I do not own Highschool of the Dead or its characters.
Updated: 10/17/13
Morning came and Rika had them all up by the time it was fully daylight. She knew it might be noon before her boss arrived, but she wanted everything ready to move as soon as possible.
Saeko and Saya kept watch, while the others piled what they were taking next to the front gate. Once that was done, they all headed back into the house to wait.
Kohta went upstairs, posted himself by an open window, and watched in the direction Rika said they should be coming from. Saya brought him tea and sat with him, sometimes massaging his shoulders and back, while he listened for the sounds of engines.
Saya had lain down on the bed and was dozing off when Kohta suddenly jumped from his chair. She came over and leaned out the window with him as he looked down the street with the binoculars.
"Is it them?" she asked with anticipation.
"It might be, but I'm not sure yet. Go call for Rika please while I try to get a better look."
The boy leaned out the window as Saya rushed out the door. He focused the field glasses down the street where he could see some type of big vehicle moving slowly up the last hill.
He leaned back into the room as Rika came through the door with Saya behind her, "What do you see, Hirano?"
Holding the binoculars out to her he made his report, "I see a US Striker APC with some type of bulldozer blade on the front, followed by a standard Humvee with a duce-an-a-half truck behind it. There are other vehicles behind them but I cannot make them out yet, Sergeant."
Noting his use of her rank, Rika took the glasses and looked out the window, "That should be them, but just to be safe, I'm going outside to meet them. You cover me from here, and I'll take Takashi and Saeko with me."
Kohta nodded as she went back out the door. He watched as she came out of the front of the house with Takashi and Saeko in tow. The teens stopped just outside the door as Rika walked on down to the gate.
She raised her hand and waved as the Stryker APC passed. The man in the commander's hatch smiled broadly and waved back. Once the APC was slightly past the gate it pulled to a stop. The Humvee following pulled to the left of it in a blocking position and the truck behind it turned in the street, to put its rear close to the gate. The other vehicles in the convoy, Kohta could now see three more trucks and another APC, spread out at angles as best they could giving cover to each other as they parked. With a sudden rush, they all shut down their engines leaving only the sounds of hot metal, popping as it cooled.
After the commander of the lead APC had dismounted, he walked up to Rika and wrapped her in a hug. After talking for a minute, she turned and signaled to Kohta all was well and he could abandon his post.
Kohta closed the window and turned to Saya. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply.
"What was that for?" She asked as they came up for air. "Not that I'm complaining."
He smiled, "We're about to enter a larger group and I don't know when we will get any alone time together again. Plus I love you and just wanted too."
She blushed, "Well then one more for the road," she said as she leaned back into his embrace.
As they arrived downstairs Rika and the others came in the front door with the convoy commander.
They gathered around as she introduced them. The lean, brown-haired man smiled and bowed slightly, "I'm Tomasa Kaoru, lieutenant and commander of this convoy. I'm pleased to meet all of you."
They returned his bow with smiles and waited as he opened a bag he was carrying with him. "I want you all to put on these tac-com radio sets, Sarge and I will help, this will keep you in the loop while we are traveling."
He pulled out several headsets and gave the first one to Rika. She had everyone watch as she put it on and then they both helped them do the same. The lieutenant gave quick instructions on how to use the sets, but advised them to stay quiet unless there was a pressing need or they were called by name.
Rika whispered to the LT for a second and then turned to the rest, "Hirano, I want you to take my rifle and get on top of the lead Stryker. Set overwatch for enemy coming from our west. The crewman in the Stryker will help you get on top, go."
Kohta handed Rika his rifle in exchange for hers before going out the door. He could feel the lieutenant's eyes on his back as he passed through the gate. Nodding to the soldiers waiting by the truck, he walked to the APC where the rear ramp was coming down.
A young, red-haired, Caucasian man came out and smiled to him. "I am to get on top and take overwatch," Kohta told him in English. The smiling soldier motioned for Kohta to follow him. They went inside and forward till the red-haired man stopped below a closed hatch. Reaching up, he showed Kohta how to open it and where to put his feet as he climbed up.
