Gone But Not Forgotten (chapter 7) [FIC]
Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 3:16 am
A number of men were situated in the hoist, working on the utility pole.
The trucks were from Tenaga Nasional Berhad, Malaysia's national electricity utility company. As any passerby might assume, they were called in following an unscheduled power breakdown. The system they were working on was across the street from the target area.
Acting as if they were performing useful tasks, some of the special forces troops were wearing coveralls, their weapons stashed at points along the roadside. The power outage was deliberate, and did not involve the grid feeding either of the two Amalgam mansions. It would not do well to have the enemy too suspicious.
Other members of the assault team were waiting at strategic points situated outside of Taman Tasik Perdana. In the daytime, the famous Lake Gardens are both beautiful and tranquil, a refreshing ninety two hectare oasis in the heart of bustling Kuala Lumpur. But now, late at night, there was no one enjoying its scenery of lovely blooms, foliage, sculptures and awe-inspiring raintrees. The Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, Orchid Garden, Hibiscus Garden, Deer Park, and the National Monument were all dark.
A group of mercenaries was keeping company with a utility crew working outside the Bank Negara building at Jalan Dato' Onn. None of the soldiers were upset at missing a chance to visit the Money Museum, which housed an interesting display of old Malaysian currency, commemorative and rare coins, and foreign currencies. Their location placed them directly in line with the Seri Negara mansion building, across the park from the Amalgam compound, giving them a good view of the vicnity. When needed, they could move at a moment’s notice to support the first forces moving in on Seri Negara and Carcosa.
Another part of the mission team was stationed with electrical workers outside of Muzium Negara, the central museum for Malaysia. Their position was on the flank of Seri Negara, a reasonable distance away, out of the line of sight. The fourth and final group assigned to Carcosa and Seri Negara was waiting outside of the Parliament House complex, which consists of a main three-story building and its eighteen-story tower annex. Those buildings a house two national assembly halls, the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara, and were situated a few minutes drive away from Carcosa, off to one side.
Sousuke was a part of the group stationed directly across the Pesiaran Mahameru roadway from the pair of famous manor houses. Like most of the waiting soldiers, he was out of view, crouched down behind a group of shrubs, his binoculars out, looking for any sign of enemy activity. At least that was what he convinced himself he was doing. In actuality, he wanted to catch a glimpse of one particular girl, wondering if she was being kept at either of the two former hotels.
Letting his binoculars hang down around his neck, he stared off into the darkness, letting his mind and body relax. Listening to the quiet sounds of the night… the barely audible talk of waiting soldiers… the distant noises of trucks and cars moving about the calm streets… the chirping and buzzing of insects… he saw an image of Kaname’s face. She was smiling. The wind was making her hair move in slow waves. He shook his head violently, when Kaname’s face was replaced by Nami’s lifeless visage. There would be no repeat of that tragedy tonight! It did him no good to worry.
“See anything?” Captain Charles Gordon knelt down next to Sousuke, his face dark with camouflage paint. “So far, there has been very little movement on the grounds. A few guards, and a dog or two. Nothing mechanical.” Like the other soldiers, he had been briefed on the Arastols. That was the reason for the Barret M109 25mm payload rifle he carried along with his M4.
“Negative,” Sousuke said. “There is nothing out of the ordinary on the lawns. I have not caught sight of anything airborne, like surveillance drones. Much of the areas free of landscaping are left dark, and do not appear to be patrolled by guards. That could indicate mines, robots in hiding, and numerous other possibilities. It might also indicate normal grounds, just like those of any of the other residences in this area. The enemy may have no reason to expect attack. Or, they may feel they have little reason to fear anything short of an all out invasion.” That latter possibility was far from comforting.
“That’s all supposing that the intelligence we got wasn’t a load of crap.” Sgt. Duncan Hindmarsh, once a commando attached to the 4th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, didn’t realize that the source of that information was standing right next to him.
“I am leaving now.” That statement came from Wraith, who was dressed in an official electrical worker’s outfit. The latex face that she had applied made her look like a middle-aged Malay male. The electronic voice changer made her sound as any observer might expect, given her appearance. But, it did not remove the slight edge of acerbity from her words.
The Intel operative had a very risky task. She would make herself plainly visible, visiting each and every one of the residences on the other side of the street, paying a visit to the front door of Seri Negara and Carcosa in the process, if she was allowed to get that far. Should the opportunity arise, she would put on a servant’s outfit and sneak inside, after she had let the inhabitants know that the power difficulties probably wouldn’t expand to involve their buildings.
“You will radio me if you see Kaname Chidori,” Sousuke said in a quiet voice. It sounded more like a command than a request. “Lt. Hui.” He used Wraith’s true name and rank, as that was how she was known to the others.
“If it is within the scope of my plan,” Wraith replied, somewhat testily. “And, if I judge that you will react appropriately.” She paused, fighting with her own conscience and sense of honor. Kaname had saved her life, back when Leonard could have killed her. But, there was more at stake here than the life of one kidnapped Whispered girl. “The girl is not the only objective. Remember that. Do not compound your errors from before.” With that, she walked off.
Sousuke clenched his teeth. He would not get into a verbal war with Wraith. He hoped that she was indeed on their side, and not some kind of sleeper. He had never found it easy to trust anyone from the Intel branch. Truth be told, he also felt a bit uncomfortable around her for other reasons. His pride still stung from the fact that she had been Kaname’s primary watcher, because he had been judged unfit to carry out that task on his own.
He sighed. The Mithril officials arranging things had been correct. Sgt. Sousuke Sagara had indeed been inept in the high school setting, like a fish out of water. Unintentionally, from the very start, he had made Kaname’s life a constant struggle. Shaking his head, he remembered destroying her artwork bust… getting caught with her panties in his hand… and riding on a bicycle with her, a berserk police officer in pursuit.
About the only thing he had done right was rescue her from dangerous situations, some of which she had become ensnarled in thanks to him or Mithril. His last rescue had failed. This one couldn’t. He might never have this good of a chance again.
Reaching inside his armored vest, he took out a picture of Kaname. Kurz and Melissa had brought copies, passing them amongst all of the soldiers before they left the Sungei Besi military airport, so the combat veterans would know what she looked like. Kurz had uncharacteristically refrained from comment when he saw Sousuke’s reaction when he took one of the photos and walked off some distance with it.
“She’s a pretty one, alright.” Sgt. Petelicki noted. The stocky man with the handlebar mustache nodded in appreciation, as he set his HK MP-5 and Beryl .223 assault rifle down near Sousuke weapons. He was also hefting a RPG-76 Komar grenade launcher. “Is she your girlfriend?” He had seen the way that Sousuke had been gazing at the picture.
“She…” Sousuke frowned. He didn’t really know how to answer that. As inexperienced as he was in social matters, he had thought that Kaname was hoping for just that kind of relationship. But, he had never made any proclamation himself, and she had never told any of their friends how she felt about him. “I think so…” He tensed up some. “At least, she might have been once…” He remembered giving her the Lapis Lazuli. He thought about how she had changed somewhat after that. He went over the words he had told her, not long before he knocked her out and went to fight a losing battle against Leonard. “It may be that I don’t…” His thoughts turned somewhat pessimistic. How did someone like him rate the attention of someone like her?
“We all need love, young man.” Sgt. Petelicki laughed, keeping his chortling as quiet as possible. “Do you have a mother? A dog?” The jovial Pole remembered what it was like to be young, and to set his sights high.
“No.” Sousuke was caught somewhat off guard. Why would the man be asking such things? “Why…”
“Then, you better make certain about the girl when you can. There’s a proverb in my country.” The GROM soldier offered Sousuke chewing tobacco, which he refused. “’The greatest love is a mother's… then comes a dog's…then comes a sweetheart's’. It’s all downhill after that!” He slapped Sousuke on the back. “Enjoy what you can, while you can, kolega.”
Sousuke nodded. He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, only superficially listening to the sound of seasoned men checking their weapons one last time. He may have been a terror when he first came to school, but he had made strides, thanks to Kaname. That was one of the things he mourned, a chance to see more in life than he had as a young child orphaned in Afghanistan, or as a commodity passed among mercenary forces like a fine cigar shared among friends.
