The Botched-up Op

Vik and Tory cast their gaze toward the underground garage, their eyes locking onto the parked truck. In perfect synchronization, they began walking in its direction, their steps filled with determination.

Tory broke the silence, his voice tinged with worry. "Hermano, what kind of mess did we get ourselves into? Do you really think the baldy had a hand in all of this?"

Vik shook his head, dismissing the notion before responding. "I don't think so. As selfish and cautious as he is, he wouldn't gain anything from setting us up, especially on such a high-profile job. It's beyond his reach."

Pausing for a moment, Vik scratched his chin, deep in thought. "No, this goes beyond the baldy's involvement. It's something bigger, something they were ready to sacrifice anyone for."

As they approached the truck, memories of the ill-fated heist replayed in their minds, offering glimpses into how it all began.

Vik and Tory were accustomed to taking straightforward smuggling jobs from their fence, Jim Belos. But one day, Jim had an unprecedented offer, claiming it was the opportunity of a lifetime. The payout was immense, and the risks seemed minimal—a job without guns or metahumans. At least that's how it was presented.

The assignment entailed stealing a truck from a highly secured research facility, a task that initially appeared too good to be true.

Refusing to rely solely on Jim's words, Vik's intuition urged him to dig deeper. He immersed himself in research, poring over blueprints and gathering every possible bit of information about the facility from black sites, both free and paid.

Driven by caution, Vik implemented additional countermeasures in case something went awry. He planned meticulously, considering every scenario and developing strategies to overcome the worst possible outcomes.

Their preparations seemed to pay off as they breached the facility's security, successfully infiltrating the premises. Vik had even rerouted the holo-camera feed to their tech contact, ensuring their movements remained hidden.

Yet, despite their precautions, the operation quickly veered off course. They were detected without triggering any alarms, the guards seemingly aware of their every move. Vik made a snap decision, cutting off communication with the tech guy to prevent further compromises.

Taking an alternate route known only to him, Vik utilized strategically placed IEDs to block the passages and slow down their pursuers. With time running out, they eventually reached the truck, nestled within the basement parking lot amidst other high-tech vehicles.

Wasting no time, Vik meticulously scanned and removed all trackers, using a black-market device he had secretly obtained. Confident that they couldn't be tracked, he signaled Tory to take the wheel while he assumed his position beside him.

As the guards closed in, Vik's detailed planning allowed them to execute the heist smoothly, without any casualties. Their identities remained concealed throughout the operation—or so they thought.

The revelation of Raquel zeroing in on them shattered Vik's confidence in his plan. How had their identities been exposed? Did someone leak the information or was there a hidden agenda behind the operation from the start?

Questions swirled in Vik's mind, but he forced himself to focus on the present. They had a mission to accomplish—to investigate the enigmatic Oasis pods that resided within Oasis Corp's prized truck.

As they reached the truck's entrance, anticipation mingled with apprehension, and Vik and Tory steeled themselves for what lay ahead.