Chapter 2: Blend


Corvo stood on the roof of MWPSB tower. He had just finished listening in on Akane Tsunemori's conversation with her colleagues and realized the importance of the folder he picked up the day before. He took out the classified folder from his jacket and browsed through the files seeing three profiles.

The first was a bald man with a scar on his lip named Shu Chang. He was a Chinese business man dealing with the overseas trade of industrial electronics. He is also a prime suspect of many smuggling incidents in southeast Asia. According to his profile, he is temperamental but a coward.

The second was a man with spiked black hair named Ivan Powell. A Russian lawyer by profession whose name pops up in three major vice rings...the prostitution ring, the drug ring, and the gambling ring. Has a photographic memory and cannot live a day without a woman's comfort.

The last was a man with cropped, black hair named Vince Jackal. An African-American with a history of gun-running and mercenary work. Was a former Delta Force operative until he was discovered selling information to Al Qaeda. Now he makes his living running an international PMC corporation, selling soldiers and weaponry to the highest bidder. Rarely shows himself in public because of his high criminal profile.

Corvo closed the folder and thought, 'Three names, three deaths. But now the hard part begins. Where will I find them? I don't even know my way around this city. I'll have to start by finding the underbelly and work my way up.'

He raised his left hand and the symbol on the back of it glowed. A rat appeared in his hand and jumped off to the floor. Corvo then possessed the rat and moved his way down the vent. His day will be a long one.

~0~

He walked through the same slums of his debut as the masked vigilante. Thankfully, he had enough common sense to hide his mask and try to act as casual as possible as he asked the locals while waving the pictures of the three men in their faces. But, because of a language barrier his acts were useless. As he passed by a local fruit stand, he frowned in frustration. 'I never knew how hard it was to get information. The Loyalists' had it bad trying to root out anything about those Snakes. All that trouble just for me to kill them.'

As he let that thought sink in, he noticed the many people staring at him. There was no way they knew about him. The MWPSB hasn't released anything. Maybe its his attire? He did dress differently. Or maybe...it was trouble.

Corvo turned around and instinctively raised his right hand, grabbing the steel pipe that was about to kiss his head. Looking at who held it, he saw it was a rough looking Japanese man in a wife beater and black shorts. Next to him were two skinheads of similar build with gold chains on their necks.

The armed man tried to pull the pipe free but Corvo wouldn't budge. He gave them the worst stare down of their lives. They hesitated for a moment allowing Corvo to kick the first offender in the gut, freeing him from the pipe. Wielding the pipe like a sword, he prepared himself for battle. But then Corvo felt a sharp pain on the back of his head. He fell and heard several screams before blacking out.

~0~

Corvo saw nothing but black. He knew one of the three things had happened.

A) He was captured, again, by a criminal group.

B) He was killed by a fourth man of the gang earlier.

C) The MWPSB caught up to him and took him down.

Corvo began to feel his arms and legs again. He felt he was left hanging from something. There was a feeling of steel binding his hands to whatever was keeping him from the ground. He also felt a rough cloth tied over his head. He tried opening his eyes and still saw black. The cloth was too thick to see through. Then he heard footsteps approach. It sounded like they were tapping on wood. And then the sound of a door opening. Four sets of feet walk in and stop.

"So this is the guy?" said a low voice.

"He's the one. Tall asshole kept asking questions. You said this could never happen." said a slightly higher voice.

"You're blaming me now? It's your job to keep me secured so why aren't you doing it?!" replied the low voice. "I have a deal going down at the docks tomorrow and I can't be late. I want him in pieces by the time I get back."

Footsteps are heard marching out the room. The sound of the door closing, tells Corvo that he needed to escape. Suddenly his bindings free up and he falls to the ground. He hears footsteps approach and stop.

"This is the man who scared my master? I'm disappointed." said the slightly higher voice.

Corvo felt a hand grab the cloth over his head and yank it out, allowing him to see it was the man who attacked him earlier.

"You're a long way from home Corvo. You're lucky my master wants you alive." the thug answered in English.

He pulled Corvo to his feet and said, "I'm Kenta Watanabe. I work for a friend of yours. I'm undercover now so I'll skip the details and get you to speed. You're in Shu Chang's hideout and the only way out is through the main entrance left of here. It's guarded but if you get passed them, you'll be home free. Your things are in the storeroom next door."

Kenta gave him a small card and said, "It's a cardkey for the storeroom. Slide it in the yellow box outside the door and you're in. The master is waiting at the Red Lion in Shinjuku. He'll tell the rest."

Kenta turned around and walked out the door leaving Corvo confused. 'A friend...sounds like the Outsider's work.' Corvo thought. 'He must've resurrected another person from my world. Now I'm wondering who.'

But there was little time to ponder. He needed to escape while he could. He stealthily walked out the door and entered a dimly lit, stone hallway. it was tall but narrow and filled with trash and broken glass. He saw the room Kenta mentioned and quickly slid the cardkey on the slot of the yellow box. The door slid into the wall, allowing Corvo access to the storeroom. It was filled with boxes of electronic devices, piled into rough stacks in that rectangular room. But it was heavily guarded by three thugs. Corvo ducked from cover to cover, using the boxes to avoid their line of sight. As he hid behind another pile, he noticed his blade and mask on the seat of a chair across him. There was nothing for him to hide behind on the way and a thug was leaning on the wall, guarding it.

'A distraction would be good.' thought Corvo. He looked around and saw nothing to throw. He placed his left palm on the floor and summoned a rat. He was about to possess it when...

"There he is!" yelled a thug who just ran through the door. The other thugs joined him and charged to Corvo's location.

'What the?!' thought Corvo as the thugs closed in.

The thug by the wall pulled out a knife from his pocket and closed in. Corvo decided to take his chances and threw the rat at the thug's face, distracting him enough for the assassin to beeline to the chair and grab his mask and blade. He quickly tucked the mask in his trench coat, brandished his sword, and took a defensive stance as the four thugs pulled out knives and brass knuckles from their pockets and surrounded him.

One thug, the one who yelled earlier, said, "Sneaking around like a ninja? Fat chance. We've got camera's all over the place."

Corvo still couldn't understand what he said but he got the word 'ninja' and 'kamera'. He filed those away in his head as he realized how badly he needed to know their language.

All the thugs charged but Corvo leaped over them and landed a few feet behind them. Without wasting time, he made a run for the door only for it to slide shut. He was about to pull out his key card when he felt danger behind him. He quickly rolled to the side, evading the knife that could have stabbed his back. He faced the thug, seeing the knife in the man's right hand. Corvo stepped in and used his left hand to grab the man's knife hand keeping it in check. The assassin thrust his sword under the man's chin, letting the blade poke through the brain and emerge through the top of the head. He pulled away his weapon, leaving the man dead. He turned to the other thugs who wildly charged forward in rage. Corvo quickly jumped on top of a nearby pile of boxes, hoping to get an advantage.