“She is too beautiful for you,” Third Sergeant Keng Yam said, tapping Sousuke on the shoulder. Bagai pungguk merindukan bulan. Like an owl craving for the moon. He pointed up at the sky. “Ingin hati memeluk gunung, apa daya tangan tak sampai. The will of the heart is to hug the mountain, but the arm is not long enough.” The small lively man took a moment to offer Sousuke encouragement after teasing him. He belonged to the Komando Pasukan Khusus, or Kopassus, an Indonesian special forces group. He had with him a CZ-Scorpion SMG, Steyr Aug, and Pindad SPR sniper rifle.
Sousuke secretly agreed with the man’s first comments, seeing that they reinforced his earlier thoughts. Once again, his confidence began to capsize. Indeed, who was he to be thinking about Kaname Chidori as a part of his life? She was not a squadmate or fellow soldier. She was a civilian, someone who could spend time with anyone she chose. When all was said and done, why would she choose someone like him? He had been willing to walk away from Mithril to spend more time in the life he found in Tokyo. But, that wouldn’t really change who or what he is.
What had he ever brought her, really? He was someone who got her aggravated, and in trouble. He was someone she had to look after, as if he were a small child. He was someone who might cause her to injure her arm, considering how many times she had struck him with that paper fan of hers.
It wasn’t all bleak. The was something else that he was. He was someone who cared about her. Over the past few months, as hectic as they had been, he found himself thinking about that fact more and more. Would his feelings prove to be an albatross around his neck? If not for him, then for the people around him? He looked over at the other soldiers, seeing them as faint outlines against the inky blackness of their hiding place. Would they die, as Nami had? Running his hand through his hair, he told himself there was no reason to feel guilty for that. The men were professionals. They would not die as a result of his single-minded search for Kaname. That was not why they were here tonight. It was why he was there.
It was all immaterial. He took a deep breath and told himself to act like a Specialist. His emotions didn’t matter at that moment. The bottom line was that Kaname was in danger, and needed to be rescued. He had made a promise to people in Tokyo, and had to keep his word. Amalgam had turned more lives upside down than his and hers, and they could not be allowed to continue unchecked.
“It’s amazing what you can learn from sayings,“ Sgt. Howe said. “Well, good ones, that is.” He laughed, hearing a light-hearted curse from the Pole, and seeing the Singaporean shrug. “The Aborigines say ‘Those who lose dreaming, are lost’. Know what I mean?”
“I think so…” Sousuke felt a headache coming on. He realized that he was clenching his teeth too tightly. He really wasn’t someone who dreamed of things. No. He was someone who went where he was told, and did what he had to do. If he did allow himself to dream, he might dream about Kaname. He might wonder what life might be like, if they could both return to Jindai High. But, was that realistic? What kind of life could they have together? So many things had changed. If not between the two of them, then around them.
If fate granted the two of them a reprieve tonight, what could they do with it? After his confession to his teacher and class mates, he might not be welcome back at school, even if he returned with Kaname. And, since many of the difficult situations the students had found themselves in stemmed from her being Whispered and sought after, how might they react to their former Student Council Vice President and Class Representative? Would that kind of thing follow the two of them wherever they went, even if he stopped serving as a soldier? Supposing Mithril regained its ability to make a difference in the world, could he afford to resign, if Kaname needed heightened protection, and he needed a connection to powerful men and women? How long could any group treat the Whispered like charity cases?
“For the young lady’s sake… and for the sake of this mission… there’s another saying you should keep in mind. ‘Keep your eyes on the sun and you will not see the shadows’.” He took some of the tobacco offered by the Polish soldier, and then slung an M4 over his shoulder. The bag he carried with him held other weapons as well. “If you keep your mind on accomplishing the mission, things may go well. But, if you let your feelings lead you by the nose…” He tapped his finger against the photograph, leaving the sentence hanging. No more words were necessary.
When Sgt. Howe, Third Sgt. Yam, and Sgt. Petelicki moved on to check with other members of the team, Master Sergeant Heinrich of the KSK stepped closer to Sousuke, shadowed by a Lieutenant from the Royal Thai Special Forces, and a number of men from Malaysia’s Paskal and Paskau units. The bespectacled man with a large strong chin and close cropped hair, had a Panzerfaust 3 slung across his back and an HK G8 assault rifle in hand. “You are very young. It is never wise to develop feelings for one you are assigned to protect. It is also wrong to put one’s personal matters ahead of one’s professional responsibilities.” His gaze was fierce, as if he had seen that kind of thing happen in the past. “Keep a close watch on your elders. Do as they do.”
Inexplicably, Sousuke’s introspection and uncertainly quickly gave way to anger. He hadn’t realized just how tightly wound he was, considering that his reflections had been calm and languorous. “I do not need to be lectured on duty. I am not a child.” He returned the man’s gaze, remembering how many times he had been judged solely on his age. “I fought the Russians in Afghanistan. While members of your organization were fighting terrorists in that same country last year, I was facing more dangerous threats elsewhere.” He didn’t add ‘And this is not my first time rescuing Kaname Chidori’.
“Mithril,” the German said, his eyes narrow with doubt. “Die Schatten. We have heard of that name. Some have wondered if that group was any better than the terrorists we will fight today.” To many, the whispers about the mysterious group had taken on various shapes and forms. The less they could find out, the more frustrated and suspicious they became.
“Perhaps you should ask your countrymen, who secretly helped build the M9 Arm Slaves that we used,” Sousuke said, annoyed at the man’s words about Mithril, even though he could understand how outsiders might view the organization. “Or, you can ask the men in the United States who knew about us, and made certain that we had adequate funding. You might also speak with similar men in Great Britain and Europe.” He saw that a number of men had gone quiet, listening in. he didn’t care. “I doubt that the men and women who are alive thanks to our actions would consider us terrorists.”
Mithril had been a force for the good. Sousuke had no doubt about that. It had operated through international funding, but did not dance to the pipe of any one nation. But, as powerful as it had been, it had been brushed aside by Amalgam. The enemy had treated had been tolerant until Mithril had destroyed more equipment than they could ignore, and had discovered secrets that could be very damaging. Now that they were gone, who knows what ills might befall the civilized world? It wasn’t right for some outsider to sit there questioning the intentions of men and women who had died trying to make the world a better place.
“Be that as it may…” The Master Sergeant began.
“I think that’s enough, Master Sergeant.” Captain Gordon said, turning his attention back to the conversation after having received some updates from the squads at the Batu Caves, Petronas Towers, and the Science Park. “We’re all on the same team here.” The look he gave Sousuke said ‘At least we better be!’ “Sgt. Sagara, it’s probably a good thing that your friends joined the other groups, or else we might have ended up with a brawl.” He was only partly joking.
“Affirmative,” Sousuke replied. Kurz and Melissa had decided that the three of them should be spread amongst as many teams as possible, so that Mithril would have a pair of eyes at the most important sites. Kurz would be setting up outside of the Petronas Towers, while Melissa was with the men ready to infiltrate the Batu Cave facilities.
The German’s words had stung him. The soldier in him knew that it was wrong to disobey orders, or to put a mission in jeopardy by selfish actions. But, he wasn’t just a soldier. And, Kaname was not just a mission to him. He had discovered that in Khanka, when he chose to go after her, despite being told to ensure the safety of the jetliner. His actions could have conceivably led to the death of his teacher and classmates. But, that decision had been made instantaneously, in the heat of battle. When he was faced with another order that went against his wishes, he had followed it. He had left Tokyo, obeying his instructions to stay away from Kaname.
She had come after him. Using some kind of leverage with Wraith, Kaname found him in Hong Kong. He was too stupid to realize just what that meant, at the time. Relieved to see that she wasn’t dead at the hand of Gauron’s agents, he had failed to see the true depths of her feelings for him. And, the extent of his own despair had not clued him into his own feelings, even though he had felt as if his life had become meaningless at her death. It wasn’t until the business with the Pacific Christmas that he had begun to see that Sousuke was not like the Tin Man I the Wizard of Oz. He had a heart.
Sousuke flexed one of his hands. It had been the one he used to hold Kaname’s hand, when he surprised the two of them by asking. That had been the same day that Leonard had been waiting at her apartment. He had tried to kill Tessa’s brother, but couldn’t because of that strange coat he wore, and the Arastols waiting on rhe balcony. The smug bastard had compared him to a mass murderer in front of Kaname, saying it was unfair that people like him were allowed to roam free.
