AN: Here's chapter 11, I hope you enjoy it. For those of you who have seen Ceres, you'll be in for a treat. Anyway, to those of you who are looking forward to the fight between Scorpion and Farfarello (especially RuneKnightPictures himself), get ready, because in the next chapter, you'll get what you've been waiting for. Now sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own MGS, FoR, WK, NGE, RBHS, Noir, Burn up excess, or AnC; I only own Riku and the story. Also, Gregory Kinezono and Linn Aramaki belong to ShardclawKusanagi, and Lt. Reese, Nagu, and James Masterson aka Silent Scorpion belong to RuneKnightPictures. Aside from Scorpion, who will be making a brief appearance in this chapter, the others will only be mentioned.

Chapter 11: Preludes

Mikage Intl. HQ:

"Reassignment?" Crawford asked. He and the other two members of Schwartz were standing in Kagami's office right in front of his desk. Wei Fei Lee was standing next to Kagami.

"That's correct." Kagami answered. "It has come to my attention that the security for some of our other branches has become a little lax as of late. Therefore, I am sending you, Crawford, to our branch in South America and Farfarello to our branch in the United States. Schuldich shall remain here. That is all, dismissed."

Crawford looked at Kagami with an unreadable expression before turning and walking out of the door along with Schuldich and Farfarello. When the door closed, Lee turned to Kagami.

"Are you sure that was a wise decision, sir?" Lee asked. "Wouldn't it be safer to have those three "taken care of"?"

"Under normal circumstances, yes." Kagami replied. "However, since Crawford and his men are agents for the Patriots, eliminating Schwartz would raise suspicion from the Patriots. Enough that they might decide to take over C-Project for themselves and I cannot let it fall into their hands."

"I understand sir, but why send Crawford and Farfarello to those locations?"

"Our branch in South America is more or less a joke." Kagami replied. "Hardly anything gets done there, but I will make sure that Crawford is kept confined to that area. As for Farfarello, he is obviously more of a weapon than anything else; a weapon that has to be kept on a short leash. All we need to do is make sure that it's us who hold the leash."

"But why keep the other one with us?" Lee asked.

"Schuldich shouldn't be too hard to manage. Just insure that Viper keeps an eye on him in case he tries contacting his comrades or the Patriots."

"I will see to that, sir." Lee replied with a bow. "Shall I inform Master Mikage about this?"

"Yes, do that." Kagami replied. "After all, forefather is one of the key elements in C-Project, for now." Then he looked at Lee with a more serious expression. "Lee, as soon as Crawford has left, I need you to have the rest of the guardinals on standby."

"Are we to retrieve another C-Genome, sir?" Lee asked.

"Correct." Kagami answered. "You are to capture Chidori Kuruma, and this time, insure that Aya and her friends do not interfere."

"I will see to that, sir." Lee said with a bow. "Our new equipment should protect us from that girl's celestial powers. What should we do about the girl's family?"

"Miss Kuruma has a younger brother. Use him as a hostage to insure her cooperation, dispose of the rest of them."

"As you command, sir."

Outside Kagami's Office:

"Kagami knows about our connection to the Patriots." Schuldich said as he followed Crawford with Farfarello in tow. "I had a look into his mind and it seems he had us followed when we went to meet with Ocelot."

"Well, it appears that Kagami is more resourceful than I expected." Crawford noted. "No wonder the Patriots were considering making him part of the Wiseman's Committee. This change in plans may be a bit of a setback, but I should be able to figure out a way around it. Now I'll speak with Viper about this." And then he walked away leaving his two partners behind.

(While I admit that your plan to separate us was a good idea, you made one key mistake, Kagami Mikage.) Crawford thought. (While you were correct in assuming that Farfarello is a mere weapon that has to be kept on a tight leash, you were wrong in believing that the leash had to be a short one. Schuldich's telepathic abilities stretch for a very long distance.)

Then Crawford stopped when he noticed someone watching him. He turned and saw a young man with short blond hair looking at him with interest. He had a scar on his left cheek and another scar that encircled his neck. The man looked to be around seventeen but there was something in his eyes that made him seem older than that.

"You're planning on double-crossing Kagami, aren't you?" The man said. "You also have paranormal abilities, but they're not of the tennyo."

Crawford turned and regarded the strange man.

"And you are?" He asked.

"My name is Shiso." The man answered. "I am the progenitor of the Mikage family."

"Ah yes." Crawford said. "I've heard about you." The he looked at Shiso closer and he fought to keep from showing surprise.

(So what Viper told me was true after all.) Crawford thought. (The heir to the Mikage family, Aki Mikage, truly is the host for the progenitor's spirit.)

"I've heard that you can see the future, mortal." Shiso said with an amused smile. "Tell me, can you see mine?"

"No." Crawford answered. "I can't see the future for someone that's already dead. Now what business is it of yours if I betray Kagami or not."

"I just happen to be interested, that's all." Shiso replied. "If you do plan on betraying Kagami, then go ahead. I won't stop you. You can even kill him in any way you wish. However..." Then his expression turned from friendly to dangerous. "If you, in any way, shape, or form, try to prevent me from reclaiming Ceres, you will die." He then looked at Crawford for a moment before turning around and walking away.

"Hmm. This one could be interesting." Crawford noted. "I'll be sure to consult with the Patriots about him."

Meanwhile: Riku's Car:

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Riku?" Nagi asked as Riku drove his car behind Youji's, following the two members of Weiss towards this flower shop that was their destination. Nagi was seated in the backseat of the car next to Tot.

"We don't really have much choice, Nagi." Riku replied. "These guys know who we are now, and we need to know more about these guys. Who knows, if these guys turn out to be okay fellows, we could end up as allies or maybe even friends."

"Not if I can help it." Tot said angrily. "I won't forgive them for killing Neu."

"What exactly happened back then anyway, Tot?" Riku asked.

"I don't want to talk about it." Tot answered.

Riku sighed and turned to Nagi.

"Do you know what happened?" Riku asked.

"If Tot doesn't want me to tell you, then I won't." Nagi replied. "I'm sorry, but I don't want to stir up any bad memories for her."

"Would you prefer I ask Weiss what happened?" Riku asked. "Look, you two, we're a team. We shouldn't keep secrets from one another if it's important." Then he turned to Tot. "Look, Tot, I know the memory is painful for you but I'd rather that you tell me what happened instead of some strangers telling me."

Tot was silent for a few minutes before speaking again.

"It happened a few months ago." She said. "We were to try and assassinate Weiss by sending Neu in to try and deceive them into thinking she was no longer a member of Schrient."

"You mean pose as a double agent?" Riku asked.

