Chapter 2: The Box

Taikei was led to the barracks where he encountered the same Beetle-Like creature that shocked him along with a girl who had curly short red hair and light blue eyes. Taikei stepped back a bit and Moriymoto pushed him in "get to know your teammates and I'll be back for you in ten minutes". Taikei stood awkwardly as did the girl and the creature, Taikei decided to speak up "so...that was quite a shock you gave me" the creature looked up at Taikei and tried to respond but the girl stopped it "it's name is Tentomon and he's my partner, I'm Aiko Virtanen and I'm second in command of this unit" she stuck her hand out in a gesture of hospitality and Taikei grabbed and shook it. Suddenly a voice from the back of the barracks rang out "so this is the special recruit the Director told us about".

Taikei looked over Aiko's shoulder to see who's voice it was to see a person standing there with their arms crossed, they had jet black hair done up in a chonmage style, their eyes were purple in color and they had a slender build. Taikei couldn't tell if they were male or female so he left it alone "the name's Akira Koitsuchi" Taikei made a mental sigh "that didn't help" he thought to himself. Suddenly a voice from behind him spoke to him "Akira is female" Taikei then blurted out "oh well that clears things- wait a minute!" Taikei looked behind him to see another girl standing behind him with long golden hair and bright pink eyes "Jeez!" He uttered as he jumped back. Akira interjected "this is our Bright, her name is Fuyumi and she's a bit...quirky" Taikei responded "okay, but what's a Bright?" Aiko answered "a Bright is a person who sees Digital Waves in people and can even read thoughts and minds, some people have barely any Digital Waves while others like us have Waves that are large and frequent enough to resonate with Digimon" Taikei nodded but he was still confused.

Akira approached Taikei and inspected him "tall, fit, a bit on the angsty teenager side but still fit to be a DATS Agent" Aiko added on "but you already know what makes a DATS Agent don't you Leader?" Akira snapped her fingers in realization and added onto her statement "and above all else, you have to be ruthless, quick on your feet, and ready to complete a mission by any means neccessary" Taikei felt a chill run down his spine as he heard that. Fukumiya felt Taikei's anxiety and doubt but said nothing, a knock at the door broke the conversation and the door opened to reveal the woman from the elevator "Ms. Aizawa, you're here to get this guy fitted?" Akira asked with Ms. Aizawa nodding and motioning for Taikei to follow her.

Taikei followed Aizawa, the walls were lined with screens and there were rooms filled with people on computers typing away, Aizawa led him to a door that opened to reveal a massive closet lined with suits that the other operatives wear. Aizawa finally spoke "go ahead and choose a suit" Taikei practically skipped into the closet to his size and found a black and blue suit and vest. Taikei went into the changing room and tried the suit on "a perfect fit" he mumbled to himself as he stepped out with an approving thumbs up from Aizawa "now let's meet up with your partner" Taikei began to feel elated.

Aizawa led him to a large automatic door that opened to reveal multiple Digimon on tables getting examined and others enjoying a hot meal, Taikei looked around frantically and saw the same blue creature he was taking care of sitting on a table, the creature spotted Taikei and rushed to him hugging his legs "hey little guy, you look good considering all that happened" the creature responded "I feel great! Can't remember anything except you feeding me and taking a poop underneath your bed but other than that I feel like doing something!" Taikei smiled and Aizawa explained "this particular Digimon species is named Veemon, exceptionally rare and massive untapped potential" Taikei petted Veemon "we'll do our best" Veemon nodded and Aizawa smiled "well, you'll be pleased to know that I have one more surprise for you" she presented a briefcase and opened it, inside was a small blue and white device that had three face buttons, a small backlit screen, and a ring at the bottom "what's this?" Taikei asked as he picked up the device, Aizawa answered him "this is a Digivice, it functions as a communicator, a GPS, and if you use your DNA Charge you can power up your Digimon" Taikei looked at her and kept questioning "what's a DNA Charge?" Aizawa laughed and said "you'll learn later, for now you are wanted by the Director for briefing of your first mission". Taikei was confused "mission? Aren't I supposed to train first?" Aizawa responded "this mission is a simple one, no combat involved but you will be tested on your ability to complete a mission in a quick and orderly manner, make sure to impress and follow that hallway to the briefing room" she motioned to a hallway leading to a room with a massive screen and Moriymoto was sitting at a large desk at the back of the room.

Taikei made his way to the room and stood there when he noticed the other operatives from the barracks were with him, Moriymoto addressed them while a map appeared on the screen behind him displaying a sort of underground facility "Agents, this mission will take you into an abandoned lab owned by the regular DATS to retrieve a package that was left there in an evacuation, it has sensitive materials that we don't want falling into the wrong hands, you will load up and deploy in five minutes so steel your nerves and get this mission done in a swift and prderly fashion" Moriymoto glared at Taikei and Taikei felt intimidated.

