"Sir, we're monitoring the perimeter," Travis said, his voice laced with seriousness as he kept his gaze fixed on the hallways alongside Miguel. Other agents from Squad X were strategically fanning out across the silent dormitories. The air was thick with tension, as if the walls themselves might exhale secrets.
"But what are you guarding if the kids aren't even here?" Adrian retorted, appearing beside Rafael with an air of frustration. His tone reverberated like an unexpected echo in the empty hallway.
"Hey!" Travis exclaimed, confused, shaking his head. "No one got past our watch. It's impossible."
Rafael crossed his arms, a sardonic half-smile playing on his lips. "I think those brats are smarter than we gave them credit for." With practiced ease, he activated nanomachines from his wrist device and opened the rooms one by one. The spaces were empty—no trace of the young ones. The rooms seemed abandoned without leaving so much as a whisper.
"Oh, damn it!" Nick's urgent voice crackled through the communicator. "If we detected this with our machines, General Bronjort definitely has too. What have you done, Aiden?"
Adrian stared at a hologram projected from his wrist device, his furrowed brows reflecting concern. "According to this… they're in South America."
Chief Drake's deep voice cut into the line, firm yet controlled. "These kids… we'll punish them when we find them."
He paused briefly before adding, "Find them. Quickly. Before Bronjort and his team do."
Drake ended the communication and headed toward the exit. He could only hope to intercept General Bronjort in time—and perhaps convince him that not everything was as it seemed.
At SQUARE headquarters, a man burst into the office where the leaders were discussing strategies. His ragged breathing broke the tense silence enveloping the room. "Sirs, we've detected two massive energy spikes. Similar to the portal powers of the boy known as Aiden. In different locations."
General Bronjort immediately looked up, his dark eyes gleaming with a mix of restrained fury and determination. Without uttering a word, he gave the order with a sharp gesture: "Investigate both locations. Send all available men."
Turning to his assistant, he added, "Miss Nubia, contact Drake. I want to know if his grandson is at school or not."
Hela, seated in a corner of the room, observed every move the general made with a barely perceptible smile. "Trouble, Bronjort," she murmured softly, though she knew he could hear her. She was waiting to see him fall.
Bronjort responded without looking at her, his tone cold and professional as ever: "No, nothing indicates anything out of the ordinary. Just routine." But inside, his blood boiled. Every muscle in his body seemed to be on high alert.
General Bronjort exited the office with determined steps, his expression impassive but charged with barely concealed tension. Upon reaching Major Mike, he ordered bluntly: "Prepare the ship. We leave immediately."
Mike looked at him with a mix of disbelief and resignation, his lips curling into an ironic half-smile. "This kid doesn't know how to do anything but cause trouble, does he, General?"
Bronjort paused briefly in his stride, as if Mike's words had struck a sensitive chord. His jaw tightened slightly before responding in a controlled voice, though tinged with barely contained frustration: "Well, yes… But I hope this time it isn't him. We don't need more complications."
Without another word, he resumed his march toward the hangar. Before disappearing down the corridor, he tossed one last phrase over his shoulder, his tone leaving no room for delay: "Let's go. I'll be waiting for you in the main hangar."
Back with Yu and Benny, the deep, authoritative voice of General Bronjort echoed through the underground space, heavy with authority and menace. "I know you're there, Yu. And I know you have Aiden with you. I'm coming in. Let me through. The entire area is cordoned off."
Yu, calm yet alert, activated an improvised loudspeaker and responded evenly: "Very well, General. You may enter." With a precise gesture, he triggered a hidden mechanism that revealed a camouflaged door embedded in the stone floor of the ancient archaeological site.
Underground, Yu and Benny waited silently. The heavy footsteps of the general reverberated on the stone stairs, each step laden with intent. Benny trembled visibly, his nervousness almost palpable in the stale air.
"We're toast! We're toast!" Benny whispered frantically, his voice barely audible.
Yu frowned and shot him a stern look. "Hey! Kid, calm down. It looks like your appearance is about to give you away." He handed him a small mirror, showing how the form he had taken—Aiden's—was beginning to distort under emotional pressure.
