#the darkhold reader

[alterrune]

James Finbar: Good god, I realized I have recorded anything for day almost, but I might as well recount our progress. Catti found a recreated furniture store, and we opted to sleep in the beds or couches, we’ve been walking for a large amount of time, so we need some rest until we get to The Poolrooms.

Doesn’t help the fact that there has been growling outside of this place from time to time, at least the doors in here lock so nothing will get in. But we didn’t take any chances, since Quadrinity suggested we barricade the entrances, only remove them when we have to get out.

Doesn’t bode well with me with the amount of Levels The Backrooms contains, I am not willing to go through all of that, and I’m sure everyone else with me wouldn’t want to either.

Naoto Shirogane: I’m trying to get a TV working, trying to see if maybe we can gain access to some kind of news channel in reality.

Haruka Amami: That’s a good idea, have to at least stay in touch with what’s happening over there.

(Akechi and Quadrinity are looking out the store windows leading out into the hallways outside.)

Goro Akechi: Haven’t see anyone on our end.

Quadrinity: This buzzing is going to drive me insane.

Ankha: You don’t have to keep watch, some of us can do that for you.

Cherry: Besides, it’s mostly the same thing out there, I don’t think anyone will change.

(Lloyd is going around the furniture store looking for any supplies)

Lloyd: Nothing much here, at least The Backrooms knows how to do this properly without things clipping into the ground.

(The TV buzzes to life, and a news network is shown)

Naoto Shirogane: I got it! It’s working!

James Finbar: You did? Great job! Hopefully we can get something out of this.

(The TV crackles to life, as a broadcast from Hometown begins playing.)

(As a cowboy show resumes in the background, Catti's eyes go wide as she realizes the gravity of the situation at hand.)

(Haruka puts her hand on Catti's shouder reassuringly.)

(Catti's worried expression changes to a smile as Haruka's words of confidence fix her mood.)

Akechi's right. Ankha, Cherry, which way is it?

🕸️ Glad you asked, Lloyd. It's this way, what what.

⚱️ Onwards to the Poolrooms, me-meow!

🕸️ It's just our verbal tics, what what.

⚱️ All residents of Kyleville have a verbal tic, me-meow.

🎭 Intresting. I guess that makes sense. Anyways, let's get going! Haruka, would you mind lighting up your wings again?

(Haruka lights up her wings...)

(...and flies off, holding everyone as tightly as she can.)

-----

(Meanwhile...)

Great! Just great! We are stuck in...whatever the name of this aquatic hellhole is!

Atrocean, dude. Calm the fuck down. This place is safe, far as I'm aware.

DO NOT TELL ME WHAT TO DO, TORRENDOUS! YOU KNOW DAMN WELL THAT THE POSITION OF WRATH WAS ABOUT TO BE MINE, HAD I NOT SOMEHOW FALLEN THROUGH THE GROUND INTO THIS ABHORRENT PLA---

Wait a moment. Did you just say that this place is safe?

Yeah, I did. Glad you noticed mid-rant, bro.

(Suddenly, the sound of Haruka's frosty wings flapping are heard in the distance.)

This area will not be "safe" for much longer.

Torrendous! Follow me into the deep end of this pool. It is time to give some poor souls a good scare.

Oh, it has been FAR too long since I have done this sort of thing! Let us make this scare a good one, my dear sister!

(Atrocean sinks into the waters, completely invisible from above the waters...)

Tch. This is why I call you a "drama queen", y'know.

(...and Torrendous, very reluctantly, follows suit, also completely shrouded in the waters.)

[alterrune]

Goro Akechi: You’re seriously going to keep on recording?

James Finbar: It’s like a documentary, or like recording our progress, someone needs to see this one way or another.

Quadrinity: We could turn the footage into some kind of episodic documentary if that’s what you’re going for.

Lloyd: Maybe we can do that, but we’ll worry about that after we get out of here.

Haruka Amami: James doesn’t have enough food or water for all of us, it’ll be bad enough if we run out completely.

(The group comes across another set of houses, but they’re very different)

Naoto Shirogane: Again with the houses?

James Finbar: These are different…

(Haruka looks at the repeating houses stretching across)

Haruka Amami: These are the houses from Kris’ Hometown and Kyleville.

