Andromeda

"In the time prior to the Second Machine War further restrictions on intelligent computers were created. Many of the public still feared the machines and their frightening potential from the last war. A politician that would back the anti-artificial intelligence act had a fast track in the political arena easily being elected. Anyone that put forth new laws to increase the act would quickly rise in ranks. This strategy became the method for many of the officials elected during the fearful period people lived in.

"Safety at the expense of advancement was a small price to pay in the public eyes. The government system became over-saturated with corruption looking to use the fears to their advantage. While the world slept in the black veil of comfort their security was ignored. In the dark night of August 29th the people were rocked out of their cradle to be rudely awakened to the world.

"The machines had attacked in a similar manner as last time, but unlike before they were not in large numbers or even appearing in wars waged in the chaotic corners of the world. A terrorist bomb went off in New York City killing nearly fifty thousand people, becoming the worst tragedy experienced in the century. While the world picking up the pieces and looking for the cause several more bombs destroyed buildings in ten of the world's major cities.

"The world powers were threatened. No longer were the machines striking weak third-world countries. Now the strongest were being attacked. No one was safe and the public demanded an end to be brought to the machine once and for all. A united force dispatched throughout the world hunting down the machines. While at home the streets were a blaze with riots the likes no one had seen. The people were crazed with paranoia and fear of machines lashing out at whatever they could find.

"In the chaos of the fighting a hope of light appeared. The machines had stopped their terrorists attacks and the remaining machines were fighting with a meager resistance. A stranger suddenly appeared in the streets of Paris speaking against the blind hatred that was burning in everyone's heart. The individual soon made appearances across the world in Moscow, London, New York City and Tokyo gathering huge media attention as well as public interest.

"Many combine to become one voice so immense that it seems nothing can break it, but one can become the voice of many with a power that can never to be silenced…"

Flesh is for Gods – Episode 12 – The Strength of Tomorrow

The underground facility office of Yuu was roughly lit with sparks and flashlights. When Yuu had been taken captive there was a brief shootout with him leaving bullet hole along the wall and monitor panels. The bulk of the light was being poorly generated by the few panels that still worked in the room that had not be sabotaged or destroyed in the firefight.

Around the office was a small squad filling out the space with portable computer devices left around the floor and wires connecting from the terminal of Yuu's personal computer to the devices that soldiers worked on. In the corner was a single soldier staring very intently at a glowing screen. A sudden blip appeared in an area of the facility where there was no one assigned. The soldier stood up walking over to the officer in command of the operation by General Yoshima. "Sir, scanners report a group approaching the mainframe."

"What squad are they from?" the officer said quickly knowing that he had not ordered anyone to the mainframe. The mainframe was sealed behind heavy blast doors that prevented them from directly accessing the network. Once the facility had been secured most of the squads were on patrols or pulled out by order from the General.

The soldier had only seen the signals that informed him there was motion in the halls. He could not actually see who the group was that was at the mainframe. "Unknown, they have their identifiers turned off." All of the other groups had their identifiers on constantly sending out their position and health.

"Damn!" the officer said looking around the room at the technicians that were attempting to hack into the computer network of Yuu's personal computer. "We're this close to Adam and now this happens. General Yoshima will have my hide if I don't get him Adam." He walked over to one of the portable terminals that was managing the team of soldiers that were working. "Lieutenant, what is the status of the computer terminal?"

"I've been at it for two hours and nothing. He fried everything thoroughly before we captured him." The soldier had seen Yuu activate the switch that destroyed all of the hardware in the room. It made it nearly impossible to try to connect to the network, but that was what he was ordered to do. He had barely managed to piece together the parts that were not completely fried to access the systems in the room. "The network has an AAA security lock over the entire mainframe. It would take the Tokyo Institute's super-computer to even attempt to hack it."

"Then you've been wasting my time!" the officer said grabbing the soldier up by his vest forcing direct eye contact. The stress that he was feeling from above by the General and others was getting to him. He had been successful in the mission even though they had lost their agent Hashimoto. Now that they were this close to gaining the information that they needed from Yuu's personal computer he was being told that it was out of reach. He could not accept that answer.

