𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐭｜𝐙𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐜 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲

𝐗𝐈𝐈

The Tangled Web

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❝Deceit is a kind of garment that conceals the soul.❞
- Francis Bacon

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Nexus Tower

The dim light of the moon filtered through the windows of Caiaphas's office, casting long, eerie shadows across the room. The air was thick with the scent of old books and the faint hint of cigarette smoke. It was late, and the building was quiet, save for the occasional creak and groan of the aging structure. Caiaphas sat at his desk, poring over documents, his face a mask of concentration. The weight of leadership often felt like a shackle, but tonight, it felt particularly heavy.

A soft knock at the door broke the silence. Caiaphas looked up, a frown creasing his forehead. "Come in," he called, his voice carrying an edge of irritation.

The door opened slowly, and Laure stepped inside, her presence a stark contrast to the brooding ambiance of the office. She moved with a grace that belied the tension in her eyes, her steps measured and deliberate. "Caiaphas, do you have a moment?" she asked, her voice soft yet firm.

Caiaphas leaned back in his chair, a sigh escaping his lips. "What's on your mind?"

Laure closed the door behind her, the click of the latch sounding unusually loud in the quiet room. She approached the desk, her eyes scanning the clutter of papers and files before settling on Caiaphas. "I wanted to discuss the latest intel on the Silver Serpents. And... there's something else that's been on my mind."

Caiaphas nodded, gesturing to the chair opposite him. "Take a seat"

Laure sat down, folding her hands in her lap. "We've been making progress against the Serpents, but there's an issue that's been bothering me. It's about the mole."

Caiaphas's expression darkened, his eyes narrowing. "The mole," he repeated, his voice a low growl. "I thought we had dealt with that issue."

Laure shook her head, her gaze unwavering. "That's just it. We haven't heard anything about it in weeks. It feels like we just dropped the matter, and I can't help but wonder why. What exactly happened?"

Caiaphas rubbed his temples, a weary sigh escaping his lips. "It's not that simple, Laure. The hunt for the mole was becoming a distraction. We needed to focus on the Silver Serpents and Seraphim Syndicate, on keeping our operations intact."

Laure leaned forward, her eyes searching his. "But the mole is a threat. Whoever it is, they're still out there, feeding information to our enemies. We can't afford to ignore that."

Caiaphas met her gaze, his eyes hard. "I haven't forgotten about the mole. I've just... reprioritized. Our resources are stretched thin as it is."

Laure's voice softened, a note of pleading entering her tone. "I understand that. But we need to know. We need to be sure. What if the mole is still causing damage behind the scenes? What if they're the reason the Serpents have been a step ahead of us?"

Caiaphas's jaw tightened, and he looked away, staring at a point on the wall. "I have a team working on it," he said finally, his voice taut. "Quietly. Discreetly. We'll find the mole—but we have to be careful. If we make a wrong move, we could tip them off."

Laure nodded slowly, understanding the weight of his words. "I trust you. I just needed to know that we're not ignoring the threat."

Caiaphas sighed, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "You're right to bring it up. We can't let our guard down. I'll make sure we stay vigilant."