CHAPTER 4

Jun had to find Satoshi. She couldn't think of anything else, but finding sergeant Kaneko Satoshi, and begging him to help her find Mamoru. She rounded the corner to his suite, and chewed on her bottom lip. She'd tried to distract herself with training, but all that left her with was a misplaced bruise resting on her right cheekbone. She waved her hand in front of the sensor, and the little chibi soldier came to life.

"Sergeant?" She used his title, just in case anyone was listening in on their conversation.

The little tablet screen lit up, and on it she could see Satoshi's face, "oh, it's Jun," he smiled, "open." He commanded the system, and the little soldier gave Jun a thumbs up, before the doors opened. Immediately she fell down on Satoshi's bed, too tired to care about etiquette.

"I can't keep pretending I don't care about Mamoru." She said, after tapping her voice modulator twice, "I'm going crazy."

"I take it training didn't go well?" He asked jokingly, while Jun threw a pillow at him.

"Obviously not." She laughed softly, "I can't stop thinking about him. Whether he's out there dying or something right now."

"It's Mamoru we're talking about, he's a tough kid." Satoshi said without a trace of hesitation in his voice.

"Yeah, he might be Mamoru, but being Mamoru doesn't make him immortal. I have to convince Minami to let me organize a search and rescue squad." Jun said, with a new sense of purpose in her dark eyes.

"Woah, Jukkun, slow down, I know you're motivated, but the major will get the wrong idea if you come rushing up to him," Satoshi was quick to defend, but Jun shot him a glare, "I just mean that if one of Mamoru's kohai's come up to Minami and ask him for a search and rescue team, it'll look strange. But if his sergeant and his best friend approaches Minami, that's a whole other story."

"Still..." Jun said with a dark look in her eyes, "that doesn't stop me from worrying about him. He could be dead for all we know."

"I have a... theory. It's a little implausible... But there is a possibility." Satoshi suggested hesitantly. Jun's eyes urged him to keep going.

"While I was growing up, my mother was excused from Yōki duty to be a teacher. She taught Japanese at the local middle school, and when Mamoru and I were in the fourth grade, a new teacher showed up. She was fresh out of university, and she was great at her job. She was the sixth grade Japanese teacher. My mother and her bonded immediately, because my mother yearned for a little girl, but all she got was me. Her name was Takahashi, I never knew her first name, but she was always around the house. Right after I was accepted into the Force, she was beaming because she'd gotten engaged. My mother was... well, thrilled to say the least," Jun shot him a look that asked why this was important, and he kept going, "not soon after, she came to my mother's house one night, sobbing. My mother tried her best to soothe her, but there was no calming her, she was absolutely hysterical. I found out later it was because she was pregnant, and she hadn't told her husband, because she was terrified he would send her to be a Yōki. My mother swore to protect her, and risked her life for Takahashi-san, by helping her escape the Hiyokuna. It was successful, but my mother was taken into custody, and my father lost himself to dread, so I went to live with the Nanami's. The point is, Takahashi escaped the Hiyokuna, and she's probably still living out there."

"How do you know that?" Jun was obviously confused, but nonetheless intrigued.

"A lot of women did it, that's why the prime minister approved the forming of the non-lethal team, so that they could extract the women that were hiding," Satoshi explained, "there are two ways to hide from the government. You either hide in one of the extrajudicial sectors, or you ask the Hanran for protection."

"Isn't that like becoming one of their...?" She trailed off.

"No, it's different. They grant you a house within their sectors, and they offer their protection. This doesn't mean that you are in any way associated with them, so these women are often treated with more care than the Hanran whores. I believe Takahashi did the same, and I believe that she might find Mamoru. If she does, I know where we should start looking." He finished off with a smile.

Jun lit up like a Christmas tree, "you really think so?"

"Yes," he answered, "Akira will know all about it, and he'll be willing to help me, because he owes me one."

Jun considered it for a second, before a huge smile spread over her usually stoic face, "I love you, Satoshi Kaneko."

"Save that for Mamoru, Jukkun," He said with a laugh, "now, you should probably go see Manabu about that bruise."

