Hidan no Aria Volume 18, Chapter 5
Chapter 5: Thanks, Aniki ―― With Enable
[START TEXT]
The next day, after sunset, we returned to John F. Kennedy Airport–
The Tohyama siblings: consisting of G-3, myself, and Kaname, and also the subordinates Atlas, Collins, Tsukumo, and Luca stood in a line in front of the Sagitarrius, whose propeller tips were glowing a fluorescent green. Angus was already on board.
As the propellers began to turn slowly, they formed a light green halo, and standing behind the tiltrotors… G-3 looked back at his subordinates.
「Now we’ll be assaulting Groom Lake Air Force Base, popularly known as『Area 51』, and controlled access area 89A again. Our objective: Take the ruruirokane. Our goal: My own self-interest, with the minor goal of preventing the world war that would accompany the transformation of Aria H. Kanzaki into the Scarlet Goddess.」
Placing himself above the world. This is a true manifestation of: ‘In all Heaven and Earth, I alone am worthy of honour’.
Well, that fits with what a tsundere would say after all.
「Our flightpath follows a route of friendly states and territories, however, once we reach Utah and Nevada we cannot avoid hostile airspace. Once there, I expect to be opposed by Mash Roosevelt, just like last time. He is the darling of the party in power, and he tramples upon the freedoms of other countries. No matter where, this American traitor tramples individual rights. Frankly, we should expect the worst. That is all! –Any questions?」
G-3 asked his strange subordinates’ opinion, and Tsukumo was the first to raise her hand.
「…Are our weapons and equipment the same as before? Actually, your equipment was broken last time and you had to replace it with a spare. Your injuries are also not fully recovered. Is that an accurate summary?」
「Your point?」
「Then… it’s a handicap! It’s madness to challenge Mash’ Transzendieren Ange–with this little firepower!」
She said everything except『I’m worried about you G-3-sama』, but her eyes did that–
「You’ve got it! I’ll give you a bonus later for such an accurate summary.」
G-3 answered with a laugh as he brushed off her concern.
As she sulked, the ESPer girl next to her, Luca, raised her hand.
「Hey, Third! Can I get a bonus if I kill Mash? I’m going to an auction for a Breguet pocket watch at Sotheby’s next week, but I’m not sure if I have enough funds in reserve.」
「A Breguet? How beautiful. Sure, if you can.」
Luca’s eye turned to dollar signs as she pumped her fist into the air… It looks like she’s a watch collector.
Is it possible that she just follows him because she loves works of art and the pay is good?
「Sir, as Co-pilot, I have a question. What about the Sagittarius’ Metamaterial Ghillie?」
「We won’t really use it. We can’t mask our heat signature, so it really won’t work.」
Atlas asked about the approach with a salute, and G-3 answered…
「Oi, G-3! I agree with Tsukumo. It’s reckless to rush in to be intercepted with the same equipment as when you were defeated last time. Aren’t you going to at least explain a new strategy?」
I asked, standing next to G-3 and grabbing his ear.
「Yup. I told you in Tokyo that I didn’t have a plan. I’ll just push forward with all my strength. Then when I get to my enemies, I just knock them down.」
Saying something that fell in line with Mash’s accusation of being an idiot, Tsukumo had tears streaking down her face as she spoke.
「Understood, Third-sama. I will follow you to the death.」
Whereupon, G-3 brushed off my hand, and turned to face Tsukumo with a serious face–
「–That was a joke. Of course I have a strategy.」
I felt relief well up in my chest.
Why the hell did you make me worry? Why didn’t you drop the hubris from the start and explain that?
「This time the plan is–『Aniki will do something』. That’s how it’ll go.」
G-3 slapped me on the back while smiling with sparkling teeth… and his subordinates:
「Ah, I see!」
They made an expression of agreement. Wh-what…!?
「Even if he dies, he comes back to life like a video game character. He is our trump card.」
「Oi, Luca! Wouldn’t that be me? Here, hit him! Everybody pile on and hit him. I ordered Angus to make his armour. It should be able to take a full Mach 1 Ouka, so let’s test it out.」
Saying that former IJA demon sergeant-esque line my grandfather would say, G-3 grabbed me by the scruff of the neck–
Holding me up in the air.
「Sorry guys. Soviet Cold War agents and all kinds of domestic American thieves have tried to steal the ruruirokane from Area 51, but none of them have succeeded. It is the one black mark on my record. This time, we’ll have to rely on this occult power.」
「Don’t call me occult! As a Genion, couldn’t you come up with a better plan! Breaking into an Air Force base that no one in the world has ever broken into is pretty much impossible–」
「–No, there was one person in the world. There was a man who was able to steal a very miniscule amount of ruruirokane from Area 51.」
「…Th-there was? Someone who was able to steal something from an American military base? Who?」
「Arsene Lupin the 3rd. He had exceptional companions, and if the military records are correct, there were 4 of them in his team. They only used guns and blades. We’re a bit more heavily armed.」
Riko… her old man?
Speaking of her crucifix–Sherlock had said that it was an alloy containing a miniscule amount of another kind of metal of the same type as hihiirokane.
Was that the ruruirokane that was stolen?
「My idiot brother forgot about his second name『Enable』when he spoke just now.」
Letting me go, G-3 crossed his arms and puffed his chest back out.
「Understand? The idea of impossibility is like a demon. And when it takes over a human, it crushes their spirit. Challenging what was impossible again might seem foolish to another person. But that’s what I’m going to do! There’s no guarantee of success this time. But if it doesn’t work out, I’ll just try again. And if I die, my Aniki will try. Again, and again. No matter how many times it takes. Even if it takes an infinite number of tries, and there is no enemy who can stand up against an opponent who keeps coming back. Even if they are a demon, there is no exception.」
G-3 said to encourage his subordinates–
–His words have some kind of power.
「Since time immemorial, humanity has made the impossible possible. Crossing oceans, flying through the air, and landing on the Moon. And now we will make the impossible possible. Doing something that no one has ever seen. Secretly saving the world will gain us no praise from anyone. But don’t worry about that. I will definitely see and take note of it. And you, yourself, will see what you accomplish as well. Let’s do it. When we reach Area 51, we will be like Columbus, Lindbergh, and Armstrong. Someone will always accomplish the impossible. And right now it’s us–!.」
–Really? Is that how it is? I understood it.
G-3’s followers raised a synchronised cry of:
「Yeah!」
And I realised it.
G-3 hadn’t brought me into this for my own exaggerated fighting power.
In this seemingly impossible battle as『Enable』–I am the symbol of making the impossible possible. By strengthening the bonds between the G-3 League, 1 + 1 + 1… grows to infinity.
That is it…
Even as his older brother with a slightly embarrassing second name, I can’t say it’s a terrible thing.
Let’s go. To Area 51. The ruruirokane is there. And– so is the good news that Aria is waiting for.
**********************************************************
The Sagittarius flew through the night sky at low altitude and it’s top speed of 620 KPH.
Looking upward out the window, the whole sky was full of stars that twinkled more than usual, perhaps due to the fine dust that was being kicked up from the ground.
It felt like we were flying through a planetarium or the void of space from an anime.
Except for the infrequent light from the highway below, it was a total darkness. There was a large mountain range on the uneven horizon.
The areas friendly to G-3 were largely districts within larger states. We made adjustments to our course above sparsely populated regions. Like ninja.
…Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois…
On the large, semi-transparent display, a bright dot on a map of the continental United States indicated our position and progress via GPS location.
As for Mash and his party… I wouldn’t want to conduct a night attack. And we won’t.
The Sagittarius was a gunship formed from a cross between an Osprey and Hercules, and it is heavily armed with infrared sensors, laser range-finding, and a precision targeting and fire control computer to operate its L-60 autocannons and M-102 howitzers. Enemies should think twice before trifling with it.
As we slept in shifts, we crossed over the American Midwest and the Mississippi River at 0000 CST… passing into the western half of the United States… and crossing into the hostile airspace of Utah. For now, peacefully…
G-3 laid on a sofa with his arms crossed and eyes closed–using some technique I can’t fathom, he was able to rest half of his brain at once, so he’ll respond if you ask a question. So:
「We’re about 90% of the way there. There are no issues. It’s quiet.」
I said in the direction of the sofa, but–
「–It’s too quiet. That’s the most dangerous time.」
He said tensely.
But such over vigilance was unnecessary, our steady approach had been entirely uneventful–we were now crossing into Nevada airspace.
If things continue like this, we should make a smooth arrival at Area 51.
「It’s daybreak…」
Tsukumo murmured, and outside the window–the eastern horizon behind us lit up.
Looking down, the ochre desert shone. As a Japanese person, it was unlike the mental image I had of someplace like the Sahara. It was rocky, and vegetation that had adapted to the hot arid climate grew sparsely.
With each passing moment, it grew more and more dazzling in the light, so Kaname drew a sunglasses-like shade over the window–
–Then in a rush, G-3 stood and rushed over, then stopped.
「….Radar contact, check infrared sensors!」
Glowering outside, he shouted into the intercom.
『N-no anomaly detected.』
『Wait, just now– aural sensors detect an intermittent signal at 6 o’ clock…!』
Having been jointly piloting the craft since crossing into Utah, Atlas and Angus reported.
As she heard the direction, Luca brought up a split screen view of a contingency table and a camera view from the rear of the Sagitarrius onto the display.
When I looked at it, the feed was mostly white-out due to the rising sun. Even with light control, the outline of the mountains behind us were hard to make out.
「It’s a super-compact stealth aircraft! Hidden in the lookdown ground scatter1! It took off 15 seconds ago in the blindspot of the mountains–there’s one tailing us! And there’s one more–by the sound of it… directly above us!」
Seemingly having ears more sensitive than the radar, G-3 looked directly overhead.
「–Ready the howitzer! Evasive action to port!」
G-3 barked an order and received a『Roger!』in response as Angus and Atlas banked the craft into a steep left turn.
Kaname grabbed my belt to steady me, and Tsukumo and Collins tumbled and rolled to avoid injuring themselves.
『Target lock! Coming about! From high at 7 o’clock– 2 anomalies detected! Uh…Thermal source detected from 7 o’clock! ATAS stinger missile!』
This happened, and before I knew it, we were attacked from the two legs of an L-shaped trajectory!
We were attacked from directions undetectable by radar and optical means, with the mountain and Sun behind us, to the rear and above.
For a tactical aircraft like the Sagittarius, it’s ability to monitor the space directly overhead is poor. For fighter aircraft– due to the disturbance of air needed to power their jet engines, steep nosedive attacks are rare.
