on the road, one final time

"Net, check. Ammo, check. Seeds, check. Fuel, check." Kohta was sitting inside the Humvee, turned towards the trunk's insides, checking everything placed in the Humvee.

"Since we will have to go off-road, I think it's better if we take a left here. We'll have to circle around the block here, but the sooner we leave the urban area and have the forest next to us, the better. Plus, the chances of getting ambushed in the open is far smaller than getting ambushed in a clogged-up street surrounded by walls." Meanwhile, I, along with Rika, Saeko, and Saya were checking the map that we placed on the humvee's hood.

"True. But if we're going off the road so soon, it's better for me to drive. Shizuka never drove off-road." Rika responds.

"Hummm? Whaaat? I didn't hear you! " And the moment Shizuka heard her name, she leans out of the driver's open door to look at us. Rika just shakes her hand at the nurse, who just tilts her head as she blinks a couple of times, before leaning back into the car.

"If Shizuka or Rika drives, what will the rest do?" Saya then asks.

"Kohta and Asami can stay with Alice and the dog in a corner, probably in the trunk? We still have some space in it. And it'll be a good spot to restock the magazines should the need arise. Rika will be in the front, in case they need to switch with Shizuka and can't exit the car. I'll be back center to have a fast reach of the hatch. Since I'm the one left who's a relatively good shot. So you and Saeko stay by sides on the back seats." I respond as I tap the humvee's hood.

"And who will read the map?" Saeko asks right after.

"The co-driver, so Rika, or Shizuka." I respond, then turn to look at Rika.

"Shizuka, can read a map right?" I ask as I keep staring at the sniper.

"Uhhh. I think? Maybe?..." Rika chuckles as she shrugs.

"Shizuka! Do you know how to read a map?" I ask as I turn toward the blond nurse.

"A cat? Ohh I had a little one when I was in high school. I named her fluffer~ She was a..." And Shizuka starts talking about a, cat?

"...She can seat in the trunk with the rest. Or drive..." I sigh as I turn to Rika while Shizuka was still talking.

"...Yea. Ok..." Rika just nods slightly. I then turn back to Shizuka.

"And that's why must never feed your cat turnips!" Shizuka, was still speaking...

"Hey Naier! Come check this out a sec!" And just then Kohta leans out the back door and waves at me, holding something in his hand.

I glance at the girls before walking to the back door. Shizuka, still narrating the great adventures of Fluffer the cat...

"Man, check this out!" He excitedly hands me what seemed to be a relatively big cellphone in a cover? A stray cable dangling under it. Though the moment I opened said cover, I ended up finding that it unfolded into a six parts. And, there was no screen on the 'phone' itself. The reason, simple. That was no phone.

"A solar power bank?" I ask.

"Yea! We found it in the box with the seeds packs! There's also an mp3 player inside! And a few cables! And small speaker!" Kohta leans back into the car before Asami gives him the stuff he was shouting about.

"Music huh. That's something I didn't expect to hear for some time." I respond as I check the power bank cable.

(Too small to charge the laptop though. And, speaking of it...)

"Saya, do we still have the laptop?" I ask as I turn to the front.

"Oh, uhhh. Yea, it's in Saeko's bag. I gave it to her after. You know..." Saya glances about before lowering her head slightly.

"You want me to check if it fits the laptop? I, don't think this is strong enough to power it though." Kohta continues.

"I know, just 'remembered' that we had it." I respond as I shake my head, then give the power bank back to Kohta.

"Wonder if somebody forgot it in the box while packing the stuff up." I add as I fold my arms.

"Should we ask?" Kohta asks back.

"...Can I see the mp3?" I ask back. Kohta just nods and hands me the device.

Clicking the power button, I find that the thing actually still worked.

(Huh, wonder where this thing was stuffed at...)

With that thought, I checked the contents...

(...Hip hop, heavy metal, rap, classic, instrumental, jazz, blues, country, funky, disco, J-pop, rock, noise...Uhh, too many things inside...)

"If they figure out they lost it before we leave, give it back, otherwise. Ehh..." I answer as I hand it back.

