Dead Run-Revival (Chapter 3)
Title: Dead Run-Revival
Rating: R
Genre: AU, horror, action, angst, drama
Characters: OT5
Disclaimer: Inspired from Resident Evil game. Some similar part are purely coincidence. Neither Arashi nor RE are mine!
Summary: When a city is suddenly being attacked by endless living dead, 5 people without any connection are left behind, ended up either to save themselves or fulfill their responsibility. Will they manage? Or will they find out something they would never expect to know?
Warning: Blood and brutal scene, swearing(in this chapter) & long chapter again (7289 words/14 pages) *facepalm twice*
(Chapter 3 : A life for a life)
“Ohno? I need to talk to you now.”
Ohno immediately turned to his superior who was looking at him from the weapon room’s doorstep. Quickly, he wore his bullet case on his hip and went to the awaiting man. He then was led into an empty meeting room where the other one immediately closed the door. Even though the situation in the building was too hectic due to the sudden declared of red-level emergency in the city, the man seemed still didn’t want to take lightly the risk of someone might eavesdrop them. Only after he had made sure that the whole room was safe he finally approached the still frowning Ohno.
“We don’t have so much time, so I’ll make this short. The upper men told me before that what is happening in the main city now is done by an underground research organization. They have their own trained ‘army’, so make sure to tell your people to be extra careful.”
“Wait. How did they find out about that? I mean, how come they know the organization exists? We haven’t sent our team out to the city to investigate yet.”
“Actually, the upper already sent people to watch them since the new facility was built in the south area. But they decide to see what the facility is going to do-” before Ohno managed to open his mouth, the man cut him fast “-I know what you want to say. ‘A lot of people in danger now because of their thoughtless decision’, am I right?’ I think the same too. They’re such group of insane men. They hide everything and ‘brilliantly’ push the responsibility to settle this matter to us when it’s already getting out of hands like now. Something fishy must be happening on the top management.”
The young captain of the special team sighs by the explanation. Although there is so much he wants to say, it will be just a waste of time. His subordinates now probably are already waiting for him out there. Thanking his senior for that information, he then hurriedly moved to the door. He, however stopped by the older man again when he just about to walk out.
“I just remember another thing. There’s a possibility that our enemy, maybe are not the organization’s well-trained men only. It just announced before that the emperor also sent Matsumoto clan to join this rescuing mission.”
“Matsumoto clan is the family of the emperor’s guards, right? It’s supposed to be a good thing to receive their help. ”
“It is IF they’re really on our side. However, we’re not sure what their objective yet. You also know the emperor is not going to send them out unless there’s something he wants them to ‘cover’ for him. Just make sure to watch out if they do something suspicious.”
-“CAPTAIN OHNO! ANSWER ME IF YOU CAN HEAR MY VOICE!”
Ohno startles by the sudden female voice. Feel slightly dizzy, the captain moves his hand to massage his forehead. Last night after finishing his last touch on his wound, he fortunately found where the clinic blood bank is and fell asleep by instant due to exhaustion right after he properly inserted a needle into his hand for blood transfusion. The medical training he received during his early year seems to come handier than he ever thought.
“Ohno’s speaking.”
-“CAPTAIN! THANK GOD! WE’RE SO WORRIED!” The awaken man hisses by his subordinate’s loud shout in his earpiece. It takes time to make her and his other subordinates on the line to stop talking about their endless concern, but once they do, the fact that it is already morning finally hit him. For how long he had lost contact with his team members already? No wonder they are so worried about him.
-“We heard what happened to you with Kazama last night. We wanted to send help, but the massive blackout makes it hard for us to move around. The line interruption also prevented us from detecting your location. It just finally recovered after dawn. But anyway are you fine, captain?”
“You’re supposed to ask that question first. I’m fine for now by the way. It’s a good thing you guys didn’t come last night. That giant might kill you guys. How the survivors? Did all of them were safely removed from here?”
No response. Just a long silence. Ohno was about to think that the line was disconnected when his subordinate finally speaks again.
-“Roughly 55 percent managed to be rescued if we count in those under the police and military department’s care as well. Hundreds of them were injured though. Another 45 percent of the city population, however…”
“Either missing or…dead. Am I right?” He continues when the other one seems couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence. Compared to them, the captain is actually more than aware about the bitter truth though. He knows they were already too much late when they arrived at the locations last night as the living dead already had begun to attack the citizens much earlier. No matter how hard they try to save peoples' lives after that a lot more already dead. Nobody says it, but he knows his team fails to do their job properly this time.
Just then he hears hitting sound comes from the front side of the clinic. Alert by it, Ohno immediately says he needs to hang up the call. The moment another hitting sound noising the place, he quickly takes his gun out while using the wall behind for support as he moves carefully toward the door. When dogs’ growl follows after that sound, he frowningly peeks to the broken clinic front door which he has already blocked last night. What he found then seriously takes him by surprises.
‘Zombie dogs? Is this for real?! What the hell is going on in this city?!’
There only a couple of bloody dogs are trying to push the door open, but based on the overlap growls sound he realizes there must be a lot more are gathering outside. Know that there is no way he could defeat those zombie dogs by himself, Ohno swiftly takes a look around. He then sees the back door and slowly drags his injured leg toward it. By the time he wants to open it however, the front glass door suddenly cracks. It immediately smashes into pieces after one zombie dog crush on it and successfully opens a way into the clinic
‘D*mn it!’ Swinging the back door opens, Ohno then storm out of the place. The loud door banging that produces from his action make the previous dogs bark madly by instant as they now seem fully aware that he is trying to escape.
However, even though in the midst of that very critical time, luck unfortunately still not on Ohno’s side. His wound begins to hurt again as soon as his injured foot touches the road outside, making him fall immediately into the ground with a painful yelp. Having no other choice now, the captain only can use his gun to take them down one by one. His gun was about to running out of the bullet when he feels the road has a faint shake. Soon, he sees a black truck comes from far.
‘Right on time!’
While shooting another coming dog, Ohno forces himself to get back on his feet. He however couldn’t even manage to signal to the truck driver that he needs a help when someone in mask suddenly pokes his head out from the passenger window. Once notices the rifle that the latter aims at him, Ohno quickly moves his body to the side, successfully dodging the first shoot that given to him without reason. Looking the shooter in disbelief, he finally remembers about the existence of well-trained enemy that his senior mentioned before. It seems he has to survive two assaults from two different enemies now.
Forcing himself to run toward the direction of the truck, Ohno at the same time keep on shooting the zombie dogs which are still chasing after him behind. The enemy in front is also still trying to kill him by giving constant shootings, but none of it manages to reach him due to his fast reflex. Later, he realizes the truck driver purposefully increase the speed. That though unexpectedly is the awaiting moment for the captain as he suddenly stops moving and wait for the truck to come closer. Then, right when it almost runs into him, he suddenly moves aside and let the truck to crash into some of the murdering dogs behind him instead. At that very moment also he takes that chance to grab for the truck backside which now in his reaches.
Yet, as soon as he manages to pull himself inside, he doesn’t expect to see another surprise. Four masked men complete with their weapon are actually already sitting inside there, all surprise before get up at once when sees his sudden presence in their truck.
X-X-X-X-X
Sakurai awakens by the first sunray that touches his face. For a while he just blinks his eyes, staring at the ceiling above blankly before a rotten smell finally hit him. Remembering what happened last night, he immediately sits up and hurriedly washes his face and hands in the kitchen sink again that he falls asleep next to. Even though he already scrub it for the whole previous night until his skin turn to red, the murdering sin still couldn’t get rid of his thought. Soon, he notices the dried blood stain that still left on his clothes.
‘Blood…no. I’m not a murderer. I just-I just want to help that man.’
As quick as he can, Sakurai takes off his bloody jacket and throws it away. His cold hands start to tremble when he finds the floor below him is messed with red droplet. The moment his eyes follow it and realizes it comes from the living room where he left the body he just killed before, the journalist scream in frustration. All plates and kitchen things scatter on the floor immediately when he pushes it away from the countertop beside him. He then reaches for anything he found in the sink in front him and starts to throw it away, but automatically pulls his hand back when feels something cut his palm. This time, he realizes the existence of a knife there.
For a while, his blood keeps on falling to the floor as he seems fascinated by the sharp material. A lot of injuring ways are being processed in the currently unstable emotions man’s mind when a voice recording sound suddenly plays from the living room.
BEEP! YOU HAVE ONE NEW MESSAGE.
“Professor, is the medicine done yet? Our organization has spent a lot of money to support your research, so make sure you don’t disappoint us if you still want to join us. I’d sent my people to your house. They are supposed to be there anytime from now. Remember to not keep any of your research journal from us. And if we lost a lot of our men before your ‘magical’ medicine done and heal our injured people, I will make sure to snap your neck by myself. This is my first and last reminding.”
