Chapter 25: The Future We Can Give
In yet another quiet night, the caring, vigilant machine S.A.N.C.T.U.M soared over the water.
But these were not familiar waters. This time he was heading west far across the ocean wearing his cloak of night, unseen by even the strongest radars.
He looked at the rippling waters and scanned the sealife moving delicately beneath.
He gestured his fingers at the water. Alas, he could not swim.
He needed these distractions though. His master was deep in thought.
"You're going to Japan?!"
A few minutes ago, they were talking to Mark at their now designated meeting place.
"Research into the Ghost's name tied him to a Yakuza chairman working out of Shibuya." Lunalei explained.
Mark seemed accepting of the reasoning, but the implications not so much.
"You'll be leaving me unguarded." He muttered, a clear chill down his spine.
"I thought of that. So I came up with an idea. Are you familiar with the Bombbrew Bar?"
Mark's eyes lit up, "O-Oh yeah, I know the owner a little."
There was always room for lucky coincidences every now and then, "Good. Whenever I'm not around, or my presence is compromised, go to her. She works late. She'll keep you safe."
Mark raised a brow and was smoothly interpreting what she was putting down, "Y-You mean she has powers too?"
Lunalei couldn't help but let a laugh out, "No. But she has the kind of grit that can tame even gods."
Mark hung his head with disappointment.
"I won't be long. Either I find a new lead on Dregs…"
"Or we're back to square one." Mark muttered.
"Worse. Julius will have died for nothing."
"Hmm…" Lunalei ended her recollection worried that this will be a dead end more than not.
"I hope we succeed, Master Lunalei." The robot remarked.
"Leave me to worry about that, S.A.N.C.T.U.M. Is the parcel secured?"
He ran his sensors and the Ghost's sword was still on his back, "It appears so."
"And we're not being detected. Good. This route works. Now, once we hit Japan, you're going to need to rise at this arc and then immediately dive straight towards this building in Shibuya."
All this was transmitted mentally, and the robot nodded.
"Perfect. I upgraded your optic camo to blend in with the lights last night. We should be good from there on out."
"What is Japan like…Master Lunalei?"
"It's the birthplace of anime, so I always loved them for that. Though, I've never gone there myself."
"Culturally, their morals have always been at odds with America's. Economically, they had a strong resurgence in the public eye after the technological stagnation period since their greatest minds suddenly had plenty of free time available to come up with new ideas, while the rest of his world was at each other's throats."
"And yet you say nothing can find us?" S.A.N.C.T.U.M said with worry.
"Heh, you're centuries ahead of the pack, S.A.N.C.T.U.M." Lunalei expressed proudly.
"I-I am honored…"
"Now, don't develop an ego from this." She said in a stern tone.
"I-I don't think I am capable of such a thing, Master. It would go against my programming to keep him well."
"Still…human history is quite…fascinating."
"It is. And keeping it relevant, keeping it honest, is part of my job as a teacher. A future built on unstable lies will only crumble."
The Ghost reminded her of that very much.
Finally, they had reached their destination, currently at sunset for the next day, with S.A.N.C.T.U.M executing the route to near perfection.
He landed atop the 104 building and overlooked the streets below.
There were multiple tiers of streets to handle the heavy population. And at the crossing, the ground was made of ceramic glass with lights underneath.
People could ride scooters that hovered a bit off the ground and ran along an electric current underground. Vending machines were mobile and responded to voice commands.
The heart of Shibuya still beat on though, it was just using modernized instruments.
"What a beautiful sight…" S.A.N.C.T.U.M noted.
Lunalei didn't want to enjoy it too much. That was not her purpose for coming here.
This would be a visit better suited for her eyes on the ground, not in the sky, in the shadows.
"Now look up."
The machine craned his head and saw a tower that had been erected over the course of the last twenty years.
Even taller than the Empire State Building, lined with incredibly sturdy glass windows, and capable of housing hundreds of facilities for job sourcing, tutelage, and even housing, it was known as the Future Heritage Tower.
S.A.N.C.T.U.M was moving to activate Swordsman Mode for infiltration, but Lunalei put him in check quickly, "No point. If my suspicions ARE right, then the man we are looking for will let us right in."
"I thought we didn't want to be exposed?"
