-28-
"Look at what they did to you," Viktor Cossack lamented once he was alone with Axl in the operating room. He had demanded he not be interrupted while he repaired his bot and, now that he finally was in front of Axl, he couldn't help but to feel a strong grief overcome him. Axl was his masterpiece, the best machine he had ever created! Seeing him so damaged was almost like seeing his own son, Mikhail Cossack, hurt.
"But… you are my son, are you not?" Viktor thought, recalling Doctor Light had always regarded and cared for his creations as if they were his own children. Perhaps, then, he should do the same. Gently touching Axl's shoulder, Viktor nodded and accepted the thought: Mikhail was not his only child. Axl, too, was his son.
"And that's why I'll fix you myself, boy." He swore as he started working. "Because no father should have to see his son like this."
=0=
Instead of going to control room, where so far there weren't any news, X and Zero had decided to go to the medibay. They were happily surprised to see Viktor Cossack already there, working on Axl, and felt strongly reassured when Lifesaver confirmed that Pallette's repairs were already 74% complete. With some luck, she would be fully operational in less than thirty minutes.
"We were very fortunate," Lifesaver said looking back at the room where Pallette was being repaired. The only reason why he was able to be out here talking with the two most notorious Maverick Hunters was because Viktor Cossack's arrival had allowed him to organize his medical team so that most efforts were devoted to Pallette, since Doctor Cossack had demanded he was allowed to work alone on Axl.
"What about Axl?" X asked.
"From what I saw, Doctor Cossack will have him fixed very soon," Lifesaver informed them. "I admit I'm amazed by Doctor Cossack's skills; he's working on Axl so effectively it is as if he knew every one of his circuits by memory!"
"That's because Doctor Cossack created him," Splash Woman explained. She had gone to the medibay to see if X was there, but now that she had found him, and Zero along with him, the fear and revulsion she experienced when being close to the crimson hunter had returned. She did find it was somewhat easier for her to tolerate this time, however.
"That's even more amazing," Lifesaver exclaimed. "Doctor Cossack is certainly a genius. I'll have to go and ask him to let me observe him, it would be educational. If you'd excuse me…"
"I thought you would be here," the mechanical mermaid said once she was alone with X and Zero.
"Well, we can't let Axl alone, you know?" Zero said, hoping talking would help Splash Woman feel less threatened by him. It didn't work, as she simply stared at him and moved so she was behind X.
"That's so… considerate of you," she said, avoiding eye contact with the red armored hunter.
"Zero, can you hear me?" Layer suddenly said over the communicator. "We've located the nuclear weapons! Also, Signas just came back and wants to see you and X at once… but… there's someone else here… he is… oh, just hurry, please?"
"I'm on my way!" Zero said, he would have felt happy for the interruption, as it had saved him from the awkward situation Splash Woman had put the three of them in, but he was too intrigued by Layer's words about a visitor to even consider that, and one glance at his best friend told him he was also confused by the senior navigator's odd message. "Let's go, X, I want to know what's going on."
"Yeah, me too, Layer sounded strange," X answered before looking back at Splash Woman, "Are you coming?"
"I…" Splash Woman sighed. She had planned to stay here in the medibay and see if Viktor needed her help, but if X asked her to join him then she couldn't refuse. "Alright, let's go."
=0=
The first thing X and Zero saw when they entered control room was a contemplative Signas standing next to the main screen, just as he usually did. Alia and Layer were standing next to him, however, and they seemed very uneasy. Following the gaze of the navigators to a corner, the two hunters finally noticed Douglas and two members of his crew working on someone, but the mechanics blocked the identity of the mysterious visitor from sight.
"Done, the restrainer bands are set! With them on they won't be able to use their weapons inside HQ or to attack any of us," Douglas announced as he and his crew stepped back, revealing…
"Vile!" Screamed X, raising his buster and preparing a charged shot.
"X, hold on!" Signas interrupted, his commanding voice filling the control room.