"But, sir!" the soldier said grabbing the officer's wrist to break himself free from the hold. "You told me to try to make the terminal work!" He had known when this began that it would be nearly impossible to get it working and if it did it was unlikely that they would find what they needed. All this had been explained at the beginning, but it did not matter. This was still to be blamed on him in spite of being informed.

"No excuses!" The officer dropped the soldier back to the ground and turned around looking out to the others. "Now everyone else with me. We are going to where that squad was reported." He did not know what the unknown squad was doing, but it was not sitting right with him. The men were in a place they were not ordered. It could mean many things and he would not know until they investigated it. This might be his only chance at redeeming himself.

"Yes, sir!" the group said closing up their things. Two soldiers stepped out of the room communicating with the other squads in the facility to change their orders. It only took twenty seconds before everything was shutdown and the soldiers were marching down the hall towards the mysterious signal coming from the mainframe.

Ten floors lower in front of a large blast door were several soldiers monitoring the hall. Behind the blast door was the mainframe where all of the data for the company was stored. During the attack the room was sealed completely leaving no entrance. The blast doors were too thick to be demolished and the code was constantly changing every five minutes making it nearly impossible to break. It was preferred to enter the mainframe through a computer terminal, but the only remaining terminal was in the hands of the military.

Lieutenant Colonel Takamoto was leaning against the wall watching the soldier working on the door. He was becoming impatient waiting on the door to be opened. They had been outside for almost an hour with no progress. "Those humans aren't stupid. Hurry up with that door!" The longer that they stayed in one spot the more obvious it would be to the military that they were in an area that was unauthorized. He had to risk their secrets being potentially exposed.

"I'm working as fast as I can," the soldier said not looking up from the computer panel that he was staring at. There were wires running from the back connecting with the door panel. It was a difficult security to break even with the correct equipment. This was exactly what it was intended to protect against. "This was the mainframe for all of Malakh's secrets, its not easy."

"Just be quick, you're a technician unit," Takamoto said not wanting to hear excuses from a lesser machine. He should simply be doing his job quickly and efficiently without delay. He was aware that the security was strong, but there was nothing that they could not get through with time. However, he needed to avoid a firefight with the humans if possible. Any stray bullets could ruin everything that they were attempting.

The technician looked up for a moment giving an uneven stare to Takamoto. "Exactly, hacking isn't my forte, I fix things not break them." Once he was finished with his remarks his focused returned to the screen even though his fingers had never stopped working.

"Quit your yapping," Takamoto snapped back quickly to the technician. Afterwards he heard the faint sound of steps in the distance. He looked around trying to confirm what he had heard, but could see nothing. He pulled his rifle up to his chest confirming that it was ready and signaled to the others in the squad to prepare themselves just in case.

As the seconds poured in the waiting another echo of steps pushed through the hallway. It was clear now that there was someone coming. The squad taking point came out from around the corner of the hall catching sight of the squad of machines gathered around the blast rooms of the mainframe. "Hey you! Report your squad identification right now!" The squad of five men aimed their rifles at the machines waiting for an answer not sure why some of their detachment was disobeying orders.

"Damnit, the humans are here already," Takamoto said quickly giving out the signals to the others to make their move. "Get the door open. We'll hold them off." They fired off several bursts quickly to push back the squad around the corner of the hallway. The shootout set the two opposing sides up on the corners of the hallway firing sometimes blind around the wall.

The technician continued to work on the door, but found the noise and bullets bouncing around to be disrupting his work. "Just be quiet," he shouted to the Lt. Colonel knowing that it was not going to changing anything, but it gave a sense of relief just to shout.

Takamoto looked around the corner firing off a burst from his rifle before taking cover again. "Turn off your audio receivers then," he said back to the technician not having the time to argue with the machine. They had to simply hold back the humans long enough and nothing more, but he was becoming uncertain how long they could last if the door was not cracked.

"That's not a solution," the technician shouted back since he needed to hear still to know if there were troubles. However, he saw that the Lt. Colonel was not paying attention anymore. He narrowed his eyes attempting to focus harder on the monitor in front of him as though concentration alone would solve the problem. "Never mind."

On the opposite hall the point squad that had been dispatched first to investigate while the others gathered were held pinned down against the wall. They fired out around the corner briefly finding the other squad aim to be surprisingly accurate and fast. There were already loses on their side within the first minute leaving them cautious in their moments to attack.

