Episode 2

## One Step and Riddled with Bullets

**One Step and Riddled with Bullets** (ステップ踏んだらハチの巣, *Suteppu Fundara Hachi no Su*?) is the second episode of *The Marginal Service* anime series.

## Synopsis

Brian takes on the mission to uncover the truth behind the incident while feeling suspicious about the existence of "Borderlanders."

Clad in a red uniform, he heads to JUKAI, a forest contaminated by soil due to a UFO crash, along with Zeno, Robin, and Bolts. It is said that the drug production site is located there.

While en route to the destination by a special helicopter, the aircraft is hit by a single missile.

## Summary

Theodore shows Brian a video from ten years ago. An objects falls in Jukai, Japan. While the scientist investigate it, they figure its an alien spacecraft. An alien then comes out and starts killing the scientist. However, just before it kills the last one who was also recording a video, Borderlanders appear and start fighting the alien. Theodore explains that this was the first time they learned about Borderlanders. Brian feels like he just saw a bad alien vs yokai movie. Peck Desmont, a talking squirl, tells Brian to shut up and listen to Theodore as he is trying to explain to him Borderlanders. Theodore explains that Peck is the only Borderlander in their organization and he is their supervisor and plays a role in spreading disinformation. Brian is surprised to see a monster rat, but Peck hates being called a rat and jumps in Brian to bite off his thing. Lyra and Cyrus show up and explains that the Borderlanders name came later. Theodore states that they have existed since long ago and were often called cryptids, apparitions, yokai or UMAs. There was also a huge controversy over UN on how to handle them. As they did help them fight off the alien invasion, simply eliminating them didn't seem like a good idea. After a heated discussion, they decided to call them Borderlanders and keep their existence concealed from ordinary citizens.

Since the Borderlanders can be a threat, Brian feels that they should be going after them and not wasting time with spreading misinformation. Zeno appears and states that Brian's thinking is short-sighted. He explains that if people are given the room to misunderstand the truth, it may cause panic and may even overwrite history. Zeno feels that Brian isn't cut out for the Marginal Service and suggest that he finds another job. However, Brian refuses to leave as he wants to solve the drug case. Brian wonders where is Genzo, stating that they should be interrogating him. Zeno tells him that they are already done it and reveals a hidden interrogation room. Brian sees Genzo inside and a beat up Bolts and Robin. He rushes in, but finds out that Bolts and Robin are arguing about what is the foundation of workouts. Zeno asks about how the interrogation is going, but they tell him that they still haven't started. Genzo then asks for a lawyer and Zeno explains that he is allowed to, but his options are limited. He is fine with Genzo not talking as he only wants to confirm one thing. He shows him that they found a rare magic mushroom in the drug and from the dirt on Genzo's shoes, they figured out where the drug is being manufactured, Jukai.

The group heads out to Jukai, a cursed forest with contaminated soil due to the UFO crash. While flying towards Jukai, Lyra warns them that they may lose communication. Brian is annoyed that he has to wear the uniform, but Zeno states its their rule. Bolts then shows his gun and as he talks about them, Brian wonders if he was the same before he joined Marginal Service. As Bolts confirms, Robin mocks him stating that he is a typical gun-loving, meathead mercenary. Bolts tells him that he has no class, since he was a spy and was fired from the Secret Intelligence Service. Robin states he was as stylish agent and quit himself, unlike Bolts. Bolts then states he was discharged and he isn't running from his past. The two continue to argue, but Brian gets annoyed and tells them to stop as the chopper is loud enough. Brian wonders if there is really a drug lab in the forest. He then notices a shine and as he uses his binoculars, he sees a man shooting a RPG at them. He attempts to warn them to turn around, but the rocket hits them. Brian starts to panic that they are falling, but the rest are already ready to jump out. They give him a parachute and jump. Having no choice, Brian puts it on quickly and jumps after them.

One the ground, Brian ends up landing next to Zeno. He wonders where are Bolts and Robin, but Zeno doesn't know and tells him that they are proceeding with the mission. Brian wishes they to contact their base first, but Zeno explains he tried already, but the electromagnetic waves are too strong there. They head out towards the fallen chopper, but see Borderlander soldiers around it. Zeno sees a cave and heads into it. Brian wants them to go and search for Bolts and Robin, but Zeno states they are professionals and should be fine. Hearing the Borderlanders around, Brian is forced to follow Zeno into the cave. Elsewhere, Bolts is covering himself in mud, explaining that it provides camouflage and obscures body temperature. Robin initially doesn't want to do it, but ends up accepting.

While inside the cave, Brian states that Zeno knows a lot about survival. However as Zeno was former detective, he wonders how he ended up doing this job. Zeno isn't interested in sharing, but Brian keeps insisting, noting that they are partners and need to know about each other. Brian proceeds to ask questions. Zeno stops and explains that he has no intention of teaming up with anyone, especially a fool like Brian.

Bolts tries to sneak up on someone, but another person points a gun at him. He wonders how he noticed him, but angry Robin shows up stating that his camouflage works only in muddy areas and currently they are standing out even more. The two then end up fighting the soldiers, who open fire on them. As they hide behind a large boulder, Robin states they need their ranged weapons. Bolts tell him they already have ranged weapon and picks up Robin and throws it at the soldiers. However, he ends up throwing him too hard and Robin ends up falling in the river behind the soldiers. Robin complains that he can't swim and while the soldiers are still shocked, Bolts runs past them and jumps in the river, stating that his friend needs him.

Brian and Zeno come out of the other end of the cave and see a building in front of them. They infiltrate it and Zeno takes out a soldier with Brian taking its rifle. Two soldiers then show up and Brian shoots them. He goes to take their weapons, but as the soldiers are Borderlanders, their wound heal and they capture both Brian and Zeno. The Borderlander's leader shows up and wonders if the two are from the police, military or the new organization he heard about that takes on Borderlanders. He then transforms into a humanoid lizard/dragon form. Brian then guesses this is his true form and he is a dinosauroid. Zeno states that Borderlanders true form depends on their individuality. Hearing them talking about it, the leader figures out that they are from the organization. As he prepares to shoot them, Brian stands up and remove his top uniform. He explains that he stated he took the mission due to his old partner, but the truth is that he wanted to prove Zeno wrong. He then rushes attacking the leader with a knife, who prepares to just shoot him down, however, in that moment, Bolts and Robin show up and shoot down all the soldiers, having found their weapons as they managed to get out of the river. As they have also brought other weapons, Zeno picks one and joins them. The leader is the last standing and after Bolts and Zeno shoot him once, Zeno reminds Brian that he intended to prove him wrong. Brian then takes a RPG-like weapon and shoots at the leader, but rockets come out of both sides of the weapon. He wonders which side is the front, but the rest explain that both sides are the front. Since amateurs also mixed them, they modified the weapon, and made it shoot from both sides. Brian feels that they are idiots. The building then explodes.

Back at the base, seeing the explosion they caused in the middle of the forest, Theofdore reminds them that they mission was to investigate the funds and he drug sales. Brian tells him to ask the rest, but they all dismiss it like its nothing. Zeno then shows up and states that the guy confessed and the ringleader of their organization is Rubber Suit, the number one pop star in the world.

## Gallery

### Episode 2 Official Trailer

オリジナルTVアニメ「THE MARGINAL SERVICE」～第2話「ステップ踏んだらハチの巣」Web予告～

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Brian Nightraider
* Zeno Stokes
* Theodore Tompson
* Peck Desmont
* Lyra Candeyheart
* Cyrus N. Kuga
* Genzo Sakaki
* Bolts Dexter
* Robin Timbert