MEGAMAN
Deception Part Two
Dex : Hey Lan, you wanna Netbattle. My brother wants to see you do a Program Advance.
Lan : Sure, I'll show your brother how easily I beat you.
Dex : You're on!
They Netbattle
Dex : Lan, show us your Program Advance
Lan : You got it. Cyber Sword, Long Sword, Wide Sword battle chips in, Download!
Black Thorn (from across the street) : finally
Lan/Megaman : Program Advance!
Chisao claps in delight and Gutsman logs out.
Dex : That was your most powerful one yet Lan. Lan?
Lan slumps over onto the console.
Dex : Lan!
He runs around to help his friend as a cloaked figure enters the arcade.
Megaman : Black Thorn! This is low, even for you.
Black Thorn laughs and with a slight tap sends Dex flying across the arcade. She picks Lan up and walks towards the door.
Black Thorn : Goodbye Megaman.
Magaman : Lan! If you hurt him, I will hunt you down and kill you.
Black laughs as the door to the arcade closes and then vanishes.
Dex stirs across the room and then runs over to the console
Dex : Megaman are you okay.
Megaman : I'm fine but Black Thorn has Lan. She's gone by now, we have to get to Scilab
Dex : Right.
Computer : Megaman logging out.
Dex removes the PET from the port and runs out the door to catch a bus to Scilab
Dr. Hikari is working on a project when Dex comes running in out of breath.
Dr. Hikari : Dex what's wrong? Why do you have Lan's PET?
Dex (panting) : Lan's in trouble, Black Thorn has him.
Dr. Hikari pales : What, no, that's imposssible.
Megaman : She messed with the chips we use for Program Advance so that his energy would be drained when he used it.
Dex : It was the most powerful Program Advance I've ever seen, he just collapsed
Dr. Hikari : If she hurts him I'll kill her.
Megaman : Get in line.
Dr. Hikari : Of course, that's why she pulled that whole storage room stunt a week ago. So she could mess with the chips without causing suspicion.
Megaman : We ran a check on the PET and my systems but we never considered that she might of tampered with the chips.
Dex : We're idiots!
Suddenly the vid screen powers up.
Black Thorn : Oh what a sad gathering and yes Dex, you are an idiot.
Dr. Hikari : What do you want with my son?
Megaman : Where's Lan?
Black Thorn : He is safe and relatively unharmed. For the time being.
Megaman : What do you mean relatively unharmed?
Black Thorn : He's still quite drained from that Program Advance. It was very impressive. You've gotten stronger since we last battled.
Megaman : Is that why you won't face me?
Black Thorn : No . . .
Dr. Hikari : What. do you want. with. my son?
Black Thorn (in a mocking voice) : Somebody's pushy today. Did someone hurt your feel goods?
Megaman : What do you want with Lan?
Black Thorn : Since you guys are so desperate to know, I have a buyer who wants syncro chips, You, Dr. Hikari, are going to get them for me.
Dr. Hikari : What would make me want to do that?
Black Thorn : Because if you don't, Lan dies. You have twenty four hours to make your decision. I'll be calling.
Dr. Hikari : Wait . . . !
The transmission cuts out.
Megaman : Aaaarrrrggghhhh! I really hate that chick!
Dex : She doesn't seem to be particularily fond of you either.
Megaman : She delights in hurting Lan, thinks making fun of me is funny, and refuses to face me in a Netbattle. What do you expect?
Dr. Hikari : How am I going to get the other lab techs to let me take synchro chips?
Megaman : Whoa, whoa, whoa! You can't be seriously thinking about giving her synchro chips.
Dr. Hikari : What choice do I have, if I don't she'll kill Lan.
Dex : Yeah but the real question we should be asking is 'Who is her buyer?'
Megaman : Someone who can't get them through regular channels and has no problem with paying someone to steal them even if that person threatens to kill an eleven year old to do so. Which is all the more reason why we can't let her get her hands on them.
Dr. Hikari : We can't talk here, she obviously has eyes and ears in Scilab. I'll keep track of Megaman and Lan's PET, Dex can you gather up the gang and meet me at the arcade.
Dex : Do you want me to bring Chaud too?
Dr. Hikari : No, I'll call Chaud myself, he can be hard to contact.
