And What of Agent B-12?

"Is anyone listening to me?!" shouted Marie, her voice breaking as the surrounding machines began transforming into menacing robotic forms. Gunfire echoed everywhere, shattering the furniture in the boss's office. She crouched behind the desk, desperately seeking a safe haven.

"Help! Someone save me!" Marie pleaded in her mind, though the cry resonated like an echo within her chest. Her tone was a mix of panic and frustration that she could barely contain. She looked around with wide, frantic eyes, searching desperately for an exit or somewhere to hide. The machines, once harmless, now advanced toward her like relentless predators.

"What's wrong with these damn things?" she muttered to herself, her trembling voice laced with irritation. With a sharp gesture, she reached into the empty pocket of her jacket, remembering with annoyance that she had left her weapon in the desk drawer.

Her eyes frantically scanned the room, assessing every corner for something she could use to defend herself. But all she found were fragments of shattered furniture and scattered wires—testaments to the violence the machines had unleashed in mere seconds.

The metallic sound of the approaching machines made her heart race even faster. Each step they took seemed to reverberate like a war drum, increasing the tension in the air. Marie clenched her fists tightly, trying to stay calm while her mind raced at full speed.

She touched her malfunctioning earpiece, attempting in vain to establish communication.

"This earpiece doesn't work anymore… It must be because the technology it connects to also turned into a robot," she reasoned aloud, though her mind continued to spin. She was trapped, surrounded by killer machines advancing relentlessly toward her.

Just when she thought all was lost, two figures burst into the room: Gin and Dani, both scientists from the base. They carried strange devices attached to their chests, from which scanner-like guns protruded. Quickly aiming at the rogue machines, they disabled them one by one with precise movements.

"That's it!" exclaimed Dani with satisfaction, his voice filled with pride.

"Yes, take that, crazy machines!" replied Gin, grinning widely as he lowered his device. "You're no match for us."

Once the machines were neutralized, Gin approached Marie, expecting some form of gratitude. With a confident smile, he asked:

"Are you alright, Miss Marie?"

But Marie's response was cold and direct. She slowly stood up, brushing the dust off her clothes, and replied simply:

"Thanks."

Her tone was dry, almost indifferent, as she added:

"What are you two doing here? Don't you have work to do in your unit?"

Gin and Dani exchanged uncomfortable glances.

"As always, this woman is so cold," Gin muttered under his breath, though loudly enough for Marie to hear.

She ignored the comment and focused on what mattered. The entire base had been under attack, and most of the machines had begun acting strangely, transforming into annihilating robots. Specifically, the machines using chips from the company TechRaise were the ones affected.

"Luckily, we acted quickly in the lab," explained Gin, regaining his composure. "We built these devices using old parts we scavenged. We've distributed them among some of our colleagues in the unit, and that's how we're taking down the rogue machines threatening the base."

Marie nodded briefly, raising a finger in acknowledgment before asking:

"Were there any casualties at the base?"

"Luckily, no," both scientists replied in unison.

"I'm glad to hear that," said Marie, crossing her arms. "Soon… do you have any way for me to communicate with the units?"

Dani spoke up, adjusting his glasses as he explained:

"Well, Miss, it seems this is happening worldwide. When Milo West revealed his plan for world domination, the machines started behaving strangely. Plus, Podbe, the others... even Boss Drake were on TV and in some media outlets, imprisoned by that guy. But then the transmission cut off, and the machines went berserk."

"Ah, I see…" murmured Marie, her voice barely a whisper laden with thought. Her gaze drifted for a moment, as if processing every word she had just heard. It wasn't surprising that she didn't know much about what was going on; she rarely spent time checking social media, and this time, she hadn't even paid attention to the news. She was completely absorbed in her task of contacting the other teams, ensuring everyone was coordinated to face the crisis. "Do you have a way to view the recording or something?" she finally asked, her tone practical and direct, trying to regain control of the situation.