The house falls into silence once the message over. Yet, dumbfounded by it, Sakurai just stays still. He later surprises when heard someone suddenly barges the front door open before two pairs of boots stamp inside.
“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?! PROFESSOR!” Panic by the shout, Sakurai swiftly runs to the voice. Just when he is about to explain the truth to an armed men in a mask who is now crouching down in front of the man he killed, another armed man there suddenly speaks.
“Just leave his body. What is more important is to get the medicine. Thankfully, he is dead already. There’s no need for us to get rid of him anymore.”
“What? So at last The President still doesn’t want him? I thought professor is on our side.”
“The President said what we need is his intelligence to create that medicine for us only. As long as we got the specimen, we always can remake that medicine anytime. That thing can heal any external wound we had by instant, so even if we badly injured by the special team’s ambush later there’s still no way they can defeat us. Also, we can snatch more survivors for the facility without need to worry about the special team’s strength. The survivors’ body then will always available to perform new experiment. They’ll spare our life you know.”
What they were talking about after that was unable to be digested by Sakurai. The journalist is speechless. What medicine these men are talking about? Why they want to use the survivors as experiments’ guinea pig? And the man he has killed before… was actually sided this people? Then to kill him actually wasn’t a wrong choice?
Afraid of what he just heard, Sakurai slowly steps back. As quiet as he can, he tries to look for a hiding place until the armed men will leave the house. He carefully enters each room there and found that one of it looks like a small laboratory with various kinds of equipment and colorful chemicals can be seen everywhere. Just ignoring that fact, Sakurai then decides to hide in a hideous cabinet next to the only computer there. In the midst of hurrying however he bumps into the computer desk and causing a coffee mug there to fall into the floor, noising the room with a loud breaking sound.
“WHO IS THERE?!”
‘Crap. Why now?!’ Hit by a huge panic, the journalist decides to dash out from the room since the armed men now obviously will inspect every inch of the room. Yet, upon realizing that they are already quite close to the door, he quickly retards into the corner. An idea instantly comes into his mind when found numbers of cylinder container are standing on the table next to him. The moment the men appear on the doorstep, he randomly reaches for one of it using his fine hand and shows it to them.
“PUT DOWN YOUR WEAPON! DON’T COME ANY CLOSER OR I WILL DESTROY THIS MEDICINE!”
Both armed men freeze on their spot, but not without aiming their rifles at Sakurai first.
“We are going to shoot you if you don’t give it to us!”
“Shoot me and I swear this thing will slip from my hand! Do it if you want this medicine spill into the floor and you guys will get nothing to return!”
What he said however only make the two men to provoke him more. It seems those men thought Sakurai is the professor’s assistant and will not dare to do any damage to the complex creation since it was taking so much time to be completed. Left with no other option, Sakurai immediately open the cylinder container’s cap.
“Then, what if I spill all of this?” As soon as he said that he purposefully turn that thing upside down, letting the unknown chemical to splash into the floor below while closing a bit of the container mouth with his injured hand to make the men believe his acting. A stinging pain burns his previous wound as soon as it makes contact with the possibly dangerous liquid, but he covers it by gritting his teeth hard. This time, his plan fortunately works.
“STOP IT ALREADY! FINE! WE WILL PUT DOWN OUR WEAPON! THAT’S WHAT YOU WANT RIGHT?!”
The moment the two men leave their riffle below, Sakurai quickly closes the container back. Though still feels an extreme pain with his wound, the journalist somehow manages to keep a calm expression while telling the armed men to stand next to the computer. For every step the
men take to there, he will also move a step closer toward the door. Finally, when he is standing right on the doorstep, he swiftly slams closed the door and run to the back side of the house. Countless of bullets immediately hit the door as soon as the armed men realize that he is trying to escape, but thankfully he already arrived at the house yard at that moment. By the time Sakurai climbs up the fence wall that separating the house with the next one, the two men immediately shout aloud.
“THE MEDICINE HAD BEEN STOLEN!!! CATCH THAT CULPRIT ALIVE!!!”
Sakurai hurriedly drops himself to the neighbor’s ground. He knows that he is going to bump into the other armed men if he runs through the front gate, so he quickly climbs the backside fence wall instead. Once he is above it, he hears a sudden panic shout come from the front side of the dead professor’s house. Someone then screams out about saving their life before a very loud brake screeching sound enters his ears. Less than a second later a black truck in a full speed suddenly passes in front of the house. A loud crashing impact follows a moment after, startling Sakurai who immediately closes his eyes and freeze on the spot when the full speed truck run into the front gate of the professor’s house. Thick smoke soon appears from the accident site.
For the first several seconds after that, the journalist couldn’t move a muscle due to shock. He tries to support his still shock body by using his hands, but stop when remembers the cylinder container is still in his hold.
‘Such a bad luck charm. I should just throw this away earlier-’ Dumbstruck. Just now he finally realizes the absence of the pain on his supposed-to-hurt palm. Another second pass in silence after that as he slowly looks at his wound. Yet, once finding a completely fine skin on there he immediately still again. He never expected he will get the right cylinder before.
Soon, a painful yelp comes from the crashing site. Eventually realizes how bad the situation he is still involved with, Sakurai panicky tries to climb off the wall fence he is still sitting on. He later heard another yelp comes from there follow by a weak figure fall from the truck backside. The thick grey smoke makes the view quite unclear, but he still can see a figure of another man then climb down from the backside before limping toward the previous figure which seems was thrown down by him.
“T-That movement…was Jeet Kune Do…H-How come…someone like you…can defeat us alone…You’re injured…t-there is no way…No way…at…all…”
A long silence that comes after it makes Sakurai realizes that the talking man is dead. Becoming more terrified by that horrifying fact, his hands begin to tremble. The thick smoke that was blocking his view at the same time gradually disappears, bit by bit shows the face of the person who managed to take down the dead man and his teammates all by himself. By the time Sakurai finally able to see the dangerous man face who is now busy reloading his empty gun, his brain on instant recognize the familiarity of the latter’s uniform and badge - thanks to his years of working within journalism field. Soon, the latter eventually notices about his presence as well. The man looks at him in surprise before pressing something on his earpiece.
“Guys, I think I just found a survivor here. I need you guys to send an aid unit now.”
Sakurai finally dare to heave his relief sigh once hear what the man said. Slowly, he let himself slip back to the house yard, slumping tiredly to the ground as tiredness and exhaustion taken him completely. So many things had happened to him since last night and really wear him out. Now, at last, he feels safe.
X-X-X-X-X
Sound of ball is hitting the wall fills Aiba’s dark apartment. The place only brightens by a small spot of light which enters from the window outside, but it doesn’t bother the young scientist to turn on the light at all. Since the time he arrived there last night he just keep on throwing his baseball ball into the wall and caught it using his old glove which was a farewell gift from his orphanage friend years ago, hoping it can calm him down like usual if he continues doing it. This time though it seems doesn’t work. The damage that left on his mentality due to the last night incident is still there.
‘You’re not a human anymore.’
Something snaps inside him. Gritting his teeth hard, Aiba then angrily throws the ball he is holding toward a mirror there. A loud glass broken sound takes place in the silent room immediately, dirtying the floor with fragments as Aiba watches the mirror shatter into pieces. The young scientist never lets rage overtaken him before, but this time it just unbearable. Indeed during his way back home last night he was feeling so depressed when realize that he actually had been deceived by the institution all this time, but after finally understand why they choose him from the first place, he becomes angry. He is an orphan. And they know that nobody will look for him even if the experiment they did on him went wrong and cause him dead.
‘No wonder Kurosawa-san whined about family to me last night…They must have known why I was accepted from the first place.’
His stare then stops at a large piece of broken mirror on the floor. Once seeing the reflection of his glowing eyes there, he slowly rests his hand on the place where he had been bitten. He notices any injuries on his body can recover really fast after he watched the scratches on his feet healed by itself even he has already walking with barefoot for hours last night.
Soon, he startles by a sudden loud explosion that come from nearby areas.
‘I better leave now. They probably are looking for me.’
Realizing he now is a living successful specimen, Aiba quickly clean himself before changing into comfortable clothes for moving. Right when he comes out of his apartment, he surprises by rattling gunshot comes from the explosion place. The young scientist almost stumbles during his panic attempt to run away, but stuck instead when found someone with blood stain is standing in front him with a pair of red eyes. The moment that man approaches him, Aiba freezes by the smell of rotten corpse the man has.
