Kuryakov had outdone himself once again. By the next morning, he had modified the magnetic interference device with enhanced functions. For Niko, his work was nothing short of a technological marvel.
Originally, the device was designed to disrupt NanoChip signals within a fifty centimeter radius of the carrier, which would render Niko invisible to NAPPA’s security system. However, Kuryakov had gone further by uploading all of his own NanoChip data to it and adding an “emission function,” effectively digitally masking Niko as Kuryakov himself.
It was impossible for both Sayeed and Klara to enter the building without being recognized immediately as non-employees and non-NanoChip holders. So, it had been decided that they would camp outside and provide support.
Despite Sayeed’s heated outbursts and repeated vows to “shove it to those NAPPA bastards,” Niko suspected he was secretly relieved to be staying outside.
However, they would have an important role to play. Using Lopez’s access codes, Klara needed to delay the security network long enough for Niko to slip through. From a discreetly parked van in front of NAPPA headquarters, they would guide Niko through the building via an earpiece, ensuring he avoided detection.
“Are you ready for this?” Klara’s voice crackled over the earpiece.
“Don’t mess this up, fuckhead!” Sayeed added, not so encouragingly.
Niko took a deep breath, adjusting the fake glasses that completed his Kuryakov disguise. After months of hiding and running, he was clean shaven and dressed in a sharp suit, provided by Sayeed. In a strange way, he felt a sense of pride being out in the open and entering his former company. “As ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s do it.”
“Remember, once you’re inside, follow my instructions exactly. I’m currently working on getting access into NAPPA’s systems. Keep going, but I will need a second.”
Niko nodded, even though Klara couldn’t see him.
He was standing in the heart of Singapore’s bustling center district. The air was thick with humidity, and the scent of distant street food mingled with the sharp tang of exhaust from the endless stream of vehicles. Skyscrapers loomed overhead, their glass façades reflecting the bright midday sun. Among them, NAPPA’s headquarters towered prominently, its sleek design a testament to modern architecture.
The building’s exterior was a blend of steel and glass, with the NAPPA logo emblazoned at the top, shimmering in the light. Security guards in crisp uniforms patrolled the grounds, scanning the area vigilantly. The entrance itself was a grand affair, with revolving glass doors and a polished marble foyer visible through the transparent walls.
Niko felt a surge of adrenaline as he approached the entrance, blending in with the steady stream of people. Nervousness pressed on him, making his armpits sweaty, but he kept his steps steady and his demeanor calm.
“And … go. I’m in. Go, go, go!” she urged him.
He pushed through the revolving doors of the NAPPA building, joining the flow of hundreds of employees and visitors moving through the entrance. He activated the interference device as he entered, feeling a slight vibration on his wrist where the device was strapped. Kuryakov’s NanoChip data was now being emitted from the device.
The first hurdle was security. He walked toward the turnstiles, his heart pounding as he approached a young guard next to a full-body scanner. He entered it, trying to steady his breathing.
“Morning, Dr. Kuryakov,” the guard said, glancing at the monitor where Kuryakov’s credentials and face flashed up.
Niko nodded, masking his tension with a curt nod. “Morning.”
He stepped through the turnstile, the security system accepting the credentials without a hitch.
The momentary relief was palpable, as the hustle and bustle in the foyer provided perfect cover. The lobby itself was a marvel of futuristic design, with huge, sleek screens dominating the walls, displaying NAPPA’s advertisements and slogans. “Empowering Humanity” and “NAPPA - For a Better Life” flashed in vibrant, dynamic visuals. Everyone around him seemed extremely focused, moving around with urgency.
“Klara, I’m in,” he whispered, moving into the elevator.
“Good. Now turn off the NanoChip signal and switch back to signal interference.”
Niko did as instructed, feeling the slight vibration on his wrist again.
Klara continued, “Head to level thirty-three, toward the medical wing. According to our information, Priya has been moved there. There should be an elevator on your right.”
Niko entered the elevator and pressed the button for level thirty-three. He counted the seconds. Just when the door was about to close, an arm stopped it. Niko gasped and moved into the corner.
Two tall men in business suits stepped in.
“So, what I was telling Jack this morning was, we have to adjust our shipment strategy …” the taller one said, pressing the button for level thirty-seven.
Niko let out a sigh of relief. Just two ordinary employees.
The elevator hummed as it ascended. The enclosed space gave him a moment to compose himself, to gather his resolve.
When the elevator doors slid open, revealing a stark, industrial corridor, Niko stepped out, rapidly passing the two employees.
“Ouch,” both men said simultaneously.
“Seems like I’m going to get a headache today.”
“Me, too,” the other one replied. “That’s weird.”
“I guess we work too hard, right? Or not hard enough?”
Niko heard them laughing as the door closed behind him.
That was strange, he thought.
Never mind. Time to focus.
