AU: As promised, here is the next chapter. Enjoy!
The six were getting closer to the safe house, but the speed they drove in was far quieter and therefore slower than usual. The reason quite simply being to avoid detection. A car engine may be reduced to a purr, but a purr was all it took to attract attention from the infected in the deserted streets at night. A small pack can be rammed through with the Tahoe but if the pack were not a pack but a legion, then they would have to back up. The worst case scenario was getting sandwiched in between two hordes that get attracted by the sound of the engines. Ditching the cars were certainly an option, but leaving the supplies they went to the trouble of packing was out of the question. Therefore they paid extra attention when driving, never accelerating excessively.
"Karena? You keep rubbing your stomach. Are you alright?"
Realizing she was stroking the folded up photo in her pocket, Karena gripped the wheel with both hands. "Yes, I'm fine."
"I know. You can't wait to see him, right? I understand. But," Michaela's tone of voice suddenly dropped an octave, turning cold. Threatening. She felt something cold and hard pick against her throat; a scalpel. "If you crash the car out of impatience, I don't give a damn who you are. If Vector dies or gets bitten, I will kill you. Ryuji is our special boy, and he is even more special to you, yes. But don't forget. Just as he is special to you, Vector is to me in a different way."
Karena nodded with her jaw squared, and Michaela pulled the blade away.
"Vladimir," Vector called out, "This is a rough headcount but we have at least two hundred infected on our asses, give or take. Thirty meters."
"Then it's about time we set out more bait. Vector, Karena, turn right and stop. Kill the engines too." The two cars pulled up to the side of the road and their lights turned off, plunging the area into darkness.
Vladimir knocked on the car roof, signaling Christine to take his gun and handed him a slingshot and a golfball sized sphere in exchange. Nestling the ball in the pouch, he pulled it back as far as the bands allowed, and after a quick breath, released. It sailed through the still night air and disappeared into the darkness. After about ten seconds elapsed, sporadic popping noises erupted in the distance. "Don't start the engine yet." he whispered. "Make sure they take the bait first. Wait for my signal."
A sniper is a soldier specializing in eliminating enemies from long distances with a single shot. Before, during and after the shot is taken, they must remain stock-still for hours on end. Vladimir kept his eye on the radar and the horde, taking quick, short breaths through his mouth. Once the distance between them exceeded a hundred meters, he lightly tapped the roof of the car. The Tahoe and Volkswagen's engines roared to life as the drivers shifted the gear into reverse, returned on the route they were on and sped away. It was a single, straight road with no hills, which made distancing them far easier.
"Vladimir, how much further?"
"Four clicks and a half. Slow down and take a left on the next intersection…Now!" The cars' speed decreased, but the curve was nonetheless a sudden one. The wheels on the right side left the paved road for a few seconds, almost throwing Vladimir out of the car. What saved him was that he was not holding a weapon at the time and his hands were free. "Vector, what the fuck!? I told you to slow down. You didn't even hit the breaks!"
"Sorry," Vector grunted, "it's been a while since we did grand theft auto, so I got a tad bit….carried away with this joy-ride. I apologize."
"Two more clicks ahead and take a right at that corner; take a left after one click and a half. Drive straight and we'll be there. At the speed we're going, I'd say ETA is…. oh, seven to ten minutes."
Around that same time, Ryuji woke up. He checked his watch and sucked on his teeth. The hands of his watch indicated with a faint glow that it was already half past eleven at night. The water was not running but he could hear no movement, meaning everyone that is within earshot is most likely sleeping. Beside him, Saeko was still sleeping soundly, a wide contented smile on her lips. The light cotton blanket covered most of her body but whatever was exposed were covered in nail marks, bite marks and hickeys, as was his.
Ryuji smiled, his hand disappearing into the tangles of her luscious, dark locks, fingers gently stroking her head. She was the best single woman he had slept with as far as he could remember. Being a maiden, she was not well-versed as Ryuji was in sexual techniques, but after being made to climax so many times at the mercy of the extremely thorough and relentless foreplay, her body seemed to have acclimated to letting the carnal pleasure guide the rest of her actions.