"No. She was supposed to seduce that one member with the blond hair and sunglasses." She stopped and then looked at both Nagi and Riku. "I know what you're both thinking; now that I think about it, I think it was a cruel trick to play, but at the time I didn't really understand what seduction was. I just thought that Neu was supposed to trick the man into believing they were allies"

"Taking advantage of your innocence to make you an assassin, some friends." Riku said.

"Don't make assumptions about them!" Tot shouted defensively. "You don't know anything about-!" She then stopped when she realized what she was saying.

"I apologize." Riku replied. "I didn't have any right to say what I did. Those three were your family, after all. I truly am sorry."

Tot looked and saw that Riku was being sincere in what he said.

"It's all right, I forgive you." She said and then she returned to the previous subject. "Anyway, to make a long story short, our mission failed and Neu was killed by the same man she was trying to seduce." She then turned her head away from both of them. "Do you think we can talk about something else now?"

"Of course." Riku answered. "Whatever you want."

Nagi looked over at Tot and then looked like he wanted to say something but Tot interrupted him.

"It's all right, Nagi." Tot said not looking in his direction. "I'll be fine, really."

Nagi placed his hand on Tot's shoulder causing her to tense up a little, as if to brush his hand away but then she relaxed and held onto it.

"I told you that if you ever felt sad about what happened to your comrades, then I'd be there to for you." Nagi said. "I won't break that promise to you, Tot. I won't let you bear all that pain alone."

Tot then looked over at Nagi before throwing her arms around him. Nagi held her as she cried over the death of the ones who had been her friends and family.

Riku glanced back at the two before wordlessly turning his attention back to the road.

Later:

"Well, it looks like we're here." Riku said as he parked the car in front of a flower shop. Then he turned back to Nagi and Tot, who had long since recovered her composure. "If you want, I can go in and talk to those guys myself and you two can wait for me."

"No, we'll go with you." Nagi replied. "We are a team, after all."

"You're both sure about this?" Riku asked.

"I am." Nagi answered. "And besides, we need as much help as we can if we're going to face Schwartz again and having more allies just might help us. If those four agree to be our allies, that is."

"And if we want them to be our allies." Riku added then he turned to Tot. "What about you, Tot?"

"I'll meet them myself before I make a decision about them." She answered. "I promise that I'll try to be friendly."

"All right then, let's go." And the three of them got out of the car. They then walked over to the entrance where Youji and Omi were waiting for them.

As they approached the entrance, Riku looked at the sign for the shop.

"Koneko no ie Sume (Kitty in the House)." Riku read and sweat dropped as he did. Then he turned to Youji and Omi. "Interesting name."

"Hey, we weren't the ones who picked the name." Youji said. "Ms. Yamaguchi's the owner, so she named it."

"All right, I believe you." Riku said and then he, Nagi, and Tot walked into the shop.

The shop was empty, except for an elderly woman and a young girl with long black hair tied back into pigtails.

The elderly woman turned to them.

"Ah, you must be the people young Ran and his friends want to meet." She said and then she turned to the girl next to her. "Aya, why don't you go get some snacks for our guests while Youji and Omi take them to Ran."

"Of course." Aya said and then she turned to Riku and co. "I'm Ran's sister, Aya Fujimiya. Ran's told me about you three, I hope things go well with you." And she walked off into a room in the back.

Youji then gestured towards another room in the back.

"That's the living room." He said. "Ran's waiting there. Shall we go?"

"You don't seem to be getting much business." Riku noted as he looked around. (That girl looked familiar.)

"That's because we're off today." Youji answered. "On normal days, this place is packed with customers. Ninety-nine percent of them are female."

"Gee, I wonder why." Riku said. "Maybe I should consider taking a vacation from FOXHOUND and work here for a bit."

"Forget it, Riku." Both Nagi and Tot said at the same time.

"You're no fun at all." Riku said tragically.

"Well, shall we go meet with Ran now?" Omi asked.

"Lead on." Riku answered. "By the way, who's Ran?"

"He's more or less the leader of our group." Omi replied. "He might seem standoffish at first, but he's a pretty nice guy once you get to know him."

"That's true enough." Youji agreed. "After all, he and that Sakura girl hit it off pretty well." And then he turned to Riku. "Anyway, follow us." And they walked towards a door in the back and walked into what looked like a living room.

The moment he entered the room and saw the red haired man sitting on the couch in front of him, Riku felt nervous. The greeting look that he was giving them was anything but friendly.

"Well, hello, Mr. Uh..." Riku began nervously.

"Fujimiya." The man finished. "Ran Fujimiya."

"Well, nice to meet you, Ran." And Riku held out his hand, which Ran reluctantly shook.

"I take it that you're the leader." Ran said.

"More or less." Riku replied. "So what do you want to talk to us about?" Then he paused to look around. "By the way, aren't there four of you?"

"Ken wasn't able to come." Omi answered. "He had some other things he needed to do."

"I'm sure that's perfectly understandable." Riku said and then he turned back to Ran. "So, again, what did you want to talk to us about?"

"A number of matters." Ran answered. "For example, about your friends, there are a number of things concerning them that are important for us to know. Also, I want to know who you are and who you're with."

"If you want to know that, I'll need to talk to one of my superiors about this." Riku replied.

"And who would that be?" Ran asked.

"Colonel Roy Campbell." Riku answered. "Does that name mean anything to you?"

"I've heard the name somewhere before." Ran replied and then he turned to Omi and Youji. "Do you know who he's talking about?"

"You got me." Youji answered with a shrug.

"I've heard that name before too." Omi answered. "It was in a book about some kind of military uprising in Alaska."

"He's talking about the man in charge of Solid Snake's mission during the Shadow Moses incident." A woman's voice said.

Riku turned and saw a woman in her late twenties with long and curly red hair and she was dressed in a red and black suit.

"Manx." Omi said in recognition. "What took you so long to get here?"

"I had some pressing business to take care of." Manx answered then she looked at Riku. "So how do you know Roy Campbell?"

"Have we met before?" Riku asked. "You look familiar." Then he looked at Manx closer and then his eyes widened in recognition. "Now I remember. You're that woman who was looking out into the ocean with those two girls the night I found Nagi, and that girl, Aya, was one of the two girls with you."

"You mean you were there?" Aya asked appearing behind Manx carrying a plate of snacks.

"No, I drove by though." Riku answered. "What exactly happened that day anyway?"

"First tell us how you know Roy Campbell." Manx said.

"Oh that's simple." Riku replied. "Nagi, Tot, and I are with FOXHOUND."

"You mean you're with that reformation of the group that's part of Philanthropy?" Manx asked and Riku nodded, then she looked at Nagi and Tot. "So a runaway from Schwartz and the last surviving member of Schrient are also with the new FOXHOUND."

"I thought FOXHOUND was disbanded after the Shadow Moses incident." Omi said.

"Well, it was reformed a little over two years ago." Riku replied and he turned to Manx. "Since you seem to be the manager for this group, I assume that you have some connections. Are any of them with the UN?"

