Highschool of the Dead: Us or Them

by HoTDFan

Three brothers from a military family are transferred to Fujimi Academy one day prior to the Z-Day outbreaks. Just when their lives seem to be getting back on track the world is completely unprepared for the living nightmare that opens up a new chapter in human history. The day humans were put back on the food chain. Rated-M. It is Highschool of the Dead afterall.

11. Chapter 11: You Are Not Alone

Z-Day+14

Takashi felt himself slowly waking up in the now familiar comfort of his bed. At first it was pitch black around him, but eventually his eyes could see it was early morning. The window had been left open from last night, which had allowed the sun to bathe the room in a pleasant orange glow. The temperature was rather moderate for once, although under the blankets it almost felt like a furnace. Takashi blinked several times before his brain registered he was staring blankly at the ceiling.

Before he could even begin to think, he suddenly noticed that his chest felt heavier than usual. He glanced downward to see Saeko's head gently resting on it. He instantly recalled how she had helped him calm down last night from the overwhelming stress; how she'd allowed him to feel her breasts, leading to an intense make out session, stopped from going any further only by their lack of protection.

He gently ran his fingers through her long, soft, dark violet hair; a contented smile slowly forming on his face. He had never felt so sure about being with someone else before. Her beauty was one thing, but her overwhelming confidence and strong sense of loyalty really made her a one of a kind girl. Takashi felt so many mixed feelings around Saeko. At times he utterly feared how far her dark side could potentially go, always silently hoping it would never reveal itself to the rest of the group anytime soon. At other times, he felt a deep sense of admiration and trust for Saeko, as if certain she would always be there for him no matter what.

Her nose slightly twitched before her cold hands lightly wrapped around his palm before her sharp crystal blue eyes opened up, only for her lips to form a warm smile to find herself waking before her man. She slowly got to her knees before letting out a refreshed yawn, both arms stretching out as her voluptuous chest pressed outwards; catching his eyes as she formed a sly grin that made it clear to him that she could tell he was staring.

"Good morning, Komuro-kun. I take it you slept well then?" Saeko's soft yet dominant voice asked invitingly as Takashi smiled before giving a simple nod in response, as if she'd inadvertently stolen his breath.

"Well, I'm glad to see that you're doing alright now. You've had me worried lately, what with you getting injured and blacking out after what Frasier-san told us yesterday." Saeko said in a more concerned tone as her eyes trailed down to his bandaged leg only to then look back into his eyes.

"I'm sorry for worrying you, Saeko-chan. It's just that I've been thinking about all the stuff that's happened to us up to this point; all the people we've lost…it hurts to think about sometimes. My best friend Hisashi, Hiro-san, Asami-san, my neighbor Seto-san;even the fact I essentially killed another survivor…it still haunts me at times, even if he was going to take Rei by force...sometimes, I can still hear his screams, and it makes me think of how I just left him there while 'They' were all swarming in." Takashi began to recollect with a somber sigh as Saeko sat there and listened to him express his regrets.

Before Takashi could further express his pain, Saeko gently pulled him in and began to cradle him; lightly humming, and to his surprise, it actually felt calming for a moment before he felt a sharp pain in the back of his head that caused him to grasp his temples. A rough groan escaped his lips as she began to rub his shoulders and continue to rock him back and forth.

"I think you should go see Marikawa-sensei before this gets out of hand." Saeko said in more of a direct order than a concerned suggestion, helping him out of bed before they proceeded to her room, only to see the door was wide open and she was nowhere to be seen.

"Hmm, I guess she's up and about now. Go check for her upstairs while I go get breakfast started Afterwards; I can run you a nice hot bath." Saeko suggested as Takashi blushed and practically froze at the idea of her doing such a thing, especially with the fact she would see him naked in the process.

"Thank you; you're really something else, Saeko-chan. I don't know what I'd do without you." Takashi expressed gratefully before gently kissing her cheek out of affection.

"You'd probably be dead." Saeko said in a dead serious tone before she noticed the rather shocked expression on Takashi's face in response.

"I was just kidding! I'm sure you're more than strong enough to survive this without me. You are our leader after all." Saeko relented as he then smiled before the two parted ways; Saeko smiling at first before suddenly realizing she had walked out without any socks on. Her feet now felt an uncomfortable chill that prompted her to run back to her room and change while she was at it.

With a pair of long black socks now covering her feet and shins, Saeko walked down the hallway alone as she began to hum the tune to an old song she had used to listen to as a little girl; all the while noticing how the doors to most of the rooms were wide open, but the inhabitants belonging to them were absent and most likely downstairs still trying to wake up. When she looked at Frasier's door, it was still sealed shut, instantly piquing her curiosity.

The door made little to no sound as she was extra careful to not alert him should he still have been inside. Her eyes scanned the room only to then notice his large figure slumped over sideways on the furthest bed by the window. As she calmly approached him, she noticed how clean and organized everything still was in the room, unable to help but feel somewhat impressed at how disciplined he was able to remain even in the face of the disorder and chaos that ran rampant outside of their established home.

On the nightstand she noticed a small picture positioned facedown, held in place by the hilt of his combat knife resting upon it. She carefully reached for it and picked it up to see the sides had been torn before flipping it over to see what was on it. To her surprise, the image appeared to be that of a black Labrador puppy sitting down with several other dogs obscured due to the ripped up sides. Intrigued where he found this, she could only assume it was back at the mall in that pet store, but as to why he'd bother to take it in the first place was anyone's guess.

Frasier suddenly let out a low grown, causing Saeko to slightly flinch back in surprise, certain that she had woken him up. However, she watched as he began to squirm beneath the blankets for a moment. A painful expression took over his otherwise peaceful face as his head began to shake back and forth. His left hand began to run against the side of his head, as if feeling for something before his eyes shot wide open. His breathing was heavy as he looked surprised to see her towering over him with a look of curiosity.

"Saeko? W-What are you doing in my room?" Frasier grumbled tiredly as he tried to rub the sleep out of his eyes, trying to keep from sounding too annoyed that she once again snuck up on him.

"I just noticed you weren't up yet so I thought I'd check up on you. Are you alright? You looked like you were having a pretty bad dream." Saeko answered only for her tone to fade into one of concern, clearly not used to seeing Frasier look so vulnerable.

"It doesn't matter; I'm fine now, so let's just get on with the day. Did anyone make breakfast yet?" Frasier answered dismissively, doing his best to avoid being direct.

"I don't think so. I was just about to do it myself. Maybe you'd like to help me now that you're up?" Saeko replied before she looked at him with a faint smile as if hoping he'd be in the mood to take her up on the offer. Frasier sat there for a moment as if he were carefully contemplating his next choice of words.

"Sure, although I highly doubt I can make anything noteworthy like you did a few nights ago." Frasier responded as he stretched both arms forward, his fingers interlacing with one another as Saeko smiled at the compliment.

"Well then maybe you just need a lesson. Allow me to teach you the basics." Saeko then suggested in determination before unexpectedly grabbing his wrists, somehow managing to pull him out of bed. Frasier stumbled at first from the unexpected pull, his head briefly pressing against her heart, hearing it beat for a just moment before shyly pulling away; not even noticing the affectionate smile she now had before he began to walk for the door with her following close behind.

"So how does your back feel now? I hope you're recovering well after what happened." Saeko suddenly said as they walked down the stairwell together.

"I'm recovering quite fast actually. Just one more day left and my stitches can finally come out. Why do you ask?" Frasier answered with an unmistakable air of eagerness in his tone. The sooner he could finally go back out into the fray without everyone hounding him over his injuries, the better.

"I just wanted to be sure you'd be alright. I mean, the only reason you got hurt was because you had to save me, after all." Saeko explained as Frasier found himself stopping when he realized where she was really coming from.

"What? You mean back in that construction ditch? Are you telling me you still don't forgive yourself for that?" Frasier asked as he looked back to see she was visibly upset, both arms crossed as she couldn't help but look away now out of shame.

"How can I? I allowed you, a close and irreplaceable person in my life, to get hurt in an effort to protect me. There's no greater shame than that for someone like me! I-" Saeko exclaimed with both eyes closed as her voice lost that sense of complete control she always seemed to possess, giving way to her emotions as she tried to say more, only for Frasier's hand to suddenly cover her mouth as if he'd heard enough. She looked back to him to see he had a dead serious gaze in his eyes now.

"Stop it. Saeko-chan, I would risk myself a thousand times over for you if I had to. You're the only person I could ever really talk to outside my family Losing you would be an unacceptable loss for me as well. Just don't let it happen again and everything willbe fine between us, okay?" Frasier reprimanded in a firm yet emotionally backed up tone as Saeko stared at him in awe at how strongly the emotion rang in his words.

She always knew he considered her a friend after knowing him for so long, but to hear him actually say it in such a manner as he did was a completely different experience. Her heart was now beating hard as she gazed into his eyes before he released his hand; watching as he began to continue downstairs while she couldn't help but feel an intense warmth inside to hear him say such sweet words in regard to herself, realizing just then he had addressed her with 'chan' instead of 'san' like he always had before; leaving her curious now if that had been intentional or not. Saeko then began to gently hum that song again more cheerfully as she proceeded to walk downstairs to join him in the kitchen.

