Well!?
You've got us, don't you?!
You do!
They're right...
No fire can burn our will...
no flame, turn us to ash.
None!
I'm going back...
to the world we all believe in.
Back home!
The Egregori's immense military capital has funded projects...
such as the Crimson Triad cyborgs...
those of us created via genetic manipulation, we Ex Armis...
and those who've had their bodies fused with metal, you "Arms."
And they've had but one goal...
defy the laws of God...
and nature...
in finding ways to artificially manipulate the human species.
Volf? The cups, please.
Sure, Misa Mama.
Mm, nice smell. Herb tea?
It is.
Please. Yesterday you were enemies...
now everybody's best friends.
Easily adaptable, perhaps. Or simply not anti-social.
Look who's talking.
But is it wise?
Trusting us so easily?
What if we came from behind...?
In that case, I...
would do that.
G-Got it.
The Egregori has conducted all manner of research experiments...
including that which produced us...
"Project Red Caps," it was named.
Red Caps?
I don't know all the details...
but of one thing, I'm certain...
many of our friends were sacrificed, and died, for the project.
That's why my brother...
no, all of us...believed...
that Ex Armis mattered, had value.
To the Egregori, though, we Ex Armis were never more...
than a mere source of data.
Please...before it gets cold.
How many years has it been...?
Herb tea special blend. Warms the body and soul.
Thank you.
So you mean to pursue that tip about Katsumi?
I do. Leaving tomorrow morning.
Go to America, then.
The Egregori nucleus is in the States.
In America?
Where, exactly, I don't know. But...
the codename they use...is "Alice."
Alice... Nucleus of the Egregori.
Where are you guys headed?
Why not come with us?
That we cannot do.
Our goal is different from yours.
What does that mean?
We've still many friends within the Egregori who share our plight.
We must rescue them.
As soon as possible.
Cliff...
A new mission for the Ex Armis...
revealed to me by you "Arms."
I'm glad we all met.
We'll look forward to meeting again.
And that's why...
until that time comes...
you must stay alive.
Yes...
We must.
Thinking? About Ryo Takatsuki?
No! I...
Your heart's on your sleeve... and your face.
Don't need telepathy for that.
It won't be much longer, Yugo.
Our new mission, done...
We and our friends, finally free...
You, "just" a woman, on your own.
Brother...
So, till then, please put up with me.
Of course I will.
Thought so.
And now, for the assassins.
We're surrounded... about 20 to 30 men.
Is that all? So piddly few cyborgs...
and they mean to take us?
How about it? Shall we go hunting, Kyklops?
Cliff, stay with Yugo and Carol.
You're still wounded, after all.
Then it's up to you two. And don't do anything stupid.
I've got a bad feeling about this...
...So that's it, you're leaving.
Despite how I look, I am a valued member of the Blue Men.
I can't keep hanging out with you.
Of course not. Still...
You really helped us out at the park.
We might not meet again, so...
Thank you, Kei.
Save it. You helped me too, and...
Hey, Kei!
Your building's been hit!
The explosion's cause is unknown...
yet casualties are confirmed, and...
It can't be...
We had over 100 members there!
Don't tell me...
But what about Ralph, and Li, and...?
Oh, now what?! Stupid frickin' piece a' junk TV...
Hold it, it's not just the TV!
The cell's out, too. But why?!
Electrical interference?
Yup. Wide scale, too.
Then that's it. It's felt "not right" for a while...
Brother...!
What's wrong?!
Volf, and Kyklops...a vision. I see them!
You what?!
No-o-o!
Volf!
Kyklops!
Such wasted material. Poor guinea pigs.
Let me show you a true super elite...
Born of the data extracted from you Ex Armis...
Leader of the elite Egregori special forces, the "Red Caps"...
I am Gauss Gall.
R-Ridiculous!
The invincible Volf, the all seeing Kyklops...
taken so easily!
You'll join them, soon enough.
Damn you!
Brother, be careful! Their minds, I can't read them!
Brother!
The Red Caps... a North European legend.
Elves who soaked their caps bright with victims' blood, naughty things.
We honor them with our berets, dyed by human guinea pigs like you.
Wh-What...?!
Here, the project reached fruition.
All your friends have been disposed of, now that the testing is over.
It was such a short while ago that you Ex Armis left for Japan...
You're all that's left.
You mock me...
I, Ex Armis...
Cliff Gilbert!
Legend or not, your beret's about to get brighter...
red with your own blood!
Yugo, now! Take Carol and go to Takatsuki!
But, Brother...
What are you doing?! Hurry, run!
Cliff...
Whom do they take me for?!
As though "Satan" Cliff could be defeated so easily!
You'll only be in the way. So, go! Now!!
All right; I'll contact the others.
Brother, please... Hang on until then!
Stop them.
What?
Make no mistake...
It is I who am your opponent.
Will you taste the power of "Satan" Cliff once more...
or will you withdraw?
It is for you to decide!
Surely you jest.
Against us, such attack is useless.
What...?
Born of data extracted from you, we are ultimate soldiers.
We are...
the Red Caps.
That aside, "Satan" Cliff...
another wishes to finish you himself.
