says Rowena. “And I’ve never seen Ulrik happier. But I need more subjects for my tests.”
“Your tests can wait for a bit,” says Aman. “Let things settle down. You already have the world’s biggest corporation and its most powerful superteam hunting you. Hang out with your boyfriend, help him clone mammoths and stuff. We also have many different kinds of fish.”
Rowena smiles. “Thank you,” she says. “For the first time in years, I feel safe.”
“And you can feel that way for years,” says Tia Prime. “We’re off the map, Rowena. No one will ever find us.”
On cue, an alarm rings out, and red lights flash through the base. Several screens pop up, showing, from several angles, the approach of an enemy vessel. And then another. And then more.
And then there are five.
Demon-shaped mechas approach Late Island. Aman waves his hand, and a rotating 3D hologram of the island and the base fills the middle of the chamber. The mechas are spaced out evenly around the island, surrounded in turn by swirling schools of curious fish.
“They’ll be here in two minutes,” says Aman. He casts a searching glance at Tia. “Another lucky guess, you think?”
“Shit,” says Tia.
* * *
“Why are we here again?” asks Baku.
“Silence,” snaps Amabie. “They could be listening.”
“Funny how we never worry about that with the giant monsters we seem to have misplaced during our last two fun outings,” says Oni. “It’s really far, and I’ve missed a whole bunch of clients, and I’m thirsty. I’d forget all of this if there was a monster to kill. Is there a monster to kill?”
“Patience, Oni,” says Norio.
“I don’t do patience,” says Oni. “Why are we here?”
“We’re on the trail of the Kaiju King,” says Norio. “Now all I ask is that you follow my lead. And trust me.”
“And
obey
me,” mutters Oni.
“This isn’t the mission, Goryo,” says Raiju. “You need to tell us these things in advance.”
“Noted,” says Norio.
“Now quiet,” says Amabie. “Initiate simultaneous charge on my mark.”
“Initiate my sweet brown ass,” says Oni. “We rescued Goryo. We chose not to see his face when you brought him in. He sounds ugly anyway. But this is all very sinister, Amabie. This is supervillain ground. Just tell us… are we terrorists now? Are we fighting for the government? What’s going on?”
“We’re changing the world,” says Norio. “Now shut up, and trust me.”
He hears muttering on the radio, but Team ARMOR holds its ground.
“We are with you, Goryo,” says Raiju after a while. “But we signed up to be heroes. Just remember that.”
“I will,” says Norio. “Get ready now. Their defences will be strong.”
* * *
“Okay, so now might not be the best time to bring this up, but we have no real defences,” says Tia.
Rowena’s eyes widen, and she turns in panic to Aman. But Aman is smiling.
“I know you think he’s cute,” he says, “but we still have enough of an arsenal to blast Bruce Sokko and his Flying Robot to little cute bits.”
“Yes, but face it, Aman, we’re not going to kill him,” says Tia. “But we can’t let them on the island,” says Aman.
“Isn’t this the Japanese billionaire you wanted to work with?” asks Rowena.
“Yes,” says Aman. “But his response to being kidnapped is really not what we wanted.”
“What should we do?” asks Rowena.
“Maybe you and Ulrik should take the sub out for a spin,” says Tia.
“No, we’re surrounded,” says Aman.
“I want to stay,” says Rowena. “I’m a part of your team now.”
“Sorry about that,” says Aman. “Tia. Options.”
“Well, they’re knocking very hard. We might have to let them in. We’ll show them our gardens and science labs and hopefully they’ll go back to fighting sea creatures,” says Tia. “I don’t know why they’re pushing it so far, but they know we know who they really are. And that we can tell the world in a
“Your tests can wait for a bit,” says Aman. “Let things settle down. You already have the world’s biggest corporation and its most powerful superteam hunting you. Hang out with your boyfriend, help him clone mammoths and stuff. We also have many different kinds of fish.”
Rowena smiles. “Thank you,” she says. “For the first time in years, I feel safe.”
“And you can feel that way for years,” says Tia Prime. “We’re off the map, Rowena. No one will ever find us.”
On cue, an alarm rings out, and red lights flash through the base. Several screens pop up, showing, from several angles, the approach of an enemy vessel. And then another. And then more.
And then there are five.
Demon-shaped mechas approach Late Island. Aman waves his hand, and a rotating 3D hologram of the island and the base fills the middle of the chamber. The mechas are spaced out evenly around the island, surrounded in turn by swirling schools of curious fish.
“They’ll be here in two minutes,” says Aman. He casts a searching glance at Tia. “Another lucky guess, you think?”
“Shit,” says Tia.
* * *
“Why are we here again?” asks Baku.
“Silence,” snaps Amabie. “They could be listening.”
“Funny how we never worry about that with the giant monsters we seem to have misplaced during our last two fun outings,” says Oni. “It’s really far, and I’ve missed a whole bunch of clients, and I’m thirsty. I’d forget all of this if there was a monster to kill. Is there a monster to kill?”
“Patience, Oni,” says Norio.
“I don’t do patience,” says Oni. “Why are we here?”
“We’re on the trail of the Kaiju King,” says Norio. “Now all I ask is that you follow my lead. And trust me.”
“And
obey
me,” mutters Oni.
“This isn’t the mission, Goryo,” says Raiju. “You need to tell us these things in advance.”
“Noted,” says Norio.
“Now quiet,” says Amabie. “Initiate simultaneous charge on my mark.”
“Initiate my sweet brown ass,” says Oni. “We rescued Goryo. We chose not to see his face when you brought him in. He sounds ugly anyway. But this is all very sinister, Amabie. This is supervillain ground. Just tell us… are we terrorists now? Are we fighting for the government? What’s going on?”
“We’re changing the world,” says Norio. “Now shut up, and trust me.”
He hears muttering on the radio, but Team ARMOR holds its ground.
“We are with you, Goryo,” says Raiju after a while. “But we signed up to be heroes. Just remember that.”
“I will,” says Norio. “Get ready now. Their defences will be strong.”
* * *
“Okay, so now might not be the best time to bring this up, but we have no real defences,” says Tia.
Rowena’s eyes widen, and she turns in panic to Aman. But Aman is smiling.
“I know you think he’s cute,” he says, “but we still have enough of an arsenal to blast Bruce Sokko and his Flying Robot to little cute bits.”
“Yes, but face it, Aman, we’re not going to kill him,” says Tia. “But we can’t let them on the island,” says Aman.
“Isn’t this the Japanese billionaire you wanted to work with?” asks Rowena.
“Yes,” says Aman. “But his response to being kidnapped is really not what we wanted.”
“What should we do?” asks Rowena.
“Maybe you and Ulrik should take the sub out for a spin,” says Tia.
“No, we’re surrounded,” says Aman.
“I want to stay,” says Rowena. “I’m a part of your team now.”
“Sorry about that,” says Aman. “Tia. Options.”
“Well, they’re knocking very hard. We might have to let them in. We’ll show them our gardens and science labs and hopefully they’ll go back to fighting sea creatures,” says Tia. “I don’t know why they’re pushing it so far, but they know we know who they really are. And that we can tell the world in a
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