[Earth] Week ---: Calm like a Bomb

[K3]

With a heady sigh, Arano watched the events spiral away as they always did. "Jumping to conclusions and rushing into things again..? Here I thought that was his specialty."

The Director didn't bother specifying who he was talking about. Instead, he cast a wary glance to the newcomer. Uncouth, uncomposed... dangerous. He blinked slowly, and hummed to himself. "It's not unpredictable by now. Orpheus and Cerberus have a... well documented approach to things.

"Regardless, they've successfully gotten our attention." He remarked, scratching at the shaggy mop of his hair. Pulling out his phone, he made a few indecipherable motions across the touch screen before pocketing it once more. As Zakki sprinted away, his phone went off in a dull buzz. He'd find the last known location and contact information for the only division that would need notifying: the First.

Namely, their Lieutenant.

Giving a silent apology to Ilsa for the trouble he was about to bring upon her, he only wished Sayis were less... technologically challenged. He supposed centuries of arcane knowledge could do that. Shaking himself from his reverie, he gave a baleful glance to Masato. "There's no clear and present motive, and so there are no clear suspects."

He tilted his head briefly at Mouko. "You'd better get going."

With a frown, the young woman instead stood her ground. "I'm better off here. I have too much public attention. If I go off in any sort of panic, it sends the wrong message. Masato, do you still have Takeshi's contact information? He should be available. Until we can get a first response team on the ground, we need to take this one step at a time."

If either was surprised by the news of Hideo, they didn't show it. Instead, Mouko cast another look about her before turning to Caleb. "Phillips isn't here, either. Fletcher, best you get us the coordinates on each detonation site. You're faster than the Mephisto, get going."

Then, to Masato. "We have any Search and Rescue on-hand?"

[ 336 / 815 ]

 

[Several Zombies]

"We've got teams moving on the location but the rubble is slowing down any rescue efforts." the gunslinger grunted, still listening to the communication channels pouring through his SIREN. "Takeshi's been notified, he's organizing containment teams as we speak. They'll move out with the Cerberus operatives as soon as Shihara gives the word. We need to--"

The General's words were cut short by a burst of static through his communicator.

"Fujikawa!" a hoarse voice barked. "Fujikawa, do you hear me?!"

He recognized the voice. It could only belong to one man.

"Ueda?" he replied shortly, routing the channel to his fellow agents with a few button presses. "...Where are you?"

"The amphitheatre!" he hollered, distress evident in his voice. "...There's been an attack. I need extraction immediately!"

"We know, sir. There's been reports of multiple incidents all over the city. We have teams headed your way." the gunslinger relayed, turning his gaze towards Mouko, eyes filled with suspicion. "...What's your status, sir?"

"Red." The Commander barked back weakly, "...It's some kind of biological weapon, Fujikawa. I managed to get it off of me..."

"Hideo!" the gunslinger shouted into the microphone. "...Stay with me, we've got medical teams moving in."

Silence.

Flipping channels, Masato barked orders to the search and rescue teams in the area.

"This is General Fujikawa. Apollo team, what's your ETA?"

"Nearly there, sir!" an agent retorted in a hurried voice. "...We've almost cleared a way inside."

"Confirm visual on the Commander," the gunslinger breathed, "...What's his status."

After a few tense moments, the agent replied. "Oh god. He's got an arm off, sir. Heavy bleeding."

The sounds of chaos momentarily overtook the other man as the medical teams moved in around Hideo.

"...We've got a pulse! We're going to stabilize him here and get him to headquarters for treatment."

"Wait!" Masato barked, "...Check him for any signs of contamination. We can't allow whatever was in these things to spread!"

"He's clear, sir!" the medic responded after a few moments. Heaving a small sigh of relief, the General turned to face his comrades.

"Bring him in, we'll have a team prepped and ready to receive him. Shihara, have your men rendezvous with them. They'll need help."

