Ryan's plan was cunning from the start. He was certain that Torres was the mastermind behind the plot to sabotage TerraNova3, using interstellar pirates. However, Torres never got his hands dirty; he used his "white gloves"—Iron Bear and Karim—to execute his schemes.
With Carlos's return, he quickly launched a thorough investigation into the traitors. Iron Bear and Karim were "conveniently" assigned to work in Sector C25, not only to keep them away from Carlos's direct scrutiny but also to buy Torres time to find a way out.
But Torres didn't anticipate that Ryan would escalate Carlos's demands, suddenly requiring them to submit all their data from the past five days. This request caught Iron Bear and Karim off guard.
"Damn it!" Iron Bear roared in anger. "Why?! The other security team members only need to submit one day's data. Why do we have to hand over five days' worth?"
Iron Bear's blunt reaction was exactly what Ryan had expected. It indicated that something significant had happened during that time.
In the monitoring center, Carlos and the other security team members closely watched the situation in Sector C25. They heard Iron Bear's uneasy outburst, and Carlos's eyes narrowed. He strode to the monitoring station and repeated the order in an authoritative tone, "This is Carlos. I repeat, submit all your travel and video data from the past five days immediately."
As the head of the base's security team, Carlos's intuition told him that Iron Bear's panic concealed deeper secrets. His gaze became as sharp as a leopard's, locking onto the Bluebird controlled by Iron Bear and Karim.
He turned to Maughan and ordered, "Prepare to disable the weapon systems of Units 15 and 16." This command was like a bombshell, causing a stir among the security team. Everyone realized that the situation was far more serious than they had anticipated.
Iron Bear and Karim were undoubtedly hiding something, and Carlos had keenly sensed it. The security team members waited anxiously, knowing that the truth about to be revealed could drastically change the power dynamics at the base.
Torres stood in the monitoring room, filled with inner conflict. He wanted to defend Iron Bear and Karim, but when his gaze met Carlos's cold, merciless eyes, his courage evaporated. Words stuck in his throat, and he swallowed them back with difficulty, sweat beading on his forehead. He knew that before he could come up with a solution, the situation in Sector C25 had already taken a sharp turn for the worse.
"I won't stand for this!" Iron Bear's roar pierced the silence of the monitoring room, his protest full of anger and defiance. "Carlos, this is blatant retaliation, eliminating dissent! I'm going to report you to the company headquarters!"
"I won't stand for it either!" Karim's voice suddenly became agitated, his emotions erupting like a volcano. "We're not traitors!"
"If you don't upload the data, how can you prove your innocence?" David's voice rang out, tinged with suspicion.
Ryan held his breath, his gaze like a hawk's, fixed on the movements of the two Bluebirds. Astra was already in combat mode, ready to respond to any potential crisis. Ryan was convinced that Iron Bear and Karim were hiding something. Their resistance to uploading data indicated they had secrets to conceal.
Initially, he thought they wouldn't be foolish enough to leave evidence on their devices, but their reactions made him suspicious. They must have done something incriminating in the past few days.
Hmph! Ryan sneered inwardly. He had been looking for an opportunity to deal with Torres, and now Iron Bear and Karim had exposed themselves. He wouldn't miss this chance; today, he would reveal their true colors.
With Carlos's support, Ryan secretly contacted David, preparing to suppress any resistance with force. Their exchanged glances were full of understanding; both knew a storm was brewing.
However, just as the tension reached its peak, an abnormal signal appeared on the monitoring screen in Sector C25…
Rat-a-tat-tat!!
Rat-a-tat-tat!!
Suddenly, a burst of heavy machine gun fire shattered the silence of Sector C25, bullets spraying like tongues of fire from behind the crater, catching everyone off guard.
Alarms blared in Ryan and David's cockpits, red lights flashing, and the system's voice was calm yet urgent: "Warning! Locked by fire control system." The alert for failed evasive maneuvers followed, then the grim news of damage to their Bluebird units.
Boom!
Boom!!