‘This-this thing is already dead!’ Before he could move the dead body already grabbed for his shoulder and ready to open its mouth. Panic,
Aiba swiftly gives the dead one a strong kick. Once he feels its grip loose from him, he takes that very chance to dash away until he stops again when found some more living dead are wandering before his eyes. This time however he has no guts to move. Instead, he tries to recall how he managed to reach his house safely last night without bumping into any of those since it is clearly impossible to not meet one judging from how many zombies are actually presences there. Yet, no matter how hard he tries, he couldn’t remember what he had done. He even finally realizes that the roads he walked in last night were all deserted even though it is supposed to be a busy business area. He was so depressed before until he didn’t notice the weirdness earlier.
SPLAT SPLAT SPLAT
The sound of something wet drop to the ground makes him freeze. Hard stomps sound then suddenly comes closer from the wandering living dead, making him hesitantly step back. Later, he sees a woman appears from among it with her snake-like eyes and an illogical amount of sticky saliva drip from her mouth. What shock him the most though is the sound of hissing and sudden small smoke that shows up every time that woman’s saliva touches the road. That is when a realization finally hit him.
‘No, it’s not saliva! IT’S ACID!’
His heart almost drops when the woman’s step suddenly grows faster. By the time Aiba wants to start moving, the other one already starts running. He gives his all out to escape from the woman’s inhuman sight, especially when it suddenly groans while spluttering its deadly acid everywhere. Soon though the young scientist found the way ahead his is already occupied by dozens of zombies. Now with a very fast murdering monster is chasing behind and a group of living dead that seems already noticed his existence are standing in front, he is completely trapped.
“Get away from me.” If anyone from the research institution heard his plead they must be exploding with a laugh. After all, what kind of idiot will beg to monsters that no longer has human nature? However, at this rate Aiba has no more choice. Regardless how idiot he looks now, he doesn’t care anymore. He can’t die this way. Once he heard the snake-like monster is squeaking with wide open mouth a few meters away, he found the zombies in front him at the same time already reach their hands out to him. Completely panic, Aiba only can come up with one thing. Scream.
“GET AWAY FROM ME!!!!”
A loud echo fills the area for a while by his desperate scream. His eyes close tight as he waits for pain to finally strike him. Yet, neither sound nor movement comes from both monster and zombies even after several seconds elapse.
Confuse, Aiba slowly opens his eyes. To his surprise the zombies are now staying still, together with the acid woman which is just another two steps away from him. The second he manages to collect all his courage back, he finally dashes away from there which unintentionally makes him see the NO. 27 barcode that the acid woman has on her nape.
A moment later, he stops in an empty road to catch his breath. His memory then goes back to the barcode he had seen, starting to wonder if he also had a one as he moves his hand to touch his neck. Just then a ball suddenly rolls out from one of the alley beside him. He surprises when the next thing he sees is a dirty Snowcap little girl coming out to pick the ball up. The girl however immediately runs away when notices him.
“Wait!” In the next second, Aiba is already on his feet to chase after the running girl. Although he is still bewildered why there is a kid in the middle of this insanity, at first he must take her to a safe place. That girl is probably scared after seeing corpses and wandering zombies everywhere. However, by the time he follows her into a dead end alley, he found the little girl already waiting for him with a knife.
“Give us your money!”
Aiba was totally dumbstruck by her words. Yet, another girl’s voice suddenly cut hers.
“Stop it Rie-chan. I told you, it’s not right to do that. We ran away because we don’t want to do this right?”
A cough follows the girl’s sentence. Immediately, the one who names Rie turns to her friend who is leaning weakly on the wall deep inside the alley. She then looks at Aiba again, biting her lip furiously before finally moving to her friend.
“Aka-chan, we better go back. You haven’t eaten for days. Maybe they won’t punish us if we return now.”
“I don’t want to. They told us to steal if we want to have food. It’s not nice to steal. Daddy always told me that.” The one name Aka just smiles weakly when her friend tries to persuade her again. Aiba notices that the girl also has a messy appearance like the other one, but wearing a pink dirty sweater with her hair length pass her shoulder. Seeing her trembling small hands finally remembering him with what Rie just said before. Quickly, he gets out of the alley.
Soon, Aiba barges into the nearest convenience store where he begins to grab for packets of bread and drinking water as much and fast as he can before storm out in less than 10 seconds. The two girls look so surprised to see him back, but their expression brightens immediately when Aiba passes the first two packets of bread that he already open for them. For the whole time after that Aiba just watches the two girls eating hungrily in front him. Aka who notices it questioningly looks at him.
“You’re not going to eat, Ni-chan?”
Aiba chuckles from it. “I’m fine. You girls can have it all.”
The two girls grin happily when hear that. Smiling along, Aiba continues watching them and sometimes offer the water that he holds for them. When realizes the foods are almost finished, he immediately gets up and tells the girls that he will bring some more for them. With a much lighter heart despite how bad he felt last night, he then goes back to the same store.
However, once he returns to the small alley with more breads and an idea for them to go to a safe place first, he found the girls already disappear. What are left only some empty packets and two half eaten bread which obviously were crushed on purpose, judging from the adult shoes mark left on it.
X-X-X-X-X
Ninomiya hisses when he is struck by dizziness again. That however, makes him neither stops nor showing his pain to the leading Matsumoto in front. He sees the other one as well seems not bother to ask if he still can move despite fully aware about his bad condition.
Last night Ninomiya was saved by that man after the latter destroyed a weird monster without arms. He was even being helped to have a proper rest in the nearest empty café. The latter can kill him onslaught to fulfil whatever order was given to him if he wants, but he unexpectedly spared his life instead, unlike the 5 injured men who killed his girlfriend last night. Of course after he recovered a bit he was questioned with a lot of things, but that’s it. Matsumoto doesn’t ‘eliminate’ him immediately. He even allowed Ninomiya to follow him until now which makes Ninomiya feels more puzzled with what this man’s real intention is. Is he an ally? Or he actually had planned something ahead?
Just then both the successor and survivor feel a weird shake on the road. Alert by it, both abruptly stop walking. They soon hear a creepy groan is coming from afar.
“We better hurry. Something is coming here.”
Ninomiya nods to comply. He is just about to start running when his sight all of a sudden change to blur. Another sudden headache then forces him to fall to the ground, making Matsumoto who just takes a few steps forward turn around immediately by his painful hiss. Yet, instead of helping, the successor only watches the professional gamer, unconcerned.
“Can you move?”
His tone is flat and emotionless. Whimpering, Ninomiya meanwhile tries to push himself up on the road with his elbows. He however slumps to the road again when hit by another wave of dizziness.
“I don’t think so…for now. I need a minute-”
“We don’t have that much time. Do you think you can move?”
The gamer frowns painfully as he massages his forehead. He tries to fight his headache, but it is only getting worse. They have been walking since the dawn and it seems his body already reaches its limit. After a minute gone without any change with Ninomiya’s condition, Matsumoto finally loses his patience and sneer.
“Very well then. I’m leaving. All the best.” Putting one gun on the road to show his mercy, Matsumoto then turns around and leaves Ninomiya who is still sick and weak behind. The disappearance makes the Ninomiya to grit his teeth hatefully as he couldn’t believe with Matsumoto’s selfishness even though he knows he shouldn’t trust the successor from the first place. However, he had no choice. That man probably is the only way he has to look for the armed man with a rough voice that he met last night. Frowning due to mix of anger and pain, the professional gamer then punches the road below hard.
At the same moment, the successor is just about to walk pass another building. Something then suddenly gets his attention, but before he could react, a small round thing already had been thrown to him. A thick smoke appears immediately once that thing explodes out of a sudden and surrounds the successor in a second. As soon as Matsumoto is fully trapped in it, two snipers who are actually hiding on rooftop of the buildings on Matsumoto’s left and right since while ago finally begin to shoot.
Meanwhile, Ninomiya who is watching the scene from the very start was taken aback. He startles when gazillion of bullets are being released at the trapped successor while the area deafen by loud and endless gunshots. Undoubtedly he thought, this is another attempt by the organization to collect more ‘test subjects’ for whatever insane experiment they are doing. Now Ninomiya is sure he will be killed too. He probably will be another experiment body, just like his girlfriend.
‘Wait. Why would I let them use me after what they’d done to us?’
Something snaps inside him. Indeed. Those sinners mustn’t be let slip away after taking his girlfriend’s life. They already made him suffer enough. They have already messed with his feelings terribly after killing his lover before his eyes. So why should he let those mad murderers to kill himself easily after what they have done? An eye for an eye, a life for a life. From now on, he swears he will avenge for Saki’s death.
“Wait and see, you *ssholes.” Feel rage gradually suffocates him, the heartbroken man pushes himself from the road. He glares sharply at the visible sniper on the building top until a visible red bloodshot show on his eye. Once he finally stands by his two feet, Ninomiya no longer conscious with any pain he felt. Even the danger right ahead him only stimulate his rage more since it reminded him with the last night’s murdering scene. Hell no, he thought. There is no way he is going to give up that easily without fighting back these crazy people.
