Count your fingers

You know, was it not for the fact that I could not keep calm. This would be a really nice moment.

The sea without a single wave, letting the boat almost glide over the water without a single bump, letting me sit in the front part of the bow without getting tossed all over the place...

But I, had other problems to deal with...

"Still no answer?" Rika asks as she sat next to me.

"Nope. Nothing. Why did she shut the friggin radio off..." I respond with a sigh.

"Uhh, I don't know..." Rika sighs back as she scratches the back of her head.

"Ahh, the first time you could use my help. And I'm useless." Rika drops her head as she speaks.

"Unless you know teleportation magic, there ain't much you can help with." I respond as I pocket the radio.

"I know. But I honestly never seen you be this, out of it. Ever. And you managed to keep a level head when our damn roof got swarmed." Rika answers as she turns to look at me.

"You know what they say, waiting is the worse part. And this whole shitshow is just, waiting. I can't do anything, just wait, and hope. And up until now I never relied on hope and luck, don't intend to start now either." I groan as I hit the back of my head on the boat's railing.

"Guess the strategy of going after somebody's loved one if you can't take them down is really as efficient as they say..." Rika mumbles as she turns to look ahead of her.

"If you want to have that individual you can't kill come after you in a frenzied rage. Then yea, go ahead. But you'll have nobody to blame but yourself when your family is set on fire..." I respond.

"Are you going to do that?" Rika asks right after.

"If somebody touched Saya while my back was turned? I don't know what I'll fucking do..." I take a deep breath as I close my eyes.

"Nothing good though. I can guarantee that." I add as I open my eyes, then turn to look towards the boat's bow. The airport's silhouette visible in the far-off distance.

"Also, if you want to help. Then take my workload after we dock. Don't think I'll be able to sit around and carry crates after we touch the airport..." I add with a sigh. Rika just nods at me.

"Come on, everything will be fine. Didn't you tell Saeko to watch over them?" Rika then asks.

"So you 'do' know their names." I arch an eyebrow as I turn to her.

"Huh, of course I do. Why would I not?" Rika asks back.

"You never called them by their name?" I respond.

"Ehh, habit, Didn't I call you commando all the time too?" She asks back.

"Huh, I guess." I shrug as I turn to look towards the airport again.

(I did most I could without me being there. I warned Saeko to stick close to Saya. So, if something happened to Saya, it would mean that they either managed to get past Saeko, or that Saeko let them get passed. One sounds worse than the other...)

I shake my head and close my eyes.

(No, instead of thinking about what happened, think of what you will do.

I mean for starters, the only person I know that could be after Saya, was the general. But, it'd make no sense. Saya is still a Takagi. If he got caught raping Souchiro's daughter, he would stand to lose too much. And everybody got sent to the camps today. So it's not like he had the chance to creep in at night yet. But, the camps have a lot of people, and the people there, maybe they don't have anything to lose...)

I stop thinking and open my eyes, then look at the sky.

(Fuck, no matter what I think, it always brings me to think the worse. I'll just, stop thinking...)

With that final thought. I kept staring at the sky, trying to keep my mind empty...

Otherwise, I'd go nuts...

And so, time passed, the sound of the boat cutting the sea being the only sound, the cloud slowly moving over my head...

-Almost an hour later-

You know, I didn't even realize that sitting outside meant that my clothes would sooner or later get soaked in seawater, thank Rika I left my equipment in the boat's cockpit for that...

"Your sleeve is moist." Rika speaks up after walking up to me, and pokes my sleeve.

"Seawater." I respond as I keep staring at the sky.

"And here I thought I would catch you crying." She chuckles as she kneels down.

"Sadness usually comes after rage. I'm not even at the rage part yet. Yet..." I respond as I take a deep breath.

"Well, keep a level head. You can't do anything if you're dead. Remember that. Because we're here." Rika shakes me and points ahead of me...

I was about to lift my head, but, I didn't need to. As a big bridge blocked my view towards the sky.

