The scene picks back up where it was last seen, with Lysithea and Hilda holding on to each other, both screaming their lungs out after being jumpscared by the pair of red eyes.
"Are they always this loud?!" Chai asked.
"Not usually! But Lysithea does have her phobias of ghosts!" Connor said.
Suddenly, some lights went on, and revealed the glowing red eyes belonged to a perfectly normal person. He was a tall, dark-skinned man with black hair and black eyes. He donned a beard with grey glasses (with a pen hanging from his right side). Macaron has several robotic implants for both his arms and legs, having green highlights. For clothing, he wore a dark blue jacket with orange strips and a white V-neck t-shirt. Wearing a yellow belt, he also has light brown jeans with dark yellow shoes. Attached to his belt is a cyan-and-purple notebook that he uses to jot down notes.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you, ladies." the man said before squeaking was heard as he turned to see a robot near a switch. It was tall and lanky, with an overall white appearance with yellow and blue highlights.
"Goggles make you come on strong, sir." the robot said, his face showing a doodled expression. "Your plans come on strong, young man. Perhaps you lack the leadership qualities you think you have." he said before sitting down in a nearby chair as there were multiple monitors showing Chai being socked in the face.
"That's my buddy CNMN, a Psych-AI. Tells the truth, no matter how much it hurts." the man explained.
This is surprisingly entertaining." CNMN spoke, replaying Chai being socked in the face.
Suddenly, the doors near by flew open as Peppermint dashed in.
"Guys, don't be dead!" she called, before locking eyes with the new face, and smiled. "Macaron, I presume?"
"Peppermint! Wonderful to finally meet you in person." the man known as Macaron said as the two shook hands as CNMN approached.
"Sir Macaron said expressions make me less off-putting." CNMN said, having a sparkly eyed anime expression.
Chai had no idea what was going on, but Connor seemed to.
"So, this is your guy, Peppermint?" Connor asked.
"Yup. Everyone, meet Macaron, my man on the inside." Peppermint said.
"So it was you who hacked the test chambers, wasn't it?" Lysithea asked Macaron, having regained her composure.
"Just my way of showing who's boss." Macaron said.
"But…he works for Vandelay!" Chai said.
"Yeah, used to be the head of R&D under Roxanne Vandelay. Then Kale brought in his crew, and now this SPECTRA…" Macaron explained.
"So when Kale took over, he forced you out of your position? Wow." Hilda said.
"A disgruntled employee…" Chai said.
"But this place is my whole life. I wanted to do something…and I realized I can. From the inside." Macaron said.
"I will say, you may have to do more than just pick on Zanzo." CNMN piped in.
"Yeah, I mean, we already have our hacker and three reps from a big time hero team…" Chai said.
"I was thinking of a Non-Violent Solution!" Macaron explained.
"That's not gonna work, Macaron." Peppermint siad. "Connor here told me what Kale's doing, combining some sort of bracelet holding something world ending with SPECTRA. It could be disastrous if we can't stop it in time, we've got to be proactive."
"But fighting… isn't really my style." Macaron said.
"Then, why do you have a punching bag?" Chai asked, mentioning the punching back with some sort of shield strapped to it.
"Sometimes work gets a bit stressful." Macaron answered, fingering the punching bag. "Knowing who took everything from me."
"You mean… that guy?" Hilda asked, pointing to a cracked wall where there was a poster of…
"ZANZO!" Macaron said as he charged at it in anger and punched it, causing the wall to break as Peppermint picked up a piece of it.
"That wall was made with Z-Shielding…" Peppermint said.
"I believe we just found a solution to our recent problem." Lysithea mentioned.
"Oh no… does that mean I have to fight?" Macaron asked.
"I believe it does, sir." CNMN said as Macaron walked off for a bit.
As everyone took a rest, Connor and Lysithea chatted for a bit.
"Don't tell anyone Macaron scared me." Lysithea insisted.
"Don't worry, I won't. And hey, even people like you need to be afraid of something." Connor said. "Anyway, how you holding up down here? Zanzo's a piece of work, but at least he's not as nearly as bad as those creeps from Those Who Slither in the Dark, right?"
