Definition

Sagacious

The next day proceeded just the same as the day before. Go on patrol and switch shifts here and there with other soldiers. As rookies, they supposed they wouldn't be able to get access into any of the important gateways.

Still, they needed to find a way. It was their mission after all. The insider must be in one of those places if they were able to send them a signal. That was the logic they were going by.

Lost in thought, Hannah accidentally bumped into another soldier in the hallway, dropping her gun. "Sorry." She muttered below her breath. When her eyes fell on his initials, she froze.

The soldier picked up her gun and handed it back to her. "A trap is set. Be careful." He whispered to her ear as he passed by.

Her eyes narrowed as the sentence registered. Those were the exact same words from the encryption we decyphered.

She turned back, but found the soldier no where in sight. The boys glanced at her, wondering what she was looking for this time. She eyed them both before whispering, "M1T is our target."

~~~~~

That should be enough to alert them. He thought as he rounded a second corner. Now then...

He continued his solo patrol, catching glimpses of a few rooms with the doors opening and closing as busy workers run in and out, running about their duties.

The other soliders he passed by made no move to attempt a discussion. He knew he has their attention after how well he did during the training session. He got through every single obstacle flawlessly. He supposed it would gain him some unwanted attention, but it helped him got to the rank he needed to execute the plan.

He entered the same room as yesterday and found the woman standing up. Behind her was a man in a black robe. He smirked at him. "You're right on time, M1T. Let us go pay our prisoners a visit."

~~~~~

Ban, Jin, Yuuya and Niara were still siting idly in their cell. They couldn't be bothered to utter a single word. Well, the boys couldn't. Niara was happily babbling away at any and every soldier who came to guard them. She enjoyed seeing the frustrated faces they had as they stand there, bound by their orders.

The other three were quite bothered by her too, but they had to admit that even they were getting a small laugh out of Niara's usual mishap.

A soldier then appeared from the other side of the corridor. "The commander is headed this way. We have been ordered to guard the outside." The other soldiers nodded and followed him out.

The three boys immediately stood up and joined Niara by the bars. They spotted three shadows headed towards them. Two of them stayed behind in the dark while one kept moving until their figure was completely seen.

"Detector..." Ban held his breath. He had to keep reminding himself that this man was not his father.

"Welcome, Yamano Ban, to my party." The man said in a mechanical voice.

"If you were a little better at decorating, then maybe more people would show up." Niara retorted.

"As stuck-up as ever, Levanov." He grunted. "But I have all the people I could ever need." The half-Russian didn't know why, but her gut clenched when he said her name.

"What are your plans, Detector?" Yuuya questioned.

"Whoever said there was one?" He sneered. "Do you really think I care about this pathetic planet? That I actually want to take over? Ridiculous! I couldn't care less about this Earth. All I want is to see the Seekers fall to my feet!"

"Like we'll ever submit to you." Niara snorted, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, you will. Just like your friend here." He snapped his fingers and they spotted a soldier pushing a woman into their line of view.

All four of them freeze in shock. Standing before them was none other than Evangeline Hope Avalstone.

~~~~~

"I wonder how they're doing." Wataru muttered as he ate lunch.

"I'm sure they're doing fine." Kiyoka replied, deassembling and reassembling an unused LBX for the fifth time in the past two days.

"How do you know that?" The younger boy asked, still unsure.

She looked up at him and sighed as she held up her phone. "The Star. It means they've found hope."

"You sure those cards aren't just dumb luck?" He slapped his mouth when he realized he said it out loud. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to be rude! I just thought... I-I..."

To his surprise, Kiyoka smiled. "It's alright. Not a lot of people believe in these things. It could be dumb luck, just like you said, but if it is, then isn't it wonderful that such a positive card appeared instead of something like the Tower which represents chaos?"

Wataru thought for a while before breaking out his own smile. "You're right!" Nee-chan, I believe in you! Come back to us soon!

~~~~~

Long blonde hair and red eyes. She was wearing the same pink and white shirt overlayed with a torn labcoat, most likely from the explosion. There was no mistaking it. It was definitely her.

Seeing their shocked expressions, the man could only laugh. "Surprised? I bet you all thought she had died. Well, guess again! She's alive and well, and she's serving me."

Ban and Yuuya were still shocked, Jin was torn, and Niara... Niara was furious. She lunged at the man, ready to stranggle him. "You ass! How could you turn her against us?! You sick, SICK bastard!"

No matter how much she yelled, he continued to laugh. The woman beside him didn't bat an eyelid and stared blankly as her friend kicked and yelled. The soldier, standing behind her, didn't react either to Niara's rampage either. Instead, while no one was looking, he placed his hand on her back.

Is the connection clear?

As crystal.

Then I'll leave it to you, sister.

Once the man had finished his laughing fit, he snapped his fingers. Eva's eyes glowed and chains grabbed all four of them from behind, binding them to the wall. The bars opened up and the man stepped closer.

"Since you had been good little rats to get yourselves captured, I believe revealing my face would be a good enough present to you?" Without waiting for their reactions, he took off his mask and let out a satisfied grin.

"You're..." Niara was at a loss for words, but it didn't take long for the anger to return. "Bishop!"

"I'm glad you still remember me, you lab rat." Bishop grinned at her before turning to the rest. "The stage has been set. It's time for the opening act. Let phase four commence!"

~~~~~~~~~~

Sagacious: Having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment