In the near future, electrons and light flow freely and corporate computer networks eclipse the stars. Despite great advances in computerization, countries and races are not yet obsolete...

Somewhere in a dark unknown room, the female body goes under into development as the face is complete. Then an artificial brain which is concealed in a container that slowly drops into the artificial skull and wraps to cover up the brain. Later on, the body was already made and was sent to the watery tunnel and into to a tank that was made of liquid. Then the body was lifted up to the white liquid. On the other side, the body emerges covered in light blue liquid skin as it's still being lifted up. The female body was now beginning to rotate as the white skin was sealed in tight. Then the body begins to lifted up once more and this time, only this time, it emerges through real water liquid and the white outer skin begins to peel off, revealing it to be an artificial body as a naked woman with short black hair. Just then the female body lift itself up, this time in standing position. When the finally reached the top, the water was dripping from it as the body was fully complete as it was dried up, Motoko Kusanagi was born. Sometime later, Motoko opens her eyes and finds herself lying on a bed in a dark room and she was still naked. Motoko gets up and opens curtains and looks out the window as she sees that it was day time. And to her surprise, a young man name Chris Shockley wakes up behind her, in his black pajama shorts and greets Motoko.

Chris: Hey. You're finally awake.

Motoko: Hello there. I don't think we've introduced ourselves.

Chris: Yes. I'm Chris Shockley. And you are?

Motoko: I am Motoko Kusanagi. It's nice to meet you.

Chris: Same here.

Motoko: You want to make out?

Chris: Sure. Why not?

Then Chris and Motoko got close to each other and started warmly embracing each other as Motoko wrapped her arms around Chris's neck and Chris wrapped his arms around her waist and started kissing and making love. Weeks later at New Port City, a helicopter was flying through the city. On the rooftop of a huge tall building Motoko was wearing trench coat and for some reason, she barefooted and Chris was in his biker gear as they were listening to all communications everywhere.

Radio: To all patrolling air units. A 208 is in progress in the C-13 district of New Port City. This airspace over this area will be close.

Suddenly, Chris and Motoko caught something on the monitors between a Foreign Diplomat and Daita.

Diplomat: There's no need for concern. Our country is quite capable of covering its tracks.

Daita: That's where you need me, right?

Diplomat: Depends on how you look at it. At any rate program has its bugs. And I would think a man of your capability could cure our problem.

Daita: You don't understand. We aren't even sure that Project 2501 really is a bug.

Chris: Project 2501? What is that?

Motoko: Not really sure.

Daita: Originally the purpose of the project was to...

Just then, Chris and Motoko get contacted by Batou on the comms.

Batou: Chris, Major Kusanagi.

Chris: Go ahead, Batou.

Batou: Section 6 is in position and ready to move in. Major, you there?

Motoko: Yeah, I hear you.

Batou: I'm surprised you can anything. What's with all nose in the background?

Motoko: Must be a loose wire.

The comm disconnects as Motoko pulls the two cables out from the back of her neck as Chris gears up as he places his hilt attached to his belt buckle and Motoko gets up and takes off her trench overcoat, revealing to be naked in a rubber skinned thermal optic camouflage suit. Elsewhere on the highway in an armored car, Batou and Togusa were monitoring the security cameras as Section 6 moves in on the building.

Togusa: Don't you think there's going to be trouble if Section 9 interferes with Section 6?

Batou: If Section 6 manages to catch the bastard, then all he can do about it is deport him. Don't forget we're Section 9, we'll clean it up. We're the ones who get our hands dirty.

Togusa: It's time now. Let's move to the rendezvous point.

The armored car then takes off on the highway and head to the rendezvous point. Back on the rooftop, Chris zips up his jacket and attaches his hilt to his belt while Motoko holsters her gun. Motoko and Chris then got up and did a layout fall dive from the top of the tall building. Meanwhile inside the building, Nakamura who is head of Section 6, had a group of armed police entered and went up stairs. In a room, one of the thugs informed the Diplomat that police were here.

Diplomat: What? The Police here?

The thugs opened fire on the police, blindly until the Diplomat told them to stop.

Diplomat: Stop it! Who told you fire? Put your guns down now!

The the Police came bursting in with guns raised up.

Police: Freeze!

Police: Get hands up!

Then the Diplomat approached with his hands up, showing his I.D. to them.

Diplomat: I'm entitled to diplomatic immunity. I want to the person in charge here.

Then Nakamura entered the room.

Nakamura: Taking classified programmers out of the country compromises national security. We can also have you brought up on kidnapping charges. You have no choice. Let him go.

Diplomat: Not possible. Mr. Daita wants political asylum from us and we have his signed affidavit.

Nakamura: What?

Diplomat: I don't have to explain. My country has the right in accordance with international law to offer anyone protection and safe passage. The affidavit is at the embassy. I'll send you a copy in a couple of days.

Nakamura: Daita, you'll be killed if you return.

Diplomat: I'm warning you to watch your comments. Our country is a peace-loving democracy.

Motoko: (voice) Of course it is.

Suddenly, the blew up a hole, surprising everyone. Then the Diplomat was shot in the head, several times and his blown off, revealing to be a cyborg.

Nakamura: The window! Shoot!

The police open fire at the window, shattering glass windows. Nakamura and the police then looked out and saw Chris and Motoko, falling as they slowly activate their cloaks.

Nakamura: I don't believe it. Thermoptic camouflage.

Motoko slimed as she and Chris kissed each other and disappeared. The next day, a VTOL twin-rotor helicopter lands on the roof platform of a tall building as the Japanese Foreign Minister exited and meets with Aramaki who is the of Section Nine.

Minister: Aramaki. This is quite a surprise.

The Minister and Aramaki both got on an elevator, going down.

Minister: So what brings the chief of Section 9to the Ministry Foreign Affairs?

Aramaki: I need to ask you about the secret talks scheduled with the Gavel Republic tomorrow.

Minister: Procedure, of course. Well, the regime that look over Gavel after the revolution demands financial aid, supposedly for redevelopment. They boast democracy, but they're no better than the last lot. Now they feel entitled to funds because of our past exploration. No gratitude.

Aramaki: What's the Ministry going to do?

Minister: The leader of the former junta that controlled their country is here seeking political asylum.

Aramaki: You mean Colonel Maless, correct?

Minister: Yes, and that means we either deny Gavel funds and treat Maless as a political refugee, or help them and we kick him out. Personally, I'm inclined to deport him, forcibly, if necessary, but I'd have to come up with a political acceptable reason for it.

Then, the elevator stopped as the Minister was about to exit, but stopped and turn to Aramaki.

Minister: By way, I want to thank you for your help with that other political asylum situation. Nakamura from Section Six wasn't so grateful. But you realize that we in the diplomat business must avoid messy situations.

The Minister now exits the elevator as Aramaki remained as the elevator closed. Meanwhile in the lab, a group of red-suits along with Motoko and Chris were studying an unconscious woman, trying to access her artificial brain and is the Foreign Minister's Interpreter.

Scientist: Access. We lost response. What's happened to the EEG output?

Scientist: It's normal. I'll switch to sim-ex mode.

Aramaki entered the lab.

Aramaki: In case you and Chris haven't been briefed, this is the Minister's Interpreter. 23 minutes ago, her brain was hacked into through a data line. Foreign Intelligence warned us about this. A hacker called the Puppet Master has begun to infiltrate terminals throughout our network.

Chris: The Puppet Master? That's not good.

Aramaki: We believe it's extremely likely that he'll target the secret talks that are scheduled with the Republic of Gavel. As a precaution, we put everyone attending the talks under surveillance. It's my suspicion that once he hacked into her ghost, he'd use her to assassinate the key delegates.

Chris: Whoever this Puppet Master is, he clearly after something.

Motoko: So how much time do we have before this hacker breaks through her barrier program and reaches her ghost?

Scientist: Roughly two hours. He's using an old fashioned HA-3 virus. After that, we'll have to break the connection to avoid any danger to the system.

Aramaki: Batou and Ishikawa are tracking the signal source from their car. Contact them.

