24. Secret Facility

At dawn, Haruka and Kazuki reunited in front of the condominium. Haruka muscles were a bit tense, but her breathing was under control. Kazuki on the other hand was tenser and a bit shaky. He asked:
- "Are you ready Ha...Raikubo-san?"
- "Yes, I am, Kaa-chan. Are you feeling well? I think you are too tense" - she approached, but he took a step back and said:
- "I am just a bit over the edge. I don't like missions inside enemy territory, and after all we've been through... I am a bit afraid." - he hid his true motive.
- "I understand. I am afraid too. But we will be alright" - he nodded - "Operator-san, are we all good to go?"
- "Yes, you are authorized to proceed."
- "Lets go" - Kazuki and Haruka rode to Todoroki.

The two rode amidst the silence of the streets and between themselves. It was a quite short trip to Todoroki. There, they were greeted by the green sights of the parks and rivers, which they were unable to enjoy. It was not long before they arrived on the abandoned factory, isolated between the parks and a few buildings.

On the outside, the factory was a large grey industrial shed on an isolated corner of the street. It had an expansive parking lot, where the NUMO's forces would later reunite for the assault. Haruka and Kazuki however rode to an alley that led to an old emergency exit. There they parked, and entered through the weathered down white door.

Inside, they turned on their flashlights and navigated a narrow, dark corridor. They walked for a minute until they reached a small service elevator, without walls. They lifted the gate, entered on it and pressed the button. The elevator roared and started its descent.

- "Kazuki-kun, Haruka-chan, you are now entering the rebel facility. We don't have informations besides the original map. We don't believe the path is heavily guarded, but expect cameras and resistance. And, keep in touch."
- "Sure will do" - said Kazuki.
- "Thank you, Op-san" - Haruka replied. The elevator stopped and they entered the facility.

Haruka and Kazuki were met with grey walls and three corridors, one ahead of them and one on each side.
- "Proceed straight on the corridor you see. You will mostly continue straight this way." - said the operator. Kazuki and Haruka slowly advanced, with their pistols in hand, the powerful white lights on the roof shined on the metallic plated walls and the yellow painted lines which connected the plates. Also, they saw no cameras. Kazuki was in front of Haruka, but she approached and came to his side.
- "Raikubo-san, please stay behind, it is safer that way."
- "I know" - she hesitated - "I just wanted say something... I mean, check on something." - Kazuki stopped. Haruka approached her hand to his shoulder, which prompted him to flinch. She looked down - "I just wanted to check if your vest was tight, I thought it was not" - Kazuki checked his vest and said:
- "Yes, it is tight."
- "I am glad." - Kazuki started advancing again. Haruka proceeded after him, a bit down.
- "Thank you, Raikubo-san" - Kazuki tried to sooth the mood. They advanced until a shining metallic door. Kazuki pressed the button on its right and it opened.

The opened way revealed a narrow catwalk, with a grated noisy floor, and a yellow guardrail. Kazuki approached to take a look below, and there was an open space with containers, old machines and guards. The equipment seemed unused, but the three guards were actively patrolling. Kazuki turned to Haruka with his finger on his lips and whispered on the NCID:
- "We will have to crawl until we reach the next corridor" - Haruka consented. Kazuki got down, crouched and then laid on the floor. With his pistol in his hand, he started crawling and Haruka did the same behind him.

