Perched on the weathered rooftop of a nearby building, the three students maintained vigilant watch outside the Circuit Center. As they waited, the sounds of the sector filtered up from below—close conversations, distant gunfire, and the occasional blood-curdling scream. Jai's attention remained fixed on the buildings, tuning out the living hell they were in. Behind him, Nera and Kalla occupied themselves with their devices, the soft blue glow illuminating their features.

After an hour of patient surveillance, a subtle shift in the street's atmosphere caught Jai's attention—a momentary stillness followed by purposeful movement.

"You guys, come look at this!" Jai whispers as he waves his arm for them to come over.

Nera and Kalla abandoned their screens, the devices darkening as they joined him at the ledge. Below them, an OPP descended beside the Circuit Center, its omni propulsors gradually letting up as it landed. Bulky with a well-polished gleam, its lack of engraved identification screamed blood money. Uniformed figures emerged from the vehicle's interior, immediately beginning to unload massive crates. Each container bore an unfamiliar insignia, squares arranged in a configuration that suggested an ownership other than the Circuit Corporation.

A commanding officer emerged from the Circuit Center's entrance, his uniform pristine and movements calm as he approached the delivery. It was clear this was routine as he only inspected the nearest crate's contents, fully trusting their supply. Filled with row upon row of Spiritual Artillery, brimming with deadly potential. Selecting a weapon from the arsenal, the officer conducted an impromptu field test. His gaze settled on a homeless man huddled against a nearby wall, an unfortunate soul. Without hesitation or warning, the officer raised the weapon and fired. Flashing white, the pure energy connected with its target, ending his life.

Jai's muscles tensed in preparation to intervene, his weight shifting forward involuntarily, only to be held back by Kalla and Nera. Their hands pressed into his skin with precise restraint, communicating both warning and reassurance.

Keeping a firm eye on what's going on, Kalla talks Jai out of it, "Calm down, this is no time to get emotional. We only have one shot at this."

Clenching his jaw, Jai complies, "Right."

They continued observing the trade of weapons into the Circuit Center's interior. Minutes later, the doors reopened to reveal a counter-offering—containers emblemed with the distinctive Circuit Corp insignia. As their crates were also opened for inspection, the contents became visible: precisely arranged Spirit Energy Cells, their cylindrical forms pulsing white. The proprietary technology was unmistakable even from a distance.

The exchange concluded with a handshake, its illegality obscured by the ordinary gesture. The visitors reboarded their vehicle, omni propulsors already cycling to departure.

"Corruption," Nera states bluntly. "This is just the tip of the iceberg. Quickly, we need to follow that ship!"

Kalla held both Jai and Kalla by their clothes, using her flight to pursue the departing OPP. Maintaining a calculated distance to avoid detection, they tracked the vessel across the city until it descended into Quadrant 2's Kappa Sector. The OPP disappeared through a concealed entrance at the rear of a nondescript building, the structure's foundation extending below ground. Kalla dropped them just outside the entrance.

The Kappa Sector—a dense clutter of structures interconnected by bridges spanning multiple levels. Unlike the destruction they had witnessed elsewhere, this area maintained normalcy that belied its true nature. The sector was governed by a criminal network whose influence extended throughout multiple quadrants. An invisible empire that operated among the shadows.

Kalla crosses her arms, "This is the Jade Drinkery, I used to come here all the time before it went to shit. Who'd have thought it was just a disguise for some illegal weapon manufacturing!"

"There's gotta be a way underground from inside. Let's go," Jai announced, making their way inside.

The heavy door protested with a groan as Jai pushed it open, releasing a concentrated aroma from inside. Reaking of fermented grains laced with spices designed to simulate luxury at minimal cost. A bar sat at the other end, its surface polished to a gleam that caught and redistributed what little illumination existed in the space. Behind it, shelves displayed bottles in various states of fullness, their contents ranging from amber to deep violet beneath bright display lights.

Along the perimeter, people occupied shadowed booths where privacy was a priority. The occasional flare of ignited cigarettes provided momentary glimpses of faces—some bearing distinctive scarring, others displaying illegal augmentations. Credit exchanges were masked by seemingly casual gestures as hitmen, smugglers, and fixers alike traded untraceable currency.

The students' presence went remarkably unacknowledged; people around here didn't care much about underage drinking. Kalla's was uneasy, tense in anticipation of a potential confrontation. Jai, however, moved with singular purpose, focused beyond immediate dangers to the task at hand.

