10. Roll's journal: vacation in a paradise


Roll has written down the things happened afterward in her own journal. Since she doesn't want someone (most likely Rock) to know about her 'vacation' in Los Angles, so I persuaded her to make up a page of false content on her journal and put the 'real' ones in mine. So there she comes, let's Roll!

28th, May

Weather: Fine

Current Location: Los Angles

Alright, I decided to spit it out. But I can't let Mega nor Dr. Light know about this, and I am not going to tell anyone that I am hanging with the jerk Proto and his gang in here. Still I need to get something to record these couple of day's activity. Hence, I accepted the little cooperation offered from that jerk Proto on writing this thing.

I don't know why did I accept his offer so quickly, about the heist I mean. Maybe it is because I felt sorry for hitting him outside the mall the other day; maybe it was his way of talking perplexed me. Whatever the reason that is, I wanted to improve myself, I wanted to do something different, I will prove that I can handle myself, and that's the reason I came to this place.

Everything was going so well until...

"おはよう太陽殿下!今日はあなたも私の世話をします! " It's Shadow Man voice coming from the yard.

"ONE, TWO, THREE..." It is still Shadow Man's voice, He has to swing his metal stick with weights on it every morning, and he won't stop until he counted to three thousand.

I buried my head underneath the pillow, and I still hear Shadow Man's shouting. He is driving me crazy!

This is six in the morning only, how can anyone go back to sleep again with all this noise! It's has been like that since I moved into this house, luckily this beach house is located in a quite isolated area next to the beach, or our neighbors will throw shoes and cans to our yard. This is a complete nightmare.

I lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling, I wonder what Dr. Light and Rock is doing now? Probably still tug up safe in their own beds and having a sweet dream...Dr. Light usually wakes at seven, and then he will have a shower or shave his beard a little, and then Rock will tidy the lab a little bit and prepare the material for the work of the day...Oh no! What is Dr. Light going to eat when nobody is making breakfast for him? Not Rock! He doesn't even know how to fry an egg...Hell, Rock made the hell of a mess in the kitchen every time he tries to cook, let's hope he won't burn every cooking pot in the house this time...What am I doing? I am still thinking all about the lab even when I am not there! That's not my problem now! But I can't help myself not to think about it...Will they come over took for me? Are they worried?

I didn't inform Rock or Dr. Light of my departure, because I knew they would stop me if they know about this. I sneaked out from the back door in the mid night, then aboard a plane and came to this town. I didn't make a call back home since I got here; I even shut down the communication device installed on my arm. I don't want anything that might spill any IPs, or call signal that is able to track down my current location. I want to be complete solitary for a few days so nobody can interfere with my judgments and decisions; I need some room to think about my future.

It's been three days already since I left home, and I feel lonely already. Usually, Rock would go anywhere with me, but right now I am on my own. I got no one to talk about my feelings, no one to share the beautiful or ugly things I saw. I must admit that I am not ready to live by myself. This is pretty frustrating. I really miss them.

But the thing I didn't expect is that jerk Proto Man is also here! And he was following me about! I was a little angry that day, and I feel regret for the behaving such rude in the public. Alright, I promise myself I will try to be nice to him from now on.


I stayed on the bed until nine, still nobody in the house has awoken yet. That Shadow Man had moved his ass to the seaside and continue his practice. Everything has returned to quiet. Considering I am not coming here for sleep, I walked down the stairs and saw Proto Man sleeping on the coach with a magazine covering his chest.

How come he was able to put up with that Shadow Man's yelling and stay in sleep mode? I sat on the other end of the coach and studied his face for a while, he and Rock looked so alike, especially when he is without his armor and that stupid visor. There is no telling he is that creep Proto Man, it 's a whole new impression of this dude. I used to hate him for the bad things has done, but right now perhaps I will give him one more chance, just one more. If he dares to hurt my family again, I swear I will hunt him down to the end of the world.

"Ouch!" Proto moans as he rolled over and fell off the coach, I can't help but giggled, this coach is a little too small for a guy like him to sleep on.

