The operation is underway on Earth.

  Engineer Alex controls the drone. The mechanical bird with blade-sharp wings tears through the air, heading toward the rendezvous point where the Mars agents are already waiting. Every movement of his is calculated, focused.

  — Drone is in position, — he says, never taking his eyes off the screen. His fingers quickly flick over the controls as his eyes scan the data. — Hovering above the coordinates. It's clear.

  Next to him, like a shadow, is Yulia. Her movements are graceful, her eyes sharp. The black jacket with the insignia gives her an air of intimidating authority.

  — Can you see the container? — she asks, leaning slightly to peer at the monitor.

  — Got it, — Alex replies, his expression unchanged. — It's right in the middle of the platform.

  — Good, — Yulia whispers, her hand briefly resting on his shoulder. Her voice is firm and decisive, with no hint of emotion. — Grab it.

  Alex enters the command. The drone descends smoothly, its manipulator extending to scan the area. The container is locked onto, but just as he picks it up, the screen suddenly flashes with an alarming signal.

  — Damn... — Alex mutters through clenched teeth, his hands remaining steady as they continue to work. — The cargo is emitting a signal. They might detect us.

  Yulia clenches her fist, her gaze growing tense.

  — Should we pull out? Got a plan?

  Alex smirks, hiding the tension behind a confident mask.

  — Always, — he says, quickly flipping several switches, his eyes scanning the screen. — All escape routes are covered.

  Suddenly, the alarming signal fades.

  — Done. Surveillance disabled. Let's go.

  The drone rockets forward, its wings pressing close to its body as it slices through the air. The wind howls in the microphones, creating the atmosphere of a mad chase. It streaks over the quarters, weaving between destroyed buildings and forgotten antennas, before flying into a half-destroyed hangar.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  This is the transfer base.

  The container touches the concrete floor with a smooth, almost silent sound. A second later, the drone lifts off again, disappearing behind the concrete gates.

  Silence.

  Then, from the darkness, with a harsh screech, a robot emerges — a metal arachnid, its predatory armor shimmering in the light. Red sensors blink like eyes, emitting an ominous glow. It picks up the container, retracts it into its body, and disappears into the narrow opening of an old communication shaft.

  Some time later.

  The old hatch plate slides aside with a crack. The spider-robot emerges, its metal limbs skittering across the concrete. It leaps onto the surface, handing over the container. Alex and Julia are waiting nearby. Julia silently takes the container. No words are exchanged.

  The spider-robot vanishes into the darkness of the shaft, as if it were never there.

  "Clean," Julia says, her gaze sliding over Alex's face, assessing his reaction.

  "Perfect," Alex nods, his expression softening at last, though his eyes retain a sharpness, hidden behind a mask of confidence. "To the lab. Let's see what they've sent us this time."

  Later, in their hideout.

  The room is bathed in soft, muted light, as if the world outside no longer exists. In this silence, Alex, focused, opens the container. His fingers barely brush the surface before the mechanism clicks open, revealing a small interactive memory block. He carefully touches it, and it activates immediately. A hologram flares up above the table, projecting a blue silhouette. The voice, muffled as if passing through a filter, sounds distant, as though coming from another space.

  "Your mission: contact the target." The voice is flat and mechanical, as if struggling to break through the static. "The target is a diplomat. At the appointed time, he will attend the gladiator battle at the planet's main stadium. Inside the container, there are tickets. Your seats: above, below, left, and right of the target. Mission: infect the diplomat. Inside the vial is the substance. Caution — the target is under guard."

  The hologram dims and vanishes, leaving only emptiness behind. The room is instantly filled with silence, as if the very words echo through the dark space.

  Julia takes the vial. It seems unremarkable — transparent, thin, with a shimmering, pearl-like liquid inside, reflecting the light. She turns it in her hands, as if trying to understand the mystery it holds.

  "Alex... What’s in it?" Her voice is low, barely audible.

  The engineer silently applies a scanner to the vial. Data flashes on the screen. He frowns, reading the information over and over, as if trying to find any clue.

  "This... is strange." His eyes narrow slightly. "Medical nanites. Pure. Completely safe. But... this doesn't look like a weapon."

  "Then what are we supposed to infect him with?" Julia tilts her head, her gaze intensely focused on the vial. She feels something's off, but can’t quite pinpoint what.

  A pause. The silence begins to weigh heavily.

  "Maybe it's something that shows up later? Or a hidden program?" Julia speaks softly, her thoughts clearly sharpened.

  Alex stands up, walking over to the window, his face as focused as when he worked on machines.

  "Or maybe we’re just being used." He smirks, hiding his displeasure behind the smile, and shrugs. "But you know what? I don’t care. The mission’s weird, but the pay is good."

  Julia continues to stare at the vial, gripping it tightly in her hand. Her fingers feel a strange weight in the small, transparent capsule, as if within it lies not just liquid, but a whole mystery. She knows that behind this mission, something far greater is at play. Something that will only reveal itself later.