If Leonard Testarossa could be so cold-hearted and clever as to bring about a moment of doubt in Kaname’s heart at a time like that, what could he do over months, with Kaname near to him all that time? Her feelings might have changed dramatically, even if his had not.
“I must stop this kind of thinking.” All it was doing was making him anxious and confused. He checked his watch, wondering how long they could wait before moving. All three major sites would need to be struck simultaneously to maintain any semblance of surprise. Were they waiting on Wraith? Was there something going on at the other facilities that necessitated a delay? The longer they waited, the greater the chance was that they would be discovered.
Sousuke wondered what Kurz and Melissa were doing. No doubt Kurz was making some kind of off-color remarks about ‘Angel’, or letting everyone know how good a sniper he was. Melissa would probably be cursing everything and everybody, wishing she had a cigarette. He wished they were there with him now. No matter what they suffered trough as a team, they always seemed to come out on top. Thinking about the two of them invariably drew his thoughts back to the conversation onboard the Thai transport aircraft. ‘Right’, Melissa had said. ‘We have some tough choices. If it looks like Kaname is willingly working for the enemy…’ To that, Kurz had added ‘Then, I have to put a bullet between her pretty brown eyes. Unless we can get her away from them. Amalgam has way too much access to Black Technology as it is.’
He knew why his friends were concerned. He could see the reason that they would remove Kaname Chidori from the ranks of the living, even though they were both very fond of her, and knew that her death would hurt him deeply. Leonard had told Kaname that she was a genius, because she was Whispered, like him. There was no telling how much harm she could do, working for the wrong side. Tessa had designed the Tuatha Da Danaan. Leoanrd had designed that damn Arm Slave of his… the Aratsols… that coat… and who knows what else.
“Can I pull the trigger?” He put a hand on his unruly hair, his thoughts going back to the time Kaname gave him a haircut, when he was unable to sit in a chair at a hair salon and have a stranger put sharp scissors by his neck. He remembered how she had looked in her mother’s kimono, after she had saved him from his own ignorance and stupidity at the Flirting Contest that he had interpreted as a Girl Hunt. So many memories vied for his attention. Could he kill the person who had touched his life in the way that Kaname had?
‘It will not be a problem.’ Those words echoed in his head. ‘There is no way that someone like Kaname would give in‘. He wanted to believe that. He needed to believe that she still cared.
Sousuke felt a vibration against his leg. A message was coming in over his muted cell phone. It was fromWraith. He read the text on the miniature LCD screen, finding out what the iperative had found out so far. There were apparently no ‘guests’ staying at Seri Negara. That building housed administrative facilities and barracks for the small force of guards and human soldiers. If Kaname was anywhere, she would be in Carcosa.
The next few lines of her terse report had Sousuke holding his breath. As Wraith stood pretending to be a worker from TNB, she had seen something that an outsider was not supposed to see. Chatting amongst themselves, obviously oblivious to the scene at the front door of Seri Negara, a man and a woman had walked by dressed in A.S. suits.
“Shit,” Sousuke said. It was one thing to have to worry about Arastols. Unless there were dozens of such robots, or they had been significantly improved, the squad should be armed well enough to deal with that kind of threat. But, the ATGMs they had amongst them would do little to stop a Venom class Arm Slave, even without the Lambda Driver functioning, if that was what they would face.
There was some reason to hope, however. Despite whatever security systems were in place, Wraith had somehow managed to sneak up on one of the pilots and administer a slow acting drug. The woman would be drowsy for a while, before going completely under.
The feeling in the pit of Sousuke’s stomach was similar to one he had felt prior to his first tournament match. He would need to get behind the controls of an A.S, again. That was not as easy as it sounded, after his defeat in Arbalest. While he had done well in his matches, defeating an M9 and other superior machines in his white-painted RK-92, he still had emotional issues to deal with. He frowned when he remembered seeing Leonard’s Belial for the first time.
Hopefully, there would not be more Amalgam pilots than there were Arm Slaves. If there was one peer machine, having one pilot out of action would mean one A.S. unaccounted for. The real issue, however, had to do with the machine he might find himself in. Would it have a Lambda Driver? If it did, no doubt its companion A.S.es would as well. That would be a big problem, if he couldn’t work such a system. He remembered how long it had taken him to get a good fit with Arbalest. It had been Kaname who helped him the first time, when Guaron and that Codarl threatened her, Kurz, and himself. It had been her talk in Hong Kong that helped him interact better with the A.I. in Arbalest. Maybe her being nearby would give him the impetus he needed to succeed yet again.
In any case, it wasn’t as if he hadn’t briefed the mission planners about the capability of Asmalgam Arm Slaves. They had accepted his report without question, but were beholden to move ahead just the same. There were only so many resources at their command. They would have to take their chances, and hope for the best.
Malaysia did have its own small Arm Slave force, attached to the Kor Armor DiRaja, Royal Armour Corps. It could field M6A3s, and PAS-98s bought from Poland. The latter were upgraded RK-92s, and like the latest M6 derivative, were no match for a Venom class A.S. on paper, even without the Lambda Driver. A number of A.S. units had been covertly moved into warehouses near to the former home of Sir Frank Swettenham; but, they would likely play no role in the conflict.
Mechanical inequity was not the only issue to consider. The sovereign government was caught in a quagmire of conflicting issues. The more timid Parliament members did not want to risk having the ire of Amalgam turned on the country. Sousuke could understand that. But, it was foolish to think that keeping the country’s armed forces at a distance would buy them any sort of immunity. If an outside force attacked with the knowledge of the or constitutional monarch, the Prime Minister, and the Cabinet members, it might be viewed the same as an assault led by Malay forces. That could be devastating. While it might be possible to eradicate the terrorist group’s current footing on the home soil, there was no way to know just how large the group was worldwide. The nation had trouble enough with recent insurgents from Jemaah Islamiya, as well as a new unnamed group rumored to have been trained by the Tamil Tigers.
In addition, any involvement by Malaysian troops on a large scale would result in significant destruction in the capital city. As such, the Su-30MKMs that were currently idling on runways would not be called into action unless the Kuala Lumpur itself was in danger. The same went for the Twardy PT-91 Main Battle Tanks sitting on tank transports… the Astros MRLS vehicles resting under tarps a few miles away… and Rooivalk Attack Helicopters recently delivered from South Africa.
“I’ll pass the word along,” a one time member of Canada’s Joint Task Force 2 said, looking over Sousuke‘s shoulder.. “Nobody said it was going to be easy, eh?”
“That’s right,” Captain Gordon said, sending hand signals down along the line of troops. “Would we really want it any other way?”
“Hell yes,” a number of men answered at once. They began splitting into two groups as directed. One half of the squad would strike Seri Negara, intent on gathering information and taking down any armed enemy personnel they ran across. They would also keep an eye out for anyone who might make a useful captive. The remainder of the force would assault Carcosa, making use of the skills of men who had been trained to deal with hostage situations.
There was a little bit of a stir when Wraith arrived back at the site, bringing with her the first prize of the night, a young man in civilian clothes. Acting independently, she had secured the first significant prize. “I recognized this man,” she said. “He had gone for a walk outside alone, to smoke a cigarette. He wandered too far away from the building. His name should be familiar to you, Sagara.” She let the drugged man fall heavy to the ground.
“Who is it?” Sousuke asked, never having seen a picture of the young man that he could remember.
“Bunny Morauta,” Wraith answered, removing her disguise. “Formerly Captain Morauta, of Mithril.”
“But that‘s…” Sousuke had indeed heard that name, numerous times. First, from Tessa. Then, on many occasiosn, from Al. In many ways, the A.I. had considered Bunny Morauta to be its father. “His death was a sham, then.” He looked down at the young man, who looked to be little older than himself. “This is excellent work. You have done very well.”
“See that you do the same,” Wraith said. Her voice was still somewhat dry, but she had nodded her head slightly in acknowledgement. “I can’t do everything for you, right?”
