DISCLAIMER: I do not own Code Geass or Transformers. They are (respectively) the property of Sunrise/CLAMP and IDW/Takara/Hasbro.
Rated: T for violence, language and light drug use.
Wheeljack brings some new toys for use in the expedition's infiltration endeavors.
Story Note: This chapter takes place during episode 4 of Code Geass R1.
Chapter 2: Second SkinAutobot Outpost
Shinjuku Ghetto, Area 11
After the Autobots' first encounter with Britannian forces in the outer limits days ago, they immediately established a temporary base within the confines of a massive abandoned garage. Since the original landing site was deemed too exposed, Prowl and Jazz decided that they would have to set up the exit point in the back of the garage so that the passage of additional personnel and equipment would go unhindered. Thankfully the structure was spacious enough to fit all occupants of the team, since it was linked to an adjacent car factory which gave them more freedom in their setup.
Meanwhile, Ratchet occupied himself in another space of the outpost as he studied the dead carcass of the Britannian mecha pilot with machine-like precision. Medical scalpels that protruded from his arms poked and prodded into every crevice of the corpse. The chief medical officer held an eerie suspicion that there was something familiar about the man. He just quite couldn't put his finger on it. His medical scanner analyzed every pore and cell, searching for any patterns that separated the unusual from the norm. Ratchet's optics eyed the instrument carefully until he spotted something peculiar in the operator's DNA sequence.
"Hmm. Um-hmm. Just as I thought."
The CMO dared not to waste another second and tapped into his voice comm via his cerebral processor.
[Prowl, I took a look at our dead friend here and he is what you suspected him to be.]
[Do you have the results?]
[I have already forwarded the relevant items to your data pad.]
A temporary pause took hold as Prowl gave his reply.
[Primus. If there's one, there's bound to be more.]
[With the Decepticon infiltration protocol that is likely.]
[I'll contact Optimus and give him the information. Thanks, Ratchet.]
_ _ _
Elsewhere Prowl sat in front of a large holographic terminal. The Autobot deputy commander began the conversation with a ghostly blue projection of Optimus Prime's face on top of the circular grid display. He couldn't help but feel disturbed by this startling development concerning the dead facsimile. Both senior officers were prompt on the topic of the group's arrival to this alternate Earth.
"Prowl, what do you have to report?" Prime said.
"We got through the portal safely. But not without incident."
"What do you mean?"
"We encountered... difficulties upon our arrival. After we discovered the bodies of the Japanese civilians in one of the abandoned structures, we were engaged with a group of armed machines that I have never seen before. Our metallurgical scans indicate that they're human in design and manufacture. And then there's the case of the dead pilot," Prowl answered, a hand scratching the bridge of his nose before he continued. "Ratchet did a postmortem on him not too long ago. There's no question that he's a facsimile."
Prime said nothing, though his visage looked grim with concern.
"Where did you find him?"
"He was assigned with the Britannian garrison that was exterminating the population
before the troops were recalled. It was clear from his expression that he knew what we are."
"Then it's possible we might be even more exposed than initially believed."
"That is the logical conclusion that I have come to at this point."
Facsimiles were artificial agents grown out of fusion tubes by the Decepticon army. These clones resembled beings that their cells were culled from in appearance and genetic structure. Their basic constitution as mimicries of the original subjects made them excellent tools for infiltration within alien governments. The very idea of facsimiles inside critical sectors of Britannia's infrastructure gave the Decepticons a huge strategic advantage, one that the Autobots would have trouble contending with.
"There's one other thing that bothers me. It's been bogging my processor ever since the battle a few days ago. The sudden withdrawal of the Britannian forces by Prince Clovis was no accident."
"Prince Clovis?"
"Possibly our mysterious savior. Unfortunately, he's dead. Word from the local news said that he was shot by an 'honorary Britannian'. Goes by the name Suzaku Kururugi."
