Jumping down from the tabletop, Chaos takes half a lap around to the other end. Grabbing a microphone stand by the base, he activates it as he seats himself in the chair he's been spinning around in. He leans back, rests his feet on the surface, and crosses his legs left over the right as he begins a message to his adversaries. The Oceanian and Chinese representatives remain concerned for their own safety, while Daryl keeps his icy glare.

"Alright, time for our in-flight announcement. A-hem... Greetings, passengers. Thank you for choosing Chaos Airlines. This is a direct flight to... well, let's not spoil the surprise. Allow me to explain the safety equipment on this vessel. In the event of decreased visibility, the lamps on your seats will blah blah blah... For emergency evacuation, feel free to fling yourself out of the vessel. You will be sent straight to Heaven. Due to company policy, oxygen masks, life vests, and parachutes are not available. Our crew will attack passengers on sight. We ask that you run or hide if you hope to survive. In addition, their weapons are custom jobs. So, here's a special message to our VIP passengers. Sol, your immortality won't help you here. That partner of yours, she's a tough and wily one. A lovely lady that's probably immortal too – I feel like we've met before all this," he pokes his chin with his index finger. "But you were… different. I'm sure I sent someone after you and the rest is history. Eh. Whatever." Shrugging the thought off, he continues. "It doesn't matter now. Do think you can do anything to help? You two'd be best off avoiding combat however you can. Oh, I almost forgot! Your time limit is... Well, you'll find out soon enough. Alrighty then. Relax and enjoy the flight."

Remaining in cover, Sol scans the garage for any additional lifeforms aside from his current party. As a precaution and out of habit, he's assumed a ready grip on the Outrage's handle. "He's toying with us... Screwing around like this."

"What can we do?" Vernon asks, exchanging a look with Aria, who shrugs along with Jack-O. "Would we be better off staying here?"

"In any other case, no. Might be better than running around aimlessly."

"Oh, oopsies!" Chaos's voice came over the airwaves again. "One last thing. Be on the lookout for our samurai. He can sense auras, so I wouldn't recommend waiting it out in your hiding place."

"Is that the same one you three were talking about?"

The radar's demon mask icon rapidly flashes. "He's right above us!"

Combine that piece of info with how frustratingly brief their rest period was, his eyes widened. "It can't be...!" To his left, the fearsome samurai breaks the ceiling and drops through, landing a few feet away. His figure towers over his targets as he stands straight up. "Or, I guess it could!" Readying himself to fight, Sol's grip tightens as he dashes forward. Nagoriyuki effortlessly stops the oncoming attack by holding out an open palm to grip the Outrage's edge. Following up with a katana slash towards his face, Sol jumps backward, and the soles of his shoes scrape against the floor. Feeling a trickle of blood down his left cheek, he wipes it away. "So he made bullets out of your blade, huh...?"

"Your technique is lacking. You rely too heavily on your immortality." A third fighter joins in – her interference came in the form of her forcefully kicking through the defensively held blade. He's sent backward several feet, crashing back-first into the farthest wall. The dust settles, and he dashes toward them once more, stopped by another metal against metal clash. "You!" He examines Aria for weak points – unable to locate any, her body's info mirrors what he saw for Sol. "You're the same as him, aren't you?"

She doesn't reply aside from shooting a glare. Brushing off the lingering cut, her partner steels himself to end the fight as early as possible. "I get that a lot! Your fight's with me, not her!" The enemy ignores this, attention split between the duo. Attempting to land a slash on Aria's face, she predicts the attack and moves to her back right. She counters with a kick to his left side, deflecting the flat end of a wayward blade with her forearm. Sol connects with a swift jab to Nago's right, leaving him stunned for a second. Aria punches him in the middle of his chest – he catches a glimpse of Jack-O's ghostlike arm sprouting off to the side to help her host body before she retracts. The force applied sends a shockwave, launching him crashing into the wall several meters behind again.

"This won't do. You're too powerful combined." Taking out more of the broken wall, he stands right back up. His eyes shift to the red pupils atop black sclera as his aura flares up and his teeth become visibly fang-like.

"...A Nightless. So that old dandy isn't the only one left, huh?" Watching as he takes an offensive position by gripping his katana's hilt tightly, the foe's mask activates to cover the face. Launching himself towards the trio, an act of rapid-fire thinking has Sol sidestepping to grab the end of the nearby shipping container. Pushing it forward, sparks fly as the samurai's stopped in his tracks and is sent back. Once it ceased sliding, he pushes it aside, only to see that the President and his knights have made their escape.

[Independent Airborne State of Zepp – docks]

A siren sounds as red lights flash, signaling a launch sequence about to commence. Fuel cells retract into a suit of heavy machinery while the pilot notes his transportation coming online. His face lay obscured behind the metallic helmet and against the dark of the launching dock, yet the yellow-orange glow of his goggles stands out the most from his hulking figure. "Assault-type Recon Aircraft 'Vidia.' Ready for launch!"

"Potemkin," Gabriel speaks to him over the channel. "This machine hasn't been flight-tested yet. Our only testaments to its safety are simulations."

"Then this will be its first test flight. You'd better record the data. Besides, I'm the only one who can pilot it anyway, right?" His one-man craft's engines flare up as he departs.

"Godspeed..."

[White House – corridor]

Sol, Aria, and Vernon continue their getaway running down an empty hallway. Luck's on their side for now from the absence of more bunny soldiers. An oddly comforting silence breaks from the sound of their footsteps against the carpeted floor.

Unlike his superhuman bodyguards, Vernon's becoming short of breath. He keeps his pace despite breathing heavily. "Eesh... Okay, starting tomorrow, I'm hitting the gym."

Keeping the lead over the other two, Sol slightly turns his head back to amusedly remark, "planning to get jacked by the end of your term?"

"Haha. I'd settle for not dragging you down right now. I want my weapon, too. Let's head for the Oval Office."

"Weapon?" A lone bunny soldier sneaks up behind them. "Vernon!"

