May 14th 2036 AD
"I really don't like doing this." Dan muttered as he sat in a bar. The young man sipped on a coke as the other patrons of the bar minded their own buisness or eyed him warily.
The private eye Fargo gave Dan a look, "YOu need the IDs, right kid?"
"Yeah, yeah," Dan nodded glumly as he handed the sandy haired man the cash.
"THe photos you gave me were kind of crap, but I've made these IDs for you," Fargo passed them over.
Dan blinked when he looked at the IDs then looked up at him. "You got my name?"
"Yeah. The time doesn't match up but a American with the same name passed on." Fargo nodded then shrugged his shoulders. "I just used his birth certificate to make it."
"I...see..." Dan nodded then looked through the information and pocketed it.
"I couldn't make a perfect match for miss Tennyo, but a hacking associate of mine set this up for her," he passed the other ID over.
"Kiyone...Makibi?" Dan blinked
"Thanks," Tennyo smiled.
"Your welcome," Fargo nodded and the pair exitted the bar quietly. Fargo watched them go, frowning thoughtfully. Raven had asked him to help the kids out, and he suspected Sylia was involved too. As usual.
Meanwhile, the pair strolled down the street talking to themselves.
"Kiyone Makibi..." Dan noted then sighed. "Its going to be odd calling that you know."
"Eh, it's a old family name," Tennyo, now Kiyone Makibi, waved it off.
"Really?" Dan blinked.
"Really," Kiyone nodded then looked at him curiously. "So...who do you think this world's Dan was?"
"I'd rather not think about it." Dan frowned and sighed. He thought a bit more then shook his head and added. "Might not even be me for all we know."
"Don't want to know?" Kiyone asked him.
"Pretty much..." Dan nodded.
"Understandable," Kiyone patted his shoulder as they walked down the street.
Free Fall
Chapter Two
May 17th 2036 AD
Sylia Stingray tapped at a keyboard, looking annoyed She had plugged updated information in on the two mystery people, but so far she only had a unrelated hit from the US. A corporate espionage case, very messy. But this Dan was too old to be the one they were dealing with.
"Boomer incident...?" Sylia mused.
"Are you still obsessing over that?" Priss asked as she slipped over to Sylia's desk.
"Its odd..." Sylia frowned and showed her the data. "This Dan was 36 but the one that's now working for Dr Raven is only 22."
"Well, they DO look alike. Brothers?" Priss asked.
"With the same name?" Sylia arched her eyebrow.
"Damn if I know," Priss admitted, shrugging her shoulders. "Parents liked naming their kids Dan?"
"The odd thing is I'm getting no hits on his friend, Kiyone," Sylia noted.
"As in, she's in disguise?" Priss asked.
"AS in, no hits at ALL. The facial match should have SOMETHIUNG come up." Sylia shook her head.
"Huh," Priss looked at the data then shrugged. "Then she's not in the records. What of it?"
"I have, well, nearly global access, Priss," Sylia shook her head, looking somewhat annoyed. "She should be here somewhere, especially after weeks of searching. It's as if she doesn't exist."
"...and she knows about us too?" Priss asked.
"Her and Wisner know something," Sylia said. frowning a bit. "They haven't done any searches since that first night...at least not on us."
"What else are they searching on?" Priss asked.
"Esoteric physics and dimensional theory." Sylia shrugged.
"Dwah? Most people just look for porn." Priss blurted.
"Mr. Wisner was also doing searches on military technology," Sylia noted then nodded. "Mostly on heavy armor, vehicles battle rifles, and power suits."
"They haven't made any purchases yet have they?" Priss frowned warily.
"No...it just looks like causal searching on his part." Sylia noted then frowned thoughtfully. "But why would they look up things like Dimensional theory...? Something isn't adding up."
Priss sighed and sat in her lap "Sylia...your thinking about it too much. It'll come to you, eventually."
"And you are a most welcome distraction," Sylia conceded with a smile. Priss grinned and leans in to kiss Sylia deeply. The pair kissed deeply, forgetting, if only for the moment, of the current problems they were facing.
