Ai emerged from the kitchen clutching two large chef's knives, the blades glinting under the lights. She handed one to Masumi, who wiped her tears away and took it reluctantly. She held the weapon out in front of her with shaky hands and a worried look.

  Hiro paced the room, deep in thought about why the twins hadn't killed them yet. "Maybe they went after Naomi and Kazuki first, we should try to get the girls out of here while we can," he suggested, looking over to the door.

  Nori scoffed from his seat on the old leather sofa. "Fat chance. The twins may be psycho but they aren't stupid, trust me." He eyed Hiro pointedly. "Guaranteed they are hoping we try to run. The door is narrow and they can kill us quickly."

  Hiro met Nori's intense gaze, conflicted. He dug into his pocket and pulled out the VR headset, holding it out to Nori. "Then it sounds like you're going to need this, Nori. We're not getting out of this unless we both fight."

  "Hiro, no!" Ai cried. "Last time he was piloting a Mach, he tried to kill Kazuki! We can't trust him to fight with us."

  Masumi stepped forward, placing a calming hand on Ai's arm. "We don't really have a choice here. I mean really think about it Ai. Without Nori in his Mach, it'll be two against one." Ai looked up at Masumi, a look of defeat written all over her face as she turned back to Hiro.

  Hiro gave her an apologetic look and placed the headset into Nori's waiting hands. As Nori slipped it over his head, the device whirred to life. In a flash of crimson light, the cybernetic Mach armour encased Nori's body, shattering the cuffs on his wrists like they were made of class.

  Following suit, Hiro activated his own Mach. The teal plates snapped into place around him as he turned to address the group.

  "Alright, listen up. Ai, Masumi - you two stay behind us at all times. We are going to clear the front door. Once that's done, Nori and I will lay down suppressing fire so you can escape. Got it?"

  The girls nodded solemnly, gripping their knives. Hiro looked over to Nori, who gave him a small nod. This was a flimsy plan at best, but getting the girls out of here was his first priority. Nori and Hiro charged their blasters, aiming at the front door.

  As they stepped forward and unison, Hiro couldn't shake the sinking feeling that they were hopelessly outmatched. He could feel his blaster shaking. The door creaked in the breeze causing him to shutter. He knew the twins were on the other side waiting.

  ---

  Back at the communications tower, Kazuki took a step towards the farmhouse, he was tired of waiting for the twins to show up. But before he could take another stride, Naomi's hand clamped down on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.

  "What are you doing?" Kazuki demanded, whirling to face her. "We have to go help the others!"

  Naomi wasn't looking at him, she was looking past him. Scanning the seemingly empty field before them. "We're not alone," she said quietly. "On your right. There is a refraction in the light, it's passing through something."

  As if on cue, the shimmering outline of a figure materialized before them, solidifying into the sleek, armoured form of Katsumi. A smirk played across her lips under her visor as she regarded them coldly.

  "Impressive," Katsumi remarked, her metallic hand shifting into a blaster. "I didn't think anyone could see through the Mach's cloaking. But it won't save you."

  Naomi yanked Kazuki back, placing herself between him and the lethal assassin. "You're underestimating us, Katsumi," she said evenly. "If you were smart, you'd kill us quickly instead of playing with your food."

  Katsumi laughed as she lined up her shot with the blaster. "Oh, I'm not going to kill you, Naomi. Mao still has plans for you. But I am going to teach you a lesson about what happens when you step out of line."

  She took her shot, the blast whizzing past Naomi's head, straight for Kazuki. But before it could connect, a shimmering blue shield materialized between them, deflecting the blow with a resounding thud.

  Kazuki stepped forward, his Mach armour encasing his body. He grinned at Katsumi, who tilted her head as if she was analyzing him. "Looks like I'm full of surprises too," he quipped.

  Katsumi's eyes narrowed, assessing this new development. "Well, well, well, that's a new one," she said. "where on Earth did you find it?"

  "Wouldn't you like to know?" Kazuki taunted, feeling a surge of confidence despite the sweat beading on his back. "Why don't you come a little closer and I'll tell you."

  Katsumi's lips curved into a smile. "Aren't you a cocky one? I can't wait to break you before I make you spill your guts."

  She unleashed a barrage of energy blasts, the searing bolts of light streaking towards them. Kazuki threw up his soul shield, reflecting the blasts back at her.