He looks over his shoulder, watching as the pursuer jumps towards him, lifting the crossbow above his head. "!" He crosses his arms in front of him to defend against the incoming weapon. A metallic clang's heard, catching the offender off guard.

"Wh-what the—" Those standing off to the right can clearly see something odd. A secret that next to nobody aside from presumably Erica and Goldlewis know, Vernon's right arm is a piece of cybernetic weaponry. Knowing he's in the perfect position to fight back, Vernon smiles before sparks start flying. He breaks through the attacker's hold, causing them to lose their balance before his arm activates for an electrified punch that sends them flying all the way to the other end of the hall.

Almost speechless, the two utter out, "so you...?"

"You're not the only one with a beneficial secret, Aria." The arm expels a small jet of steam before assuming its inactive state. "This guy's gonna need some more fuel."

[The Pentagon – control room]

Monitoring the flight that's rapidly nearing the west coast, one of the operators in the space's center gets Goldlewis's attention. "Mr. Secretary."

"Yeah?"

"The White House is currently moving in a straight line. At this rate," she turns to face her right, where the main screen has changed to a satellite image above the clouds. "It will be directly above Neo Phoenix in ten minutes."

"That's a major city..."

"If, God forbid, the White House was to crash land there," the chairman begins. "What kind of damage would we be looking at?"

"Given its size... And factoring in the likelihood of explosions and fire may wipe out the entire city."

"There's not enough time to issue an evacuation order..."

Her voice holding a dulled tone, Erica adds, "all we can do is pray that that's not what Chaos wants."

"Dickinson, given that we cannot confirm the president's safety, we may want to start thinking about passing the office on to the VP."

"No need for that," he immediately responds. "We know that the President's in there. And so long as the Tome stays out of the enemy's hands, we know that he's alive and kickin'."

"That's precisely why."

"Pardon?"

"In the event that Chaos was to take a major city like Neo Phoenix hostage... Do you think the President could make the decision to let them die?"

"Wait... You're not seriously..." the hypothetical doesn't sit well with her. "Are you suggesting we attack the White House?"

"That's one possibility."

"The hell's wrong with you?!" The older man steps forward to stop in front of and tower over his subordinate. "Do you even realize what you're say—"

"The White House is the residence of our President and government itself. Attacking it would be an assault on its staff as well as the heroes and dignitaries of each country. I know exactly what I'm saying."

"That makes your suggestion all the worse! Are you planning a coup d'état?"

"If he gets his hands on that Tome, you'll be wishing a coup was all we had to deal with. Though frankly, I'd rather have neither. However, if something terrible happens because of our hesitation, that would be negligence on our part."

"... Erica... He's got a point."

"I know..."

[Conference room]

The silence's broken – again – by Chaos taking a loud sip from a cup. "Ugh, bitter. What do people like about this coffee stuff?" He notices Daryl's closely watching, to which he follows up by gesturing with the cup toward him. "You want the rest?" He raises the other drinking glass full of Milpico up. "Now, this stuff's much more my speed."

Adding to his ever-growing list of clever on-the-spot ideas, the Third King thinks up a diversion. He fakes a smile while getting the other's attention. "I'm surprised. How did you know I was a coffee addict?"

Chaos stands up and walks over to him, holding the cup out. "You just told me. You also just told me you're not a germophobe."

Daryl takes it, watching the next move. "What do you intend to do with the Tome once you have it?"

"Geez, people these days are always in such a rush to get answers. Think for yourself for a change."

Like a fisherman placing bait on the line, he feigns interest in what's supposedly in store. "I don't like people who speak to an author as if they understand their work."

"Hmm... Well, then... Right now, I-No is only half of herself. Oh, yeah, don't worry if you don't get it. That's just how it is. In order to get her other half back, we need the book's power. The end. That's all."

"So that's what this is. You're trying to give I-No some sort of power." He subtly moves his hands underneath the coffee cup to carry out the next step in his plan. "A power that will make her a greater threat than any missile. In any case, I'm going to have to give this back." He places it back on the table before sliding it away with a backhanded push. "I don't drink cold coffee."

It slides to the table's end as a distraction. Daryl seizes the opportunity window to reach for one of the holstered guns. He successfully grabs it and points it toward Chaos's head. One of his guards across the table points their firearm at him, yet he remains focused on who's in front. "What's this? Are we fighting?"

"That's up to you."

"Ooh, interesting. What's on your mind, bud?"

"Let's make a deal."

"A deal?"

"There should be an aircraft nearby, ready to save us. Seeing as we haven't yet been boarded, I presume that the White House has an interception system in place. I would like you to temporarily disarm that system and release the other hostages in this room and me."

"And what do I get out of this?"

"Nothing."

"Funny, I've never heard of a deal like that before."

"There's a first time for everything. Sol Badguy is aboard this ship. Which means you're going to lose. That's your fate."

"I don't like that word, 'fate.'"

"That makes two of us. I don't believe in coincidences, either. Sol has saved the world many times. So many times, that it would seem statistically impossible. And yet, it's the truth. The records should be enough to convince you of that. Fate is simply the most appropriate word I could think of. It's clear he's going to come out on top yet again. Put it this way: that partner of his that flung desk chairs at your guards increased the odds in their favor. Two to one. She likely hits harder than him, and we haven't even scratched the surface of her ability. You were right about meeting her in the past, but it's that idiot student of yours that ruined their lives first."

"So, I give up my hostages and whatever info on me you possess?"

"It's the only way to improve your fortune, especially since there's a wildcard in the mix. The lives of a few hostages are worth very little when weighed against a threat to the entire world. If I were to sacrifice everyone here in order to put the smallest little crack in your plan, Sol would see that crack and smash right through it."

Mirroring the gun placement, Chaos unholsters his spare and points it on level with the one Daryl's holding. The back of the royal hand meets the palm heel of the captor. "And what if I blow your head off right now?"

"You'll lose a hostage and some ammo. That's all."

"Ohoho, you are good."

An airship rises from the White House's courtyard, leaving from the main transport and heading in the opposite direction. "Confirming safe departure of the rescue craft. The Third King called us to confirm that the dignitaries of all countries except the United States are unharmed."

