4:00 A.M. — Sydney PPDC Base
The hangar was unusually quiet.
The events of the previous day had left the entire Sydney PPDC facility in a state of mourning. The death of Raleigh Becket and Mako Mori had shaken the world, and even the normally disciplined personnel of the PPDC moved with a strange heaviness.
At the far end of the hangar sat a massive aircraft.
It wasn't a conventional military transport.
The aircraft belonged to Buron Enterprise.
Shane had personally designed its overall configuration, taking inspiration from the Quinjet concept he remembered from his previous life. Of course, the final machine was far more advanced than anything from the movies he remembered.
Its aerodynamic surfaces could adjust during flight. Its propulsion system combined conventional atmospheric engines with compact high-output electric propulsion units. Its avionics were integrated with a sophisticated artificial-intelligence-assisted navigation system.
Most importantly, it was designed to transport personnel rapidly between PPDC facilities.
Tonight, it would carry Shane and the two children back to the Philippines.
Shane stood beside the aircraft.
He looked toward the entrance of the hangar.
A few moments later, Mako's father appeared.
Beside him were the twins.
Mamuro and Shane Becket.
The children carried small bags.
Their faces were swollen from crying.
They stopped when they saw the aircraft.
The girl looked up at her grandfather.
"Grandpa..."
The old man looked down.
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"You're coming with us, right?"
Her brother immediately looked at him as well.
"Please, Grandpa."
The old man closed his eyes for a moment.
He had clearly been preparing himself for this conversation.
"No, sweetheart."
The little girl immediately looked down.
"I can't come with you."
"Why?"
Her grandfather crouched down in front of them.
"Because I still have responsibilities here."
He placed one hand gently on each child's shoulder.
"I have a position that requires me to stay. There are people here who depend on me."
"If I leave, I won't be able to properly lead them."
Mamuro wiped his eyes.
"But..."
His grandfather smiled sadly.
"That doesn't mean I won't visit you."
"I promise."
He raised his little finger.
The two children stared at it.
"Come on."
Slowly, both twins hooked their little fingers around his.
"Pinky promise."
"Pinky promise," their grandfather repeated.
Shane watched from several meters away.
He felt something tighten inside his chest.
These children had lost their parents.
Now they were being separated from the only other adult in their immediate family who could care for them.
It wasn't fair.
But life rarely cared about fairness.
Their grandfather stood.
He looked toward Shane.
"But your uncle..."
He placed a hand on Mamuro's head.
"...will be able to protect you better than I can right now."
Then he looked at the little girl.
"Listen to him."
"Okay?"
The children nodded.
Their grandfather hugged both of them.
He held them tightly.
Perhaps longer than necessary.
Because he knew that saying goodbye to them would be one of the hardest things he had ever done.
Finally, he released them.
The children walked toward Shane.
Their grandfather followed.
When they reached him, the older man stopped.
"Shane."
Shane looked at him.
"Promise me."
The old man's voice was quiet.
"Protect them."
Shane looked at the two children.
Then back at their grandfather.
"I promise."
He paused.
"With my life on the line."
The older man nodded.
"Thank you."
Shane crouched down.
"Come on."
The twins looked back.
Their grandfather smiled.
They waved.
"Bye, Grandpa!"
"Goodbye, sweetheart."
The aircraft's engines began to power up.
The twins continued waving until the aircraft doors closed.
Shane stood beside them.
He looked through the window.
Their grandfather became smaller as the aircraft moved away from the hangar.
Then the aircraft lifted into the morning sky.
---
The Flight Home
The journey to the Philippines was surprisingly short.
The aircraft's advanced propulsion system allowed it to travel considerably faster than conventional passenger aircraft.
Shane spent most of the journey looking through the window.
The twins eventually fell asleep.
For the first time since the funeral, they looked peaceful.
Shane looked at them.
He remembered Raleigh.
If something ever happens to me and Mako...
His jaw tightened.
"I remember," Shane whispered.
"You don't have to worry."
He looked at the sleeping children.
"I'll keep my promise."
---
Philippine PPDC Headquarters
The aircraft landed at approximately 6:00 A.M.
The moment Shane entered the Philippine PPDC facility, his assistant was already waiting.
"Sir."
Shane stopped.
"What happened?"
The assistant hesitated.
"There is something you need to see."
Shane immediately became serious.
"What?"
"We analyzed the energy patterns that appeared during the international incident."
Shane looked toward the sleeping children.
His assistant noticed.
He lowered his voice.
"We've identified four significant energy emissions."
Shane's eyes narrowed.
"Four?"
