A shroud of despair looms over the Island. The medical sector booms with chaos, screams and horns echoed as evacuations took place. At Daimon Tech, Yamato, Kiara, and Kenta walked briskly into room 820. Inside, Jace Wright sat at a computer, two guns resting on the desk beside him.
“Oh, Yamato! You’re finally here,” Jace said, glancing up. “I’ve got your guns waiting for—uh, whoa, rookie detectives Kiara and Kenta? No way!”
Kiara stepped forward with a grin.
“Oh, you already know us? That makes this easier. Nice to meet you!”
“What’s up!” Kenta added with a wide smile.
Jace grabbed the two guns beside him and stood, walking towards Yamato with a proud smile.
“I call these… Stormcallers, second edition,” he explained, handing the guns over to Yamato. “The transference device, which needs a cooler name, has been upgraded. I also added an advanced power stabilizer system that lets you perfectly balance the energy flow between the two guns. Now you can pump out more wind power for stronger attacks, and you should be able to fly now with the right consistent output.”
Yamato’s eyes lit up as he inspected the weapons. “Damn! Jace, this is amazing. Thanks!”
Jace shrugged, though it was clear he was proud of his work. “Yeah, well, it took way longer than I thought. But hey, it’s worth it.”
“You should get out of this sector, Jace,” Yamato said suddenly, his tone serious. “With everything going on, there’s no telling what’s coming in two days.”
Jace nodded slowly, his usual confidence faltering for a moment. “Yeah, I know. But there’s still work to do here. We’ve got two days to evacuate, which should be enough time, right?”
“It’s not as much time as you think,” Kiara interrupted, her voice sharp and steady. “We’ve got to move the residents, the sick, and some people can’t even be moved without risking their lives. Nishima’s taking advantage of the overcrowded medical sector, and realistically, it’d take at least two and a half days to evacuate this one sector. That doesn’t even account for the spillover into the others. He’s giving us false hope with this ‘two days’ timeline.”
Jace’s calm demeanor flickered, replaced by a worried expression.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
“Yeah, well… I’m counting on the police to stop Nishima,” Jace said, forcing a confident tone. Then his face lit up with an idea. “Oh, that reminds me! I still need to teach you how to properly use those guns!”
Before Jace could say another word, Yamato, Kiara, and Kenta all bolted for the door.
“Sorry, no time for that!” Yamato said over his shoulder. “I’ll figure it out on my own. Thanks, bye!”
“WAIT!” Jace yelled, reaching a hand after them. He sighed, then muttered to himself, “Man, I made this cool instruction guide for nothing.”
***
In the basement of Shunji’s house, Yamato and Shunji are glued to the computer screen. Shunji clicks through files and websites, hunting for any clue about Nishima’s whereabouts. On the corner of the screen is a picture showed Riku tied to a chair, blindfolded. The background was dim, behind her is a worn down gray wall.
“Damn! We’re not finding a thing,” Yuto hissed, slamming his hand against the desk in frustration. “Where the hell could he be hiding?”
Shunji leaned back, thinking. “We’re not looking hard enough. A guy like Nishima, with his history, he has to be somewhere symbolic. Maybe someplace connected to his family...”
Yuto’s eyes widened as an idea struck him.
“Wait. Was there somewhere his parents worked before the radiation lab? They couldn’t have been there their entire lives.”
“That’s right!” Shunji’s fingers flew over the keyboard. “Before the lab, there was another place. Their work together started there, it’s where they met.”
After a moment, Shunji froze, then leaned closer to the screen. “Red Oak Laboratory. It was located on Red Oaks Street. This lab isn’t in the medical sector, it’s actually here in the commons sector. The lab was supposed to be moved into the medical sector but got abandoned instead. And look at this…” His eyes narrowed. “The place was never demolished.”
“That’s good enough for me. I’m heading there now.” Yuto stood determined.
“Wait, Yuto!” Shunji called after him.
“What, Shunji? There’s no time, I have to go get Riku!”
“I know,” Shunji said firmly, standing. “Which is why this is the perfect time to give you a gift I’ve been holding onto.”
“A gift?” Yuto asked.
“Follow me.”
They climbed the stairs to the garage. A tarp covered something medium-sized in the center of the room. With a quick motion, Shunji yanked the tarp away, revealing a sleek, black motorcycle with gray highlights that gleamed under the lights.
“This should help you get around the city faster,” Shunji said, smiling.
“Wow! Thanks, Shunji!”
Shunji gave him a firm nod. “Yeah. Now, give Nishima hell.”
“I will.”