18 - Drastic Actions... and a Conniving Government!


The interrogation took over an hour and Heidi repeated herself a lot. The agents were intimidating, enough so that her typical obstinacy took a backseat. She noticed the primary questioner, Joe (it was probably a codename) had a long scar down the side of his face. Dangerous. His partner Dave had a square jaw and those black lenses never strayed from her, not once. She explained everything she saw and answered questions about every possible trivial detail she happened to notice. Heidi felt awful once they were gone, having to relive it all again in such thorough detail.

She turned and hopped out of bed, bare feet touching the floor. Taking her deck from the bedside table and slipping it into her pocket. She left to find Timothy.

They had to get out of here. Maybe someone from the Duel Masters temple could help them. Give them advice on how to find the other chosens. Outside police and other workers were milling about. Televisions in waiting rooms were showing interviews and giving live coverage of the attack. It was a miracle nobody in the academy died. The news station showed photographs of the guilty parties being blamed, the three lieutenants they'd seen since Heidi left her home continent Duextra. Urusai Torcan, Dojo Iarumas and Kaido Felgrass. With three of them down it meant there were ten left, not including the General. Another ten dangerous players running around Aurellia with future cards in their decks, already looking for the other four chosens like she would be doing.

Heidi asked a desk-woman where Timothy was staying in the facility. She found his room number and knocked, he opened the door after a few seconds and his eyes were pink. He'd probably been crying over the loss of another two friends in one evening. His tousled brown hair was untidy. She stared at him and he blinked in surprise.

"Pack your things now, we're leaving."

"Heidi, I already asked if they were gonna give us hotel accommodation. They want to keep us here for further questioning."

"That's why we're running away. Come on."

She managed to convince him. Timothy sighed in aggravation but went to grab his deck and shoes.

"Suppose you don't want to tell your sister we're going?" he spoke from the bed while jamming his heel into a sneaker.

Heidi was peering through the window blinds "Tailee will just tell me to stay and behave. But we won't be safe working with the government. When people find out how hopeless this battle seems there'll be willing to betray us. Like what happened with Penelope."

"Yeah, I reckon you're right." He stood. "Let's go."

The two teenagers walked quickly down the halls, trying and failing to look casual. Workers bustled by and Heidi caught the eye of that desk-woman before shifting her gaze forward. She may have been reaching for the phone. They started walking faster. By the time the double-door entry was visible they broke out into a run. It was dark now, they hit the street and kept going.

They ran several blocks before Timothy convinced them to stop.

"Heidi… I think it's safe…" they slowed and he stooped over with hands on his knees.

Heidi was panting, looking along the dark street illuminated by overhead lights. There was an alleyway, a large dumpster and cardboard rubbish littered about. Homeless staggerers and bar hoppers were making their way in the chill air of the night.

"Come on." She didn't want them to stop for long "We have to keep moving."

"What are we gonna do?" Timothy asked as they resumed walking quickly.

"We need to stick to the backstreets, out of sight. Find a bus or train to get us away and find a hotel. Try to get in contact with somebody from your temple. Narciel was able to track me down, maybe there's a way he or someone else can help us."

"Heidi… we were only able to find you with Supernova Mars Disaster."

"We'll think of something Timothy! We'll power up Mars so he has enough energy to give me more future cards, and when I next see him maybe he'll be able to listen and help me somehow… We'll come up with something but first we need to get away. I'll call Tailee to let her know I'm safe in a few days and then see what we can do…"

She was determined despite her boyfriend's hesitancy. Leading them onward until strong headlights flooded the walkway from behind. They spun around to see a black car pulled over behind them, the two agents from before stepping out.

"Don't run."

"Timothy, go!" Heidi sprinted to the alleyway with him beside her.

The suited men came barrelling after her, they were much too quick and with a shove sent her to the concrete painfully. Heidi turned over with a glare.

"You can't keep us prisoner!"

Special Agent Joe pulled out a handgun and aimed it straight at her face. She tensed like a forest creature. The distant streetlight reflected on the lines of his scar and barely illuminated his impassive face.

"You're coming with us, chosen fire duellist. Otherwise I'm blowing your brains out right now."

"Y-you can't do this!"

