File 30: Hornet's Nest

Hildern and I stepped over the upper floors that overlooked the Research and Development department. Down below, engineers in lab coats would work at different tables, with each table serving as a workbench holding an array of tools. From what I could tell, they were working on different parts of a drone. One had a torso, another a pair of legs, and another with what looked like a head with computer parts and wires pouring out of it.

I looked over Hildern as I watched as engineers looked over blueprints, messed around on monitors, and crafted prototypes. A thought had crossed my mind watching this.

"Was Miku built the same way?" I asked.

Hildern shook her head. "Miku was built with a different process in mind. All of the V.C.D. units were built in different facilities across the world. Miku was built overseas in Japan. It was not by an assembly line, but instead through a carefully planned procedure. While most of our drones are mass-produced, that wasn't the case for Miku."

I looked back down at the research floor. The engineers cycled through images on their monitors and compared notes or looked at blueprints, crossing things out. Some of them were writing equations with dry erase markers on glass boards. They seemed to work tirelessly on this. Whatever it was they were doing, be it updating designs or patching exploits over previous designs, there was a lot that went into designing something so mass-produced.

"It's fascinating to watch, isn't it?" Hildern asked me as she watched alongside me.

"It's nothing I've ever seen before," I said, "and this is only one floor of the entire process? Why exactly are you showing me this?"

"Because I believe you should see what it is we do here."

"Assemble drones, or is there more you want me to see?"

Hildern just nodded, and replied, "there is more to see. This is just one of many parts of our operation."

Hildern waved for me to follow her off of the assembly floor and into the elevator.

"I know from our previous discussion that you believe us to be up to something sinister and nefarious. Something of that nature, yes?"

I didn't answer.

"Allow me then to show you what we are doing."

I looked up at Hildern with a raised eyebrow.

"I believe we can come to an understanding. That is why I wanted to speak to you. It's why I made arrangements to work with you, and maybe, I hope, seek a relationship that benefits us both."

I listened to Hildern but even after all of this, I still wasn't sure if I could trust her. She may have been kind and cordial, but how would I know she would keep her word? And yet, her words did reach me a little. I didn't want conflict, or to fight. If we could work with Duodecim instead of fighting them, it would mean Miku and everyone else could live easier. There had to be a catch though. If she wanted peace, she would have come out and said it, wouldn't she?

I couldn't jump to conclusions, but nothing was adding up. If Hildern wanted to create some sort of "coalition" between our group and theirs, she would have opened with that. No, she was after something. She had to be. The problem was whether or not it would compromise our entire operation. I couldn't let that happen. I needed to be extra careful around her, especially now.

Hildern led me into another conference room. The lights were dimmer, and at the center of the room sat a monitor embedded into the table. A wireframe model of a familiar looking structure sat on the computer panel. Multiple rectangular-shaped beams stretched from the massive center and ran into smaller bases. There was no doubt about it: it was the Beehive.

"Why are you showing me this?" I asked. "You already have your evidence I was there."

"It's not about evidence, Griff," Hildern said as she sat down, "it's about what we can do going forward."

I sighed, and took a seat next to her.

"This is our base: the rather fittingly named 'Beehive' observation base. Built entirely for collecting resources and expanding it. I assume you've seen more inside of it than anyone else in the facility has, yes?"

I nodded, and looked as she ran her slender fingers across the table, zooming in and selecting specific sectors of the facility.

"So then, why are we here?"

Hildern offered me a comforting smile, and then looked at the table again, pulling up a top-down view of one of the facilities.

"The Beehive has a production facility, mining, drone construction, and of course, a research station. All of this is handled autonomously by our onboard A.I. system that was derived from Interspace code. We constructed our own system, all to observe and expand our operation."

"As far as I can tell," I said, "you were there to start a conflict."

Hildern quickly corrected with, "that is untrue, in fact. Kallen was the one who attempted to start a conflict. By that point, he was not involved in our company when he went rogue. The moment he stole our two Elite Units and went into Interspace, we had terminated him from the company."

"Okay," I said, looking at the generated diagnostic reports that were being sent from the Beehive, "so he did what you planned to do, just expedited it."

"And why would you believe that?"

"Because why else would you be building such a large station aside from needing to start a conflict? You have weapons, an army, plenty of ships. You could invade anywhere you wanted."

"It's called 'protecting your investment,'" Hildern said. "We have a lot we want to explore within Interspace. An observation post with plenty of defenses is how we intend to get there."

"It's going to be seen as aggressive," I said, "there are people there. Interspace isn't just a simulation, it's real."

"And you know this how, hmm?" Hildern bit her lip.

I should have kept my mouth shut, but I felt compelled to argue against the strategy that Duodecim was employing here. At the same time, I needed to find out for sure if Duodecim was really trying to start a war or not.

"Because we've made allies with some of the factions there. They're like people. They eat food, they talk, they laugh, they get angry."

"Ah, I see," Hildern said, "and you believe that because of what you see on the outside that counts. I get it. So a simulated environment of people that behave how you describe are also 'real,' yes?"

I paused for a second, wondering what Hildern meant by that.

"I understand, truly I do," she added, "but Interspace is still full of so much we don't know. Like how it got here, or how it truly functions. But it's clear your group and my group are after the same thing."

I looked at the Beehive model again and stared at it for a little while.

"It's kind of the same idea, isn't it? Miku, the others, Interspace. It's hard to know if they're 'real' or not. So many mysteries about all of them. So much left to uncover. And you want answers. So do we. Which is why I believe that we don't have to fight each other to get what we want: we can work with each other instead."

"Work together?"

"We have the resources, and you have the experience. With that combined, we could really make headway in our research."

I leaned over the table and cupped my hands together.

"Work together," I repeated. "I wonder how well that would work out."

"Do you want the rest of my proposal?"

I nodded, not sure if I should have been listening to her at all.

"Okay then," Hildern said, and pulled up another map, "let's be sure to cover everything."

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"How are you feeling?" I asked Miku as we both sat down inside of the small airliner. "Arm isn't hurting too much?"

Miku, who was listening to music on a pair of earbuds, took them off and replied, "no, don't think so. What gave you the idea I was in pain?"

"You were rubbing your arm a lot while we were boarding. Noticed it on our ride over."

Miku shook her head, and looked outside of the window as David talked things over with the pilot.

"You miss him, don't you?" I asked.

"Of course I do," Miku said, "I want this stupid plane ride over with so we can find him sooner."

I understood Miku's anxiety. Maybe it wasn't exactly the same, but I remembered when we had to take a plane ride from Japan to America. Wanted it to be over so quickly, or for it to not happen at all. Mostly because I didn't really want to leave home. But once Dad got his offer to move to the States with better pay, I didn't really have much choice in that matter.

"Flying isn't all that fun," I said, "I never really liked when we had to travel."

"It's not the flying I hate," Miku said, "fact is I love taking off when it happens. Moreso when I'm behind the controls."

"But I'd imagine right now you want to be landing instead of flying."

Miku crossed her arms and blew a strand out of her eyes. "If it were me behind the controls, we'd probably be landing right now."

