"Hi, Mr. Batou!" One of the Tachikomas waved at us as we passed by. "Hi, Mr. Togusa!"

Batou waved back with a grin; I didn't even look up. Now on its third generation, the Tachikoma Project had given me the creeps ever since the first had met its demise. The Major had suggested that the first generation had acquired ghosts. It seemed morbid to keep manufacturing the things and allowing them to achieve sentience, only to have them sacrifice themselves in a fit of martyrdom. I never could figure out if the Tachikomas fully understood the concept of death. Not technically being alive, they didn't have any kind of survival instinct. While Batou seemed fixed on making their stay as pleasant as possible, I tried to avoid them whenever I could.

The bar where he and the Major always went was just a short drive from the base. Batou walked right up to the bartender and requested his usual.

"I'll have what he's having." My request elicited snickers from Batou, who doubtless had ordered some vile concoction from the pits of Hades. It didn't really matter to me; I had never planned to actually drink it.

"So, what's on your mind, kid?" he asked, as two glasses with ice swimming in murky brown fluid clattered down next to us. "Work pressure finally getting to ya? I'll have to warn you, once you start coming here you can't stop."

"I'll keep that in mind." I didn't even touch the glass in front of me. "Batou, I know you cut me off before when I asked about the Major, but I really think there's something serious going on."

He frowned, which I took as a good sign; if he hadn't wanted to talk, he would have stomped out. "Yeah, I know. But what do you wanna do about it? We're strange people working strange cases under strange circumstances. I know she seems off, but I honestly couldn't tell you what 'normal' is for her."

"She must have some semblance of normalcy, if you're telling me something about her doesn't seem right."

He grunted. "It's that Kuze guy." He took a long swig of his drink. "She was a little too interested in him, if you ask me."

I straightened, excited. "So you see it too! You could tell he had some kind of pull on her?"

"Oh yeah."

"Like she actually believed some of the crazy things he was saying?"

"You bet."

"Like she might even betray those she cared about to follow him?"

He gritted his teeth. "I'd wager it."

I slapped the bar table in exhilaration and relief. "Finally! Now I know you have to believe me. You were there when she found him, after all. You saw them together!"

"I wish I hadn't."

"I think she got sucked into the Kuze cult. I think she's a carrier of the virus!"

Batou choked. "What?! What cult? What virus?"

"The Kuze cult! Don't you remember? The plot to enter the Net for immortality? The refugees that lined up for mass suicide when the nuclear missile was fired?"

He stared at me for several minutes, one hand on his drink, the other grasping the table. "Huh," he said finally. "You know, crazy as it sounds, that actually might make sense."

"Of course it makes sense!" I nearly shouted, exasperated. "What the heck did you think I was talking about? What else do you think would have her so obsessed with that guy?"

He turned back to the table. "Nothing."

I stared. "What? Tell me what you were thinking. Maybe I'm wrong about this whole thing."

"It's none of your business."

"Okay, fine. We'll go back to the Kuze virus theory…"

"I don't want to talk about this anymore." He stood up.

"What?! C'mon, you haven't finished your drink."

"You haven't even started yours."

I plopped myself down on the chair and grasped the glass, taking a sip and trying not to show that it tasted like napalm. My face must have been pretty transparent, as Batou laughed heartily and sat back down again.

"Jeez," I said, taking another sip to provide more faces for his amusement. "I'd almost think you were jealous of him."

Batou said nothing.

I choked on my drink and coughed until I turned purple. Batou had to whack me on the back. "For the love of…that's what you've been so grouchy about?" I fell into hysterical laughter.

The bartender took my drink away, even though I'd had maybe a teaspoon of it. "I think you've had enough tonight, son."

I sat on the chair and tried to rein in my giggles, unsure of whether they were the product of the stress or liquor or both. Batou scowled at me like a gargoyle, then suddenly stiffened.

"What is it?" I asked.

He looked at me, puzzled. "One of the Tachikomas contacted me. Didn't you hear it?"

"No. Maybe it wants to play with you. You do treat them like pets."

His face held a deep seriousness that I couldn't decipher. "I don't think so," he said in measured voice. "The Tachikoma's at the entrance of the bar. Follow me, but stay a few steps behind, ok?"

Mystified, I followed him up the stairs and held back in the dingy hallway. He opened the door and I saw that, indeed, a Tachikoma was waiting there like a designated driver. "Hi, Mr. Batou!" it said cheerfully.

"Hi," he said flatly. "What's the big emergency?"

"Well, actually…" Tachikoma flailed its "arms" in a good impression of a human wringing his hands. "I know I'm supposed to take you back to base, but the orders seem…strange…"

"What seems strange about them?"

"Well, first of all, I can see Mr. Togusa is with you, but I can't understand why Mr. Saito would be asked to kill him."

"What?!" I demanded, my whole body going stiff.

"Shut up, kid," Batou hissed, intentionally not turning to face me. "Tachikoma, did these orders come from the Major?"

"Yes, Mr. Batou. She hasn't been acting in a consistent manner. Neither has Mr. Aramaki, or Mr. Saito…"

"Yes, all right, what do you mean by not being consistent?"

"Well, I haven't known the Major for very long, but analysis of my predecessors' memories tells me that her behavior has been erratic lately. All members of Section 9 with carbon-based intelligence systems have been acting erratic except for you and Togusa."

"I was right!" I couldn't help exclaiming. "The virus doesn't affect AI units!"

Batou ignored me. "Does Saito know that Togusa is here?"

The Tachikoma's "eye" spun around in its socket. "No, but he's beginning to get nervous. He keeps asking me why you won't come."

Silence.

"I have an idea," I offered.

"Let's hear it, kid," Batou told me, clearly irked at not being able to think of one himself.

"Go ahead with the Tachikoma. I'll leave through a back door and go to Aoi's place. He knows something's up with the Major…and he's the only person I know – besides Kuze – that can hack into her mind."

"That's a mighty risky plan, kid. I'm not sure I even understand half of it."

"Trust me."

I could hear the scowl in his voice. "You'd better get this sorted out before they give me a lobotomy. Go to the bartender and tell him you need something in the back room. He'll know what you mean."

"Got it!" Knowing every second counted, I flew down the stairs and gave the bartender the message. He pointed to a door behind the bar. "The one on the left," he called after me.

I took the door on the left and was surprised to see that it led down into a cellar. I followed an underground corridor for maybe a block or two and then resurfaced again through another door. I ran hell-for-leather through the streets toward Aoi's place.

I don't remember much about this marathon through the city, completely consumed by all-encompassing fear. It was worse even than the night I was shot at the Sunflower Society. Then, I knew that I could contact the Chief or Major to help me. This time, it was the Major who was trying to kill me, and I had no way of knowing if Saito, Pazu or the Major herself would find me as I fled. No amount of running or hiding would help me then.

When I finally reached Aoi's place, I was so out of breath I nearly fainted in the doorway. As I kneeled splayed out on the floor in front of Aoi, trying to spit out the words I needed to save Batou from his imminent demise, I heard Batou's voice behind me. "Hey, Togusa! You all right?"

My head jerked up in consternation as I saw both him and the Tachikoma coming toward me, wondering if lack of oxygen was causing me to hallucinate.

Aoi nodded toward them. "I hacked into Section 9's systems," he informed me as I focused on breathing. "After you left, I started investigating on my own and came across mention of the Kuze Virus." He frowned, troubled. "I am afraid that Kusanagi is indeed infected."