Chapter 10: Secret maneuvers

23:33 PM (Japan Time), Wednesday October the 12th…

"… Well?"

"My Master. I feel a heat signature close by."

"Good."

"But I'm surprised that you took up this job, My Master."

"I know. I just want to assess who the target is which will help me figure out the identity of my employer…"

"I understand, My Master."

Dark Miyabi was hiding in an unlit corner of a parking's floor: the outer walls were made of a steel net allowing one to see the outside: there were only a few cars parked on the southern side where he was at and he was whispering to Shadow Man.

"Chut." He ordered.

Both fell silent as a figure began to come into view: that figure was Lezareno.

He wore a black suit with a black tie, black trousers and brown Italian shoes.

He was heading for a Mitsubishi black car parked in this same southern side and had the car's remote on hand.

Lezareno of the "Committee", huh… So that means the employer could be a leftover fool of the "Orwellians"…

A bullet suddenly hit the floor past Lezareno as it passed through him yet it looked like Lezareno was transparent since the bullet didn't actually pierce through his body: Miyabi gasped and looked at the office building on the other side of the street.

What? Ah! I see. Lezareno must be very careful with assassinations so he uses a hologram of himself to test if there are any attackers nearby. So there's a sniper on the building ahead. Which means that the employer actually hired two assassins? Then I doubt it being one of those fools… But it could two of them competing for the same target.

"What do we do, sir?" A voice whispered close by.

"Don't worry, young man. I've already taken measures. Colonel Talos… The assassin is in the office building south of this building. I estimate them being at either the 4th or 5th floor." Lezareno replied close by.

"Roger." Colonel Talos replied over a radio.

"Lezareno. Can you hear me?" Miyabi called out.

"Mr. Dark Miyabi. I see. The culprit wanted an insurance, huh?" Lezareno wasn't too surprised.

"Maybe. I only accepted because I wanted to figure out who's behind this assassination attempt. I didn't know you were the target, though. The culprit used temporary use-and-delete email accounts that don't allow backtracking."

"Hmmm… It could be a leftover of those fools… Or maybe one of that woman's underlings…"

"That woman? Ah. I see. Anaya?"

"No, not Anaya. Another woman…"

"Ah. Now I see."

"Well, Colonel?"

"The backdoor was boldly forced open. The electricity has been cut off on the whole building. We're searching each floor and we're about to enter the 4th floor." Colonel Talos replied.

"Colonel, sir. Heat signature ahead, sir."

"Hum. Good. Ready the stun grenades. The opponent might have handguns on him or her."

"As expected of former military…" Dark Miyabi muttered.

"Yes, My Master. Yet I'm surprised at the sniper being so bold in remaining and not attempting to flee. Maybe they believe they can break out through a shootout?" Shadow Man argued.

"Could be."

"It wouldn't surprise me." Lezareno agreed.

"We've managed to get inside the floor but we're taking cover. The enemy is using a sub-machinegun despite the stun grenades."

"I will be back." A voice rang out on Colonel Talos' end of the line, speaking in English.

"Don't tell it's whom I think it is." Lezareno cursed.

"The Terminator?" Shadow Man gasped.

"Which means that it's Joker's handiwork. Only he would bother to make a Navi shaped after the character and materialize it."

"Fortunately I've got an emergency line…"

"This is Omega."

"Trouble. I'll send you coordinates. We've got a Terminator imitator which Joker set up to try to assassinate me. Colonel Talos and his men are under fire by the enemy, too."

"By all the… I knew that the rascal's silence meant nothing good. I'm heading there ASAP!" Omega grumbled.

"We'll try to pull out in the meanwhile." Colonel Talos reported.

"Well?" Joker's voice mingled into the radio exchange.

"Lame."

"Obviously."

"So you didn't count on it to succeed to begin with…? Wait! Mr. Omega, what about Mr. Blood Shadow and Mr. Sigma?"

"They're taking part in the battle to free Nara Internet City after the Oosaka liberation was successful."

"What about Mr. Sponsor?"

"… Damn! Don't tell me that…! Kuh…! Shadow Man, you're there, no? I'm sending you a program for materialization and the coordinates of our base. Go and check things out while I take out the lame Terminator wannabe! I'm afraid the rascal is using it to lure me out!"

"Do it." Miyabi ordered.

"Yes, My Master."

