Operation M.I.A: Missing in Action (IN NEED OF REVISING)

Chapter XXVII

The two hovercrafts fly toward each other to meet up. Our hovercraft manages to confuse the upgrade by putting up both claws, one at a time, then punching the upgrade's screen with the one it put up first. The upgrade spins around a few times, as if dazed. Afterward, it fires back with a bump that's apparently powerful enough to send our hovercraft all the way to the other side of the room. It manages to halt itself right before colliding with a wall, then fires a small energy orb at the upgrade

Now, our hovercraft is taking cover behind the fluorescent lights hanging from the ceiling while the upgrade starts looking around for it. It decides to try a sneak attack on the upgrade from behind, firing a homing torpedo at it when it's not looking. The upgrade notices the torpedo barely in time to shoot it down. The lights in the room start flickering, and Alexys starts screaming, even though this battle doesn't really involve her.

The upgrade starts moving up and down while firing a pair of twin lasers. Our hovercraft expertly maneuvers between each pair. It then turns into a rocket and charges right at the upgrade, which dodges the attack without any effort. This causes our hovercraft to fly straight into a wall, which only makes it recoil.

"Nice job, you idiot," I call out, sighing.

At this point, the upgrade corners our hovercraft, pinning it to the wall with both claws. It then starts charging up a huge energy orb with electricity spewing all around it. We can't do anything but watch as the upgrade prepares to completely annihilate our own.

But remember: Our hovercraft has probably had more time to let its intelligence expand.

Our hovercraft starts desperately glancing around for anything it could use to save itself, and finds its answer in the form of fluorescent lights hanging right above the upgrade. It finds room for its cannon to fire, and blasts a small energy orb at the fixture. The lights detach and fall right on the upgrade before it gets a chance to react, crushing it when it hits the floor.

Our hovercraft flies back toward us, and we start coming out of hiding. "Amazing display, my boy," I say proudly, giving the hovercraft the high-five it requests of me.

Music: Final Bowser Battle from Super Mario Galaxy

We don't have much time to celebrate, however, because that's when we realize that the Black Shadow and Alexys are no longer in the room. Nobody knows where they are at first, but the mystery is quickly solved when we hear the sound of a helicopter outside.

"Guys! Out here!" Brielle shouts, opening the doors to a balcony (why would a guy like Black Shadow want a balcony for his office?). The rest of us, along with the hovercraft, pile outside.

Black Shadow's helicopter flies just a few feet over us. It's probably no question that he has Alexys with him. Where he's going is unknown to us at the moment.

"We need to stop him!" Brielle urges. The hovercraft thinks otherwise, however. It activates its camera and points it at the helicopter, specifically where we can spot Alexys, tied to a pole.

What's special is that Alexys is struggling to get out of the ropes.

And succeeding.

---

Black Shadow looks ahead out of his cockpit, spotting a large, white structure in the distance. It's the city's nuclear power plant. He feels like it would be a fitting way to get rid of Alexys so no one would be able to rescue her.

Unknown to him is that Alexys is making efforts to escape from her binding, and is actually making progress. "I'm sorry that I have to do this, Alexys, but it's for the good of the company," he yells back to Alexys.