Ghost in the Shell: SAC/Kokaku Kidoutai: SAC - Internal Wars
By: Ominae
Rating: T
NOTE:
All characters of GITS: SAC are under the copyright of Masamune Shirow, Production I.G., Bandai Visual and Animax. All other characters are either under the jurisdiction of their respective copyright holders or are under my own.
Summary:
AU of 1st season from episode 21, Left-Behind Trace – ERASER. What if elements of the Japanese government had really meant to eliminate Section 9 for good and get them out of the picture? How would they react to this news? Who are their allies & enemies?
Chapter 1: Collision
Near Driveway, Kohoku Country Club & Resort, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
Two figures, one wearing an almost all-purple and black sneaking suit with goggles and another had a white sneaking suit, boots, gloves, trenchcoat and balaclava on, leaped down on the ground after scaling the wall that was in front of the main empty surface parking lots to the left of the resort's entrance. It was lucky that there weren't any guards that spotted them.
An ordinary semi-trailer truck, with markings that read BEAR CLUB on both sides of its mounted trailer, was about to park near the driveway of the seemingly deserted Kohaku Country Club & Resort.
"You see that Paladin?" The white suited person told Paladin in a seemingly fine French accent as he spoke in fluent English, the two running to hide behind a parked automobile after seeing several men and a woman emerge out of the trailer with their raincoats on. "Looks like the intel we got from our mysterious friend is true after all. Seems like something is going on at this country club."
"Yeah, Fantomex." Paladin replied, seeing the armed personnel activate their thermo-optic camouflage units. "Guess we better act now and save the package."
"Yep..." Paladin got ready a Heckler & Koch MP7A1 submachine gun with an Aimpoint scope mounted on its picatinny railing and a loaded 40-round magazine. Fantomex pulled out dual Para Ordnance P14-45 pistols, already loaded with 14-rounds each.
Fantomex grinned under his balaclava. "It's showtime. Time to see who can bag the most kills before we can secure the target..."
"Well, I'm looking forward to see how good you are, Fantomex."
"Oui, Paladin. I feel the same way."
Inside Room 909, Kohoku Country Club & Resort, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
Damn! The damn narcs of Section 3 have pinned us down! I think I may need some help now.
Buttoutsu Batou, or simply known as Batou for short, had his Public Security Section 9 ninja suit worn as he was on a mission to escort Doctor Hisashi Imakurusu, former head of the Central Drug Evaluation Council and currently the chief of the Japanese Medical Association, as he was now the subject of a wetworks operation launched by Public Security Section 3, the anti-drug security unit and its elite force, the Narcotics Suppression Squad (NSS).
Batou decided to use his available options after staring at the wooden entrance door filled with bullet holes. Should I use the chopper? He stared at Imakurusu hiding behind the room's couch. I can't. He wasn't given special forces training in the first place. The ex-JGSDF Ranger looked around the room for any option. Another's to jump, but some armed NSS men may be down there to cut off all entrances and exits. And I don't know if the doc's gonna faint on me. Anyway, he better not or I'll beat the crap out of him here.
Batou sighed and checked the 40 mm underbarrel grenade launcher permanently mounted on his Seburo C-30 bullpup assault rifle. Okay, it's loaded...
After Batou kicked the bullet-ridden door hard with his right foot, the white ponytailed Section 9 agent fired the grenade launcher. "Take this!"
One of the NSS operators was about to tell his comrades to get the hell out of the way, but failed to when the 40 mm HE grenade exploded after it landed right next to him.
Good. I got him. Batou visually confirmed that some of the NSS agents were killed in the explosion before he ducked back inside after he poked his head out of the room to avoid being hit by gunfire.
1st Basement, Underground Parking Lot, Kohoku Country Club & Resort, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
Two more figures were now in the underground parking lot's 1st floor, stealthily approaching the nearest fire escape staircase with the sounds of gunfire echoing all the way to the parking lot.
"Strange." One of the figures, a ninja wearing a seemingly purple Shinobi shozoku suit with a face harness with goggles mounted on his head and a ninjaken sheath strapped on his back. He then switched on the goggles to activate thermal mode for a few seconds. "No NSS operators around the parking lot. You'd think that they'd at least deploy a few of them."
"Probably not."
A teenaged boy kneeled next to the ninja and check their surroundings. He wore a JGSDF Type II Flecktarn BDU, recon vest and gloves in addition to a black scarf that covered his mouth.
"I'm quite surprised that ASE allowed you on the operation and tag along with me, Yu Tsujisaki."
Yu glared at the ninja, cradling the Seburo C-25A submachine gun in his hands. "I'm not surprised myself, Gale. Considering that I used my father's terminal and I got his memories and the military skills he learned from his JGSDF days." Yu sighed and ran his right hand on his black hair. "I'm surprised that I'm still me..."
"And I'm surprised that your nee-san allowed you to be here with me for this op."
"If you didn't notice, you didn't look at her face when she heard from the director that I'm going to be in this op."
"Fine, fine." sighed the cyber ninja. "We'll argue about it later. But for now, our job's to secure Mr. Imakurusu and hopefully make sure that the NSS gone renegade doesn't assassinate him for good..."
The two men didn't know that there were being watched by another figure in thermo-optic camouflage after they entered the fire escape doorway from the ceiling.
So far, so good. Wasn't spotted. Hopefully I didn't waste any batteries on the suit's thermo-optics...
The unknown visitor switched off his thermo-optic camouflage unit, revealing a suit that resembles a bat's except that his chest has the emblem of a red bat on it with a buckle on the waist.
"Seems that the lead I got is correct, Bruce." The figure began to communicate with his other party via communicator on the right bat-like ear on the suit. "The Narcotics Suppression Squad of the Japanese Public Security Section 3 is really after Dr. Hisashi Imakurusu."
"I don't believe it." Bruce Wayne sighed. "I guess whoever hacked into the Batcomputer a few weeks ago and left the threatening message about the Laughing Man terrorist incident with the request for help was true after all."
"I guess the trip to attend Niihama City High School's exchange program with Hamilton High back in Gotham was a good idea, with my mom's consent and blessing. Besides, I guess the hacker's kinda good or he wouldn't be to penetrate the Batcomputer's multiple security levels."
"Looks that way, Terry. Especially since you got the message after we arrived in Japan yesterday."
