Part 9
(November 10 – Oahu – Wreckage of Pearl Harbor's Third Marine Base – From the camera to record proceedings)
As soon as Accelerator ended the call, a giant explosion occurred nearby. The Trident PMC had fired a recoilless rifle. Accelerator charged straight through the center while Birdway leaped to the side to avoid the aftereffects. From there, they headed for their next targets.
That was when presidential aide Roseline Krackhart's cell phone began to ring.
"I suppose you've found out," said a familiar female voice over the phone.
"…You have guts to call me directly after watching us this whole time, Olay Blueshake."
"It's no problem to me if all of you go on a rampage while Hawaii is isolated. America will be fully within my grasp in just a few more hours. It may seem crazy now, but once that happens, it will be like a switch has been thrown. At that point, you will be considered the dangerous antigovernment forces."
"Do you really think it will be that easy?"
"Oh, I do. If we can gain control of the president with the occult, that's that. And if we can't, I can just have him shot so his authority can be transferred to the vice president. …And you know what has happened to the vice president, don't you?"
"…What is it about this country that you are willing to go to such lengths to change?"
"Knowledge 12."
That term Olay uttered was like the words of a curse to Roseline.
"Before World War III, funds for UFO research were used to carry out twelve experiments into the occult. With the opportunities to come into contact with classified information you get from being at the president's side, I'm sure you know of them."
"…Those experiments were started without the president's knowledge."
"By any chance, do you know who their primary investor was?"
"The president found out about the plans for seven of the experiments and had them stopped in advance!!"
"Yes, but the other five were carried out. Two such experiments were Liberal Arts City in the Pacific and the failed report on the Gemstones with naturally occurring esper powers from around the world. The researchers were motivated by the possibility of developing our own espers, but there was always a deeper set of laws below it all. …After what happened in the war, surely you can guess what it was I wanted to develop."
"…"
"The United States has far too little defenses against the occult," said Olay Blueshake with a tone filled with self confidence. It was unclear if the confidence was real or if she was naturally using the skills she used when speaking to the public. "In reality, America was more or less left out of the war that was so deeply related to such things. That was actually quite fortunate. If the one truly behind that war had targeted the United States, the country's leaders and military would have been slaughtered with no hope of resisting. Even in their thick shelters, strange sorcery and curses would have cut them down."
"And that's why you—?"
"Knowledge 12 had no clear results, but that may have been because only five of the experiments were carried out. If all twelve experiments had been carried out, America's techniques might have caught up to the highest international standards."
"So you are saying the president had no right to protect this country by working to put a stop to the experiments based on his proper sense of ethics? You were merely forcing the sacrifice onto the people of our country. Can you honestly say it is right to abduct and slice up people from around the world just because they have a certain 'disposition'!? Can't you tell you are only destroying the ideals on which the United States was founded!?"
"I will remake this country into a theocracy."
If representatives of the science side and the magic side had heard that statement, they might have let out a gasp.
She was talking about the conversion of a major nation.
She was talking about a clear change in the affiliation of the nation that, while inferior to Academy City in technology, was number one in the world in military might and economic power.
It was unfathomable how much of an effect that would have upon the balance of power or how much chaos it would cause.
"During the president's oath of office and during trials, the oaths are made with one's hand on the Bible. In that way and others, Protestant ceremonies have taken root at the core of this nation's government. All of the historical presidents have been Christians. By letting those sprouts bloom, this nation can be given an exceedingly strong resistance to occult attacks. …And I have begun by bringing in Gremlin as an adviser for our occult countermeasures."
"The moment you used the Trigger, our international relations were ripped to shreds."
"That can be fixed with our advances into the occult."
"…"
"Why do you think I have told you all this?" asked Olay, but she continued before Roseline had time to respond. "First, the need to hide this will be gone before long. In a few hours, the United States will have been completely reformed and all this will be common knowledge not just in America but around the world. Really, I never needed to hide this." She paused for a second. "Second, I have already decided that you will die. Feel free to take that as an admission to a criminal threat."
"Kh…"
"If you cannot find anything to say in return, then our discussion is over. I will order Trident to make sure you do not suffer. I think I'll give the one who shoots you a bonus."
Olay hung up.
Roseline Krackhart remained silent for a bit.
But then…
"…Olay Blueshake," said Roseline with her head hanging down.
