SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE AUTHOR

———

Wearing the Aegis Mk. III meant Cage had precious little room within the seat of the HW-13A1 Sabre. The marionette frames had to be stretched to their limit to fit around the bulk of his Ex-Unit’s arms, and his fingers had very little room to maneuver. Despite the cramped conditions, the controls were handled top-notch. As he moved his arms, the Sabre’s arms matched every position and orientation down to the joint.

 

On the sides at shoulder height, screens displayed the status of the Sabre, radio signals, and a virtual image of the nearby area. The front windshield was the only source of natural light in the cabin. The sides of the turret’s interior were screens connected to cameras outside, displaying his surroundings as they drove through the underground tunnels. As the Herth’s driver navigated around the stopped and wrecked cars from the truck’s attempts to escape, Cage kept a careful watch on their surroundings.

 

Finally, they had caught up to the target vehicle. They had lost a lot of ground when it used those … tendrils to attack. Fortunately, there hadn’t been any turns since they entered the underground highway, and the civilian cars that had crashed left a clear trail of destruction in the truck’s wake, so they were able to keep up the pursuit even when they didn’t have eyes on the target.

 

The truck seemed to have crashed head-on into an oil tanker. The two truck cabins had ended up perpendicular to the tunnel, with the trailers of the target vehicle swinging around to his right while the oil tanker swung to his left. Between the two of them, they blocked the entire highway. A handful of civilian cars had crashed into the trucks, while Public Security’s arrival blocked in a few others.

 

The Sabre approached from the left side of the tunnel, down the oncoming lane, to get a good look at the truck’s cabin. Cage used his Ex-Unit’s vizor to zoom in. The windshield was riddled with bullet holes, and the driver and passenger were slumped in their seats, bloody and unmoving.

 

Cage used the foot pedals to rotate the turret to the right, getting a better look at the rear fuel container that the Chairman had made such a big deal about. Fortunately, it still seemed to be intact, despite the violent crash.

 

“Hold right here,” Cage ordered his driver as they got closer. “I’m continuing on foot. Have the rest of the unit set up around the crashed vehicle and brace for capture.”

 

“Are you sure, sir?” The driver questioned. “With what we just saw…”

 

“That’s an order,” Cage snapped. “I will handle this myself.”

 

“Y-Yes, sir.”

 

Cage flicked the release switches with his thumbs, freeing his arms from the marionette frames. He twisted the Operator Key on the right side of the seat counterclockwise, then pulled it out and stored it in a compartment in his suit. As it was removed, the various screens and holographic displays inside the cockpit went dark. He pulled the handle by his left hip, the door behind him opening upward in turn.

 

As he climbed out of the turret, the chassis legs of the Herth lowered, bringing him closer to the surface. Cage double-checked his entire Ex-Unit before jumping off and approaching the crashed truck. The rest of his unit spread across the road, leaving the far-right lane open for the operational civilian cars to pass through and clear the area.

 

With the drivers both out of commission, Cage elected to start his search with the box trailer. He quickly cycled through the various sensors on his helmet, including thermal, X-ray, and Magical Energy. However, he wasn’t able to discern anything of note. Typical. For cargo this sensitive, they must have designed the trailer with scan-shielding in mind. Guess I’ll have to search it the old-fashioned way.

 

Although gaining access could be a problem, the rear liquid tank's placement had blocked access to the back of the main trailer on this side. That meant he couldn’t reach the rear doors or the ladder on the back.

 

“If I can’t go around, that means going over. This is a job for the Mk. III, alright.” Cage tapped the toes and heels of his Ex-Unit against the ground, stretching out his feet. Compared to the Mk II he typically wore, his current suit was an upgrade in all aspects. The extra armor, power, and protective systems would be necessary for his rematch against the Justice. The controls were also far more fluid. It even had a default Field Officer configuration quite similar to the one for the Mk. II, he was used to operating, so the adjustment was easy. Nonetheless, he grunted as he stretched, cracking his back. “If only they made it slim enough to be comfortable in a Gen-3 Herth.”

 

Cage raised his heels and crouched slightly. A whir rose in pitch within the Mk. III’s legs. As it reached its peak, he slammed his heels onto the ground while jumping. The suit's extra strength nearly caused him to lose control mid-air. Even if he understood, on a theoretical level, how high it would launch him, he was still a rookie when it came to operating this kind of equipment. He flailed his arms for a moment as he landed on the roof of the container, nearly tipping over. As he regained his balance, he noticed his feet had nearly burst through the roof with the weight of his landing.

 

Cage grabbed the nearby tunnel structural rafter to pull his feet free from where they had gotten wedged. He then noticed that the same rafter was blocking the hatch on top of the truck, with only a few inches of clearance. Even if he tried, he didn’t think that the Aegis Mk. III was strong enough to bend the rafters out of the way. Nor did he particularly want to mess with the tunnel’s structural support.

 

That was my preferred way in, Cage thought with annoyance. I’ll have to go through the rear doors then. Hm?