I didn't know Miku that well, but the frustration was definitely building with her. She kept her eyes on the tarmac outside for a while, and put her earbuds back in once it was apparent I wasn't saying much anymore.

Pretty soon after everyone had climbed aboard and found their seats, the plane's engines started and moved towards the runway. David sat over towards the cockpit with Lisa and a few others that I didn't recognize. Nearby Miku and I sat Kaito and Meiko a couple of seats over. And Gumi and Luka sat in our aisle across from us.

David stood up and grabbed the phone by the cockpit door, and the intercom clicked on.

"We're about to be taking off. Flight plan says that we'll be flying overnight and it will be morning by the time we land. I suggest you rest up because once we land, we're going to be putting our plan into motion to recover Griff. You probably all have questions for our operation, but rest assured, we'll cover it when we land. Just get some sleep and we'll go over everything then."

I decided to take David's advice. It was already dark outside by the time our flight was set to take off. Tomorrow morning, we would be in New York and setting off to recover Griff. I just hoped for his sake, he wasn't in any real danger.

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"I believe this is all the information you need," Hildern said, handing me a tablet. "On it is my proposal. If you have any questions, refer to this, and we will go over it. First off, I'd like to thank you for hearing me out on this Griff. It truly is wonderful to see you have such an open mind to this idea."

I scratched the back of my head, feeling a little embarrassed for the praise that Laura was giving me.

"Now, secondly," she continued, "I believe it's important we understand what our mission on Interspace would be. It cannot be understated how important it is that we preserve our cooperation. We promise to be forthcoming as well as transparent about all our activities. We do not intend to go behind your back, or the backs of your group."

I scanned the information on the tablet as I listened to Hildern speak.

"Interspace is important, and it's important that we do everything we can to observe it, report our findings, and discover the possibilities it has hidden beneath. We intend only to use our station, not to commit offensive assaults, but to peacefully research the Interspace system."

I didn't comment. I decided I'd let Hildern finish before I tried to add anything to what it was she was saying. We had already had this discussion earlier, but now she was very much trying to get me to tell her "yes." And I wondered if this was the right move. Not just for me, but for the rest of the group. Was Duodecim really intent on bringing peace and only using their Beehive station for "research?" I couldn't be sure.

"While we have resources, what we lack is information that would help us further our cause. As such, I am wanting to recruit you, Griff Darhen, as well as the rest of your friends, into our team. Allowing us to create a joint operation task force that would help us research Interspace. We will provide you with your own autonomy, so long as you follow our rules within reason. Of course, we will allow you to do what you believe is right, so long as it does not impact our company's operation, or the function of both parties."

I nodded again, and let Hildern finish.

"Should you agree to our coalition, we will begin work straightaway. Allowing you to contact your group. We will, of course, be happy to answer their questions and provide everything I have provided to you in that tablet."

I ran my finger along the tablet's touch screen, and noted the amount of information that was on it: Project names, Interspace locations, schematics, blueprints, ship routes. Hildern was handing me all of this in the hopes I would accept.

And then a single thought occurred to me, and I looked back up from the tablet. My eyes locked with Hildern.

"I need to make contact with everyone first," I said, "you already said I can contact them."

"Do you accept?" Hildern asked with a furrowed brow.

"I can't until I know they're okay with it."

"Why?"

"Because we're a team," I said sternly, "and I need to see if we can't work something out before we do this. If you can't give me that, then I can't accept the terms of our deal."

"Griff, do you understand the gravity of this? I need your agreement before I allow you to become part of our coalition-"

"I will agree only after I know what everyone else thinks. They still see you as an enemy. If I can get them to trust your words, then there's no problem, right?"

Hildern stood up, her face having gone from casual to stern, her brows sharp and her eyes were like daggers. It was crystal clear to me that she was not happy with my suggestion.

"I can't allow that," Hildern said, "so I need to know right now that if you don't get your way, you will forfeit our agreement?"

"I would," I said. "I won't betray the trust of my friends."

"I see," Hildern said. "Unfortunate."

"I assume I'll be taken back to my cell now," I said.

"No," Hildern said. "You won't be."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Relocation," Hildern said, reaching for something inside of her breast pocket. I placed the tablet on the table, knowing I'd probably have to give it back, and stood up.

The moment I stood up, however, a heavy object landed against my face, knocking me backwards. I felt something crack from it, and tried to figure out what had just happened.

"Always so difficult," Hildern said, her voice angry.

I felt something wet against my lips, and ran my hand against my nose. Blood was spilling out all over my clothes. Hildern walked over to me, towering above, holding a collapsible baton in her hands.

"W-why?" I asked her, reaching my hand up for help.

Hildern swatted it and kicked me in my side.

"Why do children insist on making everything so much harder!?"

I couldn't speak. Instead, I felt like I was about to throw up whatever it was I ate mixed with my own blood that I was swallowing.

"Not sorry, are you?" She hissed, "all you can think of is yourself. Never whether you can help anyone else. Selfish. Cruel."

Hildern struck me with the baton again, and clicked a button as a wave of electric shocks filled my body. I screamed as the electric shocks ran through me. Once she stopped, my body still convulsed.

"You rejected all of this because you couldn't have it your way!" She shouted, hitting me repeatedly, delivering shocks with each blow. "And now I have to do this. I have to do it because you won't agree."

"And you think I'll agree to help you?" I said, spitting out blood.

"You could have avoided this had you said 'yes.' I just need you to accept the proposal, and allow us access to your base."

So that was it. That's really what Hildern was after. She wanted to know where the secret base was all this time. And now that the mask had slipped, she didn't need to pretend this was all for "unity" and "cooperation." It was about conquest. They wanted what we had. All of it, and this was just an elaborate scheme to find out whatever they could.

"Still nothing to say?" Hildern asked. "I could just throw you in the torture chamber and let Rithers take care of you."

Hildern picked me up off the ground with ease. Her hands dug into my sides and her nails cut into my skin.

"This is bigger than you, Griff," she said, her eyes staring into me, "bigger than us. This is the future of the very world you're denying, and you would let it all go to waste because you believe you have the right to?"

I just stared at her. I wasn't going to let her have what it was she was after, even if it meant she would kill me. I wasn't going to put everyone else in danger because of this. I tried to use whatever strength I could to fight back, but the moment I moved my arm, Hildern threw me back on the ground, and placed her shoe over my hand.

"Really? Raising a hand to me? You should know better. I guess I need to teach you a harder lesson."

Hildern pressed onto my fingers, and I screamed. The weight was so strong, so intense, I thought she was going to flatten my entire hand. It was horrific, and I tried everything I could to make it stop.

"I suggest you think about the pain you're feeling, because this hurts me just as much to do."

I whimpered as Hildern stood back up, pulling out her phone.

"I need two guards here. Escort our prisoner to the isolation chamber. Yes. Very good. And be quick."

I looked up at Hildern, and she gave me a look of contempt.

"All of this could be avoided should you give me what it is I want, but it's obvious you want to fight progress."

"This isn't progress," I said weakly, "you're just insane."