When her subordinate with the video camera saw that, he originally thought she was trembling in fear.
But she was not.
She was indeed trembling, but a clear smile was on her lips.
"If you're the one behind this, I still have a way out!!"
"Wh-what do you mean…?"
"Olay's…no, the entire Blueshake family's cornerstone lies hidden on Kauai," said Roseline quickly before grabbing a map from the government vehicle. She spread it out on the hood. "Lindy Blueshake, an eight year old girl, is the only one left to continue the Blueshake family line. For that family that values its bloodline highly and has the next in line inherit its great media network, she has irreplaceable value. Olay is sterile, so abducting that child would be the same as grasping Olay's very core!!"
"But…that's crazy!! How could she start such a large scale war in the very place her own daughter lives!?"
"Because Olay doesn't know," said Roseline with a grin. "Due to domestic violence issues, Olay got divorced, but it was her that threw the punch, not her husband. However, with her thorough ability to manipulate information and her high-priced lawyers, she managed to distort the truth. She won custody of Lindy, but the investigation afterwards deemed Olay a possible danger, so the government took Lindy away. Of course, Olay used her control of the media to make sure the public never learned of this."
"The government took her? You mean…like someone in the witness protection program!?"
"Exactly. Her name and identity were completely changed and she was given a second life elsewhere. That is why Olay does not actually know where she is. It's possible that she constructed the FCE system using the major search engines and internet providers in order to search for Lindy."
It was obvious whether she had done it out of a mother's love or in order to preserve the media network she had inherited from her grandfather.
And even with the ability to peer into the executive office of the president and into military facilities, Olay had not been able to locate Lindy Blueshake.
"Due to the hatred of the media Lindy gained due to her mother, she now lives a primitive life here in Hawaii. That may be why Olay was never able to find her."
And that was why Roseline had a chance.
She had a final chance that lay in the gaps where the digital network did not reach.
She gave instructions to her subordinate to gather the secret service members and marines that could still be used and then smiled a thin, thin smile.
It was like the smile of a villain.
"I will show you that, if you walk down an unorthodox path, you will meet unorthodox resistance."
Part 10
(November 10 – Lanai – Star Lounge Shot Bar – From the camera in a handheld game system left on the counter)
"Wait, wait, wait. Shit!! Dammit, Roseline, don't go nuts just because we're cornered!!" shouted the president as he stared at the Imperial Package's screen and struck the hard outer shell with his palm.
Kamijou and Mikoto looked over in surprise.
"Wh-what?"
"Did the computer break?"
Noticing their questioning looks, the president clicked his tongue and said, "My aide has headed off to overcome this situation, but she didn't discuss it with me. Olay Blueshake's daughter is hidden on Kauai. My aide is gathering all the soldiers she can in order to abduct the girl and get an upper hand against Olay in negotiations."
As the president continued on to explain the details of Lindy and the marines, Kamijou and Mikoto's faces paled.
"Are you serious…? This Lindy girl hasn't done anything! Will the soldiers really go through with that? Even if it's an emergency, that's a crime!" shouted Kamijou.
"Laws like that are not functioning right now and the marines are feeling fairly bloodthirsty. The enemy is moving fast and the supposedly superior American military is being pushed back. The flames of war can't be controlled and the war front could very well reach the more populated areas. If that happens, many, many civilians will be dragged into this. They want to prevent that from happening. …If my aide appeals to their sense of justice like that, they will lose all guilt over kidnapping the daughter of the woman behind all this."
A dark side of actions taken due to a sense of justice could sometimes be seen when looked at from a different angle.
And oftentimes, the one taking the action could not see that dark side.
"…How many people have agreed to go with her?"
"About two hundred. Most likely, they are a portion of the group Roseline has directly decided are 'safe' and that she trusts. Three or four divisions are stationed in Hawaii, so that is only a small minority, but we should assume they have completely left their units. To be honest, I have no idea how far they will go for the sake of justice."
Troops who had lost all clear rules had now appeared.
Taking hostages to gather information was often justified, but those troops were likely acting out of hatred for Olay Blueshake the media queen. That meant the safety of her daughter could not be guaranteed. She could end up being hurt in the process of the "negotiations". In fact, it was possible their hatred could get the better of them and they would pass the point of no return before any negotiations could even begin.
