27

In retrospect, asking for a buster might not have been my most thoughtful decision of the day, I reflected as the car ground to a halt about half a block from Shizuka's house as its tortured engine seized up in series of clangs and rattles followed by one very final pop.

"Okay, looks like we're parking here." I stated a bit abruptly as I kicked open the door. And I do mean kicked. The thing stuck like a motherfucker. I hopped out with the others quickly scrambling out behind me, not wanting to be around after that clanking tin can's death rattle had to have alerted half the neighborhood's resident zeds.

Saya was the second to last one out, having had to sit in Saeko's lap, face as pink as her hair while her features were stiff to a degree normally reserved for statuary.

As we stepped away from the car, I paused for a moment to give the rustbucket one affectionate nod. Normally I would have given it a pat on the hood, but considering the volume of smoke billowing from the engine bay, I was in no rush to get too close.

"Ya did good buddy, ya did good."

"Sensei," Saya asked wearily, "How much farther? Because I will be very upset at you and never forgive you if you stranded us in the middle of the city to be eaten alive kilometers from our objective."

"About 12 houses. Give or take." Shizuka replied with a sweet smile. Or at least the appearance of one. She could be hard to read, but to my highly trained eye, she was all but projecting an aura of smug amusement.

I guess after 30 minutes of listening to Saya running on full Tsundere mode on the way down, she was very pleased to have an opportunity to take her down a peg.

Couldn't blame her. There had been moments when I really had been tempted to follow through on my threat of sticking her in the trunk. Looking around as we quickly stepped our way towards Shizuka's home we kept a constant lookout for any undead, amazingly we saw none, at least none along the stre- wait, never mind.

Coming from around one house came a trio of zeds, looked like a group of salarymen judging from their outfits and approximate ages. I made to deal with them almost on instinct but before I could take an extra step both Takashi and Rei had dashed ahead. Takashi checked the first with his shield, knocking the clumsy former human to the ground before following with a chop to the thing's head, splitting it in an eruption of gore. Rei had stood behind him and with a quick thrust of her spear over his crouched form lanced the face of the second, the broad-bladed spear all but decapitating it. She quickly pulled her spear back and with a twist of her body caught the third, tripping it as Takashi recovered. He then exploited Rei's opening and and finished it with a smooth strike.

I blinked in surprise, despite having never fought before as a team, the pair had taken out three zombies in less than as many seconds.

I had to say, being able to work as such a well-oiled machine despite never having trained together spoke volumes of the depths of their relationship. I had to admit it, I was impressed. Saya, on the other hand, was subconsciously radiating jealousy while Seiko was... blushing faintly.

Jesus Christ.

Please don't tell me that she considered "Couples Zombie Slaughter" to be romantic. Because at this rate I was going to have nightmares about her.

Again.

Forcing down yet more dark, dank things that would haunt my subconscious to deal with later, I moved past the pair and reached the front gate to Shizuka and Rika's house. After a moment's panic digging through my pockets I pulled out the proper key and quickly unlocked the gate that separated the house from the street. We could have vaulted the wall easily enough but why make it harder for yourself when you didn't have to?

I pulled the gate open and turned to the others. "Alright everyone, get in, Shizuka, unlock the front door and let the others in, I'll lock the gate."

She nodded and, stepping past the others, made her way up the stairs to the front door and after fumbling with her keys for far longer than she needed to found the correct one and opened the door, leading the others inside, once they were in I shut the gate quickly locked it, and made my way in as well, Shizuka waiting with the door open until we were all inside before she shut the door and locked it herself.

"Hey sensei?" Kohta asked with no shortage of excitement in his voice, almost bouncing on his heels as he indicated Rika's car outside. "Was that a real MilSpec Humvee?"

"Yep!" Shizuka replied. "Used to belong to the US marines. My roommate bought it and had it shipped up from Okinawa."

"Amazing what perks being an elite sniper brings, eh?" I commented dryly.

"Nah, more she's just a giant military Otaku who knows who to talk to." Shizuka replied with a shrug.

"Alright everyone. Here's the plan. We're to raid the kitchen and strip the house of anything even remotely valuable, load it in the truck, and maybe if we get a chance grab some showers."

I paused. "And we're going to see if we have something sane for Miss Busujima to wear."

She frowned, crossing her arms under her breasts and defiantly thrusting her chest in my direction. "And what is wrong with my clothing, sensei? It is durable and allows a high degree of movement."

I almost flinched. Down boy.

"Leather doesn't breathe." I replied calmly. "I know it might be comfortable, flexible, and even protective, but once you get a good sweat going you're going to be wishing that you could take a bath in baby powder because the chafing will be the stuff of legend. Do remember, that this will probably be our last chance to clean up until we get into the mountains. Which could be a week or more."

It was a testament to her sense of practicality that Saeko almost turned green at the realization. "Sensei, I am beginning to believe that I did not entirely think this through."

"And that is why I am the teacher and you are my beloved student," I replied putting on my best all knowing master act.