Meanwhile up on the roof, Marcus was carrying two heavy bags of dirt, setting one down before opening up the other; slowly but steadily pouring its contents into a wooden frame Noah and Khota had set up a couple days ago in what was officially their little workshop down in the basement. A quick gust of wind suddenly blew up, causing some of it to blow back into his face, leaving him lightly coughing and rapidly spitting in response before he could hear Hitomi and Shizuka giggling at his dirt covered face.

"Aww, poor Markie-kun! Do you need a glass of water?" Shizuka offered as she couldn't help but find it cute how mucky he now appeared, as if he were a mischievous child who had been playing outside.

"No...I'm fine, just got some in my mouth! I swear, I should've just let Noah or Frasier handle this!" Marcus replied as he tried to wipe the dirt from his face and spit it out at the same time, still somewhat disappointed that he got the short straw here having to lug around the dirt.

"Here. Stay still, sweetie, and let me clean that up for you." Shizuka said in a motherly tone as she began to gently run a hand cloth around his face, gently dabbing and brushing away the dirt so Marcus could actually see again; inadvertently giving him a prime view into her ridiculously bountiful cleavage thanks to the low-cut top she'd chosen to wear.

"Aren't we lucky to have such a strong man around to help us?" Hitomi said rather flirtatiously as Shizuka couldn't help but nod in agreement.

"Oh, most definitely! I think someone's starting to grow some muscles on those arms." Shizuka added as Marcus couldn't help but feel motivated for the rest of the year now after hearing such high praise from these two unbelievable beauties.

"You think so? I mean, I thought I saw some definition coming in when looking in the mirror the other night, but I'm glad to hear it from somebody else." Marcus replied rather flustered as he proceeded to flex one of his arms, earning another round of laughter and giggles from the two stunning women before him; his attitude practically making a full 180 as he didn't regret the job nearly as much now.

"Just promise not to become a beast, alright? I think you look fine the way you do now." Hitomi joked as Marcus simply smirked at the cheeky remark, feeling quite happy that they could still be friendly and joke around despite putting their relationship on hiatus.

"No promises." Marcus retorted before spreading out the second bag of dirt, taking good care to not let another cloud of dirt to catch him off guard; all the while not noticing how both Hitomi and Shizuka were smiling at how refreshing it was to see that he was still able to put on a smile despite the experiences he'd recently endured. They couldn't help but feel somewhat inspired by his spirit.

Moments later, Noah walked upstairs to see Marcus tossing the last of the dirt onto the foundation he'd created. He wore an immensely satisfied smile as he began to inspect it, making sure everything looked like it did from the manuals he'd been studying.

"This looks brilliant so far, Marcus. Hope it wasn't too much trouble for you." Noah complimented as he couldn't help but feel eager at the sight of his ingenuity now coming to fruition; feeling quite accomplished at what would soon become an invaluable source of food for the group so they wouldn't need to go out and scavenge nearly as much so long as the weather bode well.

"I still say we should've had Frasier do this. He actually enjoys manual labor for some unimaginable reason." Marcus grumbled as he still felt a tad bit annoyed at having to be the one to do the dirty work here.

"Oh I'm sure he would, but he still should be resting until those stitches are out. Besides, the job isn't over yet. See, I cocked up one of the measurements, so long story short; we need more raw materials to get the water catcher system going. Want to come scavenge some parts with me?" Noah stated reluctantly as Marcus seemed to be in agreement to the idea of them handling a run on their own.

"Hold on, just the two of you out there? I don't think so; at least not without backup." Hitomi instantly objected; her voice immediately taking on that familiar sharpness of authority.

"We can handle it this time. I already know the way there, and 'They' haven't been very active in the area. It really isn't far off from the hotel, and a small team would be best to avoid drawing in attention." Noah argued, more confident in himself than usual. Both Hitomi and Shizuka seemed visibly taken aback at the unexpected change of attitude.

"Still...perhaps you should go tell Frasier first and make sure he's alright with it. After all, he's the one in charge of your group." Shizuka suggested, earning a look of annoyance from Hitomi.

"In charge amongst the three of them, you mean. Johann-kun and I were never really under his leadership; we just kinda happened to tag along until your group showed up. Besides, I'm a police officer!" Hitomi corrected in an attempt to defend her pride.

"But he's the equivalent of a soldier. Don't they technically get command priority over police?" Marcus said with a smirk, only to realize Hitomi didn't find it nearly as amusing as he did.

"I think you should go find that out with Frasier-san before that cute butt of yours is tossed off the roof…by accident of course." Hitomi said with a somewhat playful growl, but the way she said it combined with her irked glare made it impossible for Marcus to tell if she was joking or not.

Obviously not wanting to risk finding out, Marcus proceeded to head downstairs with Noah following close behind, unable to refrain from laughing at how suddenly Hitomi managed to turn the tables on him. After they headed all the way down the stairwell, they walked through the lobby to see the rest of their group slumped in the cushiony couches and chairs, still trying to wake up. The scent of cooking meat was instantly noticed as they drew closer to the kitchen.

"You ready for another wonderful day in the world?" Marcus asked sarcastically as he strolled through the lobby while looking at Saya and Khota, both of whom seemed to be fighting to stay awake, while Kiriko and Rei gave him slight smiles in response; Johann meanwhile sitting asleep right beside Rei.

"Ready? Not really. Willing and able? Of course." Kiriko answered as Rei let out a light yawn, stretching her arms upwards as she could hear her elbows crack a little; letting out a sigh of satisfaction as she began running her fingers through Johann's thick curly hair with a warm smile on her lips, as though she were considerably amused watching him like this.

"Well, it's a start. So I take it our brother's in there making something for breakfast?" Marcus said before quickly changing the subject, planting himself down in his preferred chair before proceeding to nearly sink into it.

"He is. With Saeko-san, I believe." Kiriko answered in response as Rei couldn't help but roll her eyes at the mention of the group's sword master.

Marcus instantly formed a sly grin as he bolted straight for the swinging door that led into the staff kitchen. He carefully peeked through to catch a glimpse of Frasier and Saeko standing side by side over the counters. The mouthwatering smells and scents from the kitchen only increased as the sounds of sizzling and the clatter of pans resonated within the room.

"Like this?" Frasier's voice suddenly asked curiously.

"No, like this. Here, let me show you." Saeko answered with an amused giggle before proceeding to assist him.

Marcus keenly watched as her soft hands quickly found their way around Frasier's wrists, guiding him every step of the way. Marcus instantly noticed the genuine warm smile Frasier would make every now and then before both he and Saeko would let out a short burst of laughter. Marcus then gave a light tap on the side of the door, instantly catching their attention.

"Sorry if I'm interrupting anything between you two. Saeko-san, do you mind if I borrow my brother for a moment?" Marcus asked innocently as he leaned against the doorway.

"Of course, Marcus-kun. Just be sure to give him back when you're done. I'm not quite done with him yet." Saeko responded with a grin as she gently motioned Frasier to go see whatever Marcus needed him for; turning her back to them so she could continue the preparations as Frasier slowly walked out the kitchen with Marcus.

"Alright, two things I have to say. First off, good to see you're back in the ring, champ. And here I thought you'd actually given up on her." Marcus said proudly as Frasier rolled his eyes in response.

"This means nothing between us. She's just making sure I don't cock up breakfast." Frasier attempted to dissuade, unintentionally sounding less than 100% certain of those very words.

"Uh-huh, I totally believe everything you just said. So I guess that when you two were checking each other out when the other wasn't looking, that was also part of making breakfast?" Marcus retorted without even trying to restrain any hint of sarcasm in his words. Frasier was now blushing wildly despite how hard he tried to fight the fact Marcus caught him red handed with no way out.

"Please tell me this is all you have to say?" Frasier groaned out of annoyance and impatience.

"Oh right, well the second thing I came to say, well ask really, was that Noah and I need to go gather some materials for his aquapogathingy-" "Aquaponics!" Marcus began to explain,only for Noah to correct him from across the room, as if it was absolutely necessary that it was said correctly.

"Right, that. We need more raw materials, and I just happen to know a great place to scavenge that's perfectly safe. It shouldn't take us very long if we head out now." Marcus said, trying his best to sell Frasier on the idea.

"Okay, sounds good. Give me a moment to gear up and we can head out." Frasier replied, completely missing the look of unexpected surprise Marcus now had.

"W-What? No, that isn't necessary at all! Like I said, Noah and I can be in and out within an hour or two. You don't have to bother yourself with this." Marcus stammered as he felt his confidence slowly dropping, all as Frasier appeared to be even more convinced that he should tag along to see his little brothers' confidence crumble so quickly.

"If that's true, then with all three of us it can go by even quicker. There's no way I'm letting you two go head first into what could be a dangerous situation without me to be there for you." Frasier said sternly with his arms crossed.