She'd forgotten about the bruise, and laughed sheepishly as her hand travelled up to run her fingers across it, "right. Just come find me when you've spoken to Minami."

"You know I will," he smiled, "now go." She returned the smile, before rising from his bed, and walking out of his room. She tapped her voice modulator once, and made her way to the infirmary. It was never busy when the soldiers hadn't been deployed, but there Manabu Soseki stood, with his stark white lab coat, wire-rim glasses, and cybernetic right arm. He poked and prodded a private who had been punched in the eye, Jun reckoned.

"Okay, listen," he took a healing spray from a shelf behind him, and handed it to the private, "I'm sending you something to keep in your personal inventory. Use this healing spray, and wear the eyepatch in your inventory, and you should be fine by tomorrow. Now leave, I've got things to do."

"Thank you, Soseki-san!" The private bowed, before leaving the room.

"How many times do I have to tell them, it's Soseki-senpai." He shook his head, finally regarding Jun.

"Minori-chan," he said softly, "seems you've gone and gotten yourself hurt as well."

She shrugged, and sat down on the uncomfortable hospital bed, "training didn't go as well as I planned." She said with a sheepish grin.

"Distracted?" He asked as he pulled another healing spray from the shelf, and a bot digistructed another to take its place.

"I can't stop worrying about Mamoru." She admitted truthfully.

"Ah," Manabu said with a knowing smile, "you shouldn't, he'll be okay. Plus, it's not exactly prescribed to worry when—"

"I know, Manabu," she cut him off, "I'm trying not to, but it's hard when the man you love is out there, probably dying."

"I know, Minori, but you've got to try and keep as calm as possible," Manabu replied with a soft smile, "I'm sure Satoshi is trying his best to get this sorted out."

"It's like you're telepathic." Jun laughed as she felt Manabu spray the healing spray onto her cheek. The soft droplets fell on her skin like fairy kisses.

"Stay out of trouble, Minori-chan." He shook his head, "I don't want to be seeing you in here every day from now on, okay?"

"Yes, Soseki-senpai," she spoke his title begrudgingly, but laughed afterwards anyway, "next time I come in here it'll be with good news, I promise."

Satoshi Kaneko entered the silver-clad walls of Major Minami's office with a certain amount of nervousness to his gait. The major was sitting in his desk chair, meticulously scanning over the report Nakamura no doubt dropped there previously, and only took note of Satoshi after he greeted the major with the standard military greeting and a salute.

"Sergeant," he said pleasantly, and removed his reading glasses, "what can I do for you?" Satoshi hesitantly sat down. Meetings with the major weren't exactly his strong suit, but for Mamoru he was willing to put his apparent fear aside and negotiate.

"It's about Captain Nanami, sir," he started off, "I am sure you're aware of his disappearance."

"Captain Nakamura informed me, but I was under the impression he had perished during battle," Minami answered smoothly, "however, I am still awaiting your report, Sergeant."

"Apologies, major," Satoshi said, forcing himself to be loud, "I haven't gotten around to it."

"I understand, but since you are here, we might as well discuss Captain Nanami's situation." Minami suggested.

"Very well." Satoshi answered curtly.

"Private Matsuoka approached Captain Nakamura about a search and rescue squad, this meeting wouldn't concern that?" Minami asked.

"It does, sir. Both Matsuoka and I believe that Captain Nanami, while injured, is still alive." Satoshi answered smoothly.

"And why is that?" Minami asked once again.

"He is one of the most experienced soldiers in our unit, I have faith in his ability to preserve his life, even if he is gravely injured," Satoshi explained, but he could see Minami wasn't buying it, "on top of that, sir, I have reason to believe he is in the forest covering Sector 17."

"That is a reasonable belief," Minami considered Satoshi's argument, "the forest is the closest to the Hanran compound, and would give the captain the opportunity to tend to his wounds. I believe I know what you are going to ask me next, sergeant."

"The search and rescue squad, sir." Satoshi replied.