"Yes. A few. That's how I knew about the reformation of FOXHOUND." Manx replied and then she smiled. "Actually, the connections I have to the UN are the same connections that recognize your Philanthropy."

"So technically, we're colleagues." Riku said.

"Only technically." Ran said in reminder. "Now tell us about this reformation of FOXHOUND to those of us who don't know about it."

"Then I'm sure all of you will be interested to hear about this." Riku commented. "All right, I'll tell you about the new FOXHOUND. How much do you guys know about the incident on the Big Shell a couple of years ago?"

"Something about a giant Metal Gear crashing into New York and that's about it." Youji answered.

"You don't really read the newspapers very much, do you Youji?" Ran asked with a shake of his head and then he looked at Riku. "All I know is that a group of terrorists took over the Big Shell, the 44th president of the United States was assassinated, and a giant Metal Gear crashed into Manhattan."

"There was also a former anti-terrorist squad involved that were on the terrorists' side known as Dead Cell." Omi added. "From what I read about them, they sound very similar to Schwartz."

"That's about all I know about the incident as well." Manx said then she gestured to Aya. "Aya knows only what she's heard since she was in a coma at the time." Then she looked over at Riku. "Go on and tell us what you know, but don't tell us about your friends over there, I want to hear their story from their own mouths."

"As you wish, maam." Riku replied. "Well, this whole thing started when the hero of Shadow Moses, the legendary Solid Snake, supposedly sank an oil tanker in the New York harbor."

"Are you going to tell us what really happened?" Omi asked with an intrigued expression. "I was a bit skeptical about the news reports when I read them. Some things just didn't seem to fit right, and I found it hard to believe that the hero of Shadow Moses could suddenly turn into a terrorist."

"I'm sure he'd be happy to hear that." Riku commented. "Anyway, Snake and his partner, Dr. Hal Emmerich, received classified intelligence that a new type of Metal Gear was being developed by the US Marines..."

Later:

"So after this Raiden killed Solidus Snake, FOXHOUND was reformed to combat the Patriots' operations." Manx said. "That story you've told us seems to have some truth about it, but I find it hard to believe that everything that happened there was all arranged the Patriots."

"Well, it's true." Riku said. "By the way, when I got to the subject about the Patriots, you didn't seem the least bit surprised while everyone else was. Don't tell me you knew about them."

"I've only heard a little about them." Manx answered causing a reaction from Ran, Youji, and Omi.

"You mean you knew about these guys and you didn't tell us?" Ran shouted.

"You never asked." Manx replied then she turned to Riku. "All right, Mr. Hanabishi, I accept your story for now." Then she turned to Nagi and Tot. "Now it's your turn to answer our questions. First of all, what made you, Nagi Naoe, leave Schwartz and why is Tot still alive?"

"I'll tell you." Nagi said. "But whether you believe me or not is up to you." Then he paused for a moment before speaking again. "After our battle in Eszet's base, I was injured by the collapsing debris. Schwartz left me for dead and then Riku found me barely alive...."

Later:

Nagi and Tot's story had mixed reactions from the people in the room. Ran and Manx said nothing throughout the whole story. Omi and Aya both gasped when they heard about Schwartz's betrayal to Nagi and Youji simply shook his head and muttered "Bastards" before hearing the rest of the story.

"And after that, Tot and I joined FOXHOUND as Riku's partners." Nagi finished. "Believe me, I'm no longer with Schwartz and I have no desire to have any attachment to those guys ever again." Then he looked at the three members of Weiss. "I know this hardly begins to make up for what I've done as an assassin, but I apologize for whatever harm my actions may have caused you."

Ran looked at Nagi and he could see that the boy was being sincere in his apology.

"Fine." He said. "I accept your apology."

"You weren't the one who killed Ouka." Omi said. "And you never seemed to do anything to intentionally hurt someone without cause, so I also accept your apology."

"Same here." Youji said and then he turned to Tot. "I know I killed one of your teammates and I'm sorry for it. Believe me, it wasn't something I wanted to do."

Tot looked at Youji and could see the pained expression on his face as he remembered killing Neu and felt a sudden sense of pity for the man.

"Neu was killed in a battle." Tot said. "I realize now that those things happen. I'll forgive you for killing Neu, but I won't forget that you were the one who killed her."

"I suppose that's fair enough." Youji admitted then he turned to Manx. "So what do we do now?"

"I'll take the next flight over to America to meet with Roy Campbell." Manx replied. "Kyoko will take over until I get back."

"Well, that saves me the trouble of reporting all of this to the colonel myself." Riku said and then he looked over at Nagi and Tot. "Guess we might as well get going now." And then he turned to Weiss. "It was nice meeting you guys and I'll be sure to stop by from time to time to check up on things. Who knows, we might end up being allies."

"Possibly." Ran replied.

"If we do, I look forward to it." Riku said and he walked out of the room with Nagi and Tot in tow.

"Ken's not going to be very happy about missing this." Omi said.

"That'll depend on when he comes back." Youji said. "If he comes back today, he won't be very happy about it, but if he comes back tomorrow morning, I doubt he'll mind very much." And then he turned to Ran. "Which reminds me, how are things going between you and Sakura?"

"That's none of your business." Ran replied.

"Damn." Youji said. "Why do you always have to be so secretive?"

"It's a bad habit of his." Aya answered.

Outside the Shop:

"Shouldn't we report the part about Ryoko and everyone else knowing about us?" Nagi asked as they got into Riku's car.

"Are you kidding?" Riku asked. "Do you have any clue what Reese will do if he found out about that?"

"Regardless, we should let the colonel know about this." Nagi said.

"And you told me that keeping secrets from teammates isn't good." Tot added. "You should practice what you preach."

"Fine." Riku said reluctantly and then reached over to activate his codec and then stopped as if he remembered something. "Oh yeah, Tot, I have something for you." And then he walked over to the trunk of the car. "Uncle Kurei had this in his armory. Here, have a look." And Riku pulled out a long wrapped object from the car's trunk and handed it to Tot.

Tot took off the wrappings and then held a sheathed katana blade.

"It's a pretty old sword and quite rare too." Riku explained. "The only thing that needed to be replaced was the handle and scabbard, but the blade itself only needed to be sharpened. My uncle was intending to give that to me, but I'm really not all that good with blades. Besides the kunai shuriken, that is. "

Tot slowly drew out the katana from its sheath. Then she gave a few small swings with it.

"Whoa. Swing that thing in the training hall." Riku said but Tot seemed to be ignoring him.

"This is a really good blade." She said as she looked at her new weapon. Then she put it back into its sheath. "I'm almost surprised that it doesn't cut through its scabbard."

"Well, it's a Muramasa blade so I would expect that." Riku said. "Anyway, let's get going."

