The sound of a branch snapping faintly in the underbrush caught everyone's attention. They immediately tensed, ready for any threat. But what emerged from the shadows was a large white wolf-like creature, its massive form moving slowly, its steps heavy.
"Dominus..." the elder whispered, his eyes widening slightly. "He's out... there must be a big reason for this."
Dominus, the rare white wolf, approached with a towering figure and heavy breathing. Kael cautiously moved closer, raising his hand to show he meant no harm. As he got closer, he noticed a wound on the wolf's front leg.
"He's injured," Kael remarked.
Teresa immediately approached, pulling a small pouch from her bag filled with bandages and herbal remedies from the tribe. "Let me handle this... keep him calm."
Dominus didn't resist. He simply stared at Kael and Teresa, as if sensing they were not enemies. The elder approached with a heavy breath and said, "Tonight... there will be a feast of deer meat. It's a sign that we accept this message from the heavens. Dominus does not leave without a reason."
Dominus lay down slowly, his breathing becoming steadier as his wound was treated. Kael watched the creature closely. He felt a strange connection, as if Dominus carried a message or a warning.
Meanwhile, at the enemy's base The infiltrators had successfully entered the enemy's base. They moved cautiously, passing through narrow corridors lined with advanced technology panels and neon lights illuminating the dark rooms. Parker led the way, followed by Arek, Mira, and Tama, who remained alert, scanning their surroundings.
"The security systems here are more advanced than we thought," Arek whispered softly, staring at a holographic screen spinning with data they couldn't understand.
"We have to be careful," Parker replied in a low voice. "We need to find the central control room, where they manage all the systems."
They proceeded deeper into the base, avoiding patrols that occasionally appeared. Every corner felt like a potential threat. But their goal was clear—steal data about Earth's technology and figure out what their plans for Ticonic were.
"Wait a second," Mira said, halting their progress. "I hear something."
They all paused, trying to listen. Footsteps echoed faintly in the corridor ahead.
"Patrol," Arek whispered. "We can't let them see us."
Parker glanced toward a door ahead—an ample room with a large holographic screen and several computers. "That's it... we're going in there."
With quick and quiet movements, they opened the door to the central control room. Parker immediately approached the control desk, sat in the chair, and began accessing the terminal.
"This... it's a defense system," Parker said seriously. "They're preparing for a large-scale attack on Ticonic."
"Why?" Mira asked. "What are they looking for?"
Parker typed quickly on the virtual keyboard. "They're after resources... and more. They want to exploit our species for... something bigger."
Arek, standing beside the desk, stared at the screen in disbelief. "This... they want to use us for war? Turn us into weapons?"
Parker nodded slightly. "It's not just that. There's a part here that mentions 'biological processing.' They're collecting data for further experiments... especially related to our biological abilities."
Mira bit her lip, anxious. "They won't stop until they've dominated all of us."
"And we can't let that happen," Tama added, gripping his weapon tightly. "We need to move fast. Once we get this information, we destroy the system and get out."
Parker continued accessing data on the screen, trying to unlock as much as he could. "The only way we can stop them is by wrecking the control center and getting proof of their plans to expose to the outside world."
As they were focused on gathering data, suddenly the sound of heavy footsteps grew louder. They turned, and saw two Earth soldiers entering. Arek immediately moved to close the door quickly, and they all prepared to face whatever came next.
Parker stood tall, his eyes full of determination. "I'll handle the soldiers here," he said in a firm voice. "You, Mira, and Arek, you need to free our people now. Head to the detention room, make sure no one is left behind, and get everyone out!"
Mira and Arek nodded quickly, understanding the urgency of the mission. "You can count on us," Mira replied. "We'll make sure everyone is safe."
Parker glanced at Tama and Rion, who were also getting ready. "You're with me. We need to make sure no one escapes from here."
