Till the end

Chapter 35

The snow rolled in, blanketing the settlement in a white powder that muffled the sounds and reduced visibility. I crouched with my group of warriors, Hyuga and Kiyoshi. We waited behind a building near the fence to the power plant. Kiyoshi and his men had been going to the fence under the cover of darkness, slowly cutting through it. Today, we would cut all the way through and rescue the captives and I would kill Nash. The snow would only help us in our quest but I kept glancing at Kuroko who was still tied to the pole, shivering as his skin turned blue. Nash had left him out there, shirtless for the past few hours as the temperature dropped with the approach of the snow storm.

"Will the fires work?"

Kiyoshi looked back at the settlement and I followed his gaze. It would look strange to Nash and his soldiers as the houses on the left of the compound had fires burning outside of their doorways while nothing moved on the right side, the side leading the plants gate.

"Don't worry. They won't be able to sense your people. Kuroko taught us that trick."

"Look, are you sure? A lot is riding on this. I mean I want Kuroko and our people back but"-

Aomine quieted him by raising his hand and he pointed to the gate of the compound that we had left open.

Movement.

There was one fire burning there and inside sat Riko and Momoi, ready to close the gates once our army had been let in. Murasakibara had offered to stay but the girls had refused. He would be needed for the fighting inside the power plant.

It was almost time. We got to our feet, dusting off the snow and checking our weapons. Midorima was on the top floor of the building, his stung bow in one hand while he held binoculars to his eyes with the other.

I closed my eyes and sent my senses out. My head had begun to ache when they had been an hour away. Now they were so close the thumping was constant but I pushed it the back and concentrated on their targets.

Kuroko's blood had drawn the infected from their winter hibernation and they were hungry. As I had thought the smell of Kuroko's fresh, warm blood was driving them into a frenzy. They noticed nothing else.

A shout sounded from the plant. They had been seen.

Kise handed me a canteen of water and I thanked him while Aomine wiped the sweat off my face. Kiyoshi gave me a worried glance buy Hyuga was focused on the front of the plant where Nash's men were setting up, their weapons at the ready.

"They haven't brought their guns out. They really don't have much ammunition."

I felt the two of them turn to me, awe and surprise on their face. During our planning Kiyoshi said everyone was afraid to fight since Nash had more fire power. He had explained how many guns they had come with and I had put a picture together with how many times they had used them and figured out they had only a handful of bullets left.

"How did you know?"

I ignored them and it was Kagami who answered.

"It makes sense. They demonstrated their power when you first rebelled when the scientists were killed but since then they haven't used them. Simply carrying them instilled the fear of them into you but it is a limited resource. Blades and arrows though are easy to craft and look after."

"Let's hope the rest of your plan works out. I still don't see how Kuroko will be okay. If they break through he is a sitting target."

I didn't reply, because he was right. If people didn't react the way I predicted Kuroko would be injured, possibly killed.