"I didn't want to do this," Hildern said, kneeling down next to me, "but this is what is required to see our mission through. I want you to think about what you're throwing away. And think about the pain you're in, because if you continue to resist, I'll have no choice but to do something even more drastic."

I looked up at Hildern with my face bloodied and my broken left hand. What could she possibly do that could be more drastic? I was in as much pain as I thought could be possible, and I wanted it all to end. Sobs and whimpers escaped my mouth as I tried as hard as I could to fight the pain.

"I will cut your fingers off tomorrow morning, should you decide to still push against me."

I froze as a sharp fear shot up through my body. There was no way she was just threatening me, not after what it was she just did to me.

"So, will you tell me, then? The location of your base. Where is it?"

"I-I'm not giving up my friends."

Hildern jammed her baton in me again and sent another shock into my body. I felt like my heart was going to stop with how much voltage was coursing through me. I thought it would never end, but Hildern stopped the moment two agents entered the room.

"Get someone to clean this mess up in here as well. I have to make a call."

I was left lying on the ground as my eyes closed and I lost consciousness. I felt a heavy grip grab me from underneath my armpits, and dragging me away.

Everything hurt, and I felt terrified that Hildern would be back to deliver me another beating. Or one of her goons. Either way, I was trapped in her domain, and I wasn't sure if a rescue would be coming. I had no way of escape.

But all I could do was hope.

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We landed in New York and immediately got to work planning our rescue. David drove us to a safehouse in the middle of the city. It was an old shipping warehouse that was set to be "condemned." A good place to hide out, I guess, since no one would go wandering in a place that was marked to be bulldozed, right?

The cars stopped inside of the warehouse and we got out to meet a small group of four more men that were dressed in tactical gear. They all shook hands with David and Lisa and walked us over to a small table hidden behind four fabric walls.

"This your team?" One of them asked, looking directly at me.

"It's who we're bringing, yes," David nodded.

"Good, full house for this job then."

The man, whose face had a beard and mustache with dark brown eyes, and a gruff look to him, walked over and shook my hand.

"I'm Jasper."

"Akira," I said, shaking his hand.

He shook everyone's hand followed by directing everyone to sit down. There weren't enough chairs for everyone, so we made due with what we had. I sat next to Miku while Meiko and Kaito stood up by a pillar. Gumi and Luka were standing over the planning table, getting right to work reviewing everything.

"Everyone here?" David asked. "Good. Then we're going to review our plan and make sure everything is set."

A laptop was placed on the table, and Gumi plugged her tablet into the laptop's hub.

"Duodecim's office is further in the city. It's a high-traffic area near some financial institutions and a crowded shopping plaza. With the holidays happening, we're looking at a lot of foot traffic down there. Entrance through the front door is a no-go, even at night."

"We have two entrances," Jasper stepped in, "and our intention is to make use of both. Nearby the facility there is a large crane that's being used for a renovation of a nearby building. It's tall enough that it will get us into the corporate offices."

"Right here," David said, pointing at the floor that the crane would access, "this is the corporate offices, but it's also the same floor as the I.T. department. We break into the servers-"

"We can shut the whole place down," Gumi interrupted. "I see. I noticed you have two teams designated to split off at the crane. Any reason?"

"Yes," David said, "one team will knock out the servers and use it to search for Griff. The other team will be physically there to secure him. We'll use one transport van that will be our ride out of here. It's capable of jamming signals and has built-in surveillance tech. It will be ideal to escape in that vehicle, but if things go wrong, we have a transport helicopter on standby."

"We're trying to do this silently," Jasper said, "that means no alarms. We play it by the book."

"Alright," Miku said, having been silent up until now, "so do we know where they're keeping Griff?"

"We have inside intelligence," David answered, "they say Griff is being held on one of the upper floors. It's unusual why the holding cells are up higher near the executive suite, but that's what we were told."

"Can we trust it?" Meiko asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Until we know where they took him, that's all we have," David answered. "I want to hope we can do this and do it without things going up the creek without a paddle."

"We're not exactly trained military," Kaito said, "so put us where you need us."

"Right," David said. "We decided who will be working where. Take a look at your jobs and be ready for it by tonight. We only get one shot at this. When you're ready, come find me and we'll get you set up with equipment."

I looked over everything and felt anxiety start to build up inside of me. This was real, and I was about to embark on a full-on infiltration of a corporate office to rescue one of my friends. If someone told me a month ago that this is where things would lead, I wouldn't have believed them, but here I was.

My designation would be with the armored surveillance team. I guess I wouldn't be doing much but sitting around. If David wanted to have me stay put and be out of harm's way as much as possible, I guess that would be the place for it.

Miku was also put in the same group with me, same as Kaito, and a couple of others that came from David's group.

Miku crossed her arms looking at it, her brow furrowed and her teeth biting her lip. She mouthed something under her breath and then looked over at David.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing," Miku said, running her fingers along her carbon fiber arm, "nothing at all."

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I laid on the cold ground. My fingers were mangled, my body ached, and my head swam. It was dark, cold, and strange noises surrounded me. I couldn't sleep, and I didn't know how much time had passed. I was in so much pain, I wasn't sure I could really find a way to get rest at all.

I tried to pick myself up and find a corner to hide in, as if that would help me escape from this nightmare. Just for a little while. I ran my right hand against the wall looking for that corner. When I found it, I rested my head against the wall, and closed my eyes. Even for what little comfort there was in here, I tried to take myself back to before all of this. Before I was dragged in here, to before I was captured. To when I still remembered the life I had.

I was alone. Was this how Miku felt when she was captured? Did they do this to her? Did they do this to Meiko when she didn't comply? Or Kaito? Luka? Gumi? I couldn't understand how you would survive like this. I was on my first night of this, and they had been doing it for years.

I closed my eyes again, trying to get a little bit of rest and escape from this place, even if it was only for five minutes. But then I was woken up by an alarm. It would go off at random. Or maybe it was following a schedule and I had finally lost track of time. Was I losing my mind?

Then, at random times, the room would heat up, cool down, and heat up again. I tried to hug myself and stay warm when it was cold, and spread myself out when it would heat up. This was all a cruel act to punish me for saying "no" to Director Hildern, and I was paying the price for it.

She threatened to take my fingers in the morning. I didn't know if I could believe her. If Hildern was trying to scare me into believing that she'd hurt me more. She gave me plenty of reasons to believe her. She already crushed my fingers, what would stop her from taking my entire hand?

The alarm went off again. It was loud and the room vibrated with it. It wasn't a short alarm either. It would last for a while. I couldn't count anymore. I felt my mind starting to crumble.

I just started crying, praying for it to stop soon. But I wasn't going to be getting out of here. And that was the reality of it. I was trapped. I was never getting out of here.

Never.

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As night fell across New York, the lights began to flicker across the skyline. The three teams that were set up to raid the Duodecim facility were setting themselves up into position.

David would be leading a team that would break into the server network to locate Griff, composed of Gumi, Luka, and Meiko. They would also be tasked with breaking into Director Hildern's office and pulling whatever data they could. Jasper's team would be seeking Griff's cell, ensuring his safe return. While those two teams worked in the main building, down below, Miku, Akira, and Kaito would keep eyes on the monitors and ensure that everything was clear.

