Location: Tavara – The Vault, Council Intelligence Blacksite
Damien stepped into the cold stone chamber known only to Tavara's inner circle as The Vault—a secret intelligence facility buried beneath an abandoned government records building. It wasn't on any map. No camera watched its doors. Only the most dangerous information was kept here—and tonight, Damien came for blood.
On the central display screen, a map pulsed with new red flags: leaked communications, movement of private militias, and a disturbing development—Calloway was planning to trigger a false-flag attack and blame it on the Lane family to sway national power.
Nora studied the map beside Damien, her voice tight. "He wants to fracture Tavara from the inside—turn allies into enemies. And Harold's going to testify to legitimize it all."
Damien's gaze hardened. "Then we stop the testimony before it starts."
Logan entered, holding a secure phone. "We've made contact. The informant is real—Calloway's former legal strategist. He's in hiding, but he has files that could destroy the senator's entire operation."
Damien didn't hesitate. "Where?"
"Old observatory, east cliffs. Remote. Perfect for an ambush."
---
Location: East Cliffs Observatory – Two Hours Later
The night air was sharp as blades, wind howling through the abandoned observatory's cracked dome. Nora held her weapon low but ready, flanked by two operatives. Damien moved beside her like a shadow, each step silent over broken stone.
Then they saw him—a man in a dark coat, hunched near an ancient telescope mount, eyes wide with fear.
"You brought company," he muttered.
Damien nodded. "You said you had proof."
The man handed over a flash drive. "Everything—funds, kill orders, communications between Calloway, Harold… even foreign backers."
As Damien inserted the drive into his field tablet, Nora's instincts flared. "Something's wrong."
From the treeline—flashes.
Sniper fire. Two guards down. Chaos erupted.
"Ambush!" Damien shouted, dragging the informant to cover. Nora returned fire, taking down two advancing figures in tactical gear. Their uniforms bore no insignias—just a black sigil in the shape of a wolf's head.
Damien ducked behind a column. "They're not Hydra. They're someone else."
The informant clutched his bleeding shoulder. "They're called Fenrir. The fallback force if Hydra collapsed... they were never meant to be seen."
---
Location: Tavara – Council Building, Meanwhile
Senator Calloway stood before a private assembly, wearing a dark suit and a sanctimonious smile.
"In the coming hours, evidence will surface of the Lane family's illegal war operations. This nation must choose truth over legacy."
But as he spoke, his secure line buzzed.
A single message displayed: "Damien has the drive. Prepare to fall."
His smile faltered.
---
Back at the Observatory
Nora pulled Damien and the informant behind a stone wall as explosives detonated in the distance.
"We need extraction now!" she yelled into her comms.
Logan's voice replied. "Already inbound—ETA four minutes. Hold your ground."
Damien locked eyes with Nora. "This isn't just about winning anymore. It's about surviving long enough to tell the truth."