Chapter 13: Other parties
02:03 AM (Frankfurt Time), Tuesday June the 21st…
"… Is all ready, Axe Man?"
"Ready, sir."
"Go. The mission has begun!"
"Roger, sir!"
Present was standing in the rooftop of an apartment block and next to a phone signal broadcasting antenna: the mole of the European Central Bank could be seen not too far from there.
"Hmpf. Europe will be filled with terror and fear!"
He looked on through the Link PET's screen: Axe Man made it in front of a large firewall and slipped through the open TCP/IP Port 80: he reached a round hall built around a large cylindrical structure.
"The outer rim… Minor-level operations are handled from here like we found out during our infiltration of the building's systems… Time to jump into Stage 2… Disguise Program: Activate!" Present commanded.
Axe Man was surrounded by a white glow and adopted the form of a large-build security Navi: he headed towards one gateway guarded by another two.
"I've got orders from the high levels to supervise Sector BC – 13: there's some faulty ACL programming there which has to be updated or else it could become an entrance way for intruders." Axe Man told them as he formed a 3D display.
"Get in, then. The sooner we fix it, the better." One of them nodded in agreement.
They synchronized and pressed two levers to unlock the gateway: Axe Man headed inside and then spotted a second, thinner cylinder structure about a hundred meters further in: spotlights were scanning the area and patrols of up to four security Navis watched each gateway.
"Center level… As expected: there's not a single square millimeter left unchecked…" Axe Man muttered.
He headed over to one gateway and displayed a holographic screen with some data on it.
"Ah! The security senior sends you… As expected: he never sleeps when there are abnormalities. Come inside." One of them nodded in approval.
They pressed their right hands against four small cylindrical columns which shone with a green light and sunk on the ground: the gateway opened and the disguised Axe Man reached a new sector: the center of it was a spheroid with just four entrances each supervised by six security Navis: Mega Cannons were set everywhere and so were laser fences which formed three layers between the entrance and the spheroid.
"The core level… That's where the vaults are at." He muttered.
"Don't worry: I secured an ID to access that, too." Present whispered.
He headed over to the north entrance and displayed his ID data.
"What! Vault #11 has a faulty lock design which makes it unable to fully close… It must be repaired before someone in the high levels gets a hold of it and heads roll across the ground…! Go in!" One gasped once he read the note.
They lifted their right palms so that six sensors arranged in a circle above the gateway read them: a green OK symbol showed in the air and both doors unlocked: Axe Man moved inside and soon found the vault rooms built on different floors: eight Navis guarded each one and there wasn't a single millimeter which wasn't being supervised.
"The core section… Vault #11 is on the 2nd floor." Present whispered.
Axe Man headed over to it and displayed his credentials to the group of security Navis.
"Ah! So you're in charge of repairing it. About time! It'd seem whoever upgraded it was either drunk or lazy! It gets stuck 80% of the time. Check it out from the inside and fix it." The lead Navi sighed in relief.
The door opened and got stuck half-way open: Axe Man entered and began to work on it while he discreetly glanced at the boxes of Cyber Money stacked inside of the vault.
"Stage 3." Present ordered.
He inputted some commands and dialed a phone number: he let it ring until someone picked it up.
"Hermann! About time you called. I'm fed up with having to do the night shift and having to go over that unbalance of money in Vault #28! By the way! Are you working on fixing Vault #11?" Someone asked.
"Yeah. I've sent the security Navi under my charge there. By the way… I wanted to tell you: I've seen weird persons following you. Are you sure you haven't done anything weird?" Present asked him.
"Well… Dunno… Oh! Maybe that party of five days ago… I know I drank too much and babbled too much in that pub: someone might be trying to abduct me to ask for a ransom, even!" The voice on the other end groaned.
"Oh man. I always knew you tended to get into more than one mess, Kebert… Anyway…" Present shrugged.
An alarm was heard on the other end of the line: Kebert uttered something undecipherable and began to type at a mad speed into a computer.
"Hermann! I can't believe this!" He yelled.
"Calm down! What's going on?"
