Isaiah, what the hell have you done?

No… what the hell have I done?

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●　● Akkadia One, Eden Space Territories

The programmed weather change took away the simulated sun that had been beaming down on Amelie in her basking room, making it less apparent how much she had been crying, puffy around her eyes along with the faint trails of mascara. She fidgeted around with the knife contraption in her hand as if she had never let it go the moment Danielle handed it to her, hands and fingers tired but unable to put it down. Only two people knew of her work back on Earth before, and those same two were the only ones who knew where she hid her work instruments. The knife she continued gazing at emptily was one that had seen the blood of countless targets, but this time the uncleaned blood was of her own daughter.

How could I have been so careless?

The seed of doubt that Isaiah was involved with the Underground had long been planted, but it took such a sickening revelation for it to blossom into full realization.

I have to do something to stop this before it goes any further… for everyone’s sake.

Her right hand gripped the handle tightly as she felt a sense of duty flush out the remorse and regret.

Sam didn’t tell me or anyone for a reason. For what, I may never know, but it was likely for the best. I have to help fix this before it costs us all dearly…

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●　● Manila, The Philippines

“I love this place I found! Never get tired of it!” a young man’s voice shouted over the boisterous sounds of talking and other exchanges occurring throughout the bustling command annex at Hexa’s Manila CCC. He meandered his way toward a large table with his eyes cast on the empty seat that he left cleared as space to place his many paper bags he carried in both hands. Both sets of bags were pleasantly warm, giving off the aroma of fried fish and other lunch items.

“Look, it’s lunch time,” a young woman spoke over a yawn and a stretch, leaning back in her chair as she looked over to the approaching man with the bags of food. She then looked back to her colleague sitting beside her. “And besides, the guys up top can’t fault us even if we are late with this; the new kids aren’t even pilot-ready for a few days.”

“I hear you… And that smell,” he replied with a chuckle and a turn towards the man who now took his seat, laying out each bag carefully. “Fried bangus?”

“And chicken balls, too” the man replied with a smile as he continued opening the bags to the delight of each of the dozen around him. “And other things, here, look.” He began to open another bag, accidentally bumping the display switch with his elbow near the edge of the table’s workspace. “Ah, crap,” he mumbled in response, reaching over to turn it back off but noticed the title of the file being worked on: “Project E Transferal, Phase1”. He paused for a second in thought before switching it back off, resuming the passing out of their lunch. “What’s up with that project? Already movement on that this soon?”

“While you were hitting up the food court, this little message came by,” the woman replied as she grabbed a wrapped food basket. “They found her; didn’t you hear?”

“Huh?” He was only half listening as his stomach growled, unwrapping his basket. “Found who?”

“The pilot for the project- well, at least the most crucial one. We have to prepare for its transfer here once they get her to sign on.”

As he started munching on one of the skewered spicy fish balls, he took a moment between conversations to recollect what all had been said leading up to the supposed execution of the project. “Hey, that reminds me, you know those new transfer pilots we got coming here soon?”

“You’re talking about Knight’s crew?”

“Yeah, but they’re still missing that one guy. This transfer is definitely ahead of schedule, which makes no sense. Why send it without the star pilot even confirmed, much less before the second phase team is even together?”

“Does it matter? We have a job to do regardless, and we really only need to care about that one lady getting here on time,” she replied after gulping down a drink of her water.

Outside the window just behind them showed the distant, densely skyscraper-lined skyline of the capital city. It had rained not long ago, but the clouds lined above didn’t succeed in hiding the rising smoke columns coming from one small corner of their view.

“And I see the P4C (Post-Confederacy Charter Change Coalition) gang is at it again, so they’d better hurry it up. All the manpower they keep funneling in has become a serious pain-in-the-ass of a trend.”

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●　● Bahia Blanca, Argentina, SAU

[I just dropped them off… No… right, we will catch up with you next time they are in town. Sorry, gotta go.]

