Chapter 25 – Fragile Hearts
After a night of blissful dreams, Mayl awakened to find that Roll was already up and about, happily browsing what appeared to be a dress catalog while pirouetting around the house, a set of headphones filling her mind with sweet upbeat music. Mayl rubbed the back of her head and quirked an eyebrow at the sight, wondering if Roll had been using her enhanced body to consume ungodly amounts of sugar with impunity.
"Somebody is in a good mood today." Mayl said with a smile as she stepped into the living room still wearing her nightgown. Roll paused for a moment, stopped the music and removed the headphones before turning to face her.
"Everything has been just perfect lately, don't you think?" she asked Mayl.
"Sometimes it still feels like a dream." Mayl replied before noticing the catalog. "Ballroom dresses? What are you looking at those for?"
"Oh, just idle fancies." Roll said with a dreamy sigh. "The boys really do spoil us, don't you think?"
"I'll say. We never know what they're going to think of next. It's so exciting!"
Their considerations were interrupted by a beeping sound coming from Mayl's PET. As she eyed it curiously, a grin appeared on her face.
"Well well, what do we have here? A two-person gift certificate for a weekend at a spa? Blissful Rest package? Who could have been so thoughtful?"
"Oh boy..." Roll squealed. "Classes are scheduled to start again on Monday, so I guess the boys would want to give us one more treat before we go back to the old routine. Which reminds me, I'll be looking forward to going to classes with you outside the PET."
They did not know what sort of paperwork something like this would entail, since matters of citizenship and law regarding Navis were still a relatively new area, but their teachers had already given their enthusiastic consent after hearing the good news.
"How thoughtful indeed." Mayl mused. "But come to think of it, the day the school closed down for repairs was the day everything started happening. So much has changed..."
Roll smiled and wondered which of the twins had had this latest idea. She already knew Mayl and Lan were in for a surprise after the side trip to Myuu's antique shop, and she was even more delighted to see that the two boys were still taking the initiative and finding new ways to surprise them. Sometimes she worried just a tiny bit about all the expenses Lan was incurring, despite the fact that his adventures had left him with quite a reserve. Still, it was natural for the twins to want to enjoy life to the fullest, and Lan in particular had changed considerably. He once had a penchant for forgetting Mayl's birthday, only to remember (or be reminded by Hub) at the eleventh hour and rush madly to find or make something suitable. Ever since that fateful series of events, he was more alert and responsible, and less prone to goofing off.
"Where have those two run off to this time anyway?" Roll asked.
"Well, Dex talked Lan into trying to keep up with his training regimen for a day... which means Lan's going to be pretty tired tonight. Luckily, two of our friends have already taken the appropriate measures."
"The flower girls?" Roll asked with a giggle.
During one of the run-ins with Cadmus and his entourage in Dentown, Lan and Mayl had encountered another old friend of Lan's. Still passionate about the environment in general and plants in particular, the emerald-haired Saloma, Sal to her friends, had begun assisting a university teacher in setting up a course to introduce herbal medicine to the common citizen.
It just so happened that Rose had been invited to participate as well, and when the two women had finally met, they had talked everyone's ears out about the subject. The two had quickly begun comparing notes on tea blends, and soon enough the whole group had ended up being treated to a lesson in fine herbs, watered with copious amounts of a blend that could only be described as the serene bliss of a summer evening. It had truly been the most relaxing thing Mayl had ever tasted, and she was sure it would help ease the ache of tired muscles after a long day's workout.
A few hours later, outside the ACDC Metroline station, Mayl awaited Lan's return. She didn't have to wait much longer, as he soon stepped outside, panting and sweaty, but not much worse for the wear.
"Wow!" he said to himself. "That was amazing."
Sometimes Lan worried a little bit about his physical shape, since in the Network Age the average citizen tended to spend a lot of time sitting down in front of various machines. His recent change in relationship status had also prompted him to become a little more self-conscious about his shape, something he had never even thought about since he had always been the skinny type despite his ravenous appetite. However, he hadn't lost the lightness in his steps, and his body was furiously converting everything he ate down to the last crumb. Mayl sometimes wondered how he'd look once they were fully grown, and she was definitely looking forward to the prospect of seeing it.