It seems that G-3 issued orders to evade the dive bomb attack and the pursuing attack–
–However.
Even with the rotating howitzer, it was unable to put the enemy in its sights. In addition to normal stealth technology, it also employed Metamaterial Ghillie.
However, zeroing in on the heat source, the Sagittarius’ guns fired–then suddenly, there was a violent impact to the right side of the tail section. It was the guided missile from the stealth aircraft–!
「–Kyaaaa!」
Luca shrieked as we were rolled about the interior cabin like a pachinko ball–
The Sagittarius received critical damage and, shaking violently, began to fall. But it didn’t feel like a headlong plunging crash. We were still flying on a reduced number of engines.
That is to say… we are listing off course. It wasn’t a stall, but we were unable to level out. Pulling into a corkscrew path, we began to descend gradually from our already low altitude.
There was no smoke to be seen, but looking out at the right wing through the window it was a hellscape of flames.
『Engine 1, lost. Engine 2, 50% operational. Engines 3 and 4, fully operational. Right tail stabiliser, completely lost. Right wing, heavily damaged. Prop 1, completely lost. Steerage, impossible. Oil pressure, dropping. All propellers will not disengage from 60 degrees. We are currently 120 miles from our destination and descending. Landing gear will not deploy. Commencing emergency landing. Third-sama, I hate to impose upon you, however… In order to avoid soiling your clothes, please tidy up your beverage containers.』
Angus announced calmly from the cockpit as an alarm blared and black smoke from the fire poured into the fractured airtight cabin.
To Tsukumo and Luca, who were choking on the smoke and on the verge of panic–
「–Stay alert! Don’t lose your calm! Brace for impact!」
G-3 ordered.
Each of his followers snapped to attention and grabbed onto a rail attached to the wall…
「Onii-chan, I’m scared!」
Kaname said, obviously faking it as she clung on to my arm and clutching it between her breasts. Are you really doing this right now? We might die in 30 seconds.
Reki leaned against a wall, clutching her Dragunov like a child to herself…completely calm…
…As reckless as ever.
Finally glancing over at the display that had turned to a blue screen, I sighed…
*Whiiiiiiiiiiiiiiir!*…!
We heard the left side propellers impacting and gouging a trough through the desert, causing the right side to jump up, rolling the Sagittarius over in a crash landing.
****************************************************************
Without causing the Sagittarius to explode, Angus crashed, made an emergency landing, and brought it to a stop.
Thanks to that, most of the crew were largely unharmed, harm restricted to minor injuries. In Butei High, we’d call them scratches. Thanks to my concealed armour, I only received minor injuries as well.
However… the Sagittarius itself was totally crippled. It’s attached weaponry was entirely destroyed, so our fire power was reduced in one fell swoop.
We were hit from behind in the tail by an air-to-air missile fired from some kind of invisible attack craft. We were also hit on the right wing by some kind of low altitude mass with a masked heat signature.
I don’t really know what they actually were. I wouldn’t be surprised if it were some kind of Transzendieren Ange.
G-3 kicked open a hatch and headed outside…
Out there, it was horrifically dry, and the wind kicked up fine dust and grit that stung the eyes.
My mental image of the desert was a hot, sultry place, but it was cold. The ambient temperature was about 8 degrees.
It was like a sandy beach in winter with all of its water stolen away– Such a harsh place could not exist in Japan. And the landscape just went on and on. I thought I felt something growing under foot, but I was mistaken and it was withered and parched grass.
The reddish-brown ground stretched out to the black-ish mountains. They were low in elevation…so perhaps instead of mountains, they should be called boulders.
This is an American desert…
It’s familiar to me from American Western films, but the reality was a bit overwhelming.
In a word–hellish. It was a landscape that rejected all forms of life like something from The Wasted Land.2
But…
「Alright. We’re closer than last time.」
Turning his back on the wreckage of the Sagittarius, despite the blood flowing from his head, G-3 stared smilingly in the direction of Area 51. His ability to feign optimism was on the same level as Riko.
Still dazed, I lent a hand… his subordinates and I quickly extracted the food, water, and arms from the wrecked interior.
「Based on our numbers, we have enough water for one day and food for two, conservatively. For a land assault, fortunately enough arms, ammunition, explosives, and Atlas’ Personal Assault Armour are all unharmed. In addition, although we cannot procure any compatible transportation… perhaps we could use this as an and incendiary against the enemy position instead of dynamite.」
Angus held up the now useless canister of NOS fuel… He was holding the fuel accelerant that was installed in the Orochi in New York as he listed off a report of the provisions that everyone had been able to salvage. Then:
「I can carry it all myself.」
Wearing the unharmed power armour, Atlas began to load everything into his knapsack.
With her Dragunov shouldered and the dry wind fluttering her skirt, Reki stood with her usual blank expression, but she was not alone… Tsukumo was taking a GPS measurement, Kaname was working with Luca to prepare the Sagittaruis’ self-destruct, and Collins had flopped down on the sand for a late morning prayer. Each of them were untroubled.
Even in this extreme and isolated place with a life-or-death situation upon us, there was a distinct lack of anxiety.
It was more than G-3’s absolute leadership; it was a strong sense of trust.
***********************************************
Once we had put some distance between us and the crash of the Sagittaruis, we engaged the self-destruct… However, because religious matters were important, we waited until Collins finished his prayers.
I was the only despondent one here in these dire straits.
Reki sat on the sand, clutching her knees next to me…
I looked around for something interesting to talk about, but couldn’t find anything.
Soon after, I heard something rustling in the wind and saw a clump of straw tumbling across the ground–it was something I had seen in Westerns, so it didn’t do anything to raise my spirits. Typically it rolls through on a dry wind prior to a duel, so in our unfortunate state it only reinforced my prior bitter mood.
What’s more, it seemed that something similar rolled across Reki’s own homeland so when I pointed and said:
「Look at that! What is it?」
「Tumbleweed…」
She was actually the one to tell me what it was.
I borrowed a pair of binoculars from Kaname, and scanned the surroundings…
Oh! Look at that. The stereotypical dead cattle skeleton. Unscavenged by animals and with bits of hide still sticking to its bones.
As expected of someone as useless as I am, I could only find a ball of grass and a dead cow–
「As the crow flies, Area 51 is 190 km away… Avoiding the Chokecherry mountainous region, the distance is more like 200 km.」
Tsukumo reported to G-3, holding a tablet computer.
But it’s still 200 km. That’s farther than the distance between Tokyo and Shizuoka, isn’t it?
That’s not a walkable distance, even if it weren’t through this hellscape.
But G-3 said:
「Alright, let’s move out! Leave the dead where they fall!」
The tsundere decided to exercise the tsun part of his nature, as he made this unreasonable request like the manager of a sweatshop to his workers.
Used to such pain from Aria, I used my hand to turn Reki’s head to glare at G-3, silently putting pressure on him with our 4 eyes.
As that happened…
Collins raised his head up from his prayers and looked toward the Sun.
「…Third. Just a moment. Do you hear that?」
Pointing to the ground.
G-3 stuck his ear to the spot….
…10 seconds passed… 20… listening for a sound.
Then standing, he pointed a thumb a little south of west.
「–This way. Let’s walk. There some kind of man made object obstructing the wind and making a slight noise.」
************************************************************************
Nevada was about 3 times the size of Hokkaido and almost entirely covered in desert–
And we walked on.
Our course undulated slightly, and due to the winter, the one bright spot in the darkness was that the daytime temperature only rose to just under 20 degrees… but the dryness was unbearable.
After an hour, my hair dried out and the exposed, bare skin on my face and arms became rough. Powdery grains of sand stuck to my clothes and face, making it look like I was turning into sand myself.
The thirst in my throat became a madness as we shared a little water between us at a time, but… G-3 only pretended to drink without taking in a single drop. I respect you for giving your share to your followers, but won’t you just tire yourself out?
As he told us a funny story about stepping on a snake that couldn’t be seen because it was the same colour as the sand then chased after him with surprising speed….
…The sun set.
After dusk, the temperature in the desert drops below freezing rapidly.
While shivering and puffing white mist– We followed G-3 and his sense of hearing as we walked under the starry sky until it was about 1 AM.
A town…
There’s a town over there.
But it was half covered in sand, and what might be called a ghost town.
Well, that thought came to me partially because of where we were.
With the wind and rain storms of Japan, the town would have rotten away entirely, but it looked to have been abandoned for 70-80 years… but the desert seems to have preserved the ruins of this Wild West-era town like the mummified cow.
We saw several ruined structures, and when inhabited, the population of town was probably about 200 people. Most of the buildings had collapsed, but some of them still retained their original shape.
At the centre of the town, there was a particularly large, warehouse-like structure that we didn’t know the purpose of… Maybe it had been built to house people that had come to the American Western Frontier. But as time went on, it became unnecessary and gradually the town became depopulated until it was abandoned
「Let’s head over there.」
Kaname said, pointing to an old, authentic cowboy saloon with a sign reading:『Hilton’s Bar』, and we all went inside… Atlas hung lights, and illuminated the crumbling interior… It was full of sand.
It was draughty, and it wasn’t much warmer than outside.
But wasn’t it better than sleeping out in the exposed wind?
「–We’ll make camp here tonight. Take your individual rations. We’re at C-II alert status with a Type 1 patrol-sleep rotation. Fall out!」
Giving us all orders, G-3 walked over to a handy chair and brushed off the sand.
The girls discovered an ancient pinball machine in a corner of the shop.
「Look! It still works!」
And they chattered back and forth. Reki peered over at what they were doing, each of them acting carefree. I alone was acting like a victim marched into hostile enemy territory without supplies.
But apparently, I’m the only one upset here–
「What’s this? A 1934 bourbon. It is still good. Please enjoy it, Third-sama. Regrettably, I do not have a beer for a chaser, and as for a glass…」
Angus rummaged through the bar counter interior, sifting through the sand.
「Oh no! My hair is such a mess! And my skin is so rough!」
Complaining as he looked into a mirror hanging on the wall, the fashion conscious Collins removed the bandages from his face and began arranging his hair,
「Come, come. I’ve got pocket sandwiches, buttermilk biscuits, and french toast! Come on and dig in, everyone!」
The grave Atlas said, removing his helmet and spreading out the UGR-E rations in accordance with G-3’s orders.
Even at a time like this, they didn’t lose their good spirits. These Americans.
Thanks to that, my spirits rose, just a little. Even if it was just a brave front.
Knowing they wouldn’t eat his portion, G-3 sat in his chair, took a mouthful of bourbon, and pretended to sleep. I noticed that they put aside his portion… and I gave a wry smile as I ate a bag of mixed nuts.