"...He released the hostages?" Goldlewis ponders the news of the sudden change in events. "What is Chaos thinking?"

Breathing easily in the rescue ship's bridge room, the Oceanian man stands next to his Chinese colleague, watching through the glass wall as the White House shrinks the further they get away. "He really let us go..."

"We aren't the main characters in his play." Daryl remains seated, looking at the table in front of him rather than the other two dignitaries. "He didn't need us. This may be hard to swallow, but Chaos is only here to have fun."

"Regardless, your quick thinking saved us. I'm deeply grateful."

"I don't deserve your gratitude. I put everyone's lives at risk for my own goal."

"Then what did you..."

"Chaos made a call from the ship, even though all transmissions were supposed to be restricted..."

"Yes, and?"

"I've been called the 'King of Groundwork.' And I can't stand coffee."

After his assistant helps him sit down in a chair, the Oceanian man changes the subject. "You told us we wouldn't believe you if you shared that woman's identity. Just who is she?"

"Yeah, I'm waiting for your answer if you'd give us one," the Chinese man's still interested. "What was that about the Gear Maker ruining their lives?"

"Are you absolutely sure you want to know?" Daryl's answered by nods from everyone else that isn't the Convict Hammer that's been nearby since this whole ordeal started. "She's unwillingly the reason Japan doesn't exist anymore. Her name is Aria, but you all 'knew' her as Justice."

A collective "WHAT!?" rang through the rescue craft.

"I warned you. Once we're all safely back to our homes, I'll set a reminder to share the details."

Standing right next to one of the conference room's windows, Chaos sighs in disappointment that his company has departed. "It's so lonely in here... I should've kept Daryl, at least." He takes another sip of the coffee, vocalizing his dislike of the taste. "Urk, yep, still bitter." At this point, he's unaware of the magic circle placed on the cup's bottom.

From the control room's command level, an older male operator announces, "we've received a report from the Third King! It would seem that during his escape, he jacked the enemy's transmission device!"

Goldlewis unfolds his arms as he acknowledges him. "What? Is that true?"

"I wouldn't expect any less. He's a shrewd one." Zato smiles upon hearing Ramlethal laughing.

"Let's get our talking points together, fast." Leo assumes the commanding role among the multi-way call's participants. "Ky, I hope you're still listening."

"Of course, I am. Any updates on who's left inside?"

Ramlethal's shared the live tracker display she created. In the middle of it all is the White House with five photos placed above, where a secondary set's under the label "rescue craft." Group one displays the headshots of Sol, Aria, Jack-O, and Vernon – Giovanna's was supplied by the Pentagon and has a question mark to the right. Group two's of lesser importance, consisting of Daryl and the other escapees – most of them are marked as safe. "I can't get a precise location, but Vernon, Sol, and Aria are still on the move."

Erica's worried about their other ally on board. "What about Gio?"

"She's closing the distance between them." To her lower left, a chat box between her and one of her family members pings for a notification. Ramlethal doesn't audibly respond to the new message, reading, "sounds like you've got your hands full. Wait a little longer. I'll be there soon."

"As long as they're all okay, that's a weight off our chests." Millia easily exhales from hearing the exchange. "Do we have an analysis of the facilities?"

"The Pentagon and Zepp are working on it as we speak," Zato begins, rotating the display before a screen that slowly flashes [error] appears. "Though they haven't fully analyzed the PEOC area or the steering system yet."

"And the White House's route?"

Alexis turns about her left to share with the quartet. "They've passed through Neo Phoenix airspace without incident and are continuing in a straight line." On the main screen in front of them all, a target icon indicates the current position passing Neo Arizona.

"That's a relief," Goldlewis chimes in.

"It is odd, though," Millia continues an aside. "If it were me, I would make use of everything at my disposal. If the President can run away until they're out of fuel, that wouldn't benefit Chaos."

A new voice comes over the call. "But what if it would?"

Erica and Goldlewis search for an additional presence. They're initially unable to locate him until she lifts her head up to see an acquaintance standing upside down on the ceiling. "Chipp!?"

Chipp drops down in front of them, smiling and greeting her with a wave. "Yo, Erica."

"When did you..."

"Friend of yours?" Who this young white-haired ninja is clicked in the elder's head. "Hold on — Chipp!? As in, President of the Eastern Chipp Kingdom?"

"Officially speaking, no."

"Don't sweat the small stuff." He doesn't take offense to how she tries to brush it off. "I came to vanquish a demon, but it looks like my target ran far out of my reach. So that transmission is our lifeline."

He's unamused at what was just said, and his expression equates to if they waste any more time, he's throwing Chipp out himself. She maintains her composure, hiding the secondhand embarrassment. "Dickinson, I promise I'll get him out of here shortly... But before I do, could you spare a minute to hear him out? It shouldn't take long."

Like a disapproving parental figure, Dickinson stares at Zanuff before gesturing for him to speak. "First off, I don't plan on making any deals with this Chaos punk."

"What do you mean?"

"Can you imagine what he's going to use the Tome for?"

"I assume he'll be using it as a weapon, somehow?"

"That's what someone with demands would do. Or a guy with a grudge. Either way, they'd have made a statement by now, right?" Chipp's made his point. "So, the way I see it, no matter what it is Chaos wants, he can finish it up there."

"How can you be so sure?"

"If the White House stays on this course, they'll eventually cross the border. Given your national responsibility and the whereabouts of the Tome, you'll have to shoot him down, first." On the other ends of the line, the major players think over the meaning of Zanuff's words. "So why hasn't this guy made any demands?"

"You think he wants us to blow him up?"

"I don't get it... Why would being shot down –"

"It gets rid of the guy protecting the book. Pretty convenient solution if you can't die."

"He can't die?"

Chipp's personal comm goes online. "Anji."