Keith!!
Keith...!
You allowed us to gather valuable data on the Jabberwock.
You've my gratitude, "Satan" Cliff.
Thus shall I deliver the final blow myself...as thanks for that.
Indeed!
Then the chance to kill first is mine!
I'll show you what the true power of "Satan" is really like!
What!?
Upstart.
Did you think to defeat me like that?
Before you die, you shall see...
the ultimate manifestation of my Arms...
the power of the Gryphon!
Someone's coming. From the front.
Alone?
Yeah...but they've got a gun.
Puh leeze. Only an assclown would attack from there.
Hello...?
Now!
Huh?
Inspector Kabuto!
Why're you here?
Lemme go, will ya?!
You, sir...
for a policeman, are too careless.
Can it.
That mess at the park last night, it was you, wasn't it!
Well!?
Once again, the higher ups have given it the kibosh.
That's why I came, to question you personally.
Plus all the crap going on around town, lately...
What's happening here? If you know anything...
Ryo!!
Ryo...!!
My brother...!
So. What's going on?
Like we would know.
Keith...so strong.
The power of "Satan"...fell short.
Enough, don't talk.
Takatsuki...the Ex Armis is finished.
Take care of my sister and Carol, take...care...
Brother!
Cliff!
Brother...!!
What th'?
The bridge!
Of course.
Destroy the bridge to prevent escape.
What?
They're declaring war on us.
The Egregori means to turn this town into a battlefield.
Tokyo's Aisora City. Population: 520,000.
The Rui River which runs from the North splits in two...
making Aisora a small city right on the delta.
It'll be our chessboard, eh Keith?
One: Create electrical disturbance to stop flow of information.
T minus 10 minutes to Zero Hour.
Two: Blow underground cables to isolate city from outside.
T minus 2 minutes to Zero Hour.
Three: Destroy all eight bridges linking Aisora to outside world...
Completed just this minute.
This means...
now we can't leave town.
You're shitting me.
Take cover! Choppers!!
Looks like swimming across is out.
The war's already begun.
Be prepared for anything.
Calling all Red Caps!
Operation Snark Hunt is about to begin.
The eyes, ears and mouth of Aisora City have been shut down.
And no legs means no escape.
No one's left to interfere.
Give it your all!
Your mission's ultimate goal. Capture the four "Arms."
Kill any and all who aid or abet.
For the glory of the new, elite, special forces the Red Caps...
go forth!!
Everyone...
Once this is over, you'll have a proper burial.
I'm so sorry.
Three choppers heading west.
Armored cars surrounding city outskirts on three sides...
North...east, and... No good. Too much noise.
Plus atmospheric interference.
That's all I can get.
This formation, something's odd.
Sure is.
"Odd"...in what way?
"Odd" like your brain! Can't you figure even this out?!
If we're the only targets...
why so large scale an offensive?
In fact, it's counter intuitive.
Yes.
These Red Caps... they too have telepathy.
They're using it to cordon off their thoughts, so I can't read them, but...
I get the feeling this...isn't real.
Like it's...just an experiment.
Experiment?
A drill.
The Red Caps are a new force, aren't they?
Yes, created with data taken from the Ex Armis.
In that case...
a real world outside experiment, using high power UV rays...
is a distinct possibility.
And we're just part of their test.
You're kidding, right?!
A real world test? With so many people involved?
To the Egregori, the whole world is just one big outdoor laboratory.
You've seen it yourself, Inspector.
At Abumisawa Village.
I recall a similar strategy.
It was the latter half of the '80s, in the Middle East.
During a revolt, in the Targus Republic.
The name of the operation... "Snark Hunt."
Snark Hunt?
Ten days after the rebels took power...
gov't forces launched a counterattack.
First they bombed railways and essential supply routes...
totally isolating the populace.
Then they sent in a small, elite force, armed with ultraviolet weaponry.
All rebel leaders were either captured, or killed.
It all took under four hours.
As for the city...
The city...? What happened.
Destroyed, right? Just like Abumisawa Village.
Not again.
Where you going? Inspector!?
Don't be stupid! If an officer of the law won't protect this city...
who else will!?
It's begun...the "Snark Hunt."
Oughtn't you have left?
I've but one target... the Jabberwock of Ryo Takatsuki.
My cue's a little later.
You've really got a thing for this Jabberwock, don't you.
Just how valuable is he...?
No matter the injury...
the nanomachines of an "Arms"...
can heal it.
It's an "Arms" ability.
However...there is an exception.
This soar of mine, inflicted by the Jabberwock...
even with the power of my Arms, "Gryphon"...
still it has refused to heal.
It was the conclusion of the scientists who examined it...
that Jabberwock is the sole creature capable of destroying other Arms.
You might call him the "anti-Arms."
How perfect.
Arms, the ultimate killing machine...
has in fact its own ultimate enemy.
So that is what you wish to possess...
Keith...
and ascend to a higher plane?
To command those who command you?
Ryo Takatsuki...
Your Jabberwock will be mine.
And, come tomorrow morning...
you...your friends...and this town...
will disappear from the face of the Earth.