"Miss Mizuno, it's good to see you again," Kaori Knight nodded in greeting, the redhead calmly waiting to escort Ami to her boss. She stood there in the reception area of Infinity Tower, the massive structure bustling twenty four hours a day with scientists, researchers, manufacturing and of course security staff to keep the occupants safe. "Ms. Knight," Ami nodded back, the blue haired young woman having changed her clothes to a severe looking business suit. Combined with subtle traces of makeup and her serious expression she made a surprisingly intimidating figure there in the Infinity Tower. Kaori lead her through the lobby then over to the lift and they soon were rising smoothly. "I'm sorry for how quickly we called you here," she said to Ami respectfully, "but I believe it's a matter of some urgency." "Can you explain?" Ami asked as they rode. "I'd rather wait for Miss Tomoe," Kaori sounded gently apologetic, "she has a personal stake in this discussion." That surprised Ami a bit, "Ah." They reached the penthouse level a few moments later, Kaori leading Ami right into the main office on that floor. Hotaru Tomoe looked up from a data-screen on her desk, black hair framing her delicate face as she nodded, "Welcome." "Miss Tomoe," Ami answered, taking a seat before the desk. She narrowed her eyes slightly, "May I ask what was so urgent as to require a personal meeting?" "It's complicated," Hotaru admitted quietly. Ami felt like she was flying as her mind made the sudden leap. "Mistress Nine?" she asked softly, studying Hotaru thoughtfully. Hotaru smiled slightly, but it was an almost humorless expression. "Your information network is as good as reported," she noted quietly, "how did you know?" Ami decided to stick with half truths, since complete honesty wasn't wise just yet. "A rogue Bio-boomer mentioned the name while in combat with the Senshi Sabers," Ami said calmly, "and a source of mine mentioned it as well." 'And you're not going to admit you heard the name first hand, will you?' Hotaru thought with grim amusement. "Yes, the problem is Mistress Nine," Hotaru confirmed, "she's a prototype Bio-boomer who apparently escaped containment some time ago." "Containment?" Ami leaned forward. "Mistress Nine has unusual abilities in addition to her greatly advanced strength," Hotaru got up from her chair and looked out at the city below, "she can disrupt both human and Bio-boomer flesh, as well as driving nearby Bio-boomers insane." "Is she the cause of rogue Bio-boomers?" Ami asked intently. "Not the only cause," Hotaru sighed, "most of it is a flaw in my fathers design. But I think Nine has triggered the rapid rise in failures recently." "What can I do to help?" Ami asked mildly. Hotaru smiled, feeling amused by this whole odd dance they were doing. Ami seemed unwilling to concede her connection to the Senshi Sabers outright, and she felt bound by tact not to force the issue. 'At least not yet,' she added mentally. "I understand you can contact the Senshi Sabers," she said aloud. "I have been in touch with them at times," Ami nodded mildly. Hotaru produced a data disk from the top of her desk and carried it over to Ami. "This is whatever archival data we have on Nine's creation and activities," she handed it over, "please pass it on to them, please." "I'll do that." Ami took it. Hotaru looked at her thoughtfully a moment, "You may not be aware, but there were three prototypes created before Nine." Silently she added, 'And myself, of course.' "Really," Ami said brightly, eyes nearly perfectly innocent. 'No one looks that innocent unless they're hiding something,' Hotaru hid a chuckle. "They were designated Pluto, Uranus and Neptune in the files belonging to your mother," she revealed, "finding them could be vital to stopping Nine." Ami nodded, "I'll pass them on, too." She got up, tucking the disk away as she said crisply, "Thank you, Hotaru." A few minutes later Ami was gone and Kaori rejoined Hotaru in the office, looking on with concern as her employer slumped tiredly. "Are you all right, ma'am?" Kaori asked softly. "Just vaguely frustrated," Hotaru admitted, running a hand through her black hair. The pale young woman smiled wryly, "I can understand Ami's reluctance to open up, in her shoes I'd feel the same way, but it makes the situation even more difficult." "There are other options," Kaori offered softly, "we could mobilize corporate security or the AD Police against Nine when the time comes." "No," Hotaru sighed, "they'd be slaughtered. I have enough blood on my hands without adding innocents to the list." "Ma'am," Kaori protested, laying her hand gently on Hotaru's arm. Hotaru gave her a gentle smile, patting that hand absentmindedly. "I just wish I knew what Nine was doing..." she sighed. Ami Mizuno was thinking much the same as she strode into her store, nodding to the departing staff. Thank you for closing up Catsy," she said softly, "I didn't expect to be gone so long." The purple haired girl smiled back warmly as Catsy said, "It's all right, ma'am. Did you have a good evening?" "Business meeting," Ami shrugged, "it went fine." "Well," Catsy excused herself, "I hope you have a good night." Without thinking about it Ami strode through the store checking things over before entering the concealed lift, descending smoothly bellow the Silky Doll. She made her way to the office and command center she had created years ago and sat down behind her desk with a relieved sigh. After a moment's rest Ami went to work, setting up her computer for it's upcoming task. Quite deliberately she severed it from her internal system and shut down all it's outgoing connections as a security precaution before putting Tomoe's disk inside. "Always better to be safe than sorry," Ami muttered to herself as she accessed the directories within by a click of her mouse. After a second a video file came up, labeled Mizuno-25. A click opened it and a face very like Ami's own appeared, her expression tired but oddly satisfied. "The planet series of prototypes are finally done," she said quietly, "the bridge between Tomoe's crude Bio-boomers and humanity. I hope with their aide humanity and Bio-boomers can coexist safely." Ami paused the image to study her mother's face, feeling an ace of regret. "Mother," she sighed, "you were so naive." Another file was labeled Tomoe-25, and curious Ami opened it. "Mizuno has done it," Tomoe said, his round glasses gleaming as he gestured wildly in his long white lab coat, "she's made me the perfect husks. Now I just have to replicate the basic design and download Hotaru's memory-data onto the blank creation..." Another file, Tomoe-27. "Mizuno is fighting me over the Planet series," Tomoe said coldly, "it's a difficult situation. I clearly own the original Bio-boomer, but Mizuno's advances could be argued to be her original intellectual property. Mizuno could slow or even stop the resurrection unless I'm prepared to take the needed steps." "Bastard," Ami growled in uncharacteristic anger. From the date and time stamps it was shortly after that he had arranged for Mizuno's murder, the false accident to steal the research he needed. She still couldn't understand how he could do that, kill for an ambition no matter how noble he thought it was.
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