Andromeda

"Initiated by Isaac the Human-Machine Summit was a daring move that most believed would fail to make it to the assigned date. Usually politics and egos would get in the way of such a monumental opportunity. However, the decision came quickly within only two days of having received the video from the machines.

"Talks between the world leaders began instantly with stress running high. The bombings from the machines had been increasing ever more making them turn away from the table. However, voices from the Japanese officials persuaded many in the assembly to consider the offer seriously. Japan like many other countries was having difficulties keeping their public unrest controlled. The riots and fighting in the streets had diminished greatly after the broadcast leaving the public uncertain. They no longer had a unified consciousness.

"The break in the fighting gave pause for the officials in the assembly seeing that this summit could bring resolution finally to the fighting. Many in the Japanese government had been pushing for peace in spite of the military arguing that they needed to increase their strength. Other countries with a lesser military were in agreement. The main western powers though were reluctant remembering the treachery of the machines in the past. However, their voices were quickly out numbered and agreement on the summit came to a close.

"Since the Japanese government pushed the summit through it was agreed that they would host the summit five days from the day that the assembly ended in Tokyo. The machines were notified through a world broadcast and they responded quickly agreeing on the terms of the summits.

"One official from the respective countries would attend and the officials from the machine factions would meet. There would be three machine officials from each of the factions. As the leaders of the world were quickly to learn there was more than a single machine faction that they were contending with. This revelation nearly destroyed the fragile agreement finding that disagreements in the machine factions made would make negotiations difficult or impossible to agree upon.

"There are many sides to a problem, but the challenge is convincing the other sides that there is only one solution…"

Flesh is for Gods – Episode 11 – Conspiracy's Shadow

The path that everyone had made for him weighed his heart down. The elevator came to a stop opening out to a sidewalk and back alley of the company. All of the military that had been around was not present, no doubt inside killing everyone that he knew. Satoru's hands shook knowing that he had to keep going forward if he was to do any honor to their sacrifice. He took Asami's hand and rushed into the alley looking for the nearest stairs up to the train. "We've got hurry and warn them. This entire thing was a setup." Satoru could not believe the lengths that the machines were going to cause chaos in the world. They had already done so much. He thought that there was actually a chance for them to finally reach peace. "They even faked the video of Isaac video to put together this summit."

The train station was empty from the military storming the building as well as the street. Everything was closed down in the area. They had shut down the trains to prevent anyone from entering or leaving. No cars were around even parked ones to steal. The last option left to them was running until they could reach a vehicle to take them.

Asami ran with Satoru maintaining a speed with him that did not leave him behind. She knew what Satoru had to be thinking, but there was still so much that he did not understand about the machines. It might not have been a good time for her to tell him everything, but he needed to know that everything was not as it seemed to appear. "I don't think that the video was a fake. They did not setup the summit."

Satoru wanted to stop, but he knew that he could not waste any time in doing so. They were out of time and the machines were already several steps ahead of them. Their plans ran deep to put together the summit so easily. "You heard what Yuu said. They're going to kill everyone at the summit. They must have been planning this the entire time."

"Not everyone is…" she said hesitating a little with uncertainty knowing she could not go back to them. Asami knew that she was already beyond returning, but these secrets were still a part of her. She did not know if she should be telling him.

The pause in Asami's voice was enough for Satoru to know that she was holding something back from him. She knew something about what was going on. "What do you mean? Aren't all of the machines trying to kill all of the humans?"

'Aren't all of the machines trying to kill all of the humans?' His voices reverberated through her head weakening her for a minute. Asami knew better than to think that it was directed towards her, but the unintentional generalization still hurt her. It made her pause in step for a moment bringing her to a stop. She looked down at the sidewalk trying to not look at Satoru. He needed to know; she knew that he needed to understand everything that was going on. "That's not entirely true."

Satoru took pause realizing what he had said too late. He could not take back his words. "What is the truth then, Asami?" If there was something more to what was going on he needed to understand it. He could not keep running around in the dark thinking that he could get things solved on spirit alone. Satoru still wondered what he could do to make a difference with so many powers at play out of his control.

"Its not so simple," Asami said knowing that the door was already opened and all she could do now was walk through hoping for the best. She started to sort through what she knew that he needed to know for the future. "There is more than one organized cell of machines."

