The operation had begun.
The moment the target convoy entered the designated kill zone, every member of Maine’s crew became alert.
Hours of preparation had led to this single moment.
Three armored Chevrolet Emperors rolled down the neon-lit street in perfect formation.
One vehicle in front, one in the rear, and the middle vehicle carrying the target—Koch.
To most people on the street, it looked like a normal corporate convoy.
To Maine, it looked like 150,000 eurodollars.
“They’re here.” His voice echoed through the communication channel.
Instantly, the relaxed atmosphere vanished.
Rebecca sat forward excitedly.
Pilar tightened his grip on his weapon.
Falco adjusted his rearview mirror.
Sasha’s fingers hovered over her cyberdeck interface.
Everyone was ready.
Maine stared at the approaching vehicles through the windshield.
“Sasha, status?” The netrunner’s calm voice immediately answered.
“Ready and waiting.” Maine nodded.
“Stand by for my signal.” The convoy continued moving.
Closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Every second seemed to stretch endlessly.
Inside the middle vehicle, Koch sat nervously while Arasaka security personnel surrounded him.
None of them noticed the predators waiting ahead.
Maine watched the distance counter drop.
Three hundred meters.
Two hundred.
One hundred.
His cybernetic eyes narrowed.
Then— “Three.” The crew inhaled collectively.
“Two.” Weapons were raised.
“One.” The convoy entered the trap.
“DO IT!” The order exploded through the communication channel.
Immediately, Sasha moved.
Her consciousness surged into the Net.
Streams of data flooded through her cyberdeck like a digital tsunami.
Quickhacks launched.
ICE barriers shattered.
Security protocols collapsed.
Within seconds, malicious code invaded the lead Arasaka vehicle.
The driver suddenly lost control.
Screeeeeeech!
The front Chevrolet Emperor slammed on its brakes.
The vehicle nearly spun sideways across the road.
“What the hell?!” The driver smashed his fist against the controls.
Warning messages filled his vision.
Unauthorized intrusion detected.
System malfunction.
Remote interference detected.
Everything happened at once.
The convoy instantly descended into chaos.
The middle vehicle carrying Koch swerved violently to avoid collision.
The rear escort vehicle jerked sharply to the side and smashed directly into a streetlight.
Metal screamed.
Glass shattered.
The entire formation collapsed.
Inside the convoy, Arasaka agents erupted into action.
“We’re under attack!” “A netrunner!” “Vehicle systems compromised!” “Protect the target!” The squad leader immediately reacted.
“Deploy the combat drones!” The rear vehicle’s doors burst open.
Two Arasaka security robots jumped onto the street.
Heavy weapons activated.
Optical sensors glowed red.
Target acquisition completed.
The machines immediately began scanning for threats.
Unfortunately for them…
Pilar had already spotted them.
“Uh, Maine?” “What?” “They’ve got robots.” Maine grinned.
“Then I’ll hit them harder.” Without hesitation, he slammed the accelerator.
The engine roared.
His vehicle shot out from cover like a missile.
The Arasaka robots barely had time to react.
BOOM!
The speeding vehicle crashed directly into both machines.
Metal twisted.
Limbs shattered.
The two combat robots were thrown through the air like broken toys.
One smashed into a wall.
The other rolled across the asphalt in a shower of sparks.
Despite catastrophic damage, their programming continued functioning.
Weapons slowly began rising.
Targeting systems reactivated.
Then— Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
A hail of gunfire erupted.
Arasaka agents exited their vehicles and opened fire.
Bullets slammed into Maine’s windshield.
The glass immediately cracked.
“Damn it!” Maine jerked the wheel.
Rounds shredded the front of the car.
The vehicle became trapped beneath concentrated suppressive fire.
For a brief moment, the operation threatened to stall.
Then a familiar voice exploded across the channel.
“YEAH!!!” Rebecca.
Naturally.
The tiny cyberpsycho launched herself into the fight with pure joy.
Her submachine gun roared.
Muzzle flashes lit up the street.
Bullets hammered Arasaka positions from the side.
The sudden attack caught them completely off guard.
“What?!” Several agents turned just in time to see another vehicle charging toward them.
Driven by Pilar.
“Move!” Too late.
CRUNCH!
One Arasaka agent disappeared beneath the vehicle.
Another was thrown several meters through the air.
Blood exploded across the pavement.
A cybernetic eye bounced along the road before finally coming to a stop.
Pilar slammed the brakes.
The doors flew open.
He and Dorio jumped out simultaneously.
Then Pilar pulled several grenades from his vest.
A huge grin appeared on his face.
“Catch.” The grenades flew.
Several Arasaka agents immediately turned pale.
