Watanabe walked over to the table and placed a little sheriff cowboy action figure in the center of the map. Right on the place that the Takagi estate. "This is you," he told Jack.

The day after the agent and Saeko made it the Base of Operations, Saya's family house, the two were able to have a peaceful and relaxing day finally and spent most of it together. Both of them talking and training in hand-to-hand combat, before retiring to bed. The next day, Jack got called to meet with his fellow agent for a debriefing on the situation of the estate. Along with learning what the Division Agents were up against.

Alice and Zero were eating food that the staff brought out for them. Kohta was cleaning the guns that weren't on the agent. And his girlfriend, Saeko, was reading in their room. Saya was nowhere to be seen, and neither was Shizuka.

He and Watanabe were inside a room on the second floor. The room was large and would have looked like a dining room, if it hadn't been converted into a room that would have been used for military operations and planning by the Takagi family. Computers monitors set up with people working at them, and the table cluttered with maps.

Watanabe looked up from the table at Jack. Jack was out of his school clothes and wore on close to better suit continuing his mission. He wore a navy blue shirt with the long sleeves rolled up to his elbows and dark green pants. On his hip, he still had his Glock, and he slung his MCX on his back. The weapons drew a lot of attention from the adults, but no one confronted him about them. "So, as I said, I'm Agent Touji Watanabe. Division. Activated the same time as you and Rika. Part of the first wave - well, the only wave, considering what we already know. I don't know if there's still more of us out there outside of Tokonosu City, but unfortunately, as of now, you and I are the only agents in the city, and there's still a lot to do," he explained to the young man.

Jack walked over to the table and crossed his arms. "So, this is how screwed we are, huh?"

"Yep. Ever since the outbreak, the city is in a constant state of panic as the Dead are still out there, grew with each one of us they kill, and then there are the human threats like looters, gangs, and not to mention the LMB," Watanabe said, sighing in frustration. "We don't have much intel. And don't let being in this house think we have the luxury of failure. Not with a lot of people still lost out there and those that haven't been evacuated. People like me - and you - we're all that's left to line the line. If there's even a line anymore."

"Is there anything at all to give us some hope?" Jack asked, shrugging his shoulders.

"We've been receiving some rummers that a few civilians settlements are still holding out against this...Walking Dead shit. With Division network gone dark, and with there being only two of us, getting help to them will be extremely difficult. Until we can figure out or next move, our priority is keeping the people here alive."

"My friends can help in the fight, Sir," Jack said. "We've fought our way back here, and we'd make great runners."

"No, I'm sorry, but we can't allow civilians risking their lives," Watanabe said, feeling like a hypocrite after the battle yesterday. "I want your friends to help out, but we've got to maintain order. No children and non-combatants can put their lives on the line for us. They have to remain here."

"NOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAHHH!" The two agents were startled by the sound of Rei's screaming. Glancing at one another, they rushed out of the room towards her room. Excepting the worst, they grabbed their rifles. When they reached the door, Watanabe kicked open the door, and the two agents rushed into the room. Guns raised. But then they lowered them when they saw what caused the noise.

Rei was lying on the bed, on her stomach, naked as the day she was born with only a towel covering her ass. Takashi was on the bed with her. He was holding her down by her shoulders as she grabbed onto his pants, screaming in pain into his crouch. The reason for the screams is because Shizuka was behind the young woman, rubbing some kind of ointment on her back.

Shizuka and Takashi paused and looked at the agents while Rei was still trembling in pain. Jack and Watanabe just stared for a moment. "Are we interrupting something?"

[Play The Walking Dead's theme]

The intro of the story first starts with a quick view of the spot on the stairs that Takashi and Jack would meet at, before showing the gates of the school as they moved, but there's no one to move it.

We then switch to showing the hallways of the school. Bloodied and with the bodies of the students that didn't make it. But still no zombies. The scene is then cut to a dead person's watch, which was a Smart Watch as it glowed. Besides the watch was the name, Jack Recker.

A boken was stabbed into a grass field, with the camera focused on it, and the background blurred out. Saeko Busujima was spelled on the wooden sword's blade. The camera then focuses on the background, showing that it was the city.

A gas station was then shown from afar with only the light shining it into view. Cutting quickly to a view of a bloodied handle baseball bat, the viewer sees the name Takashi Komuro next to it. Cutting swiftly away from it, Rei Miyamoto was spelled next to her makeshift spear, that was leaning against the outside of the bus.

After a few shots of the city, we cut to a lone pistol on the ground with Kohta Hirano spelled next to it. The camera shifts and moves up to show that it was lying right in front of the gates of the Takagi house. With Saya Takagi appearing above it.

A lone medical bag with the name Shizuka Marikawa near it was seen in an empty room. A teddy bear was seen on the road with the names of Alice Maerasto and Zero near it.

