Chapter 4

Riding a World War Two German motorcycle through a modern metropolis sounds cool to you?

Not really.

It was like crewing the Lowe. At first, the wind roaring in our face felt pretty cool, but as the burning sun took over, the feeling faded. Again. The worse part was all the curious eyes trained on us as we rode through the streets. I guess you don't see 5 Nazi German soldiers, armed with machine guns and semiautomatics, cruising through the streets on motorbikes all the time here. Once, as we were passing a large crossroad, we even got intercepted by traffic police. Fortunately, God made driving licenses appear in our pockets before we went busted, and the police didn't ask about the guns. They probably thought it too absurd for them to be true. As for me, all I can say is Thank God.

After what felt like hours – and what actually turned out to be 5 minutes – we pulled up next to the coffee shop Miho told us to meet her at. As we pushed into the shop, we found it to not be really big, and with barely any customers. Fortunate, considering what we were about to pull up next.

We stood to attention in front of the table where Miho & her crew sat.

"Hi, you guys." Saori said brightly, offering a piece of cake, "hungry?"

"Umm, no thanks." I said, before anyone could make a scene. "Just ate something."

Before we could say anything, though, John nudged me and showed me his phone.

We've got 2 minutes before the Kuromorimine duo arrived.

"Um, Miho." I said, pretending to pull out my cell phone, "can we talk, like 3 minutes later? I got a situation here."

"Oh, sure."

I nodded to my subordinates (when did I start calling them that?), and we took seat around a table across from Miho.

"All right guys, remember." I whispered, "once they show up, listen to their talk. If it goes the old, sour way, guns out and at Erika's head. But before that, remember, when you can't stand it anymore, nudge John." I looked at him. "You got your axe?"

"Ja, commandant."

And he whipped out the Feuerwehr axe. Only now, it had a chain fastened to the base of its handle, the other end wrapped around John's hand.

"Good. Upon confirming, chuck the axe on the table, but no aiming at anyone. They'll turn, and I'll do the vocal intimidating. Ready?" I glanced at my watch.

"Ready."

And just as we anticipated, 10 seconds later, the unmistakable figures of Maho Nishizumi and Erika Itsumi showed up, walking down the aisle. They didn't see us, but went straight at Miho.

"Vice-commander?" the expected line came.

Great. Looks like we'll have to do it.

What followed was the old talk, with Erika insulting the team and Maho acting expressionless toward Miho. When Erika was in the middle of ranting, I looked at everyone. Our eyes burned with silent anger of various degrees.

I motioned, and in a split second, John threw his axe as everyone else drew our weapons. The heavy weapon flew across the aisle, sliding against the palm of Erika's lifted hand before slamming into the side of the tabletop with a loud "CRUNCH! THOOM!"

Erika wheeled around in shock, only to be greeted by the dark barrels of our guns. I held my MP-41 in one hand and the Luger in the other, John held his MG-42 aloft with both hands, the scope, silencer and bayonet on Lucas's Kar 98k shimmered mercilessly in the white fluorescent lighting, Gabriel had the FG-42 in both hands with the trigger hand clutching a Stieglhandgranate 24, and Hank's Stg 45 was propped against my shoulder. I couldn't see from third perspective, but I knew what everyone is seeing in our faces.

Coldness.

Death.

Devoid of emotion.

Murderous intent.

A soul pounded from cold, unfeeling steel, ignited by equally cold flames of fury.

(Actually, based on what I asked later, God was manipulating our looks to show the terrifying image. Thank you, my lord.)

"Who-who the hell are you?" Erika turned to Miho, "are these some actors you got?"

"Erika?" Maho began, "I don't think that's the case-"

FWOOSH! WUMP! BANG!

Before anyone knew it, I've leapt from my seat, appeared right in front of Erika (in case you don't get how terrifying this is, I passed 3 meters in less than a second), gripped her neck like anyone can grip their dining utensils, and pinned her, face up, against the desk. My Luger P08 was in my other hand, smoke drifting from the short muzzle. A bullet now lay embedded in the desk, a centimeter from Erika's head.

"If there's one thing that I hate the most," I said. My voice felt like a Reaper, sucking the life and hope out of the surroundings. "it's people calling me & my team actors. We are true soldiers, Erika Itsumi." I lifted her by the collar and held her face an inch from mine, staring right into the heart of her eyes, "We might have never set foot on the battlefield, but do you know what I've seen? I've seen one of my comrade's head, after he got crushed by a train. A corpse, that have been left out of the freezer for 3 days. Real entrails. Real bodies." It would've sounded like lies, but the aura of fear I gave off at this point literally blotted out everyone's senses. "If you're a dignified enemy, don't chit-chat in an airconditioned palace. Meet us, the Lowe of Oarai, on the battlefield, where bullets fly, where bodies fall. And then, we'll see who returns in glory, and who returns in a coffin. Do you understand me?" my grip on her neck contracted a little, and I swear she winced. In fact, I suspect that if I kept this up for longer, she might really cry. But at that point, Maho decided otherwise.

"Enough, both of you." She spoke. The commanding sensation in her voice was enough to make me drop Erika and look at her in surprise. "Whoever you are," she said, looking up at me (yeah, I'm a bit taller than her), "I apologize if Erika offended you, but you throttling her is equally wrong. Erika," she turned toward her vice-commander, "let's go."

"But-"

"Go."

"Yes, commander."

And they walked back the way they came. Erika looked back once, and the fear in her eyes was so obvious I almost felt a bit proud.

"Um…"

A tiny voice sounded. I looked, and saw Anglerfish Team staring at me with abject horror, especially Miho. I knew why. First, I made it clear that the rounds in our guns are NOT some powerless training rounds. Second, that feeling of death radiating off me… I think only Shiho Nishizumi has ever made Miho so scared.

"Sorry." I yanked the axe out of the desk with a single tug, and bent down to pat Miho on the shoulder. Everyone looked at me in stun. "Kommandant Nishizumi, are you are right?"

"I…I guess." Miho said in a small voice.

"Alright." I straightened up. "Boys, pack up. We're moving out."

What they didn't notice, however, was my grin, because I've figured something out.

"Maho Nishizumi," I thought, "after this year's Final is over, I will tell you my love for you. And we'll be together."

Meanwhile, outside the café on a side street…

"WHO WERE THOSE BOYS?!" Erika half-wailed, half-demanded.

"Don't expect me to know, Erika. I've never seen them before." Maho replied coolly.

"LIVE AMMO in the guns?" the vice-commander howled, "is that EVEN LEGAL?!"

"You know," Maho said, "I get a feeling they won't care…"

Unbeknownst to Erika, however, Maho was getting puzzled by her emotions. Seeing someone throttle Erika was not something Maho would stand by normally, but the way the boy radiated fear caused even her to be a bit shaken up. And more confusingly still, she can feel something sprouting deep inside her heart. Something that weirdly resembled …. liking?

She sighed. "Whoever you are, strange boy," she thought, "I promise this: I'll get your profile, and I'll figure you out, from the inside out. And after everything's over, I'll admit my feelings to you."