その身を煤に覆われている裸電球が発する弱々しい灯りが照らす、機能以外に用はないと言わんばかりに錆びた配管が剥き出しになった、古びて半ば朽ちかけているひび割れた石壁と、易々と消えはしないと言い誇っているが如き砂と埃に覆われているゴツゴツとした石畳の床、長い時をただひたすら耐え続けた事だけを物語るそこは、暖かさや温もりといった言葉とは縁の遠い寒々とした寂しさを思わせる、陰鬱な沈黙に支配された空間だった。
　過ぎ去った時代の記憶を敢えて否定する、無造作に設置されたエアダクトの中で揺蕩うようにかき混ぜられる淀んだ空気が、辛うじて人の存在を感じさせる、どこか薄気味の悪さを感じさせる一画。勘の鋭い者や、余程注意深く観察している者でなければ、この場に生じている変化に気付かないだろう。無造作に並べて建てられた内装に似つかわしくないオフィス用パーテーション、適当に積み上げられた段ボール箱、棚に溢れ返る黄ばみ切った書類を詰め込んだバインダーの数々、放棄された倉庫としか形容のできない薄暗い部屋の中には、汗と男女の情事が行われていた事を示す匂いが、カビと埃に混ざって充満していた。
「う～ん…地下生活で溜まってたのか、まだ喉に絡み付いてるくらい濃くて、大きさもなかなかだった割には、乱暴なだけでテクはいまいちだったな。ちびっと足りてなかった精気を補充できたから、微妙に残ってた怪我も完全回復したし、能力も無駄使いできそうなくらい溜まったのに、あたしまだ一回もイッてないんだけど～…」
　可愛らしく拗ねた顔をしたメイド服の女…ピンクちゃんが、傍らでだらしなく緩んだ表情のまま気を失っている男の、空になるまで絞り尽くされて項垂れたいちもつを見下ろしながら乱れた服を直している背後で、人影が立ち上がる。人の気配に全神経を集中させているコルと平然としているミフィ、耳まで赤くした顔を両手で覆いつつも見開いた大きな単眼を隠し切れていないキュイだ。

不満を露わにして下着に足を通すピンクちゃんの周囲に散らばった、元は警備巡回していた男が身に付けていた武装一式から、コルが慣れた様子で銃器類を頂戴し、コンバット・ナイフとフラッシュ・グレネードを抜き取って放る。ピンクちゃんが片手で受け取ったそれらは、流れるような動作で穿き途中だった下着と一緒にスカートの中に消え、コルもまた、頂戴した銃器類をハンドガン、ライフル問わず手品よろしくスカートの中にしまい込んでいく。
「取り敢えず先には進めているわね。チャームのお陰で無駄弾も使わずに誤魔化せているし、携行火器の補充もできてる…ま、サキュバスに与えられる極上の快楽を全身余す事無く、思う存分貪ったのに気絶で済んでいるのだから、吸い尽くされて死ぬよりは幸せでしょうよ。それともこれから先、普通の女じゃ勃たなくなる方が不幸なのかしら」
「やってるあたし自身は不完全燃焼が続いてマスけどね、お姉サマ。ここまでで三人相手しといて、あたしが満足できてないとか、酷いと思いマセん？」
「…ただ、巡回している警備が銃で武装しているのは紛れもない事実で、迂闊な真似ができない事に変わりはない。何より、既に短時間の内に巡回が三人も姿を晦ませているこの状況は、不自然極まりないわ。警備しているという事は当然、定時連絡はあるでしょうし、その時点で否応にも気付かれる。そうなる前に小お嬢様に接触できるのが理想だけれど、いつ定時連絡行われるのかが不明な以上、タイムリミットが設定されている状況よりも早急な作戦行動が求められる。場合によっては、この狭い通路で膨大な数の敵が湧く上に、厄介なボス敵まで参入する可能性のある、壊れバランスなダンジョン・アタックになるって事よ…」
「一番酷かったのは二人目！いくらあたしがサキュバスでも、ほぐしもしないでア○ルとか、あの世がチラリと垣間見えるっつーの。ちょいと小粋な拷問デスよあれ！切れるっちゅーねん！」
「なるべく足手纏いにならないよう心掛けるが、自信無いな…。壁や床の声から警備の巡回ルートを割り出せば進行も早くなるだろうけれど、動植物と違って無機物の場合、大雑把な時期ならともかく、数分から数ヶ月まで全部最近って答えるくらい詳細な時間間隔は期待できないから、当てにするのは危険だ。アイーナ、そっちの状況は？こっちの位置情報と照らし合わせてサポートはできそうか？」
「さっきの奴だって、口で一回、おっぱいで挟んで一回、挿れる時に先っちょ当たっただけで一回、挿れてすぐ一回、数回腰振っただけで一回、体位変える時に一回、そのあとまたすぐ一回、短時間でこれだけの量出せるのは大したものだけど、早過ぎィ！」
『エージェントが例の研究データを発見したデータベースの、ホストアドレスを割り出せました。当然の如くセキュリティが掛けられていますが、エージェントが突破できる程度ですもの、本気を出してエルザさんに師事しオカルト知識を学び、電脳ヨウカイすら容易に突破させないオカルトセキュリティを組み上げた私に掛かれば、紙同然の防壁でしてよ？ただ、システムに侵入したものの、内部構造を把握できるようなデータが見当たりませんし、仮に構造を把握できても、今はＧＰＳが機能していませんので、こちらから誘導するのは不可能ですわ』
　そのアイーナの言葉に、コルとミフィは顔を見合わせた。無線機に視線を落とし、もう一度顔を見合わせる。
「ＧＰＳ機能はオンになっているのですが？」
『それは、あなた方が機能が無効になる深度にいらっしゃるからですわ。いくら軍事衛星を介しているとはいえ、分厚い石と土の層に遮られては届きようがないではありませんか、無線通信だって万能ではありませんのよ』
「いやアイーナお前、自分で言ってる事がおかしいと思わないのか？無線が遮られてて、どうして今、こうして無線機使って話せてるんだよ！」
『あら、お気付きではありませんでしたの？あなた方がエレベーターで降下を始めてからしばらくして、一度通信が途切れてますのよ。次に繋がったのが…その、ピンクさんが、あの…二人目の男性と、その、”いたして”いる時で…実はこの無線機、ネット回線にも対応可能で、会話だけはできるようにもなっていますの。勿論こういう時のような、いざという時の為の奥の手ですから、自動でその場の環境を利用できるオートフリー設定機能付き。その機能を使って無線通信からネット通信に切り替わったのが、そのタイミングだったという事ですわね。本当にお気付きになられませんでしたの？』
「そんな事、無線機側から気付けるかぁ！ていうか下手しなくても回線無断使用で犯罪じゃないかこれー！！」
『使いどころを選べば大丈夫ですわよ。それにねミフィさん、世の中には「超法規的処置」というのがありますのよ。犯罪組織が相手なのです、一刻も早くランさんを救う為には、手段なんて選んでいられるものですか』
「そうだけど！言ってる事は解るけど！！納得いくようでいかないようでどっちかってーと納得寄りだよもおぉ！！！」
　無線機を振り回して器用に小声で喚くミフィの横で、コルが素早く部屋の中を見渡す。しかして目的の物はあった。ダクトの陰に隠れるように、ひっそりと。
「中継器…なるほどね、無線環境が整ってる。ケーブルはダクトの中を通しているのかしら。となると…無線機が繋がる周辺には中継器があって、切れるようなら無いという事になるから…それを頼りに進めるかもしれないわね。あとはバッテリー残量との勝負だわ」
『バッテリーですか…朝から充電する間もなく使っていますし、そろそろ危ないかもしれませんわね。それと、気になる事が一つ。リアルタイムでデータベース内のデータが目まぐるしく更新され続けていますの。ＩＤ統制管理のお陰で、こちらでは文字化けしてしまって、内容を窺い知る事はできませんが、おそらく研究データだと思われますわ。どうにも嫌な予感がいたします、お急ぎになって』
「手中に収めた小お嬢様を使って今現在、急ピッチで研究を進めている？手探りでも何でも、とにかく先を急いだ方が良さそうだわ」
「えうぅ…小お嬢様、どうかご無事で…！」
『その間に、私はシステムに攻撃を仕掛けて、攪乱してみます。最終的には全てのデータを破壊するつもりですが、一気に攻め落としては逃走されてしまうでしょうし、そうなればランさんも連れ出されてしまうでしょう。あなた方が侵入した隠し通路以外に外へ通じる道があった場合、何処へ通じているのかが不明ですし、逃走を防ぐのは難しいでしょうから、あなた方がランさんに近付いていくにつれて、少しずつ攻撃の手を強めていく形で…そうすれば、攻撃に対応する数人分の動きは封じられますし、敵の目をあなた方からこちらに逸らす事もできます。同時に、そうやって追い詰めていけば、データをどこかへ逃がそうとする筈です、その送信先を追跡すれば、尻尾を切られる前に本体を捉えられるかもしれません』
「アイーナ様ならではの戦い方、ね。では、そちらはお任せ致します」
『ええ、ドーンとお任せあれ！ふふ、完全ではない設備でのハッキングなんて、秘密結社事件以来ですわね。さぁ覚悟なさい、絶え間ないプログラムの奔流が描き出す電脳の芸術を、システムの根幹まで思い知らせて差し上げますわ！』
「うぅ、無視されまくり…誰も慰めてくれない…しくしく」
　寝転がっていじけるピンクちゃんの襟首を掴んで立たせた仏頂面のコルの横で、キュイが取り出したボロ布を奇怪な模様を裏側にして背中によじ登ったミフィごと頭から被ると、布を被った部分から二人の姿が消えていく。隠し通路の入り口である廃工場までキュイがその姿を隠すのに使っていた隠れ蓑だ。しかし人一人を覆い隠すには十分な布面積も、当然ながら長身のキュイには丈が足りず、特殊映像よろしく足だけが出てしまっている。地上では周囲を他のメイドが囲んで隠していた裾から出る足も、今は流石にコル達が隠す訳にもいかない。かといって、キュイにしてみれば低い天井の所為で中腰の姿勢を余儀なくされている所へ、同じように姿を隠す必要のあるミフィを懐へ潜り込ませた上で完全に覆い隠すのは、ただでさえ迅速な行動が求められる現状下で、更に動きを阻害する無理な姿勢を強いられる事になる。結果として、ミフィを背負って天井スレスレまで姿勢を落とし、上から隠れ蓑を被せただけのこの状態が最も動き易く、目立ち易いキュイと隠密技術を持たないミフィの両者の姿を最も隠せている状態だったりする。とはいえ既に数ヶ所、ミフィの頭をエアダクトに激突させてタンコブだらけにしてしまっていた。痛みを堪えて涙目になったミフィを見る度に、申し訳なさが込み上げてきてキュイまで泣きたくなってくる。
　ランプを消して目配せで合図を送り、音もなくドアを開き出て行った元傭兵の二人の後を、必死に足音を消しながらキュイが着いていき、その背でミフィがたまに襲い来るエアダクトに身構える。
　傍目には、コルとピンクちゃんが目にも止まらぬ速さで走り去った後を、脛から下の妙に大きな足だけが足音も立てずに通路を走り抜け、時折鈍い音と共にエアダクトがひとりでに陥没するという、ちょっとしたホラーな様相を呈しながら、このなんとも危なっかしい潜入任務が再開された。

