Radar
by. Poisoned Scarlett
It was late and dark but the night was alive with wilderness.
Maka thought about how Soul always knew when danger was imminent. At first she thought he simply had a knack for sensing these things before she realized he took her advice on silence seriously. He used the silence better than she did, however. He could tell regular silence from irregular silence, the type that permeated through the area and clogged your ears. Six times out of ten it was exactly what they were thinking, but it was those other four times that could drive a person mad.
"Hey," Soul whispered suddenly, scaring her terribly. He knocked his knuckle on the glass of the window and she glared at him. She been more than ready to grab her gun, which was on the floor of the car but always in range of her hand. "Shut up, idiot, you'll wake up Liz!"
"What are you even doing here?" Maka hissed, crawling over to open the door. He crept inside, shutting the car door as quietly as he could. He winced when it clicked closed but, upon peering at the van Liz had decided to crash in, he found no movement. The usual sounds of nature continued and Soul breathed easy for now.
"I found something you might be interested in," Soul told her, reaching into the inner pocket of his jacket. He pulled out a white Kindle and handed it to her with a crooked grin, reading the awe and delight when he told her the battery was practically full. She turned it on immediately and browsed through the selection, her smile widening with every book she scrolled past. "Good thing the person who owned this was a total bookworm like you, eh?"
"Where did you find this?" She asked excitedly, continuing her browse of the books.
"In the car," he thumbed to the vehicle he had crashed in, the one at the very edge to ensure he was the first to know if the undead were close. "Couldn't sleep so I went through some boxes in the back..."
"It was in a box?"
"Nah, I dropped my lighter and found it under the seat. Thought you'd like to see it as soon as possible," he grinned at her and she bounced excitedly in her seat, pointing at the screen when she recognized one of her favorite titles. She rattled on about the book enthusiastically and his grin became a soft smile. He had not seen her this happy or excited in a long time. It was nice to see her smile again like that. "Happy birthday, by the way," he offered and she paused her tirade, looking up at him with bright eyes.
"Mm, thanks!" She turned off the Kindle. "It's funny, I don't feel any older!"
"Yeah, that happens a lot," he offered halfheartedly. Soul looks out the window, the pocket in his jacket weighing. Liz had done her fair share of rummaging and had come across something very peculiar in her scavenge. She had dropped a few of her treasures in his hand earlier, winked and told him to have a good time. "Listen, Maka—!"
"Soul—!"
They stopped, looking at each other.
"You go first," he cleared his throat.
"No, you, yours sounded more important," she squeaked and looked down at her lap, red creeping down her neckline. The question that had been on the tip of her tongue could not be anymore inappropriate than his, for sure. It was a ridiculous request, anyway, and certainly nothing she should be thinking about in the middle of a crisis.
"You have to hear me out first, alright?" He began, before anything. He knew her well enough to know that a warning was always a good way to go about these things. She nodded in reply, attentive to what he had to say. "Earlier I was doing some rummaging in the other cars," he lied, deciding that telling Maka that Liz had a very good idea of what could happen would not be good for her heart. "And I found something."
"…What is it?"
Soul dug around in his pocket, pulling out a square foil-package that had her staring. He didn't meet her eyes as he said, "I know, before, I promised you something for your birthday that wasn't fair at the time but, if you want…" He winced at his own awkwardness. This had gone a lot smoother in his head. "I just want to tell you that we can now, but it's completely up to you and if you feel up for it. I don't wanna' force you into something you don't want, s'not cool, and—!" Soul stopped when he felt her hand on his, her fingers wiggling into the cracks of his fingers to touch the package.
She wet her lips and took the condom from his hand. Everything seemed amplified, the forest noises and his breathing. Maka told herself to relax and looked up at Soul, who looked back calmly. He was not forcing her into anything, not trying anything, he was leaving it up to her. Though she knew Soul would never force her into anything, she was still hesitant about it. She had been daydreaming about it earlier, had dreamt about it often enough, and had tasted enough of his mouth to yearn for more. But it was still nerve-wracking, once the opportunity arose.
"Don't hurt yourself thinking, Maka," Soul ruffled her hair and let his thumb caress her cheek when she jerked back, wide-eyed. "I just wanted to let you know. Alright?" She nodded quickly and he crooked a smile. "Alright, cool. Night." He managed to grab the door, ready to push it open as silently as possible to escape back to his car, when he felt her hand grab the back of his jacket.
