High in the sky, a helicopter was seen passing through the area. In its path, it spotted a distant red light that could be seen from the mountains and was rising up to the sky.
"Quickly, head that way," one of the people inside the machine indicated.
It was a team of civilians who liked to wander the area searching for strange or paranormal things. The team was composed of Kile Rosas, a professor from a respectable university who sought answers to mysterious phenomena. He was about sixty years old, with little hair and wore large, bottle-like glasses. His assistant, Philip, was a young university student who supported him in all his crazy adventures with the camera. He was on an unpaid scholarship and only needed the professor's recommendations, though he was intrigued by these paranormal activities. Additionally, there was their faithful pilot, Michele, a young woman who enjoyed piloting all types of vehicles and aircraft. Of course, she didn't do it for free, as she needed money to cover her expenses, and luckily, the professor had plenty of it.
"This must be a major phenomenon, and we'll have the scoop. But not before calling a reliable source to cover the discovery," said Professor Kile as he took his cellphone and started dialing. The call began to ring, and on the other end, the phone started to chime.
The professor muttered, "Come on, answer. This will be good for you. Come on, come on…"
Then a woman's voice was heard, "Hello."
"Hello, Melisa," said the professor. Melisa Crig was a friend of the professor's, though some said there was something more.
"Hello", professor. "I've told you not to call me over trivial matters like other times," she said.
Calm down, Melisa said. This time it's real news. "I'm sending you what I've been seeing on your phone," the professor said, as he sent the photos via chat to her phone.
"Is this serious?"
"Yes", and the light keeps appearing. "It must be an alien sighting," the professor indicated.
"Alright, I'll go." But if this is another lie like the Loch Ness monster, don't ever speak to me again, she told him.
"Don't worry, this time it's real." How long will it take you to get here? He asked.
"I imagine fifteen minutes if there's no traffic," she replied.
"Great, I'll send you the coordinates. Come quickly; we'll be getting closer to capturing more in the area."
"Okay," see you there. "But, professor, be careful," she indicated.
They both hung up.
Melisa finished brushing her teeth while hanging up. She started texting Creg, her camera person, instructing him to pick her up as soon as possible and pressed send. Immediately, Creg sent her an emoji with a hand making the "ok" sign. She finished writing and began to descend the stairs, since her apartment was two stories.
She went down to the living room, which was furnished with red sofas with mahogany arms and backrests, and white cushions that matched the floor. She grabbed a brown coat from one of these sofas, put it on, and opened the door. As she opened the door, one could see a woman of about twenty-eight years old, an entrepreneur, always looking radiant and focused on the news, always seeking the truth. She was made-up, with red lipstick and short brown hair that matched her coat. She descended the small porch stairs and saw the news van.
The side of the van slid open. Inside was a burly man with curly hair and glasses because he was nearsighted, always wearing a Hawaiian shirt. It was Creg, who greeted her and quickly ushered her in along with all the equipment he had in the back, closing the door behind them.
In the front, there were three seats, and in the driver's seat was another important member of her team. It was Ian, a young guy who loved cars and always had a cigarette, though some speculated he smoked something stronger, but it was never confirmed. He always wore a wool hat and sunglasses, making him appear trendy, or so he thought, but he was well-meaning.
"Hello," said the young man to Melisa. "Where are we headed?"
"This way," Melisa replied, handing him the coordinates they needed to go to. "We must get there as soon as possible." Don't let me down, Ian.
Ian replied, "When have I ever let you down, gorgeous?" Taking a photo of her phone, he entered the coordinates into an app on his device.
"All right, hold on tight, we're going to fly," he said, as the vehicle accelerated from zero to fifty in no time.
Simultaneously, the professor and his team continued advancing with the helicopter until, as they approached, a strong wave made them wobble, almost causing Michele to lose control of the craft.
"Hold on," he instructed while maneuvering. After a while, he told the other two that they should land; something was wrong with the aircraft.
Upon descending, they realized that the fuel tank had a crack.
"I don't think we'll be able to fly again soon unless I fix this leak," she told the professor.
"Alright," the professor responded, somewhat annoyed because he wanted to see what those lights were hiding. The mystery beckoned him.
His assistant just watched as she asked if she could help her. She replied that he should pass the toolbox that was where they had been sitting. The young man grabbed the toolbox and handed it to her, causing their hands to touch for a moment. They both felt sparks, sparks of love. They blushed but then changed the subject when the professor, annoyed, approached them and asked the young man for some things.
As the professor moved forward, he saw something approaching rapidly in the distance. He asked his assistant for binoculars and could see a truck kicking up dust as it approached.
"Could it be...? " I don't think so..." the professor muttered to himself, continuing to question it until he put on the binoculars and saw the logo of the channel where reporter Melisa worked.
"Wow, they're fast. It's them. " We're saved. " We'll quickly get to the site by car while you, as a pilot, fix the helicopter's problem."
The professor gestured and indicated to Philip to do the same. They both looked like two monkeys trying to attract something. When the vehicle Melisa was in got close to them, the driver passed by, but she said:
"That's the professor. Wait a moment and reverse."
The young man braked suddenly, raising dust that made the three outside the helicopter cough. Melisa got out of one side of the truck and said:
"Hello, professor. What happened?"
"We had an issue when we were approaching those lights. " It felt like it was pushing us back," indicated Philip.
"And are you...?" asked Melisa.
