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.

Stolen story; please report.

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—"

"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—"

"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—"

"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.