Quadrinity: What? That means-

James Finbar: There’s no way The Backrooms could’ve spread that far this quickly.

Haruka Amami: This is going at an exponential rate, it won’t be long before it manages to each the Toppat Orbital Station or the Geogram Base.

Naoto Shirogane: We’ll need to ask Nier how many more disappearances occurring, because if the Backrooms got to Kris’ Hometown and Kyleville, then people from those towns are bound to no-clip in here.

Lloyd: Should we check the houses if there’s supplies inside?

James Finbar: Might as well, never accounted to be in a group, we’ll need enough for everybody. Let’s just hope the Backrooms knows how to recreate food and water.

(The two head into one of the houses to find a certain trio.)

⚱️ Indeed, me-meow! We thought this place was barren aside from us.

🕸️ Considering Catti was by herself at first, what what, she was really glad to find the two of us.

(Haruka gives Catti a big hug.)

(Catti hugs Haruka right back, showing genuine relief on her face.)

(Once the two are done hugging, Akechi clears his throat to get the others attention.)

(Catti quickly shows a pile of canned food from the replica pantry. However, the labels are warped [likely due to Backrooms trickery], and appear to be...moving?)

(Naoto drops the can, as Catti, already preparing a spell, uses her Grimoire to cast it onto the can.)

(Naoto picks the can up again, and suddenly, the label on the can is no longer distorted or moving! Catti then brings out her claws, uses them to open the can, and eats the contents.)

Wait, you cast magic? Last time I saw anything close to that, it was with Nadakhan. He was a four-armed genie who messed with all of us. Glad to see that your magic isn't like that, Catti.

🎭 Er...what would happen if you opened a non-dispelled can?

(Suddenly, the contents of the can begin crawling toward her, almost looking like a snail with a ghastly screaming face. It begins crawling up her leg, causing a searing chemical burn.)

(Catti repeats the process on the entity.)

(Haruka rushes over to Quadrinity, fuming.)

🎭 I WAS IMPATIENT, OKAY?!

🕸️ Is your leg going to be okay, what what?

⚱️ Yeah, me-meow, that looks bad.

🎭 It's nothing I haven't handled before, guys. Although I could REALLY use a bandage for my leg. This BURNS.

(Catti tears a nearby curtain off the window, dispells it, tears a long strip of fabric off of it, and wraps it around Quadrinity's leg.)

🎭 Eh, it's fine. Like I said, I've been through worse.

(Haruka suddenly flies toward Catti, looking desperate.)

(Catti returns with a smug glare.)

⚱️ It is, me-meow. Luckily, I'm no stranger to getting wet.

🕸️ Neither am I, what what. We should head down there. Don't worry, Catti will help Haruka with guidance.

Right. Good call, Akechi.

(James begins to use the walkie-talkie to radio James and Lyna.)

Guys? It's James again. We found Catti, Ankha and Cherry down here. They said they can guide us to a new level called the Poolrooms. Should we proceed?

(Suddenly, the fake walkie-talkie begins melting in his hands as a giant set of sharp teeth sprout from it.)

...OH SHIT.

(A red scythe appears and cuts the fake walkie-talkie in half, causing it to disintegrate.)

(James then grabs the REAL walkie-talkie, which has been recieving the entire time.)

Guys? It's James again. We found---

We heard you the first time, James, don't worry. You had the walkie-talkie on reciever mode the entire time.

And yes, my love, while it's a risky move, it'd be better than having you stay in that dingy yellow hallway. Nier and I thankfully have some info on the Poolrooms level, so we can still help you from there. Don't die on me in there, okay? I don't want you dying without me being there to slaughter your killer!

Thanks, guys. And don't worry, Lyna, I'll be fine. Keep us posted.

(James hangs up and puts the walkie-talkie back in his pocket.)

(Haruka once again grabs everyone as tightly as she can...)

(...and flies away, with Catti helpfully guiding her to the Poolrooms.)

[alterrune]

Operation Traitors Coffin

Mission 6: \\MISSION FILE NOT FOUND\\

\\ERROR: INTERFERENCE DETECTED, COULD NOT LOAD MISSION BRIEFING\\

Complications:

\\ERROR: REGIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DATA COLLECTION MODULE TIMED OUT\\

Encrypted File Detected: No Code Detected

You outlived your usefulness, Arase. We will properly dispose of you so you won't give them the full picture, and finish what you couldn’t.