"No, wait," she tugged him back. He complied, whispering her name questioningly, and tensed only for a second when she crawled up his lap and took hold of his cheek. She waited a second, looking into his eyes timidly once, before closing them and pressing her mouth against his, her legs bending around his waist comfortably. "You promised," she murmured against his lips. "Don't break your promise." She felt his smile as he kissed her, his body hot beneath hers. His hands held her back and ran down it until they reached the waist of her jeans. He slipped a finger under the waistband and spread his legs a little more, groaning into her mouth when she ran her hands down his chest. He tucked her hair behind her ears, tongue reacquainting itself with hers as his hands explored the new areas of her body available to him.
Maka clutched the condom in her hand as his hands traveled up her back. Her fingers trembled and her skin ached to the touch, his touch. Maka parted from him enough to suck in a breath but he turned his attention to her neck, leaving open mouthed kisses that made her heart quiver. She grabbed the lapels of his jacket and pulled them over his shoulders. He wasted no time flinging it aside, lifting his arms so she could remove his shirt. His hands gripped her sides, moved up to cup her perky breasts. Soul kissed her collarbone, panting against her skin as she began to voice the faintest of moans.
Maka had never felt so suffocated by her clothes in her entire life. There was a terrible ache between her thighs, one that she could barely relieve by squirming, and every time his fingers rubbed into her skin, she felt like whining. Maka pulled her shirt up and he helped her out of it, his eyes immediately taking in the perky breasts she had taunted him with for so long. He licked the corner of his lip and pulled down a cup of her bra, licking her pert nipple into his mouth and pausing when she sharply moaned and dug her fingers into his hair.
"Not good?" he murmured against her chest, massaging her breast.
She shuddered. "No...no, keep going, it's good..."
Maka angled her head to watch him suck on her breast, lick the swell of them before he moved onto its twin. She reached behind her to undo the back of her bra but the stretch allowed for more room and Soul massaged her breast again, leaving marks with each suck of his lips. He enjoyed the tiny whimpers she released with every suck, every time the pad of his finger rubbed her nipple. Maka flung her bra aside and grabbed him by his neck, tracing her tongue over the dull edges of his teeth.
A crinkle brought her attention back to the condom wrapper in her hand, as well as the prod of his cock against her thigh. Maka dared to grind her hips into his, a delighted gasp that quickly melted into a groan of his name encouraging him to jerk his hips up to hers. She bit her lip, grinding into his lap again and feeling her panties stick to her, slide and moisten even more from her excitement. She whimpered his name and he held her hips, guiding her hips against his steadily.
"Maka," he husked, letting his tongue flick her nipple as she acquired a rhythm. He hoped the car would not make too much noise, as he rocked against her hips a little faster. His fingers dug into her skin, hard, and she raked her nails down his bare shoulder. "Fu—!" He shut his eyes, willing himself not to lose his load so soon. They were hardly anywhere; he had to hold out. He also had to be quiet. With a steady breath, he wrapped his arm around her waist and turned them on their side.
She understood what he wanted and laid on her back, the rest of the door digging into her neck. But she managed to wiggle her leg out from between them, inviting him between her. Once he was settled, the bulge in his pants even more prominent now that he was facing her, she handed him the condom.
He took it, pressing his forehead against hers. "You sure?" he asked softly, nipping the corner of her mouth.
"Mhm," she hummed back, stroking his cheek with her hand again. "I'm ready." Soul helped her out of her skirt, her panties, and she helped wiggle his pants down his hips until he could kick them off. The car was hot, the windows fogging with their combined heat. His boxers, as she looked down the stretch of her stomach, were tented and what threatened to spring out from under them made her throat tight and a groan rise up. "Soul," she pleaded, squeezing his waist with her legs.
"Calm down, you're making too much noise," he rushed against her skin, kissing her again. He gently rocked against her, their kiss becoming wet and rough the more he teased the spot of her that made urgency wind tight in her gut. Every pass had her moaning, whimpering his name because the pleasure was unbearable yet sweet. Maka stroked his back, letting her nails scrape down his skin gently until he thrust particularly hard into her. She felt that one, how the head of his cock had slipped between her folds through the fabric of his boxers. It made the wait more excruciating, with the heat in her belly reaching new levels.
