13
The Devil's Lair/One Final Effort
Ari
Undisclosed Location: August 3rd 2026, 19:00
Black. Can't see a thing, and they gagged me, mouth and wrists.
Julia. "Mulls? Mulia?"
Silence. At least I can hear the walls absorbing my voice. Did they separate us? That would make sense—if they want to use either of us as leverage for intel.
The floor feels cold with a rigid texture scratching up against my toes. Unpolished concrete? A blacksite? Our hunch is probably right. This has the Vice Minister of Defense written all over it. The only question is when? At what point in the operation did they figure us out? And do they know about all of us?
Bootsteps, and a pair of brutish voices.
"C'mon, lets hook em up."
Umbra
Tokyo: August 3rd 2026, 17:00
Street traffic absorbs the otherwise weighted silence between us. Mylo leads. Eiji and I follow at the next crosswalk.
We were this close to stopping Failsafe, stopping all of this. But now—
"Mylo, where are we going?" Eiji finally speaks up.
Mylo finally stops on the street. Not as many pedestrians buffer between us now, and the sun's starting to set.
"We have to keep moving in public right now." Mylo looks between Eiji and I. I'm not sure if that gaze is determination or his usual tick when he's grasping at straws. "Arimoto's safehouse is compromised, and they'll be checking both of your places." Mylo starts forward again.
"You didn't answer the question." Eiji sighs.
"Right, sorry." Mylo uncharacteristically corrects himself and stops again. "We're going to meet with someone who might be able to get us out of this."
"Is there a way out of this?" I have to ask. If the Vice Minister of defense—the ones who killed Sanji—is also looking for us—how is Mylo holding himself together?
Mylo fully turns around. "The Vice Minister could round us up just like Arimoto-sensei and Jules. Failsafe is likely beginning to hand out codes to access high-output scans. And we don't have Yuna at full strength for the fight that's coming. We're in check right now. Any wrong moves and it's over, from either side."
Not exactly inspiring.
"But-" Mylo starts. "I don't want to lose anyone else. I want to get through this nightmare, stop Failsafe, the Vice Minister, and find a way forward. So, will you help me?"
"Of course." The words come out instinctually. If there is a way forward—
"I'll do whatever it takes to get Arimoto, Julia, and Yuna back." Eiji nods along. "They've already treated me better than my family ever has. It's the least I owe them."
"Thank you." Mylo smiles despite everything. "The spot shouldn't be too far up ahead."
Up ahead, a cherry-blossom-colored sweets shop. The dangling sign reads closed.
"Uh?"
"Don't worry." Mylo steps forward anyway. He grips the door handle and the shopkeepers bell rings. We step into the darkened café, abandoned, mad suspicious.
"I know this spot." Eiji suddenly recalls.
A pair of footsteps echoes in deeper darkness, from an employee hallway behind the register counter.
"Were you followed?" A voice whispers from the shadows. The crease from someone's slacks and a pair of oxfords sticks out.
"You know I can't give a guaranteed answer to that." Mylo bluntly answers.
"Then lets make this quick." The figure steps only slightly out of the shadows. He adjusts his clear frame glasses.
Mylo steps forward. Eiji tenses up more; his eyes train on the man in front of us. Who is this?
The man turns and walks down the dark hallway. Mylo leads as we follow. A sugary scent wafts past us from the emptied display counter, a sweet aftertaste for a shady mood.
Our footsteps echo until we reach what looks like an employee breakroom. The man in glasses brushes the curtain aside: a broom closet sized space with a card table and foldable chairs.
"Please, have a seat." The man points to the chairs.
What kind of shady deal room is this? But Mylo complies. Eiji too.
Guess I'll sit.
The man in glasses looks at me directly as he takes a seat. "I don't believe we've ever had the pleasure of meeting, Kikuoka Sijirou."
"Kikuoka was with the SAO task force." Mylo explains.
"U—Umbra." For some reason I feel like I shouldn't give this guy my real name.
Kikuoka smiles before he turns to Eiji and has it evaporate. "Mylo's caught me up on what happened with Yuna. I'm very sorry, Eiji."
Eiji crosses his arms like he's not convinced. "What can you do for us? After dragging us in already?"
