Author's Note: Another chapter. As you can tell, I am kind of just pushing into the plot here...

Chapter 4

A chill blew by in the cold night air. City lights shone from afar and down below as Mikoto Misaka stood at the roof of a tall building, over looking yet another one of her targets. She pinched the bridge of her eyes. "I really do not need to exert myself tonight, not after how terrible a day today was..."

Not long ago, the level 5 Railgun was taking a small shopping trip with her friends, Kuroko, Uiharu, and Saten. While they all put on smiles and tried to talk about things that did not particularly concern Mikoto and her wierd behavior, the whole time she was too focused on her task at hand and could not even enjoy her time with them, all the while trying not to fall over. The only time her energy was fluctating nicely was when she was doing what she had to do now... Tonight, she would only take out one of these research centers, and see if she could find any of those clones in it as well, hopefully being able to disuade her from her set fate.

Mikoto took in a deep breath, then kicked off the side of the building, falling straight down like an arrow towards a square glass roof. She squinted, and then, in a flash, bursted through the glass. Several men in white long lab coats were surprised by the sudden intrusion and the shake that came after, electricity flying in the smoke. No one saw who it was, but as they dropped various files and boxes, others ceasing activities on monitors and other electronic equipment, a scream came forth and discharges of blue cackles were sent everywhere.

Man after man, they fell unconcious as Mikoto stood in the center, her electricity flailing widely. She stared sternly at nothing in particular as the dust from her crash settled, then, with a look in any direction, she cast forth a bolt which blew out electronic equipment in every direction. Another look, and then another, she set forth a cloud of disruption, setting every computer and file ablaze. Mikoto was determined to burn this facility to the ground.

They think playing with peoples' lives is a game... I'll show them all exactly what they are dealing with...

Mikoto walked forward towards a door. She stood before the steel door, it was obviously print or recognition activated, since no hint of a door knob was present. With a flick of energy, the door was fooled and opened up a new path to her. No soul was present, and she could see a blinking light in the far back of the room. A silent alarm had been triggered, and it was obvious security was on it's way.

"Geez, why can't they just leave me alone..." Mikoto walked into the room, electricity hurling in every direction, blowing every peice of equipment up. She kept a smooth and steady pace, doing this was not a problem for her, it was the next part that was coming up. She lowered her hat to help cover her face, then, a door slid open, revealing special suited officers. They ran in, each carrying a rifle of an advanced degree. They took positions aiming at her, some crouched.

"Freeze!" the leader of the squad shouted.

Mikoto blinked dully at them. Using faceless soldiers to stop a level 5 esper, how slow are these people exactly? They haven't caught onto who she really is yet? Are they that foolish? "Geez, it is always the same crap every building I walk into..." She looked to the ground, her hand opened straineously with a spark to add. One of the soldiers stared at her, wondering what was going to happen. "First, they send the hold up squad... you guys... then it is an elite armored unit from the outside, then... nothing else but a fire burning facility. If you wish to get out of here unharmed, then I'd suggest running now... I won't kill anyone, just the equipment." She looked up at them barely. "So... what is it going to be?"

"How about you surrender!?" said the leader, aiming his gun at her. Mikoto responded with a sigh.

"Really... again. Geez, are you all trained to say that? Fine..." Mikoto put her wrist to her hip. "If that is the way it has to be, then I'll follow through with my part of the act..." Electricity started to spawn from her feet, reaching higher and higher with each second. The leader's eyes shook with anxiety, fear of what the esper was going to do.

"F-Fire! Fire, fire, fire!"

At once, the squadron of men let loose a barrage of bullets. Flashes of blue and yellow light rebounded off the clean walls, rapid successions of bullet shells blanketed the floor as ear peircing noises rang forth from their weapons. They kept firing, the light was so blinding, they could not even see if they were hitting their target, and whether they were making any kind of hits or not.

Inside the flashes, Mikoto stood still as an electric shield curved each and every shot to the walls behind her sides. She blinked in a dull manner as they kept emptying their magazines. These people obviously have no idea what an esper truly is capable of... Mikoto lifted her arm, then she let loose a volt that ranged to her group of targets, then, the flashes stopped. Smoke bellowed from their weapons which now lied on the ground next to the group of guards who too lied on the ground. Mikoto shook her head and walked forth, being sure to step over the people. No human being would get away with this insane experiment, not one doctor would escape her punishment.

Mikoto travelled through many various cubicle rooms and laboratories as she made her way down stairs, being sure to crush any obstacles in her path and destroy any kind of data and equipment that happened to find its way into her path. I'm not sorry about this... I'm sorry at all... After two hours of constant destruction and constant obstacles, whether it be guards, heroic scientists and doctors, or machine bots, she finally reached the basement where they kept the clones in pods. Mikoto stared at the heavily armored mechanical door, pondering whether or not going inside and doing some damage would hurt her own in any sort of way.

