CHAPTER 2

  *an unspecified place in Neo Hong Kong*

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Inside a large scale warehouse in the bad part of town, the terrorists were growing agitated. Boxes of weapons line the warehouse's walls, but the terrorist's nervous chatter fills the inside much more completely. In one corner of the ware house, a communication operater hunched over a wireless broadcast microphone, shouting instructions into it.

  "Fifth unit, where are you? Respond! Something just happened!"

  The general atmosphere inside the warehouse was mild, but in the immediate area of the transmitter, the strain was slowly rising. A lone woman approached the communications operator, who was still shouting.

  "How did it happen?" she asked.

  The operator looked up. She was Oriental, her voluptuous body clad in crimson Chinese garments.

  "Nam Pu?' the operator stuttered, and stood up, saluting the woman.

  "Excellent salute," Nam Pu assured him. "Did something happen to the fifth unit?"

  The man shook his head. "To tell the truth, we abruptly lost communication with the seventh unit some time ago. We sent the fifth unit to find out the circumstances of this, but it too was attacked."

  "Those who were attacked...did they indicate who was resisting us?" Nam Pu asked.

  "The details are not understood, but according to unit seven's communication operator, and based on the person's fighting ability...we suspect it might be...him."

  "You fool," Nam Pu replied. "How is it possible that the one person who could repel our forces would be in Neo Hong Kong?"

  "Well, I..." the operator began.

  "Is there no video footage of the attack?" Nam Pu asked.

  "The fifth column sent some," said the communications operator, "but they are still analyzing it."

  "Then have them put up the footage that they've completed processing, and project it on-screen."

  The communication operator motioned to the nearest person and the projection started. He turned down the light and the following image came into view on the screen, bleeding over onto the concrete wall behind it:

  An automobile caught on fire and exploded. Several people were cut in half and collapsed onto the ground. The camera panned to the side slighty and a restlessly moving shadow becme visible. Due to the film's quality and the shadow's swiftness, it was impossible to tell who it was. Then it stopped moving, and the person's form became quite clear.

  "The Strider? The man Hiryu?" Nam Pu muttered.

  "Nam Pu?" the communications operator asked. Her expression was odd, quite pale.

  "Call Tong Pu and Sya Pu!" Nam Pu ordered. "Tell them to come here directly!"

  The communication operator relayed Nam Pu's order, and designated a meeting spot for the three of them so that they would be able to repel the attacker.

  "Never has that man appeared in this town before," Nam Pu said, from where she stood.