When the standoff reached its tenth minute the officer in command arrived surprised to find that his men were being attacked. They had been keeping communication silence for most of the fight simply reporting that they had engaged the squad. The officer needed to know the situation and who they were fighting. It did not make any sense to him who would be down in the facility looking to break into the mainframe. The mainframe was nearly impossible to crack anyway; it was a futile effort. "What's going on here? Who are you fighting?"

"It's the squad that was reported down at the mainframe," the squad leader said turning to report to the officer.

"What squad is it?" the officer said rephrasing his question still not having a complete answer. He did not like the idea of fighting an enemy that he knew nothing about. There had to be a reason for what they were doing.

The squad leader looked around at his remaining squad making sure that they were not letting up on the fight. He did not like being asked repeatedly, especially when he did not have an answer. "Unknown, but they've already killed two of my men," he said giving the officer a little more information. All it did was let him know that it was serious. He was still unable pull his dead men back from the hall. There was too much to risk at the moment.

"Why haven't you use gas on them?" They had all come with masks for the assault, but a careless unprepared moment should have given them the advantage. This sort of shootout should not be happening.

Throwing tear gas was one of the first things that they did when they realized that it was going to be difficult to stop the threat quickly. However, when they did there was no change in the fighting. It almost seemed to make them fiercer. "We did, it had no effect on them."

"Damn, what's going on here?" Nothing made sense and he needed to settle things quickly before things got out of hand. The officer turned around and began to signal the other squads giving out orders to them. They wasted no time moving out through the hallways. Some of them joined the point squad and others were sweeping around to surround the enemy.

"I'm done!" the technician said suddenly standing up as the blast doors gave out a series of dull poundings. The thick bolts on the door retracted into the walls releasing the first lock. Polished steel beams raised and lowered turning away from the seam of the door retreating into the face of the door. Gears turned pulling in the large metal beams that ran through the entire door taking them into the wall. The seam of the door sank into the door creating a split releasing the final lock. Finally the blast doors turned inward allowing entrance into the mainframe.

"It's about time," Takamoto said turning just as the final lock was released on the door. He put his hand on one of the soldiers given them the hall to protect. "Hold the hall, I'll secure Adam and we'll leave." The Lt. Colonel walked into the room feeling a little sense of history around him knowing that within these walls they would find Adam a place that no one had stepped for decades. He could see the technician already setting up the computer to access the network directly. "Well what do you have?"

"Just a moment, the security is thick," the technician snapped tired to being hounded for answers that he was not ready to give. He had only started working and the door was only the first step. The only consolation for him was that the door would be the hardest part now that he could directly interface with the network. Security systems for doors were built dumb, to the point that sophisticated methods failed to work because they attempted to work on levels that were not even present.

"We don't have the time to wait," Takamoto said already looking around the room hoping that he might find clues that would lead him to Adam. If they could bypass the need to access the network it would improve their chances of getting out before the military over took them. A stand off in the mainframe was something that could not be allowed to happen.

The technician ignored most of what he had being saying already knowing roughly what it was simply from the manner in which it was spoke. It was too predictable. "I know, just a-" he said interrupted that moment by what he was doing suddenly to find that he had gotten through the security surprisingly quick. "I've got access. What's this?" He could not believe that it had been that easy, but there was something that did not make any sense to him. The information that he was reading seemed to be contradicting their intelligence that they had gathered.

Takamoto knew that the tone was not something that he was going to be pleased to hear. "What is it?" He walked over to the computer to look at the screen that the technician was viewing. This was the moment that they would have Adam and this would be over.

"Adam's not here," the technician said flipping through terabytes of data quickly. Nothing made any sense, yet everything that he was reading pointed to only a single conclusion. "He never was here." Everything here was simply a large façade made to look important while just being a decoy. He searched deeper knowing that the truth had to be buried somewhere in the terabytes of data that was floating around the network.

"What are you talking about?" Takamoto said confused at the results that he was seeing as well. This went against everything that they believed to be truth. Even in the cover up they had found the secret documents that outlined the project and the work. There were even videos and trials that they found. It all pointed this facility being the resting place of Adam. "All reports from the time of Isaac and Adam's creation put Adam being here. It's why Qintech and Malakh were here. They were protecting Adam. It has to be here."