“Affirmative,” Sousuke answered, watching as Wraith instructed a number of soldiers to keep Bunny safe and sedated. She asked to have him driven to safety in one of the trucks, as he was too valuable a prize to keep in harm’s way. If information could be drawn out from him voluntarily or involuntarily, his capture might provide a glimmer of hope for Mithril and the world community.
After the time seemed to crawl along slowly. Sousuke looked up at the moon. It seemed too large to be real. Making another effort to scan the mansion grounds, he froze. His hand twitched for a moment. A woman walked out of the frobt door of Carcosa. She was about Kaname size, as best he could judge. Could it be her?
“No… don’t…” Sousuke felt embarrassed. He was glad that no one heard him. He was especially glad that Wraith hadn’t caught that utterance. The woman had started teasing one of the guards, and ended up in his arms for a kiss. He was unnerved to realize how fast his heart was beating. Fortunately, it hadn’t been Kaname.
Focusing his binoculars on the English style building again, he froze. Things seemed to rush in on him much more than they should have, considering how little he had increased the zoom. The moment seemed caught in molasses. There. On the veranda. Off of the top front suite. Above the front entryway. Another young woman. Hair hanging down over the railing as she peered down at the amorous couple.
It was her.
For the briefest of instances, the girl stepped out of the shadows and into the full moonlight. That was Kaname. He was certain of it. At full magnification, he caught her profile when she turned sideways, the wind lifting her hair and waving it like a flag. She was wearing… those night clothes… they were not pajama. He closed his eyes, feeling like a voyeur. When he opened them again, the girl was gone. Heart beating rapidly again, he hurried to find Captain Gordon. Forcing himself to speak slowly, he told the Delta Force Commando what he had seen.
“Are you certain it wasn’t just wishful thinking,” Wraith said, seeming to materialize out of the darkness. “There’s not a lot of light on that balcony,” The North Korean woman had her own binoculars out, wanting to see for herself. Before she brought the image into focus, other spotters had confirmed Sousuke’s claim.
Sousuke rummaged through the large weapons bag he had assembled in Thailand. He took out and pocketed a few more ten-round clips for his Barrett M107 Semi Automatic .50 Caliber Rifle. He had hoped for an M109, but figured the .50 caliber ammunition should still be sufficient to stop an Arastol. Beggars can’t be choosers.
Kaname.
“Focus.” He willed himself to be calm. There was a decision to make. On the ground in front of him lay two additional weapons. The nearest was an M4A1 Carbine, rigged with SOPMOD accessories in the fashion of the Thai Special Forces, who used a configuration similar to their American contemporaries. The 5.56 millimeter rounds would be next to useless against the armor on the robots, but would be more than enough to take out any flesh and blood enemies that got in his way. He debated whether to carry that, or the HK MP-5 next to it.
Kaname was here.
He was much more familiar with the SMG, and judged it to be more to his liking for close-in fighting. And, while the M4A1 SOPMOD might look like an ideal Special Operations weapon…handy, flexible, and with good firepower… the latest experiences in the Afghanistan showed that the weapon had some flaws. He tried to run a brief critique of the weapon in his mind. First of all, the shorter barrel commands lower bullet velocities, and that significantly decreases the effective range of the 5.56mm bullet. Second, the M4 barrel and fore-end rapidly overheat. Third, the shortened barrel results in a shortened gas system, which works under greater pressures than in M16A2 rifle. That increases the rate of fire and produces more stress on the moving parts, decreasing the reliability.
Kaname was little more than two hundred yards away.
Sousuke sat there for a while, lost in thought, not unlike a girl throwing dress after dress out of her closet, trying to determine what to wear to a dance or a date. M4A1, or MP-5. MP-5, or M4A1. M4A1? MP-5? He settled on the Colt assault rifle, swayed by its modified 40mm grenade launcher. That decision normally would not have dragged on so long. He couldn’t get his mind off of Kaname.
Kaname would be free soon. Kaname would be free soon. Kaname would be free soon.
“We have confirmation on Silver,” Wraith called over to Captain Gordon. That was the codename that she had given Leonard Testarossa. There were other ‘metallic’ names applied to other men and women the groups had been briefed on; but, the call signs did not necessarily match up with the monikers that group used amongst themselves. For example, a Malaysian official suspected to be on Amalgam’s payroll was ‘Iron,’ while Gauron had been known as ‘Mr. Iron’ by his fellow organization members.
“Roger that,” Captain Gordon said. “Snipers, take up positions. Keep the guy in your sights. The moment we get the signal to begin, take him out. We can’t risk losing that one by muffing his capture.”
“He’s with that girl,” Sgt. Yam said, rifle scope to his eyes. “The one from the picture.”
Sousuke placed his M107 by his side, his hand clutching his binoculars tight enough to blanch his fingers. Kaname was back on her balcony. Leonard was with her! The two of them were standing in one of the more brightly lit areas of the veranda, making their actions easy to see.
Swearing, he dropped his binoculars and took up the rifle. He could still watch what was going on through the scope. It took all of his willpower not to place the crosshairs on Leonard’s head and pull the trigger prematurely. Memories from his last encounter with the man flooded him. He found it hard to breath, thinking back to the way he had been defeated, failing in one of his most crucial fights. He thought back to Kyouko’s injuries… Ono D’s strong words… the destruction of Arbalest… and Kaname’s sacrifice.
“I can’t…” He was actually trembling. The urge to kill was strong. Despite everything that Leonard had implied about him, he was not some kind of murderer. Sousuke Sagara was a soldier, and Leonard Testarossa was the enemy. Just one pull of the trigger, and the suave, conceited man could be a handsome corpse. But, he could not compromise the entire Malaysian operation.
A sudden feeling of coldness crept through Sousuke, as if he had walked into a moist chill mist. Why was Leonard in Kaname’s room at that hour of the morning? Why was she standing there talking to him on the balcony, dressed in those kinds of clothes?
Sousuke’s eyes burned. Leonard was standing close to Kaname, and she didn’t make an effort to move away from him, not even when he made some kind of motion with his hand near her face. The heavy rifle dipped ever so slightly, before he clenched his teeth and brought it back up again.
“Sir, with the girl standing so close to the target, do we still risk firing?” One of Sgt. Howe’s fellow countrymen had an M40A3 sniper rifle at the ready.
“Yes,” Captain Gordon answered. “We have some fine marksmen here. You know what the priorities are.”
“For all we know, the girl might be one of them,” a Thai soldier said. That statement, in addition to Leonard’s actions, had Sousuke tensing up.
No.
Leonard was running his hand up Kaname’s arm to her shoulder. He slid down along her body and out of sight.
“That’s right,” an American commando said, not thinking about the fact that Sousuke might have feelings for Kaname Chidori. “This is beginning to look like something out of a chick flick.”
No. He shouldn’t do that.
Sousuke‘s breath rushed in. His eyes widened. He froze. Leonard had kissed Kaname on the forehead. She hadn’t made any attempt to move away. She made no effort to strike him. The sound of rushing blood was loud in his ears. His mouth suddenly felt dry.
Some of the other soldiers were carrying on, sounding as if they were encouraging Leonard to follow through with something more forceful. Sousuke was too caught up in the moment to become angry or take offense. Things were happening too quickly.
No. Kaname should try to fight him off.
Then, without warning, the world threatened to shatter into thousands of tiny pieces, like a fancy mirror struck by a sledgehammer. Sousuke exhaled suddenly, feeling starved for oxygen before he breathed in again. Leonard had kissed Kaname, pulling her into a lasting embrace.
It was hard to see what was going on with complete certainty, but it looked as if she were kissing him in return. Why else would she have placed her arms around him that way?
No. It can’t be. It can’t. Not after everything that he had gone through to find her.
Sousuke never heard the comments made by the other soldiers. He was barely aware that Wraith had come over and told him not to jump to any conclusions, or to act too rashly. When Leonard left the veranda and Kaname slid out of sight, he felt as if he were melting, merging with the soft soil beneath his knees.
Time had no meaning for him, then. When the order for advance came, he merely reacted as a soldier would, picking up the weapons he had chosen to use, and setting his eyes on his objective.
“Speed, Surprise, and Violence of Action“ Captain Gordon said.
“Who Dares Wins,” Sgt. Howe added, calling out the motto shared by the SASR, British SAS, and Israeli Sayeret Matkal.