Mackie Stingray and Nene peeked in, both wanting to talk about the people that Sylia was looking into, then sighed when they saw the pair making out in Sylia's chair. The pair retreated then sighed.
"They're at it again." Mackie sighed.
"...and Priss gets really cranky when we interrupt them." Nene noted then looked over at him with a grin on her face. "Wanna continue our game, then?"
"Yeah," Mackie noted, smiling. "I'm game for another Yamato Online session."
"Didn't you create a new character?" Nene asked as they walked to his room.
"Jiro Yamada, yeah," Mackie nodded then smiled as they sat down at a pair of laptops after entering the boys room. "He's already up to a lieutenant commander and in control of a light cruiser too."
"You couldn't come up with better than John Smith?" Nene nudged him as they booted up their computers.
Mackie stuck his tongue out. Nene laughed as they settled in for another session on the popular online game. "Actually I met a guy calling himself JOhn Smith online too. Westerner, but good player."
"What a geek," Nene laughed.
Mysteriously, Dan Wisner sneezed.
"Something wrong?" Kiyone asked.
"Someone's talking about me?" Dan wondered as he waited for the Yamato online launcher to pop on the computers desktop.
"Shouldn't you be at work?" Kiyone asked.
"It's my day off!" Dan protested. "Besides, I made a play date for Yamato Online."
"Seriously..." Kiyone gave him a look.
"It's a good way to network," Dan explained.
"Uh huh." rolled her eyes then shook her head. "Just don't let it interfere with your work okay?"
"Right right," Dan sighed.
Kiyone sighed and continued her earch on dimension theory online, hoping to find something useful. The pair quietly agreed that they needed to return sometime, as it is this wasn't their home. However, they both knew it wasn't going to be easy and that they needed a semi-permanent place to stay. They were grateful for the space that Dr. Raven provided for them, its just that it was a bit crampt and both of them needed their space. Unfortunately for them it was hard to find vacancies. Plus, the rent wasn't cheap, even for such a place as Timex city.
She frowned then switched from one search thread and moved onto another matter. A job of her own. While Dr Raven's pay was good the initial expenses, the fake IDs the computers and groceries ate into quite a bit of Dan's first pay checks.
Tennyo frowned thoughtfully as she went over her options. She could become a martial artist instructor but she was concerned that someone might question her training. She could work as security, but the high casualty rate worried her. Working as a chef would be promising, and she knew japanese, chinese and italian cuisine. However, since she has no references she would have to have to talk to the manager and the head chef.
However, she could as a bouncer for a bar or...a host for a hostess club. Hostess clubs would hire and didn't investigate much, but tended to be rather sketchy.
Still, the pay was reputed to be pretty good. She sat back and considered it. She wouldn't dare tell Dan about it. It would be embarrassing. Still, it was something to look into...along with other options. Meanwhile, she'd keep an eye on Dan and make sure that he was keeping out of trouble. Granted he could protect himself against non augmented people, but he'd be at a sheer disadvantage against boomers and boomeroids.
That same day...
"Alright settle down people," Sylia stated crisply then called up an image of a series of ten story steel and glass building. "A heavily armed team raided Sarif Industries's Ares research facility two days ago."
"And?" Priss demanded. She HATED Sylia's dramatic pauses.
Sylia gave her a look which caused Priss to shut up. Sylia gazed at the group and continued. "They made their way trough building C, fought Sarif's security teams and stole something that Sarif wants us to retrieve."
"Did they just waltz in there?" Priss asked then frowned as images of a heavily armed squad strode through the hall way. All were equiped with high grade cybernetics and wear armed to the teeth with heavy cannons and modular rifles. "I guess they did."
"While they were defeated, Sarif's security teams gave the mercenary team quite a fight," Sylia noted thoughtfully. "Sarif has more combat cyborgs now after the attach on their home office in Detroit."
"I saw clips of that online, before they killed the story," Priss noted
"It was quite gruesome...a lot of people died that day," Reika frowned.
"Shouldn't their top agents and security officers be on this case?" Nene asked curiously.