Optimus cupped his chin and nodded. "Hmmm. We need to investigate this. I'm sending Nightbeat and some of our other personnel to assist you. Wheeljack will also be bringing in equipment that will aid you in your mission."
"Nightbeat?" Prowl replied as he twitched his left optic. He held respect for the detective's reputation when it came to handling investigations. Though he recalled in his memory banks that Nightbeat also had a tendency to be a bit unorthodox in his methods and preferred playing the lone wolf when he worked on cases.
"Are you certain you want to send him for this particular mission?"
"If there is one thing that I can respect about Nightbeat, it's his persistence in seeking the truth. Once he arrives with the others, I want you to gather whatever intelligence you can. If possible, seek out and capture those facsimiles. Our main priority remains in the location and recovery of the Golden Disk. Keep a low tactical profile. There's no telling how far the Decepticons have spread their influence. For the time being we will lean on the side of caution."
Prowl maintained his composure, and brought himself to full height. "I understand, sir. We'll be keeping in touch."
"Primus be with you."
Optimus' avatar faded into the nothingness, leaving the deputy commander deep in thought.
_ _ _
Several hours had passed before the transwarp rods that regulated passage into Area 11 came to life. Each were lit by three orange rings, all of them indicators that a teleportation sequence was under way. It wasn't until moments later that the portal that brought the Autobots to this alternate Earth materialized. Afterwards, Nightbeat and three other members exited the portal single file. All of them (save one) were eager with anticipation in exploring this strange reality.
The blue-white mech Mirage wasn't very talkative after the arrival. He preferred the elegance of Cybertron, as opposed to traveling to another version of the same planet which he held no real love for. Drift, a blademaster clad in pure white armor, gave an inquisitive look but smiled as he tilted his head from side to side. He shouldered his longsword on his right pauldron as he moved onward. Wheeljack was the last bot to disembark, the engineer glowing with the same joyful exuberance as he always had when it came to engineering, science and exploration.
Jazz led the Cybertronian personnel that arrived prior and greeted their comrades in earnest. Each shook hands with each other as their human compatriots looked on. Prowl came in not too far behind. The deputy commander's face betrayed no emotion as he joined the special ops head to meet the newcomers.
"Good to see you, guys."
"Um-hmm. You too, Jazz. Prowl. Alright, straight to the point: I got the word from Optimus that my assistance is required. To what do I owe the pleasure of providing my talents?" Nightbeat asked of the two officers.
"We're going to be doing some 'digging', if you will. Information gathering," Prowl said succinctly.
"So I've been told. While we're settling in, we also bear gifts," the inspector beamed as he gestured toward a trio of hover crates. They had a metallic sheen along with the Autobot decal imprinted on the side. Wheeljack spoke a moment later.
"A little something we brought along that will be able to help us in our mission."
The mechanical engineer's optics brimmed with enthusiasm as he aimed a remote towards the direction of the containers. An audible click was heard from the device, before Prowl and company turned to face the newcomers' precious cargo. The crates de-pressurized and hissed out steam before the seals separated, unveiling the contents within. Prowl walked up to the exposed crates, and crossed his arms upon a sight he thought he'd never see again.
"Pretender shells?" the deputy commander asked, knowing well what the answer would be.
"Yep," the engineer answered.
Prowl shuddered at even mentioning those words to Wheeljack. The history that went with the shells never escaped his memory banks. Their usage were deemed a touchy subject by the Autobot military. Where they were originally conceived as an external armor plating to give added protection for Transformers against extreme environments, numerous additions were included as scientific advances continued. Over time, the purpose of the shells evolved to disguising Transformers into biological lifeforms. When the Decepticons first ventured into this project, the test trials ended with disastrous consequences, driving their subjects insane or comatose. Autobot research into the project faded into the of winds history when word of its side effects came to light.
