Chapter 2
The bus roared to life, its engine a mechanical beast under Jason's hands. He gripped the wheel, feeling the vibrations travel up his arms. The glass rattled as the "them" clawed at the sides. It was a terrifying, sensational sound, like hail on a tin roof, but Jason felt a strange, bubbling calm.
"Sorry about the bumpy ride, everyone!" Jason called out over his shoulder. He gave a small, sheepish grin that didn't quite match the blood on his cheek. "I'm still getting the hang of this. Please hold on tight!"
He shifted gears, the bus lurching forward. He didn't want to hurt anyone, but the things in front of the bus weren't people anymore. With a heavy heart and a steady foot, he cleared a path through the school gates.
[Course plotted. The primary bridge is congested. I am redirecting you to the residential backroads. Jason, your empathy levels are rising. I must remind you that hesitation leads to biological termination.]
I know, Iris, Jason thought. But they were just kids. Let's just focus on getting my friends to safety, okay? No need to be so gloomy.
Iris didn't respond, but the retinal map flickered, highlighting a clear path through the suburbs.
"Jason-kun?" Shizuka-sensei leaned forward, her eyes wide. "How do you know where to go? The GPS is dead!"
"Oh, this?" Jason laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand while steering with the other. "I just have a really good sense of direction. And maybe a little help from a friend. Don't worry, I'll get us somewhere safe."
The group sat in a heavy silence. Takashi was staring at his hands. Saeko was cleaning her new blade with a piece of cloth. She looked at Jason's back, her eyes thoughtful.
"You're a strange one, Jason," Saeko said softly. "You fight like a demon, but you apologize to the engine."
"Well," Jason replied, glancing at her in the rearview mirror. "It's a good engine! It's doing its best to save us. We should be grateful."
[SENSATIONAL. You are anthropomorphizing a combustion engine. My data suggests this is inefficient. However, the group's stress levels are dropping by 15% due to your 'humble' demeanor. I will allow it.]
They drove for an hour. The city was a nightmare. Smoke rose from houses. Abandoned cars blocked the streets. Every time Jason saw a family running, he felt a pang in his chest. He wanted to help everyone, but he knew he couldn't. Not yet.
"Iris, we need a place to rest," Jason whispered. "Somewhere we can fortify. Is there a hardware store or a warehouse nearby?"
[Analyzing. There is a 'Satake DIY' center 2.1 kilometers away. It has high perimeter fencing and a solar-powered backup system. It is currently 88% clear of hostiles.]
"Perfect," Jason said. He turned the bus down a side street. "Hey guys! I think I found a spot for the night. It has tools and food. What do you think?"
"Anything is better than being a sitting duck on this bus," Saya Takagi muttered, though she looked at Jason with growing curiosity.
They pulled into the Satake parking lot. Jason hopped out first, his baton ready. He felt Iris pulse in his mind, highlighting three targets behind some crates.
"Wait here," Jason said. He moved quickly. He didn't use more force than needed. Three quick strikes, and the area was clear. He felt a bit bad about it, but he had to protect the group.
He waved the others over. "All clear! Come on in."
Once inside, they lowered the metal shutters. The warehouse was huge. Rows of wood, metal, and emergency supplies stretched into the darkness.
"Okay," Jason said, clapping his hands together. "We need a plan. Hirano, can you check the perimeter? Saeko, maybe you can help him? Takashi, Rei, let's see what we can find for food."
"And what will you do?" Saya asked, crossing her arms.
"Me?" Jason smiled. "I'm going to build us some better protection. Iris has some great ideas... I mean, I have some ideas from some books I read!"
[I have localized the electrical grid for this building. I can jumpstart the internal servers. Would you like me to begin the research for the 'Mark 1' perimeter sensors?]
Yes, Iris. And keep it simple. I want to build things that these guys can understand too. We're a team now.
Jason spent the next few hours working. With Iris guiding his movements, he looked like a master craftsman. He took old motion sensors and rewired them to a central hub. He didn't act like a genius; he just acted like a guy who liked to tinker.
"Here, Takashi," Jason said, handing him a modified walkie-talkie. "This should work even with the towers down. I fixed the frequency."
"Thanks, Jason," Takashi said, looking impressed. "You're really handy to have around."
"I just like to help," Jason said humbly.
As the night grew dark, they sat around a small lantern in the breakroom. They ate canned soup and bread. For a moment, it felt almost normal. But then, the sound of a distant explosion shook the floor.
[SENSATIONAL. The city's main power plant has suffered a catastrophic failure. The dark age has officially begun, Jason.]
Jason looked at his new friends. They were scared. He reached out and pat Takashi on the shoulder.
"It's going to be okay," Jason said softly. "I know things look bad. But as long as we stay together, we can build something new. I promise."
He meant it. With the knowledge of a thousand civilizations in his head and a heart that still felt for his fellow man, Jason wasn't just going to survive the apocalypse. He was going to fix it.
"Iris," he thought as he closed his eyes for a few minutes of sleep. "Start the blueprints for a water filtration system. We start building for real tomorrow."
[Task accepted, Jason. Sleep well. I will watch the shadows for you.]
The morning light filtered through the high, dusty windows of the Satake DIY center in pale, jagged streaks. It was quiet—unnervingly so. The frantic screaming of the previous day had been replaced by a heavy, oppressive silence that hung over the suburbs like a shroud.
Jason sat on a crate of lumber, wiping grease from his hands with a rag. He had been up since dawn. While the others slept, he had been busy. His mind felt like a crowded room, with Iris constantly sorting through mountains of data in the background, but he kept his face calm and approachable. He didn't want to look like a cold machine; he wanted to look like someone they could trust.