"Jesus, it's you." Proto asked as he was still in the state of half-awake. "What time is it?"

"Ten past nine, I thought you wouldn't wake until noon."

"Nah, I might be about to die fifteen hours later, I am not going to waste my time on sleeping." He replies, "What about you? Feel strange for no one to make breakfast for?"

I didn't answer him, but he had guessed it. This guy always seemed to have the ability to read people's mind and then attempt to manipulate them, that's why I don't feel safe around this guy, I have to be careful.

"Let me guess, Thursdays recipe, mushroom omelet and a half toast with strawberry jam, English Black tea with rich milk and a half teaspoon of sugar, is that right?"

I was shocked by what he said, how come he would know about Dr. Light's recipe in such detailed way? Does he keep spy on us?

"How do you know about this?" I asked.

" I am just...making a rough guess."

How would that be possible? Even if it was just coincidence the answer would not be that accurate, this make me determined to testify him some more.

"Alright, how about Friday's dinner?"

"He is on low carbohydrate diet on Fridays; it's Caser Salad with streamed chicken and borsch."

This is incredible, now I actually believe that he has been kept watching on us every day. I must tell the doc to have a check to clean out the bugs planted in the house.

"How do you know about all this? Are you a goddamn stalker?" I jumped and grabbed his collar.

"Of course not, I am just good at gathering information." He protested and pointed over to the notice board on the wall. "It's not a hard thing to know when it's all posted on the kitchen wall already."

It's Dr. Light's monthly recipe pinned on that board, tricky bastard! I let go of him and slump back to the coach. "I am...sorry."

"Dr. Light is the kind of person who likes to stick to the routine; I can imagine he doesn't mind eating the same recipe for a year, maybe even for his whole life."

"Hey, don't make it sound like a bad thing! Dr. Light admire rules and routines, so as Rock! There is nothing wrong with it. You are not in the position to judge them, you lawbreaker!" I raised up a little rage when I said that.

"I am not judging, I am just trying to say that sort of lifestyle doesn't fit me too much! I hate routines! And rules are tyranny by a branch of morons who are trying to control some other morons! You feel the same too, are you? And that's why you came here, am I right?" He continues. "If there is any problem, you can talk to me, maybe I can help."

He had said it, again, but I wasn't going to admit it in front of him. Unfortunately deep down I agreed with him, apart from assisting Mega Man when he has to deal with Wily, I have been doing nothing other than cooking, cleaning and babysitting both Rock and Dr. Light. It was awfully boring. There were times I tried to make something of myself, so I signed up to be an 'honored' guest student in Light University. Then I can get out of the lab without Rock tailing me when I had a class to attend. Although I don't actually need to learn anything from the course but I can finally get closer to the world other than that little space called 'Home'.

Since the 'death' of Dr. Wily, and then the course in the university has completed. I was once again trapped inside the lab again, which was getting on my nerves, plus that stupid jerk Proto Man's sarcastic manner and his questions even annoyed me more.

On the other hand, perhaps he can give me some advice? If he is fooling me around, I can always ignore him...

"Alright! I am telling you now! I come here to sign contracts! Entertainment contracts! There is a famous Hollywood director invite me to be one of the stars of his new action movie!"

"Really? That's a great opportunity! What's the trouble then?" Proto blink his blue eyes as he appeared to have a great interest in this topic, which is exact opposite with Rock. I have never noticed that he has the same eye color as Rock and me.

"It's about...Mega Man, the director invited him to join in the act too, but he rejected! Me and him were having arguments because of this! This is all your fault!"

"Excuse me?" Proto frowned with an innocent look.

"Eventually the show is about the war with Wily, and Rock said...that guy who supposed to act as YOU is too lame! He refused to call such a sloth as his brother; he refused to do so even when it's just acting! And he said he won't accept any other people to act as PROTO MAN except you!"

"Oh no, shit, you guys are real funny!" Proto busted into laughter. "Hahahahaha, I wish if I can meet that dude just to see how lame he is!"

"Damn it! That's not funny, me and Rock still having a cold war because of this!"

