Codename Black: Rise of the Fallen Commander

Blackstar

Back at the Hales' ancestral home, Lord Edward paced the grand hall. The remaining family members watched nervously as Sir Thomas stepped forward, a look of quiet desperation on his face.

"Edward..." Thomas began, his voice low. "I beg of you... leave my daughter out of this. Take whatever you want from me. I’ll surrender my shares, take on any burden you ask. Just let Victoria live her life in peace."

The room fell silent, eyes flicking between the two brothers. Lord Edward paused, slowly turning to face Thomas. A twisted smile curled on his lips. "Begging for your daughter’s life now, are you?" Edward mocked. "You really are pathetic, Thomas. You’ve always been too soft, haven’t you? Willing to sacrifice everything—your pride, your wealth, even your dignity—all for a girl. Just like you did for Meredith."

Thomas flinched at the mention of his wife but remained composed. "Whatever you think of me, Edward, it doesn’t matter. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my family—Meredith, Victoria, all of them."

Edward let out a cruel laugh. "Oh, of course, Meredith," he sneered. "How fitting that you’d defend her too. After all, you took her back even after she humiliated you, didn’t you? Her affair with that pathetic fool—yet you forgave her like the spineless man you are."

Thomas’ fists clenched, but he said nothing.

With a sigh, Edward stopped pacing and faced Thomas fully. "Your willingness to kneel is admirable, Thomas, but you’re forgetting one thing." He leaned in. "You’re in no position to negotiate."

At his signal, two of Edward’s men stepped forward, moving toward Sir Thomas and Lady Meredith. "I’ll take your shares, yes. But your family’s fate is now out of your hands. You’ve failed to control Victoria, and now I have no choice but to handle things my way."

The room’s temperature seemed to drop as Edward's words settled. "Until Victoria returns and submits to Dorian, your family is my responsibility. And that means you and your dear wife are going to stay here, under my watch."

"Edward, no—" Thomas began, but the two guards roughly seized both him and Meredith. Meredith let out a shocked cry, struggling against their grip, but Edward’s cold gaze silenced her.

"Oh, and Thomas," Edward added, his tone icy, "don’t think I’ve forgotten about Alex, or whatever the hell his name is. That fraud will be exposed soon enough. I’ll tear his life apart piece by piece, and when I’m done, Victoria will regret ever siding with him over Dorian."

He turned to one of his aides. "Get me every piece of information you can on that man. I want to know who he really is, where he came from, and why he’s dared to interfere with my plans."

The aide nodded quickly, already pulling out his phone to relay the order.

Thomas, still held by the guards, struggled to break free. "Edward, please. You don’t have to do this."

But Edward was done listening. "Take them to the east wing," he ordered his men. "They’ll stay there until Victoria comes to her senses. And if she doesn’t... well, we’ll see."

As Thomas and Meredith were dragged away, Edward’s eyes darkened. He had lost the initial battle, but the war was far from over. The amnesiac mechanic's identity would be uncovered, and when it was, both he and Victoria would suffer the consequences.

Edward clenched his fists. Dorian would have his bride, and no one—not even a man pretending to be someone else—would stand in his way.

Meanwhile, in a dimly lit hotel room, Alexander paced back and forth, his mind racing as he prepared to make a crucial call. Victoria sat quietly on the bed, watching him with curiosity. She had never seen him this tense before, and it only heightened her own anxiety. She trusted him, but the stakes were rising with every passing moment.

Finally, Alexander pulled out a secure satellite phone, one of the few items he still possessed from his previous life as the world’s top military commander. He dialed a number he hadn’t used in months. The line clicked, and a gruff voice answered on the other end.

“Who is this?” Marcus Devereux, Alexander’s most loyal subordinate, asked cautiously. There was a hint of suspicion in his voice, as if he sensed the weight of the call.

Alexander remained silent for a moment before uttering a cryptic code known only to a select few. “Blackstar X-17.”

There was a long pause. “Commander?” Marcus’s voice faltered, disbelief cutting through the static. “Is that… really you?”

“It’s me,” Alexander replied steadily. “But keep it quiet. I’m supposed to be dead, remember?”

Marcus let out a low whistle. “We thought you were gone for good, sir. They told us—hell, they told the whole world—that you were dead. What happened?”

“I was betrayed, Marcus,” Alexander said, painful memories flashing behind his eyes. “But I survived. Now, I need your help.”

“Of course, sir,” Marcus responded quickly, though the shock in his voice hadn’t faded. “Tell me what you need. Should I rally the men? Bring them back to headquarters so we can take down the bastards who did this?”

Alexander shook his head, even though Marcus couldn’t see him. “Not yet. There are bigger issues at play right now. I’m dealing with a different enemy at the moment—one that’s closer to home. The Blackwood family, particularly Dorian Blackwood and Lord Edward Hale. They’re up to something, and I need to know what.”

Marcus was silent for a moment, processing the request. “Dorian Blackwood, huh? That scumbag’s been on our radar for a while. Smuggling, money laundering, illegal arms deals… you name it. The whole family’s rotten. And Edward is no better. Are you sure this is the fight you want to take on, sir? Because it sounds like a hornet’s nest.”

“I don’t have a choice,” Alexander replied. “Someone important to me is heavily involved. If we don’t act, her family will be destroyed, and they’ll come for her. I can’t let that happen.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and then Marcus spoke. “Alright, Commander. If you say it’s necessary, I’m with you. But we’ll need more than just muscle for this. You need intel—something we can use against them.”

“That’s where you come in,” Alexander said. “I need your best intelligence officer on this. Someone who can dig into the Blackwood family’s illegal dealings and find anything we can use to take them down.”

“You’re in luck,” Marcus replied, his tone shifting to one of confidence. “I’ve got just the person for the job: Logan Oswald. He’s one of our top operatives, an expert in cyber warfare and covert intelligence. If anyone can dig up dirt on the Blackwoods, it’s him.”

Alexander allowed a small smile. “Good. Get Ludwig on this immediately. I want everything—bank records, business connections, anything that will give us leverage.”

“Consider it done,” Marcus said. “I’ll have Ludwig contact you directly once he’s started gathering intel. And Commander… it’s good to hear your voice again. The men will be relieved to know you’re alive.”

“Not yet,” Alexander cautioned. “Let’s keep my return a secret for now. When the time is right, I’ll come back. But until then, it’s just between us.”

“Understood,” Marcus replied. “Stay safe, sir.”

Alexander ended the call and turned to Victoria, who had been listening intently. “Help is on the way,” he said softly. “We’re going to get the information we need to take down Dorian and Edward.”

Victoria nodded, though she still looked worried. “But what if they find out who you really are? What if they come after you?”

“They already have,” Alexander replied with a grim smile.