Chapter 8: A Dangerous Ally

The room was dim, lit only by the pale glow of a single bulb swaying gently from the ceiling. Ikran sat in the corner, his shadow stretching across the concrete floor. He leaned forward, his sharp eyes scanning the data on the tablet in his hands. Lines of code flickered on the screen—an encrypted file he had intercepted from Kentofes weeks ago.

He had been working alone for too long, his every move shrouded in secrecy. Once a trusted operative for Kentofes, Ikran had seen the truth about their agenda. They weren’t building a better society. They were crafting a weapon—a means to control every thought, every action.

And he couldn’t let that happen.

The sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway, pulling Ikran out of his thoughts. He quickly slid the tablet into his bag and reached for the small pistol holstered at his side.

The door creaked open, revealing a wiry man in a crumpled suit. “You’re a hard man to find,” the stranger said, stepping inside.

“And you’re wasting my time,” Ikran replied, his voice cold. “What do you want?”

The man raised his hands in mock surrender. “Relax. I’m just the messenger. Kentofes knows you’re digging into their operations, and they’re not happy about it.”

Ikran smirked, his grip tightening on the pistol. “Let them come. I’ve been waiting.”

The messenger hesitated, his confidence faltering. “You don’t understand. They’re not just after you. They’ve found two others—women digging into the same files you’ve been trying to crack. If you want to survive this, you’ll need allies.”

Ikran’s eyes narrowed. “Who?”

“Maria... and Julia,” the man said, slipping a dossier onto the table. “I don’t know much, but they’ve uncovered something big. Something about Dunnorage.”

The name sent a chill down Ikran’s spine. Dunnorage—the project that had consumed years of his life, the device he had once helped protect without understanding its true purpose.

“Why are you telling me this?” Ikran demanded, his tone sharp.

The man shrugged. “Call it a conscience. Just know that if Kentofes catches them before you do, they won’t have a chance. Neither will you.”

Before Ikran could respond, the man turned and disappeared into the shadows of the hallway.

Ikran stayed in the room long after the man left, his mind racing. He had always worked alone, believing that no one else could be trusted. But if Maria and Julia were investigating Dunnorage, they were already in danger.

For years, Ikran had buried his guilt—the lives he’d taken, the lies he’d helped spread, all in the name of Kentofes. But this was his chance to make things right.

He pulled the tablet out of his bag and opened the dossier. Maria’s face appeared first—a determined young woman with sharp eyes that mirrored his own intensity. The next file showed Julia, her features softer but her gaze just as resolute.

They were brave, he thought. Brave but unprepared for the storm that was coming.

Slipping the tablet back into his bag, Ikran stood and adjusted his coat. For the first time in years, he felt a sense of purpose.

If Kentofes wanted to play their games, he’d be ready.

But first, he had to find Maria and Julia before it was too late.