"I will authorize it, but you will be leading it, and Doctor Soseki will be coming along. I will allow you to pick your own squad members, but take a soldier from NLET1 along, I am assuming he will be injured, and it would be best to sedate him." Minami explained, and Satoshi listened intently. On the outside, his eyes were focused, and he was listening obediently, but on the inside, he was jumping with joy, and he knew Jun would be doing the same when he informed her.

Jun Matsuoka always immersed herself in training whenever she felt unsafe, or unsure. It was a given that Satoshi would find her deep within a combat simulation in the simulation chamber. There she was, her dark eyes drawn into thin lines, as she pointed her gun at one of the glowing blue avatars that hid behind the pillars. The simulation was set to a higher level than Satoshi usually preferred, and the surroundings were that of the broken-down society level, one of the more complicated settings. Jun hid behind a pillar, clutching her weapon-of-choice, an assault rifle with a scope on the top of the gun, against her chest. Her breathing was as steady as it could have been in one of the more complicated simulations. Satoshi sat down on one of the spectator's chairs, and watched her jump out from behind the pillar and fire two quick rounds. There it was, Jun's obsessive double-tap habit, one bullet hit the target in the head, while the other pierced its heart. Two points were awarded to her, but before she could even notice, she fired two more shots, in the same places. The first missed, surprisingly, but the second hit the target. Jun didn't waste time worrying about her missed bullet, and fired two shots to her right. Satoshi heard the artificial sound of the target's body hitting the floor, and then Jun was behind the pillar again. She was looking at her helmeted-visor. The simulation had given her a bonus, something like extra ammo, or faster reload time, like a video game would. Satoshi found this the most entertaining about simulation training, he could activate a boost if he wanted to, or set the simulation to accurate combat simulator so that he would be fighting against higher level AI programmed to think like actual soldiers in combat. Jun digistructed an extra round of ammo and inserted into her gun, immediately she was back in action. Satoshi could see there were only three more targets in the level left, and Jun was preparing to hit them all. She ran from one pillar to the next, her footsteps almost inaudible. She snuck up on one of the targets, pulling a knife from her boot, and jabbing it into the side of his head. The artificially blue blood sprayed onto the floor, but she stepped over the puddle, unfazed as she should be, and aimed her rifle at another target. Before the AI could even process her presence, she aimed her gun at its heart, and raised it up to its head. Before Satoshi heard the thud, Jun turned to her left, and aimed two succeeding shots at the last target. She exhaled when its body hit the floor, and her rifle disappeared. She walked through the holographic projection of the destroyed civilisation, wiping sweat off her brow, and removing her helmeted visor. When she got to the door, she removed her implant, and the wireless connection it had made with the simulation program disconnected. Her surroundings faded back to their normal metallic state. Satoshi stared at her score in awe. A ninety-nine, missing only that one point she had lost when one of her bullets didn't hit. Jun was a prodigy when it came to guns and combat, for some odd reason, it was a small wonder she hadn't made sergeant, or even lieutenant yet. It helped that when she was starting out she had a natural affinity for all things war, but having Mamoru personally train her every morning and every night made her even better. Satoshi supposed LET1 didn't need another sergeant, or any other higher-ranking officer because it already had Mamoru, and of course Satoshi himself. (God forbid anyone outranked Major Minami within the two teams.)

"Tell me you have good news." Jun said in her low modulated male voice, as she wiped herself clean with a damp towel one of the service bots had provided.

"Not just good news, great news, Jukkun. Minami approved our task force, as long as I take Manabu and one of the idiots from NLET1 along, I can commandeer and take anyone I please along to find Mamoru." Satoshi said with a blinding grin.

"I would hug you, but I stink, so I'm holding off on physical contact. This is great, though, Sato-kun! We're going to rescue Mamoru!" Jun cheered, and Satoshi could see the relief wash over her body like a relaxing tropical current.

"Who said anything about we?" He joked, and Jun threw the towel she was using at him. He caught it in disgust.

"Take a shower, please." He emphasized as he dropped the towel on the floor in disgust, and one of the circulating floor cleaner bots picked it up automatically.

"Fine," Jun said with a smile, "when do we leave?"

