You close your eyes and focus on the telepathy web, immediately sensing Hinata's nervous presence as she activates her Byakugan. The visual feed floods into your consciousness - not quite seeing through her eyes, but experiencing the data her kekkei genkai provides.

  Sacramento Executive Airport resolves in three-hundred-sixty degree crity below. Hinata's scan penetrates hangars, buildings, vehicles with precision. "Three medium aircraft visible on the nding road," she reports through the web, her mental voice steadier than her spoken words usually are. "Two single-engine, one twin-engine... No chakra signatures inside them."

  Rika's presence sharpens in the web as she processes the data. "Ground personnel?"

  "I see... twelve living humans total," Hinata continues, her scan sweeping through the terminal building. "Eight clustered together in what looks like the main terminal - they're sleeping, I think. Two more in a smaller building near the fuel pumps. The st two are in a guard tower, but they're both slumped over. Also sleeping."

  "Threat assessment?" Albedo's mental voice carries clinical precision.

  "No weapons visible except... wait." Hinata's scan focuses. "The two in the guard tower have rifles leaning against the wall beside them. Everyone else appears unarmed. No prepared defensive positions. No vehicles running. No signs of organized military presence."

  Rika speaks aloud from the cockpit area, her Japanese accent crisp. "Survivors using the airport as shelter. Guard rotation suggests basic security awareness but poor discipline - both sentries asleep means no real threat posture. Recommend low approach from the south side, nd near the rgest hangar to minimize exposure to terminal building."

  Albedo rises smoothly from her seat, moving to stand beside C.C. "Agreed. We'll maintain Lightbend during approach and nding. Ground team will be myself, Yoruichi, Erza, and Nova for security. Brad will handle the enchantment work. Everyone else remains aboard as rapid extraction reserve."

  While the tactical discussion continues, you become acutely aware of the warmth pressed against both sides. Kurumi's fingers trace idle patterns across your chest, her touch deliberate and possessive. Musashi remains still, but her breathing has changed tempo - you feel the tension in her body where she presses against your right side.

  "The Master appears distracted," Kurumi purrs through the web, her heterochromatic eyes gleaming as she tilts her head to press her lips against your neck again. "Or perhaps he's simply enjoying the view?"

  Musashi's hand moves almost unconsciously to rest on your thigh, higher than strictly necessary. Her violet eyes remain closed but her lips curve slightly.

  C.C.'s voice cuts through with clinical precision. "Sacramento Executive Airport approach in six minutes. Ground team, prepare for deployment. Brad, you'll need to be functional when we nd."

  "I'm always functional," you reply through the web, opening your eyes to meet C.C.'s knowing gaze in the rearview mirror.

  "Debatable," she observes dryly, but her tone carries faint amusement rather than criticism.

  Albedo's golden eyes sweep across the pre-dawn airport, her voice cutting through the telepathy web with clinical precision. "Hinata - control tower. Remove weapons from the sentries without waking them. If they wake during Brad's enchantment work, render them unconscious immediately."

  You watch through the web as Hinata's pale eyes widen slightly before she activates her Byakugan and moves toward the tower with surprising stealth, disappearing into the shadows.

  "Yoruichi, Musashi - escort Asia to the single-engine aircraft near the fuel pumps," Albedo continues, her wing gesturing toward the two aircraft visible in the darkness. "Two survivors are sheltering there. If they attempt force, neutralize them without permanent harm."

  Yoruichi grins, her purple hair catching the faint starlight. "Non-lethal takedowns. Got it." She gnces at Musashi, who nods once, her hand resting on her katana hilt as Asia follows nervously between them.

  "Erza, Mikasa, Yusuke - you're escorting C.C. and Brad to the twin-engine first." Albedo's gaze settles on you. "Master, you'll enchant that aircraft, then proceed to the control tower while C.C. handles the second single-engine. You'll complete the remaining single-engine aircraft afterward."

  Yusuke cracks his knuckles, green school uniform rustling. "Finally get to do something besides sit around."

  Mikasa moves to your right side immediately, her Survey Corps uniform and red scarf distinctive even in the darkness. Erza takes position on your left, her scarlet hair loose over her shoulders as she scans the terminal building. The eight survivors sleeping inside remain completely unaware of the invisible helicopter that just nded.

  "Rika, Rin - get the tower's backup generators operational and return here," Albedo finishes. "We maintain Lightbend throughout. Ground time: fifteen minutes maximum."

