The remaining security guards, aware of the gravity of the situation, intensified their attack. One of the SUVs repositioned itself, pulling alongside the last enemy car. The rear windows rolled down again, and the automatic rifles fired in unison. The sound of bullets cut through the air, and sparks flew from the metal.
The enemy car was fired upon until its engine exploded, forcing it to stop in the middle of the road.
When the last shot was fired, the street fell into a heavy silence, broken only by the sound of the SUVs' engines and the crack of the destroyed cars.
Someone from the team got out of the car to inspect the wreckage, while the remaining security guards remained in position, alert for any suspicious movement.
Aiden got out of his Lamborghini, walking calmly through the chaotic scene. He looked at the bodies on the ground, the destroyed cars, and then at a security guard.
"So..." Aiden began, with a wry smile. "Any idea who sent these guys?"
The security guard shook his head, still trying to process the attack.
"We'll find out, boss. But one thing's for sure: this was planned."
Aiden sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"Great. Another mystery to solve."
As the convoy reorganized, Aiden was already planning his next move.
Aiden arrived at the Advanced Security building, one of Star Corp's most well-protected secret facilities. The building, discreet on the outside, was a veritable technological bunker on the inside, equipped with surveillance rooms, state-of-the-art weaponry, and soundproof interrogation rooms. He parked his Lamborghini in the basement and headed to the elevator, where they were waiting for him with serious expressions.
"The prisoners are contained. They're being monitored on level 3," the security leader informed as he adjusted his sunglasses. "Two are just low-level enforcers, but the third one seems to be the leader. He's putting up quite a fight."
Aiden gave a slight smile as he adjusted his jacket.
"Well, let's see how long he can hold out."
The elevator descended smoothly, and the tension in the air was almost palpable. When the doors opened, the hallway was lit by bright white lights, and armed guards were positioned at strategic points.
"Make sure no one enters or leaves without my permission," Aiden ordered as he walked towards the surveillance room.
Inside the room, several screens displayed different angles of the cells. On one of them, a rough-looking man with shaved hair and tattoos on his arms was handcuffed to a metal chair. He stared at the camera with a defiant smile, even though his face was marked by bruises.
"Who is he?" Aiden asked, not taking his eyes off the screen.
The security officer replied:
"Registered name: Ivan Markov, ex-military. Worked as a mercenary for a while before disappearing from the radar. We believe he is connected to an international criminal organization, possibly financed by competitors of Star Corp."
"Interesting," Aiden muttered. "Let's start with him."
The interrogation room was cold and minimalist. Ivan looked up as Aiden entered, accompanied by two security guards. He seemed to be trying to hide a twinge of surprise at recognizing Aiden.
"So, the big CEO of Star Corp decides to get his hands dirty personally, huh?" Ivan scoffed, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Aiden calmly sat in the chair across from him, crossing his legs and flashing an enigmatic smile.
"I like to figure out who my enemies are, Ivan. And honestly, you don't look very impressive."
Ian let out a dry laugh.
"Maybe I'm not, but whoever hired me... well, let's just say you won't like to know."
Aiden leaned forward slightly, his eyes shining with interest.
"Try to impress me, then. Who was it?"
Ivan remained silent for a few seconds, as if calculating his next move. But before he could answer, a security guard slammed his fist on the table, making a loud and frightening sound echo.
"Look here, Markov. We know you have nothing left to lose, but you can do this the easy way or the hard way. And believe me, the hard way won't be pleasant at all."
Aiden raised his hand, signaling for him to calm down.
"Ivan, let's be blunt. You were caught trying something you couldn't finish. Which means whoever hired you has probably already discarded you. They won't protect you. But I can."
Ivan narrowed his eyes, trying to read Aiden.
"And why the hell would you do that?"
"Because I value information more than revenge," Aiden replied, his voice soft but full of authority. "Tell me who sent you and I can make sure you and your men survive this."
Ivan hesitated. He seemed to be considering it, but before he could answer, the lights in the room flickered faintly.
A security guard tapped the communicator in his ear.
"What's going on?"
"Sir, we have a network intrusion. They're trying to access the building's data," a voice answered over the line.
Aiden frowned.
"Ivan, it looks like your friends haven't given up on you. Or maybe they're trying to make sure you don't talk."
Ivan tensed visibly, his confident smile crumbling. Aiden stood, calmly adjusting his suit.
"I'll let you think about that for a moment," he said, before leaving the room.
Aiden and the security guards quickly made their way to the control room, where technicians were working frantically to block the intrusion.
"Status, now!" Aiden demanded.
"They're trying to get into the security logs, possibly to locate the prisoners or disable the defense systems," one of the technicians explained.
"Lock everything down," Orion ordered. "And isolate the servers."
Aiden watched the screen, where lines of code were flashing rapidly.
"It seems our little operation drew more attention than we expected," he commented.
Aiden returned to the interrogation room, finding Ivan more nervous than before.
"Well, Ivan, it seems you have one more reason to talk. If you don't cooperate, your "friends" will probably try to eliminate you. But if you tell me what I want to know, I can guarantee your safety."
Ivan swallowed hard, finally realizing the gravity of the situation.
"Okay... Okay, I'll talk. But I need guarantees."
"You will... if the information is worth it," Aiden replied, with a satisfied smile.