The cave portal opened with a low roar, as if the earth itself exhaled an ancient sigh. The two Maos and Geros crossed the threshold cautiously, their footsteps echoing in the damp tunnel. The faint light filtering from the entrance barely illuminated the uneven walls, covered in moss and veined with minerals that glimmered faintly, like stars trapped in stone.
Upon reaching the end of the path, Geros stopped before a weathered stone altar. His eyes burned with a mix of triumph and anxiety. "At last, I will have all the power without restriction or need for a catalyst," he declared in a deep voice, heavy with ambition. But as he approached, his expression changed abruptly. The altar was empty.
"No, it can't be!" His shout reverberated throughout the cave as fury consumed him. Dark tentacles emerged from his body, writhing like enraged serpents, and struck the altar until it crumbled into rubble. "Who took the rock?" he roared, his voice laden with palpable rage.
Mao instinctively recoiled, but Geros caught him with one of his tentacles, lifting him by the neck. "You surely don't know who took it, do you?" he hissed, his tone lethal. Mao struggled to breathe, his raspy voice barely audible. "No... I don't know, master... Mercy!"
Geros released him with disdain. "Then tell me something useful," he growled, his piercing gaze boring into the trembling servant.
"Perhaps someone else has it," stammered Doctor Mao, struggling to catch his breath. "Your son... Richard must have it."
"Where is Richard?" Geros bellowed, his thunderous voice filling every corner of the cave. "Find him, Mao, or you'll pay the consequences."
"Yes, master. I'll search for him as soon as we leave here," Mao replied, bowing deeply before retreating.
Elsewhere, aboard ships slicing through the night sky, teams of agents planned their next move. Adrian, with assistance from some field companions, had conducted an exhaustive scan to identify the individuals they needed to neutralize. Each ship carried a different group, each with unique abilities and distinct personalities.
On the first ship traveled Adia, Chief Drake, Adrian, Leila, Podbe, and cadets Lidia and Rino. Though understaffed, the young recruits had been chosen for their potential. On the other ships were Rachel, Ada, Eduard, Floud, Benjamin alongside Riota and Gat; Azulema, Ezequiel, Mark, Becky, and the three look-alike girls—Teresa, Alicia, and Samanta; and finally Ray, Margaret, Ramona, Brea, Marta, and Sheila.
The agents' surnames were not arbitrary. They had been raised by the original founders of the organization, who bestowed various family names as symbols of unity and heritage.
In the ship led by Drake, the atmosphere was tense. The man wanted to speak with Adia, whose recently restored memories revealed a shared past filled with conflict. He glanced at her sidelong as she adjusted her black suit—an elegant dress with red stripes and impeccable boots. Her hair, tied back in a high ponytail, accentuated her sharp features.
"Adia," Drake began, his tone unusually soft. "I want to apologize. I wasn't there when you needed me most, and what happened between us... Well, I hope we can start over."
She glanced at him briefly, her dark eyes reflecting an internal storm. "I'm not sure yet. I need time," she replied before walking away to another compartment.
Meanwhile, Adrian worked tirelessly on Tron, a robot he hoped to transform into a valuable ally for combat. Lidia and Rino watched curiously as he disassembled parts and reconfigured them.
"What are you doing, Mr. Adrian?" asked Lidia, leaning over the dismantled robot.
"Adjusting Tron to make him more efficient on the battlefield," he explained without looking up. "But don't worry, Adia. I won't change his essence."
The mage nodded, though her thoughts seemed elsewhere. "Good. Just make sure he remains the same Tron we know."
Later, Adia created a white magic circle on the floor of the ship, its inscriptions glowing with an ethereal light. "Leila, I need you to be my nexus," she said, inviting her to sit next to Podbe. The young woman obeyed, gently touching the dog's head.
With soft and precise chants, Adia established a mental connection between Leila, Podbe, and Reia. "Do you have any clues about where Aiden might be?" she asked, her voice firm but calm.
The voices of Podbe and Reia resonated through Leila, merging into one: "We had a strange dream. We saw a laboratory where Aiden was imprisoned."
Adia closed her eyes, focusing on the image both described. But just as she seemed close to pinpointing the location, the ship was violently shaken. Alarms blared, and everyone rushed to their positions.
"Emergency! Free fall! Brace for impact," announced Drake, his voice echoing through the speakers.
Adrian, remaining calm, activated a hidden mechanism in the ship. The pieces quickly reorganized, transforming into a sort of wheeled raft that cushioned the fall. When they finally came to a stop, the scientist sighed in relief. "Everyone's okay," he confirmed.
Drake assessed the situation. "Who attacked us?"
Adrian displayed a video captured by the external cameras: giant discs launched by Metalux, Zeus's servant. "This means they know we're here," murmured the chief.
"Alright, let's hide in the jungle," ordered Drake. With Tron now powering the improvised vehicle, the team advanced into the dense greenery.
Amidst the tension in the jungle, as the agents prepared to face the controlled children, Drake tried to lighten the mood with one of his characteristic sarcastic remarks.
"Well, this is how they greet visitors in Australia. I thought they were more peaceful, like koalas," he said with a forced smile, attempting a joke.
Marie, who was listening from her position, immediately interrupted with her usual seriousness. "As always, boss," she responded, slightly exasperated. "I informed you the same thing happened to our other teams. It seems someone leaked the information, or they prepared very well for this."
Drake frowned, momentarily ignoring his own comment. "I'm leaning toward the first option," he muttered thoughtfully. "Try encrypting communications. Rely on Team O, but only the trustworthy ones."
Marie nodded, though her expression remained one of concern. "You don't think the two new recruits who joined have anything to do with this, do you?"
"I don't know," admitted Drake, crossing his arms. "But we'll need to find out. Talk to you later... We're under attack!"
The tension escalated as they detected their enemies: twenty or thirty children possessed by superhuman powers. "Neutralize them without causing permanent harm," instructed Drake. "Once freed from the control dominating them, Adrian can reverse the process."
Podbe growled as he dodged attacks. "Reia, this isn't going to be easy."
"I know, but remember: just knock them out," Reia's voice echoed in his mind.
An alert flashed in Podbe's internal system: Quest: "You are being surrounded by enemies. Disable them to free them from control. Reward: 500 experience points for each subject incapacitated."
"With this, we can level up several times before rescuing Aiden," commented Podbe with determination.
"Let's do it then," agreed Reia.
And so, the team launched into the confrontation, resolute in completing their mission while keeping alive the hope of a new dawn.