"Persuade him to make the movie, sis! I swear I will go to watch the premiere when it's done." I started to punch him in the shoulder and chased him around the yard. I can't even tell that he is joking or being serious while he said that when he was laughing and rolling on the floor.

"Screw you!"


Since Brain Bot's house (Actually its Dr. Light's vacation resort) is located right next to the beach. I picked a rather quiet spot and sat on the beach facing the ocean, to feel the wind and listen to the sound of sea waves push against the coast. All I needed is some peace, and I can't always do this when I am back home.

I spend a couple of hours dwelling alone on the beach; I was thinking about a lot of things, and I couldn't sort out the issues on my plate. Talk to that stupid jerk Proto Man didn't help any! I shouldn't tell him about this in the first place! I hate that jerk! Now I regret flipping out on Rock, we didn't speak with each other for three days already before I left home, or I should say, it's ME who didn't talk to him for three whole days, no matter how he begged me.

Should I make a call home and make an apology? It is so awkward to tell them I am sorry when I was the one who started this! Nah, better not today, just wait until tomorrow, I still don't have the guts to admit my own fault, yet.

I was back to Brain Bot's house at about six in the afternoon. Proto Man approached me once I stepped into the yard.

"There you are! Have you seen Terkina by any chance?" He asked, sounded edgy.

"Nope, I haven't seen her today. What's wrong?" I was hanging around the beach the whole day by myself, and I hadn't seen her around.

"She is missing. But her stuff and her bike is still here, let's hope she hasn't got herself snatched by mafia or something." He slammed his fist against the wall lightly. Why is Proto so nervous about this? Is he falling in love with that girl already? No, no, no, hold on a second, a guy like him doesn't know what 'love' actually is.

"I have found her cell phone signal record, the last location can trace from her cell phone is in the commercial district downtown, about three in the afternoon." Brain Bot states.

"Shall we postpone the plan, Boss?" Top Man asked. Now I wonder why the robot masters are calling him 'Boss'.

"I have heck into 'the company's email sever, and they are planning to move the item through a cargo plane, yet the destination is unknown. But If we don't do this tonight, we might have lost track of the item forever." Brain Bot interjected.

"Metal Man, is the transport and the gears ready?" Proto turned to Meta Man, while strangely enough, Shadow Man was remaining silence all the time.

"Of course, everything is set and ready to go." Metal Man replied.

"Damn it, we have gone too far to stop right now. We will do it as we planned. Top, you are at the controls of the chopper; Metal Man, you are in that truck and stand by on the ground for emergencies, we might need you to pick us up, so don't be late! Shadow Man and Roll, you both going into the building with me. Brain Bot, you have to take up the part where Terkina is supposed to do, you ride in the chopper with Top Man, we need you to handle the security system of the building, and give us directions once we are inside." He ordered, "Now dismiss, I will debrief you again before the operation starts." Then he stomped out of the yard after he said that, and the look on his face was unusual, looked like angry, or I should say...nervous. So I followed him to see what he was up to.


He hung himself on the railings at the end of the Santa Marina Pier, and he was...he was smoking! I bolted over and snatched the pack of cigarette from his hand.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing?" He exclaimed as he tried to take back the pack of smokes.

"Let me try, you got a lighter?" I was always curious about how it feels like when people smoke, I have seen a lot of movie stars and celebrities smoke in the movie, they always looking cool when they smoked. I am sure Rock and Dr. Light would not like the idea of me smoking since both of them are cliché morons.

"Don't! Rock would kill me if he found out." Proto tried to take back the pack I took from him. "I am not smoking for fun; I only do this when I am frustrated. You will choke on your breath, the smell would stink all over your clothes AND your mouth!"

"He wouldn't find out, I am only one who wash the clothes! What about you then? You are free to smoke, but I can't?" I retorted.

"Me? Nobody gives a shit about me!" he snapped.

I froze, I could feel the frustration and discourage in his voice, maybe that's the most genuine thing he said in the years. But that wasn't my fault! How dare he blow it out on me!

