Alarms reverberated throughout the complex as every mage and soldier on duty ran to their post. The corridors were awash with people, anxiety and fear brimming on the edge at every corner, but thankfully everyone was keeping to the official protocol. It had been many months since the TSA had received such a high-alert emergency, but that hadn't made training any less important.
Nanoha was the first in the control room, only slightly out of breath when she got there. She was alarmed at just how much security she had seen dispatched in the direction she had come from. What exactly was going on?
The lights in the control room were dimmed, a sign that the unit had automatically switched to auxiliary power. It took only a moment for Nanoha to realise that the only reason why that would happen would be because the main power of the TSA had been critically sabotaged. And considering the security levels in operation, that should not be possible.
There's nobody here on deck. Shari should be on duty keeping surveillance, unless she's been called to another division. And Hayate should be charge in here too because she works in Operations. Where is everyone?!
"Nanoha!"
She turned to see Shari rush in through the door, followed by Fate. The combat instructor felt her heart skip a beat, but not for the usual reasons.
"I'm sorry," panted Shari as she sat herself down into her seat again and the monitoring screens came into life in her hands. "There's too many things going on. Communications were taken down halfway through the last security transmission and I had to go see to it manually - "
Nanoha stared questioningly at the blonde Enforcer standing by the door, looking troubled. "Fate...? But why would the INB send you to - ?"
Fate shook her head. "The INB doesn't seem to be affected right now. They don't have any assistance to give. I'm here of my own accord, whether they like it or not." Her red-eyed gaze said much more than her words did, going beyond just simple caring.
"But Fate..."
Shari re-focused the central monitor, bringing up internal surveillance cameras. "Nanoha-san, Fate-san. The TSA is under attack both externally and internally. There's been a security breach at the vaults. I can deal with that, because we always keep the highest level of security on there." She took a deep breath. "It's...it's the internal breach that I need you for. Someone's hacked in all the way to our defences and is taking the TSA apart from inside."
"An inside job?" Nanoha said testily. A spy from within? But nobody would ever think of betraying the TSA...
Fate walked up next to her, scanning the screens intensely. "One person couldn't take down our power and defences so easily. It has to be a joint effort. And..."
"No," Shari said shortly. "The hacking comes from a single computer in our offices. In our Special Operations branch."
Nanoha felt a cold sensation fold down the back of her neck at the words. No. It can't be. That's where...She forced herself to speak. "Location?" she said, her voice dry in her mouth.
"Yagami Hayate's office."
The two Aces stared at the main screen in disbelief as Shari maximised it on her monitor. In her office, Hayate was furiously tapping away at her computer, her eyes bright and intense as the lights flickered on and off around her. Broken glass lay shattered and strewn all around the room where gunshots had been fired. The bodies of several security officers were lying half-way through the doorway.
So that's why Hayate wasn't in the control room when I came in, Nanoha thought, feeling a sinking feeling in her heart. It's because she's...in there.
Fate whirled around to face Shari angrily. "You sent soldiers to fire on Hayate?" she demanded. "Are you out of your mind?"
Shari refused to back down, though the pain in her eyes was only too clear. "I had no choice. She's crippled almost all of our internal defences. The TSA is literally vulnerable to attack by any invading party if we let her continue!"
"This is Hayate we're talking about! She's our friend!" Fate stormed out through the door of the control room, shaking. "I'm going down there. Hayate wouldn't do this!"
Quickly, Nanoha reached out to restrain her before she got too far, pulling her back. "No," she said tightly, her breath sharp and painful in the back of her throat. "I'll go. Without Hayate in charge, everyone's going to be in disarray and confused about where to go and what's going on. You need to take charge and help - "
"No," Fate cut her off, pulling her arm back and dragging Nanoha forward towards her. The blond mage blinked away tears. "I'm not letting you go alone. Whatever is going on in Hayate's office, it's more than a match for security. I'm going with you, Nanoha."
