Chapter 4
The team had a long night. Chief Gimmy called a meeting with the team sans Anne, she was recovering from the mild concussion she received earlier when trying to stop an unknown assailant at the warehouse. "While you guys were out partying. Overseer figured out some connections to the recent mission you guys did." They were in the briefing room, a room that housed one gigantic wall with a holographic monitor that would display images in 3 dimensions. Darry pulled up a dossier of a large brown woman who wore shades. "Big Mama Jama," she introduced, "Is the most notorious gunrunner around these parts. Word has it she's been supplying local gangs, private military corporations, even some religious cult the means to acquire weapons that are especially fatal to humans."
Don't get us wrong, most weaponry in the history of weapons was very effective against humans, but the weapons supplied by gunrunners like Big Mama particularly targeted the unique biology of human DNA. Some guns were weapons that would shoot toxins specifically foreign to human immune systems, causing instant vaporization of the victim. The Agency and Earth worked hard to prevent such dangerous weaponry from being mass produced and distributed.
"We know of our enemy now," Chief Gimmy spoke, "But we have no solid leads. We need to stage some form of information gathering." "Hey Chief," Reza called out. Gimmy listened to the Space Cowboy. "What about that punk kid we just caught?" "What about him?" Gimmy asked. "Well, first and foremost he was in OUR weapons store. Anne told us he kept trying to tell her he was being strong armed by someone, and finally he just looks shady." Pot calling the kettle black. Reza looked just as shady, if not more so than everyone on the team, combined. "Well," Darry added, "Assuming Anne and him are getting along swimmingly down in the cells. Maybe we should pay a visit and see what she's found out."
"...Guard duty again…"
That's what Anne thought as she sat on a stool across from a single cell. The cell held none other than the up and coming thief extraordinaire, Copernicus AKA Coco AKA PeaCoco. We're just kidding he's a nobody.
Coco attempted to break the ice. "So can I ask, what's your name?" "No." She impulsively replied. "What hobbies do you like?" "No." "Do you have a boyfriend?" "Don't you ever shut up?" Anne annoyingly snapped. "Listen blondie, I'm not a huge fan about this predicament right now. And seriously, I like...really don't belong here. My old man expects me back on home anytime now. He'll be worried sick about me." Coco was expecting some sympathy, he got none. "Should have thought about it right before you decided to break into our storeroom." Coco exasperated threw his hands past the bars of the jail cell showing his palms. "Look it wasn't me. I told you I'm being strong armed by some super shady gang." Anne's ears perked up, interested, but not really. "Oh yeah? Is that a fact?" she teased, "Well you should have stuck to a legit daytime job."
"I can't, you know along this entire galaxy, no one wants a driller anymore. I don't get it. You think there'd be one world that's as sandy and earthy as good old planet Earth." Anne stopped to listen inquisitively. "You're from Earth?" Just then, the rest of the team came through the door. "Hey Anne," Noda called, "We're needed for recon. Figured with your scope you can help us find the target better." "Finally some action," Anne thought to herself, "What's the target?" "Calls herself Big Mama Jama," Reza answered. Coco's ears shot up, he desperately ran to the bars and clutched them. "Wait!" he called their attention, "I know that name. That's the one who made me break into your guys' building."
"First of all," Anne cut him off, "YOU chose to break into our building, nobody strong armed you to do that." Coco clutched his head of hair, "THEY WE'RE GONNA KILL ME!" "Would that really have been a necessarily bad thing?" Anne snapped. "Oh come on now," he said with exaggerated tears streaming down his face, "Was that so necessary to say?" Noda's mind lit up, "Hey kid. Do you have any idea where this, 'Big Mama' may be?" Coco smiled and nodded his head. "Oh yeah, dug a tunnel directly from her warehouse to yours, I know the tunnels so I can bring you guys to the right building." Noda looked at his team for approval. Reza nodded. Sylveria nodded. He then looked at Anne, already with a disapproving look on her face. "Uh uh, no way, please don't-" "Rook!" Gimmy called out as he stepped through the door, "Steel Samurai has a point. He's the only lead we have right now for finding Big Mama."
