FullMetal*Panic!

Hey guys, it's the author again. Just wanted to tell you guys that Cassiopeia 4B I is still being written and luckily this one just got done. I've been having trouble posting this chapter down- it got me frustrated really badly. You will meet Ryo's brother in this chapter briefly towards the end but don't worry, he'll be in the next chapter. And also, all your suspicions may be confirm when reading this one. That's all I have to say. The ending will be entered into another post. There's not enough room here. Thanks and Enjoy!


Tokyo Station
February 20, 2003
0740 Hours

Sometimes, God is not here to tell us who is right and who is wrong. We are given the gift to judge for ourselves and even if our judgment is against other’s belief of justice, we must act of what is right to us… It is only He who can judge us. Remember that Ryo. Act on what you think is best for humanity.

…Brother, who are we to decide who must live and who must die? Why must Cassiopeia suffer like that when it is only God that can punish her and not Poseidon!? Brother, wait… Please wait. Where are you going? Brother, don’t leave me! Brother!

“Ryo wake up!” Haleigh yells.

I don’t want to wake up now. Not when I just started to get some good sleep in the first time in five weeks.

“RYO! You have to wake up or else we’ll be late for class!!” Haleigh yells to the top of her lungs.

Gosh, even her yells are admiring to hear.

“Fine, if you’re going to be this way” she said “I’ll count to three and if you still aren’t up, I’m going to bite you.”

I didn’t say anything and I pretended to be sound asleep.

“ONE!” Haleigh yells while she takes a step forward.

“TWO!” She leans to my arm with her breath coming in huffs.

“THREE! Ready or not, here I come!”

I really don’t know whether to hate or love her the next second because she suddenly bites my arm so hard, I screamed.

“Oh my god, oh my god, stop Haleigh! You win, you win. Please please please… just stop biting me” I said while choking with her hard bite.

Thankfully, Haleigh stops her bite and smiles sheepishly at me.

“That did the trick” she said while blushing “I found your school uniform beside you. Take your time but hurry up sweetie.”

“Thank you babe” I said while getting up my seat.

My arm was okay but a red mark where she bit me started to emerge. Our eyes lock on sight and we both smile. She knew what she wanted the most and I let her come on to me.

I forgot to give her a kiss- like I promise to her that she would get when I come home. But she was not able to wait up long so this is why Haleigh is this way.

“You forgot to give me a kiss mister Iwamura” she said.

“Yes I know babe, I’m sorry. But you were asleep so I just kissed you on the cheek” I said while I took her in my arms.

Haleigh looks up with her happy eyes and she puts her arms around my back. She couldn’t help but jump up and kiss me before I could kiss her first.

“And this is for coming back to me Ryo!” she says with that yell of hers.

With that, we both left the train together hand in hand. Heading towards the restroom, I tell her to wait for me outside while I use the toilet. She agrees and I head in, not to use the toilet but to put my weapons on me.

Taking out the Beretta M92F, Glock 24 and my baton out, I check the ammo on them on put them in the right spot. The Beretta went to my left rib cage and the Glock onto my leg with a strap holster. My baton however went behind my back.

“You know there’s nothing to worry about right?” my mind asks while I head out.

“No but for once in a guy’s life, they should at least worry how everything’s going to turn out” I quietly say to my mind.

“About her being an enemy… It is strange she can be a student and an agent at the same time. Not that it’s a coincidence but I’m just saying that maybe she became this way for a reason.”

“Meaning” I cock an eyebrow up.

“Maybe she’s an agent because something or someone tragically died or disappeared in her life” my mind replies.

“You’re kidding me; she became an agent when she was a kid. There’s no record that something bad happen or someone died or disappeared just like- wait…”

Staring at the mirror, I suddenly snap to. Now that I think about it, things make sense.

“White Flower’s intelligence folder said how her biological father disappeared… there’s been no word about him since.”

I look away and brought out my observation notes for my report on her while I write a note to my superior that White Flower’s folder be open and researched by Branch 2 of the Intelligence Gathering Division. Doing this will determine what information left out that Haleigh is hiding from me.

How long can I protect her knowing that she’s going to kill me someday?

Every time that I look at her, I just want to be with her. I seem to lose track of the days we know each other but I cannot help but feel myself changing around her day by day. When she receives her orders to kill me… I know there’s nothing I can do to escape that faith of mine. But I hope Haleigh will realize that killing the person she loves will kill her too.

I exit the restroom and I see her beside the wall, sleeping.

“Haleigh” I whisper.

She doesn’t respond and I say her name again. Haleigh is sound asleep and I give a weary glance. Putting my hand on her cheek, I hesitate waking her up and telling her everything.
I want to tell her who I really am. But what will she say to me?

What make a man are his words and his actions. To not do what I have to do is suicide.

“Were you calling me Ryo?” Haleigh asks while her eyes open.

I stare at her with a blank look and I step away from her.

“I just wanted to tell you I’m done going to the restroom” I said.

Haleigh stares at me like she knew I was hiding something while I stare at her face as though she was not there at all. Shifting my gaze to the escalator, I close my eyes leaving a sigh out of my mouth.

Should I tell her who I really am? Deep down inside, my heart asks if that will be the right thing to do.

“Is everything alright sweetie?” Haleigh ask with a smile as she stood next to me.

But telling her won’t change anything, only my feelings for her will…

“No… nothing’s okay” I said coldly.

The crowd disperses from the escalator and I step on while I not look back at her. Her footsteps quickened as she tried to keep up with my fast pace. I wanted to look back and let her see the pain that I’ve been holding but I know- I know there’s nothing my feelings can do to change a damn thing of a girl who is slowly killing me.

“Why is nothing okay Ryo?” Haleigh ask she tries to be by my side.

“Because it just is okay!?” I said angrily while heading towards the exit of the subway.

Haleigh’s steps were going slower than usual but her voice went from sweet to curiosity.

“Are you mad because I didn’t stretch my legs without telling you?” she curiously asks.

“No!” I shout.

“Are you mad because we’re late for class?” she asks.

“We’re already late so I don’t care” I said.

“But why are so angry today?” she ask another query.

“You already know the answer to that Haleigh.”

We exit the tunnel and head towards the park-which is a shortcut to the school while people walk about pursuing their interests. The sky was blue, the clouds fun as ever, but spring didn’t work my mood as those blossoms fell like blood from a body. I am angry and it’s hard to calm down.

“Ryo you have to tell me” Haleigh said pleadingly “Tell me please. What’s wrong?”

I stare at her and my eyes wandered off into the horizon. This is a pathetic Haleigh; I know you can do better than that. Stop looking at me with those empathetic eyes of yours- it won’t do.

I reply sadly “You tell me Haleigh Toyotomi. Please tell me” I whisper the next words close in her ear “Why you protect me White Flower.”

Haleigh’s eyes went wide with fear and her hands were shaking uncontrollably. I took her hand to a nearby cherry blossom tree. She remains speechless which was good. But a man has to do what a man has to do. I will not be the one penetrated.

“How do you know that?” Haleigh ask in a whisper.