There was an awkward silence for a moment, and the boy didn't know what to say.
"Oh, sorry," interrupted Professor Kile. This is my assistant, Philip, and she is my pilot. "You know her," the professor said.
"Yes, I do. " Hello, Michele," Melisa went to greet her, leaving the young man with his hand raised.
Creg took the opportunity to greet him, saying, "I'm Creg and our driver is Ian."
"Nice to meet you," Philip said to them.
"Don't worry, sometimes Melisa is a bit brusque with newcomers," Creg whispered to the young man.
"Professor, so you had a mishap?" Melisa asked.
"Yes, but we must get there soon before those lights disappear," the professor answered.
"Well, you can come with us in the front seats with Ian. And you, Michele, can go in the back with us."
"I think I'll stay here for a while," Melisa said. I need to fix this baby; it's my source of income.
"Are you sure?" the professor commented.
"Yes, professor, go ahead and see what you need to see, and then I'll pick you up."
Without further ado, the professor and Philip went to the front while the other two stood in the back. Ian accelerated as they waved goodbye to Michele, who disappeared in the distance with each advance of the vehicle.
The car continued advancing, passing the two mountains, but none of the traps were triggered since, when Urion destroyed the building, the power was deactivated. They passed the mountains and could see a building split in half and a large cloud of dust approaching them.
"Close the windows," Melisa instructed Ian, who quickly pressed the close button. The truck seemed to have disappeared into the cloud of dust.
Creg typed some commands on the keyboard, and on the screens in the truck, he activated a rooftop camera, allowing them to see a cloud of dust in the perimeter. After a moment, it dissipated, and they could see a building split in two.
"But how can this be?" the professor exclaimed. "There was no building in this area, let alone a company."
"Quick, zoom in," Melisa instructed Creg. "There, it says 'Ra,' and if you go to the other side…" she suggested.
Creg moved the camera to the other side and saw the word "Dar."
"'Radar,' it must be," Melisa indicated as she quickly pulled out her phone and began looking up information about the company. The name seemed familiar; she began to think and remembered:
"Isn't that the company Nora was investigating before she disappeared?"
"Do you mean Nora Ribs, wife of Mike Laros?" asked Creg.
"Yes, that's right," she replied. "What is this company doing here, hidden with no one knowing its location?" she asked herself.
Soon, Melisa looked at the monitor.
"There's a monstrous thing coming out of the center of the large hole with wings. " What could it be?" Creg wondered aloud.
"Can't you zoom in?" she asked.
"Sorry, I don't think so. " This is the maximum zoom," Creg replied, frustrated.
"Wait, that thing started descending and then walking," the professor indicated, having turned to look at the screens in the back. "And it seems like it has something on its side," Philip added, joining the conversation.
Everyone was watching the monitor in the truck, even Ian.
The humanoid creature began to emerge, and as the cameras continued recording, the image became clearer.
"Look, it's like some kind of insect, but with a lion's body, I think," Creg indicated. The creature drew some weapons from its arms and began cutting down the people around it.
"What a cursed abomination is that thing?" Melisa exclaimed. "It must be an experiment gone wrong by that company," she wondered to herself.
"Look, I knew it, it was something. " It looked like a child, Philip said.
"Yes, it's true," Creg replied.
"This must be reported," Melisa indicated as she called her boss, Mark Web. "Boss, I have major news, and I think it will be huge. We can broadcast it immediately; it's of the utmost importance."
"Oh, is that you, Melisa? " What do you have?" the voice on the phone asked.
"It's about that company Nora was investigating, remember?" Melisa said.
"Nora Ribs? Are you referring to her and the story that never aired on Radar, and I had to apologize? " I lost a lot of ratings and sponsors, besides my credibility that day," the boss responded in a serious and somewhat annoyed tone.
"And what if I told you that you could rectify that mistake and rub it in the faces of those who didn't believe in you?" she communicated to him.
"Alright, tell me more. " What do you have for me?" the boss asked.
"We have the exclusive. " No one has reached this place, and if you put me on the air now, you won't regret it," she assured him.
"And remember, I want credit for this story," the professor indicated.
"Who's that?" the boss asked.
"That's Professor Kile Rosas, who's with me," Melisa said.
"That lunatic?" the boss indicated after Melisa moved the phone back to herself. "Sir, please, I'm asking for a chance." This could be the story of your life. "When have I ever let you down? " Tell me, she asked.
The boss thought for a moment and then said, "Alright, you never fail me in your reports, and if you need a live broadcast, then let's go on air. Are you with Creg?"
"Yes, sir," she indicated. "Good, tell him to get on line five, and in three, two, one, we're connected."
"Understood," she said as she put the phone on speaker so Creg could execute the commands.
"Thank you, boss. " See you, I'm going to do my job," she indicated, cutting off the call.
"Alright, give me the cue, Creg. " How is it outside?" Ian asked, as he also looked at the monitors.
"Well, let's go cover the biggest news," she indicated.
"You want to go out, Melisa?" "Are you crazy?" Creg indicated. We need this news. Aren't we journalists who seek the truth? Giving several arguments to convince her colleagues. In the end, she convinced Creg, who showed an excited expression.
Without further ado, they took a moment to breathe due to the nerves of going out to report the news and seeing those horrible scenes of the monster. Melisa got out of the car with Creg behind her and said, "In three, two, one, we're on air."