"Look, Frasier, I know it's hard to hear this, but we can hold our own just fine. We aren't little boys that run to big brother or daddy whenever things get tough. Let us prove to you that we can handle some responsibility by ourselves. You always wanted me to be responsible like you, right?" Marcus said, managing to appeal to Frasier's sense of maturity; noticing his elder brother momentarily pause with a look of deep contemplation brewing within his eyes, as though he were actually considering what was being said to him.

"Two hours at most?" Frasier hesitantly asked with an eyebrow raised, unfolding his arms as he stared Marcus down as though to look for any telltale signs of him lying.

"Two hours at most." Marcus reiterated as he gently nodded his head to help reinforce what he was saying; shooting his brother a confident smile as it was quite clear for once in his life that hehad actually managed to crack Frasier's iron will.

"Alright, but you promise me one thing. You two come back in one piece no matter what. Got it?" Frasier sighed in defeat before handing over his ultimatum to allow this to happen.

"I promise you that nothing will happen. Hell, I bet we can do this in under an hour!" Marcus replied with a chipper attitude, his confidence beaming as he couldn't help but feel momentarily invincible.

"Yeah, yeah, don't get carried away. Just do what you must safely, alright?" Frasier ordered sternly as he couldn't help but already feel the unsettling feeling of regretting this decision.

"Me? Carried away? Never!" Marcus chuckled as he lightly punched Frasier in the arm.

"Marcus..." Frasier said firmly as he shot him that signature glare that would usually cause most to fall silent.

"Sorry, couldn't resist. I'll let you get back to your...training." Marcus responded in a more serious tone as he held his hands up, while still unable to resist laughing a little at Frasier's predicament. He then began to walk away to inform Noah that they had the green light for their quick two man raid. Before the two could separate though, Marcus felt Frasier's hand hold him back for a second.

"Hold on. Was...was she really checking me out?" Frasier suddenly asked as if he was genuinely unaware that Saeko was looking at him the same way he had been looking at her.

"Ooh yeah. As for where she was looking, I won't tell; I gotta leave some mystery for you. See you in an hour, champ." Marcus responded as he encouragingly patted Frasier's arm before taking off; leaving just a split second before Frasier formed a warm smile of excitement and enthusiasm before returning to help his crush serve the rest of the group breakfast.

Ten Minutes Later

It was a strange and rather foreboding experience for both Noah and Marcus to be out on the streets without Frasier constantly watching over them. While they felt a strong urge to be twice as alert and prepared for whatever might come their way, there also came a sense of freedom they hadn't felt in a very long time; just like the old times when it was just the two of them wanderingtheir own hometown like they were seeking adventure wherever they might've found it. The nostalgia soon wore off though when their survival instincts automatically kicked back in at the remembrance of just WHAT these streets now belonged to. It wasn't long afterwards when they came to a stop in front of a moderately sized hardware store built into a larger complex in a small crossroad section of the city.

"There we go, and it only took us ten minutes to get here; brilliant! You sure you know exactly what to get?" Marcus softly announced enthusiastically, making sure that his voice didn't echo through the streets and attract any unwanted attention.

"Positive. Grab that shopping trolley and we can wheel back whatever we need to the hotel." Noah instructed confidently as he pointed out a shopping cart he noticed tipped over by the entrance.

Marcus nodded in response before he hoisted it back upright. The two siblings cautiously approached the store entrance, checking it out to make sure there wasn't anyone or anything dwelling within that would immediately jump out at them. To their surprise though, the place hardly seemed touched, save for a few shopping carts tipped over with their contents now spilled across the floor, abandoned by the shoppers who'd most likely learned of the outbreaks just in time to get out.

All they could hear was the sound of the wheels scooting up and down the aisles. That sense of wonder soon returned as they both felt the site was completely secure for the time being. The longer they explored, the heavier the cart became, soon filled to the brim after the two brothers made a full pass around, all the while reminiscing and regaling each other with memories of their past together, laughter soon filling the store.

"I still can't believe we got away with hotwiring father's car and driving it straight into the lake!" Noah exclaimed between his gasps for air from how hard he had been laughing as they began to make for the exit now.

"Since when did being grounded for three months count as getting away with it?" Marcus argued, speaking in a somewhat scornful growl as if somewhat upset by that memory in particular.

"Oh right... I guess you kind of had it worse off, huh?" Noah replied more somberly, somewhat regretting that he had made light of their biggest misadventure with some of the heaviest consequences they could remember.

"Kind of? Well…considering that's what made father kick my arse all the way across the globe...yeah, I did get royally screwed over big time." Marcus replied as he spoke in a rough, bitter groan, clearly annoyed at Noah for bringing it up. He then quickly realized that Noah now had a sad expression on his face; immediately stirring up feelings of guilt in Marcus' gut.

"Although to be fair, if I had any idea how awesome Uncle Mark was, or Japan for that matter, I probably would've come over here sooner. Let's just roll this crap back to the-" Marcus said in an attempt to make Noah feel better before the sound of several shouting voices could be heard just outside the entrance. Both Lawson's instantly went on full alert as they could hear the sound of several of 'Them' letting out that ghastly groan whenever 'They' were able to locate another victim.

"In here! C'mon, move!" ordered a man wearing a red t-shirt and blue jeans torn up at the knees, motioning several other survivors to follow him inside a fast food restaurant; quickly slamming the door shut seconds before another survivor from their group rushed over and began to bang on the windows desperately.

"Hey! I'm still out here you assholes! Let me in!" the trapped survivor called out in a mix of terror and anger, panic filling her words as she frantically tried to pull the door open; but the door wouldn't budge as the others inside had slipped a sturdy broom through the handles. The survivor still outside wore a bright pink hoodie and short black mini skirt that showed off her toned legs. Her entire body was trembling as she became more desperate by the second, knowing the dead couldn't possibly be that far behind.

Before she could let out another shout of rage out her group; theyoung teen turned just in time to be met with the gaping jaws of an undead surfer. The black wetsuit the shambling corpse still wore was soaking wet with water and crusted blood, a large chunk of flesh had been pulled from the back of the right calf, showing off the shriveled up muscle and tissue. Both its arms were fully stretched outward as the girl prepared to fruitlessly defend herself with the wooden police baton in her trembling hand.

*slam*

The undead surfer's body suddenly slammed hard against the side of the fast food building, pinned hard by the shopping cart that had come barreling out of nowhere. The young teen stood there completely astonished at the sudden turn of events as she then watched Marcus and Noah come charging from across the street into battle; each one letting out a shout as if trying to lure the rest of 'Them' away from her, fortunately earning the rest of 'Their' attention.

"Come get some, you rotting pricks!" Marcus called out as Noah rushed the one in the wetsuit.

He quickly drove the crowbar in his hands right through an eye socket. A loud squelching sound could be heard as the thick, dark brown, viscous blood spurted out when he pried his weapon free.

"On your left!" Noah called out as he bolted back to help his older brother take care of the last two of 'Them' left standing.

"I'm on it, I'm on it!" Marcus shouted in acknowledgment before prying his fire axe from the head of an undead bus driver, the cap it wore now completely sliced in two as the two Lawson's took a step back to put some distance between them and the two undead police officers that were viciously snarling in anticipation of their warm, juicy flesh.

"Should we?" Noah asked nervously as he glanced back to his brother for some form of approval over whatever he had in mind next.

"Go for it." Marcus answered in a short huff before both of them drew the 9mm handguns at their hips and fired a single shot into each officers' face; sending 'Them' both toppling over like a pile of bricks dropped off a bridge.

Smoke gently fumed from the barrels as they both stood there completely driven by a surge of pulse-pounding adrenaline. That intense feeling soon wore down when it appeared to be clear for the time being. The two young Brits holstered their weapons before turning to see the cornered girl suddenly rushing over to them, her arms eagerly wrapping around Noah as Marcus couldn't help but grin at the sight.

"You're still alive! I can't believe it!" she exclaimed before pulling down her pink hood to reveal a face neither Lawson expected to find out here of all places.

Noah felt his jaw slowly drop to be greeted by an all too familiar set of beautiful yet intense orange eyes that made his heart instantly start racing while his entire body began to heat up immensely. A navy blue headband pulled back her short, messy, vibrant orange hair that greatly complimented her gorgeous eyes and irresistibly beautiful smiling face.

"Yuuki Miku-senpai...I-I can't believe it...I-I really don't know what else to say right now…" Noah stammered nervously as Marcus smirked in amusement while Miku smiled warmly as she couldn't help but find how adorable his nervousness was after having just saved her life so heroically.

"Then be quiet and let me thank you properly, cutie." Miku replied with a sly, seductive grin; suddenly leaning in and planting a soft kiss on Noah's lips; immensely enjoying the sight of Noah practically turning to jelly from her affection before walking up to Marcus and kissing him on the cheek to make sure he didn't feel left out nor unappreciated for his involvement.

"Ahem; well...I don't suppose you need any more saving then?" Noah said with a deep red flush in his cheeks.

"Not at the moment; thanks to you, of course. Something tells me-" Miku said gratefully, only to suddenly turn around when she could hear the door to the fast food restaurant opening up.