Benny stared at his reflection in horror and tried to steady himself, taking a deep breath. But the panic lingered, latent, like a constant echo.
"Get a hold of yourself, kid," Yu insisted, his voice firm but not devoid of compassion. "The general is already here. Do it for the sake of your friends."
The sound of footsteps drew inexorably closer, growing louder until finally, the general appeared before them, his imposing figure blocking the faint light filtering down from above.
Benny glanced at his reflection in the mirror once more. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to relax and focus. He knew he wasn't just protecting his own identity but also the safety of his friends.
"So this is where you've been hiding," said the deep voice of General Bronjort as he entered the room. His eyes scanned the space, finally resting on Yu and the person who appeared to be Aiden.
"Mr. Bronjort… how are you?" Yu asked, his voice trembling slightly as he tried—and failed—to sound casual. The general had entered accompanied by two soldiers clad head-to-toe in black uniforms, looming like living shadows.
Bronjort advanced toward them with calculated steps, each one resonating with a weight that seemed to fill the entire chamber. His gaze settled on "Aiden," cold and inquisitive, as if trying to decipher every secret hidden behind that appearance. Seeing the boy so far from where he was supposed to be only deepened his frown. Not only was he outside the institute, but he had also used his powers without authorization—enough to spark a crisis. And, as if that weren't enough, the person assigned to watch over him was conspicuously absent, adding another layer of complication.
Benny, disguised as Aiden, felt his heart beating wildly in his chest. He tried to mask his nervousness by maintaining a neutral expression, but he knew that even the slightest slip could shatter his disguise and endanger not only his mission but also his friends. His hands trembled slightly, though he kept them steady at his sides, focusing on controlling each breath so as not to give himself away.
The air in the room was thick with tension, as if the walls themselves were holding their breath. Benny was acutely aware that one wrong move would be enough to shatter his precarious situation.
Suddenly, the general did something unexpected: an almost mocking smirk appeared on his face. Yu and "Aiden" exchanged astonished glances, unable to comprehend what was happening.
"You should've seen your faces," Bronjort said, breaking into sudden laughter. His laugh echoed through the underground chamber, leaving both of them even more bewildered.
"Good thing I got here first," interjected one of the soldiers, removing his helmet to reveal his true identity: Drake. He smiled warmly as he looked at "Aiden." "Aren't you going to come give your grandpa a hug?"
"Uh… yeah," replied "Aiden," quickly stepping forward. Drake enveloped him in a tight embrace, patting his back affectionately.
"You little rascal," Drake murmured, a mix of relief and reproach in his voice. "You almost gave me a heart attack. If it weren't for Adrian hacking the SQUARE programs, you'd already be in serious trouble."
Yu observed the scene with an expression that was both surprised and amused. Finally, he let out a nervous chuckle. "I already knew it was you," he commented, though he avoided giving further details. "But I couldn't tell Aiden, could I? Can't spoil the series, remember."
"Yeah, sure, of course…" I said, the author.
Drake raised an eyebrow, feigning confusion. "Huh? I don't know what you're talking about, Yu, but I believe you."
Then, turning back to "Aiden," he asked with genuine interest: "So, how's school treating you? How have these last few days of training been?"
"Aiden" hesitated, uncomfortable. The question caught him off guard; after all, he wasn't really Aiden—he was Benny in disguise. Before he could come up with a convincing response, Yu quickly intervened to change the subject.
"And how did you guys get here so fast?" Yu asked, gesturing toward the soldiers and Drake. "You completely caught us off guard."
"Well, we had to use the teleportation device," Drake explained, his voice a mix of seriousness and concern. "Though that thing is only used in emergencies, since it's extremely unstable. Adrian and his team still haven't managed to fix those glitches."
He then turned his gaze back to "Aiden," who seemed increasingly uncomfortable under his scrutiny. "But why are you here alone? What about the other kids?"
"Aiden" hesitated for a moment before responding, scratching his head nervously as if trying to buy time to come up with a convincing excuse. "Well… you see, I came because I wanted to save a friend named Leonard. The invaders took him to their planet, and Yu offered to help me with the case."
