The Chronochip: Prowlers call

Back at Magnus Base, Ariana lay unconscious in the medical bay, the faint hum of machines filling the quiet room.

"I think we shouldn't tell her," Xander said into the phone, his tone low and serious as he stood just outside.

A soft groan drew his attention.

"Tell me what?" Ariana's groggy voice interrupted as her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the dim lighting of the room.

Xander ended the call abruptly and stepped inside, his sharp gaze meeting hers. "You're awake. How do you feel?"

The concern in his voice caught her off guard, and for a moment, she wondered if she had misjudged him.

Is he… worried about me?

"I feel… better," she replied, managing a small smile.

But Xander's expression shifted almost immediately. The faint softness vanished, replaced by his usual brusque demeanor. "Good. Get up. We still need to get to Heem, Florida."

He turned and strode out of the room, leaving Ariana sitting there, confused and irritated.

"Asshole," she muttered under her breath.

Xander walked briskly down the corridor, his thoughts swirling. Something about their visit to Ariana's aunt's house felt off, like a puzzle piece that didn't fit. His instincts, honed through years as an agent, screamed that something was wrong.

"Damn it," he hissed as he collided with a man rushing down the stairs.

The stranger stumbled, muttered a quick apology while slightly bowing, his black cap pulled low over his face.

Xander's brows furrowed. "Have I seen you around before?"

The man shook his head, his accent thick and foreign. "No, sir" Without waiting for a response, he disappeared down the hall.

Xander watched him for a moment, suspicion prickling at the edges of his mind. But his phone buzzed, pulling his focus.

It was Gru. "The ship is ready for transport. Everything's in place."

Later, Ariana joined the group near the harbor, dressed in black cargo pants and a black baggy shirt.

"You clean up nice," she said with a teasing smile, giving Xander a quick once-over.

He didn't even glance at her. Instead, he rolled his eyes and muttered, "Let's go."

Why do I even bother?

Ariana shifted her attention to Wince and Chloe. "It's good to see you two again."

"Likewise," Chloe replied, her tail swishing with excitement.

As they approached the ship, Ariana froze, staring up at the massive vessel before them. "Where are we going?"

A deep, unfamiliar voice answered. "Florida."

Startled, Ariana turned to find a man standing behind her. "And who might you be?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

Darwin answered before the man could. "That's Agent Gru. He's Xander's partner and friend—well, kind of. Xander wouldn't admit it."

Gru smirked, but Xander's sharp tone cut through the moment. "Enough. Everyone on board. Now."

"Jerk," Ariana muttered under her breath, making Gru chuckle as he followed her up the ramp.

Once aboard, Xander barked orders, sending agents and guards to secure the ship. Ariana, Gru, Chloe, and Darwin followed him to the captain's cabin.

Gru tried to lighten the mood. "What do you call a pretty lady who's a man?"

Ariana frowned. "What?"

"Xandera!" Gru burst into laughter, and even Wince joined in, his whiskers twitching in amusement.

Xander's glare silenced them. "All of you, to your stations. Now."

He motioned to Ariana. "You stay here with me."

The cabin was quiet except for the faint clicking of keys as Xander typed into the ship's navigation system. Ariana sat on the couch, restless.

"Xander, have you ever been to Florida? Wait, that's a dumb question—you're an agent, of course—"

He sighed loudly, cutting her off.

Why is he always so rude?

Time dragged on, the silence between them growing heavier. Just as Ariana opened her mouth to speak again, a deafening crash from outside froze her in place.

Xander jumped to his feet. "Stay here," he ordered sharply before rushing out.

Chaos erupted on the deck. Masked attackers in black swarmed the ship, their movements precise and deadly. Xander dodged bullets as he fired back, his voice sharp over the comms.

"Gru, report. What's going on?"

Gru's voice crackled back. "Ambush. No idea who they are yet."

Fighting his way to the control room, Xander found Gru, Darwin, and Wince working to stabilize the situation.

Darwin's sharp eyes caught sight of a green gas seeping across the deck. "This isn't random."

Xander's expression darkened. "Masked men, strange gas, foreign accents…" He paused, his voice low. "It's the Yakimas."

Everyone froze. The name carried weight, a reputation of calculated brutality.

