Nori stood frozen in front of the barn door, trying to will himself forward. He stared down the long hallway, behind one of the doors was Hiro. Naomi gave him a look and then a small shove, making him stumble through the doorway.

  "Wasting time isn't going to make him forgive you," she said matter-of-factly. "We need to keep moving, Mao has made Hiro the twins' next mission."

  Nori swallowed hard and gave a curt nod. Taking a deep breath, he started to move deeper into the barn. As they neared the end of the hall, Naomi reached out and touched Nori's shoulder, signalling his to stop. She pushed the door next to him open, revealing the wall of monitors in the surveillance room. Hiro and Ai looked up from their chairs as Nori, Naomi, Kazuki, and Masumi filed into the room. Nori's eyes were downcast as he stepped forward.

  "Hiro, I...I'm sorry. For kidnapping you before. I should have--"

  "You should have what? asked first?" Ai snapped, rolling her eyes. "What you did was unforgivable. Don't think for a second that anyone here trusts you with our lives." She turned to Hiro imploringly. "He held you prisoner for days. We should be locking up and leaving before he tries anything."

  Hiro avoided her gaze, his jaw tight. An uncomfortable silence stretched between them. Nori's stomach clenched. He finally looked up at Hiro.

  "Look, what I did was stupid and reckless and illegal. I know that. But I didn't do it to hurt you, you know that. Hiro, I can't think straight when it comes to you, I care too much about you. All I want is for you to get out of this war alive."

  "I know," Hiro said quickly.

  "Hiro has all the backup he needs to survive this," Kazuki interjected, stepping forward. "I'm a Mach pilot too after all."

  Nori barked out a harsh laugh. "You? Come on, you've been in a Mach, what, a week? You'll just get in Hiro's way."

  Kazuki bristled. "At least I'm not some rage-filled, kidnapping psycho!"

  Reflexively, Nori lunged at him, momentarily forgetting his restraints. Kazuki raised his fists, ready to throw down. Before things could escalate further, Hiro pushed between them.

  "Enough!" His deep voice caused them both to jump. He levelled a stern look at Kazuki. "Nori's right. You're still too new to all of this to stand much of a chance in a fight against trained agents. Whether you like it or not, Nori is an asset."

  "Couldn't agree more," Naomi said from the corner, "besides he's cuffed and without this," She held up the VR headset.

  Kazuki looked ready to protest, but Naomi shook her head. "This isn't a negotiation. We don't have the numbers to be picky about who joins us."

  Nori allowed himself a small smirk as he watched Kazuki deflate. It faded instantly when he caught Hiro's disapproving glare.

  Hiro jabbed a finger at Nori's chest. "If you really want to help, stop picking fights with everyone. We need to work together, and that means you need to get everyone else here to trust you. Got it?"

  Looking a little stunned, Nori nodded. "Yeah. Got it."

  Ai folded her arms over her chest as she sat back in her chair. "If you want to earn my trust you can start by telling me how you found us."

  "I went to the cottage to warn Hiro about the twins," Nori explained trying to make hand motions but struggling against the cuffs. "But Naomi was already there, so I watched. When she brought you to the car, I used my Mach to tail you. Mach stealth mode is undetectable, even to Naomi's advanced gadgets."

  He met Hiro's probing gaze, willing him to see the sincerity in his eyes. I'm here for you, Nori thought. Even if you'll never feel the same, I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. No matter what.

  Naomi's frown deepened, a crease forming between her brows. "If Nori could follow us undetected, it's possible one or both the twins did too." She began to pace as she thought.

  Ai looked from Nori to Naomi, confusion and fear warring on her face. "So you could have led them right to us? What do we do, should we run again or maybe there is somewhere else we can hide."

  Nori stayed silent, watching Ai start to panic. It was Naomi who answered.

  "I'm afraid that wouldn't do much to stop them if they found us. We can assume they would never let us leave." She stopped pacing, her green eyes haunted. "You see the twins were raised by the Japanese government to be perfect killers. Over a decade ago, they were taken by child services after their yakuza father was arrested. The government placed the pair in foster care but that didn't last long."

  Masumi leaned forward, morbid curiosity compelling her to ask, "What happened?"

  "Michio killed his entire foster family. He claimed he did it because he ran out of fun things to do." Naomi's voice was flat, devoid of emotion. "He was institutionalized. His sister would come for visits. They came up with a game while he was there. Manipulating the other prisoners, tricking them into killing each other. Made up their own point system for it."

  Ai recoiled, horror etched on her delicate features. Masumi looked like she might be sick.

  "Our friend Mao took an interest in them. She adopted them, groomed them to be her personal enforcers." Naomi met each of their eyes in turn. "They're unfeeling, sadistic and get pleasure from causing intense pain. Getting caught by them... would be a fate worse than death."

  In the heavy silence that followed, Kazuki cleared his throat. "So, what's the plan? We can't just sit here waiting for them to find us."

