JackalGod: I know it's been forever but I've finally updated this story. I had slightly altered the plotline so I've made some alterations to past chapters. Nothing huge but you might wanna reread. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and thanks for not coming after me with pitchforks.
When Sousuke woke up, he was lying in a bed with clean white sheets. Groaning slightly he sat up and looked around, almost immediately a nurse walked over
"I see you're awake Mr. Sagara. I'll inform Commander Mardukas." with that she turned on her heal and left. A moment later Mardukas was storming into the room and over to Sousuke
"Have you lost your mind!? How could you have led that man into the MITHRIL base without figuring out he was the enemy."
"I'm sorry Sir!" stammered Sousuke knowing he was in trouble
"Sorry hardly makes up for the information stolen from the data bank!" snapped Mardukas "That said we have no idea what data was stolen or how much"
"Umm, Sir the data that was stolen was all the information on me and the AS I pilot Sir" said Sousuke
"How do you know."
"Because Suzuhara had me transfer it Sir." said Sousuke his head down
"I see. Why would he want the information on you?"
"Because Suzuhara is a mercenary hired by Gauron to get the information."
"And you just led him into the base did you?"
"I'm sorry Sir. I really screwed up, never in my life have I made such a series of fatal errors."
"You've endangered everyone on this base including yourself. You've allowed a dangerous terrorist to obtain your own information. Do you realise we can no longer allow you to participate in any mission involving Gauron."
"But Sir!" cried Sousuke
"He has all the information on your AS now, do you realise how much of a disadvantage it puts you? I for one would never allow you to risk a mission involving him"
"Yes Sir." replied Sousuke feeling depressed
"Once you're discharged the Captain wants to speak with you." said Mardukas before leaving the room
"I have a feeling she doesn't have anything good to say" sighed Sousuke
A day later Sousuke was allowed to leave the infirmary. Once he was out he went straight to the Captain's office and knocked softly on the door
"Mr. Sagara is that you?" came the familiar voice
"Yes Mam" replied Sousuke
"Well come in then." Sousuke gulped slightly before opening the door and walking in. There was quite an amount of paper work on the Captains desk but at a closer inspection, it was all the hard copies of the data Suzuhara had stolen.
"You wanted to see me Madam Captain?" asked Sousuke already knowing the answer
"Yes I did. Please take a seat." said Tessa with a small sigh watching Sousuke as he slid into the chair in front of her desk "What you did was moronic at best."
"I apologise Madam Captain. I've never done something so stupid in my entire life..."
"I know which is why you're not suspended. However, this is a big problem. We need to find out who this person is; did he give you a name?"
"Masataka Suzuhara. Chidori and Shinji know him as well, he turned up in our class a little more than a week ago and told me he was my superior in MITHRIL and that he'd come to meet Chidori. Though he never did talk to her much."
"Anything else?"
"He got a little worried when we caught Shinji eavesdropping on our conversation. Which reminds me I haven't seen Shinji since."
"You haven't?" said Tessa a look of worry on her face
"Well that said it was only a day and a half really." said Sousuke "He might be fine."
"I'll have someone confirm his whereabouts" said Tessa "Now Commander Mardukas said that this mercenary had been hired by Gauron. Is this true?"
"It's what he said." said Sousuke "He said he was part of a group similar to MITHRIL that manages hiring mercenaries."
"I see so he was just doing his job then." said Tessa thinking it over "At any rate it would be wise to find him, we may be able to get information on Gauron from him."
"But Madam Captain." said Sousuke "How would we get him here without him being worried about being killed or something?"
"He's a mercenary we'll simply hire him." replied Tessa as if it were the most obvious answer
"Well yes I suppose but will he accept the job or not?" pondered Sousuke out loud
"He's a mercenary. Offer him enough money and he'll do the job. I'll have someone locate this group he's with"
"Is there anything you want me to do?"
"If he turns up again inform someone immediately." said Tessa "Other than that no. You may go."
"Yes mam." said Sousuke before saluting and walking out. Once he was gone Tessa sighed
"I have a bad feeling about all this. I just hope I'm wrong."
Chidori yawned widely as she walked into school. Kyoko was standing next to her with her handy dandy camera!
"Did you stay up late watching movies again Kaname?" she asked
"I know I shouldn't but there have been so many great weekend movies on recently." said Chidori with another yawn
"You need to get more sleep Kaname I noticed your grades have been dropping."
"What are you my mother?" asked Chidori a little annoyed "I'm fine. I'll admit I should be studying a little more but it's not going to kill me."
"Just be careful Kaname or you'll come down with a fever." warned Kyoko before changing her shoes at the lockers
"I suppose. I'm glad that Sousuke hasn't blow up the lockers today." said Chidori walking with her friend to their class. Sousuke was already there a scowl on his face and he glanced around the room as if looking for something
"What are you doing Sousuke?" asked Chidori putting her bag down
"I'm keeping an eye out for Suzuhara." said Sousuke
"Will you give it a rest with him. He's not evil he's just a normal kid." said Chidori shrilly pulling out her fan but Sousuke wouldn't back down
"Negative Chidori. Suzuhara claimed to me a normal person to you but to me he said he was a Lieutenant from MITHRIL. It was a lie Chidori and he used my trust to break into MITHRIL and steal important information."
