Infinite Stratos: Secrets of the Gospel (I don't own Infinite Stratos)
Carry On, I'm Right Beside You. For Now...
"Have any of you seen Charlotte?" I asked, catching sight of Ichika and the gang at one of the cafeteria tables this evening. I'd been searching for Char since noon and hadn't even caught a glimpse of her since dinner. Everybody shook their heads.
"No. We haven't seen her all day." Laura said, gaining nods from the rest of the group. I sighed.
"Thanks. If you see her, could you tell her I'm looking for her?" I asked, thinking of anyplace else to look. The gang gave me small smiles and thumbs up, promising to do as I asked. "Thanks guys!" I said, headed off campus.
Some bar in town...
"There you are." I murmured, stepping further into the bar as I caught sight of Char at the far end of the bar, drink in hand and a small stack of cups in front of her. I made my way through the small crowd around the entrance and towards Char before being stopped by two guys.
"She doesn't want to see anybody at the moment, kid. So get out of here." One of the two said, motioning with his head towards the door. I just looked at him.
"And who are you, exactly?" I asked, a sliver of anger making its presence known in the back of my mind. The first guy glared down at me.
"Probably the nicest guy she's met in her life so far, so get out of here." He said, uncrossing his arms and stepping closer to me. His partner grinned at me, his smile promising anything but kindness. I looked at him a little closer and saw a few nasty things flitting behind his eyes and that sliver of anger grew to a small storm instantly when he looked back at Char.
"How well do you know your friend?" I asked, motioning with an outstretched hand towards the source of my anger. My aggressor looked back and looked at me and said.
"Met him today, why?" He asked. I rolled my eyes.
"Hi, I'm Zeke Altec, her boyfriend." I said, pointing at Char. "She's Charlotte Dunois, Representative Candidate of France. Your friend isn't the cleanest of thinkers, for your information. Can I go to my girlfriend now, please?" I asked, fixing my gaze on the man closest to me. He nodded and grabbed his friend as he passed as I took a seat beside Char. She looked up at me, clearly buzzed and on her way to plain drunk fast.
"How'd you find me?" She slurred, gaze fixing back on the table in front of her. I reached a hand out to hold her arm and she flinched away, so I pulled my hand away.
"Lucky guess, actually. I was walking by and stopped in on the off chance you'd be here. Why are you here?" I asked, subtly motioning the bartender to stop the alcohol. He nodded and went back to his other customers. She groaned and her head hit the bar with a 'thud' before I could catch her.
"Trying to forget." She answered, muffled by the bar and her hair. I slowly placed a hand on her back and the other on her head and when she didn't react, slowly sat her up.
"Forget what?" I asked, sipping her half-finished drink and grimacing at the fruity taste.
"At the moment, everything possible." She replied, reaching for her drink before I moved it out of her reach. She frowned and tried to grab the drink again. So I lifted the drink up and downed it, then set the glass down and the tender took it as he passed. She tried to order another, but I pulled her off her seat and we made our way towards the door.
"How do you drink that?" I asked, making a face as I continues to taste the drink. She shrugged.
"Not so bad if you drink enough of it." She said, leaning heavily on me. I shook my head and we slowly made our way back towards the Academy.
"You're lucky there's no class tomorrow. I still want an explanation for today." I said as I bought a bottle of water and removed the label. She took the bottle and began drinking it. "What are you trying to forget so much that you'd go to a seedy bar, foregoing any personal safety on your part in the process?" I asked when she seemed a little more sober. She sighed and took another swig from the water before taking a seat on a nearby bench under a streetlight. I leaned against the light.
"Today is the day my mom died. It's also the day my father took me in and began his testing." She said. I motioned for her to continue. "This doesn't get told to anyone else, swear it won't or I won't continue!" She said, looking up at me as I crossed my heart and held my hand in the air as I said:
"I won't tell a soul." Unless it needs to be told. I finished in my head. She nodded.