Kohta noticed the driver, an older Japanese man looking back at him. He nodded in greeting and climbed to sit in the hatch. As he got in position he felt a touch on his leg. Looking back down, he found the red-haired soldier looking up to him.
"By the way, I'm Sean Patrick Flanery, you can call me Paddy," the man said in Japanese.
Kohta nodded and replied, "Hirano Kohta, please call me Kohta."
Paddy gave him a thumb up and headed to the back of the APC again. Kohta settled himself, looked at his fields of fire, and then reached the button on his throat mike, "Hirano to Sergeant; in position, over."
Rika smiled as Tomasa grinned. She keyed her mic and replied, "Rodger Hirano; sit tight, sing out if you see anything. Click your mic twice to acknowledge." Tomasa nodded as they heard the double-click come back.
Rika turned back to the others, "Shizuka, take Alice and Zeke to the APC Kohta is on, the crewman will help you get in. Takashi, you, Rei and Saeko stand watch in the yard till everything is loaded. Saya, you come with me, I want you to advise the men on what is in the cargo so they can load correctly." They all nodded as she smiled and said, "Last one out close the door."
Takashi stood in the main room for a minute as everyone else filed out. Looking around for one last time, he reached into his pocket and drew out the letter he had written. He placed it with the original note and the house keys on the side table by the door. Turning to exit, he found Saeko standing in the door waiting for him.
Stepping over to her he hugged her close and whispered, "I love you," in her ear. She smiled and brushed a lock of hair from his forehead, before turning and walking down the front path. Takashi sighed and closed the door behind him as he followed her.
It only took a few minutes for the soldiers to make short work of the supplies. As they were finishing up everyone heard a click on their headsets.
"Hirano to Sergeant; Two zeds to our west, 150 meters and closing."
Rika, who was standing in the middle of the street, turned and waved for Takashi, Rei and Saeko to come join them. Takashi noticed the soldiers climbing on top of the truck as he and the others gathered in the street around Rika and Tomasa.
Lt. Tomasa reached up and keyed his mike after whispering with Rika for a minute, "LT to Hirano; Do you have a clear shot?"
"Rodger LT," the boy replied.
"Weapon free, take your shot, eliminate the threat," Tomasa ordered.
"Firing," was Kohta's only reply.
Behind him, Takashi heard one of the soldiers quietly say, "Well let's see what the new kid's got!"
Crump! The silenced rifle fired. Two seconds later, Crump! again. "Targets eliminated," Kohta said quietly over the radio.
One of the soldiers on the truck gave a short whistle as the others clapped silently.
Smiling up to them Saya said, "That's MY boyfriend!"
They all laughed as they climbed down from their perch. One of them walked over, "Everything loaded and tied down, LT. We're ready to go when you give the word."
Tomasa nodded and keyed his mic, "Everyone load up and get ready to roll on my command."
Tomasa went into the lead APC just as the red-headed soldier came out. Responding to something the officer told him, Paddy turned and almost ran head-on into Rei. He reached and grabbed her shoulders as he slid to a stop, looking her right in her eyes. He and Rei both froze as they stared at each other.
"Holy Mother Mary…" Paddy muttered as he and Rei's eyes stayed locked on each other.
The others watched in stunned amazement as the pair just stood there, drinking each other in.
Finally Rika called out to them. "Paddy!" she said, no response, "Paaaddy!" Again nothing. Now disgusted she roared, "Sean Patrick Flanery!"
"Oi!" Paddy cried out as he and Rei both jumped at her shout.
Rika pointed to the APC, "Get the lady inside and squared away! We need to move!"
"Yes Sergeant!" he cried. Turning to Rei he held out his hand, "Please, let me help you in and show you how to secure your rifle." Rei responded with a nod of her head and a little, "Uh huh…" as she took his hand.
As they disappeared inside, Takashi, Saeko and Saya turned to Rika with stunned looks on their faces. She shook her head and said, "Damn, that is the worst case of love at first sight I've ever seen! I'll be in the Humvee if you need me."
