Episode 15

As soon as I got in the car with Jade, Maya was already set on being the driver, even if it meant running over everyone. Literally.

"Marcus, get out of here," she said, nudging his shoulder as she entered through the side door and began to squeeze between the seats. I, sitting in the backseat next to her, tried to move away, but the space was limited.

"Maya, are you for real?" I asked, laughing a little as she tried to balance herself.

"Chill up, Violet, the usual is that I always drive!" Maya replied, bumping into me as she scrambled forward. Marcus, already at the wheel, sighed and raised his hands in surrender."Phoenix said you couldn't drive this time," he reminded her, but he already knew it wouldn't do much good. Maya settled into the driver's seat, practically pushing Marcus aside.

"Phoenix can bite his own tail," Maya said, as she adjusted the mirror. "I'm the best driver in this group, everyone knows that. Now get out of my way, Marcus." Marcus gave me an exasperated look, and I just shrugged.

"It'll be fun," I joked, trying to lighten the mood, although inside I was a little nervous."Fun for you, since you won't be the first one on impact," he grumbled, but ended up getting into the passenger seat, resigned.

It was at that moment that Tom appeared outside, looking at the scene with an expression of pure disgust.

"No way," he exclaimed, seeing Maya in the driver's seat.

"Relax, Tom! I'm in control here," Maya replied, hitting the steering wheel with a mischievous smile.

Tom sighed, knowing that arguing with her would be useless. "I should lock this car... but I'm a reasonable person," he said, taking a box out of his pocket and passing a communicator to each of us. "Here. We'll need this to stay in touch. And, Maya, for the love of everything, drive properly."

She winked at him, her communicator already in her ear. "Sure, boss. I'll do my best!"

I put the communicator in my ear as well, watching the team dynamics with a smile. It was clear that, even with all the tension, they managed to maintain their humor. It gave me a strange sense of comfort, despite the imminent danger.

"Are you ready for this?" I asked, turning to Maya as she adjusted the steering wheel.She looked at me with a wide smile. "I was born ready, Violet."

Tom let out a long sigh before finally getting into the car, taking the last available seat. He still eyed Maya suspiciously in the driver's seat, but he seemed to have accepted that there wasn't much he could do at this point. "If we die, I'll haunt you, Maya," he murmured as he settled in.

"Nothing to worry about, Tom. I'm amazing. You're not going to turn into a ghost today. The mortality rate with me in a car is only for people outside it," Maya replied with a mischievous smile, starting the car with a loud roar of the engine. "Everyone ready? Let's go!"

Marcus, now in the passenger seat, crossed his arms and looked out the window, clearly resigned. "You know Phoenix will be pissed, right?" he said, without even looking at Maya."Oh, he'll get over it," she replied, shrugging. "And Phoenix can bite his own tail if he doesn't like it."

I held on to the seatbelt as the car started to move. It wasn't my first time in a tense situation, but the mix of excitement and anxiety always left a strange feeling in my stomach. "Just... try not to run over anyone else on the way, okay?" I joked, glancing at Maya.

She winked at me, laughing. "Trust me, Violet. I'll take you there like a queen."

The car began to pick up speed as we drove away from the base, the artificial lights of the city beginning to glow on the horizon. Tom, still wary, put his communicator to his ear and glanced quickly at everyone.

"Everyone with your communicator, right? We'll need to be in sync when things get complicated."

I adjusted mine and nodded in agreement. "There. I just hope we don't have to use them in an emergency."

"If Maya keeps driving like this, we might need them sooner than you think," Tom muttered, making Marcus laugh."Oh, you guys are overreacting," Maya said, accelerating a little more. The car sped through the streets of Nova Nexus, with Maya at the wheel, clearly more excited than the rest of us. She drove as if she were in a street race, cutting tight curves and accelerating on the straights with exaggerated enthusiasm.

Marcus, in the front seat, seemed to be praying for it to be over soon, holding on tightly to the dashboard. "Relax, guys!" Maya exclaimed with a mischievous smile, quickly glancing in the rearview mirror. "I'm a natural racer!"

I was in the backseat, between Tom and Jade. The scenery around us sped by, lights and shadows blurring together. With every turn Maya made, my body was thrown from side to side, and I was beginning to wonder if it had been such a good idea to let her drive.Jade seemed to be trying to maintain her composure, but her fingers were visibly tightening on her seatbelt.

Suddenly, a figure appeared right in the middle of the crosswalk—a little old lady with a shopping bag, walking slowly, oblivious to our approach.

"MAYA!" Tom yelled, his voice echoing through the cabin. Maya looked forward at the last second and yelled too.

