FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 11

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Drinking Buddies

Nero Greenwood was on his feet even as he was looking down at his monitor. Though he was still in the Realworld, he had a live feed to the Overworld from his computer. Such was the technology he as the Chief Technology Officer of AllAle had introduced to the corporation. What he saw, however, didn't fill him with pride.

"What the hell is going on out there?"

The door to his office slid open and Elijah Marmouth alongside his IP, Xaoxing, came striding in. Though both of their features were steely and unreadable, they walked with a brusque pace which betrayed the urgency of the situation.

"A mob of IPs have charged at our HQ in the Overworld," announced the stiff-backed Siamese. "They're saying that they were the ones promised a position in AllAle as part of Aileen's ploy."

After the debriefing, with the Corpsmen involved in Aileen's party, he knew that her unfulfilled plots would eventually come biting them back in the ass. The fact that she had thought to employ random, desperate IPs to outwit the Libertatis was both ingenious but also incredibly stupid. Sure it was a way to counter the Libertatis' Parse but it also meant that in the aftermath, they would have a lot of angry IPs wanting some form of payoff for their efforts.

The fact that she had died only meant that all of them had little in terms of closure.

"Goddamnit!" he growled, slamming a fist into his desk. "What do they want?"

"An explanation," Elijah answered bluntly. "Comfort. They hope that we will accept them and prolong their existence."

"You know that can't happen." He wished he had Kanoth's head for numbers because that could certainly be useful in this situation. "We would have to bind each of them with a Corpsman and then proceed to have them turned into Dosers. Every one of our Corpsmen are currently bonded with a Doser. Even if we removed the copies and gave the newly freed ones new Dosers, there's still the training they would have to undergo with their new partners! Our operations would be severely cut back! Other corporations are already after our necks!"

That was the most expensive and trying part about the Corpsmen. There was a perception that since the Dosers were just mindless puppets that the Corpsmen commanded, it would be easy for any person to become a Corpsmen and just order around their Doser. But that wasn't the case. A Corpsman had to learn how their Doser worked, what their abilities were and how best to utilise them. That took months of training. A Doser was like a gun or a new program. You knew what it could do but unless you trained with it, got a feel for how to use it, you would never be able to use it to its fullest capabilities.

"I bet this is another company's attempt to throttle us," growled Nero.

"I have a differing opinion." Elijah stepped forward, holding out a tablet. On it was a photograph. It showed a member of the Custodes Libertatis. There was no mistaking those metal masks with that devilish grin and those LED goggles. This man both furs knew by reputation. The lion was one of the bastards that had been hacking away at their Corpsmen and Dosers and using some unknown Function on them. Whenever those Corpsmen were retrieved, they didn't remember anything about the Overworld. They knew nothing of their training or even their Dosers like their memories had been selectively wiped.

That put the cost of operations even higher.

If only Aileen hadn't been so damn ambitious...

"Fuck," Nero growled. "They're seriously using the IPs as a distraction? What are they after?"

"What else?" Elijah asked. "They're going after the Server."

Of course they were. Somehow, the Libertatis_must have learned that _AllAle was going to move the Overworld Server to Emile's mansion. It was only meant to be a temporary measure, of course. Once the main HQ was secure and operations were back to normal, himself, Emile and Elijah were going to guard the Server and work from the mansion upstate. After all, with two of the five officers linked to the server killed and one of the IPs missing, the Server was exceptionally vulnerable. If all of them were eliminated, then AllAle's Overworld activities would cease to exist. All their gathered IPs, their HQ in the Overworld and their capacity to spread their products would all be gone.

If the three of them remained, they could rebuild but it would still be a massive blow to the company. They could recover especially if they had the DR site but that was not something he would want to invoke.

"We need to move," Nero said, slapping his palms against the table. "Now."

"Are you sure that's wise?" cautioned Elijah. "_Libertatis_is out there."

"And if they get in here, the Server is vulnerable. We need to move operations to the DR site where it's more secure. Now."

"I'm Chief Security Officer, Nero," said Elijah, showing the first signs of emotion past his unreadable features, "and I say we stay put."

"And I am Chief Technology Officer," countered Nero. "In my opinion, we need to move. The mansion is far more secure than this place and we can hole up there while this blows over." He grabbed his coat from behind his seat. "I don't care what you say, Elijah, staying here is suicide. We're _both_here with the Server and if the _Libertatis_is out there in force with an angry mob, we'll be kicked out of the Overworld for sure."

"You can't know that."

"I've done the simulations!" barked Nero. "Over the past few days, the Libertatis have been systematically taking down our Corpsmen! They've been eliminating our Dosers and using some sort of Function that wipes our Corpsmen's memories! All that training, all that time and effort that went into making sure we had an efficient operation, gone! Knowing what we know, if they use that Function on us, AllAle will be lost!"

The feline's eyes narrowed at him. "Are you saying this because of loyalty to the brand or because you think you've invested too much into it that you can't conceivably do anything else?"

Nero didn't like that tone and snarled at the cat. "Are you_suggesting that you're not totally loyal to _AllAle?"

"This is the world of business, Nero. We must be adaptive and agile. Isn't that the preferred methodology in the world of technology; agile? I want to see AllAle succeed in its original vision but we can't achieve that if there are people who are unwilling to change when the tide is clearly against them."

"This coming from the guy that wants to sit by and just let the Libertatis into our base."

"I never suggested that we don't fight. I am merely suggesting that it's a possibility the Libertatis wants you to run off with the Server. Think about it, Nero. The most vulnerable place for you and the Server isn't here. It's in transit between here and Emile's mansion. It's going to take hours to transport it. They're drawing you out. If we stay here, we can win a war of attrition."

A valid point but every instinct in his body told him to err on the side of caution. The mansion was the most secure place they had and it would be where they would all be safe. If they stayed here, they would be trapped. Even a single day without their Corpsmen out on the field would cripple AllAle beyond recovery. Still, Elijah had a point. Nero shook his head and straightened. "Fine. You stay here. If the Libertatis is gunning for us, then we should split up and give them a bigger target. Force them to split their forces."

