Swarms of ship personnel and security guards scrambled toward The Ballistics Proving Grounds in a frantic rush.
Jerrick stood perfectly still, watching the chaotic exodus.
His gray-blue eyes darkened slightly.
Joker's little phone call...
The timing had been surgically precise.
A second earlier, and the guards wouldn't have dropped their guard.
A second later, and his team might not have secured access to the backstage and the elevator zone so effortlessly.
The Panacea really didn't ally herself with dead weight.
The synchronization was flawless.
It certainly saved him a lot of trouble.
A faint smirk ghosted across Jerrick's lips beneath the mask as he raised a hand, signaling his men.
His mercenaries fell into step immediately.
They advanced swiftly toward their predetermined targets.
Within moments, The Logistics Spine and every critical choke point surrounding the elevator had been silently and aggressively secured.
Meanwhile.
Serena had finished rewriting the last of The Apex Bio-Transfer Pod's external clearances.
She slid Obsidian Sun's keycard back into the card reader.
[Internal Specialized Transit Clearance: Active.]
[Cargo Serial Number: Verified.]
[Logistics Route: Online.]
A sharp chime rang out.
Beneath the pod, the Maglev Logistics Sled hummed to life.
The massive container glided smoothly along the digital tracks Obsidian Sun had so graciously laid, heading straight for the cargo transit elevator.
Every security blast door along the way flashed green and parted before them.
Not a single guard stepped out to intercept them.
Watching the glowing green route on the monitor, Serena's smile widened.
Obsidian Sun really had broken their backs over Specimen Fourteen.
Serena's lips curled. She wasn't surprised in the slightest.
After all...
She was well aware of Fenris's capabilities.
Waiting for her on the other side of the threshold was Fenris, flanked by his elite squad.
The ship's security detail was completely absent from the elevator zone.
That was exactly why it had been smooth sailing.
Upon seeing her, Jerrick didn't speak. He simply glanced at the glowing green clearance tag on the pod's exterior and raised a hand to his men.
The mercenaries guarding the perimeter fell back, clearing a direct line to the elevator.
Serena stepped forward, pressing her keycard against the final scanner.
[Clearance Verified.]
[Cargo Ascent Protocol Initiated.]
[Transferring Cargo to Stage.]
The Apex Bio-Transfer Pod glided effortlessly into The Grand Stage Elevator, officially entering the final auction sequence.

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