The room buzzed with quiet excitement as rows of high school students sat in folding chairs, their attention split between the gadgets laid out on a long table and the officers standing at the front. The walls were lined with military posters and screens, though some of the monitors flickered erratically or remained frozen on a distorted image.

Captain Price stood off to the side, his arms crossed as he observed the group. Gaz leaned against the table, his easy demeanor helping to lighten the otherwise tense atmosphere. Kate Laswell, composed and professional, took center stage, gesturing to a compact drone resting on the table.

"This," Laswell began, her voice calm but firm, "is a lightweight reconnaissance drone. It’s equipped with thermal imaging, a high-definition camera, and encrypted communication. It’s used to gather intel in situations where sending in personnel isn’t viable."

Another student leaned over to their friend. "I wonder if they’d let us fly one." Laswell caught the murmur and shook her head. "Not today. These aren’t toys, and trust me, they’re harder to operate than they look."

She moved to the next gadget, a small tablet connected to a portable antenna. "This is a portable communications hub. It allows us to establish secure channels in the field. Unfortunately..." She hesitated, glancing at the nearest malfunctioning monitor. "Some of our systems have been acting up recently, including these hubs. A few days ago, several computers and devices started glitching—flashing screens, frozen programs, and blocked access to critical files."

Price stepped forward, his tone gruff but steady. "We suspect it’s a cyberattack. Could be someone testing our defenses. The tech teams are on it, but for now, some of our gear’s out of commission." Gaz stepped in. "Don’t worry, folks. This is just part of the job. Things go wrong, and we adapt. The important thing is learning how to handle it."

A hand shot up in the back. "So, does that mean hackers could, like, take over your drones or something?"