Pushing her against the tree with enough force I angrily said “Shut the hell up- I’m the one asking questions here not you.”

She shuts up right after but her tears started going down. Taking out my handkerchief for her to brush her tears away in a rough manner, I look away to ensure the place was secure. But I know I’m being followed by someone. And that someone is not a friendly.

My Beretta pistol came out unexpectedly and I cock the hammer. Haleigh froze and she stayed quiet.

“I am…” My voice becomes raspy “…Not the person you think I am.”


Haleigh’s point of view
The Park

Ryo pushes me to the tree with anger that flashes out of his eyes like lightning. I can’t help but cry knowing I can’t do anything to hide from the fact that he knows everything.

He knows who I really am.

His voice became raspy as I hear him say “I am… Not the person you think I am.”

I look in fear and my eyes twitch to what may happen next to me. He cocks a gun to my face as my mouth becomes dry and I cannot utter a word for what he is about to say next.

“My name is Ryo James Iwamura. I am the Intelligence Captain of Shadow squadron 3- its part of CIA’s infiltration and operations department. I am also Commander of all Shadow squadrons and Commander of the Infiltration Division. You are to stand to and cease operation Polaris. It is my duty to subject you to surveillance under my view. Any activities that you might do that threaten any form of life will automatically put you under fire by my organization and me. In other words, you will be killed by me personally and your body cremated without your family being called upon” he says in a commanding voice.

My eyes became misty eyed with those last words he just said. I nod my head to show him I understand.

He continues with more information with more pauses “Squadron 3 intelligence gathering is primarily Shadow’s purpose and existence. I am telling you this because you play a part in this.”

“What do you mean?” I ask innocently.

“Three months ago, a surveillance team from branch 2 of INFOPEDEP was based in Japan. They took a photo of you and your briefing officer at a hotel- by pure coincidence since that team was there under a counter surveillance training on that day. Approximately one month after that surveillance op, I receive a report saying that a penetration agent that works at our organization was killed working at your organization. Our man got killed by your organization.”

“I don’t understand what you are saying to me” I honestly say in retort “In fact, I did not receive any information that a penetration agent got killed. But now that you say that, any agent that tries to know our organization will be terminated regardless of who they are.”

Ryo and I stare at each other with such fiery that I was becoming sick of it. He however, could only make his lips create a smirk.

“Really?” Ryo laughs coldly “If a penetration agent like me gets caught trying to know about your group, I get killed eh?”

“Unfortunately yes, you will get killed” I said without thinking.

“But that doesn’t bother you one bit because you didn’t love me all this time” he replies.

WTF!?

“And what does that mean!?” I shout at him.

Again with that smirk, he says “You penetrated me to the core White Flower. With that, let me tell you something.”

I blink my eyes once and I felt my whole back hit the tree trunk by the force of a foot hitting my stomach.

“As I last saw the girl who once made a difference in my life leave me” Ryo whispers harshly “She could only order me to protect the girl she knows will care for me more than she did. If I must die for that girl to live… so be it.”

I open my eyes to see Ryo’s right hand hitting a person wearing ninja swat gear so fast that the person was able to moan this one word: “DAMN.”

“I’D RATHER DIE FOR YOU THAN RUN AWAY FROM MY DAMN FEELINGS FOR YOU HALEIGH!” Ryo yelled while fighting the man.

The man wearing the swat gear managed to strike Ryo in the stomach with a down cut with his arm. Ryo’s gun sailed out of his hand and flew somewhere out of the man’s range. The man looks up to me and took out his 14" baton to kill Ryo right in front of me.

“You stay right there Haleigh!” the man angrily said while grabbing Ryo’s neck.

“GET OUT OF HERE HALEIGH!” Ryo shouts at me when he struggled against the man.

I couldn’t do anything but stay against the tree trunk helpless. I can’t move nor can I utter a word at the person I love. Ryo received slash after slash to his body by the man in black that I thought he was going to die.

“Ryo…” I whisper.

The man just kept punching away and I couldn’t do anything. Ryo tried to jab his enemy’s stomach but could only parry the blows against him. Ryo looked up at me as the man kept slashing him in the stomach area and he had blood coming down his stomach.

“Stop it” Someone said “Please stop it.”

The voice sound familiar and again I heard it.

“STOP IT!”

“Shut up girl, I’m doing you a favor” the man said “I’m killing him in your stead because headquarters wants him to suffer for trying to found out who we are.”

Then I realize it was me who was saying those words.

“RYO!!”

I got hit in the head by the man’s hand, making me stagger back to the tree. Ryo was drop to the grass and did not open his eyes. There seem to be no breathing coming from him.

“SHUT UP!” the man said “I didn’t tell you who I am but my name is Sergeant Hiro Okano of Intelligence Department. Because of what this boy did to my comrades, I was the one that killed that girl name Angel. We Mithril men are so good at killing such dogs from the CIA.”

Angel? Who is that girl? Could Ryo have known the girl this man has killed?

“I don’t care!” I loudly say as I stare at Ryo’s body. His body was just lying there, not moving. His stomach was not going up and down as it should either.

“Orders from Command to you are that your mission as penetration agent is now over. You are to report to them ASAP as me as your guard. Our department has been penetrated by these guys and we need you to check the penetrations. We have enough information to start a counter attack and-”

I walk to Hiro and slapped him hard in the face. The slap was so hard that it sent him reeling to the ground right next Ryo’s body.

“DO I LOOK LIKE I GIVE A fudgie RIGHT NOW!? YOU JUST KILLED SOMEONE I LOVE AND YET, YOU SAY I SHOULD GO BACK TO WORK JUST TO CHECK SOME fudgie UP PENETRATION I DON’T CARE ABOUT!? fudgie YOU!” I shout at Hiro.

“You are to obey ALL commands from headquarters White Flower. If you don’t, they’re gonna kill-”

“I DON’T CARE!” I yell angrily “I’LL LIKE IT WHEN THEY COME BECAUSE WHEN THEY DO, I’M READY TO KILL THEM ALL! I LOVE RYO IWAMURA! I LOVE HIM SO MUCH BUT YOU! YOU KILLED HIM! YOU KILLED THE PERSON WHO LOVED ME SO MUCH!!”

The powerless man tried to stand up but Sergeant Okano’s eyes went wide with horror and unfortunately for him, something added to his horror as someone touched him by the neck.

“A penetration agent like you should know not to mess with someone from branch 3 of INFOPEDEP” Ryo growled while grabbing the man’s collar “Especially when that someone is the Commander of branch 3.”

I couldn’t remember the next thing he said because there was a sound of gunfire that caused me to get down and cover my eyes. The gunfire did not stop- as my heart did not stop beating.

Ryo, is he okay? Please, don’t be dead. Please don’t die- you can’t die. I have to… I have to tell you something.


“Haleigh”


“Haleigh…”


“Haleigh open your eyes.”


“That voice, is that you Ryo? Your voice…” I quietly whisper.

I open my eyes slowly and I see Ryo with blood on his uniform. His eyes were misty eyed and for once, his lips were not smiling at me- they were quivering like a bird’s cry for help to another.

