Claws of Operation Eclipse (C.O.E)

Luca slammed his fists on the desk, his voice a sharp growl that filled the room. "How did you let him outrun you?" His cold gaze moved slowly over his men, each standing stiff, heads bowed in silence. The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a blade. None of them dared to meet his gaze or speak out of turn.

"Pathetic," Luca muttered, turning away from them in disgust.

Zarro, lounging near the corner, stretched lazily and licked his paw. His crimson eyes flickered with irritation before narrowing in thought. Then, as if struck by inspiration, his lips curled into a sly grin.

"Marcello," Zarro drawled, his voice smooth yet deliberate, "the Chronochip will be transported from Genesis Lab to W.O.D tomorrow. That's the perfect opportunity to ambush them."

Luca turned back, his anger replaced by a calculating expression. He took a moment to consider before a slow smirk crept across his face. "Brilliant," he said with approval, nodding. "Derrick, prepare the men. I want this to go flawlessly."

Derrick gave a sharp nod, practically tripping over himself as he scurried out of the room.

Zarro stretched, his claws gleaming as he hopped down from his perch. His crimson eyes glowed faintly as he smirked. "Don't mess this up, Marcello," he said, his tone dripping with mockery. Luca's lips twitched, but he let it slide. Zarro, after all, had his uses.

"I've locked down the coordinates for the transport van," Linda announced. Her fingers danced over the keyboard with practiced ease. She leaned back, satisfied, as the laptop screen displayed a detailed map.

Yuka, standing behind her, whistled softly in admiration. "You work fast," he muttered, eyes wide.

Linda didn't bother responding, her attention focused on the glowing screen. "Yuka," Yuna called from across the room, "inform the men. We leave tomorrow at 1300 hours." Her tone was sharp, commanding.

"Yes, ma'am," Yuka replied automatically, scooping Sailin into his arms as he left the room. He stroked the cat gently, his thoughts already focused on the upcoming mission.

Yuna, watching him leave, turned her attention back to Linda. Her gaze sharpened. "You can fight, can't you?" she asked, her voice tinged with skepticism.

Linda smirked, pushing the laptop aside. She stood and gave a theatrical bow, her movements fluid and confident. "Try me," she said, her grin revealing just a hint of menace.

Yuna's lips twitched into a proud smile. "Save it for tomorrow," she said simply, turning away.

"What the hell are we supposed to do?" Ariana asked for what felt like the hundredth time. Her voice trembled, her anxiety growing with each step they took toward her house.

Xander let out an exasperated sigh. "Could you please shut up for two minutes? You're not helping."

Darwin and Wince exchanged amused glances, their purrs a low, teasing vibration.

When they reached her house, the sight that greeted them stole the air from Ariana's lungs. The front door hung open, splintered and broken. Inside, the living room was in disarray—furniture overturned, broken glass littering the floor, papers scattered everywhere.

"What happened here?" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the pounding of her heart.

Without waiting for an answer, Ariana bolted upstairs. She pushed open her mother's bedroom door and froze. Her knees buckled as she collapsed, her scream echoing through the empty house.

"No! No!" she sobbed, clutching at the bedsheets.

Darwin padded softly into the room, holding a sealed envelope in his mouth. "Ariana," he called gently, nudging the letter toward her.

Hands trembling, she tore it open. The words inside hit her like a blow to the chest:

Bring the Chronochip and the girl, or we'll kill every member of her family, one by one. The next victim will be her aunt in Los Angeles.

— Zarro.

Her tears blurred the ink as she clutched the letter to her chest. "Why are they targeting me?" she whispered brokenly. Her sobs filled the room, but no one had an answer.

Sakura took a long drag from his cigarette, exhaling a thick cloud of smoke that hung heavy in the air. He leaned back in his chair, turning his attention to Saiko, who stood at the edge of his desk with a wicked grin.

"Has he talked yet?" Sakura asked, his voice calm but carrying an undercurrent of menace.

Saiko held up a vial of a glowing green liquid. "Not yet," she said, her grin widening. "But this should do the trick. A single drop, and he'll be begging to tell us everything."

Sakura's lips twitched into a faint smile. "How soon can it be ready?"

