should give you enough time to forgo waiting for my signal and make it to the next safe room."
"...Okay," Minato replied reluctantly. His heart raced against his chest; sweat poured freely onto his forehead despite the cool temperature inside the building. This isn't going well. And Haihane seemed concerned too. Almost as much as when she had her near-death experience. Minato had to be strong now for her, as well as everyone else.
"How are Benitsubasa and Kazehana holding up?"
"They're being chased by a bunch of wackos off their medication. They aren't strong but there are a lot of them. Benitsubasa took out quite a few of them so there isn't anything to concern yourself over. At least not yet."
"Shit."
"Don't count yourself out just yet. In fact it's a good thing you split up. The path you're on seems to lead directly to the key out of the maze and into my prison cell."
"That's all well and good, but what about the last piece of map? Don't we need that to find you?"
"Beni and Kazehana are on their way to that actually. It may be inconvenient for you guys to be split apart but it'll save us a lot of time."
He knew better than anyone how dangerous those lunatics could become given half the chance. Just thinking about it gave him goosebumps. With any luck though, they'd find shelter soon enough. Once they reached safety, he planned on taking advantage of the opportunity to restock supplies if there were any. Perhaps the bodies in this room had one of the keys they needed? There might also be food lying around somewhere...oh who was he kidding? There wasn't any fucking food. And even if there was, with all he'd been through tonight, rifling through bodies, etcetera he doubted he could hold it down let alone anyone else for that matter. After all, hunger never sleeps nor does starvation leave survivors unscathed forever. Hunger eventually catches up with everybody sooner rather than later. Sooner meaning today instead of tomorrow, unfortunately.
As expected, the corridor leading to the stairs turned out to contain three doors along both sides. One large double door stood open revealing rows upon racks of weapons stacked neatly atop tables covered in blood splatterings and bullet holes alike. On top lay various tools used throughout Jigsaw's twisted little world such as saw blades, drills, pliers, knives, hammers, screwdrivers (both flathead and Phillips), wire cutters, hacksaws, electric wires, ropes, handcuffs, zip ties, rope ladders, hooks, pulleys, metal bars, crowbars, mallets, baseball bats, axes, sledgehammers, fire extinguishers, gas cans, batteries, duct tape, dildos, a book, and a kitchen sink because why the fuck not? All manner of items designed to inflict pain and suffering (the dildo was really fucking big, like what you beat people to death with in Saints Row). But regardless, most likely each item held its own unique purpose aside from simply looking scary as shit while doing absolutely jack squat except possibly scaring the living daylights out of whoever happens across it unexpectedly. As usual, Minato couldn't resist checking everything out carefully after making sure the coast was still relatively calm outside the doorway. In fact, he spent longer examining the contents than necessary since he already figured out what kind of gear they possessed based solely on the nature of the facility itself.
He took a look at the batteries and checked to see if they would fit into the flashlight he had. Sure enough, they did and the beam was now at least three times as bright. Pleased with his discovery, he led the way onward toward the spiral staircase once Matsu gave the ronin the go-ahead.
Each step creaked loudly underfoot which made footing treacherous territory indeed considering some maniac could easily sneak up on them undetected using sound waves generated by footsteps. Fortunately, none appeared to lurk nearby—at least not immediately anyway. When Minato and Haihane finally arrived at the bottom of the stairwell, they discovered four rooms containing different types of equipment meant primarily for torturing humans. Some resembled cages whereas others served as makeshift operating theaters complete with surgical instruments hanging overhead ready for use whenever the mood strikes Jigsaw's sadistic side. Most disturbing however were the glass tanks full of human organs suspended above beds of ice. What sort of sicko keeps preserved hearts floating upside down in jars?! Not to mention lungs, kidneys, spleens, pancreases, testicles…shit, damn, oh god! How would he be able to sleep at night after they make it out of this nightmare knowing something like this exists!? Even worse, there weren't any windows anywhere to provide light during nighttime hours unless you counted the glow coming from the monitors mounted on walls surrounding the entire area. Each monitor displayed images captured via security cameras positioned strategically throughout the labyrinthine corridors. A camera placed close to the ceiling caught sight of Mathis standing motionless beside a table littered with bloody scalpels and syringes. Another image revealed a man strapped naked to a gurney whose arms and legs were spread wide apart. Blood dripped steadily from wounds inflicted on his backside and thighs. Two more screens showed men carrying heavy bags filled with medical waste pasted together with plastic wrap. And the last monitor was playing a "Raid: Shadow Legends" ad.
"Raid: Shadow Legends? Are you fucking serious?!" Haihane shook her head and blinked, not believing what she just saw.
"Yeah, about that..." Matsu mumbled over the radio. "I wasn't originally going to tell you this, but...the games are being live-streamed on the dark web, and Raid: Shadow Legends is sponsoring it...somehow."
