Chapter 22: Operation Ithaca.

Yokohama, March 20, 10:00 am

Four days had passed since Miho and Saori had been publicly exposed in front of the entire Ooarai. After that revelation, relations with their companions had definitely cooled down. Many looked at them with contempt, if not downright hatred. There had been no attacks or threats, but hostility was felt in the air. Added to this was the fact that Yukari had not yet returned from her espionage mission, and that Mako had vanished into thin air. Now the two girls, together with other Ooarai students, had just arrived in a square near the port, where the members of various schools stopped, including the main commanders: Kay for Saunders, Darjeeling for St. Gloriana, Marie for BC Freedom, Katyusha for Pravda, Anchovy for Anzio, Mika for Jaktosota, Maho for Kuromorimine, Nishi for Chi-Ha-Than and even Alice Shimada for the all-stars team.

"They're all there ..." Saori commented, noting the gathering.

"It's not like that ... Maginot, Bellwall, Blue Division, Count, Gilbert, Koala, Maple, Tategoto, Viking, Waffle, Kebab and Yogurt are missing." Miho said.

"Well, Hilda only invited representatives from the main schools, she's not interested in small fish." Anzu intervened.

Miho looked at her without replying. Anzu was one of the few who still showed cordiality towards her.

"Hi, Mihosha!" Katyusha greeted her cheerfully.

"Hello!" She answered cheerfully.

"How's our favorite champion?" Kay asked, making her blush.

"Well ... Even if it doesn't bring good wind for me at school." She admitted, looking over her shoulder.

The blonde looked at her perplexed.

"It's because of that DVD, isn't it? But what did it contain so terrible?"

"Didn't she explain it to you?" She got Hana in the middle.

"No…"

"Mako's grandmother, one of our companions, passed away some time ago."

"What happened to her?" Naomi asked.

"She had a heart attack. Saori was present, but instead of rescuing her she robbed her. "

"Ah ... And Miho, what does this have to do with it?"

"This viper ..."

"Moderate your words! Miho is my sister!" Maho interrupted her abruptly.

"And one of our former companions." Erika added.

"If you care, you can take it back!" Hana replied harshly.

Miho, for its part, became very sad about those words, especially if uttered by a dear friend of hers (now ex given the circumstances).

"Hana, leave her alone! I have robbed that poor old woman, Miho has nothing to do!"

"You're wrong, Takebe ... She covered you up to four days ago."

"Would Miho cover it?"

"Exactly, Alice."

"But what does the DVD have to do with this story?" Kay asked.

"That DVD shows the exact moment when Saori robs Mako's grandmother. Yukari stole it at Miho's request, then Miho hid it at her house until it ended up in my hands."

"And about it ... I'd be curious to know which of you stole it from there." Saori said.

At that sentence a chorus of indignant voices rose.

"We have nothing to do!" Anchovy said indignantly.

"We are totally unrelated to the story, I can guarantee you." Darjeeling said.

"I don't know anything about it either." It was Kay's answer.

"How did you know nothing about radio eavesdropping?"

At that question Kay assumed an annoyed expression.

"What would you say?"

"I wonder if Arisa really played dirty without your knowledge or if she was an accomplice of yours ... In this case I wonder if you have done that trick in other matches."

The irritation of the Saunders commander increased.

"I would ask you not to question my team's loyalty!"

"If you have finished bickering as kindergarten children the bus is coming!" Sheska informed them, amused by that quarrel.

In fact, after a while a blue colored bus stopped near them and the front door opened.

"All aboard!" The driver invited her.


After the students had each settled into their seats, the vehicle drove off to Tokyo. On the way the girls talked to each other.


"Where is it?"

"Where's who? Who are you talking about, Kay?" Miho asked.

"Oddball."

"You mean Yukari?"

"Exact. Are her on a mission somewhere by any chance?"

"Yup."

"Where, if I'm allowed to ask?"

"In the school where we were invited."

"When the coincidence is said .. I too had sent Arisa on a mission, to the same school. And she still hasn't returned after four days ... "

"Neither do she?"

"Did you send spies to Schwarze Sonne? But are you crazy?" Klara intervened, sitting behind them.

"Why?" Miho asked.

"At this hour they will have been torn apart!" The Russian exclaimed anxiously.

That statement stunned the two commanders.

"Torn... Torn apart?" Kay asked incredulously.