Saeko started to giggle behind her hand as Saya face-palmed herself. Following the pair inside, Saya found Paddy showing Rei how to use the seatbelts. Once he was through Saya asked, "Where's Hirano-kun?"
Paddy led her forward past Shizuka and Alice to the open hatch. "He's up top keeping watch." he told her before going back to help Takashi and Saeko get settled.
Saya rose up in the open hatch to find herself staring right into Kohta's crotch. Glancing up she saw him looking down at her with one eyebrow raised. She flushed red as she heard 'snirk!' to her left as Tomasa tried to choke back a laugh. The man quickly turned his back to them and looked back over the convoy as the vehicles started up.
"You doing okay?" she asked Kohta who was still looking at her.
He nodded and told her she should get back inside and get seated since they were about to roll out. Nodding she ducked back down and found a spot by Alice, but nearest Kohta.
Paddy raised and dogged the rear door, and called up to Tomasa they were ready.
He looked around and found every seat taken except the one between Rei and Shizuka. He sat down there and stretched his legs out in front of him.
"I'm sorry we have not been properly introduced. I am Sean Patrick Flanery of Boston, Massachusetts."
Rei blushed and said, "I'm Miyamoto Rei and I'm pleased to meet you."
Takashi smiled, "I'm Komuro Takashi, and this is Busujima Saeko beside me. Marikawa Shizuka is next to you. Maresato Alice and Zeke are next and Takagi Saya is the one sticking near Kohta."
"Nice to meet all of you!" Paddy said.
"Are you an American soldier, Flanery-san?" Saeko asked.
He shook his head, "Please, all of you call me Paddy or Patrick. No Busujima-san I am what you would call a 'soldier of fortune' now. I joined the US army when I was 17. My enlistment was up right about the time all this started. When the US forces abandoned all these vehicles in place, the army gave me the option to go to Okinawa with them as a civilian or stay. I met the LT and Sarge and they got me a good offer with the Japanese government. Oh! I'm a mechanic; I was trained to keep this stuff running."
Takashi laughed, "I guess that makes you a valuable asset!"
Paddy shrugged his shoulders, "I guess it's nice to be needed. I just want to be of some use. I'm not much of a shooter. I can barely qualify with an M-16."
Kohta ducked down and looked around the cabin. "How's everyone doing?" he asked.
They all waved to him that they were fine. "How is it going outside?" Saya asked, "I don't like being enclosed in this thing where I can't see out. Do you have any idea where we are going?"
Kohta shook his head, "All the LT said was we're heading to a supply depot to stock up before going on to our final destination."
"That was a couple of good shots you made earlier," Paddy told him. "I think you impressed the troops with those."
"Thanks," Kohta said as he nodded. "I just want to do my part."
He held Saya's hand for a few minutes and then told her, "I'm going back up to talk to the LT. I want to know some things about what he is doing." She nodded as he stood back up in the hatch.
Standing up he looked around. Taking in the road, where they were and how the convoy looked behind them, before turning his attention to Tomasa, who had been watching him with a smile on his face.
Kohta turned back and blushed as he noticed Tomasa watching him. "Sarge said you're a gun otaku, what do you know about this thing?" Tomasa asked.
Kohta almost drooled as the lieutenant reached out and patted the weapon on the swivel mount in front of him.
Clearing his throat Kohta began to recite, "M2HB BMG .50 cal. also known as 'Ma Duce', air-cooled, belt-fed, firing rate around 600 rounds a minute with an effective range of 1,800 meters. Your charging lever is on the right side and the belt is fed from the left. You fire it by pressing the butterfly triggers with one or both thumbs. Even though it can handle sustained fire, it is best to fire in short burst to let the barrel cool…"
Tomasa waved him down laughing, "Enough! You know this thing better that I do!"
Kohta smiled, but then pointed to the gun mount, "I know that is a swivel mount, but does it swing around the commander's hatch also?"
