• 　●　● Akkadia One, Eden Space Territories


  

  “The Curtana’s access key entered our affiliate’s detection network,” spoke an assistant that had buzzed the main holographic display, sending a soft flash of light through Vincent Vrey’s dimly lit office. The door remained open, which was a sign of how unusually quiet the director’s room was. Rather, a silence heavy with anxiousness and anticipation of the impending operation filled the entire floor and took the place of the usual busy ruckus.

  “No digital signature found on the carrier, I assume?” Vincent asked once he turned his chair to face the screen projection.

  “No, sir,” the man quickly responded. “The intel report from our Enrai connection only contained confirmation of the detection and the time stamp. It’s moving into Bishop’s umbrella and will disappear soon, but traces bring it back to the Delmont Building where it might have left its container. Perhaps it was the carrier opening it to confirm its contents.”

  “Just as I knew all along,” Vincent sighed irritatingly. “Thank you for the report.”

  He then eased over to his communication panel and paged Rafael Lucian’s desk. “Mr. Lucian,” he stiffly spoke once the connection was established. “I’ll have you know the game is off with protecting your former colleague, Mr. Knight. I’m sending a new update to you now for documentation purposes, but I just received confirmation of the Curtana’s access key originating from Amelie Delacroix before her passing at the Delmont Building.”

  It was a few seconds before Lucian finally replied. “Nothing can prove it wasn’t handed over willingly. With all due respect, sir, the poor lady was shot and killed and we still have reason to believe it was her own son.” He allowed a chance for Vincent to reply, continuing his argument once several empty seconds passed. “No one touched her for two wars, and now this? What else besides her own son that betrayed her in her rare moment of vulnerability?”

  “Nothing changes the fact she had it after stealing it from us. She compromised the majority of Project Excalibur’s key operations and now we are left with two thirds the combat power- scratch that. Mrs. Rodger’s is being forced to operate at half capabilities due to her cooldown period still on priority. But I digress. I am now insisting you stop meddling behind my back with Alexander Knight and get your team focused on guaranteeing the success of Kaylen Rodgers and Samantha Knight without any hiccup. These two are our last shot at a quick resolution and the elimination of our biggest threat. Understand?”

  “I don’t, sir,” he curtly replied. “Please explain what you are insinuating so that I may understand.”

  Vincent dropped his calm demeanor rather quickly. “Earlier I got reports of Tyrus operatives reaching out to someone in Enrai’s territory. Do I need to check your every device for logs of when you set Samantha Knight’s mobile open to the data Alexander provided with you during the last operation executed in The Philippines? Or do you want to cut the act and stick to your job? I can’t manage both our unstable relationship with Enrai and Rex alongside your antics on the backside, understand that?”

  “Yes, sir, I will strictly stick to protocol,” Lucian finally replied with a sigh after a long, tense moment. “I was only trying to keep Sam safe as I could since she’s that important to-”

  “-Then you understand enough to don’t give me excuses for such behavior,” Vincent coldly cut in before disconnecting. He then quickly turned back to a new incoming message that contained the traced route the device was on before disappearing into a jamming cloud in Buenos Aires.

  .

  .

  .

  

  
• 　●　● Unknown Location, Buenos Aires, Argentina, SAU


  

  “Here,” Marian dropped a folder gently onto the counter next to where Isaiah stood. The abandoned bar where they stood was silent and the air was stale, and the dim artificial lighting hinted they were at basement level. “I’ve confirmed each one. This will be my last meeting with them, setting them up with -sorry to keep repeating this- my third most hated man in existence,” she continued in a tired manner, now leaning against the counter facing away as if waiting for Isaiah’s coming response.

  He placed his mug of tea down near the folder, taking his eyes off the TV he had tuned into a local news broadcast and brought his attention to the list Marian provided. “They’re the last ones willing to cooperate, I assume,” he spoke under his breath after a quick glance.

  “Last ones willing to risk their identities if this falls through. They really want Rex undone.”

  Isaiah took in a slow, deep breath before adding his final thought on her apparent mission. “No hiding or making excuses for how volatile the Underground leadership alliances have become. You don’t have to go out there alone, Marian. You can back out of this and I’ll make something happen.” He was now facing her directly, hoping she would turn to ace him in return.