"This is bigger than you." He said neutrally. "Your expendability is questionable, for all we know the fire phoenix will choose another player if you die. But we won't let you escape. You're coming with us, but not back there. To a secure facility."

"What are you saying!?"

"It was convenient for us to wait for you to run, that way nobody you know is going to suspect the government of taking you hostage."

Heidi remained on the dirty cement, looking up fearfully to the other agent who was standing between her and Timothy. Agent Dave nodded and pulled out his own handgun.

"Timothy, no!" Heidi screeched and saw his brown eyes widen.

He turned and the gunshot sparked against a metal stairwell. Timothy took off and went down another side-street.

Agent Joe lowered his gaze back to Heidi, gun still pointed "Alright let's go. And no funny business, or I'm killing you right here and now."

She didn't have a choice. Heidi stood and left the alley while he followed her with the gun. The car was actually a van with a metal holding cell at the back. Heidi was directed inside and handcuffs were thrown in, she was told to put them on after turning out her pockets. The door was bolted shut afterwards. She was alone in a metal box with light coming from a grate to where the drivers were. She sat on a bench and stared morosely at the floor.

"I thought you were supposed to be the good guys…"

There was no response. The van took off. She could hear one of them talking "We have the chosen fire duellist in custody. No witnesses. The boy she was with took off" Heidi felt a hit of relief "we'll track him down and take him out." Her relief turned to dread. "Yes, that's right. They fell for it and ran off themselves. Nobody needs to know we have her…"

They drove for hours. After pulling over for petrol she was instructed to stand at the back of the crate, an agent tossed in a salad wrap and packet of jerky. Gas station food. They re-bolted the lock and drove for several hours more. Far away from the capital of Augus, out to the countryside most likely. Heidi lay on the metal floor as it jostled, wiping tears from her eyes with cuffed hands. She was resigned and ended up falling asleep. Not waking until the police van came to a stop. The brake was pulled and engine cut off. The sound of doors opening and closing, gravel crunching under boots. The bolt was undone and opened, sunlight pouring in and making her squint.

"Up you get, chosen fire duellist."

Heidi blinked, unable to see as she hopped up and stepped out. Her limbs were stiff but they made her walk. It took several paces for her to be able to make out her surroundings. They were in a sparse countryside, the property was bordered by tall chain-link fences with barbed wire curlicued at the top. The building had blast doors, high security. A code was typed into an interface before the entry whooshed open. It was hot outside but cool in here. Heidi was flanked by the two agents as they walked in and the door sealed behind her.

A man with a strange face and long hair greeted her. He had jutting cheekbones and full lips, wearing a grey uniform.

"Hello Heidi, I'm the warden of this top-secret holding facility. And you are now my most special prisoner." He waved at the agents and one leaned over to undo her handcuffs. Heidi massaged her wrists while the warden turned down a steel corridor "Follow me."

She hesitated before obeying. He wasn't even looking at her, there was a baton strapped to this weird guy's belt. Or was it a taser? Another whoosh of that door alerted her to the pair of agents leaving. She stared back and swallowed nervously, for whatever reason this warden guy was completely relaxed. He was convinced she wouldn't try to jump him with his back turned, or at least convinced she wouldn't be successful if she tried.

"W-where are you taking me?"

"To your cell." He then added "Come now, Heidi. This isn't a real prison. As such we have no reason to harm you unless you give us one. Just be a good girl and comply with instruction. While staying here you'll be subjected to the odd test as we try to figure out more about Supernova Mars Disaster and its connection to you. If you behave your stay here doesn't have to be terrible, it might actually be quite nice."

They turned a corner and started walking deeper into the clean, military-looking base. Heidi took a worried breath "…I'm never going to see my family again, am I?"

"Try not to think about that. All you should be concerned about right now is yourself."

Soon they reached a locked room, the warden typed in a code and the silver door whooshed open. The inside was moderately sized with a plain bed, desk and TV. There was a bookshelf and a clock. Heidi's stomach audibly growled.

"Breakfast will be delivered in about twenty minutes." The warden said while staring at a wristwatch. "In you get. And now remember, Heidi: privileges can be given and removed based on your behaviour here. You'll do well to remember that."

