Waking up early in the morning, Alex didn't feel the familiar warmth next to him. This threw him off a little, as every morning started the same way: Rebecca, following her strange ritual, would always chew on some part of his body. Today should've been the same, but he was alone in bed.
Turning onto his side and opening his eyes, Alex didn't see the usual scene. He rolled over to the other side—same story. No one. Stretching sleepily, he got up and looked around. The room was empty.
«Where is everyone?» Alex thought, getting up from the couch and heading to the bathroom. But it was empty too. After a quick wash, he decided to head downstairs to see who was home.
As he walked down the stairs, Alex noticed that everyone was gathered in the living room, with a few new faces added to the usual company. On one side sat the house's residents, while Falco and Kiwi were settled on the armchairs. Falco, sipping coffee, was chatting with Gloria, both smiling as they seemed to be reminiscing about old times.
Kiwi sat a bit off to the side, answering Valeri's endless stream of questions. Alex tried to recall why they were in his apartment, but nothing came to mind. Sighing, he decided to ask directly.
«What brings you here so early in the morning?» he addressed the group.
All eyes instantly turned toward him, like in a horror movie scene where the hero enters a room and everyone stares. Alex couldn't help but feel like he was the protagonist in such a moment. Falco smiled and nodded in greeting, while Kiwi raised an eyebrow.
«Didn't you call us last night and say everything was ready, asking us to come?» Kiwi asked in surprise.
Alex placed a hand on his chin, trying to remember. If they were here, then he must have called, but why didn't he remember it? Kiwi noticed his confusion and realized he had forgotten the midnight call. Falco just shook his head, smirking. Judging by Alex's voice on the phone, he had been very tired, so it was understandable.
«Well, if I called, then I called. But first coffee, then everything else,» Alex said, shrugging as he gave up on trying to remember the details.
Under the group's gazes, Alex headed to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee, just to start functioning properly. Even though he barely needed sleep or food, he still clung to old habits. Even after waking up, Alex always felt like he hadn't slept enough.
«Is he always like this in the mornings?» Falco asked Gloria, watching Alex disappear into the kitchen.
Gloria thought for a moment. She'd long noticed that Alex always looked like he'd been forcibly woken up after several sleepless nights.
«Usually, when he wakes up, he looks like he's ready to punch someone,» Gloria chuckled, shaking her head.
Falco smiled at her answer. He, too, thought Alex had looked like the members of their team after tough missions when they had only managed to get a couple of hours of sleep. And knowing Alex had woken them up in the middle of the night with his call, it was clear he hadn't slept much.
«Yeah, that's understandable,» Falco said with a light grin.
In the kitchen, Alex brewed himself some coffee and stared at the cup, waiting to take his first sip. After drinking a little, he felt life slowly returning to his body. A fleeting thought crossed his mind about giving up sleep altogether, but he quickly dismissed it.
The brain needed rest too, and the best way to do that was sleep—long, uninterrupted sleep. With the cup in hand, Alex headed to his workshop to gather everything he needed. As he shuffled past the group, he dragged his feet like an old man.
Entering the workshop, Alex tried to remember where he had put everything he needed. The table was its usual mess, and of course, nothing useful was there. He started rummaging through the cabinets and first came across items with strange names.
Mentally, he noted that he really needed to stop giving things such confusing names to avoid getting mixed up. After all, if someone saw a box labeled «For shu-tu-tu,» they'd have no idea what was inside. Even Alex didn't know what was in that box, so he decided to ignore it for now.
Opening the next cabinet, he finally spotted a shelf labeled «Mission Impossible.» «There it is,» Alex thought with relief, realizing he had found what he was looking for.
Gathering all the necessary boxes, Alex headed to the living room to show off his creations. When he emerged from the workshop, arms full of suitcases, it immediately caught the attention of everyone present.
Approaching the table, he carefully laid them out, preparing for the demonstration. But before he could start explaining, a small hand reached out toward one of the cases—it was Rebecca, unable to resist her curiosity.
«Where are you stretching those little gremlin hands?» Alex scolded, quickly swatting away her attempt to open the first case.
After getting her hands slapped away, Rebecca gave him an offended look. This scene was all too familiar in their house: every time Alex created something, Rebecca would immediately try to grab it and test it out.