  Rika nods sharply, already moving toward the tower with Rin close behind, the Tohsaka mage's bck skirt swishing as she jogs across the tarmac.

  C.C. raises from the pilot seat, her golden eyes tracking everyone's movements as she moves to the ramp. "Brad, when you're ready."

  You rise from between Kurumi and Musashi - both women releasing you with visible reluctance - and move toward the helicopter's rear ramp. The your footsteps sound light as Erza, Mikasa and Yusuke form a protective triangle around C.C. and you. Silent Field keeps the engines and rotors silent. Muffling Aura reduced the noise of the movement to less than the air movement needed to fly. From the outside, only wind.

  The pre-dawn air is cool against your skin as you descend the ramp, boots touching airport concrete for the first time. The Beechcraft Baron sits thirty meters away, its twin engines gleaming faintly in the starlight.

  Yoruichi reports. "Two males at the Cessnas, both armed with pipes. They're awake but haven't noticed us yet."

  Albedo's response is immediate: "Proceed with caution. Avoid lethal force."

  You approach the two-engine Beechcraft with your three escorts fnking you, their combat readiness palpable even through the lingering effects of the intimate competition aboard the helicopter. The aircraft's door is unlocked.

  C.C. slides into the pilot seat with a grace that makes it hard to say anything. She has the engine starting up before you even finish getting into the copilot seat. She slips out of the seat and is out of the cockpit, before you even realize she got up. "Are we sure C.C. didn't learn to teleport?" you ask the empty cockpit.

  Your fingers brush the Beechcraft's instrument panel and golden light erupts silently across the cockpit. The enchantments flow through your system - Interface, Connection, Network Node, the whole advanced suite weaving into pce in forty-five seconds ft. The mana cost barely registers as your personal reserves drain and immediately begin refilling from the growing network.

  C.C. is already moving toward the second Cessna with Yusuke close behind, her golden eyes tracking every shadow as they cross the tarmac. You close the pne's door before turning toward the control tower with Erza and Mikasa fnking you, their footsteps nearly silent despite the urgency.

  The tower stairs are metal grating that should ring like a bell with each step, but your boots touch down with barely a whisper. Mikasa moves like a ghost beside you, her Survey Corps training evident in every calcuted movement. Erza's armored form somehow makes even less noise, her awareness of her own body's positioning absolute.

  You reach the tower observation level and freeze. Through the gss you can see two figures slumped in chairs - a man and woman, both in their mid-thirties, rifles leaning against the wall within easy reach. Hinata standing silently in front of their weapons watching the two, the woman's head rests on the man's shoulder, both of them deeply asleep.

  Hinata's mental voice whispers through the telepathy web. "I have their weapons. They won't wake unless you make significant noise."

  You pce your palm against the tower's console screen and let the mana flow. This time you consciously tighten the visual manifestation, compressing the golden glow into a single concentrated ripple that races up through the structure and dissipates in less than three seconds. To anyone not actively watching for it, the effect would be invisible - just a faint shimmer like heat distortion.

  The tower's systems come alive in your magical perception. Rika and Rin kick on the silent generators, backup power flowing through newly enchanted circuits. The Interface anchored to the main control panel, ready to manage the entire facility's enchanted systems.

  Rika and Rin report from the backup generators. "Operational. Power restored."

  You descend the tower stairs with Erza, Mikasa and Hinata, leaving the two sleeping guards completely unaware that their entire facility has just become part of a global magical network.

  The male guard shifts slightly in his sleep, mumbling something incoherent. the woman tightens her grip on his arm. Neither of them wake.

  Asia steps out of the first Cessna as you approach. The engine idles smoothly. Two mechanics unconscious nearby. You climb inside, palm pressing to the instrument screen. Golden glow. Enchantments settle. Forty-five seconds.

  You move to the second Cessna. C.C. waits beside the open door. You climb in, repeat the process. Touch the screen. Glow. Done.

  "All three aircraft enchanted," she announces. "Ground time: fourteen minutes thirty seconds. Extraction window clear."

  Albedo's mental voice carries approval. "Excellent execution. Everyone return to the King Stallion. We're moving to the next location."

  You jog across the tarmac toward the invisible helicopter, its rear ramp open and waiting. The eight survivors sleeping in the terminal building remain completely unaware, their facility now generating surplus mana that will flow into the global network. They will wake rested, fed, and comfortable. They will find the power on, water running clean, and injuries healed.