  Naomi nodded, her focus snapping back. "Machs can't be tracked normally, but I have an idea. If I create an electromagnetic field around the property, it might make them visible on radar for a split second. Could buy us precious time."

  "Plot 34A!" Kazuki exclaimed. "It has a communications tower next to it, for controlling the agro-bots. Could that work?"

  Naomi seemed excited by the new information. "Yes, I can modify it. But we need to move quickly." She turned to Kazuki. "I need you to come with me. You may be untrained but they don't know that."

  As they hurried to the door, Naomi called over her shoulder, "The rest of you, stay here. Keep an eye on the monitors. We'll be back as soon as we can."

  Then they were gone, leaving Nori, Hiro, Ai and Masumi in a tense, cold colourless room. Each lost in their own dark thoughts, dreading what horrors the twins might bring.

  The silence stretched with each waking moment, just the hum from the flickering monitors murmured in the background. Nori shifted, his gaze flicking to Hiro's stoic profile. He drew a breath, taking a small step toward him.

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  "Hiro, I..." Nori's voice cracked the stillness. "I need you to know. Everything I've done, I never wanted to hurt you in any way."

  Hiro's eyes slid to meet Nori's, guarded and unreadable. Nori forged ahead, the words tumbling out in a rush.

  "I know you see yourself as expendable. I've seen it in the way you fight. You'd sacrifice everything to stop the Mach program and clear your family's name. I get it, I know what it's like to look in the mirror and see nothing of value." Nori's tone turned fierce, his green eyes blazing. "But now it's my turn to save you, Hiro. The way you saved me that day on the bridge. I won't let you get yourself killed and from now on I'll do things your way. I swear."

  Ai stiffened, catching the raw vulnerability, the unspoken depth of feeling in Nori's gaze. Jealousy flared hot in her chest. She cut in before Hiro could respond.

  "Seriously, Nori? You expect Hiro to believe you never wanted to hurt him? That you want to protect him? Did you forget about Hiroshima? you blew up a police station with Hiro in it!" Ai practically fell out of her chair as she accused him.

  Nori shot her an impatient look. "I did that so the government would think you were dead! They ordered me to kill Hiro, I knew he would make it out, he had his Mach with him."

  "What about me?!" Ai scoffed. "You claim you don't want to hurt Hiro but you are willing to let the people he cares about die! You-"

  "I know, alright?" Nori snapped, frustration boiling over. "I know what I did to you was wrong! I am trying to fix it but you're being so-"

  "Okay, enough." Masumi stood abruptly, her quiet authority causing Ai and Nori to look at her. "It's nearly lunchtime. Ai, come help me find some food for everyone back at the farmhouse."

  Ai blinked, thrown by the sudden pivot. She opened her mouth to protest, but Masumi's pointed look ensured no sound came out. With a huff, Ai pushed to her feet and followed Masumi out of the room.

  As the door clicked shut behind them, Ai rounded on Masumi. "Why'd you cut me off like that?"

  Masumi sighed, her dark eyes softening. "Ai, you were being childish. Hiro can speak for himself, you know."

  Heat flooded Ai's cheeks. She looked away, shoulders hunching. Masumi touched her arm gently.

  "Look, it's clear as day that you have feelings for Hiro. But you can't let those feelings get the better of you." Masumi's tone turned soothing, almost sisterly. "What's meant to be, will be. But right now, our focus should be on coming up with a plan to stop the twins. Alright?"

  Ai swallowed hard past the lump in her throat, blinking back sudden tears. Masumi was right, and shame churned in Ai's gut. She nodded jerkily.

  "I'm sorry. I just..." Ai shook her head. "Everything's so messed up."

  "I know." Masumi squeezed her arm. "But we'll get through this, together. Now come on, I saw some canned beans and spam back at the house. We're going to need our strength."

  As they walked in silence toward the farmhouse, Ai tried to calm the anxious flutter of her heart, to push down the gnawing fear. Tried not to imagine losing the fight against the twins or even worse losing the fight for Hiro's heart to Nori of all people.

  She shook the thought out of her head, looking up to catch a glimpse of the communication tower in the distance. She wondered if Naomi's plan would work... Ai shuddered. She didn't want to consider what fates worse than death might await them.

  ---

  The communications tower loomed before Naomi, a hulking metal skeleton against the overcast sky. She marched toward it with single-minded focus, Kazuki trailing nervously in her wake.

  "Keep your eyes peeled," Naomi ordered brusquely. "Those psychotic twins could show up at any moment."

  Kazuki swallowed hard, scanning the horizon as if he were trying to find something in an eye spy book. "R-right. Got it."

  Naomi popped open the maintenance panel and received a small shock from the static. She leapt back, bumping into a steel beam. A ping sounded from her pocket. She froze. With a growing sense of dread, she pulled out her bug-detecting device. It pinged again insistently, a red light flashing.

  "Shit," Naomi hissed under her breath. The scan showed a tacking device detected near the farmhouse. Bugged. Which could only mean...

  "The twins are coming, aren't they?" Kazuki's voice trembled as he read the look on Naomi's face. "We need to go back and warn the others!"