"Did you always get so agitated before the operation?" I mocked. He refused to give me a lighter, so I started to light up the cigarette using the toaster on my utility arm.

"I am doing this for her; now she is missing, why wouldn't I be agitated?"

"What's your relationship with her, huh? Why do you care?" I ask him before I inhaled my first smoke. The hot air I inhaled into my throat choked me, causing me to cough it out immediately. "This is...not...fun...at all."

"I have warned you."

"Sh...shut up!" I was still coughing, I think my cooling system was telling me that it can't accept the intake of substance like this.

"I have known her for a couple of days only, she is kind of mysterious, but she has been good to me, and a good friend. But the relationship is based on business only." He sighed, "Everyone who gets close to me would either get harm, get kidnapped or gets his house burned, I guess I am a bad luck mole, I shouldn't get close to anyone."

I didn't know what to say about that, the only thing I know was he was extremely frustrated right now. "Have faith, perhaps she will show up at the last minute before we go?"

"I have already put my faith in her, that's why I stick my neck out and do the heist, I am rigorous on choosing partners, I only help people whom I think it's worth."

Really? Then why did you work with that stupid lame-ass Wily in the first place? I wanted to ask him that for a long time, but I swallow the words back into the throat before it comes out; he seemed to be emotionally unstable at the moment, I better not to irritate him more.

But that's not right, I don't think Terkina would betray Proto, she was the one who convinced me to trust him. That night when we had a bike match, she told me her real identity, and her intentions to get close to Proto. She sounded most sincere, so I believed her. Something is wrong.

As she asked me not to tell Proto about her real name, saying that might cause a runtime error in his memory core. I don't really understand what it is all about but I promised to keep the secret for her.

I stopped coughing after the third time I tried that smoke. "If you dare telling anyone that I have been smoking, I will cut your head off and mail it to Rock as a present."

"Remember to wrap it up and put a pretty bow on it then," Proto said with a forced smile. After I had tried to get along with him for one day, I started to grow some good impression of him. I discovered he doesn't really mind when people criticize or mock him; he can even talk back in the most humorous way. In other words, he doesn't judge the good or bad of things, at least he has no intention to define it. He simply accepts everything that thrown at him, an unexpectedly optimistic and valiant guy. That's a real unfortunate that he was on the wrong side from the beginning.

"Let me tell you a secret, Dr. Light smokes too, only he doesn't smoke in front of you guys and not in the lab."

"You are bullshitting me!"

"I had seen him smoke in the backstage during the science conference in Geneva. You can look at the third drawer on the desk in his study and see for yourself!"


We waited at the house until eleven, and disappointingly there was still no sign of Terkina, we have to go on with our mission.

Proto and I were both in gray boiler suits, and a mask to cover our faces. And he additionally gave me an armor

"Why can't I simply wear my usual fighting outfit? This ones look dull and not cool at all." I even complained.

"We are making a heist, not a parade, we can't let anyone recognize us! We are ghosts! Besides, we will have to burn these suits afterward, leaving no evidence behind." Proto replies as he handed me a pistol, "Here you go, sis. This is a stun gun; you can adjust its power according to who you are aiming at. You can even take out large robot like Guts Man with its maximum power, just be careful when you use it on humans, the blast won't kill them, but they can still get hurt by that electrical shock."

And then he tossed a something towards Shadow Man, Shadow Man quickly caught it in the mid-air, and lands on the floor without even a sound, he opened the cloth wrapping it carefully like afraid of damaging a baby. What? A pair of Katanas?

"Thank you, Proto sama." He made a deep bow exaggeratedly and said in a very loud volume.

"It's a little gift for you, pal. I bid it at a black market auction." Proto said casually. "Come on, it's time to go."

"He is a ninja, why do you gave him a pair of swords?" I asked after we aboard the chopper and flying towards our target building while Shadow Man was trying to tie the swords up on his back, he was all quiet as usual.

"He loves swords, and he can be even more resourceful when he equipped with one."

"I never know you are such caring for your 'homies' " I spat. I always thought Proto is bossy and lazy, the kind boss that likes to give all the work to his followers and doing nothing himself. In fact, he is not, definitely not.

