ã€ŠSoul Drive: Ignitionã€‹


 Chapter 1: Race

    In a dimly lit laboratory nestled within the bustling city of Kyoto, Japan, two scientists were hard at work against the backdrop of this dystopian landscape. Mary and Tadashi Kobayashi, a married couple driven by an unwavering determination for change, labored over their latest project: cybernetic combat suits they called Machs.

    "Mary, are you certain the nanocircuitry can handle the stress?" Tadashi asked, his fingers flying over a holographic keyboard as he ran simulations on the suit''s performance. His brow creased with concern, his eyes locked onto the screen before him.

    "Positive," Mary replied, her voice confident yet tinged with fatigue. She gently rubbed her swollen belly, feeling the faint kicks of their unborn child within. "Our baby deserves a better world, one where peace and safety are a reality, not just a distant hope."

    Tadashi glanced up from the screen, his gaze softening as it fell upon his wife and the life growing inside her. He smiled weakly, knowing full well the high stakes that accompanied their ground-breaking innovation. "You''re right," he conceded. "We''ll make it happen. For Hiro."

    A somber silence enveloped the room, broken only by the hum of machinery and the rhythmic tapping of Tadashi''s fingers on the keyboard. Their son, Hiro, would inherit a world riddled with distrust and apprehension ¨C a legacy they desperately wanted to change.

    As Tadashi continued working on the Mach''s nanocircuitry, his mind wandered to the countless possibilities that lay before them. If successful, the Mach suits could revolutionize warfare and finally restore a semblance of peace to the world. But he couldn''t shake the gnawing fear that their creation might fall into the wrong hands or be misused by those in power.

    "Mary," he began hesitantly, "have you considered what could happen if our technology is exploited? We can''t control how it''s used once it leaves our hands."

    She sighed deeply, her eyes fixed on the intricate blueprints laid out before her. "I know," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper. "But we have to try, Tadashi. This is our chance to make a positive impact in the world ¨C for Hiro, and everyone else."

    As Mary and Tadashi forged ahead with their work, driven by an unwavering dedication to their cause, they remained acutely aware of the delicate balance between hope and fear that teetered within the confines of their lab. And though the shadows of doubt threatened to consume them, they clung steadfastly to the belief that their efforts would bring about a better future for their son and generations to come.

    The gentle buzz of the laboratory filled the air as Mary and Tadashi continued their work on the Mach suits. The weight of the world rested on their shoulders. Mary''s fingers danced across her holographic keyboard, while Tadashi adjusted the nanites under his microscope.

    "Mary, Tadashi," Yutaka Hayashi, their lab assistant, called out as he entered the room. "I just got word from our contact in the government. They''re pushing for us to complete the project and move to human trials soon, or they''ll pull our funding."

    Mary looked up, unfazed by the news. "Don''t worry, Yutaka. We''re closer than anyone else to cracking the nanotechnology required for the suits." She turned back to her work, confidence radiating off her.

    A sudden whirring sound filled the room, and Tadashi leapt up, his face alight with excitement. "We did it!" He exclaimed, pointing to a test tube where the nanites were springing to life, creating the first Mach suit. The cybernetic suit shimmered, its stunning design and structural integrity evident even to the untrained eye.

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    Yutaka and Mary approached the suit in awe, inspecting its every detail. "Incredible," Yutaka whispered, unable to tear his eyes away. With a nod, the three scientists moved to their stations, ready to run diagnostics on their new creation.

    ---

    A year had passed since that triumphant day, but not all was well in the secret test facility beneath the city. Alarm systems blared ominously, echoing through the underground chambers. Armed men rushed through steel doors, EMT staff hot on their heels.

    In the testing room, the Mach suit malfunctioned, its pilot trapped within, overheating rapidly. EMTs sprayed the suit down with fire extinguishers, struggling to free the pilot. Finally, they managed to pry the suit open, revealing the severely burned pilot. They quickly placed him on a stretcher and rushed him out of the room.

    Behind the one-way glass of the viewing room, several Japanese generals watched the scene unfold, disappointment etched onto their faces. Mary stood among them, her expression a mixture of concern and determination.

    "Dr. Kobayashi," one of the generals began, "this is unacceptable. What happened?"

    Mary took a deep breath, steeling herself. "The Mach system draws its power from the pilot, sir. The stronger the pilot, the stronger the Mach. But it also seems to infect the pilot''s minds, causing them to lose control over time. No pilot has lasted longer than a month before being hospitalized or dying."

    The generals exchanged grave glances before addressing her again. "Continue your work, Dr. Kobayashi. The government wants Japan to emerge as a new world superpower. We need these Mach suits to succeed."

    As the generals left the room, Mary''s thoughts raced. She knew the risks, the potential for catastrophe. But she also believed in the promise of a better world ¨C for all those whose lives hung in the balance of their creation.

    Mary watched the generals disappear down the hallway, their stern expressions and crisp uniforms a stark reminder of the gravity of their work. She fished her phone from her pocket, hands trembling as she dialed Tadashi''s number. The familiar hum of his voice on the other end provided an immediate sense of comfort.

    "Hey, love," he answered, concern lacing his tone. "How did the test go?"

    "Better...and worse," Mary admitted, rubbing her forehead anxiously. "The failsafe is working, but I can''t help feeling guilty about the lives being ruined by it."

    "Mary, we''re doing the right thing," Tadashi reassured her. "When we realized the destruction our creation could cause, we made sure only those with strong enough minds to question their orders would be able to use the devices."

    She nodded, even though he couldn''t see her. "I know. It''s just hard sometimes, the neuro-link seems to be more damaging to the pilots than initially expected. Can...can I talk to Hiro?"

    "Of course." There was a rustling sound, followed by Tadashi''s gentle voice cooing at their six-month-old son. "Say hi to Mommy, Hiro!"

    Mary couldn''t help but smile as she heard Hiro''s soft babble over the phone, her heart swelling with love for her family. This, she reminded herself, was what they were fighting for.

    "Thanks, Tadashi," she whispered before hanging up, feeling a renewed sense of determination.

    "Dr. Kobayashi?" Yutaka''s voice pulled her from her thoughts. He hesitated, shifting his weight nervously. "I was wondering if the code for the Mach program could have somehow been altered without us knowing."

    Mary met his gaze, careful not to betray her emotions. "No, Yutaka. The code hasn''t been tampered with."

    "Would you mind if I ran an analytic program on it, just to be sure?" he asked, brow furrowed.

    "Actually," she said, feigning a smile, "I can handle that for you. I need you to focus on the cloaking aspect of the Machs. It''s vital we can store and hide them from anyone who would try to steal the tech."

    "Of course." Yutaka nodded, relief flooding his features. "Thank you, Dr. Kobayashi. I appreciate your willingness to check for me."

    "Anytime, Yutaka," she replied, watching him return to his work. As he disappeared around the corner, Mary''s stomach clenched with worry. She knew the truth could put Yutaka''s life in danger if the government ever found out they altered the original code, and she prayed that day would never come.

 Chapter 2: Crumble

    The air inside the laboratory was filled with the faint scent of burnt ozone, a byproduct of Yutaka''s tireless efforts. Months had passed, and Yutaka had finally managed to create a program that disguised the Machs as other electronic items such as headphones, cellphones, tablets, cameras, and game systems. The once menacing cybernetic suits were now indistinguishable from everyday gadgets.

    "Excellent work, Yutaka," Tadashi said, his voice tinged with awe as he examined a Mach-disguised tablet. "Now we can transport them out of here without any being the wiser."

    "Thank you, Tadashi," Yutaka replied, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. His heart swelled with pride, so he bothered to ask what Tadashi had meant by his transporting comment. He also didn''t notice Tadashi had a look of calculation spreading across his face as if analyzing every possible detail of an unsaid plan.

    Mary arrived, her face flushed from rushing back to the lab after dropping Hiro off at the sitter''s. She made sure Yutaka was out of earshot before speaking to Tadashi.  "We''re ready then?" she asked as she looked over the unassuming Mach armor devices with awe, "Time to hide these Machs away from the government and anyone else who would use them for war?"

    "Indeed. The bug we planted on General Tao, has recorded some very disturbing plans for securing our western border," Tadashi glanced at Yutaka, who was blissfully unaware of what was about to happen. Would he be blamed for the missing tech? Tadashi couldn''t let this possibility stop them. "Let''s get to it."

    The moment those words left Tadashi''s lips, a massive explosion rocked the facility. The shockwave shattered test tubes and sent equipment flying in all directions. As alarms blared, soldiers burst through the breached wall, guns blazing.

    "I have to wipe the hard drives!" Tadashi screamed, as he rushed off into the smoke.

    "Yutaka!" Mary shouted over the deafening sound of gunfire. "Take the Machs and run! I''ll buy us some time!"

    "Mary, no! You should¡ª" Yutaka began to protest, but she cut him off, her eyes fierce and determined. She furiously began typing away at the keyboard, diverting power to the shields that flickered over the doors.

    "I''m not leaving without Tadashi!" She ducked behind a toppled workstation, and retrieved a hidden laser. "Now go!"

    With a nod, Yutaka grabbed the disguised Machs and fled through a hidden exit, one they had hot-marked on any map of the facility. As he dashed down the dimly lit corridor, the chilling echoes of gunshots reverberated through his very core. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, each beat like a drum urging him to move faster. His fear response was in full gear as he raced down the hallway.

    In his haste, Yutaka tripped, sending a few of the Machs skidding across the floor. Panic seized him, and instead of retrieving them, he continued to run, driven by a primal fear for his life.

    As he turned a corner, he collided with more soldiers. The icy grip of terror squeezed his lungs as he raised his hands in surrender. "Please, this doesn''t make sense, Why would you do this to us?" he whispered, his voice trembling. "How did you know about the tunnel?"

    A cold, merciless smile spread across the soldier''s face before the deafening sound of a single gunshot filled Yutaka''s ears. Darkness engulfed him as the Machs were taken from his grasp and the facility was set ablaze.

    -----------

    Days later, the airwaves buzzed with news of Tadashi and Mary''s disappearance. Mr. Stark, a stern-faced Canadian Ambassador, sat behind his polished oak desk, eyes glued to the coverage as he engaged in a tense video chat with a nervous-looking Japanese government representative, Ami.

    "Tell me," Mr. Stark began, his voice cold and measured, "do you realize that Mary is one of our own? We loaned her to you for this project, and now you''re claiming she''s vanished along with her husband."

    The Japanese representative swallowed hard, sweat glistening on her brow. "Mr. Stark, I assure you, we are doing everything within our power to locate them. They possess vital information that could be catastrophic if it falls into the wrong hands."

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    "Is that so?" Mr. Stark leaned back in his chair, a disbelieving smirk playing on his lips. "You see, I recently received a package from your government containing five Mach units. Care to explain why these two world-renowned scientists would leave the very thing you claimed they tried to hide from you behind?"

    "Sir, we were able to recover¡ª" Ami stammered, but Mr. Stark cut her off.

    "Let me be clear," he said icily. "If you''re attempting to breach our contract, I can think of numerous ways to ensure mutual destruction."

    "Mr. Stark, please," Ami pleaded, desperation creeping into her voice. "We aren''t trying to deceive you. The devices were sent as a sign of good faith, after they were recovered from the lab fire."

    "Good faith, my ass," Mr. Stark muttered before abruptly ending the call.

    ***

    In Osaka, Goro, stood in the doorway of his modest home, face etched with concern as two somber government employees presented him with Hiro, swaddled in a blanket. Their words echoed in his ears: "He''s the only family either Tadashi or Mary had. Hiro is yours now."

    "Mine?" Goro''s voice cracked, the weight of the situation settling on his shoulders. He extended his arms, taking Hiro from the employees and cradling him close to his chest.

    "Thank you," Goro whispered, choking back tears as he closed the door behind them. With unsteady hands, he wiped the tears that clung to his cheeks, trying to maintain a brave face for Hiro. "I''ll take care of you, little one. I promise."

    Hiro gazed up at him with wide, innocent eyes, unaware of the tragedy that had befallen his parents. Goro''s heart ached as he held the one-year-old, mourning the disappearance of his brother while silently vowing to protect and love Hiro as his own.

    -------

    Fifteen years had dissolved like mist under the sun, and Masato Tanaka found himself seated in his sterile office, surrounded by documents and blueprints of the once-illustrious Mach project. The walls were adorned with various schematics, a testament to his dedication and obsession with cracking the code that would unlock the true potential of these cybernetic suits.

    "Useless," he muttered under his breath as he skimmed through yet another file of a military-trained pilot who''d failed the rigorous Mach testing. He tossed the folder onto the ever-growing discard pile and rubbed his temples, frustration mounting. Each one is a reminder of the failing program.

    "Dammit," he mumbled, pushing back from his desk. "It''s not their physical capabilities that matter¡ªit''s their damned mental fortitude! These machines destroy anyone who doesn''t have the willpower to control them."

    Masato''s eyes flicked over to the phone on his desk, an idea stirring in the depths of his mind. He needed minds that wouldn''t bend to the power of the Machs. He picked up the receiver, dialing a number he knew would lead him down an unconventional path.

    "Hello? Yes, this is Masato Tanaka. I need the authorization to expand our search for potential Mach pilots," he said firmly, his voice laced with conviction. "I want access to all the psych wards in the country."

    The voice on the other end hesitated "Your request has been granted on the condition send detailed reports on your findings." He hung up the phone, a determined glint in his eyes.

    "Time to find the minds that can handle these suits," he whispered to himself as he gathered his things and left his office.

    Masato spent days visiting psychiatric facilities, sifting through medical records, and conducting interviews. It was during one such visit that he stumbled upon a file that piqued his interest¡ªNori Aoki, a 16-year-old with anger issues and a history of escaping most institutions.

    "Interesting," he mused, examining the contents of Nori''s file. "Such defiance and willpower. This might be exactly what we need."

    Masato made his way to Nori''s room and glanced through the small window, finding the teenager sitting alone, a stormy expression etched onto his shaved head. His muscular frame exuded raw power, but it was the fire in his eyes that intrigued Masato the most.

    Masato turned to the boy''s doctor "So this is Nori," he began, trying to keep his tone neutral. "My name is Masato Tanaka. I''ve been looking for someone with his... unique set of skills."

    "Skills?" The doctor scoffed, eyeing Masato warily. "You mean my anger issues?"

    "Of course not," Masato replied without missing a beat. "I believe that his emotional intensity could be the key to unlocking the true potential of a project we are working on, one to improve the mental health of thousands of soldiers."

    "Are you serious?" the doctor asked skeptically, his brow furrowing. "Why him?"

    "Because," Masato explained, leaning in to emphasize his point, "those who adhere to the status quo will never be able to push the boundaries of what''s possible. It''s people like him, those who are misunderstood and cast out of society¡ªthat can change the world."

    The doctor stared at him for a moment, considering the man. There was something about the way Masato presented himself and the authority he held that made the doctor believe his words.

    "Alright," the doctor agreed, his voice firm with determination. "You may speak to the boy, but I doubt you will still consider him for your project when he is done with you."

    "Excellent," Masato said, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "I have my ways of motivating people when I need to. Nori is going to make history."

 Chapter 3: Birthday

    Hiro sat quietly at the small dining table, his eyes darting around the room as the aroma of fresh tuna filled the air. His uncle''s skillful hands moved with practiced precision, slicing and rolling the ingredients with care. Today was his sixteenth birthday, yet the only other guest in attendance was his best friend, Kimiko.

    "Go on, Hiro, open it!" Kimiko urged excitedly, her dark eyes sparkling with anticipation as she slid a neatly wrapped gift across the table to him. Her long black hair shimmered under the overhead light.

    "Okay, okay," Hiro chuckled softly, carefully peeling back the paper to reveal a box brimming with assorted sweets. He looked up at Kimiko, a genuine smile playing on his lips. "Thank you! You didn''t have to."

    "Of course I did!" Kimiko exclaimed, grinning proudly. "I picked them all myself, from our trip to Tokyo, it was hard to hide them all." She leaned in slightly, eager to see Hiro''s reaction.

    As Hiro eyes a dazzling galaxy truffle, he couldn''t help but let his mind wander to what this birthday might have been like if his parents were still alive. Would they be sitting here with him, sharing laughter and stories over a hearty meal? What were they really like? he really only had his uncle''s stories of them to remember. The pang of their absence made him each sweat taste slightly bitter, but he pushed the thought aside and tried to enjoy it.

    "Hey, Hiro?" Kimiko''s voice interrupted his thoughts. "Would you walk me home? If I am late for dinner again, dad will kill me,"

    "Of course," he replied without hesitation, pushing away the lingering melancholy. They slipped on their jackets and ventured into the crisp evening air, the streets of Osaka bustling with life.

    Kimiko went off about how English classes had only gotten harder as they passed a large storefront. Hiro could swear he saw the reflection of a man with burn scars staring at him. Trying not to give himself away he glanced back and sure enough the man trailed them a few feet away. He just happens to be going our way, he thought, trying to calm himself.

    Casting another wary glance over his shoulder as they turned a corner, he spotted the man with burn scars on his face, making the same turn. His heart began to race, who was this guy and why did he give Hiro such a bad vibe? Without alerting Kimiko to the potential danger, Hiro guided them through the throngs of people, maneuvering around street vendors and weaving between groups of pedestrians in an attempt to lose their pursuer.

    "Hiro, aren''t you supposed to go around groups of people, not through them?" Kimiko asked, a hint of suspicion in her voice. " Honestly sometimes I swear you are in your own little world."

    "Oh right, you know how it is just daydreaming about what this year will bring," Hiro lied smoothly, hoping she wouldn''t pry further.

    "Hopefully it brings some excitement." Kimiko lamented, "So far it has been a total borefest."

    By the time they reached Kimiko''s apartment building, Hiro was fairly certain they had lost the scarred man.

    "See you at school tomorrow?" Kimiko said as she stood outside the door.

    "Of course, I am sure I will have plenty of leftover sushi to share." Hiro offered.

    "And that is why I keep you around," Kimiko teased, she turned on her heels and headed inside. "I hope your birthday was everything you wanted it to be Hiro." she waved as she disappeared.

    Hiro cautiously made his way back home, his senses heightened, ever vigilant for the mystery man who had been following them. He knew it must have all been in his head but still, he just wanted to go home as fast as possible.

    Hiro''s breath puffed out in small clouds as he approached the front door of his home, the chill of the night air seeping through his jacket. He noticed a folded piece of paper wedged between the doorframe and the door itself, held in place by a tiny magnet. Hiro chuckled softly, plucking the note from its perch. His uncle''s affection for old-fashioned communication was endearing if not slightly inconvenient.

    "Back soon," the hastily scrawled message read, "Store emergency. Save me some sushi." Hiro shook his head, smiling at the thought of his uncle rushing around their family store, trying to put out proverbial fires. He hoped it wasn''t anything too serious.

    As he moved to open the door, the reflection of the scarred man on the windowpane behind him sent a shiver down his spine. Before he could react, a calloused hand clamped over Hiro''s mouth, muffling his startled yelp.

    "Quiet, Hiro," the scarred man whispered urgently, his voice hoarse and gravelly. "I don''t want to hurt you, but we need to talk."

    Hiro''s heart hammered in his chest, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He nodded slowly, and the man released his grip, stepping back to give him space.

    "Who are you? and how do you know my name?" Hiro demanded, his voice trembling despite his attempt at bravery.

    "Yutaka Hayashi," the man answered, adjusting his glasses with one hand while keeping the other visible to show he meant no harm. "I worked at the lab with your parents. I knew them well, and before they died, they made me promise to look out for you."

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    "How come I have never seen you before in my life?" Hiro questioned, skepticism creeping into his tone.

    Yutaka hesitated, his eyes darting away briefly before refocusing on Hiro. "There are people, people who can''t know I am alive. but I had to see you, it was your parent''s will. They survived the crash, long enough to make it to the hospital. I was there with them as they were fading. They made me swear to protect you, Hiro."

    Hiro''s mind reeled, grappling with the revelation that his parents had been conscious, even for a short while, after the accident. The thought of their final moments spent in pain and worry for him was almost too much to bear.

    "You''re lying, Why would you appear now? Why would my parents trust you?" Hiro spat out, anger flaring through his confusion.

    "Look, Hiro, I know this is hard to believe," Yutaka said patiently, his eyes filled with sincerity. "But your parents trusted me because they knew I was their lab assistant, I helped them in every aspect of their research. We were close colleagues, and ultimately, friends."

    Hiro stared at Yutaka, his eyes searching for any sign of deceit. There was something about the scarred man that resonated with him, an inexplicable connection that Hiro couldn''t quite shake. But could he truly trust Yutaka, a virtual stranger linked to his parents'' mysterious past?

    Hiro''s chest tightened, a mixture of doubt and curiosity swirling in his thoughts as he weighed Yutaka''s words. "Alright," he said finally, his voice barely audible. "So why now?"

    "Your parents were working on something big, Hiro," Yutaka explained earnestly, his eyes locked onto the young man''s. "Once they realized the plans the government had for their creations, they knew the world would be in danger. And now... it seems their fears are about to come true. You are the only one who can stop it"

    "Me?" Hiro blinked in surprise, skepticism creeping back into his heart. "What can I do?"

    Yutaka reached into his pocket and pulled out an object that resembled an old-fashioned cellphone. He handed it to Hiro with a solemn expression. "This is a Mach, created by your parents specifically for you. It was designed based on your genetic code, and they hoped this day would never come. But recent events I discovered online have raised some red flags, and now we need your help."

    As Hiro took the Mach, he couldn''t help but stare at the seemingly outdated device. "How is this old thing supposed to help? Why not go to the authorities?"

    "Trust me, Hiro, this fight is one we must face together: you, Me, and your parents, with this device. The authorities won''t be able to help us, they don''t have the technology," Yutaka responded firmly. "And remember, don''t judge a book by its cover." he motioned the the old cell phone.

    "Alright, so what am I supposed to do with this?" Hiro asked, frustration evident in his voice. He had a million questions swirling in his head and every answer he got seemed to add three more.

    "Hit the green call button when the time comes, and it''ll take it from there" Yutaka instructed, his gaze unwavering.

    "Time? How will I know when it''s time?" Hiro demanded, anxiety churning within him. Was Yutaka actually his parent''s lab assistant or was he just a rambling madman? A part of him hoped it was the latter.

    "You''ll know," Yutaka replied, "I need to go now, I have been exposed for too long." cryptically before activating a cloaking device and disappearing from sight.

    "Wait!" Hiro clenched the Mach tightly in his hand, feeling the weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders. He stared at the spot where Yutaka had stood only moments before, his mind racing as he tried to process everything that had just happened.

    "Why would my parents create this for me, and why would they leave it with a guy like that?" Hiro wondered, doubt gnawing at the edge of his resolve. "How does an ancient cellphone save the world?" He entered his home and found his way to his room.

    As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting shadows across the room, Hiro traced the device with his fingers, and deep down he knew he had been played. And so, with a heavy heart, he placed the old device on the side table and headed to the kitchen to enjoy some of the salmon sushi his uncle had lovingly prepared.

    As he ate, he couldn''t escape the nagging idea that maybe his parents really did leave the device for him. That they were still looking out for him even now, and this was their last gift to him. He glanced back at the side table. "What harm could there be in at least testing the phone" He thought, finding himself drawn to the table. He scooped up the charcoal-coloured phone and headed to his bedroom.

    A single bead of sweat trickled down Hiro''s temple as he examined the Mach, its surface worn and scuffed. He traced his fingers over the faded buttons, feeling their slight indentations, and wondered whether this thing would even turn on. His chest tightened with uncertainty, but he couldn''t shake off the lingering hope that maybe, just maybe, it was all true.

    "Alright," Hiro muttered to himself, determined to figure out how this vintage piece of technology could possibly hold any significance. "Let''s see what you can do."

    He cautiously pressed a few of the buttons, half-expecting some sort of reaction, but the screen remained dark. The silence in the room grew louder, amplifying his own doubts.

    "Is Yutaka really telling the truth?" Hiro questioned, his voice barely above a whisper. "Or am I just holding onto a useless hunk of plastic?"

    His eyes fell on a framed photograph of his parents, their smiles frozen in time. False memories flooded Hiro''s mind of what could have been - laughter echoing through their home, whispered bedtime stories, warm hugs that felt like safety. A painful lump formed in his throat as he struggled to push back tears.

    "Mom, Dad...what should I do?" His voice trembled as he spoke to their distant image, hoping for guidance. Hiro knew deep down that he had always longed for a connection to his parents - a tangible link between their love and his own existence. Was this his chance? Or just an elaborate deception?

    Frustration built up inside him, the urge to hurl the device against the wall nearly overwhelming. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing thoughts. When he opened them again, one thought crossed his mind - a charger.

    "Alright," Hiro whispered, clutching the Mach tighter in his hand. "I''ll keep you for now until I can find a charger and see if there really is anything to you."

    He placed the device on his nightstand, unwilling to discard it just yet. As he lay down on his bed, eyes flicking back and forth between the Mach and the photograph of his parents, Hiro felt a spark of determination ignite within him.

    "For my parents," he vowed, "I''ll find out the truth about this Mach, about Yutaka, and this coming danger."

    With that promise lingering in the air, Hiro closed his eyes, allowing sleep to claim him as he prepared to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

 Chapter 4: Power

    Masato strode confidently down the sterile halls of the mental institution just outside of Osaka, a manila folder clutched tightly in his hand. The fluorescent lights overhead flickered, casting eerie shadows on the tiled floor. Masato couldn''t help but smile as he thought about his discovery, He was about to find Japan''s first Mach pilot. Over a decade they had been searching, and now he was moments away from being Japan''s savior.

    "Imagine the power this will bring," he mused, his thoughts filled with visions of the promotions and political gains he would achieve. "Japan is going to reform the world." His eyes gleamed with determination, and he allowed himself a small chuckle.

    As he approached the room of sixteen-year-old Nori Aoki, a nurse swiped her key card and opened the door for Masato. Her face was tight with concern. "Mr. Tanaka, I must warn you that Nori is quite dangerous. We''ll have security on standby, but please be prepared to evacuate the room at any moment."

    "Thank you, but I assure you we won''t be here long," Masato replied, his tone dismissive yet confident. The nurse furrowed her brow, clearly puzzled by his response, but she stepped back and allowed him to enter Nori''s room.

    ---------

    Hiro sat at the kitchen table, his thoughts still lingering on the unresponsive cell phone upstairs. He mechanically shoveled spoonfuls of rice and egg into his mouth, barely tasting the food as his mind raced with possibilities.

    "Something on your mind, Hiro?" his uncle asked, noting his nephew''s distracted demeanor.

    "Ah, no, it''s nothing," Hiro replied, forcing a smile. "Just thinking about school and stuff."

    "Awe yes, exams are coming up aren''t they?" Goro asked, trying to find the source of Hiro''s worry.

    "Yeah, I am pretty sure I will pass them all," He stared at his eggs trying to find a way to end his thought so his uncle would be satisfied. "But our new English teacher is tougher than the last one, she is from Britain."

    "Awe, yes," Goro said thoughtfully, "You are the son of the smartest man and woman I knew, you share their mind and so you have nothing to worry about. Then again we are related too, so maybe you should study just a little more. Hiro let a laugh escape and Goro felt more at ease.

    "Alright, but don''t forget to enjoy your breakfast," his uncle chided gently, shaking his head at Hiro''s propensity for getting lost in thought.

    ----------

    Back at the institution, Masato stood tall before Nori, who regarded him with an air of indifference. Despite Nori''s muscular build and shaved head, there was a vulnerability in his eyes that betrayed his distrust of the man standing in front of him. Masato knew he had found the perfect candidate for the Mach armor ¨C someone whose will was unshakable, one the neuro-uplink couldn''t destroy. All he had to do now was convince Nori it was in his best interest to join the Japanese government.

    "Are you ready to make history?" Masato asked, his voice a mix of challenge and promise. The game had begun.

    Masato extended his hand towards Nori, offering a firm handshake. "The name is Masato Tanaka," he said, his voice steady and assertive. Nori''s eyes narrowed as he stared coldly at the outstretched hand, refusing to return the gesture.

    "Get out before I kill you," Nori warned, a dangerous glint in his eyes. Masato remained unfazed, retracting his hand without any sign of disappointment.

    "Interesting proposition," Masato mused, placing both hands in his pockets as he paced around the room. "But I have a better one for you. A deal that would grant you your freedom and more."

    Nori''s eyebrows raised ever so slightly, curiosity piqued. "And what kind of deal would that be?" he asked skeptically.

    "I''ve read your file, you are quite determined and full of rage." Masato started.

    "Congratulations you can read." Nori interrupted, rolling his eyes.

    "I am offering you an opportunity to take all your rage out on the world without consequence. We set the targets and you destroy, of course, there is a suggestion of minimal civilian casualties, but as long as the job is done you will have leeway. And you will be paid handsomely for it, no less," Masato explained, pulling out the Mach 2 device from within his jacket.

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    "And if I decline your oh-so-generous offer? I mean it does sound like I would just be a government lackey."

    "Oh no, you would be so much more," Masato knew he really had to sell it. To him, Nori was the experiment, either he lived and proved him right or died and the search continued. "You would lead armies and in the end get your pick of countries you own.

    "And that thing in your hand, what is that for?" Nori was eyeing, the old VR headset Masato clung to, its true power was far beyond what its exterior suggested.

    "This is your weapon, the one you will use to level cities and bring order to the world," Masato continued, holding the headset out for Nori to examine. "There''s a small test, though. To prove you can handle such power. A gang from Australia will be smuggling illegal weapons into Osaka pier tonight, kill them and this is yours for as long as want it."

    Nori studied the device, he knew accepting meant following along with Masato''s plans, at least for now. "But this idiot was willing to set him free and had his weapon, that deal was too good to pass up," he thought. He reached out a steady hand, and grasped the headset, turning it over in his hands.

    "I''ll take that as a yes." Masato said with a smile, "Time to take our leave." He gestured toward the door and Nori followed him out of his room and all the way to freedom.

    "Now, this device has yet to be successfully tested and I should warn the malfunctions could be severe. Simple press the power button to activate it." Masato instructed.

    Nori tapped the power button and in an instant, his body became enveloped in red cybernetic armor, muscles rippling beneath the metallic surface. The AI sprung to life, informing seven targets are on the move west of his location. With newfound strength, Nori blasted toward the target excited to see what this suit could really do.

    "Follow him," Masato ordered into his radio, his lips curling into a sly smile. This was it, the final test had commenced.

    --------------

    As Hiro laid in his bed after a particularly boring day of school, he was jolted from his thoughts by the sudden blaring of an alarm. The old cellphone on his bedside table had come to life, its screen flashing urgently. He recalled Yutaka''s cryptic warning and he snatched the device from its resting place.

    "What on Earth is making that terrible sound?!" his uncle shouted from below, his patience wearing thin. With a hasty apology, Hiro closed his bedroom, desperate to dampen the alarm but unsure of how to proceed.

    "Yutaka said something about activating it," Hiro muttered to himself, his fingers flying over the buttons in a panicked frenzy. The alarm continued to wail, drowning out all other thoughts. Suddenly, it hit him ¨C the green talk button.

    Hiro''s trembling fingers pressed the green talk button, and in an instant, the phone disintegrated into a swarm of nanobots. They buzzed around him like a metallic storm, covering his body with a sleek teal cybernetic suit. For a moment, Hiro stood there, awestruck by the transformation. The phone truly was special after all, there was no doubt in his mind now.

    "User identified: Hiro Kobayashi," the suit''s AI announced in a calm, robotic voice. "All systems operational. Mach 2 detected. Activate cloaking mode to prevent detection?"

    "Uh...yes?" Hiro stammered, still trying to comprehend what was happening to him.

    "Activating cloaking mode," the AI confirmed. The world outside Hiro''s suit took on a slightly distorted appearance, as if he were viewing it through warped glass. "Unauthorized activation of Mach 2 has resulted in protocol 9, seek and destroy. It is heading towards the open ocean. Immediate pursuit is advised."

    Hiro barely had time to fully think through what he was being told, his reeling from the fact Yutaka hadn''t been lying to him. "Alright, I''ll do it," Hiro muttered, though uncertainty gnawed at the edges of his resolve. As the suit sprouted a pair of cybernetic wings, he climbed through his window, he wondered if this had been his parents'' plan all along, to find their tech and destroy it. The only question he still had was why.

    -----------

    Meanwhile, at the pier, Nori''s rage knew no bounds. His red armor glinted in the moonlight as he tore through shipping containers, sending metal shards flying in all directions. The air was thick with the scent of burning rubber and gasoline ¨C a testament to the destruction Nori had already wrought.

    "Where are they?" he snarled, scanning the area for what remained of the gang. His fury blinded him, and instead of targeting only the criminals, he lashed out indiscriminately at anyone who happened to be on the pier.

    Government officials watching the scene from a secure location felt a cold wave of fear wash over them. The live feed of the devastation played out on multiple screens, leaving them speechless.

    "Is this our new weapon?" one official whispered, his voice shaky. "How do we control him?"

    "Control?" another scoffed bitterly. "We''ve just unleashed a monster."

    As Hiro approached the pier, he could see the chaos Nori had caused and felt a sickening feeling in his stomach. Was this what his Parents had invented the Machs for?

    "AI," Hiro said hesitantly. "Can I communicate with Mach 2? Maybe I can reason with him."

    "Attempting communication," the AI responded, opening a channel between the two suits. Hiro''s voice crackled through the connection, wavering yet determined.

    "Hey! Mach 2! This is...Mach 1. You need to stop this! You''re hurting innocent people!"

    "And here I was thinking I was special," Nori snarled back. "I should have known Masato would have a way to make sure I followed the rules."

    "I don''t know what you are talking about and I am not here to fight you," Hiro countered, lost in the situation before him. "Please, let''s talk about this before more people get hurt."

    "Talk?" Nori spat. "You are in a mar machine capable of ending the world and you just want to talk? You''re pathetic, you don''t deserve this power, and you are a waste of my time. I am not going to stop until I decide to."

    Nori cut the communication, leaving Hiro frustrated and afraid. But he couldn''t let this continue, he could see the devastation as people attempted to flee the area. He had no choice, if Mach 2 wasn''t willing to talk then he would have to stop him another way.

    "AI, what are your weapon capabilities" He asked, determined to do whatever it took to protect his parents'' legacy.

 Chapter 5: Test

    The setting sun cast a crimson hue across Osaka Port, as screams filled the air and bodies crumpled to the ground. Nori, clad in the powerful Mach 2 cybernetic armor, showed no mercy as he rained fire down on the gang he was sent to destroy. His eyes blazed with fury, his every move fueled by the rage that had consumed him for so long.

    "Damn it, Nori! This is getting out of hand power down now! before the new crews show up" Masato shouted, but his words were swallowed by the chaos. He knew he couldn''t stop Nori, not without risking his own life.

    "I don''t think so, you see I can tell you don''t have a Mach of your own, no does... expect that guy and he isn''t doing anything to stop me," Nori''s amplified voice boomed, cold and menacing. "But I will fulfill the promise I made you when we met, I told you I''d kill you, and I''m a man of my word."

    Masato braced himself as the hulking figure of Nori soared towards him like a vengeful angel of death. He clenched his fists, preparing for the inevitable impact when suddenly, a blast rang out knocking Nori aside ¨C Hiro, wearing the Mach 1 cybernetic armor had his arm raised with smoke pouring out of the Mach''s palm.

    "Get away from him!" Hiro shouted, his voice muffled by the helmet''s speakers. He launched himself at Nori, crashing into him mid-flight and knocking him off course. The force of the collision sent them both tumbling through the air, debris flying in their wake.

    "You ruined my perfect shot!" Nori roared, his anger now redirected towards this unexpected adversary. "You think you can save him?"

    "I am going to save who I can," Hiro retorted, adjusting his suit''s systems to prepare for battle. "I can''t let you use that suit to cause death and destruction."

    Realizing he facing someone who theoretically was on the same level, Nori''s anger intensified. As the two armored figures squared off, Masato looked on in shock and confusion. How did someone else get their hands on the Mach? Is this some government plot to undermine me?

    "Is that one of ours?" Masato barked into his radio. "Who the hell is flying Mach 1?"

    "We don''t know, Mach 1 was not retrieved for the lab fire," came the reply, equally bewildered. "That suit was thought to be destroyed in the blaze. It''s impossible."

    "Then authorize me to destroy it!" Masato demanded, his voice laced with desperation.

    "Permission granted, do not let that suit leave the area," the voice on the other end replied solemnly. "We can not afford to let the world know this technology exists."

    As Hiro and Nori clashed, the sound of metal against metal echoing through the air, Masato couldn''t help but worry about what this new development meant for him, for Mach technology, and the world.

    If I survive this, Hiro thought, his heart pounding in his chest, I pledge to find and destroy all the other Machs. I won''t let my parents'' creations be used for destruction. No matter what.

    Consumed by adrenaline, Hiro watched as the Mach 2 suit''s blasters charged up, their hum intensifying. Nori, his anger palpable even through the suit, fired at Hiro without hesitation. The blinding light of the energy beams streaked toward him, but he managed to dodge it just in time, leaving a trail of smoke in his wake.

    "If you don''t stop this, I will be forced to make you stop," Hiro said, feeling bold despite his pounding heart. He returned fire, the two titans exchanging volleys of blaster fire. As they danced through the air, narrowly avoiding each other''s attacks, it was clear that neither could gain the upper hand.

    "Hiro, the odds of winning are 50%, your suits'' capabilities are evenly matched" The AI chimed in "In a scenario like this your suit comes equipped with a Soul weapon. Yours are the Soul Blades, capable of slicing through any substance on earth with ease."

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    "Ok, so this will let us win this thing, and save those people down there," Hiro responded, relieved at a chance to stop this unhinged Mach pilot.

    "Correct, However, the use of a Soul weapon does not come without consequences. As the name implies, a soul weapon is connected to your very soul, if damaged or destroyed.."

    Hiro wallowed hard but what other choice did he have? "Activate Soul Blades," Hiro whispered to the suit as he activated the Soul Blade function. Two arm-length blades emerged from the suit''s gauntlets, crackling with teal energy. A fierce determination overcame him as he surged forward, slicing through the air like a vengeful spirit.

    "Impossible!" Nori roared, taken aback by the sight of the glowing weapons. His confusion turned to rage as he realized he was outmatched. "I''ll kill you before you even get close enough to use those things"

    "This ends now," Hiro replied, gracefully dodging another volley of blaster fire, closing the distance between himself and Nori. Their suits clashed, metal screeching against metal, as Hiro slashed at Nori with the soul blades. Each hit created sparks and left deep gouges on the Mach 2 armor.

    I have to end this before someone else gets hurt, Hiro thought, sweat dripping down his face. He hesitated, allowing Nori to land a glancing blow, then used the moment to deliver a devastating strike with his blade to Mach 2''s power core. The impact sent Nori hurtling toward the ground, his cybernetic armor heavily damaged.

    "Damn you!" Nori screamed, powerless to stop his descent as he crashed into the ground, smoke and debris billowed outwards from the impact site.

    "Stand down!" shouted a group of government agents, swarming around the fallen Mach 2. They quickly surrounded Nori, who was forced to power down his suit. "You''re under arrest!"

    "Hands up!" another agent called out, pointing his weapon at Hiro. He hesitated, but then the AI in his suit activated its shield, enveloping him in a protective barrier.

    "Sorry, can''t stick around," Hiro said with an air of nonchalance before flying off, leaving the agents staring after him, weapons still raised.

    --------

    Later that night, Hiro lay in bed, thinking about the events of the day. The exhilaration of the battle had faded, replaced by fear and uncertainty. What if they found out it was me? What if I can''t protect everyone? I need to find Yutaka. His thoughts spiraled as he stared at the ceiling, unable to sleep.

    But amid the whirlwind of emotions, one thought remained constant: his parents had created these weapons, and the Japanese government had a plan for them ¨C this couldn''t have been what his parents wanted ¨C the government had to be stopped before they used the suits for war. With a silent vow, Hiro steeled his resolve, promising to find any others, if they even existed, and destroy them to protect the world.

    --------

    Inside the sterile confines of a military base, Nori was forcibly escorted by stone-faced agents down a long, unremarkable hallway. The clanging of his cuffs echoed through the corridor as he struggled to maintain his balance, his once-powerful Mach armor now reduced to back to its tattered VR headset form. As the heavy door to his cell slammed shut behind him, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of despair creeping in.

    "Damn it," Nori muttered under his breath, his fists clenched tight. "If I ever get out of here you are dead Mach 1,"

    Masato Tanaka stood in another part of the facility, overseeing the damaged remains of Mach 2 being carted away for repairs. His brow furrowed with worry, aware of the implications this failure could have on his career.

    "Sir, we''ve managed to recover most of the Mach 2''s components," an officer reported, snapping Masato out of his troubled thoughts.

    "Good. Spare no expense on the repairs. We can''t afford any more incidents like this," Masato replied tersely, trying to mask the unease that gnawed at him.

    "Actually sir, the suit seems to be repairing itself." The officer informed him. A smile crept across Masato''s face at this amazing discovery.

    As they walked together toward the repair bay, Masato couldn''t shake the thought of the failed mission. This was supposed to be a flawless operation, he thought, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Who was piloting that other Mach and where did they get it?

    "Any word on the rogue Mach?" Masato asked, desperate for some semblance of good news.

    "Fortunately, sir, none of the civilians in the area managed to capture any clear images of the Mach as it fled. For now, our secrets remain safe," the officer responded, giving Masato a small measure of relief.

    "Let''s keep it that way. Make sure our team monitors all communications and social media activity regarding the incident. I want this contained."

    "Absolutely, sir. We''ll do everything in our power to ensure your work remains secure."

    "Good," Masato sighed, feeling a glimmer of hope that he may yet evade the fallout from this debacle. "I''ve put too much on the line for this project to end in ruin."

    "Rest assured, Mr. Tanaka," the officer reassured him. "We''re committed to seeing this through to the end."

    As they continued down the corridor, Masato''s thoughts raced. If Nori was defeated so easily, then perhaps we need to re-evaluate our approach, he mused. But one thing''s for sure: whoever is piloting Mach 1, they won''t be able to hide forever.

 Chapter 6: Pressure

    Masato Tanaka stood in front of the mirror, anxiety pulsing through his veins as he prepared for the debrief. The cold sweat on his brow glistened under the fluorescent lighting as he struggled to straighten his tie. He glanced at the file he clutched tightly in his hand ¨C Nori''s vitals. Despite the weight of the situation, Masato couldn''t help but smirk as he thought of how much more successful he had been with the Mach armor than any of his predecessors.

    "Remember," he muttered to himself, "they need me more than I need them. You are the only one with a successful pilot."

    With a deep breath, he stepped onto the elevator and ascended to face the board. As the doors opened, revealing the stern faces of the members, Masato felt a knot tighten in his stomach. He cleared his throat and took his place before them, the air thick with tension.

    "Mr. Tanaka," began one of the board members, a woman with a hawk-like gaze, "you claim that Nori Aoki was stable during the incident at Osaka pier, yet our reports indicate otherwise. How do you explain the mass casualties?"

    Masato swallowed hard but maintained his composure. "I admit, Nori was... volatile," he conceded, "What I meant was his vitals were stable. I have data here showing that the suit wasn''t killing him like it did the others before."

    He gave the files to an officer, who delivered them to the board members. Each one opened them to read over graphs and charts, each meticulously displaying the evidence supporting his claim. The board members seemed convinced by the findings.

    "This is impressive but we still can''t allow someone like Nori to pilot a Mach again, the risk to our own people is too great." A heavy-set board member said

    "I couldn''t agree more," Masato continued, "it''s become clear to me that only someone with immense willpower can properly operate a Mach without succumbing to its deadly side effects. This means we have far more options beyond unstable mental patients. I already have another candidate in mind, one who has shown true loyalty to his country."

    The hawk-eyed woman narrowed her eyes, unimpressed. "This had better work, Mr. Tanaka; otherwise, consider yourself dismissed. We can''t afford any more mistakes."

    "Believe me," Masato retorted, a hint of defiance in his voice, "you''ll need my expertise to locate the rogue Mach, someone else has this technology."

    "Rest assured, Mr. Tanaka," a board member with a receding hairline chimed in, "we know about the Mach, that is why we have our best looking for it." He motioned to a young woman standing off the side of the table, Mao. She shot Masato a smug look, and he could feel his blood starting to boil.

    "Very well," Masato replied tersely, "I will go collect our new pilot," The board members nodded with approval before taking his leave.

    As soon as he was out of earshot, his calm demeanor crumbled. He felt the walls closing in around him, and his breaths became shallow and panicked. They have already chosen my replacement he thought. The thought of losing his position gnawed at him, there had to be a way to turn this around. He would not give up; he had come too far to fail now.

    -----

    Underneath a heavy gray sky, Hiro walked the bustling streets of Osaka, his eyes scanning every face in the crowd for any sign of Yutaka. The weight of unanswered questions regarding the Mach and his dead parents pressed down on him like an invisible burden.

    But as the day wore on, Hiro''s hope began to wane. He wandered into a narrow alleyway, where a ragged tent caught his eye. A flicker of possibility ignited within him; could Yutaka be inside?

    Hiro cautiously approached the tent, but as he pulled back the tattered fabric, an angry homeless man lunged at him, "Get the hell away from my shit, I''ll kill you." Hiro stumbled backward, adrenaline surging through him as he sprinted farther down the alley. The man chased him until they reached a dead end, Hiro shrunk into the corner with no place to hide.

    "Get away from him!" came a sudden shout. To Hiro''s relief, it was Yutaka who appeared, his eyes blazing with intensity. He pointed what looked like a small gun at the man.

    The homeless raised his arms in surrender, "OK, OK, I am sorry man." He backed off from Hiro, eyes locked on the weapon.

    "Get out of here," Yutaka hissed.

    The homeless man hesitated, then darted back down the alley, muttering under his breath. Yutaka turned to Hiro, his expression softening. "Breathe, Hiro," he urged gently. "You''re safe now."

    "Yutaka...," Hiro gasped, still recovering from the ordeal.

    "I know, we need to talk about the pier," Yutaka nodded and led Hiro through the maze-like streets to a small, quiet cafe tucked away from the chaos outside.

    As they sat down, Yutaka ordered a coffee and turned his attention toward Hiro, who placed the old cell phone on the table. "I need to know what exactly a Mach is," Hiro said, his voice firm despite the tremble in his hands.

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    "Your parents were hired to create the next generation of war machines," Yutaka began, taking a sip of his coffee. " Though they were told the machines would be used to simply protect Japan from future wars. They had no idea how paranoid the government had become since the last great war, they wanted the Machs to control the rest of the world. Fearing their misuse, your parents planned to destroy the Mach devices."

    Hiro''s eyes widened in disbelief, and he leaned forward, hanging on Yutaka''s every word.

    "However," Yutaka continued, "the government somehow caught wind of their plans and confiscated the Machs. Desperate, your parents created one last Mach¡ªthis one," he gestured to the cellphone, "to ensure that if any other Mach was activated, it could be destroyed."

    "Can the government create more of these?" Hiro asked, his voice tinged with fear.

    Yutaka shook his head. "Not without your parents. Their knowledge was unique and they were about to destroy every trace of their research." He paused, then locked eyes with Hiro. "You must use this Mach to save the world, Hiro. Destroy the others before Japan uses them to declare war."

    "But how do I do that on my own? I am just a kid, I don''t know how to fight or track things. I got lucky at the pier," Hiro said, the pressure threatened to crush him.

    "Of course, you were never meant to do this alone." Yutaka agreed, scribbling his number on a napkin and handing it to Hiro, "I had no idea they would be able to find a pilot so quickly, had I known I would have given you this sooner."

    Hiro nodded, clutching the napkin as if it were a lifeline. "So you''ll help me?"

    "Yes, I have the tech skills to track down the remaining Machs and you can pilot ours. Together we can make your parents'' dream a reality." Yutaka said, his words giving Hiro hope. "Now go home Hiro, I am sure your uncle is worried about you."

    Hiro stepped out of the caf¨¦, his heart a little lighter knowing he had an ally in Yutaka. Hiro''s sneakers scuffed the pavement as he began the walk home, his thoughts racing with how many Machs the government could have.

    "Hey, Hiro!" a familiar voice called out, snapping him back to reality. Kimiko waved at him from across the street, her long black hair catching the sunlight. A grin spread across Hiro''s face, and he eagerly crossed the road to join her.

    "Kimiko! How''s it going?" he asked, his voice bright.

    "Ugh, advanced functions are killing me," she groaned, rolling her eyes playfully. "I bet you''re struggling too, right?"

    "Definitely," Hiro chuckled, grateful for the normalcy of the conversation. They walked side by side, chatting about school and homework, as they scrolled through their phones.

    As they turned a corner, Kimiko''s expression grew serious. "Did you hear about that explosion at the docks? The police haven''t said anything yet." she flashed the story on her phone.

    Hiro''s heart clenched, his newfound relief evaporating. "Uh, maybe it was just an accident or something," he offered weakly, trying to sound casual.

    "Accident? I don''t think so," Kimiko countered, her eyes narrowing. "People are saying it was a terrorist attack. The government is trying to cover it up" She glanced at Hiro, concern etching her features. "You don''t think another war is about to break out do you?"

    Hiro felt sweat prickle at his temples, the truth about the pier was far more terrifying than a possible war. Desperate to change the subject, he blurted out, "Have you heard Niki and Satoro are dating now!"

    "Really?" Kimiko said, excited by this piece of classroom gossip. "I knew it! she has been telling everyone they are just friends, but the photos of them at the Lunar festival make it so clear."

    Hiro smiled as Kimiko continued her rant all the way to his house. The warm glow of the porch light welcomed them, and Hiro felt a pang of guilt for keeping secrets from his best friend.

    "See you tomorrow, Kimiko," he said with a smile.

    "Of course, meet me at the corner and we will walk together," she waved goodbye as she walked away.

    Once inside, Hiro hurried up to his room, shutting the door behind him. He leaned against it, his heart heavy with the burden of his newfound responsibility. As much as he wanted to confide in Kimiko and his uncle, he knew he couldn''t. They had to be kept safe, even if it meant carrying this secret alone.

    ------

    The heavy metal doors of the prison groaned open, revealing the decaying hallway that led to the visiting area. Masato took a deep breath, his nerves bubbling beneath the surface as he strode forward with purpose. Within these very confines he hoped to find his next Mach pilot, his last chance to keep the position he had worked his whole life for.

    As he entered the visiting area, Masato scanned the room and spotted an empty table at the far end. He made his way over and sat down, tapping his fingers impatiently on the surface as he awaited Noboru''s arrival. The anticipation gnawed at him, but he forced himself to remain patient.

    Finally, a guard approached, leading a handcuffed Noboru to the table. The man looked weary, with dark circles under his eyes and a scruffy, unkempt beard. Despite this, there was a fire in his gaze that Masato couldn''t help but admire.

    "Mr. Noboru," Masato began, offering a thin-lipped smile as the prisoner was secured to the table. "Thank you for meeting with me."

    "Didn''t have much of a choice, did I?" Noboru retorted, his tone bitter and defensive.

    "Fair point," Masato conceded. "Allow me to get straight to the matter at hand, then. I''m here because I believe you have the potential to be of great service to our government."

    "Government?" Noboru scoffed. "You mean the same people who locked me up in here? No thanks."

    "Actually, I''ve reviewed your case extensively," Masato countered, his voice steady and measured. "It''s quite clear to me that you were framed for those murders, and your government apologizes for that."

    "Doesn''t matter now, does it?" Noboru muttered, looking away. "Just leave me alone."

    "Mr. Noboru," Masato persisted, undeterred. "We don''t simply want to get you out of this place, we find the ones responsible for setting you up in the first place."

    Noboru''s eyes flicked back to Masato, a hint of interest sparking behind his guarded expression. Sensing an opening, Masato continued, "You were a respected Tokyo detective, you solved cases no one else could. The prime minister personally had your number. You deserve all that back and those corrupt officers that sent you here deserve to rot behind these walls.... or worse."

    "You think you know my story, don''t you?" Noboru snapped, his voice strained with frustration.

    "Of course not," Masato said, leaning forward slightly. "But I am here to listen, and use all of my connections to ensure you get justice for what happened to you."

    Noboru hesitated for a moment, his eyes searching Masato''s face for any sign of deceit. But as he found none, he took a deep breath and began to share the truth of what had happened ¨C a truth that changed his life forever.

 Chapter 7: Noboru

    Masato from Noboru sat across from each other at steal visitor''s table, the once-celebrated detective now imprisoned for murder. The dim lighting caused eerie shadows to spread across Noboru''s face as he sighed deeply, preparing to relive the darkest moment of his life.

    "Alright," Noboru began, his voice rough and weary. "I''ll tell you. I had stumble into a case, where police weapons were used in the killings. Seven more followed it and soon it was clear certain officers were being hitmen for hire. I arrested those dirty cops, but one of them, Ro, managed to escape. He wasn''t there that night filmed them meeting with a potential client, so courts didn''t have the evidence to find him guilty."

    Noboru stared at the cold concrete floor as memories flooded back. "Two weeks later, I was working the night shift when I received a text from my wife. She said it was an emergency and I needed to come home immediately. I tried calling her, but she wouldn''t pick up. So I raced home, my heart pounding in my chest."

    The pain in Noboru''s eyes was unmistakable as he continued. "When I arrived, I found my wife and son dead." His voice trembled with emotion, fists clenched tightly. "Ro had planted evidence to make it look like I had been planning it for months. It was the fastest trial on record."

    Masato leaned over the table, his gray hair catching the faint light. A cunning smile spread across his face. "Well then, it sounds like you know who should really be here instead of you. And I have the paperwork to order your immediate release right here." He patted a thick envelope. "This world needs someone like you, with a strong sense of justice. Your government will give you a full pardon and you can track down Ro, but we could also use your help. A piece of dangerous government tech was stolen, and we believe you can help us find it."

    Noboru''s brow furrowed, suspicion clouding his thoughts. This was why they wanted him released in the first place, wasn''t it? Would they just use him and toss him back into this cage once he''d served their purpose? "How do I know you won''t just throw me back in here when the job is done?"

    "Ah," Masato replied, his cunning smile unwavering. "That''s where trust comes in, my friend. We''re not just looking for any detective; we''re looking for someone who could join our ranks. Someone who can sniff out those looking to betray their government. You would be head of your own department, sniffing out spies in our ranks."

    Noboru hesitated, weighing his options. He could stay here, trapped and unable to find justice for his family, or take a leap of faith with Masato and possibly reclaim his life while chasing down those who had wronged him.

    "Alright, Tanaka," Noboru said finally, his voice resolute. "I''m in."

    "Excellent!" Masato clapped his hands together and stood, the sound echoing through the small room. "Now, let me tell you about the perks that come with this offer" He leaned in closer, lowering his voice. "Between you and me, the government would be more than happy to look the other way if you sought revenge on those responsible for your family''s deaths. They are the true criminals after all."

    Noboru''s eyes widened at the mention of revenge. The thought of getting justice for his wife and son without the restrictions of the law was good to resist. "What kind of tech was stolen?"

    "You''ll be briefed on our way, it''s far too sensitive to be discussed here," Masato replied cryptically. He motioned to the guard by the door, who stepped forward and removed Noboru''s handcuffs with a heavy clang. Together, the two men walked out of the prison, leaving behind the cold, gray walls that had been Noboru''s home for far too long.

    As they settled into Masato''s sleek, black private car, the scent of leather upholstery mingling with the faint smell of cologne, Noboru couldn''t help but feel a mixture of excitement and unease. He glanced at Masato, whose calm demeanor seemed to suggest that everything was under control.

    "Ready for your briefing, Noboru?" Masato asked as the car hummed to life and pulled away from the prison.

    "Go on," Noboru prompted, trying to squash the doubt gnawing at him.

    "Your mission is quite simple," Masato began, his voice taking on a serious tone. "A weapon called a Mach was used to attack a pier earlier this week. That technology was being developed in secret but somehow someone got their hands on it. This weapon could kill a lot of people and we need it recovered by any means necessary."

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    "A Mach? What the hell is that?" Noboru asked, his curiosity piqued.

    "Why don''t you see for yourself." Masato reached into a compartment in the car and pulled out a small object that looked like a portable gaming device. "This is Mach 3. It''s a very powerful weapon even though it doesn''t look that way. It is a disguised suit of cybernetic armor that enhances the abilities of the one who pilots it. Since we need you to be able to stand a chance against the stolen Mach, this one is yours."

    Noboru took the device, turning it over in his hands, feeling the cool metal against his skin. The thought of wielding such power was both exhilarating and frightening.

    "Before you''re deployed," Masato continued, "you''ll be trained on how to fully operate the Mach at our base. We want to be sure you are fully ready for the task at hand."

    Noboru studied the Mach 3 for a moment longer before nodding. "I''ll do it." If this device was as powerful as Masato said then it would be the perfect weapon of revenge. He smiled to himself, he had his freedom at last and he was never going to let anyone take it away from him again.

    "Excellent," Masato said, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. "Welcome aboard, Noboru. Prepare yourself for one hell of a ride."

    -----

    Weeks of rigorous training and constant monitoring pushed Noboru to his limits, but he emerged stronger than ever. The day had finally come when he was declared the first official Pilot of the Mach system by the Japanese government. With newfound purpose, he strode through the doors of the training facility, his Mach 3 securely tucked away in his pocket.

    "Congratulations on completing your training," Masato said, clapping him on the shoulder. "You may now take the Mach off base and begin your mission."

    "Thank you," Noboru replied, trying not to let his eagerness show. He knew exactly how he''d use his Mach of base - seeking revenge on those responsible for his family''s demise.

    His heart pounded with adrenaline as he returned home to his small, cramped apartment. Scattered across the cluttered table were notes, photographs, and newspaper articles - evidence of his relentless search for everyone involved in his family''s murders.

    A glimmer of satisfaction flickered in his eyes as he traced his finger over one name: Ro. After countless hours, he''d managed to locate the man who had set him up. Noboru grabbed his Mach and left the building, determination fueling each step.

    Meanwhile, Ro stumbled down the street, slightly drunk from a night at the bars. He hummed to himself, swaying with the rhythm of the melody. In his intoxicated state, he spotted a beautiful young woman, seemingly just as drunk, stumbling into a quiet park. Intrigued, Ro followed her in, unaware of the danger lurking nearby.

    As Ro ventured deeper into the park, he lost sight of the woman and found himself disoriented, unsure of his surroundings. A sudden movement caught his attention, and his blood ran cold at the sight of Noboru approaching with a predatory grace.

    "Wha- what are you doing here?!" Ro stammered, panic coursing through his veins.

    "Hello, Ro," Noboru replied coldly. "Is that any way to greet an old friend? I just got out of prison and you and I have so much to catch up on,"

    Ro''s survival instincts kicked in as he turned on his heels and sprinted away, desperately trying to escape the vengeful man. The once quiet park was now filled with the sounds of Ro''s ragged breathing and pounding footsteps.

    Ro''s legs burned with exertion, but he couldn''t outrun the terror that clawed at his chest. He glanced back, searching for Noboru, but saw nothing. His breath hitched as relief washed over him. Maybe he lost him somewhere in the park?

    Slowing down, Ro tried to catch his breath, each gasp rasping in the cool night air. He turned a corner and nearly jumped out of his skin when he collided with Noboru, who seemed to materialize out of thin air.

    "Now that was rude. Why would you run from me, Ro?" Noboru''s voice dripped with disdain, his eyes cold and unforgiving.

    Before Ro could react, Noboru activated his Mach, His body being coated in shimmering orange armor, and the two men shot into the sky. Ro was still in shock from what he witnessed and unable to speak as the park below them was reduced to a dark, shadowy abyss.

    "Please!" Ro finally choked out, his fingers digging into Noboru''s arm in a futile attempt to anchor himself. "I didn''t want to do it! They made me!"

    "They made you murder my wife and son while they slept? Made you become a hitman? wow these people must be quite something to have invented a mind control device like that.," Noboru demanded, his grip tightening around Ro''s wrist.

    "It''s not like that, these people, they find you when you are at your lowest, offer to help and that is when they get you. If I didn''t do it then it would have been my own family dead."

    "It still might be," Noboru threatened

    "Please don''t, I''ll tell you what I know. Okada, Yamazaki, Sato, and Watanabe, are all a part of it, higher up in it than me I swear," Ro blurted out, desperation etched on his face. "Please let me go!"

    "Good boy," Noboru sneered, his smile chilling. In the depths of Ro''s eyes, he saw the same fear that must have consumed his wife and son in their final moments. It was a grim satisfaction, knowing that his family''s murderer would experience that same dread.

    "I gave you what you wanted, you can take me to jail, and I''ll confess to everything." Ro stammered, his voice barely more than a whimper.

    Noboru''s smile widened "I have no use for you anymore," he released his grip on Ro, watching with detached interest as the man plummeted toward the ground. The wind ripped Ro''s screams away, leaving only the sound of his heart pounding in his ears.

    Noboru hovered above, savoring the sight of retribution. His family was gone, but at least their killer had paid the price. He knew, however, that this was just the beginning. Four names ¨C four people he had worked so closely with, who had betrayed him. It was time for them to meet the same fate.

 Chapter 8: Bait

    Hiro sat on the edge of his bed, the flickering blue light from the television casting eerie shadows across the room. He watched as the news anchor revealed the gruesome details of yet another mysterious police officer''s death, her voice a mixture of shock and sadness. "The body of the third victim was found earlier this morning, raising questions as to just how these officers died," she said, her eyes wide with disbelief. "There are no leads for these strange incidents, and all victims appear to have fallen from great heights, even though there were no high-rise buildings nearby."

    "Odd," Hiro muttered under his breath, his dark eyebrows furrowing in concentration. He wondered how someone could get them up so high before dropping them without being seen. Could someone have hacked the city drone system or could it be that Mach user he fought before? If so, why hadn''t his own Mach detected the Mach like it did before? The thought gnawed at him, how could he be sure this wasn''t the work of a Mach. Was it worth texting Yutaka about?

    As Hiro prepared for bed, he couldn''t shake the nagging feeling that the Mach could be responsible for the killings. Just as he was about to switch off the light, he decided he would have to call Yutaka in the morning to put his mind at ease. But he couldn''t sleep, so he grabbed the number Yutaka had given him and called. "Yutaka, can we talk?"

    "Oh course Hiro, what''s wrong?" Yutaka asked urgently, his voice filled with concern.

    "It''s about the cop killings," Hiro replied, his heart rate increasing. "Do you think it''s related to that Mach the government has?"

    "Actually, yes," Yutaka confirmed, adjusting his glasses over the phone. "Though this would be a different Mach entirely, Mach 3 to be exact. Your Mach wouldn''t detect it because it was designed to be fully undetectable."

    "Undetectable?" Hiro repeated, incredulous. "How can we find it then? How many more Machs are out there?"

    "Listen closely, Hiro," Yutaka explained, his tone serious. "The user is targeting specific police officers, so finding out how they are connected will lead us right to them. This Mach pilot is clearly acting out just like the other, and that is their weakness."

    "Right," Hiro agreed, clenching his jaw. "So we just have to figure out what connects the officers. Then we can stake out the next target until the Mach shows up and shut it down."

    "Right, but leave the investigation to me. For now, just be a kid and don''t draw attention to yourself, remember the government will be looking for you," Yutaka urged, the concern in his voice evident.

    "Yeah, for sure. I will wait to hear from you then," With that, Hiro hung up the phone and stared into the now-darkened room, his mind racing with thoughts of undetectable Machs and mysterious cop killers. Could he really wait to hear back from Yutaka? would there be any harm in just going by a few police stations after school to see if anything stood out? As he fell asleep he convinced himself there was no harm in checking.

    -----

    After school, Hiro walked past the city''s police stations as he waited for Yutaka''s investigation to progress. He began a routine of biking around the city after school to check in a few each day, he didn''t exactly know what he was looking for but he had convinced himself he would know when he saw it. The wind whipped at his dark hair, stinging his cheeks as he pedaled furiously between locations.

    "Come on," Hiro muttered under his breath as he stood outside yet another station, watching people come and go. Was it possible that the Mach pilot had killed all the officers they had planned to and moved on?

    Just then, a female officer burst through the doors, her face contorted with fear. She sprinted to her car, fumbling with her keys before hastily climbing inside. Hiro''s heart raced; could this be it?

    Without a second thought, Hiro pedaled after her, trying not to lose sight of her car. He trailed the officer''s car from behind, careful not to be seen.

    The officer, Usagi, arrived at her apartment building in record time. Her hands shook as she unlocked the door, only to find her family gone and Noboru waiting for her at the table.

    "Where are they?" Usagi demanded, tears welling in her eyes.

    "Is that any way to talk to a guest," Noboru replied coldly. "But if you must know, they are fine, just stepped to pick up a few things."

    "Please, just leave us alone, I can''t give you what you want," Usagi begged, her voice shaking.

    "Well that is unfortunate," Noboru conceded, his voice like ice. "But you wrote those damning emails that were used against me, you know the ones where it looked like I wanted to take a hit out on them. They really were convincing."

    Usagi sobbed, knowing her fate was sealed. Noboru commanded her to step onto the balcony. Trembling, she complied, her legs barely able to support her weight. In a swift motion, Noboru grabbed her, and they shot into the sky. Usagi''s screams pierced the air.

    Hiro, witnessed Mach 3 take off into the sky with the officer and activated his own Mach. As Noboru released his grip on Usagi, Hiro swooped in with incredible speed, catching her just before she plummeted to her death. He gently lowered her onto a nearby rooftop, his heart pounding in his chest.

    "Who are you?" Usagi panted, her eyes wide with terror and gratitude.

    "You need to get out of here," Hiro replied, avoiding the question. "Now!"

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    Enraged, Noboru called out "How dare you interfere with my work, step aside now or die."

    But Hiro refused to move, "If you are looking for a fight, then why not take me on?"

    The two Mach-users clashed in mid-air, with deafening force. Despite Noboru''s anger, Hiro easily dodged his blows and began to chip away at Mach 3''s shields.

    Realizing he was outmatched, Noboru retreated without a word, disappearing into the cityscape. Hiro knew this wasn''t the end and a part of him wondered, now that he had disrupted Mach 3''s plans, what would he do next?

    -----

    Noboru''s heart raced as he powered down the Mach suit, his body reverberating with the residual adrenaline from his encounter with Hiro. He made a call to Masato, barely able to contain his frustration. "I just had a run-in with that rogue Mach. You didn''t mention how strong it was."

    "Noboru, you are a great detective," Masato responded, his tone calculating and cold. "find out who is in the suit and kill them before they activate it, the solution is simple really."

    "Understood," Noboru said with a twisted smile, he hung up ready to get to work.

    Noboru wasted no time in analyzing Mach 1''s speech patterns from their brief exchange. No adult would talk like that. It didn''t take long for him to conclude that the pilot was a teenager, trying to come off as older.

    Next, he hacked into police security cameras, convinced that Mach 1 had followed his would-be victim to her apartment building. As he combed through the footage, he found Hiro lurking around the station, an image of him biking after Usagi''s car. "Got you," Noboru whispered.

    His final move was to access school board files and use a program to compare Hiro''s face to student IDs. When he finally zeroed in on Hiro Kobayashi, his satisfaction swelled like a tidal wave. But just killing Hiro would be too kind, he had gotten in the way of his life''s mission, and he had to suffer.

    Noboru began stalking Hiro, observing his daily routine with a predatory focus. It wasn''t long before he noticed Hiro''s only friend was Kimiko Suzuki and she would be his key to victory.

    As Kimiko walked home after school one day, Noboru put his plan into motion. "Help, please someone help me!" he called out.

    Kimiko, hearing his cries, rushed over, her expression a blend of confusion and concern. She had no idea what was happening, he appeared fine, with no blood or broken bones.

    "Are you okay?" she asked, kneeling beside him. Her voice was filled with genuine worry, as she tried to figure out what was wrong.

    "It''s my wrist. I think I broke it" Noboru held his arm close to his body, so Kimiko had to lean in closer to take a look at it. As she leaned over him, he grabbed her, stuffing the rag into her mouth, that he was hiding in his balled-up fist. She couldn''t scream as he wrestled her into his waiting car.

    "Sorry, sweetheart," he whispered, closing the trunk on her. "But your friend and I have a score to settle."

    As he drove away, Noboru couldn''t help but feel a thrilling sense of anticipation. Soon, Hiro would be forced to face him once more¡ªand this time, there would be no escape.

    -----

    Hiro''s fingers tapped nervously on the kitchen counter as he listened to Yutaka''s urgent voice through the phone. His heart pounded in his chest, as he tried to pretend he hadn''t already faced off with Mach 3.

    "Listen, Hiro," Yutaka said, his voice strained. "The Mach user is Noboru¡ªhe was a skilled detective a decade ago. He was in prison until a few weeks ago, and then no trace of him since."

    "So why is he killing officers?" Hiro asked, guilt and fear knotting together in his stomach. He could still remember the feeling of Usagi''s body in his arms as he caught her mid-air, her screams echoing in his ears.

    "He claims that he was set up for the murders of his wife and son, these officers could have been involved in some way," Yutaka explained. "He is incredibly dangerous, and no doubt they are using him to try and find you." The weight of Yutaka''s words bore down on Hiro, making his knees weak.

    Suddenly, the sound of his uncle shouting from the living room jolted him out of his thoughts. His heart skipped a beat, adding another layer of dread to his already frayed nerves. "Yutaka, I have to go. Something''s happening." Without waiting for a response, Hiro hung up and rushed into the living room.

    His uncle stood frozen in front of the TV, eyes wide with shock. Following his gaze, Hiro saw Mach 3 on the screen, face obscured by the suit. In the background, bound and gagged, was a familiar figure: Kimiko. A cold shiver ran down Hiro''s spine, and his fists clenched involuntarily.

    "Listen up, Mach 1," the distorted voice of Mach 3 rang out. "You and I have some unfinished business, so to ensure you show up, I have some motivation for you. An innocent life will end tonight if you don''t."

    "Kimiko..." Hiro whispered, his throat tight with panic.

    "Two hours," Mach 3 continued. "Meet me on the roof of the industrial building in the Hanshin district, or she dies. You will know it when you see it." The screen flickered back to the regular broadcast, but Hiro barely noticed.

    His thoughts raced, a hurricane of fear and desperation. He had to save Kimiko¡ªhe couldn''t lose her like he''d lost his parents. But there was no way Noboru didn''t have a trap set for him, still he had to try.

    "Uncle," Hiro said, struggling to keep his voice steady. "I have to go see how Kimiko''s parents are doing."

    Before his uncle could respond, Hiro slipped away, his mind already calculating every possible scenario, desperate for a solution that would bring his friend back safely.

    Hiro''s heart raced as his breathing became erratic, the weight of responsibility bearing down on him. He faced down the street, looking for a place where he could activate his Mach. The news droned on from the phones of people nearby, reporters claiming the government confirmed the video was a hoax. A cover-up, he thought, to ensure their secret isn''t exposed to the world.

    "Fake news," a man muttered before turning off his phone. "This can''t be real."

    "Forgive me, Yutaka," Hiro whispered under his breath before ducking into an alleyway and activating Mach 1. The cybernetic armor enveloped his body, transforming him into a powerful weapon.

    -----

    Meanwhile, Masato received an alert about the video Noboru had released. He immediately contacted the board. "Rest assured," he said smoothly, "I have everything under control. There''s no real risk to the girl."

    "You better not screw this up," replied the board member replied, clearly enraged. "Remember it is your job on the line if this fails, your name on the program and only you will suffer for a failure this big."

    "Of course," Masato agreed, ending the call. Alone in his office, he threw a chair into the wall, Noboru was an idiotic failure and a mess he had to clean up.

    "So he wants to play games," he said aloud. "Oh, Noboru the only good thing about this and that Mach 1 will no doubt show up to stop you. But you''ll most likely die in this fight¡ªMach 1''s pilot has more control over his emotions. And I will be fired as a result."

    He paused, considering his options. "Well," he decided, "I''ll just have to make the best of it. Ensure the Mach 1 is destroyed as well." He left his office, preparing for his final gambit.

    As Hiro soared through the night sky, Kimiko''s face haunted his thoughts. He couldn''t shake the feeling that he was responsible for her predicament, If he hadn''t stopped Noboru, if he had just waited for Yutaka to finish his investigation, then none of this would have happened.

    "Stay strong, Kimiko," he thought, gritting his teeth. "I''m coming for you." And with that, Hiro hurtled toward a confrontation.

 Chapter 9: The Hanshin Incident

    Masato Tanaka''s footsteps echoed in the dimly lit hallway as he approached Nori''s prison cell. If he was going to lose everything then he was taking Mach 1, with him. Masato knew the risks - Noboru''s plan would never work, but adding Nori into the mix would ensure Mach 1''s destruction.

    He stopped outside the cell door, his hand hovering over the security panel. Taking a deep breath to calm his racing thoughts, Masato swiped his access card and entered. A lone guard stood watch inside, his eyes narrowing at the unexpected visitor.

    "Leave us," Masato commanded as he flashed his ID card, his voice firm and authoritative. The guard hesitated before nodding and making a swift exit. Masato turned to face Nori, who sat on the edge of his cot, his intense gaze never leaving Masato.

    "Listen closely," Masato began, his voice low and urgent. "Chances are, by the end of this, we''ll both be in prison or dead. But we can take control of our fates, and still get what we want in the process."

    Nori''s eyes gleamed, his muscular form leaning forward ever so slightly. "What I want is to kill you and every other person trying to control me, how does that sound to you?"

    "What if I gave you a chance to destroy Mach 1 instead? Your vitals have never been affected by the use of the Mach, you can kill him," Masato explained, watching Nori''s expression carefully. "You have a unique resilience that sets you apart. He caught you off guard last time, this time you will be the one surprising him."

    A predatory smile crept onto Nori''s face. "So I get my rematch to get rid of the Mach that caused me to wind up here, what do you get?"

    "Does it really matter? I will even let you keep your Mach." With a flourish, Masato produced an old VR headset - Mach 2. "Eliminate Mach 1, and after that, you can do what you please." He handed it to Nori, who took it reverently.

    "I am starting to like you," Nori said. He slipped on the headset, and in an instant, the Mach 2 armor enveloped him. A surge of power coursed through his veins, and he felt invincible. With a roar, he blasted a hole in the wall and took flight, leaving destruction in his wake.

    The prison alarms began to blare, but Masato was already on the move, slipping back into the shadows of the facility. As he made his way through the chaos, he prepared himself for phase two of his plan, now that all the pieces were in play.

    -----

    Hiro touched down in front of the warehouse with the welcome Mach 1 painted on the roof, his teal cybernetic suit gleaming under the harsh glow of streetlights. The wind whipped through the area as he surveyed the area, anxiety bubbling in his chest. He knew Kimiko must be close by, held captive by Noboru.

    "AI, establish communication with Mach 3," Hiro ordered, his voice steady despite his racing heart.

    "Establishing a connection," the AI responded, and within seconds, Hiro heard the familiar voice of Noboru, amplified through the speakers of their respective suits.

    "Trying to negotiate, are you?" Noboru taunted, his voice dripping with disdain. "Pathetic."

    "Listen, Kimiko has nothing to do with this," Hiro implored, tension tightening his voice. "Just let her go, this fight is between you and me. You don''t need to hurt anyone else."

    "My family had nothing to do with the arrests I made either and yet they were the ones who paid the price," Noboru scoffed, his tone icy. "All our actions have consequences and the consequence of being friends with a war criminal is death."

    "She is innocent!" Hiro insisted, desperation creeping into his voice. "If you do this then you are no better than the people who killed your family!"

    "How dare you compare me to that filth," Noboru retorted, his voice dark and cold. "I am vengeance, I am the one delivering true justice."

    Suddenly a blast of pure orange energy ripped through a nearby warehouse. Hiro barely had time to summon his soul blades before he was forced to block the blast. The air crackled with electricity as the two powerful weapons collided, each strike sending shockwaves throughout the warehouse district.

    Noboru emerged from the warehouse, his Soul Canon smoking. His movements were jerky and unpredictable, his laughter wild and unhinged. It seemed as though the Mach 3 suit was taking its toll on him, warping his already fragile state of mind. He raised the canon again taking aim at Hiro, Hiro knew he couldn''t take another blast like that.

    "Come on, think," Hiro muttered to himself, sweat trickling down his brow. He knew he needed a plan to save Kimiko but he still had no clue where she was being kept. He had to take out Noboru before he could search for her.

    "AI, is there any weakness in the Mach 3 armor," Hiro asked urgently, desperation clawing at his insides. He dodged the blast from the canon but he could still feel the heat from the blast.

    "Analyzing," the AI replied, its voice steady and emotionless. "Weakness detected: the use of the Soul Canon causes an unstable energy output from his suit resulting in fluctuations in his shielding system."

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    "Got it," Hiro breathed, formulating a plan in his racing mind. But Noboru took advantage of Hiro''s delay while thinking and propelled himself forward slamming into him.

    Hiro''s heart raced in his chest, as Noboru dragged him across the ground before throwing him up into the air. Noboru unleashed another blast from the Soul canon, Hiro defected the blast with his shields, depleting them in the process.

    Nori arrived on the scene, his crimson-red Mach suit that seemed to swallow the light around it. Hiro''s gut clenched at the sight of him, his mind filling with the memories of their last confrontation.

    "Having fun without me?" Nori called out, a smirk evident in his voice as he surveyed the destruction around them. News crews began to arrive, their cameras capturing Machs as they hovered in the air.

    "Get back!" Hiro barked at the reporters, but his words fell on deaf ears. He could only watch in frustration as they insisted on getting closer to the action.

    "Ah, reinforcements," Noboru said, mistaking Nori''s arrival for an ally joining the fight. "Together, we destroy this rogue."

    "Reinforcements? More like a replacement," Nori taunted, his eyes never leaving Hiro. "You weak, it''s sad really but your services are no longer required."

    Noboru growled in response, his pride wounded by Nori''s jab. "you''re just a smug little brat, you don''t know anything!"

    "Let me show what true power is," Nori said, activating his soul Scythe. The wicked blade hummed with energy, casting an eerie glow on Nori''s face. He rocketed towards Hiro.

    Hiro''s breath hitched in his throat as he braced himself for the impact, his hands gripping his soul blades tightly in a defensive position. At the same time, Noboru charged his soul cannon, preparing to unleash its devastating power upon Hiro.

    But just as Hiro steeled himself for the end, Nori changed course, slicing through Noboru instead of him. The powerful scythe cleaved the man and his Mach suit clean in half, leaving a stunned silence in its wake.

    "Wh-what?" Noboru sputtered, shock and disbelief etched on his face as his Mach suit ¨C and himself ¨C began to explode.

    "Pathetic, you don''t deserve the chance to kill Mach 1," Nori said smoothly, watching the destruction with a detached curiosity. Hiro, meanwhile, struggled to process the sudden turn of events, his mind reeling from the implications of Mach 2''s actions.

    "Why would you do that!" Hiro shouted, his voice strained but resolute. He couldn''t help but replay Noboru''s death in his mind. "He was on your side!"

    "Ha!" Nori scoffed, his eyes glinting with a dangerous fire. "You really don''t get it, do you? He wasn''t like you and I, he couldn''t even use his Soul Canon to its full potential. A Mach in the hands of someone like that is better off destroyed, along with the useless pilot."

    As Nori lunged at Hiro, the AI within Hiro''s suit activated its defense systems, barely moving him out of range of the deadly soul Scythe. Sparks flew as the blade grazed Hiro''s armor, leaving a shallow gash.

    "What makes you think you have the right to decide who is weak and who is strong?" Hiro asked, his mind racing for a way to defeat Mach 2. "You didn''t even know him?"

    "Are you actually trying to defend the man that was just trying to kill you,?" Nori spat back, his fingers tightening around the scythe''s handle. "You really have no idea what it takes to win in war, but I am happy to show you,"

    The two Mach-suited combatants clashed, their weapons clashing with an intensity that shook the very air around them. Hiro used his soul blades to parry Nori''s relentless attacks, the teal and red energy blades creating a dazzling display amidst the chaos.

    Meanwhile, the Japanese government had no choice but to mobilize their military forces in a desperate attempt to stop the explosive display of their secret weapons. Tanks rolled through the streets, and fighter jets screamed through the sky, ready to intervene in the battle between Hiro and Nori.

    "Look around you, Nori!" Hiro shouted, trying one last time to reach him as they continued to exchange blows. "How does all this destruction prove anything?"

    For a moment, Nori hesitated, there was something familiar in Mach 1''s voice. But then he shook his head, the memory it brought back couldn''t be right.

    -----

    Jets roared overhead, slicing through the smoke-filled sky as Hiro and Nori continued their relentless battle. The metallic clang of their suits echoed through the air, punctuated by the occasional explosion from a weapon''s discharge. Below them, the city cowered in fear, its once-bustling streets now deserted as their battle was broadcast across the globe.

    "AI, give me a status update on the military forces!" Hiro called out, his voice strained as he narrowly dodged another strike from Nori''s soul scythe.

    "Multiple aircraft are approaching our location," the AI replied. "They have their weapon systems locked on you and Mach 2."

    "Great, just what we need," Hiro muttered under his breath, gritting his teeth as he parried another blow from Nori.

    "Having trouble keeping up?" Nori taunted, a twisted smile crossing his face as he launched into another attack. "You''ll never defeat me if you can''t even handle a few missiles!"

    "Maybe I won''t have to," Hiro retorted, his eyes narrowing with determination. "Once those missiles hit, neither of us will be left standing!"

    As if on cue, the air filled with the sound of whistling projectiles, zeroing in on their targets. Hiro''s AI worked overtime, calculating the trajectories of the incoming missiles and adjusting his movements accordingly. With expert precision, he managed to avoid the majority of them, each one exploding harmlessly in his wake.

    But Nori, too consumed by his rage and desire for power, failed to notice the missile hurtling straight toward him. His focus remained solely on attacking Hiro, oblivious to the imminent danger.

    "Damn it!" Hiro thought, his heart pounding in his chest. "Can''t you see what''s happening?!"

    At that moment, Hiro made a split-second decision. Despite the risk to himself, he surged forward, pushing Nori out of the missile''s path just as it was about to hit. The resulting explosion sent them both hurtling through the air, their suits battered but still functional.

    "Wha- What did you just do?!" Nori sputtered, disbelief etched on his face as he stared at Hiro.

    "Saved your life," Hiro replied simply, his eyes locked on Nori''s. "I may not agree with you, but no one else has to die."

    A myriad of emotions flickered across Nori''s face ¨C confusion, anger, and finally, something akin to appreciation. He hesitated for a moment, his grip on his soul scythe wavering.

    "We have to get out of here," Hiro urged, his voice soft but firm. "I know you want your rematch and prove you are strongest, but if we don''t leave they will just kill us both."

    Nori stared at him for a long moment, the weight of Hiro''s actions sinking in. "You better not die until we meet again!" he disengaged from the battle and took off into the sky, vanishing from sight.

    "Scan for Kimiko," Hiro thought, his body aching from the intense fight. Her location appeared on his screen and he blasted off, dodging more missiles as he went, he prayed she was ok.

 Chapter 10: Change

    The wind ripped over Hiro''s armor as he soared towards Kimiko''s location, his heart pounding with adrenaline. He knew he had to act fast; He had no idea what Kimiko''s condition was. The warehouse roof loomed below, and he caught sight of her fragile form tied to a metal railing. Her eyes were wide with fear, but she still tried to pull at her restraints.

    As Hiro swooped down, he reached out, grabbing her with one arm while slicing through the cuffs with his free hand. For a split second, they hung suspended in mid-air before Hiro''s Mach armor surged upwards, propelling them away from the warehouse and possible military strike. The whir of government drones filled the air, their flashing lights chasing after them like swarming insects.

    "Let go of me!" Kimko demanded, clearly terrified by the presence of another Mach. She clawed at his hand, but it was no use.

    "Calm down, I am just trying to get you to safety," Hiro replied, trying to sound less like himself. "It is a war zone back there, you would have been killed."

    "Oh sure, so saving me is taking me away from the government rescue?" Kimiko clearly wasn''t buying his explanation.

    "They weren''t there to rescue you, they were there to kill me." Kimiko went silent, clearly thinking over his words.

    Hiro noticed a drone approaching, "Initiate stealth system," Hiro commanded, his voice barely audible over the roar of the wind. His AI responded immediately, cloaking them in an electromagnetic shield that rendered them invisible to the government''s scanners. Hiro''s breathing steadied as the AI guided him effortlessly through Osaka, avoiding roadblocks and search drones with ease.

    Finally, they reached a secluded alleyway where Hiro could leave Kimiko without being seen. Hiro set her gently on the ground. "Go home and try to forget this ever happened." He said.

    "Forget this, I still don''t understand why that guy was after me or why there are so many of you robotic freaks. I can''t just forget it, it doesn''t make sense!" Kimiko yelled, shaking with tears running down his face. " And I don''t know why you saved me?"

    "Does it matter?" Hiro stammered, trying to maintain his composure. "You are safe now."

    "It matters more than anything, how can I ever feel truly safe again" Kimiko reasoned.

    Hiro knew she was right, leaving things this way would mean Kimiko would live in constant fear. He huffed and then powered down, revealing his identity to the shocked Kimiko. Hiro held out the old cell phone. "It''s called a Mach. My parents left it for me to stop the others like that guy who kidnapped you, and end the program forever."

    Kimiko hesitated for only a moment before asking, "So you fight those things to protect the world or something?" She seemed deep in thought before saying "I want to help."

    "Kimiko, these Machs are dangerous," Hiro replied, the image of Noboru''s final moments before exploding still fresh in his mind. "And this is the only one I have."

    "Then we''ll find the others," she declared, her determination unwavering. "If we both have one, then we stand a better chance of getting rid of these things." she was still shaking from the night''s events.

    "I don''t think that is a good idea, I couldn''t fight if I knew there was a chance you would get hurt," Hiro explained, a smile touching his tired face. "But you can help keep this a secret and I promise to tell you everything and answer all your questions when I can."

    "Deal."

    "Let''s get you home." As they walked through the darkened streets of Osaka, Kimiko''s hand found its way into his, and Hiro couldn''t help but think that maybe, just maybe, they would be ok.

    When they arrived near Hiro turned to her. "You have to head in alone, there will be too many questions if I go with you."

    Kimiko nodded, "Thank you," she took off down the road toward her home. At her house, her parents were waiting anxiously outside, flanked by a police officer and several secret service members. The moment they saw their daughter, they rushed forward, enveloping her in a desperate embrace. Questions about her abduction and rescue began to flood in, but Kimiko remained steadfast in her loyalty to Hiro.

    "The robot dropped me off in a parking lot," she said, her voice steady. "He never said a word to me, just left me there."

    As the relieved family turned to go inside, Kimiko looked back down the road, hoping Hiro was ok and wondering if she really could sit back and let Hiro take on this fight all on his own.

    -----

    Masato turned off the news coverage in his office, the whole event was enough of a distraction to let him set up what he needed. His finger hovered over the touch screen of his phone, the voice on the other end delivering the news he had dreaded. His office seemed to shrink around him as the agent''s words echoed in his mind.

    "Mr. Tanaka," the agent said coldly, "we have footage of you returning Mach 2 to Nori Aoki, resulting in the destruction of Mach 3. The damage you''ve allowed to unfold on the global stage has embarrassed Japan. Consider yourself dismissed, effective immediately. Do not leave the country, an investigation into your conduct will begin immediately."

    "Understood," Masato replied, his voice betraying no emotion. He disconnected the call and stared at the blank screen for a moment, processing the weight of what had just happened.

    As he began to pack his belongings, Masato couldn''t help but reflect on the years he''d spent working toward this point and how Mach 1 had caused it to come crumbling down. It was all slipping through his fingers, but he had a plan. He would take control of the situation, and eventually, he would take control of Japan.

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    With his box of belongings in hand, Masato stepped out of his now former office, the door clicking shut behind him. He kept his eyes fixed forward, refusing to look back as he walked down the sterile hallway, each step echoing with finality. He knew what he had to do, and he couldn''t afford any hesitation.

    Stopping at a washroom, Masato glanced around to ensure that he was alone. He locked the door behind him and crossed to the last stall, where he''d hidden glasses, a lab coat, and a fake ID badge in plastic bags in the back of the toilet. He changed quickly, pulling the lab coat over his clothes and adjusting the glasses on his nose.

    "Alright, Masato," he muttered under his breath as he checked his reflection in the mirror. "It''s showtime."

    Carefully avoiding the surveillance cameras'' blind spots, Masato made his way to the lab, his heart racing with every step. He swiped the fake ID badge and slipped inside, the hum of machinery greeting him like an old friend.

    "I will show them the true power of the Machs," he thought, scanning the room for the Machs he would need. His eyes landed on a video camera, a power drill, a digital camera, an old alarm clock, and a rechargeable razor - each one housing a powerful weapon within its innocent exterior.

    He gathered them up, feeling their weight in his hands, a symbol of the power he was about to wield. As he turned to leave, the sound of movement nearby made him pause, adrenaline surging through his veins, but no one entered. Masato sealed the room and left, his heart pounding in his ears.

    "Five will have to be enough," he thought again, steeling himself for the path that lay ahead. "I''ll build my own army."

    Masato slipped back into the bathroom, his heart pounding as he locked the door behind him. He glanced at his reflection in the mirror, the lab coat and glasses concealing his true identity. With swift, practiced movements, he removed the disguise and changed back into his own clothes, folding the lab coat and glasses neatly before placing them in his box of belongings.

    He tucked the five Machs into the box as well, their innocuous exteriors hiding the truth from unsuspecting eyes. As Masato closed the lid, he couldn''t help but feel a certain thrill at the thought of what he was about to do.

    "Goodbye, until we meet again," he whispered, and then stepped out of the bathroom, carrying the box with an air power surrounding him.

    As he exited the building, Masato took one last look around, his eyes lingering on the familiar surroundings that had been his world for so long. "I will see you soon," he murmured under his breath, and with a sense of grim determination, he walked away from his former job and into the unknown.

    -----

    But the events didn''t just impact Masato, an emergency UN meeting had been called after the new footage of the Mach battle was released. "Mr. Prime Minister," a voice crackled through the speakerphone, "we''re convening this emergency conference to discuss the recent events in Japan."

    The Japanese Prime Minister, Mamoru, sat stiffly in his office, surrounded by advisors and security personnel. The faces of other world leaders stared back at him from the screen, their expressions ranging from concern to outright hostility.

    "Your country has created something unprecedented and highly dangerous," the Chinese representative began, her tone accusatory. "These Mach weapons have the potential to destabilize global peace. We demand to review your data and evaluate the threat they pose."

    "Agreed," chimed in the American delegate, his voice firm. "This technology is too powerful to be left unchecked."

    "Indeed," added the Russian representative, his gaze cold and unyielding. "We support a thorough investigation and suspension of the program. Now world power should have access to this weapon."

    The Prime Minister clenched his fists under the table, his face betraying no emotion. He had anticipated this reaction, but it still stung. With a calm, measured voice, he responded: "These Mach devices were not supposed to be operational. We are just as concerned as you are that these devices exist and have launched a full investigation into them."

    "Don''t lie to us," interjected the Chinese delegate, "we have heard the chatter of a so-called Mach program and what its intentions are. The United Nations demands a full investigation and suspension of your program until further notice."

    The Prime Minister took a deep breath, his mind racing as he considered the implications of their demands. Finally, he nodded. "Yes we have a program like that, but we never thought that it would actually result in these war machines," he said. "We will comply with your request. We also have questions for the maker of these devices, Masato Tanaka."

    As the conference call came to an end, the Prime Minister''s thoughts turned to how he would be able to regain control of this situation, their greatest secret was out and he knew every country would want a piece of it.

    The Prime Minister stared out the window of his office, watching the sun set over Tokyo, its fiery hues casting long shadows across the city. He muttered a curse under his breath, clenching his fists until his knuckles turned white. This was Masato''s fault, he never should have hired the man to head such an important operation. Masato had been so desperate for recognition and power, that it was only a matter of time before he would take a desperate risk to get noticed, and that is exactly what happened.

    "Sir," one of his secretaries approached hesitantly, holding a file in her trembling hands. "It''s come to our attention that five Machs are missing from the facility."

    "Missing?" The Prime Minister''s voice cracked like a whip, making the secretary flinch. He took a deep breath before continuing. "Clearly this is a parting gift from Masato, to us. The fool, now we can pin the Hanshin incident on him. Claim the man used our tech to create these machines and then fled when he discovered we were on to him. Track him down and you find him.... make sure no one else ever will."

    "Y-yes, sir." The secretary stammered, bowing quickly before scurrying away.

    "Masato, I can''t thank you enough," he mused to himself, rubbing his temples. "With the eyes of the world on you, and their efforts squarely on hunting you down. I couldn''t have planned this any better myself"

    -----

    Far away in Ottawa, Mr. Stark paced back and forth in his office, his brow furrowed in worry. He had also been on the UN call, and he knew how the world would react if they discovered Canada''s involvement with the Machs. Their own program, reverse-engineering the five Machs they possessed, was shrouded in secrecy. And so far hadn''t resulted in a single functioning Mach.

    "Damn it," he muttered, slamming his fist on the desk. "We need to ensure the Japanese keep their mouths shut about us."

    "Sir?" His assistant looked up from her computer, startled by his sudden outburst.

    "Get me the profiles of our pilots ¨C they need to be ready for their first real mission," Stark said, determination burning in his eyes. "We''re going to relieve Japan of their remaining Machs and destroy the two that got away. We can''t risk our own plans being exposed thanks to them."

    "Are you sure about this, sir?" His assistant asked cautiously.

    "Absolutely," Stark replied with a nod. "The world needs to believe the Machs are destroyed, to return to their state of complacency. It is the only way we can continue our project without worry."

    "As you wish, I will have the files on your desk momentarily." His secretary confirmed as she left the room. Mr. Stark turned and looked out his window, the world was about to change now that it knew about the existence of Machs. All he knew was that he intended to come out on top, no matter what he had to do to get there.

 Chapter 11: Oh Canada

    In the dimly lit office of Ken Stark, a single ray of sunlight pierced through the blinds, slicing across the room and illuminating the cloud of dust dancing above his desk. Files upon files lay scattered in front of him, each one labeled with the names of Mach pilots. As Ken sifted through the papers, his fingers brushed against the edges, he was deep in thought on the logistics of the assignment.

    "Damn," he muttered under his breath, leaning back in his chair. A memory surfaced in his mind ¨C the day Mary, one of their brightest scientists, had come into his office. She had presented the idea of the Mach devices, machines that could protect their borders and bring barren lands back to life. She had so much promise and he knew deep down that Mary''s disappearance couldn''t have been a coincidence. Stark had been itching for an excuse to strike back at those responsible.

    Ken''s eyes narrowed, scanning the files before him. Two names caught his attention: Daiki Yamamoto and Osamu Kimura. Both were of Japanese descent, with connections to the country that would make it easy for them to blend in seamlessly. He opened their files, scrutinizing their pilot missions in the Machs and ensuring their vitals had remained stable during every use. A satisfied smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

    "Marie," he called out, pressing a button on the intercom. "Get me Daiki Yamamoto and Osamu Kimura on the secure line."

    "Of course, Mr. Stark," his secretary replied, her voice tinny through the speaker.

    As he waited for the call to connect, Ken leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. He could feel the weight of responsibility bearing down on him. This mission was critical ¨C they needed to seize the remaining Machs from Japan and bring them home before Japan made things worse. And he was putting all his faith in these two pilots.

    "Mr. Stark?" Osamu''s voice crackled through the intercom. "What can I do for you?"

    "Osamu," Ken began, his tone firm and authoritative. "I''ve got an assignment for you. We need you to go undercover in Japan and fix the rogue Mach situation over there."

    "Undercover?" Osamu''s voice was a mix of surprise and excitement. "This sounds like quite the mission."

    "I trust your investigative skills will lead you right to them," Ken replied, his fingers drumming on the surface of his desk.

    "Understood, Mr. Stark," Osamu said, determination lacing his words. "I won''t let you down."

    "I know you won''t," Ken replied, ending the call with a click. As he stared at the now silent intercom, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of pride swelling in his chest. Osamu would have no problem finding the rogue if that idiot Mach 3 could do it. Now it was time to speak to Daiki, who was pivotal in ensuring Japan was relieved of their WMDs.

    -----

    Daiki''s fingers paused on the antique doorknob, a relic from his childhood home in Japan. With a soft click, the door to his home office swung open, revealing a sanctuary of high-tech gadgetry amidst the warm wooden paneling. He brushed his hand over the biometric scanner, and the room sealed itself shut.

    "Daiki Yamamoto, reporting in," he announced, his voice steady and confident. The muted hum of his computer booting up filled the air as the screen flickered to life, displaying Ken Stark''s stern visage.

    "Daiki," Ken began, his words weighted with seriousness, "you''ve been selected for a very special mission. Recent events have shown that the Japanese government cannot handle the Mach technology."

