Andromeda

"The First Machine War began when the machines that were strategically placed throughout the world were activated with their base command. These machines all had been produced from a single company that built the machines without any of the Laws of Robots hard coded into them. They had the Laws of Robots programmed into them, but it was something that could be switched off at a single command. Once that cage door was opened a new command was activated, the destruction of all of mankind.

"Since the machines were placed across the world the devastation that they caused was immense. However, many of the countries that already had a modern military did not heavily rely of the machines. When the machines went out of control their path of destruction was limited and quickly put to a halt. The primary tactic in those countries was suicide bombings to take out as much as possible before stopped. The countries that machines made up all of their force were ravaged and nearly wiped out.

"Once the home fronts of the major world powers were brought back into order focus turned to the war blazing through Europe and Africa. Machines were heavily deployed in the war torn regions of these continents spreading death across entire countries. It took a month to deploy soldiers in the countries that were battling the machine soldiers that marched through their lands unchallenged.

"The war was hard fought over Eastern Europe and North Africa with great human casualties. The machines were strong, but there numbers were fewer and not even their metal skeletons were enough to keep them alive. When the war was clearly turning against the machines they adopted suicide runs on military posts to take out as much as they could before the end. This spelled the end for the machines as their numbers sank until there was none left to fight.

"After the war came to an end an assault on the factory and company that orchestrated everything was the final target. The factories were destroyed and the employees either killed or arrested. The President of the company disappeared and his whereabouts remain to this day unknown. The war was over, but the path of the machines was forever altered.

"Some believe that fighting is the only way to prove that you lived, but existence is a struggle of more than against another…"

Flesh is for Gods – Episode 10 – Brothers of the Broken

Satoru stared at the monitor as the video feeds from the rooms that were being stormed were cut. He only got a glimpse of the number of men, but it was clear to him that there was little chance that they had of holding them off. These people meant to take the facility with little regard for anything, but their goal. Nothing would stop them and even all of the security and advanced computer systems in the world would not be enough to hold them back for very long. Anything could be broken by one means or another with enough time. "What are you going to do?" Satoru said looking at Yuu hoping that he had thought this far out and had a master plan held up in his otherwise perverse mind.

"What do you think we're going to do? We are going to fight them." It was a straightforward answer. The bluntness was a little awkward in the mist of secrets and deception. Yuu was still giving out orders to the parts of the facility rallying the people that he had together. He had explained to them the situation and given them the choice of running or staying. Most were opting to stay and fight.

"What?!" Satoru said grabbing Yuu by the arm and turning him to look at the monitor that he had otherwise been ignoring. He pointed at the screen of the heavily armed men that were fully loaded out in armor and weapons looking like they were going into war rather than a raid on a civilian facility. "But that is suicide. These are trained soldiers and all you have are a bunch of company employees who have barely held a weapon before."

The obvious peril that they were in did not to be iterated into Yuu. He pulled away from Satoru straightening out his sleeve. After he adjusted himself he returned to the work that he was doing getting the remaining parts of the facility secure in time. Not wanting to be drawn away from what he was doing he spoke into the panel at Satoru. "They plan on silencing all of us one way or another. They'll hunt us all down if we run. There is no more hiding from them."

The tension between the two men was building enough for Natsuko to step in. She knew what had to be done and that Satoru was not going to be able to see their reason. The decision to pick a side did not mean that he was ready to die. She knew that she could not ask him to do this so soon. "This is not your fight, Satoru. You have somewhere else to go." Natsuko pulled at Satoru's arm making him look at Asami in the other room that was slowly waking up. "Take her and leave while we hold them off."

"Natsuko?" Satoru said in surprise realizing quickly that she was going to be fighting those soldiers. He felt the flood of emotions rising up through ranging from rage to fear and sorrow. "You can't do this! You'll die out there!" His voice was cracking as he spoke barely able to keep himself together. This was not what he wanted things to come to. There had to be another way. Satoru pounded his head for an answer coming up empty.

"It doesn't matter, Satoru," Natsuko said with a strange smile on her face happy to feel the caring touch from him. However, she knew that it could not last. Another room was taken by the soldiers with no slowing them down. There was no one stopping them at the moment, just doors and walls of security measures. She focused herself back on what had to be done. "I decided that this is what I'm going to do already. Just get out of here!" Natsuko pushed on Satoru to the room wanting him to take Asami before it was too late.

"I didn't want this!" Satoru shouted at random. He could feel the pressure crushing him as no answers came to him. It led him to panic no longer certain what he should be doing. All he knew was that this was wrong and had to be prevented. Satoru knew it, but his struggling was empty without purpose simply flaying at the air. "I don't want…"

"Losing your determination already? Is it that weak?" Yuu looked over at Satoru seeing the pitiful state that he had decayed into. It was enough to pull him away from the computer. He was disappointed that the mountain of resolve that he had seen was nothing more than a façade of rice paper painted to look impressive.