Shadow Man left the PET while Miyabi hissed something under his breath: there was the sound of glass shattering and a figure jumped out from the 4th floor of the window ahead of them and dropped into the street landing without a hitch before running towards them: Omega appeared on the street with green triangular energy sword having a white hilt drawn: he headed for the figure who drew what seemed to be a steel pipe some inches wide and long and they began to clash.

"It's a mere pipe but it's got an EM field around that impedes my blade from making contact and cutting it off! Sheesh!" Omega grumbled.

"This is Shadow Man. I've reached the base. Your boss is sleeping in one of the rooms and everything else seems nominal insofar."

"Stay sharp." Miyabi ordered.

"Yes, My Master."

"Hmpf… So, ninja who leads the Resistance… Did that give you the idea that you could rebel against your Lord and become a free ninja?" Joker taunted him.

"I wouldn't know. Ask a seer." Shadow Man merely replied.

"Hah. We'll see how long you'll last in the arena."

"Arena? What are you talking about?"

"Only one of you all will get a chance to fight me. And they'll have to earn that right… In the arena I'll ready… You will fight each other… And only the strongest of you will earn the right to fight me!"

"Who said we'll play by your rules, anyway?"

"Don't forget that I could crush all those Navis enclosed in the Internet Cities if I see fit to it. You'd rather sacrifice the mobs to protect your precious pride?"

"Bastard." Omega hissed.

"Hmpf. Survival of the strongest!"

"Not that again."

"This time enough no "miracles" will happen, Omega. Reality will prevail."

"We'll see about that, defective."

"That applies to you as well." Joker shot back.

"Had enough of this farce! Hah!"

Omega jumped into the air and drew his gun to shoot a plasma blast which pierced through the Navi: its body frizzled and it blew up: pieces of a "Copy Roid" dropped into the ground.

"So?"

"Grrr…! When and where!" Omega hissed.

"In a few days' time. You will know the where then. Farewell!"

"Bastard. So he's forcing us to take part in some stupid fight, must be aiming to stage a show of "you don't trust each other"… And now he uses the hostages as leverage, too! There aren't enough troops yet to carry out a lot of liberations at once, either." Omega grumbled.

"Indeed. We've got our hands tied, unfortunately enough. But we've located a likely place where those two could be at. Preparations for a raid are almost completed." Colonel Talos told them.

"Fine. At least we've got some leads to work with."

"I'm going back to the base. You return here, Shadow Man."

"Roger."

"Keep the program. It might come in handy if that bastard attempts another of his stupid farces."

"Understood."

"We'll be pulling out as well. We'll have to report the situation to the Net Police and the ONB as well."

"Alright."

Miyabi walked out through a side-door and down the emergency staircases: he descended to the street and calmly walked away as police began to gather to the building and to the spot with the Copy Roid remains: Miyabi displayed annoyance.

"I don't mind who gets to take that man down as long as they do it."

"Yes, My Master. Their arrogance will be their downfall."

12:28 AM (Japan Time), Thursday October the 13th…

"… COME AT FULL POWERRR!"

"What's with this giant?"

"Damned shield!"

"Damn it!"

"Gura~h!"

"Eat shotgun!"

"Gugaga~h!"

"We're almost there!"

"Beware! Something's forming from within the trenches!"

"Damn. Defensive walls!"

"And AAC guns atop them, too! Sheesh!"

Sigma was wielding his giant blade and using it to attack a group of enemy troopers that had entered the area where the bullet train was stopped at: an octagonal transparent multi-colored shield deflected most attacks while Blood Shadow countered some enemies that jumped over the barricades with his right arm's shotgun: they then spotted tall and thick metallic walls rising from the trenches surrounding the labor camp with AAC guns atop them.

"Great." Sigma grumbled.

"What do we do now?" Blood Shadow fumed.

"Maybe the walls are thinner than what they seem, even. Bring in the tanks and try firing at the walls!"

"Roger!"

Two "Type-10" battle tanks rolled forward and shot at the walls: their shells pierced through the first of the walls and got embedded on the second of seven walls: the tanks quickly shot again and the new attack did pierce through the second wall.

"Let's keep on trying yet I wouldn't be so confident." One officer told another.

"Roger. Continue on firing!"

The tanks shot again several times: the shells pierced through all walls save for the last one in which the shells exploded inches away from making contact with them.