"They're dealing with something else in Europe, that's why we've been called in." Sylia informed them. "Sarif wants us to retrieve the item the combat team stole from them."
"Have they given us any details about this item?" Linna asked.
"No...which I find very strange an worrisome," Sylia frowne then looked at the redhead. "Nene...can you look into what they were doing at the Ares research facility."
"Right..." Nene nodded and made her way to a bank of laptops and police scanners. The little red head went to work, tapping at her keyboard as she delved into the facilities mainframe. into the facilities. "Got it. Officially it's a medical prostetics research facility..but in reality it's a military cybernetics research center."
Priss frowned and crosses her arms. "What were they up to?"
"Nothing good I can imagine," Linna frowned.
"Everything from concealed weapon to strength enhancement to illegal full body upgrades..." Nene frowned then sighed as she looked up at Sylia. "What should we do?"
"What we were hired to do..recover this case," Sylia gestured to an image of four bulky men carrying what looked like a coffin. "Whatever is in the case is the target."
"Can they get it out of there?" Linna asked.
"Not easily. The security system will destroy it if unauthorized access happens." Nene shook her head.
"But you could hack it?" Reika asked
"Given a few days, probably." Nene shrugged then frowned when she thought of something. "...though they might be trying to do the same thing. Can I have back up?"
"Yes, I'll have Mackie help you hack the case's system," Sylia nodded then sat back. "I want the rest of you to look into this matter. Be discreet. That goes for you too, Priss."
"Right, right, Sylia Oneesama..." Priss teased her.
May 21st 2036AD
Kiyone Makibi walked down the steps towards a below ground club, eying the tough lady at the door. She had dusky skin, dark hair and was dressed in riding leathers.
The dark haired woman frowned as Kiyone approached and stepped up to her. She folded her arms over her chest and gazed evenly at Kiyone. "Your new. What's your name, new comer?"
"My name's Kiyone Makibi," Kiyone stated firmly as she gazed evenly at the dusky skinned woman. "Ms. King is expecting me. I'm here for a job. Will you let me pass?"
"Thank you," Kiyone Makibi nodded and walked up to the door. She pushed it open and found herself in a tastefully decorated establishment. A waitress walked by, wearing what looked like an Anna millers uniform. She looked around, taking everything in. There were girls in tuxedoes sitting with patrons, who, she found were mostly female. The staff seemed intent on charming the lady customers too, Kiyone noted to herself.
"Not a man in sight," Kiyone noted, frowning thoughtfully. 'Is it THAT sort of club?'
"Oooh, you're a pretty one," the floor manager noted Kiyone turned and saw a busty brunette smiling at her. She had a tray in hand and her hand on her hip.
"Hi , I have a appointment with King I believe?" Kiyone nodded
"Your Kiyone?" The brunette blinked then grinned. "Jeez. The customers are gonna just eat you up."
"H-Hey, I haven't even taken the job yet!" Kiyone laughed.
Mai Shiranai," she introduced herself," follow me, I'll take you to the boss before you change your mind."
"Thank you," Kiyone Makibi nodded and followed her through the roomy club, through a pair of double doors through the kitchen. They climbed up a flight of stairs to what appeared to be the clubs second floor. There wasn't any noise so she expected it to be sound proofed and the walls looked clean.
Kiyone followed Mai, who knocked on the door marked 'Manager.' "King! The new blood is here!
"Let her in," A deep voice answered her knock.
"Good luck," Mai murmured as she waved Kiyone inside.
"Thank you," Kiyone nodded, took a deep breath and stepped over the threshold. The blonde looked up from a tablet then smiled as as Kiyone entered. " I presume.
"You look better than on the view screen," the blond noted. She offered her hand, "I'm King."
"Nice to meet you," Kiyone nodded, shaking her hand.
"Thanks, take a seat," KIng waved her to a chair. Kiyone sat down and waited patiently as King looked something over on the tablet.
"So, I think you're a good fit for the club," King admitted, "do you know what sort of club we are?"
"Somewhat?" Kiyone shrugged then nodded. "It's a host club, primarily for women who like women."
