Author's Notes: Here's another chapter up, a bit too short for my taste but I can't push it too hard. A big chunk of stuff which I feel is necessary was filled in, hence the long editing times sadly. It covers about 50% on average, so a lot of things I kind of miss out whenever I write sadly. Additionally, I'm a bit iffy from the format limitations that can be set here in . Perhaps I'll get another word editor that's more compatible etc and see how it goes. Hope you enjoy the read and review, thank you.
Chapter 6: Parkour
CLASSIFIED
PROJECT DEMON MEDICAL REPORT
Subject name: Yori Tamotsu
Age: 15 years old
Height: 162.5 centimetres
Weight: 55 kilograms
Blood Type: O
Allergy: None
Description: Subject suffered major second and third degree burns throughout multiple sections of the body. Severe fragmentation damage is also present. Subject has lost multiple limbs of locomotion and functions of blood cell replication. One eye Retina and Hyaloid Canal damaged beyond repair.
Performed actions:
Reconstruction of the human hip structure.
Acquisition of a suitable bone marrow.
Replacement with biomechanical optics (MODEL: X30)
Installation of new framework of the leg (2) and arm (1)
Installation of Locomotion Hydraulics
Installation of biomechanical sensor and nervous networks
Installation of biopolymer material onto framework
Installation of weapon system programming as per required
END REPORT
"Seriously Onee Sama! How could you forgive him just like that?" Kuroko was flustered at her roommate's decision. The girls had left the workshop and were on their way back home. It will be a bit more before the four of them split ways to their respective dorms.
Misaka didn't want an argument. "It's better for all of us this way." The friendship tree won't be having any self-serrating branches now.
Kuroko sighed. "If you want it to be that way, then it's fine." She brushed a finger along one of her carried nails. "If he ever touches you, I'll put this into his head."
Saten pointed a finger to the sky. "It's always better to love than hate a person forever."
"You're thinking way out of bounds there Saten!" Misaka answered. "We just call it quits to our relationship. That's all."
Saten smiled as she gave the sign of peace. "You can always love someone as a friend. Don't forget that."
Misaka grinned. "How about I give you some love of electricity?"
"Wah! You don't have to go that far!" Saten struggled to avoid being tickled to death by tiny jolts of electricity.
Up above the four girls, a pair of eyes is watching. "Those are good looking oh yeah…"
"Remember the mission Mr Parker." A small walkie talkie blared from the man's hip.
"I got it already. Sheesh…" He turned the walkie talkie off. "A guy just can't enjoy the job these days." He moved on to his objective.
In the country of Italy
Anthony Hugh exited the Aeroporti di Milano airport with his single luggage of cloths and essentials. He has been expected. Outside, a Mercedes C-Class was waiting for him. The driver was outside, waiting for him. The man is wearing a formal butler suit following the black and white standard. His brown hair of thirty years was covered by a driver hat. His face was still young and his blue eyes still radiant of power. For a butler, his slim body shows odd fitness. He opened the rear passenger door with a smile. "Welcome back Sir. How fares your trip?"
Anthony smiled in return as he placed the luggage inside before getting in. "Fair enough Nigel Deandre. Several issues did come up but as experience foretold, they are to be expected."
"That is certain Sir. Now let's get you home." Nigel got in the driver seat and the Mercedes beginning wading through the Milan traffic.
Anthony looked out the window to the sky. "Have you received any reports from the HK or ESK sections?"
"No Sir. I'll remind them about reporting to us." Nigel was already taking the initiative.
Anthony waved him off. "Don't bother. Beyond the best of us, the others are disappointingly inefficient."
Nigel agreed. "When we have faced death and destruction, there is no reason to be inefficient."
"I concur with you .Your experience at the PPCLI must be very bidding on that." They both are warriors in their own right. Death and destruction is something that is no longer alien to them.
"So is your experience at the CIA Sir."Nigel added.
Anthony fancied a chat. "Speaking of experiences, tell me about your time at the PPCLI."
"Masters' first. Sir." Anthony could just feel a grin behind the headrest.
Anthony grinned as well. He'll play this game, once. "Very well. I actually started out in the US Army Intelligence."
"You certainly fit the bill." Nigel's experience with Anthony for the past two years had summed up as much.
"Things don't fit in for me. It was monotonous and all. Having a desk job there was having a kick back time of reading through useless material already covered by other intelligence units. I shifted out to the CIA and that's where I met a partner named Joel. The short version, things changed for the worst since then. Now tell me yours."
