Chapter 25: Encounter
08:08 AM (Japan Time), Wednesday July the 5th…
"… Good morning, sir."
"Good morning. I have a meeting with a gentleman named Dr. Regal. Is he here?"
"Yes, sir. He is waiting in the undersea restaurant."
"Thank you very much."
"You're welcome, sir."
Anderson, wearing a black suit and tie along with brown shoes, walked past the reception of the Aquarius Hotel and headed for the elevators: he pressed the button and the right one opened so he stepped inside and breathed deeply as it began to descend.
"Nervous, sir?" Annihilator Man asked as he projected out of a black Link PET with his emblem.
"Of course. It's been over four years… Our second meeting. Many things have happened ever since then." Anderson sighed.
"I'm surprised he accepted the offer of a meeting, though…"
"We both had to meet face-to-face: it was inevitable. We both have many things to tell each other."
"Ah. I see, sir."
"And he didn't call for Net Police or anyone because this just concerns him as the person who inspired me."
"Ah. True, sir…" Annihilator Man saluted.
"Be gentle." Anderson commanded.
"Roger, sir!"
The elevator stopped and Anderson stepped into the main room of the undersea restaurant.
"Over there…"
He headed for the furthermost table in the south-east corner of the restaurant where he found Dr. Regal sitting on the seat behind it and looking calm.
"Dr. Regal – sama. It has been a long time." He politely bowed.
"Rick. You've grown…" Dr. Regal replied.
"Thank you very much, sir."
"Take a seat."
"Thank you, sir."
Anderson sat down and inhaled to then slowly exhale as if to shake the stress off him: he placed the Link PET on top of the table and then distractedly looked around the room.
"So this is why they call this place "Aquarius" Hotel… It's like you were in an aquarium." He muttered.
"True. Anyway… I guess you requested this meeting for an important reason apart from discussing your values and your evolution." Dr. Regal suspected.
"Yes, sir… There's a more important reason than that but I don't want to loophole the core of the question…"
"You've understood it, haven't you? All I taught you was mistaken. They weren't my ideals. They were imposed into me." Dr. Regal sighed.
"Yes, sir… That's why I've decided that all will be over by Friday. And Rama itself was not only a test for myself to see if I could come close to what Father did with Nebula but a place to hide as well to be able to continue my three-year-long research." Anderson confessed.
"That research into the Cyber World manipulation of "annihilation", you mean to say?"
"Well…" He trailed off.
"Or you've gone over that and sought to expand it?" Dr. Regal deduced next.
"Please have a look at this."
Anderson engaged the holographic screen: it displayed some graphs, blueprints and calculations which seemed to be very complex: Dr. Regal leant closer and began to read it: he suddenly gasped and quickly read the rest of it.
"Rick! T-this is…! Do you realize what this is?"
"I do, sir."
"T-this could be the next step in renewable energy producing methods, even…! It wouldn't take too much to implement and would be very cost effective when it came to production/selling ratio…!" Dr. Regal whispered to him.
"Incredible…!" Even Laser Man was awed.
"This is what was has motivated us to move on forward." Annihilator Man admitted.
"Impressive…! You must've spent long hours each day struggling to push it forward!" Dr. Regal whispered.
"Yes, sir… The reason I moved from Scotland to Japan was because I felt like I was being monitored and I didn't wish for my research to be stolen by someone… I firstly thought about MI6 but they wouldn't bother to steal something like this: then I began to suspect Dark Land's involvement into the matter, sir…" Anderson confessed.
"Aha-hah! I knew it: the reason Dark Land was so quiet is because they were aiming to get their hands on this research! They must want to try to sell it to Choina and make peaces with them to then emerge as a major coalition in Asia to challenge Ameroupe, Sharo Nation and the European Union… That's how it is!" Dr. Regal guessed.
"That was exactly what I had calculated: thus I built Rama to have a solid wall to protect me." Anderson sighed.
"Rick. I know what happened to you a few months after we firstly met and that you're living in Edinburg, but… Your problems didn't end there. Am I right?"
"Yes, sir… I kept on being bullied at the institute because I always got first place in all exams given my advanced intelligence and those others who wouldn't accept they hadn't studied enough because they'd been wasting their time trying to court the girl students or go into parties. One even tried to have some thugs abduct me but a teacher overheard his phone conversation: he was expelled and convicted for attempted abduction two years ago… In short: even though my aunt did care for me, I couldn't find someone in whom to trust the extent of my research. Thus, I designed Annihilator Man to test my first research and have a confident." Rick narrated.
"You've had a difficult life, Rick… I can see that you've closed into yourself and tried to handle on your own…"
"I know, sir… And I really should've researched about your status: I've spent the last two years drawings plans to break you out of confinement in vain by now…" Anderson let out.
"That would've been reckless, Rick." Dr. Regal negated with the head in disagreement.