"They are MY crews; I am supposed to look after them." Proto said seriously, "Now concentrate on the mission, here are the headsets so we can communicate through our own channel."

Oddly, I don't actually feel nervous or intense towards this mission, this thing will be a walk in the park. Perhaps it was because I know there are so many guys around to back me up, this is the first time I was glad to have these guys presence, and they are on my side. Especially with Proto-'Mister boss'-Man around, how can we go wrong?

"We are here, ready guys? 3, 2,1, go!"


This wasn't my first base jumping from a helicopter, but I have never jumped out of a chopper and land on a skyscraper's roof. Soon I found that I have a little difficulty in finding which build we are going to land, there so many buildings here and they look all the same in the dark!

I couldn't even see where Proto and Shadow Man went, oh no, I am in the shit this time. It would be real ugly if I crushed on the glass.

Luckily, I wasn't going to a wrong course, the roof I needed to land on has a significant pyramid shaped green house structure, and I am going that way, Proto and Shadow were already landed.

"You got the glass cutter on your arm, right? Let's make us an entrance!" Proto instructed.

Our plan was to get into the building through cutting open the glass ceiling and then jump in. And then we need to attach Brain Bot's hacking device onto the server computer to get through the security back door of the whole building, we also need Brain Bot to get us the storage location of the target item after he hacked into the system.

"That's easy!" I cut the ceiling open within thirty seconds.

Without another word, Shadow Man already jumped inside, we will have to wait for his signal.

"It's clear, boss, you can come down."

I followed Proto and jumped down into the building. It was too dark and I couldn't even see anything underneath, but I had never expected there was a swimming pool under the glass ceiling. I fell right into the water with a big splash..

"Why don't you tell me there is a swimming pool down here!" I snapped.

"I had told you that when I debriefed you last night! Were you even listening to me?"

Oh, well, my bad. He did debrief me last night, but I didn't pay much attention to it, I was playing the new game "Plastic sky blaster five: The phony pain" on Brain Bot's computer all night long.

Proto pulled me up. "Come on, we need to go down to the server room."

"Brain, we are counting on you to watch our backs for us. Let me know if anything is abnormal." Proto ordered through the headset.

"Sure thing, I am eavesdropping on their security channel already, I will report to you if anything seems funky." Brain Bot replied, "Your next stop will be the sever room, it's located right next to the Backup generator room down two levels."

The door to the staircase is locked, and it was an electronic lock, the smart card system should operate it.

"Let me do it, I am an expert on opening locks." I offered my service, and trying to make myself more useful.

"Too slow, let me show you how the 'real' expert does." Proto said, he pulls out a card from his pocket and place it on the card reader then the door was unlocked with a 'beep' sound.

"How did you get that card? Did you steal it? That's the expert's way?"

"No! I never steal anything! Things usually fly into my hands themselves!" He grinned.

"Remind me why am I here and listen to your bullshit," I mumbled.

Sometimes I don't know if I can define him as funny, humorous, or sarcastic. I know he was bullshitting, but I can't really get mad at him, some of his lines can even make me want to laugh. But he is still a jerk for sure.

Me and Shadow Man were at the lookouts while Proto Man was planting the bug on to the server so that Brain Bot can hack into their system. We will have to take out anyone that might blow our cover.

Damn, I really not get used to the criminal way of thinking, in fact, WE are the intruders. If we come across any guards, securities or people who work in here, that isn't their fault, they are only doing their job. And we have to take them out unmercifully, which I really really don't want to. I just hope nobody would get in our way before this is done.

Suddenly I can hear the mechanical sound coming from the elevator compartment, and it's coming up! I am about to scream the headset to warn Proto about it; the elevator stopped at the forty-fifth floor, which is still very far away from us.

Just as I let out a relieved sigh and thought the danger was gone, Shadow Man placed his hand onto his swords. "Someone's coming, from the staircase." He hissed.

I listened carefully to the sound from the surroundings, it is true there are some faint sound of footsteps, and the footsteps are getting louder and clearer, someone is approaching!

