Page 12

Clover

The alarm blared through the diplomatic headquarters, its shrill cry piercing the tense silence that had fallen over us moments before. My heart raced as I exchanged a quick glance with Goernx, his cybernetic eye whirring as it processed the situation.

"We need to move," I said, already heading for the door. "The security center. Now."

Goernx fell into step beside me, his longer strides easily matching my hurried pace. As we rushed through the corridors, the sound of panicked voices and running feet filled the air. The emergency lighting cast an eerie red glow over everything, transforming the familiar halls into something alien and threatening.

"What do you think triggered the alarm?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady despite the fear clawing at my throat.

Goernx's expression remained impassive, but I caught a flicker of concern in his human eye. "Given recent events, I'd say we're dealing with more than a simple malfunction. My sensors are picking up unusual electromagnetic activity in the lower levels."

I nodded, my mind racing through possibilities. The saboteur we'd been chasing for weeks? Or something worse? The memory of Geneva flashed unbidden through my mind, and I pushed it away with a shudder. Not now. I couldn't afford to be distracted by old ghosts.

We reached the security center, the reinforced doors sliding open with a hiss as we approached. Inside, chaos reigned. Security personnel rushed back and forth between blinking consoles, their voices a cacophony of technical jargon and barely contained panic.

Chief Security Officer Vex looked up as we entered, her cybernetic implants glowing faintly in the dim light. "Delegate Belk, Delegate Goernx," she acknowledged with a curt nod. "We've got a situation."

"What kind of situation?" I asked, moving to stand beside her at the main console.

Vex's fingers flew over the holographic interface, bringing up a schematic of the building. "We've detected an unauthorized access to our primary power core. Someone's trying to overload it."

My blood ran cold. "If they succeed..."

"The entire diplomatic quarter goes up in flames," Goernx finished, his voice grim.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to think clearly. "Do we have eyes on the intruder?"

Vex shook her head, frustration clear in her voice. "Negative. They've managed to loop our security feeds. We're flying blind down there."

I shared a look with Goernx, seeing my determination reflected in his mismatched eyes. "Then we go in ourselves," I said, already reaching for the weapons locker.

Vex's eyebrows shot up. "With all due respect, Delegate Belk, this is a job for trained security personnel."

A surge of irritation at her words rose in me. How many times had they underestimated me, dismissed me as just another pretty face playing at diplomacy? "With all due respect, Chief Vex," I replied, my voice sharp, "I've handled worse. And we don't have time to argue."

To my surprise, Goernx stepped forward, his imposing frame seeming to fill the room. "I concur with Delegate Belk. My cybernetic enhancements make me uniquely suited for this mission. And Clover..." He paused, his gaze meeting mine. "Clover has skills that might surprise you."

A warmth bloomed in my chest at his words, pushing back against the icy fear that had taken root. I gave him a small nod of thanks before turning back to Vex. "We're going. Give us comms and a direct link to the security feed once you get it back online."

Vex hesitated for a moment longer before relenting with a sigh. "Fine. But be careful down there. We can't afford to lose either of you."

As we geared up, Goernx moved with practiced efficiency, his cybernetic components seamlessly integrated with his organic form. It was beautiful, in a way that I'd never quite allowed myself to appreciate before.

"Ready?" he asked, handing me a sleek pulse pistol.

I nodded, checking the weapon's charge. "Let's go catch ourselves a saboteur."

We made our way down to the lower levels, the emergency lighting growing dimmer with each floor as we descended. The air grew thick, the distant hum of machinery growing louder as we approached the power core.

"My sensors are picking up a single life sign just ahead," Goernx whispered, his cybernetic eye glowing faintly in the gloom. "Human, I think. But there's something off about the readings."

I tightened my grip on the pulse pistol, every nerve in my body singing with tension. "Off how?"

Before Goernx could answer, a figure darted out from behind a bank of generators, moving with inhuman speed. I spied wild eyes and half-fused cybernetic implants before the attacker was on us.

I rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a vicious swipe from a blade-like appendage. Goernx moved with lightning reflexes, his cybernetic arm shooting out to deflect a second blow.

"Stop!" I shouted, bringing my weapon to bear. "We don't want to hurt you!"