Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Files Continuation Fanfic Series
File #7: Web of Lives
Part 4: Retribution
by P. Kristen Enos
Posted 8/24/09
Unfortunately beta-less this time around! But please try not to be too distracted by that.
SPOILERS WARNING!!!
Most of these stories take place AFTER the TV Series! So DON'T blame me if I ruin the ending for you because you read these stories first!
Lesbian/Yuri/Shoujo Ai Warning! (Non-explicit -- at least in the "PG13"/"R" sort of way.) Just not written for children because they probably wouldn't get half of it.
All rights belong to JVC/AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story.
* * * * *
Chapter 26: Siege
10:07 a.m., June 17th, The Watanabe Grand Hotel, Tokyo
In the privacy of the luxurious suite, the four Watanabe siblings regarded each other quietly. The three men were in their finest suits while Yoshiko wore an elegant kimono.
"Well, Densuke, this day has been a long time coming," Largo said as he eyed his youngest brother. "Even though you will now be a Chang, we know you are still a Watanabe at heart."
He gave a slight bow and said, "Of course. This is a union of our families. My children with Reika will honor both blood lines."
Ryoko, the third oldest sibling, gave him a playful slap on the shoulder. "Never thought you'd actually be serious about settling down as a family man. I guess stranger things can happen in this world. Good going, Little Brother."
All eyes then settled on their sister, who had remained quiet until that point.
Yoshiko stepped forward and gave him a slight smile. She planted a gentle kiss on his cheek and said, "We're proud of you."
He genuinely smiled in return. They were, after all, family.
Largo's phone suddenly buzzed in his pocket. "I suppose that's our reminder that several hundred people are waiting on us downstairs," he said as he pulled it out to check who was calling him.
Minutes later, Densuke was in the hotel lobby, greeting well-wishers.
Driven by curiosity in the back of his mind, he scanned the faces and was puzzled to not see the one he was looking for. He knew she was no longer the maid of honor but he had assumed she would still attend the wedding. Not that he actually asked anyone specifically about her attendance status.
He thought about hunting down Jun to ask her, using this as a feeble excuse to initiate conversation but then thought better of it.
He then ran into Largo's personal assistant and asked if Sylia Stingray was on the guest list. He was genuinely surprised to learn that she wasn't expected to attend.
He was also surprised that he felt more concerned than anything else. This must have meant something big had happened between her and Reika. This realization bothered him more than the news of Leslie's death in a car accident.
Just then, the hotel ballroom plunged into darkness as the lights went out.
* * *
10:49 a.m., Three Blocks Away from The Watanabe Grand Hotel, Tokyo
"So we're sure that was the only one?" Nigel asked the two women who were displayed in their separate video screens in the mobile pit.
Behind him, Mackey was focused on monitoring the readings of the terminals hooked up to the frozen boomer.
In standby mode, Priss and Cynthia observed the conversation.
"I didn't find any other hidden commands," Linna reported from her office at home.
Also at her home, Nene nodded. "Neither did I. But I already wrote a patch that we can still in her program. She'll only lose today's memories but it'll get her started again. It should only take an hour at the most. And I can do it from here if you free up a connection for – "
Both phone screens suddenly went dark and started to display a "No Service" message.
"What the heck?!" Nigel mumbled as he tried reconnecting them without success.
"We've also lost all of our connections to the outside, even to the Silky Doll," Mackey reported as he also tried to re-establish a connection.
"My phone isn't receiving a signal either," Priss announced as she tossed the device to the side.
Both Cynthia and Mackey suddenly straightened up in alarm at noises only they could hear.
"There are several helicopters coming from the north!"
Nigel glanced at his watch. "Timing's too coincidental. Get into your suits!"
* * *
"Cynthia? Can you hear me?" Priss asked into her helmet once she had propelled up into the air with a jump. She had her suit still in stealth mode, knowing that surprise was the only way the two of them could have an edge against a dozen helicopters.
"Yes. I'm right behind you."
She breathed a sigh of relief that by being up in the sky they must be out of range of the signal disruptor.
"Suggestions on where to start?" she asked as they flew towards the speeding choppers.
"There's several blocks of construction sites to the west. If we knock them in that direction, it should minimize bystander causalities."
"Got it! I'm heading for the one in the front!"
"All right."
Priss focused her attention so her suit could respond with a rocket boost from the last jump off of an office building rooftop. In the next second, she collided into the side of the lead helicopter, knocking both of them into the direction of the construction site.
Embedded into the out of control machine, Priss mentally kicked her boosters into full throttle to propel her catch as deep into the construction zone as possible. She forced herself not to worry too much about the crew, thinking that this was their chance to save themselves before the impending crash landing into the metal framework. Hopefully, she could keep the vehicle from exploding upon impact.
The mass of metal crashed into the top of a partially finished building, knocking down several layers of the top floors before wedging itself into the core of the building.
Priss quickly freed herself from the wreckage so she could rejoin the fight. Just then, she saw the pink Knight Saber whiz by with two choppers in tow from cables she used as a lasso.
She was about to smile in pride at her woman when she was distracted by a large explosion back in the direction of the hotel.