“Can you stand Haleigh?” Ryo ask.

“I think so” I say with tears going down my face “But what about you Ryo? Are you okay?”

Ryo could only smile for a second but his eyes were sad with no end. I’ve never seen him like this before.

“I’m okay Haleigh. If I was dead right now, I’d be staring at you with my sexy dead eyes” Ryo said in a sad but his usual tone.

“Bakayaro” I say to him with a faint smile.

“Come on babe, I heard you yelling at the dude. To be honest babe, that was hot” he said with a chuckle.

“W-who-what?” I stutter as my face went pink “What are you talking about? I was just angry that’s all. Those words didn’t even sound sexy.”

“Trust me Haleigh, it was hot and beautiful. You sounded like a singer doing the sukiyaki (A Japanese song.) You did well and do you want to know why I say that? I say that because for the first time, I heard emotions coming out of you. You finally said something that comes from your heart darling.”

“You’re lying” I denyingly said. Tears start to sail down my eyes as evidence I am lying.

Ryo rubs the tears out of my face and lifts my head up with one hand while the other is on my back. There is something he is struggling to say.

“Stop crying Haleigh; it isn’t like you to be like this. I’m sorry we didn’t make it for the first two classes of the day. And I’m also sorry for hitting you… I didn’t mean what I said earlier” Ryo said softly.

I reach for his hand and he gladly took it, having me to pull his hand to my body. Ryo was just looking down, looking at my eyes for fear of my reactions.

“Ryo, it’s okay. You did what you had to do. It is my fault for making you mad in the first place. I am so happy you are alive. When we get to school, you and I will have a chocolate lunch.”

My boyfriend can only blush and smile at me because he knew I like chocolates very much, especially Hershey chocolates. Also, Ryo said I taste like the Hershey vanilla chocolate whenever he kisses me. I love him whenever he kisses me like chocolate. Ryo, please kiss me again.

“Haleigh…” Ryo said as he stared into the skies “When I found out who you are, I dread the thought if I have to kill you someday... I can’t think of the possibilities of what may happen between the both of us. But the person who could lift my chin up… was Angel Myers.”

Oh no, the girl who was murdered by that violent sergeant?

“Ryo, that man who tried to kill you… he said he was the one that killed a girl name Angel… Is that the girl you speak of?”

Ryo’s lips remains sealed. After five seconds, his lips began to quiver and he nodded to my suspicions. He buried his face into my chest and I hugged him as hard as I could.

“I’m so sorry Ryo, so sorry” I chokingly said.

“She was my best friend” Ryo said as he held onto me “If Angel was not my friend, she could’ve been a sister to me. We were always together. I was always by her side ready to take care of her Haleigh. How could she die like that? Why did she have to go off and die without me knowing? This is unfair… this wasn’t supposed to happen” Ryo said in a muffled voice.

I look down on Ryo’s head and I stroke his hair to comfort him. Then Ryo looked up at me and he stared into my brown eyes. His eyes were soft with a burning desire to tell a truth.

“What Angel told me in my room before she left that door, she said I must take care of you by smiling and be there for you. I must do just that, just like the way I did to Angel when we were together” Ryo said with a daze “Angel knew… she knew I was a rare and genuine breed. She said with a nature such as mine, any girl who will have me will be so lucky. I have something that every girl seems to desire in a man… But I do not know what that desire is that I possess within me.”

Ryo stares at me as though he is focused at an after thought. A slight breeze passes us, making Ryo’s hair fly so gallantly and appearing to make him so handsome.

I cannot help but feel like what Angel said to Ryo is really what does reflect him. She observed his actions and character as a whole, and realizes how rare a man like Ryo can exist in our time. He, who possesses the desire to protect the one he loves, will surely receive what he gives in return in full.

His face is full of emotions as his face silently grazes my left cheek and stops in front of my ear. With a soothing voice, I hear the words I’ve never expected to hear from Ryo.

“I am not here to kill you Haleigh. I am assigned here to protect you, to protect the one I love.”

Ryo’s eyes bore down into mine with such sadness that my eyes began to drown with tears again as I tried to hold them back helplessly. Ryo could only put his arms around my head and caress me. I can’t tell him. I can’t tell him what I want him to know.

“I can do so much to make you happy but I can’t even stop you from crying” he said with a humorous cracked voice.

“Your words are too beautiful for me” I said as I choke my tears “Because all I have given you is trouble.”

His eyes look away from me and he closed them. A single speck of tear came out of his right eye, having me to shed it away from his eye by a soft brush of my finger.

“Please hold me” I pleadingly ask.

No word was needed for him to answer my request. He held me in his arms like I was a precious jewel. The leaves that fell from the trees were falling down all around us. It was just right to give Ryo and me the blanket to cover us both in privacy. I could not help but close my eyes and hold him very tightly. Afraid to let go in fear to lose him…


“We should leave here and head to school now” Ryo said gently in my ears.

“Okay” I whisper back.

He took my body into his arms as if I was a feather on his arms. With supreme skill, he skillfully held onto me and began to walk slowly to the school, which was two blocks away.
While he carried me, I could not help but feel as though I betrayed him. I couldn’t tell him anything about me.

I couldn’t tell him I am here for him. I couldn’t tell him I am the love he’s been searching for and the only love he will remember.

The last thing I remembered before slipping off was peering at Ryo as he walked to the school. I smile at him and gave his arm a soft touch. His arm had a blood stain when I touch it. He was bleeding slowly, not realizing it.

Don’t die Ryo… Please don’t die.


Jindai High School
February 20, 2003
0945 Hours

We made it to school just in time for third period to begin. I was carrying Haleigh with my two arms and I suddenly realize with each step I take, I was becoming very weak. I could feel blood coming down somewhere from my body and I saw a slow bleed of blood trickling from my left arm.

Passing by the hall I know has a listening device that was bugged by my buddies from the unit. I slowly put Haleigh on the ground softly. Hopefully the man in charge of the radio is my subordinate Jiro.

“Marauder zero nine is down, agent down… commence procedure 901. Please send medical personnel to ground floor as soon as possible. Section 3 RTO; I encountered unknown agent from White Flower’s unit. Send CIU to 16th defense zone, line 3. I repeat, please send medical personnel to ground floor. Tigaki, order one Black Hawk for extraction- double time. Operation Cassiopeia is to be on code red until further orders from hotel three or from marauder zero nine. Haleigh… you will be okay. I promise… I promise you will never ever be alone… anymore.”

I see the sight of blood everywhere. Darkness starts to crawl up to my legs and devouring me slowly as if I am a dying breed. Haleigh is sleeping soundly with no intention of waking up. She is very beautiful, even when she is asleep. I will go to sleep soon Haleigh, just wait for me a little longer.

I got on my knees and fainted on the ground, lying next to Haleigh softly. Leaving a slight breath from my lips, I try to smile knowing everything is going to be alright.