"What?! Live-streamed?!"
"Now it's official, those fucking game developers would sell out to everybody."
"How many people are watching us?!"
"Last I checked the numbers were in the tens of thousands."
"That's insane! Why is Jigsaw broadcasting our suffering?!"
"If I had to guess, he wants to leave behind a legacy. The game you're playing to rescue us is the largest project he's ever constructed. He wants to be remembered for it from what I'm gathering."
The thought sent chills running down Minato's spine. If he made it out of this alive, he'd never be able to move past it. This would be what the world would remember him for. For years afterward, no matter where he went someone would ask him questions about it. Questions like 'what was it like to search those corpses for an antidote?' No thanks. Fuck that noise. Let sleeping dogs lie. Besides, if he didn't escape before then, nobody cared anymore whether he lived or died anyways. Everyone involved in these events deserved whatever fate awaited them. Especially Jigsaw himself. Who knows how far he plans on pushing things beyond mere torture porn? He already supplied the dildos. Whatever the case, Minato vowed right away that he wouldn't allow anybody else to suffer like this again. Ever. Whether it means sacrificing his own existence or dying trying, nothing less than total victory shall suffice. Nothing short of absolute justice. Vengeance. Justice. Revenge. These words burned deep within his soul. Words that promised salvation amidst chaos and despair. To protect his flock from evil incarnate. From madness unleashed without mercy.
And so began Operation Retribution.
A long silence followed as Minato stared blankly ahead at the screen displaying footage taken from surveillance cams scattered throughout the complex. Images flashed rapidly beneath his eyes as his mind replayed scenes of horror witnessed earlier tonight. Faces contorted in agony as flesh tore and bones snapped. Screams piercing ears as screams pierced souls. Eyes bulging grotesquely as eyeballs burst forth from sockets. Bodies writhing uncontrollably amid pools of crimson liquid oozing from ruptured veins and arteries. Arms flailing wildly as limbs ripped clean off below shoulders leaving gaping holes exposed underneath skinned muscle tissue. Legs kicking violently as feet flew high into air until gravity pulled them crashing downward onto hard concrete floors. Heads rolling helplessly as necks broke and skulls cracked open sending brains spilling everywhere.
These were some seriously sick motherfuckers, and Matsu was literally in the middle of all of them.
But despite witnessing countless atrocities committed against humanity, Minato remained resolute; determined to do whatever possible to prevent further bloodshed when faced with similar circumstances in future nights to come. He would be strong.
"Don't keep looking at the screens, Minato." Haihane said softly. She sounded exhausted due mostly to lack of proper nourishment coupled with extreme physical exertion resulting from constant fighting alongside two other girls who seemed equally drained themselves. Although they hadn't seen anything quite like this before, they managed to survive thus far only because they worked together seamlessly as a team. Their combined efforts allowed them to overcome obstacles much greater than anticipated.
Minato shook the cobwebs. "Right, sorry. It's just that-"
"I know, but there's nothing we can do for them."
"Mhm." he raised the speaker to his face again to speak with Matsu. "Matsu, is the coast clear?"
"The sniper seems to have moved into position. He's aiming right at the door you'll emerge from to get to the next safe room. Give me a minute and I'll find a way to distract him. Sit tight." Her voice came through loud and crystal-clear even though Minato knew exactly how tired she probably felt given recent developments. He could also hear her voice more clearly. Perhaps this meant he was getting closer to her?
His heart raced faster thinking maybe soon they might actually reunite soon and begin working towards freeing everyone else trapped inside this shithole.
An explosion rocked the building causing plaster dust to rain heavily upon the floorboards near the exit. Smoke billowed upward filling the hallway with thick clouds of grayish-white smoke obscuring visibility. Matsu chimed in again as the door in front of them swung open.
"Get going you two!" Matsu shouted over the speaker. "That smoke won't last forever! It's now or never!"
They ran quickly yet cautiously forward with Haihane following Minato's lead. Every few seconds another blast erupted somewhere distant sounding alarms blared incessantly announcing danger approaching fast. After reaching safety, Minato removed his mask to wipe the sweat dripping freely down his forehead. His hair stuck uncomfortably to his neck and chest. With great effort, he pushed strands of wet black locks away from his mouth and nose. Once finished wiping the perspiration from his brow, he replaced his mask securely covering his features.
"That's another room down. How many are left, Matsu?"
"Just two. Then you'll get the key."
Minato noticed several bodies lying dead along its length. The bodies were surprisingly not chopped to pieces this time. This gave him an idea.
Haihane watched as he took off his mask and put it over the cadaver's head. He then grabbed one of the stiff's ankles and dragged him over to the door. "Matsu, open the door. I want to try something."