—- Claire’s Point of View —- (48 hours ago)

"I don't have much time so I will explain as briefly as I can, if there is anything that you don't understand ask Anton about it. We are currently flying at an altitude of 13,000 meters but we are intercepted by an Unknown Aircraft. It is not responding to my communication and there is no response on my IFF. The Unkown has launched AAM. We are taking evasive maneuver but we will probably be shot down. Which means Kouki-kun and Anton, find a way to escape Russia on your own. Anton, I don't care how but make sure to escort Kouki-kun back to Noah's Headquarters in Hakone Base. Communication out"

After quickly explaining the general situation, I ended the communication and rush to the cockpit which was full of alert sounds.

“How is the situation?”

“We are doing evasive maneuver. Our anti-missile defense are also active but they are attacking from horizon… It is difficult to defend using the defense equipment on this aircraft”

“Do an emergency landing! Prepare landing at sea”

We need to survive from our situation right now… I keep reminding myself. I need to think hard on how we can survive. If we survive this attack and successfully land at the sea, they will probably──

“More unknown detected! Direction, 10 o’clock. Number…… 5, 12, 15 Aircraft!! Damn! Stealth Aircraft!? Unknowns launched High-speed projectiles. They are probably missiles!!”

“Avoid it!!”

“It’s no use! We will not make it in time, the missiles are on us!!”

I instinctively close my eyes shut however the impact that I am expecting did not happen. I can still hear the ringing alarms and slowly open my eyes. I talk to the pilot squeezing out the voice on my throat.

“Did they miss?”

“No, the missile passed close by us and headed for a missile launched by the Unknown in our back…”

“We are receiving response from enemy or ally identification. The aircraft in front of us belongs to the Russian Space Defense Army”

“Another missile behind us was shot down. The unknown behind us are quickly withdrawing.”

They saved us? Why is the Russian Army saving us? Moreover, the Russian Space Defense Army should not be flying in this place. What the hell is going on…

“The Space Defense Army are coming to fly alongside us”

When I look outside the windows, there U saw a new type of Russian Military Aircraft the I’ve only seen in documents. Besides, no matter the aircraft there should be a national flag or an emblem that will identify which country it belongs to but this one is just a black aircraft.

“I see… so that’s what it was”

Those aircraft… the one who save us is in fact does not belong to the Russian Space Defense Army. That means they will send another communication──

“Probably, we will receive a communication through the frequency of Strategic Rocket Forces”(TN: The Strategic Missile Troops or Strategic Rocket Forces of the Russian Federation or RVSN RF are a military branch of the Russian Armed Forces that controls Russia’s land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).)

“Ha… Ah, we receive it! A communication through the Strategic Rocket Forces, this is──”

“It is a rendezvous point at the sea correct? We will abandon this ship! All crew, prepare to escape”

If my guess is correct, Kouki-kun and the others are in a very dangerous situation. If I don’t rescue him as soon as possible myself, he will be killed by the hands of the rescue unit.

—- Claire’s Point of View —- (4 hours ago)

Me and my subordinates who have abandoned our aircraft enjoyed a swim in the sea. We were rescued by a Powersuit Carrier Ship by the Russian Navy who also erased all identification mark on their ship. I was forced to stay in a room inside the ship but since it looks like a luxury room for officials, I can say that they are providing me high hospitality.

“Excuse me…”

There was knock and the door of the room opened. A man who is wearing a military uniform without any mark or rank insignia came inside the room. The man sits on the chair in front of me and presents the documents that he is holding.

“Before I look at that, I have a question”

“What is it?”

The man put the file on the desk and look at me with a nervous expression.

“Ma~ It is more of a confirmation that a question. You speak fluent English with no accent, Unidentified Aircraft and Powersuit Carrier without markings. Military uniform without rank insignia. You guys are part of Russian Internal Army… or more known as, the secret unit of Ministry of Internal Affairs”

“…………”

“Considering the scale, your affiliation is of the National Security Unit”

“…………”

The man is silent, but in this case I can accept it as confirmation. I took the document on the desk and looked through it. It contains information which are not available to me while confined.

In order to look at the records of the memory cards, he held out a personal terminal and urge me to use it. I do not know what is on the memory card so I really don’t want to put it on my personal terminal…

“Go ahead”

I insert the memory card to the terminal which was handed over and started to looking at the records. Inside are the details of Alice Project and records of Chernobog Combat Unit that Kouki-kun are working together right now. There is a detailed documents of its members. I definitely want to take this memory card by all means…

“Would it be alright for me to take this?”

“Go ahead. At the moment, Arakawa-shi is currently busy fighting. We also want to provide you a map of an underground tunnel of Old Moscow that the higher ups had prepared for escape. We can also prepare power suits and battle equipments which are resistant against EMP if necessary” (TN: Arakawa-shi, shi = Mr., It is the male version of Joshi = Miss)

“That is quite generous, what’s your goal?”

“It is to rescue the most important person in the world”

“You are lying to your own president making him think that our aircraft is shot down, to save an important person… I find that hard to believe…”

The man was troubled, looked up at the ceiling and sighing before talking again.

“Our goal is to maintain our state. Currently, our country is in crisis. The terrorist New World was able to invade the government through high ranking officials. If the information known to Arakawa-shi leaks out, other countries will stop considering us as federation… if we are suppressed by force──”

“The United Nations will intervenes… and Kouki-kun’s mother, Miki-san, have a great influence in UN”

“Yes. In that case, a third world war will break out and the worst case scenario is for the Russian Federation to fight against the whole world… Even if Arakawa-shi succeeds in escaping, we think that there will be devastating retaliation action against us”

Certainly, as far as reading this record. The reason why New World was able to escape when Alice-chan was kidnapped was because the Russian Navy helped them during the siege. If Kouki-kun learns about it, he will definitely take retaliatory measures just like this man said.

Also, our methods had changed recently… If we were to broadcast propaganda against Russia through Noah’s satellite Net Broadcasting. We can manipulate the thinking of public however we wish. Moreover, if you look at the sales of our cosmetics, you can say that what we are doing is close to brainwashing.

“I understand. Then once again, let me ask, what are your goal and demands?”

“The objective is to safely rescue Arakawa-shi. We will send all documents related to Alice Project and New World to Noah, including relevant personnel. We will also hand over any Internal Security Unit who are with New World. Our only request is for Noah not to take any retaliatory measures”

“I understand. I accept your conditions”

To my words, the man finally relaxed. Now then, I have to strategize an escape method by using this document as reference… I can meet Kouki-kun by using this underground passage and blow up the passage in the middle, then use the vent to go all the way to the subway station.

The problem is after that. I might need to ask the National Security Unit for their cooperation while we escape with all the Chernobog members. Once I met up with Kouki-kun, I can contact Miki-san to request the assistance of Captain── (TN: Captain here is Kouki’s father not the Chernobog Captain)

Author Notes: Now then, we finally see the kind of situation everyone was in.

For the next part, what could be the strategy that Claire thought of!?

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