Chapter Ten

-Panic-

As Callaghan watched the machines churn out new microbots piece by piece, he folded his arms across his chest in worry.

We have to act fast, his eyebrows knitted anxiously.

Though the team dispatched by Krei Tech had left without taking any remains with them, as he had observed from port, Callaghan knew that the firm would eventually dismantle the facility. The only question was when, and if the answer was before the launching ceremony of their new headquarters, then his efforts would be in vain and he would never be able to carry out his quest for revenge.

But that will never happen with me around, Callaghan smirked to himself. He turned around to see Tadashi studying the procedures on the laptop in apparent diligence, to which he sighed with a frown.

That boy's something though…He thought. Despite having chosen to believe the young man's words, Callaghan still had a lingering suspicion in his heart about the former's motive three nights before.

It could be anything, he wondered, from plotting an escape to sabotaging his work or worse, trying to get information for someone else. Nevertheless, if he were to do any of those, Tadashi would face the same consequence, and that means he would never see the light of day—again.

Callaghan glanced at his watch. It's almost time, he reminded himself before he cleared his throat to speak, "I will have to leave to inspect a site for my plans. I trust you won't do anything funny, Mr Hamada."

"Yes, Professor," Tadashi breathed, his eyes briefly meeting the professor's cautious ones. Callaghan then walked out of the room, closing the door and leaving a still air of silence hanging behind.

Then a despairing sigh poured out from Tadashi's chest.

This is bad, he laid his head onto the desk. After the episode with Callaghan, Tadashi's worries for Hiro had only worsened to the grave, especially after he realised what the latter might do given his parallel circumstances to Abigail's.

If Hiro seeks revenge…Tadashi grasped his hair in fear. Then that would be a disaster.

Everything his younger brother had achieved so far will be wasted, and his life will be ruined or even endangered by an impulsive thirst for vengeance should he ever have it.

Tadashi sighed again. His reckless actions had not only caused his loved ones to suffer, but had also created a huge mess that could affect their lives drastically.

Perhaps it was only fortunate that no one knew it was Callaghan who started the fire for his own plans, and that he was alive too since both of them had been presumed dead with the fire assumed to have been caused by a short-circuit.

If not, Hiro would have hunted Callaghan to death, Tadashi bit his lips before he suddenly heard a sound. It was a soft metal clang from a distant end of the warehouse.

Tadashi quickly diverted his focus back to the laptop, thinking it was Callaghan who had returned to get something until he heard another sound.

"Oh no."

Tadashi blinked his eyes in disbelief. Baymax? Impossible, must be my imagin—!

"Shhhhh!"

Tadashi immediately froze. For sure, he knew the sound was made by a human, but it sounded so similar to a certain voice that he simply could not believe his senses. No, it can't be.

"Excuse me, while I let out some air," The synthesized sound echoed, followed by a high-pitch noise that resembled those made by a deflating balloon before the human sound returned to his ears.

"Are you done?"

Then an alarm went off loudly in Tadashi's head.

It's him! He instantly rose in panic. It's Hiro! Why did he come—No, how did he even get here in the first place?!

Tadashi could barely believe the odds. His mind tried to race over the possibilities that led to this unexpected arrival of his brother, yet he could not find any, let alone even think of one.

What should I do?! He soon asked himself. He knew somewhere in his heart that he had to do something quickly, but his thinking was already blurring and his body had been weakened by an overwhelming wave of shock.

The young man looked around at his surroundings dizzily. He tried to move towards the door, but barely managed to stagger halfway across the room before he fell onto the floor and suddenly struggled to breathe.

Air…air! Tadashi screamed in his mind. He clutched onto his chest tightly as he relived the horrible sensation that had happened time and again for the past ten years.

Weren't you supposed to be strong, Tadashi? A part of him mocked his situation. Weren't you supposed to protect Hiro?

Tadashi widened his eyes in horror.

The deal…to kill anyone who knows…about this…He gasped. He must not let Hiro know about Callaghan's plans; he must not let his life be in danger when he still had the chance to stop him.

Unlike that night when their parents died.

"Run!" He heard Hiro shout from below, upon which he quickly stood and wobbled hurriedly to the window where he would see his scrawny teenage brother and his creation fleeing from a gathering mass of microbots.

Callaghan! He concluded dreadfully. He must have seen them!

Tadashi turned to lurch out of the room. He had to try to convince Callaghan not to kill them, even though he knew it would be nearly impossible.

Bursting out of the room in sweat, Tadashi glanced at both directions of the passage before he found Callaghan in the same dark clothes he had worn before, save for a striking mask that covered his face.

"Callaghan…!" He afforded a weak shout, but the elder man walked further away from him and disappeared into a corner.

Shoot! Tadashi swore. He then grabbed the railings on both sides of the passage for support as he tried to run to Callaghan's side. Slowly, he regained his strength and began to fasten his pace until he turned around the corner to see his captor confronting the two.

"Come on, the window!" Hiro pushed Baymax hurriedly towards one of the windows.

No, Hiro, no! Tadashi wanted to shout when he realised he could not. It would only seal Hiro's fate in Callaghan's hands if the former knew about his living state too.

He glimpsed at Callaghan who sent a wave of microbots towards them. Despite his concealed face, Tadashi could make out from his gestures that he was intent on sending them to their deaths by having them fall from the height.

But he could do nothing to stop him. Tadashi only stood helplessly on the spot, watching Hiro trying to squeeze his fat creation through the window before it flipped over, causing the teenage boy to fall outside instead.

"Baymax!" Hiro let out a desperate scream.

"Hiro," Baymax uttered before the microbots pushed it out into the air.

Then a loud crash was heard. Callaghan turned around in surprise to find an unconscious Tadashi sprawled across the passage.

-End of Chapter Ten-