 

[MoonlitRain014]

Masato’s orders brought him up short but Zakki didn’t hesitate, he ordered a medical team to join the Orpheus group already transporting the wounded man. Also, not so much as an afterthought but as an addition, he had a group of his Independent Contracting agents accompany them. He wasn’t sure what they might encounter on their way back.

After having dispatched the team, he was finally ready to depart and rescue the shinigami who were in need of evacuation. Idly he wondered where his vizard allies were. Unfortunately they’d be of little help in this task. He doubted the Reapers would be willing to trust vizards in any way that involved their safety. The track record wasn’t good.

Now he was off and moving again, in the direction of the Death Gods. It was strange to think that they’d once seemed so mysterious and inaccessible to him and now they were in need of his help and he was more than willing to provide it.

[165/1088] FINAL

 

[Several Zombies]

As the group began to disperse, another burst of static and feedback hissed through their collective radios.

"Are we having fun yet?!" the voice goaded to those gathered. "...I hope you enjoyed the opening act."

The words were punctuated by a few short snickers and muffled murmurs Masato couldn't readily make out.

"Who the hell is this?!" the Gunslinger barked into the communicator. "...Answer me, you bastard!"

The command was met with another short laugh. "...That'd be telling, Fujikawa. Wouldn't want to give too much away, now would we? Especially when the second act is about to start."

A muffled scream sounded in the background, causing whoever the mysterious man was to move away from the microphone. "...Pipe down, will you? We're trying to have a conversation here."

Raising an eyebrow, the gunslinger reached into his coat and retrieved his phone. Tapping away on the screen, Masato pulled up a call-list of active SIREN communicators. If he could cross-reference it with the one the man was using, they'd know exactly where to find him. Scrolling down the list as the lunatic mumbled to someone behind him, the gunslinger hit on the corresponding ID, eyes widening in shock as the location appeared on his screen.

Orpheus Tactical Command

"Godddamn you!" the gunslinger barked into his microphone. "...All units return to base, now!"

The muffled screams in the background intensified, followed by a muted gunshot. A few silent moments later, the mysterious voice returned.

"No manners, this lot." he snickered, "...Now where were we? Ah yes..."

The words were punctuated by the shifting of something metallic, followed by the click of a button.

"Let the games begin!"

A trio of explosions, louder and more powerful than the first, rocked Tokyo to its core, three massive gouts of flame appearing over the horizon; one far to the west of the city, one out over Tokyo bay, and another in the center of the metropolis.

All at once, their radios hissed and went dead. Tossing the communicator from his head, the gunslinger seethed with rage. One of the explosions had taken out the SIRENs central relay, almost certainly. The other two...

"Mouko," the agent hissed, his expression darkening. "...Do whatever you can to get in contact with Shihara. We've got a problem."

His eyes panned from the smoke over the bay to the plume west of the city, and to Shikaku Haretsu.

Hell had been unleashed upon Tokyo once more.

FINAL: 1700

 

[Valero]

En route to the amphitheatre to aid the injured there and try to get a grip on the situation, the loud crackle of explosions caught Shukumei's immediate attention. Spinning on the spot and pausing for a moment with an anxious look on his face, he got a good view of smoke and flame from his high point atop a building, though what concerned him the most was the location of the destruction that he sighted.

"That's coming from the same area as the Cerberus headquarters," he muttered to himself, only to turn and see more pillars of black rising into the sky from other locations. He was not certain about Orpheus activity, but he had been aware of certain structures from previous meetings and he could have sworn at least one of the buildings belonged to them. With the command centers of the strongest human organisations falling, was it his place to change his own authority? Grinding his teeth together he came to a decision. Pulling the phone out of his pocket, he began to mash the screen with his fingers in quick succession.

Zakki, I'm abandoning relief of the amphitheatre. It seems as though priorities have changed. Contact me as soon as you can.

After sending the text, the teenager heaved a sigh and rubbed his forehead with a thumb and forefinger. No rest for the wicked, I guess.

[236/1,085] - Final