Up, and Away

CIX had just connected his interface to Vega’s, establishing a seamless link for real-time communication. The shared AIBI network synchronized their vision and data streams, allowing them to coordinate as if they were one. The hum of Vega’s neural interface buzzed softly in her ear as she sprinted toward the sounds of battle, her plasma weapon gripped tightly in her hand. Gunfire ricocheted through the facility, punctuated by screams and the sizzle of plasma scorching metal.

Her ocular implants lit up, pinging clusters of hostile heat signatures converging on the interrogation wing. They’re coming for him.

In the room, CIX stood like a statue beside the suspect, whose grin widened despite the tense atmosphere.

“Looks like your friends finally showed up,” CIX remarked dryly, his hand hovering near his sidearm.

The suspect raised an eyebrow. “More like associates. Don’t worry, they are not violent.”

CIX didn’t respond, and his focus shifted to the door. His enhanced hearing picked up faint footsteps, moving fast. Too fast. A second later, the room’s control panel sparked and fizzled. Locks disabled.

“Stay put,” CIX growled at the suspect, who chuckled in response. “As if I’m going anywhere.”

A moment later, the door burst open, smoke grenades rolling in. CIX lunged backward, snapping his filter mask as the first plasma bolt sizzled past his ear. He saw shadowy figures rushing in through the smoke, moving with coordinated precision. One fired at his cover, while another moved toward the suspect. CIX ducked low, drew his plasma pistol, and fired. The shot hit the advancing attacker square in the chest, sending them sprawling. The Plasma weapons are designed to incapacitate, but they are extremely painful.

CIX shifted, dodging another bolt and returning fire, hitting a second intruder in the leg. The figure collapsed, writhing and dropping their weapon.

“Not violent, huh?.” CIX muttered grabbing the suspect. The suspect shrugged nonchalantly. “I didn’t say they wouldn’t try hard.”

Down the corridor, Vega moved with precision, her neural implants lighting up her HUD (Heads-Up-Display) as her AI flagged a rapidly approaching group of attackers. Her plasma weapon roared, bolts slamming into one of the enemy shields. Advanced tech, VI noted. These weren’t ordinary mercenaries.

“CIX status?” she barked, crouching behind cover as more attackers rounded the corner.

“Busy!” CIX shot back, the sound of plasma fire in the background.

Vega gritted her teeth, rising just enough to fire off a round of plasma bolts. The attackers ahead were using a mobile energy shield deflecting her plasma shots, advancing steadily while returning suppressive fire. One bolt grazed her shoulder, singing her uniform but not breaking the skin. She hissed and ducked back down.

Her HUD projected schematics of the corridor, highlighting weak points. Her HUD is part of her neural implants and ocular enhancements. It is only fitted with Grade A agents, it works as an advanced model automatically flagging threats, and unknown objects, displaying weak points and advanced heat signatures as well as offering real-time analytics.

An idea formed. “Alright, you bastards,” she muttered.

Holstering her weapon, Vega activated a pair of micro-grenades strapped to her belt. She adjusted their timers and lobbed them toward the advancing shield. The first detonated in a brilliant flash of light, overloading the attackers’ optics and forcing the shield offline. The second exploded a heartbeat later, sending two of them sprawling.

Vega sprinted forward before they could regroup, vaulting over debris and hitting them with precise shots to the chest. She cuffed them to a nearby structural support.

Back in the interrogation room, Smoke obscured the attackers as one of them managed to grab the suspect’s chair, wheeling him toward the open corridor. CIX fired at his other leg, but the other attacker grabbed the chair handles, pulling the suspect further toward the smoke-filled corridor.

“Time to go!” the suspect shouted gleefully.

CIX snarled, activating his neural overclock. The world seemed to slow as his senses sharpened. He spotted a plasma grenade on one of the fallen attackers snatched it and tossed it toward the doorway. The explosion was deafening, forcing the attackers to retreat.

CIX dragged the suspect back into the room, pinning him behind cover. “You’re not going anywhere,” he hissed.

Vega was quickly making her way back to the interrogation room when she spotted the faint flicker of heat signatures above. Her HUD blinked and VI sent a warning. Incoming.

Unbeknownst to both agents, the attackers had planned for resistance. From a maintenance shaft above the room, another team worked silently, cutting into the ceiling with a plasma torch. Sparks rained down as the unseen intruders dropped in.

“CIX, above you!” she shouted, sprinting toward the room.

CIX looked up just as the ceiling gave way, attackers descending on cables. He fired, hitting one midair, but another landed and tackled him to the ground. The suspect used the chaos to inch away toward the open door, a sly grin on his face.

“Not so fast!” Vega yelled as she burst into the room. She fired at the attackers surrounding CIX, forcing them to scatter. One managed to grab the suspect, dragging him into a hidden corridor, but Vega sprinted after them. As Vega caught up, a hidden panel slid open, revealing a sleek hover transport waiting to whisk the suspect away. VI flagged it as cloaked until moments ago.

“CIX, they’ve got a hidden evac!” Vega shouted, firing at the transport’s engine. Thinking quickly, Vega activated her hover-cable, latching onto the transport’s undercarriage just as it lifted off. CIX, now free of his attackers, sprinted into the corridor, firing at the transport, forcing it to swerve erratically.

The transport weaved through the facility, Vega clinging desperately to its side. Inside, the suspect leaned toward the pilot. “Lose her already!”

"Not today," Vega muttered, gripping her plasma weapon tightly.