"Miku-chan; get away from them! They could be dangerous!" one of her fellow survivors called out as the rest rushed over to the scene. Two more young men stepped out wearing what looked like the student outfits back from Fujimi Academy, and the last was the man wearing a red shirt and blue jeans.

"Oh yeah, they're so dangerous, they locked me outside with the dead coming right up on me. Oh, wait—THAT WAS YOU GUYS! You fucking moron!" Miku said sarcastically before suddenly lashing out at them. Both they and Noah visibly stepped back in surprise to hear such strong and sharp words coming from her so suddenly.

"Hey! Just because you're HIS little pet doesn't mean you can mouth off like that." the man in the red shirt snapped right back at her, with Miku not stepping back an inch for him.

"Shut the hell up, Teru-san! I have half a mind to tell HIM what a coward you were! See how you'd like that!" Miku responded in a sharp hiss as she clenched both fists before forming a devious grin that caused Teru to back down considerably at her threat.

"You wouldn't dare!" Teru said in a low groan in the defensive; visibly wary.

"Oh? Want to test that one out?" Miku challenged, causing Teru and the rest of her group to fall dead silent, as if out of complete fear.

"Woah, relax, people. Let's just calm down here and stop with all the shouting. You're gonna make me lose my hearing; but more important, you're just gonna draw out more of 'Them'." Marcus suddenly interjected as he got between Miku and her compatriots; all of them soon nodding in agreement.

"He's got a fair point. So, I don't suppose it's just you two then?" Teru agreed before deciding to approach the Lawson's more peacefully. Even he realized that if the two really were dangerous, they would've no doubt attacked their group by now.

"We have an entire group of survivors actually; very strong and resourceful bunch." Noah said confidently as Miku's group now seemed to be somewhat wary at the answer he just gave them.

"Well that explains how you two are still alive, mostly considering your age of course…mostly." Teru commented as he then attempted to light up a cigarette.

"Actually, these two are military trained. Or did you miss how well they fought just a minute ago? I'm willing to bet they're more capable than anyone we've got right now." Miku corrected, a strong hint of admiration filling her words as she shot Noah an approving glance.

"Maybe...and just where are the others in your group? Who's in charge?" Teru questioned with a suspicious look in his brown eyes before blowing a puff of smoke past his lips; his eyes constantly looking both boys up and down as if silently measuring them up.

"Umm...it's hard to say at the moment actually." Noah hesitantly responded as he couldn't exactly place who was in charge between Frasier and Takashi. At times it even felt like Hitomi held some form of authority among their group.

"Really? That's odd. Every group needs a good, strong leader to keep things in order. Do you think we should take them back to 'The Sanctuary' and show them what they're missing out on?" Teru said in a rather curious hum to their uncertain leadership; speaking to the others in his group who all seemed to be in agreement to his proposition.

"Only if they want to. We can't force others to join us." Miku reminded her group, somewhat disapproving of how they didn't even ask the two Lawson's beforehand.

"'The Sanctuary'? That's what you call your place, huh?" Marcus questioned with an intrigued raised eyebrow, trying his best not to smirk or make fun of the rather cliché name for a settlement.

"It's what we've come to call it. It's quite safe after all the dead were cleared out and the fences were set up. Not to mention our great leader can solve just about any problem that pops up. We haven't lost one person yet. Personally, I think it would be unwise to pass up such a great opportunity." Teru explained as he seemed eager to convince the two boys to come back home with them.

"Let us talk it over for a moment." Noah requested as the two walked off several feet to discuss their next move in private; Miku watching them before they turned their backs to her and her group.

"Right, so what do you think about all of this? Personally, I think things kinda sounded fishy when he started yammering on about 'great leader' and what not. Should we just decline their offer while we can?" Marcus whispered to Noah as they both glanced back only to then look down to avoid seeming too conspicuous.

"I'm not sure. Maybe we should check out the place first; recon the situation and see what our new neighbors are up to? Maybe they can tell us something about all those gunshots we've been hearing lately? Perhaps if we're lucky, we can trade with them for whatever we may need later on that they can provide us?" Noah suggested, curiously peering back again as he found himself idly gazing at Miku standing around trying to pass the time. To see her still alive brought the young lad immense joy and relief to know that for whatever reason she was still human.

"Hmm, I did tell Frasier we'd be back within two hours at the most. How much time do we have left exactly?" Marcus said in a low hum as he was somewhat conflicted; uncertain what to do now as Noah quickly looked back to him.

"I'd say an hour and twenty minutes by now. What do you think we should do?" Noah answered after taking a moment to mentally figure out the answer. On the one hand he really didn't want to provoke Frasier's wrath for being late; but at the same time, he really didn't want to pass up the opportunity to see the place Miku and her friends were calling home.

"I say we check this place out. We might be a bit late, but I'm sure Frasier's found something to occupy his time, right?" Marcus eventually said in a low sigh as he realized Noah didn't seem to be so willing to return home any time soon.

Meanwhile back at the hotel...

Frasier sat in the lobby in boredom; sitting down with his cheek resting on his palm while trying to think of something to do. He let out a heavy sigh as he came to the conclusion that there was nothing he could really do, considering the guns were all fully inspected and clean, Hitomi and Khota had watch duty, and he couldn't even feel the motivation to work out to maintain his strength. A part of him really wanted to get up and leave the hotel to rejoin with his brothers to make sure everything was going smoothly, but beside the fact Marcus would most likely be upset for Frasier not trusting him to take care of things, there was also the fact neither Saeko or Shizuka would allow him to go when he was so close to fully recovering from his wounds.

"Sit! Siiittt! Sit? C'mon boy, you can do it! No, sit down!" Alice's voice suddenly called out for all to hear, soon followed by a playful bark and her frustrated sighs.

Frasier couldn't help but feel himself becoming more curious by the second to see what was happening, prompting him to rise from his seat before he wandered over to check up on the little girl. He walked over only to pause when he couldn't help but grin at the sight of the little girl attempting to command the energetic puppy that seemed more interested in bouncing around and leaping up at her instead of obeying the strange verbal commands she was announcing.

"Having trouble?" Frasier said in a joking manner as he could see the frustration in her eyes as Zeke continued to leap up at her legs; his little tail wagging back and forth to see another coming to play with him.

"I'm trying to teach Zeke tricks, but he won't listen to me. I think he's broken." Alice responded in a somewhat bitter tone as she made it quite clear to him that she didn't like to fail at anything.

"Unlikely, considering he is just a pup and all. You just need to know how to train him. Allow me." Frasier said before he motioned her to follow him to the kitchen, Zeke quickly taking after them as he began to playfully yelp in excitement, as if able to anticipate something fun coming his way after all the attention he seemed to be getting.

Alice eagerly followed him through the lobby and into the kitchen before he started opening up the fridge. After a moment of rummaging through it, he pulled out what remained of the dog treats Hitomi had taken from the pet store back in the mall several days ago. Frasier then turned to Zeke, who was even more intrigued now that he could smell that all too familiar scent of treats being brought out for him.

Without saying a word, Frasier knelt down, going closer to Zeke as he held a single treat in hand. He dangled it in the air, immediately pulling it back when the little white fuzz ball tried to jump up and snatch the treat in midair. Alice giggled as this occurred several times before Zeke suddenly stopped and just looked up at Frasier. The moment the dog stopped jumping, the young Brit moved the tasty treat just over the back of Zeke's head.

Alice watched in amazement as Zeke suddenly sat down on his rear, only with two legs standing upright now before Frasier responded by giving him the small goodie; chuckling to himself as Zeke spared no time chowing it down into several pieces, licking his muzzle before looking back at the eldest Lawson for more.

"H-How did you do that?! I've been trying for days now!" Alice asked curiously as she watched Zeke wag his tail back and forth.

"It's just a trick I've picked up in my time; works every time as far as I know. You just have to get him to calm down then move his head into a position that will naturally force him to sit down. Try to avoid saying anything, because he won't really associate the word 'sit' until later on." Frasier calmly explained out of experience as Alice took a treat, causing Zeke to shift his attention over to her.

Frasier then watched as Alice did exactly what he had just naturally bounced around for a few moments but soon had calmed down long enough for Alice to hold the treat just behind his head. His muzzle naturally looked straight up before his rear end planted straight down onto the floor again. Alice let out a delighted giggle as she dropped the dog treat into his mouth.

"Just be sure not to overfeed him with those, alright? Last thing we need is a beggar dog." Frasier instructed as Alice nodded slowly in understanding.

"Do you have a doggy back home, Frasier?" Alice asked as she watched how well he handled the small puppy, watching the white dog bouncing between their legs and letting out a series of challenging barks as if wanting to play even more now. At first Frasier paused as if contemplating his response, looking like he was about to deny answering her.

"Mhm, she was the perfect companion for me. A long time ago though, my father wanted me to be free of distraction and attachments so I could focus on my training. I haven't seen that proud dog in over eight years now. Until I can escape this country, find my way home, and rise through the ranks of the military, I will never be able to see her. She's quite old now, but I'd like to at least see her during her final years. I miss her so much, Alice. Sometimes I wonder if I will ever see my pup again..." Frasier began to explain in his usual proud tone before gradually the tone in his words grew lower and sadder. The more he dwelled, the weaker his voice seemed to become, causing Alice to look up at him with uncertainty.