  "Naomi, run!" he shouted over the deafening explosion of a blast hitting an automated tractor. "I'll hold her off!"

  But Naomi shook her head, her eyes fixed on the communications tower looming above them. "Not a chance. The only way we survive this is if you trust me. Back towards the tower, now!"

  Kazuki hesitated for only a second before complying, slowly retreating as he deflected Katsumi's relentless assault. As they reached the base of the tower, Naomi darted for an electrical panel, twisting the dial on the monitor, she installed, all the way up.

  "What are you doing?" Kazuki called out, his shield beginning to flicker under the onslaught.

  "Evening the odds," Naomi replied tersely. With a final flick of a switch, a blinding pulse of electromagnetic energy erupted from the tower, washing over them in a wave of static.

  Kazuki felt his Mach power down, the armour retracting back into the laptop. A glance at Katsumi confirmed her suit had suffered the same fate, leaving her exposed and vulnerable.

  Seizing the moment of confusion, Naomi drew her sidearm in a fluid motion, squeezing off a shot that caught Katsumi in the shoulder. The assassin staggered back, clutching the wound as she retreated into the tree line.

  "That was awesome!" Kazuki exclaimed, grinning at Naomi. "She can't use her Mach now!"

  But Naomi's expression remained grim. "It's only temporary. The Machs will come back online with everything else. It's all just rebooting." She scanned the trees warily. "Now we have to deal with our next problem. Katsumi is gone."

  Kazuki swallowed hard, turning back toward the treeline at the back of the property. They were far from safe, and with Katsumi lurking just out of sight, they had to move fast. Naomi and Kazuki started their slow walk back to the farmhouse, keeping as low as possible and never taking their eyes off the woods for a second.

  ---

  Back at the farmhouse, Hiro and Nori shot each other worried looks as their Machs powered down, Nori hammered the power button on the headset but it refused to come back to life.

  Suddenly, the front door exploded inward, splinters flying as Michio burst through. He had a wicked grin on his face as he pointed the gun at the teens. "I don't need a Mach to kill you all," he snarled, his finger tight against the trigger.

  Hiro didn't waste any time, "Upstairs!" He shouted as he threw one of the heaviest from on the coffee table at Michio. Michio turned to block the projectile and the group scrambled up the steps, their footsteps pounding against the aged wood.

  They raced down the hall and crammed themselves into one of the bedrooms, hastily shoving furniture against the door as a barricade. Masumi's eyes darted around the room as soon as their makeshift barrier was done. "Guys there is no way out of this room! We're trapped!"

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  Nori barely registered Masumi's comment. He was too busy trying to get his Mach to work again, cursing under his breath as it failed to respond. "Come on, you piece of junk, work!"

  "There has to be another way-" Hiro started just as gunfire erupted, bullets tore through the door and sent splinters flying. Ai screamed as a stray round pierced her leg, blood blossoming through her jeans.

  Hiro rushed to her side, his hands shaking as he tried to stem the bleeding. I don't know what to do! She's losing a lot of blood! Hiro patted the wound with his shirt loosely tying it off.

  "Move," Nori growled, shoving Hiro aside. He yanked off his belt, looping it around Ai's thigh as a makeshift tourniquet and pulled tight, causing her to muffle a yelp. "This should actually slow the bleeding."

  Ai managed a weak smile, her face pale as she lay on the floor. "Thank you, Nori."

  Nori turned away from her, his eyes fixed on the door. "Save it. I don't need you to thank me for anything."

  Another volley of gunfire ripped through the room, narrowly missing Masumi as she ducked for the core behind the overturned bed. Hiro's looked around the room, there had to be something they could do. We can't stay here. We're sitting ducks! But how can we escape with Ai injured and our Machs down? Hiro thought.

  "You're only delaying the inevitable," Michio called from the other side of the door. "I'm going to enjoy watching you die, one by one."

  Nori shot up, tired of Michio's bullshit. "You aren't going to do shit, I'm going to kill you myself," he seethed, starting towards the door.

  Masumi grabbed his arm, holding him back. "Don't be an idiot! We need to find a way out of here, not provoke the guy trying to kill us."

