Rebirth of the Chrysalite
CHAPTER 4: Failure & Success

TCTF Kyoto Headquarters
Thursday, January 06, 2033

"SHINJOH! SHINJOH!" Captain Daniel shouted into the intercom.

A loud burst and crack followed, and the intercom was crackling and hissing madly. A faint, distorted voice could still be heard -- "Ne--ralis-d" -- before the hissing stopped and silence followed.

Neutralised... Captain Daniel shivered as he thought. The men are dead. Dead.
He sank back into his chair. He was completely at a loss at what to do.

What was it that Shinjoh had said to him? Something was attacking them. It sounded like "Ninjas". Whatever it was, Daniel knew he is going to be in big trouble. He had Griffin's trust that this would work, but he failed him. Griffin had warned me about the shortage of agents. How am I to report to Commander Griffin now?
The thought of facing Griffin was nerve-wrecking. He had heard from fellow colleagues, who were unlucky enough to have experienced it first hand, about Griffin's temper. Many of his usually strong colleagues have had been reduced to straw like conditions after coming out of Griffin's office.

Just then, the intercom on his desk beeped. Daniel pressed a button, and a voice said, "Captain Daniel, sir, Commander Griffin wishes to know the progress of the search. He wants you to report to him at his office."
Daniel sank further back into his office chair, and just replied dully from his chair as he pressed the 'speak' button, "Ye- yeah, thanks, Elisa, tell him I'll be there in a while."

He covered his face with his palms. His usual composed self seem to be gone completely from him.
He reached for the EJECT button and took out the disc which contained the records of the intercom communication, and then stood up.

He tried to calm himself by taking in a deep, cold breath. It had worked everytime, but not now. What is over is over. No use brooding over it now. He thought to himself.
With that, he advanced towards the steel doors which slide opened when he got near them, almost as if inviting him to his 'doom'.

The walk to Griffin's office was usually long, and he dreaded every moment of it. His mind wandered back to the looks on his colleagues' face after being scolded by Griffin. He gulped a little at the thought.

Finally, he was outside Griffin's office. He spoke through the intercom.
"Commander... Captain Daniel reporting."
A slight pause later, Griffin's voice came through, "You may enter."
The gray door slide open to reveal Commander Griffin's office. Commander Griffin was sitting behind a desk with piles of paper and ring files on top.

"Yes, Captain Daniel. The progress of the search?" Griffin questioned in an authoritative manner while still writing on the file and not looking up at Daniel.
Daniel gave a soft, almost inaudible groan before saying, "Sir... we--we lost the team."
Griffin stopped writing suddenly and dropped his pen. He looked up, his eyes widen in shock.

Oh great. Prepare yourself, Daniel! He thought to himself, sweat already beading on his nervous face. He felt even worse when a cold draft from the air-conditioner brushed through him. He shivered at the cold, and gripped his fingers tightly.

"What? Is this true, Captain?" Griffin's voice boomed in question.
"Yes, sir. I heard it through the intercom." Daniel tried hard to make himself less nervous.
"HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?" Griffin's eyes flared up, staring at Daniel sharply.
"Ninjas, sir. Shinjoh said nin--ninjas were attacking them." Daniel stuttered. "They were killed by the ninjas, I think--"
"Think? Think?? If you've thought of the consequences, we wouldn't have lost those agents! Fresh recruits that would've been useful elsewhere!"
Daniel just stood there, feeling very bad about it, and couldn't bring himself to speak. So many lives had been lost because of that.
"Before you've sent your team, I've warned you about the possibility of enemies still in the complex. What have I told you about potential danger? Have you taken heed of my warnings, Captain? Have you informed the squad leader of this?" Griffin questioned, his face twisted into one of anger. Daniel tried to look away from the questioning stare that seemed to bore through him, but he could not. He squirmed a little before answering Griffin's question.
"Yes, sir. I told them to be constantly vigilant. I trusted Shinjoh to remind his team-mates, and he did. He had reported--"
"And I trusted you, Daniel. I trusted you to make this mission a success. You really disappoint me." Griffin interrupted.

There was a huge gap of silence as Griffin stared hard at Daniel, who stood bravely, but obviously uncomfortably, still and looking at the face of Griffin.

