We spent two days making sure everything was perfect, the energy the abnormalities produced, their containment, mimicking the Libraries Cards. Bad news is that it's far from being so, far from perfect, but it was progress, progress we needed desperately. I had brought a board into my office, all it had on was the things that needed doing, and the day until we strike.

32 days until Library Assault

That was all I looked at.

"Oliver!" Burns busted through my door. "Index and the Thumb are fighting above us, if you're gonna get involved now's the time." I nodded.

"Alright, tell Tsuki to watch the place while I'm gone, we're focusing on energy output for now."

"Understood" With my rifle, a knife, and a jacket. I left the office, heading up the gloomy elevator.

"..." I can't just come out from the rubble, they'll know something is up. I'll try sneaking up on the index, that'll work. The elevator doors opened, I could hear the gunfire from the Thumb echoing out from the ruins, and the blades of the Index cutting through whatever target they had.

I crouched low and began sneaking around, every now and again I'd come across the Thumb holding their ground, but for the most part I went unnoticed.

"Hey!" I heard guns raise in my direction.

"Keep your damn voice down." I turned around and faced them, they seem shocked and their arms aiming guns at me, soon turned to saluting. Right...grade one..."You're fine, I ain't like your boss"

"What're you doing here?"

"Sneaking up on the Index, so keep quiet and let me continue" They nodded, and returned to their defense while I continued sneaking through the rubble.

"Oliver" Shina had made us earpieces, allowing us to communicate without being noisy.

"What's the matter?" I did my best to reply to Tsuki when I could, but the growing presence of the Index made it difficult.

"Nothing much, we finished bringing another Abnormality from the deeper parts of the ruins, Fixit found it when we were finishing up the new department." We were working ourselves to the bone, in two days we finished up the info department, and got the disciplinary department most of the way done...But it would be worth it.

"Another dangerous one I assume?"

"Hmhm, a new one though...which is confusing..."

"Another new Abnormality huh?" First it was the music player, then the smaller ML, now this one. "I'll take a look at it later."

"Roger that, we'll have agents on standby near the containment unit, and in case you need help." The line cut as the call ended, it was intended of course.

I passed a few more index units and decided that it was now time to ambush them. I dropped down from the rubble. I made sure to rush the one by themself quickly, stabbing them through the back with the knife. Once I heard the surprise from the unit I just stabbed, I grabbed onto the handle and quickly dragged the handle up, cutting their back even more until they dropped. I'm befriending a finger just to make an enemy of another...goddamn...

The index quickly turned to me, but they weren't dumb, some of them kept their eyes on the Thumb.

"I regret this already" Putting my knife away, I took out the rifle. "But damn do I have an idea!" I quickly fired a bullet in the air, the index, seeing a chance, rushed me, while a few caught on in time, some were shot through the chest as the bullet returned. It would only work once, but it at least somewhat worked when I did use it.

A few bullets fired, not at the index coming for the Thumb, but the ones looking at me. Some of the bullets knocked them forward, and seizing that chance, I lunged forward, there was something else new, something I had discovered while fighting abnorms in LC:SW. When I went to the workshop under my office, the robot enhance the gear to what I needed and wanted...another thing I needed...was a way to make melee with this more efficient. I grabbed onto the handle of the rifle as tight as I could, and from under the barrel, a bayonet came out, with another surprise to the Index, I jabbed it through the closest one. The unit grabbed onto my rifle.

"Tsk" I let it go and quickly ducked under a blade coming at me. Grabbing onto my weapon so your buddy can get a free shot, I've seen it before...Not just from people...abnorms, grabbing your weapon so they can explode you...so they can absorb you...

