Chapter 46

Getting to the science lab proved tricky, but Akane had the entire layout of the school's ventilation system memorized. The knowledge she acquired, fondly enough, to assist with her day-to-day stalking back before they were official. They moved carefully, making sure not to give away their position to the Hunters still searching below before finally arriving at the science lab.

Unfortunately, it was not empty. Three Hunters occupied the lab below. No doubt Haruki had caught on to what they were doing and was waiting to get the drop on them.

"Well, isn't this lovely," Caleb bemoaned. "They're obviously not leaving anytime soon, so what the hell are we gonna do?"

She racked her brain for a moment before whispering for him to stay put. Akane positioned herself above the grate before removing her hairpin and dropping it down onto the floor below. The noise caught the attention of one of the Hunters, who walked directly under the vent to inspect the sound.

He looked down at the hairpin and then back up at the grate just in time to see it, along with Akane, come smashing down onto his head. She rolled backward and drew her Glock, firing a single shot directly into his head before standing and firing four more shots back to back into his buddy, downing him as well.

The final Hunter unloaded with his rifle. Akane dove behind the central lab table before returning fire, forcing him to duck behind the cover of his own. After the third shot, she heard a click, having spent the last of her ammo.

He popped out of cover to return fire and was knocked in the face with the empty Glock she'd hurled at him. He quickly recovered and took aim, but she wasn't there anymore. The nimble high schooler had already snuck around the table and rushed him, grabbing his rifle.

They struggled for a moment, with the larger Hunter becoming visibly taken aback by the monstrous strength in this psychotic girl's arms. She bashed him with the butt of his rifle, dislodging it from his hands, before rolling him to the ground into an armbar. He drew his sidearm, which she kicked away, giving him time to scramble back to his feet.

The Hunter drew a seven-inch tactical knife and charged. Akane dodged a few attempted strikes before grabbing a nearby glass beaker and smashing it over his head. With a kick to the jaw, she sent the disoriented man tumbling to the floor. Taking inventory of her surroundings, Akane spotted a bunsen burner and some rubbing alcohol. She quickly switched on the gas, lit the burner, and grabbed the alcohol.

When the Hunter finally got back to his feet, he was met with the psychotic grin of Akane as she proceeded to blast a ball of fire directly in his face. He wailed in agony, dropping the knife and clutching at his burning eyes. She calmly picked up the knife as the now blind man flailed around, swinging wildly with his fists. Akane sank the knife deep into his gut, and then again, and then once more after that. He finally dropped as she began repeatedly stabbing him in the chest over and over again, painting herself in his blood, smiling from ear to ear.

As the last Hunter finally fell, she took a moment to catch her breath before standing back up and wiping the blood from her face. Caleb dropped down from the ceiling, groaning in discomfort as he tumbled straight onto his back before righting himself and looking around.

"Excellent, we got all of them."

Akane rolled her eyes before pointing towards the door. "Play lookout for me. This won't take long."

While Caleb stood watch by the door, Akane scrambled to get everything she needed. First, she picked up a rifle from one of the dead Hunters and used it to bash open the lock on the dangerous chemicals cabinet before grabbing seemingly random plastic jars off the shelves.

"So what's that you're cooking?" he asked while occasionally poking his head out the door.

"Aluminum powder and iron oxide," she explained while dumping two different compounds into a large mixing bowl. "Mix them together, and you have thermite."

He coughed awkwardly. "Yeah, Chemistry was one of my weaker subjects growing up."

"Thermite burns at over 2200 degrees celsius, enough to melt through just about anything on Earth. It'll get us through that floor."

He smirked at her, clearly impressed. "Slick." Upon checking the door again, however, he quickly slammed it shut. "Uhhh, you might wanna put some hustle in it, Heisenberg. We've got company."

"How many?" she asked, already mixing everything together.

"At least three...with shotguns."

Akane finished mixing the thermite before emptying a nearby cotton ball jar and dumping it in. Once she put the top back on, she handed the mixture over to Caleb.

"Go hide in the broom closet. Whatever you do, don't drop this."

He sighed in frustration. "Relegated to jar holder. God, I hate the sun."

Caleb went to hide while Akane picked up one of the rifles on the ground. An AR-15 with a standard thirty-round mag, holographic sighting, and attached UV flashlight. She grabbed another glass beaker off the shelf and hid behind the far lab table.

Three Hunters burst into the room, shotguns at the ready.

"They were here," one of them reported over their radio before turning and giving a hand signal to his two buddies.

The three of them fanned out between the two lab tables. Akane tossed her glass beaker at the far wall, shattering it and causing all three men to turn towards the direction of the sound, whereupon she popped out of cover and fired seven rounds in total, nailing the one closest to her in the head, downing the second with three rounds in the chest, and forcing the third into cover.

She moved up, maintaining pressure on him with her rifle until her mag was spent. The moment he heard that thirtieth shot, the Hunter sprung from cover and started firing off shells. Akane had already ducked behind the lab table closest to him.

"I know you're out!" he shouted angrily while cocking back on his shotgun and moving up.

He snapped behind the corner of the lab table where his target had ducked behind and took aim. She was gone.

The Hunter didn't hear her directly behind him until it was far too late. Akane charged and smashed him in the face with the butt of her rifle before dropping it and grabbing his shotgun. Capitalizing on her enemy's disorientation, she kneed him square in the gut and jerked back with her arms, dislodging the weapon from his grip before bashing him in the head again and taking aim.

"Wait!"

Akane fired, blowing him back with the last remaining shell in his weapon. Silence returned to the lab once more. She took a moment to inspect what she was holding in her hand. A Benelli M4 with UV flashlight, textured grip, and, luck be praised, a shoulder strap. She slung the shotgun over her shoulder before signaling the all-clear to Caleb, who exited the broom closet and looked around at the devastation his beloved left in her wake.

"At least one of us is enjoying herself," he commented blithely.

"Toss me your school bag."

He set the jar aside and tossed her his schoolbag. She immediately dumped all its contents onto the floor before replacing it with ammo and whatever other supplies she might need. In addition to the shotgun and rifle, Akane pilfered a thigh holster and Glock 19 sidearm from one of the bodies, as well as a seven-inch combat knife that she stuck in the side pocket of Caleb's school bag. Finally, she grabbed her rifle and slung it over her shoulder.

"Alright, darling. Stick close to me and keep your head low. We'll make it out of this alive, I promise."

Caleb went slack-jawed at the sight of his girlfriend, shotgun slung over her back, AR-15 in hand, Glock strapped to her thigh, covered in the blood of his enemies. He wasn't aware of it, but his cheeks were burning red at that moment.

"What?" she asked curiously.

"N...nothing," he assured. "I'll follow your lead."

They made good on their exit. It was officially time to leave.