Nori's eyes were glued to the screen as he watched the warehouse erupt into a fiery explosion on his monitor. "All you had to do was leave me alone," he muttered, turning to look at a monitor with a better view of the situation. The ground shook beneath his feet as the shockwave hit, rattling the old rusty building. But Nori hardly noticed. He was too focused on adjusting the camera angle just right.

  The camera focused in as the smoke began to clear, and a shimmering blue bubble appeared amidst the rubble. "What the hell?" Nori leaned closer, squinting at the screen. Then his eyes widened as the picture came into focus. "That's impossible. One of those bastards has a Mach!"

  Nori slammed his fist on the desk, teeth clenched. "Damn it, they're going to ruin everything! If they get to Hiro, they'll get him killed." He snatched his VR headset, the sleek metal cool against his fingertips. As he slipped it on, muttering curses under his breath, thousands of nanites swarmed out, encasing his body in form-fitting crimson armour.

  Without a backwards glance, Nori stalked out of the room, heading for the smouldering ruins across the street. Unbeknownst to him, Masumi was crouched behind a rusted-out car. As soon as he had passed her hiding spot, she slipped out and into the warehouse he had come from.

  Across the street, the shimmering Soul Shield dissipated, revealing an unscathed Kazuki, Naomi, and Hector huddled in the only untouched section of the warehouse. "Holy shit, I can't believe we survived that," Kazuki exclaimed, pumping a fist in the air.

  Before the others could respond, a blast of searing energy exploded next to Kazuki's head. Kazuki spun around to face his attacker but the smoke obscured Nori.

  "Watch out!" Hector yelled, diving for cover behind a chunk of concrete. Naomi rolled gracefully out of the way, disappearing into the smoke.

  Kazuki barely had time to throw up his shield before the next volley of blasts pummeled against it. Through the reddish haze, he saw Nori racing straight toward him, his visor hiding his rage.

  "Crap crap crap!" Kazuki barely managed to throw himself to the side as Nori hurtled past, red armour glinting. His hands shook as he fumbled to activate his blaster, pointing it in Nori's general direction and squeezing off a few wild shots. They went wide, chipping uselessly against the crumbling walls.

  Nori's mocking laughter echoed metallically as he banked around for another pass. "Is that the best you can do, rookie? This is going to be even easier than I thought."

  Kazuki's heart pounded in his ears. I'm so screwed, he thought desperately, staring down the barrel of Nori's blaster. I have no idea what I'm doing! Why did I ever think I could be a hero? He only had one option. He raised his arm and the Soul Shield constructed itself, blocking the attack. Kazuki knew this would only buy him some however, Nori would eventually figure out a way around it.

  ---

  Across the street, Masumi crept through the abandoned warehouse. Her nerves were on edge, her senses strained for the slightest hint of danger. The building seemed to be holding its breath, an unnatural stillness broken only by the distant sounds of battle outside.

  She paused at each doorway, tossing small stones in to see if they set off any traps before she entered. She told herself that she would find Ai and Hiro. She wasn't going to end up locked in an escape-proof room like the others.

  Around the next corner, Masumi froze. The room in front of her was a technological nightmare, with dozens of monitors covering the walls, each flickering with a different street scene. Nori had the entire city under surveillance. The scale of it made her shiver as she crept closer for a better look.

  She looked over the massive control panel, her hands reaching out without a thought to trace over the buttons. There was a thud as she knocked something to the floor. Following the sound she found, under the chair coated in dust, an old cellphone. Masumi snatched it up, she knew exactly what it was. Hiro's Mach. Her fingers tightened around it as she looked back at the screen.

  The creak of a floorboard behind her had Masumi whirling, raising the cell phone above her head like a sword. But it was Naomi standing in the doorway, an unreadable expression on her face.

  "You scared the hell out of me!" Masumi said tersely, lowering the phone. "I found Hiro's Mach but there is no sign of him or Ai."