She lowered her head, blushing slightly. "Of course, sensei."

Good, she seemed...

I paused as I realized exactly what I'd just said.

Oh.

Wait.

Fuck.

I sighed. Well. That was certainly a thing.

Damn it, mouth! Next time check with brain before you try and sound all deep and shit! There were so many ways to misread that statement that you could probably write a book.

I sighed. "Okay. How about you girls just shower off and find her a change. The boys and I will get in the gun safe and start loading the truck. Then we can swap off and get moving once we're fed and dry. In all luck we'll be spending the night with the Takagis."

They nodded in agreement and separated but to my personal shame I noticed the awkward coughing and side glances they gave me and Saeko, first chance I had I was ramming my skull against a brick wall until the sweet dark embrace of unconsciousness came for me. It was the only way to be sure this nightmare ended.

----------

About an hour and a half, give or take, with a hot bath behind me, I felt much more alive than I had in weeks. The pressure Z-Day's anticipation and the mad scramble just to keep everyone alive during those first critical hours had stretched me to the breaking point. Even now the sounds of sirens and the occasional gunshot could be heard despite my best efforts to ignore them.

To help focus my attention elsewhere, I'd opened up Shizuka's laptop and begun searching for the most up to date road traffic information I could manage in order to plan for our exodus. All the while I kept several tabs from both national and international news sites to help keep track of the goings on in the rest of the world. It didn't bode well. Large swaths of Europe were on fire with most the large cities already being under siege by the undead. China had already become a media black hole having gone as far as to completely shut down the civilian internet. And America, well, Martial Law had been declared and they were actively deploying US military units to combat the "infected".

Oh, and several major Hollywood stars had managed to get themselves eaten on live TV while protesting the "brutal oppression". I'd make a joke about stupid liberals, but considering the fact that numerous white nationalist groups had declared this God's punishment for multiculturalism and already started numerous race riots in order to "purge the undesirables to save the white race", neither side really had a pot to piss in.

What really amused me was that there were people fleeing across the Mexican border in droves. Headed south, that is. Northern Mexico is a lightly populated wasteland. Which might be a Godsend for the few souls that lived there.

One of the best managed responses to this entire situation seemed to be Jerusalem. The Israelis looked like they were preparing a fortress city protocol, though considering the tone of the reports I was a bit hesitant to feel positive about it. Some of the ethnic subtexts I was hearing were extremely disturbing and were hinting at a bloodbath that could probably be called a holocaust.

As for the rest of the Middle-East, it looked like every asshole with a grudge against their neighbor was taking the opportunity to cash in their chips. To call it a shit show was pretty much the understatement of the millennium. The only group that seemed to be even marginally stable was the Coalition forces in Iraq, and that was because they were hunkering down and shooting pretty much anyone who as much as looked at them funny.

All of this was being done, of course, while waiting for the girls to finish bathing and while I was sitting in the window watching the house across the street. I knew that sooner or later Alice and her father would show up and I was not going to let that little girl down. Also the dog, can't forget that brave little trooper.

I was also doing my best to stay in contact with 'home base'. Which was actually getting easier. Less failed calls. Though fact that the cellular lines seemed to be clearing up did not bode well for anyone.

"Hey, Sensei!" Takashi called out from the Kitchen. "You going to help out with loading the truck?"

"I'm busy. Checking out the traffic patterns and trying to find the best evacuation routes," I glanced up. "Where's Kohta?"

The teen sighed deeply. "I think he's still in Rika's room, drooling over the weaponry."

I frowned. "Tell him that he'll have all the time to get his rocks off later. We need that vehicle up and ready to move as soon as I make the call."

He nodded. "I got you, sensei. But what are we waiting for? I mean, I can see you're watching the street for something."

"Survivors," I replied. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "Takashi. Do you trust my instincts?"

"Considering you're probably the only reason I'm alive right now, yeah."

No. No I really wasn't. I took a deep breath. "There's going to be some people coming by sooner or later. If I ever want to be able to sleep at night ever again, I'll have to be here."

I paused. "In fact, there are survivors across the street in, I think that house over there..."

I pointed at the house where Alice's father would have met his end in the canon. Now, while most people portrayed them as villains for that act, having lived the situation, I could say with certainty that they were not evil. They were just scared. "Might be a good idea to send someone over to try and get them to join us. But be careful. They're going to be jumpy and will probably try to stab you."

He blinked. "You serious?"

"It's the same feeling that had me ready for the undead rising. That good enough for you?"

He nodded. "I'll get Kohta. We'll armor up and check on them."

"Good. Once you're done over here, we can use the opportunity to strip their cupboards as well. Call it payment for the ride."

"Right sensei." He nodded and began for the door before pausing and turning back. "Anything else?"

"Yeah. Don't forget the little dog."

He paused in mid step, lifted a single finger and then lowered it with a deep, long-suffering sigh.

"Sure thing, sensei."

----------

Hail Mary, full of grace...