If it weren't for his quick reactions, the house would have probably exploded several times by now. One particularly dangerous incident involved one of Alex's recent inventions—it resembled a weapon from the movie «Doom.» When Rebecca nearly activated it, Alex almost had a heart attack. In the game, the BFG used 'Argent' energy, but in the movie, it was a concentrated plasma charge that looked like a jelly-like blast or something similar.
«You'll get your chance to see it; no need to give me those eyes,» Alex said calmly, teasing her as he pinched Rebecca's nose with his fingers.
She swatted his hand away, sighed dramatically, and sat on the couch, looking like a child who'd been forbidden from playing with new toys. Alex, with a slight smile, turned to the others, who had been watching the interaction with mild amusement. Falco, noticing this, turned to Gloria.
«Does this happen often?» he asked, nodding in the direction of Rebecca and Alex.
Gloria sighed, smiling slightly as she nodded.
«All the time. Alex creates something, and Rebecca immediately tries to grab it. One time she nearly blew up an entire building,» she said with a crooked smile.
Falco involuntarily shuddered, imagining just how dangerous Alex's inventions could be, and cast a cautious glance toward the workshop door. Quickly shaking off those thoughts, he turned his attention back to the suitcases, eagerly awaiting Alex's explanation.
Kiwi, also intrigued, scooted closer to get a better look at the contents.
«First off, these are your outfits for the mission,» Alex said, sliding two cases forward.
He placed one suitcase in front of Falco and the other in front of Kiwi. Both opened their cases. Inside, Falco found a sharp black suit with a white shirt and a red tie. The material felt incredibly durable, as if the suit could withstand bullets. Kiwi found secretary-style attire: a knee-length pencil skirt, a white blouse, and a gray blazer.
«Go change, then we'll continue,» Alex instructed, pointing to the bathroom.
Falco headed off to change in the bathroom, while Kiwi went upstairs, where Gloria offered her one of the rooms. Left alone in the living room, Alex tried to ignore Rebecca, who continued to stare at him with sad eyes. Seeing that her looks wouldn't get her anywhere, he sighed and, finally giving in, spread his arms in a gesture of offering comfort.
Rebecca immediately jumped into his arms, playing the role of a spoiled child and asking questions about what was inside the other cases. She even batted her eyelashes at him and made suggestive comments about the evening, trying to coax him into revealing the secrets. Alex was tempted to fall for her charms but decided to wait for Kiwi and Falco to return.
Realizing her plan hadn't worked, Rebecca cast a pleading glance at Gloria, hoping for her help. But Gloria just shook her head, refusing to get involved. Sighing even louder, Rebecca turned to Lucy, who was petting GIR, but she also refused to help. Frustrated, Rebecca began grumbling about «traitors all around.»
«If you wait, I'll make a special machine gun just for you,» Alex whispered in her ear like a true tempter.
Rebecca's eyes lit up with excitement. Her very own machine gun—and a dangerous one at that! She immediately hugged Alex and began behaving like an obedient child promised early Christmas presents. Alex smiled, seeing how quickly she calmed down. He had long since learned how to soothe girls when they wanted something.
A few minutes later, Falco and Kiwi returned in their new outfits. Falco, in a sharp suit with a white shirt and red tie, looked like a butler from an aristocratic household, especially with his neatly groomed hair and mustache.
Kiwi, on the other hand, drew attention with her figure, accentuated by the fitted skirt and sleek gray blazer. Alex noticed and let his gaze linger on her slender yet curvy form.
«That outfit really suits you, Kiwi,» he said, raising a thumb in approval.
Kiwi shot him a brief glance, and although she was slightly flustered by the compliment, she didn't want to show that she liked it. Instead, she rolled her eyes and, sitting down in a chair, crossed her legs demonstratively, throwing another glance at Alex. Clearing his throat, he shifted his attention to Falco, who was adjusting his tie.
«Well, how do I look?» Falco asked, turning around to show off his new look.
Alex quickly looked him over and replied with a smile, «I rarely compliment men, but you really do look like a proper butler for aristocrats.»
The girls exchanged glances and nodded in agreement. Falco's neatly trimmed mustache made the impression even stronger. He smiled and sat down, waiting to see what else Alex had in store.
«All right, moving on. The next case contains something that will help us hide our identities,» Alex said, opening another suitcase.
Inside were three strange circular devices. Alex explained that creating these wasn't easy, especially since Kiwi couldn't take off her mask, so he had to come up with an alternative.
«To use them, just attach it to your temple, and the device will do the rest. New faces are already programmed in,» Alex explained, handing one of the devices to Falco.