"Hold it." Tot said. "You haven't made your report to the colonel yet."

"You're cruel." Riku replied and then activated his codec.

"What is it Drakken?" Col. Campbell asked as soon as his face appeared on screen.

"Well, colonel, it's about that terrorist attack that occurred in Kushiro." Riku answered. "You see..."

Later:

"Are you absolutely positive that your friends will keep all that happened a secret?" Col. Campbell asked.

"Yes sir." Riku said, a little surprised that Roy hadn't yelled at him about what had happened.

"Then I'll have this matter overlooked." Roy said. "You're not the only one who doesn't want to hear Reese's reaction to this."

"Thank you sir." Riku said with a breath of relief. "Anyway, the manager for Weiss will be meeting with you soon. I hope things go smoothly."

"If they do, there's a chance that these guys might join Philanthropy." Col. Campbell said. "Let's hope for the best." And the transmission ended.

"Well, let's get going." Riku said and then he, Nagi, and Tot got into the car and it drove off.

As Riku drove he suddenly spoke.

"Weiss, German for "white" and Schwartz, German for "black"." He said and then spoke to Nagi and Tot. "Tell me, have either of you heard of Noir?"

"That famous European assassin group?" Nagi asked. "I've only heard about them. Why are you asking?"

"Noir is French for "black"." Riku answered. "Don't you think it's kind of strange that there are two assassin groups with the same name except in different languages."

"It could just be a coincidence." Tot said.

"To shrug things off as a coincidence usually invites trouble." Riku replied. "I'll have it looked into when we go back to headquarters for training."

"What do you know about Noir?" Nagi asked. "All I know is that there are two of them."

"That's about all I know as well." Riku answered. "Except I've heard that there could be three of them. When Noir assassinated a group of men from a Chinese crime syndicate, there were three assassins involved."

"I only heard Crawford mention Noir once or twice and that was only about who they killed." Nagi said. "I did ask him who Noir was, but he told me I'd be better off not knowing."

"Maybe Crawford didn't know who they were and just said that as an excuse not to tell you." Riku said with a smile.

"Now I'd be surprised about that if it were true." Nagi said and that was the end of the conversation.

3 Days Later:

Outside of a house over in Tochigi, Wei Fei Lee watched from behind large bush. Two guards stood outside the door, which abruptly opened and young man with light brown hair who looked to be around seventeen stepped out along with a short strange looking woman. A young girl followed them out and began talking with them as they headed towards their car.

"Thanks for coming, Yuhi." The girl said to the man and then turned to the short woman. "And you too, Mrs. Q." And then she turned back to Yuhi. "Shota really enjoyed that cake you made."

"No prob!" Yuhi replied with a smile. "By the way, Chidori, you're brother's improving at walking."

"Thanks." Chidori said. "I'm sure Shota would love to hear that. Anyway, I'm sorry about the call from Aya...accidentally cutting her off..."

"That's okay, just cheer up." Yuhi replied. "Instead of worrying about others, why don't you worry about your development? Owch!"

"You jerk!" Chidori shouted whacking Yuhi on the head before turning around and walking back into the house.

"Another lover's quarrel?" Mrs. Q asked with a smile.

"Don't be stupid!" Yuhi shouted as he got into the car. "Anyway, we'd better head back home now. Suzumi said something about hiring some bodyguards for us. Though I don't really see why we'd need them." Then he closed the car door and started the car.

The guards chuckled as they watched Yuhi and Mrs. Q drive off.

"Heh. Chidori and Yuhi sure act like how my wife and I did just before we started dating." The first guard said.

"Yeah. Those two sure make a cute couple." The second guard agreed. "Anyway,-."

There was the sound of a gunshot and the man fell to the ground. The first guard turned and then a large metal boomerang embedded itself in his chest. The guard fell to the ground alongside his friend.

"Nice shooting, Schuldich." Slasher Hawk commented as he walked over to the dead guard and yanked out his boomerang.

"Thank you." Schuldich replied. "And that was a very nice throw you made." Then he turned and watched as Lee came out of his hiding place. "Well Lee, it looks like the girl's having a bit of a birthday party today. Shall we drop in and give her a little present."

Lee looked over at Schuldich with a serious expression.

"Do what you want, Schuldich." He said. "But do not touch the girl. We need her unharmed."

"What? You think I've got a lolita complex or something?" Schuldich asked with a chuckle.

"Just do your job." Lee said flatly. Schuldich smirked at him before opening the door and walking inside along with Hawk.

Shiso walked up to where Lee was all the while talking to himself.

"Seventeen, huh." He said with a smile. "The same age as Aya. I'm sure this will bring both her and Ceres out of hiding and into my grasp." And he walked into the house.

Lee turned around and nodded and then half a dozen armed men wearing black uniforms followed him into the house.

Meanwhile: VR Training Room:

"They're almost to the cardboard box!" Riku shouted to Nagi and Tot over the codec. "I've got this area covered. You two cut the rest of them off!"

Riku and co. were training using a variety mode that had them protect a cardboard box from thirty-two Arsenal Tengus. Riku and Tot were fighting the tengus at close range while Nagi provided support with both his sniper skills and his powers.

Just before Nagi was about to attack the approaching tengus, the simulation ended. Then Nagi heard his codec ring and he answered it. When he did, he saw that Col. Campbell's face was on the screen.

"Good." Roy said as soon as he saw Nagi's face appear on screen. "I'm glad all three of you are present. I have an assignment for you."

"Well it's about time, colonel." Riku replied. "So what's the job?"

"In the past few months, we've been receiving reports of unusual activity from a large corporation based in Japan known as Mikage International." Col. Campbell answered. "According to reports, these people are seeking out people with special powers."

"You mean like Nagi and me?" Riku asked.

"I'm not entirely sure." Roy replied. "I'm sure all three of you are familiar with ancient Japanese legends of maidens that descended from heaven and took human husbands."

"Colonel, we're a bit old for fairy tales." Nagi said. "And what does this have to do with the mission?"

"Fairy tale or not, Mikage International seems to be looking for people that are said to be descendants of these celestial maidens." Roy replied. "And, according to the information we've received, some of the ones that are being targeted do seem to have paranormal abilities."

"Let me guess." Riku said. "They're looking for these descendants of celestial maidens to see what gene it is that causes them to have this power. Sounds like an attempt to create another genome army."

"That seems to be the most likely case." Roy agreed. "I'm assigning the three of you the task of protecting a small group of people who are trying to stop the Mikage."

"You mean we're bodyguards?" Riku asked.

"Yes. A woman named Suzumi Aogiri is the one who is in charge of the group." Roy explained. "For now, you are to pose as simple mercenaries until further notice." Then he smiled slightly. "However, since the people involved have paranormal abilities, I am giving both you, Drakken, and Crow, the authorization to use your powers at your coercion. Just make sure that you keep them to a limit since your powers are to remain a secret."

