Tokonosu City, Japan
Z-Day+2
It had now been officially two whole days since the outbreak began. The air across Tokonosu was thick with the smoke of multiple fires that raged on without opposition. Multiple car wrecks filled up the main roads, bridges, and highways. Shattered glass from broken windows littered the sidewalks as papers and trash blew along as if compelled to do so by the wind. What really stood out most of all though, was how quiet it had become.
Before everything had changed, the city was filled with the noise of constant chatter between friends and family, car horns honking at one another, and trains rumbling over the tracks; day after day after day. But the biggest contrast between then and now was that back then; the worst the police would ever have to deal with was a petty theft or a dispute among neighbors. That all changed when the outbreaks swept throughout the city like a cancer with nothing in mankind's arsenal to stop it.
On the other side of the Tokonosu River, in the highest floor of a small hotel, with the best room for keeping a lookout over the entrance and the majority of the city, Marcus sat at the balcony with a cup of coffee in one hand and Uncle Mark's pistol in the other. He'd been keeping watch over the city the entire night, every hour checking on Johann, who still lay unconscious in one of the suite's bedrooms. Every moment, Marcus could only silently hope to himself that Frasier, Noah and Hitomi would come back alright. If they came with more guns and ammo like they were hoping to, that would be great as well; but right now all Marcus cared about was that he wouldn't have to lose anyone else again.
Halfway through the night, the somewhat quiet night had been stirred with what could only have been distant barrages of gunfire, along with the unmistakable sounds of explosions. It sounded far enough away that Marcus felt confident the hotel wasn't in danger of getting hit; but nevertheless, he knew it was coming from the direction the others had left in; and for as long as the noise persisted, he found himself growing tenser, hoping, and perhaps even unknowingly praying, that they were alright.
Now that morning had come and all the shooting had stopped, Marcus finally found himself able to relax, but still feeling very nervous about where the others might have been at this very moment. The concern was continuously getting to him, as all he could do now was wonder if he could've done anything differently. It was way too dangerous out there for Noah to have gone out there without Marcus being there to watch his back alongside Frasier. He knew he should've tried harder to convince Noah to stay here so that he could've gone in his place at least. And what if the impossible had happened and Frasier had somehow perished without Marcus even knowing? As much as he was immensely bothered by just how cold and merciless Frasier had proven himself to be, he was still blood, and the idea of him falling, especially while trying to watch out for Noah, constantly sent chills up Marcus' spine. And what about Hitomi? True, they'd only just really met yesterday, but already Marcus found himself hoping that she would be alright. It was only right that he be concerned for her after she'd willingly put her life on the line to get him and Noah here; but that aside, she was really cute, and he couldn't help but feel that maybe she had been looking him over without him noticing as well. If that were the case, he felt an entirely different kind of fear in the pit of his stomach that she might be in danger too, and he couldn't be there to watch her back with the others.
Before Marcus could focus anymore on the matter, the chiming of a small clock on the wall behind him snapped him out of his thoughts. It was time for him to check up on Johann again. At least that duty offered him a little respite from his thoughts.
As Marcus stepped into the bedroom, he was once again met with the sight of his German counterpart lying still in bed; his right hand covered in bandages lying at his side. Before Marcus could step back out, Johann suddenly let out a sharp gasp mixed with both panic and pain as he quickly sat up, panting and in a cold sweat; right before letting out a cry of pain the instant he tried putting any weight on his right hand to support him. Marcus quickly rushed over to help him calm down; since it was clear he was in a state of shock right now.
"Whoa, Johann, wait, calm down, man, calm down a minute! It's me, Marcus! You're okay, man, you're okay." Marcus said calmly as he kept his hands planted on Johann's shoulders so as to keep him from doing anything rash. Over the next few minutes, Johann's breathing finally began to slow down as he stopped struggling against Marcus' grip and finally collapsed back into bed. The only thing he could feel now beside the icy sweat on his forehead was the continuously throbbing pain coming from his right hand. It was once he was finally able to properly process everything that the last memory of what he'd gone through came back. If what he feared had indeed come true, then something irreparable had been done to his hand; and right now he was too scared to look and see whatever it was.
"M-Marcus?" Johann finally uttered in a weak-sounding gasp as Marcus let out a grateful sigh, glad to see that his friend was now finally back to Earth and possibly willing to act more reasonable now.
"That's right, buddy. Glad to see you're back with us. You've been out for almost a whole day. How do you feel right now? Can you remember anything?" Marcus asked as he sat in a small cushioned chair beside Johann's bed.
"My damn hand feels like it's on fire! The last thing I remember is some asshole sliced my right ring and pinky finger…and then everything went black." Johann said with a groan as he tried to form a fist, feeling a strong resistance where those very same fingers were. Clearly shaken by this memory and this feeling, but unwilling to keep it a secret from himself anymore; Johann lifted his right hand and felt his blood go cold when he saw his hand wrapped up in reddened bandages, with two short stubs where his ring and pinky finger were. He could feel the sensation of bile rising in his throat as he couldn't take his eyes away from this horrible sight. He'd literally lost a piece of himself, a piece of his physical body he'd never be able to get back again. For all intents and purposes, he was to be considered a cripple from now on. He couldn't even think of what to say as he lost all strength in his body and let his hand fall back down, not even noticing the quick bolt of pain shooting up his arm from the impact. Clearly this would take quite some time to adjust to, both physically and mentally.
"Here, try these painkillers. They should help ease the pain." Marcus suggested as he walked over and pulled out a small pill from the bathroom just in the next room, handing it to Johann once he came back.
'I hope you're right about that.' Johann thought to himself while trying to stand up. He felt rather lightheaded as the room began to spin a little to him. Clearly, the loss of blood had left him feeling considerably weak. Without further hesitation, Johann swallowed the pill and took a strong gulp to force it down his throat. While it didn't taste so great, part of him knew it would eventually kick in and help him forget the pain for a while.
"Marcus…where the hell are we?" Johann suddenly asked as he looked out the bedroom window, only to realize he had absolutely no idea where they were right now.
"While you and Frasier were gone, a policewoman named Hitomi helped Noah and I escape, and we managed to find an abandoned hotel on the other side of the Tokonosu River. Thankfully the front doors are made with tempered glass, so they're virtually shatterproof, and we have the keys to boot. However, the building itself could do with a few extra defenses, along with what Frasier and Hitomi added the other day. There's still plenty of food left over, electricity is still functional and best of all, it has a running boiler, and so hot showers are an option." Marcus began to explain before walking over when he noticed Johann was still a bit lightheaded, just by the way he stumbled when walking.
"Where are the others? Please...please tell me that Toshimi is alright." Johann then asked hesitantly, as if part of him was expecting bad news after being out for so long.
"Noah, Hitomi, and Frasier went out last night to the East Police Station to see if they could gather some more guns and ammo for all of us. I've had no contact from them in a while, but I don't want to risk them getting caught by 'Them' by calling on the walkie-talkie just yet." Marcus explained as he stood by Johann, who had his forearm planted against the window and his forehead resting against said window trying to process everything.
"And what about Toshimi?" Johann asked nervously, as he knew she couldn't possibly be here if she wasn't there at his bedside the moment he woke up. He knew her too well to the point he knew she would've been sitting loyally at his side until he was awake. The momentary silence that followed from Marcus only drove Johann closer to concluding that his worst fear was in fact coming true.