The thugs climbed the boxes leaving them open for attack. Corvo thrust his sword through the eye of one thug, piercing the brain behind it. The thug fell down, making the remaining two thugs anxious as they climbed faster. But Corvo was sharp and saw their exposed necks. He slashed one thug's neck before stabbing the left hand of the other. The thug screamed as Corvo grabbed him by the neck and pulled him up. He stabbed the man's heart, ending his life. Corvo pulled away his blade, threw the corpse, and leaped to the door. He pulled out his cardkey and slid the card on the slot, letting the door slide open. He walked out, prepared to face the worst.

~0~

The hallway was filled with shouts of panic and anger. Several thugs rushed to the hallway, ready to face Corvo. The assassin saw that he was outnumbered but that hallway was the only way out. He really needed a grenade right now. One thug madly ran at Corvo with crowbar in hand. The thug reached him and took a swipe at him. Corvo locked his sword with the weapon before using his size and strength to push the weapon away. He held his blade high with both hands and slashed down, severing through the thug's collarbone, ribs and heart. He pulled it out and dashed to the thugs in the hallway entrance and quickly stabbed through a man's chest, pushing forward with corpse in tow. He moved through the several tables and chairs of that room till he made it to the entrance. The thugs gave chase but were stalled when Corvo threw their dead comrade at them before exiting through the door. He noticed he was surrounded by warehouses on all sides. He hastily ran through an alley, thugs on his tail.

"You're going down gaijin!" yelled one of the thugs.

Corvo sheathed his blade and tucked it in his trench coat as he turned right on a corner. He accidentally bumps into a lady but pushes forward. He briefly looks back and sees the thugs still giving chase. 'Damn. It was mistake to run. But I can't kill them here. I have to find a secluded area.' thought Corvo.

Corvo turns right into an alleyway and notices a low hanging, roofed overpass. He leaps high and enters through its window before crouching down behind its wall. The thugs enter the alleyway and look around for their prey. They bump and push through trashcans and a few people as they scanned the area. Meanwhile Corvo took a peek every few seconds, making sure not to give his position away. He heard a faint footstep and looked to his right to see a young girl eating ice cream at the end of the overpass. Corvo smiled and put his finger over his mouth in a 'shushing' position. The girl kept eating her ice cream as Corvo crept to the opposite direction of the girl and into the dark building.

~0~

Having evaded his captors, Corvo now stood outside the Red Lion in Shinjuku. It was a tall building about four stories high. Corvo had so many questions and hoped that whoever knew him and freed him could answer them and clear the confusion running through his mind.

He walked through the door and saw a familiar sight. It was a spacious bar with back to back couches and tables and a bar in the back of the room. Even the bartender looked like a Dunwall barkeep. It was so homely. Too homely. The place was an exact replica of the Hound Pits Pub's bar.

'Outsider...who did you send for me?' thought Corvo. There were only a few people who knew the pub intimately to replicate it. Was it Piero? He was smart enough for it. Sokolov also fits but he didn't know the pub that well. Callista also fits but so did the rest of the Loyalists.

As he pondered, a bearded Japanese man, the same height as Corvo, walked up to him and said, "The master has been expecting you. He's on the 2nd floor, third door."

Corvo nodded and walked passed the man to the stairs. He knew the way. He climbed up to the 2nd floor and walked to the third door. He paused briefly and braced himself for who he would see behind that door. Facing his fears, he opens the door and walks through only to be shocked at who was there.

Standing behind a wooden desk was a black haired, white man in a red shirt and brown, cargo pants with sneakers to finish the look. His sharp grey eyes spoke of sorrow and lethargy, a testament to his age. The man looked at Corvo and a faint smile shone on his face.

"Not who you were expecting?" the man asked him.

Corvo sharpens his gaze and says, "No...not at all...Daud."

Daud walked around his desk and stood in front of Corvo, taking a look at his old foe. "I know you're wondering why I'm here. After you stole my coins and keys, I retired and died of old age. Afterwards, the Outsider resurrected me in my prime and let me go into a new world. I chose this world and have been living here for more than twenty years."

Corvo replied, "So I wasn't the first?"

Daud crossed his arms and said, "No. He opened this world twenty years prior then returned to watching you."

"I see." Corvo answers. His gaze then shifts into a look of confusion as he asks, "Why did you help me?"

Daud turns around and picks up a glass of wine from his desk. He takes a sip and says. "You spared my life once Corvo and I'll never forget that." Daud faces him and says, "That takes real courage. The power to forgive is not an ability. It's a gift."

Corvo's gaze sharpens. He wasn't sure why Daud was acting sincere. Daud was never like this until his final moments as an assassin.

"You doubt me. To be expected." Daud quipped. "There's another reason I freed you. I need your help in taking down the Red Ring Syndicate. There's no money in it but with the Red Rings gone, the mayor will be re-elected and there will be peace for another four years." Daud promptly places his glass on the desk and faces Corvo.

Corvo answers, "Why do you need me?"

Daud replies, "When I entered this world, I didn't have my old powers. It was harder to protect my people even before the Red Rings. But when they came, I realized we didn't have the power to face them. Then last night, the Outsider visited me and told me that you were here. That you still had his mark."

Corvo asked, "Did the Outsider also ask you to build the pub?"

Daud answered, "Yes. He showed it to me twenty years ago and it's been thriving since."

Corvo notices Daud tensing up. He then tells him, "Then keep it that way. I'll take care of the Red Rings. But before I do, tell me the other reason you want them gone."

Daud was surprised. He didn't expect Corvo to see through him. But, since Corvo was agreeing to help him and since he wanted to earn the man's trust, he laid bare his burden. "Okay..." Daud quipped as he took a moment to prepare himself. after a few seconds, he answered, "The Red Rings caught me when I got too close. They made me a deal... as long as I don't bother them, they won't harm my wife and child."

Now it was Corvo's turn to be shocked. "I didn't know. Where are they now?"

Daud answered, "Safe. I divorced my wife to keep her far from them. Our daughter is working for the MWPSB. I haven't heard from them since."

Corvo began to see that Daud was being sincere. Corvo then asked, "How can I be sure that you're telling the truth?"

Daud dropped his head and said, "You don't. But you have my word." Daud faces him and says with conviction, "I'm throwing my pride away for the sake of my family and I'll do anything to see them safe. You should understand. Emily was a daughter to you."

Corvo was truly taken aback. Here was Daud, Dunwall's greatest assassin, begging him to keep his family safe from harm. 'Daud...I can feel conviction in your words. I'm not sure I can fully trust you, but at the least, I know you're doing this for more than yourself.'

Corvo then asks, "How do I get to the Red Rings?"

Daud looks shocked for a moment as a tinge of excitement filled his heart. But snaps out of it and returns to his desk and sits behind it on his computer chair. The desk had the same items as the ones in the offices of the MWPSB. There was a desktop PC and touch screen keyboard interface. the CPU was built into the screen allowing for more space for the wine bottle, glass, and several papers and pens to sit beside it.

"The ring leaders don't meet unless something went wrong with their operations." Daud answered as he browsed through several files on his computer.