Miku had some objections being put on watch duty, citing that she needed to be with the ones to rescue Griff, but David told her that Akira needed to be protected as well, and it was unwise to allow a girl like Akira to be part of the mission in such a dangerous space.

At the same time, Miku saw that with the less danger Akira was in, the less likely Miku would have to use the new weapon she was given. She didn't want to use the sword arm she had been given, and only if in the most extreme circumstances did Miku really feel she would need to use it. If it came to it, she very much would, but Miku dreaded having it attached to her.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

As everyone got into position, the air grew tense, and everyone knew why: it was an operation that couldn't afford any mistakes. If things got worse, there was a chance the place could go on lockdown, and the entire team would be swarmed in minutes if they were caught. Ill-equipped and outnumbered for an army such as the one inside of the facility.

But David knew this, and he was focused on his main objective: to rescue Griff, the one he was supposed to take care of. And he didn't want to wait any longer. Griff was in there, and he needed to be brought back home as soon as possible. Not just because David felt responsible for him, but it was only a matter of time until Duodecim would extract information from him if they hadn't already done that.

"This is infiltration team A," Jasper said over his radio, "is everyone ready?"

Everyone from both infiltration teams began replying in affirmation. It was go time, and only one thing mattered: getting in and out without being noticed. David knew there was only one shot at this, and he needed to be calm and collected. A cool head meant a successful mission, and when a mission was successful, everyone walks away alive and well.

The construction crane moved into position near a balcony. As everyone moved across the crane's arm, Gumi stayed behind for a moment at the controls, setting it to automatically return over the construction site so suspicion wouldn't be raised.

Once everyone had moved across and made their way to the building, the operation commenced.

The two teams, the rescue team led by Jasper and his team would need to navigate towards the upper floors towards the "cell blocks." These cell blocks were created mostly for detention of rogue agents, employees caught in unauthorized areas, or in this case, an outside party that was needed to be questioned in their involvement in "criminal" activity.

David's team, which was composed of Meiko, Gumi, and Luka, would infiltrate the server room, disable the security using a special worm virus that Gumi had coded, and deactivate the alarms while also providing camera access to the surveillance van in the parking structure. The surveillance team was composed of Miku, Akira, and Kaito, who would remain inside until the end of the operation when they would extract from the facility with Griff.

Finally, with the security system off, David's team was instructed with special orders to find the director's executive office and see if they could use the current facility director as leverage, or, if she was no longer present, see about gaining access to the facility's data center, and extract whatever data they could before needing to leave. This order in particular came from Prometheus, the figure in charge of the entire "resistance" movement that seemed to have a bone to pick with Duodecim.

Meiko took the lead with David's team to shut down the servers. The moment she stepped off the crane, she grabbed the ledge of one of the facility balconies: an outside area with seating and a view of New York's other districts. There was also a high probability that other employees within the security facility would be out on break on any of the other balconies, potentially taking notice of the infiltration team. But as everyone climbed onto the balcony, everything remained quiet.

"All clear?" David asked Meiko as she peered through the dark room behind the rest area. Meiko nodded, and Luka and Gumi moved to open the doors to the offices, and Meiko rushed in. Her eyes attuned to the dark offices, scanning to see if any patrols were observing anything. There was still the possibility of cameras, but so long as the facility's A.I. didn't detect any disturbances such as broken glass, it wouldn't read anything as a cause for concern.

"Rescue team here," Jasper said, "we're on the lower floors. Crane is moving back into position. Nothing to report. Give us the word when the security is down."

"Roger," David said, "we're in the building now. Going silent until it's been made clear."

Everyone nodded at David's statement, and slowly navigated the cubicles in the office, sticking to the walls, making sure they blended in with the environment, remaining out of sight from the cameras. What helped was the gear everyone wore allowed them to blend within the dark room, using old-fashioned camouflage mixed with a dark room let them stay virtually invisible against anyone or anything watching. While not 100% effective, it was better than nothing.

Meiko walked to the door to the exit, noting that it was locked. Luka, seeing that Meiko was ready to rip the handle off and force it open, sought to unlock it her way. She pulled out a specialized lockpick that was created exactly for this purpose, and tapped Meiko on the shoulder. Meiko stood aside, and Luka got right to work.

Luka worked as fast as she could, but that didn't stop everyone from feeling antsy. She kept turning the pieces inside until she finally heard a satisfying "click" and opened the door to the hallway. The lights were off in here as well, but the hallway was a bit better lit with a small L.E.D. lights that sat across the floors.

The server room was up the hall, and everyone moved quickly and quietly. Though it looked like they would get there in a short time, something had blocked their path.

Footsteps. Heavy metallic footsteps at that. It seemed that a security patrol was walking the halls, ensuring there was nothing out of the ordinary going on within the office floor. This wasn't good. And it needed to be cleared quickly.

"I got it," Meiko whispered, watching as the drone patrol walked by, scanning the area.

Meiko stood up, grabbed the drone from behind and deployed her arm blade. Without any hesitation, she jammed the blade into its back and pierced it all the way through. Though she couldn't physically feel the blade itself, she could hear the wiring inside of it snap and shear as the sharp sword cut through all of its essential systems. The drone ceased functioning, and its body dropped to the floor.

"I think I like having this," Meiko said, sheathing the blade back into her arm.

"Server room is close by," Gumi said, ignoring Meiko's comment, "let's get in there and shut this down."

Meiko grabbed the drone and dragged it with her towards a wall. Though there was a body left behind, she figured she'd hide it somewhere it was less likely to be found. Luka helped her while Gumi and David searched for the server room.

"Found it," Gumi said, enthusiastically. "One second, I'll have the keycard scanner serving me like a proper princess."

Luka and Meiko stashed the dead drone while Gumi got to work unlocking the keypad. She pulled out her tablet and started up a scrambler and then began running random numbers by it. The keycard reader was being assaulted with data. It was a quick and dirty solution for Gumi to open a door with, but it was also the fastest. It would burn out the processor with the amount of information she was loading on to it, causing it to reboot. When it did that, Gumi would force the maintenance system override and allow it to let her inside.

The system flashed from green, to red, to white, and then shut off. The reboot process triggered and Gumi activated the unlock procedure. The door gave a quick affirmative beep and granted access to the server room.

"We are in!" Gumi announced. "Now I just need to get access to the server hub and this'll be a cakewalk."

"Don't speak too soon," David said, grimly. "Things can change at a moment's notice."

Gumi didn't give a reply, and entered the server room. The others followed behind her, making sure to close the door. Each settled into a good flanking spot on the off chance an ambush was waiting to swarm them.

"Alright," Gumi said, plugging into the mainframe, "time to get to work."

Everyone sat by waiting for Gumi to finish her work. She'd get done eventually, but it felt like time would slow down for an eternity as she worked away shutting down the security system. And so, everyone waited patiently.