"That is stealing though..." Asami mumbles as she folds her arms.

"If it's that important, they will come looking for it. Otherwise. If the previous owner does not care enough to keep an eye on their shit, I ain't gonna take extra steps for them." I answer as I turn to leave. Kohta turning to speak with Asami in the mean time.

"Music huh? Don't mind if I do actually." Rika chuckles as walks back to the Humvee's hood...

"Not going to disagree with that." I nod as I turn to look at the map

"Did it have any genre you like to listen to?" Saeko asks right after.

"Uhh, it did have some interesting genres inside." I respond as I keep looking at the map.

"What do you even 'like' to hear." Saya asks right after.

"Usually? Instrumental, heavy metal, epic. Overall though, I prefer stuff with no lyrics. Video game music also falls in that category too I guess." I answer.

"So you don't listen to like ninety-five present of all the genres." Saya scoffs slightly as she folds her arms.

"Also, sea shanties and uhh pirate songs?" I add as I shrug.

"...What..." Saya frowns slightly as she arcs an eyebrow at me.

"How do these even connect..." She adds as she tilts her head with an arched eyebrow. I just shrug again in response.

"And classical is not bad either I guess." I continue.

"Aaah? Now you're just trying to confuse me..." Saya groans as her expression turn into a half-opened mouth frown. I shrug, yet again.

And, silence...

"I like jazz and classical, though I prefer American Jazz over J-Jazz. Then again, I can probably hear anything. Except for Disco and funky, never stuck with me for some reason." Rika speaks up.

"Not much of a selection if you listen to everything." Saya lets out a small sigh through her nose.

"Hmm? What do 'you' listen to then?" Rika asks back.

"Uhh, I. I listen to uhh..." Saya mumbles as she glances at me.

"Heavy metal..." She adds as she averts her eyes.

"...You're pulling my leg." Rika chuckles as she turns to Saya.

"N, no I'm not!" Saya retorts.

"Name me five metal groups then." Rika continues as she grins. Saya just blinks blankly at Rika...

"Uhh, ummm..." Saya mumbles as she glances about...

"Ughh! Fine! I like J-pop! Happy now?" Saya folds her arms as she turns her head away. Rika just kept chuckling, before turning to Saeko.

"How about you?" She asks.

"In my house, we usually listened to traditional and classical music." Saeko responds calmly.

"Yes, and what do 'you' like to hear?" Rika asks again.

"I, never really looked into other genres to be honest. I didn't mind what everybody else was listening to at school though.." Saeko answers.

"Oh my, that's no good." Rika tilts her head slightly as she arcs an eyebrow.

I glance at Saeko, before turning to look at the map. Yet, I could now not shake off the feeling that something was, staring at me...

Lifting my head I find, Shizuka. Who had leaned out of the front seat. Staring at me, intensely. Well, not me, but towards the group in front of the Humvee...

"Uhh, Shizuk.."

"I like J-pop and Karaoke!" Shizuka blurts out as she cuts me off...

"Can we stop this stupid thing now? We need to leave as soon as possible." Saya groans as she turns to look at the map, making Shizuka give off a sad whine.

"Sadly, I agree, the more day we burn, the less day we'll have to get there. And I want to get there today. I don't care about fighting inside the house after it gets dark, since there should be electricity there, based on Saeko's dad at least..." I respond.

"You think there will be electricity there?" Saya asks.

"Ehh, I have hope. The house is relatively far from the mainland. And considering the emp blast originated quite further away from the opposite side of town, we have a good chance that the blast would have not completely totaled the house's electrics. If you consider that the airport was relatively ok even before repairs started. And the big problem, which was having a working power facility. Has been solved, now that we have the dam." Rika responds.

"...Won't we need an electrician though?" I ask.

"That, I don't know." Rika shrugs.

"If we had a book about it, I could do it." Saya then speaks up.

"Really?" I ask back.

"Well duh. I'm a genius." Saya scoffs.

"So you're absolutely sure you won't short circuit something by accident and turn the whole building into a Christmas tree?" I respond as I arch an eyebrow.