Dex nods and then runs out of the room.
Dr. Hikari : Megaman, can you do me a favor?
Megaman : Sure. What is it?
Dr. Hikari : Deliver a message to Protoman, tell him what's happened and that we need Chaud to meet us at the arcade as soon as possible.
Megaman : Okay. If you jack me in here, I can meet you guys at the arcade when your done.
Dr. Hikari jacks Megaman in and leaves the lab.
In Black Thorn's secret hideout, Lan begins to stir.
Black Thorn : Hello my pretty.
Lan : Whaa . . . Where am I?
Black Thorn : Do you really think I'm going to tell you where my secret hideout is? It's a secret hideout you dummy.
Lan : Why am I here?
Black Thorn : I need something from your daddy, and if he doesn't give it to me, you will pay the price.
Lan : Why am I so tired?
Black Thorn : I fixed your Program Advance chips to drain all of your energy. It could take up to two weeks for you to regain your strength.
Lan : Why do you hate me?
Black Thorn : I don't hate you, do you have a spare bandana?
Lan : In my pocket, why?
Black Thorn pulls the bandana from his pocket and removes the one on his head. She pats him on the head and hands both bandanas to the guard.
Black Thorn : Gag him and tie his arms behind his back. Oh, and make it tight.
Guard : Yes ma'am
She leaves and the guard turns to Lan who pales visibly and smirks
The guard binds him and then sits in his chair by the door.
Guard : You know, if I had my way you'd be in the torture chamber by now. However, Thorn wants something from your daddy and she doesn't think he'll be as willing to give it to us if we hurt you. sighs On the bright sight, if daddy isn't willing to pay up . . . Of course we won't kill you immediatly. We'll torture you first and send a video tape to daddy, let him know he has a chance to end your suffering. He doesn't get a second chance to get you back alive though, once the initial window has passed, all his cooperation will get him is a short and relatively painless death for you.
Black Thorn : via speakers Golf One, Stop scaring him.
Guard : Man, she always knows what other people are saying, she's nowhere around but then later she says something and you know that somehow she heard every word you said. That and once you know her at all, you can hear her voice in your head all the time saying what she would say in that situation.
Maylu : Dr. Hikari, Dex says that Lan's been kidnaped by Black Thorn, is that true?
Dr. Hikari : I'm afriad so, she's demanding synchro chips for his safe return.
Tory : That kind of technology in her hands, isn't she unstoppable as it is?
Yai : She wants the chips for a buyer right?
Dr. Hikari : Yes.
Yai : My family can offer to match the price.
Dr. Hikari : That may work.
Maylu : I wouldn't be surprised if she wants one for herself.
Dr. Hikari : You're right, of course she does. Of course knowing her she'll accept our offer and then steal some to sell to her buyer anyway.
Dex : What about Lan? How do we know she won't just kill him anyway.
Chaud : She won't
Maylu : I'm not even going to ask how long you've been standing there but how do you know that?
Chaud : First things first, I let Megaman hitch a ride over in my PET do you mind me transferring him back over.
Dr. Hikari : Of course.
They tranfer Megaman to Lan's PET.
Chaud : Black Thorn and I dated a while back before I discovered that she'll do anything for money. However, she nevers kills people unless it's necessary. Tortures them maybe but never kills them.
Tory : Okay, but how do you know she'll take our offer, maybe this buyer is a regular client and she's hoping for return business.
Chaud : That may be a problem, Though she only has one regular and that's World III. They don't see a use for synchro chips.
Dex : How do you know that?
Chaud : That's for me to know and you to be glad I know.
Suddenly Dr. Hikari's communicator beeped. He puts it on speaker.
Dr. Hikari : Yes
Black Thorn : I changed my mind, you have an hour to meet me at the Bay Marina, dock 4.
Dr. Hikari : We have an offer to make you.
Black Thorn : I'm listening.
Dr. Hikari : We're willing to top your buyer's price by a hundred dollars and throw in a synchro chip for you.
Black Thorn : My buyer's offering two million.
Dr. Hikari : glances at Yai who nods We're fine with that.
Black Thorn : I'll see you at dock 4 in one hour. Bring the stuff or I'll make you watch him die.