"Woah, slow down. I have to talk to Manabu and Nakamura first," Satoshi answered, shaking his head, "but if everything goes well, in about two days."

"I just hope Mamoru survives for that long." Jun remarked ominously, and an uncomfortable silence fell over the two soldiers, the whirring of the cleaner bots' brushes and engines filling the gaps their conversation couldn't.

"It's Mamoru. He'll be fine." Satoshi tried, but anyone could see they were starting to doubt whether being Mamoru would be enough to save him.

"Maybe Takahashi-san found him," Jun reasoned, "surely she'd help him."

"Maybe, Jukkun," he agreed slowly, "I'll keep you informed, okay? Don't fret about convincing Nakamura, he owes me big time for saving his ass last time, and you know Manabu will come along." Satoshi said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Will do, sergeant." Jun saluted, and then she was on her way.

The quarters where the soldiers of the non-lethal team resided weren't nearly as plush as the quarters their lethal counterparts received. Satoshi wandered in, watching as the soldiers who were in their bunk beds stood up, and saluted him, as they should. Captain Nakamura's quarters were at the end of the long hallway that served as the bathrooms for the soldiers, and instantly Satoshi was happy his was secluded from the privates' bathroom areas. Satoshi spoke into the microphone when the AI security system asked him for identification, and he opened his eye wide when the biometric scanner appeared from within the wall. Nakamura's face showed up on the monitor as he authorized Satoshi's entrance.

"Sergeant Kaneko, what can I do for you?" Nakamura asked, and commanded the AI to shut his doors.

"For you to encrypt the room, and cut the formalities. You know it's Satoshi." Satoshi said as he grabbed a chair from Nakamura's desk and sat down in the middle of the room. Nakamura raised an eyebrow, but commanded the AI to encrypt the room so that none of the sound would be recorded, and no one would be allowed inside without his authorization.

"What's so important you asked me to encrypt the room?" Nakamura sat down on a chair opposite Satoshi, who shrugged.

"It's not what you're thinking, Yutaka-kun," Satoshi said with a playful smile as he watched Nakamura's eyebrow twitch. Nakamura may have been the higher-ranking official, but he was younger than Satoshi, which gave him the opportunity to tease little Yutaka, "I just wanted to call you that without having anyone glare at me for disrespecting their beloved senpai," again, Nakamura's eyebrow twitched as if he was saying 'you are disrespecting me anyway'. Satoshi suddenly became serious, "it's about Mamoru."

"I heard about him," Nakamura took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, "what about him? I thought he perished in battle."

"Aren't you a pessimist, Yutaka-kun?" Satoshi asked, while Nakamura glared at him again, "Minami authorized a task force, so that we could search for him in the forests surrounding Sector 17."

"In the extra-judicial zones near the Hanran compound?" Nakamura wondered aloud, "it makes sense, of course. But why are you telling me about it, Satoshi?"

"Minami said I can spearhead the operation as long as I bring Doctor Soseki and one of your non-lethal officers." Satoshi answered.

"Makes sense, if he were captured by the Hanran it would be another stealth operation, and we wouldn't want to end up in the same position we were in last time." Nakamura reasoned.

"So, since you owe me, I'm asking for your best officer." Satoshi grinned, and Nakamura's eyebrow twitched again. It seemed his eyebrow twitch was an annoyed-habit.

"Fine, take Kuramoto, and consider us even." Nakamura said begrudgingly.

"With pleasure, Yutaka-kun," Satoshi grinned despite Nakamura's terrible attitude, "I'll see you when I get back, kid."

"Keep me informed, Satoshi. You know I don't like to lose my men." Nakamura narrowed his eyes, while Satoshi saluted him.

"Of course, Captain." He said, with respect, for the first time, and for the first time a hint of a smile tugged on Nakamura's lips.

"Good luck, Satoshi." He said, this time with a certain amount of fondness in his voice, the kind of fondness only years of camaraderie could instil into the heart of a soldier.

"No need to get mushy, Yutaka-kun." Satoshi laughed as the door to Nakamura's cabin went open and Satoshi was let outside. When he returned to the shoddy barracks, the soldiers stood up, and saluted him once again.

