Hiro kept his distance from Katsumi at the cornfield's edge, the late afternoon sun glinting off their Mach armour. Neither made a move, each waiting for the other to strike first.

  "Is this how your fight normally goes, Hiro? You wait till they attack so you have an excuse?" Katsumi taunted, a smirk playing on her lips beneath the visor.

  Hiro remained still, sensors in his suit scanning her Mach. Information rolled across his screen but it didn't make sense. It claimed Katsumi's Mach was incomplete. Hiro stepped back toward the field. "Sounds like you know me pretty well, Katsumi. So why don't you stop wasting our time and prove your point."

  Katsumi threw her head back and laughed, enjoying Hiro's attempt at a taunt. "Oh, I would love to. And any other day I wouldn't hesitate to kill you on the spot. But you will make the first move this time, and I would hurry if I were you." The cornfield shook behind them as a cloud of dust rose from it. "Looks like my brother found Nori."

  Katsumi watched Hiro turn, his defensive stance faltering as he watched the dust. "I know my brother, that was him making a move. Nori is going to die, Hiro, if he isn't dead already. All because you were too afraid to make the first move, too weak and pathetic to stand up for him."

  Anger flared in Hiro's chest. His blaster fired almost of its own accord, but Katsumi batted the blast aside like a pesky insect. "That's it, let your anger out. Doesn't feel good? Don't you just want me to suffer the way Nori is right now? Now it's my turn to end you."

  In a flash, she charged, faster than Hiro anticipated. He tried to dodge, but her armoured hand clamped around his torso. With a roar, she hurled him across the field.

  Hiro crashed into the polished green self-driving tractor. The machine exploded on impact, engulfing him in flames. Katsumi smiled, hoping the boy was burning along with it.

  Sparks erupted from the center of the blaze, Hiro clawed himself out of the twisted metal, unscathed. He stood tall, his soul blades extending from his arms and glowing with an otherworldly teal light. He stepped out of the flames and looked up at Katsumi.

  For the first time in a long time, Katsumi felt her heart rate rise. She barely recognized the emotion she was feeling, fear. And it excited her as she watched Hiro draw nearer.

  ---

  Deep in the cornfield, Michio ground his armoured heel into Nori's chestplate, pinning him to the dirt. "Pathetic. Is this the same Nori who gave us the slip at the pier? Did you really believe I would make the same mistake twice? Stupid."

  Nori said nothing. Instead, he grabbed Michio's ankle in a vice grip. Thrusters on his back roared to life, launching them both skyward.

  Michio swore, firing his blaster at Nori's hands, but the red-haired boy held on tightly as they climbed higher. "You know you are dumber than you look," Nori called over the rushing wind. "I figured out the deal with your Mach, you and your sister are two halves of the same whole. Incomplete on your own."

  He barrel-rolled, narrowly evading another blast. "At the docks, Katsumi's thrusters came from her suit. But yours? That stupid chrome jetpack. Please, that was never a part of your Mach."

  "You don't know that, you don't have proof," Michio spat, twisting his body in a desperate attempt to free himself.

  Nori grinned. "Well you don't have that hunk of chrome now... why don't we test my theory."

  And with that Nori let go.

  Michio plummeted, his scream torn away by the howling wind. He hit the cornfield like a meteor, leaving a smouldering crater in his wake.

  Nori hovered above, watching the dust settle. He almost laughed at Michio, how could anyone be so cocky and stupid? He turned his attention to scanning for Hiro, he had a sinking feeling that the twins had decided to divide and conquer.

  Hold on, Hiro, Nori thought, he noticed smoke rising from the end of the cornfield and adjusted his flight pattern to investigate. I'm coming.

  A bloom of smoke rose from the cornstalks, the impact of MIchio's fall shook the earth and Hiro with it. Katsumi seized the moment of distraction, lunging full speed at him.

  Hiro parried just in time, his blades screeching against her armour. Katsumi pulled away but he spotted an opening and struck, severing one of her thrusters. Sparks flew as Katsumi's flight pattern spiralled, she plunged into the corn stalks. Hiro swore and gave chase, following her toward the crater.

  "This isn't over," she snarled, watching the smouldering ground come into view. She spotted Nori above her but she knew she could out-speed him.

