The mission room’s central holotable pulsed with soft blue light, bathing everyone in a glow that made the air feel colder than it was.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgKabtBnoyy
ARGUS: “Welcome. Priority mission parameters initializing. Please remain still for biometric sync.”
Lines of light swept over them from the ceiling scanners. One by one, their profiles appeared around the table: names, combat specs, preferred weaponry, even tactical risk ratings.
Ishaan raised an eyebrow. “Wow, ARGUS, you could at least pretend you’re not spying on my calorie intake.”
ARGUS: “Your recent sugar consumption is above operational safety guidelines.”100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbpsMF0Vem
Veer smirked. “Translation: lay off the donuts.”100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ10iUhe5Cx2
Ishaan pointed dramatically. “You see? AI oppression starts with pastries.”
Sayaka ignored them, already scrolling through ARGUS’s data windows.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgdTg8X738w
“Cross-reference the Valgrave heads’ deaths with bio-weapon projects registered under Rokuro’s oversight.”
ARGUS: “Processing… Connection found: ‘Sleeping Gate’ project records appear in two of three incidents. Third incident data partially purged. Attempting recovery.”
Avni leaned forward, tapping one of the floating windows. “We’ve got an origin trail — eastern port city, private dock, then nothing. Someone scrubbed this hard.”100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuBqBN0OkiV
Lev added, “Which means they didn’t want us finding the labs. So naturally, we’re going to find them.”
Damien finally spoke, his tone clipped but precise. “If Sleeping Gate is tied to the deaths, we eliminate it first. Everything else comes after.”100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUcpWEVl5Xu
Raiden bristled. “You’re assuming it’s that simple.”100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUyyLhK0812
Damien met his gaze evenly. “I’m assuming you want results.”
The temperature in the room dropped until Isolde cut in. “Focus. Fighting in here doesn’t put bodies in the ground out there.”
ARGUS: “Recommended action: conduct parallel reconnaissance in two teams. Splitting forces increases coverage, but risk probability rises by 14%.”
Elda’s voice crackled over the comm from her office. “You’ve got the resources — use them. But don’t get clever. One month, people. That clock isn’t stopping.”
Team Alpha formed quickly: Luce, Sayaka, Avni, Damien, Dev and Ishaan.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqUCKHisZs
Team Bravo: Raiden, Erik, Saira, Lev, Veer, and Isolde.
Ishaan immediately groaned. “I get Valgrave senior over here? Fantastic.”100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8QemHRU9oh
Damien didn’t even look at him. “Try to keep up.”
They began mapping out routes on the holotable.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxJ1tm7M9Y
ARGUS projected a rotating 3D map of their primary target: a sprawling derelict shipping terminal on the coast, half of it caved in from years of neglect.
ARGUS: “Thermal scans indicate low but irregular activity. Movement patterns consistent with automated sentry drones.”
Dev asked, “What’s guarding an abandoned dock in the middle of nowhere?”100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnmjdzzXepF
Veer shrugged. “Probably not fish.”
While the others argued over drone-jamming protocols, Luce stood slightly apart, his eyes locked on one of the floating files ARGUS had open.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUuqJjRpjC
It wasn’t about Sleeping Gate. It wasn’t about the docks.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuPzxqrakm
It was a classified tab, locked under VALGRAVE ACCESS ONLY — and the title simply read Subject Profile: L-02.
Before he could click it, ARGUS’s voice cut in.
ARGUS: “That file is restricted. Clearance required.”100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAWxhNKqzz
Damien noticed where Luce was looking but said nothing — just a faint, unreadable expression before returning to the discussion.
By late afternoon, the plan was set.
Alpha would infiltrate the terminal and retrieve any surviving lab shipment manifests.
Bravo would track cargo records at the city’s archive tower and look for movement tied to Rokuro’s shell companies.
Both teams would stay in constant link through ARGUS’s field relay system.
As they broke for final gear checks, Veer clapped Luce on the shoulder. “Don’t look so grim, man. By the end, someone gets stabbed and everyone goes home closer.”100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QtcPI3HKg
Ishaan added, “In this case, hopefully not us.”
Sayaka glanced at Luce, her tone steady. “We’ll find answers. About all of it.”100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdGYlO1bRR
He didn’t ask how she knew what he was thinking — he just nodded.
That night, as COMA’s hangar doors opened and both teams boarded their respective transports, ARGUS’s voice echoed in their comms:
ARGUS: “Mission start. One month. The clock is now at twenty-nine days, twenty-three hours, fifty-eight minutes.”
And somewhere deep in its coded systems, the restricted file on L-02 remained locked — waiting for the right moment.
ns216.73.216.33da2
and then Add to home screen.