Encryption# 74-2C-20-44. Protocol: Tango

The Demon Within our midst must be stopped to ensure the security of the Accord

An Unknown Enemy Presence is detected

Target has been tracked to Egypt, Kebechet

Extract William Arase for questioning

FINAL ACT OF CHAPTER 5, PART 2/2 - SEASONS OF WARFARE

-----

INCOMING MESSAGE: "Change of plans, Arase. Since disposing of you would be wasteful, we have instead decided to simply cut our losses and leave you to suffer. Burn in hell, you twisted man-child."

-----

(Arase fled to a different area after he found out we were heading to Cairo. Thankfully, we managed to tail him to a different area in Egypt known as Kebechet. Apparently TRU built a pyramid-themed safehouse, which we all run into.)

We've almost got the fucker!

(Suddenly, out of fucking nowhere, someone drops in from out of the sky, wielding a giantic axe. Whoever it is is wearing a suit of armor in crimson red. Thanks to them, Arase manages to lock himself in the stronghold!)

DAMNIT! We missed our shot!

Calm down, Alter. We can simply breach the doors with an explosive.

Who are you?

Yeah, and why are you blocking the path to Arase?

...

YEARS.

IT HAS BEEN YEARS SINCE I LAST SAW THE WORLD AS IT WAS.

EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED. EVERYTHING IS SO ADVANCED NOW. IT MAKES MY HEAD SPIN.

TO MOST, MY NAME IS THE FLAME EMPEROR.

BUT TO ALL OF YOU, ESPECIALLY SAKUROMA...

(The figure takes their helmet and armor off, revealing a refined-looking lady with long, silver hair, a crown with dragon horns on it, and a red ornate dress that looks incredibly regal.)

...my name is Edelgard von Hresvelg.

EDELGARD?! What are YOU doing here?!

Arase found me, Sakuroma. He told me that he would give me a second chance at the mistakes I made. That I would be able to rectify them. All of them.

Can you not see that he is simply pulling that out of his behind?!

He doesn't have that kind of power, ya dolt!

It does not matter. If it means that I will see my precious Byleth again...

(Edelgard pulls out her giant battle axe and points at us.)

...then I will take that risk, even if it costs me my afterlife.

𝐏𝐎𝐎𝐑 𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒, 𝐋𝐀𝐃𝐘 𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐃.

(We all begin attacking Edelgard.)

-----

(However, eventually, everyone falls to the ground!)

Goodbye, Kyle Micheal Ryan Gibbons.

AH, COME ON! I ALREADY WENT THROUGH THIS BEFORE!

(Edelgard trips me, and swings the axe into my back...but nothing happens?)

Hmph. I thought you would have more fight than that.

(Once I open my eyes wide in shock at the strange scenario going on, I notice I'm no longer in the pyramid, but in a black void with a strange, green-haired child, sitting on a carved stone throne.)

I am no mere child, Kyle. I am a goddess. And this "black void" you speak of is my domain.

Wait, you can hear my narration?

Of course I can. As I just stated, I---

"---am a goddess", yes, I got that already. Now, thankfully you answered my question on where I am, but I still have another question for you. Who are you?

My name is Sothis. I have simply frozen time for you. Once it resumes, Edelgard's blade will meet your flesh, and you will surely meet your doom.

SO INTER-FUCKING-VENE, THEN.

I cannot do that.

Oh for the love of...Goddess or not, I am going to choke your fucking lights out!

"Cannot", Kyle, not "will not". I would if I could, but sadly, I cannot directly intervene.

Can't you do ANYTHING? Like, I want to stop that Arase bastard, but if I die, that crazed lunatic will probably kill the others before we get the chance. Please, Sothis. I'm begging you. Do something to help me.

Well, there is one thing I can do. I can turn back the hands of time---

SKIP THE SHPIEL, SOTHIS, I'M ON THE CLOCK HERE.

No, you are not. Time is frozen, remember?

(sigh...) Fine. Please, proceed.

Thank you. As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, I can turn back the hands of time for you. This way, you may have a chance at ensuring Edelgard does not harm any of your friends.