  “We’re all hitting our own individual zero hours,” she slowly started before resting her chin on her open hand, staring into the floor. “I have to do what I think is best for our chances to come out of this with a meaningful end, just like you are…” She now turned to face him at last, barely making out his expression from how poorly lit the room was against the glow of the TV display behind him. Hesitating to speak what was on her mind led to an interruption bringing the conversation to a close, however.

  “Someone’s here,” Isaiah quietly spoke without any sudden moves, slowly turning for the door around the corner from them. He stepped quietly but quickly, keeping his ears attentive and checked his mobile for security diagnostics. Seeing what he wanted to see as he arrived at the doorstep, he was careful to open the door with a hand over his right pocket. But the second he saw who it was, he nearly froze up in shock. “You? But how?”

  Gabriel let himself in just as quietly, pulling the door closed behind him, avoiding making any more noise than he had to. “This thing locks on its own?” He quietly asked before turning to face the two of them.

  “Yes, it does,” Isaiah awkwardly replied, backing away in a similar fashion, giving him some space.

  Gabriel held in a chuckle, instead focusing on getting his small unshouldered bag open as he changed his tone: “Another day goes by, another day I wonder why I let myself bargain with you, little Knight.” He then handed him a card-like object from the bag. “You could lighten up a little. I mean, you act like you hate me for keeping promises and sparing you that day. A little thanks for this little priceless item is all I need.”

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  Isaiah nodded and raised a hand out of concession. “Apologies if I came off as hostile. I still owe you, and I will repay.” He then turned to eye the card being handed to him, noting the thickness of the cartridge and the pattern to the plated edge. “You were the deliverer this whole time?”

  “This is me finishing my end of my final promise to your family, plus I agreed to this last piece as a separate promise to your mother- may she rest in peace,” Gabriel nodded back as he let Isaiah take the card. “Now it’s your turn to finish the last of your little ordeal, and you know the only way out of this mess you got yourself into is through Vrey’s last pawn. All I can do now is sit back just in case.”

  “Pawns, you mean,” Marian added to Isaiah’s surprise.

  “Long time, Channing,” Gabriel raised his brow before giving a casual flick of a salute. “Thanks for the tips.”

  Isaiah realized it was through Marian that he had arrived, but in that same thought he abandoned his suspicions and felt respite knowing she had her reasons. “We are tracking Rex’s delivery man sent to Rodger’s and my sister’s rendezvous point. We bugged him, and we’re only waiting for him to get closer for me to intercept his party myself. I won’t be hiring anyone anymore.” He then put away the card into his jacket’s chest pocket and zipped it shut. “Especially now that I have this.” But then he remembered Marian’s last word just then as he turned to face her. “But you knew who we were tracking. What’s this new detail?”

  “I tried to tell you a second ago before Mr. Silva arrived,” she stiffly replied, taking in a deep breath before continuing. “When I got confirmation of my informants, one of those informants himself told me that Rex’s carrier was fully compromised- and this was after they went dark- telling me all that because it’s that much more faith they’ve lost in his ability to control the situation. They think it was another disgruntled faction that wants to dictate the delivery time and destination to their liking.”

  “I can’t say I’m surprised,” Gabriel responded as he fished out one more item from his bag. “Here,” he spoke as he passed Isaiah a smaller, stiff, plasticky card with a code scan marking on one side. “This is what you need to study ASAP. And this is where I leave because Rook is waiting on me and I can’t be gone longer than five minutes or she’ll think I’ve been compromised myself.”

  “A quick hint at what you mean by ‘study’?” Marian asked with a raised brow. “The Curtana’s plans have long been in his possession and he’s already gone through what any prepared pilot would prior to piloting.”

  “You really forget how many connections your daddy has with the old Forerunning Labs crew?” Gabriel quickly replied with a smirk as he turned to let himself out. “Look it over real well, and listen, I may or may not see you again, alright? I hate the idea of you being on your way to what could be a near-suicide mission but the absolute second I see Sammie out on the field is the second I see myself off of this continent. Understand? And I say that only because you’re supposed to have already had her, well, ‘handled,’ I assume.”

  “I understand,” Isaiah promptly and humbly responded, realizing how poorly he came off earlier. “Apologies. And thank you for coming through as you have after all you’ve sacrificed. I guess haven’t been myself as of recent.”

  “You just stay alive and make my sacrifices truly worth it, then, alright?” Gabriel returned with another smirk before turning to leave.