  Hiro kept scanning until his gaze fell on an old painting. The canvas of what once was a beautiful lake scene was torn. The bullet holes in it allowed light to sneak into the room. "There!" he exclaimed, tearing the painting off the wall to reveal the shattered window. "All we have to do is shimmy out this window and we can get out of here"

  Masumi and Hiro each took one of Ai's arms, attempting to help her to her feet. As they lifted her, Ai let out a sharp cry of pain and they returned her gently to the floor. "She's not going anywhere in this condition," Masumi said before taking a deep breath, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes. "I'll stay with her. You two go get help."

  Hiro shook his head vehemently. "No way. It's too dangerous!"

  "I can climb down and lure him away," Nori interjected, "I pissed him off earlier so I'm sure he wants to get even."

  Ai reached for Hiro's hand, her grip weak but insistent. "Go with him. We'll be okay."

  "Ai, what if-"

  "Hiro you need to go and finish this or none of us are getting out of here." Ai pressed. Hiro wanted to argue but looking into her eyes, he knew he had no choice.

  Nori grabbed a blanket from the bed, wrapping it around his fist before smashing the rest of the window in a shower of glass. Then he tied the end of the sheet to the curtain rod and gave it a few hard tugs to make sure it held.

  Hiro hesitated for a moment, looking back at the girls while he made his way over to the window. But as another barrage of gunfire splinters the door, he knew there was no choice. With a final glance at Ai and Masumi, he followed Nori out the window, hoping the curtain rod would support their combined weight.

  The blanket slipped under their combined weight as Hiro and Nori shimmied down, their breaths coming in short, controlled bursts. Feet hitting the ground just as Nori's knot gave way. They exchanged a glance as the blanket drifted down in front of them. Then Nori motioned for them to go around the house. Hiro nodded and circled around with Nori to the shattered remains of the front door.

  Nori stepped carefully inside, his footsteps silent on the worn floorboards. He made a beeline for the kitchen, rummaging quietly through drawers until his fingers closed around the hilt of a large knife. Hiro stayed in the living room and watched the stairs. When Nori returned they both moved slowly, step by step.

  At the top, they found Michio, his was turned to them as he clawed at the bedroom door, splinters flying with each brutal kick. Nori raised the knife, and in one fluid motion, he hurled it directly at Michio. It spun through the air, embedding itself deep into Michio's left shoulder with a sickening thud.

  Michio let out a yelp, his hand reaching back to yank the blade free. He whirled around, his eyes locking onto Nori and Hiro, a twisted smile spread across his face. "You two might just be the dumbest people I've ever met. You literally escaped only to come back."

  He flung the knife back at them, but Nori didn't even flinch, knocking it out of the air with a swift swipe of his arm. Michio's smile faltered, replaced by a snarl as he raised his gun, aiming.

  Hiro's hand shot out, grabbing Nori by the collar and yanking him back down the stairs just as the first bullet whizzed past. They race out of the house, their hearts in their throats, Michio's footsteps echoing behind them.

  "We need to find cover!" Hiro shouted, following Nori out into the fields.

  Nori nodded, leading them toward a cluster of stalled farm equipment. "We can lose him in here,"

  They sprinted toward the machinery, weaving between shut-down self-driving tractors and automated harvesters. Michio's voice echoed across the yard after them.

  "Come on, Nori! You know the government will take you back if you just finish the job. Kill Hiro, and all will be forgiven!"

  Nori's fists clenched and Hiro could see the rage build behind his eyes. He started to yell back, but Hiro covered Nori's mouth with his hand.

  "Don't," Hiro warned, his voice low. "He just wants you to give our position away."

  Nori took a deep breath, giving a curt nod before Hiro released him. Hiro motioned toward the tree line, and together, they started to move, keeping low and snaking between the hulking farming gear. But as they drew closer, Hiro spotted a flicker of movement. Someone was moving just out of sight. Hiro and Nori paused just as Katsumi emerged from the woods, her gun raised, a cold smile on her lips.

  She opened fire, the bullets ricocheting off the machinery, sending sparks flying. Hiro and Nori dove for cover, rolling behind a large tractor tire.

  Michio came running around the other side, gun raised until he saw his sister. He lowered his weapon, his breathing heavy. "Did you have Naomi?"

  Katsumi shook her head, her eyes never leaving the spot where Hiro and Nori disappeared. "She'll have to wait. Right now we need to succeed in this part of the mission, or Mao will have our heads."