"W, well that's why I need the book stupid..." Saya mumbles as she glances away.

(Oh boy.)

"...So, where can we find a book like that?" I ask right after.

"I, don't know..." Saya responds as she folds her arms.

"We could raid a bookstore after we set a base there. Books are probably not among the things that people tried to loot. You can't eat them, and you can't kill with them, most of the time." Rika shrugs.

"True. So, we are, set?" I ask as I look at my new 'team'.

"I think so?" Rika nods.

"I am ready." Saeko responds.

"Me too..." Saya answers as well.

"Then. Let's get the fuck out of here..." I take a deep breath and take the map off the hood.

"Start the engine Shizuka!" I slap the hood as I walk towards the back seats...

"Ahhhh, wait wait wait!" Rika lifts both hands as she stops walking.

"Can somebody take my place until we reach the off-road part? I want to take that nap I mentioned." She continues.

"Now you figure you that want to take that nap?" Saya groans.

"Hey, I already said I'd sleep in the car didn't I?" Rika answers.

"I'd do it. But we need somebody who can shoot straight to take my place..." I respond.

"Uhh, fine, I'll take Rika's place." Saya groans.

"Alright, I owe you one~" Rika smiles as she heads to the back seats.

And so, we entered the Humvee.

Shizuka in the driver's seat, Saya in the front passenger with the map.

Me Saeko and Rika on the back. With Saeko behind the driver's seat me in the middle, and Rika behind the passenger's seat

And Kohta with Asami and Alice in the trunk. Oh and the dog.

And just as the car comes to life and starts moving.

"Are they going to let us leave like this?" Kohta asks as he leans on the backside of Rika's seat.

"We were never really part of the army so..." I keep looking ahead as I speak.

"Wait, Rika is not military?" Kohta aks back.

"No, she's a cop essentially, like Asami." I answer, Kohta letting out an 'oh'

Turning to glance at Rika, she was already with her head against the window, eyes closed.

And so, we drove past the main building, and headed towards the exit, the soldier there opening for us without really asking any questions.

"Good fucking riddance I suppose..." I sigh as we drove past the checkpoint, for what should be the final time.

Just then, I felt something tapping my left shoulder. Turning to it, I found Saeko, who had huddled herself up in the corner between her seat and the door. Leaving about half her seat free.

She then tapped her seat's backrest with a smile. While at the same time, Saya, who had turned around, was staring at Saeko with a narrowed-eyed, puffed-up frown.

"Ummm, where do I go now?" And then Shizuka spoke up with an apologetic tone. Saya just narrows her eyes even more as she puffs her cheeks further, before turning to sit normally and focusing on the map.

"Go right on the turn here. Roads this close to the airport should have been cleaned by the army." She responds.

(Well, don't mind if I do...)

I slide up next to Saeko and lean my back on the edge of her seat, Saeko then tightly wraps her arms around my arm and leans her head on my shoulder before closing her eyes.

(...Huh. This reminds me of the first time Saeko ended up sleeping on my shoulder, you know, where I acted as if I was asleep. Heh, no need to act now ah?)

I silently bring my free hand to the fringe of her hair and ruffle them. Saeko just let out a small giggle as she nuzzled her cheek against my shoulder.

"...Woaaa..." And what followed was a gasp of woe coming from the car's trunk.

Turning to look to my sides I found Kohta staring at me with his mouth wide open.

"What?" I ask as I arch an eyebrow.

"N, nothing." Kohta quickly looks back towards the crates.

"Really? Didn't seem like n, uhhh?..." And, I didn't manage to finish my sentence when I felt a sudden weight on my legs...

Upon looking at my legs, I found that Rika, who was off to dreamland, had essentially sprawled her legs on my thighs.

"Really now?..." I 'ask' as I keep staring at Rika's legs.

"You sure seem to be enjoying yourself..." A hissy voice then spoke up from the front. Turning my head up I found Saya staring, or more appropriately, glaring at me.

