A Certain Missing Esper (Arc 4 Main Story)

"I'll take care of it. I'm probably the most physically fit and the strongest one here. And my injury is minor so it shouldn't matter."

"Thanks, you can probably tell but these weak arms aren't really great for lifting things."

With that Tsubasa carried the unconscious and bound speedster back to their vehicle, while Aiko and Reina followed closely behind, eager to make their escape. Once they were on their way back, Aiko checked her phone once more only to see still no messages from Ichigo Ai. It was strange, she was usually more timely with responses to important things like this... maybe something had happened. For the rest of the ride, Aiko sat in relative silence, replaying the final moments of their encounter in her head. Even though she'd been practicing for this moment, she still couldn't draw the weapon. Luckily, Tsubasa had jumped in and finished things and wasn't injured too badly, but if she were alone or if no one had jumped in, things might have gone much worse. Unbeknownst to Aiko, her emotions were being laid bare to the small girl next to her.    

---

Once they were back at the studio, they plopped their unconscious enemy down on a mat on the floor and Tsubasa went and crashed on the sofa. It was only once they were back in this relatively safe place that Aiko realized how tired she was. She was getting more used to situations like that and luckily the exhaustion was kept at bay until they reached safety. Rather than lay down like Tsubasa however, Aiko spied a computer tucked off to the side of the room.

"Do you mind if I use that computer for a moment?"

After receiving no words to the contrary, Aiko sat down at the computer and plugged in her phone. If she wasn't able to view open the files on a mobile device, perhaps she could get it open on a computer. With a bit more digging around, Aiko finally found a tool that reportedly could help with opening strange file types. Launching the tool, Aiko pulled up the file sent to her by Ichigo Ai and viewed what was inside.

Without much hesitation, she quickly opened up the phone she was given. She didn’t have much time to explain the situation, so rather than using the call function to give away her position and spend too much time giving out the details of the situation, she quickly typed out a message she could send to the equivalent of 119.

Young adult Male shot in the shoulder unconscious
Gunman possibly still in the vicinity
Loc: On Xth and Y, District 10

It was quick and inelegant and got all the information she knew and prompted the possibility of Anti-Skill deployment even if they would, in all likelihood, be too late for the girls. After quickly hitting send, she sent a second, blank message to her own number before tossing the phone back to Anko.

As time passed, the situation began to stagnate. No, it would be more accurate to say that things were slowly getting worse for the two girls. Though they were, for now, safe under cover, the rapid fire would eventually eat away at it until the assailants had an opening.

With things going that unfavorably, Anko’s plan was probably the best they could come up with. Unlike before, she wasn’t going to suggest that they stick together. While it would have been optimal in most situations, the difference between a combatant and a non-combatant in capabilities was staggering.

“I got it.”

She didn’t need to give more than a nod as she took the tracksuit jacket and put it on herself. It clashed with her basic senses of fashion but now was not the time to let that stop her.

“See you there.”

With her final words, she nodded and watched as she watched Anko dashing out into the world of deadly gunfire. Taking a moment, she tried her best to watch to determine whether gunfire had shifted onto her.

As soon as she assessed that gunfire was trained onto Anko, she ran.

The train station. She just had to trust that Anko would make it there and instead focus on what she needed to do.

The tool Aoki Aiko had retrieved had proven compatible with Ichigo Ai’s file.

After a long moment, that mystery file had finally been decrypted and could be opened, initially presenting a chaotic sight that was hard for any non expert to decipher or understand.

However, upon a closer look what had been found was a location of geo coordinates which could be translated into routes stretching all across Academy City.

Key points had been marked as well.

It lacked structure. It lacked a proper sense of overall order and direction. But it held clearly visible value.

These routes and key points had truly been worth dying for.

«Alpha target is on the move.»

Marybeth had been unfazed by the sudden change in her prey’s behaviour. If at all, things had begun to become actually exciting. That was the impression she gained as she watched the black haired girl dodge the gunfire from various directions while managing to gain land.

«They split up? Why?»

Larry, on the other hand, was still as helplessly concerned as before.

«She’s trying to protect her friend. They’re probably as useless as we assumed.»

Thanatos had not been an assembly of fools. They had been veterans of countless hopeless battles. A group exclusively made up of survivors who had to make it through all kinds of suicide missions. Naturally, that meant they could see through children’s plays with ease.

The alpha target may have been capable of going to war with them all by herself, but that didn’t mean she had what it took to win.

«Lonny, Jane. After the fleeing one. Capture. Don’t kill.»

Then, with a «huff» she lifted herself up from the ground, casting aside the sniper rifle, instead pulling a combat knife from a holster attached to her leg and a handgun from her belt.

«What are you doing, boss?»

«Oh? Me? I’m going to greet her~!»

Her response to Larry was underlined by another of her typical lustful smiles. Only for her to turn around the next instance, barking another order.

«Handle the sniping. Track the beta target. Just no killing, yes~?»

After countless of fights for survival, one was expected to not only understand a situation but to become master of it. Their targets’ strategy had been too obvious to not contain a secret trick. Yes, that girl had left her cover to draw fire while she’d allow her comrade to escape, but it didn’t end there. No, she was out for the counter attack on the same move. And if she had the confidence to dare to pull it off, ensuring to obtain another trump card wouldn’t hurt, would it?



Kisaragi’s strategy had been simple. There was no way she could fend them off out on the open street. Not with a sniper on the roofs and four fully equipped troopers drawing in from four different directions. Even if she knew how to avoid gun fire, this was not something one could keep up eternally. No, that was just a fairy tale.

Instead, she knew she had to strike. She had to take down the main threat, that was the sniper rifle, then deal with the others. She understood that they may not all pursue her, but risks had to be taken. Believing in Kohaku had to be part of the deal as well.

At the final stretch of her sprint, she rushed into a building’s doors, not stopping, only growing faster.

This was her final destination. The place where she had assumed the sniper to be. All it had taken was to analyse the bullet holes that had formed on the boxes and in the walls behind them. From there, deducing the path they had taken and thus their point origin had been easy.

Now, the more difficult part had arrived.

Two or three were chasing after her, but given their heavy gear and the occasional barrages they fired at her, they couldn’t catch up as long as she managed to keep up her sprint.

And she would pour more and more into it. Relying on the adrenaline rush to overshadow an odd heaviness she had felt.

The first step was to cross the lobby, read the signs on a whim and head straight for the stairway, rush up one story, then take the elevator, ride a few stories, count the seconds to measure its speed, then emerge from it at the critical time and run the rest stealthily, just to make it right the moment of its arrival at the top floor.

All to throw off the pursuers and regain the element of surprise.

Those people were smart enough to see through basic strategies with great ease. She had to trust that, too. That was why she had to make it even more complicated.

At first they would check the stairway, assume she took the elevator after not finding her, then set a trap awaiting her arrival. And that would be where she would counter their ambush with one of their own.


In the meantime Lonny and Jane, just as commanded, ran after silver hair, their guns no longer at the ready, to allow them a sense of speed. Oddly enough, though, they had been far behind their target. Simply for the fact that they had been the two most distant to her from the beginning on.

Another of Marybeth’s ploys, as they understood. However, what else other than pure sadism would it serve for?

They did not understand. But they also did not care. They would catch up eventually, either way.

Such were the odd wolves of Thanatos.

"What about you?"

