Haywire Ranger

Chapter 29: The Predatory Blue Ranger's Eyes

"Naomi, I trust you will my life, but this is..." a high-command guard in the Control Tower said. He shook his head in defiance.

He possessed a head of neatly trimmed salt-and-pepper hair which accentuated his air of authority. Deep lines etched across his weathered face, a testament to the years of dedication and responsibility. His uniform, adorned with gleaming brass buttons and precise creases, spoke of his position of power.

"Diego, please," Naomi whispered with insistence. "I wouldn't ask you something like this just because. It's important!"

He chuckled as he stared deeply into her eyes. "Damn, I'm gonna get the sack for this."

He opened the door to the control room, at the top of the building.

"Thank you!" Naomi replied with a wide, confident smile. "You won't regret it, Diego."

Sky smiled at his aunt as she gestured for him to go for it.

He rushed to a huge control panel which supervised a room full of computers at a lower level. Holographic screens hovered over the desks, but there was a huge one hovering over all of them, near the wall in front of him. On either side of it and right behind him, there were enormous windows overlooking the entire city.

The evening glow of the setting sun entered through the windows, but it was the neon glow of the screens and some desk lamps which illuminated the control room.

"This is the master control panel," Diego said as he came to stand beside him.

It had got a sleek surface adorned with rows of buttons and illuminated indicators, which caught Sky's attention. He focused on the holographic screen in front of him, suspended in mid-air, as he started typing. It displayed vital data and real-time feeds, enhancing the atmosphere of efficiency.

"Be careful, kid," Diego added. "You might be the Hovering Hive's brand new hero, but–"

"I know. Thank you for letting me use it," Sky replied with seriousness, his eyes glued to the holographic screen. "I promise you won't regret it."

"I hope so. My job and livelihood are on the line," Diego whispered with mild regret.

Sky swallowed at the responsibility that involved, but his fingers didn't stop typing commands into the system.

As Sky stood before the extensive keyboard and worked, the coding lines appeared on a new holographic screen hovering over the master control panel with neon blue lines, numbers, and letters.

On the computer screen, lines of code scrolled rapidly, forming a mesmerising dance of symbols and characters. The text appeared in a crisp, monospaced font, its black letters contrasting against the soft glow of the holographic screen. Syntax highlighting brought key elements to life, with colourful keywords and function names standing out amidst the sea of text. 

As Sky deftly typed, the cursor moved with precision, navigating through the code like a nimble dancer. Some occasional debug messages and error notifications flashed momentarily as he tried to break through a firewall, demanding attention and swift action.

He furrowed his brow. Damn. I expected to find trouble along the way, but I hope that what I've done doesn't call their attention.

Naomi's eyes sparkled with pride as she fixed her gaze on Sky, who was fully immersed in coding. A small smile played on her lips, reflecting her admiration for his skills and dedication. As she observed his fluid movements and confident keystrokes, a warm glow of pride enveloped her, filling her heart with a sense of accomplishment and joy.

Then, a shrill alarm sound startled all guards, Sky, and Naomi. A flashing red emergency window popped up.

Crap. I did call their attention, didn't I?