"It depends on what you have in mind," Kikuoka says. "I've been brought up to speed about Ari and Julia's situation. I can say that the Ministry of Defense has no records of their apprehension, but the Vice Minister did leave a record for an out of office absence in the time frame you described for me."
"We pretty much knew he was responsible." Eiji presses. "What else?"
Kikukoa sighs. "More than likely they're being held at a black site."
"Can you get to them?" Mylo speaks up.
"Get to them?" Kikuoka repeats.
"Yes." Mylo responds sternly. "More specifically, could you find them?"
Kikuoka shakes his head, and I can feel myself sinking in the chair already. Are they really out of reach? The couple that took me in when everything fell apart? This room, this place we're in, is really starting to contrast the warmth they gave us in that home, that porch.
I don't like it here.
"I'm sorry, Mylo." Kikuoka adjusts his glasses. "My connections are limited at the moment within the government. There's really not much I can personally do. I can find you a place to stay for shelter, but I can't personally intervene. In fact, I'm afraid I also have to bring up the possibility that Ari and Julia are—"
"If they wanted to kill them, they would have when they raided the house." Mylo answers back. "They captured them for information. We know what Kayaba's planning."
Kikuoka adjusts his frames. "On that front—"
"We'll handle it." Eiji cuts in. "Right?" He looks to both of us.
"Damn right." And then there's need to stop him too. We need to put Sanji to rest with no more victims like him; Failsafe has to go. Think, there's three warring factions right now, and we're the smallest, caught between the Vice Ministry of Defense, and Kayaba, which are in direct opposition to each other.
Can we use that?
Is there a place where their goals clash? Something we can manipulate? But how do you manipulate a state power?
No, we're fundamentally wrong about something.
It's not the entire ministry; it's the Vice Minister. "Actually, there is something you can help us with."
"Hmm?" Kikuoka leans against the table, hands crossed over his chin, and a brow creased. It feels like he's trying to read me; good luck.
"Can you put us in touch with the Vice Minister?" I ask.
"Huh?!" Everyone exclaims.
"Now, that's interesting." Kikuoka adjusts his frames. "Why?"
Think, all of the Vice Minister's actions have been extremely bold, and it all started with—"The Ocean Turtle."
"E—excuse me?" Kikuoka stammers.
"Doesn't it feel like ever since the Ocean Turtle the Vice Minister's movements have felt—extreme?" Like trying to cover up one move with the next: Killing Sanji to silence a growing internet cult movement, publicly raiding and abducting Arimoto and Julia in broad day.
"Well—" Kikuoka sighs. "He's not exactly in favorable public opinion. The main reason he's kept his position is because of his connections within the ministry and his past service—and maybe because I'm not completely liked."
What's that last part about? No, doesn't matter—"Ok, well, what if we aim that extreme towards Kayaba—towards Failsafe? Like, can't we use that?" Failsafe's out in the frozen tundras of GGO, waiting for us to deliver Yuna. Maybe with the Ministry we could finally come out on top, but we also can't trust them completely—in fact, I might hate this idea the most—teaming up with Sanji's killers—
"But—" Eiji protests at first. Our eyes meet. I know what he means—we were just thinking the same thing.
"Umbra," Mylo turns to me now. "It sounds like you've come up with another hair-brained scheme of yours." He smiles.
Hair-Brained?
Umbra
ALO: August 3rd 2026, 18:00
"A GGO raid?!" Mitsuru and Yuji exclaim from the living room couch of the guild house. Kei grumbles. His eyes cross between me and Mylo sitting beside me. This is the first time they've met since—Mylo tore through everyone.
I have to admit, the idea sounds silly, but it could work. Well, it was my idea after all.
"Yep! That's right!" Show your teeth when you smile, and some spirit. "We want to host a raid in GGO, it'll be the perfect way to smoke out Failsafe."
"And this was your idea?" Kei asks me, but glances at Mylo.
"Of course, it was." I vie for Kie's attention.
"Who else could come up with something so out of the norm." Mylo side glances away, drawing the guild's ire. Hard stares, even from the twins, and I've never seen the twins stare down anyone.
I lean into Mylo's ear. "Isn't there something you still need to say to these guys?"