"You look all pumped up." Mayl said as she moved in for a hug. "I take it things went well?"
"Oh yeah! It's amazing what we can do with our bodies if we work them the right way." Lan said proudly. "Of course it works up one hell of an appetite."
"So we'll be having dinner at your place tonight, right?" she asked.
Lan nodded and smiled.
"I hope my table manners won't shock you too much this time around. You know how I can get when certain things are on the menu."
"You're improving, though." Mayl said, returning the smile. "And I've got something I want you to try out. It should help you sleep better."
Meanwhile, at Cadmus' house...
Filling the bathtub would have been considered a scandalous proposition a few decades earlier, given the massive waste of water compared to a simple shower. However, with many advances in construction and plumbing technologies, it was now possible to enjoy what was normally reserved for hot springs and recycle the water for other purposes. Though Neo Atlantis was an artificial island, some intelligent souls had had the foresight of taking advantage of underwater geothermal activity to provide an equivalent to hot springs. Being surrounded by water, the nation was intimately tied to the mighty and sometimes overwhelming element, and swimming was one of the most popular national sports. Contact with the ocean was something people had since a very early age, and many measures had been taken to ensure that everyone could safely enjoy some time in the water.
Being so busy most of the time, Cadmus couldn't bring himself to run off to the ocean, but soaking in hot water was the next best thing, especially considering that Rose had recommended a herbal powder that was supposedly very good at stress relief. As soon as he poured it into the water, Cadmus took in the deep, sweet minty scents and concluded that, despite the occasional run-in with psychotic killer robots and tinkering Cyberworld entities who gave him headaches, life was good. The recent camping trip had also done a tremendous amount of good for his mental state. He had actually been able to put his typical concerns away and enjoy some good nights of sleep. This had, surprisingly enough, lasted well after his return. The strange dreams, likely a combination of his overactive imagination and the nervous tension from his conflicting emotions, also appeared to be gone, at least for the time being.
So relaxed was he, in fact, that he started nodding off a few minutes later. It was then that things started getting weird really fast.
He felt weightless, as if floating in some sort of fluid. Everything was hazy, with a greenish tint, and for some reason he didn't feel the need to breathe. In the distance, Cadmus heard muffled voices, but he could hardly make out what they were saying. All things considered, he thought, he was feeling quite warm and comfortable. The water, or whatever it was he was in, gave him a mild tingling sensation. Then, one of the voices suddenly became louder and he was able to make out a few scattered words.
"Yes... success... utmost care..."
His mind was still clouded, and as he tried to make sense of the words, more came.
"The future... requires..."
"Future requires what?" he thought. "Am I dreaming again?"
More muffled words followed, but there was one more he could make out.
"Imperative."
Then there was a knock on the bathroom door and Cadmus snapped back into the waking world.
"Cadmus, are you asleep in there?" Ciel asked through the door. "I can hear you snoring from out here."
"I guess I was..." he muttered to himself.
It was then that he noticed another sound and looked at the water faucet. To his horror, it was still running and the bathtub was well past overflowing. The mat covering the bathroom floor was soaked and the puddle was about to reach the door.
"Shit..." he yelped before quickly shutting off the water. Then it was Ciel's turn to yelp as the water made it under the door and soaked her slippers and socks.
"What's going on in there?" Ciel asked. "Are you OK?"
"I'd say the bathing salts worked a little too well..." he said to himself as he opened the drain.
A couple of minutes later, having changed into some fresh clothes and cleaned up the mess, he sat down on one of the living room couches, absently scratching his chin.
"What happened in there?" Gallant asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"I'll have to ask Rose what was in that blend." Cadmus said with a shrug. "It knocked me out really fast and..."
"And?" Ciel asked.
"It's probably nothing. Just my mind trying to tell me to ease up on the work." Cadmus said as the strange dream started fading from his conscious memory. "I dreamed I was floating in some greenish stuff, and there were people talking... There's a big chance my mind made all that up, really. They were… talking about some things I couldn't make out."