Hirashi’s smile froze just for a fraction of a second at the unexpected contact, but quickly regained his composure and replied that he was doing fine, and that Reina-chan should go check up on the other two now.


Perhaps it was because of being held at knife point, or just the fact his social battery has run out of juice, Hirashi was a bit frazzled, jumpy, and really craving for some alone time (preferably with tea) right now.

As the group moved back to the relative safety of the studio, the idea of some rest sounded heavenly. Just as Hirashi was going to take a breather at a corner, he spied Hoodie Girl plugging her phone into a computer in the studio. Being naturally curious, and doubly so when technology is involved, Hirashi sat down at the corner, but kept an eye on her.

Whilst observing the girl and the computer, Hirashi's mind wandered on ways to interrogate Blondie when he wakes up. Violence was out of the question, as he doubted any of his companions will be okay with that. That meant Hirashi would probably have to appeal to Blondie's emotions, and to do that, he'll need to learn a few more things about him. Keeping Hoodie Girl in his peripheral vision, Hirashi started to take a good look at his captive, trying to gather some any information he could on his history and background.

I've always been worthless.

A boy no older than 9 was sitting alone on the staircase at the back of the school. Hunched over and sobbing, tears ran down his face which was twisted in a pained expression. At some point, Yosuke noticed the sound of footsteps and he froze as if whoever was stood behind him might not notice him if he was still enough. But instead, after a few moments, the footsteps settled beside him and another boy joined him on the steps.

"Do you mind if I sit here?"

Yosuke just shook his head silently. He wasn't sure he could speak anyway.

"What's wrong?" The boy was the same age as him. He had a shaved head and narrow, beady eyes that made him look like he was glowering even as he gave a thin-lipped smile.

"I'm a Level 0." Yosuke answered as if that was enough explanation. "It's not fair." Yosuke stuttered in choking sobs. He just wanted to be special. He wanted to be worth something.  "I tried so hard." No matter how much he concentrated and forced himself, Whether he tensed up so hard he got a nosebleed or relaxed and tried to empty his head, the results were always the same.

Level 0. No indication of Esper ability.

At least that was how the researchers had phrased it. But he could tell plainly by the expressions on their faces what they really meant.

Failure.

"I don't wanna be a Level 0." Yosuke shook, gripping his blonde head as he curled up tighter on the steps. "I wanna be important like everyone else. I don't wanna be useless."

And he felt a hand on his back.

"You're not useless. I bet there's lotsa stuff you're good at." The boy smiled as Yosuke wiped his teary eyes. "You wanna know something?" His wide mouth split wider in a grin. "I'm a Level 0, too."

"So even if it's just the two of us, we'll be Level 0 together. That way we'll always have each other's backs, okay?"

For as far back as Yosuke could remember, Kurama Kenji had always been the smartest, kindest person he knew.

***

Yosuke's eyes fluttered open slowly. He tried to move but his hands had been bound. His legs too. He rolled onto his back and let out a huff of a sigh from behind the duct tape as he stared up at the ceiling. Where was he, and why was he tied up? His confusion was shortlived, replaced by a grim acceptance. He'd been caught by the enemy. He didn't know what they had in store for him, or how far they would go. His experience with Espers hadn't given him a bright outlook on them, so torture and even murder didn't seem out of the question.

But he wasn't that same weak child he had been all those years ago. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction of begging for mercy this time.

So Yosuke waited.

Sorry Kenji, I fucked up real bad this time.

***

"He's not here boss." The Skill Out looked around the empty loading bay of the construction site. "No sign of the guys he was fighting, either. They must have taken him." There was no answer from the other end. Just a slow, heavy breathing. "Boss?" A few more moments of that ominous sound followed.

"Got it. Head to the other drop-offs. Start moving everything." Kurama Kenji didn't wait for confirmation before ending the call. His breathing became deeper, faster, louder. Like a kettle reaching boiling point. He felt his vision narrowing. Rushing blood in his ears drowning out the sound around him.

The doors did little to muffle the sound of his bellowing shout. The other Skill Out gathered in the hideout stopped momentarily, half expecting the wall to explode. They scurried to look busy, just in case Kurama came looking for someone to vent his anger on.

The shaven-headed youth with a delinquent look about him dialed another number into his phone. It was one he memorized because it was too important to risk being found if his phone got confiscated. It was the number of his 'benefactor'.

"We've got a problem." Kenji began through gritted teeth.

Yosuke, you idiot. You were supposed to be careful...

***

Reina nodded, offering Saito an understanding smile when he put on a brave face. He wasn't fine, it would have been strange if he was after that sort of thing. But she could tell that he needed space more than anything. Not because her ability told her, it only gave her an impression of what someone was feeling, not the specifics. She could tell because, even without her ability, she was simply the sort of person who read others well.

It was that same sense that left her feeling concerned with Aiko's silence on the way back. Heart Reading told Reina that the other girl was stewing in unease. But it wasn't just the quickly fading adrenaline rush of their fight, or the nerves that came with escaping a tense situation. Something else was bothering the older girl. Reina had picked up on Aiko's subtle movement for her holstered weapon, and the momentary doubt that caused her to hesitate. Was that all? Or was something else at work?

When they arrived back at the safehouse, Reina was reluctant to approach Tsubasa or Saito. They were best left alone. And she felt uncomfortable lingering around the unconscious Yosuke. She didn't like the idea of spying on her new friends, but Aiko's unsettling mental state had Reina concerned. The small girl perched herself on the edge of the couch near Tsubasa and tried to avoid making it too obvious that she was also watching from a distance.

***

«Something between those two? But isn’t there some international law or something that bans anything like that? Doesn’t that make you an enemy of both?»

Alice and Hana exchanged a glance as if an unspoken conversation occurred at that moment. Were they deciding how much to tell her?

«How do you even know about Imagine Breaker? The Magic Side and Academy City know because I got involved with them, but why you people? I’ve never met or revealed my right hand to any of you folks? You don’t even seem to rely on supernatural phenomenons do you? That stuff you just did not seem like you need to in the first place.»

Behind Touko, Alice looked a little alarmed, perhaps because of something the girl had said, but more likely because the overwhelming barrage of questions was accelerating well past her ability to understand. She was proficient in Japanese, but the speed at which Touko was talking was simply too much for her to process at one time.

«Hell, what do you even need me for? You’re clearly far capable at this stuff than me!»

Hana raised her index finger.

"Regarding your first point. The fact that we exist in that grey area is precisely why we are able to operate in the way we do. It's in the interests of both sides that we are able to act independently. A cold war like this is a delicate thing. Someone is bound to break the rules eventually, and we allow them plausible deniability." She explained. "If someone hires us to do their dirty work, then they've not officially broken any treaty."

"So both sides just sorta... look the other way." Alice added. "But if one of us gets caught, though..." She grimaced, drawing a line across her neck with her finger. The individual would become a scapegoat. It was, like many international relations, something of a farce. Everyone stayed within the letter of the law while disregarding the spirit entirely. As was often the case, it was the one at the bottom of the ladder who took the fall.

"As for how we know about you..." Hana stopped herself, mulled the words around in her head for a moment before speaking with deliberate care. "It's our business to know what assets each side has at their disposal. But let's say, our organisation sees value in you and your... unique position." There was no hiding that she was speaking about something ominous.