"Guess the first thing I can do is to help these Section 9 guys out. I'll head out there and see what I can do from here."
"Good idea. I'll keep an eye on things back here in case I've got some news for you."
"Right. I'll contact you soon." Batman, aka the Tomorrow Knight, went to end his communication with Bruce. When this is over, I'll need a break and get Matt some of the stuff he needs...
Unknown Room, somewhere in Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
In a semi-darkened room with a long rectangular table, a few men were seen seated. Though the room's dim conditions prevented most of the occupants from seeing each other, some of their clothing can be seen as an overhead projector is turned on while it projected a map of a certain area of Niihama City. All of them had worn masks of various kinds as a precaution of protecting their identities from being compromised in any way.
"So how is the operation going?" asked one of the unknown men inside. His clothes, partially revealed thanks to the light from the projection screen, had a uniform and badge that showed that he was a high-ranking police Senior Superintendent.
"I've just deployed all available NSS personnel to the Kohoku Country Club so far." The voice was heard through a desktop phone's speaker. "I've also deployed a JMSDF Armed Suit with them as well..."
"Let us know how the Type 303 Armed Suit works out. We've just got them recently, Niimi." Another individual, whose clothes were partially revealed to be an officer of the JMSDF with the rank of Rear Admiral. "I'm looking for some combat data news on it against those Section 9 people."
"Understood."
"I'm not too sure about this." Next to the JMSDF Read Admiral was an individual whose clothes revealed by the projector light showed his insignia as an officer of the JGSDF with the rank of Colonel. "I mean, why send the JMSDF? The JGSDF should've been used in the first place."
The Rear Admiral replied to the Colonel. "The JMSDF is currently the only one in the JSDF that has Armed Suits. The JGSDF Armed Suits isn't scheduled to be deployed until next month or so. You should know that, Colonel."
The Colonel sighed. "Fine, fine. I get your point."
"I'm sure that we can figure out a way we can compromise on this."
Seated in front of the Colonel was a man wearing a black suit and a red tie. Though his facial features can't been seen due to the lights being closed, most of the occupants have surmised that he was from the Public Security Intelligence Agency or the PSIA for short.
"Our sources in the PSIA is trying to cover the handiwork of Gayle and the others in destroying the Imakurusu mansion and their presence at the Kohoku Country Club as we speak."
"I sincerely hope so for your sake." The Colonel told the PSIA official. "Last thing we need is someone or something that leaks our actions out to the public or something."
"Of couse, Colonel."
"All we need now is information from our contact in Naicho and he's not even here yet..."
"I'm sure that he'll be here soon."
Somewhere in Lobby, Kohoku Country Club & Resort, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
"Anything?"
Paladin whispered to Fantomex, having entered the hotel with their firearms exposed to the public eye. Moments after a few civilians and hotel employees have left the lobby to avoid getting into trouble, the two mercenaries were fired on by NSS men with their thermo-optic camouflage units on from the upper floor.
"None!" Fantomex replied, hiding behind the building's reception counter when he jumped over with Paladin doing the same thing. "Damn! We're being pinned down!" cursed the white-clothed mercenary, not being able to fire back.
"We're pinned down all right." Paladin emerged from the counter and fired a few rounds from his MP7A1 with Fantomex providing support by tossing a smoke grenade towards them. "That oughta change things around here."
"Looks like they're being distracted as well from the top." Paladin commented on seeing and hearing automatic gunfire from the same corridor where the NSS operators had been after going up several flights of stairs.
The two mercenaries saw a blue automobile crash into the lobby in full speed before they ducked again behind the counter to avoid being hit by gunfire coming from the small arms of the NSS operators.
"Who the hell's that?" Paladin saw a purple-haired woman wearing a black bomber jacket, fingerless gloves and a gray sneaking suit emerge out of the automobile with a Seburo M5 already drawn out.
"That's Motoko Kusanagi." Fantomex whispered. "A veteran of some of the Central and South American Wars as a UN peacekeeper."
"Oh..." Paladin commented, smirking at Motoko as she ducked behind her auto's engine block to avoid being hit by gunfire. "That Motoko. Aka the Major..."
"Anyway, let's move!" Paladin tossed a smoke grenade of his own, allowing Fantomex to approach the staircase and fire his P14-45 pistols at the cloaked NSS operators. Paladin joined in and assisted Fantomex after he got his goggles on to activate thermal vision mode to locate the cloaked NSS operators and fire at them with his MP7A1.
"What the heck?" Motoko murmured, watching Paladin and Fantomex work together to clear the staircase in CQB fashion with the former attacking any cloaked NSS operator in close proximity with the latter providing either firearms or hand-to-hand combat support for Paladin to any NSS operator that tried to either take him or Paladin after they got close to them.
Motoko went to follow them, having switched on her thermo-optic camouflage unit.
Oh well. Like they say, follow the leader.
Inside Room 909, Kohoku Country Club & Resort, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
"Crap!"
Batou looked outside the room, only to be greeted by more automatic gunfire on the right side of the room from his view. Dangit! The right flank's being engaged by some people. If I only could get some more help since their other flank's pinning me down.
The ponytailed Section 9 officer knelled down and checked his ammunition on his Section 9 ninja suit. Only 2 more 40 mm HE grenades were left for his C-30's grenade launcher. "I'll load one up, just in case."
Suddenly, Batou heard loud automatic gunfire coming from the direction of the staircase. Peeking out without exposing his head, he saw Paladin, Fantomex and Motoko gun down the remaining NSS operators at their rear as they continued to fight back to the very end against the three, which greatly reduced their numbers as the NSS' death rate kept on going up. Their thermo-optic camouflage units were deactivated after they were shot by either Paladin and Fantomex or Motoko herself.
"Hey? What the hell is that?" A NSS operator had yelled from Batou's right, making him look and see what was going on.
"Hmph! You're all merely a challenge." Gale, under his thermo-optic camouflage, went to make work of the remaining NSS operators with the help of his ninjaken Jiro Saburo Jisho. He first deflected any incoming bullets fired towards him by the NSS operators after one of their own had been stabbed from his rear. He did dashes and forward rolls towards them and went on to slash and stab them with his ninjaken with one who had his right arm hacked off before his throat was slashed horizontally. But what shocked Batou is the face of a familiar person helping out the invisible ninja.