The Siamese cat didn't reply securing Nero's course of action as the one they were going to take.

He nodded towards Tomahawk who was already cracking his knuckles, ready to break some skulls. "Tom, get every Corpsman in the Realworld out into the Overworld. We need to secure the Server and get to the mansion."

"Don't do anything rash, Nero," Elijah warned, turning to leave. "I want AllAle to survive just as much as you. But in what shape it survives depends on what we do next."

A pit formed in Nero's stomach. Elijah was right. The Custodes Libertatis were not pulling any punches. They were the target of the little rebellion. Their full might was bearing down upon them.

Whatever came next, AllAle would never be the same.

******

"This is it," warned Cliff. "They're on the move."

Ryker, now on the ground level and hiding in an alleyway, watched from around the corner as the IPs pushed and shoved the Corpsmen on _AllAle's_front door. There was always a risk that _AllAle_could open fire upon them but it would be one hell of a PR disaster. As heartless as the mob-like corporation could be, they were reliant on their false air of benevolence to attract business. Word in the Overworld could spread as quickly as any rumour in the Realworld and there was always the possibility that an attached IP that was still bound to their Host but without their Host awakened to the Overworld could hear of _AllAle's_injustices. That IP could inadvertently bleed their opinions to their Host. That could be the butterfly flapping its wings. It just took one drop to change an ocean.

At the same time, these IPs were not going to do anything too brash. They knew AllAle held all the leverage here and they cared too much about their lives to throw it away needlessly. While a tragedy could trigger them, this was a protest, an opportunity to air a grievance; not an attack.

That was why the Custodes Libertatis was here.

"How can you tell?" Oliver asked.

"We've got eyes and ears in AllAle_. Nero Greenwood is pulling all Corpsmen in the area back to HQ. They're moving the Server now."_

He had to wonder exactly how one went about moving a whole server and the logistics behind it. If they were going for a seamless fail over to the secondary site without impact to day-to-day operations, it should be done electronically or online. There shouldn't be a need to move a physical server.

"Excuse the stupid question," Ryker began, "by why exactly do they need to move the physical server? Shouldn't they already have the secondary site prepared and they'd just have to switch it on."

"Oh right," Oliver said. "You don't know. When we say 'server' it's not exactly the 'server' you're thinking of. It's -"

There was a sudden boom and a brilliant light erupted from somewhere within the _AllAle_building. This light, a blistering column of white, pierced the drab, grey skies of the Overworld like a spear piercing heaven. The IPs down on the streets gawked and stared at the scintillating light. There was no denying that there was a certain allure to it.

"That'd be the Server!" shouted Cliff. "We got to move!"

Ryker exchanged glances with Takoshi and the bear shrugged. His IP took the lead as they immediately turned away from the crowd and started heading parallel to the light. Even with the towering buildings of the shadowy New York City blocking the pillar, he could just feel it through the walls. It was calling to him.

"Is it normal to feel drawn to that thing?" he asked.

"Yep," Cliff answered. "The Server is, like, the ultimate manifestation of a CEO's Control Function. All the Contracts, all the IPs and all the connections to the Corpsmen sits within the Server. Not to mention the officer's phones that have the Independent App. It's like... uh..."

"A black hole," Oliver supplied. "It's so dense with content that it simply draws more towards it but those that get consumed by it are crushed into nothingness until it's just one in the same identity. That's why Corporations hide their Servers in their HQ. If they expose it, IPs are going to flock to it. Not just good ones either."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Suddenly, Takoshi stopped and pushed Ryker back. They were about ten feet away from the alley exit but he could already see the dark, distorted shadows shooting past the entrance, all seemingly heading towards the server.

"Fuck," Takoshi growled. "Zombies."

This was the first time Ryker had even seen a Zombie IP. He remembered Takoshi explaining them to him once. They were IPs that went against their original concept too quickly and the contradictions in their essence caused their minds to splinter and shatter. Obsessed only with feeding, Zombie IPs were true monsters and a danger to everyone; Host, IP, Corpsman or Doser. The Zombie he saw looked like a cross between a bull and a bird with a gorilla-like build. It's eyes were black and completely hollow, unseeing and seemingly dripping with some sort of black, vicious liquid like they were crying diseased blood. Its broad jaw was filled with ragged, sharpened teeth that jutted out at odd angles, some even piercing its upper lip while a dripping tongue somehow managed to find a gap between two fangs to hang nearly to its knees.

"This is why corporations seldom reveal their Servers," Oliver said. "It attracts Zombies."

Ryker still didn't understand why a sever needed to be physically moved but he could see its risks. This was certainly a dangerous venture. That light could attract Zombies, the Libertatis and perhaps even other corporations. Nero must really be desperate to order a move of the Server so abruptly. The Libertatis really knew what they were doing when they ramped up the pressure.

Now a problem posed itself.

How were they going to get to the Server if the streets were flooded with Zombies?

He glanced to his left and smirked. Thank God New York was one of those cities that had fire escapes, as obsolete as they were.

"Tako,"_he said, gesturing towards the steel ladders and stairs. _"This way."

The bear grinned at him and easily grabbed the ladder to pull it down. He quickly climbed up to the first platform and then began a steady climb up to rooftops. Much to his relief, he noticed that none of the Zombies were heading for where the IPs had gathered in front of the AllAle_building. There were flashes of lightning and bursts of fire in the distance. Likely the _Libertatis herding the Zombies away from the innocents.

He had to reassess his opinion of the little rebellion. They weren't just a rag-tag group of hackers and trolls. They were like a guerrilla army; organised, drawn to a purpose and well-armed. That also made him a little wary. The Libertatis was clearly bigger than he had first thought.

At the rooftops, he could see the light was rapidly moving north like a hot, white knife cutting through the skyline.

"We have to get to it before it leaves the city!" exclaimed Oliver. "The moment we don't have the cover of these buildings, we either get overrun by Zombies or we fall behind!"

