(Disclaimer: I don't own Girls' Frontline or any characters in it. I just own the OC)
Life 4: The Zero Exception of Anti-Rain II [Remember]
"Hm… To think she will asked me out of other people," Persica said as she remembering when Angelica was requesting a support on certain investigation mission, "I didn't really like to lend my child for such uncertain mission, but at least my payment is worth of it," it was very known that Persica won't lend her child, the AR-Team to anyone unless they are someone from GnK or it was really important reason due how precious and one-of-the-kind their digi-mind are, but right now she was allow it due the payment that make her very interested, which is related to a certain young man. It means Angelica was somewhat "sell" Zero to Persica because she knows she was really interested with him.
No, Persica is not thirst for men or anything like that, not like certain high-ranking officer in GnK. The reason she was interested with Zero is related to a secret that only handful people know about who he is. At first, she heard it from rumor and then one day there is a news about a certain secret unauthorize laboratory deep inside a mountain got infiltrated due having inhuman experiment. Persica didn't really mind or interest to that until she got a partial data the military found and share by IOP, which change her mind. It got into her mind that make her try to find out if the data's said is true or not, and that because certain words—
"Project REVIVE. A project to create more superior Doll from real human flesh. When I though humanity can be such cruel, to think there's someone who even goes far to disrespect the dead," Persica is already know well how inhuman a human can do for the sake of "researching". She is never like any kind of experiment that included human as a test subject, but she also interests in human biology as well, which the very reason why she can replicate human brain into a digi-mind and put it into a Doll and make them very "human-like" and not just an android with human-like appearance, "And that boy hold the last key toward that experiment. I wonder if he wants to share a bit about his history."
Meanwhile, mission location…
"Achoo!" Zero or Rei sneezed as walks through the woods, "Damn, this place is really cold… or someone just talking about me," it's already few minutes after he meet with AR-Team and join them toward the mission location, "Anyway, did any of you know a bit about what we need to found there?"
"We're send to recover any information that may become a proof of a rumor regarding Sangvis Ferri," M4 answered while still moving on her pace, "We don't receive anything more than we got informed about collaboration with someone, which is you."
"Just that? Nothing more?" Rei asked which because he also informed the same as well. Angelica didn't say anything to him either aside from to make sure if the rumor is true or not, about a human working together with human-hating SF. Well, any information regarding SF, even just the rumor would certainly interest anyone because a late confirmation may result losing a lot of lives against them.
"What about you? Considering they told us you're good at information gathering, you should be known something about it," M16 said as she walks.
"Well, sorry to inform you all, but I also didn't have any information regarding this rumor too," Rei said while looking forward, "Although, this place we're heading…"
"What? What about this place we're going to?" SOP-II asked.
"No, nothing," Rei said which regain suspicious looks from AR15 behind him, "The only thing I can say is, expecting large amount of unit that guarding the place, or only handful but annoying units that may be hiding to ambush us."
"You sound like you have been experience something like that," M16 said.
"Believe me, I do, and it's annoying as hell," Rei answered before everyone on their stopped when they saw a building up ahead, "Well, here we are," as they got closer, the building become clearer in their eyes. It's like a typical abandoned secret facility, with a lot of moss already covered several parts of building and how dark the inside looking from the outside. There's a bit trace that something happening here as worn out bullet casings and bullet holes around the place.
"So, this is the place," M4.
"Damn… this place is really screaming bad things," M16.
"I wonder if I can find anything to be bought back!" SOP-II said.
"Please don't, SOP. At least until we found what we need," AR15 said before searching around the place, "No sign of SF units around. So, it probably the latter of what you say, Rei."
"I know," Rei said yet sound less interest with the talk.
"Alright, considering how old this facility is, we need to be more caution from now on," M4 ordered, which everyone nodded, "It's quite dark so I suggest to use flashlight attachment on your weapon. By the way, Rei."
"Yes?" Rei answered while still looking to the facility.
"Did you have any weapon with you? Just for precaution."
"I do," he answered while took out a pistol from his back. A heavily custom-made AMT Hardballer with build-in silencer-hybrid-long barrel that can be switch to either "silence mode" for silent approach or "buster mode" for direct approach. It was made by himself with help of his trusted gun-smith friend and has been christened with name "Duality". It is his very trusted weapon after many time switching weapons and never been comfortable with them, even if he can practically able to use any type of gun with somewhat scary precision. Even his gun-smith friend said to him that this gun is the "devil gun" due how hard it made and certainly no any normal human is able to even hold down even the recoil, especially in "buster mode" as it's already claim five victims' arms as gun tester, "My one and only gun that I can trust."