"No one else knows this but me. After the tests concluded that I was IS compatible, my father departed and I was left to the guards and scientists. I was to be escorted to my father's estate after a couple more tests. I was returning to my fathers guards when I was grabbed and dragged somewhere away from them. The man, who was one of the scientists who worked for my dad, molested me and, and, and..." She tried to continue, tears streaming down her face. I shook my head and hugged her, squeezing her in my arms and I leaned down to look at her.
"You don't have to continue if you don't want to. I get it." I said, my anger returning like a hurricane, pushing against my restraint hard as I comforted a weeping Char. "Why didn't you tell anyone?" I asked.
"I tried, but no one took me seriously. His wife thought I was just trying to get attention and the staff worked for her and my father. Who I wasn't able to talk to." She said, sniffling into my chest.
"And that man? What happened to him?" I asked. My anger was slipping through now. She looked up at me, tears still on her cheeks.
"Still works for my father." She said, looking up at me confused. "Why?" She asked. I shook my head.
"Curiosity, nothing more. Let's get going before we miss curfew." I said, helping her stand and wrapping her in my coat as the wind picked up. She thanked me and pulled it tighter around her. We made it back to the dorm with seconds to spare and I was going to walk into my room, having been separated from Ichika for some reason.
"Wait!" Char exclaimed, grabbing my arm as I opened the door. I looked at her. "Can I stay with you? It'd help me." She said, releasing my arm and pulling my coat around her again, blushing.
"Who am I to leave my girl alone when she needs me, after you." I said, holding the door open and she walked in, a small smile on her face. "There's just one problem," I said, walking around the corner next to her. The room was as large as the others, but only had one bed. I blushed, mirrored by Char as I chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah."
She opened her mouth to say something, then closed it. We stood there in awkward silence as we both tried to figure something out.
"I'll take the chair." I said, pulling the extra bed set out and grabbing a blanket and two pillows ou and making my way towards the chair next to the window.
"Why not just sleep next to me? I sleep under just the blanket. You could sleep under another layer or something." She suggested, blushing harder. I shrugged.
"If you're okay with it, alright. Let me message somebody real quick while you get ready." I said, pulling out my phone and unlocking it. She nodded and started changing as I stepped out of the room for her privacy. I sighed and looked at the contact open on my phone. Ms. Orimura.
I started typing my message: "Ms. Orimura, Char is having a 'very' emotional and difficult day. She is staying the night with me and she will be back in her room tomorrow." I hit Send and received a confirmation from Orimura, while also asking for more details to which I replied with:
"If you want details, you'll have to ask her directly. I swore not to say anything. And this is something you should ask yourself instead of hearing it from someone else. I will also be taking a short trip to France and will probably not be able to make it to the next class period." I hit send and knocked on the door, getting a reply from Char saying I could come back in. I opened the door and locked it behind me.
"Just letting the teacher know where you are." I said as an explanation to her questioning look. She nodded, then noticed my hesitant look as I tried to figure out what to do now.
"Just get in, I don't bite." She teased. I shook my head and ducked into the bathroom and changed before climbing in after making sure we were separated by a layer of bedding. I wrapped her in my arms as she snuggled into my chest and she fell asleep immediately.
I laid there, contemplating what I'd learned today.
She was... No! I can't say it!
Am I really going to do this, again? "Yes, I am."
What'll she think if she figures it out... "Worth the risk."
Where is her hand goi... Oh...
"You're not as asleep as I thought, are you Char," I whisper as her wandering hand freezes at my stomach. She looks up at me, sheepish. I sat up, mimicked by her next to me.
"Are you mad?" She asked. I shook my head.
"No. And if I was, I'd get my head checked for issues." I said, getting a small giggle from her. "Confused and cautious is more like it." I tack on, getting a look from her. "You were just emotionally traumatized and its a very emotional day for you. I just want to be sure you're thinking everything through, first." I said, placing her hand back on her lap with her other one. I laid back down on my back, eyes closed and arm stretched out across the bed. She shifted and I opened my eyes as her weight shifted over me, coming face to face with her.