This doesn't make any sense. I promised Hayate that the three of us would meet up again today like old times. I didn't mean like this. Fate's right: Hayate would never do this. That can't be her hacking into central TSA security and attacking all the guards. Someone must have been taking advantage of her...
Something nagged at her that it would be much better for her to go alone down into the office. Without Fate. But she didn't know how to put that into words.
Helplessly she turned to Shari. "Maybe one of the forwards could accompany me - "
"It's too late for that," the communications officer said regretfully. "They've all been ordered to the vaults where the external break-in has begun. Everyone has their hands full at the moment." Gently, she said, "Nanoha, let her go with you. There's no reason why you shouldn't."
The brunette mage opened her mouth to speak, but Fate wasn't going to take no for an answer. They were running out of time and all of them were on edge. Reluctantly, she let her lover drag her out of the control room by the arm.
Fine, she thought to herself as they both increased their speed down to the next floor I'll do this with you so that I can get home to my daughter like I promised her. Nothing more, nothing less. But something seriously wrong is going on in Hayate's office. I just don't want you to be there to witness it.
The four forwards tore out of the hospital on the far side of the compound and towards their allocated positions. Shari's announcement repeated on loop for everyone to hear, echoing on into the distance.
"Alert! External security breach at the entrance to the vaults! The TSA is under attack by a number of hostile forces that have appeared in the south wing. All mages above A-rank are to aid the security forces in sealing the vaults! Trainee mages and other divisions are to report to your supervisors. Repeat..."
The vaults. Subaru exchanged glances with Tiana upon hearing this. The four of them knew only too well what that meant – the vaults of the TSA housed the Lost Logia which were sealed away for protection and for research in the Infinity Library. An attack like this could only mean one thing.
"Someone must be trying to get hold of the Lost Logias," Erio said, raising his spear up vertically in preparation for combat, gazing far into the distance where the vaults were located. "This isn't good."
Tiana shook her head in disbelief. She had initially perked up at the sign of action when the alarms had gone off in the hospital wing, but it didn't seem to be quite what she'd expected."They're attacking the most heavily armed and strongest point of the Bureau? Only an idiot would do that."
"Or someone very self-confident," Subaru said thoughtfully. "Shari's really calling for backup from our strongest mages?" Her right hand curled into a fist for a moment, then relaxed. "Do you think it's the combat cyborgs again?"
Tiana slapped her friend around the back of the head irritably, and the short-haired mage dropped her neck with a yelp. "There aren't any combat cyborgs around anymore. Not any that want to kill us. And Ginga confirmed that Scaglietti's dead, remember?" Sometimes she despaired about whether Subaru used her head properly around her. "We aren't going to find out standing here. Let's go."
The pair of them raced forward across the open grounds towards the south wing of the compound, ready for anything that lay ahead. Behind them, Erio whispered reassuringly to Caro and helped her along to match everyone's pace. The siren continued to resound all around them, getting louder and louder as they approached the vault. It wasn't long before they could no longer hear what Shari was saying anymore.
There was a sudden gasp from behind them and Caro came to a sudden halt, breathing fast.
"Caro, what is it?" Erio said in alarm, reaching out to catch her in case she fell.
The little girl didn't seem to be in pain, just very startled. She stared at the back of her hands
in wonder, then held her device up for everyone to see. It was glowing a distinct red, pulsing all the way up her wrist.
"Wait, is that…?" Subaru started.
"Yes," Caro said quietly. "It's the same feeling I had when we were fighting Lutecia. My boost device Kerykeion is reacting on its own. Someone is using summoning magic…and they're fairly close…"
Subaru and Tiana looked at each other with grim resolve. Could it be that a summoner was mounting the attack on the TSA? Considering what had happened last time they'd tried fighting a summoner, this couldn't bode well at all. But the four of them had grown stronger since then. Surely they could all cope with a summoner.
"I don't like this," Erio said, disturbed. "The elites have been called away to defend against the attack. Our other positions would be left almost completely defenceless. And now Caro says a summoner is involved."
Tiana tapped her foot impatiently. "Are we going to the vaults or not?"