An old BNV model coupe sped up its cruise past the Comandante Espora Airport, humming along as the old 2080’s engine banged out hydrogen fuel in a manner that came well before the quieter operation of the current era hydrogen fuel cell. It was mated to a manual transmission, which was made it an extreme rarity, only bought and maintained by purists and enthusiasts with money to pull it off. The top was retracted, revealing the lone driver to be a blonde-haired woman in her early thirties. She wore enough makeup to somewhat hide the bags under her eyes, but it didn’t quite match up with the hairstyle she didn’t put as much effort into, cut rather short and without flair.

She looked back at her console, showing the disconnected phone call with “Abuela”. She swiped the screen over to her media management and allowed auto-play to take over, blasting out music that came from a recent trend of music from the early 2000’s. She then closed the roof back and rolled her windows up to cut out the turbulence.

Why do I keep putting up with this stupid ass way of living?

The music choice seemed to have blended perfectly with the complicated expression emanating from her gaze out into the open road ahead.

Why do I feel like I still miss him? How far do I have to go to get away from it all?

She shook the feeling as she entered the large traffic circle that took her westward, headed for Bosque Alto. She then looked back at her left hand, glancing at her wedding band on her ring finger.

The farther away I get, the more I can’t stop thinking about him, even after NJ visits for the holidays.

Her ensuing sigh was a heavy one as she gripped the wheel firmly.

I need a drink.

*BAM*

The fuck!?

She whipped the wheel back in the opposite direction from which her car was sent reeling after something had stricken her back driver-side wheel, tires screeching and smoking as it finally stabilized its path forward. Eyes darted to the rearview mirror to see a recent model SUV roar up once more as if it were targeting her.

Heart pounding and adrenaline flowing like it had been a decade passed since it last felt that way, she slammed the shifter to a lower gear and floored the pedal. The direct-injection hydrogen delivery ports opened up wide as the exhaust roared, bringing the car’s acceleration up enough to greatly soften the hit from behind.

No way this is another hit! Why didn’t they just try to shoot me like the others?! Her mind raced as her eyes now hurriedly hunted for a way out. She knew she had to get back into the city for any hopes to lose her attacker. Her car could out-accelerate the SUV but wasn’t looking to be enough to do the job. She timed her sudden yanking of the wheel to the left, nearly careening off the edge of the road as she pointed her car for the nearest neighborhood. After well-timed downshifts, engine braking, and the narrow dodging of oncoming traffic, she pointed her car for the next set of tight intersection turns as she noted the SUV was already at a large gap.

What a fucking amateur!

Her heartrate started to level out, keeping pace as she dodged slower traffic, hoping only to avoid police on duty as she now took the time to put the retracted roof back over her head just in case. Windows now up, the quickly passing houses grew into taller, five to ten-story apartment buildings. Her pace was forced down to a slower one as traffic quickly built up, but after one final hard right, it was nothing but upset motorists behind her with no sight of that all-black SUV that tailed her. She kept darting back and forth between the traffic and roads in front and the rearview mirror, but nothing changed.

Phew.

POP-POP-TUNK!

Rang out the splitting and cracking aluminum body paneling that came from small caliber gunfire, seemingly originating from her right. Heart back to racing once more, she had no choice but to duck out in front of oncoming traffic as she hit into second gear, accelerating hard out of the intersection from where her car was struck.

They clearly weren’t aiming for my wide-open head. What gives?!

She continued aiming deeper into the bigger part of the city, feeling this was the best option. They aren’t from here, or I was already dead. I bet they don’t know this town as well as I do.

The thought was fleeting. Just as she took off down a much narrower backstreet, she eyed down that black SUV headed right for her. Eyes widening in surprise, amazement, and panic all at once, she realized she wasn’t followed by one but two or more cars who knew the area more than she could’ve guessed.

The chaotic chase ensued over the course of almost a dozen city blocks until she realized she had to call for help. [Audio off!] she shouted as she remembered the music was still playing, then continued [Call Tio!] The phone rang a few times as her engine continued roaring on and off of the switching gears and braking in between, finally hearing a man answer:

[Yes?]

[They’re at it again!]