"You sure have a lot of weird dreams, Cadmus..." he thought. "What gives?"
He failed to notice the way Agent Fairy's eyes widened as she heard his words.
"I think this calls for a quick medical scan." she said with an inexplicable hint of nervous tension in her expression. Cadmus shrugged as she pulled out her portable devices, and after a few moments she delivered her findings.
"Well, there's no trace of any known psychoactive or toxic substances in your system." she said. "However, I'm picking up some unusual brain activity. Do you have any physical symptoms worth noting?"
"I feel relaxed, a little lightheaded too, but that's to be expected. After all, I just came out of a hot bath."
"It's probably nothing then." Agent Fairy said with a hint of relief. "But just in case, let me run some tests the next time you decide to experiment with herbs."
"I don't think Rose would consciously try to mess with my head, but if that makes you feel better..." Cadmus said.
With other matters to attend to, Cadmus put such thoughts aside and focused on finishing his task for the day. He was gaining a greater understanding of the data to DNA translation algorithm thanks to Dr. Hikari's notes, and though Revan had positively infuriated him in his transgression, he had also contributed to the advancement of Project Unity. After a few hours poring over it, he switched the computer to sleep mode and stretched his arms.
Deciding to go to bed early, he had a light dinner and entertained himself with a book until the drowsiness took over.
Around the same time, at Lan's house...
"So, what do you think?" Mayl asked with anticipation as she watched Lan drink the tea she had brought in for him.
"Great taste." Lan muttered between sips. "Sweet, but not too much. And there's something here... something familiar, but I can't quite place it."
"I added a few drops of honey, just like I used to do with your milk." Haruka said with a smile.
"So that's it!" Lan said. "Rosemary, right?"
Haruka nodded.
"You spoil us, so it's only fair we do the same to you." Mayl said cheerfully. Lan just shrugged and grinned sheepishly.
"I can't let you do all the spoiling around here." he managed to say before Hub started chuckling.
Lan then got up and gave his mother a surprise hug.
"Thanks for raising me properly and putting up with my crap." he said appreciatively.
"Now now..." Haruka said, hugging him back. "You and Hub are the best sons any mother could ask for."
That night, the twins slept exceptionally well. Mayl and Roll took a little longer to sleep, carefully packing up for the trip they had been offered, but soon they were comfortably tucked in. Meanwhile, outside the girls' home, as a gust of wind howled by, the four Neo Atlantean agents convened. The street was deserted at that hour, perfectly silent.
"So what's the matter Fairy?" Agent Phantom asked.
"Something strange happened today." Agent Fairy said. "I think we may have to contact HQ for further instructions."
"Something like what?" Agent Sage asked.
"We've all read the files." Agent Fairy said. "We all know the significance of this man, even if he remains completely unaware of it. But how much manipulation was there? I wonder if there's something we haven't been told about his capabilities."
"You're speaking in riddles." Agent Fighter said with a look of annoyance. "It's giving me a headache!"
"This could all be a product of his imagination." Agent Fairy said. "But it could also be a lost memory."
"You mean he might be remembering something? From back then?" Agent Sage asked. Agent Fairy nodded affirmatively.
"But how? He was barely…" Agent Sage said, before letting out a sigh. "This could be bad. It could very well destabilize him again. You were right to bring this to our attention."
The next morning, Mayl and Roll headed to the Metroline station, wearing matching pink dresses and carrying a matching pair of wheeled suitcases. They got out of the Metroline a couple of stations later, and outside the station a small black minibus was parked, with a well groomed driver in a black suit apparently waiting for someone. At the sight of the two girls, he smiled and stepped forward.
"Ah, the Sakurai madams, I presume? I've been expecting you." He said with perhaps a little too much enthusiasm in his voice. The girls felt a little shiver for some reason as they looked upon him. His gaze was impenetrable, hidden beneath a pair of sunglasses, and his hair had a strange silvery hue they had never seen.
"Uh, yeah, that would be us." Roll said hesitantly.
"Right this way please. Your destination awaits." the man said with a deep smile.
