Author's Notes:

I'M SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SORRY!!!! No excuses can be made for such a foul deed!! I made you wait! I'm on my freaking knees begging for your forgiveness my lovely 40 readers!! And now here it is!!!


Chapter 12: Counterattack

The helicopter ride toward the base was a quiet one. Teana, Alex, Edward, and I were making last minute preparations as we drew close. The four of us would hit the facility from the back while Nanoha-san and Fate-san draw the attention at the front and Kaa-san would join them after hiding the helicopter. What surprised me most was the fact that Ayumi was the one who came up with this battle plan. Well, she is Shou's cousin after all…damn…

I glanced over at Ayumi whose eyes were glued to the half dozen terminals in front of her. She seems to have accepted the fact of magic pretty well that it's kinda scary. Although…I guess I pretty much accepted everything instantly…hell I didn't even mind getting "abducted" by them. So does that make me even scarier?

Another thing that's been bugging me…just where the hell does Kaa-san get all this hardware? This is some pretty heavy stuff…maybe that clothing store was just a cover and her real profession is dealing with black market weapons? I'm too scared to ask. Scared of what'd she do to me as well as the answer I might get.

"What is it?" Ayumi finally noticed my gaze and was looking at me with a blank expression. "Do you me to explain the mission again?"

"Uh…sure," I replied slowly. This girl always seems to leave me speechless.

She brought out the screens that showed the layout of the base and faced them towards me.

"After the four of you enter the base, the corridor will soon split into two paths, from there Tea and Alex will head down the corridor to the control room while you and the other will head the other way to the power core. The two of you can decide who should overload the core and who should disable the power grid to disable any automated defenses. Afterwards, there will only be five minutes to escape."

Sure I admit, Ed is kind of annoying at times but calling him "the other one" is kind of harsh don't you think? Especially when the guy is so open to you…unless of course that's what you find annoying, then it would be appropriate to call him that.

"W-why are you giving me such a pitiful look?" Edward asked looking back at me.

"No reason. Just thinking that you have it tough," I said as I looked back down at my feet as Ed mumbled something about me being an ass. I figured it was almost time to go as the doors opened up.

We hit the water pretty softly thanks to Ed creating a barrier on top of the ocean, keeping us dry as well. We waited for a few minutes as a pink and yellow light flew from the helicopter and towards the island where small explosions can immediately heard.

"Mission Start…"

~ - ~

The four of us made our way to the island without much trouble and looked around at our surroundings.

"A forest huh? Guess it makes great cover to hide a base," I mumbled placing my hand on one of the trees.

"But it's a bit strange," Alex said as he walked up next to me.

"Right, trees wouldn't have stopped our scanners from finding a base in here…" Teana said as we headed into the growth. "Is the enemy using some kind of cloaking?"

"Considering the kinds of firearms they use, it wouldn't surprise me," Ed muttered as he pushed aside some of the growth only to have it bounce back and smack him in the face. "Grr…I hate this island…"

"This doesn't show up on any radar, or any sort of scan…yet it exists. There is also no sign of active camouflage or anything of the sort…" Alex mumbled as the silhouette of a large building appeared in our view. "There's no way we could have missed something like that…"

"Something like that doesn't matter right now," I muttered as we moved a bit closer. "We need to focus on what's in front of us."

"By 'we', you mean 'yourself' don't you?"

I turned around and noticed the others were staring at me with worried looks.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Yuuki-san, you understand that this mission is to stop the missile base, correct?" Alex asked as he narrowed his eyes.

"Yeah…?"

"Basically, we want your word that you won't go buck wild searching for your captured princess and forget about the mission," Ed, sensing that I didn't get the hidden meaning, clarified for me.

"I won't. The chances of her being there are slim anyway."

"Slim. Not zero. You understand that very well, Yuuki-san. We need you to remain focus on this. I agree that saving Subaru-san is important as well, but this mission is of the highest priority. If we don't stop this base here, there may very well be even more fatalities."

"I know…damn it…I know damn well what will happen…you don't need to tell me. I promise I won't stray off the mission," I mumbled as I turned back around toward the base. Those idiots…it never even occurred to me to look for her in here…now it's going to gnaw at me the entire time. I touched the small sapphire gem around my neck as I thought to myself. I had forgotten about it during all the commotion. I remembered when Subaru gave it to me…heh; I suppose it would be our first fight?

Just then, several small explosions could be heard from the other side of the base; I guess it means the mission has started. There was also a small static in the communicators as Ayumi's voice rang through.