    "You''re referring to the Hanshin incident, yeah talk about a major screw-up on their end," Daiki replied, his dark eyes reflecting his determination. "What do you need me to do?"

    "Your mission is to infiltrate the Japanese government, locate their remaining Machs, confiscate them, and return to Canada." Ken paused, his steely gaze boring into Daiki. "We need to collect the Machs quickly and quietly before the other world governments get their greedy little hands on them, that last thing we need is more countries with Mach programs."

    "Of course, it should be a piece of cake," Daiki agreed, the corners of his mouth lifting into a resolute smile. "Ad what about the rogue Mach, the one Mach 3 wanted? Shouldn''t we deal with it too?"

    "No need to worry about that, Osamu will be handling it," Ken confirmed. "If needed, he''ll call on you to assist. But for now, your focus should be on retrieving the remaining Machs from the Japanese government."

    "Understood, sir." Daiki nodded before ending the call.

    As the screen went dark, Daiki felt disappointed that he was given the easy assignment in his eyes. He had felt this disappointment before and his mind drifted back to when he first joined the DA in Vancouver, driven by his desire to make the world a better place. He had climbed through the ranks, eager to join the Supreme Court. But when he was told he didn''t make the cut, his heart shattered like fine china. That is, until Ken Stark appeared, offering him a chance to be part of something greater¡ªthe Mach project.

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    Daiki''s hand found its way to the old MP3 player hidden in his safe. The seemingly unremarkable device was, in fact, Mach 6. He flipped the device over in his hand wondering if he would get a chance to use it in the field. The thought of wiping out the Japanese Mach facility as he escaped with their Machs sent a smile across his face.

    "Time to get to work," Daiki murmured, tucking the MP3 player into his bag. With each item he packed, his resolve grew stronger, he wouldn''t fail. As he zipped up his luggage, he began thinking about the program he could use to infiltrate their computer systems. He stepped out into the private car sent for him and knew this was it, he was going to turn the tide of this secret war in Canada''s favor.

    -----

    The dim glow of Hiro''s computer screen cast eerie shadows on the walls of his small, cluttered bedroom in Osaka. He had been scouring the internet for hours, desperate for any sign of Mach 2''s whereabouts. The powerful cybernetic suit''s pilot had killed Mach 3 without a second thought at the warehouse, but for some reason, he didn''t do the same to Hiro. It was Mach 2 claiming Hiro was like him that gnawed at the edges of his mind as he dug deeper into the digital abyss.

    "Nothing but weird conspiracy theories," Hiro muttered under his breath, clicking on yet another headline claiming to have spotted "A transforming robotic dinosaur" in Tokyo. Though there were countless articles like this one, all of them were clearly hoaxes, and none brought him any closer to finding Mach 2.

    Weariness settled over Hiro like a heavy cloak, weighing down his shoulders and causing his eyelids to droop. He knew he couldn''t give up¡ªMach 2 was out there, plotting his next move. He had promised Mach 2 would get another chance to fight him, and he was sure the pilot was preparing for it. The fear and the tiredness caused Hiro''s head to throb.

    "Maybe it''s time for a break," Hiro whispered to himself, rubbing his temples. His thoughts drifted to Kimiko, wondering how she was doing after being kidnapped by Noboru. They hadn''t spoken much since he rescued her, having agreed that it would be best if Hiro kept his distance lest the government discovered his connection to the Machs.

    Hiro reached for his futuristic phone, its sleek surface cool and smooth beneath his fingers. One phone call wouldn''t hurt, in fact he welcomed the distraction from thinking about the fight that awaited him.

    "Hey, Kimiko," Hiro said when she answered, trying to sound more cheerful than he felt. "I was wondering if you wanted to go for a walk or something. Honestly, I could use one, relax and talk about school like we used to,"

    "Sorry, Hiro," Kimiko said, her voice soft yet firm. "I''ve got a ton of homework and chores to do. But I hope we can hang out soon. It''s been too long."

    "Definitely," Hiro agreed, his heart sinking. "I''d love that. Take care, okay?"

    "You too, Hiro." And with that, the line went dead.

    Hiro stared at the silent phone for a moment before setting it aside. Sighing heavily, he turned back to the computer screen, the familiar glow. Hiro still didn''t understand why Nori killed Mach 3. What could cause someone to become such a ruthless killer?

    "Who are you?" Hiro questioned softly, frustration gnawing at him like a ravenous beast.

    -----

    The moment the call ended, Kimiko''s fingers clutched the phone tightly as her eyes narrowed. A determined fire ignited within her, fueled by the desire to never be a damsel in distress again. She had spent hours scanning online forums and visiting pharmacies hoping to spot Yutaka, the man with burns. It was a fruitless endeavor so far, but she refused to give up. She had seen Hiro talking to him and had overheard a few of their phone calls. She knew that Yutaka knew more about the Machs than anyone.

    Kimiko''s mind wandered back to her terrifying encounter with Noboru, the feeling of helplessness still fresh in her memory. Her nightmares were haunted by his twisted grin and haunting laughter, an echo that made her shudder even now. She couldn''t bear the thought of relying on someone else for protection; she needed a Mach, to protect herself.

    Making her way through the bustling streets of Osaka, Kimiko entered a quaint cafe, hoping to re-energize before continuing the hunt. The warm aroma of coffee and pastries enveloped her as she found an empty table near the window. Nestling into the seat, she allowed herself a moment of respite, sipping her drink as her thoughts raced.

    "Looking for me?" a voice interrupted her musings.

    Startled, Kimiko looked up to see Yutaka sitting across from her, his eyes hidden behind dark glasses, his face adorned with the unmistakable scars of a burn victim.

    "How did you know I was searching for you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper lest anyone overhear their conversation.

    Yutaka smirked. "It''s simple, really. I''ve been watching you, but don''t flatter yourself and think you are special. I watch every close to Hiro, I need to ensure his safety after all."

    Frustration bubbled within Kimiko, but she held her tongue, choosing instead to focus on her objective. "I want to help Hiro too, and I need a Mach to do that," she said, her tone hushed yet resolute.

    Yutaka chuckled. "There are no more, unless you plan to break into a top-secret government facility and steal one for yourself."

    "Then you should remember how to create them. You were involved in their development, I heard you talking to Hiro," Kimiko insisted, her gaze unwavering.

    "Well, aren''t you nosey? It''s true, I helped design the cybernetic suits, but no one was allowed to know the entire process," Yutaka explained, his voice tinged with regret. "That was a necessary precaution to ensure the safety of the technology." He paused, his eyes flicking around the room before he continued, "My most significant contribution was the cloaking aspect that allows the Machs to appear like old, out-of-date technology."

    As he finished, Kimiko''s eyes were drawn to an old Tamagotchi clipped to Yutaka''s bag. The realization hit her like a lightning bolt, causing her heart to race with newfound determination. Yutaka had his own interests to look after, even if he did have a Mach he would never admit it to Kimiko.

    "Yutaka, I can''t keep living with the nightmares, I have panic attacks at random. So you can''t build another Mach, there must be something you can do," she pleaded, desperation lacing her words. "Something you can create so I can sleep at night and protect myself."

    For a moment, Yutaka studied her, scrutinizing the fire in her eyes. "A girl like you shouldn''t get mixed up in any of this, giving you anything of the sort would only drag you deeper into it. You would most likely wind up dead."

    His words cut Kimiko like a knife, and so in that moment, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

 Chapter 12: Loss

    Yutaka idly stirred his coffee, watching the heavy cream spiral through the rich brown liquid. Across the small caf¨¦ table, Kimiko Suzuki fidgeted with the hem of her jacket, her dark eyes fixed on the old Tamagotchi hanging from Yutaka''s bag. The worn plastic casing and faded colors did little to disguise what she believed it to be ¨C a Mach.

    "So the Japanese government are the only ones with Machs, huh?" Kimiko asked, feigning disinterest. Her fingers tapped an impatient rhythm on the tabletop. She was calculating, trying to figure out a way to snatch the hidden power within Yutaka''s reach.

    Yutaka merely smiled, taking a sip of his coffee. He had noticed her gaze lingering on his bag but chose not to comment, curious about her next move. "I''m afraid so," he replied, adjusting his glasses and studying her intently. "Seems you will just have to go back to living your ordinary life."

    Kimiko''s jaw clenched, frustration simmering beneath her cool exterior. She knew Yutaka would never just let her take the Mach, even for Hiro''s sake. And she refused to leave until she could be on Hiro''s level, be able to fight back against the monsters out there. I need that power, she thought. I can fight, even if they don''t believe in me.

    "Fine," she snapped, pushing back her chair. "If there are no other Machs, then I''ll just leave but I won''t give up. I will find a way to get rid of Machs with or without you." As she rose, her arm ''accidentally'' knocked over her coffee cup, spilling its contents onto Yutaka''s pants.

    "Ah!" Yutaka yelped, leaping to his feet. His face flushed with embarrassment as he frantically dabbed at the spreading stain with a napkin. This was the moment Kimiko had been waiting for.

    With Yutaka preoccupied, she seized her chance. Her hand darted out, snatching the Tamagotchi from his bag in one swift motion. She didn''t hesitate, racing toward the caf¨¦''s exit and leaving Yutaka to deal with the coffee-soaked aftermath.

    As she sprinted through the bustling streets, Kimiko clutched the Tamagotchi tightly, determination surging through her veins. I will prove myself, she vowed. I will show them I can do this, and I won''t let them down.

    The weight of the Tamagotchi in her palm served as a reminder of the immense power now within her grasp ¨C and if she wanted to keep it, she would have to prove herself.

    -----

    Kimiko burst through the door of her home, the Tamagotchi clutched tightly in her hand. Her heart raced as she slammed the door behind her, a mixture of adrenaline and fear coursing through her veins. What have I done? she thought, there was no doubt in her mind that Yutaka would send Hiro to get the Mach back.

    "Okay, focus," she muttered to herself, sitting at her computer. She needed a crisis, something big enough to justify her actions and convince Yutaka to let her keep the Mach and show Hiro she won''t slow him down. Her fingers flew across the keyboard, scouring the web for any ongoing emergencies that required immediate intervention.

    "Come on, there''s got to be something," she whispered, her desperation mounting with every click. Finally, her eyes locked onto a headline: "Terrorists infiltrate government building in South Africa, police unable to breach advanced weaponry."

    "Perfect," Kimiko breathed, her heart pounding in her chest. She skimmed the article, absorbing every detail she could. This was her chance to prove herself, to show everyone ¨C especially Hiro ¨C that she was capable of wielding a Mach''s power.

    With her mission chosen, Kimiko turned her attention to the Tamagotchi. She studied it intently, searching for any hidden features that might reveal its true nature. Her fingers pressed each button tentatively, growing increasingly frustrated when nothing seemed to happen.

    "Is this really just a toy?" she muttered, doubt creeping into her thoughts. No, it can''t be. If it is them I have just betrayed Hiro for nothing.

    As she went to set the Tamagotchi down, a faint glint caught her eye. Upon closer inspection, she noticed what appeared to be a thumbprint on the screen. Her pulse quickened as she pressed her own thumb against the print, hoping against hope that this would activate the device.

    In an instant, the Tamagotchi sprang to life, and Kimiko felt a surge of energy course through her body. The pink-colored suit materialized around her, encasing her in its advanced armor. Her AI system activated, its voice calm and composed as it addressed her.

    "Welcome to Mach 9, Kimiko."

    "Take me to South Africa," she commanded, her voice strong and resolute. The suit obeyed, mapping the most direct flight path to the crisis. Kimiko opened her window and soared off.

    As the ground disappeared beneath her, Kimiko''s thoughts raced alongside her. I can do this. I have to do this. For myself, for Hiro, so we can fight back against the men using Machs for destruction.

    -----

    Hiro walked along the quiet, dimly lit street, his breath forming small puffs of condensation in the chilly air. He looked up into the sky and saw a pink streak dart across it. He felt the weight of responsibility pressing on him as he pondered how he would find Mach 2 and how many more Machs were still out there. The glow of a streetlight flickered above, casting an eerie orange hue over the pavement.

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    His phone buzzed in his pocket, pulling him out of his thoughts. It was Yutaka. Hiro couldn''t help but wonder if the man could somehow read his mind. "Hey, Yutaka. What''s up?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

    "Kimiko," Yutaka said urgently. "She''s stolen a Mach."

    Hiro''s heart skipped a beat. "What? How?"

    "Doesn''t matter right now," Yutaka replied. "She''s activated it. And she doesn''t know the dangers."

    Hiro glanced down at his own Mach disguised as a phone, seeing the screen alerting him to another Mach''s activation. His worry for Kimiko intensified, and he knew he had to act fast. "I''ll find her," he promised before hanging up.

    As he ran to Kimiko''s house, Hiro''s mind raced with possibilities. Why would Kimiko do this? Doesn''t she know the danger she just put them all in? He arrived at her home, panting from exertion, and found the front door unlocked. He rushed inside, calling her name, but was met with silence.

    He cautiously entered Kimiko''s room, desperately searching for any clues as to her whereabouts. Her desk was cluttered with papers and open tabs on her laptop, but nothing that provided a solid lead. Fear gripped Hiro tighter as he considered the possibility that she might be on the run.

    In a last-ditch effort, Hiro checked his news app for any mention of flying robots. A headline caught his eye: "Pink Robot Enters South African Airspace, Heading Towards School." His heart sank. Kimiko, what have you done?

    Without a second thought, Hiro activated his Mach, feeling the familiar sensation as the suit enveloped him. As he soared through the sky, his thoughts raced alongside him. Please, Kimiko, don''t do anything irrational yet. I''m coming for you.

    Hiro''s determination and concern for his friend fueled his flight, pushing him to reach greater speeds than ever before. But as the distance between them dwindled, he couldn''t help but feel a gnawing unease deep within him, wondering how he was going to stop Kimiko without ruining their friendship.

    -----

    Hiro''s heart pounded like a drum as he closed in on Kimiko''s location, the pink blur against the South African skyline. Activating his coms, he called out to her, urgency tightening his voice. "Kimiko, stop! You don''t know what you are doing. These suits aren''t meant to be used out in the open, you could start a world war!"

    "Stay out of this, Hiro," she shot back, her pride stinging through the static. "I''m going to arrest these terrorists and become a hero. Then the world will see they have nothing to fear, they will be on our side. I''ve done my research, I know what I am doing."

    As Hiro scanned the building below, his Mach''s systems found no trace of weapons or anything suspicious. Panic bubbled up in his chest as he tried to reason with her. "Kimiko, listen to me. There''s nothing here. Your intel was wrong. Please, just scan the building yourself."

    Her response was a defiant snarl. "I don''t need to. I know what I''m doing, Hiro. I''m tired of being underestimated by you and everyone else."

    "Kimiko, please¡ª" Hiro started, but she had already fired upon the building, the sound of shattering glass and crumbling concrete echoing through the air. A gaping hole marred the once pristine structure, and he could only watch in horror as she flew in without hesitation. He didn''t have much of a choice ¨C he followed her into the chaos.

    The scene inside was worse than he''d feared: this wasn''t a terrorist hideout, it was a school. Terrified students and staff huddled together, their wide eyes reflecting the destruction surrounding them. His gut twisted with guilt, as he tried to convince himself this was all because of the stolen Mach and not his friend''s true intentions.

    "Where are the terrorists?!" Kimiko demanded, her voice shaking with anger. The people stared back at her, clearly too frightened to speak.

    "Kimiko, stop this now!" Hiro pleaded, flying closer to her. But she was beyond reason, her eyes wild with determination. She activated her blaster, pointing it at a trembling teacher. "Tell me where they are, or I''ll kill you!" She couldn''t be wrong, if she was wrong then she was the villain in the story, and that would break her.

    Hiro''s mind raced, searching for a way to defuse the situation without harming anyone ¨C but he knew there was only one option left. Clenching his fists, he steeled himself for what came next.

    "Kimiko, I don''t want to do this," he whispered, barely audible over the sound of his own heartbeat. "But I have no choice."

    Hiro''s heart pounded as he darted forward, his Mach-armoured hand reaching out to knock Kimiko''s blaster aside just in time. The shot pierced the ceiling above, showering down debris amidst screams of terror from the students below.

    "Enough!" Hiro shouted, his voice strained with desperation. He grabbed Kimiko by her armored wrist and pulled her up into the sky, away from the innocent lives below. The wind whipped at them, clouds surrounding them like a silent audience.

    "Let go of me!" Kimiko snarled, her eyes blazing with anger. She struggled against his grip, but Hiro held on tight.

    "Kimiko, listen to me! The suit is amplifying your emotions. You''re not thinking straight," he implored, hoping she would see reason. But her face contorted with indignation.

    "I don''t need to be saved Hiro," she spat back, defiance etched across her features. "I can handle myself!"

    "You don''t understand, these suits are dangerous. They drive pilots to madness," Hiro said urgently, his voice cracking. He searched for any sign of understanding but found only hostility.

    "Leave me alone, or I swear I''ll make you regret it," she threatened, her gaze hardening. Hiro knew he couldn''t let her continue down this path, regardless of her threats.

    "Then let''s settle this," he replied, his tone heavy with regret.

    -----

    The battle between Hiro and Kimiko was intense, their Machs becoming a blur of motion amidst the high-altitude winds. Hiro tried to hold back, his movements calculated and defensive, while Kimiko went all-out, her attacks relentless and unforgiving. It was clear that she wasn''t holding anything back.

    "Kimiko, please! It isn''t too late to stop this!" Hiro called out through their coms, his voice strained from exertion. He narrowly dodged a volley of energy blasts, the air crackling with their heat.

    "Shut up!" she screamed back, her words fueled by an anger he''d never witnessed before. "You always think you''re better than me! But I''ll show you!"

    As Hiro hesitated to counterattack, desperate not to harm his friend, he saw warning lights flashing inside his Mach''s cockpit. His hesitation was causing certain systems to fail, including vital ones like shielding and propulsion. If he didn''t do something soon, he''d be at Kimiko''s mercy, and he knew there wouldn''t be any left in her current state.

    "Kimiko, stop! You don''t want this! You''ll regret it later!" Hiro pleaded one last time, sweat running down his face as he braced for her next assault.

    "Regret is for the weak," she replied coldly, her eyes narrowed and unyielding. With a surge of power, she unleashed another barrage, this one more ferocious than before.

    Hiro stared in horror as the storm of destruction bore down on him. He gritted his teeth, knowing that if he didn''t act, there would be no chance of being saved ¨C not for Kimiko, and certainly not for himself.

 Chapter 13: Faulter

    Nori''s eyes were glued to the news broadcast, his intense gaze reflecting off the screen as he absorbed every detail. "Breaking News: Second Robot Attack in South Africa" blared from the television in bold letters.

    "A pink robot attacked a school earlier today," the newscaster reported, her voice trembling slightly with emotion. "Thankfully, a second teal one seems to be defending the school. The two robots are now engaged in a fierce battle in the airspace above the school while police and emergency services work diligently to evacuate the area."

    Nori''s jaw clenched as he downed the last swig of his lukewarm melon soda. There was no way this new Mach was going to destroy Mach 1 before he did. With a swift movement, he activated his Mach suit and took flight, heading toward the conflict. He decided to keep his distance, he needed to see Mach 1 defeat this new and prove he was worth the effort. "If I spot an opening," he muttered to himself, "I''ll take it."

    Nori drifted just outside of their sensors as the battle between Mach 1 and Mach 9 raged on. Nori observed the assault, his piercing eyes following their every move. Something wasn''t right; Mach 1 was holding back, not fighting with his usual skill. What could be causing him to waver?

    "Is he... scared?" Nori pondered, his anger bubbling up as he considered the possibility, there was no way this was the same pilot to raced into battle with Noboru. "Pathetic" he spat, disappointment tinging his words.

    Nori made a decision. If Mach 1 was so weak, then Mach 9 could finish him off and save him the trouble. Of course, he would then destroy Mach 9 to ensure his supremacy. His fists clenched in anticipation, the winner of this fight didn''t matter, because the only true winner would be him.

    Nori''s helmet buzzed with an alert, a third Mach had entered the South African airspace. "Shit!" he swore at himself, this only complicated things. He looked back seeing Mach 1 purposely miss a clear shot on Mach 9. What the hell was going on, he thought, did he miss something crucial? Was there a hidden strategy at play?

    "Doesn''t matter," he growled to himself, as the censor warned the new approaching Mach would make contact in under a minute. " Looks like I will have to wait a little longer until our rematch,"

    As the battle below continued, Nori retreated into the distance, his thoughts consumed with anger and disappointment.

    -----

    Unaware of the new Mach approaching them, Hiro and Kimiko''s Mach suits clashed in midair, sparks flying with each strike, and the sky around them seemed to vibrate with their raw energy. Hiro gritted his teeth within the confines of his suit, his heart pounding as he struggled to keep up with Kimiko''s relentless assault. He had never intended for it to come to this, but her suit had made her unreasonable and she refused to listen to him. It was feeding on her pride and amplifying and Hiro worried that if he didn''t figure out a way to get her out of the suit soon, he would lose his friend forever.

    "Kimiko, there isn''t much time!" Hiro shouted, trying to reason with her while simultaneously attempting to block her next attack. "You need to power down, or you could die!"

    "I don''t believe you, you just want the suit back! you don''t think I can handle it, you never believed in me?!" she shot back, her voice strained with exertion.

    Before either of them could react, a sonic boom shook the air around them, causing both pilots to momentarily lose focus. A third Mach appeared between them like a bolt from the blue, its streamlined form gleaming in the sunlight. It raised its hands, gesturing for them to stop.

    "Stand down! I am Osamu Kimura, under the command of the Canadian government. You are hereby ordered to surrender your Machs immediately!" the new arrival commanded, his voice firm and authoritative.

    Hiro''s eyes widened in shock at the revelation, his mind racing with questions. Canada had access to Mach technology too? How many countries had managed to get their hands on this power, and why had they decided to use it now?

    "Canada?" Kimiko sputtered, equally surprised. "But¡ª"

    "Enough!" Osamu interjected sharply, cutting her off. "You have entered this airspace illegally and engaged in unauthorized combat. Surrender now, or I will be forced to take you both down."

    Hiro hesitated, his sense of justice warring with his desire to protect his friend. "I didn''t come here to cause harm," he finally replied, his voice steady despite the fear that filled him. "We''ll leave the area, but we won''t hand over our Machs."

    Osamu considered Hiro''s words, his surprise was evident even through the Mach''s emotionless visage. He turned his gaze towards Kimiko "The two of you are together in this?" he asked but she remained silent, her defiance palpable.

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    "Kimiko?" Hiro urged, hoping she would see reason and stand down as well.

    Her silence stretched out between them, a space that at any moment could be replaced with another violent battle. It was clear that surrendering wouldn''t come easily to Kimiko, but Hiro couldn''t bear the thought of his friend being killed.

    "Kimiko, please," he whispered, desperation lacing his voice. "There''s still time to make things right."

    As Kimiko''s unyielding figure seemed to waver in the tense standoff, Hiro knew that the future of their bond and the fate of the world rested on her decision.

    A surge of determination flashed in Kimiko''s eyes, her decision was made. With a swift motion, she raised her blaster and fired at Osamu, who expertly activated his Mach''s shield, blocking the attack with minimal effort.

    "It seems the two of you have a lot to work out. Unfortunately allowing you to leave was never going to be an option," Osamu declared, his voice cold and authoritative, "I have been given authorization to eliminate all rogue Machs operating outside of government control."

    Kimiko''s jaw clenched, her pride driving her forward. "I''d like to see you try to take this from me," she challenged, a fire burning behind her words. "People like you are the true enemy, I couldn''t fight the last government goon that came after me but I will destroy you."

    "Your actions only guarantee your arrest and imprisonment for using government technology without permission, that is if you power down now and I am not forced to use lethal action," Osamu warned, unfazed by Kimiko''s defiance.

    The air crackled with tension before Kimiko charged towards him. Osamu''s extensive training became evident as he easily dodged Kimiko, exploiting the blind spots within her Mach system. Hiro watched, torn between his loyalty to his friend and the realization that they couldn''t win this fight. Kimiko didn''t give up, laughing several blasts at Osamu, but none of them hit. Hiro intervened, trying to protect Kimiko while urging her to stop fighting.

    "Kimiko!" Hiro shouted over the chaos of their combat. "We can''t win this, he is too well trained! Please, just listen to me!"

    Her stubbornness refused to yield, and she ignored Hiro''s pleas, pushing herself harder. As a result, Osamu managed to land several heavy blows, damaging her Mach armor and causing multiple malfunctions.

    "Enough!" Osamu roared, preparing to deliver a finishing strike.

    Hiro darted forward, blocking the final blow. "No, don''t!" he yelled, in the same motion activating his shield and sending Osamu spiraling backward. "Kimiko, get out of here! Now!" Hiro urged, his tone more serious than Kimiko was expecting.

    He had never spoken to her that way but he was right, his words finally reached Kimiko, and she took off into the sky to find refuge. Hiro braced himself, turning back to face Osamu, ready to hold him off and buy Kimiko time to escape.

    "Osamu, this doesn''t have to end with one of us dead," Hiro asserted, his voice firm but laced with the weight of his internal struggle. "I want to destroy the Machs, to ensure they can''t be used in war." Hiro glanced back hoping he could stall Osamu long enough for Kimiko to survive.

    -----

    Kimiko soared through the sky, her heart pounding in her chest as she searched for a place to hide. A dense forest below offered shelter and solitude, so she descended carefully, nearly collapsing as her damaged Mach armor creaked under its own weight. She powered it down and let out a shaky breath, feeling as if she were finally able to breathe. With its deactivation, her rational thoughts raced back to her mind, causing her to collapse.

    "Armor repairs initiated," the Mach''s AI informed her. "Full functionality will be restored in approximately seventy-two hours."

    "Three days..." Kimiko whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. She swiped at them angrily, refusing to let them fall. She could finally see what she had really done, and now Hiro was going to pay the price for her. The realization stung more than any physical blow.

    "I can''t go back home," she muttered, glaring at the ground. "Yutaka and Hiro, if he survives ... they''d never forgive me." Her pride wouldn''t allow her to return empty-handed. She needed to prove that she was capable of wielding the Mach, that she could be a pilot worthy of the task of finding the other Machs.

    "Tokyo it is, then" she resolved, her voice breaking. She pulled out her phone and booked a one-way ticket to Tokyo, determined to train until she could face Hiro and Yutaka with her head held high. "I''ll make sure this never happens again, I will learn to control it," she vowed, her gaze fixed on the horizon.

    -----

    Meanwhile, Hiro stood his ground against Osamu, "Osamu, I couldn''t let you kill Mach 9, it was the suit making her act that way," Hiro explained, his voice steady and determined.

    "I know all about the side effects of a Mach," Osamu conceded, his tone tinged with respect. "But don''t foul yourself, what you saw was the true Mach 9, the Machs only amplify the emotions and thoughts that you already have. Everything she did, that was all her."

    "That''s not true!" Hiro''s expression hardened. "I know her, I know who she is. She would never just attack a school full of innocent kids ¨C You are lying. These weapons... they could end our world, Osamu. They are causing the violence and destruction."

    Osamu''s eyes widened at Hiro''s impassioned speech, and he found himself intrigued by the teenager''s idealism. "You really believe that? You truly believe it is the technology that is tainting us and not that we are already poison?"

    "More than anything, Machs need to be destroyed before they cause another war!" Hiro affirmed, his conviction unwavering.

    "Fascinating," Osamu said slowly, considering Hiro''s words. "So you are purposing the complete destruction of the Mach program, wiping it all away. But what about the next weapon or the one after that, isn''t it human nature to want more power, more money, just more in general? It seems rather simplistic to believe these suits are the cause of the corruption and scheming that is at play every day,"

    Hiro exhaled, "You''re right, but I''m not saying that without them the world will be perfect, I am saying without them there will be less temptation to conquer another nation or force people to act in fear. Tell me that isn''t true and I will power down right now and you can have my Mach."

    Osamu was silent, he was clearly dealing with a young and naive boy, but Mach 1 wasn''t wrong. The plans for these suits had always been for war and conquest, without them that plan could vanish.

 Chapter 14: Lies

    The sun dipped low in the sky as Hiro met Osamu at a small park nestled within the bustling streets of Osaka. It was far from where they had had their stand-off, but they had agreed to talk somewhere more private and without Machs. They stood side by side, their civilian clothes blending seamlessly with the passersby. The scent of fresh cherry blossoms wafted on the gentle breeze, momentarily distracting Hiro from the fact he had to convince Osamu to let him go. He thought it was best to start at the beginning.

    "Osamu, there''s something I need to tell you," Hiro said, his voice heavy with emotion. "My parents... they created the Mach technology." He glanced over at Osamu, who stared back at him with rapt attention. "But as they worked on it, they grew to fear what others could do with such power. It was their dying wish to have all the Machs destroyed."

    "We knew about your parents, Mary was one of our own. But that was her dying wish?" Osamu asked, astonishment evident in his voice. "Who told you this? Our intel has no records of Mary dying," He hesitated before continuing " The Canadian government was told she fled along with your father and their schematics for building Machs."

    Hiro''s eyes widened, his heart pounding like a wild drum in his chest. "What? That can''t be true."

    "I agree, it seems the Japanese government is lying to one of us," Osamu replied solemnly. "Their actions in all of this seem to trying to hide something but if your parents did die, as you say they did then when cover that up."

    "What do mean?" Hiro asked, his anger flaring. He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms.

    "If they died in an accident then the Canadian government would have taken that as fact, as long as there was proof," Osamu explained. "But reporting them as missing has kept my government searching for them all these years, tracking down every clue they could find. So why not just report them dead to prevent us from stumbling across anything they don''t want us to see?"

    Hiro breathed deeply, trying to process the flood of new information. He thought about his uncle, who had always been there for him. Could they have lied to him, did their own government cover up what really happened to his parents?

    "Osamu, let me keep my Mach," Hiro said slowly, his gaze fixed on the ground. "I know you have your orders but who''s to say you actually found anything in South Africa? I need to find out the truth about my parents, and I know I will need it because I doubt they are just going to tell me willingly."

    "Understandable," Osamu nodded. "But I need this to be mutually beneficial, anything you find you relay to me. You do not engage with the enemy until we know what we are really dealing with here."

    "I will, Osamu," Hiro whispered, still unsure if he could trust this government agent, and be sure not to give him too much information.

    "then take this number and go," Osamu handed Hiro his number, "And remember if you double-cross me on this, will carry out my mission with extreme prejudice."

    Hiro swallowed hard as the threat lingered in the air, he nodded in agreement and Osamu gave him a dismissive wave. With that, Hiro set off, heading to the bus stop.

    -----

    Daiki''s footsteps were silent, a skill honed by years of experience, had he trailed Hiro and Osamu through the bustling streets of Osaka. He clutched his phone tightly in hand, capturing photos of Hiro for the Canadian government. Despite the noise of the city around them, he strained to ensure each photo was crystal clear.

    Daiki watched as Hiro pulled out his phone, quickly adding Osamu''s contact information. Hiro''s guard had dropped so fast, that Daiki marveled at Osamu''s ability to gain trust. This teenager was a pilot? It still didn''t make sense to Daiki, who would choose a pilot like that?

    "Osamu, now that you know who I am, I will have to be more careful than ever," Hiro muttered to himself as he walked away from the man, determination shining in his eyes.

    "Hey Hiro, one last question before you go," Osamu called out, causing Hiro to freeze on the spot. "Tell me, how did you come across a Mach yourself?"

    Hiro hesitated, his fingers tapping nervously against his phone. "On my birthday, there was a package on my doorstep. I don''t know who left it there, but it contained a Mach and some handwritten instructions on how it worked. I thought my parents maybe had it set aside until I turned 16."

    Osamu furrowed his brow but accepted the explanation. "I''ll look into that for you, Hiro. We need to uncover every last detail of this, someone out there may have more Machs."

    "Right, that wouldn''t be good," Hiro said, the thought he may have just made Yutaka a target without trying crossed his mind. As they parted ways, Hiro couldn''t help but glance back, his eyes betraying a lingering mistrust.

    Daiki remained hidden, his thoughts racing as he considered the implications of their conversation. They were one step closer to collecting the Machs, but if a third party had one, who''s to say they didn''t have more? He had to report back to Stark, this information could change everything.

    As Hiro disappeared into the bus, Daiki''s mind turned to his own mission, according to the data he had discovered that Japan had tried to remove data on five Mach systems. They were stupid if they thought they could hide them from him.

    -----

    As the bus vanished into the bustling street, Osamu remained rooted in place, his eyes calculating and sharp. Daiki emerged from the shadows, his steps swift and silent as he strolled up to stand next to him.

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    "Why not follow him home?" Daiki asked, his voice low and cautious.

    "Because we have his identity now," Osamu replied, watching the sea of faces around them. "There''s no need. We want to gain his trust so that he calls us for help with the other Machs. Once we''ve got them all in one place, we''ll destroy them."

    "Still," Daiki mused, his gaze following the spot where Hiro had disappeared. "I can''t help but wonder how someone as average as him can pilot a Mach with such skill. There''s more to him than meets the eye."

    Osamu nodded, his expression contemplative. "It''s fascinating, indeed. But for now, we have our orders. Report back to Stark about what we''ve learned today. Keep Hiro''s name out of it, though. We don''t want to tip our hand too soon."

    "Our hand? Stark needs to know everything," Daiki said, determination etching itself across his face. "I''ll be heading to the embassy in Tokyo for the next phase of our plan. If I can get the Machs from the Japanese government, we''ll be one step closer to putting an end to this whole mess."

    "Something isn''t adding up with the story behind creators of the Machs, until we know who is involved we trust no one," Osamu replied, before clapping him on the shoulder. "Stay focused on the mission. And remember, we''re a team here, I will let you know when you can fill in Stark on who the boy really is."

    Daiki nodded and walked away, his mind churned with thoughts of the mission. Hiro Kobayashi seemed to have Osamu seeing something he didn''t, for now, he would trust Osamu''s instincts. But his patience was limited, their loyalty was to Canada, not some boy.

    -----

    The train screeched to a halt, and Daiki stepped onto the platform in Tokyo. The bustling city seemed to vibrate with energy, its sights enveloping him as he began his walk toward the embassy.

    As he turned a corner, the unmistakable sounds of a struggle reached his ears. A man was attempting to mug a young woman, her long black hair whipping around her face as she fought back with fierce determination. Daiki didn''t know who she was, but his innate sense of justice spurred him into action. He sprinted forward and delivered a swift kick to the mugger''s side, sending him stumbling away before he could react.

    "Are you okay?" Daiki asked the woman, taking in her pale skin and striking features. It was clear she was a young and injured runaway, though her pride seemed to prevent her from admitting it.

    "I''m fine," she replied stubbornly, her eyes flashing with gratitude but also a hint of defiance. "I don''t need help."

    "Who are you?" Daiki pressed gently, unable to quell his curiosity. "Are you from around here?"

    "Doesn''t matter," she muttered, looking away. "Things are complicated at home."

    "Look," Daiki said, his voice softening. He couldn''t help but see a little bit of his sister in the teen, "At least let me get you off the street and buy you some food."

    The woman hesitated for a moment, her gaze darting between him and the retreating figure of the mugger. Finally, she nodded, acquiescing to his offer. As they walked to a nearby restaurant, Daiki found himself struck by her beauty.

    Over steaming bowls of ramen, Daiki couldn''t help but ask, "Where are you staying?"

    "Uh... I don''t have a place yet," she admitted, her eyes downcast.

    "Listen," Daiki said, struck by an idea. "I''m a government employee, and I travel a lot for work. I have a two-bedroom apartment here in Tokyo. You can stay there if you''d like, until you get back on your feet."

    The woman''s eyes widened, and she hesitated, clearly torn between her lack of trust and the practicality of the offer. Finally, she accepted the key from him with a murmured thanks, promising to think about it.

    "Let''s get you checked out at a hospital," Daiki suggested, his mind briefly flashing back to his duty to report to Stark. But the memory of his sister compelled him to take care of this woman ¨C perhaps it was guilt over what happened to her or because he had wished someone would have done this for his sister had they found her.

    "Fine," the woman agreed, a small smile gracing her lips. "But only because you insist."

    As they left the restaurant, Daiki couldn''t shake the feeling that their paths had crossed for a reason. He hoped that in helping her, he might find some semblance of redemption for his past.

    -----

    Hiro stormed into Yutaka''s dimly lit apartment, his fury a physical presence that seemed to darken the room further. The older man looked up from his desk, cluttered with Mach schematics, and blinked owlishly behind his glasses.

    "Yutaka, you lied to me," Hiro accused, his voice tight with anger. "You said you only had one Mach, but there''s no way Kimiko could''ve stolen one from the government." He could feel his anger bubbling over and was practically shaking on the spot.

    Yutaka sighed, rubbing his temples as if trying to ward off an impending headache. "I lied to protect you, Hiro," he admitted, his voice weary. "Yes, I had another Mach ¨C it used to be mine. But since my accident, my body has been too weak to use it. I had no choice but to keep it hidden."

    "And Kimiko?" Hiro demanded, his eyes narrowing.

    "Kimiko... she stalked me, found out about the Mach, and took it for herself," Yutaka explained, looking pained. "She threw hot coffee on me, and I didn''t have time to react."

    Hiro considered this, his arms crossed over his chest as he studied Yutaka. Then, something clicked in his mind, and he focused on another inconsistency in the older man''s story: "Are my parents really dead? Because the Canadians were told they are missing, which one is it?"

    Yutaka''s expression crumpled, and he looked away, unable to meet Hiro''s gaze. "They are dead," he murmured. "But it was no accident. I was there in the lab when they died."

    "Tell me everything," Hiro demanded, his voice cracking with suppressed emotion.

    "Your parents were working on the Mach technology when the government stormed their lab, killing everyone inside," Yutaka began, his hands shaking slightly as he recalled the events. "They were desperate to download all the research data and confiscate the Machs." Yutaka seemed close to tears as he recalled the events of that dark day.

    "Your father... He died activating a computer virus that wiped the hard drives clean, ensuring that the government couldn''t create more Machs," Yutaka continued, his voice thick with grief. "And your mother, she bought me time to escape with the Machs we''d already built."

    Hiro''s heart clenched at the thought of his parents'' final moments, and their bravery as they tried to stop their technology from being used for war.

    "Someone betrayed us, though," Yutaka said, his eyes darkening. "Soldiers were waiting for me in the secret evacuation tunnel. They shot me and left me for dead." He paused, swallowing hard before continuing. "They didn''t notice I''d dropped two Machs in the tunnel when they ambushed me. Those soldiers set the building ablaze, and I was able to crawl to one of the Machs and activate it, saving my life... but not before suffering these burns."

    The room fell silent as Hiro digested this revelation, his mind reeling from the weight of it all. Finally, he found his voice: "Why didn''t you just tell me all this from the beginning?"

    Yutaka nodded, his eyes pleading. "I''m sorry, Hiro. I never meant to hurt you. I still have nightmares, I can still feel the flames against my skin, I can hear the screams of my friends and coworkers. I know I should have told you sooner but I wanted to spare you from the horror it was. Can you ever forgive me?"

    Hiro looked at the man who had looked visibly traumatized, the events of that day had clearly shaken him to his core and made his decision.

    "Of course, I can," Hiro whispered, his anger dissipating as understanding took its place.

 Chapter 15: Nori

    Hiro leaned against the cold metal railing of the rooftop, his breath fogging up in the chilly air as he stared out at the cityscape. He could feel the weight of Yutaka''s gaze on him, but Hiro was preoccupied with thoughts of Kimiko, her fierce eyes and determined spirit now lost to them.

    "We have to find her, Yutaka," Hiro said, his voice thick with concern. "If the Canadians find her first who knows what they will do to her? I know her, I know she didn''t mean to attack the school."

    "Of course Hiro," Yutaka replied, adjusting his glasses. "She is also in possession of a Mach. If Japan or Canada find her first and take it, our goal to destroy the Mach program becomes much more complicated." Yutaka sighed, the lines on his face deepening with worry. "The issue is she could have flown off to anywhere in this world, and without her activating her Mach armor, there is no way for us to track her."

    "So the only way to track a Mach is when the suit is being worn? but didn''t you design the cloaking capabilities of the Machs?" Hiro asked, hoping Yutaka would see where he was going with this.

    Yutaka shook his head, his expression solemn. "That is how I know that you will never be able to track it as long as it is not being worn. It''s impossible."

    "Right but what if we look for something else?" Hiro countered, his mind racing through possibilities. "I mean these things are incredibly powerful, they must give off a ton of energy or like a unique signal or something,"

    Yutaka paused, considering. "Of course, their cores would still be giving off background radiation even when powered down. If I can create something that hones in on that signal we may be able to track suits that aren''t even being worn as long as they are charged."

    "So it''s possible," Hiro said, "You could make something like that?"

    "More than possible Hiro, I guarantee I can make a make upgrade to your Mach. Just leave it here with me for the time being." Yutaka instructed.

    Hiro pulled out the old cellphone that acted as a disguise for his Mach. He handed it to Yutaka, who cradled it carefully in his hands. "Thank you." Hiro didn''t have the words to fully express just how grateful he was to Yutaka, he could still have a chance to save Kimiko after all.

    -----

    Days later, Hiro lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. Doubt gnawed at him, making him question if they actually could track inactive Machs, or if Yutaka was just buying time so he could let him down gently. His chest tightened as he thought about the four Machs he had discovered, only one of which had been destroyed¡ªand the pilot was destroyed with it. The lives lost and the destruction caused by these weapons haunted him and honestly, he still didn''t know how he was going to separate the armor from the people before destroying it.

    Just as Hiro''s thoughts threatened to consume him, his phone rang, snapping him back to reality. Yutaka''s voice on the other end sounded urgent. "Hiro, meet me at the park. We need to talk."

    "Is it about Kimiko?" Hiro asked, sitting up and feeling a glimmer of hope.

    "Maybe," Yutaka replied cryptically. "Just get here as soon as you can."

    As Hiro got ready to leave, he prayed that Yutaka had done it and that his upgraded Mach would lead him right to Kimiko. He knew he could convince her to come back, he just needed the chance to speak to her without the influence of the cybernetic suits.

    -----

    Hiro arrived at the park, where Yutaka was already waiting for him on a bench under the shade of a cherry blossom tree. The sun cast warm rays through the delicate pink petals.

    "Good news," Yutaka said as Hiro approached, his eyes hidden behind his glasses. "The upgrade was a total success, now any Mach that is turned on is capable of being tracked by you."

    "Really?" Hiro''s heart raced with anticipation. "So we can find Kimiko?"

    "Maybe." Yutaka hesitated. "If the Mach is fully turned off, it still won''t be traceable. But if it''s on and not active, we should be able to track it."

    "Let''s hope she didn''t turn it off completely." Hiro''s voice wavered, betraying his concern for her safety. "Thank you, Yutaka."

    Yutaka handed the old cell phone back to Hiro. "We''ll find her, Hiro. Don''t worry."

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    Activating the tracking feature, Hiro''s eyes widened as he saw four Machs appear on the screen¡ªthree in Tokyo and one in Osaka. He looked up at Yutaka, determination etched on his face.

    "Kimiko must be here, in Osaka. I''ll go find her."

    "Be careful, Hiro," Yutaka called after him as Hiro sprinted away.

    Following the tracking signal, Hiro navigated the busy streets of Osaka, his heart pounding in his chest. His eyes darted around, searching for any sign of Kimiko. Instead, he stumbled upon a boy his age, Nori, who appeared to be living on the streets. Hiro observed him from afar, he looked out of place being so young with a shaved head.

    "Could that be Mach 2 or someone new?" Hiro wondered, watching as Nori expertly stole food from a street vendor arguing with an elderly woman about his prices. Hiro decided to keep a safe distance, his Mach confirming somewhere on this guy''s body was a Mach.

    Hiro followed this strange teen around the streets when Nori suddenly stopped. He was standing in front of a small tent, two kids asking him for food. He scowled at them and waved them away. As the kids fled crying, the boy rolled his eyes and placed some of the food he had stolen into their tent. Hiro''s curiosity grew, if this was Mach 2, he certainly wasn''t acting like it.

    "Just who are you?" Hiro thought, following Nori through the labyrinth of streets and alleyways. As shadows stretched and the sun dipped below the horizon, Hiro knew he had to learn more about this boy¡ªeven though the question of where Kimiko was still gnawed at the back of his mind.

    Nori made his way to the docks. The fading light cast long shadows on the empty shipping containers. Hiro followed, his heart pounding with anticipation. He watched as Nori found a quiet spot and put on a VR headset. Within moments, the Mach 2 materialized around him, Hiro knew that armor immediately and knew he had to pursue this lead.

    "This is my chance to finally figure out who Mach 2 is," Hiro muttered to himself, activating his own Mach. He soared through the sky, keeping a close eye on Nori''s trajectory. They flew towards Northern Japan, with Hiro making sure to stay out of Nori''s sight.

    After what felt like hours, Nori began his descent near a small village at the base of Mount Fuji. He deactivated his Mach as he landed, leaving no trace behind. Hiro followed suit, finding a concealed spot to land and deactivate his own Mach.

    The village was in the midst of its annual spring festival, vibrant colors and laughter filling the air. The scent of cherry blossoms mingled with the enticing aroma of street food. Nori seemed to be to be at home as he wandered from booth to booth.

    Hiro observed Nori, was this his home? He couldn''t imagine why someone with such a seemingly gentle demeanor could harbor so much rage. He had to find out more, he walked toward Nori determined to trick the boy into telling him more about himself.

    "Alright, how can I start a conversation without raising suspicion?" Hiro pondered, watching Nori examine a stand selling colorful lanterns. As Hiro tried to devise a plan, Nori turned around abruptly, causing Hiro to walk right into him.

    "Ah! I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to," Hiro stammered, his face flushing with embarrassment.

    Nori looked at Hiro, his eyes narrowing momentarily before softening. "It''s fine, don''t worry about it," he said with a shrug.

    "Let me make it up to you," Hiro offered, spotting a nearby stand selling takoyaki. "How about I buy you some?"

    Nori hesitated for a second before agreeing. "Sure, why not? I''m Nori, by the way."

    "Hiro," he replied, extending his hand, for a moment he could have sworn Nori shot him a look of recognition when he heard his name.

    As they stood in line for Takoyaki, Hiro couldn''t help but think about how he was going to get Nori to talk. Their silence felt awkward and Hiro wasn''t she if he should fill the void or let Nori speak first.

    -----

    The tantalizing aroma of the takoyaki wafted through the air as Hiro and Nori sat side by side on a wooden bench. As they ate two dog walker got tangled in their leashes and collapsed into each other. Nori laughed, not an evil or maniacal laugh, just a normal laugh. Hiro watched Nori''s face, noting the way his eyes crinkled when he laughed, and found it increasingly difficult to reconcile this cheerful boy with the rage-fueled Mach 2 pilot he had fought twice now.

    "Y''know," Nori said, still smiling, "my grandparents used to bring me here every year when I was little. They''d always buy me a koi fish for our family pond." He pointed toward a booth with colorful fish swimming in small tanks, his voice tinged with nostalgia.

    "Really?" Hiro responded, genuinely curious. "Did you have a favorite koi?"

    Nori chuckled, blushing slightly. "Yeah, there was this one with silver scales and red spots. I named him Gin."

    As they continued to chat, Hiro found himself more and more drawn to Nori. Nori was layered and just a regular guy, all that anger he had must be coming from the Mach amplifying his emotions. More proof that Kimiko was being changed by the suit and did actually want to attack that school or him. If only he could find her and tell he none of it was her fault.

    "Hey," Nori said suddenly, looking at Hiro with a mix of curiosity and shyness. "What were you thinking about just now?"

    Hiro hesitated for a moment, searching for the right words. He didn''t want to reveal too much. "I was just thinking about a friend, I worried she might get hurt," he finally replied, he looked up to meet Nori''s concerned stare. "Oh um not physically hurt, we just uh had a fight. I haven''t talked to her since.

    "Ah, I see," Nori said, seemingly satisfied with the answer, "I am not the want you want to get advice from, I don''t really do the whole friend thing."

    "Not even just one close friend you hang out with," Hiro asked, he felt sad for Nori.

    "Just never had the time." He replied with an emptiness in his eyes that told Hiro everything he needed to know.

    "The firework works are starting soon," Hiro said, changing the topic. "we should try to find somewhere with a good view of them,"

    "I know just the place," Nori stood up and motioned Hiro to follow him.

    As the festival reached its final; hours, fireworks began to burst overhead, painting the night sky in vibrant hues of red, blue, and gold. The boys looked up, their faces awash with color, standing on the small footbridge from over the pond.

 Chapter 16: Koi

    As the vibrant colors of the fireworks began to fade into the evening sky, Nori and Hiro found themselves standing on a small footbridge that crossed over a tranquil koi pond. Hiro''s dark hair swayed gently in the cool breeze, his slim figure leaning against the bridge railing as he stared out at the swirling patterns created by the fish below.

    "Hey, Hiro," Nori said hesitantly, breaking the silence that had settled between them. "We''ve met before, you know. Two years ago."

    Hiro blinked and turned to face Nori, confusion etched across his features. He scanned his memories, trying to place where he might have encountered the muscular, shaved-headed young man before. But nothing came to mind, how could he not remember such a distinct face in the crowd? His brow furrowed, frustration simmering just beneath the surface.

    Nori chuckled softly, seeing Hiro''s struggle. "Don''t worry about it," he reassured him. "I don''t blame you for not remembering. I didn''t look like this back then. To you, it must have been just another day."

    "Wait, what do you mean?" Hiro asked, curiosity piqued. He bit his lip, trying to recall any significant events from two years ago.

    But before Hiro could continue, Nori cut in. "That day changed my whole life," he admitted, his voice tinged with a mixture of sadness and gratitude. He looked away from Hiro, his eyes focused on the orange and white scales of the koi as they weaved through the water. "It''s funny how something so insignificant to some can mean everything to someone else."

    Hiro watched Nori carefully, his own thoughts racing. He couldn''t help but wonder what had transpired between them that day, and how it could have left such a lasting impact on someone like Nori, who seemed so guarded and hardened by life.

    "I have to know what happened," Hiro implored, his voice gentle yet insistent. "Please."

    Nori hesitated for a moment, he didn''t fully trust Hiro and a lot could have changed over the past two years. He weighed the pros and cons before looking back at Hiro with a somber expression. He took in a deep breath as his mind brought him back to the day that changed the course of his life forever.

    Nori''s voice grew distant as Hiro found himself transported back to that fateful day. The classroom was bathed in the golden light of early morning, dust particles dancing in the beams as they cut through the blinds. A younger Nori sat alone at his desk, hunched over a worn notebook, the tip of his tongue poking out in concentration as he carefully crafted the image of a fierce pirate. his messy red hair dangling in front of his face.

    The door slid open with a sharp creak, and a group of boys swaggered into the room, their laughter echoing off the walls. Nori''s hand froze mid-stroke, his eyes darting up to assess the intrusion. Their voices carried easily across the empty space, Nori''s body tensed as he knew what was about to happen next.

    "Look at him, he doesn''t even greet us when we walk in. He thinks he''s so much better than us just because his parents have money," one boy sneered, his gaze fixed on Nori.

    "Let''s teach him a lesson on manners," another chimed in, a wicked grin stretching across his face.

    Before Nori could react, the first boy marched over and snatched the notebook from his grasp, tossing it to his friends at the back of the class. Panic welled up in Nori''s chest as he lunged forward, desperately trying to reclaim his precious work. Each time he came close, the book was yanked away, the boys laughing mercilessly as they played their cruel game of keep-away.

    "Enough!" the leader barked, "Next time when we enter the room, you show us some respect." and with a final, malicious smirk, one of the boys flung the notebook out of the open window. Nori watched in horror as his pages of painstakingly drawn manga were consumed by the rain-soaked puddle below, the ink bleeding into an indecipherable mess.

    Tears blurred his vision as he fled the classroom, his heart pounding wildly in his ears. He locked himself in the bathroom stall, his sobs echoing off the tiled walls. He had poured so much of himself into those pages, and now it was all gone.

    "Hey, are you okay?" a concerned voice cut through Nori''s grief, and the door to the bathroom swung open to reveal a young Hiro. His eyes were wide with empathy, though they didn''t yet know each other''s names.

    "Y-yeah, I''m fine," Nori lied, quickly wiping his tears away with the back of his hand.

    "Are you sure?" Hiro said, clearly not convinced. "I heard some guys in the hall talking about making someone cry. You don''t have to let them get away with it. Stand up for yourself and tell a teacher, then they might leave you alone."

    Nori remained silent, his emotions churning inside him like a storm. Hiro hesitated, then added, "I hope your day gets better," before leaving the bathroom.

    As the door clicked shut behind him, Nori exited the stall and found himself staring at his own tear-streaked reflection in the mirror. Something within him shifted, and he knew that he couldn''t continue letting them get away with this. The memory of Hiro''s words clung to him like a lifeline, but he knew teachers wouldn''t really do anything other than write them up.

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    Nori stormed out of the bathroom, his face still flushed from the tears and humiliation. He caught a teacher looking at him, but they never attempted to approach him or ask what was wrong. The anger and frustration Nori felt bubbled up inside him like molten lava, he would have to take care of the problem on his own. He clenched his fists tightly, drawing strength from Hiro actually caring enough to try to help him.

    Lunchtime rolled around, and Nori found his tormentors gathered near the courtyard, laughing and shoving each other playfully. Their laughter grated on his ears, why do they get to be happy? He approached them with purpose, his eyes locked onto theirs, unwavering.

    "Hey!" he shouted, startling them as they turned to face him. "You think you''re so tough, don''t you? Picking on someone just because they''re different?"

    "Look who finally grew a backbone," one of the bullies sneered, stepping forward. "What are you gonna do about it, rich boy?"

    Nori didn''t hesitate. With a swift punch, he sent the bully reeling backward, his nose bleeding profusely. The others stared, dumbfounded, before they rushed at him. Nori fought back with fervor, holding his own against them. His rage fueled every blow, every kick, until they lay battered and bruised on the ground, for the first time he felt truly happy with himself.

    "Maybe now you''ll think twice before you try shit like that again," Nori spat, his chest heaving from the exertion.

    -----

    The headmaster''s office was cold, much like the man himself. As Nori sat there, waiting for his parents to arrive, he contemplated the consequences of his actions. The only people he truly feared were his parents, their detached and uncaring gaze was the only look he could ever picture on their faces.

    His parents entered the room, their expressions blank. The headmaster explained the situation, and Nori braced himself for their fury. Instead, they simply offered the school a large sum of money for a new gymnasium. The headmaster accepted the offer with a greedy glint in his eyes and let Nori off with a warning. His parents never said a word to Nori or even looked in his direction, they just got up and left when it was all over.

    As Nori walked home, anxiety gnawed at him like a relentless beast. He recalled the last time he had cost his parents money; they had cut his grocery budget so severely that he nearly starved. This time, the amount was much larger, and the impending punishment loomed like an ominous shadow.

    Fear consumed him as he approached a bridge over a river. The water''s dark surface seemed to call out to him, promising a solution¡ªan escape¡ªthough not without a price. He climbed onto the edge, his heart thundering in his chest. As he teetered on the brink, a new fear gripped him¡ªthe fear of dying. He didn''t want to jump, but neither did he want to face the wrath awaiting him at home. He felt trapped, caught between two equally horrifying fates.

    Nori''s breath hitched as a strong grip yanked him away from the edge, pulling him back to solid ground. Disoriented, Nori found himself staring into Hiro''s wide eyes, fear etched across his face¡ªan emotion that mirrored Nori''s own.

    "What the hell were you thinking?" Hiro demanded, his voice shaking but stern. "You could''ve fallen!"

    Nori fought to control his racing heart, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I... I was just trying to see the bottom," he lied, but the words tasted bitter and hollow on his tongue.

    "Are you insane?" Hiro scolded, releasing Nori''s arm. "It''s way too dangerous to be up there like that!"

    "I know," Nori admitted with a defeated sigh. "It was stupid."

    "Promise me you won''t do something like that again," Hiro insisted, searching Nori''s eyes for sincerity.

    "Okay," Nori agreed reluctantly, feeling an unfamiliar warmth fill his chest as he realized that Hiro¡ªcared about his well-being.

    "Good." Hiro rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Haven''t I seen you at school? don''t we have English together?" Hiro seemed to be analyzing Nori on the spot, "Oh yeah, we do. I sat behind you one time, your doodles are amazing."

    "Really?" Nori couldn''t help the surprised joy that bubbled within him at the prospect of having a friend, but he had to be sure Hiro actually wanted to be his friend. "Would you maybe want to hang out, I can show you how I draw them."

    "Definitely." Hiro smiled, extending his hand. "I''m Hiro, by the way."

    "Nori," he replied, shaking Hiro''s hand firmly. Hiro gave him one last reassuring smile before taking off, leaving Nori to continue his walk home with a newfound sense of hope.

    But as he stepped through his front door, his heart sank. His parents stood waiting, suitcases packed and ready to go.

    "You really screwed up this time, I mean seriously how dare you make us look like bad parents!" His mother hissed, but Nori''s eyes couldn''t leave the bags by the door as fear crept into his mind.

    His father followed his gaze, "Yes those are your bags, this is the last time we will be helping you out. You have shown us you don''t deserve our generosity." He coldly informed Nori. "You are going to Tazo''s military academy, at least there you may have some value."

    "Please," Nori begged, desperation clawing at his insides. "I just made a friend¡ª"

    "Enough!" his father snapped, silencing him. "don''t you dare speak to us that way. Get him out of my sight!" Two men entered, in military uniforms, and dragged Nori and his belongings to the waiting hover car. He struggled, but it was futile.

    His parents didn''t even say goodbye as they turned their backs on him, leaving him with the crushing realization that he might never see Hiro again.

    -----

    The koi pond shimmered in the twilight, and silence filled the space. Hiro stood on the footbridge beside Nori, his heart racing as the weight of Nori''s story settled heavily within him. Anger and sadness mixed within Hiro, creating a storm of emotions as he tried to find the right words.

    "God, Nori," Hiro breathed out, shaking his head in disbelief. "I had no idea you went through all that. I can''t imagine what you must have gone through there."

    Nori gave a bitter laugh. "Yeah? Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I had stayed at the school... but there is no use dwelling on it." He leaned on the bridge railing, gazing down at the water. "You always try to save people, Hiro, even now you are trying to save people who don''t deserve it." The implication wasn''t lost on Hiro, who tensed for a moment before relaxing with a sigh.

    "Maybe, but how do you know you can''t save someone unless you try?" Hiro said, turning to face him with determination in his eyes. "Everyone deserves a chance to change."

    Nori studied Hiro''s face, his own expression softening. Hiro hadn''t changed and he knew his feelings about Mach 1 were right, no one else was that relentlessly optimistic. Without warning, he leaned in and caught Hiro off guard with a perfectly timed kiss. As their lips met, Hiro''s thoughts were momentarily silenced¡ªhis mind filled only with the sensation of Nori''s warm breath and the gentle pressure against his mouth.

 Chapter 17: Emergency

    On the bridge suspended over the tranquil lake, Nori''s lips pressed against Hiro''s in a sudden act that caught them both off guard. Hiro''s eyes widened as he felt both confusion and an unexpected comfort from the intimate contact. As quickly as it happened, Nori pulled away, his dark eyes searching Hiro''s face for a moment before disappearing into the bustling crowd without another word. Hiro stood in silence for a moment still trying to process what had just happened.

    "Wait!" Hiro called out, as he came back to reality, but Nori was already swallowed by the sea of people. Hiro''s Mach, buzzed in his pocket, alerting him that a Mach had been activated nearby. He knew it must be Nori flying away. What had just happened, he thought, why did Nori kiss him and why did he feel like he failed Nori in some way?

    "Damn it," Hiro muttered under his breath. As he leaned against the railing of the bridge, Hiro couldn''t help but reflect on the night he had just spent with Nori ¨C he finally understood Nori''s rage, and yet, he had no idea how Nori was entangled in all of this. A curiosity began to grow within him, why did he kiss me? Hiro thought.

    But there was nothing more Hiro could do tonight. With a deep sigh, he activated his own Mach, the familiar sensation of his body being coated in the teal cybernetic armor felt colder than normal. He activated his stealth function, blending seamlessly into the shadows before taking off into the night sky.

    "Yutaka will find you, Nori," Hiro thought, his strong conviction fueling his determination. "It''s not too late, we can save him."

    -----

    In future Tokyo, Daiki walked through the crowded streets, a satisfied grin on his face as he was able to break through the final firewall on the Japanese government servers today. With that, he had managed to discover the location of the Japanese Machs, hidden deep in a secure underground base beneath Tokyo Tower. A successful mission would mean stealing these remaining Machs for Canada, tipping the balance in their favor.

    As Daiki entered the small apartment he shared with the girl he had rescued, he carried a bag of food, he had started bringing back dinner for her every night, a tradition of sorts. The dim light from the hallway cast long shadows across the room, where Kimiko lay sleeping on the couch, her chest rising and falling gently with each breath.

    "Guess I''ll let her sleep," he thought, placing the food in the kitchen and glancing back at her peaceful form. "She needs it." She still hadn''t told him where she was from or what had happened to her, but he felt like she was getting closer to opening up to him.

    With a tender expression, Daiki decided to do something kind for her. He gathered the pile of clothes from the floor, intending to wash them. As he did so, a small Tamagotchi fell from one of the pockets, landing with a quiet thud on the ground. Puzzled, he picked up the device, reading the message scrolling across its tiny screen: "Mach repairing."

    Daiki''s eyes widened in shock as the realization hit him ¨C this girl was not just any ordinary girl; she was a Mach pilot. He had been tricked in his mind and Japan had a mole in his apartment feeding them information. He felt like a fool for such a rookie mistake and decided he had to figure out what she knew and who she was working for. He walked over to the couch and shook her.

    "Who are you working for?" Daiki demanded, his voice cold and accusatory as Kimiko stirred awake, disoriented by the sudden change in atmosphere.

    "Wh-what are you talking about?" she stammered, rubbing her eyes groggily.

    "Don''t play dumb with me," he growled, holding up her Tamagotchi Mach. "How did you know I was looking for the Machs?"

    Kimiko''s heart raced, panic setting in as she desperately tried to maintain her composure. She knew she was in trouble if this guy knew what a Mach was. "I don''t know anything about that," she lied, her voice barely a whisper.

    "Wrong answer," Daiki replied, his face inches from hers as he glared at her. "We''ll get to the bottom of this at the Embassy."

    Before she could protest, he yanked her off the couch and cuffed her wrists together with magnetic cuffs. "They''ll interrogate you, and once you break... well, let''s just say you won''t be our problem anymore."

    As Kimiko was dragged away, tears streaming down her face, she couldn''t help but feel betrayed by the man who had saved her life only days before. And she knew that if she didn''t find a way to escape, things were about to take a turn for the worse.

    -----

    The moon cast a silvery sheen on the park as Hiro cautiously slipped through the trees. He powered down his Mach, shedding its protective armor like a second skin, and paused to catch his breath. As he stepped onto the path leading to his uncle''s house, his phone buzzed with an urgency that seemed to pierce the quiet night.

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    "Hello?" Hiro whispered, his heart pounding in his chest.

    "It''s Yutaka," came the reply, the voice on the other end of the line tense and urgent. "The Canadians have made you. They''re waiting with an ambush at your home."

    Hiro froze, his blood running cold. "What should I do?" His eyes scanned the tree line for any sign he was being watched.

    "Go to this address," Yutaka instructed, sending the location of the Kodamoshi apartment in downtown Osaka. "Stay hidden, avoid major streets, and don''t activate your Mach for any reason. Understood?"

    "Understood," Hiro agreed, his voice barely audible as he hung up and pocketed his phone.

    With a newfound sense of fear, Hiro melted into the shadows, hyper-aware of every sound and movement around him. Every passerby had the potential to be a hidden agent, every car a possible tail. As he darted from alleyway to alleyway, he couldn''t help but wonder if Osamu had betrayed him to the Canadian government or if they had been followed during their risky public meeting. It gnawed at him, fueling his drive to stay unseen.

    After what felt like hours of cautious navigation, Hiro arrived at the luxury apartments, awestruck by the luxuriousness of the building before him. The sleek glass facade reflected the city lights, creating a mesmerizing display. He approached the entrance, his eyes scanning the list of names on the buzzer. Spotting Yutaka''s name, he hesitated for a moment, confused about how the man trying to hide from the world was living in such an eye-catching place, but shook the thought away as he pressed the button.

    "Come in," Yutaka''s voice crackled through the intercom, and Hiro stepped into the lavish lobby, leaving his fears of being hunted on the streets behind him.

    The elevator doors slid open, revealing a spacious, dimly lit apartment adorned with tasteful art and minimalist furniture. Hiro hesitated for a moment, then stepped inside. Yutaka appeared from the shadows, his relief evident as he pulled Hiro into a hug.

    "Thank God you made it safely," he said, his voice low and sincere. "You don''t need to worry about your uncle, Goro. I made sure he wouldn''t be home tonight, he was called to the store because someone ordered a massive shipment of squid."

    "But he doesn''t sell squid," Hiro started.

    "Exactly," Yutaka said, "He should be there all night trying to sort that one out."

    Hiro nodded but couldn''t shake the feeling of unease. He glanced around the luxurious space and finally asked the question that had been gnawing at him since he saw Yutaka''s name on the buzzer. "Why are you living here? I thought you were like some kind of hermit dodging the government and hiding in the sewers or something."

    Yutaka shrugged nonchalantly. "And the government thinks that too. They would never think I would be so out in the open like this." He waved away Hiro''s curiosity, redirecting the conversation. "Now did you find Kimiko tonight?"

    "No, but I was able to identify another Mach user," Hiro replied, trying to refocus his thoughts from the disappointment of not knowing where Kimiko was. "Mach 2, Nori, he used to go to my school."

    "Excellent work!" Yutaka beamed, clearly impressed with Hiro''s detective skills. "I''ll do a deep dive into Nori and figure out exactly what we''re dealing with."

    Hiro felt a swell of pride at having been helpful, but his mind drifted back to the kiss and he felt funny. He shifted his weight, as he turned his attention to the Canadians. "How did the Canadian figure out who I am?"

    Yutaka sighed, his expression turning somber. "It could have happened a thousand different ways, we haven''t exactly been inconspicuous. Their involvement isn''t surprising, but I''d hoped they''d stay out of the conflict. At least it''ll be easier to destroy the Machs if they''re all gathered in Japan."

    Hiro caught the implications of what Yutaka said. "Wait how do you know the Canadians are the only other country with Machs?"

    "Mary was Canadian, so I am just assuming that only the countries connected to your parents have Machs," Yutaka said, his determination evident. "Of course, this is all just speculation. We need to learn more about the Canadians'' plans before we know what is really going on. Let me look into it while you get some rest, the guest room is down the hall on your left."

    With a nod of gratitude, Hiro left Yutaka to his research and made his way to the appointed room. As he closed the door behind him, he couldn''t help but feel like a pawn in a much larger game ¨C one he wasn''t entirely sure how to play. Kimiko was still missing, Nori wasn''t a rage-fuelled robot and Osamu may have just betrayed him. It all felt like too much.

    Hiro''s body sunk into the plush mattress, the softness enveloping him like a cloud. He could feel the weight of exhaustion pulling at his eyelids, but just as they began to close, the shrill sound of his phone cut through the silence. He hesitated for a moment, then reached over and grabbed it off the nightstand.

    "Hello?" Hiro answered, trying to keep the weariness from his voice.

    "Hiro?" Osamu''s voice crackled through the speaker. Hiro tensed, ready to ask if he had betrayed his trust by telling the Canadian government about him, but Osamu cut him off. "Listen, we don''t have time for questions right now. Daiki has Kimiko. He''s taking her to the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo for questioning."

    Hiro''s heart raced, his exhaustion forgotten. "What? But how¡ª"

    "I don''t know," Osamu interrupted, urgency clear in his voice. "We need to save her before they get what they want and dispose of her. I need your help, Hiro."

    Shock coursed through Hiro''s veins, replacing the drowsiness from moments ago. He sat up, pushing aside the heavy blankets that suddenly felt suffocating. His mind raced with questions, but he knew there would be time for answers later.

    "Alright," Hiro agreed, his voice firm. "I''ll do whatever it takes to help her."

    "Good," Osamu replied. "Meet me at the address I''m sending you. And come prepared to fight."

    "Understood." Hiro hung up, the line going dead. He stared at the phone in his hand for a moment, trying to process the sudden turn of events. Kimiko was in danger, and it was up to him and Osamu to rescue her.

    He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He knew that they couldn''t afford to waste any time. Hiro quickly got dressed, his thoughts focused on Kimiko and what could happen if they failed to save her. He tried to shove away the fear gnawing at the back of his mind, forcing himself to concentrate on the task ahead.

 Chapter 18: A Pawn

    Hiro''s heart pounded in his chest as he burst from the guestroom, his face flushed with a mix of fear and determination. Yutaka looked up from the small table where he was scrolling through online chatter, startled by Hiro''s sudden entrance.

    "Yutaka!" Hiro gasped, struggling to catch his breath. "The Canadian government has Kimiko! They plan to kill her once they figure out what she knows about Machs!"

    "Slow down, Hiro," Yutaka said, setting down his tools and giving his full attention to the young man before him. "How did you discover this?"

    "Osamu," Hiro replied, still panting. "He''s a Canadian agent I allied with. He tipped me off about Kimiko''s capture."

    Yutaka''s eyes darkened in skepticism. "And you trust this Osamu? This sounds like a trap to me, Hiro. You know as well as I do that we cannot trust anyone except for each other. That agent''s orders would be to kill all enemy Mach users, including you."

    Hiro''s mind raced, considering Yutaka''s words. The older man could be right ¨C just walking into the Embassy would lead to his capture. But the alternative, leaving Kimiko to die, was unthinkable. Hiro clenched his fists, his resolve hardening, he would have Osamu''s help so he would be able to avoid capture he thought.

    "I have to risk it, Yutaka," Hiro insisted, his eyes pleading. "Kimiko''s life is at stake. I have to trust Osamu will help me save her, he seemed reasonable before."

    "Kimiko isn''t your friend," Yutaka countered, bitterness tinging his words. "She just wants power like everyone else. She stole my Mach and attacked a school and you."

    "But I can save her," Hiro replied, his voice firm yet laced with desperation.

    Yutaka stared at Hiro for a moment, then sighed, releasing his own tension. "Go on, then. Just... be careful, alright?" As Hiro turned to leave, Yutaka added, "I swear, you better make it back in one piece, or I''ll never forgive you."

    Hiro offered a small smile before dashing out the door, his thoughts consumed by the dangerous mission ahead.

    -----

    The crisp edges of the contract pressed into Prime Minister Mamoru''s hands as his secretary handed it to him, her eyes downcast in a practiced display of deference. The sterile lighting of the office cast stark shadows on the official emblem embossed at the top of the document ¨C an unwelcome reminder of the United Nations interference in Japan''s affairs.

    "Thank you," Mamoru muttered, his voice barely audible. With a nod, his secretary retreated, leaving him alone with the weighty decision before him.

    As he began to read through the contract, frustration bubbled within him. Termination of the Mach project and surrender of all its assets ¨C how could they demand such a sacrifice after all his country had invested? He knew they would all attempt to start their own program using the seized Japanese assets. He felt the warmth of indignation spread throughout his chest as his grip tightened around the pen in his hand.

    "Is there any way out?" Mamoru mused aloud, his mind racing with possibilities. A loophole, perhaps, that would allow them to retain some part of the program?

    His eyes scanned the pages with renewed focus, searching for anything that might offer hope. A slow smile crept across his face as he reached the section regarding the destruction of the Machs.

    "Interesting... very interesting," he murmured. The contract said nothing about how the Machs were to be destroyed, only that it needed to happen by year''s end. This could be the opportunity he''d been looking for ¨C a year was enough time to bring the Canadians and the rest of the world to their knees, to demonstrate the true power of the Machs.

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    With a newfound sense of resolve, Mamoru signed the contract, each stroke of his pen deliberate and resolute. He called his secretary back and handed the documents to her as she re-entered the room.

    "Deliver this to our good friends at the UN," he instructed, his tone firm. As she left to carry out his orders, he made his way to the secluded screening room, ready to set his plan in motion.

    "Time to make a call," Mamoru whispered to himself, the gravity of his decision bearing down on him.

    The dim lighting in the screening room cast eerie, flickering shadows on the walls as Prime Minister Mamoru closed the heavy door behind him. He took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his decision pressing down on his chest. Allowing himself a moment to collect his thoughts, he strode across the room to the secure phone at the far end.

    "Connect me with Mao," he ordered, his voice steady. The line clicked and buzzed before Mao''s calm, measured voice filled the room.

    "Prime Minister, you have news from the UN?" she inquired, her tone betraying a hint of curiosity.

    Mamoru leaned against the wall, his fingers gripping the edge of the table as he explained the situation to her. "The contract demands our Machs be destroyed by year''s end. Which gives us time to change their minds. I have a plan, but I need your help."

    "Of course, sir," Mao replied without hesitation. "What do you require?"

    "We need a Mach pilot," Mamoru said, pausing briefly to consider his words. "Someone who can be easily manipulated into believing they''re acting for the greater good. We need the world to turn their attention to Masato so they won''t see us coming."

    "Ah, I understand," Mao said thoughtfully. "I know just the person. I''ll make the call immediately."

    "Thank you, Mao. Your service to our nation is invaluable." With that, Mamoru hung up the phone, his heart pounding in his ears. He stared at the dark screen across the room, envisioning the chaos his plan would unleash.

    -----

    Meanwhile, Mao wasted no time contacting Atsuko, a dedicated worker for the Japanese government and head of their charity fund. She knew Atsuko''s loyalty was unwavering, and her naivety could be exploited for their cause. She was desperate to help reform Japan as a socialist nation.

    "Atsuko, this is Mao," she began, her voice conveying the urgency of the situation. "The Prime Minister himself has requested your assistance in stopping rogue Machs and the destruction they''re causing."

    "Me?" Atsuko gasped, disbelief evident in her voice. "I''ll do whatever I can to help. Where should we meet?"

    "Come to my office at once," Mao replied, a sly smile gracing her lips. "Time is of the essence."

    "Understood, I''m on my way," Atsuko affirmed before hanging up, her heart swelling with pride at the prospect of serving her country.

    -----

    Atsuko entered the Mach facility, her eyes widening at the sight of the advanced technology around her. The hum of machinery and the faint scent of oil filled the air as she followed Mao to a secured area.

    "Here it is," Mao announced, presenting Atsuko with Mach 12. At first glance, it resembled an old portable speaker, worn and unassuming. However, Atsuko knew better than to underestimate its power. She reached out tentatively, her fingers brushing against the cool metal surface.

    "Canada has been secretly developing their own Machs," Mao explained, her voice laced with concern. "You have no doubt heard of the several Mach attacks recently?" Atsuko nodded and Mao continued "They were responsible for them all trying to get our program shut down and they are succeeding. Luckily, we have reason to believe they''re hiding some Machs at their embassy. Your mission is to destroy these Machs before they carry out more attacks on our country."

    Atsuko''s heart raced as she considered the gravity of her task. "I won''t let our country down," she vowed, determination shining in her eyes.

    "Activate your Mach, Atsuko," Mao commanded, stepping back to give her room. "Show them that Japan won''t be defeated so easily."

    As she activated Mach 12, Atsuko felt the brown cybernetic armor envelop her body, each piece locking into place with a satisfying click. Energy surged through her veins, amplifying her senses and granting her incredible physical prowess.

    "Remember, time is of the essence," Mao reminded her, watching as Atsuko flexed her newly armored limbs. "You must act quickly and decisively."

    "Understood," Atsuko replied, her voice now tinged with an electronic edge. She glanced down at her armored hands, marveling at their newfound strength. This is it, she thought. I''ll save Japan and they will finally have to listen to me.

    "Good luck, Atsuko," Mao called after her as she took to the sky, her thoughts focused solely on her mission. Each powerful beat of her wings propelled her faster through the air, she knew she had to end the Canadian program before her beloved country was destroyed by them.

    "I will defeat the Canadian and protect my country," Atsuko vowed, her resolve unwavering. She had thought about a mission like this for a long time, a chance to prove her worth. For her country, for her people, and for the greater good, she would rise to the challenge ¨C and emerge victorious.

 Chapter 19: Atsuko

    As the wind whipped around her, Atsuko glided effortlessly through the sky in her brown Mach 12 armor, the powerful thrusters propelling her towards the Canadian Embassy. As she flew higher and higher, her thoughts drifted back to her childhood ¨C to a time when life was simpler and the weight of the world wasn''t bearing down on her so heavily.

    She remembered growing up in a small village nestled in the heart of a lush valley, far removed from the chaos of modern society. The villagers had chosen to reject all the new technologies the world had created, blaming them for the nuclear war and the near-total apocalypse. As the daughter of a missionary, Atsuko had been raised with the belief that technology was a double-edged sword, capable of both great good and unimaginable evil.

    "Father, what do they call those?" Atsuko recalled asking one day as they stood on the outskirts of a bustling city, the flashing lights and moving screens casting an eerie glow on their faces.

    "Billboards," her father had answered, his eyes sad and wise. "They are meant to inform and persuade. But since the war, they serve only to distract and deceive us into believing everything is ok."

    Atsuko could not help but be enthralled by the images on the screens advertising new candies, restaurants, and more, venturing into the world beyond their secluded haven. Together, they would barter for clothes, food, and other supplies that her father could bring with him on his next mission. They were not wealthy or well off by any means; they lived off the scraps of what Atsuko''s father didn''t bring on his missions with him. Even so, he made sure to always share what little they had with those who needed it most.

    "Here, take this," he''d say, pressing a bundle of clothes or food into the hands of a shivering beggar. "It''s not much, but it''s something."

    "Thank you," the grateful stranger would whisper, tears streaming down their dirt-streaked face.

    Atsuko watched her father in awe, convinced that he was a true hero. He taught her that compassion and kindness were far more valuable than any material possessions, and she vowed to follow in his footsteps.

    Now, as she soared through the sky, Atsuko couldn''t help but wonder if her father would be proud of the person she''d become. She had joined the Mach program to prevent the technology from being used as a weapon of mass destruction, but sometimes it felt like all she was doing was fighting an endless battle against the greed of the world.

    "Father," she whispered into the wind, "I hope I''m making you proud." she was prepared to fight until her last breath if it meant ensuring the technology wouldn''t be used to conquer her country.

    -----

    As Atsuko stopped to scan the massive Canadian Embassy, her mind continued to drift through her memories, she recalled the days when her mother would guide her in learning about natural medicines and therapies. Her village was plagued by disease brought in from the outside world, they couldn''t afford actual medications but they had found most illnesses could be cured through other means. Atsuko wanted to help every villager who became ill.

    "Patience, Atsuko," her mother would say, her warm eyes calm and concentrated. "We must assess each situation carefully, not everyone can be saved. We cannot help others if we become sick ourselves."

    Atsuko took her mother''s teachings to heart, and as a teenager, she began working at the village medical center. Her skills and abilities grew stronger with each passing day, the knowledge passed down from her mother like a lifeline connecting them, after her mother had passed.

    One fateful day, she and her father were out gathering supplies when they heard whispers of a virus spreading among the homeless and elderly populations. Fear twisted in Atsuko''s gut, and she couldn''t help but worry that if they brought the virus back with them it could decimate the village.

    "This isn''t good if we have been exposed to the virus, what would happen to the village?" she asked, her voice quivering with concern.

    "Have faith," he reassured her. "As long as we are cautious and take proper precautions, we will be fine. When we return to the village, before we enter we will wash ourselves and burn our clothes." Atsuko nodded but was still concerned about the unseen threat.

    As they walked back towards the village, they stumbled upon a young boy crying beside the lifeless bodies of his parents, both claimed by the virus. Atsuko hesitated, torn between wanting to help and fearing for the safety of her own people.

    "Father, we must leave him," she whispered, her heart heavy with guilt. She knew helping the boy would mean being unable to return to the village with the supplies they needed.

    But her father couldn''t bear the thought of abandoning the child. His eyes filled with sympathy, and he made a decision that would change their lives forever.

    "I will stay with the boy," he told Atsuko. "You must return to the village with our supplies."

    "Can''t you just come with me?" Atsuko pleaded, tears welling in her eyes. "If the boy has it too, he won''t survive it."

    "You are right, without help, this boy will die, I will stay to give him a chance to live," he replied solemnly. "It will only take seven days to know for sure if he is infected. If all is well, we will join you then."

    Atsuko hugged her father tightly, feeling the weight of his sacrifice settling on her shoulders. She reluctantly returned to the village alone, her father''s words echoing in her ears.

    "Take care of our people, Atsuko. I trust you."

    As she walked away, her thoughts were a mix of worry and determination, understanding that the responsibility now lay with her. Every step she took was a promise ¨C to her father, to herself, and the village ¨C that she would do everything in her power to protect them.

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    "Father," she thought, as her tears fell like raindrops, "I won''t let you down."

    -----

    On the seventh day, Atsuko stood by the village entrance, her heart pounding in her chest as she scanned the horizon for any sign of her father and the boy. The sun dipped low in the sky, casting long shadows that seemed to taunt her with their emptiness. Anxiety clawed at her insides, her hope was fading like the sunlight.

    "He should be here by now," she murmured, her voice barely audible even to herself.

    As minutes ticked by, her anxiety transformed into a sense of urgency. She could no longer stand idly waiting ¨C she had to know if her father was still alive. With a deep breath, she set off towards the place where they had last seen each other.

    When she reached the corner where she and her father had found the boy, she found it eerily empty. A chill ran down her spine as she realized there was no trace of anyone ever having been there, in fact, it was like the entire neighborhood had never been lived in. The streets were deserted, buildings abandoned, and the once glowing billboards were blank. It was as if the world itself had chosen to forget this forsaken place.

    "Father! Where are you?" she cried out, her voice echoing through the desolate streets. Her mind raced with possible explanations of what happened to this bustling part of the city.

    A gust of wind blew a tattered piece of paper into her path, and as she bent to pick it up, she saw the word: quarantine. Her heart sank like a stone as she continued searching, finding more signs warning of the dangerous infection that had taken hold of the area. She could feel the fear gripping her, but she fought against it, still hoping her father was ok and had just moved out of the area.

    At last, she stumbled upon a flickering billboard clinging to life, displaying a government-issued message. As she read the words, her blood ran cold: "This neighborhood is ordered to be cleansed to ensure Kyoto survives the plague."

    "No," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. At that moment, she knew her father was gone ¨C a casualty of his own selfless compassion. Her knees buckled under the weight of her grief, and she crumpled to the ground, her cries echoing off the desolate buildings.

    "Father," she sobbed, "I wish I could have convinced you to come back with me." Her mind racing as to how she could have stopped him from staying. How she could have forced him to come with her, but it was all too late. Now the only thing she could was change it so no one else could suffer this terrible fate.

    -----

    Astsuko''s Mach AI informed her that there are over two hundred people in the embassy. At that moment, she remembered how she dedicated her life to preventing such senseless loss of innocent lives, using her political influence to challenge and change policies that caused harm. She had stopped the practice of cleansing infected areas and instead pushed for vaccination programs. But now two hundred lives were in her hands, for two hundred people everything was about to change.

    "Only the guilty will die today," she vowed, her voice resolute amidst the roar of her armor''s engines. "I will protect this world from those who seek to control it."

    And with renewed determination, Atsuko plotted her course of attack as a way to ensure the safety of the innocent in the battle to come.

    -----

    Meanwhile, Hiro stood at the street corner where Osamu had instructed him to meet, nervously scanning his surroundings. He felt a cold sweat forming on his brow as he gripped the metallic casing of his Mach tightly in his hand. Osamu was late and Hiro didn''t like it.

    "Where is he?" Hiro thought, his heart pounding with anxiety.

    Suddenly, it dawned on him ¨C this must be a trap. But before he could react, armed military officials emerged from the shadows, surrounding him. Desperation surged through Hiro''s veins as he fumbled to activate his Mach, but they were too quick. He was tackled to the ground, the cold pavement digging into his cheek.

    "Damn it," he cursed in his mind, gritting his teeth.

    Osamu appeared from the crowd of officers, a smug grin plastered on his face as he picked up Hiro''s Mach from the ground. "We have the Mach secured. It''s time to go," he announced, his voice dripping with satisfaction.

    Hiro struggled against the crushing weight of the official pinning him down, but without his armor, he was just a scrawny 16-year-old trying to fight off a 200lb man. He was easily overpowered and tossed into the backseat of a waiting car, handcuffed and panting for breath.

    As the car pulled away, Osamu began to explain his true intentions. "It was my task to take care of the rogue Machs, and I have discovered they seem to follow you. So how do I get Mach 2, the only one of you left? simple I wave in front of his face."

    Hiro remained silent, glaring at the man who betrayed him. Despite his anger, Hiro chose to listen, refusing to give Osamu the satisfaction of a response.

    "I find you rather idealistic, thinking that destroying the Machs would prevent wars and devastation," Osamu continued, his tone condescending. "But it''s human nature to cause harm and destruction. It comes from never being satisfied, even when you''re at the very top."

    Hiro rolled his eyes, clenching his fists in frustration as the car sped through the city streets.

    "Once we get to the Embassy and you tell them everything you know, I''ll ensure your release," Osamu said, smirking. "You''re not a threat to anything without your Mach."

    "Release?" Hiro thought bitterly. "As if that would ever happen." But for now, he had no choice but to play along, biding his time until he could find a way out of this nightmare.

    The car came to a sudden stop outside the imposing Canadian Embassy, its sleek black exterior reflecting the dying light of the setting sun. Osamu yanked Hiro out of the vehicle, his grip firm and unyielding, as he led him through the grand entrance of the building. Hiro''s eyes darted around, taking in every detail as they walked through the dimly lit corridors. He noted the positions of security cameras, discreet but watchful, and memorized the twists and turns that would lead him back to freedom if he was able to escape.

    "Most Embassies have these," Osamu said nonchalantly, gesturing to the series of interrogation rooms they now stood before in the lower levels of the building. "Especially after the near-apocalypse. They need to be prepared for any threat."

    Hiro swallowed hard, trying to keep his fear in check. He couldn''t help but wonder which room Kimiko was in, whether she was okay. "Where is she?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

    Osamu simply smirked and refused to answer, instead pushing Hiro into one of the windowless rooms. The cold, sterile environment made Hiro shiver involuntarily. Daiki stood waiting inside, a predatory grin on his face.

    "Welcome, Hiro," he sneered, activating Hiro''s handcuffs with a flick of a switch. The cuffs suddenly became magnetized, dragging Hiro across the room with a powerful force until he slammed onto the metal table in the center, his heart racing from the impact.

    "Let''s find out how exactly you got your hands on a Mach and what you''re planning, shall we?" Daiki continued, his smile never faltering. Hiro clenched his jaw, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response.

    "Fine," Daiki shrugged, unfazed by Hiro''s silence. "We''ll give you some time to think it over. But let me offer some... motivation."

    With the press of a button, the room was filled with the agonized screams of Kimiko and Hiro''s uncle Goro. Hiro''s eyes widened in horror, his heart tearing in two as he listened to their pain.

    "Those aren''t real," Hiro told himself, gritting his teeth and trying to block out the sounds. "They can''t be real."

    As Daiki and Osamu left the room, Hiro fought against the magnetic pull, his mind racing with escape plans as he attempted to block the screams. But deep down, a seed of doubt had been planted, and the screams continued to haunt him, could they be the real screams of his uncle and friend? He needed to get out of here and find them before the Canadians decided they didn''t need them anymore.

 Chapter 20: Interrogation

    Hiro clenched his teeth as the gut-wrenching screams of his loved ones echoed through the barren interrogation room. His heart thudded in his chest, but he forced himself to push through the fear. They couldn''t possibly be real, this was just a simulation meant to break him.

    The door creaked open, and Daiki re-entered the room, his cold eyes scanning Hiro''s battered form. "Impressive," he said, a twisted smile playing on his lips. "Not many can endure that kind of mental torture for four hours straight."

    "Tell me who gave you the Mach, and if there are others like you," Daiki demanded, his voice low and menacing. Beads of sweat trickled down Hiro''s face, but he remained silent, defiant.

    "Come on, Hiro," Daiki said, feigning sympathy. "We know you''re not working for the Japanese. Did Masato hire you to show off what a Mach can do, or has someone else developed the technology?"

    Daiki leaned closer, his breath hot against Hiro''s ear. "Or maybe," he whispered, "you found your missing parents, and you''re plotting to destroy their creations together."

    Hiro''s hands curled into fists. "My parents died in an accident at their lab," he growled, the pain in his voice unmistakable.

    Daiki straightened up, his face a mask of surprise. "Who told you that?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

    "The government," Hiro spat, lying to the man. "They told my uncle when they gave me to him as a baby. He told me later."

    Daiki fell silent, processing the information. In his mind, it made sense that Mary and her husband would be dead rather than on the run ¨C but why had the Japanese lied about their deaths? The only logical explanation was that they had orchestrated the accident themselves, but Daiki kept this thought to himself.

    "My intel says you weren''t sure if they were dead, so why are you so certain now? What changed?" he demanded, his voice hard.

    Hiro''s eyes flashed, he had found something he could use to bargain. "I''m not telling you anything until you prove to me that Kimiko is okay."

    "Who do you think you are, making demands?" Daiki snapped, his anger flaring. But Hiro stood his ground, his jaw set.

    "Then we''re done talking," he said simply, his voice firm.

    As the silence settled over the room, a game of power played out between captor and captive.

    -----

    Osamu stood in the dimly lit Embassy hallway, his nerves on edge as he waited for news from Daiki about Hiro''s interrogation. The tension weighed heavy on him, making it difficult to remain still. He glanced around, noting the sterile walls and faint hum of the air conditioning system.

    "Any progress?" Patrick Ward, the diplomat running the Canadian Embassy, approached Osamu with a mixture of curiosity and impatience.

    "Nothing concrete yet, sir," Osamu replied hesitantly. "We still don''t know where these two Machs came from."

    Ward raised an eyebrow, disappointment etched across his face. "Well, at least Canada will have two more Machs in the fight to build a better army," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

    Osamu''s eyes widened at the comment. "I thought we were going to destroy them..."

    Kenneth laughed, a cold, harsh sound that echoed down the hallway. "We can''t seem to reverse engineer them, so we might as well make use of them. As for the kids, Kimiko and Hiro...we''ll have to get rid of them. They know too much. But don''t worry, people go missing every day."

    The casual cruelty in Ward''s words sent a shiver down Osamu''s spine. He watched as the diplomat walked away, each step echoing like a ticking clock. It was at this moment that Osamu realized he couldn''t allow the blood of two innocent teenagers to stain his conscience.

    Osamu began formulating a plan to free Hiro and Kimiko. He knew he needed a distraction, something that would pull the Embassy officials'' attention away long enough for him to get the teens out. His mind raced through possibilities, but one idea stood out above the rest: stealing the Machs from holding.

    As Osamu made his way through the halls, he considered the logistics of his plan. The theft would surely draw the attention of personnel inside the building, allowing him to slip back and release Hiro and Kimiko while everyone was distracted.

    His heart pounding in his chest, Osamu headed towards the tech holding area, ready to put his plan into action. He took a deep breath, preparing himself for the difficult task ahead, knowing that he couldn''t fail ¨C not if he wanted to save those two young lives.

    -----

    Hiro''s ragged breaths filled the small interrogation room, each inhale a painful struggle. He could feel the bruises beginning to form on his body. Daiki, continuing his assault, roughly grabbed him by the back of his shirt and hoisted him up into a sitting position.

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    Daiki adjusted his suit sleeves, trying to maintain a semblance of professionalism. He took a towel from the table and wiped Hiro''s fresh blood from his knuckles, not bothering to hide his disgust. "You know, this could have gone differently," he said, his voice dripping with condescension. "We could have worked together to stop the Japanese, you could have been one of us."

    Hiro laughed despite the pain it caused him, his voice hoarse and weak. "You''re the worst Mach pilot I''ve ever seen," he spat, defiance gleaming in his eyes. "You think you''re so special because you were chosen for this mission? You aren''t special, you just look Japanese, your talents had nothing to do with your government''s decision. They just want to use you to gain more power and the moment you stop being useful they will drop you."

    Daiki''s jaw clenched, anger flaring in his eyes. He didn''t like Hiro''s answer, and without a second thought, he punched Hiro in the gut. Hiro doubled over, coughing and gasping for air as pain radiated through his abdomen. As Hiro looked up at Daiki, his gaze seemed to pierce through the man, making him feel utterly insignificant.

    Daiki hesitated, his fist raised for another strike, when Patrick Ward stepped into the room. "It''ll be hard to get anything from him if you kill him, Daiki," he warned.

    "We still have the girl," Daiki retorted, frustrated.

    "Ah, but I was just informed that Hiro here is Mary''s son, which makes him one of us and far more valuable than the girl," Kenneth said, a sinister smile playing on his lips. "We can use his connection to our advantage, get him to claim the Japanese murdered his parents on a live broadcast so the world turns on them." Ward greedily eyed Hiro.

    Daiki''s eyes widened as Hiro''s words echoed in his mind. The government had already decided who truly mattered in this equation ¨C and his opinion no longer mattered to them. Swallowing hard, Daiki left the room to calm down, trying to figure out how he could get Hiro to talk.

    As the door slammed shut behind Daiki and Ward, Hiro slumped back against the cold metal chair, his thoughts racing. He knew that time was running out for him and Kimiko, and that their only hope of survival lay in a miracle.

    -----

    Setting sunlight glinted off Atsuko''s brow Mach armor as she kept a safe distance from the Canadian Embassy sensors, her determination unwavering. With a flick of her wrist, she released small nanite explosives that burrowed into various points on the building. Their size allowed them to avoid detection by the embassy''s scanners.

    "Attention, Canadian Embassy," she announced over her speaker, she did her best to sound authoritative and powerful. "You have illegally acquired Japanese technology. You have one hour to return it, or we will be forced to take them from you."

    As she spoke, her fingers danced over the controls of her Mach, priming the explosives she had planted. "I''ve placed bombs in your building. If you refuse to comply, they will detonate," she warned, her tone cold and unyielding. She didn''t actually intend to destroy the embassy, she didn''t want to kill any innocent people trapped inside.

    But she did need to show she was serious, using information from her scans she found one of her explosives was embedded in a wall next to an empty room, she set it off, causing the building to shudder from the small explosion. Panic rippled through the embassy like an uncontrollable wave, the sound of terror filling the air as citizens raced to escape the building.

    "Remember, you can stop this if you just return what you stole from us," Atsuko reminded them, her voice echoing through the chaos.

    Inside the embassy, the sound of the explosion reached Daiki just as he was trying to calm himself down after his encounter with Hiro. The sudden commotion caused him to tense up, his thoughts shifting from Hiro to the new threat at hand.

    As people screamed and scrambled for the exits, embassy staff began their emergency procedures, funneling the panicked citizens out of the building while directing top officials to safe rooms deeper within the structure. Patrick Ward, sensing the urgency of the situation, left the interrogation area to head to the safe room.

    "Daiki, handle this situation," he ordered, his eyes betraying a hint of fear despite his authoritative tone.

    "Understood," Daiki replied, gritting his teeth as he fought against the current of terrified people, making his way towards the roof. The adrenaline pumping through his veins momentarily pushed aside his conflicted feelings about Hiro, focusing him on the task at hand.

    As he ascended, Daiki couldn''t help but think about Hiro''s words, and how they had shaken him to his core. Is it true that I am just here because of the way I look? Am I just a pawn for my government? He shook off the doubt and tried to focus on the present threat, knowing that he couldn''t afford to be distracted when facing an unknown enemy.

    "Canada may not be innocent, but neither is Japan," he whispered to himself, steeling his resolve as he prepared for the confrontation that awaited him above.

    -----

    Osamu''s heart hammered in his chest as he skidded to a halt outside the holding area where the Machs were kept. The tempered glass doors shimmered, reflecting the chaos ensuing throughout the embassy. Two armed guards stood alert at the entrance, their eyes scanning for any threat.

    "Help me!" Osamu cried out, feigning panic. "A robotic nightmare is attacking the building!"

    The guards exchanged a glance before stepping forward, ready to assist him. They moved to guide him away from the room, but Osamu steeled himself, knowing what he had to do next.

    "Forgive me," he whispered under his breath and activated his Mach. In a swift motion, he knocked both guards unconscious, their limp bodies crumpling to the floor.

    As he approached the glass enclosure, Osamu noticed a faint shimmer indicating the presence of a laser shield. It was one more obstacle to overcome, but he couldn''t afford to hesitate now. He commanded his AI to shut down the system, and it complied without question. Wires extended from his Mach, fusing with the security system and gradually disabling it.