"Stop! An invisible energy field, huh?"

"And I'm sure that in the next assault same will apply for all walls."

"We could use a sub-generator and reconvert it to suck off the energy and then turn into an attack…" Blood Shadow suggested.

"Or shoot a powerful beam at it for several seconds to overload its capability as well." Sigma suggested next.

"Hum. We've got a prototype beam cannon here… It can only fire for 30 seconds: then it has a 3-minute cooldown…" A high-ranking official discussed with another.

"Let's try it out. HQ, do you authorize?"

"Go ahead. We need field data on the effectiveness of this prototype to begin with so it's a good chance to get it." HQ replied.

"Roger. Bring in the X-7!"

"Roger, sir."

Some troopers pushed forward a cylindrical cannon about 50cm long and 10cm wide colored white and with the text "X-7" colored blue painted on both sides of the body: it was placed on a half-cylindrical support connected to a wheeled platform via two steel columns about 20cm tall: they positioned the cannon as the tanks pulled away and the troopers also did so.

"Preparations are ready, sir." One lieutenant reported.

"Fire at will."

"Roger, sir. Fire!"

The cylinder hummed and shot a thick beam of bluish energy towards the final wall's energy shield: the impact made the whole field become visible and the whole of it began to flicker as the beam continuously tried to push its way inside of it: the whim of machines overloading began to ring out.

"11 seconds before cooldown!"

"Will this do it?" An officer anxiously wondered.

There were some explosions behind the final wall and the energy field shattered like glass: the beam then pierced through the wall and hit the main generator which was placed at ground level on the middle of the field: the main generator was destroyed and the city was freed from the "Dimensional Area" covering it: the cannon hummed and shut down: the officers sighed in relief.

"Strange. I expected that UFO thing to come out." Blood Shadow muttered.

"Were they hoping that the walls would save them the need to?" Sigma wondered.

"We're scanning the skies but there's nothing."

"Odd. We've seen in other assaults that the enemy fights to death. Unless their boss has changed his mind…"

"Maybe he now intends to add a whole occupation force to an existing one in the next city and we'll have to face double the numbers. This way he can overwhelm us with numbers." Blood Shadow thought aloud.

"That makes sense. That Joker man must want to attempt something different each time to make each liberation harder than the one before it… Sheesh."

"Anyway. Let's free the Navis, make the census and send them back. We take a few hours' rest as we wrap up the operation and then we'll be on standby to see if we'll have to come up as reinforcements in the assault to free Maebashi Internet City."

"Let's go, men. But make sure to scan for minefields."

"Yes, sir!"

The troops moved forward while the F-2s patrolled the skies and other squads which had already secured the rooftops began to scan the area: Blood Shadow and Sigma walked closer to the walls and began to examine the holes made by the tank shells.

"They're actually empty inside, huh… Must be an improvisation."

"They're about 30cm thick." Sigma added.

"And about three meters tall, too."

"Sewer team, anything odd down there?"

"Nothing. Apart from the group of Navis who managed to hide in one of the shelters and which we found before the attack then… We're searching the main cave now."

"Good. Search every square inch."

"Roger."

"There's not enough room to hide a whole army down there to begin with so it's highly unlikely that they hid there."

"We've found what seems to be a large-scale emitter that can send many signals at once through a specific frequency which is usually reserved to the ISPs."

"I see. That's how they fled."

"We're breaking the doors of the underground prison area and about to free the prisoners."

"Good. Make sure they're not bobby-trapped or anything like that. Don't lower the guard. The enemy is getting more dangerous with every passing operation, after all."

"The X-7 did a good job. We should move in into trying to optimize it and produce a few more units. They might come in handy for the future operations as well." An official told another other.

"Indeed. The FTL did a good job."

"FTL?" Sigma asked.

"Future Technology Laboratory, which develops technologies for all divisions of the JSDF, sir." A cadet explained.

"I see. And this X-7 is one of their newest inventions, then."

"Yes, sir. Today's the first time it's used in a real battle as well."

"Good. Weapons like these will be useful to handle energy shields and the likes. But the enemy will eventually find a way around these, too."

"Obviously."

"We've broken the doors. Nothing's happened. We're leading the Navis outside. I get the impression with every attack that the Navis are steadily getting more depressed and tired. But then again it's no wonder, since it's been so many days of suffering."

