Chapter 2: The Stolen Core and the Million-Kilometer Trap (Part 3 of 4)
"Nothing in the cabin, Director Vance! The vehicle is completely clear!" the lead tactical guard shouted, his voice echoing out from the hollow, torn-apart rear of the delivery van. Plastic dashboard panels and shards of old seat foam lay scattered across the oil-stained concrete of Bay 4 like the remnants of a violent storm.
Marcus’s eyes widened, a momentary flash of genuine, unscripted confusion fracturing his furious corporate facade. He turned his head sharply toward Jerry, his jaw tightening as his eyebrows twitched in a silent, frantic demand for an explanation. Jerry, too, seemed to visibly drain of color beneath his thick layer of grease and sweat. The original plan had clearly been to plant the hexagonal ti
