The Cycle Continues: Alice in Borderland Novel

46) Ten of Clubs [4] ✮

Time left: 1 hour
Players left: 53/82
Water level: Floor 3

"Who are our top targets?"

Senri looked again at his clipboard, as screams rang through the hallway.

"Rafferty Bucke is the only person to have contributed the Nine of Hearts. He needs to be killed no matter what. It'll wipe out the Ten of Hearts too, another elusive card. So it's a win-win."

"Anyone else like him?"

"Tori Jakurin or Benkei Furetcha–faded blue and faded red hair with eye patch respectively. Only contributors of the Nine of Spades. Should both be in the parking garage. Zakū Raisunei– teenage boy in a red and white jacket accompanied by a girl his age–or this lady named Izumi Hosoko, wearing a white shirt and jeans. Only contributors of the Eight of Hearts. Those are all; focus on Rafferty–and then choose between each of the two targets–above all else. But kill anyone else in your path."

Senri loaded his gun. "We will clear this game."

===Benkei Furetcha===

"The second level of the garage is a lost cause." I said, running up the stairs. Tori looked over at me, before bashing in the windows of an off-red car.

The parking garage, which was four floors, had falling water so strong that nothing more could be accomplished. The water kept within the railing was chest length, and made navigation impossible.

A few other people were scattered throughout the floors of the garage, but I paid them no mind. Pipe in hand, I grunted, demolishing the hood of a white sports car. With another two hits, I smashed in both headlights, the glass shards landing and floating on the water with light ripples. Taking a deep breath, I waded over to the nearest car.

"I'll go upstairs." Tori said. "This floor is nearly done. You finish up, and meet me up there. After that, at least we can eliminate the parking garage from our list of options."

"Sounds like a plan." I said, destroying the windows of my current car. I wiped my forehead, which was damp with sea water, as were my clothes.

Tossing my pipe aside, I took my shirt, grabbing its length and wringing out the liquid. Taking the pipe again, I raised it, preparing to strike, when a gunshot cracked from upstairs.

I gasped, dropping the pipe. My blood turned icy, and my feet froze. Fighting to gain control of my body again, I lurched, waking from my paralysis. 'Tori!'

I hesitated, then ran towards the stairwell. But footsteps echoed from within. My body fidgeting, I turned back, running down the length of a few cars, picking up the pipe I had dropped, and hiding behind a beaten truck, as an armed shooter emerged.

I clasped my hand around my mouth, shrinking against the car door. Taking a deep breath, I steadied my heaving chest, and began breathing from my mouth. 'Why is he doing this? What happened while me and Tori were away from the main building?' The shooter passed me, and I took the opportunity, turning back towards the stairwell and treading, dragging through the water with feathery steps.

I gulped, taking another step. And another.And another. I turned back to look at the shooter. He was still turned around. I took another step. I took another step. My foot crunched on a crumpled plastic bottle.

I threw myself behind the nearest car, covering my mouth and my eyes widening, as the shooter whipped his head around. I shut my eyes, groaning. 'You idiot!'

But I wasn't alone; I turned to my left. It was a woman who I've never spoken to before, but she was well known: Koyasu, the Mechanic Council leader. It made sense she would be in the parking garage.