Yu Tsujisaki? Batou, as well as Paladin, Fantomex and Motoko, watched Yu fire his C-25A at any invisible NSS operators who didn't engage the cloaked Gale before he was forced to reload his submachine gun. When he saw a wounded NSS operator trying to aim his IWI Mini-Uzi submachine gun at Yu, he reacted by running towards him and kicked the weapon away before Yu drew out a Desert KA-BAR Fighting Knife from his rear sheath. Yu ran towards the downed Mini-Uzi-armed operator and tackled him before the former stabbed the latter at his neck. Gale, still under his thermo-optic camouflage, finished the job for his comrade when he tossed shurikens at the last cloaked NSS operator, armed with a Heckler & Koch MP5A4 submachine gun.
"GWAH!" The MP5A4-armed operator went down, having been struck by a shuriken on his forehead. Soon enough, his thermo-optic camouflage unit was deactivated permanently after he had been killed.
Corridor, near Room 909, Kohoku Country Club & Resort, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
Looks like they've cleaned up the show for me...
Batman, aka Terry McGinnis, watched as the armed mercenaries, ASE agents and Section 9 agents check on the dead bodies of the NSS operators under thermo-optic camouflage of his own.
"What the?" Terry whispered. He saw a NSS operator, wounded on his leg and slumped on the wall, had raised his Glock 17 pistol to aim at Batou after he emerged out of Room 909 with Dr. Imakurusu.
Dangit! I just hope I can make it.
Getting his right hand on the batsuit's utility belt, Terry deactivated his thermo-optic camouflage before he armed himself with a Batarang and hurled it towards its intended target...
Outside Room 909, Kohoku Country Club & Resort, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
Batou, Motoko, Paladin and Fantomex watched as the hurled batarang had changed into a coil and tied up the wounded NSS operator as it wrapped around his body.
"That was close." Motoko watched the restrained NSS operator fall down on the ground. She didn't have her bomber jacket on, which didn't give Batou or the others something to question the leader of Section 9 on.
"Then you should thank me." Terry said, in his Batman disguise.
"Come on, Gale." Yu whispered. At his words, Gale deactivated his thermo-optic camouflage and faced Terry with his ninjaken pointed at him.
"You have some skill." Gale complimented Terry on capturing his target.
"Yeah, whatever." Batman shrugged his shoulders.
"There's nothing to do except to introduce ourselves here..." Paladin said, speaking to Gale, Yu and Batman. "I'm Paladin." The goggles-wearing mercenary introduced himself. "And the one next to me is Fantomex."
"Bonjour." Fantomex greeted the three, standing near Paladin.
"We're from Section 9." Batou said, pointing to Motoko and himself. "I guess all of you here don't need any kind of introductions..."
"Buttoutsu Batou and Motoko Kusanagi aka the Major." Batman told the others of the identities of Batou and Motoko. When the two glared at him, Batman defended himself. "I've got some sources too, you know."
"Gale." Gale sheathed his ninjaken on his back. He then introduced Yu to the others, "Some of you may know him as Yu Tsujisaki, son of the late Colonel Hideo Tsujisaki in the JGSDF and the supposed assassin who tried to assassinate the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister a few weeks ago at the Kagoshima War Memorial."
"I can't believe it..." Motoko whispered. "You're..."
"I don't even believe it myself." Yu shrugged his shoulders. "But it's a long story."
"I agree." Batman added. "First thing we need to do is to get out of here with the VIP." The others, except Batman, stared at Imakurusu. He was still inside his room when the gunfire had already subsided.
"Is..." Hisashi asked out of fear and curiosity. "Is it all over?"
"You're all right, Dr. Imakurusu." Motoko assured the old man. "We need to get you out of here at once. We don't know if Section 3's still going to be after you."
Paladin and Batman peered down on the lobby floor, watching out for anything suspicious.
"I thought I saw something..." Batman commented, raising his left eyebrow when he saw something near Motoko's auto. Either it's me or I saw the faint signature of something. He switched his vision from normal to infrared and had his suspicions confirmed.
"Oh.. crap! It's an Armed Suit!"
Pilot Seat, Type 303 Armed Suit
"Damn!" cursed Gayle Yasuoka, commanding officer of the NSS. He had the Type 303's thermo-optic camouflage deactivated when he saw Batman warn the others. "Looks like I've got no choice but to improvise to take care of those meddling fools."
The bearded man manipulated the armed suit to raise its huge anti-personnel/AS assault rifle at the 9th floor, specifically aiming at the railings.
"Sorry, but I gotta do this..." grinned Gayle as he manipulated the the suit's main right index finger to depress the rifle's trigger...
Outside Room 909, Kohoku Country Club & Resort, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
"Get down!"
Yu had yelled to the others upon seeing the suit, firing his C-25A at the Type 303 to stop it from firing its weapon while Batou got Imakurusu down on the ground. Batman, Gale, Paladin, Fantomex and Motoko knelled on the floor when the Type 303 was able to fire off several 20 mm bullets over their heads.
"Batou!" Motoko shouted to Batou. "Your C-30!" Yu reloaded his weapon after getting next to Batou.
"Right!" Batou unslinged his bullpup assault rifle and tossed it to Motoko. She then checked to see if a grenade was inside the C-30's underbarrel grenade launcher.
"Cover me!" Motoko yelled, aiming the C-30's scope to focus on the Type 303's body.
"HRRAAAHHH!" Yu fired the remaining ammunition from his C-25A, only to stop after he depressed the trigger to find out that all of the ammunition was exhausted.
"Let's try some of this." Batman got out two batarangs from his utility belt and hurled it at the Type 303. After seeing the batarangs explode on contact, Motoko depressed the C-30's grenade launcher's trigger and watched the 40 mm grenade make contact with the armed suit.
"No good..." Motoko gritted her teeth, seeing the armed suit still moving after the smoke cleared. "It looks like the suit can withstand bullets and explosions."
"We need to distract it." Batman advised her, looking over his left shoulder to see Batou keeping an eye on Imakurusu on the floor. "At least until we can evacuate the good old doctor from turning into a corpse full of bullet holes."
"I do have an idea." Gale voiced out. "But it'll require some people who are willing to be decoys and be possible killed during this bit."
Motoko grinned at the techno ninja, gripping the M5 at her left hand.
"I'm listening."
"Fine. Then here's what we do..."
