Gotho, Vanilla, and Coconna are ecstatic about their new found riches. They have enough jijirium to live in luxury the rest of their lives. But Chirico shows no joy; he has other plans for their treasure. Elsewhere, Borough proposes to Iskui that the time has come to play their trump card against Chirico. Rochina, meanwhile, dispatches his operatives into Uoodo city to start observing Chirico directly.

Coconna reports to Gotho and Vanilla that the police are active throughout the city, looking for the stolen jijirium. Gotho realizes they will probably never get out with their treasure and suggests they instead use it to buy their freedom. Vanilla is incredulous, but Chrico agrees with Gotho's plan; it will also serve his purposes.

Shortly after Albert Killy gives Borough and Iskui permission to use the Prototype against Chrico, Gotho is brought into police headquarters. They strike a deal for the jijirium and let him go, seeing this as the perfect opportunity to nab Chrico. Gotho travels to a ruined coliseum where he is to meet Iskui. Coconna drives the jijirium truck up a policeman elsewhere in the city and runs off. The policeman reports to Iskui that the treasure has been recovered, and Iskui breaks the deal, refusing to pay Gotho anything for his trouble. Gotho slinks off and Chirico roars into action, bearing down on Iskui in a Scopedog. No the final trap is sprung. Another AT (a Brutishdog) appears and grapples with Chirico. For the first time, he is evenly matched...and for the first time, he is beaten! Police surround him as he gazes into the face of his mystery opponent - The phantom Lady!

"Who are you? Near-perfect reflexes, almost supernatural intuition. Who are you...?"

The Phantom Lady meditates in police HQ and is approached by Borough, who demands that she prepare to go into battle once more. She refuses. Borough angrily overrides her, freezing her with the name "Proto-One."

The police roll into the Battlig AT hanger, and a Scopedog appears to challenge them. The exchange is devastating, but brief - and the AT is demolished. The police open it up, but Chirico is not inside. Behind them, another Scopedog emerges; and this time it's the real thing! Chirico lets them have it full force, blowing them to bits and escaping into the streets to do more damage. His companions follow with still another Scopedog for later use.

In police HQ, The Phantom Lady is subjected to a mind probe to investigate her erratic behavior. Borough and Iskui are shocked at what they find. Her initial memory from awakening on Lido reveals that Chirico was the very first human being she ever saw. Iskui presumes that she had been contaminated and will no longer follow orders - but Borough insists that she must be made to kill Chirico in order to break the mental connection. Iskui reluctantly agrees.

Rochina and his spy network watch with interest as Chirico makes his way toward police HQ. He burns out his Red Shoulder Custom and moves to his other Scopedog, which takes him directly into the police tower. There, The Phantom Lady waits for him in her Brutishdog...but this time Chirico gets the upper hand and takes her captive. Rochina learns of this and dispatches the news to Battentain. Now that Chirico has made contact with the Prototype, it is time for the Melkian army to move in.

As the police regroup outside the tower, Chirico finally speaks to The Phantom Lady. She admits that she does not want to kill him, and he asks her - her name. "Proto-One" is all she can answer.

"The woman who had changed my destiny was not longer an enemy. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was sinking deeper and deeper into quicksand. But at the same time, I felt something amazing. Never before in my life had I wanted so much to keep on living."