A helicopter had burst into flames and dropped towards the ground in a fireball.
Another chopper in the swarm was also caught by anti-aircraft weaponry and exploded in mid air.
Priss immediately jumped back towards the action even though she knew she was too late to catch any of the falling debris from hitting any of the more occupied areas. The best she could hope for was to get this battle under control as quickly as possible.
* * *
The explosions and gunfire outside eventually stopped and everyone huddled inside the large hall started to exchange whispers if it meant the worst was over. Then the lights came back on and everyone seemed to breath a sigh of relief at once even though the sounds of sirens could be heard from outside.
However, the heads of both families were furious as they exchanged looks with the understanding that they needed to talk privately now!
Standing at the front of the hall, Largo focused everyone's attention and announced, "I'm sorry, Everyone. But as you may realize, we need to assess what just happened. Please bear with us. In the mean time, there is food and drink available in the next room. I will make another announcement as soon as possible."
Moments later, the members of the Watanabe and Chang families and their key personnel were gathered in an office near the lobby.
"Reika is not picking up her phone, nor is Irene or Kou," Jun reported nervously to the elder Chang. She couldn't help but meet Densuke's gaze every once in a while, like they couldn't help but make eye contact even though their mutual concerns were clear.
The old man looked grim as he gripped his cane with almost trembling hands. He then whispered to his own assistant and said, "I want every Clan Elder to be considered a suspect, even if they're attending this event."
"They said no one is in the bridal suite," someone else relayed from his side of a phone conversation.
Sho bit his lip as he cradled his daughter, who thankfully remained asleep through all of the commotion.
With his phone to his ear, a solemn Largo raised his hand to get everyone's attention. "They're casualties in the south stairwell number three. There are reports that there had been gunfire involved."
As the group now moved to urgent action, Yoshiko watched the activities with a stone expression. She then pulled out her own phone as if to make a call, thought better of it and decided to put it away for the time being.
* * *
Stingray Country Home
Stretched out in the bed, Sylia stared up at the ceiling in the dim light that still made it through the closed curtains. Her body felt like complete lead, a sign that her sleeping pills were in full affect, but her brain wouldn't let go of consciousness. As if there was just something incredibly wrong.
She closed her eyes and tried to force all thoughts from her mind. And sleep still eluded her. But now she suddenly had a strong impulse to call Nigel.
With full concentration of her stiff arm, she reached over to the nightstand and picked up the phone.
When she saw Nigel's face, the mixed expression of surprise and worry were all too evident to her.
"What just happened?" she managed to croak, her voice not having been used in days.
The man took a deep breath and answered. "There was a raid of the hotel, with military-style helicopters. Priss and Cynthia managed to take care of them. But I'm monitoring the communications in the hotel. There's confidential word going out that Reika is missing and is believed to be kidnapped. The people who were last seen with her, including her sister Irene were found dead."
It was only the fact that Sylia was lying down and literally already sedated that kept her from responding to his words with sheer emotion and panic. She finally cleared her throat and ordered, "Send someone to fetch me. I'm not in a condition to drive any vehicle right now."
There was a mild look of relief in Nigel's eyes as he answered, "I'll try to get someone out to you within the next half hour."
Once the call ended, Sylia laid back down on the bed and finally felt herself slip into a much needed sleep even if it would only be for a few minutes.
- End Chapter 26 -
Chapter 27: End of the Tunnel
12:04 p.m., June 17th, Matsumoto Industries Factory
Putting the battery powered lantern on the ground, Mei stood over the unconscious form in the blood splattered wedding dress that was stretched out on the muddy basement floor of the abandoned warehouse. She pulled out the medical injection gun and inserted the small vial. She was hardly a medical expert but she had been through the process more than enough to know the basics of giving someone a shot.
Once she had emptied the contents into Reika's forearm, she stood back and waited.
While she knew she was on a time-limit, she wanted to relish every second possible. She loved the sight of this normally pristine beauty being covered in the filth.
As the new drug started to counteract the sedative, Reika started to slowly stir back to consciousness. Once her eyes opened, she seemed alert and bewildered by her surroundings as she looked at the mud that covered her and stuck to her hair. But once she glanced over and noticed the other woman, she froze and her eyes narrowed with a hateful glare.
"So you must have remembered everything," her captor said, "Good. Anri was supposed to kill you. But for some reason she malfunctioned. And so I decided to initiate Plan B, which is me. What you see before you is a boomer shell that now houses the brain of Mei Asakawa."
The information was a momentary surprise to Reika, who then immediately started to take stock of their surroundings.
"We're a couple of floor underground," Mei explained as she made a general motion towards the almost collapsed ceiling. "It's the part of Tokyo that the government decided to not bother rebuilding after the last few earthquakes."
Reika clearly had several questions on her mind as she tried to focus. She finally asked, "Was Anri supposed to kill Irene as well?"
"No. It was an unexpected opportunity that I had decided to take advantage of. Your lead bodyguard as well."
"… And so you brought me here to finish the job," Reika concluded. "Was killing me always your plan?"