　四人のメイド達が古めかしいエレベーターを使い降りた廃工場の地下は、廃工場よりも更に荒廃した地下施設だった。そして、エレベーターに備え付けられた黄ばんだ電球が浮かび上がらせる薄汚れた通路の隅には、その場には決して溶け込むまいと必死に抵抗するかのように、鈍く光を反射するヘアピンが転がっていた。このヘアピンがランの髪を結い上げていた物であると、ヘアメイクを施されるランに付き添っていたキュイが証明した事で、ここにランが居るのだという予感を確証に変える最後の遺留品となった。
　堂々とエレベーターを動かしたのだから、とコルが警戒していた「歓迎」こそなかったが、武装した巡回の存在を察知した事から、隠密行動での探索を開始した。幸いにもミフィを除けば、体術に長ける傭兵出の二人は元より、拙いながらも狩りの経験を持つキュイは足音と気配を消す事ができ、逆にコルの鋭敏な耳は僅かな足音をも拾い、巡回の接近を距離のある内から感知が可能だった。更にミフィの申し訳程度でしかないシャーマン能力も、通路上に存在する様々な無機物から情報を引き出し、周辺の構造を把握するのに貢献した。素人連れである事を差し引いてもコル達にとって有利な条件ではあったが、薄暗いながらも容赦なく侵入者の姿を浮かび上がらせてしまう、石造りの通路を照らす灯りの下では、都合良く全て回避できるという訳にもいかず、状況によってはその場で身を隠さなければならない場合もある。こうなると、コルとピンクちゃんが身を隠せても、窮屈な通路につっかえそうなキュイなどは咄嗟に身を隠すのは難しい。また、コル達がそうであるように、大半のモンスターは基本能力として暗視能力を備えている。巡回がモンスターだった場合、単純に暗がりに身を潜ませただけでは容易に発見されてしまうという点が、大きな障害となった。
　そこで活躍したのが、エルザからキュイに貸与された隠れ蓑だったのだ。隠れ蓑を身に纏うにもキュイが基本となる為、狭い通路内で思うような姿勢を取れず、足元が見えてしまうという欠点はあるものの、巡回と鉢合わせしそうになった時には、壁に張り付き隠れ蓑をカーテンのように広げて体の前面を覆い隠す形で足りない布面積を補い、通り過ぎるまで息を潜めてやり過ごすという（ある意味では本来の）使い方で、姿だけではなくモンスターが発する独特な不可視のオーラすら覆い隠す隠れ蓑は、監視カメラ等の装置が設置されていないという幸いも追い風となり、そのステルス性能を存分に発揮していた。
　それでもやはり欠点が付いて回るのは如何ともし難く、移動中にはみ出た足を視界に捉えられる、隠れ蓑を広げた際に一瞬見えた壁との不自然な隙間に気付かれる、酷い時にはぶつかってこられもして、巡回を全てやり過ごせていた訳ではなかった。見付かる度に、ピンクちゃんがすかさず飛び出してハートの浮かぶ瞳で目を覗き込み、何故この場にメイドが居るのかという疑問を持たれる前に骨抜きにする。しなだれかかるピンクちゃんの、熱い吐息を感じさせる耳元での囁き、押し付けられるたわわな双丘の感触と、優しく撫で回すしなやかな指に与えられる心地良い刺激、更にピンクちゃんの体から薄っすらと発する桃と林檎を合わせた香りに似た甘く官能的なフェロモンは、男を性的興奮の塊へと変じさせてしまう。そうなると最早思考能力は奪われたも同然で、目の前の女を好きにしたい、この女にぶち込みたい、この女の穴という穴にぶちまけたいという欲求で埋め尽くされ、意識は下半身の一点に生じた熱に集中する。あとは手近な無人の部屋に連れ込み、昏倒するまで精を絞り尽くせば、数時間は目を覚ます事はない。これは過去ピンクちゃんが暗殺対象に近付く際に得意としていた、サキュバスの能力を利用した色仕掛けの潜入術であり、暗殺術のひとつでもある。初心なキュイには刺激が強過ぎるようだが、暗殺の際と同様に本気で絞り尽くして生命を奪うまでに至っていれば、それは間違いなくトラウマ確実な光景になっていただろう事を考えれば、キュイにも巡回にもまだ「マシ」な結果といえよう。
　ミフィが通路を構成する無機物の声から情報を引き出し周辺の構造を探り、コルが鋭敏な聴覚で周囲を警戒しつつルートを選定、キュイが持つ隠れ蓑で隠密技術を持たないミフィをカバーする形で巡回の目から逃れ、もし気付かれた時はピンクちゃんの能力で絞り尽くして無力化する。決してスマートともスムーズとも言えないが、この玄人と素人の組み合わせで構成された即席ごた混ぜチームは、意外な連携を見せながら少しずつ、しかし確実に歩を進めていく。
　彼女達を見送るものは、無言を保つ影ただひとつ。