 

Cage now had a clear view of the other side of the blocked highway. Two trailers were parked horizontally to block the road in the distance. Below him, the civilian vehicles that had been caught in the crash on that side had been shot up, with everyone he could see inside the cars either full of bloodstained holes or doing their best to hide. Numerous soldiers were methodically searching every nook and cranny as they advanced toward the truck on which he was standing. Although they wore no insignia and their faces were covered, Cage had a solid guess as to their affiliation, eyeing the Shriker 80 bullpup rifles they carried, particularly the shorter S-variant. The ME Sensors in his suit further confirmed his suspicions, detecting magical energy signatures emanating from the weapons. While other groups certainly had access to those weapons, only one came to mind that made it part of their standard loadout and would have a reason to be here.

 

The Joint Secret Service. Livarre’s warning was correct, Cage thought as he felt a vibration coming from the trailer beneath him. Tch. This is a cover-up, isn’t it, Chairman?

 

The text “INCOMING ENCRYPTED MESSAGE” appeared in the corner of his helmet’s visual overlay. On his signal, he allowed the call to go through.

 

“Captain Cage,” Lieutenant Hilt’s voice contacted him from their Land Carrier. “Is that you up there? Is it really necessary for you to go in alone?”

 

———

 

While huddled in the corner, Aya slowly realized that the truck was no longer moving. She cautiously pushed herself up from the ground and shook her head to reorient her vision. Her mind still felt a bit sluggish.

 

That’s right … there were gunshots, and the truck crashed. I need to find a way out of here before it starts moving again, Aya thought before she turned towards the unconscious girl. But…I can’t just leave her here.

 

Though as much as she did want to save her, actually getting out with the other girl was going to be a challenge. Looking up, Aya spotted a large structural rafter right above the hatch. There wasn’t enough room to squeeze past it, even if the girl was awake to climb the ladder with her. They needed an alternative exit.

 

Furthermore, just getting out of the truck was her biggest worry right now. She had heard on the radio that Public Security had joined the chase and was likely still in pursuit. Never mind the other girl; Aya herself might not be able to get out without being seen, and it was unlikely she could run far enough away that they wouldn’t find her when they swept the area.

 

Hold on, the Underground Highway has many things I can use, Aya thought, recalling the things Miki had told her. The E-Comm terminals! Since Miki’s family owns and operates them, they aren’t monitored by Public Security or any other outside agencies. If I can get to one, I can call Miki for help. Though just making a call at the first terminal she found in the main tunnel wouldn’t be safe with the authorities still on her tail, and she would need to wait somewhere safe for help to arrive. Fortunately, she knew that they had built the terminals even in the maintenance tunnels, and they should be empty. The ring code on the back of Father’s badge should still work to get me in, too. She always carried it with her in her bag; one of the few keepsakes she still had from him.

 

As Aya was thinking through her options, she absentmindedly leaned against one of the large cryogenic pods. Should I try to wake that girl? Trying to drag her around might attract too much attention, but if she’s injured, I shouldn’t—AHH!?

 

The second she touched it, Aya’s vision darkened as she was hit with a sensation she could only describe as a foreign presence invading her mind. A series of images flashed through her mind: First, creatures as black as midnight with white eyes and orifices. Then … a person? Or was it a tree? It was all so alien, yet at the same time, it felt so familiar.

 

W-What is this? Aya felt the pods beside her begin to vibrate heavily, and she heard the metal restraints clanging violently. She jumped back with a shock, her back painfully bouncing off the line of tall, thin cylindrical canisters that lined the opposite wall. She landed on her hands and knees, unable to move properly while still blinded by the visions. After a few moments, the vibrations slowly died down, as did the surge of images flooding her mind.

 

At that point, all thoughts of escape left her mind in the face of this mystery. Aya cautiously stood and took small steps toward the pod. She spotted some vertical markings on the side and leaned closer, careful to grab the handles rather than the pod itself. A logo showed a black sun with rays sprouting diagonally. There was text below it.

 

SOLESIA FOUNDATION

 

UNAUTHORIZED RELEASE STRICTLY FORBIDDEN

 

KEEP CRYO FROZEN AT ALL TIMES UNLESS ORDERED BY THE GODDESS

 

Solesia? Aya tried to read the etched markings even further down. They were legible, with numerous repeated characters written from left to right and clear spacing between characters. But she did not recognize the characters themselves. Contrary to the ancient writing languages she was familiar with, the letters of this one almost looked as if they were based on the claw marks of some animal, then simplified. What are they holding in there?

 

Realizing she wouldn’t glean anything more from the label, Aya looked in both directions, quickly surveying the rest of the trailer. To her left was the girl in the chair, sitting next to the doorway leading to the tractor unit. Better stick to the back door. Don’t want to end up that close to the drivers if they’re still alive.