I hid into the cleaning tools room and peep through the gap of its door, and I saw Shadow Man simply attached to the ceiling of the hallway by using the cupules on his feet and his hands!

"If it is a security bot, take him out; if it is a human, stay hidden and leave him to me, I need to do some interrogation." Proto ordered through the headset with a very low voice.

The footsteps are getting closer and closer! If there is a heart in my chest, I think it would have two hundred beats per second by now.

The door lead to the staircase 'creek' opened, and...crumbs! It isn't one guy, there are two of them! One is a security bot, and the other one is a human male! Shit! Proto didn't mention what to do if there were two instead of one!

The human guard leads the robot walked around the place with a flashlight holding in his hand, looks like they were making a routine check of the place.

Just as I started to think about whether I should keep hiding or join in the fight once they discovered us. I found that Shadow Man had disappeared, and reappeared again behind the security bot! And then I found Proto Man was sneaking right past me towards the human guard without making any noise.

The next thing I saw was Proto Man dashed towards the human guard all out of sudden. He quickly snapped the flashlight away from the guard's hand, and then strangle one arm around the man's neck, and the other arm tackled under the man's other shoulder, forcing the poor human to put his free hand up in the air, but he is still awake.

"Please...please don't kill me..." The guard grasped.

"Tell me, where do they store valuable items in this place?" Proto asked.

"I...I don't know what you are talking about...I am just part-time..."

"Is there anything that is significantly secured, like vaults or something? "

"There is a vault inside the CEO's office...I have heard they have posted a troop of robot guards particularly guarding that thing 24-7, one even a fly can go in there, you don't stand a chance."

"About that, you don't have to worry about." Proto spat, still holding that man tight.

"Please...I already told you everything...don't kill me, please...I will keep my mouth shut, I swear...I still got a wife and three kids back home..."

I don't know if it is my illusion or something; I saw Proto Man's arm around that man's neck has loosened a little after the man said that he got wife and kids, as he had hesitated for a second. But his arm around the man's neck tightened again.

"If you dare spill a word about seeing us tonight, I sure will come back for you!" Proto threatens, "Or you will get some reward if you keep your word." Proto begin to tighten his arms; I could see that man's face turned red, and his body went limp in totally three seconds.

"Why do you do this to him? He told you the info we need!" I protested as Proto tying up the unconscious guard's hands and legs with thick plastic tape.

"You think we can let him walk around and pull all the sirens in this building for us? I am not killing him, I was just bided him a goodnight!" Proto retorts as he dragged the guard into the server room.

"But..." I know he is right, I still feel sorry for that poor human guard. And then I have kicked on something much more horrible on the floor. "Ewww! What the hell is this?" I nearly screamed out loud.

The body that was supposed to be the robo guard were laying on the ground separately; it has been cut into two half. Some of the wires and internals were still sparking. Shadow Man was mumbling on the side, "This sword is not willing to obey me yet, a wild one..."

"You guys are horrible! You...you sliced him into two half?" I yelled, I couldn't stand this anymore, I wished this is a nightmare, and I will wake up laying on the bed in my room back in the lab. I want to go home.

"That's the way it is in the business! It's kill or be killed out here!" Proto snapped as he pointed over to the robot's remains. "If you don't want to get send back to Dr. Light's lab look like THIS ONE, we better get going."

"Remind me to kill you after this, you jerk!" I snapped

"Brain, we are going down to the CEO's office, where is it?"

"It's in forty-fifth floor, just down two levels." Brain Bot replies, "You better move it quick, someone else is in the system, they must have known something's gone wrong."

"Let's go!"


When we nearly reached forty-fifth floor, Proto pushed me hardly down on to the ground all out of sudden, there was something sharp and shinny slash through the air above us, and we merely dodged it, but Proto's arm has been hit, there was a new cut on his right arm. I guess I owe him one.

"It's a robot master! Stay behind me!" Proto exclaimed.

"I am Yamato Man; I am here to stop you intruders from invading my master's building!"

