Soul Drive: Ignition

Chapter 2: Crumble

The air inside the laboratory was filled with the faint scent of burnt ozone, a byproduct of Yutaka's tireless efforts. Months had passed, and Yutaka had finally managed to create a program that disguised the Machs as other electronic items such as headphones, cellphones, tablets, cameras, and game systems. The once menacing cybernetic suits were now indistinguishable from everyday gadgets.

"Excellent work, Yutaka," Tadashi said, his voice tinged with awe as he examined a Mach-disguised tablet. "Now we can transport them on planes and anywhere else without being noticed until they're activated."

"Thank you, Tadashi," Yutaka replied, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. His heart swelled with pride, so he didn't notice the look of nagging worry about their dangerous secret that had overtook Tadashi's face.

Mary arrived, her face flushed from rushing back to the lab after dropping Hiro off at the sitter's. She made sure Yutaka was out of earshot before speaking to Tadashi.  "We're ready then? Time to hide these Machs away from the government and any other prying eyes?"

"Indeed." Tadashi glanced at Yutaka, whose cautious nature seemed to weigh heavily on his slender frame. "Let's get to it."

The moment those words left Tadashi's lips, a massive explosion rocked the facility. The shockwave shattered test tubes and sent equipment flying in all directions. As alarms blared, soldiers burst through the breached wall, guns blazing.

"I have to wipe the hard drives!" Tadashi screamed, as he rushed off into the smoke.

"Yutaka!" Mary shouted over the deafening sound of gunfire. "Take the Machs and run! I'll buy us some time!"

"Mary, no! You should—" Yutaka began to protest, but she cut him off, her eyes fierce and determined. She furiously began typing away at the keyboard, diverting power to the shields that flickered over the doors.

"I'm not leaving without Tadashi!" She ducked behind a toppled workstation, and retrieved a hidden laser. "Now go!"

With a nod, Yutaka grabbed the disguised Machs and fled through a hidden exit, one they had hot-marked on any map of the facility. As he dashed down the dimly lit corridor, the chilling echoes of gunshots reverberated through his very core. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, each beat like a drum urging him to move faster.

In his haste, Yutaka tripped, sending a few of the Machs skidding across the floor. Panic seized him, and instead of retrieving them, he continued to run, driven by a primal fear for his life.

As he turned a corner, he collided with more soldiers. The icy grip of terror squeezed his lungs as he raised his hands in surrender. "Please, this doesn't make sense," he whispered, his voice trembling. "Who would do this? Why?"

A cold, merciless smile spread across the soldier's face before the deafening sound of a single gunshot filled Yutaka's ears. Darkness engulfed him as the Machs were taken from his grasp and the facility was set ablaze.

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Days later, the airwaves buzzed with news of Tadashi and Mary's disappearance. Mr. Stark, a stern-faced Canadian Ambassador, sat behind his polished oak desk, eyes glued to the coverage as he engaged in a tense video chat with a nervous-looking Japanese government representative, Ami.

"Tell me," Mr. Stark began, his voice cold and measured, "do you realize that Mary is one of our own? We loaned her to you for this project, and now she's vanished along with her husband."

The Japanese representative swallowed hard, sweat glistening on her brow. "Mr. Stark, I assure you, we are doing everything within our power to locate them. They possess vital information that could be catastrophic if it falls into the wrong hands."