Yes, he had trusted Daniel to do the work well, and he failed. He was disappointed, yes.
He wanted to shout at Daniel. The agents he lost in the mission were extremely valuable at times like this, and they were lost just like that. He wanted Daniel to know the thing he had done wrong. He looked closely at Daniel, and saw in Daniel's eyes a sorry look, and saw Daniel truly sorry for his failure. He knew Daniel had already known his mistake.
The anger in him is so hard to control. He had told himself to be less impatient and overly critical ever since the incident with Konoko, but this is just not something he could control easily. The loss of six agents that could have been valuable! But worse of all, the death of five of the agents who are just new to this. In his entire career, he had known a lot of deaths. He too, had been pointed at by a gun. He knew these agents, when they joined the TCTF, were aware of the danger once they become full-fledged agents, but it doesn't mean such deaths can just happen as and when they liked. There were many he could have prevented, but didn't. This was one of them. If only he had rejected Captain Daniel's proposal.
Daniel noticed Griffin's face muscles relaxing a little, a bit of the unpleasant look gone.
Daniel felt terrible about leading those new, rookie agents into their deaths. "Commander... I have failed you, and shall readily accept punishment." He stood there bold and firm. However, it soon gave way once more to his initial, nervous appearance. Even though he was prepared, or at least he thought so, to accept punishment, he did not know what to expect.
The look on Daniel's face reminded Griffin of another agent, he knew when he ascended to the rank of Regional Commander, who had since become a sub-commander in another branch outside Neo Japan. That agent, now his friend, looked like this when Griffin first reprimanded him for a failure.
Somehow, Griffin can never bring himself to be angry at that agent for long. He wondered if he he might be having the same problem now... Six agents have died for God's sake, and I can't be angry at him for long?! What the hell is it with me! Griffin's mind screamed at itself.

Then, Griffin realised what was actually wrong, because he felt a slow contraction of his lungs, and he had to breathe deeper to get the air he needed. The events that had happened late last year had seem to eat into his energy more than before. The stress, the pressure that came and attacked him when he realised Konoko's Daodan spike was getting out of control and even now, the reports of the Syndicate making use of the troubling times to wreak havoc, was taking its toll. Just shouting a little at Daniel took up a lot of energy. In his prime, when he was 'Iron Man Griffin'1, he could have shouted for hours. But not now...

In short, he is getting too old... it might be time for him to retire.

His shoulders slumped a little. Six more agents... at this critical time. He shook his head, and looked back into the eyes of Daniel.

"Yes, Daniel. You shall be punished, but for a TCTF agent of your rank... I would have to discuss it with my superior." Griffin said, his tone lessening a lot in harshness. Daniel heaved a sigh of relief, but soft enough for Griffin not to notice. Strange... he wondered to himself. Griffin wasn't all that bad... I wonder if something is bothering him... Daniel chose not to think so much. He might be tired, that's all.

Griffin down on his desk for a moment, seemingly completely resigned, and then looked up again at Daniel, his face giving him a tired look. He asked softly, "Tell me, Daniel... why and how did this happened?"

Daniel nodded slowly, and without hesitation, took out the disc he brought over and inserted it into a player on Commander Griffin's desk.
"Here, Commander." He pressed Play, and Shinjoh's voice was soon heard through the player.
Griffin listened intently, fingers still laced together.
He sat up when he heard the word 'Dark Ninjas' and and faint eerie voices of the ninjas themselves from a distance. Several loud explosions could be heard, and he also heard screams and the rapid clattering of boots on tiles.
He was noticeably shocked when he got to the part where the agent exclaimed the uselessness of the Plasma Rifles.
"NO!!!!!" Shinjoh's voice blared. The expression on Griffin's face was getting more and more horrified. Daniel had never seen this expression worn on Griffin before. An eerie "Give up, agent" was heard, and the intercom crackled.
A sickening, almost loud 'boom' could be heard through the player's speakers, and a second later, a crack followed. The intercom was silent, picking up extremely muffled noises.
"Ne--ralis-d" hissed out from the speakers and a second cracked followed. This time, no more sound followed.

Griffin's shocked and horrified expression turned into a frown. Dark Ninjas... rumours becoming reality. Impossible. Griffin seem to have aged many years in just that short timespan, much more than he had before this. Through the entire time the recording was played, Daniel was standing uneasily and nervously, and yet another cold draft made him felt worse than he had ever felt before.
Now he was hoping he had never opened his mouth to propose that plan of his at all...

********************

Syndicate Underground Command Centre
Thursday, January 06, 2033

Loud, dull sounds of machines clanking and beating boomed in the tunnels. Hundreds, even thousands, of workers scurried around like ants in an anthill, working the gigantic machines. Rocks fell, and new tunnels formed as another machine bored through the rocks.
The machine carried with it huge pipes and black cables, thick and thin. The machine slowly came to a halt, and several workers drove their own industry vehicles towards the machine, and prepared to load the cables and pipes.
Many workers hauled the thinner, and lighter cables, and proceeded to install them. A few workers ran several tests to ensure the cables are in top-notch condition. Once they were checked, the cables were fastened to a couple of metallic vices for support, and the tips were connected to huge ports.
Shouts of "Hurry up! Quicken your pace!" can be heard. Everyone was eager to keep on schedule. Disappointing their employers was the last thing they have on their agenda.
The pipes were installed at the edge of the steel reinforced tunnels, and connected to a central pump.
Soon, the almost-chaos subsided. Workers ran to their designated posts, and looked at the thing they've constructed.
The head worker strode towards the main control box, and, using the touch screen interface, activated the mechanism.

