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Chapter 15: Merged Paths
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'' So, how did all of you come together?'' Rockman asked.

Slate was busy searching for Region 174's location on the main computer, Vick was repairing Beta, and Terry was sorting his collection of battleships, while Butch and Karla were playing cards. Saito was leaning on the back of a chair, watching them.

'' I came from a town in Amerroppia.'' Terry began. '' My parents worked in a medical facility nearby, but one day a lethal virus managed to escape, and by the time quarantine was established, most of the people were dead, including my parents. I was only three or four, so I don't remember this.''

He paused, holding up a Machine Sword battlechip, then placed it with the rest of his sword chips.

'' An aid worker took me in.'' he continued. '' He was a friend of Slate's, so he defected from T-Corp with him. Afterwards, he raised me like a son until he died. Then I joined Slate's rebel group.''

'' My parents were quite privileged, so I had an excellent education.'' Vick said, continuing to repair his navi.

'' Then why can't you afford a better navi?'' Terry taunted.

'' Shut up! He's been my navi since I was a kid, I don't care if he's only a Normal Navi!'' Vick shot back. '' Anyway, I joined the rebels because of the lack of respect I was receiving elsewhere. A childish reason, I know, but now I am fighting for the right reasons.''

'' I was a mechanic at a military base.'' Butch began, drawing a card from the deck. '' Then came the Sharoan Revolt. A region of Sharo, which had always been militaristic, tried to overthrow the T-Corp government in the area. Needless to say, it was quickly put down. Afterwards, the base was closed, and a year or so later I met Slate and helped him and several others defect. So I've been with the rebels since the beginning.''

'' Well, I guess it's time for my life story.'' Karla said. '' There isn't much to say, I was living on the street for as long as I can remember. Mother was probably a prostitute. Anyway, I tried to pick pocket Slate in Kyotoro one day. Smartest move I've ever made.''

'' Slate and Zero were Enforcers.'' Butch said, jerking his thumb at Slate's back. '' We've already told you everything we know about him. There are still plenty of secrets to him though. We know he can't be 100 Japanese because of his eyes, and we don't know what he saw or did that convinced him to defect. But he brought us all together, gave us a home. We owe him a lot.''

What odd circumstances had brought these unique individuals together. Rockman thought. Then again, this time was vastly different then what he had known.

Terry finished sorting his chips and watched the card game progress. Unsurprisingly, Karla won. An idea came to his head.

'' Hey Saito, can I borrow Rockman for a few minutes?''

'' What do you want him for?'' Saito asked.

'' I just thought of something.'' Terry said mysteriously.

'' Well, if you say you need him, I guess you do.'' Saito said, handing over his PET.

'' Thanks.'' Terry said, turning around and leaving the room.

'' Terry, where are we going?'' Dash asked from his PET.

'' And why do you need me?'' Rockman asked from his own.

'' Okay, Saito said that he remembers waking up in a building. That building is now just an old wreck, but in the past it was a rest house for patrolling guards. There was a warp in that cyberworld, and the terminus is over here, after all, this used to be a military base, remember? It's a cross network warp, so only one end needs to be active to complete the circuit. Now do you see? There might just be some data on Saito.''

'' Yeah, but why do you need me?'' Rockman asked.

'' Because if there is any data, I think you deserve to see it first.'' Terry said quietly.

'' But what would Saito be doing in a military outpost?'' Dash asked.

Terry shrugged as he descended some stairs. '' That's what we're trying to find out.''

The room he entered was dusty and dark, they didn't come down here all that much. Terry soon found the panel he was looking for, and pointed both PETs at it. '' Plug in.''

The two navis materialized in the network. Dash quickly spotted the glowing warp point, and he and Rockman stepped into it, activating it. With a flash, they were in the outpost's cyberworld.

It was old, and everything expect the warp that they had just immerged from was an especially drab shade of gray, which was due to no power being sent to it. Parts of the floor looked unstable, probably from decades of neglect.

'' Ahhh, there's nothing here...'' Dash sighed.

'' No, wait! Look!'' Rockman said excitedly, pointing to a third warp point. Sadly though, there was no glow, indicating that it could not be used.

'' Huh, looks like it hasn't been used in ages. Not surprising, considering the state of the cyberworld.'' Terry sighed.

'' Still, I wonder where it led too.'' Rockman wondered.

Another dead end. Why was it so hard to find any info on Saito? All they wanted to find out is how Saito was preserved. But they had run into dead ends every single time they came close to discovering the truth. It was like the past was taunting them. Dangling the truth in front of them, then snatching it away.

Terry's musings were interrupted by his PET ringing, indicating an incoming phone call. '' Hello?'' he said, bringing the PET closer to his face.

Butch appeared on the screen. '' Hey, where the heck are you? Get yur butt back up here!''

'' Why so impatient?'' Terry asked, a little annoyed. '' Has something happened?''

'' Yeah, Slate found the factory's location. Get up here now!''

'' Fine fine. See you in a minute.'' Terry said, ending the call and plugging both navis out. Then he turned and headed back upstairs.

'' Area 174 is about 150 miles to the west of us.'' Slate explained. '' It'll be around an hour and a half's drive there. There is an old highway system there, so transportation will not be an issue. The area itself is pretty small too, so finding it won't be an issue either. Judging from what Pyroman said about guarding, it is safe to assume that it is completely computer controlled, and that there are no humans in the vicinity save his operator. We will have to deal with them, but that shouldn't be a problem, since there is two of them and twelve of us.''

'' So, we beat Pyroman, destroy the machinery, and then the chips?'' Butch asked.

Slate nodded, '' To put it simply, yes, that's right.''

'' Now everyone should get some rest for tomorrow, dismissed!''

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