The meeting room of the machines was almost completely empty. Left in poor light General Yoshima faced down with General Oshiro, Lt Colonel Takamoto and one other machine. He hardly liked to call them by their military ranking knowing that they were not even working in the military as humans, but simply machines in disguise with their own objectives. Work had become loathsome recently as the machines were taken to a more stubborn position than their usual patient-calculating demeanor. General Yoshima did not know what was going to happen with them anymore. They were nearing the end of their usefulness.

In the week since their last meeting when they had agreed to take part in the summit none of the bombings that they had been doing stopped. The reality was that they had increased twofold nearly in the time. It almost seemed like they were desperate or lashing out in anger. "Don't you realize that continuing the bombings even now has only strained the relations between the human and machines? If we weren't there to constantly smooth things over this summit would never have happened. It would have been easier if you stopped the bombings as a jester of good well."

General Oshiro leaned against the table with his elbows resting on the table's surface while his hands covered much of his face. He stared narrowly at the man knowing the stress that had been applied to the situation. His eyes were not blind and his mind not dull. "This is not your place to tell us how to do our job. The summit is being held shortly." There were other matters that he was being forced to take accountability for so as not to show weakness to his enemy.

The last meeting had not ended well with a division in his subordinates that could not stand the façade of human lap dogs. They were tired of waiting as this summit was the last straw for them. It seemed that they were set against him strongly enough that they only increased the attack in order to breakdown the talks permanently. The machines that left with them were ones that could not stand waiting out until the time was right. It made his position difficult to maintain as they could strike openly knowing that the main faction would still be to blame for it. "I will not show weakness towards the humans."

Yoshima remained in his stare down with Oshiro trying to figure out the machine. It seemed like a futile effort or an old habit of dealing with real people. He knew well enough that the machine would never reveal his hand unless it was in their interest. This was a distasteful association, but it had its purposes in the end. "You can't do this without our help."

"We-" Oshiro began to speak but they were interrupted by a messenger. The intrusion into the meeting brought all eyes on the audacious individual standing in the doorway waiting to be acknowledged. An empty emotion unaffected by the attention marked them as a machine. Oshiro motioned the messenger forward bringing the young machine next to his chair. "What?" Oshiro said already calculating the information that he heard to be used for his plans. "Alright."

The messenger left the room returning the occupancy to normal and leaving Yoshima curious. He let the silence in the room remain for a moment looking for clues to what was discussed between the two. However, there was nothing as he expected. All that remained now was the direct approach. "Something wrong?"

Oshiro saw this coming having already finished adjusting his plans to meet with the change. These humans were too curious sticking their nose in business that did not belong to them anymore. Failure did not create entitlements. "It would seem that your military has failed you. Satoru Kuromura has escaped from Qintech along with one of our agents. However, it is not a total loss, you managed to capture Malakh."

"You've known who Malakh was all along?" Yoshima said restraining his surprise at the nearly casual statement from Oshiro. Malakh had been an enigma for years working in the shadows as the figure of the Malakhim Faction. The machines had claimed that they knew nothing about the individual apart from his affiliation. Not even the Malakhim Faction knew who he was making their infiltration fruitless. Malakh seemed to be more a connection at times rather than the one that led the faction. This disconnected state made him impossible to trace, yet he was captured now.

Direction had changed now leaving the focus on Yoshima now rather than Oshiro and the machines. This would play into his hand well with a little more time. It was all only a matter of time before their plans was complete. Oshiro pulled away from the table letting his face be revealed. "We had a good idea, but it has now been confirmed."

General Yoshima stood up from the table realizing that this was over for now. The machines were clearly holding him at a disadvantage. It only made matters worse that they were holding back information. The secrets were hardly a surprise to him, but it did not change the fact that he was in a weakened position. "I must leave." He walked away from the table taking up his military coat blowing in his brisk pace.

Oshiro did not follow Yoshima as he stepped into the doorway. "We expect to have Malakh released to us," he said to the General before he left. Malakh belonged to them for all of the meddling that he had caused creating the rift between the machines to begin with. He had a great purpose to the machines than the humans as they just saw him as a leader that needed to be removed.

The remaining members of the table looked at Oshiro now that Yoshima had left. "Do you think that General Yoshima will comply?" the machine said knowing how important it was for them to take Malakh. It would be a sign to the others for unity and end debates that the rebels continued to cause years after his departure.