Grabbing for the gun that has been left to him, Ninomiya then aims it to the sniper on the left building. His first bullet however hit the side wall where the sniper is resting his weapon at. It instantly exposes his presence there as both of the snipers immediately stop their shoot and turn to him, but instead of running away, Ninomiya bravely runs forward and prepare to attack the left sniper. Surprisingly, someone shoots his opponent first before he could pull the trigger. Less than a second, the sniper on the right building falls as well. Dumbstruck, he immediately stands still. Soon, he sees Matsumoto comes out of the trapping thick smoke, all safe and sound.
“I shot the second one just on chest. He’s going to die if we don’t hurry see him now.”
The successor suddenly says as he calmly walks pass the professional gamer who extremely shock to see him still alive. However, he doesn’t bother to explain the latter anything. Instead, he just enters the right building and climb up the stairs to the top where he later hears Ninomiya’s footsteps follow his track behind. By the time he arrives at the building top, he found the sniper is lying weakly on the floor while panting heavily due to losing too much blood. He approaches the man in silence before stopping right next to the latter.
“Enjoying your last moment?”
The bleeding sniper only can glare. Chuckling, Matsumoto crouches down with an amused smile. At the same time, Ninomiya finally arrives on the rooftop as well.
“I hope the one who gave you guys this attack plan wasn’t your General or Captain. He should come up with a better idea than throwing some BIG smoke gas which only gives the victim a chance to dodge freely or sending only TWO snipers to kill an heir of the royal’s guard family.”
Slowly moves his hand to the sniper’s bleeding chest, Matsumoto then presses the wound there with his fingers on purpose. Painful yelp escapes from the injured man immediately as he gasps for breath when the successor’s hand next suddenly clutches on his open injure without showing any sympathy. Even the successor’s eyes are empty and calm just like he is messing with a non-living thing.
“I see you guys created all this mess to collect more experiment subject. Now, tell me; where’s your organization base?”
“W-Why sh-ould I? I’ll s-till be kill-ed in the e-nd…”
When the man doesn’t say anything after that, Matsumoto gives a light punch to the latter’s wound. His action startles Ninomiya who is standing not afar while the sniper crying louder than before.
“You will, but not before I allowed to.” After saying that, the successor suddenly shoves out a knife. He shows his smirk to the whimpering man before playing with the knife just a few inches above the latter’s bleeding wound. “Where is it?”
The sniper only looks at him angrily. Realizing what is waiting next, Ninomiya who just watches quietly since a while ago immediately turns his face away. The professional gamer doesn’t bother to see what is happening, neither wants to stop Matsumoto as the successor does something that make the bleeding sniper erupts with a torment scream before noising the area with his strangle whimpers.
“I’ll ask the easiest one then. How many people in the organization?”
The heir asks after finally moves his knife away. Yet, the man below him stubbornly replies with a head shake. Getting up on his feet, Matsumoto then puts his knife back and takes out his gun with a fake disappoint sigh. Once Matsumoto looks back at the injured sniper with his real serious gaze, he suddenly shoots the other one on each arm and legs without warning, splattering red blood everywhere before his eyes. His ears immediately catch pleading and begging voice comes from under him, but not even a shred of sympathy born in him by it. After all, he is not called a demon for nothing.
“I-I don-t know!!! I on-ly h-ave meet th-e recruit-ment te-am! I re-ally don’t kno-w!!!”
“Then what about the weird monsters? Last night I met a Cerberus and some weird human without arms. Did you guys produce those things? And how did you turn the citizens to living dead?”
The injured man doesn’t say anything. Instead he looks at Matsumoto in fear, still shocked by the pain he feels and how far this cruel young man can be. Afraid with what is going to happen next he finally moves his trembling lips.
“Tho-se with big-ger code nu-mbers can contro-l the small-er ones. Eac-h of it ha-ve diff-erent ab-ility. They-re hum-an that we-re caught to be deve-lop-ed as su-per hum-an. Mos-t are fail-ures.”
Right after the man finishes his sentence, Matsumoto immediately notices the murdering look that light up in the professional gamer’s eyes several steps away from them. He however not bothers to calm down the other one even when the latter already starts to stomp angrily toward the sniper. Just smirks knowingly.
“T-he zom-bies…I-I hea-rd they sp-read the v-irus to so-me people firs-t th-rough drinks. Onc-e they’d chang-ed they start-ed infect-ing others thro-ugh biting.”
“Spreading virus? For what?”
“To t-est the viru-s’s stre-ngth.” That’s it. The answer is more than enough to make Ninomiya bash the sniper with his all might. Both his fists are already trembling hardly once he stands next to the wounded man with eyes full of rage. He is all prepared to explode with anger if Matsumoto doesn’t come out with another question to cut his action.
“I’ll ask you again; where are the headquarters?”
What Matsumoto receives this time however only a weak mumble. Soon, the half-alive man suddenly coughs a lot amount of blood from his mouth, slowly die in a most suffering way while Ninomiya and Matsumoto are watching aside. The rooftop turns to silence for a while once the sniper finally exhales his last breathe.
“You’ve much less empathy than I thought.”
Ninomiya turns to him questioningly.
“He looked so much in pain when he’s dying before, so I thought you’re going to shoot him to relieve his suffer. You’re holding my gun, you know.”
“This kind of man killed my beloved person. I’ll avenge them no matter how it takes. They’ll pay for it.”
Grudge and determination were clearly emphasized in his every word. The successor even can see the hatred that fills the gamer’s eyes as the latter looks at the now dead sniper below them in despise, but chooses to not say anything about it. Just then the gamer suddenly offers back his gun.
“You previously left your gun on purpose, didn’t you?”
Matsumoto surprises by the other one’s guess. However, instead of taking the gun back immediately, he just stares it silently. Then he calmly looks up again.
“You might need it again.” With that, the heir starts to make his way to the door.
Feel puzzled than ever, Ninomiya on the other hand just watches wonderingly Matsumoto who now starts to climb down the stairs, firmly clutching the gun in his hand. Even now he still doesn’t know what that man’s real intention is. He also is not sure if he can trust him or not. However, for now, Matsumoto seems not seeing him as a threat since the latter lets him to have his gun easily despite the risk that Ninomiya himself could suddenly decide to use it to kill him. Maybe that man lets him to stay along for a hidden agenda, but either way, for now the gamer knows better than being careless. That heir didn’t hesitate to torture someone until dead before, so the probability he can be betrayed anytime is quite high too. Nevertheless, he also clearly aware that he won’t able to survive long in the city without Matsumoto’s superior fighting skills.
Meanwhile, though realizing the doubtful expression comes from the man behind him, Matsumoto stay calm and just look straight ahead. Ninomiya might decide to launch an attack on him out of a sudden anytime, but he knows the gamer doesn’t have a reason to do that anyway since the latter’s eternal enemies are already confirmed. Besides, as long as none of them make any suspicious act, they can remain as a ‘comrade’ to each other. And if it continues that way, the chance to accomplish his mission will be much higher. Matsumoto usually will bother to keep a useless survivor with him if it has nothing to with his mission, but not for a man with a deep grudge. He knows anyone could go as far as losing their sanity just for the sake of revenge. The fact that Ninomiya instantly recovers from his pain before is a good proof for him that the gamer is worth to be kept for now.
As they continue to climb down the stairs, heavy silence starts to surround the two of them. There is no word exchange occurs between them after that, but both men are certainly aware of one thing - that they are actually taking each other’s presence for own benefit.
Until they startle by a loud creepy groan from the road outside.
X-X-X-X-X
>I'm sorry for this late one month update. I'll be honest - writer's block. When writing this I usually can write smoooooothly for the first half chapter and suddenly got stuck for the second half. I tried to avoid from dragging the plot too much so the plot must be changed from the original one and it resulted a bad writer's block (= =") Besides, the more I try to make shorter chapter, the longer it turns out DX
>Starting from now on I probably will only able to update once a month. I'm going to start my practical training tomorrow and the supervisors there said that they're going to train me and my classmate really strict. They seriously 'tortured' us during their stress interview before and somehow both of us 'kind of' accepted their challenge since they promised something to us as return if we survived as well. But now I'm kind of lost. Maybe because of not enough mental preparation since our semester's training is supposed to start next week and I 'accidentally' dealt early 4 days with the manager(I want to laugh when remembering it though XDD). Ganbarimasu anyway!
>I think you girls can see now why I mentioned before Matsujun is a real sadist in this fic. This is just the beginning though. You'll (probably) see much worse later. Aiba and Nino as well starts to live on for the sake of revenge.This fic turned out much darker than I thought, but I hope you enjoy your reading anyway :D
>I wish you can drop by some comment for this chapter. It'll really help to boost my writer-spirit again since I'm lacking of writing motivation already because of tomorrow 'big event' and too much experiencing writer's block (=_=").
