Demokracy: Nation Awaits

Chapter 56: New Lead

Ignis 28, 1942

The Eldorian Intelligence Agency (EIA) had been working tirelessly around the clock since the bombing of the Remdant Public Market. Director Olga Riverbanks and Special Agent Rona Erktun had led their team through countless leads, dead ends, and faint trails in their pursuit of the truth. Today, their efforts bore fruit.

In a covert operation that had taken weeks of meticulous planning, the EIA finally identified the recipient of the mysterious 56 million Fellors transfer. It was none other than former AIDA President Limuel Johnson, the very man now running for the presidency in the 1943 National Election. This revelation sent shockwaves through the agency, and the atmosphere within the EIA's headquarters was tense as the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.

Director Riverbanks gathered her top agents in the secure briefing room, the walls lined with monitors displaying various pieces of intelligence. She stood at the head of the table, her expression serious as she addressed the room.

"Ladies and gentlemen," she began, her voice calm but commanding, "we have confirmed that the 56 million Fellors transfer was received by Limuel Johnson. This discovery is significant, but it is only half the battle. We still don't know who orchestrated the transfer, who facilitated it from within our own government."

Special Agent Rona Erktun, seated to the director's right, leaned forward. "We've been tracing the money trail, but whoever set this up is a professional. They've covered their tracks well, using multiple shell companies and false identities. The funds passed through no fewer than eight different accounts across four countries before reaching Johnson."

"Could it be someone in the government?" asked Agent Frank Morales, one of the senior agents at the table.

"That's our working theory," replied Erktun. "Given the access needed to initiate a transfer of this magnitude without raising alarms, it's likely someone with high-level clearance. But we're dealing with a very skilled operator—possibly someone with connections deep inside the financial networks of Eldoria."

Director Riverbanks nodded. "We need to tread carefully. If this person is still within our ranks, any misstep could tip them off and send them underground. Our primary objective remains to uncover their identity and their motive. We need to know why they funneled this money to Johnson, and what they're planning."

The room fell silent as the gravity of the situation sank in. The implications were vast—corruption at the highest levels, a potential threat to the upcoming election, and the possibility of further attacks. Every agent in that room knew they were on the front lines of a battle for the very soul of Eldoria.

"We're expanding the investigation," Riverbanks continued. "I've authorized additional surveillance on Johnson, and we're going to cross-reference every known associate, ally, and business contact he's had in the last two years. We'll also need to discreetly investigate key figures in the government who had the means and opportunity to initiate this transfer."

Erktun added, "We're dealing with someone who's playing a long game. They've waited until the perfect moment to strike—just as the campaign season begins, and the nation is still reeling from the attack on the market. They're counting on us being too distracted to notice."

"We won't give them that satisfaction," Riverbanks said firmly. "Johnson might be the recipient, but he's just the tip of the iceberg. Whoever's behind this has a plan, and we're going to uncover it before they can execute it."

The briefing concluded with Riverbanks assigning tasks to her agents. Surveillance teams were to be expanded, financial analysts were brought in to continue following the money trail, and cybersecurity experts were tasked with tracing the digital footprint of the transactions.