Episode 12

After a few minutes, Jade stopped in front of a worn metal door. She turned to me, her face partially illuminated by the flickering light.

"Tom's lab is just behind this door," she said, pointing to the doorknob. "He may be a little… eccentric, but he's brilliant at what he does." I nodded, pushing aside the memory of Bryan's strange smile.

Jade turned the doorknob and pushed the door open, revealing a small space crammed with equipment, cables strewn about, and monitors flashing with complex information that I quickly identified as data readouts and advanced algorithms.

Tom was inside, completely absorbed in what he was doing, his eyes wide and fixed on the screen. He didn't even notice us enter until Jade cleared her throat, catching his attention. Tom jerked back to reality. 

"Oh, you're here," he said, adjusting his glasses as he tried to compose himself. "I'm almost done here. I just need a few more minutes." As he spoke, I took the opportunity to take a closer look at the lab.

The screens displayed graphs, codes, and a series of data that seemed to be being extracted in real time.

I noticed a few weapons scattered around the tables, all of them with unusual designs, probably prototypes. One in particular caught my eye: it looked like a rifle, but its structure was asymmetrical, with rotating cylinders emitting a soft hum. Another weapon looked more like a spear, but instead of a blade, it had a metal tip that pulsed with a blue energy.

But what impressed me most was the golden armor in the corner of the room. Even unfinished, it exuded power and cutting-edge technology. The design was intricate, with precisely sculpted details, and the open compartments showed exposed circuitry, indicating that some parts were still missing. It looked like something straight out of a futuristic battlefield, like a key piece of war.

I approached a workbench full of curious devices. Several glowing orbs were arranged, each emitting a soft glow. Curiosity got the better of me, and before I could think twice, I reached for one of the spheres. It was a sophisticated piece of equipment, with internal filaments that pulsed slightly.

"Don't touch anything!" Tom exclaimed, almost instinctively. But it was too late. My hand brushed against the sphere, which rolled off the tray. It fell to the floor, shattering and releasing a series of lightning bolts and sparks that shot across the lab.

I reacted instinctively, trying to calculate the path of the sparks as they raced across the bench, knocking over some more of Tom's equipment. A small metal box fell and began to emit a high-pitched sound, clearly a warning signal.

"Fuck!" Tom shouted, rushing to contain the chaos. He quickly grabbed the box and threw it into a compartment that closed tightly, muffling the sound.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to…" I started to say, but Tom was already busy turning off the screens that were flickering wildly due to the short circuit caused by the lightning.

"I told you not to touch anything!" Tom repeated, his tone more of frustration than anger. He sighed, exasperated. "These spheres are extremely unstable. Please, just… stay away from my stuff, okay?"

I felt a wave of guilt mixed with fascination at what I had witnessed. The technology there was impressive, even for someone who knew the subject well. It was clear that Tom worked on a level of complexity that few could comprehend.

Jade, sensing the tension in the air, decided to intervene with humor. "Well," she said, in a light tone, "I guess Violet just found the self-destruct button in Tom's lab. Who would have thought we would have to worry about her blowing everything up before the mission?"

Tom groaned as he still tried to stabilize the systems. "Very funny, Jade. Next time I'll put a big red 'Do Not Touch' tag on it, just to make sure."

Jade laughed and gave me an amused look. "Don't worry, Violet, we've all caused a disaster here at least once. It's practically a tradition." I felt a little more relaxed after that.

When Tom finally managed to turn off the last of the flashing screens and turned to us, he glanced quickly at the workbench I had been standing on.

"These spheres... are energy storage units, right?" I asked, trying to redeem myself and show that I actually understood what I was talking about.

"Judging by the brightness and intensity of the filaments, I'm guessing you're using a combination of nanocells and some form of magnetic field generator to stabilize the energy. This would allow them to store an insane amount of energy in a small space." Tom, who had initially looked frustrated, was now visibly surprised.

He blinked, processing what I had said, before taking a step forward, interested. "Do you know anything about nanocells?" he asked, his voice thick with curiosity.

"A little," I replied, more confident now. "I've worked on a few smaller projects involving nanocells in Biotech, but nothing as advanced as what you're doing here. The idea of ​​using a magnetic field generator is brilliant, avoiding energy dissipation while maximizing storage capacity."

Tom crossed his arms, visibly impressed.

"It's an experimental design. Stability is still an issue, as you may have seen…" He gestured to the scattered debris. "But the theory is promising. I'm trying to find the perfect balance between capacity and control. It's tricky, because the magnetic field needs to be extremely precise."