Tomasa nodded, "There is a switch right here that is a power assist for the ring mount. You can move it without that but it's harder and takes longer. Best thing to do is spin the ring in the general direction you want and then adjust your fire with the gun itself." He triggered the switch and showed Kohta how quickly the mount would work back and forth.
Tomasa watched as Kohta eyes took in everything. He leaned over and asked, "So Hirano-san, what do you intend to do with your life from now on?"
Kohta thought for a minute before answering the officer, "I don't know, sir. At one time I thought about joining the army or something, but when this started, I was just sitting in place trying to get through high school. My father was a jewel buyer and my mother a fashion designer, neither of those careers was I interested in. Also, now I have someone else to consider." He glanced downward.
Knowing who he meant Tomasa nodded, "We'll talk more on it later. We need good people and I think you would fit right in. I know you have a lot to think over, but Sarge is impressed with you, and so far I am too. Those were good shots you made back at that house and you handled yourself well on the radio after only minor instruction."
"LT, I'm not even out of high school yet."
Tomasa waved his hand as if to flick something away, "Bah, that doesn't matter anymore, Hirano. Well that's wrong…it does matter, but it's something we are going to have to work around for now. It's going to take a while for things to settle down before we can worry about the 'new' order of things."
The lieutenant scanned around and turned back to Kohta, "Right now I want you to drop down and take a break. We're going to run along a while and around noon I'll call you up and we can look for a place to stop and break for lunch."
Kohta nodded as he lowered himself into the Stryker, closing the hatch behind him. Saya watched as he settled down beside her and took her hand in his.
"Get some of the answers you were looking for?" she asked.
He nodded, "And more questions of course."
She smiled and laid her head on his shoulder as the APC rumbled along.
000
An hour later, Kohta jerked awake as someone tapped him on the leg. He opened his eyes to see Tomasa across from him, smiling and motioning for him to come topside. Softly shaking Saya to wake her, Kohta reached up and opened the hatch. Standing and stretching, he quickly looked around to get his bearings.
"Get your binoculars and scan around for somewhere we can park with good fields of fire around us." the lieutenant told him.
"How about a convenience store with a big parking lot?" Kohta asked while pointing ahead on his left.
Tomasa looked sheepish, "If it had been a snake it would have bit me…just for that, you get to guard the Stryker while we eat."
Kohta chuckled as Tomasa gave orders to the driver and other vehicles on where to park and what zones to cover.
Five minutes later, a three-man team was clearing the store while guards sat on top of vehicles with binoculars and scopes watching for threats. Knowing They would be attracted by the sounds of the engines the guards watched a small trickle of undead shuffle towards the convoy. Once the order was given Kohta and another shooter, Corporal Yanagiba, eliminated them in a flurry of silent pops.
Saya climbed up and sat beside him as she dug through two MRE's. Kohta chewed on a fruit bar and drank water as Saya examined all the little packets included.
One of the other soldiers, Tatsumi, had given the all clear to the store which had water, and best of all, working restrooms.
Suddenly Corporal Yanagiba keyed his mic, "I've have live motion on my front! Repeat, live motion not undead. One woman holding a broomstick with a white flag on it. She's in the middle of the street with her arms sticking out to her sides. Over."
There was a rush of activity as Tomasa and Rika jogged to where the corporal was. A minute later Rika came online, "I'm going to check her out. Takashi, Saeko and Tatsumi come with me."
Rika led with Saeko behind her as Takashi covered their left, and Tatsumi their right. Stopping about five meters from the woman, she said, "I'm Sergeant Minami prefecture police; tell me your name and what you want."
The woman seemed to wilt slightly before speaking. "My name is Dean Yukari; my husband is a US Marine on Okinawa. My son and I are the only ones left in this area. Please take us with you! I don't care where you are going, we don't have the supplies to stay here any longer and it's not safe enough for us to travel by ourselves. We have not been bitten."
"Put down the broomstick and stay where you are while this young lady checks you out," Rika told her.
Nodding, the woman lay the stick down and stood still with her arms out. Saeko walked forward with her hand on the hilt of her sword, and inspected the woman from all sides. Stopping behind her, the girl nodded to Rika and smiled, "She's clear."
