Break In

"The wind is perfect."

Keitaro's voice was calm but sharp, slicing through the silence on the rooftop. He didn't glance at Nagi as he scanned the high-security facility below through a pair of binoculars. The sprawling fortress of Greenstone Technologies gleamed under the moonlight, its floodlights casting long, sharp shadows. Armed guards patrolled the perimeter, their movements methodical, their radios crackling faintly in the still night air.

"everywhere is so silent, I'm nervous," Nagi muttered, adjusting the straps of his tactical vest for the third time. His voice wavered slightly, betraying the adrenaline that surged through him.

Keitaro lowered the binoculars and turned to face Nagi, his expression unreadable. "Focus. If you're nervous just pay more attention. Just don't let it slow you down."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it," Nagi said, rolling his eyes but offering a small grin. "You always have a way of making me feel so reassured, boss."

Before Keitaro could respond, the soft rumble of an approaching van drew their attention. A sleek black vehicle came to a quiet stop near the building's side entrance, its headlights dimmed. The driver's door swung open, and Sylvia emerged, her silhouette outlined by the faint glow of the dashboard. Her dark hair was pulled into a tight ponytail, and she carried a laptop and tablet under her arms, the tools of her trade.

"You're cutting it close," Sylvia said as she climbed up to the rooftop where the two men waited. Her tone was cool and professional, but her sharp eyes betrayed her focus. "I've tapped into their external network. Give me five minutes, and their entire system will think it's business as usual."

Keitaro gave her a small nod of approval. "Good. Nagi, you ready?"

Nagi patted the pistol at his side and gave a mock salute. "Born ready."

Sylvia smirked as she opened her laptop, the faint blue glow illuminating her face. "We'll see about that."

As Sylvia began her work, a shadow moved in the stairwell behind them. Heavy but deliberate footsteps echoed upward before Saki emerged, her towering frame unmistakable. The massive machine gun slung over his shoulder seemed almost weightless as she adjusted it with one hand. His long coat flared behind her as she stepped onto the rooftop.

"I hope you boys left something for me to do," Saki said, her voice laced with amusement.

Nagi snorted. "Oh, we were just about to let you handle the entire mission solo."

Saki grinned and flexed her fingers. "I wouldn't even break a sweat."

Keitaro glanced between them, cutting their banter short with a sharp look. "Stay focused. Saki, keep the guards occupied when we're inside. Sylvia, keep their system blind. Nagi, you're with me."

The team exchanged quick nods, slipping down into the shadows as they moved toward the facility's perimeter.

Inside the van, Sylvia worked with precision. Her fingers danced across the keyboard, strings of code flashing on her screen. One by one, the facility's cameras began blinking offline. To the guards monitoring the network, the footage looked perfectly normal—empty hallways, quiet corridors—but it was nothing more than a loop.

"You're clear," Sylvia's voice crackled through the team's earpieces. "I've neutralized the primary security feeds, but don't get cocky. There's still on-the-ground patrols and a backup system I can't override remotely."

"Understood," Keitaro said as he led the team through a gap in the perimeter fence.

The three of them moved like shadows, weaving through the facility's outer defenses with practiced ease. Keitaro kept his pistol drawn, his eyes scanning for movement. Nagi followed close behind, his lighter frame allowing him to move with cat-like grace. Saki brought up the rear, her heavy weapon resting at the ready, her presence a wall of unflinching confidence.

The first checkpoint appeared just ahead: a fortified guard post positioned outside the server room. Four armed guards leaned casually against a metal barricade, their attention divided between idle chatter and their surroundings. Saki stepped forward, her machine gun roaring to life in an instant.

The guards scattered as bullets shredded through their cover, sending sparks and debris flying. The deafening roar of the weapon echoed through the halls, and within moments, the checkpoint was clear.

"Try to leave a little for us next time," Nagi quipped, glancing at the destruction as he stepped over a fallen guard.

Saki smirked, lowering her weapon. "If you keep standing around, I might just finish the whole mission myself."

"Cut the chatter," Keitaro interjected, his tone clipped. "Sylvia, status?"

"Server room is just ahead," Sylvia replied. "But you've got company closing in fast. I'll hold them off as long as I can by scrambling their internal comms, but it won't buy you much time."

The server room door loomed before them, its thick steel surface reinforced with multiple layers of digital locks. Sylvia's voice guided them as she hacked the system remotely. Each keystroke dismantled a layer of security, the door hissing open after a tense few moments.

Inside, the room hummed with the quiet energy of rows upon rows of servers. Nagi quickly pulled a small device from his vest and attached it to one of the units.

"Data transfer initiated," Nagi said, his voice tight with focus. "This'll take a few minutes."

Outside, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed closer. Keitaro glanced at Saki. "Hold them off. We need time."

Saki grinned, stepping back into the hallway as the first wave of guards rounded the corner. Her machine gun roared to life once again, mowing down the first line of attackers. Gunfire erupted on both sides, bullets ricocheting off the walls as chaos consumed the corridor. Saki moved with precision, her strength and ferocity unmatched.

Back in the server room, Nagi watched the progress bar creep forward, his heart pounding. "Come on," he muttered under his breath, wiping sweat from his forehead.

Sylvia's voice cut through the noise. "Reinforcements inbound. You've got maybe two minutes before the real trouble arrives."

"Almost there," Nagi replied.

The device beeped.

"Got it!" Nagi said, yanking the device free. "We're good!"

Keitaro didn't waste a second. "Saki, fall back!"

Saki retreated down the hallway, hir gun blazing as she provided cover. The three of them moved swiftly, retracing their steps while Sylvia directed them toward the safest exit. Sirens began to wail in the distance as the facility erupted into chaos.

The team burst into the cool night air, sprinting toward the waiting van. Sylvia had the engine running, her fingers still tapping at her keyboard as she kept the guards' communications scrambled.

"Let's go!" Keitaro barked as they piled into the vehicle.

As the van sped away, Keitaro glanced at Nagi, who was staring out the window. His expression was unreadable, his mind clearly racing.

"You did good," Keitaro said, his tone softer than usual.

Nagi turned to meet his gaze and nodded. "Yeah, but it's not over."

Sylvia's voice broke the silence. "We've got a problem. News of the breach just hit the airwaves. The Americans are scrambling to respond, but they'll be too late to stop the fallout."

Keitaro's lips curved into a faint smirk. "Good. That's exactly what we wanted."

The van disappeared into the city's dark streets, leaving chaos and unanswered questions in its wake.