Ignoring the red lake on the ground, she searched Nat's bookcase for the hidden lever. She pushed the bookcase to hide the opening and ran toward her father's office. She fell once as the light turned off for a few seconds but quickly pushed herself to rise and reached the room. No one could get there because no one had removed the wreckage from the west wing, and the secret tunnel was the only way to reach the office.

She turned on the computer, grateful that the Chief's office had its own power generator and entered the cameras' system. The Great Room was full of people. Agents were tied up, beaten or fallen on the ground, probably dead. Men and women she had never seen were holding guns, monitoring the exits.

The same happened in the electronics room, and a grateful sigh escaped when she saw her team alive.

I need to gain access to the drones to see how many men we've got outside. There must be a way to talk to Axel.

She typed fast on the keyboard, trying to hide her presence in the base's system and from all her enemies. She didn't want to risk being spotted there.

Opening every drawer and searching the book case while the computer ran a program, she tried to find a phone or anything she could use to speak with her friend.

Behind a painting, she found a safe.

And of course there is a password. Dammit.

However, instead of numbers, she had to choose letters. The password consisted of four letters.

Alba? Could he have my name?

She entered her name, and a red light lit up.

Nope. If it's going to be something I should remember from the past, I'm going to be very pissed.

She closed her eyes and tried to focus.

He must have put something I could find. Something related to me, but what?

Her fingers brushed the side of her neck and touched the dry blood.

Wait. 4 letters... Estelle means star.

She typed the word, and something clicked. Opening the safe, she found a gun and a cell phone. Not the usual phone the agents had. It was normal, black, and she didn't know how she could use it.

Alright. I must connect it to the base's system, track Axel's phone and somehow call him from this phone. And no one can notice my actions.

"Piece of cake," she muttered and rolled her eyes.

Time was against her, she didn't know who to trust because she was certain that Agent O and Agent 37-T weren't the only agents that worked with the enemy, her father could be dead, she was alone in an office in the middle of destruction, and the only person capable of saving them was on the ground, a few meters above her; so close, yet too far away.

At first, there was silence. Then, a buzzing sound led to static, and finally, someone said, "Hello?"

"Axel!" A huge smile formed on her face.

"Alba? How?"

"It doesn't matter. Is anyone around you listening to us? I still haven't gained access to the drones."

"No, tell me."

"Alright, listen. I'm in my father's office. I think it's the only place I can be safe. The electronics room and the Great Room are full of enemies. I think that some of our agents work for the enemy. There are many dead and injured. My dad-" Her voice broke.

"What happened?"

"I don't know. They used the chip on him and made him kill me. At the last second, the device broke, and he managed to snap out of its control. Axel-" A few tears ran on her cheeks- "he might be dead. He told me to run and find a way to get you inside. But it's too difficult."

She wiped her tears and continued typing.

"West side is damaged. And they probably have men on the south side where all the vehicles are. They'll want to leave, right? Dad said that it might not be their priority. I don't know what are they waiting for."

"Then, we've got east and north side."

"I don't have eyes on the north side. A few people were fighting near the bedrooms, but I don't know what's happening now. If you go there, you'll be on your own."

"I know, but I can't risk the few men I have and enter the Great Room. We cannot hide, and they'll have the advantage."

"Why are you on the ground?"

"I had gathered a small team and started field research to see how Neva escaped. When they realized that Neva was in the base, I didn't manage to get inside, and after the lockdown, every entry was blocked."

"Agent O and Agent 37-T work for Neva."

"I see..."

"You don't sound surprised," she noticed.

"It doesn't matter now. You must gain access to the drones. They mustn't see us enter from the north side."

"Are you sure about it? Maybe, I can find another-"

"I don't like it. But entering from the Great Room is suicidal. And I refuse to lose all my people. If we fall, at least, we will fight first."

No one spoke for a few seconds.

"Fine, I'm working on the drones. What else can I do?"

"Stay where you are. I'll need you when I enter the base."

"Axel, you must be very careful. They inject the chip now. And it works. I don't know if they have spare devices here, but if they do..." She let her voice trail off, but they were both thinking the same thing.

Entering the base could save them all, or it could give an army of controlled soldiers to the enemy. Maybe that's what they are waiting for.

"Don't turn off the call. I don't know if I can call you again."

"I'm here. Do your magic."

"It's not-" She shook her head but didn't finish her sentence. "I got them. I got the drones. But I don't have much time. I'll alter the image and make them think that you are still at your current location, but soon, they'll figure it out. They've got Agent 16-E checking the drones," she said as she scanned all the cameras.

Thankfully, not much has changed.