Rika stepped forward, "Where is your son at Dean-san?"
"He's down this street in our apartment. I have to signal him or he will not open the door," she said, picking the broomstick back up.
Nodding, Rika informed the lieutenant what they were doing as they followed Dean-san. Two blocks away, Dean-san stopped in the street and waved the flag in front of her three times quickly. The door of the building opened and a blond-headed boy about Alice's age ran out. Seeing the others in the street he slid to a stop in shock.
Going to him his mother spoke, "It's alright, Masahiko. These people are with the police. They are going to take us with them to safety."
Rika smiled at the scene and turned to Saeko, "Busujima-san, please guard in the street while we go in and help Dean-san with baggage." Saeko nodded in reply.
About five minutes later, Saeko keyed her mic, "Busujima to Sergeant; I see five of Them approaching, maybe three minutes until They arrive."
She heard a double-click response on the headset as Rika walked up behind her, "We'll let them alone for now," She said. "When they get close to the convoy I'll have them taken out."
Saeko thought a moment and leaned over to whisper in Rika's ear. Rika frowned and asked, "Are you sure?"
Saeko nodded, a wry smile on her lips, "Kohta has proven his worth to the group; please give me a chance to prove mine. Plus, I could use the exercise."
Rika sighed, "Okay, but Takashi is going to cover you no matter what. We'll wait 'til we get back before I let you loose." Saeko bowed slightly to this.
As they made their way back to the store, Saeko lagged behind with the broomstick in her hand. Every once in a while she would stop and tap it on the pavement, as though she was calling the undead following them.
Tatsumi kept looking back at her every time she did it, "What the hell is she doing? Calling them to come with us?"
Takashi smiled, "I think I know what she's up to, Tatsumi-san. You'll see when we get back."
As they got within a few meters of the convoy Rika turned to Takashi, "Guard her 'til she is through, and then bring her in."
Nodding, the boy handed the baggage he was carrying to another soldier, and went back to where Saeko was standing. Stopping behind her he asked, "Do you really feel the need to do this now?"
She nodded, "Kohta has proven his worth. It's time the rest of us do so as well."
He sighed, "Okay, but be careful. I'll be right here if you need me."
She smiled back over her shoulder as the undead shuffled their way closer.
"I want everyone to watch this." Rika said over the radio. "This young lady is the daughter of Busujima Kage, commander of the Emperor's personal guard and trained by him."
"I guess we're putting on a show today," Saya said to Kohta, while she held out some candy bits for him from her meal. Kohta laughed and popped a few in his mouth.
All was quiet except for the moans of the creatures shuffling toward Saeko. Suddenly, she drew her sword and raced forward. It was over in seconds, five bodies hitting the ground as five heads rolled away.
Saeko stood on the center of the carnage as Takashi slowly walked over and whispered to her. Looking at him, she pressed her forehead to his and then stepped back to sling the black blood from her blade. Cleaning it on the clothes of one of the bodies, she sheathed it and then took Takashi's hand as they walked slowly back inside the perimeter of the convoy.
She stopped in front of Tomasa and said with a low bow, "I offer my services to you Lieutenant, on behalf of the Busujima family."
Tomasa glanced at Rika for a second and then bowed in return, "Thank you for your offer Busujima-san. Please allow me consider it."
She nodded and walked towards the store to clean up in the restroom. Takashi followed her and as they passed, the soldiers began to bow to her with smiles on their faces. Blushing she nodded back and quickened her pace.
Tomasa looked at Rika and whistled. "You're not kidding! I've never seen anything like that outside of a Zatoichi movie! That's two winners, what can the rest of them do?"
"Well you know Shizuka's talents," Rika shook her finger at him as Tomasa chuckled. "Don't laugh!" she scolded. "Rei-san is trained with the spear and not too bad of a teacher for that little girl. Saya-san is a bit of a genius, lot of book knowledge and sharp as a tack, though a little grumpy at times. I was thinking we could use her talents in supply and logistics."
"What about Komuro? You said he was their leader?"
