Задача прежде всего. Несмотря ни на что.
It was August 9, 2001. The Grigoriy Clan, alongside Ikaika, had come closer than ever to finding Iwalani. After everything they had endured and every obstacle they had overcome, hope was finally within reach.
With the university still beyond their reach, Commander Grigoriy made a decisive call to reach the end of an alien hostile tunnel.
“War Mode,” he said. "Do what needs to be done."
At once, the squad shifted into maximum readiness. Their movements became faster and more coordinated as they pushed through the final stretch of their journey. Every member focused on the mission ahead, communicating through brief signals and staying alert to the changing environment.
The commander led from the front, guiding the squad toward the university. What had begun as a difficult journey through the city was now entering its final phase.
Through the lights ahead, the outline of the school finally appeared.
“Objective in sight,” the Commander announced.
As they finally approached the school, they discovered something unexpected. The grounds were strangely quiet, but they were far from empty.
Feral cats prowled beneath parked cars and slipped between the buildings, their eyes watching from the shadows. Mongooses darted across the walkways and disappeared into the overgrown corners of the campus.
The school had become their territory.
Everywhere the group looked, there were signs of the animals: paw prints in the dust, rustling bushes, and sudden movements in the distance. The Grigoriy Clan realized they would have to proceed carefully. Somewhere within or beyond the school grounds, the answers they were searching for, and perhaps Iwalani herself, could still be waiting.
“We should deploy the decoys,” Technician Grigoriy proposed, keeping his voice low.
Commander Grigoriy considered the suggestion for a moment before giving a firm nod.
“Permission granted,” he said.
Without another word, Technician Grigoriy activated the decoys.
Tiny holographic lights flickered to life across the floor, taking the convincing shapes of small mice. The miniature projections darted between shadows and disappeared behind furniture, only to reappear a few feet away.
The predators immediately noticed.
Curious and distracted, the feral cats and mongooses turned their attention toward the moving lights. One by one, they followed the glowing “mice” away from the area, chasing shadows that could never be caught.
“Diversion is working,” Technician Grigoriy whispered.
Commander Grigoriy watched as the last of the predators disappeared down the corridor.
“Good work. The path is clear.”
With the holographic decoys leading the animals safely away, the Grigoriy Clan and Ikaika quietly continued their search for Iwalani.
Inside the dorms, everything seemed ordinary, but the silence made the search feel even more tense. The group knew they had finally reached a place where they might uncover a clue about Iwalani.
Undetected, they continued deeper into the building, determined to find her.
"Where should we start?" Asked Observer Grigoriy.
Ikaika mentioned that he remembered something about "Room 307."
They make their way to Room 307.
Ikaika squeaks.
Iwalani stepped forward as soon as she heard Ikaika. For a moment, neither of them spoke. After everything that had happened, seeing a familiar face again felt almost unbelievable.
Then Iwalani smiled warmly.
“Aloha, Ikaika,” she said.
Ikaika’s face immediately brightened. “Aloha, Iwalani. The Kimo Clan was worried about you.”
Iwalani’s expression grew more serious as she explained what had happened. She had become trapped inside the dormitory, unable to safely leave because feral cats had taken over the surrounding area. Everywhere she turned, cats prowled through the hallways, gathered near the entrances, and watched from the shadows outside.
“I tried find one way out,” Iwalani explained, “but they were everywhere, even inside this room. I nevah know when was safe fo' leave.”
Relief filled the room as Ikaika and the Grigoriy Clan finally understood why she had disappeared.
“Eh, who are these mice, and how come they look all weird?”
Ikaika introduced the Grigoriy Clan from Yasny, Russia.
Iwalani blinked. “Yas-what?”
Ikaika pointed to their origin on a map.
“Ho, wow, dat’s far!" Iwalani said.
Technician Grigoriy warned that their decoy drones were on standby and would run out of power in less than 30 minutes.
"We need to leave at once while we have the chance," said Commander Grigoriy.
"How will we get past the cats?" Asked Iwalani.
"The Grigoriy Clan get da kine fo' get us outta here," said Ikaika.
The group began their journey home.
Through sheer luck, they found themselves hiding near a driveway when something extraordinary arrived: a long, shiny limousine.
The chauffeur opened the door to load a passenger’s luggage and informed a human that the ride to the airport was expected to be smooth. The five mice quickly scampered underneath. Before they knew it, the limo was gliding down the road.
“What a lucky day!” squeaked Observer Grigoriy.
The ride was smooth and warm, and the mice peeked out from beneath as the city rushed past. Soon, the limousine pulled up to the airport.
Before long, they were safely aboard their flight. As the journey continued, exhaustion slowly gave way to excitement. With every rumble, they knew that they were getting closer to home.
After everything they had been through, seeing their home in the distance brought an overwhelming sense of relief.
“We made it,” Ikaika said with a smile.
As soon as they arrived, the Kimo Clan rushed outside to greet them. The moment they saw Iwalani, their faces filled with shock and joy.
“Iwalani!” they called out as they hurried toward her.
They surrounded her with warm welcomes, relieved beyond words that she had finally returned safely.
С возвращением домой.