Back at Apex Command, the air was cold with strategic calculation. Kellan was immune to the panic that had just gripped him; his love for his grandmother was safe, shielded by the Apex Defense Force (ADF). Now, his focus was absolute.
"The Primer is reacting to our acquisitions," Kellan stated, his Optimal Insight (Level 4) display showing the interconnected financial and dimensional threats. "It failed to destroy my emotional vulnerability, so its next move will be to destroy the logistical vulnerability—the GlobalComm acquisition."
[Apex Prediction (Level 4) Activated! Target: GlobalComm Acquisition Process. Sub-Optimal Action Chain: The Primer will utilize high-level financial malware (Dimensional Corruption) to destabilize the acquisition funds at the moment of transfer.]
"Seraphina," Kellan commanded, turning to his resource manager. "The Primer will launch a sophisticated, dimensionally-enhanced cyber-attack. It won't try to stop the deal; it will try to make the funds untraceable and corrupted as they transfer, leading to an international legal nightmare."
Seraphina's face was grim. "That's a logical move. An attack on the financial integrity of the transfer could freeze the assets indefinitely, regardless of our legal standing."
"We will use their prediction against them," Kellan said, a plan already formulated by his Apex logic. "We are not going to move the money using standard sub-optimal protocols."
Kellan turned to Dr. Vivian Roth. "Dr. Roth, you cracked the dimensional language. I need you to create a perfect, non-dimensional encryption key that the Primer cannot predict or corrupt. It must be based on a pattern from this dimension that the Primer's chaos cannot comprehend—something utterly stable, yet deceptively simple."
Vivian, ever focused, immediately understood the concept. "The ultimate sub-optimal camouflage. I will use the prime number sequence of a forgotten, stable satellite array—a pattern so simple and irrelevant, the Primer's complex logic will overlook it."
"Excellent," Kellan approved. "Next, Lyra."
"We need a physical shield for the digital transfer," Kellan instructed. "The funds are stored in three different sovereign bank vaults. The transfer happens simultaneously. I need you to be at the central transfer hub."
"Use your Energy Transmutation to create a temporary, perfectly contained Dimensional Barrier around the central transfer server for the entire duration of the $30$-second transaction. The barrier must repel the Primer's dimensional malware while allowing the non-dimensional signal (Dr. Roth's key) to pass."
Lyra nodded, her confidence absolute. "A $30$-second window of Absolute Energy Perfection. The malware will hit a wall of clean, pure energy and fail."
The acquisition day arrived. Kellan remained at Apex Command, directing the three-pronged attack—financial, cryptographic, and physical.
Seraphina initiated the simultaneous transfer. Kellan watched the status bars.
Transfer Initiated...
Suddenly, the system detected a massive surge of corrupted dimensional energy—the Primer's malware—moving through the financial networks, targeting the transfer hub.
"Lyra, now!" Kellan commanded.
At the hub, Lyra's golden energy flared, creating a shimmering, impenetrable shield around the central server. The Primer's chaotic malware hit the barrier and was instantly transmuted into harmless, stable light. The attack was rendered sub-optimal before it could even touch the data.
Simultaneously, Dr. Roth's prime number encryption key guided the $50$ billion dollars through the shielded path.
Transfer Complete.
The entire acquisition of GlobalComm took less than $30$ seconds. Seraphina let out a long breath of relief.
"The Primer's most advanced financial weapon was neutralized by a simple prime number and perfect energy control," Kellan observed, leaning back. "Their complexity is our advantage."
With GlobalComm acquired, Kellan turned to the large holographic map of the world. "Jax, deploy the Apex Defense Force (ADF) assets to begin installing the Apex Nexus Core energy modules across the GlobalComm infrastructure. We are building the global defense shield. The Primer will find its next attack impossible."