Silent But Deadly (Snake Eyes x Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG)

Refugee Bomb

Snake Eyes POV

After that whole confusion me, Batou, Togusa, Borma, and Ishikawa get in our vehicles after that we hear an explosion. So when we hear it we go there as fast as possible. But, we're  too late. 

Batou: Damn! Too late!

I gets off my bike and jump into the massive hole blown into the restaurant. When Batou and Borma make it up and see me kneeling and looking at something. I gesture to the nails and screws in the concrete. Then Borma speaks in Cyber-com.

Borma: It's the same alright, no doubt about it. 

Batou: Suicide bomber huh?

Borma: Yeah. Using plastic explosives with nails and screws crammed into it.

We take a bit of time to get a good look at the place while the police are here, but we start to make our way out.

Batou: Chief, we'll never be able to catch up with the bombers this way. Haven't you found any hints about the times or places of the warnings?

Daisuke: At this point all we have is an email sent to the police saying that we will set off 5 suicide bombings inside Nihama today, it follows the same pattern as the ones from last week. The final one will definitely happen here in Nihama too. Turn over the crime scene to the Local Authorities, and take whatever measures necessary to stop the next bombing.

Batou: Like what for instance? Arrest everyone in the city with a prosthetic body?

Daisuke: These may be haphazard acts of terrorism but there ought to be some method to them. 

Batou: Roger. By the way where is the Major at a time like this? 

Daisuke: She says she's conducting a top secret Dive investigation.

Batou: Top Secret?

Then he stops communicating through Cyber-com and I get on my bike as Batou tells Togusa to leave the crime scene to the police. Which left me thinking about the whole refugee situation as Togusa and Batou talk in the car they're in. Until it hit me. So I look at Batou and use sign language.

Batou: Damn! The refugees! I missed that! Snake Eyes is right.

Batou drives the car towards a certain direction while I follow on my bike.

Then he gets on the Cyber-com with the Chief.

Batou: Chief, I need you to do some digging. get information on the suspects from last week's bombings and the suicide bombings over the past few hours. 

Daisuke: The bodies are damaged beyond recognition. But all we know is that each have a high percentage of prosthetics. 

Batou: No that's not what I mean. They probably showed up on the IR system or security cameras while they were still alive. I want you to pull all those records for me. 

Daisuke: Understood, I'll see what I can find. 

Togusa: Boss what's this all about? And what was Snake Eyes right about.

Batou: Bombings like this one, they arent large scale affairs. Nobody's being forced to carry them out or commanded to do it by their superiors. They're suicide bombers, they have no reason to keep living because they lost hope so they resort to acts of desperation. Snake Eyes came to the same conclusion. 

Togsa looks at me through the car window as I take a look at him for a second before paying attention back to the road. And park right near the van. 

Batou: So it actually is the refugees. 

Saito: That really blows me away because if anything you'd figure that the citizens would be the ones that would have a problem with them.

I stand there listening to every word they say. 

Togusa: Considering their nature that's why an individualist group such as the Individual Eleven would enter the picture. Maybe this is a backlash against them. 

Batou: Well not that you brought it up I'm willing to bet that it's probably true. So it's reasonable to assume the "Refugee Powder Cake" has already been lit. 

I nod then I go stand next to Togusa.

Togusa: The whole idea of killing yourself to make a point is something I dont get, it's completely crazy.

I pat his shoulder then cross my arms and face the others. 

Batou: On that note let's get down to business. What were the intervals between the bombings, going from the first to this fourth one?

Saito: It was noon sharp when they issued the warning for the first bombing. The suicide run on the building occurred 13 minutes later. The next one took place 38 minutes after the first. The interval increase for the third one happening 2 hours later at 3:23. The gap was even wider for the Fourth bombing which was at 7:11. 

Batou: Then it will be wider for the next one.. These are bombings by cereal suicide, meaning they occur in the order of the bomber's willingness to die. Let's hope that these freaks are growing reluctant so we can gain some time before the next one.

We all go to our vehicles after that. Then, they send out another warning. We get to the scene as fast as we can hoping we can catch this bomber. We go down to the subway station and go directly to the scene, while I go there, my own way. From where I am I see Togusa and the Refugee. He's trying to talk her into surrendering it seemed to be working until the Authorities start to move in and she starts panicking. So I come up behind her, grab her head and hit it against the wall with enough strength to where I heard something break. 

Batou: Togusa you dumbass! 

He then goes to her and gets a detonator out of her mouth. 

Batou: You see that?! It's a detonator!

He then rips out the rest.

Batou: There's a bomb in her stomach so keep her isolated at all times is that clear? And get her an ambulance.

Authorities: Y-yes sir!

Chief: So you succeeded on stopping the last one hm.

Batou: Just barely. This is gonna have repercussions though. 

We see people take the Refugee to the Hospital through ambulance and look as they go. 

Batou: This is a loud and clear declaration of war from the refugees.

Motoko: I hate to admit it Batou, but your take on this was right. Both you and Snake Eyes. There's every likelihood that the Individual Eleven are a group of individualists produced by Gouda and their objective is a Refugee Uprising. I imagine their goal is to create an autonomous region for them here in Japan. We have zero in the wins column so far. The cycle of hatred that Gouda has in mind, has definitely started. 

I had my suspicions since the beginning about Gouda. But I didn't act. I guess now, I'll simply wait. And give him enough rope so that he'll hang himself.