But smiling won’t solve the problem that I now know who Haleigh works for…




“…Mithril…”

***
Hospital
Sergeant Jiro Tigaki
February 20, 2004
1200 Hours

I remember the words Captain Iwamura whispered in the hall I happened to hear while listening to the earphone. It was as though he was dying but at the same time sounding like he was relief.

When Ryo collapse, there was a commotion on the ground floor. It was very hard to extract Ryo and Haleigh but I somehow manage to call two ambulances which were driven by undercover agents from a nearby CIA station in Tokyo.

The two ambulances took Ryo and Haleigh by two different routes by my orders and were to rendezvous with a MH-60 Night Hawk helicopter at a park that is about thirty miles from the school. After that ordeal, I left Jindai High and met with the Counter Intelligence Unit or the CIU for short, at Ryo’s request to police up a man at defense zone line 3.

If you were to take out a piece of paper and draw a large square in the middle, divide the big square into twelve small squares. Then draw Jindai High in the two squares in the middle row. Each small square is called the defense zone. As Ryo said, line 3 is the line at the bottom of any square. Since Ryo said the “16th defense zone,” this means that the man is just three blocks south from Jindai High. Remember to count from the top left square to the right square.

Counter Intelligence found the man dead on the grass and were able to secure the area from unsuspected citizens. Wearing gloves, I took proper procedures to check if the man had any identification on him. There was no id on the man but my instinct tells me that he may have once worked in the intelligence field. The CIU bagged the John Doe and stored him in a disguised white pizza windowless van and drove away to Haneda international airport. That was the last time I saw of that dead man.

Staring at the bedridden Captain, I shut my eyes to recall Ryo’s words. Here he lies with a first class room in a hospital paid by his mother who will arrive from Virginia to stay with him.

Before I could do something, there was a knock on the door. Ryo’s doctor came in and I step away from the bed.

“I presume you must be Mr. Iwamura’s friend?” ask the doctor.

“Yes doctor, I am Jiro Tigaki. Doctor, will Ryo be okay?” I ask.

The doctor is a wise man, about forty years old. He has gray hair and eyeglasses on. Looking at his name on his white coat, his name is Nakamura.

“Yes Jiro, Ryo will be okay. Mr. Iwamura suffered minor blood losses which was about two liters and had to have twenty stitches on his lower abdomen. There is a slight concussion on the left side of his brain but as long as he takes rest every other day, he will recover quickly.”

“I understand doctor” I reply.

“Good. For now, I want him to be in here for one week and after that, be in rehab for three weeks. However, constant supervision is needed for him. He should stay in a peaceful area where school is not within his sights at all.”

“As you wish doctor.”

“When Mrs. Iwamura arrives from New York, I will speak to her about her son’s condition. Are you also Haleigh Toyotomi’s guardian?” ask Doctor Nakamura.

“No sir, it is Ryo Iwamura that is Ms. Toyotomi’s guardian” I sadly said.

Doctor Nakamura looks at his notes on the clipboard for what seems to be an eternity. The doctor’s eyes darted line to line with lightning speed, maybe perhaps having an immediate urge to tell me something. Something’s wrong, this isn’t like a doctor to withhold any information.

“Doctor, is there anything wrong with Ms. Toyotomi?” I ask with a grave voice.

The old man’s expression transforms to that of a young man. No life can be discovered in this Dr. Nakamura. Mr. Nakamura takes a deep breath and says words I cannot get out of my mind for awhile.

“Haleigh Toyotomi is suffering” Doctor Nakamura says slowly.

There’s a problem with Haleigh Toyotomi? But how can that be possible when I just saw her sleeping soundly? I don’t understand; she suffered less than Ryo here. Doctor Nakamura motions me to follow him to the office, having me to exit Ryo’s room. Taking an elevator to two floors above Ryo, not a word was exchanged between the doctor and me.

Finally, we arrive to Dr. Nakamura’s office and I closed the door to make sure no one else hear the conversation. The doctor motions me to sit on the chair and I sat down with a clenched jaw.

Taking a deep breath, no words can utter out from my mouth.

“Doctor…” I say softly “How can you say something like this with such a straight face?”

The fingers on my right hand are grasping the palm of my hand with full force, which is unnoticed by the doctor. I start to feel my upper body tremble at the words that the doctor will say next.

“I was the doctor to examine Haleigh’s condition when she and Ryo Iwamura arrived to our hospital, nearly three hours ago” Nakamura said “My staff and I stabilized Haleigh so in a physical state, she will be fine. What worries me is her state as she progress more in the future.”

What do you mean by that?

“Doctor Nakamura, I hate to interrupt but Haleigh Toyotomi is no ordinary young lady. She is a knowledgeable lady and has high regards when it comes to respect and loyalty” I said in defense. “However, Haleigh is never in an emotional distress.”

The old man could only nod in response and he continues to speak.

“Haleigh Toyotomi has seemed to endure much crisis than the event that has taken place today. Today has made Haleigh’s body to slip into a mild coma due to massive injuries she has sustained to her head and stomach area. But she will awake within today or tomorrow depending on her brain activity. There were many steps that were taken to ensure she lives Mr. Tigaki. I have gone over her medical history over past injuries in the same areas that were affected years ago. I discovered that Ms. Toyotomi has once had concussion to the head and brutal injuries to her stomach. It is a wonder how Haleigh has not died.”

“I am not sure of the cause of that sir” I lied to him of that first bit "But I hypothesize that maybe it was Ms. Toyotomi’s perseverance to get to class that led Mr. Iwamura to carry her all the way to our school to alert me that help was needed.”

“Ah…” Doctor Nakamura said in relief.

I close my eyes and clench my hand at the words that Doctor Nakamura said. What must I tell Commander Rondolos now? Haleigh has slipped into coma. I cannot protect Haleigh unless the Commander sends me the order to do so. But still, I can’t just sit back and do nothing. She means so much to Ryo and if she was to die on short notice, Ryo will be devastated. Haleigh is everything that Ryo needs to function normally.

“Once Ryo wakes up from his rest, I will tell him of Haleigh’s condition. For now, please go back to Ryo’s room and wait for his mother. I will only tell her what her son’s current health” Doctor Nakamura said.

“I understand sir. Thank you for your time” I rose up out of the chair and the other follows suit.

“Your welcome son” Nakamura extends his hand out for me to shake “My staff and I will keep your friends alive. I promise you that.”

Doctor, haven’t you heard? A doctor has no need to tell me that his friends will survive. I know they will live because they… they are meant to live for another day. There is no sense in life to live without the other person by the person’s side.

“Goodbye then.”

With that, I shook his hand and let go. I left his office as silent as I once was, retracing my steps back to Ryo’s hospital room. Although I was silent, female nurses that pass me on the way on the halls could only stare at me with sympathy. I pass them by, without a word said to them.

*
The young man left his office as quietly as he entered here. Heaving a sigh, he stares into his clipboard staring down at the girl he has not seen for more than what feels like an eternity. He cannot look up; the thought of meeting her again is overwhelming and he shut his eyes to close the event that happened so long ago.

What has she done to hurt herself like this?