  Isaiah and Marian again thanked Gabriel with a parting nod, and as the previous silence returned, conflicting thoughts and perceptions quickly filled the air between the two.

  And as time passed, the announcers from the TV display nearby became more apparent. “…after experiencing the aforementioned terrorist attacks, leaving the global community torn between the solutions offered by world leads,” a male announcer’s voice droned before taking off into his own personal take. “Jess, what else could this be but a sign that the current unions standing alone and unchecked are either far too weak or far too undermanaged to handle its own nations’ security and well-being? Doesn’t this shed more light on the Beijing and the China Sphere Alliance’s recent approach to link hands again with new leadership in Buenos Aires and the SAU?”

  “Well, we’re still unclear on the NAU’s intentions with its recent, unexpected reforms and potential concessions that could help undermine its ties with the EU and push itself closer to Beijing as well.”

  Marian knew why Isaiah had it on, but struggled to find the right words to help pick back up where she last hesitated and left off. “I wanted to say that it’s also you that can still back out of this… I already have the cards to make something happen.” She then stepped up a bit closer subconsciously, continuing out of concern: “Your status as a whistleblower with questionable ties may not be the best purpose to serve but it’s better than a newfound terrorist cell leader. You can live on with the data you’ve collected over the many months and you’d be equally as valuable.”

  “I told you,” Isaiah flatly replied, taking in a deep breath as he stared through the TV display, no longer focused whatsoever on the aired discussion. “My role as the whistleblower was just to get things kicked off. My words are meaningless if I don’t see to it the SAU looks as absolutely exposed as it possibly can, even if it means me being exposed as a fraud. And with the loss of Adrian Liotta, we’re without our biggest card to play.” He now turned to face her with his unchanged resolve. “Who else can fill in his role without becoming a liability? And be honest.”

  “That’s exactly what I mean,” Marian replied with a sigh. “You don’t have Tamaz, Elias, or Adrian by your side out there. Not even Silva or Norris can be there. Why am I supposed to trust you’ll be alright with Kaylen Rodgers waiting on your very arrival, itching for her job to be finished?”

  “That’s why I am moving early… to beat her cool down, remember?”

  “And what of Vrey’s latest travesty? Having your sister equipped with his own late son’s personal weapon, as if he couldn’t get any sicker and more twisted than he already is? You think you’ll just magically find yourself equipped to, worst case scenario, handle both at the same time?”

  Isaiah took a moment to gather a response, knowing he was up against the toughest odds he had faced so far, but he still held onto his confidence in his plan. “I know exactly what you’re getting at, and I do appreciate everything you have been for me all this time. Just like how Silva could have offed me that one encounter, he instead turned to his loyal side, reaching back to over a decade ago when this whole first promise thing with my father came about.”

  “I remember the story about Mr. Silva’s brother your father saved,” Marian interrupted as she walked up a bit closer. “But that’s not what I was trying to get at.”

  “Your concern for me is different, but still a choice you made when you could have walked away all this time, and I remain appreciative of everything.” And during his last few words, he fished back out the card he was handed earlier and scanned it with his mobile on read-only mode, watching as a schematic of the Curtana load up on display. “And the way Silva spoke, I got the feeling he knew of the tough spot I was in yet spoke like it was just another usual day for me. See here?” He spoke as he pointed out the loadout schematic. “This is no mere LTAC upgrade,” he mumbled with all of his attention now completely stolen away by the streaming technical data. “Look.”

  Marian didn’t know as much as he would, of course, but she did recognize a few technology labels she hadn’t seen since last war. “Looks like your father may have preemptively evened the balances with this… Using Vrey’s technology against him… I do realize this changes the possible outcomes just a bit.” She quickly shook off the short-lived spark of hope with the quickly returning doubt that it would make enough of a difference. “No, this can’t be enough to put you in a better position fighting alone. Nothing changes the fact you’re alone out there after all,” she added with a frown, looking in his direction.

  “I won’t be alone, per se,” he continued, still staring at the figures. “Bishop still has a good amount of battle-capable resources left. But still, this might be all I need to outlive those two,” he spoke in reference to Sam and Kaylen. “That’s all I need to accomplish, Marian. That’s all I need. After that, we’ll have a clear path to getting you to your prize you’ve been waiting for.”