"Spot on," King nodded then smiled. "Our customers come her to relax and of for our hostesses company."
"And.. more?" Kiyone asked.
"I'm fairly certain some women arrange to meet staff later, but..."
"I understand..." Kiyone nodded.
"Also, we expect all new staff members to be capable at self defense," King noted dryly then smiled at her. "Are you up for a demonstration?"
"I guess I have no choice, do I," Kiyone sighed, smiling wryly at King.
"No, you don't. Follow me. I'll show you where our sparring area is." King shook her head, got out of her seat and strolled towards the door. Kiyone followed suit, wondering what she's about to get herself into.
Two hours later
Reika Chang waded through a busy resturant, making her way to a booth in the back. A woman with short red hair nursed a drink as she approached then smiled wryly up at Reika.
"Long time no see, Reika."
Reika nodded as she sat down, "It's nice to see you again, Haruhi."
"You don't usually contact our branch of the family," the other woman noted, "trouble?"
"I'm...looking into something," Reika murmured.
Haruhi waved for a waiter to bring them something to drink. "I can't promise much.. Hou Bang has reduced it's activities since you left."
Reika looked at her with a firm gaze. "That was my choice, Haruhi. I wanted to do something else with my life. Something that I could my own."
"I understand," Haruhi agreed. "You decided to embrace the path of peace after avenging your sister." She paused then added deliberately, "So how's the knight Sabers thing working out."
Reika winced. "POint..."
"So what are you looking into?" Haruhi asked.
"An attack on a Sarif industries research facility in Megatokyo," Reika nodded then hummed. "It happened several days ago. Heard anything?"
"...I have heard a few things on the matter," Haruhi noted then smiled knowingly at Reika. "But it'll definitely cost you. Say tickets for me and a few friends to your next show...Miss Vision."
"Fine, its a deal," Reika sighed then nodded to the redhead. "Now what do you know about the attackers?"
Meanwhile in a secret location.
"All right, we got the stuff," the big man with sandy hair as his men deposited the container on the ground. He then turned to a woman wearing a dark blue pant suit and a white shirt. Standing next to her was a woman in a sleek powersuit. "Now. where's our pay?"
"I've got it right here...Jo?" The woman nodded. With a burst of speed, Jo went to work, attacking the larger men with her built rapiers. The woman in the pant suit watched on passively as Jo sliced, stabbed and punched her way through the cyborgs, making quick work of them. A girl with long brown hair stood back, looking on in hor as Jo she sliced into the groups arms and leg, incapacitating them. Each fell to the ground with a sickening thud, twiching and groaning with pain.
The bulky leader fell to one knee as he clutched his side as sparks flew from severed elecronics and synthetic musculature. "Damned bitch. We did the job so why did you take out my entire team!"
"NO CASUALTIES, asshole." Jo hissed.
Sei nodded, "This was supposed to be a clean operation. We even provided you with special equipment to do it... and instead you just shot the place up."
"So what now?" Jo asked.
"Finish him," Sei frowned.
"Right," Jo nodded and pointed a single barrel cannon at the guys head.
"NO! Wait!" The cyborg blurted then fell over when Jo shot the large caliber bullet in his head.
"What a mess," Sei sighed.
"Did we have to do that?" Meg asked, wearing another set of armor.
"Yes..." Sei sighed then shook her head. "His group wouldn't have been punished if we just let them go."
"Even so..." Meg began.
"Meg it was necessary, so drop it," Jo grumbled.
"Right..." Meg sighed, dropping it indeed.
"It's a imperfect world," Sei added, shrugging. "We just do the best we can in it."
"Yeah," Jo nodded
"We should get moving," Sei noted after glancing at her watch then glanced over at the women. "Get the extra case from the truck and torch the place."
"Well, this is a mess," Sylia echoed Sei unknowingly, several hours later.
"What do you think happened?" Reika asked as they studied the scene
"Looks like a falling out between crooks. Someone fired a weapon and things went to hell," Priss mused.
"No," Sylia shook her head, "Someone made it look like they fought each other..."
"But who would do such a thing?" Linna asked.
