The dilapidated house loomed before them, its paint peeling and windows boarded up. Naomi frowned as she texted Ai, her fingers tapping methodically. There was no response.

  "Something's not right," Naomi muttered, her hand shooting out to stop Masumi from stepping forward. "It could be a trap."

  Hector looked deeper into thought, then swung his small back around in front of him. Digging through the black bag, he pulled out a small silver drone. "This should let us see inside, it'll be able to sniff out any traps."

  Naomi nodded, her eyes never leaving the house. The drone whirred to life and disappeared through a shattered window pane. Minutes felt like hours as they watched the footage, there was no sign of Ai or anybody for that matter.

  "Are you sure this is the place?" Hector asked.

  Naomi's jaw clenched. "This is it. I am going to go in for a closer look."

  Naomi cautiously entered the house, the floorboards creaking beneath her feet. She noted the footprints through the dusty floors, another creak caused her to spin around. Masumi and Hector had followed her in. She shook her head and continued to follow the footprints to the basement. Naomi's sharp gaze caught the tracks separate, a trail leading to the back corner behind the stairs.

  She pushed aside the boxes, revealing footprints too large to be Ai's. "Nori was here," she said, her voice tight with annoyance. "This is why I don't normally work with amateurs, Ai was my best bet to lure him out."

  Masumi's eyes widened as realization dawned. "You invited Ai to be bait from the beginning, didn't you?"

  Naomi met her gaze unflinchingly. "I did. Nori noticed Ai's feelings for Hiro back in the greenhouse months ago. His jealousy had him keeping tabs on her, so I knew he'd recognize her if she showed up around town."

  Hector's anger flared and he stepped toward her. "You used me to get Ai to agree to this? You lied to my face!"

  "I'm trying to stop things from spiralling into a full-on war, Hector. Your trust means very little in the grand scheme of things."

  "But why not tell me from the beginning what the plan was? How do you know I would have said no?"

  Naomi sighed. "Hector I know everything about you. From your awards in programming to the fight you had in second grade with one Johnaton Lupitsky. I never make a move without knowing the variables, I know what your answer would have been." Hector fell silent.

  Masumi's voice was quiet but commanding. "Will she get hurt?"

  "Unlikely," Naomi replied. "Hurting Ai would hurt Hiro, and Nori would never do that."

  Hector paced the basement, chastizing himself for trusting a total stranger so quickly. He couldn't believe he had just gone along with it all, did the threat of a Mach in his own country blind him to the other risks? Masumi, too, seemed lost in thought now that she was with only strangers.

  Naomi, however, remained focused on the task at hand. She knew the risks, the sacrifices that needed to be made. Bringing Nori home was the assignment, and she'd do whatever it took to ensure it happened, even if it meant losing a few people on the way.

  Before the silence could stretch any longer, Masumi's phone chimed with an incoming text. She glanced at the screen, her brow furrowing. "It's Kazuki. He's asking where I am."

  Naomi and Hector exchanged a curious look. "Who is that?" they asked in unison.

  "Just some dork from school," Masumi muttered as she typed a quick response. "I'll just tell him I can't really talk right now... Ok weird, he says his plane just landed in Detroit. He's looking for me and Ai."

  "Your friend Kazuki is in Detroit?" Naomi's interest was piqued. "Tell him to wait at the airport and we'll pick him up."

  Masumi nodded but she felt fearful typing the message. She tried to warn him about how Ai was missing and she needed out but before she could finish he sent another message. "He says some guy tracked him down on campus and told him he needed to get something to Ai, that it was life and death."

  "Does he know who the guy is working for?" Hector asked, leaning in to read the messages over Masumi's shoulder.

  "No, he's never seen the guy before, but he thinks it was an agent. He was too afraid to say no."

  Naomi frowned as she considered the story. "The Japanese government wouldn't act just yet, I still have time."

  "And my unit wouldn't even know we're here," Hector added, his voice tinged with suspicion.

  Masumi chewed her lower lip. "Could it be the Canadians? They did approach me when my uncle died and they could have been watching us since the greenhouse."

  Naomi's expression was unreadable as she turned to the stairs. "We should go to Kazuki, I have more questions for your... friend."

  The drive to the airport was tense, each lost in their own thoughts. As the car pulled up to the curb, Masumi spotted Kazuki waiting, his spiky black hair unmistakable. She stepped out of the car, a forced smile on her face. "Kazuki! Ai's waiting in the car for you. We should go."

  Kazuki grinned, he swung the brown leather bag over his shoulder as he followed Masumi to the vehicle. But as he climbed inside, his smile faltered. I knife greeted him at the door, Naomi pressed the blade against it as she motioned for him to keep quiet.

  "Who sent you? And how did you know where to find us?" Naomi's voice was cold, and her eyes narrowed.

  Kazuki's heart raced, his palms sweating. He looked over to Masumi, who looked away quickly. "I-It was this weird guy with burns all over his body. He grabbed me and said I needed to go to Detroit because Ai was in trouble. I said no at first, but he threatened to kill me if Ai got hurt, so... so I agreed."