Pilot Seat, Type 303 Armed Suit
"What the heck?"
Gayle saw Motoko firing her M5 and Batou's FN Hi-Power M7 pistol, the latter tossed to her, and began to use them similar to the akimbo style in shooting video games as the 5.45 x 18 and .45 ACP bullets ricocheted off the armed suit's armored hide without leaving a scratch. She was being followed by Batman and Gale.
"Either she's brave to do that kind of thing..." Gayle had the AS-sized assault rifle take aim at Motoko, Batman and Gale. "or she's too dumb enough to realize that the suit's impervious to any kind of bullets."
Inside unmarked Nissan Primastar, en route to Kohoku Country Club & Resort, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
"Major!"
Saito, in his Section 9 ninja suit, was busy getting his Seburo SR-1 anti-material bolt-action sniper rifle ready after he had a 15-round 12.7 x 99 mm box magazine inserted on the top of the weapon.
"We're almost there!" Pazu was in the driver's seat, navigating a Section 9 unmarked white Nissan Primastar van while he pressed the accelerator hard. "Hang in there!"
Unknown to the two men, a person wearing a blue parka with a hood and a bucket hat was running towards the direction of the Kohoku Country Club. His coat was completely zipped up with its collars that concealed his face from public scrutiny.
Sidewalk, en route to Kohoku Country Club & Resort, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
Damnit!
The figure had panted again and again after he had to stop running after he got off from one of the public buses nearby, with the usual precaution of hacking into the bus driver's cyberbrain so as not to detect him.
I get so tired very fast. Maybe I should've exercised more instead of being a defeatist type over my dang body...
Lobby, Kohoku Country Club & Resort, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
The Type 303 watched Motoko, Batman and Gale leap down from the 9th floor all the way down to the lobby as the trio landed with their feet first after they assumed kneeling positions.
"I just hope we can stick to the plan." Batman murmured, being the first to land on his feet.
"Don't worry." Motoko began to fire the M5 and M7 at the Type 303. "You and Gale distract the Armed Suit after I finish off the pistol ammo that I got so I can call for reinforcements."
"All right." Batman said in agreement, watching Motoko toss her expended M5 as the slide was permanently retracted. "I hope you know what you happen to be doing."
"Of course I do." Motoko threw a smirk before she ran towards the right corridor of the country club as Batman had two batarangs on each of his hands while Gale drew out his Jiro Saburo Jisho from his sheath, getting ready for some close-up combat.
Main Parking Lot, Kohoku Country Club & Resort, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
Pazu parked the Primastar at the main parking lot a few kilometers near the parked semi-trailer truck.
"That's gotta be the narc's."
Saito came down with his SR-1 with Pazu following behind, having been equipped with a C-30 of his own.
"Contact!" Saito yelled, seeing two men emerge out of the semi-trailer's main cab. Both of them had Minebea PM-9 submachine guns modified with folding stocks and red dot scopes.
"Thanks." Pazu took aim with the Seburo C-26A and fired a few rounds of 5.45 x 45 mm bullets on both of the NSS agents after they exited the semi-trailer, each of them shot several times in the chest. "Now for the tires..." Pazu proceeded to shoot out all the tires of the semi-trailer in order to immobilize it.
Lobby, Kohoku Country Club & Resort, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
"Erah!"
Batman threw more of his batarangs, which exploded on contact on the Type 303.
"Don't you have anything else besides your... things?" Motoko asked Batman, discarding her used M5. "I mean, I know you have those things called batarangs..."
"I'm not sure if I can use my electric, explosive or restraining batarangs on that thing..." Batman told the Major, doing a double backflip after Gayle's Type 303 fired several 20 mm rounds on the carpeted floor in the middle of the lobby.
"I'll try and get close to him." Gale told the two, turning on his thermo-optic camouflage as he ran towards the Type 303 with his ninjaken at the ready. Being invisible, Gale went close and smacked at the Type 303 with the ninjaken on its head, arms and legs.
The Type 303 then dropped its 20 mm rifle and gave the ninja a backhand attack, sending him towards a wall.
Must have thermal vision to track us when we're in thermo-optic vision...
Motoko continued to fire the M7 at the Type 303, until its slide had been fully retracted back. Damn I'm out...
"This had better work." Batman sighed, spinning the bolos on his right hand. "Here goes!" Batman then hurled them to the Type 303's legs, restraining its leg movements.
"Why you little..." Gayle had yelled from the Type 303, aiming the 20 mm rifle when he heard Pazu shout at Batman and Motoko.
"Get clear!"
"Saito!" Pazu yelled, who was crouched while holding the SR-1's bipod after seeing Motoko and Batman were out of the way when the two arrived at the entrance of the country club. "Do it!"
Saito grinned. "My pleasure." He then squeezed off a shot and used the rifle's iron sights to fire off a .50 BMG bullet into the Type 303's chest, causing it to tumble around a bit before another shot to the chest caused it to fall down on its back.
"Gotcha." Pazu smirked, seeing the Type 303 on its back.
"Now it won't be able to move around for a while." Saito held the rifle on his hands as Motoko and Batman came to check on the downed armed suit.
"I need some help here, Saito." Motoko called Saito to come near the downed armed suit.
"What's wrong?" asked Saito when he was next to her. "Is there a problem of some kind, Major?
"It seems our friend won't budge out." Motoko advised her subordinate. "Persuade him please, if you can."
"Alright." Saito lifed the SR-1 and fired it directly at the armed suit's chest for the third time. "Just leave this one to me..."
"W-wait!" Gayle tried to plead for his life. "Mercy! I-I give up! Don't shoot me, please!"
Saito wasn't told to stop as he continued to empty the rest of the SR-1's magazine.
Batman watched the one-eyed Section 9 operator and ex-Red Bianco mercenary continue to fire his weapon until Motoko patted his left shoulder.
"All right. That should be enough..."
Saito nodded, ceasing to fire his weapon.
"What the hell..." Batman was astounded to see Saito use his weapon to help persuade Gayle, still in the armed suit, to surrender quickly as he counted at least 8-9 bullet holes of the .50 BMG had penetrated its armor. "was that all about?"
Motoko walked towards the entrance, speaking to Pazu.