"But if you're asking if I just used any supernatural abilities... well no. There was no need. But I suppose it all depends on how you define 'supernatural'." This girl liked talking in riddles. Before Touko could pry further, Hana snapped her fingers and turned on her heel, pointedly stepping onto the chest of the boy she'd just downed as she made her way down the alleyway. "Now, we must'nt waste time. There's somewhere we need to be."

As she was laying down on the couch, eyes closed and hat on top of her face, Tsubasa could feel slight movement on the edge of it.

She looked at where the movement came from and found Reina.

To be honest, she was still tired and in a foul mood relatively, and didn't feel like striking a conversation at all right now. Although she felt bad for the white-haired girl. She's probably feeling uncertain about their ability to actually help her, with the embarrassing display earlier, especially Tsubasa's.

But Saito and Aoki weren't that useful either if she was to be honest. Saito got caught quite easily for her taste and seemed like a coward who'd rather buy his way out with smartly chosen words in a cunning way, rather than a frontal show down of guts and sweat. It wasn't her style of confrontation at all, and she disliked it. It was kind of a sly and cold approach.

Aoki, on the other hand, seemed to understand what real combat was about. Her "morals" when it came to confrontation alligned better with tsubasa's, not to mention she was also generally friendlier and nicer than the boy.

To be fair, Tsubasa hasn't completely forgiven him about the psychiatrist remark earlier. She really can hold a grudge. That might be clouding her judgement of Saito's character a little bit... just a little. And it's the same thing concerning Aoki. The younger girl's gentle help and genuinly concerned words left their impact on the biker and influenced her judgement of her character, even if she refused to accept the help for now.

She was about to ignore Reina alltogether and close her eyes again and try to sleep. But then she noticed that she seemed to intently looking at something, somehow?

Tsubasa tilted her head in a questioning manner. Just as she was about to ask about it, her manager called her name, telling her that the doctor has just arrived.

"Right. I'm not moving from here though, tell him to come over", she told him in an annoyed tone as she adjusted her posture to a sitting position.

After quite a painful dozen minutes, the stitching was over and her injury was all bandaged properly.

Before the doctor could ask any significant questions -and he was probing a lot- the manager "kindly" showed him to the door.

As the hat-wearing girl followed the doctor with her eyes, it drained on her that both Reina and Saito were looking at the same spot of the room: Aoki on the computer. What was she even doing over there?

While attempting to open the strange file had proven difficult on a phone, after some digging, the tool Aiko had found managed to do the job.

Ha, got it. Now lets see what's inside.

Displayed on the screen in front of her was a list of coordinates that,when mapped out, seemed to routes around the city. Several of these coordinates seems to be marked as key locations for something, though seeing as the building they were just in was one of them, Aiko thought she might know what. Now that all the information was revealed, Aiko downloaded all the coordinate data back onto her phone and disconnected it from the computer. At that point she got the feeling that she was being watched from somewhere, only to turn around to find Tsubasa, Saito, and Reina all staring at her.

"I'm sorry that I can't tell you all how I got this information, but I have what appears to be the transportation routes and key structure locations for whatever organization was behind Reina's kidnapping. The building we just fought 'Speedy' over there in is one of these key structures as well."

The information was useless to Aiko on her own. It's not like she was a powerful level 5 that could go storming into facilities alone. She'd need allies if they were going to do anything.

"I left all the info up on the computer there if any of you want to take a look."

Aiko hoped any goodwill she'd built up so far was enough to help assuage any suspicions the rest of them might have of her at that point. She'd left out the part about getting her information by being part of a dark side organization but still, all put together her involvement in this incident was layered with suspicious action. A student who just happened to have some combat experience jumping in to assist them exactly when needed when Reina was making her escape and also happened to have detailed information on the locations of all the bases and routes of the same organization that was holding her. Not to mention the fact that Saito had met her while braking into a government facility so he certainly knew more then Aiko would have liked in this situation.

"If we're going to do anything about what's going on, we should discuss our next move."

Listening carefully, Kamijou Touko absorbed all that information like a sponge. And much like a sponge at the brink of its capacity that which she couldn’t process anymore was simply spilt. What it eventually come down to was the realisation she should have made all along.

This was just another spider’s web she had been trapped in.

«I really have no clue what you need me for. But I will come along.»

She didn’t trust them anymore. She didn’t understand the need for her to even be involved with all this. All Kamijou Touko had was a right hand that came in quite practical when dealing with the supernatural. The matters these people were involved with, however, did not show much place for that. After all, they had confirmed before her very own eyes that they came from a place where one did not need to rely on the supernatural to be strong.

All she could do was get to the bottom of this.

Not that she ever did anything but that in the first place.

«Let’s go.»

In a situation like this, looking away after you’ve been caught looking was possibly the worst thing you can do, it implied guilt and put you on the back foot. So instead Hirashi kept quiet, motionlessly and wordlessly staring back at Hoodie Girl.

"I'm sorry that I can't tell you all how I got this information, but I have what appears to be the transportation routes and key structure locations for whatever organization was behind Reina's kidnapping. The building we just fought 'Speedy' over there in is one of these key structures as well."

Even if Hirashi did not look particularly interested in this new information outwardly, on the inside, Hirashi was thrilled. This was exactly the sort of development Hirashi enjoyed: Having more intel than his opponent, and being able to dictate the time and manner of any conflicts which may follow.

Hirashi was already well aware Hoodie Girl had deeper connections than the average student, this only confirmed what Hirashi already knew. Hirashi also, however, knew the value of discreteness, turning a blind eye to things which did not concern him, and Hoodie Girl’s friends are of no interest to Hirashi for now.

“I suggest scouting the fixed locations quietly, they will most likely not know we are coming. Gathering more information is never a bad thing.”

Hirashi took a closer look at the computer screen before continuing

“And if we were to take action, the best places to hit them would be these transport routes.”

No matter how vigilant one may be, static defenses will always be more effective than whatever one can muster up in a convoy. The best case scenario would be obtaining some actionable intel on these convoys from either the fixed sites or surveillance, such as timetables and the amount of resistance expected.

Hirashi smiled a little, he loved being ahead.

Now, despite Anko’s best attempts to keep Kohaku safe and lure all the fire onto herself, it was fairly obvious that someone was chasing after her. She didn’t have some sixth sense for killer instinct or premonition perception like characters in a manga, but what she did have was the wondrous skillset of basic logic and risk assessment.

There was just one major problem.

Kohaku was, by no means, an athletic girl even if she was relatively in-shape and the pursuers were 100% likely to be far more robust physically than she was. They’d probably snap her like a twig.

So, as she ran, she had to come up with a solution. She could try to duck for cover again and rest, but inertia was a powerful thing and bringing herself back to momentum would likely burn whatever minutia of energy she would regain from it.

She could try to take a bunch of false paths to throw them off from her end-goal, but that too was risky given her lack of athletic skill. She could not do fake-outs.

She could try joining a crowd to hide a leaf within a forest, but District 10 was not exactly the friendliest place for that.

As much as the options came to her head, she could not figure out the most optimal.

But she didn’t have the luxury of time to think through everything. So, she had to pick one that felt best. Instinct was hardly the best option for the cerebral type, but she had little choice.

With a swift hand, she grabbed a nearby door, opened it, and ran in before closing it behind her.

The option she chosen was to cut through buildings until she got to the train station. She could only hope any people she came across would be cooperative. Honor among thieves was a concept, after all.