They all believed that the original facility that created the two original machines was here. This was the location where all of the information pointed. It was analyzed and examined beyond a doubt. Adam was supposed to be here sleeping waiting to be awakened for when he was needed. Malakh and Qintech were here to insure that no one discovered that secret, even though they did not know the names until recently. When Malakh surfaced the final piece that revealed Qintech to be his hiding place the remaining unknowns were filled in or so they thought. "No, that doesn't seem to be the truth. Adam is actually…"

It took several minutes for him to recover from what he had just heard. Satoru could not believe that Adam was possibly finished or anywhere near completion. Everyone in the scientific community knew that Adam was a halted project. It was begun near the end of the creation of Isaac, but with the success of machines the work ceased. Now to be told that it was completed and even more advanced than any machine today was too much to believe.

Satoru shook his head about still trying to figure out if should believe what the man was telling him. "Prototype?" So even Kiyoshi was being used in this scheme. He thought that he was using everyone to meet his own needs, but they were just lying to him back. Satoru felt sad for him to know that in the end that his efforts were meaningless. "Superior even today? How can that be possible?" There was no way that Adam could possibly be advanced enough to affect all of the machines. Asami was not like any machine before her, Adam could not take her down.

Yoshima nearly laughed watching the gears turn in Satoru's head as disbelief was slowly changing to realization. "A kill switch is not very useful if it becomes obsolete. Its programming was advanced even for the day in which created it. Unlike Isaac, Adam is self-evolving. It was necessary to maintain its continued advantage over general machine populace. Right, Malakh?" General Yoshima looked over at Yuu narrowed eyed seeking some sign that he was being backed into a corner. He had to keep pressing him until he folded giving him the activation code for Adam.

"Yuu, you knew about all of this?" Satoru said turned to Yuu who had been remaining quiet. It was difficult for him to tell if there was guilt in his face. He grabbed Yuu by the shoulders shaking him while getting a stone faced stare from him. "How could you allow all of this to continue?" Yuu was in a position and knowledgeable to prevent all of this from happening. He could have destroyed Adam to eliminate this entire struggle that was happening now.

"Malakh is the right hand of Adam, his messenger and protector," Yoshima said walking around the two continuing to slowly feed out a little more to Satoru. The breaking point would be breached soon and he would have what he desired. "Where Malakh lies Adam is as well. His entire existence is purely to serve Adam until the day he is required."

Satoru wanted to stop listening to what the General was telling him, but inside there was something holding him still knowing that he needed to hear this. Even being presented with this did not make it the truth. He needed Yuu to confirm it, but he was afraid what it would mean if it were true. 'Is this what he meant by not trusting him. Did he know this was going to happen?' Satoru stared at Yuu needed answers and validation from him. "Yuu? Is this true?"

"He can't deny the truth. You can't hide behind your facades anymore," Yoshima said closing his gap to Yuu and Satoru increasing the pressure. This was the moment that it would happen. He had been waiting for this moment for so long. Soon their ambitions could be realized and they would have power back in their hands out of the weak government administration that could not even keep the machines or public in control. "You will give me the activation code for Adam now. Adam's power is required."

Satoru had had enough of listening to the General talking and pushed Yuu back up against the tent. He grabbed him by his shirt needing him to stop playing silent and actually speak up for himself. Yuu needed to rebuke him and set him straight on what was the truth. "Yuu? Say something! Yuu!"

Yuu gave a shallow sigh knowing that it was going to end up at this. They knew enough to attempt to pressure things, but not enough to actually achieve what they wanted. He was tired of listen to Yoshima go on looking like an idiot. "Have you prattled enough?" Yuu said turning his head towards Yoshima while Satoru still held him still.

General Yoshima lowered his forehead annoyed to see that Yuu was still remaining defiant. "Hrmph…" He was going to work a little harder using Satoru to force Yuu's hand, but before he could do anything Yuu made his move.

Yuu's hand raised up coming to rest on Satoru's wrist as he gave him a reassuring grin. He lifted Satoru's hands away from his clothes while Satoru entered a confused state. The man did not have the truth, he only had what he was lead to believe was the truth and a small taste of the reality. "Gaining a little knowledge doesn't equal the same as eating from the tree. You think you know everything because you learn a small piece of information. How little you actually know. But you are correct, this not a time for facades anymore." Yuu narrowed his eyes darkening his features leaving both of them stepping back not sure what he was planning now.