[Where are you?!] the man’s voice spoke back with sudden guard. [What do they look like?!]

[Necochea towards Brown Freeway! A black SUV and one more, no telling but that one is still following me!] she answered back as she tried to keep focus. Every turn she took, the SUV stayed within a car or two’s length behind. Each time she had a chance to look for the driver, it was too obscured to tell any real features worth describing. [All I know is that he’s by himself! I can’t tell anything else!]

Speed was the only thing I had on my side after all, I need to get on that freeway network!

Road signs flashed by showing the approaching onramp for the freeway network that connected the larger parts of town by much freer flowing traffic outlets, looking to be her last shot at losing the car if not with the help of the man on the phone.

[Alright, Emilia, I sent someone to help! Head for Pampa Central!]

[Got it!]

She allowed the call to disconnect, fully focused on the dodging of traffic as she slid onto the onramp. It would only take getting to the top to give her the best chances at outrunning her pursuer.

*BAM!!!*

She felt her car this time spun too hard to recover, tired screeching turned into grass and turf shredding as her car slid down the slope off of the onramp and into the guardrail of the street below, followed by another eardrum splitting collision that spun her the other way. Her car came to a stop as her engine stalled from not being pulled out of gear, forcing her to take a second to gather herself. She had no time to shake off the dizziness that ensued, simply aiming to restart her engine and get it back into motion. Another SUV, a red one this time, pinned her into the guard rail with another jarring crunch. The collision was from in front this time as she saw a drawn pistol by the female driver.

Of all the times I closed the fucking roof! She thought to herself in regret, knowing she had no way of getting out quickly after being unable to force her door open.

She looked to the other door but with no time to think or react as the black SUV now fully locked her in. The door flung open as the man who also had his pistol drawn quickly but cautiously approached her from the opposite side.

Come the fuck on! Is this where my run ends? Already!?

The phone app was ringing once more as she instinctively pressed the call accept button on her steering wheel, not making a sound, eyeing the approaching man and woman.

[Emilia?!] the man from earlier spoke up in continued concern.

[Hey! Get out the car!] she heard the approaching man shout as he took a better shooting angle.

She then turned to see the woman now had her pistol aimed at her from just a few feet away. [She can’t get out, idiot!] she barked back with a shake of her head. [Hey! Roll your window down and put your hands up where we can see them!]

She was unable to make out the face from the cracks in her window, but nevertheless had no choice but to comply. She rolled the window down and then promptly showed both her hands up and behind her head, sighing in defeat.

[Emilia!? Emilia!] the voice over the speakers continued.

[Emilia?!] The approaching man was now at the other window looking straight in as he laughed. [Dani, you heard that? Emilia?!]

[Shut the fuck up, Renzo,] Dani chided back as she looked their target in the eyes. [But it is a good question, Kaylen Rodgers, who is Emilia?]

[Who sent you?]

[Good Argentine accent you got there,] Renzo joked. [I think Mr. Vrey will be amused to hear that,] he continued as the sounds of impending police sirens and the sounds of approaching passersby grew louder.

The mention of that name caused her to stop her attempt to figure out how to gain access to the pistol stored under her seat.

Vrey? Vincent Vrey!? No way… “Shit!”

Her right thumb depressed the call disconnect button, putting the other side abruptly in the dark on the situation.

[Alright, hands out,] Dani ordered with her mag-cuffs after holstering her sidearm, noting Renzo had her covered.

Kaylen begrudgingly obeyed, having no other choice, but felt most of it was due to the defeating shock that came with hearing that name.

[I got the whole rap on you beforehand, surprised you aren’t putting up more of a fight!] she continued with an exhausted chuckle, locking the electromagnetic links to the sturdy pick-proof handcuffs seen in use by most police outfits across the globe. Once detained, most in the know were aware of the taser-like function they had as well, linked to the controls multiple officers would have at ready. [Alright, now, out the other way you go,] she commanded with a motion toward the opposite door that Renzo opened for her before he backed up with his hands up, sidearm in one, badge in the other.

[Infinity Bogota Officer on duty! Working under permission from Kirchner himself!] Renzo barked to the nearest police outfit that pulled up. [Sorry for the mess!]

Dani had gotten to the other end to pull Kaylen out, leaving her brother to tend to the red tape as she walked her toward the red SUV from which she arrived, seeing it had taken less damage than the other. She noted the sullen expression her captive wore, thinking once more how much in contrast it came to her expectations. [It’s going to be a long ride to Punta Lara Spaceport.]

“How did you find me?” she spoke up in her native tongue, unable to look at her captor as her sight was carried over to her wrecked car.

[Woah, don’t start all that- I never said I spoke English!] she joked back as she opened the back door for her, motioning her to climb in.

Kaylen deflected the attempted humor with a returned gaze, speaking with noted doubt: [But you are an Infinity agent. I heard your partner-]

[-My idiot brother-]

[-Whatever!] she snapped back.

[Who does this bitch think she is?!] Dani thought as she opened her mouth to retort, but was cut off once more even from that.

[-You don’t know shit about me or who I have been running from! And to think of all men it would be Vincent Vrey that catches me!? You don’t even know why he would want me, much less HOW he even knew how to get to me, do you?! How much is he paying you!?]

[Hey!] Renzo interjected frustratingly from behind the two as he walked up. [What the hell is the hold up?! Girl, get in the damn truck!] he fussed as he put a hand on her shoulder and tried to be as easy as he could without literally shoving her into the back seat. [We are good to go, Dani, escort squad and all. Shall we?]

Dani closed the door with an emphatic slam, shaking her head with a sigh. [Already tired of that bitch. Like I was just saying, it’s going to be a long ride to Punta Lara. Are we getting paid enough?]

▽　▽　▽

Kaylen had her head against the window, looking through the reflection in the sideview mirror of the quickly distancing city she had thought became her home no matter how unwillingly it may have been. The cold September wind chilled the pane, numbing the hot, swollen bruises on her cheek and forehead but did nothing to numb the mix of emotions storming throughout her mind.

[What’s up with her?] Renzo mumbled to Dani as he checked up on her as he did from time to time using the rearview mirror. [She’s way too quiet compared to who we are accustomed to bringing in back home. Is it an NAU girl thing?]

[How do you know she’s really from the NAU? Maybe she’s like Cruella?]

[She’s from Florida, read the damned file.]

Dani squinted with hands up in frustration at the direction of the argument. [What’s that got to do with her being quiet? Look, why don’t you just ask her yourself?]

[Hey,] he quickly and awkwardly spoke up with a lifting of his chin, making it clear he was talking to Kaylen. [We saw you have hundreds of hits on your name. All coming from anywhere from the NAU clear to Australia. I see you being all brooding and what not back there. We don’t give a shit… about you being behind that Apollyon Massacre last war. I heard you argue with my sister. We tried to be nice as we were allowed to be but-]

[-You call nice slamming into the back of someone on the street?!] Kaylen snapped back with disgust. [You call nice shooting at someone?! You call nice ignoring the one question I had for you?! And now you act superior because you got paid and provided by the richest, most corrupt man in the universe!?]

[Girl, shut ・ up!] Dani seethed as she slammed her fist into the dashboard.

Kaylen wanted to do much more than that with her hands, but they were magnetically locked to the seat frame below her.

[Look,] Renzo spoke back up, trying to regain his calm. [If it will make this trip easier, fine. Yes, we were rough with you and yes, we got paid well to do it because it’s our damned job. We got out of the fucking hospital not too long back and we don’t know what earful we will get for bashing cars during rehab. But according to the big man and according to the knowledge he gave us on what you will provide for us, we did what we do best. NOW,] he emphatically added as he tried to look her in the eye through the rearview. [If it will make you feel better, what was this question you wanted answered so badly?]

Of course, he only thinks business, she thought as she pondered what scheme he must be up to.

[Well?]

Might as well talk, this is better than the countless assassination attempts I have outrun. [How did you find me?]