Nathan Pedde - Tokyo Tempest

“Hiki was whining, Captain.” Lt Harrito said.

Hiki was a middle-aged man who wore a business suit with a white shirt and a tie. The man looked fit and trim.

“The army will know that we’re here,” Hiki said.

“Maybe. Maybe not.” Lt Harrito said.

“They will come looking for their lost men.” Hiki said, “They’ll send the army out in force against us.”

“Are you an army man?” Lt Harrito said.

“Well. No.” Hiki said.

“You’re a politician.” Lt Harrito said, “What do you know of army tactics?”

“Harrito.” The Captain said, “Let the man speak.”

“Fine.” Lt Harrito said with a smile, “Speak. Tell us what you think we should do?”

“We need to flee.” Hiki said, “We need to pack up and go. This place is indefensible. We need to abandon it. There’s no hope here.”

Hiki paused for a moment.

“Is that it?” Lt Harrito said, and when there was no response from Hiki, Lt Harriot continued, “Where do we go?”

“Anywhere,” Hiki said.

“So you have no plan besides whining?” Lt Harrito said.

“I have a plan,” Hiki said as he stood up.

“This boy, Darren,” Lt Harrito said as he pointed at him, “Probably has a plan.”

“The Gaijin knows nothing,” Hiki said.

Darren smirked and laughed.

“I know more than you,” Darren said.

“Do you have a plan?” Captain Yusako asked.

“I have a plan for Yuki and me,” Darren said, “But not for an army of people.”

“There’s three hundred and forty-one in this camp.” Lt Harrito said, “Including you two.”

“Exactly,” Darren said.

“So what’s your plan?” Hiki said.

“None of your business,” Darren said.

“What’s your plan?” Lt Harrito said.

“Bug out to seclusion,” Darren said.

“That’s it.” Hiki said, “That doesn’t sound like…”

“Oh shut it,” Darren said.

“Excuse me,” Hiki said.

“The term bug out is familiar and valid to everyone that has thought about this situation.” Darren said, “We have a location that we’re headed to. We have prepped for it. We can survive seclusion for a long time. Can you?”

Hiki stood up, his face red.

“Sit down.” The Captain said.

Hiki glared at Darren and sat down.

“Darren,” The Captain said, “What do you think we should do?”

“This is a waste of my time.” Hiki said, “Stinky Gaijin.”

“Yes, I smell.” Darren said, “We haven’t washed in a while. The the last time it rained we were in the middle of a burnt city and couldn’t get to a safe place to shower. Unlike you and your survival shelter and your temple, out in the real world of chaos and death, little things like that will get you killed. You see, I’m not sure how much time you spent outside the survival shelter when you were in Tokyo, but I didn’t have a shelter. We hunkered down in a storage unit waiting for someone to show up. When we did leave that storage unit, friends died. I have seen more death in the last two weeks than most people have seen in a lifetime.”

“Well.” Hiki said, “I never expected to be talked to like…”

“Oh shut up.” Darren said, “I’m not finished. You asked for my advice, but in reality, I have no idea what you need to do. I have no idea if you need to stay here or flee. That’s a decision that needs to be made by yourselves. You’re right. The army will come. Hordes of hungry people will come. That much is certain. But the question is, can you defend yourselves from each. Do you even have enough food and water for all of you? Or do you need to get more?”

A general murmur erupted from the table.

“If I want his opinion,” Hiki said, “I shall tell it to him…”

“Shut it, Hiki.” The Captain said.

Hiki sat back and glared at Darren. His eyes glowering at him.

“Cause if you don’t have the supplies to last you, then maybe you do need to move?” Darren said.

“See.” Hiki said, “He admitted it. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about and is wasting our time.”

“People are eating each other in Tokyo,” Darren said.

The table quieted down faster than Darren thought that it would.

“Two of Yuki’s friends turned to cannibalism to feed themselves as they felt that had no choice.” Darren said, “We were forced to kill them before they ate us too.”

“What does that have to do anything?” Hiki said.

“Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth? I mean, I’m still learning Japanese, but I thought I was clear.”

“What do you mean?” The Captain said.

“I mean.” Darren said, “Not a hundred kilometers from us there’s an entire city of people that all of us at this table abandoned to their fate instead of saving. That city of people is now literally eating each other. Are you prepared to defend against that? Can you defend here?”

A younger girl that Darren assumed to be Mika and Anthony walked into the room. They held hands.

“Father.” Mika said, “Minoru Eguchi is still waiting for you.”

“Tell him that I will see him soon.” The Captain said, “That scavenger can wait a while longer.”

Mika nodded, “He won’t like it. He has been waiting all day.”

“Tell him that anyways.” The Captain said, “And you two better get to training. The Drill Sergeant won’t like it if you two are late again. And tell him that I will be by once I’m done with these distractions.”

Mika and Anthony gave the Captain a small bow, and they left.

“Now where were we?” The Captain said.

“Can we defend this place?” Hiki asked.

Hiki glared at Cameron who shrugged his shoulders.

“First,” Lt Harrito said, “We need to fully understand the situation here in Japan.”

“There’s no main communication still.” The Captain said, “The army is using runners and scouts.”

“That means we need to use scouts.” Lt Harrito said, “And scout.”

“Well…” Hiki said.

Lt Harrito glared at Hiki.

“Shut it, I am not done,” Lt Harrito said, “Luckily Darren has been out in the countryside. I’m sure he has a good idea of what’s going on.”

“Then what is?” Hiki sneered.

“Darren?” Lt Harrito said.

“We all know the big cities are being left to fend for themselves.” Darren said, “The smaller ones are being helped by the army. But we all know that heading there is bad.”

Darren gave a brief description of some of the cities and towns they had passed through.

“So the army is trying to keep control.” Captain Yusako said.

“Looks like it,” Darren said.

“It won’t last.” Lt Harrito said.

“And why not?” Hiki sneered.

“Many reasons.” Lt Harrito said, “There’s no new food coming in. No new food growing. The supply is limited. Once the stockpiles are gone, and they will be soon, then their control will disappear.”

“Is that all,” Hiki said.

“Plus, the quarantines aren’t going to last.” Lt Harrito said, “Communications are non-existent, and a couple more breaches will cause it to collapse. Those people will flood the surrounding areas.”

“No good will come from that,” Darren said.

“Exactly.” Lt Harrito said, “And the atrocities that are being committed by the JDF are angering people. They can’t keep control with a rioting populace.”

“Sooner or later, things will collapse.” Darren said, “All it takes is ambitious army officers or gang leaders or politicians to cause chaos.”

“Ambitious army officers?” Captain Yusako said, “Like me.”

“Maybe.” Darren said, “I barely know you. I have no right to judge you.”

“So what should we do?” Hiki said.