Lazarus Protocol

Chapter 11: Breaking into Chimera

The sleek, modernist facade of the Chimera Group's Frankfurt headquarters loomed before Alexander Kincaid, its mirrored windows reflecting the first light of dawn. He stood across the street, hidden in the shadows of an alleyway, his eyes scanning the building for any sign of weakness. Beside him, Jack Harper double-checked their gear, his movements precise and efficient.

"You sure about this, Alex?" Jack murmured, his voice barely audible over the soft hum of early morning traffic. "Once we're in, there's no turning back."

Alexander's jaw tightened. "We're out of options, Jack. If what Vittorio told us in Venice is true, Chimera's about to launch Project Prometheus. We need to find concrete evidence of their plans and shut them down before it's too late."

Jack nodded grimly. "And Sarah? What if we run into her?"

The mention of Sarah sent a pang through Alexander's chest. The memory of her standing on that Venetian dock, gun aimed at his heart, was still raw. "If we encounter Sarah, we treat her like any other Chimera operative. We can't afford to let personal feelings cloud our judgment. Not with so much at stake."

"Agreed," Jack replied, though Alexander could hear the doubt in his voice. "Let's go over the plan one more time."

Alexander pulled out a small tablet, bringing up a schematic of the Chimera building. "Our contact in building maintenance has disabled the security systems on the service entrance for exactly three minutes, starting at 0600. We enter through the loading dock, make our way to the 47th floor where their main data center is located. Dr. Petrova's virus should give us access to their systems long enough to download the files we need on Project Prometheus."

"And if things go sideways?" Jack asked, checking the magazine in his silenced pistol.

"Then we fight our way out and rendezvous at the safe house," Alexander said, his voice hard. "No matter what happens, Jack, that data has to make it out of there. The fate of millions depends on it."

Jack met his gaze, a look of fierce determination in his eyes. "Understood. Let's do this."

As they approached the service entrance, Alexander felt a familiar tension coiling in his gut. Despite his fragmented memories, his body remembered this feeling - the mix of fear and exhilaration that came with a high-stakes operation. He pushed the emotions aside, focusing on the task at hand.

The door opened silently at their approach, the disabled security system offering no resistance. They slipped inside, immediately blending into the shadows of the dimly lit loading area. Alexander's eyes darted around, taking in every detail. A lone security guard sat at a desk near the elevators, his attention focused on a small TV playing the morning news.

Alexander signaled to Jack, and they moved in perfect synchronization. Before the guard could react, Alexander had him in a chokehold while Jack disabled the silent alarm button beneath the desk. Within seconds, the guard was unconscious and hidden behind a stack of crates.

"Two minutes, thirty seconds," Jack whispered, glancing at his watch.

They made their way to the service elevator, Alexander's fingers flying over the keypad as he input the code provided by their inside man. The doors slid open with a soft ding, and they stepped inside.

As the elevator began its ascent, Alexander felt a pressure building behind his eyes. Another memory fragment, fighting to surface. He gripped the handrail, his knuckles turning white as images flashed through his mind.

He saw himself in this very elevator, but wearing a crisp suit instead of tactical gear. Sarah stood beside him, her hand resting lightly on his arm. "Remember, Alex," her voice echoed in his head, "once we're inside, you can't hesitate. No matter what you see or hear, you have to maintain your cover. The fate of the mission depends on it."