おびただしい数のコードと機材に繋がれたガラス張りのボックス、その中央には両手足を霊糸の紐で拘束されたランが、憔悴しきった様子で顔を伏せ、蹲っていた。体の輪郭がどことなく揺らいでいるのは、実体と幽体の境界が曖昧になって起きている現象だ。つまりそれは、実体化可能な霊にとって物理的に自己を確かなものとする為に必要な、自分の存在を現と幻のどちらに固定するかを決定する自己意識の衰退を示す証でもあった。
　ランが憔悴しているのは、自分がエトランゼのコピーとして作られた存在であるという真実を、呼び起こされたコピーとしての記憶が証明してしまったショックと、ボックスに設置された機材から絶えず発せられている、霊体に干渉可能な波長に調整された高周波による。効果は認められているものの、小型化されるまでに至っていない実験機に過ぎないが、束縛されたランに対してならば大きさなど些細な問題だ。波長を微調整する事で霊体に対し様々な影響を及ぼすという開発思想に基づき、荒れ狂う霊に安らぎを与えて落ち着かせたり、恐怖を与えて追い払うといった、沈静化・撃退を想定したこの装置は、設定次第では霊の状態を悪化させる事もできる。人間の可聴領域を超えた感じる事のない音は、自身が自身であると信じて疑わなかったエトランゼではなく、そのコピーである事を自覚してしまったが為に揺らぐ自我を蝕んでいく。忘れていたコピーとしての記憶と、ランとしての記憶が交差して、全てがどこか遠い非現実めいたものに感じられる中、薄っすらと記憶の中に残る「想い」に縋り付き、ランは必至に痩せ細っていく「心」を繋ぎとめようとしていた。
　そんなランとは対照的に、ボックスを囲むパネルの前で作業する研究者達の頭上に漂う、幼い姿のラン…エトランゼ・コピーが、ボックスの外からランを覗き込んだまま空虚な笑みを湛えている。意図をまるで感じさせないエトランゼ・コピーはただ、ランがボックスに入れられてからひと時も離れようとしない。
「何も言わなくとも、ああやって『仲間』の傍に居たがるのは、嬉しい誤算でしたな。自我が芽生えたお陰で逆に御し易くなっている半面、それによって生まれついた余計な感情は不確定要素でしかない。ですが彼女の存在が、例え心で否定しようとも、目の前に居る己と同じ存在は、嫌が応にも己自身を”かくあるもの”として認識させる。気紛れに取っておいたコピーでしたが、思わぬ所で思わぬ役に立ってくれたものです。長らく実験台としてデータが取れただけでなく、最後の最後でこのように余計な手間を省いてくれるとは、いやはや、ニホンの『モッタイナイの精神』も、馬鹿にしたものではありませんな」
　やはり無表情のまま、上機嫌な様子で一人語り続ける老紳士の前で、研究者達は作業に没頭する。誰もが、死した少女に対する憐れみを、永久機関という人類の夢を成し遂げんとする野心と、知的好奇心で塗り潰していた。普段から適当に漂っているエトランゼ・コピーに、彼等はとっくに慣れたもので気に留める者はいないが、しかし今日の彼等はほんの少しだけ違和感を感じ取ってもいた。いつもは意識も意志も感じさせない様子でふらふらと漂っているだけで、何度も声を掛けない限りこちらにお構いなしなエトランゼ・コピーが、何故今日に限って、捕獲したコピーの傍に意志を持って寄り添っているように見えるのだろう？
　そんな彼等の背を、ギガノフはしばし射抜くように睨み付けていたが、やがて踵を返した。
「おやMr.ギガノフ、どちらへ行かれるので？あと少しの辛抱で世紀の瞬間を目にする事ができるのですぞ」
「正直に言おう、わたしは”それ”に興味はない。完成したものを見るだけで十分だ」
　振り返らず答えるギガノフに老紳士は、ふむ、と曖昧な相槌を打つ。
「そこは個人の好き好きですし、仕方ありませんな。憎悪の感情を呼び覚ますのに調整を含め、まだ１時間は掛かるでしょうし、寛いでいて下さって結構ですぞ。完成の後にお呼び致しましょう。ああ、念のため外にはお出にならぬよう、お願い致しますよ」
「…ああ、そうさせてもらおう」
　去っていくギガノフを一瞥した老執事は小さく肩を竦め、
「戦いのみに生きる野蛮人には、彼女の価値は解りませんか。まあ、完成した暁には、彼も認識を改める事になりましょうがね」
　やれやれ、とでも言いたげにそう呟き、それでもなお無表情を保っていた老執事に、研究者の一人が耳打ちをした。
「…ハッキングですと？そういえば以前にも一度、ハッキングを受けたと旦那様が仰っておいででしたね。ふむ…スイーパーズが我々独自のオカルトセキュリティに気付きでもしたのですかね。相手によっては少々危険ですな」
「相手はそれほど大した実力ではないようです。実験には支障が出ない程度でブロックできますが」
「そうですか。なら対応は任せますよ。適当に追い払って…いえ、抑え込んだ後に逆ハックで相手を割り出しなさい。小さな芽でも、邪魔になる可能性があるならば、摘んでおくに越したことはありませんからな。”おいた”の代償を払って頂く事にしましょう」
「承知致しました」
　まさか世界レベルのハッカーが判り易く攻撃を仕掛けている裏で、実験で蓄積していくデータの動きを監視しているなどと露ほども思っていない彼等は、淡々と作業の手を進めていく。

　研究室を出て重厚な扉を閉めたギガノフは、大きく溜息を吐いた。
「あんな下らんものより、あの女と闘り合う事の方が大事だ…ってかァ、ダンナ？ご機嫌ナナメだなァ」
　突如掛けられた軽薄な声に、目にも止まらぬ動作で銃を抜き自身の影に突き付けるが、ギガノフの影から離れ何者のものでもない単独の影となったそれは、床を滑り壁に移動して銃口から逃れた。
「おいおい待てよ待てって、これっくらいでジョーダンキツ過ぎだろ、フレンドリーファイアもナシにしようぜェ。折角良い知らせを持ってきてやったってのによォ」
　大きく膨らんだ影が人型の上半身を形取り現れたＢＢは、体を捻じらせて下からギガノフを覗き込むようにすると、嫌らしく笑う口元を露わにした。
　ギガノフはこの下卑た笑いが嫌いだ。こいつは自分と同じように戦いの中でしか生きられない性質だが、戦いを遊びか何かにしか思っていない。戦いの先に求めているのは、己の滾りを一方的に満たそうとする、イカれた欲求だけだ。命というものを、気楽にベットできる酷く安価なチップとして、奪うか失うか、その刹那のスリルを楽しんでいるだけの、ただの殺人享楽者。好きになれる訳がない。第一、こいつの言動はいちいち癪に障る。
　嫌悪も露わに、睨む目も自然と剣のあるものになる。
「ＢＢ貴様、いつからわたしの影に」
「ジジイと話してる最中かなァ。アンタ突然興味ねーとか言い出したけど、あの女がなかなか来ないからイラついてるだけなんだろ。こっそり撒き餌してたくらいだもんなァ？」
「………」
「アンタ、都合ワルくなると黙るよな、まァいっけどサァ。別にダンナが裏切らねーかどーか監視してたワケじゃねーんだ、安心しろってェ」
「…何の用だ」
「良い知らせを持ってきたっつたろォ？侵入者アリだ、間違いなくあの女だぜェ。気紛れにブラブラしてたらよォ、たまたま見っけたんだよなー。んで、アンタがあの女にご執心なの判ってたからよォ、わざわざ知らせに来てやったっつーワケ。アンタをヤツとサシで好きにヤらせてやろうってェ、オレなりのマゴコロってヤツゥ？」
「貴様がそのような殊勝な事を考えているとは到底思えん。本音を言え」
「へェへェ判ったって、ンな事ちーっとも考えちゃいませんよゥ。バレット・スコールはアンタに任せて、他のヤツをオレが頂いちまおうかなァとか思ってますゥ。でなきゃアンタに知らせるより先に、警報のひとつも鳴らしてるって。だってよォ、昨日のムカつくデカ女とボロ雑巾になってたピンク髪がもうピンピンして一緒に居んだぜェ、因縁あるヤツとお預け喰らわされたヤツ、両方来てるとなりゃー、そりゃ気になるってもんだろォ？」
　ズタボロにされたのは貴様もだろうが、と聞こえないように舌打ちをするギガノフだったが、一対一という条件は彼にとって魅力的だった。余計な邪魔はされたくない、特にこいつには。
「良いだろう、バレット・スコール以外の者は貴様にくれてやる。精々返り討ちに遭わぬようにする事だ」
「うィーっス、忠告ご親切にどォーもォー。アンタこそ簡単にくたばんなよな、そん時ゃオレが喰い残しを美味しく頂いちまうかんなァ？ケケ」
「勝手にしろ」
　吐き捨てて再び歩き出すギガノフの影に潜り直したＢＢは、目だけを覗かせて影から声を発する。
「おいおい、まだ場所も言ってねーのに何処行く気よ？」
「なら早く言え。奴は今、何処に居る」
「おぉ怖。ご丁寧に昨日オレ達が通った道をそのまま辿って、あのクソ古い隠し通路から忍び込んできたみてェだからなァ…今はそうさな、資材区画の辺りか、ま～だ全然遠い所に居やがらァ。けどよ、体捌きのてんでなってねェド素人連れてやがるのに、どういう手品か姿を消せるみてェなんだよな、まーお上手に巡回を避けて通ってら。何人か連中を見付けた奴はいたが、そいつ等全員、天にも昇るような気持ちで地獄に落ちたよ、ありゃァサキュバスだな。しっぽり搾り取られんのも男冥利に尽きる、って言えんのかねェ？ケケケ」
「潜入作戦のつもりか？…いや、小娘を救出するまで事を荒立てぬようにしているのか、人質に取るなり連れて逃げるなり、こちらには選択肢がある事を解っているのだろうな。連れている素人というのが昨夜の光線を撃った大柄な娘となれば、おそらく、戦えぬ者を戦闘に巻き込まぬ意図もあるのだろう。しかし、何故そんな素人を連れている？あの光線が高火力なのは認めるが、初見であるならともかく、一度見た攻撃を警戒する事くらい、解っている筈だが…解せぬ」
「オレとしちゃあ大人し過ぎてツマンネェけどな。どうせなら映画みてェに派手々々しく登場してみろってんだ。それともここにはニンゲンが多いって解ってんのかねェ？なるべく戦えねェ連中を傷付けねーように、穏便に済ませようってェ腹づもりかもな。ケケ、お優しいこって、あざーっス」
「無駄口を叩いていないで、対処の仕方を考えたらどうだ。油断していたとはいえ、貴様が喰らった光線が侮れぬ威力なのは、身を以て解っている筈だろう」
「ハ、それオレに言う？ガチンコ以外オレに何をどーしろと？つーかサァダンナ、どうすンのよ？下手なとこでおっぱじめっと邪魔が入るだろうし、アンタが一発でも撃ったらメッチャクチャになるだろー。ンな事になりゃあ非戦闘員の連中もろとも瓦礫に沈めっちまうぜェ？オレは別にアイツラなんてどーでもいーけどぅー」
「…廃工場の隠し通路を辿って来ているなら、こちらに来る途中には旧施設の入口がある、そこへ誘い込み、迎え撃つ。場合によっては周辺区画にも影響は出るだろうが、破棄されて久しいあの区画には壊されて困るような重要な機材など残ってはおるまい、それにどうせ今日で研究も終わるのだ、それを阻止せんとする者を排除した結果に一区画如き壊滅したところで、文句など言わんだろうよ」
「旧施設ゥ？ああ、研究が済んじまえば、あのガキ閉じ込めとく必要も無ェし、封鎖されてて中には巡回も居ねーから邪魔も入らねェ、まさかあの埃クセェトコが好きに暴れるにゃ絶好の場所になるたあな。アイツラにとっちゃ実験場までの近道になっちまうけど、オレラが仕留めちまえば済む話だもんなー。でもよォ、あそこって霊的な力場がどうとか、発明卿の遺産がまだ残ってるだのとか、そんな事をジジイが言ってた覚えがあるぜ、良いのかよダンナ？」
「忍び込んだネズミを駆除する為に『止むを得ず』だ、構うまい。どうせあの狂人の孫は気にも留めまいよ」
「ケケケ、そう来なくちゃなァ！知らせに来た甲斐があるってもんだ、アンタのそーゆー手段を択ばねートコ、好きだぜェ」
「…奴等を旧施設に誘導するのには、貴様に役立ってもらうぞ」
「おうよ！何すんだか知らねーケド任せろ、楽しめるんなら何でもするぜェ、ケヒヒヒ！」
　歪みのある無邪気なＢＢの声を連れ、ギガノフは内心の期待を隠してその場を後にした。

