Operation: Zodiac

Chapter 6

Virgo Pov: 

The steady hum of the transport's engines reverberated through the cabin as we sped through the darkness toward Zurich. The faint glow of the holographic map hovering over the table was the only light, casting long shadows across the sharp angles of everyone's faces. I sat at the head of the table, my tablet in hand, scrolling through the mission brief for what felt like the hundredth time. No matter how many times I reviewed it, the weight of what we were about to do didn't ease.

Zurich wasn't just another Solstice facility. It was their stronghold in Europe—the nerve center of their operations on the continent. If we pulled this off, we'd gain access to the kind of intel that could turn the tide in this fight. If we failed...

I glanced up, my eyes sweeping over the team. Aries sat directly across from me, his expression as serious as ever as he methodically checked his gear. Scorpio leaned against the far wall, looking completely at ease, her fingers idly spinning the hilt of a knife. Leo sat to my left, her energy practically vibrating as she tapped her fingers against the table in a steady rhythm. She had gotten back early from her personal mission and was NOT going to be left out. 

"Leo, if you're that antsy, you should double-check your equipment," I said, breaking the silence.

She flashed me a grin, her vibrant confidence shining even in the dim cabin. "I've checked it twice already, Virgo. Don't worry—everything's locked and loaded."

"Then maybe stop acting like you've had five espressos," Scorpio muttered, though her tone lacked any real bite.

"Let her burn off the energy now," Aries said without looking up from his rifle. "She'll need it later."

Leo smirked. "You guys are no fun."

I leaned forward, resting my forearms on the table. "This isn't about fun, Leo. Zurich isn't just another op. It's their stronghold. They're going to hit back hard, and we can't afford any mistakes."

Her grin faded slightly, replaced by something more serious. "I know, Virgo. I'll be ready."

"Good," I said, turning back to the map.

The mission plan was as precise as we could make it, given the limited intel. Zurich's facility was massive, a sprawling complex divided into three key sectors:

Research and Development in the west wing, where Solstice's experimental tech was being developed.Logistics in the east wing, the backbone of their supply chain and operations.The Operations Center, the heart of the facility, where encrypted communications and sensitive data were stored.

Aries would lead the team targeting R&D, ensuring their experimental projects were shut down permanently. Scorpio and Leo were tasked with causing maximum disruption in logistics, planting charges and severing supply lines. I would infiltrate the operations center to extract intel from Solstice's central database.

It was a straightforward plan on paper, but execution was another matter.

"We've got a lot of moving pieces," Aries said, his voice breaking into my thoughts. "You sure about splitting up like this?"

"It's the only way," I replied. "If we hit all three sectors at once, we maximize the damage and give them less time to react."

"And if something goes wrong?" Scorpio asked, her tone calm but pointed.

"Then we adapt," I said firmly.

The transport landed just outside the facility under cover of night. The floodlights illuminating the perimeter cast long shadows across the forested terrain, and the faint buzz of patrolling drones echoed in the distance.