"Wow! That's one cool weapon!" SOP-II said as she looks at his gun.
"A custom-made AMT Hardballer? Wait, the baller… it isn't normal one and its shape also a bit different from normal hardballer," M16 said as she looks at his weapon.
"I see, at least I won't need to save your ass when something is up," AR15 said, which gains a blank look from Rei.
"Hn, you have your own weapon. So, we all equipped. Alright, let's move out everyone," M4 ordered as everyone walks into the abandoned facility, except for Rei, "Rei, are you coming?"
"Huh? Ah, yes," Rei answered before looking at the place again, "To think I would be here again. What a fate…" he then follows the others while taking out his flashlight and gun in ready position.
Unbeknown to them, a camera, hidden from plain sight was moving and observing them when they are entering the place. While it looks at AR-Team, it was focusing more at Rei, as if someone behind that camera is interested to him.
Few minutes later, inside the facility…
After they are entering the facility, there's only one thing that was in their mind—
"This place is really giving horror vibe…" everyone though upon seeing the place with their limited light source. With walls being worn out and glasses are scattering on the ground, not to mentioning the obvious blood trace on some part of the room is really giving a goosebumps atmosphere on the place.
"I wonder if ghost will come out in this place," SOP-II said.
"Haha, if they are really come out, we might be shoot them out of reflect," M16 jokes.
"Don't waste your bullet on something that not even real, M16," AR15 said with annoyed tone.
"What? Are you scared, AR15?" M16 teases.
"…Just do your job," AR15 said, annoyed over M16's teases. They are continuing to their searching over the facility, until they meet a splitting, "Which one we go to?"
"There's no map or indication of where those routes go to," M4 said while looking at two ways in front of them, "Rei, any suggest—" when she want to asks Rei, she found out that he isn't with them anymore, "Huh!? Hey, did anyone see Rei!?"
"What? He is here—" SOP-II said before notice that the man in question has been disappear, "What the!? When did he go!?"
"Oi, AR15, aren't you watching him all the time?" M16 asked.
"I did, but he somehow able to slip out from my watch!" AR15 answered, "Dammit… wait, M4, did he give you his radio channel?"
"He did, let me check it out," M4 said as she turn on her radio communication device, "Hello? Rei? Can you hear me? Where are you? Hello!?" she tried to calling him through the radio, yet what she got is just static sound, "No good. He didn't answer my call."
"We just got into this place and we're already facing a missing person situation," M16 said a bit depressed, "Where did he go right now?"
Meanwhile, at Rei's place…
"As I though, this place is quite familiar," Rei was walking through the hall after he slip out from the AR-Team. Ever since he entered the place, something strange was hitting his mind. Even though he was sure to never go to this place, he felt like he was here before. Such strangely nostalgic feeling yet somehow giving him a dreadful feeling about something he doesn't know, or simply… he didn't remember at all. Therefore, he slips out to find the answer by himself, "I felt bad for those girls, but I can tell they will be fine without me," he entering one room to another, looking for any clue and yet, all he found is empty or abandoned room. Until—
"Onii-chan, want to play with me?"
"!" Rei become alerted as he turns around and pointing his gun toward the source of the voice. When he seen it, it turns out to be a boy. The boy, which is looks like not even reaching 10 years old have black hair and wearing a worn-out hospital gown, "A child in here? How? Is he live here?" When he is in though, the boy saying something again.
"Hey, how about playing the tag?" the boy said before suddenly appear near Rei and touch him, "You are "it"! Catch me if you can!" then the boy suddenly already far away from him as heading toward one of the rooms ahead.
"Ah, wait! Come back here!" Rei following the boy's trace. He keeps follow him and no matter what he does, the boy always outrun him and it annoy him, "Wait, I said stop!" he keeps following the boy until he notices something. Somehow, he keeps get deeper and deeper to the facility, and the boy seems lead him to somewhere. Not long after the chase, he found the boy is standing in front of a door, "Finally stop… huh? This door…"
"Hey, Onii-chan. Do you want to know?" the boy said to him, "The truth… you have forgot?"