As the intro was about to come to a close, it's final shot was on a wall that had the symbol of the Division spray-painted on it. Then the words Cowboy Alchemist presents appeared on screen before it cuts to black, and the title was shown.

"The Living Dead"

Act 8: Base of the Living Dead

Shizuka giggled after she had finished, while Jack and Watanabe exited the room. A little flustered after having just walked in on the three with Rei naked. It turned out that the nurse was spreading some special ointment on Rei's back because of her bad fall from the Humvee. When she was finished, the nurse exited the room. She was out of her school outfit and was wearing a blue turtleneck sweater and white capris.

"Alright, I fixed up Rei with my special formula!" She said, closing the door. From the outside, Jack could hear the two exes getting into some kind of argument.

Watanabe blushed a little at the sight of the beautiful nurse before couching into his fist. "W-Well, it'll be great to have another person besides me with medical training," he said with a kind smile.

Shizuka and Jack looked at him with wide eyes. "You're a doctor?" Asked the young agent.

"Paramedic to be precise," Watanabe said with a smirk. "I've got some work to do. Mr. Takagi should be coming back soon. I'll come and get you when there's an update on our plans. Introduce yourself to the locals if you want. It'll comfort them to know that there are still some of us out there." He then turned and walked back to the operations room.

"I'll go find Alice and make sure she and Zero are doing okay," Shizuka told Jack, before walking off to find the little girl, leaving Jack alone in by himself.

Jack stood there for a moment, wondering what he should do when he heard Rei suddenly shouting furiously. "My boobs are killing me because you used them to balance an AK-47! NOW GET OUT!" The next thing Jack knew was Takashi running out of the room, escaping the very pissed off girl.

"Girl problems?" Jack asked, smirking. Takashi looked at him and smiled too. "Seriously? You guys are broken up, and yet the two of you argue like an old married couple."

"Don't remind," Takashi said with a slight groan in his voice. But then he smirked at Jack and crossed his arms. "So, you and Ms. Busujima are a thing now, huh?"

Jack was a little taken aback before looking a little sheepish. Slightly embarrassed but also slightly amused by the fact that the two were pretty obvious when they came to the estate. "What gave it away?"

"You mean other than the fact that the two of you never left each other's side, were holding hands, and even took a shower together?" Takashi listened off with his smirk getting bigger. He then playfully punched Jack in the shoulder. "You sly dog! I knew you could do it! Finally, got the girl, you big hero?"

"Don't you have a girl with a bad back you should be talking to," Jack said, knowing that was one of the driving forces of Rei breaking up with Takashi. He didn't talk enough.

"Don't you have a girl with purple hair you should be spending time with?" Takashi asked with a shrug.

Jack narrowed his eyes at him. "You're alright, Komuro." The two friends laughed. Then Jack started walking done the hallway. "Welp, I've better and check on the others and meet some of the locals. See ya!"

"Yeah, see you," Takashi said. As he walked off, Jack couldn't help but smile a bit at how nice it was to talk with his friend like they were still in high school, before the outbreak. It reminded him that his friends still cared for him and why he stuck with them for this long.

Jack wondered the halls aimlessly of the Estate. He was looking at the architecture of the build to see how defendable it was in the event of another attack or if the zombies go past the blockades and the gates. Most of the staff and housekeepers were left defenseless. Not even a pistol. Unless the guns were locked up until they were in a crisis. As he pasted a few people, they looked at him strangely. At first, as if they were approaching just another kid on the block, but then they saw the guns strapped to his back and hips that they became wary and kept their distance.

He walked down the stairs to the first floor to see two men carrying a large box in through the front door. He watched as one of them's fingers slipped, and the box fell.

"You idiot! You're walking to fast!" The other man scolded. The two men got ready to pick up the box, and when they lifted it, Jack walked over and helped them.

"I've got you guys," he said.

"No, kid. It's alright. You just leave it to the big boys," the man said.

Jack raised an eyebrow. "The hell's that supposed to mean?" He inquired.

"Just go relax," the other man said before noticing Jack's watch, and the Glock holstered on his hip. The two men didn't say another word, or even apologize as they walked away.

Jack scowled. He would have thought that with the world going through this pandemic that it would have made it so that he and the rest of the high schoolers would be stopped seen as kids. But that wasn't the case. It took them realizing that he was an agent to treat him with some respect, and even then, they didn't want to admit wrongdoing. The only one that treated them like adults was Watanabe and Shizuka. He sighed. "Somethings just never change," he groaned.

"Don't worry about it too much," said the voice of his beautiful girlfriend.

Jack turned around, and his eyes widened when he saw Saeko standing coming from another room, wearing a lovely kimono that was a stark contrast to how she dressed before, which were on the more erotic side. But now, she looked beautiful.