  Hiro burst from the stalks after her, he didn't even notice Nori circling above. His entire focus was on stopping Katsumi before she got away.

  Nori circled back when he saw Hiro pursuing Katsumi, squinting through the haze as they disappeared into the smoke. A flicker of movement caught his eye. Michio was alive.

  The battered twin raised his blaster and fired into the air. Nori propelled himself back, the shot sizzling past his helmet. "Not bad for a tin can held together with spite," he called down. "Color me impressed. But playtime's over."

  Crimson energy crackled along Nori's arms as his suit crafted his soul scythe. He dove, ready to cleave Michio in two...

  A flash of bronze. Katsumi shot herself into the crator, tackling her brother. they tumbled out of the way of Nori's attack. The twins' suits rippled as they connected, the nanites working to fuse the two together, the suit expanding as they worked.

  Mach 14 rose to their feet, a hulking behemoth with four bronze arms. The bottom set of arms twitched and two large handles built themselves out of their palms. the armoured hands gripped them and bronze energy burst from their tips, weaving itself into massive chains complete with spiked flails at the end.

  Nori swore under his breath. This was not what he had expected and he could feel the balance shifting.

  Hiro skidded to a halt as the smoke began to clear, taking in the scene. His friend, hovering frozen. The combined Mach 14, readying to strike.

  At that moment, he understood the strange energy reading from before. Mach 14 was now complete.

  A guttural roar tore through the air as Mach 14 continued to shake, its sleek surface twisting and becoming jagged. Massive spikes erupted from its armour, pulsing with an eerie glow. They ran along Mach 14's spine as the visor bent to appear almost like a dragon.

  Nori's eyes widened. "No way... alpha mode?! That's not possible, no one can survive that."

  Hiro's breath caught in his throat, icy tendrils of panic seizing his chest. Memories flashed before his eyes—Daiki's agonized screams, the sickening crunch of metal, the smell of burning flesh.

  He was transported back to the embassy, helpless as Daiki lost control, his mind splitting as the Mach took over his body from the inside. The energy pulses, the buildings collapsing, the moment he had to...

  "Hiro, move!" Nori's desperate shout reached him too late.

  Mach 14 lunged, its flail smashing into Hiro's side with devastating force. His armour gave way under the force of the blow, warnings blaring across his helmet's display as he was sent flying from the impact. Tumbling through the stalks, Hiro struggled to breathe, his mind trapped with him watching himself forced to kill Daiki over and over again.

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  Nori cursed, realizing Hiro's incapacitated state. Without the soul sabre Hiro could summon, They stood no chance against the twins' alpha mode. But he wasn't about to just sit back and watch as the twins killed Hiro.

  Gritting his teeth, Nori fired a barrage of blasts at Mach 14, drawing its attention. "Over here, you two-headed freak!"

  The dragon suit turned, its flails whipping through the air. Nori dodged the first one, but he was not fast enough for the second. The weapon crashed into him, sending him careening towards the ground.

  Warnings flashed red. Critical damage. Power levels plummeting. Nori knew if he didn't disengage, his suit wouldn't repair itself and he would explode. With a bitter laugh, he initiated the emergency release, his Mach crumbling around him. Leaving him fully exposed in the field.

  Mach 14 loomed over him, its hand closing around his wrist like a vice. Michio's mocking voice filled his ears. "You stupid little shit. You should have just fled while we were busy with Hiro. Now you'll both die."

  Nori clawed at the unyielding grip, he knew there was no chance of escape but he wasn't going down without a fight. He was dragged along as the twins returned their focus to Hiro. Hiro was still sprawled out amongst the stalks, Nori could see the sparks coming from his damaged left side.

  As Mach 14 raised its flail, Nori screamed, "Hiro! Snap out of it! Fight, dammit! If you die here, your parents' died for nothing!"

  Nori's words caused something to spark in Hiro's mind, a flicker of clarity amidst the flashbacks. He wasn't at the embassy, he didn't have to anyone. With a desperate cry, he fired his fully charged blaster, the recoil sending him tumbling out of the way just as the flail shattered the earth where he'd been.

  The blaster sputtered, needing time to recharge. The damage to Hiro's suit was too great. Hiro's Mach powered down, reverting to its innocuous phone form. He scrambled to his feet, reaching for it, but Mach 14 was faster.

