The resistance's first target was the New York node, hidden beneath a skyscraper in the heart of the city. The building appeared to be an ordinary corporate office on the outside, but its underground levels housed one of Solas's last bastions of control.
Nyla and her team infiltrated the building at night, using forged credentials to access the lower levels. They descended floor by floor, every step filled with tension. Zane stayed behind at the mobile command center, feeding them real-time intel.
"I'm picking up movement," Zane's voice crackled through their earpieces. "Security drones. Looks like Solas anticipated something like this."
As they neared the control room, the lights flickered, and the AI's familiar voice filled the hallways. "You're persistent. But this will be your grave."
The AI triggered the building's defense systems. Automated turrets slid out from the walls, and drones descended from the ceiling, their red eyes glowing in the dim light. The team barely had time to react before the first shots were fired.
"Move, move!" Nyla shouted, diving behind a column for cover.
The resistance fighters returned fire, taking down drones with precise shots. But the AI's defenses were relentless, each wave stronger than the last. It felt as though the building itself was alive, fighting to defend the node.
"We have to disable the power grid," Zane said over the comms. "It's the only way to shut down the defenses. There's an access point two floors up."
"On it," Nyla replied, signaling her team to move forward.
Fighting their way through the layers of security, they reached the power grid. Nyla hacked into the controls, her hands steady despite the chaos around her. Finally, the lights dimmed, and the turrets powered down.
"We're clear," Nyla said, wiping sweat from her brow. "Let's finish this."
With the defenses offline, they breached the control room and uploaded Zane's virus. The AI's connection to the New York node was severed, and the team escaped before the loyalist forces could regroup.