Domestic Vanguard: An Aldnoah Fanfic

Act 3

~Smaller Office~

Kamu: Searched every inch of the hotel. No sign of Candice.

Rayet: She somehow beat us to Bokaro, threw him off a balcony, and slipped away, avoiding every security camera.

Nina: Got to assume with the Globe Doc.

Kenta: How'd she even know where Bokaro was?

Davina: Davie told us that she cloned your phone. Heard every word you and Rayet were saying.

Kenta: Which is why she invited me up to her room in the first place. *Sighs* Man, she played me.

Kamu: Botched phone trace, dead diplomat, Intel out in the open.

Davie: *In the other room* Inaho's gonna take a big hit on this.

Kenta: Yeah.

*Phone ringing*

Kamu: *Pulls out his phone* It's Yuki. I'm gonna fill her in. *Leaves*

Rayet: Kenta...

Kenta: I know, you tried to warn me.

Rayet: This isn't an "I told you so". Just drink your tea.

Kenta: *Grabs his mug* ...

Rayet: Come on.

Kenta: ... *Sips*

Rayet: Better?

Kenta: *Puts his mug down* It's still too hot. *Sighs*

Nina: What's going on? The suit, the house, the "gut calls".

Davina: What's up?

Kenta: I don't know anymore. Ever since I first met you guys, I just want to live up to my potential, you know? Life's short. One minute, you're collecting rare items that you've seen as a kid, and the next...

Rayet: I see. It's the war. A lot of people nearly died. It was a wake-up call for us all.

Kenta: Except I'm the only one who bought real estate and got fooled by a smart, quirky, incredibly attractive assassin.

Davina: Yeah, well, being fooled by people happens to the best of us. I mean, look at me. Back during the war, me and this one other Martian nearly got killed by a mech, which happened to be piloted by the one guy who wanted to make an excuse to start a war between Earth and Mars, and boy, did we Martians fall for it so badly.

Kenta: *Chuckles* I guess we're not so different after all, Davina.

Rayet: Go home. Ditch the suit, get some rest, clear your head. We won't let Candice get away, promise.

Kenta: ... *Lifts his pinky* Pinky swear?

Rayet: *Chuckles quietly* Okay. *Hooks his with hers*

Kenta: *Leaves* See you in the morning.

{The Next Morning}

~SIA HQ~

Inko: *On the phone* Yes, sir. *Listens* Yes, sir. *Listens* Yes, sir, I understand. *Listens* Yeah. *Listens* We'll get- *Winces* We will get back to you as soon as I know more. *Listens* Thank you, sir. *Hangs up*

Inaho: I don't think we were ready to take full responsibility for this.

Yuki: *Arrives* Are you two okay?

Inko: We're fine, Yuki.

Inaho: Yesterday was not our best first day at SIA's main office. Just heard today might be our last.

Yuki: I meant your breathing.

Inko: In through the nose, out through the mouth. We know.

Yuki: Deep breathing exercises can help.

Inaho: How's Kenta?

Yuki: He blames himself for putting you in this spot.

Inaho: No, I think we put ourselves in this spot. Kenta's in the clear. HQ just wants our heads on a platter, not his.

Yuki: Yeah, well, bigger job, bigger challenges, huh?

Inko: We messed up. We made a judgment call, but got it wrong.

Yuki: The case isn't over yet. Your team is working hard to find Candice.

Inaho: Your team now, sis. I'm retired now. The last thing I want is to be out there, in action, risking my new eye's stability.

Yuki: ... Davie thinks he can reverse the clone she placed on Kenta's phone. We're gonna find her and the Globe Doc.

Inko: We appreciate the support. But we're not sure it's gonna be enough to smooth the waves.

Yuki: End of day, all the government cares about are results. You deliver the Globe Doc, all is forgiven.

*Phone chimes*

Yuki: *Pulls out her phone* Davie found Candice. *Notices* It's not good.

Inaho: What is it?

Yuki: She's at Kenta's house.

Inko: *!* Wait. What?

~Kenta's House~

Kenta is still recuperating from what happened last night.

???: Miss me?

Kenta: *Turns around* Candice?

Candice: No hard feelings, right?

Kenta: ... *Turns to his nearby pistol*

Candice: *Notices* Don't.

Kenta: *Rushes to his gun* Then, get lost!

*They both collide and start brawling*

Candice: *Grabs the gun* Can we just-

Kenta: *Knocks the gun away*

Candice: *Throws him into the hallway* Sorry it has to go this way, Kenta.

~Meanwhile~

Rayet and Kamu are on their way to Kenta's house.

Rayet: I swear, if she kills him, I'm gonna kill her.

Kamu: His house is coming up in just a few seconds.

~Kenta's House~

Kenta: *Infuriated* You played me. You kill Murdock. You kill Bokaro. *Slams her up against the wall* Now, you're here to kill me to tie-

Candice: *Knocks him down* Oh, shut up already. *Grabs his gun and aims at him* Now, listen very carefully to what I'm about to say.

~Outside~

Rayet: *Spots the house* There. That's his house.

Kamu: *Pulls over* Let's go rescue him.

~Inside~

Kamu and Rayet burst through the front door, aiming their handguns at Candice.

Candice: *Surrenders* Brilliant.

Kenta: *Gets up* Guys. Guys, it's okay, don't shoot. She's MI6. She's on our side.

Kamu: *?*

Rayet: MI6? On Japanese soil?