"Okay. Listen up!" he said to the agents around him. "We might have to fight some of our own. We cannot trust anyone but ourselves. Agent 23 can only do so much with the limited undamaged cameras. Don't be heroes. Agents may put the world first, but right now, we are in a terrible position, and I refuse to lose more people."

"Can't we ask for help?" someone asked.

"As I said, we cannot trust anyone. And we cannot risk losing more time while our people's lives are in danger. Now, we are entering through the north side. What we know is that an hour ago everything was quiet there. There were a few fights before, but we don't know what's happening now. We will gain access slowly.

"Team A will check all the rooms and hallways for hidden agents or enemies who patrol. Team B will proceed to the east side. You'll slowly do the same. You must reach the training rooms and get more guns. Team C-" he looked at the remaining four people- "we must gain access to the electronics room. Any questions?"

Alba saw them moving their heads negatively.

"Alright, let's go."

She saw them running toward the north entry. A small picture on the upper corner of the computer's screen showed the electronics room where Agent 16-E tried to find her.

Neva was there, calling them useless.

"She's only a girl, and you can't find her?" he shouted.

"She could be in a place with no cameras," Agent 16-E answered.

"I've got my men looking for that girl, but she's nowhere."

"Sir, do we really need her?" one of his men asked.

Neva turned around, grabbed the man and pinned him on the wall. "Agent O is dead because of her! And now, she must die too." He let the man fall, and he neared Agent 16-E.

Alba was looking speechless.

If Alaric is dead, and Neva knows it... My father killed him. Is he dead too? But he didn't mention him.

Axel was nearing the entry, and Alba was happy that everyone was too busy with her.

Back on the screen, she saw Agent 16-E scanning the cameras again and again. But Alba knew that they wouldn't find her. She had run through the corridors with the damaged cameras, and Nat's office was one of the few that wasn't monitored. She was safe.

"I can't find her." The woman stopped typing and moved her chair a few centimeters away from the desk. She put her hands on the sides of the keyboard and waited.

Neva took his gun and brought it to the back of her head.

"You are either useless, or you help her. In either case, unless you tell me where she is, you die."

"I don't know where she is." She was determined, and her voice had no sign of fear.

And then, Alba watched in terror as the person she had never suspected, took a gun and aimed at Agent 19's head.

No! Not the cute guy!

Agent 465 was working with the enemy, and at that moment, he chose to aim a gun at the young girl.

Agent 16-E was looking at the young man; surprise was written all over her face.

No, I can't let them kill that girl.

"We are inside," Axel told her.

"Axel, I found a traitor. He's threatening to kill Agent 19 because no one can find me. Agent O is dead, and Neva thinks I'm responsible."

"Don't you dare!" he said as if reading her thoughts.

"I can't let the girl die."

"Don't be a hero, bunny!"

"I'll reveal my location. They don't know about the secret tunnel. It'll take ages for them to get here through the wreckage. I'll be gone by then through the tunnel."

"Too risky."

"I have to try."

"They might kill her anyway."

"I know. You always teased me about not aiming good enough or being a complete failure in interrogation. But we both know that I'm good in hiding. I can do this."

"Fine. Remember everything I taught you."

Easier said than done. There were things she didn't remember.

"Sure. Take care. I won't be able to use the phone once I leave the office. We are on our own."

"Don't be a hero," he said, and the gunshots muffled his next sentence.

"Axel?" she said, but no one answered.

You got this, girl. And he will take care of himself.

She opened the computer's location. An evil smile formed on her face, and the craziest idea lightened in her mind.

Who said I can't tease them?

In a few seconds, on the screen of Agent 16-E's computer appeared a message.

"Come and get me." Next to it was a smiley face, winking.

"Where is she?" Neva shouted.

His red face was in contrast with his blonde hair.

"It can't be," the woman murmured.

"Where?"

"In the Chief's office. But... The walls have collapsed. How did she get there?"

"I don't care." He turned to a few of his men. "Go, get her. Don't hurt her. And don't let her escape."

Alba didn't know how much time she had. Doing one last scan, she noticed the tall guy. He was in the Great Room, but he seemed to leave.

Where is he going?

She managed to track him down for a few minutes. He left the room through the door with the scanner that had terrified Alba just a few days ago and walked through the tunnels.

He's either leaving from the east exit or... He'll escape. He's going to the cars!

"I can't let him do it."

She put the gun on her belt, made sure that her hair was secured in the ponytail and took one last thing from the drawers.

I might need it, she thought and put the tiny, round device in her back pocket.

Opening the book case for the last time, she faced the tunnel.

"Alright, Agent 23. Let's see what you can do," she said and let her instincts take over.