"You have a weird idea of enjoyable if you think I enjoy having somebody's dirty-ass boots on me. For the rest, not gonna comment..." I respond as glance at Saeko, then slowly take one of Rika's legs, and place it next to me. Only for her to just, stretch it back on my thighs the moment I let it go...

Saya just let out a haughty 'hummf!' and turned to look back to the front.

"I was the one that got assaulted, you're supposed to pay attention to me..." She whispers as she keeps staring at the map with a sulky look.

"I'll pay you all the attention you want once we clear the mansion." I answer flatly. Saya quickly turns to stare back at me with a slight blush on her face.

"Saaayaaaa. There's a crossroad ahead..." And Shizuka speaks up, causing Saya to turn back towards the front.

"By the way Saeko, what should we expect there? How big is the place?" I ask as I turn to the girl resting on my shoulder.

"Hmmm." She hums slightly before lifting her head and opening her eyes.

"As my father said. It is essentially surrounded by a wall, so if we are to take everything inside the wall as part of the house." She tilts her head slightly.

"There is a garage for two cars to the left of the main building, the main building is three stories tall. A small secondary garage that has the generator is to the right of the main building. Behind the main house is a small garden to its left, behind that garden we have a secondary warehouse that was left unused. And next to it, we have a dojo." Saeko calmly starts explaining. Meanwhile...

"...Is somebody in this car. Who is not filthy rich?" I ask as I chuckle.

"Umm, all I have is the house I share with Rika..." Shizuka speaks up.

"That place didn't look cheap either." I respond.

"Asami lived in a rented apartment..." Asami then continiues.

"Finally, another person that I can relate to. Though I'd guess I was in a better position since I didn't actually pay the rent completely by myself." I chuckle.

"Realistically I do not own anything though. They are all my father's possessions." Saeko then speaks up.

Kohta did not speak, and neither did Saya. Well, at least she did not join the chat, since she just kept giving Shizuka instructions.

"Humm, where did you live before?" Shizuka asks as she glances back at me before looking back ahead towards the street.

"Hm? Rented apartment." I respond.

"Ummm, no. I mean, before that..." She asks again...

"Shizuka!" And Saya quickly turns to glare at the nurse.

"W, what?! I'm, I'm sorry!" Shizuka lowers her head and raises her shoulders, looking a lot like a scolded puppy.

"You can't ask that!" Saya answers as she keeps staring at our driver.

"W, why?..." Shizuka asks with confusion written on her face. Saya just rolls her eyes with a loud groan.

"He's a transfer student you idiot." Saya blurts out as she narrows her eyes at Shizuka...

"Oh. Ohhhh... Ahhh! I'm, I'm sorry!" Shizuka quickly darts her head to me as she apologizes, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Oi! Eyes on the road." I respond as I point at the front windshield.

"I'm sorry..." Shizuka lets out a sad whine as she turns to look back towards the road ahead with her head drooping.

"Besides, they are probably dead by now anyway." I respond.

"Hey! Don't say that!" Saya then turns to look at me, looking, irked?

"Yea, if they are half as badass as you they are probably chilling on some beach!" Kohta then adds.

"You mean they are complaining to each other on some beach..." I chuckle.

"How can you even joke about that..." Saya mumbles as she turns to look away.

"Because the alternative ain't gonna help anybody." I answer flatly.

"Why are you guys shouting so much..." Rika mumbles as she stretches...

"We've been talking about how casually you shoved your boots on me." I respond as I turn to Rika.

"Hmm..." Rika just lets a small moan as she changes her posture. Essentially not giving a fuck.

And so, we kept driving. Thankfully without any real blocks down the road...

Up until, about thirty minutes later.

"Ohh! I can see the forest at the end of the next intersection!" Shizuka speaks up.

"Yea, turn left in that intersection. See if we can keep going for a few blocks before we'll have to take the dirt road." Saya responds as she runs her finger across the map.

"Should we wake up Rika then? Though I don't know how much help thirty minutes of sleep will be..." I ask.

"No need. We will keep going on the road until going off-road is necessary. I know we said to go off-road as soon as possible, but the roads have been clear so far..." Saya answers. I just nod back...

