"Nero! We have a problem!"

Alycia was busy decrypting a database when another RE/SYST member called her. "What happens?"

"The Empire just started an absolute anti-hack program! They are denying us access!" that person exclaimed.

Alycia looked at the various computers turned on in front of her. There were hundreds and hundreds of pieces of data constantly scrolling across the screens, and new ones were appearing every second. Alycia knew this was a veritable computer block being built around the Empire's server like armor.

"If they've activated it now, something must be happening" she murmured. "Try to overcome the computer blockage! Use all the precautions we have taken to date! Immediately lock all nuclear launch codes!"

RE/SYST had prepared for a defense by the Empire's computer network: during those months, they had established numerous backdoors that allowed them to access the main server of the military bases even in the event of a cyber counterattack. Unfortunately, however, these measures were temporary. It wouldn't be long before the Imperial hackers attacked again. RE/SYST could only curb the nuclear apocalypse, not avert it.

Suddenly, one of the RE/SYST members blanched: "Nero, we are receiving a communication from the Eden Union!"

"And what do they say?" Seeing her expression, Alycia was almost afraid to ask.

The man gulped. "They say the Empire aims to destroy the planet! They want to unleash hell on earth, wipe out all life! They'll sweep it all away!"

"What? Have they gone crazy? They live here too!"

"No, it would appear that the imperial elite are aiming to escape to the colony of Davis. They were planning everything from the beginning! They never intended to fight against dinosaurs, they already wanted to exterminate them together with the entire world population!"

Alycia bit her lip frantically. "So that's what they were aiming for…" she whispered her eyes wide. She was used to expecting the worst from people, but even she didn't know that such a level of madness could be achieved. "How many bombs can we block?"

"At least half of all nuclear and thermonuclear weapons possessed by the Empire"

"Do it and immediately send the location of all military bases known to us to the Eden Union! The dinosaurs will take care of them"

"Yes, Nero!"

But Alycia knew it wasn't enough. "If we are to avoid a planetary disaster, we have to stop the Hellfire bombs," she whispered, immediately opening a communication channel. "Come on, Croft, don't disappoint me now..."

*********

"The order has been given. Launch those missiles immediately!"

"But, general… in this way we will start a nuclear war…"

"The war has already begun, soldier. Less talk and more facts. For the Empire!"

Soldiers inside the Imperial missile base known as Area 21 were concerned. They had a feeling that the end of the world was coming. However, they could not disobey orders. Though reluctant, they set to work.

"Open the launch vents. Establish coordinates. Prepare to launch!"

The vents on the base opened, revealing the nuclear missiles inside. Even though teleportation technology had already been invented, it was a relatively recent technology; most nuclear missiles had not yet been equipped with it. While some of the larger thermonuclear bombs had already been equipped with teleportation devices, tactical nuclear missiles still did not.

"Countdown started. 10… 9… huh? General, something is wrong. Launch codes stuck"

The general in charge of the base grunted. "It must be RE/SYST. It doesn't matter, our computer operators are already dealing with it. You keep trying. Sooner or later those missiles will go off"

"What if we don't succeed?"

"You dare to dispute my orders? Go back to work and… AAARGH!"

The head of a giganotosaurus appeared out of nowhere and its jaws closed over the man and reduced him to a pulp. Within moments, what was left of the general plummeted down the dinosaur's throat.

The rest of the people in the room panicked. "Under attack! We are under attack!" they yelled, activating all the alarms in the base.

"Oh good. I really wanted to let off steam!" Snock exclaimed as he saw several heavily armed men enter the room, who immediately started shooting at him. The giganotosaurus, however, was not unprepared: this time not only was he wearing his armor, but he had also brought with him a shield and a rifle. "This time I'm ready! But you didn't expect this, did you?" he said raising his weapon and starting to shoot. Pretty soon every person in the room fell to the floor with their heads exploded.

The doors opened again and more soldiers entered. This time there were even more than before. "What a display of forces! Are you under the illusion that my energy can run out?" he roared the giganotosaurus, then charged at his opponents like an elephant. The enemy's bullets ricocheted off his shield, while his instead of him mowed everything down like butter.

The armor of these special soldiers almost perfectly mimicked the resistance of [Reinforced skin], but there was a profound difference: while Snock was completely protected by the ability, leaving no weak points, the soldiers' armor necessarily had to have spaces free, or they would never have been able to move. And Snock had vision and accuracy far superior to a human's, allowing him to strike in exactly the right spot. The neck, the eyes, the delicate spots between the shoulders and arms, all areas that are perfect and easy to break.

Of course, that didn't mean it was easy for him. He had to maintain an iron concentration to always be able to hit in the right places and at the same time avoid falling victim to the tricks of the humans. For the first three waves, Snock was almost glad he could fight; then, he seriously started to get tired. He had to withstand wave after wave of attacks.