“My God I have to do something” Dr. Nakamura says “Haleigh is not supposed to end up dying like this.”

He picks up his red private phone and dials some long and fast phone line. The old geezer hears the phone line click three times and a fake human voice picks up on the other end.

“You have contacted Nene Toyotomi’s office, please tell your message and your words will be told to her, thank you and you may start.”

The doctor grasps the phone tightly and began with a strong voice.

“Nene, it’s me. It’s about White Flower… Haleigh’s in danger. We have to do something to make sure no one gets to her first. I’ll do what I can but call me back ASAP… I’m sorry I had to call you like this.”

Dr. Nakamura hangs up the phone and his vision goes unstable. The smell of blood is still present after a decade of cover up.

“What have we both done to our daughter Nene?”
**

For the first time in my life as a human, I have begun to cry silently over my friends I could not call as friends before. And there is nothing I can do to stop crying when men are to be men of strong will.

Walking to the nearest restroom, I walk in and went inside the stall. I stumbled onto the toilet and lay my head on the left wall. As if on cue, my cell phone buzzed in my right pocket. I take out my cell and saw that the caller was Commander Rondolos.

“Tigaki” I said.

What I hear next is unexpected from a gruff Commander.

“Sergeant, what the hell happen to Iwamura!?” shouts Rondolos.

I stand up in attention as if back in boot camp and went to Ryo’s room as quick as I could.

“Please lower your voice Commander” I ask “CIU is investigating and is currently compiling the report-

“But you are not answering my question boy. Start from the beginning and make it quick” Rondolos said angrily.

“Sir, I was the RTO in charge when I hear Captain Iwamura’s voice that an agent was done and he needed a medical team to extract him and his mission objective. He also explained that he encountered an unknown agent that belonged to Ms. Toyotomi’s group. CIU is checking John Doe’s identity.”

“I see” Rondolos replies “What is Iwamura’s condition?”

“He is well and will need two to three weeks of rest and rehab work. For Haleigh however, we got a problem.”

“What is it?” Rondolos ask as I heard him taking out a notepad.

“The doctor that examined Haleigh’s health said that Haleigh is currently in coma. Her condition is fragile at the moment and I request that you bring a doc from branch 5 to check her status. Also, it seems we may need more agents to protect her since Iwamura confirmed the unit that she works under. Captain Iwamura whispered ‘Mithril’ and I also found a note in his pocket that he wrote in. The note said to put Haleigh Toyotomi undergo procedure 204 by Security Intelligence Division.”

“I understand sergeant Tigaki. Is there anything else?”

“Yes sir there is; Captain Iwamura also said on radio that operation Cassiopeia is to be on code red until you or he has further orders. The doctor is also suspicious; we may need a background check on him but on low protocol- the less people who do it, the better there is of no breach.”

“Okay. For now Jiro, guard Haleigh Toyotomi. I find that her code name is White Flower so don’t tell her you know her code name. I’ll have her interviewed by the proper guys. Stay with her until she wakes up. Ryo’s mother is coming to Ryo and she will handle things from there. Do you understand what I’m saying sergeant Tigaki?”

I thought for five seconds about Ryo’s mother.

“Yes sir, I understand” I said.

“Good. Mrs. Iwamura should be arriving to the hospital any moment now. I’ll be sending 3 squads of the Specials to guard White Flower in and outside the perimeters. I will also come and visit Ryo so do not worry about anything else. Talk to you later.”

“Bye” I said and hanged up.

A knock on the door signals the appearance of a long awaited guest, Mrs. Catherine Iwamura. I walk softly to the door and open it. There she was, wearing a beautiful yellow dress with a dragon sailing on the right side of the dress. She also had a white embroidered scarf over her neck. I noticed that her scarf had a crest on both corners- a crest I identified very familiar.

Her shoe attire was very fashionable as I notice the shoes were not shoes but rather stiletto high heels. At an age of 36, Mrs. Iwamura seems much younger.

“Mrs. Iwamura, I am Sergeant Tigaki. I am Captain Iwamura’s aid for Cassiopeia” I saluted a crisp salute.

She however, could only smile gently with her glossy pink lips and bow to me. Her magnificent long and curly brown hair went down as if it was a wave of the Pacific Ocean.

“Thank you for everything you have done Jiro. I have heard a lot from Commander Rondolos from you and from my son. My sincere thanks from the bottom of my heart” Mrs. Iwamura said sweetly.

My body softened a little and I pushed my chair I sat on in front of Mrs. Iwamura.

“For you ma’am” I said in a gentleman voice.

She sat down on the chair and looked at her son. Taking a white handkerchief of two white cranes flying over a prairie, she wipes the sweat out of Ryo’s forehead.

“Please tell me how this happened to him. Please tell me everything” she pleadingly said as tears came down her cheeks.

I went to her side and took the handkerchief from her hand so I could wipe her tears away.

“Your son was late for school today and traveled with Haleigh Toyotomi at the time. They left Ryo’s apartment together, in route as they always traveled. Both were near the school zone when Ryo took Haleigh to the park and encountered an agent from Ms. Toyotomi’s organization. It is unknown to what happened during that time. The agent wounded your son critically and Ms. Toyotomi suffered mild injuries.”

“I have heard of Haleigh being Ryo’s girlfriend. Did you know she is Ryo’s first and real girlfriend?”

My eyes went wide and I said “Really? I thought he would be the person to being with lots of girls.”

Mrs. Iwamura shook her head and blushes a little as she said “No, he isn’t like that. He is very kind to girls and likes being friends with them. Because of his work, and everyday hobby, he couldn’t work up the courage to being with a girl.”

“I understand ma’am. After Captain Iwamura assassinated the agent, he took Haleigh, who was already half unconscious at the time, to the school on his back. He arrived at Jindai High approximately at 0945 hours. Going near a voice listener, he called for help and left instructions that Operation Cassiopeia be on code red and that Haleigh be put on protection status to the Security Intelligence Division- procedure 204. Ryo mentioned the word Mithril so I can only infer that Haleigh works for that organization. I policed the dead agent and brought Ryo and Haleigh here to this hospital as soon as Ryo lost consciousness ma’am… There is no doubt here that Captain Iwamura has gathered much information on this day alone.”

Both of us look at Ryo as I finish the briefing. He is still sounding asleep but when he’s awake, life seems more enjoyable whenever he laughs with that smile of his.

“Jiro-san, please tell me, how is Haleigh?”

She faces towards me and looks at my eyes. It is hard to look away from that strong gaze of attention. But I let out the words I dreaded to say.

“Haleigh Toyotomi slipped into a mild coma after Dr. Nakamura, her doctor and Ryo’s doctor also, performed minor surgery on her injuries. Haleigh had past injuries in those same areas that did not recover fully. As a result, she is currently in distress and Commander Rondolos has instructed me to guard Haleigh until I am given further orders from the Commander. Madam Director, what are you going to do of this situation?” I ask her.

“As Director of Central Operations, I will follow my son’s wishes to protect the girl he loves. I’ll call Security Intelligence and tell them about what happened. From there, Ryo here should be up and we will decide from there. Did Commander Rondolos leave any other orders for you to follow on?”

