Four days had elapsed, and the rest of my shadows were finally ready.
The reason I went undercover at KopiKopi had come full circle. The preparation had reached its peak, and the exhilaration was indescribable. Alasteer's Project Nibiru, designed to dismantle the infiltrators of Astre and Triads, was set to unravel everything.
Project Nibiru was named after a prophecy—a supposed cataclysmic event that had turned out to be a myth, much like how we would expose and eliminate the falsehood of our enemies. This was Alasteer's victory waiting to unfold.
The sketches I had drawn—the seven hundred forty-two faces of Triads and Astre members, enemies carefully etched into existence—would now be erased from it. I handed over the plans to Elijah, who finalized every detail. The reason I was the only one in this district? To lull them into a sense of security, making them believe Alasteer hadn't recognized them.
Their objective was Medusa. They knew she was hiding among civilians, blending in, but they couldn't pinpoint her. They couldn't see that Medusa was Heart. And Heart—well, she was sharper than most, but she could never match the enemies lying in wait.
"I'll be leaving soon," I said to Heart, brushing a kiss on her forehead. She looked up at me with those sharp eyes of hers, but I could feel her worry. No matter how skilled she was, the storm that was coming would sweep everything in its path. Including her.
Medusa would involve the military if it happens, we'd be caught in a skirmish—a war between the Triads and Astre, who kidnapped her best friend, and Alasteer, who had once tried to kill her. A war that had to be prevented at all costs, or it would erupt into public chaos.
I found myself sitting in the empty throne, a relic of the past but still commanding respect.
"The one who sits here commands the shadows," Elijah said beside me, his voice steady. "But even shadows must take precedence."
"Alasteers! He is the one who shadows the throne, the king who was never dethroned, because a shadow never needed a throne to rule! Again I introduce you, Jazz Klein, Phoenix Silverster's son and the ace of Alasteer!" Elijah proudly dictates strongly.
Rumors had always followed me within Alasteer. Even now, they whispered. The 'shadow of Alasteer.' That's what they called me. They all looked at me with respect and authority.
Elijah began addressing the operatives. "Twenty of you will roam and assassinate their undercovers. The remaining thirty will move in pairs. I've located fifteen key hideouts. You'll face fifteen targets each."
He projected a map onto the screen, showing the marked locations. At sixteen, Elijah was already displaying the mind of a seasoned strategist. His intellect was terrifying. Recruiting him had been my best decision.
"The Triads and Astre have no idea we're striking tonight," Elijah continued. "This is a surprise—conceived by the shadow." His eyes briefly met mine, acknowledging the invisible hand that had set all this in motion. As he spoke, I couldn't help but wonder what heights this kid would reach in his twenties. He had the potential to be Alasteer's brain, far beyond what anyone else had achieved.
"The shadow went alone, identifying every spy. None of them, not even the Alasteer, knew the operation had already begun," Elijah said, emphasizing the secrecy of the plan. "This was all part of his grand scheme. I'm simply the one delivering the message."
Because this would ensue that the plan would not be leaked out, my trust was very selective, and not even the organization. that doesn't recognize it's shadow can be trusted.
