The wind whipped around them as the jet soared through the darkening skies. Nam stared out the small window, the looming storm clouds below mirroring the tension rising within him. Everything was falling into place—almost too perfectly. They had the first relay, but something in the pit of his stomach told him that Kaas was playing a deeper game.
The mission was clear: breach the second relay, stop the virus from spreading any further, and take down Black Veil. But Nam knew that every move they made was being watched. They weren't just up against a group of elite hackers; they were up against a mastermind.
Hana broke the silence as she adjusted the control settings on her terminal. "I don't like how quiet Kaas is being. There's no way he's just going to let us waltz through the second node without a fight."
Alina, ever the strategist, tapped her foot impatiently. "We can't afford to be paranoid. We need to keep moving forward, stick to the plan. We'll hit the second relay hard and fast."
Nam shifted in his seat, the hum of the engines a constant reminder of the ticking clock. "The last thing we want is to underestimate Kaas. He knows we're coming, and he'll have something waiting for us."
There was a pause as Hana reviewed the data. "I've rerouted the coordinates, but there's a security upgrade at the second node. It's not just a firewall; it's a decoy. We'll need to find the real entry point."
Alina's eyes lit up with recognition. "A decoy. That's exactly what I would do. He's trying to lead us down the wrong path while setting up his real defenses."
Nam nodded. "Keep your eyes open. There's no room for error."
Back in the underground fortress, Kaas stood before a series of screens, the glow from his monitors casting an eerie light over his cold features. He had watched their every move. They had been bold, but they had underestimated him. It was a mistake they would soon regret.
"The bait is set," he murmured, typing in a few commands to activate the traps. His voice was calm, but his mind was racing. They thought they were clever, but they hadn't yet figured out that he had already anticipated their every move.
He leaned back, eyes fixed on the screen displaying the path Nam's team would soon take. He'd been in their position before, always a step ahead. "Let's see how they handle the storm."
The jet landed in a secluded airstrip near Geneva. The team disembarked swiftly, their eyes scanning the surrounding area for any sign of trouble. They didn't have much time.
Nam checked his watch. "We're five minutes from the secondary relay. Stay focused."
As they approached the building, a strange sense of unease gripped the team. Something didn't feel right. The area was too quiet, almost too easy. They expected guards, alarms, but the facility was eerily empty.
"We're walking into a trap," Hana said softly. "We need to move quickly, or we'll get caught."
Nam's instincts kicked in. "Stay close. If this is a trap, we'll make sure it's one they regret."
They entered the facility, the low hum of electronics their only company. Alina led the way, her hand steady on the pistol at her side, ready for anything. Nam followed closely behind, his mind racing with possibilities.
And then, as they neared the second relay's control room, the lights flickered.
Suddenly, an explosion rocked the building, sending the team sprawling to the ground. The walls shook, dust falling from the ceiling in heavy clumps. A blast of hot air followed, making it clear that this was no ordinary trap. It was a signal — they had walked right into Kaas's plan.
"Get up!" Nam barked, pulling himself to his feet. The entire room was filled with the sound of alarms blaring. "They know we're here."
Back in the control center, Kaas smirked, watching the chaos unfold in real time. The trap had worked perfectly. Nam's team was exactly where he wanted them.
"Let's see how they handle the storm," Kaas said again, his fingers hovering over the final command. With a final press, the countdown began, and the virus they'd unleashed began to rapidly spread across the network. There was no turning back now.
Nam's heart pounded in his chest as the smoke cleared from the blast. They were pinned down, the enemy's forces closing in fast. Hana was already on her feet, pulling up a map of the building's internal systems.
"We're running out of time," she said urgently. "We need to get to the core server before they completely lock us out."
"Then we'll make sure they regret underestimating us," Nam said through gritted teeth, as he checked his weapon and gave the signal to move forward. "It's time to end this."