Crenjer honed in on the image of the tower seen through his lap top.
"Look at that", He commented. "Hidden in plain sight."
"How did we miss something like that", Haitani questioned.
"It's the energy storage cell", Crenjer explained as he analyzed the energy levels of the tower. "Think about it. That device was designed to store massive amounts of energy in a small port. It was supposed to be used as a way to store electricity without taking it from the city. Still that doesn't explain how they got it working one hundred percent."
"With Darius's funds, it wouldn't be a surprise to me if they actually got it working", Shirai added.
"Well energy cell or not", Said a determined Kitsune, "That tower is a comin down!"
"It won't be that easy", Said Nentou. "Project Tower was meant to be an impenetrable fortress. With Darius's funds, he's probably armed that thing to the teeth."
"We need some heavy firepower", Tokui said. He then turned to Naru and the other residents of Hinata Sou. "Keitaro must have a weapon stash somewhere, right?"
"I don't remember Keitaro ever have a weapons stash anywhere", Mutsumi said as she went through all possible places in her head.
"He had to have something. A locker, a closet, a treasure chest...Anything", Asked Tokui
The entire room searched though the many files in their brain for something useful. Motoko happened to be the one to find an answer.
"Perhaps there is", Said the swordswoman.
Once again, Motoko and everyone else found themselves back in the tool shed Keitaro built himself. Like before, they were faced against a thick green gate with a lock on it. Behind the gate was a metallic door that looked like it could take a hit if someone tried to bust it open. Nonetheless, it was exactly what Tokui was hoping for.
"Brilliant", Said Tokui. "Now who has the key?"
Everyone's attention turned to Motoko. Instinctively, the girl fishes the critical pieces of metal from her pockets. After narrowing them down to the gate key, Motoko inserted the metal into the locket. The key fix right in sync with the slot. The bondage keeping the gate shut was now released. However, none of them went straight to opening the door. Motoko took a deep breath before sliding the large metal door away.
On the other side, was something unexpected...It was empty. This was almost as big of a disappointment as when they first entered the tool shed. Motoko and Tokui were the first to enter. After a few moments of searching the interior, they found two buttons that read one or two. Crenjer, Shirai and Haitani joined the cramped room before Tokui pressed the button that read 2.
With a small jolt of the room, the floor began to descend. Mere seconds passed before the five stopped on a floor just beneath the tool shed. Lights flickered on, with the exception of on burnt out light bulb, to reveal a long hallway. The walkway was lined with steel plates while the wall was covered by concrete. What really caught everyone's attention were the many items within the hallway. The walls were lined with various guns, both big and small. There were swords, spears, and other bladed weapons hanging on stands. There was even a large robot in the corner of the room. Everyone stepped off of the elevator to see the many devices as Tokui sent the elevator back up for the others.
"Will you look at this place", Crenjer said as he dashed left and right across the room. "Proton Accelerators, Sonic Gatling Guns, Implosion Vortex Grenades, he's got all the toys!"
As the soldiers and techie searched the room, the elevator finished the two trips needed to bring everyone else down to their level. Motoko found her own intriguing items, different swords hanging in a glass container.
"Where did Keitaro get this", Motoko asked as she stared back at red, white, and blue circled shield, with a single star on it..
"We found that is Germany a few months back", Shirai said. "It supposedly belonged to an amazing soldier from the U.S. The told us to hang onto it until they found him."
"Hey, come look at this", Su called out to the others.
Su and Sarah looked up to the giant robot. It was ten feet tall, silver, and outlined with dark blue trimming. The bot looked like it was in a shut down state as it sat in a large chair.
"What is it", Sarah asked as she lightly kicked it's shin.
"That's Zapper", Haitani said.
"What does he do", Sarah questioned as she took a closer look at the dark blue trimming.
Haitani picked up a game control like device as he responded, "I'll show you."
Haitani started up the controller as he pressed a few buttons. All of a sudden, the dark blue trimming flashed on with a teal like glow. Sarah jumped back and fell on her bottom as the robots stood up, eyes sparkling on, and inside gears turning.
"Left jab, left jab, right hook, left hook, right uppercut", Haitani commanded.
