Jiang Han followed Major Wan Harith down the corridor leading to the Operations Command Room, the air thick with tension. Colonel Yusof trailed closely behind, his sharp gaze scanning their surroundings as if expecting trouble to leap from the shadows. The quiet murmur of personnel working at their stations gave the space an undercurrent of urgency.
As they entered the command room, Wan Harith gestured towards a screen. "This came through ten minutes ago," he explained, pointing to a live feed. The video showed a group of masked individuals tampering with a vehicle parked near one of Aegis Sentinel Corps' secondary warehouses.
"Footage is from our latest surveillance drones," Wan Harith continued. "They've identified movement patterns suggesting reconnaissance missions. These people are pros."
Jiang Han narrowed his eyes, his mind already calculating the implications. "Colonel Yusof, what do you make of this?"
Yusof crossed his arms, his jaw set. "A deliberate probing. They're testing our defences. This isn't random mischief—it's strategic. Whoever this is, they know we're building something substantial and want to get ahead of us."
Jiang Han nodded, his thoughts racing. "Pull Adrian Yong in. If this is a coordinated effort, his team will need to dig deeper."
Within minutes, Adrian Yong appeared on the scene, his demeanour as composed as ever. "I reviewed the footage on my way here," he said, placing a tablet on the table to display additional analytics. "Their movements suggest military training—disciplined but cautious. They've avoided triggering any automated alerts, meaning they've likely studied our systems in advance."
Colonel Yusof frowned. "How do you suggest we respond?"
Adrian looked to Jiang Han. "We can't act rashly. If they're baiting us into an overreaction, we need to turn the tables. Let's gather more intel before making our move."
Jiang Han nodded, his trust in Adrian evident. "Agreed. Coordinate with Sergeant Marcus Tan and Corporal Nik Suraya to monitor physical surveillance. Dr Imran and Sophia Liew should check for any digital footprints that might lead us to their command structure."
Yusof chimed in. "What about the operational teams? Should we increase security at the warehouses?"
"Yes," Jiang Han said decisively. "But do it subtly. Deploy personnel from the Security Guard Division, but keep them low profile. We don't want to spook these intruders just yet."
Later that evening, the Security Guard Division quietly reinforced the perimeter of the targeted warehouse. Captain Nizam Salleh coordinated the operation, instructing his team to blend in with the regular guards. Lieutenant Danny Yong, his assistant, kept a sharp eye on potential blind spots.
"Keep chatter to a minimum," Captain Nizam instructed his team through their comms. "If you see something, report it immediately. No heroics."
As the night deepened, the silence was palpable, broken only by the faint rustle of leaves and the occasional hum of passing vehicles. Hours passed without incident, but the tension remained.
Suddenly, Lieutenant Yong's voice crackled over the comms. "Movement detected near the west fence. Three individuals, possibly armed."
"Copy that," Nizam replied. "Hold your position. Let's see what they're up to."
The intruders moved cautiously, scanning their surroundings with night-vision equipment. They appeared to be searching for weaknesses in the fencing but refrained from making direct contact.
Back in the command room, the live feed captured every detail. "They're testing us again," Colonel Yusof muttered. "But why?"
Jiang Han's gaze was intense. "They're gathering data for something bigger. This is just the prelude."
As the hours wore on, the intruders retreated, leaving no trace of their activities behind. But just as the command room began to relax, an alert flashed across the main screen.
"Perimeter breach detected at the north gate!" Major Wan Harith announced, his voice sharp.
"Activate response teams!" Jiang Han ordered immediately. "BodyGuard Division as primary responders. Security Guards as a backup."
Lieutenant Colonel Razif Syahmi and Major Wan Harith mobilised their respective teams with precision. Within minutes, the BodyGuard Division had secured the breach site, their weapons drawn and their eyes scanning for threats.
The intruders, however, had disappeared into the night.
"They're toying with us," Razif muttered as he inspected the area. "This wasn't a real attack—it was a distraction."
Colonel Yusof's voice came through the comms. "Razif, regroup with the Security Guard Division. We need to reassess the situation."
Back in the command room, Adrian Yong stood deep in thought, his arms crossed as he studied the footage. "This isn't random. They're testing multiple entry points to gauge our response times and defensive measures."
"What's their endgame?" Jiang Han asked.
Adrian turned to him, his expression grim. "Sabotage. They're planning a coordinated attack to cripple our operations. We need to identify their command centre and neutralise them before they strike."
Jiang Han nodded, his resolve unshaken. "Then let's move fast. Adrian, I want your team working round the clock. Coordinate with Marcus and Nik to track their movements. Yusof, ensure all divisions are on high alert."
"Yes, boss," Yusof replied.
As the night wore on, Jiang Han gathered the leaders of the divisions for an emergency meeting. "This is a critical moment for Aegis Sentinel Corps," he began. "We've worked hard to build a reputation for excellence, and we can't let anyone undermine that. These intruders are testing our limits, but they'll soon learn that we're not a force to be trifled with."
Major Azlan nodded. "The Training Division is ready to support. If needed, we can reinforce the operational teams with our most promising recruits."
Dr Imran added, "Cybersecurity systems remain secure, but we're constantly monitoring for any breaches."
Sergeant Marcus Tan spoke up. "We've identified a few leads on the intruders' movements. Nik and I will follow up on them by morning."
Jiang Han looked around the room, his gaze steady. "Good. This is a test of our unity and our capabilities. Let's show them what Aegis Sentinel Corps is made of."
Jiang Han stared out of the large conference room's window as the lights of Petraling Jaya twinkled like scattered stars. The meeting had ended, but the weight of the decisions still lingered in the room. Across the table, Colonel Yusof and Mr. Idris Zakaria were deep in conversation, their voices steady and calm despite the gravity of the situation.
Adrian Yong entered briskly, holding a sleek tablet. "Preliminary intel suggests that the leaks are not coincidental. They appear orchestrated." He placed the tablet on the table, bringing up a digital map that highlighted key locations.
"Surveillance suggests this is more than a one-time breach," Adrian continued, his tone sharp. "There's a pattern—targeted at our logistics operations and now creeping into our external contracts. They're trying to undermine our network integrity."
Dr Imran, who had joined them moments ago, leaned in. "If this continues, our cybersecurity perimeter could face a significant breach. The threats are layered—multiple proxies masking the attackers."
Jiang Han folded his arms, his expression unreadable but his mind racing. "Dr Imran, Sophia, how much time do we have before their attacks escalate?"
"Forty-eight hours—at most," Sophia replied, her voice calm yet tinged with urgency. "We need a countermeasure ready by then."
Jiang Han nodded and turned to Colonel Yusof. "Prepare a defensive strategy involving the Counter-Surveillance Unit and the Cybersecurity Unit. Marcus and Nik should assist with identifying on-ground infiltrations."
"Understood," Colonel Yusof affirmed, already keying in commands to his team.
"This is our test," Jiang Han said, his voice resonating with quiet determination. "If they want to destabilise us, they'll find out just how wrong they are."
The meeting concluded with a sense of resolve, and Jiang Han knew that the next 48 hours would demand nothing less than absolute precision from every division.