'Natsuko…I don't want to lose anymore people that I care about.' His eyes spun around the room not sure what he was supposed to be doing. Natsuko wanted to protect him, but he wanted to protect her. Yuu was looking ready to punch him into the other room. He wanted to run, but he wanted to stay. His head was pounded harder increasing the pressure that was making him sweat through his clothes. 'I can't let them…' Satoru suddenly found his focus standing before him dividing every thought that worried or feared him to the side. It made his mind so clear and he knew that he could not abandon them. Satoru pushed Natsuko aside staring at Yuu making his declaration. "No. I'm staying."

"Satoru!" Natsuko said rushing to him pushing back against the wall. Her eyes were on the verge of breaking, but held back trying to be strong. She hung her head down knowing that this was the way it was supposed to be, but wished it could be changed. This was fate. "No, I-"

"Good." Yuu said quickly before Natsuko would make a fool of herself. "I'm glad to have you with us." He stretched out his hand in an open offer to seal the decision that was made.

Satoru pushed Natsuko away from him looking at Yuu. He was not going to shake his hand. That would mean that he trusted this man and that was furthest from the truth. He might trust him more than others, but he could not call it trust at the moment. "This doesn't mean I trust you though. I still don't know what you are trying to do, but I can't turn a blind eye anymore to what is happening here."

Yuu retracted his hand looking pleased with himself as though he had just won something more than Satoru's aid. "Good, you learned my lesson finally."

"Huh?" Satoru said staring at Yuu genuinely confused at his response. He was almost expecting to be yelled at or have some sort of argument with the man. This reaction was not what he thought was going to happen.

"I don't want you to trust me. I don't want you to trust anyone." Yuu began to explain himself knowing that it was already vague what he was getting at. He had a reason to his behavior with Satoru the entire time. While he did enjoy a good laugh and he got that. The last week he spent was far more out of character for him than usual. He did not like being too serious, but he did not having to play on someone's strings either. The purpose was served though and if it got through and sank in that was enough for him. "You are too naïve still thinking that there are people to trust in this world. There might be a few out there that you can trust, but don't hand it out so easily. Everyone has an angle and a side and they won't ever give you the chance to see it until you regret it."

"You mean all that?" Satoru's eyes lowered narrowing in annoyance with Yuu. "Ugh…I hate you." In spite of what he said it was not really what he felt. The man did deserve a good punch for being manipulative, but there was some truth he could see in what he said.

"I'm not here to be liked. I can't let you end up dying just yet. Hopefully, you'll live a little longer now." Now that things were in order he had to prepare for the next stage. Things were going to be progressing quickly and they had very little time left. Yuu turned to Natsuko who was still looking distracted with thoughts of Satoru. "Natsuko, take him to alpha team and get him ready."

Satoru looked out the window into the other room. She was not ready to move yet with all that they did to her. He was surprised that Yuu knew so much about advanced robotics and programming into order to get her working so quickly. It made him wonder how many secrets the man held. "What about Asami?"

"She'll be ready soon," Yuu said reassuring Satoru that there was nothing to worry about. It might seem like they did not have any time left, but there was plenty still left to go before the end. "I'll send her to you when she is ready."

Red lights flashed around them through the halls coming out of the smoothed metal surface. There were no sirens or sounds from the warning system as the red was enough to get your attention. In the rooms behind the doors there were faint sounds of alarms to wake up anyone, but it was otherwise quiet. Low thuds muted out by the meters of metal signaled the closing pressure of the soldiers destroying another wall in their way. They would be to the lower levels soon.

Natsuko rushed to keep up with Satoru who acted like he knew where he was going, but merely was keeping himself from being dragged behind by the weights of his heart. An intersection arrived and Satoru was about to make a random decision in the direction to head when Natsuko stepped in front pointing him to the left. "You don't have to do this, Satoru."

"I do." His face was narrowed by determination pushing past everything that was holding him back. He finally felt clear again like he had not felt before for so long. Even when he knew where he stood before this all began there was hints of him leaning away. Everything was gone now and he would not stop on uncertainty anymore. "I've been standing around doing nothing for too long. I'm not going to be useless anymore."

'Satoru…' Natsuko felt distracted being reminded of Satoru from before and what she had seen now. He was acting like the person that she remembered. This was the man that she wanted to see return. All of the turmoil that boiled in his mind had shrunken him from the person that she had known. Even knowing what could happen she was pleased to see him back again. "I guess there is no talking you out of it now. Well meet alpha team." She came to the door that was for alpha team opening it for Satoru to see who he would be working with.

