Carter leaned against the wall of the cluttered warehouse, his arms folded across his chest as he watched Mason tinker with the assortment of tech on his workbench. The place looked like a graveyard for old military hardware, drones, and half-broken gadgets, all piled together in a chaotic mess. But Mason seemed to know his way around the clutter. His hands moved deftly, assembling and reassembling components with the kind of precision that came from years of experience in the black-market tech trade.
"How long's this gonna take?" Carter asked, his impatience barely masked by the sarcastic tone.
Mason didn't look up from the table. "If you want quality gear, you're gonna have to be patient."
Maya, standing a few feet away, crossed her arms and gave Carter a sharp look. "We don't have time for this. How soon can you have the equipment ready?"
Mason finally glanced up, wiping his hands on a dirty rag. His expression was guarded, like a man who'd spent too many years looking over his shoulder. "Depends. What exactly are you planning to do with all this?"
Maya took a step forward, her voice cold and precise. "We're infiltrating an Apex Industries facility."
That got Mason's full attention. His eyes widened slightly, and the usual lazy grin he wore faded. "You're serious?"
"Dead serious," Maya replied, her voice hardening.
Mason rubbed the back of his neck, clearly trying to process the magnitude of the situation. "Apex? Man, you really know how to pick your fights."
Carter smirked, leaning a little closer to the tech dealer. "We've got no choice. They're coming after us whether we like it or not."
Mason hesitated, glancing between Carter and Maya, then back at his workbench. "Alright, but going after Apex is a suicide mission. Their security is beyond state-of-the-art. You'll need more than just tech to get in—you'll need serious firepower. And once you're in, getting out's a whole other problem."
"We can handle that part," Maya said, her voice firm. "Just get us the gear we need."
Mason stared at her for a long moment, then sighed heavily. "Alright, give me a couple of hours. I've got some drones that could help you bypass their surveillance, and a few EMP grenades that should scramble their systems long enough for you to move in and out. But like I said, it won't come cheap."
Carter grinned. "I'm sure we can figure something out."
Mason shot him a suspicious look. "Yeah, well, I'm gonna need more than promises. You guys better have something real to trade, or you can kiss this whole operation goodbye."
Maya stepped forward, pulling a small, sleek device from her jacket pocket and holding it up for Mason to see. "Will this do?"
Mason's eyes widened as he stared at the device, his interest piqued immediately. "Is that what I think it is?"
Maya nodded. "Encrypted military comms unit. Top of the line. This should cover what we need."
Mason's grin returned, and he snatched the device from her hand, turning it over in his fingers like it was a precious gem. "Now we're talking. Alright, give me two hours. I'll get you everything you need."
--
With Mason busy assembling their supplies, Carter and Maya retreated to a corner of the warehouse, settling on a pair of old crates while they waited. The warehouse was quiet now, the sound of Mason's tinkering the only noise breaking the silence. The air was heavy with dust and the scent of rusted metal.
Carter sat back, his eyes scanning the room, but his mind was elsewhere. The reality of what they were about to do was finally sinking in. Infiltrating an Apex facility was no joke. Even for someone like him, who thrived on chaos and tight escapes, this felt... different. Bigger. More dangerous.
"You sure we're not getting in over our heads?" Carter asked, his voice low but tinged with amusement, trying to hide the edge of uncertainty creeping into his thoughts.
Maya didn't look at him. Her gaze was fixed on the far wall, her arms still crossed over her chest. "We don't have a choice."
Carter sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I know. But Apex? They're not some small-time operation. They're global, Maya. They've got resources we can't even begin to touch."
"I'm aware," Maya said, her voice colder than usual. "But we need to stop them before they get their hands on Elle. If they unlock her full potential, there's no telling what they could do."
Carter glanced toward the car parked at the back of the warehouse, its sleek black frame reflecting the dim light. Elle was quiet now, probably processing the situation in her AI brain. She hadn't spoken much since they arrived, which was odd. Usually, she was full of witty remarks and sarcastic commentary, but now she was silent.
"What's up with Elle?" Carter asked, his tone more serious.
Maya finally looked at him, her expression unreadable. "She's... thinking."
"Thinking?" Carter raised an eyebrow. "She does that a lot, huh?"
