Bubble Gum HYTE (Fan-fic)
Source: Bubble Gum Crisis/Crash
Author: LV426
Chapter 8: Mission Accomplished
It was a long drive to get where she was going. The traffic was lighter than normal, as the time was approaching the AM once again, but the distance and her own pure excitement to show Priss she had just cleared Leon's name were only making the trip that much more maddeningly long to Nene. She just could not wait to tell Priss the good news, but something else was on her mind as well.
Still, her mind could not really keep on either topic too long, making for a very strange conversation with herself, constantly switching topics.
"Oh, I hope they are still up," she half-whined to herself, "they will want to hear about all of this... but if they are sleeping, maybe it would have been best to wait till morning." She sighed, "but this can't wait that long... maybe I should have called. Oh well, too late now." She pushed the gas again as the lights turned green and pushed her car to go as fast as it could to the apartment complex that remained a good 10 kilometers ahead. "Why does this have to take so long?" she asked herself.
* * *
The bike's brakes were in far better condition than the man riding could have expected. He found out as he slammed them on, reaching his destination, and nearly flying off the handle bars. However, it took very little time to compensate with his own body, and regain control of his equilibrium and the bike. He didn't bother to put the kickstand down, rather he just got off and let it drop. It had done it's job. It had no purpose any longer.
With decisive steps, he approached the front gate, slow and deliberately. The guard in front would make this incredibly simple for him, and he knew exactly how to make it as he wanted it. The guard looked up at him, alarmed, but only for a split second.
"Chief? Why are you here so late?"
"I wanted to question the man assaulting Mr. McNichol tonight in person."
"Sir?"
"There are things that I need to be sure are asked, and with everyone gone for the night, I came myself."
The guard looked at him oddly. "Usually, you could get someone at any time of night."
"This needs a personal touch."
The guard shrugged. Something was odd here, but what could he do where the boss was the one talking? "Alright, I get the point." He offered no further resistance as he got out the keys and unlocked the doors. "This way, sir. I will take you to him."
The man smiled slightly, "Thank you." He followed the guard into the hallway, taking note of everything he saw. A few cameras here and there, as well as the occasional guard, but nothing he couldn't handle. The two guards suspicious enough to stop them were quickly handled, as a look in the eye showed them their chief standing before them. Then it was only a matter of salutes and a dismissal before the two of them were on the way again.
After a moment, the guard stopped at an almost solid steel door. "Here you are, sir... how long should this take?"
"I really don't know. It all depends on how co-operative the criminal is. Which reminds me, do we have a name on him yet?"
"Yes, sir... his name is Frenton Clax. He allegedly works with the Hou-Bang, though we have yet to get a confirmation from him or those he had working with him." He sighed, "these guys are tough bastards to crack."
"Let me try my hand. Perhaps you may be surprised."
The guard shrugs again, and slides the keycard, immediately drawing his gun and pointing it in the direction of the opening door.
"That wont be necessary. You can return to your post."
"What?" the guard blinked in disbelief. "This man is too dangerous to let you go alone, sir."
"I'm telling you to get back to your position."
"Sir, I can't let you do that." The guard blinked, still not sure he was hearing this right.
The man said nothing more, with a few quick movements, he had the guard by the throught and dragged him into the cell, slamming his armed hand into the wall. The first slam made him drop the gun and scream in agony. After taking a second with his free hand to rip the door off its opening/closing mechanism, effectively jamming it shut, he smashed the hand again, this time, taking it clean off the wrist.
The guard screamed out in agony as for the first time, he saw the man and not just the illusion. It was too late, however, and the scream had about two seconds time before his neck was systematically twisted off his shoulders.
The man dropped him as if he were nothing at all and looked to the other occupant. Clax, for his part, was not hit with the illusion and recognized the man who just entered. In the short time the guard had struggled, he hat retrieved the gun and rolled back to the other side of the cell. He already knew he would not get out alive, but he would be damned if he didn't fight to the end.
