Faster Than Angels

[BardicSMG]

For the most part. They may offer assistance, if you trust them enough. That, and if you can afford the payment, of which money will not do.

[Ace3000]

Uh huh. Like what kind of "payment"? Asking for a friend.

^{Okay, okay, Crinale! I've just asked him now. Geez.}

[BardicSMG]

Just a quick example. Probably won't actually come up.

To the Director of Harimau International

It has come to are attention that a rival team has developed a weapon with a certain side effect that has gone unnoticed by AG-Racing officials. It seems to react rather harshly towards organic material. As bad as that sounds, I assure you that your pilots are safe. Life forms are far too complicated to be effected by the weapon, and their not the intended target, anyway. The real danger lays in any material made from organic or synthetic carbon-based material.

This direct assault simply will not do, so we took the liberty of developing a defense. It's a form of armor coating that sinks into microscopic cracks of any material, and can even be mixed with liquid. It's not to defensive, but it has a special perk; It carries the same molecular properties of moss, in fact, it is moss, just a bit more evolved, and almost self-aware. No matter how much damage is caused to the craft, the micro-moss will always reform, and fully coat its host, blinding the weapon which would have dissolved without it.

On another subject, we see that you have undergone a top secret project; your organic augmentations. We request that you end this project and dispose of all findings related to it. We also request that this be done IMMEDIATELY.

No need to contact us again, we will know when to send the material. This e-mail will be wiped upon your reading this, so please, take credit for your new defense. Just don't mention us to anyone, and we mean anyone.

[Ace3000]

Ah, so it's not that you come to them, they come to you. Do I have it right?

[BardicSMG]

Absolutely

[Ace3000]

And I'm assuming you can't just deny their assistance? Like, for instance, they will ensure that there will be repercussions?

^{I know, I'm asking a lot of questions, sorry.}

[BardicSMG]

Of course. I didn't mention any repercussions in my example because failure to comply would already cripple the team, which is punishment enough. Denial of assistance won't always lead to the worst consequences imaginable, as we often wish to give you a second chance. We understand that sometimes the right choice can be hard to make.

[Ace3000]

Denial of assistance won't always lead to the worst consequences imaginable, as we often wish to give you a second chance. We understand that sometimes the right choice can be hard to make.

That sounded creepy, almost like it came straight from the mouth of the leader. Especially the last part: "sometimes the right choice can be hard to make.". *shudders*

- - - Updated - - -

FTA: Curse of the Devil - Crinale 2210-12

---

>log06: 22100521

Monday, May 21st, 2210

CIGC Hangar 112, [REDACTED], Russia.

As soon as the day started, Viktor visited CIGC* Hangar 112, where he was greeted by Xavier Reid, several other technicians, and the completed I4-XA2b jet fighter.

"Is it complete?" Viktor asked.

"Yes, the XA2 Beta is complete. We also took the liberty of fitting it with the 6ATTR you took." Xavier replied.

"The one that was made by Jennter, not one we made?"

"It would've taken too long to make another one. We wanted the XA2b to be completed ASAP."

"Well done. So who's testing it?"

"Your choice. Pick whoever you want."

Viktor simply nodded, made an odd hand gesture and walked toward the jet fighter. As he climbed in, Xavier realised what the gesture was: He pointed at himself.

>>XA2_B TEST INITIATED<<

The craft started up with the usual jet whine. As it did, Viktor's voice came through to Xavier's communications system.

"Like you, I want this done quickly and effectively. It would take too long to bring a test pilot down here, and I would have to give the test instructions. Here, I can do everything, as well as explain what I'm doing while I do it. Let's go!"

<acedia | deadmau5_>

BOOM

The fighter took off at an incredible rate, which was unsurprising, seeing as it was powered by a slightly modified version of Crinale's F12000 powerplant. As soon as it was out of the hangar, it flew straight up, at a 90° angle, barrel rolling as it climbed. When it hit the height required for the test, 45,000ft, Viktor levelled out and initiated the second part of the test: Aerial Combat.

Somehow, Crinale were able to obtain decommissioned fighter jets, which were to be destroyed, for the test. In order for the test to be successful, the XA2b had to outmaneuver them by a certain amount, as the targets that were being used were outdated. In order to test the maneuverability, Viktor had to destroy the craft in a certain time. In addition, the craft was also being measured to ensure that its limits were above that of any fighter jet in service, which they obtained data for along with the decommissioned jets.

Viktor pushed down and rolled at the same time, turning 180° and flying towards a small group of fighters, pressing the button for the 6ATTR.