As the boisterous evening meal took place, I…
Saw a blurry picture and description on a『Wanted』notice affixed to the wall.
Should I peel it off as a souvenir?
I contemplated acting as a bad tourist to disturb the ruins while visiting.
No sooner than that happened, I was struck with a divine punishment and was hit by a cold draught…
The door that appeared to lead to the toilet was buried and was not likely to open.
It can’t be helped. I slipped quietly outside.
*************************************
In the moonlight–
I found an isolated end of a street in the ghost town.
With the sand muffling all sound, the silence made my ears ache. There weren’t even any insects.
It’s a terrible waste of water…
Then I headed toward a brick wall to employ a particularly male ability…
…?
–I noticed something.
It was about 20 metres behind me.
Crap! I didn’t notice until it was too late because the sand deadened the sound.
This is a dead-end street. I had driven myself into a corner.
The sound was like the breath of a large animal– Could it live in these ruins?
No, it was something else. There was a faintly metallic noise. It was obviously human.
Without turning my head, I tried to determine what I hadn’t noticed before–pretending to fumble with my trouser belt, I loosened my gun in my holster.
I got ready to quickdraw it as soon as the noise got close–
— I spun around with a *Whoosh!*
And down the street…
Sitting astride an American Quarter Horse that could outstrip any cavalry horse, there was a large man with a dark brown cowboy hat.
A large belly in a T-shirt stuck out from a vintage leather coat that the big and strong Caucasian old man wore.
Looking like he had come from Kentucky Fried Chicken, he took off his Colonel Sanders-esque glasses to reveal a stern expression on the big man’s mustached face. His originally blonde hair was greying and left loose and unkempt. He looked right for the role of a bank robber in a Western.
The thin canteen in his left hand, I didn’t have to ask, was probably full of alcohol– and in his right hand– there was an old-style M1 Garand rifle.
「…Who are you?」
I asked quietly.
「Don’ move, cowboy. You carryin’ on the chest?」
He answered in accented English in an equally low voice.
Suddenly– I was alarmed by this man.
In this country even women, children, and the elderly shoot guns. 30,000 die from it every year.
It’s a country where more people are killed by guns every day than in a modest civil war.
Thinking that, there was a very real sense of tension in this place.
I didn’t think that this stranger in front of me wanted to talk.
The likelihood that I would be suddenly shot with a *Bang!* was not low…
「You drew first. Then I did. I’m Japanese. We’re a country of self-defence.」
Without drawing my gun, I tried to gauge his attitude.
Then the old man grinned broadly.
「I’m not yellow enough to draw before a youngin’. Go ahead an’ draw.」
He took another swig of alcohol. Without taking his eyes off of me, he raised it to his lips.
Realising that I couldn’t shoot fast enough, in that instant–
「…I don’t want to fight you.」
I took out my Desert Eagle from my jacket and tossed it at my feet. I left my Beretta hidden for the moment.
Seeing that… the old man stowed his rifle in a quiver-like hoster on his horse’s flank.
–I’ve avoided a gunfight for the moment.
「…Who’s in there? I wanna know. I saw you a ways off.」
The old man asked, jerking a thumb toward『Hilton’s Bar』where G-3 and co were…
「My younger brother, sister, and some friends. They aren’t bad people, despite how they might look.」
I answered honestly, and–
The old man– with a *Click!*– pulled a Ruger Blackhawk from a concealed back holster and pointed it toward the roof of the ruins.
Up there…
「What do you mean by ‘despite how they look’, Aniki?」
G-3 stood there, seemingly having come to guard me while I relieved myself.
Seemingly not taking his weapon seriously, G-3 stared down with an attitude of superiority.
As the old man looked up–
「…Oh my Go–…!」
Hearing him exclaim that famous line grabbed my attention.
When he looked up… I noticed a tattoo on the old man’s neck. It was a horrifying design of a knife thrust through a skull, and the letters spelling out U.S. Army. He must have put on weight since he got it, because it was considerably distorted.
「I thought I’d shoot people in ‘Nam, but this is surprising! A hero like you, way out here in the sticks!」
Apparently an ex-soldier, the old man stowed his gun and got off his horse happily, taking off his hat and holding it against his thick chest. Like a boy with sparkling eyes, he looked up at G-3.
*********************************************************************
As a fighting nation, there are 1.5 million military personnel in America. When you count former personnel and staff, that number doubles. That being the case, it wasn’t at all outside the bounds of probability to happen to meet this older army veteran. But I still don’t know if it was a lucky or unlucky meeting.
This old man had a rugged Colonel Sanders look– it was actually a common name, his last name really was Sanders– and his house was just a short distance from the ghost town and near the foot of the mountains.
It took about 3 minutes to get there on foot, and he guided G-3 to his wood frame house…
He gave us an overblown welcome and the inside of his house was just as rough and wild as his hair and moustache. It was an unkempt dwelling place where the man lived alone. Bullet boxes and alcohol bottles were strewn all over the floor.
…It was old and crumbling. Although it was an American house, it was cramped.
In terms of environment, it is a bit better than the ruins. The power generator was old and noisy. Among other faults.
But a house was a house. It was bright, warm, and I had been saved from a brush with death.
The old man had brought us here, both nervous and excited at the same time.
「Welcome G-3! You ‘member last year’s Trails Oilfield fire?」
He cracked open a can of Budweiser from the refrigerator packed full of them and handed it over to G-3.
Then after a moment of puzzlement on his face, G-3 made a sign of recognition, then he looked away in embarrassment.
「Cuz y’all rushed in to save us, not a soul died. I thought I was a goner for sure under the collapsed oil platform. But y’all save my friend, his son, and me too!」
Laughing heartily he clapped G-3 on the shoulder while taking swigs of beer…
It looks like this is one of the people that my brother saved while he engaged in his hobby of playing Ally of Justice.
G-3’s face said he distinctly remembered the oilfield accident, but it seemed that he wasn’t that good at accepting praise from someone he saved.
「Uh… I might have done that. But I don’t remember each and every person I save. Just like you don’t remember all the names of all the streets you walk down.」
He said such a tsundere thing. He seems to be constantly acting.
But this…
–It was a lucky thing. We’ve obviously met up with an ally of G-3.
No, it’s a bit too lucky.
This must be… due to the boost of my luck in lieu of my luck with women that Luca had made with her supernatural power–somehow it affected my destiny. It has to be. That’s the whole reason that I met the old man in the first place.
Or does that mean because I met him that my luck with women decreased even further? But from the start my luck with women was Guiness World Record level bad. If it decreases further, I’m afraid of what might happen. Some kind of dangerous woman might appear.
******************************************
Digging the old man’s precious tequila out from a cabinet, setting out a plastic case of beer cans, and pulling out one frozen meal after another from the freezer, Angus and Tsukumo bustled to serve us.
「Why do you live out here? Are you looking for oil?」
I asked, not drinking the alcohol, but stuffing my face with cold pizza.
「I’m retired. I’m waitin’ for WWIII to drop, so I moved out into the boonies. The next big ‘un is definitely gonna use nukes!」
Despite being drunk, the old man was not joking as he answered seriously.
「This old man’s crazy!」
G-3 laughed as he munched on tomatoes and chicken nuggets.
「Don’t say that!」
I interjected, glaring at him.
「Don’t say that.」
Tsukumo interjected, glaring at me as she waitressed.
The Scarlet Goddess will cause a world war…
Here in America where there is almost an unbroken chain of war, gun shootings, and the danger of terror–
There were more than a few who had chosen to evacuate themselves due to a neurosis about war. It seems that they choose to live out in the country, arm themselves, and fortify their homes. This old man is one of them.
The crazy old man Sanders, G-3, Atlas, and Collins put out dollar bills on the table… all of them equally crazy, they began making bets on a game of poker. The girls all got excited by watching intently. Even with his crooked posture, Angus dealt the hand of cards like a professional dealer.
As for me, I lacked the ability and communication skills to become friendly with someone I just met… So I set myself down on the sofa that had springs poking out of it and next to Reki who had a similar lack of communication skills. Then I turned on the television to pass the time. I did much the same with Lisa in the Netherlands. It might be a habit of mine to find escape in a television when I go abroad.
Slowly… the CRT display warmed up, and the program… thankfully was not adult content like the last time. It was the safest of all programs to prevent hysterising, a weather report.
「…What’s that mark? Oh, it’s a windstorm prediction. The forecast is for a『cyclone』. As expected of America.」
I chattered about what I saw, trying to strike up a conversation.
「…」
Her reddish brown eyes staring at the CRT, Reki-chan sat atop the sofa grasping her legs while saying nothing. With no expression. Having absolutely no response. Sitting next to me, there was no sign of her except for the faint scent of mint from her hair. Impressively lacking in presence.
No matter what you might say, when Atlas or Luca go a day without a bath, they start giving off a strong foreign scent like Alice Bell.
「Whoo boy, you wanna attack Groom Lake Air Force Base–Area 51, G-3?」
While pouring the tequila into a glass, they told the old man the dangerous tale–
I looked away from the television toward the table.
「So you got hit by their counter strike? You were flying some kind of UFO or somethin’. The noise of it upset my stomach. And now you wanna sneak up and catch ‘em off guard?」
「Yeah, that’s about it.」
Hearing G-3’s answer, the old man laughed heartily.
「This gonna be the big ‘un, G-3?」
「It’ll be a big fight,」
「That’s bad, sonny. I’ll help ya. We’re both in trouble and should lend each other a hand.」
Despite calling him ‘sonny’, the old man was clearly wanting to help his benefactor, G-3.
「…Sanders-shi. If you have a car, will you kindly lend it to us? Naturally, we shall compensate you for it.」
Angus proposed.
「You aren’t gettin’ to Area 51 in a car. No roads. Even in my jeep. Horses are the only way to go.」
Horses… then we can’t get there. It’s pretty far. And he only has one of them, in the first place.
Hearing his response, everyone fell silent for a moment–
Seemingly having been feigning ignorance until now he continued:
「But..」
He said, regathering their attention on himself.
「There’s ‘nother, special『path』. I’ll get ready tomorrow and go with ya. Let’s make those stupid Air Force Elites cry. Aha, full house! I win! Let’s stop here and be gettin’ some sleep. Or do you want to lose s’more?」
************************************************************
Like the old man’s hand, his house was also full, and he was a traditional man that thought:
「Men-folk and women-folk should sleep in separate rooms. There’s only 1 bedroom, so that’ll be the women-folk’s room. I’ll take the sofa in the living room. The rest of y’all can take the floor.」
And he said so…
Angus, Atlas, and Collins slept in the living room, taking up the entire floor. Due to his bodybuilder physique, Atlas took up the most room and was the main reason for the shortage of space. He was asleep 3 seconds after saying ‘Goodnight’, so out of necessity, G-3 and I… we slept out in the stable.