"So we sabotage them and kill all three." Corvo concludes.

"That's the plan. Right now Shu Chang is away on business but my informant tells me the ring leader made a deal with the chief of Hachioji Drone Factory. Infiltrate the factory, find out what went down, and kill the chief." Daud explains.

Corvo went over to Daud's side and saw the picture of the chief. He was a fairly middle-aged man with a double chin, glasses and prim, black hair. "What did he do to deserve the blade?"

Daud answered, "He killed my informant's father right in front of us as his initiation into the Red Rings. Ever since, most smuggling operations have been linked to him. We begin the OP tomorrow. First, go see Kenta and get some clothes."

Corvo nodded and said, "Done."

He walks to the door only for Daud to say, "Corvo...Thank You."

Corvo silently walks out the door.

~0~

Corvo walks down the stairs, seeing Kenta leaning on the doorway. Kenta walks out, prompting Corvo to follow. The pair walk out the bar and into the busy streets. They walk into an alleyway and Kenta tells him, "You were sloppy."

Corvo answers, "How?"

Kenta replies, "You asked too many questions. The people here fear the Red Rings and tipped them off to stop you. And then you got caught by their security cameras. Now they'll be looking for you."

"Camera...I've heard that before. What is it?" Corvo asks.

Kenta looks up and answers, "See that thing on the lamppost?"

Corvo looks and sees a white machine, attached to the lamppost. It was swiveling from left to right.

Kenta explains, "That's a camera. It captures real time events to be viewed by its user. Be aware of them. They catch you...you'll be tomorrow's headlines."

Kenta walks next to the lamppost and says, "But they have their weaknesses. If you hack their control panel, you can shut them off, or loop the last forty seconds and make it look like you were never there. Worst case, you kill it. They'll know something's wrong, but they won't know what's happening there."

Corvo asks him, "You said loop the last forty seconds. Can they do it too?"

Kenta answers, "Now you're getting it. Each camera records what they see. All the recordings are kept and viewed in the control room. If you get caught, you can go to the control room and destroy the recordings."

Corvo and Kenta walk some more and enter a clothing store. Kenta hands Corvo a card. "It's a credit card. You use it to charge items you can't pay now. Daud's paying the first charge. The rest, you'll do yourself."

Corvo took the card and browsed the racks. He saw many apparels there and picked a few up. He went into the dressing room and quickly changed his attire. When he exited, Kenta saw that Corvo wore a black, hooded, leather trench coat over a black T-shirt. He also wore a black military belt to fasten his trench coat over his shirt and the same colored pants and blackish grey boots.

"Looks good." Kenta quips.

Corvo paid the cashier using the credit card, and went on his way with Kenta. The informant explained to him of the world he was in. He told him about cars, cell phones, computers, ticket booths, buildings and government most especially the MWPSB and how they and their weapons functioned in concert with the Sybil System. Corvo listened carefully, making sure everything sank in. He had much to learn and had to learn it fast.

As the two walked through the busy streets, Corvo asked, "Is there a way I can learn the language?"

Kenta answered, "You can practice with the barkeep. He used to be a language teacher till the Red Rings burned down his school."

Corvo then asked, "One more thing, where can I get weapons?"

Kenta replies, "The black market down in the docks. Civilians aren't allowed to get weapons so make do with the cheap knock offs."

"Show me." Corvo curtly replied.

"You're in luck." Kenta answered as they stopped right in front of a shopping mall. "My guy works there. He's got the best shipment in the city."

~0~

Arriving at the docks, Corvo and Kenta walk through a broken fence. They move to a stand where three Japanese men sat behind.

"Sonny, this is Corvo." Kenta said to the Japanese man in a cream colored coat with a blonde corn rose and black shades.

"Nice to meet you Corvo. I've heard alot about you." Sonny answered as he stood up and shook Corvo's hand. "What can I do for you?"

Corvo tells him, "I've heard you sell weapons."

Sonny laughs and says, "Not just any weapon. The BEST weapons!"

The blonde man pulls out an Ipad-like interface from his coat. On it, was a list of all the weapons he had in stock. It ranged from guns to choppers, tanks to missiles. Sonny showed the device to Corvo and said, "I've got all the guns and bullets you'll ever need. Just don't tell anyone where you bought it."

Corvo swept his fingers on the screen, just as Kenta explained. It was still amazing to see such a powerful tool in such a flat piece of material. Corvo browsed through the list and saw several grenades and handguns. He pressed on each item he wanted and handed the device back to Sonny.

"Not a bad list." Sonny said. He then read it aloud. "That's 2 flashbangs, 2 grenades, 4 smoke grenades, a rewiring kit, 5 sticky mines, dart gun with tranq rounds, and a silenced 22 caliber pistol."

Sonny snaps his fingers and the other two men walk away to get the items on the list. "Looks like Sonny is making money today. By the way, you do know I don't take credit."

Corvo hesitated to speak.

Sonny chuckles and says, "I'm just joking. Daud already paid for them. He said you were going on a mission. Never did say what. But I'm a little curious."

Kenta answered, "Just stick to selling guns Sonny. For your own good."

"One day Kenta, you're gonna let me in on it." Sonny answered.

Soon enough, the two men came in with several boxes on a cart. Sonny swept his hand in an 'after-you' gesture. Corvo obliged and collected his equipment. He hid them all under his jacket, making sure they were properly concealed. Fully equipped, Corvo and Kenta leave the docks and return to the pub. Once inside, Kenta tosses a key to Corvo.

"Your room is on the fourth floor. Get some sleep and I'll see you tomorrow." Kenta quips before leaving the pub.

Corvo takes the key and walks up the stairs to the fourth floor. He opens the door and sees an almost familiar sight. There were people sleeping on the floor around one of those 'TVs'. Corvo tiptoes around them and enters the doorway to see his old room, just like in Dunwall. The assassin undresses to his pants and places his clothing and equipment on his table. He sits on the bed momentarily as he let his mind unwind.

'Life is so fast here.' thought Corvo. 'How unexpected this world is. Information doubles each year, people eat on the go and transportation can be fast and far reaching using 'airplanes'. This makes our golden age pale in comparison. I can see why Daud settled down here. This peace is wonderful.'

Corvo lay down and drifted off to sleep. He slept well and woke up feeling refreshed and alive yet something felt off. He walked through the doorway to see a familiar place...the Outsider's domain.

'Here we go again.' thought Corvo. He walked up the stone steps to the top where he saw the Outsider, in his human form, waiting for him.

"Once again thrust into violence." said the Outsider. "And yet, not a single complaint? You're quite the hero Corvo. But courage alone does not suffice. So I present to you a new tool, made by my hands."

A grayish mask appeared in the Outsider's hand. He walked over to Corvo and handed him the mask. It was a skull mask, more complete and far scarier than Corvo's current one. It looked smooth but it felt like it was coated in metal scales.

The Outsider told him, "Wearing this mask clothes you in your equipment. Go now, and show the world your power as you see fit. Your journey Corvo, interests me." he Outsider disappears and Corvo sees black.