"Forgive me for the sudden interruption. I'll save the introductions for another time." Anji's currently at the ruined site where Chaos and I-No caused Nagoriyuki's awakening. He's overlooking the destruction while standing on the edge of a tall rooftop. "Truth is, I've been pursuing Chaos for many years. In the interest of time, I'll be direct. He is 'That Man.'" A life-sized model projection of Chaos rotates above the Pentagon's central terminal below the Earth hologram. and at Zato and Ramlethal's workstation. "Rather, 'That Man' was a title created because nobody knew where the blame really lay. But it applied to more than one person. The Gear Maker, and one other. He's a monster who wreaked havoc during the Crusades by possessing people in his spirit form."

"Tell everyone in there..." Chipp points to the image as a hologram of the White House activates, placing itself level with the main enemy's hands. Following Ram's model composition, the five benign identities are added as full-bodied figures, with a sixth in the image of Asuka next to Giovanna. He's taken aback upon seeing the figures of Aria and Jack-O – mostly from how they share a face. He pieces together that the other one's who sent his lifelines during the chase. "No way… she's there too and there's another her? ...that they're on a time limit."

[Conference room]

"Was that a good idea?"

"Hm?"

Stryper voices his concerns about the release decision. "If he knows we no longer have hostages, the president may attempt to escape. Why not detach the PEOC now?"

"Why?"

"What do you mean, why? I don't understand you. Your plan is nothing but detours. For one thing... Why am I able to question your actions like this?"

"You wouldn't be a good scriptwriter, y'know that?"

"I see..."

"Oh, just one more thing, while you're here. You would make one hell of an actor." Chaos rises to his feet, walks over to him, and leads the two of them out of the room. "Ever see that play about the double agent? You look just like the leading man."

"I see."

"So why don't we make you a triple agent?"

Unnoticed by the two agents standing at the doorway, the magic circle Daryl left under the coffee cup expands. From its proximity, the walkie-talkie to the side powers on.

Numerous soldiers patrol the central area laying ahead of the hallway the trio takes cover in. Sol, standing across the way from Vernon and Aria, peeks his head out from behind the pillar. The soldiers instantly fire toward him – his instinctual reaction's to duck back, keeping quiet until the gunfire stops. "Tch. Any chance there's another route?"

Vernon shakes his head before he suggests what's in front of them. "Could we use that?"

"You sure?"

"He's the tallest president we've ever had. Think you can create a diversion?"

"I've got one ready," Aria responds. "Get to a safe position."

One of the group's armed with a rocket launcher. He fires it after Sol and Vernon dash to the other end of the hall – it ricochets off one pillar before reaching where the latter was. Aria climbs up the wall to hide in the upper corner – she's concealed in the shadows and goes undetected while the soldiers advance amidst the settling dust. She creates a concentrated lightning ball the size of a hand grenade, holding onto it until the right time.

The hallway begins violently rumbling. With a big grin on her face, she whistles to catch their attention. Effectively confusing them, she tosses it toward their boots – it explodes, sending shocks across their bodies. She places her hands at the sides of her mouth and yells to distract from the oncoming battering ram. "All aboard! Hahaha!"

Incoming at high speeds from the other end is the head of the President Lincoln statue. Its shoulders break through the pillars obstructing the way, slamming into the soldiers and into the five standing in the center several feet ahead. "You gotta be kidding me!" Hanging onto the statue's pant leg is Sol, who stays in place until the head and shoulders crash through the opposite doorway. Their enemies begin shooting in their direction, missing all their shots, failing to notice Aria again as she dashes into view. Following Sol's example, the two break grips into the material – briefly exchange looks to confirm they're on the same wavelength – proceeding by dragging it around in a complete 360 to sweep the floor clean.

An upper-level platform drops down, while a chunk of the ceiling crashes before an explosion goes off and shakes the entire building. Back in the conference room, Chaos loses his balance. He catches himself before falling over, wondering what's just occurred.

They note their handiwork as they step into plain view. "That was fun." She fist bumps him before facing the door Vernon's hiding behind. "The coast is clear. You can come out now."

Still shaken by the quaking and the blast added in for cinematic value, he carefully comes out of his cover. The three stand in front of the fallen walkway that resembles a slide. "You two are insane!"

"Where to next," Sol cuts in. "Left or right?"

"Right. But... Down is faster."

[West Wing – Oval Office]

Aria enters the area first, beelining to the nearest couch. She sits down, immediately leaning back and exhaling. Jack-O takes the seat next to her, tossing a servant in her sister's direction. She watches it hug and nuzzle its face against her, commenting, "I think it's safe to say they like you."

"They are helpful little guys." The heart on its stomach glows, changing from red to pink. "Why did you decide to come out now?"

"I thought it'd be beneficial if I remained hidden and acted as a backup power source." She's alluding to the instances on which they agreed she'd take over in an emergency. "Thankfully for the four of us the necessity hasn't come up, but your body's riddled with fatigue. You're dangerously close to passing out." She watches the other rise to her feet, yawning and stretching to rid any lingering tiredness. Taking this as a sign she's pushing herself out of her comfort zone, she and the servant return to the body. "Please take it easy and make the most of this rest period."

Vernon walks over to the bookshelf façade, presses the hidden button, and the section full of zeal pods comes into view. "Here we are."

"Are these... Huh, don't see that every day." Sol picks one up, inspecting the surface while Vernon replaces the empty cell in his arm cannon. "Spiritas Type 48. A stupidly big battery with poor energy conversion efficiency."

"If we set all these off, we could blow Chaos away, along with the whole damn White House."

"I can do you one better." He twists the top off, causing the tangerine energy source to glow mint green. "I just removed the limiter. Now this alone could take out the White House. If I did it for all of 'em, we could destroy half the globe."

Aria stands near them and counts how many pods the stash contains, mentally calculating the damage scale if it goes beyond what he said. "Let's not do either of those."

"How dangerous are these things?"

"The more zeal they use," Sol starts to reply. "The more they can sell 'em for. Doesn't make 'em perform any better, though. Arms dealers are a tricky bunch."

"Are you planning on becoming one?" She twists the limiter off one more, before leaning back against the shelf's edge. "Like, opening a Junker's garage that operates after-market, with these as the house specialty no one else should know about?"