 

To her right, at the far end of the container, there was a chair and a covered desk, both bolted to the floor. She reached under the front edge of the desk and found a button that, when pressed, lifted the cover, revealing a black screen in front of her.

 

Aya pressed the Power button. Maybe this will help me figure out what’s in here.

 

As it booted up, the lock screen appeared:

 

SOLESIA FOUNDATION

 

INSERT USERNAME AND PASSWORD OR USE BADGE

 

ENTER PIN

 

I figured they would have something protecting it. Aya slumped in the seat. Her eyes wandered over to the Ringcode Scanner built into the right side of the desk, flashing a circular light on the floor. Hold on—didn’t they say there was someone else back here? If they have the badge on them…

 

Aya stood and continued to search the area around the container, noting the switch for the rear door to the left of the computer. Opposite the desk, several crates buried a body dressed in a laboratory uniform. Aya touched his wrist. It was cold, and she couldn’t feel a pulse.

 

Unperturbed, she reached down and picked up the badge on the ground, observing the series of centered rings, each with a different bar pattern. Let’s hope this works…

 

Aya held the badge under the red light. The scanner beeped, and the Username and Password fields filled automatically. However, she still needed the PIN. Quickly searching around the desk, she found a sticky note in the corner.

 

PIN 060809

 

Lucky me. Either they just changed it, or they’re lax about security. Aya entered the numbers into the final section. The monitor displayed the Solesia symbol again before switching to a normal desktop screen. Not wanting to click any unknown program shortcuts, she opened File Explorer first.

 

Knowing Miki and her company, she will most certainly be interested in whatever I can find here. Finch might, too, if he has time to investigate. Ah, but how do I…

 

A metallic object clanged on the ground, startling her. It rolled away from the girl, still strapped into the seat. She was sitting at an angle now, her right shoulder having slumped down.

 

“A-Are you okay?” Aya ran over to check on the girl, pausing to glance back at the computer and the round metal object that had fallen. She turned back as she heard a moan, the girl’s eyes fluttering as they attempted to open. However, her head dropped again as if going back to sleep.

 

“Don’t worry, I’ll get you out soon…after, well...” Aya’s voice trailed as she turned and picked up the round object, which had a tapered end, almost shaped like a bullet. A Bullet Drive?! Aya had seen these in stores before, inside locked display cases. How did this girl get something so expensive?

 

Upon closer inspection, Aya realized this wasn’t just any Bullet Drive. This Bullet Drive. It’s a Field Memory Key device —the same kind Miki uses —and one her company designed and manufactures. From what she tells me, they’re supposed to be faster and have greater data capacity than general-purpose drives. Moreover, they are more durable and have protection against weather, EMPs, and AM Waves. But most importantly, they’re impossible to disassemble with regular tools. All of these make them ideal for operating in dangerous environments. But they’re only sold to specific government and military forces, including—behind closed doors—the Red Wings. For this girl to have one…

 

Aya shook her head, focusing on inserting the portable drive into the computer. She started her search in the documents folder, but it was empty. Better try the main drives themselves. An exceedingly long and seemingly disorganized list of folders appeared before her eyes. She stuttered momentarily before selecting them all and preparing to copy them onto the Bullet Drive.

 

Now, if I could just—AH!? A loud slam came from above, and Aya looked up to see a large dent where the roof had warped. Two dents resembled large boot prints, though they were larger and obviously made by something bulkier than a human.

 

For a moment, Aya felt pressure in her ears. Then, as if a switch had been flicked, her hearing was greatly amplified. She could hear her own heartbeat, the girl's breathing across the trailer, and the buzzing of the fluorescent lights in the tunnel's roof.

 

“Captain Cage,” Aya heard a faint voice coming from where the feet landed. “Is that you up there? Is it really necessary for you to go in alone?”

 

“What is it now?” The man named Cage responded, sounding exasperated.

 

“Well, sir, the container is definitely scan-shielded, as we expected. But the AM Wave Emitter is picking up something inside the vehicle. We've never seen anything like it, not at this output on the Emitter. It doesn’t look like a Justice, but—”

 

“Lieutenant!” Cage shouted.

 

“With respect, sir, comms have been encrypted to just us. We can speak freely. But to repeat, there is definitely something odd inside the vehicle. I can’t pinpoint its exact location due to the shielding. Do you think that’s what the Chairman was trying to keep a secret? That even the rest of the government doesn’t know about?”

 

A secret he’s keeping from the rest of the government? Even the APS? Aya glanced at the other girl, still passed out in the chair. Maybe that’s why she’s here? With that drive she had and the fact that she was in here tonight, could she be part of the Red Wings?

 

The computer screen turned dark from inactivity, with the sudden loss of the brightest light source in the trailers startling Aya out of her thoughts. She quickly woke the computer back up and checked the portable drive folder for the copied files as she heard the heavy footsteps from the man named Cage as he walked across the roof towards the back of the trailer. She pulled the Bullet Drive out and searched for her bag. She found it on the other side of the room, lying on the ground near the ladder. At some point during the drive, it must have opened and spilled some of its contents.

