Defection (MentalModel!Brothers and OC)

Chapter 11

Silence swallowed the dark submarine bridge, only the glow from the holographic screens illuminating anything that I could look at.

Choro had remained silent ever since I gave him the order to follow the other submarine, my eyes watching the path that we were being led on within the large map screen. There wasn't anything that I could think of asking him to try and start a conversation -- especially since my mind was a whirling storm of thoughts.

Was there anything I could've done differently to keep Jyushi and Todo safe? Were they being tortured again? Would we have to fight them if we ran into Bismarck's fleet? How can I stay alive long enough to go back home?

A single thought blasted the others out of the water as it kept repeating itself: This is dangerous. I won't survive without help.

My eyes flicked over to Choro as the three green rings appeared around him again, signifying that something was happening to the submarine that I couldn't see. I caught his glance as he barely turned back to me with his glowing eyes, a small screen in front of him. The screen itself looked like it was some kind of data file, several bars filling up before multiple pages of something popped open within the screen.

"Fleet position updates from U-2511. We are adjusting our course to accommodate."

"Ah..." I merely nodded before burying my face into my arms, still sitting on the floor as I leaned against the slight platform. The mylar sheet had been discarded and folded up on the platform itself, its silver material catching the green light every so often when the screens moved around.

"U-2511 is inquiring about the next part of your plan, and warns that he will not be doing any body-slamming maneuver," Choro turned a little more towards me as a soft clicking sound came from him, the indication clear that he was actively communicating with the other Mental Model, "I am also of the same mindset."

"I don't...really have a plan about what we're doing next," I barely raised my face from my arms, "I was just thinking that having a battleship and another submarine on our side would be helpful, potentially balancing out the firepower discrepancy on our side."

"...then allow me to suggest a plan."

My head lifted when I heard a new voice on the bridge, looking up to see a holographic purple screen aiming in Choro's direction with text reading, 'AUDIO ONLY'. I could only guess that the voice was coming from the Mental Model of the U-2511.

"What's your suggestion?"

"There has been a small change in the Scapa Flow fleet's trajectory, indicating that they have turned westward. They may be retreating back into their own waters. There are also three new signatures that have come into my sonar range from both the south and east; two battleships and one cruiser. The ships are near the edge of my sonar, however," Choro's face shifted into a more thoughtful expression as U-2511 continued, "This approximate window allows us enough time to approach Scharnhorst, make contact with him, and continue further west."

"I'm not going west," I narrowed my eyes at the audio screen, "I'm going to get my ships back from Bismarck."

A scoff sounded through the channel, the voice heavily displeased, "...a human should understand how ridiculous that sounds."

"A Mental Model should learn to not underestimate human willpower," I quickly countered, "I saved them from the American military when they were being tortured, and now I'm going to save them from a fleet they don't want to sail with."

"Why?"

The sudden question from Choro pulled me from my speech. I switched my focus from the screen to his face, seeing his eyes lock with mine as an intense look made itself known within the dark hues.