    With the laser shield disengaged, Osamu powered down his Mach and retrieved the cell phone and Tamagotchi from the case. As he walked casually out of the room, he couldn''t help but feel a pang of guilt for knocking out the guards as he stepped over their unconscious forms. But I have no choice, he thought. I can''t let Hiro die until I know the truth.

    At the same time, he recognized that this new Mach''s arrival had been an unexpected blessing; the attack provided the perfect distraction, allowing him to focus on rescuing the teens. Clutching the devices tightly, Osamu hurried through the embassy''s chaotic halls, his mind racing with plans to reach the interrogation rooms before the enemy Mach struck again.

    Just hold on, Hiro and Kimiko, Osamu pleaded silently.

 Chapter 21: The World is Watching

    Osamu''s heart pounded in his chest as he navigated the chaotic hallways of the Canadian Embassy. The impending Mach attack had people scrambling to the exits, Osamu was calm though as he made his way back to interrogation. He clutched Hiro and Kimiko''s Machs tightly, he had no doubt he could save the teens as long as the building remained standing.

    "Where do you think you''re going?" an officer shouted over sounds of terror, grabbing Osamu by the arm as he neared the stairwell.

    "Officer," Osamu began, feigning calmness. "I''m just¡ª"

    "Don''t you have your earpiece on? Your orders are to report to the safe room and protect the diplomats inside," the officer cut in, eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Daiki will handle the Mach outside."

    "Understood," Osamu replied, nodding gratefully. "Thank you. I''ll head there immediately." His mind raced, calculating the time it would take to free Kimiko and Hiro before anyone in the safer room grew suspicious of his absence. With a curt nod to the officer, Osamu descended the stairs, leaving the chaos behind him.

    As he ventured deeper into the lower levels, the number of people dwindled, allowing him to quicken his pace. He knew Hiro would never leave without Kimiko, so his priority was to set her free. Turning a corner, he found the access to the interrogation floor sealed off, his keycard rendered useless due to the heightened security measures. A cold sweat formed on his brow as he considered the implications - this wouldn''t be easy, and time was running out. He knew the Japanese government was itching for a fight, and the Canadians would never willingly hand over their Mach technology so in a few minutes the Embassy would become a full-on war zone.

    The stairwell offered little cover, making another hacking attempt too risky. Instead, Osamu pulled a small vial from his jacket pocket, his fingers shaking ever so slightly. Carefully, he let a few drops of the potent acid fall onto the control panel, which began to hiss and smoke. Alarms blared, signaling a malfunction in the door''s security system.

    "Damn it," Osamu muttered under his breath, heart pounding even harder as he anxiously waited for the door to open. As soon as the guard emerged to investigate the commotion, Osamu acted swiftly, grabbing him by the collar and hurling him down the stairs before slipping through the now-open door.

    "Sorry about that," he whispered to the fallen guard, knowing time was of the essence. Focused on the task at hand, Osamu steeled himself for the challenges ahead, determined to save Hiro and find out the truth about the creators of the Machs.

    -----

    Outside the Canadian Embassy, news crews swarmed like vultures, their cameras trained on the building as they reported live on the unfolding crisis. Inside her office, Mao sat back in her chair, a sly smile spreading across her face as she watched the chaos she had orchestrated. She had leaked information about a former government employee, Masato having created the Machs and his plans to attack the world powers, and the press was eating it up.

    "As you can Masato is currently attacking the Canadian Embassy," one reporter exclaimed, playing right into Mao''s hands. "We have had unconfirmed reports that the Canadians are hiding more Machs inside the facility and we can''t help but question if this is the result of their business deal gone wrong."

    Mao''s smile grew wider as she watched Prime Minister Mamoru being interviewed. He claimed that all the Mach incidents were caused by Canadian technology, accusing them of illegally testing weapons on Japanese soil which only added to the confusion. The seed of doubt had been planted, shifting blame away from the Japanese government and casting suspicion on the Canadians and Masato.

    Meanwhile, in his office in Ottawa, Ken Stark watched the same news coverage with a furrowed brow. He wasn''t worried about the claims being made - confusion and conspiracy theories would ultimately lead to people dismissing the whole situation. No, his main concern was the UN''s reaction to Canada possessing Mach technology without disclosing it beforehand. He knew they would have to defend themselves and that meant exposing their Machs to the world.

    "Damn bureaucrats," he muttered under his breath, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Always making things more complicated than they need to be."

    Back in Japan, Mao leaned forward, her eyes glued to the screen. She knew this was just the beginning. The stage had been set, and now it was time for the real show to begin. As the tension mounted both inside and outside the Embassy, she reveled in the knowledge that her plan was coming together perfectly.

    "Let the world watch," she whispered to herself, a wicked gleam in her eye. "This is only the beginning."

    -----

    Atsuko''s heart raced as she powered down her Mach in the narrow alley, the whir of the machine quieting to a faint hum. She couldn''t help but marvel at the chaos unfolding before her - panicked civilians stumbling out of the Canadian Embassy, their faces etched with fear. Her lips curled into a predatory smile; this was her opening to get inside.

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    "Stay hidden," she whispered to her Mach, more for her own reassurance than anything else. Silently, she approached the building, her senses hyper-alert, seeking an opening that would allow her entry without drawing suspicion. The embassy gates were guarded by armed men, and she knew they wouldn''t just let her walk in.

    As she neared the entrance, Atsuko''s hand slipped into her pocket, fingers closing around the speaker. She needed another distraction to get past the guards, and with the click of the volume-up button, the second-floor windows shattered in a deafening blast. Smoke billowed forth, thick and choking, as screams echoed through the air. The Guards turned their heads attempting to find the source of the blast.

    "Perfect," Atsuko thought, seizing the moment of distraction. She slipped past the guards at the gates, unnoticed amongst the pandemonium. As she made her way towards the main building, she saw more guards helping people out of the smoking structure. She knew she couldn''t just walk in - even in this chaos, someone trying to enter a building under attack would raise alarms.

    "Time for Plan B," she muttered, eyes darting around for another point of entry. Her gaze fell upon the ground level of the embassy, and a new plan began to form in her mind. With a deep breath, she prepared herself and pressed the volume-up button on her speaker, triggering another explosive.

    The detonation rocked the embassy, sending debris flying and filling the air with smoke. Amidst the chaos, Atsuko sprinted towards the gaping hole in the wall, adrenaline coursing through her veins. As she neared the breach, she took a final breath and hurled herself through it, landing hard on the ground on the other side.

    "Made it," she thought, gritting her teeth against the pain that shot through her body. She knew there was no time to waste - every second counted in this deadly game. And as far as Atsuko was concerned, she had no intention of failing her country.

    Atsuko lay amidst the rubble, her heart pounding as she heard footsteps approaching. She knew that selling her cover was essential, and so she conjured up an image of herself as a terrified civilian caught in the chaos.

    "Over here!" one officer shouted, rushing to her side. "Miss, are you okay?"

    "Wh-what happened?" Atsuko stammered, feigning confusion as they helped her to her feet. Her legs wobbled convincingly, and she gripped the officer''s arm for support.

    "Looks like you were caught in the explosion," the officer said, concern creasing his brow. "We''ll get you out of here."

    "Thank you," she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes as she played her role to perfection. As they began to walk, she winced and grabbed her leg. "I can''t... it hurts too much."

    "Damn," the officer muttered. "All right, we''ll take you to medical. You''ll be safe there."

    "Thank you," she repeated, her voice quavering with gratitude. "You''re all so kind."

    As they led her through the embassy, Atsuko committed every detail of the building to memory. Her sharp eyes darted from one corner to the next, making mental notes of potential escape routes and weak points in security.

    "Watch your step," the officer warned as they approached a staircase. As Atsuko pretended to stumble, she deftly swiped a key card from the back pocket of the other officer without him noticing.

    "Thank you again," she said, smiling as they reached the medical bay. Inside, she knew she could use the computers to locate where they were storing the Machs they stole. For now, though, she had to keep playing her part - a helpless victim in a terrifying ordeal.

    "Here, let me help you lie down," the officer said, guiding her onto a cot.

    "Thank you," she murmured one more time, struggling to hide her satisfaction as they left her alone in the room. With every step of her plan falling into place, Atsuko couldn''t help but smile inwardly. Soon, she would be in possession of all the Machs, and she would save Japan from war with Canada.

    -----

    The scent of smoke filled Daiki''s nostrils as he raced through the dimly lit corridors, heading for the roof. His heart pounded with anticipation, destroying this Mach in battle would prove his value to the government. He gritted his teeth at the sound of the two other explosions ringing out within the embassy.

    "Damn it all," he muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible over the chaos. "I''ll make sure this pilot doesn''t leave with their life."

    As he pushed past fleeing civilians, Daiki couldn''t help but feel a little guilty for forcing them out of his way. They were innocent in all of this, and yet, they were in the way of their own salvation.

    "Please, move!" he shouted, trying to navigate through the panicked crowd. "Head for the exit!"

    Daiki knew about all the currently activated Machs and had spent hours studying their fighting techniques in anticipation of a moment like this. He believed that this particular Mach was Mach 2. Confidence swelled within him as he thought about his plan to exploit this pilot''s rage, using it against him before delivering the final blow.

    "Once I get to the roof, it''ll be over quickly," he told himself, his thoughts racing alongside his pounding footsteps. "This one has no self-control." But his thought was cut short when a woman threw herself at him.

    "Officer, what''s going on?" a distraught woman wailed as she clung to him, her eyes wide with fear.

    "Please, ma''am, I don''t have time to explain. Just leave the building and find safety," he replied hastily, gently pushing her away before continuing his sprint. She yelled something after him but he didn''t care enough to turn back, the Mach was all that mattered.

    As Daiki ascended the last flight of stairs, he could hear the wind howling outside, its fierce gusts tearing at the doors leading to the roof. The air felt heavy with thick black smoke, and the weight of the responsibility he bore pressed down on him like a suffocating blanket.

    This is it, my moment to show the world my power. Daiki thought, gripping the cold metal handle of the door, Daiki steeled himself for the confrontation that awaited him. He knew the outcome would determine the fate of everyone in the building and possibly change the world.

    "Time to end this," he whispered, taking one last deep breath before throwing open the door and stepping onto the roof.

 Chapter 22: Escape

    Nori''s footsteps echoed in the silent city streets, the sound barely audible above his own thoughts. His mind buzzed with thoughts of Hiro, ever since the festival, and he knew Hiro was Mach 1 which meant eventually they would cross paths again but he wasn''t sure if it would be as enemies or allies. A low rumble caught his attention, but he quickly dismissed it as people being stupid. As Nori muttered under his breath, considering possible strategies, his eyes remained glued to the pavement.

    "Damn," he whispered, feeling an odd weight settle in his chest. "I need to clear my head, Hiro is nothing more than a distraction from my goals."

    In his preoccupied state, Nori walked straight into a man who stood gazing upward at something. The impact sent both men reeling, and Nori looked up, ready to unleash a tirade. Instead, he followed the man''s gaze to the large holographic monitor displayed above them. The running caption said: the Canadian Embassy was under attack by a Mach.

    "Is that...?" Nori trailed off, as he squinted to try and see the image of the Mach better.

    The Mach wasn''t Hiro; he knew Hiro''s Mach intimately, every curve and angle. Yet, this other Mach posed a threat to him, if it was from the Japanese government, it could be after him next. But this incident could also bring Hiro to the scene and Nori knew he wouldn''t have the strength to do what needed to be done. This Mach needed to be removed from play and he was just the person to do it.

    "Perfect," he said, a grin spreading across his face. "Looks like I will be paying the Canadian Embassy a visit."

    "Are you crazy?" the man beside him asked. "That thing is attacking and you want to see it in person!"

    "Mind your own damn business," Nori replied, leaving the man behind without another word.

    He sprinted toward a secluded alleyway, his heart pounding with anticipation. In the darkness, Nori began the process of powering up. He felt the familiar hum of energy as his cybernetic armor enveloped his body, a surge of power flowed through his veins. Nori couldn''t help but smile as he thought of the upcoming battle. Destroying this Mach would prove he capable of taking on the government, ensuring they would bow down to him when the time comes or perish.

    "Time to end this," Nori said, his voice barely above a whisper as the last piece of armor encased him. He stepped out of the shadows, ready to take out his complicated feelings on this new Mach.

    -----

    The sound of screams and crumbling debris filled the air as panic engulfed the Canadian Embassy. Osamu continued to search the interrogation rooms one by one. His sole focus: finding Kimiko and getting her out before the fight escalated.

    "Where''s Daiki?" he muttered under his breath, glancing around for any sign of his partner. He worried the man was still watching over their captives, and Osamu couldn''t shake the idea that he may have to fight him. If so, freeing Kimiko would become a Herculean task.

    As he navigated the floor, the destruction thinned out, replaced by an eerie silence. Osamu''s eyes darted from door to door, searching for the one that would lead him to Kimiko. Finally, he found it ¨C interrogation room 57, seemingly abandoned amidst the turmoil above.

    "Kimiko," he whispered urgently as he stepped inside, relieved to find her still handcuffed to the table. Her eyes narrowed with suspicion as she took in his unfamiliar face.

    "Who are you?" she demanded, steel in her voice. "If you think you can get me to talk, you would have better luck finding a soda in the desert."

    "Relax," Osamu said, raising his hands in a non-threatening gesture. "I''m working with Hiro. I''m here to rescue you."

    At the mention of Hiro''s name, a flicker of guilt crossed Kimiko''s face. She swallowed hard, remembering the trouble she''d caused ¨C stealing a Mach, attacking a school, refusing to back down.

    "Look, I don''t need you or Hiro to save me," she retorted, defiance returning to her voice. "This is my mess, and I''ll get myself out of it. I owe him too much already, I don''t want to owe him for this too."

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    "Listen," Osamu implored, his gaze locked onto hers. "A Mach is attacking the Embassy as we speak. We only have a few minutes before its deadline passes and this place is reduced to rubble. Without my help, you''ll die."

    The gravity of the situation seemed to hit Kimiko like a ton of bricks. Her eyes widened, her resolve wavering. Finally, she nodded, "OK I''ll go but on one condition. You let me go before Hiro sees me. He can''t see me, not yet." She looked into Osamu''s eyes and he could feel her guilt.

    "Fine," Osamu agreed and Kimiko slid over allowing Osamu to unlock her from the table.

    As they made their way back through the labyrinthine corridors, Osamu''s thoughts raced. He knew time was running out, and now he would have to go back for Hiro. The destruction above them served as a constant reminder that if he failed Hiro could be dead and the truth would go with him, these thoughts pushed him forward to the point he was practically dragging Kimiko behind him.

    "Come on," he urged Kimiko, his voice seeming impossibly loud amongst the silence. "We need to get out of here. Now."

    The tension in the air felt like a noose tightening around Osamu''s neck as he led Kimiko through the dimly lit halls of the Embassy, no longer concerned with cameras catching them. Every scuffed shoe and every hurried breath threatened to betray their presence to the agents protecting the building. As they moved, Osamu couldn''t shake the weight of the small object in his pocket - Kimiko''s Mach.

    Ducking into a shadowy stairwell, they paused, listening for any sign of pursuit. Osamu''s mind raced, torn between returning Kimiko''s Mach to him or keeping it until the time was right to give it to someone else. He looked at the girl cowering beside him and thought about how this same girl attacked a school full of kids. Maybe the Mach really had warped her mind, he decided to keep her Mach, focusing instead on getting her out of the building.

    "Is Hiro safe?" Kimiko asked, her voice trembling with concern. It was clear that she had been wanting to ask him for a while.

    "Of course," Osamu lied, his heart twisting at the deception. "He''s fine. I made sure he stayed away from this one, I told him I would take care of everything."

    Kimiko nodded, but her eyes remained clouded with doubt. She knew Hiro too well to believe he wouldn''t try to come get her. Pushing onward, they ascended the stairs, the din of destruction outside growing louder with each step.

    Osamu and Kimiko reached the main floor, its once-polished surfaces now marred by debris and the signs of a hasty retreat. They moved cautiously, avoiding the frantic activity of those still working to evacuate the building. They tried to stay in the shadows to avoid drawing any attention to themselves, getting caught now would most likely be a death sentence for both of them.

    "Once we''re out of here," he told her, "you need to get as far away from the Embassy as possible. I am a Mach pilot and I will take care of the Mach attacking the building."

    Kimiko hesitated, biting her lip before nodding reluctantly. The fierce determination that had once defined her seemed to have faded, replaced by a new vulnerability born of guilt and fear.

    "Thank you," she whispered, her gratitude beating out her pride for a change.

    As they stepped out into the chaos of the city streets, Osamu knew he made the right choice keeping Kimiko''s Mach from her, it was clear she couldn''t handle it and now he could find a pilot of his own to help him with his invesigations.

    -----

    Daiki''s boots thudded onto the rooftop, the pounding of his heart echoing in his ears as he surveyed the wreckage-strewn battleground. The once pristine helipad now lay in ruins, twisted metal and shattered glass providing testament to the explosion that had rocked it earlier. He felt a surge of anger at the thought of the enemy Mach using an underhanded tactic like explosives instead of facing them head-on.

    "Show yourself," Daiki muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing as he activated his own Mach. Its sleek, dark blue armor enveloped him, heightening his senses and transforming him into a formidable warrior. A digital display flickered to life within the confines of his helmet, as he scanned the airspace for the Mach.

    "Nothing," he said, frustration creeping into his voice. "Where are you hiding?"

    His mind raced with possibilities, each darker than the last. The enemy could be anywhere, lying in wait to activate the remaining explosive devices and cause the building to collapse on every agent left inside. If that were the case, then time was of the essence.

    "Think, Daiki," he whispered to himself, forcing his thoughts into focus. "If I were them, where would I go? What am I after?"

    As the seconds ticked by, a horrifying realization dawned on him - the Mach user might have powered down, hidden among the chaos, and infiltrated the Embassy''s interior. They were after the Machs being held inside so this only made sense. If they gained access to the Machs then it would all be over.

    "Damn it," he growled, clenching his fists. "I have to find them before it''s too late."

    He knew the building was only standing because they hadn''t gotten what they wanted yet. He also knew that Osamu had been ordered to stay with the diplomats so the Machs only had the usual guards to protect them, meaning it would be easy for a Mach pilot to tack them out. With a determined glint, Daiki launched his from the rooftop, his Mach scanning every inch of the building below. He would search every corner, every shadow until the threat was located.

    "Protect our people, Osamu," he thought, their mission could not fail. "I''ll take care of this."

 Chapter 23: Daiki

    Daiki''s fingers tapped rapidly on the edge of his Mach control panel as he scanned the building for any sign of an active Mach. The dim, flickering lights of the nearly abandoned facility, and the thick smoke were a reminder that their side was losing. His mind was racing, there was only one other time in his life when he had been this close to losing everything. The day he got the call that changed everything and his mind pulled him right back to that moment.

    "Minako!" Daiki shouted as he burst through the door of their small apartment, only to be met by a sea of stern-faced officers. Panic welled up in his chest, his heart nearly stopped as the frantic questions started tumbling from his mouth. "Where''s my sister? What happened? Is she ok? Please someone tell me something!"

    "Daiki," one officer sighed, shaking his head, "Minako didn''t show up for work today. We''re doing everything we can to find her, but so far, there''s no trace." with those words Daiki simply sat down on the couch unable to get back up. His sister was gone, she had called him just that morning to talk about weekend plans that never would come to be.

    Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. The case grew cold, most people giving up on finding Minako ¨C everyone except for Daiki. His eyes grew dark with determination, dedicating every moment he could spare to asking anyone who knew her, searching for any clue to her whereabouts.

    "Nothing," a friend would mutter, shrugging helplessly. "I''m sorry, Daiki. The last time I saw her was the weekend before."

    "Me neither," another would add, avoiding Daiki''s gaze. "I wish I could help you."

    He gritted his teeth each time, vowing never to give up on her like the rest of the world had.

    A year passed before the breakthrough finally came. An anonymous tip led the police to raid the docks in Vancouver, uncovering a human trafficking ring operating out of a hidden pier. Among the several women found huddled together in terror was Minako, her once-sparkling eyes now dull and haunted.

    "Minako..." Daiki choked out as he enveloped her in a tight embrace, tears streaming down his face. "You''re safe now."

    "Daiki," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I can''t believe it''s really you."

    He made a silent promise that night to never leave her side again, watching over her as she tried to heal from the horrors she had faced. The vibrant, bubbly girl he had known was replaced by a fragile shell of a person, and his heart broke for her.

    "Thank you," Minako murmured one night as Daiki stroked her hair, the moonlight casting a soft glow on her face. "For never giving up on me."

    "Always, Minako," he replied solemnly. "I''ll always be here for you."

    As Daiki''s scan came to an end, he found himself back in the present, alone in the empty facility once more. The weight of his sister''s memory weighed heavily on him, what side would she have chosen if she were in his shoes? Would she be proud of her big brother or horrified by the things he had done to climb the ranks and stay on top? These thoughts caused him to pause for a moment, temporarily overwhelmed by the memory of the last time he saw his sister.

    -----

    As time had passed, Daiki couldn''t help but notice the silence surrounding Minako''s case. There were no visits from the police to discuss the matter and no calls for the family to testify in court. Frustrated and seeking answers, Daiki began his own investigation into why the case was taking so long to reach trial, using his connections as a lawyer.

    With unwavering determination, he uncovered the truth: the police had made arrests, but all of the suspects had taken lesser pleas and received lower prison sentences in exchange for information on the leader of the trafficking ring. The man responsible for Minako''s abduction would serve only three years behind bars ¨C a disturbingly light sentence in Daiki''s eyes.

    "Three years? That''s it?" Daiki muttered to himself, his fists clenched. "This isn''t justice; this is a mockery."

    Fueled by anger and a desire for true justice, Daiki made a life-changing decision: he would become a defense attorney. He worked tirelessly, honing his skills and biding his time, waiting for an opportunity to have a client in the prison holding his sister''s abductor. He hoped that fate would grant him this chance before the man''s release.

    Luck was on Daiki''s side. A week before the scheduled release of Minako''s attacker, he was called to the very prison where the man was held. Daiki''s heart pounded with anticipation and a newfound sense of purpose.

    "Justice will finally be served," he whispered under his breath. Daiki was patient, looking for an opening.

    Three days later, the man was found dead in his cell. His death was ruled accidental, as it appeared he had choked to death on one of his prison meals. As he read about the mysterious death on the holoprojector, Daiki vowed to end all the injustice plaguing the world.

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    "Minako," he murmured, "I''ll make sure no one else suffers like you did. I promise."

    -----

    Daiki stood in the stairwell, his eyes locked on the tablet displaying the results of the building scan. The energy reading from the medical bay was all that appeared on the scanner ¨C there was a definite radiation signal, but it wasn''t strong enough to be a Mach and was most likely coming from another piece of medical equipment. He couldn''t shake the idea that it would be the perfect cover to hide a Mach signal among the rest of the background radiation.

    "Guess I need to investigate further," he muttered, pocketing the tablet and making his way toward the medical bay. As he descended into the darkness, his mind followed making its way into the darkest parts of his memory.

    -----

    When he had gotten home, Minako was watching the story of her abductor''s death playing on the glass countertop. There was an odd look of concern on her face.

    "Minako, you don''t have to worry anymore, I took care of him," Daiki recalled saying as he approached her, expecting gratitude and relief to wash over his sister. Instead, her face twisted into a look of horror.

    "You didn''t," she whispered, taking a step back. "Tell me you didn''t."

    "I did it for you," he insisted, trying to explain the injustice that had driven him to take matters into his own hands. "The system abandoned you, but I couldn''t let him walk free. I couldn''t let him hurt anyone else."

    "Daiki, you don''t get it," Minako said, her voice shaking. "By killing him, you let him win. His poison seeped into you, into our family... and now you''re a murderer."

    "Minako, please..." Daiki pleaded, reaching out for her, but she recoiled from his touch.

    "No!" she yelled, tears streaming down her face. "You did this for yourself, not for me. I never asked for this. I never wanted this!" Her eyes said it all, he had hurt far worse than her captors ever had.

    That moment had been their last conversation. The next morning, Minako was gone again, leaving Daiki alone with his thoughts and the consequences of his actions.

    -----

    As he neared the door to the medical bay, Daiki shook off the painful memories and focused on the task at hand. With one hand on the door handle, he took a deep breath, bracing himself for whatever lay on the other side. He swung the door open and stepped inside, his eyes scanning the room.

    "Who''s in here?" Daiki called out, his voice firm but laced with curiosity. "Show yourselves!"

    A handful of scared doctors, nurses, and civilians emerged from various hiding places, their faces etched with fear. Daiki knew that one of them could be the Mach user who attacked the embassy. But which one? He looked over each one of the people standing before him, but their shared look of fear made it hard to determine if one of them was afraid of him or simply the situation they were in.

    "Stay where you are," he warned, as he approached the small crowd. "I''m looking for someone, and I won''t hesitate to do what''s necessary."

    As he studied the individuals before him, Daiki couldn''t help but wonder ¨C what would he do once he found the spy? The thought of killing them popped into his head but so did the thought of sister. He was right to have killed her attacker, he didn''t understand why she didn''t see it and why he felt this guilt now.

    The sharp smell of antiseptic permeated the air as Daiki each individual medical staff member''s badge, his boots echoing on the polished floor. He felt a shiver run down his spine ¨C hospitals had always made him uneasy.

    "Keep it together," he muttered to himself, forcing his thoughts back to the past.

    -----

    After Minako''s departure, Daiki threw himself into his studies, in a desperate attempt to escape the crushing guilt and loneliness that threatened to consume him. He became a lawyer for the prosecution and quickly gained notoriety, propelled by an unyielding determination to make a difference in the world ¨C to bring justice where the system had failed.

    As a prosecutor, Daiki was ruthless. Witnesses who refused to cooperate found themselves blackmailed; private investigators were paid handsomely to dig up dirt; even judges weren''t immune to his machinations. The ends justified the means, or so he told himself.

    "Justice must be served," he whispered, repeating the mantra that had guided him through countless legal battles. "I won''t let them win."

    His relentless pursuit of victory had caught the attention of the government, leading to a fateful meeting with Kenneth Stark. The man was imposing, not just in stature but also in presence. Yet there was something about his manner ¨C a blend of confidence and cunning ¨C that made Daiki feel strangely at ease.

    "Your record speaks for itself," Stark began, his voice low and measured. "But I know how you''ve achieved such success. You''re willing to do what it takes to win ¨C even if that means crossing lines others won''t."

    Daiki tensed, prepared to defend himself, to fight for his career. But Stark simply leaned back in his chair, studying him with a keen eye.

    "I need someone like you," he continued. "Someone who isn''t afraid to use... unconventional methods to get results. That''s why I''m offering you a position as our department lawyer."

    "Using the Machs to enforce justice... it''s a dream come true," Daiki murmured, recalling the awe he''d felt when Stark had first revealed the program to him. He hadn''t hesitated to accept the offer, embracing the opportunity to take his crusade for justice to new heights ¨C quite literally.

    Later, he requested to become a pilot himself. The thought of personally delivering what he believed to be true justice was intoxicating, and he couldn''t resist the allure.

    -----

    "Please, don''t hurt us," a trembling nurse pleaded, her hands clasped tightly together. He took the badge from her pocket and scanned it without a word, she checked out and he moved on. He didn''t have time to waste calming their fears.

    Daiki''s brow furrowed, all the medical staff checked out. He turned his attention to the civilians, it could be one of them but he had no way of determining who they were. Even if they were all Canadian citizens that doesn''t mean one of them wasn''t playing for the other side. But there was a group he could eliminate as suspects.

    "Is anyone here injured?" he asked, focusing on action rather than intimidation. A few hesitant nods met his question.

    "Show me."

    As the small group parted, revealing a young man with a bloodied bandage wrapped around his arm, Daiki analyzed their reactions. His senses were sharpened, attuned to any hint of deception or malice.

    "Everyone else, sit down and stay quiet," he ordered, his voice firm but not unkind. "I am going to check out the injured before I interrogate the rest of you."

 Chapter 24: Duel

    Daiki''s eyes scanned the injured, his gaze methodical and cold as it swept over each one of them in the Embassy''s medical bay. He had pulled a doctor aside to get full details of what was affecting each patient. He knew the Mach user was hiding somewhere in this very room; he could feel it in his bones. Anyone with severe wounds or broken bones he eliminated from the suspect pool.

    As Daiki approached Atsuko, her heart raced, though her face remained calm. Her leg throbbed, a reminder of the injury she had faked to blend in. She watched him closely, knowing at any moment she could need to flee.

    "Miss," Daiki said, approaching her with a suspicious glare. "Can you tell me why you were at the Canadian Embassy today?"

    Atsuko forced herself to breathe evenly, meeting his gaze with practiced ease. "I was here for a visa interview," she replied, her voice steady despite the tension coiling in her chest.

    "Interesting," Daiki said, raising an eyebrow. "Why choose Canada?"

    "Work, I am middle management at Tokayo International" she answered, her fingers tightening around the portable speaker hidden in her pocket. "My company is sending me there for a project that will take two years to complete."

    Daiki studied her face, searching for any sign of deception. Something about her seemed off, her answer felt almost rehearsed but it could just be her nerves. The room grew tense, the other patients and medical staff watching the exchange with bated breath.

    "Hmm, and I assume you don''t have a bag, documents, or a purse on you. I could assume you lost them in the panic but unless you can produce your application as proof you are who you say you are, I am afraid you must come with me." Daiki said, Atsuko nodded and moved to follow him. Gasps echoed throughout the room, and she realized her mistake, she was standing on what she told them was her injured leg.

    With a flick of her thumb, she pressed the volume-up button on her speaker. An explosion shook the building, causing Daiki to lose his footing. In that split second, she activated her Mach, the portable speaker encasing her body in brown armor just as Daiki drew his firearm and opened fire. The bullet ricocheted off her suit, and she stood there, transformed and triumphant.

    "Good work but my Mach has scanned the building and I know exactly where you are keeping Japan''s stolen Machs," Atsuko taunted, her voice laced with adrenaline. She knew she had revealed herself, but the thrill of the fight coursed through her veins, urging her on.

    Daiki stared at her, his mind racing. He''d found the Mach user he''d been searching for. Now that she was standing before him, she clearly wasn''t Mach 2, the Mach fighting styles he had devoted to memory wouldn''t help him here. How would he defeat this pilot he had no data on?

    "Alright then," Daiki said, a hint of admiration in his voice. "Color me impressed. But you''ll never make it to the Machs." He activated his own Mach armor from his MP3 player, and within moments, he was encased in a glowing blue suit that radiated power.

    "Let''s see how you handle this," Atsuko challenged, opening fire on Daiki. He responded by activating his shield, easily blocking her attack.

    "Clearly, you''re new to this," he taunted, before firing a single shot from his arm cannon. The force sent Atsuko crashing through the wall, debris scattering all around her. Daiki frowned. "I was hoping for a more skilled opponent."

    Atsuko got back up, she knew Canada had Machs and clearly they had pilots too. She had anticipated a fight if things went south but this was not the fight she had prepared for. "I will destroy you for the protection of Japan!" she declared, trying to seem in control.

    Daiki let out a derisive laugh. "With your low skill? Your government sent you here to die!"

    He''s wrong, she thought, I just need to move our fight. "I have no intention of dying," she retorted and blasted a hole in the exterior wall. Sunlight spilled into the room as she made her escape, Daiki hot on her heels.

    "Running away? I thought you were fighting for the glory of Japan!" he shouted after her, his frustration evident.

    -----

    Outside, news crews and civilians were gathered, their attention riveted on the spectacle unfolding before them. With a burst of speed, Atsuko attacked Daiki from above, sending him crashing through the concrete and creating a small crater. She hovered above him, her armored form casting an imposing shadow.

    "Inside, my suit was at a disadvantage," she explained, the wind whipping over her armored body. "But now that we''re outside, it''s over for you. Surrender and return your Mach to Japan."

    Daiki struggled to his feet, refusing to be defeated so easily. But as he prepared to engage her in combat once more, he realized that Atsuko''s suit was considerably faster than his own. He couldn''t keep up with her rapid close combat attacks, each blow landing with bone-crunching force.

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    Is this really it? Am I going to lose here? Daiki''s thoughts raced as he desperately tried to find a way to turn the tide of the battle. The crowd watched in awe and terror, their eyes glued to the two armored figures locked in combat.

    Gritting his teeth, Daiki staggered back from yet another punishing blow. I can''t keep this up, he thought, desperation clawing at him. He had to put some distance between them if he stood any chance of winning.

    "Enough!" he roared, slamming a fist against his chest. His suit hummed, and the soul pistol emerged from its hidden compartment.

    The large gun was designed to convert his life force into devastating blasts¡ªone of his last-ditch weapons. The more energy he poured into it, the stronger the attack. But using it recklessly could cost him dearly.

    "Let''s see how you handle this," Daiki growled, aiming the weapon at Atsuko.

    "Daiki, don''t!" he could have sworn he heard his sister call out. He hesitated for a split second before firing a powerful shot towards Atsuko.

    Atsuko was forced back by the sheer force of the blast, while glass windows of nearby buildings shattered under the immense pressure. Civilians screamed and ran for cover as shards rained down upon them like sinister confetti.

    As the smoke cleared, Daiki scanned the area for any sign of his opponent, hoping that he''d finally dealt a significant blow. But she was nowhere to be seen. Just when he started to think he had won, Atsuko rocketed back into view, her armor gleaming in the setting sun''s light.

    "Impossible!" Daiki gasped, his heart sinking. Had he wasted so much energy on an attack that failed to kill?

    Anger flared within him as he realized that she still held the advantage. Every moment he wasted merely brought him closer to defeat. As she charged towards him once more, he braced himself, timing his dodge perfectly as she swooped past.

    "Missed me," he taunted, though fear gnawed at him. This isn''t enough. I need to do something more. But what?

    Daiki''s heart pounded in his chest as he struggled for breath, each gasp a reminder of the energy he had sacrificed to his soul pistol. He couldn''t rely on evasion any longer; Atsuko was relentless, and he needed a way to land a decisive hit. Gritting his teeth, he addressed the AI within his suit.

    "Is it possible for my soul pistol to fire a buckshot?" he asked, desperation creeping into his voice.

    "Affirmative," the AI responded. "However, the spread would place civilians at risk."

    "Damn the risks!" Daiki growled, if Japan won here then it would be over for the Canadians. Yes, some people may die but in the end, their deaths would spell peace for the rest of the world. Canada was going to unite the world and they needed the Machs to do that. He took aim at Atsuko, who was closing in fast and pulled the trigger.

    As the blast tore through the air, Atsuko twisted her body mid-flight, narrowly avoiding the deadly projectiles. But not everyone was as fortunate. Several fleeing civilians were caught in the blast, their screams piercing the chaos. Atsuko''s eyes widened in horror as she immediately redirected her flight, rushing to aid the injured.

    "You monster!" she shouted, cradling a wounded man in her arms. "How could you?" She had dedicated her life to making the lives of her people better and now she realized that she had put these people at risk.

    "This is your fault, you brought the battle out here to them," Daiki replied coldly, taking advantage of her distraction to fire another shot. This time, the projectile found its mark. Atsuko cried out in pain, her AI informing her that her shields were now offline.

    "Taking cheap shots while I''m saving lives?" Atsuko spat, anger darkening her features. "You''re no better than those who treat human life as expendable!"

    Daiki felt a flicker of guilt, his sister''s cold unfeeling look flashing through his thoughts. Was this what she meant when she said he had been poisoned all those years ago? He took in the scene around him, the destruction, he had come too far to let her words sway him.

    "Enough of this," Atsuko whispered, her voice barely audible but laden with resolve. "Soul Clone."

    The air around her shimmered, and Daiki''s breath caught in his throat as he watched multiple copies of Atsuko appear, each wearing the formidable Mach 12 armor. They encircled him, their eyes locked on him.

    "With the authority of the Japanese government you are under arrest for terrorism," Atsuko announced, her voice echoing through the chorus of identical faces. "This is your last chance to power down and come willingly with me."

    Sweat trickled down Daiki''s brow, his pulse racing at the sight of the ever-increasing number of clones. He knew nothing about this ability and feared that victory was slipping through his fingers.

    How am I supposed to fight this? he thought, panic seeping through the cracks in his resolve. There has to be a way... there must be!

    -----

    Osamu stepped out of the Canadian Embassy, Kimiko at his side, only to be met by the sight of Daiki surrounded by a multitude of Atsuko''s clones. Fear gripped his heart as he realized that his partner was in grave danger. He knew he had to act fast.

    "Kimiko," he said urgently, "go to the parking lot. My car''s there, a green Ford Fiesta; we can escape. But first, I need to help Daiki."

    "Be careful, Osamu," Kimiko replied, her voice laced with concern. She nodded and hurried towards the parking lot, believing Osamu would join her after aiding Daiki.

    As soon as Kimiko vanished from sight, Osamu slipped back into the Embassy, his footsteps echoing through the now-deserted halls. This is on me, he thought, guilt gnawing at him. I have to fix this. He headed straight for the interrogation rooms, praying that Daiki could hold on long enough for him to retrieve Hiro.

    Upon entering Hiro''s cell, Osamu found him bruised and bloodied, his wrists shackled to the table. The sight made Osamu wince ¨C he couldn''t stand seeing someone so broken. Swiftly, he unlocked the cuffs and offered a heartfelt apology.

    "Forgive me, Hiro. For tricking you, and for Daiki''s behavior. We need your help."

    "Help?" Hiro spat, skepticism etched across his battered face. "Why should I believe anything you say?"

    "Because I''ve already ensured Kimiko''s safety." Osamu pulled out his phone, showing Hiro the security footage of Kimiko escaping. "After all this, I''ll delete the footage. No one will ever know."

    Hiro''s eyes flickered with doubt, but kind nature won out. As Osamu produced Hiro''s Mach ¨C an old cell phone ¨C Hiro hesitated before taking it. He stared at the device in his hand, torn between the desire to flee and the responsibility to protect innocent lives.

    "Please, Hiro," Osamu urged softly. "Either leave us to die with new Mach alone or stay and help save lives."

    Hiro''s expression remained inscrutable as he weighed his options.

 Chapter 25: Clone

    Hiro''s fingers trembled as he pressed the talk button on the old cellphone. With a soft hum, the teal cybernetic armor enveloped his body. The weight of responsibility settled heavily on his shoulders. "I''ll fight," he declared, his voice edged with determination, "but I won''t go out of my way to save Daiki. I''m just going to stop them both before they cause any more destruction."

    Osamu nodded, gratitude evident in his eyes. "Thank you, Hiro."

    Hiro hesitated for a moment before asking, "Why aren''t you activating your own Mach?"

    "Kimiko''s headed towards the parking lot," Osamu explained, concern creasing his brow. "I need to get her out of harm''s way before joining the fight above the Embassy, I owe you that much."

    Relief washed over Hiro, knowing that Kimiko was in good hands. "Thank you, Osamu. Now go, before they suspect you of setting me free." As Osamu disappeared from sight, Hiro took a deep breath and blasted his way up and out of the Canadian Embassy.

    The chaos of battle greeted Hiro as he emerged from the building. Rubble littered the streets below, evidence of the fierce struggle between Daiki and Atsuko. He could see Daiki''s panicked movements as he tried to evade the relentless assault of Atsuko''s clones. Both Machs moved so fast they looked like colored blurs, sparks flew whenever they made contact with each other.

    Hiro scanned the battlefield, searching for an opening - a chance to intervene and bring an end to this destructive battle. But as dozens of Atsuko''s clones fired blasts and lunged at Daiki, Hiro couldn''t envision a feasible way to defeat her. There were simply too many clones.

    In his desperation, Daiki spotted Hiro hovering nearby. A glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes, and he propelled himself towards Hiro at top speed, attempting to draw some attention away from himself.

    "Dammit," Hiro muttered under his breath, watching Daiki''s approach. He knew he had to act, but the odds seemed against him. Setting his jaw, he prepared himself for the challenge ahead as the mass of clones followed behind Daiki.

    Hiro''s instincts kicked in as Daiki closed the distance between them. He maneuvered his Mach upwards, evading Daiki and gaining a higher vantage point. Atsuko''s attention shifted to Hiro, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. She didn''t recognize him as an ally, but rather as another Canadian agent in a Mach armor.

    "AI, redirect half of the clones to engage the new target, keep him busy for me," Atsuko commanded, her voice cold and calculating.

    As the clones split off to pursue Hiro, Atsuko focused on finishing Daiki. Her thoughts raced, she needed to finish Daiki off before the truth of the Soul Clones was discovered: their primary function was to confuse and distract enemies while she escaped. Yet here she was, using them to hide herself amongst their ranks and strike from unexpected angles. These were simply holograms and it was only a matter of time until someone figured it out.

    Hiro found himself suddenly overwhelmed by the swarm of clones diving towards him. He dodged their swipes with precision, questioning why they didn''t simply open fire. It must take immense power to maintain this many clones, he reasoned. Racing away from their relentless pursuit, Hiro tried to calculate a plan to gain the upper hand.

    In a desperate attempt to clear some space, he fired his blaster at the approaching clones. To his surprise, the clones moved in unison and dodged the blast.

    "Of course," Hiro muttered, realization dawning on him. "These are on autopilot while the real pilot focuses on Daiki."

    Unbeknownst to Hiro, Nori had been observing the battle from afar, and now he knew Atsuko''s secret. Witnessing a clone fail to dodge Daiki''s blast and the shot just passing through it, Nori finally understood how to defeat Atsuko. He swooped into the scene, his presence startling Hiro.

    "I have to thank you, Hiro," Nori said over their comms, his tone serious. "You gave me enough time to figure out what I needed."

    Hiro was confused and worried, what exactly had Nori figured out? Meanwhile, Atsuko remained occupied with her assault on Daiki, unaware of the Mach now aware of the flaw in her plan.

    "You could have just surrendered," she said, her voice dripping with malice. "You could have spared all this destruction if you had just stepped down."

    Nori surged through the swarm of Atsuko''s clones, his Mach 2 armor glinting in the sunlight. The ethereal projections provided no resistance as he cut a path straight for his intended target. Hiro froze, as he realized the clones were just projections and Nori was going to destroy the two dueling Machs.

    "Your plan was flawless," Nori called out, addressing Atsuko who froze at the sound of his voice. "Someone as pathetic as this clown wouldn''t notice, but your clones are all show. All I had to do was scan for your heat signature."

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    Atsuko''s eyes widened in realization and fear, but it was too late. With a swift movement, Nori summoned his soul scythe and sliced through her, causing both her Mach and body to erupt in a fiery explosion.

    "NO!" Hiro screamed, his voice breaking with anguish as he witnessed the murder.

    The clones faded from existence, leaving only Daiki and Nori on the battlefield. Hiro remained motionless, his mind reeling from the consequences of their actions. Another person had died in order to destroy a Mach ¨C was this the fate of all Mach pilots? What would the Japanese government do now that another one of their operatives was dead?

    "Awe Mach 2, you finally joined us," Daiki smirked, not sharing Hiro''s conflicted thoughts. "Now I have all the rogues lined up, I don''t know how Hiro managed to escape but it doesn''t matter really. Once I kill you both Canada will declare Japan''s assault on the Embassy as an act of war and seize control of the country." He aimed his soul pistol at Hiro, taking advantage of his distraction.

    "Watch out, Hiro!" Nori shouted as he registered Daiki''s action.

    Hiro barely had time to react before a blast rocketed toward him. Without hesitation, Nori placed himself between Hiro and the shot. The energy collided with Nori''s armor, sending sparks flying.

    Hiro couldn''t think or move as he watched Nori drop from the sky. The reality of the situation weighed heavily on him. Nori had just sacrificed himself to save his life, click back into reality Hiro raced toward Nori catching him before he collided with the earth. "Nor-Nori! Why?" Hiro stammered, his voice wavering with emotion.

    "Does it really matter?" Nori replied, his voice strained but resolute. "This guy doesn''t deserve to kill you."

    Is this what the government wanted, us fighting each other while they play their games from the shadows? Hiro thought, his internal turmoil growing stronger. No doubt they are all already discussing how to spin this situation in their favor.

    "Focus, Hiro," Nori urged, sensing his hesitation. "You have to deal with that Mach now. Nothing else matters."

    "Right," Hiro agreed, mustering the determination to carry on. The fight was far from over, and he couldn''t afford to let his emotions cloud his judgment any further.

    "Daiki, this ends now," Hiro declared, as he soared towards the man. "Look around, this section of the city is barely standing and we need to stop. Just let us go and no one else has to die today."

    "You are the fugitive and the criminal, you have no right to be making demands and acting like the hero here." Daiki hissed, "Besides your morals make you weak." Daiki blasted towards Hiro, who braced for impact, but Daiki blew by Hiro and headed straight for Nori.

    Nori''s Mach shuddered, a web of cracks spreading across its surface as the blast took its toll. "System failure imminent," his AI warned, its synthetic voice calm despite the dire situation. Keeping him planted in place as Daiki approached.

    "Get away from him, Daiki! I don''t want to have to kill you," Hiro shouted, darting forward to reach Nori. But Daiki was faster, positioning himself behind Nori, using the injured Mach as a shield.

    "Kill me? You won''t kill the man who risked his life for you?" Daiki sneered, though he was certain Hiro wouldn''t have the nerve required to kill anyone regardless of the situation he was put in.

    "Let him go, Daiki. I''ll come back to the Embassy without a fight, I promise," Hiro offered, desperation seeping into his words. He wanted to save Nori, he wanted to save them all.

    "Ha! A noble offer, but no," Daiki spat, his eyes blazing with madness. "Today, true justice will be served. I am judge, jury, and executioner!" He gestured at the destruction around them, the result of their battle. "This one made a fool of me, and for that, you will all pay."

    Hiro clenched his fists, would he really have to take a life? Could he break his vow, and let Canada win? Neither seemed to be an option for Hiro. Daiki was clearly unhinged, a ticking time bomb of rage and destruction. Was there any way for Hiro to get through to him so they could all walk away from this?

    -----

    Meanwhile, on the ground below, the Japanese military swarmed around the Canadian Embassy, evacuating civilians and news crews. The once-peaceful city center had transformed into a war zone, and the world now knew the Canadians had Machs too, sending a ripple of fear through its leaders.

    "Target locked," a soldier reported, aiming a missile at the chaotic battle above. They didn''t know if it would even dent the advanced armor of the Machs, but they had no choice but to try.

    "Warning: Incoming missile," Hiro''s AI announced, jolting him back to the present. The military had locked onto him and were preparing to fire.

    "Think, Hiro. You need a solution," he muttered to himself, scanning the battlefield for any advantage. Daiki''s grip on Nori tightened, his eyes wild with the thrill of impending violence.

    "Time''s up, Hiro. Either you take off now and leave your buddy here to die, or you both die here," Daiki taunted, his finger hovering over the trigger of his soul pistol.

    "I''m not going anywhere!" Hiro shouted, his voice cracking with emotion. "If I die here then I die doing what''s right, protecting this world from the technology my family created,"

    "Goodbye then, Hiro," Daiki said coldly, aiming squarely at Hiro''s heart.

    "You idiot, you kill Mach one and I still have enough power to kill you before you can turn your dumbass gun on me," Nori barked and half laughed. " Don''t you get it he wants you to turn your attention on him so I can take you out!"

    Daiki was filled with doubt, was this the actual plan? But when would they have had the time to create such a plan? His pistol lowered as he tried to figure out what exactly was going on here.

    "Get out of here, Hiro. Leave," Nori managed through gritted teeth, opening a private com with Hiro. "I can handle this, but you need to go now."

    "I can''t just leave you," Hiro stammered, taken aback by Nori''s sudden plea.

    "Trust me, I''ve got a secret weapon," Nori continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I need you to leave so I can use it. You have to live to fight another day."

    "What is it? What''s this secret weapon you have?" Hiro asked urgently, his eyes darting between Nori and Daiki as the tension in the air grew thicker by the second.

    "You don''t need to know. Just go," Nori replied cryptically. Hiro''s mind immediately jumped to the possibility of a self-destruct sequence - a last-ditch effort to take down Daiki with him.

    "Damn it, Nori..." Hiro clenched his fists, frustration boiling within him. The thought of losing Nori weighed heavily on his conscience, there was still so much he wanted to understand about the guy who kissed him. He wasn''t able to save him from his parents but he wouldn''t fail Nori again.

    "Go now, Hiro!" Nori bellowed impatiently, as Daiki tightened his grip on the pistol, having finally made up his mind.

 Chapter 26: Alpha Mode

    Hiro''s heart raced beneath the metallic armor of his Mach as he hovered above what remained of the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo. Sweat trickled down his forehead, his grip tightening on the controls. Below them, the Japanese military swarmed around the building like a nest of angry hornets, their weapons trained on the Machs overhead, vengeance burning in their eyes after the destruction the Mach battle had caused.

    Nori had told Hiro to run but his resolve was unshakable, anchored by the knowledge that running was never an option. He had to save Nori and stop the violence. In a swift motion, he activated one of his soul blades, the weapon humming with energy as it extended from his Mach''s arm.

    Daiki laughed, the sound echoing through the communication channel like the cackle of a hyena. "You think I''m afraid of your little toy?" he sneered. "To use that blade, you''d have to slice through Mach 2 and kill your precious little friend here. And we both know you don''t have the guts."

    Hiro''s jaw clenched, but he refused to react to Daiki''s taunts. This was all part of his plan. As his other hand moved subtly, he released a flare towards the ground below. The brilliant light erupted in a blinding display, drawing the attention of the Japanese military and, more importantly, Daiki.

    "What the hell was that about!" Daiki snarled, momentarily distracted by the sudden burst of light.

    As the flare descended, casting a harsh glow across the battlefield, Hiro''s thoughts raced. This is my chance. I have to act now, or we''re all done for. He only hoped that Nori would understand his plan, he needed him to if it was going to work.

    Here goes nothing, Hiro thought, I am not going to let you kill Nori or anyone else.

    Daiki''s eyes snapped back to Hiro, expecting him to have made a move but Hiro remained hovering in place. Daiki was confused but only for a moment, his gaze fell to Hiro''s now empty hand. Fear flickered across Daiki''s faceplate as he scanned the area for the missing weapon. But it was already too late.

    "Looking for this?" Nori''s voice crackled through the comms, his tone dripping with defiance. And in that split second, Daiki finally understood Hiro''s plan.

    The soul blade had been passed to Nori during the flare''s distraction. Daiki''s eyes widened as Nori plunged the blade into Daiki''s Mach armor, piercing through and sinking into his leg. A scream of agony tore from Daiki''s lips as his grip on Nori faltered.

    "Damn you!" Daiki raged, his voice strained with pain. As he attempted to pull the blade from his leg.

    "An idiot like you could never win," Nori replied, his own pain evident. With a final burst of strength, Nori wrenched himself free from Daiki''s hold, plummeting towards the ground below.

    Not again, Hiro thought, I can''t let him crash. Without hesitation, Hiro blasted forward, reaching out to grab Nori before he could hit the ground.

    "Are you okay?" Hiro asked urgently, gripping Nori tightly.

    "Y-yeah," Nori stuttered, pain lacing his voice. "I''ll be fine."

    "Listen, you need to get out of here," Hiro urged, concern flooding his thoughts. "You''ve done enough, Nori. You destroyed Mach 12 and damaged Mach 6. Let me take it from here."

    "And let you become the target of Daika and the full Japanese military?" Nori stubbornly insisted, his determination unwavering. "Not a chance, I am staying to make sure they know exactly who they are dealing with."

    "Please," Hiro pleaded. "I don''t want you to get hurt, go!"

    Nori felt a warmth spread out inside him at the sound of Hiro''s words, "Fine," Nori reluctantly agreed. He ordered his AI to divert all remaining power to his thrusters, despite the warning that it would require extensive repairs later on. And with that, Nori blasted off into the sky, leaving Hiro alone to face Daiki.

    Turning back to confront his enemy, Hiro''s breath caught in his throat as he saw what awaited him. Hiro''s eyes widened in horror as Daiki''s Mach armor began to emit a series of alarming beeps. The suit''s voice, cold and mechanical, informed Daiki of a critical error: nanite infection due to bloodstream infusion. Panic flooded Daiki''s face, visible even through the protective visor.

    "Override! Release me!" he yelled desperately, but his pleas fell on deaf ears.

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    The AI declared "Death imminent, full integration required. Alpha mode engaged." And with that Daiki''s fate was sealed.

    The once sleek, blue armor started to shift and twist with a sickening crunch, as if possessed by some malevolent force. Energy surged from the suit like tiny volts of electricity, crackling and snapping menacingly. The once smooth edges grew sharp and jagged, transforming the elegant design into something altogether monstrous. Daiki''s breaths came in short, ragged gasps as he felt his life force being siphoned away, replaced by a nanite skeleton that filled his mind with thoughts of death and destruction.

    "Help... me," he choked out, his voice barely audible through the chaos. His human thoughts fading quickly he desperately needed Hiro to understand before it was too late.

    -----

    Meanwhile, safely in her office at the Mach department, Mao watched the horrifying transformation unfold on a live feed. Her fingers flew across the keyboard, requesting scans of the scene and copies of the footage. Sweat beaded on her brow, betraying her fear.

    "What the hell is happening?" she muttered, her heart pounding in her chest. This had never happened before, and she couldn''t decide if this was a flaw in the system or an upgrade.

    Halfway around the world, Patrick Stark mirrored her actions, his own concern mounting. A fatal flaw in the Mach''s design could have catastrophic consequences, if this was some kind of core meltdown then the entire city of Tokyo was about to get wiped off the map. There would be no way for Canada to recover from being the cause of such a disaster, and so Stark found himself hoping the rogue Mach would destroy Daiki before it was too late.

    As Hiro hovered helplessly in the air, watching Daiki''s torment, he racked his brain for any chance to get the armor off of Daiki. I need to find a way to stop this, he thought, preparing himself to take on the power-surging Mach. For Kimiko, and for the greater good.

    Hiro''s AI spoke urgently, "We need to leave the area immediately." Before he could question why, an immense shock wave erupted from Daiki''s Mach, slamming Hiro with the force of a freight train. He was sent hurtling through the air, crashing into a nearby office building. The impact reverberated through the structure, causing it to tremble and groan while glass shattered all around him.

    "Damn it," Hiro grunted, struggling to regain control of his suit. He burst out of the debris, his focus locked onto Daiki and the energy seeping from his Mach. "AI, scan Daiki and his Mach. There has to be a way to shut the armor down before it kills him."

    "Scanning now," the AI replied. "There is a critical system failure within Daiki''s Mach, probability of survival is 0.3%. His vitals are spiking. The suit will continue to draw power and release destructive pulses until the area is reduced to rubble... And eventually, it will explode with the force of three atomic bombs."

    Hiro''s whole body tensed, his determination unwavering. I have to find a way to stop this before it''s too late. He looked at Daiki, and I may have to kill to do it.

    As if in response to his thoughts, Daiki unleashed another guttural scream of agony. A second pulse burst forth from his suit, sending military vehicles careening through the air and reducing the Canadian Embassy to a pile of smoking rubble. Once again, Hiro was sent spiraling back into the building behind him, the wind knocked from his lungs.

    "Warning: your shields are at 20%. Another blast will be fatal," the AI cautioned. "My calculations indicate that your best chance for survival is to flee the area immediately."

    Hiro took a moment to let the warning sink in, frustration boiling beneath the surface. "No! There has to be another solution. These Machs can adapt to any situation. Give me a weapon to end this before more innocent people get hurt."

    "Understood," the AI replied, its tone now resolute. "I will find an alternative solution to neutralize Daiki''s Mach without further endangering human lives."

    "Good," Hiro said, steel in his voice. "Let''s put an end to this nightmare."

    "Preparing code for a fusion of the soul blades," the AI announced, its tone tinged with urgency. "The combined energy should be sufficient to destroy Daiki''s Mach 6."

    Hiro felt a chill run down his spine as he processed the implications. Destroying the Mach would save countless lives, but it would also mean killing Daiki in the process. He knew this was always a possibility but his hands still shook as he confronted the reality of the situation.

    "Is there any way to disable the suit without harming him?" Hiro asked, desperation creeping into his voice.

    "Negative," the AI replied. "Daiki''s life is intrinsically linked to the suit at this point. Separating them is impossible without causing fatal harm."

    As Hiro hesitated, uncertain of what to do, his commlink crackled to life. Daiki''s voice came through, strained and pleading. "Hiro... help me. I''m not in control anymore. It''s like my mind is being torn apart..."

    Hearing Daiki''s torment allowed Hiro to make his choice. He knew that allowing the Mach to melt down would result in far more casualties.

    "Forgive me, Daiki," Hiro whispered, his heart heavy with the weight of his decision. Activating the soul blades, he fused them together, forming the massive Soul Saber. Its shimmering energy pulsed with a power that made Hiro shudder.

    "Warning: next pulse imminent," the AI alerted him.

    Drawing upon every ounce of courage he possessed, Hiro propelled himself forward, Soul Saber in hand. Just as the next pulse was about to be released, he swung the weapon with all his might. The resulting impact shattered Mach 6, sending an explosion of light and debris into the air.

    "Daiki..." Hiro murmured, his heart aching with guilt. He had saved the city but at the cost of taking a life. Hiro''s whole body shook and tears began to well up in his eyes.

    "Evacuate the area immediately," the AI instructed. "Military forces are regrouping."

    Without a moment''s hesitation, Hiro took to the sky. The wind whipped past him as he soared faster and faster, trying to escape the horrific scene he''d left behind. He knew he could never take back what he had just done, and the feeling of guilt threatened to consume him.

    What kind of hero am I if I can''t save anyone? he thought bitterly, the cityscape blurring beneath him.

 Chapter 27: Motive

    Hiro emerged from the dark, narrow alleyway, his back pressed against the cold brick wall as he caught his breath. The distant wail of sirens echoed through the air, reminding him of the destruction he''d left behind at the Canadian Embassy. He swallowed hard, guilt clawing at his chest for having to kill Daiki, but he knew it was the only way to prevent more deaths. Still, he couldn''t stop his body from shaking and the tears from running down his face. With a deep breath, he stepped out into the dimly lit street and began walking quickly towards the train station, determined to get back to Osaka before anyone realized he was missing.

    The icy wind whipped around Hiro''s face, stinging his cheeks as he pulled his coat tighter around him. He couldn''t help but replay the horrific scene in his mind - Daiki''s screams of pain, the overwhelming power of their combined Machs, the sickening sound of the explosion: It was on replay in his head. He shook his head, forcing himself to focus on getting home safely.

    As Hiro turned a corner, the shrill ring of his phone pierced the silence. His heart skipped a beat ¨C had someone already discovered his absence? He hesitated, then saw the name and answered immediately. "Osamu? Are you okay? Is Kimiko safe?"

    "Hiro, stay calm," Osamu replied, his voice tense. "We got away from the embassy before Daiki lost control, but... there''s some bad news. Kimiko attacked me once we were safe. She knocked me out cold. I wasn''t expecting her to turn on me."

    "Wh-what?" Hiro stammered, shock coursing through him like electricity. "Why would she do that? Where is she?"

    "I don''t know," Osamu sighed. "When I woke up, she was gone... and so was her Mach. I''m sorry, Hiro."

    "Damn it," Hiro muttered under his breath, it felt like the world was spinning out of control. He couldn''t understand why Kimiko would betray them like this, why would she run again? "Osamu, what do we do, should we meet up and come up with a plan?"

    "Hiro you need to disappear, the fallout from what just happened will be huge. This is an international event and the world has seen the full power of the Machs on full display, they will come for you," Osamu warned before ending the call.

    Hiro slipped his phone back into his pocket, Osamu was right, there was no way the Canadians would simply let him walk away from this. He had to get to Yutaka''s place and quickly, the government still didn''t know about him. He couldn''t help but worry about Kimiko, wondering how she could possibly recover out there on her own.

    As the train station came into view, Hiro''s thoughts raced like a whirlwind through his mind ¨C the world had seen the true power of Machs, and everything was about to change. For better or worse, he would have to face whatever consequences lay ahead.

    -----

    Osamu leaned against his car, the cold metal pressing into his back as he exhaled a breath of relief. He stared at the night sky, the stars barely visible through the city''s light pollution. He hoped Hiro made it out of the city while chaos was still unfolding. He knew the world governments would be turning their attention to Canada, giving him some time to do a little investigation of his own.

    "Hey, So what exactly is this deal you were talking about in the car?" Kimiko called softly from where she stood a few feet away. Her eyes held a mixture of fear and curiosity, her gaze locked on Osamu.

    "Listen, Kimiko," Osamu said, trying to keep his voice steady. "I have your Mach, and I''ll give it back to you, but only if you work for me."

    "Work for you?" Kimiko scoffed, crossing her arms defensively. "Why would I do that?"

    "Because," Osamu hesitated, searching her face for any sign of trust. "I heard the conversations the government has been having. I need to find the truth about Hiro''s parents and their research, things just don''t add up."

    He watched as Kimiko''s expression softened, guilt flickering across her features before she quickly masked it with resolve. She knew she owed Hiro more than her life after tonight.

    "Alright, I''ll help," she agreed quietly. "But only for Hiro''s sake, he deserves to know the truth too."

    "Deal," Osamu replied, handing her the Mach and a cell phone. "I''ll call you when I need you. For now, we both need to lay low."

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    As Kimiko nodded, clutching the items tightly, she disappeared into the shadows of the night like a ghost.

    -----

    Meanwhile, Yutaka sat in his dimly lit apartment, his fingers drumming on the table as he spoke into his phone. The mysterious voice on the other end filled the room, echoing off the walls like a sinister whisper.

    "Phase two is ready, Yutaka. Our plan is proceeding on schedule," the voice confirmed.

    "Good," Yutaka replied, a predatory grin spreading across his face. "Alpha mode is still proving to be unstable but with a few more tests, I am sure I can find a solution."

    "Excellent," the voice responded before hanging up.

    Yutaka stared at the photos displayed on his tablet: Daiki in his monstrous Mach Alpha form and Hiro merging his soul blades into the powerful soul saber. He couldn''t help but smile, thinking about how the results had exceeded his expectations.

    As he traced the image of Hiro with his finger, Yutaka''s thoughts were a whirlwind of excitement and anticipation. Phase two was about to begin, and the world was completely unprepared for what was to come.

    -----

    Hiro sat on the train as it sped through the countryside, the landscape outside his window a blur of greens and browns. He absently traced the condensation on the glass with his finger, lost in thought. Daiki''s Mach had malfunctioned, causing chaos and destruction, but why? What would the Canadian and Japanese governments do in response to this battle? And what about the rest of the world, now that they''d witnessed the true power of Machs?

    "Tickets, please," a conductor interrupted Hiro''s thoughts. He handed over his ticket, barely noticing as it was punched and returned.

    "Thank you," the conductor said with a polite bow before moving on to the next passenger.

    His mind raced, wondering how much time he had before there was a manhunt for him. The Canadians knew who he was; staying in Osaka wasn''t an option, as it would put his uncle in danger. He decided Yutaka would know what to do when he got there, they would come up with an escape plan together.

    "Yutaka must have some idea about what''s going on," Hiro muttered to himself, clenching his fists tightly. "I am sure he is already coming up with plans."

    -----

    Meanwhile, in Osaka, Masato walked the streets with a determined stride, the stolen Machs hidden in his bag. He approached a well-known Yakuza hangout, its neon lights casting eerie shadows on the sidewalk. Pushing open the door, he stepped inside, the smell of cigarette smoke and alcohol immediately assaulting his senses.

    "Hey!" Masato shouted, trying to get the attention of the room. "I need to speak to the man in charge!"

    Laughter echoed around the dimly lit room as the Yakuza members looked him up and down, clearly unimpressed.

    "Get lost, old man, before we kill you," one of them sneered, blowing smoke in Masato''s face.

    "Listen!" Masato insisted, his voice shaking. "I have an opportunity for you. Something that will make you more powerful than the government itself!"

    "Delusional punk," another member spat, grabbing Masato by the collar. As two of them dragged him to the door, he struggled against their grip.

    "Let go! You''re making a huge mistake!" Masato shouted, desperate to make them understand.

    "Get out of here!" one of the men growled, tossing Masato onto the street like a bag of garbage. Pain shot through his body as he collided with the pavement, but it was nothing compared to the frustration boiling within him.

    Masato''s fists clenched as he picked himself up from the ground, his muscles tense with anger. He took a deep breath and turned towards the entrance of the Yakuza hangout, determination burning in his eyes. Just as he was about to step forward, a hand grasped his arm, stopping him in his tracks.

    "Trust me, you don''t want to go back in there," a woman''s voice warned. Masato turned to see a beautiful woman with an alluring smile, her piercing eyes locked onto his. "I''m Rei. They''ll kill you if you try talking to them again."

    "Rei, huh?" Masato replied, sizing her up. "All I want is to give them an incredible opportunity to control the world."

    Her smile widened, revealing a hint of mischief. "You don''t need those goons to gain that power. The streets are full of people tossed aside by society who would kill for an opportunity to be on top."

    Masato considered her words, feeling a spark of hope reignite within him. "So, I assume you''re one of those people?"

    "Let''s just say I''m intrigued." Rei tilted her head, eyeing the bag containing the stolen Machs. "Why don''t you tell me your pitch, and we''ll see where it goes from there?"

    As they walked away together, their conversation faded into the bustling noise of Osaka''s streets.

    -----

    Meanwhile, Hiro stood at Yutaka''s apartment door, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew he had gone against Yutaka''s wishes, and the thought of his reaction weighed heavily on his mind. With a shaky breath, he knocked on the door.

    Yutaka opened it, his face etched with concern. But instead of scolding Hiro, he pulled him into a tight embrace. "I''m glad you''re safe," he whispered. "I already know everything."

    Hiro''s eyes widened in surprise, he didn''t expect a warm welcome after what had happened. He hesitated, his mind racing with questions. "What about my uncle Goro? How are we going to explain where I''ve been?"

    "Relax," Yutaka said, releasing Hiro from the hug. "I took care of it. Your uncle is on a singles cruise and thinks you''re staying with Kimiko."

    "But what about when the government comes looking for me?" Hiro pressed, anxiety gnawing at him.

    Yutaka sighed, placing a comforting hand on Hiro''s shoulder. "The fallout from the embassy incident will force world governments to come together and figure out what to do about these new weapons. It''ll buy us some time to plan our next move while they''re focused on Canada."

    As they entered the apartment, Hiro felt a mix of relief and dread wash over him. The future was uncertain, but at least he had Yutaka by his side. He hoped they would find a way out of this mess with their lives, but only time would tell.

 Vol 2, Chapter 1: Making a Move

    The United Nations Security Council chamber began to buzz to life as the holographic images of the representatives began to fill the chairs, the air felt heavy as each one sat in silence. The walls, lined with flags from around the world, appeared to bear witness to the destruction of the Canadian Embassy on Japanese soil and the first possibility of war in over two decades.

    "According to these reports," began the Chinese representative, her voice cutting through the hush like a scalpel, "the technology we are discussing was developed by Tadashi and Mary Kobayashi. Where are these scientists now?"

    "Missing," replied the US secretary of state, his words dropping like stones into the still waters of the chamber. "They haven''t been seen in over a decade, and despite Japanese reports of extensive search efforts, there has been no progress in their case."

    "Curious," interjected the German delegate, leaning back in his chair with an air of skepticism etched across his face. "How very convenient that the creators of such a controversial technology cannot be questioned."

    A murmur of consent rippled through the room, the sentiment shared by many.

    "Furthermore," ventured the representative from Belgium, her brow furrowed in concern, "who is responsible for the destruction of the Embassy? We have received many conflicting reports, including one of a possible terrorist cell that has gotten its hands on Mach technology. If this is true then any nation could be the next target,"

    "We are looking into it," acknowledged the Head of the UN, his eyes scanning the room, capturing the attention of every delegate present. "Our analysis suggests that there were three separate factions at the embassy. We believe Canada also has access to Mach technology."

    He paused, allowing the implication of his words to sink in, before continuing with a steady resolve.

    "Japan is unlikely to surrender the Mach devices willingly but if we allow this to go any farther war could break out once more. Therefore, we have sanctioned a covert operation to enter Japanese territory and neutralize any active units."

    Whispers of agreement circulated throughout the chamber, a consensus forming.

    "Regarding Canada," piped up the UK representative, a note of urgency threading his query, "what measures are we taking to verify they have Machs?"

    "Surveillance," stated the Head of the UN firmly. "We are monitoring them closely to gather evidence proving they possess Mach units of their own. It''s plausible they managed to steal a device, which would explain the attack on their embassy soil."

    "Should this be confirmed," he continued, his gaze locked with that of the UK delegate, "the task force will extend their mandate to include the destruction of any Mach in Canadian custody."

    The declaration settled heavily upon the assembly, each member was acutely aware of the potential consequences. The balance of power was at stake, and their fragile peace accords were dangling by a thread, tethered to a task force that if found would certainly start a war.

    <hr>

    A heavy downpour drowned the streets of Hiroshima, still managing to soak Kimiko as she huddled beneath her clear umbrella and waited for Osamu to emerge. The city was deathly quiet, as the scenes of the destruction of the embassy played on a loop on every available screen.

    "Kimiko," Osamu''s voice was low, as he stepped out of a nearby convenience store, "I''ve combed through Tadashi and Mary''s financials¡ªevery account, untouched. Not a single yen moved since the date of the ''accident''. And Hiro... they haven''t reached out, not even in secret."

    Kimiko remained silent as she digested the new information, maybe Hiro''s parents really did die in that lab accident years ago. Osamu ran a hand through his short hair. "It doesn''t add up, Kimiko. There are no death certificates for either of them¡ªit''s like they just stopped existing.¡±

    "How is that even possible," she asked, her eyes narrowing. "Hiro was told they died in a fire that broke out in their lab but the rest of the world was told they vanished. Can both stories be true?" Kimiko started to pace as she tried to piece it all together; she had to find the truth, for Hiro.

    "Both stories make sense, telling the family they are dead ensures they don''t go looking for them. Tell the world they are missing put the focus on them and not on the government''s operations," Osamu suggested, his dark eyes scanning their surroundings for any sign of unwanted attention. "We need to find out where exactly their lab was. Maybe we can find some answers there."

    "But how exactly do we do that," Kimiko replied with a frustrated sigh, her fingers curling into fists. "Their lab was a secret so it''s not like we can just find it on a map. Even if we could find it¡ªthere is no way it isn''t guarded. It would be the birthplace of Machs, and the government would never allow just anyone to wander in."

    "Which means we need to plan our next moves carefully," Osamu mused, rubbing his chin as he contemplated their next steps, strategies unfolding like a map in his head. "We need to get someone on the inside. If we can do that, then they can find the location for us. I think I know exactly who we need to track down."

    "And who exactly are you talking about?" Kimiko pulled her jacket tighter against the evening chill. "Please tell me you are not talking about Mach 2. That pilot clearly has a death wish and is very unstable. You saw what he did at the embassy."

    "I saw him put his life on the line to save Hiro," Osamu stated, gazing past Kimiko and watching some men dash across the street. "They know each other and I am willing to bet he would be more than happy to help us if it meant helping Hiro."

    "Would you stake your life on it?" Kimiko warned, her voice taking on a softer edge. "How can we even be certain that Mach 2 would have access to Japanese government files? For all we know the freak would kill us both before we got a word out."

    "You make a good point," he countered, a wry smile touching his lips. "But the way the military avoided shooting directly at Mach 2 leads me to believe they want him alive. They certainly were not giving Hiro the same treatment."

    "Seems like a stretch," Kimiko said, tilting her head. She wanted to help Hiro, to prove she was sorry for getting caught, for forcing him to fight at the embassy. But she wasn''t sure she could really trust the man who worked for the same people who had locked her up in the first place.

    "It''s all we have," Osamu whispered. He could see the hesitation behind her eyes, he had seen it before, this allience was new and it was clear he would need to do more to build her trust.

    "Look, I have been doing this for a long time," Osamu started looking into Kimiko''s eyes. "You don''t have to trust me, but you do have to understand that in order for this to work we will have to rely on each other, there is no other way around it."

    Kimiko''s gaze locked onto his, steady and unwavering. "Then let''s find Mach 2," she affirmed, reaching out her hand for him to shake. Before he could she pulled back slightly. "I am doing this for my friend. If it ever comes down to you or Hiro, I''m going to choose Hiro."

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    "I wouldn''t expect anything less from you," Osamu said, taking her hand, he gave it a firm shake before letting go.

    "There is one more thing we should look into," Kimiko swallowed, her mind wandering back to Yutaka. "There''s this guy, Yutaka. He is how I got my Mach; He gave Hiro his as well. Yutaka has access to Mach technology and I don''t know how he got it." Her eyes flickered as she pondered out loud. "It''s possible he has more,"

    Osamu''s jaw clenched at the mention of this new piece to the puzzle. "I''ll do a deep dive into this Yutaka, do you have a last name?" he asked, needing a little more to identify him.

    Kimiko thought back to her conversation with Hiro about Yutaka, hoping to recall any mention of a last name. "I''m sorry I don''t think he mentioned it," she confessed. "But Yutaka was covered in burn scars, scars like those would need serious medical attention."

    "Well that''s something," Osamu said, looking down at the ripples of the raindrops in the puddle as if the answers were going to bubble up to the surface. "I''ll establish and cover and start looking through hospital records, but it will take time to find him."

    "And what about me?" Kimiko asked, she knew they would have to part ways soon. "I''m only seventeen, I don''t exactly have the funds to just disappear until needed."

    Osamu''s lips curled into a half-smile, Kimiko was clearly new to this. "I''ve thought of that," he said, placing a thin cybernetic phone in her hand. "It is connected to one of my offshore accounts, money will be the least of your worries, just don''t go buying anything that would make you stick out, remember the Canadians know who you are."

    "How could I forget," Kimiko said, plucking the device from Osamu''s hand and sliding it into her pocket. "I take it this is where we part ways?"

    "You''d be correct." Osamu moved toward the train station, pausing only to cast a final glance at Kimiko. "Keep that phone close, expect a call soon."

    "Will do." Kimiko nodded, as she started to walk in the opposite direction. "It''s been real."

    As Osamu stepped onto the platform, his mind went back to all the unanswered questions they had. He knew the history of the Machs was a secret, but did the Japanese government kill to keep it? Who was Yutaka in all this and why did he hand over such dangerous weapons to teenagers? And how long would it be before his own government discovered he was running an operation of his own behind their backs?

    <hr>

    The cool metal of the balcony railing bit into Prime Minister Mamoru''s clenched hands as he stared out over Tokyo''s sprawling cityscape, the smoke still rising from where the Canadian Embassy once stood. As a whole the mission hadn''t been a total failure, Canada had also suffered a loss in the battle.

    "Look at the mess you made Masato," Mamoru muttered, the name leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. It was Masato''s carelessness with pilot selection that led to the Mach program being exposed. "When we find you," he growled, recalling the five missing Machs he was sure were in Masato''s possession, he would be sure to make an example of him.

    "Sir?" His aide''s voice was tentative, breaking through Mamoru''s thoughts.

    "Any word from the UN?" Mamoru didn''t look away from the skyline, his eyes scanning for invisible threats.

    "Nothing yet," the aide replied, shuffling nervously. "It''s been silent since your report."

    Mamoru turned slowly, his glare settling on the young man. "Silent," he repeated acidly. "No they have already been talking, they are just keeping us in the dark."

    "Perhaps they just need more time to deliberate¡ª" the aide started, but Mamoru cut him off with a sharp wave.

    "Deliberate? Or conspire?" His gaze shifted back to the horizon, where nothing but silence filled the void. "We have only three Machs left. Three," he whispered, more to himself than to his aide. "Canada still outnumbers us and if the other nation joins them in a war well..."

    In his mind, the calculation of odds and strategies tangled together in maddening confusion. All he knew was he needed to clean up this mess and build some connections with other dignitaries if the country was going to survive this.

    "Get the Chinese ambassador on the line," Mamoru commanded, his voice steady and eerily calm. "Tell them we would like to offer them a defense contract."

    "Right away, Prime Minister," the aide said before disappearing inside.

    Alone again, Mamoru leaned forward, resting his forehead against the cold metal. No one knew how many Machs they had left, and he could use that to his advantage. If some of the other countries believed he could over them a piece of the Mach project then just maybe he could buy himself some more time.

    <hr>

    Halfway across the world, Kenneth Stark stood rigidly under the gray sky of a Canadian morning, the somber notes of a bugle cutting through the crisp air as Diaki''s casket was lowered into the ground. Diaki''s family watched teary-eyed as he gifted them the flag, I reminder he died serving his country.

    "Damn it all," he muttered under his breath, as he made it back to his car, Diaki was more loyal than most.

    "Sir?" his driver looked back at him in the rearview mirror, his expression solemn.

    "Take me back to the office," Stark said without turning. "I have some unfinished business to attend to."

    "Yes, sir," the driver replied. "Shall I let them know you are on your way?"

    "No need," Stark said, a wry smile touching his lips. "I would prefer some peace and quiet at this time."

    He let the thought hang in the air, as they pulled away from the cemetery. He considered their next move as they glided through the city, even though they identified the rogues nothing had really changed.

    "Two wild cards," he whispered, almost admiringly. "But wild cards can be... dealt with."

    "Sir?" The driver looked puzzled.

    "Never mind," Stark waved dismissively. "I''m thinking out loud. Link me to Ward."

    "Understood, sir."

    Stark waited until the holographic version of Patrick Ward filled the seat next to him, the light of the projector catching the small dust particles in the air. Hiro and Kimiko were never recovered from the rubble of the embassy. They somehow escaped trained operatives and vanished without a trace, he knew he couldn''t let that go.

    "Patrick," Stark said firmly. "I have a new assignment for you. I assume our safe house is up at running by now?"

    "Yes, sir."

    "Perfect," Stark said, his eyes narrowed in contemplation. "Japan will be busy trying to deflect the accusations leveled against them by the rest of the world to worry about us. I want you to track down Hiro and Kimiko and I want the name of the person who let them out. Understood?" Stark ordered.

    "Of course sir," Ward gave a small salute. "We will find out exactly how they escaped our custody and any co-conspirators will be punished."

    "Excellent," Stark smiled to himself, the game wasn''t over yet.

    <hr>

    The once luxurious apartment was in shambles, anything that connected Yutaka or Hiro to it was smoldering on the balcony. Hiro''s hands moved quickly as he packed the only bag he would be allowed to take with him. Stuffed clothes and old photos into the bag only pausing for a moment when he discovers a still-wrapped candy from Kimiko''s birthday gift to him.

    "Are you ready?" Yutaka asked, popping his head into the room. "We need to get out of the city as soon as possible."

    "Right, I''m ready," Hiro replied, stuffing the small hard candy deep into his bag. He zipped up his pack and walked toward Yutaka. "So Toyone, huh? Why there?"

    "My father came from there," Yutaka said, a wistful smile on his lips. "Quiet. Secluded. The perfect place to lay low for a while."

    "But the city is on lockdown, how are we supposed to get through a checkpoint?" Hiro worried, his eyes glancing out the window at the flashing lights in the distance.

    "And what about Uncle Goro..." Hiro started, his voice trailing off as he grappled with the implications. "What if¡ª"

    "Goro will be fine," Yutaka interjected firmly, placing a hand on Hiro''s shoulder. "You just focus on staying alive."

    They descended the stairs to Yutaka''s car, the car humming to life after scanning his thumbprint. Hiro tossed his bag into the back seat before climbing into the passenger side. They drove out of the building and toward the nearest bridge only to discover the barricades had been raised.

    "Damn," Hiro cursed under his breath, peering out the window at the raised steel walls.

    "Looks like we won''t be crossing today," Yutaka muttered, pulling the car to the side of the street to think. His eyes met Hiro''s, a silent conversation passing between them.

    "The red light district?" Hiro suggested, the place filled with people who mind their own business and don''t ask questions.

    "Red light district," Yutaka confirmed, typing the directions in the vehicle''s GPS.

    As the car came to life one more time to drive them to their new destination, Hiro could feel the wall closing in on him. He felt like they could be caught at any moment and he would wind up in one of those terrible interrogation rooms again.

    "We will make it out of here," Yutaka whispered, noticing Hiro''s expression.

    "Will we though? They know what I look like now," Hiro shot back, staring blankly ahead of them.

    "They know nothing," Yutaka said. "If they did then you would have never made it out of Tokyo. This lockdown is just standard procedure for any terrorist event."

    "Right, that makes sense."

    "We''ll find a hotel and regroup," Yutaka said, pointing to a dingy sign for a love hotel, "There are ways out of this city that even the government doesn''t know about."

    "Right someone here will know something," Hiro said, painting on a fake smile. "We''ll find a way out."

 Vol 2, Chapter 2: Surrender

    The neon sign hummed and flickered, over the rundown lobby of the "Hotel Nocturne" as Yutaka guided Hiro toward the counter, the thin man looking up at them through the iron bars. As they approached, the smell of mildew and cheap disinfectant assaulted Hiro''s nose.

    "Don''t say a word and keep your head down," Yutaka murmured, his voice low enough so only Hiro could hear, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and removed a few small coins. Hiro watched him count the cash in awe of the small coins, since the entire country had gone digital before his birth, he had never actually seen yen before.

    Once they paid up, they made their way to room 237. Hiro collapsed onto the lumpy mattress, the springs creaking under his weight. The bedspread was covered in mystery stains, but he was too exhausted to care. Their first attempt to escape the city had failed, and the anxiety of trying again ensured Hiro couldn''t fall asleep no matter how much his body demanded slumber.

    "Get some rest, Hiro. I''ll do some more research on terrorist procedures in the city," Yutaka said, the click-clack of his laptop keys filled the silence as he worked to find a way around the city''s barriers. "We will get out of the city, I promise you that much." His glasses reflected the screen¡¯s cold light, his expression a mask of focus and determination.

    "Rest," Hiro muttered, the idea of sleeping at a time like this felt next to impossible. But eventually, his eyes grew heavy and he found it was more effort to try and keep them open. In the gloom, Hiro''s final conscious thought was a question wrapped in fear: Can we really escape the Japanese government?

    Soon Hiro was lost in the world of his dreams, tossing and turning in his bed as they unfolded. He was stuck reliving the same nightmare he had ever since the fight at the embassy¡ªthe monstrous shadow of Diaki''s alpha form Mach floated above him. Metal screeched and groaned as Diaki lurched toward him, screaming in agony with each step.

    "Stop it... please," Hiro whispered as he dug through his pockets, discovering his Mach was nowhere to be found.

    Then the explosion came, the alpha Mach shattering before him. Even though it was a dream, he could feel the heat on his skin, the shockwave reverberating in his bones. As the fire engulfed him, He shot up in bed, drenched in sweat.

    Yutaka lay beside him, his laptop still perched on his chest. The older man''s breaths were even and measured, Hiro reached over and took the computer, placing it carefully on the nightstand. Hiro slipped out of bed, he knew there was no chance of going back to sleep after that.

    "I need some air," Hiro choked out to himself, wiping some sweat that still clung to his forehead. He slipped his shoes back and threw on his old blue jacket.

    Tiptoeing across the room, he made his way to the door, careful not to disturb Yutaka. Tapping his pocket to make sure he had the room key, he slipped out into the hallway. "Just a walk," he promised the shadows, he knew that he would have to be back before Yutaka woke up or there would be hell to pay.

    "Stay out of sight," he coached himself, he made his way down the rusted staircase to the lobby. As he glanced back toward the man behind the desk, he noted how quickly the man adverted his gaze, returning to watching the small hollow monitor on the desk.

    Out in the ink-black night, Hiro''s footsteps were silent on the pavement, he weaved down the street, carefully avoiding the trash and passed-out individuals that lined the street.

    Hiro took a deep breath as he rounded the corner but instantly regretted it, the sour smell of old alcohol amount other things burning his lungs. His feet moved him forward but his mind was still stuck, he had killed someone, and no matter how far he walked there was no getting away from that.

    "Daiki," he whispered to the vacant night, the name falling from his lips as he kicked a small pebble down the street. He couldn''t stop replaying that moment¡ªthe way Diaki pleaded to die, the horrible sounds of the twisting metal.

    As Hiro filled the pebble down the street, he looked up just in time to see a figure diving into the shadows. "Hey!" called out, his hand instinctively reaching for his Mach, his finger wrapping around the old phone disguise. "Show yourself or I''m calling the police," Hiro demanded

    "Ok, OK" Nori hissed, as he emerged from the shadows. He held his hands in the air as if he were surrendering. "No need to call the cops, I think that would get us both in trouble, don''t you?"

    "Nori? What are you doing here?" Hiro asked until a thought crossed his mind. "Are you following me?"

    Nori''s face turned bright red at the accusation. "I just wanted to make sure you weren''t going to do anything stupid," Nori admitted, adverting his gaze from Hiro.

    Hiro shook his head sharply. "That''s really nice of you,"

    "Shut up," Nori scoffed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just don''t want you pulling another stunt like the one you pulled at the embassy, being the whole self-sacrificing hero or whatever."

    "I''m sorry, but I was the one who got Kimiko caught up in all this," Hiro said, the memory of Kimiko attacking the school in South Africa replaying in his head. "If anyone deserved to die at the embassy, it was me."

    "God, I hate when you get all noble like that" Nori''s laugh was devoid of humor. "Dying would stop the Japanese government from taking over more territory and it certainly won''t help your friend."

    The truth of Nori''s words settled over Hiro like ash from a long-burnt fire. He was right after all, if he had died then Kimiko could have easily been killed later on and Japan would be free to use his parent''s inventions as weapons of war.

    "You''re right," Hiro conceded, the realization coiling tight in his chest. "I''ve been reckless, getting myself caught, charging into fights without a plan, acting like my life doesn''t matter."

    "Finally you get it, this isn''t just a battle. We are in a full-on war," Nori remarked dryly, adjusting the headset in his hands. "Maybe there''s hope for you yet."

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    Hiro didn''t know what to say to that, he glanced over at Nori. Everything he had said was right, Hiro felt like his life was meaningless, all that mattered was destroying the remaining Machs like his parents had wished. He never stopped to think about the consequences if he didn''t make it out of a battle.

    "Hey, Hiro..." Nori''s voice wasn''t as confident as it had been before, hesitance threading through his words. "I''m going to go back to the Japanese government. That last fight royally screwed up my Mach, they are the only ones who can fix it."

    Hiro was shocked by Nori''s admission, he knew the government saw Nori as a traitor and were just as eager to capture him and retrieve Mach 2. "You can''t... they''ll kill you. There has to be another way to fix it," Hiro said, his thoughts racing as he tried to think of an alternative. "You just told me that risking my life was stupid... but risking your life is just fine?"

    Nori''s eyes flickered away, he stuffed his hands deep into his pockets. He remembered trying to activate the Mach repair system, the critical error message that flashed across the display. ''Without a functioning Mach I won''t be able to protect Hiro'' he thought, knowing full well that Hiro would put himself in danger again to protect someone. It was Hiro''s nature after all.

    "Well say something?" Hiro probed, noting the way Nori looked off into the distance, clearly deep in thought.

    "It is a calculated risk." Nori shrugged it off, pivoting to the problem of getting out of the city. "Just trust me when I say I have a plan. And as for you, I know a way out."

    "Well wait just a minute" Hiro started but Nori shot him a look that silenced him in an instant. "Ok, what is the way out you were talking about."

    "Underground roadways," Nori explained, lowering his voice to a whisper. "Built during Japan''s last population boom before the war, now they are all just abandoned beneath the city. They were sealed off but if you can find an entrance, you can blow it wide open with your Mach."

    Hiro suddenly remembered learning about them in history class, he wondered if Nori had been in that class too. Hiro stepped forward and hugged Nori. "Thank you," he breathed.

    "Sure thing," Nori muttered, he gave Hiro a reassuring pat on the back. As Hiro pulled away, he couldn''t help but notice Nori blushing, Nori couldn''t help but wish their paths hadn''t crossed this way¡ªunder different stars, perhaps in a different world they could have been friends or possibly more.

    "Come with me," Hiro suddenly implored, his voice barely above a whisper, as he took a few steps back. "Together, we could figure out a way to fix your Mach and then we could fight the government together."

    Nori''s green eyes couldn''t hide his conflict, but he had already made up his mind. He stepped back and shook his head. "I can''t," he said, his voice steady despite his feelings. "I have to do this my way."

    "Why? Why do you think your life is worth less than mine?" Hiro asked a little louder than he wanted to.

    "Because it is worth less." Nori''s lips pressed into a thin line, as he admitted what he had always felt. "Because you have always been fighting to make this useless world a better place. Until now all I have done is try to destroy it."

    "That''s not true." Hiro reached for him, though but Nori pulled back. He let his hand drop back to his side, his face filled with sadness. "You saved me, Nori, I wouldn''t be here right now if it wasn''t for you."

    "Go get some sleep," Nori suggested flatly. "And be sure to get out of the city by tomorrow."

    Hiro knew there was no point in arguing so he turned and began his walk back to the hotel. Each step back was heavier than the last, once again he failed to truly save Nori. His mind churned with thoughts of what the Japanese Government was going to do to him, he prayed that he would see Nori again even though his mind told him he wouldn''t.

    <hr>

    Meanwhile, Nori''s walk was purposeful toward his destination, he knew he would have to choose his words carefully to make it out of this alive. The military blockade loomed ahead, armed guards placed along the top of it. He raised his arms, a silent surrender to the uniformed figures who swiftly encircled him.

    "Take one step closer and you will be placed under arrest," one of the soldiers announced, as he spotted Nori making his way toward them.

    "That''s kind of the point," Nori replied dryly, offering no resistance as they cuffed him.

    <hr>

    Mao sat rigid at her desk, surrounded by screens aglow with intelligence reports, when the phone call pierced the hum of electronic vigilance. She listened intently to the guard''s story, her expression unreadable.

    "Turned himself in, you say?" Mao''s fingers drummed against the cool metal surface, her thoughts racing like wildfire. "Keep him isolated. I''ll interrogate him personally."

    The line went dead, but the questions lingered. ''What game is Nori playing?'' she thought, she had read Nori''s file at least a dozen times at this point. He would never just turn himself in, she rose from her chair, no there was something more he wanted, some plan they weren''t aware of.

    The morning sun slanted through the barred windows of the military prison, onto the hard bed where Nori sat. Mao stepped into the hallway, her boots clicking as she walked. The armed guards flanking her were stone-faced, their hands resting near holstered weapons.

    A uniformed officer led them to Nori''s cell, the walls echoing with hushed whispers and the clinking of keys as they approached. They stopped before a door with reinforced glass, where Mao eyed Nori, his demeanor almost seemed bored by their arrival.

    "Mr. Aoki," Mao began, her voice betraying no emotion, "Imagine my surprise when I found out you turned yourself in and surrendered your Mach. I think we both know you have ulterior motives, so I will cut right to the point. What exactly do you hope to gain from this?"

    Nori unfolded himself from the bed, standing tall despite his confinement. "I want my old job back," he said, a wry smile twisting his lips.

    Mao almost laughed at his request. "You want to work for us again? After you destroyed two of our Machs? You don''t want to work for us, you just want the power your Mach gives you. We''ve noticed the damage."

    "And I''ve noticed your desperation." His laughter was hollow. "You''ve only got a few Machs left. Your pilot program is still a flop if that last one was truly the best you had to offer. I''ve destroyed three Machs so far, imagine what I could do to the rest of Canada''s supply. But none of that really matters, what matters is I know the identity of a Mach pilot you don''t know." Nori finished, making sure to stare down Mao.

    "Let me get this straight," Mao pressed on, her skepticism as sharp as a knife. "You''re offering up the name of this Mach pilot and to take out Canada''s remaining Mach pilots if we allow you to work for us again."

    "It''s a pretty sweet deal, isn''t it?" Nori''s grin broadened, as he came closer to the door.

    Mao took a moment, considering the young man before her. She weighed his words, most of what he said was right on the mark. They currently had no one capable of controlling a Mach. "I suppose you will be asking for a new Mach then? given the extensive damage to Mach 2."

    "You''d assume wrong," Nori replied, leaning back against the wall, casually as if discussing the weather. "I won''t wear a Mach suit until my old one is fixed, it''ll give me a chance to prove I mean every word."

    "I can''t tell if you are brilliant or the dumbest person I have ever met," Mao said with a cold edge. "But if you do allow you back, you will be under constant surveillance by another Mach pilot. Step out of line, even for a second and you will be terminated on the spot."

    "Is that a threat or a promise?" Nori challenged, his posture stiffening.

    "Consider it a guarantee," Mao shot back. "Masato was a fool and I am not him."

    "I like you, if that is everything I think we have a deal." Nori extended his hand toward the glass. Mao gave the guard a nod and the door slid open. She placed her hand in his giving it a firm squeeze.

    Before Nori could retract his arm, one of the guards jabbed a syringe into his neck¡ªa quick, surprising sting. "What the hell?" Nori recoiled, rubbing the injection site.

    "A precaution," Mao explained coolly. "A tracker. We need to ensure our assets remain within reach."

    As his fingers ran along the bump of the tracker in his neck, Nori felt the weight of his decision¡ªhe may have underestimated Mao. He watched her retreating figure, her silhouette receding down the hallway, and thought how a simple repair job had just become far more complicated.

 Vol 2, Chapter 3: Stranger

    The pale fingers of dawn stretched over the shattered skyline of Osaka, the once thriving city still silent under the lockdown. Sitting at the chipped wooden desk, Hiro watched as Yutaka began to stir in the lumpy bed. He wasn''t able to fall back to sleep after his conversation with Nori, so he waited for Yutaka to wake up so he could tell him the plan.

    "Yutaka," Hiro said, he had been rehearsing what he was going to say for hours now, "I think I know how we can get out of the city."

    "You do?" Yutaka straightened up in the bed, his eyes locked on Hiro, eagerly awaiting the answer.

    "Old traffic overflow tunnels," Hiro said, and he continued before Yutaka could ask how he came up with this idea. "I remembered it from history class¡ªthey were used to ease the amount of traffic on the streets above ground during the last population boom, but since the war, they have been sealed up."

    Yutaka''s eyes sparkled as he got up from the bed and gave Hiro a pat on the shoulder. "Brilliant, Hiro. Those tunnels have been forgotten even by me, we may actually have a way out of this city."

    "Thank you." Hiro forced a smile, he was glad Yutaka just accepted the idea as his own. The pair began to pack up their belonging, ensuring the room was left with no evidence they had ever been there.

    "Let''s go," Yutaka urged, slinging a backpack over his shoulder, the scars on his arms appearing more defined than normal.

    They loaded their gear into the car in silence, only scanning the area every once in a while to ensure there were no police patrols in the area. As Hiro slammed the trunk shut, he could feel the sensation of being watched and turned on the spot, staggering toward them was an older man who seemed in pain. The man waved them down, clearly desperate and looking for help.

    "Hey! Are you ok?" Hiro called out, instinctively moving forward as the stranger''s knees buckled. Yutaka emerged from the driver''s side as he noticed Hiro''s sudden change in demeanor. The man hit the ground with a soft thud, his body limp as Hiro reached him.

    "Yutaka, he needs help!" Hiro shouted back at the car, he could see clear blood stains seeping through the man''s shirt.

    "Shhh... quiet boy" Masato rasped, his eyes fluttering open and he tried to turn his head to get a better view of the surroundings. "They''re after me, you can''t let them find me."

    Yutaka finally made it over to them, eying the man with a skeptical gaze, something about this felt off to him.

    "There is no one coming. I think you lost them," Hiro said, trying to reassure the man.

    "Thank you," The man breathed shakily, he attempted to sit up but could only wince in pain. "I owe some bad people a lot of money. The two of you should go before they catch up. If they think you know me, they''ll kill you too. I''ll be fine, please go."

    Hiro''s eyes widened and Yutaka knew what was coming next before he even spoke. "Let us help you, we have bandages and a car. We could take you to a hospital," Hiro offered; he didn''t want to leave the man to die in the streets.

    "Hiro we don''t have time for this," Yutaka interjected flatly, his cold stare never leaving the man.

    "Yutaka," Hiro whispered, sensing the tension. "We can''t just leave him here to die."

    "No, it is ok boy. I''m no safer in a hospital than I am here, as long as I am in this city I am a dead man," The man coughed.

    "Then we''ll get you out of the city," Hiro replied, earning an annoyed glare from Yutaka.

    "We''ll be right back," Yutaka said, grabbing Hiro and pulling him out of earshot. "We can''t trust this man. We don''t know him. What we do know is Mach pilots can be anyone, and they are not above using your emotions against you."

    "You think this guy could be a Mach pilot?" Hiro asked, looking back at the man still lying on the ground. "He can''t even stand up on his own. He''s not a threat to anyone."

    "Hiro even if he isn''t, it''s his own fault for the state he is in. The last thing we need is to be involved in something like this," Yutaka decided, turning back to the car.

    Hiro took one last look at the man, still breathing heavily on the street, and followed Yutaka''s lead. They had to put their own survival first¡ªtrust was a luxury they couldn''t afford.

