Alternate ending; Singular Regression. Diverging somewhere after the start of chapter 10 (R-E-O 02) and jumping little further into the mission, Suzuha doesn't encounter Urushibara Ruka in Akihabara, and ends up going at the mission alone, bringing along her own firepower as well... With unfortunate results.
Have fun! Or don't. Up to you with this one. :)
Tuesday, May 1st, 2012; Beijing, China; 4:47p.m.
Moving away from the rooftop access of a large auditorium, hobbling along in a limp and grimacing repeatedly from the throbs of her injured leg, Amane Suzuha stared ahead towards FG204 as she painfully approached it. Holding her breath from repeated spasms in her limbs, she glanced down at her arms, seeing numerous scuffs and scratches, and looking further, a tell-tale tear in the side of her urban camouflage shirt was surrounded by a dark bloodstain from a bullet wound in her side.
Ouch. Holy shit am I hurting. I haven't been in such bad shape since... Since the invasion of Tokyo. But that was my calf. Not my kidney, or whatever is down in there.
Moving into the shadow of the time machine, hiding from the light of the setting afternoon sun beyond the city's skyline, sharp exhales left her lungs, and her vision blurred for a moment as she stared at her machine-pistol held shakily by her blood-stained fingers.
I can't believe I got so messed up in there. There were a lot more people guarding this stupid meeting than I expected... And now they're all -
"Nín!"
Whirling around from the hoarse voice, her eyes widened with an inhale of surprise as a wounded security guard stumbled out of the doorway behind, attempting to draw a pistol from his holster.
"Nǐ fēngle biǎo zi! Nǐ shì yīgè guàiwù, nǐ bù huì qù- GAAHHH!"
*BANG*
*BANG*
*BANG*
*BANG*
*BANG*
*BANG*
*click*
Watching the body slump to the ground beyond the smoking barrel of her stubby PM-9 machine-pistol, tremoring with guilt and fear, her fingers pried the empty straight magazine from the firearm, bringing it into view.
Oh hell. That was all I had left...?
Slipping the magazine back inside, she patted her pants pockets and belt, but no further loaded magazines remained.
Yep. Used up every damn round... And I'm pretty sure I've killed every single person I've encountered.
Mouth remaining open, she peeked upwards towards the newly terminated opponent nearby, only to tear her eyes away from the lifeless body in a slow turn to the time machine behind. Forcing herself into motion, her leg instantly complained with surges of pain as she stepped around the landing gear of the machine, hand reaching up and palm pressing against the discreet circular panel on the side. Watching it faintly illuminate in response, now imprinted with smudges of blood, she stepped back as the access hatch slid open, and a steel stairwell began unfolding, descending to the concrete rooftop beside her.
I don't even know if I've been successful yet. Did all those guys in the main hall even know their security force was being shot to death? Somebody had to have heard the gunfire or something. I don't know. Honestly I don't really care right now. Screw these people. Should have just barged in there and killed all of them... Or something. Probably would have been my end too but whatever.
Clambering up the stairwell, pausing to shift weight off her leg, she continued into the dark interior of the machine, being greeted by the screens inside displaying a variety of operational data. Slipping the strap of the PM-9 off and setting it onto the floor, she then shrugged off the backpack and dropped it aside in the same manner.
Sure glad you're still sitting here. If I went through all this just to come back to you being gone...
Kneeling down, a sharp reminder of her leg's injury forced a gasp from her lungs, blurring her vision again as she reached for the line of glowing numbers, fingers curling around the smooth metal base of the divergence meter.
Okay. Okabe said anything different from the number it showed back in Valkyrie was what I am trying to achieve.
Wiping her eyes, and dragging a manila folder closer with her other hand, she pried it open, finding a small slip of paper inside.
Let's see, back then it was... Zero point two one five. And now...
Looking at the object in her palm, her eyes panned across the numbers glowing inside the glass nixie tubes.
Zero, one, seven... Eight...?
Blinking, she stared at the device, vision clearing with a sudden surge of alarm.