"So, you came back for revenge? Funny, I thought boomers couldn't feel emotion," Clax mused out loud, keeping his voice as steady as ever, despite the adrenaline and fear mixing inside him. He had never considered he would die like this, but he would face it head on, like everything else.
"I do not understand revenge. Only my orders," the man stepped forward, slow and deliberate. It was the perfect way for a killing machine that had the checkmate to move.
Still, something bothered Clax. "Why wasn't he shooting?" he thought to himself, "He had proved just how deadly his accuracy was back in the apartment, so why not fire now?" The answer hit him like a thunderbolt. He had no ammo left... perhaps there was a chance to survive after all. The pace of his would-be killer gave him time to consider his surroundings: There was a window, though it barred and he himself would not get through it. The other guy would certainly have the strength, but the odds of getting him to break through were very slim.
The other possible exit was the door. He now had a gun, so his odds of getting past the human looking boomer ahead of him were increased. However, there was a risk... he didn't know how much ammo he had to fire. "Ah, why am I worried about that?" Clax argued in his mind, "If I do nothing, I'm a dead man. If I get out of here, I might be able to fight back another time." With this in his mind, Clax made his move. With a shout as loud as he could make it, Clax barreled toward the boomer, pulling two or three rounds on the way, each shot aimed to take an arm or shoulder and spin it away from him.
The first two shots connected flawlessly, spinning the killer about halfway, but the killer was quick to react, turning with the spin put on him and reaching out with his other arm, grabbing Clax by the shoulder and crushing it in his grip. Clax screamed in pain as he pulled the gun to the ribcage of the boomer and pulled the trigger one more time.
*click* The gun jammed, and Clax looked up, knowing he would not live beyond this moment.
* * *
No sooner was the engine off than Nene was out the door of her car and sprinting in the apartment complex ahead of her. Even after her long drive, she was still extremely energized by her findings, and just could not wait to tell Linna and Priss that she had done it and Leon would be off the hook. It was in one fluid motion that she jumped out of the car and slammed the door shut. It was barely any time before she was in the apartment building, and the most impatient elevator ride in her life to get to Linna's place.
She knocked at the door very rapidly and waited. No answer greeted her. "Well that's weird," she commented to herself, "but I'm not being stopped here." And with that, she opened the door on her own, which she also only realized was unlocked as she stepped through.
She didn't have much time to think about it though, as in the other room, the first thing that struck her was that Linna was sitting alone in front of the TV, its light bathing her in an eerie bluish color. Her expression was one of total shock, and obliviousness to Nene's presence.
"Hello?" Nene inquired cautiously, not sure what to expect as a response, but genuinely scared by the fact that there was no response at all. The fear was only amplified by what she began to realize wasn't there. "Linna... where did... Priss go?"
Linna seemed to jump slightly before she looked at Nene. Still no words, but her expression screamed something was terribly wrong, and the single tear stain along her right cheek only doubled this. Nene approached slowly, like she wasn't sure she wanted to know what was wrong, but couldn't bare to not know. She found the full reason when was able to see the news. Nene's eyes went wide with surprise and dread as she looked upon a crime scene, which also happened to be the apartment complex Leon lived in.
"...the scene of what could have been the end of Officer McNichol's life. Just a short while ago, the would-be murder was stopped by a K-suite operator whom we have been unable to reach for comment. However, this story is not over yet, as Mr. McNichol, who had recently been the main suspect in the killing of Ms. Vision, is now in critical condition and for his own safety, at an undisclosed hospital..."
Nene turned the TV off and looked at Linna, who only stared back with a helpless look on her face. She sat down in front of her friend and did her best to bring up a braver front than she felt within. "Linna... it will be ok... You know Leon can take this and come back..." she smiled a little, as the thought also gave her a little courage as well. "besides, we both know the one who he will fight to come back to is there with him now."
Linna didn't respond right away, but nodded after a second or two. "I hope she is alright... she left terrified of something..." her tone was low and concerned, like it was the only thing she had.
"My condolences"
The new voice made them both jump and look to the door quickly, revealing the first sign of tears in Linna, and that Nene could not take much more suprises in one night without something happening.