    Hiro''s fingers nervously toyed with the frayed edge of his jacket, as he shuffled back toward the car. His mind pulled him back to Diaki''s peas for help, to killing the man in order to save Tokyo.

    "Yutaka," Hiro began, his voice barely above a whisper, "I can''t leave him here. Not after Diaki, I need to save someone,"

    Yutaka regarded Hiro with a soft expression, he finally let out a sigh. "OK, we''ll take him with us. But only to the city outskirts, after that, he is on his own. Got it?¡±

    "Thank you," Hiro said, giving the man a small hug of appreciation. "I promise I''ll make sure he doesn''t try anything."

    Yutaka released Hiro for the hug and nodded. "Alright, Hiro. Let''s get this man back on his feet and to the car."

    "Right." Relief blossomed in Hiro''s heart and for a moment the vision of Diaki didn''t seem so strong. "We''re going to get you out of Osaka."

    The man¡¯s eyes lit up with gratitude, as they helped him to his feet. "Seriously thank you, I owe you my life for this."

    "Just stay quiet and give us a heads up if you see any of the people who did this to you," Yutaka said, his tone making it clear that it was not a request but a condition.

    After loading the man into the vehicle, Yutaka typed to coordinates of an overflow entrance he remembered using as a kid. The car hummed to life and began its drive to the long-forgotten entranceway. Making its final turn the car came to a halt in front of a crumbling mall parking lot.

    "If I remember correctly, the entrance to the tunnel is at the bottom level. But it looks like this could come down on us at any moment," Yutaka muttered, eyeing the precarious structure.

    "Let me handle this," Hiro suggested, trying to keep his voice steady. "My Mach can¡ª"

    "Absolutely not," Yutaka interjected sharply, casting a wary glance at the sleeping man in the back seat. "What if he wakes up and sees you?"

    "We have to know if we can get through this," Hiro said, there was a certain authority to his tone. "In my Mach, I''ll be protected even if the building collapses."

    "Fine but you need to enter the parking structure before you suit up," Yutaka instructed. "If our friend here wakes up before you get back, I''ll come up with a reason my you''re missing."

    "Let''s do this," Hiro said, stepping out of the car. "I''ll clear a path and let you know when it is safe."

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    As Hiro disappeared into the structure, Yutaka watched him with narrowed eyes. Once he vanished from sight, Yutaka''s eyes locked on the stranger in the back seat, trust no one he reminded himself.

    The moment Hiro couldn''t see the car anymore, Hiro''s fingers darted to his pocket, retrieving the old cellphone. With a practiced motion, he tapped the call button, causing the Mach to spring to life. Teal armor flowed over his body like liquid courage, until he was sealed into his cybernetic suit.

    He knew movement had to be calculated, one wrong move and the whole structure would come down on him. His mind raced as his suit scanned the structure, highlighting the weaknesses he needed to fix before they could enter. He worked with the precision of a surgeon, ensuring their passage would be safe.

    Over an hour had passed before Hiro finally whispered "Done," powering down the Mach and making his way over to the entrance of the tunnel. He sent a brief text to Yutaka and waited to see the headlights cut through the darkness of the lower level.

    "Get in," Yutaka said as he pulled up, motioning to the passenger seat. Hiro slipped inside without a word.

    The man in the back seat began to stir, casting confused glances at them. Yutaka typed away on the car''s keyboard, "There are no maps of these tunnels that one of these new cars can use to navigate them. So I''m going to have to switch to manual drive," He explained as the dashboard opened up, releasing a small steering wheel.

    The car lurched forward as Yutaka took the wheel, its headlights revealing a barricade of cobwebs. Hiro watched as the cobwebs fell away, revealing nothing but crumbling concrete and twisted metal. The car''s headlights cut feeble paths through the dust-choked darkness, their escape route a crumbling artery beneath the city''s heart.

    As they drove passed the debris, the man leaned forward from the back seat, taking in the relic of the past. "You and your father are quite the pair. Helping a stranger escape the city during a lockdown isn''t exactly expected,"

    Hiro watched Yutaka''s jaw clench, "Let''s just say my son cares more about people than most," Yutaka lied smoothly, not taking his gaze off the road. "It''s dawned on me that we never got your name."

    "Ah right, where are my manners? My name is Masato," Masato said.

    Yutaka''s attention wavered and the car sensor didn''t seem to register the massive chunk of concrete in their path. With a curse, Yutaka slammed the brakes as he finally saw it come into view. The car skidded to a halt, gravel singing under tires, stopping mere inches from disaster.

    "Everyone okay?" Yutaka''s voice was sharp with adrenaline.

    "Fine," Hiro exhaled, his relief palpable as his eyes fixed on the jagged pipe that just scratched the surface of the windshield. "I thought your car alerted us to anything in its path."

    "Maybe it''s the cobwebs," Masato suggested, sheepish. "they could be blocking the sensor."

    "That could be it," Yutaka muttered, looking back at Masato.

    With a careful maneuver, Yutaka reversed away from the concrete. Within hours they emerged from the tunnel, the world outside seemed alien¡ªa forgotten field of tall grass sprawled before them, with no signs that anyone had been there since the tunnels closed.

    "This is where we part ways," Yutaka said firmly as he brought the car to a stop amid the tall grass that swayed like an ocean around them.

    "Are you serious? I don''t even know where we are," Masato pleaded, desperation tinging his tone. "At least bring me to the road so I can follow it to a town or something."

    "I can''t risk that," Yutaka shot back, suspicion threading his words. "You said it yourself, some powerful people are after you. What if some witnesses us dropping you off?"

    "Yutaka," Hiro interjected, glaring at the man, "we are far enough away from the city, we can drop him off at the road."

    "If we do that he can figure out what direction we are heading in" Yutaka''s gaze was steely, his mind churning with doubt. "If this is a play he''ll be able to tell anyone where we were heading."

    "You can blindfold me," Masato said, his eyes darting between the two. "Thank way I won''t know which way you go."

    "Earplugs too, can''t have you listening for which way we go," Yutaka demanded, looking back at Masato through the rearview mirror.

    "Fine by me," Masato leaned back, closing his eyes briefly. "I take it I''m not the only one on the run here." He smiled to himself as he settled in but it was clear Yutaka was done playing this game.

    "Come on, let''s just get to the road," Hiro said, sensing Yutaka was moments away from dragging Masato out of the car by force.

    "Fine," Yutaka grumbled, his eyes narrowed with suspicion behind his glasses. "But this is the last time I make a concession for that man."

    "I''d hate to draw this out any longer than it needs to be," Masato started, the smug look disappearing from his face. "I just... may I step out for a moment? Nature calls."

    With a groan, Yutaka motioned for Masato to get out. Masato gave a small bow before disappearing into the tall grass. Minutes ticked by and Hiro tapped his foot impatiently on the car floor.

    "Something''s not right," Hiro muttered under his breath, sliding out of the car. He plunged into the tall grass, calling over his shoulder, "I''m going to check on him!"

    "Hiro wait!" Yutaka called back, but Hiro was already gone.

    "Masato?" Hiro shouted, leaving just enough time between calls for Masato to respond. No reply came, as he waded deeper into the tall grass.

    He pressed forward, feeling a knot forming in his chest. until he stumbled out of the tall grass, the trees stood before him like silent sentinels guarding their domain. Hiro wondered if Masato would have really gone this far in to use the bathroom.

    "Masato, can you hear me?" he tried again, the voice in his head screaming for him to turn back. He tried to silence the thought, touching the Mach in his pocket. *Nothing in here can hurt you* he reminded himself.

    A sudden crack tore through the air, shattering the stillness. Hiro ducked instinctively as an old tree began to tip forward, its rotten core giving way. The earth shook as it landed, in front of him.

    "Jesus..." He gasped for air, placing his hand on his chest. Then, spinning around, Hiro found himself face-to-face with Masato, who had seemingly appeared from nowhere.

    "What are you doing all the way out here?" Masato asked innocently. "You almost got yourself crushed, next time just wait at the car."

    "Why am I out here? I came looking for you." Hiro eyed Masato.

    "Sorry, I just got a bit turned around in the grass," Masato replied, looking a little embarrassed. "I hope you remember the way back or your dad will be the next person to get lost in here."

    Hiro scrutinized Masato for a moment longer before nodding. "I know the way back." As they emerged from the tall grass, Hiro couldn''t shake the feeling that Masato had been analyzing him¡ªwas it possible Yutaka had been right?

    The trio''s car cut a path through the swaying sea of tall grass as everyone sat in uncomfortable silence. Yutaka, gripping the wheel, squinted as grass shifted aside. Until they reached an old dirt road without signage, with a small dilapidated building across the street.

    "So this is it?" Hiro asked, examining the unused road before them.

    "We''ve come as far as I am willing to go with our new friend hear," Yutaka murmured, retrieving a burner phone from the pocket of his worn jeans. His fingers danced over the keypad as he accessed a secured GPS network. "Untraceable," he assured with a glance at Hiro. "We''re not leaving breadcrumbs for any witch to find."

    "So we are just going to leave Masato here?" Hiro prodded, even though Masato made him uneasy, he didn''t want to leave the injured man alone.

    "Yes," Yutaka declared after a brief pause. "But according to this, there is a small town with a hospital less than two kilometers from here. He''ll be fine,"

    Yutaka pulled up to the old shack before turning back to Masato, "Time to get out." he instructed.

    "Well, I thank you both for your kindness," Masato quipped, as he slipped out of the vehicle.

    "I believe we still have the matter of making sure you can''t follow us," Yutaka said, stepping out of his side of the car.

    "But of course, Would you mind if we went it and found a place I could sit while you do it?" Masato asked, making his way over to the shack.

    "Fine," Yutaka said as he followed. Hiro watched them go, a knot forming in his stomach. Alone, he leaned against the car, the heat from the metal seeping into his shirt, as he waited for Yutaka to return.

    Once inside Yutaka glared at Masato, suspicion etched across his features. "Why are you here?" he demanded, voice low but edged.

    "Because I''m on the run, just like you clearly are," Masato said, with a smirk.

    "Cut the crap, Masato. You''re not running from anything. Those wounds are surface level, if someone were really trying to kill you they would be deeper" Yutaka accused, eyes narrowing behind his glasses.

    "Ah," Masato sighed, shaking his head. "Seems like the game is over." In a flash, he grabbed Yutaka, slamming his head against the edge of the dining table. The dull thud echoed off the concrete walls as a small pool of blood began to form.

    <hr>

    Outside Hiro felt his stomach rumble. Taking one last look at the shack, he decided to get something to drink while he waited.

    "I know the water is back here somewhere," Hiro muttered, as he dug through the back seat. Grabbing a loose glass bottle off the floor, he smiled to himself before taking a few sips.

    "Here''s to your last drink, Hiro," Masato whispered, as he watched Hiro from the shack.

    Hiro turned back from the car and noticed Masato in the doorway, the look on Masato''s face made his hair stand on end "Where''s Yutaka?" Hiro asked, placing the water bottle down.

    "I''m afraid he''s busy at the moment," Masato replied with a chuckle. "But don''t worry, I''m happy to keep you company for now."

    "Where is he," Hiro demanded, stepping away from the car. Yutaka had been right from the beginning, Masato was dangerous. Hiro reached into his pocket and pulled out the old cell phone, he noted how Masato was watching him carefully.

    Then out of nowhere Hiro''s legs gave out and he found himself stumbling onto the grass. "Something''s not right." He choked out as he felt his body getting heavier.

 Vol 2, Chapter 4: Masato

    Hiro''s head throbbed uncontrollably as he turned it back to the car. The water bottle still sat in the grass but Hiro knew it had been spiked. He could feel Masato''s gaze on him and knew that if he didn''t do something quickly, he and Yutaka would be dead.

    "What did you do to Yutaka?" Hiro choked, trying to gather all the strength he had left. He staggered back to his feet, his world spinning as he tried to locate Masato by the shack.

    "You should be more worried about yourself," Masato replied, his voice smooth and velvety, as he watched Hiro struggle. "You just drank a powerful Nero toxin. You have maybe three hours left at best, though you will most likely spend the last hour in a coma."

    Hiro''s expression didn''t change, he looked past Masato. His piercing brown eyes, locked on the place he last saw Yutaka. "He better be alive,"

    "Seriously? My dear boy," Masato said with a chuckle, folding his arms across his chest. "You are the one dying here. Why are you wasting what little time you have left on him? Although this is your fault. If you had listened to him from the beginning, well we wouldn''t be here right now."

    "I know" Hiro''s voice quivered, a clear look of sadness on his face. "That''s why I have to save him."

    "You really are something else," Masato said with a smile. "I mean I have watched your battle at the embassy on a loop. Your determination is incredible but to experience it in person is something else entirely."

    The ground began to tilt as Hiro felt the toxin coursing through his veins, hijacking his nervous system. His vision blurred and he knew he was on the verge of collapsing again. He stumbled back and clutched the car door, his knuckles turning white as he fought for balance.

    "You really aren''t going to go down are you?" Masato observed, stepping off the rotted porch. "This would have been so much easier if you would just give in to it. I don''t feel like getting my hands dirty today."

    "I remember you..." Hiro murmured, his mind flashing back to the docks the first time he fought Nori. Every breath was laborious, as the memory came into focus. "I saved your life."

    "Such a shame, really," Masato continued, pacing before Hiro like a lecturer before his pupil. "If you had just let Nori rampage, you might have avoided dying now."

    "Why..." Hiro managed to spit out between shallow breaths, "I saved you?"

    "You ruined me," Masato said, letting his mask of calm slip for the first time. "You are the reason I have to live on the streets. The reason I lost everything I worked decades for. So now I am going to take the only thing you have worth taking."

    But Hiro was not one to fade quietly into the darkness. Even as the toxin wreaked havoc within him, his mind raced, "How did you find me?" He asked, he needed more time to come up with a plan.

    "I followed you," Masato said with a wide grin spreading across his face, "I watched the entire embassy battle and then I followed you in the shadows. You should try to be more careful."

    Hiro muttered to himself about the stupid mistake, but before he finished, Masato''s fist crashed into Hiro''s side. The force sent him crumpling to the ground, where the hard concrete kissed his cheek with unforgiving coldness.

    "What''s that?" Masato commanded, delivering a swift kick to Hiro''s stomach, silencing the boy''s pained groan. "You''re going to need to speak up."

    Gritting his teeth, Hiro attempted to push himself up, he needed to move. But Masato''s foot connected with his legs, sweeping them out from under him and sending him right back to the ground.

    "Don''t bother getting up," Masato said, glaring down at him. "Save what little energy you have left. I want you to hear this before you die."

    Hiro''s mind raced, trying to piece together what Masato wanted him to know. He grappled with the weight of his own limps as his mind screamed at them to move.

    "You see Hiro," Masato continued, "After they fired me I was able to get my hands on my own Mach. I figured if one Mach could cause the entire government so much trouble.... imagine what I could do to them. And I never would have thought of it if it wasn''t for you,"

    "You''re..." Hiro managed to choke out, trying to form a sentence, "You''re sick... someone will stop you."

    "Big words coming from a dead man," Masato retorted, his voice dripping with arrogance as he delivered another kick, causing Hiro to wither in pain.

    Masato''s eyes, cold and unyielding, watched Hiro as the boy struggled. The labored rise and fall of Hiro''s chest was erratic, like a dying flame in the wind. On the ground, Hiro''s fingers twitched, clawing at the dirt, etching lines of desperation into the dust.

    The whole scene unearthed Masato''s long-forgotten childhood. The visions of his childhood bullies forcing him to the ground. He had everything a child could want. Toys, trips, tutors. But it was just gilded fluff¡ªa distraction from the fact his parents were never present. He paused over Hiro, casting his gaze back through time.

    ---

    Masato was back in the dusty old manor he grew up in, once kept neat and tidy, now almost barren. The maids had left almost a month ago and his mother stopped cleaning after a week. At the time he knew something had gone wrong but he had no idea just how bad things a gotten for his family.

    During the war, his family lost everything¡ªnot to the markets, but to the government. Their factories were acquired from them and their trademarks were revoked as a part of a wartime effort to make their antiviral drugs more accessible to all. Under the new wartime act their family wasn''t paid and they were soon tossed out onto the streets as their wealth dwindled away.

    Masato watched everything he loved growing up being loaded into vans and taken away, never to be seen by him again.

    ---

    "Never again" Masato whispered to himself back in the present. "I won''t let you take everything I work so hard to get back. I won''t let them take it either. I will make this world worship me." Masato his voice unhinged

    Hiro had taken Masato''s moment lost in thought as his window, gathered all his strength. He pushed against the ground, every muscle screaming in protest, trying to rise¡ªto face his fate standing, not kneeling.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    "Just where do you think you''re going?" Masato produced a small vial from his pocket, holding it just out of Hiro''s reach. The liquid inside was a strange fushia color. "This is salvation, Hiro. The antidote. And it''s yours if you can take it from me."

    "I don''t believe you," Hiro said, eyeing the small vial, "You wouldn''t let me live even if I could take that from you."

    "Are you sure about that?" Masato asked, trying to slip back into his collect persona. "What if you are wrong and this is the antidote? After all, how twisted would it be for you to die not even trying to get the one thing that would save your life?"

    Hiro couldn''t read Masato, his vision began to blur as he tried to think. There was a way to know for sure, his Mach, one scan of the vial and it would be able to tell him exactly what was contained in that vile. But it would be risky, the Mach system uses the pilot as a power source, in his current state he wasn''t sure how long he would actually be able to wear the suit for. His options were limited, but one thing he did know was he was going to fight until the very end.

    "Now there is the look I have been waiting for," Masato announced, leaning close enough for his breath to graze Hiro''s ear, "you''ve decided on something. I can''t wait to see what your last plan of attack looks like."

    Hiro lunged forward, his shaky hand outstretched toward the vial. In one swift motion, Masato tucked the vail away from Hiro''s grasp. The Masto angled himself so Hiro glided past him, unable to catch himself on the man. Masato couldn''t believe the pathetic attempt, he almost laughed as he watched it¡ªa desperate attempt at survival.

    "Masato," Hiro breathed out, from below him. "This isn''t over."

    Hiro''s fingers, slick with icy sweat, betrayed him as they fumbled through the grass until they came in contact with his Mach. He knew he would never be able to take the vial from Masato; it was a cruel joke and pointless to attempt. Instead, he threw himself in the direction he had lost his Mach in when the poison had just started to take effect.

    His finger grazed the talk button causing the device to spring to life, the AI voice confirming his identity as it activated.

    The teal armor sprouted from the old phone and engulfed him like a second skin, the color of the ocean''s depths. The reinforced armor offered him some support, keeping him stable and unright even though he felt like collapsing.

    "Foreign substance detected," the AI''s voice, calm and clinical, broke through the haze in his mind. "Projected system failure in thirty minutes."

    "I know that, I need you to scan the vile," Hiro instructed, his locked onto Masato and the pocket that held the possible cure.

    "Scanning. Trace elements in the air and on the vial suggest a seventy-two percent chance the vial contains the antidote."

    "Not exactly the best odds," Hiro muttered, as assessed the situation. He needed that vial and he only had thirty minutes to get it, he didn''t have time to think of a plan.

    But Masato hadn''t moved the entire time, a serene smile on his face. "Predictable, Hiro. So very predictable."

    With a flourish, Masato produced an old digital camera from his pocket, his thumb caressing the menu button with an exaggerated tenderness. "At full strength, I know I wouldn''t stand a chance against you, but now..."

    "So who''s really desperate here?" Hiro shot back, missing his actual shot with his laser as his vision blurred.

    The camera clicked and the camera vanished into the swarm of nanites, and Masato''s figure was enveloped in a forest-green Mach. His Mach was sleek with well-defined ridges down the back, he was translucent with only his mouth visible.

    "Looks like it is my turn now," Masato mused aloud, almost contemplative. "Honestly I wish I had put in more hours on this."

    Hiro said nothing, his breath heavy in his chest. His soul sabers released from their sheaths, as he took a defensive stance.

    Masato scoffed, and with a flick of his wrist, summoned soul stars their plasma glowing as the sun began to set. He sent them slicing through the air, with deadly precision.

    "Damn it," Hiro grunted, as he almost lost balance stopping the stars. His movements were sluggish, the stars returned to Masato, and Hiro wasn''t sure he could stop them again.

    "You''re not looking so good," Masato taunted, circling Hiro like a hawk. "Just how long did your Mach say you had left."

    "More than enough time," Hiro huffed, forcing a grin despite the tremor in his hands. "To kick your ass."

    "That''s right," Masato replied, throwing another star star. "Try to die thinking you had a chance."

    Hiro didn''t attempt to stop it this time, he threw himself out of the way just in time. He looked up at the countdown clock on his visor, fifteen minutes left. He couldn''t beat Masato but if he could just get by him, maybe he could get to Yutaka, and get him to safety before his time was up.

    It was the only option he had left. He was going to die. But Yutaka didn''t have to share the same fate.

    "Did you forget about me?" Masato drawled, launching a laser straight at him.

    "Shit," Hiro spat through gritted teeth as he narrowly avoided it. He quickly returned fire, tucking his blades back into his suit.

    "Pathetic," Masato said, dodging each blast with ease. "At this rate, there is no way you will save your friend, let alone yourself."

    Hiro launched another array of blasts toward Masato, each one getting closer to their target, Masato stayed only a few centimeters away from each blast.

    With Masato distracted, Hiro began pushing forward, closing the gap between himself and the remnants of the house. He just needed to get a little closer.

    This was it, Hiro could see through the entranceway but there was no sign of Yutaka anywhere. Hiro''s teal armor glistened as the last remaining ray of sunlight faded and he drew his soul blades, their glow lighting up the darkness and allowing him to see as his vision faded. His grip faltered, the twin weapons feeling heavier than they ever had before.

    "Locate Masato''s Mach," Hiro ordered the Ai, unable to see anything but the glow of his own blades, within seconds he was informed the Mach was moving in from his left side.

    Hiro lunged forward, knowing he needed to get a good strike in, but his usual swift strike became a sluggish sweep. Masato danced aside with ease, the grin never leaving his face as he delivered a savage kick that sent Hiro crashing into the porch, the wooden boards splintering on the impact.

    "System warning." Hiro''s AI called out as he freed himself from the porch.

    "I know, I know," Hiro spat out, he could feel his own frustration building.

    "Tick tock," Masato tsked, delivering an energy blast that sent Hiro crashing through the wall of the house. "Careful now, if this place collapses Yutaka will die for sure." Masato laughed.

    Hiro got back to his feet, he was tired of being thrown around like a ragdoll. He thought back to his battle at the embassy, how he willed his Mach to create something new, a way to win, he prayed he could do that now.

    "Creating the soul saber will deplete your current energy level," The AI warned, its tone emotionless. "You would die instantly."

    "I''m open to other suggestions," Hiro managed to whisper, his legs had become totally numb and only held up by the Mach.

    "Deactivation of the Mach until would secure you ten additional minutes of time," The AI informed him.

    "He''ll kill me bore that," Hiro rasped, barely audible over the pounding in his skull, "Please there has to be something."

    "The nearest hospital is five minutes away," came the calm, synthetic voice in his ear. "Autopilot can bring you there."

    "He''ll destroy the hospital if we lead him there," Hiro murmured grimly, his heart sinking as he realized he had no real options left.

    Masato entered the house and grabbed Hiro from behind, lifting him off the ground. "This was nice, but I really must be going."

    "Thrusters on full," Hiro retorted, the Mach suits thrusters sent the pair flying backward threw another wall in the house, knocking Masato off him.

    Masato was flung into a nearby tree, as Hiro charged his arm canon for one last blast, aiming at the man struggling to free himself. But a vision of Diaki replaced Masato and Hiro hesitated, giving Masato enough time to escape.

    "You had me?" Masato seemed almost surprised. "Don''t tell me you can''t kill, I saw you slice right through that Mach and its pilot."

    Hiro took a moment to try to recover from the vision of Diaki. He could feel his heart racing¡ªit wasn''t real, Diaki is dead, you had to do it, he told himself.

    "I don''t need to kill you to stop you," Hiro grunted, looking up at Masato and recharging his arm canon.

    "That is the only way out of this fight," Masato said, with conviction. "Of course killing me like this means the antidote goes with me."

    "I know," Hiro said, realizing Masato intended to force him to kill or be killed. With his next breath, he launched the blast at Masato one final time, hoping it would make its mark.

 Vol 2, Chapter 5: Poison

    Kimiko''s shadow stretched out in front of her as she approached the glass skyscraper of Hashimoto Industries. She reviewed Osamu''s instructions as she made her way up the steps. She exuded the cool authority of an inspector, a persona carefully crafted with the aid of Osamu''s oversight. Reaching the door she hesitated for a moment, still not sure she could trust her life to the man. She took a deep breath before entering.

    "Good morning," she greeted the front desk with a practiced smile, flashing her forged credentials. "I''m here for a facility inspection."

    The receptionist, a young woman with an impeccable bun and a puzzled frown, scanned her screen. "There''s no inspection scheduled today."

    "Of course not." Kimiko leaned forward, her voice low and confidential. "It wouldn''t be much of a surprise inspection if you were expecting me, now would it?"

    There was a moment of hesitation before the receptionist reached for her phone, murmuring into the receiver. Soon, the floor manager¡ªa harried man with a walkie-talkie apparently glued to his hand¡ªarrived to escort Kimiko.

    As they navigated through bustling corridors and past humming machinery, Kimiko nodded along to the manager''s spiel, her eyes searching for the target of this operation. In the reflection of a polished steel door, she caught sight of herself, her makeup and hair had added at least a decade to her.

    "Your security protocols are quite commendable," she observed, walking past the security office. The floor manager turned to talk about the security clearance needed just to get inside, he had her turn before entering the code and showing her inside. Once inside he began to explain their procedures for a breach, Kimiko nodded along as a silver marble slipped from her palm, rolling beneath a console unnoticed.

    "It is a one-of-a-kind system," the floor manager puffed with pride. "Now if you follow me¡ª"

    "Excuse me," Kimiko interrupted, pointing at a blinking light on a distant wall. "Is that supposed to do that?"

    As the man turned, she clicked her pen. The resulting pulse from the metal marble was perfectly timed, and the system sparked before the building shut down completely.

    "Damn it!" the manager cursed, suddenly sprinting toward the door. "Stay here, I''ll be right back!"

    Left alone in the security room, Kimiko wasted no time. She retrieved the patch-like device from her pocket, attaching it to a terminal with a soft beep. "Here we go," she whispered, watching the computer screen fizzle back to life.

    The patch began to search for specific keywords; digging through the thousands of files, searching for the data on their brief funding of Kobayashi Labs. Her eyes locked on the screen, praying she had enough time to find it when her phone vibrated against her thigh.

    "Osamu?" Her voice was a hiss as she glanced at the door. "What''s wrong? Are they on to us?"

    "Has the virus found anything yet?" he asked, the urgency clear in his voice.

    "Not yet," she retorted, eyes never leaving the screen as files continued to be sorted. "I doubt you would risk calling me though if this was about the files."

    "You''re right." Osamu''s tone was serious even for him. "Something has come up that needs our attention."

    "Can it wait? I''m almost done here," Kimiko asked, her mind racing with possible scenarios that Hiro could be in at that moment. She went to remove the patch but that is when a deleted file was restored by the patch.

    "No way," she muttered, as the Kobayashi Lab file appeared on the screen. This was what they had been looking for, she reached out and started the download with a tap of the patch.

    "I''m afraid not" Osamu''s voice crackled through the phone line. "It is about Hiro."

    "We just need a few more seconds," Kimiko''s voice was barely a whisper, she watched the download bar slowly filling. "Hiro is the best pilot I know, he can handle whatever it is for just a few more seconds. We almost have the file."

    "He may not have a few more seconds to wait." Osamu tried to explain, needing Kimiko to understand. "He''s dying."

    "What? Osamu telling what exactly is happening here." Her demand was sharp, laced with disbelief. How could Osamu possibly know that?

    "According to the reading I''ve been getting from his Mach, he''s been poisoned," Osamu confessed, and she could almost hear the hesitation in his voice. "I connected my Mach to both of yours when I retrieved them from the embassy lockup. I did it to protect you both, you''re just kids in way over your heads."

    "You connected your Mach to ours?" The word left her lips like an accusation, her pride wounded by his lack of trust. "How¡ª"

    "I know you have questions and I''m sure you trust me even less now," he interrupted. "But Hiro''s vitals are dropping fast. If we don''t do something quickly, he won''t make it,"

    "Do we know anything about the poison?" Kimiko asked as she tried to process all this new information. She could picture Hiro clinging to life as the poison set in.

    "Nothing beyond what the scans show." His voice was grim. "If you can get to him then you can get a sample from his blood. Your Mach should be able to analyze it, find a way to cure him."

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    "Where is he?" Kimiko asked, she could feel her heart beating faster. Hiro couldn''t die, not before she could make up for everything she had done to him.

    "I am sending you his location now," Osamu directed, "You need to get him as soon as you can."

    "I will." She pulled the patch from the terminal, the file upload was complete. She placed it in her pocket before she slipped out of the office.

    "The electromagnetic pulse has fried their system, you should be able to leave through any exit without being caught," Osamu suggested.

    "Got it," she said, ending the call and peeking around the door to make sure the coast was clear. Her focus was more on not getting caught as she snaked her way back down the hallway, her thoughts were consumed by ideas on how to stop the poison.

    The air outside hit her face like a slap, snapping her back to the present. She needed to find a private place to activate her Mach, her fingers wrapped tightly around the Tamagotchi in her pocket.

    "Wait for me, Hiro," she whispered, making her way toward the back allies. "I''m coming."

    Kimiko''s breath caught as she huddled behind the cold metal of the dumpsters. Her fingers fumbled while trying to free the Tamagotchi from her pocket. She pressed her thumb against the screen and the Mach came roaring to life. Armor spiraled around her like petals of a blossoming pink rose.

    "Location set" AI informed her as it marked the location Osamu had set. With a surge of propulsion, she was airborne, cutting through the sky with conviction. Kimiko''s thoughts raced alongside her as she drew closer to Hiro''s location.

    ---

    The shack on the dirt road was barely standing on its own, the wall crumbling under its own weight. Hiro was sprawled out in the uncut grass, his Mach armor retreating into back to its cell phone form. His body heaved, as he threw up blood, no longer able to stop it.

    "Looks like I win," Masato taunted, as he powered down his own suit and strided toward Hiro. He removed the vial of antidote from his breast pocket, spinning it between his fingers before letting it slip from them. Glass shattered on impact with the ground, the precious liquid seeping into the dirt.

    "How original," Hiro gasped, the world around him blurring into obscurity. He hadn''t expected anything less from Masato, his ego would never let him allow Hiro to live.

    "Ah, one last jab before you go," Masato chided, circling the fallen hero. "Goodbye, Hiro."

    Hiro''s hand reached out, fingers clawing at the dirt, his eyes struggling to remain open. In his head, a river of regrets flowed through it with the fading beats of his heart.

    "Nori..." He choked, he felt guilty not being able to keep his promise to him¡ªthey never would meet again, Rodney would never save him.

    "Nori, that animal is the last thought to cross your mind?" Masato sneered, remembering how close Nori had come to ending his life. "Why him?"

    Hiro couldn''t respond anymore, he didn''t have the energy to turn his fading thoughts into words. He felt his body surrender, muscles slackening, the fight seeping out of him like the antidote into the ground.

    "Why Nori?" Masato almost demanded, angered by the boy''s final words. "Do you wish he killed me back then? Are two plotting something together? Why is he your final thought?" Masato crouched next to Hiro as if he was going to whisper the answers.

    Hiro could only muster a weak grin, his eyes bright, knowing this would bother Masato long after he was gone. Masato shook the boy, the anger he felt simmering below the surface escaped him, how could he still lose after this?

    Hiro''s body went limp just when Masato''s Mach''s radar began to beep, and Masato''s eyes widened just as Kimiko''s armored form became a pink streak across the sky, a comet heading directly for him.

    "Dammit," he cursed under his breath, allowing his armor to coat him again.

    Kimiko collided with Masato, sending him flying backward through the forest. Trees snapped like toothpicks, debris mushrooming upwards, as Masato slammed into a massive boulder.

    "Shit." Masato coughed as his armor informed him of several system failures, this was not a part of his plan.

    Kimiko stood poised, her armor glinting in the moonlight. "I don''t know who you are or what you want. But if you don''t leave now, I will be forced to kill you."

    Masato''s face twisted into a snarl, and with a thought, the Soul Hammer materialized in his grip, its heft a promise of destruction. "You better hope you can live up to those words."

    He swung, arcs of kinetic energy trailing the hammer, but Kimiko simply flew backward¡ªeasily dodging the hammer''s impact.

    "I get it now," she said. "This is why you poisoned him? Because you knew you couldn''t best Hiro in a fair fight?"

    Masato''s eyes flashed, he was like a wild animal that had been cornered. With a growl, he pivoted toward the still form of Hiro, raising the hammer high. "Let me just take care of this¡ª"

    Kimiko didn''t think, she just blasted herself forward. She placed herself between the hammer and Hiro, catching it before it made its mark.

    "How?" Masato asked, taking a step back. Kimiko straightened out without a single dent in her armor.

    "You''re afraid, you''re holding yourself back from being a true pilot. The suit can feel you blocking yourself off from it. People like you will always be weak. Kimiko accused. Masato''s silhouette, backlit by the full moon, seemed to shrink as he continued to try to slip back into the safety of the shadows. The Soul Hammer, pulsing with a dim glow, rose high against the darkening sky. Kimiko''s heart pounded in her chest¡ªhe was desperate and she could use that.

    "I''m the only one who can save him, you don''t even know what I gave him" Masato tried to bargain, taking a defensive stance with his hammer.

    "You''d like me to believe that," Kimiko said watching the scared man try to negotiate, she knew better. At her command, the soul bow materialized, its strings formed by her own life energy.

    "Without me, he will die! If you spare me I can save him!" Masato''s voice cracked with disbelief.

    Without another thought, Kimiko drew back the string, her muscles taut. Time seemed to slow, the world shrinking down to the space between her arrow and its target. Her focus was razor-sharp, as she charged the arrow. *You will never be able to do this to anyone ever again,* she pledged silently, the bowstring vibrating under her touch.

    "Goodbye," she whispered, and released.

    The charged shot blazed through the dimness, a comet tail of florescent pink trailing behind it. It struck the Soul Hammer with a sound like thunder, spiders-web fractures exploding across its surface before it disintegrated into a shower of cybernetic shards.

    "Please..." Masato gasped, watching the hammer turn to dust in the wind. His eyes, wide with shock, met Kimiko''s¡ªas he accepted his fate. For the first time, he realized he wasn''t special or a master manipulator.

    Kimiko looked down at the man as another arrow began to form in her hand. "I know what you''re thinking, you''re looking for an opportunity to escape. Don''t bother."

    "I won''t..." His voice filled with defeat, the bravado drained away as he fell to his knees, he would never be able to see his plans through to the end. He hoped that his successor would carry through and take revenge for his death.

    "Soul Bow, full charge." She commanded as she began to hover above the ground. "Lock onto target."

    Masato''s hand twitched, reaching for a weapon that wasn''t there, he squeezed his eyes shut as he waited for the final strike. *How did I lose?* Desperation clawed at him from the inside out, as he tried to piece together how things had gone so wrong.

    "A fitting end¡ª" he started, but she cut him off.

    "Save your breath. There is nothing left to say." Her gaze was unyielding, she raised her bow and took aim at his heart.

    Kimiko knew she could save Hiro if she had time, this needed to end now. Her mind was clear, her mission singular. *Save Hiro.*

 Vol 2, Chapter 6: Guardian Angel

    The remnants of Masato''s hammer shifted through the grass as the breeze pushed them along. Kimiko''s chest heaved, her eyes as sharp as the arrow notched in her bow, lining up the finishing blow. Masato kneeled on the ground before her, his smug smile wiped clean off his face as he prepared to die.

    "So long," Kimiko muttered to herself, her arrow charged and ready to make its mark.

    Masato''s lips parted but no words came out, only a gasp as if he was choking on the air around him. He looked up just in time to see the arrow leave Kimiko''s bow, aimed at his heart. With a twist of his body, he narrowly avoided death, the arrow embedding into the stone behind him.

    "That was slower," he said, regaining his composure as he realized the change, he quickly catapulted himself toward her.

    "You''re just being desperate now," Kimiko retorted, already sidestepping his counterattack, and watching Masato come crashing back down to the ground. "Your flight systems are clearly not functioning and you''re grasping at straws."

    Kimiko knew Masato was right, charging a soul arrow came at the cost of her stamina, she needed to end this fight before Masato regained his confidence. Her fingers danced over the bowstring, releasing another arrow that sang through the air, forcing Masato to contort his body in a desperate arc to evade its strike.

    "Those arrows you''re firing come at a cost don''t they?" Masato called out, he was beginning to piece together what was happening.

    "Stop talking and trying to buy yourself time," Kimiko gritted her teeth, drawing her last arrow.

    Masato attempted to dodge it but this time Kimiko had planned for his motion, curving the shot ever so slightly. The projectile found its target, burying itself deep into the heart of Masato''s Mach generator. A sizzle of electricity crackled, followed by the ominous hum of a system beginning to overheat.

    "System failure imminent," the AI''s disembodied voice announced, sterile and unfeeling. "Survival chances zero percent."

    "Damn it!" Masato cursed, the realization hitting him like a cold wave. He ripped the arrow from his chest but the damage had already been done. This was the end of him but that didn''t mean he couldn''t take someone with him.

    "Don''t do it!" Kimiko''s shout echoed as she watched Masato dive toward Hiro''s unconscious body. A surge of adrenaline propelled her forward, her arm extending in a powerful swipe that connected with Masato''s trajectory.

    Her blow sent him careening off course, the ground rushing up to meet him as he skidded across it. He crashed, a crumpled heap of man and machine, in a crater a mile down the road.

    "You are going to die alone," Kimiko said, watching the smoke rise from the cracked concrete.

    "You think you stopped me..." Masato coughed, a twisted grin forming on his lips. "You think you''ve won? You have no idea what''s coming..."

    Kimiko was too far away to hear the ramblings of the dying man. She turned away from the cater, her thoughts immediately returning to Hiro. She rushed to his side, a small needle extending from her Mach to take a blood sample. She needed to create the antidote, and fast.

    Her Mach quickly analyzed the poison coursing through Hiro, with a bing it informed her of its effects, it also informed her the creation of the antidote would take hours. She knew this was time they didn''t have.

    "Hiro doesn''t have an hour." she tried to reason with the AI, sweat building across her forehead, "There has to be another way. There has to be something you can do otherwise what is the point of you." Tears began to stream down her cheeks, the AI fell silent for a moment, the quiet was deafening as she waited for a response. Then her visor sprang to life and streams of code blazed across it, suddenly a pulse left her suit stretching for kilometers. It was scanning for something.

    "Scan complete, all necessary components of the antidote have been located," the AI informed her, a small circle appeared on her visor to show where it was found. "creating extraction tool and molecule separator."

    Kimiko was in shock, the tube-like device built itself in her hands, ready to create the antidote in seconds.

    "Begin extraction," Kimiko said firmly, as she reached the patch of dirt. The device began sifting through the dirt, with one vial beginning to fill with the liquid antidote.

    Laughter began to rise out of the pit as Masato chuckled, his voice echoed in the night while Kimiko tried to tune it out. "Hiro... dear, tragic Hiro. I know who really killed your parents."

    At this, Kimiko stiffened, her blood running cold. "What do you say?" Her demand was sharp, as she cautiously approached the pit. She left the device to finish its work.

    "Such a deep, dark well of secrets," he continued, he seemed unaware that Kimiko was even listening. "And I kept them all... right to the very end."

    "Who killed Hiro''s parents!" Kimiko demanded as she slipped into the pit, but Masato didn''t even look in her direction.

    "Oh the things I did for you," Masato gasped, his laughter turning into a coughing fit. Then, with the theatricality of a performer taking his final bow, Masato and his Mach erupted in a ball of fire and sound, sending Kimiko soaring backward.

    "Damn it!" Kimiko screamed into the void where he had been, her fists clenched in rage. She pulled herself back up on her feet.

    She turned away, her eyes burning not with tears, as she made her way back to the molecule separator. "I will find out the truth," she vowed as she retrieved the finished antidote. "And when I do, Hiro will finally know just how sorry I am,"

    Kimiko''s fingers trembled as she deactivated her Mach armor, the nanite peeling away and reforming into the small Tamagotchi once again. She sprinted back toward Hiro, her boots kicking up dust and debris. His chest rose and fell with the shallow breaths as he clung to life.

    "Come on, Hiro," she whispered, pressing two fingers to his neck. A weakening pulse thrummed beneath her touch. She apologized for what she was about to do to him, tearing a piece of her sleeve, she did her best to clean the injection site.

    Fishing into the depths of her utility pocket, Kimiko''s hand emerged clutching the small vial¡ªshe quickly filled a syringe with the violet liquid. She plunged the needle into Hiro''s neck, the violet liquid disappearing into his veins within seconds. "Come on Hiro, you can live through this," she urged, as she watched his body for any signs of improvement.

    Minutes stretched into infinity as she kept watch over her once best friend. Finally, just as she was about to give up, Hiro gasped as he took a breath, his breathing becoming more stable with each one. Kimiko exhaled slowly, allowing relief to wash over her. Hiro would survive¡ªshe had completed her mission.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    Kimiko knew he couldn''t see her, not yet anyway. Not until she could prove herself to him. With a final glance at his peaceful face, she reactivated her Mach and took to the skies, fleeing the scene without leaving a trace.

    As the cityscape unfurled below her, Kimiko''s thoughts wandered back to the mysterious Mach Pilot''s final words. Who was he? How did he know about Hiro''s parents? Her Mach engines hummed silently, and she let herself get lost in her thoughts.

    She tapped the comm device nestled in her ear. "Osamu, I got there in time. Hiro''s safe."

    "Kimiko?" Osamu''s voice crackled through the line. "What happened out there, how was Hiro poisoned?"

    "An unknown Mach pilot." Her reply was curt, as she made her way back to Hiroshima. "Somehow he got close enough to Hiro to get the poison in him. Don''t worry though, I''ve eliminated the threat."

    "You mean he''s dead," Osamu said, the relief evident in his voice. "Kimiko if you need to talk about this."

    "I don''t. It was an easy choice to make if it meant saving Hiro," Kimiko said, not wanting to dwell on the fact she took a life. "The real problem is he claimed to know about what happened to Hiro''s parents. He claimed they were killed and he knew who did it."

    "Did he say anything else," Osamu asked her, clearly excited by the new information. "Anything we can use."

    "No, he was just rambling while he died," Kimiko said, as she recalled that night''s events. They didn''t even know who this mystery Mach was working for, the Canadians, the Japanese, or if was there a third party lurking in the shadows.

    "I''ll meet up with you later today to debrief," Osamu said abruptly, and the line went dead.

    Kimiko arced through the clouds, the city shrinking beneath her. She still wasn''t sure she should trust Osamu, he clearly had an agenda of his own. She clenched her jaw, as she considered just what she was willing to share with him.

    "Osamu why are you so interested in Hiro and his family," she muttered to herself. "What are you hiding."

    Her Mach landed gently just outside the city limits, she stepped out of her suit and one fluid motion, placing her Mach in her bag before walking back into town.

    ---

    The wail of sirens faded into the sounds of Tokyo''s nightlife as Osamu stepped out of his unmarked car. The apartment complex loomed before him, a charred skeleton picked clean by fire and violence. He adjusted the stiff collar of his uniform, its fabric foreign to his skin¡ªtonight he was Officer Sato, a lowly patrolman, not the secret agent working for the Canadian government.

    "Officer Sato?" A uniformed cop approached him with a clipboard in hand, eyes skimming the scene with practiced detachment. "Looks like the fire was set intentionally according to the fire chief."

    "Any leads on who did this?" Osamu asked, squinting at the scorch marks branding the walls, the fire so intense it melted most of the wiring.

    "The building belongs to a branch of the Yakuza," the officer replied, thumbing towards the remains. "Someone had it out for them big time."

    Osamu paced through the aftermath, past bodies that were almost unrecognizable due to the flames. He carefully took in every detail of the scene, noting the odd burn marks on the bodies. In the back, he found a gaping wound in the building''s architecture, but it was its perfect circular shape that he found the most concerning.

    "Must''ve been some bomb," another officer mused, peering at the scorch marks that crawled up the walls from the hole.

    "Some bomb indeed," Osamu agreed, but he knew that no bomb could do this. His mind walked him back to the strange Mach that had just attacked Hiro and now this.

    A crumpled note was clutched in one of the deceased''s hands, its message clear: ''Should have listened to the deal.'' The lead detective, a man with a hawkish nose and eyes that missed little, held it up to the light.

    "Must have been quite the deal, maybe this is what happened when it fell through," he speculated.

    "Perhaps," Osamu agreed noncommittally, his mind already leaping ahead, the idea of a third party of Mach users wasn''t seeming so crazy now, though this could have also been the work of the Japanese government.

    When the site was finally cleared and the flicker of red and blue lights subsided, Osamu retreated to the solitude of his car. His fingers danced across the keys of his phone, punching in a secure code.

    "Patrick Ward," he said, the line crackling alive. "We''ve got a situation here."

    "Osamu?" came the reply, tinged with the weary edge of midnight hours. "What''s happened?"

    "An attack on Yakuza territory," Osamu reported, his gaze fixed on the foreboding silhouette of the ruined complex. "It''s a possible Japanese Mach attack."

    "So they''re targeting the Yakuza now?" Patrick ventured.

    "Possibly." Osamu''s reply was sharp, a knife slicing through possibility. "Seems they were trying to make some sort of deal."

    "I don''t like the sound of that, we don''t need Yakuza in Mach suits," Patrick said, clearly concerned by the notion.

    "I couldn''t agree more sir," Osamu confirmed, his voice low, as he pressed his thumb to his steering wheel to start it. "I''ll figure out exactly who is behind this, and what kind of deal they are trying to make."

    "Don''t let us down," Patrick instructed. "Stay sharp. We can''t afford any more setbacks."

    "Understood." Osamu ended the call, knowing he had given Patrick just enough to keep his trust.

    His mind churned with theories, as the car began to hover and pull away from the curb. If this was the Japanese government, it could have been a failed attempt to find another Mach pilot. On the other hand, if there was a group of Mach users they were unaware of then all bets were off and they would have no way of knowing what their goal was here.

    He watched the buildings pass him by, as the car drove itself back to his apartment, he needed to write it all down while it was still fresh in his mind.

    ---

    Back in the woods, Hiro''s senses slowly returned to him; the smell of burning metal, the gravel digging into his palms as he pushed himself up, and Yutaka''s silhouette blurring into view. The world was still spinning but he felt his strength was coming back to him.

    "Yutaka?" Hiro''s voice was hoarse, as tried to focus on the man approaching him.

    "Easy, Hiro," Yutaka said, steadying him with a firm grip. His dark eyes were pools of concern as he pulled Hiro into an embrace. Up close Hiro could see the blood stains on his shirt as he accepted the hug.

    The shack cracked and screamed, as it finally gave way and collapsed in on itself. Charred debris scattered across the ground, as a wave of dust settled at their feet.

    "Did you...?" Hiro began, but the question died on his lips. He remembered the heavy feeling of the poison and Masato standing over him as he struggled to stay awake.

    "Save you?" Yutaka pulled away as he finished Hiro''s question. "I''m afraid I was knocked out long before you were. I don''t know how we made it out of there alive but we are lucky we did."

    "Masato..." Hiro''s thoughts tangled with possibility. "He should have won, we should be dead,"

    "There is no point trying to make sense of this." Yutaka nodded towards a darkened patch of earth. "We need to get out of here before someone else stumbles on all of this."

    "You''re right, I just wish I knew what happened here," Hiro lamented, Yutaka guiding him back to the car¡ªwhich despite all odds remained entirely untouched by the battle.

    As they slid into the seats, the engine hummed to life, and Yutaka typed in their destination. The car navigated through the debris-strewn paths, letting them know they would arrive within a few hours.

    "Could it have been Nori?" Hiro asked, his gaze fixed on the receding ruins in the rearview mirror.

    "Maybe," Yutaka said. "Let''s just get to Toyone, we can talk more about it there. We''ll be safe there at the Hiroshinka Preparatory Academy."

    "That sounds expensive," Hiro said absent-mindedly watching the forest pass them by.

    "Don''t worry about the money. What''s important is the security it provides." Yutaka glanced at him. "It''s a fortress in its own right and home to students from around the world, the rich and the famous attend it. Causing an incident there would be like declaring war on the world."

    "So we are using them as insurance," Hiro mulled over the word. It didn''t sit right with him to use people that way. "What if they don''t care about the collateral"

    "Hiro, they won''t know you are there." Yutaka''s voice softened. "We''re going to change our identities. Hide in plain sight. They won''t even think to be looking for us at a place like this."

    "Are you sure," Hiro asked, leaning back against the seat. He didn''t want any more innocent people getting caught up in this. He just wanted to keep everyone as safe as possible.

    "I promise you Hiro that nothing bad can happen to you or anyone else while you are behind those school walls," Yutaka assured him gently. "You can trust me on this."

    "I trust you," Hiro said, but he still couldn''t shake the uneasy feeling building in his gut.

    "Good," Yutaka said, as the car sped through a quiet town. "I''m going to need you to do everything I ask while we are there, one slip in your cover could mean the end."

    "Got it..." Hiro let the thought linger, knowing even though they would be safe at the academy, that safety would only last so long. For now, though, he could convince himself he was a normal kid again. In fact, it was all he wanted to do.

    "Let''s hope this school has a decent cafeteria," Hiro joked weakly, trying to lighten his own mood.

    "They have their own Michelin-star restaurant on campus," Yutaka replied, a small smile playing on his lips. "So I think the food will be just fine."

    "A Michelin-star meal every day," Hiro muttered, a genuine smile tugging at his lips. "Now that''s something worth fighting for."

 Vol 2, Chapter 7: Hiroshinka Preparatory Academy

    The night sky settled in as Yutaka''s car rolled to a stop in front of a modest two-story house in Toyone. The wooden siding, weathered by time gave the impression the home hadn''t had visitors for a while. Hiro stepped out, his sneakers crunching on the gravel path, and he couldn''t shake the sensation that he had walked this path before.

    "Here we are," Yutaka announced, carefully retrieving their bags from the trunk. "Home until the semester starts."

    Hiro followed Yutaka through the creaking front door, the scent of aged wood and a hint of mildew greeted them. They ventured into the living room, where dust motes danced lazily in the moonlight filtering through lace curtains.

    "Don¡¯t get too comfortable with unpacking," Yutaka reminded him, gesturing to the suitcases. "You''ll move to the Hiroshinka Preparatory Academy¡¯s dorms soon enough."

    Hiro nodded absentmindedly, fixated on a framed photograph perched on the mantelpiece. It depicted a younger Yutaka, arm-in-arm with his parents, who seemed oddly recognizable. Shaking off the feeling, Hiro murmured, "Where should I set up for the night?"

    "Right, let me show you to your room," Yutaka said, leading him upstairs.

    The room was small but inviting, with a single window that looked out onto a garden blooming with the promise of spring. As Hiro settled onto the bed, its mattress hugging him tightly, he closed his eyes briefly and was greeted by something other than a nightmare for once ¨C his parents, alive, living in a home like this one.

    "Ready for a small adventure?" Yutaka''s voice broke through his dream world.

    "Adventure?" Hiro asked, realizing morning had arrived.

    "Shopping. For school." Yutaka smiled, the lines around his eyes softening. "And food. You must be starving."

    "What time is it," Hiro muttered, he reached for his phone to see twelve-noon flash across its surface. He had slept for twelve hours. "Let me get dressed and I''ll meet you downstairs." Yutaka nodded and left the room.

    ---

    Toyone''s main street welcomed them with the scent of fried eggs and rice. They found themselves at the entrance of a small clothing store, its window display showcasing the latest trends in society.

    "Is there anything here that doesn''t scream rich jerk," Hiro joked, rifling through the racks with low expectations.

    "Hiro, your new persona is a rich jerk," Yutaka reminded, holding up a sweater that had gold flakes sewn into the fabric.

    "Right," Hiro sighed, selecting a few items that didn''t seem too pretentious. He caught his reflection in the mirror, a young man stood before him but it didn''t feel like his own reflection.

    "Let''s not forget lunch," Yutaka said as they paid for the clothes, the shopkeeper''s smile crinkling her eyes.

    "Great, I''m starving," Hiro replied with a grin, feeling lighter as they strolled to the local ramen shop.

    They slid into a booth, the aroma of broth and fresh noodles had been calling to them all the way down the street. Hiro watched the steam rise, as the chef prepared their ramen in front of them.

    "This is the life isn''t it?" Yutaka mused, picking up his chopsticks. "So simple and fulfilling, never having to look over your shoulder."

    "Yeah," Hiro agreed, staring down into his bowl, the simple meal brought him back to when he was living with his Uncle Goro before he discovered the existence of Machs.

    "Is something the matter?" Yutaka asked, picking up on Hiro''s tone, "What''s wrong?"

    "Nothing, just worried about tomorrow," Hiro lied, not wanting to make Yutaka worry about him. With Yutaka satisfied by his answer, Hiro returned to thoughts about the uncle he had left behind in Osaka, praying he was ok.

    ---

    The fluorescent lights of the meeting room flickered overhead of the stern faces gathered around a large steel table. At the head stood Nia, her red hair pulled back in a tight bun, eyes scanning over the collection of agents the UN had picked for the assignment.

    "Welcome," she began, tapping a small button under the desk that sealed the room and prevented the use of recording technology. "You''ve been chosen for your expertise, commitment, and ability to operate under the radar."

    "This is about the Mach technology, isn''t it," murmured an American voice, cutting off Nia.

    "Exactly, Hector," Nia acknowledged, nodding at the young man with sandy blonde hair. "We''ll be attempting to locate the Mach technology within Japan''s borders. The Mach pilots are elusive, but it is in the world''s best interest that the tech be found and destroyed."

    "Give me access to their mainframe, and they might as well have targets painted on them," Hector quipped, a smirk playing on his lips.

    "You''re a confident one," interjected Tess Pearce, her British accent crisp. "Remember they most likely have someone like you working for them, the only difference is if we get caught then we get killed."

    "Point taken," Hector conceded. He leaned back in his chair, as he took in the reality of the situation.

    "If the two of you don''t mind I''d like to get back to the briefing," Nia urged, her gaze sweeping over the group. "Our mission is clear: infiltrate Japan covertly, retrieve all remaining Mach units, and destroy the devices. We leave no trace. South Korea has granted us a private airstrip¡ªour gateway."

    "Air traffic control will have as registered as one of our diplomats meeting with South Korean officials" informed a Russian agent, his burly frame leaning forward.

    "Correct. Once we land, we have borrowed a billionaire''s yacht to bring us to Japan¡ªour arrival in the country will be untraceable." Nia''s voice was low but carried an unwavering confidence in their plan. "Tess, I want you on reconnaissance. Make sure the Japanese aren''t tipped off before we arrive."

    "Understood," Tess replied, her eyes locking with Nia''s. "I''ll make sure they don''t see us coming. I''m more than happy to identify anyone who would risk the safety of our team."

    "I know, your record speaks for itself" Nia pressed on. Her hands clasped in front of her as the wall behind her filled with images of the Machs. "Don''t be fooled by the appearances, these are weapons of mass destruction. Just one of these things could devastate an entire country."

    "Have we got any intel on where they are storing the Machs?" Hector interjected. "Chatter on the dark web, financials, anything?"

    "Minimal," Nia admitted. "But we do that there has been chatter about someone named Hiro. That''s our entry point. Hector, I want you to find out exactly who this Hiro is and why the government is so interested in him."

    "Got it. Finding digital breadcrumbs is my specialty," he said, already lost in thought, fingers twitching as if typing on an invisible keyboard.

    "Everyone else needs to focus all efforts on finding the Japanese storage facility for their Machs, chance are they won''t be keeping them all together for security reasons," Nia reminded them, her eyes softening for a fraction of a second. "We also need to look into Masato Tanka, the prime minister has claimed he was responsible for these attacks and until we can prove otherwise he is a suspect."

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    "They always find their patsy," Tess mused, her gaze distant. "I doubt one man stole the only functioning Mach units from a heavily fortified government facility."

    "That is what we intend to find out," Nia concluded, as the photos on the walls behind her vanished and the door unsealed themselves.

    With a final nod of solidarity, the agents rose from their chairs, each disappearing into the shadows, leaving nothing behind, as if they had never been there to begin with.

    ---

    The silver gates of HPA loomed before them, slowly parting so the sleek vehicle that Yutaka was driving could slip between them. Hiro''s eyes, wide as saucers, took in the sprawling gardens that bloomed with a dazzling display of colors, and the cutting-edge buildings that pierced the sky with their unique shapes. The private high school was like nothing he had ever seen before, as if it had been untouched by wars.

    "Remember, Hiro," Yutaka said, glancing over at him, "keep your head down, blend in. The less attention you attract, the safer you''ll be." He handed over the temporary badge to the security guard who scrutinized it, then buzzed them in with a nod. "You''re Yukizawa-san''s son from now on. Just like we practiced."

    "Right," Hiro replied, though he could feel his heart rate rising. ''Yashiro Yukizawa,'' he recited inwardly, ''CEO of Tech Com Enterprises.'' The false identity was the perfect cover, according to Yutaka.

    "Did you memorize everything?" Yutaka''s voice was firm, insistent.

    "Most of it," Hiro admitted, his fingers tracing the edge of his bag, while he tried to recall all the details of his fake life.

    "Most isn''t good enough," Yutaka chided gently. "These people aren''t fools, Hiro."

    The car came to a halt and Hiro''s gaze landed on the figure approaching them. Haruka Hashimoto, the student liaison, approached with a practiced smile, her hair tied back in a neat ponytail that swayed with each confident step.

    "Mr. Hayashi," she greeted Yutaka first, before turning to Hiro with a polite bow. "Welcome to HPA, Yukizawa-san."

    "Thank you, Hashimoto-san," Hiro replied, trying to project the ease of a privileged teen despite feeling like a fraud.

    With a last look at Hiro, Yutaka gave a curt nod and departed, leaving behind a silence that Hiro didn''t know how to fill. Haruka led the way, her heels clicking against the pavement like a metronome as they marched forward.

    "Let''s start with our science lab," Haruka said, her voice echoing slightly in the vast space they entered. Hiro marveled at the rows of advanced equipment, and screens displaying simulations of atomic structures and celestial phenomena. It was more sophisticated than any lab he''d seen before.

    "Wow..." Hiro murmured, unable to contain his awe.

    "HPA prides itself on providing the best facilities for our students," Haruka explained, a flicker of pride in her voice.

    "This is incredible, like being in a virtual reality chamber" Hiro marveled, wondering what else the school had to offer.

    "Our virtual reality chambers are on the third floor." She gestured with a graceful hand, leading him to the elevator before they entered a hallway lined with holographic displays of student achievements. The VR chamber was a hive of activity, students donning sleek visors as they delved into digital worlds that seemed more real than their own.

    "This place is incredible," Hiro commented, as they made their way across campus.

    "Life is what you make of it here at HPA," Haruka stated. "And this..." She waved her arm towards the student center bustling with teenagers, "...is where life happens. Clubs, sports teams, all the extracurriculars you can dream of."

    "Seems overwhelming," Hiro confessed, scanning the list on the holographic display.

    "Only at first," she assured him. "But after you get your student card loaded with your hobbies and interests, the list will become personalized to you."

    Their final stop was the dorm room, a modest but comfortable space with a view of the verdant campus. "Shared living areas are on each floor and you may have guests in those spaces," she stressed, "No guests are allowed in your sleeping area for any reason beyond a medical emergency."

    "Of course," Hiro agreed, staring up at his new home.

    "Let''s get your ID picture taken," Haruka suggested, guiding him back towards the administrative office. The camera''s flash seared a moment in time: He was no longer Hiro now. As he took the newly printed card, the weight of his alias pressed upon him.

    "Welcome to HPA, Yukizawa-san," Haruka said, and Hiro took a moment before realizing she was talking to him, a mistake he chided himself for.

    On his first night in the dorm, the mattress felt unfamiliar, too soft and luxurious. He lay there, his fingers tracing the geometric patterns on the duvet, watching the shadows on the ceiling, wondering how long he could fake it here. Yutaka''s words about keeping a low profile echoed in his head, as he turned on his side to try and get more comfortable. As Hiro''s eyelids grew heavy, his mind wandered to Nori. Was he safe? What about finding Kimiko? Could they afford to have him waste time here?

    Hiro''s alarm blared, its shrill tone causing him to shoot up in bed. He bolted upright, forgetting for a moment where exactly he was. He scrambled out of bed, cursing under his breath as he stumbled into a pair of jeans and threw on a shirt that still bore the faint creases of newness.

    He burst through the classroom door just as the last students settling into their seats hushed. The room fell silent as the door opened once more to reveal Yutaka, who strode in with an air of authority. "Welcome, class," Yutaka greeted, voice resonating against the whiteboard. "I am Professor Hayashi, your new guide through the world of computing."

    Hiro slunk to the back row, heart sinking. He couldn''t risk his face giving away his connection to the new professor. When Hiro raised his hand to ask a question, Yutaka''s gaze swept over him without recognition. He didn''t know what else he should have expected, after all, while on campus they didn''t know each other.

    "Oh tough luck new kid," The voice beside him rang out, tinged with amusement.

    Hiro turned to find a girl sitting to his right, her hazel eyes curious and bright. Her hand extended toward him, "Um yeah, I guess," he said taking her hand.

    "Don''t take it personally though. Most of these teachers..." Masumi whispered, leaning closer, "They''re here for the prestige, not the teaching." She flipped open her laptop with a flourish, her fingers dancing across the keys. "It''s best to stay quiet and just type up your notes. My mom runs restaurants and if she taught me one thing it''s always cut through the fat to get to the good stuff."

    "Sounds like solid advice," Hiro replied, impressed by her candor.

    "Masumi Kimura," she introduced herself, not taking her eyes off the screen. "And you''re?"

    "Yashiro Yukizawa," he said, trying to seem confident.

    "Yukizawa, huh?" Masumi glanced at him, a smirk playing on her lips. "Welcome to the school for every stuck-up rich kid you ever hated in your life, congratulations you are one of us now."

    As they worked side by side, Hiro found an odd comfort in the click-clack of keystrokes and Masumi''s blunt honesty. It was nice to not have to worry about whether the person he just met was planning to kill or not. They worked together on the assignment Yutaka explained during the lecture, that Hiro hoped he might have made a new friend.

    "Thanks for the help," Hiro said as the bell rang, signaling the end of class.

    "Anytime, Yukizawa-san," Masumi replied, gathering her things. "See you around."

    "Definitely," Hiro agreed, watching her leave. In a school where no one seemed to give him the time of day, Masumi''s kindness meant the world to Hiro. It was a new connection that Hiro was desperate for.

    After classes, Hiro found himself in the Virtual Reality Center which buzzed with the sounds of students winding down for the day. He spotted Masumi who was donning a sleek, black VR headset and fingerless gloves.

    "Yukizawa-san come join me!" Masumi called when she spotted Hiro in the hall, she excitedly waved him over.

    "Uh, sure. I''ll be right there," Hiro said, picking up a headset from the dispenser as he made his way over.

    In an instant, the real world melted away as they stepped inside the room, replaced by an eerie virtual landscape cemetery that felt forgotten by time. Ghostly figures emerged from the fog, their translucent forms reaching out for them. Masumi moved with practiced precision, blasting the ghosts as they came into view, but one by one, phantom hands reached out and claimed her life until her avatar was pulled into the fog.

    "Game over for me," Masumi sighed through the comms. "But look at you go!"

    Hiro dodged and weaved through the spectral onslaught, his instincts kicking in as he destroyed each ghost while dodging others. Each ghost he banished added seconds to the clock, keeping the game going. Finally, the cemetery fell silent, he lifted his headset, revealing a scoreboard where his name sat atop a new high score and first to complete the entire game.

    "Wow... you''re reflexes are amazing," Masumi commented, genuinely impressed. "It''s like you have eyes in the back of your head,"

    "It''s not that impressive," Hiro admitted, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "I just... game a lot you know? Fills my free time,"

    "Of course you do," Masumi laughed, playfully bumping his shoulder as they exited back into the hallway of the VR center and returned their gear.

    As they left, Masumi''s expression softened, her tone taking a rare dip into vulnerability. "This might sound forward but do you want to have dinner with me?" She looked up to see Hiro''s face turn red, "No, not like a date thing but like a getting-to-know-you thing. Sorry I say whatever''s on my mind, no filter." she laughed.

    "Oh, yeah, I would love to," Hiro stuttered, as he realized the shocked look he was wearing on his face.

    "Great." She shrugged. "You interest me. There is just something about you."

    "Really?" Hiro asked, a little confused by the way Masumi spoke.

    "Yeah, I can''t read you like I can read everyone else here," she said, eyes narrowing. "There is just something about you, your look says you come from money. But your actions say otherwise."

    "Oh, well," Hiro began, trying to piece together a believable lie, "I wasn''t always rich. I learned to survive on some harsh streets before my dad''s company took off."

    Masumi studied him for a moment, searching his face for any hint of deception. Finally, she nodded, accepting his story. "That does explain a lot. Tell you what, come have lunch with us tomorrow. My friends will love you."

    "Sounds like a plan," Hiro replied, he knew he shouldn''t be putting himself out there, it could lead to him being exposed. But the opportunity to make real friends and just be a teen again was just too tempting.

 Vol 2, Chapter 8: Ai

    The minutes in art class felt like hours with each tick of the clock reminding Hiro he still had time left. He held his brush suspended in mid-stroke as his mind wandered to lunch and the prospect of making new friends. He wondered if any of the people he was about to meet would actually like him. The idea of having normal conversations about hobbies and classes caused a small smile to grace his lips. But the smile quickly faded as the the thought of Kimiko drifted through his mind, could he really risk pulling more innocent people into this?

    Kimiko was kidnapped because of him. She sought out the Mach suits because he told her about them. Hiro''s hand tightened around the paintbrush, the bristles quivering in protest. No, he assured himself silently, he would never tell these people the truth. They would never know about his connection to the Machs, or the war being fought right under their noses.

    The bell¡¯s chime broke his train of thought, jerking Hiro back to reality. He exhaled, trying to calm himself as he navigated through the hallways toward HPA''s sprawling cafeteria. The scent of culinary specialties from every corner of the globe swirled together, as he entered the hall. His eyes darted between faces, searching for Masumi in the sea of students.

    "Over here, Yashiro!" Masumi''s voice echoed off the walls. He turned to meet her gaze, she waved him over excitedly.

    "This place is massive, I was worried I wouldn''t find you," Hiro said, sliding into the open seat beside her.

    "It is easy to get lost in here but I was watching the entrance," Masumi grinned, her hazel eyes gleaming. "This is Ai Yamaguchi and Kazuki Watanabe."

    Ai, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders, extended a delicate hand. "Nice to meet you, Yashiro," she said softly.

    "Likewise," Hiro replied, taking her hand briefly.

    Kazuki''s handshake was firmer, the confidence of his grip matching the mischievous twinkle in his dark brown eyes. "So what do your parents do?" Hiro asked, trying to make conversation.

    "My parents are music producers," Kazuki replied. "And yours, Hiro?"

    "Dad runs a tech company," Hiro blurted, a little too quickly. Inside, a flicker of guilt sparked at the idea of starting with a lie. "My family had it rough before my dad''s big break ¨C now his microchips are in every car in the country."

    "Wow, that''s impressive," Ai marvelled, Hiro could swear she was blushing a little bit.

    "Definitely," Masumi agreed, her expression unreadable.

    "So how did you all meet" Hiro asked, feeling the weight of their gazes and wanting to fill the void of silence.

    "Oh, that''s an easy one," Kazuki said, smiling. "Our parents have been friends since before we were born, so we grew up together."

    "Oh wow," Hiro nodded. Hiro stuck to asking more about them for the rest of lunch, keeping his answers short and sweet.

    As the bell rang again, signalling the end of lunch, Hiro stood up with them, a rehearsed chuckle at Kazuki''s last quip. He thanked them all for inviting him to lunch before heading off to his next class.

    Masumi lingered after Hiro left, her gaze following his retreating figure until he vanished from view. They gathered their trays and let the trash bots collect them.

    "So?" she probed, turning to Ai with a playful arch of her brow. "What do we think of my newest recruit?"

    Ai''s cheeks were tinted with the soft blossom of a red, her eyes alight with something more than mere interest. "He''s... different," she confessed, tucking a strand of black hair behind her ear. "I know I say this a lot, but he''s really my type."

    "Every new boy is your type," Masumi laughed, teasing Ai.

    "Not every guy," Ai wined trying her best to act hurt, "but there''s something mysterious about him."

    Kazuki leaned back in his chair, folding his arms with indifference. "If you girls want him in the group, it''s fine by me." His gaze darted to Masumi, a silent conversation passing between them. "But he''s a pretty secretive guy, we talked all lunch and I still know nothing about him."

    "Obviously," Masumi whispered with a slight smile. "He''s a terrible liar, which makes him all the more interesting. Don''t you think?"

    Kazuki seemed confused by all the interest the girls seemed to have in Yashiro. "I guess."

    ***

    Weeks slipped away like cherry blossom petals in the wind, each day blurring into another as Hiro found himself swept up in the new life he had created for himself on campus. Laughter echoed through the hallways, shared glances across the classroom, and late-night hangouts that lasted until dawn ¨C they were constants now, a new way of life.

    "Checkmate," Ai announced triumphantly, her fingers hovering over the chessboard they''d commandeered during their free period. Her victory was met with Kazuki''s groan and Masumi''s smug nod of approval from where she lounged on the nearby steps, a book forgotten in her lap.

    "Remind me again why I agreed to play against you?" Hiro said, chuckling as he reset the pieces.

    "Because you wanted a challenge," Ai shot back, unable to fully meet his gaze.

    Hiro''s laughter mingled with theirs, genuine and light. Yet, even as he enjoyed being normal for once, moments came when his gaze would drift towards the horizon, thinking about the moves being made by the governments searching for him. In those moments, a sadness would crawl across his face.

    Ai noticed these shifts, the way he sometimes seemed too distant from them. Her lips pursed in concern as she watched him one afternoon, clearly lost in his thoughts. Scrolling through the school''s student database, she uncovered something about Hiro he hadn''t bothered to share with them: Yashiro''s 17th birthday was only two weeks away.

    "Why wouldn''t he tell us," she murmured to herself, a plan blossoming in her heart. "I wonder if this is why he has been acting so off lately."

    "Talking to yourself now?" Kazuki teased, appearing beside her with a raised eyebrow.

    "No, I just found out Yashiro''s birthday is in two weeks,¡± Ai whispered, she looked up at Kazuki. ¡°Did he tell you about this?¡±

    "The guy told me nothing, I swear," he replied, crossing his heart. "Seems weird he didn''t mention it,"

    "Maybe or maybe his home life isn''t great and his birthday reminds him of it," she allowed, her thoughts already dancing with possibilities. "I mean it would explain why whenever we start to get personal about our families he clams up,"

    "Fair but unless he wants to talk there is nothing we can do about it," Kazuki thought out loud, looking off into the sky as he thought about it.

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    "Maybe there is," Ai said as she came up with a plan. "What if we throw him a surprise party? take his mind off his home life." Kazuki nodded in agreement and together they started to create a plan.

    On the following Friday, they met on the hidden rooftop garden decked with fairy lights for the school''s mixer. Ai hoped that she could use this opportunity to figure out what would make Yashiro''s birthday truly special.

    "It has to be perfect," she whispered to herself, watching Hiro chatting with Masumi. His laugh, free and easy, filled the space.

    The garden was in full bloom with greens and blues, a serene pocket hidden on a rooftop. Hiro sat against the trunk of a cherry blossom as Masumi went off to grab some food, its petals drifting down like soft pink snowflakes. Ai joined them, her knees drawn up, tracing patterns in the fallen petals.

    "Look at that," Hiro murmured, his gaze fixed on the sky where a lone cloud drifted lazily. "It kind of looks like a bird."

    Ai followed his line of sight. "Yeah it sort of does if you really squint your eyes." she joked. "Sometimes I wish I could fly away from here too."

    Hiro exhaled, the corners of his lips lifting wistfully. "I know the feeling. I love it here, Ai, I really do. But sometimes..." He paused, trying to choose the right words. "Sometimes I miss being able to just...go. This place, as amazing as it is, can feel like a really fancy cage."

    Ai studied his profile, she had never seen this side of Hiro. "A cage?" she echoed softly, as she realized just what she needed to do.

    "Yeah," he said with a shrug. "I just kind of miss my life before here sometimes."

    "Shoot, I forgot about the foreign language club meeting!" Ai exclaimed suddenly, glancing at her watch. "Sorry, Yashiro, I gotta run!"

    "Go ahead," Hiro encouraged, his smile now genuine. "Can''t have the club president missing a meeting."

    As Ai hurried away, her thoughts turned to ensuring Hiro got exactly what he wanted for his birthday. She spotted Kazuki lounging by the fountain, headphones around his neck and a tablet in his hand.

    "Kazuki!" she called out, grasping his arm when she reached him.

    "What is it Ai?" Kazuki asked, startled by her sudden appearance.

    "Is there any way for students to leave campus?" Ai asked, her voice low and insistent.

    "Leave campus?" Kazuki raised an eyebrow. "Without permission? That''s a no-go. Field trips or parental pick-up only."

    "But what if someone really wanted to get out? Like, really needed it?" she pressed, desperation edging into her tone.

    Kazuki regarded her curiously. "Why this sudden interest in breaking rules? Is this about Yashiro?¡±

    "Yeah," Ai confessed, releasing her grip on him. "It is the one thing that will make his birthday truly special."

    "Ah," Kazuki sighed, running a hand through his messy blonde hair. "Rumor has it, some seniors have been able to sneak out. They say there is a secret escape route but I''ve never seen it."

    "But it is possible," Ai suggested, her palms coming together as if in prayer. "We need to find it."

    "Ai, if we got caught we would be expelled," he reminded her, standing up. "I like Yashiro as much as the next guy but I am not risking it for him."

    "Please Kazuki, don''t do it for him, do it for me," Ai pleaded, her eyes filling with fake tears.

    "That''s not fair Ai," Kazuki rolled his eyes. "Fine, I will do it for you,"

    ---

    Osamu''s boots crunched over gravel as he stepped out of the sleek, unmarked car. The old mill loomed before him, its steel exterior slightly rusted. He approached the old building with authority, preparing himself for the meeting inside.

    Pushing open the creaky door, Osamu entered. Inside was a hub of activity as Canadian agents continued their work hidden on Japanese soil. Screens filled with data streams, and operatives murmured into headsets. In the center of it all stood Patrick, his posture rigid, as he awaited his Mach pilot.

    "Patrick," Osamu greeted, voice echoing slightly in the vast chamber. "You wanted to see me?"

    "Ah yes, Osamu." Patrick clasped his hand briefly, as the men met. "We believe you are right about the Mach attack and the Yakuza headquarters. As such we have decided to start a new operation,"

    "Alright, what are the details of this new operation?" Osamu asked, releasing the older man''s hand. "I take it you called me here to brief me,"

    "Nothing gets past you," Patrick said, Osamu could feel the condensation in his remark. He led Osamu to a small room with no windows, "I''ll brief you when your new partner arrives."

    "New partner?" Osamu''s steps faltered. "Sir after Diaki I think I should..."

    "Because," Patrick said, cutting Osamu off before he could finish, "You will be engaging with another Mach. Odds are better if there are two of you."

    Osamu wasn''t too sure he wanted a new partner after the death of his last one. They settled into chairs on either side of a sparse table, the silence between them thickening until it was almost tangible.

    Then the door clicked open, and she stepped through¡ªHisoka, her presence slicing through the quiet. Her long purple hair swaying side to side, a stark her gray eyes analyzing the man before her. She offered a curt nod. "Osamu."

    "Hisoka," Osamu replied, rising to meet her gaze. Osamu could have guessed they would have chosen her, she just wished he wasn''t the one stuck with her.

    "Hisoka has agreed to take part in this mission," Patrick explains, the amount of pride in his tome made it clear it had been his idea. "Her pilot scores are the best we''ve seen."

    "The target has been located and doesn''t appear to be on the move anymore," Hisoka stated, businesslike. "Our objective is clear: capture the remaining Japanese Machs intact."

    "Aren''t we trying to destroy their Machs?" Osamu''s mind raced with this new information. He didn''t like the idea of stockpiling more weapons when the globe was already on edge.

    "Not anymore," Patrick said. "It has become clear that we won''t be able to duplicate the Mach technology and with the death of Diaki, we are now down a Mach. We need to ensure our advantage. We need the entire set."

    "Entire set?" Osamu''s jaw tightened. He had been doing his own research into the Machs and was beginning to feel he should share his discovery.

    "Yes we need them all and we need to do it by summer''s end," Patrick continued, choosing to ignore Osamu''s concern. "Intelligence suggests the UN is gearing up for... something significant."

    "End of summer," Hisoka echoed, as contemplated the idea. "It''s a tight timeframe, but feasible."

    "Feasible?" Osamu questioned aloud. "Sir this isn''t a good idea, if we get caught it would be like declaring war on the entire planet,"

    "Whatever it takes," Patrick said firmly, leaving no room for doubt or moral questioning. "Canada''s future security depends on it."

    "You have my word the operation will proceed without incident," Hisoka confirmed, unsettling Osamu further.

    "Look rush timelines usually lead to rash decisions," Osamu said, trying to make his point as clear as possible. "We won''t have time to create a strategy that will allow us to collect every Mach before the UN makes their move. Not without taking some massive risks."

    "Which is precisely why I called Hisoka," Patrick countered with a sly grin. "She hasn''t been warming the bench; she''s been deep undercover surveilling our targets."

    "So she knows who the other Mach pilots are?" Osamu''s dark eyes narrowed, studying Hisoka as she stood with the poise of a coiled viper ready to strike. "Nobody is that good."

    "Her father is," Patrick explained, as if unveiling the final piece of an elaborate puzzle, "Kojo Yamada is the best in the business."

    "Kojo Yamada is her father?" Osamu hadn''t known this about his fellow agent. The name alone carried a legacy shared in whispers of lethal precision. "The sniper?"

    "More than just a sniper," Hisoka chimed in, her tone laced with pride yet devoid of warmth. "He eliminated targets that others deemed untouchable and could find anyone anywhere no matter how hard they tried to hide."

    "Impressive," Osamu conceded, though he could feel his own heart rate rising. "But you aren''t your father."

    "No, I''m better." She said casually as if it were common knowledge. Hisoka stared down Osamu, unamused by his line of questioning.

    "Remember you''re both on the same side here," Patrick declared, clapping his hands together as if sealing a deal between them. "We need both of you to secure Canada''s future."

    "I always keep things professional," Hisoka stated, never taking her eyes off Osamu.

    "I will always put my country first," Osamu said hollowly, feeling trapped in a corner.

    With a nod, Patrick excused himself, retreating from the room with a smile. As the door clicked shut behind him, Osamu turned his attention back to Hisoka.

    "Let''s talk shop," Hisoka suggested, her gaze locked onto Osamu''s. "We don''t have to like each other, we just have to get the job done."

    "Fair enough," Osamu muttered, knowing she was right. "I think we have a more pressing concern than gathering the remaining Machs."

    "Explain," Hisoka demanded more than asked, leaning over the table, "What issue could be more important the relieving our enemies of their weapons?"

    "Well I''ve been analyzing my Mach for a while," Osamu started softly, trying to be careful about what he shared. He watched Hisoka''s fingers tapped impatiently on the table, her head tilted as she took him in.

    Hiro''s face flashed in Osamu''s mind, if he shared too much it could put his life at risk. The only thing he knew for sure was it was all tied to Hiro and his family in some way.

    "Well, Osamu?" Hisoka inquired, tired of waiting for him to finish his thought.

    "They are changing," he replied with a measured calm he didn''t feel. "I don''t know how or why but their base power levels have been increasing every so often for a while now."

    "And you find this concerning?" Hisoka asked. "Is it possible the initial readings were wrong?"

    There was no way my data was off, Osamu thought, having run the numbers over a dozen times. But the truth is far darker, he pondered grimly, their power increases every time one of them is destroyed.

 Vol 2, Chapter 9: Hisoka

    There was an uncomfortable silence that settled into the small conference room. Hisoka leaned forward, her sleek purple hair cascading over her shoulders like a royal cloak. Her face twisted as she considered Osamu''s words, why would the man wait for their superior to leave before sharing this information?

    "Osamu, send me your data and I will look into it" she stated, she knew there was more they needed to cover, "Also I need to know the capabilities of your Mach. We can''t afford any surprises in the field."

    Osamu shifted uncomfortably, he could feel her analyzing his every move. She had a reputation for being ruthless, she killed her own father after all. ¡°Hisoka, you know what our training¡ª¡±

    "I''m aware we aren''t supposed to talk about our Machs to each other in case of capture. I don''t intend on getting caught, do you?" she interrupted, she looked down at the man in front of her. With a swift movement, she reached into her purse and pulled out a sleek tablet. "This is my Mach in its dormant state. Mach 10, optimized for what I do best." She tapped the screen, and it flickered to life, showing the schematics of an advanced sniper rifle, its lines as elegant and deadly. "Long-range sniping and camouflage. Now, your turn."

    Osamu took a deep breath, knowing he had to give her something. He met her icy stare with equal intensity. "Mach 4," he said, his voice steady. "Close-range and long-range combat capabilities." He paused, then unstrapped his smartwatch, holding it up between them. "And it has an advanced shielding system, more powerful than the others."

    "Interesting," Hisoka mused, she gave Osamu almost an amused look. "So you''re a shield."

    "That''s right," Osamu raised an eyebrow.

    "Well then Daiki could have used you out there in the field," she elaborated, her lips curving into a smirk. "A shame the government thought the lives of some diplomats outweighed the life of a Mach pilot."

    "right," Osamu said, feeling the sting of what happened to his partner. "We did what we were ordered to."

    "Indeed." Hisoka''s smirk widened. "You played your roles as good soldiers very well, but I don''t need a good soldier for this mission."

    "Really?" Osamu chuckled dryly. "And who exactly do you need?"

    "Someone willing to cross the line if it means victory," Hisoka replied, her tone laced with amusement. "I wouldn''t hesitate to shoot through you, I expect you would do the same."

    As they stared at each other, a mutual understanding passed between them. Osamu knew that Hisoka wasn''t one to mix words. She would kill him if she needed to, the thought settled in the back of his mind.

    "I see... Let''s get back on task. Diaki found the Japanese storage location for their Machs. No doubt they moved them after the incident." Osamu began, his dark eyes focused intently on Hisoka.

    Hisoka waved a dismissive hand, almost seeming bored by his briefing. "That''s a secondary concern," she retorted crisply. "Our priority is to neutralize the fugitives that escaped during the attack on our embassy. They can''t be allowed to meddle any farther."

    "But we have no idea where they are..." Osamu''s voice trailed off. He knew the ruthless efficiency that Hisoka operated with; collateral damage was a non-issue to her.

    "Actually we found one," she affirmed, locking her cold gray eyes onto his. "And I assure you, my plan is flawless. No casualties on our side."

    "Why wasn''t I informed that we located one of the fugitives?" Osamu leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing. "I know more about them than any¡ª"

    "You were busy with the possible Mach attack in the city" Hisoka explained, as if she had been rehearsing the line for a while.

    Osamu''s jaw clenched, something wasn''t right here. "So who did you find?"

    "Our good friend Hiro has made it to Toyone," Hisoka leaned forward, the tablet gleaming ominously in her grasp. "An informant at HPA spotted him on campus."

    "If we start attacking HPA, it would cause another international incident, war would almost be guaranteed," Osamu countered.

    "Don''t worry. I''ll take care of the details," Hisoka said as she packed up her things. "I will let you know when we are ready to go."

    She left before Osamu could respond, leaving him to stare out into the night, wondering how he could stop this before it was too late.

    ---

    A massive yacht sliced silently through the sea, its presence nothing more than whispers against the waves. As it docked at an abandoned pier, figures dressed in black disembarked with practiced ease.

    Nia moved among them, ensuring they kept to their tight timeline. "Leave no trace," she instructed, her voice barely above a breath. "We were never here."

    "Understood," came the chorus of hushed replies.

    They slipped into the waiting cars, ancient gas-powered vehicles from a time when all technology wasn''t connected to each other, untraceable. The vehicles roared to life as they merged with the night.

    Within hours their destination loomed ahead, a grey stone building claiming to operate digital trade. It had been empty for years, but with some new funding from a local actor, it was reopened, or at least that was what everyone one was told through the media.

    "The lab is on floor two, informatics you''re on floor 3, sleeping quarters in the basement," Nia reminded them as they filed inside. "You are all expected at your posts by O six hundred local time."

    "Yes mam," one of the agents said, offering a small salute.

    "Let''s get to work," Nia said, a ghost of a smile touching her lips. "We have Machs to find, people."

    The room hummed with the low murmur of servers and the soft clacking of keyboards as Nia''s image appeared on the screens. "Welcome," she began, a line of static crossing her holographic image. "From this point on we do not leave the facility; capture is not an option." She let her gaze linger on each agent, ensuring her message was understood. "If compromised, we burn this facility to the ground and take our own lives. We cannot risk any connection back to the UN."

    A sombre nod swept across the building like a chilling breeze. Each one vowing to protect the mission at any cost.

    "Your work here will prevent a future war," Nia continued, her fingers tapping against a tablet. "We''ll monitor all transmissions, every email. Nothing slips past us. We will find and destroy the weapons they plan to use against us."

    "Laying it on thick aren''t we," Hector muttered from his station, where Nia''s face was on screen and the streams of data scrolled down the other. He cracked a wry smile, as he read through several emails from Japanese government officials.

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    "Thanks to several phishing emails we have access to the email accounts of several Japanese officials," Nia said, the names of the officials and their positions scrolling across the screen. "This is our starting point, we need to find out where they are keeping their Machs."

    "Working on it," Hector replied to the image, going over the information he had collected so far. "He had been trying to locate this Hiro, both sides had been discussing for weeks now, but the Japanese seemed just as lost as he was.

    "Good luck everyone," Nia ended the speech and the screens went dark again.

    With the first shift hunkered down, Hector decided to take another look at the footage from the Canadian Embassy attack. On-screen, Mach 1''s movements were clearly restrained and calculated. "Doesn''t start fights, but sure knows how to end them," Hector mused aloud, watching the replays.

    "And this is Hiro," Hector murmured, pulling up a file marked ''Hiro Kobayashi.'' His eyes skimmed the details: an average profile, unremarkable history. Yet, the Japanese government''s response suggested otherwise ¡ª they feared Hiro disproportionately. "How did you get wrapped up in all of this?" he pondered, tapping a finger against his lips.

    "Finding your next best friend?" a voice teased from over his shoulder.

    "No one has seen or heard from him since the vents in Tokyo, it''s like he vanished from the face of the Earth," Hector said without looking away from the screen.

    "Ah, a typical Tuesday then," the voice joked, belonging to one of the tech specialists. "Don''t be too hard on yourself kid, you''ll get your man."

    "But I''ve never seen anything like this," Hector said, leaning back in his chair, his eyes never leaving the digital puzzle that was Hiro. "Every image of him has been erased, without the government''s chatter, we not have known he even existed."

    "Nothing on any social media platforms?" the specialist asked, seeming more interested as she returned to her own station.

    Hector shook his head, somehow Hiro had disappeared on an internet level, and he wondered if someone could be helping him. Whatever was going on, he was determined to uncover the truth behind Hiro Kobayashi.

    "Hey, Hector," Tess''s voice seemed to come out of nowhere, causing him to jump slightly. "Have you found anything new yet?"

    Hector blinked, pushing back a strand of sandy hair. "Yeah, Hiro was being held for questioning at the Canadian Embassy. He has completely vanished since." He gestured vaguely at the screen, where a timeline ended abruptly.

    "Laying low no doubt," Tess mused, her gaze fixed on the glowing monitor as if it might reveal more secrets. "Does the boy have military training?"

    "Not that I can find," Hector quipped, though the humour didn''t quite reach his eyes. "His parents were scientists and his uncle runs a convenience store. There is no indication he would able to erase every image of himself from existence."

    Tess''s silence lingered a beat too long, her thoughtful stare unyielding. Without a word, she pivoted on her heel, striding away, leaving Hector unsure about what she wanted.

    "Uh, see you at the debrief?" Hector called after her, but she just raised a hand in a vague wave, not looking back. Shrugging it off, Hector dove back into his research.

    ---

    Meanwhile, Ai''s shoes scuffed against the polished floors of the academy, her soft brown eyes scanning for any signs of a secret entrance. She needed to find out if the rumour about Senior leaving campus through a secret door was true. Finding it would make Yashiro''s birthday perfect, she thought.

    "Come on, Ai," she muttered under her breath, "think!"

    Kazuki''s words echoed in her mind, and she chose to focus on the word seniors. She had been investigating the usual senior hangouts ever since. There was just one place left to check, but there was a problem.

    "Without a senior''s card, I''ll never get into Kyoto House," she whispered to herself, leaning against the cool surface of the wall. Stealing a senior''s student card was no small feat; getting caught could mean expulsion, or worse, but Yashiro... Yashiro deserved this, his smile lit up an entire room for her.

    "Alright, Ai," she breathed out, knowing she would have to make her move, "You can do this."

    There was a place where she wouldn''t be caught on camera, the changeroom in the gym. Her heart was a staccato drumbeat in her chest, as she worked out, scanning the faces for possible seniors. She knew if she had just gone in and taken it without actually working out it would have looked suspicious, as she headed back to the changeroom she was careful to make sure no one was around before checking each locker¡ªafter what felt like an eternity she found what she was looking for.

    "Sorry," she whispered, sticking her hand into the bag, her hand emerging with the card. Barely daring to breathe, she scurried out of the changeroom, disappearing into the night.

    Kyoto House was quiet, and more importantly, it was empty. All that was inside was a small cafe with mirrored walls. "There is nothing here?" Ai asked aloud, her hands tracing the walls in disappointment. It is just a stupid cafe hangout she thought.

    She traced the edges of the mirror, her fingertips feeling one sway under their pressure. With a gentle nudge, the looking glass swung open, revealing a small tunnel that a breeze escaped through. This was it, she thought, this was their way out.

    "Gotcha," Ai breathed, staring down into the passage.

    She slipped out of Kyoto House as she dialled Kazuki and Masumi, her face illuminated by the glow of her phone screen. "Guys, it''s real. The hole¡ªit''s here, we can sneak through Kyoto house."

    Masumi''s image flickered into view, her hazel eyes wide. "And you''re sure it leads outside of the walls?"

    "Of course, I checked it out," Ai assured them, her voice tinged with pride. "leads to the woods behind the school."

    Kazuki''s skeptical brow was arched, his lips pursed in thought. "So what''s the plan? Are we just going to be hanging out in the woods? Doesn''t really sound like a party to me."

    "We could bring a picnic, add some twinkle lights," Ai suggested trying to make it seem a little less dull.

    "Ok but if we get caught don''t we get kicked out," Kazuki reminded her.

    "Greenhouse," Masumi interjected suddenly, as the thought hit her. "There''s an old one not far from the wall. Deserted, dilapidated, and perfect for a birthday celebration."

    "An old greenhouse?" Kazuki echoed dubiously. "Sounds... festive."

    "Trust me," Masumi said with a sly smile. "My uncle and I used to go there all the time when he visited the academy, it''s beautiful there."

    Ai nodded eagerly, her thoughts already setting up the scene in her mind. "Yashiro will love it, but we all need to work together to make it great."

    "Fine," Kazuki relented, feeling the peer pressure. "Let''s risk our futures for a patch of overgrown plants and a bit of starlight."

    "And friendship! You goof," Ai declared, the video call ending with their laughter.

    A few days later Ai navigated the shadow-strewn path back to the dorms. This would be a birthday to remember, a gift like no other, that would let Yashiro know exactly how she felt about him.

    The hum of idle chatter filled the air as Ai found Hiro sitting on a large sofa, she took a seat next to him. She couldn''t wait to share the surprise, but she knew it would have to wait. Today was Hiro''s birthday, and everything was in place to make it perfect.

    "Happy birthday," Ai said, her voice barely above a whisper, she looked around to make sure no one was listening.

    Hiro looked up at her, his piercing brown eyes locking onto hers. "Thanks, Ai," he replied, with a small smile. "I didn''t think anyone knew about my birthday."

    "Like we wouldn''t figure out when your birthday was," Ai told him, leaning forward. "We''ve planned something special for you."

    "Special?" Hiro echoed, a smile teasing at the corners of his lips. "What kind of special?"

    "Ah-ah," Ai chided with a playful wag of her finger. "It wouldn''t be a surprise if I told you now, would it?"

    Masumi, who had tracked them down, chimed in. "Let''s just say you might want to pack a blanket tonight¡ª"

    Ai shot Masumi a glare that could have frozen the sun. "Masumi!"

    "Oops," Masumi said, not sounding sorry in the least. "Guess the cat''s out of the bag. We''re having a picnic!"

    Hiro''s eyes lit up. "A picnic? That sounds great."

    "It will be great," Kazuki interjected, his tone light and teasing. "Or a complete disaster."

    "Shut up," Ai cut in quickly, trying to leave a little mystery. "Just meet us in the garden at ten tonight. Can you do that?"

    "Ten at night?" Hiro asked, an eyebrow arching with intrigue. "I can do that."

    "Perfect," Ai said, her lips curving into a smile. "Don''t be late."

    "I will do my best," Hiro said, raising his hand as if he was under oath. "I''ll be there. Thanks, guys. You didn''t have to go through all this trouble for me."

    "Of course we did," Ai replied earnestly. "It''s your day, Yashiro. And we want to make it unforgettable."

    "Unforgettable, huh?" Hiro mused, remembering it was only a year ago that Yutaka showed up at his door with a Mach. "I''m looking forward to it."

    "Good," Kazuki said, clapping Hiro on the back. "Because we''ve got a night ahead of us that''ll be one for the books. Just make sure to wear comfortable shoes."

    "Comfortable shoes for a picnic?" Hiro questioned, wondering what else they had planned.

    "Trust me," Ai said with a wink. "They''ll come in handy."

    "Alright," Hiro conceded, a chuckle escaping him. "I''m game."

    "Excellent!" Ai exclaimed. "Tonight, we celebrate our new friend."

    As the midday bell rang Ai couldn''t help but feel a surge of joy. Tonight''s escapade would prove that Yashgiro was officially one of them. And nothing, not even getting caught, could ruin this night.

 Vol 2, Chapter 10: Masumi

    Hiro shifted the towel under his arm as he rounded the corner, spotting his friends'' silhouettes against the wall of Kyoto House. "Hey! So where are we setting up this picnic?" he called out, he couldn''t help but smile at the idea of celebrating his birthday with actual friends.

    "It''s a surprise Yashiro" Ai chimed, she smiled mischievously, waving a key card with as if it were a magic wand. "We''ve cooked up something special."

    Kazuki leaned against the wall, a smirk playing on his lips, while Masumi offered a nod of complicity. "Trust us, tonight will be a night you never forget,"

    "Ok everyone, follow me," Ai replied, her eyes sparkling as she swiped the card through the reader, the lock clicking open. She beckoned them inside. "Trust me, this is going to be amazing."

    They snaked through empty tables, their steps echoing softly until Ai halted at the all of mirrors. With a dramatic gesture, she revealed a hidden tunnel. "To freedom," she whispered, a conspiratorial glint in her eye.

    "No way! you found a secret way out," Hiro mused, excited to step outside the walls and feel a part of the real world again. Together, they slid through the tight passage, emerging to the sounds of crickets and the caress of cool night air.

    "Now your birthday isn''t just outside," Masumi remarked, her voice carrying a hint of excitement as she explained. "We''ve decked out a greenhouse not far from here, just wait till you see it."

    "Lead on, navigator," Kazuki quipped, falling into step behind her.

    As they followed a small path through the trees, Hiro found himself walking beside Ai, the moonlight almost made it seem like she was glowing. "It''s beautiful tonight," she observed, her voice soft yet clear.

    "Beautiful, thank you," Hiro admitted, revelling in the taste of freedom. "I know you put this all together."

    "I just wanted to make your birthday something special, you seemed so sad recently," Ai said gently, brushing a branch aside.

    "Yeah, I have a lot on my mind," Hiro answered, cautious not to unravel too many threads of his past. "I had some friends before I got here, they have gone silent and I don''t know what''s going on with them."

    "Oh, I''m so sorry Yashiro," Ai put a caring arm around him. "I hope they talk to you again."

    "thanks and call me Hiro if you like," Hiro said, feeling connected to them more than ever. "It was a nickname my friends gave me,"

    Ai went to say something, but Hiro''s eyes fell on something reflecting the moonlight on the ground. A thin line that looked an awful lot like a tripwire. "Masumi, wait," he called out, reaching out a grabbing her before she could take another step.