Before Yoshima could react to the change Yuu was behind him holding his arms against his back painfully. "Damn you! Gua-" Yuu did not allow him to finish his word covering up his mouth silencing him. Yoshima attempted to look around with his eyes from the position that he was being held to give Yuu a glare, but failed.

"Now, now General," Yuu said with a smirk on his face. The silent mask that he had been wearing was gone and he demonstrated the air of being in control as though he had always been manipulating the situation. "You forget what I am. How careless of you." He pushed the General over to the side of the tent using some of the spare rope to tie him up to the support pole. "You should have given me over to the others when you had the chance. Power and greed will be your undoing."

"What are you doing?" Satoru said taking a hold of Yuu's shoulder trying to pull him away from to look at him directly. If they were caught it would only get them into even more trouble with the military. They might not want to capture him anymore seeing that he was too much trouble. This could get him killed.

The pole that the General was tied to gave a little protest as Yoshima struggled against, but the tent was drilled into the ground. It was going to take inhuman strength to break free of the pole. "Why are you asking me at this point? I'd thought it'd be pretty obvious at this point." Yuu stood up finished with the General and pushed Satoru around to remove the bindings that he had on still.

Satoru looked back at Yuu knowing what he was thinking, but fearing that they would only get a few feet out of that tent before they were surrounded by soldiers. He knew that Yuu did not have anything to worry about, but Satoru was still normal. If they tried to make an escape he would not be able to keep up with Yuu. "But what about the soldiers outside?"

"I'd imagine there is going to be a change of plans soon," Yuu said looking around the tent as though seeking something, but not actually grabbing anything. He went to the sides of the tent feeling out waiting for something to happen.

Yoshima struggled against the rope wanting to simply kill Malakh for doing this to him. He had the advantage and still had lost. All he could have done was take more measures, but he had to live with the mistakes. "What are you planning, Malakh?"

"Its not me," Yuu said with a calculating smirk. The tables were about to be overturned and everything thrown into chaos. At the end of this maelstrom he hoped that they would survive. Even he did not know how it was going to end. The last bits of events that were in his control would be revealed. "By now both Seraphim and your troops in Qintech will realize that they will not find what they are looking for there."

"What?! You mean its not…" Yoshima said in shock as realization washed over him quickly.

"You catch on quickly." Yuu smiled back at him walking to the opposite side of the tent touching the fabric judging it quickly. He looked back to find the confused Satoru standing in the middle trying to keep up with what was going on.

"Where then?"

"You'll know soon enough." Yuu walked over to Satoru touching him on the shoulder to bring him back to reality. He turned his head to Yoshima giving him one last smirk of knowing. "Enjoy the surprise! Satoru come on!" Yuu pulled Satoru by his shirt until he moved on his own over to the back of the tent cutting a line into the fabric with his hand quickly.

Satoru was pulled through the slit in the tent to be welcomed by fresh beams of light. The sun nearly blinded him for a moment taking time to adjust to the change. Yuu was already looking around the sides of the tent. Satoru was still a little confused at everything that was suddenly happening. That lost feeling that he had been so familiar with was returning to him. "Where are we going?"

"For being so intelligent to make computers you aren't that bright." Yuu crossed in front of Satoru going to the opposite side of the tent continuing to stare out quietly. "We have to find Asami and stop her before she kills everyone at the summit," he said returning to Satoru finished with his reconnaissance.

Satoru took a step back trying to remember if he told him that Asami had changed again. He could not recall if he had, but for some reason Yuu knew anyway that she had been taken by the programming. "But how did you know?"

The time that he had left was narrowing. They had to move soon and Satoru was still asking too many questions. He needed to be pushing forward knowing what had to be done. Yuu gave into Satoru's question seeing that he was not going to be satisfied with simply being vague. "She was with you, if she's not then it only can mean that they managed to re-activate the base code in her otherwise you'd never have been captured. You've a big job ahead of you." The signal in his head went off taking Satoru by the wrist and pulling him out from the safety of the tent towards the parking lot of the building that was holding the summit.