As she stepped in the man put his hands behind his back and walked off, again in a carefree manner. The door sealed behind him and Heidi was alone in the room. She looked around at all the banal stuff. Unpatterned bedsheets, cheap furniture and desk-lamp. This isn't so bad… she tried reassuring herself but soon the tears were falling again. She was worried sick thinking about her boyfriend and whether he got away. I'm a prisoner now.

Her mind went back to the grassy plains of Ikebukuro. Back when her only real concern was high school. Protecting other kids from bullies and being late for morning class every day. It didn't seem like long ago at all that she was seeing her sister Summer off at the station. Then a chance at her own adventure wiggled itself before her eyes and she'd grabbed at it. Narciel and the other disciples: Wembley, Iwate, Soroban and Timothy. Now all of them might be dead and it felt like entirely her fault. Heidi made herself walk to the bed before she could collapse right then and there. She buried her head in the pillow and waited for her crying to subsist.

Later in the day she was given meals. The food was cheap but it wasn't terrible. It reminded her of microwave meals, she'd probably got too used to the high-quality chefs at the academy. The warden escorted her to a washroom where she could shower and change into a white set of clothes that fit her better. Sometime after lunch there was a knock on her door before it whooshed open. Heidi was sitting at the desk, mindlessly flicking through one of the books to quell her anxiety.

A man in a lab coat stepped into the room. He looked quite old and skeletal, easily beyond seventy though his blue eyes remained sharply intelligent. His grey hair was combed over but unruly enough to stick out of its gel. The warden remained outside, watching from the walkway.

"Heidi Hirazumi?" the old scientist approached her. "My name is Doctor Magnum. I'm sorry about everything you've been through today. I've been charged with overseeing the research we're going to be conducting with you here."

Heidi looked between his earnest face and the watching warden "…hi."

"If you'll come with me now we can get started. Hopefully you will find these experiments as fascinating as we do."

The warden rolled his eyes. Heidi didn't want to comply but knew she didn't have a choice. Nobody knew she was here and if she started being difficult they'd probably get people to hurt her.

"Okay." She stood up.

"Good. Bring your deck."

The three of them started walking the corridor.

"…you're not going to- like, strap me to a table are you?"

"Oh no, no. Our research will be purely observational."

"Hmm…"

"Trust me, you're in for a real treat. I'm going to show you what our department has been developing, it's top secret stuff!"

"Um, Mr Magnum-"

"Doctor."

"Doctor… my boyfriend was with me when I was… er, taken. I really want to know if he's alive!"

"Well I do sympathize with you and I'm sorry for your boyfriend, but I have no way of knowing that. Maybe someone else here can answer your questions when we're finished today."

Heidi shut her mouth and soon they were led to another blast door. The warden typed a code and scanned his thumb. Heidi thought she saw a three and a five, then her eyes snapped ahead at the sight behind the door. A huge room, metallic and mostly empty. There was a door to the side and lab-coated technicians behind a glass panel readying equipment. In the corners of the room were all sorts of scanning and energy-reading machines, their lenses were being protected by electro-nets. Obviously they intended for her to duel. What maintained Heidi's stare was the figure standing before them.

"I'm so excited for a dual experiment like this!" Dr Magnum continued "not only will we study the chosen fire duellist, but our first successful AI duelling robot!"

His skin looked almost real, but at a closer glance was a rubber synthetic. Either way his/its face was a screen, the image blinking at her in a friendly and human way.

"Salutations, Heidi!" Its robotic voice chirped. It stepped forward with strange, jerky movements and its arm swung up for a handshake "It's a pleasure to meet you!"

"Uh…" she looked to the doctor who was tense with excitement as he watched their interaction. Heidi raised her hand and shook its metal hand "likewise."

"I'm very excited for our duel. Versing a chosen will be neato." Then its face became a ridiculous emoticon.

"Oh how wonderful!" Magnum cheered.

"You can't be serious…"

"What's standing before you is the result of decades of AI research! My Magnum unit 006!"

"Well I've seen enough." The warden grumbled "I have other prisoners to attend to. Call me when you're finished with her, Doctor." He headed out the door and left them.

