Pathro, Toshiro, and Kasumi found themselves not in a city, but surrounded by dense, shadowy vegetation. The air was thick and humid, buzzing with the chorus of unseen insects. Overhead, a canopy of leaves blotted out the stars, leaving them in near-total darkness.
Kasumi blinked, adjusting her eyes. "Uh… what the hell? It's still night time here. Also…" She gestured at the wild tangle of trees and hanging vines. "Are we in a jungle? I thought we were being sent to Nigeria."
Pathro scanned their surroundings, his senses extended. "I don't know. But I doubt Hayate would miss his target that badly. Let's ask the AI."
Toshiro already had his communicator out. The AI's voice, calm and clear, cut through the jungle sounds before they could formally ask.
"Do not be confused. This is indeed Nigeria. To be specific, you were teleported to the mangrove forests of the Niger Delta in Bayelsa State. While I cannot confirm the operator's specific intent, I can deduce that primary insertion into a densely populated urban center was avoided to prevent witnesses to your arrival."
Pathro rubbed his temple. "Uh… am I the only one starting to get concerned about how this AI keeps eavesdropping on our conversations without being asked?"
Toshiro pocketed his phone with a wry look. "Well then, better be careful what we say around the phones. I checked earlier. The passive audio-analysis function doesn't have an off switch."
The AI interjected seamlessly. "That is correct. I am designed to provide assistance in all situations, including those where direct inquiry is not possible. I analyze contextual cues to determine when audio or navigational guidance is required. Be advised: while my data streams are end-to-end encrypted, the Military Intelligence Division retains ultimate access authority and may review data logs if a soldier is under formal investigation."
"Tsk," Pathro hissed. "Way to reveal you're a snitch. I'm keeping my guard up around you."
Toshiro refocused. "So, we're here. Where exactly is the school that was attacked?"
"Absolutely. The target is the Immaculate Girls' Secondary School in the Ikeja district of Lagos. Factoring your enhanced mobility, I have calculated the most direct overland route." A holographic map projected from Toshiro's device, showing their remote location in the Delta and a glowing path cutting northwest across the country toward the distant coast. "If you prefer to utilize public roadways to maintain a lower profile, I can provide that route as well."
Kasumi studied the map. "So, what's the plan? Do we just rush there and hope to find clues?"
"No," Toshiro said, shaking his head. "First, we secure lodging. We can't investigate a crime scene while dragging our luggage. We need to blend in."
Pathro addressed the air, knowing the AI was listening. "What are you waiting for? List the hotels closest to the school."
A moment of processing. "Certainly. Displaying the three nearest lodging establishments with vacancy." Three points of light appeared on the holographic map, along with distances, directions, and brief summaries.
Kasumi squinted at the display. "They all seem pretty close, considering our speed. Which one?"
"Let's just take the nearest," Pathro decided. "Hope they have rooms at this hour. Lead the way."
All three committed the route to memory. Then, with their bags in hand, they became blurs of motion, slicing through the muggy Nigerian night toward the distant lights of Lagos.
---
Meanwhile, Junior Division Base.
The elevator chimed softly as its doors opened on the residential level. Kaile stepped out, her gaze immediately finding a familiar figure down the hall. Kiligaku was walking away from the direction of Pathro's quarters.
"Hey, Kiligaku. What's up?" she called, approaching. "Is Pathro not there?"
Kiligaku turned. "Doesn't seem like it. He's not answering."
"Where could he have gone? Training alone?"
"If he was, he'd have told me," Kiligaku said with certainty. "He's either dead asleep, or he's on a mission." He pulled out his communicator. "Let's just call. If he's off-world, the signal won't connect."
It was a reliable test. A call could only fail if the recipient's device was destroyed, disabled, or outside the dimensional bounds of their universe. The phones themselves were perpetually powered, siphoning negligible trace amounts of meta-energy from their users.
To their surprise, the call connected. A ringtone echoed in the quiet hall.
"Huh. Guess he's still on Earth," Kiligaku mused. "Wonder if he'll pick up."
---
Lagos, Nigeria. Hotel Room.
Pathro was unpacking a few essentials when his phone vibrated. He fished it out of his pocket. Kiligaku. He swiped to answer. "Oh, hey, Kiligaku. What's up?"
"Where the hell are you?" Kiligaku's voice came through, slightly tinny. "We're outside your room and you aren't responding."
A wave of realization hit Pathro. "Aah, right. I didn't tell you. I'm in Nigeria. We're on a mission here."
"Nigeria?" Kiligaku's tone shifted to curiosity. "What happened there that needs your intervention?"
"Some organized group causing major trouble. Kidnappings. The local police tried and failed, lost a lot of people. Seems like these guys are really that dangerous. The ones left are too scared to act. This group just crossed a line by hitting a girls' secondary school. We're here to handle it."
"So, you're alone?"
"No, with Toshiro and Kasumi. Guess they wanted a small, precise team."
"I see. So, mission parameters: neutralize the organization, rescue the hostages?"
"You got it. Look, I've gotta go. We're heading to the school to scout for leads."
"Alright. Keep in touch." Kiligaku ended the call.
Back in the hallway, Kaile looked at him expectantly. "So? Neutralize an organization? Rescue hostages?"
Kiligaku summarized. "They're in Nigeria to dismantle some criminal group that's been running a kidnapping ring. Unusual mission for us."