Falco attached it to his temple as instructed, and his face began to slowly change. His hair turned white, and his facial features aged. Everyone watched the process in amazement, and Falco, feeling his altered face, looked stunned. Alex handed him a mirror, and Falco was astonished by what he saw.
«Now you're Sebastian Kerr. You can thank GIR—he helped with this part,» Alex said, pointing at the robot dog.
GIR flashed a peace sign, clearly pleased with himself. Kiwi also used the device, and her transformation was just as impressive: her light hair darkened and grew longer, reaching her shoulder blades. She ran her hands over her new face, surprised that her mask was no longer visible. Rebecca, unable to hold back any longer, began shaking Alex, demanding to see what was in the remaining cases.
Alex sighed and opened the remaining suitcases. Everyone craned their necks, trying to peek inside. There was dark clothing and a set of weapons—tanto and some strange shurikens. Rebecca immediately pointed at them, asking:
«What's this?»
«Remember the ninja outfit for GIR? Well, I upgraded it. Now he has a camouflage option. And with the weapons—I figured, since he's a ninja, why not make him a real ninja?» Alex said with a smirk, giving a thumbs up.
Rebecca's eyes lit up. She immediately imagined GIR throwing shurikens and disappearing into the shadows. Valerie, too, looked at the dog dreamily, picturing the same scene. Gloria and Lucy just exchanged glances, not quite understanding why Alex felt the need to outfit GIR with new gear and weapons.
«Before you start asking why I did this,» Alex began, raising a finger, «GIR is a key player in our mission.»
GIR looked around, seeing everyone staring at him, and pointed at himself, not understanding what they wanted from him.
«Let me explain. After we infiltrate the building, GIR will take control of the cameras and send the feed to Falco, who'll monitor everything from the van to ensure we're not interrupted. While GIR is downloading data from Arasaka's archives, I'll head down to the lab to get the meds. Kiwi will keep an eye on GIR to make sure no one interferes,» Alex explained the plan.
Falco and Kiwi nodded, fully aware of their roles for the upcoming mission. Alex also went to change into an outfit suitable for the mission. When he stepped out of the bathroom, standing before them was Kai Yamamoto—with pale skin and dark circles under his eyes, like someone who never slept.
Glancing at the couch, Alex noticed GIR, still not dressed, casually sipping on a milkshake.
«GIR, do you need a personal invitation?» Alex asked, raising an eyebrow.
GIR looked at Alex in confusion and tilted his head, clearly not understanding what was expected of him. Alex gestured towards the suitcases on the table. GIR followed his gaze and finally realized. Silently handing the milkshake to Gloria, he quickly hopped onto the table and started putting on the ninja costume.
When GIR finished, he began stuffing shurikens into his pockets but didn't know where to place the tanto. He looked at Gloria for help. She smiled and helped him secure the tanto on his belt so it would be comfortable for him.
«Nin-nin!» GIR exclaimed, striking a ninja pose.
Alex chuckled, watching him, thinking about how the costume and tanto added a comedic touch to GIR's appearance. His gaze shifted to Falco and Kiwi, and he asked:
«Well, ready for the mission?»
After they both nodded confidently, Alex grabbed another closed case—the contents of which he kept secret. It was something specifically prepared to distract Arasaka's security in case of an emergency.
«See you at the base,» Alex said, heading out behind Falco and Kiwi.
Lucy and Rebecca also made their way to the base to wait for the others. After descending to the parking lot, Alex tossed the keys to Falco, so he could play the role of the driver. Sitting in the back seat, Alex waited for the engine to start and began explaining Kiwi's actions in more detail for once they got inside Arasaka.
She listened carefully, committing every detail to memory. This was her first mission of such danger, but she was determined to give it her all. Just in case, Alex also explained to Falco what he should do once they arrived at the location.
«Don't worry, Alex, I know what to do,» Falco replied confidently, giving a thumbs up.
Alex nodded in satisfaction and relaxed into his seat, closing his eyes. He even mentally reached out to Hestia, asking for a successful outcome for the mission. He had a plan for unforeseen circumstances, but he still hoped for a quick completion of the task and a swift return home. Meanwhile, Kiwi realized that any mistake could lead to failure, which made her concentrate even harder.
As they approached the Arasaka building, Falco slowed down and turned to the others:
«Are you ready?»