Frasier closed his eyes slowly when she suddenly wrapped her arms around him out of affection and care, hoping her hugs would make him feel somewhat better. It felt strange seeing him act in such a peculiar manner; never had the little girl seen him so sad before, which could only make her feel uneasy. No longer did she feel that sense of fear or tension she normally felt from him given his brash attitude and intimidating size. A part of her couldn't help but instead feel pity and the need to cheer him up.

"It's okay to be sad. Everyone gets sad every now and then." Alice reassured as Frasier didn't even try to deny how he felt; almost certain she was too smart to be fooled so easily.

Zeke also had picked up on this, now standing up on two legs before lovingly licking at his hands. A warm smile formed over Frasier's lips as he sniffled ever so slightly; trying his best to play off the tender moment despite how he felt genuinely relieved.

"Do you want to come play pretend with me?" Alice suddenly invited as she spoke with high hope in her innocent little voice, looking up at him as if trying to give him the puppy dog eyes.

"Play pretend? And what exactly would that involve on my part?" Frasier asked in confusion as he was genuinely in the dark when it came to something as simple as this.

"Whatever you want, silly. We could be astronauts! We could be pirates! Anything if you just believe hard enough!" Alice announced, speaking in a hyper tone that made it quite clear she was eager to play with whom she considered her new friend.

"Hmm." Frasier slowly hummed as he shrugged his shoulders,as if he still didn't understand the concept. Nonetheless, he was somewhat curious to see what all the fuss was about.

However, moments later the two had found themselves propping up the cushions from the lobby couches to best resemble that of a ship. Zeke comfortably rested himself on the arm of the chair, curled up and taking what seemed like a pleasant nap while Frasier and Alice played her little game. The young girl's laughter filled the lobby as Frasier himself felt no shame in being seen having fun for once in what felt like forever.

Meanwhile…

Noah and Marcus were walking through the streets with Miku while the rest of the survivors she was with walked on ahead. Noah found himself constantly gazing at her numerous features;her toned athletic legs especially catching his eyes. Her hair while short looked so soft it was somewhat tempting to ask if he could feel it, but he knew better and tried his best to focus on the matter at hand.

The neighborhood they entered was in complete ruins; the street was cracked up and the former homes were now smoldering husks that lay abandoned. The sound of spent brass casings could be heard every now and then; either rolling in the street or whenever they'd step on one by accident. The lack of bodies gave the several survivors an ominous feeling deep down, as though they felt like they were walking into a trap.

"Looks like the place was hit hard. Perhaps SDF or the US Marines hit this place in an attempt to delay or even quell the spread of the infection?" Marcus suggested in an attempt to explain the otherwise unnerving situation and break the unbearable silence.

"Most likely, considering what Frasier and I had encountered during our skirmish with that undead horde with the police way back at the start." Noah agreed as he quickly recalled that encounter with the fighter pilot that saved their lives after they'd been backed up into a corner.

"You've been through a lot, haven't you?" Miku suddenly brought up sympathetically, instantly getting Noah's attention.

"Yeah, we've lost some good people along the way. Hopefully with our established home, we can now just wait things out until the dead hopefully clear out of the city entirely. I'd originally hoped perhaps 'They' would eventually starve to death; but seeing the states of some of 'Them', I came to realize that's more an issue for us than it ever would be for 'Them'." Noah responded grimly despite his best efforts to remain optimistic in front of her.

"Don't worry. Once you see what my group has accomplished,I'm more than certain you'll want to stay and bring your friends along. I promise we'll take good care of you. It would especially be a huge shame to lose such a sweet thing as yourself." Miku calmly replied as she suddenly grasped his warm hand; playfully tugging him along as the most intelligent of the Lawson trio was completely at a loss for words once again at her touch.

Marcus on the other hand smirked at the sight, only to smile even further when a mischievous idea popped into his head. He carefully placed the roof of his foot beneath the bottom of Noah's and pushed up, causing him to stumble forward into Miku. It took all of his willpower to not laugh as Noah nervously began to apologize to her, driving Miku to chuckle lightly at the reaction whilst Noah shot Marcus a death glare.

"Alright, you two need to hand your weapons over before we can proceed any further." Teru suddenly announced as he came to a stop but still kept his distance from them. Both Lawson brothers looked at each other to see what the other was thinking,only to agree that this was a huge risk they couldn't afford to be wrong about.

"Can we hand over our handguns but keep the knives? I understand it's for the safety of your people, but surely you understand we have to consider our safety as well. Think of it as a mutual trust." Noah offered.

"No. Hand over your stuff or get the fuck out of here. It's non-negotiable." Teru said firmly as it was quite clear to the two brothers how this was going to go down should they choose to continue following them.

"Don't worry. I promise that we're not going to try anything. Please, just do as he says." Miku gently whispered as she held her hand out for the weapons, giving Noah a look that told him he had to trust her word over his instinct that told him to run.

'Okay. I trust you, angel.' Noah thought reluctantly as he slowly began to hand her his blade and the handgun; Marcus reluctantly doing the same as he looked greatly uncertain what would happen next; praying deep down that Miku was telling them the truth and that they weren't about to be killed in the middle of nowhere for trusting the wrong girl.

Once she had their weapons, she jogged over to Teru and placed them in a satchel they brought along before he then smiled in satisfaction. He then motioned them to keep following him the rest of the way.

"Smart move, kid. Okay, you may come with us, but remember:if you try anything, there's a lot more of us than there are of you." Teru acknowledged before giving them a quick yet deathly serious reminder.

"Naturally." Marcus replied hesitantly as they steadily approached the four survivors; keeping his wits about him as he knew it was now up to fate what would happen once they entered this so-called sanctuary Miku spoke of.

"Yeah, we're always on our best behavior." Noah added in a more approachable tone as Miku couldn't help but smile at how trusting and calm he appeared to be despite the potential danger he could be heading into for all he knew.

It was only just a few minutes later until the two brothers felt an immense sense of familiarity with the nearby buildings and street names from before the outbreaks occurred. When they stepped past a corner, they both froze in place as they stood before the last place on Earth they ever expected to see again: Fujimi Academy. Aside from the iron fences being reinforced with concrete barriers and plywood to form a makeshift wall to keep the dead out, it all seemed exactly the same as when they left it during the outbreak. Most of the windows remained intact, but some were still spattered with dried blood and the broken ones boarded over with more plywood.

The only downside they could find so far within the perimeter defense that had been setup was that it didn't have any barbed wire or sharp obstacles to keep agile intruders from thinking twice about vaulting over. However, several figures could be heard behind the fence to the point it clearly sounded like there were even more survivors here than there were back at the hotel.

"Unbelievable. You guys cleared this place out and established an actual foothold?" Noah said in sheer astonishment before turning to Miku and her group.

"Yes. Quite impressive, isn't it? I told you that you'd be safe here. Allow me to give you two a closer look at what we've accomplished." Miku answered proudly before taking his hand again and leading the two Lawson brothers over to the twin iron gates that seemed to had been reattached. Some of the bars were bent in shape after something had most likely rammed through them.

As the gates closed behind the returning survivors, Marcus and Noah momentarily stopped in their tracks to see that the entire parking area of the school was filled with tents and stacks of crates piled up by this unheard of group. Several curious faces stared at the two young guests as they tried their best to avoid staring back. The whispers from the inhabitants carried through the wind as Miku continued to guide them past everyone else, venturing into the main body of the newly occupied academy. It felt strange initially for both brothers to see the front entrance for the main body of the school was no longer swarming with undead students and faculty. There were no longer any blood stains or severed limbs to decorate the walls and floors. It should've been calming to the two Lawson's, yet they couldn't help but feel strange now.

"So why are tents outside if I may ask? There should be enough room in here, right?" Noah asked Miku out of curiosity as she stopped to face him.

"We tried that at first, but the smell keeps people up at night. There was a lot of blood and remains to clear out of the halls and classrooms. It isn't so bad outside though, especially when the stars are out." Miku calmly answered, somewhat put off by the reminder of how horrifying the place looked when her group initially came back to reclaim this place for themselves.

Noah just nodded in understanding as it seemed like a subject she had no interest in discussing, as well as the fact that it felt like his curiosity had been met for the time being. Miku paused for a moment as if contemplating something before eventually snapping back into the moment and continuing with the mini-tour of the place. They soon came across what would've been the science room, only to see it was now filled with crates that appeared to be full of supplies. Several people with clipboards could be seen writing things down as if they were carefully taking inventory.

"This is where we keep our storage for just about anything that isn't food or weapons. Luckily the school had plenty of emergency equipment on hand, so we can handle just about any injury that doesn't involve a bite." Miku explained as Noah and Marcus couldn't help but marvel at how well off these people really were.

"Has anyone in this group actually been bitten yet?" Marcus suddenly asked as Miku turned to face him with a look of regret in her eyes that practically answered his question right then and there.