As she spoke, she crossed her arms firmly, a gesture reflecting her determination. Her mind was already racing ahead, thinking of ways to use the information they might glean from that recording to respond to the looming threat.

"Yes, we have it on an old closed-circuit system in the lab," replied Gin.

"Good, let's head there," instructed Marie as she walked toward the exit, accompanied by the two scientists. Meanwhile, her mind replayed the surname "West."

"Could it be the boss's brother…" she muttered to herself under her breath, frowning. "I don't think so. He said he died in the company explosion along with his father years ago. What the hell is going on?"

With each step she took toward the lab, the questions multiplied, but her determination remained unwavering.

"We're already in Unit O, Miss," said Dani, pointing to an active device resting on a nearby table. "With this, we can contact others using our new communication systems without any issues."

As he spoke, the other scientists moved hurriedly around the lab, handing out improvised weapons to the rest of the personnel. Everyone was focused on preparing to face the machines that had gone out of control.

Suddenly, a familiar voice resonated in the room, filled with humor and authority.

"Hello, Marie. Relax, or you'll fry the brains of my two best workers," remarked the head of Unit O, Omar Reyes. He was a man with a long, gray beard, wearing goggles that completely covered his eyes, giving him an eccentric yet commanding presence.

Marie turned quickly toward him, her expression as serious as ever.

"Mr. Reyes, how are you?" she responded, her tone polite but distant.

"I'm fine, Miss Marie. We have to thank these two new recruits," said Omar, pointing to Dani and Gin with a proud smile. "They've been a great asset in fighting these machines."

"Yes, of course, I already thanked them," she replied dryly, crossing her arms.

Omar let out a light laugh, accustomed to her demeanor.

"You're always so serious, Miss," he commented with a wink. "Look, this is what we managed to record about what's going on."

He gestured to one of the nearby scientists, who quickly brought in an old television set along with a VCR. The scientist inserted the tape into the player, and the footage began to play. On the screen, Zeus appeared, revealing his intentions to the world and exposing his true identity.

"That guy!" exclaimed Marie, visibly irritated. She turned to Dani and Gin, eyeing them suspiciously. "Did either of you know anything about this regarding your former boss?"

Both quickly shook their heads.

"No, Miss," they replied in unison. "We didn't even know who he was. Our tech supervisor, Miss Lady, put us in charge, and we only saw him in photos from the company."

Marie raised an eyebrow, scrutinizing them with a piercing gaze.

"I hope you're not lying to me," she warned, her tone cold but laced with warning.

"No, Miss," they assured her, lowering their eyes humbly. "Since we met Podbe and you all, nothing makes us happier than working to help."

Omar intervened, stepping between them and Marie while giving them a protective look.

"Relax, Marie," he said calmly. "These two have proven to be loyal and good guys. They've constantly supported us with technological updates and have also supplied the vaccines for the Controlled. Now that Adrian isn't here, we've had to follow his specifications, and they've always been willing to cooperate. I was just praising them."

Marie looked at him for a moment before nodding briefly.

"Fine, if Omar says so, I'll believe it," she conceded, though her tone remained cautious.

Her expression hardened as she reflected on the global situation.

"If this is happening worldwide, and the boss needs our help, the first thing I'd say is to get people to safety. So, I'll need a way to communicate with the agents still stationed in various countries. They should focus on saving lives and taking down these machines."

"Of course," said Omar, turning to another scientist who was hurrying by. "Hey, how's the deactivation of the rogue machines going?"

The young scientist paused for a moment, adjusting his glasses as he checked a tablet in his hands.

"We're at thirty percent, sir. The available personnel are dealing with them slowly but surely," he reported in a serious tone. "Remember, the recruits were also sent to the front lines."

"Yes, I see," replied Omar, nodding thoughtfully before turning back to Marie. "Here's the report, Miss Marie. Take this. We finished it quickly. With this device, you'll be able to communicate with others, but not with the boss. It seems there's some kind of blockage in that area."