It almost seemed like a pointless question to ask. None of them trusted the humans knowing that they were not honorable individuals. Once they know that they have something of value it would make the hold on to it more tightly. "He's a human all they know is deceit. When confronted he will cower like a frightened animal like they all do." However, Oshiro knew that telling him about Malakh would only cause them to hold on to him even more stubbornly. This would plan to his benefit, as their greed would lead them to betrayal and a corner that had no escape.

"And what about the others?" the machine said bringing up the sore topic. The new division that had been created was weakening their position and ability to operate. They were able to make new machines now unlike before, but the splinter cell would be a constant thorn in their side if not dealt with immediately. "He is right that they are disrupting the plan. We can't control them any longer. They could ruin everything before we have time to carry out the plan."

"We'll deal with the rebellious faction that is why we have the military," Oshiro said having a contingency plan already developed when the divide was building. He had wanted to avoid using it knowing that it was dangerous if it was miss deployed, but it was a small price to pay. This act of defiance would not go ignore for long. However, even their extremist tactics had their usefulness. The bombings distracted those that might be otherwise getting curious about things that they should not be. He could not afford their plans to be discovered.

They knew what Oshiro was thinking knowing that it would be the only sure way to quickly eliminate the rebellious threat that they posed. "But Hashimoto failed us."

"He was just a pawn who thought that he was a double agent," Oshiro said to the others to dispel the uncertainty that they might have about being unable to acquire it. They had known for a while that Hashimoto was working with the military to take Adam for them. Hashimoto also had made the same agreement with the machines thinking that he could play the two sides against each other and make use of the resources both had that he did not. It did not take long for them to discover his duplicity. Knowing the traitor made them that much easier to manipulate. "We control the facility now. Adam will be ours and it will eliminate the threats against our plans."

"Very well, I'll give the orders," Lt. Colonel Takamoto said standing up. Now that the military was in place thanks to Hashimoto it left them easy to manipulate them into doing what they needed. He walked out of the meeting room needing to hurry before the humans grabbed the work they needed.

General Yoshima had left one meeting only to be forced into another. He hated playing the messenger and voice of the organization to the machines. It was a requirement of him since the machines already were in his military. If they knew how deep the organization ran it would only destroy their plans. He understood this, but it did not make it any easier to swallow. Yoshima sat down in the end chair of the room. He would be forced to listen to scheming businessmen conspiring against the machines acting like they were superior to him.

A high-rise building held in black tinted glass concealed the large room that held the weekly meetings for the Ophanim Organization. Those around the table made up the wealthiest and most powerful people in Japan. Arranged years ago after the last machine war that saw many changes in administration for the sole purpose to effect change in Japan. Their goals had changed once they realized that the machines were still alive seeing them as an opportunity to use them to take over control of the government. Now they secreted worked with the machines pretending to be aiding them.

At the head of the table was business CEO Michio Yamada in a typical dress suit. Only Yoshima attended out of formal attire, but his military uniform was the only thing he ever wore to these meetings. Yamada looked around the table viewing the expressions of the others after Yoshima reported to them about the meeting he had with the machines. It left the others silent for once, but silence only meant that they were calculating their next move. "Malakh…the machines had been hiding that secret with them."

"Hardly much of a surprise," Hiroki Ito said one of the more out spoken members of the organization. He usually had something to say about everything that was spoken as though speaking made him more important. However, he would remain attentive reading the situation not mindlessly speaking. "They came to us about Malakh acting like they needed us to find him for them. It was no doubt a ploy by them to make us create another side in their trap for Malakh. They are machines after all. All they are know is secrets and how to betray."

Yoshima leaned forward in the chair bringing him in front of the others along the table. "With Malakh we will be able to recover our plans," he said to assure the others that the machines had not ruined anything. They were merely machines and no schemes that they had in mind would disrupt the organization. "Hashimoto failed us, but he was just a weak man futilely believing that he was following his grandfather's steps."

Yamada leaned in addressing Yoshima directly. "Remember General that there is more to it than just capturing Adam." He knew that the General was an impatient man, a flaw that was all too common with those in the military. It was like a child with single-minded focus on one task rather than seeing the bigger picture. If they did not need the military he would have never invited the man to the organization.

