Smoke billowed through the underground hideout as the resistance regrouped, their breaths ragged and faces streaked with sweat and soot. The mission had been chaos, and their losses hung heavy in the air. Rei stood near the central table, his bloodied knuckles trembling as he replayed Kaito's betrayal in his mind.
"We lost four people," Kenji said, his voice tight with restrained anger. He threw his tablet onto the table, the screen cracking. "Four good fighters—because of him."
Aiko leaned against the wall, her katana still sheathed but her hand resting protectively on its hilt. Her face betrayed little emotion, but the tension in her shoulders spoke volumes.
"That bastard used us," Rei growled, slamming his fist onto the table. The sound echoed through the room, making the others flinch.
"He didn't just use us," Kenji snapped. "He made us accomplices. We activated the Oni units for him. Who knows what he's planning to do now?"
The room fell silent. The weight of their collective failure settled like a storm cloud.
Personal Fallout
Aiko finally spoke, her voice steady but colder than usual. "Rei, we need to focus. The mission isn't over. Kaito has the virus we gave him, and if he repurposes it—"
Rei spun to face her, his eyes blazing. "Don't act like this was just another mission! He played us, Aiko. And you vouched for him."
Her jaw tightened, but she didn't break eye contact. "I vouched for the plan. Not for him."
"Same difference," Rei snapped. "We trusted him because you said we should. Now our people are dead, and MiraiTech has a fleet of murder machines ready to wipe us out."
Aiko took a step forward, her voice dropping to a dangerous calm. "You think I don't know that? You think I don't feel responsible?"
For a moment, neither of them said anything. The tension in the room was suffocating, and the rest of the team watched in uncomfortable silence.
Finally, Rei exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "What do we do now?"
Picking Up the Pieces
Kenji broke the silence. "We can still track him. Kaito's cybernetics run on a custom network—one we tapped into during the mission prep. It's faint, but I might be able to pinpoint his location."
"How long?" Aiko asked, her voice softer now.
"Give me a few hours," Kenji replied, already typing into his cracked tablet. "If he's anywhere in Neo-Tokyo, I'll find him."
Aiko nodded and turned to the rest of the team. "We'll need to regroup and restock. Patch up injuries. The next time we face him, we'll be ready."
"And if we're not?" one of the younger fighters asked hesitantly.
"Then we'll fight anyway," Rei said, his voice firm. He glanced at Aiko, his anger giving way to determination. "We've come too far to back down now."
A Moment of Reflection
Hours later, as the team dispersed to prepare, Aiko found herself alone in the training room. She unsheathed her katana and began her drills, the rhythmic sound of the blade cutting through the air echoing in the empty space.
Rei entered quietly, leaning against the doorway. He watched her for a moment before speaking. "I shouldn't have snapped at you earlier."
Aiko didn't stop her movements. "You were right."
Rei raised an eyebrow. "About what?"
"About Kaito. I wanted to believe he'd changed. That he was helping us because he believed in what we were fighting for. I should've known better."
Rei walked closer, his voice softening. "You weren't wrong to hope. That's who you are, Aiko. You believe in people, even when the rest of us don't. It's what keeps this whole thing from falling apart."
Aiko stopped her drill, lowering her blade. She turned to face him, her eyes filled with exhaustion and something deeper—something raw. "But I let everyone down. I let you down."
Rei shook his head. "You didn't let me down. And you didn't let them down, either. Kaito's betrayal is on him, not you."
For a moment, they stood in silence, the weight of the day pressing heavily on both of them.
"We'll get him," Rei said finally. "And when we do, we'll make sure he pays for everything."
Aiko nodded, her resolve hardening. "Together."
A Shadow in the Darkness
Meanwhile, in a darkened room high above the city, Kaito stood before a massive holographic screen displaying rows of data. Behind him, the Oni units he'd stolen from the lab stood silently, their red eyes glowing in unison.
A figure stepped out of the shadows—a tall man with a calm yet menacing demeanor, his face partially obscured by a mask.
"You delivered as promised," the man said, his voice smooth. "The Oni units are a marvel. With these, Neo-Tokyo will be ours."
Kaito turned, his cybernetic eyes narrowing. "I didn't do this for you, Raijin. I did it for me."
Raijin chuckled softly. "Of course. But remember, Kaito—loyalty goes both ways. Betray me, and you'll regret it."
Kaito smirked. "I've learned a lot about betrayal. Don't worry—I won't make the same mistake twice."
As Raijin disappeared back into the shadows, Kaito turned back to the Oni units.
"Let's see how far they're willing to go to stop me," he muttered, a dark grin spreading across his face.