Chapter 353

"Now we know they're onto us," Maverick said. "I have an idea."

The other seven scouts looked at her.

"We can't stay in a hotel, they know who we are. We try and plan they throw up barriers, let's just go for it all," Maverick said.

"Exactly what do you mean?" Sailor Mercury said.

"We just keep attacking, every hive, everything they have, until we literally can't anymore," Maverick said. "We don't give them a chance to recover."

"And how are we supposed to deal with the base then?" Guardian Jupiter asked.

"We'll call for help, I don't know," Maverick said. "But in the meantime..."

"We now know where they put their hives," Guardian Mercury said. "And I've got a real problem with them for making us look like such fools. I'm going after them all."

"You can't go alone," Sailor Mercury said.

"It'll be more of a surprise. Everyone else rest and figure out all they can about the base," Gmerc said.

"No I'm coming too," Maverick said. "Two of us should do fine."

"I should go too," Sailor Saturn said.

"This is how the trip started," Sailor Neptune remarked.

"I don't think I can argue," Gmerc said. "The rest of you, rest up."

"Be careful," Sailor Mercury said. The three hurried down a tunnel.

"You know you didn't have to come along Saturn," Maverick said. "No use tiring yourself out."

"My telepathic skills could be useful," Sailor Saturn said. "Besides, someone has to keep an eye on you."

"What?" Maverick asked.

"You know," Saturn said.

"Oh.. I get it, I thought that might be part of it, how petty of you to come along for that reason."

"It was only part of my decision," Saturn said.

"If you say so, but I don't believe you."

"Suit yourself," Saturn said.

The two glared at each other.

Guardian Mercury didn't let on that he noticed.

Don't tell me they're fighting over me. That's insane. It couldn't be, could it? No..well that's a chilling thought in itself, I have other things to worry about.

And they dived into the next enemy hive attacking everything that moved.

"This is odd," Sailor Mercury said staring at her computer.

"What is it?" Guardian Jupiter asked.

"Well I'm studying the internal architecture of the Infinity Building...and it doesn't look right."

"That's strange, it's been up for seventy years," Guardian Jupiter said.

"That's just it, the layout doesn't match the architecture of the time," Sailor Mercury said.

"Oh, you've got a database or something there?" Jupiter said.

"Well..I know a little about the subject, this just doesn't fit."

"Maybe they made some modern modifications," Jupiter said. "Or..maybe something else happened. You think we should look into this some more?"

"Yes, let's try and find the blueprints," Mercury said.

"Good idea," Jupiter said.

The two were soon leaping off.

Blocks away.

"Is this a wise idea?" Guardian Saturn asked.

"What are you afraid of?" Guardian Earth asked.

"Well..we're about to walk into a federal building you know."

"Sure are.." Guardian Earth said.

"Well isn't this a little risky?"

"All they can do is tell us to leave," Guardian Earth said. "I doubt they'll try to arrest us."

"Maybe we can learn something," Sailor Neptune said.

"Yeah I guess," Guardian Saturn. The three scouts headed in the door.

"Uh..can I help you?" one the staffers asked a bit nervously.

"Sure, we want to talk to the someone in CIA," Guardian Earth said.

"Ah..I see.." the attendants said. "Uh...one moment.."

"Nice service here huh?" Sailor Neptune said.

Guardian Saturn sighed.

Guardian Mercury blasted a minion to pieces nonchalantly and dived into a mob of them sweeping them around.

"Is this the best they can do?" muttered.

"Well maybe," Maverick said. "I mean, maybe this is more of a shoestring operation then they let on."

"A valid hypothesis," Sailor Saturn said.

"So glad you agree," Maverick said icily.

"There's another hive up there, let's take care of it shall we?" Guardian Mercury said.

Maverick stuck her tongue out at Saturn. Saturn did the same.

"You're no good at it," Maverick said and laughed.

"I can kill you, you know," Saturn said.

"Now that's doubtful."

"No..really..I'd drug you and then use a method of my choosing," Saturn said. "I might have to consider several options for you."

"Don't waste your time trying," Maverick said.

Guardian Mercury sighed.

Why me? He thought. And then charged a mob of dark minions.

In the basement of a library.

"Ah..here we go," Sailor Mercury said.

"The original construction records," Guardian Jupiter said.

"Now this is what I'd expect to find," Sailor Mercury said looking at the blueprints.

"But there were several safety improvements made over the years," Guardian Jupiter said pulling out more plans.

"Yes, I see this," Sailor Mercury said. "Still..there's a drastic difference. When was the last modification?"