  Naomi scanned the room briefly. "Hiro and Ai must be close. Nori wouldn't keep them far from his center of operations." She turned on her heel. "Let's keep moving, that battle outside won't last long."

  Masumi pocketed the phone and followed, skin prickling as she thought about what Naomi said. She still wasn't sure whose side Naomi was really on. But Naomi wasn't the one fighting Nori, she hoped Kazuki or Hector could hold out a little longer. They just needed to find Hiro, then everything would change.

  They moved deeper down the hall, past rooms filled with destroyed equipment, until they reached a heavy metal door. Naomi shot the lock and yanked it open, revealing a large space lined with dull lead panels.

  In the center, Hiro was strapped to a hospital bed, and Ai was bound to a chair beside him. Masumi's heart clenched at the sight. She rushed forward, practically knocking Ai out of the chair as she struggled to untie her.

  On the bed, Hiro pulled on her restraints as Naomi worked to free him. "The bombs didn't work? Where are the others?"

  The building shuddered, dust sifting down from the rafters. Masumi flinched. The battle outside was getting closer.

  "Nori's attacking the others," Naomi informed him, hauling Hiro upright. "You need to get out there and stop him before someone gets killed."

  "Me?" Hiro shook his head, still clearly disoriented. "How am I supposed to do that?"

  Naomi gripped his shoulders, green eyes boring into brown. "He'll listen to you, Hiro. You're the only one he will listen to." Her voice softened a fraction. "It has to be you."

  "But how am I supposed to get close to him without my Mach?" Hiro muttered, feeling empty. He couldn't just walk out in front of Nori when he was like this. Nori wouldn't register who I was until it was too late, he thought.

  "That's why you'll need this." Masumi pressed something cold and hard into his palm. Hiro glanced down, his pulse rising as he recognized the battered cell phone. His Mach. "I found it in Nori's control room."

  Hiro closed his fingers around the device, finally feeling the energy to stand on his own without Naomi's support. "Thanks, Masumi. I owe you one."

  Naomi stepped back, looking more serious than normal. "Nori's in full survival mode right now. He truly believes that our actions will lead to your death, Hiro. You need to convince him otherwise."

  Hiro stared at her for a long moment, emotions warring across his face. Fear, doubt, determination. Finally, he gave a slow nod.

  "I...I'll try. I don't know if I can get through to him, I've never seen him this scared." He glanced at Ai, eyes full of unspoken apologies.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Ai reached out to squeeze his hand, while Masumi supported her. "I know you can do this, Hiro. We all believe in you."

  Hiro took a deep, steadying breath and squared his shoulders. "Okay. Let's finish this."

  They all watched him stride toward the door, head held high despite the tremors they could see in his hands.

  Hiro desperately hoped his resolve would be enough. For all their sakes.

  He stepped out into the remains of the manufacturing district, the stench of burning rubber and various other chemicals assaulting his nostrils. His eyes watered as he scanned the battlefield, searching for a glimpse of Nori's Mach, a flash of that crimson armour. There. Nori had summoned his Soul Scythe, red energy sparking from its blade as it made contact with Kazuki's shield. Kazuki was balled up behind the shield, web-like fractures stretched across its surface.

  Hiro frowned as he took in the scene, a flicker of doubt creeping into his mind. Ever since he got his Mach this is how things always ended. No one steps down, it never ends peacefully, and someone always winds up dead.

  Naomi emerged next to him, impatient. She could see the conflict written all over his face. "We don't have time for you to question everything, Hiro. You need to act, now, before it's too late."

  Hiro nodded, looking down at his Mach. This will end differently, he told himself. He looked over to the battle, Kazuki didn't have much time left.

  He took a deep breath and activated his Mach, feeling the familiar rush of power as the teal armour encased his body. The world sharpened into crystal clarity, his senses heightened to superhuman levels.

