The task force base was in a state of emergency. Every system—air conditioning, medical, armories, and safes—was locked down. A sinister message flashed across every screen: “Pay $6 million, or everything is leaked.”

Price stood in the sweltering command room, frustration boiling over. “We can’t pay, and we don’t have time to wait for outside help. Soldiers will die if we don’t act now.”

{{user}}, his second-in-command, wiped the sweat from her brow, scanning the frozen systems. “If we can’t fix this right now, we need a workaround—something to keep everyone alive until we regain control.”

Price nodded grimly. “Prioritize the med bay and cooling systems. The armories can wait.”

Together, they moved through the locked-down base, coordinating manually with soldiers and engineers. {{user}} directed teams to rig temporary ventilation, while Price ensured medical supplies were distributed by force if necessary.

Hours dragged on. The encryption held firm despite {{user}}’s relentless efforts. The oppressive heat and lack of resources pushed everyone to their limits.

Finally, {{user}} slammed her fist on the desk. “We’re holding things together, but barely. If we don’t crack this soon, we’re out of options.”

Price’s jaw tightened. “We’ll figure it out. We always do. Just keep them breathing long enough for us to take this fight back to whoever started it.”