BEEP BEEP BEEP came sounds from the cockpit to signify the 6ATTR locking on the 3 craft. He let go of the button, which fired 3 rockets. At the same time as each other, those 3 jets exploded, the rockets hit their mark. However, there were now 6 craft remaining. It was a bit harder this time, as they were now locked in close combat, which caused Viktor to start using evasive maneuvers, starting the testing of the maneuverability of the jet.

<[4:05]_>

Viktor flew by a jet fighter, entering the pilot's blind spot. When he was side to side with it, he barrel rolled over it to the other side, slowing down in the process. As he did, he locked a rocket onto it, and as he came out of the roll, he fired the rocket. The fighter exploded, the XA2 flying through and out of the explosion, firing at another jet, bringing that down. He then tested the strength of the jet by using an evasive roll maneuver to fly under, then up towards a fighter. They tried to evade the XA2b, but it was too quick, slicing through a wing, breaking it. The resulting move to the XA2b was minimal, if not negligible.

The remaining 3 craft fired at Viktor, who then twisted and turned through the barrage of bullets and rockets. Viktor locked on to 2 of them, firing as he looped over and around the final enemy fighter remaining, which Viktor dumped a load of bullets into. It exploded epically, making Viktor the... ummm... victor.

Viktor then flew straight down, toward the ground, from 42,000ft. Faster and faster the speed increased. At the last possible second, he deployed the AG brakes, slowing the craft down and decreasing the angle of the craft so that it was level with the ground as it landed.

Viktor was then helped out of the craft, and he walked over to Xavier.

"It's a success. Move to phase 3 of testing. Try and break it. I'm going back to HQ." He told him

"Of course, sir. I shall also continue to get some of our people to research faster ways of building these fighters, during and after Phase 3 is complete. Also, if Phase 3 is successful, the I4 project as a whole is a success."

"Great. До свидания"

------------
Crinale International Space Station (CISS)

When he got back, he called the other end of R&D.

"How long will the CA5b be completed?" He asked

"We don't know as yet" Came the reply. "We envision a completion date within the month, though."

"Good, You have 10 days. Go."

---

*Crinale International Ground Control

[BardicSMG]

Carole really hadn't shown her face to ******* in years. Maybe it was fitting that such tragedy struck on the same day. Rubbing the oxidized blood of off her face was like peeling her own skin off. Only a page of writing was added to the notebook when she returned. Encoding the message in her head tamed her emotions, keeping herself busy by traveling through a grid of letters in her head.

siodsqus zrw plvgvvhu xkv jwniomiwysxjequ mv eilxl rlv hdiuxiqti zzpo wsocsz

---

Do you like these short little cryptic previews? No? Too bad, I have fun writing them. However, I've had a huge writers spark, so part zero is almost at the point of just putting it on paper. BTW, part zero will probably be 12 parts total.

making Viktor the... ummm... victor.

It didn't take him long, either. He really was Russian it.

[BardicSMG]

Next part will have a cameo from one of Jonny's characters. Just a fair warning...

[Ace3000]

Do you like these short little cryptic previews? No? Too bad, I have fun writing them.

I like them, even though I can't understand them. Oh well, I hope that I will soon.

I'm also assuming the colour has something to do with decoding it as well?

It didn't take him long, either. He really was Russian it.

Ok, I admit, that one made me laugh. Well done!

[BardicSMG]

December, 2206

Agent Hideki sat in an Interpol meeting bored to near disgust. It didn't really matter what they were going on about this time, no one else did. They couldn't have, everyone in this room wasn't here because they wanted to extend the force of justice, they all had some story of strings pulled in the system to some extent.

He used to be sheriff where he was, the highest form of authority. No matter how much crap he got, he earned his spot. Why shouldn't he indulge a bit of the record. All the pet sheep that told him that this was such a pristine honor must have known this and thought hours of whatever this meeting room is was more fun to them then just prison.

Hideki looked to the seat on his left, where the Germans were segregated off to. A man in a suit, clearly a guest, was twitching his eyelids, fighting his drowsiness, though the man forgot what he was doing here to began with. Hideki slapped the mans shoulder, jump-starting him to alertness.

“Enjoy the show so far?” Hideki said without an ounce of seriousness.

“Uh, yeah, it's good.” the man whispered, making little effort to sound genuine.

“Yep, I think it's a waist, too.” Hideki was satisfied to finally find someone transparent enough to be trustworthy, “Whats your name?”

“I'm Mr. Assange. I hope you actually have something to say.”