She started in surprise as Subaru laid a hand on her arm, her tension dissipating in seconds. "Tia, don't be so quick to rush into things," the blue-haired mage said passively. "Nanoha-san always told us not to be reckless. Erio, what are you trying to say?"
The red-haired boy met her gaze evenly, thinking carefully. "I think…I think this attack is a decoy. And I don't think Hayate-san would order all of our best forces to defend against just one attack, because then we'd be open to another attack from somewhere else. Something's wrong here, and I don't know what it is."
A decoy? Tiana thought, forcing herself to quell her rising need for action. A decoy for what? It's unlikely after all this time, but not impossible. And if Erio's right then someone needs to go back and reinforce the other defenses. Even if all four of us went against orders and headed back, we couldn't possibly defend the entire perimeter by ourselves.
"Then maybe we should split up," Subaru declared. "Two of us go ahead to the vaults to meet up with the rest of the Bureau, and two of us go back and make sure there isn't going to be a surprise attack from the rest of the perimeter."
"Two of us?" Erio said in disbelief. "We couldn't track such a wide space like that. Anyone could get past us..."
Caro stepped forward just then, Fried perched tightly on her shoulder. "No," she said, her eyes bright. "I'll go to the perimeter and ride Fried so that I can scout the walls. If Fried gains enough altitude, I'll be able to see any surprise attack coming."
Tiana nodded slowly, seeing the intelligence of the idea. As long as she didn't miss out on whatever action was taking place right now in the vaults, she was good to go along with whatever they suggested. She was fed-up of not being able to use her skills properly after she'd trained so hard.
"Then I'll go with you, Caro," said Erio seriously, walking around to stand next to the pink-haired summoner. "Let's go check this out right away."
"Agreed. Tia and I will head to the vaults as usual then," Subaru confirmed, turning to the sharpshooter slowly, but then her face fell when she saw that Tiana was already walking off towards the south, anxious for action. "Hey, Tia!" she yelled, running after her. "Wait up! Don't leave me behind!"
With a soft smile, Erio watched them go, then turned back to the summoner at his side. They were working together once again for the first time in quite a while. "Ready?" he whispered excitedly.
"Ready," Caro acknowledged, holding out an arm rigidly in front of her as Fried flew up before them. Kerykeion blazed before her as she poured her magic out in front of her, concentrating deeply. "White spirits that traverse the blue skies," she chanted, shades of red and pink lancing out around her to engulf herself and Fried, "become my wings to reach the heavens!"
Fried gave a piercing howl as the light pierced through him, seeming to grow in might and proportion, engulfed by the magic.
"Come forth, my dragon Friedrich," Caro cried, her device releasing the height of its energy before them. "DRAGON SOUL SUMMON!"
As the summoning spell blazed forth with Fried at the epicentre, mighty wings of purest white unveiled themselves around the two children, held aloft by a curved majestic body of great curved claws and a gentle but powerful grace. Friedrich reared itself high above them, bowing its head to Caro as it landed before the two of them, ready to take them wherever they wished.
Caro felt a rush of relief within her; she hadn't tried summoning Fried's full form for many weeks and was afraid that she might not have been able to do it. Yet the power still remained with her. With a shared smile, she and Erio settled onto Friedrich's back as the dragon took off towards the north-east.
Nanoha could feel the backlash of wind in her face as she made her way quickly through the lower levels of the Bureau, retracing the route she had made just a day ago. With every step, the growing sense of dread gripped her heart until it was almost overpowering. No, she told herself decisively, there is no going back now. Force away the fear. Hayate needs you.
Behind her, Fate was just a few steps on her trail. The blonde Enforcer wasn't further back because of a difference in speed, but because she was deliberately keeping her distance. Nanoha's behaviour in wanting to do this alone had disturbed her somewhat, so that Fate was keeping a very close eye on her. Nanoha could almost feel her lover's red eyes burn into her back, but chose to ignore it. They had to focus on what was happening now.