«No sight of her in the stairway. She’s taking the elevator. Get ready, boss!»

A soft humming voice was all that filled the otherwise empty corridors of the highest floor, as Marybeth had set into motion. She had fallen into her own groove as she approached the elevator. First fiddling in her pocket a little, she took out small coin like objects with buttons attached to them and began pressing these a couple of times before tossing them left and right (two for each direction) in way that they would end up in blank spots to anyone approaching from either direction.

Eventually arriving at the elevator she simply jammed the blade of her combat knife into the slid between the doors, forcing them open with a bit of her own strength. From there she confirmed that the actual elevator cabin was approaching from below.

Once more she rummaged around her pockets, taking out more of the coin sized palettes, pressing their buttons in a different frequency than before, before ultimately tossing them down the deep shaft.

Then, with the same casual ease as the other actions, she pulled her arm and knife out, letting the elevator fall shut with an immediate bang.

«Three…two…one…»

Counting down under her breath she placed one easy step backwards, before numerous audible bangs resonated from beyond the metal door. Then a creek. Then another loud noise, followed by an concluding smash, as the elevator crashed into the distant ground floor.

Panic and alarms following much to her pleasure.


Hectically but entirely silently Kisaragi had run down the last stretch making up the final bit of the stairs, before at long last reaching the top of the building and breaking through the entrance to the final level. Naturally, with the same careful but overly swift stealth motions she called her trademark ability.

Arriving there she met the sight of a single combat gear clad woman who had just taken a step back in face of the elevator and the explosion whatever she may have inserted into it had caused. It was a perfect opportunity, no professional assassin would let ever go to waste. As such she took charge under the cover of the noise of ongoing destruction.

Within just a moment more the shadow of grey and white would close in on its distracted, defenceless prey, not holding back on the lethal violence she held in her fingers.

Within just a moment, a terrible mistake would turn around the odds, as suddenly her feet were swiped off the floor by the force of explosions that just barely lacked the strength to leave lasting damage.

Knocked off her pain laden legs, Kisaragi caught onto her target catching on to her in return, pointing the nuzzle of their gun at her immediately. She had to act immediately. Showcasing a full display of her bodily control, she twisted her body at insane speed to somehow evade the incoming gun fire nearly unscathed, only being scraped by the first wave of bullets at the shoulder and side.

«Got her! Hurry in guys~!»

Plummeting onto her butt on the other hand, she realised the reason for why the gun fire had ceased, had the attacker already moved into an close distant, swinging the razor sharp blade of a combat knife at her. A strike, she once more barely evaded by twisting her body and jumping back onto her legs, winning distance in the process. However, even that distance was lost immediately as further gunshots followed.

Hurrying backwards like a cornered animal, the kunoichi hit the door to the staircase she had emerged from in no time at all. Finally, having her eyes meet those of her new enemy. Or rather, the hollow socket where their left eye should have been.

«Hello~! Nice too finally meet ya~!»

A joyful greeting underlined by the sadistic smile of one obvious psychopath.


Thanatos had been predators. Wolves to be precise. And wolves were the greatest chasers of them all. And much like those types of carnivores, these mercenaries would chase relentlessly. Even as the girl they was pursuing had stormed into a random building she had only just come across they would follow suit immediately. After all, as long as they had either visual feedback or an understanding of her path they would be glued to her.

And they would run while doing so.

With that alone, if the girl kept simply running in a straight line it would only be a matter of time before they caught up.

“I suggest scouting the fixed locations quietly, they will most likely not know we are coming. Gathering more information is never a bad thing. And if we were to take action, the best places to hit them would be these transport routes.”

So that was their plan. Yosuke's mouth twitched in a grim smile.

"You think it'll be that easy?" He spoke up. "We're not amateurs. And we're not idiots either. I know it must seem strange to you Espers, but we Skill Out are far more resourceful than you realise. We have to be. Because we don't have such convenient abilities to fall back on when things don't go our way." He shuffled backwards a little and managed to sit upright. It wasn't easy, given the bindings around his limbs but it felt more comfortable than simply lying there. "But you know what, go ahead. The others won't hesitate like I did."

***

Guy stood outside, looking up at the ugly square building to the sign lit in neon above. The address Kazari had given him over the phone had led here. An electronics store specialising in second-hand devices and repairs. Looking down at his own phone to confirm the name of the store, he frowned and made his way up the staircase that led to the second floor.

The room inside that comprised the front of the store was cramped with a low ceiling and walls lined with old phones, cameras and tablets. A few display shelves filled the space that remained between the counter and the door. Three young men loitered inside. One behind the front desk, a second sitting at a workbench in the back and another leaning casually against the wall by the door. The last youth made no attempt to hide the fact that he was looking Guy up and down with an intimidating glare.

Guy approached the desk and tossed the ID he'd found on the thug in the alleyway onto the counter.

"This guy works for you, right?"

"I don't know him." The young man at the desk barely bothered looking at the photo card before waving Guy away.

"This is a big place. You guys got anything else in the back there?"

"Look, whatever you're looking for, you came to the wrong place." The boy behind the counter squared his shoulders and said with a stony, no-nonsense expression.

"The girl you took. Let her go and we can end this without a fuss." Guy felt a hand rest on his shoulder as the youth by the door approached him from behind.

"He said get lost. Don't make me get rough."

Guy's already blank expression hardened on his face.

Tsubasa grinned awkwardly when she got caught staring at the girl in front of the PC. The others, mainly Saito, evidently played it cool, but Tsubasa wasn't really known for having extreme control over her emotions like that.

Her eyes tried desperately darted side to side, looking through the room for something else to concentrate at, to avoid Aoki's knowing gaze. But in the end she gave up and decided that as she was caught anyway, she might as well focus on what was being said. It might be useful.

"I'm sorry that I can't tell you all how I got this information, but I have what appears to be the transportation routes and key structure locations for whatever organization was behind Reina's kidnapping. The building we just fought 'Speedy' over there in is one of these key structures as well."

“I suggest scouting the fixed locations quietly, they will most likely not know we are coming. Gathering more information is never a bad thing. And if we were to take action, the best places to hit them would be these transport routes.”

The two teenagers seemed to be discussing the plan going forward. She was honestly impressed by the information Aoki has given, and wondered from where could a Tokiwadai middle schooler possibly have access to this kind of intel. But the younger girl made it clear that she wasn't going to share that part of the story with them.

But, curious as she is, Tsubasa certainly wasn't going to forget this any time soon. She'll make sure to pester her on it later when the time comes.

But right now, she could tell that there were other priorities first.

"I agree with Saito's plan. It's our best course of action right now", or so she thought, before their "hostage" finally spoke up.

"You think it'll be that easy? We're not amateurs. And we're not idiots either. I know it must seem strange to you Espers, but we Skill Out are far more resourceful than you realise. We have to be. Because we don't have such convenient abilities to fall back on when things don't go our way. But you know what, go ahead. The others won't hesitate like I did."

And he should've probably stayed silent. Because his words only irritated Tsubasa, again.