"1990, here it is," Guardian Jupiter said.

"Hmm..still nothing," Sailor Mercury said. "This doesn't match."

"Ahem..excuse me.." came a voice. The two turned.

"You?" they asked in surprise.

"Yes...well..don't reveal you know me," The CIA man said. "Would you like a donut?"

He pulled some out of his jacket.

"No," the two said.

"Oh..well too bad, they're good stuff," the CIA man said. "Anyway, I noticed you came to the same conclusions we did."

"It's good to see you survived," Mercury said. "Would you mind standing back several feet for a minute?"

"Uh..all right," The CIA man said. Mercury's visor slid across her face. "Ah..good you're clean."

"At least in that sense," The CIA man said. "Now can we talk?"

"Sure," Mercury said.

"What those plans don't tell you about is that real latest modifications, they were done two years ago, and the plans were mysteriously lost," The CIA agent said.

"That's awfully suspicious," Guardian Jupiter said. "Quite a conspiracy you've got yourselves."

"Isn't it though?" the CIA agent said.

"Sir, do you know what this about?" Mercury said.

"No, only that they're covering something up big time," the agent said. "But we should go you can't learn any more from these, and I hear your friends are at the federal building making themselves a little too conspicuous."

"Well..we figured we're not really good at hiding right now," Mercury said.

"The enemy seems ahead of us in that regard," Jupiter said.

"Trust me I know what you mean," The CIA agent said.

There came a laugh from above. The scouts tensed.

A figure dropped down to face them.

"Get behind us," Sailor Mercury said.

"Don't need to tell me twice," the CIA agent said.

"I am here for personal combat," the figure said pulling out a bo staff like weapon.

"He looks like the giant, only much smaller," Guardian Jupiter said.

Sailor Mercury nodded.

"Now..shall we begin the battle?" the warrior asked.

"I'll handle him," Guardian Jupiter said. "You two go out a back way."

"We shouldn't separate," Sailor Mercury said.

"You have to get the agent to safety," Guardian Jupiter said. "We have a history of exploding buildings here."

"True," Sailor Mercury realize and the two hurried out.

"I assure you nothing will explode today," The warrior said. "However, I am willing to accept you in combat."

"You know, the bottom floor of a library isn't really the place to have a good fight," Guardian Jupiter said.

"Only if you think in conventional terms," The warrior said. "Now let us begin!"

The enemy charged forward and swung his bo staff quickly. Jupiter moved to block it, but was immediately hit and thrown to the ground. He hit a shelf of books. The enemy attacked, and Jupiter dived out of the way quickly and went running into the shelves.

"Fair enough," The enemy said walking after him.

He moved so fast. Guardian Jupiter thought. Looks like I'm going to have to do some damage here..or try and sneak out..

"Hah!" The warrior said sliding down the end of a row of books. Guardian Jupiter took off down the other side. The warrior raced after him.

Guardian Jupiter vaulted over a table and towards the door.

"No you don't!" The warrior said and threw his bo. Guardian Jupiter spun and avoided it.

"Not that easy," the warrior said as the bo turned and headed back towards Jupiter.

Jupiter ducked it, but was kicked in the head by the warrior.

"How did you get to be one of their top warriors anyway?"

Jupiter leapt into the air, landed on a shelf, jumped off of it and spun firing his sword.

The warrior avoided it and grabbed his bo back.

"That's more like it," he said.

The two faced off against each other.

"You know I kinda like you," the warrior said. "It is a pity the war puts us on opposite and irreconcilable sides."

"That's your fault, not mine," Guardian Jupiter said.

The warrior slid forward and hit him several times. Guardian Jupiter hit a wall, and ducked another attack only to be kneed into the gut, and hit several times with the bo. He stabbed out with his sword. The bo hit his hand knocking the sword away. He was hit several more times. He fell to the ground in pain, but grabbed the warriors leg and pulled.

"Stupid," the warrior said and brought his bo down again.

"Jupiter Star Inferno!"

He shouted. The warrior was hit in the legs and blasted to the ground.

Jupiter slowly stood and limped towards the door. The creature slowly stood only to have his legs buckle.

"Impressive!" he shouted flinging the bo. Jupiter sidestepped the bo and whirled.

"Jupiter Star Inferno!" He shouted. The warrior rolled out of the way and brought his bo around smashing into Jupiter at full speed. The two both lay on the ground.

"Jupiter Star Inferno!" Jupiter shouted. The blast rippled along the ground and blew the warrior back. He smashed into the ground, but grabbed Jupiter's sword. It shocked him.