"That's the thing you have to remember, S.A.N.C.T.U.M. When you work in the shadows, you have to be careful of what you bring back into the light."
"Ah, it's a matter of reputation. Our target would look like a right fool if he tried to claim a machine man entered his property."
"And as usual, I'm working to disable all cameras. It's a little trickier…well, as tricky as the difference between a 1000 piece and 2000 piece puzzle. Heh…"
"This is why you're my creator, ho ho."
"Again, S.A.N.C.T.U.M, once we get inside, leave the talking to me. Intervene only if you're targeted."
"Then I shall lower my volume."
"Ok. Let's go."
He took off towards the tower under the cloak of Shibuya's radiance. After making it to the top floor, which jutted out like an eight pointed sun, S.A.N.C.T.U.M put his hand on the lock and his delicate, smaller machinery undid it in seconds.
He then entered the building and floated forward. This was merely an observation deck/landing platform, so there was not much to talk about, besides the massive aquarium behind the elevator.
Without an aerial vehicle, there was only one way in and out, and Lunalei had already put that on lock.
For the man they were searching for stood on the opposite end of the floor observing the city below.
A cane supporting each hand, one for the tiger, the other for the phoenix.
He had his vermillion jacket over his back like a cape, the mark of the dragon looking like it would soar out in the presence of the sunset light.
He turned his head and remarked in his native tongue, his tone relaxed, confident, showing a foundation built upon years of work, "Welcome to Japan, metal vigilante. Am I your next target?"
The acknowledgement of S.A.N.C.T.U.M. 's identity meant little to Lunalei, who took command of her creation's functions for a moment to draw out the Ghost's sword.
The man let out an intrigued hum, mocking the possibility of an ironic death.
This made Lunalei pause, but inevitably, the sword was placed on the ground with but a simple request, "Step out of the sunset, Tamer of Beastkin. Or should I refer to you by your true name…Zinai Obereon?"
"Zinai-san will suffice. The title is for…other affairs. And clearly, you have come with an offering of peace." The man walked out. He was in his sixties, with a strong body tucked behind a loose velvet vest, his many scars kept in view. His pants were slick with a sash around his waist, a tortoise pin keeping it held on.
He didn't need those canes. They were props for intimidation. Against the commonfolk, it would always work. But Lunalei ran a scan and could tell they had a sharp blade hidden inside, perhaps laced with poison, but no other tricks to worry about.
Once further out of the sunset's reach, it was revealed his short curled hair was a little oily, with a cherry blossom fragrance detected from it. It was possible he just got out of the shower, or was expecting some other company.
Finally, he had a beard focused solely around his mouth.
After stopping to pick up the Ghost's sword, he smiled with amusement, "So, Hamazaki perished on American soil after all…"
He gestured a finger out and remarked, "You knew his name, right? Of course you do, that's the only reason you'd be here."
"You were aware of his whereabouts," Lunalei cut to the chase, "You must know he was involved in terrorist activities."
Zinai tucked the sword between his sash and pants and remarked, "Terrorism, you say. That's a bold claim to make about my strongest warrior. Surely…you've come with evidence."
He waved his hands out, leaned in, and wiggled out a smile as silence was all Lunalei could answer.
So he laughed, and remarked, "Of course not. So you bring me a memento of his, and think that will buy my word."
Lunalei made S.A.N.C.T.U.M. cross his arms, "Preferably, I would like to avoid having to add 'Dismantle the Yakuza' on my list of things to do."
"Naturally. An American must always look out for themselves…" He said in a taunting tone.
"Hrrmm…" It was easy to see where the Ghost got his attitude from.
Lunalei remarked, "I assumed the Yakuza became an outdated notion years ago, yet here one is, running the tallest building in all of Japan."
"That costs money…" Lunalei said coldly.
Zinai looked up and glared, "You think…that I made this building off of dirty money?"
"It would only make sense. It would be worth a lot to whoever from 'Dregs' took your 'greatest warrior' and transformed them into a new superweapon."
Zinai shifted right into a slimy smile as he remarked, "I will…dash your big dreams, metal vigilante. There is no money involved. Not a single piece of yen."
"No money? What do you mean?"
"'Dregs' doesn't have any money to their name. They are a purely self-run organization."
