"What do you mean 'Oren isn't our top priority'?" I say into my communication crystal.

We've arrived at the designated point in the forest between the mining facility Hunter has occupied and the Wave Medicine hospital. I hope that the communication crystal signal Hiromu says he's picking up from the mining facility is indeed the crystal we slipped to Togo and not some fake.

Jaka. Jaka.

Hiromu is loading his guns, then checking his music player and headphones.

"According to our sources, Oren isn't where Togo is. And neither is Hunter. Oren seems to be in a safe location, so focus on Togo and Hunter first."

Ffffuuuuuuu.....

Claire is breathing slowly and heavily with her facemask off. With every breath, spores disperse from her mouth.

"You sure?" I ask. "What if Oren's situation changes?"

"Have some faith in my decisions. Besides, even if Oren is rescued, Hunter will still be a problem for us, and Togo seems like our best bet to learn of Hunter's goals and weaknesses."

GA!

Ripperu, Yamiso, and Tamashi perform fist-in-hand gestures, each with rhime radiating from their fists.

"Nobody messes with my friend's brother and gets away with it!" Ripperu says.

"Here! Here!" Tamashi proclaims. "Besides, I can't let the daughter of my long-time idol down now, can I?"

For once, he seems pumped.

I look at Hiromu.

"What're we up against?" I ask.

"One moment." Hiromu says in a supringly calm tone. "Electric Drive: ."

Electric rhime disperses from Hiromu's body in all directions. For a brief moment, my hair stands on end.

"Hope that doesn't draw too much attention." I mutter.

"It doesn't matter." Yamiso says angrily. "Let them come."

Hiromu stops radiating rhime.

"The mining facility is up to date with security cameras, laser fencing, turrets built into walls; it's more like a high class prison than anything else. And I could only sense these on the first few floors. The rest is beyond my subtone from here. We can't just barrel right through, that's for sure."

"Very well then. Safe to assume that Togo will be under high security. Rip! Hiro! We'll follow Hiromu's senses to find the security room and disengage all the systems. Yamiso, Claire, Tamashi! You'll take the offensive and rescue Togo."

"Oh, hell yes!" Yamiso exclaims.

"Anything else?" I ask Hisao.

"Check for any information about the poison antidote."

Yamiso goes silent.

"You mean it's a fake?" he asks.

"We're analyzing it now. We don't want to inject Mydrea with something from someone as sketchy as Hunter without confirming what it is. And if there are others poisoned that need curing, we'll need to research how to duplicate the cure."

"How far have you gotten?" Yamiso continues.

"It will take some time. We aren't Pri-Poda. Our equipment and knowledge of medicine don't complement the Keisetsu's purpose."

"If you needed someone to analyze the antidote, why send me here?" Claire asks.

"As a capable fighter and the only medic in the Keisetsu, you're needed where the fights are." Hisao replies. "Anything else?"

The rest of us remain silent.

"Then show them that we're not as weak as Jonathan believes. Prove to them that we're still the strongest in all of Orageru! Give them hell!"

GA!!!!!

I toss the crystal into the air. We all go into a fist-in-hand pose. I quickly catch the crystal.

"Move out!" Hisao says.