"Only if you'd help me run that business." He lightly elbows her, prompting a giggle.

"Doesn't sound like a bad way to spend retirement. What should we call it? 'Jazz?'"

"Heh, you might be psychic after all."

Vernon takes a seat at his desk, slouching over from the tiredness he's experiencing. "Ha... Hahaha. You two remind me of, well, me and my wife." He glances over to the photo of him, his daughter, and his grandkids on the table to his left. "I had a bad habit of breaking promises with my daughter to focus on work. You wouldn't believe how mad that little girl got. Haha. Wasn't afraid to cuss me out over it, too. Where'd she learn that kind of language, I wonder?"

Recalling what was shared hours earlier from their downtime tour, she gives a response. "Gio, most likely."

"She's the only one here who knows Portuguese, and my daughter saw her as an older sister, so that was easy to figure out whenever she spoke in a foreign language. I swear, my wife would've fainted if she lived to hear it. But the last time I flaked, she sent me a letter. 'Good luck with work,' it said. To be honest, it was a relief. I knew my little girl was just trying to be thoughtful... But even so, it felt like a weight off my shoulders. Great, that's one fight I don't need to have, I thought. But now, I wish we could've had that talk, even if it was just a fight. Why did I become President? What did I want to protect?"

"Sometimes," Sol remains standing with his back turned – he looks over his shoulder at who they're defending. "You tear apart your house looking for your keys, only for someone else to find them in a second. That ever happen to you? And sure, they might get annoyed or make fun of you."

"But no matter how things ended up, everyone involved can clearly see..." she returns the elbow, albeit a tad rougher. "That you were giving everything you had. Even if your ideal future had wheels attached, all you could do would be to push or pull it."

"No way... Are you two trying to cheer me up?" A call panel pops up from the desk. Vernon presses the answer button, prompting a video screen with Asuka on the other end to open. "Gear Maker."

He sees the two additional bodies come into view, positioning themselves at Vernon's sides. "Frederick? Aria?"

"Did you make this call?"

"No," Asuka keeps his voice volume down. "It seems to be some sort of special open channel."

"We're not in the clear yet, so mind your chatter." Aria glances up from the video screen to the office's door. "We don't know if Chaos is listening."

Goldlewis disregards the advisory, butting into the conversation. "Is the President there!?"

She rolls her eyes out of irritation. "What did I just say?"

Vernon makes his presence known via his voice. "Dickinson!"

"Oh, thank God you're safe!"

"How did you restore the communication lines?"

"That's not important right now. First, I have some good news. The hostages have been safely evacuated, all thanks to the Third King."

"Really?"

Sol smiles and crosses his arms. "Wily bastard."

"But please, Mr. President, tell us how you're doing."

"Our pursuers have gotten aggressive. It's getting difficult to stay hidden."

"I see. Listen closely to what I'm about to say. The White House is currently en route to the border of Old Mexico."

"What?"

"Right now, the White House is essentially a flyin' bomb. I've got no doubt that it'll be shot down if it enters a neighboring country's airspace. Not only will we lose the symbol of our country, but we'll have no control over who ends up with the Tome." Asuka's got the text laying atop the center meeting table. Approaching the airspace are the Gargoyle 3 jets. "We need to shoot down the White House ourselves before that happens."

"How much time do we have?"

"At its current speed, about 50 minutes."

"He's written the hell outta this script," Sol begins. "Knowing what we know, we could either surrender or destroy the PEOC after it's been shot down. Either way, Chaos comes out on top."

"Sol, Aria, and the other one –"

"Idiot!" Jack-O's hidden for now, but she's hearing everything from the call. "Why did he have to nearly give my presence away like that!? Asuka still doesn't know, does he?"

"No. I think he's had his suspicions, though."

"— did you three know about him bein' immortal?"

"Yep."

Asuka catches the slip of the tongue and Aria's subtle mouthing of a curse as if he spoiled a surprise. His reactionary brow raise was obscured by his hair and the rose-like eyepiece. "The other one? What did the Secretary mean by 'you three?'"

"Spares me an explanation. Even if you run into Chaos, do not engage. We're looking for a way to get you out of there, so just hang on until we find one."

Aria shares the sight from the last moments of the chase. "He can survive having literally half of his body blown off, so you don't need to tell us."

"You really think there's a way out?"

"Considering that the White House is an aircraft, there's gotta be escape pods."

"Any idea where?"

Gabriel supplies a response from his team's analysis efforts. "The PEOC, most likely." The layout in front of him contains the architecture display along with a cluster of four windows. "It's nothing but locks within locks. A regular matryoshka doll. And the codes are in a language I've never seen."

Vernon reclines in his desk chair before commenting, "sounds like we're in for a long 50 minutes."

"Got any other info on Chaos?"

Chipp answers Sol's question first. "We do, but..."

"...Chipp?"

"Hey. This is just my gut feeling, so don't get your hopes up."

"Better than nothing," Aria adds. "We'll take what we can get."

"You again, huh?" He recognizes her voice over the comm. "Is that giant samurai guy up there too?"

"He is," they respond at the same time. "And he's a pain in the ass."

"I'm not sure, but I think he knows Chaos's weakness."

"He what?"

"I'm not just blowing smoke here. Listen. I saw Chaos, too – before I almost fell to my doom trying to save Anji, but then Aria saved me." What Chipp doesn't see is the expression Erica makes at hearing how they interacted hours prior. She's thankful for her rescuing a friend.

"Again," she puts on a modest tone. "You're welcome."

"He defies all common sense. The guy's just in this for the thrill. And he's intentionally giving everyone..." Chipp pauses. "...a chance to kill him."

The two knights take a quick look at each other before replying, "what you're saying is we need to get the samurai to talk?"

"...I have followed the will of my teacher for long enough." Asuka balls his right hand into a fist. "I'll fight too."

"What?"

"I'm not sure if I can pull it off, but I'll try to take control of the aircraft." He leaves the video call's frame, headed towards a lower level. "I'll buy you some time. Focus on finding the escape pods."

Goldlewis speaks for everyone to confirm the plan. "Understood!"