As far as Ryuji could tell, Saeko was a paradoxical woman when it came to sex. On the bed, she was both ravenous and docile, ferocious yet adorable. One minute she moans loudly into the pillow as he plowed her and in another she straddles him and grinds her hips against his, smiling, her eyes shimmering with the venomous pleasure. Violence and sex is said to be closely associated, But he had never met a woman his age who embodies that; epitomizes it, even.
Throwing on a clean change of clothes and his tactical gear, he turned the air conditioner on to rid the room of the heavy musk of sex that now hung in the room like a heavy fog. Placing a kiss on the still sleeping Saeko's lips, Ryuji quietly climbed up the stairs to the roof.
Kota was still there, but even he was unable to resist the urges of sleep and was drooling as he mumbled something.
"Kota, I don't mind you sleeping, but do it inside." Ryuji tapped him on the shoulder.
"Wuh?" Kota opened his eyes, the drowsiness still apparent on his face. Rubbing the crust out from his eyes, he adjusted his glasses and stretched as he yawned through a 'good morning'.
"So? Anything happen before you dozed off?"
"There was a guy with an double barrel shotgun, but he was taken down quickly. I was checking the news with this small TV. There was a broadcast on Tokonosu bridge and Onbetsu bridge streaming, and it's nothing less than a Hurricane Sandy-level shitstorm. There were several conspiracy theorists saying America has something to do with this. Also, on the other side are infected, so there's definitely some action going down there. I heard other popping noises that wasn't gunfire too. It was pretty close."
"Which way?" Ryuji peered through the binoculars Kota was using at the direction he pointed in. Zooming in on two sets of headlights, Ryuji began to laugh.
"What?"
"They're here. My comrades in arms…my family." Taking the sling of the MP7 off, he shoved them towards Kota along with the spare magazines. Once they leave the car, focus on their flanks and their six. Do not miss."
"Roger that."
Disregarding the fact that there are people sleeping, Ryuji noisily raced down the stairs, turned his radio on and voices erupted from the earpiece. He pulled the gas mask on once he reached the ground floor. "Guys, there's going to be some cover fire from the ground and the roof."
"Good to know, but keep it minimal. Save the bullets."
" 'kay, mom." Checking the chamber of his P-14, he screwed the suppressor on and activated the night vision gimmick in his mask, changing his field of vision an eerie green color. He could see from the window the Wolfpack running towards the safe house. Hector and Vladimir were clearing out the path with the small explosive balls by firing them into the distance to avoid using ammunition as much as possible.
Despite the scarcity of optimal angles to shoot from the front door and being nighttime, Ryuji and Kota provided expert cover as the Wolfpack stacked up and headed towards the gate. Once everyone was inside the building, Ryuji wrapped his arms around Karena. "I missed you, mom."
"As did I and everyone else, mon garçon." Karena planted a big kiss on both of his cheeks before hugging him again. "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
"You're here in one piece. I forgive you."
"Hey, stop hogging him all to yourself." Ryuji felt himself being pulled by his collar towards Michaela, who rained down kisses of her own on his head as she snuggled him like a giant plush toy. "Nice to see you again, soldatenjunge."
"You too, Frau Doktor. We have some…unexpected house guests and the bath is ready, so knock yourself out."
"Hey, cabron, where's my homecoming welcome, huh?" Hector stepped forth before picking Ryuji up into a bone-crushing bearhug. Christine joined in as she jumped up and embraced Ryuji from behind, who was already lifted off the ground.
"Okay, leggo of me now." He croaked, tapping the giant on the shoulder. He took a deep breath before rubbing his chest in pain.
"Prochnost." Vladimir said with a smile, holding out his right hand. "Nice to see you're alive.
"You too. Prochnost." Ryuji returned the greeting by taking his hand and giving it a firm shake.
"I hate to break up the moment where the Magnificent Seven get reunited," Vector quipped, "but Hector is way too big to keep in the doorway with all this luggage, and I need a cold shower as well as a shave. Any of you mind moving this elsewhere? Perhaps further inside this compound? Maybe even knock back a cold glass of green tea?"
"I want a Coke." Hector piped up. "With ice."
"I'll get the drinks. You guys take your time to unpack everything." Barely being able to contain the relief and happiness in his heart, Ryuji headed back for the living room. They were finally home. They were finally reunited; all of them. Now he could watch their back as they watch his. He could be their good luck charm again.
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