Inside the Biotechnica Conference Hall
The dimly lit conference room inside Biotechnica's corporate tower was filled with the stench of expensive cigars and anxiety.
At the head of the table, sitting in a plush leather chair, was Anthony Carter—CEO of Biotechnica's Night City division.
His fat fingers gripped a half-smoked cigar, his sharp cybernetic eyes scanning the room.
A massive projector screen displayed security footage—a still frame of a building entrance engulfed in raging black flames.
The Tiger Claws' HQ.
Anthony leaned forward, exhaling a thick cloud of smoke.
"It's been days since this Black Flame incident. Do we have any answers?"
Silence.
The kind that made executives shift uncomfortably in their seats.
---
A Tense Silence
A bead of sweat dripped down the forehead of an executive sitting near the front.
No one dared to speak.
Then—
BANG!
Anthony slammed his fist on the table.
"Fools! Days have passed, and you're telling me we still don't know anything?!"
His voice echoed through the chamber.
"Are you all being paid to sit around and do NOTHING?"
---
A Nervous Explanation
A trembling assistant stepped forward, adjusting his AR glasses as he stammered:
"C-CEO Carter, please… don't be too angry."
Anthony's eyes narrowed.
The assistant gulped.
"This Black Flame incident has drawn massive attention—not just from us, but from Militech, Arasaka, Kang Tao, and even corpos outside Night City."
"The NCPD's internal reports confirm that no megacorporation claims responsibility for this… which means this isn't a known piece of tech."
He adjusted his collar.
"As of now, none of the corporations have made significant progress in their investigations."
The board members nodded in agreement, some looking relieved.
If even Militech and Arasaka were struggling to crack this mystery, Biotechnica couldn't be expected to pull answers from thin air.
Anthony studied the room, his anger fading—slightly.
He grunted, taking a deep drag from his cigar.
"Hmph. Fine. If no one else has results, I suppose I can tolerate your incompetence… for now."
---
A Bigger Priority – The Nano-Mutant Serum
He tapped the table's interface, switching the holographic display.
A new set of schematics appeared—classified research documents marked "Nano-Level Mutant Serum Project: Phase III."
Anthony's gaze sharpened.
"Listen up. I don't care how much chaos this Black Flame is causing. Under no circumstances will it delay our nano-serum trials."
The scientists in white lab coats nodded immediately.
"Understood, sir."
Anthony smirked.
Biotechnica's real business wasn't pharmaceuticals or food engineering.
It was cutting-edge biological augmentation—advancements that made cyberware look primitive.
If the nano-serum worked, they wouldn't need chromed-out mercenaries.
They'd have an army of genetically enhanced soldiers.
Anthony leaned back, pleased.
But his mood darkened again as he swiped the display.
A new document opened.
The internal security breach.
His expression soured.
---
Biotechnica's Leaked Secrets
Anthony's tone dropped into a dangerous growl.
"What about the stolen Securecine model painkiller? Have we found the bastard responsible?"
The room tensed.
The Director of Network Security wiped his forehead, his hands shaking as he tapped the conference table's holo-display.
The projector screen shifted again.
A still image appeared.
A woman in a dark tactical suit, her cyberdeck glowing faintly.
Anthony's eyes locked onto the face.
"Who the hell is this?"
The network director swallowed hard.
"Sir… this is the hacker who breached our HQ that night."
The image zoomed in.
The woman's red-tinted visor reflected the neon glow of Night City.
Anthony's fingers dug into the armrest of his chair.
"Name?"
The network director hesitated, then muttered:
"Sasha."
The room fell silent again.
Anthony's expression turned murderous.
"Find her. Now."
---
Maine's Team Exposed
Deep inside a makeshift safehouse, Sasha worked her cyberdeck with precise efficiency.
Lines of code scrolled across her optics as she combed through stolen Biotechnica files.
Maine leaned against the wall, arms crossed.
"How much longer, Sasha?"
She didn't look up.
"I'm almost done scrubbing our traces… but something's off."
Lucy, standing nearby, furrowed her brow.
"Off how?"
Sasha paused.
Her hands hovered over the interface.
Then—
A flashing red alert.
Lucy's eyes widened.
"Sasha… what the hell is that?"
Sasha exhaled sharply.
"Shit. We're burned."
Maine pushed off the wall, his cybernetic arms whirring.
"Define 'burned.'"
Sasha's fingers flew across the keyboard.
"Biotechnica found me. They've probably already sent a kill team."
Lucy grabbed her pistol.
"We need to move."
---
Biotechnica's Response Team Deploys
At that moment, a black AV soared over Night City, cutting through the neon skyline.
Inside, a strike team of Biotechnica operatives prepped their high-grade cyberware and smart rifles.
Their comm links buzzed.
"Target located. Secure Sasha at all costs. Kill the rest if necessary."
The team leader nodded.
"Understood. Moving in."
---
Back at the Safehouse
David stormed into the room, gripping a combat shotgun.
His expression was calm—but his eyes burned.
"Sasha, how long do we have?"
Sasha checked the system.
"Five minutes. Maybe less."
David's grip tightened.
He turned to Maine.
"We hold the line. Get ready."
Maine grinned, flexing his chrome arms.
"Oh, you know I am."
Lucy loaded a fresh mag into her pistol.
"Let's see if Biotechnica can handle real edgerunners."
The room filled with the sound of weapons being cocked.
Then—
A loud explosion outside.
The strike team had arrived.
David exhaled.
"Here we go."
---
TO BE CONTINUED…
---
What's Next?
Can David's crew survive Biotechnica's ambush?
What deadly secrets is Biotechnica hiding?
Is there another player pulling the strings?
Find out in the next chapter!
___________________________________
Get membership in patreon to read more chapters
Extra chapters available in patreon
patreon.com/Dragonscribe31