Chapter 26

2 Days Ago…

Sophie Mills stands at the forefront of her FBI team, her gaze fixed on the unassuming warehouse before them. Her blonde hair, neatly tucked under her tactical helmet, catches the fading sunlight. Despite the current situation, a small smile plays at the corners of her lips.

"Alright guys, let's show these criminals what the FBI is made of," Sophie's voice carries a hint of excitement. Her teammates exchange knowing glances, familiar as they are with their leader's enthusiasm for catching criminals.

However, as they move to enter the building, unexpectantly a blinding light engulfs them. Sophie instinctively raises her arm to shield her eyes, her other hand reaching for her weapon. "Stay alert!" she calls out, her voice steady despite this unexpected turn of events.

When the light fades, Sophie blinks rapidly, trying to regain her bearings. Her eyes widen as she takes in the scene before her. 

A glowing blue screen hovers in mid-air, its message both cryptic and alarming.

INTEGRATION OF PLANET NUMBER 5,435 DESIGNATED EARTH HAS STARTED.

Sophie's mind races, trying to make sense of the situation. She glances at her team, noting their similar, bewildered expressions. "What in the world..." Sophie's voice trails off as she struggles to find the right words.

One of the agents, a seasoned veteran named Mike, lets out a nervous chuckle. "Looks like we're not in Kansas anymore," he mutters, his attempt at humor falling flat in the face of their current predicament.

Sophie shakes her head, her training kicking in as she fights to regain control of the situation. "What is going on?" she shouts, her voice echoing in the suddenly quiet surroundings.

Her team looks to her for guidance, their faces a mix of confusion and concern. Seeing that, Sophie quickly takes a deep breath, centering herself. She knows she needs to be the anchor for her team, even though her own mind whirls with similar questions.

"Focus on the job for now," Sophie orders, her voice taking on a commanding tone. "We can figure out what's going on afterwards."

Her team nods, visibly relieved to have a clear order. Sophie's ability to maintain a calm composure in the face of the unexpected is one of the reasons why they trust her leadership.

"Roger that, boss," Agent Thompson says, his voice steady as he readies his weapon.

Sophie leads her team forward, and as they approach the warehouse entrance, she raises her hand, signaling for caution. Years of experience have taught her to expect the unexpected, to look underneath the underneath, but nothing could have prepared her for what happens next.

The team suddenly smacks into an invisible barrier, stumbling backward from the unexpected resistance. Sophie's hand shoots out, steadying Agent Chen as she nearly loses her footing.

"What is this?" Sophie exclaims, her brow furrowing as she reaches out to touch the unseen obstacle. However, her fingers meet an unyielding force that is both smooth and impenetrable.

But before she can even process this new development, another message appears in glowing blue text: 

"This dungeon is currently active. Please wait until the dungeon boss has been defeated, or until everyone in the dungeon has been defeated."

Sophie's mind races, trying to make sense of the bizarre message. She turns to her team, noting their confused gazes. Hesitantly, agent Ramirez speaks up, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "What do we do now, boss?"

Sophie bites her lip, considering their options. She knows she needs to project confidence, even when doubt gnaws at her. After a moment's hesitation, she makes her decision.

"We need backup," she announces, her tone brooking no argument. "I'll try to reach command and find out if they know something about what's going on."

Sophie reaches for her radio, her fingers moving with practiced ease. As she waits for a response, she finds herself tapping her foot, a habit she's developed during tense situations.

"Sophie, is that you? What's the situation?" The voice of her commanding officer crackles through the radio, an almost imperceptible note of relief in his tone.

Sophie quickly relays the strange events, her words tumbling out in a rush. 

To her dismay, command seems just as baffled as they are. "We're seeing the same thing on our end," the commanding officer replies, his voice tense. "We don't know what's happening. It's like nothing we've ever encountered before."

Sophie listens intently as her superior continues. "Sophie, listen. I need you to block off that warehouse. We'll send reinforcements as soon as we can to figure out what is going on."

"Understood, sir," Sophie replies, her voice steady despite what she feels inside. As she ends the call, she turns to face her team, noting their expectant gazes.

"Alright, listen up everyone," Sophie's tone is firm as she addresses her agents. "We're going to block off this warehouse until further reinforcements arrive. Command is currently sending more agents to help us figure out what's going on."

Her team nods, and quickly springs into action, their movements precise and coordinated. Sophie watches them work, a sense of pride welling up inside her. Despite the unprecedented situation, her team is performing admirably.

As she supervises the operation, Sophie finds herself absentmindedly massaging her left shoulder. It's an old habit, one she's developed after a particularly tiring training exercise many years ago.

As she stands there, Sophie's mind races with possibilities, each more outlandish than the last. She knows she should be focused solely on the task at hand, but she can't help wondering what other surprises might be in store for them.

Once the perimeter is secured, Sophie takes a moment to survey their handiwork. Despite the strange situation, they have managed to establish a decent blockade around the warehouse.

"Good job, everyone," Sophie offers a small smile to her agents. "Now we'll wait for reinforcements. Stay alert and report back anything unusual."

As they settle in for what might be a long wait, for some reason, Sophie feels uneasy.

Unknown to her, this is just the beginning of something that is much, much bigger.