Saeko looked at her lover and saw him staring at her with mouth agape. She smirked a little, know what he liked her look. "What's the matter?"

Snapping out of it, Jack walked up to her and smile. "Nothing. In fact, you look amazing," he said. "Absolutely stunning. N-Not that you didn't before."

The purple-haired woman giggled and smiled. "Thank you," she said. "So, how did your meeting with Watanabe went?"

"Well, as of now, the situation is fucked like before, but we're starting to form a plan," Jack said. He sighed and rubbed the back of his head, anxious about want was going to come next. "I'm just hoping that this group won't break up. We've still got Takashi and Rei that need to find their parents, but then, I just wonder what will happen next."

Saeko stopped his worries by kissing him on the lips. When she pulled away, she had her arms around him, and he had his hands on her hips. "It's like you said. We'll save what remains. It's great to see that you're still thinking about us. It makes you a great leader," she said. She then smirked with a slight bit of flirtiness. "And I love great leaders like you."

Jack smirked and joked, "And I love sexy samurai school girls like you."

The two lovers started laughing and started kissing each other again. That was when Alice came in and saw the two kissing and laughing. "Hey! What is it?" She asked with a big innocent smile. Jack and Saeko pulled away as Alice and Zero ran over to them. "Why are you laughing? Did something happen?"

Jack chuckled before he replied with, "We were just talking. What about you, Alice, are you doing okay?"

"Yeah! I'm more than okay!" Alice exclaimed with a big smile.

It warmed Jack's heart to know that Alice really was doing well with the situation they were all in. However, last night, Jack went into her room to check on her to see if she was okay. She'd cried for a long time and kept herself up. Eventually, Jack walked her to his and Saeko's bed, and the three slept together that night. The two teenagers ended up holding her in their arms as she fell asleep.

She's already adapted to this hell on earth. The nightmare that took her parents when she needed them the most. Jack kneeled and rubbed her head gently. "I'm glad to hear that," he said with a gentle smile.

"FINE! YOU'RE ALWAYS RIGHT! ALWAYS!" Saya suddenly yelled from the top of the stairs on the second floor.

"I better go see what's gotten her worked up," Jack said before leaving the two girls and walked up the stairs. When he got to the top, he turned to see Saya stomping in his direction with her eyes closed. "The hell's going on up here?"

Saya stopped to open her eyes. Her face was flustered a bit, and it looked as though she had the first sign of tears at the corners of her eyes. She glared at the agent. "You don't have to ask like such a prick!"

"Is that so, princess," Jack asked with apparent mockery in his voice. "Then please, tell me how I'd like to address you."

"Maybe prick is the wrong word. I should have said asshole," Saya snapped.

"And I should have called you the princess of the bitches, now what happened?" Jack retorted.

Saya glared at him with her teeth gritting together, before letting it go. "I don't want to talk about it! Why would it matter? Just leave me alone!" She then ran past him and stomped down the stairs in a fury. "I can't take this anymore!"

"What the hell is up with her," Jack wondered to himself. Sure, she was a bitch and a pain in the past, but she had never acted like this before.

"Sorry to draw you into our little discussion, Agent Recker," said a woman's voice to his right. Jack back down the hallway and saw Saya's mother walking towards him in her same dress from yesterday.

"It's okay," he said, turning to smile at her.

She nodded slightly. "You're used to it, aren't you? After all, you've known each other since the beginning of your stay in Japan," she said, almost as a statement than a question.

"Yeah. Some things never change," Jack said, glancing back in the direction that Saya marched off. "Then again, some things do change." He turned around to Yuriko. "Your house is very beautiful, you know. I'm thankful that you and your husband agreed to let the Division set is up as a Base of Operations."

"It was the least that we could do. We've been asked by the SHD years before if the time came that we'd open ourselves to being a Base of Operations in Tokonosu," she said with a nod. "Come to think of it; you've never been to my house before, have you?"

"No," he said. "I was training to become an agent."

"You're honest, I like that," she said with a smile.

Jack nodded and looked out the window. "But, is it true that you don't stay here long," he asked.

Yuriko was saddened when she heard the question. "No. No, I don't." She said to the young man. She then turned to the window and looked out of it. There were still people walking about, trying to be normal while locked inside the fortress. She knew that he wasn't aware of want was going on politics wise with the zombies started to attack, so she decided to have a conversation with him. "When the Dead started attacking, the main concern was to protect the hydro plant and transformer substations. The Commander sent a small part of the Self-Defense Forces that were on stand by in case of terrorist attacks to the power plants at his own discretion. He's not the kind of man to sit around and wait on the Prime Minister's incompetency."

Jack remembered seeing those helicopters the day the outbreak happened. They were from the SDF. Meaning they were going to the power plants. "If that's the case, then they'll keep things running."