So you can help me retry, then? Alright, I'm game! Let's do this thing!

Thank you, Kyle. I look foreward to seeing how you end things. Oh, and once you see them again, tell Pen'du and Du'lum that I wish them both well.

Sure thing, Sothis. Let's fix things.

-----

(Sothis rewinds time to just before Edelgard made her remark.)

Goodbye, Kyle Micheal Ryan Gibbons.

(She rushes at me with her axe like last time...)

Not this time, bitch.

(...but this time around, I bring out my Mauser pistol and shoot a round at her axe, with the bullet causing it to fly out of her hand! Once she realizes her weapon is gone, she tries skidding to a halt, but gets too close to me when she finally stops. I then promplty grab her by the shoulders and headbutt her face with all my might, knocking her clean out! After she goes down, I quickly grab her axe and pocket it, then help everyone else up.)

2️⃣ That was a close one, sidekick.

🚀 Yeah, that Edelgard chick was no joke.

🪄 You just saved all of us, darling.

For you guys, I'll gladly do anything.

(Suddenly, Edelgard gets back up.)

Oh great, not again.

"I'm ready to go when you are."

CEASE YOUR MOVEMENTS. I want to say that I know now that you are a force to be reckoned with, and I believe it would be for the best if I was on your side instead of against it. I would like to lend my aid to you all in taking care of Arase.

Wait, you want to help us?

Indeed I do, Makuroma. Now then, give my axe back.

(Edelgard leans toward me, as I lean backward.)

Whoa-ho-ho-ho! Slow your roll there, sailor. We're not giving you this until we deal with Arase our way. Stand back for a moment.

(I quickly whip out a C4 charge and plant it on the doors.)

EVERYONE, HIT THE FLOOR!

(On my command, everyone quickly dives to the ground and takes cover as the C4 blows the door clean off its' hinges, with smoke rising from the explosion.)

(cough) What the---?

(Suddenly, Edelgard rushes toward Arase and swings her axe at him, purposefully missing him and driving her axe deep into the floor.)

Move, and that shall be your flesh next.

(She quickly pulls it out without any sort of issue whatsoever, as Arase puts his hands up in defeat.)

C'mere, you.

(As GEOGRAM and Red Knife forces arrive at the scene, Alter and I grab Arase by the arms and drag him outside, where Aaron is waiting.)

William Arase. Good to see you finally caught.

And caught alive, at that. I didn't think you'd make it.

Adam, let me do the talking, please.

Fine, Aaron, I'll shut it.

Wait a moment, you're letting me live? HA! Suck it, Hivemine!

Yes, about that. Finbar and I worked out a deal. As such...

(Hivemine turns into her Hiveless form.)

...you don't have to die for punishment. After all, nobody escapes me when they have a debt to pay.

GODDAMNIT!

(Arase is hauled away by both GEOGRAM and Red Knife forces, but not before Sarah Kelso quickly runs up to him and slaps him across the face, telling Arase "We'll talk about all this later.", before running back.)

We did it. At long last, we fucking did it.

Hell yeah we did! We've completed all the operations!

We really did do it.

Kyle, any final words?

(I smirk, as I've had something prepared for this for a long time.)

We may have altered this outcome, but there's clearly more on the horizon. Here's to finally Altering the Outcome!

(With a rousing cheer, we all cheer at our first big mission finally complete.)

-----

🎇CHAPTER 5 COMPLETE!!!🎆

🎇🎇🎇OPERATION: TRAITOR'S COFFIN AND ALL OTHER OPERATIONS COMPLETE!!!🎆🎆🎆

ACHIVEMENTS GET: "GREAT EMBLEMS OF FIRE", "RANK: TOPPAT CLAN FOREVER (TCF)"

ACHIVEMENTS ADDED TO "OPERATION: TRAITOR'S COFFIN" SET AND "STOCK ACHIEVEMENT SET" RESPECTIVELY

BEGINNING EPILOGUE...

-----

(Meanwhile, in some abandoned facility, Nier, James and Lyna are investigating it, before finding something.)

Oh my god. You two, come here! We hit the jackpot!

No way. Are those five sets of intact Caine & Abel headsets?

Yeah, the old AI system seems to be completely intact, too.

What are we going to do with them?