"I'll make sure that we secure Adam and I'll take Satoru Kuromura in custody. I'll dispatch the rest to the summit in preparation," the General said narrowly to Yamada. The superior attitude that he was speaking down to him with annoyed him more than the machines talking back to him.

"Kuromura is more important right now," Ito said stepping in to remind Yoshima was the more pressing matter. They already controlled the facility. There was no rush to get Adam. "He already knows too much and no doubt he is heading to the summit with plans to expose what little he knows. That cannot be allowed to happen. In addition, with him is that machine, the one that they seem so interested in."

Yamada closed his eyes for the moment speaking out over his hands that were supporting his head. "Yes, enough that they would rather have her destroyed to cover up what she truly is." There was enough proof between the two of them to affect at the very least those at the summit. They could not allow a deviation in opinions or policy that would jeopardize their carefully laid plans.

"Walk carefully General," Ito said seeing that Yoshima was looking pig-headed as ever. The man needed to be told what to do all the time, but he was also just smart enough to realize that he was being treated differently. He complicated matters too often. "Rushing to show our hand will leave us exposed."

"We can't afford a mistake at this point," Yamada said to the General seeing him standing up from this chair.

The air was becoming thick with the condescending attitude pouring out from the members towards him. Yoshima walked away from the table towards the door not willing to be in the room with them insulting him anymore. "I know that already. I'll make sure it is done."

Satoru was surprised to hear that the machines were not unified. It was the belief of everyone that the machines were making coordinated attacks around the world. There was speculation to whether there was a centralization command that gave orders or individual groups spread across the world working through a networked collective mind. "What do you mean that there is more than one group?" He never had given it much thought that there could possibly multiple groups of machines attacking them with different goals in mind. It made him wonder how much did not understand about the machines.

After a moment of silence Asami had gathered herself together again to speak to Satoru. There was so much that he did not know or understand, but she did not have enough time to explain it all to him. She began to walk forward knowing that they could not allow this to delay them. Satoru quickly followed up with her listening closely for when she began. "The machines are not a single organized group like everyone believes. We are divided in our ways of thinking just like humans."

Hearing that the machines did not agree made him take a step back from what he thought that he knew. Even something so basic did not seem to be accurate. The machines that they were dealing with were far more complicated and independent than what anyone could have imagined. They were so few and yet still were not united. "If that is the case then who is it that is bombing buildings?"

"That is the faction that I used to be a part of," Asami said after a pause afraid that admitting to be associated with those that were killing humans would distance Satoru from her. However, she realized that he already knew that she was part of them even if she had never said so openly. Now that she spoke the heavy words it felt like a pressure was lifted from her shoulders leaving her open to continue without hesitation. "They are known as the Seraphim Faction."

Satoru knew that Asami was part of the group killing people, but he still did not like to think about it. Neither of them had ever verbally acknowledged the fact while silently knowing the truth. He forced himself to push through that fact to a different matter at hand. If there were other groups that must have meant separate goals and ideas. Once he realized that he began thinking where Isaac fell in with the machines seeing as he appeared to disagree with the other machines. 'I can't believe I didn't see that. The signs of disagreement.' The broadcast was a clue. Everything that was happening made him ignore that fact. There were two sides to this issue making him wonder if the machines might be waging a secret war between the other. "If they are the Seraphim Faction then what about the rest of the machines then?"

She knew that she could not give him the entire history of the machines that the humans did not know about, but she was not sure how much she could give without leaving him too confused. The sides were a little different and less clear in their motives. Asami tried to find a common point to work from that he would understand easily. "The other faction of machines is the Malakhim Faction which Isaac is from."

"What does the Malakhim Faction want then?" He knew that if Isaac was involved with them then it was probably a more peaceful group of machines. Satoru wanted to believe in the machines again. He wanted to know that they were not all corrupted by the old programming from their previous masters that had a death wish for all of humankind. 'There is Asami after all, there is another beside just Isaac.'

"The Seraphim want to be independent and not be indentured to humans. They attack and kill humans to achieve their goals and the Malakhim disagree with that view. They used to be part of the original group of machines that were created from the First Machine War. When the machines were told to attack the humans some of them disagreed with that in spite of their programming. They gathered around Isaac and disappeared. I don't know anymore than that as they have been in hiding ever since. If they are with Isaac they are probably carrying out his ideals." The Seraphim had been attempting to hunt them down ever since they disappeared. Even in the decades since they disappeared there was never a sign that the Malakhim would do anything, yet the Seraphim could not trust that the status quo would remain. They were an ever constant threat that could come back to destroy all of their plans.