Mylo grumbles on the opposite couch. The brown undertones of his cheeks flush red. "sorry."
"Huh?" Everyone leans in.
"We didn't quite catch that, say it again?" C'mon, where's all that humility you had earlier?
"S—" Mylo heavily sighs. "Sorry for carving up your guild before. Will you please help us?"
The others look among themselves. Of course, they'd join in because I asked as their guild master, but for this to work, I want them to be able to trust the others at least. Mylo can be a lot to handle, but even I can see that he's trying to be better.
He even bows to them.
"He—hey, relax man!" Kei stutters. "No need to be so formal. We were going to help regardless."
"And besides," Yuji starts.
"Carve up?" Mitsuru follows through. "Don't think you could get that lucky against us again." The twins brightly smile.
"Give us the details." Kei smiles to me.
Of course, Sanji was their friend too. "We're going to start a rumor that a new raid has unlocked in the frozen tundra of GGO." It should at least start throwing bodies at Failsafe to delay his plans until we can scrounge up a strike team to head out there ourselves. "We'll use that to delay Failsafe—he's more than likely already started handing out codes for the high-output scan."
"What's to stop him from leaving?" Kei asks the obvious question.
Mylo clears his throat. "He wants our A.I. He'll want to finish this once and for all—he's prideful like that too."
"Would they really risk their plan like that?" Yuji ponders.
During our last fight—Failsafe's mimicry—the faces he could wear, the memories he'd resurface- "Contrary to whatever programing Kayaba installed, Failsafe has a very humanego. Could be all those personalities and memories he has." Sanji's too.
"We should assume that he's not immune to letting his emotions or sentiment get the better of him," Mylo says.
"And the raid team? Who else you got?" Kei asks us. "We're not exactly experienced GGO players."
"I'm working on that front." Mylo sighs. "I've still got some convincing to do."
"In the meantime," I follow through. "The story will be that we're organizing people for a new raid; we're not mentioning the high-output scan or Failsafe."
"Why not?" Mitsuru asks.
"That's my employer's condition for helping us." Mylo sighs. "And probably the condition of the person I'm meeting next."
Eiji
Tokyo sweet shop: August 3rd 2026, 18:40
Who knew we'd end up sleeping in such a damp secluded place for the night? I lean over in my cot. Yuna's avatar breathes softly beside me—an unnecessary feature for her A.I., but something occurring more and more often since we left Professor Shigemura's lab.
I hate the way he looked at you.
Whether his cold disdain was a front or not, Yuna's her own person now. We're different from how we used to be. Seeing Shigemura today just helped confirm that. I had those callous eyes too once.
Yuna shifts in her simulated sleep as her nose twitches and her eyelids squirm. Her face relaxes back to bliss. Can A.I. have nightmares? The Yuuna memories are detached for now so—
I jostle Yuna by the shoulder. "Hey, Yuna?"
"Not—yet—still time—" She mumbles to herself. Her eyes lift awake. Her ruby eyes take me in before smiling. "Good morning, Eiji."
"Good morning, Yuna." I smile back. "Were you just—having a dream?"
Yuna plants a finger under her cheek and tilts her head in playful thought. "was playing in the snow."
I whip out my phone.
Mylo
Undisclosed VR Space: August 3rd 2026, 18:40
A blue sun erupts in simulated space, walled off by the glass pane showing my reflection and this empty board room. A seat at the long end of a round table eclipses the cobalt view. The polished floor reflects diminished afterglow in every waxed black tile.
Blue pixels hover over the head chair, and there's another set in the reflection of the floor—another login appearing behind me. Would've been nice to have Eiji or Yuna here. Hell, even Umbra. But the less the ministry knows—the less faces they can memorize up to this point—the better.
The avatars load. A heavier-set man with glasses adjusts posture in his seat at the end, and a pair of heels clacks behind me. Flaming red hair bounces in my periphery. She feels familiar, her sharp glance as she sizes me up with assertion in her gait and one eye hidden behind her red ponytail—an assistant?
"Miles Laboue." The Vice Minister of Defense's voice echoes across the simulated boardroom. So they know my name—intimidation.
"Mr. Vice Minister." Returning the pleasantries.