"Blablablabla... Shut up. We get it dude, you've been "mistreated" by Espers and you want revenge. But there's reaaally a limit to how much you can play the victim card. First of all, bold of you to assume that I'm an Esper with any powers, even after our fight earlier. Seriously, are you blind, or are you dumb? I'm a fucking worthless Level 0 just like your beloved Skill Outs. But, as much as I hate this rotten city and its so-called scientists, I don't go around terrorizing innocent people. I just deal with my own shit in my own way, unlike you who hurt others to feel good about yourselves. Hey, want some harsh truth? You're not the hero you think you are. Skill outs are but a bunch of coward antisocial misfits who can only lash out on the weak because they don't have the balls to be held accountable or take responsibility for their actions." Her voice held anger, blame, sadness and regret in it. Because, she actually did relate with their struggles and she really wished they could be allies. She wished they were better than this, that they used their influence to prove to the rest of Academy city that Level 0s weren't the failure that everyone said they are. But this group only did the opposite of that...

She cracked her fingers, readying her fist.

"Maaaan, now I'm pissed off again. Someone needs to pay for my foul mood, and I just happen to know who. What do you say, Aoki, Saito? The honor of smacking this cunt shall be mine."

After her declaration, she delivered a punch right to his face.

"Well, that punch is mainly for calling me an Esper when you know nothing about me", in the end, even she realized that it really was about her own horrible self-image and her inferiority complex towards higher leveled Espers. All said and done, she wasn't that much different from the Skill Outs she just criticized. She knew it. The only difference was that they acted on their hate, and she just bottled it all up. Neither was really a healthy outlet.

“I suggest scouting the fixed locations quietly, they will most likely not know we are coming. Gathering more information is never a bad thing. And if we were to take action, the best places to hit them would be these transport routes.”

"I agree with Saito's plan. It's our best course of action right now"

Aiko was relieved. No one had decided to press her on where she'd acquired her information. Her involvement in TASK wasn't something she wanted getting around, though she had no idea how she would have responded had they pressed her for her source.

"You think it'll be that easy? We're not amateurs. And we're not idiots either. I know it must seem strange to you Espers, but we Skill Out are far more resourceful than you realise. We have to be. Because we don't have such convenient abilities to fall back on when things don't go our way. But you know what, go ahead. The others won't hesitate like I did."

"Blablablabla... Shut up. We get it dude, you've been "mistreated" by Espers and you want revenge. But there's reaaally a limit to how much you can play the victim card. First of all, bold of you to assume that I'm an Esper with any powers, even after our fight earlier. Seriously, are you blind, or are you dumb? I'm a fucking worthless Level 0 just like your beloved Skill Outs. But, as much as I hate this rotten city and its so-called scientists, I don't go around terrorizing innocent people. I just deal with my own shit in my own way, unlike you who hurt others to feel good about yourselves. Hey, want some harsh truth? You're not the hero you think you are. Skill outs are but a bunch of coward antisocial misfits who can only lash out on the weak because they don't have the balls to be held accountable or take responsibility for their actions. Maaaan, now I'm pissed off again. Someone needs to pay for my foul mood, and I just happen to know who. What do you say, Aoki, Saito? The honor of smacking this cunt shall be mine."

The outburst was sudden and explosive, however not entirely surprising coming from Tsubasa. In the brief time Aiko had known her, she'd gotten a pretty good idea of what kind of a person she was.

"Well, that punch is mainly for calling me an Esper when you know nothing about me"

Aiko walked over to Tsubasa, placing her hand on her should to help try and calm her down.

"I can't know the struggles that level 0s have to deal with on a daily basis, what with me being one of those Tokiwadai Ojou-samas, but I do know that you shouldn't let him get to you. You're better than him. You're not going around kidnapping people off the streets for who knows what reason for one thing."

Aiko then turned to face the newly bruised speedster.

"And you. You run with Skill Out, but that speed of yours certainly isn't the speed of a level 0. Where do you get off preaching so high and mightily to us when you've got yourself a pretty useful ability yourself. Why are you with Skill Out anyway? You're an Esper too aren't you?

"You think it'll be that easy? We're not amateurs. And we're not idiots either. I know it must seem strange to you Espers, but we Skill Out are far more resourceful than you realise. We have to be. Because we don't have such convenient abilities to fall back on when things don't go our way. But you know what, go ahead. The others won't hesitate like I did."

Even whilst restrained, Blondie continued to be an annoying prick. Hirashi was contemplating on gagging him again but it seemed that he was not the only one annoyed by Blodie’s jeering.

"Maaaan, now I'm pissed off again. Someone needs to pay for my foul mood, and I just happen to know who. What do you say, Aoki, Saito? The honor of smacking this cunt shall be mine."

Hirashi wordlessly waved his hand and made a show of turning his head away from the direction of Mad Biker and Blondie, giving his blessing to the act of violence.

"And you. You run with Skill Out, but that speed of yours certainly isn't the speed of a level 0. Where do you get off preaching so high and mightily to us when you've got yourself a pretty useful ability yourself. Why are you with Skill Out anyway? You're an Esper too aren't you?

It had seemed that Blondie loved to run his mouth, hinting at “resources” which they might not know about without even being asked about them. This will probably make pumping him for information a lot easier. Hoodie Girl brought up an interesting question, despite being Skill Out, Blondie here had an ability that was quite powerful, certainly more powerful than his.

“I cannot imagine an Esper with a powerful and flashy power like that would fit in all too well with the Skill Outs, and I doubt it was your charming personality which won them over. So like my acquaintance there, I am also very interested in your answer.”

Hirashi said this quietly, but there was a certain chill to his words. It implied although they were being (relatively) civil at the moment, things can very easily turn ugly.

Depending on his willingness to answer, it would determine whether Hirashi would need to “escalate” the interrogation and get a few minutes of alone time with Blondie. Everybody had weaknesses, and judging from his behavior earlier in the warehouse, Hirashi would likely start with the very same knife which was in Blondie’s hand a few minutes earlier…

... but hopefully it would not have to come to that.

What she had found when she had entered was a break-room. Much like the man who she had seen a young woman had been sitting on a small couch, focused on his phone until the sound of the backdoor for the breakroom opened and slammed, producing a girl in a casual outfit.

“Wait. I thought that was locked.”

With a click, Kohaku locked the door. Based on her outfit—the apron and the button down shirt, she could only assume this was either a convenience store or a cafe.

She had piercings on her ears and nose. Her hair was blonde, her skin tanned, and she clearly had her lips accentuated by lip gloss.

“Look. I need help. I’m being chased by people with guns so pretend I wasn’t here.”

The girl nodded her head slightly and quickly tapped at her phone before snapping a photo of Kohaku.

“What?”

“Where do you need to get to for safety, kid?” She said before kicking the table over the side and lodging it underneath the doorknob.

“Um...the subway.”

She nodded her head before pushing Kohaku towards the other exit for the breakroom. “Keep going straight through the next alleyway outside the door and my friends will help you swerve. You’ll know them when you see them. Just keep out of your pursuers’ sights. Okay?”

Kohaku nodded before heading out to the front door for the convenience store.

In the meanwhile, the young woman quickly pre-empted her manager at the counter. “Yoo-hoo, boss. My break is over~”

"Blablablabla... Shut up. We get it dude, you've been "mistreated" by Espers and you want revenge. But there's reaaally a limit to how much you can play the victim card. First of all, bold of you to assume that I'm an Esper with any powers, even after our fight earlier. Seriously, are you blind, or are you dumb? I'm a fucking worthless Level 0 just like your beloved Skill Outs. But, as much as I hate this rotten city and its so-called scientists, I don't go around terrorizing innocent people. I just deal with my own shit in my own way, unlike you who hurt others to feel good about yourselves. Hey, want some harsh truth? You're not the hero you think you are. Skill outs are but a bunch of coward antisocial misfits who can only lash out on the weak because they don't have the balls to be held accountable or take responsibility for their actions."

