FMP Fanfiction

Shougeki

by Esoteria

Author's Note: Short chapter here, but I plan to post Chapter 12 very soon. 15 chapters total. It's about to come down... For those who don't read my profile, I plan to do an omake for all three of my FMP fanfictions, but as for release times I'm not sure. I know what I'm going to do for Hito and Shougeki, but WFD's omake remains to be formulated. Enjoy!

Chapter 11

----

"Testing you?" The guard asked quietly.

"Never mind that. Any copy protection can be circumvented. Do you have an internet connection here?" Sousuke pointed to one of the computers in the two corners.

"Well, yeah, but they keep records of everything—"

"Then we wipe the hard drive when we're finished."

"How am I going to expl—"

"That's your job. When does your shift end?"

"5:30, but the others start coming in at 5:00."

"And what time is it now?"

"Midnight. Well, quarter after."

"We have four and a half hours to crack the copy protection on that program. If it's not done by then, I will shoot you on my way out. I suggest we begin immediately."

The guard swallowed heavily.

----

At 3:30am, Sousuke and the security guard were still hammering hacker websites for information on similar types of copy protection. The computer that the guard was using had sweat all over the keyboard. He'd been fairly calm for the first hour and a half, but the two had both realized of their own accord just how difficult a task this would be for such amateurs. Sagara had already considered using the M9's computer to do a brute force method of copying. This would require revealing its existence to the guard, so it was a last resort.

In actuality, the problem couldn't have been solved by this method anyway.

"We're screwed," said the guard. Only he didn't say the word 'screwed.'

"Why?" Sagara demanded.

"This software… it's got every possible copy method covered."

"That can't be done," Sousuke said flatly, "try harder."

"You don't understand, kid," the guard said, exasperated. "I'm not trying to piss you off, but they really did think of everything. They've got the code to where it'll only work with this computer." The computer that he guard was working on was the only one of the two with the software on it. "Something about hardware addresses."

"They can't be changed?"

"Some can, but changing every hardware address to the same one on another computer…? Plus you'd have to have the same type of hardware. Same company and model and all that bull."

"So I'll take the whole machine with me. You can work out the details."

"You can't. Even if I could somehow explain a missing computer, the software works off of your IP address."

Sousuke's head dropped back. "So I couldn't use it in another location."

"Yeah, it'll only work here."

"Wait, I read about feigning one's IP address. It's called a proxy. I could use that."

"I don't think so… I think you can only use a proxy server… like, an existing server. I don't think you can fake an IP like this one that's been assigned."

Sousuke dropped his fist down on the counter. "It has to be possible!"

"Kid, I'm sure it is, but with just us? With one more hour? I don't know jack about this stuff! I've learned more in the past three hours than I learned my entire life before this, but that doesn't mean we can do what these guys with PhD's and crap can't do. If you're gonna shoot me, just do it now. I can't take this."

Sagara growled and rubbed his forehead. This wasn't going to work. He stood up abruptly. "I'm going to the other side of the warehouse to think alone. Keep working on it. If I see you try to leave, I will shoot you."

"Geez, whatever, kid." The guard leaned back in his chair with a great sigh. His face was covered with sweat.

Sousuke left through the inside door, taking the both handguns with him. When the door had closed itself, the guard muttered, "Not like I could leave anyway…."

----

It was 4:40am and the guard was beginning to wonder if Sousuke was going to come back.

Suddenly, the door opened.

"Geez, you scared the crap out of me, ki—"

"Sorry, man, came in a little early this morning." It wasn't Sousuke. It was the guard for the first shift.

"Holy… holy…" the night shift guard was still covered with sweat, and was having difficulty speaking.

"What? Whoa, dude, I didn't scare you that bad, did I? Hey, aren't you supposed to be on patrol right now anyway? You'd have seen me come in…." The relief guard was in his early twenties, and was surprisingly lively for this time of day.

"You… you came at a really bad t—wait…." He glanced at the clock. "Wait, no, I'm glad you're here. I think."

The younger guard turned to put his things in a locker against the wall when a shadow appeared outside of the window. The older guard jumped in surprise.

The silhouette was Sagara. He made a zipping motion across his mouth before disappearing once more.

"You sure you're alright, dude? You can go ahead and go, I won't tell anybody." The relief guard had a look of concern on his face when he turned back around.

"What? Oh… yeah, actually… I think I'll stay here till my shift is over…." He laughed nervously.

"Whatever you say, man. I'm going to check outside, so I'll see you tomorrow I guess."

"Yeah, see you…."

The younger guard left via the outside door. After it closed, the sweating guard stood up and looked outside of the window. There was no trace of Sousuke. He sat back down heavily.

"What a night."

----

Blam! Sagara's revolver unleashed another round.

"Nice shot, Seven."

"Corbin. You're here," Sousuke stated without turning around.

Blam!

"So cold!"

Sagara could feel Louis's grin without looking. "You were testing me. I failed."

"Hahah… Seven…," he walked up close. Quietly he said, "I have 'it' on, so don't worry about anybody overhearing."