Ryker glanced over to the next building. "Then we jump! Need your help, Tako!"

Takoshi was way ahead of him, already drawing his sword.

He turned towards the edge, taking a few steps back for a running start and then bolted. There was never any doubt in his mind even as he leapt off the rooftop and was just halfway across the gap before gravity started to pull down at him. A gale of wind blasted at him from beneath, pushing him back into the air and propelling him the rest of the distance across the to the adjacent rooftop. No second was wasted as he immediately dashed across the roof with Takoshi just a second behind him, a mini-tornado wrapped around the bear's waist to help carry him.

On the building across the street, jets of flame indicated where Cliff was riding Arthur's shield as he was thrust from one rooftop to the other. Arthur showed surprising strength in his legs as he was able to make the leap across buildings without the need of his powers. This was with his heavy golden armour as well. Those legs hid an immense amount of power. Not too far from behind them, Soren launched himself from all the way across a street to the same building that Arthur and Cliff were on, a blast of water trailing his feet. Riding on his back was Oliver.

A sharp whistle brought his attention back to Takoshi. His bear jerked his head towards the building one street over. It was a skyscraper but it was in their way to the server. He wasn't entirely sure what the samurai had planned but he still followed him to the edge of the current structure and vaulted off with all his might. Takoshi seized his arm in one paw and then spun in the air. Ryker couldn't help but grin but he wasn't sure if it was due to the centrifugal forces or because he was genuinely enjoying himself as Takoshi wheeled him around before hurtling him straight at the side of the skyscraper. Tremendous winds pushed him the rest of the distance where he firmly planted his feet against the slippery glass. There was a moment where he imagined he was meant to start running up the side of the building, totally defying gravity... then he wondered when physics decided to cease existing. That was when gravity started pulling him back to the ground. He flailed his arms wildly like a baby chick falling out of the next.

Then Takoshi's strong arms and powerful shoulder landed against the small of his back.

"I gotcha, Wild Card!" bellowed the samurai. The howl of winds blasted at them from below and suddenly, Takoshi was pounding his feet hard against the glass windows, Ryker perched on his shoulder.

"When did gravity stop applying to you!?" Ryker laughed.

"I'm a fucking idea from a discarded samurai epic brought to life and made material in the Realworld," Takoshi answered with a grin. "Fuck logic!"

"I didn't say logic. I said 'gravity'."

"Close enough!"

Takoshi vaulted onto the top of the skyscraper and shifted Ryker onto his back, the masked wolf clutching onto the bear's thick, muscular neck and his legs wrapped around that firm waist.

"Hang on tight," rumbled the bear. "This is going to be wild."

He wished he didn't have such blunted claws from all the typing because he was sure he would have needed them. Whatever protest he had died when Takoshi charged towards the edge of the rooftop and hurled himself off.

Time seemed to slow.

He was flying. Suspended in the air, clutching onto Takoshi while the entirety of the warped Overworld stretched out in front of him. The light of AllAle's Server was so close and he could see how it pierced the cloud. It was something he had never noticed before but the Overworld was in perpetual overcast and now that the server was there, he could see the light had pierced the cloud cover and created a sort of moving vortex swirling around where the pillar punctured the canopy. There were other corporate headquarters as well, each differently designed to reflect their officers and ideals; little jewels of light in a sea of grey coals.

He was... free.

Slowly, his fingers uncurled from Takoshi's neck. Just as gravity began to take over again, he spread his arms wide and slowly unwound his legs from Takoshi's waist. His bear didn't even question his actions or express worry. Even as Ryker lifted off Takoshi, the wind whipping through his hair and causing his coat to flutter wildly behind him, Takoshi just turned towards him, grinning brightly as he watched Ryker - metaphorically - spread his wings.

The two furs plummeted towards the ground, their cares momentarily forgotten. Even with his features hidden by his mask and goggles, Ryker knew his smile could be seen by Takoshi. He stretched out his paw towards the polar bear, angling his body downward. Takoshi seized his paw, a moment of perfect unity and clarity between them.

Takoshi then flung him around, just as he had done before, hurling him up into the air and towards another building. Ryker allowed himself to be carried by the powerful winds, even playfully spinning around with his arms stretched wide. He imagined that with his coat tails whipping around, he must have looked quite elegant. At least he hoped so.

A gentle gust of wind caught his landing, preventing him from landing too hard on the rooftops. Behind him, Takoshi launched himself into the air in his own mini-tornado that momentarily brushed against the sidewalk. He was sure some people in the Realworld felt that blast of wind but he didn't care at the moment. The ursine samurai was next to him a moment later and they were again bolting after the server.

He came to a stop at the edge of the building, peering down the street. "We're here," he announced. "Assuming the Server is going in a straight line, it'll hit us in about thirty seconds."

There was an entire convoy of _AllAle-brand_vehicles charging down the street. None of the pedestrians or lights in the Realworld applied to them but the hordes of Zombies sure did. Even with the huge truck blazing with a spire of light like a pure-white chimney and twenty black, armoured trucks complete with a rotating turret armed with a Corpsman and their Doser, they were getting overwhelmed by the sheer number of Zombies attacking.

Ryker gawked as he watched one of those same trucks get its left flank ripped open by the ten-inch claws of a monstrous Zombie. Another one that looked like it was made of liquid sinew poured itself down the turret hole of the same truck. A moment later, the doors to the cabin burst open in a blast of blackish-purple goo with Dosers and Corpsmen being thrown into the hordes of Zombies.

"They'll be killed!" Ryker exclaimed.

"Just the Dosers," Oliver said grimly. "The Corpsmen will probably get bruised but the Zombies will move to incapacitate, not kill. On some level, the Zombies know that they can't exist without Hosts to make more IPs."

"That's convenient..."

"It's more like they know Hosts can't give them the sustenance that Dosers or IPs can," added Cliff. "If pushed, those bastards will rip off your dick and eat it. Then they'll rip you a new one because whatever they ate didn't fill them up."

