Old enemies

Ano had hopped on his Z-910 and was on his way to the duchess's joint. The engine of his motorcycle roared wilder than ever.

*VRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!*

Shit! The bullet came out, but it hurts like hell.

“Follow him!! Don’t let him escape!! In the next turn, the bike team overtake him and cut his advance!!”

Suddenly, in the mirrors of his beloved motorcycle, he could see several armored vehicles and multiple motorcycles following him.

What now? I have to lose them as soon as possible or I will lose a lot of blood.

From the touch panel of his motorcycle, the young inventor activated the reflective light panels that his Z-910 has installed on every detachable metal parts. These made his steel stallion shine like a reflection, which blinded anyone who looked directly at him.

This will prevent them from identifying my Z-910 in the future. Also, if they are not careful, they could burn their corneas if they stare at the reflectors.

Some vehicles stopped following him, but others continued because they were wearing special glasses that prevented the blindness caused by the white light beams Ano’s motorcycle was projecting.

“Shit!! He’s using light reflection technology!! Use your shades!!”

Let's see what you do with this then.

After pressing another button, a dense fog of smoke began to emanate from both sides of the Z-910. This prevented the pursuers from going at top speed because they could endanger the lives of the inhabitants of the metropolis.

"Bastard!" The pursuer picked up his communicator. "Robbery and assault suspect escapes on a reflective motorcycle!!!! Block bridges A and B and wear anti-glare glasses!!!! He’s dressed completely in black and wearing a white mask. It was impossible to scan his Net Share from a distance!!!"

After losing his pursuers and crossing a large part of the metropolis, the young boy reached the bridge control. They had activated the barricade system from the bridge so that no one could get through. In addition, the pursuers he had thrown off were approaching towards his position.

I’m cut. I'm completely surrounded… But they forgot to block one escape route!!

"This is bridge control of district B!!! Suspected assault and robbery citizen intercepted!!!! Requesting backup immediately!!!"

The young boy was trapped. In front of him, an inexorable barricade, 20 meters deep. Behind him and on either side, dozens of vehicles were approaching at full speed to cut off his retreat. However, Ano had already foreseen this. He activated one last device on his Z-910.

All right, Z-910, it's time to repeat your first stunt. Time to fly!!! O.N.I, activate the synaptic combat sequence!!

*Synaptic combat sequence activated. Enjoy.*

“Now!!! Thrusters, engage!!!”

*VVVVRRRRRRRRRRRRZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ*

Ano activated the sonic thrusters of his motorcycle. It reached a speed of 220 kilometers per hour in less than 5 seconds. As he approached the barricade, the young boy raised the front of his motorcycle and popped a wheelie. At just the right moment, he took advantage of the speed bump before the bridge control and went flying.

If I didn't have the O.N.I. synaptic enhancement, I couldn't have done this at the right time!!!!

After traveling more than 100 meters in the air, at a speed of more than 200 kilometers per hour, while the guards on the bridge were firing their guns uselessly into the sky, the young boy overcame the barricade and landed on the bridge leading to district B.

"Suck my balls, clowns!" Said the young boy as he flashed his middle finger at them.

The sun was setting, Ano pressed the accelerator to the maximum and in a matter of seconds he crossed the bridge leading to district B without any obstacles.

*VVVVVVVVrrrrrr…*

While the guards controlling the bridge were stunned, the pursuers who arrived at the barricade started shouting at them.

"MOVE THE BARRICADE AWAY, STUPIDS!!!"

By the time they wanted to clear the bridge control, it was too late. The young boy had disappeared, changed the color of his beloved Z-910, and set course for the duchess' club.

****

After losing all those vehicles that chased him through the metropolis, the young boy made a short stop at a clandestine clinic. Without further complication, the dubious doctor working there applied a disinfectant, sealed the bullet entry and exit wounds, and put some dressings on the boy's shoulder.

"That will be 100,000 yen, young boy. You wouldn't be interested in trading any of your limbs for these mechanical marvels, by any chance? You could use them so you don't bleed to death."

"I don't need it. This was a one-time thing. It won't happen again."

Ano put his jacket over his tanktop and, after paying, he left the clinic. Without removing his mask for a moment, the young boy arrived at the duchess's place. He had to avoid being recognized in the B district.

Before entering, he checked to see if the wave disruptors he had put in place the other day were still in position. However, they had been removed.

You can keep them if you want. There are more where those came from.

The young boy put back several wave disruptors in case the deal got complicated. He crossed the joint. Everyone looked at the white demon as they remembered what he did two days ago. However, no one stood in his way and he arrived at the duchess's office without a problem.

