Nathan Pedde - Tokyo Tempest

All over the place, Darren saw signs that people had been living here recently. Sleeping bags and blankets were strewn across the floor. Discarded clothes and food wrappers were all over the place.

“It looks like they’ve been here,” Yuki said as she walked around the place.

“Looks like recently,” Darren said.

“It also looks like they’re out of most supplies.” Yuki said, “There’s nothing left here.”

“No water, food.” Darren said, “Or even medicine. Its all scraps.”

Yuki turned to Darren.

“What’s the plan?” Yuki asked.

“We sleep in shifts.” Darren said, “We leave after dark.”

“And if someone from the Katana Club comes back?” Yuki asked.

“We give them some food, thanks and be on our way,” Darren said.

“Why not have them join us?” Yuki asked.

Darren was nervous at the thought. Was it cause he didn’t want to risk what he had with Yuki or was it that he didn’t want to share the food.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” Darren said, “More mouths to feed means our supplies will run out faster.”

“I understand that,” Yuki said.

“I also don’t know what type of animals they’ve become.” Darren said, “Remember those color gang kids.”

“You have a point.” Yuki said, “Let’s get some sleep.”

Darren took the first shift. Yuki quickly fell asleep.

After only an hour had passed, Darren heard the distinct sound of a key in the door. Darren moved into a shadow for when the door opened up.

Yuki was up too. She looked over at Darren. She nodded and took a deep breath.

Two young skinny boys walked in the door. They were both Japanese, and both looked to be about Darren’s age. If you accounted for the fact that they both looked like they hadn’t eaten very well in the last two weeks.

“Who’s there?” the first boy yelled and held a baseball bat threatening.

“Intruders show yourself.” The second yelled.

Darren had his handgun pointed at the two teenagers.

Darren cocked his handgun, making the distinct handgun loading sound.

The two Japanese teenagers stopped in their tracks.

“We don’t have anything.” The first said much quieter.

“Drop your weapons,” Darren said.

The baseball bat fell to the ground.

“Close and lock the door,” Darren said.

The first boy closed the door, and the room dropped back into darkness.

“Yuki.” Darren said, “Do you know these two?”

Yuki turned on her flashlight. She aimed it at the ceiling to bounce the light around, lighting her up.

“Yuki?” The second boy said, “It is Ryoo and Seiji.”

Yuki pointed the flashlight at them. A dark hunger showed in their eyes. While the two young teens looked gaunt and sickly, Yuki looked trim and fit. There was no fat on Yuki’s bones, but toned muscle. The comparison was very distinct.

“Sit.” Yuki said, “Or my friend over their puts a bullet in your guts.”

The two teens sat on the ground.

Yuki walked to within ten feet of them and sat down.

“Where are the rest?” Yuki said.

“They…” Ryoo began, but Seiji hit him with the back of his hand.

“Don’t say anything.” Seiji said, “Yuki’s turned evil like the rest. Tell her nothing.”

“But Seiji.” Ryoo said, “Look at her. She must have food. Maybe we can get her to give us some.”

“We don’t beg,” Seiji said.

“But I’m hungry.”

“Enough.” Seiji said, “I doubt they have any bullets for that gun anyways.”

Yuki aimed her flashlight at Darren. She started at his feet and aimed it up his body, stopping at his arms.

Darren covered his eyes as he felt the light shine on him.

“That’s enough Yuki.” Darren said, “Please don’t kill my night vision.”

The light disappeared, and Darren took his hand away.

“Answer the question,” Yuki said.

“Either they didn’t show up here, or they died,” Ryoo said.

“Some went out to get supplies and didn’t return,” Seiji said. “Now its only the two of us.”

“Have you seen Taishi, Ayame or Sakiko?” Ryoo asked.

“I havn’t seen Taishi or Ayame.” Yuki said, “But Sakiko is dead.”

“What?” Ryoo said, “Is that how… I mean, how did she die?”

“She was killed by the JDF,” Yuki said.

“Oh… Can you spare some food?” Ryoo said, “We’ll go away, and you can have this clubhouse.”

“Ryoo!” Seiji said, “No begging.”

“Sorry Seiji. Its just that I’m very hungry.” Ryoo said, “Its hard to think sometimes.”

“You two stay there.” Yuki said, “I’m gonna talk to my companion. If you move, you’ll die.” Yuki aimed her light at the two.

Yuki joined Darren. She kept her light at the two teenagers, while Darren aimed his gun at them.

“What do we do?” Darren said quietly.

“What do you mean what do we do?” Yuki said, “They’re friends. We give them food and save them.”

“Something stinks like fish,” Darren said.

“What?” Yuki said.

“Something doesn’t smell right about their story,” Darren said.

“Like what?”

“How fast they gave up.” Darren said, “If they’re as starving and against begging as they make themselves out to be, they wouldn’t have given up. I might have been bluffing.”

“You think they’re acting?” Yuki said.

“Isn’t that what you used to do in this club?” Darren asked, “Act out different roles.”

“Well… Now that you put it that way…” Yuki muttered.

Yuki was silent for a few moments.

“We shove them out the door.” Yuki said, “Tell them that if we see them again, we kill them.”

“They’ve been hunting this area for two weeks.” Darren said, “We’re just passing through. They could hunt us down and attack us at any point.”

“What are you suggesting?” Yuki said.

“The right thing for us.” Darren said, “I’ve seen too many dead bodies to become one now.”

Darren noticed that while he was talking to Yuki, the two young teenagers were whispering to each other.

“Crap.” Darren said, “They noticed that we’re taking a long time to decide. We make a decision now.”

Yuki mouthed a silent prayer. She reached up and took Darren’s gun. She held a finger to her lips.

With one hand holding the gun behind her back, and the other holding a flashlight aimed at the young men, Yuki walked closer to them.

“Okay.” Yuki said louder, “We’ve decided. We’ll be leaving come nightfall. We’ll give you guys some food in exchange for a bit of sleep.

Darren palmed a flashlight and walked towards the two young teenagers.

“I want proof that the gun is away,” Seiji said.

Darren turned on his flashlight and pointed it at his other hand.

“See, it’s away,” Darren said.

“Now,” Ryoo said.

Seiji bolted to his feet, knife in hand, He started to run at Darren. Ryoo charged at Yuki, with a knife in his hand.

Yuki pulled out the handgun from behind her back and squeezed the trigger. The bullet slammed into Ryoo’s chest, and Ryoo crumpled to the ground.

Seiji ignored the gunshot and kept charging at Darren. Seiji reached at Darren’s face as he closed the distance.

Years of Judo training fled back into his physique. Darren grabbed Seiji’s wrist and using Seiji’s own bodyweight, he threw Seiji over his shoulder and onto the hard concrete floor. Seiji’s knife clattered to the ground at Darren’s feet. Darren heard bones snap as Seiji’s weak body crunched on the concrete.

Seiji cried out in the sudden onslaught of pain. Darren turned Seiji’s wrist over and stepped on Seiji’s elbow and pushed. The elbow crunched and snapped.