"No problem, colonel." Riku said. "So who are we protecting?"

Col. Campbell took out a set of files from his briefcase and handed them to Riku, who immediately took them out and read them.

"Let's see..." Riku said as he began to read. "Six people. Four women and two men." Then he looked at the pictures. "Quite an odd assortment of people. So we're supposed to protect them from these Mikage guys, it shouldn't be all that hard. Anything else?"

"Yes." Roy replied. "You are to find out what it is that Mikage International is planning and also if they have any connections to the Patriots." Then he handed another piece of paper to Riku. "This is the address for where you're supposed to meet the people you're in charge of protecting."

"Now this sounds like a real mission." Riku said with a smile and he turned to Nagi and Tot. "Now let's get all of the necessary gear and head to this address." And they then turned off their codecs and exited the VR room.

Meanwhile: Aogiri Residence:

"Are you sure we really need these people, Suzumi?" Yuhi asked a young woman with short dark blue hair who looked to be in her early twenties. "I mean, those Mikage goons really aren't all that dangerous. Besides that Shiso guy, I mean."

"And what about Wei Fei Lee and Asamu and whoever else the Mikage have under their employment?" Suzumi asked. "If I remember right, the only one who was able to fight those guys and defeat them without much effort was Toya, and his responsibility now is to protect Aya. So I had to hire some people who could put the Mikages' special forces in their place."

"I guess that makes sense." Yuhi said reluctantly. "So who did you hire to do this? Solid Snake?"

"He's dead, you idiot." Suzumi replied. "Anyway, I hired three agents. I don't have any details about them, but from what I've heard from the man who sent them, those three are formidable enough."

"I hope they are." Yuhi said. "By the way, since Aya and Toya are coming back from Hachijoujima, they're probably going to be meeting these guys too, right?"

"Yes." Suzumi answered. "I'm sure Toya will be able to tell if these guys are strong enough or not."

(And I hope that they are.) Suzumi thought. (I don't know why, but I'm getting a bad premonition about something that's about to happen soon.)

Meanwhile: Kuruma Residence:

Chidori Kuruma stood in the living area of her home, her grandmother and grandfather lay dead at her feet. Shiso, Lee, Schuldich, Hawk, and an assortment of men wearing black uniforms stood before her.

Chidori looked over at Shiso.

"You... you must be Shiso..." She said, still in shock from what had just happened. "Y-you..."

"That is none of your concern, girl." Shiso said. "Just come with us. Now. I've been in a very foul temper."

Chidori only looked at the dead bodies of her grandparents, tears of grief and rage streaming down her face.

"Grandpa... Grandma... wh-why?" And she turned to Shiso and the rest of the men in front of her. Then her body started to glow from a strange energy, which crackled around her as she screamed. "Why did you have to kill them?!"

Suddenly the energy burst out, illuminating the entire room. The ceiling exploded in several places and fire burst through the windows. However, when the smoke cleared, Shiso, Lee, Schuldich, Hawk, and the rest of their men were completely unharmed. Chidori now stood in front of them, her body changed to look its actual age and her hair had turned blue. She had a shocked expression on her face.

Lee smiled and shook his head.

"I'm afraid that your powers aren't affective against us anymore, Miss Kuruma." He said and then held up his right arm to reveal a bracelet that he was wearing. It glowed with the same energy that surrounded Chidori. "This protective shield has been infused with the power of the tennyo...just like you." And then he signaled to two of his men. "Restrain her!"

"Get your hands off me!" Chidori shouted as the two men grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Sis!" A young boy's voice shouted.

Chidori turned and saw her younger brother, Shouta, a young boy with short brown hair who looked to be around ten, being led out of a room by one of the Mikage goons.

"Shota!" Chidori said.

Shota looked and his eyes widened in horror at the site of his dead grandparents and the men surrounding him.

"Sis, what happened?" He asked, his voice fearful. "Wh-who are these people?"

"Just do exactly what we tell you." Lee said firmly and turned to Chidori. "After all, you wouldn't want anything to happen to this child."

Chidori then stopped any attempts at struggling and then let herself be handcuffed and led over to a limo along with Shota. Lee, Shiso, Schuldich, and Hawk got into the backseat of the car before it drove away.

"Hmph, you see?" Shiso said with a smirk. "Take away a tennyo's powers and she's more than an ordinary woman. This time we'll get Ceres for certain." Then he stopped once he heard one of the Mikage goons whisper something to him. "It seems that Aya Mikage and Toya are on Hachijoujima Island. The Mikage family owns a vacation home there."

"Hachijoujima?" Lee asked.

"An island on the Pacific side of Japan." Shiso explained. "A little south of old Tokyo, I think." Then Shiso lay back in his seat and mused to himself. "The Pacific... ah, the sea."

Meanwhile: Aogiri Residence:

"This seems to be the place." Riku said as he parked his car in the driveway. Then he, Nagi, and Tot got out and walked over to the door and knocked on it.

Suddenly, the door flew open and an odd looking little creature dressed as a classic geisha, make up and all, flew out towards Riku.

"Toya, it's me! Me!" It cried out.

With a startled cry the three of them jumped back.

"Uh, my name isn't Toya!" Riku shouted, his eyes wide with fear and he turned to Nagi and Tot. "We've got the wrong house, let's leave!"

"Mrs. Q! You're frightening them!" A young man Riku's age shouted. "And just what the hell is that you're wearing?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Mrs. Q asked. "It's a geisha outfit. When I heard that Toya was coming back, I dressed up for him."

(If a real geisha saw this, she'd be furious.) Riku thought. (I sure pity this Toya person.)

"I see you've met Mrs. Q." A woman's voice said from behind them. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it. I guess it's a good thing we were a little late, right Toya?"

Riku turned and saw a young girl his own age with long blonde hair standing next to a man in his twenties with short red hair.

"I completely agree." The man said with a slight smile. "So who are these people, Yuhi?"

"I don't know." Yuhi replied. "Just some people who showed up here at the wrong time." Then he turned to Riku. "So who are you guys?"

"Well first, is there a Suzumi Aogiri here?" Riku asked.

"Yes." Yuhi answered. "She's my sister in law. Why are you asking?"

"Oh that's simple." Riku replied. "The three of us are the mercenaries your sister hired."

"What?!" Yuhi shouted. (These guys are about my age. How can they be mercenaries?)

"If you don't believe us, have a look at the suits we're wearing." Nagi said pointing towards himself. "As you can see, this suit isn't exactly standard military issue."

Yuhi looked at the sneaking suits that Riku and co. were wearing and had to agree.

"All right." He said. "Follow me."

"Hold on a minute, Yuhi." The blonde girl said. "Since when did you hire mercenaries?"