Rating: R
Genre: AU, horror, action, angst, drama
Characters: OT5
Disclaimer: Inspired from Resident Evil game. Some similar part are purely coincidence. Neither Arashi nor RE are mine!
Summary: When a city is suddenly being attacked by endless living dead, 5 people without any connection are left behind, ended up either to save themselves or fulfill their responsibility. Will they manage? Or will they find out something they would never expect to know?
Warning: Blood and brutal scene, swearing(in this chapter) & long chapter again (7289 words/14 pages) *facepalm twice*
(Chapter 3 : A life for a life)
“Ohno? I need to talk to you now.”
Ohno immediately turned to his superior who was looking at him from the weapon room’s doorstep. Quickly, he wore his bullet case on his hip and went to the awaiting man. He then was led into an empty meeting room where the other one immediately closed the door. Even though the situation in the building was too hectic due to the sudden declared of red-level emergency in the city, the man seemed still didn’t want to take lightly the risk of someone might eavesdrop them. Only after he had made sure that the whole room was safe he finally approached the still frowning Ohno.
“We don’t have so much time, so I’ll make this short. The upper men told me before that what is happening in the main city now is done by an underground research organization. They have their own trained ‘army’, so make sure to tell your people to be extra careful.”
“Wait. How did they find out about that? I mean, how come they know the organization exists? We haven’t sent our team out to the city to investigate yet.”
“Actually, the upper already sent people to watch them since the new facility was built in the south area. But they decide to see what the facility is going to do-” before Ohno managed to open his mouth, the man cut him fast “-I know what you want to say. ‘A lot of people in danger now because of their thoughtless decision’, am I right?’ I think the same too. They’re such group of insane men. They hide everything and ‘brilliantly’ push the responsibility to settle this matter to us when it’s already getting out of hands like now. Something fishy must be happening on the top management.”
The young captain of the special team sighs by the explanation. Although there is so much he wants to say, it will be just a waste of time. His subordinates now probably are already waiting for him out there. Thanking his senior for that information, he then hurriedly moved to the door. He, however stopped by the older man again when he just about to walk out.
“I just remember another thing. There’s a possibility that our enemy, maybe are not the organization’s well-trained men only. It just announced before that the emperor also sent Matsumoto clan to join this rescuing mission.”
“Matsumoto clan is the family of the emperor’s guards, right? It’s supposed to be a good thing to receive their help. ”
“It is IF they’re really on our side. However, we’re not sure what their objective yet. You also know the emperor is not going to send them out unless there’s something he wants them to ‘cover’ for him. Just make sure to watch out if they do something suspicious.”
-“CAPTAIN OHNO! ANSWER ME IF YOU CAN HEAR MY VOICE!”
Ohno startles by the sudden female voice. Feel slightly dizzy, the captain moves his hand to massage his forehead. Last night after finishing his last touch on his wound, he fortunately found where the clinic blood bank is and fell asleep by instant due to exhaustion right after he properly inserted a needle into his hand for blood transfusion. The medical training he received during his early year seems to come handier than he ever thought.
“Ohno’s speaking.”
-“CAPTAIN! THANK GOD! WE’RE SO WORRIED!” The awaken man hisses by his subordinate’s loud shout in his earpiece. It takes time to make her and his other subordinates on the line to stop talking about their endless concern, but once they do, the fact that it is already morning finally hit him. For how long he had lost contact with his team members already? No wonder they are so worried about him.
-“We heard what happened to you with Kazama last night. We wanted to send help, but the massive blackout makes it hard for us to move around. The line interruption also prevented us from detecting your location. It just finally recovered after dawn. But anyway are you fine, captain?”
“You’re supposed to ask that question first. I’m fine for now by the way. It’s a good thing you guys didn’t come last night. That giant might kill you guys. How the survivors? Did all of them were safely removed from here?”
No response. Just a long silence. Ohno was about to think that the line was disconnected when his subordinate finally speaks again.
-“Roughly 55 percent managed to be rescued if we count in those under the police and military department’s care as well. Hundreds of them were injured though. Another 45 percent of the city population, however…”
“Either missing or…dead. Am I right?” He continues when the other one seems couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence. Compared to them, the captain is actually more than aware about the bitter truth though. He knows they were already too much late when they arrived at the locations last night as the living dead already had begun to attack the citizens much earlier. No matter how hard they try to save peoples' lives after that a lot more already dead. Nobody says it, but he knows his team fails to do their job properly this time.
Just then he hears hitting sound comes from the front side of the clinic. Alert by it, Ohno immediately says he needs to hang up the call. The moment another hitting sound noising the place, he quickly takes his gun out while using the wall behind for support as he moves carefully toward the door. When dogs’ growl follows after that sound, he frowningly peeks to the broken clinic front door which he has already blocked last night. What he found then seriously takes him by surprises.
‘Zombie dogs? Is this for real?! What the hell is going on in this city?!’
There only a couple of bloody dogs are trying to push the door open, but based on the overlap growls sound he realizes there must be a lot more are gathering outside. Know that there is no way he could defeat those zombie dogs by himself, Ohno swiftly takes a look around. He then sees the back door and slowly drags his injured leg toward it. By the time he wants to open it however, the front glass door suddenly cracks. It immediately smashes into pieces after one zombie dog crush on it and successfully opens a way into the clinic
‘D*mn it!’ Swinging the back door opens, Ohno then storm out of the place. The loud door banging that produces from his action make the previous dogs bark madly by instant as they now seem fully aware that he is trying to escape.
However, even though in the midst of that very critical time, luck unfortunately still not on Ohno’s side. His wound begins to hurt again as soon as his injured foot touches the road outside, making him fall immediately into the ground with a painful yelp. Having no other choice now, the captain only can use his gun to take them down one by one. His gun was about to running out of the bullet when he feels the road has a faint shake. Soon, he sees a black truck comes from far.
‘Right on time!’
While shooting another coming dog, Ohno forces himself to get back on his feet. He however couldn’t even manage to signal to the truck driver that he needs a help when someone in mask suddenly pokes his head out from the passenger window. Once notices the rifle that the latter aims at him, Ohno quickly moves his body to the side, successfully dodging the first shoot that given to him without reason. Looking the shooter in disbelief, he finally remembers about the existence of well-trained enemy that his senior mentioned before. It seems he has to survive two assaults from two different enemies now.
Forcing himself to run toward the direction of the truck, Ohno at the same time keep on shooting the zombie dogs which are still chasing after him behind. The enemy in front is also still trying to kill him by giving constant shootings, but none of it manages to reach him due to his fast reflex. Later, he realizes the truck driver purposefully increase the speed. That though unexpectedly is the awaiting moment for the captain as he suddenly stops moving and wait for the truck to come closer. Then, right when it almost runs into him, he suddenly moves aside and let the truck to crash into some of the murdering dogs behind him instead. At that very moment also he takes that chance to grab for the truck backside which now in his reaches.
Yet, as soon as he manages to pull himself inside, he doesn’t expect to see another surprise. Four masked men complete with their weapon are actually already sitting inside there, all surprise before get up at once when sees his sudden presence in their truck.
X-X-X-X-X
Sakurai awakens by the first sunray that touches his face. For a while he just blinks his eyes, staring at the ceiling above blankly before a rotten smell finally hit him. Remembering what happened last night, he immediately sits up and hurriedly washes his face and hands in the kitchen sink again that he falls asleep next to. Even though he already scrub it for the whole previous night until his skin turn to red, the murdering sin still couldn’t get rid of his thought. Soon, he notices the dried blood stain that still left on his clothes.
‘Blood…no. I’m not a murderer. I just-I just want to help that man.’
As quick as he can, Sakurai takes off his bloody jacket and throws it away. His cold hands start to tremble when he finds the floor below him is messed with red droplet. The moment his eyes follow it and realizes it comes from the living room where he left the body he just killed before, the journalist scream in frustration. All plates and kitchen things scatter on the floor immediately when he pushes it away from the countertop beside him. He then reaches for anything he found in the sink in front him and starts to throw it away, but automatically pulls his hand back when feels something cut his palm. This time, he realizes the existence of a knife there.
For a while, his blood keeps on falling to the floor as he seems fascinated by the sharp material. A lot of injuring ways are being processed in the currently unstable emotions man’s mind when a voice recording sound suddenly plays from the living room.
BEEP! YOU HAVE ONE NEW MESSAGE.
“Professor, is the medicine done yet? Our organization has spent a lot of money to support your research, so make sure you don’t disappoint us if you still want to join us. I’d sent my people to your house. They are supposed to be there anytime from now. Remember to not keep any of your research journal from us. And if we lost a lot of our men before your ‘magical’ medicine done and heal our injured people, I will make sure to snap your neck by myself. This is my first and last reminding.”