  With shaking hands, Kazuki opened his bag, revealing an old laptop inside. "He told me to bring this to Ai. That is all I know, I swear. Why don't you ask Masumi who he was, she's the one working with the Canadians. All I wanted to do was go home but you people keep ruining my life."

  He tossed the bag over to them, his voice bitter. "You can take it to Ai, I am getting on the first flight home. And Masumi, tell the Canadians to leave me the fuck alone."

  Masumi shook her head, her voice soft. "I haven't had contact with the Canadians since the greenhouse."

  Kazuki's eyes darted between Masumi and Naomi, his confusion evident. "Then who are you?" he asked, nodding towards Naomi.

  "I work for Japan," Naomi replied, lowering the knife. "Have you ever seen the scarred man before?"

  "No, never."

  Naomi made a note, before pulling the laptop out of the bag. "I apologize for my hostility." She opened the laptop slowly, her fingers running over the worn surface as she inspected it.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

  Everyone watched her carefully, as she pressed down on some of the keys. "Did the man give you any instructions on what exactly Ai was supposed to do with this?" Ai asked tapping the power button and watching the device fail to turn on.

  "Uh no, he was pretty vague actually," Kazuki looked worried.

  Masumi's slab buzzed, shattering everyone's concentration on the laptop. Her eyes widened as she read the message, her hand trembling slightly. "It's from Ai," she whispered, her voice laced with disbelief as she flashed Hector her screen. "She says she was at the house looking for Hiro when Nori showed up. She had to run and is hiding in an old warehouse now, but Nori is hunting her. She's scared he'll find her."

  Hector leaned over, his brow furrowed as he read the message. "That doesn't sound like Ai to me," he muttered, rereading the message. "It's so clinical"

  Naomi nodded, turning away from the laptop. "It's not outside the realm of possibility for Nori to be trying to lure us in." She set the laptop aside, ensuring to place it gently on the seat next to her.

  Suddenly, Naomi's slab buzzed, drawing their attention. Her eyes narrowed as she checked the notification. "Nori's tracker just became active again," she announced, looking over the screen. "It's showing his location in the old manufacturing district."

  Masumi gasped, her eyes darting between her phone and Naomi's. "That's the same area Ai said she's hiding in," she exclaimed, her mind told her it was clearly a trap but her heart demanded she save her once best friend.

  Naomi quickly input the location into the car's navigation system, and the vehicle hummed to life, steering itself towards the warehouse district. Kazuki, his eyes wide with fear, reached for the door handle. "Wait! Let me out," he demanded, his voice shaking. "I don't want any part of this."

  Naomi's hand shot out, gripping Kazuki's arm. "You're not going anywhere," she stated, looking him once over. "Not until I figure out what that mystery man wanted with Ai and why he involved you."

  As the car sped through the city streets, Masumi watched the buildings pass by, she prayed it was the real Ai trying to get help, but she what reality told her. The warehouse district loomed before them, a maze of abandoned buildings and the risk of radiation, where the first bomb of the war hit and many others after that.

  The car came to a stop outside a warehouse gutted by fire, its walls covered in graffiti and its windows long since shattered. Masumi stepped out, her eyes scanning the area for any sign of Ai. "We should split up," she suggested, not really thinking. "We can cover more ground that way."

  Naomi shook her head, her expression stern. "Splitting up is what got us into this situation in the first place," she reminded Masumi. "We stand a better chance against Nori if we stick together."

  As they entered the warehouse, Naomi checked her slab, the small radar highlighting Nori's location. "Nori's close," she warned, her voice low. "Stay quiet and move slowly."

  She guided them through the crumbling halls, following the signal from Nori's tracker. As they approached a large doorway near the back of the building, Naomi checked the readings once more, confirming Nori's presence inside. She peered around the corner, her eyes searching for any sign of movement, but the room appeared empty.

  Hector looked over at her. "Could he be using the Mach to cloak himself?" he wondered aloud, his hand instinctively reaching for his bag.

  Naomi considered the idea, but something didn't sit right. "It's possible," she admitted, looking more confused than anything, "but Nori never misses an opportunity to attack first." A theory began to form in her mind, and she decided to put it to the test.

  Standing tall, Naomi stepped into the room, her voice ringing out in the silence. "This has gone on long enough, Nori! Come out and have a discussion like an adult!"

  Hector's eyes widened in panic as Naomi gave away their position, he instinctively moved to grab her and pull her back to cover. Then he noticed nothing was happening, only silence responded to Naomi.

  A moment passed and still nothing. Masumi was the next to speak, clearly confused. "Why isn't he attacking us?"

  Naomi laughed as she took a few more steps into the room. "Because he isn't actually here," she explained, her tone matter-of-fact. "He must have removed his tracker and used it to lure us away from him."

  Hector took a breath, feeling his fear lifting. "So this was a wild goose chase?"

  "Seems like it," Naomi stated, "Honestly I am surprised he went through the trouble of digging it out. The wiring is a real bitch to remove." She strode across the room, her eyes focused on the center, where a small device lay delicately placed. Hector followed Naomi, his instincts warning him of potential danger in the room.

