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 – 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 – 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—"

"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.

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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 – 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 – 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."