Lan, Maylu, and Lucia all sat in a small plane being piloted by Zack. Zack had convinced the guards at the airport that he knew enough about flying to be allowed to fly the plane for the group. Since he was an Official, all was currently investigating Dark Aero; he had been allowed to fly.
The group was almost to Netopia, it was a mere matter of minutes before they could land and follow Dark Aero.
Lan was sitting in a simple white seat his PET in his lap. Megaman was staring at him, talking about what they should do when they land, but Lan wasn't listening. He was nervous. He, Maylu, Lucia, and their navis, where flying in a plane piloted by a boy they barely knew, going to go and fight a powerful group who had enough influence in Netopia to make even the police side with them.
It was almost a hopeless endeavor…almost…
Lan was determined to save his father. That was what had kept him going. He wouldn't rest until everyone was safe, and Dark Aero was defeated.
"……Lan are you even listening to me?" Megaman asked after a moment.
Lan jumped into life. "Yeah…I heard you."
Maylu was sitting across from Lan, and giggled as she heard the conversation going on between operator and navi.
"Alright…what did I just tell you?"
Lan smiled nervously. "Uh…..something about…..Dark Aero?"
Megaman sighed and put his head in his hands. "Why do I put up with you?"
Roll and Maylu both started to giggle, which as we all know is contagious, followed by Lucia, Lan, and then Megaman and Suki.
"So…Mega…" Roll said shyly. "….Um….are you going to be spending the Star Festival with anyone?"
Megaman blushed and stammered as he spoke. "W-Well…..N-No….I don't have anyone…..Why?"
Maylu and Lan both started to giggle. Roll and Megaman were both blushing more and more.
"….Well….I was wondering if you might want to…..ya know….we could…."
Megaman who acted, quite simple, stupid when he was embarrassed said. "We could what?"
Lucia burst into laughter.
"For the love of….She's trying to ask you out stupid!" Lucia cried.
Roll burst into a bright red blush along with Megaman.
"R-Really?" Megaman asked, his voice actually breaking due to nerves.
"….Yeah….If you want to…."
Suddenly Zack's voice came over the intercom. He sounded worried and tired at the same time, and it seemed like he was having a hard time making the words form together into sentences. Clearly something was wrong.
"Uh…Guys….we've got a problem… two helicopters with the Dark Aero insignia on them are following us…..and they've got big guns!"
The elevator stopped on the sixty-sixth floor of the building. Inside the elevator stood Abbadon, dressed in a new black suit and red tie, Tyrell, in a black button-up shirt with flames on it, Ambika, with a black dress with sequins on it, Mei, also in a black dress, Chaud Blaze, and Dr. Hikari.
The group stepped forward and got out of the elevator, stepping into a dark office with red carpet. On the far end of the room was a dark oak desk in front of a black leather chair. Two plants sat on each side of the desk, two more in the back corners.
A painting of a mountain scene hung on the east wall, another of a lake on the west, two others on the north and south wall contained pictures of a valley and port town respectively. Along with these painting simple sculptures of famous writers and painters sat around the room.
The room looked more like a museum than it did an office.
Sitting in the black leather chair was a man in a black suit with silver hair and grey eyes. He was sipping from his cup of, what appeared to be tea. He stood and smiled at his guests as they walked inside.
"Ah, welcome home. I have been wondering when you would return to Netopia." The man said in a very thick Netopian accent.
"We are quite glad to be back sir. How is the operation running?" Abbadon asked with a bow.
"Quite well. All the Crystals are here and locked in place. It's almost time for the fun to begin." Said the man with a dark chuckle.
Chaud couldn't help but speak. "So how is destroying to world going to help you!?"
The man turned to look at Chaud and frowned. "You really should learn respect for your elders young man, and speak only when spoken too. But, since you asked, I shall tell you." The man paused and took a drink from his cup before clearing his throat and beginning.
"This world has done many things that it shouldn't have. Pollution is a large problem, it always has been. And now with the Network running everything, people barely do any work! The entire world has just been sitting back, and letting the world run itself! This is clearly one of mankind's largest flaws…"
"Now I'm sure you know, the Network was created to help people, and help it did. But as time wore on people depended more and more on the Network, and now everyone in the world has a stupid PET and a Net Navi, who does all the work that you should do! It's pitiful! Laziness, pure stupidity and laziness!"
"So I am going to help the world. By having the Millennium Star crash into the planet thousands will die, the Network will shatter, and people will see just how much they have fallen. In years past people built empires of stone and iron to control the world, which has been replaced by an empire of electricity, computers, and programs!"
Chaud rolled his eyes at the man, who suddenly stood and lashed out with his cane, striking Chaud on the shoulder.
"Now listen here boy! If I was to destroy your PET, what would you do? Would you return to your normal life without such a device? Or would you go and find a new one?"
Chaud sighed and the man smiled darkly. "See…people depend too much on technology to solve their problems, when they can do it just as well!"
The man lowered himself back into his chair and gripped his hands on the arms of the chair. Dr. Hikari stepped forward and raised his voice as he spoke.
"And what do you need with me!?"
The man laughed and turned his chair to the window behind him.
"It's quite simple. I need you to help me carry out this plan."
Dr. Hikari chuckled. "And just how am I going to help you? I don't know anything about how the Crystals work!"
The man turned his chair back to the group and stood. He walked over to Dr. Hikari, limping as he walked while supporting himself with his cane. He walked right up to the doctor and smiled a toothy grin.
"No….but you can tell the Netopian and Electopian government to give me the security codes to turn off the barriers on the Crystals, and you can tell SciLabs to turn over Dr. Regals laser device…and I'm sure you would listen to me doctor…"
Dr. Hikari smiled. "I'll never help you…"
The man turned and walked toward his desk and pressed a button underneath the table top. A large projector screen slid down behind him and an image flickered into life. It was a live video streaming from two separate helicopters that where flying over the ocean. A small airplane was flying ahead of them.
"On this plane is your son, his best friend, and a traitor from our own company as well as a young Official. In my hand here," he said showing Dr. Hikari a small black device with a large red button on top, "is a detonation switch. If I press this button a bomb will ignite onboard the plane, and it will fall into the ocean. And on the off chance that it doesn't fall, my copters will shoot it out of the sky."
The man chuckled and walked back to Dr. Hikari.
"Follow my orders and their lives will be spared…break my rules…and I'm afraid your son may become food for the sharks."
Dr. Hikari swallowed; a small trail of sweat fell from his brow. Lan was on that plane with Maylu, trying to come and stop Dark Aero. If he disobeyed Dark Aero's orders they would be killed…
After a long moment of silence, which consisted of high tension and overactive nerves on all members present, the doctor spoke. His voice was broken and defeated. His head slumped down in defeat.
"…..Alright…..I'll do whatever you want…just…please….leave the children alone…"
The man smiled and sat down in his chair, spinning his cane as he walked.
"Ah, good. Now, my name is Kane…Sir Kane…I am the what you would call, Father of Dark Aero… Welcome to Hell Dr. Hikari…"