Episode 14: The Last Chance

“I have information about the fugitives,” Maya stated simply. “Kael and Zoe.”

Jax stood there, puzzled. “What? What did you say?”

“I said I have information about the fugitives in this case.”

(The lobby was far too public for this kind of conversation.)

“Can we go somewhere else to talk?” Jax muttered.

They quickly descended into the secure underground parking facility, moving through the cold, concrete maze. 

“Come with me,” Jax ordered.

“Okay, but where are we going?”

A sleek, black vehicle came into her vision, parked precisely in a corner. Jax reached for the door handle. At the presence of his hand, the car unlocked with a low hum. He opened the passenger door for Maya.

“Sit down,” his voice snapped, suddenly sharp, forcing her into immediate action.

She sat down quietly on the smooth leather seat. “Sir, why did we come here?” she whispered.

He didn’t reply. He closed her door, walked around the car, and slid into the driver’s seat. The vehicle’s internal locks clicked firmly into place, cocooning them in silence and shadow.

“Now tell me,”He asked, his voice low and dangerous. “What do you know about them?”

She took a deep breath. The polished chrome of her prosthetic arm glinted briefly in the dim light. She leaned forward, ready to begin her story.

 

[Three Days Ago. Morning 8:00 AM.]

 

The light in the apartment was harsh. It bounced off the bright chrome of Maya's prosthetic right arm.

She stood by her desk, her eyes resting on a small, old photo of a 45 years man. He was smiling. Maya pressed the photo to her forehead.

“I’m trying to be as good as you,” she whispered.

A calm voice called from the kitchen. “Maya, it’s already 8:00! You have to move now.”

“Yeah, I know, Mom!”

She pulled out her Com-Link and attached it to the back of her ear. A hologram screen appeared. “Book taxi to Optic Media Tower. Express Lane,” she commanded.

By 8:45 AM, Maya was at her station in the huge, noisy Optic Media newsroom. The air was thick with the competitive buzz of other journalists.

She went to her cluttered desk and turned on her CORE. Suddenly, a sharp message ping showed up from a contact named Director Robert.

“Maya. Come to my cabin. Now.”

She felt a wave of cold panic. She walked to his office, feeling every eye on her.

Director Robert didn't look up. After a long, silent minute, he looked at her with pure disappointment.

“Sit down, Maya,” he ordered, his voice dangerously quiet.

She sat on the edge of the chair.

“Any updates on the car accident case I gave you?” he questioned her.

“No, sir,” she whispered.

“I gave you two weeks for that, and there are no updates?” he shouted.

“Sir, I gave you every last update I had. There is nothing left. It was a small case,” she protested.

“No more reasons,” he said. "If there is nothing left, then we have to create something."

"Sir, we are journalists, not fiction writers," she said.

"Just leave it, Maya. You can't understand. The reason I called you here was to talk about your working skills," he began. "I gave you so much time to adapt to our AI-driven workflow. But your work is still slow. It's outdated."

He was furious. "You have modern tools, but your analysis is weak. Other reporters use AI to find deep reports in hours. Your work is so slow, it shows a lack of knowledge and no constant updates."

Robert leaned back, his eyes cold. "Your father was legendary. But you are costing this company money. You are even hurting his memory here."

He slammed a crystal figurine onto his desk.

“We don't want an outdated journalist like you, Maya. I’m firing you. Your access codes will be deactivated in one hour.”

Maya was terrified. She couldn't breathe.

“No, sir, please,” she begged, leaning forward. Her metallic hand gripped the chair armrest. "I can fix this. I need a big story. Please, one last chance. I'm begging you."

Just then, a loud emergency alert blared through the office.

Every screen flashed with breaking news.

“…Nexus Corp’s main database has been successfully breached,” the anchor’s voice announced. “The hacker stole company and user data with the help of a rogue employee…The company has filed a case with the Cyber Security Unit, and the investigation has been taken on by the J-COD’s Field Operations Division. And there’s a rumor that the case is being handled by a special group. The Phantom Division”

Robert saw the massive story breaking. He looked at Maya, his expression suddenly calculating.

"You want a chance?" he said, a nasty smile appearing. "Nexus Leak Case—that’s the file name. I will send it to your CORE."

"Bring me an exclusive lead on Kael or Zoe. Something J-COD doesn't have. You have one week. Fail, and you’re gone forever."

After thinking for a moment, she stood up quickly.

"Thank you, sir," Maya whispered.

She left the room, closing the door softly behind her. She stood outside, trying to calm her racing heart.

Then, she heard Robert's voice clearly through the door.

“Send the Nexus Leak Case file to Mark, Tanya, and Chris now! Tell them I need a lead on that case. The first one to get a story gets the promotion. And send the file to Maya also."

He paused.

“Yeah, yeah, I know she can't do it. This is her last case as a journalist. So just send it.”

Robert's words were a heavy blow. He hadn't given her a real chance. He was dismissive, cold, and utterly convinced of her failure.

Maya’s fear changed into a cold, fierce resolve. She would not just bring him a lead.

She would bring him a story so big, he would regret ever doubting her.