Niko glanced around to get his bearings.
“Klara, I’m on thirty-three. Guide me.”
“Take a left and proceed to the end of the hallway. There’s a security office there. With the codes I gave you, you should be able to bypass it.”
Niko followed her instructions, the sound of his footsteps echoing softly. He reached the security office, its door heavy and reinforced. Pulling out Lopez’s codes, he keyed them into the panel. The door clicked open, and he slipped inside.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
The room was dimly lit, filled with monitors displaying various parts of the facility. Another guard was present, but he seemed disinterested, barely glancing at Niko as he entered.
Niko cleared his throat. “Hello,” he said, trying to sound casual.
The guard looked up briefly, nodding. “Morning,” he muttered before returning to his screens, on which he was playing some card game Niko didn’t recognize. Why bother checking someone in the medical wing when NAPPA has the best security system in place out front?
Niko moved to the back wall, where a series of control panels awaited. He input the next set of codes, feeling the tension in his muscles as he waited for the system to respond. He could sense the guard’s eyes occasionally flicking toward him, which made his heart race. A wave of relief washed over him when the system accepted the codes without issue.
“Access granted,” the robotic voice announced.
Niko exhaled in relief and entered.
“Klara, I’m past the security office. What next?”
“Straight ahead, through the next two intersections.. There should be less people inside.”
Niko moved quickly but cautiously, navigating the maze-like corridors. He passed through the intersections, each step bringing him closer to his goal. The medical wing was just ahead, and he could see the glow of lights from the monitoring equipment. He passed several medical staff on his way, none of whom seemed to care too much that he was there.
“Klara, I’m here. How do I get her out?”
“There should be a keycard for door zero-five, inside the nurse’s office. Use it to unlock her door.”
Niko looked around and, after not seeing anyone, dashed into the office. He scanned the room until he spotted the keycard on a desk. He grabbed it quickly. Then, spotting a stretcher nearby, a plan formed in his mind. He took the stretcher, as well, and proceeded back toward Priya’s room.
“Who are you?” a voice suddenly asked from behind, freezing him in his tracks.
Niko turned to face a young employee, her expression suspicious. “I’m Dr. Kuryakov, a neurologist,” he said smoothly, brandishing his fake ID. “Mr. Lee sent me to take Ms. Najjar for an MRI. He wants to make sure she’s not too badly hurt.”
The employee hesitated, eyeing him warily. “Dr. Kuryakov? I wasn’t informed of this.”
“It was a last-minute decision,” Niko replied, maintaining his composure. “Mr. Lee is concerned about her condition and wishes to exclude any sort of trauma or cerebrovascular accident. Now, please, let me do my job. We have limited capacity today.”
The employee hesitated before giving a reluctant nod.
Niko acknowledged with a brief nod in return and swiped the keycard, unlocking the cell.
Inside, Priya lay on a bed, pale and weak, connected to various machines. He approached her cautiously.
“Priya,” he whispered, gently touching her hand. “It’s Niko. I’m getting you out of here.”
Her eyes fluttered open, a weak smile crossing her lips. “Niko … .”
“Hold on. I’m getting you out.”
Carefully, he disconnected her from the machines.
Suddenly, she groaned and collapsed back onto the bed, clutching her forehead with her hands. “Ahhh!” she screamed out in agony.
“Shh, Priya, you have to keep still,” Niko said, lifting her onto a stretcher.
Her whimpers continued as he worked swiftly. She was lighter than he had expected, a stark reminder of how much she had endured.
“Let’s go,” he said, pushing the stretcher toward the exit, covering her completely with a blanket. “Please, stay still now,” he implored.
She seemed to calm down slightly.
Niko maneuvered the stretcher through the medical wing, passing several employees who were too engrossed in their tasks to notice him. His heart hammered with every step as he made his way down the corridor. He pushed through a set of doors and entered yet another hallway. Under the covers, Priya was still whining in pain.
----------------------------------------
Ryan was sitting in his office, waiting for his next call with some boring person from some boring country. Yes, the NanoChip was amazing. Yes, they would be happy to collaborate. The past few days had been a blur of meetings and stress. He idly tinkered with his new toy on his phone to pass the time, his thoughts elsewhere.
The screen flickered to life, and he accidentally caught a glimpse of someone familiar. He leaned forward and saw an old friend.
----------------------------------------
As he approached the elevator, he noticed two security guards conversing in a room with an open door nearby. Holding his breath, Niko calmly pushed the stretcher into the elevator, relieved when the doors closed behind him. He descended to the underground parking lot, trying to appear as composed as possible.
“Klara, I’m almost there,” he whispered again, feeling another adrenaline surge through his veins.
“You’re doing great. The truck is right outside the garage entrance through the back door exit. I might lose connection down there. Remember, I will disable the security cameras for a brief window, so you need to be quick. Switch back to Kuryakov’s NanoChip emission so I can get you through the exit,” Klara replied.