"Soul, what are you waiting for," she whispered, lidded eyes meeting his dark ones. "Get inside me," she exhaled around a kiss, licking her way back into his mouth. His hand grabbed her thigh, tightening her leg around his waist, and he bucked hard, a motion that had her gasping out a moan. Maka's hand gripped the edge of the seat in shock, not believing that such pleasure could be derived from such a simple action. "S-Soul," she gasped, rolling her hips against his. Sweat beaded on her forehead, the base of her neck, the car had suddenly become sweltering.
Soul cursed and hastily pulled down his boxers, tearing the edge of the condom wrapper with his teeth. Maka's eyes widened when she finally saw his length, watched as he leaned back enough to roll the condom over it. Her hand reached out but she paused and pressed it against her chest, timid. He stopped his rustling when he noticed and looked up at her.
"What's wrong?"
"I was just…" She fumbled, looking away shyly and squeezing her hand into a fist. "Nothing."
He noticed her hand, fisted by her side, and then his eyes looked down at his cock, which was up in attention. He made the connection quick enough. He reached for her hand and squeezed it reassuringly when she tried to jerk back. A slight smile graced his features when she darted her eyes back to him shyly. He guided her hand down, teeth grinding enough to hurt when her fingers grazed over him and then took hold of him.
Maka was fascinated, letting a finger run up to the head. It was a lot different than what she had imagined or seen on the web, those times inappropriate ads would pop up on the sides in websites. She let her finger trance down his shaft, marveled how hard yet soft he felt. She squeezed a little more and earned herself a strangled croak of her name. Maka flicked her eyes up at him, the veins that bulged on his neck and how his eyes had taken on a darker quality, with a desire that made her heart pound and her skin crawl pleasantly. She gave his member one last jerk before letting go, grabbing his shoulder as he swooped down to bring her into a searing kiss.
"I'll let you play with me later," he whispered against her lips, grinning at the noise she made in her throat. "We'd have to wait if I let you blow my load right now."
"How long?" She asked, kissing the side of his neck.
"I'd say," he buried his nose in her neck, a hand stroking her hair. "Like half an hour or so."
"That's too long," she giggled when he scoffed. She rose her hips to meet his and she shut her eyes tightly when she felt him slide between her folds. She moaned as he rolled his hips, tossing her head back when he let the head of his cock tease her clit a few times. "Oh...oh, Soul!" She shuddered, her hips bucking up against her will.
Soul licked the shell of her ear, reaching down to position himself at her entrance. He whispered a ready? and waited for her breathless yes before pushing in, his hand grabbing her thigh as he pushed himself in a little more before pulling out, pushing back in and out again, and with one final push he was buried inside of her, the sensation making both roll their eyes back in pleasure.
"You fine?"
"Mhm," she winced, adjusting to his girth. It was easier than she thought it would be. "Move."
The leather of the seat hurt every time he rocked against her but the sting was welcomed, something that made her moan louder. She would urge him on every time he bucked up into her, hitting a spot that made her cry out his name. Loudly, she realized belatedly, when he covered her mouth with his own and whispered to be quiet. But she couldn't help it; it felt amazing, he was amazing, and she did not think something so simple could be so complex, so intimidate and invigorating all at the same time. She could not understand how people could sell this, use this, and do this without any emotion at all.
She felt so close to him, closer than she had ever felt to a person. She felt exposed, not just physically but spiritually, and she had never felt so okay with it. Maka bit his shoulder to stifle her cries, and she shut her eyes and let the urgency build up in her gut. She let it build and build until she was frantically meeting his thrusts, digging her nails painfully into his arm and saying his name with sharp, quick breaths; whines, as she came close, so close—
"Ah—AH!" She cried, biting her lip and knocking her head back on the car window. She felt no pain. She called his name, the sound sweet and breathless and high, mixing in with another gasp and cry as he continued to rock against her, the tightness of her walls making him see lights in his vision. His thrusts became rougher and he came a few seconds after her, his groan of release low and husky and doing things to her pounding heart. With a few more pumps he was spent and he slumped a little on her, both breathing hard but feeling lighter than they had felt in months.
Maka opened her eyes to look at him, finding his own closed but his face smoothed of any worries. She cleared her throat, whispering his name. "Can we move?" Maka asked with a sheepish smile. "My neck…really hurts."
"Oh, right, my bad," he fumbled, pulling her up. He hissed, still inside of her, and she let out one of the most sensual moans in his ear when she settled herself in his lap, rolling her hips against his suggestively. Soul felt himself harden again, if possible, his heart starting to pump faster as she bucked her hips against his in a silent question.
"Half an hour," he wheezed.