  Hiro turned to Ai and Masumi, drinking at the sight of her tear-stricken face. "Stay close Naomi, okay? If anything goes wrong, get out of here and don't look back."

  Ai managed a slight smile. "You'll stop him. To be a hero, Hiro."

  With a final nod, Hiro turned and sprinted toward the battle, his dark eyes scanning for an opening. He could see Kazuki clearly now, his body shaking as he braced himself behind his cracked and sparking shield. Nori loomed over him, scythe raised for a final, devastating blow.

  "Is that all you've got?" Nori taunted, his voice distorted by rage and static. "I can't believe anyone would give someone so pathetic a Mach."

  Kazuki braced himself behind his shield, sweat drenching his entire body as he poured every ounce of his will into maintaining the shield's integrity. "I'm not done yet, Nori. I can beat you!"

  Nori laughed, more harshly than he expected. "You are delusional, kid. This ends now!"

  He brought the scythe down with all his strength, the blade shrieking as it cleaved through the air toward his struggling shield. Kazuki cried out in pain and fear, bracing for the shield to shatter and end his life...

  But it never came. Instead, a teal blur slammed into Nori with the force of a freight train, sending him tumbling across the rubble-strewn ground.

  Hiro landed in a crouch, placing himself squarely between Nori and Kazuki. His AI informed him Kazuki was still alive behind his visor as he raised his blaster, aiming it squarely at Nori's chest.

  "That's enough, Nori!" he shouted, his voice ringing with authority. "This ends now, one way or another. Stand down, before someone gets killed!"

  Nori staggered to his feet, his armour dented and scraped. For a moment, he simply stared at Hiro, shock and confusion warring across his face. Then his expression hardened, green eyes glinting with manic fervour.

  "You don't understand, Hiro! I'm doing this to protect you! If I don't stop them, you'll die, just like all the other Mach pilots! Is that what you want?"

  Hiro shook his head, his heart aching at the desperation in Nori's voice. "No one else has to die, Nori. Not me, not you, not anyone. Please, just listen to me..."

  But Nori shook off Hiro's words as if Hiro were the one talking nonsense. With a wordless scream of rage, he charged forward, his scythe aimed straight at Hiro's heart.

  Hiro braced himself, knowing that the next few seconds would determine their fate. He planted his feet; he wasn't going anywhere.

  Hiro stared Nori down as Nori closed the distance, the scythe's blade stopping just a few centimetres from Hiro's neck. "Nori, stop this." he reached out, even as Nori pulled away from him.

  "You don't get it, Hiro... no country needs an army of Machs to take over the world. They don't need either of us to complete their mission. If you leave, I won't be able to protect you."

  Hiro shook his head. "I don't need you to protect me, Nori! The Canadians are gone and if we work together we can stop Japan too."

  Nori didn't move and time stood still as everyone waited for his answer. His grip loosened on his scythe, the blade tilting away from Hiro.

  "Please, Nori." Hiro pushed the blade aside. "With your help, we can beat Japan, we have three Machs now. We can put an end to all and live normal lives again."

  For a moment, Nori hesitated, a flicker of doubt crossing his face. But then his expression hardened once more. "I'm sorry, Hiro," he whispered. "But there is more going on than you know, you can't trust anybody."

  With a burst of rockets, Nori blasted off, soaring into the sky like a crimson comet. Hiro watched him go, not even attempting to follow him. He didn't understand what Nori meant, who exactly couldn't he trust?

  As Hiro powered down his armour, he turned to face the others, his gaze falling on the unfamiliar Mach suit. "Where did the new suit come from?" he asked, turning toward Naomi.

  The helmet retracted, revealing a sheepish Kazuki. Hiro's jaw dropped. "Kazuki? What are you doing in a Mach?"

  Kazuki shuffled his feet, looking embarrassed. "It was meant for Ai," he explained. "Some guy with burns gave it to me at school. I'm sorry, I had to wear it. We would have died if I didn't."

