Silas straightened the lapels of his tailored charcoal suit. He stepped out of the armored limousine onto the polished granite steps of The Silver Needle.Freya walked half a pace behind him. She wore a sleek, backless evening gown that concealed her silver short sword perfectly against her thigh."The guest list is restricted to the primary shareholders of the Seven Syndicates," Nova’s voice hummed in Silas's earpiece. "I fabricated your profile as Dr. Thorne Vance, an independent biological investor.""Understood," Silas approached the heavy brass doors of the VVIP club.Two massive guards in black suits blocked the entrance. Thick, chrome-plated cybernetic implants covered their jawlines and thick necks."Identification required," the guard on the left grunted, stepping forward.Silas did not speak. He handed over a thin, black metallic card.The guard swiped the card through a portable scanner. The device chimed with a high-pitched tone, confirming the forged executive clearance.

Silas inserted the platinum data drive into the subterranean elevator console. The heavy steel doors slid shut immediately."Descending to sub-level four," Nova reported over the comms. "The financial district is directly above you."The elevator dropped rapidly. The fluorescent lights overhead buzzed with a low, mechanical hum.Freya gripped her silver short sword. She stood perfectly still beside Silas."The genetic vault is heavily fortified," Freya stated, watching the floor indicator drop steadily. "The Syndicates do not leave their primary assets unguarded.""A lock only matters if the guard understands the key," Silas adjusted his black collar. "We will evaluate their security measures shortly."The elevator stopped with a heavy, metallic jolt.The doors parted to reveal a pristine, white-tiled sterilization chamber. Bright surgical lights illuminated every corner of the room without casting a single shadow.A woman stood precisely in the center of the room.She wore a tight, s

Silas kept his hands completely relaxed at his sides. He tilted his head slightly, examining the thick carbon-fiber plating on the Commander's broad chest."You brought fifty men to guard a stockpile of stolen bodily fluids," Silas said."This facility contains the biological foundation of the Seven Syndicates," Commander Vance replied. His voice vibrated harshly through the metal grate of his faceplate. "Step away from the primary containment cylinders."Silas ignored the warning. He turned his back on the heavily armed squad entirely.He walked closer to the massive, glowing glass tank. A thick metal data terminal rested directly at the base of the pressurized cylinder."Master, they are locking their targeting lasers onto your spine," Freya stepped sideways. She placed her body between Silas and the mercenaries, her silver blade angled toward the floor."Let them aim," Silas tapped the illuminated screen of the data terminal.Rows of highly encrypted medical logs filled the display

Silas dragged the serrated edge of his steak knife across the rare cut of beef. The sharp scraping sound echoed down the length of the long mahogany dining table."The prime rib in Oakhaven is uniquely tender," High Chancellor Sterling remarked from the head of the table. He took a slow sip from a crystal goblet. "A benefit of our localized protein synthesis."Silas chewed his meat in silence. Isabella stood exactly one pace behind his chair, holding a heavy silver decanter. She wore a simple black dress, her posture perfectly straight on her newly healed legs.The evening chandelier cast harsh light over the seven pharmaceutical oligarchs seated around the table."You are remarkably calm for a man without his security detail, Dr. Vance," Sterling smiled. He set his goblet down on the white linen tablecloth. "Or should I say, Silas Thorne."Silas set his fork down next to his porcelain plate."My medical practice does not require an escort for dinner," Silas replied."Confidence is a

Silas grabbed the collar of Chancellor Sterling's ruined white shirt. He lifted the heavy, dead billionaire completely off the cracked mahogany table.The pitch-black void in Silas’s eyes absorbed the harsh light of the chandelier. A thin ring of molten gold burned fiercely around his pupils."Master," Isabella whispered, pressing her back flat against the far wall to avoid the yellow acidic gas pooling on the floor. "The missiles will strike in less than three minutes.""They require a digital nervous system to find their targets," Silas dragged the corpse across the room.His leather shoes crunched loudly over the shattered crystal goblets. He dropped Sterling’s body directly in front of the main structural pillar supporting the dining hall.Silas drove his bare right fist straight into the reinforced concrete pillar.The solid stone shattered instantly under the kinetic impact. Thick clouds of gray dust billowed outward, revealing a massive bundle of high-voltage industrial copper