"That's too long!" She complained, squeezing his hips. Her forehead met his and she placed her hands on his flushed cheeks, smiling out, "I thought you were kidding about that!"
"If I had known you were going to be this needy, I would have never done this," he teased and kissed her when she pouted. Fortunately for her, there was something about the way she looked at him, that curl of her sweet smile that could just as easily become naughty, which made his cock harden all over again. Refractory period be damned, it seemed, when Maka Albarn wanted something, she got it.
"M'lucky I've got another one," he muffled against her neck, grinning when she giggled and lifted herself enough for him to pull out of her. Another condom wrapper later and she was experiencing the side of sex that so many sold, so many bought and used. But she still couldn't understand how they could just ignore the intimacy of it, no matter how fun or naughty.
She couldn't understand just how close she felt to him, and how much closer she wanted to be still.
"We're here, right? This is it? We didn't get lost again, did we?" Liz asked the next day, shielding her eyes against the sun. She turned back to them, her lips pursed and her eyes hiding her anxiety poorly. "So, where is everyone?"
Maka let her eyes scan the surrounding area. She looked back at her map; they were at the right place, but it was practically deserted. There was no one around. The town was empty. They could see signs of a survivors fight in the way the entire town was surrounded by fences and furniture, traps that had been sprung by incoming undead. Some were still moving, their snarls white noise to them now. It was obvious to Maka that the town had been evacuated since everything had been left untouched. She even saw a balloon down the street, tied onto a lamppost.
"Something happened," Maka told her companions, stepping forward. She gripped her gun tightly, not about to take any chances. "That's why there's no one here."
"What're you saying, Maka…something happened?"
"You think there might have been a breach?" Soul asked. He couldn't see any break in their defenses. It had taken them awhile to climb over the fence they had put up. They had a pretty good set up; he couldn't see how an entire town would have needed to evacuate.
"Guess our first stop is a bust," Soul muttered, exhaling an annoyed sigh. It would still be another few days until they reached the border. If that turned out to be a bust as well, he did not want to thin k about how broken Maka would be. He refused to let his thoughts venture to such dark territories. There were reasons they were heading there, to the border. Their friends were there, alive, because he refused to think otherwise. He looked at Maka, her creased brow and the hard look in her eye. He could not afford to have her think otherwise; he didn't think he would be able to go on without her smile.
"We might as well stock up on food," Soul said, already making his way to the first apartment complex he saw.
"W-wait, what do you mean, food?" Liz shouted, shaking in her boots. "You're going to go…in there?"
"Yeah," he rose his brow, not seeing the problem. "Do you see any food out here? If so, do tell."
Liz glared but it faltered when she looked back at the apartment. It was dark and ominous, making her gut drop to the ground at the thought of entering. She had never been very brave and, if she were completely honest, a zombie apocalypse like the one she was currently living in was something borne from her nightmares. Her sister had always been the brave one; perhaps she should have come instead of Liz. She would have been a lot more helpful than her, for sure.
"I'll go," Maka spoke up. Liz snapped her head to her in shock. She cocked her gun and looked at Soul, a smirk lifting her lips. "I'll make sure this idiot here doesn't hurt himself."
Soul smirked back, setting a hand on his waist. "Speak for yourself, bookworm. It's cool to be scared, I'll protect you."
"I think it's the other way around," Maka remarked, walking ahead. Soul watched her pass, his eyes darting down to the sway of her hips. "But if that helps you sleep at night, I won't pester you about it!"
He grinned and followed closely behind, his hand pressing against the small of her back.
Liz watched them go, gawking. "H-hey! Are you two just going to leave me here, by myself?"
"You'll be fine! You hear anything creepy, shoot it!" Soul shouted over his shoulder, disappearing into the complex with Maka.
"You JERKS!" Liz screeched, growling when she got no reply. "Great! Just great! Now I'm…a-alone, with a bunch of corpses." She looked around her and gulped, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm not scared. I'm not scared!" She stood guard for a few more minutes, her nerves wound tight. She had yet to hear Soul or Maka use their gun, so that was good. But then again, they hardly used their guns because the sound attracted more of the undead. They usually used the guns themselves as weapons, bashing their skulls in and the such. It worked in their favor most times.
She heard movement and she turned sharply, raising her gun. The fence rattled behind her and she swiveled to it, her eyes widening when she spotted a Walker. She had been about to shoot it when she felt the barrel of a gun on her temple, the gruff voice accompanying it nearly making her drop to her knees in horror:
"Pull that trigger and you'll be sorry."