However, there must have been some of my luck remaining. There weren’t any blankets in the house, but sliding underneath the straw, it was pleasantly warm. It felt good. I’ll be able to sleep well. Even if it smelled like horses.
The horse bit my hand, but instantly became docile when stroked by G-3…
G-3 and I fluffed up the straw and laid down side by side.
When the borrowed light was extinguished, I could only hear my brother and the horse’s breathing in the darkness.
This is probably the first time we had been alone together since leaving New York, so…
「…G-3. What are you going to do after you bring back Dr. Sara?」
I asked the question that had always troubled me.
G-3…
「…」
My brother remained silent, but I felt like I could understand his strange mood. Somehow.
I wonder if this is what they mean when they say Love is blind?
「It’s a terrible thing to say, but… since you’re my Aniki and no one else is here, I’ll tell you. I’ve given up. I’m against it. There isn’t even any proof that using irokane will work.」
「…」
「In my opinion, hihiirokane– and the Scarlet Goddess is pure『Evil』. I don’t think it’s a good idea to rely on evil… and the Doctor wouldn’t like it, would she?」
「…」
「But that’s a question you’d have to ask yourself. I won’t talk any more about it after this. Bringing the dead back to life– I haven’t given up on that. But there has to be another way.」
G-3 said as he lay next to me..
Then he fell silent.
…I wonder if he was asleep? If that’s the case, I don’t want to talk to myself.
So I closed my eyes.
「…Thanks, Aniki.」
…Huh?
Is he awake?
「Angus, Atlas, and Collins– they all know. They know, and they worry, so they avoid this topic. They treat it『Like an abscess that shouldn’t be touched』… so… thanks, Aniki. For having the guts to bring it up. Thanks… for taking me to task.」
G-3, whom I had assumed was asleep, mumbled this, half like a soliloquy.
It was halting and clumsy. He was. But I wasn’t good at talking to people either.
But… he hadn’t told me that he had given up. That’s fine. He can figure out the rest later. One step at a time.
That’s how it is. But I forgot that there was one more thing I wanted to say. I wanted to tell him while we were alone together.
「…And there’s also something about Tsukumo. Your follower. Show her a bit more care.」
It was a bit of an awkward topic, but I had to say it. I couldn’t ignore it.
「Why? I don’t treat any of my subordinates differently.」
Wha….! Have you really not noticed!? Despite the spotlight-like interest she shows in you?
This guy’s an insensitive blockhead. Some kind of clueless protagonist.
「That’s not the issue here. You really don’t know, do you?」
「I don’t know what you mean. What do you want me to do?」
「Even asking me, I don’t really know either, but…」
Yeah. When it comes to matters of love, I know less than a kindergartener.
When I gave Jeanne flowers a while ago, that seemed to work out, but… when I did the same thing to Shirayuki last year, she ended up shooting up my apartment with a machine gun the next day. I don’t know what he should do.
But, having been the one to bring up the topic, if I didn’t say anything, it would affect my dignity and status as an older brother.
Instead of taking a step back, I plunged forward. Then I–
「The next time you and Tsukumo are alone together, run your hand over her hips. Nature will take it from there.」
I blurted out the most sexual thing I had ever said. I had stolen half of it from something Reki had said before. But then…
「–Huh? I don’t get what you mean. Bite down as hard as you can on your tongue and go to sleep. Forever.」
It was no good. He wasn’t feigning ignorance. It seemed that the message had been lost.
But, pathetic older brother that I am, I can’t give him what I don’t have. And I should only meddle sparingly.
The next morning–
Old man Sanders took a bunch of cowboy hats from a storage closet and gave us each one. This delighted G-3 who began acting like Clint Eastwood, but… the familiar headgear from Westerns was not only a fashion item, but an indispensable practical item. It protected your eyes from the desert rays of sunlight and helped prevent sunstroke.
Looking like gunman by our clothes, Sanders took us to the『path』he told us about…
He brought us back to the ghost town from yesterday.
「…Where’s the『path』you talked about?」
I asked in sulking Japanese– but then I realised that it had been too dark last night to notice it.
Dotted here and there throughout the Nevada wasteland…
There was what appeared to be a set of reddish dotted lines.
Some kind of rock…? Mineral…? No, it was too straight. It had to be man-made.
「…A railway…!」
Tsukumo said it at the same instant I realised it, covering her eyes with her hands as her ears perked up while she looked out across the desert.
None of us had noticed it in the dark but this town was a『railway station』.
It didn’t look like this place was constructed to be a terminus. It looked like an offshoot from the main line, like Toshimaen Station on the West Ikebukuro Line– and the strange building in the centre of the town was meant to house the rolling stock. It was like a railway garage. Based on the smaller size, if I had to guess it was a shunting or holding station.
With a self-satisfied grin on his face, the old man pulled on a chain to open the doors, and inside the large depot…
…!
Gleaming a dull jet black, there was a an old-fashioned rail vehicle–
A perfectly preserved steam locomotive.
While all of G-3’s followers were stunned,
「Gosh!」
Angus stepped up to the old steam-powered train and exclaimed happily:
「How? How? This–is a Central Pacific Railroad 63C!3. This is an American National Treasure. It was an early design in the transition between wood to coal-burning types, and it is impossible to remain calm upon learning that a fully functional example exists. Ah, look at that beautiful red cow-catcher…!」
…He seemed to be an American railroad enthusiast…
Angus’ hand trembled in excitement as he reached out his hand– he ran it over the large steel-framed, rake-like protrusion that stuck out from the front of the steam locomotive like visor, just barely skimming the ground. In bygone days, it was an indispensable piece of equipment used to clear the track ahead of the locomotive of buffalo.
The fire chamber door on the front of the steam locomotive was round, and where an Imperial Japanese train would have the Red Sun, there were two crossed Stars and Stripes flags. However, the flags had a few less stars than the current version of the American flag employed. Some antiques are from a time when there were fewer American states. Like this steam locomotive.
「This ‘uns like this old man. It may be old, but put a fire in her belly, and she’ll run. It might just be a lil’ bit rusty.」
「It only needs a bit of maintenance. Is that a transcontinental body?」
「You’ve got quite the eye there, Angus-san. It’s been called a Trans-American–『Trans-Am』.」
It’s trumpet-style smoke stack was a lustrous black, and in the front of this Trans-Am… these two older nerds began talking in detail about the Gold Rush-era steam locomotive that likely hauled freight cars with silver and gold ore. The ghost town was originally a switchyard town.
I had never expected to find such a thing here, but…
But it seems that this branch of the old Union Pacific transcontinental rail line reached just inside Area 51.
What’s more, the area it runs through to reach our destination of Area 51 is just barely inside the territory friendly to G-3. That means that if we run the Trans-Am–
We can get close to the ruruirokane.
「Oi, G-3! Back in Cafe Lalo you said:『I don’t work well on tracks laid down by others』… How about this?」
Indicating the tracks that ran across the wasteland, I asked sarcastically in my cowboy hat–
「Well, you have to trust some tracks enough to follow them at some point in your life.」
A bit more subdued since last night, G-3 scratched the back of his head underneath this cowboy hat. It wasn’t something that I had taught him, but it made me smile at the gesture so similar to my own.
************************************************
We followed Angus’ instructions, who appeared to have a solid knowledge of steam locomotives–
We moved quickly, loading coal into the old, but serviceable coal tender, putting water into the tank on the outside of the combustion chamber, and checking the linkage between the driver wheel and follower.
The Trans-Am that had last seen a fire lit 50 years earlier came to life…. with a 3 car arrangement, headed by the locomotive engine, followed by the tender carrying coal and water, and lastly the reinforced military transport passenger car.
The base colour of the passenger car was a deep green, but the name of the railcar manufacturer, Schenectady, and car number were scribed in golden letters.
Going up the stairs attached to the outside of the railcar, Collins, Luca, Tsukumo, and Atlas, wearing his P.A.A., boarded one after another…
I held Kaname and Reki back with a hand.
「You’re being left to serve a defensive role. Old man Sander is loaning us his house, and I’m leaving that to you.」
It was the nature of the Americans to rush in cheerfully to an assault, but if looked at objectively, it’s a rash attack. With the loss of the gunship Sagittarius, even with all our advanced guns, we only have small calibre weapons and not even a single missile. What’s more, we’re advancing in a steam locomotive, of all things.
–The path we have to take is too dangerous.
「We do not have adequate personnel to delegate to a defensive arrangement.」
I answered Reki’s unusual backchat–
「Then I’ll tell you what I really think: Firstly, you are not G-3’s followers. Reki, it goes without saying, and Kaname was fired. You have no obligation to go along with what looks like a suicide attack. What’s more–you’re girls. I want you to wait here in a safe place, particularly Kaname who is the youngest. Don’t worry. I’ll come back alive.」
I said this macho statement, then turned my back to them, intending to board the locomotive– Then as I took the first step, which was considerably high off the ground, *Whoosh!* I suddenly missed it with my foot.
My head was about to hit the step instead, and…
*Whoomph!*, it struck a cloth-like object instead.
It was the P-Fibre stretching out from Kaname’s skirt.
「…How upsetting. I’m the cute little sister that watches over her Onii-chan from ‘Good Morning’ to ‘Good Night’, remember?」
Because of the flying, cloth-like scientific blade, the front of her skirt was turned up– and when she saw I was about to say something, Kaname raised a finger to stop me.
「I’m going to watch over you, right? I intend to do that. And that includes now.」
She said, with a cute wink…
I give up. There’s no helping it. They had first knocked down my reason for leaving them, then they knocked me down.
Then I stood up, and before I knew it, Reki was resting the back of her head against the railcar window across from me.
It’s inevitable. We’re going. To Area 51– all of us.
[END TEXT]
*****************************
1. Lookdown capability is the ability, or lack thereof, of a radar system to distinguish an aerial target below a radar’s local horizon. (below the radar system not through the Earth). Radar waves are reflected off the target, but the radar also detects the reflections from the ground objects, and the target often gets lost in the backscatter ‘noise’ from the ground objects.
2. A novel by Toyoko Yamasaki. It’s about a Japanese man captured by Soviets and sentenced to hard labour in Siberia before returning home, trying to re-adjust to civilian life, and running a trading company.