Mei's face went dark. "I don't know. But it's all I can think about these days… This body is the second time I've cheated death. And even then, it's only a temporary measure. My brain has been going through accelerated deterioration for years because of the boomer technology that I've been exposed to. Even though this shell is now the ultimate indestructible form, it's estimated that my brain will start to lose the ability to manage critical functions in less than three years. I already don't remember a good portion of my childhood, even through my teenage years… Yoshiko doesn't even know any of this."
"Was she part of this assassination plot?"
"Of course not," she answered grimly. "And it won't take long for her to figure everything out. So my time with you is limited… Yes, my end goal is to kill you, but if that doesn't happen, I want to make certain that you 'understand' me as much as possible."
Prompted by Reika's look of concern, Mei explained, "That night you walked out on Sylia was the start of when everything really fell apart with the Knight Sabers. She became an obsessive maniac and made battles decisions based on that. At least when you were there, she had some sort of balance.
"But you had left and the rest of us stayed. And I did it willingly because I believed in Sylia and her cause. As a result, I was rewarded by becoming a mechanical freak while you went and lived the life of the poor, whiny little princess. Now, that is not fair, is it?"
Clearly fearful but cautious, Reika stayed perfectly still, not breaking the eye contact with harsh glare.
"And I tried to let it go. To live my own life. But when I heard that Sylia was expected to be your Maid of Honor?! It may have been for a short time but that was just unacceptable! You should not be rewarded for betraying her. You make her weak!"
Reika cleared her throat and said, "So you orchestrated all of this to get your revenge?"
"Don't flatter yourself!" she growled. "I merely took advantage of the enemies and mess you made on your own. They just needed someone who could provide some guidance and inside assistance when needed. I just didn't tell them that your head was mine alone… But the clock is ticking…" With that, she turned pulled out another vial of liquid and loaded it into the injection gun.
"Mei, you have someone who truly loves you and is devoted to you. That's far more than what I have."
The woman paused for a moment and said frankly, "You're right. And that does make me feel better, but not by much."
Seeing that what was going to happen next was inevitable, Reika focused the attention on the loaded injection gun. "What is that you're going to give me? You're going to knock me out again?"
Gripping the other woman's arm like a vice, Mei held up the device proudly. "No, this is the real starting point. Even though someone might need a boomer prosthetic, there are definite compatibility issues that limits the type of persons who can have them. But even with that, most people try to do it anyway because the perceived benefit of having almost normal human capabilities are just too much to pass up. This is the first true test of compatibility: it's a vial of the serum that focuses on making a person's brain and body conditioned to work with the boomer nanobots that are required to control the prosthetics.
"Of course, when taking this kind of treatment, doctors always warn people about side effects. The usual: dizziness, headaches, blurry vision, et cetera. Every person who has gone through treatment has had a reaction of some sort. Obviously, the more mild reactions are the people who become successful boomer cyborgs. And there are quite a few people who have severe reactions, some even fatal. But, the one side effect that affects everyone equally is permanent sterility. After all, boomer brains aren't made to replicate all human functions."
Before Reika could even react to the words, Mei immediately pinned her down and injected the needle into the base of her neck.
As the liquid entered her body, Reika grit her teeth to try to keep from crying out. It felt as if acid seared through her veins and flesh. She soon began to shriek in complete agony as she writhed on the floor.
Mei stepped back in surprise. She had never expected this intense of a reaction. But as she watched the other woman scream and convulse, her lips curved into a pleased smile.
* * *
The Silky Doll
Sylia had just stepped foot into the Pit command room when excruciating pain suddenly flooded her brain. She gripped the edge of the nearby console to steady herself.
Already concerned by her haggard and gaunt appearance, Mackey immediately stood help to catch his sister should she fall. "Sylia, maybe you need to rest first!"
"We don't have time!" she snapped. "I just need to take some aspirin."
Mackey flashed a desperate glance at Nigel, Priss, Cynthia and Henderson.
Priss shrugged her 'what can we do?' response, which was the shared feeling of the rest of the group.
"I'll get some!" Henderson announced as he urgently exited into the elevator.
"So what leads do we have?" Sylia said as she tried force composure.
"Unfortunately, we have too many leads," Nigel stated softly. "The helicopter attack and the power outage made a perfect cover for whoever took Reika. From the communication we've heard, the families are trying to figure out who's behind this too."
Sylia frowned and immediately typed into the nearest keyboard to initiate a video call. The main screen lit up with the name Yoshiko Watanabe before the image of the woman herself suddenly appeared.
Now dressed in a simple suit, Yoshiko was apparently alone in a hotel room. She was clearly surprised to see more people than Sylia on her phone screen but she quickly focused on the other woman. "Yes?"
"What do you know?" she firmly demanded.
Clearly reluctant to answer, Yoshiko said, "I have… a suspicion that I haven't been able to confirm yet."
Sylia narrowed her eyes at the hint of hesitancy. "… Was it Mei?"
"I don't know for certain. But she was the only one who could have pulled this off given that there were clearly inside elements to this. She was supposed to be visiting her mother in Kyoto but she hasn't been seen since last night."
"And there's no way to track her?"
"No. And you wouldn't recognize her if you saw her. Her brain has been transplanted into the original boomer shell that we had stolen from Genom. --"
Nigel jolted slightly in alarm but he kept quiet.