"Oh..."

Another of the trucks went down, leaving the convoy at eighteen. Bullets were streaming out of the machine gun turrets but even their immense gunfire wasn't enough to fully stop the sea of black, warped bodies that was holding up the convoy. They had to be going maybe ten miles an hour at most.

Two of the leading trucks suddenly ground to a halt and their rear doors burst open. A bit of Ryker's heart broken when he noticed that several Corpsmen jumped out and were accompanied by floating peahens bearing clay jugs.

"Oliver..."

"I see them," the tabby snarled. "They're just copies. Not even made to run around and influence people or sell a product. Just for fighting. That's not was Summer was meant to be."

The copies of Summer unleashed a tsunami of golden liquid that glittered from their jugs. The Zombies were immediately brushed aside and with their bodies suddenly slick with the beer, they had difficulty standing up. Ryker remembered when he had first been doused by Summer's beer and how it had somehow reduced his feet's ability to get any traction.

Oliver let out a disgusted sound. "Their beer is even weirdly... Glittery. What the actual fuck?"

The assault made a path for the convoy and while the two trucks continued to pummel the ravenous Zombies with the 'non-stick' beer, the huge eighteen-wheeler spewing the column of light was escorted past them and further down the road.

"How are we supposed to stop them?" Ryker asked.

Takoshi grabbed his shoulder. "We jump!"

Together, they jumped off the edge of the building. Howling winds whipped up around them, forming a roaring storm that blasted down the street and at the approaching convoy. The gale was so strong that the three leading trucks swerved and twisted. Crystal clear water began spilling out from the top of a nearby building, erupting from the tip of Soren's bat. The water covered the roads, further reducing traction. One of the trucks couldn't remain stable and tipped on its side. It crashed in front of the other two, creating a massive three-truck pileup and forcing the convoy to a halt. The Corpsmen were fast and they were out of their vehicles by the time Takoshi and Ryker came to a smooth landing on the ground, their landing cushioned by an upward draft. Dark shadows burst from the Corpsmen, those shadows quickly becoming encased in silver flames as their IPs manifested. There was a large variety of them. How many Hosts and unique ideas were subverted for the greed of this one company?

Heat erupted from his left heralding Arthur and Cliff's arrival. Soren and Oliver were a step behind, riding a waterfall of water.

"Think we can take them all?" asked Oliver.

"Not really," Cliff responded. "But remember, our job is to keep them pinned until reinforcements arrive."

The pillar of the Server suddenly began to move and, at first, Ryker feared the driver was going to run over his own coworkers just to get past them. Gunfire and the roars of the Zombies erupted from behind the overturned trucks. One of those very same trucks began to move aside and the Corpsmen made way. He couldn't help but gawk when the huge, four-armed rhino with a Mohawk stepped pushed the vehicles aside. His eyes, however, were focused on the other rhino that was just a step behind the titan holding what appeared to be some sort of cube under his arm. It was this very same cube that was emitting the same blistering light.

"The Server..." Cliff whispered.

"That's the Server?" Ryker repeated. "It's... is a box? A white box? Is that meant to be some sort of allegory for white boxes in software engineering?"

"No idea what that means, bro," answered the tiger with a shrug. "All I know is that the Server is made of all the devices from the officers of the corporation and a plane representing the corporation itself."

There were five officers for AllAle and a sixth meant that the shape that could be made was naturally a cube.

A realisation dawned upon him.

"The Server is an IP."

Takoshi gave him a curious look. "Huh?"

"The Server. It's a physical representation of the company. It's just like an IP. The officers have come together to make it, it's standards, its values. It's not just a mascot. It is the corporation. That's why they need to physically move it to somewhere more secure and why the Zombies are attracted to it. It's all the ideas, all the perceptions and all the opinions people have about AllAle given some physical shape!"

The smaller of the rhinos tilted his head. He had to be Nero Greenwood. "I'm honestly surprised you're just realising this now. I though the Custodes Libertatis were better informed than this." He tilted his head forward, eyes narrowed. "Then again, you could just be the grunts and your bosses are keeping you in the dark." He held up the cube, showing it to them. "You're welcome to try to destroy this if all you ever want to be is the mindless sheep your bosses want you to be."

"We are not mindless sheep!" Oliver shouted, this distortions in his voice intensifying with his cries. Ryker quickly grabbed his paw, quietly telling him to calm down.

"Just keep him talking," he whispered, glad that his mask hid any movement from his lips. As far as Nero or any observers could tell, he was just holding Oliver's paw to calm him down. "The longer we stall him, the greater chance the rest of the Libertatis will come and back us up."

"That's exactly what mindless sheep would say," Nero sighed in response to Oliver. "If the Server is an IP, what do you think happens when an IP is forcefully destroyed?"

Oliver gave him a nod, indicating that he had calmed down but that Ryker should fill in the question. "Everything about that IP is forgotten."

"Exactly. Finally someone with brains." Nero threw his other hand up in resignation. "The Server is like a constant Doser, implanting its essence into everyone within it's area of influence within the Overworld. The more people work with it, the more people sign Contracts and submit to it, the more it's influence grows. It constantly sends out a compulsion towards people to think_about _AllAle. It still takes Dosers to implant specific ideas but at the very least, AllAle is in the back of their minds." Nero tapped the side of his head. "Ever had a moment where a random thought just pops into your head? Like a brand or a song? No prompting. Just poof. Suddenly that catchy ad. That's the influence of a Server."

"And if we destroy the Server, all that goes away," Ryker concluded. "More than that though. AllAle as a concept goes away. It's like giving people a lobotomy and removing everything about AllAle_."_

"Exactly! You'd be destroying people's livelihoods! Why are you still doing this if you know how much damage it will do!?"

There, Ryker answered coldly. "Because we're not going to destroy it."

It was a little irksome that Nero was lecturing them, patronising them like they were children. But it worked to their advantage. All this banter bought them time. He just hoped that it wasn't buying the Zombies time to breach AllAle's meagre defences too."

