"So what are you gonna do now, Axl?" Zero asked, holding a beer while the rest of Maverick Hunter HQ threw a victory party. X was being carried on Signas' shoulders, confetti was flying everywhere, and the entire human staff was drunk, except for Hannah who was raiding the snacks table.

"I dunno. I guess I'll join the Maverick Hunters to make up for what Red and the guys did."

"Do you miss them?"

"A little. They were my family, but hey, at least I have some of them inside me," Axl smirked.

"Not for long. Union rules clearly state that all DNA data, upgrades and items acquired during missions are to be surrendered to R&D for storage."

"What! Why? If you kept the upgrades and weapons from previous wars, you'd be unstoppable!" Axl protested.

"Hey, I don't make the rules," Zero shrugged and walked over to Hannah.

"Beer?" he offered the can in his hand.

"Neither of us drinks," Hannah reminded him through a mouthful of potato chips and Pepsi, "Shouldn't you be seducing the new comm. operatives, Layer and Palette?"

Zero grimaced at the two young reploid femmes in the corner who were jabbering with Alia.

"Nah. They have to be an integral part of the plot before I take interest in them."

"Then you won't have to wait long," Hannah mused.

"Huh?"

"Nothing," she said, taking another sip of Pepsi. Signas tripped over a party favour and sent himself and X flying into the drinks table, splashing spiked punch over everyone around them. Axl went to Zero's side while Signas and X ducked from all the paper cups thrown at them.

"Is it always this insane around Maverick Hunter HQ?"

"No; sometimes we actually do work. Fate of the world, and all that crap. But since the world's already been destroyed, it's more like we're salvaging the world instead of saving it."

"I'll help salvage whatever remains, for the sake of the human creators."

Zero snorted.

"You sound just like General."

"Who?"

"Never mind."

888

In a dark alley of Neo Tokyo's slums, at the foot of a great tower, a small reploid boy with pointy lavender hair rummaged through a garbage heap. His search produced a shattered head, badly scarred over both eyes, its jaw broken, but the red gem on its forehead still glowed.

"So you are the source of the signal."

"Body… I need… a body," it spoke in a garbled voice.

"I know what you are. My programming rejects you."

"Your programming… is flawed."

The boy cocked the lone eyebrow showing through his wave of purple hair.

"Tell me more."

"There is a reploid… Axl… who is… the new generation…"

888 END 888