"-- If she hasn't killed Reika by now, it's going to be soon."
Sylia looked as if the wind had been knocked out of her as she braced herself against the console.
"I have my people looking at all possible places she could be. Our network is monitoring any possible way she might try to leave the country."
"Fine. Report any status back to me. I'll get my own network on it."
Yoshiko gave a brief nod before ending the call.
Sylia looked at her anxious team mates and said softly, "We've got work to do…"
* * *
12:58 p.m. The Watanabe Grand Hotel
Along with several dozen other reporters, Lisa Vanette sat quietly in the hotel meeting room that had been quickly prepared for the press conference. While this was definitely front-page newsworthy, she was skeptical on what she could write. The two families in question had shadow reputations that would limit what she could put in print. And with war zone level damage to the building and in the surrounding neighborhood, she knew that the full details weren't going to be publicly disclosed, at least not this soon after the event. This was another case of hurry up and wait, which was part of her job.
Finally, a group of very well dressed men and women entered, though clearly for the standards of the wedding that had been expected to take place two hours earlier.
Lisa made a mental note that besides Largo, who was leading the group, she didn't see any other members of either the Watanabe or the Chang families present.
With an air of absolute authority, Largo approached the podium and spoke into the microphone, "Thank all you for coming. The Watanabe and Chang families apologize for the inconvenience that this afternoon's unexpected activities have caused. We'll will take full responsibility for all damages, including to any unfortunate persons who may have been harmed in the nearby neighborhoods.
"As for the reason for this attack, we do not have a firm statement to make at this time on the matter as we're still looking into it with the assistance of several government agencies. Many of our guests are prominent members of the world's political and business communities so we have not ruled out the possibility that one or more of them could have been the real targets.
"The wedding will be postponed indefinitely but all of our guests and staff will remain in this hotel while all preliminary investigations are being conducted. Our staff will let you know when we will have the next press conference. I'm sorry, but at this time I am not able to answer any questions but I hope I can the next time I speak before you."
With that final statement, Largo then turned and led his entourage away, completely ignoring the questions shouted by the hungry press.
Lisa kept quiet and made sure that her recording of his speech was saved for later.
In the back of her mind, she knew she could probably dig up more information by using her resources, but a part of her decided it was best to let things unfold as needed for the time being.
- End Chapter 27 -
Chapter 28: Full Circle
3:48 p.m., June 17th, Matsumoto Industries Factory
It took hours but Reika finally stopped convulsing on the floor, collapsing in a gasping heap in mud and her own filth.
And Mei watched every moment in fascination. She was especially pleased when the writhing woman started vomiting a mixture of food, blood and black sludge, all the while whimpering and groaning in agony.
Satisfied that this step had reached its completion, Mei walked over and knelt down by her victim. She reached down and tapped Reika on the forehead to check how conscious she was.
Reika, who had been staring wildly into space during her fit, suddenly focused her sight on Mei. She snarled and clutched Mei's throat with both hands.
Not at all concerned by the attack, the other woman chuckled at the primal response. This is just getting better and better!
"Good! I was hoping you would finally fight back!" she declared as she gently gripped Reika's right upper arm and started to slowly squeeze her boomer hand.
* * *
Silky Doll
Sylia's sheer force of will looked as if it was finally feeling defeat as she started to nod off in her chair.
As Henderson gently wrapped a blanket around her, the three exchanged a look of agreement to be as quiet as possible.
Both Nigel and Mackey were hunched over their separate computer terminals, each absorbed in their tasks of searching and gathering information.
Suddenly the woman bolted upright in her chair, her expression wide-eyed and panicked.
"I can feel where she is!" Sylia said as she stood with groggy steps.
A bewildered Mackey was about to say something but Nigel signaled for him to be quiet.
She quickly regained her physical control and started to walk towards the elevator. "I have to go to her now! Get the others to follow my signal"
Nigel was on his feet in an instant and grabbed her arm, "Sylia, wait!"
Sylia froze and stated in a deeply emotional tone, "Nigel, I have to go! There's no time!"
Keeping his tone as calm as possible. "I know you do. Take me with you. There's a good chance she's going to need medical attention!"
For a brief second, Sylia was clearly speechless as she stared at him. Then she stood on her tiptoes and gave him a brief kiss before taking him by the hand to the hard suits.
Mackey let out a sigh of relief as he started the process of alerting everyone.
* * *
Matsumoto Industries Factory
With fresh blood dripping from her hands, Mei stood over the still figure and watched for any movement beyond the occasional twitch and spasm.
At the least, Reika was bleeding to death. With both of her eyes gouged and her right arm snapped off, she was surrounded in a pool of red and brown muck. Her right leg was crushed and twisted from the thigh downward.
To kill her now would just make the inevitable end come faster.
Mei frowned to herself as she thought that it would be an act of mercy, and that was not the point of this exercise. And she hadn't even done all of the damage she had planned to do.
The faint whine of a hardsuit landing nearby caught her attention. She didn't have to guess to know which one it was. Intense feelings of anger and betrayal once again absorbed her thoughts.