"What the hell, Signas?" Zero asked, Z-Saber already in hand. "Why is Vile here?"
"And Scarlet, too," X observed, his buster still pointed at the two renegade hunters. Vile was silent for a change, but he seemed to be enjoying himself quite a bit.
"I brought them here," Signas declared. "With Axl hurt and no other hunter with field experience who is above B+ rank available at the moment, I concluded the only other available option for us was to recruit Vile and Scarlet for this operation."
"That's crazy!" X disputed. "He's going to betray us, he's…"
"Awww, why so angry, you insufferable blue stain?" Vile mocked. "Afraid I'm going to show you all how to get the job done again?"
"Shut the hell up, traitor!" X shouted. "The only reason I'm not blasting you in pieces is because Signas seems to have a use for you!"
"I bet you're already planning on a way to stab us in the back," Zero added with a frown.
"In case you didn't listen to what Douglas said, we can't use our weapons here," Scarlet cut in, pointing at the restraining bands on hers and Vile's upper arms. "These stupid inhibitors they put on us are programmed to deactivate our weaponry while in HQ or in case we try to attack anyone working for the Maverick Hunters."
"So unless you've finally learned how to shoot at those who can't fight back, X…" Vile said as he approached the blue hunter, stopping when their helmets were about to touch. "Then I guess we're going to be seeing a lot of each other, much as that fact makes me feel sick."
"You're not the only one who wants to puke…" Zero rejoined.
"Then we should all go together to the toilets, because I feel the same way as you two," Vile spat.
"I'm starting to regret not arresting you before… the idea of working with you is revolting."
"Enough banter, we're wasting time," Signas interrupted. "I dislike having Vile here as much as you two, but until Lumine is defeated, he'll be working with us."
"I can't believe you're replacing Axl!" X accused.
"I'm not. He will return to active duty as soon as he's repaired," the Maverick Hunter Commander disputed. "We have a time limit to stop Lumine, X. The more high-ranked hunters participating on this mission, the better for us and the world."
"Fine, if that's the way you want this mission to go…" conceded the blue hunter. "But be warned that I'll keep an eye on Vile at all times, and the moment he does something suspicious…"
"Same goes for me," Zero said. "If I even suspect Vile's going to betray us, I'll personally turn him into scrap."
Vile laughed. "Hah! It feels so good to be loved, I'm almost glad I'm back in this dump."
X simply groaned and crossed his arms. Feeling disgusted by Vile's mere presence, he chose to ignore his comments and sat on his spot, eyes closed while he prepared to listen to Signas instructions. X was fervently hoping that this idea wouldn't end up biting them all in the rear, and was starting to brood when he felt a warm hand on his shoulder and another on his arm. Looking up, he saw Splash Woman was sitting on his left while Alia sat to his right. He managed a smile for them, thankful for their support. He then noticed Zero was standing next to Layer, having gone to her to find some reassurance.
Vile and Scarlet stood close to each other, not caring much about what the other hunters did. Vile, however, did notice X seemed to have two girlfriends now, and gleefully filed the information so he could pester him with some really nasty jokes about it later.
"Scarlet, you'll stay here and work as Vile's navigator," Signas announced.
"What?" the former hunter asked, feeling rather insulted about the order. "I'm a class A hunter! I don't…"
"You started as a navigator," the Commander reminded her. "Besides, none of our navigators agreed to work with you or Vile; so you'll have to support him in that role."
"He and I don't need a navigator," Scarlet disputed.
"I'd rather you did that for me," Vile said then, deciding it would be better for him if Scarlet stayed in HQ. "Should be interesting, I've never had one before."
Hearing that Vile wanted her to be his navigator was all it took for Scarlet to blush and nod. She loved when Vile needed her for something, and if he wanted her to do this, then she'd do it to the best of her abilities. "Very well, for you I will."
"Good, now that that's settled, let me give you the information we have collected," Signas said.