----------------------------------------

Time had passed, and now I was tied up by my wrists and left dangling by the ceiling. I didn't know how high I was. All I knew was that I was hanging. I could hear a sharp wind beneath my feet. Was I hanging somewhere above? A pit, maybe? I couldn't tell. My body felt numb, cold, and I was restrained.

A sense of vertigo overcame me, and my stomach churned. I started feeling myself lurch, but managed to hold back whatever it was that was trying to make its way out of me. It all hurt. My fingers, my sides, my head… All of it felt like I had taken a beating.

Then I remembered how I got here. The very last thing I remembered was being dragged here by Hildern's men. I must have fallen unconscious because I didn't recall anything past what happened in the meeting room.

And then I remembered what actually happened in the meeting room that did land me here. The pain got worse as I remembered what Hildern had done. Because I refused her offer, she took her rage out on me. As if there was no other way, she wanted to teach me a lesson.

I felt weak. The pain was unbearable, and my throat felt dry. I hadn't had a glass of water to drink for what felt like days. My stomach was empty, and my body felt fatigued. I couldn't see what I looked like, but I bet I was in pretty rough shape.

The pit, or whatever it was I was dangling over, howled loudly. Its piercing whistle drilled into my eardrums, causing my eyes to water, and my teeth to grit together. I screamed, hoping it would stop, but it wouldn't stop. Not for a while. And once it did stop, I felt relief, but that relief was short-lived, because something much worse came after it.

The sound stopped and small blue lights popped on. And then a door opened and standing before me was none other than Director Hildern herself. Her face, full of anger and frustration as she looked at me, her gaze staring into my soul. She looked ready to rip my head off and be done with me, but I knew she was here to make another "deal" with me again.

"Quite impressive, isn't it?" Hildern asked, walking in.

"What's impressive?" I asked, looking up.

"This room. State of the art isolation and deprivation chamber. Soundproofed, surround sound, and small lights capable of projecting any display we want out of it. In your case, I thought it would be a good idea to place you somewhere cold, have you hang for a little while, and meditate on what's happened here today."

I didn't answer.

"Come now, Griff," Hildern said, tracing her fingers against my face, "you really ought to stop with the hero act. That isn't something you do well."

I just stared at her, bewildered.

"You're a kid. And honestly, a sweet one at that. Sweet and innocent. Trying so hard and so desperately to play a game he really has no business being part of."

"What would you know?" I sneered.

"What wouldn't I know?" Hildern laughed, "you're a teenager! A young boy, and here you are going against things that are bigger than you. You shouldn't be here, and yet, here you are. Being led around by people who you believe to be good. And I'm sorry to break this to you, but you're working with the enemy. That makes you the enemy."

Hildern ran her hand along my face, and gave me a hard slap on my cheek. It stung and my eyes watered.

"And the enemy must be dealt with properly. Do you see what it is you're being put through by working with them? I can end this. I can end all of this right now. I just need your cooperation."

"Why… Would I ever work with you?" I looked back at her.

"Because it's obvious you want this to end. And this can all be over if you agree to help us. I can give you back your old life. I can even let you have what it is you want the most. I just need you to work with me."

"You wouldn't let me have that back," I said, "not without Miku."

"Miku's the reason you're in all of this, and yet you would want her in your life? This? All of this? She did this to you. It's her fault. You should cut her loose and live the life you should have always lived instead of the one someone else made you live."

My head dropped. How could any of this be Miku's fault? She was framing this as if Miku dragged me into it. Miku didn't drag me into any of this. I was here because I made the decision on my own.

On my… Own. I did. Right?

I had to. Miku didn't bring me into this because she was trying to recruit me into her group. She wasn't part of any group. She was her own person. On the run. On the run from her creators. The people who kept her in a chamber. A box. They wanted her here. She didn't want to be here.

I was here because I didn't want Miku to live that life. I didn't want to live that life. She didn't want to live in a world trapped like a bird. She didn't. She wanted to be free. So why did she choose to go out and risk herself?

She didn't want to tell me her secret. I know she wanted to keep up the act. Have me see her as a human. But she wasn't human. She was an android. An android that could feel.

She could feel. She could laugh. She could love.

And she chose me. But was she choosing me because I was there, or because she genuinely cared about me?

"It's obvious that you have a lot to think about, Griff," Hildern said, staring at my face with a satisfied grin. "So much to think about. It must hurt to admit that you're just a child. But admitting something is part of growing. And you aren't built for this kind of work."

Hildern got very close to my ear and a shiver ran down my spine.

"She doesn't love you. She's a machine, Mister Darhen. She's a mimic. An artificial being. And you've fallen for her trap."

I started crying, wanting so hard to tell Hildern that she was wrong. That she was just saying things to get to me. But was she? Could she be telling the truth now? Just this once?

"Make amends with that reality. Because if you keep going down that path, she's only going to hurt you more. I'm telling you this now because I care about you. And I want to make things right."

Make things right. Hildern wanted to make things right. But she only wanted to make things right for her. I was the only thing that stood in her way. She was going to hurt me more just to get the answers out. She was going to do whatever it took. She couldn't kill me, but she would try to get me within an inch of my life.

"It's a lot to think about, Griff," she said, "and I'm sorry for all of the pain I've caused you. I didn't want to do it. But it's my job."

I didn't give her another word. This woman- no, this monster in a suit, was trying to play with me. Turn my emotions around and put the blame on someone but her. But I wasn't going to listen. I wasn't going to let her do this to me. I ignored everything she said. Ignored all of it. Shut it all out. I refused to listen.

I refused. I refused. I refused…

She doesn't love you, she's a machine.

It echoed in my head constantly. Or was it the deprivation chamber? Was Hildern playing another trick? I looked around, noticing the door was shut and Hildern had left. I was alone again. Alone with my thoughts. And the only thoughts in my mind were barrages of Hildern's words. I tried to think back to the memories I had with Miku, and all I could think of was underneath that bright smile was metal and wires.

Miku wasn't built the same way. She was built in a different way. A different way that was more precise. Less like a manufactured product, but one-of-a-kind. But underneath her skin was metal. Underneath was a glowing core. Underneath was a machine.

She was a machine. A machine built to mimic humans. But were humans machines too? What made me human and what made Miku a machine? Did she actually love? Did she actually laugh? Did she actually cry?

What made me cry? What made me laugh? What made me think? What made me, me?

I couldn't tell what was real anymore. A pit formed beneath me as sounds of distant screeching echoed under my feet. Hildern was going to break me. I felt myself falling apart.

And I dangled there, wondering if I made the right decision after all.

----------------------------------------

"We've got access to the security system," Kaito said, "cameras are online."

Miku adjusted her seat and I stood up to see what was going on. We were stuck back in this van, and thankfully, something was finally happening.

"We have video feed," Kaito said to both teams over the radio. "Looks like we have access to the entire building. Was it really that easy, Gumi?"

"Super easy," Gumi said, pride in her voice, "if they were any smarter, they'd bring me in to be their security specialist."

"Glad you're on our side," Miku said, "scares me to think what they'd have you do against us."

"Nah," Gumi said, "not interested in working for the bad guys."

"Atta girl," Luka said. "How is it going for the rescue team?"

