Platinum Pursuit

"Well," Armani leaned forward, her expression serious. "First, tell me more about what happened so we can find the source of this issue."

"Alright." Kinsey nodded, preparing to lay out the details.

"Start from the beginning, from when you first started noticing the Army's interest in you. Don't leave any details out." Armani said.

Kinsey took a deep breath, recounting the events. "It all started about a week ago. It began with some strange incidents, like a drone flying nearby. At first, we just brushed it off as a coincidence. But then..."

Armani nodded, listening intently. "Go on.”

"But then we started noticing more suspicious activity. Strange vehicles following us around, people hanging out in the shadows and just...watching," Kinsey continued.

Armani's eyes narrowed. "And then what happened?”

"Then the 'Platinum Army' began to make themselves known," Kinsey said. "We saw them following us from afar, trying to track our movements."

Armani's expression turned to one of concern. "And what happened after that?"

Rachel, feeling the story was missing something, chimed in. "Then they started to get more aggressive. Sending in small squads, trying to corner us, trying to capture us."

Armani's eyes widened. "Capture you? For what?”

Kairy, who had been quiet up until now, stepped in. "We have something that the Platinum Army seems to want. Something...valuable. They attempted to capture our friend because she has 'Miracle Eyes'."

Armani's fennec ears immediately perked up at hearing 'Miracle Eyes'. "You mean...these?"

She closed her eyes. Opening them back up, she revealed her eyes, which were now the swirling vortices that the others knew were the Miracle Eyes when active. 

The other girls looked on in amazement as Armani's eyes changed shape and color. Kairy spoke up first. "Yes, Armani. Just like that."

Armani nodded slowly, closing her eyes again to return them to normal. "And one of your friends has these Miracle Eyes? That explains why the Platinum Army is going after you. That 'gift' is a highly sought-after ability. The Platinum Army are probably trying to control her and exploit her power for themselves.”

Kinsey nodded, her expression somber. "That's what we assume. They seem to be specifically going after her for her Miracle Eyes. We think they want to use her as a...weapon, or something."

Armani clenched her jaw, her expression hardening. "Those bastards. If they're targeting her because of her Miracle Eyes, that's seriously messed up. No one should be treated like a damn weapon. No one.”

Kinsey nodded. "Exactly. They probably want to weaponize her ability for their own gain...and that's what we're worried about." 

Rachel sighed, her expression tense. "That's why we need your help, Armani. We've been chased all over the place and we're running low on options."

Armani let out a deep sigh, mulling over the situation. "Damn...this is a tough one. The Platinum Army ain't some joke. They're well organized, they're well armed, and they're relentless. It won't be easy dealing with them.”

The girls nodded, knowing the gravity of the situation. "We know," Kinsey replied. "We've been running and hiding, but it's not sustainable. They'll find us eventually. We need to do something before they catch us."

Armani leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. "Hmm...It'll be tricky. The Platinum Army is well-funded and well-connected. They have eyes and ears everywhere, and inhabit underground fortresses. However, using my own Miracle Eyes, I can help you find them.”

The girls perked up, hope filling their faces. "You can?" Kairy spoke, her eyes wide.

Armani nodded. "Yeah, I can. My eyes let me see things normally not visible to the human eye. That includes heat signatures and underground structures."

"HOW?!" Rachel asked in total disbelief.

Armani chuckled at Rachel's shocked expression. "It's complicated, but essentially, Miracle Eyes allow me to see across the electromagnetic spectrum. I can see thermal energy, electromagnetic radiation signals, and even infrared light. I can even see through solid objects."

Kinsey raised an eyebrow, curious. "Through solid objects?"

"Through solid objects," Armani repeated with a nod, "For example: put one mile of solid rock in front of me, and with gamma ray vision, I could see right through it.”

The girls were floored. "That's...incredible," Kairy said, still in awe.

"I know," Armani replied with a smirk. "But there's a catch.”

The girls exchanged a confused look. "What catch?" Kinsey inquired.

Armani leaned forward, her expression serious. "Lead. Since my Miracle Eyes aren't as powerful to see magnetic fields and seismic activity, anything contained in a thick layer of lead would be impenetrable to any part of the EM spectrum.”

"Wait, wait, wait," Kinsey interrupted, her mind trying to process what Armani was saying. "So you can't see through lead?”

Armani nodded, confirming Kinsey's question. "A thin sheet of it? Sure. But a wall of the stuff, you could just forget about it. Lead essentially acts as a shield, blocking all electromagnetic radiation and thermal energy. It's like a blind spot for me. Anything encased in lead will be completely invisible to my Miracle Eyes. Maybe not your friend's, but mine, yeah.”

The girls took a moment to let this sink in. "Lead, huh?", Rachel said. "So if the Platinum Army has lead fortresses, they'd be invisible to you."

