Chapter 28: Into the Fire
Duo is traveling via his energy ball form. After a while of moving around, he crashes into a mountain side. As he materializes into his physical form, he appears to be in a tunnel.
"Dr. Light," says Duo. "Do we really need him?"
"I have a feeling that we will," said Dr. Light over Duo's communicator. "Somehow, I think our problems may just be beginning."
"I understand," replied Duo. "Iris, you still with me?"
Iris materializes beside Duo, and says, "Yes, I'm here. I can travel as fast as you can."
"Good," said Duo. "I'm going to need you to hack into computer here so we can open the lock, and retrieve our target."
"I understand," Iris replied.
Duo then said, "Let's be on our way."
Duo and Iris walked their way down the tunnel.
After a while of walking, they arrived at a door that looked well-protected.
Duo pointed to the computer console, and said, "There, Iris. That's where you'll need to hack into."
"Leave it to me," Iris said as she then converted into a stream of energy and began to crack the codes to unlock the door.
After a while, she came back out of the computer to materialize by Duo and said, "It's done, Duo. We should be able to open the door, now."
"Very well," Duo replied. "Let's hope he's still functioning after all these years, though I'm also a little nervous of how he'll react when he sees Mega Man."
Duo then pressed a button, and the door slowly, but steadily opened. As it managed to do just that, a capsule was in the opening. Duo went up to it and checked the life support system, which was good.
"Alright, everything is going well," Duo said. "Now, let's take this capsule and go back to Maverick Hunter HQ."
"We're not waking him up here," asked Iris.
"If we did that," Duo started to say. "He might not join with us. Only if we bring him with us will our chances be better."
Duo then dusted off the glass of the capsule to reveal the robot's face, which looked rather familiar, and said, "You don't know this guy like the rest of us do. In fact, waking him up could be trouble for everyone."
Back at the Hawaii Hunter Base, the Hunters continue their assault on the revolters to try and give the flanking force more time to storm the rear of the base.
"Keep it up, everyone," yelled X to the Hunters. "We're almost through their defenses!"
Axl said, "Let's advance while we've still got them on the ropes! If they pull back, they'll be more desperate and probably screw up more easily!"
"Good idea, Axl," X said. "All Hunters, move forward!"
After hearing X say that, the Hunters moved forward, forcing the revolters to pull back towards the base.
As the revolters pulled back to the base, they all started to head inside to keep safe, but what they saw was Zero's team waiting for them.
Zero readied his Z-Saber and said to the revolters, "Looks like you guys are out of options. You can surrender and live? Or keep fighting and suffer the consequence? Your choice."
Knowing the Hunters had the advantage, the revolters dropped their weapons and surrendered.
After a while, when the remaining revolters had captured, the Hunters checked around the base's perimeters to make sure everything was clear.
"Well, this base has seen better days," said Zero. "But other than that, everything looks okay."
X replied, "Unfortunately, though, I'm getting a feeling that any survivors are not to be found here."
A moment later, some Hunters came to X, Zero, Axl and Blues, and one of them said with a salute, "Commander X, we've scoured the base, but there are no survivors."
"That's what I feared," X said. "They've all most likely been taken as hostages by Volcano Toad to that Lava Plant. Alright, here's what we need to do. Zero, Axl and Blues, you three are definitely coming with me. I need a few other Hunters to join me as well. I want the rest to keep the base secure from any other attacks and to keep the prisoners in check. Let's gather all of our men to determine who's coming with me, and who's staying. For now, you may leave."
"Yes, sir," said the lesser Hunters as they saluted X, and then walked off.
Afterwards, taking place at the Lava Plant, Volcano Toad was on the communicator with Ruby as she was giving Volcano Toad the news.
"Got it, they're on their way," said Volcano Toad. "I have a perfect surprise waiting for them when they get here."
"Good," said Ruby. "Make sure you don't mess up."
"Don't you worry. I've got everything under control," answered Volcano Toad.
Ruby then said before breaking contact, "Ruby, over and out."
Volcano Toad shut off his communicator and said, "That's right, Maverick Hunters. I'm really anxious to play with you all."
Outside the Lava Plant, the Maverick Hunters that were going to storm the place, which consisted of X, Zero, Axl, Blues, the Light robots and a few lesser Hunters, were scouting it out.
"I don't see any guards around the place," said X using this telescopic sensors. "This is way too easy. They're up to something."
Blues chimed in to say, "Whatever it is, I still got dibs on that toad's head."
"Alia," X called out over his communicator. "Can you get a reading on the place to tell if there are any hostages?"
Alia replied, "So far, I see many life signatures, but which could be the hostages and which could be enemies, I can't say. Once you break in, we might be able to tell a little better."
"Will do," said X. "X, over and out."
After that, X gave a hand signal to tell the Hunters to advance with him. As they moved, they got to the doors of the Lava Plant. X signaled for a couple of Hunters to go open the doors, but before they could get there, the doors automatically opened.
"They're inviting us in," asked Axl. "This already reeks of a trap."
"Let's go in, anyway," replied Zero. "If there are hostages in there, we've got to go in anyway to set them free."
X said, "Right, let's do this, but be on guard as well."
"Right," all of the Hunters said.
Afterwards, they all went inside the plant.
As they got far enough in, the Hunters soon found themselves on a bridge suspended over a large pool of lava.
"So far, we haven't run into one hostile yet," said Guts Man.
Axl replied, "Like I said, this reeks of a trap."
In the plant's security room, some revolters had taken it over and were watching all activity over the monitors. One of the revolters saw the Hunters on the bridge over the lava, and he said to Volcano Toad via communicator, "Boss, they've reached the spot, just like you predicted. Shall we begin?"
"Yes," said Volcano Toad. "Do it now!"
"On it," said the revolter.
Afterwards, before the Hunters could reach the others side, both the doors closed on them, back and front.
"I don't like the looks of this," said Zero.
X then tried to blast the door charged Buster shot, but it had no effect.
"No good," said X. "Those doors are reinforced."
"I knew it," yelled Axl. "This was a trap!"
Suddenly, the dispensers on the sides of the walls started to pour lava into the room, making the pool of lava rise.
"Well, this is cliche," said Blues. "Effective, but cliche."
Alia then contacted X over his communicator, saying, "X, what's wrong? Why did you guys stop moving all of a sudden?"
"Alia," X said. "We've got a problem..."
To Be Concluded in Chapter 29.