The robot appeared in front of us looked a samurai warrior in the Japanese movies. He wears thick purple colored armor, and he is using a spear as his weapon I suppose.

The Yamato guy dashed forward and attempted to pierce at Proto with his spear, Shadow Man jumped in front of us and blocked the spear's momentum with both of his swords.

"Boss, take your sister to the vault while I hold him off." Shadow Man said while he was trying to suppress the enemy's movement by his sword.

"Hang in there, I will be back." Proto quickly grabbed my arm and dragged both me and him to get passed the robot master and ran towards the office area of the storey. I took a last glance on the both robot masters.

"Let's have a duel, contender!" Yamato Man bellowed. That's the last word I could hear from them.

"Are you sure he is okay up to himself? That bot looks pretty tough!"

"He is doing his job; we do ours! We have got a plan to stick to! We go back to help him fight AFTER we finish ours!"

We had to pass through the corridor to reach the CEO's office at the end of it, there were a couple of robot troops trying to attack us, but Proto shoot them out one by one with his plasma shotgun before they can even pull the trigger.

I pulled out the stun gun Proto given me, but I didn't even fired one shot as Proto already took out each of the targets before I can even aim.


Finally we reached the CEO's office, for heaven's sake, in one piece.

"Brain, we are in the CEO's room, where is the vault?"

"Ummm, let me see. The floor plan indicates that there is an unnamed compartment on the left side of the office, try to look for it."

"Hey, usually people would try to hide vaults and secret passages behind paintings or curtains in the movies, let's try it that way!" I answered.

"We ain't in the movie, sis!" Proto retorts. "You better stop doing all the channel surfing back at home all day."

I ignored his comment, and keep on looking the paintings and bindings, and I spotted an iron gateway fame behind a curtain, and then I can't help myself but yelled out loud "Ha! I have found it! It's here, behind the curtains!" I completely forgot that we were actually trying to steal something.

"Jesus, you win. We better get this thing before another squad of soldiers comes up! Now watch the corridor while I set the charges." Proto spat.

I stayed at the door and peeked what was going on outside, and all I could see was Shadow Man having a contest with that Yamato Man in their ancient weapons in the lobby of the storey, making a lot of cuts and dents on the walls. The backup robot soldiers were all stuck at the entrance of the staircase since the two robot masters are blocking their way, which created the best chance for me and Proto, now I finally understand why Proto Man insisted on bringing this strange dude along.

I suddenly realized there was a grave problem upon us, how can we get out of here, the corridor and the staircase should be flooded with robo troops by now.

"Proto, how do we get out of here? We were trapped!" I asked.

"Would you please pay attention when I was debriefing you next time? Now take cover, the charges are about to blow!"

The charges went out with a small 'boom', amazing there isn't caused much damage to the room, only the side of the vault door and a small part of the wall was blacked out, the vault door was sung opened itself.

Our target item was sitting on a stand right in the middle of the vault with a glass shield covering it, along with some seemingly precious ancient artifacts inside, and there were bank notes, of course.

"So, this is the thing you after? It's just a goddamn ring?"

"It's not just a goddamn ring as you put it; it is a goddamned-outer space metal-mythological-cursed-degenerating-stupid ring!" Proto replies, I don't know how he still got the mood to joke in such stress up situation like this one. "Now, give me that that air tight container of yours."

I watched Proto took the ring carefully and sealed it into the air-tight container and put one back onto the slot carefully, and then he placed the glass shield on covering it, like no one has ever touched that thing.

"That would do the trick. it's a counterfeit made out of copper, duplicated from the one on my left hand." Proto said. I stared at him with a doubtful look, "Are you even there last night when I was explaining shit to you? We have to make it looks like we are coming for the money, not for them artifacts nor that ring." He said that as he loaded the bags with stacks of bank notes.

"I don't want to know."


"Alright, we got that thing! It's time to go! Toppe, lower the ropes." Proto ordered.

"Roger that, boss."

There was a rope suspense down from above right past the window we were standing by. I cut the glass open, and Proto helped me to attach with the ropes, "You take the goods and back to the chopper first, I am not leaving when my crew is still fighting back there."

