36 - Stalling 1

Rean slashes through the Direwolf leaping at him, getting a clean cut on its front left paw and leaving it weakly whimpering on the floor.

A statis sound echoes from his Arrow. "Why are you going into the hallway, Rean? Go to 20th floor quickly!"

"I'm buying short time for the team. There's one who can't walk yet." Rean calmly answered as he slashed another Direwolf coming at him. "And didn't you say it's 21st?"

"I was mistaken. He's in 20th floor and stalling many Direwolves for a survivor. Go there fast and see what's going on."

"Did you ask him whether he's injured?" Rean asked.

"He's not answering."

Another Direwolf leaps at him, but it's also slashed. He couldn't bring it down with one slash this time, but he immediately follows up with a kick to the monster's snout before slashing his sword down its face. The wolf monster howls in pain.

"Hurry, Rean. His movement is strange."

A Direwolf was thrown back with a powerful kick, making a painful yelp.

"Tell me his condition." Rean slashes another Direwolf jumping at him.

"He is…"

-

A few moments before that, in 20th floor.

"What's your name, little brother?" Michael asked as we walk to the Control Room's door.

"Terrence."

"Alright. I'm counting on you to save me, Terrence~" He smiles warmly.

I couldn't stop myself from smiling back to that glowing face, but it's a rather helpless smile. "Haha… Fighting~"

The door opens and closes with the ZIITS sound.

The terrorist's corpse is still lying there on the floor. As I've expected, Michale shot a hole through his head. The blood made a pool under his head on the floor.

Michael grimaces at the scene. He covers his mouth as he shivers. "Heuk…"

"Look away if you can't take it, big bro. Look away." I told him.

"I-I can't believe I did that. I m-murdered him." His voice was trembling and his breath is shallow.

"It's not murder. It's self-defense. You did it to save me." I shrug.

He looks at me with glistening eyes, and I instantly realized what kind of character he is. So I put a helpless smile and pat him on the shoulder twice. "Cheer up, brother Michael. You did the right thing."

Michael blows some air and nods nervously. "Y-Yes. I did the right thing."

Suddenly, I hear something from the hallway.

I turn my head to the right, to the direction where I came from.

It's like an echo, but it's the echoes of something of a commotion. I also heard the squeaking sound on the floor, something similar that of a big dog's claw trying to run on a marble floor.

Wait, claws?

I widen my eyes as another realization dawned on me.

"Run." I said.

"Huh?" Michael looks at me.

This time, he heard it too, some noises. He also turns to the direction I was looking, and suddenly, two Direwolves pass by the hallway ahead. They didn't turn to this corridor, they just leap straight in that hallway.

Our mouths agape at the sight of the new walking terror.

"Run…" Michael whispers fearfully.

"That's what I said!" I want to yell it at him, but it came out in whisper too because I'm also scared. "But that's where I came from. Do you know where the emer—" I immediately pause.

'They're obviously following the blood scent and human sweat. If not, they won't bother roam the floor. And if I lead these dogs to the emergency stairs, I might kiss my points goodbye.'

I obviously don't want that to happen.

'But where should I go? The stairs should be swarming with monsters now. I can't just push through…'

The only way is through the emergency stairs.

Then a static noise comes in from the Arrow. "You've been standing there for a few seconds. What happened?"

'Oh right, I can just ask the Base.'

I turn the mic on. "Direwolves. The only way to avoid them is through the emergency stairs. But, where are the others?"

"18th floor, they're resting."

I click my tongue in distaste. 'What the heck are they doing there?'

"Tell them to move now. I'll stall. Once they've passed 22, tell me." I told the operator.

"Wait! You'll risk them that way too!"

"Then do your job and urge that chopper! We obviously can't go down like this! They're just too many!"

"What chopper? What are you talking about?! Get out of there!!"

I clench my hand tight in anger as I put the Arrow's mic really close to my mouth. "Get off the intercom, Sheena. You're fucking useless."

Then I instantly cut the line and turn the mode on silent. 'Brainless, insignificant NPC getting on my nerves… I'll fucking kill you when this is all over.'

The audacity of saying that even when she perfectly knows that it's very difficult for us to move here. Why did Natalie give her the position of Operator when she doesn't even know how to be one properly?

Really, really a mood killer.

I feel a tap on my shoulder and I angrily turn around. It's Michael.

"Terrence? What now?" he asked.

I'm still very angry at that girl, but his question brought me back to the matter at hand. The dogs' growl and the squeaks of their footsteps are getting closer now, and it comes from the stairway instead of the direction where the other two just disappeared into.

"Listen, Michael. I want you to run to the emergency stairs. It's the other way, right?" I point to our left.

Michael nods. "But what about you?"

"I'll stall them." I take some magazines out of the bag and put them in my pockets.

"Are you sure?"

"Don't think about me. Just run. Save yourself." I don't even look at him as I lean on the wall and refill my gun.

"Oh, and, you'll see a group of people under you in the emergency stairs. Wait for them in 21st floor. There should be a guy with red hair, you can count on him."

"W-What if I don't—"

"Take this and go. I'm better with guns anyway." I give him Jake's bat and walk past him.

Michael looks conflicted as he received that bat. He doesn't want to leave Terrence alone, but at the same time, the little brother's here to help him. It's hard for him, but he doesn't want to be a liability for the little one.

"Please don't die. My grandmother is a great cook!" Michael said.

I stop in the middle of the hallway and turns to him slightly, looking dumbfounded. "Okay?"

"Don't die, you hear me, Terrence?! You have to come visit us or we'll come visit you!" Michael said. Then he runs away.

I blink at his retreating back with confusion. "Huh? What is that NPC spouting about?"

SKITS—Stop.

Growl.

I turn back around and immediately, I'm face to face with a Direwolf.

It's really a big version of wolf. Their Alpha can get as big as a cow, while the Omegas and Betas… Well, I don't really know wolf hierarchy, but the goons can get as big as a St. Bernard dog breed. Still gigantic for humans to fight. Not to mention their less cuddly nature.

I'm staring at the wolf's eyes as it stares into mine. Another one appears and stops, then it also stares at me. Now I have two Direwolves participating in a staring contest against me.

I've studied a bit that they like to stare their prey for quite a longer time than ordinary wolf. It was said that they're trying to seize them up, whether the prey is for one wolf or they can share.

Well, I choose to be neither.

The one in the front takes a step forward, but I aim my gun, prompting it to bark in an attempt to taunt me.

Then, more skits are coming, and it's the two wolves that passed by first. They've come back.

"Great. You're here. Let's get this started." I said with a flat expression.

The one in the front barks again, louder this time, and it prompts the other to bark as well.

"Tch. Shut up." I pull the trigger.

BANG