"It is different. We don't actively seek the enemy but we do when we know it is time. We try not to destroy too much but as you know, shit happens." Nigel summed it up.
"I'd like to hear more but we'll continue another time. We have arrived after all."
"Are you sure rebuilding those is a good choice?" Touma was in a doubt about Yori's twin pistols. Academy City is strict with its regulations and gun control is one of them. Academy City is strict with its regulations and gun control. If Yori was ever inspected, it would cause a lot of trouble. The short sword might make it out due to it being antique. The guns however will not be the case.
"I'm supposed to be a killing machine on the loose. A self-defence weapon is really essential." Right, says the person who can churn out bullets almost seven times the average speed of the original. Self-defence, that's just overkill. "Besides, can't a dead man keep his toys?" says the supposedly dead man that is.
"I give up." Touma moved on to another topic. "How are you going to find who's involved with your project?"
"I reckon the first step is to find out what happened to me in the past three months." He took a sip of soft drink as they walked along the street to Yori's first plan of action. "A good place to start should be my old home. You got plans for today right?"
"Yeah, I do. I'll need to get in touch with Index and get some things done. You are after all prepared with sufficient self defence." The turn off point for the two lies in a street up ahead.
"Target's in sight. No problems with collaterals right?"
"No, you're green to go."
"Safeties off, bearings confirmed. I'm taking the shot."
Yori turned his face towards Touma. "Are things between you and Misaka okay now?" A set of words flashed red in front of him.
THREAT IDENTIFIED
A small red box zoomed in at the top corner of his vision, applying a small overlay at the bottom right of the corner. It is a man with a sniper rifle. It is a modern one, equipped with a suppressor for silent takedowns. Only he can see it. "Yeah…" Touma was cut off as Yori pushed him aside.
"Get down!"
THAK!
Yori took the hit and was down in a second. Touma got up and turned to the source of the shot. A man on the roof was already turning tail in an escape. He turned his focus to Yori who was bleeding red from the right arm. "I'll get an ambulance!"
Yori shook his head. "This is not real blood, its hydraulic fluid. Go after that sniper while I fix this before I lose control of this arm!" The skin separated and a small casing appeared from the mechanical flesh, revealing a very small earpiece and camera. "Clip this on and I'll catch up later!" Touma nodded and yelled of fright when Yori suddenly grabbed and tossed him high into the air.
Touma spread his hands open for control as he landed on the roof. His legs took the brunt of the landing quite challengingly. Touma clipped it onto the collar of his uniform. He could see the man dressed in yellow shirt and black pants, red bandana and armed, running across the roof. He'll have to hurry to catch up. He ran along the roof in pursuit. He estimated he is a hundred meters away.
The roofs are filled with obstacles. Air conditioning units to water towers to solar panels, a lot of everything is there. The assassin knew he was being tailed and worked on losing pursuit. He jumped off roof and onto another.
COMMLINK ESTABLISHED
There are a lot of obstructions on this one. The pursued skid under and through a water tower and ran on. Touma did the same without a hitch. The next challenge was harder. It was a row of air conditioners with a tall fence at the edges. The man ran along a unit's wall and hopped onto the next unit and over the fence. Touma shook his head. I'll need another way!
"Just jump on top! Yori's voice entered his ears. Touma jumped his hardest, barely reaching the top of the unit. He then leapt onto the fence and jumped off it an instant later. He landed to see a gun aiming at him. He bolted left as it fired a bullet that just went past him. It shattered the pot of a plant. He took cover behind a stairwell and used the walls to shield his advance.
Touma peeked out to be spattered in the face with dust of concrete. He shot out to abuse the timing of vulnerability. The sniper ran again to gain more distance. He jumped off another roof with a spin backwards. He fired blindly, forcing Touma to be cautious. He jumped over the railing and off the six storey building. Touma saw in disbelief as the sniper free fall and grabbed at a window ledge. The sniper broke the window and disappeared.
What misfortune I have! Touma followed suit albeit slower. What he ended up in is another Fukou Da moment. The room he climbed into is a bathroom. It had a yellow tub full of soapy water and a blonde woman is in it. She screamed as Touma ran out saying "SORRY!" He went out the apartment and into the main hallway.
The sniper was already at the other end by a window. He shot a round, forcing Touma to pull back into the apartment. Glass shattered from the window at the end. By the time Touma popped back out, the assassin had jumped out the window. Touma ran to the open window and saw the sniper unbuckling from a rope tied to the window. Touma reached to chase down the same rope but a bullet cut the rope off its end. Touma now has no proper way down as the man continued his escape.
