Heroes to Hunted

Instead of some badass clad in armor, I was met by the hyperventilations of a hunched-over, half-dead con man.

Upon seeing him, my flexed muscles deflated, and my excitement backfired into depressing boredom. 'Huhhh, well, guess I got all worked up for nothing,' I childishly kicked a foot to the ground.

To alleviate my distress, thoughts of punching Kamida to release some steam seeped into my battle-starved mind. But, fortunately for him, I had...a little self-restraint.

Instead of a punch, I waved to Kamida as I approached him. "Hey, Con-mida! Glad you finally ma-"

He propelled himself onto me and latched on, interrupting my greeting. Then, as if preventing my escape, he seized my shoulders and tightened his grip as much as his body would allow. He tried to speak, but each ragged gasp for air subdued his voice.

"What's the hell's the matter with you? Let go..." I tried shaking off his arms, but his sweat-marinated fingers were sealed tighter than the collar around my neck. "What's your prob-"

He interrupted me again, managing words between each of his retching fits. "Sa…to…h-he's…"

That's when I realized. 'The soldier guy…he isn't here.'

My eyes went red with anger. "Where the hell is he, Kamida?! Where did you leave him?!" I grabbed his back shoulder, constricting my grip far tighter than his. He yelped from the pain but kept trying to speak through his exhausted breathing.

"He's…back t-t-there," his wheezing was unrelenting, so he abandoned his voice and pointed back toward the harvesting rooms.

"W-Wait," the plain guy stuttered. "Is he dead? The soldier is dead?!" On his face was a look of dismay. It was as if he assumed Sato to be immortal or unable to be harmed. "No… NO! How could that happen?!"

"Let's go, then!" I growled. "We've gotta go back!" I turned to rally the rest, only to be met with the stench of cowardice.

There they all stood, a small army of bodies that could repay the one who'd helped them. They were all healthy, and they were all fit, so why were they trembling so much? Why were they stepping closer to the exit now that I wasn't there to blockade it?!

"YOU GODDAMN WEAKLINGS!" I shouted, swiping my hands at them.

Startled by my voice, like a herd of gazelles, the lemmings stampeded down the tunnel at full tilt, disappearing into the darkness.

I clenched my jaw, kneeled, and, to my instant regret, smashed my fist into the stone floor. I then lifted my swelling, bruised knuckles and made a vow. 'With this pain as my witness, I swear...' I focused my seething glare down the dark hallway, 'I swear I'll kill you all if I get out of here!!!'

I hadn't a moment to spare, so I lifted myself from the floor and prepared for a mad dash to where Sato was.

Suddenly, I felt a tap on my back. I turned to see Agawa standing behind me, her face hesitant but determined.

"I'll come with you," she said, her voice quiet but resolute.

"What?!" I snapped back. "How could you go anywhere in that getup? Don't act tou-"

"I'm going," she reaffirmed, her eyes burning with the flames of defiance. "If it means I can help, my nudity is nothing to me!"

Agawa was so determined I could hardly believe she was so timid just moments ago. After witnessing her like this, I knew that no words of mine would deter her from following. There was no time for me to try, anyway.

"Don't expect me to look away if the blanket drops," I sneered.

"Heh," she raised a fist, "it'll be the last thing you ever see if that happens."

The two of us laughed, then locked hands and shook. Finally, we smirked to each other and nodded, symbolizing the birth of a new partnership. We were letting go when a now-rested Kamida grabbed on too.

"Don't think I'll let you kids go alone!" he asserted with a passionate gaze.

His selfless act surprised me so much that I couldn't help but tease him for it. "Nice of you to join us, Conman," I joked. "Did the soldier guy offer you something?"

"No," his expression hardened, and his fists squeezed shut. "I have a debt to pay him, and I don't take those lightly..."

We released each other, our hands lingering for a moment before we stepped back, bracing ourselves for what could be our inevitable end.

Despite the fear and uncertainty gripping me, I felt a strange exhilaration. In that moment, with two trusted allies by my side and a mission that demanded my utmost courage and resolve, I felt like I'd finally woken up from a life of monotony and routine. I was alive!

Surprisingly, an unfamiliar face blocked our path forward. "If it's alright, I'd also like to go." His tone was suave and uncannily calm for the situation.

He was on the older side, and if I had to describe his look with a single word, "disheveled" would be it. His hair was medium length, with strands drooping down over his face. Encasing his jaw was a horrible five 'o' clock shadow that was right on the cusp of forming a full-blown beard.

'This guy would definitely be useless in a fight,' was my initial impression. "What makes you useful?" I asked impatiently.

He lit up with pride at my question. "I'm Nakamura Shinjiro, and a doctor!" he exclaimed. "From what I hear, this Mr. Sato could be injured, and I feel I could help him if you'd let me!"

Kamida uncontrollably smiled and ran to Nakamura, clasping hold of his hands within his own. "Yes, please come with us!"

Nakamura nodded with a grin, and what could be our final descent into the depths of hell was underway. As we ran, I felt a sensation I'd never experienced. It was warm, fuzzy, and radiated throughout my body.

Though I had no experience with it, I knew this emotion couldn't be anything else. It was the warmth of companionship. A companionship that I shared with the two…three idiots who were following me into hell.

'I guess I don't, not, not hate it…' I pondered.

Several minutes passed before we arrived at the room Kamida was freed from. The door swung loose from its frame, and a metallic, salted odor filled the hallway.

Glancing over my shoulder, I noticed Agawa briefly flinch at the pungent odor that filled the air. However, her momentary discomfort did not last long as she quickly regained her unwavering level of determination.

With me taking the lead, we barged into the room. The sight that lay before us was as disturbing as it was infuriating.

There, an unconscious Sato lay, in a pool of blood, with something writhing on him. That something turned out to be a mature-bodied, bloodied woman.

She had him locked in a killer's embrace, her teeth buried within the base of his toned neck. My companions, ensnared by total hopelessness, muttered amongst themselves that we were too late.

But I knew better. There was no way that you'd die that easily. No. Goddamn. Way.

"GET THE HELL OFF HIM, YOU BITCH!" I shouted and barreled toward the nearest weapon.