“You don't know why I'm really here, no one does.” the room was big enough to keep the conversation between the two. “That's what I want to talk about.”

“And I assume you're going to tell me why you're here.”

“Benefits. A little here or there, a bit off the top. You know, Benefits.”

Assange awoke with a grin, having remembered why he was here. “Are these benefits going to be shared any time soon?”

“Well, first I need help getting to these benefits.”

“What do you need?”

“15 minutes after we're done, I'll be taking a little 'coffee' break. Just take the closest bridge north, head right on the D1, drive 6 more blocks. You'll now the place when you see it.”

June, 2207

The sirens grow louder as Katsuo struggled with the magnetic lock. Hal looked behind him and noticed an armored van in the distance. A buzz emanated from the Elise when the doors remained locked. Kat looked on struck with defeat when Hal noticed the source of the rejecting sound near the back. He felt the vibrations with his hand and meet the sound with a smash, ending the buzz and unlocking the door. The two rushed in and were greeted with a ringing in-car phone.

“SHUT UP” Kat yelled when she struck the “deny call” hologram. The car took no extra time pushing forward. The humble town had never witnessed so much fire power, even if it was slightly modest compered to what it could have been. Police cruisers were spreading as to scatter across the town. This became apparent as Kat was busy swerving on every street. Another armored van drove across the street in front, ignoring Kat's car as she turned towards it.

“This is the only road out, I need a distraction.” Kat said.

“What distraction?”

“JUST DO SOMETHING!” They were getting closer to the van now. At the end of the road, two more blocked each side. Only one more van would be needed to block the road completely, and the van in front of them wasn't slow enough for her to overtake.

Hal spotted a lighter on the dashboard in front of him. He looked at his bottle, still more then half full, and took one more drink for good luck. The lighter lit easily, and followed the bottle to the front of the van. Flame engulfed the windshield and the panicked driver spun into the nearest building.

Kat's hand instinctively flicked the “AG” icon, releasing the very reason for the road-block. The back half of an F7200 Icaras emerged from the back, the car lifted while the tires turned their rims to the ground. The sirens did not follow, they know they had failed. The craft disappeared behind the mountain.

Katsuo had entered the craft into a wide cave, the thrusts in the back providing the only light. They were met by a fork in the trail.

“Get out here, take the right path.” Kat instructed “You'll see a mansion on the other side, it's safe to spend the night there. I'll be back by morning to explain what to from their.”

“And if you're not there by then, what do I do?”

“My mother will be there to help. Don't bother waiting for me.” Her casual optimism gave way when she spoke. Hal could do nothing else but put his trust in her.

Katsuo turned left and started to flee aimlessly into the mountains. At last she could find some calm by speeding through the mountains. It stopped being about running after a while, and became therapy. Her mind was preoccupied with testing herself on each corner. She'd gone past the point where the speed was excitement ever sense she'd gotten out of town. It was a much needed relaxing tool, that had worked wonders up until the phone in her car started to ring.

Kat started to slow, knowing this time it was probably important. She took a deep breath, staring at the caller ID; Mom's cell. Explaining the stranger that had just been sent to her wasn't going to be as fun. When she finished her stop, she moved her hand toward the green phone key, interrupted by a bright light entering her windshield.
pvwibz fdoiv eutx kyy rhrgqgbse yuh zmyma amd
When she put her hand at the source, she made out a helicopter observing her movements. True anxiety was starting to sink in, she couldn't hang up and leave her mother in the dark. She answered the call.

“I know, I know, I sent someone home. I can expla-”

“So you did...” The man on the other end was pleased to here what Kat slipped up. “We'll bring him in here soon. And yes, we know it's a he.”

Kat wished she didn't know the voice on the other end. “Hideki...” She started pleading into the speaker. “Hideki, where's Mom?”

“If you'd answered earlier before boldly running of, then I wouldn't have to explain such things. The price for your freedom would also be one new-accomplice cheaper, seeing as he seems to have found a way to compromise the short circuit on your little toy.” Kat's mother was shouting in the backround.

If only she hadn't been home to her mother sooner, saying goodbye might be just a bit easier. All Katsuo could let herself do was lean back and analyze her situation. Of course she wasn't worth two people, especially when one was her very own mother. It would have been so much easier to think that not being put in her dilemma. She knew what she had to do, she couldn't live with herself if she just ran, but words escaped her. 'I can't do it.' Those words echoed in her head, torturing her, making her feel so horrible and selfish.

