The landing went smoothly, and Kotetsu found himself and Barnaby being hustled into a waiting car by a handful of men dressed in black suits and sunglasses. He frowned at one of them, but was ignored. Since Barnaby seemed indifferent, Kotetsu allowed himself to be directed and climbed into the car. At least these people seemed to have a bit of a flair for the dramatic. The 'car' was actually a fully extended stretch limousine, all in black with tinted windows to keep the crowds from seeing the people contained within.

Inside the limo were all the amenities to be expected of the very wealthy. Barnaby chuckled as he handed Kotetsu a bottle of beer that had a name he couldn't pronounce. "Veil Bon Succors?" he attempted, and Barnaby's eyes brightened with amusement.

"Vielle Bon Secours," he pronounced properly. "It's currently the most expensive beer in the world, made in Belgium and selling for probably around a thousand dollars a bottle." Kotetsu gave a low whistle, stared critically at the beer for a moment, then shrugged, opened it, and tipped it into his mouth. Barnaby just rolled his eyes and took the bottle from him, pouring a small amount into a glass and taking a sip. Kotetsu made a vaguely disgusted sound.

"Obviously, expensive doesn't equal good taste," Kotetsu muttered. "What is in that stuff? Tar?" Barnaby just gave him an eloquent look, then turned to stare passively out the window. Kotetsu followed suit, feeling his body relax as he watched the city crawl past them. The huge skyscrapers interspersed with smaller apartments and shopping districts made him feel almost like he was back home in Sternbild.

It was just the two of them in the back of the limo, which helped Kotetsu's sense of ease. The other men had obviously taken company cars, which surrounded them on all four sides, like an escort. They were clipping along a highway now, easily keeping up with traffic. Kotetsu grinned and waved at the citizens in their cars who were staring at the passing caravan, well aware that they couldn't see him. Across from him, Barnaby relaxed, sipping occasionally at his drink. Kotetsu waited patiently, until after they had left the airport far behind and were cruising along, the road surrounded by nothing but concrete barriers and grass.

"So, can you tell me a little more about what's gonna happen?" Kotetsu asked quietly. Barnaby shot him a sharp look, but Kotetsu just blinked back at him innocently. He trusted his partner, but he was curious. Barnaby must have read something in his expression, because he just shook his head with an affectionate smile.

"All right, old man," he agreed. "But only the basics, because the entirety of the process is probably too complicated for you." Kotetsu stuck out his tongue childishly at the other man, the banter normal and familiar. Barnaby continued, and Kotetsu fell silent, listening with rapt attention. "What this process does is…replicate…your powers, would be the best term, I suppose," he shrugged. "You still have your Hundred Power, but the timing on it has diminished. So basically, they'll be using what power you still have and increasing its longevity. I hear the entire process takes only about two hours, but it's not exactly pleasant, having all that power shoved into your body. Although I don't believe that you are conscious for the majority of it."

Kotetsu sat back and nodded, frowning lightly to himself. There was something missing, some key component that he wasn't aware of. The problem was that he didn't know what question to ask to figure it out. He wasn't even sure where to begin. "I wouldn't think it was possible, to increase one's power just by replicating it and shoving it back into them," he ventured.

Barnaby shrugged. "It has been done successfully with other Next Powers," he reassured the other man. "I believe they've restored the abilities of four others before now, so it is relatively new. And as I said, that's just the basic concept. The actual process is far more detailed and complex. But as long as you still have your Hundred Power – you do, don't you?" he interrupted himself to ask sharply. Kotetsu nodded, and he continued, setting his empty glass in a holder designed for it. "Then it is possible to restore that power."

"And you trust these guys, right?" Kotetsu asked, though he already knew the answer. There was no way Barnaby would have even made the suggestion if he thought for a single moment that they couldn't trust these people to do what they said they could. "Let me guess…colleagues of Doc Saito?" Kotetsu asked wryly; who else would bother to know people like this?

Barnaby chuckled. "Yes, he's the one who suggested that I contact this organization. He's not really as bad a guy as you make him seem, you know," he added, almost accusatorily. Kotetsu just huffed; the Doc was a nice guy, but he sure seemed to enjoy upgrading Wild Tiger's suits and then making him go through rigorous, and sometimes painful, tests to show him how improved they were. The brunette had never seen his partner go through the same processes, so he figured it was just him.