With that, they moved quickly and quietly, each playing their part. Parker, Tama, and Rion headed toward the larger control room, preparing to face any Bumi soldiers who might arrive. Their goal was to incapacitate the guards and disable the security systems to ensure nothing would stop them.
Meanwhile, Mira and Arek sprinted down a narrow hallway toward the detention room in the back of the base. They knew every second mattered, because the longer they waited, the higher the risk of getting caught. They had to free the people of Ticonic as quickly as possible.
"Keep your distance, Arek," Mira whispered. "We need to move fast and leave no trace. If we encounter any guards, we take them out."
Arek nodded and pulled out his weapon, ready for whatever came their way. They both moved quickly, using shadows and dark corridors to slip further into the base.
Suddenly, they heard footsteps—too close to ignore.
"There!" Arek whispered frantically, pointing to the end of the corridor. They saw two Bumi soldiers walking toward them. Without hesitation, Mira lunged forward, kicking one soldier's legs out from under him and distracting the second. Arek moved quickly, striking the second soldier's head with his fist, knocking him unconscious.
They checked the soldiers' bodies, and Mira grabbed a set of keys from one of their belts, quickly checking the door ahead of them.
"This is it," Mira whispered. "The detention room."
They unlocked the door and found several Ticonic citizens bound and looking weak and confused. Without wasting a second, Arek and Mira began untying them one by one.
"Everyone, come with us! We're getting you out of here!" Mira shouted, her voice loud and urgent.
The Ticonic citizens, who had been waiting in silence, looked at them with hope in their eyes. They immediately followed Mira and Arek, running swiftly toward the slightly opened exit door.
On the other side of the base, Parker and the others were fighting fiercely. Gunfire and the sounds of battle filled the air, but they remained focused. Parker led the charge, handling the situation with precision. They needed to complete their mission before reinforcements arrived.
"The systems are about to go down!" Parker shouted as he destroyed the terminal controlling the base's defense systems. "This base is finished!"
With the intel they gathered and the systems destroyed, the last thing they needed to do was escape and meet up with Mira, Arek, and the freed Ticonic citizens.
Parker looked at Rion. "Let's move out, now!"
Parker and the others moved swiftly towards the exit of the base, escorting the newly freed Ticonic citizens. They passed through dark corridors littered with debris from the recent battle. With each step, they grew closer to the ship that would take them away from this place.
When they reached the base's docks, they immediately boarded the ship that had been prepared earlier. Parker led the way, ensuring everyone climbed aboard quickly and safely.
"Hurry up! No time to waste!" Parker shouted, urging the group to move faster.
Once everyone was on board and accounted for, the ship began to accelerate, leaving the devastated base behind. They knew their time was limited, and the battle was far from over.
"Six hours of travel," Parker said, glancing at his watch. "After that, we'll be at a safe location."
The group sat anxiously in the ship, staring at the horizon, watching the place they had left behind grow smaller and smaller. They all knew that although they had escaped this time, the threat still loomed. The fight for Ticonic's freedom was only just beginning.
Meanwhile, back at the ruined base, a voice came from the CCTV control room. A man in a sharp suit stood before a monitor showing the ship's movements. His expression was one of anger and frustration as he muttered to himself.
"Idiots… you think you can just escape like that? You've only invited more trouble," he said, his voice low and filled with disdain.
He took a step back from the monitor, his eyes glinting with calculation. "We will find you, and this time, there will be no place for you to hide."
He turned away from the screen, a sinister smile spreading across his face. "You think you've won. We'll make sure you regret that."
Meanwhile, aboard the ship, Parker and the others were unaware that they were being watched. But they pressed on with determination, knowing that even though the battle wasn't over, they were stronger together.
"As long as we stick together," Parker said, "nothing can stop us."
Everyone nodded in agreement, ready to face whatever lay ahead.
As the ship sailed across the ocean, they all knew one thing for certain—this journey was just beginning, and many hard trials lay ahead. But they also knew that no matter what, they would never give up.