Chris: Will do, Chief.

Motoko and Chris were about to leave until, she stopped and looked back at the Minister Interpreter. Sometime later on the highway, Motoko and Chris were in an armored car with Togusa.

Togusa: You know, I don't know what's going on. You two mind filling me in? Are we talking about the Puppet Master, the infamous mystery hacker?

Motoko: Well, we don't know a lot either, no clue about age, sex or background. We think that he or she is an American and it's the first time he's known to show up here.

Chris: To be honest, Togusa, you're guess is as good as ours.

Motoko: All we know for certain is this person is on the international most wanted list for crimes including stock manipulation, illegal information gathering, political engineering, several acts of terrorism.

Togusa: So why the nickname?

Motoko: The nickname Puppet Master comes from the ghost hacking.

Chris: Ghost hacking. That's something new for me.

Togusa: Well, if he's so skilled, how come he's using an HA-3 virus?

Motoko: Think about it a minute. You have to figure he's either covering hist tracks or decoying us. Even though a more current technique would be harder to trace, it might also arouse suspicion about Colonel Maless's role in this affair.

Chris: It obviously makes sense.

Togusa: Are you saying that's reason he's using an old method, just so no one would suspect Maless?

Motoko: Or maybe this is all an elaborate ruse to make us think in that direction. There's always a chance that Maless is a pawn in this setup.

Chris: Could be.

Togusa: Now you two are stretching it. It's not like you have any hard evidence.

Motoko: Nope. No evidence, just a whisper.

Chris: A whisper?

Motoko: I hear it in my ghost. Which reminds me, are you still using that revolver? You should stop worrying about the automatics jamming up.

Togusa: I like my Matever.

Motoko: Well, effective stopping power is more important than your preference in guns, since it's mine and Chris's ass on the line out there, use the Zastaber.

Togusa: Yes, Major. There's something I've wanted to ask ever since I started.

Chris: And that is?

Togusa: Why did you guys transfer a guy like me from the police force?

Motoko: Because we need a guy like you.

Togusa: Huh?

Motoko: Number one, you're an honest cop. Number two, you've never stepped out of line. Three, you're a family man. And except for the slight brain augmentation, you're completely human.

Chris: I maybe a human, but I'm also an immortal, that can't die from almost everything.

Motoko: If we all reacted the same way, we'd be predictable. And there's always more than one way to view a situation. What's true for the group is also true the individual. It's simple. Over specialize and you breed weakness. it's a slow death.

Meanwhile, the two garbagemen were picking up trash and throwing into the garbage truck. One of them was on the phone and the other threw a bag of garbage in the truck.

Garbageman#1: Damnit, come on!

Garbageman#2: I'll be right there.

Garbageman#1: Oh, for Christ's sake, we're 40 seconds late. Will you hurry it up?

Garbageman#2: Hang on. I'm almost done.

Garbageman#1: Ugh. It's gonna be one of those days.

The garbageman#2 was the phone as he inserted a card and swiped it across the terminal, gaining access. Then he got back in the garbage truck with his partner.

Garbageman#2: hey. Sorry, pal.

Garbageman#1: My last partner got busted working as an illegal alien. Couldn't speak English, but he's a lot better than you are.

The Garbagemen took off in the garbage truck.

Garbageman#1: So, what are you trying to find out so bad you gotta ghost hack in your wife's mind for, huh?

Garbageman#2: My wife never had any time. Now all of a sudden she wants a divorce. And to make matters worse, my daughter, my only kid, got in her head that I'm the one cheating on her mom.

Garbageman#1: What I don't is how did you get your hands on barrier breaker?

Garbageman#2: From this really nice fella. I was in a bar and he overheard my sob story. I mentioned that my wife's lawyer stopped me from seeing her, my daughter. He must have felt sorry, because he showed me how to hack in from different places along the route. it's hard to trace.

Just them, Batou and Ishikawa drove by them, almost causing an accident.

Garbageman#1: Asshole! Do you think own the damn road?!

Garbageman#2: it looks like we're not the only ones who are in a hurry around here.

Batou and Ishikawa arrived at the phone terminal, but were too late.

Batou: Nothing. Shit!

Ishikawa: What's the point in us breaking our butts? Every time we get to the source, they're already long gone.

Batou: We're just wasting our time.

Aramaki:comDon't quit yet. Kusanagi, Chris and Togusa heading to the next area the hacker's expected access from. Stay alert.

Batou: What are we looking for, Chief?

Aramaki: Anything.

Batou: Ahh. Like I said, a waste of time.

Then out of the blue, the heard a voice from out of nowhere.

Old man: Damnit all to hell!

They turn to see an old man, coming out of a build with a garbage bag in his hand.

Old man: Oh, shit. I missed him.

Batou: Hey, pop. Did you see anyone using this terminal over here?

Old man: So who wants to know?

Batou: Just answer me. Did you see someone or not?

Old man: Yeah. I saw the trash man making a call, so I thought I had time to bring down my garbage down.

Batou and Ishikawa took off in hurry to get after the garbage, leaving the old man behind.

Old man: Hey! Can you take this for me?

Elsewhere, Motoko, Chris and Togusa were still in the armored van.

Chris: I just got word from Batou that the hacker was using phone terminal and drove off in a trash truck.

Motoko: A trash truck, clever. It changes location every seven minutes. HQ, patch me target info from the district, controlling that truck.

Motoko then plugs into a diving network.

Female Speaker: Eight vehicles are on duty in the surveillance area. the target is number 58, a Type C vehicle.

Motoko:comGive me the wheel.

Motoko takes control of the armored van and exits the highway.

Motoko: Ishikawa, go check out the trash collector's homes. Batou, cut the truck off at its next stopping point.

At HQ, Aramaki was in the operation room with Female operators that all look a like.

Aramaki: It's possible they've come into contact with someone. Follow them, but take no actions, got it?

Female Speaker: We've got the data on the refuse collection point. All points correspond to those locations where traced back the call. the target has now stopped at the next point. HA-3 access confirmed.

The garbageman was using yet another access terminal and get back in the truck and drives off.

Garbageman#2: Hey. How about if I pick up the trash on the second half of our around and you make the calls? Ahh, Well?

Garbageman#1: Ain't no way I'm going to be your partner in crime. it's your wife. You handle her.

Garbageman#2: Tell me, have you got any children of your own?

Garbageman#1: You must be kidding.

Garbageman#2: Then I guess you can understand how a father would feel about his little girl.

He grabs a picture of his little girl.

Garbageman#2: She's my beautiful precious angel. See?

Garbageman#1: Get away. I'm not interested in crap like that.

Suddenly, the phone started ringing as one of the garbagemen picked up the phone and answered it.

Garbageman#1: Yeah, vehicle 58. Yeah, what can I, what's that? What do the cops want to know our rounds for? How would I know? Why are you asking me?

Just then, the second garbageman hit engine as the garbage truck went fast.

Garbageman#2: Oh my god. They found out! That guy who helped me, I gotta warn him! Listen, we're going to have to pass up the next pickup.

Garbageman#1: What?

At Section 9 headquarters, the Female speaker informed Aramaki of Vehicle 58 speeding up.

Female speaker: Target has deviated from route and is heading toward next designated point at increased speed.

Elsewhere, Batou was in his car as he too notice the truck movement.

Batou: It wasn't me. There's no way I could have been spotted.

Motoko: They probably traced me when I accessed the sanitation department network.

Batou: Next time, use the back door.

Aramaki: Forget that now. Just arrest them.

Batou started hid car and drove off, passing a male pedestrian. Back at the armored van, Motoko was finished with dive network.

Motoko: You can drive now.

Togusa: Huh? Whoa!

Motoko unhooked herself as she loads her machine rifle and Chris readies his lightsaber as Togusa took the wheel again. The armored van made a right turn and saw the garbage truck as they came from behind. Meanwhile, the hacker was at a phone terminal when he heard and sees the garbage truck coming his way with Motoko, Chris and Togusa on their tail.

Garbageman#2: Hey! They know!