"Your organization is so optimistic. How much longer do you think those maintenance workers will stay there? They have families too. And their family members are not at the power plants."

Jack looked out the window again and saw a series of buses that were being outfitted with armor on the windows. That when he got where she was going with this. "So, you're going to take the buses and..."

"Correct, but we'll only be taking the ones that can survive outside of this place," she said with a scowl. "Harsh, I know." Jack just listened as she changed the topic to an earlier one. "I want her to understand me. But no matter what I say, she won't listen. Maybe you could talk to her?"

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Convince her? I've barely been able to convince her of anything thing. How may I suppose to convince her to go with this plan?"

"You've convinced her to do one thing," she said, before smiling. "You've convinced her to follow you."

"And that's the gist of our living situation," Jack said. A few minutes ago, Takagi found Jack wandering around the grounds outside and swiftly ordered him to come with her and Kohta. Together, they rounded up the rest of their little group and brought them to Rei's room. The others were around the injured girl's bed, as Rei was lying on her stomach with the towel covering her. Saya, standing in front of a window, then told Jack to tell them what his meeting with Watanabe told him. "And frankly, while I don't like it, or how we're being treated like kids again, we need to follow their rules."

"So, that's it, then?" Takashi asked.

"No. Since I'm an agent, I'll hold onto all of the guns in my room until I can convince them that we're capable of using them," Jack answered.

"I still don't see a reason for everyone has to gather around here," Rei complained.

"Oh, hush, unless you're able to stand!"

"You can barely walk. Where else would we meet?" Takashi replied.

"So, what's his meet have to do with us again," Shizuka asked, peeling a banana. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Whether we can continue to move forward as a group or not," Saya said, looking out the window.

That's certainly not what Jack was expecting. After all the trouble they went through to get to the Base of Operations. After all that they've fought against, was she really talking about separating from the group? It just made him question what she could be getting at, as it wasn't apparent to him.

"It's a good point," said Saeko. This surprised Jack, and it showed on his face when he turned to her. So, she explained it. "The group's bigger now. We may have to think more democratically since there are more of us than there were before. It's only far."

"Right. We have only two opinions. Whether we're going to be absorbed or..."

"...we split up," Takashi said, finishing her thoughts. "But why?"

Saya gritted her teeth in anger. Why couldn't they just listen to her? She then spread her arms out towards the horizon. "Maybe you should look around and see for yourself!" She yelled. "If you still don't get it after that, then I revoke your right to call me by my fight name!"

"We did see it, Saya," Jack said, cutting in with a firm tone. Saya glared at him. "When I look out on that city, I'm reminded of the blood and chaos that we endured. Things are only getting worse out there. That's why we're at this place. I was given orders to bring you guys to safety, and now we're here, you want to leave it?" He walked up next to her. "It's because of your father that the Division in Tokonosu is still able to exist. He seems to know what he's doing, along with your mother. They have a plan."

[Play Music: "This Is Not The End" by Fieldwork]

Saya tensed up. "Oh, don't they always?" she asked sarcastically. Jack turned to her and saw her choke up a bit. However, he didn't ask her what was wrong. He knew that this conversation was going somewhere that was going to cross the line. "Her achievements. Don't think she won't shove them in your face. Maybe if she was as dedicated at home as she was..."

"Saya..." Takashi began.

"God, she's such a bitch."

"You shouldn't talk bad about your parents. Considering the situation we're in, it's been really tough for everyone."

"Did I ask for you to weigh in on my family life!? That sounds like something my mom would say!" "The Takagi's, always the Takagi's! How wonderful their life must be. I know, I know, my parents are the best! Even when something unexpected happened, they took action right away and protected their mansion and staff! After all. Everything had to be just perfect. The house, and the lawn, and most of all, their daughter! The apple of their eyes! It was positively suffocating! They wanted to know where I was and what I was doing every minute of the day! The leash they kept me on!"

"That's enough," Takashi said firmly. Jack didn't say a word, as all of his attention was on Saya. He was listening to her because he was on her side. At that moment, he was furious! A wave of anger unlike anything he's felt before started rising inside of him. After so many years of training to keep his emotions in check, to make sure no one saw them, he was being pushed to his limit, and it only got worse as he listened.

"NO! It was never enough! Where was that leash yesterday when I was out there in the streets, fighting for my life! Where the hell were they!? As expected! They're really amazing! I shouldn't expect any less from them! THEY DIDN'T THINK I SURVIVED, SO THEY GAVE UP IMMEDIATELY!"

And then, he snapped.

"WHY DONT' YOU JUST SHUT UP!" Jack bellowed at her, grabbing her by her dress with one hand, and pulling out his Glock with the other. She gasped when he slammed her hard against the wall between the windows, held her in place by her neck, and press the pistol against her forehead.

