Operation Redemption

THE GHOST IN THE SYSTEM

The bunker's inside was barely lighted, and the air was dense with the odor of metal, dust, and something chemical that burned my nose. The corridor descended deeper into the ground, lined with surveillance cameras and hidden turrets that buzzed silently, monitoring our every step. A faint, rhythmic beeping pulsed in the background.

"Keep your hands where I can see them," the voice said, disembodied and mechanical, echoing through hidden speakers. Killian raised his hands slightly, and I did the same, my heart pounding against my chest.

As we moved farther down the corridor, I observed how perfectly everything was laid out: wires neatly wrapped along the walls, outdated computer screens glowing with indecipherable code, and servers humming silently in the background. Whoever this person was, they functioned like a ghost: stealthy, efficient, and completely untraceable.

A door hissed open ahead of us, revealing a bigger room illuminated by monitors. The screens exhibited a dizzying amount of information, including satellite feeds, encrypted messages, city maps with red marks, and building plans. In the heart of it all sat a man with a slim frame, his back to us, typing furiously on a keyboard.

The pressure was stifling. The only sounds were the clattering of keys and the constant buzz of machinery. Finally, the man stopped typing and swiveled his chair to face us. He wore a torn hoodie pulled low over his face, hiding all but the keen sparkle of his eyes, which were cold and calculating.

Killian took a hesitant step forwards. "Matthias," he murmured, his voice low and forceful. "We need your expertise."

Matthias reclined back in his chair and folded his arms. "Killian, you know I don't do charity work. And I don't trust anyone who comes in uninvited. Why are you really here?"

Killian's face remained calm, but I could sense tightness in his jaw. "You owe me. Remember New Cairo? If I hadn't gotten you out, you'd be rotting in some black site prison."

Matthias' eyes sharpened, and an ember of something unreadable passed across his face. "That happened a long time ago. I've moved on from that life."

"Maybe you have," I said, walking beside Killian. "But what we're dealing with is bigger than simply us or you. If we don't stop Moretti, he will tighten his hold on the city. And when he's finished with that, he'll go after people like you—those who operate outside his control."

Matthias tilted his head slightly, examining me for the first time. "You have guts, I will give you that. But guts don’t mean a damn thing in my world."

I smiled a bit, seeing the slight change in Killian's expression as he nod at me.

Matthias sighed and rubbed his stubbled chin.

"Show me what you've got," he whispered. "But if this turns out to be a waste of my time, you won't like the consequences."

Killian brought out the encrypted flash drives and gently placed them on the table between us. Matthias looked at them suspiciously before reaching out, his fingers moving with ease as he inserted one into a console. The displays around us sprang to life, with lines of code rushing across them as he began the decryption process.

For some minutes, the room was filled with the quick clatter of keys and the faint hum of equipment. My pulse quickened as the strain increased, with each second becoming unbearable. I could see a faint sheen of sweat on Killian's brow, his gaze fixated on Matthias' hands as they worked.

The screen went red, and a warning blared. "Encrypted with military-grade algorithms," Matthias said, half to himself. "Whoever did this understood what they were doing. But they underestimated me."

His fingers moved across the keyboard, evading firewalls, cracking layers of encryption, and redirecting security measures. The warning vanished, replaced by a succession of files that flashed across the screen.

"There we go," Matthias replied, satisfied. "What exactly am I looking for?"

Killian leaned forward with a strained voice. "Anything that connects Moretti to his offshore accounts, supply channels, or confidential contracts. He has hidden his assets beneath many shell corporations, utilizing proxy names. If we can expose the network, we can bring down his organization."

Matthias's eyes swept over the data, skipping quickly. "Hmmm. He's more paranoid than I realized. It appears that he is utilizing a succession of phony accounts to siphon money into unknown sources. But…wait." He hesitated, his brow furrowed. "There is something else here. Something he has hidden deep."

The screens flashed again as Matthias dug deeper into the data. His attention was razor-sharp, but his motions had an air of discomfort that placed my nerves on edge. "This encryption wasn't just to protect financial data," he said quietly. "It's covering something bigger…more dangerous."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Matthias leaned back, his face bleak. "There is a list. Codenames. Operations. It's not just about money; Moretti has been sponsoring covert missions. Assassinations. Targeting high-level officials, both inside and outside of government. It is not simply about taking over the city. It is about disrupting the whole region."

My gut turned as the ramifications struck in. This was significantly worse than we expected. Moretti was more than just a crime boss; he was creating disruption on a scale that could tip the balance of power.

"We need to get this out to the right people," Killian stated hastily, his voice strained. "If this leaks, it'll cripple him."

Matthias shook his head, his expression darkening. "It isn't so simple. If you leak information without going through the proper channels, it will be buried or, worse, it could spark a backlash that will make you a target. You need powerful allies who can protect you while ensuring that this is made public."

"Who do you suggest?" I asked further.

Matthias remained silent for a moment, his gaze distant. "I know a former CIA officer who has gone rogue. She is off the grid, however she has high-level contacts. If anyone can get this knowledge to the correct people without killing us all, it's her."

"Where is she?" Killian inquired, his voice filled with impatience.

Matthias looked to him, a ghostly smile tugging on his lips. "You're not going to like this. She's hiding in the Badlands, roughly fifty miles south of here. The facility is teeming with mercenaries, ex-military types who report to no one. t's practically a war zone."

I exchanged glances with Killian, feeling a gnawing fear settle in my stomach. This was getting more perilous by the minute, but we had no alternative. If we wanted to defeat Moretti, we needed to go deeper into the lion's den.

"Give us the coordinates," Killian responded. "We'll find her."

Like he always do?

I thought to myself, still questioning his motive.