Semua Bab wounded Heart : Bab 141 - Bab 145

Rodriguez Tower stood like a monolith against the Manhattan skyline, its sleek glass exterior betraying nothing of the crisis unfolding within. As their convoy of black SUVs pulled into the underground parking structure, Alex cradled Sonia's still-unconscious form, refusing to let anyone else carry her."Her vital signs are stable," Franco reported, monitoring the portable medical equipment they'd brought from the jet. "But her neural activity is unlike anything I've ever seen.""It's as if her mind is operating on multiple planes simultaneously," Eliana added, studying the readings with professional concern overtaking maternal worry.Security Chief Thompson met them at the private elevator, his normally impassive face tight with tension. "The intruders are contained in sublevel three, sir. They've made no attempts to escape.""Because they're waiting for us," James said grimly, checking his weapon. "Or more specifically, for her."Alex's jaw clenched as he stepped into the elevator.

The war room within Rodriguez Tower pulsed with tension as holographic displays illuminated the faces of those gathered around the central table. Alex stood at the head, jacket discarded, sleeves rolled up—the image of a commander in battle. Beside him, Sonia traced invisible patterns on a neural interface tablet, her fingers moving with uncanny precision as she mapped the Ascendance Group's kill switches."Twenty-three hours until the first systems fail," she announced, voice steady despite the weight of her words. "Financial markets in Hong Kong, then a cascading effect westward."James paced behind them, phone pressed to his ear. "Government contacts are skeptical. Without concrete evidence, they won't move against facilities we've identified.""Then we provide evidence they can't ignore," Alex decided, turning to Franco. "How quickly can you compile the data from Marcel's research and what Sonia has extracted?"Franco's weathered hands flew across his keyboard. "Four hours for som