"Ah!!! Star Ghost!!! I got word that you were coming. You know, you should change that habit of yours of coming unannounced."

The duchess gestured and commanded her burly, modified escorts to leave.

"As a sign of my confidence in you, I return the toys from the other day and the ones you put out today." She said as she placed the disruptors on her table.

"I have kept my end of the bargain. Here is the data you requested and the message has been delivered." Ano said after placing a data disk on the duchess's desk.

"Splendid!!! A perfect job, except for that wound on your shoulder.”

"How do you know that?"

"Aaaah, don't get mad honey, the doctor is an old friend of mine. In fact, the whole of district B is a friend of mine. You've done well not to take off that mask. You know? The name Shiro Oni would suit you better than Star Ghost."

"I don't care about that. Give me what you promised me."

"Here's what we promised."

The old woman tossed a contact card of someone called Scorpion on her desk.

"What am I supposed to do with this? It's a card with only the name Scorpion written on it." Said the young boy.

"I promised you that I would help you get to Yu. That's the person who has the power to get to him."

"Scorpion? I've never heard that name before."

"They changed their name. The one they had before had a very bad reputation."

Ano planted himself firmly again, with the intention of complaining one more time.

"Look, I've done the job as you asked. One card isn't enough to make me go away. I need you to..."

The young boy was interrupted abruptly.

"Boy. I only helped you because I owed GIA a lot. Once you get out of here, you'll go back to being a random, Star Ghost. You broke rule number 3 and you're not going to be punished for it. I advise you to take the card, get out of here and call them. Exactly in that order. Stop acting like a child and be grateful for what you have been given."

Ano fell silent, took the card and left without saying thank you.

Damn old woman!

****

The young boy left the shop and went to a contact booth two streets to the north. He dialed the number in an attempt to find out what it was all about. Someone answered the phone on the other end of the line.

*Code.*

What is this? A broken, modified voice, obviously via voice modification software. Are they some kind of kids or what?

"Code?"

*Incorrect code.*

The connection went dead.

What was that all about? What code do they want?

Ano checked the card carefully and saw something strange. Using a black light, he could see a code hidden at the bottom of the card.

What a stupid thing.

The young boy called again.

*Code*

"The mother of snakes."

*What do you need, mother?*

"I want a meeting with the scorpion."

*In 1 hour, under the bridge at 4th and 6th in district A*.

The connection went dead again.

All right. Let's see what this is all about.

The boy jumped onto his Z-910 and set a course for the agreed location. The sun was already down, the neon lights were glowing, and he had just enough time to get there from the district he was in. He activated the wave disruptor on his loyal steel stallion and set out to ride in the reckless manner to which he was accustomed.

****

On his way to the meeting point with the scorpion, the young boy received a strange message on his PDA from a sender nicknamed ????.

*Hey Star Ghost, I got a strange message with two audio files. Apparently, they are for you. I don't know who sent them.

Kisses, the duchess.*

What does the damned old hag want now?

The young boy stopped his motorcycle on the side of the highway for a moment and looked at the message. Inside were two audio files. One was dated the day before Hana's death, and the other was more recent, from the night Dr. Tsukino passed away.

*Then remember. Tomorrow at 18:00 sharp. No delays. The spy will get out if we take away someone precious to him.*

*Send the cleaning crew. We've found the spy.*

This is Yu's voice... Someone precious? Cleanup?

The boy stood in thought as cars sped past him on the highway where he was stopped. The purple demon that lived in his back slowly manifested itself as he smiled evilly.

So it was true. Both Hana and Master Akira were killed because of me... They thought someone from district C was spying on them. And a few days ago, when I went to Master Akira's workshop, they discovered the files we obtained in the Cyber Deep... Yu Asu is the one who took away my happiness. You're dead, you bastard!

As the evil presence behind him faded away, he headed for the meeting point. Ano arrived at the meeting place 10 minutes late. The young boy took off his mask, parked his motorcycle under the bridge and leaned against it. There was no one there.

"You're late."

A female voice could be heard coming from the shadowy hollow under the bridge.

"You haven't given me much time to get here. Are you the scorpion?"

"Scorpion is the name of our organization, but it is also mine, their leader."

A mysterious figure stepped out of the shadows.

"Well, well. So it was you. What a surprise, Ano-kun." Said the mysterious woman.

"I never thought I'd end up asking an Asu for help."

Ano prepared to say the only words he ever thought he would say as the figure stepped out of the shadow to be illuminated by the neon lights on the facade.

"Mai Asu, help me kill your brother!!!"