Ch9

Enzan sat at his desk as he looked over the various crime scene photos. Such grisly deaths. He paused as he looked over them. Could they be related to this reappearance of darkchips? It was a theory but one without any tangible proof.

"Enzan-sama." Blues appeared on his monitor screen.

"Any updates?" He asked.

"Unfortunately no sir," Blues said. "I checked all our sources and so far nothing new about the darkchips and there have been no new sitings of any other darkloids around."

He folded his arms and gazed at the photos on his screen. "Something isn't adding up." As he looked at one of the grisly photos his stomach turned. It was the photo of a man's body completely drained of blood and just looking at it could make his stomach turn. Who could do such a thing a vampire?

A part of him wanted to laugh at the absurdity, vampires weren't real. "Has Rockman communicated any new information with you?"

"He has told me nothing though apparently he has been practicing with that new navi Solaris," Blues said.

He paused and nodded. "Of course." He had seen Django and Netto around down riding a motorcycle along with them both coming to Scilab to practice cross fusion. "Keep an eye on them."

Blues nodded. "Yes sir."

With that he got up and stretched before grabbing his PET and exiting his office room. Time to check on our guest. Of course he often had guests at his mansion though this one he called for a special tasks. Stopping in front of the room he knocked and quickly opened the door.

Inside, Dingo was in the middle of a workout, sweat glistening on his toned frame as he completed a set of pushups. "Need something?"

He stepped into the room and closed the door behind them. "How was your meeting with Netto?"

Dingo pushed himself to his feet, wiping his face with a towel. "The same as ever. "Why do you want me checking up on him anyway?" His physique had changed much since they were young, instead of a scrawny body Dingo had bulked up considerably and had a strong upper body and a full set of abs.

Geez since when did he and Netto both get into working out?

He awkwardly shifted under Dingo's gaze. He knew that Dingo and Netto were close and that Dingo was probably one of the few people that matched Netto's energy.

"I need someone close enough to observe him," he said carefully. "I figured you'd be good for that task."

Dingo raised an eyebrow. "So, what exactly do you want from me? Me and Netto are good friends I don't feel comfortable spying on him."

"Don't' think of it as spying," he said calmly. "Just think of it as checking up on him."

Dingo sighed. "You're so lucky I needed the money."

Deep down he did feel guilty about this. "Just keep an eye on him and his new friend. Report anything unusual. I'll make sure you're compensated for your efforts."

Dingo sighed. "Fine if you're worried so much I'll keep an eye out on him."

"Good. Let me know if you need anything," he replied. Without another word he exited the room and closed the door behind him.

As he walked down the hallway, a familiar voice broke the silence. "Do you really think this is necessary?" Blues asked. "Netto-kun has always been cooperative with us."

He paused. "It's a precaution." Deep down he couldn't help but feel that something was off with both Netto and his new friend. It may have been paranoia, but he didn't like being surprised.

/

Netto sat at his computer as he showed Django the layout of the warehouse he had Rockman find online. "This warehouse has the biggest stock of transport units in the area. I'm sure they'll strike soon once that shipment arrives all we have to do is wait until it arrives."

Django tilted his head and nodded. "So what's the plan?"

He straightened up, pointing at several entry points on the screen. "We'll set up around these choke points and force them into the open. If Shademan and the count arrive we hit hard and fast."

Django raised an eyebrow "What if Shademan uses that sonic attack again? Last time, it almost crippled us."

He grinned, reaching for his PET. "Already thought of that." With a few quick swipes, he pulled up a program and displayed it on the PET's screen. "This filter blocks out soundwaves in the frequencies Shademan uses. It's not perfect, but it'll keep us in the fight."

Shadowbyte's head materialized on the screen, his toothy grin unmistakable. "That vampire's not going to know what hit him. I owe him for the last time we crossed paths."

Django raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Confident, aren't you?"

"Of course," Shadowbyte shot back. "With me and him working together, Shademan's toast."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. It's going to take all of us working together to pull this off."

Switching gears, he turned his attention to Rockman, who appeared beside Shadowbyte on the PET screen. "How's training with Solaris coming along?"

Rockman's voice was steady, though there was an undercurrent of excitement. "Going well. Solaris has a lot of power, but we're learning how to synchronize better. I think we'll be ready for anything tomorrow."

"Good," he said. "Because we'll need all the backup we can get."

Rockman hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "Are we going to loop in Enzan or Laika? This feels big enough to warrant their involvement."

He paused and shook his head.. "No. The more people involved, the more complicated it gets. We're keeping this between us."

Django nodded in agreement, his tone firm. "He's right. Too many moving parts, and it falls apart. Besides, this is our fight."

Deep down though he didn't want to admit that he wasn't in the mood to collaborate with Enzan and Laika due to them being a bit condescending at times.

Suddenly Rockman appeared on the screen. "Netto-kun Dingo asks if you want to go to the beach and hang out."

His eyes lit up. "Oh cool. Django want to join us?"

The blonde avoided his gaze. "Well I don't know him well…"

"Oh come on Dingo is cool. Besides the beach is fun," he said.

Django avoided his gaze and sighed. "Fine."

"Welcome to the beach," he said as Django parked the motorcycle."

The sound of waves crashing against the shore filled the air as the trio walked along the beach. The breeze carried a mix of salt and summer warmth, a stark contrast to the tension that had hung over the past few days.

Django's boots left heavy imprints in the sand as they walked through the sand. "Wow this pretty nice. I haven't been to a beach in a while."

Netto had been the one to convince him. "It's just the beach," he'd said before they left. "Even you need a break sometimes. Besides, Dingo's great, you'll see."

It wasn't long before they saw Dingo. "Netto!"

