"Alliances"
August 25, 2020
[Wow, it's been a while, huh? Anyway, thanks for reading. I could NEVER and I mean EVER get this chapter exactly how I wanted it. This and the combination of re-reading the story and finding literary short-comings made me delay it time after time. Well, it's here now. I'm fixing some shortcomings in the entire story and this chapter will be edited along with it in the very near future.
As always, I appreciate criticism. I'm getting back into it and the storyboard is looking more and more interesting each time I visit it, so hopefully you'll enjoy as much I enjoy articulating the fights of the future.]
"HOUND DOGs have planted remote-detonated mines along all potential paths of the mark's escort vehicle instead of manned road blocks. Higher ups are refusing to further commit HOUND DOGs outside of evacuation as they've been reassigned to assist Accelerator and Awaki's missions." Motoharu's LEASH unit informed in monotone. Motoharu had already begun his pursuit of the target vehicle on foot throughout the backstreets. He was homing in of the vehicle through the fastest possible route with the with the assistance of the LEASH navigation. The tendency of the ANTI-SKILL wagon to obey the road rules assisted the Hawaiian shirt in closing the gap.
There were three stages to the at hand mission. The first stage was to isolate the marked vehicle from any friendly assistance. This necessitated the need for the perfect timing of two objectives; destroying communication lines between the vehicle and potential help and doing so in a location of relative isolation of the vehicle from the public eye. This stage is to be handled by GROUP's counter-intelligence department.
The second stage is to halt the vehicle without killing the mark inside. Preferably, this would have been done through the extensive use and coverage that the HOUND DOG corps. The HOUND DOGs are a military counter-measure to the increasing aggression of the RADIO NOISE organisation. Founded by GROUP's higher ups, they are majority made up of ex-military or mercenaries who found their way into Academy City. However, do to the desire to limit HOUND DOG casualties and the pressing need of their expertise elsewhere, the role of disabling the marked vehicle has been replaced by a single squad, access to a livestream tactical GPS, an array of remote detonators and minefield within the heart of the city. Mines in the history of warfare have often been used to replace actual soldiers and often act as an impeccable replacement. However, their use on a battlefield compared to their use in a lively city is not nearly as well documented. Civilian casualties and property damage are sure to occur with such a tactic, but what damage and casualties that do occur will be laughed at in the face of the damage The Butcher of Academy City had already dealt this day. The other drawback is the mark inside may be killed in the blast. It wasn't the perfect plan, but it was the only one that could cover the potential escape routes without extensive manpower.
The third and final stage of the mission was up to Motoharu. This stage entailed the coercion of the mark to the cause and the successful extraction to a safehouse. Blackmail is a very useful incentive in coercing a target to join your cause, but up to the present time there was little information to be used as blackmail. Or, better put, there was little information useful as blackmail material. Motoharu would have to rely on a variety of interrogation techniques to coax the mark. This part of the mission was the most dangerous for several reasons; there is a limited window of opportunity to escape before potential enemies arrive, and the mark may offer resistance. Additionally ANTI-SKILL within the van may pose resistance.
The reason why Motoharu was decided to partake this mission is because he proposed that the mark would be a valuable asset to GROUP in their fight against RADIO NOISE. He helped create the mission objectives and details. This was essentially his will he was acting on with the green-light of GROUP and their blessings in the form of assistance.
Motoharu continued to chase the vehicle as LEASH continued to give him updates. The routine of the orders and the mundane nature of jogging eventually numbed Motoharu's mind into blindly following orders.
"Counter-intelligence have just initiated their radio jam of the ANTI-SKILL network. The marked vehicle is in an appropriately isolated position to minimize casualties. I suggest you pick up pace as the HOUND DOGs have been giving the O.K. to take out the vehicle."
Moments after LEASH's update an explosion followed by the screeching of tyres and the crashing of steel on asphalt rang out.
"Northwest 250 metres. Follow this alley and turn left at the main street. At the second set of lights it's another left."
The shades drew its pistol from the holder and began a sprint to the location mentioned. He weaved through the sparse civilians who fled in the opposite direction to where the explosion was heard.
