The first casualty was not blood. It was trust. The leak broke at dawn—deliberate, precise, and cruelly timed. A confidential document surfaced online, allegedly tying the foundation to undisclosed political influence. Within minutes, the narrative took hold. Ethics watchdog under investigation. Reformer exposed as manipulator. Transparency movement built on hypocrisy. “They’re good,” Ethan said grimly over the secure line. “This was planted months ago. Clean metadata. It’ll take time to dismantle.” Aria stared at the screen, expression unreadable. “Time is what they’re trying to steal.” Damon paced the room. “We counter immediately.” “No,” Aria said. “We observe first.” He stopped. “Observe while they gut your credibility?” “Observe,” she repeated calmly, “so we know who benefits.” The answer came faster than expected. Two major institutions withdrew support within hours. Not publicly. Quietly. As if ashamed. “They were compliant,” Damon said, anger tight in his voice.
最終更新日 : 2026-01-23 続きを読む