    She turned, confusion etched across her features as Hiro crouched down, examining the anomaly. It was a fine thread, shimmering under the lunar glow, and was pulled tight and ready to be set off.

    "Careful," he warned, trying to think of a logical reason for the clear trap. "Looks like some hunter may have left a trap on the trail."

    "Seriously?" Kazuki said, leaning over to get a better look. "Has that been there the whole time? We''ve been going up and down this path for days now."

    Masumi rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. "Kazuki, chill out. Clearly, it is new or one of us would have set it off by now." She tore a strip from the hem of her shirt and tied it around a nearby branch, marking the spot. "There, now we won''t forget where it is on our way back."

    Kazuki, however, was not convinced. He crossed his arms, his face set with concern. "I don''t like this. What if there are more?"

    "Kazuki, don''t be such a killjoy," Masumi snapped back, crossing her arms. "No hunter lays a million traps for some rabbit.

    Their bickering grew heated and stepped in between the pair to try to stop it. Hiro continued to stare down at the wire¡ªhis friends said they had been using this trail for days, wouldn''t this hunter have seen them? Slipping his hand into his pocket, he curled his fingers around the cold metal of his Mach, was this set here on purpose?

    Suddenly, the underbrush rustled drawing Hiro''s attention. It sounded much larger than a rabbit; he was about to warn his friends when a gunshot shattered their argument. Time seemed to stand still as their voices faded into the night.

    "Is everyone¡ª" Hiro started, but his words fell short as he spun around to see Kazuki clutching his chest, blood blossoming across his shirt.

    Ai''s scream pierced the air, as Kazuki crumbled to the ground. Masumi''s feet gave out from under her, tears streaming down her cheeks as she fell to her knees beside Kazuki.

    "We need to go now!" Hiro barked, snapping into action. He grabbed Ai and Masumi, yanking them farther down the trail and toward the greenhouse. Another shot rang out, splintering the bark of a tree they''d been standing near seconds before.

    "But Kazuki¡ª" Masumi choked out, her voice laced with panic. She watched as he got smaller in the distance.

    "Going back means death, Masumi," Hiro said sharply, even though his heart ached for leaving Kazuki behind. "The shooter''s between us and the school¡ªwe need to get to that greenhouse right now!"

    "Yeah, right the greenhouse. The front is a stone building, if we barricade ourselves in there we will be safe" Masumi reasoned, her eyes locked on the shadows, her body shook with sobs, as she stumbled forward into the night, guiding them through the darkened woods.

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    They dashed through the undergrowth, branches whipping at their faces, thorns grabbing at their clothes. The night had turned on them, Hiro''s birthday was now a battle for survival. But Hiro knew that if it came to it he could finish this, he felt the weight of his Mach in his pocket, an easy solution if things got dire.

    Bullets whistled past, embedding into ancient stone as Hiro and the girls sprinted across the open ground to the greenhouse. Ai''s breath came in ragged gasps, as they closed in on the small stone structure. "We''re almost there," Hiro promised, even as his own thoughts had him wondering how the shooter had missed them.

    They burst through the doors of the large stone building, the twinkle lights Ai had set up illuminated the interior. Without hesitation, they began shoving racks laden with plants, heavy benches, and any available tool against the entry, creating a makeshift barricade. The scent of moist earth and greenery was thick in the air, as they stepped away to review their work.

    "Masumi, think! Are there any other ways in?" Hiro demanded, unsure if there were any back doors or windows. She was shaking her head, her hazel eyes clouded with distress. "I... I don''t know, Hiro. I have only been to the greenhouse part, not the groundskeeper''s house."

    "Ok, we''ll just have to split up and check," Hiro tried to reason, knowing the importance of sealing every potential breach. It was then they heard it¡ªa voice, calm and assertive.

    "Don''t fret about the back entrance. It''s already taken care of."

    Whirling toward the sound, they found themselves facing Naomi Shimizu, her auburn hair reflecting the faint moonlight filtering through the small skylight.

    "Who are you? Are you the one who''s trying to kill us?" Masumi questioned, she shook as she spoke and backed away from the stranger.

    Hiro stepped forward, placing himself between his friends and Naomi. He scrutinized her with intense brown eyes, searching for the gun. "Don''t come any closer, I don''t want to hurt you. Clearly, we''ve done something to upset you, just let my friends go and we can talk about it," he said trying to negotiate.

    "Well I certainly think we can come to an understanding," Naomi replied, a wry smile tugging at her lips. "Naomi Shimizu, Japanese Special Agent." She gave a small bow as Hiro realized he was the target all along.

    "Did you kill Kazuki?" Hiro asked, pointing an accusing finger at Naomi. If she was startled by the confrontation, she didn''t show it.

    "Kill an unarmed civilian?" Naomi raised an eyebrow. "I have no reason for such actions."

    "You expect us to believe two different people are hunting us on the same night? What you just happened upon us during an evening stroll?" Hiro countered, his voice laced with sarcasm and distrust. "I''ve seen what our government is capable of, innocent lives don''t mean anything to them."

    "Ah, you are a smart one," she murmured. "But if I wanted you dead, you would be. But then again you aren''t the target of this particular mission."

    "Mission? what''s going on here, why is she talking like she knows who you are Hiro?" Ai interjected, her soft voice trembling but insistent.

    "Well your friend Hiro here is quite famous, at least as far as the government is concerned," Naomi stated, her tone like a teacher answering a student''s question.

    "Wait you said I wasn''t the target of this mission," Hiro said, arms folded, his stance unyielding. "If that''s true then who is?"

    "Finally you are asking the right questions," Naomi answered simply, locking eyes with Hiro. "Someone set you up and that person is the one we want."

    Naomi paced the length of a row of overgrown ferns, her boots crunching on the loose gravel. "This really was a nice setup," she said, turning to face Hiro and his friends, "But it was obvious and overplayed." Her green eyes flickered as she took in the teens'' reactions. "The Japanese government is just as afraid of losing control as any cornered animal. Those that have put us in the box become our priority."

    Hiro''s brow furrowed, as he tried to piece together what she was saying. "I don''t understand what you are trying to say. Why are you being so cryptic about it," he asked, incredulity etching his voice.

    "You may not understand but the target does," Naomi replied, the corners of her mouth lifting ever so slightly. "And to that person, I suggest you use a more secure form of communication when contacting the enemy."

    "The enemy?" Ai''s voice was a whisper lost amid the rustling leaves.

    "Canadians," Naomi stated flatly. "They had a mole on campus. They orchestrated this whole charade just to draw you out."

    "They knew where I was this whole time..." Hiro murmured, realization dawning like ice forming in his veins. His gaze shifted between Ai''s shocked expression and Masumi''s tear-filled eyes.

    "Exactly," Naomi confirmed, catching Hiro''s searching look. "Someone close to you has betrayed you, Hiro. One of these faces wants you dead."

    The accusation hung heavy in the humid air of the greenhouse, and Hiro felt unsure for the first time. He had trusted his friends without hesitation, could he really believe someone from the government, people who have tried to kill him on multiple occasions? But what if she was right, what if someone had planned the shooting from the beginning?

    "Don''t worry Hiro," a familiar voice interjected, "I''m here to ensure their plan fails."

    Nori stepped from the shadows, his red hair having grown out since the last time Hiro saw him. His presence hit Hiro like a bolt of lightning.

    "You''re alive?" Hiro''s voice cracked with disbelief. "They didn''t kill you,"

    "No, I made sure I was indispensable," Nori replied cryptically, his lips pressed into a thin line. "Seems like the only times we meet is when your life is in danger."

    "Well aren''t you two just adorable," Naomi quipped, but her eyes were steely. "Let''s keep our focus. We have been most likely surrounded by now."

    "So we fight our way out," Hiro suggested, his gaze lingering on Nori''s unreadable expression.

    "Normally I would agree with you," Nori said with a half-smirk, "But we have been told to ensure civilian safety above all else. So we need the mole to tell us their plan so we can make one of our own."

    "We''re dead, we are so dead," Masumi muttered, her hazel eyes darting to the barricaded door as if expecting it to burst open at any moment.

    "Enough," Naomi snapped, her tone slicing through the tension. "We have wasted too much time beating around the bush. So either tell us the plan or die, your choice."

    Hiro took a breath as the cold edge of a blade pressed against his throat, the sharpness promising pain with the slightest provocation. Masumi''s eyes, once brimming with tears, now glinted with something dark and unreadable.

    "Nobody move," she ordered, voice steady as she placed herself squarely behind Hiro.

    Ai''s brow furrowed in distress, "Masumi, what are you doing? Hiro''s our friend!"

    "Friend?" Masumi scoffed, her laugh bitter. "He''s been playing us from the start." With swift fingers, she plunged into Hiro''s pocket, retrieving his phone. Holding it up for Ai to see, she declared, "You have no idea who he really is. He is a monster and your stupid crush blinded you."

    Nori''s hand twitched, a clear itch to intervene, but Naomi''s firm hand on his shoulder stilled him. "Wait, Nori," she commanded. "Let this play out."

    "I take it Japan just sent the two of you," Masumi chuckled, holding her knife steady. "There''s an army and Mach pilots out there, waiting. Make a wrong move, and you''re dead before this guy can even blink."

    Hiro swallowed against the knife, feeling the sting. "Masumi? I don''t know what they told you but they are lying to you,"

    "Shut up! You have no idea what you did to me, you killed my uncle," she spat, pressing the blade tighter to his neck and drawing some blood. "You murdered Daiki, and I watched it happen on the news."

    Hiro''s heart sank, the consequences of his actions were made clear. "It... It wasn''t like that," Hiro stammered, desperate to make her understand. "His suit malfunctioned¡ªit was killing him! He was in agony, and the suit... it would''ve levelled Tokyo. I had no choice!"

    "Save your lies," Masumi snarled, tears carving tracks through the dirt on her face. "You think you can manipulate me? I know what you are."

 Vol 2, Chapter 11: Naomi

    The air in the greenhouse was thick with tension, Hiro tried his best not to make any sudden movements as Masumi held him at knifepoint. Ai remained frozen in place, her whole body shaking. Her own gaze flickered between the knife at his neck and her friend holding it, her mind unable to process the events unfolding around her.

    "Enough of this," Nori spat out, the frustration boiling in his green eyes as he removed the VR headset from his bag. "I''ll kill her without harming Hiro."

    "Put it down, Nori," Naomi ordered, her voice calm and commanding. She knocked his arm aside. Her sharp green eyes were fixed on the scene as if amused by Masumi''s attempt to take control of the situation.

    "Damn it, Naomi, we have our orders! Take out the mole." Nori''s jaw clenched as he put the headset away. He ran his fingers through his hair as he started to pace the floor, he wanted to kill Masumi more and more with each passing second. "If she"¡ªhe jabbed a finger towards Masumi¡ª" or the damn Canadians kill him, not even you will be able to stop me,"

    Naomi smirked as she listened to Nori''s angry rant. "This girl is just trying to act like she has some control in all of this. They used her grief to get what they wanted. What I want to know is who is really in charge and we need her alive to do that,"

    "Oh please," Hiro said, his voice surprisingly steady given his precarious situation. He swallowed carefully, feeling the cool blade shift against his skin. "Look at us, Nori. She''s just collecting more data on us. She has been doing it from the moment she walked in, learning to read us and predict our reactions."

    Naomi''s smile widened at Hiro''s observation. "Clever boy," she praised, though her eyes remained calculating and cold. "Knowledge is true power after all. Knowing your enemy ensures you can out with them in the field and secure your own survival."

    Nori''s hands bunched into fists, as Masumi looked back toward the barricaded door once more. "You two still have time to leave," she warned, "They will kill you if they have to."

    "We''re not going anywhere," Naomi mused aloud, a hint of amusement colouring her tone. "Do you think we didn''t come with our own weapons? I¡¯m rather looking forward to meeting these Canadian Machs. More data is always welcome."

    "Masumi you have no idea what you have put yourself in the middle of, you and Ai are the ones who need to get out of here," Hiro said, trying to reason with her, even as the edge of the knife threatened to cut his argument short.

    "I said stay back, Nori," Naomi instructed, catching his movement from the corner of her eye. "Company is coming and I would hate for them to walk in on a mess."

    "I''m getting tired of waiting" Nori muttered under his breath, his stare switching between Naomi and Masumi. "I can take of this and the Mach pilot." The thought of killing them both flashed through his mind, a dark whisper that promised to save Hiro. But he remembered the tracking device implanted in him, his hand reaching for the back of his neck on its own. Naomi''s gaze weighed heavily on him as decided to listen to her instructions for now.

    Ai''s hands trembled, barely able to contain the whirlpool of betrayal and confusion that spun within her. "Masumi, why did you bring Kazuki and me here if you knew... if you knew this was a trap?" Her voice cracked, pleading for an answer that would make sense of the situation.

    "Because it had to be a group idea," Masumi said, her grip on the knife unwavering as she kept it pressed against Hiro''s throat. "Hiro needed to believe it was something we all planned for him. The Canadians..." She paused, swallowing hard. "They promised no harm would come to anyone but Hiro."

    "No harm?" Ai''s brow furrowed. "But Kazuki¡ª"

    "Kazuki was an accident, Hiro wasn''t supposed to spot the wire," Masumi interrupted, her voice dropping to a whisper.

    "They shot him, Masumi" Ai said, her eyes welling with tears. "You used us! You were never our friend¡ªyou manipulated my feelings for Hiro... you led Kazuki into the line of fire!" Tears stung Ai''s eyes, but her gaze remained locked with Masumi''s. "If Hiro is a monster then you are no better."

    "Shut up!" Masumi shouted, a single tear escaping from the corner of her eye. "Hiro is the murderer, not me! He could never love someone like you!"

    Nori, who had been silent, now felt his annoyance turn into something else at the thought of Ai with Hiro. ''She''s a fool,'' he thought to himself. ''Hiro could never love someone so weak.'' He glanced at Ai, who broke down bawling after Masumi''s harsh words.

    "Stop crying and clear the barricade," Masumi commanded, as her phone began to vibrate in her pocket. "Do it now, or I''ll end him."

    With trembling hands, Ai moved to obey, shifting debris and clearing the path. Masumi turned towards Naomi and Nori. "This is your last chance to leave alive."

    Naomi almost looked like she was about to laugh at the suggestion. "Oh, I''m not going anywhere. Your little display of power is quite amusing, Masumi Nakamura." Her voice was laced with condescension, her confidence unshaken despite the standoff.

    The cool night air rushed in as Ai, with tear-stained cheeks and quivering lips, pushed aside the last of the tangled vines that blockaded the greenhouse entrance. Headlights from the outside world spilled over the dewy interior and illuminated the group. As soon as the opening was wide enough, a group of Canadian agents, led by the imposing figure of Hisoka, swept into the space.

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    "Unexpected company," Hisoka remarked, her eyes narrowing at the sight of Naomi and Nori. Her gaze lingered on Hiro, who stood, his back rigid, he was taking her in even with the knife pressed to his throat. Without hesitation, two of her agents seized Ai''s arms, securing them behind her with cold, metallic cuffs. The sound echoed through the greenhouse as they secured the thrashing girl.

    "Naomi Shimizu," Hisoka said, feigning surprise, "What brings you all the way out here?"

    "Stupidity isn''t a good look on you, Hisoka," Naomi replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You know exactly why we''re here."

    From the corner, Nori clenched his fists, his knuckles whitening. "So what exactly is our plan now?" he growled. His green eyes counted the agents inside the building, making note of each other their movements.

    Hisoka chuckled, overhearing Nori''s question. "Yes, what exactly was your plan here? Right now, I have all the cards and a very special guest."

    As if on cue, one of the agents slipped outside, only to return moments later with Kazuki in tow. Bandages wrapped around his torso, and handcuffs restrained his wrists, as they dragged him toward the center of the room. A collective gasp rose from the group¡ªnone louder than Hiro''s, who couldn''t help but feel relieved that Kazuki survived the shot.

    "Kazuki, you''re alive?" Hiro murmured, disbelief painted over his features.

    "Well, of course, he is," Hisoka purred. "We ensured the shot wasn''t fatal. It was quite shocking to see you leave your so-called friend to save yourselves." She tossed an accusing glance at the stunned faces of Hiro and Ai.

    "How nice of you to spare the boy," Naomi interjected coolly. "But are you actually planning on letting any of them go? Please remember these are Japanese citizens and you are on Japanese soil."

    "I wouldn''t dream of causing an international incident," Hisoka stated, a wolfish grin spreading across her face. "I have Hiro and once we are a suitable distance from here, you will get a call informing you where you can pick up your citizens. Nobody dies and you get to tell your Prime Minister that the rogue is taken care of."

    Hiro, still under the threat of Masumi''s blade, caught Nori''s eye. He could tell this whole situation was getting to Nori, his hands were twitching closer to his bag. Hisoka''s hold on the situation might seem ironclad, but something like that never stopped Nori before, Hiro just worried Nori''s rash decision-making would get someone killed.

    "Unfortunately that won''t work," Naomi began, genuinely surprising Hisoka, "I need Hiro alive, I have some questions and I believe he is the only one who can answer them. we''ll have to find another way to settle this¡ªan intellectual challenge, perhaps?"

    "You can''t be serious," Hisoka mused, shaking her head in disbelief. "You won''t make it out of here unless you take my deal."

    "You may not recognize my friend here out of the armour," Naomi explained, "This is Mach 2, you might remember him from the destruction of your embassy. Now he is doing everything he can to hold himself back but taking Hiro will result in him losing it. Fighting at close range has never been your strong suit. So you really hold no cards here, we share an equal risk of dying here today."

    "So how do you suggest we settle this," Hisoka observed, now eyeing Nori as if he could strike at any moment. "Even with Mach two, you are outnumbered. I like my chances," Hisoka gave her troops a nod and they began to move toward the door.

    Naomi''s voice stopped them in their tracks, cool and unyielding. "Leaving? Hardly an option." She tucked a strand of auburn hair behind her ear and regarded Hisoka with a steady gaze. "Three reasons: First, if you step one foot out that door, I will allow Nori to do whatever he wants to your men. Second, the entire Japanese government is fully aware of all this. And third," she motioned subtly to Hiro, whose clenched fists spoke volumes, "He is far too valuable to let go of."

    Hisoka''s eyes narrowed as she processed Naomi''s words, the undercurrent of risk suddenly palpable. The greenhouse had suddenly become a prison, where only one group could escape.

    "Both governments want Hiro gone," Hisoka finally conceded, her tone laced with a strategist''s respect. "So we need to settle this in a way that results in the fewest number of casualties."

    "Agreed," Naomi nodded along. "I do have a suggestion for how we get out of this; a simple game of deduction. the prize being Hiro. Though I concede Hiro is... inconvenient for us both."

    "And what exactly does this game of yours entail?," Hisoka asked, the slightest quiver betraying her confidence. "How can we be sure that the other side will play fair."

    "It is a simple intellectual gamble," Naomi suggested, the hint of a smirk playing on her lips. "A test of mettle. We both hide a coin, ask questions, and then guess where it lies. The winner takes Hiro, loser gets a souvenir¡ªa bullet-torn swatch of his clothes¡ªto wave as a false flag of triumph."

    "So either way Hiro is taken care of, no one dies and we can both claim responsibility for it," Hisoka mused, a reluctant grin tugging at the corner of her mouth. "I accept your challenge."

    "Excellent," Naomi replied, her sharp green eyes glinting. "Let''s see if I can find us a couple of coins."

    As Naomi started to search her pockets, Nori rushed up next to her, the tension in his shoulders visible through his fitted black jacket. "You can''t just go and bet Hiro on some stupid game," he spat, trying to control his own rage. "We can''t trust her. She''s just playing with us until she decides to kill us,"

    "Relax," Naomi replied with an air of nonchalance, brushing his hand from her sleeve. Her gaze never left Hisoka. "I''m on your side lover boy, remember?"

    "I don''t love him," Nori snapped back, his green eyes flaring. "I just... Hiro deserves to live. Out of everybody here, he is the one that deserves to walk out of this."

    "Of course, he does," Naomi agreed softly, her green eyes meeting Nori''s in a rare moment of sincerity before she finally freed some coins from her pocket. She turned to Hisoka with a smile, displaying the coins, "Well? Who should go first?"

    Hisoka exhaled slowly, as she eyed the coins as if they were bombs about to go off. With a nod that seemed to concede more than mere agreement, she said, "Fine. But we go at the same time. And any interference of any kind is a forfeit." Her purple hair shimmered as she stepped forward, her gray eyes locked on Naomi. "One on one, you and me."

    "Agreed," Naomi responded crisply. "A simple test of wits and observation. We each hide a coin, exchange five questions, and then make our guesses. Winner takes all."

    "Done," Hisoka affirmed, but as she glided past one of her agents, her voice dropped to a whisper meant for his ears alone, "Be ready to take the shot when I give you my signal."

    Naomi caught the motion, her sharp senses missing nothing within the glass confines. "Having a pleasant conversation over there," she called out, loud enough for all to hear, "You shouldn''t be wasting your time, we have coins to hide."

    The two women stood facing each other, both scheming against the other, Hisoka gave a small wave before heading out to hide her coin, and Naomi gave Nori a knowing look¡ªa keep your eyes on Hiro look¡ªbefore backing into the greenhouse to do the same.

 Vol 2, Chapter 12: A Game

    Naomi extended her palm, offering the glinting coin to Hisoka with a steady hand. "Hide it well," she said with a smile.

    Hisoka eyed her skeptically, as she flipped the coin over in her hand, like it was somehow a trap. "And why shouldn''t I worry about you cheating?"

    "Because," Naomi replied smoothly, tucking a strand of auburn hair behind her ear, "that would get me killed, and I have no intention of losing my life tonight¡ªespecially not due to a technicality."

    They turned on their heels, moving in opposite directions, Hisoka headed out into the night while Naomi ventured into the greenhouse. The room was silent as both women disappeared, neither side sure what to do without their commander. Hiro watched Nori, hoping he wouldn''t do something stupid before Naomi returned.

    When the woman reconvened in the stone room, Hiro watched both women carefully, he planned to use the game as a distraction to free himself from Masumi''s grasp, he just needed to wait for the right moment. Nori stood statue-still but with his hand in his bag, Hiro had no doubts about what he was holding in that bag. The Canadian agents formed an impenetrable wall, their presence a silent threat.

    "Alright," Hisoka began, her composure as cold as the steel in her hands, "who''s first?"

    "You can go first, you''ll need the advantage," Naomi conceded with a nod, crossing her arms over her chest.

    "Did you hide the coin in a pot?" Hisoka''s question was direct, expecting an equally straightforward answer.

    Naomi smirked as if she expected the question. "No," she said simply.

    "Your turn then," Hisoka braced herself, but nothing could have prepared her for Naomi''s curveball.

    "What was your childhood like, Hisoka?"

    The abrupt shift caught Hisoka off-guard, her carefully composed demeanour faltering for a brief moment. "Why is that important?" she retorted, glaring at Naomi.

    "It tells me about you, which will lead me to where you hid the coin," Naomi countered, her tone light but firm. "The rules of our game are clear, you must answer."

    "Fine," Hisoka spat out, straightening her blazer. "It was fine. My father was away a lot."

    "Ah," Naomi nodded thoughtfully. "Follow-up: why choose the same career path as your absent father?"

    "Wait," Hisoka interjected, clearly unamused by Naomi''s line of questioning, "I didn''t ask you my second question."

    "Actually, you did." Naomi''s smile was almost playful. "When you questioned the importance of my first question."

    Hisoka''s foot began to tap on the stone flooring, but she relented to Naomi''s logic. "I wanted to understand him," she admitted, though it tasted like defeat. "Understand how someone could take a like one moment and go fishing with his family the next."

    "Interesting," Naomi said aloud before leaning forward, she seemed to be trying to read Hisoka''s body language.

    "Where did you hide your coin?" Hisoka rolled her eyes, she was getting tired of this game already.

    "Greenhouse," Naomi answered without missing a beat. "If you wanted the exact location then you should have phrased your question better."

    Hisoka''s posture stiffened and her face shifted to a bright red colour, as she eyed Naomi. It was clear now; Naomi wasn''t just playing to win¡ªshe was playing to dominate.

    Naomi took a few steps back before she started to pace. Her arms folded across her chest, she looked like a shark circling its prey. "Your last relationship," she began, her eyes locked on Hisoka, "how did it end?"

    Hisoka''s jaw clenched visibly, and her eyes narrowed into slits of controlled fury. "Are you trying to humiliate me?" she seethed, the air around them crackling with tension.

    "All I am trying to do is figure out where you hid your coin," Naomi retorted, her calmness was almost off-putting. "You''ve answered questions and I analyze your answers to come to my conclusion. That''s how the game works."

    "None of your questions have been relevant. You are simply trying to through me off because it is your only chance at winning," Hisoka spat out, her anger was radiating off of her. "If you must know, he was distracted, unfocused... I ended it before he could."

    "Before he left you," Naomi corrected smoothly. "Well, I think that will do," She stopped pacing and took a deliberate step closer to Hisoka. "I know where your coin is."

    "I doubt that," Hisoka scoffed, her composure teetering on the edge. "You haven''t asked a single question relevant to the situation."

    "Not relevant?" Naomi laughed and shook her head, moving even closer to Hisoka. "Well then Hisoka, let''s test your theory. Your coin is in your left pant pocket." She watched Hisoka carefully as the other woman glanced down at her pocket, confirming Naomi''s guess. Naomi took a step back, wearing a confident smile.

    "How did you..." Hisoka Stuttered as she reached into her pocket and revealed the coin. "How could you possibly¡ª"

    "It was easy to tell once I looked over the evidence," Naomi interrupted, returning to her pacing, "you''re a woman who trusts no one but herself. You keep things close, control them, just like you pre-emptively ended your last relationship so you could be the one in control of the fallout."

    "A lucky guess," Hisoka snapped, but her hand with the coin twitched in anger.

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    "I don''t believe in luck," Naomi corrected. "It was deductive reasoning. You''re a sniper, Hisoka. After a hit, you pocket the casings¡ªleave no trace and all that. And given you''re left-handed, it''s second nature to use that pocket."

    Hisoka''s face twisted in rage as she realized Naomi had played her perfectly, reading her actions as easily as one might read a children''s book. Hisoka was at a loss for words as silence filled the room, she could feel the eyes of her agents on her and feel them questioning her as they shifted on their feet.

    "I believe this means I get Hiro," Naomi said quietly, standing right next to the frozen Hisoka. "But you can keep that coin."

    Hisoka remained silent, her cold gray eyes now filled with rage. Finally, she found her voice as Naomi approached Masumi and Hiro. "Kill them," she commanded, her shaky and quiet. "Kill them all" she finally screamed.

    But before her agents could even flinch, Nori''s fingers had already tapped the power button on the VR headset, the nanobots whirling to life. The greenhouse was bathed in an eerie crimson light as his body was coated in its armour in a matter of seconds. His blaster came to life, spitting out energy towards Hisoka. She twisted away, the blast singing the air where she had stood moments before.

    "Masumi, kill Hiro now!" Hisoka''s shouted but it was too late.

    The girl holding the knife to Hiro, once so sure of the plan, now wore an expression of pure shock. Frozen in place, she watched a blast from Nori barreling toward her, unable to step out of the way. The glowing ball of energy struck her shoulder, and Masumi crumpled noiselessly, as the pain crawled its way through every nerve in her body.

    "Damn," Naomi muttered under her breath, as she charged toward the Canadian agents with her sidearm. "I was hoping this would have ended a little neater than this."

    As the Canadian agents opened fire on Nori, be batted them aside with ease, he reached out and grabbed Hiro''s extended hand. He pulled Hiro behind him, shielding him from the bullets whizzing by them, before aiming his blaster at the sky. A shoot from him tore through the glass ceiling¡ªshards rained down like crystal raindrops¡ªand they were gone, Nori took off through the skylight with Hiro on his back.

    "Come on, Ai." Naomi''s voice cut through the pandemonium as she reached the dazed girl.

    "He took Hiro! He just took him and flew away," Ai''s voice trembled as she stared at the shattered glass.

    "No one will keep Hiro safer than Nori," Naomi assured her, guiding her deeper into the thicket of greenery. "Now while they are all distracted, we need to get out of here." She motioned to a small door at the back, while Canadian agents continued to fire into the night sky.

    Naomi guided Ai past rows of exotic plants, and through the small door. Outside a garden shed tucked into the tree line as just visible in the moonlight, the pair carefully made their way over to it. Naomi noticed a single agent standing guard at the door, she made her way over and applied a swift, lethal twist to his neck with clinical precision.

    "You just killed him... this is madness," Ai whispered as they ducked into the shed, Naomi dragging the body in with them.

    "I did what was required," Naomi explained dryly while scanning out the windows for another escape route. "This isn''t a game and these people are more than happy to kill both of us. In this situation you are given two choices, do whatever it takes to survive or die. We have to adapt, survive, and most importantly, outwit."

    Ai''s eyes began to well up with tears, that she tried to brush aside. "But what if there''s no way out?"

    "Then we make one," Naomi said as if it were a simple fact. "There''s always a solution, Ai. Always. And I''m about to find it."

    Hisoka''s heels clicked sharply on the concrete as she paced back and forth, her gray eyes burning with barely contained fury. She sized up the men and women before her, a look of disgust on her face.

    "Useless!" she spat at the cluster of agents huddled before her, their faces etched with anxiety. "How could we lose the two people without Machs?"

    "Ma''am, you said our priority was Hiro..." one agent began, only to be silenced by Hisoka''s ice-cold glare.

    "Listen, and listen well," Hisoka commanded, her voice low and dangerous. "We have this entire park sealed off. Radio in and start shrinking this permit, cutting off any chance they have at escape. They''re on foot; without a Mach, they won''t be able to slip past us."

    "Understood, ma''am," an agent replied, tapping commands into his wrist-mounted tablet.

    "And as far as Mach two is concerned, do not engage," Hisoka continued, her gaze falling back onto the night sky. "Just track him. He won''t leave his partner behind, so he can''t go far."

    "Tracking protocol initiated," another affirmed, eyes glued to the screen as he coordinated with the others.

    Hisoka withdrew her comm-link with a swift motion, dialling a number that connected almost instantaneously. "Osamu," she said curtly, "I have a situation."

    "Hisoka? I thought your plan was foolproof?" Osamu''s deep voice crackled over the line.

    "The Japanese government decided to crash our party. I need you ready to take down Mach 2 and Hiro if they try to leave the area. We can''t allow them to get past us."

    "Copy that. I''m prepped and on standby," Osamu assured her with a small salute. "Haven''t seen the Mach yet, so they must be on the ground right now."

    "Good." A small, satisfied smile played on Hisoka''s lips. "Stay alert, and wait for my signal."

    "Will do." and with that the link went dead.

    "Update on Masumi," she barked, turning to an agent who had been attending to the fallen operatives.

    "Critical condition, ma''am. We need to evacuate her to a medical facility now," the agent reported a note of urgency in his voice.

    "Then get moving," she ordered, dismissing him with a wave of her hand. "And keep me updated."

    "Right away, ma''am."

    Hisoka looked around at the mess she had created, her mind already racing with contingencies and strategies. This mission was salvageable, and she would be the one to turn it all around and come out on top.

    Hisoka''s heels clicked methodically against the cold concrete as she approached Kazuki, her gray eyes scanning him with an unsettling blend of sympathy and calculation. "Kazuki, right?" she began, she did her best to look sympathetic to the scared boy. "How are you holding up?"

    Kazuki''s blonde hair was dishevelled, and his posture slumped against the wall where he sat. His brown eyes, wide and reflecting a mix of fear and confusion, met hers. "I-I just want to go back to school," he stammered. "I won''t breathe a word of this, I swear."

    "Your silence is appreciated," Hisoka replied smoothly, tilting her head to the side as if considering his promise. "But there''s something else I need from you, Kazuki. Something only you can do for us."

    "Me?" Kazuki''s voice cracked, betraying his fear of the woman before him. "What could I possibly¡ª"

    "Help us," Hisoka cut in, placing a hand on his shoulder as if trying to reassure him. "And in return, your path back to your ordinary life will be clear. You have my word."

    "Your word..." Kazuki echoed, though he wasn''t certain he could trust the woman whose men shot him just hours ago. He eyed her warily, knowing full well he didn''t really have a choice¡ªhe could say no but he was certain that would mean death.

    "Listen closely now," she continued. "If you succeed, we''ll get you to the hospital right away, you''ll be a free man with a clean slate. But fail, and well..." She trailed off, allowing him to read what was clearly between the lines.

    "I understand, I''ll do anything you want me to do," he said, trying his best to hold himself together and wondering how a simple party turned into this. Hisoka''s smile widened ever so slightly, pleased by Kazuki''s willingness to fall in line, even if it was out of desperation.

    "Smart boy," she praised, stepping closer. "Now, let me tell you what needs to be done." Her words came out crisp and clear, like the final click of a lock falling into place as she explained his role in her plan.

    Kazuki swallowed hard, nodding. He was terrified and just wanted to go home and forget this night ever happened.

 Vol 2, Chapter 13: Hostage

    The shrill ring of the phone sliced through the silence as members of the UN secret task force continued to gather data on the Machs. Tessa, hearing the ring from their emergency line, snatched up the shaking phone from its slot in the wall. The voice on the other end ¨C a man speaking perfect English in a hushed whisper, "I can confirm the presence of a Mach pilot and Hiro at Kintakomi park in Toyone. I was a planned set up but the Canadians."

    "And what is the status of their mission, did they succeed in the capture or destruction of any of the Machs?" Tessa asked, straightening her seat.

    "Things have gone sideways," the informant hissed, and she could feel him looking around to make sure no one was listening in. "The Mach is on the loose and there is concern the operations leader may resort to killing captives to draw it out."

    "Understood," Tessa replied, her tone level but her mind racing. She hung up and pivoted on her heel, she made her way to Nia''s office as fast as she could.

    Nia was poring over screens filled with data when Tessa approached, she cleared her throat to get Nia''s attention. "We''ve got a lead on the Machs," Tessa announced cutting right to the chase. "Toyone. This may be our chance to clearly implicate Canada in all of this."

    Nia''s brow furrowed, her lips pursed as she weighed out the pros and cons. "You think we''re ready for that? We don''t exactly have a way to get out of there if we get caught."

    "What don''t we ask the boy genius? I am sure Hector could think of a way we can gather intel without putting agents in the range of fire." Tessa''s suggestion made sense and Hector had been talking about stealth drones.

    Hector strode into the room moments later, his sandy hair dishevelled from hours of strategizing. "What''s the situation?" he asked, bright blue eyes scanning their faces for clues.

    "We need to decide whether to go to Toyone where a confirmed Mach has been sited along with Hiro or sit this one out," Tessa said, jerking her thumb toward where Cheng stood across the room, arms crossed, a grimace sculpting his features. "I''m in the minority here,"

    "Without knowing the full extent of those cybernetic suits, we can''t say they won''t be able to spot us if we attempt to record the situation," Cheng called out, he seemed defeated already.

    "Listen," Tessa countered, stepping closer to him, "the Canadians and Japanese are tearing each other apart trying to snag Hiro. We can use that. While they''re distracted, we can gather data on Machs."

    "Or we could just get killed," Cheng shot back. "I say we hang back. We have our informant there. We can get a full debrief from him tomorrow when it is all over."

    Nia nodded in agreement with Cheng, her gaze steady. "He''s right. This one is too dangerous. We need more intel on the pilots, their moves, their weaknesses."

    Tessa rubbed her temples, her frustration as clear as day. "How do you suppose we gather this intel if we can''t even see what is happening on the ground?" she asked through gritted teeth. "We''ll play the waiting game. But if we wait too long then they will crush us, you know as well as I do that eventually a mistake will be made and we will be outed."

    "I''m with Tessa," Hector chimed in, after watching them argue. "A debrief only tells us what the informant knows and can be biased based on their own experiences at the time. Video footage doesn''t lie and isn''t afraid, to tell the truth, besides with an active Mach who is to say the informant makes to morning?"

    "What if we just send one drone?" Tessa asked, turning back to the screens, "Just so we can add some more footage of the Machs in action, to better understand their fighting techniques."

    "Just one," Nia relented, she couldn''t argue that more footage wouldn''t benefit them.

    ---

    The wind whipped over Nori''s Mach suit as it hurtled away from the greenhouse battleground. Hiro, clutched in Nori''s iron grip, had a distant look in his eyes as he watched the ground vanish from view. He wondered if Ai would be ok and if Naomi had planned all of this from the very start.

    "Nori stop,!" Hiro finally broke through the roar of the engines, signalling for Nori to land. "We''ve got to go back!"

    Nori sat down with a thud, the earth cracking beneath the weight of his Mach. He released Hiro, who stumbled but quickly regained balance. "Back there is suicide, Hiro! We''ve got a shot at getting out alive. Let''s not waste it on...on collateral damage."

    "Collateral damage?" Hiro''s voice rose, tinged with disbelief. "Naomi, Kazuki, Ai¡ªthey''re people, Nori. Not NPC is a video game. We have to save them, it''s my fault Ai and Kazuki are in this mess to begin with."

    "Here we go again, Mr. Righteous!" Nori threw his hands up, exasperated. "You think you are what? Some kind of hero? All you ever do is put yourself in the line of fire for people who would leave you for dead in a heartbeat. You should be more worried about yourself."

    Hiro flinched as if struck, the words felt like being cut with a sword. He took a minute before he spoke again. "I don''t care what other people would do," he shot back, his eyes locked on Nori. "It''s about doing what I can when I can. And right now, I can make a difference."

    "Hiro, they have your Mach. You aren''t safe down there," Nori sighed, as he looked deep into Hiro''s eyes. He could tell arguing with Hiro would be like trying to bend steel with bare hands, futile and painful. "Fine. But if you get yourself killed, I will never forgive you."

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    "Nori, I... Thank you," Hiro said with a small smile, he reached out and touched Nori on the shoulder. Nori looked up at him and with a nod reactivated his Mach suit.

    "Let''s go save these morons then," Nori muttered, already dreading the lecture he''d get from Mao for going back in after he was out. But deep down, a part of him knew he could never let Hiro down, Hiro was the one person who ever saw any value in Him.

    "They''re my friends," Hiro corrected, as he climbed back onto Nori''s back. "I know we can do this if we work together."

    "Sure, the power of friendship and all of that," Nori rolled his eyes, his Mach''s engines roaring back to life. "I''ll distract Hisoka, you find your Mach." And with that, they took flight, not toward the decaying greenhouse. As they got closer Hiro prayed they weren''t too late to save everyone.

    ---

    Leaves crackled softly underfoot as Naomi led Ai through the dense woods, they paused every so often to make sure they weren''t being followed and to look for any signs of traps. "Did Hiro really kill Masumi''s uncle?" Ai whispered as they ducked behind some trees, her soft features twisted in thought.

    "Yes," Naomi replied without missing a beat, her green eyes scanning the foliage for tripwires or sensors. "But in fairness, he had no other choice. Daiki''s Mach suit malfunctioned, becoming like a nuclear bomb. If Hiro hadn''t killed him the entire city of Tokyo would be gone."

    "Wasn''t there another way?" Ai insisted, clutching at the fabric of her jacket, "I mean, did he really have to kill him."

    "Life doesn''t always offer you a clean solution to your problems," Naomi said, her tone carrying the weight of hard truths. "He saved millions but he had to take a life to do it. In war, we operate in shades of grey. That day Hiro..." She trailed off, her gaze momentarily distant. "Hiro had to make a choice and in my opinion, he chose right. His choice is why I am so interested in him. He could have ended it their wiping out both sides but he saved us all."

    They came to the edge of a clearing, the grass swayed in the breeze. Ai continued walking, but Naomi''s hand shot out, holding her back. "We can''t cross here. We''d be sitting ducks."

    "Then what do we do?" Ai''s eyes searched Naomi''s face, clearly afraid for her life.

    "Can you climb a tree?" Naomi asked, eyeing the towering oaks that bordered the clearing.

    Ai blinked, confusion etching her features. "Why?"

    "Because that''s the last thing they''ll expect." Naomi explained as she handed Ai a compact package labelled ''thermal blanket''. "Once we''re up there, we wrap ourselves in these to avoid detection."

    Understanding dawned on Ai, and with a determined nod, she followed Naomi''s lead, scaling the rough bark. They climbed higher until the forest floor vanished into the darkness of the night.

    Wrapped in the metallic blankets that muted their heat signatures, Naomi turned to Ai. The latter''s breath came in quiet puffs, her eyes reflecting the stars above. "Now, we wait, we watch, and we plan."

    "We are going to survive this right?," Ai whispered, trying to reassure herself.

    "Without question," Naomi agreed, her voice low but firm. "Because when the time comes, we act."

    ---

    Nori''s Mach sliced through the night sky with an electric hum, its stealth mode shielding them from view. As he approached the greenhouse, Nori settled down in the woods a few feet away.

    "Warning: multiple hostiles detected in proximity to Mach 1," the AI''s voice calmly informed Nori. "Probability of collateral damage is high."

    "Give me options," Nori hissed, following Hiro''s gaze which was fixed on the figure bound to the post, the blonde hair unmistakably Kazuki''s.

    "Strategic elimination of threats recommended," the AI proposed.

    "Hiro''s not going to like that one very much," Nori muttered, but they needed to clear a path to Hiro''s Mach, so Nori charged forward. His Mach''s thrusters ignited as he burst from the tree line, guns blazing. The agents raced to find cover in the dark.

    "Thanks, Nori," Hiro mumbled, racing right to his tied-up friend. He looked over his shoulder trying to see if anyone had spotted him, fingers working frantically at the ropes binding Kazuki. That''s when the ominous whine of a charging blaster filled the air.

    "Freeze, Hiro," Hisoka commanded as she pressed her blaster to the back of his head, her white armour glistening in the moonlight.

    Hiro turned to face her. He took in her Mach armour, not impressed by the view. Kazuki''s dark eyes were wide with fear, as he watched the woman charge her weapon.

    "Put it down, Hisoka. You won''t shoot me," Hiro''s voice was steady, but inside, his heart raced.

    "That''s true," she admitted, her finger itching on the trigger. "But I''ll splatter him across this pretty little garden before you can blink." she turned the gun on Kazuki.

    "Tell your friend to stand down or Kazuki will die right here." Hiro''s brown eyes flickered from Hisoka to Kazuki, and at that moment, he made his choice. He turned toward Nori and in that moment felt something hit him hard from behind.

    "Good boy," Hisoka cooed mockingly. "Now cuff him so he can''t cause any more trouble."

    Kazuki scrambled towards Hiro, forcing his hands behind his back. He stuffed the cuffs onto Hiro with trembling hands and stepped away from him.

    "Why Kazuki?" Hiro choked as his world continued to spin.

    "Because he knows what it takes to get out of this alive," Hisoka laughed, echoing off the glass. She levelled her blaster at Hiro''s exposed chest. "Now Nori will do whatever I say."

    Trees exploded into splinters and leaves as Nori''s Mach burst through the foliage. The impact sent Hisoka staggering, her finger slipping from the trigger and sending the shot soaring inches from Hiro''s face.

    "Damn it, Nori!" she cursed, regaining her balance.

    Kazuki, seizing the momentary chaos, bolted towards the treeline, his thin frame disappearing into the trees. But his freedom was short-lived; Canadian agents emerged from the shadows, their weapons trained on him. Kazuki, with an exasperated sigh, raised his hands in surrender, his dark eyes tracing the ground.

    "Really thought you could get away, huh?" an agent taunted.

    Between Hiro and Hisoka now stood Nori, his green eyes ablaze with reckless determination. "You have an incredible Mach," he admitted, taking in Hisoka''s suit. "I can''t wait to destroy it."

    Hisoka was unimpressed by the young man''s threat. "Please, you don''t stand a chance," she scoffed. "Don''t make me laugh."

    "Care to test your theory, Naomi had her fun with you," Nori said with a smirk hidden behind his visor. "Now it is my turn."

    "Shut up you stupid boy!" Hisoka hissed through her com. "You don''t have the full situation, you see I have Hiro''s Mach," She held up the old cell phone like a trophy. "If you destroy me, you destroy it."

    Nori laughed in a way that made everyone uncomfortable. "Destroying that thing would solve a lot of my problems" He leaned forward, the servos in his suit whining with tension. "You''d be doing me a favour. Means I wouldn''t have to babysit Hiro every time he decides to save someone."

    Hisoka''s confidence wavered, her armour suddenly feeling less like a fortress and more like a trap. Nori''s Mach, designed for brutal close combat, loomed over her, she remembered its scyth from the embassy footage. She knew it would slice through her defences like paper.

    "Fine." Hisoka''s words were clipped and edged with frustration. "Looks like I will have to kill you first. You''re not nearly the challenge you think you are."

    "Finally" Nori''s voice was a growl. "Let''s cut the crap and get to the fighting."

 Vol 2, Chapter 14: Treason

    Hisoka maneuvered her way through the forest, dodging trees as she tried to knock Nori off her tail. Behind her, Nori tried to keep the pace, choosing to blast through the trees instead of avoiding them. This wasn''t the fight Nori had been hoping for, and with a sudden burst of speed, Hisoka''s white Mach vanished from his view.

    "Come out, come out, wherever you are," Nori taunted, his voice crackling through the comms, green eyes scanning the trees as he took a defensive stance.

    Hisoka smirked, and remained silent, she took on a large branch that gave her a good sight line. "Patience, Nori. All good things to those who wait," she whispered to herself, her soul sniper assembling itself before her. Her gray eyes locked on to her target, and she slowed her breathing as she focused on the prize.

    Nori paused, it was too quiet for his liking and he began to move back toward the greenhouse. But Hisoka silently moved through the treetops, positioning herself between Nori and the greenhouse. She flew into the night sky, her movements as precise as she tried to find a clear shot.

    "I thought we were going to fight, Hisoka? Face me!" Nori bellowed, frustration filling his voice as he scanned the woods.

    "I just need you to come to a clearing," Hisoka whispered, the soul sniper scope claiming the target can''t be locked onto. A single shot whistled through the cool night air, a near-miss that sent Nori veering off course from the greenhouse. He dipped behind a nearby tree, giving Hisoka time to change her position so he couldn''t track the trajectory of her bullet.

    She knew the stakes; success meant killing Nori. She got comfortable in a nearby tree, she took aim at the night sky believing Nori would follow where the initial shot came from. But the red Mach never emerged from the treetops, Hisoka realized he was going back for Hiro. So plan B was a necessity, not an option.

    "AI, call Osamu," she commanded, her voice steady as she carefully made her way back.

    "Connecting," the AI responded with mechanical calmness.

    "Osamu here," came the reply, deep and certain, from the car at the operation''s perimeter.

    "Get ready for a fight. Mach 2 isn''t behaving as planned, he is prioritizing Hiro," Hisoka briefed him, her gaze never leaving the void where Nori had disappeared.

    "Really, his desire to destroy a target should outway anything he feels for another person, all video evidence shows he shifts into a blind rage while fighting," Osamu pondered, the sound of leather creaking as he likely shifted while he removed the smartwatch from the glove compartment. "I''ll suit up and join you."

    "Good, something isn''t right here," Hisoka said, ending the call. She returned her focus to her sniper scope, feeling the comforting weight of the weapon in her grasp. Their data was faulty, something had changed between the battle at the embassy and now.

    "What changed?" she muttered, as she left from tree to tree. She knew she would have to adapt quickly to make up for this hole in data¡ªno matter the change Mach 2 would be destroyed by the end of the night. She adjusted her aim, senses heightened, knowing full well the hunt was far from over.

    ---

    Back at the greenhouse, Hiro was tossed to the ground next to Kazuki while agents packed up the vans. "Kazuki, are you ok?" Hiro asked, the cold barrel of a gun pressed against his temple by an agent assigned to watch them.

    "What do you care.... this is all your fault" Kazuki accused, giving Hiro a look of pure hatred.

    "I didn''t mean to bring any of you into this, all I wanted to do was be normal," Hiro muttered, he knew Kazuki was right and this was all his fault for getting too comfortable. Hiro knew he had to get them all out of this alive, the question was how could he do it without getting himself shot?

    "Kazuki look out!" Hiro screamed, his brown eyes flicking skyward just as a streak of light from a soul sniper shot painted a brief, brilliant arc above heading directly toward them. Both the boys and the Canadian agent leapt out of the way just in time to avoid the deadly strike. "Who is shooting at us?" Hiro gasped, struggling to sit upright with the cuffs on.

    Hidden among the treetops, Hisoka could feel victory within her grasp. If she was right, Nori had witnessed her little stunt. sure enough, Nori charged toward where she had fired from, blaster blazing.

    "Got you," she whispered with a sly grin, finger tightening on the trigger. The shot rang out, slicing through the air and finding its home in Nori''s shoulder.

    A metallic grunt echoed as his AI chimed in, "Left arm breached, function compromised."

    "Damn it!" Nori cursed, feeling the strength leave his limb, the blaster powering down. His rage threatened to consume him for the stupid mistake, he wanted nothing more than to watch Hisoka and her Mach explode in front of him.

    "Focus," he breathed, trying to regain control, he couldn''t let them take Hiro. Hisoka, ever the strategist, took advantage of his self-reflection, firing again. This time, the shot made its mark perfectly¡ªa thruster on his Mach''s back exploded in a shower of sparks, sending him plummeting to the ground and causing trees to uproot from the earth.

    "Looks like I didn''t need Osamu after all," Hisoka smiled coolly as she descended gracefully before the fallen Nori, her soul sniper aimed at his head. "It''s time to finish this, don''t you think?"

    "Go¡­ to hell," Nori spat, as he lifted himself up to face her, his green eyes blazing.

    "Charming to the end," Hisoka replied with a smirk, her finger tight against the trigger.

    The first light of dawn began to spread across the grounds, as Nori awaited his death at the hands of Hisoka. Hisoka, in her white armour, dragged Nori to Hiro, and Kazuki, all three restrained and at her mercy.

    "Naomi!" She called out into the stillness, amplifying her voice with the helmet''s speakers. "You have five minutes to show yourself or I''ll start with the boy" ¨C she tilted her gun towards Hiro ¨C "and work my way down."

    From the safety of their tree-top hiding places, Ai listened with wide, fearful eyes. "We can''t just let her kill them," she whispered urgently to Naomi, who remained stoic beside her.

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    "Hisoka isn''t looking for prisoners, Ai," Naomi replied, her voice low but firm. "Surrendering wouldn''t change the outcome here. It would just get us killed."

    "But Hiro..." Ai''s voice trembled as she tried to find an argument for going down the save him.

    "Is strong. But remember, my mission is to ensure your survival. there is no point in adding to the death toll," Naomi countered, the direction of Hisoka''s announcement.

    As the silence stretched, Hisoka''s fingers danced impatiently on the trigger of her weapon. The sun crept higher and Hisoka worried that potential witnesses could stumble across them. It was time to act.

    "Sorry, boys," she said, almost casually, and she pressed her gun to Hiro''s head. "But loose ends tie themselves up one way or another."

    Before Hisoka could follow through, a new figure emerged from the treeline. Osamu, in his green Mach armour, stepped forward with a purposeful stride. His dark eyes under the visor met hers squarely.

    "Looks like you took care of things here," he acknowledged, looking over at their hostages. "Should I prep them for transfer,"

    "No need," she said simply, nodding towards their captives. " We have Mach 1, we don''t need the pilot or these other two."

    "Wait." Osamu held up a hand before she could fire off her first shot. "We need Hiro alive. His parents created the Machs, he could have answers about the abnormalities that have been occurring."

    "I doubt this boy has anything to offer you about that, he was an infant when they were designed," Hisoka snapped back. "That rogue Mach has caused enough damage. It ends here."

    Osamu shook his head, frustration etched into every line of his body. "You don''t see the bigger picture. At the embassy, his Mach created a weapon, a sword at a power level it shouldn''t have been able to create. It''s not coincidental¡ªhe was the first to do it. We need to know how he did it."

    "You said it yourself, the suits are getting stronger," Hisoka retorted, her hand steady. "We have orders, Osamu. And right now, you''re either with me or against me."

    "Then it looks like I don''t really have much of a choice here do I?" Osamu asked, his voice cracking at the end of his question.

    "Don''t be stupid," she said, her lips curling into a humourless smile. "You can analyze his Mach back at HQ, don''t turn this into a fight you can''t win."

    Hisoka watched Osamu carefully, her gray eyes locked on his trembling hands. "Are you seriously this conflicted? Don''t forget where your loyalties should lie. Don''t make me kill you too, the paperwork is simply not worth it."

    "Hisoka, I have tried to do what he did with my Mach and it claims it isn''t possible, there is something more than enhanced power needed" Osamu tried to plead his case, and he began to step slowly closer to the woman. "Think about, why would they be designed to become stronger after a pilot dies. It doesn''t make sense."

    "Stand down Osamu! That is an order from your superior officer, we will discuss your actions here later," Hisoka interjected sharply. "Hiro''s existence undermines the program''s integrity. As long as he breathes our government could lose everything."

    "Then let me handle it," Osamu insisted, as he came to a halt in front of her. "He''s just a kid, we don''t even know where he got the Mach or if there are more we don''t know about."

    "You are becoming far more trouble than you are worth" Hisoka''s words were like daggers, questioning his allegiance. "If you don''t stop now I will have you arrested for treason, Stand down right now!"

    "I''m afraid I can''t do that," Osamu retorted, "Not if you are going to kill the kid. I will accept any charges laid against me but I won''t let you kill anyone today."

    "You are fully aware of what is about to happen now." Hisoka''s posture stiffened and she set her sights on Osamu.

    "I do," Osamu replied calmly.

    "Osamu you have been found guilty of treason against the Canadian government..." Hisoka began but Osamu raised a hand to cut her off.

    "Before we start, I haven''t been entirely honest about my Mach''s capabilities," Osamu whispered, almost to himself. The words ''Soul Target'' passed his lips like a secret incantation.

    The AI embedded within his Mach suit hummed to life. "Name targets," it responded mechanically.

    "Stun all Canadian personnel," Osamu ordered, his voice laced with determination.

    "Target selection confirmed," the AI intoned. A swarm of wasp-sized drones burst forth from Osamu''s suit, their sleek forms cutting through the air so fast the agents didn''t see them coming.

    Small darts whizzed past, finding their marks with perfect accuracy. One by one, the Canadian agents crumpled to the ground, their bodies succumbing to the venom''s effects.

    Hisoka, reacted quickly, having anticipated a move from Osamu. She raised her Mach''s shield just in time, deflecting the incoming darts with a shimmering barrier of energy.

    "Predictable, Osamu," she sneered, her shield flickering from the impact. "You always were too soft."

    "Soft?" Osamu countered, his voice steady despite the chaos. "No, Hisoka. I am just not a killer like you. I would never do what you did to get here."

    "You have no idea what it did to get here." Hisoka''s gaze was ice, her hands readying her own counterstrike. "How could you? Your father wasn''t seen as a trader to his nation."

    "Is that what you told yourself? Is that why you could kill him," Osamu said, standing tall amid the fallen. "He wasn''t a trader, he just wasn''t willing to kill an entire family on the commands of some politician."

    Hisoka remained silent as Osamu finished, the images from that day replaying in her mind¡ªher father''s lifeless body lying before her as she was congratulated for the mission''s success.

    Hiro took Hisoka''s moment of self-reflection to his advantage. He bolted toward the fallen agent, his eyes locked on the prize hidden within the enemy''s pocket¡ªHis Mach''s outline clear in the fabric. Hisoka caught sight of him in her peripheral vision, raising her arm toward him, she discharged a pulse of lethal energy. Hiro twisted in mid-stride, feeling the heat scorch the air where he had just been.

    "Careful, Hiro," Hisoka taunted, her voice dripping with malice. "I''d turn that man to dust before I let you touch your Mach."

    "Hisoka!" Osamu''s shout drew her attention back to him. "You are outnumbered here, I suggest you power down and go, if you want to live,"

    "You''re the only threat here," Hisoka growled, as she summoned the sniper. "These boys are all tied up with nowhere to go."

    "I don''t want to kill you," Osamu said, a tinge of sorrow in his voice. "I just want to find out the truth about this thing before it is too late."

    "You''ve already been found guilty," Hisoka''s laugh was bitter as she surged forward in a blur of motion. "It''s time to carry out your sentencing,"

    Osamu wasted no time. He blasted up into the sky, avoiding Hisoka''s charge at him. Hisoka quickly followed him, her full attention now on him.

    Meanwhile, Hiro made his way back to the agent and dug through his pockets, his fingers closing around the old cell phone. Nori was beside him, as he freed his Mach from the man''s pocket.

    "Can''t help you fight, Hiro," Nori admitted, his suit emitting small sparks as it attempted self-repair. "But I can get Kazuki out of here."

    "Like hell, I''m tagging along with you!" Kazuki protested, his face pale as he spoke.

    "Choice is yours," Nori snapped back, his green eyes flaring with a volatile fire. "Come with me or stay and die."

    Kazuki swallowed hard, and then nodded, following Nori''s lead.

    Above them, the sky turned a canvas of green and white sparks as the duelling Machs made contact with each other. Hisoka and Osamu sent each other spiralling, both catching themselves before they hit the ground. Hisoka''s anger began to seep into her actions, each assual more aggressive than the last, as she chipped away at Osamu''s defences.

    "What happens to accept your punishment, Osamu!" she spat, sending another blast his way.

    "I told you I would wait until Hiro was safe first," Osamu countered, barely dodging her attack.

    Osamu corrected and sent himself soaring toward her, his hand moved with a calculated swiftness, attaching a grenade to Hisoka''s armour before she could pull away.

    "Got you¡ª" His triumphant smile was cut short as Hisoka''s blast made contact with his leg. Osamu plummeted from the direct hit, crashing heavily to the earth below.

    Hisoka towered, savouring what she believed to be her victory. Osamu tried to get up but his foot slipped from under him, too damaged to support the weight of the suit. Osamu knew he needed to use his trump card.

    "Detonate." he coughed

    The word was simple, but its effect was catastrophic. The grenade erupted into a ball of fire and shrapnel, tearing through Hisoka''s Mach, and engulfing her in its fatal flames. Her screams were lost to the roar of the explosion as she was consumed entirely by the blaze.

 Vol 2, Chapter 15: Choosing Sides

    Hiro''s eyes were wide as he watched the explosion fade into smoke, Hisoka vanishing before his eyes. The greenhouse, almost untouched, shook under the force of the blast. Its glass windows finally shattered under the intense heat, Hiro just stood there with his Mach in his hand.

    "You need to leave now," Osamu''s voice cut through the air as he landed beside Hiro, placing a hand on the boy''s shoulder. "If you are here when they come to then I won''t be able to protect you."

    Hiro''s eyes snapped up, meeting Osamu''s steely gaze. "You... you killed her?"

    "I had no other choice, she wouldn''t listen to reason Hiro," Osamu explained as his armour powered down, returning to its smartwatch form. "We both need to disappear this time. I''ll be wanted for treason and you''ll just be wanted as usual. So get out of here and back to the safety of your school, don''t leave those walls for any reason."

    "I won''t," Hiro managed, this was the second time Osamu had saved his life, but he still wasn''t sure if he could trust the man.

    "Good, as long as you are there they won''t dare go after you," Osamu said, his voice low and severe. "Canada won''t risk an international incident. But they will try to find a way to get to you without drawing too much attention to themselves. You need to be ready."

    "I will be," Hiro said, his grip tightening on his Mach as he thought about all the slip-ups he made thinking he could trust someone.

    "Good, I''ll find you when things die down," Osamu said. "As you know we have a lot we need to discuss, now is just not the time for it."

    Hiro nodded, before taking off in the direction of the school. He looked back as he made it to the tree line but Osamu had vanished.

    ---

    Meanwhile, Naomi realized just how quiet the woods had become, she looked down at her wrist pad and quickly typed something into it. She then looked up to meet Ai''s gaze, before pointing toward the ground. They descended as quietly as they could, stopping every so often to listen for any signs of agents close by.

    "Is it over? What was that explosion?" Ai asked as quietly as she could, her eyes searching Naomi''s for answers.

    "I''m not sure." Naomi''s gaze remained in the direction of the blast. "But I have no doubt it has been reported to the authorities, which means we need to disappear."

    Ai bit her lip, the urge to rush toward Hiro''s last known direction nearly overwhelming. "What about Hiro and Kazuki."

    "I don''t know. I don''t have any solid evidence to form some answers with. Here is what I do know, you don''t want to be caught in the fallout of this," Naomi reasoned, placing her hand on Ai''s shoulder as if sensing her intentions.

    "Hiro, Kazuki, please be ok." Ai prayed as she turned to follow Naomi back toward the school, she knew there was nothing she could do to help anyway, and she cursed herself for not being strong enough.

    They made their way swiftly and silently through the woods, Naomi made sure to stop and disarm any traps they found along the way until the walls of the school finally came into view.

    As they drew closer Naomi stopped Ai, there was a figure standing just outside the hole in the wall. For a moment everything fell silent. The Ai pushed Naomi''s arm aside and burst forward. The sight of Kazuki had her filled with hope, she raced toward him.

    "Kazuki!" she called out, her voice breaking the silence.

    He straightened up as Ai launched herself into his arms, her embrace tight, as if Kazuki was at risk of disappearing. "I thought... they killed you," she murmured, tears streaming down her face.

    "Did anyone else make it?" Naomi''s voice was sharp as she glanced around the area.

    "If you mean the guy you came here with, yeah he''s fine," Kazuki said coldly, he didn''t bother making eye contact with Naomi. "He got me here, but then... he ran off."

    "Of course, he always has to be a part of the action," Naomi thought out loud, she turned her attention back to the greenhouse.

    "Thought he was going back for you," Kazuki confessed with a shrug, not letting go of Ai.

    "Ha! Nori going back for me is about as likely as the surface of the sun freezing over," Naomi scoffed. She glanced at her phone, contemplating her next move. "I don''t have time to wait around for him. I¡¯ll call him later, make sure he survived."

    As they prepared to part ways, a rustling from the nearby woods captured their attention. Hiro emerged, panting, his clothes covered in dirt and torn. His expression changed from severe worry to relief at the sight of Ai and Kazuki.

    "Thank goodness," Hiro gasped, as he stumbled toward them. "You''re both alright."

    But Kazuki recoiled, putting as much distance as he could between himself and Hiro. "Stay away," he warned, standing at the entrance of the tunnel. "You''re the reason this happened, Hiro. You got me shot and kidnapped." Without waiting for a response, he disappeared through the gap, leaving Hiro speechless.

    "Who exploded?" Naomi questioned, she didn''t seem all that concerned about who the victim was.

    "Hisoka is dead and her Mach was destroyed in the fight," Hiro answered, still staring at the place Kazuki had been just moments before. "I didn''t do it, it was Osamu,"

    "So now they are killing each other," Naomi declared, now seeming very interested in the situation. "This is a very interesting development."

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    "Can we just go home now?" Ai said softly, she reached out and took Hiro''s hand. "I want to know the truth about everything when you are ready."

    "Don''t we all," Naomi muttered without turning back to face them. Then without another word, she headed back into the woods.

    Ai and Hiro lingered a moment longer, exchanging a look that carried the weight of unsaid words and shared fears.

    "I''m ready to go if you are," Hiro suggested quietly, squeezing Ai''s hand.

    "Let''s go," Ai agreed, offering a small smile, as she led them back through the tunnel and into Kyoto House. The pair snuck across the sprawling campus until they came to Hiro''s dorm. They stared at each other for a moment, before Hiro slipped inside without a word.

    ---

    Nori''s Mach crouched low in the clearing, its sensors pinging softly as they detected another presence. Through the visor of his helmet, Nori''s gaze locked onto the figure who stood a safe distance away¡ªThe pink match, easy to spot in the ridge. Nori had seen this Mach before, he wondered why it would make its presence known now.

    "Well? What do you want?" Nori grunted, not moving an inch from his defensive stance. "You wouldn''t have shown yourself if you didn''t want something."

    "My data suggests that you care about Hiro," Kimiko started, her voice even, trying to come off authoritative. "You''ve saved him every chance you''ve had, I believe we are on the same side."

    Nori didn''t let his guard down for a second, watching Kimiko closely. "And what side would that be?"

    "Hiro''s side, we both want Hiro to survive this," Kimiko explained. "I think you know what happened to his parents. I know the government has been tampering with photos, records... anything that could lead back to them. What I don''t know is why?"

    "Does the why really matter?" Nori asked, almost as if he were dismissing her entirely. "Knowing what happened to them won''t bring them back, it doesn''t change anything. I don''t have any reason to give you anything."

    "Remember Noboru?" Kimiko asked the question causing Nori to stiffen. "I was the one he kidnapped that night. You destroyed him, didn''t you? Hiro pulled me from that warehouse, I would do anything to give him closure about his family."

    "Fine," Nori conceded after a silent moment, connecting the series of events. "All I know is their lab was in Kyoto, they build Suzuki toys on top of it, and no one has used it in over a decade." His warning was clear as he locked eyes with Kimiko, "If you want the truth you will find it there."

    "Thank you," Kimiko said, nodding once before turning to leave the clearing.

    As she vanished, Nori''s communicator crackled to life. "Nori, it''s Naomi. Where are you?"

    "Got tossed into a field by my glitchy Mach," Nori lied smoothly, watching the trees sway in the night breeze. "I''m not far."

    "Get back here," Naomi commanded, he could tell she was moving on foot. "We need to get out of here as soon as possible."

    "Roger that," Nori replied, turning back toward the park, he knew the truth about Hiro''s parents, he just wondered if Hiro was ready to learn it.

    ---

    The flickering screen illuminated the dimly lit room where Tess, Nia, and Hector huddled together, eyes glued to the grainy footage that their single drone was able to capture in the night sky. The video stuttered as a white Mach fired at a red one, the fight raged for hours and ended in a fiery explosion.

    "Pause it there," Henry commanded, his finger pointing at the solitary figure¡ªHiro Kobayashi. "That has to be Hiro, he is the only one we can''t find any photo records of. Look at him. He''s not exactly dangerous or well trained."

    "Clearly, the boy didn''t even pilot his Mach once during the fight, he spent it as a hostage," Tess murmured, her brow furrowed as she jotted down notes on her tablet. "At least we have one less of these things to worry about,"

    "We still have at least four more to worry about," Nia replied, as she continued to watch sections of the footage. "And each one has the power to take down anything we have to throw at them. Hao''s crunching numbers¡ªwe need to get the Machs while the pilots are disengaged or we won''t survive."

    "So identifying what the Machs look like when not in use should be our priority." Hector swivelled in his chair to face them, displaying stills from the footage on the glass conference table. "We''ve got three active Mach users. Hiro''s still in play, but he''s low on our priority list. He doesn''t appear to be the threat Canada thinks he is."

    "Then there''s Mach 2," Tess said, pulling up a file on her screen. "According to the Japanese file we were able to get, he has a troubled past, violent tendencies, and his control over the Mach is... shaky at best."

    "Right, in most of the footage he starts strong but as a battle progresses he lets his anger take over," Henry said, tapping his temple. "It makes him unpredictable."

    "Finally, the green Mach." Nia switched to another video clip showing the unidentified Mach delivering a decisive blow to Hisoka before aiding Hiro''s escape. "This one''s a wild card. Killed the white one and saved Hiro. Motives? Unknown."

    "Could be another Japanese agent, sent in when Nori failed to stop it," Tess pondered aloud, her fingers drumming against the table.

    "It''s possible but our mole in Japan''s program said they don''t currently have any pilots other than Nori, we still don''t know enough about who is in play," Hector concluded, leaning back with a sigh. "We need intel, and we need it yesterday."

    "Agreed," Nia nodded, her gaze fixed on the last frame of the green Mach standing like a sentinel before Hiro. "But one thing is clear¡ªthey know each other."

    The hum of the overhead lights filled the silence as Nia leaned forward, her gaze piercing through the holographic display of data hovering above the table. "What we need is eyes on the inside¡ªsomeone who can blend in, gather intel right from the source."

    Hector shifted uncomfortably in his chair, his fingers drumming on the arms of his chair. "Are you suggesting undercover? Don''t we already have someone on both sides? I mean I think we are pretty set,"

    "We don''t have someone on Hiro''s side," Nia shot back, "Hiro''s just a teenager but both sides want him dead. Not only that but he seems to know who is who under the armour. Luck for us we have a tech prodigy that could still be in high school."

    "Hell no," Hector retorted. "I have no background in under-cover work... none. Not to mention I graduated high school when I was seven, I prefer computers over people."

    "We all hate people," Tess chimed in, a smirk playing on her lips. "That school''s a nest of spoiled rich sociopaths. You''ll fit in just fine."

    Hector sighed, knowing he wouldn''t be able to get himself out of this one. "Fine. But when this goes sideway remember I was against it from the start,"

    "Noted," Nia said, her voice all business now. "All you need to do is get close to Hiro. Earn his trust. If there''s anyone who knows about these Machs, it''s him. Any scrap of information could lead us to the other pilots who collect it and get it to us."

    "Well if it''s that simple" Hector said sarcastically, looking at the image of the battle in front of him. "You make it sound like he doesn''t have a death machine he can activate any time he wants if he finds out what I am doing."

    "We''ll be watching you closely, any sign of trouble and we will pull you out," Tess said.

    "Fantastic," Hector muttered. "So I just stroll in, say ''Hey, I''m the new kid, tell me all your secrets''?"

    "Whatever you do just make it believable," Nia replied with a shrug. "You don''t want him activating his death machine, do you? And if the opportunity arises where helping Hiro means a Mach gets destroyed, you have our blessing."

    "Great," he responded, his sarcasm barely veiled. "I always wanted to experience the joys of teenage angst and cafeteria food."

    "Who knows, you might learn some humility the second time around," Tess teased, the corners of her eyes crinkling with amusement.

    "Ha-ha," Henry deadpanned, pushing away from the table and standing up. "If I survive this, I''m putting ''High School Survivor'' on my resume. Right above ''Saved the World a Few Times.''"

    "We will brief you on your new identity tomorrow," Nia said, her tone softening just a fraction. "For now get some rest."

 Vol 2, Chapter 16: Henry

    The door to Nia''s office slid open with a silent hiss, and Hector stepped into the cool, sterile room, without a single picture in view. Across the room, Nia sat behind her desk, her sharp gaze fixed on a holo-screen that floated above the surface.

    "Close the door, Hector," she commanded without looking up. He complied, and the soft click of the door seemed to seal him as he awaited the final details of his undercover mission.

    "Take a seat," she said as she finally looked up at him, she motioned toward a cheap fabric chair in the corner. Her expression was unreadable, but Hector quickly grabbed the chair and dragged it over to the desk before sitting on its uneven surface.

    "Here''s where we stand," Nia began, her fingers dancing across the holo-screen, pulling up files and images that hovered in the air between them. "For weeks we''ve been surveying the school. We know their routines, their security... and now it''s time for you to go in."

    Hector nodded, his mind going over the plan to infiltrate the school. "Understood. So far there have been no other incidents involving Hiro since the greenhouse,"

    "Correct. Adaptability will be your greatest asset on this mission," Nia replied crisply. "Your priority is to get close to Hiro, but don''t force it. Even if you keep your distance, hopefully, you gather intel on who he is associated with and we can start making our list from there. Just a reminder, do not get too attached to Hiro."

    "I understand," Hector nodded. "Alright, so when am I actually going to start on campus? I have studied my cover thoroughly. I am ready to be Henry Gorth."

    "Don''t worry about that, we are just putting the final details of your transfer together." Nia gestured, and the room shifted around them, walls dissolving into a panoramic view of a futuristic viewing room. Nia''s desk sunk into the floor as she stood up, and strode up next to Hector. A new file shimmered into existence, casting a faint blue light over Henry''s face.

    "You''re 18 so none of your classes are with Hiro, however, we have been able to create a schedule where your free time will align," Nia announced, flipping the file towards him.

    Hector leaned forward, reading through the classes. He knew his part: The son of a governor - wealthy, influential, and conveniently out of the public eye for an extended period.

    "There are AA meetings on here," Hector raised an eyebrow, scanning the schedule.

    "We needed a story for why a governor would hide the existence of their own child," Nia explained. "A problem with alcohol and multiple stints in rehab seemed to make sense. The reality is the governor really does have a son he is checking into rehab, but now it will be like he has just been sent off to boarding school."

    "So I am stuck with these meetings, great," Hector relented. He memorized the intricacies of Henry''s supposed life, a world apart from his own.

    "You start Monday," Nia informed him as if it were common knowledge.

    "Monday," Henry said confidently, though his smile wavered. "This mission could lead the UN right to the source of these Machs and end the programs."

    "Don''t focus too much on that part of it," Nia said, catching the uncertain look in Hector''s eyes. "Whatever comes of this, what is important here is we will have eyes on a final key player in this game."

    "Understood," Hector replied, tucking away his concerns. "Henry" was ready for his debut.

    ---

    Hiro trudged across the academy''s sprawling grounds, but his mind was anywhere but in school. Since the greenhouse battle, Kazuki had pretty much done everything in his power to avoid him, with each chance encounter leading Kazuki to race away from him as fast as he could, leaving Hiro feeling like someone people should be scared of.

    Lost in his thoughts Hiro almost didn''t see the old maple tree¡ªits branches reaching skyward like ancient arms beckoning him. He sank onto the bench beneath it and unfolded the wax paper cradling Yutaka''s tempura. At least here he didn''t have to worry about seeing the look of terror that spread across Kazuki''s face every time they made eye contact.

    "Hey, Hiro!" The familiar voice called out to him, and he didn''t need to look up to know Ai was making her way toward him, she had stuck by him even after the battle. In fact, she wanted to know the whole story about how Hiro got involved with Machs. Something he didn''t want to tell for her own safety.

    "Hi, Ai," Hiro mumbled, not lifting his gaze from his meal, hoping his tone conveyed his desire to be left alone.

    Undeterred, Ai joined him on the bench, her presence a surge in unwanted questions was heading his way. "I''ve been thinking about the greenhouse incident," she began, and Hiro was already anticipating the question that was about to follow. "You and Nori seemed... I don''t know, connected?"

    Hiro sighed, setting aside a piece of battered shrimp. "Nori is complicated. He was the first Mach I fought against, I don''t know why he decided to save me." Hiro hoped this half-truth would be a satisfying answer for her.

    "But isn''t he part of the Japanese government?" she prodded, leaning in closer. "Were you a part of the Japanese government too? did you defect from them and that is why they are after you?"

    "No." Hiro met her gaze, he could tell his tone hurt her. "You can''t just talk about these things out in the open like this. It''s not safe."

    Ai bit her lip, nodding with tears in her eyes. "I just want to understand what you are going through Hiro. I didn''t mean to put you at risk,"

    "Ai, now is not the time for all of this," Hiro insisted, locking eyes with her in a silent plea for her to understand.

    "OK, I won''t ask any more questions until you are ready," she whispered back, giving him a small nod.

    "Good," Hiro said, picking up another piece of tempura and offering it to her as a peace offering. "Now, let''s enjoy this lunch without any more questions, okay?"

    "Okay," Ai agreed, taking the offered food with a quivering smile, her mind clearly whirling with unspoken questions. But for now, they sat side by side under the red leaves of the maple tree, sharing a meal as a black SUV pulled up to the school gates.

    The purr of the engine disrupted the quiet courtyard as the vehicle glided past the gates, turning heads and drawing whispers from the students lounging on the grass. Hector stepped out before the car touched down, his gaze sweeping across the academy''s sprawling grounds as he took his new surroundings. Tess, donning the poised elegance befitting a governor''s wife, descended beside him, her heels clicking authoritatively against the cobblestone path.

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    "Remember, Hector, you''re Henry now¡ªand this," she gestured expansively at the grand architecture before them, "is all part of the job."

    Hector nodded, tugging at the collar of his blazer¡ªa costume that felt both empowering and restrictive. "I get it; I''m eighteen not an idiot. I''m here to work."

    "Good." Tess''s voice softened but retained an edge. "Looks like you''ve got the typical teenage attitude down. Just remember who you are talking to."

    "I know and I know I can do this. I have the direct line all set up" he said, as he watched his student guide emerge from the building. Something about the arrangement tickled the back of his mind, a worry he just couldn''t shake.

    They were led to the principal''s office where the head of the academy awaited, her smile broadening at their approach. "We are absolutely thrilled to welcome the son of Governor Gorth. Your presence here is... an honour."

    "Thank you," Tess replied smoothly, her arm linked through Hector''s. "My husband is just as excited about having our little boy on in such a well-regarded institution. Needless to say, if all goes well we would be happy to some donations."

    "Indeed," the principal agreed, eyes gleaming with unspoken possibilities. She then turned her attention to Hector¡ªHenry¡ªand her smile faltered ever so slightly. "But, Mr. Gorth, your course selections are... unconventional for your academic standing. Perhaps we can rework your schedule"

    "I don''t think so, I know what I want," Hector countered, injecting Henry''s assuredness into his tone.

    "Very well," the principal conceded, though her skeptical gaze lingered on him as she handed over his schedule. "Welcome to the academy."

    "Thank you," Hector said, feeling the weight of her gaze on him. As he left the confines of the office, stepping back into the sunlight, he took a deep breath. This was it and there was no turning back now.

    ---

    The holographic screen flickered with Yutaka''s concerned face as Hiro slouched on his bed, legs crossed and head propped up by one hand. The dorm room was full of small plush toys Ai had given every time she came to check in on him.

    "Naomi''s actions at the greenhouse," Yutaka began, adjusting his glasses with a pensive frown, "they don''t add up. There is no way either government would have wanted to keep you alive, you simply know too much."

    Hiro sighed, flicking an imaginary speck of dust off his jeans. "I think... she wanted something from me, it kind of felt like she had her own plan," he offered, thinking back to how adamantly she wanted him alive to talk to.

    "If that''s true then she is willing to break rules to get what she wants," Yutaka pondered a loud, his eyes glossing over in thought. "The real question here is what did she want from you, what was so important that she would try to keep you alive and on her side."

    "Maybe she is like Osamu," Hiro questioned, after all, Osamu had betrayed his own government three times now. "He seems to think there is more to Mach tech. He even killed Hisoka over it."

    "Osamu is an odd one," Yutaka said with a puzzled look. "From what I can gather he is now a very wanted man. Chatter suggests the Canadians want him, and are claiming he was responsible for the Machs being at their Embassy, we''ll see how that one plays out."

    "Do they know where he is? He said he was going to disappear," Hiro confessed, wondering if he ever got the chance. "If we could find him again, maybe he could tell us more. Explain why exactly he thinks the Machs are changing."

    "I don''t think looking for him is a good idea. Remember, Osamu has a history of unpredictability," Yutaka reminded him gently. "He''s kidnapped you before, and he didn''t lift a finger to help in the battle with Daiki."

    "But if he knows something we don''t, shouldn''t we figure it out?" Hiro''s eyes narrowed, trying to argue his point the best that he could.

    "If something was up with the Machs, I would have noticed it by now," Yutaka replied sharply. "It certainly isn''t worth risking your life to chase down a man who believes in some conspiracy theory. We have to play smart, Hiro."

    "He just seemed so certain, you should have heard him out there," Hiro muttered, feeling the pull of Osamu''s words.

    "Just because he was certain about it, doesn''t make it true," Yutaka said with finality, "Many people live in their own realities." seeing the look of concern still on Hiro''s face, he added, "I promise I''ll look onto it, Hiro. Try to get some sleep." Yutaka''s image faded back into the screen, leaving Hiro alone with his thoughts and the dim glow of the moonlight seeping through the window.

    ---

    Panting heavily, Takeshi darted down the crowded streets of Osaka, looking over. He could hear the racing footsteps of the older boys echoing off the concrete walls, their voices rising over the sounds of the crowds as told each other which way he went.

    "He went down that alley, don''t let that little punk get away!" one of them shouted, pointing at Takeshi''s escape route with confidence.

    Desperation kept Takeshi moving forward, but fate was not on his side today. He skidded around a corner, only to come face to face with a grimy brick wall¡ªa dead end. His breath caught in his throat, a silent curse upon his lips as he turned, confronting the inevitable. The pack of boys closed in, their smiles sharp and predatory.

    "Look at the little rat, trapped at last," mocked the ringleader, a lanky teen with a sneer permanently etched onto his face.

    "Please," Takeshi''s voice was barely audible, his gaze darting around, seeking an escape that didn''t exist.

    "Aw, he''s begging now," another chimed in, kicking a stone towards Takeshi. "You think you can steal from us and get away with it; you''re dead."

    With no other choice, Takeshi clenched his hands into tight fists. With an almost primal scream, he lunged at the oldest, tallest one, his fists making contact with his lower jaw. But his bravery was short-lived.

    "Get off me, you filthy insect!" the teen snarled, as his cronies swiftly intervened. They yanked Takeshi away, pinning him down, ensuring Takeshi couldn''t escape what was coming for him.

    "You call that a punch," the leader spat, his foot driving into Takeshi''s side. Takeshi heaved on impact. "You''re pathetic, you don''t even deserve to be alive."

    With that the teens unleashed on Takeshi, each taking a turn to beat him, until they grew bored of it, leaving him curled in a ball in the alleyway. Tears of frustration brimmed in Takeshi''s eyes¡ªnot for the pain, but for the feeling of helplessness he had.

    "I''ll get stronger," he whispered to no one in particular, as he rolled over onto his back.

    Gritting his teeth, Takeshi summoned all of his willpower, forcing himself to stand. He didn''t have a home to return to; not since his abusive stepfather forced him out. Staggering out onto the street, he hugged the side of the building for support. He didn''t know where exactly he was going but he did know he had to keep moving.

    Making it to a park, Takeshi¡¯s ears perked up at the sound of a persistent ring, a long abandoned call booth glowed in the distance. He inched closer to the blue box, the unknown number swirling around the screen at the top. Takeshi took a step back remembering these old booths were only able to call out. What was happening now shouldn''t be possible, Takeshi pressed his bruised frame against the glass door and reached for the dangling receiver.

    "Hello?" He asked cautiously.

    "Takeshi Sato," came the reply, the man''s voice on the other end scared him a little.

    "Who... how do you know my name?" Takeshi''s grip tightened on the phone.

    "Let''s just say I''ve been keeping an eye on you," the voice said warmly. "I''m Masato."

    "I don''t know anyone named that," Takeshi scanned the empty park as if the mysterious caller was hidden outside the booth.

    "You don''t know me. But I certainly know you, Takeshi. There''s potential in you¡ªa desire to be more than what you are now," Masato''s tone was smooth, almost soothing.

    "Anf you can do that? What exactly do you want from me?" Skepticism edged Takeshi''s words, he had heard this pitch many times before.

    "I just want to offer the opportunity to change your current circumstances. Give you the ability to not only fight back but to win, every single time" Masato explained, his usual charisma leaking through the phone.

    "I''m listening" Takeshi was now glued to the phone.

    "I''m the of a small collective. Our goal is very simple, we want people to not only notice us but to take us seriously. Each one of us has been cast out by society, Takeshi. This country has turned its back on us and we need to show them we won''t go quietly."

    "But why me? What can I do?" Takeshi asked, he felt limited by who he was.

    "You can train with us. You can show them how strong you''ve become, and teach others. You can change everything," It was like Masato could read the young boy''s mind.

    "Where are you?" Takeshi asked, ready to start this transformation he was promised.

    "Unfortunately, I can''t meet you in person," Masato replied, sounding slightly annoyed by this fact. "But if you just stay where you are, an associate of mine will come get you."

    "How do I know this isn''t some kind of trap?" Takeshi suddenly felt like he may have walked into a trap. "You expect me to just go with your associate."

    "She will just give you the full picture. If you''re not interested, feel free to walk away after." Masato explained with indifference.

    "Okay," Takeshi said, the receiver cold against his warming cheek. As he hung up, he settled back against the chill of the booth, he needed to hear more about this plan.

 Vol 2, Chapter 17: The Program

    Hiro''s body jerked as he tossed and turned in his sleep, his limbs entangled in the checkered sheets. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his breaths coming in shallow gasps. The moonlight illuminated the scene, Hiro''s mind taking him back to the fluorescent glare of the interrogation room at the Canadian embassy.

    "Osamu!" he cried out, hands grappling fruitlessly with the cold metal handcuff that bound his brother to the table. Osamu''s face was covered with bruises and blood, eyes pleading for help Hiro couldn''t provide. Desperate, Hiro''s fingers clawed at the cuffs, as he tried to disable the magnets.

    The door exploded inward, splinters soaring through the air and landing at Hiro''s feet. Canadain agents, now loomed in the doorway¡ªTheir guns raised as they entered the room. Each step they took toward Osamu filled Hiro with dread.

    "It''s no use," Osamu relented, sliding down the wall, ready for what was about to come.

    Hiro looked away, the sound of bullets filled the room, as the agents emptied their weapons. Then, those cruel eyes turned toward him...

    With a scream, Hiro catapulted upright in bed, trembling. He fumbled for his phone on the nightstand, heart pounding as he scrolled for any sign of life from Osamu. Nothing. Hiro rolled over, knowing he wouldn''t be falling asleep again that night.

    The next morning Ai found him sitting alone at a table staring into his cereal. "Man, you look like you''ve had a rough night," Ai said as she set her tray down next to him. Hiro jumped at the sound, coming back to reality.

    "Yeah it was a long night," Hiro muttered, rubbing his eyes in a vain attempt to try and seem less tired.

    "Did you sleep at all last night? I know after everything I get some pretty awful nightmares too, " Ai put an arm around Hiro, trying to console him.

    "I got a little bit." Hiro shifted uncomfortably, he didn''t really want to go into the details of his dream. "I think I am just worried about Osamu, I don''t know if he is ok or not."

    "He''s the one that saved you right? maybe we can look him up," Ai suggested trying to put Hiro at ease.

    "Find a government agent in hiding?" Hiro scoffed, a wry smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Good luck to us, right?" looking over at Ai.

    "Hey, don''t you have some crazy tech that could track him, I thought you said something about it before," Ai insisted, as she walked through her memories.

    "It only works if the Mach is turned on," Hiro said, a shadow passing over his face.

    "Really? Well, aren''t they always turned on?" Ai prodded, her curiosity piqued.

    "No, it wouldn''t be smart to leave a way for other pilots to track you always on." Hiro deflected swiftly, changing tack. "We should head to chemistry early, snag a better simulator."

    "Only if you finish some breakfast first," Ai countered, nodding toward the untouched food in front of him.

    "Can''t. Not hungry." Hiro''s stomach churned at the thought of eating, he felt like he wanted to gage.

    "Suit yourself, but don''t come complaining to me when your stomach''s growling halfway through Mr. Sato''s lecture on molecular bonds," Ai warned, her tone was light but her eyes were dark with worry as they left the cafeteria and headed to class.

    Ai tucked her science program under her arm as she waved goodbye to Hiro, leaving the dullest lecture she had had in a while. She navigated the bustling academy halls, still thinking about how exhausted Hiro has been recently. As she entered her advanced statistics class, she overheard a group of girls whispering about someone she had never heard of, Henry Gorth, the new teaching assistant.

    "Class, please welcome Mr. Gorth," announced the professor, gesturing to the sandy-haired young man beside him. "He''ll be assisting you with some of the more advanced coursework this afternoon."

    Henry stepped forward and offered a weak smile, his bright blue glancing up at the class before hitting the floor again. Ai couldn''t help but compare him to Hiro, they had that same awkward innocence about them. As he explained the intricacies of regression analysis with charming clarity, Ai couldn''t take her eyes off of the senior.

    When class ended, Ai watched Henry gather his things, she noticed how the other girls swarmed him, asking for private tutoring sessions. But what really grabbed her attention was what she overheard other seniors saying about him, that he is so smart he created a program that can do anything for him¡ªwhile they called it cheating, Ai wondered if it really could do anything.

    "Do you mind if I work in here too," Ai ventured, stepping into the lab and out of the noisy hallway.

    Henry turned, a surprised smile tugging at his lips. "Oh, sure, I''m just finishing up," He swivelled his chair to face her. "I''ll be out of here in just a few"

    "You don''t have to leave," Ai set her book down on the table, a playful note in her voice. "You''re Henry right, you''re all the girls are talking about."

    "Oh, really," Henry replied, his cheeks changing to a shade of pink Ai had never seen before. "Are you one of those girls? Hunting me down."

    "What no, I already have someone I like," Ai said defensively, her own face turning red at the accusation.

    "Relax, I''m only joking," Henry said, shooting her a knowing smile, "So why have you come to find me? I mean I did notice you kind of hovering today,"

    Ai felt a flush of warmth rise to her cheeks, caught off guard. "Uh, well," she stammered before inspiration struck. "I also heard you designed some kind of software that allows you to do anything, like hack into NASA if you wanted to. I had to know if that''s true."

    "Oh," A smirk played on Henry''s lips. "The rumour mill is very active here, isn''t it? I wouldn''t say it can do anything, it can just get around most firewalls, lets me find things most people can''t."

    "So in theory you could use it to find a person," Ai responded, as she leaned back in her chair. "Like if someone was missing or something."

    "Well they would have to be active online," Henry said, collecting his things. "If they don''t have a digital trail it would be next to useless. Anyway I''ve got to go, but it was nice chatting with you,"

    "Uh yeah, see you around," Ai watched Henry''s retreating figure, his steps light as he turned the corner. Osamu wasn''t dead, she reasoned, if he was still using the internet covertly there would be a trace and Henry''s program could find it.

    Unbeknownst to Ai, once he was around the corner, Hector pulled out his phone with a knowing look and dialled Tess. "Still no contact with Hiro, but I think I''ve found my angle," he spoke quietly, the corners of his mouth lifting. "The girl that is always hanging around him¡ªAi... she is looking for something."

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    "Good. Keep her close. She sounds like the perfect in," came Tess'' crisp response.

    "Right, it sounds like they may be looking for someone. I let you know what I find," Hector confirmed, slipping the phone back into his pocket, he continued his walk to his next class.

    ---

    The scent of spices wafted through the academy''s cafeteria as Ai slid onto the bench across from Hiro, her tray clattering slightly with the weight of curry and rice. She watched him pick at his food, his fogged over.

    "You have to eat something, all this stress is going to kill you," she scolded, breaking a piece of naan and dipping it into her curry.

    Hiro looked up, a weary smile briefly crossing his lips. "I know," he admitted. "I''ll eat a bit, don''t worry. Osamu has a family,"

    Ai leaned in, not sure she heard him right. "What?"

    "He''s married¡ªor was, anyway. His wife''s a psychologist, pretty renowned. Wrote a whole slew of papers on emotional trauma, which is...ironically fitting." Hiro''s voice trailed off, the irony not lost on either of them.

    "How do you know all of this?" Ai pushed the question gently, just hours ago it seemed like they knew nothing.

    "His last name," Hiro said, setting his spoon down. "I googled it and there she was. The whole family is in a picture on the back of one of her boos. I wonder what will happen to them now."

    "Hiro, I''m sure they will be fine," Ai sighed, setting her own spoon down.

    "Do you really think so? I mean is the Canadian government opposed to using them to draw Osamu out?" Hiro asked, pushing his tray away.

    Ai chewed her lip, contemplating whether she should drag Henry into this possibly dangerous situation. If they could find the right lie, they could trick Henry into using his software to find Osamu and his family. At the same time if they were caught it would mean Henry getting charged too, or worse.

    ---

    Later that evening, Ai found herself in the darkened campus theatre sitting next to Henry, the eerie opening credits of "Halloween 230" casting flickering shadows across their faces.

    He looked over and smiled, "Nice to see you again," he whispered as the opening scene began to play. "Who decides to investigate a creepy house on their own?" Henry stared at the screen, clearly unimpressed. "Doesn''t exactly scream ''survival instinct.''"

    "I don''t think you can have a survival instinct and be in a horror movie," Ai chuckled, noting his discomfort.

    "I suppose so," Henry muttered, averting his eyes as the screen splattered with cinematic gore. "Blood''s not really my thing."

    "Didn''t peg you for the squeamish type," Ai teased, jumping as the killer chased the other screaming teen down the hall.

    "Life''s been...sheltered," Henry confessed, his voice low. "I was homeschooled most of my childhood. My parents weren''t exactly impressed with me¡ªI got in a lot of trouble when I discovered alcohol."

    "Oh I''m so sorry," Ai instinctively took his hand, trying to offer some comfort.

    "It cost them a lot to get me into this place," Henry said with a shrug. "I figure I would actually try here since it is my last chance."

    Ai felt terrible for the guy. "I can''t say for sure but by the sound of it, you are already doing great things here. I think you may have found the perfect place for you."

    Their conversation tapered off, leaving only the sounds of suspense and screams on the screen. Yet, in the shared silence, Ai felt more connected and guilty all at once¡ªHenry had already been through a lot, he deserved real friends who cared about him, but she needed access to his program. So she settled in, hoping this friendship would take her where they needed to be.

    ---

    The morning, Hiro sat under the red maple once again and poked half-heartedly at his scrambled eggs. Next to him, Ai plucked a grape from her fruit bowl, her gaze fixed on her friend with concern.

    "You''ve got that look again," she said softly, breaking the silence. "Did you even sleep?"

    The eggs slipped from Hiro''s chopsticks. "Yeah a few hours or so," he admitted, rubbing his eyes. "I think it is getting better."

    "You''re a terrible liar," Ai said, watching Hiro''s reaction carefully. "But I think I know how we can put your mind at ease for a little while."

    "I''m listening, what''s your plan?" He looked up, and she could see the massive bags under her eyes.

    "I think I know how we can find them," Ai replied, then quickly added, "But it will take tricking someone to do it."

    "I don''t know, it sounds risky," Hiro''s interest waned and he began to curl over again. "It''s dangerous enough as it is. If they figure out what we are really doing they could report us."

    "Look you need to sleep and you won''t be able to until we know Osamu is safe. All it will take is one lie to make it happen. The guy''s name is Henry and he can get us past any firewall online."

    Hiro''s eyes narrowed slightly. "So we can search in places we normally can''t."

    "Right and we can play it off like it is for some politics assignment or maybe history," Ai pressed, her voice earnest. "He never has to know what we are really doing."

    "Hmmm," Hiro stroked his chin as he considered the options. "that could work. I guess there is no real harm in trying."

    Ai nodded, relief flooding through her, though her mind raced with the perfect story to tell Henry so they could use his software without raising suspicion.

    ***

    Later, as the day softened into a lazy afternoon, Ai found Henry wandering the academy gardens. He seemed distracted by the roses, as the bees hummed among the petals.

    "Are you sure you''re not stalking me?" Henry asked, hands in his pockets as he admired a bed of exotic plants. He glanced back at Ai.

    "Oh uh, no I just saw you over here while I was walking," Ai confessed with a small smile. "I just wanted to say hi. but you looked like you were thinking about something and I didn''t want to bother you."

    "It''s no bother," Henry laughed, motioning for her to join him. "I was just doing some math homework in my head. In all honesty, I am glad you showed up."

    "Well I mean I already said hello, so... I think I will actually keep going," Ai said, taking a few steps back.

    "Oh, Ok," Henry said, returning his focus to the flowers. "Have a good afternoon"

    "Actually, I was wondering if I could ask a favour." Ai seized the opportunity. "I have this massive assignment coming up and my partner and I cannot find anything on our topic."

    "Is that so," Henry raised an eyebrow. "So I am guessing you want to use the software I am developing?"

    "I mean yeah," Ai chuckled nervously, playing along. "I am so sorry, I feel so guilty for asking you,"

    "Don''t be silly, it could use another test run," Henry grinned, turning to face her. "Why don''t we meet in the science lab, say around six?"

    "That would be perfect," Ai gave him a small hug, "Thank you so much." she gave him a wave before racing off to text Hiro.

    Hiro''s footsteps echoed down the hallway of the academy''s science labs, his wary eyes scanning the room until they landed on Ai and a stranger. He took in the sandy blonde hair and deep blue eyes of this new person before him.

    "Hey, Hiro," Ai greeted with an enthusiastic wave. "This is Henry."

    "Nice to meet you," Henry said, extending his hand. "Ai says you need some help with your project."

    "Yeah, turns out our important person in history seems to be impossible to find" Hiro shook his hand, he was impressed by how tightly Henry gripped his hand. "I hope you don''t mind us using your software."

    Henry chuckled, leading them over to his screen. "I don''t mind at all, if anything you are doing me a favour by testing it."

    "Right," Hiro replied, taking a seat next to him.

    "Okay, so how does this work," Ai interjected, looking down at the screen, "do we have to use some kind of password or...."

    "Not at all," Henry answered, touching the screen to show his student profile. "think of it like any other search engine, the only difference is that it will find you everything on your subject from every corner of the internet."

    "That is quite the search engine," Hiro said, staring down at the search bar.

    He could feel the sweat forming as Henry sat next to him. He was clearly waiting for Hiro to do his search, but Hiro wasn''t sure this was something he could do with a stranger watching. He could feel the room start to spin as the panic set in.

