After the all excitement of the girl crashing through my roof, drew down, I re-holstered my pistol taking in the unconscious form before me.
She was stunning if a bit bloody, dirty and beat up, no other words could describe her. But also she was hurt from her fall very hurt.
I picked her up, carrying her over to my work bench so as to start fixing up her wounds. Placing her on the floor and then running off to get some clean blankets, to cover the worktop and my med kit so as to start patching her up. with the worktop covered with clean sheets, I placed her down onto it then opened up my kit so as to begin this rather gruesome task, of tending to her many cuts and grazes' .
Part of my training was medical so as to give me a chance if things go south granted I am no doctor. but I know the basics of trauma management and care. It was not like I could just show up at a hospital and get help if I was injured on a job now was it. That is a sure way to get caught as hospitals, have to report strange injuries and if you turn up in an area, that has had some goings on, then well… the authorities are not stupid.
"Ok first things first let's check you out and get some fluids into you" I said out loud as if she could hear me, from whatever dream land she was in. First was to check her breathing and that she had a clear airway all ok
Pulling out an IV ( intravenous) give set. Consisting of a Peripheral cannula with a connecting hub, this then went into an intravenous infusion line and a bag of saline.
I pop this into her arm to bulk out her remaining blood and stabilize her blood pressure and flow.
Next let's see if we can stop you leaking shall we.
I start to search her for major cuts and broken bones starting from the top of the head to the tips of her toes. Taking note of what I find. She has a large laceration on her back that was not to deep and a small but deep one on her calf, followed by several smaller cuts and scrapes. cutting off her most of her clothes to get at the wounds and not because I'm a pervert, but I was trying very hard and with all my will power not to stop to take in the view. She really was a beautiful creature after all. But there is more important work to be done after all, like making sure she does not die on me.
Gently I turned her over, so that I can clean the large wound on her back, with saline and iodine. "Lucky you are out cold or this would sting like a mother fucker lass" I say to her.
I then proceed to check the wound for any glass or derbies and start stitching her up 15 in total on her back I cover this with a sterile dressing and move on to the next major leak her calf again I clean this and remove the bits of glass and stitched the wound, 2 internal and 5 external this time.
I then started to clean and check all other cuts and grazes most of which need nothing more than a quick clean going over with a bit of a styptic pen and dressed.
Next was a concussion check where you shin a light into the eyes looking for the pupils to react as there was a normal reaction she is ok there.
Finally I gave her a shot for tetanus. Stopping when it came to antibiotics, as I did not know if she would be allergic to any, I'll have to wait until she wakes for that. If not I'll give her a shot in the morning and have an epi (epinephrine) pen waiting just in case.
At this point as I started to clean her, while thinking to myself "when did I become so caring?" Normally I would have just chucked her out and left it at that.
But something inside told me "You need to help this one James she is young and has survived all this you need to help her." urgh I am getting gulit "Fuck it" I shout out loud, I'll go with my gut and help her and see where this is going.
I moved her to my camp bed after I finish working on her. Plugged in a second drip, glucose saline one this time, as she had almost emptied the first one. Placing a small pair of small coveralls next to her bed with the smallest t-shirt I had. Then put a note on top of that.
To the stranger in my bed the clothes are for you. Sorry I had to cut off the rest, so I could fix you up don't pull the IV out just shout and I will come and sort it for you.
The mistake here was probably because it was written in English and the reason for that is my Kenji sucks.
Ok next to clean up the mess she has made. Looking to the work bench and sighing, Well the sheets are fucked, as I don't have a washing machine, so their off to the bin, with the rest of the medical trash.
Next is the broken gla….. Stopping mid thought as something catches my eye a piece of wood about a meter long and curved, what is this? It was dented covered in blood and bits of hair but still elegant and defiantly not part of the window frame.