A bridge. The bridge that connected the airport to the mainland...

"We're here..." I let out a deep breath as I start getting up, Rika folding her arms next to me.

"You know where the camps are?" She asks.

"Yes. No idea where Saya or Saeko is though. If they're still there." I respond.

"Where else would they be?" She motions with her head to follow her, then proceeds to head towards the boat's cockpit, where our equipment was at.

"Dono, locked in a room getting gangbanged." I answer flatly.

"Oi, that's nasty, even for my tastes." Rika shakes her head as she grabs my gear, then throws them at me.

"Besides, you mean to tell me your little samurai just gave up and let some random smuck have his way with her." She asks right after.

"Saeko is strong, but nobody can hold off a mob that has surrounded you." I answer as I start equipping my stuff.

"Then stop thinking like that. And if it comes to it, then just burn the whole place down." Rika shrugs as she speaks, while in the meantime the boat driver turned to look at us. I just glanced at the driver as he eyeballed us, and turned to leave.

(Burning them, it's not painful enough.)

And just as we exit the boat's cockpit room, the boat touched concrete...

We had arrived. The airport landing strip ahead of me, along with the aircraft carrier, the bridge to my right.

"I take it you will cover for me?" I ask as both me and Rika exit the boat.

"You got it, go." Rika nods. Then waved towards the guard that headed towards us.

Me? I turned to head straight towards the bridge...

Needless to say, it didn't take too long for me to essentially start running...

Reaching the bridge didn't take too long, thankfully with no guards stopping me.

(The camp was next to the main building, was it not?)

I nod to myself as I stop running, since there were a few guards standing guard at the bridge's barricaded entrance. A barricade made of metal fences and jeeps.

The moment I walk up to the guard...

"Don't tell me the bridge is blocked off or something." I ask as I glance behind the guards.

"Nah, but with all the bigwigs arriving here. We had to increase security. You just arrived in that boat with Minami did you not? You must be the guy she worked with to clear the airport then. Wana pass?" The soldier asks.

"Uhh, yes." I rely flatly. The soldier nods and opens a door on the metal fence.

(Am I famous or something?)

"Just be aware, the main building is now off-limits, especially since you are armed and I don't see any visible rank on you" The soldier adds as he motions me to pass.

"Noted, I am heading to the camps anyway." I respond, the guard just nods back.

And so, I moved past the bridge. Exiting the other way was not that hard, the guards on the other side essentially let me out without even looking at me.

And now, I was with the main building to my right, and next to that building.

(You two better be alright, for everybody else's sake...)

I take a deep breath as I start heading towards the camp.

(Because I don't have enough bullets to kill everybody here. And the corpses outside probably won't mind a free lunch...)

Once I was outside of the camp, I stopped...

(...Now, where...)

"Naier?" I didn't even manage to finish that thought when a male voice spoke up.

Turning around, I found Takashi, Rei next to him. Both with bags on their shoulders.

"Takashi? Do you know where Saya and Saeko are at?" I ask as I point behind me, towards the camp.

"You know they dumped us into the camps? You were not here when it happened." Takashi asks.

"Yes, I found out by radio. So, do you know where they are?" I ask again.

"They put us all in the newcomer section, to the left..." Takashi responds, his expression turning what I can only call disgust.

"I see, left is a big place though." I respond as I glance at all the left part of the camp.

"Uhh, they should be, twenty tents into the left, then about another twenty, or thirty up, that's where my and Rei's tent is at. I'm sorry I can't tell you exactly where the others are. I have been in Rei's dad's cell with Rei ever since he woke up. We were actually going there again just now, we just came here to get some food. We didn't even leave out stuff yet..." Takashi responds as he motions to his bag with his head, Rei, just glanced at Takashi before turning to look at the ground.

"I see, I should get going then." I quickly turn around and enter the camp.

"Hey! Did something happen?" Takashi asks as I turn my back to him.