"Good question," Sylia admitted. "Nene?"
Nene nodded and sensors popped out of her backpack as well as her helmet.
"The helmet sensors looks so silly, no matter how many times I see it" Priss shook her head.
"Quiet you..." Linna noted.
"The bullet wounds don't match up..." Nene noted then pointed the severed limbs "...and I don't think these guys have arm blades either."
Sylia monitored the data feed and nodded. "Shot from behind. The box over there, half melted, was supposed to be the target."
"Set up to throw us off?" Linna asked
"Well, the police and corporate security, anyway," Sylia said
the looked to Reika. "have you looked into their employer?"
"Its Bai Lan..." Reika hissed.
"I take it that the Hou Bang and Bai Lan do not get along?" Sylia asked.
"You could say that," Reika noted dryly.
"We'll have to look into this further..." Sylia mused thoughtfully then looked to Nene. "The rest of us will spread out. Nene Stay here and keep scanning the area for evidence."
"All right, I'm sending data to all of you, I want you to go to these locations and do a deep scan," Nene ordered, sending them data of where she plotted the attackers having stood.
"Right," The others replied and hurried off to the locations.
The others searched the areas quickly, trying to find anything about the attackers.
"THis ius such a waste of time," Priss bitched as her search came up cold.
"Less complaining, more scanning." Nene replied.
"Got something," Reika noted, "footprint, I think. Doesn't match the bodies."
"Send me the data, Reika," Nene replied crisply, plugging the data into her simulation program. After a moment she muttered, "THat can't be right."
"Hmm?" Reika blinked.
"By weight estimation would imply the person is ten feet tall." Nene frowned.
"Or armored?" Sylia commented.
"CRap. Yes, or armored..." Nene nodded then frowned. "But what's even weirder is that they're our size."
"THat's bad, right?" Priss asked
"Extremely bad," LInna said dryly as she scanned her area. She frowned when she caught the faint trail of armored footsteps, moving away from the incident site. "Got a trail here."
"I've got what MIGHT be faint traces, but.. might not be too," Reika noted
"They're very careful. I guess just one got a bit careless." Sylia noted as she looked around. She sighed then frowned then trodded off to where Linna was.
The pair walked down a short corridor then stopped when they came to the edge. Linna blinked at the trail then looked back at Sylia. "The trail ends here. Do you think they Flew off?"
"Or jumped away like we do," Nene said over the commline. "See the deeper footprint? We do that when we jump."
"Indeed," Sylia nodded frowning. "Nene sweep this area clean..."
"What?" Nene blinked. "Why?"
"Do we really want to be tagged as the bad guys again," Reika noted.
"But the cops won't be anble to investigate..." Nene pouted a bit.
"We'll leave the bodies instead..." Sylia noted crisply after thinking abit. "It'll keep the cops busy."
"And the box?" Priss asked.
"We'll take it with us," Sylia nodded then hummed. "But not before we check for any traps. Nene can you do a quick scan."
"Yes ma'am," Nene nodded and extended a cable to interface with the unit, humming softly. "Let's see... firewall up. Scanning system."
How long will this take," Priss grumped.
"Not long," Nene noted then gasped when her scan already found a lot of trojans. "Sylia this thing is one big trap. It'll take time to get rid of all of these things to see if theres any useful information."
"Shall we leave this for AD Police too?" Priss joked.
"Don't even joke like that." Nene grumbled then continued. "They'd TOTALLY compromise the ADP systems..."
"And that's bad why?"
"Would you like a enemy reprograming every ADP gunship to shoot at US?" Nene griped.
"Point..." Priss murmured.
"Knock it off you two," Linna sighed then looked at Sylia after checking her HUD. "AD POLICE response helicopters are heading our way. I think we should go."
"Right..." Sylia nodded then looked at Reika and Priss. "Priss you get the case, Reika back her up. Carry it to the trailer. The rest of us will disperse. Understood."
"Oh sure, WE get to do the heavy lifting..." Priss grumped as she stalked over to the case.
"Stop complaining Asagiri and lift," Reika sighed.