Yosuke sat back. If it hadn't been for the blindfold hiding his eyes they would have seen him rolling them exaggeratedly.

"Maaaan, now I'm pissed off again. Someone needs to pay for my foul mood, and I just happen to know who. What do you say, Aoki, Saito? The honor of smacking this cunt shall be mine."

His lip curled and he braced himself for retribution. But in his position, he couldn't tell where the blow would be aimed. All he could do was wait expectantly.

Reina watched from the couch, a dawning look of worry on her face. Her eyes widened as Tsubasa cracked her knuckles and reared back her fist.

The blow struck Yosuke on the face and his head recoiled. But the boy didn't cry out in pain or shock. He sucked on his bloodied lip and spat out the coppery taste onto the floor.

Reina jumped from her seat in startled horror, looking about wordlessly at the others for some reaction. She couldn't be the only one bothered by the sudden act of violence. But none of them seemed fazed by what had happened. Why? Why did none of them care?

"Well, that punch is mainly for calling me an Esper when you know nothing about me"

Yosuke sighed.

"About what I expected." They'd only proven his assumptions correct. Bullies and cowards alike. Not much different from Skill Out. Dishing out violence on those who couldn't fight back, all from their position on the moral high ground. "Pretty weak punch you've got there. Come on. I'm sure you've got more in you."

"And you. You run with Skill Out, but that speed of yours certainly isn't the speed of a level 0. Where do you get off preaching so high and mightily to us when you've got yourself a pretty useful ability yourself. Why are you with Skill Out anyway? You're an Esper too aren't you?

“I cannot imagine an Esper with a powerful and flashy power like that would fit in all too well with the Skill Outs, and I doubt it was your charming personality which won them over. So like my acquaintance there, I am also very interested in your answer.”

He laughed.

"Not even close. Like I said, things aren't quite so convenient for us." He let his head roll to one side as he spoke. "But you Espers don't have the monopoly on power anymore." He decided not to say anymore. Better to play his cards close to his chest for now.

Reina felt a numbness come over her from Saito's tone. They weren't bothered at all. They were even prepared to go further! Maybe she was naive, but attacking someone who was defenseless, maybe even torturing them... it was wrong. It made her sick to her stomach to even imagine such things.

These people... had she been wrong to trust them? What should she do? Chaotic thoughts fought to rise over one another in her confused and panicked mind.

"Stop it!" She cried out, shocking even herself with the outburst. "What are you doing?" The question didn't seem aimed at anyone in particular. It might have been more to herself, than them even.

***

It was cold. Colder than normal. And her bed wasn't normally this hard. Why did her head hurt? She couldn't remember getting home. Couldn't remember what she'd been doing last.

Rachel's eyes opened to a harsh, glaring light that made her already throbbing head feel even worse. This wasn't her room. And it wasn't any room she recognised, either. She turned her head. She could see a curtain surrounding her bed. Some sort of monitor. Like the kind of machine she'd seen at hospitals before. Had she been hurt? Was she in hospital now?

The small blonde girl tried to sit up and managed to make it about halfway before the manacles on her wrists stopped her from reaching a comfortable position.

"Hey. What the hell!?" She blurted out, pulling at the straps holding her arms to the metal bed frame.

"Shhhh. They'll hear you." Someone said from the opposite side of the curtain. "Lucky you woke up now. I think the guards are outside."

"Guards? What guards?" All of a sudden Rachel felt a knot of anxiety in her stomach. Had she done something to get arrested? It wouldn't be the first time.

"Shhhhh! Keep your voice down!" The voice urged her, exasperated. "I'll try to explain. What I know, anyway." The girl on the next bed over whispered. "My name's Natsume, and I think we've been kidnapped."

"I can't know the struggles that level 0s have to deal with on a daily basis, what with me being one of those Tokiwadai Ojou-samas, but I do know that you shouldn't let him get to you. You're better than him. You're not going around kidnapping people off the streets for who knows what reason for one thing."

"You're right. My bad. I lost my cool again."

On another hand, the girl's question was truly spot on. Tsubasa was impressed. And she was curious what the explanation for him having powers might be.

"About what I expected. Pretty weak punch you've got there. Come on. I'm sure you've got more in you."

He truly w hasung on making her want to smack him again, wasn't he? But she decided to heed Aoki's advice, to swallow up her pride this time and let his provocations go unanswered.

'Man this is so frustrating.'

She took off her hat and ruffled her hair.

Meanwhile, Saito seemed to take on the intimidation part and... he was oddly proficient at it. Way better than Tsubasa for that matter.

This boy continued to defy her expectations of him. He looked like an average teenage high schooler, but his tactics spoke otherwise. Even Tsubasa was shaken by his tone.

Just as she was thinking so, Reina suddenly shouted for them to stop.

'Stop? Stop what?'

It took Tsubasa a minute to realise what the girl was refering to.

To a normal civilian, who never had contact with these kind of people or was put in these situations, all of this would look wrong on so many levels.

But...

"Ah, now I upset the person I wanted to protect. This is bad... But, Reina-chan... You do realise that - no, I'm sure you already do, given what has happened around you since we met you, so I bet that what you actually went through in your past is ten times worse - but... these kinds of people, you can't simply "have a discussion" with them. They're parasites. And the people behind them are truly evil fuckers. They deserve everything coming for them, okay? Life isn't so pretty and forgiving that everyone can just get along. Do you really mean it: "stop"? Are you really fine with forgiving them for what they did to you? Or are you just saying that to---"

"Oi, stop right there, Watabe! You've said enough", her manager suddenly interjected.

She forgot he was even there until now. But his interference made her realise she was misdirecting her bottled up anger towards the innocent Reina.

"Ah... Shit... I'm sorry, I'm really sorry Reina, I just--- I didn't mean--- Ugh, fuck it... I'm out. Seriously, I'm done. You guys do whatever you want. I'm going out for a stroll to cool off steam. I really need it."

She said before putting her hat back on, hiding her watery eyes under its shadow, and quickly ran off.

"Stop it! What are you doing?"

The sudden outburst from Reina was unexpected but reasonable given the situation. A normal person viewing the things that were going on would obviously have objections to it. Maybe Aiko was getting a bit too used to the kinds of things that happened in the dark side. The thought worried her a bit before she was pulled out of it by Tsubasa's retort.

"Ah, now I upset the person I wanted to protect. This is bad... But, Reina-chan... You do realise that - no, I'm sure you already do, given what has happened around you since we met you, so I bet that what you actually went through in your past is ten times worse - but... these kinds of people, you can't simply "have a discussion" with them. They're parasites. And the people behind them are truly evil fuckers. They deserve everything coming for them, okay? Life isn't so pretty and forgiving that everyone can just get along. Do you really mean it: "stop"? Are you really fine with forgiving them for what they did to you? Or are you just saying that to---"

"Oi, stop right there, Watabe! You've said enough"

"Ah... Shit... I'm sorry, I'm really sorry Reina, I just--- I didn't mean--- Ugh, fuck it... I'm out. Seriously, I'm done. You guys do whatever you want. I'm going out for a stroll to cool off steam. I really need it."