  Hiro didn't say another word, the look of realization on his face said it all. He shot Ai a look, silently urging her to keep quiet. He knew exactly who Kazuki was talking about, and he could feel his anger threatening to surface.

  He looked over the rest of the rescue party, he saw Naomi watching him intently, her gaze sharp and calculating. He wondered if she had caught the exchange between him and Ai, he knew if she had then it was only a matter of time until she figured out who Yutaka was.

  "Well, I think I can safely say we should get out of here," Hector said and he emerged from his hiding spot. "These fires won't get anyone's attention but it is better to safe than sorry." The other nodded and Kazuki powered down. Hector motioned for them to follow him and they all fell in line behind him.

  The group trudged through the remains of the warehouse, their feet kicking up clouds of dust and ash. The smell of burnt metal and plastic burned their nostrils as they did their best not to breathe too deeply. Finally, they approached the spot where the car had been and Hector looked back at them, clearly upset.

  The vehicle was a charred husk, its windows shattered and its frame twisted beyond recognition. Naomi surveyed the damage with an almost amused smile on her face. "Well, looks like we're walking," she said matter-of-factly. "No one's going to risk coming out here to get us, not with the risk of the wind changing directions." She noticed the others look confused. "It means the radiation levels in this sector could spike at any moment."

  Ai wrapped her arms around Hiro, her eyes shining with relief. "I'm just glad you're ok," she murmured, burying her face in his chest as they started their walk back to the city center.

  Hiro stroked her hair, but he avoided making eye contact. "Thank you, Ai," he said softly. "Thank all of you for the rescue, I just hope Nori will be ok."

  Naomi cleared her throat, drawing their attention. "I wouldn't be too worried, he'll be fine. He's still too valuable to get rid of" She reached out in one fluid motion and pulled the laptop from Kazuki's hand.

  Kazuki whipped around attempting to snatch it back but Naomi knocked his hands away. She opened the laptop and started looking over its code. "Interesting," she murmured. "It looks like it's accepted Kazuki. It's DNA locked to you now." She passed it back to him.

  Hector's jaw dropped. "You can't be serious," he sputtered. "You can't just hand over a weapon like that to a civilian, it's too dangerous! No world government would allow this exchange."

  Naomi shrugged, a wry smile playing on her lips. "I don't care about the government," she said simply. "I'm not loyal to any of them. I just want to understand."

  Masumi frowned, her brow furrowing. "Understand what, exactly?" she asked, looking over to the woman.

  Naomi's smile widened, but there was no warmth in it. "Everything," she replied.

  *****

  The city loomed before them, a towering wasteland of crumbling buildings and shattered dreams. Naomi made a quick call, and soon a car was on its way to pick them up. As they waited, Hiro's thoughts turned to home.

  "I can't wait to get back to Japan," he said wistfully. "To leave all this behind."

  Hector bristled, looking over at Hiro as they sat on the curb. "I get it, the US isn't what it used to be," he said turning his attention to the skyline. "But we're trying to rebuild. The thirty-nine states that are left are doing everything they can."

  Hiro sighed, following Hector's gaze. "My parents designed the Machs to help rebuild," he murmured. "To get rid of the radiation, to purify lakes and rivers. I wonder what the world would be like if they had been able to make that dream come true."

  Hector placed a hand on Hiro's shoulder, his grip firm and reassuring. "We'll never know," he said gently. "But we can work together to make a better future for the world we have now."

  Hiro nodded, feeling the truth set in. He was going to keep fighting, but he wasn't as alone as he was before, others were willing to do the same. He looked back at Kazuki who was bragging to Masumi and Ai about how he held off Nori all on his own, like they didn't witness it themselves. A small smile crept across his face.

  The car hovered over to the curb, and they piled in, their tiredness evident in the silence that settled over the car. With a small shutter, the car pulled away. Heading straight for the airport Hiro hoped they would finally have some time to rest.