I took out the knife again and readied myself, the Thumb had refocused fire on the Index coming for them, leaving me alone...until I recalled something 'Agents on standby' I hadn't given them a code, but as quickly and loudly as I could, I whistled. Another Index unit threw another slash at me, but in order to keep the whistle going, I barely moved, getting cut across the chest. When I turned to see where the Index ended up, I saw how both their hands were out, and turning slowly. Another quick slash huh? As the index came flying back at me, I grabbed onto their arm and threw them over my shoulder, but it wasn't fast enough to avoid them cutting it as well. The Index guy quickly stood up from my throw, while I heard clashing behind me. No use turning around, it'll just give this guy a chance to strike. The unit took out another sword and arched both of them behind him....I'll be damned if you get away with it...I raised my rifle and swung it down behind me, as the unit, like a blink, cut through me. The rifle slammed onto the top of their head just as their blink finished, knocking them out....Goddamn index...Getting in the way! we can't waste any time when we need to gun for Hod and the Library!

I raised my rifle and aimed it. If they wanna get in my way then so be it. It made the same noise as always, all up till it fired, piercing through a chunk of them. One of the Index were still breathing, on the ground holding their wounds, the rest were being held back by the agents.

"You goddamn cultist fucks" I turned the rifle around, grabbing it by the barrel. I held onto it tightly, swinging it down onto them. I could hear something crack, yet the index remained alive. "Prescript this!" I swung again. "Follow that!" and again. "You wanna be a buncha followers!? Then follow your cult to hell!" The last swing put an end to their movement, blood splattered on the ground not from my own actions, but those that were with me as well. My outfit was pristine, perhaps from it being EGO, yet regardless, I could feel the cut and my own blood soaking the inside of it. "The more you bastards get in the way...the longer it takes..." Footsteps approached, I was ready to swing again, but seeing the outfits of the Thumb made me reconsider. "Go ahead"

"Thank you for the support" They bowed slightly. "Our munitions were running low, you came in at the right time. I don't know how we could repay this favor of yours."

"Heh, get me a Nest Migration Permit." The Liu said they'd get me one, yet I found it unlikely, something like that just for information?

"Well...The index may return."

"Why are you even fighting the Index?"

"The Thumb wanted to take over the L Corp ruins, but it seems the Index thought the same."

"Probably more their prescripts than anything."

"Maybe..."

"How about this, Me and my...fixers, will watch out for the Index, you guys can take over everything else, but this portion."

"Why's that?"

"I worked at L Corp, there's a lot of things I still need to find, people I cared about died there too...I don't want anyone defiling it."

"In that case...perhaps I can try to get you a nest permit instead, I don't exactly have much power, especially when it's the wing's decision...you probably won't get the best place either."

"That's alright...I'll manage" Both nest permits were still unlikely, but having a chance of both than one was still better.

"We'll be regrouping with the others, good luck with your endeavors." Moving as one, all the Thumb units went on their way.

"Manager Oliver." I turned to one of the agents who were talking to me. "May I ask what happened?"

"What're you on about?"

"I'll give it the benefit of the doubt since you got cut badly, but you sorta lost it. We had to cover you while you beat the head of the Index in."

"We managed didn't we?"

"Yes...but..."

"No issue then, back to work, prioritize the Abnorm Cards."

"Understood sir." The agents put away their weapons. "We'll inform you when we've made good progress"

"Thanks, good luck." What was next? Keep working? Check up on Taylor?...Would Taylor even want us to focus on him?

"Oliver!" My radio staticed as Tsuki's voice came through. "The Library is getting even stronger, I think we need to Prioritize working fast!"

"I'm heading back now." Picking my foot up through the rubble I headed back to LC:SW. Elevator...down, exit elevator...The context of entering the elevator changed every single time, first it was working in L Corp, then it was being made manager of LC:SW, then working to get rid of the Library...

"Welcome back Manager Oliver!" I was greeted the same way as before.

"Everyone!" I threw my hands together. "We're working overdrive! Agents who work on Abnorms! Work on more ALEPHs! Agents who suppress! Stay outside the doors of any ALEPHs that are being worked on and keep your weapons primed! Those working on tech like the cards, take any risks you need to! Is that understood!?"

"Yes sir!" Everyone ran to work, Everyone started their day, Everyone had the same goal...get revenge on the Library...

Day 20

"We got more cards replicated sir...but we had agents die in the Library..."

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

"Damnit..." I sat at my desk, more cameras looking into the facility. "How are the ALEPHs turning out?"

"No deaths, some injured, but no deaths, we can keep it going perfectly."

