Later that evening when Laika was positive that Netto was in a completely natural sleep, he picked up the brunette and carried him to bed. "Laika-san?" Searchman asked from the computer.
"Yes?" Laika asked quickly.
"What's all over the floor in the living room?" his navi inquired.
"Well that's… I… don't know…" Laika said slowly.
Searchman eyed his operator then nodded and linked out of the computer. He linked back into the computer where Rockman was stretched out on the floor of the net. "Laika-san is a horrible liar," Rockman noted sleepily.
"I know," Searchman said, then he glanced at Rockman. "Are you all right?"
Rockman let his eyes slip closed, "Whatever Laika did to Netto-kun must have been pretty strong," he murmured.
Searchman gazed at Rockman for a few more minutes then he curled up around Rockman telling himself that he was merely protecting the vulnerable navi.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Netto woke up the next morning feeling a little light headed but not feeling any worse for the wear. He yawned, got out of bed and walked out into the small apartment that belonged to Laika. "Hello?" he asked.
Laika came out of his room wearing his military uniform. "I'm sorry but I was just called on a mission," he said stiffly. "Searchman and I are on a special force unit to find the Neko Virus since we're already infected."
"Oh…" Netto said while looking a little put out.
Laika sighed, "Netto, I'm sorry you can't come but…"
Netto gave Laika a large, fake grin and shook his head, "Nope, its fine. I'll just probably sleep the whole time anyway."
"Netto…" Laika sighed. "All right, I should be home around five."
"See you then!" Netto said in a cheerful yet somehow still hollow voice.
Laika threw Netto one last worried glance before exiting his dorm for good.
"Netto-kun?" Rockman asked quietly from the monitor by the doorway.
Netto sighed and flopped onto the couch, "I hate being useless," he muttered into the cushioning.
"I know, Netto-kun, I know," Rockman sighed.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"Private Laika," Laika announced at the post and saluting the commanding officer.
"At ease solider," he barked. "You are to lead the back up unit behind the specified area of attack."
"Yes sir," Laika said and recorded his orders and directions into his PET. Then he walked away from the tall man and over to the unit he and searchman were to command.
No one said a word as they all stood around in the freezing snow waiting for a signal. After three minutes a loud voice could be heard clearly over the frozen tundra, "Attack unit one, deploy!" There were several red flashes and Laika knew the unit was in the net. A few minutes later the voice called out again, "Attack unit two, deploy!"
After five more minutes the voice was heard again, "Back up unit, deploy!" he yelled.
Laika silently plugged in Searchman and the rest of the unit he was commanding went into the net as well. Searchman flew along the route that was programmed into him by the directions Laika was given and landed quietly, waiting.
"Where is it?" Laika heard a man ask.
Laika scanned the area using Searchman's scanner as a point of reference. "Searchman?" he murmured.
Searchman shook his head, "There's nothing here, Laika-san."
Laika glared at the scene unfolding on his PET and a few minutes later the order came for them to retreat. "Looks like it was sour information, men," the commander barked. "You are free to go home whenever you want."
Laika sighed and turned around with his PET in hand when he heard a voice behind him calling his name. "Laika!"
Laika spun around to see a boy slightly older then him run up. He stopped in front of Laika and had his hands on his knees while he was trying to catch his breath. "Laika, I have to ask a huge favor of you," he said.
"Leon?" Laika asked. The older boy was his friend and sometimes his partner in the worst of times at the base. "Sure, what do you need?"
"Well, you see, on the mission we were just sent on my navi seems to have…" Leon coughed slightly.
"Silver caught the Neko Virus?" Laika asked.
Leon ducked his head, "She had it before but only slight and now it's taken complete control. I need to fix some of her executables so she can function," he said quickly.
"What do you need me to do?" Laika asked.
"Can you please run to the storage locker for me and drop this off," Leon asked while holding out a small package. "It's the most recent letters from my mom. I like to put them in storage so the guys won't find them."
"Sure," Laika said while taking the package.
"Oh thanks a lot Laika, you're a lifesaver," Leon said while tossing him the key. "I'll be by to pick up the key tomorrow."
"Ah, wait!" Laika said. "I'll bring you the key."
A brief look of puzzlement crossed Leon's eyes but he didn't say anything. "All right, see you tomorrow, Laika."
"See you," Laika said and Leon took off at a dash towards his dorm building.
"Well, let's get going," Laika said and took off towards the storage lockers.