Everyone in the room went pale and stared at Jack in terror and shock. Saya stared into his eyes in total fear as she trembled. Jack glared at her with hatred. He didn't care. He was furious as hell, and he was going to put the spoiled brat in her place.

"Now, you listen to me, you spoiled, rotten, brat! I've just about had enough of you going on about how bad your parents are! Do you think your family's bad? Did you ever have an uncle that would come home and beat the fuck of you just because they blamed you for your mom's death!? Or how about starved you for days on end, because he didn't care about what happened to you!? Did your family ever do this to you?!"

Taking his hand off her neck, Jack pulled up his sleeves to show her his scars. Saeko watched him with concern, and while she's seen the scars before, she gasped with the others as they stared in shock. Saya looked at them in total surprise as he continued, pointing his Glock at her head.

"Don't you dare try and make your parents come off as these horrible people, and believe me, it's not going to work. And don't even try that 'I don't know what it's like' crap," Jack shouted at her. "I don't know what it's like, because I lost my parents years ago! But everyone else in this room feels the same way! Like the spoiled brat you are, you can't see beyond your own shallowness to see just how lucky you are! At least your parents are alive and safe! So quit your whining before I put a bullet through your fucking skull..."

He was interrupted when he felt someone huge him from behind. Looking over his shoulder, he saw it was Saeko, stopping him from his rage as she comforted him. Having unleashed his pent up anger, he looked at the room and as everyone stared at him in stunned silence. A horrible feeling swelled from his heart when he realized that he had just revealed everything in front of them.

As for the others, no one spoke a word. No one could, as it was hard to believe what had just happened. Saya looked the worst, as her face held a look of guilt. An expression that no one has ever seen before. Alice ran over to Jack's leg and hugged it. She didn't fully understand it, but she knew that he was angry and sad. The others looked concerned at him. The most worried was Saeko, as she held her love tightly.

[End music]

They were all pulled out of their mental states by the sound of rumbling from outside. Reverting back to his training, Jack holstered his pistol and pulled out his MCX. He walked out on to the balcony with the others and saw a caravan of cars and large trucks, including one that had a flatbed.

"The feds," Kohta said.

"Yes," Saya began, standing next to Jack. "He's the former lord of Tokonosu. The head of the Takagi family." Down on the ground, a man stepped out of one of the cars. Judging the way that men that guarded the house bowed and how Yuriko stood waiting for him, it was clear who it was. "The man who judges everything by his rules."

With a clear view of the man, Jack saw his full appearance. A tall and intimidating man with jet black hair and fierce orange eyes that had the gaze of a predatory animal.

"My father."

Jack's right arm lowered his MCX to his side as he and the others watched the man made his way to the front of the fountain that's in the middle of the yard. He turned around as a forklift rolled up towards him with a cage. Inside it was an undead.

People had come out when they saw the zombie in the cage.

"This man's name is Tetsudoro Dore," said Saya's father. His voice was matching his intimating appearance. "He is the former retainer of the family who served the Takagi family. He is also my best friend." The forklift stopped in front of a stage that was set up in front of the fountain.

"Today, during the rescue operation in an effort to save his associates...he was bitten. This is the ultimate case of self-sacrifice. What he did was something noble. Something any human being could do. However. He is no longer a human. He has become something extremely dangerous."

As if to prove Mr. Takagi's point, the undead slammed into the front of the cage.

"That's why..." the man drew his katana. Jack, Saya, and the teenagers held their breaths as they watched. "...as a man of the Takagi family, I shall fulfill my obligation to the retainer," he proclaimed, raising his sword over his head to strike.

One of his men locked the cage, and the undead charged out. Rushing at Mr. Takagi.

Suddenly, a glass bottle of milk falls and breaks on the ground. The mother of the baby that dropped the bottle apologized to the crowd, before crouching down to pick it up. But when she looked back at the fountain, she saw what everyone else saw the father of Saya did.

The head of the undead was floating in the fountain, turning the water red.

"This is the present we're currently facing! And so, even if they are your beloved friends, family members, or people you once loved, you must defeat them without hesitation. If you want to survive, you must fight!" Mr. Takagi finished his speech, staring out into the crowd.

Saya glared hdr father as he walked away. Fellowing behind him was his wife and Watanabe. Jack noticed the expression on her, and when she glanced at him, she looked away. Jack scowled the looked back down the garden, seeing the people standing around in silence before dispersing. He was a Division agent. He should be able to keep his emotion under control, even after what she said.

Then, out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Kohta seething. "What's the matter, Kohta? You don't look so hot."

Everyone turned and looked at him as he replied. "Swords are incredibly ineffective."

"What are you talking about," asked Takashi.