Given the arsenal at play, such a statement seemed borderline absurd, and yet…With how deeply they've entrenched themselves in secrecy, having a money trail to trace would be a slip-up they couldn't afford.
Yet…REALLY no money whatsoever?
Lunalei focused on the implications behind the information provided, "You sure were awfully quick to fold to my accusations of working for 'Dregs', Zinai-san."
"Because I am not 'working' for 'Dregs'. I was approached by them. We made a deal. I am, as you say 'Yakuza'. This is simply a part of running our operation."
"Again, I refer to you gaining a superweapon out of this…You better not be stalling for any guards, I disabled all the security systems before getting in here."
"All my security is scattered across the land, dealing with the local clans and families. It is just you and I…" Zinai gestured his arms out and remarked, "I am simply…seeing how desperate you are to find a lead."
"...!" Lunalei could only growl mentally because he was right. She WAS desperate for a lead. And there was really no way to force the information out of this man.
But he clearly knew 'Dregs' was a thing, that much was true.
"Fine…answer me this then. The news article I read stated that Hamazaki was your bodyguard. What sort of events would lead to you entrusting your life to one boy?"
"First, a history quiz, metal vigilante. How much do you know about…Yakuza?"
"That you are an organization that keeps other criminal organizations in line. That you are commonly known for gang wars, yet also, surprisingly charitable during times of crisis. And it's that dichotomy that keeps you tolerable in the public eye."
"Familiar enough then…" Zinai chuckled, "With rather…out of date notions."
He turned around and started walking clockwise, "For the most part, you are correct. But we have shed our violent ways. United…for a better purpose."
"...The future." He said, looking back.
"The future?"
"40 years ago, a single bullet was heard all around the world. And thousands of the elite and rich fell in one fell swoop. Nuclear power was simultaneously disarmed, and it was ruled that technology would be forced to stagnate."
"Even…just one of those events alone would make the world unrecognizable. All at once, well, it was pandemonium."
"I, a brilliant young mind at the time, recognized that this was our chance to get ahead of the world once more. As we were one of the least affected by the sweeping waves of chaos."
Lunalei remarked, "And the Yakuza were the key? How?"
"Simple. Reputation. The many clans of the past had already proven themselves as good samaritans in times of crisis. All we had to do was double down our efforts, and in time even the government was in our debt."
"We cleaned the streets. We took in the abandoned. We provided for the sick. And in turn, our generosity led to an economic resurgence the likes of which hadn't been seen in decades."
"And this was fed back into you." Lunalei deducted.
Zinai smirked, "You're following along. Good. Smart."
"And with money, you can build."
"Hrgghh…" Lunalei didn't like the vibes of this story. All these altruistic sounding words couldn't have come from a slimier man.
"Is something wrong?" The man taunted her.
"What does any of this have to do with Hamazaki? With 'Dregs'?"
"Everything, impatient one," Zinai then stopped and raised a finger, "Part of our…reconstruction was to help preserve the most precious key of them all…children."
"Youth carries the incredible power of imagination. But lacking intelligence, lacking…maturity…they do not have the means to unleash their imagination to their full potential."
"So we take in those whom the world has abandoned, and give them the means to succeed."
"Hamazaki was…one such child. More of a roughneck than a thinker, I still…admired the fever for which he lashed out against his circumstances."
"But he lacked direction. Required…motivation. I gave him both, and earned his eternal loyalty."
"Even to the bitter end, he only exposed me via his own name, and a tedious search on your part."
Lunalei remarked, "I'm not buying this bullshit. Nobody truly altruistic would even glance at terrorists, let alone serve them under the table."
"'Terrorists', you call them. Those labels are outdated, wouldn't you agree? Twisted by…American 'justice'."
Zinai stepped back over to the windows and S.A.N.C.T.U.M followed, "In this world, there are only world shapers…and followers. I wonder…"
He turned with a smile, "Which one are you?"
"...My justice is my own. I am not a slave to outdated ideals."
"And yet, here you are, trying to flex your power over a foreign dignitary. Did you know I am also currently in the running to be the next Prime Minister?"
"..." Lunalei knew what he was doing. The same as all politicians, rich people alike, thinking that their status makes them untouchable.
The man closed his eyes, "You remain unconvinced. A pity."
