The team came to the gate of the base. The guards at the gate checked the vehicle like usual, and sent them in.
"Anything happen?" the captain asked one of the guards.
"Nothing much sir, just the usual," the guard responded.
After parking the vehicles, the team looked around at a very normal looking base.
"Maybe they didn't come here," Colton said looking around.
"No. This is how they usually do missions. No one knows if you've infiltrated the site. It's get what you want and get out," Vicky said.
"Stealth is very common with these guys," Mia added.
"We should go inside, and check on Claire," the captain said, walking towards the building. The team followed him.
Claire was in her office, talking to a soldier, with whom she had a conversation previously too. The team stood outside of the office. Claire called the team in.
"New faces," the soldier said. His gaze turned from Vicky, to Mia and then to Rachel.
"They are helping us to catch Manic," Claire said.
"Icicle, right?" the soldier asked. Vicky nodded her head.
"The best you'll ever get," Mia said.
"And who might you be?" the soldier asked.
"Crystal. Icicle's one and only best friend, and partner in crime," Mia replied, full of sass.
"I've heard of you two. Who's the pink princess?" the soldier asked.
"Dia," Rachel replied in a soft voice.
"My sister, you lay a finger on her and you're dead," Mia added. She gave him a cold gaze.
"Ok. Now that you introduced yourselves. This is my brother Caiden," Claire said, and continued "I see you have Max and Colton back."
"Yeah. Thanks a lot for the help Claire," Colton said.
"Is there something you'd like to say us?" Caiden asked.
"We have reason to think that Dash is a traitor, and that Manic may or may have not infiltrated the base," the captain said.
"Dash is one of my close friends. He'll never do something like that," Caiden said.
"That's what everyone thinks, until they get stabbed in the back," Vicky said.
"Dash is not like your friends. Dash is not like you," Caiden said looking at Vicky. Vicky smirked, nodding her head in disagreement, and turned her gaze towards the captain.
"Of course Dash is not like her. Because they were never her friends in the first place, and they betrayed her, not the other way around. What do I have to do to get that through your skull of mush and mud?" Mia retorted.
"You should respect your elders," Caiden said.
"Please stop," Claire begged.
"I don't think we need to respect anyone who doesn't respect us," Vicky responded. Caiden had no comebacks, and stared angrily at Vicky and Mia.
"Girls," the captain said looking at Mia and Vicky, and raised his eyebrows. He then continued, "We need to search the whole base. Where's Alex?"
"He's in the prison," Claire said, and continued "Caiden's right. But for the slightest chance that Dash is a traitor, there's no way they can break into the prison without us knowing."
"They've broken into the base before, what's to say they won't be able to do it again?" Miles asked.
"We added new security systems," Caiden replied. Vicky sighed loudly. Everyone turned to Vicky.
"You think a security system is not easy to break?" Vicky asked.
"Yes. That's why it's called a security system," Claire answered.
"Listen. I like your optimism. But this is a game. Hacking security systems are like a mini game for most of us. We literally practise to get it down successfully in minutes. For those guys who work with Alex, that can be done in seconds," Vicky said.
"Your lying. Everything in this game is like real life," Caiden said.
"Looks like you don't know anything about the game," Mia said.
"Our company made the game. We know everything about it," Claire said.
"We'll have this conversation later. For now, let's check if the base has been infiltrated," the captain said, and continued "You guys, check on Alex," pointing at Sarah, Miles, Colton and Kane.
"Roger," Miles said nodding his head.
"You three with me," the captain said looking at Vicky, Mia and Rachel.
"I thought I was in command at base," Claire said.
"Claire. We'll make sure nothing's wrong, and then you could go back to barking commands," the captain said, signalling everyone to head out.
The team split into two, just as the captain asked them to. The two teams went in two different directions.
"We're being disrespected, in a game our father's company made," Claire said, with a stone cold gaze.
"I know. I think it's the new picks. We need to contact Dash," Caiden said.
"And then what?" Claire asked, and continued, "They think he's a traitor."
"I'll get this done, don't worry about anything. And don't tell dad anything," Caiden said.
"Ok," Claire replied.
Caiden walked out of the office room, and took a phone call. He walked further away to be out of earshot of the others in the room.
"Caiden," Dash said answering the phone, and continued, "I almost got it."
"They're coming for you," Caiden said.
"Really? Can't you keep them busy?" Dash asked.
"I could have if it was just the captain and his team. But those meddling kids, they're more annoying than they look," Caiden said, biting his teeth.
"Where are they?" Dash asked.
"I'm not sure. Miles and the other three are going to check on Alex. The captain took those kids with them. Didn't quite say where he was headed," Caiden said.
"I'll let Manic know on our status. I need more time to get the code of the HUD jammer," Dash said.
"I'll distract them," Caiden said, and kept the phone.
Caiden walked into a secluded room. He changed his soldier uniform into a black trouser and t-shirt. His hair turned white, he pulled a hood from the t-shirt over his head, and wore a full face mask, which was also black. He had dual blades, crossed on his back.