"Yeah...we had some police officers with us at first, but they didn't make it. At least that's what we've been told anyhow. They originally came here to help clear the place out and…well; I think you can guess the rest. It's a shame really, because nobody else here knows how to use the guns we've managed to get." Miku answered reluctantly at how ill-prepared they were in spite of their remarkable setup.

"Guns? What guns?" Marcus asked before peering into the equipment room only to see there were no weapons that he could distinguish amongst the various supplies scattered around the tables.

"Oh, we don't keep them in here. They should be on the upper floor where my old writing class used to be. I can't let you inside, but maybe you can take a peek to see what I'm talking about." Miku explained as the two Lawson brothers couldn't help but feel even more curious, if not alarm, than ever before to know that this group had an arsenal of their own.

They walked through the clean hallways, passing by several occupied rooms that held people going about their daily tasks with looks that would suggest that everything was perfectly fine and that the world didn't actually end little more than two weeks ago. Marcus noticed the doors to the cafeteria were wide open, revealing what he reluctantly remembered was once a feeding pit the undead had dragged 'Their' victims remains to before feasting on whatever was left; noticing with morbid astonishment how the once blood stained floors and walls were now completely spotless and only had a faint smell of lemon freshener to help those inside forget the ghastly odors the rotting bodies must've produced. A terrible shiver of remembrance trickled down his back before ascending a flight of stairs with Noah and Miku.

Three men stood beside the door that had to have been the writing class Miku spoke of; one of them being Teru, who glared at the two young Brits with a strong look of distrust in his eyes. Miku without warning lead them away further into the school, passing by several more survivors before she could feel safe to speak again.

"It was right over there. They always keep at least two people to watch over it at all times though. I doubt they'll let two newcomers anywhere near the area, but take my word for it, that room is loaded with guns and ammo. I think there was enough to arm almost every last person here." Miku began to announce in a soft hush, as if she wasn't meant to be talking about it with them.

"I see. I don't suppose you know where they managed to scrounge up all of those weapons?" Noah asked nervously, feeling an uneasy tension grip an inner pit deep within his stomach.

"I wasn't there when they found them. I just know it's going to ensure nobody attacks us; undead or otherwise." Miku replied with an air of confidence to her otherwise soft spoken words. Noah and Marcus slightly gulped as it was somewhat worrying to think how Frasier might perceive this group with the knowledge that they were better equipped and armed.

"So how many people do you estimate are actually here right about now?" Noah then asked as he looked out a nearby window, surveying the entire parking area that seemed to have several families' worth of survivors setting up in the tents for the approaching night. The sun slowly began to set as he realized that Frasier wasn't going to be anywhere near pleased with the several hour delay.

"I'd have to say forty now; hopefully more should you two consider joining up along with the rest of your group. This place is the perfect setup and we could really use the help." Miku answered before her tone seemed like she was trying to persuade them into staying here.

"Help? What in the world could you guys possibly need from us?" Marcus asked curiously as he couldn't imagine what dilemma these people were undergoing despite all of their fortune.

"Nothing; absolutely nothing at all!" a strangely familiar aggressive voice suddenly called out as someone suddenly placed himself between Miku and the Lawson brothers as if trying to keep them apart. Noah looked up only to see it was that very same blonde-haired teen, Tsunoda, he had slugged in the jaw the very first day he came here.

"What the hell have you been telling them?!" Tsunoda demanded furiously as he glared down at Miku who fell completely silent. Several other survivors noticed the commotion and began to walk over to see what was happening.

"I'm just showing them around the place so they can see what we have to offer. They can help us." Miku answered reassuringly as she tried to stand her ground and not seem nearly as passive compared to the last time Noah saw them argue.

"Yeah, I'm sure that's ALL you're showing HIM!" Tsunoda angrily announced as he pointed to Noah out of pure spite before reaching out for her wrist, only for Miku to recoil back.

"Why don't you just screw off?! You know what; maybe I SHOULD live up to your presumptions! Bet he'd be twice the man YOU are!" Miku shouted back as she clenched her fists while the other survivors appeared to be expecting a fight to break out.

"He's coming!" Shh." "Make way." the other survivors began to mutter amongst themselves, catching the attention of Miku and Tsunoda instantly as all hostilities seemed to have instantly been forgotten for whatever it was that had been approaching them.

[Mark Crozer – Live In Fear]

The wall of people slowly moved aside as a single figure walked through all of them as if they weren't even there to begin with. Marcus and Noah both keenly watched in great detail to see an approaching man with quite a thin build that gave him a fragile demeanor. He wore a white dress shirt and a black pinstriped suit with a yellow tie wrapped around his thin neck. Behind the black-framed glasses that were resting on the bridge of his nose was a pair of sharp yellow eyes that gazed directly upon the two arguing group members. The hall that was filled with shouts of anger between Miku and Tsunoda was now deathly silent, the only sound now being that of this strange figure's black dress shoes clacking against the clean floor.

"Squabbling again? And here I thought you two understood how much it saddens me to see such pointless bickering." the thin man said with great disappointment, all while his tone came off as very approachable.

"We're sorry." both Miku and Tsunoda apologized together, sounding like they were two scorned children apologizing to a parent for misbehaving. Noah felt an unnatural chill flow through the hallway as what he could only presume to be the leader of the little community suddenly noticed him and Marcus standing there quietly.

"And what is this? Two new arrivals I see? That's wonderful! It never hurts to have more youth taking part in rebuilding our society for a brighter tomorrow." the nicely dressed figure observed before showing personal delight to their presence. The survivors suddenly began to form very wide smiles as he began to speak about how things would get better over time. He then continued to gaze down upon the two Lawson's that just stood there completely speechless and unaware of whatever he had in mind.

"Yes, very young indeed. I don't suppose you can offer us more than your company?" the thin man inquired as if this was an interview now. The hall remained completely silent as Noah looked over to Miku in the hopes she might be able to give him a signal. However, when he looked at her, she was focused entirely on the sharp-dressed man with what couldn't be any less than absolute admiration.

"Uhh-M-Military. We're military trained! While we weren't given the official initiations, our father has prepared us all the same." Marcus suddenly answered through an initial stutter before he could grasp onto some composure. The bespectacled formed a simple smile as if those were the exact combination of words he was hoping to hear.

"Well that would be most invaluable to us! While my people are most certainly brave and willing to do what it takes...I'm afraid their lack of experience and training shows at times. I think you two will fit in rather nicely if what you say is nothing but the honest truth. You wouldn't happen to be saying all that just to earn your stay, would you?" the thin man said with absolute glee before his voice dropped into that of doubt, as if he was an inquisitor trying to pry information out of someone. The eyes staring down at the Lawson brothers created pressure that felt heavier than a stack of bricks baring down on them.

"I think we should make them prove it! They're probably lying just so we don't-" Tsunoda suddenly announced as the man instantly spun around to look him dead in the eyes. Noah and Marcus couldn't see what expression was being made by the leader of this group, but just watching Tsunoda recoil back with a look of absolute fear while he shrank against the wall didn't exactly spark any bursts of curiosity anytime soon.

"S-Shido-sama..." Miku suddenly said in a timid voice that drew his focus upon her; his thin neck slowly turning so that his gaze could lock onto hers.

"What is it, my dear Miku-chan? I really hope this is important." the man known as Shido gently sighed as he still kept up that fragile voice that seemed to have everyone at ease.

"I-I can vouch for them. I've seen them in action before...just the two of them could handle our problem. I swear to you that-" Miku began to nervously explain; practically freezing at the end when he stood upright only to turn back to the Lawson siblings as if that was all he needed to hear.

"Very well, perhaps you two CAN back up your claims by taking care of a bump in the road we've stumbled across?" Shido said in a soft-spoken tone before he motioned the two to follow him. Without hesitation, the two siblings agreed to go and began to follow Shido, even if it felt like they didn't really have a choice in the matter.

[]

After walking down several flights of stairs, the Lawson brothers watched as Shido suddenly came to a halt in what looked like the eastern wing of the main building that contained most of the former math facilities. A large set of swinging doors remained sealed shut, covered by several security chains kept together by a single padlock.

"What's wrong? Can't get it open?" Marcus said sarcastically as Shido didn't seem to even be phased by the cheeky remark.

"See for yourself." Shido suggested, smiling to himself when Marcus walked over towards the set of doors.

The young Brit carefully peered through the small frame the two doors had. At first all seemed perfectly clear before he caught several blurry, yet noticeable, figures shifting around on the other side. Before he could announce to Noah what he was seeing on the other side, one grey hand suddenly slammed against the window. Marcus practically jumped out of this skin as he leapt back out of reaction and nearly tripped over himself.

"Ah, now I see what the problem is. Hmm...Noah, how many would you estimate are actually in there?" Marcus asked as he got back on his feet, trying to slow his still-racing heart.

"Depends; most of 'Them' should've left this place over a full week ago after everyone was either killed or fled. What were some of 'Them' wearing?" Noah attempted to estimate before bringing up a question of his own that somewhat stumped Marcus as he could only shrug his shoulders in response.