Outskirts of Kohoku Country Club & Resort, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
Batou had assisted in setting down one of the Section 9 Kenbishi Nakazawa choppers down an empty portion of the main parking lot, being piloted by Section 9's own female operators. Pazu and Saito had escorted a restrained Gayle and the wounded NSS operator out of the country club. Yu, Gale and Motoko were busy talking about cleaning up the rest of their operation. Fantomex and Paladin were talking to each other on the operation and wondering what they should do next while they loaded their weapons.
Batman was busy, speaking to Bruce in his communicator. The others didn't bother him as he pressed the right ear on his batsuit.
"I'm done with the operation." Batman spoke to Bruce discreetly, seeing Imakurusu near the chopper before he looked around. "Dr. Imakurusu is safe for the time being."
"I see." Bruce replied. "According to the information that we got, someone from the Japanese government is really serious on keeping the truth of the Laughing Man incident down that whoever he is has some influence over some parts of the JGSDF and JMSDF."
"That sounds pretty bad. Not to mention scary."
"You're right. It does sound scary. But I haven't checked on the rest yet."
Batman saw Imakurusu leaving the country club and approaching a familiar blue parka-wearing man on the nearby sidewalk.
"What's going on out there?"
"I don't know." Batman shot out a quick reply. "But there's a guy with a blue parka, a bucket hat and the parka hood covering his face." He then ran after the doctor. "I'm going after him!"
Road, Kohoku Country Club & Resort, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
It's him!
Imakurusu saw the man standing outside with his parka and bucket hat, who happened to be the Laughing Man from the Serano incident. The white-haired doctor walked towards him after no cars were seen passing in front of him.
He stepped closer. And closer. And closer. And closer to the bucket hat-wearing man.
"Hold it right there!"
Until Batou came out with his C-30 at the ready.
"That's it..." Batou told the two persons standing in front of each other. "Just stay right there."
A parked Nissan Tiida sedan, with its blue finish, was parked in an alley next to the country club. Its occupants eyed Batou, Imakurusu and the Laughing Man carefully.
Inside Nissan Tiida Sedan, Kohoku Country Club & Resort, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
A brown-haired woman with a ponytail, two longs bangs and a white shirt opened her front passenger window.
"You ready, Sano?" The driver, a black-haired man with a yellow bomber jacket, watched as Batou was about to get near Imakurusu.
"We better get this over with." Behind the woman's seat was a bald man with a gray bomber jacket.
"I got that covered." Sano took aim with the Solothurn Tuma MTE 224 VA machine pistol, which had been loaded with a 26-round magazine.
Sano, having a clear shot of Imakurusu, alinged the 224 VA's iron sights and fired the weapon in semi-automatic mode.
"The heck's going on?" The bald man saw that none of the 5.56 × 23.5 mm bullets fired from 224 VA had struck Imakurusu as they were seemingly deflected on the air, which were seen as sparks. "They didn't hit him!"
Gale had once again deactivated his thermo-optic camouflage, standing in front of Imakurusu with the Jiro Saburo Jisho held in front of him.
"You have some skill." Gale taunted the occupants of the Nissan Tiida.
Road, Kohoku Country Club & Resort, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
"What the heck?" Paladin came running out of the country club with Fantomex and Yu behind. The three saw the Tiida speed off from the nearby alley. Batman came running outside after hearing the gunshots.
"Damn!" Paladin fired a few rounds from his MP7A1 at the fleeing Tiida with Fantomex assisting him by firing his P14-45s. Batou joined in and aimed the C-30's scope at the Tiida with Batman firing bat discs from his arms, which shattered the rear window.
"Hey!" Yu had his earpiece inserted on his left ear and pressed the PTT button on his uniform. "Looks like we got some NSS agents on the run. Get them!"
A BMW HP2 Megamoto motorbike came in towards the Tiida from the opposite direction at full speed. Its rider had a Shoei-made full-face motorbike helmet and a black bomber jacket fully zipped up with jeans. His gloved hands were holding the handlebars tightly as he sped towards the Tiida in front.
Here goes nothing.
The Megamoto had halted after it turned to its left, stopping itself as the Tiida had began to pick up speed in order to ram the motorbike out of the way.
"Okie dokie..." sighed the biker, who unzipped his jacket to reveal a Poseidon Type-0 Raisen compact machine pistol with a 100-round Beta C-Mag magazine. The biker aimed the weapon at the speeding Tiida and fired the Raisen at full automatic mode, sending 5.56 NATO rounds to the vehicle as it penetrated the front cover and shattered the front window before the left front tire was punctured out by the gunfire barrage.
"Time to show them who's boss around here."
The Tiida screeched out of the road and found it smashed to a lamppost after the biker had seized firing his machine pistol.
"You alright?"
Yu came running towards the wrecked Tiida, seeing the biker dismount off his Megamoto. Yu had his C-25A ready as a precaution.
"Yeah." nodded the biker, who began to walk slowly towards the sedan with his Raisen pointed at it. Yu likewise had his C-25A pointed at the same target. Pazu was the only Section 9 operator who came running in with his C-26A as Batou and Motoko stayed behind to keep an eye on Imakurusu and the Laughing Man.
Sano was the first to emerge out of the Tiida, wildy firing her 224 VA at the three figures.
"Shit!" Yu cursed, crouching down on the ground. Pazu and the biker did so likewise before they fired their weapons at her. Some of the bullets had only been hitting certain parts of the Tiida before Sano was gunned down after being shot in the chest.
The bald-headed man was next to get out of the car and had his M7 drawn out quickly from his rear hip holster when a gunshot rang out from a distance, hitting him in the head.
Whoa! Yu thought as the bald man went down on the pavement, face first.
"Yahhhh!" The black-haired man got out of the Tiida from its driver's seat and raised his sidearm, a M5, when he was cut down by combined gunfire from the biker and Yu.
"That was close." Yu murmured, lowering his weapon down. Pazu turned around and saw Saito had been armed with a C-30. The ex-yakuza gangster gave a thumbs up to the lone Section 9 sniper.
Batou, Motoko, Paladin, Fantomex, Batman and Gale watched the Laughing Man hand Imakurusu a blue ledger to him.
"Batou." Motoko spoke to Batou via cyberbrain comm. "That seems to be the ledger Togusa was trying to look into from the MHLW."
"So what now? We arrest him on the spot?"
"Yes and no. Yes in a sense that he was responsible for holding Mr. Serano at gunpoint. And a no in the sense that he seems to know who may be the one responsible for exploiting the Laughing Man incident. That's what the Chief told us to do."