With puzzled thoughts I began questioning. Where have I seen something like this? I look over to my pile of stuff, which I still had to take to my flat. Then catching a glimpse of something sticking out of a box, the answer hits me, as I look at something similar. just not curved and with no tsuba before the hilt. It was a training sword, not just any old training sword, but a Katana stile bokken, that has clearly seen a lot of use with its various dents and small splinters. It then dawns on me Holy fuck she has been fighting the zeds with this? Is she some sort of samurai swordswoman in training? Well she just got a lot more interesting.
I cleaned up the sword by, removing the blood and bits of hair with some wood oil allowing it to dry, then sand down some of the small splinters it has on its blade, just a pity I don't have a spare bag for it to keep it safe. After I finish it gets laid down on a table, below my own two swords ready for its owner to reclaim, Speaking of which it was time to check on her again.
Over the next 14 hours I checked her every hour to make sure she was still in the land of the living and if she was looking a bit better or if she was awake, every so often I would hear some snoring or mumbling as she slept, nice for some I thought to myself as I dozed on a chair.
I had also chosen to place my pistol in a leg holster because as pretty as she is I know sweet fuck all about her. If I was not checking on sleeping beauty I would go up to the roof to ether fix the skylight or to look around at the world and catch a nap in-between check-ups, then at 7am I heard something like a voice "help…" naa think I am hearing some of them from outside, but then it happened again but louder this time and feminine "help!".
"OK" looks like sleeping beauty is awake, best go introduce myself.
I walk into the office to see a girl, an almost naked girl staring at me defiantly with a broken off handle in her hands ready to take a piece out of whoever was unfortunate enough to get close to her. "STOP there" she calmly tells me "who are you?... Where are my clothes?... What have you done to me?" her eyes where filled with suspicion and rage.
Seeing the threat to me and reacting purely on instant and training, I was unable to stop myself.
My arm extends down to its natural length, the pistol grip finding its way to my hand the pistol is removed from its holster, thumbing off the safety as it is moving bring it up to the aim in less than 2 seconds. The speed of my movement stunned her slightly as she realises, focusing her eyes on what was pointed at her and where I was standing.
I then spoke back to her, calmly so as to try to defuse the situation. "look you dropped in on me… I just patched you up when I could have just thrown you out. Also it looks like you have brought a mop to a gun fight. Now if you put that down, I will take out the IV, let you get dressed, so you can come out and we can talk about every girl's favourite subject themselves." I let the words sink in.
She looks at me with those defiant eyes then looks down "ok" she said. Thank fuck for that I don't have to shoot her now.
"Good now sit down" she sits on the end of the bed still holding the mop handle but not as threatening. As I move next to her putting away the gun, she drops the handle finally after seeing me disarm myself. I gently grasp her arm looking at her I say "this might sting a bit" then swiftly pull out the cannula and put a strip of gauze and tape over the weeping puncture mark. "There are some clothes there for you, put them on. I'll get some tea on and get something for you to eat. Then we can talk." She looked up at me this time with a softer face but still suspicious and said in a calm but level tone "ok.. but so that you know, if I don't like what you say I will kill you"
"Fine by me lass… You can but try." With that remark I get up to leave, thinking to myself now what was it my gut was saying about her.
0000
I could see them attacking and biting onto my friends, tearing into them hungrily like a pack of undead wolves. The screams from my new friends where defining.
Rei was screaming at me to help her, but I couldn't get to her, I was trapped by more of them that had surrounded me. Saya was screaming "It's all your fault bitch! You left us to die." she was getting dragged over a barrier by her pink hair struggling for all she was worth.
Kohta in his last moments, as his head was ripped off spraying the area with blood, some of it landing on me. Was shouting to me to at least save Alice, but all I could do was watch as Alice was dragged away. Multiples of them biting and clawing at her. As her body was mutilated beyond recognition, to a blooded quivering mass, her high pitch chilling scream shook me to my core.
My eyes flew open and I sat bolt upright, gasping out a muffled cry "help."