　倉庫から出て２０分余、無線機の接続を道標代わりにした探索は、思いの外順調に進んでいた。元々この無線機は軍事衛星を介しての使用を主眼に置いたもので、ネット回線を利用するのはあくまで衛星との通信が途切れた時の緊急処置的として付随させた機能でしかない為、いくら回線に強制接続できるだけの性能を持っていても単独での発信はできず、中継器の通信有効範囲に依存する形になる。通信するには中継器に近付かなければならないという、緊急時の機能であるが故に利便性を欠いた弱点が逆に、中継器の捜索を容易にしているのだった。しかし、何らかの研究をしているという証拠も、ランの居所を示す手掛かりも、一向に掴めていない。ここまで調べてきた部屋は放棄されて久しいごみ溜めと化しており、使用された形跡が見られても、適当に荷物を詰め込まれた倉庫になっている部屋ばかりだったのだ。
　そうして探索を続けている内、長い直線通路から逸れて入った横道で、四人は足を止めていた。というのも、突如として巡回の数が増え始め、四人を包囲し始めていたからだ。初めは、一人二人ならピンクちゃんの能力かコルの腕前なら他の巡回に気取られる前に無力化できると考えていたものが、巡回は合流を繰り返して増え続けている。音の反響で正確に捉える事はできないが、今や十数人に達しようとしている人数が、徐々に迫ってきていた。通路という条件下、これだけの人数と乱戦にもつれ込むような事になれば、コルとピンクちゃんの実力を以てしても、負けはしないが増援を呼ばれるのを防げない。そこにコルが最も警戒している野戦服の男とシャドウ・ストーカーまで加わった場合、泥仕合は免れないだろう。そうでなくとも下手に戦闘を引き起こすのは、いくら隠れ蓑があるとはいえミフィとキュイの身を危険に晒すのみならず、ランの救出を絶望的なものにしてしまう。それだけは何としても避けたかった。
（こちらに気付いている様子でもなさそうなのに、何故突然巡回の数が増えたのかしら。しかも大多数が、武装の音を殺し切れていないのに、足音だけは不気味な程完璧に消している…訳が分からないわ…）
　四人が身を潜める横道は、南京錠が掛けられた格子戸で閉ざされていた。先に見える下り階段を封鎖しているらしきこの格子戸のお陰で、背後の心配をせずに隠れていられるが、こうしている間にも大勢の巡回が近付いている。
「どうだ侍従長、別の所に行けそうか？」
「駄目ね、下手に場所を移動しようとすれば、見付かってしまうわ。巡回の居る位置が、こちらの逃げ先を塞ぐ形になっているのが痛いわね」
　しばし巡回の動向を探っていたコルだったが、数を増やした巡回をやり過ごすのは難しいと判断を下した。
「これが破壊工作なら、今と同じ状況になったら力押しに切り替える事もできるけれど、今回の私達の任務は小お嬢様の救出。小お嬢様をお救いするか、小お嬢様が捕えられていらっしゃる場所を掴むまで、事を起こしたくはない。となれば、私達は進める道を進むしかないわ。ピンク！」
「I,I'mam、ピンクちゃんのピは～、ピッキングのピ～♪」
　ウィンクで呼び掛けに答えたピンクちゃんが、ポケットから使い込まれたアーミーナイフを取り出し、鼻歌混じりに格子戸の南京錠に取り掛かる。引き出されたナイフ部分は刃を潰され細く加工してあり、ナイフの役割を果たさない形状になっているそれは、最早アーミー「ナイフ」と呼べる代物ではないのかもしれない。しかし、本来の在り様から外されたこのアーミーナイフは、戦火の中で生き延びる為に身に付けた技術を有効に活かす為に、野戦時用のサバイバルツール兼「潜入用のピッキングツール」として、傭兵時代にピンクちゃん自ら改造して愛用してきた物だ。そもそも本人からして「ナイフなら手に馴染む方使うしぃ」とのたまう程だ、ナイフの機能を廃したところで、多用途ツールとしての実用性を失った訳ではないのだろう。
　果たして、ナイフから改造されたピッキングツールで鍵穴内をくすぐられた南京錠は、いともあっさりとその役目を放棄したのだった。
「ふっふ～ん、ダイヤルロック式でなけりゃこんなもん、楽勝楽勝～♪」
「ミフィ、キュイ、行くわよ。着いてきて！」
　ピンクちゃんが格子度を開け、その奥へと飛び込んだコルが階段を駆け下りていく。灯りの無い階段に躊躇したミフィを抱き上げて後を追うキュイを見送り、くるりと身を翻して中に滑り込んだピンクちゃんは、格子戸と南京錠を無意味に可愛い仕草で施錠し直し、投げキッスを残して暗闇へと続く階段に消えていった。
「あの、あのう、鍵をかけ直したりなんかして、大丈夫なんですか？もしここに戻って来た時に追われていたりしたら、逃げられなくなっちゃうんじゃ…」
「ダイジョブよん♪鍵の形状は把握したし、次は鍵使うより早く解除してあげるから。それよりもほら、早く降りないとお姉サマに置いてかれちゃうよ？グズグズしてるとお尻でイかせちゃうよ。ミフィちゃんを」
「なんでだよ！？」