 

“I’ll check it out myself, Lieutenant.” A sudden metallic crunch came from the rear door, like some component had been shattered with brute force. “Standby with the rest of the force, and I’ll come out with the target.”

 

“Sir, what about the reports from the Ounishima Police? The ones of a civilian trapped inside the truck? Do you think it’s the Justice we’re looking for?”

 

The mention of her prompted Aya to panic, and she frantically attempted to fill the bag. She started with the items that had fallen out—two of her books and the mask—then tried to find a spot for the Bullet Drive. As she did, she accidentally knocked out a circular badge featuring a three-pronged spiral and a falcon-shaped symbol. It bounced and rolled across the floor towards the rear door. No! Father’s badge!

 

“It’s possible, but the timing seems suspect. The Justice would have been following since the fuel plant, and if the chairman’s reports on her abilities are true, I doubt she’d let herself be seen. More likely it's just a civilian who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

 

“So how do you want to handle this?”

 

“I’ll take care of the civilian if I find her. For now, let’s focus on the Justice. Turn on the AM Wave Emitters and keep them running. They won’t be effective within the trailer with all its shielding, but I want that Justice to be powerless the moment she steps outside. If she’s in here, there’s going to be nowhere left for her to run.”

 

The door slammed open, and Aya backed herself into the corner, hugging her bag to her chest. Out of her line of sight, the clattering of her badge stopped as a heavy foot stomped onto the ground.

 

There was a pause, then Aya heard the heavy footsteps as Cage approached, appearing from behind the pods. He was wearing an Ex-Unit, which explained the heavy footsteps. He had his submachine gun—a UMP-8, it seemed, based on the description Miki had given her—raised and pointed at the unconscious girl in the chair.

 

“Stay there,” Cage ordered, glancing at her before returning his attention to the other girl. He must have flipped a switch to let his voice reach outside his suit, because it was far louder compared to the conversation she had listened to before.

 

Aya was frozen in fear. She doubted she could move even if she wanted to.

 

The girl moaned lightly before her eyes snapped open. She jerked from her side pocket and brought out a white cylindrical ellipsoid that glowed as she held it.

 

A Heart Crystal! Aya’s eyes widened.

 

Cage dove forward with superhuman speed, grabbing the girl’s wrist and knocking the crystal out of her hand. He then unbuckled her and pulled her out of the chair, pinning both of her arms behind her back. He put her in handcuffs, holding her wrists in one hand once secure.

 

Aya began hyperventilating as Cage turned toward her, though her confusion as Cage held up the badge she had just lost was enough to knock her out of it. “This yours?” He tossed it at her feet, and she furrowed her brow. “If it is, take it.”

 

“But—” Aya struggled to form words.

 

“I’m saying I’m letting this slide for now,” Cage said he properly stowed away his gun. “Look, you’re not in trouble. Just come with us, and I’ll hand you over to the Ounishima Police. I won’t punish you for having an honorary badge, even if you’re part of Cytra.”

 

“But…why?” Aya stuttered as she picked up the badge.

 

“Ounishima Police reported a civilian trapped here, and Public Security has caused enough heat for one day. No point in making things worse between us and them than we already have,” Cage reasoned as he inspected the large pods. “Besides, my orders were to capture this Justice, not you.”

 

“Um,” Aya muttered as she rapidly glanced between him and the badge..

 

“Look, miss, I don’t want to write a report where you get killed here,” Cage warned. “Get up now and come with me, before you end up in even more trouble!”

 

“I,” Aya tried to speak, to stand, but she couldn’t bring herself to do either.

 

“Don’t tell me,” Cage threatened while raising his arm at her. “You are one of her affiliates, aren’t you?”

 

“I’m not!” Aya raised her bag in front of her, but before Cage could do anything, a struggle burst out between him and the girl. Spinning and kicking his arm, she was able to break free from his grab. She dived into the corner, managing to grab her Heart Crystal behind her back. A bright light flashed, and Aya used her bag to shield her eyes.

 

When she could see again, she looked up to see that the girl had transformed, the handcuffs lying broken at her feet. Her outfit was very much one of a Justice. The cloak seemed to resemble a pigeon—a Japanese Wood Pigeon, if Aya had to guess. She had a knife held at the ready.

 

To Aya’s eyes, vast amounts of purple energy were radiating from the girl. However, she stumbled after taking a single step forward, and Cage seized the opportunity. She raised her left arm, but Cage batted it aside before quickly striking her right hand, shattering the knife she held. He then grabbed both of her arms again. The girl struggled, her face showing a mixture of drowsiness and anguish.

 

She’s still recovering from being knocked unconscious, Aya thought as she got to her feet. She watched as Cage overpowered the girl, wrist-locking her and shoving her to the metal floor.

 

The muscles in the Justice’s arm visibly strained as she tried to resist, but it was in vain. What could she do against an Ex-Unit of that caliber?