"Damn! Do you never finish!?" he roared as he saw another handful of soldiers enter. But fortunately a second later at least half of them were mowed down by huge claws, while the rest were torn apart by horns and spear tails.

Snock breathed a sigh of relief. "Pff. You have arrived" he said to his subordinates.

"Yes, commander" a nothronychus, the same one who had just killed half of the soldiers, replied. "We finished cleaning the lower floors"

"Good. Blow this place up! I don't want to see a single piece of equipment intact!" the giganotosaurus growled.

The dinosaurs promptly complied and planted several charges of C4 throughout the missile control room, after which they came out and detonated it. That base would no longer be able to launch any more nuclear missiles.

Snock was admiring the sight of the burning base when Old Li teleported in front of him. As the ankylosaurus had promised, he was teleporting to each of them every twelve minutes. "How is it going?"

"My subordinates and I have destroyed almost every military base we know of" the giganotosaurus replied. "This is the fifth one I personally take out"

"Good. I have news" Old Li said. "We have received a message from RE/SYST, containing coordinates for other military bases. Most of them we already knew, but some were unknown to us. Monica has already tracked them down and is waiting for you to destroy them"

Snock nodded. "Great. How many are we at right now?"

"Combining the bases known to us and those known to RE/SYST, we can take out about 70% of the imperial nuclear power. But that doesn't change anything". The ankylosaurus shuddered. "Most of the most dangerous bombs, including Hellfire bombs, are hidden somewhere else"

"The Emperor probably knows where they are" Snock growled.

"I know it. Rambo is looking for him, but he seems to have vanished into thin air"

"You find it, and then I'll take care of it! Don't worry, I'll know how to loosen his tongue without killing him"

"I'm sure. But first we need to focus on what we already know. Let Monica guide you to the other bases and destroy them as soon as possible"

"Oh, you bet" the giganotosaurus grumbled with blood still dripping from his mouth. Apparently, he still had a lot of work to do.

**********

Croft was awakened by a soft clicking. As soon as he heard that sound, he grabbed his glasses and put them on his nose. As he had guessed, the clicking came from them. He knew what it was: an emergency call from Alycia. His glasses scanned his retina and, after determining that it was him, the image of the woman who was the head of RE/SYST appeared on their lenses. "What is happening?"

"Croft, I don't have much time so listen to me. The Empire is about to destroy the planet. We need you to provide us with your coordinates so we can communicate the location of the Hellfire bombs to the dinosaurs" Alycia said.

The scientist felt a shiver in his back. He wanted to know more details, but he understood from the woman's tone that there was no time. "You know I don't have them, Alycia. I would have sent them to you already if I could get them"

After agreeing to work building the Hellfire bombs, Croft was blindfolded and taken to an unknown location. When they restored his sight he was inside a large military base, most likely underground. Over the weeks he'd tried asking the other tenants where this place was, but apparently all of them, save for a very small elite, had been brought in the same way. Apparently, the Empire was in no way willing to risk the location of that base becoming known. Try as Croft had, he hadn't been able to find anything relevant.

"Damn it" Alycia whispered. "If you have a good idea, use it now. I don't know how much time we have left"

"Maybe I know what to do" Croft said. "Alycia, when I was programming the Hellfire bombs' teleportation devices I installed a backdoor into their program. You could access it remotely"

"Even if it were, it wouldn't help much. The Empire has started a counter-hack on us. We wouldn't be able to block the bombs. If we don't know where they are, blocking them for half an hour or an hour is useless"

"You don't have to block them. Through my backdoor, you can access the teleporter's master programming and install new coordinates. Which would allow you to teleport the bombs anywhere you want"

Alycia froze. That could be an idea. "So you're suggesting that we hack bombs…"

"…and then send them beyond the orbit of the planet, where they can explode without doing any damage" Croft concluded.

Alycia mulled this over for a moment. "It can work, but we will need your help"

"I listen to you"

"There is a link device in your glasses. Press near your right eye". The scientist did it, and a tiny USB stick, no bigger than a microchip, fell into his hand. "You need to connect it to the main server where you are. It will take a few seconds"

"I will immediately"

"Croft, be careful. If they find you..."

"It's not the time, Alycia! If they discover me, patience! One man's life is not worth that of the whole world!" Croft snapped, then heard footsteps behind the door. "I must go!" he exclaimed closing the connection just in time.

The door to his room opened and a man in a highly decorated uniform entered. "Professor, the emperor has given the order. You have to set off the bombs"

Croft took a deep breath. So it was true… the world was about to be destroyed. "I'll get to work right away" he said, standing up and heading towards the door, closely followed by at least five armed guards.