"Sid," another voice spoke, calmer than the first one. Liz was too terrified to move. "Stop. She's only a girl. She's not one of 'em."
"Drop the gun," he commanded. Liz did, swallowing when he still didn't remove the gun from her head. "Now, were you one of the residents of this town or do you belong to Giriko and his gang?"
"I…" Liz swallowed.
"Drop the gun," Soul ordered evenly and Liz would have turned had she not been absolutely certain that doing so would result in her brains on the concrete. "Who the hell are you and what are you doing with our friend?"
"Stop!" someone snapped, annoyed. Liz could not see her from where she stood; but she sounded a lot more reasonable than the man who had his gun pointed to her head. "Sid, you're causing a ruckus. She's harmless, she's not with Giriko! Look, listen, we do not mean any harm—!"
"Doesn't fucking look like it," Soul sneered. Liz heard Maka shush him and she hoped the girl would be able to talk reason into these people.
"Look, I think this is all a misunderstanding," Maka spoke up, her voice soothing. "We aren't from this town, nor do we knew anyone named Giriko. We just happened upon this town and found it this way. Are you two from around here?"
"No, we're just passing by as well," the woman responded. She turned back to the man and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sid, let it go. She's harmless."
Sid lowered his gun after a second and Liz immediately backed away from him, her hands shaking and her heart in her throat. She saw it was a pair, African American from what she could see, both dressed more like military officials than regular citizens. The man was tall, built in a way that told her he spent a lot of time in the gym, or perhaps out in the field, given the haunted, far-away look his eyes held. The woman was built similarly, but bandages covered half her face and the majority of her shoulders and torso. She wondered just how terribly scarred her face must have been for her to cover it up before Maka grabbed her arm and brought her close beside her.
"We are looking for someone, and we heard that he was in this town," the woman offered, lowering her gun. Soul kept his steady, not about to take a risk. He did not like how they had introduced themselves, less that they looked like they belonged in the military. They were still dressed as the military guards he remembered back in his hometown, before Wes succumbed to the disease. "But it seems deserted now. We assumed it was a gang that's been patrolling these parts for the last few months."
"So you assumed we were apart of that gang?" Maka asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Sid nodded, speaking again. He sounded less intimidating this time around. "Yes. It would not have been the first time. We came by another town a few days ago that had been overrun by them. The leader of the gang goes by Giriko, from what we heard. They ransacked the entire place and killed a lot of people before some of the undead came in and made things worse. They scattered; we assumed they came here, too, and tried to do the same."
"I can't say that a gang ransacked this place," Maka said, steadily, "but I can say that something caused the citizens to evacuate. It could be help from the northern border."
The pair shared a look then looked back to them. The woman spoke first. "I take it you all are not from around here, then?"
"No," Soul spoke this time, finally lowering his gun. "We're heading north."
"In that case," the woman's eyes crinkled and Maka saw that it meant she was smiling. "I'm Nygus, and this is my husband, Sid. We—!"
"No way," Soul suddenly said, his eyes widening.
"Soul?" Maka whispered, concerned.
He stared at them, mouth parted. "Barrett? Nygus and Sid Barrett?"
Sid's brows creased. "Yes, that's us. How did you know?"
"Holy shit," Soul gawked, more mind blown than anything. "You're Black Star's parents!"
"Black Star?" Maka gasped. "Th-they're his parents? Are you sure?"
"What's going on?" Liz piped, thoroughly confused. She had no idea who these people were, but her companions seemed to know them? She figured it had something to do with the group Soul and Maka had been with previously. The name sounded familiar.
"You know where our son is?" Nygus gasped, voice strained. She stepped forward, but Sid held her back. He had his eye on Soul's lowered gun, his finger still on the trigger. "Do you know where he is? Is he safe?"
Soul shook his head, his features becoming grim. "We haven't heard from him in a few months. We used to be a group along with a few others, but Maka…" He glanced at her. She nodded. Soul gestured to Maka with his chin, looking at the pair. "Maka was bit so I left them to find a cure for her."
"It's impossible. She was bit; you couldn't have saved her!" Sid roughly said, his eyes hard.
"I'm immune," Soul told him evenly. He saw Nygus cover her mouth, her eyes wide. He held her husbands skeptical eyes, however. "There was still two scientists left in the CDC in Nevada. They managed to conceive a vaccine using my blood and it was…tested, on Maka," he reluctantly admitted. Maka only smiled, reaching over to grab his hand. "She survived so it works."