"She was alive the last time I saw her…but that was a full day ago. Those evacuation buses got stuck in traffic at the Tokonosu Bridge, and it wasn't long before 'They' caught up to us. While Hitomi lead Noah and I out of the chaos, I managed to catch a glimpse of Joe escorting Toshimi and his daughters to a white van with a blue star on its side that had been abandoned on the side of the road. They got away just as we did, but as to where they went…I don't know. I'm sorry, Johann…I really am." Marcus attempted to explain. Not an ounce of humor could be found in his tone. He genuinely felt terrible that Toshimi couldn't have been here to see Johann wake up and help take care of his injuries.
Without a single word and with no hesitation, Johann took off as fast his body would allow towards the nearest door. Before he grabbed the handle, Marcus put a firm yet gentle hand on Johann's shoulder.
"Johann, think about this. You're unarmed, and thanks to your injury, there's no way you can wield that axe of yours properly. You've been out of it for nearly a whole day, so who knows just how much stamina you've really got right now, and you wouldn't even know where to start looking for her. How long do you expect to last out there in your condition? I'd be just as eager to go as you are, believe me, but there's too many odds stacked against you right now. Please consider all of this before I let you go." Marcus said in an attempt to help Johann realize the painful reality of his situation here; a choice Marcus himself wouldn't want to be forced to make either. But nonetheless, it had to be made here and now.
"And what if this was your girlfriend out there, or one of your brothers?" Johann asked in a hurt tone as he bowed his head in defeat, knowing that Marcus was right about everything he just brought up. His voice by now was trembling with emotion, concern and worry over what was the right thing to do.
"I-I don't know. I guess I'd just wait for Frasier. Look, Johann...I'm not saying that we should forget about Toshimi altogether, far from it; but running around half-cocked in a city full of flesh eating monsters and psychopathic survivors with no plan and weapons is only going to end up getting you killed. Look, I'll talk to my brothers, and we'll do what we can to find her. I promise you that much, we are NOT going to leave her behind. I don't care what Frasier may end up saying." Marcus went on to explain, as he knew that if he were in Johann's shoes, he'd be no different. However, he felt that a compromise was the best thing he could offer at the moment; all the while hoping Johann would be able to see reason somewhere deep down.
Johann just shook his head as though he were in the middle of an inner tug-of-war between his brain and his heart, before finally slamming his good hand against the wall repeatedly, letting out an enraged shout of frustration each time before finally wearing himself out. He could only let out a sigh of acceptance afterwards before slowly standing upright and turning to face Marcus.
"This is going against everything I've been brought up to believe in...But you're right, Marcus. I doubt I'd last very long on my own out there, even without this injury. Alright, I'll take your suggestion on good faith, but do you really think they'll want to help me? I mean, you guys owe me nothing. Frankly, I'm amazed I wasn't simply abandoned after I blacked out, especially considering the way Frasier's acted up till now when it comes to strangers." Johann finally said; trying his best to cooperate with Marcus; trying to think of something, anything, to keep his mind off of Toshimi, despite how futile it was. Before Marcus could even think of a reply, the walkie-talkie at his hip began to go off.
"Marcus, are you there? Listen, we're rolling in now. I hope you're still awake, because we'll need help sorting out all this ammunition! Over and out." Noah's voice suddenly crackled through the speaker as Marcus personally felt a huge relief; not only at the fact they now had plenty of ammunition, but the fact that the rest of the group seemed like it was going to be returning in one piece, given by how happy Noah sounded on his end.
Marcus and Johann quickly made their way down the stairwell and out the front lobby doors just in time to see the others parking up along the curb before the makeshift barricade lining the entrance. Luckily, the street itself was completely clear of any of 'Them'. As far as Marcus knew, 'They' had probably been drawn away by all the gunfire last night. Putting the thought to rest, he went running over to find Noah running up to him with an eager smile.
"Bloody hell, Marcus, you're not gonna believe it! You missed an absolutely brilliant skirmish. We met up with all the police holing up at the station, and Frasier got them all geared up, and we actually fought off an entire wave of those monsters last night! It was positively mental!" Noah expressed in a surprisingly delightful tone, as if he'd just returned from an exciting adventure rather than a bloody fight for survival.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, back up there, mate! You mean to tell me, that all those gunshots and explosions I had to listen to all night…THAT WAS YOU LOT?!" Marcus exclaimed, having to mentally backtrack to make sure he'd heard Noah correctly.
"That's right! I won't lie, it was really intense and got pretty bloody scary at the end, but we pulled through! It just goes to show, thanks to father's training, there really ISN'T anything we can't handle!" Noah stated with the biggest notion of pride in his tone, as if he'd just won an entire war single-handedly.
"Oh, I can't believe you wankers! You had to go and leave me behind while you go off and fight a bloody war! Now Frasier, being the righteous nonce that he is, is never gonna let me live this down!" Marcus exclaimed in frustration, unable to help but feel frustrated that he didn't get to put his skills to the test himself.
"First off, watch who you're calling a nonce, my lad. And second, don't think that this is the only time we may face a situation like this. If it'll make you quit your whining, I'll take you out next time we go on a run, alright?" Frasier mildly scolded Marcus as he hoisted the boxes filled with ammo from the back of the truck onto the ground.
"Besides, it wasn't as glorious as you may think. We still lost a few good people throughout it all…a few too many." Hitomi interjected, bowing her head ever so slightly, as though giving herself a moment of silence to remember those brave souls that had fallen. Marcus could tell she was hurting just from her posture and out of instinct laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder, which she quickly noticed and responded to with the faintest yet most genuine smile as she laid her own hand over his in gratitude.
"And besides, we needed you to keep an eye on Johann-san and to keep this place safe. Thankfully it looks like you didn't run into any real trouble here. With that being said, I'm glad to see you're okay, Marcus-kun." Hitomi continued, quickly stepping past Marcus once she'd unknowingly let that very specific honorific out, desperate to make sure Marcus wouldn't see the involuntary blush beginning to show on her cheeks as a reaction to their unexpected little interaction. Marcus himself had to mentally double back to make sure he'd heard her right, but still fully aware of their current situation, he quickly shrugged it off and turned his attention back to his brothers.
"So…Frasier lead you lot through it all, huh?" Marcus asked, clearly impressed, not by the fact that Frasier led the fight, but by the fact that he actually chose not to simply abandon all those people to begin with.
"That's right. I like to think Father would be proud if he had been there to see it for himself." Frasier added as couldn't help but feel incredibly proud at such results. All the undead that had been slain helped him to ignore all the casualties suffered on their side entirely, at least more so than he normally had been.
"So what all did you get?" Johann asked as he finally decided to step up front, his eyes looking over the selection they managed to scrounge up out of curiosity.
"Johann, you're alright! Well, mostly anyway...uh, h-how do you feel?" Noah said surprised as he was rather happy to see Johann was up and moving again.
"Well, I can't say I'm at my best right now, but I am at least glad to see that you're all okay. You'll have to tell us how it all went later." Johann answered, trying his best to play off his obvious injury, and still remaining friendly towards Noah as he could see Frasier hoisting up the two large surplus crates with what he could only assume were bullets on his shoulders. Johann didn't make eye contact with him as he passed, for he no longer knew what to think of him now after what had happened the last time he was conscious. No matter how much he tried not to think about it, Johann couldn't deny that it was because Frasier abandoned him that he lost his fingers in the first place. The only thing Johann could feel when looking at Frasier, aside from a strong sense of distrust, was an even stronger urge to get some serious answers out of him.
