The special department was reviewing what had happened, with some forensic units that had arrived at the scene working together with Tecro. A technical team had entered the police station to restore the power in the building. Another group, dressed in white suits, was carrying bags containing all the fallen officers, while Tecro and his team were taking detailed photographs of the scene.
"Do you know what might have happened?" the special agent asked Tecro.
"No, but I saw the woman we captured leave with a man. I took a photo of the car and the license plate, but I need to enhance the image with software," Tecro replied.
"Do it, kid," responded the special agent, Carlo, a man in his fifties with a deep, firm voice that exuded experience.
"Right away," said Tecro, quickly transferring the image to his tablet to begin processing it.
As Tecro worked, another special agent accompanying Carlo intervened. It was Mina, a woman in her thirties whose sharp gaze reflected intelligence and determination.
"While you're doing that, could you tell us why that woman was arrested?"
Tecro briefly looked up before answering:
"One of the officers who called us mentioned that some kids had been abducted from the nearby orphanage."
"Yes, something like that. That woman was about to kill the head nun. We can't rule out that she had accomplices, but we only saw her. She was very strong and slippery," Tecro explained, focused on improving the image quality.
Finally, he raised his tablet with a satisfied expression.
"Done. These two are the suspects, and here's the car they left in: dark green, though it looks like it doesn't have a license plate."
"Good, kid. We'll take it from here. Pass us the image," Carlo instructed.
Tecro handed over the image, and Carlo gave precise orders to the other agents:
"Go after them. There's a car to chase."
The five cars that had arrived at the scene began the pursuit, led by Carlo, while Mina sent the photograph to the central office. She knew the individuals in the picture didn't seem to belong to this country, but she trusted that her colleagues at the international agency would be able to verify their identities.
Inside the car, Paul and Vera were arguing heatedly when they noticed several black, tinted cars beginning to follow them.
"Damn it! How did they find out about us?" Paul exclaimed, visibly shaken.
"Did you forget not to leave loose ends?" Vera reproached him coldly. "It can't be. You finished off the last one… Unless someone called someone else, but that's impossible. Or was someone hiding in the area? Damn it! We need to lose them."
Paul accelerated sharply, running red lights at the traffic signals. Luckily, there wasn't much traffic due to the time. He drove through narrow streets and alleys, even passing through the same alley where everything had begun.
"They're so annoying. They won't leave," Paul muttered under his breath.
"Let me try something," Vera said. Turning toward the back seats, she found several weapons. She grabbed a machine gun and began firing at the cars chasing them.
Agent Carlo, demonstrating surprising skill behind the wheel, managed to dodge the bullets. It seemed as though this veteran agent had been a race car driver at some point in his life. The other vehicles accompanying him weren't as fortunate; some had their tires shot out, while others had their windshields shattered.
"Take evasive action!" Carlo shouted through his radio.
The chase was frantic. Gunfire echoed everywhere, shattering the stillness of the night. People in their homes watched in stunned silence from their windows, too afraid to step outside. Even the municipal pound workers ducked instinctively upon hearing the gunfire, covering themselves for protection.
"I'm running out of bullets… Damn it!" Vera yelled as she quickly switched to a pistol. Her voice was tense, but she maintained a calculated calm that contrasted with the adrenaline of the moment.
"They're closing in on the right!" Paul warned, his eyes glued to the side mirror as he struggled to keep control of the wheel.
From his vehicle, Carlo activated the loudspeaker, and his authoritative voice boomed:
"This is the official brigade. Surrender immediately. I am Agent Carlo. We have your faces in an image. Surrender now."
It was clear that Carlo was the only one still in pursuit. The other vehicles had fallen behind, victims of the relentless gunfire.
"You and who else?" Vera shouted back with disdain, searching under her seat. She found what appeared to be a rocket launcher, and a satisfied smile crossed her face. Turning to Paul, she firmly instructed, "Accelerate!"
Paul slammed the accelerator, and the car roared like an unleashed beast, increasing its speed considerably. However, Carlo refused to be intimidated, keeping up with surprising skill.
At that moment, Vera leaned out the window with the rocket launcher. With a cold and determined expression, she aimed at Carlo's vehicle.
