"Sir, we've secured the package," reported the tall, burly figure in a firm voice.
"Good. Head to these coordinates, where the activator is located," responded an authoritative voice from the other end of the line.
Without another word, both figures took off with powerful rockets installed in their armor, slicing through the skies like luminous streaks that left a vibrating echo in their wake.
In another location, General Bronjort was speaking with Marie through a secure line:
"Is there no one who can pursue them?"
Marie, visibly uncomfortable, replied in an apologetic tone:
"I'm sorry, sir. I'll connect you with Chief Drake immediately."
Drake answered the call, but before he could speak, Bronjort interrupted him with barely contained fury:
"This is unacceptable! You're supposed to train your team so they can handle threats like this! Why aren't they doing their job?"
Drake tried to calm him, though his voice betrayed some tension:
"All we know is that those individuals aren't from this world, sir. We're working on it."
"Well, find a way to catch them. My skin's on the line here, and so is yours," Bronjort replied coldly. Then, with a threatening tone, he added:
"If you don't, I'll send her as your replacement."
Drake swallowed hard, visibly nervous, and managed only to respond:
"We'll do everything we can, sir."
The general hung up abruptly, leaving a tense silence on the line. In his office, Bronjort—who now looked noticeably younger than before—turned to his secretary, Nubia, who watched worriedly as her boss vented his frustration. Nubia sighed silently and continued typing on her computer, accustomed to her superior's emotional outbursts.
Meanwhile, in another location, Drake emerged from the shadows. His appearance had also changed drastically; he now appeared to be around thirty-five years old, inexplicably rejuvenated. At that moment, Marie entered his office and stared at him in astonishment, unable to hide her surprise at her boss's physical transformation.
"What happened on that island?" Marie thought as she tried to process what she was seeing. It was clear that all the adults looked younger, but the younger agents hadn't experienced any noticeable changes.
Drake, without wasting time, gave her a direct order:
"Marie, put everything on high alert. We need to capture those individuals, or our days as agents are numbered. Alert all teams immediately."
Just then, an incoming call interrupted the conversation. It was Ezekiel.
"Chief Drake, those individuals appeared at the institute. They took a student, apparently by mistake, since they were specifically looking for your grandson," Ezekiel informed him urgently.
Drake paled at the news.
"Is Aiden in danger?"
"Calm down, he's safe in his dormitory. I've stationed some members of Unit X along with Unit I to secure the area. Additionally, they mentioned something important: those individuals are using highly advanced technology, even beyond Adrian's knowledge," Ezekiel added.
In the background, Adrian's voice interrupted:
"It seems they're using Luxteno, sir."
Drake furrowed his brow, quickly piecing things together.
"So we're dealing with alien attacks... This just got complicated. I'd better contact my son immediately."
Then, addressing Marie, he ordered:
"Marie, contact Agent B-12 immediately."
Everyone went on high alert, mobilizing quickly to search for any trace that might lead them to the unknown figures.
On the monitors of the two Lux soldiers, a detailed image of the Molanga Pyramid in Colombia appeared. The pair had arrived at the location along with their prisoner, Leonard. Without further ado, they created an opening in one of the earthen walls of the mountain to enter.
Just as they were about to cross, an authoritative voice echoed behind them:
"Go back to where you came from and return that student!"
It was Tommy, who already had his bone bow ready, aimed directly at the intruders. However, the figures paid him no mind. Tommy fired an explosive arrow, but it had no effect on their impenetrable armor.
At that moment, Dove intervened, imposing intense gravity on both figures, pinning them to the ground.
"That should do it," she said with determination.
"Well done, love," Tommy responded with a proud smile, his tone filled with admiration as he gazed at Dove.
She returned the compliment with a mischievous little smile:
"You didn't do too badly either with that authoritative voice. You impressed me."
Tommy scratched the back of his neck, visibly flustered but pleased by the compliment. A light blush appeared on his cheeks as he replied:
"R-really?"
Dove nodded, her eyes twinkling playfully, enjoying his reaction. It was clear that the two shared a special bond, full of trust and mutual support, even amid the tension of battle.
"Hey, lovebirds, I'll take the student," Clara announced, descending from the sky thanks to her wind magic. But just as she approached Leonard, the larger figure struck her with brutal force, sending her flying several meters.
"Foolish pests! We have no time to waste. We need to leave," declared the other figure impatiently.
"Hey, don't mess with a girl!" Mukio shouted determinedly as he launched into an attack, striking both figures with overwhelming fury.
However, the taller one countered with a brutal blow, sending Mukio flying backward. Without losing his composure, Mukio muttered under his breath:
"That's what I wanted."
With a confident smile, he absorbed the energy from the impact and released it in a devastating explosion that sent the two figures flying several meters.