"Good, when possible keep working on White Night too."

"Are you sure?"

"I made sure to bring it in after figuring out it already transformed, that way the first 12 won't die after working on it, it gives a good amount of energy, and its EGO Gear is powerful."

"I see...Well, we-...hm?"

"What Is it?"

"Oliver!?" Shina's voice took over the agent's that was talking prior. "The workshop holding Taylor is getting attacked!" I stood up immediately, getting my gear. "Oliver?"

"We're going, gear up."

"Understood." I bolted out of my office, sprinting towards the elevator. "Fixit!" I pressed on my radio before speaking.

"I heard, give me a moment, my department is still a ways down."

"Burns!" I saw a glimpse of him while running. "You're in charge of ending the day!"

"Got it! Good luck!" When I got close I nearly threw myself into the elevator. I slammed my hand on the button and was nearly jumping in place as I slowly went up. The moment the doors opened I sprinted out, a van was already waiting for us.

"Get in!" By the uniform, it was one of Fixit's guys, they already had the side door open, letting me jump in.

"You two!, go without us, we got another van pulling up!" Tsuki's voice soon came out of the radio, both my own and the van's.

"You heard her! Get going!"

"You got it manager." The van, already being started up, soon drove out of the area, it was risky driving out of L Corp when the Thumb or Index could be around, but there was no time to think about precautions.

"You got a weapon?" The driver motioned his head to the passenger seat beside him, it looked like a briefcase.

"Weapon that Tsuki worked on, it works like a leach supposedly, do damage to the enemy, you heal from the damage you deal."

"Handy..." It was hard focusing on the weapon when one of our own was in severe danger.

"Oliver" The driver's voice became more calm. "We have a while till we get there, you should calm down before you make a rash decision." I was going to argue at first, that was until I began to hear my own heartbeat, it was vicious, probably capable of upkeeping two bodies if it continued.

"..."

"We'll be there shortly...just..." The agents realized they'd just repeat themselves, so they cut their sentence short, I on the other hand, couldn't calm down, another person is on the verge of dying again.

I know it was only a few minutes, maybe even less than that, but it felt like years.

"We're here!" There were more people than I thought. I left the van and ran as fast as I could to where the workshop was.

"Too many people moving around...I see fixers too" I thought that the incident from earlier would cause people to abandon their place here, but it was the complete opposite, I guess they assumed an incident happening in a place once would mean it's less likely to get hit again. During that thought it also became clear it wasn't just that workshop being attacked, rather the entire section was. "Damnit..." I wanted to wait for the others, but something within me just couldn't, and that part was the one I followed. "Outta my way!" I must've looked mad to everyone else, using my rifle to get through the crowd while they ran.

Being closer sure as hell didn't make the sight any better, most of the stairwell was engulfed in flames, but just to the side was a small gap. It was a death sentence, but I had no other choice, I began descending down the stairs while the burning flames were barely touching me, but they were close enough to be painful.

"Taylor!" Once I was off the stairs I shouted out to him, there was no response though. "TAYL-" My shouting was cut off by three fixers appearing, but they didn't seem peaceful at all, no, they had their weapons drawn already. "I don't have the time to deal with you lowlifes" Though they had an outfit under their jacket but it was difficult to speak. One opened their mouth to speak, but I instantly fired the rifle, it pierced through them without resistance. The other two jumped in surprise, but it was clear that was the only emotion they felt at the time, there was no sorrow for their fallen ally. The closest one swung a briefcase at me, the design was similar to the one the agent I was with had, I swung my body back to avoid it, afterwards time came to a near halt. Right under their jacket, looking through the collar, it became visible, just a barely visible LC:SW Sigil. "You Bastards!" Though everything was slow, my words came out clearly, along with the Abnorm Cards working once again

He wears a straitjacket, but is as free as any man. No amount of chains and restraints is enough to prevent him from committing violence.

"I may be a mess now, but you’ll have to fear me all the same."

I didn't choose this time, rather my emotions had chosen for me, I felt more sluggish, more slow, but the grip on my rifle grew stronger, not to fire, but to swing.

