WD Spy rule two seventy six is entitled 'The key to living longer is to procrastinate thinking about troubling issues.'

Previous rule two seventy five:  Despite many complexities, there usually isn't a need to explain how to sacrifice oneself for others.

Next rule two seventy seven:  Giving back what isn't actually yours is infinitely more difficult than giving up something that you actually own, isn't it?

Summary page

-Short summary-

The team gathers together for the first time since the battle began. The reunion isn't a completely happy one however...

-Long summary-

Moving downstairs Jax, Lukas, Meifa and Nolan wait for Tyrell to show up with a second copter that would be their ride home. Since Meifa is too injured to move, Lukas asks Jax to keep an eye on her while he and Nolan go to look for everyone. Jax agrees to this after telling the two to be careful, as while the building isn't in any danger of collapsing, it's still dangerous to wander around recklessly. The two agree, and leave Meifa in Jax's care. 

Nolan asks Lukas to expand on what happened, since he's still a bit confused on the whole 'Ruka-killing-her-dad' part that he had been in the front row seat for...literally. Lukas grimaces, but regales most of the tale to him explaining how Asahara had set them up for this. Nolan curses under his breath at the pure evil that was Asahara, and thanks God that he had managed to survive. Lukas amends this, and thanks good preparation, having an awesome team, and timing that he had managed to survive. It might be a placebo effect to thank God, but until he sees a a column of light descend from the heavens and save everyone without fighting, he'll continue to give his gratitude to more 'worldly' sources. Nolan sighs and asks if just this once, his boss could act a little less like a jaded brat to which he replies 'no proof, no admission'. Nolan argues back that the absence of evidence isn't the evidence of absence, to which Lukas replies but it's not an admission of truth either. The two banter for a bit until they run into---or well, almost over Jia who had managed to limp a few floors up from his previous location.

The two brothers stand a few feet from each other and simply regard one another in silence until Nolan sighs and turns away. Once he has done that, they embrace each other quickly and then inform Nolan it's okay for him to turn around. Nolan shakes his head, unable to understand why they have to act so macho. The two simply reply that their 'brothers' and 'brothas'. Nolan doesn't get the distinction, but is happy that they've been reunited nonetheless. Jia asks about Asahara, and Lukas explains what happened on the upper floor. Jia whistles, impressed with Ruka's moxie. 'Course this would mean that she would become the defacto leader of the Li se xing xuo, something that's more trouble than it sounds. Lukas inquires further into his brother's statement, and Jia regales him with the main rule of the cult....there always must be a leader. If Ruka killed the current one, she becomes the new leader whether she wants it or not. Of course she could hand it off to someone, but if that person turns into another Asahara it would look bad on her. The underworld works on cred after all, so she'd have to pick a successor carefully which could take some time. Lukas forlornly remembers Daiki's words about 'the first kill', and wonders what Ruka will do? In any case, his first priority is to find the rest of his team.

Using Nolan as support, Jia joins the search for Sector Seven operatives and they go around the wreckage of the building finding nothing but the corpses of mafia agents and the corpse walkers. Lukas's apprehension starts to build and reach it's peak until he hears what seems to be arguing on the floor below them. Taking a gamble he yells out asking if anyone needs any help, and in reply he hears Mo reply that Heike is beyond any help. The three young men grin and Lukas asks Mo not to move until they get down there. Once they do, Mo and Heike stand back to back from each other, their expressions annoyed. Carlo stands a distance away from them and makes a sheepish expression upon Lukas and his group's entry. Lukas asks him what's going on, and Carlo explains how Mo wanted to leave the building immediately and then call for help, while Heike wants to stay and look for survivors first. Heike notices Lukas with Nolan and asks them to pick his side over Mo's; since  bros obviously come before Ho's. Mo points her weapon at his head and dares him to repeat that statement. Lukas and Nolan both quickly agree with Mo, much to Heike's chagrin, though Lukas explains she is right, since getting out of danger first would be the smart thing to do. Though he does admit that Sector seven isn't known for it's stellar choices. He and Heike brofist, and the two men have to reist an urge to hug each other out of pure relief that they both made it out alive. Heike grimaces upon seeing Lukas's eye, which the latter waves off saying that some medical care is all he needs. Now that they had found Heike and Mo, all they need to do is find Ricca and the snipers, and they could get out of here. The Sector Seven leader is in noticeably high spirits, so much so that he doesn't realize Carlo had answered his initial question until this moment. He asks Heike who he is, and Heike reveals matter of fact that he is a Mafia operative. Lukas sizes Carlo up, and then offers his hand for a handshake. Carlo is taken aback by this reaction and asks why as the boss of a government sector, he'd want to shake hands with a mafia agent, to which Lukas replies with a firm belief in Heike's judgement. If he believes Carlo is a good guy, then he has to be. No questions asked. Heike turns away so no one sees him blushing, as Carlo shakes Lukas's hand.