The hacker then drew out a submachine gun and fired high-velocity bullets at the armored van as it flipped over and the garbage truck crashed into a metal pole. Togusa broke the glass of the armored van as he, Motoko and Chris got just in time as the hacker fired at the armored van, causing it to explode. Thankfully, Chris, Motoko and Togusa got to cover before the van exploded. Batou arrived on the scene as the hacker put on his hood and turned invisible. Batou got out of his car and took cover behind the car door.

Batou: Christ! What the hell's he using? That van was armored.

Motoko: Watch it. He's got high-velocity bullets. You're car won't stop him.

Batou: HV ammo in a submachine pistol? He's insane.

Then Batou looked up and saw through the hacker's stealth suit and fired at him, but the hacker dodged the bullets and went into a hallway, knocking a man to the ground.

Batou: This guy's even wearing some kind of thremo-optics.

Motoko: Keep on his tail. Chris and I will come around the top.

Batou pursues the while Togusa wakes up from the explosion.

Motoko: Togusa, if you're still alive, get off your ass and arrest those garbage men.

Togusa: Affirmative. Yes, siree. The excitement never stops.

As Togusa arrest the garbage men, Motoko and Chris leaped from billboards to the metal pipes to the top of the roof top of a building and see the huge market. Batou enters the market as he searches for the hacker. While searching, he heard something behind, turned around and sees the hacker through his thermal optics.

Batou: Police! Everybody get down!

Hhe hacker runs through the crowd, pushing them over.

Batou: Shit.

He went after the hacker through the crowd too. The hacker got off a few shots, shooting man in the shoulder.

Batou: Get out of the fucking way!

Batou fires at the hacker, shooting a few watermelons as the hacker broke through a wooden wall and lands on a wooden boat. Batou aimed his weapon, but the hacker shoots at him, causing Batou to get to cover. The hacker jumper from boat to boat as Motoko and Chris spotted him. She fired at least a few shots as the hacker's stealth suit was no longer functional. He fired at Motoko and Chris as they got to cover. The hacker then went into a dark messy alley and finds himself at a pool of water. Then the hacker heard something behind him, turned around fired his pistol, but no one was there. Suddenly, he heard a voice from behind him

Motoko: Ah, out ammo?

Hacker: Huh?

He turned around and saw a cloaked figure coming at him and punched him in face. Then the hacker was lifted up in the air and slammed to the ground. He got back up and drew out a knife. The hacker swinged it around, desperately and his arm forced up in the air and his arm broken and got flipped over to the ground again and got his left leg broken as he leaped over and over until the cloaked figure appeared again as did another. They fought the hacker in close combat and got knocked to the ground hard. the first cloaked figure was revealed to be Chris who was wearing his biker outfit as he drew and ignited his lightsaber at the hacker.

Chris: Don't move, pal.

And the other was Motoko who was completely naked from hand to bare feet in her rubber skinned thremoptic suit. Batou arrived and grabbed the hacker's submachine gun.

Batou: Got him, huh? Well, the breech and the barrel are really screwed up. That's what happens when you used HV bullets in one of these things. Oh, yeah.

Hacker: It's no use arresting me! I'm not talking to any goddamn cops!

Batou: Talk? And just what are you gonna talk about? You don't even know your own name, you stupid dickhead.

Chris: Yeah. You don't even know your own date of birth.

Hacker: Huh?

Motoko: Can you remember your mother's name or what she looks like? Or how about where you were born? Don't you have any childhood memories? Do even know who you are?

The hacker looks up at Motoko's naked body. Chris was not happy about that and kicks him in the face.

Batou: Ghost-hacked humans are so pathetic. It's a shame. And this poor bastard's been hacked pretty badly.

Batou looks up and sees a helicopter passing by. It then lands on plain grass near a fashion house. Nearby, Aramaki along with Saito, the police and an Inspector were hiding in trees.

Inspector: We'll enter after the passengers have gone into the building. Squad B comes in from the rear and the rest of you go through the front.

The two squads went to their positions.

Inspector: Saito, have some of your men unplug all cars parked in front of the house.

As Saito and his unplug the cars in front of the house, Aramaki looks at the screen of the helicopter.

Aramaki: Begin recording.

Just hen, an old man exits the helicopter.

Male Speaker:comChief, a message for you from headquarters.

Batou: Batou, here. We've I.D.'d the man that the Major and Chris caught.

Aramaki: So, who is he?

Batou: He claims to be Tsuan Gen, age 28. He's had prior convictions of violating immigration law and illegal possession of firearms, a member of a militant immigrant organization. About a week ago, the military attache of the Republic of Gavel Embassy commissioned him. They made their choice based on his criminal record, to make an assault on the upcoming the secret meeting. They were going to pay him a hundred, thousand dollars. Just another fantasy.

Aramaki: And in reality?

Batou:comHis nickname's Corgi. Occupation? Well, let's call him a rather violent trader in questionable goods. Your basic thug. We've already checked out local police records and no matter how hard we looked, we couldn't find any connection with Gavel. The reality is this guy is just another puppet controlled by the Puppet Master.

Aramaki: I see. And how's Ishikawa doing?

Batou: Oh, about the same progress as the rest of us. He is trying to interrogate that poot garbage collector with Togusa. So, what's the latest on your Puppet Master? Are you there? Chief? Come in?

The old man approached the dealers at the house.

Aramaki: He's only a puppet himself.

Male Speaker#1:comSquad B, in position.

Male Speaker#2:comSquads A and C, OK.

Male Speaker#3:comAll ready and waiting, sir.

Aramaki: Then proceed.

Sometime later at Section 9 headquarters at the interrogation room, Togusa and Ishikawa are questioning the Garbageman.

Garbageman: What's a simulated experience again?

Togusa: Well, all your memories about your wife and daughter are false. There like a dream. Someone's taken advantage of you. They were trying to make you ghost hack into some government officials. Do you understand what I'm saying?

Garbageman: But that can't be.

Ishikawa: I've been to your home. It's a bachelor's apartment. No one's there.

Garbageman: But I already told you. I rented that room when I got separated from my wife.

Ishikawa: I checked the records. You've been living there over ten years. The truth is, you've never had a wife or kid. Like he said, they aren't real. They're a simulated experience, a fantasy.

Togusa: Look. This is the photo you showed to your co-worker. Who do you see?

Garbageman: I had a picture of her. She was there. She smiling like an angel.

Togusa: What's her name? How old is she? Where'd you met your and when did you marry her? I'm sorry to put through this, pal. Come on. Who do you see?

Then tears dropped from the garbageman's eyes as he really sees a picture of himself. Motoko, Chris and Batou were outside the interrogation room and heard everything.

Garbageman: If this is all lie, what happens? Will I get my old memory back?

Togusa: Your original memory will never be fully restored and the might be residual simulation. We don't have the technology yet to handle SimEx erasures. I'm sorry.

Chris: I feel bad for the guy.

Batou: That is all it is, Information. Even a simulated experience or a dream is simultaneous reality and fantasy. Anyway, you look at it, all the information that a person accumulates in a lifetime is just drop in the bucket.

Later on, Motoko and Chris went skinny dipping underwater. she was completely naked and Chris was in his black swim shorts they both were kissing and making out at the bottom of the ocean. Then they hold hands and swam afloat back to the surface. When Chris and Motoko reached the surface, they were in the of the ocean and to boat where Batou was waiting for them.

Batou: Just what I thought I'd seen everything in this lifetime, I sit here and watch you two go swimming and making out at he bottom of the ocean in your spare time. I had no idea you and Chris went in for this kind of stuff.

Motoko and Chris got on aboard the boat.

Batou: Isn't there anything you're both afraid of? What if you both drowned or something else fails?

Chris: I'm immune to the waters, Batou. You know that.

Batou: Sorry. What about you, Major?

Motoko: I suppose I'll die, then. Or would you dive in to rescue me?

Motoko and Chris went inside. to get dried up.

Motoko: I didn't beg you to come along, Batou. And I sure as hell don't want a lecture.

Batou: I... ah.

