Free Web NovelChapter 154: Chapter 154: Subterranean Networks
Ms. Gable shot Alexander one last venomous glare before turning on her high heels and storming back into the mansion, slamming the heavy wooden doors shut with a resounding thud.
The moment the estate driveway fell quiet, Marcus stepped up beside Alexander and delivered a firm, open-handed smack right against his uninjured left shoulder, a wide, amused grin breaking through the soot on his face.
"Holy shit, old friend" stated Marcus, letting out a low, impressed chuckle as he shook his head "That was entirely too close for comfort The kid actually saved your ass Let’s get the hell out of here before the lady changes her mind".
"Let’s move" stated Alexander, his face a pale, emotionless mask as he carefully managed the steady, burning ache in his right arm.
Both men walked out of the Gable property, leaving the heavily damaged Mercedes parked safely in the driveway for the night Since Marcus was limping heavily from his leg wound, Alexander took the keys to a secondary, nondescript sedan they had left stationed nearby, smoothly navigating the quiet streets as they headed away from the wealthy residential district.
"What’s the plan for the Mercedes?" asked Marcus, leaning his head back against the passenger rest "Are you just going to leave it sitting there like a crime scene?".
"I don’t know" stated Alexander, keeping his left hand firmly on the steering wheel "I suppose I’ll have to find a reliable underground workshop first thing in the morning to repair the bodywork and replace the shattered glass before Ms. Gable notices".
Marcus let out a loud, scoffing bark of laughter "Don’t be an idiot, Alex Just file a formal incident report with the organization and pay the standard cleaning fee They don’t get angry about these kinds of situational escalations as long as the primary assets are secure You know that, right?".
"I assumed that since this was a strictly private contract, they wouldn’t get involved" stated Alexander, his dark eyes fixed on the empty avenue ahead "I figured I would have to resolve the cleanup and logistics entirely on my own".
"Yeah, that’s pretty much how it works for the main operation, but they always provide secondary services like tactical vehicle repair for active members" stated Marcus, shifting his weight to ease the pressure on his bandaged thigh "They also run a highly restricted network of black-market armories Honestly, I wasn’t prepared for a full-scale ambush tonight either I only brought my standard issue piece because I thought I was just doing a basic investigation Damn it, if I had brought something with a larger caliber, I wouldn’t be bleeding out of my leg right now".
Alexander remained silent, his mind mapping out the strategic vulnerabilities of relying on a single sidearm during an active civilian escort.
"Listen, change of plans" stated Marcus, a knowing, dangerous smirk spreading across his face as he pointed out the window toward the darker, commercial sectors of the downtown core "We’re going to a specific logistics hub This place is technically way above your current clearance tier in the organization, but I have a special high-ranking operational pass that allows me to bring a single companion inside Let’s get you fixed up properly".
The nondescript sedan smoothly descended a concrete ramp into the sprawling underground parking garage of a massive, modern medical center Instead of heading toward the main public entrances or the emergency bay, Marcus pointed toward a restricted, dimly lit service corridor located in the furthest corner of the lowest basement level.
Alexander steered the car through a heavy security gate that opened automatically as they approached, eventually parking right in front of a completely unmarked, industrial steel elevator door.
Marcus let out a low, grunt of pain as he threw his door open, stepping onto the concrete floor with a heavy, pronounced limp "Follow me" stated Marcus, his voice turning entirely serious, professional, and sharp.
They walked up to the elevator, and Marcus pressed his entire palm against a hidden biometric scanner disguised as a maintenance plate The steel doors slid open instantly, revealing a stark, high-tech interior with absolutely no buttons—only a single, advanced digital terminal.
"Level Three authorization approved" stated the automated security system as Marcus passed his hand over the primary terminal at the front desk "Welcome back to the TMC Restoration Center, Operative Reaper".
The receptionist sitting behind the reinforced ballistic glass looked up, her expression completely cold, analytical, and professional as her eyes shifted toward Alexander’s blood-soaked right shoulder She immediately reached for a secondary security protocol.
Before she could speak, Marcus smoothly reached into his vest, pulled out a sleek, metallic black card with unique holographic encryption, and slid it through the heavy transaction slot.
"I am officially executing my special command option" stated Marcus, his deep voice carrying an absolute, unyielding authority "Activate a twenty-four-hour evaluation status for Alexander right now".
The receptionist took the metallic card, placing it face down onto an advanced glowing scanner built into her desk A series of rapid green lights flashed across the interface, followed by a soft, mechanical chime.
"Perfect" stated the receptionist, her fingers typing rapidly onto her console before she handed the card back to Marcus "Special command option approved You both may officially proceed to the medical bay And please, do not forget to thoroughly explain the operational rules to young Alexander TMC does not tolerate a single error down here".
"What exactly is this place, Marcus?" asked Alexander, his dark eyes calmly scanning the sterile titanium corridors and the heavily armed patrols moving with mechanical precision through the lobby.
"This is the core TMC Restoration Center" stated Marcus, his voice dropping into a low, serious rumble as he adjusted his grip on his blood-soaked thigh "It’s a top-tier medical facility where they can literally put you back together from the brink of death and leave you looking brand new Until you officially earn a Level Three clearance within the organization on your own, you must never mention a single word about this sector to anyone It is entirely private, and a single leak means an immediate execution order".
Alexander gave a sharp, understanding nod, his expression remaining perfectly stoic despite the freezing gravity of the warning.
A sleek, automated medical drone glided silently over to them, deploying two high-tech, lightweight wheelchairs from its central chassis Marcus let out a low, exhausted groan as he heavily sank into the first chair, leaning his head back with a tight sigh of relief.
"Sit down, Alex" stated Marcus, pointing a finger toward the second unit "Let the system handle the logistics".
Alexander smoothly lowered himself into the remaining chair, keeping his left hand pressed firmly against his bleeding right shoulder to stabilize the throbbing wound The moment both men were seated, the advanced sensors in the chairs synchronized with the central medical grid, and the wheels began to move forward on their own, gliding with absolute smoothness down the pristine hallway.
The automated transport system seamlessly guided them through a set of heavy pneumatic doors, eventually separating their paths as it steered each man toward a different, hyper-modern examination suite. freēwebnovel.com
"See you on the other side, old friend" stated Marcus with a faint, dangerous smirk as his chair veered to the left, disappearing behind a frosted glass partition.
Alexander’s chair smoothly rolled into a separate, brightly lit surgical consult room filled with cutting-edge scanning arrays and robotic medical arms.
