The Hidden Signal
Aelira stood on the rooftop of Nancy's house, gazing out at the city. The faint signal from her device had pulsed through her mind the previous night, a reminder of her mission. She clenched her fists. "It’s close… I just have to find it."
The morning sun rose, casting a warm glow over the city. Aelira arrived at the office early, determined to locate the signal's source. Her mind raced as she replayed the events of the previous day, realizing the signal seemed strongest near a building adjacent to their main office.
"That building..." she whispered to herself, trying to recall its purpose. It was isolated, with no signage, and the few times she’d noticed it, employees avoided even mentioning it. What are they hiding there.
Aelira’s Inquiry
In the breakroom, Edwin, Arthur’s assistant, sipped his coffee leisurely when Aelira appeared suddenly at his side.
"Good morning, Edwin," she began, feigning casual interest. "I’ve been thinking… what exactly are all the departments in this office? You know, the ones beyond HR, finance, and stuff."
Edwin raised an eyebrow. "Why the sudden curiosity?"
"Well," she said with a nonchalant shrug, "I just want to understand the company better. You know, be a good employee and all."
Edwin smirked. "Nice try. Well, let’s see... We’ve got the main building here for operations, then storage and logistics on the west side, and, of course…" He paused dramatically. "There’s the research building."
Aelira leaned in, her heart pounding. "Research building?"
"Yeah," he whispered conspiratorially, looking around. "But it’s confidential. Don’t go blabbing about it, okay?"
Her curiosity peaked. "What kind of research do they do there?"
Edwin grinned mischievously and leaned closer, dropping his voice to a whisper. "They’re studying aliens. Apparently, Arthur bought a spaceship, and there’s an alien body in there. Pretty wild, huh?"
Aelira’s eyes widened, and she almost choked. "An… alien?"
Edwin leaned back, laughing. "Relax, I’m kidding! Or am I? Who knows?" He gave her a wink and walked off.
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Aelira narrowed her eyes. He’s lying, but there’s definitely something there.
---
Astron’s Cluelessness
Later that morning, Aelira found Astron doodling absentmindedly at his desk. She marched in, hands on her hips.
"Astron, I need a favor," she began.
He looked up, surprised. "A favor? That’s new. What’s up?"
"Can you take me to the research building?"
Astron blinked, confused. "Why would you want to go there? That place is off-limits, even for me."
She groaned. "Come on, you’re a partner in this company. Can’t you use your authority to sneak me in?"
He chuckled nervously. "Sneak you in? Do you know who runs this company? My brother would throw me out faster than I can say ‘bad idea.’ And besides, only Arthur and the scientists are allowed in there."
Aelira crossed her arms, pouting. "What if you convinced Arthur to give me permission?"
Astron laughed. "You’re dreaming. He barely lets me into his office, let alone the research building."
"Ugh!" she groaned, slumping into a chair. "Fine. I’ll figure it out myself."
---
The Infiltration Attempt
That night, after most employees had left the office, Aelira stood near the research building. She had slipped past the guards easily, her shapeshifting hamster assistant tucked into her pocket.
"This is the place," she murmured. The signal was stronger here, vibrating faintly in her mind. But as she approached, she felt an odd resistance. Her powers, usually humming with energy, felt… muted.
"Something’s wrong," she whispered. She tried using her teleportation ability to appear inside the building, but nothing happened. She frowned and focused harder, her body glowing faintly. Still, no effect.
Her assistant popped its head out of her pocket, squeaking nervously. "Master, the signal interference—it's coming from the building itself. They must have anti-teleportation technology."
"Of course they do," she muttered. "Arthur and his fancy tech."
She tried another trick, aiming to phase through the wall using her molecular dispersion ability. But as soon as her hand touched the wall, an electric shock jolted through her body, and she stumbled back, wincing.
"Ow! Okay, this is going to be harder than I thought."
Her assistant squeaked again, pointing to a nearby security camera. Aelira smirked. "At least I can handle that." She focused her energy, sending a pulse toward the camera. The red light blinked off.
---
Aelira’s Determination
The door to the building loomed in front of her. She examined the keypad and scanner. Human technology is so frustratingly primitive but oddly effective.
"Master," her assistant squeaked, "we should retreat and plan. They’re more advanced than we assumed."
Aelira shook her head. "No way. I’m so close. That device is in there, and I won’t let some Earth tech stop me."
She reached out to the keypad, planning to short-circuit it, when a voice interrupted her.
"Aelira?"
She froze. Turning slowly, she saw Arthur standing a few feet away, arms crossed, a suspicious frown on his face.
"Mind telling me why you’re sneaking around the research building at night?" he asked coldly.
Her mind raced. Think fast, Aelira. "Uh… I… I was lost?"
"Lost?" Arthur arched a brow, unconvinced. "The research building is the most restricted area here. How did you even get past security?"
"I… heard rumors about aliens," she blurted out, remembering Edwin’s joke. "And I got curious. Thought I’d check it out."
Arthur’s expression softened slightly, though his eyes remained skeptical. "Aliens? Who told you that nonsense?"
"Um… Edwin?" she said, throwing the assistant under the bus.
Arthur pinched the bridge of his nose. "That idiot. I’ll deal with him later."
"I’ll just… go now," Aelira said, stepping back.
"Not so fast," Arthur said, grabbing her wrist gently. His gaze pierced into hers, a mixture of suspicion and something else—concern? "You’re hiding something. What are you really doing here?"
Aelira’s breath hitched. For a moment, she considered telling him the truth, but her mission came first. "I’m not hiding anything, boss. I promise."
Arthur studied her for a moment longer, then sighed. "Stay out of trouble, Aelira. I don’t want to have to clean up another mess."
He released her hand and turned back toward the main building. Aelira exhaled, clutching her chest. That was too close.
---
A New Plan
As she walked back to Nancy’s place, her assistant perched on her shoulder. "Master, you must be more cautious. That Arthur… he’s observant."
"I know," she muttered. "But I’ll find my way into that buildin
g, no matter what it takes. My device is in there—I’m sure of it. And nothing, not Arthur or his fancy tech, is going to stop me."