"Sorry..only scouts can use it.." Jupiter said. The bo staff flew at him. He stumbled out of the way. The bo attacks kept coming.

"I'll destroy you!" the warrior shouted. Jupiter was hit and flung back, his strength gone.

The warrior laughed.

"Mercury Bubbles Blast!"

The room filled with fog.

"What is this! Oh..she came back," the warrior said and moved to stand.

"Don't bother," Sailor Mercury said blasting him with Jupiter's sword.

The warrior flew back into a desk and collapsed.

"Guess the desk will have to go, Mercury Ice Storm Blast!" Sailor Mercury shouted. The warrior vaporized.

"Thanks Mercury," Jupiter said and collapsed.

Mercury hurried to his side.

"I guess this is hardly the rest my brother suggested we get," She said.

At the Federal Building.

"Well it's nice of you to come in like," a government agent said. "But you know you're not really being very covert here."

"Trust me sir, I'm sure they know everything going on our side anyway," Guardian Earth said.

"Very true," the government agent said. "However, still..."

"We're getting a little restless," Sailor Neptune said. "The stakes are incredibly high."

"All the more reason to be careful, however, you're here now, so let's deal with that," The man said. "If you're going to do something you should do it soon, the UN is about to vote on resolutions ranging in severity from a slap on the wrist for Japan to all out..well...that won't pass."

"You sure?" Guardian Earth asked.

"Well...who can be sure of anything in this crazy world ey?"

The three glared at him.

"It has a chance, but not a good one. Here's the situation though. If that vote goes by Japan's going to be under a lot of pressure to reveal your names and more than that...things will get very ugly, this will make it harder for you to deal with our true mutual enemies. So you have to stop them before the vote," the agent said.

"We're working on it," Sailor Neptune said. "But there's a lot to do."

"Sir, when we attack their base will it be possible to evacuate the citizens?" Guardian Saturn asked.

"Good question, you can of course, but if you do it'll tip them off for sure," the agent said.

"They'll probably know we're coming anyway," Sailor Neptune said.

"Still the question is will they let us?" the agent said. "Civilians in the way always helps the side that doesn't care about hurting them."

"So true," Guardian Earth said."Still we'll want to take as many precautions as we can. It could come very soon."

"We could do a systematic evacuation, a few people at a time," the agent said. "It'll take time though."

"Please do it," Sailor Neptune said.

"All right then, you going to strike soon?"

"Maybe.." Guardian Earth said.

"Well then we'll be ready to help you in anyway we can," the agent said.

"Thank you sir," Guardian Earth said. "We'd better get going though. A lot to do."

The three headed out.

' The agent's eyes narrowed.

"They'll need to hear about this," he said.

"Two hundred already! What a day!" Gmerc said as another minion vaporized.

"You've been keeping count?" Maverick said.

"Well it's at least that high," Gmerc said.

"Hmm..yes I guess so," Maverick said.

"By the power of Saturn feel, my wrath!" Sailor Saturn shouted destroying another wave of them.

"You're overdoing it," Maverick said.

"I will overdo whatever I please," Sailor Saturn said.

"Cut it out it's a war here," Guardian Mercury said blasting another enemy. "Albeit a pretty simplistic one!"

Gmerc felt his communicator go off. He palmed it.

"Yes?" he said.

"This is Sailor Mercury, some things have been happening up here, we think you'd better return!" she said.

"That bad huh?"

"Well, not as it sounds, but trust me, it's better if we talked and regrouped," Sailor Mercury said.

"Understood, see you in a minute," Gmerc said. "Scouts we gotta go!"

"Oh..so soon?" Maverick said.

"Here's a parting gift..SATURN DIMENSIONAL REVOLUTION!"

She blew away fifty in the blast.

"Mercury Devout Revenge!"

More collapsed.

"It think that did it," Maverick said. "What's the problem?"

"Good question," Gmerc said. "Mercury you still there?"

"Sure am," Sailor Mercury said. "Let me sum it up for you."

The group was soon sitting together on another rooftop.

"Was it wise to tell them we were going to attack?" Guardian Saturn asked.

"They knew it was coming," Guardian Earth said.

"But he was under enemy control," Sailor Mercury said. "I'm sure of it."

"Well now we know that, but we didn't then," Guardian Earth said. "Besides, so now we've got them to make their move."

"We're not supposed to give them the initiative though," Sailor Neptune said.

"Trust me on this one," Guardian Earth said. "They'll undoubtedly send out a strong force to stop us before we get there, we just have to keep it busy while the rest of us get in there."

