The glacial blizzard dies down as the dawn of a new day breaks out from under the horizon. A stray breeze from the dying cold wind outside creeps into the cave, crawling across Axel's rested face. Axel shivers as he opens his frosted eyelids, waking from his sleep. He rubs his eyes as he looks ahead to the entrance of the cave, flooded with the blinding light of the rising sun. V stands just outside the cave, shrouded in the divine light.

Axel gets up, walking towards the blinding light joining V as he watches the sunrise.

Axel: "Did you even sleep?"

V: "No, I'm not like you, I can't rest my eyes knowing there are machines in the same room as me. I've learned to never sleep with enemies nearby and only when it's absolutely needed. Growing up in the part of the city that I'm from and surviving out here, in busy machine cities like this one. You learn that you don't have the luxury to sleep, machines don't so why should you. So it's no hard task for me"

Axel: "So you've been to other cities? How long have you been travelling"

V: "It's been about 6 to 7 months now that I've left home. Making my way here and trying to survive"

Axel: "You still haven't told me much about your home... Where is it? What's it called?"

V: "That's because it isn't nothing special kid, I don't know what you think it is or expects to hear but it ain't some fairytale place. Just a community of survivors, possibly the last large civilisation of humans left on the planet. That's the only thing it has going for it, that and there's n..."

V stops himself from saying any more and looks back towards the sunrise.

V: "I think I've told you enough anyway kid. Still need to be sure I can trust you... And those machines you walk around with"

Axel: "Oh Caesar and R3? Trust me you can rely on them. They are fighting back against The Primordial just like us, not all machines are bad. You can trust them..."

V: "I will never trust a Machine..."

Axel: "Well they basically raised me all my life so I guess I am biased but you will see for yourself as time goes on..."

V: "You can never truly trust a machine. I'm sure you will learn that as time goes on as well. Anyway, let's prepare for today. We got a long day ahead of us"

Axel: "Ok..."

V: "But first let me take in this sunrise a little longer... Because you never know when it might be your last..."

Axel: "Yes, it is very beautiful indeed. I always watched the sunrise and sunset back home as well. After growing up below the surface unable to see the sun, it was the most amazing thing I've ever seen... And it still is"

V: "So you lived most of your life underground uh. That's why I wanna change this world... So no human... Especially a child ever is forced to live underground... Buried like some insignificant insect, while machines rule above them, hunting and killing us... It has to end"

Axel briefly turns his gaze away from the sunrise and looks at V's face, engraved with the look of determination, and a growing stern look of anger. He then turns back towards the sunrise and nods his head in agreement.

Axel: "Yeah..."

After the sun finally rises above the horizon, V and Axel head back into the cave greeting the children waking from their sleep, as the melting ice drips from above their heads. Caesar, R3 and Scrappy enter the cave shortly after behind V and Axel.

Caesar: "We were scouting the perimeter, making certain of no prying eyes. There was some activity when I scanned the area, but they appear to have covered their tracks pretty well even within the snow. No physical footprints of any sort other than ours, Scrappy also didn't seem to have picked up any scents either but I suggest we stay cautious"

R3D: "Breeee Oooop Opp... Bree Op"

Caesar: "Agreed R3..."

V: "What did it say?"

Caesar: "He said 'If there is something out there watching us, they're most likely hunters and... They're good"

V: "As in bounty hunters?"

R3D: "Breee Ooop Oooopp"

Caesar: "More like assassins..."

V: "Well if they were here to assassinate anyone, they wouldn't be watching us... They would've attacked by now. But we should all still remain on alert anyway. This is enemy territory after all, not some picnic"

Levi: "Assassins?!"

Roc: "What if it's the bad machines who caged and chased us, just hunting us again..."

Luca: "It couldn't be... We saw Axel destroy them all with that huge explosion"

Raine: "Well not all of them... Only those in that building..."

Axel: "Calm down guys, those machines can't hurt you anymore. You have us now, and I'm sure those rusted pieces of junk can't come for us all the way out here. So don't worry about them"

Rosie: "Axel is right guys if we want to help on this mission. We have to be brave and not let the thought of those machines scare us. Or not we will only be a burden to this rescue"

V: "Speaking of the mission, it's time to discuss the plan. So all the information I have on this place is here..."

V takes out a device from his back pocket and squeezes it in his hand, resulting in a holographic projection of the island appearing before them. The children stare in awe, amazed by the floating image in front of them.