Two more cannon shells exploded on either side of the Bluebird, causing devastating damage. This sudden attack didn't come from Iron Bear and Karim but from a surprise assault from behind.
"Damn!" Ryan felt the Bluebird's balance severely compromised, with dozens of breaches on the cockpit surface, shrapnel posing a serious threat to the Bluebird's safety. His heart sank, realizing the situation was far worse than expected.
David's situation was no better; his Bluebird was thrown into disarray, the tail section torn off by the heavy machine gun fire. He struggled to stabilize the violently shaking aircraft.
Mining drones operating in the crater were caught in the crossfire, scrambling to gain altitude and flee. The monitoring center descended into chaos, and only then did they realize that two modified Bluebirds were flying low and fast, approaching the crater in Sector C25.
"Interstellar pirates!" someone exclaimed. "Galactic Tempest Syndicate remnants!" "How did they get into the base?!" Carlos pounded the table in fury, his eyes blazing as he glared at Torres.
Torres, however, had regained his composure. He responded coldly, "How should I know? Maybe it's because you ordered everyone to gather in the monitoring center, giving them an opportunity. Or perhaps they've been waiting in low orbit all along."
Torres's counterattack only fueled Carlos's anger, but he realized now wasn't the time to assign blame. He had to act immediately to stop the interstellar pirates from causing further damage.
"Everyone, battle stations!" Carlos commanded loudly. "Ryan, David, you two must stabilize the Bluebirds at all costs. We can't let these pirates succeed!"
With Carlos's support, Ryan and David began to fight back, while the rest of the monitoring center personnel took their positions, ready to face the sudden threat of the interstellar pirates.
Carlos's gaze was sharp; he had no time for pointless arguments with Torres. David and Ryan were in a life-or-death situation, and he had to act swiftly. "Everyone except Torres, battle stations immediately!" Carlos's voice echoed in the monitoring center. "Maughan, lead your team to intercept those two modified Bluebirds. They must not escape. If anything happens to Ryan and David today, I will personally punish the traitors and those who provided them with information!"
His words carried a sense of determination and anger, creating an invisible pressure felt by all the security personnel present. They quickly responded to the orders, ready to engage in the imminent battle.
Torres, as the prime suspect, was personally monitored by Carlos and remained in the monitoring center. This was a necessary decision. As the second most powerful figure in the security team, Torres's presence was a significant variable. If Carlos left, no one could ensure Torres wouldn't create an even bigger crisis from behind.
Carlos knew he had to rely on the security team to fight against the two modified Bluebirds. To prevent any mishaps, he decisively disabled Iron Bear and Karim's weapon system permissions, ensuring they couldn't use the Bluebird's weapons.
Torres watched all this unfold, surprisingly calm. He feigned regret and said, "Captain Carlos, do you really suspect me? Not only do you doubt me, but you also don't trust your subordinates? Iron Bear, Karim, and I are the core strength of the base's security team. If you keep us here, who will fight against those modified Bluebirds?"
He continued in a seemingly loyal tone, "Interstellar pirates are reckless. David is already in a desperate situation. Do you think Maughan and his team can handle the modified Bluebirds? I advise you not to lose sight of the bigger picture. For the sake of the base's safety, restore the weapon system permissions for Units 15 and 16."
Carlos's fingers clenched into a fist, his heart filled with rage. The appearance of the modified Bluebirds had caught him completely off guard, but he knew Torres was involved in all of this. Iron Bear and Karim's refusal to upload data must be hiding secrets related to the modified Bluebirds.
He admitted he had miscalculated: he hadn't anticipated Torres would be so reckless, colluding with interstellar pirates and resorting to desperate measures. But now, he had to focus on finding a solution to the crisis.
Carlos took a deep breath, suppressing his inner fury, and coldly said to Torres, "Your charade ends here, Torres. I won't let your plot succeed. All personnel, execute the original plan. Do not let these pirates get any closer to the base!"
With Carlos's command, the security team swiftly sprang into action.