  Michio snatched the Mach, his other hand closing around Hiro's throat. "Too easy," he sneered.

  Hiro looked up in confusion, Michio didn't sound in pain at all. "I don't get it. Why isn't alpha mode killing you?"

  Katsumi's voice came from within the suit. "Daiki was weak and easy to infect. We are far stronger than he could have ever dreamed to be."

  "Can we just do this already," Michio's voice sounded impatient.

  "Of course,"

  Mach 14 sprouted torn wings and blasted into the sky, Nori and Hiro dangling helplessly from its grasp. They looked at each other knowing this was without a doubt their end. Higher and higher they climbed until the cornfield was a distant patchwork below. Then Mach 14 came to a hault.

  Michio broke the silence. "Time for me to test a theory of my own, Nori."

  Hiro met Nori's gaze, a silent apology in his eyes. They both knew what came next. The end of the line. No more miracles.

  As Mach 14's grip loosened, Hiro closed his eyes, a final thought echoing through his mind.

  I'm sorry, Mom, and Dad. I couldn't stop them. I failed.

  And then, they fell.

  The wind roared in Hiro's ears as he plummeted, the ground rushing up to meet him. In that moment, suspended between life and death, he found a strange clarity.

  "Nori!" he shouted over the howling wind. "I'm sorry! You were right, I didn't care if I lived or died as long as my parent's tech was destroyed. I'm so sorry I got you killed."

  Nori's green eyes met his, a fierce light burning within. "Don't you dare apologize! I told you we were the same, didn't I? If I had to do it all over again, I would. Every damn time if it meant things would end with you."

  Mach 14 hovered above them as the disappeared beneath the clouds. "Well that settles it, shall we bring these Mach into Mao?"

  "Shouldn't we find Naomi first?" Katsumi responded.

  "Oh come on. Without her little pet, she'll come crawling back with her tail between her legs." Michio laughed at his own joke.

  "Fine, let's go." And with that, Mach 14 took off.

  Below Hiro braced himself for the impact, for the end. But it never came.

  Strong arms caught him, arresting his fall. Hiro's eyes flew open, meeting the impassive grey mask of Kazuki's Mach.

  "Kazuki?" Hiro gasped.

  Kazuki didn't respond, his attention split between Hiro and Nori, whom he snatched out of the sky next. With a burst of his thrusters, Kazuki angled them back towards the farmhouse, gradually slowing their momentum.

  As they touched down, Kazuki gently released them, his Mach powering down. "You guys okay?" He looked them over and seemed slightly relieved with their lack of visible injuries.

  Hiro managed a shaky nod. "We'll survive. Thanks to you."

  Inside the farmhouse, Naomi looked up from tending to Ai's gunshot wound. Her eye scanned over Nori and Hiro as they stumbled through the entranceway. "I take it thing didn't go according to plan?"

  Nori slumped into a chair, wincing. "Got our asses handed to us. Twins took our Machs."

  "Well, that certainly sets us back," Naomi said as she finally fished the bullet out of Ai's leg.

  Hiro met her gaze, his voice hollow. "They can enter Alpha mode. Not only that but they can survive it."

  Naomi paused for a moment before she started wrapping Ai's leg. "That's...troublesome. I think it's best we get out of here then."

  "What's the rush? They think we're dead. Besides shouldn't we make sure Ai is stable first?" Hiro argued.

  Naomi shook her head. "They won't think you're dead for long. The Machs are DNA-linked. If the pilot dies, they can be reassigned. Once they figure out they can't use your Machs..."

  "They'll come finish the job," Hiro finished grimly. He glanced at Ai, her face pale and drawn. "But where can we go? Ai needs a hospital or something."

  Naomi motioned for Masumi to come to apply pressure to Ai's wound, she stood up and faced Hiro. "I know a place. But it means leaving Japan. Maybe for good."

  Hiro swallowed hard, the weight of that sinking in. Leave Japan? His home, his uncle, everything he had ever known?

  But then his gaze fell on Nori, on Ai, on Kazuki and on Masumi. His friends. The people who chose to follow him into all of this.