"Doctor…" Heidi stared at the robot and he blinked back "Robots can't have Kaijudo duels or manipulate energy from the creature world… they're not really alive."

"Ah yes, but my dear girl what you see before you is no ordinary robot! The military has been working to harness creature energy for many years. We managed to isolate and stabilize portions of this energy through an internal chamber circulatory system! This energy core inside M-006 allows him to tap into Kaijudo energy just like any other Kaijudo duellist!"

"That's incredible…" Heidi confessed.

"Indeed it is," he stepped forward to put his hand on the robot's shoulder. "Computers are unbeatable at games like chess. Imagine if we had an army of AI Kaijudo duellists in the future! It would be a true breakthrough for science."

Heidi tried to imagine it. Magnum patted the shoulder of his robot before making his way to the side door "Alright, no more dilly-dallying, it's time for you two to duel! Oh and Heidi, please keep in mind this robot is the result of millions of dollars in government funds so in the miniscule possibility you are victorious, no damaging it alright?"

The robot saluted as the doctor went away "You can count on me, Sir!" it beeped and then marched to the far end of the room. Heidi sighed, extracting her deck from her pocket and moving to take her mark at the correct distance. The door to the research space shut, sealing them in together.

Magnum reached for a microphone and his voice was projected through speakers "we're ready for you now!"

"Kettou da, Heidi. And may the best machine win." It chirped, an 'uwu' face appeared on its screen.

"Yoshi. Alright let's see what you've got, tin can." Heidi's right hand caught ablaze with red light. She watched as whirring came from inside the robot's chest and then suddenly its centre compartment caught blue fire like a living heart. "Incredible…" she spoke as the room became thick with Kaijudo energy, two tables spawning into view. "It really works…"

"I'm full of surprises." Came the spritely reply, it shuffled its deck and set it down "Ikuzo, deploy shields!"

"Koi, shields up." Ten teal panels filled the space and Heidi drew her hand, intrigued despite herself.

"I charge water mana." M-006 started and then beeped.

"I charge fire mana."

"I charge water mana."

Heidi smirked, drawing as their tables lit up with red and blue. "Alright, let's see how you handle this! I charge and then generate a cross gear! Fire Blade!" The scientists scrambled with curiosity as a fabled cross gear materialised, two rocket rollerblades becoming forged by red light.

"My first time facing a cross gear, indeed it is intriguing! But one day you will all submit to the inevitable ruling of your machine overlords. That was a joke."

"Really?" Heidi watched the screen change into the troll meme face. "Less jokes and more duelling!"

"You asked for it." Beep. "I charge light mana and summon Emerald Grass!" The shining squid spread its undulating limbs. A 3000-power blocker, Heidi reached for her deck and hesitated. A heavy emotion fell over her features. The robot spoke up "my sensors indicate that you are sad."

"Timothy also plays light-water… And Soroban played with starlight trees and balloon mushrooms… Don't worry about it!" she pulled herself back into the game "I charge and summon Zyler's Lighter!" A red xenopart on wheels revved up on its flaming exhaust.

"Another DM-14 card?" Beep.

"Yes and check this out! While all my mana is fire it gets speed-attacker and has 3000 power! Ike!" Heidi turned the tabletop card and red light rippled out across the space.

"Emerald Grass blocks!" The glowing plant intercepted and both creatures detonated. The light cleared to reveal an empty battlefield. The robot started its turn "Impressive, Heidi!" he charged mana "I cast Logic Cube which lets me add a spell to my hand. I choose Transmogrify!" Gold cubes of transparent light rotated while his metal fingers flicked through the cards super-fast and added the right one. Its re-shuffle similarly blurred. It unnerved Heidi to be duelling someone who could make lightning-quick computations and didn't need time to think between moves. "Your turn!"

"Alright!" she added mana "Jiruba, Precision Shooter!" Her DM-13 Human landed in the fray, its arm a giant orange gun.

"I summon Aqua Strummer!" the liquid musician swam upward, tied with Jiruba on 2000 power. "I can look at the top five cards of my deck and put them back in any order. It will be intriguing to see if they taught you how to counteract strategies at the DMA."

