Chapter 10 - Hostile Takeover
Midnight struck as Maya parked the delivery van inside a dark, hollowed-out warehouse by the docks.
Computer monitors and satellite dishes were set up across heavy wooden workbenches inside.
"We have less than two hours before Eleanor's orbital network goes fully live," Maya explained, pulling up a map.
"Once Vault 7 activates, every piece of encrypted evidence on that drive will be wiped remotely," she added.
Suddenly, the steel roll-up door of the warehouse was blown inward by a violent explosive charge.
Debris and thick grey smoke filled the air as heavy boots marched into the facility.
Masked gunmen wearing heavy body armor flooded the room with automatic weapons raised.
These were not Vance Global security officers; these were elite mercenaries from a rival international cartel.
"Where is the flash drive?" the lead mercenary barked through a voice distortion filter.
Maya drew her sidearm and fired three rapid shots, hitting the lead attacker in the chest plate.
The mercenaries returned heavy fire, chewing through the wooden workbenches and destroying the computer terminals.
Marcus grabbed a tactical rifle from a fallen officer and laid down suppressive fire.
"They didn't come to arrest us!" Marcus yelled over the deafening roar of gunfire.
"They're burning everything connected to Eleanor!" Maya shouted back, tossing Marcus a spare magazine.
The rival syndicate wanted complete control over Vault 7 for their own global operations.
Marcus realized Eleanor was losing control of the very monster she had spent decades creating.
He threw a smoke grenade into the doorway, creating a temporary wall of blinding white smog.
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"We have to move now!" Marcus yelled, grabbing Maya by the shoulder.
They scrambled through a hidden drainage pipe at the back of the warehouse just as the building detonated in flames.