The two agents advanced slowly, making sure not to make noise. Again, they saw no cameras, so it was a matter of simply taking it easy and going to the other end, but both of them felt tense. Haruka muttered on the NCID:
- "You know, Kaa-chan, this reminds me of when we did our soldier trainings. When we used to crawl in the dirt and them climb ropes and practice shooting. We were so young back then."
- "Yes." - he replied. He shut his eyes and tried to close himself to her.
- "I kind of miss those times. We had lots of fun when we were together, even doing the harshest of tests, even when it rained and we dragged ourselves in the mud. I kind of miss that."
- "Yeah, I remember." - he sighed - "I used to hate crawling in the mud. What were they preparing us? To fight in a tropical jungle?" - Haruka giggled softly:
- "It always seemed too much didn't it?"
- "Yes indeed." - he paused - "the field is much worse than any training, but I'm not sure if making training as harshest as possible solves this issue."
- "I'm not sure too. I wish we had more sweets and free days back then."
- "So did I." - he looked up - "we are close to the door, get ready" - Kazuki said that and advanced until the door. He, slowly and partially, got up to press the button, opening the door to another corridor. Next he entered it, crouching, and Haruka followed him, first crawling then crouching. After that, he pressed the button to close the door. 

- "Now, you need to go on until you find some stairs, which you will descend. Next, in front of you, there should be wide double doors leading to a large space, that's where you are heading." - said the operator.
- "Copy that" - replied Kazuki. He walked forward, pistol in hand and Haruka behind him. This corridor was just like the previous one and so was their tension. They advanced slowly and were able to see the stairs at the end of the corridor. Without getting closer to Kazuki, Haruka broke the silence:
- "You know Kaa-chan" - she paused - "I hope this operation is not too bloody."
- "Why do you say that?"
- "Well, there are some rebels arming themselves, that is true. But for me it seems they just want a bit of freedom."
- "I don't think so. The reports we have are dire, and capturing a deviant for military use is a line they shouldn't have crossed. Turning a poor creature into a war machine is horrendous." - Haruka gulped:
- "Have you ever wondered where the deviants come from?"
- "Not much, there's been so many strange things in this country, that I tend to think it is simply magic."
- "I see."
- "Regardless, I always avoid using lethal power, but I cannot say I would feel sorry if any rebels fell today."
- "I understand. Also I" - she hesitated.
- "What's it?"
- "Nothing, let's continue" - Haruka gave up. They advanced until the end of the corridor, looked around and descended the hollow staircase. After that, they passed through the wide door and entered on a large room.

The operator heard all their conversations and typed everything into her report.

The room they entered was dimly lit and sprawling, featuring a few old containers, it probably was an old storeroom. There were catwalks around it, and some windows on one side, leading to a corridor. Now, both agents walked side by side, looking around with their flashlights.
- "This place seems unused" - said Kazuki.
- "Yes, but what bothers me more is that this feels too quiet, everything has been too quiet so far."
- "Indeed. Let's keep it up." - they walked until the opposite end of the room, where there was a white door on the right side. Kazuki opened it and they went in.

Inside there were four computers on both sides on wooden desks, and one computer turned on in the end of the room.
- "This is the computer" - said the operator - "you can proceed." - they both walked into its direction. Haruka sat down on the chair and said:
- "Let's see what I can do here." - Haruka started typing and accessed the application which managed the security systems. To her surprise, it was easy to use and unprotected, so it was only a matter of two minutes for her to turn the systems off.
- "Is it done already?"
- "Yes" - said Haruka - "It seems that the rebels repurposed the old security system of this factory, so it is really old and unsafe." - she spread her arms - "better for us I guess."
- "Let's leave then."
- "You can leave the facility" - said the operator - "it is still early and it will be better for you to join the assault forces before they even start the operation."
- "Sure, Operator-san, thank you" - Kazuki replied and they left the computer room.

Back in the storeroom, they walked a bit, when Haruka touched Kazuki's arm and said:
- "Kaa-chan, give me a second, I have to talk with you."
- "Raikubo-san, this place is still unsafe, someone might notice that we are here. Do you need to talk now?"
- "Yes I do." - Haruka pulled Kazuki over behind a container. She extended her hand to turn off his NCID, but he pulled away. She looked down and continued - "the thing is I... I mean" - she was interrupted by a loud sound of lights turning on. The bright white lights filled the room and both agents got up quickly and looked around. They looked up and saw on a window a familiar face: Eisubel. His voice echoed in the storeroom:

- "Hey my friends, long time no see! Did you miss me?"