A glass sliding door behind them exploded, sending shinning little sparks flying towards them. The girls screamed, and tried to cover their heads with heir arms. Mamoru, as he covered Usagi with his own body, faintly saw as Hiroshi took Reiko and pushed her out of the way. The last thing he saw was as she screamed something, before disappearing from his sight. Then, he had to protect himself, and couldn't look anymore. Everything was a mess.

As a matter of fact, what was happening gave a new meaning to the word chaos. Screams, yells, and even smoke which had come from nowhere. No one could see, no one could think. Everything was too confusing. Coughs and chokes were heard, and a louder scream suddenly was heard over all the noise: "Don't... wait... no!" Only some words could be made out, since the screaming was so loud. Makoto felt as someone walked by her side, but couldn't even look up to identify him or her. The only thing that crossed her mind was how strange it was for anyone to be calmly walking with all that chaos going around.

Slowly, the screams subsided, as the girls discovered there was no threat, and no more shattered glass falling on them. The smoke was slowly fading away, revealing the scene with an agonizing slowness. They looked around, and saw as the couch on where Hiroshi and Reiko had been sitting on before there was no one, only glass shinning on its surface. Next to it, Mamoru was still holding Usagi down, shielding her with his own body, while his own eyes scanning the room quickly. On a corner, Rei and Minako looked at each other with surprise, wondering how did they came so close if before the explosion hey had been on opposites sides of the room. Makoto was lying behind the other sofa, and since she had been the closest one to the glass door. Her back and her hair was covered with shattered glass, which shone all around her as a deadly halo.

But, there were two people missing. No Hiroshi and no Reiko inside the room. They stood up, brushing the glass away from their bodies, and searched for them. They clearly weren't in the room, and the big hole on the wall, that some time ago had been a door, left little doubts on where they might be. The girls and Mamoru ran outside, and saw a body lying on the grass. Daytime had arrived long ago, and they could clearly see it was Hiroshi. He was lying on his back, and there was some blood on his hands. His eyes were open, and he was conscious, but he wasn't moving. He just lay there, looking into space, a strange look on his eyes. They all ran up to him, and Usagi was the first one to notice the blood pouring out of his wounds: "Oh God! Hiroshi-san! Look at those hands... let me take care of that!"

She tried ripping her clothes, but Hiroshi sat straight, surprising everyone. He stopped her: "No need to do that, Usagi-san. They are just scratches. The glass made these, while I tried to push Reiko out of the way." He cleaned his hands on his T-shirt, leaving red trails on it. But, the bleeding had stopped, and it was clear they weren't serious wounds. "Damn! Stupid of me! I never thought they would come here! Less on daytime! Damn, and damn again!" He blew his fist into the grass with a low thud, only a slight grimace on his face as his wounds ached. "Who? Hiroshi, you know what happened?" asked Makoto still trying to get rid of some shattered glass which stubbornly stuck onto her hair. "Of COURSE I DO!" came back the reply, a little harsher that he had expected. He breathed deeply, and looked down, as he said: "Sorry, Makoto-san. I'm angry at myself for being so stupid. Sorry if I sounded too harsh."

Makoto smiled at him, and said, her voice caring: "Hiroshi-san, don't worry. I understand." "Where's Reiko?" asked Minako, looking all over the garden, and seen no other body or clue that indicated them where their missing friend was. "They took her." "They? Who are they?" asked Rei, really beginning to worry. "The agency's thugs. They took her." Hiroshi's voice was sad, and also had another sentiment on it: frustration. He had failed to protect her, again, and had let those guys take her away so easily... . "They kidnapped her. I bet they were hearing everything we were saying since we arrived here. They just couldn't let her escape; she is too precious to them."

Hiroshi stood up, and walked to the garden wall. On it, there were rose bushes, and he stared at them as if looking for something. A cry o joy left his lips suddenly, and he ran forwards when he saw what he was looking for. "I knew it!" He pulled a rose, and some leaves fell to the floor. He didn't even see them, he was too busy holding whatever was on his hands. "That girl never stops amazing me... though she was brutally being taken away, she was able to leave us a clue!" He turned around, and showed them what was on his hand. It was a piece of cloth; a piece of the T-shirt Reiko had been wearing. "And what's that suppose to mean?" asked Mamoru, seeing no appeal on a ripped T-shirt. "Means that she was taken into that direction," he pointed North, "and that there were three men," "How do you know that?" "Look. The cloth is ripped on three parts, and where I found it, it was signaling North." He stuffed the piece of cloth inside his back pocket, and turned around to face the wall. "I'm going after them," was the only thing he said.