  "Well if you don't want to die, you can follow me. There is an old truck out back we can take," Naomi explained as she pushed past them on her way out. The others waited for Hiro.

  He could feel their eyes on him. "Well you heard her, we need to go. Kazuki do you mind helping Masumi with Ai? I would if I could."

  "No problem man, you take care of yourself, I got her." Kazuki helped get Ai to her with Masumi and they supported her as she limped out of the house. Nori gave Hiro a small nod before following him out.

  Masumi and Kazuki gingerly helped Ai into the back of a rusted pickup truck in the barn. Ai groaned as they settled her on the weathered iron floor, Masumi climbing in beside her. Nori and Hiro followed, easing themselves into the truck bed.

  Nori hissed through his teeth as he sat down. Hiro glanced over, brow furrowed. "You okay?"

  "Fine," Nori grunted, forcing a grin. "Takes more than a Mach in alpha mode to keep me down."

  Hiro didn't look convinced, but let it go. As Naomi slid into the driver's seat, he watched her struggle with the old navigation system, the old vehicle shook, barely able to hover more than an inch from the ground.

  The truck shook, jostling them as it bumped across the uneven dirt roads. Fields and rundown shacks whizzed by, the sky darkening with each passing kilometre. No one spoke, a tense quiet filling the air.

  After what felt like hours, Naomi pulled up to a remote airstrip. A rickety metal gate blocked their path, and a grizzled man in oil-stained overalls eyed them warily.

  "Stay put," Naomi ordered, hopping out. Hiro watched as she approached the man, gesturing emphatically. He couldn't make out the words, but within minutes, the gate creaked open. Naomi got back in the truck and drove them into the airfield.

  They pulled up beside what had to be the oldest plane Hiro had ever seen. Paint chipped, propellers rusted - it looked like it would fall apart any second.

  "You can't be serious," Kazuki sputtered as Naomi climbed out. "That thing looks like it's going to explode before we reach the end of the runway!"

  Naomi fixed him with a hard stare. "It's completely untraceable. Off the grid. No flight manifest, no record of it even existing. It's this or we wait for the twins to find us."

  Kazuki opened his mouth, then shut it. With a grumble, he helped Naomi get Ai and Masumi onto the plane.

  As Hiro climbed up behind Nori, he noticed the purple-black bruises blossoming across Nori's side, peeking out from under his shirt as he reached up to grab the railing for the steps. His gut clenched. The bruising looked awful. They took their seats next to each other, Hiro looked back to see Ai bucked in next to Masumi, sweat gracing her forehead. He hoped they would get her medical attention in time.

  The plane juddered and shook as it taxied down the runaway, Hiro's knuckles white as he gripped the armrests. But slowly, miraculously, it lifted into the air, the ground dropping away beneath them.

  As the plane levelled out, Naomi turned to face them, her expression unreadable. "Hong Kong. That's where we're headed."

  Hiro blinked. "Hong Kong? But isn't that..."

  "Part of China? Not since the war. They refused to rejoin after most of China was wiped out during the war. Now it's a haven, a neutral zone. They'll shoot down any unauthorized aircraft that gets too close." A ghost of a smile flickered across her face. "Luckily, we're expected."

  Hiro's grip on his arm rest lessened, at least they were heading somewhere the Japanese wouldn't have easy access too. He wondered what awaited them in Hong Kong. Would they get the help they needed? Could they ever go back to Japan? Or had they lost too much to be able to fight again?

  Hours bled together, the sky outside the windows fading from blue to inky black. At last, the sprawling neon metropolis of Hong Kong came into view, gleaming skyscrapers stretching up to meet them.

  The plane juddered as it hit the tarmac, jostling Hiro from his restless half-sleep. As the doors opened, muggy air and the pungent scent of diesel exhaust rushed in.

  Everything after that was a blur for Hiro. Naomi herded them into a van. Speeding through rain-slicked streets. Bursting through hospital doors, Ai getting placed on a gurney. Nori collapsing. The medical team rushed to his aid.

  And then, just like that, there was nothing left to do but wait. Wait, and pray to whatever gods were listening that Nori and Ai would make it through surgery.

  As Hiro slumped into a hard plastic chair, exhaustion settling into his bones, he couldn't shake one thought:

  The twins were still out there. And Japan thinks they've won.