Kaile processed this. "Nigeria… it makes sense we'd assist them. They're under our protection." Her expression grew more serious. "But 'neutralize'… that means killing people, right? None of them have ever taken a human life before. This will be their first time."
Kiligaku let out a slow breath. "We're more than just Zunan Fighters. We're soldiers. The academy prepared us for this, the idea that we might one day have to shed human blood for the greater good. It won't be easy… but everything has a beginning." A moment of heavy silence passed between them. "Well, I'll be off now, Prez." He'd never shaken the habit of calling her by her academy title.
"Wait." Kaile's voice stopped him. "I came to see Pathro so we could train. We agreed to use the Hayashi Paradise realm. Since he's not here…" She met his eyes, her determination clear. "I could train with you."
Kiligaku turned, studying her. The fire in her gaze was unmistakable, she refused to be left behind. She's determined to stay on our level, he thought. A slow grin spread across his face. "Oh. Well, that helps me too. Let's head there right now, if you're ready, Prez."
---
Lagos, Nigeria. Streets near the Hotel.
Pathro, Toshiro, and Kasumi reconvened a block from their hotel. The city was quieter now, a few hours past midnight.
Kasumi hugged her arms against the cooler night air. "Can someone remind me why we're investigating a school in the middle of the night? Couldn't we wait for morning?"
Pathro shook his head. "Daylight would draw too much attention. Three teenagers poking around a major crime scene? Suspicious. We don't know who might be watching or who's connected to the organization. Daylight is a risk."
Toshiro nodded in agreement. "This is the optimal time. Most of the city is asleep. We can investigate undisturbed. It's likely why our insertion was timed for this hour."
"Makes sense, I guess," Kasumi conceded. "Maybe that's the whole point."
"Alright then," Pathro said, his voice dropping to a business-like tone. "Let's go check it out."
In the next instant, the spot where they stood was empty. Three silent streaks cut through the sleeping city, moving faster than the human eye could follow, heading straight for the scarred grounds of the Immaculate Girls' Secondary School.
The three of them arrived at the school's perimeter, halting just beyond the ruined gateway. The moon hung heavy and bright, casting sharp shadows and illuminating the scene in ghostly silver light.
The first thing they saw was the gate itself or what remained of it. Twisted metal lay scattered like broken bones. Dark, coagulated blood stained the concrete in two distinct, gruesome patches.
Kasumi's breath hitched. Seeing the sheer amount, she whispered, "These guys… they definitely killed people here. Two of them, I'd guess."
"Most likely the guards," Toshiro said, his voice analytical and low. "It's logical. They'd be the first line of defense. Either they tried to stop them, or they were simply eliminated to clear the path."
Pathro's eyes tracked the evidence. Tire marks, some smeared with blood, led from the gory patches into the school grounds. "Well, from this, I can tell they came in several vehicles. Makes sense for transporting dozens of students." He knelt, examining the jagged edges of the gate frame. "This was blown apart by explosives. So they're armed, well-equipped. This isn't some small-time gang. This is a serious, militarized organization."
Toshiro nodded, his gaze sweeping over the darkened campus. "Let's go inside. We might find more clues. The answers are rarely at the doorstep."
"Yeah," Pathro agreed, straightening up. "But we should split up temporarily. Cover more ground quickly. We'll regroup and compare notes." He pointed. "I'll take the right section of the main building. Toshiro, you take the central admin and hallway areas. Kasumi, the left wing."
Kasumi gave a firm nod. "If you say so."
Without another word, they vanished. Not with a dramatic flash, but with a sudden absence of presence,three silent blurs dispersing into the moonlit ruins.
---
Pathro materialized inside a classroom in the right wing. He flipped the light switch. A flicker, then sterile fluorescent light buzzed to life, starkly illuminating the scene.
Desks and chairs were overturned, scattered in chaotic arcs as if repelled by a blast of panic. Books and papers littered the floor. It was definitely during classes, he thought, stepping carefully. This mess was from the stampede to escape.
His sharp eyes scanned the room, missing nothing. Near the doorway, partially under a toppled chair, was the spent canister of a gas grenade, its shell scored and empty.
He picked it up, turning it over in his hand. Was this tear gas? He dismissed the thought. Tear gas causes panic, disorientation, it makes people run more, not less. They'd have scattered wildly. This had to be something stronger. A knockout gas, or a paralytic.
He placed the canister back and stepped out into the hallway. The moon provided enough light here through the high windows. His gaze swept the floor. There embedded in the linoleum, or lying where they'd fallen were several small darts, their tips glinting.
Darts too. So for anyone who escaped the gas cloud, they had secondary measures. Tranquilizers or paralytics. They wanted everyone subdued, not just scattered.
He moved swiftly through a few more classrooms, finding similar scenes of disruption and the occasional discarded dart. The pattern was clear, the method efficient.
A grim understanding settled over him as he paused in a silent corridor. They didn't even bother to clean this up. No attempt to hide the canisters or collect the darts. They're confident. Confident that the local law enforcement is too terrified or too powerless to act on any evidence. This is the arrogance of those who feel untouchable.
A cold, determined smile touched his lips. They ignore the minor mistakes because they don't believe they can be punished for them. That overconfidence… we'll use it against them. We'll be the consequence they never saw coming.
He took one last look around the moon-drenched hallway, the scene of a stolen future, and let the resolve harden within him. It was time to regroup.