3. Also known as Leviathan. LINK
Hidan no Aria Volume 18, Chapter 5
Chapter 5: Thanks, Aniki ―― With Enable
[START TEXT]
The next day, after sunset, we returned to John F. Kennedy Airport–
The Tohyama siblings: consisting of G-3, myself, and Kaname, and also the subordinates Atlas, Collins, Tsukumo, and Luca stood in a line in front of the Sagitarrius, whose propeller tips were glowing a fluorescent green. Angus was already on board.
As the propellers began to turn slowly, they formed a light green halo, and standing behind the tiltrotors… G-3 looked back at his subordinates.
「Now we’ll be assaulting Groom Lake Air Force Base, popularly known as『Area 51』, and controlled access area 89A again. Our objective: Take the ruruirokane. Our goal: My own self-interest, with the minor goal of preventing the world war that would accompany the transformation of Aria H. Kanzaki into the Scarlet Goddess.」
Placing himself above the world. This is a true manifestation of: ‘In all Heaven and Earth, I alone am worthy of honour’.
Well, that fits with what a tsundere would say after all.
「Our flightpath follows a route of friendly states and territories, however, once we reach Utah and Nevada we cannot avoid hostile airspace. Once there, I expect to be opposed by Mash Roosevelt, just like last time. He is the darling of the party in power, and he tramples upon the freedoms of other countries. No matter where, this American traitor tramples individual rights. Frankly, we should expect the worst. That is all! –Any questions?」
G-3 asked his strange subordinates’ opinion, and Tsukumo was the first to raise her hand.
「…Are our weapons and equipment the same as before? Actually, your equipment was broken last time and you had to replace it with a spare. Your injuries are also not fully recovered. Is that an accurate summary?」
「Your point?」
「Then… it’s a handicap! It’s madness to challenge Mash’ Transzendieren Ange–with this little firepower!」
She said everything except『I’m worried about you G-3-sama』, but her eyes did that–
「You’ve got it! I’ll give you a bonus later for such an accurate summary.」
G-3 answered with a laugh as he brushed off her concern.
As she sulked, the ESPer girl next to her, Luca, raised her hand.
「Hey, Third! Can I get a bonus if I kill Mash? I’m going to an auction for a Breguet pocket watch at Sotheby’s next week, but I’m not sure if I have enough funds in reserve.」
「A Breguet? How beautiful. Sure, if you can.」
Luca’s eye turned to dollar signs as she pumped her fist into the air… It looks like she’s a watch collector.
Is it possible that she just follows him because she loves works of art and the pay is good?
「Sir, as Co-pilot, I have a question. What about the Sagittarius’ Metamaterial Ghillie?」
「We won’t really use it. We can’t mask our heat signature, so it really won’t work.」
Atlas asked about the approach with a salute, and G-3 answered…
「Oi, G-3! I agree with Tsukumo. It’s reckless to rush in to be intercepted with the same equipment as when you were defeated last time. Aren’t you going to at least explain a new strategy?」
I asked, standing next to G-3 and grabbing his ear.
「Yup. I told you in Tokyo that I didn’t have a plan. I’ll just push forward with all my strength. Then when I get to my enemies, I just knock them down.」
Saying something that fell in line with Mash’s accusation of being an idiot, Tsukumo had tears streaking down her face as she spoke.
「Understood, Third-sama. I will follow you to the death.」
Whereupon, G-3 brushed off my hand, and turned to face Tsukumo with a serious face–
「–That was a joke. Of course I have a strategy.」
I felt relief well up in my chest.
Why the hell did you make me worry? Why didn’t you drop the hubris from the start and explain that?
「This time the plan is–『Aniki will do something』. That’s how it’ll go.」
G-3 slapped me on the back while smiling with sparkling teeth… and his subordinates:
「Ah, I see!」
They made an expression of agreement. Wh-what…!?
「Even if he dies, he comes back to life like a video game character. He is our trump card.」
「Oi, Luca! Wouldn’t that be me? Here, hit him! Everybody pile on and hit him. I ordered Angus to make his armour. It should be able to take a full Mach 1 Ouka, so let’s test it out.」
Saying that former IJA demon sergeant-esque line my grandfather would say, G-3 grabbed me by the scruff of the neck–
Holding me up in the air.
「Sorry guys. Soviet Cold War agents and all kinds of domestic American thieves have tried to steal the ruruirokane from Area 51, but none of them have succeeded. It is the one black mark on my record. This time, we’ll have to rely on this occult power.」
「Don’t call me occult! As a Genion, couldn’t you come up with a better plan! Breaking into an Air Force base that no one in the world has ever broken into is pretty much impossible–」
「–No, there was one person in the world. There was a man who was able to steal a very miniscule amount of ruruirokane from Area 51.」
「…Th-there was? Someone who was able to steal something from an American military base? Who?」
「Arsene Lupin the 3rd. He had exceptional companions, and if the military records are correct, there were 4 of them in his team. They only used guns and blades. We’re a bit more heavily armed.」
Riko… her old man?
Speaking of her crucifix–Sherlock had said that it was an alloy containing a miniscule amount of another kind of metal of the same type as hihiirokane.
Was that the ruruirokane that was stolen?
「My idiot brother forgot about his second name『Enable』when he spoke just now.」
Letting me go, G-3 crossed his arms and puffed his chest back out.
「Understand? The idea of impossibility is like a demon. And when it takes over a human, it crushes their spirit. Challenging what was impossible again might seem foolish to another person. But that’s what I’m going to do! There’s no guarantee of success this time. But if it doesn’t work out, I’ll just try again. And if I die, my Aniki will try. Again, and again. No matter how many times it takes. Even if it takes an infinite number of tries, and there is no enemy who can stand up against an opponent who keeps coming back. Even if they are a demon, there is no exception.」
G-3 said to encourage his subordinates–
–His words have some kind of power.
「Since time immemorial, humanity has made the impossible possible. Crossing oceans, flying through the air, and landing on the Moon. And now we will make the impossible possible. Doing something that no one has ever seen. Secretly saving the world will gain us no praise from anyone. But don’t worry about that. I will definitely see and take note of it. And you, yourself, will see what you accomplish as well. Let’s do it. When we reach Area 51, we will be like Columbus, Lindbergh, and Armstrong. Someone will always accomplish the impossible. And right now it’s us–!.」
–Really? Is that how it is? I understood it.
G-3’s followers raised a synchronised cry of:
「Yeah!」
And I realised it.
G-3 hadn’t brought me into this for my own exaggerated fighting power.
In this seemingly impossible battle as『Enable』–I am the symbol of making the impossible possible. By strengthening the bonds between the G-3 League, 1 + 1 + 1… grows to infinity.
That is it…
Even as his older brother with a slightly embarrassing second name, I can’t say it’s a terrible thing.
Let’s go. To Area 51. The ruruirokane is there. And– so is the good news that Aria is waiting for.
**********************************************************
The Sagittarius flew through the night sky at low altitude and it’s top speed of 620 KPH.
Looking upward out the window, the whole sky was full of stars that twinkled more than usual, perhaps due to the fine dust that was being kicked up from the ground.
It felt like we were flying through a planetarium or the void of space from an anime.
Except for the infrequent light from the highway below, it was a total darkness. There was a large mountain range on the uneven horizon.
The areas friendly to G-3 were largely districts within larger states. We made adjustments to our course above sparsely populated regions. Like ninja.
…Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois…
On the large, semi-transparent display, a bright dot on a map of the continental United States indicated our position and progress via GPS location.
As for Mash and his party… I wouldn’t want to conduct a night attack. And we won’t.
The Sagittarius was a gunship formed from a cross between an Osprey and Hercules, and it is heavily armed with infrared sensors, laser range-finding, and a precision targeting and fire control computer to operate its L-60 autocannons and M-102 howitzers. Enemies should think twice before trifling with it.
As we slept in shifts, we crossed over the American Midwest and the Mississippi River at 0000 CST… passing into the western half of the United States… and crossing into the hostile airspace of Utah. For now, peacefully…
G-3 laid on a sofa with his arms crossed and eyes closed–using some technique I can’t fathom, he was able to rest half of his brain at once, so he’ll respond if you ask a question. So:
「We’re about 90% of the way there. There are no issues. It’s quiet.」
I said in the direction of the sofa, but–
「–It’s too quiet. That’s the most dangerous time.」
He said tensely.
But such over vigilance was unnecessary, our steady approach had been entirely uneventful–we were now crossing into Nevada airspace.
If things continue like this, we should make a smooth arrival at Area 51.
「It’s daybreak…」
Tsukumo murmured, and outside the window–the eastern horizon behind us lit up.
Looking down, the ochre desert shone. As a Japanese person, it was unlike the mental image I had of someplace like the Sahara. It was rocky, and vegetation that had adapted to the hot arid climate grew sparsely.
With each passing moment, it grew more and more dazzling in the light, so Kaname drew a sunglasses-like shade over the window–
–Then in a rush, G-3 stood and rushed over, then stopped.
「….Radar contact, check infrared sensors!」
Glowering outside, he shouted into the intercom.
『N-no anomaly detected.』
『Wait, just now– aural sensors detect an intermittent signal at 6 o’ clock…!』
Having been jointly piloting the craft since crossing into Utah, Atlas and Angus reported.
As she heard the direction, Luca brought up a split screen view of a contingency table and a camera view from the rear of the Sagitarrius onto the display.
When I looked at it, the feed was mostly white-out due to the rising sun. Even with light control, the outline of the mountains behind us were hard to make out.
「It’s a super-compact stealth aircraft! Hidden in the lookdown ground scatter1! It took off 15 seconds ago in the blindspot of the mountains–there’s one tailing us! And there’s one more–by the sound of it… directly above us!」
Seemingly having ears more sensitive than the radar, G-3 looked directly overhead.
「–Ready the howitzer! Evasive action to port!」
G-3 barked an order and received a『Roger!』in response as Angus and Atlas banked the craft into a steep left turn.
Kaname grabbed my belt to steady me, and Tsukumo and Collins tumbled and rolled to avoid injuring themselves.
『Target lock! Coming about! From high at 7 o’clock– 2 anomalies detected! Uh…Thermal source detected from 7 o’clock! ATAS stinger missile!』
This happened, and before I knew it, we were attacked from the two legs of an L-shaped trajectory!
We were attacked from directions undetectable by radar and optical means, with the mountain and Sun behind us, to the rear and above.
For a tactical aircraft like the Sagittarius, it’s ability to monitor the space directly overhead is poor. For fighter aircraft– due to the disturbance of air needed to power their jet engines, steep nosedive attacks are rare.
