Kill Order: The Delta Project

Part 1, Chapter 9: The Box

8:45 AM.

"Everything looks good here. Your shoulder's healing right on schedule," Nurse Harding said as she moved the scanner methodically across Mia's skull, her expression focused but friendly. "Just a bit of inflammation at the injury site, but nothing that should affect your performance in the field."

Mia remained motionless during the assessment. Standard protocol for medical evaluation. She monitored her own vital signs simultaneously. Pulse: 52 BPM. Respiration: 14 breaths per minute. Blood pressure: 110/68. Optimal operational parameters.

"Let's run through the cognitive latency test," Harding instructed, activating the neural response monitor with a practiced tap of her finger.

A series of images flashed on the screen before Mia. Weapons. Tactical scenarios. Threat assessments. Her eyes tracked each with mechanical precision. Her neural response times registered on Harding's display: 0.23 seconds. 0.21 seconds. 0.19 seconds.

Harding nodded approvingly. "Your response times are excellent. Right where they should be."

As the scanner passed over the base of Mia's skull, Harding paused, her brow furrowing slightly. She adjusted the settings, focusing on the area of the surgical scar.

"That's odd. I'm seeing some unusual tissue structure where your skull meets your spine," Harding said, her tone shifting to professional curiosity. "Was this in your previous medical records?"

"Negative," Mia responded. "The anomaly was discovered approximately nine hours ago. Director Renwick has been informed."

Harding studied the scan results, tilting her head slightly. "It looks like surgical work. Completely healed over. If I had to guess, I'd say it's at least 15-20 years old."

"Can you determine the purpose of the implantation?" Mia asked.

"Not without digging in there, which I definitely don't recommend," Harding said with a small smile as she completed the scan. "Whatever it is, it's not interfering with your neural function. You're good to go for today's operation."

Mia processed this information as she rose from the examination table. The surgical scar represented a statistical impossibility. No record existed of such a procedure in her medical history. The correlation with Jace's identical scar defied random probability.

"Agent Foreman has the same thing." she stated.

"Correct," Harding confirmed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Similar placement, similar age. Director Renwick reviewed both scans personally and cleared you both for the mission."

Mia exited the medical facility precisely on schedule. Jace waited in the preparation area, equipment already arranged according to mission parameters.

"Medical status?" he asked as she approached.

"Cleared for deployment. Shoulder functionality at 94.6% efficiency." She began methodically checking her equipment. "Neural scans detected the surgical anomaly but found no operational impact."

"Identical results from my assessment," Jace confirmed. "Departure in 17 minutes."

They completed their preparations in synchronized efficiency. The Delta Protocol anomaly had been filed as a secondary investigation. The Mexico operation took priority.

16:28 Local Time. Distrito Libertad, Ciudad Juárez.

Heat radiated from the concrete and corrugated metal structures. 39.7 degrees Celsius. Humidity: 27%. Jace calculated fluid replacement requirements automatically as they maintained surveillance from separate positions.