After the chaos of the war waned and the Decepticons scattered in splinter groups across the galaxy, the Autobots began to re-explore the option of developing Pretender shells. Past encounters with less-developed races who were not used to the presence of Transformers on their homeworlds warranted the necessity to find alternate means to study alien cultures, where the size and constitution of regular Cybertronians made it impossible to do so. While there was no clear determination as to whether or not when the technology would be put into practical use, present circumstances demanded that new measures were needed in order to ensure that reconnaissance operations ran smoothly.
"Wheeljack, I've read the reports on what the shells do to their hosts. Are you really sure this is a good idea?"
Akin to an insult, the engineer recoiled at the notion of the new devices that he spent time to develop being unsafe. "Absolutely."
Prowl wanted with all his spark to agree with the resourceful mech. However, given that Wheeljack's inventions had a tendency to backfire he couldn't help but cling to his doubts. Memories of the incident involving fuel stabilizers ended with nearly disastrous consequences were it not for the intervention of the famous scientist Perceptor.
"Look, I can understand your skepticism since the grafting process itself was of Decepticon origin. I've been working with Brainstorm on this for a while. Trust me, it's much safer than it was in its first concept. We made some pretty heavy changes."
Do I want to chance the mission on this? Prowl thought fervently. Once he considered the circumstances, he gave a curt nod to the white mech as a sign of consent. Wheeljack took it as a blessing and faced the crowd of onlookers. "All right. I'll need three volunteers."
"I'll do it," Jazz said.
"Same here," Sideswipe added before he pointed a thumb in Sunstreaker's direction.
"No! Absolutely not!" the yellow twin shot back vehemently with glazed optics. "I'm good-looking enough without having to wear the guise of a fleshbag!"
Jazz did not twitch, though he was saddened by the statement the yellow twin made. Everyone knew the special ops lieutenant had a penchant when it came to understanding the finer nuances of foreign civilizations. He watched in silence as the brothers continued to argue with each other over wearing the shells.
"Come on bro, it's a learning experience," Sideswipe said, ever insistent in swaying his brother to chip in. Sunstreaker walked up close to his twin and remained adamant in his resistance.
"The answer is still no."
"Afraid that I'll be hogging all the fun and glory while you're over here kissing skidplates?" Sideswipe teased.
Anger began to well up within the mind of the yellow Lambo. His fists were clutched to his sides, trying to resist the urge to make a dent to the Sideswipe's faceplate. All within proximity of the of two squabbling mechs caught on the spectacle. Before Sunstreaker raised any more of a ruckus, Jazz moved himself in-between to defuse the quarrel.
"Listen, 'Streaker. I know that you're not exactly fond of Earthlings. And I know that the last thing you want to do is associate with humans up close and personal. But I'm asking for your help. And I'm not asking as your superior, but as a friend."
The white mech placed a hand on Sunstreaker's shoulder.
"Besides, if we ever get into a scuffle we'll need someone else besides Sides to watch our backs. After all, two's better than one."
Sunstreaker shifted glances and finally resigned himself to Jazz's request before he raised an index finger. "Alright. Just this once."
_ _ _
Each of the three Autobots bore external metallic plates that fitted around their frames. At first they were somewhat hesitant the moment they first attached the strange constructs onto their bodies. Wheeljack rambled on about the new features as the trio examined their new equipment, whose excitement was apparent for this new invention.
"We made extensive modifications to the shells since their first introduction many vorns ago. When the Decepticons first started this, there was a programming flaw that corrupted a Transformer's subroutines. We re-wrote the code from scratch, so it's much more stable now. Thus, you won't have any issue of ending up being insane or comatose like those first bots. The shells are equipped with microscopic nanites that regulate your size and mass change requirements. When you first alter into your organic forms, your bodies will undergo a temporary shutdown while the transformation is taking effect. Once you turn into humans, you are capable of processing human foods and liquids for consumption, and last for several Earth days before you need to recharge. However, that comes at the cost of losing a fraction of your strength and your weapons systems from your original robot states. Your sensitivity to pain will be increased, although you still have the option of shutting off your pain receptors.