"What on Earth are you doing here?" The Vice Minister crosses his hands over the glass meeting table. I realize this now, but the position of the sun is definitely intentional—to make you look away from him when he addresses you, unless you want to burn your retinas.
"I'm here to make a deal."
"A deal?" The Vice Minister laughs. His assistant crosses the black tiles and sits on the round table's edge, two predators staring me down.
They're not the only hunters here.
I'll start with the obvious to catch him off rhythm. "I'll be frank, Kayaba's made you out to be a fool. Your coup at the Ocean Turtle for a profit with the Americans failed. Alice and Artificial Fluctlights are public knowledge, and rumor has it, you're on your way out, or at the very least, I wouldn't be surprised if there's private meetings going on to request your resignation." Ok, that last bit was just a guess, but—
The Vice Minister takes a deep sigh and leans back in his seat. There's some communication through glances between him and his assistant. Maybe I was close with that last assumption.
"You want to be frank, I'll respect that." The Vice Minister clears his throat. "Tell me, Miles, do you game?"
Great, guess we're going to talk in circles first. How cliché. "Yea." Man totally contradicted himself.
"Personally, I hate this VR stuff." The Vice Minister scoots back his chair. He turns his back and looks out over the blue sun burning in the void. He can still see my expressions in the reflection, or his assistant who's still—just—watching. Ari's better at these situations. Everyone always says I'm too easy to read, so I go with being direct. I can't mess this up.
"My oldest," The Vice Minister says. "I mean, he was obsessed with the devices. How it could transport him to other virtual worlds, but—that's all they are, right? A remedy for our reality in the form of snake oil." The Vice Minister turns again with the sun blinding his specific features now, but the callous venom in his tone is unmistakable. "These kids don't understand what real struggle is. They don't understand how hard you have to work to make something of yourself, that you can't run away from the real world, the real responsibilities of growing up. I tried imparting those principles to my oldest."
The Vice Minister adjusts his glasses. "Kayaba converted him instead. A death game, how ridiculous."
I shouldn't be surprised by now, but—SAO really has touched a lot of people's lives. How many monsters did it make? No, this is different. It's no excuse. "Is that how you justify murder and kidnapping some of those kids?"
"We're in a war for the culture, Miles," The Vice Minister says. "Sometimes, there's just going to be collateral. I figure someone of your background would understand that."
He's just like Kayaba—the other end of the spectrum.
"Do you want to stop Kayaba?" I offer.
"I want to stop all of it, and of course, making a profit wouldn't hurt either."
One second he's talking about his dead son, the next his mind moves to money. "A trade then." Just like the plan— "Arimoto and Julia, for Kayaba's A.I., Failsafe."
"Just his A.I.?"
"It'd be useful to you. It works with Kayaba directly, and I'm sure you could sell it off somewhere for extra profit when you're done."
The Vice Minister turns and rounds the table. He takes a seat and swivels to face me again. "Please, have a seat. I'll listen to your terms—and your concessions."
Eiji
GGO: August 3rd 2026, 19:00
Grungy steam rises from sewer drains in the streets as the fluorescent ads and streetlamps haze. Rank. It smells worse on the streets than in the buildings, but without Arimoto, we can't get into his GGO apartment.
Yuna hovers over my shoulder, drifting in midair as she takes in the sights and sounds of punk motorcycles and avatars in combat fatigues, rifles slung over their shoulders. She's still in her idol outfit—I guess she can't change shapes and forms like before. What about her abilities then? Sure, there's some sort of entanglement between her and her other half, but if we bring this Yuna out into the field after what's happened already—
"Eiji." Yuna drifts down and walks beside me. "You really shouldn't frown so much. You'll get permanent wrinkles and look like an old man when you're 30."
"Sorry." Caught thinking too much, as usual.
"The stress a lone will do that to him first." A male voice.
I turn down the street and spot Kei's spiked onion hair first. He's a blond in this game, maybe it's closer to his real-world appearance. A set of aviator goggles dangles around his neck, and his hands grip the shoulder straps of his desert combat vest. Two sidearm holsters jangle on each of his legs. Mitsuru and Yuji pop out from behind, wearing identical gear of green forehead bandanas, warpaint streaks under their eyes and assault rifles strapped on their backs. They look like a pack of commandos. "Eiji!" The twins yell excitedly.