I started looking for my Bokken, it was missing so where my clothes. I was in just my bra and black thong. My memory was coming fuzzily back, I remember jumping off the highway then nothing, other than the still fresh memories of the nightmare I have just had.
Trying to shake the dream from my mind, I start looking around my new surroundings, beginning to question where I was? And why is a tube stuck in my arm? I went to pull it out but winced in pain I looked over myself I had all sorts of dressings on various cuts there was a lot of bruising too. Just what has happened to me?
I wanted answers; I could see someone moving across the large room outside. Groggily I stood up, I needed a weapon the only thing to hand was a mop in one corner of the small room that looked like an office.
Moving over to the mop and braking off its handle I stood in the far corner of the room, facing the door then asked loudly for "help"
A tall man, with brown short hair and ice blue eyes, He did not look like much at first, like you would not give him a second look if you passed him, Mr plain Jane. But he had this calm aura about him. This started to set off alarms in my head. Did he kidnap me? And do this? Has he raped me? Is that why I only have my underwear on? Thousands more questions ran through my mind as I tried to focus and order my thought.
Finally as my faculties retuned and I spoke to him in a forceful manner "STOP there" Then demanding "who are you?... Where are my clothes?... What have you done to me?"
There was a flash of movement the next thing I was looking down the barrel of a gun his eyes staring through the sights at me. He was to faraway for me to get him without getting shot he then spoke to me in a loud but somewhat comforting tone.
"look you dropped in on me…" did I now I thought "I just patched you up when I could have just thrown you out." explains the dressings I suppose. "Also it looks like you have brought a mop to a gun fight." Shit "Now if you put that down I will take out the IV, let you get dressed, so you can come out and we can talk about every girls favourite subject themselves" I had no choice after hearing those somewhat arrogant words, I lowered my weapon and did as he asked. What happened next surprised me a little; he gently took my arm and removed the tube. All the time he was averting his eyes from my body. After he finished the man then told me to get dressed, as he was going to get some food and tea for me and promised answers to my questions. After accepting this I then told him.
"ok.. But so that you know, if I don't like what you have to say I will kill you" I was serious about this. I had been caught with my pants down, literally and my inner demon was demanding blood.
He gave a simple reply that told me he was not someone to be played with "You can but try." He said this with so much confidence, it was like it was not the first time he gave that answer to a threat on his life.
Stiffly from whatever ordeal my body had gone through, I got dressed in the so unflattering clothes that were left for me. Wincing in pain as I got dressed, wondering just what the hell happed to me. I had thoughts of everyone else in my group; did they get to the big house ok? Are they still alive? How long have I been out for?
As I finished getting dressed, then leaving the small room to be met by the man again he was in a small kitchen that was more like a rest room for a work place, preparing some food. He looked up at me and said "ok sleeping beauty I have some duck liver pate and spinach for you. You lost a fair amount of blood and the iron content of this will help you get some back." Yuck was my first thought but then he does have a point, Siting down to eat I thanking him for the food.
I took a drink of the tea and was hit by the amount of sugar in it. It was like drinking syrup I must have given myself away as he said "you need the sugar too for some energy" was not going to complain, I was feeling terrible and the moment the sugar hit me, I started to feel better.
As I was about to finish He then got to explaining.
"Ok first off my name is James Campbell … and I would like to know who you are? As I can't keep calling you sleeping beauty. Also why you decided that it was a good idea to fall through my roof?"
"I am Busujima Saeko, Campbell-san thank you for taking care of me. Your roof was not meant to happen like that my intent was to land and rest before moving on. Now please tell me what happened and how long I have been here?"
He then explained to me what happened in the last hours.
About my fall, the injures and stitching me up. He then asked if I was allergic to any antibiotic, that was a strange request until he pointed to my wounds.
"No." He then gave me a shot and handed me some pills, this stranger really dose care. Maybe he was just a Good Samaritan. Next he asked for my side of the story. "It's a long story" I said
He sighed and then answered my question, as he cleaned my plate and refilled my cup with the sweet tea. "We have plenty of time besides we are not going any were just yet."
