Chapter 7: Links

After their experience in Coventry, Asuna, Yui and Kirito had been based in Birmingham, seat of government for the United Kingdom of Great Britain. It was two days after their first log in to Grandstand Online and they were in a reinforced police station close to the city centre where they'd been full diving to play with their team mates and investigating offline.

Kirito was sipping a mug of tea in the open office that the team was sharing eyes focused on the two screens in front of them.

Although given the reinforced walls and windows it feels a bit like an army barracks. This is a reasonably lit room though lots of desks and screens.

Whatever location we're though in we're hitting a lot of headaches and it's not only this flickering light that's giving me one!

I'm having trouble threading together the data from the different streams and Asuna… well she's doing her best.

Kirito stole a glance at his bride to be who was watching two of their opponents play each other in a preseason match taking notes as she did so. Her eyes didn't shift as she stared at the television screen she was watching.

Representatives versus one of our in-pool opponents High Notes. We'll get to take on The Reps in a pre-season match. Although we won't have that same chance in the tournament unless we get to the semi-finals.

But Asuna can worry about them for the time being. It'll give her something else to think about apart from that new nightmare.

After their second extended session Asuna had been feeling confident. Confident enough to agree to be the captain on a trial basis. Happy about it afterwards at the hotel they were staying at.

That was when the nightmare had returned and Asuna had seen the posts loom up from her once again.

Not again…

Only this time it was Kirito standing at the side-lines staring on at her. That was when Kirito had seen her shake and call out.

"No… not you…"

But she still had to take the shot. Turning to face the goal posts looming up at her as they had done so many times before.

Kirito had tried to wake her up calling her name.

Then when her eyes had opened, they were filled with tears and on seeing Kirito she'd drawn him into a tight embrace. Kirito had only one question.

"Did it happen again?"

As Kiritos arms enveloped her she'd sobbed.

"It was worse,a lot worse."

She told him everything and only got back to sleep as her fiancée gripped her tightly with Yui joining them in bed.

Afterwards Asuna had recovered somewhat throughout the day. But as she focused Kirito could see her shake slightly.

I need to fix, no help her fix it but… how?! Yui's taken to the game so well and me I've been barely getting by.

At least I'm actually being useful with doing what I now do best.

He stared at the visual display in front of him as he worked on the computer staring at both screens.

I've finally found that spare piece of code after the best part of a day.

After all the bastards who kidnapped these players have done a hell of a job twisting the tracking signals, especially as although it has strong laws around its use the emergency tracking system is actually supposed to be easy to programme then use. That's why it's not as tamper proof as it should be.

"How are you getting on?"

Asuna had watched the match and had walked over to him.

"Almost done, have you received a message from Agil yet?"

Asuna shook her head having finally sent the photo to Agil yesterday.

"No, it's 3 am on a weekday there so I won't get a response unless the poor guys been woken up by his kid."

Kirito winced in sympathy as he made

A few more tweaks. Click run and...

"Now I just to let the system do its work. At the earliest we'll have something tomorrow morning."

But...

"Have you recovered from last night?"

Asuna bit her lip and gave a tremor as her expression turned to one of pain.

"I'm as ok as I'll ever be with that dream Kazuto. For now I'll have to endure it, I guess."

Anyway, I'd better check on Yui and how she's getting on…

"Mama-Chan?"

What have you found Yui.

Yui pointed at the screen

"All of the teams don't have owners they have patrons because of the invitational nature of the tournament. Our Patron is Felix."

Which makes sens…

"But there's another team called Thorn and Thistle, made up of English players as well as Scottish ones. I'm not sure about their players but their Patron is mysterious."

Access limited. Curiouser and curiouser….

She brought up the profile which had no picture.

"Aaloka Gupta she's an MP for Witham but very little else."

That name… why is it so familiar?

Asuna patted Yui on the shoulder

"You've done well Yui-Chan. Keep on looking around and seeing what you can find out about this tournament. I've got to go and talk to Shino about something before we leave for the day."

Asuna walked over to the Sergeant who was sitting at the edge of the room.

"I know that Megan's a suspect in the Grandstand Disappearances. But why?"

Shino motioned her to her desk and switched her computer on. A couple of minutes later footage started playing showing a wide car park outside the Ricoh Arena.

"This is the CCTV footage that we have of the Ricoh Arena around the time Jonathan Hasketh went missing."

Sinon pointed just to the centre of the screen and the figure on it.

"He's over there."

As Asunas eyes focused a bitter feeling flooded her mouth as the footage showed Hasketh checking his phone.