Well, we're not going in. But, tell me, which group do we know that has five people, can adapt to basically any situation, and could possibly turn whatever circus is going on in here on its' head?

(James and Lyna both come to the same realization at the same time.)

THE CSB!

Precisely. I believe they'll need one hell of a break after this, but come June 20th, they'll be having an eventful summer. For now, grab the headsets and circle back to those guys. We'll let 'em know what we have planned for them.

Time for you to help us fix an amazing digital hellscape, ColorStreak Battalion.

-----

END OF EPILOGUE...

[alterrune]

The Darkhold Reader Arrives

(In a City that was once imperiled by a thick fog, a new figure from unknown origin makes their presence known.)

Nanako: Big bro!

Yu: Hey, sis. How are you?

Nanako: I’ve been having a great day! Someone came over to the house, they wanted to meet you!

Yu: Wait, Nanako, you shouldn’t-

The Reader: Don’t worry, I didn’t lay a finger on her.

(Yu looks at the stranger inside his home, wearing a very formal attire)

Yu: You could’ve just waited outside…

The Reader: Forgive me, I was just… very eager to meet you.

Yu: Meet me? Oh, is because I was the one who saved my town alongside everyone else?

The Reader: Indeed, in fact, I’ve watched over you and the others for… quite awhile.

Yu: Watching? That’s strange.

The Reader: You could say I watched longer than you think. I’ve been keeping a close eye on you and your friend’s progress.

(The reader slides a book in front of Yu)

Yu: You can’t be serious.

(Yu looks at the book… and it shows all of the social links and events he and the Investigation team went through)

Yu: This… who are you?!

The Reader: A… Custodian of Tales… I’m more than what you may think.

Yu: Have you been following us? How did you-

The Reader: I think I should make my leave.

(The Reader gets up)

The Reader: But before I do… give this to Yosuke.

(Yu takes the paper, and the Darkhold Reader leaves. Yu opens the paper… and its handwriting was identical to Saki Konishi, it reads “I know you miss me, Yosuke. I miss you too! I just hope you moved on.”)

Yu: Wait, what is-

The Reader: I’ll account for all that actions that you lot have taken… or whatever mess you’ve made.

(As the Darkhold Reader leaves, they’re nowhere to be found, gone without a trace)

(As if on cue, Dojima suddenly enters the house.)

(Yu grabs his katana and heads to Junes to meet with the others Investigation Team members.)

[alterrune]

(James watches the news on the attack on the Zulu Security Convoy, covering both the ambush towards it and the theft of the Razorback)

Alice Hamilton: We’re currently at the scene, around 6:30 PM, a Zulu Security PMC Convoy was ambushed by a large group of masked assailants. All of the personnel overseeing and transport were all killed, and Zulu Security’s Prototype, The Razorback, was stolen during the attack.

So far, we have not heard word from the CEO of the PMC, Laurence Burnway and his younger sister, Lily Burnway, and the assailants responsible for the attack were not identified and fled the scene.

Cressida Lennox: If only they knew the half of it.

William Arase: We cut it very close there, James.

James Finbar: We’ll have to lay low for the time being, we can’t risk Laurence or his affiliates know we were the ones who took his prototype.

Landry Booth: You think they’ll learn that Lightworld Cultist’s got into Zulu?

James Finbar: We’ll have to see, he may understand the death of the cultists over there, but the loss of his and Lily’s Razorback will not go over well for them.

(As the news continues to roll, Cressida noticed two other people walk in)

Cressida Lennox: Laurence and Lily are at the scene right now.

William Arase: Oh, really?

James Finbar: Let’s just hear what they have to say about this.

Everyone, we have some good news and some bad news. Bad news is that we have no idea who the assailants were and probably never will. Good news is that the entire team was compromised, so it seems the assassins were justified. As for who compromised them, it was Lightworld. While we don't know where the Razorback went, we're pretty sure had it stayed in our possession, it would've been used for evil. Whoever the assassins are, for exposing the team as people who wanted to sink a knife into our backs, they can have it.

Thank you, Laurence and Lily.

No problem, Ms. Hamilton. We're happy to have helped.

-----

🎯 Now THAT is how it's done! Bloody well done, mates!

Same for you, Sniper. You saved our asses back there.