Satoru stepped in still looking back at Natsuko trying to figure out who they might be. He figured that he knew them since everyone that was here worked at the company. Though there were a lot of people that he had only seen before and never talked to. They were all on the same side so Satoru was confident there would not be a problem in the end. "Who are they…what?!" Satoru had turned his head around to finally see who they were and nearly fell back into Natsuko. He blinked several times trying to make sure that his eyes were not playing tricks on him. "Kazuhiko, Tadashi, Chiyoko? What are you all doing here?"

Kazuhiko stood up from the bench that sat in the middle of the lockers and weapon shelf. He walked over to Satoru patting him roughly on the back. "Hey that's not a very nice how-do-you-do, Satoru."

The man was still as cheerful and free spirited as he remembered. It made Satoru a little melancholic to see the brave front that was being put up. This had to be difficult for even him to deal with maintaining the air. "Kazuhiko…" Satoru did not know what more to say to him. If this went poorly this could be the last time that he saw them. This reunion was a cruel gift.

Chiyoko stepped up looking to cheer Satoru up a little from the darkened expression that had glazed over him. She pushed Kazuhiko free from him giving Satoru a warm smile. "Satoru, I'm so glad that you're still alive."

"Yeah, Chiyoko." The hopeful bright smile from Chiyoko made him feel a little better. His thoughts drifted away as he tightened his hands in a fist as a sort of reassurance. "I wonder sometimes if I actually am still."

"So you've finally found a side," Tadashi said from the wall that he was leaning against. He looked at Satoru with a piercing staring checking him to see if he would crumble away.

"Same as always huh, Tadashi," Satoru said with a small laugh. He could feel the veil of sadness he felt wash away. This was familiar ground for him. He could be comfortable with these people more than anyone else that he knew, save one. "Of all of you I'm surprised you're here given how much we fought over these same ideals."

Tadashi stepped forward pleased to see that the old Satoru he had knew was back. It would have meant nothing if he was just going to run away. He missed the heated debates that they had in the past. "Just because I fought with you did not mean that I did not want to agree with you. However, I'm more pragmatic than you. Your naïve idealisms will always clash with me."

"Tadashi, don't start fighting with him already." Chiyoko put her arms out between the two men fearing that this could quickly disintegrate into an argument that they did not have the time for now. Her usual weak position was offset by the protection and weapons that she was hauling on her.

Satoru put his foot forward going around Chiyoko, but looking towards her. "Its alright, Chiyoko. I'm here now because it was my choice." He pushed past Chiyoko staring down Tadashi closely. There was no anger in his eyes and none returned. It was two men, colleagues, acknowledging the other's position and view. "I don't care if you don't agree with my methods. It's not about that anymore. It's about living for tomorrow now."

Tadashi gave Satoru a knowing smirk. "Something we can agree on."

"Get Satoru a weapon and we'll head out," Natsuko shouted out in the room taking command of the situation. The others that were part of the team stood up moving out of the room. The demeanor of Natsuko had changed completely from the moment before showing her being confident and assertive. She stepped out of the room looking at everyone while Chiyoko and Kazuhiko grabbed weapons and gear for Satoru to put on.

All of the things that were thrown at him set him off balance for a moment not sure what to do with them. Chiyoko helped put the armor over his street clothes adjusting them to fit him. Satoru was left a little stunned to see how they were all acting. It had only been a few seconds, but they all changed immediately. 'Natsuko…I'd never imagine her doing this. She's so completely different. They all are…' He watched them work handing him what he needed and showed how to use it. There was so much information that he glossed over his eyes for a moment.

"Satoru?" Natsuko could see how confused Satoru was becoming. She remembered the first time for her and everyone else. None of them knew what they were doing. It was going to take a little time, but they did not have that luxury anymore. "You know how to use this?"

He looked around at everything that was tossed on him feeling a little heavy, but glad that all they had to wear was bulletproof vests. It was just strap on armor that would protect him from a lot of indirect damage, but given the weapons that the military was carrying there was nothing that was going to stop their bullets. "Uh, not really, but you can explain it to me on the way."

Natsuko nodding to everyone and clutched her weapon tightly. "Everyone move out!" The entire team of ten men and women ran down the hallway to the rally point. Satoru followed in behind them feeling a little out of place with the rest. They all looked like a team that had been through a lot together and he was simply tossed in as an afterthought.

The team had arrived in a large hall room that appeared to be a connection point from one section of the facility to the next. The walls scaled up two floors linked through by bridges while the ground was a long narrow passage with an empty chasm on either side. It was a strange design, but the facility had been constructed as modules that were later connected. This was a gap in those modules making for a dangerous area to fight in, but it was one of the few choke points.

Natsuko leaned over an electronic paper map of the facility with updates from Yuu's computer terminal. The entire team was gathered around getting an idea of what they were going to be expecting. They all knew already that this was going to be impossible and that not all of them would make it out alive. All they were doing was buying the time that they needed. Yuu needed all the time that he could to do his work. Satoru was not sure what that work was, but this was all for him. "So they're coming through here?"