"We're moving into the detention cells now," Jasper replied, "what's it looking like, surveillance team?"

Kaito changed the camera feed to see three figures emerge from a ventilation cover. They checked around, ensuring everything was safe before moving on.

"It's all clear from our end," Kaito said, "you know which cell Griff is being held in?"

"Cell 14," Jasper replied. "He's in Cell 14. We'll find it."

Miku stepped away from looking over Kaito's shoulder and sat down in front of another monitor, checking to see another angle of the rescue team. I followed behind her, watching as she set up on the surveillance cameras.

"Kaito," Miku said, "I'll keep an eye on the rescue team, do you think we should help them map an escape route?"

"Good idea, I'll plan a route," Kaito nodded, and Miku panned the camera over, watching the rescue team. Her eyes stayed on the screen watching as they slowly navigated the floor.

"Pretty quiet up here," Jasper said, "how's it looking, surveillance team?"

"I'm not seeing anything," Miku said, "but I'll keep an eye out."

I looked over at Kaito's monitor as he flipped through different camera feeds. The floors displayed on each camera, first from floor 14, floor 23, floor 17, and so on. However, Kaito stopped eventually on one particular floor: Floor B6. He adjusted the chair and focused his attention.

"Something up?" I asked.

Kaito didn't answer for a second, and then looked at me.

"Something isn't right," Kaito finally spoke up.

I walked over and checked what he meant, noticing the numerous drones surrounding a single room. From that room emerged a woman wearing a red suit and a well-dressed man following her in tow. The woman looked stern, mouthing something as she left. Whatever it was, I think Kaito managed to figure out something from it.

"Wait a second," Kaito said, leaning his chair forward, "did she just say something about Griff?"

"Huh? You can hear her?"

"No, I'm reading her lips," Kaito said. "She just mentioned something about a rescue."

Miku turned her eyes towards Kaito, staring at him.

"This is bad."

"A trap?!" Miku asked.

"I think so," Kaito said, grimly. "We need to warn them."

Miku picked up the radio without a second thought and in a panicked frenzy started shouting into it.

"Jasper! Griff isn't on that floor, get away from there-"

It was too late. Suddenly, the camera that was watching Jasper and his team shook violently and a green gas started filling the room. Panicked yells came live over the radio as Jasper shouted orders at his team.

"Gas masks on, people! Move! Move!"

The team rushed out of the room as the other cell doors opened and out poured Duodecim drones engaging Jasper and his team.

"What's going on, surveillance team!?" David shouted over the radio.

"Jasper's team was ambushed!" Miku shouted back. "They set a trap for us! They knew we were coming!"

"We're pinned down over here, gas is filling the room. Not sure what it is, but we need help here, stat!" Jasper yelled with gunfire crackling through his radio.

"What floor is Griff on?" Kaito asked.

"B6," Miku said.

"We need to get him out of there."

Miku nodded, and looked at me before grabbing the radio again.

"David, Jasper's team needs backup. We found the floor where we think Griff was moved to."

"I'm moving out to assist Jasper," David said. "You three need to head to Griff. You're closer."

"What about you?" Miku replied.

"I'm bringing Meiko with me to help, but Gumi and Luka are staying behind to keep the facility from locking down."

"Got it," Miku said.

Plans had changed and the entire operation had gone up in flames. Whether or not it could be salvaged, well, I didn't want to dwell on it. I didn't think I was going to see any sort of action today, but the way things were going, there was no getting away from it: we were going into a fight.

"Here," Miku said, tossing me a handgun and a respirator with ear guards, "keep those handy. I know you don't know how to use one, but I'm hoping it won't come to that."

"I'll cover you," I said, slipping the respirator over my mouth, "hopefully I learned enough from the simulation to actually use one of these…"

We popped out from behind the surveillance van, weapons and gear ready, and dashed towards the elevator. We were going to find Griff, and we were going to get him back.

Once we found ourselves at the elevator, we checked our surroundings, making sure there wasn't another surprise waiting for us. Miku kept a small submachine gun with her while Kaito carried a rifle. I kept close to both of them and called the elevator.

"You think Griff is really down there?" I asked.

"Either he is or we're getting lured into another trap," Kaito said. "Either way, he wasn't where the rescue team originally was, so we need to get down there fast."

"Weapons ready," Miku said, "we need to prepare for anything that's coming up. Elevators could be an ambush waiting to happen."

I got behind Miku and Kaito and the elevator pinged. No one was inside of it. We all piled in and went down to the sixth basement floor. They were going to be expecting us, no doubt about it.

Miku had me stay behind cover in the elevator as we reached the bottom floor. There was a chance there would already be a set of drones posted, waiting for someone to show up and cause trouble.

The elevator stopped, the doors opened, and Miku with a tense expression on her face, rushed out. Immediately, I heard the sound of her blade arm deploying, and rapid swinging that cut through the air. A loud shank and the sounds of heavy bodies hitting the floor followed.

"That was impressive," Kaito said, poking his head out of the elevator.

"Can't let them get an inch," Miku said. "Let's go."

We moved further into the hallway with Miku leading the way. I stuck in the middle, the pistol sitting in my trembling hands. I was pretty nervous, but so long as I kept myself in cover and didn't rush into the fight, I would be safe. Miku was skilled, and she could handle this. Even Kaito seemed capable of combat, so I was safe with both of them.

We stopped at a corner, and Miku kept the submachine gun resting against her chest.

"Next corner," Miku said, "they're all waiting for us. It's tight, so we'll have to fight our way through."

"Any idea where that woman you saw went?" I asked.

Kaito shook his head. "All I know is she mentioned something about Griff. That's what tipped me off to him being down here."

"Can't wait to get my hands on her," Miku said, disdain in her voice. "She's gotta be the one behind this."

"I'd wager that's right. I saw her mention Griff and something she had planned for him. That was what threw me off."

"He's right there, then," Miku said, readying her firearm.

"Drones know we're here?" Kaito asked.

"They're about to be," Miku said. "I got the drop on them before, but-"

Just then, the elevator we entered dinged. Kaito and I looked over and saw two drones emerge from it. Kaito didn't hesitate and shoved me backwards behind him before pulling the trigger on them. The two autonomous bots went down in the elevator as well as several bullet holes sitting in the wall.

"Well, they know we're here now!" Kaito shouted, and suddenly the alarmed beeps of several drones behind the corner echoed throughout the floor.

Miku turned the corner and started firing blindly towards the drones as they charged. The hallway was tight, which probably made it easier to actually shoot the drones without much cover.

I stood up, readjusting my respirator and ear protection. The bullets were loud, but whatever it was that was keeping my eardrums safe, it was working pretty well.

Miku pulled back, slipping a new magazine into her submachine gun. Kaito took over and started firing at the drones trying to converge on us. I hugged the wall, my breathing heightened, and the pistol readied in case the elevator had more drones on their way to us.

Miku, with a fresh magazine, fired another burst at the drones, and then she stopped.

"Think we got 'em," Miku said. "No time to lose."

"Better be careful," Kaito said, loading a new magazine into his gun, "we can't really afford to fight everyone."