Asuka stops in the best spot to start conjuring his counterattack. He opens two pale red circles bearing identical triangular designs. "He's got a hundred years of experience on me. Can I make up the difference?"

Chaos finds the gift on the table. He pokes it, causing the blue light to break. "Oh, Daryl. You should have told me you were an actor!" The White House shakes – his guards almost fall over. "Hmm?"

"What the..." the nearest one picks up on what's happening. "They're altering our route!"

He knows there's only one person capable of this. "Hahaha!"

Feeling the necessary assistance work, the trio in the Oval Office looks out the windows. Remaining seated at his desk, Vernon's spirits lifted. "Here we go."

Alexis relays the information to the rest of the war room's team. "The White House is decelerating and has started to turn!"

Leo raises his fists in front of him. "He pulled it off!"

A gentle feminine voice joins in. "I'd expect nothing less from one of the world's strongest magic users."

"Huh?" He turns around to see a black-and-white-clad woman with long blue hair and red eyes enter the vicinity. "Dizzy? What are you doing here?"

Ky hearing her voice causes him to call over the channel. "Hear her out, Leo."

"I should at least know what's going on and lend my assistance in Ky's absence." She walks up to the four, stopping right behind Ramlethal's chair, placing a hand on the backrest. "He did leave for the States without any of us. I've been listening and Ram's been keeping me updated, so I don't need to be brought up to speed."

All eyes are on Ram, prompting her to say something. She waits two seconds, looking at everyone nearby before speaking, then back at the screens. "What? I can multitask, you know. It saves us the time we'd waste for an explanation."

Millia agrees with the statement. "She has a point. With you here, it's just like the day when you aided us in defending the city."

Zato's remark has less energy compared to the man behind him – his tone's grounded. "Illyria's people are fortunate to have a caring queen." Steering the conversation back on track, he includes, "hopefully, since your parents are aboard, the Gear Maker can maintain control until they can land."

"Looks like they realized where we were headed. And if he's making a move now..." Chaos activates a pair of inky black and aqua green magic circles. "So, Asuka, you finally remembered me?

"It's been quite a long time, teacher." He tanks the mild shockwave sent through. "This isn't how I imagined our reunion. What in the world happened to you? Where have you been? Why are you trying to grant I-No power?" Lightning streaks run across his body before sending a stronger jolt.

"Oh! I remember teaching you to ask one question at a time. Well, I've got one for you, too. You know the White House's even bigger secret, don't you? What was your plan, I wonder?"

Asuka's voice changes before he fires another. "You taught me not to answer a question with a question. What changed you?"

Chaos's creations briefly vanish as the attack sends him further backwards. "Humans can't stay sane in isolation. Gave me a few epiphanies, though. What do you think a sane person is, anyway?"

"Someone who wouldn't try to take over the White House!"

"Should I be proud you've learned to banter? Let me rephrase the question." His energy grows in intensity – circles speeding up in rotations. "Say someone is locked up in a small, pure white room with no doors or windows. For a year. No, maybe even longer. They've got food and drinks, no illnesses, or injuries... They can even make calls to whomever they'd like. A voice speaks to them from above! 'You must not leave. Nobody else can, so you mustn't either!' Then one day, a door to the outside suddenly appears! And now, my question: What would a 'sane person' do?"

"…."

"The way I see it, this era is making a ton of these white rooms."

"There's certainly a better solution than breaking down the walls."

"You've learned to talk back!"

"You're not the only one who's changed. I've become... the 'Devil.'" With a series of specific motions, he casts and delivers his strongest magical attack.

It's enough to shake the other's body before it throws him against the wall. "Whoa!" His body crashes in the same pose as when I-No threw him against a cliff after their escape from the prison. He drops back-first to the floor, the body remaining bent at a 90-degree angle, sunglasses askew as his eyes white out with a smile.

A hooded figure reaches out to the silhouette of a woman. She's walking away from him, despite his pleas.

"Stop this! You must reconsider! Don't you see the risk this poses to mankind!? You dare stand against humanity!?"

All you need to know is one or two things, or a few. I'm alone, but I'm not alone. You know that, right? Trees and Rain. Now and then. I can't live without that precious one. (An off-season) swallow. So that's me. Springtime syndrome. (I will) follow you, wherever you go!

Chaos wakes up in a dreamscape, greeted by a woman standing over him. Locks of her hair flow in the wind; the lower half of her face's obscured by her bodysuit's collar. "Huh...? You're..."

I don't believe in any miracles. I'll risk a loss any day. Gambling's only for fools, take nothing for granted. If you don't seize the chance, it's over for you. Life never goes the way you want, that's how it is. No matter what happens, face it all head-on!

Ariels, speaking in a monotone voice, identifies herself. "The Universal Will. A robot of your own creation."

We've got only one sky. Blue, red, and black paranoia. What is it like to you? No one can see the colors but you. I had to run away from here before the storm hit. We see eye to eye. We see eye to eye. I told me without you.

I gave up hope. But I'm not going to be lost tomorrow. Even if it is hell, I'm gonna crawl. I want the freedom of calm (I want the freedom of calm). I want the freedom of calm. Hold that faith that is made of steel.

"Uh... huh."

I swept you off your feet... - (She told me). We know deep down - There's no way. Throwing rocks into the lake - (The Bee's Knees). How do we look? (Letdown). Oh lullaby, don't stop until I fall in flames. Stay with me... stay with me until the end of time.

"I became human so that I might understand humanity." Her body grows, and she takes her creator in her hands. "My mission was the realization of eternal joy for all mankind." She covers him with her right. "But I made the wrong choice, attacked the wrong person, and failed to see my mission through."

Weighing up value and will. Get up before they reach you – Now! I don't need to be recognized for everything. Don't take them down to the ground to a face to face. I just want you to hear someone's little voice. That is a the voice of life!

They've reverted to their regular proportions, with him seated on the platform's edge. "Oh, yeah. That sounds right..." He turns around, scaling to tower over her now. "But were you always this nice?"

