Bullets shot through the air, eating up the open space of the Kiryuin mansion's main hall. Inumata and Sanageyama dodged behind a pillar, as did Ryuko and Gamagoori. Everyone else was behind furniture.
"Inumata Houka!" Someone shouted as the assault continued. "You ruined us, but now we'll get our comeuppance."
Satsuki was with Mako behind a partition jetting from the west wall. "They're not normal. What company in Japan keeps guns with live ammo?" Satsuki murmured.
"We have to stop them! But how, without the uniforms!?" cried Mako. She squirmed in her place.
Satsuki noticed that the angle of the bullets changed. She pushed Mako's head down, dodging a string of bullets aimed. The people in suits were advancing.
Gamagoori roared and flanked them from his pillar. He swatted four of the back through the hole they entered. This gave the group pause, pause enough for Sanageyama to begin his attack. He found leverage on Satsuki's high chair and leaped, going for an aerial attack. He brought his wooden sword down on a woman's wrists, making her release the gun. He kicked it away towards Nonon, who picked it up and aimed at the group's feet. Ryuko crawled her way to Inumata, who was furiously typing at his cell phone.
"What the hell is going on?" she yelled. She glared at him, marking him as the declared source of trouble.
Inumata gave a grave smile. "I was bored."
"Yeah, you were bored. Now we have plenty to keep us busy, huh?" she sneered.
Inumata ignored her and keep typing.
"What are you doing? Will it help."
"I got their identities via proxy communication. Most of them have their cells on them, with other's information. As they said, they are the ruined Nazemaki corporation."
"Great, but how does that help us?"
"In a small way." He stopped typing and peered over the couch where they hid. Sounds and buzzes erupted from the people in suits, giving them another moment of pause. Only one had the chance to open his phone, reading the text "Watch Out :P" before Gamagoori bear hugged all of them. He lifted all of them up at once and threw them out of the mansion. However, as they fell out, some of them were able to stay inside the property.
"Everyone!" Suddenly, Mako flew into the middle of the room. "Everyone, I think that this is not a separate incident!" She threw her arms into the air. Darkness. A single spotlight shines down on her. "If the guys who attack hacker guy and Iori looked like these guys, then I'm thinking they have to be, have to be the same! Lies are being spread again Satsuki! Somehow! Some way! It's not right! But! We must fight! For the sake of peace!"
A grenade rolled to her feet. One of the people in the suits ran off, getting into a dark van parked outside of the mansion. Mako looked down as a flash enveloped the room.
A blast shattered every window, broke every delicate tile on the ground, and destroyed any decoration in the building. Parts of the floor crumbled in the explosion. The curtains caught on fire. The smoke did not settle for some time. Everything was still, it seemed, until the smoke dissipated.
A cry tore through the silence. "Mako!" Gamagoori was at the spot she had been standing. He cradled her soot covered body in his big hands. He stared intensely at her limp form. "You must wake up!"
Inumata groggily rose from under some rubble. The bodyguard's pleas felt too familiar. He lifted himself up and surveyed the damage. Sanageyama and Nonon were able to get to Satsuki, and Ryuko was standing up next to him. She headed towards Gamagoori cautiously. She face was ghost white. Inumata's eyes wandered to the room where Iori was being kept, only to see it crushed under the floor above it.
"Iori," he whispered. It was as if he only blinked, and he was already digging at the ruins. His fingers bled at the effort. "Dammit. I can't even…" Inumata pounded at the rocks in front of him. He was tried. He felt hurt. Tears flowed from his eyes freely. He didn't have the strength to keep them back. Sanageyama stood by him. Inumata did not care to look up, but could tell by his voice that he was extremely upset.
"We'll get them. Don't worry, we'll get them." A roar sounded behind them. They turned to see Gamagoori with fat tears falling down his face. Satsuki stood apart, looking at the drama.
"I can't feel a pulse," the bodyguard managed to choke out. His eyes were downcast. He held Mako close.
Ryuko audibly gulped. Her face had not regained color. "Can… I see her?"
Gamagoori unclenched his hands. Mako's face was blank. She was still. Ryuko reached out her hand and petted her head. Then she flinched. Ryuko grabbed Mako's torso and felt at her throat. She chirped.
"Ah! You lummox, she's alive!
This earned a collective noise of surprise from everyone. Even Inumata. He swerved his head around in shock, practically flinging off the tears.
Gamagoori's mouth hung open. "I guess your hands are too big to feel a pulse," Ryuko commented. Her voice was trembling in relieved laughter. Mako could survive anything, couldn't she?