"The distraction has begun, the four of you may begin your operation now."

The four of us quickly ran through the trees and I noticed someone patrolling a door leading into the base. I quickly jumped and landed on top of her and punched in her face to destroy the mask, but it wasn't her. The body then disappeared in a flash of light as the others caught up to me.

"Is that the only guard here?" Teana asked as she looked around.

"Guess the distraction was a lot more effective than we planned," I replied as I stood up and examined the door. "Think you can open this Ed?"

"Slow and quiet, or loud and quick?"

"'Slow and quiet' of course."

"Yeah, yeah, it was just a joke," he said as he waved his hand and started examining the door. He moved toward the door control and removed the outer case. He spent a moment looking over the wires before shrugging his shoulders and tearing them all out.

"What?" he asked as the rest of us just stared at him in disbelief. "I dunno how this thing works, but I felt like I still had to make it seem that I knew what I was doing. 'Sides, the door opened up anyway." He shrugged his shoulders and waltzed inside leaving the rest of us completely dumbfounded. Teana and I gave each other a quick glance and we gave a heavy sigh in unison.

~ - ~

The inside of the base was…well…in a short and very vague way to put it…blue. Blue lights lit the hallways the computer screens were blue…hell even the freaking metal was blue…every goddamn thing here is blue!

"I suddenly have this incredible urge to break everything," I mumbled as we ran through the hallway. "If only to change the scenery a bit."

"We're going to blow this whole base up anyway, don't worry about it!" Teana said as she suddenly stopped.

"What's up?" Ed asked as the rest of us stopped too.

"It's weird…we've been here and yet no body has come out to stop us…"

"Perhaps…" Alex began but he cut himself off, looked down for a second and continues via telepathy. "Perhaps a majority of the guards here are with the double agent that handed us the information, and the ones that aren't went out are part of the main force?"

"But the entire base? Is the other faction that big?"

A bullet ricocheting off a computer screen answers our question. A group of enemy cyborgs came running and gunning at us. A quick barrier meant for blocking live ammo by Edward allows us to take cover behind the archway. It's a tight squeeze so I reach down onto the floor and tear off one of the panels and used it as a shield as I ran up toward the gunners, with Alex running behind me. I stop just in front of them and he hopped on my shoulders and over the steel plate and slashed at their weapons. Which exploded shattering the plate. A red beam and orange bullet blew through the rubble and made contact with some the cyborgs. As I backed away from the busted plate as a blade pierced through the center of it scratching the side of my face.

Drawing my own sword I slashed through the plate as well as the blade then I switched to my knuckle and smashed through what was left into the cyborg's face. It wasn't her either…

As the scene quieted down, we found ourselves alone as the cyborgs vanished after we knocked them out. I took a deep breath as we took a look around to make sure there weren't any others around. It was our first fight as a four-man squad and it was pretty damn good. We didn't communicate verbally but we were able to improvise pretty well…though…

"Did you HAVE to jump over me?"

"Sorry…I didn't think you'd stop so suddenly," Alex said as he rubbed the back of his head. "It was the fastest course of action for me to stop the enemy."

"Well, enough of this chatting, we're at the split off point," Ed said as he pointed to a door leading toward the missile control room. "You two play nice now."

"Shut up and don't screw up!"

"Good luck, Yuuki-san."

~ - ~

After Ed and I walked down the corridor a bit more he suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I turned around. His face was shockingly and, I guess, disturbingly serious as well.

"That's what I want to ask you boss-man," he replied as he walked up to me. He stood about half a meter away and I noticed that he was just a bit taller than me so he looked a little menacing. "The others probably didn't notice but I could tell right away, why are you only attacking them by breaking their masks?"

"What's wrong with that? It's just my style."

"Although I may act otherwise, I'm not stupid enough to fall for that." Oh so it was all an act huh?

"What does it matter?"

"Did it have to do with that nightmare of yours? What happened?" A sudden bombardment of questions spewed out of his mouth none of which I felt like answering right now but as I turn around to continue down the corridor.

"Subaru-chan?"

I stopped in my tracks in spite of myself and that was enough for him to read me.

"Bull's eye?"

His switching back and forth between his serious and nonchalant attitude is seriously starting to piss me off.

"What was it about?"

"I…I don't…we don't have time to talk about this!"

"Make time. I don't mind you taking your time beating them senseless, but I at least want to know why. What happened in your dream?"