"Since today." Yuhi answered. "And it was Suzumi's idea."

"I think it makes perfect sense." Toya said and then he walked over to Riku. "My name is Toya and this is my fiancée Aya Mikage. It seems you've already met Yuhi and Mrs. Q."

"Nice to meet you." Riku said as he took Toya's hand and shook it. He then did the same with Aya, Yuhi, and Mrs. Q. "My name is Riku Hanabishi and over here are my partners Nagi Naoe and Tot."

"Nice to meet you!" Tot said cheerfully as she shook their hands.

"The same here." Nagi said as he did the same.

Later: In the house:

"So you're the three mercenaries." Suzumi said as she was introduced to Riku and co.

"Surprised?" Riku asked.

"Not really." Suzumi answered. "The Mikage have a mercenary in their unit younger than you three."

"Well, you can count on us to protect you from these guys." Riku said. "So can you fill us in on the situation?"

"All right, I will." Suzumi said. "I'm sure all three of you know about the legends of the tennyo."

"Yeah, we were briefed on that before we arrived." Nagi said. "Something about these Mikage guys looking for people that are said to be descendants of celestial maidens because it seems that some of these descendants have paranormal abilities."

"That's correct." Suzumi said. "I'll explain about the Mikage to you..."

Later:

"So let me get this straight." Riku said. "These Mikage guys are looking for people descended from celestial maidens for something called C- Project which includes an attempt to create some powerful item called a Hagaomo?"

"Yes." Suzumi answered. "Have you heard in the news about a large amount of deaths caused by a new type of plague?"

"Of course." Riku replied.

"Well, that new plague is actually the result of the Mikages' attempts to awaken more celestial maidens, or C-Genomes as they call them, by putting a type of vector into Japan's water supply." Suzumi explained. "The deaths are caused by those descended from the tennyo whose bodies rejected the vector. The ones who survive are abducted by the Mikage to be used for human experiments."

"Hold on, the death toll from all of that was over 800!" Riku shouted. "Are you saying these people intentionally caused the death of that many people just for some kind of experiment, and the ones who survive are turned into guinea pigs?"

"I know it's hard to believe, but it's true." Yuhi said.

"That's got to be the sickest thing I've ever heard!" Nagi said with disgust.

"How could anyone do something that horrible?" Tot asked. "Those guys sound about as low as it gets."

"Believe me, we couldn't agree with you more." Aya said and then she suddenly felt a wave of dizziness hit her and started to stumble.

"Aya!" Toya said and rushed over to her side.

"I'm okay." Aya said as she straightened up. "Just a little anemic."

Suzumi felt Aya's forehead.

"Oh! You're feverish!" She said. "You should stay here overnight."

"That's right!" Mrs. Q. agreed. "And I won't peep in on you and Toya in your bedroom."

"Shut the hell up, Mrs. Q!" Yuhi shouted.

(This promises to be an interesting mission.) Riku thought as he, Nagi, and Tot sweat dropped at hearing the conversation.

Later:

After Aya had been taken to her room to rest, Suzumi began to explain more about what was currently going on with the Mikage.

"So did you get anymore information on the Mikage family's recent movements?" Toya asked.

"I just got it today." Suzumi answered. "They seem to be collecting anything related to a Hagoromo and collecting it. Just getting this much information was difficult enough, so I don't really have any details, but it seems that there are a lot of foreign countries providing support for C- project."

(Foreign countries!) Riku thought. (Could the Patriots be involved in this after all?)

"In addition, even though it's a secret..." Suzumi paused for a moment before continuing. "Mikage International was, shortly after Shadow Moses, one of the leading corporations in Metal Gear research and development." This caused a reaction from everyone.

"What do you mean 'was'?" Riku asked. (These guys were involved in the production of Metal Gear. This isn't good.)

"Shortly after the discovery of Metal Gear RAY being developed by the US Marines, Mikage International abandoned its Metal Gear project." Suzumi explained. "Now it's become the leading private corporation in pioneering development in space."

"Space?" Nagi asked. "Why would they abandon Metal Gear development for space exploration?"

"The Mikage family seems to believe that the tennyo are extra terrestrials...aliens essentially." Suzumi said jokingly. "I wonder if they're planning on collecting all of their tennyo descendants just to ship the whole company off to the stars."

"So what is the Hagoromo for?" Toya asked.

"I don't know." Suzumi answered. "But it's a tennyo's life-force and... a wing of sorts, to free her from the mortal world. At the end of one of the tennyo legends, the tennyo's human husband and her children were summoned to the heavens and came to live there with her. Under the circumstances, we can't let this off as a fairy tale."

"And you're the one who said we were too old for fairy tales." Riku said to Nagi. "Shame on you."

"All right. I admit I was wrong." Nagi said. "So what do we do now?"

"We'll have to wait to obtain some more information on what the Mikage are planning before we make our move." Suzumi answered.

"That shouldn't be a problem." Riku said. "A friend of mine has an adopted younger sister who's a wizard when it comes to hacking. She could probably weed out whatever information you want on these Mikage guys within the space of a few hours."

"I seriously doubt that." Toya said. "The Mikage have state of the art computer programs protecting their files. I doubt your friend would succeed."

"Toya, are you a betting man?" Riku asked with a confident smile. "My friend, Lillica, could probably break through whatever firewall those guys have with absolute ease."

"Who's Lillica?" Nagi asked.

"Greg's adopted younger sister." Riku answered. "I'll introduce you to her and the rest of Greg's family when I get the chance."

"You've never told us about your friend's family before." Tot said. "How come?"

"Greg asked me not to." Riku replied.

"Why?"

"Heh heh. You'll see when you meet them." Riku said with a smile then he got up and looked at Suzumi. "Hey, do you know where the bathroom is?"

"Down the hall, third door on the left." Suzumi answered and pointed to the hallway.

"Thank you, maam." Riku said and he walked down the hallway. After walking down a bit he activated his codec.

"Well, colonel, did you get all that?" Riku asked as soon as he saw Col. Campbell's face appear on the codec screen.

"Yes. I got everything." Roy answered.

"Is everything Suzumi told me about the Mikage true?" Riku asked.

"I'm not sure, but a large portion of it does seem to be supported from the information that we have. In the meantime, I'll tell you what we do know for sure about Mikage International..."

Back in the living room, Suzumi then heard the sound of approaching feet and turned to see a family servant enter the room.

"Excuse me, maam." The servant said. "A messenger from the Mikage family just arrived." Then the servant handed a small brown package to Toya. "He told me that the package was for Aya."

Toya carefully opened the package to reveal a DVD.

"A disk?" He said. "They sent a disk to Aya, so they're probably keeping a close watch on our movements." Then he got up. "I'll go get Riku." And he walked down the hallway to where Riku was. As he walked closer, he heard Riku talking.