"..." She just looked at me, a unrecognizable look on her face. I seemed to return it before we both caught a spark of what we were looking for and soon the bed was a mess, clothes were strewn all over the room and we slept very little that night. We fell asleep, pressed against one another as the clock struck 3 a.m.
6 hours later...
I opened my eyes, slightly groggy and weighted down by something on my chest. I looked down and noticed the nude form of Char against me as the memories of last night returned and I felt her stir next to me. It was going to be a weird morning.
"Not as weird as it was for me, though." I heard Gospel say in my head, causing me to blush and feel overly embarrassed.
"Sorry about that G, if I'd had any idea…" I mentally trailed, unsure of what I'd have done.
"Exactly. There's nothing we could have done." She said, finishing my thought. I sighed, drawing Char's attention.
"Morning handsome!" She murmured, leaning up and kissing me. I kissed back and wrapped my arms around her.
"Morning, beautiful!" I replied when we broke apart. She squirmed and I released her, watching as she sat up and stretched. I laid there awestruck by her form, backlit by the sun streaming in through the blinds and I sat up.
"How did I get so lucky?" I whispered in her ear, wrapping my arms around her waist. She leaned back into me, smiling.
"I'm the lucky one." She whispered back. We sighed simultaneously, enjoying our moment before someone knocked at the door. We jumped and I was out of bed, grabbing the few pieces of clothes I had removed earlier and put them on, calling. "Be right there!" Char had grabbed her clothes and walked into the bathroom. She closed the door and I threw the extra bed set over the chair, making it seem like someone had slept there. Then I opened the door to see Ms. Orimura.
"Morning Ms. Orimura. What can I do for you this morning?" I asked, yawning.
"Good Morning, Altec. Where is Dunois?" She asked, since she hadn't appeared while I was talking. I was about to answer when the shower turned on. I motioned with my hands to the bathroom, "In there." Orimura grunted and I backed out of the doorway, allowing her to step inside.
"Can I get you anything while you wait?" I asked, grabbing a change of clothes for later and setting them on the bed before walking over and beginning to repack the bed set. She shook her head and I shrugged.
"Any reason you are visiting us, Miss?" I asked, slightly nervous under my calm facade.
"I would like a little more detail on your last minute trip to France. And I came to talk to Charlotte about last night." She replied, looking at me.
"Anything specific you need to know about my trip, or the basics?" I asked.
"How long, the reason for the sudden need, and anything else prominent." She said, listing them on her fingers. I nodded.
"I'll be gone for at least a couple days, the reason for not being able to make it tomorrow. As for reason, I'm being called in for a mission and we aren't going to be briefed in the States." I said, shrugging. She narrowed her eyes at me, and a bead of sweat rolled down the back of my neck. "In fact, I should be going." I said, checking my watch. "If you'd excuse me." I said, grabbing my bag and heading for the door. I stopped at the bathroom door and knocked. "Hey Char. Orimura wants to talk to you, and I need to head out for a couple days. I'll see you when I get back." I said, I heard a goodbye through the door and I looked back at Orimura. "I'd appreciate it if you don't use my name when talking to her about this. I'll explain in more depth when I get back." I said, pleading with her. She waved me off and I thanked her before catching my flight and I was headed to France.
However many hours later…
"Now to find somewhere to lay low." I said, mentally prompting Gospel to begin a search as I walked through the area. She directed me to a motel near the center of town and I bought a room. I received the key and made my way up to the room. It was a decent room for the price, a queen bed and nightstand along with a decent bathroom. I opened the shades and was met with the sight of Paris at night.
