A Secured Meeting: Clashing of Power

TWO DAYS LATER

Early in the morning at the precinct, Director Lysa Hale paced in her office, her red ponytail swaying as she chewed gum loudly. Her glare swept across the agents standing at attention.

“How hard is it to catch two people?!” she snapped. “We knew the location. We knew the time. But we still lost them?!”

She locked her gaze onto General Torran Voss, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “A lot of help your special grade agent was.”

The agents remained silent, their shoulders tense. CIX and Vega stood close to the General, chuckling a bit to the remark.

"We could have got them," whispered Vega.

Hale turned toward a woman in a white-and-gold uniform, her name tag reading: Captain Morrow, Head of Tactical & Investigations.

“Status?”

Morrow stepped forward. “No solids yet, Director. But…” She turned to a console. “Lights, dim.”

The room darkened, and a holographic projection of the crime scenes materialized in midair displaying detailed scans of the Pinnacle complex, Musk’s residence and Elara Vance’s apartment.

Morrow gestured toward the scans. “Both murders were highly sophisticated. No signs of forced entry. Surveillance footage was wiped. Both victims sustained multiple stab wounds per autopsy reports, but Elara Vance’s heart was removed post-mortem. Whoever did this knew how to cover their tracks. But they also wanted to send a message.”

Hale popped her gum loudly. “I knew this already. And yesterday’s breach?”

Morrow hesitated. “We were tracking two individuals—then a third appeared. Our drones were compromised, forcing an early interception. Special grade Cain engaged, but the targets escaped to the Nihlus Facility..”

She expanded the holographic display. The Nihlus Energy Plant's security logs filled the space, focusing on a data drive.

“This is what they took,” Morrow continued. “Agent Garreth Cain pursued them down to Section 15 but sustained severe injuries. We’ve confirmed they extracted a copy of encrypted files.”

Hale’s jaw tightened. “Where’s Cain now?”

“In surgery. Reconstruction procedures are ongoing.”

Hale exhaled, irritated. “Notify me the second he wakes up.” She turned to the rest of the agents. “You’re dismissed. Get back to work.”

As the room emptied, Hale’s voice dropped to a cold whisper.

“Captain. General. Stay. Let’s talk about what we’re really dealing with."

General Voss glanced at Morrow as Hale pressed a hidden panel beneath her desk. “What is going on?”

“The Network has requested a meeting with the other city-states,” Hale replied.

“When?” Captain Morrow.

“Right now!”

A synthesized AI voice chimed:

“Secure mode engaged. Soundproofing activated. Stand by…”

A low hum vibrated through the room. The walls shifted an unseen mechanism sealing the room from external surveillance. Soundproofing seals activated, cutting the office off from the outside world. The overhead lights dimmed, replaced by a blue glow.

A sleek black console emerged from the desk, its central interface pulsating—rings of code blinking in synchronized loops as the Network connected. A retinal scanner projected outward. Hale leaned forward verifying her identity.

A synthesized voice spoke. “Confirmed. This conversation is now classified under Tier-One Authority. Neural surveillance has been disabled. You may proceed.”

A holographic pulse flickered in the air as the system connected to The Network—the omnipresent AI governing the world’s operations, a hybrid intelligence linked to the human overseers of each city-state. The Network was like an entity, no one person had access to it, mostly being represented by a synthesized voice.

“Participants, do you accept the invitation to meeting link NTWK90887264?”

Director Lyssa Hale leaned forward. “Yes, we do.”

“Confirm connection and state code, please.”

One by one they responded:

“Sala, connect to the Network’s Private system, code 783,” Lyssa commands.

“Zephyr, connect to the Network’s Private system, code 9908,” Morrow follows.

“Brock, connect to Network’s Private system, code 989,” General Torran Voss states.

The holographic interface shifted, expanding and forming a secure virtual chamber. The walls dissolved into Lines of encrypted flowing code and at its center sat a rotating digital construct —the manifestation of The Network itself. This is the Virtual room where meetings between high-ranking officials can be held virtually across city-states.

Around a translucent table, high-ranking officials appeared as digital projections, their faces illuminated by moving data streams.

The Network spoke. “Welcome, High Commissioner Valeria Kaede, Minister Albrecht, Minister Lucy Lee, Director Eobard Abarra, Director Lysa Hale, General Torran Voss, Captain Rukia Morrow and Captain Ren Shiranui. This meeting is classified as HIGH PRIORITY – LEVEL BLACK. This information is restricted to Tier-One Authority Officials. Any breach will result in immediate neural suspension.”

“Let’s begin,” Director Hale said cracking her fingers. “We have received a full report from the Nihlus Energy Plant about a break-in that happened a few days ago. A full diagnostic sweep of the system confirmed that a copy of the archive files was made…”

She then gestured to Morrow who expanded a projection.

“Zephyr,” Morrow instructed her AI, “play footage 17.”

The room watched as the record Enforcer HUD footage.

Morrow’s tone remained calm. “As you can see the three suspects infiltrated the Nihlus Facility and stole the archive files. Our special Grade, Agent Garreth Cain, pursued them to Section 15 with extreme prejudice. We retrieved partial DNA from the stolen hovercar but the results were inconclusive. Based on where we found the hovercar, it is safe to assume the three suspects reside somewhere in the lower sectors. Our Grade C agents quickly interviewed various workers in the area who confirmed they saw the individuals escaping towards section 13. Satellite sweeps of the industrial outskirts are underway.”

The feed stopped and Director Eobard Abarra’s holographic form leaned forward, his bald head visible. “a special grade couldn’t capture them? So, they are extremely skilled. What about the captured individuals from Section 17?”

Morrow answered without hesitation. “We have interrogated them multiple times and determined they were low-level muscle for hire. Their AIBI indicates no priors and no known connections to major syndicates or rebel factions. We let them go but have our drones tracking their movements. If they attempt to rendezvous with the primary suspects, we’ll know.”

Minister Albrecht finally spoke. “That is insufficient. You have nothing to prove these individuals are acting alone. The data they stole is extremely classified. There is no telling what information could be leaked, but either way, we would be in deep shit!”

High Commissioner Kaede folded her arms. “The archive files are heavily encrypted. No one can access them without an Encrypter Key, which is secured within City Precincts so we should have any problems.”

Morrow bit her lips before finally saying. “Actually…”

The Network pulsed, sensing the pause. “Proceed, Captain Morrow.”

Sweat rolled down Morrow’s face. “We conducted a security audit after last month’s raid on the precinct… and discovered that an Encrypter Key was among the stolen items.”

There was Silence.

Minister Albrecht’s form flickered, his anger was felt even through the projection.

“What?! And you’re telling us NOW?”

Hale, still chewing her gum, remained unfazed as the official, her superior exploded.

“What incompetence is happening in your city, Director Hale? I should have you removed.”

Before the tension could escalate, General Voss intervened. His holographic form stood tall and spoke. “We are containing the situation. But we have bigger concerns. The murders…”

Director Abarra narrowed his eyes. “Explain.”

Hale subtly signaled a thumbs up under the table. A smooth distraction.

General Voss smiled as Morrow explained. “The two victims have a clear connection, both living in Pinnacle Complex and working at N-tech. the lacerations and stab wounds were identical except the words THIS IS YOUR FAULT were plastered on Musk’s walls in blood and Elara Vance’s heart was taken…”

High Commissioner Kaede’s expression remained cold. “We read the reports. What’s your point?”

Director Hale stepped forward again, smirking. “Project EIDOLON.”