  Fifteen minutes total. In and out. As you climb the ramp, you catch a glimpse of the eastern horizon through the cockpit windows. Still dark, but the pre-dawn glow is beginning to build. Dawn is maybe an hour away now.

  Kurumi and Musashi both reach for you as you pass between them, their hands catching your arms possessively. The competitive dynamic from earlier hasn't faded - if anything, the brief separation has intensified it.

  "Master returns victorious," Kurumi purrs, her heterochromatic eyes gleaming. "Perhaps he deserves a reward?"

  Musashi's fingers tighten slightly on your other arm, her violet eyes narrowing as she recognizes the challenge.

  Albedo steps forward, wings folded neatly, golden eyes calm but commanding. "Kurumi. Musashi. The Master has just completed several enchantments in under fifteen minutes. For now, Master, the next thirty-five minutes to Stockton Metropolitan will be uneventful. I suggest you rest between partners who have not yet had private time today. Rika Minami and Erza Scarlet are the most appropriate for this leg." She privately adds through the Telepathy Web, "Save your competition for when Yusuke and Kenshin are safely on the ground in Los Angeles."

  Kurumi's lips curve into a sly smile, but she releases your arm with exaggerated grace. Musashi exhales once, fingers loosening, though her gaze lingers.

  Rika stiffens the moment her name is spoken. She stands near the side bench, tactical vest still on, sniper rifle cradled across her chest. Her dark eyes flick to you, then to Albedo. A muscle in her jaw tightens. For half a second she looks ready to argue.

  Then she exhales through her nose, shoulders dropping slightly. "Fine," she mutters. "But on my terms." She steps forward and sits on your left. Her posture stays rigid at first, spine straight, hands on her knees. You slide your arm around her waist. She allows it, but her gre lingers a moment longer before softening into something quieter, almost grudging acceptance.

  Erza takes the right side without hesitation. Her armor clinks softly as she settles against you. She rests her head on your shoulder, scarlet hair spilling across your chest, one gauntleted hand ying over yours where it rests on her hip.

  Kurumi makes a small, theatrical sigh. "So soon abandoned."

  Musashi simply inclines her head in acknowledgment. She moves to sit across from you, violet eyes watching the exchange with calm interest.

  The cabin falls quiet again. Rika slowly rexes against your side, tension bleeding out of her frame. Erza's breathing evens, her armored weight comforting rather than heavy.

  Outside the windows the pre-dawn sky remains dark. Stockton Metropolitan waits thirty-five minutes ahead.

  Albedo steps back, satisfied. "Rest while you can, Master. The next enchantment window will demand your full attention."

  You close your eyes, arms around Rika and Erza, the steady vibration of the King Stallion carrying you south.

  Your right hand slides up beneath Erza's shirt, fingers spreading across the warm skin of her stomach. She stiffens for half a heartbeat before her hand moves to your forearm - not pushing away, but holding. Her grip tightens slightly as her breathing changes tempo, her scarlet hair still resting against your shoulder.

  On your left, your fingers slip just barely under the hem of Rika's tactical shirt. The Japanese sniper doesn't move, doesn't speak. But you feel the subtle shift in her posture, the way her spine straightens fractionally. She's aware. She's allowing it, The silence itself is permission.

  Half an hour ter, C.C. announces through the telepathy web. "Stockton Metropolitan in range. Hinata, begin preliminary scan."

  Hinata's presence sharpens in the web as her Byakugan activates. The visual data floods through the connection - three-hundred-sixty degree crity of the airport below. "I see... four aircraft on the nding road," she reports, her mental voice steadier than usual. "Two twin-engine pnes, one rger single-engine, and what looks like a small jet. No chakra signatures inside any of them."

  Her scan sweeps through buildings, penetrating walls with clinical efficiency. "Ground personnel... I count nineteen living humans total. Twelve are clustered in the main terminal building - they're awake, moving around. Three more in a smaller hangar near the fuel pumps. The st four are in what looks like a control tower, also awake."

  Rika's voice comes through the web, crisp and analytical despite your fingers still resting against her skin. "Weapon status?"

  "The four in the tower have rifles," Hinata continues. "The three in the hangar have... I think those are shotguns. Everyone in the terminal appears unarmed except for two people carrying handguns in hip holsters."

  Rika processes the information with professional detachment. "Larger survivor group than Sacramento. Active guard rotation suggests organized leadership structure. The concentration in the terminal indicates they're using it as primary shelter. Hangar group may be mechanics attempting aircraft maintenance. Tower personnel are maintaining overwatch."