The scene was clean and professional. A single crater in the middle of the asphalt road and a wagon on it's side. The middle of a road is the perfect place for any explosive device to be planted when death is not the intention of the ambusher. As motor vehicles that obey the road rules have a tendency to remain on either side of the road, the explosion near one side of a vehicle will utilise the weight of the vehicle combined with the force of the explosion to overcome the remaining fulcrum and cause the vehicle to topple.
As Motoharu approached the vehicle, he could here a single set of groans and moans from the driver's cabin of the wagon that drowned out his own exhausted panting. With his pistol wielded, he approached the window, now facing the sky and stuck his head in. He saw a single male ANTI-SKILL on the ground at the other side of the cabin. His head had been split open and blood had already dyed his dark blue vest.
"P-Please help me." the ANTI-SKILL pleaded. "I need you to call ANTI-SKILL. We're carrying a VIP with us."
Motoharu's expression, though hidden by the shades, didn't not change at the man's plea. There was something at stake here bigger than his life and allowing him to live may jeopardise his mission. The young lad lifted himself into the window and stared at the man. A feint light shone in the man's eyes before it was extinguished by the sight of Motoharu drawing his weapon and directing it towards the man.
A single shot to the heart.
After performing a necessary evil, the blonde lad pulled himself from the window and journeyed to the back of the van. He forced the bottom door open and it crashed to the ground, creating a puff of dust. There was no motion inside the van. He lamented the possibility that the inhabitants of this steel cage had perished in the crash.
Coughing from the puff of dust, he crawled into the wagon. He noted that the three ANTI-SKILL who were in the back were all unconscious. The mark was quickly identified after, laying slump against the back wall of the wagon with an unconscious ANTI-SKILL next to it. Motoharu approached the mark and took it's vitals on it's neck. Alive. Barely. As he did, he felt the body move in an attempt to brush him away, but ultimately failed to do so.
Alive, conscious yet exhausted. The first two parts of the mission had been a success. The ball was now in Motoharu's court.
Exhausted himself, Motoharu gently lowered himself into a sitting position against a wall a short distance from the mark to rest. Silence existed in the wagon, bar the decreasing rate of huffs and puffs from Motoharu. After catching his breathe, Motoharu broke the silence.
"You ever experienced that feeling when you were told something was really good and it didn't live up to your expectation. I'm not talking about a movie or something insignificant like that. I'm talking about something like how big Godzilla is and then you find out in actuality, he is only a toy who was made to look bigger by a smaller set." Motoharu chatted as he began to spin his pistol on his index finger between the trigger and guard.
"Well that was this whole experience with you. You were blown up to be some huge demi-god like creature. The higher ups would say; "Motoharu, you'll be killed the moment you get close. Don't you care about your sister? If you're dead, how will you protect her then?"" he sighed, stopped twirling the hand cannon and pressed the sights against his forehead.
"So guess what I would say to them. No really, guess." he pressed, but got no response. He restarted twirling as he began to explain.
"I would say "If I die, I've got a friend who I trust to take care of her." You probably know him. Yeah you do. You've fought him before!" Motoharu patronized, smiling and ribbing his conversational partner. With no reaction, his mood soured and he fixed his glasses.
"Well you almost ruined that today. Not that I didn't trust you wouldn't, but... fuck it was close. If I hadn't intervened you would have ruined my contingency plan. And we can't have that now can we?"
Motoharu lifted himself from his resting position against the wall of the overturned ANTI-SKILL truck. He cocked his handgun, waltzed over to the slumped figure and raised the weapon.
"You've got a choice. Join us. End this god-forsaken experiment, grant Academy City relative peace and redeem yourself. Or..." Motoharu shot one of the ANTI-SKILL who was knocked unconscious in the accident. "Sit by like you always have, watched everyone else do the work for you as you lament your position. Watch the innocents die and the blood accumulate on your hands."
The figure finally raised it's head. The brown scraggly hair of Mikoto Misaka rose to allow her eyes to look into the pitch black of Motoharu's shades. She was in an incredible weak state and struggled to hold her head up. After a prolonged glance she spat to her left side onto of the dead ANTI-SKILL and returned her gaze to Motoharu.
"Go to Hell." she spat before lowering her head again.
Motoharu responded by looking up, and around before walking over to the the back of the van. He struggled to pull the door close due to the damage the crash had inflicted on the hinges and the natural affinity of gravity.