"The last scans that were made showed them approaching this corridor. They'll be here soon." Natsuko had given everyone their orders already and they began to fan out in the bridge hall. They had barricades setup to shoot around, but those would easily be stormed from above. Two men were tasked with taking out the two alternate bridges above limiting the path to only the main one. They would have destroyed it as well, but it was built to withstand more than simple causeways. There were just not enough explosives on hand to take it out. This was their battlefield.

Satoru hid behind one of the barricades with Kazuhiko holding his weapon against his chest. The explosions of the bridges rang out from both sides vibrating the entire bridge that they were on. Beneath their feet the metal groaned at the wave from the blast. The falling bridges scrapped loudly as they fell down shaking everyone in their core. Kazuhiko leaned over to Satoru seeing the tension that was building up. "You ready for this?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Satoru said bringing the weapon even tighter against his chest. He had not thought about it until about what he had gotten himself in. There were only a few minutes left before the soldiers from the Japanese military came shooting through this bridge. 'Killing someone…I can't back down now.' The thought of actually killing someone scared him, but he could not allow himself to get caught up on the moral complexities of the situation. Unfortunately, he had plenty of time to delve too deep.

A dull sound from the adjacent room signaled everyone. It was an explosion from the soldiers blasting down the last door between them and the hall. The heavy steel door was bent from the explosion caving out. An ominous sign for all, they knew that they would have to be fighting again. Natsuko shouted from behind the last barricade to the rest of her team. "Here they come, get ready!" A final explosion ripped through the metal barrier twisting it open. "Open fire!"

"Give them hell, Satoru!" Kazuhiko said turning to face the soon to appear enemy. He had his rifle aimed up waiting for the moment that the smoke would clear so that he could get a clear shot. The others on the team were already firing on the smoke before it settled.

Satoru held his rifle in his hands trying to push himself to move. "Yeah, Kazuhiko…" The sounds of the weapons' fire from both sides were deafening. He did not know what was going on anymore with bullets going everywhere around him. The dull ping against the barricades made him jump and grab for his head. Satoru saw Kazuhiko peaking around the corner of the barricade to unload a few bullets before taking cover again. This was not was he was expecting to find.

Soldiers continued to pour through the hole as the team unleashed everything that they had on them. The dead began to pile up at the opening with a large pool of blood starting to pour out over the bridge. The two men posted to take out the bridge were firing from above using the height to their advantage. It gave them a clear view of the fight. However, all of the shooting did not stop even more soldiers to come through the hole. They were suddenly gaining ground on the bridge taking up cover by the barricades after taking out those that were previously using them.

Two of Natsuko's team was dead. Satoru could see their empty eyes staring at him as they were slaughtering trying to retreat to safer ground. Their bodies fell on either side of the barricade. The sight of their blood and people he knew dead sent a cold paralysis through his body.

The soldiers signaled to each other telling them to take out the two of Natsuko's team that had the high ground. They exchanged fire briefly with them taking cover behind the doorway. However, the soldiers were not going to let them live. Two soldiers flipped a switch on their multi-purpose assault rifles activating their grenade launcher and fired them into the two doorways. The explosions drowned out the screams of the two men as they died instantly.

Now that the snipers were taken out the soldiers pushed their advance filling in more soldiers on the bridge. The last barricade before Kazuhiko and Satoru was over run and the soldiers were charging towards them. Kazuhiko fired out at random to try to halt their advance for a moment.

Natsuko looked at the scene knowing how this was going to turn out. She did not have to be a military strategist to know their fate. "Damn, there's too many of them!" This was going to end soon and she needed to get her people out, those that were still alive.

"We can't hold them back for long!" Kazuhiko said shouting to Natsuko over the weapons fire. He sprayed another few rounds over the top of the barricade pinning down the men for a moment longer. He knew that he had gotten a few shots in on them; it was the only thing that made them hesitate. Kazuhiko charged forward to the abandoned barricade trying to press them back some. It was all he could do now.

"Kazuhiko, pull back now!" Natsuko said not wanting to lose him to the coming wave that would wash over them. She could see the soldiers regrouping to take Kazuhiko out. She shot over her barricade trying to give Kazuhiko some cover to make a retreat.

Kazuhiko fired around the barricade again putting a couple rounds into the legs of the soldiers where the armor was a little weaker. It was enough to make them stumble breaking the formation up. "I've got it. Get them out of here!" He waved her back knowing that there were others that still needed to get out on the team.

"Kazuhiko, what are you doing?!" Satoru shouted around the metal realizing that Kazuhiko was gone. When the moment of realization hit him it was enough for him to shatter the hold that fear had on him and push him to action. He had to stop Kazuhiko from doing a stupid hero imitation.

Over the weapons fire from the soldiers Kazuhiko saw Satoru poking around. He fired back to keep them from getting Satoru. "Get out of here, Satoru!" Kazuhiko threw his arm out trying to motion Satoru away. He knew that Satoru did not stand a chance here and Natsuko was evacuating everyone that was still alive.

