Chapter 69: Pressure Points

The war room hummed with subdued tension, the glow of the holographic display casting pale light over the faces of Ethan Carter's team. Aurora Dynamics now dominated the center of the web, a glowing nexus of patents, resources, and personnel that represented The Conductor's most dangerous project yet.

Jessica swiped her tablet, zooming in on the connections. "Aurora isn't just an R&D division," she said. "It's a fortress. They've pulled in some of the best minds in AI and quantum computing, and they've locked them behind layers of security. Every communication is encrypted with next-gen protocols. Access to their servers is limited to on-site operations in Zurich."

Sophia leaned back in her chair, her arms crossed. "So, breaking in physically isn't an option?"

"Not without starting a war," Jessica replied. "Aurora is classified as critical infrastructure by Swiss regulators. Even if we tried, it would trigger an international incident."