Morrigan: Year 3101.

Aris swiveled in his chair, facing Kazuo and Siobhàn as they adjusted their fake uniforms. His fingers tapped a rhythmic beat on the armrest, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.

"Alright, kiddos. Time for Infiltration 101." He gestured to the holographic display hovering above his desk. "La Défense ain't your grandma's cookie jar. This place is locked up tighter than a nun's p—"

"We get it," Siobhàn cut in, rolling her eyes. "Skip the colorful metaphors and get to the point."

"Fine, fine. Spoilsport. Here's the deal: You're going in through the service entrance on sublevel B3. It's guarded by two augmented humans - nasty fuckers with more silicon than sense."

Kazuo frowned, adjusting the collar of his uniform. "How do we get past them?"

"With these," Aris tossed two small devices their way. "EMP grenades. One zap, and those walking toasters'll be out cold. Just don't fry yourselves in the process."

Morrigan, lounging at the back, spoke up. "And once they're inside?"

Aris zoomed in on a maze of tunnels. "That's where the fun begins. You'll need to navigate through the maintenance shafts. They're crawling with AI drones and mechs. One wrong move, and you're swiss cheese."

Siobhàn studied the layout. "What about the server room? How do we access it?"

"Ah, the million-euro question," Aris's grin widened as he pulled up a 3D model of a high-security door. "This beauty's got more layers than a fucking onion. Biometrics, neural interfaces, the works. But..." He held up a small, iridescent card. "This little bastard'll get you through."

Kazuo took the card, turning it over in his hands. "What is it?"

"A skeleton key for the digital age. It'll spoof any ID in the system. Just don't lose it, or we're all fucked six ways to Sunday."

"And what about the sentient AI guards?" Morrigan asked. "They're not so easily fooled."

"Yeah, those are the real wildcards. Can't hack 'em, can't predict 'em. Best bet is to avoid 'em like the plague."

Siobhàn crossed her arms. "This all sounds great on paper. But what if shit hits the fan? What's our exit strategy?"

"That's where it gets interesting. See those tunnels on level C4?" He pointed to a series of winding passages on the display. "They lead to an old metro station. It's been abandoned for decades, but I've got a surprise waiting for you there."

Kazuo raised an eyebrow. "What kind of surprise?"

"Let's just say it's fast, it's loud, and it'll get you the fuck out of dodge before anyone knows what hit 'em."

Morrigan straightened. "This is a high-risk operation. If anything goes wrong—"

"Yeah, yeah, we're all royally screwed. I got it." Aris waved her off. "But hey, no risk, no reward, right?"

Kazuo and Siobhàn exchanged glances.

"Any more questions?" Aris asked, his fingers hovering over the holographic controls.

Kazuo cleared his throat. "Yeah, just one. How the hell did you get all this intel?"

"Trade secret, my friend. Let's just say I've got friends in low places and enemies in high ones. Now, are you ready to raise some hell?"

Siobhàn cracked her knuckles. "Born ready, you smug bastard."

As they prepared to leave, Morrigan's voice cut through the tension. "Remember, both of you. Be careful, be smart, and for fuck's sake, come back alive."

"We will," Kazuo said. "And when we do, Minister Lefebvre won't know what hit him."

Kazuo and Siobhan trailed after Morrigan as they went through the underground parking garage.

"Shotgun," Siobhan called, quickening her pace.

Kazuo snorted. "Real mature."

"Bite me, newbie."

Morrigan's voice cut through their banter like a knife. "Children, behave. Or I'll make you both sit in the back."

They reached a matte black hover-car. Its doors slid open with a soft hiss, revealing an interior that screamed 'expensive' and 'don't fuck with me' in equal measure.

As they settled in, Morrigan's hands went over the controls before the engine purred to life with a low thrum that vibrated through their bones.

"Seatbelts," she ordered as she flicked to the rearview mirror.

Kazuo clicked his into place, feeling like a kid on his first day of school. "Yes, mom."

Siobhan snickered, but her amusement was short-lived as Morrigan accelerated, plastering them both to their seats.

The car shot out of the garage and into the drenched streets of Paris. Holographic advertisements flickered past, painting the interior in a kaleidoscope of colors.

"Alright," Kazuo said, pulling out his smartphone. "Let's go over the plan one more time."

Siobhan groaned. "Again? Christ on a cracker, we've been over this."

"And we'll go over it a million and one. I'm not risking our asses because you forgot a detail."

Morrigan's lips twitched. "Humor him, Siobhan. It'll make the ride go faster."

She rolled her eyes but didn't argue further. "Fine. We go in through the service entrance on... fuck, which level was it again?"

"Seriously?" Kazuo's eyebrows shot up. "It's sublevel B3. Come on, this is basic stuff."