Suddenly the two of them came to a halt. The bodies of several security guards and medium-rank mages were sprawled halfway down the corridor from them as they entered from the level above. Cautiously, Nanoha moved forward to inspect them. If this really was all of Hayate's doing...no, it couldn't be.
"Some of them are still alive," Fate said in a low voice, kneeling down besides her amongst the wounded. "They need medical attention."
"Right," said Nanoha uncomfortably. The sense of foreboding had spread to engulf most of her chest now. As if...as if death was just around the corner. "You stay here and call Shamal down with the medical team, and - "
She stopped speaking abruptly as Fate jerked her arm round towards her, forcing her to look her in the eye. Reluctantly, Nanoha did so. The hurt she saw in her lover's eyes did nothing to alleviate the fear rising within her.
"Nanoha," the blonde mage whispered, "please don't tell me to leave you again." Her fingertips pressed against Nanoha's bare wrist, sliding up underneath the cuff of her uniform. "I know something's wrong." Even if you're afraid to tell me.
Distractedly, Nanoha tore herself away from her, easing her hand away as gently as she could. "Fate...we'll be fine." She touched the red orb hanging on the chain around her neck, just for a moment, feeling her voice die in her throat even as Fate gazed at her questioningly. The tension in her muscles wouldn't go away, but Fate being by her side made her feel more at ease. But if she didn't go on now, she didn't think she could tolerate with the feeling for much longer.
We have to go on.
"Raging Heart," she said, holding her faithful device up in front of her, "Set Up."
The red orb came to life in her hands. "Stand by. Ready. Set Up."
The familiar transformation encompassed in her body as Nanoha moved forward, past the bodies of the security guards. She felt Fate transforming beside her with Bardiche and the two of them moved past countless shards of broken glass that littered the area from broken windows and stray bullets. A few metres ahead, they came across several more bodies in their way, and had to step over them to proceed.
No blood. No open wounds. It was a scary thought, but Hayate would be more than capable of doing this kind of damage. Her magic, after all, was specifically concentrated in wide-area spells. It took time to cast, but if she had forewarning of the guards then she could easily defend herself.
Then what's going to stop her from doing the same thing to us? What's going to stop us from ending up like them?
The answer came to Nanoha easier than she would have thought. Because she wouldn't attack us. She wouldn't go against me and Fate. But if she would do all this...if something could influence her this way...
Tap, tap, tap.
Fate drew in a sharp intake of breath next to Nanoha as they came to a sudden halt in front of what had once been Hayate's office. The door had been blasted apart as if hit by a bomb, and the windows were completely shattered, so that the open winds of outside could freely drift in without measure.
Tap, tap, tap.
"Hayate?" Nanoha called out, her voice trembling. She felt a weakness rising up towards her knees, but shoved it away. She didn't feel the sense of dread anymore. Instead, it had been replaced by something far more terrifying.
Holding Bardiche up defensively in front of her with both hands, Fate pushed past her and stepped into the office. Nanoha cried out in surprise, reaching out to stop her, but the Enforcer shrugged her off as if to say, I'm not going to let you get hurt. I'm going in first.
No explosive magic spells were cast. No pillars of destruction, no all-powerful attacks from the Tome of the Night Sky. Fate steeled herself for any sign of attack, any sign of danger. Anything at all.
She walked into the office completely unscathed, shortly followed by Nanoha. They weren't going to be attacked. But she refused to let her guard down now until they got to the bottom of this.
Tap, tap, tap...
"Hayate," Nanoha repeated, staring up at the young short-haired mage standing at the monitor at the other end of the office.
There was no response, none whatsoever. Hayate was typing away at the terminal like a woman possessed. She was still in her uniform, which explained why she hadn't attacked them. Except...there seemed to be no sign of her device, Reinforce. That didn't make sense. Hayate carried Reinforce everywhere she went.
Tap, tap, tap.
"What are you doing, Hayate?" Fate said, taking a step closer. "Why are you doing this?!"
Tap.
