The tension in the safehouse was palpable. Ethan and Lila sat at the table, the files from Project Cerberus spread out before them. The revelation that Gray's operation was on a countdown pushed them into overdrive. Two weeks was all they had to dismantle the plan before it reached full fruition, whatever that entailed.
The system chimed softly in Ethan's mind:
[New Task: Uncover the Details of Cerberus Activation.]
Ethan rubbed his temples, the weight of the situation bearing down on him. "Gray's going all in with Cerberus. This isn't just about taking control of the city anymore—this is bigger."
Lila leaned forward, studying the maps and notes. "The files mention multiple facilities and assets tied to Cerberus. We'll need to hit them all before we can even think about stopping the activation."
Ethan nodded. "Agreed. We need to move fast and precise. No room for error."
The system chimed again:
[Subtasks Unlocked: Sabotage Cerberus-Related Facilities.]
Disrupt communications at Gray's primary command center.
Destroy the secondary drone manufacturing plant.
Retrieve Cerberus control codes from a high-level lieutenant.
The first target on their list was the communications hub—a sprawling, heavily fortified compound near the city's industrial district.
"We'll have to go in during the shift change," Ethan said, pointing to the schematics. "It's the only time the guards are slightly undermanned."
Lila strapped on her gear, her determination evident. "Slightly undermanned doesn't mean easy, you know."
Ethan smirked faintly. "Wouldn't want it to be boring."
The industrial district was a maze of warehouses and factories, their chimneys belching smoke into the night sky. Ethan and Lila parked their car a safe distance away, using the cover of shadows to approach the communications hub.
The compound was a fortress, surrounded by high walls and patrolled by armed guards. Ethan activated his system's tactical overlay, which highlighted weak points in the defenses.
"We go in through the maintenance entrance," he whispered. "From there, we split up. I'll handle the server room; you take care of the backup generators."
Lila nodded. "Let's do this."
The maintenance entrance was unguarded, just as Ethan had predicted. They slipped inside, moving silently through the dimly lit corridors.
Ethan reached the server room without incident, using his system to bypass the electronic lock. Inside, rows of blinking servers hummed softly, their hard drives spinning with data. He planted a small EMP device on the central server, setting a timer for three minutes.
As he worked, his system chimed:
[Bonus Task: Retrieve Communication Logs.]
Ethan quickly inserted a USB drive into the server, downloading the logs while the EMP timer counted down.
Meanwhile, Lila made her way to the generator room. The guards were thicker here, but she moved with precision and stealth, taking them out one by one. She planted explosives on the generators, setting the timers in sync with Ethan's EMP.
The first explosion rocked the compound just as the EMP device activated, plunging the entire facility into darkness.
Alarms blared as the guards scrambled to respond, but Ethan and Lila were already making their escape.
They regrouped near the perimeter, ducking behind a stack of crates as searchlights swept the area.
"Did you get the logs?" Lila asked, her voice barely audible over the chaos.
Ethan held up the USB drive. "Got them. Let's move."
They slipped out through the same maintenance entrance they'd used to get in, disappearing into the night before the guards could locate them.
Back at the safehouse, Ethan connected the USB drive to his laptop. The logs contained detailed records of Gray's communications, including encrypted messages about Project Cerberus.
The system chimed again:
[Task Completed: Disrupt Communications. Reward: +1 Tactical Proficiency.]
[Bonus Task Completed: Retrieve Communication Logs. Reward: Access to Gray's Encrypted Network.]
"This just gave us a direct line to Gray's operations," Ethan said, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the logs. "We'll know every move he's planning before he makes it."
Lila smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "That's one step closer to shutting him down for good."
Ethan's expression hardened. "One step closer to Cerberus. We need to hit the drone plant next."
As the night deepened, they began planning their next move, the weight of the countdown pressing on them like a storm on the horizon.