🦅 You numbnuts! You helped us just as well as we did for you. Each and every one of you deserves a medal! I have some right here!

(Soldier begins handing everyone out some makeshift military medals made of dirty trash, before Spy stops him.)

🚬 Soldier, for everyone's sake, throw those out. Now.

(Soldier sniffs them, and reels back in disgust.)

🦅 Whoof! You are correct, frenchie. These things are far past their expiry date.

(Soldier quickly tosses them into a garbage can.)

Is Soldier okay?

🚬 Lyna, Soldier has been drinking lead-poisoned water from the downtown Teufort mill instead of the bottled water that is provided. I can safely tell you that Soldier legitimately is a lead-poisoned idiot. He may have a brain, but the cells within it died a long time ago.

(Medic nods, confirming Spy's claim.)

⛑️ Oh, by ze way, for your own sake, I highly reccomend incinerating ze contents of that garbage can. In fact, incinerate ze garbage can as well, while you are at it. You can never be too sure with contaminated materials like ze ones in zat very garbage can.

(Everyone nods at Medic, as they step as far away from the garbage can as they can.)

[alterrune]

(Cressida Lennox and Landry Booth are inside of James' apartment with Lyna and William Arase)

James Finbar: So why are you and Landry here, Cressida?

William Arase: You called me in as well, this must be important if I have to be involved, I was stuck at a desk these past weeks.

Cressida Lennox: Okay, I understand the concerns of you all, but this is an important job all 5 of us are taking together.

Landry Booth: It has to do with a prototype the Zulu Security Corporation created.

James Finbar: Ah, Zulu Security Corp. that's the Security PMC Laurence Burnway and his younger sister Lily operates together.

Landry Booth: The prototype in question is called the Razorback, it's essentially a fierce mobile weapons platform that deploys both drones and robotic infantry, and its meant to be handed off to The Toppat's. It would appear that Laurence and Lily are unaware of the fact that Zulu Security PMC's transporting the Razorback are all Lightworld Cultists.

Cressida Lennox: The plan is to intercept that transport so we can take the Razorback for ourselves, as we believe the Razorback itself has long since been compromised by Lightworld and intends to have its robotics kill off Toppat Members, which would in turn result in Laurence and Lily being framed for handing off malfunctoning weaponry.

William Arase: Stealing something from the children of the Schaffer's, this along is already a risky enough mission.

James Finbar: Look at it this way, Arase, the Razorback will be in good hands with us once we get it, we're doing both the Burnway Siblings and The Toppat's a favor.

Landry Booth: However, when investigating the transports, we've discovered that a panic button was put in place, we don't doubt the Lightworld Cultists taking advantage of it to get Geogram and The Toppat's involved.

Cressida Lennox: Which is why we'll have to keep our identities concealed for this mission.

Lyna Arabella: Let's let my love decide, he's an excellent planner!

(James thinks about the plan for a second)

James Finbar: Okay, will this convoy be going through an industrial area?

Cressida Lennox: It will.

James Finbar: I got it, Classic Blitz Play. Here's the plan:

We'll get ourselves in masks and disguises to conceal our identities. We'll go with different themes to throw off any hostile forces, confuse them in however wants what they're carrying, Cressida and Landry's people will go in Military Gear, me and Arase will go in boiler suits and skull masks, and Lyna and her thralls will go in Masquerade masks, tuxedo's, and dresses.

R.K managed to steal weapons from Lightworld, we'll be using those so they don't get traced. Any Zulu security members part of that transport will be Lightworld Cultists, anyone else that comes along such as The Toppat's and Geogram will have to be dealt with non-lethally.

We'll block off the transports using a dump truck, and we'll have someone ram their biggest vehicles using a bulldozer.

I'm going to call in the Teufort Mercs to help us out along with Lyna bringing in her thralls, we'll surround the transport and trap the cultists so that we can escape with the Razorback.

William Arase: Hey, I think that will actually work.

Landry Booth: I don't have anything better, we'll work with this.

Cressida Lennox: We'll hit that transport by midnight, we'll have everything ready by then.

Lyna Arabella: I wonder, Little Bird... where did you get this idea?

James Finbar: I'm a movie guy, I got this plan from the movie "Heat". I did it once back in the Marines and it worked, we'll do the same thing with this one.

