The world had barely absorbed the impact of the Phoenix Project's launch when the backlash began.
Jason knew it would come. He had counted on it.
But not this fast.
---
Washington, D.C. – Behind Closed Doors
A high-level emergency session was underway inside the NSA headquarters.
"The boy's gone rogue," Director Caldwell growled, throwing down the Phoenix press release. "He's releasing tools that make our surveillance obsolete."
One of the analysts hesitated. "He's also exposing vulnerabilities we didn't even know existed. His algorithms are airtight."
Caldwell leaned in. "I don't care if he's curing cancer with that tech. He's breaking the balance. The public doesn't get to have this kind of power."
"What do we do?"
Caldwell's answer was quiet, cold. "We pull his file. All of it. Find the skeletons. And if he has none, we plant them."
---
Silicon Valley – A Billionaire's Office
Elontech's founder, Victor Lang, crushed the edge of his antique mahogany desk with a clenched fist.
"He's giving away what we've been trying to sell for a decade. He's killing our value overnight."
An assistant nervously chimed in. "Should we launch a smear campaign? Discredit the tools as malware?"
Lang smiled cruelly. "Do that. And also call our friends in the media. I want that phoenix burned."
---
Malibu – Jason's Estate
Jason sat with Ava, watching live news coverage. The media was calling Phoenix "an unregulated tech threat," comparing Jason to Julian Assange and Edward Snowden.
Cass appeared, visibly annoyed. "They're coming after you hard. Slander, conspiracy theories, even fake stories about you stealing code."
Jason's eyes narrowed. "We're winning. That's why they're panicking."
Ava whispered, "This is just the first wave. Are you ready for what comes next?"
Jason looked up at the screen, at the logo he had created, now spinning through the airwaves with both admiration and hatred.
"I was born for this."
---
Late Night – A Threat Delivered
A package arrived.
No return address.
Jason opened it carefully—inside was a flash drive and a single note:
> "Stop. Or you won't get another warning."
He plugged the drive into a sandbox system.
The screen lit up with footage—grainy, black and white—of his mother's car crash.
Except this footage showed something new: a black van following her moments before impact.
Jason froze. His heart turned to ice.
Cass stared at the screen. "This was no accident…"
Jason slowly clenched his fists. "It's personal now."