"Yes, sir."
His assistant activated a holographic display.
A three-dimensional map of Earth appeared.
Two points began glowing.
One over Sydney.
The other—
Far north.
Shane stared at it.
"Where is that?"
"The Arctic."
Shane's expression changed.
"The Arctic?"
His mind immediately began working.
Why there?
Why Sydney?
Why those two locations?
And more importantly—
Why four energy signatures?
He stared at the holographic map.
Then his assistant spoke again.
"Sir."
Shane looked at him.
"There is more."
"What?"
"We received a signal."
"From whom?"
The assistant glanced toward the twins.
Then lowered his voice even further.
"Mr. and Mrs. Becket."
Shane froze.
"What?"
"We received a transmission."
"Where?"
The assistant activated another display.
"This wasn't transmitted from Earth."
Shane's eyes widened.
"It came from another universe."
Silence.
For several seconds Shane simply stared at the screen.
"What did you say?"
"The signal wasn't strong."
"It lasted approximately three minutes."
"Then it disappeared."
Shane stepped closer.
"Play it."
The assistant hesitated.
"Sir..."
"Play it."
The holographic display activated.
Static filled the room.
Then an image appeared.
A cockpit.
The video was heavily distorted.
But Shane immediately recognized the interior.
A Jaeger.
An upgraded Jaeger.
Then a familiar voice.
"Shane..."
His heart nearly stopped.
Raleigh.
The transmission continued.
The image was unstable, but Shane could make out Raleigh and Mako.
They were alive.
Both appeared exhausted.
But alive.
Shane's hands tightened.
"Jesus Christ..."
The assistant continued explaining.
"Our researchers believe the upgraded Jaeger successfully crossed the dimensional boundary."
Shane stared at the footage.
"It worked."
"Yes, sir."
"The prototype technology we developed with several international partners appears to have functioned exactly as intended."
Shane watched the screen.
The two pilots were alive.
But something was wrong.
The assistant continued.
"They also provided information."
"What kind?"
"First, their Jaeger is functioning."
"Second, they're uninjured."
Shane exhaled.
"Good."
"But..."
The assistant stopped.
Shane looked at him.
"What?"
"They don't have food."
Silence.
"What?"
"They crossed into an environment where their normal supply assumptions don't apply."
"Water?"
"Extremely limited."
"Food?"
"Almost none."
Shane's expression hardened.
"How long?"
The assistant swallowed.
"Under ideal circumstances, perhaps one month."
Shane stared at him.
"And with the environmental conditions?"
"We don't know."
He paused.
"Three weeks may already be optimistic."
Shane looked back at the frozen image of Raleigh and Mako.
Three weeks.
Three weeks before two of his closest friends could potentially die.
Not from a Kaiju.
Not from battle.
But from something as basic as starvation.
Shane slowly clenched his fists.
"No."
His assistant remained silent.
Shane looked toward the holographic map.
Sydney.
The Arctic.
Four energy signatures.
Two portals.
Another universe.
And somewhere beyond that dimensional boundary—
Raleigh and Mako were waiting.
Alive.
For now.
Shane's mind raced.
"If we can trace their signal..."
He looked toward his scientists.
"...then we can trace the dimensional frequency."
"Sir?"
Shane pointed toward the Arctic energy signature.
"The energy from the Arctic."
His voice became firm.
"Can we use it?"
The assistant looked confused.
"Use it for what?"
Shane stared directly at him.
"Can we use that energy signature to open our own portal?"
The room went silent.
The assistant looked toward the scientists.
Nobody immediately answered.
Shane continued.
"I don't care how difficult it is."
"I don't care if it requires every engineer we have."
"I don't care if we have to rebuild the entire dimensional-transmission system."
He looked toward the sleeping twins.
Their parents were alive.
Somewhere.
And Shane intended to bring them home.
"We know the frequency."
"We know there are two locations."
"We have a signal coming from the other side."
He looked back at the holographic display.
"So the question isn't whether we can reach them."
His expression hardened.
"The question is how fast we can open the door."
The assistant slowly nodded.
"Understood, sir."
Shane turned toward the scientists.
"Wake everyone."
"Every dimensional physicist."
"Every engineer."
"Every PPDC researcher."
"Call Buron Enterprise."
"And contact the international PPDC command."
He looked once more at the holographic image.
Raleigh.
Mako.
Alive.
For the first time since their supposed deaths, Shane allowed himself a small smile.
"Hang on, you two."
"We're coming."
And somewhere beyond the boundaries of their universe—
Two Jaeger pilots were waiting.
The countdown begun.