Adora didn't waste any time and seized the moment to jump into action. With impressive agility, she performed acrobatic flips while shouting:
"Take this!"
Her blows, charged with super strength, reverberated powerfully through the air, sending visible shockwaves with each impact. The figures barely had time to react to the combined attacks of Mukio and Adora.
"Thanks to Adrian finding an energy pattern, we were able to locate them," she explained between attacks.
"Hey! But don't hit them like that—you might hurt the kid," Patrick warned, concerned for Leonard's safety.
While Adora and Mukio argued, blaming each other for their actions, they failed to notice that the figures had gotten back up without any apparent damage. Swiftly, the shorter one began firing at them, injuring some members of the team. If Mukio hadn't stepped in, it would have been fatal.
The larger figure lunged forward, delivering a massive blow that sent everyone flying, while the shorter one charged his weapon and fired a powerful beam.
"Hurry up, don't waste time!" ordered a voice from inside the figures' suits, presumably a scientist. Without further delay, both entered the pyramid with Leonard in tow.
Inside, there was a massive circle on one of the walls.
"Alright, take your positions," instructed the scientist's voice through the suits. A surge of energy emerged from the circle, enveloping the two figures and Leonard.
"Wait! No, don't take him!" Aiden shouted desperately as he and his friends burst into the area, gasping for breath after running to get there.
But it was too late. The figures had already activated the circle, and with a blinding flash, they vanished along with Leonard. A second later, the circle emitted an intense glow before collapsing in on itself, leaving only a trail of residual energy crackling in the air.
Aiden and the others stood frozen, staring at the empty space where the portal had been. Frustration and helplessness overwhelmed them as they realized they had failed.
"Wow, that was a quick trip," Floud remarked, looking around in amazement at finding themselves inside the pyramid, trying to change the subject.
Moments earlier, a voice had given precise instructions:
"No time! Look up 'Molanga Pyramid' in Colombia on the map."
Gat had found the location, and at that exact moment, the book he was holding began to glow with blinding intensity. Before anyone could react, the book seemed to come alive, emitting a golden radiance that illuminated the entire library.
"What are you kids doing here?!" Dustin shouted just before being engulfed by the light.
Suddenly, everyone present felt an invisible force envelop them, as if the book itself were pulling them in. In the blink of an eye, they were swallowed by the mystical object, experiencing a dizzying sensation of displacement. A heartbeat later, they found themselves at the designated location, as if the book had instantly transported them across space and time.
The abruptness of the journey left some disoriented, while others struggled to regain their balance, gazing around in awe and confusion.
Back in the present, they lamented not having arrived in time to rescue Leonard.
"We're too late, damn it!" Aiden exclaimed in frustration as he examined the device on the wall, now completely destroyed.
The voice interrupted again, this time with a more urgent tone:
"I think I know where to find another one, but I'll need your help, Aiden."
Without further explanation, it instructed them to search for something in the book: a country with a "P" in South America.
"With 'P'… Para…" Todd murmured, trying to solve the riddle. The voice responded with a simple "no," but Akira quickly interjected:
"Peru!" he declared confidently, pointing at the book.
"Yes, but look in ancient places," the voice added.
Josh was quick to respond:
"Machu Picchu!"
"Drop that and get over here!" Dustin shouted, visibly irritated as he watched the kids still holding onto the book.
"No, wait… It's another one that starts with 'W,'" the voice interrupted, its tone a mix of urgency and mystery.
"With that initial?" Floud repeated, intrigued, as she eagerly approached the book. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she began flipping through the pages rapidly, searching for something that matched the clue.
"Hurry up, guys! Dustin's getting mad!" the voice warned, now adopting a teasing tone that made some laugh.
Akira, focused, pointed to an image quickly:
"This one! Waqrapukara!"
"Yes, that's it! See you there," the voice replied before another wave of energy enveloped the group, teleporting them once more.
"Not again!" protested the Gold and Silver Girls, who were already tired of these abrupt trips.
High above, in a distant place, a dazzling light descended from the sky, and everyone landed roughly on the ground.
"Ouch! That hurt!" Floud and Riota exclaimed in unison, having landed directly on top of Dustin.
"Where are we?" Timmy asked, looking around and noticing how high up they were.
"We're in the clouds!" Lita responded, marveling at the breathtaking landscape surrounding them.
"I'm scared! I can't breathe…" Billy muttered, placing a hand on his chest as he struggled to catch his breath.
Everyone seemed disoriented: some, like Billy, were beginning to feel the effects of the altitude, experiencing dizziness and nausea; others, like Lita, were completely awestruck by the beauty of the place. Meanwhile, Aiden and Maria exchanged worried glances, wondering why the voice had brought them here.
"I'm glad you made it," the voice said suddenly. Everyone turned toward the source of the sound, searching for the mysterious speaker—just as I, the author, did.