Catherine Iwamura stood up and her scarf fell down on the floor. I went after the scarf and stared at the crest. I suddenly blinked and the image flashed into my mind.

“The commander left instructions that he will be posting guards outside of Ms. Toyotomi’s room, in and outside of the hospital also. Commander Rondolos will also be coming down to visit Ryo.”

“I see…”

I gave the scarf to Mrs. Iwamura and excused myself out of the room. Before I left Ryo’s room, I stop in front of the door and turn my head to face sideways.

“Your crest of the golden thunderbird in the middle holding two black katana swords resembles the crest of the Iwamura. Your family comes from a long line of samurai family. Starting from the time your family once served Uesugi Kenshin, then down to Emperor Meiji and Emperor Tenno, you have done a lot to loyally serve your lord. Now your family loyally serves for United States and the Japanese government.

The gold bird resembles the purity of duty while the two katana swords represent honor of duty and the loyalty amongst others. When those are put together, the crest represents the strong bond on the family that endures many hardships. And the silver arrows behind the gold bird are the weapons used to attack evil and corruption.”

“Mrs. Iwamura” I said “Your son did his best to protect the girl he loves. But understand the pain he is currently going through right now. Please give my regards to your son when he awake, Mrs. Iwamura.”

Hearing the noise of surprise, I closed the door behind me and left to guard Haleigh’s room. I never went back to Ryo’s room after that confrontation with Mrs. Iwamura.

***
Hospital
Ryo Iwamura
February 16, 2004
1830 Military Hour


I can feel the bright rays on my eyelids and I hesitate to open them in fear of blinding myself. However, such thought is ridiculous and I open my eyes slowly to take in my surroundings. After seeing darkness of what seems to be an eternity, the room I supposedly am in is of peach color and there were large size windows on the left side of the room.

“Where… am I?” I said to myself.

As I look outside of the windows, I notice the windows show the interior of a nurse in her workstation filing papers in a work cabinet. Looking down on my bed, I try to find that control where I can call the nurse in. My hands feel very heavy as though I was carrying seven heavy textbooks on each of them. It sucks to feel this way and then the sound of a metallic sound against the railing of the bed was heard.

“Ah” I said with a sigh “Here it is.”

Softly touching the button to call the nurse in, I smile to myself to think what kind of nurse would look like. Hopefully the nurse would have that kind of smile that warm me up all over and try to help get out of the bed so I can find where Haleigh is at.

The door opens and a young female nurse walks in, followed by an older woman I recognize as my mother.

“Hey mom” I said happily “I didn’t know you were here.”

The nurse comes to me and bows very low. I bow also and let her check my health condition as silent as she can be. I turned to my mother and gave her a look I knew she likes sometimes.

“Hopefully Sergeant Tigaki gave you word of what I said on the telephone?” I ask.

Mother can only smile and reply “Yes son and he told me the bad news about Angel… I’m sorry what happened to her.”

I looked away from her to hide away my sad emotions about Angel.

“I will make sure she gets proper burial mom. The only thing I can make sure I won’t let her down is to obey her last wishes. That alone will satisfy her but I…”

The nurse was checking my heart with her stethoscope and I could feel her looking up to me. She and I both knew my heart is beating very fast. I look at her right chest to find that her last name was Yoshiki.

“Mr. Iwamura” said Ms. Yoshiki “Please calm down. Your heart rate currently surpasses your normal heart beat rate. I’ll go and get Dr. Nakamura. Excuse me.”

Ms. Yoshiki left my bedside and bowed at me and my mom. She left the room quickly to get my doctor.

“Very nice Ryo” mom said “So what went down at the park?”

At least mom knows how to talk in our current day teenager language, which is very funny to listen to sometimes.

“I took Haleigh to the park because I was being tailed by an intelligence agent from White Flower’s organization.”

I looked to the right and saw there were windows looking outside of the hospital. It showed lots of Oak trees. But the city lights are still there along with civilization. Frowning before saying what happen next, I heard mother coming by my side and sitting on a chair.

“The agent I killed at the park… He was the one that killed Angel. I shot him in the back with my Beretta M92F pistol and emptied all my bullets on him. That man killed her like she was a bitch to him. In return for his pathetic actions, I rewarded the agent with his life dying like a dog too.”

“My son” mom says as she kisses my forehead “Angel was a good girl. But I must say this to you now before you go off doing something drastic.”

She pauses and let’s out a sigh as she said “Do not tell yourself over and over that it’s your fault. Nothing can be done now to undo the event that she is now dead. I am sure she told she loves you because she really does love you Ryo. But you and she were at risk ever since you signed up for the jobs you currently do. There is nothing you or even I can do but live on Ryo.”

“Before she left me one last time… Angel told me to watch over Haleigh and to always be there for her… Mother, please allow me to take care of Angel’s burial. That is something I must at least do for her.”

My body wanted to get out of the bed so mother let go of me and I was given a coat to wear since it felt very cold in my room.

“I will tell Angel’s parents what you asked for” Mother said “And for your debriefing; you did a good job of finding what group Haleigh works for.”

Spinning around my mother shut the hospital room door and locked it. Shaking off the sad emotions in my presence, I had to adjust back to my professional manner. It won’t do to being sad all day- I will be sad another day instead of wasting a day.

Being given an intelligence folder by my mother from all people is very odd to experience. The documents were a lot but skimming it through was enough information for me. Muttering to myself, I scan the details slowly.

“Mithril is a fictitious metal known to be the best and everlasting lethal metal known to mankind. The word Mithril was chosen to target against terrorist organizations world wide and to ensure that each country respect the other” I mutter softly while frowning at the next detail “But this organization is and one of most respectable unit worldwide by nearly all of the big 5 nations that are part of the UN- including China.”

“Mithril runs by three branches that are Operations, Intelligence, and Research Division. Each branch has the responsibility of conducting interior security check like the United States government operates. This organization is very covert so it has difficult to track down their bases.”

“Operations Headquarters is known to be in Sydney, Australia… It is highly possible that there is a Pacific Fleet in Mithril operating somewhere in the Asia region that interferes with PACOM Fleet. It is also possible that the Pacific Fleet of Mithril possesses a high speed submarine that is responsible for the incident in the Mediterranean Sea. Known fleets of Mithril are in Mediterranean, Pacific, and Atlantic.”

What was more disturbing was this fact:

“Mithril has the most advanced technology by ten years and currently have the latest M9 Gernsback in possession… Known technology called the ECS is in effect and installed… A new AS is being created and researched- designating code name ARX-7 by a young gun name Bunni Morauta.”

Bunni Morauta? He’s in charge of producing the next generation AS? How is my cousin able to do something like that? Mother grabs the folder from me and tucked it within her clothing attire. I gave her a frown and clenched my fist at her.

A loud noise flew overhead having my mother and I look outside the hospital. The sky was blue and okay but I saw 5 VTOL jets flying fast at Mach-1, as though the object looked as though it had a layer of invisible coat on.

