Chapter 73: The Trojan Horse

Back in Spider’s lair, he connected the computer to the port at the back of Max’s head. After decoding, the streaming lines of code across the screen made Spider chuckle with growing excitement.

“Ha! Max, do you know what this is? This is Elysium’s reboot protocol. Someone’s plotting rebellion—this is our chance, brother, this is our payday! Imagine it, everyone gets access to the med pods, everyone survives!”

“You too,” Max replied.

“No, I just want my body fixed. Take me up there!” Max insisted.

“No can do. The sky shield’s locked down. We can’t do anything,” Spider said.

Max glanced at the screen beside him, seeing the locked status, and believed it. Frustrated, he asked, “So when can we go up?”

“Well, hard to say. Could be five days, maybe a week.”

Five days? Max immediately protested, “Five days? In three days I’ll be dead!”

“Calm down, brother, there’s always a way. Boss Wang and his crew must have a way too.” Only then did Spider recall that this program was meant for Wang Jing.

He glanced at Alice, who met his gaze with icy contempt. “We paid for this.”

“Fuck,” Spider swore, tempted to lash out, but recalling her boss’s reputation, he reconsidered.

“Of course, Spider keeps his word. But you must guarantee my brother comes back safe!” He patted Max on the back, surreptitiously attaching a tracker.

Alice noticed Spider’s maneuver but didn’t stop him; according to plan, Spider’s crew would draw the Elysium guards’ attention, serving as cannon fodder.

Leaving Spider’s territory with Max, they soon spotted a reconnaissance drone drifting through space. Alice made a rude gesture toward it, then the two waited on the spot for Kruger’s arrival.

Soon, Kruger landed in his new spaceship. Max and Alice coordinated: one held a grenade with the pin pulled, the other aimed a gun at Max’s head.

Inside the ship, Kruger donned heavy body armor with his men’s help, then stepped out.

“Don’t come closer, or I’ll blow my head off,” Max threatened.

“Alright, no problem!” Kruger nodded at Max and Alice.

“Listen, I’ll give you what’s in my head, but you must take me up, get me to a med pod. What’s in here is important!”

Kruger hesitated, then nodded, “Alright, no problem. I’ll take you up and get you fixed. The climate’s perfect, fresh air, delicious food.”

He warmly invited them aboard. “Come on, meet my crew.”

“Don’t be shy, I won’t bite. Let me introduce you: this is Rick, and this is Crow.”

“Hey gorgeous!” Rick, standing at the hatch, winked at Alice.

“Yes, the target is secured. Open the sky shield, requesting entry!” Kruger reported to Dract in Elysium.

As he spoke, the ship lifted off, heading toward Elysium in orbit.

“Nineteen minutes—see you then!” Dract ended the transmission and directed the staff, “Lift the no-fly zone!”

The moment the restriction was lifted, Spider got the news. “Connection made—what’s going on?”

“Marcello, is it connected?”

“Yes, boss, it’s connected!” Marcello replied.

“Found him yet?” Spider hobbled over on his cane.

“He’s leaving Earth, heading for Elysium!” Marcello answered.

“Manuel, Rico, grab your gear—let’s go!” Spider led his crew onto their ship, bound for Elysium.

On Kruger’s vessel, Kruger and his two men closed in, trying to get friendly.

“Hey beauty, what’s your name? Haven’t we met?” Kruger sidled up to Alice.

Alice pressed her gun to Kruger’s groin, coldly, “Say one more word and I’ll blow your little friend off.”

Kruger, unfazed by the threat, placed his hands on his hips and teased her.

Rick, meanwhile, sat beside Max, pointing to the grenade in his hand. “Bro, you’re holding a G-19 grenade.”

Max, wary, brandished the grenade, “Back off, fucker! Don’t come closer, back off!”

“Or what?” Rick stepped back, taunting.

“Or I’ll let go.”

“So what, you dare let go?”

At that moment, the ship entered Elysium’s atmosphere, jolting violently. Rick seized the chance, grabbing the grenade from Max.

Alice’s attention was drawn by the commotion, and Kruger seized the opportunity, grabbing her gun and pushing it downward. A bullet, accelerated to three times the speed of sound, barely missed Kruger’s groin, piercing the hull and leaving a small hole.

Though not directly hit, the searing pain twisted Kruger’s face in agony.

Kruger, about to punch Alice, found his hand frozen mid-air, unable to move. He looked up to see Alice smirking with mockery.

Seeing her smile, Kruger sensed trouble. The next instant, Alice head-butted him, sending his mind spinning.

Then came the familiar crack of bone. Agonizing pain shot through Kruger’s hands, snapping him back to reality.

He screamed aloud from the pain.

Rick turned his head at the cry; Max seized the moment, head-butting Rick and shattering his headset with his helmet.

Fortunately for Rick, the headset took the brunt—without it, his skull might have caved in.

Alice raised her gun and fired, the bullet tearing through Kruger’s skull and continuing through the hull.

With Kruger down, Max, aided by his armor, dispatched Rick.

Crow, hearing the commotion, reached for the control center, but Alice pressed her gun to his head, voice thick with menace, “Make a sound and I’ll blow your brains out!”

Crow raised his hands to show he meant no harm.

Alice ripped the comm headset from Crow’s head and ordered, “Take us to Elysium’s control center!”

“Yes, yes, no problem! Right away!” Crow answered hurriedly, terrified he’d be killed if he delayed a moment longer.