It seems that G-3 issued orders to evade the dive bomb attack and the pursuing attack–
–However.
Even with the rotating howitzer, it was unable to put the enemy in its sights. In addition to normal stealth technology, it also employed Metamaterial Ghillie.
However, zeroing in on the heat source, the Sagittarius’ guns fired–then suddenly, there was a violent impact to the right side of the tail section. It was the guided missile from the stealth aircraft–!
「–Kyaaaa!」
Luca shrieked as we were rolled about the interior cabin like a pachinko ball–
The Sagittarius received critical damage and, shaking violently, began to fall. But it didn’t feel like a headlong plunging crash. We were still flying on a reduced number of engines.
That is to say… we are listing off course. It wasn’t a stall, but we were unable to level out. Pulling into a corkscrew path, we began to descend gradually from our already low altitude.
There was no smoke to be seen, but looking out at the right wing through the window it was a hellscape of flames.
『Engine 1, lost. Engine 2, 50% operational. Engines 3 and 4, fully operational. Right tail stabiliser, completely lost. Right wing, heavily damaged. Prop 1, completely lost. Steerage, impossible. Oil pressure, dropping. All propellers will not disengage from 60 degrees. We are currently 120 miles from our destination and descending. Landing gear will not deploy. Commencing emergency landing. Third-sama, I hate to impose upon you, however… In order to avoid soiling your clothes, please tidy up your beverage containers.』
Angus announced calmly from the cockpit as an alarm blared and black smoke from the fire poured into the fractured airtight cabin.
To Tsukumo and Luca, who were choking on the smoke and on the verge of panic–
「–Stay alert! Don’t lose your calm! Brace for impact!」
G-3 ordered.
Each of his followers snapped to attention and grabbed onto a rail attached to the wall…
「Onii-chan, I’m scared!」
Kaname said, obviously faking it as she clung on to my arm and clutching it between her breasts. Are you really doing this right now? We might die in 30 seconds.
Reki leaned against a wall, clutching her Dragunov like a child to herself…completely calm…
…As reckless as ever.
Finally glancing over at the display that had turned to a blue screen, I sighed…
*Whiiiiiiiiiiiiiiir!*…!
We heard the left side propellers impacting and gouging a trough through the desert, causing the right side to jump up, rolling the Sagittarius over in a crash landing.
****************************************************************
Without causing the Sagittarius to explode, Angus crashed, made an emergency landing, and brought it to a stop.
Thanks to that, most of the crew were largely unharmed, harm restricted to minor injuries. In Butei High, we’d call them scratches. Thanks to my concealed armour, I only received minor injuries as well.
However… the Sagittarius itself was totally crippled. It’s attached weaponry was entirely destroyed, so our fire power was reduced in one fell swoop.
We were hit from behind in the tail by an air-to-air missile fired from some kind of invisible attack craft. We were also hit on the right wing by some kind of low altitude mass with a masked heat signature.
I don’t really know what they actually were. I wouldn’t be surprised if it were some kind of Transzendieren Ange.
G-3 kicked open a hatch and headed outside…
Out there, it was horrifically dry, and the wind kicked up fine dust and grit that stung the eyes.
My mental image of the desert was a hot, sultry place, but it was cold. The ambient temperature was about 8 degrees.
It was like a sandy beach in winter with all of its water stolen away– Such a harsh place could not exist in Japan. And the landscape just went on and on. I thought I felt something growing under foot, but I was mistaken and it was withered and parched grass.
The reddish-brown ground stretched out to the black-ish mountains. They were low in elevation…so perhaps instead of mountains, they should be called boulders.
This is an American desert…
It’s familiar to me from American Western films, but the reality was a bit overwhelming.
In a word–hellish. It was a landscape that rejected all forms of life like something from The Wasted Land.2
But…
「Alright. We’re closer than last time.」
Turning his back on the wreckage of the Sagittarius, despite the blood flowing from his head, G-3 stared smilingly in the direction of Area 51. His ability to feign optimism was on the same level as Riko.
Still dazed, I lent a hand… his subordinates and I quickly extracted the food, water, and arms from the wrecked interior.
「Based on our numbers, we have enough water for one day and food for two, conservatively. For a land assault, fortunately enough arms, ammunition, explosives, and Atlas’ Personal Assault Armour are all unharmed. In addition, although we cannot procure any compatible transportation… perhaps we could use this as an and incendiary against the enemy position instead of dynamite.」
Angus held up the now useless canister of NOS fuel… He was holding the fuel accelerant that was installed in the Orochi in New York as he listed off a report of the provisions that everyone had been able to salvage. Then:
「I can carry it all myself.」
Wearing the unharmed power armour, Atlas began to load everything into his knapsack.
With her Dragunov shouldered and the dry wind fluttering her skirt, Reki stood with her usual blank expression, but she was not alone… Tsukumo was taking a GPS measurement, Kaname was working with Luca to prepare the Sagittaruis’ self-destruct, and Collins had flopped down on the sand for a late morning prayer. Each of them were untroubled.
Even in this extreme and isolated place with a life-or-death situation upon us, there was a distinct lack of anxiety.
It was more than G-3’s absolute leadership; it was a strong sense of trust.
***********************************************
Once we had put some distance between us and the crash of the Sagittaruis, we engaged the self-destruct… However, because religious matters were important, we waited until Collins finished his prayers.
I was the only despondent one here in these dire straits.
Reki sat on the sand, clutching her knees next to me…
I looked around for something interesting to talk about, but couldn’t find anything.
Soon after, I heard something rustling in the wind and saw a clump of straw tumbling across the ground–it was something I had seen in Westerns, so it didn’t do anything to raise my spirits. Typically it rolls through on a dry wind prior to a duel, so in our unfortunate state it only reinforced my prior bitter mood.
What’s more, it seemed that something similar rolled across Reki’s own homeland so when I pointed and said:
「Look at that! What is it?」
「Tumbleweed…」
She was actually the one to tell me what it was.
I borrowed a pair of binoculars from Kaname, and scanned the surroundings…
Oh! Look at that. The stereotypical dead cattle skeleton. Unscavenged by animals and with bits of hide still sticking to its bones.
As expected of someone as useless as I am, I could only find a ball of grass and a dead cow–
「As the crow flies, Area 51 is 190 km away… Avoiding the Chokecherry mountainous region, the distance is more like 200 km.」
Tsukumo reported to G-3, holding a tablet computer.
But it’s still 200 km. That’s farther than the distance between Tokyo and Shizuoka, isn’t it?
That’s not a walkable distance, even if it weren’t through this hellscape.
But G-3 said:
「Alright, let’s move out! Leave the dead where they fall!」
The tsundere decided to exercise the tsun part of his nature, as he made this unreasonable request like the manager of a sweatshop to his workers.
Used to such pain from Aria, I used my hand to turn Reki’s head to glare at G-3, silently putting pressure on him with our 4 eyes.
As that happened…
Collins raised his head up from his prayers and looked toward the Sun.
「…Third. Just a moment. Do you hear that?」
Pointing to the ground.
G-3 stuck his ear to the spot….
…10 seconds passed… 20… listening for a sound.
Then standing, he pointed a thumb a little south of west.
「–This way. Let’s walk. There some kind of man made object obstructing the wind and making a slight noise.」
************************************************************************
Nevada was about 3 times the size of Hokkaido and almost entirely covered in desert–
And we walked on.
Our course undulated slightly, and due to the winter, the one bright spot in the darkness was that the daytime temperature only rose to just under 20 degrees… but the dryness was unbearable.
After an hour, my hair dried out and the exposed, bare skin on my face and arms became rough. Powdery grains of sand stuck to my clothes and face, making it look like I was turning into sand myself.
The thirst in my throat became a madness as we shared a little water between us at a time, but… G-3 only pretended to drink without taking in a single drop. I respect you for giving your share to your followers, but won’t you just tire yourself out?
As he told us a funny story about stepping on a snake that couldn’t be seen because it was the same colour as the sand then chased after him with surprising speed….
…The sun set.
After dusk, the temperature in the desert drops below freezing rapidly.
While shivering and puffing white mist– We followed G-3 and his sense of hearing as we walked under the starry sky until it was about 1 AM.
A town…
There’s a town over there.
But it was half covered in sand, and what might be called a ghost town.
Well, that thought came to me partially because of where we were.
With the wind and rain storms of Japan, the town would have rotten away entirely, but it looked to have been abandoned for 70-80 years… but the desert seems to have preserved the ruins of this Wild West-era town like the mummified cow.
We saw several ruined structures, and when inhabited, the population of town was probably about 200 people. Most of the buildings had collapsed, but some of them still retained their original shape.
At the centre of the town, there was a particularly large, warehouse-like structure that we didn’t know the purpose of… Maybe it had been built to house people that had come to the American Western Frontier. But as time went on, it became unnecessary and gradually the town became depopulated until it was abandoned
「Let’s head over there.」
Kaname said, pointing to an old, authentic cowboy saloon with a sign reading:『Hilton’s Bar』, and we all went inside… Atlas hung lights, and illuminated the crumbling interior… It was full of sand.
It was draughty, and it wasn’t much warmer than outside.
But wasn’t it better than sleeping out in the exposed wind?
「–We’ll make camp here tonight. Take your individual rations. We’re at C-II alert status with a Type 1 patrol-sleep rotation. Fall out!」
Giving us all orders, G-3 walked over to a handy chair and brushed off the sand.
The girls discovered an ancient pinball machine in a corner of the shop.
「Look! It still works!」
And they chattered back and forth. Reki peered over at what they were doing, each of them acting carefree. I alone was acting like a victim marched into hostile enemy territory without supplies.
But apparently, I’m the only one upset here–
「What’s this? A 1934 bourbon. It is still good. Please enjoy it, Third-sama. Regrettably, I do not have a beer for a chaser, and as for a glass…」
Angus rummaged through the bar counter interior, sifting through the sand.
「Oh no! My hair is such a mess! And my skin is so rough!」
Complaining as he looked into a mirror hanging on the wall, the fashion conscious Collins removed the bandages from his face and began arranging his hair,
「Come, come. I’ve got pocket sandwiches, buttermilk biscuits, and french toast! Come on and dig in, everyone!」
The grave Atlas said, removing his helmet and spreading out the UGR-E rations in accordance with G-3’s orders.
Even at a time like this, they didn’t lose their good spirits. These Americans.
Thanks to that, my spirits rose, just a little. Even if it was just a brave front.
Knowing they wouldn’t eat his portion, G-3 sat in his chair, took a mouthful of bourbon, and pretended to sleep. I noticed that they put aside his portion… and I gave a wry smile as I ate a bag of mixed nuts.