~0~

Corvo wakes up for real and sits up. He looks around the room for a moment before looking back at the desk next to his bed. On top of it was his clothing and weapons. He walked over to it and pulled out the mask. It had changed and was exactly like the one the Outsider gave him. Corvo put on the mask and when he did, his clothing and equipment were no longer on the desk. He went to the mirror in the corner and saw that he was already wearing his outfit. He took off the mask and his attire stayed.

'Now I won't worry about losing my wallet.' Corvo thought.

He tucked his mask into his jacket and walked out of the room and down the stairs to the bar. There, he saw Daud and Kenta seated at the bar table. Corvo went over and sat with them.

Daud looked at Corvo and said, "We've got a problem. Hachioji Drone Factory is going to be investigated for a recent murder at the plant."

Corvo asks, "Can we still do it?"

Daud answers, "Not while the police are there. Wait for them to exit the building then get to work. Kenta will guide you to the factory and extract you when its over."

Corvo replied, "Let's get to it."

Kenta stood up and said, "C'mon. I'll teach you how to use a cell phone and hack electronics with it."

Corvo stood up as well and both men walked out the pub, preparing for the worst.

~0~

Meanwhile, Akane Tsunemori and Inspector Ginoza were in a car, on their way to the Drone Factory. Tailing them was the Paddy Wagon, carrying the Enforcers to support them in this case.

"The victim is Daisuke Shiyoyama, 27 years old." Inspector Ginoza told his colleague as he held the wheel. "He worked at the Hachioji Drone Factory. His body was found at exactly 4am. They said he was dismembered by a Drone he was testing."

Akane put her hand under her chin. "Do you think...it was an accident?"

Inspector Ginoza replied, "I heard that this is already the third casualty in the past year at this factory. It's clearly unusual."

As they drove, Ginoza expounded on the case. "The body was found in the Drone's behavior inspection section, the only manned area in the completely production line. About fifty debuggers are there around the clock."

Akane asked, "Is that a live-in job?"

Ginoza answered, "If over 1000 drones need to be maintained by a few personnel, they have no choice but to work around the clock. If you install a program that induces malfunction in a drone before its tested, there's a good chance you can make it look like an accident."

Akane understood what he was implying. It was a possible murder case. One, they needed to confirm on site. Ginoza continued to drive until he reached the white building. He parked the car in the front parking while the Paddy Wagon parked beside it. Ginoza unbuckled his seatbelt as Akane looked out the window and saw Shinya Kogami and the rest of the Enforcers. She smiled and said, "Inspector Ginoza...even though things have been rough, I feel like I'll be able to get along well with the Enforcers."

Ginoza studied her briefly. "Do you mean get along with them as colleagues? Or do you mean as their handler?"

Akane was taken aback by his poison tipped words but Ginoza wasn't finished. The man said, "They say that fools learn from their experiences, while the wise learn from history. I hope you're not a fool."

Akane pouted as Ginoza stepped out of the car. He briefly faced her and said, "In any case, once this one is solved, we will proceed to the syndicate case. I believe you have a new copy of the files now?"

Akane crossed her arms as she gave him an annoyed stare. "I already put it on your desk. No need to rub it in." 'Gosh, he's so irritating.'

Ginoza turned around and went on his way to the building. Akane stepped out of the car as well and pulled out a Colt 1911 from behind her. She looked at it briefly, curious of the ancient weapon.

"Ah, that takes me back." Masaoka said as he walked to her side.

"Masaoka-san, are you sure this thing is safe?" Akane asked.

"Of course. just keep the safety on." Masaoka replied. "It feels good to be carrying a pistol again. Dominators are nice and safe, but I still prefer this gun. There's no safe shot so its up to you to make the judgment call."

"That sounds very dangerous." Akane replied. She then asked, "So if we see the masked man, do we... shoot him?"

Masaoka paused for a moment. He could tell she had doubts about the masked man. Akane was a true blue officer who believed in justice. She wanted to serve and protect. But who?

Masaoka put his hand on her shoulder and said, "That's for you to figure out. Part of being an inspector is knowing when to bring justice. If you think you can make that call, then don't hesitate."

Akane drooped her shoulders. "But I really don't think he's a bad guy. So why is he killing people?"

Masaoka saw the chief of the drone factory exit the front entrance to meet them. He faced the chief while telling Akane, "He probably believes he's one of us."

~0~

Corvo and Kenta were inside the factory, wearing the worker uniforms. They successfully blended in carrying boxes through the hallway of the assembly line. Corvo asked his partner, "Okay, let me get this straight. We walk into his office, plant a 'listening device' and 'hack' his 'computer'?"

Kenta answered, "Yep."

Corvo asked, "Why do we need to do that?"

Kenta replied, "So we can pin the smuggling Ops to him. He's gotta keep a record of every deal he ever made and it's probably on his computer. The listening device is just in case, another deal comes in by phone."

"It sounds like you're used to this." Corvo stated.

Kenta answered, "I used to work for an electronics company that built drones and computers. I was slated to be promoted too. Then all this happened and now I'm here spying for Daud."

Kenta paused for a moment to look at the window to their right. You could see the assembly line and the poor souls, slaving away to build machines for the city. Kenta's eyes softened a bit as he watched them. "Did you know that these people have to live here, everyday of their lives? No family, friends, or contact with anyone outside. It's a sad life and I wanted to change all that. I wanted to be chief of operations and changed the way we worked so that nobody has to be a drone all their life."

Corvo paused as he observed Kenta. He could tell this young man was subtly confessing about the details of his life. Though he didn't say it, Corvo knew that this company was Kenta's company. Corvo told him, "You still can. When this is over, you can go back and try again. There's still hope. Don't lose sight of it."

Kenta nodded. He faced the assassin and said, "Thank you Corvo. If we pull this off, I'm buying your drink tonight."

The doors on the opposite end of the hall slid open, allowing the detectives and the Drone factory chief to stroll through. As they did, the chief excitedly gave them a tour of the area. "We do a safety check as well as a test run, here after the Drones are built. We depend on machines for all the other processes, but the final checks still needs to be done by humans as it always has. As you can see it is dangerous work."

Corvo saw their faces and remembered them, especially Akane Tsunemori. He was surprised it was her team that was sent down here to investigate. Corvo whispered, "Kenta, look sharp."

As the policemen stopped to look at the assembly line, the factory chief noticed Corvo and Kenta. He eyed them with curiosity and walked to them. "What are you doing here? Work has already started."

Kenta replied in Japanese, "We were told to deliver these boxes to your office."

"Who told you?" Questioned the factory chief. He began to eye them wearily.

Kenta answered, "Some men who work for a guy named Chang."

The factory chief was getting suspicious and Corvo began to eye him with caution. Now was not the best time to get caught. There was only one way back and the police had them outnumbered. 'C'mon, bite the bait...' Thought Corvo.

The factory chief went closer to see the box. "It's rare for me to get a gift. I better take a look."