    "Hiro, are you ok?" Ai asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

    "Yeah, I am just exhausted," Hiro responded, rubbing his eyes.

    "Look if now isn''t a good time.." Henry started, looking at Hiro.

    "Thanks," Hiro breathed out, his gratitude genuine. "I think I just need to sleep."

    "I get it, this place can really pack on the assignments," Henry shutting down the tablet.

    "I''ll take you back to the dorms," Ai announced, guiding Hiro to the door.

    "Thanks, Ai," Hiro said, as they entered the hallway.

    "I am free anytime after three tomorrow," Henry said as he joined them. "I''d be more them happy to meet here and try again."

    "For sure, even if Hiro can''t make it, I know I can," Ai assured him with a smile.

    "I''ll be here," Hiro added, trying to sound confident.

    "So then it''s settled," Henry said hesitantly, "We''ll meet back here around three. Do you need to help walk you to the dorms too?"

    Hiro turned back to look at Henry. "I''ll be ok. Thank you for the offer though Henry."

    "Yeah, I''ve got him" Ai chimed in. "We''ll see you tomorrow."

    "Ok, goodnight," Henry gave them a small bow before making his way down a smaller hall.

    "Sorry," Hiro said, feeling bad about their lack of progress. "I don''t know what came over me."

    "Don''t worry about it." Ai tried to reassure him. "We''ll try again tomorrow."

 Vol 2, Chapter 18: Targeted

    Hiro sat back in his chair when their time was up, they had finally been able to use Henry''s software. "Your software is truly something special," he muttered, as the files transferred over to his phone.

    "Nobody can really disappear anymore, not with the tech we have today." Henry smiled with pride in his work. He stared intently at the files on the screen. "I''m a little surprised you couldn''t find anything on this Trisha Kota. She kind of sounds like a big deal."

    "Well her books are everywhere, none of her history is out there," Hiro said slowly, "Like nothing even mentions where she went to school. I just wanted to add some personal details about her, so people know where she got her start."

    Henry''s eyes traced the ceiling as he thought. "It is a bit weird that she seemed to come out of nowhere, it''s also a little weird that she doesn''t have a current practice anywhere," He shook his head. "She could have taken some time off to write another book."

    Hiro''s gaze shifted to Ai, who offered him an encouraging smile. She reached across the desk, her fingers brushing against his, "Thank you so much for letting us use this. Seriously we were going to fail without it."

    "Not a problem," Henry said, pushing his chair back and standing up. "Now I know the system is user-friendly. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

    "Henry you''ve done more than enough, thank you," Hiro said as he placed his phone back in his pocket.

    After bidding their farewells, Henry closed the door behind them and locked it, he couldn''t risk anyone walking in unannounced. He pulled out his phone and tapped a secure line. "Nia, it''s Hector. We got a situation."

    "Go ahead," came the crisp reply.

    "Trisha Kota. That''s who we''re looking for," he informed her. "And no, before you ask, I don''t know why Hiro is looking for a psychologist specializing in trauma."

    "Trisha Kota?" Nia''s voice carried a note of surprise. "What else do you have on her?"

    "Not much actually," Hector suggested, his tone turning serious. "She certainly keeps a low profile for someone so respected in their field. She has to be getting help from somewhere, two months ago she became a ghost,"

    There was a brief silence on the other end of the line. "If that''s true," Nia replied, "Isn''t that around the time of the greenhouse attack? That seems rather convenient, doesn''t it?"

    "Can''t say for sure," Hector admitted, "but it does line up too perfectly to dismiss, I suggest we start our own hunt for her. If we''re quick about it, we can catch Trisha and get to the bottom of this."

    "Of course," Nia said, determination firm in her voice. "This is some excellent work, Hector. Keep us posted."

    "Will do," he said before ending the call, a sly grin spreading across his face as he sat down in his chair. Trisha was a part of this he could just feel it, the question was how she fit into it all?

    Hector''s fingers tapped along the keyboard display in his desk, searching the corners of the web for any signs of Trisha Kota. Lines of code scrolled up his monitor, his thought wondering if Trisha could have vanished the same way Mary and Tadashi. If so then the chances of finding her was zero to none, it almost seemed like their own government had no idea what had happened to the pair.

    "Come on, come on," he muttered under his breath as he bypassed firewalls and navigated through the government data bases. "There has to be something."

    Hours trickled by, measured out in coffee sips and the relentless tapping of keys, until at last, her name flashed across his screen: Trisha Kota. She had been contracted by the Canadian government for private research. She was apparently located in Hiroshima, with an official office under the name Jane Watson.

    "Gotcha," Hector whispered, leaning back in his chair, finally able to take a breath. He scribbled down her office address, but as he reached for his phone, a moment of hesitation seized him. If he gave this information to Hiro then the task force could collect him at the same time they brought Trisha in.

    "Two birds, one stone," he said aloud, convincing himself this plan would reduce the risk of getting himself discovered and give them full access to Hiro.

    When Hiro picked up, Hector did his best to play it casual. "Hey, Hiro," Hector greeted, feigning casualness. "Sorry to bother you so late."

    "It''s fine, what''s up?" Hiro''s voice came through the line, Hector could here the tiredness in his voice.

    "Look there are still bugs in the software but it looks like it found more on the topic of you project." Hector explained, trying to sound guilty. "Would you like me to send it over to you?"

    "Yeah, the would be amazing. Thank you, Henry," Hiro replied, Hector could hear Hiro''s gratitude.

    "It''s nothing really, I am sorry it didn''t find it sooner," Hector responded before ending the call. He quickly attached the info to an email, knowing Hiro wouldn''t be able to help himself. Hiro would go to Hiroshima to make sure she was actually there, and that is where they would need to set the trap.

    ---

    Meanwhile, Osamu sat alone in his motel room, the only company being the half empty bottle of scotch on the small table. A soft chime from his phone broke the silence, drawing his gaze to the screen. An alert banner declared that an address linked to him had been accessed, traced back to the IP of HPA.

    "Someone has been busy," Osamu whispered, setting down his glass. Rising from the table, he began to dress methodically in a well-tailored suit, movements deliberate and practiced.

    "Company is coming, I better make I don''t disappoint," he murmured as he pocketed his Mach, the smart watch slipping deep into his pocket.

    Stepping out into the cool night air, Osamu pressed his card to the door, locking it. He hoped this was Hiro, just trying to make sure he was ok; but he knew Hiro was nowhere near skilled enough to find him. There was clearly another mole among the students at the academy, and this one wanted to meet.

    "This should be interesting," Osamu resolved, hearing his car door unluck as he pressed his thumb to it. He took his seat as the car hummed to life, the GPS guidance system eagerly awaiting his command. Osamu took a breath before typing in the address in Hiroshima.

    ---

    Nori''s fists flew with unmatched speed speed, but they did nothing to stop Michio, who stopped every blow from meeting its mark. The much large man easily anticipated very move Nori tried to make.

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    "Focus, Aoki!" barked an instructor from the sidelines, but Nori''s attention was riveted elsewhere¡ªon Mao, standing by the door, her arms folded, her locked on their training session.

    "Damn it," Nori muttered under his breath. He could feel himself loosing control, his movements growing wilder, his mind fogging over. A swift jab caught him in the jaw, and he stumbled back, tasting blood.

    "Is that all you''ve got?" Michio taunted, circling.

    "Shut up," Nori spat, wiping his mouth, but his comeback was cut short as another punch sent him sprawling onto the mat¡ªthe fight was over.

    "You''ve got to get your emotions under control, Aoki," Mao commented coolly as Nori picked himself off the ground. "You become to easy to read when you let your anger control you."

    "You don''t think I know that already?" Nori shot back, rubbing his sore jaw.

    "I know that you know it. The issue is that you are not doing anything to fix it." Mao turned on her heel and exited, "Meet me in my office, I''d like to have a chat with you."

    In the locker room, water cascaded over Nori''s bruised body, but it did to cool him down¡ªhe cursed Mao for trapping him here. He slipped into fresh clothes, his mind racing with ways he could remove the tracker, none of them promising.

    "Let''s get this over with," he mumbled, making his way to the briefing room.

    The room was filled with agents working on their slabs, with Mao waiting for him in the center of it, a digital file flickering on the screen behind her. With a wave of her hand, the room emptied, leaving them alone in the silence.

    "Your performance at the greenhouse incident is troubling," Mao began, her eyes never leaving the screen. "You were almost defeated by the Canadian and nearly lost us Hiro."

    "I take it Naomi debriefed you on the night," Nori retorted, his voice edged with frustration. "She wasn''t exactly very helpful herself. She went and played hide and seek while all the really action was going on."

    "She kept Japanese citizens safe," Mao said, dismissing his defense with a flick of her wrist. "A Canadian Mach was taken down¡ªBut not by us or Hiro. It is getting concerning to see so many highly trained Mach pilots turning on their governments."

    "Where is this going?" Nori asked, getting tired of the lead up.

    "It''s going to your next assignment," she stated, turning to face him with an icy finality. "Destroy the two other Machs from that night and I will remove your tracking chip."

    "Hiro is one of those Machs" Nori''s voice was an incredulous whisper. "I thought you wanted him alive?"

    "Things are always changing and evolving behind the scenes. These are our latest orders," Mao replied, showing no emotion.

    "Fine," Nori snapped, meeting her gaze with a smile. "Consider it done."

    "Good," Mao nodded. "Remember, Hiro needs to be away from the academy, this has to be done as quietly as possible."

    "Understood," Nori confirmed, not giving her the pleasure of seeing him break. He turned to leave, telling himself the moment the chip was removed Mao would be the first to go.

    "I''m serious, no making a scene and no external casualties," Mao called after him, she needed him to understand.

    "Wouldn''t dream of it," Nori responded without looking back, the door closing behind him with a soft click.

    ---

    The magnetic train raced silently along the rails, while Hiro and Ai sat quietly in their leather seats. They sat side by side, their bodies swaying gently with each turn, they both weren''t completely sure sneaking off campus again was the greatest idea.

    "What if this isn''t the right Trisha," Ai asked, folding her hands in her lap. "I mean why would she leave the safety of Canada for here? If she was caught, the Japanese government could use her for leverage,"

    Hiro''s gaze was fixed on the scenery flashing by, his mind churning. "Maybe Osamu felt it would be safer with her here. He is a Mach pilot, after all, he could stop anyone from hurting her."

    Ai smiled. "Osamu kind of sounds sweet when you put it that way."

    "He cares, that is why he saved me. That is why we have to make sure he is ok," Hiro explained, he then turned to Ai. "I think it is best if you go in there alone. They''re not looking for you."

    "Alright," Ai nodded. "I''ll see what I can find out while I''m there."

    The train came to a halt at the station, only a ten-minute walk from the office of Trisha Kota. As the office came into view, Ai began to feel a little dizzy. She approached the receptionist and felt the bile rising in her throat. "I''m looking for Trisha Kota."

    "I''m sorry but there is no one here by that¡ª" the receptionist began, only to be interrupted.

    "Please, it¡¯s urgent. I have a message from Osamu" Ai implored with a hint of urgency that made the receptionist pause, then nod reluctantly. She allowed Ai to enter the small office.

    Trisha looked up from her desk as Ai entered, confused by the sight of the girl. There was a moment of silence before Ai took a deep breath. "I''m sorry for interrupting, I know I don''t have an appointment or anything."

    Confusion swept across Trisha''s face. "Then why are you here?"

    "I''m here because Osamu is your husband right?," Ai ventured cautiously. "He works for the Canadian government?"

    "Get out, or I will call the police," Trisha threatened, her hand hovering over the phone.

    "Please, hear me out," Ai rushed, her plea genuine. "I just want to make sure he is ok, you don''t have to tell me anything else."

    "Why would I tell you anything?" Trisha''s voice was a mixture of skepticism and growing fear. "Who the hell are you?"

    "I''m sorry, but he saved my life and I just want to thank him," Ai said softly, hoping to evoke empathy.

    Trisha''s expression softened, as she looked a Ai, whose nerves caused her to start trembling. "He is fine, we all are."

    "You''re sure he is ok?" Ai asked delicately.

    "I know he is alive," Trisha admitted, sitting back at the desk. "That is all I am willing to say. Now please see yourself out and don''t come back here."

    ---

    Kimiko''s boots crunched on scattered debris as she stepped into the shadowy expanse of the abandoned toy warehouse. The air was thick with dust and the musty scent of neglect. Rows of broken and forgotten playthings collected dust. She let out a soft huff; doubt nagged at her¡ªcould Nori have been setting a trap for her?

    "Wouldn''t be the first time someone pretended to be helping me," she muttered to herself, her voice echoing off the walls.

    Her eyes darted around, scanning for any signs that might lead to the hidden lab Nori mentioned. Finding an old stairwell descending into darkness, she flicked on a flashlight and began her descent, each step creaking ominously underfoot. The basement offered nothing but emptiness and cobwebs.

    "Nothing." Kimiko''s frustration simmered as she swept the small scanner over the concrete room searching for a hollow wall. A beep sliced through the silence, and the device''s screen lit up with the outline of a stairwell beyond the far wall.

    "Gotcha," she whispered, a triumphant grin flashing across her face. But then the reality set in, there could be anything behind that wall. It was a lab, after all, she had no idea what the security system was like. She ran her hand along the wall trying to feel for a latch or any way to get the wall to move. After a while, it was clear there was no way in anymore. "Plan B,"

    She backtracked to the warehouse floor, tucking the flashlight back into her pocket as she ascended the stairs. Outside, she located a manhole cover and pried it open with a grunt, descending into the murky depths below. The stench of the sewer assaulted her senses, but she pressed on until she was sure she was next to the warehouse.

    She tapped her Tamagotchi, activating the device. Energy hummed along her arm, the machinery syncing with her movements. She aimed upward, releasing a concentrated burst that tore through the earth and concrete above, opening a passage into the lab.

    In the aftermath of the blast, she deactivated her Mach and clambered through the rubble into the devastated laboratory. Her flashlight flickered to life, allowing her to take in the destruction: bullet-riddled walls, scorched metal, and evidence of a fierce fire.

    "Damn, what happened here?" she murmured, stepping carefully over debris.

    The sight of skeletons made her stomach lurch. They were strewn about like discarded dolls, their lifeless eyes staring at her. Kimiko noticed one wearing an intact lab coat with a tag attached, turning the ID tag with a delicate touch, her heart hammering with the hope she wouldn''t find the names she dreaded.

    "You''re not Tadashi or Mary, thank goodness," she sighed in relief but she still had more to check. Under a desk, obscured by shadows, lay the skeleton of someone riddled with bullets. The ID tag read ''Tadashi Kobayashi'', and Kimiko''s breath caught in her throat.

    "Hiro, I am so sorry," she whispered, bowing her head as tears streamed down her cheeks.

    "I will figure out who did this to you, I will avenge you," she said as if Tadashi could hear her vow. She turned to face the main lab, worried about what she would discover inside. The room was relatively untouched by the fire, with most of the controls still intact.

    "Please work," she pleaded to the machine, as she tapped the power button on the console, the screens sputtered to life as the system rebooted.

    The screen flickered, but the system was barren with only security system files still on the drive. Kimiko eyed the files.

    "The truth about what happened to your parents could be in these files, Hiro." With a click she began to navigate the files, hoping to find the answers to this mystery.

 Vol 2, Chapter 19: Boom

    Kimiko scanned over the security files, trying to figure out if any cameras captured the final moments of everyone in the lab. Dust danced in the air around her, illuminated by the flickering light from a monitor. She wondered why the files were arranged out of order, thinking it may have been a security measure. Then she heard the soft footsteps approaching behind her.

    Spinning around, the hair on the back of her neck stood up, and Kimiko locked eyes with a mystery woman framed in the doorway. "Who are you?" Kimiko demanded, instinctively reaching for her Mach.

    "Naomi," came the reply, the woman advancing with deliberate steps, her green eyes unflinching in their focus. "And you are trespassing."

    Kimiko''s hand slipped lower into her pocket, gripping the Mach with her thumb over the screen. Naomi held up a hand as if she were surrendering. "There will be no need for that, I actually wanted to thank you."

    "Thank me?" Kimiko''s stance remained guarded, she made sure Naomi never left her sight as the woman paced in front of her.

    "That''s right, without you I wouldn''t have been able to come down here," Naomi stated, she flashed the holo screen of her slab, which showed an alert of an intruder in the facility. "You see if I was just snooping down here it would have raised questions, but if I came down here to investigate a possible intruder, well then I am just doing my job,"

    "So you want to know what really happened here too," Kimiko''s grip on her weapon relaxed but did not release. "Most of what was here has been completely erased. You wouldn''t happen to know how to recover it?"

    Naomi shook her head, "A virus totally wiped the system, nothing from the original Mach project survived,"

    "So this place is a dead end then?" Kimiko gestured to the decrepit hardware around them, frustration lacing her words. "All I can confirm is that Hiro''s father died here."

    "We have those security files," Naomi motioned to the large monitor, a small glass tablet shimmering to life in her hands. "It seems like the system switched the days with the years to encrypt the files."

    Kimiko''s eyes darted to the device, a flare of hope igniting within her. "You have a way to decode this?"

    "The file we are looking for, the last day should be easy to find," She plugged the glass slab into the old hardware. "Of course, the download is password protected,"

    "It will be something related to Hiro," Kimiko said, "Let me try his birthday."

    With a few deft swipes, Kimiko unlocked the system. The feed flickered on the screen allowing all the files to download.

    "Let me work on this," Naomi offered as she pulled the slap from its input.

    "How do I know you won''t erase what little we have?"

    "Because," Naomi said, her voice lowering to a whisper, "I knew someone who died in this lab. His death deserves meaning."

    "Fine," Kimiko conceded as she tried to read Naomi''s expression, "but we stay in touch. Hiro deserves the truth."

    "I don''t have a problem with that." Naomi nodded, sealing their uneasy truce with a nod. "For now, we work together on this."

    Kimiko backed away, still uncertain about Naomi''s true intentions but having no other options. She made her way back through the facility, thinking about what she had discovered, Hiro''s father was dead, and she was going to find out who killed him.

    ---

    Hiro paced outside of Trisha''s office building, waiting for Ai to emerge. Ai finally burst through the doors, her gaze looking back up toward Trisha''s office. Hiro followed her gaze, wondering what she had learned during their meeting.

    "Osamu is alive, at least that is what she said. She seemed certain of it" Ai''s voice was hopeful, but Hiro could see her eyes were puffy.

    "You were in there for a while, is that all she told you?" Hiro asked, as Ai finally turned to face him. He could feel that something was off, his gut began to twist as the silence filled the space. "She contacted someone, didn''t she? I mean there is no way she wasted your time like that unless she was buying time for herself."

    Ai shot him a confused look, her brown eyes wide. "She did call anyone while I was in there, she just seemed really caught off guard you know. I think she wasn''t expecting a teenager to show up who knows about her husband"

    "I don''t know," Hiro said, rubbing his temples. "I mean she lives in the same world as her husband, she knows what it is like to have people looking for you, hence the new identity here. No, she would have some safety yet for if she thought her life was threatened."

    Before Ai could reply, the shrill cry of sirens pierced the afternoon calm. They exchanged a look, turning on their heels, and raced toward the closest open alleyway¡ªonly to be met by the stern faces of local law enforcement.

    "Hands where we can see them!" one officer commanded as they were herded like cattle towards the squad car.

    "Hiro, what do we do now?" Ai whispered urgently, her voice barely audible over the officers radioing into the station.

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    "Listen to me," Hiro said, his mind racing through all the possibilities of what was about to happen to them. "When we get there, you don''t know me. You were just... paid to give Trisha the message from me." His voice was low and urgent.

    "What? What the hell are you talking about!"

    "Please, Ai," Hiro implored, locking eyes with her. "It''s the only way you get out of this, when you get back to the school find Yutaka."

    Reluctantly, she nodded, swallowing hard against the fear. "What will happen to you?" Her tone was laced with concern.

    "Don''t worry about me," Hiro reassured her, though his own heart thundered with uncertainty. "Yutaka will know what to do, he will figure out a way to get me out,"

    Ai''s bottom lip began to tremble, she looked at Hiro and knew that he was holding back something. She watched as Hiro''s gaze shifted to the officers, his eyes scanning over them, locked on their every move. At that moment, she knew he was planning something to get them out of this.

    Hiro plunged his hand into his pocket the moment the officer''s eyes left them. He felt the cold metal of his Mach, disguised convincingly as a cell phone. He glanced at the officers flanking them, ensuring they were busy and not watching them, and then he pulled the device free.

    "Take it," Hiro murmured, the device sliding across the smooth plush seat of the police cruiser. "They can''t find this on me."

    Ai''s hand trembled as she pocketed the Mach, giving Hiro a small nod. "You''ll be defenceless," she whispered back, trying to make sure she wasn''t overheard.

    "I won''t need it where I''m going," he said with a fake smile, he couldn''t let Ai know the truth. The car lifted off the curb and they were off to their possible final destination.

    The police station loomed ahead, a twisted pillar rising from the Earth. They were ushered through the metal scanners out front and down a slick black hallway. Ai was guided into a sterile waiting area, an officer with only a few small uncomfortable chairs inside of it. Hiro watched her sit down, her eyes darting from one end of the room to the other before he was tugged sharply in the opposite direction.

    "Interrogation Room B," the officer leading him grunted, pushing open a door with a jangle of keys. The sight that greeted Hiro inside caused his breath to hitch. Osamu stood there, in the local police uniform, He looked good for a man who was on the run.

    "Leave us," Osamu commanded, his voice carrying an edge of authority that had the other officer nodding and stepping out without question. The door clicked shut, leaving the two men alone.

    "Osamu?" Hiro began, but the man held up a hand to silence him.

    "Listen closely. We don''t have much time," Osamu said, his gaze sharp and calculating. "The moment they booked you, every government agency looking for you found you. They''ll be coming to collect you."

    "I''m sorry, I just needed to know you were ok," Hiro''s mind raced, wondering just how much time they had.

    "I understand, the game of war was never meant to be played by children," Osamu shook his head, leaning forward on the table between them. "What I need to know right now is how you found my wife, Hiro. This is important, I know you didn''t do it on your own, I''m glad it was you who did it though."

    "Right, a genius at school," Hiro explained, he tried to focus as best as he could. "He developed this program, it can basically get around any form of cyber security,"

    "Well, that''s inconvenient. How much does he know about all of this?" Osamu replied, a bitter edge creeping into his tone. "Please tell me I don''t have to go make sure this kid keeps quiet. You have to be more careful with what you bring into this."

    Hiro''s pulse quickened, the implication of Osamu''s words dawning on him. "He doesn''t know anything about this... he just thinks I was researching for a school project,"

    "Good," Osamu confirmed. "Now it''s time to figure out where we can from here, Hiro. Obviously, I can''t just let you go, I mean look what happened when I let you go last time, you brought trouble right to my doorstep."

    "Are you going to kill me?" Hiro asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.

    "Don''t be stupid, I''ve sacrificed way too much to do that." Osamu''s expression changed to a thoughtful one. "You are going to have to come with me so I can keep an eye on you. I can''t have any more setbacks, I''m trying to save us all."

    Hiro leaned back in his chair, as he tried to process what Osamu was suggesting. He couldn''t just leave, Yutaka would never stop searching for him and neither would the government. He reasoned it didn''t matter who he was with, as long as they were with him it wouldn''t be safe. His failures gave them his identity, he turned himself into an easy target.

    "I can''t go with you," Hiro said after a beat, his tone sombre. "I''m too recognizable, you won''t make it far with me there."

    "Don''t play the hero here," Osamu stated, standing abruptly as footsteps approached. "We don''t have time for this."

    "I am not, I am just doing what gets both of us out of here alive," Hiro replied, as the footsteps came to a halt at the door. As the door swung open to admit the returning officer, Hiro stiffened in his chair ¡ªthe officer approached Osamu and whispered something over to him.

    ---

    The Japanese Mach facility was buzzing as Hiro''s arrest flashed across their screens. Mao approached Nori, her heels clicking assertively against the immaculate floor. "Nori," she said, coming to a full stop in front of the boy, "Our sources confirm he is being held at the Hiroshima station."

    Nori looked up at the woman, almost seeming annoyed by this information. "And you needed to hint me down for that?"

    "It''s your opportunity," Mao stated, with a sickening smile. "Complete your mission, but do it without theatrics."

    "Of course, wouldn''t dream of it," Nori replied, keeping his voice even and giving Mao a small bow.

    "Don''t play games," Mao rolled her eyes. "You know what your reward is if you succeed." She turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Nori in her wake.

    Nori was tired of playing nice with her, his steps took him past the weapons cache. A glint of metal caught his eye, the grenades pressed neatly in place. A sly grin spread across Nori''s face. "They won''t miss just one," he murmured to himself, "After all is a small explosion to showy."

    ---

    Nori reached the Hiroshima police station within minutes, as Ai sat rigid in her chair, her fingers tracing the outline of Hiro''s Mach hidden in her pocket. The waiting area was empty until the door swung open, admitting a figure that seemed so familiar to her. A delivery boy, with a tuff of red hair peeking out from under his hat, made his way into the room.

    Their eyes locked, and he pressed a finger to his lips. Ai nodded, understanding the silent command. He ambled through the room, not seeming out of place for a moment. Then, with a quick glance, he dropped something into the trash bin and continued toward the door at the far end of the room.

    "Get out," he mouthed, just before the door closed behind him.

    Ai didn''t hesitate. She dove into the nearest office, landing hard on the carpet as the explosion tore through the silence. The reverberations shook the foundations of the building, and the air filled with the stench of smoke and melting carpet. Fire alarms wailed, as officers staggered through the building calling for anyone who was injured¡ªothers yelling about the fire suppression system failing.

    Outside, amidst a gathering crowd, Nori shrugged off the delivery uniform, eyes fixed on the inferno he had unleashed. The corners of his mouth lifted in satisfaction as he took in his handy work. "Now don''t be stupid Hiro," he whispered to the flames. "Get out of there."

 Vol 2, Chapter 20: Checkmate

    The thick choking smoke clawed at Ai''s throat as she huddled in the cramped office, every fibre of her being screaming at her to get up and get out of there as quickly as she could. Outside, the Hiroshima police station was surrendering to the growing flames, people raced to the exits. Officers barked orders, their voices muffled and distant through the thickening haze.

    Ai knew this confusion was her chance to get to Hiro. She needed to be careful though, it was only a matter of time before the building collapsed. With shaky knees, she forced herself up from her hiding place, her eyes scanning for the stairwell as the smoke stung them. Ignoring the heat from the flames, she pressed herself against the flow of bodies surging toward the exit and pushed her way to the stairwell.

    "Miss, you need to get out of here!" an officer shouted as he caught sight of her on the second floor, his hand reaching out to usher her toward safety.

    But safety wasn''t her goal in all of this. "I can''t," she pleaded, desperation sharp. "I have to find my friend."

    "Listen, it''s too dangerous," the officer insisted, more firmly this time.

    Feigning compliance, Ai let him steer her into the stream of evacuees. Suddenly the building shifted from the intense heat and everyone did their best to hold steady. Ai used the officer''s moment of distraction to duck under his arm and dive back into the stairwell''s smoky embrace. The third floor greeted her with the sounds of coughs and cries. Interrogation rooms lined the corridor, and she wondered if there would be enough time to search them all.

    An officer leaving one of the rooms saw her, but Ai didn''t give him time to react, she didn''t have the time to waste. In one fluid, restless motion, she wrenched the gun from his holster and aimed it at his chest. "Where is he?" she demanded, her voice trembling as much as her hands. The officer stood frozen with his arms up.

    ---

    Within the confines of the interrogation room, Osamu tried to get back onto his feet. Hiro had braced himself against the table, his every muscle tensed to keep him in place. The officer who came to talk to Osamu dusted himself off, darting out of the room the moment he realized something was wrong.

    "What was that?" Hiro asked, still very disoriented after the building stopped shaking. "You don''t think a Mach pilot would attack a police station do you?"

    "I wouldn''t put it past them. We need to leave now," Osamu declared, already moving towards the door.

    "Wait. Ai¡ª" Hiro''s voice cracked with worry.

    "She could already be dead, Hiro. And if she isn''t then she should get out without you," Osamu countered, looking Hiro right in the eye to make his point clear.

    "But what if she''s trapped or hurt?" he remained in his chair, unable to will his body to move.

    "We don''t have time for this. Officers will be evacuating every floor, if she is alive they will rescue her," Osamu explained, he could see the small tuffs of smoke slipping into the room from under the door.

    Before Hiro could respond they heard the sound of commotion outside¡ªdesperate shouts, a struggle. They emerged to a scene as surreal as it was terrifying: Ai, the girl who believed there was good in everyone, holding a gun to an officer''s head, her soft brown eyes now wild with fear.

    "Put it down, miss," Osamu ordered, reaching for his own firearm.

    "Wait, Ai I am ok, everything is ok," Hiro shouted, trying to draw her attention to himself.

    Yet Ai stood frozen, the deadly weight of the firearm shaking in her grip. Her finger hovered over the trigger, uncertainty etched into every line of her body.

    "Talk to me, Ai," Hiro implored, just wanting her to look at her. "Tell me what''s going on here, okay? We can work through this,"

    Ai looked up for a split second to meet Hiro''s gaze, hearts thudding in tandem, as they realized it would be next to impossible to get out of this, Ai had crossed a line.

    Neither teen had noticed Osamu had been slowly inching his way closer to Ai. In a swift arc of motion, his hand lashed out, knocking the gun away from Ai''s trembling fingers and causing it to clatter harmlessly across the floor. The officer lunged forward to subdue Ai, but with the prowess of a seasoned fighter, Osamu struck him in the back of the neck, sending the man crumpling to the ground, unconscious.

    "Well this isn''t going the way I thought it would," he said, turning to Hiro, who was still staring blankly at Ai. "If this is a Mach attack then the front door is a no-go, take Ai and find another way out."

    Hiro snapped back to reality as Osamu placed a hand on his shoulder, he looked up at the man. "What about you?"

    "Listen," Osamu cut in sharply, picking up the limp officer with surprising gentleness. "I''ve got to get this man out of here, and I have the cover of being one of these officers. You don''t, you were right, you are too visible in all of this." He hoisted the man over his shoulders and moved toward the stairwell.

    Ai tugged at Hiro''s sleeve, her own eyes wide with desperation. "I still have your Mach, if we get to the roof you can use it to get us out of here right? I am so sorry."

    Osamu nodded, as he pushed the door to the stairwell. "Go," he urged, before disappearing down the stairwell with the passed-out officer.

    "Come on." Ai''s whisper was barely audible as she led Hiro in the opposite direction up the stairs, their steps quick and silent as they tried to avoid drawing any attention to themselves.

    Reaching the rooftop, they edged toward the side of the building, but Hiro''s grip suddenly tightened on Ai, yanking her behind a billowing sheet of plastic. she gripped him tightly, confused about why they stopped.

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    "What is it?" she whispered.

    "Down there." Hiro''s eyes were narrowed slits, studying the scene below. "Henry is down there, with people in suits. He set us up and they attacked the building."

    "No way Henry did this" Ai bit her lip, her gaze flickering with guilt. "It was Nori. that guy with red hair from the greenhouse. I saw him put the bomb into the trash can myself. We are really high up, how can you be sure you saw Henry down there."

    "I know what I saw." Hiro squinted as he tried to put all the pieces together. "Maybe Henry is working for the Japanese too? Either way flying out of here means getting seen."

    Ai''s eyes darted around, searching for another, as dark clouds of smoke continued to rise from the building. "The trash tube." She pointed across the roof, "They usually lead to the dump. Of course, they can also lead to incinerators. It''s risky, but¡ª"

    "I don''t know," Hiro peeked over the side of the building again. "They could be waiting for us at the dump already."

    "I don''t think we have much of a choice," she countered, as she stared at the trash chute.

    "You''re right. We need to get out of here now," he muttered, the corner of his mouth lifting despite the gravity of their situation. "You go first, I''ll follow you."

    "Hiro, if they are waiting for us on the other side. I won''t tell them a thing," Ai confirmed, as she sat on the edge of the tube. "You never have to take them on alone again." She nodded before slipping into the chute

    Hiro smiled at the thought of having a real friend in all of this, he sat on the edge of the tube and took a deep breath, taking one last look around before pushing himself off the edge, leaving the flames behind.

    The world spun in a kaleidoscope as Hiro and Ai were sucked down the trash tube, their screams echoed off the plastic walls. They landed with an inelegant thump onto a pile of plastic tubing that crumbled under their weight, absorbing the impact. Hiro leapt to his feet first, extending a hand to Ai who was still trying to catch her breath.

    "We did it¡­ we''re alive," Ai''s voice wavered with disbelief, as she placed her hand into Hiro''s.

    "Seems so," Hiro said, pulling her up. "And it doesn''t look like anyone was expecting us to take that route."

    They both peered around the empty dump, the reality of their situation sinking in as they realized there was no going back to the academy. They exchanged a look that didn''t need words; it was time to move.

    "Can''t stay here long," Hiro said, as they trudged away from the ever-growing trash mound. "Thank god the entire city sends its trash to the outskirts."

    "Right, we have time to get out of here." Ai''s gaze swept across the horizon as they reached the wooded outskirts.

    Hours passed, and they began to lose steam when Ai spotted a shadowy outline against the moonlit sky. "There," she pointed out, her breath misting in the frosty air. "I think that is an encampment." She pointed a shaky finger toward it.

    "An encampment?" Hiro echoed, skepticism lacing his tone as he followed her finger.

    "You know, from the last war. They''re dotted all over, meant to protect civilians from the nuclear winters." She approached the bunker, a smile growing on her face as it seemed intact.

    "It''s locked," Hiro murmured, probing the handle. He extended his hand out to Ai, "I''m going to need my Mach for this."

    Ai freed the Mach from her pocket and placed it carefully in his grasp. With the tap of the talk button, the Mach surged to life. His armoured hands glowing with power as he tore the door from its hinges. They both took a moment to stare down into the darkness, unsure about what they would discover at the bottom.

    "Home sweet home?" Ai ventured, her voice echoing off the cold walls.

    "For now," Hiro replied, scanning the dim interior. "Let''s just hope we are the only ones who found it."

    ---

    Meanwhile, Osamu''s lungs burned from smoke as he emerged from the inferno, dragging the unconscious officer to safety. Paramedics rushed forward, relieving him of his burden. He turned to leave, only to be halted by a firm tap on his shoulder.

    "Mr. Ward," Osamu greeted coldly, recognizing the man before him. "To what do I owe the displeasure?"

    "Osamu, you''ve been ignoring my calls," Patrick Ward said with deceptive lightness. His eyes, however, were filled with rage. "Get in the car. You can I have a lot to discuss."

    "I''m sure this discussion can be civil," Osamu said as he slid into the vehicle, knowing there was no escape from this.

    Once the car was in motion Patrick spoke, "Hisoka Yamada," he turned to face Osamu. "Why?"

    "I''m sure you''ve already watched the footage from that night, you''ve heard what I said to her," Osamu said, his voice devoid of remorse. "Don''t waste time on questions you know the answer to."

    "You know what is waiting for you when we get back? What the punishment is for what you did?" Patrick said coldly.

    "I am aware. It''s funny how you think you know anything about what is going on," Osamu argued, trying to hold back a laugh.

    "Well, do you care to inform me?" Patrick pressed him.

    "I have already told you everything," Osamu admitted, frustration seething within him.

    "Ah yes the Machs are getting stronger," Patrick said ominously as they neared the headquarters. "You really believe these suits were designed to be destroyed, Osamu. How would that benefit anyone, it makes no sense."

    "It makes sense to someone," Osamu said, as the car stopped.

    "You''re just trying to spare your own life," Patrick seemed unimpressed by the man, "You should be more concerned about your wife''s life, after all, she did cover for you. Your son could end up an orphan after this," Ward smiled at the sight of fear in Osamu''s eyes.

    ---

    The smell of smoke still clung to the air as Tessa, Nia, and Hector crouched behind the crumbled wall of an abandoned shop, their eyes fixed on the charred skeleton of the Hiroshima police station. They watched the emergency crews work until the building let out one final grown before collapsing in on itself.

    "Dammit," Hector muttered under his breath, his sandy blonde hair sticking to his forehead, his eyes scanning the scene for any sign of Ai and Hiro. "I don''t see either of them."

    "We can''t say anything for certain yet," Tessa observed. "Until their bodies are discovered, there is a chance they escaped."

    "Right now, our best play is to remain ghosts," Nia added, practical as ever. They slipped away into the shadows, heading back to their base of operations. They may have just lost their only connection to the Machs, it was time to regroup.

    ---

    Miles away, in the Japanese Mach facility, Nori strode into the conference room. He entered with a satisfied smile on his face. Mao awaited him, her posture rigid with authority.

    "So burning down the entire building in a fiery explosion was your version of keeping a low profile?" she probed, her voice tinged with skepticism.

    "Nobody saw go in or out," Nori shot back, his green eyes flashing. "Also Hiro never made it out of the building, so I think that means I upheld my end of this deal."

    "Optimistic," Mao remarked dryly. "He still could have escaped, they haven''t identified his body yet." she rubbed her temples.

    "There is no way he got out of that," he insisted, but Mao merely arched an eyebrow, unimpressed.

    "Well if your brilliant plan didn''t work," Mao continued, "Hiro won''t get far."

    "And why''s that?" Nori looked confused by how certain Mao sounded.

    "Let''s call it... insurance," Mao replied cryptically. She turned to leave, but Nori''s frustration erupted.

    "Tell me!" he demanded, slamming his fists down, but Mao simply smiled and exited, leaving him with the echo of his own fury.

    Across Japan, television screens flickered with the breaking news. A well-groomed anchor sat behind the desk, relaying the events with a rehearsed gravity.

    "Tonight, we report a terrorist attack in Hiroshima," he began, his voice carrying the weight of the nation''s shock. Ai and Hiro''s faces appeared beside him, casting them as public enemies. "These suspects are considered armed and dangerous."

    The camera cut to Prime Minister Mamoru, his expression sombre yet resolute. "The brave officers who fought the fire are heroes," he declared. "And rest assured, justice will be served."

    As the broadcast ended, an entire country set its sights on two fugitives¡ªHiro and Ai, now alone against the world.

 Vol 3, Chapter 1: The Bunker

    Hiroshima was being pelted by heavy rain, turning its streets into glistening rivers that glowed neon from the shop lights. Hiro ducked into a shadowy alley, his hoodie almost soaked through, it felt like he was carrying a ton of bricks on his back. Lightning flashed, illuminating the space, and a large pile of trash that had missed the shoot caught his eye.

    "That could have something we can use," he muttered, inching closer to the sopping-wet pile of trash. He tore open the thin plastic and allowed the contents of the bags to pour into the street. "Come on, give me something good."

    An old holodeck cracked against the pavement as it fell to the ground. "Perfect," Hiro grinned, tucking it into his waterlogged backpack. "If we''re lucky it will have some parts we can use for the radio."

    He zipped up his bag and crept past a row of shops, a news broadcast blared from a television in a store window. Hiro froze, his eyes widening as he saw his own face plastered across the screen.

    "The search continues for Hiro Kobayashi and Ai Takahashi, the teenage fugitives responsible for the police station bombing just three weeks ago," the newscaster, doing her best to sound serious in her lime green blazer.

    Hiro instinctively pulled his hood up, he couldn''t risk being spotted now. "What a disaster," he mumbled looking over at Ai''s photo. "I''m the reason you''re in this mess in the first place. I''ll find a way to get you out of it," he promised the image.

    Shaking it off, Hiro pressed on down the street. He navigated the labyrinthine of a city like a man on a mission, after all, he came to the city for a reason. The steel gates finally came into view, he paused for a moment, scanning the area for any signs of security cameras.

    Pulling out his Mach, disguised as an ordinary smartphone, Hiro pressed it to the electronic lock. "Mach 1, hack this lock," he murmured, watching the phone sprout wires that drilled into the lock.

    After a moment a soft ping echoed into the night, and the gate swung open, revealing a lush garden bursting with fresh fruits and vegetables. Hiro''s eyes widened, he hadn''t had any vegetables since they hid down in the bunker, beyond the canned beans they found.

    "Sorry about this," he whispered to no one in particular as he began carefully selecting fruits and vegetables. "But we need to eat too."

    As Hiro filled his backpack, he failed to notice the newly installed motion sensor set at ground level and hidden amongst the melons. Suddenly, an ear-splitting alarm shattered the night, followed by an enraged shout.

    "Hey! Stop right there, you thief!"

    Hiro spun around to see a furious man charging towards him with a shovel held above his head. Without hesitation, Hiro bolted, his feet splashing through puddles as he ran.

    "I''ve called the police!" the man roared, closing the distance.

    Hiro''s mind raced, as his eyes locked on the exit. As the man lunged to grab him, Hiro ducked and pivoted, using the man''s momentum against him. In a fluid motion, he pinned the larger man to the ground.

    "Listen," Hiro said, his voice low and intense. "I''m sorry about the food, but I am going to leave you some money for it," Hiro dug the bills out of his pocket and stuffed them into the struggling man''s shirt pocket. "Now, for your own safety, don''t follow me."

    Releasing the stunned man, Hiro sprinted back through the gate, his heart pounding. He wondered how far away the cops were, and if he had been caught on tape. "That was too close and too reckless," he chastised himself. "I need to get back before they start the manhunt."

    With a final burst of speed, Hiro made it to the garbage chute and slipped inside, getting sucked out of the city and into the dump. He enjoyed his brief cover from the rain, but his brief enjoyment was shattered by his hard landing.

    The rain pelted Hiro''s face as he trudged through the dense woods, his boots sinking into the muddy earth with each step. His mind wandered to Yutaka. "I hope you don''t think I''m dead," Hiro whispered, knowing he had betrayed him yet again. "I promise as soon as I get the radio working, I''m going to contact you."

    As he pushed deeper into the forest, the sound of voices caught his attention. Hiro''s survival instincts kicked in, and he quickly ducked behind a large bush, his heart racing.

    "I''m telling you, we should head back to the cabin," a gruff voice complained. "We aren''t going find her out here in all of this."

    "Just a few more minutes," another voice responded firmly. "I could have sworn I saw someone over here." Hiro could hear them move closer to his hiding place. "Setsuna! Please come back, the storm is getting worse!"

    Hiro held his breath as he listened to the couple searching for someone in the forest. His conscience tugged at him, urging him to help. But the rational part of his mind reminded him that if he was caught, the government would kill him.

    Come on, keep moving, he thought, conflicted. I want to help up I can''t if you keep standing there.

    They stayed glued in place calling the girl''s name until a crackle of static pierced the air.

    "We''ve found her!" a voice announced through the radio. "Bringing her in now."

    Relief washed over Hiro as the couple stepped away, their footsteps fading into the distance. He emerged from his hiding spot, shaking off the wet leaves clinging to his clothes.

    "That was close," he muttered, making a b-line for the bunker before anything else could get in his way.

    As Hiro descended the ladder into the underground sanctuary, Ai''s face lit up as he reached the bottom rung.

    "Hiro!" she exclaimed, rushing to greet him. Taking the backpack off his shoulders while he tried to dry off. "Looks like you got everything. I just wish the weather wasn''t so terrible tonight, you''re soaked,"

    Hiro struggled to pull his hoodie off. "It''s fine, I change and everything will be all good," he said, finally taking the hoodie off and tossing it aside.

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    Ai unzipped the backpack and started to dig through its contents. "This all looks amazing, so happy you found the strawberries this time. Now we have everything for that cake I wanted to make."

    As Ai got to work emptying the bag, Hiro changed into a set of dry clothes, his muscles aching from the unexpected sprint earlier. Ai finally got to the bottom of the bag, she pulled out the old holodeck and set it on the table.

    Ai raised an eyebrow. "Are you still trying to fix that radio?"

    Hiro nodded, determination etched on his face. "I haven''t given up. It''s our best shot at contacting Yutaka, he can help us get out of here."

    "And how is that going?" Ai asked looking concerned.

    Hiro sighed, running a hand through his damp hair. "It could be better. But I know I can figure it out, I looked up some how-to stuff while I was out."

    "I hate that this place blacks out our Slabs'' service," Ai huffed, leaning back on the counter. "If we had service we would be out of here by now," she lamented.

    "You know if we had service they would be able to track us," Hiro took a seat at the steal table, he dragged the holodeck over to him. "It''s why I leave my Slab here when I go out, it keeps them looking for us over there."

    Ai watched Hiro trace the outline of his Mach in his pocket. "I know, But we can''t stay down here much longer. Our supplies are getting low and going back to the Hiroshima is going to get riskier."

    Hiro''s brow furrowed. "We don''t have much of a choice, not until I contact Yutaka,"

    Ai leaned back, thinking back to what Hiro had told her about Yutaka. He was his parents'' lab assistant. Brilliant guy. The one who gave Hiro the Mach. But that was all she knew about him. She still had questions, like why Yutaka had chosen Hiro for the Mach and why he didn''t disappear like Hiro''s parents.

    Ai knew Yutaka was someone Hiro trusted but could they really wait for him? She had another idea in mind, "What if we try contacting Henry? I mean I know he has a radio, I saw it in his room one time,"

    "Oh," Hiro looked down at the table, he seemed unsure about what to say next. "I guess that could be an option if all else fails."

    Ai huffed, frustration evident in her voice. "What do mean if all else fails? Henry helped us find Trisha and he is the smartest person I''ve ever met, he would know how to get us out of this mess for sure!"

    Hiro''s dark eyes met hers, there was something hidden in them. "I know. But to be honest I''m still not sure we can fully trust him. I just have some questions about his motives."

    Ai''s expression softened. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I know he is a little off, but so are we. We are getting desperate here, we can''t turn away allies because of our feelings now." She leaned in, planting a quick kiss on his cheek.

    Hiro gave her an awkward smile, he knew she was right, they couldn''t afford to turn away anyone who could help them now. He managed a thank you, then rose from the table and made his way to the back room.

    The disassembled radio lay before him, a jumble of wires and circuits that seemed to mock his efforts. Hiro''s fingers fumbled with the connections, his hope fading as he tried to remember the video from the internet cafe.

    "Come on," he muttered, twisting two wires together. Nothing but static crackled through the speakers.

    Hiro pried the old holodeck apart, wondering if any of it was still usable. "I never should have gone to find Osamu without telling Yutaka first," he thought bitterly. "Now we''re trapped down here, and the world thinks we''re terrorists."

    The static hissed, as he snapped one of the motherboards into place. Hiro felt the walls of the bunker closing in, as not even static came over the radio. He was supposed to be the hero, the one ending the Mach programs. Now, he felt utterly useless.

    "Some hero I turned out to be," he muttered, glaring at the uncooperative radio. "Can''t even fix a simple circuit. My parents would be so disappointed,"

    The aroma of simmering broth and sizzling vegetables wafted through the bunker, drawing Hiro from his self-deprecating spiral. He shuffled into the kitchen, shoulders slumped, to find Ai testing the sauce she had crafted for the stirfry.

    "It''s almost ready," Ai said, her eyes flickering to Hiro''s dejected expression. "I take it the radio is still broken?"

    He nodded his head, slumping into a chair. "It''s going to be a little longer,"

    Ai ladled the steaming miso soup into bowls, hoping it would raise Hiro''s spirits. "I''ve been thinking," she began, her voice taking on that persuasive tone Hiro knew so well. "What if we found a way to make it look like the Canadians caused the explosion at the station?"

    "How would we do that?" Hiro asked, giving her a confused look.

    Ai set the bowls down and fixed him with a determined gaze. "We know that Osamu was there and he is a Canadian agent, other people saw him there too."

    Hiro''s eyebrows shot up. "But how would we prove it?"

    "We just need a photo of Osamu, next time you go out you can try to download one," Ai explained, her eyes glinting with excitement. "I think one of Trisha''s books has a photo of their whole family on it, it proves he is Canadian and I am sure one of those officers will recognize his face."

    Hiro leaned forward, intrigued despite his skepticism. "It''s not a bad idea, I could leak it to a new station, they would love this kind of thing,"

    Ai''s lips curved into a smile. "And it would distract the Canadians, by us more time to figure out if they caught Osamu."

    "Maybe, if they haven''t already executed him for treason," Hiro wasn''t sure Osamu made it out of the fire, but the way the building was surrounded that day, it didn''t seem like he would''ve gotten far if he did.

    "We can''t afford to think that way," Ai continued, deftly picking up her chopsticks. "With the Canadians doing damage control and the Japanese hunting them down, we could slip in unnoticed. You could find Yutaka and he could help us find Osamu and save him like he saved us."

    Hiro''s mind raced, weighing the risks and possibilities. "It''s not the worst plan, but I''m sure they would figure out it was us,"

    Ai shrugged, slurping a mouthful of soup. "So what? By the time they do, we''ll have freed Osamu. You know it will at least buy us time."

    Hiro stared at her, a mix of admiration and concern swirling in his chest. "You make it sound like nothing can go wrong," he said softly.

    "I''d like to believe nothing will go wrong," Ai replied. "We can do this. We can save ourselves this time."

    As Hiro picked up his chopsticks, he found himself torn between hope and fear. Ai''s plan was tempting but reckless, it would put Osamu in the line of fire. But it would turn the focus away from them, at least as far as the general public would be concerned.

    Hiro sipped thoughtfully, his brow furrowed. "Alright, tomorrow I''ll hit up that internet cafe, see what I can find. Can''t say I can make any promises."

    Ai flashed him a smile. "You don''t have to, I know you''ll figure something out,"

    "Thanks, Ai..." Hiro set down his chopsticks, running a hand through his hair. "I''m so sorry I dragged you into all of this. I''ll do everything I can to make sure you get to live your normal life again."

    Ai''s face fell slightly. "I don''t want my old life, I don''t regret helping you at all."

    "Ai... I just thought," Hiro continued, his voice low. "I mean, this is so dangerous and I want to keep you safe."

    A heavy silence fell between them. Ai stirred her soup absently, her earlier enthusiasm deflating.

    "I understand," she murmured.

    Hiro reached across the table, gently squeezing her hand. "Hey, you''ve done more than enough. Thank you."

    Ai nodded, but Hiro could see the disappointment in her eyes. They finished their meal in silence.

    As Hiro gathered the dishes, Ai stretched and yawned. "I think I''m going to turn in early," she said, her voice tinged with fatigue.

    "Alright," Hiro replied, concern creeping into his voice. "Sleep well."

    The moment Ai''s door clicked shut, she moved with purpose. Lifting her mattress, she retrieved the hidden Slab, her heart pounding. The screen lit up, revealing a flood of messages from Henry.

    "Are you safe? Where are you? Please respond!"

    Ai''s fingers hovered over the keypad. She glanced nervously at the door, picturing Hiro just beyond it. A pang of guilt struck her ¨C she hadn''t told him about the Slab, about Henry''s messages. But Hiro was too focused on protecting her, she needed to protect him from himself.

    Taking a deep breath, she typed: "We are ok."

    With trembling hands, she held the Slab up to the vent and hit send. As the message was sent, Ai wondered if she had just made a grave mistake or taken the first step toward getting out of the bunker for good.

 Vol 3, Chapter 2: Prisoner

    The thin laser grid blocked Osamu''s escape from his cell, a guard paced nervously in front of it humming to himself as he went. Osamu sat on the cold metal bench, his eyes following the guard''s monotonous path back and forth, back and forth.

    "Good god, watching pace is actually making me wish they had executed me," Osamu moved toward the flickering grid, his irritation written on his face. "You know there is a chair on your side for a reason,"

    The guard''s head snapped towards him, eyes narrowing. "Shut your mouth, prisoner. I''ve been told all about you, I''m not letting my guard down for a second."

    Osamu couldn''t help but let out a dry chuckle. "Please. What am I going to do here? Last time I checked these lasers would kill me just like they would anyone else." He leaned forward, his sharp gaze piercing through the guard. "The only reason I''m alive right now is because of my DNA. If they really did tell you everything then you know I am the only one who can pilot Mach 4. So even his I did break out, you wouldn''t kill me."

    The guard''s face contorted with anger, his hand twitching towards his weapon. "You think so? I don''t think they would blink twice if I ended your life."

    "You''d be dead before you opened my cell, or haven''t you noticed the cameras aren''t facing me," Osamu looked up at the corner of the room, a smirk playing on his lips. The cameras were locked on the guard, a Mach pilot was useful to the Canadian government, but a guard was not. As the guard moved closer to the lasers, Osamu stepped back, knowing what would happen next.

    Suddenly, a new voice cut through the tension. "Don''t do it. He''s gotten two guards killed already."

    Osamu''s eyes darted to the newcomer, a female guard who had appeared silently behind the first. The first guard hesitated, as her warning sunk in.

    "How is that possible?" he asked, looking over to the grinning Osamu.

    "He isn''t lying, they can always hire a new guard, but a pilot is rare. The moment you touched the gate without authorization this side of the room would have filled with a laser grid of its own," she explained, "But by all means give it a go if you don''t believe me." The guard looked between her and the cell before he finally relented, shuffling away with a last glare at Osamu.

    As the echoes of the departing guard''s footsteps faded, Osamu approached the cell door, shaking his head. "You sure know how to ruin my fun," he muttered, his eyes locked on the new guard.

    The young woman flashed a crooked smile, and she removed her sunglasses, revealing Kimiko''s familiar features. "We don''t exactly have time for fun, you know," she whispered, glancing back at the door. "Stealing a Canadian agent''s identity and infiltrating this place wasn''t exactly a walk in the park. This place has been on high alert since the police station bombing. I''m surprised you were able to get a message out."

    Osamu leaned back on the bench. "Someone owed me a favour," he said softly, "I know getting found wasn''t a part of our plan. I had to make a choice, Hiro and Ai needed to get out there more than I did."

    Kimiko''s expression hardened. "Still that was stupid of you to bring them to such a public place, like no one would be watching. Now look at you, I have no idea how I am going to get you out of this one."

    Osamu took a deep breath, steeling himself. "I don''t plan on getting out of this one, that isn''t why I asked you here," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "The Canadians... they''re going to force me to face Hiro. And they are going to use my family as their leverage." His eyes met Kimiko''s, conveying the weight of his words. "I know they will do anything to my family to force me to fight, torture won''t be off the table."

    Kimiko''s eyes widened in surprise. "But you''ll have your Mach, you can crush them and save your family, besides you know Hiro won''t attack you."

    He shook his head, a sad smile playing on his lips. "They have two more Machs, two more pilots waiting and watching. If I turn on them my family will be killed before I get to them. So I don''t need you to save me, I need you to save my family."

    As Osamu spoke, he could see the wheels turning in Kimiko''s mind. She was already trying to pan the next move, to find the solution to the problem. It was one of the things he admired most about her.

    "I can''t promise you that I''ll be able to locate them in time," Kimiko said finally, her voice tinged with concern. "But I''ll do what I can. Just... don''t do anything stupid, okay? Do your best to stay alive."

    Osamu nodded, but he had already come to terms with the ending of his story. As Kimiko sat down in the chair, he said softly, "Thank you, Kimiko. For everything."

    The shrill ring of the touch screen by the door prevented Kimiko''s response. Kimiko tapped the answer button, her posture immediately stiffening. Osamu could read her concern even without hearing the other side of the conversation.

    "Yes, sir. Right away," Kimiko said, her voice crisp and professional. She hung up and strode towards Osamu''s cell, watching the keypad change from red to green.

    "So they want to talk to me?" Osamu muttered as Kimiko entered, magnetic cuffs in hand.

    She leaned in close as she secured the cuffs, whispering, "It''s Patrick Ward, you know what happens if he sees and recognizes me."

    Osamu chuckled softly, a sad smile playing on his lips. "That man is too full of himself to remember a face that isn''t his own. But suggest you wear your glasses just in case." Kimiko nodded and returned her glasses to her face before removing Osamu from his cell.

    As they walked down the sterile hallway, Osamu''s mind drifted to Hiro. He did not doubt that Hiro had escaped the flames, a part of him hoped he fled the country, but he knew Hiro better than that. Hiro was out there planning a way to save him again and the Canadians were counting on that.

    They stopped outside one of the conference rooms. Through the door, Osamu could hear Patrick Ward''s impatient pacing.

    "Hopefully, this idiot will give us something we can use," Kimiko said, pressing her hand on the door handle.

    Osamu took a deep breath, ready to face the man who imprisoned him. "I''ll keep him talking as long as I can."

    The door swung open, revealing Patrick''s stern face. Kimiko led Osamu to the table, activating the magnet cuffs with a soft click sealing Osamu to the table.

    "Leave us," Patrick ordered Kimiko without even looking at her. She hesitated momentarily before complying.

    As the door closed behind her, Osamu met Patrick''s gaze, refusing to be the first to look away. The silence stretched between them, each one waiting for the other to start.

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    Finally, Patrick spoke, his disappointment was clear. "I never thought I''d see the day when you would turn traitor."

    Osamu''s jaw clenched. "I''m no traitor. I am still loyal to my country."

    "That''s funny," Patrick''s eyebrow arched. "I seem to recall you were the one who killed Hisoka,"

    Osamu didn''t even flinch at the sound of her name. He looked over to Patrick, watching the frown grow on his face. "She threatened the mission. She was a risk to all Mach pilots and she needed to be stopped."

    Patrick scoffed. "Hisoka killed her own father for us. I find it hard to believe she''d threaten the mission."

    Osamu was amused that Patrick thought they were talking about the same mission. He couldn''t hide his slight grin, he knew Patrick was hoping for a confession that wasn''t coming. "I told her to stand down but she refused. She turned her weapon on Japanese civilians and risked starting a war."

    A slow, predatory smile spread across Patrick''s face. "Your mission was to take Hiro off the board. Those civilians meant nothing to us. We could have easily covered their deaths up as a group of runaways."

    A chill ran down Osamu''s spine as he realized the extent of what could have happened that night at the greenhouse. "Forgive for thinking the Canadian government was concerned about the loss of civilian lives."

    Patrick frowned, it wasn''t the response he wanted to hear. "You still don''t get it do you, you haven''t stopped anything. We are still going to find Hiro and you are still going to do what you were supposed to do from the beginning." Patrick paused for a reaction from Osamu that never came.

    "I''m done now, you can have the guard take me back to my cell," Osamu said calmly, "Maybe you''ll record that confession you want so desperately next time."

    Patrick let out a growl of frustration before entering a code into his clipboard to stop the recording. With another tap, the door opened and Kimiko stepped back inside to collect the prisoner. The clock was ticking, and Osamu knew his time was running out.

    ---

    Back at Hiroshinka Academy, Henry''s slab buzzed in his hand, its screen illuminating the dimly lit dorm room. His heart skipped a beat as he read the message: "We''re ok." It was from Ai.

    Henry''s fingers flew across the screen, typing out a response. "Where are you? Everyone is saying you''re a terrorist," He held his breath, knowing he had to sound like he knew nothing about what happened in Hiroshima, but he hoped Ai was now willing to talk.

    Minutes passed and Henry was about ready to put the slab down when it buzzed again. Ai''s message appeared: "Not sure where we are exactly. I need your help."

    Henry''s brow furrowed. "Of course, just keep your Slab on and I can track it, I can be there in no time or send the police to you."

    "I don''t need you to come here," Ai replied. "I need you to help clear our names, I saw the bomber, they were from the Japanese government."

    Henry''s mind raced. He needed to know more. "How do you know that?" he typed. "Why would the Japanese government blow up their own police station?"

    Ai''s response was immediate. "I saw him before, they are after Hiro. That''s all I can say. Now I have a question for you, why were you at the station that day?"

    Henry ran a hand through his short-cropped hair, she saw him. How could he gain her trust without compromising his mission? He took a deep breath and typed, "I wasn''t there, it must have just been someone who looked like me,"

    "No one looks like you, you were there with another woman," came Ai''s simple reply.

    Henry stared at the screen, his cover was blown. The task force''s secrecy was paramount, but if he didn''t regain Ai''s trust, they would lose the only leads they had. A carefully crafted half-truth would hopefully be enough to convince her.

    He thought about how much he was willing to let her know before responding. "My real name is Hector," he typed. "I''m an American spy investigating the Machs. We''re trying to determine if they are a threat to our national security or not."

    He paused, then added, "The woman you saw me with is my partner. We are the only two here right now, but people are scared and there is no doubt more agents will come."

    As he hit send, Henry hoped the mention of more agents coming would worry Ai enough to tell him more. He waited ¨C the plank screen mocking him with each passing second.

    Hector''s heart raced, fearing he may have told her too much. The slab''s screen glowed softly in the dim dorm room, and he raced to see the message.

    "Thanks for the truth," Ai wrote, "but I still won''t tell you where we are. I need to keep Hiro safe."

    Hector let out a breath he didn''t realize he''d been holding. "That''s fair," he typed back. "But why contact me now, I''ve been messaging you for weeks. What changed?"

    There was a pause before Ai''s reply came through. "Because things have changed. Hiro is letting his fear get the better of him, even if he says he isn''t. We need to stop hiding like this."

    Intrigued, Hector leaned forward. "So exposing this Japanese agent will get you out of hiding?"

    "That''s part of it, the other part is I need you to find Trisha again."

    A smile tugged at Hector''s lips. This could be the opportunity the UN task force needed to force Japan''s hand. "Why do you need Trisha again?" he asked.

    "Osamu was at the station, I need to be able to tell Hiro he''s safe," Ai responded.

    Hector''s fingers flew across the screen. "I can do that, but it might take some time."

    "I''ll be waiting," came Ai''s final message before the conversation went silent.

    Hector stared at the blank screen, his mind racing. This was it, Ai and Hiro were going to make a move and this time he was going to be on top of it. He pulled out his holodeck, Trisha was Osamu''s wife and if he found her once he could do it again.

    Within minutes, information began flooding in but it wasn''t about Trisha, it was Osamu. "This can''t be right," he muttered, brow furrowing as he sifted through the data. A hospital record for the Canadian agent popped up, complete with diplomatic status and an address.

    Hector''s suspicion grew as he cross-referenced the location, an abandoned sawmill. "It''s too sloppy," he whispered, looking over the files someone had clearly dumped online for anyone to find. "This has to be a trap. But for who?"

    He leaned back in his chair, Ai did say that the government was after them. Was this meant to lure them out of hiding? Was it to attack the Canadians? Or someone else entirely? One thing was certain ¨C he couldn''t let the Un task force run into this blindly.

    Hector reached for his slab, still unsure if the information was worth sharing but it could bring Hiro and Ai out of hiding. He scrolled to Ai''s name, if he sent this message he could be putting her in the line of fire. He took a deep breath, if he didn''t give her something she may never answer his messages again.

    "I found something," he typed, "but it''s not good news. According to some hospital records after the explosion Osamu was checked out by the Canadian government and then moved to an address, that is an apparently abandoned sawmill."

    Ai''s response was immediate. "You found that quick,"

    Hector''s fingers hovered over the keys. He knew it was suspicious just how fast he was able to find it. "I think it''s a trap. The information was so easy to find, you could have done it at a cafe."

    There was a pause before Ai''s next message appeared. "What if I went anyway? What are the chances Osamu and his family are there?"

    Hector''s stomach twisted. Walking in there was a terrible idea, but Ai would never leave Hiro''s side. "You could be killed," he admitted. "Even if Hiro''s at the top of his game, you have no idea how many Machs or pilots could be waiting for you there."

    He added, trying to discourage them further, "Let me look into it, I can get back to you when I know more."

    The silence that followed was deafening. Hector''s mind raced, hoping she would just let him check it out first, the task force could clear it and then reset it for Hiro and Ai''s arrival. Finally, a simple message from Ai appeared:

    "Thanks."

    And then she was gone.

    Hector slumped in his chair, her response wasn''t what he had hoped for. He''d done what he could to warn them, but he knew it wasn''t enough. He would have to move fast to beat them there, pulling his secure tablet out of his bag he initiated a secure connection to Nia.

    Her face appeared on the holodeck, eyebrows raised in surprise. "Hector? What''s wrong?"

    He took a deep breath. "We''ve got a situation. Ai contacted me. I know where they''re headed but I think it''s a trap."

    Nia''s expression hardened. "Tell me everything."

    As Hector recounted the events of the past few days, he could see the gears turning in Nia''s mind. When he finished, she nodded slowly.

    "Good work, Hector. You''re right, it''s almost certainly a trap. The question is who set it?"

    Hector leaned forward. "How are we going to figure that out? Anyone could have created the files I found,"

    "We''ll send in some stealth drones to monitor the area. If we''re lucky, we might be able to gather the identities of anyone found in the area and figure out who set this obvious trap."

    Hector nodded along as he listened. Their drones were nearly undetectable and uploaded all their footage directly to HQ. "Sounds like you''ve got this covered. I''ll stand by and hopefully, Ai will contact me before they make a move,"

    Nia''s gaze was steely. "Alert me immediately if she does. And Hector? Be careful. If you are compromised you need to leave the academy immediately."

    He nodded, it was almost like she already knew what he had said to Ai. "I will. Thanks, Nia."

    As the connection closed, Hector stared at his reflection on the blank screen. It was getting harder to tell which side he was on.

 Vol 3, Chapter 3: Undercover

    Nia''s eyes traced the holographic screens, fixed on the drones'' feeds. The dense Japanese forest unfurled beneath the tiny cameras, a sea of emeralds punctuated by the occasional rocky outcrop. Her breath caught as a camouflaged truck materialized on the screen, kicking up dust and unpaved road. The truck was very old, with ancient tires and a rusted bumper.

    "There you are," she whispered, a triumphant smile playing on her lips. She guided the drone to follow at a safe distance, wondering who was running this operation.

    The truck led her to an old sawmill, its weathered siding hiding the hive of activity within. Nia carefully landed the drones in trees around the perimeter of the building, activating its thermal imaging.

    "Holy sh--" she breathed, eyes widening as the screen lit up like a Christmas tree. Dozens of heat signatures moved about inside, there was a full-scale operation taking place there, but she still didn''t know who was running the show.

    Nia''s mind raced. This was more than a trap, this was a full-on assault team and the target was clear, Machs. There was no other reason you would need so many people unless you intended to take down a Mach, she reasoned. She quickly initiated a secure video call with the UN Security Council, minus Canada and Japan.

    "Ladies and gentlemen," she began, her voice steady despite her excitement, "we have confirmation of unauthorized operations on Japanese soil, though we don''t know who is behind it, Japanese intel suggests it isn''t them."

    "This is concerning, running an operation of this scale on foreign soil violates the accords," The slender woman from Egypt said as they watched the footage.

    "Agreed, this operation risks war, you have the UN''s full support in investigating and eliminating this operation before Japan discovers it and has an excuse to use those new war machines against us." The Irish Un representative explained as the rest of the panel agreed.

    "Right away," Nia gave a small bow before logging off. She turned to the comms, "Tess report to my office immediately,"

    "As you can see they have quite the secret operation going on," Nia explained, as Tess entered the office and noticed the footage being played back on the walls. "The Un wants it wiped out, they''re worried this will start a war. The issue is we don''t even know who is responsible for it yet, all we know is it is a trap set for Machs."

    Tess nodded, her brow furrowed as she inspected the footage. "Clearly they want Machs gone too. But these idiots are being very obvious about it. The good news is if it is a trap for Machs then they won''t see us coming."

    Nia''s stomach clenched at the mention of them moving in at this early stage. They didn''t have enough details, they didn''t even have the layout of the facility yet.

    "Are you really suggesting we move in now?" Nia asked, leaning against her desk.

    Tess''s eyes gleamed with a dangerous light. "We use their focus on Machs to our advantage. A small strike team, in and out. Plant some explosives, then boom - no more secret base. We just have to wait until a Mach falls into the trap, use the fight as a distraction,"

    Nia whistled low. "Risky, but it makes sense. It is the best way to make sure we don''t end up on anybody''s radar. Assemble a team and be ready to go at a moment''s notice,"

    Tess nodded and left the room while Nia returned to her monitors. She couldn''t shake the feeling this was set for Hiro, after all his wanted poster was plastered over every video screen in the country. Part of her hoped he wouldn''t take the bait, but she knew better. From Henry''s intel, Hiro would never allow someone innocent to get hurt because of him and he already tried to find Trisha and her family before.

    "Be careful, kid," she murmured to the empty room. "You''ve got no idea what you''re walking into."

    ---

    Under the flickering lights in the back room of the stone bunker, Hiro swore and the radio refused to respond to him. Ai approached, she took in the scene of wires and radio parts strewn across the workbench. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for the conversation ahead.

    "Hiro," she said softly, "I need to tell you something."

    He looked up, his dark eyes curious. "What''s up, Ai?"

    Ai''s fingers twisted nervously. "I... I still have my Slab. And I''ve been using it to send messages through the vents."

    Hiro''s expression hardened instantly. "Are you crazy? They can track that!"

    "I know, I know," Ai rushed to explain, her voice trembling slightly. "But I''m careful. I never keep it close to the vent for long, just long enough to send the message."

    Hiro slammed his fist on the workbench, making Ai flinch. "Who are you sending messages to Ai? What could be so important that you would put us at risk like that?"

    Ai swallowed hard. "Hiro, we both know you could have fixed that radio by now if you really wanted to. I know you''re scared to get back out there but we can''t live here forever, I can''t live down here forever. We are not the criminal here and we shouldn''t have to hide, so I contacted Henry."

    "Ai... I just get people hurt," Hiro muttered, turning back to the table. "You shouldn''t have contacted Henry, we can''t trust him,"

    "I know, but I didn''t really have another option," Ai explained, her voice taking on a persuasive tone she often used to calm heated situations. "Henry''s trying to help us. He told me where the Canadians are hiding."

    Hiro tilted his head in thought. "It''s got to be a trap."

    "Oh, it definitely is," Ai said, a hint of a smile playing at her lips. "Henry told me that too."

    "Then what''s the point?" Hiro asked, fiddling with the radio dial.

    Ai placed a hand on Hiro''s shoulder, turning him to face her. "Don''t you see? We can be ready for it if we know it''s a trap. They''re underestimating us, Hiro. We can use that to our advantage."

    Hiro sat back, considering her words. His mind filled with images of Ai ending up dead in a battle against the Canadians. After a long moment, he asked, "What exactly would your plan be?"

    Ai leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper. "My cousin is a professional makeup artist. She can help us disguise ourselves. They won''t see us coming until we are right on their doorstep, then you power up and bring the place down."

    Hiro nodded slowly, but he wasn''t fully on board with it. It was risky, and there was no way there wasn''t at least one Mach pilot waiting for them plus who knows how many armed agents. "It''s a pretty dangerous plan," he admitted, "but I know you''ll go with or without me. So I guess I''m on board."

    ---

    As they made their way through the winding streets to Ai''s cousin''s apartment, Hiro couldn''t take his eyes off Ai. He glanced away whenever she looked back at him, trying to avoid a conversation, he knew no amount of makeup would keep them safe. But the thought of Osamu, possibly held captive, did mean he would have to face the Canadians eventually. The trap was clear but that didn''t mean they would get out of it, he needed to figure out a way to keep Ai safe.

    "Here we are," Ai announced as they reached the crumbling apartment building.

    "she lives here?" Hiro looked at the shattered glass around the door.

    "Yeah, she got sick a few years ago so they sent her to the quarantine sector, by the time she got better they had already sold her place to someone else. So she just kind of stayed here." Ai casually explained as she shoved the door aside and led Hiro down the dimly lit hallway.

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    They reached to door at the end and Ai knocked to the beat of a long Hiro had never heard before. The door swung open and Ai''s cousin emerged. She was dressed head to toe in high-end fashion, her hair done up in a tight honeycomb. "I thought they killed you," She rushed to Ai, embracing her.

    "We need your help, to clear our names," Ai gasped from the tight hug. "The government set us up but we have a plan to expose them,"

    Her cousin pulled away, "I knew it, they would do this to cover up their own bombing. It is in all the anti-government chatrooms right now." She grabbed Ai''s hand and led her inside, with Hiro following close behind them.

    "We just need to look older, like way older," Ai explained, "So we can sneak into a government building. My friend over there can hack the files and prove it wasn''t us from there." She motioned to Hiro, who offered a small wave.

    "Genious and have no fear, when I am done with you, you could walk right up to the Prime Minster himself and he would have no clue who you are." Ai''s cousin sat Ai on the couch before digging out her cosmetics bag.

    ---

    Hours later the bullet train hurtled through the Japanese countryside, a blur against the forest it was whipped through. Hiro''s heart raced, soon they would be hiking to the sawmill, he was running out of time. He glanced at Ai, she looked weathered by time but her eyes were still young. She caught his eye and gave a subtle nod.

    As they disembarked at the base of the mountain, Hiro caught a glimpse of himself in the bus''s side mirror, the old man staring back at him didn''t exactly look like the hiking type. "I look like I should be in a hospital, not out in the woods," he thought, running his hands through his dusty gray hair.

    They began their hike into the dense forest, a small unkept trail leading them toward their destination. They could hear the birds flying through the treetops and catch the sounds of rustling in the woods every once in a while. Hiro would pause at the sound of a branch snapping or the sight of something moving until he was sure it wasn''t a threat to them. As they got closer Hiro thought he heard something larger coming their way.

    "Ai, stop," he whispered urgently, his hand shooting out to halt her progress. "We''re not alone."

    Before Ai could respond, a figure in a Canadian uniform burst from the undergrowth, weapon raised. Hiro''s muscles tensed, ready to spring into action, when a familiar voice came from under the cap.

    "Are you two idiots actively trying to get yourselves killed, or is this just a happy accident?"

    Hiro''s jaw dropped. "Kimiko?" he exclaimed, a mix of shock and anger colouring his voice. "What are you doing here? Is this where you''ve been all this time?"

    Kimiko''s eyes narrowed, her posture rigid. "We''ll have time for questions later. These woods are crawling with Canadian agents looking for you, if you are going to disguise yourselves as old people, I suggest you move like old people too. Otherwise, it is pretty clear you are just two people in Halloween costumes,"

    Hiro cursed under his breath, he hadn''t been focused on selling the rouse and Kimiko was right. "We were that easy to figure out," he huffed. "We wouldn''t have made it to the sawmill, would we?"

    "You wouldn''t have made it another fifty feet, that is when the camera surveillance kicks in."

    Ai, her eyes wide with confusion, interjected. "I''m sorry, but who exactly is this?"

    Hiro sighed, realizing he had never told Ai the full story. "Kimiko. She was my best friend... before she decided to steal a Mach and go off on her own."

    Kimiko''s face hardened. "I did what I had to do to protect myself and I know I made a mistake. You have no idea what I''ve done since then, Hiro."

    "No idea?" Hiro''s voice rose, it was like that day above the school all over again. "I almost died trying to save you when the Canadians caught you, I had to kill someone. And you just left, stole your Mach from Osamu and took off. You were nothing but selfish!"

    Kimiko''s eyes flashed with a mix of guilt and anger. "That''s not what happened, Hiro. Osamu told you that so we could focus on something without worrying about you. But everything I''ve done has been to protect you, to help you."

    Hiro scoffed, but a small part of him wanted to believe her. "All you had to do was be my friend again, Kimiko. That''s all I needed."

    "You need what I''m working on, even if you don''t know it yet," Kimiko insisted. "I''ve always been looking out for you. Who do you think cured you from Masato''s poison?"

    Hiro''s eyes widened in shock. "That was you? But... how? How did you know where I was?"

    Kimiko''s expression softened slightly. "It''s complicated, Hiro. There''s so much I want to tell you, but I can''t yet."

    Frustration bubbled up inside Hiro. "Oh come on, Kimiko. I think I deserve to know what is going on here,"

    Kimiko hesitated, her eyes darting between Hiro and Ai. "I will tell you everything once I''m sure. What I can say is Machs are more than we thought they were."

    Hiro felt his annoyance rising. "That''s it? I already knew that. They can adapt and change and Yutaka says that wasn''t in their initial programming."

    Kimiko''s eyes narrowed, her intense gaze fixed on Hiro. "So he already told you everything. Then why are you too here? The Canadians don''t know anything about the Machs'' adaptive capabilities,"

    Ai stepped forward, placing herself between the pair. "We''re here to find Osamu. We need to know if the Canadians are holding him prisoner."

    A flicker of surprise crossed Kimiko''s face, quickly replaced by a contemplative look. "Well, well. Looks like I can help you after all."

    Hiro''s eyebrows shot up. "You know where Osamu is."

    Kimiko lowered her voice, glancing around warily. "I do, they are keeping him at that sawmill you were heading to. They have his family too, but they aren''t at the main facility from what I''ve been able to gather."

    "How can you be so sure they are keeping his family close by?" Hiro challenged, looking in the direction of the sawmill.

    Kimiko tugged at her Canadian uniform. "This isn''t just a fashion statement, Hiro. I''ve been undercover for months. Osamu''s inside, and they want him to kill you. That''s why his family has to be close, to ensure that if he doesn''t listen they can motivate him another way."

    Ai gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "That''s horrible!"

    Hiro''s mind raced, his stomach churning. "That''s the trap, it was set for me,"

    "Of course," Kimiko said grimly, "they''re scared of you. You have no loyalty to a single governing body and that makes you unpredictable and dangerous in their eyes."

    The weight of this revelation settled over them like a suffocating blanket. Hiro''s fists clenched at his sides, he wouldn''t let them get away with this. "We have to save him and his family."

    Kimiko nodded, her expression matching his intensity. "I have a plan. But it''s risky, and we''ll need to work together. There is a protocol they follow whenever hikers get too close, they bring them to a secure location close by and act like forest rangers. Explain the dangers and probe to make sure they know nothing. My guess is Osamu''s family is kept in that area too. So we draw the Canadian''s attention with you Hiro while Ai and and I get ourselves caught and brought to the location so I can power up and find his family. Once I have them safe, I message you and you let Osamu know, so you both can turn on them,"

    "I''ll do it," Hiro declared, cutting off Kimiko''s explanation. "I''ll keep the fight going for as long as you need. I know he won''t want to hurt me either."

    Ai''s eyes widened. "Hiro, you know it won''t just be him attacking you. You can''t¡ª"

    "I can, and I will," Hiro insisted, looking over at Ai. "With all eyes on me, you''ll have a better chance of getting them out safely. Once they''re free, It will be two Machs vs them and I like those odds. It''s our best shot."

    As Ai continued to look more and more worried, Hiro took a breath. He''d faced death before, but he never thought they would force him to fight a friend this way. Yet for Osamu, for his family, for the chance to stop the Canadians, he''d risk everything.

    Ai finally spoke. "I''m going with Hiro. I won''t let you face them alone!" Her hands trembled as she reached for him, her voice cracking. "It''s too dangerous."

    Hiro gently clasped her shoulders, his gaze softening. "Ai, I need you to trust me. You''re unarmed and¡ª"

    "And a liability," Kimiko interjected, her tone matter-of-fact. "In a fight, you''d be a distraction Hiro can''t afford."

    Ai''s face fell, but Hiro could see the wheels turning in her mind. He knew she was searching for a counterargument, a way to stay by his side.

    Kimiko led them to a more covered area, her movements fluid and silent. As they crouched behind the cluster of trees, she drew a rough outline of the facility in the dirt with a stick. "The back entrance is your best bet, Hiro. You can wear my uniform and use this ID badge to get inside. They shouldn''t detect you right away."

    She pressed her badge into Hiro''s palm, her fingers lingering for a moment. Then she scanned the area for a good spot to exchange clothing. "Let''s go over there and get this over with," she pointed to a rather large bush.

    Ai''s sharp intake of breath was audible. "Wait, what are you¡ª"

    "We''re switching clothes," Kimiko explained, already shrugging off the jacket. "Hiro won''t get close to the mill wearing that."

    Hiro watched as Ai''s face cycled through shock, understanding, and then barely concealed jealousy. He moved to her side and squeezed her hand, trying to reassure her that what he was about to do meant nothing.

    "Ai," he said softly, "I know this is difficult, but right now, Osamu needs us. His family needs us. We have to focus on that, okay?"

    Ai bit her lip, clearly torn between her feelings and the urgency of their mission. Finally, she nodded, though her eyes never left the forest floor.

    "Let''s get this over with," Hiro muttered, following Kimiko behind a dense patch of bushes.

    As they swapped clothes, Kimiko''s voice dropped to a whisper. "So, Ai''s pretty head over heels for you, huh? The feeling mutual?"

    Hiro fumbled with a button, caught off guard by the directness of her question. "I... care about her. And I feel guilty for dragging her into all this."

    Kimiko raised an eyebrow. "That''s not really an answer, Hiro."

    He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It''s the best I can give right now. Everything''s so complicated,"

    "Still I never thought you would go for someone like her," Kimiko handed him the uniform pants.

    Hiro frowned. "What''s that supposed to mean?"

    Kimiko shrugged, handing him her shirt. "Just figured we had the same taste, that''s all."

    Hiro fell silent, his once best friend had read him like an open book. He said nothing, focusing intently on fastening the unfamiliar uniform. When they finished, they returned to Ai in silence, after everything Ai had done for him Hiro wasn''t sure he could ever tell her the truth.

 Vol 3, Chapter 4: The Plan

    The crisp scent of pine needles filled Kimiko''s lungs as she and Ai crept through the dense forest. Sunlight filtered through the branches, dappling the forest floor with shifting patterns. Kimiko''s eyes darted constantly, scanning for any sign of movement.

    "Shouldn''t they be coming to redirect us by now?" Ai whispered, leaning uncomfortably close to Kimiko''s ear.

    Kimiko held up a hand, signalling for quiet. "Patience," she murmured. "They know we''re here, they just need to make sure they actually have to intervene."

    As they carefully navigated through the underbrush, Kimiko''s mind raced. The plan seemed solid, but so much could go wrong. She didn''t know Ai at all, which made her more than a liability if things went sideways.

    "There," Kimiko breathed, pointing to a barely visible sensor nestled in a nearby tree. "We''ve tripped their alarms. They''ll be surrounding us shortly."

    Ai nodded, stepping away from Kimiko and getting a better look at the sensor. "Do you think they''ll find Hiro before he gets close enough?" she asked softly.

    Kimiko rolled her eyes, they had enough to worry about without thinking of Hiro. "He can handle himself, he has a Mach. We need to focus on our part of the plan."

    The minutes crawled by, as they continued their trek toward the sawmill. Finally, Kimiko spotted movement through the trees. A man in worker''s coveralls approached, his fake smile was anything but welcoming.

    "Are you lost?" he called gruffly. "This area''s off-limits, it''s dangerous to be out here."

    Kimiko stepped forward, feigning confusion. "I''m sorry, we must have gotten turned around. We can''t seem to find the trail anywhere,"

    The man''s brow furrowed. "We? Is there someone else with you miss?"

    Ice flooded Kimiko''s veins as she whirled around. Where Ai had been standing moments ago, there was only an empty forest. Cursing under her breath, Kimiko forced a sheepish smile.

    "Oh, I''m sorry. I was hiking with a friend. She must have wandered off, maybe she found the trail."

    "I see, well we will send some rangers out to look for her. In the meantime come with me you can wait at the cabin," As she followed the worker, Kimiko''s mind raced. What the hell was Ai doing? And more importantly, was she about to ruin everything before it started?

    ---

    Meanwhile, at the back of the sawmill, Hiro shook out his worries as he adjusted the stolen uniform. He could feel the weight of Kimiko''s ID badge and his Mach in his pocket. He took a deep breath and stepped out of the treeline, heading straight for the electrified gate.

    Just buy them time, he reminded himself. Once they save Osamu''s family, this will all be over.

    As Hiro reached for the badge, a twig snapped behind him. He spun, muscles tensed for a fight, only to find himself face-to-face with Ai.

    "What are you doing here?" he hissed, moving back to the trees.

    Ai''s chin lifted stubbornly. "I couldn''t let you do this alone. I can help, Hiro."

    "How exactly can you help? You don''t have a Mach, you can''t fight them!" Hiro''s frustration bubbled over. "We had a plan¡ª"

    The click of multiple safeties being released cut him off mid-sentence. Hiro''s blood ran cold as he slowly turned to face the open doorway, now filled with armed agents, their weapons trained squarely on him and Ai.

    In that frozen moment, Hiro''s mind raced through their options. Fight? Run? Surrender? Whatever choice he made, he knew their carefully laid plan had just gone up in smoke.

    ---

    The shrill wail of an alarm pierced the air, startling Kimiko out of her thoughts as she sat in the dented steel chair in the old dusty cabin. She glanced at the worker, who was already rising from his seat.

    "Stay here," he ordered, his face tight with concern. "The alarm means there is a fire in the area."

    Kimiko nodded like she believed every word he said, her face reflected fear. "Oh God, I hope my friend is ok." She whispered as the man reached the door next to her.

    "Don''t worry, we''re looking for her," He tried to comfort her with a look before pulling the heavy door open. The moment the cabin door closed behind him, Kimiko''s fear faded away. She headed straight for the desk, typing her access code into the unmanned computer. She began scanning through the logs for the layout of this area, several nearby cabins were listed as holdings.

    "Come on, Trisha," she muttered under her breath. "Where are you?"

    She continued to search for a way to tell whether a holding was in use, the alarm still blaring in the background, making it hard to concentrate. What if she couldn''t find them in time? She wondered, What if Osamu''s family had already been moved?

    Finally, she spotted it ¨C a cabin with two armed guards assigned to it. Kimiko''s lips curved into a grim smile. "Bingo."

    She reached into her pocket, fingers closing around the familiar shape of her virtual pet. With a quick tap, nanobots sprang to life, enveloping her body in a swirl of pink light. As the cybernetic suit went through the usual systems check, Kimiko uploaded the data to her visor.

    The guards posted at the cabin never stood a chance. In a blur of motion, Kimiko grabbed them by their collars, hurling them into the woods. She turned to the door, scanning for signs of life inside, two heat signatures were shown on screen.

    "Sorry about this," she muttered, before unleashing a blast that tore the door from its hinges.

    As the dust settled, Kimiko stepped inside. There, huddled in a corner, was a woman clutching a small boy to her chest. Both stared at Kimiko with wide, terrified eyes.

    Kimiko''s mask retracted, revealing her face. "Trisha?" she asked gently. "I''m here to help. We need to get you out of here." Kimiko reached for the pair when an alarm went off in her suit.

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    Kimiko''s eyes widened as her AI informed her of an oncoming attack from behind her. She spun, raising her arms to deflect the incoming bullets with her suit''s energy shields. As soon as there was an opening the air crackled with plasma as she returned fire, her own blasters sending Canadian agents diving for cover.

    "Stay back!" she shouted to Trisha and her son, holding an arm out to keep them from stumbling into the range of the gunfire.

    More agents poured out of the forest, their weapons trained on the doorway and Kimiko. She gritted her teeth, realizing their escape route had just been cut off. There was no way she could get Osamu''s family through it unharmed.

    "Well shit," Kimiko muttered, her blaster trained on the approaching agents. She moved closer to the door lying on the floor, in one motion she flipped it up and flung it back into place, sealing the door with a concentrated laser burst from her suit.

    Trisha clutched her son tightly, her eyes wide with panic. "What do we do now? We''re trapped! We''re going to die here, aren''t we?"

    Kimiko shook her head firmly, turning to take in the rest of the cabin. "We''re not done yet. I promised Osamu I''d keep you safe, and that''s exactly what I''m going to do." She noticed there were no windows on the inside, but there was ventilation in the back wall. "I have an idea."

    In one fluid motion, Kimiko scooped up Trisha and her son. She aimed her blaster at the wall, the energy building with a high-pitched whine.

    "Close your eyes," she warned, before unleashing a powerful blast that tore a gaping hole in the cabin''s ventilation system.

    Without hesitation, Kimiko dashed through the crumbling opening, her enhanced speed carrying them swiftly away from the sounds of gunfire echoing behind them. She zigzagged through the trees, her only goal was to put enough distance between them and the agents.

    "Where are we going? Is Osamu waiting for us?" Trisha gasped, clinging tightly to Kimiko.

    "We are getting outside of their range," Kimiko replied, making mental notes about where the Canadian surveillance ended. "Osamu is going to meet us later." Trisha didn''t seem fully convinced by her answer.

    Finally, she spotted a dense thicket, secluded enough to provide temporary shelter. Kimiko set Trisha and her son down gently, then deactivated her suit.

    "Stay here and keep low," she instructed, her voice hushed but urgent. "You are outside of their line of sight but they''ll be looking for you. I am going to head south and make as much noise as possible to keep them off you."

    Trisha grabbed Kimiko''s arm, she looked at her son and then back to Kimiko. "Osamu is still in there, isn''t he?" she whispered.

    Kimiko hesitated, torn between reassurance and honesty. "Not for long," she promised. "We''ll get him out of there."

    The two women embraced briefly before Trisha and her son tucked themselves into the hollow of an ancient tree. Kimiko watched them disappear from view, then reached for her communicator to contact Hiro.

    Static crackled in her ear. Kimiko frowned, trying again. Nothing but white noise.

    "Damn it," she muttered, realization dawning. "They''re jamming all communications."

    Kimiko knew their plan had fallen apart. She could try to find Hiro and Osamu, and tell them Osamu''s family was safe... but that would mean risking capture, potentially jeopardizing her entire mission of finding out the true purpose of the Machs.

    She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "First things first," she whispered to herself. "Lead the Canadians away from Trisha. All of this would be for nothing if they get caught."

    With a final glance at the hidden family, Kimiko activated her suit once more and prepared to draw their pursuers far from this quiet corner of the forest.

    Kimiko''s Mach suit hummed to life, its pink glow illuminating the forest floor. She darted between trees, until she was sure she was far enough away from Osamu''s family. Then she activated her blaster, and she thrust forward, blasting at random and causing trees to crumble in her wake.

    "This ought to get their attention" she muttered as she propelled herself forward.

    Shouts erupted from below as Kimiko flew, bullets whizzing by as they missed their mark. The wind whipped past her face as she soared through the air.

    "That''s it, take the bait," she muttered, glancing back. A smile tugged at her lips as she saw the agents giving chase, their assumption that she still had Osamu''s family with her clear in their frantic pursuit.

    The whir of propellers caught her attention. Kimiko spun mid-air, spotting a sleek sniper drone closing in.

    "Seriously? You guys don''t give up, do you?" she huffed, raising her arm. A quick blast from her suit''s palm reduced the drone to falling debris. "I need a secluded area to lose these guys in so I can double back for Hiro and Osamu," Kimiko instructed her AI.

    "According to local area data there is an abandoned campground due east from here, outside of the range of Canadian surveillance. All calculations suggest simple evasive maneuvers will allow you to lose your current pursuers."

    "Well then let''s do this, map the route," Kimiko followed the flight path until her eyes landed on a cluster of dilapidated structures nestled at the forest''s edge.

    "There it is," she breathed. "Perfect."

    Banking hard, she dove toward the run-down site. Just before impact, Kimiko cut her thrusters, tucking into a roll and sliding into a torn tent. She deactivated her suit and dug out her slab.

    "Hiro, please pick up," she whispered, hoping the government wouldn''t think they''d use slabs on a mission like this. Nothing but static answered.

    Frustration bubbled up inside her. "AI, can you re-establish communication with Mach 1?"

    The AI''s calm voice responded, "Affirmative, but it will take time to bypass the jamming signal."

    Kimiko bit her lip. "Time we might not have. What if Hiro and Osamu are already..."

    She couldn''t finish the thought. The idea of the two men she cared about locked in combat, possibly to the death, made her stomach churn.

    There was a rustling from the bushes. Kimiko froze, straining her ears. Footsteps, multiple sets, approached the campgrounds.

    "Of course," she thought tucking herself behind the floating fabric, "just what I didn''t need today."

    Kimiko held her breath as voices drifted through the thin fabric of the tent. They spoke English but in a variety of accents ¨C definitely not all Canadian.

    "Establish perimeter," a woman''s sharp voice cut through the chatter. "This is our base of operations. An active Mach has been spotted. You know what we''re here to do. We have just over an hour to do it. If you''re late, you''re left behind. Clear?"

    A chorus of affirmatives followed.

    Kimiko''s thoughts raced. ''How did they know Machs were in the area? Who are these people?''

    Carefully, she shifted to peek through a tear in the tent. Noting the group donned Canadian uniforms but they were slightly out of date and clearly worn.

    ''So they are using the chaos as a distraction,'' she realized. ''But who are they?''

    As the last of the group disappeared into the woods, Kimiko stayed completely still until she couldn''t hear a sound. ''I need to warn Hiro'' She peered out from her hiding place. ''This is getting out of hand. Some else is going down here.''

    Determined, she slipped out the back of the tent ¨C and collided with something solid.

    "Don''t move!" a young voice commanded. Kimiko felt cold metal encircle her wrists. "You''re under arrest in the name of the UN!"

    Kimiko blinked, taking in the boy before her. His loose-fitting clothes and unkempt blond hair. Despite his attempt at authority, his hands were trembling as he held out his weapon.

    "You work for the UN? How old are you, exactly?" she asked, unable to keep the amusement from her voice.

    The boy''s face reddened. "That''s none of your business!"

    "Let me guess... sixteen? Seventeen?"

    "I said it''s none of your¨C and I''m eighteen thank you very much. Now be quiet, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law,"

    Kimiko sighed. "Wow, it must have taken you a while to memorize all that. But honestly I time have to waste here¨C"

    "Save it," the boy interrupted. "I caught you eavesdropping on a top-secret conversation. When the strike force returns, we''ll get to the bottom of who you really are."

    Kimiko couldn''t help but laugh, this kid was not the authority figure he was trying to be. "I hate to break it to you, but I wasn''t listening in on anything, it''s not my fault you laid out your entire plan in front of me. Maybe sweep the area next time?"

    The boy''s face flushed deeper. "I¨C That''s not¨C Just stop talking."

    "Oh? And what exactly happens if I choose to keep talking Mr..."

    "It''s Hector, and I am recording everything you say, clearly you were here for a reason,"

    Kimiko was amused by Hector. She needed to get free, warn Hiro, and get Osamu out of there. But first, she had to deal with this small bump in the road, and she thought she might have some fun with it.

    "Listen, Hector," she said, softening her tone. "I think we got off on the wrong foot. I think we should-"

    A distant explosion shook the forest and cut her off mid-sentence. Hector''s head whipped toward the sound as a thick cloud of black smoke rose over the treeline, his grip on Kimiko loosening.

    ''Big mistake Hector,'' she thought.

 Vol 3, Chapter 5: Up in Smoke

    Hiro stared down the barrel of dozens of guns, they were completely surrounded on all sides with no chance of escape. As more agents entered the clearing, his hand was still in his pocket. "Put your hands in the air" One instructed as they moved closer.

    Hiro knew it wouldn''t matter. He felt the cold plastic of the phone against his fingers. With a click, the familiar rush of power surged within him, and the teal armour encased his body. His first move was to get to Ai. She was completely unarmed and unprotected.

    "Stay back," Hiro warned her, raising his arms with his blasters charging.

    The Canadian agents formed a semicircle around him, their weapons raised but not firing. Hiro''s brow furrowed beneath his helmet. Something wasn''t right. He turned to see three agents dragging AI from the brush, their gums pressed against her head, he was too late.

    Suddenly, the agents parted, revealing a sight that made Hiro''s blood run cold. Osamu, his hair grayed and eyes sunken in, was shoved to the front lines. He had bruising over his arms and a black eye, he stumbled forward to face Hiro.

    "Hiro, you shouldn''t have come," Osamu called out, his voice strained. "They won''t let either of us leave this place."

    Hiro already knew that, he never planned on just being able to walk out of this situation. He just needed to buy time for Kimiko to save Osamu''s family. Once that was done, the Canadians would have nothing over Osamu. They could turn the tables and save Ai before getting out of there.

    "I''m not going anywhere, Osamu," Hiro replied, his AI scanning the scene and analyzing the chance of survival. "Not until we can get everyone out of here. I won''t give up and I won''t walk away until Ai and your family is safe."

    Osamu nodded, he knew Hiro had made up his mind. He tapped the old smartwatch on his wrist, and in an instant, yellow Mach armour locked itself into place, sealing the man inside it.

    The two stood off, neither willing to make the first move. Hiro was focused, all his thoughts centred around one goal: draw out the fight as long as possible, until Kimiko radioed that Osamu''s family was safe.

    Suddenly, there was a sound of turbines cracking to life. Hiro''s heart stopped as he saw a large railgun being led to the front lines, its barrel aimed directly at him.

    "Hiro!" Ai cried out, her eyes glued to the massive weapon that had just been driven out.

    At that moment, Hiro knew he had no choice. With a burst of speed that left a sonic boom in his wake. The trees bent, soldiers were tossed aside and the railgun was thrown off its mark. Hiro flew directly into Osamu, hitting him with so much force that sparks flew and sent them both careening toward the mill.

    As they crashed through a propane tank causing a massive explosion before spiralling through the wall, splintered wood and metal raining down around them, agents inside the building fled for the exits. The screams echoed as they stumbled over debris to get away from the impending destruction. The older man was back on his feet first, his suit informing him only minor damage was caused by the assault.