"Once you change back into your robot forms it will require a certain expenditure of energy for the transformation. As the process occurs, it will take up at least fifteen percent of your body's internal energon stores in order for the nanites to re-constitute your original state, so you'll want to use that option sparingly. Also, your shells are tied specifically to your individual genetic codes, so you don't have to worry about the 'Cons tampering with them. On a side note: in combat situations, your shells come as an added layer of protection. It can withstand weapons fire and aid in your regenerative functions. However, once it sustains too much damage it'll put your bodies into stasis lock. Remember: this thing's biological armor. You're a part of it and it's a part of you. If needed, you can also remotely control your shell via subdermal chips in your cerebral processors if you need to disguise yourselves quickly and vice versa. They can shrink and compress so that they can fit in the back storage of your superstructures."
"Sounds good. Let's get started," Jazz said, unable to resist the excitement filling up his processor. He always wondered what it felt like to live and walk like an Earthling. Now he and two of his fellow warriors got the chance to experience a more hands-on approach. Their plates enveloped them in a mesh of numerous minuscule robots that would alter them in a way that their human cohorts would never thought possible. Soon their bodies became bathed in light within their shells.
_ _ _
|Initializing conversion...|
|Re-booting core processor...|
|System operations normal...|
|All cerebral functions running at optimal levels...|
|Awakening...|
Chip and a group of other techs watched in awe at the result of the three Autobots' transformation. Their having observed the Pretender transformation process felt akin to watching cocoons metamorphose into butterflies. All of the volunteers discarded their helmets and exhaled
as the change reached its conclusion when the light dissipated.
"Impressive," Spike mused, visibly astounded at the changes the Autobot operatives underwent. The human liaison spun towards the mechanical engineer and back to the team of newly altered Cybertronians.
"I got to give you credit, Wheeljack. They certainly look like the real deal."
"How are you guys feeling?" Wheeljack asked.
"Small..." Sunstreaker said, staring back at Prowl who towered over him. The yellow twin felt somewhat daunted not by the sheer size of his fellow Autobot, but at the fact that he was feigning as an organic lifeform of a world he was not native of. He never felt that kind of emotion in his entire existence. "I feel completely... small..."
"This is amazing!" exclaimed Sideswipe. The youthful soldier laughed himself away as he did handstand, back flips, and other aerobic feats around the garage. Never before had the Autobots seen such cheerfulness in him when he served alongside them. Jazz was not too far off, examining the features of his new organic body as he posed himself towards the reflection of one of the crates.
"Very nice..." the Autobot spec ops officer whispered in self-admiration. He had light brown skin and sported a goatee that extended to his sideburns. Jazz welcomed the change with great enthusiasm.
For the three Pretenders, it was one big adjustment that they would have to get used to quickly and the beginning of a strange journey.
_ _ _
Not too long after their little exhibition with the shells, Jazz and the twins scavenged for clothes for their upcoming mission. Prowl tasked the three mechs with Trailbreaker for an exploration of the Tokyo Settlement. Spike volunteered to accompany the team since he was the expedition's chief liaison, but also because he could blend in easily with the population. He busied himself prepping his standard issue tactical kit, including weapons, ammo, and first aid if the team got into trouble. Marissa tapped Spike from behind and passed him a pocket-sized gray handheld with a light blue screen.
"Chip thought you might need this. He's been scavenging the internet for information on those things that we encountered a few days ago. The data's been uploaded into the PDA. It's not as good as Jane's, but it gives at least a basic outline into some of the machinery we're up against."
Spike took a cursory glance at the device and sifted through each entry. Pistols, assault rifles, tanks, aircraft, the works. Upon the next entry within the storage device his face brightened with recognition on the digital image. A portrait of the blue mecha that the Autobots fought earlier was dubbed the 'Sutherland'.