Transmission cuts out
Yai : I'll meet you at the dock in time with the money, you just have to get the synchro chip.
Dr. Hikari : Thank you Yai, I'm glad my son has such good friend's
Chaud : Hey Yai, if you'll pay for the briefcase Blazequest will throw in one million.
Yai nods and the two leave.
Black Thorn smiled before activating internal communicarions.
Black Thorn : Golf One bring the prisoner to the main control room.
Golf One : Yes ma'am
When they arrived, she handed two pairs of handcuffs to the guard.
Black Thorn : Untie his arms and use that bandana to blindfold him. Then cuff his arms and bring him to my chopper.
Golf One : Yes ma'am
Then she left to go prep her chopper.
When he arrived at the chopper she smiled and opened the door.
Black Thorn : Buckle him in and then put the other pair of cuffs on his ankles. Make sure the cuffs are tight.
Golf One : Yes ma'am
The chopper takes off and lands ten minutes later on the roof of a warehouse. They go down the stairs into the main room, there is a chair in the middle. Black Thorn opens her briefcase and removes two rolls of duct tape. She points to the chair.
Black Thorn : Tie him up. You need to be out of here within twenty minutes.
She turns back to the stairs and start to leave. Then pauses and turns back.
Black Thorn : When I said no torturing him, I just meant you couldn't use the torture chamber, be creative. removes Lan's blindfold and gag and hands them to guard
And have fun
Golf One (with an evil smile) : Yes ma'am
She return to the roof and flies her chopper to the dock touching down just as Dr. Hikari and Lan's friends arrive. Chaud puts his million in the briefcase Yai is holding and Dr. Hikari adds the synchro chip before taking the briefcase and walking towards the chopper stopping twenty feet away. Black Thorn gets out of the chopper and walks toward Dr. Hikari.
Dr. Hikari : Where's my son?
Black Thorn : Did you bring the money and the chip?
Dr. Hikari : Yes. Where's my son?
Black Thorn : He's safe. Let me see it.
Dr. Hikari : I want my son first.
Black Thorn : Give me the briefcase and I'll tell you where he is.
Dr. Hikari hands her the briefcase. She opens it, surveys the contents, and spot counts the money.
Black Thorn : He's in one of the old abandoned warehouses in the older industrial sector. 2371 Mercury Avenue
Dr. Hikari : Guards?
Black Thorn : There are a couple in the building. By the time you get there, I'll have notified them and they won't try to stop you. You'll never know they were there. Nice doing business with you Dr. Hikari, maybe we can do this again sometime.
Dr. Hikari : If you so much as come within 100 feet of him I'll . . .
Black Thorn : Relax, I've had my fun, it's time for a new target. shouts Nice seeing you again Chaud.
She turns and return to her chopper which promptly takes off.
Dr. Hikari runs back to the car and climbs in with everyone else.
Dr. Hikari : 2371 Mercury Avenue and step on it.
Driver : Yes sir.
Tory : What's at 2371 Mercury Avenue?
Dr. Hikari : Lan
They get to the warehouse and rush in to see Lan tied to a chair, out cold. Chaud whips out his pocketknife and they quickly free him, the keys to the handcuffs having been left on the floor. Lan stirs.
Dr. Hikari : Lan are you alright?
Lan slips back into a deep sleep.
Dex : Why won't he wake up?
Red Thorn : He's still suffering the effects of my sister's energy drain.
Chaud : Who are you?
Red Thorn : My name is Red Thorn, Black Thorn is my sister and I apoligize for her actions.
Dex : You look like her.
Red Thorn : We're twins and so are our Netnevis. They even share a name, with one letter different.
Dr. Hikari : How can we help him?
Red Thorn : He needs rest, and lots of it. It may take him up two weeks to recover, though with his reaction to it, maybe longer. His vitals will need to be monitored but it would be best if he was in a comfortable environment.
Dr. Hikari : I can set that up, we'll just need to stop by my lab before we take him home.
They return to the car with Red Thorn accompanying them and Dr. Hikari gives the diver instructions.
Maylu : Chaud are you all right?
Everyone turns to look at Chaud who is looking shaken.
Chaud : She never does anything, not even say hi to an old boyfriend, without a purpose. I'm her new target.
To Be Continued . . .