"Indeed. But our analysis reveals that there's a secret instruction in all main generators that allows for their remote self-destruct. So if we could get a hold of it we could disable the Dimensional Areas at once and charge at once without having to take so many hours to get everything ready. The problem will be finding that frequency which I'm sure only their big boss knows." A lieutenant general commented with another.

"I see. So if the man felt like it he could disable them at once. Maybe to let those armies to take over communications hubs… We should keep an eye out for that as well."

"And lame shows as well. That of the Terminator was so lame. Even Virus could've done that." Sigma muttered.

"Oh, sure. Do you copy, Sir Omega?"

"Yeah. I'm keeping watch. Boss is sound asleep, fortunately enough. Insofar nothing's happened. But I don't intend to stop the watch. You two stay for a while until the census ends and the Navis are sent home. The rascal could pull off something at any instant."

"Roger, sir."

"Aye, aye!"

"We've begun the census, sir. Insofar there are no problems, sir. Save for a few that acted out of stress and mistook us for the enemy. But we could calm them down, sir."

"Hum. I see. Well, it can't be helped."

"With this we've got 6 cities freed. We've still got a lot of job ahead of us unless we find that secret frequency…"

"Sheesh. Maybe we should focus on finding that, Blood?"

"Yeah. But it won't be easy either, Sigma. That Joker rascal… He's totally asking for it! This time you're not running away…!"

03:17 AM (Japan Time)…

"… Are you in position, gentlemen?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. B Team, cover the rear."

"Yes, sir."

"C Team and D Team, the flanks."

"Yes, sir."

"We A Team will come in from the front."

"Yes, sir."

Colonel Talos was leading a group of men as he stood inside of the forest close to the house where Eclipse and Miyu were living.

He was dressed in a grey army uniform, although the area around the sleeves and neck was colored in a reddish patch.

He had a distinction on the right side of the uniform just underneath the right shoulder.

His subordinates were dressed in black camouflage clothing and had black face-paint on: they carried flash-bang grenades and modified Beretta M9 handguns.

"Good. Silence now."

The group of five men nodded and slowly circled to the left inside the forest as they approached the house which was silent with all lights save for one over the main door off: the group silently walked over there and one of the men made light with a small flashlight to check out the door's keyhole and the frame.

"Maybe it has a further lock on the inside." He whispered.

"I see. Proceed."

The man drew another tool and made a circular cut to one of the small glass panes of the six-pane grid: he then used a suction pad to take out the glass piece and checked the door's inner side which had a lock on it: he slowly turned it to the left to unlock it.

"It's open, sir."

"Good. Silence from now until I say that you can speak."

The group of five silently entered the house and used the flashlights to inspect the surroundings: a couple of them took position near the stairs leading to the upper floor with Talos and the other two searched the living room: they also inspected the kitchen and a bathroom but found nothing outstanding before returning to the entrance corridor: Talos glued his ear to a wall and frowned: he stepped away a bit and silently examined the wooden wall.

I felt wind from a gap… A hidden door, then.

He slowly applied some force with his right hand (covered in a black leather glove) and belt a slight bulge: he kept on inspecting the surface and discovered a small depression that served as grip point: he caught it and then pulled it left to reveal a small room: he and his two men stepped inside and saw the stairs leading to the basement: they climbed down and found an armored door with a window having four bars allowing one to inspect the basement: it was pitch-black.

Time for some IR.

He made a gesture with his right hands' index and middle finger while signaling his eyes: he and his men drew IR googles from backpacks they carried and put them on: the surroundings were mostly green and there very faint orange stains inside.

Lamps that haven't totally cooled down yet.

He gestured the door and the man from before drew lock picking tools which he used to silently force the door open: the group stepped inside and quickly scanned the area before heading further in to the cell's door: they inspected the door with the IR googles.

Two human-sized heat signatures inside. Let's be silent nevertheless. Fortunately enough there's still mobile network so I can send a message to the end up there to get ready to move into the first floor.

He drew a Huawei smartphone and silently wrote a message which he sent: he then motioned for the lock-pick specialist to open the door.

Let's secure them and then we can move into catching the other two.

The specialist silently managed to force open the door and the three of them stepped into the cell: Obihiro and Akira were sleeping in each one's respective beds: Talos motioned for his men to secure the doorway while he approached the bunk bed and crouched next to Obihiro.