"We're going to find out soon enough." I answer as I keep walking, stealthily pulling my handing to check how much ammo I had left.

(Five in the mag, one in the chamber, Scar is empty. Huh, maybe that cell is the safest place you can be Takashi...)

With that, I turn left, and start walking...

Into a dirt path, tents sets in lines on either more dirt, or on grass patches, with people sitting in, next, or around them, some gathered in relatively big groups in small openings, others walking around seemingly aimlessly.

After walking past was I think was twenty or so tents, I turn to look to my right.

(I don't see them anywhere, I don't see the rest of the group either...)

Just as I was about to move, some random dude dumped into my shoulder, casually walking past me as he kept speaking with another guy next to him...

(I am fucking invisible you fuckwit?)

I reflexively pat my pockets and check for my knife and gun...

(All there.)

Just as I was about to turn towards my right to head up. I saw it, I pair of pink twintails, passing by some tents, and turning to walk on the main road to my right.

Wearing a white jacket, and a school skirt, along with pink shoes. Her head lowered, an M.R.E pack in each hand.

(...Saya?)

I tilt my head, and start following the girl, trying to not lose eye contact with all the people passing through.

Before I could manage to close in enough though, she stopped by a tent, opening it slightly and looking inside, and then, I managed to see her face. That, was Saya.

(At least she's not locked in a room.)

I let out a small sigh as I start walking towards her.

Noted on the, stared. As the moment Saya got back up, after leaving the M.R.E and closing the tent. Three men, which were sitting a little bit further ahead by another tent, got up and casually walked up to her, one of them lifting his hand to wave at her.

Before she could react the men were essentially around to her, the guy that waved at her with his back towards me...

(...You three are getting too close. And I'm starting to see red here.)

I take a deep breath and start walking up towards them. The guys looked to be around middle-aged, thirties to fifties...

(Now, don't rush. Only five bullets left, you don't want to shoot the wr...)

I had not even managed to finish that though...

"Don't touch me! Leave me alone!" Saya shouts out as she takes a step back. And the response was, that one with his back turned to me, which was essentially right next to the pinkette, casually brought his hand to her rear, and gave it a strong squeeze.

Saya let out a small yelp before slapping the guy's hand away, then tried to plant her other hand on the man's face. The word being tried. As the man easily caught her arm by the wrist, having that, Shido-like smile on his lips.

(...)

Have you ever had a moment, where you could no longer hear? Where your ears could only hear a constant ringing, like a flashbang just went off next to you?

Where you wanted to kill somebody so much that just killing them didn't feel enough? That you wanted to make them suffer, a lot...

That, was exactly how I felt at that moment. That, was the reason that instead of just drawing my handgun and emptying the remaining clip, I walked up to a nearby tent, a tent with utility tools scattered about, and picked the first, solid steel hammer I saw...

Yet, the moment I turned to head towards them again, they had backed off. Why? A certain purple-haired girl was standing in front of Saya, her hand on her blade's hilt, a bunch of blankets on the dirt next to her...

The men just lifted their hands up with a sickening smile and turned to walk away, towards the opposite direction from me. Acting as if nothing ever happened...

"Keep that feeling in your hand. It ain't gonna feel for much longer..." I hiss under my voice as I quicken my pace.

As I closed in to Saya and Saeko...

"Are you alright?" I hear Saeko ask. Saya just nodded as she hugged herself.

"I can't take it anymore. Why are they doing this to me..." Saya mumbles as her sight turns towards me, tears on the side of her eyes...

"That, is a really good question." I speak up as I walk up next to them

"H,huh? N, Nai..."

And at that point, I had walked past the two, closing into the trio...

"Man if your wife finds out..." The rightmost guy chuckles.

"She can piss off, I can do whatever I want. Besides, what's she gonna do? Leave? I'm the only reason she's not eating scraps like the rest of her kind. But stiiiiillll, man, it's a shame 'he' told us can't we fuck this one before him, I know he wants 'first round'. But these butt-cheeks make me so hard it's almost unbearable." The middle man, aka the groper, responded with a cackle as he brought his hand between his legs.

