THE TIME HAS COME: 09/16/2030, 06:00 ♪ BGM: LABO Security Lv. 2 ♫ The kids climbed over the fence and infiltrated the premises.  Before their eyes was a gigantic building. LABO-- the 6th Laboratory of Atomic and Biological Organization. The place where Natsuhiko and Yuuri had suffered their permanent emotional scars.  ...It sure is quiet. It seems like the terrorist attack hasn't started yet. Yeah...!Natsuhiko answered in a stiff voice. (Dammit, I knew it would happen, but...!)Just looking at the building made him break out in goosebumps and a cold sweat. His fear from 9 years ago was alive and well. (... Put up with it. You can overcome this.)--The moment he thought that, a sharp voice rang out from a short distance away. Security Guard 1: What are you kids doing here!? This is a restricted area! They saw two men who seemed to be security guards rushing up to them from LABO. They were slinging what appeared to be machine guns off their shoulders. Ah, uh-- um...!Mashiro stepped back in fear to see them. But Natsuhiko stepped up as if to cover for Mashiro and Salyu as he answered the security guards. Please, wait. I'm Natsuhiko Tenkawa, the son of senior researcher Miyoko Tenkawa.Security Guard 2: ...What? The younger security guard looked dubious as Natsuhiko showed them his student ID and continued. I came here to see my mother on urgent business. Can you call her for me?Security Guard 1: What kind of business? ...A life—or-death family crisis. I haven't been able to contact my mother since yesterday... so I had no choice but to come here directly.Natsuhiko came up with a lie. And as he did so, he desperately tried to use empathy. But just then-- telepathy from Mashiro came soaring into his head. {Natsuhiko, I can't read their minds...! They aren't opening up their hearts to us.} (Yeah, I can understand why...)Regardless if the security guards were sleeper agents or not, it was only expected that they wouldn't open their hearts to some high school kids who suddenly appeared in a restricted area. They stared at the kids. Eventually the younger security guard whispered to the older one. Security Guard 2: ...Should I call Dr. Tenkawa? Security Guard 1: ...Mmm... hmm... Suddenly, raindrops started falling from the sky.  Before they knew it, the sky became covered in clouds and it started to rain. The security guards looked up at the sky in frustration. Security Guard 1: Rain, huh... well, fine. We'll bring you to the entrance. Wait for Dr. Tenkawa there. O... okay!The kids secretly clenched their fists in glee at those words.  The older security guard spoke up. Security Guard 1: I'll call the professor. Wait here for a little bit. He disappeared behind an iron door further down the entrance. The younger security guard stayed behind with the kids. ...You can't take us to her?Security Guard 2: People from the outside can only come in to this entrance area. There are 'security gates' set up around the facility that prevent you from entering unless you have a corresponding card. The man glanced at the iron door. Beside the door was what appeared to be a card swiping slot. Where is Dr. Tenkawa?Security Guard 2: Somewhere in the basement floors, I suppose. But security is even tougher on the bottom floors than the ground floors, so it's strictly off-limits to ordinary people. Depending on the situation, you could even be shot and apprehended without warning. So if you understand what's best for you, you'd wait here. If security was that severe, then terrorists probably wouldn't be able to get in. (But we can't let our guards down. We don't know how the enemy plans to invade, after all...!)As Natsuhiko considered that possibility, he received telepathy from Mashiro. {We can't afford to waste time, right...? Should we take this opportunity to send telepathy to the professor?}Natsuhiko was taken aback, but he nodded at Mashiro. (Roger... in that case, I'll try sending it.} (Yeah, I'll try too.)Natsuhiko concentrated his mind.  She had told him herself once before. She was a Type 4, just like Salyu. (There's something I need to tell Mom... I've never needed this ability any more than I do now. So of course I'll be able to use telepathy!)The moment he made that conviction, Natsuhiko's five senses suddenly faded. He could feel his message leave his head as it emitted from his brain.  ♪ BGM: Extra-Sensory Perception ♫ {We're in LABO's ground floor entrance. We came here for reasons related to what we told you about yesterday. That is, terrorism-- There's a possibility that Q is targeting this facility. Q's objective is to destroy this town. That's why they're targeting this facility's nuclear reactor. To make matters worse, there's possibly a sleeper agent in this facility. It could be Mr. Ukita or someone else... No matter how strictly precautions are taken, no matter how high security is, if there is a sleeper agent present, then the terrorist plot could succeed. So please, Mom... Take all personnel outside of the facility right away and don't let anyone inside. I know I'm asking the impossible. But there's no other way!} ♪ BGM: LABO Security Lv. 2 ♫ (... All right!)Natsuhiko was confident he successfully invoked telepathy. And right after that, he received telepathy from Mashiro. {Hey, Natsuhiko, I sent Dr. Tenkawa telepathy... But I can't sense that it got to her.} Huh? How can you tell?The security guard looked at Natsuhiko suspiciously after he inadvertently spoke out loud. Security Guard 2: Hmm? Tell what? Ah, no, it's nothing.As Natsuhiko panicked to smooth things over, Mashiro continued with telepathy. {Once you get used to it, you can use empathy to confirm successful transmission. But something's odd... there's no response at all.} (What!? Did something happen to Mom!?)Natsuhiko was hit by an unpleasant premonition as he looked towards the entrance. --And then, suddenly-- !!Memories from nine years ago came back in his mind.   ♪ BGM: Evil and Nightmares ♫ The memory of when he and Yuuri had sneaked into this facility. At the time, security was lax. They had stowed away on a transport truck and hid behind a security guard to get into the entrance. All staff seemed to be underground as there was no human presence in the entrance.  Hmm, so this is LABO, huh.Natsuhiko looked around and beside him, Yuuri whispered.  H-hey, Hikorin... we need to be more sneaky. What are you talking about, Yuuri? You agreed to do this, didn't you? We said we'd save Mom since she's always being swamped with work. Y-yeah, I know, but...That was the reason Natsuhiko and Yuuri had sneaked into LABO. At the time, Dr. Tenkawa was already a core member of the LABO research team and would always work late into the night. In Natsuhiko's eyes, she looked like she was being forced to work. This is a mission of justice to save Mom. So we need to carry ourselves with dignity. But... they'll get mad at us if we get caught. You're such a scaredy-cat. C'mon, let's go. You can hold my hand.Natsuhiko gripped Yuuri's hand tight and walked farther inside. Mom told me that she works in the basement in Area 5. She said it's a place only top professors can go. So first we need to find a staircase that goes to the basement, huh. It's gotta be behind that door. Let's go, Yuuri.And back then, their path was blockaded by an iron door as well. Huh... It won't open. How do you think we open it...?--How would they open it? Why were they able to to the basement back then? As soon as Natsuhiko pondered that detail--!   ♪ BGM: Silence ♫ An intense shock suddenly ran through his head, interrupting his thoughts. Security Guard 2: Hmm? He heard the security guards dubious voice coming from far away. Natsuhiko leaned against a wall, unable to stand the intense pain. --Natsuhiko!? What's wrong!? Do you feel bad!? M... my head...!He felt as if something were clamping down on his head. It happened when he tried to remember what happened nine years ago. (Why...!? Why does my head hurt so much!? ... No, I don't care! I need to remember! Something's off here, isn't it!? Even if the security system has changed from how it was in the past, the structure of the facility itself wouldn't change too, would it!? Why were we able to go to the basement!?)Back then, neither Natsuhiko nor Yuuri had a security card. And yet when they messed around with the card slot in an attempt to open the door-- (... That's right. If I'm not mistaken, back then, there was an alarm...!)As he tried to remember, another headache struck! Guh, uugh, uuugghh....!Natsuhiko staggered, unable to bear it.  
TheMcD fucked around with this message at 18:15 on Feb 12, 2017 |
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| ← # ? Feb 12, 2017 18:07 |
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