"Alright."
"Now that the both of you are done..." Batou aimed his C-30 at the parka-wearing Laughing Man. "I need you guys to come with us. No questions asked."
The Laughing Man smirked underneath his parka, eyeing Batou.
"Er. Hey!" Batou shouted, checking his eyes. "What's with me?"
"Batou!" Motoko yelled, seeing Batou in distress. "What's wrong?"
"I-I can't see!"
"Crap!" Paladin saw the Laughing Man toss an object from his parka's right pocket. "A grenade..."
The tossed object dispersed purple smoke, confusing the group as the Laughing Man made his hasty escape by jogging down the road away from them with the occasional stops on the way to catch his breath for a few seconds before jogging again to get away from their midst.
Unknown Room, somewhere in Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
"Gentlemen. There's some...bad news." The police Superintendent spoke to the other inside the conference room. "I've gotten off the phone a few minutes with my subordinates and told me that Imakurusu is alive. It seems like the NSS has failed and Niimi is in trouble."
"Will he be implicating us soon?" The JMSDF Rear Admiral asked, feeling a bit anxious.
"This seems...disturbing." said a masked man next to the Rear Admiral, who the others in the conference room have been told that he was from the MHLW from his white dress shirt and red necktie
"I'm afraid so. Section 9 has managed to capture two NSS personnel alive from the Kohoku Country Club."
"It's no trouble at all." insisted the JGSDF Colonel. "I've heard that Secretary-General Yakushima has already planned on this problem in case it would arise."
"That seems quite quick on his part." sighed the PSIA official. "I guess we need to move out against Section 9 soon."
"As instructed by Secretary-General Yakushima, I'm beginning to make preparations to have a JMSDF task force established as soon as possible before we can get ready to deploy them." The JMSDF Rear Admiral told the assembled group.
The JGSDF Colonel asked, "Are there going to be some from the JGSDF? You'll need all the help that you can get."
"I'm not sure yet. I'll see what I can allocate."
"Looks like we're about to get ready soon." The PSIA official spoke up. "All we need to do is to wait for our contact from Naicho to come here."
"And do you happen to know who he is?" The Senior Superintendent threw the question at the PSIA official.
There was no immediate reply.
Cabin, Section 9 Kenbishi Nakazawa, en route to Public Security Section 9 Headquarters, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
"Chief." Motoko contacted Aramaki via secure cyberbrain comms. "We've managed to take Dr. Imakurusu into custody. I just left the area with Batou. Pazu and Saito are staying behind to coordinate with local police."
"What about your car, Major?"
Motoko sighed. "It was wrecked in the incident. I'm sorry..."
"It's not important right now. We'll talk about it later." Aramaki told his second-in-command. "What about the NSS men you took into custody?"
The purple-haired cyborg saw that Gayle and the wounded NSS were being watched by Batou with their hands cuffed behind their back. She eyed Imakurusu, who was seated next to her.
"One of them was wounded, but he should be fine just in time for interrogation back in HQ."
"Well, good work Major."
"Thanks, Chief."
"Were Saito and Pazu able to reach you in time?"
"They did. But..."
"Was there something else?"
Motoko looked to see Batou trying to intimidate the wounded NSS operator by trying to growl at him. She smirked when she saw him pee at his pants.
"It could... be a bit complicated. I'll speak to you later about it."
"All right. I'll see you back in HQ."
Daisuke Aramaki's Offfice, Public Security Section 9 Headquarters, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
Well, that was interesting.
Daisuke Aramaki, head of Public Security Section 9, had heard Motoko's last comments on the possibility that something else had been going on at the Kohoku Country Club & Resort.
If that's the case, I may as well call him for some help here.
Taking out his cellphone from the left pocket of his grey business coat, he dialed some numbers on it before he held it near his left ear.
"Hello?" Aramaki spoke on his cellphone after he heard an operator on the other line. "I need to speak to the president of the Almighty Support Enterprises Japan, please."
"And who is this?" A young woman in her late 20s answered the call.
"I'm Aramaki of Section 9. I need to speak to him at once."
"Do you have an appointment with him?"
"No I don't. But this is an urgent matter that needs his utmost and undivided attention."
"One moment please, Mr. Aramaki..."
Helipad, Public Security Section 9 Headquarters, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
Ishikawa and Boma had been waiting at the helipad after the Kenbishi Nakazawa had landed. Batou handed Boma Gayle and Ishikawa the wounded NSS operator. The two Section 9 operators had then decided to blindfold the two before taking them to the elevator, due to the fact that the location and structure of their headquarters was classified as a national secret with the exception to elements of the Japanese government.
"Looks like we're going to have a long war with the government." Motoko told Batou, seeing Ishikawa and Boma cart off the suspects inside Section 9 HQ.
"What about it?" Batou asked, seeing the Section 9 female Operator androids dismount from the Nakazawa after turning its engine and rotors off and escorted Dr. Imakurusu towards the elevator after Ishikawa and Boma when ahead.
"For instance," Motoko explained to him. "The narc squad operatives had a Type 303 exoskeleton Armed Suit with them. If I remember right, they're suppose to be in use primarily with the JMSDF with the JGSDF receiving their own Armed Suit by at least next year."
Batou nodded. "That's true."
"There has to be someone in Section 3 that provided the Armed Suit to the Narcotics Suppression Squad. He or she could've had some sway for the JMSDF to overlook this scenario."
"But where do we start?" Batou walked towards the elevator alongside Motoko. "With Section 3?"
"I'm pretty sure the Chief will explain on the next step." Motoko replied. "Besides, we'll have to wait until the others get back from the field for a debriefing."
"Yeah." Batou saw the ledger that he held under his left arm. "But before we do that..."
"Is there something that you have to do?"
"I'm wondering if I should leave the ledger that the Laughing Man gave to Dr. Imakarusu to Togusa back in the police hospital or if we should just hang on to this for a little longer?"
"I'm not sure." Motoko and Batou had then entered the elevator. "We'll have to see where this would go next..."
"Alright. And I found out why I can't see him..."
"Because he hacked your eyes, right?"
Batou kept quiet after hearing Motoko's question.
President's Office, Almighty Support Enterprises Japan, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
Yoshihiro Sanada, a man in his middle 50s with a black business suit and red tie, answered the call on his desktop phone after receiving a message from his secretary.