Drake shifted his attention to Yu, giving him a significant look, as if silently telling him he should have been informed earlier. However, Yu simply smiled mischievously and responded: "Sir, you look much younger. What have you been doing?"
Drake raised an eyebrow, surprised by the comment. He was about to respond when the other guard interrupted the conversation, gently tapping the leader's shoulder. It was Marie, who had just removed her mask. Her expression was serious, almost urgent. "Sir, we need to leave soon. There's no time to waste."
"What a buzzkill you are, Marie! I wanted to keep chatting with my grandson," Drake joked lightly, though his eyes betrayed a hint of concern. Then, shrugging, he added, "Oh well, no choice. You're right—we need to get out of here."
At that moment, the Bronjort standing before them began to slowly transform into clay, crumbling away until he vanished completely. Everyone watched the phenomenon in astonishment, but Drake didn't seem surprised.
"My power always comes in handy in situations like this," he remarked proudly, glancing at "Aiden." "And with the training I've received, I can now even make my creations speak for a limited time. Of course, it only works with people I've seen and heard before. Isn't that fascinating, my dear grandson?"
Before anyone could respond, Marie interjected again, this time with greater urgency in her voice. "Sir, we must leave. Something is approaching this sector."
Drake nodded quickly, adopting a more serious tone. "Alright, kid, we need to get out of here before the real Bronjort arrives." He turned to Yu and asked, "Can you help us with that?"
Yu hesitated for a moment, then shook his head as he explained, "Well, boss, you see… I don't have a photo or anything related to Blue Hills. I'd need some kind of reference to send you back."
Drake snapped his fingers, as if recalling something important. With a quick gesture, he signaled Marie, who pulled a photograph of Blue Hills from among her belongings and handed it to Yu without a word.
Yu examined the image carefully, his eyes gleaming with determination. He took out his book and pen, and began writing and drawing rapidly, focusing intensely on every stroke. Meanwhile, Marie intervened again, pointing upward with growing concern. "What about the ship, sir?"
Drake smiled reassuringly, placing full trust in Yu. "Don't worry, our good friend Yu will take care of that, won't you?" he said, looking at the young writer with a conspiratorial grin.
Yu nodded firmly, briefly lifting his gaze to confirm, "That's right. Leave it to me."
A warm light emerged from the book, illuminating the room with an ethereal glow. Yu raised his head, his eyes reflecting a mix of hope and worry. "I hope you have a safe journey and arrive in time to avoid trouble," he said, his voice heavy with seriousness.
In an instant, Drake, Marie, and "Aiden" disappeared, leaving Yu alone in the underground chamber. Looking around, he sighed deeply. "I hope everything turns out alright…" he murmured to himself, as if trying to convince himself that he had done the right thing.
In the library, a bright light erupted in the air, materializing Drake, Marie, and "Aiden." The atmosphere was silent but tense, as if the walls themselves were watching.
"Thank goodness we made it," said "Aiden," trying to sound casual as he adjusted his clothes. Then, quickly adding, "I should probably head back to my dormitory. I was just about to leave when…" His voice trailed off abruptly as he noticed Marie stepping into his path, blocking his way.
"Well, young man," Drake said, his tone a mix of sternness and curiosity, "you'd better tell me who you really are because I know you're not my grandson Aiden."
Benny swallowed hard, his throat dry as a desert. He could feel the piercing gazes of Drake and Marie boring into him, scrutinizing him, daring him to keep up his charade. His hands trembled slightly, though he tried to hide it by crossing his arms. The weight of the situation crushed him, and his mind raced frantically for an escape, but with each passing second, his nervousness only grew.
Drake took a step forward, his expression hardening even further. His eyes, sharp as blades, seemed capable of reading every hidden thought in Benny's mind. "You'd better tell us the truth," he warned in a threatening voice that resonated like contained thunder, freezing Benny in place.
The air in the room seemed to thicken, heavy with tension. Each of Benny's breaths was audible, shallow and uneven, as he felt the relentless scrutiny of the two adults cornering him with no way out.