[0.178146]
Looking at the number written on the paper, and the divergence meter in her palm, her heart plummeted, and her throat tightened after a swallow.
Oh god. Oh my god. It dropped lower and I'm... Ohhhhh gooddd.
Spiraling into a dizzying whirl of loss, she slumped back, setting the meter aside and weakly holding herself upright.
Oh no. Oh god no. The number decreased. I haven't achieved one percent divergence, and I haven't... Oh my god! I killed those people, I almost died, and I made the god damn number worse?!
Mouth hanging open, she shook her head for a moment, and then a cascade of tears began coursing from her eyes, dripping from her cheeks as she sat still, aching with pain.
I failed.
Blinking slowly, causing several more tears to drip from her chin, heavy breath slowly filtered in and out of her lungs.
I had one objective, and almost died doing it.
Sitting in a state of miserable dejection, her head slumped to the side, staring emptily at the bolts that held the chair to the floor.
I failed my mission.
Listening to the ambiance of the city outside, a faint buzzing sound slowly gave way to the repeated chopping of rotor blades, and after a moment of blinking, her head rose, realizing the sound was getting louder.
Is that...
Sitting upright and looking towards the open hatch with a moment of cognitive clarity, she gasped with a new rush of fear.
Ohh shit, that is definitely a helicopter, and I'm just a sitting duck right now!
Rising to her feet with alarm, her thumb jammed down onto the large button for the access hatch, and she watched as the stairs rose back up, concealing the fading daylight outside and muffling the helicopter as the external doors shut.
If there's a helicopter showing up, that could mean anything. If that's some kind of gunship too, I'm extra screwed. But if I just warp out of here, anyone that sees it happen is going to...
Pausing in thought, she looked towards one of the screens displaying a log of previously entered coordinates, and then the row of digits representing the current date and time.
You know what? If murdering a bunch of security guards doesn't make the future any better, then some jerk flying a chopper isn't going to change it either. Right now I just need to get the hell out of this place!
Stepping around and dropping onto the seat, she pressed several keys, highlighting one of the prior coordinate sets on the screen, and then looked upwards as the muffled helicopter outside grew louder. Heart racing, her index fingers poked at the keyboard in a hurried flurry of movement.
Ruka told me if I couldn't pull this off, to come back to Valkyrie in twenty-thirty-six if possible. Let's see, uhh... The travel log shows... Okay.
Shakily selecting the coordinates for Minatogaoka Futo Park, she quickly put in several digits for the month, day and year.
Has to be any point after I left to avoid a paradox. That's what Okabe told me. So we're shooting for... April. I think. Or was it May? I don't even remember the day. We'll just do May to be safe. May twenty fifth, uhh...
Brimming with adrenaline, she swallowed as the machine's mainframe prompted a confirmation to return to a previous way-point.
"Yes, that's where I want to go, dammit! Let's go!"
Beginning the hyper-flight sequence with a slam of her palm, the machine began whirring around her, and her breath grew labored with anxiety, only to be racked with G-forces assailing her in various directions.
Hoolllyyyy shhiiitttt we're going back to the future that I couldn't save from being screwed over!
Clutching the seat with both hands, her eyes watched the date rapidly cycle forward on the screen, heart racing as the counter passed the year 2025. Squinting at the small dots of light reflecting on the screens, her eyes narrowed at the sight, far from being curious about the phenomenon.
I sure hope nothing major has decided to change... Cause if I go back and there's no such thing as Valkyrie...
*WHUMP*
Being forcefully thrust downward as the time machine's landing gear found solid ground, the whirring sounds stopped, and the computer mainframe returned to its idle function, showing a log of successful travel onscreen. Eyes darting around, and then lowering to her hands clenching onto the sides of the seat, her grip relaxed, and she looked upwards as a different sound registered in her hearing.
Right... That was freaky. But I guess I made it, and now there's something else making noise above me.
Eying the date and time displayed, showing 5-25-2036-16:51, her chest deflated entirely, mind churning with uncertainty.