"By the way, does the map have any points of interest on it? You know, stores and the such?" I ask after a few seconds.

"Uhhhh, no." Saya shakes her head.

"I see. Saeko?" I then turn my head slightly to my left. Yet, get no response.

"Uhh, Saeko?" I ask again as I lean my head away to get a better look. To find that it was not only Rika that was off to dreamland...

"..." I just blink a couple of times before turning to look back towards the front, where Saya had turned to stare at the sleeping Samurai.

"She gets to sleep on your shoulder. I get to read the damn map..." She mumbles as she turns to look back ahead.

"Why do I always have to pull the short end of the stick. It's not fair..." She whines as she keeps looking at the map with a sulky face.

"Because a genius can do everything. And we're short-staffed." I respond.

"Hmf..." Saya just blew some air through her nose as she kept her eyes on the map, looking as sulky as ever as silence returned to the car.

Without really anything to do, I turned to look out the window next to Saeko, as Shizuka took a left on the intersection. The buildings to our left, the trees to our right...

The roads were smeared with blood, and the buildings, which were mostly if not all stores, were without a single intact window in sight, which honestly gave the impression that a large group scavenged this place, their insides being a mess which added to that proof. Along with the most important fact, the roads were clear. The cars and bodies that should have been littering it were seemingly shoved to the side of the road.

(It's almost as of somebody used a plow truck and pushed everything off the bloody street. Sure, a few stray corpses have walked up into the road again, but you'd need to be blind to actually hit them...)

-THUD-

(Which, makes me wonder...)

-THUD-

(Why...)

-THUD-

(Is Shizuka...)

-THUD-

(running over...)

-THUD-

(every single)

-THUD-

(Corpse...)

"Ughhh! Can you stop running over everything?! All that bumping is distracting me!" Until Saya snapped at least...

"Shizuka's all bloodthirsty now." I chuckle.

"I'm, I'm not bloodthirsty! I just..."

"Racking up points to buy the next upgrade..." I cut her off with a slight snicker, Kohta chuckling from inside the trunk.

"Muuu! Stop teasing me you meany!" Shizuka puffs her cheeks as she turns to glance at me. I just chuckle and turn to look out the window again.

"You, sure get along with a lot of girls Naier..." Kohta then adds...

(... Kohta...)

"Yes, you sure do..." Saya adds as she turns to stare at me with narrowed eyes.

(You foking traitor..)

"I plead the fifth..." I respond as I keeps looking out the window.

"This just proves that you admit that you're a criminal." Saya smirks slightly as she leans her head towards me narrowing her eyes.

"The evil penguin is now on trial. But you shall never find about my evil plan." I sigh as I drop my head, and, much to my surprise, it was the voice of a small girl that started chuckling from the trunk. Aka, Alice...

And, as Saya turns to look ahead again...

"Oh, Shizuka stop. We reached the point where we need to turn." She taps Shizuka as she notices a small dirt road extending towards the forest to our right.

"Umm, I need to drive off-road?..." Shizuka grips the wheel with both hands as she leans her head over the wheel, looking at the dirt road.

"We should wake up Rika." I add.

"Yes." Saya replies flatly.

"No, I can do it. Rika needs to rest" Shizuka replies as she shakes her head.

"Not the time to be headstrong Shizuka, one misstep in there and we lose our car and supplies." I respond as I poke Saeko's cheek. Who in turn lets out a small moan and slowly opens her eyes, focusing them on me. Before backing off and stretching her back.

I then lean to my right, towards Rika, and shake her shoulder.

"Five more minutes..." She groans as she tries to shoo me with her hand.

"You'll sleep all you want on a normal bed after we clear the mansion. Come on, we have corpses strolling toward us." I respond as I shake her again.

"Uhhh, right. Right. Yeah..." Rika nods a couple of times as she slowly gets up. Rubbing her eyes before pushing her hands up against the car's roof to stretch.

I take a deep breath and get up, opening the hatch.