"Goodbye, officer," she said almost casually before firing.
The missile shot out of the tube with a deafening roar, striking Carlo's car directly. An explosion lit up the night, engulfing the vehicle in flames and smoke.
"Fool," Vera muttered, laughing with contempt as they continued their path of destruction, speeding away toward the outskirts.
"Ha, ha! We fooled them!" Vera exclaimed triumphantly, but her euphoria was cut short by Paul's serious tone.
"This isn't over. Don't you see they've got us? Damn it, they have our faces. According to what that agent said, they already know or will soon know who we are. We need to act fast."
Paul grabbed his phone and called the general. He briefly explained what had happened, mentioning the major setback and the possible compromise of the entire operation.
"Return immediately. I'll handle the situation," responded Uve, the general's calm yet firm voice coming along the line.
They continued driving until they reached the ship. They destroyed the car they had been traveling in and boarded the vessel, heading toward where Zeus was waiting.
In the secret base, Uve muttered to himself:
"These fools…"
He picked up the phone and dialed a number. At the other end of the line, a woman with a mysterious voice answered:
"Ah! It's you, Uve. What do you want from me?"
"I need you to search the databases of this country and any other possible locations, and remove the capture information for these two. Or change their faces so they don't come after me or bring me before the boss," Uve explained, his tone a mix of urgency and authority.
"Alright, that's going to cost you a lot of money," she replied coldly.
"You're always a viper," Uve shot back, though without losing his composure.
"I know, but I always get the job done. Besides, if Mr. If Zeus finds out, he'll wipe you off the map," the woman said, letting out a mocking laugh.
"Fine, I'll give you whatever amount you want, but do it immediately," Uve insisted.
"I love it when you get nervous, General. Consider it done," she responded before hanging up.
The woman, seated in front of a machine with a giant screen and wearing strange glasses that seemed to move over her eyes, began typing a series of complex codes. She was the same person Uve had spoken to.
"Ah! These two always rubbed me the wrong way, but anything for the money and the general," she murmured to herself as she pressed a series of keys.
With one final click, she successfully changed the identities of Paul and Vera, replacing them with those of two unknown individuals. Satisfied, she sent a message to Uve: "Job completed."
Uve transferred the requested amount, and the woman smiled as she saw the confirmation on her screen.
"A pleasure working with you," she wrote before disconnecting.
Back on the ship, Paul and Vera contacted the general again. He assured them that everything had been taken care of and that they had nothing to worry about.
"Return immediately," Uve ordered.
The plane accelerated even more, slicing through the night sky as they headed toward the agreed-upon location.
Meanwhile, at the hospital, Sheriff Jeff was about to head to the station when the doctors emerged from the operating room. With tired but relieved expressions, one of them approached him.
"The patient is stable. We operated on her. Now it's up to her whether she survives or not," the doctor announced professionally, though his tone betrayed a hint of concern.
Jeff felt a wave of relief wash over him, but the tension still kept him on edge. His gaze reflected deep worry as he asked:
"Can I see her?"
The doctor nodded calmly.
"You can go in, but only through the observation window."
Jeff walked to the indicated room and, through the glass, observed the head nun connected to tubes and machines emitting constant, rhythmic sounds. The sight filled him with immense sadness, mixed with a profound sense of helplessness. He stood frozen in front of the glass, his thoughts overwhelmed with guilt.
"If only I had been with you, none of this would have happened," Jeff repeated to himself mentally.
Turning to the doctor, Jeff said firmly:
"She'll be fine here, Doctor. Please, make sure she's treated with everything you have available."
"That's what we'll do, Sheriff," the doctor replied with a respectful nod.
With his heart still heavy, Jeff left the hospital. Outside, he approached an officer guarding a police vehicle and said with authority:
"This car is needed for official police business."
He got into the vehicle and drove straight to the police station. However, upon arriving, he was met with a chaotic scene: a crowd surrounded the area, murmuring in shock and horror.
Jeff quickly got out of the car and approached one of the officers securing the zone.
"What happened here?" he asked urgently.
The officer swallowed hard before responding:
"Apparently, a couple destroyed the place and killed everyone who was there. It was… a bloodbath."
