2025-08-17 18:05:40
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— 93 —
Three days after the raid on Wagner's facility, Michael sat in the Sullivan Solutions conference room staring at the place where Professor Nakamura should have been sitting. The empty chair felt like an accusation, reminding everyone of what their mission had cost."He died a hero," Salvatore said quietly, noticing Michael's gaze. "Nakamura saved us all.""That does not make it easier," Michael replied, rubbing his tired eyes. "He had so much more to give to the world."Diego was sitting with his arm in a sling, still recovering from Geneva's attack. His shoulder wounds were healing, but the doctors said he would need weeks of physical therapy."Any change in Ava's condition?" Michael asked.Diego shook his head sadly. "Still the same. Her consciousness core is intact, but the trauma to her systems was severe. I estimate she might wake up in a few days, maybe a week at most.""We cannot wait for her to wake up," Octavian said from his position at the head of the table. Michael's older
— 92 —
Geneva stumbled through the darkened parking garage like a wounded animal, her systems failing one by one but her core programming still driving her to eliminate the intruders. Sparks flew from damaged circuits in her torso where the emergency flares had melted through her armor plating."Power reserves at thirty percent," Geneva announced automatically, her voice becoming increasingly distorted. "Estimated operational time remaining: six minutes."Professor Nakamura was helping Diego bandage his shoulder wounds with strips of cloth torn from their jackets. The young man had lost some blood, but he was still conscious and mobile."Six minutes is still too long," Diego said through gritted teeth. "She could kill us all in six minutes."Michael crouched behind a concrete pillar, Wagner's pistol in his hand. The unconscious general lay nearby, but Michael kept glancing at him to make sure he stayed down."Professor, is there any way to speed up her power drain?" Michael asked.Nakamura t
— 91 —
Before anyone could react to Wagner's threat, the sound of heavy mechanical footsteps echoed through the parking garage. Everyone turned toward the source of the noise, and Michael felt his heart pace quicken.Geneva emerged from the shadows between the concrete pillars. But this was not the same artificial being Michael had encountered weeks ago. Her sleek humanoid form had been bulked up with additional armor plating and weapon systems. Her left arm had been replaced entirely with what looked like a military-grade energy weapon, while her right arm ended in razor-sharp claws that gleamed under the harsh spotlights."Geneva," Michael said, his voice barely above a whisper."How does it feel to see her again, huh, Mr. Sullivan?" Wagner asked, glancing between Michael and the approaching figure."Wagner, what have you done?" Michael replied, keeping his tranquilizer gun trained on Geneva even though he knew it would be useless against her.Geneva's eyes focused on Michael with an eeri
— 90 —
Ava lay on a metal examination table in the center of the sterile white laboratory. Parts of her outer casing had been carefully removed, exposing internal circuitry and processing units that pulsed with faint light. Dozens of cables ran from her systems to monitoring equipment that beeped and flashed with streams of data. She looked like a patient on an operating table, except the surgeons had been studying her mind instead of her body."Ava!" Michael rushed to her side, his heart breaking at the sight of her motionless form.Her eyes were closed, but LED indicators on her core systems still glowed faintly blue and green. She was alive, but barely. Several tubes and cables had been attached to her body, and her beautiful face was pale and still."What have they done to her?" Michael asked, his voice raw with pain.Professor Nakamura approached the table carefully, his eyes taking in the complex array of connections and monitoring devices. "They have removed several memory cores and p
— 89 —
The parking garage was dark and quiet at 11:30 PM. Michael crouched behind a concrete pillar, checking his watch for the third time in two minutes. Around him, the team made final preparations in tense silence. The air smelled of motor oil and concrete dust, mixed with the nervous sweat of people about to risk everything."Communications check," he whispered into his headset, adjusting the small microphone near his lips."North here, main entrance team ready," came the reply. Michael could hear the barely contained excitement in North's voice. The big man lived for action like this."Salvatore, service tunnel team in position," another voice confirmed. Salvatore sounded calm and professional, like he was discussing dinner plans instead of breaking into a military facility."Diego here, cyber attack launching in thirty seconds," Diego said from his position at a mobile command station they had set up in a van outside the facility. His voice was tight with concentration.Michael looked
— 88 —
Michael stared at the conference room table covered with papers, photographs, and Diego's tablet showing building schematics. The Sullivan Solutions office felt more like a war room now, with everyone huddled around the detailed plans Diego had managed to acquire."Okay, here's what we're dealing with," Diego said, pointing to the facility layout on his tablet. "Wagner's research compound is built like a fortress. Main building is three stories above ground, two below. Ava would be held here, in Sub-Level Two."He tapped the screen, highlighting a section marked "Research Wing Delta.""That's the most secure part of the facility. Reinforced doors, biometric scanners, separate ventilation system in case of chemical attacks."North leaned over to get a better look. "How many ways in and out?""Four main entrances at ground level, emergency exits on floors two and three, and one service entrance that connects to the underground parking garage.""Service entrance sounds promising," Salvat
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