"A Virus army has slipped inside of Level 3, just outside the vaults…! They came from the inside! Someone has hijacked my office's phone and used it to allow them in from another office! Those gangsters! They infiltrated a spy inside of the bank!" Kebert gasped.
"What did you say? That's impossible!" Present feigned indignation.
"Damn! They're overpowered! Some of the core section guards have had to come out to support them!"
"Damn."
He glanced at his Link PET's screen: Axe Man picked two containers and replaced them with identical ones: he then came out and fixed the door before heading over to a warp point: he transferred into another Cyber World and then opened a VPN tunnel: he returned inside of the Link PET and saluted.
"Kebert! I'm on my way there. Try to handle it somehow! I'll call for the Net Police's help!" Present told him.
"Yeah! Don't take long!" Kebert replied.
The line went dead and Present let out a small chuckle.
"It was so easy… One million credits stolen off the European Central Bank: both Kebert and the real Hermann will fall under suspicion and they will be accused of setting up a plot to steal the money and split it fifty-fifty! The investigation will find out the security Navi headed to Hermann's office and used his VPN to come back at his apartment building! And the antenna's records can't be erased, so… Even if Hermann claims he didn't use the computer in the whole night they won't believe him. It'll have become the century's robbery!" Present muttered.
"Priest – sama's strategy is a success, sir." Axe Man saluted as he reverted out of his disguise.
"Fine. Let's head back." Present chuckled.
He ran down the fire stairs into the street and jumped into his motorbike to then escape the area.
"By the way. You made sure no-one trailed us?" Present asked.
"Of course, sir. I did use Spark Bees and other Viruses to scout the area in a wide radius. I also altered sensors to hide my presence, sir."
"Well done. We must make sure Twilight doesn't trail us to the HQ."
"Roger, sir. Please leave it up to me, sir."
"Counting on you, Axe Man. For now… Let's get back to Japan…"
09:48 AM (Japan Time)…
"… Hello."
"Oh. You're…"
Omega was sitting on the public benches of the Internet City Stadium when a Navi approached him from the right
"Ah! Colonel: Barrel Tai-sa's Net Navi… Military Net Navi of the Ameroupe Army… A visitor from the past… It's been a while. What's up?" Omega greeted in a whisper.
"I've been monitoring Rama. I just found out that the Navi known as Axe Man was in Frankfurt until a little while ago…" Colonel announced.
"Axe Man in Frankfurt…? I'm sure they did something over there: I don't see as the types to go somewhere in vain… And it's not even 03:00 AM in there…" Omega muttered aloud.
"I'm sure they're linked to the flash news circulating the area about Viruses hitting a bank… The European Central Bank, it was named, if I'm not mistaken…"
"No way! The ECB has the highest in security… Its levels of security make our own HQ's security look down-grade in comparison! Any Viruses would be annihilated before making it inside of the outer rim, even!"
"I'm not sure how they did it, but… I'm sure they'll skillfully diver the blame to someone else." Colonel sighed.
"Yeah. That Present guy looks like he's cut for that kind of jobs: he must be the one with most coolness and calmness."
"So it'd seem… By the way… I've noticed Destruction Man investigating the student list of a school… Akihara Middle School… He seemed to have an interest in Class 3-A…" He added.
"The twins' class…! And if he was searching for Octopus – han, then… He must've overheard rumors about them knowing something…"
"…"Twins"…? Oh. Rock Man's Operator has a brother, then?"
"Yeah. But he didn't get any of the fame 'cause he was hospitalized back then and it's not like he minds it." Omega quickly replied.
"Hum. I know even the Pentagon was interested in locating that man from a while ago… Apparently they assume they can do anything."
"Even the Pentagon… Luckily we know how to keep the guy out of the radar." Omega muttered.
"So he works for you guys?"
"Yeah. We approached him: he's a white hat to begin with. He acts like an info-stealer because that's the way people know him as. But, for safety reasons, I won't say more." Omega admitted.
"I'll be going back. How could I approach you?"
"Eh… Come to the abandoned lighthouse's Cyber World. You'll find the means there." Omega whispered.
"Roger. Well then… Goodbye."
"Goodbye."