"You were right about his experiments not being like theirs," Lysithea said. "Still, Zanzo is a mad genius who doesn't see the errors of his endless creativity. I think we can use that somehow to defeat him."
"Yeah. He's got a tight budget since Finance cut him off." Connor said. "But first, we need to get back up to where we were. And now that we have a little more muscle, we can take care of that problem we had with that big bot upstairs."
"I wonder if perhaps Hilda can smash that robot's armor as well? We'll have to see." Lysithea said.
"Yeah," Connor said. "Alright, let's get back to business guys. Our goal is to get back on track to the A.I Labs. The good news is, Zanzo probably thinks we're dead after running into his HG-0G roadblock."
"The only thing halting our progress into the labs was that robot's Z-Shielding," Lysithea said.
"And I can take care of that." Macaron said.
"So I'll configure 808 to call Macaron in." Peppermint said.
"Call me in?" Macaron asked in confusion.
"I'll explain later." Peppermint assured.
"Oooh, finally you are rebelling sir! After all these years of inaction." CNMN piped in.
"Thanks for the… positive reinforcement, CNMN." Peppermint said. "Aaanyway, Macarons lab is just below where we were headed."
"So let's get back to those A.I Labs and destroy SPECTRA!" Macaron said.
"Go time." Connor agreed.
(Cue: Dev Engine- Hi Fi Rush OST)
The quartet jumped through the hole Macaron made earlier and started making their way back up to where they were. Macaron showed them the quickest way back, which was a nearby stairwell that lead right to a wall.
"Okay, go straight through there." Macaron said.
"One problem, there's a wall in the way," Hilda noted.
"808 firmware updated…and…we should be good to go. Try calling in Macaron." Peppermint said.
"Alrighty. Get in here, Macaron!" Connor said as Macaron appeared.
"Ready for this?" Macaron asked, as after a warmup, he destroyed the Z-Shielded wall with one big punch. "Right, There we go!"
"Not bad, Macaron! First step into the wild!" Chai said.
The group continued through the hole and soon, they were back out into the R&D Branches main area.
"Okay, we're back at the uh… giant drill thing." Chai said.
"We can see that. Now just climb it and we're back where we were." Peppermint said.
Navigating their way up the drill, the group also learned Macaron could knock boulders blocking their path out of the way for them to make new paths as they ascended back to the labs.
"So get this: I was looking through databases for information about SPECTRA, but Zanzo locked out all employees!" Macaron revealed.
"Kale probably only wants the people he trusts the most to know about SPECTRA's ins and outs. I.E, the other department heads." Connor said.
"Guess they're all in on this." Chai said.
"But wait… Korsica, the head of Security, seems to have limited permission, though…" Macaron said.
"Why wouldn't the head of security have full access?" Peppermint asked.
"That is certainly strange. Could Kale not be fully trusting of Korsica?" Lysithea pondered.
"All hands on deck! I have an idea that needs all the juice we've got! It doesn't fit in the schedule, so we're gonna have to CRUNCH this one out!" Zanzo said on a monitor held by a drone.
With that thought on their minds, the group headed back to the entrance to the A.I Labs and made their way inside. There, they saw the HG-0G still in the room, passing the time by playing a game of tic tac toe against itself.
"Well that's something you don't see everyday." Hilda said.
Connor tugged his gloves and then whistled the robots way. "Yo! Cylinder head!"
The HG-0G looked towards the groups way.
"Up for another round?" Chai asked.
The HG-0G looked surprised for a moment before glaring and leaping into the air as it landed in front of the group.
"Alright, let me give it a shot… Call me in and I'll shatter those shields for you." Macaron said.
The battle began in earnest. Chai got close enough for Macaron to deal damage to the shields, since his larger frame meant he couldn't attack from further away
"Macaron, Sock 'em!" Chai called.
"Heres the ol' one-two!" Macaron replied as he came in with a double handed slam that broke off chunks of the HG-0Gs armor, another wave doing more damage.
"That did the trick, but there's still some armor left!" Connor said.
"Ooh, Connor! I haven't given this thing a shot yet, let me try!" Hilda said.
Connor dodged the robot's grenade barrage, before getting in close enough for Hilda to strike.
"Axe time, Hilda!" Connor called.