"I wonder what Aramaki wants? Haven't seen here since the Tonoda School days in the JGSDF." The black-haired, mustached man had the receiver placed near his right ear. "Hello."
"Yoshi? It's me, Aramaki."
"Aramaki." Yoshihiro smiled. "Haven't heard from you since the Tonoda School days. What can I do for you?"
"I need to ask something of you."
"Go on."
"Did you have some of your people involved today?"
Yoshihiro sighed. "I'm not sure if I should discuss this over the line, Aramaki."
"What do you mean?" Aramaki asked his ex-JGSDF colleague.
"It's ASE regulations that I don't discuss the operations that our personnel engage in unless there's a consent from either me or from the board of directors on this matter."
"Are you saying this because of the need of protecting yourself or because of following the company's regulations?"
The ASE Japan president took a few minutes before he replied, "Perhaps a bit of both."
"In any case, I'll call you again perhaps later on."
"Alright. Let me know."
"Goodbye, Yoshihiro."
"Goodbye, Aramaki."
Rooftop, near Public Security Section 9 Headquarters, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
"I managed to locate their headquarters." Batman, under the cover of his thermo-optic camouflage, communicated with Bruce on his radio communicator. "It's disguised as a Japanese security company."
"Anything you found out about?" Bruce asked.
"I did." Batman scanned the helipad for any signs of people. "They all left, including the Major herself. Looks like it's already quiet."
"I tried to see if I can dig around with the Armed Suit that you encountered back at the country club. According to the info I got with the help of other pieces of data left by the Laughing Man, turns out that it was the handiwork of Section 3 with the assistance of Kaoru Yakushima."
"Yakushima?" Batman was startled at the name. "Isn't he the Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party-Democratic Party of Japan coalition?" If I'm right, he's a part of the LDP party.
"Not only that," Bruce continued to explain on Yakushima to his assistant. "but he was also the ex-Chief of Staff of the JMSDF and he was head of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in the Laughing Man crisis."
"I guess that's how the Type 303 exoskeleton Armed Suit came from in the first place."
"There's more. I've got data that proved Yakushima was trying to embezzle money from the JMSDF."
Batman asked Bruce. "Was he investigated?"
"There was a public prosecutor that was assigned to his case. But from what I heard in the news a few years ago, he met a tragic accident when his car was crushed by a train after he attempted to pass through a railroad crossing..."
"Ouch." Batman winced, feeling sympathy for the prosecutor. "Wouldn't want to be in his shoes."
"I feel the same way."
"So what's the next move? It wouldn't be long before elements of the Japanese government would fight and eliminate Section 9 and possibly kill off Dr. Imakurusu with them to cover up the Laughing Man scandal and his use of the Murai Vaccine."
"I guess so." Bruce told Batman in reply. "Head back to the Wayne Enterprises' penthouse at once for the meantime, Terry. We need to get over some information on this matter."
"Understood, Wayne."
Batman jumped off the roof he was standing on before he fired a grappling gun on his forearm, enabling him to swing and glide to another building rooftop.
President's Office, Almighty Support Enterprises Japan, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
"It appears that I've been contacted by Section 9 recently."
Yoshihiro spoke to a group of people already assembled in his office building. Inside were Gale, Paladin, Fantomex and Yu.
"Were they onto us?" Paladin asked, adjusting his goggles.
"Probably." Yoshihiro replied. "But they weren't accusing of anything wrong aside from helping them in the shadows to rescue Imakurusu on the request of some of his relatives."
"I'm surprised that certain factions of the Japanese government has not targeted them yet." Gale told the ASE Japan president. "I wonder why is that such the case here?"
"Most likely because they don't believe that they're not a threat." Yoshihiro suggested his answer to the four. "But they'll probably move in soon to cover about Dr. Imakurusu's use of the Murai Vaccine to suppress the Cyberbrain Scholorosis in his system."
"After this is over," Yu told Yoshihiro. "we need to start making preparations for the time when we may be facing against the JSDF themselves."
Yoshihiro sighed, hearing Yu's suggestion. Technically, I don't want to hear that. But after hearing the NSS' involvement in the elimination of the Sunflower Society and the attempted assassination of Dr. Hisashi Imakurusu, it appears that I may be willing to consider on this matter.
"All right." Yoshihiro reclined on his swivel office chair. "I'll get to our units out protecting some of Imakurusu's relatives. They could be targeted for assassination to prevent the truth of the Laughing Man incident from being revealed to the public and media."
"So what happens to us?" Yu pointed his right index finger to himself.
"Just get ready to be mobilized. We could be in for a long battle..."
"By the way," Fantomex asked. "I remembering seeing this biker guy block off the escape of the last narc agents. Where is he anyway?"
Rooftop, near Almighty Support Enterprises Japan, Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
Standing on a rooftop were a group of 8 persons dressed in various kinds of Shinobi shozoku outfits, with most of them basically including some armor plating that covered their shoulders and having Jika-tabis at their feet as part of their basic equipment. Some of them had swords like long blades that were called Cyphers, carried with them on their own bodies.
"It appears that the intelligence they gathered is true." A Caucasian blonde man dressed in a dark blue Shinobi shozoku grinned, who had been keeping an eye on the building with a custom-made long-range binoculars. "Something's shakin' down here in Japan."
"Did you hear anything about it, Kain?" Another man, who had his mouth covered by a scarf and with a blue Shinobi shozoku, had asked the blonde.
"Yeah, Hiryu." Kain replied. "They're going to mobilize out some of their men to look at the relatives of this Dr. Imakurusu."
"Imakurusu." A blonde lady with a dark blue Shinobi Shozoku of her own walked behind the two men. "I remember that he's the one who denied the use of the Murai Vaccine. Recent intelligence did say he's taking it due to the fact that he's suffering from Cyberbrain Scholorosis."
"In other words, Mari." smirked Kain. "He's a complicated guy who ended up eating his own words, right?"
"Guess so." Hiryu told Kain. "Say, anyone know where's Hien? I told him to keep watch on our rear until the others have arrived."
"Here."
A man with East Asian looks, similar to Hiryu and Mari, walked to them while he yawned. He had a white Shinobi shozoku and a dual-sided cypher strapped on the rear of his waist.
"Sorry. I had to sleep late last night prior to the operation."
