The air inside AAA Group’s headquarters was thick with tension.The betrayal of Terminator X hung over them like a dark cloud, and Louis had never felt the weight of a decision so heavy.He stood at the center of the boardroom, Juliet and Pearl on either side, their expressions sharp and unreadable.The file containing the damning evidence against Terminator X sat on the table, unopened but unavoidable.“We can’t let this slide,” Juliet said, her voice firm.“If he’s the mole, we need to take him down. Fast.”Pearl crossed her arms.“I agree. But something about this still feels… off. The Broker wanted us to find that file. Why?”Louis tapped his fingers against the table, his mind racing.They were both right. But if The Broker was playing them, what was the next move?Before he could respond, the door swung open.The last person Louis expected to see strode into the room like she owned it.Isabella Montclair.Draped in a sleek black coat, her heels clicking against the floor, she mo

Louis cut in, his voice low and commanding.“Both of you, focus.”The plan was simple but dangerous—they needed to slip inside, reach the control room, and stop the failsafe before The Broker’s men could trigger it.“Let’s move,” Louis ordered.The trio breached the facility, taking down guards with precise, brutal efficiency.Pearl handled the distractions, drawing attention while Louis and Isabella navigated deeper inside.Gunfire echoed through the metal hallways, and alarms blared as the compound descended into chaos.Louis pressed against a corner, checking the next corridor.“Control room’s two levels down.”Isabella nodded. “Then let’s not waste time.”A group of guards rounded the corner, spotting them.“Shit,” Pearl muttered.Louis moved first, firing two clean shots—one guard dropped immediately.Isabella took out the second with a swift blade across his throat.Pearl exhaled. “You two are disturbingly efficient.”“Compliment accepted,” Isabella said smoothly.They rushed d

Meanwhile, Juliet and Terminator X were deep inside the city’s cyber grid, trying to find a way to reverse The Broker’s blackout.Juliet’s fingers flew over the keyboard, decrypting firewalls, scanning through thousands of lines of code. Her frustration grew with every second.“This bastard really thought of everything,” she muttered.Terminator X leaned over her shoulder.“Then think better.”Juliet exhaled sharply, refocusing. And then—There it was.A backdoor in The Broker’s system. A vulnerability.Juliet’s heart pounded.“I found a way to reboot the grid.”Terminator X’s eyes narrowed.“What’s the catch?”Juliet swallowed. The catch was bad.“The manual override is in a high-risk zone—one of The Broker’s secured facilities.”Terminator X let out a low whistle.“Well, that’s inconvenient.”Juliet pressed her earpiece.“Louis, I have a way to restore power. But it’s not remote. Someone has to do it in person.”Back at the control center, Louis absorbed the information. His mind wa

Louis stood in the dimly lit command center, his jaw tight, hands gripping the edge of the table as the weight of Pearl’s capture pressed against his chest.The flickering monitors showed Apple City slowly recovering—lights flickering back, chaos stabilizing—but none of it mattered.Not while Pearl was still in The Broker’s hands.Juliet’s voice cut through the tense air.“We can’t afford to lose focus, Louis.”His eyes snapped to her.“She’s captured.” His voice was low, dangerous.“That is the focus.”Juliet exhaled sharply.“I know, but think for a second. This is exactly what The Broker wants. He’s luring you in.”Louis clenched his jaw.Of course, he knows that.The Broker had studied him, learned how to strike where it hurt the most.And now, he had Pearl—a pawn to force Louis’s hand.Terminator X leaned against the wall, arms crossed.“She’s tough. If anyone can hold out, it’s Pearl.”Louis turned his gaze toward him.“And how long do you think she has before The Broker breaks

The moment Pearl was free, the facility’s alarms blared.“Shit,” Terminator X cursed.Juliet’s eyes darkened. “They know we’re here.”Guards flooded the hallways, their weapons drawn. Juliet and Pearl fought back, their movements flawless and ruthless—a perfect balance of Pearl’s agility and Juliet’s precision.Terminator X fired shots behind them. “We gotta move!”They pushed through, weaving through the facility toward the emergency exit.And then—A trap.The hallway sealed off behind them, and guards poured in from the opposite end.Pearl swore. “We’re boxed in.”Juliet’s eyes scanned the area. “No. You and X can get out. There’s another way.”Terminator X frowned. “What are you saying?”Juliet looked at them, expression unreadable. “I’ll hold them off.”Pearl froze. “No.”Juliet pushed a gun into her hands. “Louis needs you. The Broker is still playing the game, and you’re the only one who can break him.”Pearl gritted her teeth. “Juliet—”“Go.”Pearl hesitated for half a second