"Hmm…well, it could range all the way up to a hundred if we were to be so unlucky. This should be the first floor though, so several windows could be giving entry to ones we aren't going to see until it's too late. I suggest we lure these ones out first and go from there." Noah suggested as Marcus nodded in agreement before they turned to Shido, whom remained entirely silent during their quick exchange.

"If you give us back our weapons, we can at least clear the first few rooms. There's no telling how many are in there though until we actually manage to break through." Marcus requested somewhat sternly, uncertain how Shido would respond to such a risky plan. However, he simply smiled before gently nodding. Within minutes, the weapons once confiscated from the two siblings were brought back to them.

"Let's hope these flashlight attachments are still working and charged. Only source of light we'll be receiving otherwise is the sunlight from the windows, and we both know it won't be happening with the bloody grey clouds still lingering about." Noah announced as the two began to inspect and double check that the flashlight attachments to their respective side arms were still functional.

Two cones of light suddenly beamed out as the two smiled in response. Noah signaled Shido and the several people tagging along to stand far back after Teru handed him the key to the padlock. Both Lawson brothers stacked up against both doors.

*click*

[Dredd OST - Order in the Chaos]

The lock bounced against the floor before echoing across the hall. The chains dangled and fell into a crumpled pile soon after as the doors were then pulled wide open. Both brothers came face to face with a round man that had his neck torn out while his lower jaw hung loose and disfigured. Without any hesitation,the two siblings fired a single round each that blew two meaty chunks of the ex-human's skull out the back before it dropped like a heavy sack of cement.

Several growls, groans, and various sighs began to fill the air as Noah and Marcus stepped into the danger headfirst. Two cones of light scanned the area to instantly reveal ten undead students from the school slowly but surely making 'Their' way straight towards the Lawson brothers, who stopped and took aim; knowing it was time to clean house and put their training to good use.

*pakow* *pakow* *pakow*

In a series of semi-automatic bursts, the brothers managed to hit their marks quite well as three of 'Them' instantly slumped over and remained entirely motionless. Thick brown blood oozed out onto the floor as shell casings would eject out of the receivers and roll around on the floor. The bright beams of light leapt from target to target as the military-trained teenagers fired off another burst that resulted in more bodies piling up. They were so focused and full of adrenaline to the point they didn't even flinch from the extremely loud gunshots echoing and rebounding from the lengthy hallway.

A door suddenly burst wide open when they began to move forward. Noah stopped just in time to avoid being pinned under it as he then responded by putting his foot down hard up against the back of the undead teacher's neck. It squirmed like a trapped animal as the head began to slowly twist around to face the youngest Lawson, who responded by taking quick aim.

*pow* *pow*

The first shot struck the neck while the second one struck a direct hit through the mushy eye socket and straight out the back of the skull. They both backed up as several more of 'Them'limped and crawled out of the classroom the undead teacher had burst out from. Using the doorway as the perfect kill zone, the two brothers would take turns firing a single round and watching as with each one they killed, another would take its place.

However, due to fine trigger discipline and highly coordinated team work, they kept the undead pack at bay just in time before having to reload. Two empty magazines were then tossed aside before they proceeded further into the chaos; remaining on edge yet feeling extremely confident that they had everything under control so far. The hall seemed clear for now as they slowly approached two branching paths that caught Marcus' attention outright.

"Check those corners." Marcus called out as he recalled how his father would always emphasize how important that was; practically speaking it from sheer memory and instinct as they both did just that by swerving in opposite directions.

"Clear left! It's a dead end." Noah confirmed as his flashlight scanned the area to reveal a wall full of posters with no signs of 'Them' on his side.

"Four right!" Marcus announced as Noah spun around to assist him. Another series of shots burst out as the burning hot rounds pierced and punctured straight through the soft grey targets with ease.

[]

Noah and Marcus just stood there, slightly sweating from the intense pressure as they waited for a sign that they were still not alone here. However, after a full minute of waiting, something told them that was the last of it. Met with another dead end, the two brothers began to go from classroom to classroom to confirm that none of 'Them' had been missed or overlooked. The last thing either of them wanted was for someone to end up bitten because they weren't thorough.

"Go slow and don't worry about ammo. Double tap is your friend, remember?" Noah said before teasing Marcus with basic information they'd memorized long ago.

"I know that, you cheeky fuck. Just pipe down and let's get this over with." Marcus responded in a bitter grumble while smirking at how his little brother was starting to resemble him the more they would spend time together.

As they proceeded to scan and search the several classrooms in the infested sector, several things leapt out as discerning to the siblings. It started when Noah discovered several cartridge casings that matched their own weapons, yet with what looked like hundreds of shells lying across the floor. Marcus then managed to stumble over several MP5SFK carbines similar to the ones the police had been forced to use since the outbreak. The clips had been entirely emptied out, yet the former owners were nowhere to be seen. At least, that was the case until they found a broken window that lead outside into a fenced off area. Several of 'Them' could be seen aimlessly wandering around in the rain.

Several undead students were spotted outright, but it wasn't long until Noah spotted several of 'Them' had police uniforms; specifically the ones from the Tokonosu East Police Station he'd fought alongside. A sickening feeling rose up in his stomach as he just watched 'Them' bump against one another like blind men. He only could've assumed they were dead already when Miku had told him; but to actually see it, and the fact the doors were locked gave him a rather foreboding feeling now. When things couldn't seem to be any worse, he noticed several little kid sized undead amongst the unaware pack. Tears began to well up in the corners of Noah's eyes before his look of sorrow and pain shifted into that of anger and fierce determination.

"Where are you going?" Marcus asked in a soft whisper as Noah walked over to one of the carbines and began to mess with it; watching concernedly as Noah remained entirely silent while loading his handgun cartridges into the carbine magazine seeing how they both used the same type of ammunition.

Noah then walked back before carefully resting his elbows on the nearby window sill he quietly pulled open, only to then take aim. One eye closed as the other looked down the iron sights. His breath slowly was held back only for him to start firing shot after shot at the undead outside. Marcus watched in both awe and despair as Noah's accuracy wasn't anything short of impressive as each target went down. Thunder rang out above as Noah watched the last officer crumpling over motionless like the others, waiting in the now silent classroom as if expecting more to come shambling from around the corner. That moment did not come though as they were only met with the sight of rain and the occasional clap of thunder.

Noah remained stiff as a board until he suddenly felt Marcus gently patting him on the back. The youngest Lawson turned to face him only to see there was no smile on Marcus' face as usual, but rather that of understanding and sympathy for the mixed emotions swirling around inside of Noah's head.

"You did the right thing, soldier. Dad and Frasier would be proud of you as well." Marcus said in a rather somber sigh as he then formed a proud smirk before walking away only for Noah to follow close behind. The situation still left a bitter taste in his mouth, but at least he could feel some relief that those people no longer had to endure a living death.

Marcus then stood in the main hallway and let out a loud whistle before motioning those at the very end that all was clear now. Several various figures approached as Shido remained in the back with an absolutely delighted grin on his face. Miku stood there watching as Noah and Marcus brushed past the several people approaching to inspect their handiwork. She just looked at Noah and couldn't help but feel a strong urge to properly thank him for his outstanding efforts and contribution to her group.

"You did it! You actually did it! I knew you could, Noah-kun!" Miku exclaimed before she ran up to Noah, only for him to walk straight past her and Shido alike. His face was completely void of emotion as he remained mute the entire way up the stairs, looks of concern filling both Miku and Marcus' faces.

"Noah-kun?" Miku gently muttered to herself as she was absolutely shocked to see him so down and silent compared to that nervous yet adorable little sweetheart she had even back then quickly become pleasingly accustomed to.

"He's just a little shaken up. Always was a bit more emotional than the rest of my family." Marcus attempted to explain as he watched Miku take off to attend to the fragile young teen.

"I see. Well, regardless...you two have more than earned your place in my humble community. The people here could really use your help in keeping this place safe from those that would dare try and tear down what I've established." Shido began to announce as Marcus raised an eyebrow at Shido's proposition, somewhat curious as to whatever it was he had to say next.

Miku on the other hand was hustling up the stairs until she caught up to Noah, who was now slumping up against the wall; sitting with his forehead resting on his knees that were tucked up against his chest.

"Hey...Noah-kun, what's wrong? Were you hurt?" Miku asked in a gentle voice as she knelt down beside him to see what had him so broken down and distant.

"They were so young…just little kids that hadn't done anything wrong. I've always been a lad of logic and reason...but I still like to believe that there is a God or some kind of creator looking down over us; one that protects the good-hearted people of our world while justly punishing the bad for what they've done." Noah began to express as Miku was rather taken aback that someone such as the young Brit before her would actually believe in such a thing.

"Then I see something as horrific as this, and I have to ask…who is this meant to be punishing exactly? It feels so unfair, and I'm still too damn insignificant to make a difference about any of it! All while those who could've helped are busy looking out for themselves instead of for those who can't fight back! It makes me so angry that I...I..." Noah then continued in anguish as his temper began to rise; a painful scowl etched onto his face before he began to calm down again when Miku slowly pulled his head into her chest, gently cradling him as he couldn't help but breakdown into his more somber and regretful emotions.