"Good enough." I said to the holographic Gospel next to me. She nodded and I dropped my bag containing my clothes on the bed and set my other bag on the floor, pushing a hidden button which caused the 'bag' to unfold and stand up on four legs. It flattened out and I was now looking at a portable holotable. I removed the third bag off my back and opened it, checking that all of its contents were there and not broken before closing but not sealing it.
"Any luck?" I asked. Gospel popped up on the table and several screens popped up around her.
"Yeah, got a hit on a man that fit her description. He's employed to the Dunois Co. and is part of their scientific department. If this isn't our guy, something is seriously wrong." She said and I nodded, pulling one of the screens and expanded it in front of me. A face stared back at me.
"Gotcha, you sick bastard." I muttered. "Where is he currently living?" I asked, eyes not moving from the screen. Gospel checked another of the screens next to her and said.
"He's a few blocks from here. Two story apartment building. He's in one of the corner rooms, luckily." She said, displaying the building in 3d on the table along with the surrounding buildings and highlighting the man's room. I looked away from the man's face and studied the building. I walked back over to my bag and grabbed something out of it, closing it again.
"How's the security?" I asked as I looked at the object in my hand.
"Nonexistent." She said. I nodded.
"Any luck with the security footage?" I asked. She nodded.
"He isn't the smartest when it comes to hiding. Did it in plain sight of a security camera." She said, grimacing. I growled low in my throat.
"Last mistake he'll make." I said, sliding the bolt back and watching in slow motion as a shell ejected from the chamber of the gun in my hands. "Is our guest home?" I asked, pulling a mask out of the third bag along with disposable clothes and gloves. She nodded from the table and I nodded as well. "Good, let me know if he moves before I reach him." I said, sliding my weapon under my baggy shirt and pulling my hat lower onto my head as I walked out of the motel.
I made good time towards the apartment building and was crossing the road towards the building when Gospel spoke up.
"He just left his apartment and is heading for the door. No rush though." She said. I frowned. Hoped to do this in his apartment. I made my way to the door and leaned against it, waiting.
"He'll be exiting in 5…
"4…" Your past mistakes are catching up with you
"3…" Am I really doing this?
"2…" Yes I am, for Char.
"1…" Would she want it to happen?
"Target is now leaving." Gospel sounded in my head, but I had paused at the last thought. My eyes caught sight of him as he passed through the entrance. My hand was on my gun, ready for the signal from my brain.
Would she want this man to die? "No, she would move on." I whispered, following the man through the small crowd. He continued on his way, oblivious to me. He turned down an alley and I waited a couple seconds before following and finding him looking at me as I rounded the corner.
"Why are you following me?" He demanded, brandishing a knife he must have had on him. I laughed, finding this whole situation hilarious.
"What's so funny, stranger?" He said, stepping towards me. I pulled my hidden gun into view and he froze, becoming as white as a sheet.
"You brought a knife to a gunfight." I answered, still laughing. I raised the gun slightly and he jumped back.
"What do you want?" He asked, eyes flicking between the gun in my hand and my covered face. I stopped laughing and stared at him, my trigger finger was developing an itch.
"Remember a few years ago, a little girl by the name of Charlotte was brought in and tested for IS compatibility by the Dunois Co.? And you dragged her away for some, 'fun'?" I asked, making air quotes with my free hand as he grew even paler. "I figured you did. Your problem, was doing it right in front of a security camera. I know Charlotte personally and she told me about that incident. You might say I'm here to play Karma's hand in bringing your punishment." I said, raising the gun and pointing it at him. He started to blather something about talking it out over some drinks, but I just shook my head and pulled the trigger.
Too bad I'm not her. He fell against the wall behind him, a hole in his chest and blood pouring out of it. "That's just the first part of the plan. I've got the security footage on this flash drive." I said, kneeling in front of him and showing said flash drive. I cleaned it of my fingerprints and used his hand to put it in his shirt pocket before turning and making my way out of the alleyway.