Corvo noticed sweat pour down the back of Kenta's head as the factory chief pulled out a cutter from his pocket. Kenta suddenly said, "They said that you should only open it in the office."

The police began to notice Kenta's nervousness. But without their dominators, they couldn't check his crime coefficient. Shinya on the other hand, had a better idea. He walked over to the box and took the cutter from the factory chief. "We're here on official police business. You won't mind if we open it?" He told them.

Kenta shook his head. He had no choice.

Shinya carefully sliced open the box. He opened it and revealed what was inside... pornographic magazines and CDs. Shinya was speechless. The other officers got curious of his reaction and went to take a look. Akane in particular, blushed at seeing the contents.

"Wooo!" whistled Shusei. "That's a lot...Woah! 'Michiko-chan's soapland paradise!' Your friend Chang is awesome!"

Yayoi smacked him on the head, and said, "Don't even think about it."

The chief was flustered and panic grew in his heart. He began to wave his hands around as he said, "A-ah...it-its...hey, I haven't shown you the final testing...yes, we have the best testers in the factory." He then went to Corvo and Kenta and began pushing them to the door he and the police came from. "G-go ahead and bring it to my office. I'll take care of that later."

The police, save for Ginoza and Akane, began to chuckle or smile at that last line. Corvo briefly looked back at Akane. She noticed his gaze just before he was shoved out.

~0~

Corvo and Kenta arrived at the chief's office. On the wall beside the glass doors was a nameplate that read, 'Chief Goda's Office of Operations'. Corvo looked left and right. Nobody was watching. Kenta however, noticed a camera on the far end of the wall, by the corner. He cursed and said, "Corvo, I need you to find the control panel and knock out this camera."

Corvo handed him his box and casually walked out, whilst turning on his dark vision. He traced the wire of the camera to a small panel near a ventilation shaft at the next corner. He silently walked there and saw no other cameras in the vicinity. He then knelt down by the ventilation, carefully opening the metal panel while occasionally peering through the corner of his eyes for trouble. When the panel came off, he saw the main wire and other similar wires.

'Okay. He said loop the red wire. But they're all red.' thought Corvo. The assassin quickly fumbled through his pockets and pulled out a black cell phone. He sighed as he said, "This new technology is giving me a headache." Corvo then turned on the cell phone and managed to call Kenta's phone number. Putting the device to his ear, he heard it beep for a moment when Kenta answered. "What do you need?"

Corvo answered, "All the wires are red. What do I do?"

Kenta replied, "Look for the one that says 'Rec'. Pull that one out and switch it with the cell phone cable. The rest is yours."

Corvo did as he was told and the cell phone began hacking the camera. When he saw that the phone had looped the video feed, he pulled out the cable, and closed the metal panel. He walked back to Kenta's position and nodded at the man. Corvo took his box and Kenta took his as well and entered the office undetected. Thankfully the spacious, rectangular room had no cameras inside. Instead, it had a large set of TV screens that showed what the security cameras saw. Kenta placed his box by the wall and went over to the computer on top of the desk and began searching for the records they needed. Corvo put aside his box and pulled out a DSM from his pocket and plugged it to the PC's terminal and began extracting as much information as he could.

'Everything's going smooth.' Corvo thought. But then he looked at the cameras and noticed the police and chief Goda moving through a familiar corridor. Corvo suddenly said, "How much longer?"

Kenta looked at the screen and saw the same thing. "Five minutes tops. Damn. DSM takes 6." Kenta returned to the PC and searched faster. Corvo on the other hand decided to improvise. He walked to the door, prompting Kenta to say, "What the hell are you doing?"

"Stalling. Keep working. I'll distract them." Corvo said as he knelt by the door. The mark on his left hand glowed as the door slid open. Corvo peeked out and summoned rats by the corner. They jumped out of a black portal of shadow in the floor and splashed their way into a run, straight for the corridor where the cops were going to show up. Kenta saw the whole thing and was more than surprised.

"Daud was right. You really have magic." Kenta said in awe.

Corvo walked back in, letting the door shut. He replied, "So did He. I just kept mine longer."

Both of them watched the screen, seeing the rats scare the cops and chief Godo. Thankfully the cops were more than a match for the rats and slowly but surely fought them off. Corvo and Kenta went to work on the PC. They needed a few more minutes.

Kenta told him, "Daud said you had a lot of powers. Think you could stop time for a bit?"

Corvo answered, "I could, but only mine."

~0~

Akane accidentally stepped on a rat as she shook off the rest. 'Where the hell did they come from?!'

Masaoka yelled out, "There's too many of them! We're gonna have to run for it."

Ginoza yelled out, "This is insane! This is not possible!"

Yayoi answered, "It is! Deal with it!"

Shinya quickly took a hold of the frightened chief Godo and pulled out his 1911. He fired several shots, downing the rats. He continued to step on them till they turned tail back to the nearest ventilation. Shinya looked around then back to his team. Most had scratches and cuts but nothing that won't heal. Chief Godo was alright as well, though visibly shaking.

"Are you alright chief?" Shinya asked.

The man barely got his composure but when he did, he yelled out in hysteria. "What was that?! Rats in my building?! What is maintenance doing?!"

"Ah, he seems good." Shusei dryly joked.

Chief Godo was now pissed off. Not once did he get this humiliated. He was losing credibility and face. He needed to get to the bottom of the problem and root it out before it destroys his already crippled reputation. But first, he needed to take control. He stood straight and said, "I'm really sorry for the inconvenience. I'll check with maintenance to see what caused this. Now let's finish this investigation so we can all go home."

While chief Godo led the way, the Inspectors and Enforcers filed away the rat incident as a clue. Something was very off with this case and their hairs rose at that.

Chief Godo led them to his office. He walked closer until the doors slid open to reveal an empty room. It was as if no one had entered it. Of course, the two boxes from earlier were stacked by the wall. Chief Godo went to his computer and saw everything was in order. He showed all the files needed to get the investigation running. He was in control again. Even when they got stubborn about pushing for in depth examination of all the staff, all he had to do was mention the Ministry of Economy and everything was back in his control. The police left the office unsatisfied and began wandering the premises, while chief Godo remained in his office. He smiled as he thought, 'MPWSB...complete morons.'

His PC suddenly beeped. He went over to it and noticed an incoming call via internet. He answered it and said, "This is Godo."

"The shipment is inbound. I need men to pick it up for me." said a low voice.

Godo smirked and answered, "Don't worry Chang. I've got it under control. I'll pick up the electronics and drone parts as planned. We'll take the contrabands and resell them to the Philippines like we always do."

"Good. Keep me posted. Chop, chop..." The low voice finished.

~0~

"Did you get that?" Corvo said to Kenta as they sat on a table in the cafeteria. They were listening in on Chief Godo's conversation using the listening device they're remote accessing via phone. Currently, they were sharing earphones to make it look like they were both listening to the same song.

"Yeah. All we need now is time and location." Kenta replied. He then pulled out his earphone and stood up. "I'm gonna get some food. You?"