"You can't handle my best!" Hilda said, swinging Freikugel and dealing a critical hit, destroying the rest of the HG-0G's armor. With it gone, the others were now free to lay into it, avoiding its weapons and sending it to the scrap heap.
"Um, are we REALLY locked out of the pacifist route?" Macaron asked.
"I'd probably say so." Chai said.
"Focus, everyone. SPECTRA lab is close." Peppermint focused.
"How close are we?" Hilda asked as they got moving again.
"Should be in the next room." Peppermint replied as they got into a room to see the way to the A.I. Lab locked.
"Ah, it's locked! No Z-Shielding, either." Chai said.
"Theres gotta be another route to the labs." Connor said, noting that the AR labs were unlocked.
"AR… that's short for Augmented Reality, isnt it?" Lysithea said.
"Close enough, right?" Chai asked.
"Well, this wouldnt be a proper job if things werent easy." Connor said.
And so the quartet went upstairs and entered the AR Labs instead.
"Alright… Uhh…wait a second. Guys, where are you?" Peppermint asked.
"We were locked out of the AI Labs. So we took a little detour." Hilda said. "Were in the AR labs right now, is that a bad thing?"
"Uh-oh…" Macaron mumbled.
At this, a large mechanical eye at the other end of the room opened as the room powered on.
"Look who the cat dragged in!" Zanzo said over the PA system.
"We're hard people to kill, Zanzo. You should know we took another crack at your Z-Shielding and wrecked it." Connor said.
"I know. You all somehow got past my powerful toys– without letting me watch! Unforgivable." Zanzo said. "But luckily, my AR labs are perfect for "recreating" missed opportunities. Like this!"
The entire room then flashed according to the eye at the far back, and the quartet was suddenly in a virtual recreation of the previous room from before.
"Whoa! What is this?" Hilda asked.
"Vandelay Alternate Reality Recreation Technology. VÄRRT. Patent Approved! So real, it hurts." Zanzo explained.
"Wow! It's like were really here." Chai said in a mix of sarcasm and awe.
"I know. Awesome, right?! Ghana! Now…show me what I missed, plus a little extra." Zanzo said as digital constructs of three SBRs and the HG-0G materialized.
Connor and Chai quickly jumped past the SBRs and headed to the bigger threat, leaving the smaller ones with Lysithea as she toasted them.
"Get em, Macaron!" Chai called.
"Gonna roll up my sleeves!" Macron said, weakening the armor of the HG-0G with his first attack.
"Give em all you got, HIlda!" Connor called as Hilda tagged in.
"What?! You want me?!" Hilda asked as she smashed the bots shields to pieces afterwards. After that, Chai comboed into it with his guitar, and then switched out with Lysithea as she blasted the bot to pieces with a fireball.
Zanzo chided at this. "Its too bright here. They have the advantage. Turn the lights down." Zanzo ordered.
"Mr. Zanzo, AR recreation like this is very expensive, and with our budget-" the technician robot started.
"Quiet, lackey! Just do it." Zanzo ordered as the lights in the room turned off and more digital constructs materialized. This time it was a duo of GNRs led by a BES-102.
"Peppermint! Your turn!" Chai said as Peppermint jumped into the mix.
"Light em up!" Peppermint followed up by blasting at the BES-102 and shattering its energy shields, opening it up to be destroyed with the GNRs. this caused the projection lens to partially show itself, as the entire simulation was glitching.
"The VÄRRT is becoming Unstable! The simulation is degrading!" the technician bot said.
"That's the projection lens! See if one of you can destroy it!" Macaron said.
Chai took the lead, and rhythmically beat against the projection lends until the wall on the other side smashed, opening a way forward.
"Lens is down! That was a quarter of our budget!" the technician bot reported.
"Pull in some money from the yearly bonuses, then." Zanzo ordered.
"My bonus! No!" Macaron said.
As the group headed out, Lysithea's theory was proven right.
"It looks like my theory was correct. Zanzo is recklessly wasting the entirety of his department profits." Lysithea said.
"Zanzo's immature creative vision prevents him from seeing the realities of development." CNMN said.
"We can use this! With no budget, our development pipeline comes to a full stop." Macaron said.