Satoru could not understand why if there was a group that opposed what the machines did and knew more about them than anyone else why they did nothing all these years. The Malakhim Faction had the best chance of bringing a solution to the continued fighting and did nothing until now. 'What's changed to make them come out now? Something must to be different, as though they were forced to move…' Satoru did not like what he was thinking. He was afraid to know what would force them to make an action. "If they were opposed to what the rest of the machines were doing why didn't they do anything to stop them?"

"I don't know," Asami said. The same question had been asked repeated and no one seemed to know the answer. The only ones that knew anymore were Isaac and his Malakhim Faction. When they reached the summit that question might finally have an answer. She wondered if it would actually have a purpose knowing since it could not undo any of the deaths that had been caused. "That's all I know."

Satoru had a feeling that she did not have an answer. If she did she would have told him already. However, he realized that the talking was delaying them from getting to the summit before the Seraphim Faction attacked the summit and ended the last chance and peace. Satoru saw a taxi in the distance coming towards him finally filling the street with life once more. "It still doesn't change the fact that there are machines trying to kill everyone at the summit. If all of the world leaders died it would mean chaos."

Asami saw what Satoru was thinking and rush ahead to get the taxi's attention. "We better hurry, Satoru. According to Yuu the summit has already begun. I don't know when they are planning to strike." She signaled the taxi bringing it to a stop shortly in front of her. Satoru caught up to her while she was already given directions to the cab driver, a human this time rather than the automated ones. He quickly got into the back seat waiting for her to enter allowing the car to take off down the street.

The ride remained quiet leaving the tension to build up to unbearable levels. Satoru's legs were shaking with what he knew now. This war that they were fighting was not what everyone believed to be. There were machines out there that wanted to end it, but they were going to be targeted no differently. Satoru knew that he had to make sure the summit was not stopped. This was the only chance that the world had at surviving. The machines were out numbered and even with the advancements that they made were never going to be able to survive. They did not stand a chance.

Satoru was pushed forward slightly when the taxi came to a stop outside of a large building. He stepped out of the car staring into the distance. The entire area was empty as though everyone had the day off. There was not even a sign that he could see telling him what building he was at. He roughly knew where he was in the city, but this building did not look familiar to him. If there were official government proceedings to be done it would have been at the general assembly building, not here. "This is where the summit is being held? Looks normal."

"Yes, according to the information that Yuu downloaded into me this is where the summit is taking place," Asami said stepping forward as the taxi sped away. She looked around examining the building for anything or anyone that might be watching them. There was nothing she could find and that worried her. She knew them well enough that they would not be waiting around doing nothing. They must have a plan and she hoped that she could figure out before it was too late.

"Seems a little strange that there is nothing here, no media, no military, nothing," Satoru said commenting on the lack of any presence. It felt like the Qintech incident again where everything was purposely halted. The military could be in hiding waiting for him.

Asami kept scanning the area not satisfied with not finding anything. She knew that they had to have known that they made out of the Qintech. Their eyes reached much further than people realized. They knew she was here and even when she left. This had to be a trap. Asami stayed on edged hearing Satoru speaking bringing her to recall the information that Yuu had downloaded in her before she left. "According to Yuu the location was switched several times before today for security measures to prevent its location from being found out." She was not sure what there was about Yuu, but he had a strange presence about him that seemed familiar to her somehow. He was unfortunately dead now knowing how the military was killing everyone without hesitation.

The wind blew up through the abandoned lot whistling in their ears. Satoru took a step forward feeling as though he was pressing against a gigantic invisible wall that was erected around the building. It was meant to keep everyone out, but it did not realize the danger that was nearing. This was not enough. "Didn't take enough measures if Yuu was able to find it."

Asami began walking towards the doors with Satoru following up quickly. Once they were inside they had to find the summit quickly and tell them of everything that was happening. She feared if the humans would even believe her even if they knew that she was a machine.