"I said they're inefficient!" Kohta yelled angrily, rounding at him. "A Japanese sword can break if it hit bone! It's useless after slicing three or four people!"

"You can't tell that for sure, Hirano," Saeko said, stepping forward slightly. "Even in the way of the sword, numbers determine your strength. The swordsman's technique. The quality of his sword. His mental strength. If these three elements are at high levels, you won't lose your fighting strength. No matter how matter people you have to fight against."

"But once the sword has blood on it, then it's impossible-"

"It's just like cooking. Why would a good cook leave blood on a kitchen knife," Jack said, resting his rifle on his back. "Or not clean a gun after firing it for a long time.:

"But- But-"

"Hey, Hirano. That's enough." Takashi cut him off and stepped towards Kohta.

"Don't touch me!" Kohta suddenly pushed him back. "And don't interrupt me. You can't even shoot a gun properly."

Saya turned around and glared at him. "Hirano! You need to back off!"

Kohta stared at her for a second, before angrily turning and running off into the house.

"Hirano!" Yelled out Takashi. He was about to chase after him when Jack grabbed his arm. Stopping him.

"Takashi!" He said with a stern scowl on his face. Then he let his friend go. "Leave him be. He's got a lot on his mind."

Saya looked at him with a look of guilt. She took in a breath and sighed. "Jack...I'm sorry."

Jack looked at her. Still upset, he appeared slightly unconvinced with her sudden apology. Why wouldn't he be, after years of her brattiness and acting like she knew everything? "Yeah..."

"I'm serious-" She was suddenly cut off when Jack's earpiece came on.

"Recker, do you read?"

Jack turned away from Saya and placed two fingers on his ear. "Recker here. Go ahead, Watanabe," he said.

"Come down to the main command room. Chief Takagi wants to talk with us."

"Copy that. On my way," Jack said, lowering his arm and began walking to the door of the balcony. But before he entered the house. Saeko's hand reached out and grabbed his hand.

"Jack? Would you like to talk about it?" She asked. Saeko would have asked if her boyfriend was okay, but it was evident from his outburst that he wasn't okay.

"What's there to talk about? I've made it pretty clear for everyone to get the picture," Jack said bitterly, before taking his hand away and walking inside. Now upset with himself for being rude to his girlfriend.

"I didn't know..." said Takashi. He was looking down with a sad expression, before turning to Saya. "We've known Jack for a few years now, but he never mentioned anything of his abuse..."

Saya shook her head. She tried to keep her familiar scowl, but it was hard.

"I've only found out about it," Saeko said.

"...I knew..." Everyone turned their heads and saw it was Shizuka. She was holding Rei up at her side, with one hand around her hip. The nurse looked conflicted, hesitant to reveal confidential information about the boy, but continued to explain. "I had gotten his medical records when he transferred to the school. He's had to take some pain killers in the past for some of those injuries. The reports included how they were obtained... And Reika explained what was happening to him."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Rei demand, looking incredulous at the nurse while hanging off her.

"Because I wasn't my place," Shizuka snapped, surprising Rei and the others with a rare display of firmness. "Regardless of what I know and don't know, a person's past should be told by the person."

Things were quiet again for them. None of them really knew what to say. It all made perfect sense why the agent was unwilling to talk about other members of his family.

But none of them realized that Alice was gone.

Jack had quickly gone to the bathroom and rinsed off his face before walking towards the command room. He was about to reach the door when a voice stopped him.

"Jack!" The agent turned around and saw Alice running over to him with Zero. Jack felt a sense of guilt when realizing that she was still in the room at the time. He hoped she wasn't too frightened by his outburst. "What's wrong. Why are you so angry with Saya?"

Jack sighed and averted his eyes. How was supposed to tell her? How could anyone explain to an innocent little girl her age that he was abused because his uncle blamed him for the death of his parents? That he was angry at Saya for acting like a brat and taking everything she's fortunate to have for granted? Then again, he just yelled it all out.

"It's...It's complicated, sweaty," he said, kneeling down and placing his hands on her shoulders. "It something that's between her and me."

"Okay, then. I'll tell you something good."

"You need to talk to her again, just like Kohta needs to talk to you and Takashi. You just need to talk to Saya some more, and then you guys can figure out what's wrong," she proposed with a big smile. "You guys can't have a fight after everything that happened before we got here! I'll go tell Kohta that you wanna, then I'll go get Takashi, Saya, and then everything will be okay. Come on, Zero!"

She and the little dog then ran off, and Jack was left standing for a while in silence. He then stood up and started walking to the central command room. But as he walked towards the room, he couldn't help but think about what she said.

It was strange, but it reminded him about when he was in eighth grade, right before the holiday weekend in the spring, when his history teacher talked about the mutiny on the Bounty.