Anne grew more irate by the second. There were two reasons she was frustrated. Firstly, she got beat pretty bad by him in both armed and unarmed combat, even though she unknowingly knew this was a fluke. Secondly, she still didn't trust the fact that he was a thief. "With all due respect," Anne clenched her fist and gritted her teeth, "We don't know what this stink breath is capable of." "Hey-" "CAN IT!" she cut him off as he took offense, "Chief we can't even trust him how do we know he won't just leave the moment he gets into a tunnel?"
"Um...excuse me…" Coco raised his hand politely behind the bars, "I can tell you that thieves have moral codes too ya know." Sylveria, Noda, and Reza looked at him as if he was facetious. "No you're right," Gimmy finally addressed the young thief. He then let out a soft, sly smile. Coco didn't like where this was going.
So they strapped a bomb on him.
"A BOMB!?" "Not just a bomb," Darry pointed her finger at him, "BUT A PROXIMITY DETONATED BOMB AT THAT!" Darry was so excited. She wasn't normally a pyromaniac, but the thought of a criminal being in fear simply made her squeal. Her peer and subordinates simply shuddered at the sight of an overly zealous former field agent. Darry was one of the first members of the Gurren Lagann Agency, but due to extenuating circumstances and a need for a chief strategist, she not only had the technical know how, but also the chops to pull it off successfully. There were times that Darry would miss being on the field, but these past years have been very fruitful to her. She was learning a lot about computer systems to get better at her role, she would exercise, and actually began eating healthier because she had the luxury of lunch breaks. It was with her newfound knowledge and role, that she crafted a specialized bomb jacket that she could quickly strap on criminals and keep a proximity alert on them to not lose the target. And now it was on their esteemed guest and criminal, Coco the Driller.
Gimmy smiled as he cooly leaned against the bars, looking at a nervous and profusely sweating Coco. "So here's the deal Mr. Driller." The team and the audience looked at Gimmy and winced, possibly at the threats of a lawsuit, "We're sending you into those tunnels, you're going to find the warehouse where they are. You scope it out, tell us that they're there, and my team should take care of the rest." Coco, still nervous, looked around his jacket. "Don't even think about trying to remove this jacket," Darry stated, "Try to disarm it, it'll blow. Try to tear it off, it'll blow. Get too far, it'll blow." The nervous teen was about to tear his hair out as he began dropping bullets of sweat on his face. "Ok, just this one thing, this one thing and you'll take it off right!?" "Oh we promise pardner," Reza replied with a thumbs up, "Course don't forget, I'm a former outlaw myself, so take my word for what it is." He gave a creepy smile. Coco collapsed.
"Ok guys," Anne called all to attention, "Let's get this over with." Her superhuman strength grabbed a fainted Coco's cape and began dragging him out of the room. "Come on team, let's try to resolve this before curfew." Gimmy and Darry smiled at the young upstarts take action into their own hands. Darry looked at Anne walk away, smiling as she recalled a simpler time when the young girl was a young girl. When she needed the protection of her parents to see the future she was living in now. Darry turned her attention to Gimmy. She looked at Gimmy a little more. The pride he exhibited on his face radiant and beaming as he stared at the door where his team walked out of. She silently played with her ring finger on her right hand, a band clearly visible as she continued to twirl it around her finger. "Gimmy…" Darry broke the silence. Gimmy turned to give his sister some attention, "There's something we need to talk about, privately."
The open air of the back balcony was particularly beautiful. You could see the stars even from the black night sky of Neo Neptune. The weather was calm and cool, it was like Earth at night in every which way, Darry leaned against the balcony rail with Gimmy attentively listening. "We've certainly come a long way Gimmy." Gimmy nodded his head in agreement, "Gurren Lagann Agency has only been in full operation for 5 years, but our team has achieved so much in that little time."
