Part Four:

Koemi: (After a long moment of silence) You mean, They've the brain of a human?
Gonjen: And the strength of four. We think Meijing is experimenting with his power. This is dangerous. If he can make his zombies faster, his Vampires smarter and his Ghosts more deadly, our meager seven hundred GH Patrollers will do nothing but give them a good laugh as they tear us apart.
Kananno: So, how do we stop him?! I've had a hard enough time with those Vampires!
Gonjen: Speaking of which, move your head.
(Kananno tips his head and allows Dr. Gonjen to examine his puncture wound.)
Gonjen: (Inspecting Kananno's neck) Well, there's gotta be something he's using. Something that's making his minions more powerful. We'll have to locate it and destroy it… Until then, there's noting you can do.
Koemi: How about some undercover work? We could snoop around. See if anyone knows anything in the Under City. There's a ton of Meijin followers down there…
Gonjen: (Sternly) We're not sparing our two best workers for a suicide mission. We'll find something with our Sate-cam. (Satellite Camera)
Kananno: Aw, that camera sucks.
Gonjen: It's better than sending you two out… After what happened last time. They're still trying to come up with the money to repair the Centrum.
Kananno: (Defensively) That was an accident!
Koemi: Besides! Kan started it!
Kananno: Ko, shut up.
Gonjen: Look, I have to get back to work. Just promise me you two wont say a word of this to anyone till I'm certain. Just tell them to be careful. And stay out of trouble!
(Koemi and Kananno leave the lab)

* * * *

Kananno: (Clinging to Koemi on the back of another vehicle scooter) Ko, why are we going back to the ghetto? To get our scooter?
Koemi: Naw, that was TTU'ed back to base
Kananno: No. No, Turn around right now! I know what you're thinking! NO!
Koemi: (Amused) Really? What am I thinking?
Kananno: You've brought us into the Ghetto, so we can sneak into Undercity!
Koemi: (With cynical surprise) Oh my! What a wonderful idea! Good thinking Kan! I'll be sure to tell Gonjen that it was your idea when we come back with the secret information.
Kananno: Koemi Kikawasa, stop this damn thing right now! ( Reaches over her shoulder and pulls the key out of the ignition.)
(The scooter slows to a stop, already in the middle of the ghetto, surrounded by run down, vacant city buildings and quiet as a grave.)
Kananno: Bring us back.
Koemi: (Almost distressed sounding) I can't! You over heated the engine when you yanked the key out like that! Now we have to wait about a half hour for this thing to settle down. Damn in, Kan, I told you these things were temperamental.
Kananno: (Grumbling to himself) Yeah, ten percent temper and ninety percent mental.
Koemi: Mine as well do what we came here for, since we're stuck.
Kananno: (Sternly) No. Call dispatch and have them send us a pick up vehicle.
Koemi: We've ruined two scooters in twenty-four hours! How's that going to look on our permanent record?
Kananno: Better than disobeying a direct order, that's for sure. Call Dispatch.
(Koemi doesn't answer, just grabs Kan's hand and begins to drag him through the deserted, narrow streets, until they get to a high chain linked fence, about ten feet tall, with razor wire spiraling the top. Stuck up in it is remnants of old cloth, and off in the distance, what they think to be a skeleton.)
Kananno: When was the last time someone cleaned this thing?
Koemi: We're in the slums, Kan. People don't come down here anymore. Not since the LD Wars… If someone tried to escape Hiromi (their city), and gets caught in the wire… no one cleans it up. Where've you been the last, like, eighty years.
Kananno: Shut up.
(Koemi leads them over to a large manhole, with steam seeping out around the cover. Her and Kananno managed to lift the cover, then she shoots her grappling into the side of the wall a few feet down.)
Koemi: (Almost excited) Ready?
Kananno: I hate this part.
(He wraps his arms around her waist and nuzzles against her back, just as she jumps into the hole. They rebound off the wall, down forty feet, until they are able to hit solid ground. Koemi sucks her grappling back into her arm band. They are standing in a city underground; small shanties, old, decrepit buildings and fire in barrels lining the streets for light. They're on constantly, and there's no sun.)
Kananno: Oh, God... what's that smell?
Koemi: Sewerage, I suppose. These people aren't as clean as we are… Not down here.
Kananno: Ewe.
(They walk only a few feet, till Koemi stops Kan and points to a large building, looking like an abandoned church, with the words: OUR SAVOR; MEIJING.)
Koemi: In there
Kananno: Are you psycho? There's bound to be zombies, Vampires and all sorts in there. We can't just barge in and be like: gimme answers!
Koemi: Of course not. Don't be stupid. We'll play it cool. Like we belong in there. We know everything about Meijing! We don't have to pretend.
Kananno: (Following Koemi towards the old church) You're going to get us killed.
(They enter the old church. The smell of decay and blood is the first overwhelming stench that hits them, followed by the smell of dirt and urine. Kananno almost gags, but Koemi plays it cool. As they make their way along a narrow row of dead looking, shrunken people, they stare at the two of them.)
Kananno: (Whispering rapidly) Bad idea… I told you bad idea. We may know things, but we definitely don't look the part. We're too well nourished...  bad idea, Ko
Koemi: Shut up, and we could pull this off.
(Suddenly a man darts in front of them and stops, hands outstretched to his sides and clad in a grimy brown robe)
Oda: My name is Oda. I am the priest of this church. Who are you?
Koemi: We have become outcasts, for we worship our lord, Meijing.. We wish to join your church.
Oda: (Pleased) Wonderful! New recruits! Is it revenge that you seek on the above world.
Kananno: (Almost inaudibly into Koemi's ear) I think I'm going to faint.
Koemi: Yes, revenge
Oda: Then choose your soul to posses! Our Lord hasth given us the way of possessing his minions' lives! All we do is chant and prey!
Koemi: That's why those creatures up there have become so smart! They're brains are being possessed by people down here!
Oda: That is correct! Chose your disciple.
(A man from the back of the room suddenly screams out)
Man: They are not here to help us! They are Ghoul Hunters! Look! On the boy's arm! He's the GH symbol embroidered on his shirt!
(Kananno and Koemi look down and see a small symbol on the cuff of Kan's flannel shirt)
Koemi: (Softly) Way to go, hero…
(Slowly everyone in the room rises to their feet and encircles them)
Oda: (Angrily) For this out rage, you will be our main banquet tonight. We haven't had fresh meat since I can remember!!!!!!
 

To Be Continued....