"Marcus, take the guns up with Noah." Frasier ordered as he motioned his head over to the backseat. Without question, Marcus quickly did as he was told. The group eventually made their way back into the hotel and locked the entrance behind them so nobody could enter while they would be distributing the weapons and deciding what to do next.
(10 minutes later)
In what was once the employee break room, several items recovered from last night were set out along a long wooden table. They consisted of four H&K MP5SFK sub-machine guns, three Benelli M4 semi-automatic shotguns, two SAT Kevlar vests, and enough ammunition to last the group of five for quite some time if they were conservative and disciplined enough with their shots. Just one gun alone would've given the group a heavy advantage over most survivors thanks to Japan's strict gun laws, but to find this many of this caliber was nothing short of a godsend.
"Beautiful aren't they?" Frasier said as he spoke in a lulled tone; slowly running his fingers along one of the sub-machine guns, feeling an almost pleasurable tingling up his spine. He couldn't help but feel as though he were a modern day King Arthur who'd just found his Excalibur; and it felt GOOD.
"It certainly does take a load off my mind knowing we won't be outmatched by most survivors now. Still, bloody shame it's come to that already." Marcus admitted as he couldn't help but feel bad that the outbreaks had already turned so many people against one another, despite the fact it was so clear they all needed to work together now more than ever before if they really wanted to have any hope of surviving.
"Don't let that get to you, Marcus. Don't forget, this is what we've been training for." Frasier said in a more firm tone; wanting to make sure that if push came to shove, Marcus would be able to do whatever he had to in order to survive; especially if it meant killing another human being to keep himself safe.
"Alright, so clearly we're more than armed well enough to withstand most anything that could come our way now. So what's next in your plan?" Johann asked curiously, as he wanted to make sure they had a solid plan instead of just acting out of impulse; and better yet, that they simply weren't gearing up to kill anyone they came across, which disturbingly enough, was the first thing that came to his mind when considering that Frasier was the one in charge here.
"Now that we're adequately prepared to directly deal with hostile survivors and any number of 'Them', I believe the next thing we should prioritize on is constructing better defenses. We've already got a pretty sturdy barricade for the front entrance, but we need something to fortify the back entrance and the windows, just in case anybody who tries to get into this place happens to be an exceptionally good climber. Something like barbed wire or something to barricade the windows would be good; at least to make it so that they wouldn't be able to get in without us hearing it first." Frasier suggested, as if he was already prepared to leave for another run despite only just returning a few minutes ago from a long, exhausting night of fighting the undead.
"Agreed; but getting some rest is what we all need right now, Frasier. We're exhausted over here." Noah brought up as he and Hitomi both showed clear signs that last night had taken quite a physical toll on their bodies. Their eyes could barely even keep open at this point.
"Very well; while the rest of you catch up on your sleep, I'll stand watch." Frasier sighed as he knew he could only motivate and force them to do so much before their bodies would begin to fall to fatigue.
"What about you? You've been up and running nonstop for the last two days straight!" Noah brought up out of concern as he just realized Frasier had yet to even slow down once ever since the outbreak began.
"We can't all rest at once, Noah. Marcus has been keeping watch all night as well, so he needs to get some sleep as well, and Johann can't be exerting himself just yet. My body, on the other hand, is strong enough to go long periods of time without rest; so you just focus on yourselves right now. If I catch myself nodding off, I'll just swap off with one of you." Frasier said dismissively while he justified his lack of rest with a determination to watch over their new home for any potential trouble; knowing that the longer this went on without any support from the government, the more desperate others survivors would become.
Unable to put up much of an argument with that kind of reasoning, it was only just a few moments later that Hitomi, Marcus, and Noah were soon all fast asleep in the same bedroom. Stationing himself on the roof, Frasier proceeded to keep a vigilant watch over the city with the binoculars in hand; his eyes constantly watching for any movement or areas of interest. For the most part, it was just silent with the occasional boom or single gunshot or scream echoing in the distance. The fires seemed to have eventually burned themselves out, as the smoke stacks appeared to have greatly decreased in volume and numbers over the last couple hours. Minutes soon turned to hours as Frasier remained on the rooftop, alone with nothing but his thoughts and memories to accompany him in order to pass the time.
The springtime sun was beating down on him as he slowly felt sweat beginning to form and drizzle down the back of his neck. He grabbed a plastic water bottle sitting on the edge of the roof right beside his feet and guzzled half of it down before he could suddenly hear something approaching him from behind. Without hesitation he grasped the handle to his knife and looked back over his shoulder, only to stop when he realized it was just Johann approaching him with an ice pack wrapped around his bandaged hand.
"Johann, shouldn't you be resting? There's no way you're in good enough condition to be moving around too much yet." Frasier asked bluntly, clearly not expecting this sudden visit, and not being much in the mood for idle chit-chat either.
"I've been out cold the entire time you were out. I'd only just woken up when you returned." Johann explained calmly, clearly trying to restrain his real emotions now that it was just the two of them here.
Frasier didn't pay him any further mind as he simply grunted in response before immediately turning his attention back to keeping watch, effectively giving Johann the cold shoulder.
"Frasier…I'm going to ask you some questions, and I want you to tell me the truth, alright?" Johann finally asked after several moments of tense silence between the two of them.
"Well then stop wasting both our time and get it over with. I can't keep watch properly if I have to divert my attention talking to you." Frasier replied with no emotion to be heard as he kept his back turned to his compatriot, as if his mere presence was a bother to him. That very attitude alone radiating from him couldn't help but bring Johann to clench his fists in anger, completely ignoring the searing pain from his hand.
"Fine. What happened yesterday? Why did you just ditch me back at that store? WHERE THE HELL DID YOU GO WHEN THOSE ASSHOLES JUMPED ME!?" Johann began to ask in a restrained tone before he finally let loose, letting what felt like days' worth of restrained rage out, all too eager to find out why his supposed partner had completely abandoned him in his time of need.
"I simply fell back so I could observe their intentions. When they took you captive and tortured you, I pulled the power to the building and slaughtered them all, one by one. Is that a satisfying enough answer for you? Or do you want the juicy details of how I severed the spine of one and fed him to one of those monsters?" Frasier said in an ice cold tone with absolutely zero remorse or concern for his actions; watching Johann's look of held back anger slowly shift into that of complete shock.
"Y-you killed ALL of them? But…but they were just teenagers...even younger than us..." Johann muttered as he felt a soft tremble resonate in his throat that caused him to stammer his words out of horror when he could only imagine what Frasier could've possibly done, given his physical build and bloodthirsty mentality.
"So what? Regardless of whether they're teenagers or adults, I won't show them any mercy if I think they mean me harm. Don't forget, those same teenagers sliced off two of your fingers with bolt cutters just because they could. They would've killed you, or worse, if I did nothing." Frasier said as he could only justify his reasons further; not caring whether or not Johann would understand his limited options in that scenario.
"You could've just stuck by my side and we could've fended them off. I've seen you in action enough times by now to know you could've done that easily!" Johann responded angrily, still unsatisfied with why Frasier decided to take the easy way out and leave Johann at those bastards' mercy, even if it was for but a few minutes.
