Soul Drive: Ignition

In the dimly lit office of Ken Stark, a single ray of sunlight pierced through the blinds, slicing across the room and illuminating the cloud of dust dancing above his desk. Files upon files lay scattered in front of him, each one labeled with the names of Mach pilots. As Ken sifted through the papers, his fingers brushed against the edges, he was deep in thought on the logistics of the assignment.

"Damn," he muttered under his breath, leaning back in his chair. A memory surfaced in his mind – the day Mary, one of their brightest scientists, had come into his office. She had presented the idea of the Mach devices, machines that could protect their borders and bring barren lands back to life. She had so much promise and he knew deep down that Mary's disappearance couldn't have been a coincidence. Stark had been itching for an excuse to strike back at those responsible.

Ken's eyes narrowed, scanning the files before him. Two names caught his attention: Daiki Yamamoto and Osamu Kimura. Both were of Japanese descent, with connections to the country that would make it easy for them to blend in seamlessly. He opened their files, scrutinizing their pilot missions in the Machs and ensuring their vitals had remained stable during every use. A satisfied smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Marie," he called out, pressing a button on the intercom. "Get me Daiki Yamamoto and Osamu Kimura on the secure line."

"Of course, Mr. Stark," his secretary replied, her voice tinny through the speaker.

As he waited for the call to connect, Ken leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. He could feel the weight of responsibility bearing down on him. This mission was critical – they needed to seize the remaining Machs from Japan and bring them home before Japan made things worse. And he was putting all his faith in these two pilots.

"Mr. Stark?" Osamu's voice crackled through the intercom. "What can I do for you?"

"Osamu," Ken began, his tone firm and authoritative. "I've got an assignment for you. We need you to go undercover in Japan and fix the rogue Mach situation over there."

"Undercover?" Osamu's voice was a mix of surprise and excitement. "This sounds like quite the mission."

"I trust your investigative skills will lead you right to them," Ken replied, his fingers drumming on the surface of his desk.

"Understood, Mr. Stark," Osamu said, determination lacing his words. "I won't let you down."

"I know you won't," Ken replied, ending the call with a click. As he stared at the now silent intercom, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride swelling in his chest. Osamu would have no problem finding the rogue if that idiot Mach 3 could do it. Now it was time to speak to Daiki, who was pivotal in ensuring Japan was relieved of their WMDs.

-----

Daiki's fingers paused on the antique doorknob, a relic from his childhood home in Japan. With a soft click, the door to his home office swung open, revealing a sanctuary of high-tech gadgetry amidst the warm wooden paneling. He brushed his hand over the biometric scanner, and the room sealed itself shut.

"Daiki Yamamoto, reporting in," he announced, his voice steady and confident. The muted hum of his computer booting up filled the air as the screen flickered to life, displaying Ken Stark's stern visage.

"Daiki," Ken began, his words weighted with seriousness, "you've been selected for a very special mission. Recent events have shown that the Japanese government cannot handle the Mach technology."

"You're referring to the Hanshin incident, yeah talk about a major screw-up on their end," Daiki replied, his dark eyes reflecting his determination. "What do you need me to do?"

"Your mission is to infiltrate the Japanese government, locate their remaining Machs, confiscate them, and return to Canada." Ken paused, his steely gaze boring into Daiki. "We need to collect the Machs quickly and quietly before the other world governments get their greedy little hands on them, that last thing we need is more countries with Mach programs."

"Of course, it should be a piece of cake," Daiki agreed, the corners of his mouth lifting into a resolute smile. "Ad what about the rogue Mach, the one Mach 3 wanted? Shouldn't we deal with it too?"

"No need to worry about that, Osamu will be handling it," Ken confirmed. "If needed, he'll call on you to assist. But for now, your focus should be on retrieving the remaining Machs from the Japanese government."

"Understood, sir." Daiki nodded before ending the call.

As the screen went dark, Daiki felt disappointed that he was given the easy assignment in his eyes. He had felt this disappointment before and his mind drifted back to when he first joined the DA in Vancouver, driven by his desire to make the world a better place. He had climbed through the ranks, eager to join the Supreme Court. But when he was told he didn't make the cut, his heart shattered like fine china. That is, until Ken Stark appeared, offering him a chance to be part of something greater—the Mach project.

Daiki's hand found its way to the old MP3 player hidden in his safe. The seemingly unremarkable device was, in fact, Mach 6. He flipped the device over in his hand wondering if he would get a chance to use it in the field. The thought of wiping out the Japanese Mach facility as he escaped with their Machs sent a smile across his face.

"Time to get to work," Daiki murmured, tucking the MP3 player into his bag. With each item he packed, his resolve grew stronger, he wouldn't fail. As he zipped up his luggage, he began thinking about the program he could use to infiltrate their computer systems. He stepped out into the private car sent for him and knew this was it, he was going to turn the tide of this secret war in Canada's favor.

-----

The dim glow of Hiro's computer screen cast eerie shadows on the walls of his small, cluttered bedroom in Osaka. He had been scouring the internet for hours, desperate for any sign of Mach 2's whereabouts. The powerful cybernetic suit's pilot had killed Mach 3 without a second thought at the warehouse, but for some reason, he didn't do the same to Hiro. It was Mach 2 claiming Hiro was like him that gnawed at the edges of his mind as he dug deeper into the digital abyss.

