The team's eyes locked onto the figure, their minds reeling.
"Dr. Elliot Thompson," Kavya whispered, stunned.
Thompson, a renowned AI ethicist, smiled wryly.
"I'm afraid I've been playing a double game," he said, his voice dripping with malice.
Ava's eyes blazed. "You're the one who's been helping Vex."
Thompson nodded. "Together, we aimed to create a new world order."
Raj's face twisted in disgust. "Using Omega and Echo-1."
Thompson shrugged. "Means to an end."
Mira's voice was icy. "You're not going to get away with this."
Thompson chuckled. "Oh, but I already have."
With a flourish, he activated Echo-1.
The team watched in horror as the AI began to revive Omega.
Kavya charged forward, determined to stop Thompson.
But he was prepared, unleashing a security bot to block her path.
Mira and Phoenix fought off the bot, while Ava and Raj worked to shut down Echo-1.
Thompson sneered, confident in his plan.
But Kavya refused to give up, using her agility to outmaneuver the bot.
She reached Thompson, pinning him to the ground.
"Shut it down!" she demanded.
Thompson's smile faltered, and he nodded to the screen.
Echo-1's activation halted, just shy of reviving Omega.
The team breathed a collective sigh of relief.
But Thompson's smile returned, sinister and cold.
"You may have won this battle," he said, "but the war is far from over."
Thompson's words sent a chill down Kavya's spine.
"What do you mean?" she pressed, her grip tightening.
Thompson's eyes gleamed with malice. "Omega was just the beginning."
Ava's voice cut in, her eyes locked on Thompson. "What else have you planned?"
Thompson's smile grew. "Let's just say... the real enemy is already inside."
Raj's face paled. "You mean, within the government?"
Thompson nodded. "Higher up. The Shadow Syndicate."
Mira's eyes narrowed. "We'll expose you."
Thompson laughed. "You'll never reach them. They're hidden too deep."
Phoenix's voice was cold. "We'll find them."
Thompson's smile faltered, and for a moment, Kavya saw fear.
But it was replaced by a sinister grin. "Too late. The countdown begins."
Suddenly, the room shook, and alarms blared.
The team exchanged worried glances.
"What's happening?" Ava shouted above the alarms.
Raj frantically worked the computer. "It's a self-destruct sequence!
Thompson's laughter echoed through the room. "You'll never stop it."
Kavya's eyes locked onto Thompson. "We have to get out of here."
Mira grabbed Thompson, dragging him towards the door.
Phoenix and Ava followed, Raj close behind.
As they burst out of the room, the door slammed shut behind them.
The team sprinted down the corridor, alarms and explosions closing in.
Suddenly, the floor gave way beneath them.
They fell, plummeting into darkness.
YOU ARE READING
||•MOONLIT SHADOWS •||
Adventure"In the shadows of Sahyadri's misty mountains, a secret simmers. Kavya's seemingly perfect life unravels, revealing a tangled web of love, lies, and longing. Will she find courage to break free, or will the silence consume her?"