"I had to estimate their strength and numbers. If both of us were captured, we'd both most likely have been killed. Does that sound like a better alternative to you; because it sounds like a terrible one to me." Frasier retorted as if he had an answer to everything Johann could've possibly brought up to call his methods into question.
Johann just stood there in absolute silence. While those people did mutilate his hand for no good reason, part of him couldn't shake off the fact that they were just barely into high school; most likely around Marcus' age. He didn't know how to feel about this whole situation anymore, even despite his still burning feelings of anger and betrayal towards Frasier for allowing him to get maimed for something as insignificant and pointless as reconnaissance. Right now, he just wanted things to go back the way they were before. He just wanted to be able to go back to that simple life; to have Toshimi happily at his side again, and not have a care in the world. But even despite that ceaseless desire, deep down he knew it wasn't to be. Not in this new world.
"If it really bothers you so much, then look at it this way. They would've just kept it up if I hadn't done something. They most likely would've gone on to hurt someone else, so I put them down like the rabid dogs they were. And I suggest you keep this in mind as well: I also could've easily just left you behind. When it was all over and I saw what they'd done to you, I had half a mind to just leave you there so you wouldn't slow me down. I could've done that, but I didn't. So take that as you will." Frasier said in an almost threatening tone as he continued to watch over the city as Johann just stood there looking down at his feet. His fists were so tight, his knuckles turned white and the bandages around his right hands began to turn a darker shade of red, yet Johann couldn't feel the pain. His mind was a maelstrom of conflicting thoughts and emotions as he tried to process the sheer cruelty in Frasier's words. Was human life really so meaningless to him? Was he truly so heartless that he actually legitimately considered leaving Johann behind like a worthless piece of garbage just because he was wounded? That thought alone stirred thoughts in Johann's mind that even shocked himself: thoughts of pushing Frasier over the edge so that he and the rest of the group could be free from his cruelty. But it was then he quickly reminded himself that having Marcus and Noah around would perhaps help alleviate any kind of threat Frasier posed to the rest of the group. And just thinking of the other two Lawson's helped Johann to remember what Marcus had told him he would try to do.
[The Walking Dead OST - Decision]
"Frasier, listen…so, you know what happened to Toshimi, right? I'm assuming Marcus already told you about all that. Look…I don't suppose you could possibly help me track her down once we've gotten everything you think we need? She means the world to me, and finding her is all I can think of right now." Johann suddenly requested as Frasier remained mute, almost as if he was deliberately ignoring him.
"Frasier...I know you don't like it, and I'm not going to fool myself into thinking you care even a little bit, but I need her. She's always been there for me for as long as I can remember, ever since we were in elementary school, and if I lost her…I don't know what I would do. Marcus thinks you might be able to do something about it. Please, I know there's not much I can offer you in return, especially in the state I'm in, but I'll do anything I have to in order to bring her here." Johann began to plead as he made it quite clear that he was determined to find Toshimi regardless of the cost on his part. In fact, it wouldn't have surprised Frasier if Johann would have expressed his intention to find her, regardless of his own answer.
"Johann, what makes you think I have any chance of finding her in a densely populated city like this?" Frasier asked as he kept his back turned to Johann; already knowing this was a futile idea formed out of nothing but desperate emotion instead of strategic reasoning. That fact alone gave Frasier more than enough cause to refuse Johann's request outright in his opinion.
"Well, we can at least check the outskirts for that cabin Joe mentioned. I'm certain that she'd still be there if she actually went with him like Marcus said she did." Johann attempted to explain while he looked to the north, just knowing deep down that she had to be out there. Something in his heart just knew that Toshimi was out there waiting for him to come find her, and no matter what stood in his way, he'd do anything it took to find her.
"And have you ever been out there before? What if the forest is huge? And who knows what kind of condition it's in given the current circumstances? It could literally be crawling with 'Them'. Would you really risk us getting hopelessly lost just to find her? Is she really worth all that?" Frasier said as he looked back to Johann over his shoulder, knowing this gamble could only end in so many ways, all of them very bad.
"Wouldn't you want to do this if it was that girl you like so much?" Johann said in a last ditch effort to appease to Frasier's dwindling sense of empathy; placing him in his own shoes to see how he'd react and feel this time around. The young Brit just grumbled in annoyance to himself before finally making up his mind.
"Fine, I'll keep an eye open for your woman, Kessler. If any of us spot her, then maybe, just maybe, we'll be able to do something about it. Happy now?" Frasier said as he reluctantly agreed to look out for Toshimi, despite how little he actually cared whether or not Johann would ever reunite with her at all.
"Once we find her, yes, I'll be very happy." Johann answered, feeling both grateful for Frasier finally relenting, but at the same time feeling bitter for just how truly uncaring Frasier sounded when addressing his plight. Before anything else could be said, they both could hear sudden gunfire in the distance. It sounded quite intense compared to the average brief bouts of pistol fire that would occasionally go off elsewhere throughout the city.
"Should we go check it out? They might be in trouble." Johann suggested as he just listened to the intensity of the distant battle; although he could already guess what Frasier's answer was going to be.
"No. It's bad enough I have to watch out for you and the police girl. I'm not about to add more to the group, because you know they'll want us all to stick together after I save their arses. C'mon, let's go wake the others and eat. They've had enough time to rest anyway." Frasier said in a harsh grunt; wanting nothing to do with the survivors that might at that very moment have had their backs to the wall and could've used his assistance. He didn't care though, for he didn't know them and couldn't find it in his heart to justify lending them a hand even for a second.
'That could be us one day. I hope you know that.' Johann thought to himself as he felt more and more uneasy about how callous Frasier was regarding the safety of other people outside his family. Never had Johann met someone with such a cruel attitude before in his young life.
[]
Noah slowly felt his body being gently shaken, only to wake up and see Frasier towering over him with a soft look in his eyes. The young teen gently rubbed the sleep from his eyes before eventually sitting up to hear Marcus snoring with his face buried into a pillow.
"Oi, stop drooling and get up already. You should be all charged up by now." Frasier announced as he pulled the pillow out from under Marcus' face when he didn't wake up from the gentle tap. This caused his face to land against the soft mattress before he was abruptly woken from what appeared to be a rather pleasant dream.
"Hey, sod off! I was having a good snooze...couldn't this have waited a second?" Marcus grumbled as he pulled himself up for a brief moment only to suddenly roll off the bed and crash onto the floor.
"Apparently not. So I take it there's plenty of food left over?" Hitomi observed as she had been woken up by the commotion. Marcus looked up at her now as she let out a soft yawn before hoping off the bed she was using opposite the one he and Noah had been forced to share. Even in the moments just after waking up, even with what could only be described as bed-head, she still looked undeniably cute as ever.
"There is plenty of food in the hotel kitchen. We should make use of it while we still can." Frasier suggested as they all stepped out one by one into the hallway connecting all the other rooms together. They walked down the stairs side by side until they found themselves standing in the staff kitchen where entire buffets would be created for the guests to wake up to in the mornings. Fresh fruits and vegetables, beef kept in air tight packages, a good variety of rice, and more than enough fish to last the group far more than a couple of days before anything would start to even come close to remotely expiring; and so much more.
"Does anyone know how to properly cook? Contrary to popular belief, I never fully learned." Hitomi asked with some noticeable embarrassment as she began to pull out a few pots and pans before the others would curiously open up some of the containers filled with random ingredients.
"Sort of." Noah answered just before Marcus suddenly turned on the stove with a more confident look in his eyes; effectively catching everyone else's attention.