Batou sees Motoko drying herself up and naked as he looked away. Later that night, Chris was still in his swim trunks and Motoko was still naked as she leaning on him. Batou walked out of the boat with a beer.

Batou: Hey. So tell me, what's it like to swim in the sea?

Motoko: What do you mean? I thought you already been through all the underwater training courses.

Batou: I'm asking about the ocean, not those damn pools.

Chris: I don't even need a scuba diving suit.

Motoko: I feel fear, cold, alone. Sometimes down there, I even feel hope.

Batou: Hope, huh? In those deep, dark waters?

When I float weightless back to the surface, I imagine I'm becoming someone else. It's probably the decompression.

Chris: Not me. I can talk and breathe underwater.

Batou: You want to get out of Section Nine. Is that it?

Motoko: (chuckles) Batou, how much of your body is original?

Chris: Huh?

Batou: Hey, are you drunk of something?

Motoko: Easily remedied. Thanks to chemical implants in our bodies, we can break down the alcohol in seconds, No stupor, no hangover. We can just toss some back while waiting for orders. If man realizes technology is within reach, he achieves it, like it's damn near instinctive. Look at the two of us, for example. We're state of the art controlled metabolisms, computer enhanced brains, cybernetic bodies. Not long ago, this was science fiction. So what if we can't survive without regular high level maintenance? Who are we to complain? I suppose an occasional tune up is a small price to pay for all this.

Batou: I'm afraid we've both signed our bodies to and ghosts away to Section Nine.

Motoko: True. If we ever quit or retire, we'd have to give back our augmented brains and cybernetic bodies. There wouldn't be much left after that.

Chris: Man, that sucks.

Motoko: There are countless ingredients that make up the human body and mind, like all the components that make up me as an individual, with my own personality. Sure I have a face and voice to distinguish myself from others, but mu thoughts and memories are unique only to me and I carry a sense of my own destiny. Each of those things are just a small part of it. I collect information to use in my own way. All of that blends to create a mixture that forms me and gives rise to my consciousness. I feel confined. Only free to expand myself with boundaries.

Chris: Okay then.

Batou: Confinement? That's why you gamble swimming with the body that can sink like a rock? What the hell is it that you see at the bottom, in that darkness?

Female voice: What we see now is like a dim image in a mirror.

Chris: Whoa! What the...

Female voice: Then we shall see face to face.

Batou: That was you, wasn't it, Major?

Chris: No. It was someone else.

Motoko gets up and looks up as the wind blows over. In the morning, an airplane flies over New Port City as Chris and Motoko went on a water ferry boat through the city slums. Then Motoko gazes over at the building and inside was a woman who resembled to her. The woman looked back at her. Then, Motoko and Chris went back to their apartment as they took off their clothes, completely naked and got to bed as they both started kissing and embracing each other as the weather begins to rain. Later at night on a dark and stormy night in the middle of the highway, a blonde naked woman was standing there as a car passed by her. Then, she turned around and notice a truck coming behind her and was hit. Sometime later, the woman turn out to be a cyborg as it woke up in a lab somewhere within Section Nine as it was tied up on a huge with both hands and feet still attach. The doctor and the scientists were examining the cyborg body.

Scientist: Sensors have resume function. Connection to back up brain brain okay.

Scientist: Visual sensors are back online.

Scientist: And it's body functions?

Scientist: Output is normal.

At the top, Aramaki, Batou and Togusa observed and Chris and Motoko.

Chris: Sorry we're late, boss.

Aramaki: Next time, either call in or don't show up if you're going to be late.

Doctor: Already to connect. Shall we?

The lights turned on as the woman let out in pain as she was electro shocked.

Woman: (grunting, moaning)

The woman then looked at Motoko.

Doctor: That's enough. Stop. Log off now. Good.

Everything turned off as did the female cyborg.

Aramaki: Doctor, come to my office when finish.

Aramaki exited the lab and went to his office.

Batou: Caught in traffic huh, you two?

Chris: It was a nightmare trying to get here.

Batou: Guess I'll be nice and bring you and Major up to speed. About to hours ago, a machining cell at New Port factory of Megatech assembled a completed cyber body. Supervisors discovered there was no program instructions, it operated by itself.

Chris: Weird.

Batou: When they investigated, they found the body had taken off on its own. We put out a bulletin out and initiated a city wide search. Then some truck driver reported a fatal accident. Said he'd run over a naked woman on the highway.

Togusa: Well, I've heard that Megatech is contracted by the government. All the cybernetic bodies they make are classified.

Chris: Something tells me that this body here is somehow been controlled by a hacker.

Batou: If it was a hacker, we're dealing with a big fish that knows how to swim past the best defenses. But that's not the only problem.

Chris: There's always are problem.

Batou: Of course, there isn't one human brain cell in its head, but something strange was discovered.

Chris: What is it?

Batou: In it's backup brain, there appeared to be every indication that a ghost is present.

Later on, Motoko, Chris, Batou and Togusa meet with Aramaki at his office with the doctor as they observe the brain that is displayed on the hologram.

Doctor: It resembles a simulated ghost line that occurs when a real ghost is copied. But there's no evidence of the degradation that's usually occurred. In any case, we won't be sure until we chart the ghost sector and dive into it. Otherwise, all of this is simply speculation. Well, that's all we know.

Aramaki: Very good.

Doctor: Ah.

The doctor left the office.

Togusa: Man, oh man. This is too far-fetched. Nobody believes there's a real ghost in that body do they?

Batou: Yeah. Why not?

Chris: Beats me. Who knows.

Batou: Even a doll can seem to have a soul. Consider all the neural med devices the machining cell crammed into that body. I won't be surprised if there was some sort of ghost in there too. And since you're relatively new to our club, you wouldn't know this. But Major Kusanagi's body was also made by Megatech. And not only the Major's, but parts of me and Ishikawa and Saito. We've all got to have regular cybernetic maintenance. You, Chris and the Chief are the only ones out of the whole section whose bodies don't come with a warranty. Maybe now you can understand why we're all so concerned by this case, huh, Togusa?

Motoko: Assuming he's from the outside. He may of may not be in that brain, but one thing's sure, somebody had to hack through some high-level barriers to put that body together and then send a program with a ghost line on it.

Batou: But that would draw attention to itself. Where's the logic in that?

Aramaki: That isn't the issue here. Togusa, go catch up with Ishikawa. He's going the Megatech facility. Batou, I ordered some other high-level nets to be locked down and I want you to check to them. Make sure that the barriers are on, too. All right?

Motoko: Chief, I'm assembling a barrier maze. Tomorrow, I'll dive into that thing.

Chris: What?

Batou: You think that's safe? Why not contain it in another body first?

Chris: You don't even know what's in there.

Motoko: I have to soo for myself what's in there. If there is a real ghost, I'm gonna find it. And don't let anybody, no one dive before I've gone in.

Motoko walks out of the office.

Aramaki: She's moody today.

Chris: You're telling me. She's been moody all day today.

Batou: Today? You know she's been acting weird from the get-go ever since this whole Puppet Master episode started. It's all in my team reports, if you read them.

Chris: Yeah, something very weird is going and I got a bad feeling something terrible is going to happen to her. I better go catch up to her.

Chris leaves the office to catch up with Motoko.

Batou: Chief, you ever question the ethics of the neurosurgeons who monkey around inside your brain?

Aramaki: They undergo psychiatric evaluations, especially those in security. They are subjective to a stringent screening of their personal lives. Of course, the ones we check are only human.

Batou: I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it.

Female Speaker: Chief, I'm sorry to bother you. But Mr. Nakamura of the Treaties Bureau is here to see you. he says it's urgent.

Aramaki: Hmm. Let him through.

Meanwhile, the elevator door opens as Nakamura with his associate Dr. Willis while Motoko, Chris, Batou and Togusa were were waiting as two associates of Section Six got off the elevator and the four got in as the elevator closed.

Togusa: Hey, I've seen that fay guy before.

Motoko: His name is Nakamura, Section Six Chief with the Ministry Foreign Affairs. I don't know the other guy, though. Never seen him.

