The alarm sirens blared throughout the facility, mixing with the loud thuds and crashes coming from the surface above. The entire underground complex shook violently, as if the forest itself was raging against the intrusion.
"Looks like we've got visitors," Rora muttered, though her tone was far from joking. Her eyes darted rapidly across the main screen, analyzing every bit of data.
On the monitor, multiple red heat signatures were closing in at high speed. It wasn't just one or two vehicles; there were dozens of heavily armored airships, the massive logo of Omni-Core Industries painted clearly on their sides.
"There are way too many of them, Ra!" Bimo exclaimed, his fingers flying across the keyboard as he tried to scramble their radar signals. "They brought a full army! Heavy weapons everywhere!"
Lia was busy scanning the security perimeter. Her face was pale but her hands remained steady.
"The outer defense barrier has been breached! They're using high-grade laser cutters. The main entrance will give way in less than a minute!"
Rora took a deep breath and tied her hair back tighter. She wasn't panicking. In fact, there was a spark of excitement in her eyes. For years she'd only dealt with formulas and chemicals, but now... it was time for action.
"Alright, listen up," Rora said firmly, switching into leader mode. "Bimo, cut the power to the main corridors. Activate the static traps and the smoke screens. Let's confuse them first."
"You got it, Boss!" Bimo immediately slammed his hand on a series of hidden buttons.
"Lia, take the backup data to the safe room. Store the system files somewhere they'll never find. We cannot let Bio-Nexus fall into their hands intact."
"Understood, Miss Rora!" Lia sprinted towards the server room, clutching a portable harddrive encased in explosion-proof material.
Now Rora was alone in the main control room. She walked towards the glass wall overlooking the forest outside. From there, she could see red flashes and black smoke starting to rise above the treetops.
"Omni-Core..." she whispered. "You came here to steal someone else's hard work. Yet you don't understand the first thing about this planet."
Suddenly, a deep, cold voice echoed through the room. It didn't come from the alarm speakers, but from the communication device on her desk.
"Rafflesia Rora..." the voice was smooth but piercing. "We know you are there. Surrender the technology, and we might just let you live."
It was Mr. Harrison! The man had personally come to talk.
Rora smirked. She leaned closer to the microphone and replied in a casual yet challenging tone.
"Well, well, Mr. Old Man Harrison? You went through all this trouble just to ask for something? Sorry, but this isn't a toy you can just grab. This belongs to the Earth, and I'm not giving it to people who only care about profit."
"You are a fool if you think you can stand against us," Harrison snapped back. "We have money, power, and weapons. All you have is a small lab and dreams. Give up before it's too late."
"Scared?" Rora chuckled softly. "You might have guns and tanks, but I have something you'll never have: Brains, and a love for nature. Come on in, if you dare!"
Rora cut the connection with a single tap.
Two seconds later... BOOOMM!!!
A massive explosion blew open the lab entrance. Dust filled the air, and the silhouettes of fully armored soldiers started pouring in, their weapons charged and ready.
Rora didn't run. Instead, she walked slowly backward toward the back exit, grabbing a small bracelet-like device from her pocket.
"Let's play a game of hide and seek," she whispered.
She strapped the device onto her wrist and pressed a button. Instantly, the entire room began to transform. Floors shifted, walls slid aside, and a secret passageway opened behind a bookshelf.
"Welcome to the spider's web, Omni-Core. Hope you enjoy your stay... briefly."
Rora jumped into the dark tunnel, vanishing completely just as the first soldier stormed into the main room.