The story goes that in 1788, after a rough voyage at sea, a British military ship named HMS Bounty reached the shore of an island called Tahiti. The paradise in the South Pacific Ocean. The ship left Tahiti after spending about six months there. Within a month after that, a mutiny broke out. After months in paradise, the crew couldn't take the life they once knew on the Bounty.

Jack's teacher made a comparison of the holiday weekend to Tahiti. And his students to the crew of the Bounty. The agent didn't understand it at the time. He really didn't care, like everyone else. But now, after just going through hell, only to be talked down to like they were before, it was frustrating. The lives they knew were gone, and to be forced back into it by people who viewed themselves above him and the others was frustrating.

He was brought out of his thoughts when he reached the doors. Taking a deep breath, Jack opened the doors and walked in. Inside, men serving the Takagi family were hard at work. As the agent walked passed them, armed to the teeth, they stopped and watched. Staring at him with scowls and sneers. Jack ignored them and walked over to where Mr. Takagi, Yuriko, and Watanabe were talking.

"With all due respect, sir, you can't be thinking about giving in to the demands of these guys," Watanabe said, gesturing vaguely to the window.

"We're not," Yuriko said sternly. "But the LMB will not be taking no for an answer, and are sending a commander to talk with us..." she stopped when noticing Jack standing behind them.

"Mr. Takagi, this is Agent Jack Recker. He's the agent that brought the students from Fujimi Academy," Watanabe said to the man. Mr. Takagi stood up from his chair and approached the agent. He was towering over Jack with his intimidating stature.

"Is this right, young man?" He asked.

"Sir, yes, sir," Jack said, bowing his head to the man.

The man stared down at him with hard eyes, and his arms crossed. He then held out his hand to him. Jack looked at it and shook it. "I'm Souichiro Takagi. Thank you for bringing my daughter home, agent." This kind of took Jack aback. Mr. Takagki then turned around and walked to the window. "I understand your concerns, Agent Watanabe, but the longer we stay here, the more we'd be put at risk. It has become far too dangerous for any of us to remain in the metro area. The LMB has already offered to take us to a safe zone. But I'm not ignorant of their totalitarian ways.

"They've already arranged a meeting with us, but I have not intent on willing going with them. That's why the day before they return to take the estate by force, we'd have already left."

Suddenly the door to the command room opened, and Alice ran in with Zero. "Jack!" Jack turned to her as the adults looked at the little girl. Alice stopped and panted with Zero between her legs. "Hurry up and come with me! Kohta...Kohta's in big trouble! We have to go to him now!"

Jack ran out of the house at full speed. Alice and Zero running behind him but were falling behind quickly. When the agent looked around, he spotted a ground of men surrounding Kohta. Holding the Honey Badger, M1A, and SCAR-H in his arms tightly as the M90 shotgun was slung on his back. "I wouldn't do it!" He yelled.

"Give me a break!" Yelled one man.

"Hand it over, fat boy!" demanded a large man with red gym clothes.

Jack glared at them and brought out his MCX rifle. "HEY! The fuck do you think you're doing?!" He demanded as he marched over to them. The men turned to him.

One of them scoffed when he saw the rifle in his hands. "Great, another one hoarding a bunch of guns," he said, before walking over to Jack. He held out his hand. "Alright, play is over, kid. Hand out the guns-"

"I'm not handing over anything." Jack pushed the man aside, hard. He walked over to Kohta and placed his rifle on his shoulder. Glaring at each one of them, he held up his arm to show his watch and stated clearly, "And my friend isn't giving up anything."

They all looked at him with wide eyes. They were shocked that this kid from high school was actually a highly skilled agent of the Division. It pissed off some of them that someone younger than what they considered an adult would talk back and refused to hand over their weapons when they needed them more.

"Agent, with all due respect, you know what's going on out there," said the same man in white from the day he and Saeko made it to the Base of Operations. "This boy really shouldn't be keeping weapons all to himself. He should give them to someone-"

"I SAID NO! I'm borrowing these from someone!" Kohta said. Lying belly down on the ground, using his body to protect the guns as his life depended on it. And by the way, he looked like he was ready to cry, it really did seem like it. "Besides, no one can use these better than I can!"

Jack turned back to the men surrounding them, not bothering to correct Kohta that he could use them just as good as his friend. "The person he's borrowing them from is a personal friend of mine, and she's all me to have access to these weapons. And then I allowed him and my group to use the weapons. If anyone as the right to demand them back, it's me."

"You little punk. We asked you nicely, so quite being selfish brats!" Yelled the man that Jack pushed away.

"Even if you're Division, we're only trying to protect everyone here!" Yelled another man.

"I bet it's all just an act," said the red sweats man. "Let's just take it from them."