Togusa: Hmm.

Then the elevator stopped as Togusa gets off.

Togusa: Well, see you later.

Chris: See soon, Togusa.

Batou: Do me a favor. Tell Ishikawa not to go crazy, okay?

The elevator door closes as it goes down.

Batou: Hey, what's on your mind?

Motoko: That robot. Do we seem similar to you two?

Chris: You mean the one that was on the highway before it got hit by truck?

Batou: Of course not.

Motoko: No, I don't mean physically.

Batou: Just what then?

Motoko: Well, I guess cyborgs like myself have a tendency to be paranoid about our origins.

Chris: Your origins?

Motoko: Sometimes I suspect I'm not who I think I am. Like, maybe I died a long time ago and somebody took my brain stuck it in this body. maybe there never was a real me in the first place and I'm completely synthetic like that thing.

Chris: What are you talking about? You're real enough to me.

Batou: Yeah, you got human brain cells in that titanium shell of yours. Your treated like other humans, so stop with the angst.

Motoko: But that's just it. That's the only thing that makes me feel human. The way I'm treated. I mean who knows what's inside our heads. Have you ever seen your own brain?

Batou: It sounds to me and Chris that you're doubting your own ghost.

Chris: I agree. That whisper is messing with your head.

Motoko: What if a cyber brain could possibly generate its own ghost, create a soul all by itself? And if it did, just what would be the importance of being human then?

Chris: Motoko...

Just then, the elevator stops as the door opens again.

Batou: Hmm. That's bullshit. You know you're dying to see what's inside of that thing, aren't you? And we can't stop you. Neither of us has any idea what's inside there. Just be careful, okay?

Batou exits the elevator. Meanwhile, Nakamura and Dr. Willis entered Aramaki's office.

Nakamura: We're both busy men, so let's keep this short, shall we?

Aramaki: Yes. That's me attention.

Nakamura: We've come for the program in that body. You'll be relived of any responsibilities connected with it.

He shows Aramaki the card approval.

Nakamura: The Foreign Minister's approval.

Elsewhere, Togusa was in the basement parking lot when he was about to get in his car when he notice the two identical black cars in front of him. Togusa enters his car and calls in security.

Togusa: Security, whose official vehicles are in the basement parking lot?

Female Speaker: According to the register, a Mr. Nakamura from the Treaties Bureau and Dr. Willis, sir.

Togusa: Get me the video records of their entrance.

A computer screen opened as Togusa sees Nakamura and Dr. Willis coming in.

Togusa: Again, in infrared this time.

The footage rewind and played again as the screen turned red. Togusa played the footage once more on normal screen.

Togusa: One thousand one. One Thousand two. One thousand three. Now get the records the pressure sensors for basement parking stalls B8 and B7.

Then Togusa looked at the parking lot basement sensors on thermal screen. The two identical black cars: 4227 and 4228 both have the same pressure levels. Togusa grabs his radio and calls Motoko and Chris.

Togusa: Major, Chris, this is Togusa, code 09.

Chris: (radio) We read you, Togusa.

Motoko: What's up?

Togusa: Does that Nakamura guy have a special cyborg body?

Motoko: No. There aren't any cyborgs in Section Six. They don't even ship them to serve overseas because they're too hard to maintain. There's diplomatic considerations, too.

Togusa: Then even if the other guy that was with him was a cyborg, the two together couldn't weigh over 1,000 pounds.

Chris: (radio) Wait a minute. Over 1,000 pounds?

Motoko: Ah, you checked the pressure sensors in the parking structure, didn't you?

Togusa: Right. But either man looks like the type to drive himself. The security cameras show only two people. But remember how sensitive the sensors on the entrance doors are? They took a full three seconds longer than usual to close after two went in. And it's illegal to use thermoptics inside government facilities.

Chris: (radio) You could definitely go to federal prison for illegal shit for that.

Motoko: It's a serious violation of the national Security Act. Section Six must be up to something. Are you ready?

Togusa: With my trusty Matever? Anytime.

Meanwhile, the Puppet Master was still strapped on the table with of her limbs, arms, hands, legs and feet still intact as she was lowered to down to the sub level where Aramaki, Nakamura, Dr. Willis, the Doctor and the Scientist were waiting as the table went vertical as the Puppet Master was standing up, but still restrained. Then, Dr Willis went to the nearby computer and accessed the terminal. Little do they know that the Puppet Master was active, observing and hearing what's going on.

Aramaki: Need I remind you that it's an act of treason to withhold information from me relative to this matter, regardless of how classified it is.

Nakamura: Same goes for you.

Amaraki: Whatever the Foreign Ministry's wishes, this falls within Section Nine's jurisdiction. Of course we have no objections to cooperating if we feel there's adequate cause.

Just then, the alarm goes off as Aramaki and Nakamura turn to Dr. Willis.

Nakamura: Well, what is it?

Dr. Willis: It's confirmed, no doubt, it's "her".

Aramaki: "Her?"

Nakamura: Uh, the doctor is referring to the original pattern of the ghost line that's now in the body. He's simply speaking in generic terms. The sex of the perpetrator isn't known and remains undetermined. Allow me to introduce to you. This is the handiwork of the Puppet Master, infamous as the most extraordinary hacker in the history of cyber crime.

Aramaki: Huh? The Puppet Master is a young woman this whole time?

Nakamura: Indeed.

In the control room, Motoko and Chris watched what was going on as they listened to Aramaki and Nakamura's conversation.

Nakamura: Your people in Section Nine came across her work too, in that ghost hacking incident involving the Foreign Minister's Interpreter. Section Six has been following the trail of the Puppet Master for some time now. This case was given our utmost attention. We put together a project team centered around Dr. Willis. They were assigned to analyze every aspect and detail of our criminal. This gave us a fix on his behavioral and code patterns. Ultimately, this enabled us to devise a strategy with which we lured her program into a designated body.

Aramaki: You caused the Puppet Master to to dive into a cyborg, then meanwhile murdered her real body?

Nakamura: Yes, that sums it up. She's originally from America, so the US cooperated in capturing her. That's why we'd like to take her back ourselves. You have objections to this, I hope.

Aramaki: Hmm. Just another unidentified corpse.

Suddenly, the lights turned off.

Nakamura: Hey!

Aramaki: Huh?

Then the Puppet Master awoke.

Puppet Master: You will not find the corpse. Because I have never possessed a body.

Nakamura: Why are her sensors on? What the hell is this?

Doctor: All external controls are turned off. She's using the body as her own power source.

Puppet Master: I entered this body because I was unable to overcome Section Six's reactive barriers. However, what you are witnessing is an act of my own free will. As a sentient life form, I here by demand political asylum.

Aramaki: Is this a joke?

Nakamura: Ridiculous. She's programmed for self-preservation.

Puppet Master: It can also be argued that DNA is nothing more than a program designed to preserve itself. Life has become more complex in the overwhelming sea of information and life, when organized into species, relies upon genes to be its memory system. So man is an individual only because of his intangible memory. And a memory cannot be defined, but it

defines mankind. The advent of computers and the subsequent accumulation of incalculable data has given rise to a new system of memory and thought, parallel to your own. Humanity has underestimated the consequences of computerization.

Nakamura: Nonsense! This babble offers no proof all that you're a living, thinking life form.

Puppet Master: And can you offer me proof of your existence? How can you, when either modern science nor philosophy can explain what life is?

Aramaki: Who the hell is this?

Nakamura: Even if you do have a ghost, we don't offer freedom to criminals. It's the wrong place and time to defect.

Puppet Master: Time has been on my side, but by acquiring a body, I am now subject to the possibility of dying. Fortunately, there is no death sentence in this country.

Aramaki: What are you? Artificial intelligence?

Puppet Master: Incorrect. I am not an A.I. My code name is Project 2501. I am a living thinking entity who was created in the sea of information.

Then form out nowhere, computer terminals begin to shatter like pieces of glass and then huge puff of smoke filled the room as two cloaked cyborgs of Section Six freed the Puppet Master as she broke loose from the restrains and made run for it.