Now the question is... How the hell do I know if I'm back in my original future?
Peering down at the glow of the divergence meter laying on the floor, she turned in the chair, her boot moving outward and dragging it closer into view.
[0.000517]
Skin crawling, she stared at the last three digits on the tail end of several zeros.
Wow, that's... Way less than it first showed. But that would mean I'm close to where it started from... Right? It was at point-two something when I left Valkyrie the first time... But this is kinda worrying me. Why is it barely showing anything now?
Vision rising to the machine's hatch in front of her, her hand hesitantly pressed the large button on the panel again, and the doors began sliding open, allowing the stairs to unfurl from the hatch and revealing the sight, sound and smell of a pouring rainstorm outside.
Ah. Rain. That's what's going on out there.
A cool breeze swirled inside, meeting her face and arms, and she drew in a sampling of ozone, bringing her forward onto her feet in a limp towards the door. Bracing herself in the door frame with her arms, she cautiously peeked outside, greeted by raindrops splashing onto her face and hair. Looking down, streams of water carried away dead leaves scattered across faded paved bricks, and glancing around, unkempt trees and wild uncut grass surrounded several paths leading away from her position.
Well... If anything, this looks like the same park. But last time I was here, it was dark, and...
Throat locking, she looked up at the grey sky in realization.
Oh my god. If this is the right world line... She's got to be here. Somewhere!
Her heart ached sharply from the thought of seeing her only living friend again.
Kamiko... I left you behind, but maybe I'm back in your world again. I failed my mission. But I'm back. I have to be back!
Reaching up to her eyes and wiping away a fresh round of tears, she leaned against the frame, staring out into the rainfall and tingling with emotional resolve.
This has got to be the same world line... And if it is, I have got to find my way back to Valkyrie. Somehow.
Minatogaoka Futo Park, Tokyo, Japan; 05/25/2036; SERN East-Asia Time, 22:13p.m.
Digesting the last remaining container of rations, Suzuha sat on in the chair of FG204, lazily looking out of the open doorway to the darkness outside. Breathing in the odors of standing water and the ocean beyond, mixed with dust and decay of the former Japanese capitol, her skin tingled from the cool air, and the strange familiarity of the world she had temporarily left behind.
Weird to think I came back to this. Like I'd rather be in a shithole I'm familiar with. Not quite. I just tried to die changing everything. And now I'm running on the hope that I'll be welcomed back into Valkyrie after failing my only assignment... If it and its occupants even exist still.
Looking down at the machine-pistol that lay upon her lap, devoid of ammunition, a sigh seeped from her lungs.
...And while I'm backtracking on foot to this secret underground city, I get to carry around an empty gun. Awesome. Walking is already going to be a bitch with my leg being messed up.
Shaking her head, she then rose upright onto her feet.
"Might as well get started, huh?"
Stepping out and down onto the metal stairs, she pulled the backpack tighter on her shoulders, clipping the buckles together and tightening the straps. Descending onto the brick path, her boots shuffled through soaked rotting leaves, and she paused, turning to the time machine and looking at it with a steadily increasing sense of regret.
"Well, dad, I used your machine, but I didn't save the world like Okabe and everyone else wanted."
Walking over beside the stairwell, and looking up from one of the supporting legs, her fingertips pressed against the small circular panel, watching as it faintly glowed green in response. Beside her, the metal stairs began rising back into the hatch, and a curved steel panel slid over it, locking shut and sealing the interior of FG204 one last time.
"I went in and picked the wrong fight, got my ass kicked, and then shot everyone out of desperation and anger."
Taking several steps back, her gloved hand curled around the foregrip of the PM-9, and her head sank.
"I'm a coward, and I failed everybody. Including you. And I'm sorry."
Turning around, she exhaled heavily and began walking away from the time machine. Scrutinizing the dark surroundings of the park as she trudged through leaves, her boots splashed in and out of numerous puddles.
Guess I'm just leaving that thing behind. It sat here for years before I found it... Won't be any different now.