 

“You just refuse to give up, huh?” Cage pulled her up again, turning to lead her back to the rear door while keeping a firm grip on her arms. “But you’re not the only one who does that. We’re all human, after all, aren’t we?”

 

BLAM!

 

A loud metallic slam came from Cage’s left, a second one following it a moment later.

 

“Ahh,” Aya stuttered as she spotted the growing dents in the side of the larger cryogenic pod right beside her. She swore she heard the other pod behind it start rattling in its supports as well.

 

Cage took a step backwards, pulling the Justice with him. The shaking began dying down. “What the hell is—”

 

BLAM!

 

Before Cage could finish the sentence, a massive black tendril burst out of the large pod. It impaled his shoulder and sent him flying into the cylindrical canisters. The Justice was sent flying away from him, bouncing hard off the front wall of the trailer.

 

Light shone through several small holes in the wall behind the canisters that had formed from Cage’s impact. The tendril retracted itself.

 

W-what was… Aya remained stunned, trying to process what she had just seen. Now free from Cage’s grasp, the girl started rapidly scrambling towards the open rear doors. Aya had no idea how long the girl would remain conscious with the hits she had taken. Before Aya had a chance to think about what she should do, something in the large pod started slamming against the inner wall, as if trying to break out. The dents grew more rapidly before, the metal bending outward.

 

A massive creature stretched itself out of the pod. Its outer hide seemed to be composed of black, sludgy flesh. It had to be nearly five feet long and had a series of glowing, neon-white spots on its head, with a massive one near the front. The creature was roughly tadpole-shaped, with a more bulbous head and body, tapering to a thin tail that trailed behind. The tail had a series of whip-like tendrils dangling from the end, swirling around independently. Three pairs of massive, angular, sharp legs that seemed to be made of a more chitinous material supported the body. They set to work immediately, cutting and tearing chunks from the pod’s hull. As they did, miniature tendrils burst out all over the creature’s body, sticking to the underside of the metal like glue and pulling it snug against its hide—forming a suit of armor.

Cage went on the offensive, darting forward and striking at the creature. The force flipped it back, revealing a neon white orifice under its belly as it was knocked away from the pod. It swung its tail around, the swirling tendrils moving to strike, but Cage blocked with his arm guards.

 

While he was busy fighting that one, countless smaller creatures made of the same black flesh began spilling out of the damaged cylinders. Each thudded heavily against the floor, implying a mass much greater than their size would indicate. They were small, maggot-like beings, though they began to grow rapidly once free, nearly instantly reaching the size of small pigeons and continuing to grow. They crawled along the floor and walls, each with a black body, a single neon-white orifice, and a set of pincers serving as mandibles.

 

As the horde of maggots spread out, a second large creature erupted from the larger cryogenic pod. It had a far more humanoid shape, still made of the same black flesh. It had a single, neon-white eye centered on its head, a mechanical harpoon gun built into its right arm, and a massive tendril for its left arm. It ripped the entire upper corner of the pod out as it broke free, holding it up like a shield. Shoving the other creature into the corner, Cage moved in, grabbing the shield with one hand and deflecting the harpoon gun that tried to aim at him with the other as he attempted to wrestle the creature back.

 

Aya stared at the bizarre creatures, still shaken by the sudden turn of events. From deep within her subconscious, only one word came to mind.

 

Blakieter…

 

A sudden grab on Aya’s arm snapped her out of their bewilderment. Cage pulled her close, lifted her with both hands, and tossed her over the horde of maggots. Aya landed partway down the corridor towards the rear door, still fortunately tightly clutching her bag and badge. She glanced back in confusion and saw that Cage was now wrestling with both of the creatures that had broken out of the large pod, while some of the maggots on the floor began climbing his legs.

 

“Miss, get out of here!” Cage shouted. “Find the Ounishima Police and bring that girl to them!”

 

“W-why?” Aya asked.

 

Cage cursed under his breath as the humanoid Blakieter creature split its tendril arm apart, reforming it around Cage’s arm. From the way the tendril pulsated, it almost looked as though it was...feeding? Cage tugged his arm back while bringing out his submachine gun, which he fired full-auto into the creature. The point-blank weapon fire didn’t kill it, but it was weakened to the point that Cage could rip his arm free. He then reached and tore off the harpoon weapon from the other arm. All the while, the first, tadpole-like creature was clinging to his back, striking at him with the tendrils on its tail, though with his armor, Cage was able to shrug off the blows.

 

“That Justice knows something about this. Find out what and tell the people, for Arahi and the Chairman’s sake. And yours!”

 

Aya tried to object. “But—”

 

“JUST GO!”

 

Cage’s shout forced Aya to scramble down the corridor. She tripped out of the rear door and landed on the asphalt face-first.