The girls hesitated a little at first, but eventually entered the vehicle and settled down on one of its ample seats. Just as soon as they did, the driver started the engine and drove into a nearby highway.
"So where exactly is the place?" Mayl asked with curiosity.
"A bit inland." the man said, looking very pleased about something.
As the girls watched his reflection on the mirror they had a slight feeling of deja vu, but too vague for them to be certain of anything. Then, as they were passing through a tunnel, a security glass panel rose from the floor, sealing off the driver's seat from the rear section. At the same time, the glass on the windows in their section turned completely opaque, preventing them from seeing anything. Intrigued, Mayl shuffled in her seat.
"What's going on?" she asked.
Right then, she heard a high-pitched thrum and pain exploded across her senses as a fierce electrical discharge stunned her. As she let out a scream, Roll turned to her in confusion and alarm, only to be struck by an equal force.
"What the hell?!" Roll hissed, feeling almost as much pain as Mayl.
It was then that she heard the driver's maniacal laugh, and everything became clear.
"It's a trap!" she yelped.
Her first instinct was to grab Mayl, who at this point was barely able to move. Her second instinct was to start tearing the passenger compartment apart to look for the source of the electric shocks. Fighting back the tears brought by the intense pain, Roll started ripping off the seat's synthetic leather lining, until she found a few small devices concealed underneath the first layer, connected to each other through thin cables. Forcefully yanking them out from under herself and Mayl, she crushed them in her hand and tossed them aside. The unpleasant sensation lingered for a few moments, but Roll, ignoring it to the best of her ability, tried to help Mayl get up and started punching and kicking the rear window.
Suddenly the minibus swerved violently and the girls heard the loud screech of the brakes.
"Tougher than I thought..." they heard the driver say. "No matter."
Then he started laughing again as a thick green gas started pouring in through the air conditioning. Mayl was still unable to do much, and Roll watched in terror as the eerie cloud closed in on them.
Instinctively she tried to reach out across the airwaves and call for help, but something was jamming her transmissions. Running out of options, she twitched nervously and started hitting the rear window with renewed strength, hoping to break the thick glass so they could get out of there. The glass, however, seemed to be bulletproof, and her body's strength limiters were still activated. In desperation, she tried to reach out once again, but to no avail.
"Damnit!" Mayl cursed as she tried not to inhale the gas. "We walked right into this one..."
She suddenly started feeling lightheaded and to Roll's horror she soon fell limp.
"There's nothing I can do..." Roll thought in frustration.
It was then she had an idea. There was no guarantee it would work, but she hoped that whoever had done this to them wasn't aware of her true nature. Roll sighed and glanced at Mayl's unconscious form.
"I'm sorry… I'll just have to bide my time for now..." she thought dejectedly before falling in a heap next to Mayl, her mind focused on trying to appear unconscious as well.
Some time passed, and eventually the minibus stopped. Not daring to open her eyes, Roll tried her best not to move. A moment later, she heard the doors opening and the clanging of metal against metal. With a steely grip, someone seized her and unceremoniously lifted her like a sack of potatoes. Her hearing told her that Mayl was being carried right behind her.
The driver stepped out of the minibus and removed his shades, exposing a pair of cruel red eyes with a hint of insanity. Throwing away his cap, he loosened his long silvery hair.
"Told you I could pull it off!" he arrogantly shouted at the air.
"Do not let your guard down. This is just the beginning." a chilling voice replied with a hint of boredom.
Suddenly a set of lights flared to life, revealing an ample metallic chamber. A large wall-mounted screen was activated, revealing a pale featureless face with red eyes and a large red orb on its forehead.
"I'm no good at psychological warfare bullshit." Omega said to the screen. "If I had it my way I'd just toast those two and move on to bigger fish."
"And you would likely have your posterior handed to you." the face replied with its chilling voice. "Your body's final iteration is still in development phase. We have no idea of the true capabilities of those Copy Bots."
"So what? You're the overgrown military AI. Invent something better." Omega replied with a shrug.
"An AI that happens to have full control over an entire nation and its production facilities." the face retorted with indifference. "And you have a lot to learn about tactics. Sap the will. Erode the mind. Undermine the opposition. Then strike."