The robot responded to every command with flawless effort. The sound of rotating metal, and kinetic force from the swings let them all know just how powerful this robot was.
"Cool right", Haitani said.
Su and Sarah were overjoyed by the robot. While they remained focused on the robot, and Motoko with the swords, Naru, Kanako, Mutsumi, Shinobu, and Kitsune surrounded a glass container in the middle of the room.
"What is this in the container", Mutsumi asked out loud.
Inside the container was a small, thin, mechanical like device. It was in the shape of a pen, but was clearly not a pen.
"Be careful", Han warned. "That's a Sonic Screwdriver. It belongs to The Doctor."
"The Doctor", Naru asked.
"Yeah. He's this guy in a trench coat, flies around in a blue box that's bigger on the inside."
The others looked at Han as if he was crazy. Seeing this, Han scratched the back of his head while trying to explain himself.
"It was this big crazy incident in England with Martha, the Daleks, Captain Jack, and the Doctor said one day he'd come back for the screwdriver."
"You guys", Tokui shouted, bringing back everyone's attention to them. "We don't have time for this! Grab whatever you need and be ready to launch!"
"Right", The ERT answered in sync.
As they carried out any weapons necessary to the team, Naru approached Tokui.
"Tokui, what about us", Naru asked. "What should we do?"
"Naru, the rest of you can't come with us", Tokui said as he loaded a sawed off barrel shotgun with two rounds.
"What, why not", Naru questioned rather loudly.
"It's too dangerous Naru, we can't take you with us."
"But you said yourself, I might be a key to bringing Keitaro back!"
Tokui spoke, "I know Naru, but I can't put ou or the others in anymore danger than we already have."
"She won't be in danger, I'll watch over her", Said Motoko.
"Motoko no, you and the rest have to stay here."
"You really expect us to just sit here and wait for you all to return", Motoko shouted while sounding offended.
"I expect you to gather reinforcements from Avianna for us incase we fail", Tokui started to become irritated.
"Keitaro is our friend, we should have the right to help get him back", Shinobu joined in the argument.
"He's my soldier, it's my duty to retrieve him with minimal casualties, and minimal civilian injuries!"
"With our help, you have a better chance of getting him back", Motoko spat. "Why can't you accept our help!?"
"Because Keitaro made me promise to not drag you all into this if something ever happened to him!"
The weapon stash hall turned to silence.
Tokui sighed before continuing, "After the incident with Neon on Darius's island, Keitaro approached me. and you know what he asked me?"
The rest of Hinata Sou still kept quiet to hear what the ERT captain had to say.
"He told me, Tokui, don't let anything happen to them. If something ever happens to me, if I'm captured, if I'm killed, if I ever go rogue or berserk, please, please make sure the girls from Hinata Sou don't get involved. I know them, they'll do something outrageous, I just know it. Please don't let them get involved with it anymore than they already are. I don't want anything bad to happen to them. If something does happen to me, I trust that you'll put an end to all this mess."
The girls still had nothing to say. If calculated correctly, Keitaro said this when he was still sketchy about returning to Hinata Sou. Even in that state, Keitaro still cared deeply for them.
Tokui slowly stepped into the elevator with the rest of his comrades.
"I'm sorry Naru, Motoko", Tokui said bitterly. "There's nothing I can do. I promise, we'll bring Keitaro back."
With that, Tokui and the other soldiers in the elevator accented up to the third floor. Motoko clinched the hilt of her sword in frustration. Naru had no object to hold, and just clenched her fist as she thought the one word they all thought..."Dammit!"
Sitting in the pilot's seat was of course their pilot. In the co-pilot seat was their captain Tokui, with Skinny on his lap. By now Han, Shirai, and Haitani finished strapping their seat belts in. As Nentou powered up the small aircraft, Tokui waved to Crenjer outside. The little weaselly techie chose not to come. It was expected of him.
"This is Nentou, all systems go, launching", Nentou confirmed.
While there was no response like being in the ERT launching bay, it was a habit and almost a ritual for Nentou to say this before launching on a mission. The ship hovered higher and higher before taking off in the chosen direction.