"Wait! We're going with you." "Hurry then. We've only got about 30 minutes to stop them. After that, it would be hopeless. When that half an hour passes, they will already have done what they want with her, and I don't even wanna think what that is. Since I can go faster than you, meet me at the Carcrasi Corporation building. There's where the agency's HQ are." He didn't even let them answer when he closed his eyes, breathed deeply, and suddenly disappeared from sight, wind blowing as a reaction to his speed. Everyone just stared at the empty space for a few seconds, still not believing that he had such an amazing ability.

Then, they woke up, and transformed. As soon as they were ready, they sped into the air, running to the building, in hope to be able to stop those so like Negaverse people, who had dared to endanger their friend's life...

Reiko, hang on! Only that thought is set on my mind, as I fly more than ran through roof tops as quick as lightning. Please! Just wait a bit longer! Who knows what horrible things they want to do to you... you don't deserve any of this... if I hadn't came back, they would've never realize you were their missing experiment... they wouldn't have tracked you down... none of this would've happened. But there's no time for feeling sorry. I concentrate of running faster, because I know they have already arrive to the laboratory, and perhaps are getting her ready to . . to whatever they are thinking to do. I grin lightly, thinking on how difficult it's going to be for them to calm her down, less make her go willingly... that tantrum of hers will at least give me five more precious minutes.

I see in front of me the building's structure, and immediately turn on everyone of my senses. They are keener than Reiko's as a result of me having a little more experience, but I would never doubt her abilities. I beg to the heavens that they haven't changed the security codes or the traps they have for intruders... I hold my breath as I dial the code we used to use back when we were part of this organization... I can feel sweat on my back, as I expect a high pitched alarm to go off, and tell everyone that I'm here... but nothing happens. Just a low beep, which indicates that the code has been accepted.

The door opens soundlessly, and I enter, leaving it open for the rest to be able to enter. I hope it doesn't take them too long to arrive... at this point, we're going to need all the backup we can get, and they are sure some powerful allies. I ran through he corridors, avoiding some agents here and there... they are all rookies, who have no idea on how to behave as a proper spy... it's easy to fool them. But, as I enter the Red Zone, security starts getting tougher to avoid. In this sector, we were only allowed once, so my memories are little, but clear. I remember this corridor... it leads to the chief's office on the floor below... this door will take me to the info database, and this other hallway... this is what I'm looking for. This corridor leads to the laboratories and scientific research zone, where I am sure they took her.

Some laser detectors on the floor make me walk slowly literally glued to the wall, and I groan in frustration as I can't move as fast as I would like. I see hidden cameras monitoring the corridor, and I carefully pass just outside their viewing angle... piece of cake for me... but I still can't shake off the sensation that I'm being watched... paranoia perhaps... I hope it's just that. As soon as I turn a corner, I see it wasn't paranoia... about five men are there, with their guns pointed straight into my heart, seriousness all over their faces. Behind them, standing as the leader he is, the agency's boss is watching me. "So, Hiroshi-san, I see you've returned to us," is what he says, carefully protected behind the human wall that is blocking my way. He knows that if we both were alone, they would have to rub him off the floor with a spoon.

My eyes flare murderous looks at him, and I don't even have to speak to make him feel worried and uncomfortable. The look on my eyes is enough to make all those youngsters' hands quiver. "My, my, Hiroshi, aren't we a bit aggressive today?" His tone stirs memories on my head, and fury is winning over common sense. "Move." My voice is final, and has such a threat on it, I never thought I could put everything I felt on one word... well except when I'm with Reiko... but that's another story... "No. We're staying here," says that incarnation of the devil. "Traitor. You betrayed us." My words are dripping venom, and I can fell him tensing, and his eyes somehow change their oh-I'm-the-best-so-do-as-I-say look. "I never wanted to. But you know it was necessary." "Necessary? It was necessary to ruin even more that poor girl's life to turn her into a robot? It was necessary to put our lives in danger, just because you wanted a new toy? That was necessary?"