"Th-that's why we're going to the border!" Liz spoke up, not wanting to stand around dumbly. "We're going to deliver the vaccine and put a stop to all of this madness!"
"And meet up with our friends, which includes Black Star," Maka added. If Soul had felt safe to divulge such information to these people, then Maka would trust his judgment. Soul would never purposely place them in danger. She held to that belief. "We're heading the same way, we just stopped here to pick up some supplies."
"Lots of supplies," Sid commented, turning his gaze to the building they had come out of. "No people, though, or corpses."
"This had nothing to do with the undead, the girls right," Nygus spoke up, contemplative. "Either they evacuated the town because they found help elsewhere or they were chased out by Giriko's gang. However, judging how there are still goods in the buildings, it could not have been an attack by them. So they all just up and left..."
"So that means…" Soul left off.
"They were formally evacuated," Sid told them, rubbing the back of his neck. "Looks like something the military would do, by the looks of it. Hasty job, but if you look to the shops," he pointed, "all of their merchandise, all of the goods, are gone as well. So what's left over is what was inside the buildings, and what was too heavy to be carried on their person."
Soul noticed Sid did the same thing that Black Star did when he was puzzled, and this only made him more somber. He was sure the prick was alive, but where he could not be sure. If they heard that Black Star had been in this town before then that meant the others were with him, too. Could it be they had officially relocated to the northern border? Currently that was the only place that was safe from the undead menace.
"We should get going," Nygus looked toward the sky. "We could make to the border in two days time if we don't take anymore stops." She looked at the trio, her eyes calculating. Then she looked at Soul. "You knew my son, were you his friend?"
"Met him when we were back in Nevada, we formed a group," Soul gruffly told them. He smirked. "Wouldn't call him exactly call him my friend, he was always challenging my title as leader."
Nygus laughed softly. "That sounds like our son."
"Ahh, even in a crisis, he's still a pain in the ass," Sid sighed, smile fond. "You guys walk here?"
"Car," Maka clarified.
Sid nodded. "Same. I know we came off as rough, but would you consider traveling with us? We're both heading the same way, and we're just trying to look for our son. There's no use traveling in the same direction separately during these times."
"Not with someone like Giriko," Nygus added quietly.
Soul looked at Maka for guidance, and she only offered him a slight smile. "They're his parents," she told him softly. "I think we should travel with them. Black Star would never forgive us if we left them like that."
"They seem more than capable of handling themselves on their own," Soul muttered, skeptical. He looked into Maka's eyes and his frown deepened. "I don't want to be responsible for anymore people than I need."
"Like you said, they can handle themselves. We'd be traveling together, but they can help us out if we're in need. Didn't you tell me once that Black Star's parents were military? They have skills that we don't, and if there are gang members around these areas, we need those skills," Maka told him rationally, setting her hands on her hips. They held each others eyes and eventually Soul caved, forcing his sights back to Nygus and her husband. He shoved a hand in his pocket, gesturing to the place. "We're cool with that, but first we have to stock up on supplies."
Nygus nodded. "We can help. We were taking a rest in a cottage a few minutes from here, then decided to check this place out."
"Why not just stay here?" Liz asked, curiously. "I mean, there's a bed here and it's a lot more comfortable and—!"
"Dangerous," Nygus cut her off. "It's not the dead you have to worry about now. It's the living." She looked at Sid, nodding to the building. "Well? What are you standing around for? You scared that girl half to death, you're going to go look for some supplies!"
"Wha—?! But, Nygus!"
"Go!" Nygus snapped and Sid gave her one last hopeless look before he grumbled over to the trio, nodding his head down a few buildings.
"We'll go with Sid," Maka decided, turning to her friend. "Liz, you can either hang around here or—!"
"I'll go with Nygus!" Liz quickly said, flashing a grin at her. Maka blinked but nodded. "And take care of the, um, vaccine and stuff! You three go right ahead! Be careful!" She spared Sid a glance before scurrying over to Nygus, who cocked her head at her but allowed her to follow her back to their vehicle.
"I didn't scare her that bad, did I?" Sid frowned.
Soul gave him a smirk. "She's more afraid of walking dead people. C'mon, I saw a pantry full of canned food in an apartment on the second floor. That should be more than enough for the next few days."
As Sid and Soul headed inside, Maka looked at the sky.
She hoped all of her friends were safe but, most of all, she hoped Akane was safe.