The Presidential Plaza was packed. Thousands of people filled the space, all eyes turned toward the massive stage where President Ruiz would deliver his Independence Day address.
Giant screens flanked the stage, showing close-ups of the preparations. Media crews positioned their cameras. Security personnel lined the perimeter. The energy in the crowd was electric.
Alex stood at the edge of the plaza, far enough from the main crowd to avoid attention but close enough to see everything. He wore a simple black jacket, a cap pulled low over his face. Just another citizen celebrating Independence Day.
Sienna's voice came through the earpiece he wore. "I'm in position. Maintenance terminal accessed. Uploading now."
"How long?"
"Three minutes for the upload. Then another two to verify the integration. So five minutes total if everything goes perfectly."
"And if it doesn't go perfectly?"
"Then we find out how painful getting shot by presidential security actually is."
