The facility's alarms blared, signaling critical structural damage. Renjiro, Yukari, and Aiko fled the server room as explosions erupted around them. Smoke and debris filled the air, and Renjiro shielded Aiko with his body as they navigated the crumbling corridors.
Agents scrambled to evacuate, their voices drowned out by the chaos. Renjiro's comm crackled with Kaito's voice. "Renjiro! Status report!"
"We're evacuating," Renjiro replied. "But Kaede's gotten away. Again."
Yukari shot him a glare. "And we barely escaped with our lives. She's playing us, Renjiro."
As they emerged into the open air, Aiko collapsed to her knees, coughing. Renjiro knelt beside her, his expression softening. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Aiko said weakly. "But… what now?"
Renjiro looked toward the horizon, his jaw set. "Now, we regroup. And we fight back."