The president's aide was raising her voice and leading them, but would she really be able to control the soldiers?
Could she say for sure that violence would not break out within the group upon spotting a family member of a hated enemy?
Kamijou thought for a bit and finally stood up from the bar's floor.
"…You said Lindy Blueshake is on Kauai, right? Can you bring up a picture of her on that computer?"
"What are you thinking of doing?"
"We will save her," he said simply. "If we can get to Kauai before the marines, we can help her escape. It doesn't matter where we go, but we just have to take Lindy somewhere where the soldiers can't find her."
"W—w-w-wait! This Lindy girl is the daughter of the person behind all this, right? Wouldn't fighting to save her be allying ourselves with the group conquering Hawaii!?" protested Mikoto.
"So what?" spat back Kamijou. "Olay Blueshake may be behind all this and we do need to settle things with her, but what has this girl done? It's wrong to rob her of any guarantee of safety just because she's related to Olay and can be readily used!!"
His words held conviction.
He was not making a decision merely because the situation led him in that direction. He was set on his own direction based on his own clear determination.
"This Lindy already had her life torn to pieces due to domestic violence and had finally managed to settle into a peaceful life. She's only eight, but she gained that kind of rest that most people find normal only after giving up her name and the place she was born. Do we have any right to capture her, threaten her with guns and knives, and force her to stand before Olay once more? Of course not!! If you want to protect Hawaii from Gremlin, don't forget that she is one of Hawaii's residents too. Shouldn't you be protecting her as well!?"
"…You're right," said the president with a sigh. "Since the government took custody of her, it is our duty to protect Lindy Blueshake from Olay. That means I have to fight too."
Making the decision was easy.
However, real danger lay ahead on that path. On one side were the Gremlin forces including Saronia and Olay who were trying to conquer Hawaii. On the other were the marine forces led by the president's aide who were trying to capture Lindy. They would be making both sides their opponents.
On top of that, the true enemy had prepared plenty of normal firearms to combat Kamijou's right arm and their highest priority target was the president.
Those two were in no position to be worried about the wellbeing of others.
Their own lives were in much more danger than Lindy's.
And yet…
"What'll you do, Misaka? This is our decision. I won't force you to go. You can just hide here to remain safe."
What had led him to all his decisions up until then?
As Mikoto thought about that, she came to her answer.
That boy had surely done the same thing when he had saved Misaka Mikoto.
Mikoto had once been saved in the same way.
He did not stand on the side of justice.
He did not come to a decision after weighing the pros and the cons.
He merely saved people because he wanted to.
Someone who would not have been negatively impacted by it in the first place had no need to make excuses.
His answer stripped away all that was unnecessary and it held enough power to shatter the overly-complicated incarnation of justifications built from all those unnecessary things.
"…Fine, I understand. To be honest, the thought of them pressing a gun up against this Lindy girl and opening up her old emotional scars really pisses me off."
No matter how much one worried about it internally, the spoken conclusion was simple.
That boy had surely made those simple decisions time and time again.
"It isn't that girl's job to risk her life to bring peace back to Hawaii. That job lies with us."
Part 11
(November 10 – In the ocean near Kahoolawe – From UUV Cannibal Shark #443)
A large military hovercraft sailed through the ocean near the Hawaiian Islands where a network of anti-ship missiles was set up. The hovercraft itself was similar to a special kind of rubber boat, but it was much too large. In order to carry large military vehicles, its size rivaled that of a 25-meter school pool.
Two giant propellers propelled the hovercraft at over 50 kph.
The people aboard wore silver military uniforms, but they were not Saronia or Olay's subordinates.
They were Hamazura's group.
As with the ship before, this was Hamazura's first time to pilot a hovercraft, but the lack of obstacles and the fact that it floated on the surface gave him a baseless sense of security as the sudden acceleration chilled his skin. In reality, things such as reefs made even the level-looking ocean surface dangerous and any sharp rocks sticking above the surface would tear the reinforced rubber bottom of the hovercraft to pieces, but ignorance pushed Hamazura recklessly on.
As he fumbled with the ship's controls, Hamazura had his cell phone to his ear.
"…Eh? The most wanted targets are heading out into the gunfire of their own free will in order to save the daughter of one of their enemies?" he muttered in utter shock at how crazy that was.