　四人の気配が階段の奥へ消えたと同時。
　包囲するように群がり始めていた巡回が、単独で行動していた少数を除いて、揃ってその場に崩れ落ちた。
　それはまるで、始めから中身など無かったとばかりに、武装だけを残して人の形を失っていた。
　自らの落とす影に、溶けていくように。

「ほらほら～、早く行かないとお尻揉んじゃうゾ～♪キュイちゃんのお尻が丁度良い位置にきてるしね～」
「やーん！」
「キュイ、本気で身の危険を感じたら、ビーム撃って良いからな」
「…見付かっちゃうからやめてくだしあ。ってホントにこっち向くのやめて！踏み外しちゃうから足下見て足下！」
「むー…！」
　緊張感の無いやり取りを交わしつつ、薄っすらと階下から差し込む灯りに向かって、長い階段を駆け下りていく。
　灯りの中へ飛び込むような錯覚を覚えながら階段を降り切ると、そこに広がる光景が目に飛び込んでくる。
　上の通路と同じ古さを感じさせるそこは、石造りである事は変わらなかったが、ようやく研究施設らしい姿を見せていた。それを素直に喜べないのは、そこら中で大きく破壊された爪痕を晒し、通路と部屋を隔てていた壁があったという痕跡が残されているだけで、設備という意味では完全に崩壊していたからだ。基部から破壊されて垂れ下がった電灯の代わりを務める光源も、幾つかの電球は切れて放置されるままになっている。それでも健気に持ち堪えて明滅する電球が、煌々と、とまではいかないまでも転がされるままになっている瓦礫と、元は研究機材だったであろう錆果てた残骸を照らし出していた。
　壁が崩れて見渡せる程に視界が開けているお陰で、よく判る。おそらく過去に、ここでモンスターと能力者が入り乱れた戦闘があったのだろう。所々陥没している他に、崩れた壁には鋭利に切り崩されている断面が数ヶ所に、広い範囲を炎で炙られた焦げ跡や電流が駆け巡った事を示す幾重もの跡、ただ崩壊したというには説明の付かない傷跡が残され、床と天井にも同様の損傷が入り乱れている。その中に混じって大小数多く残っている見慣れた傷は、間違いなく弾痕だ。傷だらけになりながらも原形を留める奥の壁には、衝撃でひしゃげたドアが意地を見せて外れかけの蝶番でしがみ付いていた。きっと瓦礫と埃が覆い隠す床には、夥しい血の跡が染み付いているに違いない。
　散乱する瓦礫の中央に立つコルの背中が見える。待たせてはいけないと駆け寄ろうとしたキュイは、背後でピンクちゃんの陽気な気配が一変して鋭くなった事に気付き、足を止めた。
　ピンクちゃんは両手にナイフを構え、先程までの陽気な雰囲気は微塵もない。
「…キュイ、脇に避けて、隠れそうな所に身を隠すんだ。二人の邪魔になる。あと私を降ろしてくれ、いざって時に咄嗟に動けないだろうからな」
　そう言う腕の中のミフィの声は微かに震えていた。コルの頭越しにその理由を悟り、ミフィを降ろすと、ゆっくりと二人から離れていく。
「生憎だけれど、気配を消しても武装と布ずれの音までは隠せないわ。この石壁の厚みなら２、３部屋くらい隔てて、ドアでも閉めて息を潜めていれば私も気付かなかったでしょうに、この距離では私の耳を誤魔化す事はできない」
　正確、精密を誇るコルの銃口が狙うその先で、
「もう少し、様子を見るつもりだったのだがな。成程、臆病なほど念入りに潜伏しなければ、不意打ちも待ち伏せも見抜かれる…いや、『聞き咎められる』という訳か。戦場を渡り歩いて生き残ってこられただけある、噂に違わぬ地獄耳だ」
　ひしゃげたドアの影からのっそりと姿を現したギガノフが、不敵な笑みで構えた超大型ハンドガンの銃口をコルに向けた。

The light bulb covered in dirt started faintly shining, showing some rusted pipes which were good for only their original purpose, ancient half-ruined stone walls, and a cobblestone floor that, while covered in sand and dust, had not lost its simplicity. As if to say that it continued to endure the long passage of time with warm words, yet feeling the distant, cold loneliness, the gloomy silence dominated this place.
Defying the memories of an age long past, a simple air duct was installed, and within it, the stagnant air was mixing around, and slightly, the existence of people could be felt, though it somehow felt odd. Only someone with great intuition, or someone who was very carefully inspecting everything, could have realized that there was something strange going on here. Compared to the simplicity, the office cubicle walls did not match the interior at all, the randomly stacked cardboard boxes, the numerous binders full of papers that had turned yellow from age were crammed on the shelves. This could only be an abandoned storeroom. Inside the dark room, the smell of sweat from an sexual encounter between two people mixed in with the mold and dust to fill the air.
"Hmmm... So they were all gathered to live underground. The thickness is still clinging in my throat, and the size is pretty good too, so purely violent techniques won't be enough. This will replenish my vitality, so my remaining injuries will be completely healed. Even though I was saving my powers and trying not to waste them, I still haven't come once~..."
The woman with a cute pouting expression in the maid outfit... Pink-chan, was next to an unconscious man with a relaxed expression on his face. She was looking down at the man's drooping thing that she had been squeezing until it was empty, as she fixed her clothes. Behind her, silhouettes stood up. It was Col, who was completely focused on sensing people, the calm Mifi, and Cuey, who was blushing to the ears and trying to cover her face with both of her hands, but was unable to completely cover her huge, open eye.