With that, Tsubasa ran out of the building, the door swinging shut behind her. Aiko was stunned for a moment and was about to chase after her, however in that moment she realized that Tsubasa hadn't gone far. She had her field up again to stop any attempts that might have been made to track them and she could still feel Tsubasa outside, though a few more steps and she'd be too far. Aiko turned to the rest of the group.

"It's okay, she's just right outside. I can still feel her. I think it might be best to let her clear her head. Reina, I'm sorry things got a bit heated there. Tensions are a bit hot given the situation."

"Not even close. Like I said, things aren't quite so convenient for us. But you Espers don't have the monopoly on power anymore."

Blondie certainly was not intending to “do this the easy way”, and the tension was rising nicely. However, an outburst from Gown Girl, who was otherwise quiet this whole time, sharply pulled the room back to its senses. Much to the quiet dismay of Hirashi, his companions, who evidently valued trivial things like “morals” and “justice”,  were very quickly backing away from the direct and efficient way of dealing with their captive.

"It's okay, she's just right outside. I can still feel her. I think it might be best to let her clear her head. Reina, I'm sorry things got a bit heated there. Tensions are a bit hot given the situation."

Hirashi disliked dealing with young children, they are unpredictable and rash in their decisions. One wrong move and Hirashi might cause irreversible damage to their relationship and make the subject that much harder to work with. Given how they were in a relatively advantageous position, Hirashi decided to abandon the idea of having an “enhanced discussion session” with Blondie.

“Ah yes, sorry about all that unpleasant business, I think Aoki-san is right everyone is a bit jumpy and pumped up on adrenaline at the moment to think straight.” Hirashi gave a disarming smile to Gown Girl, “And thank you, for bringing a bit of clarity to our heads before we did something we would regret down the line.”

This however, did not mean Hirashi has abandoned his objective of prying useful information from Blondie. Judging from the punch he took earlier, he doubted physical threats would be that effective. It was true everyone had their limits, but Hirashi had neither the time or the support to find Blondie’s. Instead he now looked to breaking him mentally.

“I believe we will be able to hit these locations regardless of whether you provide us with any more details than we already have, but at the end of the day does it matter if you speak up or not?” Hirashi once again spoke to Blondie quietly, but this time with the intention of keeping the others out of earshot. “Think about it, shortly after you were captured, the same people who captured you would then go on to, accurately, strike several of your facilities one after the other. What would your 'friends' and 'brothers' think, hmm?”

Not giving Blondie a chance to respond, Hirashi would gag his captive and turn to Hoodie Girl.

“I feel we have the skills to hit these locations and routes, I am confident. Please may you look up what kinds of structures are we dealing with? Are they warehouses like the one we were in just now? Or some hospital? Shipping yards? Any information regarding the surrounding environment would also be much appreciated. Whilst you’re busy with that, I just need a few minutes to go and gather some supplies”

Hirashi would like to get some fresh, pre-calibrated nails, wires and strings, as well as some of his home-made thermite packages left over from his previous (mis)adventure in the impoundment lot a few days prior.

“Oh, I’ll also take the opportunity to a brief word with Watabe-san.”

Hirashi had acknowledged the fact that Mad Biker ran off, but decided it was better for her to have some time to herself before seeing anyone else, hence he did not follow her immediately and used that time to do all the above.

As he walked out the door, he would briefly turn towards Mad Biker.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself, it is normal to feel and to make mistakes. It is what makes us human.”

Hirashi would then jog to his dormitory to pick up the materials he needed.

A door in the back of the office opened onto a narrow corridor. Guy slipped through, closing it quietly behind himself while alert for any other movement. The three boys in the front office were dealt with for now, but there were sure to be more inside. And it was a large building. By the looks of it the other businesses occupying the property were just fronts for the gang, same as the electronics store. They must own the entire block, he thought as he hurried from door to door, listening at the doors for activity and peering inside to confirm. Nothing. Just empty offices on the outer rooms. They'd likely been arranged that way to seem normal on first sight. But what about the rooms further inside...

Sounds down the hallway announced the presence of someone else. At least 2 of them, judging by the conversation and the number of footsteps. Guy was in no mood for another confrontation. Not so soon, and not in such a disadvantaged situation. He darted into one of the rooms ahead and ducked beside the doorway.

But something caught his eye. On the far side of the room a curtain had been erected surrounding a bed. He could see the end of that bed and the feet belonging to its occupant. Small, bare feet. And the bottom of a hospital gown. Judging by the rhythmic beep of the ECG they were alive. Was he really fortunate enough to strike lucky with his first try? He drew back the curtain.

It wasn't Rachel.

Instead, it was a girl a little older, maybe middle school age. A girl with thick, wavy brown hair in a short bob. She looked up at him with bleary, half awake eyes and murmured something before Guy hurried to hush her.

"Hey. Hey. It's okay. But you've got to be quiet." He urged her, crouching down so that he was beside her. She must have been stressed enough already without being intimidated by some stranger looming over her. She blinked slowly. "I'm going to get you out of here. But you've got to be quiet." He placed his finger to his lips as he unfastened the plastic cuffs binding her wrists to the bed frame. The girl sat up, nursing her wrists.

The voices were still approaching. Guy looked across to the door and nodded to himself.

"I'm going to deal with a few things. Wait here." He whispered, looked her in the eyes and she nodded in understanding. "I'll be back."

He approached the door and stepped out into the hallway.

***

Reina stepped back as Tsubasa's anger boiled over. She was a shy girl. The kind who hated the sound of raised voices and flinched from an argument, let alone violence. So she'd remained silent as the older girl unloaded her feelings, only stopping when the manager interjected. But, though the scared expression hadn't left her face, Reina didn't turn away from Tsubasa or her strong words.

"It's okay, she's just right outside. I can still feel her. I think it might be best to let her clear her head. Reina, I'm sorry things got a bit heated there. Tensions are a bit hot given the situation."

Aiko confirmed

"It's not right..." Reina said. "Hurting someone who can't fight back... It doesn't matter who it is, it doesn't change the fact that it's wrong." She frowned uncertainly. She was clearly struggling to find the words. As far as she was concerned, wielding your power over someone who was weaker was no different from bullying. It didn't matter who was the one wielding that power or for what purpose or even who was on the receiving end. The scale might have been different, but if they did those kind of things, weren't they everything he claimed they were?

Weren't they no better than him?

***

A few minutes after the boy in red had left the room, the girl in the hospital gown stepped off the bed. She swayed on her feet but found her balance, resting her weight against the wall and shimmying to the door. He said to wait, but she knew what she had to do instead. She needed to find a phone.

She had to tell her Queen what was happening here.

Kisaragi Anko had been cornered, the explosive had left her legs oddly shaky while the leftovers of the previous night’s pain were still to be felt in her chest. Not to forget that something else was lingering beyond the adrenaline rush that came close to its end. A sense of fatigue buried underneath it all was slowly attempting to creep back to the top. Naturally, with the worst timing imaginable.

This really wasn’t the time for all that.

«I cannot say I share that sentiment.»

She had to bite back. And she would.

Back was the path of the loser, forwards that of the victor. Thus, she would make a single quick step, await the next knife strike dodge underneath it and rush in to execute a single finger jab to the one eyed woman’s throat.


Marybeth could only whistle at that lightning fast retort from nowhere, before she used a single push of the trigger to interrupt the girl’s attack with bland lethalness.

«Oh you should~!»


