bChapter /b303

Z (?)

Selene’s eyes narrowed as she studied me. “How do you know all this? Your fighting style is eerily simr to hers. Do you have her gic material too?‘ Her voice hardened. “Was Shadow a volunteer or was she… deceived? Or did she betray them first?

I didn’t bother arguing. “Shadow Organization has lost many operatives recently. Soon there will be another failed mission report. Including you.”

Selene stared at me, speechlessb. /b

“Master, I need to charge,” Maxi broke the tense silence.

“Charge yourself,” I snapped.

“But Master…” Maxi’s tone turned whiny, still in Ethan’s deep voice, creating an absurd contrast that might have been funny under different circumstances.

“Battery level at ny–eight point eight percent,” the robot announced, its disy panel blinking green.

Miguel nced back. “You’ve got plenty of power. What are you talking about?”

Maxi seemed reluctant to answer him. After a pause, the robot replied coldly, “Desert environments contain many unknown hazards. I must maintain absolutely sufficient power levels to protect my master.”

“Protect her?” Miguel scoffed. “What can you do besides spout facts and make conversation when she’s bored?”

“I can do many things,” Maxi replied cryptically, the lights on its control panel pulsing ominously.

Miles of golden dunes stretched endlessly around us. Miguel pulled over to refuel from one of the spare gas canisters we’d brought, cursing under his breath as hot sand slipped into his boots.

“How much farther?” heined, twisting open a bottle of water and gulping down half its contents. “Don’t bullshit us–wandering the desert on foot isn’t a joke.”

Sand stung his eyes as the wind picked up, forcing him to squint. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but sand–no variation in the monotonousndscape, just endless waves of gold beneath the merciless blue sky.

“We rarely venture this deep into the desert,” Miguel muttered, scanning the horizon nervously, “Quicksand and sandstorms are no joke. Especially in this direction–almost nobody goes this way.”

“Another day and a half,” Selene said quietly, her gaze fixed on some distant point beyond the windshield.

The structure appeared like a mirage on the horizon–a massive earth–toned fortress that blended almost seamlessly with the desert surrounding it. Its walls rose imposingly against the cloudless sky, turrets and battlements casting long shadows across the sand.

“What the hell is that?” Miguel whispered, squinting through the windshield. “Is that real or am I seeing things?b” /bHe slowed the vehicle,

8:21 Tue, Sep 30

as if afraid to approach the imposing structure.

?

‘Detecting multiple unknown signals ahead,” Maxi announced. “Confirming physical structure. Not a mirage. Heat signatures indicate human presence within the fortress.”

Miguel gripped the steering wheel tighter, his knuckles turning white. “Is this some kind of Shadow Organization secret base?”

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“It’s a fortress,” I cut him off, studying the massive structure with newfound interest. My eyes took in the scale of the castle–like building,

a cold excitement stirring within me. “A fortress this size must hold some secrets, don’t you think?”

“There’s a radar detection system surrounding the perimeter,” Selene warned, her voice tight with tension. “And infrared security mechanisms inside. You’ll never make it past the outer defenses, let alone the interior.”

I nced at her, then at the robot. “Maxi, can you jam their radar?”

“Yes, Master,” the robot responded immediately, lights flickering as it began working on the task.

I turned back to the fortress. I knew this was Selene’s n all along. Shadow Organization must have been preparing for me–the club bombing couldn’t have gone unnoticed. Even if they somehow missed that, they wouldn’t have sent someone of Selene’s caliber just to investigate a destroyed fighting venue.

Selene was the bait, and Shadow Organization knew I’d take it.