"Well, going in to take a look shouldn't be a problem... After all, all of the other facilities had transferred them all somewhere else. So what could be different here..." the statement was not exactly a question, determining the fact she had seen this room more than a couple of times, so nothing she would find should surprise her. But there was always this nervous feeling one of those clones could be resting in one of those pods, being taught all kinds of "emotions", programs to take away her innocense. The esper cringed at the mere thought of it, programming a living being's mind.

"That's it!" With a spark, the blast door began its opening procedure. A rush of air blew passed the girl, her shirt flailing to her back wildly as a scraping noise entered her eardrums. Slowly, the heavy door shifted apart, and several more scientists were located on the otherside. They were shocked to see her, and in a second, it was literal. Assholes... Mikoto stepped into the room and took a vague look around, seeing the familiar equipment. A CAT scanner, various monitors and expensive equipment, a table where they would sit one of her clones and give her various questions. The thought iritated her that these people saw them naked as well, she couldn't help but feel some how violated by it. With a shudder, she walked forth and came to what she feared most, the window which held a view of several, if not more than 20 flat pods where her clones would lie down and a recieve emotions.

She looked down, small beads of sweat rolling down her forehead. Her eyes quickly and attentively scanned the room before her, she was honestly afraid one, or possibly even more could be down there. Her anxiety was at a peak, but a smile cracked in her nervous features.

"F-phew..." She stuttered, jittering slightly. She looked down with a crooked grin of relief. "No one is there. They must have already transferred them somewhere else... But that means I still have to find out where they are taking them all... I have to find them, I must save them from this insane fate." No one should have to be born just to end up being killed by some maniac... Mikoto turned around with an exhausted frown on her face, then, lit the room up with lightning.

Small sweat drops fell onto the sidewalk in the night, an exhuasted Misaka Mikoto walked alongside it, her head to the ground. She had endured a lot of hard work, and tonight was supposed to be easy. She blinked at the dark ground, her legs started to buckle up, her breathing was becoming uneven, she felt like she had run through a thousand sprints, until finally, she let her body have its way, and she leaned against a dark corner, trying to hide the water in her eyes. An image of a girl came to her head, and then a blood pool. An insane laughter filled her mind's ears, and she slid down slowly in melancholy, trying to keep it together.

Another image bursted into her head, one of her sister and her, fighting over a childish button. Mikoto could remember them fighting, eating an icecream, only for it all to so suddenly end. A tear escaped her eye, this was not like her at all, but she only sighed and let it run down her cheek, the only lone tear that she would let escape. Mikoto kept her head down, the same images rushing through her head, the reality of it all still weighing her down. Because of me, they are all dying... She sniffled. They are dying... and all I can do is this? That's just... It is just... She shook her head as a drop of water hit her hat, startling her. Mikoto slowly glanced up, and another rain drop hit her cheek right below her eye.

Mikoto breathed in and out, trying to catch her breath from all of the chaos as rain drops started to fall faster and faster. "I can't help them... What are they supposed to do after all of it is done, huh?" Mikoto kept her head to the ground, the guilt would not lift from her spirit, it upset her. With a shake of her head, Mikoto pushed herself up, placing one hand on the building she was leaning on, then it slipped, sending the girl back down. She was exhausted as she breathed in again and again, still thinking about the many girls on her mind.

"Mikoto?"

The esper froze when she heard the familiar voice. Slowly, she looked up through the rain to find a silhoute of a girl holding an umbrella, then she came into view. Mikoto only blinked at her. "S-... Saten?"

The girl nodded. "Mikoto..." Saten kneeled next to her and wrapped a careful arm under hers, then she took Mikoto's arm and wrapped it around her neck, hoisting her up carefully. "Come on, I'm sure you're tired, aren't you?" Mikoto slowly got to her feet, wishing she didn't have to depend on her friend to do this. As the two slowly walked forth the raining sidewalk, Mikoto took a look at Saten with weary eyes. The level 0 had a sure smile on her face as they walked forth, then she looked at her. "Don't worry, alright? I'm taking you to my place and you can rest there... This is absolutely no trouble, okay?" She smiled more. "In times like this, rely on your friends, okay?"

Mikoto, who stared at the turning face of her dear friend, slowly nodded and lied her head into her neck, feeling the warmth against her cold stature.

Saten and Mikoto finally approached the door into Saten's dorm room. With a twist of a knob, she opened it and guided her weary and exhausted friend inside and lead her to a bed. "Here, sleep right here, alright? I'm going to get you something comfy to sleep in, so take off that wet clothing, you'll get sick if you stay in it."

Mikoto sat down on the floor and obliged, taking her shirt off first, then her undershirt as Saten pulled out some clothes from a drawer. The two got Mikoto changed into a big white T-shirt and Saten took Mikoto's latter clothing into her figure and hoisted them up as the electromaster climbed into the bottom bed.

"Okay, you get some sleep, I'm going to get these cleaned up. I'll be back shortly, so don't worry yourself."

Mikoto, who was getting a little hazy by now, nodded and slumped her head deep into the pillow, pulling the covers over herself. And slowly, little by little, her world faded and eventually turned black, pulling her into a deep sleep.