Colonel turned around and headed downstairs towards the exit while Omega fumed and grumbled something under his breath.
Great. Now they can rob even the ECB? These guys… And I'm sure Axe Man won't give up on beheading Rock Man. Jeez.
"… Needle Cannon!"
"And the victory goes for Needle Man!"
"Too easy~… I didn't even sweat! The guys here are too bland and fragile~! I wanna face a veteran fellow one day~! Shah!"
"Well. There goes our contestant's fifth consecutive victory!"
"Hum. Maybe I should also train a bit to be on the safe side…"
"De masu! When will the goddess of victory smile on me, de masu?"
"Shut up, Yamitarou! You're making a fool of yourself!"
10:02 AM (Japan Time)…
"… Good work, Present and Axe Man. You carried out the strategy in a flawless manner."
"I thank your compliments, Priest – sama."
"We completed the mission."
Present was kneeling in front of the LCD screen along with Axe Man's hologram: Priest sounded amused while the other two were calm.
"You deserve a rest. But remember… Until I order you two, don't target anyone. Do you understand?" Priest commanded.
"Yes, sir. By your orders, sir."
Present stood up and saluted before heading to the garage just as Future came in and parked his bike there.
"Yo. Present. It'd seem you've triggered some cool headlines today! I'm going to report 'cause I've made some progress trackin' my buddy the octopus-lovin' guy." Future told him.
"Good. Later." Present calmly replied.
"Show those fools how it's done, Danna." Destruction Man grinned.
"Hmpf. Obviously." Axe Man looked amused.
Present climbed into the bike and ran off while Future headed into the LCD screen room and kneeled.
"Report, Future." Priest commanded.
"Yes, sir. I've seized a link to Octopus – han… But it'd seem the guy is kept off the radar by the "Committee" and does jobs for them: he's under permanent employ by 'em, sir." He reported.
"I see. And the "Committee" is smart enough to know when it's a trap or not… No wonder the Pentagon officer in charge of investigating him was unable to draw him into stupidly striking Ameroupe Army facilities… They saw it coming." Priest sounded intrigued.
"Yes, sir… I've been researchin' into the alumni of Akihara Middle School Class 3-A… Past said a trustable person he knew had overheard three students talkin' 'bout the guy, so it was pretty probable that they knew some details… I've identified 'em but approachin' 'em is no easy job 'cause the three of them are Net Saviors…"
"The Hikari twins and Rainon, you mean?" Priest gasped.
"Yes, sir. There's no mistakin' it, sir."
"Hum… I see. Maybe I'll think of something… For the time being… Don't try to come close to those persons: the "Committee" is very wary of security. They'd spot you half a kilometer from there. No. Go back to Oosaka and make them believe you're still searching there. It will make them lower their guard slightly. Stay there until new orders come in. Do you understand?"
"We understand, sir." Destruction Man added.
"Good. Go ahead." Priest told them.
Future also saluted before returning to the garage as Prophetess came in.
"Hiya~! Wanna come to the disco, Future – chan? We'll have some thrill, too!" She teased.
"Nope. I've got job to do. Later, Prophetess." He drily replied.
Future ran off with his bike while she shrugged and cut the bike's engine off before climbing down.
"Whatever… I'll find another thrill." She muttered.
She headed into the screen room and took pose as it turned on.
"So? Prophetess. Did the investigation make progress?"
"Yes, sir. I was approached by 5 businesses. All of them illegal, of course. So I already tipped them off anonymously to several police stations."
"Excellent. Continue like that. If needed, beat them up as well."
"Delighted, sir. I'll show them my karate skills, sir!"
19:36 PM (Utah Time), Monday June the 20th…
"… Hmmm… That Net Navi keeps on crossing through the "Past Tunnel" I created upon landfall… Yet… My orders forbid me from stopping him or interfering excessively with the affairs of humanity. But if things trend towards chaos in the Cyber World, I am allowed to lend a hand to avoid collapse of it or its society…"
A Net Navi was floating inside of what looked like outer space: four holographic screens filled with green glyph-like characters were deployed around him.
He was a meter and eighty tall and his eyes' irises were purple in color.