The prayer ran through my head in what felt like the thousandth time in ten minutes as I was left dealing with something that frankly I'd been dreading almost as much as the Zombies...

Hadaka Apron Saeko.

Saeko, cool as a cucumber, walked towards me slowly and gracefully, her body shifting from step to step with the ease and flexibility of a snake homing in on an especially fat mouse. There was a coy, playful smile on her face and I swore to god that she was giving me bedroom eyes.

In her arms she was carrying a tray full of food. Delicious smelling food. Food that she'd cooked, having volunteered for kitchen duty. Her excuse was that she didn't want to get the clothes she'd be taking dirty, but even though I remembered vaguely that she'd done this in canon, I knew, somehow she was doing this on purpose just to fuck me...

Goddamn it brain!

Fuck with me.

Hail Mary, full of grace…

She was carrying the tray low and in front of her in a manner that seemed to be placed perfectly to bring attention to her full, pert bust, which was being rather... attentive in the cool spring air.

Swallowing deeply and trying not to make a fool of myself, I simply plastered on a pained smile and nodded at her. "Thank you for the delicious meal, Saeko."

"You're welcome, Sensei," she replied. "If there are any other matters I can aid you in, then do not hesitate to ask. I am at your service."

Oh Lord help me. Hail Mary, full of grace…

"I'm fine. Really." I said a bit too quickly. "Very fine. I'm busy though. Important things about the evacuation. So if you'd just put it down I'll eat it in a moment."

She nodded, seemingly accepted my words without a moment of hesitation. "Of course, sensei."

She turned around and bent over at the waist gently placing the tray on the table, and of course, giving me a perfect view of her perfect, peach shaped bottom that was, of course, obscured only by a sexy black thong that could be sarcastically referred to as "ass floss".

It was all I could do to hold in a pained whine that probably would have sounded like someone deflating a balloon.

HAIL. MARY. FULL. OF. GRACE....

"Thank you Saeko." I said in a pained, almost robotic tone. "You may go now."

She nodded and bowed deeply giving me the perfect up shot before turning about and leaving, her hips and bottom in a manner best described as hypnotic.

I released a deep breath I didn't know I was holding when she left.

"I need an adult," I muttered to myself.

Good lord I felt dirty. Like Chris Hansen would pop out of the woodwork at any moment and ask me to sit down. I also could use a cold shower. And a cigarette... and I don't even smoke!

Forcing all thoughts from my head and focusing all my mental faculties on enjoying the food in front of me. And I had to admit that it was actually a very enjoyable meal. Saeko was actually a very talented chef. She also, it seemed, had decided to go all out with this one. It was outright loaded with the freshest ingredients, no doubt making full advantage of all the things we would not be able to bring with us. Shizuka was a pretty decent cook, as long as you didn't expect her to do anything too complicated, but Saeko was on a whole other level.

She'd make a wonderful wife...

...

...

Hail Mary, full of grace…

--------

I'd like to say that I enjoyed the meal, but to be honest, while it was delicious it was hard to truly experience your food when you kept having ass floss flashbacks which were themselves intermixed with bouts of prayer.

For a moment, I thought about going for seconds, but considering what was awaiting me in the kitchen, I decided that discretion was the better part of valor and that I wasn't that hungry.

And believe me, it takes a lot for me to turn down seconds.

I sighed deeply and leaned back, clearing my mind.

Then I leapt forward, a chill running down my spine.

Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit.

During that whole ordeal I'd lost my focus. I stopped watching the window for Alice and her father. And if anything happened to that little girl or her old man, it was on my head.

Frantically I leapt towards the window and looked outside.

There I could see that the Humvee had been moved across the street and the boys were helping a number of people load it up with the useful contents of the house. Considering the number of people and volume of cargo it would be a tight fit, but in this situation alive and well stocked was far more valuable than comfortable.

More telling, though, was that there seemed to be at least half a dozen new additions to the street. Seems the boys had been busy...

From across the street I could see Takashi talking to a relieved-looking man before he turned his head towards the house. From across the street our eyes met, and moments later he had his phone out.

Mine began to vibrate about a second later. I almost wondered why he just didn't shout out to me, but right. Zombies. Loud sounds. Bad idea.

"Yes Takashi?" I asked.

"Sensei, you were waiting for a girl and her father, I'm guessing?"

"Yep." I replied, relief filling me as I spotted a small girl clinging to the man with whom he'd been speaking. "That's them."

"We have them..." He sighed over the line. "And the dog."

"Great!" I replied, my previous tension vanishing like mist in the wind. "Okay, pack up and get over there. There's going to be a swarm showing up any minute now and I'd very much like to be gone before it gets here..."

He simply nodded to me across the street and closed his phone, ending the call.

I stood up and disconnected Shizuka's computer from the wall. No use leaving it when it could still be useful.

"Alright everyone!" I called out. "We're leaving! Put some damn clothes on and get ready to move out!"

And that means you, Saeko!