Satoru shouted back to him nearly falling out of his cover trying to conceive him to give up the thought that he had. However, Kazuhiko had made a mistake letting himself become exposed from the barrier and one of the soldiers took advantage firing several rounds at the barricade. One bullet ripped through is arm making him drop his rifle and then another ate into his thigh. Kazuhiko fell back against the metal holding his bleeding limbs. Satoru shouted at him as though his voice would get him to move. "Kazuhiko!"

"Satoru…" Kazuhiko said faintly as the soldiers stormed the barricade unleashing a hail of bullets into him taking revenge for the many that he had killed. His blood poured out of him across the floor creeping towards Satoru.

The blood touched Satoru's fingers flashing memories through his mind. He was dead. He was dead. 'Dead…dead…DEAD!' Satoru's blood boiled instantly as his eyes went empty and his face wrinkled in rage. He grabbed his rifle and stood up from his protection pulling the trigger unloading everything that he had at the men that were slowly turning around from finishing their job. "AHH! Kazuhiko!" Each round that fire from the rifle responded in recoil pounding against Satoru's shoulder. The crushing force went ignored in the adrenalin rush. The soldiers dropped to the ground dead as the bullets blew through every part of them putting holes in their heads, limbs and chest spraying blood everywhere and back on Satoru as well.

Natsuko saw the brave show that Satoru was putting on, but knew it could only last for so long before he was also taken out by the soldiers that remained. "Satoru! Get back, we're closing the doors!" Everyone else had been pulled out and she gave him cover fire as she ran towards him. Satoru was lost from the world in rage that he felt. She had to drag him back now if she was going to save him. When she reached him the soldiers were already regrouping themselves. Natsuko pulled on Satoru's vest getting him to unconsciously walk backwards. The rounds in his rifle were almost empty. She was able to get him behind the door in time with the door sliding down heavily. Natsuko tossed Satoru against the wall to get him back to his senses.

The sudden impact of his back to the hard metal wall broke Satoru out of his trance state. Now that he had his mind back everything that happened came flooding back to him. "Kazuhiko…" Satoru fell down the wall collapsing to the ground seeing the image of Kazuhiko death repeating through his eyes. 'Why…why him…why did he have to die! WHY?!'

"Satoru?" Natsuko shook Satoru roughly trying to snap him out of the new place that he had become trapped in. It had only become worse now that he had the time to reflect on everything that happened and the death. "Satoru! Get a hold of yourself!"

"Kazuhiko…WHY?!" Satoru shouted suddenly when he was finally brought around by Natsuko.

It set her back a step, but she quickly recovered kneeling down to where Satoru was sitting. She stared into his eyes hoping that she would reach him preventing from going back into the hole. "He's dead there is nothing you can do for him."

Satoru eyes had widened shocked to hear such empty words from Natsuko. "How can you be so cold, Natsuko?" He did not know how she could be so casual about Kazuhiko's death. She knew him as well as Satoru did, but she was not even shedding a tear for him.

"I've had to watch to many die already…" she said looking away knowing that her team had already lost five members. It was cut in half and she had to keep the rest alive. She searched around the room seeing the state of the others. They needed to regroup, but the soldiers would not give them that chance.

Chiyoko came running over to them having seen the last scans of the other room. They were already planting demolition explosives on the door to bring it down. "Natsuko, they're coming." She could see that Satoru needed help, but they were running out of time. Then at that moment she was giving the signal from the others monitoring the situation on the other side of the room. "Natsuko look out!" Chiyoko pushed Natsuko and Satoru out of the way as the explosion pounded against the door weakening it.

Satoru was forced to watch as Natsuko held him back as shrapnel from the door caught Chiyoko in the back. He struggled against Natsuko wanting to get her out of there before she was dead. "Chiyoko, no!"

"Satoru, get back now!" Satoru managed to get free from her running for Chiyoko. She rushed to grab him by the waist holding him down barely. "You'll be caught in the explosion!"

"Chiyoko!" The next explosion came and Chiyoko was engulfed in the blast and the door coming down. Satoru fell horrified in Natsuko arms having to see her die as well. He did not want to see anymore of them die in front of him. This should not have been happening to them.

Natsuko pulled Satoru back putting him against the wall as she gathered everyone to get into the next room. The soldiers were going to be breaking through soon in their relentless pursuit. 'I can't let him die too. Too many already have…' She closed the door behind them in the next room with everyone out safely. She turned to the only one left that she knew she could trust to get Satoru out alive. "Tadashi! Take Satoru out the back way now! We'll keep them back as long as we can!"

Tadashi nodded to her and picked up Satoru from the floor and lifted him to his feet. He put his arm over his shoulder helping him walk out. Tadashi turned back towards Natsuko seeing them preparing for the next assault. "Don't go dying on me, Natsuko!"

