Defection (MentalModel!Brothers and OC)

Chapter 6

What Jon had told me was right -- like usual.

Despite my uniformed disguise being quite a few years out of date, I was able to enter the base through the faulty door after inputting my birthday as the code when the eye scanner failed to connect to the database. I had passed by a few sailors that complained about the new system being worse than the old one, followed by an off-hand comment that they were supposedly getting a new system installed within the next few days.

Thanking my lucky stars and my twin, I calmly walked towards the maintenance area of the underground port, using the jacket's old mechanic patches and insignias to bypass those who partially questioned my presence, merely nodding at those who made eye contact with me.

As soon as I was out of the corridor-like hallways and into the large open dock area, I ducked behind cover and cautiously moved towards where I remembered Todo and Jyushi were kept. Gnawing on my top lip nervously, I lightly groaned when I realized that I couldn't immediately see their drydocks from my current position, a large building that was meant for overseeing the vast amount of activity that happened in the drydock standing between where I was and the two docks that I needed to see, standing alone like a large air traffic control tower. Continuing to move until I was hidden behind a pallet of crates that looked far enough ahead of the building, I peeked around the side before my heart plummeted into my stomach.

The states of the Admiral Hipper and the Max Schultz were haunting.

Both ships still had their systems locked, evident by the flickering elongated red hexagons skittering over the colored metal, but the hulls of both ships had rapidly deteriorated from their appearance nearly thirteen hours ago. Large gaps had opened up all along their sides, visually looking like they were rusting in a rapid time-lapse as a small trickle of silver mist fell from the gaps, the holes slowly growing wider as I watched in horror.

The bridge of the Admiral Hipper was heavily leaning to the side as if it was getting ready to topple over from rust and rot, the front two gun turrets showing intense disrepair as one of the cannon barrels fell from the turret onto the deck, sending up a cloud of silver particles that slowly settled down. I had to cover my mouth to keep from screaming out before my eyes settled on a small gathering of people on the Hipper's deck, some of them wearing dress military uniforms while the others wore the white lab coats that I never wanted to see on or near my ships. The group had huddled around something on the deck, but I couldn't see what it was from my new vantage point.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to know.

The Max Schultz wasn't faring much better than the heavy cruiser, the wiring between the bridge and rear communication antenna had snapped at some point, the exhaust funnels slanting over as parts of the bridge crumbled onto the topmost front turret.

My heart nearly stopped as a pained scream unleashed itself from the deck of the destroyer, spurring some verbal reactions from a small group of white lab coats that had gathered on the Max Schultz.

"You'd make a horrible spy."

A voice made me jump, causing me to crouch lower and look behind me to see my dad looking out to the two ships, his hands behind his back as he formed a human wall between myself and the door that I had used to enter the underground port.

"Daddy, I--"

"No need to explain," His tone softened before he glanced down at me, "I already know. Give me five minutes and you'll have your opening. The only thing I ask as payment is that you come home safely in your own time. We will wait for you."