The City Of Cenopolis

Chapter 7: The Nexus Event Heist

The city lights blurred past the car windows as Luke and Eli headed home, the conversation from the coffee shop lingering in the air. Eli couldn’t shake his discomfort about Alana. Her casual mention of the Nexus event had felt like more than just small talk. His mind spun with questions, but none of them led to answers he liked.

“What’s with this woman?” Eli muttered, staring out the window. “She just shows up out of nowhere, talking about Nexus like it’s no big deal.”

Luke shrugged from the driver’s seat. “I don’t know, man. She’s just a person. People can see through Nexus’s facade. It’s not that hidden.”

Eli shook his head, his frustration growing. “Yeah, but who talks like that? With us? Why us? None of it makes any sense.”

Luke chuckled. “You’re overthinking it. She’s probably just pissed off at Nexus, like half the city. It’s not that unusual.”

Eli turned, frowning. “Luke, she shows up, spills coffee, then starts talking about nexus like it’s small talk, a casual conversation. Nobody does that! Doesn’t that bother you?”

Luke was quiet for a moment before shrugging. “Not really. We were already looking into Nexus, man. She just pointed us in the right direction.”

Eli sat back, letting the conversation drop. He still couldn’t shake the feeling that Alana was involved in something bigger, but Luke wasn’t ready to listen. And besides, they had bigger problems to deal with—like figuring out what to do about this upcoming Nexus event.

---

The next few days were a whirlwind of preparation. Luke and Eli dug into the event details, scouring for any vulnerabilities they could exploit. Nexus was unveiling a new neural enhancement device, and their goal was to steal the prototype being held at the event.

They went over their plan meticulously, accounting for every possible scenario. They would blend in with the crowd, find a way to get to the back room where the prototype would be stored, and steal it. Simple in theory, but they both knew Nexus wouldn’t make it easy.

“We get in, find the prototype, and get out,” Luke said, leaning over the table covered in maps and notes. “Quick and clean.”

Eli nodded, though his mind was still racing. “And if something goes wrong?”

Luke smirked. “It won’t.”

Eli wasn’t as confident, but he didn’t say anything. He knew better than to push Luke when he was in heist mode. For now, they had to focus on the task ahead.

---

The night of the event arrived faster than Eli expected. They drove in silence, the weight of what they were about to do settling over them. The streets were busy with traffic, the city alive with the usual hum of Cenopolis nightlife.

Eli glanced over at Luke. “This still feel like a good idea to you?”

Luke smirked. “We’ve done worse.”

Eli snorted, shaking his head. “That’s not comforting.”

As they neared the venue, Luke’s expression grew more serious. “Stick to the plan. We get in, find the prototype, and get out. No improvising.”

Eli nodded, though his nerves were starting to get the better of him. His thoughts flickered to Alana again, to her sudden involvement in their world. He still didn’t trust her. But now wasn’t the time to worry about that.

They parked a few blocks away and made their way toward the event, blending into the crowd as they approached the sleek Nexus building.

---

The Nexus event was every bit as grand as they had anticipated. The building was packed with guests, all eager to see the latest tech from the corporation that ruled their lives. Luke and Eli slipped in easily, their nondescript attire helping them blend into the sea of attendees.

Eli’s eyes darted around, taking in the security guards posted near the exits, the surveillance cameras tucked into corners. They had planned for this, but still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was going to go wrong.

“There,” Luke muttered, nodding toward a man in a Nexus uniform, carrying a briefcase toward a set of double doors in the back.

“That must be the prototype,” Eli said.

They followed at a safe distance, watching as the man disappeared through the doors. When they reached the back, Eli tried the handle, but as expected, it was locked.

“Now what?” Eli whispered.

Luke glanced around, his eyes searching for another way in. But before either of them could move, they heard a soft beep. The door clicked open.

“What the fuck?” Eli breathed, turning to see a familiar figure, her back turned to them as she tapped her security card against the reader. Alana stood there, her shoulders tense, nervously glancing over her shoulder. She didn’t say a word. Without even looking at them, she walked away quickly, disappearing into the crowd.

Luke and Eli exchanged stunned glances.

“Was that Alana?” Luke asked, his voice low.

Eli’s jaw tightened. “Yeah… what the hell is she doing?”

Luke shook his head, already moving toward the open door. “I don’t know, but we’ve got to move. Let’s go.”

Eli followed, his mind racing. Why did she have access? And why was she helping them? None of this made sense, but there was no time to dwell on it now.

---

The back room was quiet, sterile, and filled with equipment. They quickly scanned the area, searching for the prototype—but it wasn’t there. Instead, their eyes locked onto the blueprints sitting on a counter.

“There,” Luke said, moving swiftly.

They reached the blueprints, confirming that it was exactly what they needed—schematics for the new neural enhancement device Nexus was about to unveil. The prototype was nowhere to be found, but these blueprints would be just as valuable. Luke grabbed the documents, rolling them up and stuffing them into his bag.

“Let’s get out of here,” Eli whispered, already heading for the door.

Luke nodded, and they slipped out of the room, blending back into the crowd without drawing any attention.

---

As they walked down the darkened streets, putting distance between themselves and the Nexus event, Eli couldn’t stay quiet any longer.

“Luke, that was her,” Eli said, his voice tight. “Alana opened that door. Why does she have access to a secure Nexus room?”

Luke frowned, finally starting to acknowledge what Eli had been saying all along. “Yeah… I didn’t expect that. I don’t know why she’d have access.”

Eli shook his head, his frustration building. “We’re being played, Luke. This isn’t a coincidence.”

Luke sighed but kept his tone calm. “Maybe you’re right. It was weird. But look, Eli, we got what we came for. We’ve got the blueprints—this is huge. Let’s focus on that for now.”

Eli didn’t respond, his mind still churning with suspicion. They had the blueprints, but at what cost? Alana’s involvement was becoming more and more unsettling, and Eli wasn’t sure how much longer they could trust her—or if they ever should have in the first place.

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