"Hey, I've got centuries of shit rattling around in my brain. Some details get lost, alright?"

"Focus, both of you," Morrigan said. "What's next?"

"We use the EMP grenades on the augmented guards," Kazuo jumped in. "Then it's into the maintenance shafts."

"Right," Siobhan nodded, her earlier irritation fading as she slipped into mission mode. "We avoid the AI drones and mechs. One wrong move and we're toast."

"And the server room?" Morrigan prompted, smoothly maneuvering through the dense traffic.

Kazuo patted his pocket. "We use Aris's skeleton key to get in. Then we plug in the USB drive and—"

"Wait," Siobhan interjected. "What was that bit Aris said about the sentient AI guards?"

"You don't remember?" Kazuo asked.

"Would I be asking if I did?"

"This isn't a game, Siobhan. Lives are at stake," Morrigan said.

"I know that. It's just... there's a lot to remember, alright?"

Kazuo sighed. "Aris said we can't hack or predict them. Best to avoid them entirely."

"Right, right," Siobhan muttered. "Avoid the thinking toasters. Got it."

The car fell silent for a moment. Kazuo stared out the window, watching the city blur past.

"And the exit strategy?" Morrigan's voice broke the silence.

This time, Siobhan was quick to answer. "The tunnels on level C4. They lead to an abandoned metro station where Aris has a 'surprise' waiting."

Kazuo nodded. "Fast, loud, and guaranteed to get us out before anyone knows what hit them."

The car began to slow, pulling into a side street. "We're here. Remember, you're on your own once you're inside. Trust your instincts, trust each other, and for fuck's sake, don't do anything stupid."

Kazuo and Siobhan exchanged glances.

"Got it," both of them said in unison.

As they stepped out of the car, Morrigan's voice stopped them. "And Siobhan? Try not to forget anything else, hmm?"

She flipped her off with a grin. "Love you too, you old bat."

The car door closed with a soft click, leaving them alone.

Kazuo took a deep breath. "Ready?"

"Born ready, sunshine. Let's go raise some hell."

The stale air hit Kazuo like a slap to the face as they approached the service entrance with Siobhan walking beside him.

A guard, more machine than man, blocked their path. "ID," he grunted, voice distorted by his augmented vocal cords.

Kazuo fumbled for his fake credentials, acutely aware of the drones buzzing overhead and the hulking mechs patrolling the perimeter. "Fuck me, this place is a fortress," he thought. "One wrong move and we're screwed."

The guard's cybernetic eye whirred as he scanned their IDs. Kazuo held his breath, praying Aris's tech would hold up. After an agonizing moment, the guard nodded. "Proceed."

They walked past, Kazuo's legs feeling like jelly. The entrance loomed ahead like a gaping maw ready to swallow them whole.

A quadrupedal mech stomped up beside them with its scanner sweeping over their bodies. Kazuo's pulse skyrocketed.

"Easy," Siobhan muttered. "Keep walking. Don't look at it."

They pushed through the entrance, leaving the mech behind. The inside was a variance to the dirty exterior, with clean lines and sterile surfaces. Holographic screens lined the walls, displaying security footage and streams of data.

"Alright," Kazuo whispered. "We need to find the basement access."

They moved through the corridors, trying to look like they belonged. Kazuo glanced around, taking in every detail. Sentient AI guards stood at key points, their artificial eyes following their movements. Drones zipped by overhead with their sensors sweeping the area.

"There," Siobhan nodded towards a door marked 'Maintenance'. "That's our ticket down."

As they approached, an AI guard stepped into their path. "State your business," it demanded.

"Routine maintenance check," Kazuo blurted out. "We've got reports of power fluctuations on the lower levels."

The AI narrowed its sights, processing. "I have no record of scheduled maintenance."

"It's an emergency call," Siobhan jumped in. "Came in about an hour ago. You know how it is with these old systems - always acting up."

It paused, then nodded. "Proceed. But be advised, any unauthorized access will result in immediate termination."

"Understood," Kazuo said, trying to keep the relief out of his voice.

They slipped through, finding themselves in a narrow stairwell. The door hissed shut behind them, cutting off the sterile white of the corridor.

"Nice save," Kazuo said.

Siobhan smirked. "Not my first rodeo, sunshine. Now, let's find that basement before someone realizes we don't belong here."

They descended, the stairs seeming to go on forever. B1... B2...

Finally, they reached a door marked 'B3'.

"This is it. You ready?" Kazuo's hand hovered over the handle.

Siobhan nodded. "Let's do this."

Kazuo pushed the door open, revealing the heart of the beast—A vast expanse of servers, neatly arranged in rows. The machines hummed with palpable energy with their power barely being contained within their metal frames.