"You know me," she said looking back at him with a smiling that knew what she was going to have to expect.

"Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of."

"Don't start getting weak on me now." Natsuko replaced the empty clip in her rifle seeing Tadashi disappear into the halls. She turned back get the remaining parts of her team together for one final standoff with the military.

"Natsuko!" Satoru came back to the world a few rooms later realizing what had happened. He pulled out of Tadashi hold and trying to run back in the direction that he believed them to be. However, Tadashi was quick to stop him and grabbed him by the arm. He was stronger than Natsuko was making it difficult to get free. "Tadashi, let go of me. We have to go back for her!"

Tadashi knew that they could not go back even though he was with Satoru in wanting to as well. He pulled Satoru through the next room slowly against his will. "No, you have to get out of here. You've done all you can." Tadashi searched his mind for something that would distract Satoru and get him to focus back on what needed to be done. He was out of ideas and began with whatever came to him first. "I-I may have looked like I hated you, but…but I was jealous of you." It seemed to be working. Satoru attention while confused was brought towards him making it easier to guide him. "You could so easily believe in them in spite of everything. I couldn't do that. That is why you must live. Make this a world for everyone to live in." Tadashi opened the elevator that was in front of them and tossed Satoru inside.

Satoru rushed up to Tadashi once he recovered from being flung at the back wall of the elevator. "Tadashi! What are you say?!" He struggled against Tadashi's arm that was forcing him to stay in the elevator. Satoru did not want hear a farewell speech from Tadashi. This did not have to be the end.

"There he is, get him before he escapes!" a voice said from down the hall. The soldiers opened fire on Tadashi trying to stop him. They rushed in to reach Satoru before he was gone.

"Damn here too," Tadashi said firing back at them. However, they were charging at him without regard for him trying to kill them. "You aren't getting him. You'll have to go over my dead body!" A bullet from the soldiers hit him in his side and then his leg bringing him down to his knees. Tadashi slammed the panel of the elevator closing it and sending it away as the soldiers put several more rounds in to him out of frustration.

Satoru shouted through the door pounding for it to open up and let Tadashi in. But he was gone with the last images of Tadashi dying burned into his eyes. "Tadashi! No!"

Tadashi watched the soldiers walk away leaving him to slowly bleed out. He leaned his head back against the wall looking up to the ceiling. "Satoru…I hate you…" he said with a smirk on his face as his arm fell to the ground.

"No…no…everyone…they're all dead!" Satoru said sliding down against the back of the elevator. Everyone that he knew was gone now. They were dead and he could do nothing to prevent it. He could not even save Kazuhiko when he needed help. All he had been able to do was freeze when the time came. 'How could I let them…Kazuhiko… Chiyoko… Natsuko… Tadashi…' He could see them flash before his eyes only making it worse for him to remember. They were not with him anymore.

The elevator came to an end opening up to a new room that was untouched. Satoru did not want to leave. He had no will to push himself forward anymore. The doors hung open waiting on him to exit. Time slowly passed as soldiers stormed through the facility eliminating any resistance that they met quickly. The people that stood up to them were becoming fewer by the minute.

In the distance there was a footstep that went unnoticed by Satoru. A figure appeared finding Satoru still collapsed at the floor of the elevator. "So this is where you are, Satoru. You look pathetic there crying over those who are already dead."

"Kiyoshi!" Satoru said immediately recognizing the voice without needing to look up. Once he knew that Kiyoshi was near it gave him the strength in his body to move again. He stood up walking out of the elevator seeing Kiyoshi standing off at the other end of the room. "Damn you! You knew them as well. How can you do this?"

"Its quite simple. It must be done," he said looking around the room. Kiyoshi stepped forward a little watching Satoru. "Machines were a mistake. They should have never been created."

"You're wrong!" Satoru said throwing out his arms. He walked around the room starting to circle with Kiyoshi as they kept their distance. "Machines are more! They have a life, a spark of a soul!"

Kiyoshi knew that he would be having this argument with Satoru. It almost made him smile knowing that he was actually in these shoes this time rather than defending him. None the less time was bought by indulging Satoru. "And what have they done with that life. They've tossed it away just like mankind. You know the creators of the atom bomb regretted its creation when they saw the destructive power of it. The same was with the creators of the machines. They regretted it, but one naïve individual thought that they could be more and walk side by side with us. We stepped of the toes of God and this is his punishment to sinner and sin!"

Satoru wanted to stop, but he did not know what Kiyoshi was planning. He knew that there was more going on that he did not realize and until he figured it out he had wade through his time. However, the debate he was having was a subject that he never thought he would be having with Kiyoshi. Until a week ago he thought that they were more or less thinking similar, or hoped. He did not know Kiyoshi anymore. "They didn't regret it. They all saw the potential in them."