"WHAT THE HELL IS ALL THIS?!" Yelled a familiar voice that rang out to all that were in the area.

All heads turned to Chief Takagi, walking towards them with his wife and Agent Watanabe. When Jack ran out of the building, they followed after them. And now, each step the Don took was like the beating of a drum.

"Ma-Master. They're just kids, sir. They don't have any business with any of these guns," said one of the lord's men.

Mr. Takagi stepped forward and stopped just short of Koht and Jack. He glared down at the gun-nut with his arms crossed. "I'm Souichoro Takagi. The former lord of Tokonosu. The master of Tendo Socoru. What is your name, young man?"

Kohta suddenly bowed down. "K-K-Kohta Hirano! I go to Fujimi Academy. I'm in class 2-A roster number 32!" He exclaimed, with some struggle.

"Something tells me that you've got spirit. I'm quite sure that you went through a lot with Agent Recker before you made it all the way here," The man said, continuing to look down at Kohta. "I take it you don't intend to hand over your weapons?"

"N-NO, SIR! I don't want to!" Kohta cried, beginning to sob. "Without a gun, I'm going right back to- Back to the way I was before! They'll make fun of me again! They'll make fun of me again! I don't want to go back there! I finally figured out what I can do!"

"What exactly can you do? Tell me!"

Kohta looked up at Mr. Takagi's outburst and gasped. Tears flowed from his eyes as he struggled to come up with an answer. Anything to keep his guns.

"He can protect your daughter!" said a familiar voice. Jack looked behind him and saw Takashi. He had come with Rei in his arms, but handed her off to Shizuka. With a stern expression, he walked over and stood in front of Kohta. Standing with Jack on both sides of the chubby student.

"Ko-Komuro..." Kohta said.

"Komuro..." said Mr. Takagi with a thoughtful expression on his face. "Yes, that name sounds familiar to me. You were friends with my daughter since she was little, were you not?"

"Yes, sir. Still am," Takashi said. "But Hirano and Jack have been the ones protecting her."

"That's right, sir, and it's rather rude of your people to think that just because he's a kid, he doesn't deserve them," Jack said, glaring at the men that had surrounded them. "I permitted him to use my guardian's weapons. He came here with them and given his skills with a firearms tops any of your men; I'd say it's only fair that he keeps them. And to think that they had wanted to strip an Agent of the Division of his weapons. Maybe Watanabe needs to remind you of punishment for civilians interfering with Division deployment."

"Are you threatening me, Agent?" Mr. Takagi asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Just making a suggestion for disciplining your men, sir," Jack said. He kept his anger concealed when he spoke to the man. At that point, he was done with all the looks and comments that he and his band of survivors still just kids, like its a social status, and were untrustworthy with weapons. It made him almost forget about the anger he felt towards Saya. Almost.

Suddenly, Alice came rushing towards Kohta. "Kohta!" She yelled, before jumping at him and holding him in a hug. She then turned to the Takagi father and glared a cute glare, with Zero barking.

Shizuka walked over, helping Rei stand up by offering her shoulder. Rei quickly switched to being held by Takashi. The whole group, except Saya, stood with Kohta, forming a protective circle around their friend. All were glaring at the man.

"I'll have you know I've seen his bravery, with my own eyes," Saeko said.

"Me too, daddy!" Jack turned and saw Saya had turned up and joined them. "He's just a looser gun otaku. But without him, I would have been one of the Dead by now, Daddy. That's right. They've been the ones protecting me! Kohta did your job!"

Saya took a moment to look at Jack, and the agent stared back at her. He gave her a simple nod. If his time with Saeko taught him anything, it's that he couldn't afford to let the hostility that wedged itself between him and Saya to stand. He made have to leave them to go on missions, but if their group was divided in any way, shape, or form, it was going to kill them in the long run. He wasn't going to let his personal anger at someone be the thing that gets them all killed.

There was still work that need to be done, before the storm comes.

The Living Dead Will Return

AN: Alright! I got back to "The Living Dead," and was able to pump out another chapter. I'd have to say that this episode of HOTD wasn't all that exciting, as it was more for human drama than the usual fare we see in the series.

The next chapter I'm going to make is a long one, as it'll be the last chapter before I put the story on hiatus! That's right, I'm not ending the story, but just taking a break from it. I'm planning on finally starting "Heroes of Tomorrow: A Fighting Father" after the next chapter.

Then again, the first game didn't exactly have an "ending." Just left us with a lot of questions.

You all wanted me to go into the manga, so, when I come back to the story, I'll be sure to do that. But, I'm hoping that Season 2 coming on next year is true.

Thank you very much for reading. "The Living Dead" will return. Please be sure to Favorite and Follow if you like the story, and also Review it. If you any questions or discussions you'd have for me, then please in a Review or a PM me.

Thank you for reading, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.