"Hien." Hiryu glared at Hien. "I've warned you against keeping your guard down during a mission."
"Yeah, yeah." Hien sarcastically took Hiryu's advice. "But I mean it's just us."
"If you don't heed Hiryu's words, you'll regret that very soon."
"Yup. I agree with him."
Two figures, one in a Shinobi shozoku and the other having fish-like scales and with nothing but a long piece of cloth wrapped around his waist, appeared next to Hien.
"It seems that you're both lax and very boastful back in Moralos Island." The lumbering giant grinned at Hien, who kept his distance from him.
"Kubira." Kain groaned. "Don't intimidate the guy, yeah?"
Kubira sighed. "Fine. I'll save it for the mission."
The other man had tarantulas crawling on his shoulders, arms and on his purple Shinobi shozoku, which made Hien and Mari step a few feet away from them. "What Kubira said is quite true, Kain. Hien himself would like to be a class-A Strider ninja like Hiryu."
"Arana." Hiryu sighed and rolled his eyes. "Are you trying to start a frictional war between me and Hien?"
Arana shook his head. "No, no. I'm stating a fact as it is."
"Sorry we're late!"
Two more Strider ninjas leaped into the rooftop near ASE Japan headquarters. One was a female as evident by her facial features and her long black hair. Another had his face completely obscured by a cloth that covered his entire face except for his eyes. Both had Shinobi shozokus as required for Strider ninjas.
"Good thing you made it Ryuzaki." grinned Kain. "We were bored waiting for you."
"Sheena and I have some news for you." Ryuzaki told the assembled Striders, patting down his red uniform.
Kubira raised his eyebrows. "And what of it?"
"Vice-Director Matic has gone missing since this morning from the island." Sheena told her Strider comrades, fixing the jacket over her green uniform. "We have no idea how he did so or why he left the island."
"Does this have to do with the Laughing Man case?" Hien asked Sheena.
"I don't think so." Sheena shook her head. "At least we're not definetely sure yet."
"Great." groaned Kain. "Now not only do we need to check on the Laughing Man incident and truth behind it here, but we've got ourselves a loose Strider somewhere out true and we've got no idea where he is or what's he going to do outside of Moralos."
"We worry about that later." Hiryu told his fellow Striders. "What we need to do right now is check on Imakurusu family and double check again to see who knows about Imakurusu's use of the Murai Vaccine and the truth about him having Cyberbrain Scholorisis."
"Right!" said the assembled Striders in unison.
"Okay let's go!"
Hiryu led his fellow Striders as they leaped off the rooftop of the building before they landed on another. Soon enough, the 8-man Strider team was now gone as they went off to an unknown destination to fullfil their missions.
Unknown Room, somewhere in Niihama City, Niihama Prefecture, Japan
The Senior Superintendent made an announcement to the other masked people inside the conference room, who had his hands on his cellphone.
"I've got word that the Prime Minister called in sick during a discussion about passing the Special Forces Restriction Bill." The man kept his cellphone on his left pants pocket. "We should get an Acting Prime Minister pretty soon from the Cabinet Secretary..."
"I heard that he's a subordinate of Secretary-General Yakushima back in his MHLW days." said the Colonel.
"I believe we have a picture of him." The projector showed a man in his late 30s with brown hair. He also had a clean-shaven appearance.
"Isn't that Chief Cabinet Secretary Takehiro Yamato?"
"The very one." replied the PSIA official, turning his head to speak to a man wearing black clothing from his dress shirt and tie to his gloves and fully zippered jacket.
"Our friend here is right." The man was bald and had a scar that ran from the top of his head down on his nose with a portion of face disfigured. "With Secretary Yamato being a pro-Yakushima man, I'm sure he won't hesitate to authorize some covert wetworks operations against Section 9 and anyone who dares to uncover the truth of the Laughing Man scandal." He arrived in the conference room and was given an empty seat next to the PSIA official.
"I sincerely hope that they do so." said the masked MHLW official.
Must be from the MHLW. The bald man eyed him carefully. This shadow committee of Yakushima's include those from the JSDF, police, PSIA and the MHLW with me from Naicho. He then grinned. This sure looks fun.
"I'm pretty sure that Kazundo Goda is right." noted the Superintendent, facing the Naicho agent.
"Yes, I am." Goda nodded his head. "I'm confident that the deployment of mainly the Umibozu will greatly hamper their attempts to tell the truth of the Murai Vaccine and will soon do away with them for good. They've been a thorn on Secretary-General Yakushima for far too long..."
Chapter 1 END
PS - Haven't read that much Marvel in a while since Civil War, so there may be some inconsistencies here. Same thing goes for the other non-SAC characters. If there are, let me know via PM, but remember that I may not take everything into consideration for the sake of this story and the mostly SAC setting. Thanks. And yeah, I'm removing Fantomex's EVA linkage here. IMO, doesn't seem to be useful here and I don't seem to understand it quite well (Feel free to rebutt me if you wish, but do it without personal flames, yeah?). But I'm leaving his other skills here since it makes him pretty hardcore. And the ninjaken of a certain ninja is really Jiro Saburo Jisho (二郎三郎時宗). The Seburo SR-1 sniper rifle is the main rifle Saito uses in the GITS: SAC series. In case you're wondering if I'm nuts about the name, well I'm not. That's really it. I'm also open to suggestion to any potential character crosses with this fic, which including an '80s cartoon that starts with the letter C and ends with the letter S.
Aside from the Marvel characters, let me know if you spot anyone familiar besides the ones from Marvel/DC and some other franchise (or whatnot)
I only changed the DEA to Section 3 since they're an anti-drug unit based on info I picked up recently and I also changed the Cabinet Intelligence Service to the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office or Naicho. Makes more sense that way, not to mention that I try and go for realism in terms of exact places, agencies, etc. as much as I can. Only reason I decided to do this is I was pissed for the first time when I watched it back in Animax Philippines. When I thought that S9 is dead, the last epiosde showed them all to be okay. I thought, "What if the government was really serious about taking them out of the picture?" The rest is history though...
To those wondering on the names of GITS: SAC vehicles, I got them from .
One more thing, can anyone fill me in if Terry calls Bruce by his first name when conducting his Batman operations aside from his civilian alias?
Well, all things aside, I look forward to what you people have in mind about this story. Let me know for mistakes/corrections. TY.