Soul Drive: Ignition

Chapter 21: The World Is Watching

Osamu's heart pounded in his chest as he navigated the chaotic hallways of the Canadian Embassy. The impending Mach attack had everyone on edge, and the frenzied mass of people streaming past him made it difficult to move quickly. He clutched Hiro and Kimiko's Machs tightly, determined to rescue them from their imprisonment.

"Where do you think you're going?" an officer shouted over sounds of terror, grabbing Osamu by the arm as he neared the stairwell.

"Officer," Osamu began, feigning calmness. "I'm just—"

"Your orders are to report to the safe room and protect the diplomats inside," the officer cut in, eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Daiki will handle the Mach outside."

"Understood," Osamu replied, nodding gratefully. "Thank you. I'll head there immediately." His mind raced, calculating the time it would take to free Kimiko and Hiro before anyone in the saferoom grew suspicious of his absence. With a curt nod to the officer, Osamu descended the stairs, leaving the chaos behind him.

As he ventured deeper into the lower levels, the number of people dwindled, allowing him to quicken his pace. He knew Hiro would never leave without Kimiko, so his first priority was to set her free. Turning a corner, he found the access to the interrogation floor sealed off, his keycard rendered useless due to the heightened security measures. A cold sweat formed on his brow as he considered the implications - this wouldn't be easy, and time was running out. He knew the Japanese government was itching for a fight, and the Canadians would never willingly hand over their Mach technology.

The stairwell offered little cover, making another hacking attempt too risky. Instead, Osamu pulled a small vial from his jacket pocket, his fingers shaking ever so slightly. Carefully, he let a few drops of the potent acid fall onto the control panel, which began to hiss and smoke. Alarms blared, signaling a malfunction in the door's security system.

"Damn it," Osamu muttered under his breath, heart pounding even harder as he anxiously waited for the door to open. As soon as the guard emerged to investigate the commotion, Osamu acted swiftly, grabbing him by the collar and hurling him down the stairs before slipping through the now-open door.

"Sorry about that," he whispered to the fallen guard, knowing time was of the essence. Focused on the task at hand, Osamu steeled himself for the challenges ahead, determined to save his friends no matter the cost.

-----

Outside the Canadian Embassy, news crews swarmed like vultures, their cameras trained on the building as they reported live on the unfolding crisis. Inside her office, Mao sat back in her chair, a sly smile spreading across her face as she watched the chaos she had orchestrated. She had leaked information about the Canadians bringing weapons into Japan illegally through the Embassy, and the press were eating it up.

"Japanese officials are using the Machs to protect the country from foreign invaders," one reporter exclaimed, playing right into Mao's hands. "These weapons are necessary for our nation's defense."

Mao's smile grew wider as she watched Prime Minister Mamoru being interviewed. He claimed that all the Mach incidents were caused by Canadian technology, accusing them of illegally testing weapons on Japanese soil. The seed of doubt had been planted, shifting blame away from the Japanese government and casting suspicion on the Canadians.

Meanwhile, in his office in Ottawa, Patrick Stark watched the same news coverage with a furrowed brow. He wasn't worried about the claims being made - confusion and conspiracy theories would ultimately lead to people dismissing the whole situation. No, his main concern was the UN's reaction to Canada possessing Mach technology without disclosing it beforehand. Only time would tell how that would play out.