V: "This is the only part of the island's schematics, The rest of New Anderthal has been inaccessible by our drones. But from what we do have here on this map is where all of the humans aren't. So we know where they must be..."

Axel: "The places on the map that aren't in the schematics of the island..."

V: "Correct... Now here is the entrance into the city's mainland. Heavily guarded by machines, you won't see them at first but they are there. They have visual aids surrounding the entire perimeter of this city, all except for this region here, facing the colossal mountains at their backdoor. Now entering through there would require us to climb said mountain from the other side and then climb back down to reach the back entrance but that would definitely be too dangerous, seeing we may either be caught by their aerial surveillance or by causing an avalanche on our way down"

Axel: "So what do we do?"

V: "We have only one option really. My original plan and I admit it could've used some work, but i planned to drop in from above. Being by myself it would've been a lot easier to manage infiltrating from above unnoticed. I just needed to avoid the aerial surveillance, but now that's very unlikely with all of us. So... I think we need a way to slip through the main entrance."

Axel: "Disguises? Well, you said that wouldn't work in Cybergreen... Will it work here?"

V: "Honestly I don't know, I don't have much intel on the machines who reside here. So I don't know how high their intellect is or how advanced their technology is either. But I wouldn't risk it, since they have humans imprisoned here I'm sure they are very familiar with being able to differentiate a human from a machine"

Caesar: "What about us machines? We can get you in through a disguise, not like a machine... But as cargo"

V: "Hmm..."

Axel: "That sounds like a brilliant idea Dad! That's a start to our plan V, don't you think?"

V: "I'm not putting my life in the hands of a machine... Especially in a situation against other machines"

Axel: "Come on V, you gotta believe that they can help. Dad helped me rescue these guys"

Levi: "He did in fact help a lot in saving us... Mr V"

Raine: "Yeah, he destroyed the heck out of those stupid machines"

Aren: "And even carried us so gently"

V: "Alright, The machine can slip you guys in, but I'll find another way... It's a good idea for us to cover as much ground as soon as possible anyway. So multiple entry points is a great strategy..."

Caesar: "That is a very good idea indeed, underground pathways would be a great access into the city as well"

V: "I doubt these machines have sewers, there's no need for those in a machine world, it's not like they get a lot of rain or the snow flash melts here ..."

Caesar: "Sewers? I don't know what that is you speak of but I am referring to digging our way in"

V: "How are we gonna dig through tons of ice? Especially unnoticed?"

Caesar: "Quite easy, I can build a tool to do so with relative ease, seeing as the ice melts at manageable temperatures of heat, unlike dirt and stone. So a superheated drill will get some of the children through the ice below and up into the city"

V: "Sounds good... So this is the plan. Axel and the dog slip in through the main entrance with these machines, the children go underground..."

Caesar: "I believe what you mean is, Axel and Scrap will slip through the main entrance with me, while the children will make their way down below with the tool I made, guided by R3D"

V: "Yeah... that"

Caesar: "And what will you do?"

V: "I will infiltrate from the air shortly after you guys have made your way inside... With both teams inside, I will have a perfect vantage point of where you guys are and land at the position furthest from both teams. Plus after you get inside, I'm sure you can do something about the aerial surveillance system. Maybe blind them with a hack or distract them somehow for me to land undetected"

Caesar: "Hack? Only The Primordial is known to be cable of such. Hacking other machines is impossible for any other machine"

V: "No, no other machine is just not allowed to... Or even know that they can. Because that would prove too troublesome for him. But all machines can hack into whatever they want, you are a walking computer after all. Especially the simple kind like those drones flying over the city"

Caesar: "How do I hack into their system then?"

V: "Just find their main terminal, I am sure you can do a scan to pick up where a massive frequency is being emitted. That is where they send and receive orders from the big guy or how the big guy himself can basically teleport here from anywhere... So it's best we take care of that as soon as possible for obvious reasons. So once you're in, find the emitter and tap into the frequency. Do you have a frequency reader or any sort of analytic tech in you?"

Caesar: "Yes, I do have an analyse scanners but..."