He reached into his coat and pulled out a phone, then pointed it at them, "Could you let me access my phone? I promise not to call the cops, I simply…want to show you something."
"...S.A.N.C.T.U.M., prepare to deploy the finger spiders. I want them to go wherever the camera footage is coming from."
"As you wish, Master Lunalei."
While Lunalei had Zinai's full attention, the machine tucked his hand behind his back and detached all five fingers, which crawled away silently into the vents.
"Go ahead." She muttered, paying close attention to what comes next.
Zinai held his phone out and a large screen was projected out of it, enough to watch a movie on in decent quality too.
On display were Japanese kids ranging from early 10s to early 20s, doing various things such as enjoying themselves on the computer, practicing martial arts, and working on construction projects.
The latter of which was a laborious task, but on its own was nothing to bat an eye at.
Zinai clicked on his phone, and the screen changed to show them planting plants, being educated, and even sharing rooms together as friends.
"...This seems perfectly normal."
"That's up to the spiders to find out," Lunalei then asked Zinai as he put his phone away, "So let me make sure I got my facts straight…The Future Heritage Tower was built off the money gained from beneficial acts following the One Bullet Revolution. You then continued to use said money to provide for orphaned children, and give them the ability to be successful. And in turn, they create new ideas that help bolster the prosperity of Japan."
"You have the right of it. Very astute, metal vigilante."
Lunalei wondered, "...And yet, despite being the kindest man in all of Japan, nay, the world. Somehow…your greatest bodyguard just happened to get tied in with a terrori-, pardon me…'world shaping' organization, and got superpowers."
"That is the gist of it. As you can see, you will not find anything related to 'Dregs' here. All that lies before you…is the only man who can tame the beasts." Zinai turned his back to them and walked back to the windows.
"The drones are recording footage now. What do you need to see?"
"Zoom in on the kids' faces. Get me health readings. And if any of them made it to the garden, educational facility, or computer room, I want to know what's on them."
"Working on it now, Master Lunalei."
In moments, Lunalei was absorbing all the information the drones had to offer. And her heart began to sink.
"T-These children are…" She saw bags under their eyes, their skin sickly pale, their fingernails chipped with bruising underneath. Any joy they were experiencing seemed to be forced on them.
The material they were being educated on related primarily to subterfuge, and propaganda designed to endorse Japanese superiority.
The computers kept track of movement in the markets all across the world, from stock, to trade, to even arms deals and underground services.
"Analysis complete…" A voice rang in her mind, as her connection to S.A.N.C.T.U.M. eyes began to be filled with distortions and blistering sights of red.
"These plants are commonly used for narcotics."
"HHRRRGGHHH…!" Lunalei began to seize control over her creation's systems with nothing but her pure rage.
"M-Master…your heart rate is spiking…! T-s…wo-...conn-on…hold…!"
The machine took one step forward and then seized up, causing Zinai to look back and wonder with a hint of amusement in his voice, "Is there something you still need to say, child?"
S.A.N.C.T.U.M. froze, his body briefly turning black and red with a sizzle from his joints.
Then his face rebooted, staring at the man before him.
"I misjudged you, Zinai Obereon…" Lunalei spoke. And if the Yakuza could hear her clearly, he would shiver.
For her rage was focused. Calm…for just. One. More. Moment.
S.A.N.C.T.U.M. suddenly lunged out and grabbed hold of Zinai by the neck and smashed him through the window, where he remained hovering over the bustling city below.
"YOU'RE EVEN SCUMMIER THAN I THOUGHT!" Lunalei screamed as S.A.N.C.T.U.M. continued to flash black and red.
Zinai grinned, keeping firm hold onto his canes, "A-Ah, the wonders of technology. To so easily pervert the concept of privacy…"
"You deserve NONE!" Lunalei shouted, "This isn't hospitality you're providing, it's free labor…FOR YOURSELF!"
"What a narrow minded way of looking at it," Zinai chuckled, "This is a service I am providing to ALL my fellow men."
"How many children have you stolen and locked away in here?!"
"Oh that's adorable, you think this is the only place I have them in."
"GRRR…!" Lunalei had S.A.N.C.T.U.M. loosen one finger.