The man in the door continued, "Normally, I would show more respect than this and let you two be after such an ordeal, however matters press me to be here." The man seemed intent on Linna.
Nene let herself wonder who this man was, until the memory of the first time they had met, back when they had to stop Vision from going bezerk on Quincy and killing herself doing so. This was the man with her back then. Her agitation quickly gave way to curiosity. "Who... who are you?"
With the manner of a gentleman, he bowed, "Forgive my manners, I am Kou. My last name doesn't matter. And who might you be, young lady?"
Nene was not in such a mood of manners. "AD Police, and that's all you need to know. What is it you want from us? You already said you know this isn't the best of timing."
"You my dear, I don't need anything from," his face hardened suddenly, "However, your friend and I need to speak in private. If you would please give us a minute." He didn't wait for an answer as he walked towards the two of them and touched Linna on the shoulder, startling her again.
Nene was about to reply when a look from Linna told her otherwise. Though she was not up to doing much, Linna knew this man from that mission as well, and his connection to her now late friend. She would hear him, despite how Nene would take that. So with a huff, Nene goose-legged it out of the apartment and went down the hall. She would not be far in case this got ugly.
Closing the door quietly after Nene, Kou looked back to Linna once again. "Before we start, I want to make something clear. I know who you are."
Linna blinked at him confused by what he meant. "What?" she managed to get out despite everything riding around inside her.
Kou nodded. And grabbed her hand, placing something inside it. He smiled slightly as Linna looked at the ring now in her hand... the same one she had taken off the body of Irene and later, returned to Reika. Kou had been there to see that, and she was in her armor at the time. There could be no doubt now what he meant, and his next words only confirmed it. "I know your one of the Knight Sabers."
* * *
The morning came to find Astis making his usual trip to work. He waited and seemed calm as ever as the bus slowed to a stop to pick him up, but he was far from underneath that. He had been given one hell of an assignment. Kou had stopped by and told him the killings on the news had been done by a boomer, and it was now up to him to find the guy. "Sure," he mused wryly, "I can do this... yeah right. I only know one person who can possibly have a clue, if that."
He sighed as he took his seat. "And it's not like I have know where to look to track her place down." With a glance out the window, he saw the cars moving along in the normal morning rush. This would be the first time he had shown up at the Big Egg II since Vision was killed there. They had not let anyone return for the past few days, but if he wanted so much as a phone number, he would have to get in. "I wish there was another way than this," he mused to himself. The direction he was taking would probably either leave him turned away or forced to reveal what he kept hidden for so long.
The idea hit him suddenly, and he smiled a little. Perhaps there was a better way to handle this. After all, the Hou Bang had gotten him out, but another had alerted them of his plight... one of the very few he could call a friend. When his stop came, he got off, but instead of walking towards the stadium, he went the reverse direction. Near the base of Genom Tower, he found what he was looking for, and walked inside the private phone booth. Inside, he opened a small panel in his hip and plugged himself into the payphone. Then he dialed the Genom network... it didn't take long for the ghost-like entity of Armstrong to answer him.
* * *
Priss woke to find with a little embarrassment that she had fallen asleep sitting in the chair next to Leon's bed. Still, she couldn't bring herself to regret being here. It had been a long time since she had felt this level of fear and dread course through her, so long, in fact, that she had all but forgotten how bad it could be. But once again, she was here and watching someone on their death bed and scared to death of losing them.
She wanted to hit herself and tell herself to snap out of it, and that she couldn't care less what happens to this officer, but she knew it was a lie. In a way, she had known all along, but knew of no other way to defend herself. Now she faced once again the reason why she had to. If she genuinely didn't understand how she felt before, she did now.
A wry and small laugh came to her. "And it comes to this to admit it, huh?" The laugh was humorless, and rather painful to her. Still, she couldn't help but laugh at herself a little. Like a little high school student too embarrassed to speak, she had kept hidden. Now, she just may lose her chance. The only difference being she would lose him to death and not have a chance again. The idea brought fresh tears to her face.