"Right right..." Priss grumbled.
The next day.
"Sylia, the AD Police have finished with the crime scene." Nene reported.
"...and?" Sylia asked crisply.
"I hacked their coms and data. Nothing interesting."
"So they know less than we do," Sylia murmured then sighed. "How is the case coming along."
"Getting through all the viruses is taking a bit of work," Nene noted then sighed. "I do have some data, in that I know who made some of the viruses etc. The programing is as destinctive as a signature."
"Its a hacker, she's quite good," Nene noted. "She hit the US stock exchanges a few years back, made all the screens read insults about the President."
"I see," Sylia hummed then sighed. "Do you know who she belongs too?"
"A group afiliated with Bai Lan..." Nene noted.
"I think I need to talk with Reika again," Sylia sighed then nodded. "Keep up the good work Nene."
"Will do," Nene agreed tiredly.
A few days later.
Dan watched Kiyone hurrying out the door as he worked on a boxy looking car's hybrid engine. "Hey Kiyone. HOw's the job search going?"
"I have a few leads. Don't wait up." Kiyone Makibi answered him evasively.
"Right," Dan sighed. He rather suspected she already had a job, and wasn't telling him for whatever reason. He shrugged and continued to work on the boxy looking toyota. He continued to work on the machine, then pulled his head out of the hood just as Priss pulled up on her monster of a bike.
"Hard at work again I see, Danny boy," Priss noted as she climbed off her bike.
Dan did his damndest not to notice the skin tight leather bodysuit.
"Hmm," Priss grinned, noticing Dan trying hard not to look at her. Ah, boys. She may not like them that way, but it was fun to see them react. Plus she could kick his ass if he made a pass at her. Priss shifted a bit, making the leather creek a bit and drawing Dan's eyes.
"Oi, just where are you looking at, Danny boy," Priss mock scolded him.
Dan flushed then meekly said, "Sorry, ma'am."
"You're supposed to deny it, damn it. " Priss grumped, pouting a bit. "then I force it out of you. More fun that way."
"Hate to spoil your fun," Dr Raven frowned as he walked up to the pair. "But Dan has work to do."
"Aww alright pops," Priss pouted then winked at Dan Dan blushed, then busied himself with the enghine he was tuning. Meanwhile the pair wandered off to the other side of the garage to talk in private.
"Thanks for spoiling my fun, Pops." Priss frowned.
"Doctor Raven, please." Doctor Raven frowned.
"Whatever, Pops." Priss waved it away then glanced at him. "How's progress on the Motoslaves?"
"I'm tuning them up, but it's going to take time." Dr Raven noted quietly.
"Damn it, we may need them tonight," Priss frowned.
"Is this about your latest job?" Raven noted.
"Sort of. It's looking more and more like we're gonna need the extra firepower." Priss murmured.
"And you can't easily tote the big guns in your regular armor," RAven nodded
"Yeah," Priss nodded then look at him. "So please doctor...get the motoroids up and running as soon as you can. We need these bikes by tonight."
"If I drop other jobs, I can get two done. Possibly." Raven frowned
Priss looked over at Dan working.
"How good IS Wisner?" she mused.
Raven got where she was going. "You think it's safe to ask him?"
"Just tell him that its a confidential job..." Priss nodded. "Besides, if he spills anything, Sylia will take steps."
"Damn you can be cold blooded," Raven sighed
"Goes with the job." Priss shrugged and wandered over to her bike. "Get it done either way. Okay?"
"Right," Raven sighed as the brown haired woman climbed on her bike.
Priss glanced behind her and grinned as Dan went to work on another engine. Priss whistled at him causing him to look up from the engine. Priss wiggled her but for Dan's benefit, causing Dan to jolt up then banged his head on the hood. "Ow!"
"Catch ya later, Danny boy," Priss smiled and waved at Dan then raced off. "I still got it."
EOF
Meg, Jo and Sei are from Gonzo's Burst Angel. King and Mai Shiranui are copyrighted to SNK Playmore. Priss, Sylia, Linna, Nene are from AIC's Bubblegum Crisis.