Corvo shook his hand in a 'no' gesture allowing Kenta to head over to the aisles and start picking food. Meanwhile, the police entered the cafeteria and felt their stomachs grumble. Akane's was the loudest, much to her chagrin.

"There's no harm in eating on the job." Masaoka stated.

"But where do we sit? All the tables seem taken." Akane said as she looked around the room.

Shusei had a better idea and noticed Corvo's table. It had enough to house all of the police unit and an extra seat. "Leave it me guys." he told them before marching to Corvo's table and sitting in the seat across him. "Yo! Mind if we sit here gaijin? Thanks, you're welcome."

Corvo looked at him confused while the other policemen walked over to the table. Akane crossed her arms and said, "Kagari-san, that's really rude."

Shusei replied with a smile, "Where else would we sit? Besides, if you look at it this way, gaijins(foreigners) get bullied the most. We're doing him a favor by sitting with him right?"

Just as he said that, a factory worker walked passed them and 'accidentally' elbowed Corvo's back. "Oops. My bad." the man callously replied. "Watch yourself gaijin."

Akane confronted the man and said, "You've got guts doing that in front of the MWPSB. It's almost like you want to get arrested."

The man answered, "My bad. I didn't know gaijins were special now." he then walked away to sit with his colleagues.

Akane and the other cops stared at the man for a moment before Shusei dropped down on his seat with a knowing smile on his face. Akane sighs and looks to Corvo. "Is it okay if we intrude?"

Corvo smiles and nods. Though he didn't understand a word, from observing the situation, he had an idea what was going on and it made him a bit worried. 'Kenta, we have a problem.'

Akane sits next to Corvo while the other officers go over to the stands to line up for their meals. Corvo sits as casually as possible in order not to blow his cover. He peeks over to Akane and briefly eyes her. 'Let's see here...' thought Corvo. 'There's a bump in her lower back. A gun from the looks of it. She's carrying five magazines there too. I'm point blank so I have the advantage but there are too many bystanders. I'll have to disarm her before her friends come to rescue her. Once that's done, I'll draw away their fire and...'

"Um, is there something on my face?" Akane suddenly asks him, as she faces him.

Corvo blinks for a moment. He didn't know what she said but he knew she was asking a question. He decided to make a gamble. "Um...Hi?"

Akane was a bit surprised. 'Ah, he spoke in English. What should I do?' She smiled and said in a heavily accented English, "Ahhh...Hi?"

Corvo nodded. Akane was glad that he understood. She sighed and thought, 'Wow. This is the first time I'm speaking in English. Wait, what if he asks something really hard?' But then Corvo asked, "Are you a detective?"

Akane felt her brain melt. It was a short sentence but she couldn't understand a thing he said. She forced herself to regain composure and replied, "Uhh...I..am..Akane." She pulled out a pen from her pocket and showed it to him while saying, "This is a ball pen."

"Oh..." Corvo replied, now very confused. 'I guess my language is not their native tongue. I have to take it slow like I did with the hostage.' Corvo put a hand to his chest and said, "Me...Corvo."

Akane tried pronouncing it. "Korubo."

Corvo shook his head. "Cor-vo."

Akane repeated, "Cor-vo."

"Corvo." He told her while nodding. He was glad he was getting somewhere with her. "Are you um..." 'What was that word again...' "Kansayaku?"

Akane blinked a moment and nodded with a smile. "Yes. Kansayaku...you speak Japanese?"

Corvo shook his head. "New."

Akane pondered a moment and understanding filled her face. She said to him, "It's very nice to meet you."

"Same." Corvo replied.

Akane looked at her lap. Corvo saw she was nervous. 'It must be her first time speaking in this language. I heard from Kenta that this country is not very open and foreigners are rare here. It must be a shock to speak to a genuine one for the first time.'

But then an idea came to Corvo's mind. He took the phone on the table and turned on its translating software. He was glad for this technology. It enabled him to type in English and let the program translate it to their language.

He went to work and typed in, *I'm nervous too.*

He showed it to her, and she read the translation. Though the grammar was somewhat misplaced, she understood what he was saying. She then took the phone and began typing.

*Where are you from?* She typed.

Corvo scooted a little closer and typed in, *A far place. I don't know anything around here.*

*Really? Don't you have any friends?* She typed.

*They're busy.* He typed.

*Oh. What about after their business?* She typed.

He chuckled. *They're always busy. Machines don't sleep so neither do they.*

Akane typed in, *If you want, I could show you around.*

Corvo reached in to type but his fingers accidentally touched Akane's. She pulled her hands away and blushed faintly.

Masaoka arrived with a plate of food and set it on the table then sat next to Akane. He noticed how close they were and smiled as he said, "Oh, why did you stop flirting? Don't worry, its just between the three of us okay?"

Akane waved her hand back and forth while saying, "It's not like that. He can't understand Japanese. So we're communicating through phone."

"Communicating?" Masaoka asked in confusion. He then looked at the phone and saw the last set of messages. "Ah, that's pretty clever."

"What is?" Ginoza said as he sat down next to Masaoka.

Akane answered, "Ah, we're just talking using the phone translator. He doesn't know the language."

Shinya and Shusei sat down to eat but overheard their conversation. Shusei in particular, was a bit giddy about the whole encounter. He grinned and said, "Ehhh...stop pulling my leg. How long have you known each other?"

Akane pouted and said, "Oh, just shut u-"

but then they heard the sound of plates and trays crash to the ground. Everyone looked to the source and saw an ugly looking, black haired Japanese man, surrounded by several other men in worker uniforms. The surrounding horde laughed and jeered the man.

"Hey, yellow-green." jeered one man. "Are you going to have lunch in your private fancy room today?" He promptly kicked the man's sullied food.

Akane furrowed her brows. "What is that? That's terrible!"

"Oh, don't worry." Said Chief Godo as he walked to the policemen's table. "These things happen often." He looked at the bullying with an eerie complacency. "Since this is an environment with few diversions, we need a person to be in that position."

Akane felt her blood boil. She was about to speak when Corvo stood up and towered close to the chief, his eyes, brooding and frightening. He told him in English, "Kingdoms are not built on fear. They are built on trust."

The chief was confused. Corvo pointed at the scene and said, "End this."

At that, everyone understood. But the chief, despite his accented English, answered, "Don't worry. This is normal. This is how we do things."

Corvo gave him a look of contempt as he heard a familiar voice say, "five on one. A bit unfair don't you think?"

The assassin looked back and saw Kenta approach the bullies. The bullies began cursing Kenta who promptly joined in. Corvo quickly walked to the scene and stepped in between them, turning into Kenta and the downed man's shield.

"What are you looking at gaijin?" said one of the bullies. Corvo didn't respond. "You touch me, and you're deported. Got it big shot?" said the bully as he put his finger on Corvo's chest. Corvo pushed him down anyway. The other bullies tried to come close but Corvo decked one in the face and threw the other to the floor before he could react. The remaining bullies backed off a little allowing Kenta to walk up to the first downed bully and say, "Well you've got a bigger problem. My friend doesn't speak Japanese. He speaks fist. And when this is over, your dentist will be ten times richer."