V: "Here, just take this in case you don't. You're gonna plug that into the emitter by the southern region of the stationary computer, you should see a red port. Once plugged in, turn on the frequency reader and then it will display to you all the machines currently tapped into the frequency. Once you have that information, disconnect them from being able to send out or receive any signals to the frequency by re-routing the network, and after you've done that, disable all alarms by changing the alarm's signal receiver's code"

Caesar: "Understood"

V: "Now you want to take care of those drones in the air. Change the frequency to a very high pitch signal using this code, then add this one to their database disguised as the previous frequency's source code. that way when they go to switch from the high pitch auditory rape frequency you put them on, back to their original, they will accidentally download my hack that will blind their visuals for a few minutes then repeat their last recorded footage on a loop, making us invisible to them"

Caesar: "How do I signal you once it is complete"

V: "I will know when you've done your part because the drones in the air will be spazzing out for a few minutes. And that will be my signal to prepare to drop in. But I do plan to have everyone equipped with earpieces so we stay in communication. But it won't work so high up in the air with you guys down below me, so I'll need a visual queue, and the drones in the air spazzing the hell out for a few minutes is just that"

Caesar: "Understood, my only concern is, why are we not blinding the ground enemies as well, what if you are spotted from below? And wouldn't it be easier to traverse the city with all machines on the visual loop?"

V: "Well, if only it was that easy... Like I said, I don't know the tech of the ground enemies, they could have software able to detect the hack or simply be smart enough to realise it's a loop. And if they do figure it out, we're compromised. Causing all of the city to be on high alert... We don't want that when trying to sneak out hundreds of captives"

R3D: "Breee Ooooop"

V: "What did he say?"

Caesar: "This actually is sounding like a good plan so far"

R3D: "Bree.."

Caesar: "But..."

R3D: "Breee Oooop ooop... Breee Ooooop"

Caesar: "He believes he should be the one to perform the hack into the system"

V: "Why?"

R3D: "Breeee Ooooop... Breee Ooop ooooooop Breee Ooooop"

Caesar: "Because my body is so bulky, I'm not the ideal choice for something requiring stealth. The machines may become curious if they spot me in there by the control panels but with his small build he can hack into the system unnoticed"

V: "What about the children, won't you be travelling with them?"

R3D: "Breee Ooop Oop"

Caesar: "The children are small enough to hide themselves as well"

V: "Hmmm, ok. Speaking of the children tho, What is their role in all of this?"

Axel: "Well I thought you were doing the planning?"

V: "Well I was but every plan I bring up your robots just keep scrapping them or making them better somehow so I was gonna let you handle that part of the plan since it was your idea to bring them along anyway. What is it that each of you guys are good at? Do any of you have any skills?"

Rosie: "Uhhh... Running?"

Luca: "Yeah we're pretty good at running"

Aren: "Viktor is pretty good at fixing stuff..."

Viktor: "And technical things..."

Raine: "All of us are pretty much just good at running away since all we ever did. I don't think Leo or Lily will be any use though, Lily doesn't speak anymore and she barely moves and Leo never leaves her side so maybe we should leave them here or something till we get back"

Levi: "Raine!"

Raine: "What? It's the truth, it is best we leave them here"

Leo clenches his fist as he lifts his head up with a look of embarrassment, grinding his teeth after hearing Raine's words. He takes a deep inhale...

Leo: "I want to help too... I can outrun any machine there is on this island. If a distraction is needed, I'm the one you need, no one else can run like I can... Especially Raine"

Raine: "What did you say you little shi..."

V: "Alright, I like the determination on that one's face, he seems confident and no one else seems to deny his claim at being the best. So he's our decoy if we do need it, so he should be in a position that will draw the attention away from any of the main groups"

Leo: "Lily is also very good at..."

V: "Ok kid, I just heard that you never like to leave her side but we don't need more than one runner, you already said you were the best"

Leo: "No not that... She's good at..."

V: "Sorry to say, but the one thing Raine was right about is that she's in no state to come on this mission. She doesn't communicate or show full awareness. But we also can't leave her here alone in the cold. So she will go along with Caesar's group, the dog can carry her"

Leo: "Hmmm... Ok"

V: "Alright, now you can't go in all dressed in these clearly visible winter clothes, so you'll need to ditch them in the underground tunnel you made, right before you enter the city. And change into these stealth suits, I don't have enough for all of you, so I guess the top runners will get the ones I do have. In case you are called upon to get somewhere swiftly and cause either a distraction or reach somewhere unnoticed. So who are the best runners after Leo?"

Rosie: "It would have to be Luca, Raine, and myself"

V: "Is everyone else in agreement with that?"

All the children nod their heads in agreement.

V: "Good, I have 5 extra suits so, these 4 will be for Leo, Luca, Raine and Rosie. And Axel will get the last one"

Axel: "What do I do once I'm inside?"