"If we can keep goading him into throwing things at us that are really expensive, he'll burn through his wallet like no ones business until he's completely defunded!" Hilda said.
"Peppermint, bring up Zanzo's budget to our HUDs." Connor said.
"Already done. Check this!" Peppermint said as a meter of Zanzo's budget came up in their views. "Now we can see you guys drain the budget in real time."
Wth the objective in place, the group made their way to the next AR Simulation chamber.
"Ready for round 2?" Zanzo asked.
"Hope you got something new for us." Chai replied.
"You all did SO WELL in our training exercises. Let's see if we can mix it up a bit." Zanzo said.
The VÄRRT projection lens in front of them sprung to life and initiated another simulation, knocking 100 thousand off Zanzo's budget right from the start.
"This again?" Chai asked as the group found themselves in the same room.
"Not impressed? Well, I just might have to throw in some surprises!" Zanzo said. "Send him in!" he said as a green version of an Elite Unit materialized with a sword and Z-Shield in hand.
"He's not optimized; he'll slow down the simulation!" the technician bot said.
"I don't care what it costs! Get him running!" Zanzo demanded. He should have cared though. Creating the virtual chassis of the SES-103 cost him 10 thousand, another 10k went towards its sword, and its Z-Shield cost a whopping 80k, for a total of 100k.
"200k right off the bat!" Connor said.
"That's a huge dent! Wreck that budget, guys!" Peppermint said.
"Can't believe this was my replacement…" Macaron said.
The SES-103 fought just like its Elite counterparts, only it also employed its Z-Shield for shield bash attacks as well as using its sword. HIida was easily able to break the shield though, leaving it open for it to be scrapped. After it was, laser turrets were spawned above, cutting 2 thousand off Zanzo's budget, which Chai destroyed using his Rhythm Parry.
"I love my job." Connor declared, brushing his hat. After that, two more SES models appeared in the simulation with a trio of GNRs, which cut Zanzos budget down again by 30 thousand. Taking care of the SES duo was easy thanks to Hilda and Macaron breaking their shields, and after that, junking them was easy, causing the projection lens to appear.
"That did it, we destabilized the simulator!" Hilda said.
"Every programmer here, and you can't keep it stable?!" Zanzo asked.
It wasn't long afterward that Chai destroyed the projection lens, knocking another 100k off Zanzo's budget.
"So, Zanzo, where's your epic set piece?" Chai asked.
"Ugh, you commonfolk don't understand quality–you just crave explosions! Well, if that's what you want…" Zanzo said as the group moved forward.
"We're gonna teach him a lesson." Macaron said with determination.
"I get how you feel, Mac. Zanzo really isn't a good leader if he lets his ego overtake him like that." Hilda mentioned.
"Balancing creativity with realistic goals is the mark of a good leader. Clearly, Zanzo needs guidance." CNMN piped in.
"He needs way more than that if you want my opinion…." Lysithea said
"He never understood Roxanne's vision for Vandelay. Just went along with Kale's demands as long as he got what he wanted." Macaron explained.
"Glad I don't work here," Chai said.
"He took my job, my life…and he's ruining the company's legacy!" Macaron added.
"Well, let's savor taking this guy down." Peppermint said.
"Agreed. This is gonna be sweet, defunding this egomaniac." Connor said.
"Zanzo's lab is right behind the next AR room. Get ready for what's coming, guys." Peppermint said.
The group soon entered the next AR room as they saw the eye at the end of it.
"All staff are on this, but the cost… Are you sure-" the technician bot tried to say.
"AM I SURE?! I know what I want. And I don't want to hear about COSTS! Just TURN IT ON!" Zanzo ordered as the room began to change.
"Man, he's worse than Acheron." Hilda said.
(Music Shift: Heatwave (VÄRRT Remix)- Hi-Fi Rush OST)
The room changed to look like the outside of the R&D Branch Area, costing Zanzo 180k.
"Is this 'epic' enough for you?" Zanzo asked.
"Guys, this is amazing! Look at that budget drain!" Peppermint said.
"Still want a gift basket?" Zanzo asked.
"You bet I do!" Chai said.
