Match

“Madam, I think we’ve found something about the assault.”

“You mean Pavlov?”

“Yes.”

Redmond was in her workroom when Rudolf approached inside with a file in his hand. Her eyes became focused.

“What is it? What have you discovered?"

Rudolf approached Redmond. His face turned more serious.

“I have the documents, but it’ll be easier if I explain it by mouth.”

“Go on.”

“Some of our hired hackers were able to bypass the firewall of Bezopasnosti's network database, and they were able to look around some confidential files. They stumbled upon the bees’ investigation report regarding Pavlov’s massacre. Most of the contents are something we have known, but there’s one finding that might be of interest.”

“And that is?”

“They had a record of an accessing backlog from the network on the compounds.”

“...You mean from that giant computer room on the first floor?”

“Yes,” he said. ”Someone had accessed the network during the assault.”

Redmond stared at him for a moment with a dismissive look. “Everyone could be there at any time. There were many people inside the compound.”

“The last access before that was three weeks ago,” he said. “And if we go further, the next point was two months ago. It happened at long and random intervals.”

“...Okay.” Redmond paused herself. “But I can’t see why I should be bothered by this.”

Rudolf pulled out a paper from the file and gave it to Redmond.

“What is this?” She asked as she reached it.

“It was accessed during the assault–the only file,” he said. “A plan of an unknown underground facility. Someone at that time took a peek at it.”

Redmond frowned and looked at him. “...What facility?”

“We don’t know yet.”

Redmond looked at the file. It was a multi-floor basement, separated by small mass compartments, probably around fifty or even more on each floor. There were some areas that were censored, and Redmond had no idea what they might be or what was inside of it. Yet, her mind tried to fit in the puzzle.

“It looks like a prison or a concentration camp.”

“My thoughts as well, but we can’t be sure yet, Madam. We can’t find anything from our database to link it with the existence of this building.”

“Do we know where it is, though?”

“No. We’re still trying to pinpoint the location.”

“Have you tried to ask or discuss this with Pavlovs?”

“No. I figured there’s a risk of… a sensitive issue amongst them. I mean-”

“Yeah, I understand,” Redmond interjected. “It doesn’t make sense if we suddenly know something that they try to hide.”

“Yes, Madam.”

“We finally shed some light here, but we might dig something that we should not have.”

Redmond walked to the holotable and looked at Podzemgrad’s map. She tried to recall some of the Bezopasnosti unit's positions across the entire city. Particularly, where they concentrated their men the most in the outer districts.

“With respect, Madam, what’s in your mind?”

“We still don’t know what this complex holds nor its importance. But our target is certainly interested in it.”

“So you want to get there first?”

“Exactly, if it’s not risky.”

“I’m not sure about that, Madam.”

“Any dirt is better than nothing. At least, we have something to work on.”

“Even if we want to, there are too many places to check. With the current situation in Podzemgrad, it’s too dangerous.”

“I won’t try to go too far. At least, we just need to guess where it’s located,” Redmond said without looking at Rudolf. Her eyes were still focused on her mind and the map. “I believe that Pavlov’s forces are pretty much scattered right?”

“...Yes,” he said. “They’re all over the place.”

Hearing that, Redmond's eyes looked at a particular territory in the map. It was not an unfamiliar place, sitting just right beside her territory. A strip of land that was relatively safe until now, one of the last territories that The Pavlov Syndicate had.

She pointed at the map. “We can start from here.”

Rudolf looked confused. “Excuse me, Madam?”

“Finding that building that you just showed me,” she said. “I guess Pavlov and the technocrats are on the hoot for something. Whatever it is, it’s not good, and this building might show as something.”

“We’re not even sure whether it’s related to the massacre or not.”

Redmond glanced at Rudolf first, then looked back at the map. “Even then, it’s almost certain that our target probably wants to find this building, for whatever reason.”

“But the envoy said–”

“He’s clearly lying to us,” she said. “Maybe not entirely, but they deliberately left us dark from some crucial info.”

“But what does this android–or his master wants?”

“Whatever it is, we have to get there first.”

“But our target hasn't been seen for days now, despite many chances to do so.”

Redmond ignored it. “Have you checked the existence of this plan on Pavlov's other databases?”

“Haven’t yet, Madam.”

“Then told them to check it,” she said referring to her hired hackers. “Report to me as soon as possible.”

Rudolf stared deeply at Redmond. “...Yes, Madam.”

Redmond then mumbled, “If someone

“...Also get the Forzini ready, I’m going out.”