Chapter 8 Under Surveillance

Jill wasted no time. As the whirring hum of the surveillance drone grew louder, he motioned to Dr. Park and Henry to follow him toward a small side exit he had spotted on the way in. "This way," he ordered in a low, urgent voice. "We need to stay out of sight.

They moved quickly but erratically, out the narrow door and down a dark alleyway behind the warehouse. Jill looked up to see the blinking red light of the drone sweeping in a wide arc, casting a faint glow on the surrounding buildings. They needed to move, and fast, or they'd be spotted.

"SEA-Z, give me trajectory for the drone and best route to avoid detection," Jill said sharply.

Calculating optimum path," SEA-Z said, "Head south down the alley. There is an entrance to a drainage tunnel about 300 meters down that will give you some cover.

"Let's go," Jill said, taking point as they ran down the alley. His mind was already racing ahead, making a mental checklist of what they needed to do next. Henry's arrival had complicated things, and though the freelancer's information on Project Helix did provide a much-needed lead, the new partnership did carry some risks with it. He would have to keep a close eye on Henry.

Already Dr. Park had to struggle to keep up, her breaths ragged from this frantic pace. "Jill," she panted, "who exactly is Nexus? What do they really want?

Jill kept his gaze forward, scanning for any sign of trouble. "They're a black-market network with deep ties to the underworld, private military companies, and some corrupt government officials," he explained. "They specialize in trafficking advanced technology and classified intelligence. But this-" He paused, glancing back at her. "This is the first time I've seen them target scientists on such a large scale.

As they approached the drainage tunnel entrance, Jill had managed to pry the metal grate open, gesturing for Dr. Park to climb inside. Henry followed, and Jill slid in last, letting the grate fall back as the drone's red beam passed over the entrance of the alley.

Inside, it was damp and mildew-scented, but wide enough to move freely inside of. The darkness closed in around them as they made their way deep into it, the sounds of the city fading to the back. Jill's pulse steadied as he finally felt they were out of immediate danger.

Alright, SEA-Z," he replied, his voice having a slight echo. "We gotta know more about Project Helix. What else we got?

"There are a couple of scientists on the original list," SEA-Z replied. "The next most prominent one is Dr. Samuel Grant. He is a high-energy experimental physicist. There has been some chatter to suggest Nexus is interested in him, too. He works out of a secure government facility not far from here."

Henry had remained silent until then, but at this, he spoke. "Grant, huh? I know that name. If Nexus is after him, they won't waste time."

Jill gave him a sidelong glance. "And you know this because.?"

Henry shrugged. "I have sources. Nexus is sloppy if you know where to look.

Jill wasn't entirely convinced but didn't push it. At this moment, they needed every advantage they could get, and if Henry had information, he'd use it. "Dr. Park," he said, now turning his attention to her, "is there anything about Grant's work that could connect to Helix?

She bit her lip, deep in thought. "If Grant's research is attached to Helix, it would be in the development of energy sources for advanced material applications. His theories create new forms of matter by manipulating the energy state. It's theoretical, but if someone found a way of weaponizing it tab

Jill's face hardened. "Then we might be looking at a potential WMD here.

As they emerged from the drainage tunnel on the other side of town, Jill took a moment to get his bearings. They were near an old industrial area that had been largely abandoned. It wasn't far from the government research facility where Dr. Grant was working.

"SEA-Z," Jill said, "access the security schematics of that building. We need a way in without alerting anyone.".

Accessing now," SEA-Z said, flashing a hologram of the facility's layout into Jill's vision. "Security is pretty tight; checkpoints all over the place, surveillance cameras, and biometric locks. But there is an older entrance for maintenance purposes on the west side; it might not be as thoroughly monitored."

Jill turned to Henry. "You said you've been tracking Nexus for a while. Think you can get us past the guards without setting off alarms?

Henry smiled wryly. "If I couldn't do that, I wouldn't be alive right now. Leave that part to me."

Dr. Park's complexion was ghostly pale, her hands slightly quivering as she stared up at the facility in front of them. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" she asked, her voice almost a whisper. "Breaking into a government building. if we get caught.

Jill laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We're not here to steal anything. We're here to save lives-and stop a threat that goes beyond anything the authorities are prepared to handle.

It weighed down upon Jill's shoulders as she prepared to make their move-the stakes were higher than they had ever been before, and the lines were continuing to blur between who was a friend and who was foe. One wrong step could mean not just failure but the loss of innocent lives.

Subconsciously, though, he knew that SEA-Z was hiding something of its own, something nobody else would ever find out. It was his edge, his advantage in a fight against an unseen enemy. Still, it was a two-edged sword-a sword which, if not handled correctly, could easily at any moment turn against him.

Let's move," Jill said, his tone steady and resolute, leading them forward toward the facility. "Time to find Dr. Grant before Nexus does.