"We're here," Barnaby pointed out, and Kotetsu turned to stare out the window with wide eyes. The structure they were heading for was like a great hulking monster. It was shaped like a dome, with ugly squat buildings scattered around its base. The outside was covered in a dark gray paint that made it seem more like stone than anything, and there was neither grass nor trees to relieve the barren landscape. As they passed through towering gates that swung silently open, Kotetsu looked back and realized that he couldn't see the city at all on the horizon. Just how long had he been lost in thought and conversation?

All of his previous nervousness came back in a flood as they pulled up to the main dome. More men in black suits awaited them, standing in two neat lines. As the driver allowed first Barnaby, then Kotetsu, out of the limousine, the men stood at attention, their backs ramrod straight as they saluted the newly arrived Heroes.

Sidling closer to his partner, Kotetsu asked in a low voice, "Hey, Bunny? You think they're expecting something from us? We're getting the full royal treatment." Barnaby shushed him, and Kotetsu followed the blond into the facility. The instant the doors opened, Kotetsu realized that while the outside was designed to be unattractive and functional, there had been no expense spared on the inside. Wall to wall carpeting, marble pillars and stairs, statues of heroes from all over the world, and huge chandeliers hung from the ceiling, glowing brightly. It could be pitch black outside, and you wouldn't know it from standing just inside the doorway.

"Oh," Kotetsu breathed in wonder as they were led down a series of hallways, all carpeted with a thick red plush carpet with golden threads woven through the material. Beside him, Barnaby smiled, obviously pleased with his reaction.

Down three more hallways, and Kotetsu was beginning to wonder if they'd need a guide to get around this place, when a distinguished elderly man stepped out of a side door and walked towards them purposefully. Their guards stopped and saluted, then broke away when the gentleman waved them off, clearly dismissing them and leaving Kotetsu and Barnaby to wait for him to arrive in front of them.

The man's hair was deep silver, with a few random streaks of black here and there, indicating what it must've looked like a decade or two earlier. His eyes were a brilliant blue, and held a keen intelligence as they stared at the two newcomers. "You must be Misters Kaburagi and Brooks," he stated. It wasn't a question, but Kotetsu found himself nodding anyhow, taking the man's hand when he offered it. His grip was firm, and Kotetsu realized that the man wasn't as old as he had first appeared to be. Strain had worn him down, but his body was still sturdy and his grip strong.

"Good, good. We've been waiting for you. We are most eager to get started regenerating your power, Mr. Kaburagi," the gentleman continued, shaking Barnaby's hand as well before turning and gesturing for them to follow. They fell into line behind him as he continued down the hallway, introducing himself. "My name is Charles Wilson. You may call me Charles, or Mr. Wilson. I always hated nicknames." The two partners glanced at each other; neither one would ever dream of insulting the man by calling him Charley. After all, he was obviously the man that Kotetsu's Hundred Power restoration was relying on.

"I'm sure, however, that the flight was quite long and you are no doubt tired, or perhaps wish to explore a bit. There will be time to start the initial tests tomorrow. You are here for at least a week or two, yes?" he asked, glancing back at Barnaby, who concurred. "Separate rooms? Or do you two prefer to share?" Kotetsu started for a moment, but realized that the man was being sincere in his question; there was no animosity there.

Kotetsu remained silent, allowing Barnaby to answer Mr. Wilson. "Separate. But perhaps they could be joined?" the blond suggested. Mr. Wilson nodded and turned them up a staircase, then led them down another hallway before turning right and stopping. He gestured. "Each of these rooms are sets. Just pick two rooms next to each other. We keep them all fully stocked and cleaned, so it will hardly matter which set you choose. This wing is empty except for yourselves, so you needn't worry about putting anybody else out, either," he added with a smile.

"Ah, thanks," Kotetsu replied gratefully, one hand reaching up to rub the back of his head nervously. Things were moving just a little bit too fast for him. Mr. Wilson just nodded, then turned and left, leaving one last set of instructions.

"Just come down the stairs if you'd like to go anywhere, and somebody will be waiting to escort you." Kotetsu and Barnaby acknowledged their understanding, and the man was gone as quickly as he had shown up. The two men looked at each other, frowning lightly, but then shrugged and turned to the task of choosing a room. They settled on a set of rooms done all in royal blue and silver, about halfway down the left side of the hallway. A thick wooden door separated the two rooms, and two keys sat on a small table next to the door in either room, so that either one of them could lock it from their side.

The beds were huge four posters, decorated in the same royal blue and silver theme as the rest of the suite. Each room had an attached kitchenette and bathroom, as well as a small sitting room. Kotetsu realized that the suites were large enough that they'd never actually have to leave the rooms at all, if they didn't wish to. He gave a low whistle. "Man, just how rich are these guys?" he asked softly.

