Chapter 3 Interception

                                    

                                          

***
Huddled together in the dimly lit shelter, Ernes and his friends discussed their next steps. It was clear that they could not stay in one place for long, since the Navodsaki Corporation was surely on their trail.
"We have to leave the city," Ernes said firmly. "We can't risk being caught by these agents again.
"But how?" - Lyfa asked, frowning. - "We don't have any transport, and we can't just leave here unnoticed."
Gabriella spoke, her voice level. I have a friend who runs the Lost Inn on the outskirts of town. It's a little dilapidated, but it's hidden from prying eyes, and they wouldn't think of looking for us there."
Cass nodded in agreement. "That's a good plan. We can lay low there for a while and think about our next steps."
Ernes felt a glimmer of hope. It was a risky plan, but it was better than staying put and waiting to be caught. "Okay, let's do it. We'll go there tonight."
The group quickly gathered their things and headed out into the night. They stayed in the shadows, avoiding the main roads and watching for any sign of danger. As they approached the outskirts of the city, a sign for the Lost Hotel appeared in the distance.
It was an old, run-down building with sash windows and peeling paint, but it was a welcome sight nonetheless. They slipped inside and reached an empty room numbered "1405" on the fourth floor, where they collapsed on the bed, exhausted.
Ernes couldn't shake the feeling of relief overwhelming him. So far they have managed to reach safety. But he knew that the Navodsaki Corporation would not give up so easily. They had to develop a reliable plan if they wanted to survive.
***
The board members of the Navadsaki Corporation were in panic and confusion. They just learned that an intruder broke into their laboratory and stole a blood serum sample. CCTV footage revealed that the perpetrator was none other than Ernes Mortenal, a journalist investigating the corporation's shady activities.
"We must find Mortenal and his accomplices at any cost," said Mr. Kanagawa, the security chief. "We can't let them leave the city with this blood sample. The consequences could be catastrophic."
"I suggest using every resource available to track them down," said Ms. Johnson, the research director. "We can use facial recognition software to identify them and dispatch our best agents to intercept them."
"We also need to have a plan in place in case they elude our agents," says Mr. Smith, the CEO. "We must notify local authorities and offer a reward for their capture. Additionally, we must activate our rapid response team to contain any potential threat the blood sample poses."
The council nodded in agreement and immediately put their plan into action. They sent their best agents to find Ernes and his accomplices, while activating a rapid response team to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kanagawa received a message that one of his agents had discovered intruders in a park in the city center. "We have them," he announced to the council members. "We'll intercept them before they can leave town with the blood sample."
Before the board members could breathe a sigh of relief, one of the agents burst out: "We've lost contact with the group," feeling unsure that their plan had failed. But they knew that it was only a matter of time, that the fate of their corporation, and perhaps their reputation, would depend on this operation.