Saiko's eyes gleamed. "A month," she replied, her voice filled with confidence.

"Good." Sakura gestured for her to leave.

Saiko descended into the basement, her steps echoing against the cold, metallic walls. On her way, she encountered Linda perched on a counter, her fur pristine. Saiko raised an eyebrow. "What's a cat doing here?" she asked, her smirk dripping with disdain.

Linda stretched lazily, her tone dismissive. "Let's go. We don't have time for your games."

The door to the interrogation chamber creaked open, revealing the dimly lit room soaked in dread.

SPLASH!

The captive jerked awake, his eyes darting wildly. "Wh-Where am I?" he stammered, shivering as water dripped from his hair.

Saiko loomed over him, a malicious smile curling her lips as she picked up a pair of pliers from a bloodstained tray. "You're somewhere very special," she whispered.

SNAP.

The sound of the pliers snapping shut made the man flinch, his breathing erratic. "Ahhhhhhhhhh!" he screamed as agony coursed through him.

From the shadows, Linda stepped forward, her eyes gleaming with cold determination. "Speak, Agent Heartfill," she commanded, her voice like a knife slicing through the air.

Upstairs in his office, Hugo sat with Ariana, his expression a mix of concern and calculation. Her hands trembled as she clutched a mug of tea, the events of the day leaving her shaken.

"Sir, we're ready to transport the chip," Xander said, striding into the room. His tone was brisk, but his eyes lingered on Ariana for a moment. "We've also confirmed the whereabouts of Agent Heartfill."

Ariana wiped her tears, her gaze drifting to the corner of the room where a sleek, white cat sat elegantly. "What are you staring at?" Xander asked, irritation creeping into his voice.

"You have a cat too," she said, her voice tinged with amazement. She reached out, calling softly, "Here, kitty."

The cat lifted its head, its voice smooth and regal. "I can talk too, you know. My name is Chloe."

Ariana's jaw dropped as she took in the snow-white feline, her astonishment evident.

Xander rolled his eyes. "Don't get too excited. Every agent has a Prowler. They're not just cats—they're partners."

Hugo chuckled at her amazement. "Darwin and Wince? They're Prowlers as well," he added.

The realization hit Ariana like a thunderbolt. "Wait… So they're not just ordinary cats?"

Xander waved her curiosity aside. "Enough chit-chat. We'll discuss this later," he said, signaling to Darwin and Wince. The two Prowlers sprang into action, trailing him as he left.

Once they were gone, Ariana turned back to Hugo, her curiosity burning. "Who is Agent Heartfill? And why do you always look at me when his name is mentioned?"

Hugo's expression darkened, his gaze dropping to the floor. "That's a story for another day," he said gruffly.

Before she could press further, Hugo called for Samantha. "Take her to Room 312xx," he instructed, turning his back on them.

"Mr. Marcello, we're not the only ones after the Chronochip," Derrick said, his voice uneasy.

Luca, seated behind his desk, exhaled a cloud of smoke, his sharp eyes locking onto Derrick. "Who else?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.

Derrick hesitated, visibly uneasy under Luca's penetrating gaze. "The Yakima," he finally muttered.

At the mention of the name, Luca's demeanor changed. His eyes narrowed, and his fingers tightened around the edge of his desk. Zarro, lounging nearby, let out a low chuckle. "Looks like you've got competition," he said mockingly.

Luca flicked his cigarette into an ashtray and surged to his feet. In an instant, his hand was around Derrick's throat, slamming him against the wall. "I don't care what it takes—keep them away from the chip," he growled.

Derrick nodded frantically, his face pale, and scrambled out of the room the moment Luca released him.

Zarro smirked, his red eyes gleaming with mischief. "You know what to do," Luca said, lighting another cigarette.

"Fatto," Zarro replied with a sly grin, hopping down from the desk. As he approached the door, he turned back, his tone playful yet sharp. "And Luca—don't ever look at me like that again."

Luca watched him go, his expression a mix of surprise and amusement. Turning back to his window, he took a long drag of his cigarette, exhaling slowly.

"This is going to be interesting," he murmured, a dark smile spreading across his face.