"So that's all of the information you have on the Mikage?" Riku asked.

"I'm afraid so." Col. Campbell answered. "I'm sorry if the information wasn't enough."

"No problem, I'll just have Greg's family give me a hand at getting some info." Riku said. "Drakken out."

(A codec?) Toya thought. (This kid's wired with nanomachines.)

"Excuse me, Riku." Toya said as he walked up to him. "We've just received some kind of disk from the Mikage. It could be a message."

Riku looked at Toya to see if he had heard any of his conversation with Col. Campbell, but saw nothing that indicated that.

"All right." Riku said. "Let's have a look."

When they got back to the room, Toya put the DVD into the player revealing the face of Shiso.

"Doing well, Aya?" Shiso asked. "So Toya's with you too, huh...how're you doing? Have the two of you been having fun these past five months?"

"Shiso!" Toya said in recognition.

"I'm sorry to throw a monkey wrench into your new life with each other." Shiso continued. "But we just invited an important friend of yours into our home..."

"Ow! Get the hell off me!" Chidori's voice shouted.

"Chidori?" Both Toy and Suzumi shouted at the same time.

"That can't be!" Suzumi shouted. "I was informed that she was all right as of yesterday!"

"I'll check on that now!" Mrs. Q. shouted as she left the room.

"Kagami's going to be using her for a little research." Shiso continued. "It's about time to quit just watching you guys. And Aya...you'll be mine sooner or later, as long as you're Ceres-."

"Aya! Just ignore this asshole!" Chidori shouted and then Shiso swung his fist to the side cutting her off.

"Sis!" Shota's voice shouted.

"Shota?!" Toya shouted instantly recognizing the boy's voice.

"Well, Aya..." Shiso said with a sadistic grin on his face. "Don't you feel sorry for these poor siblings? Can you live with it as long as you have your own happiness? Do you know what's going to happen to this C- Genome?"

"Aya...don't listen to him!" Chidori pleaded.

Shiso then hoisted up Chidori by her hair and then held her in front of the camera.

"Are you just going to leave your friends?" He asked mockingly. "Aren't you the one who has to come here? Aren't you the one who this power within these girls?"

"Aya! Don't!" Chidori shouted. "You've just become happy with Toya after all your troubles! Don't come-!"

"Stop it!" Shota shouted. "Don't you touch my sister!"

Shiso ignored the boy's pleas and continued.

"Oh, and Toya, you come along too." He said. "I'll treat you right." There was a pause. "I'll be waiting for you." And then the recording ended.

Suddenly the TV exploded as if an invisible force had hit it.

"Nagi! Calm down!" Riku shouted.

"You didn't feel what I did." Nagi said, his hands clenched in rage. "It was brief, but I felt their emotions. Those two's grief, their pain, and that freak's sadistic joy in all of it..."

"Don't worry, we'll pay them back for this." Riku said. "Just try to control yourself until then."

"Don't worry, Riku, I will." Nagi said. "And take your hand off the wall, you're starting to burn it." Riku looked and quickly removed his hand from the wall only to reveal a hand shaped burn mark.

"Whoops." Riku said and then turned to an amazed Suzumi. "You can take the repair cost out of our paycheck if you want."

"Hypocrite." Tot said. "You're just as angry with those Mikage guys as Nagi is."

"All right, what did you just do?" Yuhi asked.

"Well, I guess the cat's out of the bag." Riku said. "All right, Nagi and I have special abilities. Nagi's a psychic, as you've just seen and I'm...well, let me show you."

Then Riku held out his right hand and a fireball appeared in its palm.

"You're a flame wielder." Yuhi said. (He's like Urakawa.)

Riku's eyes widened when he saw Yuhi's expression.

"It seems that I'm not the first flame user to cross your path." Riku said. "Who was it?"

"A girl who went to my school." Yuhi answered. "Her name was Yuki Urukawa."

"Was?" Riku asked. "You mean she's dead?"

"I'm afraid so." Yuhi replied. "The Mikage used her as a guinea pig for the early stages of C-project and then used her as a weapon. She burnt herself to death with her own powers about a year ago."

"Damn it!" Riku swore. "Looks like I've got another reason for toppling their plans now. So who was that guy in the video and who is this girl that they kidnapped?"

"Her name is Chidori Kuruma." Yuhi answered. "She's a good friend of ours and is also the descendant of a celestial maiden. That's why they kidnapped her. The guy on the TV was Aki Mikage, Aya's twin brother."

"Aki? I thought I heard Toya call him Shiso."

"Shiso is the name of the forefather of the Mikage family." Toya explained. "Somehow, the spirit of that ancestor took over Aki's body and is possessing him."

"All right, now that's a little too hard to swallow." Riku said.

"I know this sounds crazy, but it's true." Toya replied. "I'll explain everything later, but right now we need to focus on rescuing Chidori."

"He's right." Yuhi agreed and then he hit the side of the wall in frustration. "Damn it! They were fine the last time I saw them. What about their bodyguards?"

"Probably killed." Toya said. "Just like the rest of Chidori's family, except for Shouta."

"How could this have happened?" Yuhi asked. "I should have stayed with them."

"We've been careless because it's been safe for months now." Suzumi said. "There's no way we could have predicted this."

"We can go over that later." Riku said. "Right now we need to rescue this Chidori Kuruma and her brother." Then he turned to Toya. "You seem to know a lot about these guys."

"That was because I used to work for them." Toya replied.

"So you basically know what we'd be up against." Riku said. "Where they've taken Chidori, how strong is the security?"

"I'm afraid Mikage International HQ is heavily guarded on the inside." Toya answered. "The security teams are enough for a small army."

"How well are they armed?" Riku asked.

"They're heavily armed, I'm afraid."

"And their combat experience?"

"It varies." Yuhi spoke. "I've fought these guys before, and aside from their team of special agents, the Mikages' men aren't all that threatening."

"So they're basically your typical run-of-the-mill hit men." Riku said. "All right, what's the plan?"

"I'll infiltrate Mikage International's headquarters and rescue those two." Toya said. "I'm good enough at stealth to get in and out of there."

"That's too dangerous!" Yuhi shouted. "I'm coming too! I can fight, and I won't be a drag. I'll save Chidori and Shouta for certain! For what the Mikage did after we left... I'll never forgive them--or myself!"

"Yuhi, wait." Suzumi said. "It's too dangerous for the both of you to try and get in there."

"She's right." Riku agreed. "I have an idea; Nagi, Tot, and I will go on ahead. We'll rescue Chidori, hold her in a secure part of the building, and hold out until you guys arrive and rescue Shota. Then we'll make our escape." Then Riku turned to Toya. "Where do you think they're keeping Chidori?"

"There's a research room on one of the higher levels of the building." Toya said. "That's probably where they're keeping her. But sneaking past all of the guards on the floors in between won't be easy."