Klara, however, did not reply, remaining silent with an expression of terror impressed on her face.


"Can you explain to me why you wanted to come at any cost?" Erika asked, turning to Sheska.

"I wanted ... To see my friends again." She replied carelessly.

"Maybe to pass them information about our school ..." The blonde insinuated.

The brunette glanced at her.

"Do you have proof of what you say?" Maho asked.

"No ..." Erika admitted.

"Then keep certain insinuations to yourself ... People are not accused without proof."

"Yes, commander ..."


"How long does it take to arrive in Tokyo?" Katyusha asked.

"About half an hour, it also depends on traffic conditions." Nonna replied, looking out the window.

The blonde sighed, then asked:

"Why do you think Hilda invited us?"

"She wants us to visit his school, and at the same time get to know us all."

"Well, I'm also curious to meet her. Whatever Klara says about it, she seems to be a good girl."

"Yeah..."


"But why did Miho have to come too?" Asked Murakami, who kept her arms folded and had an irritated expression on her face.

"She is the commander of our team, and then Hilda wants to meet her." Momo explained to her.

"I am ashamed to have to take orders from someone like her ..."

"She led us to victory in the last tournament, and then against all stars. Although her recent behavior has been reprehensible, we must not forget that without her help, Ooarai would have been abolished, with all the consequences of the case."

"Was it really so crucial?"

"Without her we would have lost the first match against Saunders ... She is our savior."


"Duce?"

"Tell me, Pepperoni."

"I'm nervous ... This is the first time we've met a foreign team."

"You have no reason to be ..."

"Are you sure? Schwarze Sonne is one of the strongest schools on the planet, even the Italian Romanitas school fears it."

"We are not going there for a match, but for a friendly visit." Carpaccio reminded her, sitting next to her.

"I know…"

"In any case, once you arrive, keep a serious and polite behavior, I don't want bad figures." Anchovy warned them, sitting on the other side.

"Yes, duce!" Her deputies answered in chorus.

"But if you collect one at each tournament ..." Marie said mockingly, sitting next to her.

Anchovy turned in her direction, glaring at her.

"Nobody asked for your opinion!" She exclaimed, annoyed.

"I don't need your permission to express it." The blonde retorted casually.

"Maybe we won't be the best, but we won fourth place at the last tournament!"

"A good result, worthy of the losing team you are!" Andou exclaimed, sitting behind them, then laughing heartily.

" Who did you said losers to, ape?" Amaretto asked, standing up.

"Try to guess, spaghetti!" It was Andou's reply, who got up in turn.

"Hey, don't fight now!" Nishi exclaimed, trying to restore calm.

Amaretto and Andou glared at each other for a few seconds, but then sat down.


"Am I wrong or is there some tension in the air?"

"You're not wrong, Darjeeling ... After all, we are adversaries." Hana said.

"On the field, not outside of it."

"Obviously someone thinks otherwise."

Darjeeling turned to her, noticing her frowning expression.

"I see you down in the dumps ... Something wrong?"

"Nothing about you."

"It's about Miho, isn't it?"

"Miho has disappointed me, indeed, has disappointed the whole Ooarai… But it is not she I think of. It's about Mako. "

"What happened to her?"

"She has disappeared ... I haven't seen her in four days."

"Have you tried looking for her at her house?"

"Yes, but it is locked. I tried to phone her, to write her messages, no answer. I had her searched all over the ship, but the research proved to be in vain. It is as if it had dissolved."

"Any assumptions about where it can be?"

"The only plausible hypothesis is that she left Ooarai, probably hiding in the ship with the supplies, which he supplied us three days ago."

"If your thesis is correct at this hour it can be anywhere. Why don't you report the disappearance to the police? "

"I will do it." She promised, mentally giving herself fool for not having moved before.


"They'll be here soon, right?"

"Ja, mein Führer."

Hilda smiled, got up from her chair and turned to the window.

"Their ships are all anchored off Yokohama, aren't they?"

"Exact." Himmler replied.

"Then I think we should start the Ithaca operation."

"You mean ..."

"It is time for our guests to return to their school each."

"Are you sure? They're pretty run down… "She stopped, when she noticed that her commander was staring at her threateningly.

"If they find out that we keep them here on board, we would have endless troubles!"

"I know…"

"Then get the helicopter ready, which you take off immediately."

"It will be done." The bespectacled promised her, bowing.