"Give me twenty minutes. I think I can make something decent out of all this." Marcus announced before taking a handful of ingredients and tossing them into a pan resting on the countertop before him. A warm, confident smile formed on Hitomi's lips to see him take charge while Frasier and Noah pulled out a fire extinguisher just in case.
(Twenty minutes later)
All five survivors grabbed a random seat out in the lobby before forming a circular formation with the chairs. In their laps were bowls filled with Japanese curry; consisting of white rice, several carrots and onions, and small chunks of beef.
"You know, it's funny how you picked this of all things." Hitomi commented a few minutes in as she took small, delicate bites in contrast to everyone else's large, shameless bites.
"What makes you say that?" Johann pondered aloud before taking another mouthful of it.
"Well, this was originally a British Navy dish introduced to us in the 19th century through India. And you boys just happen to be from Britain, so part of me can't help but feel that this choice in food wasn't just a mere coincidence." Hitomi explained as she motioned towards the Lawson trio while Johann nodded his head in understanding before digging right back in.
"Well forget my reasons and tell me what you all think already!" Marcus said dismissively before anxiously inquiring on their personal opinions of his hard work.
"It's not half bad actually. I honestly didn't expect one of you three to be able to make anything edible." Johann said in review as he continued to take several more bites in admiration of its taste.
"It's great. It kind of reminds me of home in a way, now that you mention it." Noah added with a warm, brotherly tone of encouragement. Frasier on the other hand just remained silent while he watched the front doors for any movement, as if still on watch for danger.
"It's a little spicier than I'm used to, but I can't exactly stop eating it either, so that should be saying something." Hitomi complimented, which seemed to have the biggest impact on Marcus as he couldn't help but smile proudly in satisfaction due to her generous review. A warm fuzzy feeling at those words just couldn't help but make his day all the more better. And on her own part, Hitomi herself couldn't help but blush when seeing just how happy her words specifically had made him; bowing her head slightly so nobody would see the smile gracing her lips.
"So...do any of you mind if I get to know you four right now? I feel that if we're going to be sticking together for however long these outbreaks last, that I should get to know you all on a more personal level." Hitomi then requested after a minute of silence, as she had an unmistakable curious undertone to her voice; curious as to what kind of background these complete strangers had aside from what they'd already told her.
"What's to know? You already know we intend to become soldiers one day and serve the United Kingdom. That's pretty much it." Frasier said bluntly, as if he flat out chose to speak for Noah and Marcus without even bothering to let them get a word in edgewise.
"I know that, but what about your dreams, your motivations? Is just being in the military really all you boys want out of life?" Hitomi brought up, which caused Frasier to raise an eyebrow in response, almost as if he interpreted her question to be an insult to his way of life. He could then feel curiosity growing when he turned his gaze to Noah and Marcus, who both quickly tried to avoid eye contact with him. The awkward verbal silence between the group; only momentarily interrupted by the sound of someone else eating, made Frasier feel a strong sense of suspicion towards his brothers.
"Fine, I'll go first, since you boys all seem to have your tongues tied all of a sudden. I was born and raised here in Tokonosu with your typical family of four. My parents were both honest, hard-working people who always made sure I knew right from wrong, so obviously being where I am now, I owe a lot to them. I also had an older brother I always used to look up to…but he passed away in an accident when I was eight years old. I still remember asking my parents so many questions when they told me he wasn't coming back. I remember I felt so terrible, knowing that I'd never get to see him step in through the front door ever again…knowing that I'd never get to hear that stupid laugh of his again…t-turns out he was stabbed while trying to stop a thief from robbing a small convenience store. From that day on, I knew I wanted to be in law enforcement so I could make sure no kid would ever have to go through the same pain I did. My grades were far from the best, but that didn't stop me from trying again and again until I was one of the best the academy had to offer. So…that's my story. There, see? Was that really so hard?" Hitomi went on to explain for several minutes as she remained firm and resolute with her story; all the while feeling as though a slight weight was being lifted from her shoulders as she shared such personal details with these people.
"Well, I know its eleven years late, but I'm truly sorry to hear about your brother, Hitomi-san. You know we're here for you if you ever need to talk. About anything, I mean. It can't be easy what you went through." Marcus said sincerely as he couldn't help but feel sympathy for her, as if he could now understand what drove her to have such a tough attitude, and yet display such genuine concern and care for all those around her.
"That's really sweet of you to say, Marcus-kun. But don't worry about it. That was a long time ago, and I'm certain karma turned the one responsible into one of 'Them'." Hitomi thanked out of surprise from Marcus' display of empathy before trying to brush off the fact his kind words were making her blush. More and more, she could feel a strange emotion inside the pit of her stomach when it came to Marcus. He'd already proven to be resourceful and sweet; and yet there was something else about him altogether that gave her a fluttery feeling whenever she'd look upon him. Even despite the fact she was three years older than him, she couldn't help but feel a kind of…attraction towards him.
"That's most likely the case. So, Marcus, Noah...what exactly were YOUR future plans, anyway? I'm rather curious as to if you two are even ready at this point." Frasier intervened as he couldn't help but cling onto the doubt they'd given him when refusing to answer Hitomi's question earlier.
"Alright, look…I-I mean, I know it was always intended that we join the armed forces one day, but I must admit that sometimes I wonder if it's really where I belong. Part of me just wants to build, innovate and improve people's lives. I always used to score high marks back home, so a lot of the time, I feel like my potential would be best suited to saving lives. Not taking them." Noah admitted as he couldn't help but confess how he truly felt about his father's pre-set intentions for his own life. He didn't mind the survival and self-defense training, but to be shipped away from home to kill people wasn't his idea of a life.
"I can see you making something great one day, Noah-kun. You seem to have a great mind and an equally great heart. Use them well." Hitomi noted as she couldn't help but smile at Noah, who now was blushing at her generous compliments.
"What about you, Marcus? Is this how you feel too?" Frasier then questioned as he looked straight into Marcus' green eyes, as if trying to get him into spilling out what he really felt on the subject, even though he had a grim feeling in his gut he already knew what it was.
"No! Of course I intend to join...no...I'm really sorry, but that was a lie. I can't help but feel that's just what father wants us to do. I've always hated the idea that we get no say in the matter of deciding our own futures. I hate to say this, but I've always wanted to entertain people; to make people laugh and feel good about themselves. Even before all this happened, the world we lived in was so negative, with everybody in too much of a rush to really spend any real time doing anything meaningful, and with so much animosity all around, I just couldn't help but feel that making people forget all the problems with laughter, even for just a little bit, was the best thing I could do on my own to make things just a little better. I know that this whole military service thing means a lot to you and father...but to me, it's not my choice." Marcus reluctantly answered as he couldn't help but feel that it would be best he confess along with Noah. Frasier was now visibly scowling, as if he had been personally betrayed somehow.
"Oh yeah? Got any jokes for us then?" Hitomi asked curiously as she was eager to hear what he could come up with on the spot.
"Here's one for you, but don't say I didn't warn you. *ahem* A family is sitting at the table for Christmas dinner. Soon afterwards, the son, in that ripe stage of just hitting puberty, asks the father: 'Hey dad, you're a man of experience. Can you tell me what women's bosoms are like?' So the father says: 'Certainly, my boy. You see, when a woman is in her 20's, they're like freshly grown melons; nice and firm. When a woman enters her 30's, they become like pears. They sag a bit, but they're still enjoyable. When a woman enters her 50's, they become like onions.' This confuses the son, and so the dad says: 'You take one look at them and they make you cry.'" Marcus said after taking a moment to think of something funny.