"Dammit, Leon... why did you have to let that bastard shoot you?" she whispered to herself. She recalled the battle with Sylvie's rouge battle-suite, but still managed to walk away despite the abuse it gave him. This was a single bullet shot. How it succeeded where a monstrous device like that PowerMover couldn't just was uncomprehendable, and made it all the more painful.
However, she was pulled away from such ideas as a knock on the door snapped her head up. "Go away," she told them, but her voice didn't have the usual force behind it.
"Ms. Asagiri?" a voice on the other side of the door asked. It was the sound of being polite more than of uncertainty if it was her that spoke. Priss kept quiet as the voice continued. "This is detective Koshiba..."
He didn't get any further before Priss was up on her feet and smashing the door hard enough to be heard anywhere on the floor. "DAMMIT! What the HELL do you want now?" Her voice quieted a little. "Don't you have any decency at all? Leon did nothing... just let him BE!" She smashed the door one more time. If the door wasn't there, it would have been the detective's face.
"It's not Leon we wish to talk to you about." The voice remained dead-pan.
Priss froze in place. That was the last thing she had expected to hear. "What do you want then?" she asked just a little bit calmer.
"Could you please come out here, Ma'am? It would be easier to talk face-to-face."
Priss waited a moment before nodding to herself and opening the door. The man waiting on the other side wore black squared shades in a frame that seemed to thick for them. His hair was well kept, and matched by a clean shaven face. He was a plainclothes man, and chose a light blue jacket. In his right hand he held his badge. He may have dressed casual, but he was still a cop, and Priss would remain on edge. "What do you want from me?" she managed to ask calmly.
"Information... namely on your bike."
"Why would you care about that?"
"Because it was seen at an ADP prison center last night."
"But I came in the..." Priss was stunned. She had not even given the bike a thought when she jumped into the ambulance with Leon. Her face went from shock to anger. "You mean someone took my bike?"
"And killed our 4 of our main witnesses in what happened. They were being held captive there." Priss' silence was enough for him to continue. "We know it wasn't you, of course, but we also know that this bike is a custom job. So we don't know what it can do. That's what we need you to tell us."
Priss remained silent a while longer. "Why does it matter?"
* * *
Once again, Astis sat on the bus. He was glad to talk to his old friend who had been such a big help in getting him free, but something had felt different about the contact this time. The difference should have been a good one, but it sent a chill down Astis' spine. Armstrong had felt a lot more whole now.
"Why am I thinking like this?" Astis mental rebuked himself. "He has obviously improved things for himself. Before he wasn't much more than a function searching for a use. At least now he is truly a full entity." Still, he couldn't convince himself this was a good thing. Armstrong had seemed different. He still saw himself as a kind of warrior on behalf of the boomers, but he seemed to take a new... and somehow unsettling angle about it.
Still, Armstrong definitely had not lost his touch in finding connections and information. He had in a matter of 5 minutes, searched out all the possible places Priss would be, and using information both public and on private networks cut down the possibilities to one. That was were Astis was going now... a hospital just outside of MegaTokyo, where Leon was being treated for his wounds and Priss had gone with him. How Armstrong had known Leon would be there was understandable, but to figure out Priss would also be there seemed nothing short of a miracle. Still, he had his lead and in the end, it was what he needed.
As the bus came to a stop, Astis got up and made his way to the door of the bus. Being as he was, he couldn't help but notice all the humans on the bus with him. Part of him also couldn't help but envy them. They didn't have to hide what they were or do errands for being freed. With another sigh, he made continued on his way, into the hospital main lobby.
* * *
It wasn't a terrifically loud sound, at least not at this distance. But the clap of gunfire sounded like thunder in the ears of Priss. She was in the café on the same floor as Leon was, still talking to Detective Koshiba when it happened. Instantly they were both alert, the detective with alarm, and Priss with absolute dread. Koshiba looked her in the eyes, and she saw the same conclusion there as her own mind had drawn. Without a word, they were both out the door, Koshiba with his gun drawn.
