The old man's holographic image flickered as he leaned forward, his sharp eyes narrowing.
"Are you certain?" he asked, his voice gravelly with a mixture of skepticism and anticipation.
Gina nodded, her smirk growing more pronounced. "Sir. The chip is unmistakable—S-1. We've finally found the successful subject."
The old man's expression softened for a brief moment, a glimmer of relief passing over his stern features.
"This changes everything," he muttered, almost to himself. His gaze sharpened again as he focused on Gina. "Make sure he's stable. We can't afford any mishaps with this one."
"Understood," Gina replied, her tone professional but tinged with a hint of excitement.
She glanced at Tomi, still fast asleep, and then back to the hologram. "I'll monitor him closely. But sir, if I may—what's the next step?"
The old man's holographic image seemed to pause as if weighing his words carefully.
"We proceed with caution. The implications of S-1 ... Is significant. But for now, keep this between us. No one else needs to know until we're ready to act."
Gina nodded, the gravity of the situation settling in. "Yes, sir."
The hologram flickered out, leaving Gina alone in the dimly lit room. She turned back to Tomi, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest.
"You're more important than you realize, kid," she whispered to herself, a mix of pity and admiration in her voice.
She stood, walking over to the holographic console, her fingers gliding over the controls as she initiated a deeper scan of Tomi's brain.
The images on the screen shifted and rotated, revealing intricate patterns and data streams linked to the S-1 chip.
"Let's see what makes you so special," Gina murmured, her curiosity piqued as the system began to decode the chip's hidden secrets.
Gina leaned in closer to the holographic display, her eyes narrowing as she examined the data streaming across the screen.
"His chip seems to have a few abilities similar to Layla's," she mused, watching the system categorize Tomi's potential. The abilities appeared as glowing icons:
[Reader: Ability to assess dark mecha danger levels.]
[Player: Control of three mechas: L2 'Light Lancer,' 'Kings,' and 'Wings.']
She noted the familiar capabilities, but something unusual caught her attention— locked abilities that her system couldn't penetrate.
The icon flickered with a dull red glow, its data hidden behind layers of encryption.
"Seriously?" she muttered, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.
She relished a challenge, especially one as intriguing as this.
"What a hassle!" she thought, adjusting her glasses with a sharp flick of her fingers.
Gina initiated an advanced decryption sequence, her fingers dancing over the controls as she focused on the task.
The first lock clicked open with a satisfying beep, but before she could celebrate, the system threw her a curveball—the lock snapped shut, followed by a secondary lock re-engaging, effectively sealing the information once more.
"What?" she gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief.
This was the first time she had encountered such a resilient security system. Layla's chip had been a breeze in comparison; Gina had unlocked it the same day she began her work on her. But this... this was something entirely different.
Her gaze shifted to Tomi, still lying unconscious on the bed, his chest rising and falling with the rhythm of deep sleep.
A faint smile played on her lips, a mix of admiration and intrigue.
"This kid..." she whispered, the words barely audible as she let the reality of the situation sink in.
She leaned back in her chair, her mind racing with possibilities.
"Good thing we got our hands on him first before they did," she thought, the implications of Tomi's abilities becoming clearer by the second.
There was something special about this one—something that could tip the balance in ways she hadn't yet imagined.
Gina's eyes flickered with determination as she turned back to the console, ready to dive deeper into the mystery.
Gina's eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she studied the encrypted data on Tomi's chip.
"Perhaps it's like his?" she mused, the thought bringing to mind a certain individual—a leader of GF2, the elite Fighting Force, and one of the ten commanders in the Greatest Fighting Forces (GF2).
He was popular, formidable, and known for his unique abilities, much like the ones Tomi's chip hinted at.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sudden sound of the door sliding open. Layla burst into the room, her urgency was palpable.
"The colossal mecha is about to run through the headquarters!" Layla exclaimed, her voice sharp with anxiety.
The heavy, rhythmic thudding of the colossal mecha's footsteps echoed through the building, each one louder than the last.
Gina, however, remained unnervingly calm. Her posture was composed, arms folded across her chest as she turned to face Layla, her expression cool and unimpressed.
"And what is he doing?" Gina questioned, one eyebrow arching as she crossed her legs, her displeasure evident.
"Shouldn't he be out there already?" Her tone was laced with irritation, the calm veneer barely masking her dissatisfaction.
Layla hesitated, unsure how to respond to Gina's piercing gaze.
Gina sighed, glancing out the window as dark clouds gathered, signaling an impending storm.
The sky was a deep, foreboding gray, reflecting the gravity of the situation.
"Seriously, that guy needs to start following the rules laid out in this facility," she muttered, more to herself than to Layla.
The distant rumble of thunder punctuated her words, underscoring the tension that filled the room.
"For now, Third Captain Litany is out on a mission with the rest of GF2," Layla replied, her eyes glued to Tomi, who was still unconscious, his breathing steady.
"But First Captain Malik and Second Captain Archer are nowhere to be found," she added, a hint of concern creeping into her voice.
Gina's mind raced.
"Archer and Malik? They're polar opposites," she thought, her fingers absentmindedly adjusting her glasses. Just then, the headquarters' alarm system blared to life, its piercing tones filling the room with an urgent warning.
"[Emergency, emergency, emergency]," the cold, mechanical voice echoed through the halls.
"[Colossal Dark Mecha on the rise.]"
"[Danger level: Chaos.]"
Gina's eyes met Layla's, her expression serious as she fixed her glasses with a deliberate motion.
"You know what to do, right?" she asked, her tone leaving no room for doubt.
"Of course, Doctor," Layla responded, a thrill evident in her voice, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
"Heading out to meet my captain," she added, already turning toward the door.
"Hell no!" Gina snapped, her voice sharp as she watched Layla make a move. "We can't afford for you to go missing too. If Malik isn't out there, you join your teammates in position."
Layla paused briefly, glancing over her shoulder with a look of determination, but the door slid shut behind her before Gina could say another word.
"Seriously, this girl," Gina muttered, a sigh escaping her lips as she leaned back, listening to the relentless pounding of the colossal dark mecha's steps reverberating through the building.
She turned her gaze toward the window, the alarm still blaring in the background, her thoughts now on Malik.
"Malik, if this headquarters goes down, I'll personally see to it that you're jailed," she thought darkly, her eyes flickering back to Tomi, who lay peacefully amidst the chaos outside.