 

No way. This isn’t possible. But the pain means this can’t be a dream… Aya thought as she picked herself up from the ground, slipping the badge into her pocket and putting on her backpack. Aya glanced around, spotting the other girl lying a few feet away on the ground, having transformed back into her civilian clothing. She was struggling to get up from the ground. As the sound of submachine gun fire rang inside the trailer, Aya went to the girl’s rescue.

 

“Here,” Aya called out to the downed Justice, who jerked her head towards her with surprise. She eyed Aya suspiciously but still took her hand.

 

“Who-who are you?” she asked as Aya pulled her to her feet.

 

“I…I just can’t let you die here.” Aya clutched both of the girl’s hands and pulled. “Come with me, please. I know a way out of here to safety, and who we can talk to—people we can trust.”

 

“I-I can’t,” the girl said, glancing over her shoulder.

 

“But—” Aya’s argument was interrupted by a large shadow. Glancing to her side, she spotted the smaller cryogenic pod and several crates falling towards them. Aya felt the girl’s hands pull free from her grip and shove into her shoulders, sending her flying backwards to the ground. Aya glanced back in time to see the other girl leap backwards just as the contents of the trailer crashed between them.

 

Following the crashing debris, a tidal wave of the maggot-like beings erupted from the door, pushing Cage out along the way, with some of the creatures trying to chew on his Ex-Unit. Several more humanoid creatures armed with various weapons followed, though they appeared to become disoriented as they left the truck.

 

The AM Wave Emitter must be slowing their movements. Of course! The legends say they feed on magical energy, so the AM Waves must be starving them. And they’re probably not used to the stronger lights in the tunnel. Even if it’s not sunlight, it must be unbearably bright compared to the inside of those pods.

 

Sudden gunfire from multiple directions started riddling the creature as they poured out. The emerging monsters all turned to face the immediate threat posed by the gunmen, their attention fully occupied.

 

Even though the creatures were ignoring her, Aya kept her head down, holding her bag between her and the truck as she crawled back. She found cover behind a car as fighting erupted between the creatures and the soldiers. Joining the horde of maggots was a wave of smaller tadpole-like monsters. In comparison to the first one that had escaped, they had only two pairs of legs and ranged in size from that of small birds to small dogs.

 

The maggots crawling on the ground seemed to have particularly thick hides, tanking several shots with ease. The bullets were more effective against the other creatures, though it still took several shots to stop them for good, and those that survived seemed to be slowly regenerating. Some died as the soldiers landed some lucky shots. The neon glow faded, and the black flesh that composed their bodies began to dissolve, with the liquid melting craters into the highway.

 

With their numbers, the horde slowly but surely advanced faster than the soldiers could shoot them down. To make matters worse, a dozen six-legged beasts that resembled wolves jumped out from the back of the trailer as well, each with a pair of scythe-like mandibles protruding from their mouths. They were fast, instantly getting to the front of the horde. In a panic, the soldiers attempted to focus fire on them, though only one went down by the time they reached the gunline. Civilians screamed out throughout the area, whether it be from the black-hided creatures or the armed men fighting them.

 

Chaos as the creatures broke through the soldiers' ranks. However, there was no time to see how the battle would end.

 

Aya quickly looked around, but she could see no sign of the Justice from the truck anywhere. She had no idea where the other girl had run off to, but she couldn’t afford to stop and look for her right now. Aya searched along the raised sidewalk that lined the roads of the Underground Highway. Fortunately, the trailer had crashed within eyesight of one of the doors to the Maintenance Tunnels, the red light of the scanner catching Aya’s eye.

 

Aya took out her badge once more, flipping it over to the back and rubbing her thumb across the Ringcode attached to it. With the Blakieter creatures having reached the soldiers, no more bullets were flying overhead, but Aya still kept her head down as she crawled towards the nearest staircase leading up onto the raised sidewalk. Between being food—or worse, a host—of the Blakieter creatures, a captive of Public Security, or collateral damage as a whole, it was the best route out here. It had to be.

 

———

 

Lieutenant Hilt flinched within the Land Carrier as gunfire erupted on the other side of the truck. The rest of the unit shuffled nervously, having spread out along the road with their UMP-8 submachine guns at the ready. The gunners on top of the armored cars and the regular Hunters readied their .50-caliber machine guns as well. One of the hunters had been modified into the A-Retrofit style, designed for troop transport, and now bore a 2.36-inch autocannon on its roof, which the gunner loaded. Even the Sabre parked off to the side was getting ready for anything. With Cage no longer acting as the turret operator, the driver only had access to the underbelly .30 caliber machine gun and the front-mounted Anchor Javelins. The Daggers, meanwhile, were aiming their .50 caliber machine guns at the truck as well, with their Anchor Javelins still broken from when those tendrils had cut the cables during the chase.

 

“Captain, what’s happening?” Hilt called over the radio. “Captain, are you there? Captain!?”

 

There was still no response. Cage switched to the unit-wide radio. “Chai 1-0, advance and see if you can find a way past the wrecked trucks to get eyes on the Captain.”