Source: Bubble Gum Crisis/Crash
Author: LV426
Chapter 8: Mission Accomplished
It was a long drive to get where she was going. The traffic was lighter than normal, as the time was approaching the AM once again, but the distance and her own pure excitement to show Priss she had just cleared Leon's name were only making the trip that much more maddeningly long to Nene. She just could not wait to tell Priss the good news, but something else was on her mind as well.
Still, her mind could not really keep on either topic too long, making for a very strange conversation with herself, constantly switching topics.
"Oh, I hope they are still up," she half-whined to herself, "they will want to hear about all of this... but if they are sleeping, maybe it would have been best to wait till morning." She sighed, "but this can't wait that long... maybe I should have called. Oh well, too late now." She pushed the gas again as the lights turned green and pushed her car to go as fast as it could to the apartment complex that remained a good 10 kilometers ahead. "Why does this have to take so long?" she asked herself.
* * *
The bike's brakes were in far better condition than the man riding could have expected. He found out as he slammed them on, reaching his destination, and nearly flying off the handle bars. However, it took very little time to compensate with his own body, and regain control of his equilibrium and the bike. He didn't bother to put the kickstand down, rather he just got off and let it drop. It had done it's job. It had no purpose any longer.
With decisive steps, he approached the front gate, slow and deliberately. The guard in front would make this incredibly simple for him, and he knew exactly how to make it as he wanted it. The guard looked up at him, alarmed, but only for a split second.
"Chief? Why are you here so late?"
"I wanted to question the man assaulting Mr. McNichol tonight in person."
"Sir?"
"There are things that I need to be sure are asked, and with everyone gone for the night, I came myself."
The guard looked at him oddly. "Usually, you could get someone at any time of night."
"This needs a personal touch."
The guard shrugged. Something was odd here, but what could he do where the boss was the one talking? "Alright, I get the point." He offered no further resistance as he got out the keys and unlocked the doors. "This way, sir. I will take you to him."
The man smiled slightly, "Thank you." He followed the guard into the hallway, taking note of everything he saw. A few cameras here and there, as well as the occasional guard, but nothing he couldn't handle. The two guards suspicious enough to stop them were quickly handled, as a look in the eye showed them their chief standing before them. Then it was only a matter of salutes and a dismissal before the two of them were on the way again.
After a moment, the guard stopped at an almost solid steel door. "Here you are, sir... how long should this take?"
"I really don't know. It all depends on how co-operative the criminal is. Which reminds me, do we have a name on him yet?"
"Yes, sir... his name is Frenton Clax. He allegedly works with the Hou-Bang, though we have yet to get a confirmation from him or those he had working with him." He sighed, "these guys are tough bastards to crack."
"Let me try my hand. Perhaps you may be surprised."
The guard shrugs again, and slides the keycard, immediately drawing his gun and pointing it in the direction of the opening door.
"That wont be necessary. You can return to your post."
"What?" the guard blinked in disbelief. "This man is too dangerous to let you go alone, sir."
"I'm telling you to get back to your position."
"Sir, I can't let you do that." The guard blinked, still not sure he was hearing this right.
The man said nothing more, with a few quick movements, he had the guard by the throught and dragged him into the cell, slamming his armed hand into the wall. The first slam made him drop the gun and scream in agony. After taking a second with his free hand to rip the door off its opening/closing mechanism, effectively jamming it shut, he smashed the hand again, this time, taking it clean off the wrist.
The guard screamed out in agony as for the first time, he saw the man and not just the illusion. It was too late, however, and the scream had about two seconds time before his neck was systematically twisted off his shoulders.
The man dropped him as if he were nothing at all and looked to the other occupant. Clax, for his part, was not hit with the illusion and recognized the man who just entered. In the short time the guard had struggled, he hat retrieved the gun and rolled back to the other side of the cell. He already knew he would not get out alive, but he would be damned if he didn't fight to the end.