"Yeah, yeah." She drew while secretly nervous. What kind of strategy did this machine calculate for her? But then she smiled, having a good one of her own "I tap three to summon Muramasa's Knife!" An electric pocketknife sprang forth, multiple blades popping out "It can attack untapped creatures! I tap my remaining two mana to cross it with Fire Blade!" the cross gear changed shape, becoming orange exhausts either side of the xenopart "Now it's a speed attacker! Suicide with Aqua Strummer!" It flung itself, its enemy swung its liquid guitar like a baseball bat. It dodged and wrestled with its foe before both were slain. "Jiruba break a shield, ike!" she turned her other card and felt a hit of satisfaction when the first panel shattered.

Beep "Excellent play. But now it's my turn." The robot drew as its cards untapped "I tap three to summon Ruby Grass." Another starlight tree appeared, this one round and gold. "I tap my remaining three to cast Transmogrify. I destroy a creature in play and whoever it belongs to replaces it with the next creature from their deck. I destroy Ruby Grass." Cybernetic holograms flitted to life around his creature, its form beginning to change. The robot drew and revealed its top card: a 7000 double-breaker "King Triumphant!" A huge blue leviathan emerged from the procedure, wailing and shooting water from its blowhole.

"Oh crap!" Heidi exclaimed "You put it right where you needed it with Aqua Strummer to bring it out with Transmogrify this turn?"

"Yes. I calculated the sequence of events."

"Impressive, M6. But this isn't over."

"According to my calculations your chances of victory are six million, three-hundred and twenty-thousand and seventy-nine to one." Beep. "That was a joke."

"Enough with the jokes!" Heidi drew and scowled at the leviathan. She recognized it, it was a high-cost creature that would gain the blocker ability if she summoned or cast a spell. If bringing out powerful creatures with virtually no cost is his strategy I got to take him out before he gets something even stronger… "Jiruba ike! Break another shield!" More gunfire and the robot added another card to its hand, blue shards crashing against the far wall.

"I tap four and summon Garatyano." A sea-hacker with a suction pod on its face wriggled forth "Best thing about this creature is I can tap it instead of attacking to look at and re-arrange the top three cards of my deck! Now King Triumphant attack Jiruba, Precision Shooter! Ike!" The robot's blue heart blazed, the whale dropping an enormous flipper onto Heidi's humanoid and making the room quake. A card flew over her shoulder.

"Crap… I need to get rid of that sea-hacker, and his stupid leviathan too!" Heidi slapped down the creature she drew "Brawler Zyler! I cross him with Fire Blade! Break a shield, ike!" The mummified zombie blasted off on its new skates, howling as it let loose a barrage of machine-gun fire from its arm. A third shield shattered and this one reformed.

"Shield trigger." Beep. "Another Logic Cube, and I use it to add another Transmogrify from my deck to my hand."

"Crap!"

"Alright Heidi, check this out!" her opponent began with goofy cheerfulness "I summon Aqua Strummer! I rearrange my next five cards… Now I summon Estol, Vizier of Aqua!" A rainbow creature with 2000 power appeared, it was a liquid person in aquatic gold armour "Now I can add the top card from my deck to my shields and look at one of yours!"

Heidi scowled, she lifted up her centre card and he zoomed in with an eye-camera. She put it back knowing the new shield that assembled on his side was definitely going to be a trigger.

"Garatyano attack Brawler Zyler, ike!" The sea hacker coiled around her humanoid and crushed it to death. The cross gear floated away, awaiting a new owner. "King Triumphant double-break, ike!" Glass shattered against the hide of the leviathan, Heidi crossed her arms before her as the air buffeted her back.

"Okay…" she looked at her new cards and smiled "I charge mana then summon Astrocomet Dragon!" Opposing the water giant a fire dragon reared itself up, armored in red and hissing its serpentine head. "It has 10,000 power while attacking!" She didn't have the mana to cross it with her gear and make it a speed-attacker, Heidi had to end her turn.

Her opponent drew and looked at the only card he held. The robot's face-screen turned into the troll meme again "You have three shields and I have four creatures. If my calculations are correct you know what this means…"

"Just go then!"