"And how are we going to keep it busy?" Sailor Mercury asked.

"An interesting question," Guardian Mercury said walking in.

"Well.." Guardian Earth said. "I made a few calls."

"And here we are?" Jasen said walking in flanked by the other warriors of Earth.

"Ah..I was wondering when you were going to show up," Guardian Mercury said.

"You knew we were going to?" Nisiran asked.

"I had a hunch," Guardian Mercury said.

"The plan is to have the warriors keep the enemy busy while we infiltrate,"Guardian Earth said.

"Won't they know we're distracting them though?" Guardian Saturn asked.

"Of course they will," Sailor Saturn said. "You're plan is flawed. New one please?"

"Way to tear me apart there Saturn," Guardian Earth said.

"New suggestion," Guardian Mercury said. "The four Guardians will sneak into the base along with everyone but Guardian Earth and Myself."

"But won't they still know we're infiltrating?" Guardian Earth asked.

"They'd be stupid not to suspect us of doing so anyway, what they won't know immediately is how strong we are," Guardian Moon said. "Guardian Earth, are you prepared to take one for the team?"

"Ah...we're going to probably get our keisters kicked. That's what you mean."

Gmerc nodded.

"Sure, why not? You do this often?"

"All the time," the other scouts said.

"I think the only time he won a fight was versus me," Maverick said. "If I heard right."

"It was a team effort," Gmerc said. "Now are we agreed?"

The group all nodded.

And at UN headquarters.

"This resolution is absurd! Fines!" Ambassador Churchill shouted. "What does Japan care for a few fines!"

"We're still not convinced we've done anything wrong saving the world all those times," The Japanese ambassador said. "Then again maybe we were doing humanity a disservice by letting it survive."

A great many of the group roared.

"Now that's a speech," the U.S. ambassador said.

"I say we get the identities of the scouts or no deals!" the French shouted.

"Ehh sit down!" most of the countries said.

"You have no idea who you're dealing with!" the French shouted.

"Gentlemen, can we have the UN's permission to invade France tomorrow," the German ambassador said rising. "We'll go through Belgium, they'll never see it coming."

"Hear hear!" the crowd shouted.

"Enough of this joking!" Churchill said. "This is serious!"

"Ehh..shut up.." the Japanese ambassador said.

"Gentlemen this is getting out of hand," The Chairman said. "Show some decorum."

"How bout a fistfight instead!" the Irish Ambassador shouted.

"Yeah!" many of them shouted.

"What?" the Chairman said.

"Let's do it!" the Japanese ambassador said.

And to the Chairman's shock the whole council chamber erupted into a melee.

"How is this happening?" the Chairman said in shock.

"Hi Pluto," Sailor Neptune said into a communicator. "It's time to for action."

"Oh?"

"We're attacking the enemy base today."

"Ah I see, then we'd better move on our side too."

"Probably."

"Are you aware that the UN erupted into a massive battle royal today?"

"Yes, no doubt caused by the enemy zapping people."

"So I'd suspect, maybe they've just been wanting to let this aggression out for some time," Pluto said.

"Yes, well...we've gotta plan," Sailor Neptune said.

"You all be careful," Sailor Pluto said.

"We will," the group said.

The link was cut.

"We've got incoming," Gmerc said.

"That's our cue," Guardian Earth said.

"Good luck you two," Sailor Neptune said.

Guardian Mercury and Earth walked off.

"Now it's our turn," Sailor Neptune said.

"Well here they are!" Guardian Earth shouted leaping into combat as swarm after swarm of dark enemies raced towards them, a couple winged enemies swooped down towards them.

"Those are new," Guardian Mercury said.

"What'd you expect? Only the best for the scouts."

"Hmm..so it is."

The other scouts and the warriors hurried down a side street approaching the Infinity Building.

"They're coming.." Churchill said staring out a window.

"Then let's surprise them again." a voice replied.

"What's going on?" Sailor Mercury said staring at her computer.

"What?" Guardian Jupiter said.

"There's a massive energy buildup from the Infinity building."

"More surprises I assume," Maverick said.

"Wait everyone.." Sailor Mercury said.

They all watched and looked. The infinity building glowed. Then suddenly, it's contemporary exterior disappeared revealing a metal armored structure rising high.

"It's a fortress.." Jasen muttered.

"This changes things," Maverick said.

The group just stared and wondered what they're next move would be.

319  320  321  322  323  324  325  326  327  328

329  330  331  332  333 334  335  336  337  338

To Next Menu