MHG-V3-4 (Initial Draft)

Chapter 22 - Ayaka's war

A2.22

(Editing note.. contrary to this version teruko does not wake up yet and the ending of ken in the room should be different. Deal with this at time of editing)

**** (back to tamiya's room)

Samantha crept forward with Ayaka's swat soldier in the lead. The map Ayaka had given her, now combined with the map Samantha had given Ken, showed not only the wholw compound but also the current location of every human. That data was being fed to her via a network of tiny drones that Ayaka had unleashed within the compound, that were scanning and following threats, updating their position and movement in real time.

Samantha could see what an advantage that gave them. At every juncture they could ambush the enemy, knowing exactly how many there would be and where they would be. With such a tool, they and so far made it almost to the entrance of Tamiya's server room without any issues.

What bothered Samantha was how few guares had actually interceptes them. Were there really that many in pursuit of Ken? And if so, would he be safe?

Samantha and the swat member both downed another group of three guards and with that came to stand outside the door to Tamiya's server room.

"Almost there." Ayaka said in her ear, and them with a beep the doors slid open.

Samantha rushed into the room.

"Wait." Ayaka said. "I have another way i want you to try."

"Another way?"

"Yes. Can you please open the glass door, find a small black cable connected to the will reducing kit and connect it to your earpi? Then put your earpi inside and wait."

"What do you plan to do?" Samantha asked.

"Hack it." Ayaka replied.

**** (freeing teruko) **x**

Teruko turned left and right, right and left, but everywhere around her it was red. She could see nothing and she could do nothing. She felt like a prisoner of the online world, with no input or output. However she could hear. She could hear herself speaking, suh detestable, hateful words, but she had no idea what was going on. Until she heard one voice. Another voice.

"Teruko."

My name, Teruko thought. Someone here knows my name.

"Teruko, can you hear me?"

Teruko struggled to recall that voice. Was it.. Ayaka?"

"I'm here.." Teruko said softlt, hoping her voice would nake it out, but holding no expectations.

"Thats lucky." The voice returned. "I'm going to try and reverse the effect of the kit. If you see a console appear, you'll know its working."

Teruko raised her eyebrows. The effect of the kit? What was that? But as she floated there she began to notice the red colour around her reduce in intensitt until it became a much more soothing white colour. And then, as if someone had switched the power on, panels suddenly flew up in front of her, and her mind felt instantly connected to an input terminal.

"Where am i?" she asked amazed.

"Inside the nsa." Ayaka replied. "Ken just got captured so can you.. do something about that?"

"Ken? Captured?" Teruko began firing commands with her mind and watched as the panels in front of her began to immediately provide feedback. Maps, locations, network strucutres."