First Contact (Indirect)

On Alex's screen, the redacted footnote shone like a little island of exposed text amidst a sea of black ink. Communication fragment recovered (source: Aurelius sec-detail lambda) timestamp [REDACTED]: 14:07 Zulu, 18-OCT "... reroute verified." Package B is moving northward. Package B NORTH, repeat. Victor had been Package A. Package B was the classification for Victor's wife and kids' car that day in Khartoum, based on the mission files Alex had meticulously cross-referenced. They were always supposed to be in the southern area, where the misdirected drone strike struck at 14:19 Zulu, according to the official timeline. However, this fragment, which was recorded twelve minutes prior to impact, indicated a last-minute alteration that led them to deviate from their planned path and head toward the final impact zone.

Was it a lack of competence? A message that is jumbled? Or willful deception by members of Victor's own inner circle? More importantly, was Victor aware?

Alex considered the ramifications and the possible backlash. This explosive might destroy Victor's meticulously crafted story of innocent victimization and force him to face the prospect of betrayal closer to home. It could cause him to become unstable and open up. Alternatively, it might incite a furious outburst, validate his most pessimistic beliefs about human deceit, and strengthen his apocalyptic determination. He might even believe Alex knew more than he did, which could result in unpredictably harsh reprisals.

He spoke with Dr. Sharma about it via a highly encrypted call. She said, "It's playing with fire, Alex," as her vision lacked clarity and lagged. His whole defense is predicated on the corruption of the world and outside forces shattering his utopia. implying that the decay originated in his own meticulously regulated surroundings—yes, it might compel reflection. Or it might trigger a psychotic episode. It is impossible to foretell.

"Anya, doing nothing isn't an option," Alex shot back with a grimace. "Time is passing too quickly. The foundations must be shaken. Check out what breaks.

He chose the delivery strategy: deniable, targeted, and based on their common history. Ultra-secure experimental backchannels using quantum-entangled communicators had existed during Project Chimera; however, the technology was subsequently abandoned since it was thought to be too costly and unstable for broader use. Though technically removed from all logs, Alex still had the access protocols for one node that had gone down. Victor may have maintained an active listening post, a digital memento mori, because he was preoccupied with his own creations. It seemed unlikely, depending on Victor's conceit or tenderness.

Hours were spent crafting the message. It was too vulgar to make a straight charge. He required tact, a thin layer of ice placed beneath the epidermis. He chose to keep things simple:

From the GHOST Protocol 7, V.A.
RE: KHARTOUM 18-OCT INQUIRY: ROUTING FOR PACKAGE B. ALONE ENEMY ACTION?
LAMBDA COMMS LOG 14:07 ZULU is the reference.
USE NULL ECHO TO CONFIRM RECEIPT.

Using their old project vocabulary, it's straightforward and clinical. 'Ghost Protocol 7' was the name they gave to the inactive channel. Victor's top security leader in Khartoum, known internally as "Lambda," was slain in the same explosion. Chimera-speak for a passive acknowledgment signal—a particular quantum state fluctuation that could be traced but denied—was "Null Echo."

It was necessary to route the transmission through a confusing daisy chain of compromised servers on three continents before arriving at a defunct satellite relay that Alex had revived with the help of outdated Agency override codes. In a filthy, clandestine internet cafe in the Aksaray neighborhood of Istanbul, he started the last quantum entanglement sequence from a broken laptop while the clatter of backgammon pieces and cigarette smoke filled the air. Inside, Alex entered the last command, trying to whisper a single, poisoned inquiry into the world's deepest trench, while outside, the ancient city moaned beneath the weight of contemporary Armageddon. The contrast was striking. After pressing enter, he quickly erased the local drive and physically destroyed the communication interface module before disappearing into the nervous evening crowds outside the cafe.

The wait follows. The days stretched throughout the week. Alex moved between anonymous safe houses on a rotating basis, never remaining in one place for more than 48 hours. He kept an eye on everything, including world leaders' statements, Aurelius Conglomerate stock movements (what little trade there was), seismic activity close to the Mariana Trench, and conversation on international networks. Nothing. The abyss was completely silent, deafening.

He was plagued by doubt. Did the message make it to the now-defunct Chimera node at all? Was Victor keeping an eye on it? Or had Alex wasted time by broadcasting his question into space and showing his hand for no reason? He didn't get much sleep, kept up by nerves and coffee, and the strain tightened with every quiet hour that went by. Sharma and Thorne provided assistance, but they were also affected by the risk.

On Day 82, the response came through pure, obvious strength rather than any channel Alex was keeping an eye on.

His laptop screen abruptly went black while he was studying geothermal energy output graphs from the Pacific in a modestly furnished apartment with a view of the Bosphorus. And then an image appeared, a live, high-definition video feed, rather than a message. It displayed a portion of the abyssal plain that was lit by an invisible light source. Unusual, bioluminescent beings floated by. A small, sleek, featureless, and rather familiar metallic object rested on the seafloor in the middle of the frame. Alex was horrified to discover that it was the distinctive shell of the quantum entanglement communicator node he had just utilized, torn off the abandoned satellite he had passed through.

For ten seconds, the image remained in place, allowing the inference to fully register: I am aware of what you did. I am aware of your method. Anywhere is within my reach.

After then, the feed stopped, static took its place, and his computer eventually restarted as if nothing had occurred. The intrusion was not visible in any logs. There were no network warnings generated. It was a demonstration, a phantom signal.

Alex's face was bleeding, and he sat still. The communication had not only reached Victor; he had deftly followed its convoluted route back to the purportedly secure satellite relay, managed to collect the actual device from orbit, and showed it to Alex like a prize, a hunter presenting its victim. The overwhelming dominance of technology was both amazing and frightening.

It wasn't over, though. Minutes later, while Alex was telling a stunned Thorne about the incident, a single, global alert flashed across news tickers and emergency broadcast systems around the world. It was a Level 3 'Damocles Protocol' status update, which Victor's system had automatically broadcast according to his original setup, indicating a minor system query or possible external interference. Although it sparked a new wave of alarm around the world, Alex understood its true intent. The 'Null Echo' he had asked for confirmed that his message had been received.

Additionally, a non-standard alphanumeric string—FELIS INTERROGATIO INTERESTING. SED MEMINISSE MORTEM—was concealed within the usual alert code and only apparent if you knew exactly where to look.

It's an intriguing inquiry from the cat. But keep death in mind.

Victor had responded. He took note of the Khartoum question. He acknowledged knowing it was felis, the cat, Alex. He also gave a more chilly warning. He referred to the question as intriguing; he had not rejected it. Was Alex's dart successful? Or was this just one more aspect of Victor's ruthless scheme?