"Hiro... I knew you'd come for me."

As the wheel of the door began to turn, signaling that the figures outside were moments away from entering, Hiro realized he couldn't retreat into the room. His best option was to incapacitate the incoming figures and make a break for it.

Hiro took a deep breath and silently counted backward from three.

3

2

1

The door creaked open gradually. Hiro quickly adapted his approach, positioning himself behind the door as it swung open against the wall. He had the upper hand now – he knew they were entering, but they hadn't spotted him yet.

The figures stepped inside and advanced a few steps to close the door. As they came into view, Hiro had already primed his weapon, his jaw dropping in astonishment as he recognized them.

"Lirien!" "Kaida!" Hiro whispered urgently. "What are you both doing here?" he asked, trying to keep his voice hushed amidst the noisy machinery in the boiler room.

"Hiro?" Lirien exclaimed, her eyes wide in surprise.

"What in the world are you doing here?" Kaida demanded, relaxing her grip on her weapon and placing a hand on her hip.

"Thank goodness you're okay," Lirien said in a relieved tone, rushing over to give Hiro a tight hug, pressing herself against him. "I thought I had messed up, and you ran off or something."

[Told you she was warming up to you. Surveillance cameras successfully hacked. I'll begin transmitting shortly.]

"Of course not. I'm here to rescue Mylleen," Hiro replied as Lirien pulled away.

Kaida observed them both, her eyes darting between Hiro and Lirien. "What's happening here?"

Just then, the screen in front of Hiro's eyes began to flood his vision with a grid of videos.

"Have you located Mylleen's position?" Hiro inquired of Nova in his thoughts without vocalizing it.

[Yes, she's currently held in a hatch nearby,] Nova confirmed, and a mini-map appeared in the upper left corner of the screen, displaying Mylleen's location.

[The arrow above will guide you,] Nova added.

"Can we focus on rescuing Mylleen first?" Hiro asked Kaida.

"At least we can agree on something," Kaida replied with a nod.

"This way, ladies," Hiro said, a confident smirk playing on his lips as he led the way, following the arrow on his screen that guided them deeper into the base.

They proceeded cautiously, their footsteps muffled against the metallic floor. As they approached a corner, Hiro halted suddenly, raising his hand in a fist to signal the others to stop.

Hiro tilted his head slightly to the right, glancing at Kaida and Lirien. "Someone's coming," he whispered.

They readied their weapons, tension mounting as the footsteps drew nearer. The moment the approaching figures turned the corner, Hiro reacted swiftly. He fired a laser shot at the first guard, followed by another at the second.

The lasers pierced through their heads, leaving gaping holes with smoke billowing out on the other side.

"You didn't even spare one for us." Kaida said with contempt.

"I was saving you the girls the trouble," Hiro replied, then continued.

As Hiro, Kaida, and Lirien pressed on through the dimly lit corridors of the base, their every step echoed with urgency.

The cold metal walls seemed to close in around them, and the tension in the air was palpable. With each passing moment, Hiro could feel the pressure on his neural core, Nova's presence pulsing in his mind.

Rounding another corner, they stumbled upon a trio of guards. There was no time for words; they had to act fast.

Hiro, utilizing his cybernetic implants with enhanced strength coursing through him, delivered a bone-crushing punch to the nearest guard, sending him sprawling.

[Way to go. Be cautious not to overexert yourself though. You would probably hate yourself if you do.]

Lirien unleashed her telepathic ability and focused her minds of the other guards. She delved into his thoughts, sending waves of confusion and disorientation through his consciousness.

Their movements faltered, one of them dropped to his knees, clutching his head in agony; the other stood confused.

Kaida fired a powerful laser shot, sending the one on his knees flying across the corridor. Hiro closed the gap between himself and the last guard, expertly disarming him with a series of well-timed strikes. The guard crumpled to the ground unconscious, his weapon clattering to the floor.

With the guards subdued, they continued their relentless advance, guided by the arrow on Hiro's screen. Their determination was unwavering, their objective clear – rescue Mylleen at all costs.

Finally, they reached the chamber where Mylleen was concealed within a hidden hatch, locked with an electronic system.

[Hold steady, Hiro. I'm overriding the lock system now.]

As the door unlocked, Mylleen stared in surprise as she saw her rescuers. "Hiro," she called out with excitement as she embraced him tightly, her tears of relief staining his shoulder. "I knew you'd come for me," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.

Hiro smiled, a mixture of joy and determination in his eyes. "I heard you were in a situation, couldn't leave you all alone now, can I?"

Mylleen chuckled, as she pulled back. She planted a kiss on his lips briefly, catching Hiro by surprise.

Lirien cleared her throat loudly, making Mylleen pull away. "Shouldn't we start going?" She asked, biting down in the jealousy rising within her.

She smiled shyly as she went over to Kaida and Lirien to thank them. Before we go, there are a few others, They're in the cells in the lower levels. We must free them."

"Uhm… sure." Hiro replied.

Without hesitation, Hiro led the way, Kaida, Lirien and Mylleen following behind. They rushed to the neighboring cells, their actions swift and efficient.

One by one, they freed the other captives, who emerged with a mixture of gratitude and astonishment. These were people who had lost all hope, and now, they were given a chance at freedom.

As they moved toward the base's exit, Hiro couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. Their mission was nearly complete, but one task remained – destroy the base to prevent any future harm.

Reaching a strategic vantage point, Hiro aimed his rocket launcher, using his onscreen scope. The weapon hummed with power as he took aim at the heart of the base.

The explosion that followed was a deafening roar, shaking the very foundations of the facility. Fire and debris erupted into the night sky, a symbol of their unwavering determination to end this threat once and for all.

[Base destroyed successfully, host. The threat has been neutralized.]

With the base reduced to smoldering ruins, Hiro, Kaida, Lirien, Mylleen, and the newly rescued captives made their escape.