Chapter 62: Strategize
"Are you done freaking out?" Izaya had barely even re-entered the library when Namie rolled her eyes. Annoyance was all her expression spoke.
This time Izaya couldn't even blame her.
His run must have seemed fairly unreasonable and childish considering she had no idea just what was flowing in Izaya's veins.
"We have a new goal." Shinra quickly announced, defusing the hard expression that had been called to Shizuo's face. He wasn't all too amused by Namie's sidejabs and it was painfully obvious.
"From him?" she asked while pointing at Izaya. Doubt layered her voice thickly and Shizuo bit back a retort while sitting down on the chair at the table. He knew this wasn't the time to start a fight. They had plans- and leaving Izaya to reveal those was wiser than to meddle himself.
And so he sat, unreasonably calm, with nothing but a simple glare on his face.
"Does it matter if it improves the situation?" Shinra smiled meanwhile, redirecting Namie's bitchy nature towards a more productive output.
A short moment in which she obviously contemplated counter arguments followed, but apparently she came up with nothing decent and so she sighed in defeat.
Eyes glanced towards Izaya in obvious disdain, but curious interest.
Izaya was very well aware just how much she hated him, but she was also heavily aware of his intelligence.
"Shoot it."
"The fungi and flatworms allow us a different approach to our situation than we used so far," Izaya summarized curtly without skipping a beat.
Recognition flared in Namie's expression while Karisawa's spoke question marks.
"You mean we have to pay even more attention to what it is that attacks us?"
Izaya shook his head, "I'm not only talking about combat. Scientifically speaking this is a huge revelation. It allows us to look at our findings in a different perspective. To make it simple so far we were looking for gold but found none. Now silver or bronze might suffice as well so we have more options available." A short pause followed to make sure the non scientists had kept up.
Nodding more to himself than anything else Kadota seemed to get the gist.
Same for Vorona who pressed her lips. "Sounds too good to be true." She surmised and unwillingly caused a smile to spread across Izaya's expression at the quick uptake.
"The downside to this is the requirement for further equipment."
Quick glances were exchanged as the elevated mood in the room immediately dropped beyond room temperature.
Even Karisawa understood what this meant.
"What do you need?" Namie shot quicker than any complaints could follow while looking at their current doctor in charge.
A sheepish smile followed as Shinra cocked his head like a school child asking for a muffin before lunch.
"An apheresis machine?"
Quizzical expressions went through the rows, save for Namie who groaned in frustration.
"I take this machine is hard to acquire?" Vorona quickly surmised and Namie nodded.
"More or less."
"What is the issue? Location? Or availability?"
"The location." Clapping his hands Shinra flashed a smile as he announced what they all already dreaded.
"We will need to visit some hospitals."
Izaya didn't need to be told to figure that this group hadn't exactly made happy memories at their last hospital visit. None of them had.
Hospitals were both hot centers for infected humans as well as surviving ones like the religious bastards.
"... the last time we went to a hospital was when you were looking for Izaya, and it was a really lovely experience." Namie confirmed Izaya's suspicion with sarcasm, but oddly enough she didn't seem against the idea.
As if having sparked something in Izaya's brain he found himself recalling images of their last stay at the hospital.
How Shizuo reacted upon entering it. The showers, the nightly creature that cracked his ribs- but most importantly, the message Shinra left behind.
"So that's why-" Izaya whispered, more to himself than to anyone else actually, but Namie caught it nonetheless.
"What?"
A gruesome smile bitter yet also delighted over the connection made drew to Izaya's features.
"The door to the room Shinra locked the infected in was busted from the inside out. All of them had been killed by one of the nightly creatures."
Looking at it now the conclusion was simple.
The fungi must have attacked it, but superior in strength the flatworm killed the low number of fungi before they could even put a scratch on it.
"You want to tell me the flatworm and fungi have been taking out each other all along?" Namie groaned, "Shit, we could have taken advantage of that-"
Doubtful Karisawa cocked her head at the awfully simple descriptions used.