"OH, SHIT!" She jerked the steering wheel to the right, the car swerving sharply. The tires screeched on the asphalt, and I could smell the burning rubber. The car stopped inches from the old lady, who slowly turned to look at us, looking confused, while holding her shopping bag as if nothing had happened. In the car, the silence was absolute.

No one moved. Marcus was paralyzed, still holding the dashboard tightly. Jade stared with wide eyes, clearly in shock. Tom, in turn, was in disbelief, his expression a mix of anger and surprise.Maya, still with her hands on the steering wheel, stared ahead with wide eyes. 

"I... almost ran over an old lady?" Her voice came out low and incredulous.

Jade, who until then had been quiet, burst into nervous laughter. "Yes, you almost killed an old lady! And us too!" She said, her voice oscillating between panic and humor.

Tom, shaking his head, sighed deeply. "Maya... no way in hell are you driving again."

Maya turned to him, still in disbelief. "But I... I'm a good driver! It was just an accident! The old lady appeared out of nowhere!"

"Old ladies don't appear out of nowhere, Maya," Marcus said, still tense. "They walk slowly... very slowly."

I finally found my voice. "Maybe… slowing down a little would be a good idea, Maya. Like… a lot."

Maya leaned forward on the steering wheel and muttered under her breath, "Damn old lady."The car slowed as we approached Biotech. The tension in the air was palpable, especially after the near-tragedy with the old lady, but now the adrenaline was starting to give way to renewed focus.

The surrounding streets were mostly deserted, save for a few automated patrol vehicles moving silently around corners. Neon lights flickered on the surrounding buildings, casting long, distorted shadows on the worn concrete streets. The Biotech building stood out as a massive, imposing structure, clad in black metal panels and mirrored glass

.

It was one of the most modern buildings in Nova Nexus, surrounded by other smaller buildings that supported its operations. The windows reflected the city lights, but unlike other corporations, Biotech maintained a cold and distant appearance, without many signs or indications of its purpose. There was a sense of secrecy in the air, as if the building was hiding something deep within.

I got out of the car with the others, and the cold night wind hit my face, a breath of reality after the chaos inside the vehicle. The sound of the car's engine was replaced by the soft hum of the city's machines, but silence prevailed.

Jade got out first, craning her neck as she eyed the building suspiciously. Tom soon followed, and Marcus, who had given the wheel to Maya, was already on the ground, still shaking his head in disbelief at our "pilot."

"Well, we're here," Marcus muttered, looking up, his face illuminated by the artificial glow of the security spotlights scattered around the entrance. "Still alive, at least."

The building's surroundings seemed subtly hostile. There weren't many people around, and the constant stream of security drones flying overhead gave the impression that everything was being monitored. The main gate, made of reinforced steel, was guarded by cameras and invisible security barriers, ready to detect any threat.

Maya was the last to leave, still wearing a serious expression after the previous events. "Okay, no one was run over, so I think we're good to go."

"For now," Tom replied dryly, as he checked the communicator attached to his ear.The sidewalk around the building was spotless, almost artificial, without a single piece of trash or sign of civilized life. 

The streetlights were a blueish-white, casting an eerie glow on the streets, and small security vehicles drove slowly by, their lights blinking silently. Around Biotech, other smaller corporations kept their buildings closed, dark windows hiding their nighttime activities.

"Biotech looks more like a giant coffin than a place to work," I commented, unable to shake the feeling of oppression the building gave off.

Jade glanced at me quickly, nodding in agreement. "You're not wrong. This place has never given me good vibes."

We approached the secondary entrance, which would be the infiltration point for our operation. In the distance, the neighboring buildings seemed to shrink in comparison to the grandeur of Biotech, as if even the other corporations were afraid to get too close.We were in one of the safest and most guarded areas of the city, but the irony is that security, in this case, meant Biotech's total control over who came and went. Any suspicious movement would be quickly detected.

"Remember," Tom said, breaking the silence. "This is not going to be a joke. We go in, get what we need, and get out as quickly as possible. No distractions." He looked directly at Maya, who smiled without showing her teeth.

Maya straightened up, still not losing her humor. "Relax, I only joke around when I'm driving.""Okay, guys, let's go!" Marcus said, picking up the backpack that was on the floor and opening the trunk.

We each began to grab our weapons, carefully placing them in special pouches. Jade, with her usual agility, organized the knives and equipment with impressive dexterity. "Remember, the quieter we are, the better. We don't want to draw attention."

Tom and I grabbed our pistols and slung them into our backpacks, the familiar weight giving us a little more confidence.

"Hello, my old friend," I murmured, looking up at the imposing structure of Biotech.