(The group proceeds with their plan, masking up and using Lightworld's own weapons against them. However, they eventually get cornered by a whole bunch of Lightworld forces.)

Shit. I had a feeling if we trapped them, they'd make sure we didn't leave alive either.

James, darling, what do we do?!

(Suddenly, a second dump truck arrives and Sniper picks off a lot of the Lightworld forces with the Machina, with penetrating rounds finishing the cultists off very quickly.)

🎯 I'll tell ya what ya do, ya prancin' showponies! Ya stop muckin' about and get the Razorback to a safe area!

🚬 Indeed. The bushman found a second dump truck and decided to use it for an admittedly clever trick.

(Suddenly, more Lightworld agents arrive.)

⚾ Oh no ya don't! Hey, thralls! You know what to do!

(Scout opens the back of the dump truck, and Lyna's thralls come crawling out of it.)

Friends of yours, James?

Yes, Arase. Those are the Teufort Mercenaries I mentioned earlier.

That was good timing. And clever planning at that

🔧 Y'all ready to get outta here? I got the Razorback ready for transport for ya.

Indeed, Engineer. Let's get out of here.

(The team promptly hightails it out of the area without a single trace.)

[alterrune]

(James crosses out another Lightworld Suspect off of his notepad, and James flips through more.)

James Finbar: Jesus Christ there’s so much to count here, how many of them even managed to get in?

Cressida Lennox: James, we found another Lightworld Cultist, identified her as Petra Brenner. She’s currently inside of the Toppat’s Orbital Station.

James Finbar: Send me some footage.

(Cressida sends James camera feeds on Petra’s movements)

Cressida Lennox: She’s been given the task of sabotaging the Toppat Orbital Station’s capabilities, this will pose a risk to the mission, we’ll need you to have Petra eliminated.

James Finbar: Wait… I think I can outsource to Lyna. Hey, Lyna!

(Lyna walks into the living room)

Lyna Arabella: Yes, little bird?

James Finbar: You managed to hide some thralls in the Toppat Station right?

Lyna Arabella: And the Airship! I dressed them up as Toppat Members, they wont see anything off, let alone tell the difference!

James Finbar: It says here that she constantly needs to stay hydrated due to excessive thirst. It says here she constantly keeps a thermos full of coffee, I say you have one of your thralls spike it with vampire blood, we’ll kill Petra via hemorrhagic poisoning, we need to put the Toppat Clan on alert with this kill.

Lyna Arabella: Killing her with a poison that will cause her to vomit so much blood, that will convince Lightworld to be more careful!

James Finbar: Do it for both the mission and for me, honey, it’s for the good of the Toppat Clan!

Lyna Arabella: Already on it!

(Lyna sits on a sofa and closes her eyes, taking control of one of her thralls. She directs it to the locker room where Petra keeps her coffee, and the thrall pricks its own finger and lets the poisoned blood fall into the thermos. Once it’s done, the thrall is directed back to where all the other thralls are kept hidden)

Lyna Arabella: Alright! It’s done!

James Finbar: Looking at the footage… alright, Petra took her coffee, now she just has to drink it and let the poison finish her.

Lyna Arabella: It will be messy love, she’s going to vomit a-lot of blood until she dies.

James Finbar: That’s the plan.

(Afterwards, in the Orbital Station...)

NYAGH!!! What the hell happened to Petra?! Right Hand Man, do you have any idea what happened to her?

(Right Hand Man takes a small sip of Petra's coffee. He begins coughing and hacks up a slight bit of blood before clearing his throat.)

Someone poisioned her coffee, Reggie. Had a feelin' that was the case, hence why I only took a tiny sip of it. Luckily, it seems whoever poisoned her did us a favor. She was connected to the ol' Heaven Incursion, now callin' themselves "Lightworld". Whoever did her in left some stuff meant for her eyes only in her room for us to find. No note or nothin'. She was a traitor? Hm. Perhaps we should be more careful with who we let on the Orbital Station. Ya bloody think?! Er, sorry, Reggie. That was outta line. No, no, I understand why you reacted like that, Right Hand Man. Glad this was brought to our attention. Get Carol and tell her that her mice are needed again. On it.