"Relax, boys, it's just Eiji. Nothin special." Umbra rounds them off in a sleek black bodysuit covered up by a deep maroon overcoat stopping just below the waist. Very—what was that American movie? Matrix? But with some flair.
"Nice to see you too." Although, we're literally in the same room IRL.
"Just a sword?" Umbra nods to the photon sword hilt dangling from my waist.
"What do you got?" I ask back.
Umbra presses a finger to her lips. She opens her coat to reveal a hidden set of knives pouched inside. She also rolls up her sleeve, a hidden gun. "And a few other trinkets."
I'm feeling more confident already.
"Hello everyone!" Yuna shouts behind me and floats toward Umbra's guild. "My name's Yuna!"
Aaaand they're about to lose it in 3…2…
"YUNA?!" Umbra's guild crowds around.
"I—I can't believe it, it's really you!" Kei oogles. "A real virtual idol!"
"Umbra-senpai wasn't lying!" Mitsuru adds.
"When have I said anything that isn't true?" Umbra growls. The boys shrink under her pressure.
"Sorry, Umbra-senpai." The three apologize in sync. She's really got a leash on these three.
"Hello, again, Umbra!" Yuna cheerily welcomes her.
Umbra looks to me right away. "Does she?"
No, she still doesn't remember—I shake my head.
Umbra deflates, but still puts on a smile. "Hi Yuna, it's very nice to see you again." Umbra inches towards me next. "You're sure though—about her dreaming?"
I nod. "Her other half is still with Failsafe. She's still alive." The dreams of being in the snow, in the cold, it has to be. There's still a hope.
"So, we might be looking at a search and rescue too." Umbra grips her chin. Lately, she's been the one doing most of the strategy—staying on her toes through all of this. I'm thankful.
I pat a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "If you come up with anything, I'll follow it. I trust you."
"E—eiji—" Umbra turns bright beet red. She shakes her head and puffs her chest. "Ha! Look at you, no longer being able to play it cool. You and Mylo, both—my boys—finally growing up on me." She wipes away a fake tear.
We're like the same age. "Tsk." I smirk, then look out further to one of the spires among the city lights. "We should get going." Mylo's meeting us in one of the public bars.
Eiji
GGO: August 3rd 2026, 19:15
There's open seating in the purple lounge illuminated by strobe lights crossing the walls. Four holographic screens scroll MMO stream to all four corners, and—it's surprisingly dull for primetime gaming hour. Where is everyone? A few players sit along a bar, chatting. Others chat in lounge seats. A set of boots fill the opposite side of the lounge. Mylo steps forward first in his grey over jacket and steel-toed boots. He smiles at the sight of us; I hear grumbling among Umbra's guild behind me.
Another figure steps in too—Arimoto.
I run to him, and I hear Umbra doing the same.
"Are you and Julia ok?!" Umbra looks Arimoto up and down. "We were so worried, we saw the house, and—"
"We're all right." Arimoto smiles between us. It's good to see him again. "I'm just glad you kids are safe." Arimoto looks up and takes in Umbra's guild. "Who're your friends?"
The trio step forward.
"Arimoto, this is my guild, this is Kei, Mitsuru, and Yuji." Umbra introduces.
They all bow. "A pleasure working with you," Kei says.
"Pleasure's mine." Arimoto smiles.
Maybe I'm imagining things, but he seems so—understated.
"How're you holding up, kid?" Arimoto looks to me directly. "Where's your girl?"
"She's—" Wait a second. Did he just make me publicly say—"
"Hi! I'm Yuna! A pleasure to meet you!" Yuna floats up to Arimoto.
"The pleasure's all mine, little lady." Arimoto keeps on that smile, but he looks to me as he says it—like everything's going to be ok. Mylo must've caught him up to speed.
"Such a touching reunion." A female voice calls from behind Mylo and Arimoto. Their faces scrounge up as they make way. A woman with fiery red hair and slick black leather jacket steps forward in heels.
"Who're you?" Umbra asks upfront.
"Rosalia," She says. "I'll be working with you during the 'raid'."