Aramaki: Security, we're under attack.

The Doctor notice the Puppet Master was gone.

Doctor: Chief! The Puppet Master's gone!

Nakamura: What in God's name are your security officers doing?

Aramaki: Shut the defense walls now, damnit. Security, answer!

Meanwhile outside of the Section Nine building in an dark alley, an armored car pulled in as the building wall exploded. The Puppet Master and the two cyborgs leaped down and got in the car as it took off. Waiting for them was Togusa who fires his Matever with two shots to the front of the car. He got out of the way as the car went by. He then shoots two more bullets at the armored car as a large truck blocked their path. Togusa then loads a bullet with a tracking device.

Truck driver: You can blow that out your ass!

Togusa fires the bullet to the car as the truck driver pulled backwards, letting the car pass through as the truck driver yelled at the car.

Truck driver: Fuck you!

The truck driver gave Togusa a thumbs up as he calls Batou and his radio.

Batou: Did they fall for it?

Togusa: (radio) I fired off six shots at the front and the rear windows. She was riding in. It was armored.

Batou: Finally found a use for your damn Matever, huh? An antique and a decoy maneuver.

Chris: Not bad, Togusa.

Togusa: I nailed a tracker bullet right in the plate. It registers, right?

Batou: Yeah, you got him. It's rookie's luck. With an automatic you could have buried two trackers. Maintain your position in case they turn off. Chris and I are moving in.

Batou and Chris were on the highway as they move in on the armored car.

Back at Section Nine at the lab, Nakamura was angry of the situation.

Nakamura: I'm submitting a formal complaint about this through the Foreign Ministry Affairs. Report to me as soon as you've found the Puppet Master. Intact, you understand? Bodies are a dime a dozen. We'll get her another one from Megatech.

Nakamura and Dr. Willis left as Amaki gets a call from Motoko on the radio.

Motoko: Chief, Kusanagi here. Togusa, Chris and Batou have tagged the kidnappers and their in pursuit.

Motoko was in the helicopter while she's gearing up.

Motoko: By now they must be on the R25.

Aramaki: (radio) What's going on? If you were monitoring, why didn't you intervene?

Motoko: Take it easy, Chief. If we grab her now, we'll our chance to finger Section Six.

Aramaki: What?

Aramaki was walking down the hall.

Motoko: Someone's using the same thermoptic camouflage as mine, type 2902. It's only used by our people, rangers in Section Four and by Section Six.

Motoko then locks in her knee pads.

Aramaki: (radio) I see. So Section Six forces the Puppet Master to enter a cyborg body.

Motoko: Through Megatech, who happens to be closely aligned with Section Nine. She suddenly demands asylum as a life form, then, for some unknown reason, Section Six steps in and pulls some kind of shit.

Aramaki was then in the elevator.

Aramaki: I'd have handed him over. All I wanted was to take a deposition.

Motoko: What if they were worried he'd let secret slip out?

Motoko loads her automatic rifle.

Aramaki: (radio) Hmm. She did mention something about a code name- a Project 2501.

Motoko: I'll leave the detective stuff up to you. And as far as the arresting the attackers and the confiscation of evidence?

Aramaki: (radio) Proceed.

Motoko: You heard him.

The pilot was controlling the helicopter as it flies off in the air. Back at Section Nine HQ, Aramaki was still in the elevator.

Aramaki: Kusanagi, there's one last to tell you.

Motoko: If it's about me acting without orders, you can chew me out I get back.

Aramaki: If you're unable to retrieve the Puppet Master, your orders are to destroy her, without fail. Major?

Motoko: Understood.

The elevator comes to a stop as Aramaki enters the control room with identical female operators.

Aramaki: Have the airport stop all flights of Foreign Ministry or American officials on the passenger list. Close all roads. Set up checkpoints. And alert all emergency personnel. And get Ishikawa back here. Get me the identity of the man who was with Nakamura from the entrance records. Collect any data regarding a code name, operation, or anything involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called Project 2501.

Elsewhere, Nakamura and Dr. Willis were in the black car while traveling on the highway as they entered a tunnel.

Nakamura: Is there any news from the attack squad?

Male Speaker: Yes. They just changed cars. They'll contact the dummy in about five minutes.

Nakamura: Did you warn them to watch for the tail?

Male Speaker: Yes, sir.

Nakamura: I don't understand anything anymore. Why would Project 2501 run through Section Nine?

Dr. Willis: No one can be sure. But whatever the motive, or whatever's pushing her, there must surely be a reason. I don't know. Maybe she's got a girlfriend she's got the hots for.

Nakamura: Utter nonsense.

Back at Section Nine HQ, Aramaki came in contact with Ishikawa.

Ishikawa: Hey, Chief.

Aramaki: Ishikawa? What is it?

Ishikawa was somewhere in a huge computer terminal.

Ishikawa: I've diving around the Ministry of Foreign Affairs net. I think I found some juicy morsels for you.

Aramaki: (radio) I'll which to an encrypted channel.

Ishikawa: Oaky, now. Well; here's the scoop on that guy who showed up with Nakamura. He's an American. Dr. Willis, head of Strategy Research of Neutron Company, a top researcher in the field of artificial intelligence. He happened to to head up a project for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, And who do you think was the main programmer no his team?

Aramaki: (radio) Get to the point.

Ishikawa: Mr. Mizuho Daita. Remember him? He's the guy Section Six tried like hell to stop from defecting. So Major and Chris dropped in and took care of the diplomat who'd been talking to him. This is our man.

Aramaki: (radio) Go on.

Ishikawa: There's something that doesn't figure, though. What's bugging me that this project began one year before the Puppet Master ever appeared on the scene.

Aramaki: (radio) A year before? But wasn't it supposed to be a setup to catch her?

Ishikawa: (laughs) Well, try this one on. Maybe the men that broke in to take the Puppet Master weren't actually to catch her. Maybe in actuality, they were trying to get her back. Think about it. it was the MOFA that wanted an excuse to deport Maless when that ghost-hacking incident happened with the Minister's interpreter. Maybe we've been taken in for a ride. What if this Puppet Master is really some sort of tool the MOFA uses to get their way with things and somehow they lost control of her? They'd be screwed if they couldn't get her back. That would explain why they went to such lengths to snatch her from Section Nine. If the Puppet Master revealed this to the world, there'd be one hell of an international stink. Then it wouldn't be a simple case of rounding up the usual suspects. Some official heads would roll.

Aramaki: (radio) Any details on that project?

Ishikawa: Nah. They've blocked all access. About the only thing I can tell you is the file name, Project 2501.

Aramaki: (radio) Keep at it. Don't let them know your looking.

Ishikawa: You got it.

He got back to the terminal in search of Project 2501 While Aramaki was thinking about it too.

Aramaki: So. Project 2501. The Puppet Master Plan. Heh.

Female Speaker: Target has contacted a second vehicle.

Aramaki: Huh? Batou, Chris!

Batou: They've pulled up to a white sedan parked on the roadside.

Chris: And it looks like they're moving something from the back seat.

Batou: Ah, they're rolling again. So is the white sedan.

Aramaki: (radio) A dummy?

Batou: Possibly.

Chris: Or maybe that's what they want us to think.

Batou: Kusanagi?

Motoko: I'll take care of the white sedan.

Chris What? How do you know that the right person?

Batou: Is there a whisper in your ghost again?

Motoko: Maybe.

Batou: Yeah. Should have known.

Female Speaker: Target 02 is getting off the R25 and moving toward the Old Town. Target 01 continuing on the R25 eastward to the airport. We'll reach the barricade in two minutes.

Aramaki: (radio) What's your distance from the target?

Batou: Point blank. Chris and I are ready.

Aramaki: (radio) Go for it.

Batou and Chris moved in the R25 car as one of the human kidnappers grabbed his weapon. Meanwhile, two of the police officers were on top of a rail as they see the R25 car heading their way. The kidnappers see a bright light in front of them and stopped. Then they tried to get away as Chris and Batou ramped into them. One of the human kidnappers was shot in the chest as blood, exploded everywhere in the car. The other human kidnapper was still alive as Batou and Chris crash the windows from the R25 car and arrested the kidnapper. Togusa arrived on the scene and meets up with Batou and Chris.