Time resumed as normal, the briefcase that was swung at me sprung open, a massive blade sprung out of it towards me, yet even with my sluggish body, I swung my rifle at it, it felt amazing to swing it and the moment the rifle made contact, the thing that was attached to the blade to bring the blade back in was completely broken off, along with the blade losing a chunk off of itself. As the Agent recoiled from the attack, I stepped forward and swung the rifle into their chest, I could hear something snap along with the agent's air being coughed out.

"Right" A voice echoed in my head, warning me of the second agent swinging a small hand axe at me to my right. I left my rifle in my hand, as I swung up with my fist at the blade with my other, the axe dug into me, but the material it was attached to broke apart.

"Shoulda known from the very start..." I spoke through gritted teeth as I ripped the blade out between my fingers, I heard impact to my left as the agent prior had finally fallen to the ground. "There ain't a damn thing like Loyalty in this city, not between family, not between the people who understand." With no other weapons, the agent got into a stance, both their hands raised with their legs shifted back. "Like I'd make it fair." In the middle of my words I grabbed the lever on the rifle and cocked it back with just a single hand, before quickly raising it up and firing. As the bullet tore through them, a flame within them ignited, burning them from the inside, they let out screams of agony. "Taylor..." I didn't bother finishing off the other, nor mercy killing the burning target, I came here with one goal in mind. "Taylor!" The device on my wrist beeped, indicating the Abnorm Cards had turned off, the sluggishness left, and my speed returned. If Taylor responded, I could never hear, for the flames were loud. I searched, searched for any room I wasn't allowed in, or have even seen when I came here.

I kept it up until I finally found it, Taylor, unconscious on a bed, hooked up to a monitor.

"LC:SW should be here soon, come on buddy." There wasn't anymore medicine being put into him, there wasn't any risk by taking him out. Once everything was fully off of him, I grabbed his arms and put them over my shoulders, I leaned forward and grabbed him by the legs, I didn't have time to question if there was any medication nearby. I could feel his breathing, but it only made things worse, his breathing was shallow, any long breath was broken into short difficult ones, the smoke of the fire must've been getting to him. "We're getting out of here." I spoke in hopes he heard, hope that he clings onto it and keeps living.

I nearly limped my way through the workshop, the weight on my back, in my mind...along with the worsening fire. I began to cough, my lungs were burning.

"Oliver!" Through the smoke, I could see the silhouette of the agent that drove me here...But he has the same weapon the traitor did.

Whether I wanted to shoot at him or not, it didn't matter, I started to blink rapidly, to keep myself awake and walking through the workshop, but I just wasn't able to, my legs began to fail.

"Manager!" The agent quickly rushed over once I feel to the ground, Taylor's body dropped to my side, I could see his face, see that no part of him was moving...and...that I could no longer feel his breath.

"Ta..ylor..." My throat felt broken, my voice sounded scarred, I could stand...I had to or else I'd lose somebody else.

"Manager sir, we have to go!" I could feel hands rest on my shoulders, before the resting became pulling, pulling to take me away.

"Let...go of me...Tay..lor..."

"We're not leaving you behind sir." Once I was on my feet, the agent wrapped my arm over their shoulder. "We'll return for Taylor...we can assure your safety...but we can't with him." I felt too weak to respond, if it wasn't for the support I'd be dragging my legs across the ground The rest slowly became a blur, my vision fading between hazy and dark, until we reached the stairs, where it became the abyss.

"I put his life in the hands of people we shouldn't have trusted to begin with...even if it was risky..." We should've brought him to the facility, was the rest of my thought. "...Another person dead...by my decision, even before that...the agents in LC:SW...Heh...hehehe...Taylor...I wonder what your final words were, wonder if you had even woken up once after you got hit...And now...I wonder if I had even a single reason to continue...for the sake of the agents? Even when a group of them was at fault, no...they weren't were they?"

Even before, when that person ran and we took them in...we knew some people were traitors...yet we never found them all...I didn't tell anyone to find them all...at the very least not recently.

"You understand it now...don't you?"

"Of course..."

"Is it still in your best interest to go after the Library? Or rather, for you to even lead them?"