"We have corpses near the car. I'll go to the roof to clear some space, change places without exiting the car." I add as I climb out through the hatch. Then proceed to sit, rotating the hatch and using the lid as a backrest.

Then I turn my attention to the few corpses that had reached the car and were essentially rubbing their faces on the window.

(If project zomboid teached me anything. Is that I also need to be near a forest to set rabbit traps and that cabbage is amazeballs. So I guess the fact the building is surrounded by forest will mean we will have a good chance to catch game. Though on the other hand, we will have reduced visibility if a horde comes toward us. The trees will cover them. Hmm, then again, if trees are too close to the outside wall, we could go get a chainsaw from a store and cut them down, then use the trees as an extra barricade to surround the building...)

"Naier. They have switched places, you can come down." Saeko then pops up from the hatch as she speaks.

"Hmm, I'd say that I'd like to stay up here. But the idea of getting a tree branch to my face while the car is going does not sound too fun..." I nod and turn to enter the humvee again.

As I climbed down, I saw Rika lazily stretching in the driver's seat.

"So, I just follow the dirt path?" Rika asks.

"No, the path itself actually leads to a dead-end, it heads northeast. The house is straight north." Saya responds as she shakes her head.

"Do we have a compass?" Rika asks again.

"In my bag." I respond as I turn to Kohta, who nods and hands me my bag.

Opening the front pocket, I took out the compass I got, the same one that the employee asked me if I wanted to buy, back right before the outbreak started...

(Huh, guess I owe that employee one now.)

I chuckle slightly as I look at the compass, then hand it to Rika.

"Nice, now, let's go. I call dibs on the best double bed!" Rika exclaims as she slaps the gas with her foot.

"Do you need to shout?" Saya groans.

"I'll fall asleep if I don't." Rika shrugs as she chuckles.

"By the way miss Busujima. Asami would like to ask if she can know how many bedrooms the house has." Asami then speaks up.

" All the bedrooms are on the second floor. There are, hmm. Nine, counting two bathrooms in as well." Saeko responds.

"We are talking about the whole house, or just the second floor now?" I ask as I glance at Saeko.

"Hmm? The second floor?" Saeko answers as she tilts her head questionably.

"Hah, guess commando knew his game. Going after the richest girls in his group" Rika adds with a laugh.

"Oi, you make me sound like a gold digger now..." I groan as I drop my shoulders.

"Humf, that idiot probably doesn't have the brains to make such an elaborate scheme." Saya huffs.

"Thanks? I think?" I respond as I arch an eyebrow and tilt my head.

"Question. I know we're going off-road. But how 'off-road' is the path? A straight line through a flat forested area? Rocky terrain? Cliffs?" Rika then asks.

"There should be some turns based on what the map has drawn on it, we should also have to pass a shallow river two times." Saya responds as she looks at the map.

"It should also be slightly uphill. I remember a zig-zagging path right before to the house" Saeko added.

"River huh. If it's not too far it could be good for some fishing. Considering we can't exactly go to the supermarket anymore." I continue as I put one hand behind me and lean back.

"If I remember correctly, it must be ten to twenty minutes on foot." Saeko responds as she turns to me.

(This place keeps getting better and better.)

"And none of your father's acquaintances know of the place?" I ask back.

"I don't think so. He usually went there when he wanted to get away from his daily life." Saeko shakes her head as a response.

"Ahh, Saya dear. Can't go north from here, rock formation." Rika then speaks up as she stops the humvee.

"Go northwest. We should find the river if we keep going like that. After you find it, we need to find a shallow spot to pass, then go along with it towards the north, until the river turns towards the east. Then, we will have to drive through it again." Saya responds.

"Why not just drive next to the river without passing? You know, from the opposite side." Rika asks.

"Don't ask me, it's what the map says." Saya shrugs.

"Maybe that side of the river is undrivable..." She adds.

"Oh well, northwest it is." Rika shrugs back and turns the wheel...

(We will have to do this trip each time we want to go to the city? Double-edged sword. Hard to go to, hard to leave from. But I'd rather sleep peacefully at night knowing that we don't have panting survivors staring at the girls...)