"Enhance palace security, now," Elizabeth ordered, her transformed arm still shielding La and Zara.
Valiant nodded, dispatching guards to reinforce the perimeter.
La watched, her mind racing. "Elizabeth, we need to reassess the palace layout. Identify vulnerable points."
Elizabeth nodded. "Agreed. La, work with Valiant to review the defenses."
Zara stepped forward. "I'll assist with the investigation. See if I can dig up any leads."
As the group dispersed, La accompanied Valiant to the security hub.
"Commander, what's the current status?" La asked, scanning the security feeds.
Valiant's expression turned grim. "We've sealed off the east wing, but our intruder detection systems failed. Whoever did this had inside help."
La's eyes narrowed. "Get me the security logs. I'll review them."
Valiant handed La a data crystal. "Be careful, La. If this was an inside job..."
La's determination hardened. "I'll find out who's responsible."
As La delved into the logs, anomalies caught her attention:
- Unauthorized access to restricted areas
- Tampered surveillance footage
- Suspicious communication patterns
La's eyes locked onto a suspicious ID:
"Guard 7421."
La decided to monitor Guard 7421's activities, gathering more evidence before confronting them.
"Valiant, can you discreetly track Guard 7421's movements?" La asked.
Valiant nodded. "Already on it. I'll have their schedule and locations sent to your comms device."
La received the data and began tracking Guard 7421, noticing:
- Frequent visits to restricted areas
- Meetings with unknown individuals
- Accessing sensitive information
La's suspicions solidified. Guard 7421 was involved.
As night fell, La followed Guard 7421 to an abandoned storage room.
"Time to confront them," La thought.
La entered the room, finding Guard 7421 with a hooded figure.
"La," Guard 7421 said, surprise etched on their face.
The hooded figure stepped back, revealing a shocking identity:
Kael!
La's eyes narrowed as she took in Kael's unexpected appearance. "Kael, you're the last person I expected to see here," La said, her voice firm.
Kael's expression remained calm, but a hint of guilt flickered in his eyes. "La, I—"
La cut him off, her tone icy. "Save it, Kael. I know you're involved in the assassination attempt. You're a traitor."
Guard 7421 took a step back, eyes wide with fear. "Kael, I didn't know—"
Kael's face twisted in anger. "Shut up, 7421. You're just a pawn in my game."
La's grip on her comms device tightened. "You're not taking anyone else down with you, Kael. You're going to pay for your betrayal."
Kael sneered. "You'll never take me alive, La. I have a plan, and it's already in motion."
La's eyes locked onto Kael's. "We'll see about that."
With a swift motion, La activated her comms device, alerting Valiant and the palace guards to Kael's treachery. "Kael is a traitor. Apprehend him immediately."
As the guards closed in, Kael's smile grew wider. "It's too late. My plan is already in motion. The kingdom will burn, and I'll be the one who lit the flames."
La's face set in determination. "Not if I have anything to say about it, Kael."