"The truth… that I forgot? What do you mean?" he asked the boy, which he reply by disappear into the door behind him, "H-hey! Wait!" Rei immediately entering the room and meet with blinding light. Because it is too sudden, he got no choice but to cover his eyes while walking through the door, and after that—
"Wha…" he found himself in bright room. Like day and night, the condition of the room as if it never been abandoned as the lighting is still functioning. He wants to make sure that he isn't dreaming, but some people suddenly entering the room which alerting him, "Shit!" in reflect, he hides behind one of the empty tables and peek from it. The peoples, which their face somewhat blurry on his vision seems not notice him as they keep talking about something. Rei got curious about their content of talk and decide to eavesdrop their chat.
"How is the progress of the subject?" 1st man asked.
"It is going smoothly, currently on 60%. We will able to complete it on time," the 2nd man answered.
"I see… however, no matter how long I work here, I never understand what is the inside of his head," 1st man said, talking about someone they know.
"You need a bit insane to understand his work," 2nd man said, "Actually, using corpse for the base of doll is already insane enough. You see the reaction of early subjects, right?"
"Yeah, they went crazy and kill themselves after being awake from death."
As he was listening to their conversation, Rei felt a sudden headache. Words they say, it is as if he had heard it before, yet he can't remember when and where. He wants to listen for more, but he got his by blinding light again, "What now…!?" once again, he covered his eyes and when he open it, he is already in different room, "How can I…?" he found himself in some kind of room, with a glass window on the one of the walls. He felt strange when he somehow changes the room but then his attention got attracted by a scenery behind the other side of the glass window.
On the other side of the wall, there is some kind of chamber. The chamber itself filled with several figures, which some wearing a lab suit and only one person in hospital gown. The situation seems to be normal as the people in lab suit are checking the equipment and statistical reading on the panel and the one in hospital gown seems unconscious on the experiment chair with several cable attach to him. Nothing is not out of ordinary until the alarm blaring like crazy. Even if not clear enough, Rei can somehow hear what the men on the other side are talking.
"Check the subject status now!" Lab 1 said.
"Sir! The numbers are keep increasing! The subject condition became unstable!" Lab 2 said.
"Activate the stabilizer, now!" Lab 1 ordered.
"Sir, the subject—"
The man words interrupted when his neck is being grabbed by the test subject and then thrown toward the wall. The other people in lab suit become panic and try to escape from the room. However, when they try to open the gate, it keeps getting an error message and not open up. They are banging the door in desperation before one by one got killed by the uncontrollable test subject. Even Rei, who is on the outside can tell how dangerous the situation in front of him.
It just happens that the subject's eyes have meeting with him and he suddenly lunge at him. Thanks to the glass window being hard than it looks, he is more or less save as the subject keeps clawing and banging the glass window in attempt to break it. It's all come to the end when the room suddenly lit by burst of fire. It burns everything on the room, including the death lab people and the subject that seems screaming out of pain by being burned alive. When his eyes meet with Rei's, he spoke—
"Why I am here…? Why I am still alive…?"
Before Rei can comprehend what he just heard, another blinding light blind Rei's eyes as he found himself transported to another room again. This time, he is in a big room, with one large machine at the center of the room, connected by many cables and have a large tube attach to it. Rei felt suspicious about the tube and want to reach it, before he found two man standing near the tube while examine it. Here, he heard another conversation—
"This is… this is insane! How can a such thing exist!?" the man in white lab coat said.
"This is not an insanity, this is a miracle," the man in black coat said, "With this, our, no, my goals will be achieved."
"No, I can't let you do this! If this thing come out to the world!" the man in white lab coat said while trying to reach the console and do something with it.
However, before he can even reach the console, he got shot in the head by the man in black coat. Despite has killed a person, the man in black coat keep calm and look at the machine in front of him as Rei is standing not far behind him, watching the scene before right in front of him.
"I won't let anyone stop this. With this, the world will be change, isn't that right?" the man in black coat said before turning around and look at Rei, "Zero?"
"Wha…!?" when Rei see the man's face, his vision suddenly become distorted. The man's face can't be seen by him and his head felt like been breaking into two by some unknown force as he is approaching him.
"To think you would be here again, it seems spreading the rumors got paid after all," the man in black coat, now become distorted man in Rei's eyes said, "Soon or not, you will be here to found what you have forgotten, however," the man put his finger in front of his mouth, "This is not the right time, to know everything."
"Ugh…!" his head keeping hurt as the room slowly distorted. Ring and ring keep heard inside his head as he screamed out from the pain. Then, everything is stopped. His head is not in pain anymore and the room seems turn into normal, only to be looks more like when being abandoned, "How can I…?" Rei found himself in the same room but everything is change, or more like eaten by the time. The room in the mess with the ceiling seem to collapse and the previous big machine broken beyond repair. The tube also broken and empty as Rei don't know what is actually inside there, "What the hell I just experience?"