I then started to explain the last few days to him the school, the bus, getting split up from Takashi and Rei then getting reunited on the bridge, Shizuka friend's apartment, the group I was in and all about them. Finally the hardest part of my story, how I got separated from them and how I was unsure of if they were still alive. This reminded me as to where I was going to, Sayas house.
"Look I promised my friends that I would meet them at the big house not far from here, the one on top of the hill." He raises his eye brows as in thought he was silent for a few minutes that seemed to drag into an awkward silence. Then he starts to speak to me.
0000
I was listening to her story, taking in the details of what she had accomplished over the last few days. To say I was impressed was a mild way of putting it, her group had achieved a lot together and survived extremely well. Considering they were just mostly high school students. Then she told me of her destination.
Fuck…. Was my first thought? I was gathering Intel on that house, all to hit one of the workers there a man by the name of Yoshioka. He is one of the retainers of the estate; it was to be of my first job here. Apparently he had some dealing with the local yakuza that went bad and his death was ordered form someone high up.
Intel gathering, on this man had proved difficult as he would rarely leave the estate and options on sniping him were limited as he lived in the servant's quarters, add to that very few places looked into the estate and you have a problem.
Best keep that to myself besides it's not like that contract is out anymore come to think of it there are no more jobs now, if the old order has ended.
Finally I come out of my thoughts, to Saeko staring at me intently. "Ok well we will give it until this afternoon. Then we will head up the hill if you are up to it"
What was I saying? We! When did this become a we thing. Well it's out there now best roll with it. She was looking at me surprised. So I began explaining it to her. "it not like I'm about to send you out into the apocalypse with a packed lunch, wishes of good luck and a pat on the back now is it."
She sits looking at me as if to judge what next then with a small smile. "Thank you, but you don't have to I can look after myself." Was the answer I got?
My reply was simple "and look how that turned out…." This earned me a glare that said fuck you. So I quickly explained myself.
"Ok I'm not saying you can't fight or defend yourself I have seen your bokken and heard your tail. But I cannot in send you out there alone, its suicide at best and just all round foolish" my words seem to have some effect on her, her expression softens and her face lights up revelling her true beauty.
"you have my Bokken I thought I had lost that." she almost shouts out excitedly.
She truly was a swordswoman, happy that her weapon was available to her. Not that I can blame her, with my one trip out into this mess I wanted more than I had taken. In fact a fucking army would be ideal.
"Can I have it back it means a lot to me?" she asks
"Yes but I may have something a bit better than your bokken for you a bit of an upgrade" this again earns me some curious looks.
"An upgrade" she says sounding a little puzzled.
"Ok follow me" I say to her. At this point my inner self is screaming at me, what the fuck you are doing James. All your gear is in there. She is going to ask why? Silencing my thoughts with the silently mouthing the words ill cross that bridge when I come to it and hope I don't regret it.
0000
I followed him to another room at the back of his workshop. When curiously we stopped next to a tool shelf, he reached up gripping something with a click... the self-became a door to another room.
He beckoned me to follow and I was sure he was saying. I hope that I don't regret this.
This got my guard up, as I was being lead into a secret room by someone not wanting to regret. that had striped me naked only hours ago. I stood by the door and pared into the dark room. all became clear when a light came on.
The only way I could explain this room was; it would be Kohta's wet dream. There were several guns on the wall to my right neatly on racks some large some small and 4 hand guns.
Below them where shelves with boxes of ammunition at the top of the room was a desk with a pin bored above it.
But what caught my eye the most was on the left wall. Two swords Ninjatos I thought at first, but no I was wrong Ninjakens. Then below them on a table having been cleaned up since I last saw it, was my bokken. Its cherry wood glistened as it looking cleaner than it had in the last week of heavy use and highly polished. I couldn't help but gasp at this all this and this room before me. I had to ask.
"Just what are you?"