As the boisterous evening meal took place, I…
Saw a blurry picture and description on a『Wanted』notice affixed to the wall.
Should I peel it off as a souvenir?
I contemplated acting as a bad tourist to disturb the ruins while visiting.
No sooner than that happened, I was struck with a divine punishment and was hit by a cold draught…
The door that appeared to lead to the toilet was buried and was not likely to open.
It can’t be helped. I slipped quietly outside.
*************************************
In the moonlight–
I found an isolated end of a street in the ghost town.
With the sand muffling all sound, the silence made my ears ache. There weren’t even any insects.
It’s a terrible waste of water…
Then I headed toward a brick wall to employ a particularly male ability…
…?
–I noticed something.
It was about 20 metres behind me.
Crap! I didn’t notice until it was too late because the sand deadened the sound.
This is a dead-end street. I had driven myself into a corner.
The sound was like the breath of a large animal– Could it live in these ruins?
No, it was something else. There was a faintly metallic noise. It was obviously human.
Without turning my head, I tried to determine what I hadn’t noticed before–pretending to fumble with my trouser belt, I loosened my gun in my holster.
I got ready to quickdraw it as soon as the noise got close–
— I spun around with a *Whoosh!*
And down the street…
Sitting astride an American Quarter Horse that could outstrip any cavalry horse, there was a large man with a dark brown cowboy hat.
A large belly in a T-shirt stuck out from a vintage leather coat that the big and strong Caucasian old man wore.
Looking like he had come from Kentucky Fried Chicken, he took off his Colonel Sanders-esque glasses to reveal a stern expression on the big man’s mustached face. His originally blonde hair was greying and left loose and unkempt. He looked right for the role of a bank robber in a Western.
The thin canteen in his left hand, I didn’t have to ask, was probably full of alcohol– and in his right hand– there was an old-style M1 Garand rifle.
「…Who are you?」
I asked quietly.
「Don’ move, cowboy. You carryin’ on the chest?」
He answered in accented English in an equally low voice.
Suddenly– I was alarmed by this man.
In this country even women, children, and the elderly shoot guns. 30,000 die from it every year.
It’s a country where more people are killed by guns every day than in a modest civil war.
Thinking that, there was a very real sense of tension in this place.
I didn’t think that this stranger in front of me wanted to talk.
The likelihood that I would be suddenly shot with a *Bang!* was not low…
「You drew first. Then I did. I’m Japanese. We’re a country of self-defence.」
Without drawing my gun, I tried to gauge his attitude.
Then the old man grinned broadly.
「I’m not yellow enough to draw before a youngin’. Go ahead an’ draw.」
He took another swig of alcohol. Without taking his eyes off of me, he raised it to his lips.
Realising that I couldn’t shoot fast enough, in that instant–
「…I don’t want to fight you.」
I took out my Desert Eagle from my jacket and tossed it at my feet. I left my Beretta hidden for the moment.
Seeing that… the old man stowed his rifle in a quiver-like hoster on his horse’s flank.
–I’ve avoided a gunfight for the moment.
「…Who’s in there? I wanna know. I saw you a ways off.」
The old man asked, jerking a thumb toward『Hilton’s Bar』where G-3 and co were…
「My younger brother, sister, and some friends. They aren’t bad people, despite how they might look.」
I answered honestly, and–
The old man– with a *Click!*– pulled a Ruger Blackhawk from a concealed back holster and pointed it toward the roof of the ruins.
Up there…
「What do you mean by ‘despite how they look’, Aniki?」
G-3 stood there, seemingly having come to guard me while I relieved myself.
Seemingly not taking his weapon seriously, G-3 stared down with an attitude of superiority.
As the old man looked up–
「…Oh my Go–…!」
Hearing him exclaim that famous line grabbed my attention.
When he looked up… I noticed a tattoo on the old man’s neck. It was a horrifying design of a knife thrust through a skull, and the letters spelling out U.S. Army. He must have put on weight since he got it, because it was considerably distorted.
「I thought I’d shoot people in ‘Nam, but this is surprising! A hero like you, way out here in the sticks!」
Apparently an ex-soldier, the old man stowed his gun and got off his horse happily, taking off his hat and holding it against his thick chest. Like a boy with sparkling eyes, he looked up at G-3.
*********************************************************************
As a fighting nation, there are 1.5 million military personnel in America. When you count former personnel and staff, that number doubles. That being the case, it wasn’t at all outside the bounds of probability to happen to meet this older army veteran. But I still don’t know if it was a lucky or unlucky meeting.
This old man had a rugged Colonel Sanders look– it was actually a common name, his last name really was Sanders– and his house was just a short distance from the ghost town and near the foot of the mountains.
It took about 3 minutes to get there on foot, and he guided G-3 to his wood frame house…
He gave us an overblown welcome and the inside of his house was just as rough and wild as his hair and moustache. It was an unkempt dwelling place where the man lived alone. Bullet boxes and alcohol bottles were strewn all over the floor.
…It was old and crumbling. Although it was an American house, it was cramped.
In terms of environment, it is a bit better than the ruins. The power generator was old and noisy. Among other faults.
But a house was a house. It was bright, warm, and I had been saved from a brush with death.
The old man had brought us here, both nervous and excited at the same time.
「Welcome G-3! You ‘member last year’s Trails Oilfield fire?」
He cracked open a can of Budweiser from the refrigerator packed full of them and handed it over to G-3.
Then after a moment of puzzlement on his face, G-3 made a sign of recognition, then he looked away in embarrassment.
「Cuz y’all rushed in to save us, not a soul died. I thought I was a goner for sure under the collapsed oil platform. But y’all save my friend, his son, and me too!」
Laughing heartily he clapped G-3 on the shoulder while taking swigs of beer…
It looks like this is one of the people that my brother saved while he engaged in his hobby of playing Ally of Justice.
G-3’s face said he distinctly remembered the oilfield accident, but it seemed that he wasn’t that good at accepting praise from someone he saved.
「Uh… I might have done that. But I don’t remember each and every person I save. Just like you don’t remember all the names of all the streets you walk down.」
He said such a tsundere thing. He seems to be constantly acting.
But this…
–It was a lucky thing. We’ve obviously met up with an ally of G-3.
No, it’s a bit too lucky.
This must be… due to the boost of my luck in lieu of my luck with women that Luca had made with her supernatural power–somehow it affected my destiny. It has to be. That’s the whole reason that I met the old man in the first place.
Or does that mean because I met him that my luck with women decreased even further? But from the start my luck with women was Guiness World Record level bad. If it decreases further, I’m afraid of what might happen. Some kind of dangerous woman might appear.
******************************************
Digging the old man’s precious tequila out from a cabinet, setting out a plastic case of beer cans, and pulling out one frozen meal after another from the freezer, Angus and Tsukumo bustled to serve us.
「Why do you live out here? Are you looking for oil?」
I asked, not drinking the alcohol, but stuffing my face with cold pizza.
「I’m retired. I’m waitin’ for WWIII to drop, so I moved out into the boonies. The next big ‘un is definitely gonna use nukes!」
Despite being drunk, the old man was not joking as he answered seriously.
「This old man’s crazy!」
G-3 laughed as he munched on tomatoes and chicken nuggets.
「Don’t say that!」
I interjected, glaring at him.
「Don’t say that.」
Tsukumo interjected, glaring at me as she waitressed.
The Scarlet Goddess will cause a world war…
Here in America where there is almost an unbroken chain of war, gun shootings, and the danger of terror–
There were more than a few who had chosen to evacuate themselves due to a neurosis about war. It seems that they choose to live out in the country, arm themselves, and fortify their homes. This old man is one of them.
The crazy old man Sanders, G-3, Atlas, and Collins put out dollar bills on the table… all of them equally crazy, they began making bets on a game of poker. The girls all got excited by watching intently. Even with his crooked posture, Angus dealt the hand of cards like a professional dealer.
As for me, I lacked the ability and communication skills to become friendly with someone I just met… So I set myself down on the sofa that had springs poking out of it and next to Reki who had a similar lack of communication skills. Then I turned on the television to pass the time. I did much the same with Lisa in the Netherlands. It might be a habit of mine to find escape in a television when I go abroad.
Slowly… the CRT display warmed up, and the program… thankfully was not adult content like the last time. It was the safest of all programs to prevent hysterising, a weather report.
「…What’s that mark? Oh, it’s a windstorm prediction. The forecast is for a『cyclone』. As expected of America.」
I chattered about what I saw, trying to strike up a conversation.
「…」
Her reddish brown eyes staring at the CRT, Reki-chan sat atop the sofa grasping her legs while saying nothing. With no expression. Having absolutely no response. Sitting next to me, there was no sign of her except for the faint scent of mint from her hair. Impressively lacking in presence.
No matter what you might say, when Atlas or Luca go a day without a bath, they start giving off a strong foreign scent like Alice Bell.
「Whoo boy, you wanna attack Groom Lake Air Force Base–Area 51, G-3?」
While pouring the tequila into a glass, they told the old man the dangerous tale–
I looked away from the television toward the table.
「So you got hit by their counter strike? You were flying some kind of UFO or somethin’. The noise of it upset my stomach. And now you wanna sneak up and catch ‘em off guard?」
「Yeah, that’s about it.」
Hearing G-3’s answer, the old man laughed heartily.
「This gonna be the big ‘un, G-3?」
「It’ll be a big fight,」
「That’s bad, sonny. I’ll help ya. We’re both in trouble and should lend each other a hand.」
Despite calling him ‘sonny’, the old man was clearly wanting to help his benefactor, G-3.
「…Sanders-shi. If you have a car, will you kindly lend it to us? Naturally, we shall compensate you for it.」
Angus proposed.
「You aren’t gettin’ to Area 51 in a car. No roads. Even in my jeep. Horses are the only way to go.」
Horses… then we can’t get there. It’s pretty far. And he only has one of them, in the first place.
Hearing his response, everyone fell silent for a moment–
Seemingly having been feigning ignorance until now he continued:
「But..」
He said, regathering their attention on himself.
「There’s ‘nother, special『path』. I’ll get ready tomorrow and go with ya. Let’s make those stupid Air Force Elites cry. Aha, full house! I win! Let’s stop here and be gettin’ some sleep. Or do you want to lose s’more?」
************************************************************
Like the old man’s hand, his house was also full, and he was a traditional man that thought:
「Men-folk and women-folk should sleep in separate rooms. There’s only 1 bedroom, so that’ll be the women-folk’s room. I’ll take the sofa in the living room. The rest of y’all can take the floor.」
And he said so…
Angus, Atlas, and Collins slept in the living room, taking up the entire floor. Due to his bodybuilder physique, Atlas took up the most room and was the main reason for the shortage of space. He was asleep 3 seconds after saying ‘Goodnight’, so out of necessity, G-3 and I… we slept out in the stable.