"No...No and I never have been, Melting Love...Taylor and Leo...it was my own fault...no one else's...I get it now...I was the own cause of my suffering, I was the only one to blame. Leo...Taylor...It'll be alright, The ones who betrayed us...those who wronged us...myself...I'll put an end to it all, just you wait."

Tsuki's POV

"Can you go any faster!?" I was stood up in the van, my hands were gripping tightly onto the driver's seat.

"I'm going as fast as I can." Every turn was a tight one, throwing nearly everyone who wasn't ready for it off their feet. "Tsuki!" I was already looking ahead, yet with their concern, I was able to see something else while we were approaching our destination.

"What the..." We were finally close to the Workshop, yet coming from the building were jagged orange lines, the fire we had been told of, was fully extinguished, even the building had been deformed somehow.

"Stop the van here!" Shina spoke up, before we left the facility he changed into his old L Corp gear...Twilight. "Any closer and we risk losing the Van." With nothing else to say, he left through the back, leaving the two doors open.

"Should I stay here?" The driver turned around to look at me.

"Stay in the area, but keep on moving, if we don't respond in an hour leave." When I turned to leave I noticed Ao on a tablet. "Something the matter?"

"...The entire building is giving off the same signal from our Abnorm Card replicators."

"The entire building?"

"Oliver went in earlier...I think.."

"Why the hell would Oliver distort?" Ao didn't respond. "Taylor..." I left the van as well and chased after Shina. "Shi-"

"I know, I'm gonna beat some sense into him."

"The only option we really have." Ao talked behind us as he caught up. "We gotta be ready for anything." I could faintly see the jagged lines moving, slithering their way through the streets. The workshop that was once here was now replaced by a rusting building, instead of stairs, an elevator awaited us.

"So it's like that..." I mumbled. We all entered the elevator.

"So Taylor is..." Whether he was checking for Oliver, or Taylor's signal, Ao was focused on the tablet.

"Just how the city is...people die without one last fight all the time." I choked slightly as I spoke, what I said was true...but I couldn't handle that it was how things were.

"Then we'll make sure no one goes out without a fight again." Shina held onto Twilight tightly with both hands. It seemed he was emotional as well, but able to hide it more successfully.

"We're here" I spoke as the elevator dinged and the doors opened. It was as I expected, the hallways of L Corp.

"This isn't just an average distortion...It's a fully different place." Ao put the tablet away as he grabbed his weapon.

"Not the first though" We stepped out the elevator, onto a soft floor that sunk slightly as we were on it. "I...don't even wanna know what we're stepping on." I resisted the urge to see if we were standing on flesh, I remained focused on the path ahead.

"We follow the lines, it seems to lead the way." Shina led the way, his grip never loosened as he kept on going. As we turned the corner to follow the lines, we saw an agent leaned up against the wall, some of the lines were wrapped around him...but he didn't seem dead...rather just knocked out.

"Get Ready everyone, green ordeal incoming!" Ao's warning got me and Shina ready, the old L Corp 2nd alarm started to play, while the sound of metal approached.

"Dawn?" Shina got twilight ready.

"No, Dusk"

"Then we got no time to waste." I patted the agent's shoulder, they weren't awake but it was more to assure myself rather than assure them. "We'll just follow the noise of the machines, the fabricator should be nearby." The other two nodded before we started running, it wasn't even long before we could see their silhouettes in the darkness.

"All these ordeals are child's play!" A grin formed on Shina's face as he rushed past us and towards the machines, Ao soon followed while I kept the same pace.

"Goddamnit Oliver, we're trying to help you..." Slashes spread out through the hallway the moment Shina slashed forward, being the Teth versions, they were barely even capable of taking a few hits from twilight.

"Tsuki! Pick up the pace!" Shina shouted back at me. The three of us kept moving forward, the fabricator was close and we could get it...But just as Shina raised up twilght to slash it, melted arms came from the ground and pulled Shina under it.

"Back!" Ao started running back to me, but he was also pulled under. I attempted to jump up and hopefully buy myself more time, but one of the machines from the fabricator shot me back down before I too was brought under.