The ride was smooth, but tension filled. They knew that even if they retrieved some stuff from Keitaro's weapon stash, the odds were overpoweringly against them. They were outgunned, out numbered, and out classed by powers. No one said anything. What was to be said? Good luck? Good Bye? Good Riddance? Their melancholy thoughts were interrupted by a sudden jolt from the air craft.
"What the heck was that", Shirai asked nervously.
Nentou and Skinny checked all the monitors for the source of the disturbance.
"What is it", Tokui asked them.
"It looks like some kinda...Turtle."
Tokui brought his sights to the monitor Nentou stared at. Sure enough, there was a large turtle on the back of their ship. It was unnaturally big, and metallic looking. Another monitor began to grow fuzzy and disoriented. All of a sudden Su's face appeared on the screen.
"Don't forget about us", Su cheerfully yelled.
"Huh? Su what are you doing, get off my ship", Nentou scolded.
"Nope, we're gonna help you save Keitaro", Said Su.
"Su no it's too dangerous", Shouted Tokui.
"I know it's dangerous, but we're still gonna help you", Came Naru's voice.
"What the, Naru's with you too?!"
"We're all here", Kanako spoke up.
"Kanako", Shouted Han from the background.
Somehow, it looked like all of the girls within Hinata Sou somehow crammed into the small space of a cramped Mecha-Tama. Before they could argue any further about this, Mutsumi pushed past most of the girls to get a view of the camera.
"Tokui, I know you wanted us to stay behind because of the promise you made to Keitaro. If he gets mad about it, just tell him that we made the choice to not listen to you. A promise is important, believe me, I know. You must understand, that Naru made a promise to Keitaro too...Tell him Naru."
Everyone looked back to Naru. Even the Narusegawa girl was confused.
"Tell him about the night he was drunk Naru", Mutsumi pushed on.
Naru's face deepened a whole new shade of red. How did she find out about that? Unknown to her, Skinny saw the whole thing, and squealed to Mutsumi. In any case, Naru had to speak up.
Naru began to whisper, "Keitaro was worried that I didn't care for him...He was worried that I was going to throw him away."
Naru's speech began to heighten in volume.
"So I made a promise to Keitaro. I promised not to throw him away ever again, if he promise never to leave me behind again. If I don't go to him, I might as well be throwing him away! If I run to his side, then I can be sure he won't leave me again! I have to be there for him, we've been through so much together! We've studied together, we've fought, we've separated, we've reunited, we've kissed, we've seen the Oni-Zakura butterflies, and we've stared into each other's souls! Even so, that's still not enough! I have to see him again! I have to hold him again! I have to kiss him again! I have to build our relationship again! I have to get into Tokyo University with him! More importantly, I have to tell Keitaro how I truly feel about him!"
Everyone was astonished by what Naru stated. She let out all of her soul filled emotions for the world to hear. Naru blushed again, realizing now what she just said. The crews of both ships remained in silence for Tokui's response.
"One simply does not break a promise to someone else", Skinny said to Tokui.
Tokui took in a deep breath of air.
"You all know we very well may not make it out alive, right", Tokui asked.
"Don't worry, I'm sure we got an angel or two lookin afta us", Kitsune reassured them.
"Words of Angel", Tokui said remembering his sniper. "Alright if we're goin in, we're goin in MY way! Understand."
"Understood", Motoko answered for them all.
The remainder of the flight was in silence. For now the grand battle was about to take place. No one knew what was going to happen, but they knew it was gonna be one hell of a ride.
I put off this chapter for soooo log! Finals are next week, so I've been just studying, studying, and studying. From when Nentou launched the ship till the end, the song "Tomorrow", sung by "Mikuni Shimokawa", better known as the "Full Metal Panic Opening Song", was going through my head While writing this part. So here's a few trivia questions, when it was finally revealed where the locked door in the tool shed lead to, there were two movie references, and one show reference. Name those movies and that show for a personal shout out next chapter. However, with finals and the holidays just around the corner, I'm not sure when that'll be. I can't guarantee anything before Christmas, but I promise something by the new year. Till then, hope you all have joy filled holidays!