Taikei and the others entered an armored vehicle in the hangar and took off to the lab. When they arrived Taikei breathed in and out to calm himself and exited the vehicle and followed the others into the underground lab, the dust was so thick it impaired the visibility. Taikei covered his mouth and maneuvered through the lab, there were spoiled lunches scattered across the cafeteria, the smell almost caused Taikei and Veemon to almost throw up "not here buddy" Taikei stated with a vigorous nod from Veemon. As Taikei and Veemon made their way through the lab Taikei felt a tingling in his head, like static in his brain. Veemon looked into a room and called for Taikei "Taikei come look! I think I found it!" Taikei followed and looked inside to see a large sealed box, it was black and metallic looking with strange symbols on it.

Taikei moves towards it and inspected the large box "what's in here that's so important?" Taikei muttered as he ran his hand across the box "no dust" he stated with Veemon going to the opposite side of the box and knocking on it. Taikei backed up a bit and was about to speak into his Digivice when a high pitched signal in the back of his head stopped him from doing so, his eyes dialated a bit as he adjusted to the signal in his head, a voice Taikei knew was coming from the box was getting louder an clearer until Taikei could pick out phrases "DANGER, OPEN, WATCH OUT, BAD MEN, TRUST NOT THEM, DANGEROUS, SECRETS, VIRUS" the Digivice Taikei was holding started beeping and he answered, it was Aiko "Taikei, did you find the package?" Taikei stood there for a solid minute with Aiko constantly asking "Agent Nakamura do you copy? Have you secured the package?" Taikei finally answered "negative...I haven't found it, we should keep going further down" Aiko responded "affirmative, keep checking the top floor, we will check the floors below" Taikei put his Digivice in his pocket and looked around for something to pry the box open, he found a crowbar covered in dust and picked it up "this had better be worth it" he stated as he jammed the crowbar into the opening of the box and began to pry it open.

The box lid became loose and with one fast movement the lid flew off and Taikei fell backwards letting go of the crowbar. Taikei quickly got up and snuck towards the box where he peered inside, there seemed like nothing until a pair of golden glowing eyes looked back at him and it made him jump back, he flashed his flashlight to see a girl standing there, her hair was short and platinum colored and she just stood inside the box, she looked at Taikei and spoke "I'm glad you listened, but now you might be in trouble now" suddenly his Digivice began to speak "attention all Agents, Taikei Nakamura is as of this point expurgated from DATS and Outsiders effective immediately, additionally, Delta Squad has the orders to terminate Taikei Nakamura and Digimon Veemon with extreme prejudice".

Taikei paused, the blood in his face was near non-existant when he heard the orders and Veemon showed a clear face of fear, the girl sighed and got out of the box "we need to go" she said as she ran down the hallway, Taikei quickly followed with the voices of the other operatives trailing behind them "Taikei kept pace with the girl and asked her questions "who are you? Why am I to be terminated? Why were you in that box?" The girl stayed silent and Taikei tried to threaten her "I'll stop if you don't tell me who you are!" The girl responded "your funeral if they catch you, they can make it look like an accident" Taikei made a gulp sound and kept following her "can I atleast know your name?" She finally answered "Keiko".

Taikei got ahead of her and kicked the door to the lab open and both of them ran out, the driver ran towards them and Taikei shouted "Veemon get him!" Veemon nodded and rocketed towards the driver, with a powerful headbutt the driver was knocked into the side of the vehicle. Taikei and Keiko stopped and turned around to see the others surface "Tentomon, Plan A-3" Tentomon confirmed the order with a blast of electricity thst destroyed the armored vehicle so they couldn't escape. Taikei and Keiko dove out of the way and Veemon moved into action by jumping up and double axe handling Tentomon into the ground. Akira pulled out her Digivice and pointed it forward "Impmon Materialize!" Her Digivice screen began to glow and a small creature emerged from it, the creature was imp-like and was purple and white with a red scarf "Engage!" Akira shouted with Impmon cracking its knuckles and summoning a ball of fire between its hands and fired it, the fireball missed while Veemon rushed so fast Impmon couldn't see it, with a flash of blue, Veemon right hooked Impmon so hard that it was blown across the ground and into the wall connected to the entrance of the lab creating skidmarks along the way.