Gimmy remembered those beginning days of the agency, before even peace conferences and members. It was just Darry and him and a few unqualified Grapearl pilots. They had to make a transition from military assault tactics, to strategic calculations to minimize casualties and populace. The Grapearl military and Agency were polar opposites, Gimmy knew that, which is why when the initiative opened up 8 years ago, he knew that he needed to start finding the right people for the job.
Within 8 years, Gimmy turned nothing, into a team of trusted, young, new generation members who the President, and the galaxy could count on. "I couldn't have done 75% without you Darry," Gimmy sincerely looked at his sister and put his hands on her shoulders, "The sacrifices you do for us day in and day out are the things that keep me and the team safe. I am grateful." Darry shut her eyes to brace herself to let go. "Then Gimmy," she candidly spoke, "It's with your permission then, that after we find and stop whoever is leading the Anti-Human Revolution, I wish to resign from the Agency." Gimmy stepped back briefly in shock. The agency was everything to her, why would she suddenly leave it? "There are more important things in life," she played with her hands again, twirling the ring around her ring finger. Gimmy took notice of her body language and understood a little more.
"Rook coming here, us taking her away from Kiyoh and Dayakka, you never understand how much a parent misses their children when they're on the road." Gimmy then stood next to his sister, looking up at the sky and resting his hands on the railing. "Derech and Izzy are getting older now," he remembered, "As their uncle, I miss them too Darry. I know you also miss him as well." Darry gave a cheesy smile, "Oh that loaf I call my husband? Don't worry about him, he understands." She got serious for a moment, "But the kids, I don't want to miss another moment." She looked to her brother, "Gimmy, the Agency can operate in autonomy now, let's go home, let's go back. Help me and honey raise the kids so we can enjoy that peace."
Gimmy closed his eyes, he couldn't live without Gurren Lagann Agency, he knew it, Darry knew it, but he had to respond to the closest member of his family. "I can't leave the Agency," he muttered, "Gurren Lagann is still mine, it's the burden I've been forced to bear. Maybe if someone one day, someone who has that fire like him, I'll start transitioning the responsibility of piloting Gurren Lagann to them one day. But until then-"
"Overseer!"
The comm lines scratched. "This is Noda, we're at what we believe is a warehouse over here next to the wharf. We don't have visual on the prisoner, but he seems to have stopped here. Please get these coordinates we're uploading." "Roger that!" Darry responded. With the tender moment shared between twins shattered with business, Darry took her leave to go back inside. "I think," Gimmy stopped her, "We need to do our proper research on the prisoner, Inspector. Please find out all you can about him as well." She nodded, "Roger that!" "Oh and Darry." He called out. "Yes Gimmy?" "After this is all over," Gimmy looked at the stars, "I hope to be able to see the same stars with you and the family soon." Darry nodded choking back tears, "Roger that Chief."
Outside of Wharf 11, Warehouse 23
"He's been stopped there an awfully long time," Reza mentioned, "It doesn't take this long to report back a coast being clear." Noda and Sylveria were waiting by their gunvan with Anne. Anne waiting patiently in the back cargo hold, shining her rifle. "If you want, I can take a scope through one of those windows." "You think I wouldn't think of that already Rook?" Reza patronizingly asked, "Solerians have some of the best eyesights this side of the universe. That's why we all love ourselves some run n' gunnin'." Reza kept peeking his head from various angles, "I seriously can't see anything from this vantage point." The team looked at Noda, the most senior member on the team, "Thoughts Noda?" Anne asked her old friend from Earth. Noda cupped his chin briefly and closed his eyes to focus.
"That kid HAS been at that same spot for at least 10 minutes already," he thought to himself, "There's a plethora of possibilities for the delay, he could be tipping them off, he could be dead, he could even be scared and trying to tell us something." Noda opened his eyes and turned around to face his team, "One thing is for sure, he's been static for 10 minutes, all possibilities point toward a potential loss of lead. We cannot sit idly by, I'm suggesting we all covertly investigate." He emphasized the word "covertly" specifically for one person. "We're going to be quiet, right Cowboy?" The Space Cowboy took a slight, but nonetheless agreed to the conditions. Before they knew it, the 4 members packed their gear and began steadily making their way to the designated warehouse.