My voice withered away, limbs can't hear my commands. But still, I can see the way home. I am the Reaper. I took my friends to the netherworld. That's why I have to go home! I faked out. Call me out. Who can say that? I'm just an ordinary soldier!

Rather than, the breathless vastness of the world. And yet she didn't reject the life he sought. She believes that she's one not chained. She flies at night to see the sun of tomorrow. He never wanted to have special days. She just wanted to be there like a weed, naturally, as a matter of course.

"The poison within me left when you did." She's aware of who poses the threats, directly hinting at the identity of one. "After hearing her voice and the influence it's had on others, it's cured."

The music that's finished never ends in my head. The promise I made to you (the promise I made to you). Now a single footstep carries two hearts. I'm still chasing one (I'm still chasing one). Keep trying to reach the other side of the unreachable goal.

"Poison, really?" Normality kicks back in. "Who the hell is this 'she' you're talkin' about? She can't be pure."

Now it's your turn. Cat got your tongue. I'm (ready) for (this work that I do). Bark and bark. It's a vacant urge. The only myth that no one knows. Bark and bark. Keep going, that's the only sound you'll ever hear. (Words can't cut it).

"Not compared to you. You are unbearably pure." She follows him as he's making an effort to walk away. "I-No's other half is formed of mankind's wishes. Undiluted spirit. Both the evil that denies our existence and the justice that affirms our lives. That," she assumes a titanic size again, peeking through the window he stops in front of. "And writhing, unthinking malice." A smaller version waits at the other end. "Tell me, then: have you discovered your path?"

Patched-up liberty compressed the sky. The broken wall will cry for humanity. How can I remember those moments, sweetheart? Tell me (tell me). TELL ME! If there's a man who can make anything, give me the tools to live in the past. It's all gone down so deep; I can't see anymore.

She keeps her arm extended out as they're repositioned to stand several feet apart. "There's no answer to that. 'Mankind' is not a collective of humans, but just one single element of humanity. And, hell, the definition of 'human' is hazy at best."

If I had a comrade, I wonder what I would tell them, yes, yes, I knew the answer! (In the light, cut away, all vexations). Take off all vexations! Is never over yesterday, no, don't stand still! My vengeance will be a sacrifice, then kill the pain! The hardest road lies ahead, I will be a mirror of the world!

"So, you choose to agitate the situation after all. If I-No transcends the concept of time, she could become the creator of the world. We may be consumed by a paradox."

Can you hear it? The pulses of the living, the ironic rhythm. It's a grand orchestra. It's never the same tone, who wants to stop this there can be. When the violent storm is over, the blue sky is more beautiful than ever. You see, I want that. I want that, that's all I want!

He's on a distant platform, leaving his creation behind him and ignoring her warning. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. I'm not here to win or lose, I'm just here to be here. I'm at the edge of the world – there I was, and nobody else arrived." Stopping at the end, he lifts his head to stare into the blue void in front of him. "I've already lost my wings, but…."

Can't you see I'm blazing? Still, my heart is blazing! If the words killed me, I don't need a new world order. You - my tribe is my world. Your words will never make me disappear!

That is bullshit! Blazing! Still, my heart is blazing! If the words killed me, I don't need a new world order. You - soon you will know! We already know the smell of the...

Know the smell of the...

Know the smell of the...

Know the smell of the game!

An overwhelming amount of magical energy springs forth from his curled hand. Asuka's unable to withstand it – his body nearly gives out. "What?! This power... It can't be... You... Aria was right! You're I-No's other half!?"

"You're so perceptive with everything but relationships. You're a fool for not realizing sooner, and the fact it's – what did you say her name was? Aria?" He figures out who his vision of Ariels referred to by the wrong person. The other threat to his plan that's protecting Vernon and is wearing her former self's colors. "No, Justice of all fuckin' people – that found me out."

"I shouldn't have said her name…! Dammit! But why? If you do this, you'll disappear in the end, too. Why would you go so far to help I-No!?" Energy continues to violently crackle around the two bodies, growing in intensity by the millisecond. Asuka struggles to keep his defense up.

"You still don't get it, do you? You STILL think of me and I-No as your enemies? I thought I taught you to be open-minded. I-No was born in a white room with black curtains where shadows run from themselves, and she's been looking for the exit this whole time. She can pretend to be human, but her feelings dried up long ago. She shows us where humans are headed. Plagued with an eternal, insatiable thirst, affirming ourselves will lose all meaning. When everything became possible, we lost our ability to accomplish anything! But she still says she wants a future! If this world holds value… then I will show it to her at all costs!" Chaos's power amplifies – it's enough to knock his former disciple out and put him out of commission. The energy storms on both ends stop as he's lost this round. His voice changes while grinning and basking in victory. "Right now, I exist!"

[Oval Office]

Powerful rumbling makes its way throughout the White House. Every piece of the office's furniture shakes about their positions. Vernon remains in his seat, holding the ends of the armrests. "Is it normal to feel earthquakes in the sky?"

"No," Aria responds, observing the vibrations. "This doesn't feel like a case of turbulence either."

"Only when you're hungover. In this case, though," Sol looks over his shoulder and out the window. "That's our course changing. Looks like Chaos got the better of him."

"Dammit!" All three are caught off guard as the flower vase next to him breaks with a shot.

Three guards enter from both ends of the room, ready to shoot at their stationary targets. Sol moves to grab the Outrage lying next to a chest of drawers, stopping short of having a bullet lodged in his left forearm. The middle bunny guard warns, "don't move!"

"Stayed put for too long..."

"You two move and Vernon takes a bullet." He signals for the one on his left to advance. "Don't get too close. It would seem his right arm is a weapon.

"I know." Continuing a steady pace with the firearm pointed ahead, he stops right in front of Vernon and Aria. "Don't try anything funny, lady. Hands where I can see 'em." She narrows her eyes before complying. "Stay there, and slowly lift both of your arms."