"How about a little privacy?" he offered after closing the door. He crouched down in front of the defeated child and tapped his gun on the girls head trying to get her attention. When that didn't work, he used the end of the barrel to lift her chin up so he could look her in the eyes. Her eyes were defeated. Every ounce of life in them sucked dry. The scuff marks and asphalt dust that was caused by the crash exaggerated this effect, but hardly contributed to they child's defeat. Motoharu removed his shades and stared into the shell of Mikoto.
"When I said you've got two choices... yeah I kinda lied. You've got one. You're coming with me. Whether that means you come as my corpse bride or as my warrior princess, yeah again, another story." Motoharu was met with non-response as Mikoto's eyes refused to look anywhere but into his.
"You're sure you're going to do this? Really? How did that powerpack who killed hundreads, maybe thousands today suddenly lose the urge to live?" Mikoto avoided Motoharu for a few seconds before replying.
"He'll do what I can't. I can die now knowing he'll carry my burden."
Mikoto's void eyes shed a single tear that ran down the grim and grit of her face and plotted on her frizzled skirt. Mikoto had found solidarity in Touma's words, fake as they be. Motoharu felt how lamentable Mikoto currently was and realised that force would only end in blood. He knew full well that Touma was not willing nor able to carry the kind of burden Mikoto spoke of. However, convincing her would still be difficult. After long periods of isolation, the initial development of trust is the hardest to break. It will be like converting a zealot away from their order. Character assassination would be the most effective way of breaking this unfounded trust.
Motoharu didn't like the idea of dragging his friend's name through the mud, but this was bigger than him and his personal relationships.
"Mikoto, what if he struggles? What if he fails and is killed because he can't shoulder the weight of this burden the same way you can?" Motoharu provoked, tapping the gun on his leg as he still assumes a crouched position.
"If he would not struggle, there would be no burden to shoulder." was the flat response she answered resting her head on the wall of the van, staring at the roof.
"But what if he needs assistance only you can provide?"
"What can I provide that you will not lend him if you both desire the same result?" upon hearing Mikoto's response, Motoharu rose and sighed. She may be weakened physically, but her trust has already strengthened into a zealous logical defense system. Time to convince her was running out, too. No doubt a civilian had tipped the authorities off about the accident and extra ANTI-SKILL and even JUDGEMENT would be on the scene soon to ensure The Butcher of Academy City was under raps after the communication failure and radio silence of the convey. When the situation was about to reach a psychical resolution a tactical whisper entered Motoharu's ears.
"Word is her best friend, one "Shirai Kuroko" had just passed away. Intel suggests that Touma Kamijou was directly involved in her demise." Motoharu's LEASH unit divulged, sliding the ace in the hole that Motoharu needed at the final hour.
"Mikoto, do you know a Shirai Kuroko?" Mikoto averted her gaze from the roof to Motoharu. "Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news... but she has passed away."
"You're lying." she snapped as her eyes dilated. Motoharu shook his head.
"I'm afraid not. To make matters worse, I've been told that Touma played a role in her death. I don't believe it myself, but what my little birdies tell me is hardly ever wrong."
Mikoto's lips began to tremble before her head fell slumped and defeated once again. The pat of tears on the steel of the truck floor began a saddening hymn accompanied with an orchestra of sniffs and huffs. Motoharu himself held his hand over his mouth and slipped his glasses back on.
"No." Mikoto snapped. "This is just a trick. To get me to come with you."
"I can understand why you'd say that, but it's not. Either way, you've left yourself no choice than to come with me to find out. JUDGEMENT will be here any moment and ANTI-SKILL after that. Unless... you want to be caught?"
Motoharu sheathed his weapon and extended the hand that held it towards Mikoto.
"Come on, we don't have much time."
The brunette hesitated, wiped her tears away with the back of her hand then grasped his. In a hurry, Motoharu quickly supported the majority of Mikoto's weight on his shoulder and began to lead her to the door.
'What's it looking like out there?'
'Not good, you've got four ANTI-SKILL wagons inbound. E.T.A two and a half minutes. You've probably got JUDGEMENT operatives sniffing around out there somewhere too, thermals aren't giving us anything though. The extraction vehicle is already on the move, you've just got to get yourself and the mark out of sight and away from any inbound ANTI-SKILL.'