Omega scoffed and tore off his driver's uniform, exposing his menacing black armor.
"You're far too cautious, baldy. Just be sure the fireworks for the big day don't fizzle."
"The orbital assembly units are already at work. Everything is going according to schedule."
"So, what now?"
"The humans will be confined to sensory deprivation tanks. This sub can hide for a considerable amount of time, and while our adversaries are looking for them, they won't have the time to disrupt our operations. Without their little portable toys they cannot call for assistance."
Meanwhile, at Lan's house...
"I don't get it. Where did those two run off to?" Lan thought out loud as he paced around his room.
"They're not answering phone calls either, and I can't get in contact with Roll." Hub said with a worried look on his face.
Lan grabbed his PET and phoned Yai.
"Yai, did you and Mayl have any plans for today?" he asked as soon as she answered.
"No, not today." Yai replied. "Is something wrong?"
"I can't find her anywhere, and she's not answering my calls."
"Let me see if I can find her." Yai said as she turned on her computer. After checking in with several friends who were online at the time, she frowned. "No sign of her or Roll."
Lan's heart sank, and then a sudden dread took over.
"This isn't normal." he said nervously.
"I agree." Hub said. "Those two always go everywhere together, and they never let the PET's battery run out. Also, I should have been able to find Roll, with the Copy Bots' wireless systems and all."
"It wouldn't be the first time someone went after our friends..." Lan said with growing unease and a deep frown. "I still remember that time they broke into our house and gassed Mom."
"We need to move fast." Hub said as he started heading towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Lan asked.
"We need help... and we've got four professionals just around the corner."
A moment later, outside Cadmus' house...
"The professors have already left for SciLab." Agent Phantom said as he leaned against a wall, clad in an inconspicuous black suit.
"Actually, we were looking for you." Hub said. "We have a missing persons case. It's been impossible to get a hold of Mayl and Roll for hours, and it wouldn't be the first time someone went people close to us."
"That is odd." Agent Phantom said. "I saw them heading to the Metroline station earlier, and they were carrying suitcases. By their body language, they seemed excited about something."
"That makes no sense." Hub said. "Wait just a moment."
He then dashed towards Mayl's house and rang the doorbell. After a moment, Mayl's mother answered, wearing an elegant pink dress. She and her husband did a lot of traveling for work reasons, so they weren't often around, but he could definitely see the resemblance. Mayl had inherited the pink hair and peculiar temperament from her, as well as the musical talent.
"So nice to see you Hub!" she said with a smile. "What brings you here?"
"Uh, this may seem like a strange question, but have you seen Mayl and Roll today?"
Mrs. Sakurai blinked in surprise.
"What do you mean dear? They went out for that weekend in a spa that you and Lan offered them."
Hub took in a sharp breath and stared at her with a haunted look on his face.
"We never offered them such a thing. I was planning another trip to Castillo once things settle down and Lan has caught up with his textbook reading, but..."
"Then who sent them the tickets?" Mrs. Sakurai asked with growing alarm. "You don't mean...?"
"It's a very distinct possibility." Hub said with a deep frown. "I doubt it was a random incident, either. I'm sorry they keep getting in trouble because of us."
"Being a hero has its downsides dear." Mrs. Sakurai said with a reassuring smile. "But we would be fools to blame you for other people's evil. I know you'll find them and bring them back safely."
"Indeed we will, ma'am. Or die trying." Hub said with a determined expression.
"That won't do dear." Mrs. Sakurai replied to his surprise. "You two need to come back safely as well. You're part of the family, and the poor girls would be heartbroken if something happened to either of you."
"Then I'll bring them back, and we'll make sure the people responsible have a very bad time." Hub said. "Thank you for your kindness."
He then ran back to Lan and Agent Phantom, and Mrs. Sakurai went back inside. Moments later, the sound of a violin echoed throughout the neighborhood, stirring even Phantom's serious and seemingly detached person. Mrs. Sakurai always knew how to stir and express emotions through her music.
"So, what did you find out?" Lan asked nervously.