"Knightmare Frames, eh? Thanks, Marissa. I'll take a look at some more on the way to the city," he said before he paged down through the some final details and pocketed the the device into his jeans. He walked to the side of the garage where the three Pretenders finished changing their clothes.
"You guys ready?"
"We're set over here," Jazz said. The white Porsche-turned organic lookalike walked alongside the Lambo twins. Jazz was calm, composed, and wore a white shirt with a men's suit and a green tie. Spike was impressed by the special ops agent, the latter knew good taste when it came to clothing. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker wore casual attire of normal-looking civilians that helped them brighten their youthful appearance. The red twin had auburn hair, with bluish eyes and a curved face that would've made him an instant winner with human women. Sunstreaker's form shared similar qualities with his sibling, save for the blond hair and the deadly gaze he retained from his original robot form. Spike, satisfied with the results, signaled the team to follow him.
"Alright, let's get Trailbreaker and head out to Tokyo. We could use a little sight-seeing."
_ _ _
Downtown
Tokyo Settlement, Area 11
On the ride over to the settlement, Jazz and Spike sat in the back and studied the history of this alternate Earth in great detail from the information they were given. The paragraphs that followed showed extensive details of past events that occurred over the last two millennia. As they continued to pore through the data, they stumbled upon entries that outright shocked them:
Benjamin Franklin taking bribes from the British and betraying his countrymen.
George Washington's rebellion against the imperium and the failure of the American Revolution...
And the subjugation of the Japanese people by the Britannian Empire.
"So the United States as a nation never even existed," Spike said with a solemn face.
"Japan's been turned to a colony, and its people are now called Elevens..." Jazz concluded before he asked: "Remind you of anything?"
"Yeah, I recall facts about the Irish being indentured servants after they arrived to America. Same for the Italians. Also reminds me of the Industrial era where European nations expanded throughout Africa, China, and India," the SEAL explained before putting the PDA back in his pocket and leaning back against his chair. "Of course, we're equally guilty. I wonder what else is different out here..."
On the subject of alternate identities, Jazz settled on Jerome Snyder. He is the eldest brother of Chris and Evan Snyder (Sideswipe and Sunstreaker respectively). The three migrated from the Britannian mainland on a business venture to Japan, and came across Spike, who worked as a contractor for the government. Chip was still busy working on producing plausible cover stories for the team if they ever came across a hurdle, so Jazz brought it upon himself to school the twins in Earth culture to help them blend in with the populace.
Once they reached the outer limits of the city, Trailbreaker deposited the group near an avenue where it connected to a series of stores and shops. Jazz fished his jacket's breast pocket and produced four plastic cards. Spike's eyes inspected them as he faced back in his cohort's direction. They were based off the civilian I.D. founded off of the dead facsimile.
"I.D. Cards?"
"Courtesy of Chip. Might come in handy," the Autobot Pretender said.
"I'll have to thank him later."
"Alright, Trailbreaker. We're going to be roving around for a bit. You might want to do the same so as not to arouse suspicion," Jazz suggested.
"Definitely. I'll be staying in communications range in case you need me. And guys, good luck," Trailbreaker said before he left on his own.
_ _ _
Night settled in as the four friends explored the Tokyo Settlement. The distance was forgiving since their group were within less than an hour's travel time if they needed to re-stock on certain supplies. While Prowl insisted that the four keep a low profile, it didn't prevent them from having a little bit of fun. He decided to place his trust in Spike and Jazz to lead since both were capable of adapting on the fly. They had to play the role of guardians since the twins had a strong tendency to be impulsive in their behavior at times. Spike wanted to give his friends an unofficial 'initiation' ceremony for the transition into human culture. He suggested heading out to a nearby bar, before Sideswipe uttered something.
"Hard currency, anyone?"
The other three turned their attention to 'Chris' as he whipped out a small stack of bills out of his khakis. Spike's eyes narrowed at the very sight of them.