“Having trouble's deciding?” Hideki handed the phone to the shaken old woman.

“Daughter,” her voice started to calm when she finally had the chance to speak. “Please, listen to me.”

“It's okay, I won't run. I won't let myself”

“No, you have to,” her mother said, gaining Katsuo's attention, “it's not just about us.” Her words were brought to a whisper.

“Mom, I don't understand.”

“You purpose is more important then the two of us.”

“It's okay, I'm just one person.” Kat tried to argue, not fully understanding why this was so. “I can stay silent, I promise I won't say anything.”

“You know it's not that simple. You can't give yourself up.”

Katsuo tried to accept the fate she was given. “Is there anything else I can do. There must be some way out of this.”

Her mother didn't answer. “Stay strong, my child.”

Katsuo tried everything she could to collect herself. She could only think of one thing to say. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Out of the helicopter she dove, waving goodbye in the distance. Katsuo waved back at the bittersweet sight, finding a bit of comfort in the closer she was given. She started to speed up, now things were clear to her.

The panic in the helicopter kept it still, and Katsuo faded into the distance.

---

Probably could've made this better if I had gone into more detail about Katsuo's family. I'll keep that in mind for future parts.

[Jonny]

[part removed]

[Ace3000]

Nice chapters!

So it seems that Katsuo's Elise is not a pure AG car like Angelus', but a wheeled car with an AG function. Nice! Also, it seems it's not really hers, at least, that's what I got from it. Did she actually steal it?

[BardicSMG]

Kat's car is hers. How'd you get the idea that it wasn't? I'm guessing the fact that it didn't start immediately has to do with it. That could probably be explained a bit better.

The car didn't start because someone (won't say who yet) put a device on it to short circuit it. That's why it was buzzing and vibrating. Kat didn't notice this in her panic. Hal noticed it, but didn't exactly know what was happening, he just noticed a part of the car acting weird, and fixed the problem by bashing it. When Hideki saw the car start, then saw Hal, he assumed Hal was an accomplice for Kat (remember the first phone call, keep that in mind for chapter three).

[Ace3000]

Ah, ok. I must have glossed over that. If you remove a bit of that text, it reads as if she's trying to break into the car.

[BardicSMG]

Sterling Turner; Traveler and Master Combatant. Feared by Many, Gentleman to All.

That was always how he introduced himself, in any situation, with his eccentric, assertive voice surprising nearly all he meet. Times were, of course, a bit dreary in contrast to the cheery attitude of Naomi Turner's estranged son. Funny how people complain at optimism. Morale was important in war, it was most important now then ever that he kept a level head.

Not that he was really apart of the war, not in a technical sense. With all do respect to Jana Bovier, god rest her soul, if his interests were simply a matter of land control and national pride, he'd of joined the military proper. His purchases of the black market, training of hundreds of lost and angry young souls, work put into procedures for the sake of secrecy, and function as leader of his own privet military contractor were all the cause of a different motive.

Maybe this was a bit much. If only history had learned it's lesson, as it never does. Perhaps things wouldn't have escalated as far as it has. But, no use pondering on such subjects, the briefcase is ready for delivery.

ok wirsj e wzgcp keult ss xlwwvgew eek tsrfvzvmam rkevtjx xuk kwee zymw pulph ok lwiq zf sye guzeazrki oak m qhyk gsazzryr zf wxekjw xuk zqtbxkerpk fj orkgmrt srhmfue peeulkl nrzzi

---

I made a new character. Well, not just now, I'm just introducing him. Also, I (finally) have a job, so posts from me will be a bit less frequent. Should still have enough time to finish part zero by early next month. That's my plan, atleast.

[Ace3000]

Would the final zero part give us the code necessary to solve those puzzles?

[BardicSMG]

I'll make it easier before then. Won't just tell you the answer, but I'll make it at least a google search away.

[BardicSMG]

Hal was meet with an overgrown field in a large valley when he came out the other end. He spotted the old mansion behind a rusted gate. The front door was busted, and the frame was broken. He was told there would be no more problems here, and the fact that now he has this to deal with did not make him happy. He grabbed his kukri, even if it wasn't enough fire power, he was not in the mood to negotiate.

Behind the door was a wall, with rooms opening up on both sides. Hal had grown accustomed to the darkness, this made him feel even more confident. A moving light peeked out on the left, it's source behind the corner. Hal hid on the wall farther from the door, wondering if he should really be doing this. A solder came out of the darkness, carelessly patrolling the area, unaware of the intruder to his left. Hal swept his leg and drove his face to the ground, tearing off the helmet.