"If you put it so bluntly, yes." Anger arises inside me, and I clench my fist, longing so much to have it stick onto his face... "Last time I say it. Move or die." I can't waste more time with them... Reiko is juts opposite the door they are flanking, and I need to get in. "Hiroshi-san, look. These new agents know you both as a legend. The Blue Thunder and the Red Lightning have never been forgotten in here... everyone who enters the agency looks at you both as their masters... everyone wants to be like you... if you just say so, we'll accept you back into our troops... you're too valuable to loose you because of a stupid thing like love." "Poor of you. You'll never fell what true love is... you'll never be held by the woman you love... you'll never know how good it is to have her near... never, because you haven't got a heart!" "Love? That's one of the primary reasons we started all this. We knew Reiko was being influenced by you, and that bothered us a lot. Love is just a silly feeling. There's no need for love in this world. Love destroys lives, and I pretend to change that!"

I see he truly believes what he's saying. He really feels it. I can't help but say: "I pity you. I hope in your next life you'll be able to feel love... and finally understand it doesn't destroy lives... but creates them. Love is what keeps the world spinning, and without it, we would be nothing. Now, move." He stubbornly looks at me, and I realize that if I wanna go through the door, I'm gonna have to pass them all. I look at the agents pointing their guns at me... none of them is older than 18 years... I grin to myself sadly, as I think on how desperate the agency must be to start recruiting teenagers... we surely must have been a terrible loss for them... stupid... trying to replace us with kids... we weren't so good because we were young... we were that way because we were happy... because we were together... but that obviously isn't something I can make them understand.

But, I thank them to have enlisted teenagers. And teenagers who were trained under my legend as he has put it. My legend and Reiko's. Young and still innocent... and they think of me as a hero and idol... hmm, easy to convince. "Kids, look. You all know me, now do you? I'm the Red Lightning. You know my abilities, and know that I could surely kill you all if I really wished it. But, I don't wanna harm you. If you leave now, you'll probably live." I see they are confused. They don't know what to do. The boss realizes I'm winning them, and says: "If you dare to move, think of yourself as dead. Do you hear me?" Their eyes go from me to him, and back again. Who should they obey? I see they don't want hurt me, but they are too afraid to disobey the chief... so psychology takes it's toll. A weird thought crosses my mind. They were the ones who taught me how to make people believe what I want them to believe... and now I'm about to use that technique against them.

"I'm gonna kill him, so you can ran if you want. No one will know about it, and you'll save your life. You'll even be considered heroes, as you survived an encounter with the Red Lightning." I see they are all young enough to be my little brothers... they are all probably in love with Reiko... I mean, if they are half men the agents were when she entered, they should be drooling over her. So, I use her name to make them trust me. "Listen. Inside that room behind you, the Blue Thunder is being used as a guinea pig. Do you want that? Do you want your idol to be used as an animal and controlled like a robot?" That should do it. They stopped pointing their guns at me, shoved them back into their sheaths and cleared the way. As soon as they did so, the chief turns around, and enters the room, trying to prepare whomever is inside of my coming. But, I am fast, and after nodding my head to the kids, I flash through the floor and enter the room just a millisecond before he does.

When I do, I look around to see where I am. I have entered the surgery room, and about three doctors are over a table, looking at their patient, whom I recognize with just a look at her hair... it's Reiko... my Reiko. She's lying there, with her eyes closed, as if she as dead. I ran to the chief, and grab his collar. "If anything happens to her, you'll wish you were never born," I hiss, my tone threatening and full of hate. "Don't worry," he says, a smile curving his lips and making me shiver in fright about what it's supposed to mean, "She's Ok. As a matter of fact, she's more than excellent." I freeze, as I am beginning to find out what was this plan all about. Since the beginning, everything was carefully planned. They had stood at the door to avoid me arriving on time. They had stopped me long enough for the doctors to finish the surgery... the surgery... I turn around, and I see the doctors have disappeared... probably left while I was talking to that scumbag I'm holding now. But, what attracts my attention isn't that, but the fact that Reiko is standing up. The sheet uncovers her body, to reveal her wearing the same clothes she was using while we were at her house.

Her eyes are closed, and her chest rises and falls rhythmically, telling me she's Ok. She's with her head bent downwards, so I can't see as she opens her eyes. What I can see, and what makes my heart stop beating and my knuckles turn white with the strain, is a red spot on her neck... a red spot no bigger than a yen... a red spot that symbolizes my worst fear made true. They have tried again, and this time successfully. She has awaken, and that means they can control her... the perfect spy has been born.