Tex felt great—it had to have been one of those dreamless nights. She had breakfast at a corner eatery inside of her residential complex, a spot offering a decent view of the district's skyline. The sun pierced through the city’s clouds and fumes, while AVs buzzed between skyscrapers, resembling dragonflies as they hovered motionlessly for a moment before darting to their next destination.

  Waiting for orders from headquarters, Tex took the metro to the office to stay available in case she was assigned to a mission. A hint of excitement coursed through her—after all, it was her quick thinking that had identified the perpetrator.

  When she arrived at the office, she barely managed two sips of coffee before receiving an urgent notification. Management, after consulting with the legal team and other stakeholders, decided the evidence was strong enough to pursue a legal route. They were also counting on the cooperation of the victim’s employer, hoping that once the company learned of Lopez's role, they'd assist law enforcement. To cover all bases, three observation teams were assigned to monitor the suspect. Eight-hour shifts, round-the-clock surveillance, and a strike team on standby—just in case official procedures fell through.

  Tex and Jim were assigned the first shift. She headed to the parking garage and waited by their assigned vehicle—a nondescript civilian model, the kind that blended seamlessly into city traffic. She finished her coffee just as Jim arrived, slightly out of breath.

  “Morning, Jim. Management must think I have a good influence on you—you’re stuck with me again,” Tex teased as she slid into the passenger seat.

  “Morning. Seems like it,” he replied, starting the car remotely before taking the driver’s seat. “Got everything?” he asked. Tex nodded, and he grinned. “Perfect.”

  Management had organized a videoconference and forwarded all evidence to the prosecutor’s office and Sorghum NP Holding’s board. As expected, the company pledged full cooperation. Law enforcement issued an immediate arrest warrant. While they still needed to verify everything with their specialists, the preliminary findings were sufficient. In New Polis, where the rate of temporary arrests was abysmally high, this was rather expected.

  By midmorning, it was confirmed that Lopez’s company security would detain him until the police arrived. Tex got word that everything was proceeding smoothly just as she and Jim parked near the holding’s building—a miracle considering the traffic. It looked like the matter might resolve during their shift.

  “What’s your take on this, Andrew?” Matthew asked the Director of Investments, as he shared lunch with him in a conference room. They were watching a video review of a new project.

  “It’s a promising direction,” replied Andrew, a sharply dressed man in his fifties. Their last innovation had been outpaced by competitors, but he was confident this project could put them back in the game.

  “My department will provide support. We’ll allocate some resources and capacity—it should speed things up a bit. My team estimates it could shave two, maybe three weeks off the timeline,” Lopez explained with a confident smile.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  “Excellent. I appreciate your initiative,” Andrew said, turning his attention to the door as it opened slightly. His assistant peeked in hesitantly.

  “There’s an urgent call from the board. They’ve requested a private video conference with you. I’ve set up a secure connection in your office,” she said, apologizing for the interruption.

  “Route the call to the screen here. It’s just Lopez and me,” Andrew replied curtly.

  “Unfortunately, I was given strict instructions—the connection is for you only, sir,” she responded with an apologetic tone.

  “Fine,” Andrew said reluctantly, standing and frowning. “In any case, you’ve got my approval, Lopez. Your department is officially part of this project. I’ll greenlight your access requests.”

  “Thank you, Andrew. It’s the best move for the company,” Lopez replied. They shook hands, and Andrew left the room with his assistant in tow. She seemed unusually nervous, which struck Lopez as odd—she wasn’t new here. Was her name Linda? Or Lisa? he wondered absentmindedly.

  Then he noticed a security guard at the end of the hallway. Strange. The fiftieth floor didn’t typically have guards; it housed executive offices, support staff, and a few conference rooms. Cameras were usually enough. An uneasy feeling settled in his stomach.

  What if they’re coming for me? He thought. His suspicion deepened as two more guards appeared around the corner.

  Shit, shit, shit! He panicked internally, quickly sending a distress signal with his location to a crew he’d worked with before. He had hoped wrecking Alex’s apartment would be the last favor he’d need from them, but fate had other plans.

  The company’s onto me. I need to get out of the city. I’m offering a million.

  Make it two, came the reply.

  Goddammit! He swore mentally, then typed, Deal.

  Taking a deep breath, he sat back in the chair. A minute later, three security guards entered the room.

  “We’ve been ordered to stay with you until the police arrive. Please keep your hands visible and cooperate,” said the tallest of the trio in a flat tone.

  Lopez didn’t respond, merely sat with a faint smirk as one guard stayed by the door while the others flanked the table.

  It was nearing 2 p.m. when Jim returned to the car with takeout noodles. Both he and Tex had grown hungry. As they ate, an AV landed on the holding’s rooftop. “Probably someone from the board,” Tex mused.

  Halfway through her meal, a notification alerted her to gunfire less than 300 meters away. Her system flagged it as a low-priority alert—shootouts weren’t unusual in New Polis, so unless the trajectory wasn’t in her direction, low-priority it was.

  However, this time, the location made her sigh. Setting her half-eaten meal aside, she told Jim, “There’s shooting on the roof.”

  Jim groaned, resting his forehead against the steering wheel.

  Tex reported the gunfire to her boss and asked if the police were nearby or if they needed to intervene. The terse response: The police haven’t left yet. You’re going in.

  “Sorry, Jim. We have to secure the target; the police forces are still at the station. I’ll notify them about the shots and request local units' intervention, but we’re on our own now,” she said, patting his shoulder.

  He sighed. “Alright. Let’s get this over with.”

  They exited the car, checked their weapons, and crossed the street to the lobby of Sorghum NP Holding’s tower.