His though got interrupted as he heard sound of gunshots from somewhere. He put his mind together before heading to there, but he stumbled on something. He looks down and found a flashdrive on the ground. He took it and found it is still pretty new with no scratches. The gunshots become more intense in his hearing so he decides to find out about the flashdrive later and run straight toward the source of the sound.
Meanwhile, at AR-Team location…
"Dammit, to think they will ambush us," M16 said as she launching a counter shot toward her enemy behind the protection.
"Less complain, more shooting," AR15 said as she shooting at the enemy, but she can't hit them, "Dammit, they are really annoying. This is really like what Rei said," she then notices more enemies come from the upper section of their room. Clicking her tongue, she tried to shoot them from her position, but with her place under fire, it is very hard thing to do. The others also busy with their share of enemy and she can't call for their help, "If only he was here, he can at least help in this situation."
"That's a tall request, but I can made it."
"Wha—" before she can comprehend the sound she just heard, enemies on the upper section one by one fell after being shoot in the head. She is dumbfounded from the sudden change of situation, a shadow of figure can be seen descend from above as it shooting the enemy below and giving AR-Team some kind of advantage, "You are…!?"
"Kept you waiting, right?" the figure is none other than Rei, who was running non-stop toward AR-Team location and observing the situation to find the best last-second solution and action before AR15 happen to asking him for help, "Sorry for going by myself, I have… some business to deal with."
"Well, you're really made us really worried, you know!?" says M16 in quite irritated tone, "We need to postpone our objective just for searching for you and even meeting with enemies here!"
"Well, sorry—whoops!" he wants to apologize but a bullet just grazed his hair and he immediately run toward a hiding place, "Let's talk later after we're dealing with them."
"You got your deal!" M16 said before launching counterattack with her sisters together with Rei. Despite using a handgun, Rei is able to take most of enemies that AR-Team can't hit from their position. His somewhat scary accurate precision in hitting enemies' head has made him able to decrease the number of enemies further. With their number decreasing, their remaining enemy have decided to retreat back deeper to the facility, "They are retreating!"
"Should we pursue them?" AR15 asked.
"Yeah! Let's go and break them all!" SOP-II said.
"No, we are done here," Rei said, which surprise them, "I got hold of what we need. There's a chance that there's more of them inside. We might get outnumbered if we pursue them."
"He's right. If he gets what we try to search for, then we have no business here," M4 said, "Let's retreat. This place may be assault by GnK soon so we don't need to go further."
"Aww… I still want to "play" with them…" SOP-II sadly said.
"Hold yourself SOP-II," AR15 said then looking at Rei, "Then, where is the thing we're looking for?"
"In here," Rei said as he presents them with a flashdrive, "There's a video record in there. Believe me, all evident you need is in here."
"Can I check it?" AR15 asked.
"You can, but considering I found it plugged on the device, you better not. There may be a virus or something inside," Rei said half-lie. He was found it near his foot after that strange experience he had before and after checking the content on his own device, he found a video in there. It looks like taken from a security camera and he has already checked of any virus or suspicious program in there, but he don't find it so it's more or less safe, "I leave it to you," he give it to AR15, which she accept it and put it on her jacket, "Alright, let's get out from this horror building now."
"The hell with that name?" M16 said.
Rei and AR-Team then moving back toward the entrance of the building. Even if he said that they don't have anymore business there, He's still wondering about what he just saw back then. The strange vision that looks too real for him and the strange familiar feeling over what he just saw seems can't easily take out from his mind.
"Well, I can go back here later if I want to know more. Besides," he looks toward AR-Team who was walking in front of him, "I can't let them know more about me. They only need to know me as "Rei", nothing more, nothing less."
It takes less than ten minutes until they have arrived on the outside. M4 then contacting with the HQ to send the copter for them. Not long after that, the copter arrives and everyone are entering it, including Rei who asking for a ride to go back. As their vehicle move out from that place, a figure can be seen walk out from the entrance and looking toward the copter.
"It may be short, but I have does what I have does," says the figure before he walks back to the facility, "I'll wait for our reunion, Zero."
Few minutes later…
While waiting until they have arrived on their homeplace, Rei was deciding to take a rest because he was mentally exhaust from his experience. Because he doesn't have calm time to think through about it, he decides to put it later. Now, he has time so while looking like he was resting, he was remembering of that experience and what he knows about his own past.