I thought for a moment, assessing the situation. "Have you considered using a dynamic self-tuning system for the magnetic field?" I asked, thinking aloud. "If you attached energy flow sensors to the system, you could adjust the field in real time, based on power fluctuations. This would help prevent overloads and could increase stability."

Tom's eyes widened, clearly impressed. "That… makes a lot of sense," he admitted, his tone filled with admiration. "I'd never considered using a self-tuning system for something so small, but it could work. The thing is… I'd have to recalibrate the entire system, and that would take time."

"Maybe, but it would be a more stable solution in the long run," I argued. "Besides, you could integrate it into the interface of the suit you're building." I glanced at the golden armor in the corner of the lab. "Imagine having a suit of armor with a completely self-sustaining energy management system. The soldier could have access to unlimited energy in the field, without worrying about overload."

Tom looked at the suit and then back at me, clearly considering the idea. "This… could revolutionize what we're doing here," he said, more to himself than to us. "The idea of ​​integrating a dynamic self-adjustment system… is ambitious, but feasible."

"Of course, you'd have to do a lot of testing and tweaking," I added. "But in the end, you'd have a system that's not only stable, but can adapt to changing battle conditions in real time."

Tom nodded, excitement growing in his eyes. "I think you've just given me the next big challenge. And if it works, it could be exactly what we need to finalize the armor design."

"What kind of energy are you storing in those spheres?" I asked, genuinely curious. "Because, depending on the source, the magnetic field would need to be adjusted to handle the specific fluctuations." Tom hesitated for a moment, as if debating how much to reveal.

"I'm using a form of energy derived from modified crystals," he finally said. "It's a technology we developed in-house, and it's extremely powerful, but also unstable. This is a personal project, something I'm working on with Bryan."

"So this is really cutting-edge stuff," I said, feeling a new wave of respect for Tom. "Crystal energy is something very few people can handle safely. No wonder you're having trouble with stability. But if you can stabilize this, it could be revolutionary."

Tom nodded, a determined gleam in his eyes. "Exactly. That's why we're dedicating so much time and resources to this. Bryan believes this technology could be a game-changer, not just for us, but for everything we're trying to achieve."

"I can see why," I replied. "If you can stabilize this energy, the possibilities are almost endless. I'm impressed with what you've accomplished so far." Tom smiled, clearly appreciating the recognition.

"Well, there's still a lot of work to be done. But with some of your suggestions, I think we can get there faster. Maybe you could take a closer look at our systems later?"

"Sure," I replied, pleased to have contributed.

"I'd love to see more of what you're working on."

Jade, who had been following the conversation with a smile, couldn't help but joke. "Tom, be careful not to let Violet overshadow you with all that tech talk. It'll seem like she's here to replace you as your official technology consultant!" As Jade continued her jokes, the lab door banged open and Maya strode in.

She was wearing her metal mask and hood, her presence as striking as ever. "I overheard some nerd talk and thought I might have missed something important," Maya declared defiantly.

She pulled the metal mask down to her chin, revealing her blind eyes, which seemed to glow with their own intensity. "But it looks like they're just decorating the place."

Tom, still trying to regain control of the situation, frowned. "If you're here to make jokes, this might be the right time. Violet just turned my workbench into a battlefield." Maya chuckled, looking at the scattered pieces of equipment, completely ignoring Tom's speech.

"At least you're having fun. Try spending ten minutes with Phoenix." Maya walked into the lab with a mischievous smile and began to imitate Phoenix, using a strict and serious tone:

"You can't just ignore procedures, Maya! Every little mistake can jeopardize the entire operation, Maya. We have protocols to follow, and your attitude needs to be more professional, Maya! You can't drink a bottle of whiskey before being the getaway driver, Maya." She paused, noticing that everyone around her was silent, watching her performance with a look somewhere between amusement and curiosity.

Maya glanced at Tom's serious expression and Jade's restrained smile, before letting a playful smile escape her lips. Maya continued to imitate Phoenix, her voice full of dramatic and forced tones.

"I'm Phoenix, all proper and perfect, only I know how to do things the right way!" She shook her head and made an exaggerated expression of pretense, accompanied by a wide smile.

She gave a light laugh and looked at the others, still amused by the scene she had created. "No, it's like that, guys! It's kind of like how he says it, but with a little more… 'I'm the only one who understands the complexity of things' and something like 'it's just a simple task'!"

Her laughter gradually died down until she stopped suddenly, her smile disappearing and her gaze becoming serious.

"He's right behind me, isn't he?"