Much to his chagrin, all he was met with was silence, and an especially unreadable look on Hitomi's face. But that didn't deter him in the slightest.
"Oh, but we're not finished yet, mates. This gets the mother and daughter rightly ticked off, and so the daughter asks: 'Hey, mother, you're a woman of the world. Can you tell me what men's willies are like?' So the mother says: 'Certainly, dearie. You see, when a man is in his 20's, it's like a California Redwood; strong and tall. When a man enters his 30's, it becomes like a Fir tree; sags a bit but is still dependable. But when a man enters his 50's, it becomes a Christmas tree.' This leaves the daughter right and confused, so the mother says: 'It's dead from the root up and the bollocks are just for decoration.'"
Like a switch had been flipped, everyone but Frasier let out an uncontrolled burst of laughter at the final punchline; Noah even accidentally spitting out some rice from how quickly it had come. Marcus crossed his arms, feeling a basking sense of pride, especially when he saw how unexpectedly hard Hitomi was laughing, almost to the point it looked like she was going to fall out of her chair. It continued on like this for several minutes before everyone was finally able to breathe again and calm down from the much needed spell of laughter Marcus had so kindly given to them.
"Oh my God, that was great! Clearly this is what you were MADE for, Marcus-kun. Thank you for that." Hitomi expressed gratefully, still struggling to catch her breath as she couldn't help but give Marcus a very light bit of applause from how hard he'd gotten her to laugh, which caused Marcus to blush a deep shade of red in response.
"Damn right, it is. I haven't laughed like that in a good, long time. See, Frasier? Surely you want what makes your brothers happy, right? Don't you think that their choice matters here?" Johann brought up as he was certain that was what mattered most to Frasier along with their safety and state of health; for what good was it for them to be alive and well but be forced into something they never wanted to begin with?
"Their choices don't affect my own. I'd say I'm disappointed, but part of me feels they aren't cut out for the job anyways. Perhaps this is for the best." Frasier said with bitterness hanging from his words, only to realize in the end that maybe it was best his brothers do whatever motivated them best. As far as he was concerned, it wasn't his fault they felt better suited to being hapless little civilians.
"What the hell's that supposed to mean? You got something you wanna say to me, you prick?" Marcus responded in an insulted tone as he narrowed his eyes at Frasier who looked right back at him. The tension was clearly going to keep rising between the two if nobody jumped in.
"I think he means we aren't nearly as quick to take a life as he is, that's all." Noah said in an attempt to interpret what Frasier meant with such sharp, callous words.
"Exactly. When you hesitate, you put yourself and others around you at risk. Do you truly think you'll be able to make sacrifices when given the responsibility? I feel it's probably best that it should just be me getting my hands dirty." Frasier added as he tried to explain his reasons for being so aggressive and hostile towards everyone; especially in regards to his hesitance to help other people. The others somewhat understood his point, but it was not a path they ever wanted to face anytime soon. They also felt that they should do whatever they can to help keep the human race going for as long as possible in the face of all this destruction and death.
"Oh...I guess that's better than what he was implying. Don't get me wrong, Frasier, there was a time I wanted nothing more than to serve our country just like you and father, but now that I've had time to actually open my eyes, I see that there are alternate ways to serve your countrymen that don't have to involve killing people." Marcus expressed in a far more calm tone of voice as he managed to compose himself.
"What about you, Johann? I know it's rather late to point this out, but you're definitely not a local. Where do YOU hail from, and what did you want to do before…well, all this?" Noah then asked out of curiosity when he just realized they still knew so little about their compatriot; while also trying to shift away from the most recent awkward moment they were caught in.
"Well, I was born in Hamburg, Germany. I had a pretty normal life to be honest. That's what I thought at first anyway, but long story short, I moved here with my uncle and aunt when I was eight, when things back at home…well, didn't work out. They're the ones that pretty much raised me. They meant the world to me, and to see them...the way I saw them last..." Johann began to explain, only to slowly have his voice fill up with sorrow just thinking about what happened to his only real family in their apartment. He then went silent and just stared into his bowl, trying to fight back the tears coming back up.
"I'm sorry for you loss, Johann-kun, really I am. It can't be easy to be talking about that kind of thing so soon. You can stop if you like." Hitomi said sympathetically before his head reared up again with his hands wiping away the tears trying to form in his eyes.
"No, I'm fine for now, really. It's just something I have to learn to live with, that's all. A-anyway, as for a career…well, I would have to say reviewing movies always had a strong calling to me. My uncle had a huge collection he'd always be adding to, and we'd all watch something every night together like a family, and as I got older, he and I would actually end up talking about them a lot of the time. Ever since then, I've always wanted to talk about movies to a bigger audience. Not the new pictures though; I'm talking about the old classics, along with films from all over the globe especially. Anyone with a microphone and a working pair of eyes can tell you what the recent Hollywood sellout is all about, but it's the classics and unheard of movies I feel people need to hear about. Although, I suppose it doesn't really matter anymore, considering that movies are the least of people's concerns right now." Johann explained as he couldn't help but go on a minor rant when talking about his passion for films. It was clear to everyone listening that it was an art that certainly meant a lot to him. His cheeks turned red when the others were all silent at the end, before Hitomi, Noah, and Marcus began to chuckle at his sudden outburst.
"Well, that's definitely an interesting response, I'll give you that much. But yeah, I could easily see you making a blog site for movies or something like that. Very interesting choice if you ask me." Marcus then said which caused Johann to smile; knowing that they understood and didn't feel the need to say his dream job was silly like so many others probably would have.
"Hey! Don't think I can't see you trying to sneak off over there, Frasier! You have to say something now." Hitomi called out as she could see him leaving out of the corner of her eye. He just froze in place and let out a low groan as if this was more of an interrogation for him.
"Fine, you want to know more? My childhood and earliest memories consist of no mother, and only my father constantly training me in the art of war and survival. I was intended to be the next Lawson in a line of multiple generations to join the British armed forces when I graduate. Obviously that can't happen until I am able to return home, which will be a very long time by the looks of it. So there you go. Are you happy now?" Frasier said in a somewhat resentful tone, clearly not feeling or showing any interest in this otherwise pleasant bonding experience before he took off to go get ready for the next scavenging run without waiting for an answer.
"He has a bit of a temper, doesn't he? Do you really think he should go outside without any proper rest?" Hitomi asked Marcus as they all just sat there until it was clear Frasier was out of earshot.
"If he says he's fine, then he's fine. No use in trying to argue with him when he gets like this. Besides...do you really want to be the one to tell him that he should stay behind?" Marcus responded as if he already had predicted the outcome, which would most likely result in Frasier dismissing the concern entirely.
"Perhaps not; just let me know if he starts any trouble, though. People like him don't always have the best of intentions, even if they say they do." Hitomi eventually agreed before finally clearly showing her distrust of their elder sibling and his motives.
"Believe me on this one: no matter how callous he may become in the end, it's all just to keep us safe. It's always been that way with him. He loves us...just in a way you can't exactly feel, see, nor hear." Noah brought up in Frasier's defense as he could feel that his older brother wasn't all that bad, despite how he came off to the rest of the group.