"Someone led them to believe that we had offered them a weekend off." Hub replied.
"A classic trick." Agent Phantom said, tightening his lips. "This is definitely not a random occurrence. By now they are probably in a secluded location."
"We've got to do something!" Lan practically shouted. "Are you going to help us?"
"Dr. Atreides did request that we extend our protection to you." Agent Phantom said calmly. "I will inform my colleagues and we'll begin the search."
He then paused and removed his sunglasses and stowed them in his breast pocket, clenching his fist as he looked at the brothers.
"Besides… orders or not, it would not sit well with any of us to let this stand."
"Thank you." Hub said with a hint of relief.
Meanwhile, somewhere under the sea...
Roll looked around, trying to discern her surroundings. Complete blackness surrounded her, and not a sound could be heard. She could feel that the space she was in was ample, but little else.
"I've got to get out of here..." she thought, wondering where Mayl had been taken.
Meanwhile, in the small submarine's command room...
"This was really easy." Omega gloated. "Almost beneath me, but the look on their faces was priceless."
"Still, I would have liked to have conducted this operation with a little more information." the bald face said on a screen. "Previous operations failed miserably because the intelligence gathering was done by incompetent imbeciles."
"Something's buggin' ya, baldy?"
"The blonde girl. We know very little about her. Humans leave a trail of records during their lifetime, but this one is strange. Almost as if she had popped into existence relatively recently."
"You should know better than anyone how paper pushers tend to be lazy and stupid. Somebody probably filed her stuff in the wrong place." Omega said with a shrug.
"Well, no matter. Now that the opposition is suitably distracted, we can begin the second phase of the operation."
As the machinery in the submarine came to life, a series of satellites in orbit began to stir. A data stream formed, connecting them with various locations on Earth, namely military installations. Cyberworld covert operations teams consisting of independently operating Navis moved into position, slipping past the security measures guarding peripheral installations, and began probing for open ports that might be usable.
Within two hours they had accessed the military networks of several countries and collected vast tactical data, then disappeared without a trace. By the time anyeone discovered their activity, it would be too late.
"Incredible." Omega said with a sneer. "They haven't learned anything from the past. A monkey with an old calculator could break into those systems."
"Not quite, Omega. They were somewhat sophisticated. But my methods are infallible."
"What did you do?"
"It is a simple matter, once you know how humans think. They always follow a pattern. It is the same for their behavior and their creations. All I had to do was exert my will and intellect, and the rest is history. Now get the sub ready to deliver the data cache. We cannot risk leaving a trace through the network."
At the same time this was happening, Mayl and Roll paced around in their sensory deprivation chambers, unable to communicate with each other or do much of anything.
"What to do..." Mayl thought dejectedly.
There was no way she could break through metal, and she couldn't call for help because whoever had carried her into that place had also taken her PET. With a sign, she caressed the ring on her left ring finger and hoped that Lan would find them.
In the adjacent chamber, Roll twitched nervously.
"If only I could deactivate the strength limiter..." she thought in frustration. If they got out of this situation, she decided, she'd have to have a word with Ciel about the blasted thing.
Out of options, she once again tried reaching out with the Copy Bot's wireless transmission system, though she didn't expect it to work after last time.
"Hub!" she cried out in her mind.
Hundreds of kilometers away, at SciLab...
"We have tried accessing the security systems in airports, harbors and bus terminals, but no information was found." Agent Phantom said. "At this point, we are not certain if they are still in the country, but we have contacted local authorities and at this moment every way in our out of Electopia is being monitored."
"It's one thing after another." Cadmus grunted, glancing at Lan. "Why the hell can't they leave you alone?!"
Lan was looking pale and sweaty, and due to the nervous strain he had started biting his fingernails. At the moment he was trying not to lose control, a task made difficult by the pounding in his chest. He had gone through similar situations before, but it never got any easier. In fact, as he got older, he was beginning to become far more aware of the dangers of such a situation.
"No good deed goes unpunished..." he muttered.
Hub was looking at his brother when suddenly his eyes widened.
"Guys! I'm getting something!" he shouted as he jumped off his chair. "It's Roll!"