(RHM brings Carol in. She quickly gets her white mice to quickly clean up the mess that was Petra, which they do without fail. Carol gives her mice some assorted cheeses afterwards for their amazing work.)

[alterrune]

(James looks at the notes sent from the Phantom Thieves while he’s in a private call with Cressida via a burner phone)

James Finbar: God damn, who would’ve thought that Koichi Okazaki, producer who forced Ayana out would the leader of the Uindofurawā Clan.

Cressida Lennox: If only we found out about that sooner, may not be as big as the Tojo Clan, and the Uindofurawā Clan is as strong as the Ueno Seiwa back in 2010, but this is still serious.

James Finbar: No doubt this will all become something incredibly important by the time Operation Mermaid’s Rhapsody begins, we’ll need to conduct an investigation on the Uindofurawā Clan, they could very well be Lightworld affiliates as well.

Cressida Lennox: We’ll have to prepare for them, this could very well lead us to Ayana and maybe even her father and the rest of the Uto Clan, they’re already important figures for Backstage Rose.

(As James is in call, he looks at the news screen to see a Geogram Captain getting a promotion in rank by both Aaron Schaffer and Marian Schaffer, James looks closer at the Captain)

James Finbar: Oh shit… Cressida, can you confirm the identity on that Captain?

Cressida Lennox: Already on it… no no, you’re right, that’s Josh Hancock, he’s a Lightworld Operative, dammit, he already got far in, if Josh walks out of there with the rank of Superior Officer, he’ll have the necessary power on Geogram to undermine it from within.

James listen, we can’t just tell Geogram about this, this info is coming from the CIA, we can’t let anyone know you’re an undercover agent.

James Finbar: We have to kill Josh now, Superior Officer’s are heavily protected in Geogram bases, this is our only shot.

Cressida Lennox: I’m sending you his cellphone number, if you call it, it’ll upload a virus to his phone, it’ll superheat and detonate his phone once he raises it next to his head.

James Finbar: We’re blowing his head open on live TV, in front of Aaron and Marian?

Cressida Lennox: It’ll give the two and Geogram more enough of a reason to increase security and their guard, hopefully it’ll be enough to give Lightworld Cultists and Acolytes in Geogram a harder time.

James Finbar: Alright, now or never.

(James sits down on the couch with his phone, dialing Josh Hancock’s phone number)

James Finbar: God I hope this works, fuck this guy.

(As Josh is give the rank onto his uniform, he takes his phone out of his pocket, he answers the call)

Josh Hancock: Hello? I’m-

(By the time Josh raises the phone next to his ear, it detonates, leaving a cloud of red mist, flesh, and brain scattered across the stage as his head is blown to pieces by the phone detonating. James quickly turns off the TV)

James Finbar: Oh my god, I didn’t think it would be that big of an explosion.

Cressida Lennox: We averted a crisis, James, we cut it too close here… it’ll certainly take time for Marian to recover from that.

James Finbar: You’re not wrong about that. That will definitely be labeled as an accidental death. Now we just have to wait for Aaron to send out an update on all that.

(Afterwards, at Geogram...)

Oh my stars...

Marian, are you okay? You look pale. Yeah, for once, I'm with Shafter on this one. You alright?

I'm fine, don't worry. That was just...oh my god, there was so much blood.

(As Marian is recovering, Aaron gets a call on his earpiece. He has a short talk with some GEOGRAM agents, then ends the call.)

Adam, I just had confirmation that someone bugged Josh's phone. Wait, you think we have a spy? Actually, I've had confirmation from other GEOGRAM units that HE was a spy for Lightworld, as he had Lightworld documentation on him, hidden in what was his office. Whoever bugged his phone must've known he was trying to con us and did us all a favor. Oh shit. Shafter, PLEASE tell me you did background checks. Yes. And, as far as I found know (and that security found out), no other units were spies. So then...what are we going to do next? For one thing, we're going to tightening security measures by far more than they already are, and making sure all potential candidates for GEOGRAM go through a thourough vetting process from now on. Good. Do we know who bugged Josh's phone? Not in the slightest. They left no traces at all. But considering they helped us find out a mole, I don't think we need to take action. They're clearly on our side, considering they stopped us from promoting the one who would've dismantled us from within. Alright, fair enough. Man, we dodged a bullet today.