The air in the basement was heavy with tension, each of us processing the message differently. Cipher leaned back in his chair, his smirk fading into a contemplative frown. Alan's pacing became more erratic, the muted sound of his footsteps filling the silence. Mara stood rigid, her arms crossed, her face a mask of focus.
"We're out of time," she finally said, her voice cutting through the unease.
"No kidding," Cipher muttered, glancing at his screen. "If they haven't pinged the decryption attempt yet, they will soon. And once they do, they'll triangulate us faster than you can say, 'We're screwed.'"
"Then we can't stay here," Mara snapped. "What's our next move?"
Cipher tapped his chin thoughtfully, the glow of the laptop reflecting in his glasses. "This data is our ace, but it's also our curse. If Zenith catches us with it, we're dead. If we destroy it, we lose any leverage we have against them."
Alan stopped pacing, his voice rising in panic. "So what do we do? Run until they catch us? Hope for a miracle?"
"No," I said, the words spilling out before I could stop them. "We take the fight to them."
The room fell silent. Mara raised an eyebrow, her expression unreadable. Cipher gave a low chuckle, shaking his head.
"Bold," he said, "but suicidal. You do realize who we're dealing with, right? Zenith isn't just some shady corporation—they're an empire. They own governments, control entire economies. Taking them down isn't a fight; it's a revolution."
"Revolutions start somewhere," I replied, surprised by the steadiness in my voice.
Mara stepped forward, her eyes locking onto mine. "What exactly are you suggesting?"
"We use the names," I said, gesturing to Cipher's laptop. "The people on that list—some of them might be vulnerable, others might be willing to talk if we apply the right pressure. We don't have to take down Zenith all at once. We dismantle it piece by piece."
Cipher leaned forward, his interest piqued. "Divide and conquer, huh? Not a bad strategy. But you're assuming we can get to them before Zenith gets to us."
"That's why we need to move fast," I said. "If we hit them in ways they don't expect, we can stay ahead of them."
Mara considered this for a moment before nodding. "It's risky, but you're right. Sitting around waiting to be hunted isn't an option." She turned to Cipher. "Can you identify the most vulnerable targets on that list? People we can approach—or exploit?"
Cipher grinned, already typing. "Oh, I love a good scavenger hunt. Give me a minute."
Alan sank into a chair, rubbing his temples. "This is insane," he muttered. "We're just a bunch of nobodies going up against the most powerful organization in the world. How do we stand a chance?"
"We don't," Mara said bluntly, her gaze fixed on Cipher's screen. "Unless we stop thinking like prey and start thinking like predators."
Cipher's typing slowed as he pulled up a new file. "Alright," he said, turning the laptop to face us. "Here's what I've got: three potential leads.
"First, there's Dr. Lisbeth Kane. She's a biochemist working for Zenith's pharmaceutical division. From what I can tell, she's been skimming data from her own projects—possibly looking to blow the whistle.
"Second, we have Anthony Greene, a mid-level executive with access to Zenith's financial networks. He's got a gambling problem, and his debts are piling up. Could be leveraged.
"Finally, there's Adrian Volkov, an ex-mercenary turned security consultant. He's been contracted for some of Zenith's black ops, but rumor has it he's been sidelined after a job went south. He might have an axe to grind."
Mara studied the profiles, her brow furrowing. "Each of them has potential, but they also pose risks. We'd have to approach carefully."
Cipher nodded. "Agreed. But if we can get even one of them on our side—or at least destabilize their connection to Zenith—it'll buy us time and weaken their grip."
Alan looked between us, his expression skeptical. "And what if they don't cooperate? What if they sell us out?"
"Then we deal with it," Mara said coldly.
I felt a pang of unease at her tone but pushed it aside. "We'll start with Kane," I suggested. "If she's already trying to expose Zenith, she might be willing to help us."
Cipher nodded, saving the files. "Good choice. I'll dig up her location and any recent activity. Shouldn't take long."
Mara turned to Alan and me. "Get some rest while you can. Once we have a plan, we'll need to move fast."
Alan hesitated, then nodded reluctantly. I leaned back against the wall, closing my eyes but unable to shake the feeling that every second we spent planning was another second Zenith was closing in.
As the faint sound of Cipher's typing filled the room, one thought consumed me: We were in over our heads, but there was no turning back now. The only way out was through—and we'd have to burn Zenith to the ground to survive.
.....
Chapter Locked!To read the next chapter:🔗 Copy this link: https://unlockcontent.net/cp/i/q8320?preview=1📖 Chapter will unlock right after. Enjoy the secrets!