Keiko put her hand on Taikei's shoulder "follow me" she said as she too off, Taikei followed her and called for Veemon and Veemon confirmed running after them. Keiko stopped in a clearing and muttered "it's gone" Taikei looked at her and asked "what does that mean?" Keiko turned around and answered in a defeated voice "my ship, it must've been appropriated by DATS" Taikei sat back on the dirt "so we have no hope of escaping huh?" He asked with Keiko closing her eyes to confirm her agreement.

Meanwhile

Akira and Aiko tended to their Digimon "that Veemon is strong" Aiko stated, Akira said nothing as she helped Impmon to its feet, Impmon held the back of its head and rubbed it. Tentomon held its stomach and was limping "Master Aiko, Veemon is too strong, I reccommend Digivolution or else we won't win against him or Taikei" Tentomon was cut off by Akira "I agree! Let's wipe that traitor off the face of the planet and delete that Veemon for good!" Akira twirled her Digivice in her hand and purple data began covering her left hand "DNA Charge!" She then slammed her hand on top of the Digivice and pointed it toward Impmon where it started to morph "Impmon Digivolve to...Wizardmon!" Impmon had become a wizard-like creature with a staff that had the symbol of a sun on it. Aiko sighed and gave in "fine, Tentomon prepare yourself" Aiko's left hand swirled with red data "DNA Charge!" she placed her hand on the Digivice and Tentomon began to Digivolve "Tentomon Digivolve to...Kabuterimon!" Tentomon Digivolved into a large skinny blue beetle. Akira cracked her knuckles "let's rock".

Taikei and Keiko sat in the dirt "so we just sit here and wait to die?" Taikei asked with Keiko sighing "no, well maybe, depends on how pissed Moriymoto is at me and you" Taikei looked at her with a perplexed look "you know the Director?" Keiko laughed at him "is that what he goes by now? He was only a cadet when I was there" Taikei shook his head in confusion "wait, you were an operative?" Keiko nodded "since this might be the end I might aswell spill the secrets, I was a member of Alpha Team, infact, I'm the only Alpha Tean operative left" Keiko began to sulk "we were the best of the best, our members were strong, efficient, and were willing to get any mission done by any means necessary, our team consisted of Dante Takasaki, he was our leader, Miori Ito, and Isadora McDonald who became Isadora Ito after she got married to Miori...and then there was me, the Bright" Keiko began digging her foot in the dirt in deep thought when a lightning bolt struck in between Taikei and Keiko. Taikei was blown back but gained his composure quickly to see Akira and Aiko with their Digimon "so this is what Aizawa meant by a power up for Digimon".

Akira walked forward "it ends here Taikei, sorry we can't take prisoners, I was beginning to like you" Taikei scratched his head "but we hadn't interacted much" Akira sucked her teeth "you really don't know how to banter do you?" Taikei shook his head "no, but I do know how to fight" Taikei and Veemon nodded at eachother and Veemon rushed while dodging energy blasts from the two Digimon, Veemon sprung forward and headbutted Wizardmon in the midsection causing it to slide backwards. Veemon disappeared again and quickly begam climbing up Kabuterimon, it got up to its horn and began punching it repeatedly in the head but its helmet-like head armor was too thick, Veemon thought quickly and swung onto Kabuterimon's horn gaining enough momentum to dropkick Kabuterimon making it stagger. Akira clenched her teeth "Wizardmon blast em into dust!" Wizardmon nodded and shot frantically while Kabuterimon struggled to get Veemon off. Wizardmon finally hit its mark shocking Veemon but by proxy Kabuterimon felt the blast aswell making them both fall to the ground "Yes!" Akira exclaimed while Aiko shot her a dirty look.

Taikei sprang into action and managed to pull Veemon from below Kabuterimon "you okay buddy?" Taikei asked, Veemon nodded but it was clear he was injured "I'm fine boss, just gotta walk it off" Taikei looked up and responded grimly "I don't think you'll be able to walk it off" Veemon looked where Taikei was looking and saw Wizardmon pointing its staff at Taikei and Veemon "oh..." Veemon uttered as Wizardmon charged another blast. Suddenly Keiko stepped up and grabbed Akira's Digivice from her belt, Akira attempted to get it back but was quickly subdued by Keiko, she then pressed a combination of buttons and Wizardmon degenerated into Impmon, she then activated the communicator "hey Moriymoto, or The Director as this young operative has told me, how about a transport to pick us up, or do you not want to know how to stop the Virus?" There was no response in which Keiko shrugged and gave Akira back her Digivice. Akira was about to Digivolve Impmon again before Moriymoto interrupted by a surprise order "Agents Koitsuchi and Virtanen, stand down, we're sending a transport to pick you up along with the three that are currently with you". Akira stood there and stuttered not knowing what to do and just threw her Digivice to the ground in frustration while Aiko adjusted her glasses pretending to get it but she didn't.