Jonathan is waiting for Megan to arrive.

Shino moved the TV footage forward fifteen minutes as the rugby player shivered and checked his phone again.

Then out of the right-hand corner of the screen a black minivan pulled up behind him and a group of four people in balaclavas jumped out of its doors then lunged towards the stricken player. Caught unawares and overwhelmed all too easily Hasketh struggled. Then Asuna saw him stiffen before going limp as something was injected into his blood stream.

Laughing Coffin style?

Shino interrupted her trail of thought.

"From reviewing footage of previous kidnappings, we know that whatever group is doing this brings in a person to act as a spotter to check that the coast is clear before moving in with their main group of people.

"And you think Megan was their spotter?"

Shino nodded

"One of them at least. We think that this group have used multiple ones to do their own work."

Asuna gripped the table as she saw the van drive off.

That's hard to take in, really hard but…

"Did you manage to track the van?"

The normally calm Shino glowered at her laptops screen as she tapped the desk and shook her head.

"It's as if it's been driven in to the bloody Irish Sea. A security camera recorded it on the A41 heading towards a town called Birkenhead near Liverpool. After that nothing and we've been coming the area for it with navy boats helping us!"

Sinon looked gloomy and then her eyes narrowed.

"But that's not just why we're having this discussion, is it?"

Asuna looked at her friend.

"No, it isn't. Jonathan told me Megan had a conversation with him before he got kidnapped."

Shino's eyes widened slightly

"Oh, what did she say?"

Asuna shook her head.

"That Rika and Yoshida were part of something. Megan wasn't easily spooked by anything so it would take a lot for her to act like that."

Shino shook head.

"That's a lie. But I can say this, there was and is something important going on in this tournaments shadows."

"The project that you and Rika were part of?"

Shino put her hand on the desk

"If you know where to look Asuna you'll find out and I'd suggest you start with one of your team members."

"Yoshida?"

Shino looked around and nodded.

We missed a trick when he left the clubhouse and yesterday, he stayed around the team. But…

"If Kazuto was listening to us, you'd know he'd be chiding Felix for being a softly spoken hypocrite over transparency yet again."

Shino continued to look around the room as if she was searching for someone or something.

"Felix isn't the only one in this equation. Our friends in England are and they want us to keep totally quiet about this."

Shino raised a hand.

"So, my orders are not to tell you myself. However, I've also been ordered in no uncertain terms not to stop you from looking either. Felix has a lot of faith in you to find out…"

She paused

"But I have to ask you this: If you find out how will you react? How will your team react?"

Asuna frowned

"Don't forget Shino I've played for stakes well beyond myself countless times and not just online either. Another time is not going to make a difference."

It was Shinos turn to grip the table.

"On this occasion it's not you that I'm worried about Asuna and its not me that's saying this. It's the rest of the team. Besides neither Felix or myself call the shots around here at entirely."

Asuna didn't know whether to snarl or laugh.

"Oh, and who does?"

It was clear from her arched posture and gritted teeth Shino was frustrated but it was also clear that she was holding back on her.

"Someone senior in the government of England and Wales."

A mutual friend… the person that's hiding under a pseudonym at this point. But Sinonon's not going to budge one inch.

"I'm really sorry Asuna but that as far as I can go. Anyway, you've got your match tomorrow and I've just been called to do a perimeter sweep."

Asuna waved it off

"No I understand Sinonon."

Just about…

Both Felix and Shino are acting like they're the only ones who've got their hands tied behind their backs when in fact it's ALL of us who are in the same position.

No that's not fair on Sinonon, of course she's going to have divided duties given the position she now holds. Still I wonder how much Rika knew and come to think of it why was she picked before us?

And as for Felix…

She snapped her fingers.

That

Typical…

Crafty …

Tall Scotsman!

The Eagle of East Lothian is living up to his other nickname and playing within the maximum altitude what he can give us. Just as he did in Aincrad in the Knights of the Blood, which is why he was placed in my squad by Heathcliff. Partly to function as a diplomat and partly because…no, I owe him better than that!

But why and where does Yoshida fit in to this?

That's what we're going to find out…

There are far too many pieces of a puzzle floating around here and we're only starting to put them together. Do that then maybe we've got a chance of finding out what's really being played out and the consequences of this tournament.

She yawned

But first we've got to get back to our hotel where we're staying at. It's been a long practical day and tomorrow we'll be spending more time with our teammates in the run up to the match. So let's have a nice quiet walk back I hope.