"You said it's near the top floor, right?" Riku said. "All the three of us need to do is enter from the top."

"Entry by air isn't possible." Toya said. "The Mikage have anti- aircraft guns on the roof of the building, so we can't get you there by chopper."

"Who said anything about needing a chopper?" Nagi asked. "With my powers, all we need to do is get onto the roof of a neighboring building and I'll just float us over to there."

Toya paused for a moment to think about this and then spoke.

"You're plan just might work." He said. "The Mikage wouldn't expect an entrance from the roof. Are you sure you can sneak past the guards?"

"That shouldn't be a problem." Riku replied. "I've done some stealth missions before and my two partners have done enough VR simulations for this sort of thing."

"All right." Toya said. "You three go on ahead, Yuhi and I will follow you later and come in from the bottom."

"And we'll provide a distraction so you guys won't have very much trouble." Tot added.

"I'll go with you." Yuhi offered.

"No." Riku said. "There needs to be a second team ready in case something goes wrong."

"But I-." Yuhi said.

"This girl, Chidori Kuruma." Nagi said suddenly. "You care a lot for her."

Yuhi turned to Nagi in surprise.

"How did you...?" Yuhi asked.

"I'm a psychic, remember?" Nagi answered. "I can't read your mind, and I don't want to. I'm not very good with telepathy, but there are times, when a person is feeling strong emotions, that I can feel their emotions." Then he paused for a second. "I'd venture to guess that Chidori means a lot to you, probably even more than just as a friend."

"I..." Yuhi said but couldn't finish.

"I'm sorry if I've said anything to offend you." Nagi said.

"No, you haven't." Yuhi replied. "Maybe you've helped me see something that I haven't been able to see."

"All right." Riku said. "We'll meet up with you later, but before we go I have something to give you." And then he took three spare codecs of his pocket and handed one to Suzumi, Toya, and Yuhi. "Use these to communicate with us. My frequency is 107.89. Call me if you have anything to tell me."

"Of course." Toya said then he wrote something down on a piece of paper and handed it to Riku. "This is the address for Mikage International's headquarters. Good luck to all of you."

"Likewise." Riku replied and then he turned to Nagi and Tot. "All right, let's get going. Those Mikage guys won't even know what hit them."

"Let's kick some bad guy butt!" Tot shouted.

"That's not how I'd say it." Nagi said. "But it's close enough." And the three of them exited the room.

"Those guys are no ordinary mercenaries." Toya said as soon as Riku and co. had left.

"Well that's pretty obvious." Yuhi said. "Who do you think they're with, the Japanese government?"

"No, somehow I don't think so." Toya replied. "And it isn't just because of their powers." And then he held up the codec Riku had given him. "You know what these are, right?"

"They're communication devices." Yuhi answered. "What about them?"

"The kind we have run on a battery, but the kind those three have are powered by nanomachines."

"Nanomachines?" Suzumi said. "But only government agents are given those, and since you say they're not from the government then who are they?"

"You think they're with the Mikage?" Yuhi asked.

"No." Toya answered. "I don't think so. I don't think the Mikage would have people like that under their employment."

"We can go over who sent them later." Yuhi said. "Let's get our equipment and follow-."

"Yuhi, wait. It's too dangerous for both of you to try and get in there." Suzumi said and she reached over and picked up the phone. "We need more manpower. I'll ask my father-in-law to get the best professional mercenaries he can hire."

"If so, do it now." Yuhi replied. "We can't afford to waste anymore time!"

"It can't be helped! We have to be careful... The Mikage aren't an enemy to be taken lightly, which is why I employed those three in the first place."

Meanwhile: Riku's Car:

"And that's the current situation, colonel." Riku finished. He had told Roy everything that had just occurred.

"I see." Col. Campbell replied. "Drakken, don't underestimate these people. We still don't know who we're up against."

"I understand." Riku said. "One thing, is there anything you can do to give the Mikage a bit of a distraction?"

The colonel was silent for a minute before speaking again.

"Yes, I think I have an idea." He said. "For now, continue your plan. Mei Ling will be the one in charge of saving your mission data."

"Of course. Drakken out." And the transmission ended.

Meanwhile: Philanthropy/FOXHOUND HQ:

A young man in his teens stepped into Col Campbell's office. He had medium length dark brown hair and was wearing casual clothes.

"You called, colonel." He said. "Have you finally got something for me?"

"Yes." Roy answered. "James, three of our recruits are conducting a mission over in Japan that has them going up against Mikage International's private army."

"And what does this have to do with me?" James asked. "Am I supposed to go assist them?"

"In a way, yes." Roy replied. "Drakken and his partners need something to distract the Mikage and I believe that an attack on their American branch in California should be sufficient."

"Sounds interesting enough." James said. "All right, where in California am I supposed to go and what equipment may I bring with me?"

"The base is located in the country area of California on some land that is privately owned by the Mikage. Take whatever equipment you feel is necessary."

"Understood, colonel. Anything else?"

"Make sure nobody sees you." Roy answered. "If word got out that FOXHOUND had ordered an attack on what appears to be civilian complex..."

"I understand." James replied. "I'll just wear a mask over my face. Is that everything?"

"Yes. Nagu will drop you off about a mile outside the base. Dismissed."

Meanwhile: The roof of a building:

"So that's Mikage International Headquarters." Riku said as he looked at the tall building across from him Even where he was standing, the roof of the building was still pretty far up. Then he turned to Nagi. "So can you get us to the top?"

"Piece of cake." Nagi said confidently. "So we just stick to using the M9s for now?"

"Yes." Riku replied. "Since we're sneaking in and since blood attracts way too much attention, we should only use that for now and Tot, use only the flat of your sword."

"Don't worry about that." Tot said as she strapped Muramasa to her back. "I know full well how to use this sword."

"Good." Riku said. "Now let's activate our stealth camos."

They each pressed the button for a device they were wearing and then they disappeared from sight.

"Here goes." Nagi said and then he focused his powers causing all three of them to be lifted up off the ground and then towards the roof of the building in front of them.

After a few minutes, they reached the roof and Nagi let them down onto it. They then deactivated their stealth camos. Riku then looked over at two sleeping guards near the door.

"This is their security?" He asked and he shook his head. "Pathetic." Then he walked over to the door and opened it.

"Let's go." He said and then he, Nagi, and Tot entered the building and their mission officially began.

AN: Man, that took a while to write. Anyway, here's a synopsis of what's to come. Riku and co. enter the base and their mission soon leads to some secrets about C-project being revealed. Also, yes folks, the moment you've been waiting for. Scorpion will fight Farfarello! I'll update as soon as I can, for now, please review. Oh by the way, the Aya that appeared with Weiss and the Aya that's from Ceres are two completely different people, don't confuse them.