"Where did you get that?"
"Oh, with the help of a little gizmo Wheeljack whipped up. Got the money from an ATM machine."
Spike gave a reprimanding stare at the red twin. As they walked, the SEAL officer kept in mind that he was going to have a little word with the engineer once they got back to base. His silence and facial expression was enough to send a signal to the young Pretender that what he did to get the cash was wrong, despite the utility of the gadget.
"You're welcome," Sideswipe said with a boyish, child-like demeanor.
The team continued onward into the city until they spotted an establishment a few more blocks down called 'Violet Hour'. Spike led them in with Jazz and the twins in tow. It had an elegant feel to it, where the mahogany tables were arranged alongside the windows, and gave an excellent view of outside activity. When they reached the bar, Spike ordered their drinks. The bartender came back and delivered four beer bottles and glass mugs with due haste, as each member poured their liquids into their respective mugs. The SEAL led first with his mug raised high while the others followed suit. The Cybertronians shared a similar custom on their world when they drank glasses of high-grade energon for a celebratory occasion.
"To peace and friendship," Spike intoned.
"To peace and friendship," the other three echoed in unison. All of them sipped the frothy gold liquid. Jazz did not know what to think, but drank more of his beer anyway.
"This ain't too bad!" Sideswipe said, his face slightly contorted as his body tried to adjust to the flavor of the foamy drink.
"I'd rather have some high-grade..." Sunstreaker frowned. The unfamiliar taste of human alcohol in his mouth left an impression on his taste buds that he wouldn't forget. Oh how he missed Cybertron...
An audible beep was heard as Spike reached for his cell phone. He glanced at the device and gestured to Jazz. Whatever he saw on the phone, the human commander's face implied that it was something important. Jazz nodded in understanding, and turned to the twins with instructions to wait while he and Spike went towards the window to discuss business matters. By then they were out of sight of the Lambo brothers.
From of the corner of his eye, Sideswipe spotted a group of thugs beating up an elderly Japanese man. He lightly rapped on his brother's shoulder, pointing in the direction of the gang. Sunstreaker glanced over at his back and watched at the event unfold. Then, he turned away towards the bar and faced down at his drink.
"We just gonna sit here and do nothing?" the red twin questioned.
"It doesn't have anything to do with us."
"Like the Pit it doesn't!" Sideswipe whispered to his brother's ear. "Damn it, he's a defenseless man! We can't just watch by the sidelines with our hands tied!"
Sunstreaker spun again and considered the scenario as the beating continued. After a moment of consideration, he launched out of his chair and darted outside. Sideswipe quickly went after his sibling as the latter faced himself towards the group of hoodlums that were assaulting the elderly man. The pair quickly caught the attention of the ravenous gang. All of them sported spiked baseball bats, chains, and other assorted contraband weapons.
Soon the leader of the mob stepped forward, his musculature large and well-defined.
"What are you looking at, punk?"
"I was just wondering, is it just me or do certain people here in the city always beat up on the minority?" Sideswipe smirked. These thugs believed that they were facing off against two human outsiders. Little did the gang know they were going to be in for a big surprise.
"What's this Eleven to you?"
"Let's just say... I don't take very kindly on those who oppress the weak, especially the elderly," the red twin snarled.
"Then perhaps me and my boys'll take out our aggressions on you then!"
"You're welcome to try," Sideswipe challenged. One gangster stepped forward, lunging a blade at him before a fist sent the man flying twelve feet into the air. Immediately Sunstreaker and Sideswipe stood back to back as the encirclement closed upon them. Both Pretenders held their ground as the Britannians all swarmed at once. The yellow twin sent three of them keeling over with a swift kick. Sideswipe head-butted one of the taller ones before he launched a sharp right hook along to the man's cheek. Dozens of civilians looked onward as the conflict escalated.
