Chapter 4_ The Calm Before the Storm

The resolve forged on the rooftop held firm as they filed back into the café. The space had transformed into a full tactical operations center. Kurumi was the silent, rapid-fire heart of it, her fingers a blur across keyboards, the map of Tokyo glowing on her main screen like a digital nerve center.
Takina moved to the weapons locker, her movements a ritual of quiet precision as she began field-stripping and cleaning her pistals. Chisato, unable to contain her kinetic energy, started a series of stretching exercises that fluidly morphed into practice dodges, her body a testament to impossible reflexes.
Raze stood near the counter, feeling the strange dissonance of it all. This was a team, a real one, with rhythms and roles he was only beginning to understand.
"Your posture indicates a state of social displacement," K-1 observed, hovering beside him. "Perhaps you are wondering where you fit in this peculiar ecosystem. Might I suggest 'brooding mascot'?"
Before Raze could form a retort, the front door chimed open, letting in a gust of cool evening air.
"Alright, mission accomplished," a familiar voice announced. Mizuki Nakahara strode in, dropping a heavy-looking duffel bag onto a table with a solid thud. She brushed a strand of her brown hair from her face and adjusted her red-top glasses. "I got everything on the list. Non-perishable food, extra first-aid supplies, and the... special electronic components Kurumi wanted." She gave the hacker a pointed look. "Do I want to know what you need a military-grade signal booster for?"
Kurumi didn't look up from her screens. "Better you don't. Deniability and all that."
Mizuki's gaze then swept the room, landing on Raze. A sly, knowing smile played on her lips. "Well, well. Look who's decided to join the land of the living. Sleep well, our little walking secret?"
Raze felt a flush of warmth on his neck. Her direct, slightly teasing demeanor was a weapon he had no defense against. "Well enough. Thank you for the... hospitality."
"Don't mention it. Just remember, you break it, you buy it," she said, winking before turning to Mika. "The van is gassed up and parked in the usual spot. Everything's ready on my end for when you need wheels."
So that was where she'd been. While he slept and the others planned, Mizuki had been out in the city, procuring supplies and preparing their getaway vehicle. She wasn't just background decoration; she was their logistician, their driver—the one who ensured the machine could actually run.
Mika gave a grateful nod. "Good work, Mizuki."
Her presence completed the picture. This was the full LycoReco team: Chisato, the unstoppable spearhead; Takina, the unshakable shield; Kurumi, the all-seeing eyes; Mika, the calm strategist; and Mizuki, the glue that held the practicalities together. And now, he and K-1 were... the wild cards.
"Speaking of when we need it," Takina said, closing the slide on her pistol with a definitive click. "Kurumi, do we have a target?"
The hacker spun in her chair, a triumphant gleam in her eyes. "I've been cross-referencing the drone's flight path with every data stream I can tap. Anomalous power draws, short-term leases by shady shell corporations... and I found a match." She pointed to a location on the map in the Ohta district. "A decommissioned pharmaceutical logistics warehouse. It's been drawing enough power to run a small server farm for the last two weeks. The shell corporation that leased it has tenuous links to an arms dealer the DA has flagged before."
The air in the room tightened. This was it. The shift from reactive to proactive.
"Then it's time for a visit," Chisato said, her voice losing its playful edge and gaining a steely determination.
Mika's decision was immediate. "Chisato, Takina, you're on point. Raze, your knowledge of their tech is our biggest advantage. You're going with them. Identify anything we can use. Mizuki," he said, turning to her. "You're on driver and comms. Get them in clean, and be ready to get them out dirty."
Mizuki grabbed the van keys from a hook behind the counter, twirling them around her finger. "Finally, the part where I earn my keep. Don't worry, new kid," she added, looking at Raze. "My driving is the one thing I take seriously. You'll be in and out before they know what hit them."
As the team moved toward the door, Mizuki fell into step beside Raze. Her expression softened from its usual cynical amusement to something more genuine.
"Hey. Ren," she said, her voice low enough that only he could hear. "I might joke around, and I definitely think you're a magnet for trouble. But this weird little family is all I've got. So you watch their backs in there, you understand me? Especially those two idiots." She nodded toward Chisato and Takina. "They act invincible, but they're not."
It was a stark, raw moment of trust. She wasn't just giving him an order; she was admitting a vulnerability. She was including him in the circle of people she protected.
"I understand," Raze said, meeting her gaze. "They're my responsibility, too."
Mizuki gave a single, firm nod, her signature grin returning. "Good. Now let's go make some noise."
End of Chapter 4