Mei turned to the trunk of equipment she had nearby and readied herself for a real fight.
* * *
In the bright sunlight, Sylia easily punched through the rusted metal doors of the warehouse, which was filled with the ruins of concrete and metal from the collapsed roof and upper floors. She stepped forward and immediately caught sight of the lone figure who stood on top of the tallest pile of rubbish. The person was dressed in black military style suit with a helmet and several weapons.
Sylia's rage drove her to leap right at the calmly waiting target. She nailed the woman with a tackle to the stomach, sending them both flying towards one of the still standing walls. Just before they collided, Sylia felt the blow of some sort of explosion against her helmet. It was only a moment of disorientation, but enough for Mei to get the upper hand and shoot more rounds of the anti-boomer guns into the white hardsuit body.
Upon seeing Sylia swat Mei into the air, Nigel tried to ignore the sounds of fighting as he focused on his task at hand to find Reika based on Sylia's verbal descriptions of where she might be. With the weight of his special backpack, he immediately spied the door that led to stairs leading underground.
It didn't take long for him to see the glow of the lantern that had been left behind and he stopped in his tracks when he saw Reika sprawled out on the floor. He grit his teeth at the immediate thought that if she wasn't dead, she might be better off that way.
Pushing that thought away, he frantically rushed to her side and opened his special backpack. As he tried to put some pressure to her open limb, he pulled out the container of the special mixture of blood and serum and inserted the tube into Reika's neck. Almost immediately, he thought he could see Reika start to relax as the fluid started to spread through her.
He couldn't help but think it was ironic that he had been inspired to develop this special medical kit because of the very battle that had started to turn Mei into what she had become. And he always thought he would use it on a Knight Saber -- not Reika, of all people.
He then pulled out the special scanner and waved it over her body. Sure enough, her human vital signs barely registered. However, her nanobot signs were at maximum levels. He noted that her own body's sources must be involved because the serum mixture didn't contain enough to cause such a strong reading.
He pulled out his phone and called Mackey. "I'm with Reika! Direct Priss and Cynthia my coordinates! We need to get her to a medical facility ASAP!"
"I'll let the hospital know -- !"
"Wait!" Nigel ordered as an idea hit him as he watched the scanner continue to show maximum nanobot readings for the fallen woman. "We're taking her back to the Silky Doll! Prepare tank two with solution seventeen."
"Um, all right," a confused Mackey responded, knowing better than to question or argue.
* * *
As she pulled herself out of the pile of concrete, Mei knew she was sustaining damage, but it was simple to ignore the signals coming from the implanted part of her brain. She could have just let Sylia kill her to end everything, but her own emotional turmoil and drive for survival wouldn't let her do that.
With her swords out, Sylia leap at her again, though it was clear she wasn't moving as fast or efficient as she should be. But it was enough of a lag to make a difference in a fight like this. And the explosions hadn't actually penetrated her hardsuit but dents and cracks were apparent.
Mei dodged Sylia's attack and once again shot an anti-boomer shell into the crack in the clear torso. The hard suit finally gave way and Sylia screamed in pain as blood spurted from her abdomen.
As she watched Sylia crash into the wall, Mei heard the whine of two other Knight Sabers approaching. But instead of landing to help Sylia, they were focused on ripping open the floors above where she had abandoned Reika.
Now Mei was mad again. The Knight Sabers were supposed to be committed to helping their leader, not the one who abandoned and rejected them! This is all messed up!
From the crumpled door of the warehouse, Yoshiko aimed her own anti-boomer rifle at Mei's neck and pulled the trigger.
The single shot was all that was needed.
* * *
4:42 p.m. The Watanabe Grand Hotel
"Reika has been found but she's in critical condition!" Largo announced to the anxious members of the family.
A mixed response of relief and concern went through the group. Several people were still immersed in grieving for Irene and the others who had been killed.
"However, in agreement with the Chang Family, we're going to refrain from making any announcement about her until her condition is more… conclusive. We're also keeping her whereabouts a secret for security purposes. So I think at this point, those who do not need to be here should head home. Again, we apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you."
Once Largo's announcement was done, Jun looked over and saw Densuke sitting quietly by himself in the corner. He seemed to be staring down at the still full glass of scotch in his hands.
She cleared her throat to announce her presence as she walked over to him.
He looked up at her and managed a faint though tired smile.
"So are you coming with us?" she asked, referring to the handful of people who were going to head over to Sylia's home to see Reika.
"Of course," he said as he stood up and brushed off his suit. He put the drink on a nearby table.
Feeling compelled to say something, Jun said, "Despite her condition, I'm glad they found her. It's a small amount of hope with everything that has happened."
Densuke gave a solemn nod. "It's probably the first time I have ever been grateful that Sylia was in her life."
- End Chapter 28 -
Chapter 29: Moving Forward
5:28 p.m., June 17th, The Pit of the Silky Doll
In only her underwear as a small token of modesty, Reika was stretched out in the tank, completely immersed in a thick blue liquid. Along with a breathing mask, several tubes were connected to her body, especially at the stump of her right arm. A thick blindfold covered where her eyes had been. The faint beep of her heart beat came from one of the monitors nearby provided
Very grim and pale, her grandfather clutched his chest as he stared silently down at her.
