Trap

The group began to follow the hooded figures in silence, moving through the shadows to avoid detection. Zugiy, ever vigilant, maintained a safe distance while Rosvaldo led the team. The path led them to an old, abandoned building, which was clearly being used as a hideout by the faction that had kidnapped the alien's daughter.

Victor, with an impatient tone, muttered:

— This is taking too long. Let's wrap this up quickly.

Rosvaldo looked at Victor firmly and replied:

— Stay calm, Victor. We need to be discreet here.

As they approached the entrance, Victor, in his impulsive nature, ended up kicking a can that was on the floor, creating a loud noise that echoed down the hallway.

Melissa, frowning and irritated, complained:

— Did you have to make noise, Victor?

Victor, annoyed and trying to justify himself, retorted:

— It was an accident, okay? Relax, I can handle them.

The hooded thugs noticed the noise and turned toward the group, drawing weapons and preparing for combat. Rosvaldo sighed, aware that the situation had just escalated.

Rosvaldo, with a serious expression, gave the order:

— No choice now. Let's neutralize them quickly and quietly.

Before the thugs could act, Melissa intervened swiftly. With a powerful move, she controlled the earth beneath the enemies' feet, creating pillars that pushed them against the wall and disarmed them. Mel, using her abilities, conjured energy weapons and fired precise blasts, taking down the remaining thugs.

Victor, smiling and pleased with the quick action, commented:

— See? Nothing to worry about.

Rosvaldo, looking at the unconscious thugs and concerned, responded:

— That's not what I had in mind. We needed information from them.

Zugiy, ever observant, said calmly:

— We can tie them up and interrogate them when they wake up. But that will delay the mission.

Mel, nervous but trying to stay calm, pondered:

— And what if there are more of them inside? It might be risky to wait.

Rosvaldo, thinking, concluded:

— We'll tie them up and move on. If they wake up, we can interrogate them, but the focus is to find the alien's daughter.

Victor, still excited from the fight, helped tie up the thugs while his mind was already thinking about more action. Zugiy used his gravity ability to ensure the ties were impossible to break, leaving the thugs completely immobilized.

Melissa, looking at Victor with irritation, warned:

— Next time, try not to mess things up, okay?

Victor, shrugging and with a carefree smile, responded:

— Chill, I've got this. Just let me know when there's more to take down.

Rosvaldo, focused on the mission, signaled for them to continue toward the main hideout.

As the group was tying up the thugs, Rosvaldo lifted his head, sensing a new presence. Victor noticed it too, but before he could react, a female voice echoed down the corridor.

???: "Looks like we're either late or maybe too early, depending on your perspective."

The group quickly turned to see an alien woman with bluish skin and four arms approaching. Beside her, a stone alien with exaggerated muscles and a stern look walked heavily, causing the ground to tremble slightly with each step.

Rosvaldo, maintaining his composure but firmly, asked:

— Who are you? And what are you doing here?

The alien woman crossed her arms and looked at the bound thugs with a disapproving expression.

Alien Woman: "These idiots were causing trouble? We came to clean up this mess, but it looks like you've already done the job."

The stone alien, with a brutish grin, stepped on one of the unconscious thugs, causing a nasty crunch.

Stone Alien, laughing, declared:

— They're weak. I could have taken them out in seconds!

Rosvaldo, focused and ignoring the provocation, responded:

— We're on a rescue mission. Where is the captured girl?

The alien woman rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed with her stone partner's behavior.

Alien Woman, disdainfully, replied:

— Of course, you humans wouldn't waste time asking questions. The girl is being held in the depths of the building. But you should get out of the way before we start doing our job.

The stone alien snapped his fingers, seeming eager to crush something, but Rosvaldo held his ground.

Rosvaldo, with authority, asserted:

— Our mission is to rescue the girl, and we won't let you interfere. If you're really here to help, cooperate with us or get out of the way.

The stone alien snorted, clearly irritated with Rosvaldo's firm stance.

Stone Alien: "I don't take orders from anyone, especially not weak humans!"

The alien woman sighed, pushing her stone companion away with a disdainful gesture.

Alien Woman: "Shut up and stop trying to crush everything you see. We need to find the girl. And maybe, for once, working with these humans won't be so bad, as long as they stay out of my way."

Melissa stepped forward with a serious look, but before she could speak, Rosvaldo raised his hand, signaling her to wait.

Rosvaldo, staring intently at the alien woman, declared:

— If you really want to help, then lead us to the girl. But know that if you try anything, we won't hesitate to act.

The alien woman gave a cold smile but nodded in agreement.

Alien Woman: "Very well, humans. Follow me, but stay in your place. I haven't decided if I trust you yet."

As the group followed the alien duo, Victor whispered to Mel:

Victor, with an ironic tone:

— These two are quite the show, huh? I bet the big guy over there can't even count to ten.

Mel, nervous but trying to maintain composure, replied:

— Just... stay alert. We don't know what these two might be planning.

With the tension rising, the group moved forward, ready for any surprises the path might bring. They knew the mission was far from over and that any misstep could be fatal.