A woman noticed my hurried steps and glanced into the alleyway and noticed the man bleeding against a wall. She screamed and I broke into a run, slipping through the crowd in front of me and pushed out the other side. The woman was talking rapidly into a phone and I turned and fired, shooting the phone in her hand. She screamed again and ran with the rest of the crowd. I took off in the opposite direction and slipped into an alleyway. I quickly stripped off my outer clothes and removed my mask and dumped all of it into a nearby dumpster. I ran into the motel and quickly packed my bags and returning the key to the confused man behind the counter as I raced out the door.
"Crap, crap crap crap…" I chanted as I ran into the airport and handed the woman my ticket. She smiled at me and ran my ticket through the machine and waved me onto the plane. I thanked her hurriedly and made my way onto the plane, taking my seat in the middle of the plane against the window. I heard rushing footsteps and listened as apparently the cops were searching all departing planes. The attendant allowed them in and I checked that my bags had no identifying materials before stowing them above me and making my way to the front of the plane.
"Excuse me, gentlemen." I said as I brushed past the two cops who were making their way into the plane. They barely gave me a second glance as they went farther into the plane.
"Hey kid. What's your seat number?" I heard behind me and I turned as one of the cops walked up to me. I gave him my seat number and the cop made to grab me. I ducked under his grab and slipped out of the plane. I knocked over a baggage cart and ran out of the loading tunnel. "Hey! Somebody stop that kid!" The cop yelled as they started to fall behind. I grimaced as my next actions were about to be really bad. I vaulted a small pile of bags and jumped onto baggage claim. I raised my pistol in the air and fired twice. The crowd dropped to the floor and the cops ducked behind cover. I ran into the baggage area and cleaned my pistol before tossing it into a nearby trash can and Gospel formed around me and we took off after our plane.
"Can you wipe the security footage?" I asked as I latched onto the wheels under the plane, keeping pace with the plane. Gospel gave me a nod and began doing that as I slowly began returning Gospel to standby and made my way into the belly of the plane. I made my way into the baggage compartment and ducked behind some luggage to catch my breath.
"Done. You are either gone from the video or look like, not you." She said after a couple minutes. I sighed in relief, thanking whatever gods were watching over me before making my way through all the baggage and sneaking onto the passenger compartment and slipping into the bathroom. I made a noisy show of washing my hands and walked out of the bathroom and retaking my seat.
"Any way they could link me back to the US or the Academy?" I asked, feigning sleep so that I could talk to Gospel. She shook her head.
"None that would hold up in court. You should be clear since you technically don't have an IS and they'll assume you can't pilot one anyway." Gospel said as I sighed again. I fell asleep and woke up as the plane landed.
I was met at the terminal by Orimura and Charlotte. Charlotte walked up and hugged me. I returned it and we broke apart and Orimura used the silence to ask.
"How was your trip overseas?" She asked, giving me a knowing look. I looked back at her, then to Charlotte and answered.
"Eventful, but finished. Thankfully." I said, my eyes not leaving Char as we walked out of the terminal and were walking into the Academy after a short taxi ride.
"Altec, if you'd join me in my office after you unpack." Orimura said, stepping into her office. I nodded and Char and I made our way to my room. I set my bags on my bed and grabbed two of them and stowed them under my bed for now and set my third bag upright before grabbing the clothes inside it and tossing them into my laundry basket.
"So, what'd you do in Paris?" Char asked, sitting at the table and watching me. My mind flashed to the events of yesterday before I shook my head.
"I had a meeting with some of the US officials and we met in France. It took up most of my time and I wasn't able to get out and enjoy Paris, sadly." I said, turning to her as I leaned the now empty bag against the side of my bed. She stood and we looked at each other before I said.
"I should really go see what Orimura wants to talk to me about. I'll see you later?" I asked as we walked to the door. She nodded at me and we parted ways. "I love you, Charlotte." I whispered.