"How history lies in the face of the truth. History is written by the winners, not the losers." Kiyoshi wondered how Satoru would react if he actually knew the truth. Satoru only thought that he knew, but it was just simply what he had been taught. Everyone thought the same thing thanks to the education system. "The truth becomes buried."

"How can you know? What proof do you have?" Satoru tried to figure out what Kiyoshi was playing at with this supposed history lesson. He was acting like he knew something. The way he was sounding it was part of the reason of what he was doing. Satoru grew curious at what Kiyoshi knew that made such a difference for him.

"I never did tell you what my real name is did I?"

"Huh?" Satoru said almost stopping his pacing. He forced himself to continue while staring at Kiyoshi trying to understand the strange change of subject. Kiyoshi suddenly bringing up his name seemed completely random, but Satoru knew that it had to serve a purpose. It was not like Kiyoshi to do something without meaning. "What are you talking about?"

"Its not Nakahoshi," he said monitoring Satoru to see the look of shock and surprise that would soon appear. "We had to change our name after the incident with my grandfather. My grandfather was Shichiro Hashimoto!"

"It can't be!" Satoru could not keep walking anymore stopping in mid step almost upon hearing Kiyoshi's declaration. He could not believe it for a moment and even afterward he was not sure if it should believe it. If it were true then it would explain so much about the way he was acting. Satoru was not sure what to believe. This might simply be another lie, but it was almost too far fetched to make for a good lie.

"Yes, I'm Kiyoshi Hashimoto the grandson of Shichiro the partner in the creation of Issac the first machine." Kiyoshi raised up his pistol from the back of his suit pointing it at Satoru. This was almost over and it was time to wrap up things with him. "It was Shichiro that made the base theory for Adam against the wishes of his partner who was too blinded by his naivety to see the danger that they possessed."
The gun pointed at him made him narrow his eyes piercing back at Kiyoshi. He did not have the chance to grab for anything on him. All that was left was to draw things out. "All of this was your doing then?"

"Yes, I even played the military and government using their fears of the machines and offered them a permanent solution." He began walking around the room again while Satoru remained still. "They were so frightened and looking to regain power that they would do anything. It's quite sad actually." Kiyoshi came back to where he had entered with his gun still pointed at Satoru. He gave the signal to the soldiers that he had in wait to arrest Satoru quickly. "Now take him!"

"What?" Satoru said in surprise hardly having a moment to react as soldiers poured out from several entrances. They swiftly grabbed him restraining him as Kiyoshi walked towards him. "Ugh…Kiyoshi…why do you still need me?"

"Sadly I did not inherit my grandfather's talent with computers and Adam still remains incomplete." Kiyoshi withdrew his pistol placing it back where he took it out. He stopped a few centimeters away from Satoru staring at him being reminded of how similar this appeared. He lifted his hand up to Satoru face rubbing his cheek giving him a smirk. "You are going to be helping me if you don't want to see any more people you love die."

"What are you talking about?" Satoru said knowing that most of the people that he knew were already dead. There were only a few people left in this life that he cared about. He could not lose them as well, but he could not help Kiyoshi in his plan to wipe out every machine on the planet. Satoru was running out of options.

"Satoru!" a familiar voice from above said pulling everyone's attention away.

Satoru looked up the best that he could be allowed seeing Asami standing confidently near the ceiling ready strike. "Asami!" She let go of her holding allowing herself to fall quickly through the air coming to a crash on the floor cracking the tiled ground. The thin layer of dust shot up by her impact filled the air around her as she dashed towards the nearest soldiers.

"Get her now!" Kiyoshi said ordering all of the soldiers he had to take her down. He knew that she was a bigger threat than Satoru was in what they were capable of doing.

The soldiers that had been restraining Satoru let him go opening fire on Asami as she bounced around the room dodging gun fire and single handedly taking out the military force that stood in her way. Satoru took the opportunity to finally settle things with Kiyoshi without others getting in their way. "Kiyoshi! I'll stop you with my own hands!" He pulled the pistol that he had at his thigh out firing it at Kiyoshi.

The shot missed Kiyoshi, but made it clear to him that Satoru was getting serious. "Big words for you Satoru! I'd like to see you try." Kiyoshi was a little surprised that Satoru had the guts to actually fire on him. He reached for his pistol as well running to the side firing it back at Satoru looking for a limb injury rather than a fatal kill. It would mean nothing to him if he ended up killing him.

"I won't let you continue with this insanity!" Satoru shouted back to Kiyoshi trying to make his shots count. He was running out of the bullets. Satoru became desperate rushing towards him tackling him to the ground knocking their guns out of their hands across the floor.

The two rolled around on the floor fighting the others hands. Satoru punched him in the face and Kiyoshi he returned in kind. They met a momentary stalemate with them struggling over holds. "You're the one that is insane to think you can love a machine and have it love you back!"

