Zoalords

Chapter 10

Plans

Czyvek embraced Dr. Nighthawk as the latter arrived at Cloud Gate. "I thought I'd lost you."

Angela smiled, "I knew you'd come. You always do. My knight in shining beetle armor."

"It shouldn't have to be that way. I shouldn't have to rescue you at all. None of this violence should be happening." He mentally cursed Makishima Agito for bringing terrorism to CHRONOS' New World Order.

"Hopefully, we will be able to stop him, soon."

Czyvek now truly understood Fukamachi's position. If he were alone, he would simply have given up, allowed CHRONOS to kill him and take the Guyver. But he was protecting those he loved, and for that he would fight to his last breath and beyond.

The Ark

"We now have thirteen Zoalords. We can operate The Ark at full capacity." Archanfel looked down at the Earth beneath them, "Now all we need are the Guyvers."

"Do you think the Unit Remover Zoanoids will work?" Ingriam asked.

"Yes, I believe they will. But there are still at least six months before they are ready. Makishima can do a great deal of damage in six months."

"If only we could find a way to remove them completely. Cleanly. Completely sterilized of the host's DNA." Doctor Hamilcar Barcus now agreed with Czyvek on one point. They should have tried to recruit Fukamachi.

"Do not be so hard upon yourself, old friend. As I said before, what is done cannot be undone. I am willing to concede that CHRONOS' initial approach towards Fukamachi was counterproductive and, to put it bluntly, wrong, . But we cannot change the past. Perhaps, however, we can change his perception of the past. He could prove a powerful ally yet"

"But a Guyver Unit can't be controlled by outside telepathy. You and dad said that's why they called it a 'Guyver', right?"

The word Guyver was given the Unit by the Ouranos, the race or races known as 'The Creator's' by CHRONOS. It meant 'Out of Control' in their language. When, as an experiment, they had placed their armor upon a human host, all of their powerful mental bonds had been broken. He had violently turned upon them, even slain some of them. The Guyver had driven the Ouranos from Earth before Archanfel had used the Unit Remover to reclaim the device. The human host, of course, had been immediately slain.

He had driven Archanfel's 'parents' away. Now, Archanfel, on the verge of re-connecting with his 'parents', once more found Guyvers blocking his path. They had to be removed before the Ouranos came to reclaim their lost children.

"They're are other ways to gain control of someone's mind, Kenji. Czyvek truly wants to protect Sho, and a lie told a man who believes it to be truth is far more effective than outright deception. If we can exploit Czyvek somehow, make him believe that manipulating Fukamachi to serve CHRONOS is in the boy's best interests. Perhaps . . . It needn't be a lie at all. It is in Fukamachi's best interests to serve us. But his bitterness over his father's death and his own persecution cuts him off from us. . ."

Ingriam had read about Fukamachi Fumio. It was sad that Dr. Barcus would make a man try to kill his own son. And Sho had been forced to kill his dad. He couldn't imagine that kind of pain. Maybe that was why Mr. Czyvek felt sorry for him.

Barcus looked away. He knew that Archanfel did not blame him, after all, it was Makashima Genzo, then Richard Guyot, who had first attacked the boy. But he had processed Fukamachi's father. He had set them against each other. And in doing so, he had stoked the flames of hatred and vengeance in the boy's heart. Czyvek was right. His actions were the single most important factors in Guyver I's opposition to CHRONOS.

Archanfel closed his eyes. Barcus was the man who had woken him, who had gathered his Zoalords, fought by his side. Barcus had built CHRONOS. Now he was in danger of becoming consumed by guilt for one terrible mistake. And, for all his power, Archanfel had no idea how to help him.

Cloud Gate

"And he went into Fukamachi's house." Lord Imakarum Mirabilis stated.

"Sho threw him out. He refused to help him." Ishi replied, "We have audio recordings of their conversation."

The seven Zoalords on Earth had gathered in the Council Chamber in Cloud Gate. Alongside the armored and elegant Zoalords, Ishi stood out like a sore thumb. Still, The Council was impressed on how well he'd handled the simultaneous attacks. He had a good head on his shoulders. He could go far.

"Lord Czyvek," Lord Vorsted leaned forward, "You know where Fukamachi lives. You have bugged his home. You have him under constant surveillance. Yet you have not acted in any way. Why?"

"For now Sho is content to leave us alone. And I don't go looking for trouble, Lord Vorsted. I won't risk lives to attack someone as powerful as a Guyver without provocation. I have more important things to worry about, like Agito."

"A sort of Cold War?"

"More like a Treaty of Non-Aggression. I don't bother him, he doesn't bother me."

Lord Vorsted's expression turned grave.

Rocies, you are dismissed. Return to your duties.

What is this? Ishi is my man, not yours.

Of course. I will explain shortly.

Ishi, you may go.

Ishi found this conversation extremely disturbing. No one had called him 'Rocies' in a long time, and he sensed a note of hostility in both men's voices. He hesitated a moment, then left the chamber.

"I did not wish you lower your status in the eyes of Zoanoids." Vorsted stated to Czyvek, then, to the Council, "Brothers. I must submit to you that Lord Mikhail Czyvek is unfit to serve as Head of CHRONOS Intelligence. "

Lord Amniculus rushed to his defense. "But he has uncovered hundreds of terrorist cells, foiled countless plots. He killed Aptom, for God's sake!"

Lord Waferdanos nodded in agreement, "CHRONOS Japan has prospered under Lord Czyvek. This branch has the relative lowest number of terrorist attacks, the lowest Zoanoid attrition numbers . . ."

"And the highest number of spies, apparently. How else could Makishima have known, not only about the Takeshiro base, but about the Unit Remover Zoanoid Project? The Head of CHRONOS Intelligence cannot keep his own house in order." Vorsted pointed out, "And Aptom came to Cloud Gate of his own volition. True, Lord Czyvek's idea of an Aptom-Virus, combined with his combat skills and unshakable determination led to that monster's death, but he did not find him. In fact, during the hunt he had to rely upon other Zoalords to sense the his attacks."

"He had been planted with a telepathic inhibitor. It has since been removed, you know that, Lord Vorsted." Amniculus replied somewhat angrily, "Lord Czyvek has been an invaluable asset to CHRONOS."

"I am not saying that you are a poor leader, Lord Czyvek. Japan is the model for CHRONOS operations worldwide. I am saying that you are unable to fulfill your duties as an intelligence operative. Perhaps you are stretched too thin. Perhaps you have incompetent underlings. Or, perhaps . . . Your . . . Mental state . . ." He leaned forward slightly, "You are simply out of your league. I am not trying to attack you, I merely want what is best for CHRONOS."

Lord Czyvek sat stone-faced as the Council argued, then, "Thank you, Lord Amniculus, Lord Waferdanos. But, I'm afraid that Lord Vorsted is correct. The obvious presence of spies within my own ranks makes it clear that I am somehow . . . Lacking," He shook his head, "If I cannot control what is happening under my own nose, how can I head CHRONOS Intelligence? This most recent attack is an obvious sign that I am simply unfit for the position." He swallowed deeply, "The success of CHRONOS, of Lord Purgstall's dream, is far more important than any personal desires I might hold."

The Council sat in silence for a long time.

A full Council of The Divine Twelve was gathered aboard The Ark, and a vote was taken. Five supported Czyvek. Eight, including Czyvek himself, voted to remove him as Head of CHRONOS Central Intelligence.

He would retain control of the Japanese branch of CHRONOS and it's people.

To be continued. . .