Peeking back at FG204 with finality, she slowly shook her head, continuing onward.
Whatever. If someone wants it, they can come get it. I'm done with this time travel mess.
Descending down several sets of steps on the brick paths, her leg produced several hints of pain, but she attempted to ignore it, hand clenching into a fist, only for her forearm to remind her of its own recovery.
Ugh. I'm pretty rough. I'm surprised my side isn't hurting as much as my damn leg... Only had a bullet go completely through my skin... Sure got lucky with that. Hopefully.
Grimacing, she peered ahead through the darkness of overgrown trees, and several breezes began shaking leaves free of water, sprinkling upon her as a result.
Yeah, funny. Didn't bother to wash myself in the rain earlier. Last time I showered was what, three days ago? I've gone longer than that...
Kicking aside a fallen branch, a small animal brushed through the foliage unseen, and her skin crawled from the sound.
Yep, nope. Don't even want to know what that was.
Hurrying her pace, only to slow into a limp seconds later, she exhaled with exasperation as the brick path rose upwards in another shallow set of steps.
Of course. Better just get used to this crap. Got a long ways to go on a messed up leg. Left foot, riiggghhhhttttt foot, yep, ouch. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. This sucks.
Cresting the stairs, the path widened ahead, and she hobbled onward, walking alongside a small inset channel flowing with draining water.
Huh.
Vision rising upwards, a large circular fountain appeared in the distance, and a flicker of recognition quickened her pace towards it.
Oh, look. There's that ugly metal spike-ball sculpture thing. Let's see... Past this courtyard area, this street heads to the... West?
Passing several derelict vending machines and a twisted bike rack, she stepped up to a rusting guardrail along the road, and looked down the road past several abandoned cars and trucks, seeing the wet pavement rise into the distance, glistening from the moonlight.
Yep. We came from that way last time. I remember.
Working over the low barrier, nostrils flaring from various aches of pain, she stepped out into the middle of the pavement, walking along the lines painted down the center.
God. If I get into a fight in my shape right now, I'm screwed.
Looking down at several lines of abandoned railcars and locomotives scattered under catenary, Suzuha slowly moved back to the center of the bridge, stepping around a disembodied bumper from one of numerous vans and trucks lining the sides in varying states of disrepair.
Okay. Right now I'm over the railway yard... So further ahead should be the canal, with that bridge we had a quick battle on.
Head rising up to the stars shining in the night sky, free of clouds and light pollution, her hands rose to her shoulders, fingers tucking beneath the straps of her backpack.
I can't believe I'm retracing my steps. I had an entire team dedicated to getting me to dad's time machine, and now I'm returning alone. I sure hope everyone that escorted me made it back safe...
Tingling with hope and uncertainty, ignoring the repeated ache rising up through her leg, she breathed deeply several times.
At least they had a competent commander in charge. Kamiko led that entire force rounding up everyone out in Yokohama... Tanks and trucks and a mob of rag tag civilians and soldiers.
Heart beating, memories filtered through her mind, picturing when she first encountered the slender and dark haired young woman, and an unexpected smile lifted her cheeks as she meandered down the road silently.
Heh. She dragged me out of harm's way and asked me if I knew what taking cover meant... That's kinda funny to think about now. She must have thought I was an idiot until my brain kicked into gear and I started kicking some ass.
Her smile widened into a grin.
Then she found out I was part of the JSDF forces before the invasion... And I think that's the point she figured I was actually useful. Then I told her about my dad helping start Valkyrie, and learned her dad was my dad's best friend, and her parents actively command the entirety of Valkyrie.
Shivering, she eyed her surroundings as she walked into the wide open expanse of a multi-lane intersection beyond the railway yard.
Man. Learning all that stuff was one bombshell after another. Our parents started the revolution against SERN... Built a time machine... And apparently intended for me to save the future. Even though I couldn't because I was thoroughly unprepared and murdered a bunch of people to keep myself from dying.
Shaking her head, she bit her lip.