"I…she…Subaru was working with the enemy…"

"Huh? I don't think that's possible…wasn't she with the TSAB for years? Wait…I remember reading that her sister was reprogrammed during the JS Incident. So I guess that is possible. But just something like that shouldn't bother you so much. You would be able to tell her right away couldn't you?"

"She wasn't using her device. She was using their weapons…and…I killed her…"

"Ahh…" He patted me on the back as he wrapped his arm around my neck. "Don't worry, I'll help out. Just as soon as we finish everything here."

"Yeah…thanks."

"Hey, I think I found a camera…maybe we can see what's going on."

He attached a small cable to the camera as he tried to avoid the subject and opened a small device.

"What are you doing?" I asked as I tried to get him to keep moving.

"I'm trying to see if I can hack into their surveillance…oh it worked…hmm…looks like there is a way to the core without walking all the way down…"

BANG

A bullet whizzes by and destroys his device as a bunch of enemies came charging at us…typical…

"Hmm…guess they found out I was hacking their camera…"

"Yeah…that or they simply saw you on it…"

"Oh…right…"

"Protection Absolute!" A barrier formed around me as I turned to Ed. "Where is this secret path of yours?"

"Right here!" He swung his staff device around and pointed at the ground.

"Wait! Please tell me you're not going to…!"

"Let's do it, Lanze!"

"Feuren Sie!"

The entire corridor was filled with a blue flame as the moron shot his attack straight down on the ground. If my barrier hadn't been up, I would have been fried.

"What the hell were you thinking!?!" I asked as I grabbed the moron by his throat.

"Well…ack…I was trying to burn my way through the floors…guess my magic isn't that strong yet…urk…hey…it's…starting…to hurt…"

"Die…for the love of all that is sane in this world…please die…"

"Hey…at least I got rid of the enemy…"

"Let's use the stairs…" I sighed as I released him.

"Right…stairs…that works too…"

~ - ~

"Ed! Hurry up and head down to the power grid! I'll hold them off here!"

"Roger! Don't get killed looking for Subaru-chan!"

Ed ran off down the hall as I held off the cyborgs. I used an archway as cover as the bullets flew past. As long as I can keep them here until Ed gets back, I'm fine.

As I thought that the gunfire suddenly stopped and was followed by a few grunts of pain. I peeked out of my cover and saw a figure with a pistol in her hand with a few more holstered around her waist and on her chest, giving orders to another cyborg before turning to me, with her hands up and empty. I thought it was that Fate-san lookalike from before due to her mask but her voice was different when she spoke…in full sentences…

"You need to hurry," she said with her hands still up, showing that she meant me no harm. "Your allies have been routed on their way to the missile control center by the main force and the admiral has decided to launch all remaining missiles on your country."

"You…who exactly are you?" I asked not lowering my guard for an instant.

"At the very least…our loyalties do not lie…with the man…who calls himself Angra Mainyu. He is nothing but a fool who taints our name. The path to the control center should be free of opposition. But you must hurry."

"What does that…?"

"Use this to stop the missile countdown," she said ignoring me and throwing me a folded piece of paper. "By the way," she added as I looked back up at her masked face. "Don't worry about the girl. She is still alive but not at this base at the moment."

"Subaru? Where is she?" I wanted to shake the information out of her but she quickly drew her guns and jammed them in my face and at my heart.

"Calm down. She is on board the fleet at this time. The coward wants to use her as a shield against you. My agent is doing his best to look after her without blowing his cover but it may not be enough."

"'Agent?' Does that mean you are the ringleader?"

"That is such a crude word. I am part of the regular army. The ones deserters are Angra Mainyu and his troop." She holstered her guns and took a few steps back from me. "Back to the topic, Subaru-san is being kept onboard their flagship 'Dreadnought' where they plan to use her to fight against you."

I was stunned but I quickly recalled that dream I had. "Then that dream…"

"…Was a bit of technology that I invented. It implants data into the brain when in contact for more than five hours. What you saw might indeed come to pass, unless you steer your mind and remove any doubt if or when you meet her."

My mind was racing. I recalled the moment when that orange cyborg handed me the chip in the first place. There was something said then that sounded off. What was it? Come on…think…what was it?!?

A small ringing in my ear cuts my train of thought. I looked away for a moment in distraction and when I turned back she was gone.

"What is it Ayumi?" I asked quickly.

"Well it seems that at least you got the base defenses shut off at least," she said with a small sigh. "The other two were unable to get close to the control room so it looks like either you or that guy will have to get to the control room. They are safe though, relatively. They met up your mom and are fighting near the entrance."