Chief Goda approached the scene, his face red in anger. "What are you doing?! I've had enough of this violence. It's causing everyone an inconvenience." He faced Kenta and Corvo and said, "You've done enough today. Take the day off before I change my mind."

Corvo looked to Kenta for answers. The shorter man simply tilted his head towards the door, telling him they had to go. Corvo gave Chief Goda one last look and said in English, "Fine. I'll take the leave. Your tantrums aren't worth it anyway."

Corvo and Kenta walk out of the cafeteria leaving Chief Goda irritated and embarrassed. While he couldn't fully understand Corvo's English, he heard certain keywords that he quickly pieced together in his head. His face scrunched up in anger as Shinya walked over to the scene and helped the bullied man to his feet. As he did, Chief Goda turned away but managed to catch Akane's cat-like gaze of victory directed to him. The chief stormed out the cafeteria door.

Ginoza cleared his throat, catching the attention of the rest of his unit. "Let's head back to the office. I think we've collected all the evidence we need." He told them. The unit shared his sentiment and stood up and walked to the door.

~0~

Akane and her unit were out the door, heading to their vehicles. Ginoza and Akane quickly took their seats while the rest of the Enforcers returned to the Paddy Wagon. As the vehicles began to back out of the parking area, Chief Goda, from his office window, watched them with a keen eye. He mumbled in disgust, "Cops...lowlife pigs. That's right, just walk away."

When the vehicles were out of sight, Goda smirked and nodded to himself. His day had gone bad, but seeing the police overlook a shady deal, boosted his ego somewhat. He returned to his desk as the sliding doors of his office opened up, to reveal Kenta standing in the doorway. Chief Goda's face returned to neutrality as he said, "Are you deaf? I thought I told you to take the day off?"

Kenta entered the room and walked to the desk. He put his hands on it as he stared the older man down. Goda felt the hostility coming from the young man. But as he looked closer, he noticed his face was familiar. "I've seen you before. What's your work?"

Kenta answered, "Don't remember? I was gunning for this desk till you shat on it."

Cheif Goda frowned as he searched his memories. Then his eyes widened as he said, "You!" But his face returned to neutrality but there was a faint smile barely concealed in it. Goda relaxed his body as he said, "Watanabe. After all this years you come back from the dead."

Kenta replied, "Hell gave me an invite but told me to tag a friend along. So I figured, I'd drop by and take you with me."

Goda laughed for a moment. "You think you can come here and threaten me? I own this building. You won't leave this place alive."

Kenta answered, "That goes for you."

Suddenly, a blade popped out of Goda's neck. The chief looked at the bloody blade before seeing in the reflection of the computer screen, Corvo, standing there behind the chief, holding the blade's handle.

Kenta stood straight and said, "You've been working too hard. So I bought you a premium express ticket to hell. Better enjoy your stay. Cause there's no refunds."

Corvo held the top of Godo's head with his free hand and yanked the blade away. He dropped his grip, letting the man's head drop to the desk and bleed out quickly. Within seconds, Godo died.

Kenta faced Corvo and said, "That clock-stopping ability is something. Remind me never to get on your bad side."

Corvo sheathed his blade and said, "Are you sure about letting me make the kill?"

Kenta answered, "As long as he's dead, I can rejoice."

Corvo put his hands on his hip and said, "At least you and your parents will find peace now."

"Maybe. But until no Red Ring stands, I can't sleep." Kenta answered. "Let's get out of here before they see body."

But as the two were getting ready to leave, Corvo saw one of the video cameras show the police cars from earlier, entering the front parking lot. "Damn them." Corvo cursed.

~0~

The Paddy Wagon and Ginoza's car pulled over at the parking lot. the MWPSB unit exited their vehicles and Shinya said, "Masaoka and I will cover the rear entrance and set up the trap for Yellow-Green-san."

Yayoi then said, "Shusei, you come with me and secure the fire exit."

"Hai." Shusei slovenly quipped.

Ginoza faced Akane and said, "I will remain out here and await your failure."

Akane answered, "Ginoza-san, why won't you go along with the plan to capture the suspect? Is it because of Masaoka-san?"

But Ginoza refused to answer. Instead, he turned around and sat back inside the car. Akane was left there wondering what to do with her colleague.

"Kansayaku..." Shinya said out loud. Akane looked back just in time as Shinya said, "Are you coming?"

Akane looked back at the car briefly in worry. But she made up her mind. She was going to trust her Enforcers. She returned her gaze to Shinya and nodded. She joined Shinya's party and walked with them to the rear entrance.

When they reached the rear entrance, she saw Corvo and Kenta taking out the trash. "Ah, it's those two. I thought they were told to go home?"

Shinya approached them and said, "Yo. Aren't you guys going home?"

Kenta turned to face the officers and said, "Yeah. We were just leaving."

"I see." Shinya replied.

Akane approached Corvo and said in English, "Um...take...care."

Corvo replied, "You too."

But then they heard a loud crash. Akane and Shinya quickly pulled out their guns. Shinya ran to the backdoor and pushed through. Akane faced Corvo and said, "Please stay here for your own safety." She then ran after her partner.

When she was out of sight, Kenta said, "C'mon, let's go."

Corvo shook his head and faced the door. Kenta quickly said, "They're professionals. Whatever's back there, they can handle it."

Corvo answered, "She can't. And if I'm right, the killer they're after is what's causing this mess."

Kenta, now annoyed, replied, "It's not our business Corvo. We can't save everyone."

Corvo faced him and said, "But we can save them. I have to go. If I don't get out in 5 min..."

"Oh, hell." Kenta said as he palmed his face. "You finish that sentence and I'll deck ya."

Corvo answered, "5 min. is all I need. I'll see you at the bus stop."

Corvo pulled out his mask from underneath his disguise and wore it, causing his new assassin outfit to magically replace his current wear. He ran inside, hoping it wasn't too late.

~0~

Akane ran through the door and into the main garage. It was wide and spacious filled with inclines for the drones and several pipes and railings. An ambient light filled the room and coated it in a red-orange hue. Akane looked left and right but suddenly heard Shinya's voice say, "Duck!"

She felt danger coming from behind her and then heard a loud humming sound coming close. Turning around she saw, a four legged drone charging in, it's arm outstretched to clothesline her. The drone was too fast and already within a feet from her. There was no escape. As her eyes widened in fear, she suddenly found herself a few feet away from the drone, watching it pass through decking the air. She blinked for a moment and realized she was in the arms of the masked assassin, albeit in a modern version of his old garbs.

Corvo put her down as the drone reared its ugly head to face them. Akane saw Corvo stand in front of her, drawing his short sword with his right hand, while pulling out a grenade in his left.

five shots pierced the head and left shoulder of the drone. It looked to the source and saw Shinya on a railing, his gun aimed at the drone.

