The room erupted into chaos as the lights flickered and the air conditioning units began to malfunction. Alarms blared and people ran for cover, screaming and shouting.
Master Clockmaker took advantage of the distraction to grab Sophia's arm and pull her aside.
"What just happened?" he demanded, his voice low and urgent.
Sophia's eyes sparkled with mischief as she smiled. "Just a little trick I learned from my... employer," she said, glancing around nervously before leaning in close.
"Who are you working for, really?" Master Clockmaker asked, his mind racing with possibilities.
Sophia hesitated, looking over her shoulder before answering. "I'm working for someone who wants to take down Reginald and The Syndicate," she said quietly. "Someone who's been secretly funding our little operation."
Master Clockmaker's eyes widened in surprise as he realized the implications. If Sophia was working for a rival faction, then that meant...
"But what about Dr. Maria?" Alex asked, joining them with a look of confusion.
Sophia shook her head. "Dr. Maria is... compromised," she said bluntly. "She's been playing both sides all along."
Master Clockmaker's face hardened as he felt his anger rise to the surface. He had trusted Dr. Maria, and now he realized that he had made a grave mistake.
"Who are you working for?" he demanded again, his voice cold and detached.
Sophia's eyes sparkled with amusement as she smiled once more. "Someone who wants to take down The Syndicate from within," she said cryptically. "But I'm not at liberty to disclose that information... yet."
Master Clockmaker's mind was racing with possibilities, but one thing was certain: he had been blind-sided by Sophia and Dr. Maria.
As the room began to clear out, Master Clockmaker knew that they needed to get out of there as quickly as possible. He turned to Alex.
"We need to find a safe place to regroup," he said, his eyes scanning the area for potential escape routes.
Alex nodded in agreement. "Let's go."
Sophia fell into step beside them, her eyes glinting with a mixture of amusement and concern.
"I think I can help you two out," she said quietly, as they made their way through the corridors. "I have some information that might just change everything."
Master Clockmaker raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite himself. "What kind of information?"
Sophia hesitated before answering. "Information about The Syndicate's plan to create a mind-controlling virus... and who's behind it all."
As they walked, Master Clockmaker couldn't shake the feeling that Sophia was holding back. What else didn't he know?
But one thing was certain: this situation had just gotten a whole lot more complicated.