At that moment, the fifth-floor security door swung open, and about a dozen guards, armed to the teeth, stepped out. But little did they know, Mirabe had already flipped the switch on the infrared system, which was now firing away at the unsuspecting group.


    The two guards at the front weren''t expecting the infrared to kick back on, mistaking them for intruders. They didn''t stand a chance and got hit square on, blood sttering as wounds carved deep into their chests and legs like a hot knife through butter. Even their high-tech protective gear was useless.


    The rest of the guards quickly scrambled back, retreating behind the safety door. The team leader, seeing his men down, scowled and quickly turned his focus down the corridor. He pressed his earpiece and barked orders to the control room, "Shut down the infrared and cut the power to the fifth floor!"


    The control room folks got on it, hustling to the electrical room. Once the power was down, anyone inside would have no chance of slipping through their grasp.


    Meanwhile, outside the research institute, As was waiting anxiously. When the building suddenly lit up like a Christmas tree, with rms ring, his heart skipped a beat.


    "Mr. Nick''s been found out," muttered a tech guy next to him, his voice tight with worry. "What are we gonna do?"


    The institute was a maze, and its security was top-notch, the kind you''d find in an international espionage thriller. If they got caught, getting out would be near impossible.


    As clenched his fists, his mind racing. Mr. Nick was like a young master to them, and the thought of something happening to him was unthinkable.


    "You stay put," As said, his mind made up. "I''m taking some guys to check out the institute. They''re all busy chasing Mr. Nick right now, so we should be able to slip in."


    The techie, clutching hisptop, nodded, "Be careful."


    "Will do."


    As hopped out of the car, signaling his team through his earpiece to move in. Inside the institute, the power to the fifth floor was cut swiftly. The infrared system went dead, and the surveince screens blinked to ck.


    Mirabe watched the screen, now missing the fifth-floor feed, her fingers frozen over the keyboard. She nced at the clock. One minute had passed, and she had no clue how Nick was doing.


    One minute to dart from the main building to the next, while risking a nasty fall, was no less perilous than those infrared beams. With at least a ten-meter gap between the buildings, it would take a good two or three minutes to make the climb.


    Mirabe, usually calm andposed, was now all business. She kept her breathing steady, listening intently for any rustle or whisper in her earpiece.


    She didn''t utter a word-talking now would just be a distraction. All she could do was sit tight and wait, unable to lend a hand in any other way.


    Nick, meanwhile, was making progress, about halfway there, with a third still to go before reaching the other building. Even when he got there, he''d need to cut through the ss to get inside.


    Back at the door, the guards, now without the infrared to worry about, flicked on their shlights and started moving quickly down the corridor.