Jeff felt the air leave his lungs. The news hit him like a sledgehammer. Everyone dead. His colleagues, friends, comrades… He couldn't believe it. Immediately, he began searching for Tecro, trying to reach him by phone, but without success.
"You can't go in," another officer said as he saw Jeff approach the police cordon.
"Nonsense! I'm the chief of this station!" Jeff retorted firmly, brushing the officer aside and crossing the barrier.
Inside, he finally found Tecro, who was examining some remains of evidence. When Tecro saw him, Jeff embraced him tightly.
"Son, I'm so glad you're okay," Jeff said sincerely.
Tecro responded with a faint smile, though his eyes betrayed the weight of what had happened.
"Yes, sir, but… the others weren't so lucky. When I arrived, it was complete chaos. I'm so sorry," the young forensic expert replied, his voice breaking.
"It wasn't your fault, son," Jeff said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "But tell me, did they manage to catch them? What happened during the pursuit?"
Tecro shook his head.
"I don't know, sir. We lost communication with Agent Carlo. All I have is this photo of the person who helped the woman escape."
He showed the image to Jeff, who was stunned upon seeing it. Tecro noticed his expression and asked:
"Why are you making that face?"
"Look at the photo," Jeff said, pointing at the image.
In the photograph were Elsa and the orphanage maintenance staff.
"How is that possible?" Tecro exclaimed, confused. "How? When? Why did they change the image?"
Jeff frowned, his mind quickly analyzing the situation.
"It seems we're dealing with very dangerous people, son. People who will do anything to avoid leaving loose ends," he said gravely.
Tecro looked at him thoughtfully.
"And I wonder… Why do they want the orphans? And why specifically kids up to seventeen years old? Is it just here, or in other places too?"
Before he could continue pondering, Agent Mina arrived running, visibly shaken.
"I received a call," she said, almost out of breath. "This isn't happening just here. Orphan abductions are occurring all over the world."
The news left both men stunned. Silence fell over the place as they tried to process the magnitude of what they were facing.
"Sir, I got a call on my cell phone," Tecro said urgently, holding his phone in his hand. "It was one of our vehicles—actually, the only one still operational—and it was returning from the orphanage. They told us the city was in chaos. There was gunfire, apparently, along with several cars destroyed like colanders… and a car that exploded, seemingly from a missile."
"Oh no! Carlo!" Mina exclaimed, paling at the news. Without wasting a second, she ran to her car and sped off, determined to find her partner.
Jeff, on the other hand, remained motionless for a few seconds, his gaze distant and his expression heavy with pain. Finally, he broke the silence:
"I don't know what I'm going to tell their families… They were all good men and women," he murmured, his voice trembling with sadness and guilt.
"I know," Tecro replied, lowering his gaze. He knew there were no words that could ease the weight of such a loss.
Sheriff Jeff slowly removed his hat, as if the gesture symbolized the grief he felt at that moment. Then, he raised his eyes with renewed determination.
"But now, I'm not thinking about anything except seeing this through to the end. For Ana, and for my fallen comrades," he declared firmly, his voice resonating with a mix of sorrow and resolve.
Tecro looked at him with admiration and nodded decisively.
"You can count on me, sir. I'll stand by you. This isn't going to end like this," the young forensic expert affirmed, his tone reflecting an unbreakable promise.
At that exact moment, a deafening noise filled the air. It was the sound of a ship descending. Paul and his team had arrived, bringing the kidnapped children with them. As they disembarked, an enormous number of similar ships began surrounding the area, creating an imposing and overwhelming scene.
From a door in the hangar emerged Zeus, an imposing figure whose presence dominated the space. With firm steps and a powerful gaze, he approached the group.
"You've done well," Zeus said, his voice resonating with authority. "It's time to initiate the final phase of our grand plan."
He pulled out his communicator bracelet and, after activating it, spoke to someone at the other end of the line.
"Tell the scientific team to prepare everyone for the great revelation," Zeus ordered, his eyes gleaming with an almost supernatural intensity.
The atmosphere was charged with tension and anticipation. It was clear that something monumental was about to happen—something that would change the course of everything forever.