Chapter 38

At around the same time, the four Sisters were breakfasting together in the dining room of the Sakura Hotel when Ami, Rei, Naru and Mamoru came in. Usagi and Minako were still fast asleep. The Sisters waved at the sailor warriors, and they all sat down together and were soon chatting away like old friends. I won't write down everything they said. Both groups had a lot to tell the other about their adventures the previous day, the substance of which you already know.

"I can hardly believe that this time yesterday Mamoru and I were having breakfast on our own," Ami said.

"And we hadn't met you and wouldn't have believed anyone who told us about you," Leanne added with a chuckle.

"Don't forget that I wouldn't have believed it either," said Naru. "To be honest, I'm still not sure I do."

"Well," Liz said diplomatically, "it's a new day. Let's try not to spend too much of it talking about the past."

"That's good advice," Ami said thoughtfully. "So you think you know where the aliens have their base?"

"Yes," said Leanne, "and we think that's where they're holding Ruby, as well."

"Then what are we waiting for?" cried Rei. "We must go and rescue her!"

"It's not that easy," said Ami. "A military research facility, you said? Then it will be very well guarded, since even if the aliens have taken it over, it's likely that the original human security network will still be in place, and in any case the buildings will have been specially designed to be difficult to get into."

"That's right," said Liz, "but we can try to help you with that. Part of our training includes Covert Entry, so we're pretty experienced on getting into places. I'll admit we've never had to break into somewhere as high-security as this, but… try anything once, as the Sega Genesis version of Lemmings said."

"You'd really take that much risk to help us?" said Ami.

"To help Ruby," said Liz. "And because it wouldn't do much for the Sisterhood's reputation if we failed on a mission we've been given."

"But it will be very risky."

"I know that," said Liz, "and so we won't all go. Stealth missions are easier the fewer people you have. If you're determined that all six of you will go…."

"We are," said Ami. "We may need all our powers to deal with what we find when we get inside."

"I feel like I will be holding you back," Naru said quietly.

"Nonsense," Rei said at once. "You must come – given that you are willing, I mean. Ruby-san is your friend particularly, and she will be so happy to know that you came so far to save her."

"But if I won't be able to do anything…."

"None of us can predict what we will or won't be able to do," said Ami. "We can only take each situation as it comes and deal with it to the best of our ability. Even if you end up feeling you haven't been any help to us, it will be something to us all to have had you there."

"Ami-chan," Naru said tearfully, placing a hand on her friend's arm, "you're amazing."

"So who's going to go with them?" Helen asked Liz.

Liz considered. "I should stay, as I've arranged to meet Jimmy Stewart when he arrives in New York," she said. "Even if we don't find out anything new before then, I'll have an awful lot to tell him."

"I'd like to go with the sailor warriors, if I may," Helen said timidly.

"All right," said Liz. "You and Rebecca can go. See if you can find a way in, keep in touch if you need help or advice, but whatever you do, don't take unnecessary risks."

"We've got to rescue Ruby," said Rei.

"We may be able to help with that – indirectly, as it were," said Liz. "If we can get enough hard evidence that she was kidnapped and taken to the research facility, we may be able to get the police on our side. We have contacts that will be useful to help us bypass the bureaucracy. Don't worry – we won't have to tell anyone the whole truth – about your powers, and the aliens, I mean."

"I see," said Ami. "Well, I don't know if that's going to get anywhere, but I'm grateful to you for trying."

"We also are very grateful that you were able to track Krotera," Rei said to Leanne. "Without that, we would not know what to do next, but know we know what to do and where to go."

"All right," said Liz. "So Helen and Rebecca will go with you to the research facility, and Leanne will stay with me. We've got a few hours yet before Jimmy's expected to arrive, and I think what we'll do first is see if we can find out who owns that house. Considering there were dogs in the garden, I think it's much more likely that Ruby was taken to that house rather than merely through the garden to somewhere else. And it could be that the link between the aliens and her human kidnappers is in there somewhere."

"That sounds like a good plan," said Ami. "Everyone's eaten? All right then, let's go and wake Usagi-chan and Minako-chan. It's about time we got ourselves moving."