Salvo's voice echos from down the hallway as he asks everyone if they're having fun. The group turns to see Izaac, Ruzena and the aforementioned Salvo making their way down the hall. Lukas allows a half smile to adorn his face upon seeing Salvo, but the latter doesn't return his enthusiasm. Lukas shrugs this off and asks how they're doing, to which Ruzena simply states 'okay'. Salvo then says they ran into Daiki and Ruka's group, and informed them that the man once known as Nathan Titus has passed away. Daiki seemed to be in a hurry, so he thanked them for that and left, but it was apparent that the Vestige Experience group had wanted more time to absorb and morn this news. Lukas is shocked at this news and thanks them for letting him know. He would immediately have his condolences sent to their group, as Titus had elected to fight on their side. Salvo glances at Lukas, a geunine sense of regret in his eyes. Lukas frowns and asks what's wrong, noting that the snipers have been acting really depressed since they got here. Salvo quietly apologies and beckons for Izaac to step forward, as he had been hanging back.

Izaac does so, and the group sees Ricca in his arms bridal style. Her whole body is very pale, and her breathing is labored. Most of all her right arm is no more than a bloody mess. Lukas gasps and asks Salvo in a quiet voice what happened. Izaac responds that during a fight with Mafia agents, 'bombergirl' ended up losing her hand and a good portion of her arm. The group is unable to hide their shock, and Lukas murmurs 'oh no' over and over again, sinking to his knees.

Izaac glances over at Lukas and continues to talk, revealing how he had found trace amounts of wiring coating on her fingers when he had picked her up. It is of his opinion that the bomb that should have killed them had been nerfed by Ricca herself. He replays through the events in an even tone, stating that she must have found the central bomb wiring and not knowing what it is fiddled with it out of curiosity. She might have been able to disarm the whole system, but someone must have found her before she could. In essence, Ricca had inadvertently saved all of their lives, just to lose an arm in exchange.

Lukas's bitter laugh almost sounds like crying as he calls himself a failure. The first time they had a big mission, Heike got into a terrible helicopter accident, and Meifa got shot. This time two people had died, and one of his subordinates had lost an arm right after saving their lives. If this is God's will, he'd sure like it if he'd keep his nose out of their business. Heike marches over to Lukas despite Mo's protests, and grabbing his collar snarls at him to get a grip. Everyone had agreed to this mission because he had been so straightforward about going into it. After witnessing Ruka's kidnapping he didn't hesitate, saving her had become as obvious as breathing to him. That's the leader everyone wants to support. If he starts acting like a bitch because someone got hurt during a goddamned life or death mission, then why should they have come in the first place? Sure everyone had their reasons to come, but it had been because of his determination and decisions that they banded together.