As Pink-chan openly expressing her dissatisfaction as she pulled her underwear up her legs, her surroundings were messy. Starting with the weapon of the man who was originally patrolling the area, there was the small arms guns that Col took, since she was familiar with the type, and also a combat knife and a flashbang. Pink-chan took them with one hand, and with a flowing motion, had them disappear inside her skirt along with the underwear she was putting on. Col also took the guns, and, regardless of whether it was a handgun or rifle, stored them in her skirt like a magic trick.
"Anyway, let's move forward. Thanks to the charm, there were no unnecessary bullets used and we can fool them, and we were able to obtain the weapons he was carrying... Well, the pleasure given by a succubus is top tier throughout his body, so even though he would want to enjoy it as much as he can, he fainted. But that's better than him being overly drained and dying. Or maybe it's worse, since from now on, a normal girl won't be able to get him hard."
But I'm the one who did it, and my body still is undergoing incomplete combustion. Onee-sama. So far I've had 3 partners, but I'm still not satisfied. Don't you think that's cruel?"
"...The fact that the patrolling guards are equipped with a gun doesn't change the fact that we can't be careless. More importantly, the fact that 3 patrols have become disoriented in such a short period of time is extremely unnatural. Since they're guards, they naturally should be checking in at regular intervals, and at that point, they'll realize it from their response. Ideally, we need to make contact with the little mistress before that happens, but since we don't know when their check in time is, rather than thinking of this as have a time limit, we should quickly come up with a plan of action. Depending on the circumstances, it's possible a huge number of enemies could appear on a narrow path, or even a dangerous boss enemy might be included, and it would be like an imbalanced dungeon attack..."
"The cruelest was the 2nd one! Even though I'm a succubus, doing a*al without preparing me for it, I got a glimpse of that world. That's like torture! That pissed me off!"
"I'm trying to not be a burden, but I'm not sure... Based on what the walls and floor are saying, if I can calculate the guard's patrol routes, we can quickly move forward, but unlike living things, inanimate objects only have a vague sense of time, and they talk about things anywhere from a few minutes to a few months as being recent, so I don't have much hope in getting the details, so it's dangerous to bet on it. Aiina, how about you? Are you able to reference our location and give us support?"
"That earlier guy, once with my mouth, once between my breasts, once just as the tip was about to go in, once right after it went in, once after just a couple of thrusts, once when we were changing positions, and then once right afterwards. I mean, it's pretty amazing the amount let out in such a short time, but he was too quick!"
'I couldn't get the host address for the database where the agent found *that* data. Naturally, there was security, but not so much that the agent couldn't get through. With the occult knowledge that I seriously learned from Elza, combined with the occult security that even an electronic youkai couldn't easily break through, those defenses are as thin as paper to me? However, breaking into the system, and finding and figuring out the data regarding the interior structure, I couldn't do that. And even if I could figure out the structure, the GPS isn't functioning, so I can't guide you from here.'
At Aiina's words, Col and Mifi looked at each other. Looking down at the wireless radio, they once again looked at each other.
"But the GPS function is on?"
"That's because you are too deep for the function to work. It uses a military satellite, so with so many layers or rock and soil, the signal is disrupted. Radio waves can't do everything.'
"Umm, Aiina, isn't there something weird about what you said? If it's disrupting radio waves, how come we can use the radio to talk!"
'Oh, you didn't realize it? When you started to descend in the elevator, for a short time, there was a break in communications. The next time it was connected was... umm, when Pink-san was, umm... when she was umm, "doing" the 2nd guy... Actually, the radio can connect to networks, but it can only talk. Of course, this is for times like this, a secret move when we're in a pinch. So it has the ability to automatically configure to a nearby network. When using this function, it switches from radio waves to network communication, so it takes a little time. Did you really not realize it?'
"How would I realize that, switching from radio! Actually, even if it's not bad, isn't accessing a network without permission a crime!!"
'It's ok since it chooses when to use it. Anyway, Mifi-san, this is what they call "extra legal measures". We're fighting against a criminal organization, and we need to save Ran-san as soon as possible, so we should use any means we have.'
"Yes! I know what you're saying!! But I'm still stuck between accepting it or not accepting it!!!"
Waving the radio around, Mifi cried out in a quiet voice. Next to her, Col quickly gazed around the room. And she saw what she was looking for. Silently sitting in the shadow of the duct.
"A relay... I see, there is a wireless network here. I guess the cable runs along the inside of the duct. So... In a place where there's a wireless network, there must be a relay, and if we cut it, things will be rendered useless... I guess we'll have to rely on it as we advance. It will be a question of how much battery is left."
'Battery, huh... You've been using it since morning without any time to charge it, so it might get dicey soon. There's also one other thing to worry about. They've been frantically updating the data in the database in realtime. Because of the ID control, it's all garbled for me, and I can't tell what it says, but I think it's research data. I've got a bad feeling about it, so please hurry.'
"If they've captured and are using the little mistress right now, then we should hurry to the laboratory? Hurrying and moving forward is better than messing around here or something."
"Uwah.... Little mistress, I hope she's safe...!"
'In the meantime, I'll launch an attack on their system, and try to disrupt it. They may plan on destroying all their data as a last resort, but attacking all at once may cause them to run, and in that case, they would try to bring Ran-san with them. If there are other routes aside from the secret passage you came in through, we don't know where they would go. And since it's difficult to prevent their flight, you getting close to Ran-san, and strengthening your attack just a little... If that happens, we'll be able to prevent many people from moving and responding to your attack, and the enemy's eyes will be averted from you. At the same time, if you corner them, they'll try to move the data somewhere, and if I can trace the transmission, I might be able to figure out where it is before they shut me out.'
"Aiina-sama, this is your way of fighting. So, we shall leave that to you."
'Yes, leave it to me! Hehe, hacking with less than ideal equipment, I haven't done that since the secret society incident. Prepare yourself, my continuous flood of programs will create for you an electronic art, right down to core of your system!'
"Uuuh, I'm being ignored... No one is comforting me... Sob"
Pink-chan, who was lying down depressed, was grabbed by the neck and stood up by Col, who had a displeased look. Next to them, Cuey pulled out a ragged cloth with strange markings on the inside. Mifi climbed onto her back and put it over their head, and the parts of them that were covered by the cloth disappeared from view. Until they had reached the abandoned factory that had the secret entrance, Cuey had hidden herself using this invisibility cloak. Though it was big enough to cover 1 person, naturally, it wasn't long enough for someone as tall as Cuey, and her legs were left out, looking like some trick photography. When they were on the surface, the other maids surrounded her and kept her legs hidden, but now, of course, Col couldn't hide them. And now, due to the low ceilings, Cuey also had to bend over, and with Mifi, who likewise had to hide herself under it. On top of that, they had to move quickly, so it was impossible to completely hide herself. As a result, she carried Mifi on her back, almost touching the ceiling, and just draped the invisibility cloak over them, which gave them both freedom of movement and hiding them. Although, several times already, Mifi's head banged into the air duct, and it was covered in bumps. Every time Cuey saw Mifi's teary eyes as she endured the pain, she wanted to apologize and cry too.
Extinguishing the lamp and signaling with their eyes, the two former mercenaries silently opened the door and went in. Trying desperately to quiet her footsteps, Cuey followed afterwards, as Mifi prepared herself for the occasional air duct that came to attack her.
If anyone was watching, they would have seen Col and Pink-chan quickly rushing forward as their eyes darted all around, and behind them, a pair of oddly large lower legs and feet silently running down the path, with an occasional dull sound as a dent appeared in the air duct. While it looked like something out of a horror movie, their dangerous inflitration mission had begun again.

The 4 maids who rode the ancient elevator beneath the abandoned factory were now in an even more ruined underground facility. The lightbulbs that were yellowed with age in the elevator lit the dirty passage, and, like it was desperately resisting to blend in, was the dull light reflected off of a fallen hairpin. Cuey, who helped Ran do her hair, confirmed that the hairpin was one that Ran used in her hair, and it was the final lost item that confirmed their suspicion.
They openly used the elevator, so Col was cautious about getting a "welcoming", but there wasn't one. She could only sense the armed patrols, so she began exploring secretly. Fortunately, aside from Mifi, two of them were former soldiers and skilled in martial arts, and Cuey, while unskilled, had experience in hunting, so they could hide the sound of their footsteps and their presence. And moreover, Col's sensitive ears could pick up even the slightest of footsteps, so it was possible for them to know when the patrols were getting close. Also, Mifi's not insignificant shaman abilities could get information from the inanimate objects in the corridor, and they could get a grasp of the layout of the surroundings, which also helped. Even accounting for the fact that they brought untrained people along, it was an good situation for Col. However, though dim, the invader's figures were easily visible, and under the lights shining on the stone hallway, they weren't able to conveniently completely avoid everything. Depending on the circumstances, they had to hide themselves. When this happened, even though Col and Pink-chan could hide themselves, in the narrow hallways, Cuey would get kind of jammed and it would be difficult for her to hide herself instantly. Also, just like them, the majority of monsters had a natural night vision ability. If the patrol was a monster, just hiding in the darkness would allow them to be easily seen, so that was also a big problem.
In that, what helped was the invisibility cloak that Elza loaned to Cuey. Cuey was almost always wearing it, but due to her size, in the narrow hallway, she couldn't conceal herself, and her feet were visible, which was a weakness. When they were about to encounter a patrol, she would press herself against the wall and hold out the invisibility cloak like a curtain, so that her front side was no longer visible, and even hold her breath until the patrol passed by. By doing this, she wasn't just making herself invisible, but also letting the invisibility cloak hide her invisible monster aura. Fortunately, there were no surveillance cameras installed, so they were able to do this use this kind of stealth method.
However, the weakness of this was it was difficult, and while moving around, they could catch sight of her feet, and when spreading out the invisibility cloak, there was a moment where a strange gap from the wall can be seen. And if they notice that, at the worst, they could bump into her or the guard wouldn't be able to pass by. When they were spotted, Pink-chan would immediately jump on him, with hearts in her eyes, and gaze into his eyes. And before he could think why a maid would be in a place like this, he would be charmed. As Pink-chan pressed herself against him, he felt her hot breath on his ear and heard her whispers, and felt her two hills pushed against him. Pink-chan gently caressed with her fingers giving a pleasant stimulation, with her body giving off sweet and sexy pheremones that smelled like a mix of peaches and apples, sexually arousing any man. When this happened, like losing all sense of thought, he just wants to love the woman in front of him, hammer that woman, pour everything in her hole. It was like he was buried in lust, with his consciousness all focused one a single burning point on his lower body. Bringing her into one of the nearby empty rooms, he let out his energy until he fainted, and didn't wake up for several hours. In the past, this had been Pink-chan's specialty for getting close to an assassination target, using her succubus powers to seduce and infiltrate, and also a way to kill. For Cuey, a novice, the stimulation was too strong, but just like when she was assassinating, she would get serious and steal his life force. When that happened, it certainly was a traumatic scene, but for both Cuey and the patrols, there was a "better" effect.
Mifi got information about the construction from the voices of the inanimate objects and figured out the surrounding layout, Col, with her heightened hearing, selected their route while watching out around them, and Cuey used the invisibility cloak to protect Mifi, who didn't have any stealth abilities, from the eyes of the patrols, and if they were notifced, Pink-chan's abilities would exhaust them and render them powerless. It wasn't pretty, and it wasn't smooth, but this combination of professionals and novices, forced together as an impromptu team, surprisingly worked together, and they were able to move forward, albeit slowly.
Watching the girls off, was a shadow that remained silent.