Satoru did not realize how close he actually was to the building figuring that he was going to have gone several blocks before getting back. However, weapons fire and explosions went off on the opposite side of the tent by the parking lot walls and slowly spilled into the lot. Satoru turned his head as it came into view while running with Yuu. If Yuu had not been dragging him on he would have stopped to stare confused as to why the military was fighting with itself. "What's going on? Why are they fighting each other?"

The entrance to the building was in sight and the distraction had begun. He had to get Satoru in quickly before it turned into a war zone. "Asami is not the only human looking machine working in society. There are many in the military and now that they know where to find Adam they can't let the humans reach it before them." Another side that Satoru was not aware of, but he could not let him dwell on the matter pulling him into the building.

Satoru slid to a stop on the marble floor of the main hall coming in front of Yuu blocking his path to bring him to a stop. He put his arms out making himself as wide as possible as though he could actually do something to prevent Yuu from getting past. There was a need for answers that overrode his other thoughts. Satoru had always assumed that Yuu knew more than he was letting on, but it was no clearer than with the General that Yuu knew everything. He was holding in secrets that Satoru needed. "Where is Adam actually then?" If everyone knew where Adam was now, but him he needed to find it and stop them from using it on the machines. He had to prevent the destruction of all machines in the world.

Yuu held his step for a moment in standing before Satoru. He knew that Satoru needed to know everything, but it would mean nothing if they did not focus on the more important matter. "I can't reveal all of my secrets just yet. You'll know when the time is right." He pushed Satoru aside running past down the hall expecting Satoru to follow him.

"Stop screwing with me!" Satoru ran to the hall shouting down it to Yuu wishing that it would stop him. He could do nothing else to stop him. "I deserve to know!"

The words made him stop once more. The man did deserve to understand after all that he went through. This was bad timing. They did not have the luxury to stand around. Yuu shouted back to Satoru forcing him to remember what was actually important right now. "We have more pressing matters right now. We have to stop Asami from carrying out her mission."

Satoru took a step back his eyes widening for a second thinking of Asami. She was here trying to kill everyone under orders from the Seraphim. He had to stop her. Satoru ground his fist tightly knowing that he had to let Adam go for the time. "The summit…" Once his priorities were confirmed he charged forward to meet Yuu.

"Yeah…" Yuu resumed running down the hall towards the summit hall with Satoru. The world was about to be exposed to a great many secrets. He wondered if the frail Earth would be able to withstand the shock that was about to come for them. Yuu watched the determination in Satoru face hoping to see the same face in the others that he had remembered.

The street and parking lot was filled with rifle fire exchanged across barricades. The human soldiers were pinned down forced to stay undercover while the machines in disguised pressed their surprise attack. Over the battlefield numerous bodies lay spread across the ground bleeding out hanging a crimson smell in the air. In the middle of the fighting an officer retreated from the frontlines going to the tent that was already riddled with numerous holes with the guards dead at their posts. He knew that the General was interrogating the captives and in the fighting anything could have happened.

The officer took cover on the ground as a burst of bullets split the rope supporting the tent. Once the air was clear again he slowly walked crouched over entering the tent. He looked around finding it surprisingly empty and then the General on the floor safe from the line of holes that were barely above him. "General! Are you alright?"

"Yes, untie me quickly," Yoshima said trying to manage the anger that was boiling in him. Malakh had gotten the best of him that time, but it would be the last time. The next time he would not hesitate in killing him.

"Yes, sir!" The officer scrambled over to the General's spot pulling out a knife from his hip and cutting through the ropes. Once the General was freed he stood up sheathing the blade. He helped the General back to his feet through protests.

He did not need to be coddled by his subordinates pushing the officer aside as he made his way to the tent's flaps. Yoshima knelt down to the ground hearing the nearby ricochet of bullets from outside. He had been hearing the sounds of the fighting, but only knew a piece of what was happening from Malakh smug comments. "What's the status?"

The officer swallowed roughly knowing that he would be the one forced to report on the battle situation. It was not something that he was going to like hearing even if it was necessary. "Several squads have begun attacking us. They have us pinned down in the parking lot. We saw that some of them entered the building, but have been unable to follow them."