"Don't look at me. I must look so goddamn pathetic right now...no man should be like this..." Noah said as he attempted to pull away from her, only to be somewhat surprised at how strong her hold on him was right now.

"Nonsense; I think quite the opposite if I'm being completely honest here. It's a good thing you're so caring and kindhearted. That way when you do become someone who can make a real difference in the world, your heart will still be in the right place. A part of me really admires what you just told me and how you selflessly made this place all the more livable for us all." Miku expressed as her small and tender hands began to soothingly rub his back and neck while keeping his head up against her buxom chest, her soft words sweet like honey to him as she did everything she could to help calm his nerves.

"T-Thank you, Miku-san. If you don't mind me saying this... if there's any consolation to be had here, it would have to be that I got to see you again." Noah mumbled out of confession as he nuzzled his head against her neck; unable to see the most genuine and heartfelt smile she'd formed in a long time.

"H-Hey! I'm the one who's supposed to be making YOU smile, not the other way around!" Miku said as she then found herself slowly holding him tight as if to help him feel more secure.

"You already have. Thank you, Miku-san. I'll be sure to thank you properly another time." Noah expressed with great gratitude before watching a smile spread across Miku's soft inviting lips that nearly made his entire body feel hot as an open flame.

"Another time? Why not right now?" Miku asked in a soft, honey-sweet, seductive voice that had Noah practically melting to the core; her fingers lightly running down his cheeks before motioning him to move closer.

"Hmm, maybe it wouldn't hurt if I—oh, hey, Marcus!" Noah began to say in a rather curious voice before he noticed his older sibling out of the corner of his eye.

"As much as I hate to be like Frasier, I'm afraid I have to talk to you about something important. Excuse us please." Marcus said somewhat apologetically before tugging Noah away without giving Miku or Noah a chance to ask what was going on. She just sat there, hoping it wouldn't take too long.

"What's with you? Why are you acting like something is wrong?" Noah asked in slight frustration as he was uncertain why Marcus felt the need to interrupt what was a rather promising moment for him.

"Because something IS wrong; this place, these people, that Shido guy. I can't help but feel like there's an angle we aren't seeing here." Marcus began to express as he crossed both of his arms; Noah raising an eyebrow to this sudden claim.

"What are you on about? This place seems great, especially now that we've just made it even safer for them!" Noah questioned as he had no idea what had gotten into Marcus all of a sudden.

"I know you've been distracted by Miku, but I've been observing the rest of this group. I've seen how they look up to Shido. They revere him he's like some kind of God or prophet or whatever that will help them survive this mess. They have this weird smile, as if everything he says and does is a stroke of genuine intellect. They look like druggies that just got another hit of dope every time he's around." Marcus explained with deep concern and worry in his voice, looking around to make sure nobody was coming their way.

"What are you trying to say, Marcus?" Noah asked; silently hoping Marcus wasn't going to say what he thought he was about to.

"I'm saying this is a bloody cult; a cult that blindly follows one man who seems to have no problem sending people to their death so long as he doesn't get his own hands dirty. I could be over speculating, but I can't exactly ignore the signs they've been giving me neither. We should go while they still remain friendly towards us." Marcus said in a more straightforward tone as he was quite certain of what he was feeling; like a hunch he just couldn't shake off, making him more paranoid by the minute.

"What about Miku?" Noah asked reluctantly as he seemed quite concerned what Marcus would have to say about her.

"What about her? She's one of them. She also had that bizarre expression, and I know she used to be one of his students before the outbreak. She'd be one of those more heavily affected by Shido if this is as bad as I'm expecting it to be." Marcus explained as he gave Noah some insight on the girl he had once more become very fond of.

"But she doesn't seem that bad. You don't think we could give her a chance to come with us?" Noah questioned as he felt certain that she was a special exception that would never do anything to hurt them.

"Sorry, but I don't think we can afford to risk that. She's too big of a liability." Marcus said as he just shook his head in disregard for Noah's feelings towards her.

"Fine. Let's just go…Frasier." Noah grumbled in bitter disappointment as he brushed past Marcus, who looked bewildered after taking such a low and rather personal insult.

"That isn't funny! Hey, Noah! Seriously, that was uncalled for!" Marcus announced as they both began to head for the exits, unable to notice that they were being listened in on by Tsunoda.

Both siblings dashed outside into the rain and through the parking encampments, only to be stopped at the gates by Teru,who now was wearing a bright yellow poncho for the rainfall that was pouring down even heavier now.

"What's the rush? Don't you know it's easy to slip in the rain?" Teru questioned as he motioned them to slow down; somewhat chuckling at his own remark as the two brothers remained straight-faced.

"We need to get home before it's too late. Our group must be worried sick about us by now." Noah attempted to explain as he stood there waiting for someone to open up the gate for them.

"We can send a messenger to your group to let them know you're here and bring them back. Mind telling us where they're holing up?" Teru offered as he pulled out a small notepad and pen out as if expecting an address on the spot; trying to cover it from the rain as best he could.

"Thanks for the offer, but that won't be necessary. We'll go on our own. Much faster that way." Marcus explained as he politely declined the offer. However, Teru didn't seem even remotely phased by the answer he was given as he just stared at them.

"I'm sorry, Marcus-san. I'm afraid I can't do that." Teru slowly announced as the two Lawson brothers couldn't help but form puzzled expressions at such a questionable response; looking at the other as if trying to confirm what they just heard.

"What? Sure you can! Just twist the locks off and get that gate open." Marcus replied, trying his best to hide how nervous he was through humor. Teru however still seemed unconvinced by his words and refused to budge at all on the matter.

"He means we can't let you leave now that you've seen our settlement. To protect ourselves, you can't leave and inform others about us." Shido's soft, soothing voice suddenly called out from behind as they turned to face the leader who was holding up an umbrella as several others lingered behind him.

[HoTD OST - Shido's Scheme]

"What? So we're your prisoners now? Let us out!" Marcus asked before speaking in a much more firm growl as he formed a tight fist; noticing Shido hardly seemed intimidated due to having the odds heavily stacked in his favor.

"Not at all; you're still free to mingle and live among the rest of our community as you please! We just can't allow you to leave is all." Shido attempted to reiterate as if expecting that was going to be enough to convince the two siblings that everything would be alright regardless of what was really going on.

"Let us go now, before this gets out of hand. Please." Noah attempted to express without sounding like he was pleading for mercy. However, Shido could see right through him and sense the fear behind the young boy's words.

"That just isn't going to happen. Like we said before, we'll send someone to bring your group back, but you two are staying here." Shido reiterated as he crossed both of his arms; shooting down any possible hope of a peaceful negotiation to allow the two siblings to leave his sanctuary.

"This is ridiculous! We're leaving regardless of what you say, Shido, and nobody can stop us! Not your mindless followers, not these desperate fucks you've been stringing along like puppets, and especially not some slime ball creep who refuses to let go of the slightest hint of power he never had before the world went to shit like you! We're leaving right now!" Marcus practically snarled as he could no longer let this drag out any more than it had. He knew he had to assert some form of dominance while there was still a window of opportunity left. Shido's followers on the other hand fell dead silent at what must've felt like heresy as the man himself just let out a deep sigh before adjusting his black-framed glasses. He then looked back up at them with an intense glare full of hate and scorn behind those sharp yellow eyes.

"No. You aren't." Shido suddenly said in an eerily soft voice that had little to no emotion behind it. His warm, friendly demeanor suddenly shifted into that of twisted, yet composed malice; a chilling look that told the two brothers they were in danger now as Shido simply nodded his head to signal those standing behind them.

Several hands instantly began reaching out and pulling on Marcus and Noah, whom both responded with a flurry of hits and swings against the several fanatics surrounding them. Their enraged grunts soon turned into gasps of desperation as they fought on. Despite their best efforts though, they could not hold back the tide of people and were soon beaten into the ground and completely overwhelmed. The butt of a rifle suddenly came down against the side of Marcus' head; causing everything to go black as he fell unconscious.

"No! You pricks will pay for this!" Noah announced in a defeated grunt when he watched as Marcus slumped over unconscious with blood running down the side of his face; looking up just in time to see Tsunoda staring down at him with a smug grin on his face before kicking Noah as hard as he could in the jaw, effectively knocking the youngest Lawson out cold.

"Put them in with the others. Hopefully they'll know their place and come around in due time. Their skills would be quite valuable to us should they choose to come to their senses." Shido instructed when all seemed to be in his control as he waved off his followers who were holding Noah and Marcus' unconscious figures upright.

"What about their group?" Teru questioned with some concern over the retaliation they might have been facing in the near future for what they just did; looking up to Shido for the answer he always seemed to have whenever asked about anything.

"You just leave that to me." Shido exclaimed in an all too soothing hush before turning around and casually strolling back into the building. A sinister smirk curved along his thin lips before the doors behind him slammed shut. A low, joyful hum filled the hallway as in the back of his mind, he contemplated his next move to handle this new group he was quite eager to meet.