Nero lowered the Server, tucking it slightly behind him to protect it. "What are you planning?"

"The Custodes Libertatis knows that there are many innocent people hired by AllAle_that have nothing to do with the Overworld,"Arthur said, striding forward. "They have families, friends and responsibilities that hinge on your success. Destroying the corporation abruptly like that will ruin their lives. They don't deserve that even if they were unwittingly feeding your dark machinations." He lifted his flaming sword at the Chief Technology Officer. "That's why we're after the officers. If we wanted to destroy the company, we could have done more than just target you. We could have released all the incriminating evidence we have about your tactics and ruined _AllAle's reputation. We could have used our contacts, our hacks and our_resources to rob you of _everything. "

The rhino's eyes widened. "You're fools not to have used everything at your disposal. That kind of weakness will get you killed."

"The Custodes Libertatis doesn't kill," intoned Cliff. "We actually think about the people we're affecting. Unlike you assholes that just take what you want!"

A loud chorus of screams and howls erupted from behind the CTO. Whatever was happening with the Zombies and his other Corpsmen only warranted a brief glance over his shoulder. Even he had to know that he was trapped between the overwhelming numbers of the Zombie IPs and the _Libertatis._The longer he delayed, the more exposed he was.

"I see. Is that really what you think?" Nero brushed aside a stray strand or hair, a pretence for him to cup his forehead in his free hand and let out a dark chuckle. "You naive children." He spread that arm towards them, holding out his hand as if to offer them amnesty. "Boys, do you really think that we don't care about the people we affect? We take _care_of our employees. Yes, getting them over to our side we may use somewhat underhanded tactics but it's a brutal world out there! More independents and start-ups get crushed daily than those that honestly make it. Have you ever heard of the term 'Chasing the Unicorn'?"

Ryker exchanged glances with Cliff who merely shrugged. It was Oliver who spoke.

"It's a metaphor describing chasing something that's really rare and really valuable. It's used these days to describe how some big corporations look for those start-ups that they honestly think are worth investing in and then pursue it to success. But for every one Unicorn, there's hundreds that never make it."

"Right," Nero said calmly. "But AllAle isn't like that. We're taking every independent brewer, bar and wine connoisseur there is regardless of their skill, background or level of success. Then we shape them, train them, invest in them and make them better. Ask yourselves, is that really so wrong? Which is better? That one in a thousand people find great success because of the efforts of another large company backing them or those thousands all finding the same level of success even if they must follow the rules and regulations of a corporation much larger than themselves who knows the industry, who knows the regulations and who can ensure that they _will_succeed?"

A compelling argument. Success for one at a greater scale or success for thousands but under the thumb of an experienced mentor? One could argue that it was a lot like submitting a videogame idea to a publisher. They knew the industry, they had the funds and the people to add finishing touches or get the marketing done. They would have access to vast resources that could propel an independently developed game that would have to luck out _really_big to get noticed to an international sensation.

The same could be said for small brewers.

But Ryker could see through Nero's words and into what he was really saying.

This was justification.

If AllAle was like the mob, then Nero was the poor soul that had blackened his soul to the point where there was no turning back, no form of redemption. He had done too many things, hurt too many people and knew far too much to ever be relieved of his duty or have any chance at going back to a normal life outside the Overworld. Even when everything was burning down around him, he would be the one fighting till the end, loyal to a fault. He had convinced himself that AllAle was the good guy despite all its underhanded dealings.

"Let me ask you something," Ryker said calmly. "Is AllAle wrong?"

Nero lowered the Server, staring at him in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"From your perspective, do you think what AllAle_has done, all the bullying, all the blackmailing, manipulation, psychic manipulation... was it wrong?"_

There was a moment of doubt in Nero's features where his eyes wavered briefly towards his IP, the four-armed rhino. "We aren't saints. Other corporations are -"

"Don't put the blame on other corporations," Oliver snapped. "Answer the damn question. Do you think what you did was right?"

The CTO's features hardened. "I used every resource and every option I had to make sure AllAle was a success. If that meant mentally raping a few minds, attacking and taking over smaller companies or independent brewers, then so be it!" He spread his arms wide. "Yes, what we did was heinous. But that's the price of success! No man is without sin and if I get to see the brand rise above even the greatest of beverage companies for the price of a few black spots on my soul, so be it!"

Ryker felt the eyes of his companions turn to him. He had asked the question. Would he be satisfied with the answer?

"You honestly believe that," he concluded. "And that's just sad."

That should be more than enough time to enact the second part of the plan.

There was a flash of... annoyance on Nero's face. "Have it your way." He lowered his hand, forming it into a fist. "Tomahawk!"

The huge, four-armed rhino stepped in front of his host, cracking all four of his knuckles ominously. The asphalt beside him suddenly glowed a bright red, bubbling away and melting. Ryker's throat went dry just watching it part way for two, long double-axes. Two massive axeheads as big as Ryker's head were bound to a long shaft as tall as the wold, one on each end. Each of the four blades per shaft was made of a slick, grey stone that was weirdly reflective. Their edges, however, were a blistering red and caused the air around them to ripple and waver with intense heat. Tomahawk seized the double-axes, crossing them across his body to form an ominous 'X'.

The air rippled behind him and Nero lifted his free hand, palm up. "Elk Cloner," he intoned. "Full Bodied!"

A fiery red aura like a solar flare erupted from behind him, growing even larger than Tomahawk and looming ominously behind him. The flames coalesced, forming the distinct shape of a powerful torso, strong arms and equally strong legs. The twin antlers of an elk were impossible to miss. The silhouette of a muscled beast stood behind the AllAle CTO like living fire.

"That's his Function manifested," warned Cliff. "From what I read, getting it by it causes you to burn some RAM. So get hit too often and you'll be stuck in the Overworld for a day."

"Small price to pay to defeat AllAle_once and for all!"_ Oliver shouted. "Now, Decanter!"