"Oh, poor you. Guess I'm not going to completely kill you if you are suffering 'this' much." I growl as I walk up behind mister grabby fingers. The guys stop walking and turn towards me.

"Huh? Who the fuck are you? Do you know who aaaiiii!..."

The guy didn't even finish his sentence, when my boot made a perfect fit, right between his legs.

"The fuck?!" The second of the men shouted as he charged towards me.

Only to end up barreling out of control as I sidestepped, grabbed him by the arm, landed the hammer at the side of his head, then hurled him towards the nearby tent. With how heavy the hammer felt, being metal from top to bottom, I wouldn't be surprised if his jaw was now in pieces.

The third one, had actually pulled a knife.

"Who the fuck you think you are?!" The guy shouts as he points the knife at me. Taking a big step towards me.

"I'm Batman." I reply with a shrug as I pull the handgun.

"Lethal weapons now?" I 'ask' as I undo the safety and wave the handgun, the other hand still holding the hammer.

"W, wow. Let's not be hasty now." The guy drops the knife and lifts his hands up.

"The only hasty thing here is how quickly you guys decided that my girl's ass is public property." I respond as I aim towards the guy, who with a shriek, turned and started running...

(...I forgot batman does not use lethal weapons. Guess I'm Alfred now. Also, didn't you see the scar's barrel sticking out my back you blind fuck?)

I switch the safety and turn around, the first guy still on the floor, the second still in the tent...

Saya and Saeko staring at me a little further down. But, there was one problem...

I was still, pissed...

So, I walked up to the guy who cupped a feel, who was still lying sideways. And kneel over his neck.

"On your finger scale, how good was my girl?" I hiss push his face against the dirt.

"Ugh! You just did a grave mistake kid! Do you know who I..." Before the guy could finish, I grab his hand by the wrist, using my knee to step on his shoulder, forcing him to turn belly down.

I then lean towards his ear as I slam his hand on the dirt.

"Go ahead, tell me who you are. Because I honestly expected somebody else to try and pull a short on me. So tell me, who are you? Tell me so I'll know who's guts I'll have to feed you." I cut him off as I ready the hammer.

"And, I didn't do that grave mistake." I add as I lean back, and raise the hammer.

"Yet..." and bring it down, on the index finger of the guy's hand.

What followed was a bloodcurdling scream from him as a sickening 'crack' echoed from his finger...

Which then got followed by another, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another...

Up until his hand didn't even resemble a hand anymore.

"You know, I wonder if that'll be permanent. It needs to be permanent. You think it'll be permanent?" I 'ask' as I look at his mangled hand while taking a deep breath, the guy's response was some incoherent mumbling, before he started shouting again. Probably because I poked his hand with the claw part of the hammer.

"Well, better make sure..." I add with a shrug, drop the hammer, and pull my knife.

"Did you know? One of my girls is an extreme sadist, think she's rubbing off on me." I whisper as I raise the knife, and then bring it down to the guy's middle finger.

I don't know if it was because he was already screaming, or if all that hammering had numbed his hand, but he didn't scream any louder after the blade severed his finger. I think...

I then grab his face by pushing his cheeks together, essentially to shut him up, and I lower myself to his ear.

"Now, I'm going to ask you a question. And you better answer, or I'm going to be chopping fingers till there are no fingers left. What, did you do, to Saya." I whisper.

I then let go of his cheeks.

"Fuchhk you! Fuck you fuck you fuck you Aaaaargghh! I'm going to fucking kill you! I'm g..."

That sentence was not finished, and he was one finger shorter.

"Second time. What, did you do, to Saya." I ask once more as I grab his face again.

" ..yuuuu" The guy mumbled.

"Another finger then." I tilt my head slightly and shrug, and as I lift my knife...