Hayate pressed one last key on the computer and the whole monitor shut down in an instant. The lights in the room flickered momentarily as the former commander of Riot Force 6 turned around slowly, staring at her two friends silently.
Then she spoke, her face breaking into a thin smile that none of them had seen before.
"It is done," Hayate said in a near-whisper, her voice like ash scraping across the desert floor. "Srethis has done the world a service, though the enemies...pursue ignorance."
Nanoha didn't understand what she was talking about. What was this? Hayate didn't act like this. This couldn't be her. This was...
"Who are you?" she demanded, raising Raging Heart in her right hand as the pressure mounted in her chest. "You're not Hayate. What have you done with her?"
The person in front of them chuckled with Hayate's voice, lifting up Hayate's hands to smooth down Hayate's own hair. Except that when they spoke, it no longer sounded anything like Hayate at all. A hiss erupted from their mouth, with a gutteral edge to it that was decidedly non-human.
"Midchilda agentsss," it hissed proudly. "Ssso intimidating." Hayate's face flicked up, with eyes of dark green. Dark, swamp green. "Srethis hasss no businesss with you. Your friend, Hayate, is long gone, lost in time...and will never return..."
Then Hayate's skin turned jet black, brightening into a mellow green which spread out throughout her entire body. Her eyes rolled up in her head, the short brown hair melting into the skull until it became a patch of green flesh which folded down to engulf her. Scales rippled down her arms and legs, and the uniform was ripped away as fingers turned into talons. Her mouth opened wide and a long scaly tongue licked out from within, displaying two rows of sharp pointy teeth.
As the two mages looked on in horror, the creature before them sprang forward a step, and great scaled wings sprouted from its back. The transformation was complete for the reptilian imposter.
What the...? Nanoha could scarcely believe what she had just witnessed. What in the world is it?
She felt the pressure in her chest squeeze against her, and she choked back a gasp of pain. This wasn't dread or fear she was feeling. Not anymore. Gasping for breath, she fell to one knee, unable to stop herself, though she kept a tight grip on Raging Heart.
"Nanoha!" Fate rushed to her aid in a flash, eyes wide. "Are you okay? What's wrong? Did - " The blonde mage whirled around to the reptilian creature revealed in front of them. "You!" she cried. "What did you do to Nanoha? What did you do to her?!"
The creature blinked once and licked its lips. "Do?" it repeated. "Srethis hass told you it hass no businesss with you." Then its gaze focused on Nanoha on the floor, who was struggling to remain upright, and a sudden light blazed in its eyes. "Ahahaha!" it cried. "Srethis underssstands! Ssshe is the "Nanoha" you sspeak of? She...has no hope!"
Nanoha dropped to both knees, the pain shooting through her head. Fierce, agonising, intense. It blotted out her vision and ripped at the inside of her throat until she screamed. She couldn't tell if Fate was by her side or was holding her anymore. The agony was tearing through her from inside unlike anything she had ever felt before.
"Nanoha!" Fate clutched at her lover, lying in agony on the floor in front of her. "Stop it!" she shouted towards the reptile. "Whatever it is you're doing to her, stop it! It's going to kill her!"
The creature nodded with a wide grin. "That...iss very close to the truth. But Srethis thinksss you really do not know. Your "Nanoha" is already dead!"
Fate stared at it in horror. "What?"
"She is being killed in the passt," the reptile said in a soothing sing-song voice, stroking its claws delicately. "And now...ssshe is dying in the present. And there iss nothing you can do, nothing Srethis can do, nothing anyone can do to stop it! She who is already dead cannot be allowed to live!"
The words were a rage of sound in the world around Nanoha as she crawled forward, the breath torn from her throat. She could barely breathe anymore, feeling as if something was crushing from her the inside. Blackness had torn her vision from her, and even her muscles refused to obey her, quailing under the force of the dreadful darkness tearing her apart...
Yet three words from the lizard-like creature made their way through the bitter chaos that surrounded her and threatened to take her down from inside.
She is dying.