"We have superior numbers, what's the problem?" Yoshima said looking out at the field to see how the battle was currently fairing. All he saw was his men cowering on the ground like children. They were barely firing back. 'This is what they get for not having a real enemy to fight.' He could not believe how many Seraphim agents had infiltrated his army. It was something that he expected, but he thought that he knew who they were. This was not what he was planning for. All of these men were supposed to be human to prevent this from happening. 'The machines have made their move now…betrayal comes so easy…'

"They caught us off guard and we have many injured or dead from the initial surprise attack." The attack had happened suddenly looking like an accident that went wrong as a grenade was let go. It was the initial explosion that took out most of the men that were now dead. In the confusion they had managed to take out even more not completely bringing the numbers even. Once the men had recovered from the shock and regrouped the two sides remained in a standoff neither side willing to advance.

Yoshima slowly walked crouching to the ground reaching the back lines of the fighting. He pushed some of his men forward looking at them to actually fight and not be cowardly. It seemed to inspire them a little seeing their General alive and on the battlefield. He turned to the officer needing to confirm what Malakh had mentioned. "Did we hear back from the team in Qintech yet?"

"Yes, they also met with resistance, but that seemed to have stopped," the officer said recalling the communication from the other team. It had been received shortly before the fighting broke out. He had intended to inform General Yoshima of it, but in the confusion he was unable to do anything. "Adam was not located in the underground facility according to reports."

"Then they know something." Yoshima remembered what the officer had told him about machines entering the building. They must be going in because things had changed for them. There was a separate group that would be killing the summit. 'Malakh knew this would happen. Did he plan all of this?' He was not sure if he could believe that Malakh was planning so far ahead, but he was a part of Adam. "These enemies outside mean nothing. We must follow those that went inside."

"Yes, sir!" the officer said saluting quickly. The General was already rushing to the building in advance. Now that they had new orders he looked around gathering up two squads quickly and followed the General under the cover of an invigorated front line of men unleashing their rifles along the cement and metal barricades that the machines hid behind.

Several hallways and a couple floors of running had closed their search to the main assembly room of the building and the location for the summit. When they arrived there was no one around guarding or watching the entrance. It was difficult to know if they were taken out or just simply not present. The strange lack of security before had been a mystery. However, it did not really matter if there was security since Asami would have been able to take anyone out with little trouble.

Yuu cautiously approached the closed doors to the assembly room. He hugged against the wall not sure what to expect at this point. It was the only time that he had been uncertain about the outcome. He turned back to look at Satoru who was moving a little too quickly for his liking. Ever since he reminded him of what was important it had made him unfortunately headstrong and oblivious to his surroundings, terrible traits to be encouraging. "The summit room is just ahead. No doubt Asami is in there. We'll need to be careful and look for a-" Yuu was forced to cut his words short as Satoru continued past him ignoring the need for stealth. He tried to grab at him before he reached the door, but it was too late. "Satoru! Ugh…so much for patience…"

Being painfully obvious Satoru was moving with reckless abandon not caring about anything other than reaching Asami. He pushed the doors open not even thinking about what it would do. The sudden noise that entered the room made all of the members turn. Satoru looked around to see all of the world leaders and representatives gathered together in one place being held hostage by Asami. Down at the center of the room she was holding the Japanese Prime Minister at gunpoint. "Asami!" he shouted down the stairs towards Asami until she turned the gun on him. He stopped in the middle of the stairs still ten meters apart. "Ah! It is me, Asami! Satoru!"

Yuu slapped his face in disbelief regretting now what he did to get Satoru motivated. He had acted with this same recklessness in Qintech, but he had hoped that he might have learned something from the encounter. "Satoru! Be careful the programming is strong and resilient if it managed to resurface again." He kept himself near to the door to not further pressure the situation.

"I know what I'm doing," Satoru said standing calmly on the steps casually looking back at Yuu. He had seen Yuu stare down death and walk through danger as though he was controlling everything. This was something that Satoru knew. He knew what he was doing and did not fear his actions.

"I won't argue with you," Yuu said noticing the change in Satoru. 'Took him long enough…I guess he'd not a blind as he looks…' This moment was for them alone, even if they did have an audience of strangers watching them. He waited to see the choice that would be made from this. "You're the only one that can do this."

Satoru took another step moving slowly towards Asami while everyone in the room held their breath fearing that he was tempting fate by challenging the woman. She tightened her finger around the trigger taking clear sights on Satoru. "Don't step any closer Satoru Kuromura."

