The fact that the publisher and the perpetrator of the two events shared the same identity became another obstacle of deduction.

Alexandra called Andromeda a terrorist. Michael couldn’t disagree more. Perhaps ArtTech could have succeeded in containing the riot if it wasn’t for Andromeda. Andromeda did instill fear, but unlike other terrorists, she didn’t announce her names to the public. Her signatures were placed in the files accessible only by the infiltrated organizations themselves.

Perhaps she was more of a criminal. However, she would have nothing to gain from creating such chaos in the city.

Maybe she was more of a genius lunatic, who wished to create a paradigm shift. Michael could not see how this divided world would be any better.

“And perhaps, Mr. Derek Ortiz over here is wondering why I have revealed so much information right in front of him,” Johnson spoke as he reached into his pocket.

Derek’s face went through multiple expressions within half a second. First it was a look of surprise at how Marcus Johnson knew his name. Then it was fear, when he thought that Johnson was reaching for a pistol to silence him permanently. Finally it was relief, when he realized that Johnson was merely taking out a small hologram projector.

What Johnson took out was a small circular device with half the radius of a CD disc. When he slid the device to the center of the table, a full hologram was projected. It was a map of a small island.

“This is the real-time surveillance projection of the so called ‘abandoned missile silo’. I don’t know how much the government had told you about this, but I will give you some basic information.”

Michael was surprised by Johnson’s sincerity and willingness to share his information. Johnson probably needed the team’s help desperately. Or Johnson could also feed them lies. Michael made a brief eye contact with Nicholas, who then proceeded to inspect Johnson’s expressions with more careful attention.

“If you guys don’t mind, would you please excuse Derek and I for a moment.”

Johnson brought Derek to a corner and typed a few lines on his Bracelet. Whatever he wrote to Derek, it seemed to have a magical effect. Derek returned to the group with simultaneous fear and awe. The hostility was gone from his eyes, replaced by respect and compliance.

“Mr. Wilde,” Johnson was now pointing at Jay, “I am about to explain a crucial part of our plan, so would you mind telling your government rescue team to halt there for a while.”

Michael was shocked. He was so consumed by the recent issues of escape and capture that he almost forgot his original objective. It was the government SWAT team who sent them here, and the government who was supposed to come to their extraction. Michael would admit this flaw of his: the obsession with small issues that blinded him from seeing the bigger picture.

Out of everybody in the team, Jay was the only one who thought of contacting the government, as reflected by the same astonishment on Alexandra and Nicholas’ faces. Would this flaw be one commonly shared by the team?

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On the other hand, Derek looked more scared. He already got the ArtTech tanks on his plate, and he couldn’t stand another equally elite force trampling upon his territory. If any kind of war broke out between any parties on this land, Derek could not even guarantee his own safety.

Jay’s face flashed a look of a child whose prank had been exposed. He didn’t expect Marcus Johnson to find out. However, he also complied, just like how Derek had earlier. He whispered into his bracelet.

Johnson seemed to understand an art of hypnosis that could always get people to listen to him.

“What we have on this island, or the so called silo, is a piece of un-released technology that could create the Singularity.”

“Yes, the government told us that already,” Michael said.

“Wait, so that piece of digital weapon, did ArtTech make it for the government?” Alexandra spoke, “I knew it. The conspiracy about ArtTech making weapons for the government. It’s all true.”

“Did the government tell you that it’s a piece of weapon, Miss Gauss?” Johnson remarked. “It can be one, figuratively, if you define weapon as any device that creates damage and do harm. However, a thunderstorm can also create damage and do harm, and is that a weapon? What we have there is a technology, a neutral item that can both be benign and harmful depending on when, where, and how you use it.”

Loud sirens echoed around the Central Circle. Outside the window, the ArtTech tanks arranged in a crescent formation in front of Michael’s current building. Across them were over a dozen armored SWAT vans. The SWAT droids and soldiers formed in a battle formation on the ground. They held an array of weapons, from light machine guns to heavy ground-to-air missiles.

At a chaotic period like this, when police peacekeeping was desperately needed, Agent Amanda still spent so much resources on this mission. Michael felt a little scared at his potential value to both the government and ArtTech. He couldn’t understand why his “useless” talent could be of such importance.

Then Agent Amelia walked out of the SWAT formation in a full battle suit. Unlike the thin and flexible nanotech suits that ArtTech soldiers wear, Agent Amelia was armed a lot more heavily. There were night vision eyepieces and backup gas masks on the helmet, and the body armor was made of heavy titanium powered by motion-synchronizing thrusters.

This wasn’t some simple SWAT armament, this resembled that of an infantry.

Agent Amelia also seemed like she understood telepathy and walked directly towards Michael’s building. She stared deadly into the central tank of the ArtTech formation. Marcus Johnson whispered something into the air, and the ArtTech tanks opened a gap.

With a single power-enhanced jump, Agent Amelia reached the balcony of Michael’s room. She held out her arm, and a device extended from the titanium armor on her arm. She held it in front of the locked window, and after a brief second, the lock cracked open and Amelia entered.

“Long time no see Amelia, I didn’t quite expect them to send you,” Marcus Johnson greeted her with a warm smile. Michael was surprised by the first name referral.

“Yes, Marcus. My superior is quite occupied right now. He sure would be glad to see our four VIPs though.”

“Ah, I see you have come fully prepared. Yet your fashion always remains a little behind.” Michael believed that Johnson was referring to Amelia’s suit.

“Perhaps ArtTech could offer me some more modern fashion advices after I complete my own mission.”

Johnson waved his hand a little bit, motioning for Agent Amelia to look at the hologram.

“I believe this is gonna be the next step of your plan as well?” Johnson spoke with a teasing tone. “Coincidentally, I am going there as well. After all this is our joint facility.”

Amelia froze for a second and she suddenly noticed Derek’s presence. She raised her hand and immediately the titanium suit extended two pistols above and below her palm.

“Who is he? He is not authorized to this level of conversation.”

Marcus Johnson stepped forward and shielded Derek, “Don’t worry Amelia, he is my friend Derek Ortiz, the leader of the Central Circle dominion. Derek, this is Amelia.”

Johnson’s friendliness towards Derek seemed too quickly formed to be genuine. But whatever intention lied behind Johnson’s smile, it wouldn’t matter much for Derek. At least he didn’t get killed.

“Look, we can talk on our ride there.”

Amelia hesitated at Johnson’s offer for going there by the same aircraft. She was even uncertain at whether she should bail her mission. However, Johnson would undoubtedly offer a shortcut to her final goal, and besides, her boss would be too busy right now to scrutinize over her every action. But then, there was the security issue…

“Come on Amelia, we’ve cooperated for so long, and you are still worried? I also have a reputation to protect.”

Amelia considered for a moment and agreed. She told the SWAT team to stand off.

Johnson pressed a button on his Bracelet. Outside the window, a personnel transport aircraft materialized. Along the surface of the aircraft was a layer of nanotech paint that provided a visual cloak. Around the spherical cockpit was four large circular rings. When taken a closer look, one could see that they were actually powerful motors emitting powerful currents of air in the middle. Each of these motor rings was placed in a spherical skeleton, inside which they could rotate freely to face all angles.

Everybody except for Derek boarded the aircraft. It seemed that Johnson placed Derek there for another purpose.

What they didn’t anticipate was that when six of New York City’s brightest minds had flown away, the city was susceptible to all the possible chaos, just like what Andromeda had planned.