A glass box with numerous cords and machines hooked up to it. Inside it, Ran had both her arms and legs bound with spirit thread, looking exhausted and huddling over. The outline of her body was shaking, which was due to her being somewhere between having a physical and a ghostly body. In short, for a ghost who can physically materialize, they needed a physical self, and for Ran, who couldn't determine if her existence was real or fake, this was proof that her sense of self was deteriorating.
Ran's exhaustion was from the shock of the fact that she was an artificial copy of Etranger, and her recalled memories that were proof of this, and also from constant high frequency waves that were attuned to interact with ghostly bodies that were created by the machines inside the box. The effect was obvious, and though it was only a test machine that hadn't been miniaturized very much, since Ran was tied up, its size wasn't a problem. It was based on the idea that by adjusting the frequency, it could have different effects on ghostly bodies, such as calming down a rampaging ghost, or making it fearful and driving it away. This device that could calm or repel, depending on the situation, could also cause a ghost to turn bad. With sounds beyond the human audible range that could only be sensed, being aware that she was a copy, and not the Etranger who had no self-doubt and believed she was herself, it gnawed at her wavering sense of self. Her memories as a forgotten copy and her memories as Ran mixed together, and it all felt so far away and unreal. But in it all, some faint "feelings" still clung the remaining memories, and Ran desperately tried to anchor herself to her fading "mind".
In contrast to Ran, above the researchers who were standing in front of the panels around the box was a younger Ran... Etranger's copy at Ran from outside the box with an empty smile. She couldn't sense what Etranger's copy was planning, but ever since Ran had been put into the box, she had never left her.
"Even without saying, thinking that you have an "ally" next to you is a happy misunderstanding. Because her sense of self sprouted, she actually became more compliant, and so those unnecessary feelings are only unknown. So her existence, even if you deny her mind, is like having another self in front of you, and whether you like it or not, you will come to realize that her body has "everything you have". She is a very whimsical copy, but in the right place and at the right time, she can be quite useful. As a lab rat for this long, we haven't just been taking data, and so now, at the very end, leaving out all the unnecessary work, is, how do you say it, "a mind that's too good for her", will definitely not be in vain."
Expressionless like always, somehow seeming in high spirits, the old butler was talking to himself, as the researchers continued their work. For all of them, the idea that they would be able to fulfill the dream of mankind, the perpetual motion device, and their own scientific desire for knowledge, completely covered any pity they might have felt for the dead girl. They were all used to Etranger's copy, so they paid her no mind as she randomly floated around. However, today, they all felt a little uncomfortable. Normally, she just floated around without any discernable consciousness or thoughts, and never paid any attention to them. But today, why did it seem like she was consciously staying close to the captured copy?
Looking at their backs like he was staring daggers, at last Giganov turned to leave.
"Oh, Mr. Giganov, where are you going? If you wait just a little longer, you will get to see the birth of a new age."
"Frankly, I have no interest in "that". It's enough for me to just see it once it's completed."
Without looking back, Giganov replied. The old butler sighed and gave a vague response.
"It's all personal preference, so it can't be helped. We will need to make some adjustments to awaken her hatred, so it will probably take another hour. Please, feel free to relax. Once it's completed, I'll call you. Ah, just to be safe, please do not go outside."
"...Ah, please do so."
Giving a look at the departing Giganov, the old butler shrugged.
"I guess a savage who was born only to fight doesn't understand her worth. Ah, once it's completed, I'm sure he'll change his mind as well."
Muttering oh well, while still maintaining his expressionless look, the old butler had something whispered to him by a researcher.
"...Hacking, you say? Come to think of it, once before, the master said that we had been hacked. Hmmm, so the Sweepers noticed our special occult security. Depending on who it is, it might be slightly dangerous."
"It seems like the hacker isn't very powerful. We can block it so it won't interfere with the experiment."
"I see. In that case, I'll leave the countermeasures to you. Do what you need to repel... No, once you have it under control, counter-hack them. They might only been a weed, but if there's any possibility that it could interfere, then we must nip it in the bud. Make them pay the price for their "prank"."
"Understood."
They didn't imagine that a world class hacker was using this obvious attack as a cover to watch the changes in the amount of experimental data, and so, they simply continued on with their work.

Leaving the laboratory and closing the large door, Giganov gave a big sigh.
"Fighting that woman is more important to you than that boring thing... isn't it? You see to be in a bad mood."
As the light-hearted voice that called out to him, he didn't even blink as he pulled out his gun and aimed it towards his own shadow. But what came out of Giganov's shadow was a separate shadow, which slid from the floor to the wall to avoid the barrel of the gun.
"Hey, hey, wait, wait, even as a joke, that's too harsh. We don't want any friendly fire. Especially since I come bearing good news."
The growing shadow that took the same of a human's upper torso was BB. Twisting his body to gaze at Giganov, an evil smile appeared on his lips.
Giganov hated that terrible smile. Although he lived only to fight, like himself, BB thought of fighting as only a game. He was completely and totally satisified just by seeking a future battle, it was a crazed desire. He would bet the chip that was his life so easily and cheaply, so whether he lost or won, the thrill of the moment was what he enjoyed. He was just someone who reveled in killing. There was no way that they could be friends. In the first place, his actions and words annoyed him.
Openly showing his disgust, the glare in his eyes were like a sword.
"BB, how long were you hiding in my shadow."
"About the time you were talking to that old man. You said you didn't have any interest in it, but you were just annoyed that that woman hadn't come. You secretly left her a trail after all?"
"..."
"If things turn bad, I'll stay silent about it. But anyway. I'm not going to betray you or anything, so you don't need to watch out for me. Don't worry."
"...What do you want."
"I said I bring good news? There are intruders. And it's certainly that woman. As I was wandering around, I caught sight of her now and again. So, since I know you're so obsessed with that woman, I came all the way here to tell you. And I'll even let you face her as you like. Aren't I so nice?"
"It's unimaginable that you would so something so generous. Tell me what you really want."
"Heehee, fine, just think about it a bit. I'll leave Bullet Squall to you, and then I'll take the rest of them? I was going to sound the alarm instead of telling you. But that huge woman that pissed me off and that pink haired shredded rag are with her, so since both someone I want to fight and someone I want to eat are here, it's quite good?"
Though you'll probably be ripped to shreds too, he added, but Giganov clicked his tongue like he didn't hear it. The fact that it would be a 1v1 fight was very appealing to him. He didn't want any additional disruptions, especially by him.
"Fine, I'll let you handle everyone except Bullet Squall. Try not to get the tables turned on you."
"Yes, thank you for your advice. You better not die so easily, or else I'll have to enjoy finishing her off? Keke"
"Do what you want."
Saying that, Giganov began walking away again. Slipping into his shadow again, BB with only his eyes showing from the shadow, said.
"Hey, where are you going, I still haven't told you where they are?"
"Then hurry up and tell me. Where is she."
"Oh, scary. They followed us through the path that we considerately used yesterday, and infiltrated in from that old hidden passage... Right now, maybe they're in the materials area, or myabe they're somewhere totally different. But they've brought a novice with them and staying together, and they've got some trick that lets them vanish. If they manage to evade the patrols and continue onward. Though several have caught sight of them, but all of them are feeling like they're rising to heaven while falling to hell, so that's a succubus. How lucky for them that they're all men, I guess you could say? Kekeke"
"So their plan is to sneak in? ...No, until they rescue the little girl, they don't want to make things worse, so they're going to grab the prisoner and escape with her, and they know we have a choice. If the novice they brought along is that giant girl who shot the beam last night, then they probably are planning to not involve those that can't fight. However, why did they bring along that novice? It's true that the beam has a high firepower, but since we've seen it once, we'll be on the lookout for it, and they know that, but... I don't get it."
"It would be boring if she was too docile. Anyway, I want to make a big appearance, like in a movie. However, there are lots of humans here? We don't want to hurt these civilians, so maybe we should take care of them in quiet. Keke, I'm so kind."
"Don't speak bad of them, and think about how you're going to handle them. If you're not prepared, that high power beam is what you'll be eating, and you know what that's like."
"Ha, you're tell me? I'm never serious, so what should I do? Or rather, what will you do? If you choose the wrong place, someone will interrupt you, and a single of your shots will be a problem. If that happens, all the civilians will be buried in the ruins? Though I don't really care what happens to them."
"...If they're coming from the hidden passageway in the abandoned factory, they'll need to pass through the entrance to the old facility, so we can meet them there. Depending on how it goes, there might be some affect on the surroundings, but since it was destroyed a long time ago, there shouldn't be anything important enough there that they would worry about its destruction. And in any case, their research will finish today. And if we eliminate the ones trying to stop them, then they shouldn't have any complaints if one section is destroyed."
"The old facility? Ah, if their research is completed, they won't need to keep that kid imprisoned there, so they won't need patrols to keep her contained, so there won't be any interruptions. It's true, that dusty old place is ideal for going wild. For them, it's a shortcut to the research lab, but for us it's a perfect place to fight. But, that place has a strong spirit power, and the lord inventor's inheritance is still there, as the old man said. So will it really be ok?"
"Exterminating creeping mice is a "necessity", so they shouldn't mind. In any case, the grandson of that insane man don't care."
"Kekeke, they'll have to come! It was worthwhile to tell you, I like how you'll use whatever means you have."
"...Although I led them to the old facility, you are pretty useful too."
"Oh! I don't know what I'll do, but leave it to me, and I'll do anything if I enjoy it. Kehihihi!"
Following BB's distorted and simplistic voice, Giganov kept his hope hidden in his heart and left that place.