Motoharu sighed audibly upon hearing the sitrap from his LEASH before leading Mikoto out of the van. Mikoto struggles to keep up as Motoharu attempts to swiftly sneak into one of the backstreets along the road. Successful in this first step, Motoharu guides Mikoto through a maze of backstreets. As the two go around a tight corner, Mikoto relinquishes her grip and falls to the pavement below.
"Shit, now's not the time" Motoharu curses as Mikoto taps herself on the head in a show of acknowledging her mistake. He is just about to help Mikoto back up as a voice calls from the direction they were proceeding to.
"I'm with JUDGEMENT. I saw her fall, is she alright?" The female JUDGEMENT member inquired as she displayed her armband and approached the two. She was rather tall and well-endowed with black shoulder-length hair and sported academic-styled glasses.
"Y-yeah, fine thanks. She was attacked by a pack of dogs and I'm trying to get her to the hospital." Motoharu babbled as he assisted Mikoto up. Instantly he realised this was a mistake.
"Is...Is that Mikoto Misaka? I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave her with me. I'll ensure she'll get to the hospital. Thank you for yo-" the JUDGEMENT member cut herself short after seizing up the duo. "You're under arrest for carrying a firearm! Do not resist or be persecuted by the law's of Academy City!"
Motoharu' had not actively displayed his weapon and realized that the JUDGEMENT member must have had some X-ray-isq ability to detect his weapon. Despite the woman's demand for surrender, Motoharu drew his pistol and directed it towards the woman.
"It doesn't have to get bloody. Let us pass and you get to live another day."
The woman had other thoughts, however. As Motoharu was supporting Mikoto, he was unable to react fast enough to a sweeping kick which saw him topple over and Mikoto practically thrown to the ground. She unarmed Motoharu, stuck a knee in his back, slapped handcuffs on him and left him on the ground. She then proceeded to attempt to do the same with Mikoto, but the second she placed a knee on her back to get into a proper position to cuff the brown-haired powerpack, the JUDGEMENT member froze stiff. Mikoto had electrocuted her on contact. It was hard for Motoharu to tell if the current she gave her was fatal or not. Yet at the very least, it was enough to paralyze her nerves. She smiled weakly at Motoharu who quickly concluded that could have and possibly still could be him at any point.
The smile didn't last long as the sound of footsteps of several people from the direction which the JUDGEMENT member came resounded. They both prepared for the worse.
Fortunately, the steps signaled not their impending gaol time but temporary salvation as the source was three HOUND DOGs coming to retrieve the duo. The were heavily armed; clad in body armour, a combat helmet, balaclava and packed serious firepower in the form of a world renowned assualt rifle. The JUDGEMENT member was quickly shoved aside, still stricken with nerve paralysis and both Mikoto and Motoharu were lifted to their feet and tactically escorted into a van that waited at the mouth of the alley ahead.
Exhausted and incapacitated were the duo as they rested together on the bench seat in the van with one of the members who rescued them. This member was seated next to Motoharu whilst the other two had taken shotgun upfront. A collective sigh of relieve was released by Mikoto as the van pulled from the curb and picked up speed.
"So whats the dealio with these cuffs, 'aye? It's mighty uncomfortable to have my hands get squished between this here steal and my ass, mate" Motoharu blabbered to the HOUND DOG in a mannerism unlike the one he spoke to Mikoto with.
"Ah, of course. But first thing's first..." The goon drifted off as he started shifting through his rucksack underneath the bench. He extracted a beige folder, reached over Motoharu and placed it on Mikoto's lap, who drifted quietly between the world of the living and dreams. The goon then went about attempting to remove the handcuffs.
"What's all this then? She gets a nice little gift the second you put your eyes on her? Sexism if I've ever heard of it." Motoharu complained. The HOUND DOG responded by pushing the free arm of one of the cuffs into Motoharu's arm. The blonde lad winced and gave a weary smile to the goon, who failed to return the emotion.
"But seriously, a mission already? Look at the state of her! She can barely stand let alone pull off a mission." Motoharu reasoned. "Besides, she hasn't even agreed to help us yet."
"It's not a mission. It's her 'incentive'" the goon remarked as he released Motoharu's cuffs. The lad rubbed the spots on his wrist and looked at the beige folder. He had been in this position before. The first beige folder. It didn't bring many pleasant memories to the surface, which made the ride to their destination all the more awkward.
"Alliances"
END