Before everything spiraled out of control, Adrian had already quickly identified the individuals in the photograph, surprising both the boss and Marie.
"Master Adrian, do you think you can find where these individuals are so we can track them?" asked the head of the ultra-secret agency.
"I don't think so," Adrian replied. "I'm working on figuring out what this device that Agent B-Twelve brought in contains—well, the container, at least."
"Alright, now it's inside the dog," Marie commented.
"Maybe I can examine the dog," Adrian suggested. The boss was about to give his approval, but Marie interrupted firmly.
"No. All we can tell you is that there's a system with living artificial intelligence called Reia."
"Interesting. Tell me more," said Adrian, leaning forward with curiosity.
"Well, all I know is that, and that this system grants powers to the canine. But we're not going to experiment on that animal. We're not like our enemies," Marie stated with conviction.
"I understand, but it won't hurt him. I promise. I won't do anything to harm him," Adrian replied as he took samples from the container where the system had been. "Fascinating compound. This doesn't seem to be terrestrial. Maybe I'll take it to the unit E team."
Marie glanced at the boss, giving him a subtle nudge to say something.
"I'll think about it, but I'd have to ask the dog," Drake, the boss, responded with a touch of irony.
"For real? And how exactly are you going to ask the dog?" inquired the leader of unit D.
"I don't have the technology to communicate with animals yet, but when I do, yes," Adrian joked.
"If we're not going to mistreat animals, especially since he's now in the cadet section," Marie added.
"Maybe we can make it talk," Marie suggested thoughtfully.
"Seriously?" asked Drake, incredulous.
"Don't you remember? We can tell Leila. Like she did in the hangar, maybe she can connect with him again."
Drake nodded. "Yes, you're right. Call Podbe and Leila immediately. Have them go to Adrian right away."
"Alright, your orders, boss," Marie responded. Then, looking at Adrian, she asked, "And what about finding those individuals?"
"Adrian, can you find them if we fulfill what you're asking for?" Drake questioned.
"While I look into it, I can ask Becky, who's the only one available, to create a device to locate them," Adrian answered.
"Good," came the response from the boss's office as they ended their holographic transmission with Adrian.
Marie made the calls, and both Rino and Leila, along with Podbe, headed to unit D.
Leila walked through the hallways, wondering: Why have they called me?
Rino, for his part, was thinking the same thing. Both arrived at the door and greeted each other nervously.
"Hello, we saw each other that time in the hangar," they said in unison, laughing a little as she patted Podbe's head.
"Are you two going to stand there chatting all day, or are you coming in?" Adrian remarked as he opened the automatic doors.
"We're sorry, sir," both responded simultaneously.
"Alright, do you know why you're here?" asked the chief scientist.
"To be honest, no, sir," they replied.
"Oh, that Marie always forgets the details," Adrian muttered while turning on a holographic monitor. Marie appeared on the screen.
"Marie, I don't think you told them why they were coming here," Adrian said.
"Well, you see, I didn't think it wise to tell them because if I had, they probably wouldn't have come," she answered with a mischievous smile.
"Fine, it doesn't matter. I'll explain it right now," interjected the leader of unit D.
"This is where whatever is inside the dog came from, and we wanted your consent to run some tests," Adrian explained.
"I understand. That's why I was called here," said Rino.
"And me? Why am I here?" Leila asked.
"You're here because what you did back then was incredible: connecting with him and his AI. Maybe you can do it again," Marie replied.
The girl paused thoughtfully for a moment, knowing full well that the last time had been pure chance.
"I must insist, please—it's important," Marie urged.
She sighed. "I'll try," Leila said, looking at Podbe.
Meanwhile, inside Podbe's mental space, he and Reia, in their human forms, observed the container on the table where the system had arrived.
"What is that?" Podbe asked.
"It's the container where the system you carry inside was placed," Reia answered.
"What was it like?" the puppy-boy asked.
"Well, the system isn't tangible; it's just a beam of light that enters the first living being it sees."
"But that day, there was that agent and me. Why didn't it enter the person who was next to me?"
"Perhaps it saw him badly injured, near death. It couldn't enter the subject but chose you instead since you were the only living being nearby."
"So, it was purely by chance that I was selected?"
"I didn't want to tell you this, but yes, it was," Reia admitted, feeling a twinge of guilt.
"Well, it doesn't matter. What's important now is finding Aiden, and if these powers can help me, I'll use them to find my friend."
"Alright," Reia responded, relieved by Podbe's maturity.
"Then we'll tell them yes."
Outside of Podbe's mental space, he let out a happy bark, signaling his approval.
"Wow, I've never heard a bark like that before. It's almost as if he's agreeing to what we're about to do," Rino remarked.
"Good," said Leila, firmly placing her hand on Podbe's head and closing her eyes to concentrate.
"I think nothing's happening," she said, but at that moment, she found herself immersed in a blank white space.
"I think they've made a connection," said Rino, noticing the girl's eyes had turned white.
"Hello," came a voice from her, but it wasn't hers—it was two voices: Reia and Podbe.
"Hello, you must be Podbe," asked Adrian.
"Yes and no," the voices replied. "We are Reia, the AI of the system, and Podbe, using the voice of the one you call Agent B-Twelve. Well, that's what Marie said," the combined voices explained.
"Wow, that's incredible," thought the scientist, who was always lost in his thoughts, envisioning nothing but new technology to create.
"Alright, what do you want to ask us?" the unified voices continued.
"In that case, let's begin," instructed the leader of unit D.
The voices of Podbe and Reia began recounting what the product inside the container was, the purpose of the system it contained, and what had happened during its journey until it reached Podbe's hands. We mean his paws.
Everyone was left astonished by the story. The voices explained that this weapon originated from far away and had been created by an ancient and hidden race: the Lux.
"And that material you see there is unbreakable and rare," said Reia, scanning the material on the table through Podbe's body. "It's called Luxteno. Extracting that material requires special equipment; it's very difficult to remove with the tools you currently use, and shaping it for any purpose is equally challenging. It can be found on the moons of Lux, a distant planet far from where we are now. I don't know its exact location, but that's all I can tell you for now."
"How fascinating," said Adrian, captivated by the scientific implications. "And could I run an experiment on your body, Podbe?"
The voices responded that he wouldn't find anything more than what they'd already told him, but if he wanted to speak directly with Reia, they could attempt to bring back Aiden, who might be able to materialize her in this physical plane.
Disappointed at not getting more answers, Adrian gave a weak "okay" and said, "You may leave."
"If we learn anything else, we'll let you know," the voices added before fading out, and Leila returned to her senses.
"What happened?" Leila asked, disoriented.
"You did it, girl," said Rino, supporting her so she wouldn't fall. He sat her down in a chair.
"How are you feeling?" the boy asked, handing her a glass of water.
"Fine, but this time I felt like I was in a white space, and there were two figures: a woman and what looked like a child with dog ears."
"I think that trip hit you hard, girl," Rino joked, laughing.
"I think I'm going crazy," she replied, laughing along with him.
"Alright, you can all leave now. I have work to do," Adrian said as he returned to examining the strange element. In his mind, he thought: So, Lux... I wonder if Eduard, with his alien knowledge, knows about this and how to get there.