The brawl continued for a good ten minutes, and gave the twins a much desired workout. The leader, who got back on his feet, had his face swollen with marks and bruises. Everyone else who fought them were unconscious or groaned in pain. Either way, the two siblings gave their opponents a taste of some badly needed punishment.
"Want some more?" the red Pretender shot out as he cracked his knuckles.
No replies were given, every member of the gang was already worn out from the fight earlier.
"Chris! Evan! That's enough!" Jazz called from afar as he walked to the source of the commotion.
"You'll have to forgive these guys. They had a little too much to drink," the older bot smiled before he dragged the twins back into the bar. The gang that assaulted the elderly Japanese man recovered themselves and scurried off in fear, leaving the Pretenders free to resume their business.
After the situation settled to a calm, Jazz turned to the two siblings and warned them with a brotherly-like disposition. "You need to be careful out there. We're trying to maintain our cover."
"We couldn't sit here and do nothing," Sideswipe argued.
Jazz whispered to the red twin's ear and said: "Look man, I know this whole subservient thing with the Japanese is hard to swallow. but we have to keep a low profile. We can't help every Japanese person we come across. Trust me, I'm feeling the same way you do. Come on, let's get Spike and pay for the drinks so we can vamoose."
_ _ _
Slightly distracted, Spike looked into his mug before he noticed a commotion just several feet away. He handed several bills to cover the drinks, before he turned his head and saw that there was a swarm of customers gathered around a TV connected to the wall in the main lounge. Whatever was happening caught their interest in a heartbeat. On the display was Suzaku Kururugi, who was covered in a straitjacket that constricted his movement.
"Hey look, something's happening!"
"Who is that?"
Intrigued, the SEAL officer got out of his seat and watched as the spectacle unfolded on live television. One masked man filled the television screen. A squad of Sutherlands surrounded the unknown individual, whose black gold-trimmed cape flapped as the winds blew through the air. Commotion filled the entire area as the mysterious human stood atop a personal transport that belonged to the late Prince Clovis.
"The man who killed Clovis... was myself!" exclaimed the individual.
Spike pulled out his cellular and hurriedly called back the base.
_ _ _
Autobot Outpost
Shinjuku Ghetto, Area 11
Chip leaned against the garage wall as he smoked his cigarette. After puffing for a moment, he discarded the object and walked back inside through the back door of the garage. The building was dimly lit as everyone preoccupied themselves in preparation for Spike's upcoming assignment.
"Yes?"
"Chip, it's Spike. Are you on your laptop right now?"
"No but I was just about to do some work. Why?"
"Turn on the local news channel. Get Prowl and Marissa there as well."
"Is there something wrong?"
"No, but it's something that they need to see. I think our mysterious savior decided to make an appearance."
Not another second went to waste as Chip pulled his laptop out of sleep mode and initiated a link to the local news network. It didn't take long until Prowl and Marissa caught wind of Spike's call. All three associates perched in front of his screen as they watched the spectacle with Suzaku's rescue unfold. What they saw before their eyes baffled them completely. The acting consul in charge of the public execution of Suzaku Kururugi ordered his release to the entity named Zero. It became a chaotic situation where intent to put the Japanese man to death was replaced by a grim determination in allowing him to go free. The vigilante took advantage of the chaos and pulled Suzaku to safety atop a connecting bridge, disappearing from public view. One thing's for sure, the name of the individual who pulled off this daring little stunt would forever be imprinted on the minds of viewers around the colony.
Zero.
End of Chapter 2
Author's Note: For those not in the know, Jane's is a series of real-life reference books/encyclopedias of the world's military hardware. Ships, aircraft, tanks, the works.
Questions? Comments? Gripes? Please do not hesitate to tell me! Just remember: no flaming!
As usual, I would like to give my thanks to all of you who has read this fic so far and gave honest feedback. Keep in mind: the story is in and of itself an evolving continuum which is subject to changes in which I deem fit and necessary (along with a few helping hands), so don't say I didn't warn you. :)