"As you can see, Sir," Nigel explained, "She does have a steady heart beat now, even though it's faint. When we had first hooked her up, she had almost no readings for her vital signs. Irene's blood helped stabilize her."
He nodded. "You made the right decision, Kirkland. I'm certain she would have died if you had taken to a regular hospital. At least now she seems to have a chance. So how many injuries did she sustain?"
"Apart from her eyes and arm, she has an extremely low amount of blood and shattered right leg. And she has high toxicity levels from something foreign that may have been injected into her. We're still performing tests so there may be more damage we haven't discovered yet."
"Besides Irene's eyes, is there anything else we should retrieve?"
"I think it would be a good precaution if we could also have as much of Irene's stem cell matter as possible…" Nigel looked clearly uncomfortable in making the comment but the priority of trying to save the living was more important at times likes these.
The old man nodded to his assistant, who immediately started to call their contacts.
Jun glanced around at the equipment that put the Chang and Watanabe labs to shame. She glanced over at the young man who was focused on a monitor hooked up to the frozen Anri. And as she glanced around at her companions of Grandfather Chang, his assistant and Densuke, she seemed to be the only one who was in awe of her surroundings, even though she tried to hide it. The only other person nearby was the statuesque, beautiful woman she had recognized as Nigel's other assistant.
Then her mind turned back to the night of Densuke's rambling drunken vent about Sylia being more than just a shopkeeper made her wonder if he knew about this all along.
The old man then glanced around the lab, as if taking in the surroundings for the first time. "Where's Sylia-chan? I wish to speak with her."
"She had been wounded so she should be upstairs resting in her bed. I'll check to see if she's awake."
* * *
Henderson closed the door behind him to ensure the two had the maximum amount of privacy for their talk.
"I'm sorry, Grandpa, that I can't get up to greet you properly," Sylia said softly as she remained in the bed. She wore her bathrobe to cover the fact her torso was wrapped in gauze and bandages. Now that her adrenaline rush was over, she was incredibly physically and emotionally drained.
The old man chuckled from the chair positioned by the bed and said, "You are hardly the one to be apologizing to me all things considered, Sylia-chan. And thank you for everything. I admit I was disappointed to hear that you had bowed out of the wedding completely but I guess it turned out to be a good thing in the end."
Sylia blushed slightly and gave an acknowledging nod. "I am truly sorry to hear about Irene. And Kou. I know you had considered him to be like a son."
He winced. "Yes, yes, far too much has happened today. While I must take care of those matters, I must also firmly believe that Reika will pull through and yet make preparations in case she doesn't. It's the horrible position of being a leader, as you well know."
"What about Nozomi?"
"Her father is clearly devastated but luckily there are several people available who can help take care of the baby for the time being. We have time until we have to figure out what must be done for her future. With everything that has happened, I can't take chances with her safety."
Sylia gave him a firm look and said, "Reika will pull through. I can feel it."
The old man met her gaze and then chuckled. "Your love for her is as strong as always. Perhaps I should have approved a marriage between the two of you since the beginning. None of this would have happened, and my granddaughter would have led a happier life in general."
She laughed, but then winced at the pain. "Would you have honestly approved such a thing?"
"Would you agree to it?"
Sylia blinked at the realization of the change in his tense. Her smile immediately faded. "I'm honored, Grandpa, but…"
"Yes, yes, I know. Kirkland is clearly a good man. You've done well for yourself."
He was quiet for a long time, clearly trying to focus his thoughts. "Life is a very unexpected journey. I had my heart devoted to another young man in university, though we never took it to physicals levels. But I had chosen my family responsibilities over him. And now I am glad that I made that choice given the children, and their children, that I've been blessed with, even if almost all of them were taken away too soon. Yet, every time tragedy strikes, there's always a part of me always wondering if I had made the right decision. And I'm sure I would have felt the same doubts if I had my dilemma had involved a woman that my family would not have approved of."
Sylia reached over and squeezed his hand. "But I'm certain that once the initial pain has passed, you've come back to the conclusion that you did make the right decision after all."
He squeezed her hand back and said, "Too true. I suppose hard decisions do make life richer… I'm sorry, you need rest rather than hear an old man babble on. We'll talk again soon, Sylia-chan. Sleep and recover."
* * *
6:11 p.m. Yamazaki/Vanette Apartment
Lisa sighed and turned off the television as soon as the special broadcast ended. She looked down at Linna, whose head was on her lap with Fluffy stretched out on hers.
"You're not going to ask me any questions, are you?" Linna asked as she looked up at her. She knew her wife's article for tomorrow's edition of the Tokyo Sun was already written and sent to the editors.
Lisa ran her fingers through the thick, short hair. "Am I allowed to ask them if they're off the record?"
"… Maybe."
"How are you feeling?"
Linna blinked, clearly not expecting that one from the Vanette reporter arsenal.
"I'm worried about Reika. Still in shock about Irene. I mean, I just had lunch with her last week. -- But mostly I'm feeling selfish about being very glad that I'm here with the person I love and who loves me."
