The car sped through the city streets, the headlights slicing through the darkness as Theo gripped the armrest tightly. Marcus sat in the passenger seat, his eyes fixed on the road ahead, his posture tense but focused.

“Tell me you’ve got a plan,” Theo said, breaking the silence.

“I always have a plan,” Marcus replied without looking at him.

“That’s reassuring,” Theo muttered. “Mind sharing it with the rest of the class?”

Marcus turned to him, his expression calm but firm. “The plan is simple: we get in, secure the server room, neutralize the threat, and get out. You stay behind me at all times.”

Theo scoffed. “And what if I don’t?”

“Then you’ll be their next target,” Marcus said bluntly.

Theo fell silent, his jaw tightening. The weight of the situation was pressing down on him harder than ever.

The SUV screeched to a halt in an alley a block away from Montgomery Innovations. Marcus turned to Theo, his tone serious. “You follow my lead. No improvising. Got it?”

“Got it,” Theo said reluctantly.

Marcus stepped out, scanning the area before motioning for Theo to follow. They moved quickly, sticking to the shadows as they approached the building’s back entrance.

The rear door to the building was ajar, its lock expertly picked. Marcus pulled out his gun, his movements precise as he pushed the door open with his shoulder.

The hallway beyond was dark and silent, the faint hum of fluorescent lights the only sound.

“They’ve cut the alarms,” Marcus whispered.

Theo stayed close behind, his heart pounding as Marcus led the way down the corridor. Every shadow seemed to shift, every corner a potential ambush.

As they approached the server room, Marcus held up a hand, signaling Theo to stop. He crouched low, peering around the corner before pulling back.

“Three of them,” Marcus whispered. “Armed. One near the door, two inside.”

Theo’s stomach dropped. “What now?”

Marcus glanced at him. “Stay here. I’ll take care of it.”

Before Theo could protest, Marcus was already moving, his steps silent as he approached the man guarding the door.

In a swift, calculated motion, Marcus grabbed the man from behind, covering his mouth and pulling him into a chokehold. The man struggled for a moment before going limp, and Marcus eased him to the ground.

Theo watched in stunned silence as Marcus motioned for him to follow.

The server room was a maze of blinking lights and humming machines. Two masked intruders were crouched by the main terminal, one of them typing rapidly on a laptop while the other stood guard.

Marcus didn’t hesitate. He stepped forward, his gun aimed squarely at the guard.

“Drop it,” Marcus said, his voice cold and commanding.

The guard spun around, raising his weapon, but Marcus fired first. The shot echoed through the room, and the man dropped, his gun clattering to the floor.

The second intruder scrambled to his feet, hands raised. “Wait—don’t shoot!”

Marcus advanced, his gun trained on the man’s chest. “Move away from the terminal. Slowly.”

The intruder obeyed, stepping back with his hands still raised.

Theo entered the room cautiously, his eyes darting between the fallen guard and the man Marcus had disarmed. “What the hell are they doing here?”

Marcus didn’t take his eyes off the intruder. “Only one way to find out.”

He grabbed the man by the collar, shoving him against the wall. “Who sent you?”

The intruder squirmed, his voice shaking. “I-I don’t know! We just got paid to plant the device and leave!”

“What device?” Theo asked, his voice sharp.

The intruder nodded toward the terminal. “It’s on a timer! If you don’t stop it, the servers are toast!”

Marcus released the man, knocking him unconscious with a single blow. He turned to Theo, his expression grim. “Find the device.”

Theo moved to the terminal, his hands shaking as he searched for the bomb. It didn’t take long to find it—a small black box with a blinking red light attached to the underside of the console.

“Got it,” Theo said, his voice tight. “But I have no idea how to disarm it.”

Marcus knelt beside him, examining the device. “It’s a standard charge. Two wires. Cut the wrong one, and we’re done.”

Theo stared at him. “And you know which one to cut, right?”

Marcus glanced at him, his expression unreadable. “Let’s find out.”

Theo’s eyes widened. “Let’s find out? Are you kidding me?”

Marcus pulled out a knife, his movements steady as he positioned the blade over the wires. “Red or blue, Montgomery. Pick one.”

Theo froze, his heart pounding. “Are you seriously making me choose?”

“Five seconds,” Marcus said calmly.

“Red!” Theo blurted out. “Cut the red one!”

Marcus didn’t hesitate. He sliced through the red wire, and the blinking light on the device went dark.

Theo exhaled sharply, collapsing against the console. “You really know how to keep things exciting, don’t you?”

Marcus stood, slipping the knife back into its sheath. “You did fine.”

With the threat neutralized, Marcus led Theo back through the building, their pace quick and deliberate.

“Think that’s all of them?” Theo asked, his voice still shaky.

“No,” Marcus replied. “This was just a distraction.”

Theo frowned. “A distraction from what?”

Marcus didn’t answer. Instead, he pushed open the back door and stepped into the alley, scanning the area for any sign of movement.

As they approached the SUV, Marcus’s phone buzzed. He answered it quickly, his expression darkening as he listened.

“What is it?” Theo asked as Marcus hung up.

Marcus opened the car door, motioning for Theo to get in. “We’ve got a problem. They hit your backup servers. Orion is compromised.”

Theo froze, the weight of the words hitting him like a punch to the gut. “Compromised? What do you mean compromised?”

Marcus met his gaze, his expression grim. “They’ve got the data, Montgomery. All of it.”

For the first time, Theo felt the full gravity of the situation. Orion—his life’s work—was no longer just at risk. It was in enemy hands.