  Kazuki, however, moved forward, his hand reaching out to grab the tracker. Naomi moved faster, gripping his wrist firmly. "Don't," she warned, pulling him away. "It's undoubtedly a trap, rigged to go off if touched." she pointed to the thin wire attached to it.

  Kazuki stepped back, he began to hyperventilate. "I never signed up for this," he said, his voice shaking. "I'm leaving." He turned to leave, his movements hasty and uncoordinated. As he brushed past a box, his foot caught the edge, nudging it slightly. A soft click echoed through the room, the sound amplified as everyone froze.

  Within seconds, the door to the room slammed shut, the sound of a metal lock clicking into place was the sound that followed. Masumi was frozen as she watched the others disappear behind the closed doors. then her feet moved before she could think, pulling her to the door, her hands grasping at the rusted steel. She pushed and pulled, but the door refused to budge, with everyone else trapped on the other side.

  Hector, Kazuki, and Naomi rushed to the door, their own attempts to open it proving just as futile. They yelled through the vent, their voices urgent. "Masumi! Try to pry it open!"

  Masumi's voice came back, strained with effort. "I can't! It won't move!" She paused, catching her breath. "You need to find another way out!"

  The trio fanned out, their eyes scanning the room for any sign of an escape route. Hector's gaze landed on a single unsealed window, the glass dirty and cracked. "Over here!" he called out, already pushing boxes towards it, creating a makeshift staircase. "Help me with these boxes!"

  Kazuki rushed to assist, his movements frantic as he pushed the boxes over to Hector. Naomi, however, remained still, her eyes fixed on the window. A glint of something caught her attention, and she followed the line, her heart sinking as she spotted the series of C4 explosives strategically placed around the room.

  "Stop!" she commanded, putting her foot in front of a box Kazuki was pushing. "The window is rigged to explode when we open it." She looked over to Kazuki, who looked like he was just punched in the gut. "The only way out is death."

  The room fell silent, the weight of Naomi's words settling over them like a suffocating blanket. They were trapped, with all their exits sealed off. Kazuki slid down his box to the floor, he ran his hands through his hair wondering what he ever did to deserve this.

  ---

  In his dimly lit lair, Nori leaned back in his chair, a self-satisfied smirk playing on his lips as he watched the scene unfold on the array of monitors before him. He couldn't believe how easily they fell for it, and the thrill of victory coursed through his veins.

  Nori's eyes darted from screen to screen, drinking in the desperation and fear etched on the faces of his captives. But as he focused on one particular frame, his smile faltered. There, alongside Hector and Naomi, was an unfamiliar face - a young man Nori didn't recognize.

  Frustration bubbled up inside him as he realized the girl he had seen earlier with Hector and Naomi was not caught in his trap. This unexpected outcome frustrated him, and he abruptly stood, his chair clattering behind him.

  Muttering to himself, Nori made his way down the hallway to the room where he held Ai and Hiro. As he entered, he offered Hiro a curt apology. "I'm sorry but I need to borrow Ai for a moment."

  Hiro looked over at him, clearly worried about what he was going to do. "Don't do anything rash, Nori."

  But Nori ignored him. He roughly grabbed Ai's chair and dragged her back to the monitor room. He spun the chair around, making sure she had a good view, "Who's the new guy?"

  Ai's eyes darted to the screens, horror washing over her as she saw Naomi, Hector, and Kazuki trapped in the warehouse. Her heart raced, this was all her fault. She had told Nori about the others and now they were caught just like she was.

  "What are you going to do with them?" Ai's voice trembled, her eyes pleading as she met Nori's icy stare.

  Nori scoffed. "That's not your concern. You should be grateful I let you live instead of trapping you in there with them."

  Ai's hands clenched into fists, she would have taken a swing at him if she wasn't tied down. "I won't help you. Not if you're going to kill them."

  A cruel laugh escaped Nori's lips. "It's too late to stand up to me now, Ai. I mean you are the reason they are in this mess." He reached into his pocket, pulling out her phone and waving it tauntingly. "You told me all about them and then you told them where to go. They walked right into my trap thinking I was you."

  Devastation crashed over Ai, tears welling in her eyes as she thought about what she had done. She had been a pawn in his game, and now her friends were going to die. "I'll do anything," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Just let them live."

  Nori ignored her, instead, he pointed to one of the screens. "Who is the guy, Ai?"

  "Why does it matter if you're going to kill them anyway?" Ai asked, looking up at the monitor.

  For a moment, Nori's expression shifted, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his features in the reflection of the monitor. Ai's heart skipped a beat as realization dawned on her. Nori hadn't decided Kazuki's fate yet. Some deeply buried part of him, a remnant of his humanity, would feel the weight of guilt if he killed an innocent person.

  Ai knew she only had one chance, searching for the right words to sway Nori, to appeal to that hidden glimmer of conscience. She had to tread carefully, knowing the smallest slip-up would get everyone killed. The seconds ticked by, each one feeling like an eternity as Ai gathered her courage, she was going to do everything in her power to redeem herself.