The house falls into silence once the message over. Yet, dumbfounded by it, Sakurai just stays still. He later surprises when heard someone suddenly barges the front door open before two pairs of boots stamp inside.
“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?! PROFESSOR!” Panic by the shout, Sakurai swiftly runs to the voice. Just when he is about to explain the truth to an armed men in a mask who is now crouching down in front of the man he killed, another armed man there suddenly speaks.
“Just leave his body. What is more important is to get the medicine. Thankfully, he is dead already. There’s no need for us to get rid of him anymore.”
“What? So at last The President still doesn’t want him? I thought professor is on our side.”
“The President said what we need is his intelligence to create that medicine for us only. As long as we got the specimen, we always can remake that medicine anytime. That thing can heal any external wound we had by instant, so even if we badly injured by the special team’s ambush later there’s still no way they can defeat us. Also, we can snatch more survivors for the facility without need to worry about the special team’s strength. The survivors’ body then will always available to perform new experiment. They’ll spare our life you know.”
What they were talking about after that was unable to be digested by Sakurai. The journalist is speechless. What medicine these men are talking about? Why they want to use the survivors as experiments’ guinea pig? And the man he has killed before… was actually sided this people? Then to kill him actually wasn’t a wrong choice?
Afraid of what he just heard, Sakurai slowly steps back. As quiet as he can, he tries to look for a hiding place until the armed men will leave the house. He carefully enters each room there and found that one of it looks like a small laboratory with various kinds of equipment and colorful chemicals can be seen everywhere. Just ignoring that fact, Sakurai then decides to hide in a hideous cabinet next to the only computer there. In the midst of hurrying however he bumps into the computer desk and causing a coffee mug there to fall into the floor, noising the room with a loud breaking sound.
“WHO IS THERE?!”
‘Crap. Why now?!’ Hit by a huge panic, the journalist decides to dash out from the room since the armed men now obviously will inspect every inch of the room. Yet, upon realizing that they are already quite close to the door, he quickly retards into the corner. An idea instantly comes into his mind when found numbers of cylinder container are standing on the table next to him. The moment the men appear on the doorstep, he randomly reaches for one of it using his fine hand and shows it to them.
“PUT DOWN YOUR WEAPON! DON’T COME ANY CLOSER OR I WILL DESTROY THIS MEDICINE!”
Both armed men freeze on their spot, but not without aiming their rifles at Sakurai first.
“We are going to shoot you if you don’t give it to us!”
“Shoot me and I swear this thing will slip from my hand! Do it if you want this medicine spill into the floor and you guys will get nothing to return!”
What he said however only make the two men to provoke him more. It seems those men thought Sakurai is the professor’s assistant and will not dare to do any damage to the complex creation since it was taking so much time to be completed. Left with no other option, Sakurai immediately open the cylinder container’s cap.
“Then, what if I spill all of this?” As soon as he said that he purposefully turn that thing upside down, letting the unknown chemical to splash into the floor below while closing a bit of the container mouth with his injured hand to make the men believe his acting. A stinging pain burns his previous wound as soon as it makes contact with the possibly dangerous liquid, but he covers it by gritting his teeth hard. This time, his plan fortunately works.
“STOP IT ALREADY! FINE! WE WILL PUT DOWN OUR WEAPON! THAT’S WHAT YOU WANT RIGHT?!”
The moment the two men leave their riffle below, Sakurai quickly closes the container back. Though still feels an extreme pain with his wound, the journalist somehow manages to keep a calm expression while telling the armed men to stand next to the computer. For every step the
men take to there, he will also move a step closer toward the door. Finally, when he is standing right on the doorstep, he swiftly slams closed the door and run to the back side of the house. Countless of bullets immediately hit the door as soon as the armed men realize that he is trying to escape, but thankfully he already arrived at the house yard at that moment. By the time Sakurai climbs up the fence wall that separating the house with the next one, the two men immediately shout aloud.
“THE MEDICINE HAD BEEN STOLEN!!! CATCH THAT CULPRIT ALIVE!!!”
Sakurai hurriedly drops himself to the neighbor’s ground. He knows that he is going to bump into the other armed men if he runs through the front gate, so he quickly climbs the backside fence wall instead. Once he is above it, he hears a sudden panic shout come from the front side of the dead professor’s house. Someone then screams out about saving their life before a very loud brake screeching sound enters his ears. Less than a second later a black truck in a full speed suddenly passes in front of the house. A loud crashing impact follows a moment after, startling Sakurai who immediately closes his eyes and freeze on the spot when the full speed truck run into the front gate of the professor’s house. Thick smoke soon appears from the accident site.
For the first several seconds after that, the journalist couldn’t move a muscle due to shock. He tries to support his still shock body by using his hands, but stop when remembers the cylinder container is still in his hold.
‘Such a bad luck charm. I should just throw this away earlier-’ Dumbstruck. Just now he finally realizes the absence of the pain on his supposed-to-hurt palm. Another second pass in silence after that as he slowly looks at his wound. Yet, once finding a completely fine skin on there he immediately still again. He never expected he will get the right cylinder before.
Soon, a painful yelp comes from the crashing site. Eventually realizes how bad the situation he is still involved with, Sakurai panicky tries to climb off the wall fence he is still sitting on. He later heard another yelp comes from there follow by a weak figure fall from the truck backside. The thick grey smoke makes the view quite unclear, but he still can see a figure of another man then climb down from the backside before limping toward the previous figure which seems was thrown down by him.
“T-That movement…was Jeet Kune Do…H-How come…someone like you…can defeat us alone…You’re injured…t-there is no way…No way…at…all…”
A long silence that comes after it makes Sakurai realizes that the talking man is dead. Becoming more terrified by that horrifying fact, his hands begin to tremble. The thick smoke that was blocking his view at the same time gradually disappears, bit by bit shows the face of the person who managed to take down the dead man and his teammates all by himself. By the time Sakurai finally able to see the dangerous man face who is now busy reloading his empty gun, his brain on instant recognize the familiarity of the latter’s uniform and badge - thanks to his years of working within journalism field. Soon, the latter eventually notices about his presence as well. The man looks at him in surprise before pressing something on his earpiece.
“Guys, I think I just found a survivor here. I need you guys to send an aid unit now.”
Sakurai finally dare to heave his relief sigh once hear what the man said. Slowly, he let himself slip back to the house yard, slumping tiredly to the ground as tiredness and exhaustion taken him completely. So many things had happened to him since last night and really wear him out. Now, at last, he feels safe.
X-X-X-X-X
Sound of ball is hitting the wall fills Aiba’s dark apartment. The place only brightens by a small spot of light which enters from the window outside, but it doesn’t bother the young scientist to turn on the light at all. Since the time he arrived there last night he just keep on throwing his baseball ball into the wall and caught it using his old glove which was a farewell gift from his orphanage friend years ago, hoping it can calm him down like usual if he continues doing it. This time though it seems doesn’t work. The damage that left on his mentality due to the last night incident is still there.
‘You’re not a human anymore.’
Something snaps inside him. Gritting his teeth hard, Aiba then angrily throws the ball he is holding toward a mirror there. A loud glass broken sound takes place in the silent room immediately, dirtying the floor with fragments as Aiba watches the mirror shatter into pieces. The young scientist never lets rage overtaken him before, but this time it just unbearable. Indeed during his way back home last night he was feeling so depressed when realize that he actually had been deceived by the institution all this time, but after finally understand why they choose him from the first place, he becomes angry. He is an orphan. And they know that nobody will look for him even if the experiment they did on him went wrong and cause him dead.
‘No wonder Kurosawa-san whined about family to me last night…They must have known why I was accepted from the first place.’
His stare then stops at a large piece of broken mirror on the floor. Once seeing the reflection of his glowing eyes there, he slowly rests his hand on the place where he had been bitten. He notices any injuries on his body can recover really fast after he watched the scratches on his feet healed by itself even he has already walking with barefoot for hours last night.
Soon, he startles by a sudden loud explosion that come from nearby areas.
‘I better leave now. They probably are looking for me.’
Realizing he now is a living successful specimen, Aiba quickly clean himself before changing into comfortable clothes for moving. Right when he comes out of his apartment, he surprises by rattling gunshot comes from the explosion place. The young scientist almost stumbles during his panic attempt to run away, but stuck instead when found someone with blood stain is standing in front him with a pair of red eyes. The moment that man approaches him, Aiba freezes by the smell of rotten corpse the man has.