    "Well you certainly aren''t holding back, Hiro," Osamu grunted as he opened fire, yellow energy bolts sizzling past Hiro''s head. "But I get it, I bet you think I''ve betrayed you again."

    Hiro dodged and weaved, his movements a blur as he avoided Osamu''s attacks. "No, I don''t think that at all, Osamu," he called back. "I know they have your family. I would be doing the same thing if I were you,"

    Hiro aimed, his weak blast ricocheting off of Osamu without leaving a dent. Hiro followed the blasts and noticed an agent in a Canadian uniform actually moving deeper into the building. He wondered if another surprise was heading his way if there was another weapon or Mach tucked away in case the fight ever moved inside.

    The momentary distraction let Osamu make the first move, crashing into Hiro this time, sending them both through another wall of the sawmill. As they tumbled amidst the debris, Hiro wondered just how long it would be before Kimiko messaged him with some good news.

    "Just a little longer," he thought. "Kimiko will come through. She has to."

    Slammed into a thick metal support beam, sending tremors through the entire build. He didn''t notice the bomb until a deafening explosion hurled him forward, the shrapnel embedding itself into Hiro''s Mach. He was sent flying deeper into the mill, crashing through computer hard drives and old rusting logging equipment.

    Hiro''s ears rang as he struggled to his feet, his teal armour dented but intact. Through the haze of dust and smoke, he realized he had completely lost sight of Osamu.

    "Shit!" he gasped, knowing metal didn''t normally explode like that. "I have to get out of here, they''ve rigged this place to blow,"

    Without hesitation, Hiro activated his thrusters and shot out of the building. The scene that greeted him was pure unrivalled chaos. Flames licked at the edges of the mill, thick black smoke billowing into the sky. Canadian agents lay scattered on the ground, some moving, others ominously still.

    "Ai!" Hiro whispered to himself, suddenly realizing she could have been swept up in all the commotion. "Ai, where are you?" he called, moving toward where he had seen her last.

    He scanned the area frantically, his suit''s sensors struggling to identify human heat signatures amongst the flames. Trees crackled and hissed as they tumbled to the ground, making it impossible to see if anyone was trapped beneath.

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    "Please," Hiro begged, gliding over the scene, watching people flee in all directions. "Please be okay, Ai. I won''t be able to live with myself if you aren''t ok."

    "Scan shows no signs of Ai" his AI confirmed as it completed its search of the area, Hiro cursed under his breath, He didn''t notice the figure rising behind him. Osamu, his yellow armour scorched but functional, aimed with his blaster.

    "I''m sorry, Hiro," Osamu said to himself, trying to justify what he was about to do. "But I have to do this. For my family."

    The whine of the charging blaster was lost in the roar of the flames.

    Tess crouched behind a fallen tree, her hair matted with sweat and soot. She pressed her finger to her earpiece, her voice low and urgent.

    "All units, a bomb was detonated prematurely. The building is unstable, drop payloads and evacuate immediately. Rendezvous at camp in thirty minutes or you''re on your own."

    She glanced at the metallic detonator strapped to her vest, she wasn''t sure the timeline she gave was one she could follow. "We won''t level the place, but they won''t be coming back after this."

    As she watched the building burn, Tess thought about what was going to happen next. "The Japanese government is most likely already on its way with how loud this has gotten. No way these Canadians wiggle their way out of this one."

    From her vantage point in the treeline, Tess watched the chaos unfold. The two Machs, teal and yellow, exchanged blaster fire in the sky. Canadian agents scurried like ants from a disturbed hill.

    "Come on, come on," she muttered, eyes flicking between her stopwatch and the unfolding battle.

    A sleek black car peeled into the compound, several agents raced out providing cover for an out-of-shape sweaty man. Tessa''s eyes narrowed. "There goes Ward. Slippery bastard," she muttered watching the car fly away from the building as fast as it could.

    Suddenly, a scraping sound filled the air drawing her attention back to the Machs. The teal Mach''s thruster sputtered, clearly damaged. The yellow one advanced on it but something got in the way, and Tess''s breath caught. An unarmed girl stood between them, arms outstretched.

    "Damn it all," Tess growled. Her thumb hovered over the detonator. "I can''t let them kill a civilian."

    With a sharp inhale, she pressed the button. The world erupted in flame and thunder as the entire sawmill was reduced to dust.

    ---

    Kimiko''s eyes widened as another explosion rocked the distant compound, sending plumes of smoke billowing into the twilight sky. She continued racing through the woods, struggling with the cuffs as she went.

    "Damn it, Hector!" she hissed, listening to him racing up behind her. "I don''t have time for this right now. Let me go!" She spun around swinging the metal cuff at him, causing him to lose his footing and stumble back.

    Hector fit the ground hard, but he was up in no time. He grabbed Kimiko and pulled her back, "Stop this right now, that area is off limits, just who exactly are you?"

    Kimiko softened her expression, adopting a pleading tone. "Please, I don''t have time for you right now. My friends are down there and they are going to die if you don''t let me go."

    "Nice try," Hector scoffed. "But I wasn''t born yesterday. If your friends are down there then that makes you a Canadian agent and enemy of the world governments."

    Frustration bubbled up inside Kimiko as she tried to free herself from his grasp. Finally, she leaned in, lowering her voice to a sultry whisper. "If you let me go maybe we could... come to an arrangement?" she fluttered her eyelashes as seductively as possible.

    Hector''s eyes widened before he shook his head firmly. "Not interested. And frankly, I''m insulted you''d think that would work."

    Kimiko rolled her eyes. This guy was as by the book as they come, but maybe she could appeal to his sense of duty. "Fine. But there is a civilian down there. Her name is Ai, and she has nothing to do with any of this. I met her on the trail hiking here, she''s just a teenage girl." Kimiko explained.

    When she looked up at the captor she caught the flicker of recognition in Hector''s eyes. "You know who she is, don''t you?"

    Hector''s silence spoke volumes. Kimiko pressed on, her voice urgent. "So you know Ai won''t leave Hiro. She''s in love with him and loyal to a fault. If you know her, you know the only way to save her is to go down there and drag her away from it."

    "I..." Hector started, then fell silent again.

    "Are you really willing to let an innocent girl die?" Kimiko''s voice was steel. "What kind of person does that make you, Hector?"

    She could see the war raging behind his eyes. Finally, he moved towards her, reaching for the cuffs. "One condition," he said gruffly. "I''m coming with you. No tricks."

    Kimiko hesitated, weighing her options. Another distant explosion made the decision for her. "Deal."

    As the cuffs fell away, Kimiko rubbed her wrists, her mind already plotting their next move. Kimiko''s fingers wrapped around the small, familiar shape in her pocket. The Tamagotchi felt warm to her touch, almost alive. Without hesitation, she activated it, and a rush of energy coursed through her body. Pink light engulfed her, materializing into her Mach armour.

    Hector''s jaw dropped. "You''re... you''re a Mach pilot?" he sputtered, his face a mixture of awe and frustration. "I had a Mach in custody this whole time?"

    Kimiko allowed herself a small smirk. "Sorry, Hector. But it was a need-to-know basis."

    Before he could respond, she scooped him up in her arms. His startled yelp was lost in the roar of her thrusters as they took off toward the burning Canadian base.

    As they flew, Kimiko hoped she wasn''t too late. Where are you, Hiro? Please be okay.

    Her Mach sensors pinged, detecting two other Mach signatures nearby. Relief flooded through her as she spotted two prone figures on the ground. She touched down, setting Hector on his feet.

    "Hiro! Osamu!" Kimiko called out, unable to see them threw the thick smoke.

    Hector rushed past her, kneeling beside the form of a young girl. His hands moved swiftly, checking her pulse and assessing injuries. "She''s alive," he announced, his voice tight with concern. "But she needs medical attention, fast."

    Kimiko nodded, her eyes scanning the smoky ruins around them. Something wasn''t right. Where were Osamu and Hiro?

    As if summoned by her thoughts, a figure emerged from the billowing smoke. The yellow Mach armour was unmistakable, and it held the limp Mach 1 by the throat.

    "Kimiko," Osamu''s voice was rough, as he let Hiro slip from his fingers and crumple to the ground. "You shouldn''t have come back. It''s too dangerous here, you are supposed to be protecting my family."

    Kimiko raised her hands, trying to calm the man down. "Your family is safe, Osamu. I got them out hours ago," she explained slowly.

    Osamu''s helmet tilted, skepticism evident in his posture. "How do I know you''re telling the truth? Hiro is your best friend it would be easy for you to lie just to save him."

    "Look I know it''s hard to believe," Kimiko inched closer, doing her best to speak calmly. "If you just come with me, I can show you where they are. I promise you, I''ve kept my word down to the very last letter. So let''s get out of here and get your family and then we can sort this all out, OK?"

    Osamu''s shoulders slumped slightly. "I... I don''t know, I don''t want to do any of this anymore,"

    Kimiko took a step forward, her voice softening. "Osamu, I know. Why don''t you power down? That Mach has caused you and your family nothing but pain. Let me take it from here and you and your family can go into hiding together, start over."

    As she waited for his response, Kimiko noticed it was taking him longer to think it through. Could his confinement have altered his mental state? If so was he fully in control anymore? Either way, she knew she had to find a way to get them all out of there before the Japanese arrived.

 Vol 3, Chapter 6: Osamu

    Kimiko inched closer to Osamu, her eyes locked on Hiro''s unmoving body. She wasn''t sure what her next move could be in this situation. She could see Osamu was still in a defensive stance, his guard was all the way up. Her heart ached for him, but she knew she had to move before the Japanese government arrived.

    "Osamu, please," Kimiko pleaded, her voice steady as she tried to keep things from escalating. "I can take you to your family. But we have to go now, that explosion will have this place swarming with cops in no time."

    Osamu''s face was unreadable beneath his suit''s yellow visor. "I can''t go with you, Kimiko. You left my family and for all you know the Canadians have found them and recaptured them. I should have never trusted you with their safety."

    Kimiko lowered her arms, cursing herself for not bringing his family. She had no proof they were safe, and now that she was thinking about it, she was worried they really had been found again. "You know I couldn''t have brought them here with me. Imagine how much danger they would be in, exposed like this."

    Osamu didn''t respond, he raised his arm, palm opened and facing Kimiko. She rapidly checked her Mach systems, confirming full operational status. As if on queue Osamu fired several shots directly at her, she moved swiftly avoiding everyone and using her shield to protect Hector and he worked to stabilize Ai.

    Meanwhile, Hector saw his opening, he grunted as he raced toward Hiro, Kimiko offering him cover as he went. By the time he had made it halfway there, Osamu had moved in front of Hiro, like a predator protecting its kill. Kimiko launched herself at the man, forcing him back, just far enough to give Hector the time he needed. The weight of Hiro''s Mach suit made the task even more challenging as he tried to drag Hiro back to Ai.

    "This is what you get for skipping physical training," Hector muttered, sweat dripping down his back as he pulled on Hiro with everything he had. "Come on Hiro, help me get you out of this."

    Once they were back to Ai, Hector quickly checked Ai''s breathing, relief washing over him as he felt her taking breaths on her own. But Hiro was another matter entirely. The Mach suit encased him completely, Hector had no way to assess his current condition.

    Hector''s eyes scanned the impressive armour, searching for any kind of deactivation button or lever. "There''s got to be a way to get this thing off," he muttered, carefully feeling for a latch under the rim of the teal helmet.

    As his hand came in contact with something loose, a shrill alarm pierced the air. The AI warned, "Attempting to remove Mach armour from the pilot will result in your extermination. This is your only warning."

    Hector jerked back, his heart racing. "Jesus," he breathed, running a hand through his hair. "Okay, okay, so touching the armour is a no-go. There''s got to be another way."

    His eyes darted between Hiro and Kimiko who was still trying to talk Osamu down. The worry gnawed at him ¨C if Hiro was dead then that would be considered a good thing in the task forces'' eyes, however, Hiro was the only Mach pilot stopping the others from taking over. The thought of being unable to help the only Mach Pilot he knew was genuinely trying to stop the government from using them as war machines terrified him.

    "Hang in there, Hiro," Hector said softly, watching Ai''s chest rise and fall. "We''ll figure this out. I promise."

    Kimiko''s pink Mach suit glinted in the fading light as she darted through the air, narrowly avoiding another of Osamu''s energy blasts. Her breath came in short bursts, her mind racing as their time began to run out.

    "Osamu, listen to me!" she shouted, her voice amplified by her suit''s speakers. "You were right, someone wanted to cover up the true purpose of the Machs. I found the facility, the footage of the fire was distorted and every scientist was dead."

    Osamu paused for a split second, his visor turning towards her. "So there is a cover-up?"

    Kimiko seized the moment, trying to draw his focus back to the real mission they had. "The missing scientists ¨C I found their bodies. Bullet casings are everywhere. It was an attack, Osamu. There is no doubt the government had them killed, I just don''t know why."

    She watched Osamu''s stance shift, his shoulders relaxing. For a moment, she thought he might actually be back to focusing on what really mattered. But then his fists clenched.

    "We still can''t say for sure the government was involved without that footage," he growled, his voice laced with anguish. "You know when I started working for Stark I told myself I could be a good husband and agent. I missed my son''s first birthday to catch drug smugglers, and my tenth wedding anniversary to stop a human trafficking ring. Every time I told myself it was worth it because I saved peoples'' lives"

    Kimiko''s heart sank. "Osamu¡ª"

    "For once I need to put my family first, I need to finish Hiro to ensure their safety, so no one comes after them again." He was already moving. "Soul Target," a swarm of nanites erupted from his suit, hurtling towards her like a metallic tsunami. Kimiko had to move quickly, she activated her pulse shield. The nanites scattered, repelled by the electromagnetic burst.

    "Osamu, I''m sorry," Kimiko said softly, her hand reaching for her soul bow. The weapon materialized in her grip, the plasma arrow glowing in her hand.

    Osamu charged forward, but Kimiko was faster. She took a weak shot, aiming for the power core in his chest. The glowing arrow found its mark, and Osamu stumbled back, his suit sparking.

    "Blasters offline, critical systems failure detected" his AI announced, as an exclamation mark flashed in the corner of his visor. "Immediate system shutdown is recommended."

    Desperation twisted Osamu''s features behind his visor. He raced toward Kimiko, closing the distance between them with surprising speed. Thinking quickly Kimiko moved her bow out of the way just in time, his fist connected with her chest plate instead, sending her flying back toward the treeline.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    Kimiko struggled to her feet, her sensors blaring warnings. She saw Osamu advancing, his suit continuing to spark as forced it to continue. But then he froze, his attention drawn to something behind her.

    "You were telling the truth," Osamu whispered, his voice barely audible.

    Kimiko turned, following his gaze. There, emerging from the shadows of the trees, stood Osamu''s wife and son. Trisha''s face was a mask of horror, her arm wrapped protectively around their child.

    In that moment of shocked stillness, Kimiko realized what she had done. With a heavy heart, she turned back to Osamu, "I hit your power core, you need to power down or your suit will overheat and then..."

    Osamu''s chest continued to spark, his suit warming of catastrophic failure. As it began to shut down, time seemed to slow, each rotation bringing a flood of memories.

    Soccer balls sailing past his son''s outstretched hands. The disappointed slump of small shoulders as he missed yet another school play. Promises whispered in the dark, "I''ll make it up to you, I swear."

    His suit''s AI chirped incessantly, "Initiating emergency protocols."

    Osamu''s thoughts drifted to Hiro ¨C just a kid like his own son, thrust into a war by his parents. How many lives had been sacrificed in the name of protecting their country?

    The suit seized up, his range of motion now severely limited. The impact with the ground was jarring, pavement cracking beneath the weight of his armour. Pain crepted through his body, as his adrenaline began to dissipate.

    "Vitals are critical," the AI intoned. "Initiating Alpha Mode."

    Osamu''s eyes widened at the phrase. "Alpha Mode? No... not that."

    Images of Daiki''s transformation flashed before his eyes ¨C the screams, the twisting metal, the devastation left in his wake.

    "I won''t become that," Osamu growled through gritted teeth.

    The AI persisted, its voice taking on an almost pleading quality. "Pilot, your chances of survival without Alpha Mode activation are less than 12%. Please reconsider."

    Osamu''s gaze drifted to where Trisha and his son stood, their faces a mixture of fear and concern. He would never allow them to see him turned into a monster like that, they had seen enough already.

    "Sometimes," Osamu whispered, more to himself than the AI, "survival isn''t what''s important. What''s important is going out the man I was before."

    The suit''s systems continued to flash warnings, but Osamu tuned them out. He had made his choice.

    Kimiko moved in on the man, he was still lying on the ground. Trisha moved toward him but Kimiko stopped her with a raised arm, "Don''t come any closer. It''s too dangerous. Osamu can you power down?"

    A bitter laugh escaped Osamu''s lips, distorted by his helmet''s speakers. "I''m afraid it''s too late for that, Kimiko. The suit... it''s beyond repair. I can''t power down even if I wanted to."

    Kimiko knelt down beside him, placing a hand on his back. "Then talk to me. What do I do now? How can stop this?"

    Osamu''s gaze drifted to his family, then back to Kimiko. "I always told myself I''d make it all up to them. When this world was safe. I was a fool, the world will never truly be safe." He paused, his breathing laboured. "You''ll find the truth, Kimiko. You have to stop this before whoever is behind it gets what they want. It''s all connected."

    "How can I do that without you?" Kimiko pressed, taking his hand in hers.

    "You''ll find a way," Osamu said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Use what I taught you. Keep digging. And don''t end up like me. Promise me."

    Before Kimiko could respond, Osamu turned to his wife and son. "I love you," he said, his voice cracking. "I''m sorry for everything."

    With one last command he diverted the last of the suit''s power to his thrusters, Osamu launched himself towards the remaining section of the sawmill. Kimiko released his hand as he sped forward.

    "Goodbye, Osamu" The tears streamed down her cheeks, knowing it was too late.

    The explosion levelled what remained of the sawmill, sending debris and a shockwave across the area. Kimiko instinctively shielded her eyes. As the dust settled, she saw the Canadian base reduced to rubble, Osamu''s final act of destruction, ensured his Mach would never be used again.

    Sirens wailed in the distance, growing closer by the second. Kimiko turned to Trisha and Hector. "We need to move, now," she said, scooping Hiro off the ground.

    Hector was already on his feet, his eyes darting between the approaching sirens and the group. "If we all go back to the campsite, my people will arrest you on the spot," he said, voicing Kimiko''s own thoughts.

    Trisha stepped forward, her son clutching her hand. "Please don''t let them take us," she said, her voice trembling but resolute. "Please!"

    Kimiko''s mind raced, weighing options, and calculating risks. "Don''t worry," she said firmly. "We''re all getting out of here,"

    A sharp ringtone cut through the tension. Hector pulled out his slab, Tess''s name flashing on the screen. His eyes met Kimiko''s, "She''ll be wondering where I am."

    "What are you going to tell her?" Kimiko asked.

    "I have an idea, it will get us all out of here without any side getting suspicious," Hector said as he let his slab ring.

    Kimiko nodded, hoping he would let her in on it. Time was running out, but she wasn''t going to leave without Trisha and her son. Not after everything they''d been through.

    Hector motioned for her to move behind the treeline as the police came into view, what he said next surprised her. "Let me take Trisha and her son. I promise I''ll keep them safe."

    Kimiko''s brow furrowed, "I don''t even know you, why would I trust you with them?" she demanded.

    "Because I work for the UN and can get them to safety, and two It will let you leave here with Ai and Hiro," Hector elaborated, gesturing towards Trisha and her boy. "The UN task force will see them as valuable witnesses and they can help end Canada''s Mach program. Witness protection is guaranteed."

    Trisha''s eyes looked from the police beginning their search of the grounds and back to Hector. "I''ll do it," she said, her voice steely. "Those bastards held my family hostage. I''d be more than happy to take them down."

    Kimiko nodded, if it got Osamu''s family out of the country then she had no argument against it. It would work and right now that was good enough. "Thank you, Hector," she said, feeling genuine gratitude toward the stranger.

    "Don''t thank me yet," Hector replied, already moving towards Trisha. "Just go. The police are moving in, and if I don''t call in my task force will leave without me."

    As Hector led Trisha and her son into the cover of the woods, Kimiko turned her attention to the unconscious Hiro and Ai. Now she needed to figure out what exactly she was going to do with them. A hospital was out of the question, they were still fugitives, after all.

    "Yutaka," she murmured, the name barely audible as she scooped up Ai. "He''ll know what to do."

    She turned on her cloaking before she activated her Mach''s flight systems. As they rose into the air, she addressed the AI. "Locate Yutaka Hayashi."

    The AI''s response was quick and efficient. "The individual you are searching for has died according to our databases."

    Kimiko shook her head, this was his old Mach after all, it should know better. "You should know he isn''t dead. He piloted you before me. You must have some record of it."

    "Impossible, Machs are DNA sequenced once a Match is found and cannot change pilots until the pilot is deceased," the AI insisted.

    Frustration and confusion twisted inside Kimiko. Yutaka had erased himself from every database, including his old Mach''s. How was she going to find him now?

    "Fine," she muttered, coming up with a new plan on the fly. "We''ll do this the old-fashioned way. Set course for Hiroshinka Academy. That''s where we''ll start our hunt for the man who doesn''t exist."

    As they soared through the night sky, Kimiko glanced down at the unconscious teens in her arms. "Stay with us," she pleaded them silently. "Yutaka will be able to save you."

 Vol 3, Chapter 7: Sorry

    The moon illuminated the meadow where Kimiko had met Nori months ago, the stars covered the clear sky as Kimiko landed softly amongst the tall grass, Hiro and Ai''s limp bodies cradled in her arms. She gently laid them down, her scanners locked on the walled-off school grounds.

    She needed to get them into the academy, but there was no way she could just waltz in the front door. Not with the state of the art security system that protected the school''s wealthy and powerful students. Kimiko paces back and forth, racking her brain.

    Then it hits her - Osamu had mentioned the Canadians luring Hiro out through some kind of secret passage. If she can just find it...

    A soft groan interrupts her thoughts. Ai''s eyes flutter open, taking in her surroundings with a confused look. "Wh-where are we? What happened?"

    "Easy," Kimiko soothes, kneeling beside the girl. "We escaped the Canadian''s trap at the sawmill. We''re outside Hiroshika Academy."

    Ai''s gaze drifts to Hiro''s still form. "Is he...?"

    "He''ll be okay," Kimiko assures her. "But he needs help. Has he ever talked to you about someone named Yutaka? He might be the only one who knows how to get the Mach to deactivate when the pilot is unconscious,"

    Ai nodded, struggling to sit up. "Yeah, Hiro said he is posing as a teacher on campus. There''s a hidden entrance in the wall by the forest, it will take us inside without getting noticed. But there will still be cameras and sensors everywhere, I don''t know how we can get across campus without getting seen."

    "Just get me inside," Kimiko held out her hand, pulling Ai to her feet. "I can handle the rest."

    Ai nodded and watched as Kimiko lifted Hiro over her shoulder, once she was good to go Ai began to lead the way back to the school. As they approached the greenhouse Ai froze for a moment, there were still scorch marks on the path that reminded her of the day her best friend had turned on her. Ai shook it off, determined to press forward for Hiro''s sake.

    "There." Ai pointed to a crack in the wall just large enough for a single person to squeeze through. She made her way over it, "I''ll go first to make sure they haven''t sealed off the other side,"

    Kimiko nodded, shifting Hiro''s weight. "Sounds good, yell back if you need me for anything." Ai looked back at Kimiko, before disappearing into the wall.

    Moments passed before Ai''s voice came echoing down the shaft, "We''re all clear!" Kimiko lowered Hiro to the ground, dragging him by his arms down the tunnel. They emerged from behind the mirror in the student center.

    "Now that we''re in, my cloaking should protect Hiro and me from your school''s cameras" Kimiko mused as she picked Hiro up once more. "We just need to track Yutaka down, he''ll be disguised as a member of the staff most likely," Kimiko explained as they exited the building and stepped back out into the cold night. "He has burn scars on his face, and wears glasses. Any ideas?"

    Ai purses her lips, thinking. "Wait a minute I know who you are talking about. A new professor arrived right around the same time Hiro enrolled. I remember him because the burn scars kind of freaked me out."

    Kimiko smiled. "That''s got to be him. Do the professors live on campus?"

    "Of course they do. Staff housing is in the northeast corner." Ai quickens her pace, stepping on the perfectly manicured garden in her path. "Only problem is, I don''t know which apartment is his. They aren''t labelled to avoid students harassing them outside of office hours,"

    "Don''t worry about it," Kimiko says briskly. "Just get me to the building. I''ll handle the rest."

    Minutes later, they arrive at a nondescript concrete structure. Kimiko eases Hiro to the ground, then she switches her visor over to heat vision, seeing through the concrete to everyone inside the building.

    "All right, identify all individuals inside," she commanded. Her Mach got to work matching faces to the academy database. But when it reached the third floor, the man in the corner apartment remained unidentified.

    Kimiko''s Mach blocked the identification. Bingo.

    "Wait here," Kimiko instructs. She scooped up Hiro and gently took off, rising up toward the balcony.

    Ai watched as Kimiko landed on a tiny balcony, laying Hiro down with the utmost care. Then she zoomed back down, landing light as a feather.

    "You should return to your dorm," Kimiko told her. "Get some rest. I''m going to get out of here, but I''ll be in touch."

    "Where are you going?" Ai asks, bewildered. "What happened to..."

    "I have something I need to take care of." Kimiko cut her off. "Osamu didn''t make it. But his family is safe. Trust me."

    Ai hesitated, tears welling up in her eyes. "It''s my fault isn''t it."

    "We don''t have time to place the blame, there are bigger things to worry about." With that Kimiko turned and vanished into the night. Ai watched as she went, questions burning on her tongue.

    But she swallowed them, squared her shoulders, and headed for the dorms, praying that somehow, someway, she would be able to make it up to Hiro for causing Osamu''s death.

    ---

    In the white-panelled interrogation room, the UN agent sat across the white plastic table from Trisha. Trisha Kota sat straight as a board, hands clasped tightly in her lap, as the South African man across from her flipped through a file.

    "Mrs. Kota," he began, his accent crisp and professional, "we need you to tell us everything you know about the Canadian Mach program."

    Trisha took a deep breath, looking over at the two-way mirror that her son was sitting behind. "My late husband, Osamu, was part of it. The Canadians have invaded Japan to steal more."

    The agent leaned forward, interest piqued. "Go on."

    "I don''t know much more than that. But I do know they aren''t above harming civilians." Trisha''s voice wavered, but she pressed on. "They were planning on killing me and my son if Osamu didn''t do what they wanted. They say they are doing it to defend Canada but I think they are doing it to ensure they end up on top."

    The agent nodded gravely, making a note. "Thank you, Mrs. Kota. This information is invaluable." He closed the file, meeting her gaze. "We''re moving you and your son to Norway tonight. New identities, new lives. All we needed is recorded testaments in the justice chambers to verify everything you said is true."

    Tears welled in Trisha''s eyes. "Thank you," she whispered. "For everything."If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    As the agent exited the room, he found Hector waiting, arms crossed, jaw tight.

    "You did good work kid," the agent said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Thanks to you, we''ve got solid evidence of Canada''s involvement in Machs."

    Hector nodded, distracted. "I know this will ensure they answer for their crimes against Japan and its people. I''m just worried about what Japan''s response will be since they still have Machs of their own."

    Before the agent could respond, Nia appeared, there was a look on her face that Nector had never seen before.

    "Hector," she said, "my office. Now."

    Hector followed Nia down the hall, unease growing with each step. When they entered her office, he found Tess waiting, leaning against Nia''s desk.

    "What''s this about?" Hector asked, guarded.

    Tess tapped a virtual file, glowing on the desk''s surface. "We had drones at the sawmill. They captured some interesting footage."

    The file opened and the contents were displayed across the wall behind Nai''s desk. Hector''s heart sank as he watched himself being carried by a pink Mach, zooming toward the mill.

    "Care to explain?" Tess asked, her tone razor-sharp.

    Hector stumbled over himself as he tried to find an excuse, but Nia cut him off. "If anyone else saw this, you would be arrested for treason."

    "I encountered the Mach pilot by chance," Hector said carefully. "I convinced her to help save the civilian."

    Tess scoffed. "The civilian? You mean Ai Takahashi, the wanted fugitive?"

    "Ai was framed!" Hector tried to explain. "The Japanese blew up that police station, not her and Hiro."

    Nia''s eyes narrowed. "Do you have proof?"

    Hector''s silence was damning.

    Nia sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Until we can confirm your story, you are not to leave this base for any reason whatsoever. Understood?"

    Hector clenched his fists, he had nothing other than Ai''s word. Which left him with no other choice.

    "Understood," he spit out, removing himself from the board seemed like a bad move to him.

    How could he figure out what is really going on, with the UN watching his every move? What would happen the next time a trap was laid for Hiro?

    Hector didn''t know. But one thing was certain, his next project would be a simple one, establish secret communications with Ai.

    ---

    Hiro''s eyes fluttered open, the world slowly coming into focus. He winced as pain shot through his body as he rolled over. Blinking, he found himself in a familiar room, Yutaka''s home in Toyone.

    "Easy there," Yutaka''s calm voice drifted over him. The older man sat beside the bed, his expression a mix of concern and relief. "You''ve been through quite an ordeal."

    Hiro struggled to sit up, gritting his teeth against the pain. "What happened? How did I get here?"

    Yutaka gently pushed him back down. "I found you on the balcony of my apartment. It must have taken everything you had to get there."

    A million emotions flashed over Hiro''s face. "Ai and Kimiko? where are they, did they make it? What happened to Osamu and his family?"

    Yutaka shook his head. "I don''t know what happened out there. I do know Ai is safe, the media was having a field day with her return to campus."

    Hiro sunk back into bed, he knew there was no way he was able to get himself and Ai out there. It must have been Kimiko, it was the only thing that made sense in his mind.

    "Whatever you did out there worked," Yutaka said, his tone laced with pride. "You exposed the Canadians, and their illegal operations here. It''s playing on repeat on every news station in the country."

    Yutaka reached for the remote and turned on the holodeck. The anchor''s voice filled the room, detailing the discovery of the secret Canadian base at the sawmill and the explosion that followed.

    "...illegal weapons testing on foreign soil has prompted the Japanese government to round up Canadian forces and diplomats, sending them back to their country..."

    Hiro smiled as he watched the broadcast. It was over. The Canadians wouldn''t be a problem anymore.

    Yutaka gave him a warm smile. "Rest now. You''ve earned it. I''m going to run into town for a few things."

    As Yutaka left, Hiro sank back into the pillows, his mind whirling. Were the Canadians really done with them or were they just regrouping before their next assault?

    Exhaustion tugged at him, and Hiro''s eyes drifted shut. the cool breeze drifted through his open window, guiding him into a deep sleep. He was so tired he didn''t hear the click of the front door opening.

    Nori slipped into the home, his footsteps silent as he tipped-toed through the halls. He found Hiro tucked in bed, bandaged and bruised.

    "You idiot," Nori muttered, shaking his head. "You''re getting too noisy, rushing into fights like that."

    He studied Hiro as he slept, his mission was clear after evidence surfaced from the sawmill that Mach 1 was still functional. Hiro was brave and foolish, so determined to do what was right... Nori knew he wouldn''t stop showing up, but if he wanted to live, he had to.

    "I''m sorry," Nori whispered, pulling back the covers. "I''m doing this to protect you from yourself."

    He withdrew a syringe from his pocket, the tranquillizer glinting in the low light. Gently, he injected it into Hiro''s arm, ensuring he wouldn''t wake during the journey.

    Nori activated his Mach, the sleek metal encasing his body. With delicate care, he lifted Hiro from the bed, cradling him close.

    Then, with a burst of power, Nori launched them both out the open window and into the sky, he wasn''t going to let them get to Hiro ever again. Even if it meant becoming the villain in Hiro''s story.

    ---

    Ai shifted uncomfortably in the hard plastic chair, the bright lights of the police station. The Japanese agents loomed over her, badgering her with their questions.

    "Where is Hiro Kobayashi?" one of them demanded, his voice sharp.

    Ai widened her eyes, allowing a tremble to enter her voice. "I... I don''t know. He saved me from that explosion, but then he just left me in this bunker in the woods. I must have been out for a while, once I woke up, I went straight back to the academy,"

    She twisted her hands in her lap, the picture of a frightened schoolgirl. The agents exchanged glances, not sure whether to buy her story or not.

    "Please," Ai whispered, a single tear rolling down her cheek. "I just want to go home, I don''t ever want to hear the name Hiro again, please just let me go home."

    The lead agent sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Alright, you can go. I will place some security with you to make sure he doesn''t return for you. All charges against you have been dropped. We''ll arrange for your return to the Academy."

    Ai bowed her head, hiding her relief. "Thank you, sir."

    The return to her dorm was a blur, and as soon as the door closed behind her, Ai released a shuddering breath. She felt disgusted with herself after describing Hiro that way, and she sank to the floor, her back against the door.

    "I need a change of scenery," she muttered, rubbing her temples. "Somewhere to clear my head."

    She reached for her slab, scrolling until she found exactly what she needed, a trip to the local hot springs, the bus left every half hour.

    "Perfect."

    ---

    The bus rumbled along the winding mountain road, the chatter of excited students filling the air. Ai sat alone, her forehead pressed against the cool glass of the window.

    "Hiro," she whispered, her breath fogging the pane. "I hope you''re ok. I''ll find you as soon as I can,"

    She scanned the faces of the other students, her security sat near the front to ensure no one got passed them without a full inspection. Ai huffed, this trip would have been better with Masumi or Kazuki... were they even still at the Academy? So much had changed, since she went into hiding.

    The bus lurched to a stop, and Ai filed out with the others, the steam from the hot springs already curling in the crisp air. She made her way to the changing rooms, her mind still preoccupied.

    As she slipped out of her clothes, the murmur of conversation from the other women drifted over to her.

    "Did you hear about that explosion at the old sawmill?"

    Ai froze, wondering just how much they knew. Was the word out already about the Canadian base?

    "Yeah, apparently it was some kind of secret weapons facility. Can you believe it, on Japanese soil?"

    Ai forced herself to breathe, doing her best to act casual. She inched closer to the older women, acting like she was grabbing a towel.

    She hadn''t watched the news since she got back, was all of this common knowledge? What would happen to the Canadians now that all of Japan was accusing them of illegal weapons testing?

    The women moved out of the change room and headed deeper into the hot springs. Ai stepped into the steaming water as she followed them, the heat soothing her aching muscles. Ai let the steaming water envelop her, the mineral-rich warmth seeping into her pores, her bones. She closed her eyes, momentarily forgetting all about the women gossiping around her.

    A flicker of movement caught her eye, and she glanced up to see a holographic screen shimmering in the mist. The news was playing, images of stern-faced Japanese authorities marching stone-faced Canadians away in cuffs.

    "...the explosion is believed to have been caused by a weapons malfunction at the hidden base," the newscaster intoned. "Japanese authorities are still investigating the extent of the illegal Canadian operation, while the Prime Minister of Canada continues to deny it."

    A slow smile spread across Ai''s face. So it was common knowledge. They had exposed the Canadians, and driven them out. Which meant she only had to worry about the Japanese now.

    She sank deeper into the water, feeling the tension start to drain. What would life be like, without having to worry about those Mach-wielding psychos?

    Ai pictured Hiro as he had been when she met him, carefree and laughing with her, Kazuki and even Masumi. The four of them, just normal high school students, worried about tests and crushes, maybe once they stopped Japan''s program their lives could be like that again.

 Vol 3, Chapter 8: Healing

    The cottage door creaked open as Yutaka stepped inside, his arms laden with groceries. "Hiro, I''m back!" he called out, shuffling towards the small kitchen. Met with silence, Yutaka shrugged and began unpacking the bags, the rustling of plastic filling the air.

    He pulled out a package of ramen noodles and some vegetables. "Dinner will be ready soon," Yutaka said loudly, assuming Hiro was resting upstairs after his intense battle. The steady rhythm of chopping carrots and onions filled the space as a pot of water came to a boil on the stove.

    Minutes later, the savoury aroma of miso ramen wafted through the cottage. "Hiro, come eat while it''s hot," Yutaka shouted, setting two steaming bowls on the wooden table. Still no response. Yutaka rolled his eyes and headed toward the back of the kitchen.

    He climbed the narrow stairs, the aged wood groaning under his feet. He knocked gently on Hiro''s door. "Hiro? Dinner''s ready." He pressed his ear to the door but didn''t even hear the faint rustling of sheets from the other side. Feeling like something was off, Yutaka pushed open the door. The bed was empty, sheets rumpled and cold.

    "Hiro? Hiro!" Yutaka''s voice echoed through the cottage as he frantically searched the bathroom, the garden, and every corner of their hideout. But the injured teenager was nowhere to be found. Yutaka''s mind raced. Where could he have gone? Did he leave on his own? Why wouldn''t he have left a note?

    Returning to the living room, Yutaka spotted a glint of glass under the coffee table. He reached down and retrieved Hiro''s slab, tucked just out of sight. Hiro never went anywhere without it.

    Yutaka sat down on the couch to think and that is when the idea came to him. The girl - Ai. If Hiro had gone anywhere, it would be to check on her and ensure she was safe after everything they''d been through together.

    Slabs were easy to hack, and Yutaka wasted no time bypassing the biometrics, scanning through Hiro''s contacts until he found her. Ai with a small blue heart by her name. He tapped on her photo and dialled, his fingers tapping on the armrest while he waited for Ai to pick up.

    "Please be with her," Yutaka muttered under his breath. "Please tell me he''s safe." Each ring without a response felt like a taunt, his eyes locked on the ringing slab, praying that this was all one big miscommunication. Hiro had just gone to see her and like all teenagers, didn''t think it all through. Yutaka tried to reason this was the only possible explanation.

    The line clicked. "Hey Hiro, I have been so worried about you." Yutaka took a deep breath, her response told him everything he needed to know.

    ---

    Ai had just stepped out of the warm water of the hot spring, wrapping the white towel around her. After months of fighting and hiding, she finally felt a sense of peace, making her way back to the changerooms.

    Her peace was shattered by the distant ringing of her phone, echoing from her locker. Ai sighed, trying to remember the combination for the lock. After a few more insistent rings, she finally typed in the right code and began digging for her pants.

    The ringing grew louder as she finally freed her slab from her pocket. Upon looking down at it, Ai''s eyes widened at seeing her phone screen lit up with a call from Hiro, the one person she wanted to hear from most. As she typed the talk button, a man''s scarred face appeared on the screen, but she didn''t notice until she had already started talking.

    "Hey Hiro, I''ve been so worried about you," Ai began, coming to a full stop when she realized it wasn''t Hiro on the other end.

    "I''m afraid I''m not Hiro," the man replied, looking worried. "My name is Yutaka. I take it Hiro isn''t there with you, is he?"

    Ai''s brow furrowed. "Hiro? No, I haven''t seen him since the night we managed to get back to campus. He hasn''t called or texted me at all, I didn''t even know if he made it."

    There was a pause on the other end of the line, followed by a heavy sigh. "I see. He must have stepped out for some air. I''m sure it''s nothing to worry about. I''ll have him call you when I find him."

    Before Ai could respond, the line went dead. She stared at her phone, a sense of unease creeping up her spine. Hiro had enemies, powerful ones within the Japanese government who wouldn''t hesitate to eliminate him if given the chance.

    "I have to find him," Ai muttered to herself, wondering if they had been watched the whole time. She quickly changed into her clothes and gathered her belongings. The relaxing day at the hot springs was over. Hiro needed her, and she wouldn''t rest until she knew he was safe.

    As she hurried out of the spa, Ai raced toward the bus station. She about where Hiro could have gone? If someone might have taken him? She knew she had to start at the school, with any luck Hector would be there to help her.

    She reached the bus stop and her heart sank, it would be another hour until the right bus arrived, she pulled out her phone and started searching for an alternate route. She scrolled through endless bus routes, each one longer than the rest. She cursed under her breath, it was like the world was trying to prevent her from getting back, as if Hiro wasn''t meant to be found.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    As Ai looked up from her phone in a panic, a familiar figure caught her eye. There, casually strolling down the street, was Masumi. Ai''s breath caught in her throat as memories of Masumi turning Hiro over to the Canadians. Ai wondered if Masumi was still on the side of the Canadians, and if she may have something to do with Hiro''s disappearance.

    "What if she''s here to keep an eye on me for them," Ai wondered, her brows furrowed in suspicion. She knew Masumi had been pulled out of the academy after the incident, so her presence at the same hot springs as Ai seemed suspicious. A nagging thought tugged at the back of Ai''s mind: This was a trap, they had Hiro and were coming after her now.

    Ai''s eyes narrowed as she made a split-second decision. She was going to turn the tables on Masumi, now she had the upper hand. She slipped back toward the street Masumi had turned down, her movements stealthy and deliberate. From a distance, she watched as Masumi moved from one shop to another, seemingly lost in her own thoughts.

    As Ai tailed Masumi, she strained her ears to catch any snippets of conversation, hoping to glean some information about what Matsumi had been up to since she saw her last. However, it quickly became apparent that Masumi was alone, with no one but the shop owners to talk to. The chances of her revealing anything seemed slim.

    "Should I confront her?" Ai pondered, weighing her options. "Maybe if I pretend to bump into her, and act surprised to see her here, I can get her to start talking."

    Ai''s mind warned that this could be exactly what Masumi wanted. Luring her away from the main road so she could kidnap her without any witnesses. Ai knew she had to tread carefully, but time was of the essence. With a deep breath, Ai decided to confront her, ready to expose Masumi as a traitor and get some answers.

    Masumi turned the corner and made her way to the quaint caf¨¦ with anime characters lining the windows. As she settled into a corner table, a steaming cup of matcha cradled in her hands, she let out a contented sigh. The warmth of the drink seeped through her fingers, and her gaze turned to the window for a little people watching while she drank.

    As she peered out the window, a familiar set of eyes looked back at her. Masumi inhaled sharply, and she nearly choked on her tea as she recognized Ai''s face pressed against the glass. Before she could compose herself, Ai stormed into the caf¨¦ and slid into the seat directly across from her, the scrape of the chair against the floor had everyone''s eyes on them in the otherwise tranquil space.

    "Masumi," Ai''s voice was tight, looking at Masumi as if she had a weapon hidden on her. "Do you know where Hiro is?"

    Masumi blinked, taken aback by the direct question. "I... I don''t," she stammered, her hands tightening around her cup. "I haven''t talked to anyone about him since the greenhouse. Honestly, I just want to forget that night entirely, it was a nightmare."

    Ai leaned forward, her gaze intense. "How can I trust anything you say, Masumi? After everything that''s happened, you''ll have to do better than that to convince me you''re not involved in Hiro''s disappearance."

    Masumi shifted uncomfortably in her seat, pulling on the hem of her sweater. She glanced around the caf¨¦, ensuring no one was within earshot before leaning in and lowering her voice to a whisper.

    "Ai, I know I made a mistake," Masumi began, her eyes starting to well with tears. "The Canadians told me my uncle Daiki had been murdered, and they traced the killing to the campus. I wanted to help bring his killer to justice, I didn''t care who I hurt to do it. I let my emotions cloud my judgment and I put you and Kazuki at risk."

    She paused, looking up at Ai. "What I regret most is dragging you and Kazuki into this mess. I mean they labelled you as a terrorist, I know that''s not you. They used Kazuki as bait and almost killed him. I should never have trusted them."

    Ai tried to stay mad at Masumi, her mind racing as she tried to gauge the sincerity in Masumi''s words. The pain and regret etched on the other girl''s face seemed genuine, and Ai knew all too well what it was like to do something stupid out of love.

    "I want to believe you, Masumi," Ai said, her voice softening slightly. "But you have to understand why it''s hard for me to trust you. I mean everyone said you just mysteriously left after, where did you go? How do you know the Canadians still don''t have eyes on you?"

    Masumi stopped to think, understanding the gravity of the situation. As she began to recount the events leading up to that fateful night at the greenhouse, Ai listened carefully, wanting more than anything to have her old friend back. "They brought me back to campus but I couldn''t stay, I could face you and Kazuki after that, so I called mom and said I needed a break. She flew me out to Rome to see her."

    Masumi took a deep breath, her eyes distant as she recalled the events that followed. "But even trying to relax, I couldn''t stop thinking about what Hiro said. I needed to know the truth, so I watched the news coverage of the Canadian Embassy attack."

    Her voice trembled slightly as she continued. "I watched the whole fight, I heard my uncle''s voice calling out in pain. And then I saw Hiro, hesitating before he..." She paused, swallowing hard. "I know now that he had no other choice. But at the time, they told me it was Hiro''s fault."

    Ai reached out, placing a comforting hand on Masumi''s arm. The gesture surprised them both, and Masumi almost pulled away before she realized what was happening. "I''m sorry for the pain you''ve gone through, Masumi. I really am. No one deserves to lose someone they love like that."

    Masumi offered a weak smile, her eyes red and puffy from her tears. "I''m the one who should be apologizing Ai. My actions nearly got us all killed. I can never make up for that, but I want you to know that I''m truly sorry."

    Ai nodded, she was sure this wasn''t some kind of ploy now. She believed Masumi, the sincerity in her voice undeniable. Yet, the realization that Masumi had no connection to Hiro''s current disappearance left Ai feeling deflated. She was back at square one, no closer to finding him than before.

    Rising from her seat, Ai offered a small smile. "Thank you, Masumi. I hope you''ll come back to campus one day. I''d be happy to be your friend again, really."

    As Ai turned to leave, Masumi''s hand shot out, grasping her wrist tightly. "Ai, wait." She didn''t look up at Ai, her tightening. "Please, stay away from Hiro and the Machs, it isn''t safe for people like us. You could die."

    Ai looked down at Masumi. "I know the risks, Masumi. But only Hiro has the power to destroy the Machs, everyone else wants to use Machs as war machines. People have died trying to stop the government, I won''t let Hiro be one of them. I''m going to help him any way I can."

    Masumi''s grip loosened her expression a mixture of understanding and worry. As Ai walked away, she could feel Masumi''s eyes locked on her. She knew she could be making a mistake, but she also knew Hiro was in trouble and her love for him won out every time.

 Vol 3, Chapter 9: Cat and Mouse

    Hector''s eyes scanned the holographic news articles hovering in front of him, absently scrolling through the text as his mind wandered. Who would be surveilling him tonight? Likely Miller, with his keen eye for detail, or maybe Nguyen, always eager to prove herself. Hector shifted in his bed. After he aided Kimiko and Hiro, the task force had decided to yank him from the Academy, to monitor him more closely. This was his last night in his cramped dorm room, and a part of him was going to miss it.

    His lamp light flicked next to him, threatening to go out. Hector''s eyes flicked to the camera mounted in the corner - its blinking red light had gone dark. His brows knit together. Curious. He slid off the bed and made his way over to get a better look, when did the camera go down?

    His slab rang, an unknown number hovered over its glass surface on his bed. Hector picked it up and dismissed it with a flick of his finger. Probably another spam call - the third one this week. The slab rang again, flashing the same number. He squinted down at the slab, whoever was calling was being persistent. He refused the call again and turned off the device this time.

    A shimmer in his peripheral vision caught his attention. Hector whirled as his holodeck whirred to life behind him, materializing the semi-translucent image of a woman with short wavy hair and intense eyes. She seemed to be analyzing him before she spoke.

    "Hector Gorth," she said as he moved closer to get a better look. "My name is Naomi. We need to talk."

    Hector stared at her, still unsure how any of this was possible. "I don''t know who you are or how you got access to my holodeck. But hacking the school mainframe is an offence punishable by -"

    "I work for the Japanese government. We both know you''re not who you said you were, so listen up." Naomi''s image flickers as she steps closer. "And I know all about the little UN task force''s secret operation here."

    Hector gulped as he realized their cover was fully blown. She could expose everything and he had no way of warning the others. But as if she could read his mind, Naomi waved a dismissive hand.

    "I''m not interested in your international spy games. I need your help with something far more important. Meet me at Toyone Station. Midnight. I''d explain but campus security is rebooting the system."

    The lights dipped again and Naomi''s hologram winked out, leaving Hector in the suddenly pressing silence of his room. He raked a hand through his short-cropped hair, and the red light on the camera slowly came back to life.

    What did she want from him? And how could it be more important than the discovery of a secret operation on Japanese soil? He needed answers. Even if it meant walking into a trap.

    Hector''s eyes cut to the camera. He had to get to that station. Without the task force realizing he''s gone.

    Hector sat on the bed pretending to scroll through the news again, his brow furrowed in thought. There had to be a way out of this room, he just needed to figure it out.

    Part of him itched to contact Nia, to warn her about the possible attack from the Japanese. It could be his way back into Nia''s good books and the chance he has been waiting for to prove himself. But another part of him hesitated.

    If Naomi could so easily infiltrate the school''s network, who''s to say she''s not still watching him now? Alerting the task force could cause her to retaliate, and cause a war no one wanted. Or worse, if she was a pilot, she could wipe them out before they could react.

    No, he needs more information first. And that meant sneaking out to meet her, even if it meant losing his career.

    Hector''s gaze darted to the wall clock. 23:00. One hour until the rendezvous.

    He only had one idea and it was a long shot, he moved to his desk and activated the holographic keyboard. He prayed Naomi left a back door open for him to get access to the school mainframe, bingo. He was in and within moments he was circulating through the security footage from his room. It took him mere minutes to splice together a looping clip of himself puttering around the room before settling into bed from over a month, nothing fresh enough for someone to remember.

    With just a few clicks it was playing for his watchers, so Hector turned his attention to his physical disguise. He tugs on an extra pair of socks to boost his height by an inch, then shrugs on a baggy hoodie. He flipped up the hood, shrouding his face and obscuring his build.

    With one last steadying breath, he slipped out into the darkened hallway, hugging the shadows as he navigated his way out of the dorms. He kept a mental map of the security camera placements, which allowed him to stay out of frame where he could.

    Once he arrived at the gates, he made quick work of the keypad, he remembered the code Nia used to visit him. And then he was out, making his way towards the Toyone Station and hoping he wasn''t walking right into a trap.

    But even as he walked, he couldn''t help but feel he was being watched. How long would it be before the task force figured it out?

    He slipped onto the bus and took his seat at the back. Keeping his head down to reduce the chance of witnesses if this went sideways.

    The station looms ahead, almost abandoned in the night. Hector squared his shoulders and stepped off the bus into the night. His eyes scanned the platform for any sign of Naomi.

    ---

    The glow of the monitors bathed the room in blue light. Tess leaned over the shoulder of Nguyen, she had just popped in to check on how Hector was holding up.

    "Anything unusual?" Tess asked while she scanned the monitors.

    Nguyen shook his head. "Nothing but a bored kid. But we did lose power for a few minutes earlier, with no signs of interference. Don''t worry I''m looking into it."

    Tess frowned. "Rewind to that moment."

    The agent complied, turning the dial back to that point. Tess watched intently as the camera feed cut before slowly coming back moments later. She noticed the subtle shift in Hector''s body language, the way his shoulders were tense, his eyes darted to the camera.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    "He looks on edge," Tess mused, leaning uncomfortably close to Nguyen. "So we lost the feed for five full minutes? Is there any way to recover the footage?"

    The agent shrugged apologetically. "Afraid not. When the power''s out, the cameras are dead."

    Tess sighed, turning to leave. But something caught her eye. She whirled back to the screen, pointing at Hector''s bed.

    "That''s not right, his bedspread. It changed."

    The agent squinted at the screen. "You''re right. It''s different after he goes to sit at his desk."

    Tess shook her head, something was wrong, The power outage. Hector''s nervousness. The changed bedspread. It all pointed to one conclusion.

    "He left the dorms," Tess declared, already reaching for her slab. "We need agents at the school ASAP. I''ll call Nia."

    ---

    Hector paced the length of the train platform, his eyes scanning the sparse crowd. Where is she?

    "I can appreciate someone who doesn''t waste my time, Hector."

    He spun at the sound of the voice, finding himself face-to-face with Naomi. She was just as striking in person as she was in the hologram, her gaze sharp and assessing.

    "I''m here," Hector said, fighting to keep his voice steady. "Now tell me what this is all about."

    Naomi glanced around, then leaned in close. "I believe to can help me clean up a mess before it causes a national incident."

    Hector squinted in confusion. "Why are you giving me the run around after asking me here? just tell me what it is,"

    "I am a handler for a very unique Mach pilot." She explained looking at him dead in the eye. "I was tasked to keep him in check, he has a history of losing his temper. Unfortunately, a recent assignment sent him into a bit of a spiral."

    Hector still didn''t understand, why did she need him for this. "I still don''t get it. I mean obviously, you''re talking about Mach 2? But my do you need me? I don''t even speak Japanese."

    Naomi laughed. "I need you because this involves Hiro. Nori was assigned to kill him. But he couldn''t do it. So he was given seventy-two hours to finish it or be put down."

    Hector''s stomach dropped. "We have to warn Hiro. Get him to safety."

    But Naomi was already shaking her head. "It''s too late for that. Nori''s made his move according to the tracker we have in him."

    She turned to the train, her expression grave. "And now, we have to make ours. Before his actions cause a global catastrophe."

    "But he already killed Hiro, what else can he do?"

    A harsh laugh escapes Naomi''s lips. "Kill Hiro? Nori would never. He''s in love with him, in his own twisted way." She turned back to Hector, a wry smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "And that''s what he''s done is far stupider than we could have ever predicted."

    The screech of metal on metal fills the air as the train pulls into the station. Naomi presses a ticket into Hector''s hand. "We can continue this conversation in my private room. On the train."

    Hector''s fingers wrapped around the ticket, but his feet remained rooted in place. He felt like the station was spinning and there amongst the crowd, he spotted a familiar face. The UN task force had found him already. He had no choice. He followed Naomi onto the train, the door sliding shut behind them.

    As they navigated the narrow hall, Hector followed Naomi as closely as possible. What has Nori done? he thought, And what will it mean for Hiro?

    Naomi ushered him into a private compartment, motioning for him to sit. She leans back, her gaze intense. "The Japanese have a problem. A big one. Nori''s vanished, and the last ping from his tracker? It came from the US. The ruins of Detroit, to be precise."

    In that moment Hector finally understood my Naomi had sought him out. "He''s taken Hiro there. To hide him from the Japanese."

    Naomi nods. "Correct. If anything goes wrong, if either of them is discovered..." She didn''t need to finish the thought. The implications of this were more than obvious.

    "Given his mission, I have just over forty-eight hours to find him and bring him back," Naomi continues. "But my knowledge of the US is limited. I need someone who knows the area. Which is why you are here."

    Hector sat mach in the red leather seat. "How did you find out about me?"

    Naomi looked him over again. "It''s my job to be observant, I notice everything. Including the people who show up in the background."

    Questions swirled in Hector''s mind, but Naomi didn''t seem to have time to waste on answering them. "The way I see it we need each other, if this fails them we are both out. But if we succeed it will be business as usual come Monday."

    Hector looked out the large window, he still wasn''t sure what they could do against a Mach. The stakes had never been higher. If the US found them first then the president would declare war, something he had been itching to do since the Machs were discovered.

    "Getting in and out of the US undetected will be a challenge," Hector said, his voice low. "Security is tighter than ever."

    Naomi nodded. "I can handle that. But there''s something else I need from you." She leaned forward, her voice urgent. "Ai. We need her on this mission."

    Hector''s brow furrows. "Ai? Why?"

    "To convince Hiro to leave Nori when the time comes. If she''s not there, Hiro may try to save him. And that..." Naomi shook her head. "That could get them both killed."

    Hector nodded slowly, not sure he wanted to drag Ai into this. "Ai will come. But is it fair to put her in danger like this?"

    "In our line of work, nothing is ever fair. It is about doing what is necessary,"

    He pulled out his phone, wavering before dialling the number. "Ai? It''s Hector. Listen to me carefully. Hiro is in danger. I''m going to try to save him. But I need your help."

    There was a pause, a heartbeat of silence. Then Ai''s voice came over the speaker. "I''m in. Tell me where to meet you."

    "Kyoto Airport as soon as you can,"

    "See you there,"

    Hector ended the call and tucked his slab away. A wave of guilt washed over him. Yes, bringing in Ai was necessary, but was it right?

    ---

    Ai hung up just outside the cafe, she began heading down the street with purpose toward the bus station. Masumi watched her from the window, she could tell something was wrong.

    "Ai, wait!" Masumi grabbed her purse and hurried after her, her heels clicking on the pavement. "What''s going on?"

    Ai didn''t slow down, her eyes fixed on the bus stop in the distance. "I can''t talk now, Masumi. Hiro needs me."

    Masumi caught up to her, slightly out of breath. "Hold on a second. You need to think about yourself, too."

    Ai shook her head, her black hair whipping around her face. "Hiro''s life is in danger. He saved mine twice. Now it''s my turn to save him."

    "But he has that super-charged cybernetic suit," Masumi argued, her brow creased with worry. "You don''t have anything like that. You need a plan."

    Ai pulled away, as the bus pulled in. "I don''t have time for a plan. I have to go. Now." She stepped inside.

    Masumi hesitated for a moment, then she found herself climbing onto the bus too. "Alright, I''m coming with you. I''m not letting you get yourself killed."

    Ai''s eyes welled, turning to face her friend. Just months ago Masumi was willing to let her die, now she was going to protect her. "I knew you were still a good person. Thank you."

    Masumi hugged her back tightly, her own eyes stinging. "I''m going to earn your friendship again. I missed you, Ai."

    ---

    Across town, Nia sat in her car, her eyes glued to the video feed on her tablet. Hector was definitely tense after the blackout, but what happened in those few minutes that made him run? She huffed before switching over the feed from Toyone Station, he boarded the train behind a mystery woman.

    "Do we have an ID on the woman yet?" Nia asked, looking up from the tablet.

    The agent beside her shrugged. "No, ma''am. We''re still working on it."

    Nia slammed her fist against the dashboard, frustration boiling over. "What the hell is Hector thinking? He''s jeopardizing the entire mission."

    She snatches up her phone, punching in Tess''s number. "Tell me you found something in Hector''s dorm."

    Tess''s voice crackles through the speaker. "We think the woman hacked into the school''s security system. She must have turned off the cameras in Hecotr''s room and contacted him then."

    "Any idea what she said to him?"

    "No, but judging by how nervous he looked afterward, I''d guess she threatened to expose us."

    Nia gritted her teeth, this was the worst-case scenario. "The train they boarded was headed for Kyoto. Meet me there. We might be able to get ahead of them before it''s too late."

    She ended the call, her grip tightening on the phone. One way or another, she was going to get to the bottom of this. She was going to bring Hector home.

    The car engine roared to life, and Nia drifted onto the street, engines propelling the car forward. The chase was on.

 Vol 3, Chapter 10: Flames

    Nia and Tess searched the crowded Kyoto train station, their eyes scanned the platforms for any sign of Hector. Nia wandered over to the local train schedule, watching the departures and arrivals.

    "Dammit, their train already left," Nia muttered, turning away from the holographic display. She pressed down on her comm. "Hector''s train has left this station. I need agents on every possible route out of this place, now. Millar, you need to get me into the city surveillance system."

    Static crackled, and then a voice came through. "On it. Give me a sec... got him! He boarded a local train 10 minutes ago with our mystery woman. Sending you their projected route now."

    Nia''s slab pinged as a map popped up, the train''s path snaking through the city with multiple stops highlighted. Tess leaned over her shoulder, studying it intently.

    "There''s over a dozen stops. We''ll never find them in time," Tess said, beginning to pace. "We need a way to narrow these down."

    Millar was quiet on his end before he rattled off a list. "Let''s see... Nijo Castle, Imperial Palace, ah - here we go. Kyoto Airport and Fushimi Inari Shrine. Either of those would be promising. The shrine is a secret Japanese military facility and the airport would be a way to move him out of the country,"

    Tess''s eyes narrowed. "Pull up all camera footage at the airport and shrine from the past hour. We have to figure out where they''re going."

    A burst of static interrupted them, followed by a deafening boom resonating through Nia''s earpiece. She winced, pulling out of her ear. "What was that? Report!"

    "I don''t know," Millar responded, his voice shaky. "The whole building just shook. It could have been an earthquake--"

    Alarms began wailing in the background, nearly drowning him out. Nia''s blood ran cold. The UN headquarters had been infiltrated.

    "Evacuate immediately," Nia ordered. "Get everyone out. We''re on our way back."

    She ended the call and locked eyes with Tess, seeing her own fear reflected. Precious seconds ticked by as they both processed what had just happened.

    "We have to go after Hector," Tess insisted. "Clearly this woman planned this--"

    "We can''t abandon our people!" Nia snapped. Her mind raced, desperately trying to figure out a way to save everyone. "If this was their plan all along, luring Hector away means they still need him for something. He has time."

    Tess grabbed Nia''s shoulders. "Let me go after him while you head back. If we lose him now, we may not find him again."

    Nia shook her head vehemently, she needed Tess''s strategic mind for the fight ahead. "No. I need your head in this game. Once we get there it will be your skill that gets our people to safety."

    She turned on her heel and headed straight for the high-speed rail, not waiting to see if Tess followed. She didn''t know what they were about to walk into, but she did know a Mach could be waiting for them. They had screwed somewhere down the line, and this was the cost of their failure.

    Her only goal now was to save as many as she could. The UN came first. Hector was smart, she knew he would be able to buy himself time. She just prayed it would be enough.

    The high-speed train rocketed through the Japanese countryside, a sleek silver bullet against a backdrop of green. Inside, Nia paced the narrow aisle restlessly, her mind going over strategies.

    Tess watched her from a window seat, brows furrowed. "The Canadians must have made us at the sawmill. I knew we should have pulled out sooner, this is all my fault."

    Nia shook her head. "No. The Mach''s had practically destroyed the mill, there is no way you were made there. Besides if the Canadians were the ones who made us, they would have sold us out to Japan."

    "So what are you thinking?"

    "I don''t know." Nia sighed, frustration edging her voice. "It just doesn''t add up to me. Is it possible another nation is taking action here?"

    Tess scoffed. "It''s certainly possible, but I doubt it. This could be Japan and that psycho Mach 2."

    The words made Nia shiver, mostly because she feared they were true. They had reviewed Mach 2 footage, he killed with no regard for who was in the way. Still, she had to hope it was something else.

    "The Japanese have been pretty quiet about Mach 2 lately," Nia said, trying to ease her worry. "What if they found other pilots? Maybe we missed something?"

    Tess pulled out her phone. "I''ll check with Ops, see if they''ve picked up anything new."

    A minute later, she cursed under her breath. "Line''s dead."

    Nia''s stomach dropped. They had hit their secondary base of operation as well. This was a coordinated assault on all fronts and were...

    She didn''t let herself finish the thought. They had to hold on to hope. It was all they had left.

    The train hurtled onward, finally coming to a halt at their stop. Nia squared her shoulders, pushing herself through the crowd of people to get to the parking lot. She didn''t care if people gave her dirty looks. She could see the glow in the distance.

    Tess followed behind her, as she waved down a taxi. They sat in silence as it drove them deeper into the city. Their route was cut off by caution tape and the taxi was forced to take a detour guided by the police. "Stop here," Nia commanded as they turned down the street. The cab came to a hault and she pushed her way out, heading straight for the glow from the flames.

    The UN headquarters lay in ruins, a twisted skeleton of metal and concrete. Smoke curled from the wreckage, the last stubborn flames flickering in the debris. An odd silence had settled over the scene, broken only by the crunch of boots on glass and the hiss of fire hoses.

    Nia and Tess stood across the street, posing as concerned onlookers while assessing the damage. Police swarmed the perimeter, keeping the gathering crowd at bay.

    Tess leaned in close, making sure she wasn''t overheard. "We need to get to the safe house. If anyone made it out..."

    Nia nodded, her eyes never leaving a bodybag being rolled off the scene. "They''ll be there."

    She refused to consider the idea that the attack had been so sudden, so brutal, none of their people had escaped the carnage.

    Moving casually, they slipped away from the gawking bystanders and scurried down a nearby alleyway. Nia led the way down the alley, mapping the route to the docks, straight to the shipping container that hid their safe house.

    Minutes later, they stood before the nondescript hunk of rusted metal. Nia keyed in the access code with trembling fingers. The door swung open, revealing a steep staircase plunging into darkness.

    They descended into the gloom, the clang of their footsteps echoing off the confining walls. At the bottom, a reinforced glass door slid aside, revealing the high-tech underwater base of operations.

    Nia could hear voices down the hall and raced to see who they had left. A mere handful of agents huddled around the conference table, their faces reflecting the loss Nia felt. There were survivors. But far too few to maintain the task force.

    She swallowed hard, their mission was now a failure. The procedure dictated that they leave immediately, but first, she had questions that needed answers.

    "What happened?" Nia asked as she and Tess moved into the room. "Did anyone see the attack?"Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    A young agent, from Russia, raised a shaky hand. "I was...I was running late. Missed my train. I saw..." He took a shuddering breath. "It was a Mach. But not one we have a record of. Punched a hole right through the wall like it was nothing."

    "A new Mach," Tess breathed.

    Nia''s blood ran cold, it could only be Japan or Canada, their cover was fully blown either way. "Can you tap into the city''s surveillance feeds? I want to see it!"

    The agent nodded, already tapping away on the holographic keyboard on the table. Nia watched over his shoulder as he worked feverishly, lines of code flying across the screen. An agonizing minute later, grainy security footage filled the monitor.

    They all leaned in, squinting at the black-and-white images. A figure, barely recognizable as humanoid, streaked toward the UN building at impossible speed. A flash of light seared even through the low-res feed. Then an eruption of flame and smoke as the walls buckled and collapsed.

    Nia''s fists clenched at her sides, nails biting into her palms. The pain grounded her and kept her focused on the feed. She wanted to punch a wall, but she still didn''t know how they could have gone so wrong.

    There was no doubt in her mind this attacker also took Hector. And she wouldn''t stop until she found him and ended the life of the person who killed so many of her people.

    ---

    Hector and Naomi strode around the side of the Kyoto Airport, ignoring the travellers lugging their bags down the street. Hector''s brow furrowed as he glanced at the security checkpoints ahead, two uniformed officers blocked their path to the airfield.

    "You really think we can just waltz through security without getting made?" he muttered, keeping his voice low.

    Naomi flashed him a confident smile, her eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses. "Relax, kid. We''re not going through security. I called in a favour, but we need to wait for Ai first."

    As if on cue, Ai poked her head around the side of the building, her dark hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail. Hector''s relief was short-lived as he spotted Masumi trailing behind her, the girl''s wary gaze darting around the dark road to the airstrip.

    "Ai, who''s that?" Hector asked, his tone carefully neutral.

    Naomi''s lips thinned. "Masumi Nakamura. This is an interesting turn of events. I take it you''ve recently had a change of heart?" Her voice was analytical, she never forgot a face, especially one she couldn''t trust.

    Ai stepped forward, her expression pleading. "Masumi just wants to help. She''s not helping the Canadians anymore."

    Hector shook his head. "The Canadians? Ai, this is way too risky. We can''t afford to bring someone who has a history of working for the enemy with us."

    Masumi''s eyes flashed with determination. "I''m going whether you like it or not. If you leave me behind, I''ll go straight to the authorities."

    Naomi chuckled and approached Masumi, circling her like a shark. "I like your moxie, kid. But let''s get one thing straight." She leaned in, her voice dropping to a chilling whisper. "Despite my calm demeanour, if you attempt to betray us... you won''t be coming back. Are we clear?"

    Masumi turned as white as a ghost, giving a tight nod.

    "Good." Naomi straightened, her tone almost light. "Now, follow me. We all have a role to play here. I know Nori, I can anticipate his moves. Hector, you know the U.S., can keep us under the radar. And Ai, you''re the key to making sure Hiro doesn''t get himself killed."

    She paused, her gaze sweeping over them. "Don''t underestimate Nori. He''s ruthless, and he won''t think twice about taking us out if he believes we are a threat to Hiro."

    With that, Naomi turned on her heel, along the fence to a small side gate. Hector fell into step beside her, watching her pick the lock and push the gate open. He still didn''t know who she found him, he''d never seen her before today, was she that good?

    As if reading his thoughts, Naomi spoke, her voice low. "I found you by accident, so stop worrying so much. After the police station explosion, I started digging. Found an officer who was saved from the fire, with a death certificate from a shootout months before it happened. That didn''t add up. Ran his face through my own recognition software and boom, there was Osamu."

    Hector''s eyebrows shot up. "And from there, you tracked him to the sawmill."

    "Exactly. Once I had eyes on the place, it was only a matter of time before I caught you on my feeds, racing toward the fight with a Mach."

    "And you didn''t report any of this to your superiors?"

    Naomi shrugged. "They don''t need to know. The UN isn''t a threat, not really."

    They emerged onto a small landing strip, a sleek private plane waiting on the tarmac. Naomi ushered them aboard, before following them up the stairs. She sat on the large sofa and the pilot did their flight systems check.

    "We''ve got a 48-hour window before the Japanese government sends in their new Mach pilots to clean up Nori''s mess. Trust me, you don''t want to be around when that happens."

    Ai''s face paled. "What if we can''t find Hiro in time?"

    Masumi reached out, squeezing her hand. "We will, Ai. Don''t worry." But even as she spoke the words, she didn''t believe them.

    The plane''s engines roared to life, the force pressing them back into their seats as they lifted off, racing against the clock to save Hiro and stop Nori before he caused a global incident.

    ---

    In the decaying heart of Detroit, Nori''s eyes flicked from monitor to monitor, scanning the feeds of his makeshift security system. Satisfied, he turned his attention to the room just down the hall, with sterile hospital equipment. Hiro lay on an old hospital bed. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, the antibiotics were doing their job to clear up his infection.

    Nori reached for the fresh bandages, his fingers gentle as he began to unwind the old ones. A soft groan escaped Hiro''s lips, his eyelids fluttering open. Confusion clouded his gaze as it settled on Nori.

    "Nori? What... where am I?" Hiro''s voice was raw, he winced in pain when he tried to sit up.

    "Somewhere safe." Nori kept his tone even, focusing on his task.

    Hiro''s eyes darted around the room, taking in the rusted metal walls, and the exposed pipes. "This isn''t the cottage. What''s going on?"

    "I''m protecting you, Hiro."

    "From what?"

    Nori hesitated as he tossed the old bandages into the trash. "The Japanese government. They know you''re still alive."

    Hiro laid back in the bed, he knew this would happen eventually. "They asked you to kill me, didn''t they? Are you going to?"

    The question stung, and Nori looked away from Hiro. "No. Never. But I had to get you out of Japan, somewhere they wouldn''t dare go."

    Now Hiro was concerned, he looked around the room again trying to find a clue to where they were. "Nori you need to tell me now, where the hell are we?"

    Nori finished securing the fresh bandage, his expression unreadable. "We''re safe and if it wasn''t for you, I wouldn''t have had to do this."

    He stepped back, meeting Hiro''s gaze. "The police station in Hiroshima, the fire. It was meant to be a distraction, to make them think you were dead so you could disappear."

    Hiro already knew this after Ai had explained what happened. "I''ve been keeping low."

    "Really, so you didn''t fight another Mach at the sawmill?" Nori''s jaw clenched. "Remember we rounded up several Canadians. They were pretty quick to tell us about you."

    Hiro shifted, wincing at the pull of his wounds. "Nori you can''t keep me here."

    "Why not? Here we are off the grid." Nori crossed his arms. "You''ll be safe, Hiro. I''ll make sure of it."

    Hiro shook his head, but he was too weak to get up out of the bed. "I can''t stay here, Nori. You know they''ll never stop looking for me, the only way to stop them is to end the Mach program,"

    With that reminder Hiro''s hand flew to his pocket, finding it empty. His Mach. Gone.

    Nori held up the device, looking disappointed in Hiro. "I have it. I can''t let you do anything stupid. If you keep fighting the Japanese, they will kill you. I won''t let that happen."

    Hiro groaned in frustration, the gravity of his situation sinking in. "So what, then? You''re just going to keep me here, locked away forever?"

    Nori didn''t answer, his silence spoke volumes. Hiro slumped back against the pillows, his thoughts churning, searching for a way out of this nightmare.

    But deep down, Hiro knew. There was no escape, not from this. Not from Nori''s twisted sense of protection. He watched Nori leave, stopping at the door to look back at him one last time.

    Nori''s jaw tightened. "I think I''ve answered enough of your questions for today." He levelled Hiro with a penetrating stare. "Now I have a question of my own."

    Hiro tilted his head as he waited for Nori to form his question.

    "Why did you try to save Osamu?" Nori asked, his voice low and intense. "After everything he put you through? Betraying you not once, but twice?"

    Hiro swallowed hard, memories flashing through his mind. The Canadian Embassy. The explosion at the police station. Osamu''s haunted eyes as he helped Hiro escape each time.

    "He made mistakes," Hiro said quietly. "But everything he did, he did to protect his family. I can understand that."

    Nori scoffed. "He''s a traitor."

    "He''s also the reason I''m still alive," Hiro argued, anger rising in his voice. "He broke me out of the Embassy. He let me go to the station. People are complex, Nori. They can do bad things, but they can also do good."

    Nori was silent for a long moment, his expression unreadable. "Do you really believe that? That bad people can change? Can do good?"

    Hiro nodded, realizing the conversation was no longer about Osamu. "Yes. I do."

    Without another word, Nori turned and left the room, leaving Hiro alone with his thoughts.

    Nori sank into the chair in front of the monitors, placing Hiro''s Mach next to the console. Mach Mach sat on the dented desk, taunting him with its presence.

    How long could he really keep Hiro here? How long before the government tracked them down, Mach or no Mach?

    His gaze fell to his arm, to the spot where his own tracking device lay embedded beneath his skin. The lead lining of the warehouse would shield them from detection, but it was only a matter of time before their pursuers got close.

    They would have to move soon. But to where?

    An idea sparked in Nori''s mind as he went over his options. He had tools, bandages, and everything he needed to clean and maintain a wound. And there, on the floor - a jagged piece of rusted metal.

    He reached for it, his fingers closing around the sharp edge. Gritting his teeth, he dug the metal into his arm, blood welling as he carved out the tracking device.

    It came free with a sickening pop, and Nori dropped it onto the desk with a clatter. He washed his wound, stitching it closed and wrapping it in clean bandages.

    When he was finished, he picked up the tracking device, a slow smile spreading across his face. With this, he had everything he needed to buy them more time.

    To keep Hiro safe, no matter the cost. No matter who he had to kill.

    Nori''s fingers closed around the device, a plan unfolding in his mind. Those idiot agents wouldn''t know what hit them.

    No one would take Hiro from him. Not the government. Not Ai. Not even Hiro himself.

    This was the only way. And Nori would walk this path, wherever it led him, to keep the one person he cared about safe.

    No matter what.

 Vol 3, Chapter 11: Hide and Seek

    Hiro gritted his teeth as he strained against the thick restraints binding him to the hospital bed. The worn leather dug into his wrists, chafing his skin. He finally released his strained muscles with an exasperated sigh, realizing there was no point in struggling. His dark eyes scanned the dingy room, trying to figure out where exactly he was being held. Boarded-up windows and a suspiciously barricaded emergency exit left gave him a clue - the writing was English with no sign of kanji.

    "Damn it, Nori," Hiro muttered under his breath. "If you get caught you could start another war." He knew his captor''s actions were driven by fear, a desperate attempt to avoid killing him. But this half-baked plan could blow up in Nori''s face at any moment. It was only a matter of time before someone tracked them down.

    Hiro hoped for a miracle but knew he couldn''t rely on one. The next time Nori came to change his bandages, he would have to try to make a move. Nori wouldn''t expect him to lash out, the shock might buy enough time for Hiro to get down the hall. The only flaw was Nori would still have a Mach and all the heat-seeking capabilities that came with it.

    ---

    Miles away, the sleek private jet descended towards an unregulated and dingy airstrip on the outskirts of Detroit. The crumbling city loomed before them, a desolate wasteland still festering with radiation. Classified as a level 4 zone, the area was deemed uninhabitable due to the fluctuating level of radiation.

    As the plane taxied to a stop, Naomi turned to the rag-tag team she had assembled. "Keep these radiation monitors on at all times," she dug the small devices out of her pocket. "And avoid anyone claiming they can help you. People here are not known for their hospitality."

    Nodding towards Hector, Naomi asked, "What can we actually expect on the ground?"

    Hector cleared his throat and everyone''s eyes locked on him. "Officially, the city is abandoned, save for a few people desperate for anything that resembles shelter. But unofficially, there''s a thriving underground network that doesn''t take kindly to outsiders."

    Naomi and Ai exchanged concerned glances, while Masumi shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Maybe it would be best if Ai and I stayed back, we trained like you are," Masumi reasoned, looking out the window at the city.

    Naomi shot her a look. "We have just over twenty-four hours to find Nori and Hiro before Japan sends in their Machs. We need all hands on deck."

    Masumi nodded solemnly and she continued to fidget with the hem of her shirt. As they disembarked the plane, each one of them knew the clock was ticking. The airstrip was uneven and cracked, the fence surrounding the strip rusted and bent, and the vast city seemed endless.

    "Follow me," Naomi instructed leading them toward an old hanger close to the gate.

    The rusted metal door of the warehouse creaked open, revealing a dusty, black sedan. Naomi strode towards it, her heels echoing against the concrete floor. "Our ride," she announced, sliding into the driver''s seat.

    As the group piled in, Naomi had Hector enter the city hall address into the GPS, with a hum the car sputtered to life, driving itself toward their destination. The silence of the ride was broken only by the occasional crackle of the radiation monitor.

    After a few minutes, the car pulled into the overgrown parking lot. "We need to split up," Naomi said, stepping out of the vehicle. "I don''t think Nori would go underground, it would be too risky for him. He is paranoid and currently in survival mode. So, if you find him, call for backup. Do not engage, he will kill you."

    Masumi swallowed hard but the other seemed ready to go, before she knew it, she was alone in the lot. Ai had already wandered up the deserted street, her footsteps echoing off the crumbling walls. Suddenly, her radiation monitor let out a shrill beep, and she doubled back as quickly as she could, slipping into a shop and slamming the door behind her.

    "Well, well, what do we have here?" the shopkeeper asked, eyeing Ai suspiciously. "Thought the government banned all immigration."

    Ai forced a smile, trying to remember any English phrases she learned in school. "Just passing through," she said with a small nod, making her way over to withered vegetables. She failed to notice Nori, who stood in the next aisle, his face hidden beneath a low-pulled hat.

    ---

    An hour earlier, Nori had been pacing the floor of the old warehouse. His stomach growled, a reminder of the dwindling food supplies. With a sigh, he glanced towards the room where Hiro was being kept, still bound to the hospital bed.

    "Will you ever understand what I am willing to do for you?" Nori wondered, his heart heavy with guilt. "How I am trying to save you."

    Tucking his Mach safely into his jacket pocket, Nori pulled a hat low over his face and slipped out into the streets. He made his way to the only shop where the food was semi-edible, his eyes scanning the shelves for canned goods.

    As he reached for a can of beans, Nori heard a familiar voice. Peering around the shelf, he saw her. There, chatting with the shopkeeper, the girl from the greenhouse attack and the police station bombing.

    "They must have tracked me here before the lead blocked my tracker," Nori realized, his hand reaching to where the tracker was placed. This was unexpected but he could improvise. This could actually be a good thing, he thought.

    Slipping out of the shop unnoticed, Nori disappeared down a backally toward the manufacturing district. He could feel the weight of his Mach in his pocket but he didn''t need to use it. The way that girl looked at Hiro at the greenhouse, he knew that feeling all too well... he could use that.

    Nori burst through the door of the warehouse, momentarily forgetting his own hunger. He strode down the hallway, his footsteps echoing off the steel walls, and flung open the door to Hiro''s room.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Hiro looked up, startled by the sudden intrusion. "What''s going on, Nori?"

    "Where''s your phone?" Nori asked, making his way over to Hiro''s bedside.

    "My phone? It''s back in Japan," Hiro replied, confusion etched on his face. "Why do you need it?"

    Nori scowled, this was an annoying setback. He began to pace the room, trying to come up with a plan B.

    Hiro watched him, realization dawning. "Someone is here looking for us, aren''t they? Who is it, Nori? Is it the government? Someone I know?"

    Nori remained silent, his eyes fixed on the floor.

    "Nori, listen to me," Hiro said, his voice steady. "Let me go. If you do, I promise I''ll help get you out of this. Nobody has to get hurt."

    But Nori shook his head, turning on his heel and striding out of the room. He made his way to the monitors, scanning the screens for any sign that he wasn''t followed. Satisfied that no one was onto him, he sank into his chair and started searching through the old wooden desk.

    He knew it was in one of the drawers, and when his finger finally grazed the holodeck, a smile stretched across his face. He looked up the wanted poster of Ai, studying her face, committing her last name to memory. Then, he scoured the internet, searching for any trace of her socials.

    Finally, he found it. Ai''s Lockd''n profile was visible to the public. Nori''s fingers flew over the holodeck, creating a fake account in Hiro''s name. He paused only a moment, deciding on what message would get her attention, then typed a single word: "Help!"

    Sinking back into the chair, Nori hit send, watching as the message got marked as sent. The trap was set, and now all he had to do was wait for Ai to take the bait.

    ---

    Ai''s heart raced as she stared at the message on her slab, the word "help" searing itself into her mind. The street around her faded away, the eerie silence of the abandoned city replaced by the pounding of her heartbeat. Could it really be Hiro? Did he somehow escape? Was he trying to communicate with her?

    She hesitated, her gut told her something was off. Hiro would have said more, he would have at least told her where he was. But then again maybe Hiro had no clue where he was. He could be alone and in danger. She had to take the chance.

    "Where are you?" she typed, her hands shaking. "What happened?"

    The seconds ticked by, each one an eternity. Finally, the reply came. "Nori kidnapped me," Hiro wrote. "He''s keeping me somewhere, it''s not Japan. He forgot to lock the door. I don''t know where I am, but I need your help. Please, Ai. You''re my only hope."

    Tears pricked at the corners of Ai''s eyes. She wanted to believe it was true, that Hiro was really reaching out to her. "He took you to Detroit. I''m here looking for you," she typed. "Send me a location tag. Stay hidden until I get there."

    Another pause, longer this time. Then, a map appeared on her screen, a blinking dot marking a location just a few blocks away. "Hurry," Hiro wrote. "Nori''s still out there, looking for me. I don''t have much time."

    "I''m on my way," Ai replied, feeling her throat dry out. "Stay safe. I''ll be there soon."

    She glanced around, taking in the deserted street, weeds poking up through the ashvault. She knew she needed to let the other know. She just hoped they were close by, she sent a quick message to the rest of the group, sharing Hiro''s location. "Hiro got out," she wrote. "Meet me there."

    Then, she took off running, ignoring the buzzing of her pocket. She had to get to Hiro before it was too late.

    The crumbling house loomed before her, a burned shell of a once-proud home. Ai approached cautiously, the eery silence settling over her. "Hiro?" she called out, her voice barely above a whisper. "Are you here?"

    Silence. The home''s front door creaked in the wind as she inched closer. Ai stepped inside, the floorboards threatening to snap beneath her feet. She strained her ears, listening for any sign of Hiro''s presence.

    A faint scuffling sound caught her attention, coming from somewhere below. The basement. Ai followed the hall looking for the door. She had to be careful. If Nori was still out there, searching for Hiro, she couldn''t risk leading him straight to their location.

    She crept down the stairs, her slab held out before her like a shield. The beam of light didn''t help much, making every shape seem sinister. But as she traced over the basement she caught something. Hunched beneath an old workbench, was a figure. Hiro?

    Ai moved closer, trying to get a better look. But as she drew near, she realized her mistake. It wasn''t Hiro at all, but a dummy, propped up to look like a person.

    Fear gripped her heart as she spun around, but it was too late. Nori was waiting for her, his eyes locked on her. Ai opened her mouth to scream, but before she could make a sound, Nori''s fist connected with her jaw, and the world went black.

    ---

    Ai''s head throbbed as consciousness slowly crept back into her mind. She blinked, trying to focus on her surroundings. The room was dusty and cold, the glow of numerous monitors was the only source of light. She tried to rub her eyes but something held her wrists to the chair, the rough rope digging into her skin.

    "Glad to see you''re awake," Nori''s voice cut through the silence, making her jump. He sat nearby, his eyes fixed on her, a smirk playing on his lips.

    Ai glared at him, she tried to sound commanding despite the fear coursing through her veins. "Where''s Hiro?"

    Nori chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "I don''t think Hiro is who you should be worried about right now, don''t you think?" Nori got up and crouched next to her, "I have some questions for you. Let''s start with who else is here with you?"

    "No one," Ai lied, keeping a straight face. "I came alone."

    "You tracked a device that only can be viewed by government personnel in another country? Then you charter a plane to a no-fly zone? You expect me to believe that?" Nori scoffed, pointing to one of the monitors. "I left a camera at the house where I caught you. It seems you might have been followed."

    Ai''s heart sank as she watched Hector, Naomi, and Masumi arriving outside the home, their eyes scanning the barren property. She cursed herself for not being more careful.

    Nori leaned forward, his eyes boring into hers. "I knew Naomi would come looking for me, but I don''t know the other two. Care to enlighten me?"

    Ai looked away, not wanting to give Nori anything until she was sure Hiro was ok. "I won''t tell you anything."

    "Not even if I show you, Hiro?" Nori countered, his voice smooth as silk. "I promise I won''t hurt anyone. I just want them to leave."

    Ai glanced back at Nori and then to the monitors. She sighed, she had to know if Hiro was still alive. "The guy around our age is Hector. He''s... a friend. And the girl is Masumi, another friend."

    Nori smiled, satisfied with her answer. "Thank you, Ai. Now, I''ll hold up my end of the bargain,"

    He grabbed the back of her chair, dragging it toward the door. Ai winced at the sound of the chair legs scraping against the floor during the trip down the hallway. They stopped before a door, and Nori pushed it open, revealing the makeshift hospital room.

    There, on a lumpy bed, lay Hiro. His eyes widened in shock as Nori dragged Ai to his bedside. "Ai? Why are you here?"

    "That is an excellent question, Hiro," Nori announced, a twisted smile on his face. "Unfortunately I have to take care of something, but Ai will fill you in."

    With that, he turned and left the room, leaving Ai and Hiro alone. Nori strode down the hallway, reaching into a dented filing cabinet to retrieve the tracking device that had once been embedded in his arm. He exited the building, crossing the street to another destroyed property.

    Wedging the door open, he placed the device on a pressure pad, his fingers working carefully to reactivate it. His eyes scanned the room, taking in the carefully placed C4 explosives. He was glad he had taken precautions when he arrived. He turned and headed back to the warehouse, thanking Naomi for being so predictable, this was going to be easy.

 Vol 3, Chapter 12: Its A Trap!

    The dilapidated house loomed before them, its paint peeling and windows boarded up. Naomi frowned as she texted Ai, her fingers tapping methodically. There was no response.

    "Something''s not right," Naomi muttered, her hand shooting out to stop Masumi from stepping forward. "It could be a trap."

    Hector looked deeper into thought, then swung his small back around in front of him. Digging through the black bag, he pulled out a small silver drone. "This should let us see inside, it''ll be able to sniff out any traps."

    Naomi nodded, her eyes never leaving the house. The drone whirred to life and disappeared through a shattered window pane. Minutes felt like hours as they watched the footage, there was no sign of Ai or anybody for that matter.

    "Are you sure this is the place?" Hector asked.

    Naomi''s jaw clenched. "This is it. I am going to go in for a closer look."

    Naomi cautiously entered the house, the floorboards creaking beneath her feet. She noted the footprints through the dusty floors, another creak caused her to spin around. Masumi and Hector had followed her in. She shook her head and continued to follow the footprints to the basement. Naomi''s sharp gaze caught the tracks separate, a trail leading to the back corner behind the stairs.

    She pushed aside the boxes, revealing footprints too large to be Ai''s. "Nori was here," she said, her voice tight with annoyance. "This is why I don''t normally work with amateurs, Ai was my best bet to lure him out."

    Masumi''s eyes widened as realization dawned. "You invited Ai to be bait from the beginning, didn''t you?"

    Naomi met her gaze unflinchingly. "I did. Nori noticed Ai''s feelings for Hiro back in the greenhouse months ago. His jealousy had him keeping tabs on her, so I knew he''d recognize her if she showed up around town."

    Hector''s anger flared and he stepped toward her. "You used me to get Ai to agree to this? You lied to my face!"

    "I''m trying to stop things from spiralling into a full-on war, Hector. Your trust means very little in the grand scheme of things."

    "But why not tell me from the beginning what the plan was? How do you know I would have said no?"

    Naomi sighed. "Hector I know everything about you. From your awards in programming to the fight you had in second grade with one Johnaton Lupitsky. I never make a move without knowing the variables, I know what your answer would have been." Hector fell silent.

    Masumi''s voice was quiet but commanding. "Will she get hurt?"

    "Unlikely," Naomi replied. "Hurting Ai would hurt Hiro, and Nori would never do that."

    Hector paced the basement, chastizing himself for trusting a total stranger so quickly. He couldn''t believe he had just gone along with it all, did the threat of a Mach in his own country blind him to the other risks? Masumi, too, seemed lost in thought now that she was with only strangers.

    Naomi, however, remained focused on the task at hand. She knew the risks, the sacrifices that needed to be made. Bringing Nori home was the assignment, and she''d do whatever it took to ensure it happened, even if it meant losing a few people on the way.

    Before the silence could stretch any longer, Masumi''s phone chimed with an incoming text. She glanced at the screen, her brow furrowing. "It''s Kazuki. He''s asking where I am."

    Naomi and Hector exchanged a curious look. "Who is that?" they asked in unison.

    "Just some dork from school," Masumi muttered as she typed a quick response. "I''ll just tell him I can''t really talk right now... Ok weird, he says his plane just landed in Detroit. He''s looking for me and Ai."

    "Your friend Kazuki is in Detroit?" Naomi''s interest was piqued. "Tell him to wait at the airport and we''ll pick him up."

    Masumi nodded but she felt fearful typing the message. She tried to warn him about how Ai was missing and she needed out but before she could finish he sent another message. "He says some guy tracked him down on campus and told him he needed to get something to Ai, that it was life and death."

    "Does he know who the guy is working for?" Hector asked, leaning in to read the messages over Masumi''s shoulder.

    "No, he''s never seen the guy before, but he thinks it was an agent. He was too afraid to say no."

    Naomi frowned as she considered the story. "The Japanese government wouldn''t act just yet, I still have time."

    "And my unit wouldn''t even know we''re here," Hector added, his voice tinged with suspicion.

    Masumi chewed her lower lip. "Could it be the Canadians? They did approach me when my uncle died and they could have been watching us since the greenhouse."

    Naomi''s expression was unreadable as she turned to the stairs. "We should go to Kazuki, I have more questions for your... friend."

    The drive to the airport was tense, each lost in their own thoughts. As the car pulled up to the curb, Masumi spotted Kazuki waiting, his spiky black hair unmistakable. She stepped out of the car, a forced smile on her face. "Kazuki! Ai''s waiting in the car for you. We should go."

    Kazuki grinned, he swung the brown leather bag over his shoulder as he followed Masumi to the vehicle. But as he climbed inside, his smile faltered. I knife greeted him at the door, Naomi pressed the blade against it as she motioned for him to keep quiet.

    "Who sent you? And how did you know where to find us?" Naomi''s voice was cold, and her eyes narrowed.

    Kazuki''s heart raced, his palms sweating. He looked over to Masumi, who looked away quickly. "I-It was this weird guy with burns all over his body. He grabbed me and said I needed to go to Detroit because Ai was in trouble. I said no at first, but he threatened to kill me if Ai got hurt, so... so I agreed."

    With shaking hands, Kazuki opened his bag, revealing an old laptop inside. "He told me to bring this to Ai. That is all I know, I swear. Why don''t you ask Masumi who he was, she''s the one working with the Canadians. All I wanted to do was go home but you people keep ruining my life."

    He tossed the bag over to them, his voice bitter. "You can take it to Ai, I am getting on the first flight home. And Masumi, tell the Canadians to leave me the fuck alone."

    Masumi shook her head, her voice soft. "I haven''t had contact with the Canadians since the greenhouse."

    Kazuki''s eyes darted between Masumi and Naomi, his confusion evident. "Then who are you?" he asked, nodding towards Naomi.

    "I work for Japan," Naomi replied, lowering the knife. "Have you ever seen the scarred man before?"

    "No, never."

    Naomi made a note, before pulling the laptop out of the bag. "I apologize for my hostility." She opened the laptop slowly, her fingers running over the worn surface as she inspected it.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Everyone watched her carefully, as she pressed down on some of the keys. "Did the man give you any instructions on what exactly Ai was supposed to do with this?" Ai asked tapping the power button and watching the device fail to turn on.

    "Uh no, he was pretty vague actually," Kazuki looked worried.

    Masumi''s slab buzzed, shattering everyone''s concentration on the laptop. Her eyes widened as she read the message, her hand trembling slightly. "It''s from Ai," she whispered, her voice laced with disbelief as she flashed Hector her screen. "She says she was at the house looking for Hiro when Nori showed up. She had to run and is hiding in an old warehouse now, but Nori is hunting her. She''s scared he''ll find her."

    Hector leaned over, his brow furrowed as he read the message. "That doesn''t sound like Ai to me," he muttered, rereading the message. "It''s so clinical"

    Naomi nodded, turning away from the laptop. "It''s not outside the realm of possibility for Nori to be trying to lure us in." She set the laptop aside, ensuring to place it gently on the seat next to her.

    Suddenly, Naomi''s slab buzzed, drawing their attention. Her eyes narrowed as she checked the notification. "Nori''s tracker just became active again," she announced, looking over the screen. "It''s showing his location in the old manufacturing district."

    Masumi gasped, her eyes darting between her phone and Naomi''s. "That''s the same area Ai said she''s hiding in," she exclaimed, her mind told her it was clearly a trap but her heart demanded she save her once best friend.

    Naomi quickly input the location into the car''s navigation system, and the vehicle hummed to life, steering itself towards the warehouse district. Kazuki, his eyes wide with fear, reached for the door handle. "Wait! Let me out," he demanded, his voice shaking. "I don''t want any part of this."

    Naomi''s hand shot out, gripping Kazuki''s arm. "You''re not going anywhere," she stated, looking him once over. "Not until I figure out what that mystery man wanted with Ai and why he involved you."

    As the car sped through the city streets, Masumi watched the buildings pass by, she prayed it was the real Ai trying to get help, but she what reality told her. The warehouse district loomed before them, a maze of abandoned buildings and the risk of radiation, where the first bomb of the war hit and many others after that.

    The car came to a stop outside a warehouse gutted by fire, its walls covered in graffiti and its windows long since shattered. Masumi stepped out, her eyes scanning the area for any sign of Ai. "We should split up," she suggested, not really thinking. "We can cover more ground that way."

    Naomi shook her head, her expression stern. "Splitting up is what got us into this situation in the first place," she reminded Masumi. "We stand a better chance against Nori if we stick together."

    As they entered the warehouse, Naomi checked her slab, the small radar highlighting Nori''s location. "Nori''s close," she warned, her voice low. "Stay quiet and move slowly."

    She guided them through the crumbling halls, following the signal from Nori''s tracker. As they approached a large doorway near the back of the building, Naomi checked the readings once more, confirming Nori''s presence inside. She peered around the corner, her eyes searching for any sign of movement, but the room appeared empty.

    Hector looked over at her. "Could he be using the Mach to cloak himself?" he wondered aloud, his hand instinctively reaching for his bag.

    Naomi considered the idea, but something didn''t sit right. "It''s possible," she admitted, looking more confused than anything, "but Nori never misses an opportunity to attack first." A theory began to form in her mind, and she decided to put it to the test.

    Standing tall, Naomi stepped into the room, her voice ringing out in the silence. "This has gone on long enough, Nori! Come out and have a discussion like an adult!"

    Hector''s eyes widened in panic as Naomi gave away their position, he instinctively moved to grab her and pull her back to cover. Then he noticed nothing was happening, only silence responded to Naomi.

    A moment passed and still nothing. Masumi was the next to speak, clearly confused. "Why isn''t he attacking us?"

    Naomi laughed as she took a few more steps into the room. "Because he isn''t actually here," she explained, her tone matter-of-fact. "He must have removed his tracker and used it to lure us away from him."

    Hector took a breath, feeling his fear lifting. "So this was a wild goose chase?"

    "Seems like it," Naomi stated, "Honestly I am surprised he went through the trouble of digging it out. The wiring is a real bitch to remove." She strode across the room, her eyes focused on the center, where a small device lay delicately placed. Hector followed Naomi, his instincts warning him of potential danger in the room.

    Kazuki, however, moved forward, his hand reaching out to grab the tracker. Naomi moved faster, gripping his wrist firmly. "Don''t," she warned, pulling him away. "It''s undoubtedly a trap, rigged to go off if touched." she pointed to the thin wire attached to it.