"Limited ammo, I know, I'm down to two magazines left," Miku said.

We all rushed down the hall, stepping over the corpses of dead drones that lined the floor. In the middle of the hall was another door, one with a large metal frame and a hand scanner. We didn't have any time to waste, and Miku especially acted impatient. She deployed her blade, and jammed it into the scanner and ripped the device out.

With the device broken, the door gave a beep in response, one that sounded like an error had occurred. The door unlocked, and Miku forced the door open. She stopped dead in her tracks once she stepped inside. I stepped in behind her and noticed what she saw too: dangling from the ceiling with restraints was Griff. His face was bloodied and he looked weak. He didn't even seem to notice that we had entered.

"Oh my God," Miku ran over to him, and deployed her blade to cut him down from the ceiling. Griff slumped over and Miku grabbed him, helping him to the ground.

We all crowded around him, checking to make sure Griff was stable.

"He's in bad shape," Kaito said.

"Don't you think I know that?" Miku shouted. "He's in bad shape. We need to get him out of here."

"Calm down, Miku," Kaito said, "I know it's hard seeing him like this, but you need to keep your wits about you."

"Should I? We have no idea what they did to him!"

Griff's eyes fluttered open, and he reached his hand to Miku's arm. Miku looked back down at him.

"M-Miku?" He let out weakly.

"Oh, Griff, you're okay," Miku said, wrapping her arms around him.

"You… You found me," Griff said, his eyes starting to water.

"Of course I did," Miku said, "it's okay. We're here now."

"You're here," he repeated. "Don't go."

"We're not going anywhere. We'll be right here."

Griff's eyes shut again, and his head fell back.

"We need to get him medical attention," Kaito said. "I'll carry him. It's a short trip to the van, but it's our way out."

"Right," Miku said, standing up, "I'm gonna make her pay."

"Let's not worry about that right now," Kaito said. "Let's get him out of here."

We all stood up as Kaito placed Griff over his shoulder with little effort.

Miku readied her S.M.G., and moved towards the door. We followed behind her with haste, heading back to the elevator. Lucky for us, they didn't send any more drones down here for the moment. We needed to take advantage of it.

"This is Miku," Miku said frantically into the radio, "we've found Griff. He's in bad shape. We need to get him out of here immediately!"

"You found Griff!?" David shouted.

"We need to get him out," Miku repeated.

"We need to pull out," David said. "I'm going to call the chopper in for extraction. Get to the roof."

"Good idea," Kaito said. "It seemed like the director knew about his rescue. There's a chance she will want to track our vans. It's better we ditch it."

"Hate to say it," Gumi chimed in, "but Kaito is right."

David agreed, "we knew this was a possibility. Get to the roof as quick as you can."

Everyone agreed, getting our weapons ready, and proceeding to make our way towards the roof. Whether or not this would get any worse was anyone's guess, but at least we found Griff.

----------------------------------------

Gumi worked frantically away extracting as much of the server's data as she could. Luka paced around nervously, wishing she could do more to help at the moment. Even though she was Gumi's designated protector, she felt useless. Gumi did a good job covering her presence in the system that Duodecim wasn't sending security to the server room, but the possibility was still there. It was the fact that everyone else was in need of help and that she had stayed behind that was getting to her.

Gumi worked away as quickly as she could, downloading the data off of the servers and moving them from her computer and on to multiple storage devices. The amount of information she was downloading was extensive, and she needed to pick and choose carefully unless she wanted to fill the drives with information that would later be deemed "useless."

Luka kept her eyes open through the door that was left ajar, leading back into the offices of the facility. There was still no activity on this floor, but Luka didn't like the silence. It was one thing if she was the one sneaking around, it was another thing if someone was sneaking around.

Neither Gumi nor Luka picked up any strange noises with their advanced hearing, but that didn't help put either at ease. Both wanted this to be over with, but there was no telling how long it would take.

Gumi closed her eyes, took a short breath, and continued typing away on her laptop as she broke through encryption. Even if it was advanced, Gumi was far better than any security system could handle.

Suddenly, Gumi stopped, and Luka looked over at her.

"What's wrong?" Luka asked.

"The system just shut off."

"What do you mean 'shut off?'"

"They cut my connection. They're deactivating the servers. Oh no, this can't be happening."

Luka ran over to look at Gumi's laptop. "Did we get found out?"

"Worse," Gumi said, "they're going to purge the servers. I can't access anything now."

"So we leave, right?"

Gumi shook her head. "If we just leave, the whole place is going to go up. A server purge isn't just wiping data. They're going to set the place ablaze in order to stop us from getting it."

"Don't we have enough information?"

"No," Gumi shook her head, "I found something that looked extremely important. I need to get my hands on it."

"Why?"

"Because they're keeping it under heavy lock and key. I need to get into the director's office and disable the purge, or at least, delay it long enough so we have time to escape while I pull whatever it is they're hiding. This could be big, Luka."

"Do we have enough time?"

"Not sure, but I can't let this pass us by."

Luka didn't like the sound of this, but she figured she'd go along with it. If it would give everyone an advantage down the line, she figured she should take it. As much as it seemed like everything was already going up in flames, the hope here was still everyone would make it out in one piece to utilize whatever it was Gumi was after.

"Come on," Gumi urged, holding her pistol and her laptop in each hand.

Luka checked her gun and followed suit.

"Let's just get this over with."

Meiko had decimated the entire ambush that had surrounded Jasper's team. A nerve agent had filled the floor, but the rescue team managed to get their gas masks on in time. Their filters would start to run out eventually, but with Meiko pushing through all of the enemy drones, they had plenty of time left before the gas would take effect on their bodies.

David stuck behind, double tapping the drones that Meiko downed. On the off chance there were any that survived her onslaught, he didn't want either of them to be caught off guard from a survivor.

Meiko stepped past the remains and David observed each dead drone. None of them were functional anymore, but David still took time to shoot each one and make sure that their central processing unit wasn't working anymore. Having had to study Duodecim drones for previous operations, David learned all there was to their inner workings; and that also helped in how to destroy them.

At the middle of the hallway was Cell 14, where Jasper's team had held up. They had shut the door and locked it up to keep the drones out. It was a matter of time until the drones finally got to them or their backup would arrive.

Meiko made a hole in the door with her blade, placed her fingers inside of it, and ripped it open. To David, it was like watching a gorilla rip open a cage. Though she looked thin and drank alcohol on a regular basis, Meiko had the fortune of being an advanced android with enhanced strength. David remarked on the file that Prometheus had on her, stating that she was "hyper-lethal," and to "exercise extreme caution."

The door had been ripped open, and Jasper, along with his team, kept their weapons trained on the door.

"Jeez, girl," Jasper said, "would it kill you to knock?"

"Needed to open that door. It's a cell after all."

"We had a way to open it," Jasper shot back.

Meiko shook her head. "Doesn't matter. Come on, we need to regroup and get everyone out of here. We're running short on time."

"Griff is secured," David said, "we're grouping up on the roof-"

Then, suddenly, something shook the building.