‘This-this thing is already dead!’ Before he could move the dead body already grabbed for his shoulder and ready to open its mouth. Panic,
Aiba swiftly gives the dead one a strong kick. Once he feels its grip loose from him, he takes that very chance to dash away until he stops again when found some more living dead are wandering before his eyes. This time however he has no guts to move. Instead, he tries to recall how he managed to reach his house safely last night without bumping into any of those since it is clearly impossible to not meet one judging from how many zombies are actually presences there. Yet, no matter how hard he tries, he couldn’t remember what he had done. He even finally realizes that the roads he walked in last night were all deserted even though it is supposed to be a busy business area. He was so depressed before until he didn’t notice the weirdness earlier.
SPLAT SPLAT SPLAT
The sound of something wet drop to the ground makes him freeze. Hard stomps sound then suddenly comes closer from the wandering living dead, making him hesitantly step back. Later, he sees a woman appears from among it with her snake-like eyes and an illogical amount of sticky saliva drip from her mouth. What shock him the most though is the sound of hissing and sudden small smoke that shows up every time that woman’s saliva touches the road. That is when a realization finally hit him.
‘No, it’s not saliva! IT’S ACID!’
His heart almost drops when the woman’s step suddenly grows faster. By the time Aiba wants to start moving, the other one already starts running. He gives his all out to escape from the woman’s inhuman sight, especially when it suddenly groans while spluttering its deadly acid everywhere. Soon though the young scientist found the way ahead his is already occupied by dozens of zombies. Now with a very fast murdering monster is chasing behind and a group of living dead that seems already noticed his existence are standing in front, he is completely trapped.
“Get away from me.” If anyone from the research institution heard his plead they must be exploding with a laugh. After all, what kind of idiot will beg to monsters that no longer has human nature? However, at this rate Aiba has no more choice. Regardless how idiot he looks now, he doesn’t care anymore. He can’t die this way. Once he heard the snake-like monster is squeaking with wide open mouth a few meters away, he found the zombies in front him at the same time already reach their hands out to him. Completely panic, Aiba only can come up with one thing. Scream.
“GET AWAY FROM ME!!!!”
A loud echo fills the area for a while by his desperate scream. His eyes close tight as he waits for pain to finally strike him. Yet, neither sound nor movement comes from both monster and zombies even after several seconds elapse.
Confuse, Aiba slowly opens his eyes. To his surprise the zombies are now staying still, together with the acid woman which is just another two steps away from him. The second he manages to collect all his courage back, he finally dashes away from there which unintentionally makes him see the NO. 27 barcode that the acid woman has on her nape.
A moment later, he stops in an empty road to catch his breath. His memory then goes back to the barcode he had seen, starting to wonder if he also had a one as he moves his hand to touch his neck. Just then a ball suddenly rolls out from one of the alley beside him. He surprises when the next thing he sees is a dirty Snowcap little girl coming out to pick the ball up. The girl however immediately runs away when notices him.
“Wait!” In the next second, Aiba is already on his feet to chase after the running girl. Although he is still bewildered why there is a kid in the middle of this insanity, at first he must take her to a safe place. That girl is probably scared after seeing corpses and wandering zombies everywhere. However, by the time he follows her into a dead end alley, he found the little girl already waiting for him with a knife.
“Give us your money!”
Aiba was totally dumbstruck by her words. Yet, another girl’s voice suddenly cut hers.
“Stop it Rie-chan. I told you, it’s not right to do that. We ran away because we don’t want to do this right?”
A cough follows the girl’s sentence. Immediately, the one who names Rie turns to her friend who is leaning weakly on the wall deep inside the alley. She then looks at Aiba again, biting her lip furiously before finally moving to her friend.
“Aka-chan, we better go back. You haven’t eaten for days. Maybe they won’t punish us if we return now.”
“I don’t want to. They told us to steal if we want to have food. It’s not nice to steal. Daddy always told me that.” The one name Aka just smiles weakly when her friend tries to persuade her again. Aiba notices that the girl also has a messy appearance like the other one, but wearing a pink dirty sweater with her hair length pass her shoulder. Seeing her trembling small hands finally remembering him with what Rie just said before. Quickly, he gets out of the alley.
Soon, Aiba barges into the nearest convenience store where he begins to grab for packets of bread and drinking water as much and fast as he can before storm out in less than 10 seconds. The two girls look so surprised to see him back, but their expression brightens immediately when Aiba passes the first two packets of bread that he already open for them. For the whole time after that Aiba just watches the two girls eating hungrily in front him. Aka who notices it questioningly looks at him.
“You’re not going to eat, Ni-chan?”
Aiba chuckles from it. “I’m fine. You girls can have it all.”
The two girls grin happily when hear that. Smiling along, Aiba continues watching them and sometimes offer the water that he holds for them. When realizes the foods are almost finished, he immediately gets up and tells the girls that he will bring some more for them. With a much lighter heart despite how bad he felt last night, he then goes back to the same store.
However, once he returns to the small alley with more breads and an idea for them to go to a safe place first, he found the girls already disappear. What are left only some empty packets and two half eaten bread which obviously were crushed on purpose, judging from the adult shoes mark left on it.
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Ninomiya hisses when he is struck by dizziness again. That however, makes him neither stops nor showing his pain to the leading Matsumoto in front. He sees the other one as well seems not bother to ask if he still can move despite fully aware about his bad condition.
Last night Ninomiya was saved by that man after the latter destroyed a weird monster without arms. He was even being helped to have a proper rest in the nearest empty café. The latter can kill him onslaught to fulfil whatever order was given to him if he wants, but he unexpectedly spared his life instead, unlike the 5 injured men who killed his girlfriend last night. Of course after he recovered a bit he was questioned with a lot of things, but that’s it. Matsumoto doesn’t ‘eliminate’ him immediately. He even allowed Ninomiya to follow him until now which makes Ninomiya feels more puzzled with what this man’s real intention is. Is he an ally? Or he actually had planned something ahead?
Just then both the successor and survivor feel a weird shake on the road. Alert by it, both abruptly stop walking. They soon hear a creepy groan is coming from afar.
“We better hurry. Something is coming here.”
Ninomiya nods to comply. He is just about to start running when his sight all of a sudden change to blur. Another sudden headache then forces him to fall to the ground, making Matsumoto who just takes a few steps forward turn around immediately by his painful hiss. Yet, instead of helping, the successor only watches the professional gamer, unconcerned.
“Can you move?”
His tone is flat and emotionless. Whimpering, Ninomiya meanwhile tries to push himself up on the road with his elbows. He however slumps to the road again when hit by another wave of dizziness.
“I don’t think so…for now. I need a minute-”
“We don’t have that much time. Do you think you can move?”
The gamer frowns painfully as he massages his forehead. He tries to fight his headache, but it is only getting worse. They have been walking since the dawn and it seems his body already reaches its limit. After a minute gone without any change with Ninomiya’s condition, Matsumoto finally loses his patience and sneer.
“Very well then. I’m leaving. All the best.” Putting one gun on the road to show his mercy, Matsumoto then turns around and leaves Ninomiya who is still sick and weak behind. The disappearance makes the Ninomiya to grit his teeth hatefully as he couldn’t believe with Matsumoto’s selfishness even though he knows he shouldn’t trust the successor from the first place. However, he had no choice. That man probably is the only way he has to look for the armed man with a rough voice that he met last night. Frowning due to mix of anger and pain, the professional gamer then punches the road below hard.
At the same moment, the successor is just about to walk pass another building. Something then suddenly gets his attention, but before he could react, a small round thing already had been thrown to him. A thick smoke appears immediately once that thing explodes out of a sudden and surrounds the successor in a second. As soon as Matsumoto is fully trapped in it, two snipers who are actually hiding on rooftop of the buildings on Matsumoto’s left and right since while ago finally begin to shoot.
Meanwhile, Ninomiya who is watching the scene from the very start was taken aback. He startles when gazillion of bullets are being released at the trapped successor while the area deafen by loud and endless gunshots. Undoubtedly he thought, this is another attempt by the organization to collect more ‘test subjects’ for whatever insane experiment they are doing. Now Ninomiya is sure he will be killed too. He probably will be another experiment body, just like his girlfriend.
‘Wait. Why would I let them use me after what they’d done to us?’
Something snaps inside him. Indeed. Those sinners mustn’t be let slip away after taking his girlfriend’s life. They already made him suffer enough. They have already messed with his feelings terribly after killing his lover before his eyes. So why should he let those mad murderers to kill himself easily after what they have done? An eye for an eye, a life for a life. From now on, he swears he will avenge for Saki’s death.
“Wait and see, you *ssholes.” Feel rage gradually suffocates him, the heartbroken man pushes himself from the road. He glares sharply at the visible sniper on the building top until a visible red bloodshot show on his eye. Once he finally stands by his two feet, Ninomiya no longer conscious with any pain he felt. Even the danger right ahead him only stimulate his rage more since it reminded him with the last night’s murdering scene. Hell no, he thought. There is no way he is going to give up that easily without fighting back these crazy people.