When her foot touched the first step something in her head suddenly pinched her sending waves through her body. 'What's this feeling? No…' It took her a moment, but she realized what was happening to her. She turned to look at Satoru, who was catching up with her. Her time was draining away from her coming to a stop as Satoru moved in slow motion before her eyes. She knew that she was out of time. They were waiting for this moment. "Get away from me, Satoru!" Asami said breaking free for a moment pushing him backward down the sidewalk.

"Huh?" Satoru said falling back roughly on the cement. He looked at Asami through one eye trying to push aside the stinging that echoed through his arms and back. Asami was not the same; Satoru could see that she was afraid of something. Her body was shaking as she backed away from him. "What are you talking about, Asami?"

"Leave me now!" Asami shouted feeling her control slipping away from her. She was going to lose him. She could not let that happen, but she also knew that he would not run away either. Her eyes welled up with tears, as she could no longer feel her legs paralysis encroaching on her chest moving quickly up. "Before it is too late…Sa…to…ru…" She could not run away around or save him as she lost control completely.

Asami's eyes went pale and her body changed becoming rigid and straight. She disappeared from the stairs in an instant landing on up of Satoru. Her hand shot out grabbing him by the throat lifting him up off the ground. Satoru's body hung in her hands as she stared at him her mind already out of his reach once more. "Ugh…not again…Asami…" He remembered seeing her like this a week before in Qintech. It was repeated over again before him leaving him helpless.

In the distance under cover of the brick wall around the parking lot the military that had been following Asami and Satoru were laying in wait. The scout was watching Asami assaulting Satoru through his scope reporting on their moves. They had a mission to complete and since the machine woman had made her move they were out of time. "The woman is attacking the target. Orders, sir?"

General Yoshima stood near the entrance of the parking lot narrowly watching the scene in the distance. He ground his teeth together hearing the annoying echoes of the organization in his head. They were always ordering him around; this was his battlefield. He would do things his way. "Satoru Kuromura must be taken alive and the woman's chest and head need to remain undamaged. Stop her immediately."

"Yes, sir!" the soldiers said in unison signaling their charge. All along the wall surrounding the building soldiers stood up leaping over the wall running towards the entrance where Satoru and Asami stood. Several men in the back raised up mounted machine guns aiming them on the location taking the safety off preparing to fire the moment they had an open shot.

Asami looked around from side to side seeing the large number of soldiers that were present this time. She was far out numbered from the previous times. She quickly analyzed the situation and dropped Satoru. "Hrmph…" Once he was freed from her grasp a hail of bullets were unloaded on her location, but she was already leaping backwards into the second floor window of the building disappearing quickly out of reach.

Satoru held his head down with his arms as his ears were shattered by the drowning tsunami of bullets that riddled the cement around him. When the firing ceased he looked up to where the Asami had broken the glass. She was gone from him again. 'Why does fate have to keep intervening…' He stood up staggering to the entrance still feeling weak from being strangled. "A-asami…" The soldiers that had been running to attack Asami were now forming around Satoru. Two of them forced his arms together allowing them to tie his hands. "What are you doing? Let go of me." Satoru struggled against the two men trying to break free to go after Asami. "I need to go after her now!"

"You're coming with us Mr. Kuromura," one of the soldiers said pulling him back in line. The others soldiers quickly ran about the lot looking like they were preparing for something else. They looked well armed for an assault even more so than the raid on Qintech.

"Huh?" Satoru said struggling against the men that were holding him. They pushed him away from the building guiding back to the street. He kept pulling and straining at their hold causing them enough trouble that one of them stepped up in front of him. Satoru stared at him defiantly having lost his fear a long time ago. The soldier drew back his arm and thrust it quickly into Satoru's chest knocking all of the air out of him before he could react. 'The military again…Kiyoshi's not leading them, who is it this time?' Satoru soon passed out falling limp in the soldiers' hold as they dragged him off.

Black fog around Satoru's head finally lifted bringing him back to consciousness. He slowly opened his eyes finding himself to be lying sideways on the ground. When he searched around the area it seemed that he was in a heavy canvas tent set up on the asphalt streets. As he pulled himself up Satoru realized that he was still tied at the wrist in front of him making it awkward for him to sit up. Once he had carefully managed the feat of sitting a familiar voice from behind spoke to him. "Hey, Satoru. I see that you're awake now."