Sousuke followed silently in their wake.
The trucks were from Tenaga Nasional Berhad, Malaysia's national electricity utility company. As any passerby might assume, they were called in following an unscheduled power breakdown. The system they were working on was across the street from the target area.
Acting as if they were performing useful tasks, some of the special forces troops were wearing coveralls, their weapons stashed at points along the roadside. The power outage was deliberate, and did not involve the grid feeding either of the two Amalgam mansions. It would not do well to have the enemy too suspicious.
Other members of the assault team were waiting at strategic points situated outside of Taman Tasik Perdana. In the daytime, the famous Lake Gardens are both beautiful and tranquil, a refreshing ninety two hectare oasis in the heart of bustling Kuala Lumpur. But now, late at night, there was no one enjoying its scenery of lovely blooms, foliage, sculptures and awe-inspiring raintrees. The Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, Orchid Garden, Hibiscus Garden, Deer Park, and the National Monument were all dark.
A group of mercenaries was keeping company with a utility crew working outside the Bank Negara building at Jalan Dato' Onn. None of the soldiers were upset at missing a chance to visit the Money Museum, which housed an interesting display of old Malaysian currency, commemorative and rare coins, and foreign currencies. Their location placed them directly in line with the Seri Negara mansion building, across the park from the Amalgam compound, giving them a good view of the vicnity. When needed, they could move at a moment’s notice to support the first forces moving in on Seri Negara and Carcosa.
Another part of the mission team was stationed with electrical workers outside of Muzium Negara, the central museum for Malaysia. Their position was on the flank of Seri Negara, a reasonable distance away, out of the line of sight. The fourth and final group assigned to Carcosa and Seri Negara was waiting outside of the Parliament House complex, which consists of a main three-story building and its eighteen-story tower annex. Those buildings a house two national assembly halls, the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara, and were situated a few minutes drive away from Carcosa, off to one side.
Sousuke was a part of the group stationed directly across the Pesiaran Mahameru roadway from the pair of famous manor houses. Like most of the waiting soldiers, he was out of view, crouched down behind a group of shrubs, his binoculars out, looking for any sign of enemy activity. At least that was what he convinced himself he was doing. In actuality, he wanted to catch a glimpse of one particular girl, wondering if she was being kept at either of the two former hotels.
Letting his binoculars hang down around his neck, he stared off into the darkness, letting his mind and body relax. Listening to the quiet sounds of the night… the barely audible talk of waiting soldiers… the distant noises of trucks and cars moving about the calm streets… the chirping and buzzing of insects… he saw an image of Kaname’s face. She was smiling. The wind was making her hair move in slow waves. He shook his head violently, when Kaname’s face was replaced by Nami’s lifeless visage. There would be no repeat of that tragedy tonight! It did him no good to worry.
“See anything?” Captain Charles Gordon knelt down next to Sousuke, his face dark with camouflage paint. “So far, there has been very little movement on the grounds. A few guards, and a dog or two. Nothing mechanical.” Like the other soldiers, he had been briefed on the Arastols. That was the reason for the Barret M109 25mm payload rifle he carried along with his M4.
“Negative,” Sousuke said. “There is nothing out of the ordinary on the lawns. I have not caught sight of anything airborne, like surveillance drones. Much of the areas free of landscaping are left dark, and do not appear to be patrolled by guards. That could indicate mines, robots in hiding, and numerous other possibilities. It might also indicate normal grounds, just like those of any of the other residences in this area. The enemy may have no reason to expect attack. Or, they may feel they have little reason to fear anything short of an all out invasion.” That latter possibility was far from comforting.
“That’s all supposing that the intelligence we got wasn’t a load of crap.” Sgt. Duncan Hindmarsh, once a commando attached to the 4th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, didn’t realize that the source of that information was standing right next to him.
“I am leaving now.” That statement came from Wraith, who was dressed in an official electrical worker’s outfit. The latex face that she had applied made her look like a middle-aged Malay male. The electronic voice changer made her sound as any observer might expect, given her appearance. But, it did not remove the slight edge of acerbity from her words.
The Intel operative had a very risky task. She would make herself plainly visible, visiting each and every one of the residences on the other side of the street, paying a visit to the front door of Seri Negara and Carcosa in the process, if she was allowed to get that far. Should the opportunity arise, she would put on a servant’s outfit and sneak inside, after she had let the inhabitants know that the power difficulties probably wouldn’t expand to involve their buildings.
“You will radio me if you see Kaname Chidori,” Sousuke said in a quiet voice. It sounded more like a command than a request. “Lt. Hui.” He used Wraith’s true name and rank, as that was how she was known to the others.
“If it is within the scope of my plan,” Wraith replied, somewhat testily. “And, if I judge that you will react appropriately.” She paused, fighting with her own conscience and sense of honor. Kaname had saved her life, back when Leonard could have killed her. But, there was more at stake here than the life of one kidnapped Whispered girl. “The girl is not the only objective. Remember that. Do not compound your errors from before.” With that, she walked off.
Sousuke clenched his teeth. He would not get into a verbal war with Wraith. He hoped that she was indeed on their side, and not some kind of sleeper. He had never found it easy to trust anyone from the Intel branch. Truth be told, he also felt a bit uncomfortable around her for other reasons. His pride still stung from the fact that she had been Kaname’s primary watcher, because he had been judged unfit to carry out that task on his own.
He sighed. The Mithril officials arranging things had been correct. Sgt. Sousuke Sagara had indeed been inept in the high school setting, like a fish out of water. Unintentionally, from the very start, he had made Kaname’s life a constant struggle. Shaking his head, he remembered destroying her artwork bust… getting caught with her panties in his hand… and riding on a bicycle with her, a berserk police officer in pursuit.
About the only thing he had done right was rescue her from dangerous situations, some of which she had become ensnarled in thanks to him or Mithril. His last rescue had failed. This one couldn’t. He might never have this good of a chance again.
Reaching inside his armored vest, he took out a picture of Kaname. Kurz and Melissa had brought copies, passing them amongst all of the soldiers before they left the Sungei Besi military airport, so the combat veterans would know what she looked like. Kurz had uncharacteristically refrained from comment when he saw Sousuke’s reaction when he took one of the photos and walked off some distance with it.
“She’s a pretty one, alright.” Sgt. Petelicki noted. The stocky man with the handlebar mustache nodded in appreciation, as he set his HK MP-5 and Beryl .223 assault rifle down near Sousuke weapons. He was also hefting a RPG-76 Komar grenade launcher. “Is she your girlfriend?” He had seen the way that Sousuke had been gazing at the picture.
“She…” Sousuke frowned. He didn’t really know how to answer that. As inexperienced as he was in social matters, he had thought that Kaname was hoping for just that kind of relationship. But, he had never made any proclamation himself, and she had never told any of their friends how she felt about him. “I think so…” He tensed up some. “At least, she might have been once…” He remembered giving her the Lapis Lazuli. He thought about how she had changed somewhat after that. He went over the words he had told her, not long before he knocked her out and went to fight a losing battle against Leonard. “It may be that I don’t…” His thoughts turned somewhat pessimistic. How did someone like him rate the attention of someone like her?
“We all need love, young man.” Sgt. Petelicki laughed, keeping his chortling as quiet as possible. “Do you have a mother? A dog?” The jovial Pole remembered what it was like to be young, and to set his sights high.
“No.” Sousuke was caught somewhat off guard. Why would the man be asking such things? “Why…”
“Then, you better make certain about the girl when you can. There’s a proverb in my country.” The GROM soldier offered Sousuke chewing tobacco, which he refused. “’The greatest love is a mother's… then comes a dog's…then comes a sweetheart's’. It’s all downhill after that!” He slapped Sousuke on the back. “Enjoy what you can, while you can, kolega.”
Sousuke nodded. He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, only superficially listening to the sound of seasoned men checking their weapons one last time. He may have been a terror when he first came to school, but he had made strides, thanks to Kaname. That was one of the things he mourned, a chance to see more in life than he had as a young child orphaned in Afghanistan, or as a commodity passed among mercenary forces like a fine cigar shared among friends.