He trudged through the knee deep snow to the storage unit and went inside. It was just as cold inside as outside but since it was only storage there really was no need for insulation. He walked along the rows of lockers looking for the number that matched the key. When he got to the locker the opened it and saw that it was crammed with many packages just like the one he was holding now, "He gets a lot of letters," Laika noted.
"Yes, he does," Searchman agreed.
Laika sighed heavily and pushed the thick stack in the little last bit of free space in the locker. "He going to need a new storage locker," Laika said while closing it.
"So it would seem," Searchman said with a bare hint of a grin.
Laika turned around and tucked the key in the pocket as he walked back to the door of the storage locker. He walked over and pressed up against the door to see that it wouldn't open. "They must have closed it," Laika sighed. He pulled out his PET and pointed it at the electronic lock. "Searchman, override security," he announced coldly.
Searchman went into the computer and tried to put in the override command. "It… won't take it…"
"What?" Laika hissed.
"It must have been warped by the virus," Searchman murmured.
"Then I need to put it in manually," Laika said.
"The manual input pad it outside," Searchman said slowly.
Laika's eyes widened, "Can you send an e-mail?" he said through gritted teeth. Calling for help really wasn't his style but it was less embarrassing then freezing to death inside of a storage unit.
Searchman typed a few commands and shook his head, "It's no good, all communications are jammed to prevent the spread of the Neko Virus."
Laika's eyebrow twitched, "You've got to be kidding me," he hissed.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Back at Laika's dorm, Netto gazed at the clock as it slowly allowed time to move forward. "Rockman, he's late," Netto said softly.
"Netto-kun, it's only six, maybe something happened," Rockman said.
Netto glanced worriedly out the window, "But the sun is starting to go down."
"Laika's lived here his whole life, I'm sure he can take care of himself," Rockman said reassuringly to his operator.
"Right," Netto murmured.
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
Laika sighed and held his head in his hands, "I've lived here my whole life, you think I would take better care," he muttered.
"There's no use in beating yourself up, Laika-san," Searchman said softly.
"I just trapped myself in a storage unit in the middle of winter!" Laika exclaimed.
"Well… yes…" Searchman said uncomfortably.
Laika sighed, "What a stupid way to die," he muttered.
"You're not going to die," Searchman said quickly.
"I'm not going to survive sub zero temperatures for eight hours now am I?" Laika asked, his temper finally getting the better of him.
"Laika-san, you need to calm down," Searchman reminded his operator gently.
Laika took in a deep breath of the cold air and nodded, "Right, what can we do to get out of this?" he asked.
"Hope someone wonders where we are?" Searchman asked himself so Laika couldn't hear.
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
"Where are they?" Netto asked while glancing at the clock.
"I don't know Netto-kun, but pacing around isn't helping anyone," Rockman pleaded.
"The sun is almost down," Netto hissed. "If he stays out any longer, he'll freeze."
"I know," Rockman said, "I know."
"If they're out there after the sun goes down we're going to look for them," Netto hissed.
Rockman nodded, "All right."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"Think anyone will look for us after the sun goes down?" Laika asked dully.
"Possibly," Searchman said. "If anyone notices that you're missing then most likely."
Laika sighed, "Yeah I'm sure someone is sitting around wondering where private Laika is…" he said quietly.
"You never know," Searchman shrugged.
"Now who would be dumb enough to sit around waiting for me to…" Laika's eyes widened. "Oh hell," he said.
"What is it, Laika-san?" Searchman asked.
"Would Netto…" Laika asked.
Searchman cleared his throat uncomfortably, "I'm not sure."
"You don't think," Laika said.
Searchman shrugged.
Laika looked out of the doorway into the rapidly depleting sunlight. "Netto don't you dare come out into this," he hissed.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"Laika-san is going to kill you for going out into that," Rockman reminded Netto.
"And Laika will be dead if we don't find him soon," Netto hissed.
"He could just be at a friend's house," Rockman said.
"Or he could be in trouble," Netto pointed out.
Rockman sighed as he saw Netto pull on a thick winter hat. "Netto-kun, you'll freeze faster then Laika," he warned.
"Then let's find him quickly," Netto hissed. "Can you pinpoint Searchman's signal?"
"Yes, but it's scattered over a rather large area," Rockman said.
Netto pulled on a coat and gloves and picked up his PET. "Then let's go," he said.