Like professionals, this team was trained. Three of the four team members specifically had a propensity towards stealth tactics, so even if the Space Cowboy were to mess things up, he would potentially be the only casualty. Still, the Agency has a good success rate, a very high one as a matter of fact, near flawless, they weren't going to be taken out this time by Reza making a simple mistake. They whisked down the hill and close by the building. The team searching each window and peering into it from each corner to avoid exposure. They had to be very careful. Sylveria had an upper hand. Her reptilian physiology allowed for natural skin pigmentation camouflage. She deserved her call sign, The Stealth Ninja. When the team found no signs of any hostiles, they decided to make their way into the building, carefully of course.
Noda was the first to fearlessly go in, he peered around every corner and shipping container and did not see any person or object. It was almost as if this warehouse had been completely packed up and deserted years ago. Reza followed in, followed by Anne and the emptiness made Reza preemptively speak, "I don't get it," he said frustrated, "We were following that punk thief, and he just disappears without a trace. Did he lead us on?" Anne holstered her rifle, on the ready for anyone popping out of any corners. "Not likely," she responded, "Have you seen how he looks? The guy looks like an idiot!" Sylveria came in through an open window and swiftly landed on her powerful tail and legs.
Her entry was enough to get the team's' attention, and she needed it now. She heard something, she placed her finger over her mouth. "Hush…" she used body language to convey. She cupped her hand over where her ear canal would be if she was human. "I hear something…" she was trying to say. The team got quiet. Sylveria slithered over to the sound of the noise, being as quiet as possible. As she approached a dark corner, she and the team saw a single shipping crate with a huge blind spot right behind it. The team flanked both sides, waiting for Noda's signal to pop out of the corner and get the drop on their unsuspecting guest. They waited, Noda gripped his sword. They waited, Reza placed his hands on his revolvers. They waited, Sylveria readied her shurikens. Anne was the most ready of all, she was already aiming at where her target "might be".
GO!
Out they popped to get the drop on their unsuspecting stranger and they found...Coco...shuffling the bomb jacket off from the top of him. Well this is quite embarrassing. Coco produced two gigantic sweat drops from his forehead. The Agency looked at him with a look of, "is he actually trying this right now!?" "So guys…" he nervously smiled, "...coast is clear…? He he…" The pissed off Anne yelled loudly and began shooting. This was the motivation Coco needed to immediately kick the straight bomb jacket off of him and fall into a hole he conveniently and preemptively dug for himself prior to attempting this. "YOU CAN'T GET AWAY!" Anne tried to yell as he was long gone deep in the tunnels.
"Seriously they left when I got here...but this is really the placcceeeeee." He echo stopped. "SHIT!" Reza slammed his hand on the nearest wall. "We lost a key criminal, and that sucker duped us all." Noda thought clearly for a second after removing his hand from readying his sword. "I wouldn't be so sure of that," Noda said with confidence, "That boy may be many things, but he's not a liar. I believe him." "Come again!?" Anne asked incredulously. "Think about it, we strapped a bomb to his chest, there's no way he'd gamble taking us to the wrong location."
"But they're not here," Reza pointed out obviously. "Which is precisely the point," Noda concluded, "They used that boy, he doesn't know it, but whoever sent that boy to us in the first place, they planned this, they wanted us here, why?" Sylveria caught on and was on Noda's side, Reza and Anne needed a bit more convincing. "In any case, we need to call this in to the Chief and Inspector."
"Overseer," he called out, "Target lost, I repeat, target is lost. And also, don't be mad, but we lost the kid too." The team looked around the warehouse cautiously to make sure there was no final surprises. Anne let out a whimper,
"This night could not get any worse."