"It's all yours!" Zanzo said as the group began approaching before one of the platforms dematerialized. "Psych!"
"Gift basket! Also, whoa, I thought you would be bigger." Chai said as he and the group looked at a miniature hologram of Zanzo.
"What?! Grrr, I'll show you all. Let's see you earn that basket!" Zanzo said as the group took a different route materialized next to them, costing Zanzo 10 thousand.
"Stay in it, guys! Let's see Zanzo fly too close to the sun!" Macaron said.
The group made their way through as Peppermint shot down a 10k created stalactite to make a foothold, costing 500 as they reached another area as a large hologram of Zanzo appeared in front of them.
"Maybe THIS is more intimidating." Zanzo said.
"Eh… A little bit." Chai quipped unfazed.
"Programmers! Volcano, right here!" Zanzo said, pointing down to his lower body as a volcano materialized, costing 50k.
"Ka-ching! There goes a chunk of money." Peppermint said.
"He's gonna lose way more than that in a bit." Connor said. "Lets get him on a spending spree!"
The group then continued on as they then reached a larger area
"Programmers! Where are my enemies?!" Zanzo asked.
"Argh! Give us more notice!" the technician bot called, programming in a squad of robots as it cost 40k.
"I don't decide when inspiration hits me. Get on my level!" Zanzo said.
The group soon fought the bots off as magma balls rained down before another wave was called in, costing 40k once more. The group trashed their way through it before ganging up on the BA-B0 together with Peppermint.
"Lets do this, guys!" Peppermint called as she, Chai, Connor and Lysithea blasted the BA-B0 with a wave of magic, energy and bullets.
"Double Riff!" everyone called, blasting the BA-B0 away and destroying it. After that, the barrier keeping them in destabilized, costing Zanzo 5 thousand.
"Ah! Battle area barrier code crashed!" the technician bot called.
"Everyone, go get Mr. Chai's gift basket!" CNMN said as the group proceeded onward as Peppermint shot down another 10k stalactite before continuing on as Zanzo's hologram appeared once more.
"I've got it! TWO VOLCANOES!" Zanzo said as two volcanoes materialized, costing 100k.
"Carpal circuit's flaring up…" the technician bot said.
"We've almost got Zanzo bottomed out!" Hilda said.
"We just need to get him to do one last big spend before we reach his lab." Connor said. "Trust me."
The group continued on before reaching an upper platform as Zanzo's hologram appeared once more over a volcano.
"Quality AND quantity. I want this…BIGGER!" Zanzo said as the volcano grew, costing 80k.
"We can't keep this up!" the technician bot said.
"And here we come, gift basket!" Chai said as he and the others grappled onto a rail. But once they reached the goal, Zanzo pulled a swerve.
"Want this?" Zanzo smugly asked before flicking the gift basket away.
"Nooo!" Chai cried.
"The gift basket!" Macaron followed up.
"Uh, guys…?" Peppermint deadpanned.
"And nowm I take you all.. DOWN!" Zanzo called, doing his best impressing of a Stand Rush Attack before posing, as if he wanted something to happen.
"Did…you want us to drop the platform?" the technician bot asked.
"Was that not IMPLIED?!" Zanzo asked.
"Ok, hold on." the technician bot said before the platform dropped down as robots materialized, costing $40,100.
"Get 'em, guys!" Peppermint said.
Chai quickly junked the SBR duo before the group focused on the HG-0G and the SES-103.
"Smash 'em up, Hil!" Connor called as Hilda targeted SES-103.
"Switching it up, huh?" Hilda asked, smashing SES-103's shield before she teamed up with Connor to destoy it, riddling it with bullets and dents.
"You got this, Mac!" Chai said as Macaron was called in, targeting the HG-0G.
"You called?" Macaron asked as he smashed the robots armor, HIlda following up to break it all off. Connor then blasted it with his rifle before Lysithea shocked it with lightning. Chai then went in guitar swinging and knocked the HG-0G out of the park, destroying it.
"What else you got?" Chai asked.
"It's time for MAGMA-MANIA! Turn it up!" Zanzo ordered.
This next endavor cost Zanzo a total of 50k, but it would prove extremely dangerous, as the massive Volcano which pelted the combat zone with fireballs, suddenly was increasing in rate of eruption.