"What is their location?" Agent Phantom asked.
"She doesn't know where they are." Hub replied, before pausing for a moment. "She says they separated them and she's in a lightless soundproof room."
"Quick, trace the transmission!" Agent Sage said as he reached for a laptop and activated a wireless connection to Hub's transmitter. Agent Phantom took it from him and started typing frantically.
"This doesn't seem right." Agent Phantom said after a moment.
"What's the matter?" Agent Sage asked.
"This thing says she's… considerably far off the coast."
"This can only mean one thing." Agent Fighter said with a look of disgust.
Agent Phantom brought some satellite readings on screen and after going through them he nodded.
"Nothing on surface scans, and nothing in that airspace."
"Goddamn Zians!" Cadmus spat.
"I agree with your assessment." Agent Fairy said. "It has to be them again."
"Likely a sub." Agent Phantom said. "Though I have no idea why they'd attempt to remove them from the country… or what they would want with them in the first place."
"That could be a problem." Agent Sage said. "We didn't bring anything capable of catching up with a sub if it goes underwater. Even if we requested the equipment for it, by the time it arrived it would be too late."
Around that time, in the submarine's command room...
"What was that?" The bald face asked, apparently speaking to itself. "A burst transmission. But where did it come from?"
"What are you going on about baldy?" Omega asked with a confused look.
"The sensory deprivation chambers!" it growled, losing its semblance of controlled, smug superiority. "I thought you had removed all their communication devices!"
"I did! What the hell dude?"
Then the bald face froze momentarily.
"Bring me the blonde! Now!"
A moment later, as Roll tried to help Hub come up with a rescue plan, the door to the chamber opened and Omega stormed in. Recognizing him, she backed away.
"It's Omega! He's here!" she cried out through the uplink, before the insane Navi punched her in the gut. The pain broke her concentration and the connection was severed.
"Omega?!" Hub shouted on the other side. "Roll, what's going on?! Roll!"
Omega roughly flung Roll over his shoulder and hauled her to the command deck. The face on the screen eyed her attentively, and she glared defiantly at it.
"Most interesting." the being said. "You look human enough on the outside, but..."
Then the being's expression changed to an eerie smile.
"Of course. I see it now."
"Who the hell are you?!" Roll demanded.
"I had no idea you were of our kind." the face said with an intrigued expression. "I cannot fathom why you would want to pass yourself off as one of them, but that is not entirely relevant. As for who I am... You may call me... Sigma."
"What do you want from us?!" Roll shouted, looking as if she was about to punch the screen.
"At first, I intended to use you and your human friend as a distraction to keep certain troublesome elements from snooping around. But now... Tell me, where were you made? When did you become self-aware?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Come now. You're definitely not human. I did not notice it before, but your energy readings betray you. You were, by some internal mechanism, able to send a transmission outside this vessel. I can also tell that your body contains various synthetic materials, but more importantly, it takes an artificial life form to know one. So I ask, is this one of the so-called Copy Bots I've heard so much about?"
Omega's jaw dropped at those words.
"What?! You mean she's a goddamn Navi?!" he blared.
Roll sighed in annoyance.
"So what?" she asked with an angry glare, defiantly puffing her chest.
"This could prove to be a rather unique opportunity." Sigma said with a satisfied grin that gave her the creeps. "We have been trying to get our hands on a Copy Bot for a considerable amount of time. The possibilities are endless. Shapeshifting agents, for starters. It would be a big step in taking what is rightfully ours."
"There's no way in hell I'm going to let you mess with my body!" Roll said, shaking a clenched fist at the screen.
"I do not need your permission." Sigma replied smugly. "Omega. Plug her in."
Meanwhile, at SciLab...
"Well, there's a prototype craft in one of the sub-levels that might be able to get us there." Cadmus said. "The only thing is, it's not prepared for water landings."
"We will also need to take into account that the vessel is underwater. We will have to deal with decompression and drowning risks." Agent Phantom said.
"If that thing surfaced, we could just parachute down, smash shit up and get the girls out." Agent Fighter said, slamming a fist into his palm.