  Naomi shook her head sharply. "No. Causing a panic won't help." She returned to the control panel. "Stay there and keep watch. We are sticking to our initial plan. Since we weren't killed on our way here, we can assume they aren't here yet."

  Naomi hauled open her bag and removed scanners and other gizmos. She rewired and recoded, snapping a small cube device over her work. They were running out of time. This jury-rigged setup would have to do.

  "Okay," she said, looking back at Kazuki. "Moment of truth. Firing it up... now!"

  The tower hummed to life. Kazuki looked around, perplexed. "Did it... work? Nothing happened."

  Naomi shot him an exasperated look. "Electromagnetic waves are invisible, genius."

  Cheeks flushing, Kazuki ducked his head. "Right. I knew that."

  Naomi picked a small chrome tablet off the ground and turned it on, holding her breath. Two blips appeared, moving fast. The twins were closing in.

  "Well, at least we know it works. The twins' Machs just crossed the perimeter." Naomi met Kazuki's terrified gaze. "Now you can panic."

  Punching Hiro's number into her slab, Naomi paced as the call connected.

  "Hiro! The twins breached the farm. They're coming in hot."

  Hiro was silent for a moment before speaking. "The girls went back to the house for supplies. They're completely exposed."

  "Go get them, now," Naomi snapped. "Evacuate the property if you can."

  "What about you?" Hiro demanded.

  Naomi glanced at Kazuki. "I've got a Mach bodyguard, we'll be fine. The girls are sitting ducks. Go!"

  "Ok, we'll regroup when this is over." The line went dead.

  Naomi turned to Kazuki, appearing calmer than she should be. "I hope you remember how to turn your Mach on. Because we're about to fight for our lives, and I need you to follow my lead."

  ---

  Hiro ended the call, taking a minute to stare down at his slab as it all sunk in. He turned to Nori, who was still handcuffed beside him. "The twins are here. We need to get to Ai and Masumi at the farmhouse and go."

  Nori looked over in the direction of the farmhouse, a flicker of fear passing over his face. "Screw that, Hiro. We need to get as far away as possible from here, now."

  Hiro shook his head, getting up from his chair. "Not without the girls. We're getting them first."

  "There's no point," Nori argued, his voice rising. "The twins will beat us there. Ai and Masumi will be dead before we even make it to the house and then they'll kill us too."

  "Shut up!" Hiro snapped, his eyes flashing with anger. "That kind of thinking isn't going to help anyone." He tossed Nori's Mach to him, the metal clanging against the concrete floor. "If you want to run, go ahead. I won't stop you."

  Nori stared at the Mach for a moment, then kicked it back to Hiro. "I'm not going anywhere. I get it, this is that whole being a part of the team thing you were all talking about."

  A flicker of surprise and gratitude crossed Hiro's face. He nodded, then knelt down to remove Nori's handcuffs, fumbling with the lock.

  "Forget it," Nori said, pulling his hands away. "We don't have time for this. Let's move."

  Hiro scooped Nori's Mach off the floor and stuffed it into his pocket. Then he helped Nori to his feet and they raced out of the barn, their shoes pounding against the dirt as they sprinted towards the farmhouse. Hiro focused on the house, praying they wouldn't be too late.

  As they dashed up the back walkway, Ai and Masumi emerged, carrying a small bag of canned food. Hiro couldn't hide his happiness at the sight of the girls but he knew the situation. "Get back inside, now!" he shouted.

  Confusion and fear flashed across their faces as Hiro pushed them back through the doorway and Nori slammed it shut behind them.

  "What's going on?" Ai demanded, her voice trembling.

  "The twins are here," Hiro explained, his chest heaving. "Naomi called us, her electromagnetic field thing worked."

  Masumi's face paled, her hands shaking. "We have to run. We can't stay here."

  Nori shook his head. "We'd be sitting ducks out in those open fields. They'd pick us off in seconds."

  "But why haven't they killed us already?" Masumi asked, her voice rising in panic. "They're playing with us, aren't they? This is all some twisted game to them."

  Ai wrapped her arms around Masumi, trying to comfort her as she began to hyperventilate. She shot Nori a glare. "You're not helping."

  "I'm just being realistic," Nori snapped back.

  "Enough!" Hiro could feel his head start to throb. "Fighting isn't going to get us out of this." He turned to Ai, trying to look understanding of the situation. "Go to the kitchen and find anything we can use as weapons to defend ourselves."

  Ai looked confused. "But you have your Mach. Can't you just use that?"

  Hiro shook his head. "The weapons are for you and Masumi. To protect yourselves if..." He trailed off, the looks on the girls' faces told him they were already thinking the same thing.

  Ai gave Masumi one last squeeze before standing up. She nodded toward Hiro, giving him a small smile. "I'll find something."

  As Ai disappeared into the kitchen, Hiro turned to the others, his heart heavy with the realization that this farmhouse would be their last stand against the twins. They had no choice but to fight, and pray they'd survive the coming storm.