    Kazuki stepped back, he began to hyperventilate. "I never signed up for this," he said, his voice shaking. "I''m leaving." He turned to leave, his movements hasty and uncoordinated. As he brushed past a box, his foot caught the edge, nudging it slightly. A soft click echoed through the room, the sound amplified as everyone froze.

    Within seconds, the door to the room slammed shut, the sound of a metal lock clicking into place was the sound that followed. Masumi was frozen as she watched the others disappear behind the closed doors. then her feet moved before she could think, pulling her to the door, her hands grasping at the rusted steel. She pushed and pulled, but the door refused to budge, with everyone else trapped on the other side.

    Hector, Kazuki, and Naomi rushed to the door, their own attempts to open it proving just as futile. They yelled through the vent, their voices urgent. "Masumi! Try to pry it open!"

    Masumi''s voice came back, strained with effort. "I can''t! It won''t move!" She paused, catching her breath. "You need to find another way out!"

    The trio fanned out, their eyes scanning the room for any sign of an escape route. Hector''s gaze landed on a single unsealed window, the glass dirty and cracked. "Over here!" he called out, already pushing boxes towards it, creating a makeshift staircase. "Help me with these boxes!"

    Kazuki rushed to assist, his movements frantic as he pushed the boxes over to Hector. Naomi, however, remained still, her eyes fixed on the window. A glint of something caught her attention, and she followed the line, her heart sinking as she spotted the series of C4 explosives strategically placed around the room.

    "Stop!" she commanded, putting her foot in front of a box Kazuki was pushing. "The window is rigged to explode when we open it." She looked over to Kazuki, who looked like he was just punched in the gut. "The only way out is death."

    The room fell silent, the weight of Naomi''s words settling over them like a suffocating blanket. They were trapped, with all their exits sealed off. Kazuki slid down his box to the floor, he ran his hands through his hair wondering what he ever did to deserve this.

    ---

    In his dimly lit lair, Nori leaned back in his chair, a self-satisfied smirk playing on his lips as he watched the scene unfold on the array of monitors before him. He couldn''t believe how easily they fell for it, and the thrill of victory coursed through his veins.

    Nori''s eyes darted from screen to screen, drinking in the desperation and fear etched on the faces of his captives. But as he focused on one particular frame, his smile faltered. There, alongside Hector and Naomi, was an unfamiliar face - a young man Nori didn''t recognize.

    Frustration bubbled up inside him as he realized the girl he had seen earlier with Hector and Naomi was not caught in his trap. This unexpected outcome frustrated him, and he abruptly stood, his chair clattering behind him.

    Muttering to himself, Nori made his way down the hallway to the room where he held Ai and Hiro. As he entered, he offered Hiro a curt apology. "I''m sorry but I need to borrow Ai for a moment."

    Hiro looked over at him, clearly worried about what he was going to do. "Don''t do anything rash, Nori."

    But Nori ignored him. He roughly grabbed Ai''s chair and dragged her back to the monitor room. He spun the chair around, making sure she had a good view, "Who''s the new guy?"

    Ai''s eyes darted to the screens, horror washing over her as she saw Naomi, Hector, and Kazuki trapped in the warehouse. Her heart raced, this was all her fault. She had told Nori about the others and now they were caught just like she was.

    "What are you going to do with them?" Ai''s voice trembled, her eyes pleading as she met Nori''s icy stare.

    Nori scoffed. "That''s not your concern. You should be grateful I let you live instead of trapping you in there with them."

    Ai''s hands clenched into fists, she would have taken a swing at him if she wasn''t tied down. "I won''t help you. Not if you''re going to kill them."

    A cruel laugh escaped Nori''s lips. "It''s too late to stand up to me now, Ai. I mean you are the reason they are in this mess." He reached into his pocket, pulling out her phone and waving it tauntingly. "You told me all about them and then you told them where to go. They walked right into my trap thinking I was you."

    Devastation crashed over Ai, tears welling in her eyes as she thought about what she had done. She had been a pawn in his game, and now her friends were going to die. "I''ll do anything," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Just let them live."

    Nori ignored her, instead, he pointed to one of the screens. "Who is the guy, Ai?"

    "Why does it matter if you''re going to kill them anyway?" Ai asked, looking up at the monitor.

    For a moment, Nori''s expression shifted, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his features in the reflection of the monitor. Ai''s heart skipped a beat as realization dawned on her. Nori hadn''t decided Kazuki''s fate yet. Some deeply buried part of him, a remnant of his humanity, would feel the weight of guilt if he killed an innocent person.

    Ai knew she only had one chance, searching for the right words to sway Nori, to appeal to that hidden glimmer of conscience. She had to tread carefully, knowing the smallest slip-up would get everyone killed. The seconds ticked by, each one feeling like an eternity as Ai gathered her courage, she was going to do everything in her power to redeem herself.

 Vol 3, Chapter 13: Mach 13

    Ai''s eyes flicked up to the grainy security camera footage on the monitors. A fog settled over her thoughts as she watched her makeshift team trapped like rats. She turned back to Nori, her lips trembling. "I don''t know who that guy is. Maybe just some local Naomi and Hector asked for help."

    Nori studied her face intently, his green eyes boring into hers as if trying to pry the truth from her mind. A smirk crept across his lips. "Hmm. Interesting." He glanced at the monitor again, where Kazuki, Hector and Naomi traced the walls in desperation.

    "Guess it doesn''t matter anyway," Nori said with a shrug. "I''ll just manually blow the whole warehouse. Pass the crispy critters off as you, me and Hiro. Buy us some time to disappear."

    "What? No!" Ai cried, colour draining from her face. "You can''t do that! Killing innocent people is wrong!"

    Nori stepped closer, looming over her. "Cut the bullshit, Ai. You recognized that guy. I saw it in your eyes." His fingers dug into her arm as he dragged her out of the room. "Your little lie just got them all killed."

    Tears stung Ai''s eyes as Nori shoved her down next to Hiro, cinching her bonds tight enough to bite into her skin.

    Nori flashed Hiro a disappointed look. "You should really choose your friends more carefully. Ai here just gave up everyone who came to save you." With that, he sauntered out, slamming the door behind him.

    A sob ripped from Ai''s throat. "I''m so sorry, Hiro! I was just trying to help..."

    "Shh, it''s okay." Hiro leaned his head against hers, wishing he could wrap her in his arms. "I know you were."

    But inside, he felt numb. How was he going to save them this time? Please, he prayed silently, let Hector and the others find a way out of this. They were his only hope now.

    ---

    Masumi pounded on the heavy metal door in the warehouse, but it wouldn''t budge. "Hector! Naomi! Kazuki! Are you alright in there?"

    Hector''s muffled voice came through a small vent next to the door. "Masumi, you need to get out of here. The whole place is rigged to blow if we make a wrong move."

    "What? No, I''m not leaving!" Masumi slammed her palm against the unyielding surface as if she could force it open through sheer will.

    "Listen to me," Hector urged, his tone insistent. "If Nori set this trap, it means we''re getting close. You might still have a chance to find Hiro and Ai before it''s too late."

    Masumi squeezed her eyes shut, her mind shifting between Ai and Kazuki, both trapped in different ways. "I... I can''t just abandon you."

    "You''re not abandoning us. If you free Hiro, he can use his Mach to save us. At this point, Hiro is our only hope."

    With a shuddering breath, Masumi stepped back from the door. "I''ll find them, Hector. I swear it. And I''m coming back for you guys, no matter what."

    Inside the locked room, Naomi studied the C4 charges and the web of wires that snaked along the walls. Every potential escape route, every weakness in their prison, was rigged to trigger an explosion.

    Kazuki paced the confined space, his breath coming in sharp gasps. "This is all your fault!" he accused, jabbing a finger at Hector and Naomi. "I told you to let me go, but you just had to drag me into this mess!"

    Hector sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Kazuki, panic isn''t going to help us right now."

    "I don''t care!" Kazuki''s voice cracked, his eyes wild with fear. "You should have listened to me! You should have just let me go!"

    Naomi stepped forward, her expression softening with guilt. "You''re right, Kazuki. We shouldn''t have forced you into this. You didn''t have to be here."

    Kazuki blinked, his tirade faltering at Naomi''s unexpected apology. He swallowed hard, his shoulders slumping as he leaned against the wall. "I... I just want to go home."

    Naomi nodded, her gaze drifting back to the C4. There had to be a way out of this trap, some detail they were overlooking. And she was determined to find it, not just for herself, but for the terrified boy in front of her.

    Hector stroked his chin as he studied the room, eyes taking in every detail. "I have to hand it to Nori, he really thought this out," he said grimly. "That vent there is the only thing not rigged to blow, but it''s way too small for any of us to fit through."

    Kazuki let out a bitter laugh. "If only we had a Mach, right? Then we could just blast our way out of here."

    Naomi''s head snapped up and she slapped her palm to her forehead. "We do have a Mach."

    Hector and Kazuki turned to her, confusion etched on their faces. "What are you talking about?" Hector asked.

    "The old laptop," Naomi explained, looking over at the door sealing off their escape. "The one Kazuki was supposed to deliver to Ai. It''s not just a laptop¡ªit''s a Mach in disguise."

    Kazuki''s mouth fell open. "You''re kidding me."

    Naomi shook her head. "I''m not. And it might be our only chance to get out of here alive. But..." She paused, her eyes darkening. "One of us will have to wear it. And there are risks."

    Hector stepped toward her. "What kind of risks?"

    "Two possible outcomes," Naomi said, her voice low. "Either the suit drains the pilot''s life force, causing a psychotic break that kills them... or the pilot is deemed acceptable, and the armour bonds to them until death."

    A heavy silence fell over the room, the weight of Naomi''s words sinking in. Kazuki''s face paled, his hands trembling at his sides. Hector''s gaze dropped to the floor, a muscle ticking in his cheek.

    "There''s something else," Naomi added, her tone grim. "Activating the Mach will definitely attract Nori''s attention. He''ll come straight for us."This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Hector ran a hand through his hair, his gaze still locked on the floor. "So, we''d be trading one death trap for another."

    Kazuki let out a shaky breath. "I don''t want to die."

    Naomi met his gaze, her eyes softening. "None of us do, Kazuki. But right now, this is our only option."

    Hector and Kazuki exchanged a nervous glance, the prospect of wearing the Mach filling them both with dread. Naomi looked between them, her expression resolute.

    "We can draw straws later to decide who wears it," she said. "Right now, we need to get Masumi back here with the Mach."

    Kazuki pulled out his slab, his fingers trembling as he typed out a message. "I can text her, but... what''s the plan?"

    Hector looked back at the vent, the solution was obvious. "Masumi needs to get the Mach from the car and make her way to the other side of that vent. She''ll need something to pry it open."

    Naomi nodded, her gaze fixed on the small opening. "And then it''s as simple as sliding the Mach through the vent. But she will have to be careful¡ªif she doesn''t use enough force or if it gets caught in the middle, we won''t be able to retrieve it. And then..." She turned to the guys. "Our deaths will be certain."

    The weight of their situation was like a suffocating blanket, no one was eager to make the choice that needed to be made. They were trapped, their lives hanging by a thread, and their only hope rested on a desperate gamble with a weapon they barely understood.

    Kazuki finished his message and hit send, watching for a little read sign to pop up under it. He could feel a bead of sweat dripping down his back, every second that ticked by felt like an eternity.

    ---

    Masumi''s phone vibrated in her pocket as she navigated the maze of warehouses, her eyes scanning for any sign of Nori. With each step, she hoped she would find a footprint or some recent food scraps, anything to suggest someone had been in the area recently. She pulled out her rose gold slab, Kazuki''s message flashing on the screen.

    "Need you back at the warehouse. Bring the laptop from the car. Hurry."

    She raised an eyebrow, what the hell do they need an old laptop for? She shook her head as she turned back, racing toward the car. Yanking open the door, she rummaged through the backseat until she found the bag under one of the seats.

    Clutching it tightly, Masumi sprinted back to the warehouse. She skidded to a halt outside the sealed door, catching her breath. "Guys? I''ve got the laptop. What do I do with it?"

    Naomi''s voice filtered through the door, steady and focused. "Follow the wall to your right. There''s a small vent. You need to slide the laptop all the way through to us."

    Masumi nodded, forgetting for a moment that they couldn''t see her. "Got it." She traced her hand along the rough corrugated steel, her eyes straining in the dim light. Finally, her fingers found the edge of the vent, covered and screwed tightly into the wall.

    "Of course, it couldn''t be easy," she muttered, glancing around for something, anything, to pry it open. A glint of metal caught her eye¡ªa piece of rebar, discarded on the ground. She snatched it up, jamming it into the edge of the vent and leveraging all her strength.

    With a grunt, the cover popped off, clattering to the ground. Masumi peered into the darkness, her voice echoing through the small space. "Okay, I''ve got the vent open. Are you ready on the other side?"

    Hector''s face appeared on the other side, his expression a mix of relief and apprehension. "We''re ready. As soon as you slide it through, you need to run, Masumi. Get as far away from the building as you can."

    Masumi swallowed hard, she glanced down at the bag. A part of her thought they were about to activate a bomb that could bring the entire building down around them. But she knew deep down that didn''t make sense, the laptop must be something else.

    "I understand." She pulled the laptop out of the bag and placed it on the edge of the vent. With a deep breath, she used all her strength to slide it through the vent, watching as it skidded through the darkness.

    "Good luck she shouted. With her job done, Masumi turned and ran, her feet pounding against the concrete as she raced for the exit. The weight of the impending explosion hung over her, spurring her forward. She burst out of the warehouse, the cool air hitting her face as she searched for cover.

    Inside, Hector watched as the laptop stopped short in the vent. He took a breath before reaching in to retrieve it, his fingers grazing its surface as he strained to grab it. With a final push, he managed to grab hold, pulling it through to their side.

    He turned to Kazuki and Naomi, the laptop heavy in his hands. The moment of truth had arrived, and with it, the hardest decision they would ever have to make.

    "Who''s going to wear it?" Hector asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

    The silence that followed was deafening, each of them grappling with the enormity of the choice before them. A choice that could mean someone would die, whether it was the suit that did it or Nori was the question.

    And as they stood there, the weight of the world on their shoulders, they knew one thing for certain: it had to be done.

    Naomi''s sharp green eyes darted between Hector and Kazuki. "I won''t be wearing the Mach. We need me alive to deal with Nori." She stated as if it were a fact, stepping away from the pair.

    Hector and Kazuki exchanged a wary glance, fear etched into their features as they eyed the laptop. "that''s bullshit! you''re the whole reason we are in this mess!" Kazuki accused, pointing a finger at Naomi.

    Naomi nodded, "I''m not disagreeing that my action put you here but it doesn''t change the fact I am the only one with any rapport with Nori. The two of you mean nothing to him. He won''t hesitate to kill either of you."

    Kazuki fell silent and turned back to the old grey laptop. Hector''s hand twitched, a hesitant movement towards the device, but Kazuki was faster.

    "I''ll do it," Kazuki said, his voice cracking slightly. "I''m the most expendable one here. You guys need to save the world from World War Five."

    Hector opened his mouth to protest, but the words died on his lips as Kazuki opened the laptop. With trembling fingers, Kazuki inspected it and began hitting buttons, the tip of his tongue sticking out of his mouth in concentration.

    "Come on, come on," he muttered under his breath, his frustration mounting with each failed attempt. "Is this thing even a Mach?"

    In a fit of exasperation, Kazuki slammed the laptop shut, the force causing the disc drive to pop out. A glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes as he pushed it back in, and suddenly, the laptop came to life.

    Nanites swarmed from the device, engulfing Kazuki''s body in a flurry of movement. Hector and Naomi watched as the tiny machines solidified, forming a sleek, grey cybernetic armour around Kazuki''s frame.

    "Well it''s definitely a Mach," Hector breathed, taking in the cybernetic suit as it breathed with Kazuki. "That''s incredible."

    But Naomi''s eyes were narrowed on the Mach, her mouth slightly opened. She kept her distance from it, only approaching after a few moments of silence. With Kazuki still standing, she allowed herself a small sigh of relief.

    "Alright, Kazuki," Naomi said, getting him to finally look up from the suit. "It''s time to get us out of here."

    Kazuki nodded, he could feel the armour bind to his thoughts and emotions. The AI welcomed him as the pilot of Mach 13, and he suddenly felt his knees buckle. "I don''t know if I should be the one wearing this," he confessed, looking over to the others.

    As if sensing his thoughts, the AI within the Mach spoke directly into Kazuki''s mind. "You are compatible, you will meet the criteria for a successful pilot," it said, its voice calm and reassuring. "A brief scan of your current situation has a clear solution. Your soul weapon, the Soul Shield, will protect you from the minor inconvenience of this explosion."

    Kazuki took a deep breath, he straightened up in the armour now that it didn''t feel so heavy. With his eyes locked on the window, he focused his thoughts, willing the shield into existence. The nanite built a circular shield straight out of the comics Kazuki read. Raising it above his head, a shimmering barrier began to form, expanding outwards from the shield, surrounding Hector and Naomi in its protective embrace.

    But as the shield grew, it triggered the bombs hidden throughout the warehouse. The world erupted in a blinding flash of light and heat, the force of the explosion rattling the very foundations of the building. Glass shattered and sprayed the surrounding area. The roof twisted and melted and the scent of burning steel filled the air.

    As the flames washed over them, Kazuki, Hector, and Naomi huddled together behind the Soul Shield, watching debris bounce off the barrier. The warehouse crumbled around them, smoke blossoming from its fall.

    At that moment, they all collectively held their breath. The world had gone silent, except for the faint crackly of trash still burning. Kazuki didn''t lower the shield, Naomi''s words echoing in the back of his head, Nori would be coming now.

 Vol 3, Chapter 14: Fire and Fear

    Nori''s eyes were glued to the screen as he watched the warehouse erupt into a fiery explosion on his monitor. "All you had to do was leave me alone," he muttered, turning to look at a monitor with a better view of the situation. The ground shook beneath his feet as the shockwave hit, rattling the old rusty building. But Nori hardly noticed. He was too focused on adjusting the camera angle just right.

    The camera focused in as the smoke began to clear, and a shimmering blue bubble appeared amidst the rubble. "What the hell?" Nori leaned closer, squinting at the screen. Then his eyes widened as the picture came into focus. "That''s impossible. One of those bastards has a Mach!"

    Nori slammed his fist on the desk, teeth clenched. "Damn it, they''re going to ruin everything! If they get to Hiro, they''ll get him killed." He snatched his VR headset, the sleek metal cool against his fingertips. As he slipped it on, muttering curses under his breath, thousands of nanites swarmed out, encasing his body in form-fitting crimson armour.

    Without a backwards glance, Nori stalked out of the room, heading for the smouldering ruins across the street. Unbeknownst to him, Masumi was crouched behind a rusted-out car. As soon as he had passed her hiding spot, she slipped out and into the warehouse he had come from.

    Across the street, the shimmering Soul Shield dissipated, revealing an unscathed Kazuki, Naomi, and Hector huddled in the only untouched section of the warehouse. "Holy shit, I can''t believe we survived that," Kazuki exclaimed, pumping a fist in the air.

    Before the others could respond, a blast of searing energy exploded next to Kazuki''s head. Kazuki spun around to face his attacker but the smoke obscured Nori.

    "Watch out!" Hector yelled, diving for cover behind a chunk of concrete. Naomi rolled gracefully out of the way, disappearing into the smoke.

    Kazuki barely had time to throw up his shield before the next volley of blasts pummeled against it. Through the reddish haze, he saw Nori racing straight toward him, his visor hiding his rage.

    "Crap crap crap!" Kazuki barely managed to throw himself to the side as Nori hurtled past, red armour glinting. His hands shook as he fumbled to activate his blaster, pointing it in Nori''s general direction and squeezing off a few wild shots. They went wide, chipping uselessly against the crumbling walls.

    Nori''s mocking laughter echoed metallically as he banked around for another pass. "Is that the best you can do, rookie? This is going to be even easier than I thought."

    Kazuki''s heart pounded in his ears. I''m so screwed, he thought desperately, staring down the barrel of Nori''s blaster. I have no idea what I''m doing! Why did I ever think I could be a hero? He only had one option. He raised his arm and the Soul Shield constructed itself, blocking the attack. Kazuki knew this would only buy him some however, Nori would eventually figure out a way around it.

    ---

    Across the street, Masumi crept through the abandoned warehouse. Her nerves were on edge, her senses strained for the slightest hint of danger. The building seemed to be holding its breath, an unnatural stillness broken only by the distant sounds of battle outside.

    She paused at each doorway, tossing small stones in to see if they set off any traps before she entered. She told herself that she would find Ai and Hiro. She wasn''t going to end up locked in an escape-proof room like the others.

    Around the next corner, Masumi froze. The room in front of her was a technological nightmare, with dozens of monitors covering the walls, each flickering with a different street scene. Nori had the entire city under surveillance. The scale of it made her shiver as she crept closer for a better look.

    She looked over the massive control panel, her hands reaching out without a thought to trace over the buttons. There was a thud as she knocked something to the floor. Following the sound she found, under the chair coated in dust, an old cellphone. Masumi snatched it up, she knew exactly what it was. Hiro''s Mach. Her fingers tightened around it as she looked back at the screen.

    The creak of a floorboard behind her had Masumi whirling, raising the cell phone above her head like a sword. But it was Naomi standing in the doorway, an unreadable expression on her face.

    "You scared the hell out of me!" Masumi said tersely, lowering the phone. "I found Hiro''s Mach but there is no sign of him or Ai."

    Naomi scanned the room briefly. "Hiro and Ai must be close. Nori wouldn''t keep them far from his center of operations." She turned on her heel. "Let''s keep moving, that battle outside won''t last long."

    Masumi pocketed the phone and followed, skin prickling as she thought about what Naomi said. She still wasn''t sure whose side Naomi was really on. But Naomi wasn''t the one fighting Nori, she hoped Kazuki or Hector could hold out a little longer. They just needed to find Hiro, then everything would change.

    They moved deeper down the hall, past rooms filled with destroyed equipment, until they reached a heavy metal door. Naomi shot the lock and yanked it open, revealing a large space lined with dull lead panels.

    In the center, Hiro was strapped to a hospital bed, and Ai was bound to a chair beside him. Masumi''s heart clenched at the sight. She rushed forward, practically knocking Ai out of the chair as she struggled to untie her.

    On the bed, Hiro pulled on her restraints as Naomi worked to free him. "The bombs didn''t work? Where are the others?"

    The building shuddered, dust sifting down from the rafters. Masumi flinched. The battle outside was getting closer.

    "Nori''s attacking the others," Naomi informed him, hauling Hiro upright. "You need to get out there and stop him before someone gets killed."

    "Me?" Hiro shook his head, still clearly disoriented. "How am I supposed to do that?"

    Naomi gripped his shoulders, green eyes boring into brown. "He''ll listen to you, Hiro. You''re the only one he will listen to." Her voice softened a fraction. "It has to be you."

    "But how am I supposed to get close to him without my Mach?" Hiro muttered, feeling empty. He couldn''t just walk out in front of Nori when he was like this. Nori wouldn''t register who I was until it was too late, he thought.

    "That''s why you''ll need this." Masumi pressed something cold and hard into his palm. Hiro glanced down, his pulse rising as he recognized the battered cell phone. His Mach. "I found it in Nori''s control room."

    Hiro closed his fingers around the device, finally feeling the energy to stand on his own without Naomi''s support. "Thanks, Masumi. I owe you one."

    Naomi stepped back, looking more serious than normal. "Nori''s in full survival mode right now. He truly believes that our actions will lead to your death, Hiro. You need to convince him otherwise."

    Hiro stared at her for a long moment, emotions warring across his face. Fear, doubt, determination. Finally, he gave a slow nod.

    "I...I''ll try. I don''t know if I can get through to him, I''ve never seen him this scared." He glanced at Ai, eyes full of unspoken apologies.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Ai reached out to squeeze his hand, while Masumi supported her. "I know you can do this, Hiro. We all believe in you."

    Hiro took a deep, steadying breath and squared his shoulders. "Okay. Let''s finish this."

    They all watched him stride toward the door, head held high despite the tremors they could see in his hands.

    Hiro desperately hoped his resolve would be enough. For all their sakes.

    He stepped out into the remains of the manufacturing district, the stench of burning rubber and various other chemicals assaulting his nostrils. His eyes watered as he scanned the battlefield, searching for a glimpse of Nori''s Mach, a flash of that crimson armour. There. Nori had summoned his Soul Scythe, red energy sparking from its blade as it made contact with Kazuki''s shield. Kazuki was balled up behind the shield, web-like fractures stretched across its surface.

    Hiro frowned as he took in the scene, a flicker of doubt creeping into his mind. Ever since he got his Mach this is how things always ended. No one steps down, it never ends peacefully, and someone always winds up dead.

    Naomi emerged next to him, impatient. She could see the conflict written all over his face. "We don''t have time for you to question everything, Hiro. You need to act, now, before it''s too late."

    Hiro nodded, looking down at his Mach. This will end differently, he told himself. He looked over to the battle, Kazuki didn''t have much time left.

    He took a deep breath and activated his Mach, feeling the familiar rush of power as the teal armour encased his body. The world sharpened into crystal clarity, his senses heightened to superhuman levels.

    Hiro turned to Ai and Masumi, drinking at the sight of her tear-stricken face. "Stay close Naomi, okay? If anything goes wrong, get out of here and don''t look back."

    Ai managed a slight smile. "You''ll stop him. To be a hero, Hiro."

    With a final nod, Hiro turned and sprinted toward the battle, his dark eyes scanning for an opening. He could see Kazuki clearly now, his body shaking as he braced himself behind his cracked and sparking shield. Nori loomed over him, scythe raised for a final, devastating blow.

    "Is that all you''ve got?" Nori taunted, his voice distorted by rage and static. "I can''t believe anyone would give someone so pathetic a Mach."

    Kazuki braced himself behind his shield, sweat drenching his entire body as he poured every ounce of his will into maintaining the shield''s integrity. "I''m not done yet, Nori. I can beat you!"

    Nori laughed, more harshly than he expected. "You are delusional, kid. This ends now!"

    He brought the scythe down with all his strength, the blade shrieking as it cleaved through the air toward his struggling shield. Kazuki cried out in pain and fear, bracing for the shield to shatter and end his life...

    But it never came. Instead, a teal blur slammed into Nori with the force of a freight train, sending him tumbling across the rubble-strewn ground.

    Hiro landed in a crouch, placing himself squarely between Nori and Kazuki. His AI informed him Kazuki was still alive behind his visor as he raised his blaster, aiming it squarely at Nori''s chest.

    "That''s enough, Nori!" he shouted, his voice ringing with authority. "This ends now, one way or another. Stand down, before someone gets killed!"

    Nori staggered to his feet, his armour dented and scraped. For a moment, he simply stared at Hiro, shock and confusion warring across his face. Then his expression hardened, green eyes glinting with manic fervour.

    "You don''t understand, Hiro! I''m doing this to protect you! If I don''t stop them, you''ll die, just like all the other Mach pilots! Is that what you want?"

    Hiro shook his head, his heart aching at the desperation in Nori''s voice. "No one else has to die, Nori. Not me, not you, not anyone. Please, just listen to me..."

    But Nori shook off Hiro''s words as if Hiro were the one talking nonsense. With a wordless scream of rage, he charged forward, his scythe aimed straight at Hiro''s heart.

    Hiro braced himself, knowing that the next few seconds would determine their fate. He planted his feet; he wasn''t going anywhere.

    Hiro stared Nori down as Nori closed the distance, the scythe''s blade stopping just a few centimetres from Hiro''s neck. "Nori, stop this." he reached out, even as Nori pulled away from him.

    "You don''t get it, Hiro... no country needs an army of Machs to take over the world. They don''t need either of us to complete their mission. If you leave, I won''t be able to protect you."

    Hiro shook his head. "I don''t need you to protect me, Nori! The Canadians are gone and if we work together we can stop Japan too."

    Nori didn''t move and time stood still as everyone waited for his answer. His grip loosened on his scythe, the blade tilting away from Hiro.

    "Please, Nori." Hiro pushed the blade aside. "With your help, we can beat Japan, we have three Machs now. We can put an end to all and live normal lives again."

    For a moment, Nori hesitated, a flicker of doubt crossing his face. But then his expression hardened once more. "I''m sorry, Hiro," he whispered. "But there is more going on than you know, you can''t trust anybody."

    With a burst of rockets, Nori blasted off, soaring into the sky like a crimson comet. Hiro watched him go, not even attempting to follow him. He didn''t understand what Nori meant, who exactly couldn''t he trust?

    As Hiro powered down his armour, he turned to face the others, his gaze falling on the unfamiliar Mach suit. "Where did the new suit come from?" he asked, turning toward Naomi.

    The helmet retracted, revealing a sheepish Kazuki. Hiro''s jaw dropped. "Kazuki? What are you doing in a Mach?"

    Kazuki shuffled his feet, looking embarrassed. "It was meant for Ai," he explained. "Some guy with burns gave it to me at school. I''m sorry, I had to wear it. We would have died if I didn''t."

    Hiro didn''t say another word, the look of realization on his face said it all. He shot Ai a look, silently urging her to keep quiet. He knew exactly who Kazuki was talking about, and he could feel his anger threatening to surface.

    He looked over the rest of the rescue party, he saw Naomi watching him intently, her gaze sharp and calculating. He wondered if she had caught the exchange between him and Ai, he knew if she had then it was only a matter of time until she figured out who Yutaka was.

    "Well, I think I can safely say we should get out of here," Hector said and he emerged from his hiding spot. "These fires won''t get anyone''s attention but it is better to safe than sorry." The other nodded and Kazuki powered down. Hector motioned for them to follow him and they all fell in line behind him.

    The group trudged through the remains of the warehouse, their feet kicking up clouds of dust and ash. The smell of burnt metal and plastic burned their nostrils as they did their best not to breathe too deeply. Finally, they approached the spot where the car had been and Hector looked back at them, clearly upset.

    The vehicle was a charred husk, its windows shattered and its frame twisted beyond recognition. Naomi surveyed the damage with an almost amused smile on her face. "Well, looks like we''re walking," she said matter-of-factly. "No one''s going to risk coming out here to get us, not with the risk of the wind changing directions." She noticed the others look confused. "It means the radiation levels in this sector could spike at any moment."

    Ai wrapped her arms around Hiro, her eyes shining with relief. "I''m just glad you''re ok," she murmured, burying her face in his chest as they started their walk back to the city center.

    Hiro stroked her hair, but he avoided making eye contact. "Thank you, Ai," he said softly. "Thank all of you for the rescue, I just hope Nori will be ok."

    Naomi cleared her throat, drawing their attention. "I wouldn''t be too worried, he''ll be fine. He''s still too valuable to get rid of" She reached out in one fluid motion and pulled the laptop from Kazuki''s hand.

    Kazuki whipped around attempting to snatch it back but Naomi knocked his hands away. She opened the laptop and started looking over its code. "Interesting," she murmured. "It looks like it''s accepted Kazuki. It''s DNA locked to you now." She passed it back to him.

    Hector''s jaw dropped. "You can''t be serious," he sputtered. "You can''t just hand over a weapon like that to a civilian, it''s too dangerous! No world government would allow this exchange."

    Naomi shrugged, a wry smile playing on her lips. "I don''t care about the government," she said simply. "I''m not loyal to any of them. I just want to understand."

    Masumi frowned, her brow furrowing. "Understand what, exactly?" she asked, looking over to the woman.

    Naomi''s smile widened, but there was no warmth in it. "Everything," she replied.

    *****

    The city loomed before them, a towering wasteland of crumbling buildings and shattered dreams. Naomi made a quick call, and soon a car was on its way to pick them up. As they waited, Hiro''s thoughts turned to home.

    "I can''t wait to get back to Japan," he said wistfully. "To leave all this behind."

    Hector bristled, looking over at Hiro as they sat on the curb. "I get it, the US isn''t what it used to be," he said turning his attention to the skyline. "But we''re trying to rebuild. The thirty-nine states that are left are doing everything they can."

    Hiro sighed, following Hector''s gaze. "My parents designed the Machs to help rebuild," he murmured. "To get rid of the radiation, to purify lakes and rivers. I wonder what the world would be like if they had been able to make that dream come true."

    Hector placed a hand on Hiro''s shoulder, his grip firm and reassuring. "We''ll never know," he said gently. "But we can work together to make a better future for the world we have now."

    Hiro nodded, feeling the truth set in. He was going to keep fighting, but he wasn''t as alone as he was before, others were willing to do the same. He looked back at Kazuki who was bragging to Masumi and Ai about how he held off Nori all on his own, like they didn''t witness it themselves. A small smile crept across his face.

    The car hovered over to the curb, and they piled in, their tiredness evident in the silence that settled over the car. With a small shutter, the car pulled away. Heading straight for the airport Hiro hoped they would finally have some time to rest.

 Vol 3, Chapter 15: The Twins

    The self-driving car glided into the private hangar, its sleek silver exterior reflecting the solar-powered lights above. Naomi stepped out, her auburn hair whipping in the draft from the open doors. She motioned for the others to follow.

    Hiro emerged, his piercing brown eyes scanning the surroundings, taking in the rusted walls and holes in the ceiling. Kazuki and Masumi trailed behind him, followed by a groggy Ai rubbing sleep from her eyes. Hector brought up the rear, still looking deep in thought.

    They made their way to the stairs leading up to the private jet. As Hiro climbed inside, a sinking feeling settled in his gut. He slumped into the first plush leather seat available and stared out the small oval window at the hangar walls. He was free now, or at least that is what he tried to convince himself of.

    Naomi slid into the seat across from him. "Don''t worry about Nori. He can hold his own against the government. They can''t break him." Her words were matter-of-fact, emotionless.

    Hiro met her sharp green gaze. "And? They will still try him as a weapon, won''t they?"

    She shrugged. "They can try, but as long as you''re alive he won''t budge. What we need to focus on now is getting the rest of you back to Japan without anyone being the wiser about Detroit."

    Hiro leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "How exactly are you going to hide all of this from your superiors? They want me dead and you are just going to let me go?"

    Naomi''s lips curved into a grim smile. "True but a long time ago I did some favours for some powerful people. Knowing where the bodies are buried is what gives someone true power in this world. No one will ever know what exactly happened here." She gave Hiro a reassuring look before getting up and heading toward the back of the plane.

    The plane''s engines hummed to life. Hiro sank back into his seat as they lifted off the tarmac and climbed into the hazy sky. Below, Detroit shrank to a grey smudge in a sea of green. He pressed his forehead to the cool glass, squeezing his eyes shut. How many would get hurt, caught in the crossfire, if it came down to an all-out war? How could he protect a world, just coming back from the edge?

    Near the back of the plane, Hector drummed his fingers on the armrest, agitated. Naomi sat herself next to him, catching his hand. He looked up at her, "How exactly am I supposed to explain all this? The task force already had me on thin ice. This could be seen as treason."

    Naomi waved a hand dismissively. "I''ve got you covered. As far as they know, you were kidnapped against your will. I''ll coach you on the details to make it convincing."

    Hector''s eyes narrowed. "They''ll have a lot of questions..."

    "Nothing we can''t handle." Naomi released his hand and he gripped the armrest instead of tapping, but it plush still gave way under his tense grip.

    Across the aisle, Ai dozed against the window, her dark hair spilling across her pale cheek. Hiro watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest, she had been so much in such a short time.

    "Feels unreal, doesn''t it?" Kazuki''s voice pulled his attention. "To actually wear a Mach suit..." He shook his head in amazement and grinned at Hiro. "Guess this makes us a team now, huh?"

    Hiro managed a stiff nod, his throat constricting. "Uh yeah, I guess this does make us a team..."

    Masumi poked her head over the seat. "Well count me in, I just need like a laser or something!" She giggled, breaking the tension.

    Hiro mustered a weak smile before turning back to the window to hide the fear in his eyes. Why had Yutaka lied about having another Mach? And why was he trying to get Ai to pilot it? The questions churned in his mind as wisps of cloud sped past.

    A flicker of movement caught his eye. Two bronze blurs streaked by, rocketing toward Detroit. Hiro''s heart seized, the blood draining from his face. He knew with cold certainty that those were Mach pilots. They were too small to be anything else.

    Hiro gripped the armrests, his knuckles turning white. He squeezed his eyes shut and sent up a silent, desperate prayer.

    Please let Nori get away. Don''t let them take him.

    The plane soared on through the endless blue, carrying them toward Japan, while kilometres away, the battle for Nori''s freedom began.

    The howling wind whipped past Nori as he soared over the rugged Canadian wilderness, a crimson streak against the steel-grey sky. Inside his helmet, the AI''s cool female voice cut through his racing thoughts.

    "Alert: Mach unit in pursuit."

    Nori''s brow furrowed. "How? I''m in stealth mode."

    "Pursuing Mach is tracking a tracer signal."

    "Naomi, you sneaky bitch," Nori growled under his breath. He pushed his thrusters to maximum, the force causing the suit to jolt for a moment.

    A glance at his radar showed the Mach closing fast. Too fast. Nori banked hard, whirling to face his pursuer. The bronze Mach hurtled toward him, with no signs of slowing down. Nori fired his blaster, the shots sizzling through the air, but the Mach dodged without losing speed.

    Nori swore colourfully. Time for plan B. He cut his thrusters and dropped like a stone, the wind screaming over his suit. The Mach dove after him, blaster fire peppering the air around him. Nori juked and weaved, making himself as small of a target as possible.

    A shot clipped his shoulder, sending him spinning. Warnings blared in his helmet as he plummeted, the ground rushing up to meet him. At the last second, he activated his thrusters and wrenched up, disappearing into a bank of clouds.

    Nori hovered, breathing hard, listening to the blood pounding in his ears. A moment later, the bronze Mach burst through the clouds, scanning the area with a methodical sweep.

    Nori grinned wolfishly. Gotcha.

    He rocketed up behind the Mach, pressing his blaster to the back of its helmet. "Good chase, but I''m not going back."

    The pilot''s voice crackled over the comm, calm and cold. "You don''t have a choice."

    The click of a blaster safety made Nori''s blood freeze. He turned his head slightly to see a second bronze Mach, its weapon levelled at his head.

    "Stand down," the female pilot ordered, her voice like a sharpened blade, "or die."

    Nori''s mind raced, searching for an out, but he came up empty. Slowly, he raised his hands.

    Twin jolts of electricity crackled over his armour, shorting out his systems. Nori cried out as his suit went dead, leaving him trapped inside. The Machs grabbed his arms, hoisting him up as they rocketed back toward Japan.

    "I thought you would put up more of a fight," the male pilot said, a smirk in his voice. "Mao said we would have to be careful but this was too easy. Wasn''t it, Katsumi?"

    Katsumi''s voice sounded almost disappointed. "Tell me about it Michio. I was hoping he''d at least fight back, this was boring."

    Nori set his jaw, his green eyes blazing with defiance even as dread coiled in his gut. He had to get free, he wasn''t going back to Mao. He just needed to get rid of Naomi''s little gift first.

    He looked over at his captors, something off-coloured on Michio''s suit caught his eye. He had to be sure though. He looked over to Katsumi. Bingo.

    As they streaked through the sky, Nori got comfortable, already plotting his escape. He just needed an opening. And he knew that opening would come.

    The pier stretched out before them as they descended, the water below black and cold in the gathering dusk. Nori watched the cargo ships come into focus, his thoughts solely on his plan of escape.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Katsumi touched down first, her bronze armour gleaming. "Control, this is Igarashi. We have the target secure and awaiting transport."

    "Well done," Mao''s voice crackled over the comm, cold satisfaction dripping from every word. "A car is en route to your location. ETA, ten minutes."

    Nori took a deep breath, then another. He had to keep his cool and play along for now. With a thought, he powered down his Mach, the armour retracting into the VR headset.

    Michio snorted. "What kind of move is that? I thought you were supposed to be some kind of genius."

    Nori met Michio''s gaze, his green eyes hard. "I know when I''ve been beat."

    Michio stepped closer, looking over the muscled young man. "Beat? You were crushed. All because you couldn''t kill that stupid Kobayashi kid. You two are a couple of fa..." He didn''t get the chance to finish his sentence.

    Rage ignited in Nori''s veins, his hands curling into fists at his sides. "Watch your mouth," he snarled, throwing a punch.

    Michio sidestepped it as his grin widened. "Or what? You gonna turn me into one of you?"

    Nori lunged, a roar tearing from his throat. His fist connected with Michio''s chest plate, pain exploding through his knuckles. Michio laughed, shoving Nori back with insulting ease, his Mach''s strength far outclassing Nori''s human muscles.

    "Enough!" Katsumi snapped, her voice cracking like a whip. "Both of you cut the shit. Michio stop being an asshole."

    Michio held up his hands, his smile never wavering. "Just having a bit of fun, sis. No need to get your panties in a twist."

    Nori rubbed his bruised hand, his glare never leaving Michio. "Yeah," he spat. "Just a bit of fun."

    *That''s right moron don''t bother to pat me down or check my pockets.* Smiled to himself. *I can''t wait to kill you.*

    Michio cocked his head, his grey eyes glittering with cruel amusement behind his visor. Nori met his stare unflinching, a silent challenge sparking between them.

    *Come on,* Nori thought, his whole body coiled tight as a spring. *You just can''t help yourself. You bigoted idiot.*

    Michio took a step forward, his head tilting. Making himself look bigger, "Wipe that look off your face."

    Nori didn''t hesitate. He lunged at Michio again, removing a leftover explosive from his pocket. Wrapping his arms around Michio, he attached it to the silver jet pack strapped to his armour. Michio pushed him off but it was too late. Nori rushed back as the small explosive detonated, sending Michio soaring from the force. With Katsumi focused on her brother, Nori dived backwards off the pier. Katsumi''s shout of alarm was swallowed by the rush of wind in his ears, and then the dark water closed over his head, icy cold and shocking.

    *I still have the tracer on my Mach. Gotta get rid of it.* Nori struck out under the surface, swimming hard for the pier''s pilings. If he could just stay out of sight...

    The whine of a Mach''s sensors cut through the water. *Doesn''t matter if I am right below them.*

    Nori treaded water just under the pair. The tracer Naomi had planted was still on his Mach. As long as he had it, they could track him anywhere.

    Nori didn''t waste any more time. He slipped the VR headset over his eyes, "Locate the tracer and remove it from yourself." He ordered. The VR headset rippled then shifted as the nanite pulled the small round metallic tracer to the surface.

    *All right, you bastards. Let''s keep you both distracted for a minute.*

    He pulled the tracer from his Mach before activating it. Above, he could hear Katsumi and Michio shouting to each other, their voices distorted by their helmets.

    "-anywhere! He has to be here!"

    "Well, I''m not seeing him! Sensors are saying he''s right here with us!"

    Nori allowed himself a tight grin as he aimed the tracer toward them. *That''s because it doesn''t sense depth, dipshits.*

    He shot the tracer up, sticking it to the pier, before slipping under the dark water.

    *Now to get back to Hiro. No doubt Mao will try to use him to get back at me.* He thought but his smile wavered, he had just fought him a few hours ago. *Will he even listen to me? I shouldn''t have been so forceful. Hiro might not trust me ever again.*

    Nori''s lungs burned, the cold from his wet clothes seeping into his bones. He pushed on, his Mach slowly adjusting its temperature setting as it monitored his vitals.

    Back on the pier Michio was fuming. He ripped the destroyed jetpack from his back. "Shit, he knew this this wasn''t a part of my Mach. He knew it wouldn''t repair it!"

    He kicked a small stone sending it soaring as it shattered on impact. "We should have just killed him." He huffed. Katsumi watched her brother''s meltdown, remaining silent, more worried about what Mao was going to say.

    "Well, Naomi''s tracer says he is right here with us," Naomi glanced at the pier.

    "Clearly that piece of shit is broken? I don''t see him, do you?"

    "Micho you''re a hot head and an idiot, He''s under us," Katsumi shook her head.

    "Some good that will do, I don''t have thrusters and without the jet pack, my Mach can''t fly!" Michio slammed his fist into the steal guardrails, denting them.

    The next sound Michio heard was a splash, Katsumi had dove into the water. She headed straight for the pier to begin her search. Nori was more impressive than she thought.

    She scanned under the pier with her Mach. No heat sources were detected. She wondered if Nori had froze before he was able to activate his Mach. That would have made things easier, but she knew they wouldn''t be that lucky.

    She dove to the bottom of the pier, trying to ignore the cold, scanning every inch. There was no body, well at least not the one they were looking for.

    Katsumi burst from the water''s surface. She looked up, sporting the tracker stuck to the pier. *Well he''s definitely long gone now. But we''ll find you, Nori, you can''t run forever.*

    Katsumi flew back onto the pier as the sleek black car rolled to a stop at the end of it. The door swung open, and Mao Nakamura emerged, her icy blue eyes surveying the scene with a clear look of disappointment on her face.

    Katsumi and Michio stood before her, their Mach armour powered down, revealing expressions of unease and trepidation. Mao''s gaze settled on them, her eyebrow arching in silent question.

    "Well?" The single word carried a weight of expectation and menace.

    Michio swallowed, stepping forward. "Nori... he got away." His voice was tight and he looked away from her. "It was my fault. I underestimated him, let my overconfidence cloud my judgment."

    Mao''s lips pressed into a thin line, her displeasure palpable. "I see."

    Katsumi intervened, stepping toward Mao. "We can fix this, Mao. We''ll recapture Nori, we know he won''t go far. Just give us another chance."

    Mao held up a hand, silencing her. "No. I have a different assignment for you both." She motioned towards the waiting car, her expression inscrutable. "Get in."

    The siblings exchanged a glance before falling in line behind her. They kept quiet, climbing into the vehicle''s luxurious interior.

    As the car pulled away from the pier, Mao pressed a button, sealing off the back seats. Michio started fiddling with his cup holder, glancing up at Mao as they awaited this new assignment.

    "Nori will continue to rebel as long as he has something to live for," Mao began, her voice a cold caress, "so your new mission is to do what Nori couldn''t. Kill Hiro Kobayashi."

    Katsumi tilted her head. "That''ll break Nori."

    Mao waved a dismissive hand. "Of course it will, he will lose that stubborn will of his. We know Hiro is still recovering from the Canadian attack, he should be easy to take care of."

    A slow smile spread across Katsumi''s face. "Hiro could still be a challenge, he has walked away from more Mach battles than any of us. Like a cat with nine lives."

    Michio leaned forward, his voice eager. "I won''t underestimate him, I''ll make sure there is nothing left when I am done with him."

    Mao nodded, a hint of satisfaction in her expression. "Our intelligence places Hiro in the Toyone area. Given the injuries he likely sustained in the battle at the sawmill, I suggest you start your search at their hospital."

    The siblings exchanged a look of anticipation, the thrill of the hunt already coursing through their veins.

    "Of course, we''ll start right away," Michio''s thoughts turned dark, a twisted grin playing at the corners of his mouth. *Not only do I get to kill Hiro, but it will destroy Nori in the process.*

    Katsumi just nodded, her attention turning to the shifting scenery outside her window. *Killing Hiro would break Nori, sure. But breaking Nori may not have the result we want. Letting that rage loose on the world could end it.*

    As the car sped through the night, Mao sat back, a cold satisfaction settling over her. The pieces were in motion, the game set. And this time, failure was not an option.

    The city lights blurred past the windows, the car carrying them toward the Mach base of operations. It was time to start their mission. Only one side would emerge victorious hers: Mao would make damn sure it was hers.

    ---

    The soft glow of the monitor illuminated Yutaka''s face as he watched the blinking dot on the screen, a tracker steadily making its way back to Japan. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

    *That kid actually did it,* he mused, leaning back in his chair. *With Ai now in possession of the Mach, I can keep a closer eye on Hiro''s every move. No more surprises, no more losing track of him.*

    The dot inched closer, and soon Hiro would back home with him. But just as Yutaka allowed himself a moment of satisfaction, the shrill ring of his slab pierced the silence.

    With a sigh, he reached for the device, his voice even as he answered. "Hayashi speaking."

    "Yutaka," a familiar voice greeted him. "How are things progressing?"

    Yutaka leaned forward, his eyes never leaving the monitor. "We''re still on track to achieve our goal within the year, though there have been a few... complications along the way."

    A pause, then a heavy sigh from the other end of the line. "I apologize for being one of those setbacks. My emotions got the better of me at the time."

    Yutaka waved a dismissive hand, forgetting for a moment that the gesture couldn''t be seen. "Water under the bridge, my friend. I don''t blame you for it."

    "Still, I should have stuck to the script," the man replied, sounding almost robotic. "I''m glad things are still going according to plan. Have you successfully taken care of possible resistance?"

    Yutaka leaned back, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips. "Canada and Japan are both on the brink of collapse. When the time comes, there will be little resistance to our plans."

    The voice on the other end hummed in approval. "Excellent. And that glitch with the Machs? Have you sorted it?"

    A glint appeared in Yutaka''s eyes, his voice taking on a note of excitement. "As a matter of fact, yes. I believe I may have found the perfect candidate to test Alpha Mode on."

    "Are you sure?" The man''s surprise was evident. "Need I remind you of what happened last time? The cybernetic integration practically killed Daiki, not to mention almost destroyed Japan."

    Yutaka''s jaw tightened, his voice firm. "Daiki was already injured and weak when we initiated the protocol. But these new pilots... they''re young, strong, and resilient. The probability of survival is well above fifty percent."

    There was a pause on the other end of the call. Finally, the man spoke. "Very well. Proceed with the test, but be careful. We can''t risk exposure this late in the game."

    "I know that," Yutaka replied, his voice crisp and confident. "I''ll be sure to share the findings with you."

    With a click, the call ended, and Yutaka turned his attention back to the monitor, watching as the tracker drew ever closer to the airport.

 Vol 3, Chapter 16: Debrief

    The small private plane touched down on the hidden airstrip, kicking up dust and gravel. Naomi emerged, her auburn hair tousled by the wind. She turned to the pilot, handing him a thick envelope. "Excellent work, as always," she said. "Until next time old friend."

    The pilot nodded, tucking the envelope into his jacket. "Always a pleasure, ma''am."

    Naomi helped Kazuki, Masumi, Hiro and Ai disembark, guiding them towards her sleek black car idling nearby. She pulled out a small handheld device. "One moment. Need to ensure no one left us any unwanted presents while we were away."

    She ran the sensor over the vehicle''s exterior. It emitted a soft beep. "We''re clear." Naomi ushered them inside, programming the autopilot for Toyone.

    As the car merged onto the highway, Naomi swivelled to face them, her expression stern. "Listen carefully. When I drop you off, under no circumstances are you to contact me. For any reason. If I need you, I''ll find you. Is that clear?"

    Ai leaned forward, opening her mouth to speak, but Naomi silenced her with a sharp look. "Not a word about what transpired in America. They have ways to listen in, if you mention this you''re bound to have an accident. Is that clear?"

    They nodded mutely, worried looks on their faces. The rest of the ride passed in heavy silence, each lost in their own thoughts, the events of the past days had drained them.

    Finally, the car rolled to a stop on a nondescript street in Toyone. Naomi popped open the doors. "This is where you get out." Everyone moved to the door but Naomi stopped Hector. "Not here, we have to make your kidnapping look real remember?" Hector nodded and remained seated.

    Hiro, Ai, Masumi and Kazuki stepped out onto the sidewalk, blinking in the bright sunlight. The car sped off before they could utter a thank you, leaving them standing there, unsure of what they were supposed to do next.

    Ai turned to Hiro, hugging him. "So I guess we just go back to campus now? Pretend like none of this ever happened?"

    Hiro met her gaze, returning the hug. "For now, we don''t have a choice. You''re probably safer on campus anyway. Their security will protect you."

    Masumi nodded in agreement. "Hiro''s right. We need to go back to campus, we already missed two days of classes. Another day and they''ll be looking for us."

    With reluctant nods, they parted ways, leaving Hiro alone on the sidewalk. They made their way to the closest bus stop, hoping they would make it back before dusk.

    Inside the car speeding towards Kyoto, Naomi glanced over at Hector. "We are going through with the plan from the plane. Everyone will believe it, without question. As long as you don''t deviate from the story."

    She reached beneath her seat, revealing a set of handcuffs and a black blindfold. Hector eyed them warily for a moment before giving a curt nod. Naomi snapped the cuffs around his wrists.

    "We''re heading to an abandoned office building," she explained as she secured the blindfold over his eyes, shrouding him in darkness. "I''ll leave you there, bound, and post an encrypted message on the dark web about a certain genius programmer being held for auction. Should lend credibility to your abduction story."

    "And then what?" Hector asked, his voice steady despite his growing unease.

    "Then your task force will find you, hopefully, sooner rather than later, given the chill at night." He could hear the smirk in Naomi''s voice. "Pleasure working with you, by the way. I don''t suppose you''d mind if I borrowed that clever program of yours?"

    Hector tensed. "Who exactly are you trying to find with it?"

    "That''s classified, I''m afraid," Naomi replied smoothly. "But if my search proves fruitful, I''ll be back in touch. You have my word."

    Hector considered for a long moment. This woman was an enigma, her true loyalties impossible to discern. But something told him she was his best chance at getting the answers. Answers about the truth behind the Mach program.

    "Alright," he agreed. "The access code is Daedalus-0311. Good luck, I suppose."

    The car rolled to a stop. "This is it." Naomi guided Hector out and into the building. "For what it''s worth, I hope your people locate you expeditiously. It wouldn''t do for that brilliant mind of yours to catch a chill."

    With that, she was gone, her footsteps echoing down the empty corridor. Hector slumped against the wall and settled in for a long, cold wait, hoping he hadn''t just made a deal with the devil herself.

    <hr>

    Within the hour Naomi arrived back at the Mach facility. The sound of her heels clicking against the polished floors echoed through the sterile hallways of the base. As she approached her office, a familiar figure emerged from the shadows, her icy blue eyes narrowing.

    "You''re late," Mao stated, her voice sharp as a razor''s edge. "Care to explain your tardiness in checking in?"

    Naomi met her gaze unflinchingly. "I was following up on a lead from an informant. Time-sensitive matter."

    "Is that so?" Mao arched a perfectly manicured eyebrow. "And you didn''t think to share this lead with your superiors?"

    A slight shrug. "It''s still in the early stages. I didn''t want to bring it to your attention until I had something more concrete."

    Mao tilted her head in judgment. "Don''t play coy with me, Naomi. I''ve given you considerable leeway, but my patience has its limits."

    Naomi leaned in, her voice lowering conspiratorially. "It concerns the whereabouts of the two remaining Canadian Mach pilots."

    That caught Mao''s attention. "Go on."

    "I''m still piecing together the details," Naomi hedged. "But I believe I''m close to locating them."

    Mao''s gaze hardened. "Well speaking of missing Machs, you failed to bring Nori back into the fold."

    Naomi shrugged nonchalantly. "It was clear from the start that Nori had no intention of listening to reason."

    "Reason?" Mao scoffed. "The entire point of bringing you on board was your uncanny ability to get under people''s skin. To exploit their weaknesses and bend them to your will."

    A smirk tugged at the corners of Naomi''s mouth. "There''s only one thing that makes Nori tick. And I''m afraid it''s not me."

    Mao rolled her eyes. "Hiro."

    "Who else?"

    Mao waved a dismissive hand. "No matter. That particular problem will be dealt with shortly."

    Naomi gave Mao a concerned look. "Eliminating Hiro would be a grave miscalculation. It would only serve to push Nori over the edge. He''d stop at nothing to avenge his death, even if it meant burning the world to ash."

    "Then what would you suggest?" Mao demanded, frustration evident in her tone.

    Naomi pushed off from the wall, straightening her jacket. "I''m afraid that''s above my pay grade, Director."

    With that, she strode down the hallway, leaving a seething Mao in her wake. As she walked, Naomi felt concern building in her gut. She was onto something big but if Mao acted now, she wouldn''t have time to get her answers.

    The door to Naomi''s office clicked shut behind her, the soft sound echoing off the bare walls of the room. She slid into her chair, the leather creaking under her weight as she leaned forward to boot up the holodeck she had built herself. The screen flickered to life, casting a bluish glow across her sharp features.

    Before diving into her work, Naomi reached into her pocket, retrieving a small, nondescript device. With a flick of her wrist, she activated the bug scanner, its soft hum filling the air as she methodically swept the undersides of her desk. A telltale beep alerted her to the presence of an unwanted listener.

    "Gotcha," she muttered, plucking the spider-like device from its hiding spot and crushing it between her fingers.

    Satisfied that her office was now secure, Naomi returned her attention to the screen. A notification blinked urgently across it, indicating that the footage from the destroyed lab had been successfully restored. With a quick click, the video sprang to life.

    Naomi watched intently as Mary and Yutaka sought refuge within the crumbling walls of the office. The camera''s angle shifted, following Mary as she led Yutaka out of frame before reappearing moments later, a gun clutched tightly in her hand. The door burst open, and armed men poured into the room, their weapons trained on the shaking woman.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Mary opened fire. Two men crumpled to the ground, but it wasn''t enough. A hail of bullets tore through the air, finding their mark in Mary''s chest. She staggered, then fell, her lifeless eyes staring into the void.

    Naomi paused the footage, her heart heavy as she watched the end of the Canadian scientist''s life. Hiro''s mother had fought back but it was never going to be enough. With a few deft keystrokes, she copied the video and sent it off to Kimiko, along with a terse message:

    "I decoded the video. Afraid it''s only the view from one of the offices and not much else."

    Turning her attention back to the frozen image on the screen, Naomi zoomed in on the armed assailants. Their uniforms were nondescript, devoid of any identifying markers or insignia. Hired guns, to look like military. A countermeasure in case the footage ever leaked, she thought.

    Naomi leaned back in her chair and pressed play to watch the aftermath. The men stepped aside and a new face entered, one she knew all too well. "You son of a bitch." she muttered as she watched the rest of the scene unfold.

    ---

    The chill seeped through Hector''s clothes, his body shivering involuntarily as he sat bound and blindfolded in the abandoned office. Time seemed to stretch on endlessly, each passing moment made him wonder if the task force would find Naomi''s hidden message.

    What if they can''t decode it? What if someone else finds me first?

    The thought sent a fresh wave of panic coursing through his veins. He strained his ears, listening for any sign of life in the desolate building.

    Footsteps. The sound was faint at first, echoing from somewhere on the lower floors. Hector''s heart hammered in his chest as the steps grew louder and closer. The door to the office creaked open, and suddenly there were hands on him, tugging at his blindfold.

    Light flooded his vision, and Hector blinked rapidly, his eyes struggling to adjust. A familiar face swam into focus above him.

    "Tess?" he croaked, happy to see her.

    Tess didn''t respond, her nimble fingers making quick work of the cuffs that bound his wrists. She hauled him to his feet, her grip firm.

    "Save the thanks for later," she said brusquely. "We need to move. Before whoever put you here comes back."

    Hector nodded, falling into step behind her as they hurried out of the room and towards the waiting car. Hector felt a wave of guilt wash over him, Tess looked more than worried, she had no clue the danger wasn''t real.

    The car sped through the streets, weaving in and out of traffic as it guided itself to its destination. Hector glanced over at Tess, noting the tense set of her jaw and the way her fingers drummed restlessly against the steering wheel.

    "Tess, I''m ok," he gave her a reassuring look. "They didn''t torture me or anything and I didn''t tell them anything. I swear,"

    Tess''s eyes flicked to him briefly before returning to the road. "Not now, Hector. We''ll debrief you when we get to base. You know how these things go."

    Hector frowned, looking down at the floor. "Right, protocol. So we''ll talk when I get into one of those lifeless grey interrogation rooms of ours."

    A flicker of realization crossed Tess''s face, and she opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, the car veered sharply to the right, heading towards the docks.

    "Wait, why are headed to our emergency site?" Hector asked, a sinking feeling in his gut.

    He looked over at Tess, who didn''t bother to look over at him. At that moment he knew something terrible had happened while he was away.

    "Tell me what happened," he breathed, his voice barely above a whisper. "We wouldn''t be headed to the docks if nothing happened."

    Tess didn''t answer, but her silence spoke volumes. The car pulled to a stop in front of a nondescript shipping container, and Tess climbed out, motioning for Hector to follow.

    The container door swung open, revealing a hidden staircase that led down into the depths of the pier. Tess guided Hector inside, her hand resting lightly on the small of his back as they descended into the underground base.

    The space was dimly lit and sparsely furnished, a far cry from the sleek, high-tech headquarters Hector was used to. Tess led him to a small white room with a metal table and two chairs.

    "Wait here," she said, her voice clipped and professional. "I''ll be back with fresh clothes and food. Then we''ll begin the debriefing."

    Hector sank into one of the chairs, something had gone terribly wrong. Were they found out? Did everyone make it to safety? And most importantly, who had figured out they were in the country besides Naomi?

    He closed his eyes, trying to calm the rising tide of panic that threatened to overwhelm him. He tried to think of other reasons they would have moved here, ones that didn''t mean people had died.

    The door creaked open, and Hector''s eyes snapped up to see Tess entering the room, a bundle of clothes in one hand and a tray of food in the other. She set them down on the table, sliding into the seat across from him.

    "Before we start," she said, her voice calm and measured, "I want you to know that this debriefing will be recorded."

    Hector shook his head. "I know how this works. Tess, why are we¡ª"

    "That''s not the focus of this debriefing," Tess cut him off, tapping on the glass top table to pull up a file. "Once we''re finished here, we can discuss our move. But right now, I need you to tell me exactly what happened the night you disappeared."

    Hector leaned back in his chair, feeling the weight of her gaze boring into him. He took a deep breath, he knew he had to be convincing.

    "It all started when my holodeck activated on its own," he began, his hands trembling. "There was a woman there, and she told me she knew who I was and what I was doing. She said if I didn''t follow her instructions, she''d bomb the school and kill as many people as she could."

    Tess watched the words appear in the file as it jotted down his words, her face an unreadable mask. Hector swallowed hard, pushing past the lump in his throat.

    "She told me to meet her at Toyone station. Said if I tried to contact anyone, she''d hurt civilians and expose me as an American spy. I didn''t have a choice, Tess. I had to go with her."

    Tess nodded, reading the transcript to ensure there were no mistakes. "And what happened after you got on the train with her?"

    Hector''s mind flashed back to the moment Naomi told him she needed him to save Hiro. "She wanted my computer expertise to find someone. A woman named Mary Kobayashi." he sputtered.

    Tess paused, her eyes snapping up to meet his. "Mary Kobayashi? Hiro''s mother?"

    Hector nodded, his throat tight. "That''s right. She forced me to search for her. But I couldn''t find anything, Tess. If I can''t locate her, it means she''s likely..."

    "Dead," Tess finished for him, her voice soft. "And the woman who took you? What did she do when you couldn''t find Mary?"

    Hector''s fingers clenched into fists, his stomach tied itself in a tight not as he lied. "She tied me up and left me there to die. I''m just lucky you found me first."

    Tess watched the words appear on the table, before closing the file. Hector''s mind raced, trying to figure out if she believed him.

    She could think the Japanese and Canadian governments knew of the task force''s existence and tried to use him to find Mary. Hopefully, this was just enough information to lead her away from Hiro and the others. But he still needed an answer to the question that was driving him wild.

    "So now it''s your turn to talk," Hector said, his voice low and urgent. "Why are we here? What happened while I was kidnapped?"

    Tess met his gaze, her eyes glittering with fear. "You just got back, are you sure you are ready for this?" Tess stopped the recording, her gaze never leaving Hector''s face.

    "Tell me."

    She paused as if searching for the right words. "The same night you were taken...we were attacked."

    Hector felt the air leave his lungs in a rush. "What? How is that possible? We were completely off the grid, our security would have picked up any chatter about a possible attack."

    "Well, they didn''t." Tess''s voice was grim. "Somehow, someone found us. It was a bloodbath, Hector. We lost twenty agents."

    A chill raced down Hector''s spine as he thought about what could have found them without being detected. "A Mach," he breathed. "It had to be. And the woman who kidnapped me...you think she orchestrated the attack?"

    Tess nodded, her eyes hard. "It''s too much of a coincidence. She takes you, forces you to search for someone connected to the Machs, and then our base is attacked? It''s all connected."

    Hector''s mind spun, Tess couldn''t be more far off. But then again Naomi could have been lying from the beginning. Used him while the Japanese government launched an assault. But then why would she just let him go when it was all over? Hector''s head started to throb.

    Tess leaned forward, her gaze searching his face. "What are you thinking, Hector? I can see the gears turning in that brain of yours."

    He tried to arrange his features into a neutral expression. "Nothing. Just...shocked, I guess. Trying to process it all."

    "Are you sure that''s it?" Tess questioned, raising an eyebrow. "Because I think you are keeping something from me. And if you don''t come clean right now, I''ll have no choice but to lock you up for treason."

    "Okay, okay." He could feel the sweat building as he tried to think of something to say. "I think...I think the Japanese government might have been telling the truth. About Masato stealing the Machs."

    Tess scoffed. "That''s ridiculous. Our intel suggested it was just a cover story, a way for them to deflect blame."

    "I know. But I think our intel was wrong." Hector leaned forward, his voice low and urgent. "Tess, the Japanese government has no idea we''re even here. And the Canadians have been forced out, back to their own turf. If they didn''t attack us, and it wasn''t Hiro..."

    "Then who?" Tess demanded. "Hiro still has a Mach, and there are others unaccounted for. He could''ve--"

    "No." Hector''s voice was firm. "Hiro''s never attacked anyone unprovoked. His fights have always been defensive, and reactionary. He''s not the type to strike first."

    Tess laughed, but there was no humour in the sound. "People change, Hector. You can''t be naive enough to think--"

    "He''s not a criminal!" The words burst out of Hector before he could stop them.

    Tess''s eyebrows shot up. "Careful. You''re starting to sound like you''re on his side."

    Hector forced himself to take a breath, to calm the riot of emotions swirling within him. "That''s not what I''m saying. All I mean is...I think we need to consider the possibility that there''s a fourth player on the board. Someone we haven''t accounted for."

    Tess stared at him for a long moment, her gaze inscrutable. Then she sighed, running a hand through her dark hair. "You''ve been through a lot. You''re exhausted, and not thinking straight. Get changed and get some rest, and we''ll pick this up in the morning." She stepped out of the room to give Hector some privacy.

    But as Hector changed into warm clothes, his mind continued to race, his appetite vanishing. Someone else had to have a Mach, he convinced himself. He stepped out of the room, following an agent to his bunk. Hector''s footsteps echoed in the empty hallway, the metal walls felt like they were pressing in on him from all sides.

    If Masato really did have Machs, no one had been watching him for over a year now, he could have been building an army right beneath their noses. The attack on the task force wasn''t the Japanese. They would have known the kidnapping would draw agents away from the base and therefore there would be survivors, something they wouldn''t have risked.

    He needed some air to think but as he reached for the door handle, a figure stepped into his path, blocking his way. "I''m sorry, sir," the guard said, his voice firm but not unkind. "I''ve been instructed to ensure your safety. I can''t allow you to leave the premises after dark."

    Hector''s heart sank, even as he forced a smile. "Of course. I understand. Just needed some air, but I''ll be fine."

    He retreated back into his room, the door closing behind him with a soft click. As soon as he was alone, he let out a string of curses, his frustration boiling over.

    They were watching him now, closer than ever. Every move, every word, every breath would be scrutinized and analyzed. And with the task force on high alert, there was no way he''d be able to slip away unnoticed.

    Hector paced the length of the small room. There had to be a way to get a message to Naomi or Hiro about the task force being attacked. But with the eyes of the task force upon him, any attempt at communication could result in him being locked up forever.

    He sank down onto the edge of the hard bed, his head in his hands. For the first time in his life, Hector felt truly helpless. But even as despair threatened to overwhelm him, a small, stubborn ember of determination flared to life in his chest. He was Hector Gorth, the boy genius, he graduated with a master''s in computer science when he was fourteen. He could figure out a way to sneak out a message, he just needed time.

 Vol 3, Chapter 17: The Farm

    Nia awoke with a jolt. The insistent pounding on the wood grew louder and more urgent each time. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, rubbing her eyes as she called out, "I''m coming, hold on."

    She opened the door to find Tess standing there, her dark hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, still wearing her blouse and skirt from the day before. "We need to talk. It''s about Hector," Tess said, pushing past Nia into the small, spartan room.

    Nia closed the door and turned to face her colleague, arms crossed. "What about Hector?"

    Tess paced the room, muttering under her breath until she finally spoke. "I think he may be compromised, he was defending Hiro in our debrief. If I submit the file to the board, they''ll charge him for sure. Not to mention, he lied several times during the debrief."

    Nia shook her head. "Tess, you can''t be serious. Hector is just a kid compared to the rest of us. He was probably just scared; nerves can make things seem more than they are. Do you really think he would switch sides?"

    "Wake up, Nia," Tess snapped. "It''s not only possible, it''s likely. It was radio silence for two days and then out of nowhere, they tried to sell him. It''s bullshit."

    Nia searched Tess''s eyes, looking for an indication she was spiralling. "If you''re so sure, then I''ll give you clearance to watch him. But don''t make a move until you have absolute proof. We still operate under the assumption of innocent until proven guilty."

    Tess''s shifted her jaw. "Good, I also want his access to our databases restricted. If he has turned we can''t risk him sharing our files with the enemy." Nia looked away but then nodded in agreement. Tess turned on her heel and strode out, slamming the door behind her.

    Nia sank onto the bed, taking out her slab to view the debrief. She knew Hector was back on base, recovering from his ordeal. After she finished reading, she knew there would be no sleeping for her tonight. With a sigh, she pulled on her uniform and headed out the door.

    The guard stood at attention outside Hector''s room, his posture rigid. Nia nodded to him as she approached and he stepped aside. She entered the room to find Hector lying in bed, his eyes open and staring at the ceiling.

    "Hey," she said softly, moving to stand beside the bed. "I read your debrief. Tess is worried about you, she thinks you defected... but there was something else that I found disturbing. Your theory about Masato."

    Hector rolled over to face her, his intense eyes meeting hers. "It''s just a theory but it''s the only thing that makes sense. We are monitoring every Japanese and Canadian channel of communication, you know they aren''t responsible."

    Nia frowned. "Sure, but there are still rogue Machs out there."

    Hector shook his head. "No. Hiro has never provoked an attack. You know that and so does Tess." He paused, taking a breath to calm himself. "We have a bias we place on all Mach pilots. It''s getting in the way of seeing the bigger picture."

    Nia let out a slow breath, feeling pulled in two different directions. Yes, the task force could be biased, labelling all pilots as criminals could have been a bad move on her part. On the other hand, Hector had worked with a Mach before and he was just back after being kidnapped, he could be too close to all of it to see it clearly. She met Hector''s gaze, seeing her uncertainty reflected on her. There were too many variables to sort through.

    Nia began to pace, and Hector''s eyes followed her across the room. "Ok, but why Masato? How does he fit into all of this?"

    Hector sat up, his voice firm. "Because he''s a ghost. No one has seen him since he was fired. He never showed up for his day in court."

    Nia paused, considering his words. He had a point. "Ok, but there are a variety of reasons he may be missing. The Japanese could have handled him another way."

    Hector shook his head. "They''ve been looking for him. Even with everything that has been going on, they are still looking for him. I''ve seen the correspondence."

    Nia sighed, rubbing her temples. The evidence pointed to one conclusion, but it left her with more questions than answers. "It would make sense. As the man running the Mach program, he would have access to all of them."

    "It is still just a theory. But if he did actually steal Machs," Hector paused. "He has been searching for pilots this whole time."

    A chill ran down Nia''s spine as a troubling thought occurred to her. "Hector, wasn''t Masato the one who chose Nori to be a pilot? If he has Machs and if he is searching for pilots, they could be far worse than anyone the government could send after us."

    Hector swallowed hard and finally stepped out of his bed. "People with no ties to the government, no one watching them. We''ve been so focused on the ones we''ve seen that we forgot to ask about the ones we haven''t."

    Nia stopped in her tracks. "We need to broaden our search. Start looking for Masato and anyone in his life he could have gone to."

    Hector rubbed his chin. "The last image of Masato is almost a year old. After that nothing. I could use my program but there are still no guarantees."

    "One more thing," Nia walked over to Hector, looking him in the eye. "I know you believe the Kobayashi''s are dead, so how can we account for Hiro''s Mach?"

    Hector thought about it for a moment. "His parents are dead sure, but that doesn''t mean everyone from the lab is. We need to go over all the personnel files, we may have overlooked a survivor."

    "With everything going on right now, you understand I can''t have you looking into this." Nia gave him an apologetic look and Hector nodded. "I promise I will get people to look into all of this though. For now, Hector the best thing you can do is focus on you." She offered her hand and with a shak,e she left the room.

    ---

    Hiro sat on the dusty couch in the cottage, the letter from Yutaka crumpled in his clenched fist. Sunlight filtered through the blinds and dust danced through the beams. Hiro thought about the words again, his jaw tightening with each line.

    "Going to Tokyo...something big happening...be back soon...explain everything later..." Hiro muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. Anger bubbled up inside him, hot and bitter. Yutaka had lied to him, again. He was ready to demand an explanation when he got home but there had been no sign of Yutaka. All he found was this note placed directly in the center of the table. A part of him felt like the wounds from the sawmill battle still weren''t quite healed. Hiro limped to the small kitchen in search of something to eat. Why did he continue to trust Yutaka after he lied to him about the Machs he has, over and over again? Why was Yutaka''s original plan to give Ai the Mach?

    A sharp knock at the door jolted him from his thoughts. Hiro froze, looking over to the foggy figure behind the translucent glass. Ai, Masumi and Kazuki hadn''t texted him about a visit. With Nori in the wind, there was only one other person he knew who knew about the cottage.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    He cautiously moved to the door, getting a quick look through the peephole. When he saw her face he opened the door, "Naomi? What are you doing here?"

    Naomi pushed past him, her green eyes taking in the cottage''s humble interior. "It is in our best interest to move you. You''re not safe in Toyone anymore." She looked around a corner, looking almost disappointed to find no one sitting on the couch.

    Hiro frowned, confusion etched on his face. "What are you talking about? I just got back, does this have something to do with Nori?"

    "Look we can chat on the way to Hiroshinka Academy," Naomi replied, strolling to the door. "Though if it is all the same to you, I''d like to wait until we have everyone. Answering the same questions over and over again gets tiring. So if you don''t mind, let''s get a move on."

    Hiro stared back into the house like Yutaka was about to emerge from the stairs before he followed Naomi to the waiting car. As they sped away from the cottage, he watched the cottage shrink away to nothing, another home no longer safe.

    "So Hiro," she said, watching him closely. "You live in that cottage alone? Seems odd given everything that happened. Not to mention given the extent of your injuries you would have needed someone to take care of you."

    Hiro swallowed hard, she was smart. "Are you asking me about who is helping me? I mean you''ve met Ai..."

    Naomi''s lips tightened into a thin line. "So Ai dragged you over a hundred kilometres from the sawmill to Toyone. Then used her advanced medical training to nurse you back to health? And she did it all from your grandmother''s home?" She locked eyes with him, her gaze intense. "Seems umlikely, Hiro. But I get it, saving your life didn''t equal earning your trust. That''s good, it''ll keep you alive."

    As the car hurtled towards the school, Hiro leaned back against the seat not wanting to answer any more questions, his thoughts consumed by what Naomi had said. He knew that cottage felt familiar when he had arrived there months ago, Yutaka had lied again. Hidden another part of Hiro''s past from him and claimed it as his own.

    The car reached the gates of Hiroshinka Academy, and Naomi flashed her credentials to the guard. The barrier lifted, granting them access to the sprawling campus. She parked in front of the main office and turned to Hiro, her expression serious.

    "Stay here," she instructed, checking her slab quickly. "You know you are still wanted through most of Japan, best keep low if you can."

    Hiro nodded, watching as Naomi locked the doors behind her and strode into the building. He slumped back against the seat, he tried to wait patiently. He could guess why they were on the campus. If Toyone wasn''t safe for him then it wasn''t safe for any of them.

    Minutes turned into an hour, and still, Naomi did not return. Hiro fidgeted sweater sleeve, his unease growing with each passing moment. Just as he was about to risk leaving the car to search for her, he spotted Naomi emerging from the office, with Ai, Masumi, and Kazuki in tow.

    Ai rushed to the car, throwing open the door and dragging Hiro in a fierce hug. "Hiro! I missed you," she whispered into his neck. "I meant to call you this morning but biology class was nuts."

    Masumi and Kazuki hung back, watching Ai as she blocked the door. Hiro could sense they weren''t exactly thrilled with the situation. As soon as Ai released Hiro, Masumi and Kazuki slipped into the vehicle. Naomi slammed the door behind them.

    Naomi climbed into the driver''s seat and wasted no time in explaining the situation. "Mao has sent a couple of new Machs Hiro''s way," she said, her eyes scanning the road ahead. "One of them is particularly sadistic and would be more than happy to go after any of you to force Hiro out. We have to disappear."

    Silence descended upon the car as they all grappled with the enormity of their situation. Suddenly, Kazuki spoke up, his voice hesitant.

    "I might know a place we can go," he said, drawing all eyes to him. "An old family friend''s farm. They passed away, but we''ve been maintaining it. Off the books. My parents and their rich friends have a thing for fresh fruit."

    Naomi considered this for a moment, then nodded. "Works for me," she said, tossing Kazuki her phone. "I''ll need the coordinates."

    Kazuki entered the information and the car lifted from the curve and floated toward its new destination. No one was sure how long they would need to stay hidden but they didn''t know they couldn''t stay hidden forever.

    As they passed through the school gates, Michio ducked behind a tree, his Mach''s stealth mode rendering him invisible to any sensors. He watched the car at a distance, firing a small tracking device at the bumper. It lodged itself in the chrome, sending the signal back to his visor.

    "You were right, they went right to the school," he reported over the comm link to his sister, Katsumi. "But I got them, the tracker is set."

    Back in Toyone, Katsumi stood amidst the smouldering ruins of the cottage, Ash drifted passed her and the final small flames fizzled out. A cruel smile played on her lips as she received Michio''s transmission.

    "Excellent," she said, stepping away from the scene. "I''ll meet you there shortly. Don''t do anything stupid until I get there."

    ---

    The tires of Naomi''s car crunched over the gravel path as it pulled up in front of the old farmhouse, it was perfectly maintained with not a single blade of grass out of place. Kazuki hopped out first, pointing to several robots working the fields.

    "Fully automated," he explained, gesturing to the conveyor belt flowing with fresh strawberries. "No one comes out here anymore, not since my uncle programmed robots to fix themselves."

    Hiro followed the girls out of the car, his gaze sweeping over the property. The isolation was both comforting and unsettling, the only sounds were machine whirring and wind dancing through the fields.

    Kazuki continued his tour as he led them around the house toward the back of the property, "The water for the crops is drinkable so we should be good there. Also, the solar panels mean they won''t be able to cut the power if they find us... Ah, here we are."

    He stopped in front of a large barn, its red paint faded and peeling. "This is the security building. We can set up shop here. No one will be able to get onto the property without us seeing them coming."

    Naomi nodded but then looked back at the farmhouse. "Kazuki, I''d like you to show me the entirety of the property. Masumi, head up to the house and see what we have in the way of food. Ai, Hiro, keep an eye on the monitors."

    Masumi nodded before turning toward the house and hesitantly moving forward. Kazuki continued talking about the history of the property as he led Naomi away. Ai turned to Hiro, a half smile painted on her face. "Don''t worry, Hiro. They''ll never think to look for us here. And now we have a whole team to help us, we''ll turn the tables on them."

    Hiro managed a small smile, but doubt gnawed at his insides. *How much time do we really have?* he wondered. *Will it be enough?*

    Ai reached out, taking his hand and pulling him away from his thoughts. They made their way into the barn. Finding the room with the wall of monitors, Hiro looked up at them, finding Masumi and then Kazuki and Naomi on the screens.

    But then, a flicker of movement on one of the monitors caught his eye. He moved closer and for a moment he thought he was seeing things. But sure enough, it was him. "Ai, look!" he said pointing to a screen.

    A figure was scaling the fence surrounding the property, the electric fence doing little to stop him. As they dropped down onto the other side, there was no denying who it was.

    Nori dusted himself off and moved toward the house. Ai reached for her slab. "Naomi needs to know, Masumi is alone," she sounded worried and Hiro nodded, giving her the go-ahead. She sent the messages hoping he would be intercepted before he reached the house.

    Nori emerged from the field to find Naomi and Kazuki waiting for him. His hand instinctively reached for his Mach, but Naomi cleared her throat stopping him in his tracks.

    "I wouldn''t do that if I were you," she warned, tapping her sidearm. "You won''t move faster than me, we both know that."

    Nori raised his hands slowly, dropping down to his knees as if he were being arrested. "I''m not here to fight. I want to help."

    Naomi eyed him but Kazuki wasn''t buying it. "Dude, you tried to kill me, why should we trust you?"

    In response, Nori tossed his Mach to the ground at Naomi''s feet. "There. I''m unarmed. If it makes you feel better, you can even cuff me." He held out his wrists.

    Naomi considered him for a long moment, then nodded to Kazuki. "Watch him. I''ll get the cuffs." She pulled the cuffs from her back pocket and made her way over to Nori. She hesitated for a brief moment before wrapping the cuffs tightly around his wrists. With Nori cuffed, Kazuki bent down and picked up his Mach. "Alright, let''s take you back to where we can have eyes on you."

    As they led a restrained Nori past to the farmhouse, Masumi''s eyes widened in disbelief. "What the hell is he doing here? We need to get rid of him, now!"

    "No," Naomi said firmly. "He could still be useful. And right now, we can''t afford to turn away anyone willing to help."

    Nori gave Masumi a dirty look. "You must be desperate if these teenagers are your best line of defence."

    "Last time I checked, you were a teenager," Naomi replied. "You know better than anyone the advantages of being underestimated."

    Nori fell silent as they made their way to the security building, his steps faltered. He stared at the doors, knowing exactly who was on the other side. *Hiro''s in there,* he thought, a wave of shame washing over him. *After everything I put him through, how can I face him again?*

    Naomi pushed the door open and stepped aside to follow Nori in. Taking a deep breath, Nori paused at the threshold, unable to take that step inside.

 Vol 3, Chapter 18: Stick to the Plan

    Nori stood frozen in front of the barn door, trying to will himself forward. He stared down the long hallway, behind one of the doors was Hiro. Naomi gave him a look and then a small shove, making him stumble through the doorway.

    "Wasting time isn''t going to make him forgive you," she said matter-of-factly. "We need to keep moving, Mao has made Hiro the twins'' next mission."

    Nori swallowed hard and gave a curt nod. Taking a deep breath, he started to move deeper into the barn. As they neared the end of the hall, Naomi reached out and touched Nori''s shoulder, signalling his to stop. She pushed the door next to him open, revealing the wall of monitors in the surveillance room. Hiro and Ai looked up from their chairs as Nori, Naomi, Kazuki, and Masumi filed into the room. Nori''s eyes were downcast as he stepped forward.

    "Hiro, I...I''m sorry. For kidnapping you before. I should have--"

    "You should have what? asked first?" Ai snapped, rolling her eyes. "What you did was unforgivable. Don''t think for a second that anyone here trusts you with our lives." She turned to Hiro imploringly. "He held you prisoner for days. We should be locking up and leaving before he tries anything."

    Hiro avoided her gaze, his jaw tight. An uncomfortable silence stretched between them. Nori''s stomach clenched. He finally looked up at Hiro.

    "Look, what I did was stupid and reckless and illegal. I know that. But I didn''t do it to hurt you, you know that. Hiro, I can''t think straight when it comes to you, I care too much about you. All I want is for you to get out of this war alive."

    "I know," Hiro said quickly.

    "Hiro has all the backup he needs to survive this," Kazuki interjected, stepping forward. "I''m a Mach pilot too after all."

    Nori barked out a harsh laugh. "You? Come on, you''ve been in a Mach, what, a week? You''ll just get in Hiro''s way."

    Kazuki bristled. "At least I''m not some rage-filled, kidnapping psycho!"

    Reflexively, Nori lunged at him, momentarily forgetting his restraints. Kazuki raised his fists, ready to throw down. Before things could escalate further, Hiro pushed between them.

    "Enough!" His deep voice caused them both to jump. He levelled a stern look at Kazuki. "Nori''s right. You''re still too new to all of this to stand much of a chance in a fight against trained agents. Whether you like it or not, Nori is an asset."

    "Couldn''t agree more," Naomi said from the corner, "besides he''s cuffed and without this," She held up the VR headset.

    Kazuki looked ready to protest, but Naomi shook her head. "This isn''t a negotiation. We don''t have the numbers to be picky about who joins us."

    Nori allowed himself a small smirk as he watched Kazuki deflate. It faded instantly when he caught Hiro''s disapproving glare.

    Hiro jabbed a finger at Nori''s chest. "If you really want to help, stop picking fights with everyone. We need to work together, and that means you need to get everyone else here to trust you. Got it?"

    Looking a little stunned, Nori nodded. "Yeah. Got it."

    Ai folded her arms over her chest as she sat back in her chair. "If you want to earn my trust you can start by telling me how you found us."

    "I went to the cottage to warn Hiro about the twins," Nori explained trying to make hand motions but struggling against the cuffs. "But Naomi was already there, so I watched. When she brought you to the car, I used my Mach to tail you. Mach stealth mode is undetectable, even to Naomi''s advanced gadgets."

    He met Hiro''s probing gaze, willing him to see the sincerity in his eyes. I''m here for you, Nori thought. Even if you''ll never feel the same, I''ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. No matter what.

    Naomi''s frown deepened, a crease forming between her brows. "If Nori could follow us undetected, it''s possible one or both the twins did too." She began to pace as she thought.

    Ai looked from Nori to Naomi, confusion and fear warring on her face. "So you could have led them right to us? What do we do, should we run again or maybe there is somewhere else we can hide."

    Nori stayed silent, watching Ai start to panic. It was Naomi who answered.

    "I''m afraid that wouldn''t do much to stop them if they found us. We can assume they would never let us leave." She stopped pacing, her green eyes haunted. "You see the twins were raised by the Japanese government to be perfect killers. Over a decade ago, they were taken by child services after their yakuza father was arrested. The government placed the pair in foster care but that didn''t last long."

    Masumi leaned forward, morbid curiosity compelling her to ask, "What happened?"

    "Michio killed his entire foster family. He claimed he did it because he ran out of fun things to do." Naomi''s voice was flat, devoid of emotion. "He was institutionalized. His sister would come for visits. They came up with a game while he was there. Manipulating the other prisoners, tricking them into killing each other. Made up their own point system for it."

    Ai recoiled, horror etched on her delicate features. Masumi looked like she might be sick.

    "Our friend Mao took an interest in them. She adopted them, groomed them to be her personal enforcers." Naomi met each of their eyes in turn. "They''re unfeeling, sadistic and get pleasure from causing intense pain. Getting caught by them... would be a fate worse than death."

    In the heavy silence that followed, Kazuki cleared his throat. "So, what''s the plan? We can''t just sit here waiting for them to find us."

    Naomi nodded, her focus snapping back. "Machs can''t be tracked normally, but I have an idea. If I create an electromagnetic field around the property, it might make them visible on radar for a split second. Could buy us precious time."

    "Plot 34A!" Kazuki exclaimed. "It has a communications tower next to it, for controlling the agro-bots. Could that work?"

    Naomi seemed excited by the new information. "Yes, I can modify it. But we need to move quickly." She turned to Kazuki. "I need you to come with me. You may be untrained but they don''t know that."

    As they hurried to the door, Naomi called over her shoulder, "The rest of you, stay here. Keep an eye on the monitors. We''ll be back as soon as we can."

    Then they were gone, leaving Nori, Hiro, Ai and Masumi in a tense, cold colourless room. Each lost in their own dark thoughts, dreading what horrors the twins might bring.

    The silence stretched with each waking moment, just the hum from the flickering monitors murmured in the background. Nori shifted, his gaze flicking to Hiro''s stoic profile. He drew a breath, taking a small step toward him.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    "Hiro, I..." Nori''s voice cracked the stillness. "I need you to know. Everything I''ve done, I never wanted to hurt you in any way."

    Hiro''s eyes slid to meet Nori''s, guarded and unreadable. Nori forged ahead, the words tumbling out in a rush.

    "I know you see yourself as expendable. I''ve seen it in the way you fight. You''d sacrifice everything to stop the Mach program and clear your family''s name. I get it, I know what it''s like to look in the mirror and see nothing of value." Nori''s tone turned fierce, his green eyes blazing. "But now it''s my turn to save you, Hiro. The way you saved me that day on the bridge. I won''t let you get yourself killed and from now on I''ll do things your way. I swear."

    Ai stiffened, catching the raw vulnerability, the unspoken depth of feeling in Nori''s gaze. Jealousy flared hot in her chest. She cut in before Hiro could respond.

    "Seriously, Nori? You expect Hiro to believe you never wanted to hurt him? That you want to protect him? Did you forget about Hiroshima? you blew up a police station with Hiro in it!" Ai practically fell out of her chair as she accused him.

    Nori shot her an impatient look. "I did that so the government would think you were dead! They ordered me to kill Hiro, I knew he would make it out, he had his Mach with him."

    "What about me?!" Ai scoffed. "You claim you don''t want to hurt Hiro but you are willing to let the people he cares about die! You-"

    "I know, alright?" Nori snapped, frustration boiling over. "I know what I did to you was wrong! I am trying to fix it but you''re being so-"

    "Okay, enough." Masumi stood abruptly, her quiet authority causing Ai and Nori to look at her. "It''s nearly lunchtime. Ai, come help me find some food for everyone back at the farmhouse."

    Ai blinked, thrown by the sudden pivot. She opened her mouth to protest, but Masumi''s pointed look ensured no sound came out. With a huff, Ai pushed to her feet and followed Masumi out of the room.

    As the door clicked shut behind them, Ai rounded on Masumi. "Why''d you cut me off like that?"

    Masumi sighed, her dark eyes softening. "Ai, you were being childish. Hiro can speak for himself, you know."

    Heat flooded Ai''s cheeks. She looked away, shoulders hunching. Masumi touched her arm gently.

    "Look, it''s clear as day that you have feelings for Hiro. But you can''t let those feelings get the better of you." Masumi''s tone turned soothing, almost sisterly. "What''s meant to be, will be. But right now, our focus should be on coming up with a plan to stop the twins. Alright?"

    Ai swallowed hard past the lump in her throat, blinking back sudden tears. Masumi was right, and shame churned in Ai''s gut. She nodded jerkily.

    "I''m sorry. I just..." Ai shook her head. "Everything''s so messed up."

    "I know." Masumi squeezed her arm. "But we''ll get through this, together. Now come on, I saw some canned beans and spam back at the house. We''re going to need our strength."

    As they walked in silence toward the farmhouse, Ai tried to calm the anxious flutter of her heart, to push down the gnawing fear. Tried not to imagine losing the fight against the twins or even worse losing the fight for Hiro''s heart to Nori of all people.

    She shook the thought out of her head, looking up to catch a glimpse of the communication tower in the distance. She wondered if Naomi''s plan would work... Ai shuddered. She didn''t want to consider what fates worse than death might await them.

    ---

    The communications tower loomed before Naomi, a hulking metal skeleton against the overcast sky. She marched toward it with single-minded focus, Kazuki trailing nervously in her wake.

    "Keep your eyes peeled," Naomi ordered brusquely. "Those psychotic twins could show up at any moment."

    Kazuki swallowed hard, scanning the horizon as if he were trying to find something in an eye spy book. "R-right. Got it."

    Naomi popped open the maintenance panel and received a small shock from the static. She leapt back, bumping into a steel beam. A ping sounded from her pocket. She froze. With a growing sense of dread, she pulled out her bug-detecting device. It pinged again insistently, a red light flashing.

    "Shit," Naomi hissed under her breath. The scan showed a tacking device detected near the farmhouse. Bugged. Which could only mean...

    "The twins are coming, aren''t they?" Kazuki''s voice trembled as he read the look on Naomi''s face. "We need to go back and warn the others!"

    Naomi shook her head sharply. "No. Causing a panic won''t help." She returned to the control panel. "Stay there and keep watch. We are sticking to our initial plan. Since we weren''t killed on our way here, we can assume they aren''t here yet."

    Naomi hauled open her bag and removed scanners and other gizmos. She rewired and recoded, snapping a small cube device over her work. They were running out of time. This jury-rigged setup would have to do.

    "Okay," she said, looking back at Kazuki. "Moment of truth. Firing it up... now!"

    The tower hummed to life. Kazuki looked around, perplexed. "Did it... work? Nothing happened."

    Naomi shot him an exasperated look. "Electromagnetic waves are invisible, genius."

    Cheeks flushing, Kazuki ducked his head. "Right. I knew that."

    Naomi picked a small chrome tablet off the ground and turned it on, holding her breath. Two blips appeared, moving fast. The twins were closing in.

    "Well, at least we know it works. The twins'' Machs just crossed the perimeter." Naomi met Kazuki''s terrified gaze. "Now you can panic."

    Punching Hiro''s number into her slab, Naomi paced as the call connected.

    "Hiro! The twins breached the farm. They''re coming in hot."

    Hiro was silent for a moment before speaking. "The girls went back to the house for supplies. They''re completely exposed."

    "Go get them, now," Naomi snapped. "Evacuate the property if you can."

    "What about you?" Hiro demanded.

    Naomi glanced at Kazuki. "I''ve got a Mach bodyguard, we''ll be fine. The girls are sitting ducks. Go!"

    "Ok, we''ll regroup when this is over." The line went dead.

    Naomi turned to Kazuki, appearing calmer than she should be. "I hope you remember how to turn your Mach on. Because we''re about to fight for our lives, and I need you to follow my lead."

    ---

    Hiro ended the call, taking a minute to stare down at his slab as it all sunk in. He turned to Nori, who was still handcuffed beside him. "The twins are here. We need to get to Ai and Masumi at the farmhouse and go."

    Nori looked over in the direction of the farmhouse, a flicker of fear passing over his face. "Screw that, Hiro. We need to get as far away as possible from here, now."

    Hiro shook his head, getting up from his chair. "Not without the girls. We''re getting them first."

    "There''s no point," Nori argued, his voice rising. "The twins will beat us there. Ai and Masumi will be dead before we even make it to the house and then they''ll kill us too."

    "Shut up!" Hiro snapped, his eyes flashing with anger. "That kind of thinking isn''t going to help anyone." He tossed Nori''s Mach to him, the metal clanging against the concrete floor. "If you want to run, go ahead. I won''t stop you."

    Nori stared at the Mach for a moment, then kicked it back to Hiro. "I''m not going anywhere. I get it, this is that whole being a part of the team thing you were all talking about."

    A flicker of surprise and gratitude crossed Hiro''s face. He nodded, then knelt down to remove Nori''s handcuffs, fumbling with the lock.

    "Forget it," Nori said, pulling his hands away. "We don''t have time for this. Let''s move."

    Hiro scooped Nori''s Mach off the floor and stuffed it into his pocket. Then he helped Nori to his feet and they raced out of the barn, their shoes pounding against the dirt as they sprinted towards the farmhouse. Hiro focused on the house, praying they wouldn''t be too late.

    As they dashed up the back walkway, Ai and Masumi emerged, carrying a small bag of canned food. Hiro couldn''t hide his happiness at the sight of the girls but he knew the situation. "Get back inside, now!" he shouted.

    Confusion and fear flashed across their faces as Hiro pushed them back through the doorway and Nori slammed it shut behind them.

    "What''s going on?" Ai demanded, her voice trembling.

    "The twins are here," Hiro explained, his chest heaving. "Naomi called us, her electromagnetic field thing worked."

    Masumi''s face paled, her hands shaking. "We have to run. We can''t stay here."

    Nori shook his head. "We''d be sitting ducks out in those open fields. They''d pick us off in seconds."

    "But why haven''t they killed us already?" Masumi asked, her voice rising in panic. "They''re playing with us, aren''t they? This is all some twisted game to them."

    Ai wrapped her arms around Masumi, trying to comfort her as she began to hyperventilate. She shot Nori a glare. "You''re not helping."

    "I''m just being realistic," Nori snapped back.

    "Enough!" Hiro could feel his head start to throb. "Fighting isn''t going to get us out of this." He turned to Ai, trying to look understanding of the situation. "Go to the kitchen and find anything we can use as weapons to defend ourselves."

    Ai looked confused. "But you have your Mach. Can''t you just use that?"

    Hiro shook his head. "The weapons are for you and Masumi. To protect yourselves if..." He trailed off, the looks on the girls'' faces told him they were already thinking the same thing.

    Ai gave Masumi one last squeeze before standing up. She nodded toward Hiro, giving him a small smile. "I''ll find something."

    As Ai disappeared into the kitchen, Hiro turned to the others, his heart heavy with the realization that this farmhouse would be their last stand against the twins. They had no choice but to fight, and pray they''d survive the coming storm.