"So, you came back for revenge? Funny, I thought boomers couldn't feel emotion," Clax mused out loud, keeping his voice as steady as ever, despite the adrenaline and fear mixing inside him. He had never considered he would die like this, but he would face it head on, like everything else.
"I do not understand revenge. Only my orders," the man stepped forward, slow and deliberate. It was the perfect way for a killing machine that had the checkmate to move.
Still, something bothered Clax. "Why wasn't he shooting?" he thought to himself, "He had proved just how deadly his accuracy was back in the apartment, so why not fire now?" The answer hit him like a thunderbolt. He had no ammo left... perhaps there was a chance to survive after all. The pace of his would-be killer gave him time to consider his surroundings: There was a window, though it barred and he himself would not get through it. The other guy would certainly have the strength, but the odds of getting him to break through were very slim.
The other possible exit was the door. He now had a gun, so his odds of getting past the human looking boomer ahead of him were increased. However, there was a risk... he didn't know how much ammo he had to fire. "Ah, why am I worried about that?" Clax argued in his mind, "If I do nothing, I'm a dead man. If I get out of here, I might be able to fight back another time." With this in his mind, Clax made his move. With a shout as loud as he could make it, Clax barreled toward the boomer, pulling two or three rounds on the way, each shot aimed to take an arm or shoulder and spin it away from him.
The first two shots connected flawlessly, spinning the killer about halfway, but the killer was quick to react, turning with the spin put on him and reaching out with his other arm, grabbing Clax by the shoulder and crushing it in his grip. Clax screamed in pain as he pulled the gun to the ribcage of the boomer and pulled the trigger one more time.
*click* The gun jammed, and Clax looked up, knowing he would not live beyond this moment.
* * *
No sooner was the engine off than Nene was out the door of her car and sprinting in the apartment complex ahead of her. Even after her long drive, she was still extremely energized by her findings, and just could not wait to tell Linna and Priss that she had done it and Leon would be off the hook. It was in one fluid motion that she jumped out of the car and slammed the door shut. It was barely any time before she was in the apartment building, and the most impatient elevator ride in her life to get to Linna's place.
She knocked at the door very rapidly and waited. No answer greeted her. "Well that's weird," she commented to herself, "but I'm not being stopped here." And with that, she opened the door on her own, which she also only realized was unlocked as she stepped through.
She didn't have much time to think about it though, as in the other room, the first thing that struck her was that Linna was sitting alone in front of the TV, its light bathing her in an eerie bluish color. Her expression was one of total shock, and obliviousness to Nene's presence.
"Hello?" Nene inquired cautiously, not sure what to expect as a response, but genuinely scared by the fact that there was no response at all. The fear was only amplified by what she began to realize wasn't there. "Linna... where did... Priss go?"
Linna seemed to jump slightly before she looked at Nene. Still no words, but her expression screamed something was terribly wrong, and the single tear stain along her right cheek only doubled this. Nene approached slowly, like she wasn't sure she wanted to know what was wrong, but couldn't bare to not know. She found the full reason when was able to see the news. Nene's eyes went wide with surprise and dread as she looked upon a crime scene, which also happened to be the apartment complex Leon lived in.
"...the scene of what could have been the end of Officer McNichol's life. Just a short while ago, the would-be murder was stopped by a K-suite operator whom we have been unable to reach for comment. However, this story is not over yet, as Mr. McNichol, who had recently been the main suspect in the killing of Ms. Vision, is now in critical condition and for his own safety, at an undisclosed hospital..."
Nene turned the TV off and looked at Linna, who only stared back with a helpless look on her face. She sat down in front of her friend and did her best to bring up a braver front than she felt within. "Linna... it will be ok... You know Leon can take this and come back..." she smiled a little, as the thought also gave her a little courage as well. "besides, we both know the one who he will fight to come back to is there with him now."
Linna didn't respond right away, but nodded after a second or two. "I hope she is alright... she left terrified of something..." her tone was low and concerned, like it was the only thing she had.
"My condolences"
The new voice made them both jump and look to the door quickly, revealing the first sign of tears in Linna, and that Nene could not take much more suprises in one night without something happening.