“Copy that,” Niko complied.
“Go now, the door should open with your badge,” Klara said.
The elevator doors opened, and Niko entered the parking lot. Relief surged through him as he saw the truck ahead, behind the gate. Sayeed had managed to get the vehicle just outside NAPPA’s building by disguising it as a delivery truck for spare parts. But as Sayeed himself couldn’t come close to the building, Niko would have to do the driving.
Niko hurriedly pushed the stretcher toward the vehicle when a figure emerged from the right. However, only the familiar voice managed to freeze him in his tracks.
“Stop right there.”
He turned to see Ryan blocking their path, his expression cold and calculating.
“Well, well, well …” Ryan began. How the hell had he found them?
“Ryan, let us go. Priya needs medical attention,” Niko implored.
Ryan stepped closer. “Did you really think you could just walk out of here?” He reached out and pulled the stretcher with Priya away. “You’re not going anywhere, Niko. Not with her.”
“What has happened to you? Let us go, and we can figure this out together,” Niko pleaded, trying to reach the friend he once knew.
Ryan’s eyes gleamed with a sinister light. “You can’t stop us, Niko, so you’d better give up and comply. You still don’t get it, do you? The NanoChip is the future. With them, we can control humanity. We can stop wars, we can start wars. We can create eternal peace …” He laughed maniacally, his voice echoing in the parking lot. “It was clear to me early on, when those worthless parents of mine left me to rot in foster care. Humans are nothing but parasites, trying to scrape the best from this world, leaving it to rot. But not anymore.”
Niko was shocked by his words. “I don’t believe you. Ryan, this isn’t who you are.” Something was terribly wrong.
Ryan sneered. “You think I’m crazy? Oh no, my friend, I am in control now. I’ll be the one to decide the fate of humanity. Here, let me show you a little sneak peek.” He took out his phone and typed in some commands. As he did, Priya began to stir.
Suddenly, she sat up, pulled her legs to the side, and unexpectedly lunged at Niko. He couldn’t react quickly enough, completely taken off guard.
Priya’s hands clamped around his throat, and Niko struggled, trying to fend her off without hurting her.
Ryan laughed, the sound chilling in the stillness of the parking lot. “She’s under my control now. Just like everyone else will be. Just imagine how wonderful the world can be.”
Despair fueled Niko’s movements as he tried to push Priya off, but she was too strong.
“Priya, please …”
“Imagine my surprise when I was testing her new visual abilities and saw my former friend and colleague, Kuryakov, entering the room through her eyes. Only, upon closer inspection, it wasn’t Kuryakov, but you, Niko. I had to see this for myself.” Ryan gave an evil, cartoonish laugh as he approached Priya and Niko, who were struggling on the floor.
He knelt down and patted her back while she continued choking Niko. “Good girl. She’s like a pet now, Niko. Nothing you say or do can change that.”
Niko gasped for breath, feeling the edges of consciousness blur. Desperation clawed at him as he struggled to free himself.
In a final, frantic effort, he struck Priya on the temple with his right fist. He felt a slight vibration on his wrist, sending a jolt through Priya. She screamed then collapsed, unconscious once more.
At the same time, Ryan staggered back, his laughter turning into a pained groan. For a moment, it seemed like clarity returned to his eyes.
Niko’s Hail Mary attempt was successful—he had noticed it earlier when the employees in the elevator had held their heads in pain. By hitting Priya, he’d managed to activate Kuryakov’s interference device again. Apparently, the magnetic field from the interference device caused some sort of malfunction in the NanoChip itself. Kuryakov didn’t even know how his device exactly worked!
Ryan was now lying on the floor, screaming and holding his head. Niko managed to discern some fragments of it.
“Niko … I didn’t want this,” Ryan gasped. “Edmundsson … I … killed him. But … why? I don’t … But I don’t remember … why. It’s like … I’m not …”
Niko felt a sudden surge of pity for his old friend. “Ryan, are you okay?”
Ryan’s expression twisted with pain and confusion. “I … don’t … Help … me …”
Before Niko could respond, he heard distant footsteps echoing through the parking lot and a voice in his head.
“Niko …” Klara’s said urgently into his earpiece. “I lost you for a while there. I see people approaching your location. Get the hell out of there—now.”
Reinforcements were coming. They had to leave—fast.
He threw one last look at Ryan, who was still writhing on the floor. Then Niko pulled Priya back on the stretcher and pushed it toward the truck, the sound of approaching guards spurring him on. He managed to get Priya inside then jumped into the driver’s seat, starting the engine with trembling hands.
As the truck sped away from NAPPA headquarters, Niko glanced back at the building, determination hardening his resolve. They had escaped for now, but the battle was far from over.
“Hold on, Priya,” he murmured. “We’re going to stop them.”