Touma has to figure a way to get down five floors quickly and safely before that man vanishes among the crowd of Academy City. Yori solved it for him by suggesting "You see the walls up ahead? Use them." The Imagine Breaker understood what he meant. Touma took six steps back and ran. He jumped out the large window, twisting his body 180 degrees while bending his legs backwards. His legs absorbed the collision against the wall, giving enough momentum to jump again at the other end. He did this twice as gravity pulled him down to ground level. He turned and pursued.
The sniper appeared to have ditched his weapon for he wasn't carrying it anymore. That was a good thing. He is just two dozen steps away from Touma. Touma heard Yori speak again. "I'm almost done! Stay on him!" Touma pushed his muscles that started to wind out closer to its limits. His target turned right across the main road. Touma pursued, dodging cars that horned angrily at them. He followed the man into an alley. The man turned around as Yori said. "I'm done! Just hold him there!"
The man is a foreigner, Caucasian skin. He had the stubble of a beard at his wide chin. His yellow shirt had green stripes across them. The bandana was also striped with white polka dots. His black pants were bristled with pockets, each having a trick or weapon in it. The man's blue eyes stared into Touma's as he spoke in Japanese. "I can't believe you're quite a hassle to deal with." He armed himself with a serrated knife.
Touma asked as he tightened his fists. "Who are you?" His feet coiled to attack or retreat immediately.
"You seriously think I'm going to tell you that? Maybe I will when you're dead." The assassin charged with a stab. Touma dodged to the side. From the moment the man charged, Touma knew he has better experience in a close up fight. The knife went by his armpit as Touma punched at the face. He hit and hit it again, performing the brute force form of a disarming manoeuvre. It clattered as Touma added a knee to the gut.
Disarmed man hit back with a punch on the face. He followed up with a low kick to throw Touma onto the floor. Touma then barely held a new knife from stabbing his heart when the man leapt onto him. They rolled on the ground in a struggle for the knife. Knife man kicked Touma in the gut, separating them.
Touma landed on his two unsteady feet as Knife man lunged in a stab. Touma took one step to his left, twisting his hips right and use his elbow to spearhead his counterassault. It met the face, forcing the lunge to a halt. Touma added three consecutive strikes to the gut and finished with his right fist to the face. Thud, the Knife man's down for the count.
Yori entered the alley as the battle ended. His injured arm was wrapped tight with a red stained bandage. He stood over the downed assassin. He clapped twice softly. "Bravo. You didn't even need me in the first place. I could have gotten myself a can of soda instead." He carried the unconscious weight easily as Touma collected himself. "Let's find out everything from him."
"Is that so?" Laura Stuart asked for a confirmation.
"Yes. They are hiding something in their sleeves but they caught us trying to find out." Kaori Kanzaki said from the seats in the church.
"By this Anthony Hugh hmm…this is very interesting." Laura twirled a few strands of her long hair. She was sitting at the chair of the church organ.
"How do you want me to proceed on this?" Kaori requested further orders. Itsuwa was already dispatched by the Amakusa Church on another task.
"Don't do anything to bait them into a fight. I'd like to get this wrapped from behind the scenes. In the meantime, continue investigating but don't get caught. I will need to refer to my own sources as well."
"I will proceed as ordered." Kaori took her leave from the church. Being alone now, Laura had time to think. She didn't know who this Anthony Hugh is. Being in the top echelons, she memorizes the top leaders of each significant faction in the world. This one doesn't come to mind but being quite capable of defusing a Saint is worrisome. She then initiated communications with a certain someone.
"What brings you to me, Laura Stuart?" Aleister Crowley greeted her call.
"From what I gather, there are some incidents going on in Academy City. Am I right?"
"Even if there is, it is of no concern. Why should you?" Aleister gave the poker face.
"I want to know what you know about Roman Catholics doing in Japan. I'm sure your network stretches out beyond just Academy City." Laura explained her intentions.
"Ah…that means your own sources aren't efficient hmm?"
"I have more things to consider than that. Now tell me." Laura pushed straight to the point.
Aleister relented. "Hmm…fine. They've been meeting a few people. Those people are just insignificant to any major plans."
"Then tell me about this Anthony Hugh there." Laura inquired further.
"Anthony Hugh…I know little about him." Aleister appears to be referring to some information somewhere. "I have some physical data but the short version is he's a very fine man. He's a Roman Catholic and he has been declared a division leader four months ago. The rest is all black."
