The powerful sound of the four-cylinder turbo engine broke the silence of the night in the quadrant. The Agent noticed that his new vehicle only had four cylinders, recalling a previous pursuit involving a six-cylinder Porsche 930, a configuration that many enthusiasts idealize.
Despite this, the Agent shows respect for the Italian engineering applied to the engine, crediting Aurelio Lampredi and the team responsible for the chassis tuning and the Viscodrive concept. The Coupe proved excellent navigating the narrow exhaust tunnels. However, the purpose of the trip was not leisure; the Agent urgently needed to reach the hideout of the individuals referred to as 'desert rats' to eliminate them.
After completing this mission, he planned to return the Coupe to Val and look for Charlie and his group, then return to White City to resume his work routine, which would please his father, whose influence he suspected had facilitated the events. While driving, the Agent focused on the road, ignoring internal thoughts.
Elsewhere, on the eighty-eighth floor of White City, Marcus, Director of Lithium Scraps Logistics and Closed-Loop Research, observed the metropolis as a perfect model. Beside him, the Commissioner questioned him about the Division's report for the regional block at six in the morning.
Marcus explained that the central communication had prepared the report, following a unified protocol with other citadels. He highlighted that the new autonomous fleet allowed for expanding the lithium effluent disposal area without disturbing unmapped zones, as the previous method of containment by human patrol was expensive and inefficient.
When asked about the Council press reaction regarding the costs of uniform replacement, Marcus stated that the Closed-Loop narrative was perfect. He declared that they would announce a completely clean and error-free patrol technology, guaranteeing citizens punctual transport and safe streets, without them worrying about synthetic chemistry or clothing logistics.
Marcus then asked the Commissioner about the 404 vehicle. The Commissioner confirmed that the digital key had been returned and the vehicle deregistered since midnight. Furthermore, the dispatch transferring Marcus's son to bureaucratic supervision at Level Three was already signed. Marcus expressed paternal relief, considering that Level Three offered superior safety and standard of living compared to the risk of working with scrap.
Later, at 2:56 AM, a Crown Vic parked in a warehouse was disturbed by Charlie's desperate screams. The young man was kneeling before a giant safe, trying to start a V8 engine that refused to run. The atmosphere was heavy, with smells of mineral oil and sweat. Charlie worked exhausted, knowing he was alone, as Colin and others had already left.
While trying to restart the engine, a static crackle interrupted Charlie's work. Suddenly, the roar of a four-cylinder engine started echoing from a distant exhaust gallery. Driven by instinct, Charlie turned off the holographic camouflage and saw the yellow headlights of a Fiat invade the warehouse. He recognized the Coupe.
The Agent jumped out of the Coupe, grabbed Charlie, and forced him into the vehicle. Charlie resisted, claiming he had spent three years assembling that engine. The Agent, without ceremony, entered the driver's seat, and the Coupe shot away, leaving the Crown Victoria behind.
Upon reaching 03:00 AM, as the Coupe ascended a gravel area, a silent, bluish beam of light appeared in the sky. An interception drone hit the zinc roof of the warehouse, and the explosion of the V8 engine caused the shockwave to hit the Fiat. Charlie froze, watching his three years of work turn into a crater.
Inside the Coupe, Charlie confronted the Agent, asking where he was being taken. The Agent clarified that he was not arresting him, but rather getting him off the drone route. When pressed, Charlie revealed that Colin intended to gather the group in the recess of Hidden Valley, waiting for police activity to decrease to begin the escape.