V: "Our job is to find the 'secret path way' that leads to where ever the humans are being kept and get you those blueprints. The humans are somewhere in the unreachable areas of the island. Once I have landed, we will triangular on this position here in the middle of the city just outside the headquarters building. Once we've located the humans, you head for the upload device which should be in the main hall at the top of the headquarters and I will go prepare to evacuate the humans until you return with the blueprints. Your machine can accompany you in getting the blueprints"

Axel: "If we find nothing leading to where the humans are...Then what?"

V: "From there we resort to hacking into an isolated machine, it's risky but once we all take it down by surprise and give me enough time to figure out how I can hack into it, I should be able to get something hinting at their location. Hopefully, their firewalls aren't too great for me. We'll destroy it, hide the body and try a drone instead if that's the case. Retrieving one out of the sky would be the tricky part... So let's hope we don't have to do that"

Caesar: "Ok, now if we do find the humans what is our escape plan?"

V: "The machines use a massive airship to take cargo in and out of the city. I've seen it a couple of times via the scouting drone that was sent here. As we search through the city, be on the lookout for the airships. Or well any getaway aircraft that can fit hundreds of people. There are also Seacrafts on the northern part of the island, but that would require us to climb over the mountains somehow to reach them. And sea travel isn't the best idea seeing it won't be good if we need to get away fast. Frozen waters, filled with thick ice will be a slow ride"

Caesar: "What's the plan for all of us to get out of the city together once the humans are retrieved?"

V: "You will take watch at the main entrance, destroy the guards there. If you can't manage that, the runners will have to cause a big distraction to get rid of them from the main entrance, then R3D's teams will make their way back into the tunnels after installing this virus to their system which will corrupt all the files and data on their network. Leaving them unable to fix the emitter in time to send out any signals to the big guy... Once that's done, exit the city via your tunnel. All runners will diverge from any pursuits they're in and meet back at the entrance once they've shaken their pursuers"

Axel: "Sounds good..."

V: "Once everyone is out, I will pilot the getaway vehicle, and the rest of you meet up at the cave, hopefully, your ride is back and you all can hop in and follow behind me. And that's the end of that... Sounds like a good plan to me"

Axel: "Yeah sounds possible... Hey, won't you need someone to fly your bike as well? I can..."

V: "No, it has an autopilot feature so I would just have it on stand by in the air and follow once we're leaving"

Axel: "Oh..."

V: "Anyway, the plan is decided. It's time for your practice, let's go"

Axel: "Can't I get something to eat first? I'm starving..."

V: "Nope, you can do that after. The hunger will help you concentrate in hard to concentrate situations"

Axel: "What..."

V: "Let's go"

Axel follows V out of the cave, catching the attention of Caesar as they leave.

Caesar: "Where are you going, Axel?"

Axel: "Gonna practice firing this gun"

Caesar: "I will accompany you"

The three of them leave the front of the cave and head towards a desolate area. Observed by the machines in the distance.

Assassin 19: "Now would be the best time to grab the kids, they have little to no protection. We can await the target and the machine in an ambush and eliminate them with ease"

Assassin 14: "Best to be patient..."

Assassin 19: "But why?! The two strongest protectors have left the cave, leaving the children defenceless. That's 10 out of 11 of the humans we are supposed to retrieve right there just waiting for us to grab them"

Assassin 23: "You are forgetting the armoured animal they have accompanying them, the beast is still within that cave. And this is my mission! So the orders and ideas come from me, I did not ask for your assistance in decisions. Understood 19?"

Assassin 03: "It's best you report this first anyway, we have some good information now. All things may change after they've learned what we just discovered"

Assassin 23: "Exactly right 03... 19's eager scrap brain would cost of an even bigger objective"

***

The Ace: "Yes 23... What is it now?"

Assassin 23: "We have just discovered something greater about our target's goal in this city..."

The Ace: "What is it?"

Assassin 23: "They believe there are hundreds of humans here held captive... And they are planning to break them all out. I just recorded their entire plan to do so. How shall we proceed from here, there is a clear opportunity to take 10 of the children with us this very instant and await the 11th and our target's return"

The Ace: "Hundred of humans... And can you confirm that to be true? New Anderthal is a major city, one not even run by an underworld leader... There's no way The Primordial wouldn't be aware of such a thing"

Assassin 23: "Our target said he had been scouting the city for a while. And has information proving it to be true. He said he was being taken here a long time ago but was rescued... And has become a liberator just like the ones who saved him that day"

The Ace: "He definitely must be the one who raided our base then... Possibly even the human child we lost to liberators all those years ago... We did never know where the buyers were planning to take the human... But New Anderthal... Interesting. I must relay this information to The King first, adding him into this call now..."