Several minutes went by before Frasier approached with an MP5SFK slung over his shoulder with a strap going diagonally across his chest, while accompanied by Johann with his fireman axe held in his good hand, and Marcus now carrying one of the Benelli M4s in hand with extra shells stuffed into his pockets.
"We're going to go grab whatever supplies we can to further secure the hotel with. One of you, keep an eye out. Radio in only if it's absolutely necessary." were Frasier's final instructions before leaving Hitomi and Noah behind to watch over their new home.
After the sedan they picked up from the hotel parking lot had taken off into the distance, they both retreated back to the kitchen. Gathering all the used dishes, Noah approached Hitomi; a look of heavy concern lining his face all the while. Both soon were in the middle of washing the dishes and pans without saying a word to each other. After only a couple minutes, Noah gave her a gentle tap on her shoulder to get her attention.
"Hey, Hitomi-san? I'm sorry to bring this up right now, but last night, I couldn't help but notice your reaction to Masanori-san's sacrifice. You had this really sad look in your eyes when it was over. I can't explain it, but you seemed more troubled by it than by all the others who died. What was your history with him, if I might ask?" Noah explained as he showed both interest and very keen eyes to be able to read Hotomi's body language like that, despite how hard she fought to keep it hidden.
"So what? It pains me to see anyone die; let alone the fact that many good fellow officers have been killed over the past couple days. A part of me is also worried for the ones that could still be alive. We're spread thin enough as it is. Hell, at one point, command sent only two officers to cover an entire shopping center when trying to maintain order everywhere else!" Hitomi answered, as if trying to brush her personal feelings aside, only to pretty much come back tenfold and leave her whole body trembling with sheer emotion over everything that had happened up till now, all the colleagues and friends she had lost.
"I know…but I couldn't help but overhear what sounded like a history between you two. Am I wrong?" Noah then pressed on as he was certain there was something else she wasn't telling him.
"Yeah…we dated for a bit. The guy was a smooth talking jackass that knew every right word to say. We never ended up going too far with each other, but I broke up with him when it was clear he showed a serious lack of loyalty. All things considered, I shouldn't be sad over him one bit! But to see him act the way he did when trying to save that other officer…it reminded me of the old feelings I had for him back when we first met. God, I must sound pathetic to you right about now." Hitomi said in a strong resolute voice as usual; but near the end, her emotions and feelings couldn't help but loosen up, leaving her fighting the urge to cry right now.
"I don't think that one bit, Hitomi-san. It takes guts to admit things like that. I just wish we could've prevented his death as well as the others." Noah said out of empathy; feeling that no one should have to act ashamed for simply expressing their emotions, especially in a world where death was much more frequent and unpredictable.
"You're a sweet kid, Noah-kun; both you and Marcus-kun. But I suggest you save those wishes for the wells. Nothing will come true because you simply want it to. We have to be stronger now more than ever." Hitomi said out of sheer gratitude before they continued to wash the remaining dishes.
"So tell me, Noah-kun; what exactly does Marcus-kun like in girls?" Hitomi suddenly asked out of the blue; spurring Noah to mentally double back.
"Pardon?" Noah asked confusedly as he wanted to be certain that he didn't just mishear what she clearly had just said to him.
"I said: 'What do you guys like?' You know, in terms of downtime. I can't imagine training and fighting is all you do for fun in your spare time." Hitomi rephrased hurriedly, her cheeks turning a deep red as she realized what she had originally just said; hoping that Noah had not been paying as much attention this time around.
"Oh…well, usually what most guys enjoy: Video games, sci-fi/action movies, guns. You know the usual. Why do you ask?" Noah answered as he tried to think of what all three of them usually would talk about and enjoy.
"Typical. But then again, I like all that stuff too, so I shouldn't judge. Thank you, Noah-kun." Hitomi commented before finishing the last of the dishes and shooting him a grateful smile, thankful that the heavy blush she had only seconds ago had faded.
"No problem. Well, I should go grab a carbine and take watch. You can rest some more if you like. You've had a long night." Noah offered as he smiled back, only to slowly wander off to grab one of the sub-machine guns from the room on the third floor they had designated as the armory.
"Thanks, Noah-kun. I might actually do that. Just give me a shout if trouble shows up at the door." Hitomi thanked before he walked away; her mind now going on to dwell on how the others were currently doing. Doubts in her mind made her feel concern and caution, all too nervous now that she couldn't keep an eye on Frasier. She could only silently hope that Marcus would be okay out there, and that Frasier wouldn't do anything to put them all at risk.
(One kilometer west of the hotel)
Taking the wheel, Marcus carefully guided the four-door sedan just before a small outlet store that seemed to specialize in gardening supplies. Johann, Frasier and Marcus slowly stepped out to see the coast was clear for now. The undead that hadn't been killed last night were either now infesting the neighborhood the battle took place in, or 'They' had long since moved further up north in an attempt to catch more survivors. It was dead quiet all around...for now.
"Really? A gardening store?" Johann asked as he scratched his head in confusion; uncertain why Marcus would choose to check out this place for raw materials instead of anywhere else.
"Are you kidding me? If you ignore the plants and tacky accessories, just imagine what kind of damage most of these tools can do. Gardening tools can make for very ideal melee weapons in the right hands." Marcus explained as he was already walking towards the front of the store, only to see the front door was locked up.
"Isn't that what we have guns for, though?" Johann replied as he was still uncertain why they'd want to stop here while daylight was slowly but surely ticking away.
"While it's true we have more than enough firepower and plenty of ammunition; if we were to use them, we could end up drawing more attention than we desire. Melee weapons are quiet and don't require as much maintenance. Good thinking coming here, Marcus." Frasier brought up as Marcus formed a rather proud smile at the genuine compliment his brother was being generous enough to give him.
"So should we just cut away the locks and head on in?" Johann asked as he made a slight swinging motion with his axe, as if to illustrate his point.
"We could, but there's no telling just how many of 'Them' are inside or still nearby. Not to mention this place has a security system installed. Let's just check around the back first." Frasier replied calmly as he pointed to a small red sticker attached to the window; warning passersby that this store was rigged to trigger an alarm upon forced entry, obviously to deter potential break-ins.
"Good point." Johann agreed as he realized that keeping a low profile was the best option for their survival. The less of 'Them' they had to face, the better.
It only took a few minutes to quietly walk around the linked up stores, but the group eventually found themselves at the back entrance. It didn't look nearly as sturdy as the front doors did. In fact, the only security measure it appeared to have was a heavy chain wrapped up with a padlock holding it around the handle.
"I've got this." Frasier said softly before opening up the book bag on his back. He slowly pulled out the bolt cutters and carefully positioned them along the metal ring of the padlock.
As Marcus watched their backs, Johann just stared at the device. His heart began to race while his hands slightly trembled in painful remembrance. No matter he wanted to, he couldn't look away from those goddamned bolt cutters; almost as if he was paralyzed by a deep fear from memories of his painful trauma.
*shink*
The padlock fell off and clattered on the ground as Frasier spared no time to start sliding the chain off the door handle. Johann shook his head and snapped back into reality as he watched Frasier carefully open the door while taking care not to immediately step inside. He had to make sure there was a good light source inside, as well as none of 'Them' standing right in the doorway.