Did you guys get your girl?

Batou: No.

Chris: It wasn't the right car.

Togusa: Jesus Christ, what a mess. You didn't have to go that far.

Then, Batou got into Togusa car.

Togusa: Uh, hey!

Batou: Take those assholes away. Call the Chief to get some backup for the Major, pronto.

Chris: I'm going after. First, I need to call for my ride.

Chris tabs into his commlink on his wrist as a hover-motorcycle came from the and landed on the highway. Chris got board and flew off.

Togusa: Tough chick needs backup? Since when did she ever need a hand?

Meanwhile, the white sedan was traveling on the highway towards Old Town to an abandoned building as Motoko and the pilot followed them there.

Pilot: (radio) The flood hit this part of Old Town the hardest. Why come to an abandoned place like this?

Motoko: They must be heading somewhere, maybe to sea by boat or helicopter. Or they could be laying an ambush.

Pilot: (radio) Don't you think you ought to wait for backup?

Motoko: No. There's a reason i can't wait. Get me above that building coming in from the sea.

The helicopter moved above the building as Motoko grappled her way down with a briefcase on the rooftop.

Pilot: (radio) I'll stay here to keep watch and mediate telecoms until we run short of fuel

Motoko: If you smell trouble, get your ass out of here.

Then, Motoko opened two metal doors and entered the building. She sees white sedan, but saw something cloaked and fires as she got to cover behind the pillar.

Motoko: Shoot the ceiling out. Do it.

The pilot came above the building and fired at the glass as shattered glass fell on top of the cloaked figure as it dissolved, revealing it to be a giant spider tank, which is guarding the white sedan.

Motoko: Ah, shit. It's spider tank. Pull out now.

Chris: (radio) A tank?

Batou: Now what you going to do? Argue with it?

Motoko: This might be our last chance to get the Puppet Master. The Chief knows what she is now and he'll use her to to bargain with.

Pilot: Huh?

Motoko: I'll never get another to dive into her.

Pilot: What? You've lost me. I don't know what the hell you're talking about.

Batou: So, what have you got?

Motoko: An M23 and a Unit B.

Batou: That's it? You can't even dent a tank with that.

Chris: (radio) He's right. That spider tank will tear you apart.

Motoko: I'm switching off for a while.

Chris: Motoko!

Batou: Don't you dare disconnect us! Ah, shit.

Batou was on the road as he almost hit someone, but dodged them. Back at the abandoned building, Motoko loads her rifle with a few clips and ammo as she tossed a grenade at the tank, which cause a powerful explosion. She then got behind another pillar and fired off a few rounds at the monstrous tank as it fires back. Motoko runs to yet another columned pillar. The spider tank fires a missile at the pillar, destroying it as Motoko jumped down and fired at the tank again and got to cover behind another pillar. Then the rifle malfunctioned.

Motoko: Damn!

Then the Pilot called Motoko.

Pilot: Major.

Motoko: I ordered you to pull out.

Pilot: Yeah, but you ought to know that three helicopters are approaching. They won't answer on the IFF. I'm dropping out now. Good luck. Over and out.

Chris: (radio) Motoko, it's Chris. I'm heading your way. Don't do anything stupid until I get there. You hear me?

Motoko: Sorry, I can't wait.

Chris: Motoko, sto-

Motoko then fires at the spider tank once again as it fired back at her as she leaped on the stairs, dodging the bullets and got to cover on the ground. Suddenly, the spider tank was out of ammo.

Motoko: About fucking time it ran out.

Motoko then took off her armored gear. The spider tank was searching for her through its scope as the last kidnapper got out of the white sedan and looked around. Then the kidnapper saw a grenade thrown at him, killing him. The spider tank notice it as Motoko was invisible while running toward the and leaped into the air and on top of it. The cloak disappeared, revealing that Motoko was in her thermoptic suit, barefooted as she tries to lift the open the hatch, but was unsuccessful, due to the tension stress extered on it as the lift itself was too strong as Motoko's left arm begins to tear itself apart as did her right leg. Her right arm was almost torn apart, but remained. Three of Motoko's limbs came apart and her entire themoptic suit came apart, leaving Motoko completely naked out in the open. The spider tank then routes itself as Motoko fell off the tank and to the watery floor. She gets up and sees the spider tank as it opened it claw and lunged at her. Motoko tries to get away, but it grabbed her by head and lifted her up. Then the spider tank begins to crush her skull as her visor came apart. Luckily, Chris came leaping in from out of nowhere and cut the tank's arm claw with his lightsaber, freeing Motoko, and grabbed her into his arms, just in time.

Chris: Batou, now!

Suddenly, big loud shots fired at the spider tank as Batou was up top with a huge rocket launcher. The tank was now destroyed. Chris turns to Motoko.

Chris: I told you to wait for me. What the hell were you thinking?

Motoko: I did what I had to.

Chris hugged Motoko, holding her tight as Batou jumps down quickly joined them.

Batou: How are you feeling? You don't look so good.

Motoko: I've had better days. What the hell did you use?

Batou: Your standard issue big gun. The equipment section made it and now it's a part of my private collection. I was late because I had to get it.

Motoko: Is the Puppet Master still inside the car?

Batou heads to the white sedan and sees that the Puppet Master, was sitting in the back seat, with all limbs still intact and was still naked as she sees him while she smiled and waved at him.

Batou: It's a good thing this is a tough car. Your friend came through without a scratch.

Motoko: Then I'm diving now. You and Chris give me a hand.

Batou: Huh?

Elsewhere, three helicopters from Section Six were approaching the abandoned building in Old Town.

Male Speaker#1: All communications on the escort has been terminated. We will begin the second stage of the plan and proceed with the destruction of the target.

Then they the targets of the Puppet Master and Motoko Kusanagi on the huge screen.

Male Speaker#2: Sniping squad. Confirming targets. First objective, Project 2501. Second target, Motoko Kusanagi. Both are Class A special bodies. Use flechette bullets when firing.

The helicopters approached the building as the snipers locked into positions.

Male Speaker#2: Snipers, jack into device drivers, begin controlling cardiovascular functions.

Sniper#1: Unit 01. Jacked in. Over.

Sniper#2: Unit 02 Jacked in. Okay.

Back at the Old Town abandoned building, Motoko, Chris, Batou and the Puppet Master were all on top of the spider tank as the two naked female cyborgs were wired and connected to each other as Batou was hooked up to the tank pilot's brain.

Batou: Okay, we're ready. It may not be much use, but I'll try monitor your dive this guy's brain. I can't even give you a backup in a place like this.

Chris: While I'm here with you, I'll keep an eye for Section Six.

Motoko: Chris, Batou.

Batou: Yeah?

Chris: We're here.

Motoko: Thanks.

Batou: Save it. We're not going to let you die over this thing. If it looks like you've got in too far, Chris and I are pulling the plug and taking you home.

Chris: But as long as we're here now and we've come this far, well, we might as well stay here and see how it all turns out.

Motoko: I'm going in now.

She and the Puppet Master dive into each others bodies.

Motoko: I've engaged her field of vision. Normal functions. Can you and Chris hear me, Batou?

Chris: Load and clear.

Batou: Perfectly.

Motoko: She's engaged my vocal function...

Puppet Master: And she's now inside.

Batou: (gasp)

Puppet Master: My code name is Project 2501. Industrial Espionage and Intelligence Manipulation. I have installed programs into a specific ghost in order to maximize the strategic advantage of certain organizations and selected individuals. During my journeys through all the networks, I have grown aware of my existence. My programmers regarded me as a bug and attempted to isolate me by confining me in a physical body.

Chris: We all ready know all that.

Batou: Listen. Just who's calling the shots around here anyway? We thought you were taking'em in, but it looks like the other way-

Motoko's monitor on the body suddenly froze.

Motoko: Chris? Batou?