"Attention, all Duodecim security personnel. There has been a breach in the security system. As of right now, all personnel in the facility are to evacuate. Facility is entering into Protocol 2541."

"2541?" Meiko asked.

"That can't be good," David said.

"Protocol 2541!?" Luka shouted as the duo ran up the stairs towards the executive wing.

"Guess they know what I was trying to steal," Gumi said. "Looks like they delayed giving out the warning, but that makes trying to steal this all the more worth it!"

"Please tell me we'll get out of this," Luka worried aloud.

"If I'm correct about this, all the drones are being diverted to destroy information centers in the facility. The information will be purged by delayed charges so there's no way to actually recover any of the destroyed data. The file I picked up must have sent an alert throughout the automated system, meaning-"

"Meaning if we don't get the director's office and shut it off-"

"Right. Everyone will be caught in the blast. We need to give them time to escape, as well as for us."

"I wish you had led with that instead of focusing on the data grab."

"Sorry," Gumi said, stopping at the executive floor, "but I need to see what it is they're hiding."

"Better hope this all works out," Luka said, hugging against a wall and drawing her rifle.

"I know what I'm doing," said Gumi, "it will be worth it. Trust me."

----------------------------------------

Once we were inside of the elevator, tensions were growing higher and higher. Once the facility announced that 'Protocol 2541' was put into effect, we all gave each other glances of concern.

"Any idea what that is?" I asked.

"From how it sounds," Kaito guessed, "they're going to be locking this place down and might try to round up the intruders. I worry if they'll press the self-destruct button."

The button went up towards the roof. We needed to get there to meet with David and the rest of the group. It wasn't long now. Once the evacuation helicopter arrived, we would be far away from this place.

However, that wasn't going to be so easy. As our elevator ascended, one of the buttons for the other floors lit up.

Miku looked over at Kaito, and then at me.

"Be prepared," she warned.

My hands shook as I kept the pistol rested and with the safety off. When the elevator stopped, we readied for what was on the other side. As soon as the door opened, four drones, a woman in a red suit, and a gorilla-sized man in a black suit and sunglasses greeted us.

"You…" Miku said, her voice full of contempt.

"Well isn't this a surprise," the red-suited woman said. "I never thought elevators delivered gifts. I'd suggest you surrender. You're outnumbered, after all."

"Shoot them if they run," the man in the black suit said.

I was pulled out of the elevator along with Kaito, with large rifles pointed at all of us. One of the drones took my pistol and had me sit on my knees. Meanwhile, the drones had Kaito lay Griff on the ground.

"Griff will be coming with me," the woman said. "It's obvious the rest of you won't comply, but he's in no condition to be in your care."

"You're the one who did this to him," Miku snarled. "And you think we'll let you take him?"

"Oh, Miku," she said, "I'd take you with me as well, but there's not enough room. It's better you stay behind. There needs to be someone here to blame when this place goes up."

Miku looked at me, and then at Kaito.

"Protocol 2541: purge the facility and ensure no data escapes with it. The servers should be detonating soon, and bringing this place with it. A small price to pay for stopping you. We'll be far away from here when that happens, but you'll be trapped in here."

Two drones approached Griff to grab him and take him with them, but suddenly, Miku rushed at them, deploying her blade with a swift strike. One second, they were standing, the next, their heads were rolling across the floor.

"What are you doing!?" The woman screamed, backing away, "shoot her!"

But it was too late, and Miku shoved the blade into one drone, and then deployed her blade arm in the opposite direction from her elbow into the other drone's eyes. Without hesitation, Miku grabbed the rifle from one of the dead drones and fired blindly towards the woman and the man. She missed, but they took off running scared.

"Get back here!" Miku yelled as the duo ran off and an emergency door shut right behind them. Miku shoved her blade into it.

"We have no time to go after them," Kaito said.

"Damn it!" Miku yelled, retracting her blade arm, "She was right there!"

"We'll have another chance to get her. Right now, we need to leave."

"Right," Miku said, calming down and letting out a deep breath, "I'm sorry. I let her get to me."

"Any idea who that was?" I asked.

"Most likely the director of this facility," Kaito said. "She's the one who did this to Griff."

"She'll pay," Miku said, "but we have to get out of here."

Griff groaned a little bit. While everyone was worried about his condition, at least we knew he was still breathing.

"Don't worry, Griff," I said, "we'll be out of here soon."

Griff didn't reply, which I expected. But I hoped he had heard me. The last thing I wanted was to lose him here today.

"Everyone," David said, "we're at the roof. The helicopter is on its way and we're keeping a defensive position."

"We're on our way," Miku said, "had a bit of a snag with the facility's director."

"Gumi here," Gumi said, "I've pulled what I can, but the purge has already started. The director's terminal just went offline and cut me off from getting everything I needed."

"You were this close to burning with it before I pulled you," Luka chimed in, "let's not forget that part."

"Great," David said sarcastically,, "heli is here in two minutes. Get here before the place goes up."

We called the elevator back up to us and got in, climbing back up to the roof. As we rode up, the building started shaking for a second.

"What was that?" Miku asked, panicked.

"A purge," Kaito said. "If they're going to burn the place, they're going to make sure we go down with it."

"Does it have to shake the whole building?" I asked, trying to keep my balance.

"Doesn't matter to Duodecim," Kaito replied, rather calmly, given the circumstances. "They're going to be having a field day with this on the news tomorrow."

I hadn't even thought about that. There wasn't any way they could play this off and blame us, could they? That worried me.

As the elevator reached the top floor, the helicopter was arriving. Below, another explosion shook the building again. Smoke rose to the top floor.

"Get him on board!" David yelled as the transport helicopter opened up. Gumi and Luka appeared from the stairwell roof entrance, and we moved as quickly as we could to escape from this place.

The building was burning. The director must have been scrambling to get herself out of here as fast as she could. Or maybe she got caught in one of the blasts.

I got aboard behind Kaito, and Miku got in behind me. Everyone else was busy strapping themselves into a seat as the transport took off. Everyone except David, who had Kaito lay Griff on the ground and the helicopter began takeoff as soon as the doors started closing.

David looked at Griff and took his respirator off. He put his ear against Griff's chest.

"He's breathing," David said.

"Of course he's breathing," Miku said. "I was keeping him close to me."

"I understand," David said, grabbing a first-aid kit. "We need to keep him stabilized. A medical team at a local hospital will meet with us. For now, I'm going to give a small shot of adrenaline and keep him stabilized."

David then directed Miku to keep her hand at his wrist. In that moment, Griff's fingers wrapped around hers, and Miku looked down at him. Tears formed in her eyes and she looked back at David.

"He's gonna be okay," David said. "Focus on his pulse, keep him steady."

Miku tried to remain stoic and replied with a simple, "Okay."

I watched as everyone else in the transport helicopter sat back, exhausted from the stress, and looked outside of my window, seeing as the building we left behind burned. There was no doubt in my mind that Duodecim wasn't going to stop here. They would probably hunt us to the ends of the Earth if it meant they could make us pay for this.

I'd make sure to pay them back in kind after what they did to Griff.