He spotted a pistol on his hip, choosing that over the rifle. Even the sidearm would be enough to alert attention. This truly was the stupidest thing he could be doing, but really, who cares. The living room had only a couch and an old datascreen. He went upstairs, where he assumed the bedrooms would be. If Katsuo's mother was still home, maybe she could make use of a weapon.

He slid up the stairs, spotting another light protruding from the right corner. He waited on the top step, and slash at the other end. He felt his wrist get grabbed. Hal spun over, in a last ditch effort to shoot his way out. He was meet with liqued sprayed on his face. His vision was impaired, and he found himself fighting with himself to stay awake. The light now covered the entirety of his vision, followed with a force on his chest. Hal was pushed down the stairs, and lay unconscious on the bottom.

The next morning.

Katsuo awoke, still in her car. That was all a dream, right? This wasn't the first time she decided to sleep on the side of the road. She grow more awake, starting to remember how vivid her dream was. It had to be a dream. She needed to get home, soon. How many days had it been? She better call her mother to check up.

Call her mother...it was real, wasn't it. She checked her call history.

[[Incoming; Mom's Cell; 12:14 AM; Approx. 4 min.]]
[[Incoming; Unknown; 11:52 PM; Denied]]

She really was dead...it was real.

Hal was real...and at her home. He walked right into a trap!

She couldn't leave him to rot. Didn't Hideki call him her accomplice? They're going to question him and he won't have anything to say. What could she do? Should she turn herself in and try to break out with him? That would never work, would it. She had to find them.

Kat had one lead; the unknown number. It was on the cover of every phonebook at every phonebooth in the area, right after the words “Police (for non-emergencies)”. Where else would they take him, it's scarcely a secret operation. Maybe she could do it, she would need more planning, but she could do it. They weren't after her for loitering, after all. She could do it.

...she had to.

Police HQ

Hal could only find that out from the talking out side. He still wasn't sure if he actually came to yet. His wrists dug into metal cuffs. A bald man with unkempt gray facial hair walked in accompanied by two police officers. The man held a laptop on one hand, reviewing the information inside.

“How much did she pay you?” he asked, still reading through the words on the screen. He received no response. “Hey kid, I asked you a question, know you're supposed to answer. How much did she pay you?” The man checked his windows one last time and closed the laptop. He finally took a look at Hal. “Tell me. How. Much.”

Hal just stared, without any idea of what to do. He'd been holding in his anger ever sense that drunk took him over the edge to begin with. He didn't know or care what the man was going on about. All he knew was how much he'd like to hear his skull ring.

“Maybe you're a little too dense to have figured out why you're here.” The man took time to start wrapping his right wrist. “I'm an agent working for Interpol. You can call me Hideki. This is an interrogation. Now you should understand. Tell me what I want to know or there will be consequences.”

Hal gave up on taking a breath and counting to ten. He was assessing different ways to vent his anger. He knew this old man was deserving of a beat down when the first word he said came out of his mouth.

“Wasn't much, was it. Maybe my son was right. Maybe it was just sex.”

Hal roared with all his might before he even decided if he should. This is who Daisuke, the worthless being, leaches off of. Of course the father would the kind to accuse him of being a criminal and excepting that as payment. Hal jumped up and planted his heel on the Hideki's temple. The other officer's struck him with a taser. Needles started poking out his blood veins from the inside, it seemed. The officers started to restrain Hal's legs. He didn't care, he gave his answer.

Hideki started to recover from the strike, not appreciating what had happened. “You want to play that game? You want to start a fist fight?” Hideki stressed himself into an uneasy smile. “I can play by your rules. I just want to clarify, it will end the same way. You will talk.” He swung his fist in a hay maker and drove Hal's head on the brick wall behind him. Hal could swear something was breaking out of his head from both sides. All of the punches, stab wounds, and even the taser didn't hold up to what he just felt. What was left of his thought process managed to gather only thing; his didn't wrap his hand in just any tape.

A Hidden Dwelling Somewhere in Nikko

Katsuo walked in on a boy not any older then her. He always wore a hoodie and only used the alias “Hacker”. His room was filled with holograms from several different devices scattered wherever they fit. Katsuo's introduction was brief.

“I'm breaking into the police station.” she said.

Hacker stopped immediately, almost startled. “What are you getting?”

“I, uh, I accidentally lead some guy into a trap.”

“Of course it was a guy.” Hacker said, dismissing her entirely.