"Mr. Obihiro. Wake up."

Obihiro didn't react and Talos spotted the remains of the dinner (the usual sandwich and pet bottle) so he seemingly made the connection: he tried placing a hand over Obihiro's right shoulder and shake him but he didn't react either: he drew his ear closer.

He's alive, alright. It must be a powerful sleeping drug. Can't be helped. We'll have to carry them out. I didn't see any box with clothing as we searched the rest of the basement so we'll have to use the thermal blankets we brought with us.

He made signals to the men and they brought out thermal blankets which they wrapped around both Obihiro and Akira: they then carried them on their backs and silently left the room: the group returned to the entrance corridor where the other two men had taken positions to both sides of the stairs and were waiting for orders: Talos made a sign with the left hand and they silently and slowly climbed up the stairs taking care that the wood didn't creak: Talos drew the smartphone and looked at footage taken in live by shoulder-mounted cameras.

Hum. Two bedrooms, a workspace and a bathroom.

He sent a message to the men via the smartphone and each one headed in different directions.

Shoot tranquilizer rounds as soon as contact is established. I know this isn't exactly a very legal operation but we've detected that Joker has been subtly hacking the police network to create contradicting orders and confuse the chain of command. So we couldn't be sure if they'd be able to organize a team to inspect this place. We did warn the Net Police about this operation and they will back us up.

The two men silently entered into the bedrooms but found that there was no-one in either of them and that the beds were cold which mean they hadn't been used in hours.

Hum. Had the suspicion. Joker must've realized we were closing in.

"End of radio silence. Targets C&D are not here. They have fled with hours in advance leaving A&B behind. Bring the van. We're going to take these gentlemen to a safe place."

"Roger, sir."

The group left the house just as a black van silently pulled over next to the entrance: another of Talos' men opened the door as they sat Obihiro and Akira in the second row of back seats: Talos sat there with two of this men while the other men took seat in the first row.

"Everyone is on the vans, sir."

"Good. Let us depart. Silently, that is. We go to the central office since we have an infirmary there." Talos ordered.

"Roger, sir."

The van (an electrical vehicle) silently drove away while Talos dialed a number on the phone.

"Chief? C&D had fled in advance but we secured A&B. We're coming to the central office."

"Roger, Colonel."

"How are things like?"

"The JSDF are getting ready for the next mission and they've decided to send in a large force of scout Viruses first since they expected a heavy resistance there."

"Obviously."

"Are the gentlemen alright?"

"They are drugged so they're sound asleep."

"I see."

"How about the U front?"

"Nothing out of place here. We haven't found any traces of our man having been around either physical or digital."

"Hum. But we should keep the surveillance there nevertheless."

"Of course. That was my intention."

"How about Mr. Sponsor?"

"Fortunately enough, he seems to have gotten over his depression. The magazine also admitted that they made a grave oversight in allowing that article to be published. The author of it actually didn't write it but his computer was subtly hacked as well. It has been established that Mr. Sponsor is but a businessman and has nothing to do with "amoral experiments"…" Lezareno explained with a sigh of relief.

"Good. Mr. Sponsor is very talented yet he has some doubts about himself which sometimes impair his capability to handle things efficiently. He's young, after all. We should stand by his side to support him and advise him if the need for it arises."

"Exactly."

"Hum. We're already in the urban expressway. Good. We should reach the office in about 15 minutes. Have the medical personnel ready along with clothes and hot drinks and make sure that the infirmary is heated up to a comfortable temperature." Talos glanced outside and began to see city buildings to the left side.

"They're already in standby. Tonight we'll keep them here and tomorrow we'll escort them to Mr. Obihiro's flat. We've kept the place under watch in case Joker or anyone else attempted to use it as hideout but no-one has come there."

"It was too obvious of a place to begin with. What about Mr. Karida's father and his countryside house? We had already searched the place but there was nothing, right?"

"Indeed. Nothing's changed."

"Good. We will talk once we get there."

"Affirmative."

Talos ended the call and pocketed the phone as he glanced at Obihiro's and Akira's sleeping faces: he sighed and looked outside.

Young men suffering too much. As if the stress from society and their expectations of them aren't enough. Fools who try to destroy the future by harming the young men who will become the new generation… Fools, indeed… Your madness won't last much longer…!