"Dingo!" He quickly ran and hugged his friend.

"Glad you came," Dingo said. "Figured we should catch up."

He nodded. "Yeah me too. Oh you remember Django right?"

His two friends looked at each other awkwardly. "Hey," Django said.

Dingo only nodded. "Well come on lets have some fun."

Now, as they walked, Dingo led the way, effortlessly exuding his relaxed demeanor. He'd already shed his jacket, revealing a lean but muscular build that seemed perfectly at home in the sun.

"So," Dingo started, his voice cutting through the ambient noise. "What's the plan for all this mess? These attacks don't look like they're stopping anytime soon."

He hesitated before responding, glancing at Django. "We're working on something. A counterattack, you could say."

Dingo raised an eyebrow. "Sounds serious. What's the target?"

"It's a secret," he said.

Dingo smirked. "You and your secrets, man. Fine, keep me in suspense."

They stopped at a small beachside stand where he ordered drinks for the three of them. As they sat on a wooden bench near the shoreline, the conversation turned more casual. Dingo leaned back, holding his drink with one hand while the other rested on the back of the bench.

"How's Enzan these days?" Dingo asked, taking a sip.

Netto frowned, looking down at his drink. "Same as always. Cold, condescending. Laika's not much better. It's like they're just waiting for me to screw up so they can say, 'I told you so.' Honestly, I'm tired of them always looking down on me."

A shiver went down his spine just thinking of them, despite doing his best to be nice to them they never returned his kindness.

Django, who had been silently watching the waves, turned to him. "You're stronger than you give yourself credit for. If they can't see that, it's their problem."

Dingo nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you've got guts. More than most people I've met. Don't let them get to you."

Netto smiled, the corners of his mouth softening as he looked at his friends. "Thanks, you guys. That means a lot."

Dingo clapped him on the shoulder, his grin returning. "What are friends for?"

He smiled at Dingo. "Yeah true thanks."

A part of him felt flustered as he looked at Django and Dingo. He cared deeply for them as much as he did for his other friends and he was glad that they had his back. He continued to talk and chat with his friends as they enjoyed the beach together.

When it was time to leave he said goodbye to Dingo before heading home with Django. The hum of the motorcycle's engine blended with the cool night air, creating a soothing rhythm as they rode through the quiet streets as the sun slowly began to set.

Django looked up as his red scarf fluttered in the wind. "I've been wondering," he began, his voice steady but curious. "What's the story with you and Enzan? Are you guys friends or what?"

The question lingered in the air. Netto adjusted his grip slightly, his gaze fixed on the city passing by in streaks of neon and shadow. "Friends?" He didn't know how to respond. "I don't know. I've always tried to be friendly with both him and Laika, but it hasn't exactly been easy."

He paused as he thought of all the times he worked with them. When he was younger he tried to ignore their behaviors but as he got older it got more and more irritating.

"They've never been kind to me," he admitted feeling as if a weight had been lifted off his chest. "Enzan's always so serious, like he's carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. And Laika... well, he assaulted me when we first met. They treat me like I'm just a kid who gets in the way. No matter what I do, it's never enough to change that."

Django took a turn onto a quieter road, the engine's growl softened by the open space around them. "That's too bad," he said after a moment. "You've got a good heart and a strong will. If they can't see that, it's their loss."

His words took him by surprise. "Thanks," he said, his voice softer than usual. "That means a lot coming from you."

The hunter nodded, his eyes scanning the road ahead. "I mean it. You've been a good partner. I'm glad to work with you."

He awkwarlyd nodded. "I feel the same way. It's been great working with you too. I guess... I'm lucky to have a teammate who doesn't just see me as a burden."

The bike slowed as they reached a stoplight, and Django turned slightly, his expression visible beneath his helmet. "You're no burden, Netto. Don't let anyone make you think otherwise."

He nodded, for the first time in a while, he felt like he was being seen, not just as someone who happened to be in the fight but as someone who mattered.

Dingo sighed as he looked up at Enzan's mansion. His stomach turned as he was let in by a guard. Enzan told me to keep an eye out on him but I don't feel good about this. Netto was his friend and he enjoyed being with him so being told to spy on him took him by surprise. As soon as he got to his room he hardly had been there for five minutes before the door opened.

"Where have you been?"

He turned to see Enzan standing in the doorway, his eyes like steel. Damn you're quick as always.

He shrugged. "I met up with Netto and his friend, we talked."

"About what?" Enzan asked as he leaned against the doorway.

For a moment, he hesitated. "Does it matter?"

Enzan's expression hardened. "Of course, it matters. Lives are at stake. You're supposed to be watching him, not chatting."

The harshness in Enzan's tone made him bristle, and before he could stop himself, he asked, "Do you even see him as a friend? Or is he just another pawn in your plans?"

Enzan scoffed, the sound sharp and dismissive. "Friendship isn't the issue here. This is bigger than that. What did he tell you?"

The tension in the room thickened. He thought back to Netto's earlier frustrations, the way his friend had spoken about being looked down on. For a moment, he wondered if Netto had been right.

"What are you doing?" Enzan's voice cut through his thoughts as he stepped closer, grabbing his shoulders. "If you know something, you need to tell me now. This isn't a game. People could die."

The sudden physicality startled him, and he stumbled back, instinctively pushing against the grip. Enzan staggered but quickly regained his footing, his glare sharp enough to cut.

"They're planning something," he said, the words tumbling out before he could stop them. "An attack, I think. But I don't know the details." He instinctively shoved Enzan off him.

Enzan glared at him as he nearly fell down. "Remember your place, I don't have time for games."

He sighed as he shook his head. I really needed the money so that's why I came but I don't think I can stay and spy on Netto like this.