Just as they had planned, huge pillars of glass came crashing down from the sky. Each one was at least three feet thick and twice that wide. They smashed into the nearby overturned trucks, piercing them or slicing them in half. The Corpsmen behind Nero were immediately cut off from their CTO and the stoic Tomahawk's expression broke from unreadable to surprise as the towers were sealed off above them by a solid, glass ceiling.

"You must be delusional," chuckled Nero. "Tom can _melt_your fucking glass house just by getting close to it!"

"I know," Cliff answered, bringing out his phone. "But at least for the moment, we've got a room." He hit one of the RAM squares on his screen with his thumb. "Save!"

A wave of warm energies washed over them like a golden flame. It ran across the ground, snaking past everyone before speeding up the sides of the pillars and then coalescing at the centre of the glass dome. The golden light quickly spread and bathed them all in its warmth.

"Clever," Nero commented. "You knew you needed an enclosed space to use that Function so you created one. Then you used Save to keep reinforcements or any other Zombies from getting it." The rhino snorted with derision. "But you've still got at least eight Corpsmen and me in here. Go ahead. Try and Parse your way out of this. Even with the two of you still to use your Functions, you'll find yourselves quickly out of RAM once I'm done with you."

Another voice cut in from behind Nero, one Ryker recognised as having only spoken to rarely.

"Since you asked so nicely."

From the wreckage behind Nero stepped out a single figure. Ryker had been hoping for more reinforcements from the Custodes Libertatis but something about this lion-masked individual just sent warning signals up and down his spine. The man was broad shouldered but not too bulky like Takoshi or Soren. He was lean, strong and stood at least 6'4''. He wore a dark blue, sleeveless hoodie naturally with the hood up over his features and his fluffy, rounded ears poking though the holes of the hood not only to keep it in place but so that his hearing wasn't impaired. As with all members of Libertatis, he wore a metal mask over the lower part of his face and LED goggles placed over his eyes. It was unmistakable the lion-like features of the mask given that it reached down towards his neck to emphasise the mane. The grass green long-sleeved shirt he wore underneath the hoodie was a contrast against the navy colouration of his outer garment. Black bands criss-crossed his forearms.

In one hand he held some sort gun and sword fusion that reminded Ryker of late 90's videogame weaponry. The blade was long enough that even from a resting position at his hip and angled, it could easily reach past his thick, black cargo pants made to look like someone had spray-painted emblems on it in white paint. Over his shoulders hovered two, large black boxes that looked like the monoliths from 2001 Space Odyssey only smaller.

"Is he really all we get?" Oliver whispered. "I was kind of expecting a whole army of them with all the planning we did."

Arthur shook his head, eyes wide in awe. "Bro... that's no ordinary member. He's one of the Kage. That's Si."

Nero cocked an eyebrow at the man. "Well, you certainly know how to make an entrance and I must admit you do appear intimidating in a..." He waved his free hand absently through the air, the fiery spectre of an elk performing the same act. "...retro-anime-inspired videogame kind of way. But I'm not impressed."

"Sorry my first impression didn't go over so well," rumbled the lion. "But let's continue with the interview, shall we? How's this?" He lifted his free paw which was covered in white, fingerless gloves. It was holding a phone which he pointed at them. "Parse: No Corpsmen."

Blasts of blue electricity immediately jumped from his phone, striking the Corpsmen. They cried out in terror as they were immediately ejected not only from the Save room but the Overworld as well. That left Nero and Tomahawk alone. Neither were too fazed, however.

"Doing exactly what's expected of you is hardly impressive," Nero said, rolling his eyes. "If this were a real interview, you'd be on the bottom of the list."

A loud snarl emerged from behind Si. Ryker flinched when the monstrous features of an IP slowly pulled itself on top of the wreckage. It looked like some bizarre lollipop man with a thousand small hands erupting from its edges to make it look like some candy-sun from the depths of R'lyeh. It also had candy corn for fangs.

"Watch out!" Oliver shouted.

Si didn't even turn towards the Zombie and just flicked his phone absently in its direction. "Parse: No Zombies."

Sapphire bolts slammed into the maddened IP and even shot off into different directions hinting at the presence of other Zombies. Like the Corpsmen, they were thrown out of the Save room, kept away from the battle and likely thrown into the Overworld as they couldn't survive in the Realworld.

"Wait..." Nero mused. "You can use Parse twice?"

"Actually, I can use it quite a few times." Si lowered his paw and phone. "See, I am the original owner of the Parse Function."

That caught the CTO's attention. Other Hosts using _Parse_always expended five RAM to use it but that was because it wasn't their original Function. The original owner could use their Functions more often and use less RAM.

A dark chuckle rose from Nero's through and he finally turned fully towards Si. "Now you have my attention. Where's your IP?"

"I try not to bother Bifrost with little tasks like this."

Nero's left eye twitched in agitation. "Trying to goad a reaction from me? Well, your tactics won't work. If you're going to face me without your IP, I'll just have to let Tom take care of your friends."

On cue, Tomahawk placed himself between Nero and Ryker's group. The four-armed rhino grinned at them.

"Remember," Cliff warned softly, "our goal is the Server_. Not Tomahawk or Nero. We need to get that thing."_

Ryker nodded quietly to himself, clutching his phone tightly.

"You will find that all members of the Custodes Libertatis are quite adept and it would be a mistake to underestimate us."

Nero smirked, pulling a fist back and the fiery silhouette mirroring the movement. "That sounds like what a villain would say just before he dies!"

Then the battle began.

******

Cue stood on another invisible platform with his arms folded, watching the battle unfold below. The rest of the _Libertatis_leadership approached, all watching.

"How is the containment of the Zombies?" asked the mysterious sixth Kage.

"Now that the Server is hidden in a Save room, they're dispersing," answered Wai, the whale. "Thankfully no casualties amongst the innocent IPs."

"What does that mean for the guilty IPs, though?" queried Ecks.

Yoo gave her childish giggle. "If they died, they died. Not our fault. We didn't force AllAle to go out of their way and run off with their Server." She pressed a finger against the side of her lips thoughtfully. "Oh wait... maybe we did. Oh well!"