Laura smiled. "Then it will be time to turn it white."
Accelerator remains restless, shuffling about in his bed of the sofa seat. He wasn't too happy of being beaten by Yori through the use of tricks. If only I can kill that shitty bastard, that'd put me at ease. Or would it?
"You still sore from your fight?" Judgment Yomikawa Aiho leaned against the open door edge. Being familiar with Accelerator for some time, she knew when there's trouble with him. At least this one's not lethal by any means yet.
"It's none of your business." Accelerator spewed out.
"Hai hai, it's not my business. It's just keeping you agitated. I thought I could offer some advice."
"I don't need it." Accelerator left it at that.
Yomikawa sighed. "You may be the strongest esper in Academy City but remember even the strongest people have their limits. That limits will be found and be broken eventually." She flicked her cell phone open. "You're worried about leaving an issue to be handled by others. Am I right?"
"It's their business for all I care." That appraised Yomikawa on the accuracy of her judgment.
She said as she read something on the cell. "While you act the other way around, you actually care for the Sisters. That's a good thing to do."
Accelerator's response was simple. "Shut up."
"Don't close yourself up like that. Take my advice, be what you really are and people will appreciate you better. Trust their hands and let your worries disappear." She closed her phone shut. "I have to work now, so sleep on it." The conversation ended as Yomikawa left the door to prepare accordingly.
As though I'll ever do that... Accelerator thought in his evil manner. He laid his back against the bed's soft skin. I'll just let that stupid level zero deal with him.
Ring Ring!
"Judgment Branch 177, Konori Mii speaking."
"You're quite a spokesperson Konori."
"What is it that you have to call me through the main line Kurozuma?" Konori Mii relaxed by her seat, glancing through world news on the internet. The day in the office is quiet for now.
"It's important enough to warrant me to call you." Kurozuma Wataru replied from the other end of the call. Konori observed the phone display. The call was coming from the Anti-Skill offices.
"That is your excuse for flirting in the office."Konori snorted.
Kurozuma countermanded that. "No, it's official. I'm giving a heads up. There is a rise of serious conflicts going around in Academy City. The evidence starts appearing days ago."
"What kind?" Konori questioned further.
The Anti-Skill explained. "So far, there is a noted break in of a science facility and a warehouse. A battle damaged car had been found abandoned. There's also possibility of people having sneaked in and out of Academy City borders." That was a considerable feat. Academy City is known to have technology up to thirty years and beyond the modern world. For someone to have gotten past illegally would have some considerable ability or influence.
"Ok, we'll let you know any information when we get any."
"Good. Initial evidence suggests something of electromaster going around. They might be your girls. Check up on it and be careful too." Their phone call ended at that.
Konori turned to look at the computer screen. "Misaka Mikoto …. She has some explaining to do."
"Wakey wakey." A small jar of yellow substance was put under the assassin's nose. It forced the man to arise from an enforced slumber with a jerk. The man hands are tied as well as his legs to a stool that he sat on. He is now in Yori's workshop.
Touma sat from another chair at the other end while Yori did his work. "Had some good sleep? That'll be the last bliss you get…if you don't cooperate."
The assassin smirked. "I'm not telling anything. Do your worst kid." Yori merely smiled to that.
Yori picked up his power drill. He looked around the workshop. "Hmm…I do need a good spot to hang a new painting." He observed the man's face with malice. "Your nose will suit that just fine." He revved the power drill. "I'll drill a nice hole through it and then I'll have to smoothen it with a grinder." He lowered the drill and brushed his fingers against the man's arm. "Oh my, this'll be quite a disturbing element. I think I'll chip it away with a nail and hammer from the shoulder. This'll be quite a piece of art."
Yori went to retrieve his drill again. "You can do the easy way and be sent to Anti-Skill or not talk and be my living sculpture. Choose."
The prisoner looked at Yori closely. "You're bluffing. A kid can't do stuff like that." Do I hear crazy men laughing in the background?
Yori pointed with the drill at the dried blood stains below the man. "So did the guy before you thought." He then gestured behind him at Touma with a thumb. "He had to stop me from going overboard with that guy. It was lucky for him." He leaned at the wall behind the prisoner. "Make a choice. You have three seconds."
Seeing the confidence and truth of Yori's words, the prisoner gave up. "I'll tell you everything."
"Good." Yori put the drill down. "Let's start from who are you?"
As the man began to confess, Touma inspected his cell phone. A message huh. He opened it. It was from Stiyl.
We need to meet right now.