If I were a secret entrance to an underground facility, where would I be?

His gaze assessed each element of the environment, cataloging potential access points while ignoring hostile glances and inviting expressions. A bathroom positioned at an unnecessary angle captured his attention, its placement suggesting function beyond the obvious.

Gotcha!

With confident strides, Jai led the girls toward the bathroom, drawing nods of approval from the men. Rounding the corner, they entered the bathroom and closed the door. As expected, only a rusted sink and dirty toilet were provided, a perfect disguise. They cover their nose from the stench, meant to chase away visiting outsiders.

"Alright genius, now what?" Kalla asked sounding congested, not fully convinced there was something here.

Jai assessed the space, knocking against all surfaces to detect acoustic anomalies. Upon shifting his attention to the floor, his knuckles produced the hollow sound of space beneath solid material.

"Every good hideout needs an easy escape, and bathrooms are often overlooked. Especially one like this," Jai says smugly.

With calculated force, his fist connected with the floor tiles, the aged ceramic easily. Clearing the fractured material, he revealed the metal framework of a ventilation shaft beneath the surface. The discovery prompted a moment of collective celebration, their hands connecting in a three-way high five.

Kalla couldn't believe her eyes. "You're a natural at this, Jai!"

"Thanks, I do my best," Jai responds.

Nera remained momentarily transfixed, her observational mind processing Jai's abnormal problem-solving capabilities.

"You're up Nera, think you can pop this thing open for us?" Jai asks, snapping Nera out of it.

"Can I? You underestimate me, Jai."

Nera turned the sink's nob, getting water flow despite its condition. Manipulating the flow of water, she reshaped the splattered stream into a controlled column. Concentrating it through the top end of her fist and creating a high-pressure beam out the other. Accelerated to velocities capable of cutting through steel.

"Stand back you two." She warns.

The improvised hydraulic cutter traced an outline in the metal, creating a hole large enough for human passage. Carefully lifting the thin cut section, they set it aside to minimize evidence of their infiltration. Nera slipped headfirst into the vent, where a faint light was seen further down. Crawling toward the light source, they left their way out unaltered behind them.

At the vents grille, Nera positioned herself to see through the gaps in the screen. It was the surveillance room, where two security personnel watched multiple screens displaying real-time surveillance footage of the facility's operations.

Nera looked back at Kalla to relay the information. "It's the surveillance room," she whispered.

"Is that bad?" Kalla questions.

Jai shakes his head. "No, this couldn't be more perfect. Now we can get a layout of the building and keep people from seeing us."

"Alright, I'm going in," Nera informs as she quietly unscrews the grille.

The security officers were distracted in casual conversation as they observed the monitoring systems, their attention divided between the two. They were oblivious to Nera's entrance until her movement was caught on their screens.

"Hey, wait a second! Take a look at this dude! We're being raided!"

They leaned toward the display, attempting to distinguish details from the grainy footage.

"You idiot! That's our room!" The other man says, freaking out.

They turned to face her, but they were far too late. Having already bridged the gap between them, Nera neutralized both individuals with a blow to the neck. Improvising, she tied them up with nearby rope. With the immediate threat contained, she signaled for Jai and Kalla to drop down.

Jai immediately focused on the surveillance cameras, the screens providing a comprehensive view of the entire facility. "Now that we have access to the cameras, we can coordinate ourselves to get this done without any casualties."

"Take a look at this! We got a map!" Kalla says, pointing to the wall.

The schematic revealed a three-tiered structure, each level dedicated to specific functions within the manufacturing process:

Top Floor - Surveillance and Warehouse

Middle Floor - Assembly and Packaging

Bottom Floor - Power Supply

"Alright, I gotta plan. Listen close," Jai announced.

He proposed a straightforward approach—target the facility's power source and shut it down. Kalla would remain at the surveillance console, providing real-time intel on where to go. Nera would create a diversion to help with Jai's infiltration of the power room. There, he would deliver a powerful strike against the energy core. Following system deactivation, they would secure some evidence before leaving without detection or casualties.

"Alright you guys, were on the clock. Let's get this done!" Jai states, ending the huddle.

As Nera and Jai departed to fulfill their assigned roles, while Kalla positioned herself to direct them, her fingers hovering over the interface. Operation Shutdown is a go!