I really hope they like the breakfast I found, Jason thought, glancing at the small camping stove he had set up. Canned peaches and crackers aren't much, but it's better than nothing. I have to keep their spirits up. If they lose hope, it doesn't matter how much data Iris has—we won't make it.
"You're awake early," a voice called out.
Jason looked up and saw Saeko Busujima walking toward him. She moved with a natural grace, her new machete sheathed at her waist. She looked remarkably composed for someone whose world had just ended.
"Oh, good morning, Saeko-san," Jason said with a warm, slightly embarrassed smile. "I couldn't sleep much. My mind keeps racing, you know? I thought I'd make myself useful and check the locks again."
Saeko stood beside him, looking at the intricate web of wires he had rigged to the main entrance. "You did more than check the locks, Jason. These sensors... they're quite clever. Where did you learn to do all this?"
"I just used to read a lot of DIY magazines," Jason lied smoothly, though he felt a little guilty. "And the instructions on the boxes are surprisingly helpful if you actually follow them!"
Saeko let out a small, rare hum of amusement. "You're very humble. Most boys your age would be bragging about saving us. But you just... work."
"Well, we're a team, right?" Jason replied, looking her in the eye. "I'm not the one who can take down three of those things with a wooden sword. I just make sure the doors stay shut. We all have our parts to play."
By now, the rest of the group was beginning to stir. Takashi and Rei walked into the main aisle, looking exhausted and pale. Kohta Hirano followed behind them, clutching his modified nail gun like a security blanket.
"Is that... peaches?" Takashi asked, sniffing the air. "Man, Jason, you're a lifesaver."
"It's just breakfast, Takashi-kun," Jason laughed, handing him a plastic bowl. "Eat up. We have a lot of work to do today. We can't stay here forever, and the bus needs a few more reinforces."
"Jason's right," Rei said, her voice sounding a bit more stable than yesterday. She looked at Jason with a newfound respect. "Last night... I thought it was a dream. But waking up here, seeing all this... it's real, isn't it?"
"It is," Jason said softly, his tone becoming serious but gentle. "The world is changing. It's scary, and it's okay to be afraid. But look around you. We have food, we have weapons, and most importantly, we have each other. As long as we don't give up on ourselves, we can handle this."
I sound like a motivational speaker, Jason thought to himself, feeling a bit of a blush creep up his neck. But they need to hear it. Iris says their psychological stability is the biggest variable right now.
"Hey, Jason!" Kohta called out from a nearby shelf. "Check this out! I found some high-pressure CO2 tanks and some steel tubing. If we can find a lathe, I could probably make something even better than this nail gun!"
Jason hopped off his crate and walked over, genuinely curious. "That's a great idea, Kohta! Actually, if we use the tubing for the barrel and reinforce the seals, we could make a silent air rifle. It would be way better than the nail gun for distance."
Kohta's eyes lit up. "Exactly! You really get it!"
"Let's see what we can do," Jason said, patting Kohta on the shoulder. "But first, we need to secure more water. The city pressure is going to drop soon."
For the next few hours, the group worked together. Jason made sure to involve everyone, asking for their "expert" opinions even when Iris had already given him the perfect answer. He asked Takashi to help him with the heavy lifting, and he consulted Saya on the best way to organize the supplies they were scavenging.
"You've thought about this a lot, haven't you?" Saya asked, her arms crossed as she watched Jason rig a simple rain-catchment system on the roof. "The data collection, the prep... you act like you knew this was coming."
Jason paused, his heart skipping a beat. She's too sharp, he thought.
"I didn't know this was coming," Jason said, turning to her with a look of honest concern. "But my parents always taught me to be prepared for the worst. I guess I just have a very active imagination, Saya-san. I'm just glad I can help you guys."
Saya stared at him for a long moment, her pink eyes searching his face. Finally, she huffed and looked away. "Fine. Just make sure the filter works. I'm not drinking dirty roof water."
"Coming right up!" Jason chirped.
As the afternoon rolled in, the atmosphere in the warehouse had shifted from one of pure terror to one of productive focus. They were becoming a unit. Jason could feel the bonds forming. He wasn't just a "cheat character" in a story to them anymore; he was Jason, the helpful, slightly nerdy transfer student who was doing his best to keep them alive.
Iris, give me a quick scan of the immediate area, Jason thought silently.
[Perimeter is clear. Three 'them' detected in the parking lot, but they are stationary. Your team's cohesion has increased by 22%. You are doing well, Jason. Though I still believe your 'humble' act is statistically unnecessary.]
It's not an act, Iris, Jason thought with a small smile. It's how you treat friends. You wouldn't understand.
He walked back to the breakroom where the group had gathered. "Alright everyone, I have a proposal. We've got the bus, we've got supplies, but we need a permanent home. Somewhere away from the city. I have a few ideas of where we can go, but I want to hear what you guys think first."
Takashi looked at Rei, then back at Jason. "Wherever you think is best, Jason. You've gotten us this far."
"No," Jason said firmly but kindly. "We decide together. This isn't my group. It's ours."
The original characters looked at each other, a small spark of hope lighting up their eyes. For the first time since the apocalypse began, they weren't just running. They were planning a future.
Jason sat down among them, feeling the warmth of the small group. He knew the world outside was a sensational nightmare, but inside these walls, things were starting to feel okay.
"So," Jason said, leaning forward. "Let's talk about where we're going to build our new world."