act25side

If you're used to dealing with terrorists, you know a thing or two about planning a terror attack.

Report.

All potential vantage points within sniping range of Rhine Lab have been secured.

We have neutralized nine snipers and eleven disguised assassins.

Continue to monitor the area around Rhine Lab. Roads, vehicles, pedestrians... leave no stone unturned.

Roger.

The Vice President has entered the Rhine building. It will be difficult for us to deploy directly inside the building. Do you intend to be on scene personally?

...No.

I got a message from a colleague. There's somewhere else that I need to be.

Share intel with Dr. {@nickname} of Rhodes Island. Follow any orders issued by the Doctor.

Acknowledged.

This one makes seven.

Are you okay, Rosmontis?

Just mass-produced power armor, Doctor.

Don't worry, it won't take too much effort.

The serial numbers match the ones that the Defense Section lost, but five are still unaccounted for.

Should we keep looking? We need to eliminate them before they leave the secret passage, right?

They'll cause chaos if they get out, even if they can't get to the Vice President.

Good work, Rosmontis.

How did you think of using the access permissions granted by Muelsyse to check the Defense Section's equipment log?

Just going down the list of possible options. I didn't expect to strike gold on the first try.;I didn't think the assassins would throw acid at the Vice President disguised as researchers.

I see.

Something feels off. These mechs seem cautious in their movements.

It doesn't seem so much an assassination attempt as...

Movement, Doctor.

Power armor?

No. Who could be in a secret passage at this hour...?

Hold it, Rosmontis.

Doctor, Operator Rosmontis... what are you doing here?

I see... sorry, Doctor, I've been maintaining radio silence because I had infiltrated Rhine to retrieve data for Kal'tsit.

As for Kal'tsit's whereabouts, I have no idea either.

The remaining power armor...

I destroyed five before running into you and the Doctor. That makes a total of twelve, which matches the number that the Defense Section lost.

And so, I went to find someone.

I'm guessing the feeling of being dragged out of a suit of power armor is not something you want to experience again, Reggie.

What orders did Ferdinand give you?

He only wanted to borrow a few suits of power armor.

Ferdinand can't be trusted.

What about you?

How do I trust someone who repeatedly ignores the rules that she set, showing up at Rhine whenever she wants, who abandoned all her responsibilities?

He took over Defense when you left. He paid our wages for the past few years.

He remembers our names, our hobbies, even gives us gifts, every once in a while.

Ferdinand may have been an asshole.

But I have to say, Director Saria—

That asshole paid our bills.

The Vice President is still inside Rhine. You know the consequences if something happens.

We must check everything that Ferdinand may have touched.

Just the ten suits of power armor. You have my word.

Ten?

I destroyed seven, Saria destroyed five...

That's impossible!

Ferdinand only borrowed ten. I watched him enter the commands myself!

What kind of man is Ferdinand, Saria?

Proud, arrogant, thinks himself better than everyone else.

But if there's one thing that sets him above other people...

It's that he actually puts his boasts into action.

Unless I'm mistaken...

I don't think those ten mechs are for assassinating the Vice President.

What?

As for the two extra ones...;Looks like he and the army are on guard against each other.;Ferdinand doesn't want the Vice President assassinated at Rhine Lab.

I feel like I'm a kid in a classroom, having a science lesson for the first time. It's no hyperbole at all to say that 'science is the future of Columbia.'

I regret not being able to stay longer and hear about your other projects.

You are always welcome at Rhine Lab, Mr. Jackson.

Thank you, Director Jara. I hope my visit didn't cause too much inconvenience.

Kind of you to say so. It was a pleasure to be your tour guide today.

Having the famous Marianne Blake as a tour guide alone makes this trip to Trimounts worthwhile.

Between the two of us, I'm a pretty big fan of yours.

I have an autographed poster of your debut film on the office wall.

Really?

A present from my wife when I was elected.

Kindly make a note to follow up with the special district government about Rhine Lab's application for a new research facility.

Will do, sir.

I guess that will be it for today, Miss Jara.

I wish you a pleasant stay at Trimounts.

Thank you.

May the sun shine on the next day, as it has today.

Come on, mash that photo button!

Mr. Vice President! What did you think about your trip to Rhine today?

Ask your questions in order, please! We have ten minutes, there's no rush.

You heard me right. I'm clapping.

'Vice President's Visit Bolsters Rhine Lab’s Claim as Industry Leader'... the headlines write themselves.

The tour concluded without incident. The Vice President will leave Rhine Lab in ten minutes.

...Doctor.

I got the map you sent, Doctor.

So there's a secret passage that leads right to the underground structure, but it's not in the plans that Muelsyse gave you?

Leave it to me!

I've been sitting here twiddling my thumbs while you and Rosmontis have fun with the power armor up there. Didn't even see a shadow.

Saria is coming for me?

Then I have to go to the underground structure too. The Vice President is leaving in a few minutes, right? We can't take any risks.

(Whisper) Ifrit moving out, Doctor.

I'm back.

How are things up there?

Not sure. I didn't quite make it up to the surface, but there was no commotion.

I'm guessing the attack failed.

What about us?

We activated the jammers and aren't supporting any other units... I don't think anyone is coming here. Ferdinand's route was very well-concealed.

Let's carry out the plan. It's almost time.

The explosives?

Set up while you were scouting... two tubes of advanced plastic explosives, enough to breach the containment structure.

You know, I thought Ferdinand wanted to come back to Rhine Lab. But this is the liquified Originium pipeline used by his Energy Section.