"We did no such thing," Wai snarled. "We simply brought the very same IPs that they used to their headquarters as a form of peaceful protest. No one was attacking. They were the ones that escalated!"

"Do you honestly believe that?" Cue asked, watching as Tomahawk stood his ground while the IPs on Ryker's team flung elemental attacks at him. The multi-armed rhino was playing the defensive game. His goal was to keep Takoshi, Soren and Arthur from interfering with Nero and Si's duel.

Loyal to a fault. That was Nero's flaw. Though perhaps 'loyal' was the wrong word. Invested would be a better term. Both of them had invested too much of themselves into AllAle. It was impossible to separate themselves from the corporation. It brought to mind the tale of Sauron and the One Ring from The Lord of the Rings.

"We should go down there and help," mused Yoo. "Wouldn't it be so much fun to pop in and wipe the floor with that smug little rhino? Oh and it'll make Si so mad! He loves being all macho and this would just tick him off so much!"

"They are in a Save room," Ecks countered. "Perhaps we can enter but this is no time for games, Yoo. We are in the process of dismantling the corrupt aspects of a corporation."

"Awww, but what's the point of doing all this without a little fun!?"

Nero threw a punch and his Function's manifestation followed the gesture. Si was fast and leapt aside. The lion was arguably the most agile of the leadership. One had to be when wielding that triggersword. Right after the dodge, Si, still in midair and mid-flip, fired his blade directly at Nero, aiming for the Server. Nero was quick and very adept at his own Function and lowered the ethereal fiery fist of his Function over his body to block the flying blade. Si had reloaded even before he hit the ground and was charging once more.

There were already several problems with the engagement.

"Looks like Si is having a bit of trouble," Yoo giggled. "Not like facing off against all those Corpsmen. He can't use Parse liberally either. Any rules he applies will also limit him."

"Have you so little faith in your comrades?" Cue sighed.

"Aww, it's not that. I just want to help and make sure this doesn't take longer than it should! I have no doubt that Si can beat them all."

"How can they grow and become stronger if you hasten their evolution? Will power gained through outside influenced truly be power earned?"

Yoo threw her paws into the air and turned around. "What-eh-ver."_She perched herself on the edge of the invisible platform. _"Anyone got any popcorn? If I'm going to watch, I might as well have a snack while I'm at it."

"Can you even eat it through your mask?"

******

Tomahawk was like a wall. Though his name and stature suggested that he was more on the offensive side, he made it impossible to get past and to the Server. Takoshi and Arthur charged, swords crackling with their elemental powers. The two charged from two different sides. They clashed with Tomahawk, the huge four-armed rhino catching both of their swords with his double axes. Their fur burned just by being near him and they were both forced to retreat, even Arthur whose armour was specifically made to resist heat. Tomahawk ensured that he was _always_behind Nero so that it was impossible to slip past him and get to the Server.

"I've got an idea," Oliver said. "Soren, help me out here."

"Going to need more than that," Soren said, lifting his bat. Wisps of water were orbiting his bat like baseballs readying themselves to be hit.

"Just keep him busy. Get him into a position where he's actively defending."

"I can do that."

The balls of water suddenly lined up beside the eagle and he immediately swung his ball at them in rapid succession. They soared through the air. They sizzled into steam before even hitting Tomahawk.

"You're going to have to try harder than that to beat us!" Tomahawk scoffed.

Soren narrowed his gaze and held up his free hand. A sphere of water as big as a basketball appeared between his fingers. "Fine!"

For a second, Tomahawk looked openly worried as Soren lifted the ball into the air and then slammed his bat against its surface. Tomahawk immediately lifted his axes, crossing them over his torso and hunching behind them to defend himself. Soren smirked. The huge ball suddenly splintered, erupting into a hundred smaller spheres that scattered into a wide wall in front of Tomahawk. The rhino balked.

That was exactly the opening Oliver was looking for.

The tabby lifted his phone, pointing it directly at the fiery IP. "Pause!"

Tomahawk was frozen in place. In that instant, his aura of blistering heat had fallen in his shock. Water bullets slammed into him, forcing him back a few steps though the damage wasn't that much. The effect of Pause had taken effect however and the rhino was frozen in place.

"Way to go, kitty cat!" Cliff exclaimed. "Avalon, Ronin! Let's go!"

The tiger alongside Arthur and Takoshi charged, eyes focused on Nero's back.

Something, however, didn't sit well with Ryker.

This was too easy. The Pause Function came from the corporations. Certainly they would've thought of ways to counter if it ever was used against them.

Nero turned slightly towards Tomahawk, seeing his IP's plight.

"Control!" shouted the CTO.

Ryker's heart jumped to his throat. Natasha had warned that the corporations had three very powerful Functions. Control was one of them.

"Guys! Back off!" he cried but it was too late.

Tomahawk began moving again just as the three men swept past him. The rhino swung his double axes. The heads slammed into Takoshi's back, biting into his flesh since he was mostly unarmoured. The bear howled in pain. Arthur had enough time to lift his shield before he was struck by the blow and sent crashing into Cliff. Tomahawk pulled his axe free of Takoshi, forcing the bear to his knees. His knee rose and slammed right into the samurai's chin with enough force to send him crashing back a good fifteen feet. Ryker immediately hit the Refresh button on his phone, redistributing some of his energy to heal Takoshi's wound. A greenish aura surrounded them both as the energy was transfered and a faint bit of weakness hit him with the act.

They couldn't afford another move like that.

"What the hell was that?" Soren demanded.

"Control," Cliff grimaced from underneath Arthur. "One of the three killer Functions that all corporations have. It's what they use to make Contracts. Anyone under the influence of Control can be forced to do anything even defy logic and break out of other Functions."