A dull groan sounded. Soon, a louder, sounds of turning turbines could be heard. Machines started coming to life, and liquid and gas ran across the pipes laid. The other pipes glowed blue as electricity surged through the cables.

This ran for some time, with the glow getting brighter and brighter. Workers standing atop of wire-reinforced platforms gave the thumbs-ups, and the head worker nodded before turning off the machine. The room dulled in brightness, only lit by the fluorescent tubes and many ground-based lights.

A man in a blue suit stood on the control and command booth at the top, smiling satisfactorily at the scene unfolding before him, going smoothly, exactly as he had planned.

********************

Syndicate Underground Command Centre
Command Booth F3-74
Friday, January 07, 2033

""What is this? What is supposed to do?" An aging man in a lab coat questioned, looking at the mechanism tested earlier. "Answer me!"
A man in a blue suit turned away from the window, and looked at the man, and explained, "Oh, simple we activate the machine, the system get the air from the air above the ground, and, how should I say it... poison it. The air would be sent into the domestic air purifiers... and..." the man's smiling face twisted into a sneer as he continued, "you know the rest..."
The scientist looked with wide-eyed horror. The way the man said it sounded as if it meant nothing to him at all! That wasn't in the contract! You cheated me! You..."
The man in the blue suit waved his hands casually and ordered, "Take him away!"
All that could be heard was the scientist screaming curses madly at the man as he got dragged away by the Syndicate troops. The man's sneering face straightened and he pretended to tidy his hair and suit. The Boss would be pleased...

The man walked coolly towards 'The Boss' 's office. Your identification, please... a dull, mechanical voice came through the speakers. He took the card clipped on his pocket and tapped it lightly on the small pad. A waited for a while, before he heard a double beep. Welcome, Commander Fuji, the machine droned as lifelessly as ever, completely showing indifference to whether or not Fuji was a high-ranking Syndicate officer or not, It appears the Boss is expecting you.

Good... I can just see that promotion coming my way. Fuji brushed off some dust from his suit, and entered with confidence into the dully lit room. A writing desk was placed in the middle, and a high, throne like object loomed over it. Whoever sitting on the 'throne' was a portly person. "Ah, Commander Fuji," a deep, gruff voice said from behind the 'throne'. The huge, throne like object turned slowly over, and a man in the shadows looked at Fuji. Fuji can hardly make out the person's face.

"How is it going? Fine, I hope." the deep gruff voice of the man asked.

"Yes, Boss. Plan B of Project Sturmanderung is now ready. We're ready to activate the machines located around Neo Japan upon your word."
"Excellent." The deep voice boomed. "That pathetic government and its police organization lackey would have to succumb to our wishes. But I wouldn't execute the Project... not just yet." He paused a while, as if thinking of something important. The silence was uncomfortable, especially to a person who could hardly make out the features of the other man sitting there.

"What about-- the Dark Ninjas?" The Boss asked suddenly.

Fuji snapped out of the silence trance, and replied promptly, "Yes, the TCTF will know about it. It appears that the squad leader's intercom was not deactivated."

The Boss laughed a deep rolling laugh. "Good. Once they find out about them, they would have no choice but to use that weapon of theirs."

"Forgive me for asking, Boss... but what is this weapon of theirs?"

"Not what, Commander. Who." A look of confusion came over Fuji's face. A person? Fuji thought to himself. Who could that person possibly be? A person as a weapon? Fuji decided to leave that to the Boss to answer.

Fuji could see the light that was the Boss's eyes got smaller, yet seem to glow a little as the Boss narrowed his eyes, almost as if filled with hatred and anger upon thinking of the answer to Fuji's question. Fuji felt a little uncomfortable. Maybe I shouldn't have questioned the Boss...

But the Boss answered anyway, "Agent Konoko." The Boss said, a little more loudly and gruffly than usual.

"But I thought she was no longer in the TCTF? The TCTF considered her as an enemy, a rogue agent! Surely they wouldn't--"

"No, Fuji. The TCTF will use her. I shall make sure of that." The Boss replied, followed by another of his deep laughter.

Fuji belched "How?" before he could stop himself. He realised he was not really in the position to question the Boss and present with him so many questions, as if doubting him.

But like before, the Boss did not mind, "You shall soon see, Fuji. Our scientists have given us some interesting information... very interesting information indeed..." The voice trailed off, and and the Boss's mouth turned into a scythe like shape, smiling in satisfaction.

# AUTHOR'S NOTES:

1Ah, I did state this in the 'PreOni' fanfic of mine... and noticed a somewhat similarity between the first chapter of PreOni, and the section of this chapter?

* So... how is it? I hope you will like it! I think I have made Griffin a little too... erm... soft, haven't I? Heh...
* As usual, please review it! Thanks!
* Visit, and post a the forums of, OniChars: