The plan was inked on the table, the paper trembling from the wind squeezing through a cracked window. Outside, the city buzzed with distant sirens and the low hum of surveillance drones circling overhead. Inside, tension thickened like smoke.
Kisimoto tapped the map.
"Sector 7 ruins. Underground checkpoint. Entry via tunnel here," he said, circling an old metro symbol. "We'll use Route-13—the service pipe. I remember it from when I first escaped."
Roko squinted. "But that pipe's tighter than a locker. Who's small enough to get in?"
The scientist raised his hand slowly.
"Nope," Roko said instantly. "You're staying right here, genius."
Serena, now pacing like a predator, stopped mid-step. Her expression was eerily calm.
"I'll go."
Kisimoto turned. "You sure?"
She nodded, brushing her hair aside. "I can squeeze in. You two handle overwatch. If I get in… I'll grab his tools, decrypt what I can on-site, and get out before the night shift starts."
Their mother watched silently from the corner, clutching a mug that had long gone cold. "Just come back safe," she whispered. "No more losses."
The group nodded in unison. This wasn't just a mission—it was a crack in the door. A chance at answers.
Kisimoto grabbed his old hoodie—black, stitched in scars, just like him. "Let's move."
Sometime later — Sector 7 perimeter, 10:48 PM
The streets here were hollow, bones of a forgotten era. Concrete jungles devoured by rust and vines, echoing only with the metallic clink of distant patrols.
They crouched behind a wrecked taxi, the wind muffling their whispers.
"Serena, remember," Kisi whispered. "No hero moves. Get in, get the case, signal us."
"Copy that," Serena said, pulling her hair into a tight ponytail. "If I die, delete my browser history."
Roko nearly laughed, but a patrol bot's light swept overhead and he ducked.
Serena vanished into the ruins.
Underground – Maintenance Tunnel
Dripping water. Rat scurries. Tight air.
Serena crawled on all fours through the slime-lined pipe, her breath shallow, knees scraping rust. Ahead, the tunnel glowed faintly red—the checkpoint power core was close.
She reached a rusted grate and pushed. It gave way with a groan, revealing a dim control room now used as a storage bay.
Inside, the case sat on a steel table. Silver. Locked. Surrounded by old lab crates and papers.
She tiptoed in, eyes darting. No one.
She reached the case—her fingers hovered over the biometric lock.
It beeped.
Click.
"...Unauthorized Access Detected."
Her blood froze.
Suddenly—movement.
A whirring sound.
A box near her unfolded.
It wasn't a box.
It was a cloaked surveillance drone—wings expanding, red light glowing from its core.
"Target identified. Apprehension mode: ENGAGED."
Back above – Kisimoto and Roko
Kisimoto's earpiece crackled.
"Guys—company incoming!" Serena's voice strained. "It's a drone. Active. I've got the case but—"
BOOM.
A blast from below shook dust from the walls.
Kisimoto's eyes widened. "Go go go!"
Roko: "We said no hero moves!"
Kisimoto jumped over the barricade and sprinted toward the service entrance.
Inside, the walls were screaming with light—red strobe alarms pulsing from under the metro tunnels. An automated voice repeated:
"Security breach in Vault Sector Zeta. Lockdown in 60 seconds."
Underground chaos
Serena ducked a claw swipe from the drone, kicking it back against the crates. Sparks flew. She rolled, clutching the case.
Another blast—Kisimoto dropped in through the side hatch and slid into the room.
"Fancy meeting you here," he grinned.
Serena: "You're late."
They stood back-to-back.
Drone: "TARGETS CONFIRMED. DEPLOYING SHOCK MODULE."
They leapt.
The drone fired—but Kisimoto moved in a blur, his superspeed slicing the air as he phase dashed across the room and SLAMMED the drone into the wall with a burst of sparks.
Smoke. Silence.
The drone crumpled.
Roko's voice buzzed in their ears. "I'm in position. What's the play?"
Kisimoto looked to Serena, who held the case like it was gold. "We've got the package. Pull us out."
Later — back at home
The scientist tore open the case like a child on Christmas morning.
Inside: a hybrid comm chip, a decrypted signal device, and several hard drives labeled with faded tags:
PROPERTY OF NODE-ZERO
FOR PROJECT: HP.H.S.
ACCESS LEVEL: BLACK X
Kisimoto leaned over. "What's HP.H.S.?"
The scientist's hands shook.
"It was… it is... their next level. After C-Bots. Beyond clones. Beyond flesh. It's about total control. Code in the bloodstream. Neural override."
Serena turned to him. "And what does our Otouchan have to do with that?"
He looked away.
Kisimoto stepped forward, his voice low, eyes glimerring in the dark...
"Tell us. Now."
TO BE CONTINUED...