"Where's Kuramoto?" Satoshi looked around the room, as a muscular soldier stepped forward.

"I'm Kuramoto Nobu, sir." He said with a sturdy voice that filled the dingy room.

Satoshi tried not to smile, but he couldn't help himself, a name like Nobu on a man of such little words.

"You're with me from now one, Kuramoto." Satoshi commanded and didn't wait for Nobu to follow.

"Yes sir!" His reply echoed through the corridor leading out of the barracks, and then his beefy figure was behind Satoshi.

"Find Matsuoka of LET1 and wait with him for me." Satoshi said as he changed his course and headed for the infirmary. The soldier's "yes, sir" echoed through the metallic corridors of the underground compound as Satoshi went down a different corridor to find Manabu. The infirmary wasn't usually bustling with injured soldiers, and that day it wasn't any different. Manabu stood, helping some poor cadet who got wrecked during training, in his tall lab coat, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose, with the side of his head he had shaved ironically facing Satoshi as he entered.

"You got a second?" He asked as soon as he was in the doorway. Manabu raised his hand to ask for silence, and poised a can of healing spray in the direction of the cadet.

"Close your eyes or this will hurt." Manabu instructed as the bewildered cadet closed his eyes, and Manabu sprayed some of the healing spray onto his busted eye.

"Keep it closed for a little while, the swelling should be gone by nightfall." Manabu said as he handed the cadet a white eye-patch and sent him on his way.

"Sato-kun, what can I do for you?" Manabu asked with a smile, turning his lanky body to face Satoshi. Manabu wasn't exactly combat material, with his long and lean body, and his clumsy tendencies, but if Mamoru was injured, Manabu was the best field medic in the entire compound. They would need him.

"It's about Mamoru," Satoshi started, as Manabu gestured for him to sit down on one of the empty hospital beds, and took it upon himself to give Satoshi a physical check-up for no good reason, "I talked to Minami about a task force dedicated to finding him," Satoshi explained as Manabu pointed a small light in his left eye, watched his pupil dilate, and moved onto the next, "and he approved, on the condition I take you and some kid from NLET1 along." Satoshi finished just as Manabu stuck a stick the size of a popsicle inside his mouth, and manoeuvred it around the hollows of his cheeks. He put the stick into an indicator, which didn't change colour, and then threw the stick and the indicator in a nearby waste bin.

"So, we're going to find Mamoru?" Manabu asked with a smile, as he measured the size of Satoshi's bicep.

"Yes, we are." Satoshi answered, matching the smile on Manabu's face.

"Who's on the force so far?" Manabu asked, but before Satoshi could answer, he stuffed a thermometer in Satoshi's mouth, and waited for the indicator to beep.

After Manabu had checked the temperature, and was busy jotting it down in Satoshi's file, Satoshi answered, "just you, me, Jun and Kuramoto Nobu from NLET1."

"Nobu-kun, huh? He's one of Yu-chan's best." Manabu remarked, using the forbidden nickname he and Satoshi had awarded to Nakamura after they finished training together.

"I know, but Yutaka-kun owes me." Satoshi remarked with a smirk as Manabu readied a clean needle, and a tube. Manabu prodded the convex of Satoshi's arm with his two fingers, until he spotted a vein, and inserted the needle. He drew enough blood, and deposited it into the tube. Afterwards he removed his stethoscope from around his neck, and checked Satoshi's heartrate.

"When do we leave?" Manabu asked as he was finishing up.

"Not sure yet, but soon. I still have to organize some things with Minami, like transport, and weaponry, but it should be in two days." Satoshi answered.

"Have you told Minori-chan?" Manabu lowered his voice as he spoke Jun's forbidden nickname.

"Of course. She was the first person I told after Minami authorized it." Satoshi said with a laugh.

"Good, because she'd kick you if you didn't." Manabu joked, and although both of them were laughing, they knew Jun would.

"I'llcome see you tomorrow. I have to go check on Kuramoto and Jukkun, to see if shehasn't killed the poor kid yet." Satoshi joked, while Manabu saw him off. Andthen it began.