The Sector seven leader shakes his head and takes a deep breath. He nods agrees with Heike, apologizing for losing himself. He glances at Ricca, and sharply turns away quietly saying despite everything Heike has said, he can't look at her. Heike realizes underneath all of Lukas's intelligence is a fifteen year old kid who had been thrown into dangerous situations and managed to keep his cool, and although he wants to get upset over Lukas's inability to look at his injured teammate, he realizes no matter how mature someone acts they are still their age. So he nods to Lukas and takes Ricca from Izaac. Salvo nods to his siblings and they walk past the Sector seven operatives and their new mafia friend. Ruzena tells them not to worry as they already have a ride arranged. She does remind Lukas about their payment arrangements, and he gives his word that they will be paid. She nods, and Izaac tosses in that he owes the bombergirl one, and while he might be a lazy SOB, he never forgets a favor. Lukas replies that he'll make sure she knows about it. Heike starts to ask how he'll do that when he won't even look at her, but Mo glares him into silence. The snipers leave, and the group then starts to go back upstairs where Jax awaits them with the news that Tyrell should be waiting on the roof. He asks about Ricca's case, to which Mo asks him to rush her to a hospital first. There would be time to talk about it later. Meifa notices Lukas is going into great lengths not to look at her, but doesn't comment.

Everyone makes their way upstairs, and Tyrell is waiting with their ride. Meifa and Lukas exchange glances as they see Penbur has disappeared, and both secrely wonder where he could have gone. Meanwhile, Jax asks his friend and boss to make room for Ricca, and that they'll be headed to a hospital first. Tyrell grimaces at the girl's injury, and nods. He then reveals that news of Asahara's death had already circulated through the govt and the underground alike. It wouldn't be long until it becomes common knowledge. Upon this getting out, law enforcement had finally started moving considering that they can't hide behind Asahara's executive order any more. Lukas thinks to himself that Daiki must have made a few phone calls, all to establish Ruka as the new leader of the cult. Tyrell notices Carlo and starts to ask about him, but Lukas vouches for the mafia agent, and that's more than enough for him. Carlo is once again amazed at how Sector Seven operates and his admiration for them grows in turn. The helicopter is cramped, but everyone is able to fit inside, and Tyrell takes off. It isn't long before Lukas and the others are fast asleep, and Tyrell comments about how they fight like adults but pass out on the ride home like kids. Though he admits to himself when he was their age, life was far simpler. He turns to Jax who stares idly out the window and asks what he intends to do next....Upper Management is going to want his ass, and not in the 'fine-green-eyed-sister-staring-at-you-from-the-other-side-of-the-bar' way, but the bad way. The court martial ling way. Jax allows himself a weak smile, and reminds Tyrell that when they started Sector seven they figured that this would happen one day, considering that the govt had never really been keen on having kids around. As such, he's enacting his right to worry about troubling issues like a court martial ling later. Tyrell throws his hands up in the air and asks God to save 'this-heathen-white-boy's-soul', to which Jax laughs and tells him to fly the helicopter.

Daiki hangs up his phone and drives the car he found near the building. It had probably been for his Dad to make a quick escape, so he felt quite entitled to it's use. The other Vestige experience members sit in the back seat mourning Titus, and Ruka sleeps quietly in the passenger side. He had tried looking for Mizuki, but she had disappeared somewhere. Something tells him she doesn't want to be found, and he would have his hands full taking care of Ruka. He prays for Mizuki's safety and drives into the oncoming dawn.

Mugen leans against a lamp at a street corner, and flags down a car. He walks over the drivers side window which winds down upon his approach. Mugen grins and slides over the hood to the passenger seat, and the car roars to life and drives down the street.

Penbur managed to limp to the side of the building and lies in a puddle in an alleyway before pushing himself up again and beginning to move again. He stops upon the approach of two sets of footsteps, and finds himself looking into the eyes of a dark skinned man holding an umbrella, and a large white man who has a box under his arm. Both of the strangers have trench coats on and dark fedoras. The dark skinned man smiles and points out that the two of them aren't so different. They were both ousted by their badass kids, and left with nothing. Penbur's eyes widen as he realizes who he's talking to. The dark skinned man extends his hand and asks if Penbur would like to join the 'Fathers against Luciano coalition'. He can have any position he likes as long as he gets to be president. President Clarkson 'Big-shot' Diethel has a nice ring to it after all.

The Sector seven helicopter flies into the sunrise, and Jax notes the time.

5:52 am. The time the world of Section seven changed.....and the moment in which the end would begin.