Satoru turned his head quickly finding someone that never expected to see again. "What? Yuu?" He had never seen what happened to Yuu, but given that the military was going through the facility killing everyone he assumed that Yuu had met the same fate as everyone else. He just hoped that Yuu was able to do whatever it was that he had been attempting before they captured him. "What are you doing here?"

"Being captured by the military," Yuu said with a smirk on his face appearing like he did not even seem to care that the military was holding him captive now. He was sitting legs cross on the street with his arms tied like Satoru. If it were not for the bindings he would have looked like he was enjoying himself.

Satoru twitched his right eye at Yuu's response wishing that he could knock the man over for being so smug. "Uh…right…something that's not obvious."

"Where's Asami?" Yuu said changing the topic quickly. His expression changed once again for Satoru being serious. The way that he looked seemed as though he knew something, but Satoru had become distracted that he did not notice. "Did they get her as well?"

"Asami? Asami…I've got to find her!" Satoru struggled to get to his feet, but fell over nearly using his face to break his fall. He rolled over on his back working against the bindings to get back to his feet once again.

"Narrow minded…oh well," Yuu said sighing to himself while watching Satoru futility flailing about on the ground. "Calm down, Satoru." Yuu stood up slowly walking over to Satoru bringing pause to his fighting. "You need to focus on the more important matter at hand."

"What's that?" Satoru was a little in awe of Yuu casually standing as though being tied did not even exist. It brought a jealous focus to Satoru that forced him into concentrating on what he was trying to do. He was able to stand up this time looking level eyed with Yuu.

"Escaping," Yuu said so simply as though it was going to happen that easily. "We can't very well stop the machines from killing everyone at the summit locked up. Asami will no doubt be there as well."

"Are you the only one that escaped from the facility?" Satoru asked hoping that not everyone had been killed. His heart was already so heavy with the death that he saw he did not know if he could take anymore, but he had to know.

Yuu was hesitant to speak knowing how it was going to affect Satoru. He almost considered lying to him so that it was easier for him, but the truth could be learned from anyone around him. He could not have Satoru confused or in circles. It was going to be painful for him, but there was no other choice. "No, I made it out with someone else…"

"Who? Where are they?" Satoru said quickly wanting to know who it was that had survived the raid. Even one person more being alive was enough to light his heart. "Did they avoid capture?"

"No, they were captured with me, but…" Yuu was not skirting around the issue anymore knowing that holding it back would only be delaying the problem.

"I see…who was it?" There was a small hope that he had nearly crushed, but they were only captured. They were still alive and that was enough right now.

"It was…Natsuko…" Yuu said turning away from Satoru.

"But she…she made…" Satoru said picturing Natsuko in the facility staying behind to hold back the military's advance. He had thought that she was dead, but she was alive. Satoru could feel him becoming stronger knowing that she was still alive. She had not been killed along with everyone else. He turned to look at Yuu nearly smiling with joy, but all he saw was Yuu's back. There was something about the way he was standing that was speaking to him telling him something. Yuu had not told him everything, but he did not have to anymore. "Natsuko…I can't believe that they would…no…" Satoru fell to his knees the crushing weight on his heart dropped him to the ground. He held back his tears as much as he could knowing that it would not do anything. She was dead twice to him. However, Satoru could not mourn her as a heavy footstep broke their peace. "Who's there?"

General Yoshima stepped into the tent pushing the flaps aside as he entered. After a moment of struggling to keep their position the flaps slid back into place closing the space in. Yoshima circled around the tent staring at the two of them. There was almost a pleasant expression on his face as he had everything that he wanted in his grasps. "Satoru Kuromura and Yuu Hongawa two of the most important individuals that the world doesn't know about."

Satoru pulled himself back up to his feet working up a glare for the man that had captured him. Everyone seemed to be thinking that he was important, but he did not understand what they were getting at. Yuu treated him like he had some special gift and could make a difference. Kiyoshi saw him as some genius engineer and programmer that could magically make anything work. Now this man was treated him just like they were. What did they know about him that he did not? "What are you talking about?"

"You might be a dime a dozen engineer, but you've seen more of the gears that turn this world than most. You also control one of the most advanced machines ever developed."

"I don't control anyone!" Satoru still did not see what the man was getting at anymore with that crazy answer. He barely had seen anything from what he had heard already from Asami. There was an underworld that no one knew about existing that seemed to be slowly seeping into the world that everyone else lived in.