"She freelances for the Vice Minister in his VR affairs." Mylo clarifies the most important piece of information.
Umbra and I turn to Mylo. "Why?" Umbra asks first.
Mylo ushers us aside—with Rosalia still eavesdropping from afar. He takes a deep sigh.
"I made a deal with the Vice Minister."
So it worked.
"How was the deal with the devil?" Umbra flatly expresses.
"A 'guarantee' that Ari and Jules would be safe." Mylo explains with air quotes.
"I was with Julia before I dived in." Arimoto adds. "So far we're all right, but who knows how long that'll be."
"I'm mostly surprised they actually let you dive in with us," Umbra says—my thoughts exactly—Umbra's plan is turning out better than expected so far already.
Mylo and Arimoto look to each other, hold a long gaze, then sigh as they look between us.
Something's wrong.
"It came with a catch." Arimoto speaks first.
Mylo turns to Arimoto, the optimism in their glances change. "They put my NerveGear on Arimoto-sensei."
"You're NerveGear?" I thought Mylo wasn't an SAO player. Wait, no, that means if Arimoto dies during this-
Mylo scrambles. "It's a long story, and it was one I was hoping to tell all of you before—"
"It's all right, kid." Arimoto pats Mylo on the shoulder. "We'll have plenty of time to catch up when this is all over."
Mylo solemnly nods. He looks back to Arimoto. "I'm sorry."
"I trust all of you." Arimoto looks over us, and then to Umbra. "And this plan."
It's hard to tell if he's putting on a brave face, but even so, it's working. "Why bring him on the raid then? Won't he be at risk?"
"Insurance, that we get the job done." Mylo's brow subtly scowls. Angry for the right reasons this time. "He'll come along. If—something happens to him, the Ministry can say it was on us, and if we win, they'll let him and Julia go."
And there's another point—I look over this Rosalia woman again. She's not just here as an extra body. "And his chaperone?"
"If something happens that they don't like." Mylo answers. "More insurance."
She could just execute him on the spot. There's a lot of risks here.
"Bastard." Umbra clicks her tongue. I know she's deep diving into thought again.
"Was this the only way?" I honestly ask Mylo.
He just nods.
"Is this everyone?" Rosalia sounds unimpressed as she looks Umbra's guild up and down. "8 is hardly what I'd call a raiding party."
"You're counting out Yuna." Umbra sneers.
"Right." Rosalia snarks.
"I wouldn't say just 8." Arimoto smirks.
What's he talking about?
"Hey! Old man!" A voice shouts across the mostly empty lounge.
Arimoto smiles as Mylo sighs. We all follow the source. A bar stool swivels around as a girl with a long black ponytail hops off and struts across the lounge towards us. A much smaller girl in all pink with bunny ears on her cap follows.
"I heard someone say raid." The girl with crosshairs on her cheeks pulls up. "We never got to finish our match, so you owe me a better challenge."
"Pitohui, was it?" Arimoto smirks.
What is happening?
But Umbra gasps like she's fangirling. "I saw you guys on the most recent Squad Jam!"
"Ha! Just blowing off some steam and letting loose." The one called Pitohui gives a devil's grin.
The little pink one scratches her cap as her cheeks fill red. "I really apologize about my friend, she just remembered you two from last time and wanted to say hi."
"I wanted a rematch." Pitohui clutches a fist a glares deeply into Arimoto. I can feel the competitive aura from here.
"How about the raid then?" Umbra asks without consulting, but I notice Mylo smirk too.
"Sure, sure, I might have some friends that want in, but you're gonna have to show us a good time." Pitohui crosses her arms.
I look to Arimoto—did he invite them personally? Arimoto nods back to me. "Well, we could use more experienced GGO players."
"And that just leaves one more." Mylo murmurs.
"Wait, we were actually waiting on someone else?" Umbra stammers.
Suddenly a blue pixel light, a login, appears behind Mylo and then fades. Mylo turns around, same with the rest of us.
Teal hair tied in tufts on both sides. Piercing teal eyes. A green military jacket and boots, and a white muffler around her neck, swaying from simulated movement of her avatar's first steps.
"Thanks for coming." Mylo continues his humility streak.
"Asuna said you could use a hand." She politely smiles back.