Chapter 208
Instantly, the wall of screens came alive. Cascades of data streams, fluid dynamics simulations, and intricate three-dimensional wireframes flooded the monitors, bathing the dim lab in cool blue light.
Arland, who had been reviewing files at his desk, stood and walked over to stand behind her. He watched the rotating model on the central screen, his eyes widening.
“Is this the prototype for the Phoenix-X7?” he asked, his voice hushed.
Isolde nodded, her gaze fixed on the screen. “Yes. What Belle stole from the safe was just the shell — the exterior design and the first-layer architecture. It looks impressive, but it’s hollow.” She tapped a key, and the three-dimensional model peeled away its outer layers, revealing a complex, vein-like network of pipes and chambers beneath. “The soul of the engine — the Thermal Fluid Circulation System — has been with me the whole time.”
She pulled up a side-by-side comparison. On the left was her design. On the right was a rendering of the engine InnoTech had just teased in their press release.
“Look at their thermal dissipation specs,” Isolde said, pointing to the InnoTech diagram. “They’re using the legacy cooling solution. It works fine for standard commercial jets, but for a high-performance engine like the Phoenix, it’s a death trap.”
ѕ𝗵𝖺𝗋𝖾 yо𝘶𝘳 𝗳а𝘷𝘰r𝗂𝘁𝘦s 𝗳𝗋𝘰m 𝗴𝗮l𝘯𝘰v𝖾l𝘀.c𝘰𝗺
“How bad is it?” Arland asked.
“Catastrophic,” Isolde said. “If they push that engine past 3,000 RPM, the heat won’t vent fast enough. The pressure in the combustion chamber will spike, and the whole thing will explode.”
The lab door slid open and Harper walked in, balancing a tray with a steaming mug of coffee and a glass of warm water with lemon.
“Coffee for the boss, hydration for the patient,” Harper said, setting the tray down. She glanced at the simulation of the exploding engine on the screen. “That looks nasty. So — are you going to warn them? Send a cease and desist?”
Isolde took the glass of water, her fingers curling around the warmth. A cold, precise smile touched her lips.
“No,” she said softly. “I’m not going to say a word. I want them to release it. I want them to stand on a stage, smile for the cameras, and sign that multi-billion-dollar contract with the Department of Defense.”
Harper’s eyes widened. “You’re going to let them hang themselves.”
“I’m going to let them build the gallows, tie the knot, and step off the ledge,” Isolde corrected. “Once the ink is dry on that contract, that’s when we release the safety analysis. That’s when we show the DOD that InnoTech sold them a bomb.”
She set the water down and cracked her knuckles. Despite her injuries, her fingers began to move across the mechanical keyboard, the rhythmic clacking sounding like gunfire in the quiet lab.
“What are you doing now?” Arland asked.
“Writing the obituary for InnoTech,” Isolde murmured, her eyes moving across the code. “I’m drafting an anonymous technical analysis report. It won’t just expose their fatal flaw — it will simultaneously present the solution. SkyLine’s proprietary thermal recycling loop.”
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