Sei watched the SUV pull away and turned to see Meg was sitting on the trailer's steps.

Meg said incredulously, "'I admire Kyo for setting a goal?' 'I've made it my mission to help him?' Are you serious?"

"This from the girl who was flirting with him half the time."

"But I didn't mean it."

"So you don't like him?"

"No, I do, but…it isn't that…I mean, Jeez, Sei, you've been like that ever since you met him. I've never heard you talk that way about anyone else."

"And if you overheard my conversation with Miss Hongo, you know why."

Meg thought to say something else but thought better of it. "Fine."

In the trailer, Sei had Amy put Django's gun camera on the big screen. They watched the encounter with the cybot over and over again.

"The pose before it falls," Sei said, "it's exaggerated, melodramatic." She thought for a minute. "Amy, can you enhance the contrast on the cockpit? I want to see who's inside."

Amy nodded and punched the keys on her laptop. The camera zoomed in on the tinted windows of the cockpit; the rest of the scene washed out as the cockpit cleared, revealing an empty pilot seat in front of case with a glowing brain in it.

Jo noted the obvious: "Brain but no pilot."

"So it's the brain that's doing this," Sei said. "It's toying with us."

Meg said, "'Toying with us'?"

Sei nodded. "I believe it has been at all the sightings we have investigated, but has only just now made itself visible to us. It wants us to know it's there."

Jo said, "Why? We've never had one of these brains do that."

"I know," Sei said, "and I can't begin to guess at its motive. But one thing is certain: We thought we were hunting Subject Zero, when in fact, Subject Zero is hunting us. And until it resurfaces, we won't be any the wiser. I suggest proceed with our weekend plans unless something happens."

"Hmm," Jo said. Then she turned to Meg. "Before I forget, Meg. Earlier you said we were going to France with Kyohei-"

"I was teasing him, Jo."

"I know, but you said we'd live in a menage a trois. What is that, some kind of French house?"

Meg blushed. "It's …um…uh…" She turned to Sei with a pleading look.

Sei shook her head. "You're on your own, girlfriend."

Amy rested her chin on her hands and grinned. "This I gotta hear."