The King: "Yes Ace, what is it that you called for my attention so urgently over a stupid call"

The Ace: "We have just discovered something even more important to this mission King... That target might be the one who raided our base after all, also I believe he is the human child we lost all those years ago. And he is planning to liberate hundreds of humans from the city of New Anderthal."

The King: "Hundreds... In New Anderthal? That's preposterous!"

The Ace: "Assassin 23 have even recorded their plan and valid information that the target truly believes it to be true. If he is the one who raided us, we can not underestimate his intentions"

The King: "You are right..."

Assassin 23: "They have a solid plan to save these humans from the city, I believe they may pull it off, as the machines here will not be expecting it all. We are also faced with the dilemma of 10 of the children within our grasp as we speak. Should we wait out this plan of theirs and potentially have hundreds of humans to return to you, my King?"

The King: "Who is this fool who dares to speak to me without my permission Ace?!"

The Ace: "Apologies King, that is Assassin 23. I believe he was just eager to get the information out to you"

The King: "Refrain from speaking unless asked to bot... Your current orders are to wait out this plan of theirs... If it succeeds, we have hundreds of humans in our hands if they are correct in their theory. If it fails, we stand to lose nothing really, the target dies by The Primordial's hands and we can check for ourselves if they really are humans there in that city..."

The Ace: "And if they succeed, how do we proceed?"

The King: "We take those humans from them the moment they get away, and leave The Primordial's wrath to be aimed towards those 11 humans. However, kill that boy, he must not survive after what he did to us, tarnishing our reputation not once but twice now"

The Ace: "Ok, Assassin 23 I will have two emptied cargo trucks sent to your location and await your signal to retrieve the humans. They will bring the humans straight to us. Make sure the boy called V does not leave that city alive, and leave the 11 humans and company to take the blame after you've covered your tracks.

Assassin 23: "Understood..."

***

Assassin 23 turns around to the other assassins, watching as the remaining deadly machines join them.

Assassin 23: "Good all of you are here now... Our mission is simple really. Our target is that boy called V. He must not leave the city alive, and our goal is to return with the hundreds of humans they are about to liberate if they are successful. Stick to the shadows for now, and await my orders"

Back in the desolate snowy land. Axel takes aim at a target drawn on a boulder of ice, surrounded by melted snow and burnt holes in the ground.

"VOOOooo-TUU!"

V: "Good, you finally hit it this time... Only took us about an hour"

V: "Wait a minute"

Caesar: "May I see the weapon, Axel?"

Axel: "Here you go"

Axel hands the gun over to Caesar...

"VOOOooooo-TUU! TUU! TUU! TUU! TUU! TUU! TUU! TUU!" Caesar shatters the entire boulder to oblivion with direct hits. leaving nothing but sprinkles of ice resting in a pool of water on the ground.

V: "No one questions if a machine can fire a weapon straight or not. We know you can, alright now put the gun down"

Caesar: "I was testing the firing rate of the weapon, you said there was no recoil, which has remained true. but the blast from the weapon briefly blinds one's vision once it has fired the first shot due to its high-intensity charge. Leading to the result of Axel's low accuracy until this point, if I just lower the charge status of the gun, the bright light from each blast should be less intense, causing less strain on his vision. Try firing it now Axel..."

Axel: "Uhhh, ok. But what should I fire at?"

V: "Yeah Mech? What should he fire at? Let's go look for another target around here"

Caesar: "Fire at the icicles above us on the peak over there... Only breaking them at the base, 4 should be enough to prove increased accuracy"

V: "Ha... What sort of request is that for a beginner mech? The kid's now learning, can't expect him to hit those icicles all the way up there from here. But of course, a machine would teach in unrealistic methods..."

"VOOO-TUU! TUU! TUU! TUU!" 4 shards of icicles fall to the ground, shattering as they crash into the ice below. "CRASSHH! CRAASSHH!"

Axel: "Wow... I did it..."

V: "Well, I guess that's enough practice... Good job kid, and I guess you know what you're talking about mech"

Caesar: "It's Caesar..."

They make their way towards the cave, Axel stops for a moment and looks back behind him looking into the distance. Seeing the shadowy figure of the city just ahead. A large grin grows on his face at the thought of the danger ahead, boiling inside with excitement.

Axel: "Even though it's so dangerous and risky... I can't help but be excited... An entire civilisation, just like me... We have to save them, and we will..."