But then he smiled.
If he was being honest, the concepts of conquering America and the media queen working with Gremlin were on just too great a scale to seem real to him.
He had finally found something small enough he could actually legitimately feel the desire to risk his life for it.
"You'll need a way to get to Kauai, right? Just wait a bit. You're on Lanai, right? We'll meet up with you there."
Meanwhile, Misaka Worst and Kuroyoru Umidori were being as indiscreet as ever.
Or rather, Misaka Worst was playing around with Kuroyoru.
"Kuro-nyaaahhn. Misaka is bored, so show me the sexiest pose you can think of!"
"Why you—! Don't take control away from me for shit like tha—gyah gyah gyah gyah!!"
"Hey, you with the mischievous look in your eyes!! Stop that. You're gonna make Kuroyoru cry again!!"
"If you try to help me like that, you're just gonna piss me off even m—gwaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!"
With control of both her arms taken, Kuroyoru lost her balance and fell down on the hovercraft's deck. From there she (unwillingly) carried out a completely impractical motion.
When Misaka Worst and Hamazura Shiage saw it, a kind look entered their eyes.
"…That's the first time Misaka has seen someone actually say 'uffun'. 25 points."
"You may never shut up about darkness and all that crap, but you're surprisingly pure. 30 points."
"H-how…how dare you mock me…!!" said Kuroyoru while grinding her teeth, but she was simply too poorly matched with Misaka Worst.
The electricity esper in question casually glanced over toward the ocean surface and said, "Do you think we actually fooled them?"
"Of course not," spat out Kuroyoru Umidori in response with her face still beet red. As she also looked toward the ocean surface, she stared straight into the camera's lens. "They're letting us go in order to lead them to their weak point."
Part 12
(November 10 – Oahu – Wreckage of Pearl Harbor's Third Marine Base – From an auxiliary control camera)
Most of the base had been destroyed, it was barely functioning, and the soldiers stationed there had finished evacuating.
Meanwhile, Saronia and Olay's Trident PMC must have decided they would gain nothing by attacking any further. They had quickly gone off to target another base.
"…Tch. The aide has disappeared, too."
"So she's headed off to attack an eight-year-old girl. Turns out she wasn't worth saving."
Accelerator and Birdway had regrouped after that round of fighting was over.
They understood the general situation from speaking to Kamijou and the others over the phone.
Leivinia Birdway rested her wand on her shoulder and smiled thinly.
"However, this could be our chance."
"…"
"Don't look at me like that. You always get so motivated when it comes to little girls, don't you?" She shrugged. "Even now, Olay Blueshake is listening to our conversations. That means she is sure to make her move. She will try to get there before our group or the president's aide and her marine volunteers manage to reach Lindy."
"But I doubt the media queen will head out directly. In fact, is she even in Hawaii?"
"If she's somewhere we can reach, then she's quite an idiot," said Birdway simply before spinning around her wand. "That is why, as one of the main leaders, Saronia will be commanding a portion of the troops in order to collect Lindy. They would never focus all the troops on that. After all, Hawaii is the largest collection of military forces in the Pacific and they need to focus on taking care of that. However, the troops led by Saronia – as well as Gremlin in general – will not necessarily do as Olay wishes."
"…Really?"
"According to Kamijou Touma's report, Saronia herself was put in quite a bit of danger during the transporting of the Trigger because she was used as a diversion without being told. She will now have some distrust for Olay. It's only natural that she will want a trump card she can use to conveniently control Olay."
"But isn't Gremlin's plan to conquer the United States based on Olay's economic power and supplemented by Saronia's magic?"
"To them, this 'war' in Hawaii is nothing more than part of their preparations. What they truly want to do is take control of America, create a situation in which they can manipulate things at will, and make sure that situation lasts. That means they must work together for a long period of time. Right now, they both want to gain the upper hand at this early stage even if it comes with some risk."
"But that also means we only have to take out just one or the other of Saronia and Olay. If either one could accomplish this without the other, they would never have joined together in the first place. So now we just have to defeat Saronia when she shows up on her own for Lindy."
"Yes, that would cause their plan to fail. We would win. As such, I'm sure you know what we must do."
"…Hm. Even when I leave Academy City, I end up having to clean up all the shit."
"Just be honest and call it saving people's lives, hero."