However, there must have been some of my luck remaining. There weren’t any blankets in the house, but sliding underneath the straw, it was pleasantly warm. It felt good. I’ll be able to sleep well. Even if it smelled like horses.
The horse bit my hand, but instantly became docile when stroked by G-3…
G-3 and I fluffed up the straw and laid down side by side.
When the borrowed light was extinguished, I could only hear my brother and the horse’s breathing in the darkness.
This is probably the first time we had been alone together since leaving New York, so…
「…G-3. What are you going to do after you bring back Dr. Sara?」
I asked the question that had always troubled me.
G-3…
「…」
My brother remained silent, but I felt like I could understand his strange mood. Somehow.
I wonder if this is what they mean when they say Love is blind?
「It’s a terrible thing to say, but… since you’re my Aniki and no one else is here, I’ll tell you. I’ve given up. I’m against it. There isn’t even any proof that using irokane will work.」
「…」
「In my opinion, hihiirokane– and the Scarlet Goddess is pure『Evil』. I don’t think it’s a good idea to rely on evil… and the Doctor wouldn’t like it, would she?」
「…」
「But that’s a question you’d have to ask yourself. I won’t talk any more about it after this. Bringing the dead back to life– I haven’t given up on that. But there has to be another way.」
G-3 said as he lay next to me..
Then he fell silent.
…I wonder if he was asleep? If that’s the case, I don’t want to talk to myself.
So I closed my eyes.
「…Thanks, Aniki.」
…Huh?
Is he awake?
「Angus, Atlas, and Collins– they all know. They know, and they worry, so they avoid this topic. They treat it『Like an abscess that shouldn’t be touched』… so… thanks, Aniki. For having the guts to bring it up. Thanks… for taking me to task.」
G-3, whom I had assumed was asleep, mumbled this, half like a soliloquy.
It was halting and clumsy. He was. But I wasn’t good at talking to people either.
But… he hadn’t told me that he had given up. That’s fine. He can figure out the rest later. One step at a time.
That’s how it is. But I forgot that there was one more thing I wanted to say. I wanted to tell him while we were alone together.
「…And there’s also something about Tsukumo. Your follower. Show her a bit more care.」
It was a bit of an awkward topic, but I had to say it. I couldn’t ignore it.
「Why? I don’t treat any of my subordinates differently.」
Wha….! Have you really not noticed!? Despite the spotlight-like interest she shows in you?
This guy’s an insensitive blockhead. Some kind of clueless protagonist.
「That’s not the issue here. You really don’t know, do you?」
「I don’t know what you mean. What do you want me to do?」
「Even asking me, I don’t really know either, but…」
Yeah. When it comes to matters of love, I know less than a kindergartener.
When I gave Jeanne flowers a while ago, that seemed to work out, but… when I did the same thing to Shirayuki last year, she ended up shooting up my apartment with a machine gun the next day. I don’t know what he should do.
But, having been the one to bring up the topic, if I didn’t say anything, it would affect my dignity and status as an older brother.
Instead of taking a step back, I plunged forward. Then I–
「The next time you and Tsukumo are alone together, run your hand over her hips. Nature will take it from there.」
I blurted out the most sexual thing I had ever said. I had stolen half of it from something Reki had said before. But then…
「–Huh? I don’t get what you mean. Bite down as hard as you can on your tongue and go to sleep. Forever.」
It was no good. He wasn’t feigning ignorance. It seemed that the message had been lost.
But, pathetic older brother that I am, I can’t give him what I don’t have. And I should only meddle sparingly.
The next morning–
Old man Sanders took a bunch of cowboy hats from a storage closet and gave us each one. This delighted G-3 who began acting like Clint Eastwood, but… the familiar headgear from Westerns was not only a fashion item, but an indispensable practical item. It protected your eyes from the desert rays of sunlight and helped prevent sunstroke.
Looking like gunman by our clothes, Sanders took us to the『path』he told us about…
He brought us back to the ghost town from yesterday.
「…Where’s the『path』you talked about?」
I asked in sulking Japanese– but then I realised that it had been too dark last night to notice it.
Dotted here and there throughout the Nevada wasteland…
There was what appeared to be a set of reddish dotted lines.
Some kind of rock…? Mineral…? No, it was too straight. It had to be man-made.
「…A railway…!」
Tsukumo said it at the same instant I realised it, covering her eyes with her hands as her ears perked up while she looked out across the desert.
None of us had noticed it in the dark but this town was a『railway station』.
It didn’t look like this place was constructed to be a terminus. It looked like an offshoot from the main line, like Toshimaen Station on the West Ikebukuro Line– and the strange building in the centre of the town was meant to house the rolling stock. It was like a railway garage. Based on the smaller size, if I had to guess it was a shunting or holding station.
With a self-satisfied grin on his face, the old man pulled on a chain to open the doors, and inside the large depot…
…!
Gleaming a dull jet black, there was a an old-fashioned rail vehicle–
A perfectly preserved steam locomotive.
While all of G-3’s followers were stunned,
「Gosh!」
Angus stepped up to the old steam-powered train and exclaimed happily:
「How? How? This–is a Central Pacific Railroad 63C!3. This is an American National Treasure. It was an early design in the transition between wood to coal-burning types, and it is impossible to remain calm upon learning that a fully functional example exists. Ah, look at that beautiful red cow-catcher…!」
…He seemed to be an American railroad enthusiast…
Angus’ hand trembled in excitement as he reached out his hand– he ran it over the large steel-framed, rake-like protrusion that stuck out from the front of the steam locomotive like visor, just barely skimming the ground. In bygone days, it was an indispensable piece of equipment used to clear the track ahead of the locomotive of buffalo.
The fire chamber door on the front of the steam locomotive was round, and where an Imperial Japanese train would have the Red Sun, there were two crossed Stars and Stripes flags. However, the flags had a few less stars than the current version of the American flag employed. Some antiques are from a time when there were fewer American states. Like this steam locomotive.
「This ‘uns like this old man. It may be old, but put a fire in her belly, and she’ll run. It might just be a lil’ bit rusty.」
「It only needs a bit of maintenance. Is that a transcontinental body?」
「You’ve got quite the eye there, Angus-san. It’s been called a Trans-American–『Trans-Am』.」
It’s trumpet-style smoke stack was a lustrous black, and in the front of this Trans-Am… these two older nerds began talking in detail about the Gold Rush-era steam locomotive that likely hauled freight cars with silver and gold ore. The ghost town was originally a switchyard town.
I had never expected to find such a thing here, but…
But it seems that this branch of the old Union Pacific transcontinental rail line reached just inside Area 51.
What’s more, the area it runs through to reach our destination of Area 51 is just barely inside the territory friendly to G-3. That means that if we run the Trans-Am–
We can get close to the ruruirokane.
「Oi, G-3! Back in Cafe Lalo you said:『I don’t work well on tracks laid down by others』… How about this?」
Indicating the tracks that ran across the wasteland, I asked sarcastically in my cowboy hat–
「Well, you have to trust some tracks enough to follow them at some point in your life.」
A bit more subdued since last night, G-3 scratched the back of his head underneath this cowboy hat. It wasn’t something that I had taught him, but it made me smile at the gesture so similar to my own.
************************************************
We followed Angus’ instructions, who appeared to have a solid knowledge of steam locomotives–
We moved quickly, loading coal into the old, but serviceable coal tender, putting water into the tank on the outside of the combustion chamber, and checking the linkage between the driver wheel and follower.
The Trans-Am that had last seen a fire lit 50 years earlier came to life…. with a 3 car arrangement, headed by the locomotive engine, followed by the tender carrying coal and water, and lastly the reinforced military transport passenger car.
The base colour of the passenger car was a deep green, but the name of the railcar manufacturer, Schenectady, and car number were scribed in golden letters.
Going up the stairs attached to the outside of the railcar, Collins, Luca, Tsukumo, and Atlas, wearing his P.A.A., boarded one after another…
I held Kaname and Reki back with a hand.
「You’re being left to serve a defensive role. Old man Sander is loaning us his house, and I’m leaving that to you.」
It was the nature of the Americans to rush in cheerfully to an assault, but if looked at objectively, it’s a rash attack. With the loss of the gunship Sagittarius, even with all our advanced guns, we only have small calibre weapons and not even a single missile. What’s more, we’re advancing in a steam locomotive, of all things.
–The path we have to take is too dangerous.
「We do not have adequate personnel to delegate to a defensive arrangement.」
I answered Reki’s unusual backchat–
「Then I’ll tell you what I really think: Firstly, you are not G-3’s followers. Reki, it goes without saying, and Kaname was fired. You have no obligation to go along with what looks like a suicide attack. What’s more–you’re girls. I want you to wait here in a safe place, particularly Kaname who is the youngest. Don’t worry. I’ll come back alive.」
I said this macho statement, then turned my back to them, intending to board the locomotive– Then as I took the first step, which was considerably high off the ground, *Whoosh!* I suddenly missed it with my foot.
My head was about to hit the step instead, and…
*Whoomph!*, it struck a cloth-like object instead.
It was the P-Fibre stretching out from Kaname’s skirt.
「…How upsetting. I’m the cute little sister that watches over her Onii-chan from ‘Good Morning’ to ‘Good Night’, remember?」
Because of the flying, cloth-like scientific blade, the front of her skirt was turned up– and when she saw I was about to say something, Kaname raised a finger to stop me.
「I’m going to watch over you, right? I intend to do that. And that includes now.」
She said, with a cute wink…
I give up. There’s no helping it. They had first knocked down my reason for leaving them, then they knocked me down.
Then I stood up, and before I knew it, Reki was resting the back of her head against the railcar window across from me.
It’s inevitable. We’re going. To Area 51– all of us.
[END TEXT]
*****************************
1. Lookdown capability is the ability, or lack thereof, of a radar system to distinguish an aerial target below a radar’s local horizon. (below the radar system not through the Earth). Radar waves are reflected off the target, but the radar also detects the reflections from the ground objects, and the target often gets lost in the backscatter ‘noise’ from the ground objects.
2. A novel by Toyoko Yamasaki. It’s about a Japanese man captured by Soviets and sentenced to hard labour in Siberia before returning home, trying to re-adjust to civilian life, and running a trading company.
3. Also known as Leviathan. LINK