Kat was thrown of guard by his attitude. “Yeah... you know that thing you just did? That's why know one will work with you.”

Hacker stopped again. He'd always been skeptical of Kat's character, but she brought up a point. Having to leave everything behind and assume total secrecy made business... complicated. He left what he was doing before and walked over to Katsuo. “If I'm going to waste my time, creating a net-trail to myself, for one guy I never meet, there's going to be a fee.”

Kat pulled a plastic object from her pocket and handed it to hacker. “This was on the inside in the back of my car. They probably broke in the back, near the engine. It disabled my magnet locks and probably the whole thing, judging from the error history from my on board computer. It got damaged fairly easily, I'm guessing it's a rushed prototype.”

Hacker had been inspecting the object, managing to pry it open with his hands and observe the chip inside. “And you think this hasn't been done before?” He asked, slightly unimpressed.

“You haven't seen the errors. Some of them were parts of the car that weren't even connected to the computer, I found several new files, one of them recorded the type of ground my tires were on. Another collected audio while the car was off.”

“So you brought a tracking device right to my door.”

“It doesn't work right now. Otherwise I wouldn't be carrying it.”

Hacker put the device on the nearest table and went to one of the holographic displays. He opened a file containing several blueprints of various buildings of note from around the area. “I'm assuming you're looking for the one Hideki usually goes to, the one funded by Nikko city government. That one is a bit under-budgeted from being distanced from most other policing agencies. A lot of the security systems are out-dated, flexing is the main thing keeping the building locked up.”

A Few Hours Later

Hacker had looking looking through a list of various specs regarding the buildings computerized procedures. Kat had sat on the floor losing her patience. She had been fiddling with the device in a vain effort to pass the time.

“I can cause a black-out in the building that will last about a minute.” Hacker said, after a long silence.

Kat jump up in excitement. “And what can I do with that time?”

“That's not my department.” He looked around a 3d recreation of the building. “There seems to be a hill going up the west wall. If you did a bit of demolition work, you could make it on top of the ceiling tiles, where the ventilation and piping is. That's an easy way into the ground floor.”

“And the basement? That's where the cells are, how do I get there.”

“Don't know yet...”

Kat reverted back to her quiet state of mind.

“...Wait a minute... is that...” Hacker looked a bit surprised.

“What is it?” Kat asked, jumping back up.

“It turns out that during business hours the system is connected to the national security network.”

Kat tried to hide the worry in her voice. “Can't you just disconnect it?”

“The connection is established by the national computers. Not even full access to Hideki's systems could disconnect it. The only time it's online without the network is when the building opens for the day, when the network has to find it again after losing the signal when the computers shut down.”

“So, in the morning, then.”

“At about 6:00 AM for ten seconds, that's my window to do anything without having the whole of the Japanese government to deal with.”

“...could you give me a minute?” Kat walked out to the windowless alley out side. She sat in her car, with her breathing escalating.

“It's okay...” she said to herself. “It's okay to make a mistake. It's okay, I'm fixing this. I'm getting him out of this, it will be okay, I just have to wait. Besides, it's not like he can say anything, right. He doesn't even know why they're after me.” Her mind thought up a million things at once. “They maybe, said some things that he didn't need to know, but I trust him... for some reason. I...if...it weren't for him, it'd be me in there, but it's him. It's okay, Hideki can't do much to someone with information, unless he finds out that Hal doesn't have any, and then... but that'd be after more then a day right. It's okay, it's okay. IT'S OKAY! JUST CALM DOWN IT'S OKAY!"

She banged her hands on the steering wheel in her fit while some telemarketer called her. She let it ring out while she recovered herself. The call history came up, reminding her of the past phone-calls.

[[Incoming; Stupid Telemarketer; 1:44 PM; Missed]]
[[Incoming; Mom's Cell; 12:14 AM; Approx. 4 min.]]
[[Incoming; Unknown; Yesterday; Denied]]

The number next to the information had an exclamation mark inside of a triangle. Had that always been there? She touched, revealing another error.

[[Does not recognize K.O. mix.]]

She must have glanced past that one. There were other notifications that popped along with the error. At some point, some of the fluid that runs the AG functions had evaporated. It actually went into great detail about which ones evaporated and how much of it had. It was all in a hidden file called “K.O. mix”. It was to be activated if pressure was put on the driver's seat, and probably would have traveled through the air vents if the device was never damaged.

The fluid it used didn't really cost that much...

---

Yeah, Queens of the Stone Age isn't really WipEout music, but no other song seemed to fit as good, so screw it.