Grabbing for the gun that has been left to him, Ninomiya then aims it to the sniper on the left building. His first bullet however hit the side wall where the sniper is resting his weapon at. It instantly exposes his presence there as both of the snipers immediately stop their shoot and turn to him, but instead of running away, Ninomiya bravely runs forward and prepare to attack the left sniper. Surprisingly, someone shoots his opponent first before he could pull the trigger. Less than a second, the sniper on the right building falls as well. Dumbstruck, he immediately stands still. Soon, he sees Matsumoto comes out of the trapping thick smoke, all safe and sound.
“I shot the second one just on chest. He’s going to die if we don’t hurry see him now.”
The successor suddenly says as he calmly walks pass the professional gamer who extremely shock to see him still alive. However, he doesn’t bother to explain the latter anything. Instead, he just enters the right building and climb up the stairs to the top where he later hears Ninomiya’s footsteps follow his track behind. By the time he arrives at the building top, he found the sniper is lying weakly on the floor while panting heavily due to losing too much blood. He approaches the man in silence before stopping right next to the latter.
“Enjoying your last moment?”
The bleeding sniper only can glare. Chuckling, Matsumoto crouches down with an amused smile. At the same time, Ninomiya finally arrives on the rooftop as well.
“I hope the one who gave you guys this attack plan wasn’t your General or Captain. He should come up with a better idea than throwing some BIG smoke gas which only gives the victim a chance to dodge freely or sending only TWO snipers to kill an heir of the royal’s guard family.”
Slowly moves his hand to the sniper’s bleeding chest, Matsumoto then presses the wound there with his fingers on purpose. Painful yelp escapes from the injured man immediately as he gasps for breath when the successor’s hand next suddenly clutches on his open injure without showing any sympathy. Even the successor’s eyes are empty and calm just like he is messing with a non-living thing.
“I see you guys created all this mess to collect more experiment subject. Now, tell me; where’s your organization base?”
“W-Why sh-ould I? I’ll s-till be kill-ed in the e-nd…”
When the man doesn’t say anything after that, Matsumoto gives a light punch to the latter’s wound. His action startles Ninomiya who is standing not afar while the sniper crying louder than before.
“You will, but not before I allowed to.” After saying that, the successor suddenly shoves out a knife. He shows his smirk to the whimpering man before playing with the knife just a few inches above the latter’s bleeding wound. “Where is it?”
The sniper only looks at him angrily. Realizing what is waiting next, Ninomiya who just watches quietly since a while ago immediately turns his face away. The professional gamer doesn’t bother to see what is happening, neither wants to stop Matsumoto as the successor does something that make the bleeding sniper erupts with a torment scream before noising the area with his strangle whimpers.
“I’ll ask the easiest one then. How many people in the organization?”
The heir asks after finally moves his knife away. Yet, the man below him stubbornly replies with a head shake. Getting up on his feet, Matsumoto then puts his knife back and takes out his gun with a fake disappoint sigh. Once Matsumoto looks back at the injured sniper with his real serious gaze, he suddenly shoots the other one on each arm and legs without warning, splattering red blood everywhere before his eyes. His ears immediately catch pleading and begging voice comes from under him, but not even a shred of sympathy born in him by it. After all, he is not called a demon for nothing.
“I-I don-t know!!! I on-ly h-ave meet th-e recruit-ment te-am! I re-ally don’t kno-w!!!”
“Then what about the weird monsters? Last night I met a Cerberus and some weird human without arms. Did you guys produce those things? And how did you turn the citizens to living dead?”
The injured man doesn’t say anything. Instead he looks at Matsumoto in fear, still shocked by the pain he feels and how far this cruel young man can be. Afraid with what is going to happen next he finally moves his trembling lips.
“Tho-se with big-ger code nu-mbers can contro-l the small-er ones. Eac-h of it ha-ve diff-erent ab-ility. They-re hum-an that we-re caught to be deve-lop-ed as su-per hum-an. Mos-t are fail-ures.”
Right after the man finishes his sentence, Matsumoto immediately notices the murdering look that light up in the professional gamer’s eyes several steps away from them. He however not bothers to calm down the other one even when the latter already starts to stomp angrily toward the sniper. Just smirks knowingly.
“T-he zom-bies…I-I hea-rd they sp-read the v-irus to so-me people firs-t th-rough drinks. Onc-e they’d chang-ed they start-ed infect-ing others thro-ugh biting.”
“Spreading virus? For what?”
“To t-est the viru-s’s stre-ngth.” That’s it. The answer is more than enough to make Ninomiya bash the sniper with his all might. Both his fists are already trembling hardly once he stands next to the wounded man with eyes full of rage. He is all prepared to explode with anger if Matsumoto doesn’t come out with another question to cut his action.
“I’ll ask you again; where are the headquarters?”
What Matsumoto receives this time however only a weak mumble. Soon, the half-alive man suddenly coughs a lot amount of blood from his mouth, slowly die in a most suffering way while Ninomiya and Matsumoto are watching aside. The rooftop turns to silence for a while once the sniper finally exhales his last breathe.
“You’ve much less empathy than I thought.”
Ninomiya turns to him questioningly.
“He looked so much in pain when he’s dying before, so I thought you’re going to shoot him to relieve his suffer. You’re holding my gun, you know.”
“This kind of man killed my beloved person. I’ll avenge them no matter how it takes. They’ll pay for it.”
Grudge and determination were clearly emphasized in his every word. The successor even can see the hatred that fills the gamer’s eyes as the latter looks at the now dead sniper below them in despise, but chooses to not say anything about it. Just then the gamer suddenly offers back his gun.
“You previously left your gun on purpose, didn’t you?”
Matsumoto surprises by the other one’s guess. However, instead of taking the gun back immediately, he just stares it silently. Then he calmly looks up again.
“You might need it again.” With that, the heir starts to make his way to the door.
Feel puzzled than ever, Ninomiya on the other hand just watches wonderingly Matsumoto who now starts to climb down the stairs, firmly clutching the gun in his hand. Even now he still doesn’t know what that man’s real intention is. He also is not sure if he can trust him or not. However, for now, Matsumoto seems not seeing him as a threat since the latter lets him to have his gun easily despite the risk that Ninomiya himself could suddenly decide to use it to kill him. Maybe that man lets him to stay along for a hidden agenda, but either way, for now the gamer knows better than being careless. That heir didn’t hesitate to torture someone until dead before, so the probability he can be betrayed anytime is quite high too. Nevertheless, he also clearly aware that he won’t able to survive long in the city without Matsumoto’s superior fighting skills.
Meanwhile, though realizing the doubtful expression comes from the man behind him, Matsumoto stay calm and just look straight ahead. Ninomiya might decide to launch an attack on him out of a sudden anytime, but he knows the gamer doesn’t have a reason to do that anyway since the latter’s eternal enemies are already confirmed. Besides, as long as none of them make any suspicious act, they can remain as a ‘comrade’ to each other. And if it continues that way, the chance to accomplish his mission will be much higher. Matsumoto usually will bother to keep a useless survivor with him if it has nothing to with his mission, but not for a man with a deep grudge. He knows anyone could go as far as losing their sanity just for the sake of revenge. The fact that Ninomiya instantly recovers from his pain before is a good proof for him that the gamer is worth to be kept for now.
As they continue to climb down the stairs, heavy silence starts to surround the two of them. There is no word exchange occurs between them after that, but both men are certainly aware of one thing - that they are actually taking each other’s presence for own benefit.
Until they startle by a loud creepy groan from the road outside.
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>I'm sorry for this late one month update. I'll be honest - writer's block. When writing this I usually can write smoooooothly for the first half chapter and suddenly got stuck for the second half. I tried to avoid from dragging the plot too much so the plot must be changed from the original one and it resulted a bad writer's block (= =") Besides, the more I try to make shorter chapter, the longer it turns out DX
>Starting from now on I probably will only able to update once a month. I'm going to start my practical training tomorrow and the supervisors there said that they're going to train me and my classmate really strict. They seriously 'tortured' us during their stress interview before and somehow both of us 'kind of' accepted their challenge since they promised something to us as return if we survived as well. But now I'm kind of lost. Maybe because of not enough mental preparation since our semester's training is supposed to start next week and I 'accidentally' dealt early 4 days with the manager(I want to laugh when remembering it though XDD). Ganbarimasu anyway!
>I think you girls can see now why I mentioned before Matsujun is a real sadist in this fic. This is just the beginning though. You'll (probably) see much worse later. Aiba and Nino as well starts to live on for the sake of revenge.This fic turned out much darker than I thought, but I hope you enjoy your reading anyway :D
>I wish you can drop by some comment for this chapter. It'll really help to boost my writer-spirit again since I'm lacking of writing motivation already because of tomorrow 'big event' and too much experiencing writer's block (=_=").