Fortunately, even while the rest of her body had been overly dizzy, Kisaragi’s reflexes had been as sharp as ever, allowing her to easily cancel her initially planned attack to dance past the bullet’s path. However, still at the cost of the momentum she so direly needed.


Another stretch of lost ground, Marybeth would not hesitate to exploit, this time launching a kick into the her opponent’s stomach; strong enough to launch her against the door to her back successfully. And judging by the brunt of the impact it must have hurt.

«After all, it’s the last opportunity you’ll get~!»

This time her initial strike was not performed with the blade but another gunshot, aimed straight for the forehead.


Once again the door. Once again a quick evasion, even closer to the final moment than the last one.

However, she could not deny the kick to her chest had done more than just rob her off air to breathe.

Surely, the situation had become oddly difficult to handle. Even what could normally be resolved in a single swift strike, had suddenly transformed into more and more odds piling up against her.

The pain grew ever stronger. Her legs ever more shaky. And the air in her lungs was fleeting.

This couldn’t be the end, could it?

«Tougher ones than you have crossed my path. This is only a minor setback. Nothing else.»

Even if her body no longer gave any foundation to her strength, her pride did. The pride in her skills, experiences and ability to survival and overcome any obstacle. As long as it remained, she would not give in. Besides, there had been another thing she was fighting to protect.

«I don’t care who you believe yourself to be, but all you are is just another lowly thug serving this city.»

The only thing she could and ever would do was bite back.

Another time she would step forwards, this time, however, only to feint an attempt at an attack, awaiting the reaction of the mercenary.


And a reaction she would get. Changing modes completely, Marybeth would use the knife to defend herself while the gun was held at the ready to follow it up. A swift strike to drive the girl back while the next shot would finish her.


That was all it needed to allow for the trap to snap shut. Kisaragi, unlike before, had never aimed to evade the knife strike and instead greeted it with knife hand strike to a pressure point at the attacker’s wrist, easy causing her to let go of her sharp weapon.

Subsequently, the kunoichi would reach out to catch the combat knife, immediately evading the desperate gun fire that came in response to her turning the odds and twisting the blade to ultimately direct it towards the throat of the one eyed lady. Once more chasing a quick end to this quarrel.

«And I am fed up with this kind of scum defiling my honour!»

All it would need was a cut.


Blocked doors could be torn down easily. Kicks and tackles were the sufficient standard procedure. Especially if executed by combat hardened mercenaries who could twist a neck with the ease of folding a piece of paper. After all, in their field of work, doors had to be made of steel to form a challenge.

Thus, even if you built a barricade it would become nothing beyond a basic hindrance. One they could always tear down by blowing it away with a minor explosive. And surely, Lonny and Jane weren’t too shy to make use of that.

A loud boom tearing down the door and table would become manifest of that, as the two fully armed soldiers rushed into the backroom of the convenience store, carefully aiming their rifles to check the surroundings, before arriving at an unfortunate conclusion.

«Where did she go?»

«How would I know?»

«Shit. And now?»

«She’s either hiding out or going for the streets. Let’s split up and keep in contact.»

After exchanging a pair of nods, the two of them broke off into their separate directions. One headed for where they presumed the building’s exit to be, while the other went through whatever other room and exit there was with perfect coordination. After all, this hadn’t been their first experience with this type of establishment in recent times.

Instead of wasting any more time on further obstacles, they would rush their business. One heading through the main sales of the store, scanning it shortly, only to leave through the entrance into the open streets.

Tsubasa could finally breathe some fresh air and calm down her inner turmoil. She entertained the idea of going farther away but quickly abandoned it, fearing to cause even more trouble to the bunch of them. So she sat down on the floor, back to the wall, head on knees.

'Ah, I'm so pathetic...'

She kind of wished that someone, anyone, would come and talk to her. She felt lonely. She wanted someone to understand her.

As if on cue, Saito walked out the door, and briefly turned towards her. It took her by surprise, so she quickly wiped her tears from her puffy eyes.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself, it is normal to feel and to make mistakes. It is what makes us human.”

He seemed to think that what she did was normal. Tsubasa honestly didn't agree with this statement, but she appreciated the kind gesture nonetheless.

She finally looked up and nodded slowly.

"Mhm, thanks."

And with that, the boy left to go somewhere else.

Tsuabasa decided to sit there for a few more minutes, contemplating the scenerey surrounding her.

“Ah yes, sorry about all that unpleasant business, I think Aoki-san is right everyone is a bit jumpy and pumped up on adrenaline at the moment to think straight. And thank you, for bringing a bit of clarity to our heads before we did something we would regret down the line.”

There was something about Hirashi that bother Aiko. He'd always said the right things to try and smooth out a situation, but for some reason his words also felt hollow, like he didn't believe in what he was saying. Aiko wasn't sure if this was actually the case or maybe just the fact that when she'd first met him, they had been enemies influencing the way she thought about him now, but she was wary none the less. After Hirashi spoke with their bound hostage in whispered tones Aiko couldn't quite make out, he made his way back over to Aiko.

“I feel we have the skills to hit these locations and routes, I am confident. Please may you look up what kinds of structures are we dealing with? Are they warehouses like the one we were in just now? Or some hospital? Shipping yards? Any information regarding the surrounding environment would also be much appreciated. Whilst you’re busy with that, I just need a few minutes to go and gather some supplies. Oh, I’ll also take the opportunity to a brief word with Watabe-san.”

"Sure. Not sure how detailed of information I'll be able to get on each place, but I can certainly try. I'm not stranger to looking things up but I wouldn't consider computers one of my skills."

With that Hirashi left the building leaving Aiko alone with Tsubasa's manager, the hostage, and Reina.

"It's not right... Hurting someone who can't fight back... It doesn't matter who it is, it doesn't change the fact that it's wrong."

"I agree. I'm not even a fan of hurting those that are trying to hurt me, though it's unfortunately become something of a regularity for me recently. Unfortunately I wasn't fast enough to stop Tsubasa from lashing out either."

Aiko walked back over to the computer and took a seat turning back to face the screen.

"Tsubasa doesn't strike me as a bad person so don't blame her too much. She's been through a lot hasn't she?" Aiko asked to no one in particular, but it was pretty clear the question was meant for her manager still in the room.

Hirashi managed to reach his dormitory without any incidents. Upon opening the door, Hirashi was struck by how wonderful it was to not get attacked by strangers for once.


Since the whole ambulance mystery has been resolved for the time being, the organised mess of strings, post-it notes, and photographs which adorned the walls previously has been taken down. Now the walls are back to being the same boring white.


Hirashi locked the door behind him and crossed the living room, which also doubled as a bedroom. A small toolbox was tucked away in the corner of the room next to a bookshelf, it contained a zip-lock bag containing a few dozen nails, glue, and other “normal” tools one might associate with a toolbox.


After retrieving the pack of nails, Hirashi turned around and made a left turn into the kitchen. Under the sink was something which Hirashi could not disguise as something a “normal” student would own, 3 packs of home-made thermite; aluminium/rust powder, complete with an ignition mechanism made of magnesium strips and match heads all tightly wrapped in duct tape and plastic.


Packing those two items, as well as some water, some wire, a jacket, and a few convenience store lunch boxes in a backpack, Hirashi left the building and made his way back to the others.

Given his luck recently, Hirashi hoped nothing terrible had happened while he was gone.