In front of Orimura's office…
I raised my hand and knocked, getting a reply and I opened the door and stepped into what could probably be my doom.
"Altec, mind telling me what you were really doing in France?" She asked. I took a deep breath and sat down.
"First, did Char tell you?" I asked. She nodded. I nodded as well.
"Then you already can piece together most of what I was there to do. I found him, and eliminated him. No trace will be made, and if there somehow is… I'll deny everything and disappear into the wind before you know it." I said, my face stony as I told her of my actions. I stood and stepped out of her office after I finished and went to my room.
I had just finished packing my last bag when a knock sounded on my door and I heard: "Zeke Altec. Interpol. We'd like to ask you a few questions about an incident in Paris." I grabbed my bags and jumped out of the open window as the door was bashed down and Gospel surrounded me and we took off into the horizon. My bags were stored in place of Gospel's frame, so no extra weight was added. I thanked that as I was flanked by four military IS.
"Altec, stand down! Land and deactivate your IS. You'll be brought in for questioning." One of the IS called and I answered with gunfire from Gospel's wings. The IS distanced themselves and called their weapons to their hands. Most of them are Revives, so highly adaptable and deadly. I thought as two of the IS opened fire, aiming to bring me down instead of to destroy.
"You're going to have to do better than that." I called as two more shots flew through where I had just been. I returned the fire with my own, downing one of the IS and another raced after their falling comrade. The two remaining IS switched to SMG's and opened fire. I dropped and the rounds passed harmlessly above me. They tracked my descent and I bottomed out a few feet above the water before rocketing away. I quickly left the IS in the dust and ran a small electrical pulse over my frame, noticing as a few tracers fell off. I landed and stepped out of the frame to check for myself. I removed a couple more before climbing back in and taking off again. I landed at the base Gospel and I had made our home earlier in the year.
"Why'd you run?" Gospel asked me. I looked in the direction of Japan as I answered.
"To draw them away from the rest of the Academy. They pinpointed me, but they might suspect others as well. This will hopefully pull them away from the others." I said, lowering my head.
"Why didn't you tell her?" Gospel asked, this time standing in front of me. I sighed and fell to my knees.
"If you loved someone, and they had done any number of the acts we've committed over this past summer. What would your first reaction be when they told you?" I countered. She gave a small 'oh' and we walked into the base. "I couldn't bare to see the look on her face when she found out. That's also why I ran." I said, my eyes not lifting from my feet. Tears streamed down my face. "I wish I could stand to look her in the eye after all that had happened, but I can't. Not yet anyway." I said, bringing my eyes forward as I stepped into the Communications Room. I powered up a console and opened a news feed.
"... And this just in. After learning the identity of the killer of former scientist Evan Orville from the Dunois Co. Interpol intercepted him and attempted to capture US Representative Zeke Altec at the IS Academy in Japan. He fled and took down one of his pursuers and disappeared over the Pacific Ocean…" The report went on, but I stopped listening after that.
"Well, I'm now an international fugitive. Not exactly how I expected everything to turn out." I said, sitting in one of the chairs. I was about to shut off the console when a message popped up from the US.
It read: "Altec, if you're reading this, you need to come in right now! The US Government is calling you back for a debrief of your actions after leaving the country." I reread the message before sending a reply.
"Dear US Government, I would come in, if you weren't using a Russian receiver code and did not state my military rank. Nice try! And by the time you've traced this message to this base, I'll already be gone!" I sent the message and Gospel disconnected herself from the charging station we had set up during the summer. We joined again and disappeared into the setting sun.
"I'll be back soon, Char. I promise!" I pledged as Gospel and I flew away from the base, bringing as much materials as we could grab before leaving and we took up shelter up North near Russia. We used what materials we had brought and erected a shelter on Russian soil. I set up the communications and other interior need while Gospel put the final touches on the exterior and we met in the Main Room.
"So. What now boss?" She asked. I just smirked.