LOGINPhil stood in the abandoned structure, his hands on his waist, his shoe tapping the ground frequently. He needed to move, but he wanted a clear plan. A plan without lapses—he couldn't afford mistakes this time round. He ran his fingers through his hair, and he paced about in the room. Then, he snapped his fingers, he knew how the plan should go. When he was about to leave, he got a message from Adams: “Tick-tock, brother, time’s not on your side. I wish you the best of luck though. You know how to find me when you have completed your mission but if you fail, we’ll find you.”His jaw tightened. He squeezed the phone, almost breaking it in half. Adams wasn't wishing him luck, he was taunting him. He placed his phone back in his pocket and stepped out of the building. He needed to find Jane and Michael but he also had a family to attend to. Phil's mind, once an unbreakable force, was now showing signs of confusion and indecision. His attachment to his family was making his decisions tou
It was a message from Adams. Phil reluctantly opened the message. “Big wolf, I need to see you. We have issues to discuss. I'll send you the meeting site coordinates in 5 minutes. See you there. And, don't be late. You already know I hate to be kept waiting,” Phil read the message out in a low tone, scanning to see if Theresa was eavesdropping. He didn't like the idea of meeting Adams. He wasn't ready to have a meeting with him even though he knew it was long overdue. Adams will always ask for updates. He will always want to modify the plan. Theresa was sitting behind the locked door, sobbing. Phil knocked at the door. “Theresa, please open the door.” The response he was waiting for never came. “Come on, babe, I need to get my stuff. I have a meeting to attend. I–”Then, she opened the door. “Get what you want and leave. It's what you always do. Better come back with good news,” she concluded, her arms folded on her chest. Phil stepped in, located a safe behind a painting in the
Jane's face reflected sheer determination, resilience, and hope. She turned to Michael and back to the screen. “Victoria might get us what we need in six hours but I can't wait. The time range is too long. Every second that goes by will put me in severe distress,” Jane stated, her eyes glued to the glowing screens. “Phil said he hacked our system—the one I designed. He trained me. He knows my coding style, how I build firewalls, and he even knows my digital signature. I'll use that against him. I'm going to look for a signature I recognize. A pattern of intrusion that only he would use.” She began to run a series of deep-packet inspections and network traffic analyses, creating a digital map of all incoming and outgoing data from the penthouse’s private server. The silence in the room was broken only by the rapid clicking of the keyboard and the low hum of the cooling fans.Michael couldn't spill a word. He wanted to but his inner self prevented it. He just stood by, staring at her,
Michael continued to stroll towards the opening. Jane’s instincts stepped in, she knew danger was looming. “Michael, wait,” Jane hissed, pulling him into the cover of a large oak tree. “This is too easy, Michael. It's a trap. Ask yourself why the entrance is already open. It's not just a trap, it's an invitation. He knows we’re here. He knows what he is doing.” Michael nodded, he reached for his radio. He had Marcus on standby, waiting to help when necessary. “Marcus, I need a satellite scan of the immediate area. Anything unusual. Anything at all, give me something, now,” he demanded. As he waited for a response, a screeching sound came over the radio, and a voice cut through the silence, amplified by a hidden speaker. “I’ve got to give it to you guys. I'm impressed, really. I'm loving the challenge, wow! Welcome to my hideout, Jane. And Michael, the protector or should I say the one who messed with the wrong man?” the voice said, laughing. It was Phil Anderson. His voice was che
Kate's jaw tightened, her pulse surged, her fist balled. “How are you tracking him? Are you sure you're tracking the right person?” she asked, her gaze fixed on him. Michael smiled, “You're not the only one with connections, Jane. You're not the only cunning one. I have my way of getting things done.” “Okay, sir. I hope we're tracking the right person. Because you already know Phil can jam your network and make you believe that you're in control,” Jane replied, sending her gaze back to the road. Michael didn't speak, he just nodded. Jane couldn't sit comfortably in her seat. Her brain was constantly fighting a battle over morality and vengeance. She turned to Michael, facing him fully, her expression a mask of cold calculated logic. “Whose side are you on? Phil's family or mine? You sound like someone seeking justice instead of vengeance, Michael. Well, I am fighting for vengeance. You should know better. Phil took everything from me. He trained me, molded me into a weapon, all wh
Every single step was made with extreme caution but with urgency. Michael and Kate watched on, their breaths heavy—their hearts beating in synchrony. Kate's legs were numb, so she stood up to get some relief. “They've reached the elevator, Jane,” Michael stated, his voice filled with relief. “Please keep the loop running. Can you buy an extra five minutes? Five minutes will be enough to get Luke and the team out.” “Yes, I'm working on it,” Kate replied, her fingers flying against the keyboard, her determination unwavering. As Luke was being extracted, Jane’s focus shifted to the hostile signatures. Her eyes caught three figures, realizing they had been deceived, and they turned back, their movement now fierce and desperate. The way they moved, the way they carried their weapons, reminded Kate of the same training she had undergone. It was obvious that they were Phil's men. Then a new alert appeared on her screen. It was a coded message that Kate interpreted with ease. “Michael, I