"What? Wait..." Before I could finish my sentence, he already pushed me fiercely off the ledge. I could hear the faint sound of metallic collides inside the building while I climbed back to the chopper safe, but I didn't see Proto nor Shadow Man were coming out from the building, but Top Man was already pulling away the chopper away from it.

"Get back there! They are still inside!" I went to Top Man and yelled.

"No, I can't! Hon', It's dangerous to get too close to the building, plus we will easily get spotted, and then we will all be screwed!"

"Let me handle the stick, you pussy!" I climbed over to the front and pushed Top Man out of the pilot seat. "And I am not your 'Hon'!"

"Okay babe, that's our rule not to interfere the fights when we are on the field. Some robot masters don't like to let others know their "special ability". Top Man was trying to explain to me.

"What special ability?" I asked; I always thought Wily's robot masters are dumb and fools, I didn't know they even have a unique ability. May be it's because they were too dumb so they got taken out before they can use it.

"Everyone's different...I will get beheaded if I tell you."

"Even for Proto?"

"..."

He didn't answer me, which make me even more curious to see what it is, but whatever, I can hear them through the headset anyway.

"Shadow, lend me one of your swords." It's Proto's voice. What? Proto knows about swordplay? "Let's take him out, dude."

"It's practically yours, boss."

"Two for one now? Show me how you can break my perfect defense!" This voice should be Yamato Man.

All I can hear next is the sword clanging sound and metallic crashing sound. I really wanted to see what is happening inside!

I boarded the chopper for only one and a half minute, but I was already sitting on pins and needles. I started to worry about him, I know he is not that weak but now he is fighting without his armor and arm cannon, and yet he ran into the battle without a second of hesitant, I have grown some new respect for him. "Come on, jerk head, Rock will never forgive me if you die in there!"

There was a loud bang came from the building, it is not an explosion, and the building wasn't damaged by its appearance. I flew the chopper to the other side of the building, and I can see a big cross-shaped hole on it.

"What's happening?" I yelled at Top Man, strangled him in the neck and shake him. "Tell me what's going on!"

"Th...that's their...collaboration move, the 'Big Cross', please let go of me neck, babe." Top Man choked. They even have collaborating moves? Wow, now I am sure this trip worth its while.

I flew the chopper around the building again, and I saw they both stumble on the roof and waving at me.

"Get us out of here! Now!"


I ordered Top Man to take the controls of the chopper again, I climbed back to the back to help Proto and Shadow Man up.

Both of them were in rough shape when they were back on the chopper, there were countless cuts and scratches all over them, but they don't seem to have taken serious damage, at least not missing any parts.

"You guys alright?"

"Yeah, I am fine." Proto groaned as he climbed aboard, I noticed there was a huge slash on his chest, and several cuts on his midsection and legs.

"Are you sure, brother?" I slipped my mouth and called him 'brother'. I couldn't even catch my lips. We both startled for a second.

"What did you just call me?" He asked with a wide grin rarely seen on his face.

"I just called you bro...I mean...No, I don't say...damn it." Heck, this is so embarrassing.

"You are welcome, sis."

Spiritually I have never thought of him as my brother; I thought of him as a robot master, a fool who worked for Wily, a lawbreaking loser, and a jerk! He is a little superior to the others because he has a blaster, he still loses to Mega in combat every time! But after tonight, I think he deserves something better.

I patted both his chin lightly, and hissed, "Yes, I have said it. I called you brother, you happy now? You'd better behave like one from now on!" I climbed back into the front seat alongside with Top Man.

"That's the best reward ever! It's worth it even if I had to take a few more hits for it!"

"...You better be grateful." I muttered. Although I had a little unwillingness to admit it, I glad he is here as my brother.

This is how the day wrapped up, I never thought breaking into a building can be such tiresome, I am awfully exhausted. I am done with the crime time, all I want now is to lie flat on the bed and have a nice recharge without any disturbance.


To be continued...

Apologize for the long absence, I got caught up in a lot of things lately, but I am back, and alive, more updates are coming!