 

Hilt drummed his fingers as he watched the eight soldiers cautiously approach the truck with weapons raised. As they got close, he noticed something moving above them. “Halt, movement on the roof!”

 

Numerous snake-like beings slithered to the top of the trailer. Each had two scythe-like arms, and from within the orifice on their heads, a massive, chitinous spike protruded. Taking their places on the roof, they spat the spikes at the speed of a bullet towards the Hunters that were equipped with the AM Wave Emitters. Given that each snake seemed to be able to ‘reload’ their spike in under a second, they kept up a constant stream of fire.

 

“Damnit. Everyone, open fire on the—those unidentified hostiles!”

 

The Public Security soldiers began firing into the snakes, the concentrated fire killing them off one by one. However, as the soldiers turned their attention upward, they were attacked from below. Emerging from under the trailer was a horde of tadpole-like creatures, up to the size of small dogs at the maximum. Each had two large, sharp legs near their heads and a mass of tendrils emerging from the back of their tails, along with glowing dots on top of their heads. Before anyone could react, these creatures leaped towards the three soldiers standing nearest to the truck, swarming over their bodies.

 

“Get it off! Get it off!”

 

“Hold still! Hold still!”

 

They started panickedly swatting and swiping at the creatures, with the five soldiers behind them moving in to help. They managed to pull all the creatures off one of the men, pulling him back away from the truck. However, as they did so, a sudden burst of gunfire killed two of the soldiers who had been attempting to help their comrades.

 

To Hilt’s shock, he saw that the shooter was one of the soldiers the creatures had swarmed—only now, one of the creatures seemed firmly planted on his back, and his movements had become sluggish and uncoordinated. Hilt could have sworn that the soldier’s pupils were glowing a neon white. The soldier next to him seemed to be in the same condition, and both began turning their weapons towards the other soldiers standing in the front.

 

A couple of quick-thinking soldiers in the backline were able to recognize what was happening, shooting and taking down the body-jacked soldiers before they could kill anyone else. The creatures on their backs attempted to swing their tails around to protect with their tendrils, but the bullets pierced them without issue, and the men went down quickly.

 

The surviving members of Chai 1-0 scrambled madly towards the safety of the rest of the formation, pursued by a growing horde of the creatures scrambling across the floor. The other soldiers snapped into action, firing into the Horde to slow their advance without Hilt needing to make the order.

 

With everyone’s combined firepower—especially the mounted weapons on the trucks—they were able to kill the creatures fast enough to keep them at bay, even as new ones continued to crawl out from under the trailer. However, even if they were dying, they could still take a beating. Hilt watched closely, seeing that a single one of the tadpole-like creatures was hit with several .354 caliber submachine gun rounds on different parts of its body. Yet despite having decent chunks of its tiny body blown off, it continued moving towards them. He counted no less than five direct hits before it went down for good. The higher-caliber machine gun rounds were far more effective—often killing the creature in a single hit—but there was no denying the creature’s durability.

 

If it took that much firepower to kill a single one, and with no end of the Horde in sight, would they even have enough ammunition to make it through this? This operation had been to capture a single Justice, and that’s what they had equipped themselves for—they hadn’t exactly brought an armory with them.

 

As Hilt continued to monitor the situation, he saw a third species begin to emerge from under the trailer as well. Made of the same sludgy black flesh, these were shaped like maggots with pincers by their glowing orifice. They weren’t as focused as the tadpoles—while some started advancing towards their gunline, others crawled towards the fuel tanker their target truck had crashed into and started biting into the metal. And although they were slower, they proved to be even more durable than the tadpoles had been. The submachine gun rounds didn’t even scratch them, and even the .30 caliber rounds were bouncing off their hides. Only the .50 caliber rounds seemed capable of hurting them.

 

At that moment, multiple massive black tendrils burst out of the driver’s cabin of the truck. They punched into the ground, lifting the cabin into the air and separating it from the trailer. More tendrils emerged from the side, and a large tail of black sludge grew from the back. The metal of the cabin expanded with the growing sludge, taking the entire thing in the form of a tadpole, much like a massive version of the horde of body-snatchers charging at them. The headlights shifted around the ‘face’, and a pair of neon-white lights appeared under the grill and deformed hood, which turned and pointed at the Public Security personnel as if watching them.

 

That thing’s alive!?

 

“The hell’s going on here!? What the hell is that thing!?” One of his men shouted over the radio.

 

“Don’t just stand there! Fire!” One of their corporals shouted as they continued shooting. A few soldiers attempted to fire on the living truck. However, even the .50 caliber bullets didn’t seem to have any noticeable effect, and they were forced to re-focus their attention on the horde to keep it at bay.

 

Fortunately, the massive creature didn’t seem to have any intention of attacking them, at least not yet. The living truck’s eyes snapped away from them as it reared up and stabbed into the trailer with its tendrils. A sizable portion of the walking tadpoles turned their attention towards it as it killed a number of them, whether it be by crushing them or striking them with their tendrils.

