Thunder Craft : Weaponized Chaos

Chapter 12: Dex's Dilemma

The sun dipped low on the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple as Thunder and I made our way back to the workshop. My mind was still racing from our earlier encounter, but I could feel a different kind of energy buzzing in the air. Something was brewing—not just in terms of our mission but also in how I felt about Thunder.

"Hey, you alright?" Thunder asked, glancing sideways at me.

"Yeah, just thinking about... everything," I replied, trying to shake off the thoughts swirling in my head. "What's next for us?"

"We should check in with Dex. He's been working on something new," he said, and I could see a flicker of excitement in his eyes.

As we approached the workshop, I could hear the familiar whirring and clanking of machinery. Dex was in his element, surrounded by parts, wires, and holographic displays.

"Thunder! Beta! You're just in time!" Dex exclaimed, barely looking up from a complicated schematic projected in front of him. "Check this out!"

We stepped closer to get a better look. The hologram revealed a blueprint for a compact surveillance system that Dex was designing.

"It's a multi-layer security camera setup," he explained, finally turning to face us. "Each camera can rotate 360 degrees and has motion detection, facial recognition, and thermal imaging. If anything moves, it alerts me."

"Nice! But why do you need it?" Thunder asked, a teasing smirk on his face.

"Because, genius, I want to make sure we're safe," Dex shot back, rolling his eyes. "You know how many Roches could be lurking around?"

"Fair point. Can it be integrated with the Gago-suit?" I asked, genuinely impressed.

"Absolutely! I can set it up to feed data directly to your HUD," he said, the gears in his mind clearly turning. "But I'll need some help. This system is a bit complex. I'll handle the programming, but I need you two to help with the installations."

"Count us in!" Thunder said, his enthusiasm infectious.

As we set to work, I couldn't help but admire Dex's skill. He moved with precision, assembling components as if he was piecing together a puzzle only he could see. Each click of a connector seemed to resonate with confidence, and it was clear he was in his zone.

"Okay, I'm almost done with the mainframe," he said, eyes glimmering with excitement. "But I'll need you both to go out and set the cameras in strategic locations. I can map it all out here."

"Got it! Thunder, let's head out!" I said, trying to mask my eagerness as I followed him outside.

"Right! We'll cover the perimeter of the workshop," Thunder confirmed, already moving toward the treeline.

As we walked, I felt a surge of energy, not just from the mission ahead but also from the closeness of Thunder. It was hard to ignore the way his laughter made my stomach flutter, but I quickly pushed those thoughts aside. We had work to do.

We spent the next hour setting up cameras in strategic locations, Thunder expertly climbing trees while I worked at ground level. "You know," he called down, "Dex really knows how to make things interesting."

"Definitely," I shouted back, adjusting a camera to get the perfect angle. "I can't believe how quickly he puts things together. It's like he's got a plan for everything!"

As we finished up, Thunder hopped down from the tree. "What's next, coach?" he asked, a playful grin on his face.

I felt a blush creep into my cheeks. "Let's head back and check on Dex. He'll need us to help run the initial tests."

As we made our way back, I couldn't shake the feeling of excitement and something more lingering between us. Was it just adrenaline from the mission, or was there something deeper? I had to focus on the task at hand.

Back in the workshop, Dex had a series of holographic screens showing the camera feeds. "Alright, time for the fun part! Let's see if these babies work!"

He pressed a few buttons, and the screens flickered to life, displaying different angles of our surroundings. "Now, I'll simulate a breach. Just watch how quickly it reacts."

The cameras shifted and zoomed in, tracking an imaginary intruder as Dex ran his simulation. "There! The thermal imaging just locked onto a target. If this were real, it would trigger the alarms."

"Impressive!" Thunder said, nodding in approval.

"Thanks! I'll have the final version ready in no time," Dex said, his eyes gleaming with ambition. "But we'll need to test them out in the field. I'll set up a mock security breach tomorrow."

"Count us in," Thunder replied, his determination evident.

As we discussed the plan, I couldn't help but admire Dex's brilliance. With his intellect, he was a cornerstone of our team, always thinking several steps ahead.

And as I looked at Thunder, I realized we had a solid trio—each of us bringing something unique to the table. I just hoped I could figure out how to express what I was feeling before the moment passed.

"Alright, team, let's gear up for tomorrow!" Dex said, bringing me back to reality.

"Ready when you are," I replied, a mix of excitement and nerves fluttering in my stomach. Whatever came next, I was ready to face it—with Thunder and Dex by my side.