Just to be 100% certain it was safe to enter; he let out a low whistle through his lips, only to be greeted by nothing aside from an eerie silence; which was actually a good sign for once. Step by step, he made his way inside only to see he was in what must've been the stock room, seeing how entire shelves were stocked with various bags of soil and ceramic pots of all shapes and sizes. He then motioned the other two to follow him with a series of easy hand gestures.
Marcus noticed a turned over shopping cart; quickly turning it over before beginning to gently push it forward while Johann and Frasier stepped out into the actual store portion of the building. They stopped to see that it was much bigger on the inside than one could've possibly anticipated from a quick glance from the outside. Entire aisles were erected inches from touching the roof, with numerous supplies filling them to the brim. Signs hung from the ceiling, not even swaying slightly, which only seemed to make the empty setting that much more eerie. The lack of visibility didn't help to keep the three boys off edge, either.
"Alright, everyone keep quiet and don't let your guards down. 'They' could be right around any of these corners." Frasier instructed in a nearly mute whisper as he then noticed movement just outside one of the windows from the corner of his eye. The figures outside were shambling and moving about in a series of awkward motions, giving Frasier the impression that it was just a few of 'Them' wandering by without anything in particular to hone in on. Johann and Marcus carefully and quietly walked together while Frasier went back to ensure nobody or nothing would accidentally wander in through the back entrance they essentially opened to the world.
Marcus began to speed up when he noticed a sign overhead directing him towards the tools he spoke of earlier. His eyes widened as a mischievous grin spread across his lips. One shelf had a round container filled with pitchforks, gardening scythes and shovels. A few nearby racks were lined with serrated machetes roughly 15" long, sealed away in plastic packaging. Sickles dangled from their respective pegs while there was a single brush axe left locked up in a vertical glass display case.
"What should we take with us?" Marcus whispered gently as he and Johann began to look around cautiously, as if this excellent find was just a trap disguised as a blessing.
"We should grab some of those machetes for certain. The scythes seem a bit impractical, especially in close quarters...grab just two shovels; then let's see if we can bust open that display case while we're at it. That axe looks especially useful." Johann suggested as he began to slowly load up the shopping cart, grasping his injured hand a little when it began to pulse and throb whenever he'd try to lift anything semi-heavy with it. A sharp pain that refused to cease was now prodding hard at the back of his mind, as if trying to break all of his concentration.
"Forget it. We have to go right now." Frasier suddenly instructed as he approached the other two with a noticeable amount of worry in his voice.
"Why? What's wrong?" Marcus asked out of sheer concern when he could clearly see someone as tough and fearless as Frasier was legitimately worried if not remotely scared.
"You'll see." Frasier answered; leaving a sinking feeling in Marcus' gut at the fact his older brother couldn't simply explain it to him. That alone gave him all the reason he needed to assume this was deathly serious.
Moments later, the three young men were cautiously exiting out the front door after having managed to safely unlock it, only to suddenly hear a loud boom from the other side of the store; the sudden sound causing all of them to nearly jump. However, they dared not stop moving quietly down the street.
"Was that gunfire?" Marcus asked in a sharp hiss before ducking low, as if trying to avoid being seen by whoever had fired that shot. A few more shots could immediately be heard; so close that it felt like they were right in front of the shooter, if not right beside them.
"Indeed. It wasn't directed at us though, so just keep quiet and keep moving while we have the chance." Frasier explained as he motioned them to continue onward with their exfiltration. Multiple voices could soon be heard; growing louder and louder with each passing second.
The young men quickly threw all of their supplies into their ride before several figures could be seen behind the store windows. The numerous figures movements suddenly picked up speed, as if they could see the three young men scrambling into their car just outside the windows.
"Hey! We've got some live ones out there!" a gruff male voice called out, only to be followed by several gunshots ripping through the windows. Fragments of glass spilled across the ground as the stray shots bounced and danced in the street. Those that came close though were pounding against the side of the car, with the windshield taking a few hits before also shattering.
"Drive, drive, drive!" Frasier announced furiously before rising up from within the car to return fire against the vague figures trying to take potshots at them; listening past the numerous gunshots to hear that his initial volley caused one of them to let out a yelp of pain before falling over. Johann suddenly took the wheel before managing to barely pull the car out in time, and without wasting another second, he immediately proceeded to make a speedy getaway with the tires burning rubber against the asphalt.
"Marcus…you doing alright?" Frasier asked worriedly once he was confident they weren't being followed, not hesitating to start checking him over for any signs of bloodshed.
"Aside from needing a change of pants...yeah, I'm just brilliant." Marcus replied between heavy gasps for air as he began to pull off bits of glass that were now resting in his lap.
"I'm doing fine too." Johann added, as if expecting Frasier to give half a shit. His heart was racing so fast, it felt like he was going to have to stop and take a moment to collect himself.
"Good…goddamn bloody good. Glad you two were able to step it up on such short notice. That was way too close for my taste." Frasier said in relief before sitting back in his seat and wiping the sweat from his face.
"I can't believe it…those bastards were sporting automatics. How could they have possibly gotten hold of them? SAT maybe? Or perhaps an overrun SDF checkpoint?" Marcus then began to question aloud as he finally realized just how outmatched they really were, despite having guns of their own. Frasier lowered his head as Johann just focused on driving then back in one piece.
(Back at the hotel)
Meanwhile, Hitomi and Noah sat side by side with numerous ammo clips stacked up on the table before them. One by one, they'd load up the magazines with 9x19mm cartridges before moving onto the next one. While Hitomi was able to get a decent amount in per minute, Noah was on a whole different level. His fingers quickly popped them in before moving onto the next one with such fluid motion. It was quite clear to Hitomi that this young man had done this many times before.
"So tell me, Noah-kun. What kind of training has Frasier undergone to become so callous and unfeeling? I know military training requires you to sometimes silence your conscience, but it seems like that's the case with him all the time." Hitomi asked curiously as she set down the magazine in her hand and turned her head to look at Noah for any specific reactions he might make; carefully studying his body language now.
"I honestly can't answer that question, Hitomi..." Noah said with great hesitance in his words; looking down now as if something was deeply troubling him.
"Why? You can tell me anything, you know. Is he threatening you to keep quiet about something?" Hitomi inquired as she spoke to him in a rather protective tone, as if she were talking to a victim of domestic abuse.
"What!? Absolutely not! I know he can be a real pill at times, but my Frasier would never consider such a thing. Granted, he can be as rough as an alligator's hide; but on the inside, he's always been looking out for Marcus and I without question. The reason I can't answer your question is because he never told us anything. Believe me, I've tried to get answers, but he won't budge an inch when it comes to his training." Noah exclaimed defensively before calmly explaining to Hitomi that Frasier's past was always somewhat of a mystery that he had to eventually give up on ever figuring out.
"Yeah, well good intentions tend to fall short with psychopaths. Just understand that from my perspective, he's raising a lot of red flags. Something about him seems very unstable, so you'll have to forgive me if my intuition and training make it sound like I'm trying to gather evidence against him. I just want to make sure he doesn't hurt anyone here. Understand?" Hitomi said before Noah gave a somewhat hesitant nod, as if realizing that just because Frasier was his brother, it didn't mean he'd be hesitant to do anything if his own mind designated Noah as expendable or even hostile. Just the thought sent a horrible shiver down his spine.
Before they could say anything else, a beat up sedan slowly pulled in just outside the front entrance; the rest of the group quickly scrambling out of the vehicle as their faces all looked like something was terribly wrong, almost as if something worse than the dead had just shown itself to them.