The man in the door continued, "Normally, I would show more respect than this and let you two be after such an ordeal, however matters press me to be here." The man seemed intent on Linna.
Nene let herself wonder who this man was, until the memory of the first time they had met, back when they had to stop Vision from going bezerk on Quincy and killing herself doing so. This was the man with her back then. Her agitation quickly gave way to curiosity. "Who... who are you?"
With the manner of a gentleman, he bowed, "Forgive my manners, I am Kou. My last name doesn't matter. And who might you be, young lady?"
Nene was not in such a mood of manners. "AD Police, and that's all you need to know. What is it you want from us? You already said you know this isn't the best of timing."
"You my dear, I don't need anything from," his face hardened suddenly, "However, your friend and I need to speak in private. If you would please give us a minute." He didn't wait for an answer as he walked towards the two of them and touched Linna on the shoulder, startling her again.
Nene was about to reply when a look from Linna told her otherwise. Though she was not up to doing much, Linna knew this man from that mission as well, and his connection to her now late friend. She would hear him, despite how Nene would take that. So with a huff, Nene goose-legged it out of the apartment and went down the hall. She would not be far in case this got ugly.
Closing the door quietly after Nene, Kou looked back to Linna once again. "Before we start, I want to make something clear. I know who you are."
Linna blinked at him confused by what he meant. "What?" she managed to get out despite everything riding around inside her.
Kou nodded. And grabbed her hand, placing something inside it. He smiled slightly as Linna looked at the ring now in her hand... the same one she had taken off the body of Irene and later, returned to Reika. Kou had been there to see that, and she was in her armor at the time. There could be no doubt now what he meant, and his next words only confirmed it. "I know your one of the Knight Sabers."
* * *
The morning came to find Astis making his usual trip to work. He waited and seemed calm as ever as the bus slowed to a stop to pick him up, but he was far from underneath that. He had been given one hell of an assignment. Kou had stopped by and told him the killings on the news had been done by a boomer, and it was now up to him to find the guy. "Sure," he mused wryly, "I can do this... yeah right. I only know one person who can possibly have a clue, if that."
He sighed as he took his seat. "And it's not like I have know where to look to track her place down." With a glance out the window, he saw the cars moving along in the normal morning rush. This would be the first time he had shown up at the Big Egg II since Vision was killed there. They had not let anyone return for the past few days, but if he wanted so much as a phone number, he would have to get in. "I wish there was another way than this," he mused to himself. The direction he was taking would probably either leave him turned away or forced to reveal what he kept hidden for so long.
The idea hit him suddenly, and he smiled a little. Perhaps there was a better way to handle this. After all, the Hou Bang had gotten him out, but another had alerted them of his plight... one of the very few he could call a friend. When his stop came, he got off, but instead of walking towards the stadium, he went the reverse direction. Near the base of Genom Tower, he found what he was looking for, and walked inside the private phone booth. Inside, he opened a small panel in his hip and plugged himself into the payphone. Then he dialed the Genom network... it didn't take long for the ghost-like entity of Armstrong to answer him.
* * *
Priss woke to find with a little embarrassment that she had fallen asleep sitting in the chair next to Leon's bed. Still, she couldn't bring herself to regret being here. It had been a long time since she had felt this level of fear and dread course through her, so long, in fact, that she had all but forgotten how bad it could be. But once again, she was here and watching someone on their death bed and scared to death of losing them.
She wanted to hit herself and tell herself to snap out of it, and that she couldn't care less what happens to this officer, but she knew it was a lie. In a way, she had known all along, but knew of no other way to defend herself. Now she faced once again the reason why she had to. If she genuinely didn't understand how she felt before, she did now.
A wry and small laugh came to her. "And it comes to this to admit it, huh?" The laugh was humorless, and rather painful to her. Still, she couldn't help but laugh at herself a little. Like a little high school student too embarrassed to speak, she had kept hidden. Now, she just may lose her chance. The only difference being she would lose him to death and not have a chance again. The idea brought fresh tears to her face.