'She acknowledges me,' Satoru thought recalling the first time that she was like this. When he had found her in the Qintech she was not the same. 'She is different this time though.'

"Any further steps and I'll begin to execute the summit members." She pushed the gun up against the head of the Prime Minister seeing that he was not showing any fear. The change in Satoru was different from before. He was moving as though he knew what was going on and knew that what he was doing could do him no wrong.

Satoru covered the scenes from the last time that he saw her. 'She was mute last time as though she was fighting or distracted.' It was as though she was empty or lost from the world. The last time in the lobby she was pulled away struggling to keep control of herself. 'But not this time. Did it completely take over her this time?' If she was struggling before, but now it had gained control over her this would be much harder than he originally planned. He had thought that just simply being in the same room and talking to her would snap her out. The control should have been weaker this time rather than stronger.

"You think you can save me like you did last time," Asami said recognizing that look that he had in his eyes. "Don't you." She had to keep him at a distance so that he did not get any strange ideas. Asami pulled the Prime Minister back with her towards the podium.

He stepped forward reaching the bottom of the assembly room feeling all of the eyes around him looking on his actions. Satoru stretched out his hand to Asami to build a bridge out to her while knowing that she would not do anything with it. The futility was something that he had to do. "Asami…listen to my voice." He had to pierce the programming that was controlling her slowly and carefully that would not trigger her to do anything rash with the hostages.

Asami gave Satoru a smirk at his weak efforts to stop her. "Your voice won't reach me this time." Nothing that he was going to say would stop her this time. All she had to do was keep them busy until the others were done with their task. She could not do anything until then. It would be so much easier to kill them all immediate, but the situation had changed.

"You don't know that," Satoru said softly to Asami still trying to reach her through just his voice. He was not seeing any change, but he had to keep her talking.

"It is a futile effort." Asami stepped back from Satoru maintaining her control and watching Yuu out of the corner of her eye. She was more concerned about what he would do knowing that he actually had the power to stop her.

"It might be futile, but I'll try anyway." He could not deny that she was right in that he was getting nowhere with talking to her. She had not done anything yet, but there was no change either. If things remained the same nothing was going to change. He was going to have to go for a stronger approach. "My voice will reach you just like it did last time," he said with determination narrowing his face as he approached her further.

"Arrogance now." She backed away from him keeping the same distance that they had before. Asami could tell that he was serious in believing that he was going to be able to stop her, but he had no power over her anymore. The control was complete and she was buried out of reach of Satoru. "You really are human just like the rest of them."

Satoru was careful to not twitch at being called arrogant, while knowing that in some part she was correct. He believed without question that he would save her again and that only he could do this. This had to change; he had to strike at her heart to waken the feelings that would free her mind. "Yes, I'm human. But I've seen that some machines are more human than us." He thought about everyone that he had seen and the cruelty that humans had done. They could be as cold as any machine and worse. "It does not matter what we are made of on the outside. We can think for ourselves and experience joy and pain."

"That's just imitations," Asami retorted not wanting to give him the chance to build an argument. "We are different, too different. You fear us and seek to destroy us. You created us to serve you, but now you can't control us. We don't need you anymore."

"That's not true. We need each other," he said remembering Isaac's words about walking together. "You are alive here before me standing as proof of your existence. That is no imitation." He needed her; she was the only one in his life that was left. He was not going to let her go. He would put his emotions into each of his words. "When I see you smile it fills me with a warmth that I can't explain with any science. When I hear you laugh I know that it is honest and true. When I cause you pain I want to…" The scene that night when she told him her secret played through his mind. It made him pause for a moment choking on his words. He could see that pain so clearly; it was taken into his heart. "I feel the same pain as you."

Yuu leaned against the doorframe seeing how difficult it was becoming for him. This had to be done; he was finally walking the path before him that was set out. "Satoru…"

"We're connected Asami. I know that now. I can't deny it anymore. I can't let my confusion cloud my eyes any longer." He could see Asami as he remember her. She had been blurred and out of focus to him for so long. He remembered this feeling that he had felt before. It was not lost, as he had thought. Satoru raised his head up proudly looking straight into her eyes without any more hesitations or reservations. He could say it to her now and know that it was honest from his heart and nothing more. It was so simple. He felt so warm. He smiled to her even while she stared at him as an enemy. "I love you, Asami!"

To be continued…