Barnaby shrugged. "Does it matter? Obviously, whatever these men are capable of in the scientific field is worth quite a bit to people who can afford it." Kotetsu nodded, raising an eyebrow. "Nobody's being charged for this, though," his partner reassured him. "Apparently, restoring power is one accomplishment that they don't sell. From what I gathered from Doc Saito, most of these men and woman were saved by those with Next powers, or have Next powers themselves. Heroes are regarded very highly among the people here."

They finished exploring the rooms quickly, then realized that they were both rather tired. The mix of excitement and worry was starting to take its toll on Kotetsu, and he decided that a nap was definitely called for. Barnaby walked through the door into the next set of suites, but didn't lock it behind him, and Kotetsu grinned; his partner really did trust him.

His luggage had been brought into the room while they'd been exploring, but Kotetsu didn't bother to change. He'd shower and dress more appropriately when he woke up in a few hours. He kicked off his shoes and slipped off his shirt. Flopping down on top of the comforter, Kotetsu was asleep almost immediately.

When he woke up four hours later, he heard the low murmur of voices outside his door. He stretched languidly, listening to the soothing alto of his partner. The lower rumbling voice must be the man who had guided them here. He wondered briefly what they were discussing, then decided it hardly mattered. Slipping out of the bed, he padded barefoot into the bathroom. A closet yielded a huge array of toiletries, and Kotetsu glanced through the bottles and jars, selecting shampoo, conditioner, and soap. He was careful not to pick anything flowery – these rooms had obviously been designed to suit the tastes of both males and females.

The hot water was more than welcome, and Kotetsu spent nearly twenty minutes just basking in the warmth after he had finished washing himself clean. His daughter Kaede had often grumbled about him taking all the hot water before she had her turn in the shower in the mornings. To compensate, Kotetsu had gone second, but he had missed being able to stand under heated water for as long as he pleased.

With a satisfied hum, Kotetsu stepped out of the shower. Toweling off quickly, he realized that he hadn't grabbed clean clothes on his way in. Shrugging, he threw his dirty clothes in the hamper, wrapped the royal blue towel around his waist, and stepped into his room, his hair dripping onto his back and chest and making him shiver as the water droplets felt cold against his heated skin.

A discreet cough, followed by Barnaby's wry, "Do you make it a habit to prance around without clothes even when you're a guest?" warned Kotetsu that he wasn't alone. His partner was standing in the center of the room, along with Mr. Wilson. Kotetsu felt the blush heat up his face, but Mr. Wilson just waved off his embarrassment good-naturedly.

"Perhaps we should step outside a moment while he finds something more…appropriate," the older gentleman suggested tactfully. Barnaby nodded and went to follow Charles out the door. "Dress in something comfortable, please, Mr. Kaburagi," Mr. Wilson requested of him. "We are most eager to get started, if you are up to it."

Kotetsu nodded absent-mindedly, part of him not really surprised that they were all in a hurry to get started restoring his powers. They were men of science after all, and scientists were not known for patience when they had a willing test subject. "All right. Will sweats do?" Mr. Wilson nodded his assent, and Kotetsu replied, "Then I'll be out in just a moment."

Walking over to his suitcase, Kotetsu could feel Barnaby's eyes on him, tracing down his backside. He felt himself tense, but otherwise didn't react. Looking was fine, as long as he didn't start touching the areas his eyes were currently perusing. He was out the door a moment later, and Kotetsu sprang into action as the door closed with a soft click.

Less than two minutes later, Kotetsu opened the door, dressed in a comfortably light pair of sweatpants, a well-loved t-shirt, and a pair of socks. He figured he could probably get away walking on these carpets barefoot, but he wasn't sure if that would offend their hosts, so he chose socks as a compromise.

Mr. Wilson nodded his approval at the sight of him, and turned to lead them back down the hallway. Kotetsu fell into step beside Barnaby, leaning slightly towards him as he whispered, "In a bit of a hurry, aren't they? Whatever happened to 'feel free to explore'?"

Barnaby's response was just as quiet. "They want to get the preliminary tests done and over with, so that they can adjust the treatment accordingly. We're trying to restore your Hundred Power back to the full five minutes, so we have to have an exact measurement of its current time. I figured it was better to get this part over with, then we could go explore a bit. They probably won't be ready to start the process until tomorrow at the earliest."

Kotetsu nodded his understanding. Barnaby was right; he'd rather get the testing over and done with as quickly as possible so they could start working on the solution. The longer he had to wait for them to start, the more nervous he'd get.