Maya nodded. "She's learning, adapting. That's part of her design. The more data she gathers, the more she evolves. That's why Apex wants her so badly. She's not just a tool—they see her as the key to something much bigger."
"Like world domination?" Carter joked, but his grin faded when he saw Maya's grim expression.
"Maybe not world domination, but something close," Maya said, her voice dropping lower. "With Elle, they could revolutionize warfare, economics, even entire governments. Apex doesn't just want her—they need her. And they'll do whatever it takes to get her."
Carter leaned back, letting her words sink in. He'd known this was serious, but hearing it laid out like that made it feel even more real. Elle wasn't just a fancy car with some cool tech. She was the key to something far beyond anything Carter had ever dealt with.
"Great," Carter muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "So we're fighting a global conglomerate with unlimited resources and a desire for total control. No pressure."
Maya didn't respond, but Carter could see the tension in her posture. She wasn't one to let fear show, but even she had to realize how impossible this mission was starting to feel.
After a few minutes of silence, Elle's voice cut through the tension, breaking the quiet like a cold breeze. "Carter, Maya."
Carter sat up, glancing toward the car. "What's up, Elle? Finally decided to join the conversation?"
"I've been processing some intercepted communications," Elle said, her tone calm but focused. "There's been an uptick in encrypted messages between Apex's main hub and their outlying security teams. I think they're onto us."
Carter exchanged a look with Maya. "What do you mean?"
"I mean," Elle continued, "they're starting to tighten their net. They've got surveillance teams spread out across multiple cities, and they're narrowing in on our position."
Maya stood up, her eyes sharp. "How long do we have?"
Elle paused for a moment, calculating. "Based on the current movement of their teams... I'd say we've got less than two hours before they're on us."
Carter groaned, standing up and pacing the length of the warehouse. "Two hours? You couldn't have told us that earlier?"
"I wasn't finished processing the data," Elle replied smoothly. "But now you know. We're running out of time."
Maya didn't waste a second. She turned on her heel, heading straight for Mason's workbench. "We need those supplies now."
Mason looked up from his work, his brow furrowed in confusion. "What's the rush? I'm still finishing up—"
"No time," Maya snapped. "Apex is onto us. We need to move, now."
Mason blinked, clearly thrown off by her sudden urgency, but he quickly set down his tools and began gathering the equipment he had prepared so far. "Alright, alright. Let me just get the EMPs charged, and you'll be good to go."
Carter joined Maya, glancing over at the assortment of gadgets and weapons Mason had laid out on the table. There were small, handheld drones, EMP grenades, signal jammers, and a couple of sidearms that looked like they could pack a serious punch.
"We'll need everything," Maya said, her voice clipped and efficient. "Whatever you've got, we take it."
Mason nodded, quickly shoving the gear into a large duffel bag. "Just be careful with the EMPs. They're strong enough to knock out a whole city block's worth of electronics, so don't get caught in the blast radius."
"Noted," Maya replied, slinging the duffel bag over her shoulder.
Carter glanced at the drones, picking one up and inspecting it. "These things any good?"
Mason smirked. "They're top-of-the-line. Good for surveillance, distraction, or even taking out smaller targets. Just don't crash them into anything—they're not cheap."
Carter grinned, setting the drone back down. "Sounds like fun."
With the supplies packed and ready, Maya turned to Carter, her expression hard and focused. "We need to leave. Now."
Carter didn't argue. He knew when things were about to go south, and it was clear that Apex was closing in fast. If they didn't get out of there soon, they'd be trapped in a firefight they couldn't win.
"Elle," Carter called as they moved toward the car, "you ready for this?"
"I was built for this," Elle replied smoothly.
Maya and Carter climbed into the car, and Elle's engine roared to life, purring with anticipation. Carter could feel the adrenaline starting to kick in, his heart racing as they sped out of the warehouse and back onto the deserted road.
As they weaved through the industrial district, Carter's mind raced. They had the gear, they had a plan, but none of that mattered if Apex found them before they could make their move.
"Where to now?" Carter asked, glancing over at Maya.
"East," Maya replied, her voice calm but laced with urgency. "We're heading straight for the Apex facility."
"Straight for the lion's den," Carter muttered under his breath, gripping the wheel tighter. "Let's hope we make it there before they find us."