"I wasn't worried."

"Oh, right, you have it built in. I forgot. Hahah…."

"Something like that."

"And you didn't fail. Far from it. Well, first of all it wasn't really a test. I really do need the schedule and route."

"But you knew I couldn't get it."

"Relax. I put a tap in there a long time ago. If all else fails I can risk another phone call."

Blam!

"So why send me?" Sousuke reloaded.

"Well, if we could get the software we'd have several opportunities for action. With just my involvement I can only glean schedules they talk about over the phone… and only within a few days."

"But if you knew how well protected the software was…"

"I didn't. I figured it had some serious security, but to be honest none of us knows exactly how secret, not secret, or top secret that place is."

"It doesn't seem very open in its dealings."

"True, which is why I sent you. I knew you could make a clean escape even if you couldn't do anything."

"Should I be thanking you?"

Blam!

"For giving you an opportunity to check on your Arm Slave? Maybe."

"It has stayed hidden."

"Triggered ECS?"

"Yes. Line-of-sight was only detected a few times in the past several days."

"You found a good hiding place, then."

Blam!

"I did accomplish one thing, although I am unsure if it will help."

"What's that?"

"Since it is a warehouse, I was able to tap directly into one of the network cables attached over the M9's head."

"Uh oh."

"I was careful not to have the computer make any connection."

"Whew. Sorry. So what did you do?"

"If communications can be re-established with Mithril at any time, we can activate the connection remotely and use the Mithril network to simulate that of the warehouse."

Corbin whistled quietly. "Sounds like you really did your homework."

"I would appreciate being told in advance of the situation on my next assignment."

Blam!

"If you did all that and we can get onto the network, we can put the plan into action very soon."

"How much time do we have?"

"What do you mean? How much time speaking together here?"

"That would be a start."

"I have no idea."

"When is the earliest we could make our move?"

"Tomorrow night."

"And the latest?"

"No idea."

"So the mistrust has been assuaged?"

"Strange thing about that. Something else must've caught their attention, because they're not paying attention to us at all anymore. I'd like to find out the what and the why, but I don't think we have time to wait for another opportunity."

"Agreed."

Blam! Blam! Blam!

"Oh yeah, here." Corbin stretched a hand to Sousuke.

"This is?"

"A 9mm. Suppressed."

"Do you need me to neutralize anyone now?"

"Geez, Seven, no! No…," Corbin looked at him sternly. "I just need you to get good with that. Ideally you'll only have to take one shot the whole time. This is a backup."

"What about you?"

"Me?" Louis pulled out his own similar weapon. "Well, that depends on how good of an actor I am."

"I am a combat specialist. I am capa—"

"No no no no no. I trust you there, Seven, don't worry about that. I need you where you are because of that. See, if I screw up, there's still a decent chance you can take the shot."

"I am quickly building a distaste for this plan."

Corbin sighed. "I know… I don't like it either, but…"

Sousuke took the weapon and looked at Louis. "But?"

"But there's too many innocent guys here. Especially the downstairs. I just can't bring myself to start a full-fledged assault on this place, even if that's the best option for stopping it all."

"I share your sentiment, but these people…"

"I know, they're participating in terrorist activity."

"And the cost of failure…"

"…is too high to risk it. You're preaching to the choir here, Seven."

"Then why?"

He sighed again. "Listen, I know you're new. I don't want you to think you don't have to respect the authority in Mithril, but…."

Sagara was silent.

"Don't sell 'em your soul, y'know?"

"No, I don't know."

"I mean… at least for me… in a situation like this… even if 'the book' says to do it one way, that doesn't mean I can live with myself after shooting up everybody around here."

"What is your point?"

"My point is… if I can still do the job while killing less people, that's how I want to do it."

"Even if it means endangering yourself."

"Yes."

"…and me."

Corbin looked up at Sousuke honestly. "We're supposed to be the good guys, aren't we?"

"…and endangering the mission?"

"No."

Sousuke waited for him to finish his thought.

"Seven, if I get myself killed because of doing it this way, you can still clean it up easily… by the book."

"There are tactical advantages to having two operatives."

"Most of which involve the planning and logistics parts, which we're going to use. There's also advantages to one-man jobs, you know."

"This is true. But if you were capable of doing this alone, I imagine you would not have called for me."

"…I didn't."

"What?"

"I didn't call for you. They sent you after I gave a report. I didn't want anybody else involved."

Sousuke's eyes narrowed. "So Mithril sent me based on your reports."

"Yeah. They know how I like to do things."

"So they sent me to make sure the job got finished."

"Yup. Even if I kick the bucket."

"I knew something about this operation didn't feel right."

"You're here to either convince me to slaughter them all or to do it yourself when my way screws up."

"I don't suppose I would be able to do the former."

"Not a chance."

Sagara chambered a bullet on the 9mm.

Click. Tink-tink. The action clicking and the casing hitting the concrete.

Sousuke missed bulls-eye by about a foot. "Tell me about this operation."

(to be continued…)