Riku eased the Rezvani down the broken street, engine low, headlights off. The fight with the Night Hunters still echoed in his bones. His ribs burned where claws had slammed him, and his thigh ached from the kick, but he kept his hands steady on the wheel. Behind him, the girls were quiet—too quiet. Fear hung in the cabin like smoke.
"Everyone okay?" he asked without looking back.
"Still alive," Suzune said softly. Her face was pale, but her voice was steady. She had one hand on Hana's knee, keeping the little girl calm.
"I'm fine," Hana whispered, though her voice shook.
Miko hugged herself and gave a small nod. Ichika only muttered, "Barely," while staring out the window like the shadows might leap at them again.
Riku kept scanning the road. They needed shelter, somewhere to lay low until morning. Driving all night was asking for trouble—engine noise would keep pulling the dead. But finding a safe spot in Tokyo wasn't easy. Too many ruined buildings, too many broken doors.
He turned left onto a narrow street lined with small shops. Most were shuttered, signs broken, glass smashed. At the corner stood a convenience store. Its neon sign was cracked, but the glass doors looked intact. No drag marks on the sidewalk. No blood on the steps. Dust coated the inside of the glass like no one had touched it in weeks.
Riku slowed and studied it. "This might work."
Suzune leaned forward. "Looks empty."
"Could be a trap," Ichika muttered.
"Everything's a trap," Riku said. "Stay sharp."
He parked the Rezvani nose-out for a fast escape. He left the engine idling, then grabbed his M4 and flashlight. "Stay inside. If anything moves, honk once. If I don't come back in ten seconds, drive."
Suzune swallowed hard. "Don't take long."
Riku slipped out, closing the door softly behind him. The air outside was cold and still. He approached the glass doors and tested the handle with the back of his knuckles. To his surprise, it slid open with a tired squeak. Unlocked.
Inside smelled of dust and sugar. Half the shelves were stripped bare—noodles gone, canned food gone. Candy wrappers littered the floor. The drink coolers were dark, some smashed open. A few bottles still stood on the racks, fogged with grime.
"Hello?" he whispered once, gun raised. Silence answered.
He moved slow, clearing the aisles one by one. No bodies. No blood stains. Just a looted store left to rot. In the back, a door was locked from the inside. He pressed his ear against it—silent. With one sharp kick near the latch, the wood splintered. He pushed it open, rifle ready.
A small storage room. Shelves, a desk, a broom. Empty.
"Clear," he said into the walkie. "Come in."
The Rezvani's door opened, and the girls hurried across the sidewalk, keeping low. Riku held the door open and slid it shut once they were inside.
"Help me with the shutter," he said.
Suzune grabbed the handle with him, and together they rolled the metal shutter down until it clanged against the floor track. Riku locked it with the bolt, then tied it with a length of plastic strap he found behind the counter. He taped it tight for good measure. At the back door, he dragged a shelf in front of it and stacked boxes against the base.
"No lights," he said. "Only flashlights, covered with cloth."
Ichika grabbed a handful of novelty towels from a rack and taped them over the front windows. It wasn't perfect, but it blocked line of sight from the street. Hana found bottled water still sealed in the cooler. She carried them to the counter with Miko, who also grabbed a pack of crackers left on a low shelf. Suzune checked every aisle and returned with a bag of rice, a few candy bars, and some hard candy.
"Most of it's gone," she said.
"It'll do," Riku replied.
They sat behind the counter where they were least visible. Riku cracked a bottle of water and drank. It tasted old, faintly of plastic, but it was safe. He felt it hit his stomach like fire.
"Small bites," he warned. "Eat slow. No one vomits tonight."
They passed around crackers and candy. Hana leaned on Miko and chewed quietly. Miko hugged her knees, eating in silence. Ichika chewed like she was angry, forcing herself to slow down. Suzune sat close to the walkie, eyes on the door even while she nibbled.
Riku took out a first-aid kit from behind the counter. He rolled up his sleeve and cleaned the shallow slice on his thigh. The alcohol burned, but he kept quiet. Suzune noticed and came over. "Here. Let me."
"I got it," he said.
She shook her head. "You'll wrap it wrong." She took the gauze and bandaged it firmly, her fingers steady despite the tremor in her voice. "You'll live," she said.
"Yeah," Riku muttered.
Hana watched and whispered, "Onii-chan, are you hurt bad?"
"Just a scratch," Riku said. "You were braver than me tonight."
She ducked her head, hiding a small smile.
Riku checked his gear—three full mags, one half, pistol loaded. Knife gone, broken in the fight. He sighed. He'd have to buy another from the Armory system later, but SP was limited. Better to save it for fuel or parts for the Ka-50.
He looked at the girls. "Plan's simple. We rest a few hours, not the whole night. Two on watch, rotating."
"I'll take first watch with you," Suzune said.
"I'll take second," Ichika added quickly. "I'm not tired."
"You're tired," Miko said.
Ichika scowled but didn't argue when Riku nodded. "Fine. First watch: me and Suzune. Second: me and Ichika. Miko, you stay with Hana. If anything happens, take her to the back room and lock the door. Don't open until you hear three knocks, then two."
"Three then two," Miko repeated.
"Three then two," Hana echoed, voice small but clear.
They settled in. Suzune pulled two stools behind the counter for the watch. Miko and Hana curled under thin store blankets Ichika had found. Ichika sat cross-legged with the walkie, still glaring at the taped windows like she could burn holes through the dark.
Riku walked the aisles one more time. He listened hard—no shuffle, no claws on glass. Outside, the city made distant noises, but nothing close. He returned to the counter, sat, and rested the M4 across his lap.
"Night Hunters will prowl until dawn," he said. "We don't make noise. We don't tempt them."
Suzune hugged her arms. "Do they break glass?"
"If they want to," Riku said. "But they follow sound first. Tonight we smell like engine oil and dust. That helps."
Minutes turned into hours. The taped glass rattled once in the wind. All of them tensed. Nothing followed.
After a while, Hana fell asleep on Miko's shoulder. Suzune's hands still trembled, but she didn't look away from the door. Ichika muttered, "Next time, don't fight alone."
Riku didn't smile. "Next time, I won't give them the chance."
The night dragged on. Riku counted seconds in his head. He didn't trust luck. He trusted discipline. And as the city breathed outside, he waited for the first blue edge of dawn to show them the way forward.