Conspiracy

Despite the availability of holographic communication technologies, important businesses were held physically. This was because communications were not 100% secure, even at the highest levels of government. Therefore, representatives of each metropolis would physically travel to an intermediate location to deliberate and discuss important matters. This was called [The Council].

Mayors, military, big businessmen... 200 people, from different metropolises, controlled the Neo Human faction. Their functions were diverse, maintaining peace, resource management, controlling people... but their most vital function was to ensure the proper functioning of their society.

Today they were gathered here to solve the last of the problems they had been dealing with for a week. Of the 200 representatives of the entire Neo Human faction, 132 votes were in favor, 41 votes were blank, and 27 were against.

"So we agreed that Mr. Yu Asu's sister, Mai Asu, should be the one to inherit her family's company. She has proven herself capable of doing so, and over the years, her dissatisfaction with her brother's actions shows us that Miss Mai despised her brother's ideals. Unfortunately, none saw Mr. Yu's intentions except his sister. It’s still unknown to us if Yu Asu is behind the malfunctions in the cybernetic prostheses. But all our hints indicate so."

"You are crazy, Mr. Yamada!!! I demand a recount!!! This is unacceptable!!!"

"Yeah!!! They must have tampered with the votes!!!" Complained the wealthy old men and women.

"We shouldn't even be voting on this!!!!! We should take over the company by force!!!" Said Neo Shibuya’s mayor.

"SILENCE!!! The decision is unanimous!!! The democratic system has chosen Mai Asu as the successor!!!" This is what you wanted, isn't it, Duchess? After this, you will leave my family alone.

From a corner of the room, an old lady came forth and raised her voice.

"Think for a moment about what you are saying. If the government were to take over Asu Industries, it would generate a catastrophic economic and social loss in our system. We would be advocating our society toward extinction."

"Mrs. Ueda... what are you doing here?"

Mrs. Ueda was the highest authority in the entire Neo Human faction. Mayors, managers of large corporations, the military... there wasn't even one person who wasn't accountable to her. The late Mr. Asu was one of the few who never had anything to owe, so it can be said that there is no one in the world who doesn't owe her something.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am here to put an end to your quarrels. Miss Mai Asu was chosen as her brother's successor. The company belonged to her family for centuries. Young Yu's disappearance is nothing but a setback. We are still unsure of the reasons for the failures on the cybernetic prostheses. We must be cautious. We must maintain a cordial relationship with both Asu and the Neo Human inhabitants. Anyone who disagrees with my decision should raise their hand now."

"Mrs. Ueda, your husband died a long time ago. It is true that I owe my life to him. But we can't let this opportunity pass us by. We must find out what Mr. Yu Asu was up to. The latest health incidents that have occurred with bionic prosthetics are no coincidence!!!" Said Neo Shibuya's mayor.

"So that's you opposing my decision??"

"Tsssk!!! No, Mrs. Ueda."

"Very well. Does anyone else have anything to say?"

...

...

"Very well. I trust everything is settled. Keep maintaining the populace calm and let the elders handle the hard stuff."

*Step, step, step, step, step*

Mrs. Ueda left the meeting place serene and calm. The problems caused by the scorpions had been solved. For the time being.

"You've heard Mrs. Ueda!!! From now on, Ms. Mai Asu will be in charge of Asu Industries. Trust her decision if you don't trust democracy." Mr. Yamada said.

****

Meanwhile. A group acting in the shadows debated about the future of the Neo Human faction and everything that happened the day Neo Shibuya went dark. The group was known as [The Shadows], and its members secretly controlled the world with hardly anyone knowing of their existence.

Unlike the higher-ups of the Neo Human faction, [The Shadows] conducted their meetings non-face-to-face, through the Cyber Deep. Unlike the other connections, the one this group used was completely invulnerable. Moreover, none of the shadows knew exactly the identity of the others. They met in a gloomy, dark virtual space, lit by dim black candles, as they sat around a circular table, seated in ominous chairs adorned with black floral motifs.

*The 10 shadows have gathered* Said a certain AI.

"Damn it!!! Yu Asu, you idiot… With how hard it was for us to get him to obey!!!"

"You're still thinking about that, Kyusei?"

"I beg your pardon, Yonsei??!! Say that again if you dare!!!"

"SILENCE!!! Yonsei is right. Yu Asu was using us more than we were using him." The third shadow calmed the atmosphere.

"Thank you, Sansei." Said the fourth shadow.

"Besides that, that sister of his is way more stupid tahn we thought!!! I'm glad the public rulers put her in charge of the family business, hehehehehehe. She'll be a much easier target to manipulate." Remarked the sixth shadow.