Ryker glanced towards Oliver. Pause took three RAM so that left Oliver with just another three. He could perhaps use Loop for something but then that would leave him with one RAM left. With Nero's ability to 'burn' away RAM as well, he could be stuck in the Overworld for a day, at the mercy of any vengeful Corpsmen or the Zombies. A glance at his phone revealed that he and Takoshi were down to 80% energy each. They couldn't make many more missteps.

Think. There had to be a way past Tomahawk.

Behind the multi-armed rhino, Si was fighting hard against Nero. The CTO's huge, sweeping moves with his Function had Si jumping and leaping over the wreckage of trucks around him. The lion was incredibly - almost superhumanly - agile and was firing blades infused with elemental energies from his triggersword. Neither seemed to be getting the advantage over one another though he could see that Si was starting to tire.

If only there was a way to get past Tomahawk's two double-axes.

"Two double axes," he whispered.

An idea sprung into his mind.

"Guys! I've got a plan!" He quickly began typing a message over to Cliff who was still off to Tomahawk's right. "Takoshi, create a wind tunnel! Hit Tomahawk with everything you've got!"

Tomahawk snorted. "If you think that'll blow me off my feet..." He slammed one foot into the ground, shattering the road and planting his foot at least a good six inches into the ground. Then he did the same with the other while twirling his axes in his four hands deftly. "... You'll be surprised."

Takoshi glanced towards him and Ryker just nodded in return.

"Alright, Wild Card," exclaimed the bear, lifting his sword over his head. "Here we go!" Blustery winds gathered around the edge of his blade, howling like a thousand wolves crying at the moonlight. The bands of wind were visible as they gathered around the edge of his weapon. Then he brought it crashing back down in a vicious vertical slash. Those very same winds rushed towards Tomahawk, striking the rhino but doing little more than whipping his hair back.

"Just keep at it, Ronin!" Ryker shouted while Takoshi lifted his blade and made another slash, maintaining the beam of concentrated winds. "Soren! Shoot your water into the wind tunnel!"

Oliver exchanged glances with Soren and the eagle immediately thrust his bat in Takoshi's direction. A pillar of water shot forward before it was abruptly caught in the roaring winds and shot towards Tomahawk. The rhino grunted as pellets of water struck him like little bullets, actually causing him some discomfort. But it was not enough to knock him over. Perhaps his flaming aura would be subdued somewhat but it wasn't enough to immobilise him.

Then Ryker began running.

The young wolf bolted, clutching his phone and with his thumb hovering over a RAM slot. Tomahawk realised the plan. They were trying to distract him. Keep him pinned and his defences up so that one of them could slip past him and hit Nero.

Not going to happen.

Like Nero, Tomahawk was undying in his loyalty to his Host. He turned, taking the brunt of Takoshi and Soren's attack, his flanks getting cut and bruised by the blade-like winds and bullet-like water pellets. Small price to pay to stop Ryker. He lifted both his axes into the air, aiming directly for the masked wolf.

Strange that the boy never looked at him even as his shadow loomed overhead.

CLANG!

A golden shield and a silvery dagger caught his weapons.

Cliff and Arthur.

Both furs, their backs against this weapons, formed barrier for Ryker to quickly shoot through and bypass Tomahawk entirely.

"No!" bellowed the rhinoceros. "Nero!"

The Chief Technology Officer turned in surprise just as Ryker reached him. The wolf hand his phone out, pointing directly at the glowing cube in the rhino's hands.

"Break!"

Nero jerked back.

Blistering white cracks appear not against the glowing white cube but instead on the fiery, ethereal arm of Nero's manifested Function a short distance away.

He had missed.

The arm of the elk made of pure fire shattered like glass but just mere seconds later, flames erupted from the stump and reformed into an arm. Nero, teeth gnashed together in frustration, sent a backhand slamming into Ryker's face. Pain erupted from the lupine's cheeks especially as it struck the metal mask over his features. At least the Function hadn't hit him.

"Nice try," snarled the rhino. "Almost got me there. If it weren't for Tom's warning, you would've gotten the Server. I can see why Kanoth tried to recruit you all. If he -"

Click.

Suddenly, Nero froze. The blade of Si's weapon was pressed against his neck and the lion was standing right beside him, weapon levelled at his throat.

"Did anyone every tell you that you talk way too much?" asked the Libertatis_leader._ The feline reached out and plucked the cube of light from Nero's hands. "I'll take that, thank you."

Nero's eyes were wide in horror. "What...? When...? How?"

Si nodded towards Ryker in acknowledgement. "It was a gutsy move and one that carried a lot of risk but you did well, Wild Card." His LED lights switched back to Nero. "I just needed an opening. Something to get me close to you and to grab the Server. Wild Card purposefully missed the Server just so that your attention would be pulled from me for a few seconds. Enough for me to close in and take this."

The CTO's eyes were wide with fury and humiliation. Behind him, Tomahawk had stopped his assault as Si continued to threaten his Host.

Loyal to a fault.

"Do you worst," scowled Nero. "Even if you destroy that server, you won't destroy AllAle. Emile and Elijah are still out there. They can rebuild! You might expel them from the Overworld for a little bit but they'll be back! It might not be _AllAle_when it comes back but you can be sure Emile will be leading the charge and he will hunt you down!"

"Which is exactly why we will use this and your truck to get into Emile Sanots' mansion and strike him down there," Si said.

Nero's eyes widened and his jaw went slack for all of a minute. Then he let out a dark laugh. "You can certainly try! But you'll never fool the guards there or Emile! He knows that I've extracted the Server. You'll never get past the gates without me or another officer! Even if you try and disguise your goons as Corpsmen, you'll never get by!"

Then, someone emerged from behind the nearby wreckage, his polished dress shoes clicking softly against the asphalt. He stepped over to Si and plucked the Server from the leader.

"That would be why I'm involved," the Siamese cat said, angling his bright blue eyes towards Nero, features unreadable. Behind him was a short puff of smoke and out emerged a rhino dressed in rather skimpy and revealing ninja garb.

Nero's eyes widened in shock. "You...?"

Elijah Marmouth nodded gravely.

"Sorry, Nero. It had to be done."