"Dammit, Leon... why did you have to let that bastard shoot you?" she whispered to herself. She recalled the battle with Sylvie's rouge battle-suite, but still managed to walk away despite the abuse it gave him. This was a single bullet shot. How it succeeded where a monstrous device like that PowerMover couldn't just was uncomprehendable, and made it all the more painful.
However, she was pulled away from such ideas as a knock on the door snapped her head up. "Go away," she told them, but her voice didn't have the usual force behind it.
"Ms. Asagiri?" a voice on the other side of the door asked. It was the sound of being polite more than of uncertainty if it was her that spoke. Priss kept quiet as the voice continued. "This is detective Koshiba..."
He didn't get any further before Priss was up on her feet and smashing the door hard enough to be heard anywhere on the floor. "DAMMIT! What the HELL do you want now?" Her voice quieted a little. "Don't you have any decency at all? Leon did nothing... just let him BE!" She smashed the door one more time. If the door wasn't there, it would have been the detective's face.
"It's not Leon we wish to talk to you about." The voice remained dead-pan.
Priss froze in place. That was the last thing she had expected to hear. "What do you want then?" she asked just a little bit calmer.
"Could you please come out here, Ma'am? It would be easier to talk face-to-face."
Priss waited a moment before nodding to herself and opening the door. The man waiting on the other side wore black squared shades in a frame that seemed to thick for them. His hair was well kept, and matched by a clean shaven face. He was a plainclothes man, and chose a light blue jacket. In his right hand he held his badge. He may have dressed casual, but he was still a cop, and Priss would remain on edge. "What do you want from me?" she managed to ask calmly.
"Information... namely on your bike."
"Why would you care about that?"
"Because it was seen at an ADP prison center last night."
"But I came in the..." Priss was stunned. She had not even given the bike a thought when she jumped into the ambulance with Leon. Her face went from shock to anger. "You mean someone took my bike?"
"And killed our 4 of our main witnesses in what happened. They were being held captive there." Priss' silence was enough for him to continue. "We know it wasn't you, of course, but we also know that this bike is a custom job. So we don't know what it can do. That's what we need you to tell us."
Priss remained silent a while longer. "Why does it matter?"
* * *
Once again, Astis sat on the bus. He was glad to talk to his old friend who had been such a big help in getting him free, but something had felt different about the contact this time. The difference should have been a good one, but it sent a chill down Astis' spine. Armstrong had felt a lot more whole now.
"Why am I thinking like this?" Astis mental rebuked himself. "He has obviously improved things for himself. Before he wasn't much more than a function searching for a use. At least now he is truly a full entity." Still, he couldn't convince himself this was a good thing. Armstrong had seemed different. He still saw himself as a kind of warrior on behalf of the boomers, but he seemed to take a new... and somehow unsettling angle about it.
Still, Armstrong definitely had not lost his touch in finding connections and information. He had in a matter of 5 minutes, searched out all the possible places Priss would be, and using information both public and on private networks cut down the possibilities to one. That was were Astis was going now... a hospital just outside of MegaTokyo, where Leon was being treated for his wounds and Priss had gone with him. How Armstrong had known Leon would be there was understandable, but to figure out Priss would also be there seemed nothing short of a miracle. Still, he had his lead and in the end, it was what he needed.
As the bus came to a stop, Astis got up and made his way to the door of the bus. Being as he was, he couldn't help but notice all the humans on the bus with him. Part of him also couldn't help but envy them. They didn't have to hide what they were or do errands for being freed. With another sigh, he made continued on his way, into the hospital main lobby.
* * *
It wasn't a terrifically loud sound, at least not at this distance. But the clap of gunfire sounded like thunder in the ears of Priss. She was in the café on the same floor as Leon was, still talking to Detective Koshiba when it happened. Instantly they were both alert, the detective with alarm, and Priss with absolute dread. Koshiba looked her in the eyes, and she saw the same conclusion there as her own mind had drawn. Without a word, they were both out the door, Koshiba with his gun drawn.