"Is that what we are going to call them now?" she asked with a light smile, "Sounds almost cute in a really weird way."
Vorona agreed, "Good idea actually. We will know instantly what exactly we are talking about. And in case someone else overhears us it will serve as a code as well," she concluded in her all to analytic and stoic fashion.
"What do you want to call that religious group of maniacs? Jehova's witnesses?" Namie joked, but Vorona didn't even crack a smile.
"Might as well go by that."
"Too long. I vote for Jo's Hoes." Izaya added, completely dry with no intention to amuse anyone, but Karisawa lost it for a second anyway.
"What's that?" she chuckled, and Kadota snorted upon her reaction. "Fine by me."
Rolling her eyes at the childish behavior Namie crossed her arms with a sigh. "Whatever."
Moving over quicker than orders could be given Kadota was a man who understood what had to be done at a given time.
Maps of their location were chosen from the library's shelves' and brought to the table.
"And what do you plan to do once we get the apheresis machine?" Namie questioned while flicking through one of the maps.
A page showing their rough location popped up and she circled the area with her index finger as she traced some of the nearest possible routes.
"We still want to create the antidote, yes? Looking at these new revelations it seems even more likely that we could succeed." Shinra explained and followed Karisawa as they joined the rest of the group at the desk.
"I want to analyze the blood given by one sample of each creature," Shinra continued while Namie folded a few pages giving the most intel about their surroundings.
A short side glance was directed at Izaya by the doctor.
Of course.
What else was Shinra supposed to tell them? There was no reason to scan Izaya's blood as far as they knew and at least for the moment Izaya liked that secret to remain.
"And where will you get the blood sample from?" Namie inquired with a short doubting glance.
"We will worry about that once we find the means to analyze it." Shinra smiled, efficiently avoiding the difficult topic.
Humming softly Karisawa glanced at the various hospitals.
It had taken Namie and Kadota a minute at most to find the ones closest to them and now they laid bare for everyone to see, circled by a pencil Namie had found.
"So we need to check for hospitals?" she asked timidly, casting a vary glance towards Namie.
The scientist loved to make fun of her on a level that didn't only cause her to feel stupid but also useless. She held a fair dose of contempt against her and Karisawa was aware. But no comment was given and the young woman was spared as Shinra continued. "Hospitals and blood donor facilities."
He was met with reluctance as Karisawa's expression showed fear instead of acceptance.
Kadota mirrored the same. "Aren't those going to be the most dangerous locations?" he asked, "Especially now? With Jo's hoes around?"
Izaya couldn't help but snort shortly at the use of what he had suggested as a joke. Especially the way Kadota had used his new abbreviation in absolute absence of humor seemed ridiculously funny.
Karisawa suffered the same fate as she failed to stifle a laugh. Almost instantly Namie had directed her glare at her.
"Pull yourself together," she hissed, startling the young woman in the process.
"Sorry-"
"It depends on their numbers." Izaya quickly threw in, not interested to give Namie any more freedom to vent her frustration on others. "If they are a group of only a handful or two they won't need as many medical supplies. They would act quite like Shizuo and me, fetch what they can carry for as long as they need it, then look again."
Nodding in unison the groups expression returned to seriosity.
"If that's the case we would run into one or two members at most," Izaya continued, "But if their group is larger…" he faded out.
There was no need to spell the doom that was upon them if they were actually facing a well organized collective.
Even more so driven by manic beliefs- negotiations were basically off the table from the start and their strength was something only Shizuo could outmaneuver.
But not in his present stare.
Eyes glancing towards the blond that had taken a seat at the table, Izaya noticed that he seemed quite drowsed.
Of course- after suffering such a wound it was to be expected.
Frankly Izaya wanted anything but move at the moment.
Be it the group, just Shizuo or himself.
If it were his move to make, he would stay. Simply wait until Shizuo had recovered. Do their best to keep low and not draw attention.
But this was not his move.
It was the hoes turn to take action. And if Izaya didn't want that expiration date on their foreheads to reach completion then he had to act now.
