The Questioner System (Ask Me Anything)

Chapter 36: Sabotage in Motion

Lex wasted no time getting to work. Her fingers flew over the keys of her custom-built terminal, the screens around her glowing with streams of data and schematics. The air in her makeshift command center was charged with energy, the hum of old machinery filling the cavernous room.

"Verdan's system is tight," she said, her voice laced with both annoyance and admiration. "He's paranoid, I'll give him that. But even the most secure systems have weak points."

Victor leaned over her shoulder, his brow furrowed. "Can you find a way into their communication network?"

Lex nodded, not taking her eyes off the screen. "I've already found a backdoor. It's risky, though. If they catch wind of this, they'll shut us out and double their defenses."

Adam, standing a few feet away, felt a wave of unease. "System, what's the risk if we infiltrate their communications now?"

Adam relayed the information, and Lex smirked. "Smart AI you've got there. But we don't have time to second-guess. If we're going to take Verdan down, we need every advantage we can get."

The plan was simple but dangerous: Lex would hack into Verdan's communication network while the rest of the team created a diversion to keep his forces distracted. Cross suggested targeting a nearby outpost—one of the smaller facilities feeding into Zone Beta.

"They'll never expect us to hit something so insignificant," Cross said, gesturing at the map Lex had pulled up. "It's low priority for them, which makes it the perfect target for us."

Victor nodded. "We'll hit the outpost hard and fast. Marcus, you're on demolition. Adam, stay close and keep the system ready. We might need quick answers if things go south."

"What about me?" Lex asked, raising an eyebrow.

Victor gave her a pointed look. "You focus on the hack. We'll handle the mess outside."

Lex smirked. "Don't take too long. I'll need at least twenty minutes to get what we need."

The outpost was tucked away in a narrow valley, its perimeter lined with automated turrets and motion sensors. The team approached under the cover of darkness, their movements silent and precise.

"System," Adam whispered, "what's the best way to disable the turrets without raising an alarm?"

Adam pointed to a cluster of wires near the outpost's western wall. "We can take them offline from there, but we'll only have seven minutes before they come back online."

"Plenty of time," Marcus said with a grin, already moving toward the junction box.

Victor gestured for Adam to follow. "Stay close. If this goes wrong, we'll need the system to find another way in."

Marcus worked quickly, his hands deftly manipulating the wires. Sparks flew as he connected a device to the junction box, and the turrets powered down with a faint whir.

"Turrets are offline," Marcus whispered. "Let's move."

The team slipped through the perimeter and into the outpost. The facility was sparsely manned, just as Cross had predicted, but the tension was palpable. Every creak of metal and flicker of light felt like a potential threat.

"System," Adam murmured, "any hostiles nearby?"

"Control room's a no-go," Adam said. "We'll hit the storage bay instead."

Victor nodded, leading the way. The storage bay was filled with crates marked with the Nexus Initiative's logo, their contents unknown. Marcus began planting explosives while Victor and Adam kept watch.

"We've got five minutes," Victor said. "Move fast."

Meanwhile, back at the tech hub, Lex was deep in the heart of Verdan's network. Her screens displayed lines of encrypted code, which she unraveled with ease. Sweat beaded on her forehead, but her hands never faltered.

"Come on, you paranoid bastard," she muttered. "Show me what you're hiding."

Suddenly, one of the screens flashed red. A warning message appeared: INTRUSION DETECTED.

"Damn it," Lex hissed. She activated a series of countermeasures, rerouting her signal through a maze of proxies. "Victor, we've got a problem. They're onto me."

Victor's voice crackled through her comm. "How long can you hold them off?"

"Long enough," she said. "Just don't miss your cue."

Back at the outpost, the explosives were set, and the team was ready to retreat. But just as they reached the perimeter, a blaring alarm shattered the silence.

"They've found us!" Marcus shouted, raising his rifle as a squad of soldiers poured out of the barracks.

"System!" Adam yelled. "What's the best escape route?"

"This way!" Adam shouted, leading the group toward the ravine. Gunfire erupted behind them, bullets striking the ground and walls as they ran.

They reached the ravine and slid down its steep sides, using the dense vegetation as cover. The soldiers hesitated at the edge, their shouts fading as the team disappeared into the underbrush.

Victor glanced back, his face grim. "We can't keep doing this. They're tightening the noose."

Marcus grinned despite the danger. "Yeah, but we gave them something to think about."

"Lex," Victor said into his comm, "tell me you got something."

Her voice crackled through the earpiece. "I've got everything. Patrol routes, supply lines, even a few juicy tidbits about Verdan's plans. But they'll know we're coming now."

Victor's jaw tightened. "Good. Let them. We'll hit them harder next time."

Adam, catching his breath, whispered to the system. "What's next?"

Adam nodded to himself. They had made progress, but the road ahead was only getting more dangerous. The fight against Verdan was far from over and the stakes were higher than ever.