"Not necessarily 'invisible'," Armani replied. "In hard X-ray vision, for example, a room with walls made of lead would just be pitch-black to me. Outside of that room, it would look like a pure void of blackness in the middle of nowhere. Scary shit. It's nightmare fuel at its finest."

An unexpected shudder went down the girls' spines, imagining what that would look like. "Damn..." Kinsey muttered, still trying to wrap her head around it.

"Yeah. Pretty intense, right?" Armani leaned back in her chair, observing the girls' reaction.

"To say the least," Kairy muttered, her gaze still a bit shaken.

Rachel regained her composure and refocused on the topic at hand. "So lead is the Achilles heel of your Miracle Eyes, then."

Armani nodded. "Yeah, something like that. Lead is basically my kryptonite. It's a major blindspot for me. Anything encased in enough lead is completely hidden from me. Your friend, however, may have Miracle Eyes capable of seeing magnetic fields, which would negate my weakness to lead.”

The girls exchanged glances, absorbing Armani's words. Kinsey spoke up, curiosity in her eyes. "Why are your Miracle Eyes not capable of the same?”

Armani shrugged nonchalantly. "That's just how it is. Miracle Eyes have different strengths and weaknesses depending on the user. It's all down to genetics. And when it comes to the Fennec race, well, we didn't get the magnetic field nor seismic sight versions, unfortunately. The Miracle eyes of the Fennec race are more suited to detecting EM radiation, while your friend's seems to be more...multifunctional, if that makes sense.”

Kinsey's brow furrowed as she tried to understand. "Multi...functional? What do you mean?"

Armani leaned forward, explaining in a way they could understand. "Imagine the Miracle Eyes as a specialized tool, each version tailored to specific sensory abilities. My Miracle Eyes focus mainly on EM radiation, allowing me to see across the spectrum, while your friend's seem to be a hybrid of all three: EM radiation, magnetic fields, and seismic. It's a rare combination, to say the least. Your friend may just be a one-in-a-million impossibility in disguise.”

The girls stared at Armani in disbelief. "A... one-in-million? That rare?!" Kinsey questioned.

Armani nodded, a hint of awe in her voice. "You have no idea. If your friend has all three versions combined, she's practically a living miracle—pun intended. The chances of that happening is astronomically low. Your friend isn't just special. She's practically a walking jackpot, to put it bluntly.”

The impact of Armani's words settled in. The girls shared stunned glances, the enormity of this revelation sinking in.

Rachel, the ever pragmatist, finally spoke up, her voice steady. "This makes our friend incredibly valuable, doesn't it?"

Armani nodded, a serious expression on her face. "More than you can imagine. The Platinum Army would do anything to get their hands on her. A hybrid like her is a game changer, a force to be reckoned with. It's not just her ability that's coveted; it's the rarity as well.”

The girls shared a sheepish look. "Well...no," Rachel admitted.

Armani smirked, her expression smug. "Thought so. You're just a bunch of kids with no combat experience. You'll be cut down before you even set foot inside their base."

"Least ya could do is help us discover one of their bases using your Miracle Eyes," Rachel said with a shrug.

Armani raised an eyebrow, mulling over the proposal. "You want me to guide you to one of their bases, huh?"

Kinsey nodded, determination in her eyes. "That's right. You can see things we can't. It'll give us an edge."

Armani leaned back, contemplating the proposal. "Alright, I'll do it. But this is a one-time deal. Don't expect me to babysit you every step of the way. You've got to pull your weight.”

Rachel smirked, appreciating Armani's no-nonsense tone. "We can handle ourselves, don't worry. And we're not asking you to babysit us. We just need your Miracle Eyes."

Armani's smirk matched Rachel's. "Good. Because I'm not about to babysit some amateurs. And don't expect me to rescue you if you get into trouble. I'm not your personal superhero.”

The girls chuckled at Armani's bravado. "Noted. We're not expecting you to be our superhero, just our guide."

Armani nodded, satisfied. "Good. Let's get one thing straight. I'm here to help you locate their base, not to hold your hand. If you guys get in trouble, I'm not responsible for saving your asses.”

Kinsey smirked, unperturbed by Armani's sternness. "Duly noted. We don't expect you to baby us, just guide us. If we get into trouble, we'll handle it ourselves."

Armani smirked in return, admiring their spirit. "That's the attitude I'm lookin' for. Just remember, I'm not a babysitter. And if you get stuck, good luck on your own. Now let's go, I ain't got all day.”

Kairy chuckled, feeling the tension slowly lifting. "Alright, we get it. No babysitting, no hand-holding. You're just here to guide us."

Armani rolled her eyes but secretly appreciated the lighthearted moment. "Damn straight. I ain't your babysitter. And if anything goes south, you're on your own. So let's get moving. We've got a base to find.”