"Aggh! N,nothing! I did nothing! I didn't do anything! I just grabbed her ass!" The guy screamed as he stared at the knife.

"Oh. Ok..." I let out a small sigh as I glance at him.

Then bring the knife down anyway, and now he was three fingers short.

"That's for grabbing her ass then. You're lucky I have more important stuff to do, so, don't go anywhere, I ain't done with you yet hombre." I respond, wiping the knife on the guy's now dirty shirt, then get up as I pick one of his severed fingers. Throwing a glance at his friend in the tent, who has still out cold. As for the rest of the camp, essentially everybody was looking at me.

"What?! Did I disturb your fucking sex show?!" I shout as I raise my arms, a couple of the civilians turning to look away.

"Sitting on your asses and doing nothing while a girl almost got raped in front of you." I add before I toss the finger at the guy's friend. Then turn to look at the guy who was now on the floor in a fetal position, hugging his two-fingered hand.

But honestly, it still didn't feel enough. This is why before turning to head towards Saya and Saeko. I take a final swing at the guy's mouth with my boot, really hoping that that force was enough to kick his damn teeth in.

(You know, I'd be funny if this guy really didn't do anything else. But I highly doubt that. Now with how he seemed to 'know' Saya..)

After letting out a long sigh, I turn to head towards the two girls.

"Sorry I didn't manage to get here faster..." I calmly speak up as I put my hand on Saya's shoulder and give it a light squeeze.

"I, it's ok..." Saya just shake her head, her eyes locked at her feet.

"Alright, you know what I'm going to ask. What the hell happened here?" I ask. Saya nodded slightly...

"He approached me the moment we got here. Telling me that he can 'help me' if I went with him." She mumbled.

"After that, he wouldn't leave me alone..." She continued as she tugged her shirt.

"First time he got grabby feely? Or..." I ask as I glance at the guy, still squirming at the floor.

"Once more, Saeko stopped him back then again..." Saya answers as she glances away.

"So he lied, figures. The army is just letting gropers and rapists run around?" I ask as I sigh.

"We have not seen a single soldier in this side of the camp, other than the ones that handled food. And they mostly protect the food, not us." Saeko responds.

"What you mean 'this' side of the camp?" I ask as I turn towards Saeko.

"It is, essentially separated in sections. The wealthier people and the ones that can offer a service, like mechanics and doctors. Are on the other side of the camp. Which is separated from this part, and are not allowed in there. Here are the new arrivals and people that just, exist." Saeko answers...

"Should I guess where he's from?." I ask as I point at 'two fingers'.

"Not from this side." Saeko answers as she folds her arms.

"Maybe I should chop another finger off..." I start pulling my knife as I turn to walk towards him. Only for Saya to grab my arm with both hands.

"P, please don't leave..." She mumbled. In all honesty, she looked to be on the verge of tears...

"Who exactly is he?" I ask as I turn to Saeko.

"I don't know. But I know he didn't target only Saya. And that he is among the 'privileged' even among the people in the other part of the camp. I saw him talking with the general a couple of times. The one we met when we first got here." Saeko responds.

(The fatass ogling Saya general? Bird of a fucking feather huh? My two bits that that 'he wants first round' bit was him...)

"He went after you too?" I ask, Saeko shook her head.

"Miyamoto. Though he and posse stopped the moment Takashi showed up. And, I think they refrained from trying to move on me after they found that I know how to use this." She says as she glances at the man, then lifts her katana slightly.

"So they waited for you to not be around..." I sigh as I let out a small breath.

"I got careless. Went to get some blankets for the night." Saeko nods slightly, then turns to look at the now dirty blankets.

(...You intend to sleep a single fucking night in here?)

"Saya, they didn't do anything else did they?" I ask. Saya just looked away.

"Saya." I speak up again.