The real challenge was just beginning.

"Alright," Kazuo whispered. "Let's find what we came for and get the hell out of here."

Kazuo went between the rows of servers, searching for the right one.

"There," Siobhan whispered, pointing to a server with a blinking red light. "That's gotta be it."

Kazuo fished the USB drive from his pocket and approached the machine. Just as he was about to insert the drive, a voice cut through the silence like a foghorn.

"Hey! What the fuck are you two doing here?"

Kazuo whipped around and saw a portly man with thick glasses and curly hair stood at the end of the row, a half-eaten plate of spaghetti in his hands. Tomato sauce stained the front of his shirt.

"Uh, maintenance," he stammered. "We got reports of power fluctuations down here."

The IT guy squinted at them, slurping up a noodle. "Bullshit. You don't look like maintenance. Especially not her," he jerked his head towards Siobhan. "Since when do they send hot chicks to fix servers?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Excuse me? Can't 'hot chicks' be maintenance? You got a problem with women in tech, asshole?"

The IT guy took a step back, clearly not expecting the outburst, but Kazuo saw a chance. So he grabbed Siobhan's arm, pulling her aside.

"What the hell are you doing?" he hissed. "We need to distract him, not piss him off."

Siobhan glared at him. "I can't help it. That fat guy annoys me."

"I know, me too. But I got a plan."

"Plan? What is it?"

Kazuo sighed. "Look, I hate to ask this, but... can you flirt with him? Just for a few minutes. Enough time for me to get the data."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Siobhan's voice dripped with disgust. "That sweaty pasta monster? No way in hell."

"We don't have a choice," Kazuo pleaded. "It's either that or we blow the whole operation. Come on, it's just for a few minutes."

"Look, I'd rather be sacrificed in a satanic ritual and then eaten by maggots than talk to that pasta-stained slob."

"Come on, Siobhan. We're running out of options here."

"No fucking way. I'm not lowering myself to that level. Find another way."

"There is no other way," Kazuo hissed. "Ok, how about this, just... I don't know, bat your eyelashes or something."

"Bat my eyelashes? What century are you from? I'm not some damsel in a corset, you jackass."

"Fine, then just... talk to him. Distract him. Do whatever it takes that doesn't involve violence or magic."

"Oh, so now I can't even use magic? You're really pushing it."

The IT guy cleared his throat. "Uh, you two gonna keep arguing, or...?"

Kazuo shot Siobhan a pleading look. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. When she opened them, there was resignation mixed with the anger. "Fine. But you owe me big time for this. And I mean big."

They turned back to the IT guy, who was watching them with suspicion and marinara-stained lips.

Siobhan's demeanor changed instantly and sauntered towards him, a coy smile replacing her earlier scowl. "I'm so sorry about that," she purred. "It's just... I get a little defensive sometimes. You know how it is in this industry, right?"

The IT guy blinked, clearly thrown off by the sudden change. "Uh, yeah. I guess?"

"Of course you do," she leaned in closer. "A smart guy like you must have seen it all. Say, that pasta looks delicious. You wouldn't happen to have any more, would you? I'm absolutely famished."

As Siobhan worked her magic, Kazuo slipped back to the server and inserted the USB drive, praying the download would be quick.

"So," the IT guy's voice drifted over. "You really work in maintenance?"

"Oh, honey," Siobhan laughed, the sound grating to Kazuo's ears. "I can maintain all sorts of things. Why don't you tell me more about what you do here? I bet it's fascinating..."

Kazuo's eyes were glued to the progress bar on his phone, willing it to move faster. 60%... 70%... 80%...

"Well, actually," the IT guy began, his voice taking on a pompous tone. "I'm responsible for managing the entire server infrastructure. It's a pretty big deal..."

90%... 95%...

Kazuo held his breath. Come on, come on...

100%.

He yanked out the USB drive, shoving it deep into his pocket. "Hey, Siobhan!" he called out. "We're all done here. Time to move on to the next sector."

"Oh, is it that time already? I'm so sorry," she said to the IT guy, who looked crestfallen. "Duty calls, you know how it is. Thanks for the chat, it was... illuminating."

As they hurried towards the exit, the IT guy called after them. "Wait! I didn't get your number!"

"Huh? Number? Uhm...Next time!" Siobhan called back. "I promise."

The door closed behind them, cutting off the sound of humming servers and the IT guy's protests. They didn't stop moving until they were several floors up.

"I can't believe I just did that," Siobhan growled. "I feel like I need a shower. With bleach."

Kazuo patted his pocket. "Yeah, well, thanks to your Oscar-worthy performance, we got what we came for. Now let's get the hell out of here before pasta boy raises the alarm."