“Director, call the Yokoda Air Force and have them scramble all planes inbound to this direction. Attach heat & anti ECS missiles! Get a Night Hawk to come here to extract White Flower- they’re trying to get her back” I yell at mom.

“But” she replies.

“Just do it right now!” I said and ran outside the room to find Tigaki.

There was chaos in the hospital and gunshots that sound like H&K 95 machine guns were heard below the floor. Luckily Jiro shows up from the elevator with my squadron and another group that I noticed was from the Security Intelligence Division called Specials.

“What the hell is going on down there?” I shout at Sergeant Tigaki to hear over the chaos.

“Captain, unknown enemies are approaching and I’ve ordered an extraction for White Flower.”

BOOM

Everyone went down on the floor and Sergeant Corpuz gave me an M-3 rifle, my own bulletproof vest and my Glock 24.

“Jiro” I said over the gunfire “Take Specials’ squadrons zero and four to find Madam Director! Then go to the rooftop to signal the helicopter. The Director has ordered a scramble from Yokoda. I’ll take my squad and rescue Haleigh. Get to it!”

I turn 180 degree and signaled my guys to take the stairs. We can’t help the nurses or the wounded. We don’t have time. Forming a diamond formation of ten men while running was perfect.

“Bravo team, break here and secure this floor. Charlie team, come with me for extraction mission” I said quickly.

Bravo broke into five men and stop to point their guns below and above the stairways. Charlie team came with me as I ran down the stairs with my M-3 gun on hand to split anyone who tries to kill me early.

The door to where Haleigh’s floor was opened and three men in the same black suit that the Intelligence agent I killed appeared. They were Asian men and held AK-47 machine guns. I gritted my teeth at the scene and shot them while flying down to the preyed.

“Whoever these guys are” I thought as I open the door “It won’t be easy killing them.”

Narrator’s View of Iwamura
1840 Military Hour

Captain Iwamura opens the door slowly to ensure enemy did not hear him and the team come in. There is an intersection in front of the Captain causing Bravo team to break down into three units with two members- but the leader will be a lone wolf.

“Corpuz and Monet, take the left hall. Johnson and Cortez go straight ahead; I’ll go right. Radio in when you find White Flower. I’ll cover the left wing first.”

“Yes sir” the men replies.

The men went to the left corner and shot the men who are coming down their way. The Captain covered them with a spray of his M-3 bullets for a minute. He did the same procedure for the right wing as well. Johnson and Monet were young men from Recon team of the Marines. They will do okay with the other man.

There are heavy sounds coming from the skies; The U.S. Air Force have joined in to target the Mithril airplanes and judging by the missiles used, it has to be Hellfire missiles.

“Now it’s my turn” Iwamura said.

The young teenager fired at the right hall while at the same time taking a straight dive to the other side. Recovering from the dive, he runs about fifty feet and stops on the first room he sees. Peering in, he saw two enemies from Mithril muttering technical nonsense on their radio.

“Kano 9 to Kano 1, negative on finding White Flower. . . We will be securing this floor and await further orders Kano 1. . . Roger that sir, execution of White Flower is in effect. . .”

He shoots the men in a quick maneuver as he ran towards them in three sprint leap. Taking the Mithril radio from the man who was Kano 9, Ryo picks up the body and threw out of the window with the top uniform stripped of.

“All units, be aware that White Flower is going to be executed if we don’t find her. Weapons on tight upon finding White Flower; confirm order” Ryo says on his radio.

The Shadows confirm the Captain’s orders and had their radio on silent to prevent eavesdroppers.

Ryo exits the room and slowly had his M-3 staring into the hall. Running into five rooms into the hallway, he finally comes into a room in the center of the hospital corridor. Hearing voices behind the close doors, he went to the right wall and tries to hear the commotion.

“Haleigh, understand me” says an old geezer “What happened back then was to protect you!”

“You left me old man! How could you do that to my mom, who had it hard, the most out of her life!” cries Haleigh.

The sound of a chair crashing into a wall made the yells of Haleigh grow worse.

“Please forgive me Haleigh; I had to kill Hazu because if I didn’t, he could have breached the whole existence of Mithril!” the old man who must be Mr. Toyotomi yells out.

“How could you kill my brother like that? Didn’t he mean something to you!?”

“Haleigh, calm down; your injuries are not healed yet. I did love Hazu but he changed so much. You don’t know anything that happened back then Haleigh” the old geezer said “He threatened to kill Mr. Tesstarossa, one of the essential leaders of Mithril. Hazu tried to give out information to enemies Mithril were targeting after and I couldn’t… I couldn’t let anyone else kill Hazu except the one who gave him life.”

“Daddy…” cries Haleigh “I can’t forgive you… I can’t do it. You left me pain worse than killing someone and are scarred by it. I can’t… And the only person who shed that pain from me is now going to die if I don’t do something!”

“Haleigh! You can’t go! Stop, you are to stay here. Don’t worry… don’t worry anymore.”

“NO!” yells Haleigh.

There is a sound of a rough struggle but Captain Iwamura holds back. He cannot go in until he hears sufficient evidence that he should enter. Then he hears more talking as the supposed Mr. Toyotomi shuffles back and forth, walking around Haleigh.

“That young man name Ryo, he is a good man; him taking you to safety is brave of him. Thank him for me someday will you?”

Ryo stares at the door and contemplates on the situation. Getting a plan commencing, Ryo touches the receiver pad on his radio twice to signal a recording stop on the headphone. Then the Captain slams the door open with his left foot and drops to the floor. There was Haleigh, who is near the windows injured. Then there is an old doctor who must be the one doing all the talking.

Captain Iwamura slams the butt of his rifle into the doctor’s chin, causing a rough knockout. The doctor’s eyeglasses he wore are now on the floor with no damage. Looking at the body in white outfit, Iwamura takes out his Glock 24 and tosses it to Haleigh.

“Mithril agents are coming and my teams have secured the rooftop. Go there and escape Haleigh.”

The rough and young Japanese male does not attend to Haleigh’s body, knowing that he cannot dare to look at her. He can’t, not when he knew his life is on the line.

“Ryo I” she says in a soft voice.

He takes her by the arms in a quick gesture and kissed her violently for fifteen seconds. She stops the kiss and grabs his arm to lead her to safety. Having a rifle on hand and mission objective on the other has the mission halfway done.

“Hilo 5 to marauder 9, three Hilo’s are on home run awaiting your item” the radio crackles.

Ryo and Haleigh runs out of the room while Ryo quickly responds.

“Roger that Hilo 5, have your knife rotating 360 degrees until everyone evacuates. Special teams evacuate and escort Beta 2 to safety. Bravo team, Charlie team, ready to regroup on home run on 4 minutes. Secure floor!”

The young man looks at Haleigh and came across the intersection that gave him little trouble. Cortez and Johnson are already there for security protection. Iwamura sends a hand signal for the clear all sign. Johnson is on the left while Cortez is on the right. Cortez fires at some more Mithril agents trying to get in to kill White Flower.