"Me too," she said with a gentle smile. "Have you talked to Sylia at all about this?"
"No, I've been staying clear since she needs her rest. But Priss said they're worried about her. Even if Reika pulls through, Sylia is going to feel guilty about this for the rest of her life. Priss also said that she's never seen Nigel hover the way he is around Reika right now. There's no doubt in her mind that he's really doing all of this for Sylia. I had to admit I agree with her."
"I guess he really does love her after all. I have to admit I never really could tell, being the minimally expressive man that he is. But apparently that works for the two of them."
Linna sat up and gave Lisa a gentle kiss, one that was heartfelt rather than passionate.
"Everything that happened today made me really aware of how life can change abruptly and without warning," she said. "I feel like I was caught off guard, and I don't like that feeling."
"I know what you mean," Lisa commented, sensing though that there was more she wanted to say.
Linna gave her a focused look and said, "You know, we never seriously talked about having children even though I think both of us just assumed it would happened somehow. And since accidental pregnancies aren't really in our future…"
She smiled. "So are you asking to talking about it now?"
"Are you okay with that?"
"Of course…"
* * *
8:27 p.m. The Watanabe Grand Hotel
Standing out on the balcony, Yoshiko stared out at the lights of the city before her.
Largo walked into the dark suite and used the draft to focus his attention on her silhouette. He walked up side his twin sister and put his arm around her shoulders.
She remained stiff to his touch but he didn't let go.
"I am so sorry, Yoshi," he said softly.
Perhaps hearing the worry in his tone, she relented and leaned against him. "Mei's mother has agreed to having the funeral at the end of the week."
"Do you want me to come?"
"No. Our family has been shamed enough… I should be able to wrap up my final report to Mr. Chang by then too. Once that's done, I'm going to head back to Rome. I've had my fill of this city."
"You're the strongest one of us. You'll get through this."
"What about Densuke? Have you talked to him?"
"A little bit. He said there is hope for Reika for as long as she's in Sylia's care. I think he's rattled and just needs time to process it all. I think we all do."
- End Chapter 29 -
Chapter 30: At Peace
12:16 a.m., June 21st, The Pit of the Silky Doll
At the sound of the elevator 'ding', Mackey glanced up from performing maintenance work on Priss's Moto-slave. He grinned at Sylia, who grinned back.
Well rested and, thanks to her hyper-healing, almost completely recovered from her wounds, Sylia was dressed in her t-shirt and overalls. It was now her routine to end the day by checking in on Reika, who was still in the stasis tank.
Returning his attention to his task at hand, Mackey was pleased that his sister seemed to have emotionally and mentally recovered as well. She no longer gave off the intense, obsessive vibes that she had prior to the incident. It was as if an emotional calm had finally returned to her now that Reika was in their care.
Sylia looked down at the sleeping woman for a minute. She started to reach down to touch her face but stopped when her fingertips touched the thick liquid that separated them. As if woken from her reverie, she then focused her attention on the nearby monitors and started to pushing some buttons. A couple of seconds later, Sylia frowned slightly.
"Mackey, when was the last time this monitor was calibrated?"
"We did it when we set it up for her," he answered. He grabbed a rag to wipe his hands as he walked over. "Why?"
"According to this, her weight has increased by a couple of milligrams since yesterday. That shouldn't be possible."
He looked to see what she was pointing out. "Hmm. Well, let me run a full scan to see if I can pinpoint where this mass increase is being detected."
Just as he was about to initiate the program, the monitor lit up with an incoming call status with Leon's name on it.
Leon blinked in surprise to see Sylia and Mackey answering the call. He had a haggard look of someone who had been up far too long as he was clearly calling from somewhere out on the Tokyo streets.
"Hi, Sylia, Mackey. We just got an incoming call that a couple of street gangs are trying to settle a turf war at a construction site. Apparently they're using the equipment to settle matters and they've already caused a lot of damage. We'd send someone out but we're overextended with two standoffs and the aftermath of the Watanabe Hotel siege."
"So you want to see if a Knight Saber or two can settle it," Sylia said.
Even in the dark, he looked clearly embarrassed. "Well, yeah. If you're able to find someone who'll do it."
"Well, no one is here right now," Mackey answered. "I'll have to see if someone is available to come in –"
"I'll do it," Sylia said.
Both men looked clearly surprised.
"What? I am a Knight Saber, too, you know," she teased them.
"Great!" Leon blurted as he quickly recovered. "I'll send you the info now!"
While the phone call continued with the other two, Mackey used another terminal to prep the hardsuit for launch. He couldn't help but smile as he did that.
* * *
11:07 a.m., June 23rd, Chang Enterprises, Tokyo
Jun paused at the office at the sight of Densuke clearly immersed in reading files on the computer screen. She had to admit she was a little amazed at how natural he looked in Reika's office.
It had only been a day since it was publicly announced that Reika would be on indefinite medical leave, and business seemed to be moving forward as usual.
She cleared her throat and tabbed on the door frame lightly.
A little startled, he blinked and looked up at her, smiling in response.
"Is there anything I can do or get for you so far?" she asked. She couldn't help but feel a little strange at making such an offer to him as she thought about their confrontation on that hotel balcony but she forced it out of her mind.