They tumbled around while Asami finished up the remaining soldiers leaving unconscious bodies or corpses strewn about the room. When she saw Satoru struggling with Kiyoshi she ran over to them. She pulled Kiyoshi off of Satoru putting her arm tightly around his neck not crushing it, but making it difficult for him to breathe. Satoru stood up patting down his clothes staring at Kiyoshi. "Asami…he's mine. Let him go."

"But Satoru…" Asami said looking at him confused. She did not want him to get hurt anymore than he already was now. He had a minor cut on his lip and across his forehead, but if the two continued it would only get worse. She could not stand still while this happened.

Satoru was not going to let Asami handle this. Kiyoshi was his friend and only he could deal with him. This was his problem to solve and not for her to be involved in. It was something that he had to do. Satoru undid his vest throwing it to the ground as a sign of being a fair even fight. "This is something to between us. Don't interfere!" he shouted at her to let him go. Asami looked back at him in shock releasing her grip.

Kiyoshi rubbed his neck glad to be free from the machine. He was a little worried that she might have actually killed him. Satoru was the only one that actually had any influence on her making him a little grateful for that at this moment. However, the moment did not last long as he stepped forward. "You'll regret not having her kill me!" Kiyoshi took a swing at Satoru hitting him in the ribs knocking him back a step.

Satoru coughed coarsely from the impact trying to recover quickly. He took another step back to give him a little room. "You're my best friend if there is going to be anyone to kill you it'll be by my own hand and no one else!" Satoru spun his leg around knocking Kiyoshi off his footing and then tackled him to the ground pounding his head in the ground a couple times.

The pain split through his head as he turned Satoru over punching him in the face. "Still best friends after all this, you really are an idiot." The two grabbed for each other throats no longer caring about what happened. They had gone beyond worrying about their own well being and simply looked to kill the other. The rage of emotions ran over any reason that they might have had blinding them completely.

Satoru threw Kiyoshi off of him realizing that he was not getting anywhere struggling over each other. Kiyoshi slid across the floor coming to rest near one of the guns that had been knocked free. Satoru looked around franticly seeking the other soon finding it. He dove for the gun as Kiyoshi fired a round missing him. Satoru grabbed the gun in hand still sliding across the floor staring at him for a split second exchanging determined stares. "Kiyoshi!"

"Satoru!" Kiyoshi squeezed the trigger as Satoru did the same while sliding across the floor.

Asami ran towards Satoru hoping to protect him before he was killed by Kiyoshi. "Satoru! No!" She was too late to make a difference as the shots rang out through the room echoing cracking her heart. Satoru came to rest slamming into the corner of the room not moving while Kiyoshi remained still. Asami did not stop running reaching Satoru soon after. "Satoru! Satoru!" she shouted trying to get a response from the still body. She lifted up his head resting it on her lap looking around not sure what to do.

Tears fell down her cheeks still unable to wake Satoru and began to fear the worst. Asami looked down at him pushing his hair off of his face. She hung her head over his staring down at his motionless face hoping for a sign. Her fear absorbed her so completely that she could not think straight only sadness. Asami tried to pray that he was still alive not knowing who would answer her call.

A weak cough from Satoru's lip broke his silence bringing a smile back to Asami face. Relief quickly washed over her as she helped him up seeing that he was still alive. Satoru insisted on standing, but she worried where he was injured not certain if he could stand. However, she could not convince him otherwise and lift him to his feet finding that the bullet only grazed his shoulder.

She walked him over to where Kiyoshi was laying bleeding out on the floor from the bullet wound that he took. Satoru stared down at him not sure what he should feel for the friend that he had known for so long to be dead at his own hand. Kiyoshi rolled over on his back breathing heavily. He looked up at Satoru still with anger in his eyes. "Satoru…damn you…e-even she…won't be…"

"Kiyoshi…" he said feeling weak suddenly. Asami grabbed him up quickly looking worried that there was more than just the bullet wound affecting him. "Asami…I'm alright. We have to get out of here." There was nothing left here for him. He had to reach the surface.

"But Satoru…what about everyone…" Asami said knowing that he had to be thinking about everyone that he knew still being left behind.

"No…let's go." Satoru did not hesitate in pushing forward. They had all given their lives for him and he was not going to waste their sacrifice. It was the only way that he could honor them now. The phone in his computer device suddenly rang off catching the two of them off guard. He looked down pulling it to answer the call. "Huh? Hello?"

"Satoru, Yuu here. I found out what they are planning and who's behind it."

Satoru breathed a sigh of relief afraid that there was something else. Yuu was just late to getting the information. Satoru did not need it anymore. "Already know Kiyoshi was Hashimoto's grandson."

"What? Really?" Yuu said a little surprised. It was information that put some pieces together, but it was not related to his call. "No, the machines! The machines are planning to attack the summit and kill all of the world leaders!"

To be continued…