“GRENADE!” Everyone scattered.
Maine saw the explosives and instantly realized something important.
He was still next to the target vehicle.
“YOU IDIOT!” He kicked open his car door and used it as a shield.
The next second— BOOOOOOM!
A wall of fire engulfed the street.
The explosion shook nearby buildings.
Shockwaves blasted through the battlefield.
Maine was thrown backward several meters.
Arasaka agents fared even worse.
Several were sent flying.
Others crashed into walls.
One unfortunate security officer tried reaching cover.
A bullet from Dorio’s rifle punched straight through his skull.
His body collapsed immediately.
Smoke filled the air.
Maine staggered upright.
“Cough!
Cough!” His ears rang.
His armor flashed warning messages.
Then he activated the comms.
“Pilar!” “Huh?” “I was still there!” “Oops.” Maine’s eye twitched.
“Oops?!” “Sorry.” “Sorry?!” Rebecca’s laughter filled the channel.
Pilar couldn’t stop laughing either.
“If there’s a next time, I’m ripping your balls off.” “Noted.” The argument ended immediately as the battle resumed.
Maine grabbed the damaged car door and charged forward.
Rebecca continued suppressing enemy positions.
Bullets tore through concrete.
Arasaka agents remained pinned behind cover.
One man attempted to return fire.
A burst from Rebecca’s SMG punched through his helmet.
His body collapsed instantly.
The remaining agents refused to expose themselves.
Inside the target vehicle, panic spread rapidly.
Koch’s face had turned completely white.
His hands trembled uncontrollably.
“Drive!” He practically screamed.
“Drive!
Drive!” The surviving driver desperately attempted to restart the vehicle.
Before he could finish— A surge of electricity erupted through his neural link.
“AAGGGHHH!” His scream echoed inside the cabin.
Smoke rose from his cyberware.
The smell of burning flesh filled the vehicle.
Koch nearly vomited.
Sasha had struck again.
The driver collapsed lifelessly across the controls.
“Target vehicle disabled.” Sasha reported calmly.
Meanwhile, hidden several blocks away, she smiled.
Everything was proceeding perfectly.
Almost too perfectly.
Back at the convoy, the Arasaka squad leader realized the situation was deteriorating rapidly.
His expression darkened.
Without hesitation, he kicked open the vehicle door.
He stepped outside.
Maine immediately spotted him.
The mercenary charged forward.
The squad leader charged as well.
Both men collided head-on.
BANG!
The reinforced car door slammed forward.
Unexpectedly— It stopped.
Maine’s eyes widened.
The Arasaka operative had caught it.
With one arm.
Enhanced strength.
Military-grade cyberware.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
“Bastard!” The squad leader roared.
His gorilla arm smashed forward.
CRACK!
The punch landed directly on Maine’s face.
Pain exploded through his skull.
Maine stumbled backward.
Before he could recover, the Arasaka operative lunged forward.
One hand grabbed Maine’s head.
The other prepared to snap his neck.
Then— Sasha intervened.
A powerful quickhack struck the operative’s neural systems.
Electricity surged through his body.
“AARGH!” For a split second, his movements froze.
The attack wasn’t enough to fully break his ICE defenses.
But it didn’t need to be.
That brief hesitation was all Maine required.
His eyes snapped into focus.
Click.
The sound was terrifyingly familiar.
The Arasaka operative looked down.
A shotgun barrel stared directly into his face.
“Oh…” That was all he managed to say.
BOOM!
The shotgun fired.
The operative ceased to exist.
Blood.
Bone.
Chrome.
Everything exploded across the wall behind him.
Only a severed gorilla arm remained intact.
It landed beside Maine with a heavy thud.
For a moment, silence filled the battlefield.
Then Maine picked up the arm.
“Nice.” He grinned.
“This model’s pretty new.” Sasha laughed over the comms.
“Remember to pay extra.” “Fine.” Maine tossed the arm aside.
Then he turned.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
Toward the terrified man still sitting inside the vehicle.
Koch.
The reason all of this bloodshed had happened.
The reason Militech wanted someone dead.
The reason Faraday had offered such a ridiculous payout.
Maine’s grin widened.
The terrified researcher shrank backward against the seat.
There was nowhere left to run.
No security.
No escape route.
No protection.
Only Maine.
And the smoking barrel of his shotgun.
“Hello, target.” The next chapter is where Koch finally realizes he isn’t being hunted by ordinary mercenaries—and where Victor’s Special Operations team enters the battlefield.
The collision between Maine and Arasaka is about to become much deadlier.
——————————– CREATORS’ THOUGHTS ShadowSamuraiTL Have some idea about my story?
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