Alex and Kiwi nodded, confirming their readiness. Falco, fully committed to his role, stopped the car at the entrance, opened the doors, and politely offered his hand to Kiwi, helping her out like a true butler. Everything had been planned down to the smallest detail to avoid raising any suspicions. Falco nodded and wished them good luck.
Alex stepped forward, with Kiwi following him, playing the role of his secretary. They entered the building, and Alex, not looking back, immediately headed for the reception desk, where a girl was sitting. When she looked up and saw Alex, a polite smile appeared on her face.
«Mr. Yamamoto, we didn't expect you so early,» she said, still smiling.
Alex remained silent, as his character, Kai, was not very talkative, and he didn't want to break the persona. The girl was slightly taken aback by his silence, but remembering the rumors about the new head of the research department, she maintained her polite smile. Then her gaze shifted to Kiwi.
«Ms. Goto, could you explain what brings you here so early?» she asked, looking at her.
Kiwi stepped forward and, standing next to Alex, calmly replied, «Mr. Yamamoto decided to inspect his new workplace and arrived early to familiarize himself with the environment,» she explained, following the plan they had discussed in the car.
The girl at the reception nodded and began typing something on the computer. After finishing, she asked them to wait a moment. Kiwi, returning to her cold and detached demeanor, stood still, while Alex subtly scanned the room, showing no excessive interest. After a while, another girl approached, holding two key cards.
«Mr. Yamamoto, Ms. Goto, here are your key cards,» she said politely, handing them over.
Kiwi nodded and took both key cards, passing one to Alex, which was labeled with the name «Yamamoto.» Alex placed the card in his pocket.
«Allow me to escort you to the office,» the girl who brought the cards offered.
Kiwi threw a questioning glance at Alex, as if seeking confirmation. He nodded briefly in agreement. The girl smiled and led them to the elevator. Alex maintained an expression of complete indifference.
«What do you think of this branch, Mr. Yamamoto?» the girl asked, turning to them in the elevator.
Alex simply hummed, indicating that he had no intention of engaging in conversation. Kiwi, following the script, took the initiative:
«Mr. Yamamoto is glad to continue working at Arasaka, and it doesn't matter where exactly. The important thing is that he remains a part of the corporation,» she replied politely.
The girl took this for granted, not noticing Alex's cold demeanor. To her, arrogant bosses were a common occurrence. When the elevator stopped, she led them further down the corridors to the office they needed, located at the very end of the floor.
«Here's your office, Mr. Yamamoto. I hope you like it—it was done according to your specifications,» she said, gesturing to the doors.
Alex nodded briefly and opened the door, stepping inside. Kiwi followed him, closing the door behind her. Alex was ready to relax, but then he remembered the potential for eavesdropping and cameras. Without wasting any time, he sat down at the computer and connected GIR, who had been discreetly hiding on his leg the whole time.
GIR quickly conducted a sweep and detected surveillance cameras. Frowning, Alex asked GIR to disable them. Once the cameras were taken out, the tension eased, and he allowed himself to relax a bit.
«Who would have thought that maintaining a face like you're constipated could be so exhausting,» Alex chuckled, noticeably in better spirits.
Kiwi just smiled and shook her head. It felt strange for her to play the role of a cold secretary who was always smiling. She couldn't remember the last time she had to pretend to be so polite.
«We're in, but now the hardest part begins. We need to get into the lab and grab the medicine while you download the data,» Alex said, removing the mask of indifference and cold authority.
Kiwi nodded, realizing that the main part of the operation was still ahead. Alex pulled a small package from the case and began laying out strange plates on the table. Kiwi looked at them with curiosity.
«What are these?» she asked, pointing at the plates.
Alex counted them to ensure he had enough and replied with a mysterious smile,
«If you want to hide something, hide it behind something ridiculous. These plates are a distraction.»
Kiwi frowned slightly, not quite understanding what he meant, but decided not to delve into the details. Her task was to ensure that no one entered the office while GIR downloaded the data. Alex slipped the plates into his pocket, removed his jacket, and put on his favorite mask—the one he used whenever he was preparing to cause chaos in the city.
He turned to GIR, who was settled on the table.
«Plot a route for me to the lab so I won't be noticed,» he instructed.
GIR quickly mapped out the path and sent the directions to Alex's phone. Ensuring everything was ready, Alex gave GIR two important tasks: erase all mentions of Lucy's work at Arasaka and implant a virus in the building's system to distract the guards when they left.
To be continued...