“She is too beautiful for you,” Third Sergeant Keng Yam said, tapping Sousuke on the shoulder. Bagai pungguk merindukan bulan. Like an owl craving for the moon. He pointed up at the sky. “Ingin hati memeluk gunung, apa daya tangan tak sampai. The will of the heart is to hug the mountain, but the arm is not long enough.” The small lively man took a moment to offer Sousuke encouragement after teasing him. He belonged to the Komando Pasukan Khusus, or Kopassus, an Indonesian special forces group. He had with him a CZ-Scorpion SMG, Steyr Aug, and Pindad SPR sniper rifle.
Sousuke secretly agreed with the man’s first comments, seeing that they reinforced his earlier thoughts. Once again, his confidence began to capsize. Indeed, who was he to be thinking about Kaname Chidori as a part of his life? She was not a squadmate or fellow soldier. She was a civilian, someone who could spend time with anyone she chose. When all was said and done, why would she choose someone like him? He had been willing to walk away from Mithril to spend more time in the life he found in Tokyo. But, that wouldn’t really change who or what he is.
What had he ever brought her, really? He was someone who got her aggravated, and in trouble. He was someone she had to look after, as if he were a small child. He was someone who might cause her to injure her arm, considering how many times she had struck him with that paper fan of hers.
It wasn’t all bleak. The was something else that he was. He was someone who cared about her. Over the past few months, as hectic as they had been, he found himself thinking about that fact more and more. Would his feelings prove to be an albatross around his neck? If not for him, then for the people around him? He looked over at the other soldiers, seeing them as faint outlines against the inky blackness of their hiding place. Would they die, as Nami had? Running his hand through his hair, he told himself there was no reason to feel guilty for that. The men were professionals. They would not die as a result of his single-minded search for Kaname. That was not why they were here tonight. It was why he was there.
It was all immaterial. He took a deep breath and told himself to act like a Specialist. His emotions didn’t matter at that moment. The bottom line was that Kaname was in danger, and needed to be rescued. He had made a promise to people in Tokyo, and had to keep his word. Amalgam had turned more lives upside down than his and hers, and they could not be allowed to continue unchecked.
“It’s amazing what you can learn from sayings,“ Sgt. Howe said. “Well, good ones, that is.” He laughed, hearing a light-hearted curse from the Pole, and seeing the Singaporean shrug. “The Aborigines say ‘Those who lose dreaming, are lost’. Know what I mean?”
“I think so…” Sousuke felt a headache coming on. He realized that he was clenching his teeth too tightly. He really wasn’t someone who dreamed of things. No. He was someone who went where he was told, and did what he had to do. If he did allow himself to dream, he might dream about Kaname. He might wonder what life might be like, if they could both return to Jindai High. But, was that realistic? What kind of life could they have together? So many things had changed. If not between the two of them, then around them.
If fate granted the two of them a reprieve tonight, what could they do with it? After his confession to his teacher and class mates, he might not be welcome back at school, even if he returned with Kaname. And, since many of the difficult situations the students had found themselves in stemmed from her being Whispered and sought after, how might they react to their former Student Council Vice President and Class Representative? Would that kind of thing follow the two of them wherever they went, even if he stopped serving as a soldier? Supposing Mithril regained its ability to make a difference in the world, could he afford to resign, if Kaname needed heightened protection, and he needed a connection to powerful men and women? How long could any group treat the Whispered like charity cases?
“For the young lady’s sake… and for the sake of this mission… there’s another saying you should keep in mind. ‘Keep your eyes on the sun and you will not see the shadows’.” He took some of the tobacco offered by the Polish soldier, and then slung an M4 over his shoulder. The bag he carried with him held other weapons as well. “If you keep your mind on accomplishing the mission, things may go well. But, if you let your feelings lead you by the nose…” He tapped his finger against the photograph, leaving the sentence hanging. No more words were necessary.
When Sgt. Howe, Third Sgt. Yam, and Sgt. Petelicki moved on to check with other members of the team, Master Sergeant Heinrich of the KSK stepped closer to Sousuke, shadowed by a Lieutenant from the Royal Thai Special Forces, and a number of men from Malaysia’s Paskal and Paskau units. The bespectacled man with a large strong chin and close cropped hair, had a Panzerfaust 3 slung across his back and an HK G8 assault rifle in hand. “You are very young. It is never wise to develop feelings for one you are assigned to protect. It is also wrong to put one’s personal matters ahead of one’s professional responsibilities.” His gaze was fierce, as if he had seen that kind of thing happen in the past. “Keep a close watch on your elders. Do as they do.”
Inexplicably, Sousuke’s introspection and uncertainly quickly gave way to anger. He hadn’t realized just how tightly wound he was, considering that his reflections had been calm and languorous. “I do not need to be lectured on duty. I am not a child.” He returned the man’s gaze, remembering how many times he had been judged solely on his age. “I fought the Russians in Afghanistan. While members of your organization were fighting terrorists in that same country last year, I was facing more dangerous threats elsewhere.” He didn’t add ‘And this is not my first time rescuing Kaname Chidori’.
“Mithril,” the German said, his eyes narrow with doubt. “Die Schatten. We have heard of that name. Some have wondered if that group was any better than the terrorists we will fight today.” To many, the whispers about the mysterious group had taken on various shapes and forms. The less they could find out, the more frustrated and suspicious they became.
“Perhaps you should ask your countrymen, who secretly helped build the M9 Arm Slaves that we used,” Sousuke said, annoyed at the man’s words about Mithril, even though he could understand how outsiders might view the organization. “Or, you can ask the men in the United States who knew about us, and made certain that we had adequate funding. You might also speak with similar men in Great Britain and Europe.” He saw that a number of men had gone quiet, listening in. he didn’t care. “I doubt that the men and women who are alive thanks to our actions would consider us terrorists.”
Mithril had been a force for the good. Sousuke had no doubt about that. It had operated through international funding, but did not dance to the pipe of any one nation. But, as powerful as it had been, it had been brushed aside by Amalgam. The enemy had treated had been tolerant until Mithril had destroyed more equipment than they could ignore, and had discovered secrets that could be very damaging. Now that they were gone, who knows what ills might befall the civilized world? It wasn’t right for some outsider to sit there questioning the intentions of men and women who had died trying to make the world a better place.
“Be that as it may…” The Master Sergeant began.
“I think that’s enough, Master Sergeant.” Captain Gordon said, turning his attention back to the conversation after having received some updates from the squads at the Batu Caves, Petronas Towers, and the Science Park. “We’re all on the same team here.” The look he gave Sousuke said ‘At least we better be!’ “Sgt. Sagara, it’s probably a good thing that your friends joined the other groups, or else we might have ended up with a brawl.” He was only partly joking.
“Affirmative,” Sousuke replied. Kurz and Melissa had decided that the three of them should be spread amongst as many teams as possible, so that Mithril would have a pair of eyes at the most important sites. Kurz would be setting up outside of the Petronas Towers, while Melissa was with the men ready to infiltrate the Batu Cave facilities.
The German’s words had stung him. The soldier in him knew that it was wrong to disobey orders, or to put a mission in jeopardy by selfish actions. But, he wasn’t just a soldier. And, Kaname was not just a mission to him. He had discovered that in Khanka, when he chose to go after her, despite being told to ensure the safety of the jetliner. His actions could have conceivably led to the death of his teacher and classmates. But, that decision had been made instantaneously, in the heat of battle. When he was faced with another order that went against his wishes, he had followed it. He had left Tokyo, obeying his instructions to stay away from Kaname.
She had come after him. Using some kind of leverage with Wraith, Kaname found him in Hong Kong. He was too stupid to realize just what that meant, at the time. Relieved to see that she wasn’t dead at the hand of Gauron’s agents, he had failed to see the true depths of her feelings for him. And, the extent of his own despair had not clued him into his own feelings, even though he had felt as if his life had become meaningless at her death. It wasn’t until the business with the Pacific Christmas that he had begun to see that Sousuke was not like the Tin Man I the Wizard of Oz. He had a heart.
Sousuke flexed one of his hands. It had been the one he used to hold Kaname’s hand, when he surprised the two of them by asking. That had been the same day that Leonard had been waiting at her apartment. He had tried to kill Tessa’s brother, but couldn’t because of that strange coat he wore, and the Arastols waiting on rhe balcony. The smug bastard had compared him to a mass murderer in front of Kaname, saying it was unfair that people like him were allowed to roam free.