His body had two folded triangular bronze-colored wings attached to it from behind and their surface had circuitry patterns drawn over them.
The main body didn't seem to have any emblems: it also was colored in a bronze color.
A drawing which looked like a representation of a planet was set on his forehead.
"Being the emissary of my makers, I, Xon' Edos, am… I exist to catalog the extent of the Network technology developed by this planet. It would seem its many facets bear some resemblance to past eras of our own world and Creators." He muttered.
He brought up some imagery of Annihilator Man's attack on the Science Labs and seemed to be studying it.
"Intriguing. Control over "annihilation" and of both matter and antimatter… This will intrigue my Masters. We have long sought such a system and it will ironically result that a civilization which is still far from our technological level has been able to design such a prototype system!"
He then brought up imagery of Rock Man battling Axe Man.
"My. And that Navi believes he is "cultured"? Do not make me laugh: he is but a barbarian. Rock Man – dono proved it to him… Size does not matter: true power can defeat anything! Try some "self-searching", will you?"
11:31 AM (Japan Time)…
"… Nelaus Rainon. The Court of Owls has sentenced you to… battle."
"Hmpf. I was waiting for you, Darth Bapgei, Talon or whatever name you feel like using."
"I guess he's going to remain silent this time around too."
Nelaus had been sitting on a bench in the public gardens and reading a novel when the "Talon" showed up in front of him while remaining quiet and with both arms parallel to the body while having drawn five small knives which he held out in each hand making a total of ten.
"Let's go, then."
Nelaus left the novel on the bench and quickly got into a defensive pose as the opponent silently spun around their axis clockwise and threw the knives at him: they were repelled by something, their blades got bent and they hit the ground: the "Talon" merely glanced at those but wasn't too surprised: he calmly drew both blades and began to circle anti-clockwise around Nelaus.
"Well, well. Still some fight in you… And look at you. Heh… Beating your wings, gnashing your little fangs. Do you know what owls do to prey that…?" He amusedly taunted.
"I know… That I'm sick… to death… of OWLS!"
Nelaus suddenly ducked and rammed into the guy from the SE flank and caught them with the guard lowered: he made them crash against a street-light but they recovered and quickly shot a wire with a magnetic hook at its end which attached to the body of the pole: he reeled it in and clutched the decoration bars to use them to swing and drop to the ground towards Nelaus: he hit a "barrier" of some sort and shattered it before quickly picking all knives and making them land in various spots on the flanks of Nelaus' torso: he didn't mind them and picked one of the short blades to start clashing with the guy.
"You've got some short memory, right? I can't bleed to death. Why?"
"Nanomachines. Same for me. Like Vamp." He taunted back.
"Hmpf. Indeed."
"Hit a vibe, my rival?" Bapgei sneered.
"So you're going to chat this time around?" Nelaus challenged.
"Like Krauser. For a pro, he talks too much!"
"I dunno who Krauser is. An assassin or what?"
"Ask Omega. I'm sure the man knows a lot more!"
"Maybe I'll do. If I feel like it. But you could be trolling for all I know!"
"Ask Ace Attorney, then."
"Why would I need to talk to an attorney?" Nelaus rolled his eyes.
"He might tell you what Harvey Dent is going to do."
"Two-Face? Come on. Stop making up weird cocktails which gotta be worse than Dragon's curry chocolate." He grumbled.
"C-curry chocolate~?" He was surprised.
"Huff. Yeah, yeah. Like he said... That's one reason I'm glad I don't need to eat." Isaac sighed.
"No wonder." Twilight's voice muttered over the enemy's radio.
"So. Ex – senpai. Whaddya think of the ECB hit?"
"I approve of it. They did a good homework, had patience and exploited a cliché along the way… Stirring terror and chaos… And also proving that there's no 100% safe system… But my Darkloids could've gotten in by pretending to be control signals from some inside PC and escape through a PC too…" He chuckled.
"I see. Thought you'd be raging at being stolen of the glory!"
"Hmpf! Too bad! Anyway! Darth Bapgei. Tell them."
"Roger. Nelaus Rainon… I am your brother!"