"The first time, he came alone. I, ended up slapping him because he groped me back then too. And he got violent. Pushed me into a tent and tried to tie me up. Saeko heard me screaming and got to me. She smacked him around before he could do anything. He then started screaming that he got attacked. The camp, took his side, because 'nobody heard anything' and 'I was overreacting' when I said that the asshole tried to rape me." Saya whispers.

"Which is sadly not that surprising, since he knows someone this high up in the army. People think he will help them if they butter up to him. " Saeko continues.

"If he's this high up, then why the fuck is he in the camp..." I groan as I glance around us.

"You can't hunt if you are not in the hunting grounds. His words." Saeko responds.

"I don't want to stay here..." Saya adds as she finally lifts her head, the tears that were swelling up the corner of her eyes now running down her cheeks.

"Fucking hell..." I sigh as I pass my free arm around her shoulders, since she was still on a death grip on my other hand, and push her on me. Throwing one last glance at the guy that was sprawled on the floor, swimming in a mixture of his own blood, spit, and dirt.

"As much as I want to make a banjo out of this guy's tendons, we need to have an exit plan first, if he's in cahoots with that fat general and I kill him here, it'll be too easy for him to get us nailed to the wall. Anyway. There is something else I need to ask." I whisper.

"Why the crap did you close the radio after yelling your lungs out? You know it had quite the opposite effect of not making me worry..." I ask.

"I, I didn't close it..." Saya quickly looks up to me, before lowering her head again.

"Uhh, what?" I ask.

"We have no electricity here. I forgot to charge it at my, at the hotel room. I didn't notice the charge, up until the moment it shut down.." She adds with a mumble.

"And here you were telling me to be careful with the radio." I chuckle as I ruffle her hair.

"Sorry..." She whispered, her head still lowered.

(I expected people to be animals. But the same fucking day they went to the camps? In broad daylight? I'm just glad I warned Saeko to stick close to Saya beforehand, and that she didn't decide to 'get rid' of the competition by doing nothing. Or that I didn't take long enough for them to manage to overpower both her and Saya...)

"Uhh, Naier. I think we better move. Now." Saeko then moves closer to me and whispers. Turning to look at her. She then motions with her eyes towards two guards in the distance. Speaking with the guy I threatened with the handgun.

"Shit. Come on, let's go.." I put my hand on Saya's back and push her sightly. Saya just nodded and let go, well almost let go, she had that death grip on my arm.

With quick steps, we started moving towards the exit of the camp. And, right after we started moving, people who were up until now watching from inside their tents. Moved towards the middle of the road, where mister grabby fingers-less was at. Essentially blocking my view towards the guards, and at the same time, blocking the guard's view towards us...

"I. I didn't want to tell you what happened, because I didn't want you to worry. But, I was scared. I was scared that they would come back with more people to get us both. I, I didn't know what to do..." Saya whispered with a sniffle.

"Your parents did nothing through all of this." I ask as I tilt my head, finally reaching the end of the camp. Saya shook her head.

"Ever since the politicians started arriving, I have not seen them. And they won't let us in the main building either..." She answers.

"God we might be better off out of here after all..." I whisper as I glance behind me, thankfully nobody seemed to be following us.

"Saeko, you told me your dad had a plan or something he wanted to speak about?" I ask as I glance at Saeko, then start walking again.

"Yes, and considering our current situation. I take it you want to speak to him as soon as possible." Saeko answers.

"I want to gauge our options. Because come nightfall, I'd rather be outside in an empty house, rather than there." I respond as I motion my head behind me.

"I see. Should I pack up? Just in case?" Saeko asks back.

"After we meet your father. Which, I have no idea how you will do since we can't enter the main building." I shake my head.

"I'll ask one of the guards outside. If my father calls us in, we should be able to enter." Saeko responds. And like that, we start moving towards the main building...

(...I know leaving them here was supposed to be the safe option. But that is no longer an option.

Uhhh. God now I really wish I left some permanent disability on that fucker, just three fingers ain't nearly enough for what he did...)