She nodded, "You have been paying attention to Hirano because he is the best asset for this trip. In the future, if I can get him to join, Takashi will be the one leading expeditions like this. Plus he and Busujima come as a pair. You saw how she zoned out for a second there at the end? If there had been more Zeds she would not have stopped until she collapsed or he reeled her in. I saw that the first time I watched her. One thing is for sure, where she goes, he will be there."
Looking around, she spotted Saya on top of the Stryker with Kohta. "Right now I think I'm going to put the genius to work. Dean-san said they were the last live people in this area as far as she knew. I think we should strip anything we can use from the store. It will give Pinky something to do and let me see how she handles people."
Tomasa nodded as Rika headed for the Stryker.
000
Thirty minutes later the looting of the store was in full swing. Saya had soldiers running up and down the aisles with shopping carts, filling them with whatever she pointed at. Then it was out the door to where Takashi, Saeko, Rei, Yukari and the kids were packing the loot away in bags and containers as fast as they could and writing on the outside what was in them.
Rika found her standing in front of the pet display with her fingers on her chin thinking. "What's wrong Saya?" the woman asked.
"Where are we going after this Rika? I need to know so I can decide if there are some things we can leave."
Rika nodded, "We're going to a disaster supply depot. It's a warehouse local government and police use for staging in the event of earthquake or typhoon. As far as the LT can tell, this one should be intact because everything went to hell so fast no one had time to open it. Plus this one has an armory."
Saya understood now, "That's means guns and bullets. What about medical supplies?"
"Should be everything needed to treat hundreds of injured for several days to a week. So what's your problem now?"
"Dog food," Saya replied.
"Dog food?"
Saya sighed, "We only have Zeke, and I'm trying to justify loading up on dog food while we can. But we have a lot of people to feed first. He could just eat scraps."
Rika understood, "Look at it this way. We know he reacts to zeds and is a good guard for the kids. We have police dogs somewhere and may end up with other dogs before this is over. Go ahead, load up, I can see it being useful."
Saya nodded and waved to a grizzled, older soldier coming up the aisle with a cart. He was their driver and she now knew his name was Toda. "Toda-san, please load all this dog and cat food." He nodded and started raking it into the cart.
As Rika and Saya walked to the front of the store, they were met by Tomasa. "We need to finish up and get moving. I want to be at our destination before nightfall."
Rika keyed her mic, "Okay shoppers, the store is closing and the blue light special is over. Bring whatever is in your carts to the front and let's load up, boot up and move out."
Saya looked at Rika for a minute before asking, "What's a blue light special?"
000
They rearranged a few things to get space in the lead Stryker for Dean-san and her son to join them. Paddy put a blanket down behind the driver for the children and Zeke. They sat there talking, as they played with the little dog.
The rest had settled down in the back with, Paddy on the floor in front of the rear door. This put Takashi and Saeko to his right, with Rei, Dean, Shizuka, and Saya on the left side. Kohta sat down below the hatch he had been using and Tomasa was back in the commander's spot.
The convoy rumbled along at a fair pace except for a few times when they had to squeeze around wrecked cars and trucks in the road. Tomasa felt lucky they had only had to detour once so far, but as he thought this the APC began to slow.
"Toda to LT; Road's blocked ahead by a couple of wrecked cars. I think we can push through, but we need to adjust the blade before we try it. We'll have to do that from outside."
Kohta popped up in his hatch as Tomasa double-clicked his mic. The APC stopped and the lieutenant climbed higher to get a better look.
Suddenly, there was the Ka-pow! of a rifle shot and Kohta felt the wind of a bullet go past his head.
Tomasa smashed back against his hatch, and then dropped into the vehicle leaving a trail of blood behind him.
Kohta ducked, slamming his hatch down behind him while crying into his mic, "SNIPER! WE'RE UNDER FIRE AND LT'S BEEN HIT!"
A/N: Who would be so bold as to piss this bunch off? Chapter 11 coming soon! Please leave a Review and/or Favorite. Also give my Black Lagoon stories a try while you are at it.