"That's a parody of the "I am your father" motto in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back…"
"You know what? I feel like the whole deal with that Shirakami kid 4 years ago could've been named "Shirakami Strikes Back" too." He laughed.
"How dry. A parody of Star Wars next?"
"Dry? You mean original, my Demon Tribe fellow!"
"Jeez. Yeah, sure. Loopholes man."
The "Talon" suddenly swung his blade to make a cut on Nelaus' hand from above but it quickly healed before it could bleed too much: Nelaus calmly plunged his blade into the right hip but got stuck half-way through because the clothes seemed to be thicker than expected.
"Hmpf. You're also using a materialized "Dream Aura" set in a spectrum which is below or above visible light."
"Correct, Kyoudai."
"So you've learnt that word from Twilight, huh? You're really a foreigner or pretend to be a foreigner? So you're from Gotham City?"
"Who knows? Maybe Lincoln March knows."
"I dunno who that is and I suspect he doesn't exist yet."
"Catching up? Welcome to the Quick To Catch Up Club leaded by the Honorable Excellent Professor Robert Langdon of Harvard College."
"Jeez. I know who Robert Langdon is, yeah. I've read Angels & Demons and the Da Vinci Code… I use the breaks in the institute as time to read those…" He rolled his eyes.
"What narrow-minded fellows." Isaac calmly muttered.
"Narrow-minded, you say~? Not bad."
"Laugh all ya want, Twilight." Isaac shot back.
"Laughter Man makes me laugh without control! The Berserk Laughter!"
"Berserk Laughter… How lame."
"Blame Mr. Author."
"Dan Brown?"
"No, no. THE Mr. Author."
"Huff. Go tuna and codfish and eel and mackerel."
"Not bad. The T-C-E-M mix-up?"
"Jeez." Nelaus rolled his eyes.
They continued cutting each other with the blades but got nowhere because when one cut the other their wounds were immediately healed by their nanomachines: Nelaus ducked and rammed into the guy to make them fall into the ground and then quickly cut the robe around the head in half: the "Talon" gasped and quickly improvised a bandana which he tied over the nose to held them together.
"No. You can't see yet. You don't have the qualifications."
"Oh? Why? You've got some physical anomaly in your face or are you of a different tribe? No offense there."
"Hmpf. Think whatever you want. Eat these."
They plunged the blade into Nelaus' right arm above the elbow and below the shoulder: Nelaus hissed and plunged his into the extended right arm from below close to the wrist.
"You dare…!"
"Oh, I do."
"Enough! Darth Bapgei. Pull back. Have some juicy soy pancake nightmares, my fellow Demon Tribe member."
"Jeez. Enough with Dragon's weird recipes…"
"Leave us alone already."
The "Talon" got warped while Nelaus simply looked on with a shrug.
"How many more teasers will you bear with?"
"As many as necessary."
"Good answer, fellow."
"Go listen to U2's newest worldwide tour if they drop by Melbourne anytime soon which I dunno." Nelaus challenged.
"Let the U hit the 2!"
"Very funny." Isaac drily grumbled.
"Isn't it?" Twilight joked back.
Nelaus picked his novel and resumed reading like nothing had happened to begin with: he then spotted a hologram of a gigantic white marble statue of an owl set in the center of the playground.
"Hmpf. Stop spoiling me."
"I want to taste the bitterness of your anger!"
"Save the drama speech for your own Photoshop – edited series."
"Good idea. I should try to edit some series and make up The Ultimate Series Collage By Twilight – sama~!"
"Huff. Not with Shadow Man's capital mania…" Isaac rolled his eyes.
"OH YEAH! LET ZA SHADOW HIT ZA LIGHT!"
"Not bad. I'll allow for that one because I'm in a good mood."
"Huff. I'm off to my room: I can't stand Cloud Man's silliness."
"So your precious "Talon" has a limit to how much stupidity he can listen to in a short while before he feels overwhelmed, eh?" Nelaus sneered.
"Hah! We found a weakness." Isaac grinned.
"Then… Next time things will be VERY different!"
"Yeah, yeah. Sure, sure. It'll be as cheap as ever. Stop being stingy and put some effort into your stunts. Sheesh!"