The digital landscape shimmered on Devon's screen. Nodes blinked, encrypted traffic scrolled, and satellite paths overlapped in real time. At the heart of it all pulsed Skynet a masterpiece of code that only he understood. To his crew, it was simply "the Network." To the world, it didn't exist.
"Target located," Raven reported. "Cipher's on a private G700, en route to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Military airspace. She's meeting a buyer General Faisal Rahmani."
Devon's eyes narrowed. "Middle Eastern arms dealer. Obsessed with next-gen drone warfare."
"She's selling him the AI," Raven said grimly. "He'll use it to enhance target acquisition, autonomous strikes everything."
"Then we intercept the deal before it lands," Devon replied.
Logan smirked. "You mean mid-air?"
Devon nodded once. "Exactly that."
C-17 Gunship, Over the Red Sea – 30 Minutes Later
The hum of engines echoed through the cargo bay. Devon and his team suited up: Raven checked her smart rifle, Lacy adjusted her helmet visor, and Logan loaded EMP rounds.
"We're flying dark. No transponder. No trail," Devon briefed. "We breach mid-air, extract Cipher, and recover the AI. In and out."
"Think she's expecting us?" Lacy asked.
"She's always paranoid," Devon said. "But she doesn't know what we're using to track her."
The ramp lowered. One by one, they jumped.
Mid-Air — Cipher's Jet
Cipher lounged in luxury, sipping wine while her team manned the cockpit. The AI case was at her side, tightly sealed, encrypted with twenty-layer biometric locks. Her tablet projected code finalizing the sale to Rahmani. The funds were already moving.
She frowned slightly. Something felt… off.
Then the rear fuselage tore open.
Explosive bolts blew a clean hole in the jet. The cabin depressurized instantly. Cipher's guards were flung into chaos.
Devon came through first, calm and controlled, mask on.
Cipher's eyes widened but only in surprise. She hadn't seen this coming.
She grabbed a pistol, firing wildly. Devon dodged, closing the distance and knocking her aside. Lacy and Logan followed, neutralizing her guards in seconds.
Cipher reached for the AI case.
Devon stepped on her hand and ripped it free. "It's over."
Cipher gritted her teeth as he jabbed a shock patch onto her neck. She slumped unconscious.
Desert Landing Zone — Saudi Border
Cipher awoke in a makeshift bunker, her wrists bound to a steel chair. Raven stood silently at the door, rifle in hand. Logan cleaned his weapon. Lacy monitored sensors. Devon sat across from her.
"You're up," he said calmly.
Cipher stared. "You're fast."
"And quiet," he added. "What was the plan? Deliver AI to Rahmani and start World War 3?"
"It was business. He pays. I provide."
"You think small," Devon replied. "You want power. I want control."
Cipher smirked. "Big words. But you don't understand the scale."
Devon's voice lowered. "I understand more than you think."
She squinted at him, reading his face. "You used something to find me. A network? A tracker? What was it?"
Devon said nothing.
Cipher's expression twisted. "You built something. Something… new."
Still, Devon didn't respond.
Lacy finally broke the silence. "We're not telling you a damn thing."
Cipher's smirk vanished. "I'll find out. You know I will."
"No," Devon said. "You won't."
Moments Later — Sudden Breach
The wall behind them detonated in a controlled blast. Smoke filled the room. IMF agents stormed in Ethan Hunt at the front.
Devon signalled his crew to stand down.
Ethan spotted Cipher first, bound and dazed.
"Looks like you got here first," Ethan said, surprised.
Devon walked up, holding the AI case. "She's all yours. But this stays with us."
Ethan glanced at the case but didn't challenge it. "You planning to weaponize it?"
"No. I'm planning to stop those who will."
Ethan nodded. "Then we'll be watching."
"I'm counting on it," Devon replied.
They vanished through a smoke trail moments later.
Unknown Location — Secure Base
Devon and the team returned to their hidden facility. Raven was recovering in the med lab, bandaged and stable. Lacy and Logan were decompressing after the high-risk mission.
In the command room, Devon opened the AI case and connected it to Skynet's neural core.
SYSTEM UPDATEStatus: Integration CompleteModules Unlocked:— Tactical Battlefield Prediction— Autonomous Signal Jamming— Deep Satellite Override
Raven walked in slowly. "It's alive now… isn't it?"
Devon nodded. "It's more than that. It's aware. But loyal."
"To us?" she asked.
"To the mission," Devon replied.
He turned toward the vault screen.
Only he knew where Skynet truly came from.Only he knew the source of the system that chose him.And only he would decide what came next.
In a dark prison cell in an undisclosed country, Cipher stared at the cracked ceiling.
"I don't know what you're hiding," she whispered. "But I'll find out. And when I do… I'll burn it all down."