"I know, sir, but… I couldn't get the idea off my head, sir."
"Rick. The past is gone. Focus on the present. What's your plan for ending Rama?" Dr. Regal asked.
"Tomorrow… The remaining three members will be assigned targets… And on Friday I'll challenge Rock Man to try to defeat Annihilator Man. If it were to happen, which I don't deny it is a highly probable outcome… I will turn myself in and be punished: I've stolen money off the ECB and other banks, after all, and faked motorbike licenses..."
"I see… Then I won't stop you." Dr. Regal told him.
They didn't spot a waiter working on cleansing the table behind him: he looked on his forties, with a bald head and brown eye irises.
He was currently smiling and a golden tooth could be seen on his upper row of teeth.
"What might you be doing, Comrade?" A cold voice with Sharo accent rang out close by.
The waiter gasped as a man walked over to him.
This man looked as being on his late forties: his hair was grey and parts of it fell down in the front of the face and he seemed to be missing his left eye as well.
He was dressed in a grey army uniform, although the area around the sleeves and neck was colored in a reddish patch: he had a distinction on the right side of the uniform just underneath the right shoulder.
He was also holding a strange artifact on his right hand which seemed to be some kind of customized dagger: it had a central handle shaped like a cylinder: two curved daggers sprouted from each end, with each facing an opposite direction: some strange patterns were carved across each dagger's surface.
"Major Zenbon: 4th Department." The newcomer announced.
"W-what are you talking about?" Zenbon feigned ignorance.
"It is futile to resist: these two Net Police detectives will escort you to the station to be questioned. You have entered the country in an illegal manner to begin with, Comrade. And we know you work for the "General", too." The newcomer calmly listed.
"Ah! That man…! That golden tooth…! He was the one following me night after night in Edinburg!" Anderson gasped as he turned around.
"Hum. Colonel Talos caught him red-handed…"
Two Net Police detectives came in and escorted Zenbon out while he cursed under his breath: Colonel Talos formed a smile and then looked at the other two.
"Good morning, gentlemen."
"We meet for the first time, sir. I'm Rick Anderson, sir."
"Good morning, Colonel."
"Dr. Regal: that individual had been following you and spying on you for the last eight days. We managed to ID him thanks to that prominent golden tooth, and, like Comrade Anderson said, he's followed him from Scotland under orders of the "General": the leader of Dark Land." Colonel Talos explained.
"So that quietness and talk about internal fighting were staged from the very top to try to make us feel overconfident that Dark Land was useless by now and they then come from an unexpected direction…" Dr. Regal calmly analyzed.
"Correct, gentlemen. Comrade Anderson: given how you are willing to stop this affair by your own will, we shall not move a finger regarding your persona nor we shall demand the IDs of your agents. I do suppose there won't be any complains." Colonel Talos addressed him.
"Of course not, sir… And I will be true to my word. Eh… You wouldn't mind allowing Past to cooperate in disbanding those criminals, though? It's what fuels him, so…" Anderson suggested.
"We wouldn't: he knows how to hold back and does his job in a neat and efficient manner." Colonel Talos replied.
"Ah… Thank you very much, sir…"
"However… Comrade Anderson: do you know any form of self-defense or carry any object which can be legally employed in any self-defense occasions? That man was most likely waiting to assault you and steal your schematics, so…" Colonel Talos brought up.
"I foresaw it: I carry a defensive spray and a taser. I looked up Japan's legislation and they are both legit to be used for self-defense upon being attacked by a hostile assaulter."
"Good enough, Comrade. We will meet again soon enough, I would imagine. Good morning." Colonel Talos nodded in approval.
He headed out of the room while both Dr. Regal and Anderson sighed in relief.
"… That was close. Dark Land is really desperate to try to regain some credibility after the Desert Wraiths affair and how the Subspace managed to rescue two Net Saviors captured by them under their noses without anyone figuring how they got in and out of the country without a "Dimensional Converter"..." Dr. Regal muttered.
"Yes, sir… But I was expecting such a move." Anderson replied.
"Some breakfast will shake off the bad mood. Waiter! Please bring us the menus."
"Yes, sir. Here you have, sir."
A waiter brought them two menus and they calmly read through them before nodding in approval.
"I will have scrambled eggs with bacon and an orange juice."
"Bring me a croissant and a decaf coffee." Dr. Regal ordered.
"Roger, sir."
"So, Rick… What are you going to do with that research?"
"I would like to see a day where it could be co-published, sir… Your name would help promote it, sir, since you designed the Super Energy system for "Dimensional Converters"..." Anderson confessed.
"Hum… That's true, but… You alone came up with it: I don't want to look like I want to take the spotlight from you, Rick. You deserve recognition of your own efforts. I will recommend it and list you as my disciple instead: how's that like?" Dr. Regal proposed.