I sure hope Okabe and Ruka were serious about allowing me to come back. At least I can say I tried, right? We found the damn time machine and I went to Akihabara, and then Beijing. I followed mission instructions and traveled through time. Who the hell else has done that besides Okabe? He can't act like what I did was easy and I was just being lazy. Who else has flown a time machine into the past, gotten shot at, and came back alive to tell the tale?
Eyebrows furrowing at nobody in particular, a huff of breath left her nose.
Exactly. I'm all done with this special assignment crap. I just want to be a soldier again, fighting for freedom. I'd rather be part of the actual fight than far away in a different time and place, where nobody knows or remembers what I've been through.
Looking down at her bosom, she watched the empty PM-9 bounce against her camouflaged shirt from her uneven stride.
You're still empty... Where the hell am I going to find nine millimeter ammunition?
Peering ahead, the road sank downward, being shrouded by dark overgrown foliage on both sides, and flashes of a previous firefight with a truckload of enemies met her mind's eye.
Yep. Where else do you find supplies? Gotta take them from somebody else first. Haven't even seen anybody else around here so I have no idea when that's going to happen...
Drifting over to the left-hand side of the street, moving diagonally across another intersection, she stepped around a low guardrail protecting the street corner. Moving alongside a fence paralleling the road, her right arm rose up, hand sliding along the top of the steel tubing.
Its weird to think I was all hopeful about a different future when I started this mission... Looking for the best in every situation, I guess. I was going to leave behind everything and everyone I knew, but the idea of a better future without the war and SERN was like some glimmering thing I was reaching for. Everything would turn out okay in an unfamiliar, different future.
Stepping over the segmented gaps in the concrete sidewalk, and moving past a rusty bus stop shelter, a low grunt left her lungs.
Ugh. Now that sounds silly. That's exactly what I hoped for and I got my ass kicked instead. All that wishful thinking does nothing if you aren't realistic about what you're trying to achieve.
Hearing a nearby voice, and then a lone set of footsteps, she inhaled with alarm and jumped aside into the trees, grimacing from the crunch and shuffle of dead leaves beneath her boots.
Shit. I knew somebody was out here, uhh...
Halting in the darkness among the foliage, she silently reached down, unclasping the baton from her belt. Listening as the footsteps grew closer, a distant voice shouted something to the closer individual, and she tensed up, gripping the melee weapon in her fist as her eyes searched the surrounding area with adrenaline-fueled paranoia.
"Yeah, hold on. Pretty sure I heard something over here, gimme a moment."
Skin crawling as a figure slowly trudged through branches and leaves, she then watched unnervingly as the figure walked past her, very obviously armed as he slowed his footfall with apprehension. Taking careful steps forward, attempting to match his pace, she crept up behind him, arm drawing back with energy and breath held tight as he unexpectedly halted.
*WHACK*
With hardly a sound besides the collision of the baton with the opponent's head, she lurched forward and planted her boot into his backside, sending him tumbling forward and landing face-first into the ground.
Holy hell. That was intense.
Stumbling back, painfully regaining balance with her injured leg, she looked over her shoulder, scanning for any further footfall from the nearby street. Taking obvious steps around the body laying the the ground, replicating his earlier careless movements, she then spotted a weapon strapped to his shoulder.
Ah ha... Don't mind if I do.
Snapping the baton back onto her belt and sinking down in an uncomfortable crouch, her hands reached out and lifted the firearm from the bed of leaves.
Oho, what's this? An MP5? I bet you're full of nine millimeter goodness...
Thumb pressing the magazine release, she slid the curved tube of stamped metal out from the weapon's receiver, and gently set the weapon back down, eyes widening from the obvious weight of bullets present.
Jackpot!
Looking aside, she rose upright, slipping the magazine into one of the empty pouches on her belt. Continuing onward, her eyebrows furrowed from the hideously loud shuffling of leaves around her boots, repeatedly looking over her shoulder.
Gonna blow my cover with all this noise... I'm out of here.