By this time, their guide had led them back down to the main hallway and down a side corridor that ended in a large stone door. Two men stood at the door, and one moved aside as Charles approached, allowing him to place his hand on a sensor that scanned it for prints and pricked his finger for a DNA match. With a creaking groan, the great monsters swung open, rumbling on their hinges. Behind them was a well-lit stone corridor heading downwards. The stairs, however, were as carpeted as the rest of the building seemed to be.

The three men made their way down the stairs and into a wide room. The carpeting finally gave way to a stone floor, and Kotetsu was grateful for his socks as they stepped onto the cooler platform. He shivered lightly under his t-shirt, and it wasn't all from the cooler air. All around him, machines hummed and whirled and rumbled, lights flashing here and there, and code that no doubt meant something to somebody scrolled across dozens of monitors. Bodies in white lab coats were everywhere, scurrying around on whatever important or self-imposed mission they had given themselves.

Nestled in large cradles on the far right side of the room were two egg-shaped machines that vaguely reminded Kotetsu of the machine that Barnaby had shown him once, the one that allowed him to more clearly and directly access his memories in his dreams as he slept. He guessed correctly that these must be the 'chambers' for the power restoration procedure.

"Which of you is Kotetsu Kaburagi?" a short blond man demanded of them. Kotetsu raised his hand tentatively, and Barnaby just pointed. Blue eyes glanced at him indifferently, then the man turned on his heel and gestured imperiously. "Follow me!" he ordered. Kotetsu, seeing no reason not to, shot his partner a resigned look and padded after the man, who hadn't even had the courtesy to provide his name. Men of science, Kotetsu thought disgustedly.

He was seated in a comfortable reclining chair, and various wires and gadgets were hooked to his body. Cold gel was smeared on his hands and face, and nodes were attached. Kotetsu just frowned at the necessity of it all, but settled back and closed his eyes, letting the aides do as they pleased. They'd let him know when they needed him to do something.

The removal of hands from his body indicated that the aides were finally satisfied and had stepped away. Kotetsu opened his eyes and glanced at the blond man that seemed to be the one in charge. Staring at the equipment in front of him, the man gave his orders. "Use your Hundred Power, Mr. Kaburagi." The older man scowled, but did as he was ordered and felt the strength flow through him. The machines around him started pinging and ticking and blinking, and Kotetsu allowed his eyes to wander until they came to rest on his partner.

Noticing his stare, Barnaby turned to give Kotetsu a reassuring smile before replying to whatever Mr. Wilson had asked him. He frowned lightly, then nodded, making a vague gesture with his hand that was nonetheless emphatic. Kotetsu wondered what that was about, but the sudden tingle that indicated the momentary spike before the Hundred Power ended distracted him. The blond frowned at the screens, then turned to Kotetsu, his eyes narrowed.

"Fifty-five point four seconds?" he demanded of the brunette. Kotetsu just blinked at him, then slumped as it sunk in…he had lost another one point six seconds since his last measurement at fifty-seven seconds, only two days earlier. The other man's expression changed from irritable to concerned in a matter of seconds. "What's wrong? When was the last time you had it measured?"

Kotetsu tilted his head back with a sigh, closing his eyes. He felt Barnaby start to move across the room, but he couldn't avoid it now. "Two days ago. It was at fifty-seconds flat," he replied woodenly. The blond swore, and Kotetsu grimaced in agreement. To lose that much so quickly meant that he was in a seriously bad spot right now.

"We're not waiting any more, then," the man growled. Turning to his people, he snapped, "Get him in a machine, now! And you all, start the calculations! We don't know how long this exact measurement will last, and I'm not risking failure!" The aides hustled, removing the straps and monitors from Kotetsu's body. As soon as the last of the gel was wiped away, the scientists moved him into one of the egg-like contraptions, settling him down in the cushioned interior and checking to be sure he was comfortable. Straps were wrapped from his shoulder down to his opposite hip on either side. As the lid closed, Kotetsu caught a glimpse of Barnaby's worried face as he spoke with the agitated leader.

Kotetsu wanted to comfort his partner, but he had no idea what to say, and no time in which to say it. So he settled for a reassuring smile. He didn't know if Barnaby had seen it or not, but it was all he had to offer. The lid clicked shut with a hiss and a quiet snapping sound as it was sealed. Oxygen filled the egg, mixed with some sort of solution, and Kotetsu felt himself growing drowsy. He still wasn't sure that this was a good idea, but he hadn't been given much choice. Still, his partner was out there. Barnaby would make sure that nothing happened to him.

Letting the lethargy crawl through him, Kotetsu closed his eyes and slept.