Gin handed the device to Marie, who took it without a word, though her stern expression betrayed a faint glimmer of barely perceptible gratitude. The device looked like an old-fashioned, bulky radio, with a handset reminiscent of telephones from decades past. Without wasting any time, Marie picked up the handset and began speaking in a firm, authoritative voice.

"To all available units, please prioritize saving civilians. Apparently, the machines have gone berserk and are attacking everyone, as well as capturing people. Do you copy?"

Immediately, a familiar voice responded at the other end of the line.

"Hello, Marie. I hear you loud and clear. It's me, Ray."

"Hello, Ray," she replied, her tone slightly more relaxed but still controlled. "Where are you?"

"We were ready to head to the boss, but we heard your call. So… yeah, it seems rogue machines are attacking people. Well, I think the boss and the rest of the team can handle whatever's going on over in the Pacific Ocean. We'll take care of the machines here on this side of the continent."

"Good. Over and out. Keep me updated on the situation," instructed Marie before hanging up the handset in a decisive gesture.

On the other side of the world, Ray turned to his team with a serious expression.

"Change of plans," he announced. "It looks like we need to deal with machines before heading to the boss."

The other teams, scattered across different points of the globe, also received the message. One by one, they began mobilizing, preparing for the mission ahead.

"Listen up, everyone: this is a worldwide rescue operation. You cannot fail," declared Marie over the radio, her voice resonating with determination in every corner where it could be heard.

Once she finished issuing orders, Marie turned toward one of the nearby monitors. On it, she could see the room where Agent B-12 was supposed to be. Her face immediately paled.

"Where is Agent B-12?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

The scientist standing next to her also looked at the monitor, his expression reflecting the same fear that was beginning to creep into her.

"Agent B-12… should be there," he murmured, pointing to the empty space on the screen.

Marie quickly grabbed an old-fashioned radio and called one of the workers.

"Hey! Check the medical wing. I can't locate Patient B-12," she ordered, her tone sharp but urgent. "Please confirm, Omar."

"Yes, immediately, ma'am," came the reply from the other end of the line.

Minutes later, the worker reported back from the scene.

"Ma'am, there's nothing here. It seems someone stole the tube containing the agent. Only sparking wires remain on the floor."

Suddenly, the communication was filled with blood-curdling screams.

"Sir! What are those things?! They look like giant crabs!" shouted the worker, his voice breaking with pain before the line abruptly cut off.

"Ben! Respond! Ben!" yelled Omar, trying to restore the connection, but only static could be heard.

Dani looked at Omar and Marie with a confused expression.

"What was that?" he asked.

"I don't know, but he mentioned crabs or something," replied Omar, frowning as he tried to process what had just happened.

Marie, visibly shaken, clenched her fists tightly.

"Who could have taken Agent B-12? And why?" she wondered aloud, her mind racing at full speed. "We need to investigate."

Omar nodded quickly and handed her a makeshift shotgun-like weapon.

"You'll need to take this for your protection," he said seriously.

"We'll go with you, Miss," added Gin and Dani in unison, both showing determination on their faces.

"Good," responded Marie, adjusting the weapon in her hands with a firm gesture that reflected her resolve. Her gaze hardened momentarily as she briefly assessed Gin and Dani, who stood by her side with resolute expressions.

"Go with her and be careful," instructed Omar, bidding them farewell with a solemn nod. "There are still rogue robots out there."

His voice carried a warning that didn't need to be emphasized. The weight of his words hung suspended in the air, reminding them that the danger was far from over. Omar watched them for a moment longer, as if ensuring they were ready, before turning around to return to overseeing operations at the base.

Marie barely spared him a fleeting glance before refocusing on the path ahead. With determined steps, she began to move forward, closely followed by Gin and Dani, who exchanged a brief but mutually resolute look.