The Maverick Hunter Commander pressed a button and the mug shots of eight reploids appeared on screen. One of the pictures caused Splash Woman to gasp. She couldn't understand why he had decided to go Maverick. It didn't make any sense to her, unless he had gotten infected by those horrible Nightmare Virus things she had seen earlier.
"We detected strong mechaniloid activity in these eight locations not too long ago, and using our satellites we confirmed that in each one a massive Tunnel Boring Machine had been activated. Closer inspection revealed the nuclear bombs were there as well."
"Those TBMs are Tunneler-D16 models," Vile provided, arms crossed as he looked at the satellite images on the screen. "Very well-armored, it won't be easy to destroy them and…"
"Nobody asked you," Zero interrupted then, to which Vile replied by giving him the finger.
"Anyway… we also detected the signals of the eight reploids you see here," Layer said, pointing at the screen. "We have already identified them in our databases."
"They are staying close to the nuclear bombs at all times, obviously guarding them," Signas rejoined. "These Mavericks are…
"Tsunami Mako. His weapon is the Tsunami Wave. He's guarding the Tunneler that has started drilling next to the Deep Sea Laboratory.
The next one is Bomb Triceraton. His special weapon is the Triple Bomb. He's taken over the large mechaniloid factory in Delta city, the Tunneler and the nuke are in the factory's large testing grounds.
Then we have Thunderbolt Falcon. His special weapon is the Electric Hurricane. He is guarding the Tunneler deep in the eastern mountains, to reach him you'll have to go through the Aeronautics Research Center.
After that is Claw Leoparder. His special weapon is the Flash Claw. He protects the Tunneler in an archaeological excavation site located in the savanna.
The following Maverick is Flame Scorpion. His special weapon is the Fire Stinger. His Tunneler is drilling next to an old, abandoned military base in the desert.
Now's the turn of Acidflow Venus Trap. His special weapon is the Acidic Bubble. He is protecting the Tunneler drilling in the southern jungles, and he's hiding in the Weather Control Tower.
We also have Magnetoid Mole. His weapon is the Magnet Barrier. He is hiding in an emergency mine and his Tunneler is already underground, but we estimate he has to drill much deeper before he can place the nuke he protects in position.
The last one is Frostbite Fox. Her weapon is the Ice Slither. She has captured the Air Purifier Station located in the northern forests. Her Tunneler is near the station, and has also started drilling," Signas concluded. "Any questions?"
"Yeah, which one of those ugly freaks do I get to fight?" A voice said from the control room's door.
"We're reporting for active duty, sir!" a second voice said.
X, Zero, Alia and Layer immediately turned, having recognizing the voices of Axl and Pallette, and couldn't help but rush to meet their repaired comrades. Alia and Layer couldn't help but hug both the younger members of the elite team, while X and Zero were simply content with fist bumping Axl and patting Pallette in the back.
"We thought it would take longer for you to be repaired, I'm so glad you're back online!" X said.
"Lifesaver and his team are just that good," Pallette grinned.
"And I was lucky enough to have my creator here to fix me," Axl said with an uncharacteristically soft smile. He looked back and offered a thumbs-up at his father, who was standing by the door. "I really owe Doctor Cossack a big one for this."
"You owe me nothing, son," Viktor said. "A long as you help X stop Lumine, I'll be amply rewarded."
"That's all nice and everything, but we don't have time for the whole sentimental crap," Vile interrupted. "We're four now, so that means each of us gets two Mavericks to scrap."
"Despite his uncalled for rudeness," Signas said, glaring at the renegade hunter. "Vile is correct, my plan is to send each of you to different areas so that we can defeat the Mavericks, stop the Tunnelers and call our bomb squadrons to deactivate the nukes before Lumine is ready to detonate them. You will have to upload the weapon data you collect from each Maverick General to our new Weapon Database so that the four of you can share it during the mission."
"Not a bad strategy," Zero admitted. "Very well then, let's get to work!"
Notes:
Thanks to Adam for beta reading this chapter.
Very well, we have now the standard structure of the game, which I found adapts well in written form.