"Nothing but weird conspiracy theories," Hiro muttered under his breath, clicking on yet another headline claiming to have spotted "A transforming robotic dinosaur" in Tokyo. Though there were countless articles like this one, all of them were clearly hoaxes, and none brought him any closer to finding Mach 2.

Weariness settled over Hiro like a heavy cloak, weighing down his shoulders and causing his eyelids to droop. He knew he couldn't give up—Mach 2 was out there, plotting his next move. He had promised Mach 2 would get another chance to fight him, and he was sure the pilot was preparing for it. The fear and the tiredness caused Hiro's head to throb.

"Maybe it's time for a break," Hiro whispered to himself, rubbing his temples. His thoughts drifted to Kimiko, wondering how she was doing after being kidnapped by Noboru. They hadn't spoken much since he rescued her, having agreed that it would be best if Hiro kept his distance lest the government discovered his connection to the Machs.

Hiro reached for his futuristic phone, its sleek surface cool and smooth beneath his fingers. One phone call wouldn't hurt, in fact he welcomed the distraction from thinking about the fight that awaited him.

"Hey, Kimiko," Hiro said when she answered, trying to sound more cheerful than he felt. "I was wondering if you wanted to go for a walk or something. Honestly, I could use one, relax and talk about school like we used to,"

"Sorry, Hiro," Kimiko said, her voice soft yet firm. "I've got a ton of homework and chores to do. But I hope we can hang out soon. It's been too long."

"Definitely," Hiro agreed, his heart sinking. "I'd love that. Take care, okay?"

"You too, Hiro." And with that, the line went dead.

Hiro stared at the silent phone for a moment before setting it aside. Sighing heavily, he turned back to the computer screen, the familiar glow. Hiro still didn't understand why Nori killed Mach 3. What could cause someone to become such a ruthless killer?

"Who are you?" Hiro questioned softly, frustration gnawing at him like a ravenous beast.

-----

The moment the call ended, Kimiko's fingers clutched the phone tightly as her eyes narrowed. A determined fire ignited within her, fueled by the desire to never be a damsel in distress again. She had spent hours scanning online forums and visiting pharmacies hoping to spot Yutaka, the man with burns. It was a fruitless endeavor so far, but she refused to give up. She had seen Hiro talking to him and had overheard a few of their phone calls. She knew that Yutaka knew more about the Machs than anyone.

Kimiko's mind wandered back to her terrifying encounter with Noboru, the feeling of helplessness still fresh in her memory. Her nightmares were haunted by his twisted grin and haunting laughter, an echo that made her shudder even now. She couldn't bear the thought of relying on someone else for protection; she needed a Mach, to protect herself.

Making her way through the bustling streets of Osaka, Kimiko entered a quaint cafe, hoping to re-energize before continuing the hunt. The warm aroma of coffee and pastries enveloped her as she found an empty table near the window. Nestling into the seat, she allowed herself a moment of respite, sipping her drink as her thoughts raced.

"Looking for me?" a voice interrupted her musings.

Startled, Kimiko looked up to see Yutaka sitting across from her, his eyes hidden behind dark glasses, his face adorned with the unmistakable scars of a burn victim.

"How did you know I was searching for you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper lest anyone overhear their conversation.

Yutaka smirked. "It's simple, really. I've been watching you, but don't flatter yourself and think you are special. I watch every close to Hiro, I need to ensure his safety after all."

Frustration bubbled within Kimiko, but she held her tongue, choosing instead to focus on her objective. "I want to help Hiro too, and I need a Mach to do that," she said, her tone hushed yet resolute.

Yutaka chuckled. "There are no more, unless you plan to break into a top-secret government facility and steal one for yourself."

"Then you should remember how to create them. You were involved in their development, I heard you talking to Hiro," Kimiko insisted, her gaze unwavering.

"Well, aren't you nosey? It's true, I helped design the cybernetic suits, but no one was allowed to know the entire process," Yutaka explained, his voice tinged with regret. "That was a necessary precaution to ensure the safety of the technology." He paused, his eyes flicking around the room before he continued, "My most significant contribution was the cloaking aspect that allows the Machs to appear like old, out-of-date technology."

As he finished, Kimiko's eyes were drawn to an old Tamagotchi clipped to Yutaka's bag. The realization hit her like a lightning bolt, causing her heart to race with newfound determination. Yutaka had his own interests to look after, even if he did have a Mach he would never admit it to Kimiko.

"Yutaka, I can't keep living with the nightmares, I have panic attacks at random. So you can't build another Mach, there must be something you can do," she pleaded, desperation lacing her words. "Something you can create so I can sleep at night and protect myself."

For a moment, Yutaka studied her, scrutinizing the fire in her eyes. "A girl like you shouldn't get mixed up in any of this, giving you anything of the sort would only drag you deeper into it. You would most likely wind up dead."

His words cut Kimiko like a knife, and so in that moment, she decided to take matters into her own hands.