"... we need to scout them out." Vorona finally concluded, reaching the only consequences that Izaya had drawn from this situation.
Horrified glances went around and only Namie remained stoic as she looked at her new shadow.
"Can you do that?"
The question was about as superfluous as asking a fish about his ability to swim. Pride filled her eyes and her stance straightened.
"Leave it to me."
Izaya knew she was capable, but capable enough to survive against the fungi?
"Isn't that too dangerous? What if they get you?" Karisawa shared his concern, it seemed, as she appeared oddly protective over her ally.
"No worries, if they do retain me I will make sure to not utter a word of your location." Vorona calmly responded, completely failing the objective of the question.
"... that's not the issue." Karisawa mumbled quietly.
It seemed she had realized that nothing she said was going to change Vorona's mind, and Kadota pushed himself from the table.
"And if I join?"
"You are injured. You are slow," Vorona assessed curtly, not beating around the bush as she pointed at his shoulder. "You would do nothing but slow me down."
Wow. Rude, but clearly right.
Kadota showed a weak smile, but shook his head. "Not in a direct investigation, but you could give me rough estimates of where you are heading. That way if you don't return we will know where the enemy base is."
Recognition flared in Vorona's expression as she pondered on his words.
"Excellent idea," she nodded, "Alright, I will take you with me."
Ripping two matching pages from the maps they had carried over Namie held up the pieces. "That means we will split into two groups." She announced and Izaya nodded in agreement.
Karisawa- not so much.
"Is that really a good idea?"
Turning their heads the group looked up from the maps and back at her.
She was obviously worried about any of them not making it back alive, and her presence of fear set an awful reminder for everyone about what kind of dangers they were going to face.
It at least downed the mood for good.
Letting his eyes wander to Shizuo, Izaya unexpectedly met his gaze.
He was not fond of this idea either, Izaya could tell.
Yet he hadn't said a single thing, or argued over their plan. Was he still out of it, or simply going with whatever Izaya deemed wisest?
Izaya hoped it was the latter.
Moving up to the young woman, Kadota put an assuring hand on her shoulder.
"Don't you have to read some manga?" he asked, flashing a bittersweet smile. "I'm sure you want to know how it ends, your favorite. For Yumasaki too."
Tearing up slightly, Karisawa gazed at the ground.
Izaya didn't know much about what happened to the group while he was traversing the hostile landscape with Shizuo only, but considering the two dorks it had to be some kind of insider, because a second later Karisawa wiped at her eyes and nodded. "Alright." Determination marked her expression and Izaya would almost go as far as to say she seemed to have gathered some sort of resolve.
"Judging how hospitals haven't treated us well, I would aim for a blood donation facility. The probability of meeting Jo's hoes there is relatively low as they usually don't contain as many valuable drugs as hospitals do," Izaya quickly continued his briefing, whilst looking at the maps Namie had already picked and circled. "The nearest facility is 20km from here. Walking there will take a few hours, finding the machine another two I would surmise. Staying the night would be preferable considering the fungus' movement and getting back-" pausing for a moment Izaya went through a few scenarios in his head. One where they would proceed as planned, one where they were held up, forced back, got stuck- after nodding a few times to himself his eyes opened again. The sun had risen a couple hours ago, the day was still young. So-
"Two days and one night." He estimated, "Does that sound manageable?"
Vorona agreed,"We will have to make due," and glanced towards Kadota who was mirroring her acceptance with a quick nod.
"I'm looking forward to a quiet service," Shinra announced happily, while looking at Karisawa, Namie and Shizuo respectively. Izaya smiled at his cunning way of putting words. He meant that both literal and metaphorical and Namie seemed to be aware as she clicked her tongue.
"I'm not going to object."
"Alright," Izaya grinned, looked at every face present, then nodded, "We will meet again here at sunset tomorrow evening."
to be continued~
Alright, the teams are moving out~
But is that a good idea?
Am I going to kill someone?
Are they going to kill someone?
Oh my, is that blood?
That looks like it hurts- C:
See you next Saturday~ xDDD
