Chapter 73: The Diner

James and Rei walked back to the bike. As they approached, James turned to Rei. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice gentle but firm.

Rei stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him from behind, pressing herself against his back. James could feel her breasts softly pressed against him. "I am, but this place is terrifying," Rei replied.

James placed a reassuring hand over hers, squeezing gently. "We'll get through this together," he promised. He tried to lighten the mood, adding with a soft smile, "And once we're out of here, there's a nice hot spring waiting for us," he added.

Rei's eyes brightened at the thought. "That sounds wonderful," she said, a small smile forming on her lips.

"Get a room, you lovebirds!" Lois teased.

Yuriko shouted back, "Ah, young love!"

Shizuka leaned out of the vehicle. "I want to be with James too! His back must be nice and strong," she said.

Jasmine smiled warmly. "It is nice," she affirmed.

Saya rolled her eyes slightly but couldn't hide a small smile. "He should stay focused," she said.

"Danna-sama is just showing his appreciation," Saeko replied, a hint of a smile on her lips as she glanced at him approvingly.

James chuckled. "Alright, everyone, let's move. The quicker we solve this puzzle, the sooner we can all relax," he said. 

He mounted the bike and revved the engine, the powerful hum cutting through the fog. Rei settled behind him, her arms wrapped securely around his waist. 

"Let's get this done," he said. With Rei holding tight, he guided the bike forward into the murky fog, Shizuka and the rest of the team following closely in the Humvee.

James saw the red tail lights. He saw the wrecked cars nearby. The windows were gone and the entire tires looked like they had been stolen. James moved around the bus and parked up. Shizuka followed. James turned the engine off and looked in front of him.

He saw the sign "North Highway Diner," flickering in vibrant purple lights. There was an arrow pointing towards the buildings. The first building was a diner. It had a vintage, metallic structure with a curved roof and large glass windows. On top of the building the word "Dine" was written in purple neon lights.

Outside, the parking lot there rusted vehicles. These cars had their paint chipped and windows cracked. Some were covered in grime and dust, while others had vegetation creeping through their cracked windshields and broken doors. The road leading to the diner was cracked and worn. There was a large firepool next to where the bus was standing. 

There were two old gas pumps next to the Diner. The gas pumps were covered in cobwebs. The hose itself looked rusty. Behind the gas pumps there was a small repair shop. The shop windows were shattered. 

To the far side of the diner, stood a dilapidated shed. The paint had faded and chipped away, leaving behind bare wood. There were large, gaping holes in its walls, revealing the skeletal framework. It had two wide doors, sagging on their rusted hinges.

Yuriko, Saya, Lois, Jasmine and Saeko stepped out of the Humvee and approached James and Rei who had gotten off the bike. "This looks like a retro diner," Lois observed. 

"A diner?" Jasmine asked. She glanced at the neon sign, now flickering dimly.

James nodded. "Yeah, it's a place where you can grab a bite to eat," he explained. 

Saya folded her arms. "It's an American thing," she added. You don't see too many of these in Japan." she commented. 

"We usually have cafes," Rei chimed in.

"Grrrhhhh," a guttural moaned.

They all turned around and saw a group of zombies shambling towards them. The zombies wore dirty, tattered hospital sheets, stained with grime and old blood. 

One of the zombies, larger than the rest, stumbled forward, its head rocking side to side.The skin on its face had peeled away, revealing a ghastly skull beneath with patches of withered flesh. Another zombie, smaller, dragged his leg that had been twisted at an unnatural angle.Its mouth hung open, revealing broken, blackened teeth.

James looked at the group."More company," he muttered, 

"Stay alert," Saeko warned, her hand moving to the hilt of Slasher.

Lois stepped forward, raising her M4W, the barrel trained on the nearest zombie. "Looks like they didn't get the memo about the diner being closed," she quipped as she fired her gun. The bullet went through the air and hit the zombies in the head. She quickly dropped three zombies. 

Rei, standing close to James, also raised her M4W. She aimed for their heads. She pressed the trigger and fired her gun. The bullets also hit the zombies in their heads. They also dropped down. The entire group got destroyed. "We need to take them out quickly," she said.

"We do, we can't let them get near us," Saeko added firmly. She spotted a straggler which came into view. Without hesitation, Saeko dashed forward, she held Slasher in her hand. In one motion, she closed the gap and swung her blade in a fluid arc. The razor-sharp edge sliced cleanly through the zombie's neck, severing its head in a single decisive strike. The head flew through the air, spinning before landing with a thud on the ground.

"Especially not Yuriko," Jasmine said, as she tightened her grip on the Red Hawk pistol. She knew Yuriko did not have those awful yet special drinks. 

"So James, what's the plan here?" Saya asked. She tilted her head slightly. "Are we looking for more parts here?" she added. 

"Yes, each of these three buildings has something we need to complete the quest," James replied.

Rei nodded. "Should we split up and search? It could speed things up," she suggested.

"No, splitting up is too risky right now," he responded firmly. "I am the only one here who knows what we are looking for so we may be going around in circles or checking things for no reason. Let's keep together."

"Got it," Rei replied as she nodded again.

"Let's start with the diner," James suggested.