The one who presided over the table, known as Ichisei, stood up in the middle of the heated chatter of his peers to utter the words that would direct their actions from that moment on.

"Brothers!! A new era opens before us, [The Shadows]. Before his abrupt disappearance, Yu Asu developed the suit that will allow us to conquer Stay territory in the blink of an eye. It's time to execute the last phase of operation [Styx]!!!"

"That's right." Nisei said. "The complete annihilation of humans is about to become a reality. Our great dream of an exclusively bionic society is finally in its last stage!!!"

"Our next step will be to control Yu Asu’s rude airhead sister. Unlike her brother, it will be much easier to take control of Asu industries secret technology. We will steal their suit, the B.U.T.H.O, and ravage the cockroaches on the other side of the wall!!!" Said Sansei.

"However, I have heard that their new group is made up of exceptional people. I have information about the new member of their organization. His code name is Wolf. My informants say that he has incredible technology in some kind of demon shaped mask. We should tread carefully." Said Jyusei.

"Don't worry about that, brother. There is no technology other than young Yu Asu's suit that is capable of overwhelming us. And what’s more!! We recovered a severely injured body the other day from the coup against Asu industries. We modified his body and brainwashed him. Ho no longer remembers his old life. He is now part of our executioners division. Look at him."

A hologram of a completely modified man appeared next to Nisei. Because his identity had to be protected like the ones from [The Shadows], his face was completely covered. Unrecognizable, his figure emanated a terrifying and threatening aura, despite being a simple hologram.

"Esplendid!! Another marionette for our cause!! This will be a great addition to our offensive against the Stay faction and anyone who tries to stop us from the Neo Human side." Said Jyusei.

"We just need to separate all the members of Mai Asu's pathetic group one by one and dominate the world!!!!! Rejoice brothers!!! For this is the dawn of Neo Human supremacy!!!" Ichisei proclaimed.

*CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP*

All the shadows rose and flooded their dark meeting place with a monstrous and disturbing applause. Just one, that ended their meeting. The shadows faded silently from the virtual space from the Cyber Deep. But they would soon reappear.

"I must get to Mai Asu before the others. I must help them!!!" Said one of the shadows after returning to reality.

One of the shadows didn't seem to quite agree with what the leader of their organization said. Showing a special interest in helping Mai Asu.

****

The days passed. All the commotion caused by the great wave disruptor has stabilized. The systems were working perfectly, and Mai Asu had assumed command of the family business. Her first action was to assign specific positions to members of her gang.

Ano became the multinational's head of research and development.

“Time to work more than ever!!!”

Ryuko became Mai's secretary, vice president of the company, and head of the laboratory and pharmacology section.

"Ryuko-chaaaaan!!! I need you to organize these papers for me and then rearrange my appointments because I want to go shopping today!!!"

"Aaaaaaaaahhh... I'm so busy with everything!!!"

"Ah!!! I forgot to tell you that you are needed at the labs. Apparently, several containers have exploded or something."

"I can't keep goo…ooo…ooo…ing..."

*Guru, guru, guru, guru, guru*

*PLAF*

"Ryukooooooo!!! Hang in there!!! The company needs youuuuuuuu!!! Don't dieeeeeeeeeee!!!!!

Gunner was assigned to the security and armory area of the company.

"Gunner-san. We need you to sign some papers so we can continue working."

"Sure, give me a second alone with this kinetic tank."

Chameleon fulfilled his dream of being connected 24 hours a day to the Cyber Hut and became the ultimate security system against cyber threats.

"The code on this site is raaaaaaaaaaaaad, baby!! HEY! Call more people to the party!! Tonight I have a killer code for drinks!!!!

Kaboom... Kaboom got her own explosion-proof room; just as a precaution.

*BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!*

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!"

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!*

Despite never having found Coyote's body, the members of the Scorpions organized a funeral for him. An empty coffin that served as a replacement was duly buried after having a private funeral near a secluded area where no one used to go by.

Coyote… Are you really dead? Where are you?

Ulf was protecting his now semi-abandoned base where Yu Asu was being held. The faithful animal fed Yu Asu with the [V-Pills] daily by passing him a container through a small trap door the billionaire inventor's cell had.

"Sooner or later, you'll come to me for help, Mi-kun. I'm sure of it. You're about to take on the world and you're still very naive."

****

The days passed. Ano changed his lifestyle for the good. His clothes changed completely from a depressing black, to an optimistic grayish. He perfected his BUTHO suit, which was installed in his master's leather jacket, which he never took off. Every night after finishing his days where he researched and improved his BUTHO suit, Ano gazed at the night city along with the starry sky from his glassed-in room on top of the Asu Industries building.

"Tomorrow is the day..."