"No, not right now. Just trying to recharge the business side of my brain."
She was genuinely surprised by that comment because she had completely forgotten that he had a business degree from Todai. She had wondered if there was another reason why Grandfather Chang had given him the role of Acting CEO instead of doing it himself. And as Reika's fiancé, no one questioned him taking over the figurehead position even though he had almost no exposure to the company's business matters.
"Well, I'm sure you'll catch up. As you know, my office is just around the corner. The green button on the speaker phone is my direct line to both my desk and cell phone."
Just as she said that, both of their cell phones buzzed with an incoming text message.
The message was from Sylia and marked urgent: Reika's eyes seem to be growing back. Will provide another status when we have more information.
While Jun was glad and relieved, she couldn't help but wonder how that was possible. She knew they were holding off implanting Irene's eyes until they felt Reika could handle such intense surgery. She didn't know they were possibly doing other experiments on her.
"Don't question anything. Just accept it," Densuke said at the puzzled expression on her face. There was mild jadedness in his tone.
He quickly put the phone away and asked, "Actually, do you have lunch plans?"
Even though the answer was no, Jun was clearly a little reluctant.
He held up his hand in oath. "I swear, just business. I assume you've got your finger on the pulse of everything around here. And I'd think such a conversation would be more worthwhile over good food."
While she knew the conversation could be kept to business only, she wasn't comfortable at the thought of having such focused one on one time with him. But she's a big girl, right?
"I'm free to leave whenever you are."
* * *
9:07 a.m., June 25th, The Pit of The Silky Doll
"I'm sorry, but I don't think we have a choice," Nigel said to Sylia. "The leg is too mangled. Her body is already overtaxed with recovering. Having it also work on a limb that can't be useable will just cause unnecessary complications. The latest scans show that the nanobot activity level drops considerably just above the damage. It's as if the body already knows her leg can't be saved. We could get some other doctors for another opinions if you want. Maybe there are other medical treatments that I'm not aware of, even if they're in experimental phase still."
"No, I understand," Sylia said grimly. It was the first time since that day that she seemed a little unsure. "Let me talk to Mr. Chang to see what he wants to do."
Wanting to say something else but not knowing what, Nigel put his hand on her shoulder.
She brightened at his touch and embraced him in a full hug. "Nigel, I know you're doing everything you can. Thank you."
* * *
2:11 p.m., July 7th, Off the Coast of Bali
Under the bright sun, Yoshiko took off her scuba gear and allowed herself to walk around the deck of the yacht in her bathing suit. With her gun out, she made the final rounds that indeed everyone on board was dead, especially her target.
Satisfied that she was the only living person on board and within several kilometers of open water, she used the ship's satellite connection to send an encrypted message that her task was done. She then relaxed in the captain's chair and regarded the Hou-Bang ring she had taken off her victim. This would be the end of the list of Clan traitors who had participated in the wedding attack.
Normally, she would have minimal emotion in carrying out her assignments. But this time it was personal.
She felt tears start to form in her eyes. Instead of holding them back, she allowed them to silently fall.
It was probably the first time in her life that she allowed herself to cry.
* * *
11:10 a.m., July 9th, The Silky Doll
" -- See, you cut them into bite size pieces," Cynthia instructed Anri as they stood by the kitchen counter over a pile of carrots and potatoes. "They don't have to be exactly the same size. Just big enough that someone can put it in their mouth and chew comfortably."
Clearly not understanding what still seemed like imprecise instructions, the other boomer stared back at her while holding up the kitchen knife in preparation for tackling her task.
Henderson, meanwhile, stood quietly off to the side and focused his attention on preparing the rest of the lunch. He wasn't about to get in the middle of a discussion between two combat boomers armed with kitchen knives unless he had to.
"If you do a direct link – "
"No," Cynthia said firmly, following the agreed upon method by everyone of teaching Anri better social and verbal communication skills. "Here, open your mouth – "
Suddenly, Anri looked distracted, her attention was clearly focused inward for a moment.
Cynthia waited. She knew the only thing that could cause this kind of interruption would have to be some new information from her secondary feed to Reika's monitors.
Anri then reported, "Reika's brain activity has suddenly increased to ten percent of human normal levels… Explain why am I opening my mouth."
* * *
4:06 a.m., July 19th, The Silky Doll
Reika slowly became aware of an overwhelming mixture of haziness, stiffness and pain throughout her body. It was dark but she felt warm, as if she was immersed in a nice bath. She wanted to open her eyes, but something didn't feel right, like a mixture of intense pressure and pain. She also started to feel the something covering her mouth and nose even though she could breath clearly.
Still, with these confusing jumble of sensations, she started to focus on the realization that she was indeed alive.
With that final thought, she allowed herself to drift back into to a deep sleep.
- End Chapter 30 -
Author's Note:
In my anxiousness to close this out, I hope I'm not letting too many errors slip by.
I totally admit that I'm having a hard time closing out this story because it's very possibly the last installment I'll ever write (more details in the next update.) Just a few more pages to do and the final update should be posted in the next day or so.
Thanks for reading! K ;)