Zinai continued to work his slimy magic, "If anyone should be outraged, it's the parents. Oh, but wait…they abandoned these children in the first place. And yet I'm the scum of the earth."
"It's the same business as recycling. I'm simply making use of discarded goods."
Another finger was loosened as Lunalei screamed, "Children are meant to build the future with their hands, not their BACKS! They should dream! Enjoy the innocence of youth!"
"You REALLY are passionate about this topic. If I had known this would be your breaking point, I would have led with this." Zinai said with the vilest smirk she had ever seen.
Another finger loosened, "All it takes is one more, Zinai…! Run your mouth some more, I dare you!"
"You cannot pin this on me."
"I have everything I need on camera to END YOU."
"See, and therein lies the problem. Who is going to accept evidence from a figure that doesn't publicly exist? Your…metal vigilante is proof enough that your identity is meant to be a closely guarded secret. Which means in order to take me down, you would have to reveal yourself. And that would mean exposing yourself in the open to 'Dregs'."
"Kill me instead, and I will become a martyr. Those who follow me shall use the goodwill I established to rally the people to war, and I have the money and the means to convincingly pin this on America."
"And they'll be so busy fighting, that they won't notice my little secret."
Lunalei shivered mentally, "T-This was your plan from the start…You knew…the moment I brought you Hamazaki's sword…that I could never touch you."
"Good. At least you're a little bit smart," Zinai said calmly, "Now, while I've doused your impotent rage a bit…Let me tell you something."
"A storm is coming…And 'Dregs' shall be the one who commands it. The world as we know it is about to go through another major societal overhaul. And if even I, with all the power I command across Japan, know I cannot stop it…What hope do YOU have?"
"...You…you saw proof of 'Dregs' claims that they can make superpowered people." Lunalei remarked.
Zinai smirked, "I saw them…the White Devil…"
"I saw them…the one who commanded it…"
"White…Devil…?" It brought to mind the bone flung that ended Hamazaki's life…It brought to mind the story of five years ago, where a police officer lost his wife to a fire.
S.A.N.C.T.U.M. then spoke up, taking advantage of the gap in his master's rage, "I'm afraid you underestimate us then, Tamer of Beasts."
"S-S.A.N.C.T.U.M.?" Lunalei muttered with surprise.
"My Master is not just some mere cog in the machine. Nor a fool. They are one of those 'world shapers' you mentioned. And I put my utmost faith that they will beat back the storm."
"Heh…!" Zinai looked intrigued, "You DID defeat Hamazaki, I will grant you that. But the Devil is far mightier…More cunning…more duplicitous…In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they were here right now, waiting to spear my body through with bone."
That was a lie though.
The righteous fury Lunalei felt could never be ignored. But her creation performed his functions splendidly, and helped her realign her thoughts a little.
"It doesn't matter what form the enemy takes. Or what they choose to hide behind. I didn't take up this fight to ignore the injustices I see in front of me. I'm here to shape a brighter future!"
With that, Lunalei had her creation toss Zinai back into his tower built from blood, and remained floating in the air, "Every day you wake up, you better pray. Pray that you don't wake up to news of 'Dregs' defeat. Because once they're stopped…I'm coming after you."
Zinai stood and dusted the glass dust off his body, "Then you better hope you do so before I become Prime Minister in the upcoming elections."
S.A.N.C.T.U.M. chimed in with a faked cough, "I believe there's a saying…the higher the rise, the higher the fall. And I must say, Sir Zinai, that there is not enough money in the world to buy the means to cushion your inevitable fall to Hell."
"What a cheeky robot you are…The kids shall look forward to surpassing your technology soon enough." Zinai said with a wide smile.
"Hrrmm…" Lunalei then had S.A.N.C.T.U.M. turn around, "Let's get back home."
"Wait, one last thing," Zinai said in a sing-song tone, "It pertains to 'Dregs' next move."
"..." S.A.N.C.T.U.M. turned around, Lunalei remaining cautious, "Go on."
"I do not know the specifics, but before he perished, Hamazaki contacted me…His stated goal was to ensure that the supply crate he was guarding remains in a place called…Seattle."
"Heh, it's funny how easy it is to earn that sort of respect and loyalty. All you have to do is make them believe they were born for a great purpose, and guide them…"
"Four years ago, when I let him take part in 'Dregs' experiments, I had no idea that the tales I told him of Hiroshima…would have created a warrior of such power and focused wrath."