Hurrying her pace, and taking longer strides, she winced from a fresh round of complaints issuing from her leg as she bounded towards the bridge ahead. Discovering a previously unseen concrete path under her feet, she turned onto it and increased speed, rapidly approaching the road, and breaking temporarily into a full-out run as she rejoined the sidewalk and began across the four-lane bridge she was seeking.
Don't look back, just keep going... I'm ignoring you, leg. This is what you're designed to do even though you're in bad shape... Ouch. Ouch. Okay. You win. Slowing down... Dammit.
Breath growing increasing labored, she slowed to a hobbling limp, pressing onward past a derelict light pole mounted onto the viaduct.
Yeah. Can't do too much running. Damn this hurts. I'm sorry, me, just had to get away from that little situation earlier.
Eying another pole beyond, noticing the the bridge's railing curved outward around it, a small hiding place was suddenly realized. Shuffling over the steel pipes of the road's guardrail, she hunkered down, sitting down onto the dusty concrete and leaning back against the railing to catch her breath.
Here we go. Take five, leg. You've been through a lot, I know.
Closing her eyes, several sources of pain on her body throbbed with a dull ache, and a faint whimper drew out of her throat.
We've all been through a lot. But we can't give up yet.
Vision sinking down to the stubby machine-pistol, she then tugged the magazine of the MP5 from her belt, and her legs curled into a circle, creating an open space on the concrete in front of herself.
Let's see what we've got...
Thumb pressing against the back of the first bullet, she pushed it out, watching the glint of a brass casing drop into her palm below. Repeating this motion numerous times, she began setting the bullets onto the ground in a line.
Alright. This one's empty, and these are definitely nine millimeter. Hell yes.
Setting the MP5's magazine aside, her finger tapped each round, counting them mentally.
Twenty three. A lot better than nothing. That's almost half of the drum...
Chin lifting with a spark of memory, she shrugged the backpack off, tearing one of the zippers open, and after rummaging around through the various objects in its depths, a circular stamped steel object met her fingers, and she tugged it out, rediscovering the empty drum magazine, unused since it had previously run empty.
Yeah. Your time has come again, buddy.
Picking up each bullet one at a time, she began shoving them into the drum, listening to the faint squeak of the internal spring as it was compressed further inside with each additional round. Thumb growing sore from the steadily increasing resistance, she pushed the final bullet inside, ejected the straight magazine from the PM-9, and slid the drum cartridge inside with a flourish, smiling as it locked into the receiver with an obvious *click*.
Oh man. To hell with these straight magazines... I forgot how awesome this thing is.
Letting go of the weapon, her hands sank to the ground, and with a sharp grunt, she pushed herself upwards, rising back onto her feet. Head orbiting with a quick scan of her surroundings, she stepped forward onto the sidewalk and continued onward, listening to the quiet whisper of dirty canal water flowing beneath. Wiping her gloves onto her pants, her left hand curled around the foregrip of the PM-9, and her right hand tugged the action on the firearm back, prompting several clicks of metal internals engaging as a bullet rose from the magazine into the chamber. Releasing the slide, the mechanism locked forward, and half of a smile curled onto her cheek knowing the weapon was loaded and ready.
Alrighty. Passed the railway yard, and the canal, and now have a scrap of firepower again... Guess I'm not completely screwed.
Shuffling back over the guardrail and moving forward on the pavement, the suspended concrete and steel tracks of the Tokyo Monorail rose above her head. Then, with several additional steps taken, the metallic tinkle of a bullet casing caught her attention. Looking down from the sound, several lengthy impact marks scarred the otherwise smooth surface of the pavement, bringing her vision back upwards towards the buildings lining the road ahead.
This must be where we had that skirmish. One of them. They seem like a blur now. Been through so many firefights that they're starting to blend together.
Squinting at the dozens of structures ahead, with limitless potential hiding spots for opponents, a hesitant exhale turned into another shiver.
Yeah. Probably shouldn't walk down the middle of the street. Sure hope I remember where the hell I'm going too. I recognize the path so far... Guess I could grab the map sitting so conveniently in my backpack.