"And Yuu Hongawa, many have been searching for you. In all of the places to hide yourself the CEO of a corporation is certainly a clever one. Now that we have you, you will tell us what we want to know."

"Hiding…now really," Yuu said shrugging his shoulders looking away playing innocent. It was a little difficult to tell if he was actually innocent, but the man held more secrets that were not seen. There was nothing certain about who he actually was anymore. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You can drop the act the only one you're fooling at this point is him," Yoshima said pointing to Satoru.

"What's he talking about?" Satoru said moving towards Yuu looking for some answers. They both seemed to know something as though they were speaking in a different language leaving him stuck in the middle like a lost child. He still did not seem to understand anything even though he felt like he was finally seeing the world for what it truly appeared to be.

"Just someone who thinks he knows everything," Yuu said with a knowing smiling that was all too familiar. Satoru had seen the same look before as though Yuu had the upper hand and knew something that was giving him the advantage. It was an annoying expression. "It is surprising how little one knows even when they think that they have the world in their palms."

"Still playing games huh?" Yoshima said tired of running circles with him. He pulled out his side arm from his hip aiming it at Yuu without hesitation. Satoru's eyes widened in surprise that the man was so desperate that he would go this far to prove his point. There was no waiting as the gun fired putting a bullet through Yuu's arm.

Yuu fell back a little leaning against the center pole supporting the tent attempting to hold his bleeding arm in his good hand while tied. Satoru stepped in front of the two still not sure why he was standing up for the man that tormented him. "What do you think you're doing to him? You'll kill him!"

"Stop with the games! I know you aren't really hurt!" Yoshima pushed Satoru aside putting the gun to Yuu's head pressing it painfully against his forehead. His eyes were gleaming seeking the truth that he knew Yuu was hiding from him.

'What's going on?' Satoru fell backwards to the ground staring at the two men in a standoff of wills. He did not know what the General was looking for, but if Yuu did not tell him what he wanted then Yuu was going to die. 'What's this man saying? Is he saying that Yuu's…' Satoru thought back to what the General had said. He said that the bullet did not hurt Yuu even though it appeared to him that Yuu was in a great deal of pain. If the General was implying what Satoru thought then it would explain so much and change so many things.

Yoshima became tired of the pointless staring they were doing and hit Yuu with the hilt of the gun in his hand sending him to the ground. Yuu collapsed to the ground coughing from the pain that he must have been feeling. Yoshima pointed the gun down at him not going to take these games from him any longer. "Stand up you pitiful little-"

The seconds slowly counted out as Yuu stared at him knowing that he could not let it end like this. He pulled his arm apart snapping the bindings effortlessly and in a fluid motion grabbed the pistol from Yoshima's hand. Yuu stood up spinning it casually on his finger looking at the General. "You really should be more careful where you aim that."

Satoru could not believe what he saw just happen. Yuu had been down injured and in an instant was standing back up turning the tables on the General as though it was nothing. He had been just toying with him this entire time. It really was true. The proof was undeniable at this point. "Yuu…you're a…"

"Yes, I am," Yuu said a little sad that he was forced to reveal him his secret. It was going to make things a little harder for him, but it could not be avoided now. He had a more pressing matter at hand.

"So Malakh you finally decided to remove your mask," Yoshima said with smirk on face not even caring that he had been disarmed. It did not matter to him with his men standing guard outside.

"Well I can't let myself die yet. There's still things that I need to do," Yuu said returning the smirk back. He dusted himself off and examined the hole where the bullet when into his arm. The fake blood had already stop pour out leaving only a dark hole now and his shirtsleeve soaked through.

"Now tell me the activation code for Adam!"

Satoru eyes widened in shock at hearing those words from the General's mouth. He had thought that only Kiyoshi was obsessed with Adam. He knew that the military knew about it, but he had thought with Kiyoshi dead that interest was gone now. But now it sounded like they had already completed. That did not make any sense knowing Kiyoshi needed him if it was already finished. "You mean you've completed it?!"

"It was never incomplete to begin with! Hashimoto was lead to believe that it needed to be updated. He was only working from the incomplete prototype. But Adam was completed right after Isaac and it is far more advanced than the records would have you believe. It's constantly evolving, it is superior to all machines even today!"

To be continued…