  Michio nodded, turning back to the maze of farming machinery. "Then let's finish this."

  Together, they move towards the old tire, their footsteps rustling the dry stalks as they came around from both sides. Hiro and Nori were nowhere to be found, Katsumi motioned to the small green tractor close by and Michio nodded in agreement before following her.

  Nori and Hiro pushed away from the turbine they were hiding behind, aiming for the safety of the cornfield. The stalks of corn towered over Hiro as he pushed through the field, not noticing when Nori pushed ahead of him. The sound of gunfire had faded, replaced by an eerie silence that set his nerves on edge. He stopped, realizing he had completely lost sight of Nori. Frozen, he listened for any signs Nori was close by but only the sound of the breeze through the stalk met his ears.

  "Nori?" Hiro whispered, his voice barely audible. No response. There was no way he could yell any louder without giving himself away. Hiro's stomach twists with worry. The twins are out there, hunting them, and now he was on his own.

  A twig snapped nearby, and Hiro dropped to a crouch, holding his breath. Footsteps approached, slow and deliberate. Hiro held perfectly still, hardly daring to breathe as a figure emerged from the rows of corn. It's Michio, his eyes scanning the field, his gun sweeping through the corn.

  Michio paused just a few feet away, and Hiro's heart nearly stopped. But after a moment that felt like an eternity, Michio moved on, disappearing back into the corn. Hiro let out a shaky breath, his body trembling with adrenaline.

  I have to find Nori and get out of here, Hiro thought, gathering his courage. Maybe Nori is already on the other side.

  Slowly, carefully, Hiro moved forward, navigating the maze of corn until he finally broke free of the field. But his relief was short-lived. Katsumi was waiting for him, her gun levelled at his chest.

  "End of the line, Hiro," she said, her voice like silk. "You've been quite the thorn in Japan's side."

  Hiro swallowed hard as he stared down the barrel of her gun. He needed a miracle. Desperate, he tapped the call button on the old cellphone in his pocket, hoping against hope that his Mach armour would work when he needed it most.

  Katsumi's finger tightened on the trigger, and Hiro braced himself for the impact. But instead of pain, he feels the familiar sensation of his Mach armour building itself around him, the bullets ricocheting harmlessly off his chest plate.

  Katsumi looked shocked, but she quickly recovered, placing an earbud in her ear and tapping it. Her own Mach armour materializes around her, the bronze reflecting in the sunlight.

  "Well, well," she purred, circling him. "Looks like the little toys are back online. I've been looking forward to our match-up. I have a theory your wins are more luck than skill."

  Hiro watched her closely as she circled, never taking his eyes off her for a moment. "I don't want to hurt, but I will if I have to."

  Katsumi laughed, she stopped in her tracks. "Oh, Hiro. Is that how you do it? Is that how you justify the trail of bodies you leave after every battle?"

  Hiro looked at her, grinding his teeth. "At least I don't kill for fun, I'm not a monster."

  "A killer is a killer," Katsumi replied, charging her blaster. "Reasons don't really matter at the end of the day."

  ---

  In the cornfield, Nori raced through the stalks, he swore at himself for leaving Hiro behind. Michio's taunts echoed behind him, growing louder with each passing second.

  "Come on out, Nori!" Michio called, his voice dripping with false sincerity. "Let's put this whole stupid fight behind us, I think you and I could be great friends. All you have to do is put a bullet in Hiro's head."

  Nori turned toward the sound of Michio's voice, it took everything he had not to go after him. "What an idiot," he mutters under his breath. "He's giving himself away."

  Just then, a small beep sounded from his VR headset, and Nori pulled it out of his pocket. A slow smile spread across his face. It's time for Michio to see what it feels like to be the prey.

  Nori activated his Mach, the familiar rush of power surging through his body. He engaged the heat-seeking function, locking onto Michio's signature. With a burst of speed, Nori blasted toward his target, ready to take Michio by surprise.

  But as he closed in, Michio spun around, his own Mach armour growing over him. Without missing a beat, he grabbed Nori mid-flight and slammed him into the ground, knocking the wind from his lungs.

  Nori gasped for air, stunned by the impact. Michio loomed over him, a triumphant grin on his face. "Nice try, kid. But you're going to have to do better than that."