"..." Lunalei was done with this conversation, and done with him…for now.
She forced S.A.N.C.T.U.M. to take flight before any more of his bile words stirred her rage.
And as the machine crossed the ocean, he respected her silence and bitterness at being unable to do anything to that man.
Because worst of all, now she could only view Hamazaki as a victim. A victim of an exploitative system that no amount of peaceful days at home would let her forget.
"Uncle Joe's not done enough as President…" She muttered.
"Master…?" S.A.N.C.T.U.M. said with worry.
"...I think…I'm starting to get why Julius did the work he did."
As they got back to American soil, Lunalei called Mark ahead of time and asked him to meet up atop a building near the Bombbrew Bar.
She was surprised he didn't bother to have a drink while he was there. Honestly? Good on him. But God knows she could use a few right about now. Stupid age limit…
"So, did you find out anything?" Mark said, his anticipation matching the tension in his body.
It was tempting to tell him about the evils going on in Japan, but he probably didn't need that on his conscience either.
The important facts were all that needed to be said, "...We found out a few things. The Yakuza chairman we went after also runs the Future Heritage Tower in Shibuya. He willingly let Hamazaki join 'Dregs' to become the Ghost because he saw that 'Dregs' had the capacity to create super powered individuals."
Mark remarked, "So…The Ghost wasn't the first one?"
"No. As a matter of fact, the chairman confirmed that the Ghost wasn't active until four years ago. So the time frame doesn't line up with the fire you've been seeking answers for. But I think I know who might be our target…"
"He called them…the White Devil. Judging from that…blunt description, it's probably the same being that killed Hamazaki with a bone projectile, and the being you saw through the fire back then."
Mark hung his head and concentrated on the name with fear in his eyes, "White…Devil…?"
"Another thing…" Lunalei continued, "The chairman confirmed a message from Hamazaki before his death, stating that 'Dregs' NEEDS to have the supply crate positioned here in Seattle."
Mark was puzzled, "But we…already knew that?"
Lunalei replied, "The wording he used is important. It implies they aren't going to try and move it to any other city. Which…isn't much, but at least means we won't have to broaden our search range when we go and hunt it down again."
"And…" Lunalei's heart was thumping loudly as she readied herself to say this next part, "I think…I figured out what 'Dregs' is plotting."
Mark's eyes were on her creation, more capable of being visibly concerned than she was.
"...Whatever's inside that crate, will help them create more super powered individuals."
A chill ran down Mark's spin, "More of them…?"
"...I don't know what their end goal is in all this…" Lunalei paused and muttered out loud, "There's no way they could know about us…right?"
"What?" Mark muttered.
Lunalei hard shifted to saying, "Mark. This isn't going to get any easier from here on out. Now that we defeat Hamazaki, they're going to send more super powered individuals after us. For the time being, at the bare MINIMUM, only trust the people you've known for more than five years. Keep the means of contacting us on you at all times while going out at night. And above all else…review everything Julius sent you. This could save your life in the long run."
"Wait…" Mark spoke up, "There's…something I don't get about all this."
He made contemplative gestures while pacing around the rooftop, "If 'Dregs' end goal is to ENSURE a crate remains secure in Seattle…then that has to mean the crate I glimpsed during the fire was that same crate. So…why are they only trying again now?"
Lunalei was surprised because she honestly hadn't considered that, "...You bring up a good point. I don't know."
"...It's been a long week, Mark. You should go home and get some rest. We'll start back up again next week. For now…I need to lay one last thing to rest."
Mark understood, and nodded quietly, "I'll…let you get to that. Thanks for getting this info, even if it means starting back at square one."
"No. Even if we're going to need to find the crate again, we still found out plenty about how 'Dregs' operates. I want to think…that Julius would be proud of that."
A moment of silence for the fallen, and then Lunalei thought to herself, "And if I'm correct…then 'Dregs' operation spreads out a lot more than we realize…"
She then sent S.A.N.C.T.U.M. off into the night to cool down…as she now needed to work out how best to deliver the news of Julius' death to the people who cared about him the most…
Next Time: Dark in Mourning