"Why not just-?" the technician bot started.
"Are you telling ME how to do my job?!" Zanzo asked.
"Uh…I'm just, uh…" the technician bot tried to say.
"If you're so smart, why don't YOU take care of them?!" Zanzo demanded.
Following Chai's sense of the beat, the group avoided the fireballs, until the technician bot was spawned in himself along with four vacuum bots, before a fireball destroyed the technician, earning Zanzo back $207,600.
"I call the shots here! MORE BABIES!" Zanzo ordered as more bots appeared, costing 40k.
"We're almost there!" Lysithea called.
"Power through it, you guys!" Macaron encouraged.
The group persevered, destroying two BES-102s and a BRUT-1L before the VÄRRT lens finally showed itself.
"The lens, guys!" Peppermint said.
Chai destroyed the lens with a little help from Macaron, finally confronting Zanzo face-to-face in his lab.
"Give it up, Zanzo!" Hilda said.
"Your reckless research and Development from your own mind ends now." Lysithea said.
"We've wrecked everything you threw at us. Maybe you need a crash course in better design." Chai said.
"Hah! Well, while you all were dealing with my distractions, I've been worling on a pet project. Something with… UNRESTRICTED CREATIVE FREEDOM!" Zanzo declared, showing behind him an assembly structure of a giant robot. "A mixture of spectacle and quality!" he said.
Cables then came down from above as Zanzo's hair connected to them as he laughed maniacally. And without further thought, began the assembly process.
"Uhh, Peppermint? How's that budget looking?" Chai asked.
"It's almost gone!" Peppermint said as the group looked up at a monitor as it showed the budget going down like crazy, and Zanzo was too absorbed in his own world to notice.
"My masterpiece! Now everyone will see… that I am…!" Zanzo started.
"Outta cash." Connor interrupted, as Zanzo's budget meter finally bottomed out just before the robot's head could be attached. Zanzo noticed too late as he looked at the screen to see one word, all in caps…
"Defunded?!" Zanzo asked before collapsing as a door opened behind the group.
"Don't just stand there! Finish him!" Peppermint said to the group.
"Right, sorry!" Hilda said.
"This is all… because of YOU!" Zanzo said, drawing a sword from his back and thrusting it straight towards Chai as he narrowly dodged it before he formed his guitar and swung it, launching Zanzo into a server as it exploded, causing his passkey to fly out. Connor grabbed it quickly.
"A wise man once said….Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants." Connor said, spinning the passkey in hand as he tipepd his hat with the other.
"Well said. Now let's see what he has on SPECTRA…" Peppermint said as the group approached Zanzo's computer as she got to work.
"Okay, Zanzo would have hid any information on SPECTRA." Macaron said. "It's most likely in a password-protected database decrypted with a-"
"Here it is. Right on the desktop." Peppermint said.
"Oh, uh, ohh…" Macaron mumbled before slumping a bit.
"What kind of genius keeps confidential stuff just sitting on their desktop?" Hilda asked.
"Clearly, Zanzo wasn't much of a brillant mind as he thought himself to be." Lysithea answered.
"OK, let's see… 'SPECTRA…' 'cognitve manipulation,' 'regulation of mental stimuli…'" Peppermint read. "They plan for complete mind control! Just like I thought!"
"Great!" Chai said.
"No, bad! And SPECTRA seems to be approved for activation!" Peppermint replied.
"That certainly spells the end for mister Chai." CNMN piped in.
"Not just him, CNMN, the entire Future Universe. With Shem-Ha's bracelet hooked up to SPECTRA, if it goes live, she can instantly take it over and supercharge the AI. It won't just be for anyone with Armstrong tech, she'll have the idea to establish this Bio-Terminal Network and unite the entire Universe in a world of her own creation." Connor said.
"The only way to make sure that doesn't happen, is most likely to shut SPECTRA down before it fully activates. Is there any way we can do that?" Lysithea asked.
"According to this, only with the pass-keys of ALL the bosses." Peppermint answered.
"We have Rekka's and Zanzos so far. So that means we need the ones owned by the other department heads and Kale himself, right?" Hilda asked.