"Ah… That would be perfect, sir." Anderson looked surprised.
"Rick. I do care about you. You're honest with yourself but don't try to hide behind a brick wall: you deserve going into the front line."
"I understand, sir."
"Your orders, gentlemen." The waiter announced.
He deposited the meals and then left as both silently ate their respective breakfasts: Annihilator Man and Laser Man began a conversation.
"So… You were inspired by my own design?" Laser Man guessed.
"Correct. However… What interested Anderson – sama was the system to output energy. Atomic Network's Plasma Man just sought to imitate the role and was designed to have higher mobility and speed instead of being designed to handle a specific output." Annihilator Man admitted.
"Ah… I really needed this breakfast: I've woken up at 06:00 AM out of nervousness and wasn't calm enough to eat anything myself. I find it somewhat ironic, though, Father… We met at a hotel and we encounter again in another hotel." Anderson muttered before making a point.
"True. The world can be so small sometimes." Dr. Regal looked amused at the argument.
"In fact… It reminds me of the title for the 19th James Bond film which premiered in 1999: The World is not Enough." Anderson even added.
"True. Maybe you have a secret gadget in that Casio wristwatch."
"Please, sir… My clock is perfectly normal, sir." Anderson didn't seem to like the joke.
"You're too rigid, Rick. You should try taking some humor in and looking at things from a different angle." Dr. Regal advised.
"Eh… I try, sir, I do."
"I won't push you: but you deserve to have a life, too, Rick. You can't pretend to have tossed it away but there's no such thing: life is there and you can't ignore it: you will only manage to close into yourself and become mistrusting of everything and everyone." Dr. Regal warned him with a sigh.
"… I understand, sir…" Anderson nodded in understanding.
"Good."
"Eh… Dr. Regal – sama… Are you… eh… content… with your current status, sir? I mean…" Anderson timidly asked.
"I am. And so is Yuriko: she finally was able to meet back with her sister after over 15 years of separation. She even was given the opportunity to work as a Net Savior, too." Dr. Regal quickly replied.
"I knew it, yet… Eh… I apologize. I spoke about unnecessary things. I shall not offer any excuses." Anderson quickly changed his attitude.
"You needn't, Rick."
"… Do you know somewhere secure where I could store the central portion of the research? Even if Dark Land were to rob it from me, they wouldn't be able to develop anything from the main concepts and economical calculations." Anderson suddenly asked.
"Hmmm… I suppose Mr. Vadous would do: you saw how he doesn't store anything on the Cyber World and his real-world HQ is practically impossible to storm by any means. He will understand and be content of your decisions, Rick. He is a man like me: he committed evil in the past yet he sought to start anew and do his best to amend for the damage his superiors caused and continue to cause: that which you and Past fight against." Dr. Regal explained.
"I see… He must've seen a lot of victims and mustn't wish for more of them to happen: thus he's mobilized assets through the world but he doesn't believe himself to be in control of everything: he has his limitations like any man… He wants to bring forth stability…"
"Correct."
"Then I trust him to keep this information secure… Are you escorted while in your displacements, Father?" Anderson asked.
"I am: the "Committee" drives me around."
"Perfect, then… I will transmit the portion of the information: I will merely spend the time with more mundane activities."
"Alright."
Anderson transferred a file from his PET to Dr. Regal's one and he then stood up: Dr. Regal also did so and they shook hands.
"Thank you for allowing me to meet again, Dr. Regal – sama, sir. If all goes well, we shall see each other by Friday, sir." He thanked him.
"Be careful, Rick." He warned.
"Yes, sir. Goodbye, sir."
Anderson headed out while Dr. Regal signaled for the waiter: he brought the bill and Dr. Regal calmly paid it while leaving the commission: he headed towards the elevators.
"Dr. Regal – sama. What did you think of it, sir?" Laser Man asked.
"You saw him: he's not the young innocent child I once knew. He's grown too fast and tries to act the adult although his doubts torment him. I do hope he can find a good way of ending everything." Dr. Regal replied.
"I see."
"Let's go hand this to Mr. Vadous as quickly as possible: the final phase of this so-called "conflict" is about to start."
"Roger."
Dr. Regal used the elevator and got to the ground floor: he headed outside of the hotel and sat on a stone to hear both the waves' rumor as well as the seagulls: he didn't see Twilight looking on from close by.
"… Rick. I know you can do it: you can bring this to a halt." He muttered.
He sighed and rummaged into his pants' right pocket to take out a printed copy of the photo depicting his and Anderson's meeting.
"You've suffered too much and it's shaken you even though you try to keep it under the surface. But once you realize that you can have a normal person's life then all will become better: make me proud, Rick. The son I never had…" He muttered next.
Twilight snickered and ran off and Dr. Regal merely sighed…