“Go Haleigh!” Ryo yells.

She runs across the intersection with no bullets on her body. Ryo rushes after her and so do Johnson and Cortez as their middle security. Monet and Corpuz came in five seconds later behind them as back security and both threw their smoke grenades.

“Sir” said Corpuz “No reading of hostile targets. Back security is green on extraction.”

Ryo and Haleigh are running to Ryo’s floor and Bravo team are there waiting for them. A voice from everyone’s radio crackles in.

“Panther 1 to marauder 9; airspace is clear for departure. Proceed when ready.”

As Haleigh Toyotomi looks at the evening sky, she could not help but be awe by the sight of many planes securing the sky just for her.

The sound of the heavy rotor rotating is deafening. Haleigh looks at Ryo, who seems to be tired mentally but in his physical state, he is still alive and kicking. Sergeant Tigaki gets out of the leading helicopter, which is Hilo 5, with his rifle to secure the landing zone.

“Hurry up sir!” says Tigaki “Charlie sector Delta is planning to launch a cruise missile to cover our trail!”

The couple gets into the Night Hawk helicopter as fast as they can. A crew chief secures their seat belts and waits for nine more personnel to get in and secure themselves. The rooftop seems to be secure at the moment but just when Corpuz comes in the helicopter, five enemies comes onto the rooftop ready to fire at the helicopter.

“Oh SHIT!” yells Captain Iwamura “Pilot, pull us out of here!”

Adrenaline rushes into the pilot known as Hilo 5 and pulls the joystick up when the sound of a high caliber bullet pierces the 5 enemies in the head- traveling to the other head like paper.

“What the hell was that?” said Monet.

The bullet was so fast that it has to be a sniper out there from a mile away. A doctor from branch 5 sat next to Haleigh to check her physical damages.

“Yankee Foxtrot 7 to Hilo 5, rooftop is secured” a man replies on the radio.

“Roger that Yankee Foxtrot 7, I am now traveling the item to Hotel base; over and out.”

Ryo peers down at the window to see the damage of the hospital. His mother and the squads of the Specials are already extracted and were ahead of Hilo 5’s plane. Then the voice of the man who claims to be Yankee Foxtrot 7 suddenly clicks in Captain Iwamura’s mind.

“Brother!”

A blinding light covers the windows of the helicopter as everyone tries to close their eyes- except the pilots flying the plane that have sunglasses on. The cruise missile that was fired by U.S.S. Greenville is a success and detonated 1000 feet above the hospital building. The diameter of the explosion exceeds any nuclear conventional weapon launch since the launch of Fat Boy and Little Man. But the use of nuclear fission is now used for peace- not for war.

No damage was done to the hospital, since the scientist who created the prototype missile named it ‘Meiji’ for the Japanese meaning of peace and enlightenment. Radiation will be present but in only in a few shots for the Hazardous Material Team can track and clean up.

Captain Iwamura puts on the mike on his helmet to his mouth. He looks at Haleigh, who holds onto his arm with no sign of letting go.

“Marauder 9 to Beta 2, requesting to change Operation Cassiopeia’s name to Operation White Flower over” Ryo said to his mother.

Shock spread through the helicopter as everyone snap their attention to Captain Iwamura. No one in the Infiltration and Operations ever asked something like that to the Director of Central that before. Long silence spread in the radio except for the pilots chatter. Then the radio makes a three beep signals for the sign of communication full stop.

“This is Beta 2; Marauder 9, request for tag change is approved and confirmed. Captain Iwamura, you will be returning to active duty status and resume duties as guard to Haleigh Toyotomi. Regardless of your health, you will visit a therapist. Yankee Foxtrot 7 will be overseeing your duties outside mission region.”

“Roger Beta 2; Over and out” Captain Iwamura said and kills the radio.

White Flower could only look so daze and suddenly, her mouth goes close to Ryo’s ear and she ask “Isn’t Cassiopeia a star that is upside down Ryo?”

“Yes babe that is correct” Ryo continues “Well, she’s upside down half of the time she orbits the universe because in Greek mythology, it was Poseidon that punished her for being arrogant during her husband’s reign, King Cepheus of the Phoenician realm of Ethiopia.”

“I see” Haleigh said.

“Andromeda, her daughter, was chained to a rock for Poseidon’s sea monster Cetus to kill it. But she got saved by Perseus, who ultimately became her husband. Cassiopeia couldn’t escape her faith so Poseidon sent her to the heavens revolving around the celestial pole.”

She too had disappointment in her eyes and Ryo could only sigh.

“Blame my mother for it okay babe? The new operation name suits it better since I don’t want my objective to be thought of hanging somewhere up in the stars.”

“But White Flower sounds just as good as the name Polaris” Haleigh said.

Ryo and his girlfriend both smile at each other, knowing they couldn’t tell the other person what they are really thinking of.

“When we go back to my place” Ryo said softly “Tell me more what’s troubling you. I will listen to you.”

“Thank you… Ryo” Haleigh said.


As the helicopter slowly left the devastated area, the sniper whose tag name is Yankee Foxtrot 7, arranged his sniper rifle carefully back to its case. He lay on the rooftop ground seeing his younger brother’s helicopter retreating to a safe haven.

Before closing his rifle bag, he remembered the day he last saw his brother before joining Mithril. The last star he told Ryo was a star called Cassiopeia and how Cassiopeia is often seen upside down shows the punishment for her cruel and destructive behavior.

“But you’re wrong brother!” Ryo cried before “Why must a woman suffer like that when only God himself can do such thing. It is wrong! That is not justice, that’s inhumane. Who are we to judge who lives and who dies!? Brother!”


Inhumane; that is something Ryo would say to protect anyone. He has grown up remarkably well, mother. Unlike me, Ryo will succeed the family and become a better person when he grows up.

“Cassiopeia… so that is what mother has assigned the name to guard that foolish twit?” said Ryouske Iwamura “Very stupid but- I’m glad you changed the Operation name, Ryo.”

Turning off his iPod to stop listening to “Requiem Softly” by Yasuo Uragami, the older brother again looks back at the helicopter whispering words that only he and his brother know. And at the same time, Ryo whispers to Haleigh’s words that she will now listen to:

Whoever you are! White sandy beaches and blue skies
Are especially for you,
The glorious marauders plunder the glorious village for you.

Whoever you are! You are he or she for whom Polaris
Is bright and beautiful,
You are he or she for whom Gemini and Cassiopeia shine
In the sky,
For none more than you are the saint and the angel,
For none more than you is lovely.

No one can impersonate for another—not one,
Not one can rely on another--not one.

"And we fight to protect who we love the most to not feel the sorrow of losing a loved one. We know peace is the only thing humans all want above all" Ryouske says.

"When there is war or an organization that threatens us all, I will fight to ensure peace is on my loves' shoulders, for they are all worth fighting for. That is the code of a soldier's word, one with many promises" Ryo says to Haleigh.

"To ensure life is still remaining in the country we patriots love and hold true; that justice prevails over the wrong and blanket the innocent" Ryouske whispers.

"That Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness strives to be