About 20 minutes had passed since they left the storeroom, and their search for new access point for the wireless radio was going better than expected. The wireless radio used a military satellite as it's primary point, and switched over the using a network only when the connection to the satellite was cut. Since it was an added function, used only in emergencies, even though it only had the function to forcibly connect to a network, it wasn't just limited to a single connection, but could use a relay to extend its effective range. So to connect, they had to be close to relay, which was a disadvantage of the usefulness of the emergency feature. But unexpectedly, searching for a relay was simple. However, even though there was proof that there was some sort of researching going on here, they had no clue about the whereabouts of Ran. They room they had been investigating was just a pile of abandoned junk, and even if they could find traces of how it used to be used, the room was now just a storage room with junk thrown in.
And then, while they were continuing their search, when they went down a side hallway from the main hallway, the four of them stopped. The number of patrols suddenly started to increase, and they started to be surrounding by them. At first, if it was just 1 or 2 people, Pink-chan's ability or Col's skill could neutralize them before the other patrols realized, but now the patrols were linking up constantly and continuing to increase in number. With the sounds of echoes, an exact count was no longer possible, but there were at least 10 of them now, and were drawing closer. It being a hallway, with that many people, if it became a fight, even if Col and Pink-chan got serious, they wouldn't lose, but they wouldn't be able to stop them from calling for reinforcements. And if the ones that Col was watching for, the fatigue-wearing man and the shadow stalker, were to join, things would get really messy. And even if they didn't, if they didn't take care of them cleanly, not only would Mifi and Cuey, who were hiding under the invisibility cloak, be in danger, but saving Ran would be near hopeless. Just that alone meant they wanted to avoid that if at all possible.
(It doesn't seem like they've noticed us, but why did the number of patrols suddenly increase? Also, most of them didn't hide the sounds of their weapons, but it was almost entirely drowned out strangely by the sound of their footsteps... I don't get it...)
The four of them hid in a side passageway, with a lattice door that was locked with a padlock. Beyond it, the sight of the downward stairs was blocked by the door. Not worrying about that as they hid, the large number of patrols grew closer.
"What do you think, head chamberlain, do you think we can go somewhere else?"
"No, if we don't move to another location cleanly, we'll be spotted. The location of the patrols are blocking our escape."
Col tried to determine the pattern of the patrols for a bit, but by letting the number of patrols increase, it was difficult to determine anything.
"If this was a covert mission, under these circumstances, we could instead force our way through, but our objective is to rescue the little mistress. Until we can rescue the little mistress, or until we know where she is being held, we can't do that. Therefore, we have no choice but to continue on our current path. Pink!"
"I,I'mam. The P in Pink-chan is for picking~♪"
Answering with a wink, Pink-chan pulled out her favorite swiss army knife from her pocket, and humming to herself, she went to work on the padlock on the lattice door. The blade part of the knife had been ruined and processed, and could no longer work as a knife, so maybe it couldn't be called a swiss army "knife" anymore. However, this army knife was different than a standard one, and because she survived the war and learned the skills to use it, it was both a survival tool on the battlefield and a "lock picking tool for infiltration". When she was a mercenary, Pink-chan remodeled it herself and it was her favorite item. She herself said "as long as it's a knife, I'm used to using it", so even though it's lost its use as a knife, it hadn't lost its use as a multi-purpose tool.
As a result, using the knife that was remodeled into a lock picking tool was moving around inside the lock, and soon after, the lock failed in its purpose.
"Hmm hmm~, as long as it's not a combination lock, with this, it's an easy win~♪"
"Mifi, Cuey, go. Get inside!"
Pink-chan opened the lattic door, and Col flew inside and ran down the stairs. Without any light, Mifi hestitated, and Cuey grabbed her and went. Watching them, Pink-chan spun around and avoided them, as she made an unnecessarily cute gesture and reattached the lock to the door. Blowing them a kiss, she disappeared into the darkness of the stairs.
"Um, ummm, should we have reattached the lock? If we're being chased as we get back here, we won't be able to escape..."
"It's fine♪. I know how the lock works, so next time I'll be able to open it even faster than using a key. More importantly, if we don't hurry up, Onee-sama will leave us behind. If we're late, I'll make you come with your butt. Mifi-chan."
"Why!?"

At the same time as all traces of the 4 of them vanished into the stairwell.
The patrols that had been surrounding them, except for a few that had been acting independently, dissipated all at once.
As if they had no substance from the beginning, they lost their human forms, and all that remained were the weapons.
They melted into their own shadow.

"Hey~ If you don't hurry, I'm going to grab your butt~♪ Cuey-chan's butt is at just the right height~"
"Yah!"
"Cuey, if you feel that you're really in danger, you can use your beam."
"We'll be spotted, so please don't. Wait, don't turn towards me! You'll trip, so watch your step!"
"Mmmm...!"
Not feeling any tension, they had this exchange, as they used a flashlight to light the dim stairs, and rushed down the stairs.
Heading towards the lighted area like it was an mirage, the stairs ended, and an open area appeared.
It had the same feeling of oldness that the above hallway had, and it was still made of stone, but it now finally looked like a research facility. They weren't happy about this, because in the middle, there were large ruined claw marks, and the ruins of walls that had before separated hallways and rooms. It had been completely destroyed, and it could no longer be called a facility. For the light source, instead of the electric light that was hanging from the ruined ceiling, a couple of light bulbs had been set. However, those few flickering light bulbs that had resisted the destruction were bright, and they shined on the rubble that had just been left in its place, and the rusted ruins of things that were previous research materials.
Because the walls had crumbled enough for them to see over a large area, they could tell. In the past, this probably was a battlefield between monsters and people with special abilities. Aside from the areas that had collapsed, the collapsed walls had been neatly slashed in several place, and all around there were traces of areas scorched with fire and traces that electrical current had passed through it, and things that left no trace of how it was destroyed. There was damage to the floor and ceiling as well. Among all this various damage they were used to seeing, there were also bullet holes as well. While covered in damage, the inside of the walls there were doors that had been crushed by impact, still attached due to a stubborn hinge. The floor which was now covered in rubble and dust, had surely been covered in lots of blood.
Col stood on the scattered rubble in the middle. Cuey looked at her back. Thinking that this was no time for waiting around, and they should keep moving forward, she realized that Pink-chan's sunny disposition had completely changed, and she froze.
Pink-chan was hold a knife in both hands, and there wasn't a speck of the sunny atmosphere that she had before.
"...Cuey, get to the side, and find somewhere we can hide. We're in the way. And let me get down, we might have to move at a moments notice."
Mifi, who was in her arms, said that with a slightly shaky voice. Realizing the reason why Mifi was ordering her, she put her down, and slowly moved away from them.
"Unfortunately, even if you can hide your presence, you can't hide the sound of your weapons or clothes. The thickness of this stone wall will hide 2, maybe 3 rooms worth, and if the doors are closed, and you quiet your breathing, I probably won't noticed you. But at this distance, you can't fool my ears."
While Col was precise, before she could aim her guns,
"I had planned on observing you a little longer. I see, if I hadn't concealed myself so carefully, my surprise attack and ambush would have been seen through... No, I guess "It was my mistake." For someone who lived long enough to retire from the battlefield, they are the hellish ears that are just as the rumors said."
Giganov slowly appeared from the shadow of the smashed door, and with a fearless smile, aimed his large caliber handgun at Col.