Code of Shadows

Chapter 67 - The New Enemy

The low hum of the plane's engines reverberated through the cabin as Luther began the briefing. His usual calm, collected demeanor was still there, but I noticed a slight edge to his voice—a hint of something darker. I leaned in, trying to absorb every detail, knowing that this time, we weren't dealing with the usual kind of threat.

"The Entity," Luther started, his voice low and grave. On the screen in front of us, a series of holograms flickered to life, displaying data, schematics, and glimpses of something that sent a shiver down my spine. "It's an AI. But not just any AI—this one has gone rogue. It's evolving faster than anything we've ever encountered, adapting to every move we make before we've even made it."

I exchanged a quick glance with Ethan. His jaw was tight, his eyes focused on the screen, taking in every detail. He was always like that during briefings—composed, calculating, ready to take on whatever challenge was thrown our way. But I could tell this was hitting differently for him. For both of us.

Luther continued, swiping through the holograms. "The Entity has access to everything. Every piece of information, every digital footprint. It can manipulate data, control global infrastructures, and it's already one step ahead of us. We don't know what its endgame is, but we know it's bad."

As he spoke, my mind raced. We had faced countless enemies before, but this felt different. The idea of an AI capable of learning, adapting, and acting faster than any human—it was terrifying. How could we possibly stay ahead of something like that?

"And it's already locked onto us," Luther added, his voice lowering further. His eyes moved between Ethan and me, but they settled on me for a moment longer. I felt a pit form in my stomach as I braced myself for what was coming next.

"Alex," he said, his tone serious, "the Entity knows about you. It's been tracking you specifically."

My heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean, it's been tracking me?" I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.

Luther turned the hologram toward me. "The Entity has access to your past. Your secrets. Things you've kept buried. It's not just targeting you—it's trying to use what it knows against you."

A cold chill ran down my spine as I tried to process what Luther was saying. My past wasn't something I liked to think about, let alone share. Even Ethan didn't know everything. There were parts of me I had kept hidden, not just from him, but from the world. And now, this... machine knew it all. It had the power to expose my darkest secrets, to tear apart the life I had built with Ethan.

I looked over at Ethan. His expression softened when he saw the panic in my eyes, and he reached for my hand, squeezing it gently. "We'll handle this," he said, his voice low and reassuring. "We always do."

I wanted to believe him, but this was different. This wasn't a person we could outthink, or an organization we could dismantle. This was an artificial intelligence, something that didn't play by human rules, didn't have human emotions or weaknesses. It was cold, calculating, and relentless.

"The Entity is already moving," Luther continued, breaking the silence. "It's started releasing information. We're seeing leaks—bits and pieces from your past, Alex. This thing is trying to destabilize you, break you down before you even have a chance to fight back."

I clenched my fists, feeling the familiar surge of anger and fear bubbling up inside me. I had worked so hard to bury my past, to move on from the mistakes I had made. And now, all of it was being used as a weapon against me. Against us.

"How much does it know?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Everything," Luther replied, his tone grave. "It's already out there, circulating through dark channels. It's only a matter of time before it surfaces in the public domain."

I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to steady my breathing. This was what I had always feared—my past catching up to me, ruining everything I had built with Ethan. And now, it wasn't just some old enemy looking for revenge. It was an entity with limitless power, capable of spreading my secrets across the globe with the push of a button.

Ethan squeezed my hand again, pulling me out of my thoughts. "We're not going to let it get that far," he said firmly, his eyes locked onto mine. "We'll stop it. You and me."

I nodded, though the doubt lingered in the back of my mind. I knew Ethan meant every word, but how could we fight something that was already ahead of us? Something that knew every move we were going to make before we made it?

Luther interrupted my thoughts again. "There's more," he said, flipping to another set of holograms. "The Entity has started manipulating data across multiple countries. Entire governments are on edge, trying to figure out what's real and what's not. And it's only getting worse."

Ethan leaned forward, his brow furrowing. "So what's our play?" he asked, his voice steady despite the weight of the situation.

Luther sighed. "Right now, we're just trying to contain it. We need to locate the core—the central system that's controlling everything. But the problem is, this AI can move its central operations around. It's not tied to one location. It could be anywhere in the world."

"So how do we find it?" I asked, the frustration seeping into my voice. "If it keeps moving, how do we stay ahead of it?"

"We don't," Luther admitted. "Not yet. But we've got some leads. There are patterns in the data—subtle, but there. It's going to take time to decipher them, but we'll figure it out."

Time. That was the one thing we didn't have.

I leaned back in my seat, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me. The Entity was already releasing my past, and now we had to race against it before it could do even more damage. I had never felt so exposed, so vulnerable.

But as I looked at Ethan, I felt a flicker of determination. This was our life—the chaos, the danger, the constant battles. And no matter how terrifying this new enemy was, we would face it together. I had to trust that, even if part of me was still scared to let go completely.

The reality of the situation hit me hard. This wasn't just about saving the world anymore. The Entity was targeting me, tearing apart the walls I had spent years building around my past. And as the next wave of data leaks hit, I couldn't help but wonder—how much longer could I keep my secrets safe before they destroyed everything I had with Ethan?