Lexicon: II

Predatel'

Location: Dense Rainforest, Remote Tanggapan Corp Headquarters

The team moved through the dense undergrowth, their senses heightened, every step a careful calculation. The jungle around them was alive with sound—the hum of insects, the distant calls of birds—but beneath it all was a deeper, more unsettling silence. They were getting close. Tanggapan's main headquarters, hidden in one of the world's most isolated rainforests, was somewhere up ahead, shrouded by a thick canopy of trees and protected by layers of defenses that no ordinary strike force could breach.

Kinan motioned for the team to halt as they approached a steep incline, signaling for everyone to take cover. They crouched low, each one listening intently, feeling the oppressive heat and humidity seeping into their gear.

Price joined Kinan at the front, his voice a low murmur. "HQ's intel says we're a klick out. Tanggapan has fortified this base like a fortress. High-level security, heavily armed guards, and if intel's right... experimental defenses. We'll be stepping into the belly of the beast."

Haya adjusted her grip on her katana, her gaze hardening. "Let's cut the heart out of this place. They won't see it coming."

Hoshino smirked, her fingers dancing along her shotgun's trigger. "Good. I'm getting tired of them crawling out of the shadows."

They moved forward, each one braced for the challenge ahead. They had faced death and monstrosities before, but this mission felt different. This was Tanggapan's heart—where every plan, every experiment, every viral atrocity had been conceived. They were about to confront the monster in its own lair.

---

They reached the outer perimeter, a series of tripwires and automated turrets that hummed softly, their motion sensors sweeping the jungle. Snake took the lead, his movements precise, his every step calculated to avoid detection. He studied the layout, mapping out a path through the defenses.

He motioned for Price to join him. "We've got six turrets, two motion sensors, and probably another line of security beyond this."

Price nodded, scanning the area. "Disabling these without raising an alarm will be tricky."

Haya observed from a few paces back, her voice a soft whisper. "We take out their eyes first."

Snake and Haya moved in sync, disabling the nearest motion sensors with quick cuts to the wiring. The hum of the turrets faltered, their scanning radius narrowing, giving the team a precious window to move forward undetected. They advanced slowly, dismantling the defenses as they went, each step pushing them closer to the heart of Tanggapan's operations.

They finally reached the main entrance, a reinforced steel door embedded into a stone wall, half-concealed by vines and moss. Kinan pulled out a hacking device, connecting it to the security panel as the others took positions around him, covering the perimeter.

Seconds ticked by, the silence pressing in on them as they waited. Finally, with a soft click, the door unlocked, and the team slipped inside, entering the depths of Tanggapan's last stronghold.

---

The compound stretched deep underground, a network of labs, barracks, and holding cells. The walls were lined with sterile white tiles, the fluorescent lights casting a harsh glow that only served to amplify the sense of unease that hung in the air.

They moved silently through the hallways, each one alert, every sense tuned to the slightest sound. Kinan took point, his eyes scanning for signs of movement, his fingers steady on his weapon. Hoshino was close behind, her shotgun at the ready, her expression a mask of concentration.