Xander's stomach twisted as realization struck. "Ariana." He bolted from the room, leaving the others to hold the line.

Ariana huddled under a desk in the captain's cabin, her breaths shallow and panicked. The door creaked open, and two masked men stepped inside.

"Is this the girl?" one asked.

The other checked a photo and nodded. "Yeah, that's her."

Ariana's heart raced. "Stay back!" she shouted, her voice trembling.

The men chuckled darkly. "Why don't we have a little fun before handing her over?"

They lunged. Ariana screamed, kicking and thrashing, but they were too strong. They pinned her down and tore her shirt open. "No please. Stop" she kept crying but they paid no heed.

Just as she braced for the worst—

Bang. Bang.

The attackers slumped lifelessly to the floor.

Ariana looked up, tears streaming down her face, to see Xander rushing toward her. Without a word, he wrapped his jacket around her trembling form.

"You're safe now," he murmured, his voice surprisingly gentle.

She clung to him, sobbing uncontrollably.

Gru appeared at the doorway, his face pale. "The chronochip is gone."

Xander didn't look up. "It was never here."

Gru frowned, but his gaze shifted to Ariana. "What happened to her?"

Xander's jaw tightened. "Not now. How's the situation outside?"

Chloe and Darwin arrived, reporting that the attackers had been neutralized "we had to use Snick bombs and Leopard grenades" Darwin chimed in. Chloe glanced at Ariana, her voice soft. "She's in shock."

Xander nodded grimly

We've lost all their signals," Linda declared, Yuna got up as she paced around the hotel room, arms crossed over her chest.

"This is bad. This is really bad," she muttered, her mind racing with thoughts of what their father might do when he found out.

"Yes, this is totally bad," Yuka chimed in, earning a sharp glare from Yuna.

Sailin, the sleek broun cat lounging on the couch, licked his paw casually. "Why don't we—"

"Shut up!" both Linda and Yuna shouted in unison, their frustration spilling over.

Before the tension could escalate, Yuna's phone buzzed. She glanced at the caller ID, and all the blood drained from her face.

"It's him," she whispered, her hands trembling as she answered the call.

"How was the mission?" Sakura's deep, husky voice came through the line, each word dripping with authority and menace.

Yuna's throat went dry. "W-we…"

Before she could stammer further, Yuka snatched the phone from her grip.

"Dad, we failed," he said bluntly, then quickly added, "But we have crucial information. Agent Heartfill's daughter has been located."

His tone was unusually serious, catching both Linda and Yuna off guard. They stared at him in disbelief as he ended the call.

"Why'd you lie?" Yuna demanded, her voice sharp with shock.

Yuka smirked, leaning back in his chair and gently stroking Sailin, who purred contentedly under his touch. "I didn't lie."

Yuna frowned, clearly confused.

He reached into his jacket and pulled out a photo, tossing it onto the bed. It was a blurry but unmistakable image of a young woman. "I hired a private investigator a while back. He tracked her movements and reported that she's been traveling with an agent from W.O.D."

Linda's eyes widened. "You knew about this?"

Yuka nodded, his smirk widening. "I also stationed two of our men to keep an eye out for her. Just before all their signals were cut, they confirmed her presence."

Linda blinked, taking a moment to process his words.

"You're a genius!" Yuna exclaimed, throwing her arms around him in an impulsive hug.

Yuka chuckled softly, brushing her off. "Of course I am. Now, we just need to figure out how to get to her."

Sailin meowed in agreement, his tail flicking lazily as the siblings exchanged determined looks.

Meanwhile, deep in the heart of an underground chamber, Agent Heartfill hung from heavy chains, his body battered.

Dr saiko splashed him cold water causing him to regain consciousness.

Sakura entered, his steps deliberate. "Your daughter is next. Tell me where the key is, or I'll make her suffer and you'dbe there to witness."

Heartfill's pleas echoed in vain. "Old friend" Sakura began "you brought this upon yourself. If you told me since then we wouldn't be at this point hmmmm" and with that Sakura turned to leave "Oh and don't worry I'll get your daughter Ariana as fast as i coukd and after I'm done with her I'll free you from this misery old friend" and he left, his laughter chilling the air. 

Heartfill became tensed and wobbly as Sakura mentioned his daughter's name. That meant he wasn't bluffing.