Vernon plays along, avoiding eye contact and eyeing both sides. "Sol. Aria. Brown bears don't give birth to pandas. Football…." He activates his arm cannon, using the display as a projectile. "Is going to save the world!" Force from the blast paired with receiving the wide end of a football launches the foe back, crashing into the farthest wall. The two remaining men break off their focus to see their defeated teammate. Two servants appear above their heads, delivering shield bashes before Sol picks up the desk and swings at them. A cloud of smoke and dust obscures the damage – his two companions watch in awe before a fourth soldier barely misses his shot.

"There they are!" Three more enter, moments away from firing. "Take the woman out first!"

"I don't think so!" Jack-O summons four additional servants; all of them smack the backs of the masked heads, allowing for an escape window before disappearing.

"Run!" Aria and Vernon sprint out as Sol grabs the Outrage. Fleeing down the west colonnade, one assailant lands a lucky shot through his shoulder. Distance between the three has Vernon ahead, where his bodyguards are right next to each other. She takes notice of the blood splatter as he falls off to the right, side dashing behind a pillar to get their escort out of the line of fire.

"Sol!"

"I'm fine! Just had a slip-up! Stay in cover!" Two of the soldiers continue advancing, riddling the air with bullets. "Projectiles are bullshit!" He kicks his cover toward them, crushing their bodies against the wall. Another dust cloud emerges from the damage and debris, falsely clearing the area.

Vernon runs out into view. "A-are you alright!?"

"Well," he holds a hand up to the wound, gritting his teeth to withstand the worsening pain. "I'm not about to tell you, 'we're gonna be fine!'"

Five more come out from around the corner, obscured by the grey dust prior to their silhouettes becoming defined. Before they're able to fire, a series of short blinding bursts zip past from behind them.

It happened in a flash.

Out of everyone in existence, only one other person aside from Dizzy is known to have that power.

They catch the scent of death, noticing the zones of destroyed ground ahead. The last guard to pursue them has a hole through their chest – the body itself is laying against a wall and blood starts pooling below. Three of the others scream with their last breaths before succumbing to their injuries. Two had an arm each blown off, one's missing a leg, and the last was decapitated. The unfortunate one's detached head rolls away from its body, falling off the walkway's edge and onto the grass. What was once a clean walkway became stained blood red, with the streams steadily trickling around.

The sight before him resembled a frame right out of a horror film. Covering his agape jaw with his left hand, Vernon's eyes went wide. "Holy shit…."

They look to their right to find Aria, who has her right arm remaining extended. Her stance paired with the cold, merciless stare renders them frozen in place. A notable detail is her eyes aren't glowing, nor was Jack-O there to restrain her. Additionally, her breathing's stable, indicated by the steady expansion and contraction of her chest.

She's fully aware of what she's done.

Noticing them, she lowers her arm, collects her thoughts, and apologizes with a bow. "So much for a zero-kill record… I'm sorry you had to see that."

"What was that you said about non-lethal force earlier?"

"This is different," she flatly replies. "I know what you're about to say. No, it didn't slip out. That was on purpose." She feels the presence that's been plaguing her since this morning nearby. The reptilian monster places her claws on Aria's shoulders and wraps her tail around her left leg.

["Well done. You've gained control over it. A few dead bodies are a small price to pay, but you're straying away from your humanity. Face it. You're still a Gear, masquerading as a human."]

("You… you're not me. And I'm sure as hell not turning back into you.")

She digs into the blue leather. ["Naïve woman. Deny it all you want. Along with your actions, you wielding my powers says otherwise. You're not only a danger to yourself, but you're also a danger to everyone else around you."]

("Oh yeah? Then come on out. The cell door's wide open.")

A claw grabs a hold of her jaw, applying pressure on both ends with the thumb and middle digit. The sharp pinky nail's held against the center point of her throat. She drags her other index nail down from the top of her head, past the nape of her neck, stopping at her tailbone. The damage done isn't physical, yet the sensation of having her body open split down the middle feels all too real. ["Take me out yourself. I'll be waiting, Aria."] Justice's apparition fades away, leaving her wondering what she meant by those parting words.

An intense surge of power causes the charm on her necklace to illuminate. She takes a deep breath before facing Sol. "Do you remember your answer to what you'd do if the world were to disappear tomorrow?"

"Frederick, we may be scientists, but we're humans too. Don't you think your perspective is a little... lonely?"

"What?"

"Let's take your past, for example. Is that a memory for you? Or just a sequence of events?"

"Seriously? You're going to try and critique my philosophy with sentimentality?"

"Let me rephrase, then... If the world was going to disappear tomorrow... What would you do today?"

"What kind of a question is that? Stop whatever's ending the world or die trying."

"...You mean 'spend it with someone you love?'"

He blatantly lies through his teeth, using her words as his response. "I'd spend it with someone I love."

She doesn't buy it one bit, furrowing her brows and frowning at him. Before he could lay a hand on her, it's swatted away by a phantom arm. It warns him not to come too close by wagging its index as a warning before retracting. "Bullshit. That's not what you told us. You, and I quote, said you'd stop what was ending the world or die trying. You've saved the day numerous times, right?" She grips a jacket lapel to bring him down to her level and plants a kiss on his mouth. Strong feelings rush through her body; she runs a hand through his hair while opening her eyes to see how he'd reacted. Breaking it off and eyeing the worsening open wound, she states after catching her breath, "if all it takes is a lucky bullet, then the world cannot rely on you." Before he could respond – or worse, this escalates to a potential fight between them – she leaves the scene, heading further down the colonnade.

"After all this time, I never thought I'd see it so up close…." Vernon recalls only hearing about the devastating aftermath of Justice's gamma rays. "I'm thankful she's fighting on our side."

"Yeah, well, so am I. Just glad she didn't faint this time." Sol looks over at the dead squad again. The masks' monstrous teeth fail to distract from the gore. Subtle muscle twitches and occasional spurts of blood from the severed limbs make a chill run down their spines. "You're… you're not going to hold this against her, are you?"

"Even if it were any other situation, no. I think I know why she did it."

"You do?"

Vernon raises an eyebrow before responding. "Honestly, man? Aside from the obvious? Sol, get your head out of your ass. She was protecting you."