"No way." said Chidori not wanting to believe it
"Affirmative Miss Chidori. He was a mercenary hired by Gauron to obtain information about me and my AS" continued Sousuke
"That bastard!" cursed Chidori "And after I went to all that trouble trying to convince you he was a decent guy."
"It's alright Miss Chidori" said Sousuke "I was fooled to. I don't really expect him to turn up today after what happened but still if he does show then I can contact MITHRIL."
"But Sousuke, didn't you say he was a Mercenary?" asked Chidori
"I did but why does that matter?"
"Because he was just doing his job." said Chidori "I won't condone what he did but technically he had no choice."
"Yes I know Miss Chidori, but I'm not looking for him so I can kill him. The Captain wants to hire him so we can get information on Gauron and his AS. I believe it's fair trade don't you?"
"Yes actually that does make sense. If I see him anywhere I'll let you know."
"Thankyou."
After school Chidori was heading home when she got that weird feeling that she was being followed. She paused and looked behind her, but there was no one
"Probably just Sousuke making sure I'm okay." thought Chidori to herself, turning back around and coming face to face with Suzuhara who clamped a hand over her mouth before she could scream
"Miss Chidori, please don't scream." pleaded Suzuhara slowly lowering his hand. The second he did so Chidori hit him over the head with her fan
"You bastard! How could you do that to Sousuke!?"
"I'm sorry." groaned Suzuhara pulling himself off the floor, rubbing his head "But don't worry Gauron didn't get the information I stole."
"How come?" asked Chidori confused
"Well you see it kinda happened like this."
FLASH BACK
"Even though you screwed up more than once you recovered the objective Sergeant." said Suzuhara's Commander
"Umm, thank you Sir, ah, I think." said Suzuhara standing in front of the desk
"The client will be here any moment to pick up the item. Please don't say anything stupid to him." said the Commander with a sigh
"You can count on me Sir." said Suzuhara enthusiastically
"So this is the brat you sent to get the info I wanted?" said Gauron walking into the room so suddenly that Suzuhara jumped slightly "Bit jumpy aren't you."
"Hectic day." replied Suzuhara "But I have your item here." Suzuhara pulled the disk out of his pocket and showed it to Gauron who grinned
"Now for our fee..." began the Commander
"What fee?" asked Gauron pulling out a gun "I intend to walk out of here. You little club charges far to much and I don't feel like paying."
"No fee no item." snapped Suzuhara without thinking
"Sergeant mind your tongue!" exclaimed the Commander
"But Sir, he's ripping us off." replied Suzuhara "I can't just let him do that."
"You'll find that it's quite easy, when your life is on the line." said Gauron cocking the gun and pointing it at Suzuhara who didn't even bat an eyelid.
"You'll have to do more than that," said the Commander calmly "Suzuhara doesn't fear death."
"Is that so?" asked Gauron getting interested
"Yes it is, now our agreed upon fee or no information." said Suzuhara seriously "We don't do charity after all."
END FLASH BACK
"So what did you do?" asked Chidori
"When he refused I snapped the disk in half." replied Suzuhara "But don't worry, I had another copy that I plan on giving back to Sousuke. Cause you see after Mr. Gauron left I received new orders."
FLASH BACK
"You want me to what!?" exclaimed Suzuhara in shock "Lieutenant Midou you have to be kidding!
"These orders come directly from our Unit Captain." replied Midou "So don't screw this up!"
"Yes Sir." sighed Suzuhara "What are my orders?"
"Return to the school and assist Sergeant Sousuke Sagara with his mission. It's an apology for our attack on MITHRIL"
"Sir are you out of your mind!?" exclaimed Suzuhara "That boy brings grenades and machine guns to school, he'll kill me the second he sees me!"
"It seems as though your brief visit with normal school life has made you forget how to behave in front of your superior officers Sergeant Suzuhara!" growled Midou "Do you need to be retrained in this area
"Sir no Sir!" exclaimed Suzuhara "I formally apologise Sir, I was way out of line Sir!"
"Better. Now you will not make our Unit look bad, do you understand. If you make me, your supervisor, look bad I will personally stuff you into a torpedo tube and blast you to kingdom-come! Am I clear!"
"Sir yes Sir!" cried Suzuhara shaking slightly
END FLASHBACK
"So in other words if you screw this up you're gonna get demoted?" summed Chidori
"Demoted? I'll probably end up getting transferred to Captain Fudou's Unit." said Suzuhara depressed
"Fudou?"
"Yeah, he runs a Unit of miscreants that are valuable to the organisation, because of talent or skills, but aren't what you call modal soldiers." explained Suzuhara "I'm not as good at my work as I'd like to be. I mean I get the job done, so I'm good in that sense but I have a short temper and I get into fist fights a lot with my peers. Getting transferred to Fudou's Unit is my nightmare."
"Sounds rough. So you'll be helping Sousuke?" asked Chidori
"Helping's not quite the word. We may be the same rank but Sagara will be telling me what to do. So in this instance he's my superior." explained Suzuhara "Seeing as I'm here do you want me to walk you home? I won't need to see Sagara 'till tomorrow and I've got nothing better to do."
"That's fine, I'm sick of standing here anyway." said Chidori with a nod and they both headed off together "Sorry about hitting you before."
"Nah, I deserved it anyway." said Suzuhara sheepishly. They soon arrived at Chidori's apartment "Well I'll see you at school tomorrow them Miss Chidori."
"See you." said Chidori before going inside. Out in the street Suzuhara sighed loudly
"I am so dead!"