The streets remained eerily quiet as the Range Rover rolled past another row of shuttered shops. Broken glass glittered on the asphalt like frost, and the occasional distant groan of an infected drifted on the wind. Riku kept his eyes forward, scanning every shadow, every side street.
They had just cleared an intersection when two cars suddenly shot out from opposite directions. Tires screeched as both vehicles skidded into position, forming an improvised barricade across the road.
"What the—?!" Riku slammed his foot on the brake. The SUV jolted to a stop, the seatbelt biting into his chest.
Miko yelped, her hands clutching the dashboard before she turned to him with wide eyes. "What's happening?"
Riku's instincts took over. His right hand slid down to his holster, fingers curling around the familiar grip of his Glock 17. He kept it low for now but ready.
The doors of the two blocking cars burst open. Several men spilled out, their appearances rough and desperate. They weren't infected but their eyes carried the same dangerous glint. Each one brandished a weapon—mostly metal bats, a few pipes.
The first thug, a stocky man in a filthy leather jacket, stomped toward the Range Rover and slammed his bat against the hood.
"Out of the car!" he barked, voice thick with arrogance. "Now! Leave whatever you got inside and you walk away alive!"
Miko flinched at the sound and instinctively wrapped her arms around Riku's right arm, pressing herself close. He could feel her trembling against him.
"Aren't you hearing us? I said get out!"
"Do you want to die!" shouted another man.
From the corner of his eye, Riku caught one of the other men peering through the passenger window. The guy's expression shifted when he saw Miko—soft, pale skin, and beauty that stood out even in this grim world.
"Well, well…" the man grinned, stepping closer. "Looks like we hit the jackpot. Hey! Forget the stuff—leave the girl too. She'll come with us."
Miko's grip on Riku's arm tightened even more, her body tense with fear.
Riku's patience evaporated. With a slow, deliberate motion, he reached for the window controls and pressed the switch. The tinted glass slid down with a smooth hum, revealing his cold, unwavering stare—and the Glock 17 now aimed squarely at the man's chest.
"I'm going to say this once. Get back in your cars. Drive away. If you're lucky, I'll pretend this never happened."
The group froze. The smug confidence drained from their faces, replaced with unease. A few exchanged nervous glances. The man who had demanded Miko backed up a step, raising his hands slightly.
"Hey, hey… no need to—"
"Do it," Riku cut him off. "Now."
Most of them took the hint and began retreating toward their vehicles. The tension seemed to ease—until one idiot in the group, a lanky man with a wild look in his eyes, pointed his bat at Riku.
"You think that little gun scares me, huh?! You—"
BANG!
The shot cracked through the air, startling even the ones who had already turned to leave. The lanky man jerked as the round punched through his chest. He crumpled to the pavement without another word.
"Next one who talks dies."
No one argued. They scrambled back into their cars, engines roaring to life. Within seconds, the improvised barricade was gone, the two vehicles speeding off in opposite directions.
The street fell silent again.
Riku rolled the window back up, holstered his pistol, and glanced at Miko. She was still clutching his arm, her knuckles white.
"You okay?" he asked.
She nodded stiffly but her voice was small. "I… I didn't think people would already…"
"They will," Riku said grimly, shifting the SUV into drive. "Desperate people are worse than the infected. At least the infected are predictable."
The Range Rover moved forward again, leaving the body of the foolish thug behind in the middle of the empty street. Riku didn't look back.
Neither did Miko.
They were silent for a moment until Miko broke that.
"You killed a human Riku," Miko said.
"Yes, I did. But imagine what would happen to us if I didn't have a weapon. I could lose you to them, and them doing horrible things to you. Our world has changed drastically Miko."
Miko swallowed hard, her gaze fixed on her knees. "I… I know. It's just… seeing it happen. Right in front of me." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Riku kept his eyes on the road, hands steady on the wheel. "You'll see more of it. And you'll need to get used to it."
Her lips pressed into a thin line. "That's… a scary thought."
"It's reality now," Riku replied. "The infected aren't the only threat out here. People are going to fight over food, over fuel, over anything that can keep them alive another day. Some will kill just to take it from you. Some…" He glanced briefly at her. "…will kill for worse reasons."
"What if they come after us later? What if they follow the SUV back to where we're staying?"
"They won't," Riku said with quiet certainty. "People like that… they only go after easy prey. I just made sure they understand we're not it."
"I see."
***
Meanwhile, fifteen minutes after the confrontation in the intersection.
"I see, there is a man and a woman driving a Rover huh?"
"Yes boss, I caught a glimpse of him. He has a gun and there are bags in the second row, possibly food."
"Do we know where they are going?"
"Yes."
"Very well…let's pay them a visit."