"I see…"

"Hey boss, tell her I say 'Hi.'"

"DOWAH!" Ed's face suddenly popped into my point of view, scaring the crap out of me. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"Is that a trick question?" he asked with an innocent smile on his face that makes me want to kick him across the head.

"Change of plans Ed, you head on to the core on your own. I have to make a detour somewhere."

"No problem. The core was a bit further down that way and there were no guards in sight. I didn't head down there 'cause I thought u might've need my help and if I set the core off your ass would have disappeared with a bang."

"Hmph, thanks for worrying about me. Don't go and get your ass killed. I'm the one that gets that pleasure."

"Haha, don't worry. I'll be careful."

We gave each other a small wave and split up again.

I could hear the gunfire echoing throughout the corridor as I backtracked toward the control room area. I didn't see anyone like that woman said and soon enough I was at the control room. I peaked inside through the window on the door only to look at the mask of a cyborg…yeah I totally screwed that up…big time. But instead of shooting me, it turned around and shouted something and all of a sudden everyone started shooting each other.

When it quieted down I slowly opened the door and there was no one in there…were some of them part of that group that is helping us? Damn it, I have no time for that!

I quickly ran up to the missile control computer and pulled out the instructions that woman gave to me and began typing the abort codes when the screen beside me suddenly turned on and I saw Ed on it.

"Huh? Boss?" He asked as he poked his face at it.

"Stop wasting time! We need to stop this base once and for all!"

"Yeah, yeah quit your whining, I'm doing the best I can here!"

I returned to my monitor and started typing as fast as I could with one hand while the other was holding open the instructions. Thank god I used to have those stupid one-handed typing challenges with Shou. "You almost done over there?" I screamed into the monitor as I struggled to enter the proper sequence to overload the missile control system. It looks like I will just make it before the missiles are launched again at the city.

"I got it already! Don't rush me damn it!" came his frustrated reply. "And……….done!" I pressed the final key and the screen confirms that the launch sequence has been aborted and the warning screens flashing all over as well as a disc popping out of the monitor in front of me, which I grabbed on impulse. "Oi Ed, we need to get out of here now!?"

"Just about…now!" He said as he looked up from the keyboard as well. "Let's hurry up and get the hell outta dodge! Hmm? WHOA!" There was a loud noise and the monitor blanked out.

"What's wrong? Ed!" I called out but the screen didn't refocus.

"Gah…koff…sorry, something blew up and knocked me back…I'll…uh…I'll meet ya out front with the others!"

"You better!"

I hopped over the monitor and ran out the door I came in and backtracked all the way to the back entrance. When I returned to the helicopter I saw everyone but Ed.

"What? Where's Ed?" I asked them quickly.

"That's our line! Wasn't he with you?" Teana asked.

"We had to split up due to your foul up…don't tell me!" I turned back to the smoking base as I opened a monitor up and tried to contact Ed. "Hey Ed! Where are you? Answer me Sergeant!"

"Hah…hah…what's with the formality all of a sudden…Boss-man?" His reply was weak and the screen showed his face covered with burns with blood dripping down his mouth. "Sorry…I kinda screwed up at the last minute. Damn thing…had a hidden trap turret attached to it. Got me right in the chest...maybe the lung…gack…" He coughed up some blood as he explained himself.

"Don't talk! I'm going to head back and…"

"Don't bother…there's only a few minutes left…you won't make it…I can even see…the reaper in front of me…dude's…got a skull for a face after all…"

"Edward?" Ayumi came out of the helicopter and looked into my monitor and Ed gave a small laugh as more blood gushed out his mouth.

"So you did know my name…haha…you should have gone out…with me while I still…had all the blood in my body…"

"But you were an annoying loud mouth playboy narcissist," came her blunt reply.

"Haha…" Edward gave one more blood soaked laugh. "But…I was one…who was madly in love with you…"And with that last statement, the screen and the scene in front of me flashed a bright white and disappeared.


Another light disappears...another bond disappears into the darkness. The young man can do nothing but face forward in order to save what little he has left. Next time on Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha StarS: Metal Heart, Human Soul


Author's Notes:

It is well known in the world of storytelling that when a seemingly minor character suddenly gets some more screen time he or she would surely die soon. I'm just further proving that point...or am I?

Next chapter will NOT take months to complete. I swear I will get it up later this week!!

Reread the entire story while you wait. You may figure out what I am planning. Even the smallest bit of dialog can mean something. But don't just randomly guess!