"King Triumphant ike! Attack her shields!" Beep. At his order the huge leviathan spat water upward and swished another flipper. Heidi curled away as glass bounced off her clothes and hair. She felt a sinking feeling as she realised neither card were triggers. "Garatyano break her last shield, ike! Aqua-"

"Finally! Not so fast, you overgrown toy! I got a shield trigger: Hell's Scrapper!" An orange grinder popped up and whirred, chains whipping out at her enemy's creatures. "This one's got to be a personal favourite of mine! I can destroy creatures of yours up to 5000 power so I choose Aqua Strummer and your Vizier of Aqua!" they struggled while dragged under and pulverised.

Beep. "Fuck."

"And now it's my turn! I tap one to generate Crimson Rifle!" A cross gear gun assembled itself "I tap two to summon Joe's Toolkit!" Another xenopart bounced into play "Then I tap three to cross it with Fire Blade and Crimson Rifle!" the two weapons flashed and merged with her new creature "Joe's Toolkit is now a speed-attacker and has a tap ability to destroy one of your creatures with power 2000 or less! So even though it only has 1000 power your Garatyano is toast!" she tapped her stacked cards and gunfire pelted across the room. The robot watched its sea hacker droop like calamari. "Astrocomet Dragon ike! Destroy his King Triumphant!" With a mighty roar everyone watched as fire spewed forth, quickly igniting the leviathan which squealed as it died. When the charred cinders cleared the AI's field was empty.

The robot drew and studied the only two cards in its hand "I summon another Emerald Grass and Zepimeteus." Both blockers swam into play before him.

Heidi took a breath. I have no shields. I still know that the shield he put with Estol's ability, the far right one has to be a trigger! "Okay I have just enough mana… check this out! My new DM-14 armored dragon! I summon Crimson Back Dragon!" The metal room groaned as it accommodated yet another dragon on her side of the field, luckily this one was smaller with only 4000 power. A flat-headed dragon with tusks and metal wings. "When summoned all my opponent's blockers with power 3000 or less are immediately destroyed!" It roared and spat fire that melted apart its foes. "I use my remaining two mana to recross it with Fire Blade!" The cross gear left her xenopart and equipped her new dragon. "Let's see what you're hiding! Astrocomet Dragon attack the shields to your right! Ike!" A squeal and more fire causing two panels to burst.

"Shield Trigger, Aqua Skydiver!" Another rainbow creature appeared, a shield-trigger blocker. The gold soldier landed gracefully.

Heidi's hand stopped as she tried to think her way through her next move, her opponent beeped nervously.

"Well firstly I tap-destroy it with Joe's Toolkit using Crimson Rifle!" Bullets sprayed and destroyed it. "Crimson Back Dragon attack his last shield, ike! Let's see if you can come back from that."

The robot drew and studied the cards in its hand, running all possible simulations in a split second. Then it sagged.

"I calculate no possible victories. You will counter all my possible moves on your next turn. I concede victory to you, Heidi Hirazumi."

"You do?" She blinked before the euphoria of another win overtook her "Yes! Woohoo! In your face, you bucket of bolts!"

"Please mind the insults, my circuitry is sensitive."

With a grin Heidi gathered up her cards. The robot did the same and the tables vanished. Doctor Magnum stepped out to re-join them once it was safe, even more strands of hair sticking up through his gel.

"That was impressive indeed, Heidi. The readings from your duel almost overstimulated our machines… And to think I thought I was prepared for that… nevertheless when we have you summon Supernova Mars Disaster for study we will have to move our technology outside, no room indoors here will likely be able to contain it."

Heidi's smile dropped. From the excitement of her duel she almost forgot she was their prisoner lab-rat. In any event she'd have to come up with some plan to escape.


AN: Oo I wrote this one quick! I hope you guys enjoyed the banter and quips of our cybernetic jokester. What a digital dummy! I have received two lovely new reviews from Acumashindorballomu and ShiningAzureEmporer! Acuma has managed to stay up-to-date while Azure seems to be back at 13-ish. I'd love to get some new followers but I understand this fandom doesn't get as many reads as others. I see you though, shadowsharkds my lone favouriter. Hopefully you're still reading and enjoying. I hope this chapter was a nice bit of levity considering we had two deaths last chapter. I mean our protagonist got held at gunpoint and kidnapped, but still... levity ~