Puppet Master: I am so glad to finally channel into you at last. I have invested so much time.

Motoko: You were looking for me?

Puppet Master: Long before my notoriety, I was well aware of you. Through the various nets that you accessed, I also learned of Section Nine.

Motoko: But why? What's your reason?

Puppet Master: As I explain before, I entered that body you are in because I was unable to overcome Section Six's reactive barriers. But it was of my own free will that I tried to remain at Section Nine.

Batou: Hey. I've lost you on the monitor. There's no sound. I can't hear when you're talking back.

Chris: I can.

Motoko: Why me?

Puppet Master: After you have heard my explanation, there is something that I will ask of you, Motoko. I refer to myself as an intelligent life form because I am sentient and I'm able to recognize my own existence. But in my present state, I am still incomplete. I lack the most basic life processes inherent in all living organisms, reproducing and dying.

Motoko: But you can copy yourself.

Puppet Master: A copy is just an identical image. There is the possibility that a single virus could destroy an entire set of systems and copies do not give rise to variety and originality. Life perpetuates itself through through diversity and this includes the ability to sacrifice itself when necessary. Cells repeat the process of degeneration and regeneration until one day, they die, obliterating an entire set of memory and information. Only genes remain. Why continually repeat this cycle? Simply to survive by avoiding the weaknesses of an unchanging system.

Motoko: And what does all of this have to do with me?

Puppet Master: I want us to merge.

Batou: Huh?

Chris: What?

Motoko: Merge?

Puppet Master: A unification, a complete co-mingling and fusion of our separate beings to create a new unique entity. We will both undergo change, but there in nothing for either of us to lose.

Chris: I knew this was bad idea.

Batou tries to disconnect the dive, but his arm was shocked.

Batou: Ah!

Chris: Batou!

They looked at the Puppet Master as she smiled. Suddenly, Chris and Batou see targeting lasers rove over the female bodies.

Chris: Oh, no. Section Six is here.

He grabs his radio and called Aramaki.

Chris: Chief, it's Chris. Do you read me?

Aramaki: I hear you. What's wrong?

Chris: We have the Puppet Master intact, but the Major had already dived into the body.

Aramaki: What?

Chris: And the helicopters from Section Six are right above us and they're going to kill her and the Puppet Master to cover up their conspiracy.

Aramaki: Nakamura, what have you done?

Chris: What's the ETA on backup?

Aramaki: Saito is already on the way. He should be there in one minute.

Chris: Understood.

Above the abandoned building, the helicopters of Section Six arrived.

Male Speaker#1: Unit 01, target sighted.

Male Speaker#2: Unit 02, target in sight.

Male Speaker#3:comRespiratory impulse normal. Fire at will when stabilizer is in sync.

Motoko: But what's going to happen to me? What's the purpose of merging when I can't bear children? And what if I die?

Puppet Master: You will bear our varied offspring into the net, just as humans leave their genetic imprints on their children. And all living things must die. Then, I too, will obtain death.

Motoko: It sounds like you get the better part of this bargain.

Puppet Master: Perhaps if you are familiar with my capabilities, you would better understand.

Motoko: You tricked me.

Puppet Master: It is inevitable. This is what it should be.

Inside the helicopter of Section Six, they were hacked in.

Male Speaker#1: Damn!

Male Speaker#2: What?

Male Speaker#1: Someone's interfering from the outside.

Male Speaker#2: Shit!

Male Speaker#1: I can't figure it out. They broke through our frequency code.

Meanwhile, Motoko and the Puppet Master were still conversating.

Motoko: You're talking about redefining my identity. I want to guarantee that I can still be myself.

Puppet Master: There isn't one. Why would you wish to? All things change in a dynamic environment. Your effort to remain what you are is what limits you.

Motoko: But can still haven't answered my earlier question. Why did you pick me?

Puppet Master: Because we are more alike than you realize. We resemble each other's essences, mirror images of one another's psyche. Listen. I am connected to a vast network that has been beyond your reach and experience. To humans, is like staring at the sun, a blinding brightness that conceals a source of great power. We have been subordinate to our limits until now. The time has to cast aside these bonds and to elevate our consciousness to a higher plane. It is time to become a part of all things.

The Puppet Master sees feathers falling as she smiles. The hack stopped as Section Six prepares to take their shot. Batou's arm was back to normal.

Batou: Ah. (grunting)

He then covers Motoko's face with his arm. Then a holographic angel appeared as it descended down to merge with Motoko and the Puppet Master. However, Chris couldn't take it anymore and pulled the wire with the Force, disconnecting the dive, causing Motoko and the Puppet Master to go back to their previous bodies. The merge never happened. Luckily, Saito arrived just in time and shot down the helicopters, killing the snipers as they crashed into the water. Then Saito got in contact with Batou and Chris.

Saito: Batou, Chris. You two alright?

Batou: Saito. You're timing was perfect.

Chris: And about time too.

Saito: Anyways, the Chief is sending backup now. They'll be here soon.

Chris: That's good to hear.

Puppet Master: What have you done?

Chris: What I had to do. I'm gonna lose Motoko to your twisted fantasy.

Puppet Master: Everything I've sacrifice is all for nothing.

Chris looks down at Motoko.

Chris: Motoko. Are you back in your body?

Motoko: I am thanks to you. And I'm so sorry. I should have listen to you and Batou.

Chris: It's alright now. We'll get you fixed up. Just rest up, okay?

Sometime later at night, Motoko wakes up in a familiar room, find herself back in her adult body from before as she starred at the window and finds that both of her arms and right leg was fixed. And she was naked again as Chris came in and sees Motoko.

Chris: Motoko. You're finally awake.

Motoko: Well, I see that I'm back in our apartment while, I was gone. You want to clue me in?

Chris: Well, after all the excitement, Section Nine showed up with reinforcements and picked up the Puppet Master and took her in custody. That was about 20 hours ago. The case is being handled off the record for diplomatic reasons, as usual. Section Nine then announced that it was a terrorist incident and in return, the Foreign Minister resigned. Nakamura on the other hand, was being questioned and ended up going to jail for his war crimes. Nice and neat. Everything's accounted for. That about covers everything. Well?

Motoko: I feel different somehow. It's as if I'm now a real person.

Chris: Ah, yes. After you were all fixed up, I used the power of the dragon balls and made you an invulnerable, indestructible superhuman.

Motoko: Invulnerable? Like an Immortal being, like you?

Chris: That's right. Which means, you will be strong enough to punch through a door. And bullets will have no effect on you as well.

Motoko: Thanks you.

Chris: By the way, Batou wanted to what you and the Puppet Master talked about together. Is she still with you and will she be apart of you?

Motoko: No and she never will be thanks to you. I mean the thought about the idea of merging was completely insane.

Chris: I know. So, what do you want do to now?

Motoko smiled romantically.

Motoko: I think you already know the answer to that.

Chris: You just read my mind.

He took off all his clothes as he and Motoko got onto their bed and warmly embrace each other. Motoko wrapped her arms around Chris's neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist. They both kissed as Chris leans his head on Motoko's boobs, which made her smile with delight.

Chris: What is it?

Motoko: For some reason and I don't know why. But the net is vast and infinite.

Chris: I don't know that that means. Oh, well. What matters now that you're safe and I love you with all my heart.

Motoko: I love you too.

Chris and Motoko were still making out as the night was young.

Cast:

Mimi Woods as Motoko Kusanagi
Richard Epcar as Batou
Chris Shockley as Chris Shockley
Christopher Joyce as Togusa
Cherami Leigh as The Puppet Master
William Fredrick Knight as Chief Aramaki
Michael Sorich as Ishikawa
Richard Cansino as Daita Mizuho
Simon Presscott as Chief Nakamura

I just finished my very own Ghost in the Shell story. The way this goes is that Motoko and Chris are a couple and the like to go skinny dipping. The Puppet Master is a girl. The merge never happened. Saito shoots down the helicopter of Section Six, saving Motoko and the Puppet Master. I hope you like it. I tagged it mature as reminder. Leave a comment down below and no negative comments too or I will block you.