 

Now what? It’s fighting its own kin? Hilt pondered as the truck monster ripped its tendrils back, pulling the siding off the trailer with them and giving Hilt a limited view of the chaos on the other side.

 

Hilt was forced to cover his ears over the sudden high-pitched noise from the AM Wave Emitters, the air glowing silver-blue around the Hunters. The black-fleshed creatures started slowing down, some of them stumbling or even collapsing. It was like the high-powered Emitters were…draining their energy? Even the living truck was affected, its movements becoming sluggish as it continued its efforts to crush the trailer.

 

Hilt took the opportunity to speak. “All forces, the Emitters can’t stay at full power for long! Use this opportunity to eliminate the remaining hostile creatures and advance. Most importantly, we need to find the Captain! And no matter what, do not shoot him, even if one of those creatures has him under control.”

 

“But, sir,” a soldier called back.

 

“That’s an order! If he’s being puppeted, just-just fall back until I figure out how to save him.”

 

His heart pounding, Hilt continued to scan the area beyond the trailer. Past the wreckage of the trailer, he managed to catch sight of Cage, who was busy smashing apart the various creatures that were leaping at him. “Captain! Hold on, sir, we’re on the way!”

 

A harpoon was launched at Cage, which he deflected before catching the cable. He yanked it, pulling in the humanoid monster it was attached to before slamming the creature onto the ground and smashing its head. He then lifted its body and used it as a shield against the various creatures and what appeared to be a laser blast.

 

Hilt traced the direction the shot came from. The living truck had opened its doors, and from the inside, dozens of quadrupedal creatures were crawling down. They had protruding metal plating covering their joints, though their entire limbs appeared biomechanical. Sitting atop a base of the black sludge flesh, each had a weapon attached, either a laser or a beam-emitting device. They appeared to have been repurposed industrial and mining equipment. Multiple glowing white eyes surrounded the circular base of their bodies, presumably allowing them to see in all directions.

 

These new four-legged beings seemed to be splitting their focus between attacking the Public Security soldiers and the other black-fleshed creatures in the area. The soldiers took cover behind their vehicles and continued firing at any creature in sight.

 

The Emitters suddenly stopped making noise. Hilt turned to see the mess of spikes that had been launched into them over the course of the fight. There must have been more of those snake creatures still shooting amidst all of the chaos. As the Emitters stopped glowing and fell off the Hunters, the effect on the creatures was immediately obvious. Those who had collapsed stood up again, and none were stumbling anymore as they ran. They slowly but steadily began to regain their speed.

 

The Sabre driver advanced, switching the Herth into its ‘humanoid form’ by folding the hydraulics of the legs in, bringing the cabin up to match the truck monster’s height. The driver fired the front-mounted Anchor Javelin and underbelly machine gun turret at it, with the javelin jamming into one of its eyes beneath the headlights. The truck creature roared in response, immediately lashing at the Herth with its tendrils. It seemingly effortlessly tore the Sabre’s arms off before slamming it into a crashed vehicle.

 

From beyond the trailer that the living truck had abandoned, a wave of humanoid monsters with harpoon guns built into their arms spotted the Public Security Forces, charging and firing at them. They were accompanied by more of the tadpole and maggot-like … things.

 

“Lieutenant,” Cage’s voice sounded over the radio. Hilt saw that he was slowly getting overwhelmed, with dozens of the tadpoles and maggots crawling over him. “Can you hear me?”

 

“Captain?” Hilt called back with relief.

 

“Get whatever men you have out of here and forget about this whole operation,” the Captain issued as he spun to throw all the monsters off him, using the momentum of the movement to strike another humanoid monster. “Forget about your duty to Public Security. Forget this whole thing if possible. Tell the remaining men to do the same.”

 

“Sir, we’re not leaving without you!”

 

“This is beyond a mere government project or hunt for some Justice or bird-lovers. Use whatever means necessary to survive. Don’t let this thing cloud your judgment. Just get out of here and live! Now!”

 

“Captain! Don’t do this!” Hilt called in futility, slamming his foot on the Land Carrier’s gas pedal. He aimed for the truck monster, which stood between them, hoping to do enough damage to clear a path for the Captain to escape with them.

 

Between the creature’s tendril legs, Hilt saw that Cage had ended up standing in a puddle of fuel that was leaking out of a crashed fuel tanker. To his horror, he then saw Cage grab a grenade off his belt.

 

“You’re not taking me that easily!” Cage shouted as he pulled the pin and tossed it into the leaking fuel.

 

“Captain! CAPTAIN!”

 

The grenade’s explosion instantly ignited the fuel, causing a massive explosion as it reached the tanker. The flames and shockwave spread throughout the tunnel just as the Land Carrier rammed into the Truck Monster. Although the monster took the brunt of the blast, keeping Hilt safe, his vehicle stalled with the crash, leaving him stranded as the battle between the soldiers and black sludge creatures continued around him.

 

———