"That place… that vision… It is almost like memories, or a record of what happen on there, and that person," he remembering the last figure that talks and somewhat talk to him, "Why I felt like I have seen him before? And this feeling… what it is? Rage? Hatred? Sadness? I don't understand at all…"
[Approaching destination], says the pilot as he informs them all. Rei is peeking on the window and found some kind of military base, probably belongs to GnK. As there is a small tremor, he knows that they have landed and the door is opened by the personnel on the outside. The AR-Team step out from the copter while he following behind. From there, he knows well what he needs to do.
"Gives this to the information team," AR15 said toward one of the personnel while handed the flashdrive, "Be careful, it has important information in there," The person nod before walk toward the base to give it to the information team. She then looks at M4 as she seems receive something from her communication, "Something wrong?"
"No, Miss Persica asked me to escort Rei to her," M4 answered.
"Well, you heard her? Let's go—" M16 said toward Rei, only to found him disappear again from his spot, "What the hell— wait," but she then notices a piece of paper stuck on a stone on the floor, "What is it?"
"Let's see…" M4 take the paper and read it, "It says "Tell Persica to put it on my tab – 0". Does that mean…"
"He escapes before meeting with her," SOP-II said.
"O-kay… but did anyone know why Rei didn't want to meet Persica?" M16 asked.
"Whose know, it is between them," AR15 answered, "However, one thing I really hate about this man, how does he can go and disappear when he was literary behind us?"
And with that, that's one among few mysteries that AR-Team need an answer about their mysterious collaborator.
Meanwhile, on the city, hidden behind the building…
"Alright, Ange. Can you tell me why Persica want to meet me?" Rei, or Zero in his current ident, asked through his phone.
[Well, let's just says I know someone with information that she may want to heard]
"And…?"
[So, I give you to her as a part of our payment]
"You mean you sold me to her."
[You're the one who says it. I mean it like lending something]
"You know very well that I don't want anyone, I meant anyone unless I allowed it, to know about it, am I right?" Zero said with irritated tone.
[Then, I'm sorry for that. However, that's the only way to make her lend her precious AR-Team for something like that investigation mission]
"There's always other method if you can thing about it," Zero said as he's a bit angry toward Angelica's decision, "Like send me alone or with Team 404."
[I can't do that. However, I can send AN-94 and AK-12 if you want]
"No, please no. I have enough of traumatic memory about her," Zero said while having a shudder when remembering his memory about a certain T-Doll.
[Heh, your onee-san may get hurt if you told her that]
"I really want to questioning about why so send me to them back when I still young," Zero said before sighed, "Alright, that's enough. I'll end the call now. I have sent the recording data to you so you don't need to worry about it."
[Yes, I just receive it] there's a small pause before she began to talk again, [Listen, Zero. Even with your superhuman abilities, you're still more or less human. You're irreplaceable and it is obvious that we can't back-up your memory even if you have been planted with digi-mind beside your own brain]
"I know."
[You are. So, I just want to say this, be careful out there]
"What are you? My mom?"
[Well, in paper at least, as your caretaker. And I really meant it]
"Fine, I'll be more careful in the future. That's it, bye," Zero said before ending the call, "'be careful', huh? Yeah, I really should," he then looks at the clothes on his left arm, which is torn from stray bullet back on the facility. He pulls back the clothes and can see his bleeding arm that got grazed by enemy attack, but not only a skin and meat there, there's a cable and other electronic component attach to it, as if it was part of his arm, "Hah… what a mess. I'll go to the "clinic" before coming back to place. I wonder what they do when I was away," he then put the clothes on and walks toward the street, blending with crowds as his figure is slowly disappear.
And that's all for the part 2 of this chapter. There's not so much I can say beside this may be the longest chapter in this story, but there may be other chapters in the future that will longer than this.
Also, I have read some review and someone asked if Zero is T-Doll, or Male T-Doll. Well, you're right and wrong. I don't know if the hints are enough in past chapters, but I'll just tell you here:
Zero is hybrid. He's basically a Human-turned-into-Doll. That's why he's called F-Doll or Fake Doll because he's not a complete machine. He has every organ that human have but also has Doll's characteristics such as Digi-mind and a core inside on him, not to mention several part of his "human" part is being enhance/replace/strenghen with Doll's part, so yeah he is basically hybrid Humad-Doll.
Anyways, that's all for now. The update may be slower but it will still continue. Thank you for reading this story and don't forget to review. Bye!