The hum of Amelia's mechanical arm mingled with the crunch of debris under her feet. The air was heavy with the acrid smell of diesel fuel and overheated metal. In the distance, the roar of the alien convoy's engines made the ground vibrate.

Amelia held her breath, feeling her heart pounding against her chest. Her fingers, half flesh, half metal, gripped tightly to the remains of the sign as she watched the convoy approach. Five vehicles. Three escorts, two cargo. Pulsating forms, grotesque fusion of metal and flesh, defied all human sense.

She adjusted the sensitivity of her visor, her fingers, half flesh, half metal, dancing over the controls. A metallic flash caught her attention. An alien surveillance drone was flying over the area, its sensors sweeping the ruins. She pressed herself even closer against the debris, feeling her heartbeat echoing in her ears. The drone passed just meters above her head.

Amelia brought her lips to the communicator integrated into her mechanical arm.

"Wrench, do you copy?" Her words barely a whisper.

There was a moment of static before Ernest's raspy voice responded:

"Loud and clear, Gear."

A fleeting smile crossed Amelia's face, disappearing as quickly as it came. Amelia quickly scanned the area, her trained eyes searching for any sign of enemy movement as she spoke.

"The package is on the move. Five hostiles, two carrying the goods. I need you to bring the equipment to meeting point Alpha."

"Understood. Estimated time of arrival: fifteen minutes. Any surprises I should know about?"

Amelia scanned the convoy again before responding:

"Nothing out of the ordinary, but... there's something different about this cargo, Wrench. I don't know what it is, but it gives me a bad feeling."

"Received, Gear. Keep your eyes open. Over and out."

Amelia hesitated for a moment, her mechanical hand clenching into a fist. Was it worth risking everything on a hunch? The lives of her team, the mission, everything depended on her decision. She took a deep breath, the smells of the basement filling her lungs. There was no turning back.

Shadows danced on the walls to the rhythm of the flickering emergency lights. Amelia moved cautiously, placing motion sensors at strategic points, the soft hum of her mechanical arm mixing with the crunch of debris under her feet. The distant roar of an engine broke the silence. Her hand instinctively rested on the weapon at her hip.

Ernest's truck, a monstrosity of patched metal, stopped in front of the workshop with a screech of brakes. Ernest emerged, a smile defying the darkness of the world.

"Did you order a taxi, gorgeous?" he joked, winking.

Amelia rolled her eyes, her lips curving slightly. "You're late."

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Marina, Javier, and Dr. Lena Koslova quickly descended. Amelia led them inside with a brusque gesture.

"Inside. We have a lot to discuss and little time."

The basement was illuminated by the blue glow of the holographic map. Pulsing red dots represented the alien convoy.

"We'll intercept here," Amelia pointed. "The convoy will slow down to turn. That will be our moment."

"We can use the debris as cover. If we disable the lead vehicle, the rest will be trapped," said Ernest, as he scratched his beard.

Marina pulled out a device the size of a grenade. "My new EMP. It should fry their systems, at least temporarily."

The sharp beep of the motion sensors cut through the discussion.

"Damn, they followed us," Javier muttered, his hand already on the grip of his weapon. "We have company."

Amelia deployed her arm in cannon form. "Defensive positions!"

The basement door flew off its hinges. Three alien figures burst in, their bodies a grotesque fusion of exoskeleton and pulsating flesh.

Amelia took cover behind a pillar. Her arm spat out a projectile, causing the aliens to lose momentum. Ernest aimed his electromagnetic pulse weapon.

"Suck on this, squid face!"

The pulse hit the first alien, its body convulsing before falling inert. The second turned towards Ernest, but Javier emerged from the shadows, plunging a ceramic knife into the junction between the invader's helmet and torso. An agonizing shriek filled the air.

The third alien tried to retreat. Amelia closed the distance, her metal fist connecting with an impact that resonated throughout the basement. The invader collapsed, unconscious.

Dr. Koslova approached the fallen alien, holding a device covered in blinking lights.

"Experimental translator," she explained at Amelia's look. "Based on the linguistic patterns we've managed to decipher."

Amelia nodded, her face a mask of determination.

"Do it quickly, doctor."

The scientist activated the device. A series of chirps and clicks emerged from the creature. The translator hummed, processing the sounds. A mechanical voice emerged:

"Protocol... violated... the cargo... must not... be contaminated..."

Amelia leaned in closer, ignoring the alien stench.

"What cargo? What are they transporting?"

More chirps. The translator processed again:

"Evolution... next phase... humans will be... improved..."

A chill ran down Amelia's spine. She looked at Dr. Koslova, whose eyes had widened.

"Doctor, what does this mean?"

Lena swallowed, her voice trembling:

"It's just a theory, but the cargo isn't what we thought. It's not mechanical. It's something biological. Something they're using to... transform humans."

The silence that followed was deafening. Amelia's mind flew to Luciano, her missing ex-husband. Was he in that convoy? Turned into some kind of alien experiment?

Ernest's voice broke the silence, laden with anger:

"We have to stop them. Now."

Amelia nodded, determination replacing the initial shock.

"Get ready. We leave in five minutes. Whatever they're transporting, we can't let it reach its destination."

As the team mobilized, Amelia allowed herself a moment of introspection. Her flesh and bone hand touched the cold metal of her mechanical arm. The hum seemed to intensify, as if responding to her determination.

At that moment, the communicator on Amelia's arm emitted a sharp beep. She frowned and pressed the button to receive the message.

"Dr. Koslova, your immediate presence is required at the central base," the metallic voice of the operator resonated in the tense silence of the room. "Red code. I repeat, red code."

Lena Koslova visibly paled. Her eyes met Amelia's, a mixture of concern and determination reflected in them.

"I have to go," said the scientist, her capital accent more pronounced due to the tension. "New refugees. Disturbing... symptoms."

Amelia nodded curtly.

"Go. They need you there."

As Lena hurriedly gathered her equipment, Ernest approached Amelia.

"Do you think we can handle this without her?" he murmured, doubt seeping into his usually confident voice.

Amelia gritted her teeth, her flesh and bone hand closing into a fist.

"We'll have to," she replied, her voice low but firm. "There's no other option."

In a matter of minutes, Lena had disappeared, taken by an extraction vehicle to the base. The team was left in an uncomfortable silence, the scientist's absence weighing on them like an ominous shadow.