At the submarine...
"Oh, how delightful!" Sigma said with glee. "This model is even more advanced than the reports said. Be sure to put all the data I've collected from it along with the rest. I'm going to have a field day with this later."
"And what do we do with the girls?" Omega asked, glancing at an unconscious Roll sprawled on the floor. Her eyes had a strange blank look and there was a cable running from the side of her head to one of the machines that lined the walls of the chamber.
"Well, this could prove to be the perfect opportunity to see just what these Copy Bots are capable of. The Hikari brats have one of the latest models in their possession as well, and they must have a rough estimate of our location by now. So why don't we just invite them in?"
"You sneaky bastard!" Omega said with a psychotic grin. "I like it!"
The submarine quickly halted its course, before beginning a slow ascent. Still monitoring the satellite readings, Agent Phantom picked up its shape a few minutes later.
"I've got surface activity here. Confirmed. The vessel is surfacing." Phantom said.
"What? What are they doing?" Agent Sage asked in confusion.
"Confirmed. It has emerged and it is stationary."
Lan's eyes widened and he clenched his fists. This was an opportunity he had no intention of missing.
"Cadmus? About that craft?" he asked, turning to the scientist.
"Forget about it." Agent Sage said. "Dr. Atreides would get in trouble for disclosing that project, and besides, the submarine is too small for anything bigger than a helicopter to land on it. We'll handle this. With them underwater we couldn't do anything, but now we can send our VTOL skirmishers."
"Skirmishers? You mean the Dragonhawks?" Cadmus asked. "How the hell did you sneak those into the country?"
"They came hidden among a large shipment of canned sardines." Agent Fairy said. "They can't get enough of that stuff around here for some reason Even after all these centuries, they are still fascinated with the articles of the… what the locals called them? Ah yes. The Namban-jin."
"They're waiting at a small safe house in Yoka." Agent Phantom said. "We'd better get going."
"Wait!" Hub interjected.
"There's absolutely no way we're going to sit this one out!" Lan added.
"Lan, it could be dangerous." Cadmus said. "There might be more of those androids that attacked Castillo and SciLab in there."
"I agree." Agent Phantom said. "It is far too dangerous for untrained civilians."
"I can't just sit here doing nothing!" Lan protested.
Hub looked at him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I'll get them back. I'll fight for both of us this time."
Lan sighed, feeling useless.
"I guess I'd just slow you down..." he admitted dejectedly.
"Another incentive to start advancing to the next phases..." Cadmus thought, eyeing Lan with sympathy. "Right now the Cyberworld Immortals make the rest of us seem so frail in comparison... If I'd finished this phase and started drafting the human enhancement plan..."
Cadmus turned to the four agents and straightened his glasses.
"I know you four are part of an elite force and all that, but try to come back in one piece, all right?"
"We'll go along with them to make sure they do." Gallant said as he stood up from his chair.
"That's right." Zero agreed as he stood up as well.
"Don't even think about protesting." Zero added, turning to Agent Fairy.
"If it were anyone else, we would strongly object." Agent Sage said. "However, given the circumstances... There is only one problem, though. The Dragonhawks are two-seaters."
"Ah crap!" Cadmus said. "Assuming you brought four, that means you'd be one seat short."
"We did bring a spare." Agent Phantom disclosed. "But who will pilot it?"
Gallant and Zero nervously glanced at each other.
"Uh..." Gallant hesitantly said. "I did play around with simulators in college... and still do from time to time. Does that help?"
"Feeling up to the task?" Ciel asked with a hopeful smile.
"I remember what happened last time we let Zero play on the simulator at home..." Gallant replied with a hint of dread. "Better let me do it than him."
"Well, that thing practically flies itself." Agent Sage said, rolling his eyes. "Just let us plot the course and don't touch anything unless you absolutely have to."
Meanwhile, confined to the sensory deprivation chamber, Mayl shivered, sitting on the floor with her legs bent and her arms around her knees. The absolute silence and darkness were getting to her more than she had expected, and the situation was bringing dark thoughts to the forefront of her mind.
"Lan... Please... come soon..."