Kelani looked in shock as armed soldiers led by the director of UR Transnational Intelligence, Kieran McIntyre, stormed the secret Core Intelligence facility.
"What do you think you're doing?" The frustrated and nervous Kelani asked.
"What does it look like?" Kieran replied. "We have conclusive evidence that the recent unrest and protests dating back to six months ago in the UR were supported and organized by the Core Intelligence," said the blonde-haired man.
"That's not true!" Kelani exclaimed.
Kieran turns to the soldiers behind him. "Round them up," he ordered.
The magenta-haired woman quietly grabbed a cubic-shaped object and threw it at the maroon-eyed man before running to a red button on one side of the room and pressing it just before the soldiers got a hold of her and tackled her to the ground.
Kieran grabbed the device that beeped louder and louder before quickly tossing it to the other side of the room where no one was.
The device exploded, releasing a purple flameless fire and not producing a sound but obliterating everything within a five-meter proximity.
Kieran turned to Kelani, since she hit the button, all the lights in the room had turned red. "What did you do?" He asked. "What did she do?" He barked at the Core Intelligence agents.
"She wiped every data and record of missions by the Core Intelligence," replied one of the agents.
Kieran felt his knees weakened after the revelation. He sat on a nearby seat and ran his hand through his hair.
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• Sector 5.
Skylar and Maxine watch the news.
"Earlier today, General Elliot Williamson was arrested by the Bureau of Investigation, Research, and Defense after the organization uncovered a huge plot to overthrow the Supreme Leader. The director of BIRD insists --"
Max turns off the TV. "Would you look at that, the Supreme Leader of the United Republics has finally grown a pair."
Maxine turns to Skylar. "That's the UR problem solved then, yeah?"
"Yes. I think --"
Camille walked into the room. "Have you guys seen the news?" She asked.
"About General Elliot being arrested?"
"No." Camille took the remote and turned on the TV.
"... Clashes between security forces and gunmen in Syberus, a nation in the United Republics, has forced the country's Chief of defense staff to activate the Regional Guards. Local news is reporting that earlier today, gunmen stormed the Presidential Villa and shot several including the President of Syberus whose status is currently unknown. Hours ago in West Lionwell, General Elliot was arrested after it was discovered he was involved in a huge plot to stage a coup and over--"
Camille turned down the TV as Skylar's phone began ringing. The aqua-blue-eyed woman looked at the caller ID to see Kieran's name before answering the call.
"Hey ..."
"I think it has started," Kieran said from the other side of the phone. "I think neogenesis has begun."
...
"We need to strategize quickly and ensure the safety of the Supreme Leader of UR," said Skylar.
Suddenly, Chelsea rushes into the room.
"Ah, Chelsea! Just the person I was going to call," said Skylar. "I remember you once told me you and Hunter's mind are linked. Can you tell him to move to West Lionwell immediately? I'll send further instructions after."
"About that," Chelsea started. "Hunter met with Diana earlier and they travelled to Leinheim together. I haven't been able to feel him since then."
"Are you --" Skylar's watch suddenly beeps, indicating that something was approaching the five.
"Who is it?" Camille asks.
"From the signal the submarine is sending, it's Olivia," Skylar replied.
"And the news keeps getting worse," says Max.
Skylar turns to the former director of the Alpha Sector. "Go to Sypha and tell her to get you out of here." She turned to Chelsea. "Find Wade, Sydney, and Sophia. Maxine, go prepare the subs." With that, the director of the Alpha Sector made her way to the shuttle bay to welcome the director of the Bureau.
Skylar reached the shuttle bay just as Olivia got off her submarine. "Have you watched the news lately?" She asked.
"The uprising in the United Republics? I'm currently putting together a team to handle it," said Skylar.
"I've told you before, Skylar, I want the Alpha Sector completely focused on the covert crises."
"This is the covert crisis, Olivia. If we don't act, if the wrong group wins, we lose influence over the United Republics and Karl gains it," Skylar pauses. "It's obviously up to you, so what do you say? Do we do something or let the problem solve itself?"
Olivia closes her eyes and tilts her head sideways. "Who are we backing?"
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•West Lionwell.
Kelani sits in an interrogation room with her hands cuffed to the desk in front of her.
Kieran walks into the room holding a cubical device, similar to the one the dark magenta-haired woman threw at him at the Core Intelligence facility.
"For a noob, you sure made our work a lot harder by wiping the Core Intelligence records."
"I'm not a noob," said Kelani. "I'm the deputy director of the Intelligence Core."
Kieran laughs and sits across the indigo-eyed agent. "Tell me, did Vittoria see this coming and ask you to act like this?" He asks ignoring her statement. "Because she missed something."
Kelani raised her eyebrow at the director. "I have your attention now, don't I?" He says. "General Elliott. For years, Vittoria impersonated the Supreme Leader and sanctioned the creation of anti-mysticism weapons, and sent them to the General. He was the one in charge of the UR relations with the Bureau after all but that's not the only reason she sent them to him. There was also the fact that ... Well, he wasn't very bright.
"I had a meeting with General Elliott who swore he had no idea what an Intelligence Core even is," Kieran continued. "But unfortunately for him, he faces capital punishment for his actions. He was offered a plea deal to avoid such a fate and he took it. He'll essentially be saying exactly what we want him to say and implicating who we want him to implicate. So tell me, Officer Parker, do you really want to be deputy director of the Core Intelligence?"
Kelani's gaze shifts to the ground for a while before returning to Kieran's with renewed confidence. "You're right," she replied. "I'm not the deputy director of the Intelligence Core, I'm the director now since Vittoria's dead!" She exclaimed. "How does it feel losing another person whom you hold so close to your heart? Must be hard considering it wasn't that long ago Paul died," she said with a slight smile.
Kieran scoffs. "Now I'm sure you're nothing but a pawn in this game, in Vittoria's game. I never really believed Vittoria was dead until earlier when you threw this at me and I saw it destroy half the room, I thought: 'No way anyone survives that.' But after your performance tonight, I'm sure Vittoria's alive and pulling all the strings."
Kieran got up from his seat and started for the door. "Vittoria was right about you," said Kelani. "You have a hard time letting things go."
"And this is the first time you've spoken from your heart since we met at the security council."
Kelani laughs, pausing for a while and reflecting inwardly before speaking again. "You're right. I'm just an ordinary cop who finds herself in an extraordinary position and is desperate to be a part of something. But you're wrong if you think Vittoria's alive. Just like the director before her, and the one before him, they all gave their life to ensure the betterment of this great federation. It's those sacrifices that define the Core Intelligence."
"You do not who the new mastermind is, do you?"
"I know they're not going to spare you."
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Diana turns to Hunter and shakes her head. "I'm not ready yet." The sprite nods. "What's our strategy here?" Kara asks.
Hunter grabs the box. "Run!" The sprite turned the other way and began running in the opposite direction with Diana and Kara following closely behind him.
Trinity's expression changes. "Are they ... Are they running away?" She asked.
"Yes," her twin sister, Mercedes, replied in her usual, monotone voice. Trinity tilts her head up towards the mountains where the other Archaeons are. "What are you waiting for? Get the box."
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