"Kogami-san!" Akane yelled as the drone changed target. but as it charged, Corvo blinked and appeared on top of the drone. He quickly drove his sword through the wiring of the neck and twisted it, causing the wires to tangle. He yanked out his blade and tossed the grenade in the new opening, before blinking to Shinya's side, grabbing hold of the man with two arms, and blinking to Akane's position just in time for the grenade to explode and destroy the drone.

Corvo let go of his grip as a hissing sound came from above them. They looked and saw the ceiling was being melted open. Before they knew it, several sheets of metal dropped and five drones dropped down to greet them. Then a sixth dropped down, only this time, a man was manning it from the back. They recognized him. It was yellow-green.

"Dammit!" yelled the worker. "I didn't kill him I swear! Why is everyone blaming me!"

Shinya and Akane aimed their guns at him. Shinya then said, "So you finally showed your true colors. This is getting interesting."

Akane faced him and said, "Kogami-san, we're here to arrest him, not antagonize him."

"Don't ignore me!" the worker yelled as he panicked and quickly manned the controls. the five drones charged to Akane and co.

Corvo quickly blinked to the first one's chest, hanging onto it with his left hand. He drove his blade into the drone's neck, twisted it, and yanked it out. The drone ran amok so Corvo blinked to the next drone and climbed onto its back. It tried to grab Corvo but he jumped out, just in time to lodge a sticky mine near its neck. When another drone was in proximity of the mine, it exploded, destroying the first drone, and badly damaging the other.

Corvo landed and saw his handiwork. One was amok, another dead, one badly damaged, and two still fresh for the fight. Oh, and Yellow-green was speechless and panicked.

"Woah..." Akane gasped. 'Am I dreaming? It's like I jumped out of a manga and I'm watching the main character dispatch the bad guys in an epic battle. Who is this guy?'

Yellow-green on the other hand was losing morale. His drones were downed by a masked man with unreal power. "Kuso!(damn)" Yellow-green yelled as he drove his drone to the exit while his three remaining drones charged towards Corvo.

Shinya ran to the drones and yelled, "Kansayaku! Nab the suspect!"

Akane did as she was told and ran after Yellow-Green. Corvo on the other hand went to Shinya's side and tapped his shoulder. When Shinya faced him, Corvo pointed at the badly damaged drone before charging to the other two drones.

Shinya looked at Corvo and saw him hold his own. So he ran to the damaged drone and stood toe-to-toe with it. The drone swung its right arm. Shinya rolled to the side, and saw an exposed wire in the drone's right side. He aimed his gun and fired four shots into the thing and the drone's right arm moved wildly before dropping limp. Shinya jumped back, evading the drone's attack with its remaining arm. It swung and swung as Shinya ducked and evaded. He quickly dived forward and under another attack, skidding on his back, while having a good view of the drone's left armpit. He aimed his gun at it and pulled the trigger only for it to make that familiar clicking sound. It was empty.

He cursed as he rolled out of the way and evaded the drone's attack. He ran around the drone as he reloaded. The drone gave chase and managed to anticipate his movement and ran right in front of Shinya and charged. Shinya ran to meet him. When the drone was about to attack, Shinya dived down, and skidded underneath the drone, emptying his gun into the drone's bottom frame. Fully behind the drone, Shinya faced it and saw the drone was paralyzed, and currently on the floor trying to get up. But then the amok drone came in and crashed into the crippled drone, decommissioning both.

Shinya breathed hard as he gazed at the downed drones. He then looked to Corvo and saw that he had downed the other two drones from the look of the exploded parts they left behind.

Corvo turned to see Shinya and saw he was alright. He quickly ran to the exit, to chase after Akane. Shinya saw where he was going and had an idea what his plan was.

~0~

"STOP!" Akane yelled as Yellow-Green neared the exit. He looked back briefly then drove his drone through the exit, creating a hole in the wall as he escaped outside.

Akane stopped momentarily and aimed her gun at the suspect. She suddenly remembered Masaoka's words...

...

"Masaoka-san, are you sure this thing is safe?" Akane asked.

"Of course. just keep the safety on." Masaoka replied. "It feels good to be carrying a pistol again... There's no safe shot so its up to you to make the judgment call."

"That sounds very dangerous." Akane replied. She then asked, "So if we see the masked man, do we... shoot him?"

Masaoka put his hand on her shoulder and said, "That's for you to figure out. Part of being an inspector is knowing when to bring justice. If you think you can make that call, then don't hesitate."

...

Akane snapped back to reality and pulled the trigger. The bullet flew and hit the suspect's left leg. Yellow-green lost balance and fell off the drone, landing on his back.

Akane breathed heavily as her adrenaline slowed down. She ran to the downed suspect, and aimed her gun at the writhing man.

"I'm with the MWPSB. You're under arrest for resisting arrest, property damage and assaulting an officer." Akane yelled out.

The man continued to writhe in pain as Corvo and Shinya arrived on the scene. Akane heard their steps and turned to see them. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Is it over?" Akane asked.

Corvo nodded. He then disappeared. Akane and Shinya looked around and managed to glimpse seeing him running to a bus stop. The bus there was driving away and Corvo blinked to the roof of the bus. The vehicle drove away, out of their reach.

"There's no way we'll ever catch him." said Shinya. "He's like batman with powers."

Akane replied, "Who's batman?"

Shinya sighed. "You'll get it someday."

Akane's earpiece began buzzing. She pressed her finger to her ear and answered it. "Yes?"

"What happened back there?" Shusei asked. "Did you get the guy?"

Akane replied, "Yes. He's also injured. And there's more. The masked guy appeared again. He helped us stop the suspect."

"Huuu...Man I wished I was there to see it. You guys get all the fun." Shusei complained.

Akane answered, "Call an ambulance and tell Ginoza-san we have the suspect."

"Okay maa'm!" Shusei replied.

Akane ended the call and faced Shinya. "Did I do the right thing?"

Shinya told her, "Being able to stop the suspect before they make more victims is good for any day. I'm glad you stopped him. You did better than I expected."

Akane answered, "Thank you. Kogami-san. That really hit the spot."

Soon enough, an ambulance arrived and the suspect was taken away to be treated. All in all, another good day for the MWPSB. Meanwhile, Corvo and Kenta were walking back to the pub, dressed more casually than their last outfits. As they neared the entrance, Corvo told his colleague, "Mission accomplished, I'd say."

Kenta replied, "In more than one. With the DSM full, we can find and cut off the smuggling ring for good. We keep this up, and Chang's head is next."

They reached the entrance and Corvo opened the door while saying, "I look forward to it."

Both men enter the pub, satisfied that their work was done.


Author's Notes:

Took a while but I managed to finish it just in time for Christmas break. I originally was supposed to cut it and take the next half to another chapter but I realized it would be too boring to read it that way. So I merged it into one and it gave me an advantage plot wise. I have an idea how it'll come out and when we hit the later chapters, if we hit them, it'll make for better story than I thought possible. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the read. Take care everyone and happy holidays.