  "Threat assessment?" Albedo's mental voice carries calm authority.

  "Moderate," Rika answers. "Nineteen people means potential for coordinated response if they detect our approach. Six armed individuals with decent sight lines. However, no signs of military training in their positioning. Guard tower personnel are visible in windows rather than using proper concealment. Hangar group has weapons but poor tactical spacing."

  Erza shifts against your side, her hand still holding your forearm where it rests on her stomach. Her fingers trace small circles against your skin.

  Albedo speaks through the web, her golden eyes visible in your peripheral vision as she stands near the cockpit. "Recommendation: maintain Lightbend during approach. Land on the far side of the rgest hangar to minimize exposure to terminal building. Ground team will be myself, Yoruichi, Nova, and Mikasa. C.C. and Brad handle enchantment work on the four aircraft. Everyone else remains aboard."

  "A higher risk," C.C. observes. "Brad, do we need every airport and pne or if we can skip anything."

  You reply. "Any of the above. We can skip this airport, we can target just the jet, or we can aim for the whole set. That is between Rika and Albedo."

  "Whole set if possible. Four aircraft plus the airport infrastructure gives maximum immediate utility for survivors in the Central Valley. Skip only if ground resistance exceeds non-lethal containment capability. Prioritize the jet first, it has the longest range and passenger capacity. Then the twin-engine Baron for redundancy. The two single-engine Cessnas st, they are low-value targets." Rika's tactical assessment continues through the web. "If any of the nineteen survivors detect our presence during nding, expect vocal arm rather than immediate violence. The armed personnel will likely converge on our position for investigation rather than opening fire. Recommend non-lethal suppression protocols if confrontation becomes necessary."

  Albedo speaks next. "Decision. Full set requires control of the tower. Skip the tower and enchant only the aircraft. Or negotiate."

  You reply. "We enchant the jet before they notice us, and move on to the other pnes, when they feel the engines starting and notice people moving around, they'll raise their arm and come to investigate, that's when we can negotiate, leave or knock them out. After the jet is enchanted, enchanting the airport is their luxury. If they refuse or raise weapons, its their own stupidity, we skip the tower. leaving the enchanted the four aircraft."

  Albedo acknowledges. "Understood. Ground team deploys. Yoruichi and Nova secure the Cessnas. Mikasa and I move to the Baron. We nd on the far side of the rgest hangar. Hinata provides overwatch from the King Stallion. If any of the nineteen show weapons or aggression, we neutralize non-lethally and move on. No prolonged engagement."

  Your fingers press slightly firmer against Erza's stomach. Her breath catches audibly, her grip on your arm tightening.

  Rika finally speaks aloud, her Japanese accent clipped. "Your hand is still moving."

  "I know," you reply quietly.

  Her dark eyes flick to yours for a moment before returning to the tactical discussion. "Stockton Metropolitan approach in five minutes," she announces through the web. "Ground team, prepare for deployment."

  C.C. adds, "Approach vector set. Landing in three minutes."

  The King Stallion descends smoothly, engines and rotors silent under the enchantments. The wind rushes past the open ramp, cool and sharp. Stockton Metropolitan sprawls below, runways dark, terminal lights dim, four aircraft parked near the fuel pumps.

  Hinata's voice filters through the web, steady. "Preliminary scan complete. Same as before. Nineteen living signatures. Four armed in the tower with rifles. Three in the hangar with shotguns. Two in the terminal with handguns. No movement toward our approach path. They have not detected us."

  Albedo gives the final order. "Ground team, deploy on my mark. Brad, remain with C.C. until the area is secure. We move in three... two... one... mark."

  The ramp lowers fully. Yoruichi leaps first, a shadow against the night. Nova follows, nding in a crouch. Mikasa drops next, silent and precise. Albedo steps off st, wings half-spread for bance.

  They fan out across the tarmac, moving toward the parked aircraft. Yoruichi and Nova take the Cessnas. Mikasa and Albedo advance on the Baron.

  You rise from the bench, Erza and Rika shifting to let you pass. Erza's hand lingers on your forearm a moment longer before releasing. Rika exhales once, posture straightening as she returns her focus to tactical.

  You move to the ramp, ready to begin with C.C. and Asia, watching through the open ramp as the team secures the area. No arms. No shouts. The nineteen survivors remain unaware in their buildings.

  Albedo's voice comes through the web. "Perimeter secure. No resistance. Proceed with enchantments."

  SnafuSam