"Then what are we waiting for? We gotta kick some ass! Cue the music!" Chai said.
"The record stops here." a voice said as Kale appeared, Korsica by his side. The Head of Security, in addition to her ponytailed crimson hair, sported a red jacket with black highlights and a striped yellow collar. The jacket itself is vaguely v-shaped, and a single v-shaped button holds the jacket closed over the right side of her chest. She also wore blue shorts with black pantyhose, and donned white boots with grey highlights.
"We have the full details on SPECTRA now, Kale. And like I said on the virtual call, we're not letting you get away with it." Connor said. "Like any of us are gonna let you get away with using a divine power-enhanced AI to induce Mass Mind control."
"Cute, but you're in my facility, surrounded by security." Kale said before directing his gaze at Peppermint. "And you. I thought we were done, yet here you are."
"(So they really are…wait, then that would make the previous company's head Peppermint's…!)" Lysithea thought in realization as her eyes widened.
"Shall I take them in, sir?" Korsica asked.
"Yes, of course I want you to take them in!" Kale chided, before composing himself. "Why else would I bring you with-?"
"Uh, can we have just one- Sorry, just take a second," Chai said as the group huddled up. "You know that guy?" he asked Peppermint.
"Can we do this later?" Peppermint asked.
"Peppermint's right, getting outta here comes first," Connor said.
"But how? They blocked off the exit, and I don't see a way out." Hilda said.
"Don't worry. I got one." Chai said.
"Really?" Macaron asked.
"Do you trust me?" Chai asked.
"Are we actually giving them a moment, sir?" Korsica asked Kale.
"Just follow me." Chai said as they broke the huddle.
(Cue: Inazawa Chainsaw by Number Girl)
"Alright, come and get me." Chai said. "Run!"
They ran straight toward a glass window as chai broke it, as the group shattered their way through it and slid down a slope.
"What now?!" Macaron asked.
"I assume Mister Chai did not think past this point." CNMN said.
"Then I'll take over. I'll distract the security, you guys get back to the hideout!" Connor said.
"We're not leaving you!" Peppermint said.
"They can't get the pass-keys or it's game over! Don't worry, this isn't the first time I'm about to be potentially locked up!" Connor said.
"It's true, he got arrested for insurbordination!" hilda said.
"You know what you're doing, right?" Lysithea said.
"Yeah, trust me. I do this right, we'll be in another department quick. Now go low!" Connoe said as he separated from the team. "I'm going high." he said as he grappled to a rail and sped off.
"Get back in at least two pieces!" Peppermint called.
"Glad to know we have a good client-hiree relationship!" Connor called.
"I WANT THAT DEFECT. GET HIM!" Kale ordered.
Connor dodged, weaved and shot his way through security lasters, guard bots and fires as he tried to make it as far as he can. Soon, he was all the way back at the Entrance to the AI Labs.
(song cut)
"Well, that should do it. Lucky me, i didnt get caught this time-" Connor started, but unfortunately jinxed himself when Korsica dropped in from out of nowhere and blasted him back with a powerful cyclone as he landed on the floor, his relic coming off his neck in the process as it slid towards Kale's feet.
"Don't try to run from us." Korsica insisted, getting Connor in a sleeper hold.
"Teaming up with a so-called rockstar who stole my technology and attempted to go against my entire company?" Kale asked. "For what, exactly?"
"Taking you down, and stopping you before you unintentionally doom the universe you live in!" Connor insisted.
"Is that what this looks like to you? 'Cause, no, you don't have what it takes, kid." Kale said. "Only one out of seven, Korsica? That's not a passing grade."
"Yeah, Korsica. Aren't you supposed to be the Head of Security?" Connor asked.
"He knows where the others are, I'll get him to talk," Korisca said.
"And when you're done send him to me," Kale said. "I can't wait to see the happy faces on the World Government when I personally turn him over to them. Pretty soon, we'll be the ones supplying new toys to them, not some crazy old man with an oversized brain."
Kale then kicked Connor's relic over the edge, unknowingly grabbed by 808. Connor didn't have time to dwell on Ichaival lost to him potentially forever, as Korsica turned him around and bonked him on the head with one of her escrima sticks, knocking him unconscious….