Looking up at the sky as the moon sat contently behind a bank of clouds, she shook her head, pressing onward.
Maybe in a little bit. The the only light source in this city decided to hide just as I planned on using it... Pretty sure I'm still heading straight west for a ways. I remember there being more bridges we went under.
Heeding her own warning, she moved closer to the sidewalk again, staring up towards the small balconies inset into the concrete walls rising beside her.
Tri-Net... Tokibo... Tri-Net again. Still don't know what these places are. Probably never will.
Watching the pavement widen into the expanse of another intersection ahead, she kept to the right, scanning the variety of abandoned vehicles lining the lanes around her.
Ugh. No cover besides the darkness. Better make this crossing quick. Over to that pedestrian bridge here we gooo...
Hustling into another run, readily gripping the PM-9 with both hands, she crossed the opposing lanes, brushing past a sedan with its trunk sitting open. Slowing down under the shadow of the small bridge above, she inhaled sharply from the expected resurgence of pain shooting up through her leg.
Yep, yep, ouch, I know. Didn't go as long as last time. You'll be fine.
Hobbling further forwards, her eyes took in the silhouettes of numerous trees in a planter dividing the lanes, watching with a moment of interest as their leaves rustled from a wayward breeze.
You guys are doing fine... Must be the rain. Nature doesn't need humanity to survive. But we sure need it... Whatever is left of it.
South Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo, Japan; 05/26/2036; SERN East-Asia Time, 00:02a.m.
Walking under the thick concrete spans of a railway bridge, Suzuha's head rose upwards as she emerged from the shadow, studying several tall apartments rising high into the air around her. Then, head tilting to the left, she blinked, noticing the open expanse of a suspiciously familiar park, with a playground set sitting among several other trees.
Boy, if I didn't know any better...
Pulling her backpack off her shoulder, she proceeded towards the playground, fumbling with the zipper, and pausing for a moment to lift the manila folder out of its depths. Pulling it open, several mission papers and the booklet of her father's will appeared under the moonlight, and a sigh left her lungs as she flipped through them, finding the folded map within. Taking another glance at her eerily silent surroundings, she peered closer to the dated satellite views of Tokyo's Shinagawa and Ota wards.
Okay. So the first park was near the harbor. To the right. That's east, so heading away from the coast would be west... And there's the railway yard. And the park. Alright. So I've been heading west on this road... Crossed the canal... Must have already passed that oval thing... Jeez. That's already a decent distance from where I started.
Finger dragging along, and pausing as the moon hid behind a lone cloud for a moment, she squinted at the paper, waiting until it slowly regained detail in the dim light.
Let's see. There's a big road on the left. Diiachi-Keihin... Yes. Going south, it follows the Keikyu rail line. That means... Yep. There's the railway bridge next to me... And this park right here. I remember now.
Head turning back to the elevated rail line, a fuzzy memory of the electric personnel carrier appeared in her mind's eye, tucked beneath the bridge's spans.
Man. I definitely remember that now. A free ride most of the way here... And now I'm walking back. Nobody even knows I'm here, so its not like there's going to be another transport patiently waiting...
Looking back down at the map, and then back at the vacant avenue in front of her, she slowly folded the folder shut, shoving it into her backpack and zipping it up.
Turning left here, and heading south. Right on. At least I'm not lost... Yet.
Pulling the straps of her backpack over her shoulders and snapping the buckles together, she pressed forward, gloved hands gripping the PM-9 and lifting it upwards.
Haven't encountered anyone besides that one guy earlier. If anything's been going on in my absence... It hasn't been around here.
Stepping around the corner of the sidewalk bordering the children's park, she peered into the distance, seeing numerous multi-story structures rising along the avenue in a gentle curve to the left.
Haven't heard any gunfire, only heard two voices... The less people I encounter on this journey, the better.
Looking down at the firearm in her hands, she tilted the weapon sideways and momentarily studied the glint of moonlight reflecting off the etched, oily steel.
And if I do come across any SERN grunts... You my friend, will have something to say about it.