If Leonard Testarossa could be so cold-hearted and clever as to bring about a moment of doubt in Kaname’s heart at a time like that, what could he do over months, with Kaname near to him all that time? Her feelings might have changed dramatically, even if his had not.
“I must stop this kind of thinking.” All it was doing was making him anxious and confused. He checked his watch, wondering how long they could wait before moving. All three major sites would need to be struck simultaneously to maintain any semblance of surprise. Were they waiting on Wraith? Was there something going on at the other facilities that necessitated a delay? The longer they waited, the greater the chance was that they would be discovered.
Sousuke wondered what Kurz and Melissa were doing. No doubt Kurz was making some kind of off-color remarks about ‘Angel’, or letting everyone know how good a sniper he was. Melissa would probably be cursing everything and everybody, wishing she had a cigarette. He wished they were there with him now. No matter what they suffered trough as a team, they always seemed to come out on top. Thinking about the two of them invariably drew his thoughts back to the conversation onboard the Thai transport aircraft. ‘Right’, Melissa had said. ‘We have some tough choices. If it looks like Kaname is willingly working for the enemy…’ To that, Kurz had added ‘Then, I have to put a bullet between her pretty brown eyes. Unless we can get her away from them. Amalgam has way too much access to Black Technology as it is.’
He knew why his friends were concerned. He could see the reason that they would remove Kaname Chidori from the ranks of the living, even though they were both very fond of her, and knew that her death would hurt him deeply. Leonard had told Kaname that she was a genius, because she was Whispered, like him. There was no telling how much harm she could do, working for the wrong side. Tessa had designed the Tuatha Da Danaan. Leoanrd had designed that damn Arm Slave of his… the Aratsols… that coat… and who knows what else.
“Can I pull the trigger?” He put a hand on his unruly hair, his thoughts going back to the time Kaname gave him a haircut, when he was unable to sit in a chair at a hair salon and have a stranger put sharp scissors by his neck. He remembered how she had looked in her mother’s kimono, after she had saved him from his own ignorance and stupidity at the Flirting Contest that he had interpreted as a Girl Hunt. So many memories vied for his attention. Could he kill the person who had touched his life in the way that Kaname had?
‘It will not be a problem.’ Those words echoed in his head. ‘There is no way that someone like Kaname would give in‘. He wanted to believe that. He needed to believe that she still cared.
Sousuke felt a vibration against his leg. A message was coming in over his muted cell phone. It was fromWraith. He read the text on the miniature LCD screen, finding out what the iperative had found out so far. There were apparently no ‘guests’ staying at Seri Negara. That building housed administrative facilities and barracks for the small force of guards and human soldiers. If Kaname was anywhere, she would be in Carcosa.
The next few lines of her terse report had Sousuke holding his breath. As Wraith stood pretending to be a worker from TNB, she had seen something that an outsider was not supposed to see. Chatting amongst themselves, obviously oblivious to the scene at the front door of Seri Negara, a man and a woman had walked by dressed in A.S. suits.
“Shit,” Sousuke said. It was one thing to have to worry about Arastols. Unless there were dozens of such robots, or they had been significantly improved, the squad should be armed well enough to deal with that kind of threat. But, the ATGMs they had amongst them would do little to stop a Venom class Arm Slave, even without the Lambda Driver functioning, if that was what they would face.
There was some reason to hope, however. Despite whatever security systems were in place, Wraith had somehow managed to sneak up on one of the pilots and administer a slow acting drug. The woman would be drowsy for a while, before going completely under.
The feeling in the pit of Sousuke’s stomach was similar to one he had felt prior to his first tournament match. He would need to get behind the controls of an A.S, again. That was not as easy as it sounded, after his defeat in Arbalest. While he had done well in his matches, defeating an M9 and other superior machines in his white-painted RK-92, he still had emotional issues to deal with. He frowned when he remembered seeing Leonard’s Belial for the first time.
Hopefully, there would not be more Amalgam pilots than there were Arm Slaves. If there was one peer machine, having one pilot out of action would mean one A.S. unaccounted for. The real issue, however, had to do with the machine he might find himself in. Would it have a Lambda Driver? If it did, no doubt its companion A.S.es would as well. That would be a big problem, if he couldn’t work such a system. He remembered how long it had taken him to get a good fit with Arbalest. It had been Kaname who helped him the first time, when Guaron and that Codarl threatened her, Kurz, and himself. It had been her talk in Hong Kong that helped him interact better with the A.I. in Arbalest. Maybe her being nearby would give him the impetus he needed to succeed yet again.
In any case, it wasn’t as if he hadn’t briefed the mission planners about the capability of Asmalgam Arm Slaves. They had accepted his report without question, but were beholden to move ahead just the same. There were only so many resources at their command. They would have to take their chances, and hope for the best.
Malaysia did have its own small Arm Slave force, attached to the Kor Armor DiRaja, Royal Armour Corps. It could field M6A3s, and PAS-98s bought from Poland. The latter were upgraded RK-92s, and like the latest M6 derivative, were no match for a Venom class A.S. on paper, even without the Lambda Driver. A number of A.S. units had been covertly moved into warehouses near to the former home of Sir Frank Swettenham; but, they would likely play no role in the conflict.
Mechanical inequity was not the only issue to consider. The sovereign government was caught in a quagmire of conflicting issues. The more timid Parliament members did not want to risk having the ire of Amalgam turned on the country. Sousuke could understand that. But, it was foolish to think that keeping the country’s armed forces at a distance would buy them any sort of immunity. If an outside force attacked with the knowledge of the or constitutional monarch, the Prime Minister, and the Cabinet members, it might be viewed the same as an assault led by Malay forces. That could be devastating. While it might be possible to eradicate the terrorist group’s current footing on the home soil, there was no way to know just how large the group was worldwide. The nation had trouble enough with recent insurgents from Jemaah Islamiya, as well as a new unnamed group rumored to have been trained by the Tamil Tigers.
In addition, any involvement by Malaysian troops on a large scale would result in significant destruction in the capital city. As such, the Su-30MKMs that were currently idling on runways would not be called into action unless the Kuala Lumpur itself was in danger. The same went for the Twardy PT-91 Main Battle Tanks sitting on tank transports… the Astros MRLS vehicles resting under tarps a few miles away… and Rooivalk Attack Helicopters recently delivered from South Africa.
“I’ll pass the word along,” a one time member of Canada’s Joint Task Force 2 said, looking over Sousuke‘s shoulder.. “Nobody said it was going to be easy, eh?”
“That’s right,” Captain Gordon said, sending hand signals down along the line of troops. “Would we really want it any other way?”
“Hell yes,” a number of men answered at once. They began splitting into two groups as directed. One half of the squad would strike Seri Negara, intent on gathering information and taking down any armed enemy personnel they ran across. They would also keep an eye out for anyone who might make a useful captive. The remainder of the force would assault Carcosa, making use of the skills of men who had been trained to deal with hostage situations.
There was a little bit of a stir when Wraith arrived back at the site, bringing with her the first prize of the night, a young man in civilian clothes. Acting independently, she had secured the first significant prize. “I recognized this man,” she said. “He had gone for a walk outside alone, to smoke a cigarette. He wandered too far away from the building. His name should be familiar to you, Sagara.” She let the drugged man fall heavy to the ground.
“Who is it?” Sousuke asked, never having seen a picture of the young man that he could remember.
“Bunny Morauta,” Wraith answered, removing her disguise. “Formerly Captain Morauta, of Mithril.”
“But that‘s…” Sousuke had indeed heard that name, numerous times. First, from Tessa. Then, on many occasiosn, from Al. In many ways, the A.I. had considered Bunny Morauta to be its father. “His death was a sham, then.” He looked down at the young man, who looked to be little older than himself. “This is excellent work. You have done very well.”
“See that you do the same,” Wraith said. Her voice was still somewhat dry, but she had nodded her head slightly in acknowledgement. “I can’t do everything for you, right?”
“Affirmative,” Sousuke answered, watching as Wraith instructed a number of soldiers to keep Bunny safe and sedated. She asked to have him driven to safety in one of the trucks, as he was too valuable a prize to keep in harm’s way. If information could be drawn out from him voluntarily or involuntarily, his capture might provide a glimmer of hope for Mithril and the world community.
After the time seemed to crawl along slowly. Sousuke looked up at the moon. It seemed too large to be real. Making another effort to scan the mansion grounds, he froze. His hand twitched for a moment. A woman walked out of the frobt door of Carcosa. She was about Kaname size, as best he could judge. Could it be her?
“No… don’t…” Sousuke felt embarrassed. He was glad that no one heard him. He was especially glad that Wraith hadn’t caught that utterance. The woman had started teasing one of the guards, and ended up in his arms for a kiss. He was unnerved to realize how fast his heart was beating. Fortunately, it hadn’t been Kaname.
Focusing his binoculars on the English style building again, he froze. Things seemed to rush in on him much more than they should have, considering how little he had increased the zoom. The moment seemed caught in molasses. There. On the veranda. Off of the top front suite. Above the front entryway. Another young woman. Hair hanging down over the railing as she peered down at the amorous couple.
It was her.
For the briefest of instances, the girl stepped out of the shadows and into the full moonlight. That was Kaname. He was certain of it. At full magnification, he caught her profile when she turned sideways, the wind lifting her hair and waving it like a flag. She was wearing… those night clothes… they were not pajama. He closed his eyes, feeling like a voyeur. When he opened them again, the girl was gone. Heart beating rapidly again, he hurried to find Captain Gordon. Forcing himself to speak slowly, he told the Delta Force Commando what he had seen.
“Are you certain it wasn’t just wishful thinking,” Wraith said, seeming to materialize out of the darkness. “There’s not a lot of light on that balcony,” The North Korean woman had her own binoculars out, wanting to see for herself. Before she brought the image into focus, other spotters had confirmed Sousuke’s claim.
Sousuke rummaged through the large weapons bag he had assembled in Thailand. He took out and pocketed a few more ten-round clips for his Barrett M107 Semi Automatic .50 Caliber Rifle. He had hoped for an M109, but figured the .50 caliber ammunition should still be sufficient to stop an Arastol. Beggars can’t be choosers.
Kaname.
“Focus.” He willed himself to be calm. There was a decision to make. On the ground in front of him lay two additional weapons. The nearest was an M4A1 Carbine, rigged with SOPMOD accessories in the fashion of the Thai Special Forces, who used a configuration similar to their American contemporaries. The 5.56 millimeter rounds would be next to useless against the armor on the robots, but would be more than enough to take out any flesh and blood enemies that got in his way. He debated whether to carry that, or the HK MP-5 next to it.
Kaname was here.
He was much more familiar with the SMG, and judged it to be more to his liking for close-in fighting. And, while the M4A1 SOPMOD might look like an ideal Special Operations weapon…handy, flexible, and with good firepower… the latest experiences in the Afghanistan showed that the weapon had some flaws. He tried to run a brief critique of the weapon in his mind. First of all, the shorter barrel commands lower bullet velocities, and that significantly decreases the effective range of the 5.56mm bullet. Second, the M4 barrel and fore-end rapidly overheat. Third, the shortened barrel results in a shortened gas system, which works under greater pressures than in M16A2 rifle. That increases the rate of fire and produces more stress on the moving parts, decreasing the reliability.
Kaname was little more than two hundred yards away.
Sousuke sat there for a while, lost in thought, not unlike a girl throwing dress after dress out of her closet, trying to determine what to wear to a dance or a date. M4A1, or MP-5. MP-5, or M4A1. M4A1? MP-5? He settled on the Colt assault rifle, swayed by its modified 40mm grenade launcher. That decision normally would not have dragged on so long. He couldn’t get his mind off of Kaname.
Kaname would be free soon. Kaname would be free soon. Kaname would be free soon.
“We have confirmation on Silver,” Wraith called over to Captain Gordon. That was the codename that she had given Leonard Testarossa. There were other ‘metallic’ names applied to other men and women the groups had been briefed on; but, the call signs did not necessarily match up with the monikers that group used amongst themselves. For example, a Malaysian official suspected to be on Amalgam’s payroll was ‘Iron,’ while Gauron had been known as ‘Mr. Iron’ by his fellow organization members.
“Roger that,” Captain Gordon said. “Snipers, take up positions. Keep the guy in your sights. The moment we get the signal to begin, take him out. We can’t risk losing that one by muffing his capture.”
“He’s with that girl,” Sgt. Yam said, rifle scope to his eyes. “The one from the picture.”
Sousuke placed his M107 by his side, his hand clutching his binoculars tight enough to blanch his fingers. Kaname was back on her balcony. Leonard was with her! The two of them were standing in one of the more brightly lit areas of the veranda, making their actions easy to see.
Swearing, he dropped his binoculars and took up the rifle. He could still watch what was going on through the scope. It took all of his willpower not to place the crosshairs on Leonard’s head and pull the trigger prematurely. Memories from his last encounter with the man flooded him. He found it hard to breath, thinking back to the way he had been defeated, failing in one of his most crucial fights. He thought back to Kyouko’s injuries… Ono D’s strong words… the destruction of Arbalest… and Kaname’s sacrifice.
“I can’t…” He was actually trembling. The urge to kill was strong. Despite everything that Leonard had implied about him, he was not some kind of murderer. Sousuke Sagara was a soldier, and Leonard Testarossa was the enemy. Just one pull of the trigger, and the suave, conceited man could be a handsome corpse. But, he could not compromise the entire Malaysian operation.
A sudden feeling of coldness crept through Sousuke, as if he had walked into a moist chill mist. Why was Leonard in Kaname’s room at that hour of the morning? Why was she standing there talking to him on the balcony, dressed in those kinds of clothes?
Sousuke’s eyes burned. Leonard was standing close to Kaname, and she didn’t make an effort to move away from him, not even when he made some kind of motion with his hand near her face. The heavy rifle dipped ever so slightly, before he clenched his teeth and brought it back up again.
“Sir, with the girl standing so close to the target, do we still risk firing?” One of Sgt. Howe’s fellow countrymen had an M40A3 sniper rifle at the ready.
“Yes,” Captain Gordon answered. “We have some fine marksmen here. You know what the priorities are.”
“For all we know, the girl might be one of them,” a Thai soldier said. That statement, in addition to Leonard’s actions, had Sousuke tensing up.
No.
Leonard was running his hand up Kaname’s arm to her shoulder. He slid down along her body and out of sight.
“That’s right,” an American commando said, not thinking about the fact that Sousuke might have feelings for Kaname Chidori. “This is beginning to look like something out of a chick flick.”
No. He shouldn’t do that.
Sousuke‘s breath rushed in. His eyes widened. He froze. Leonard had kissed Kaname on the forehead. She hadn’t made any attempt to move away. She made no effort to strike him. The sound of rushing blood was loud in his ears. His mouth suddenly felt dry.
Some of the other soldiers were carrying on, sounding as if they were encouraging Leonard to follow through with something more forceful. Sousuke was too caught up in the moment to become angry or take offense. Things were happening too quickly.
No. Kaname should try to fight him off.
Then, without warning, the world threatened to shatter into thousands of tiny pieces, like a fancy mirror struck by a sledgehammer. Sousuke exhaled suddenly, feeling starved for oxygen before he breathed in again. Leonard had kissed Kaname, pulling her into a lasting embrace.
It was hard to see what was going on with complete certainty, but it looked as if she were kissing him in return. Why else would she have placed her arms around him that way?
No. It can’t be. It can’t. Not after everything that he had gone through to find her.
Sousuke never heard the comments made by the other soldiers. He was barely aware that Wraith had come over and told him not to jump to any conclusions, or to act too rashly. When Leonard left the veranda and Kaname slid out of sight, he felt as if he were melting, merging with the soft soil beneath his knees.
Time had no meaning for him, then. When the order for advance came, he merely reacted as a soldier would, picking up the weapons he had chosen to use, and setting his eyes on his objective.
“Speed, Surprise, and Violence of Action“ Captain Gordon said.
“Who Dares Wins,” Sgt. Howe added, calling out the motto shared by the SASR, British SAS, and Israeli Sayeret Matkal.
Sousuke followed silently in their wake.
