She'll Bring Honor To Us All (BWWM) ✓

Chapter 9: Much Like Every System, There Are Flaws

McGary's POV
I glanced back between Rein and Director Campbell as they both sat in the chairs on either side of me with Director Campbell at the edge of the hologram table. We'd all just been sitting here for the last few minutes.

"I'm not sure what to make of this." Director Campbell sighed. I don't think I'd seen him this stressed last since our Afghan mission. "So this group is trying to pass for The Black Lotus?"

"Well, yes. Honestly, I'd give it a few days before this entire group of people are wiped out by the actual Black Lotus." Rein replied honestly. We just sat together for another minute before anyone spoke.

"So what's our next move?" Campbell asked honestly. At first I didn't think I heard right. I'd never witnessed Campbell ask someone else for a game plan.

"It all depends on what you want to do," Rein replied honestly. "If you don't care about what happens, you can allow the Black Lotus to take them out first- which I guarantee you, won't take long at all. If you want these people alive, then we need to find them before the Black Lotus do, which is much easier said than done. But it's your choice." She replied.

I could see the wheels turning in Campbell's head but we both knew what he would decide. "If we were to go ahead and hunt this group down first, where would we start?" Campbell asked.

"Well we need to head over to the museum as soon as possible. I need to absorb the crime scene. Exits and entrances, because these people didn't just disappear." Rein replied.

Campbell just nodded.

"Next, I'll need to go underground for a while." She added. Both Campbell and I looked up at her.

"Underground?" I asked. That didn't sound good at all.

"These people worked with chemicals that could only have been received illegally. If they had stolen these gasses, we'd have heard by now. This means they were bought through an unlisted seller. Our next move would be to identify the seller, and figure out first: how much was bought. If there's going to be a second attack, we need to know about it, and Second: who handled the details. The unlisted seller in this case won't know who exactly the buyer was, and vise versa. This is a system that has been kept for decades within the Black Market due to instances like this.

"After the purchase, whatever the buyer wishes to do with the product is up to the buyer, and the seller makes it so it cannot be traced back to them. The whole system is ingenious." Rein explained.

"Then how would we get in? How would we find the seller?" I asked.

"Much like every system, there are flaws. We would need to work an angle. I would be inquiring as to where I could come into contact with such a weapon. I know a few of the buyers and there is no way this'll go smoothly, but it's the only option we have considering the circumstances. We need to move as quickly as we can because The Black Lotus has full connections within the Black Market. If tear gas was bought, they'll know from whom."

I was still baffled as to how she could possibly know this much about a group of assassins that supposedly didn't exists until a few days ago.

As Rein talked, I only grew more and more suspicious as to who she really was.

"If The Black Lotus figures out the group before we do, the whole mission is as good as done, right?" Campbell asked.

"If the Black Lotus succeed first, you can bet on the fact that everyone on that security tape will be hunted down and killed. If we succeed, we may have captured this group of people, but that will put us directly in the path of The Black Lotus and their target. I don't think you want to know the odds of all of us making it out of this mission alive." Rein spoke honestly.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The fear of The Black Lotus had never really entered my mind until now. Every story, every unsolved case, every death. I had completely believed it all to be a myth, but to finally hear that this is all very real, it made the hairs on my arms stand up.

"So either way, we can't win?" I asked Rein.

"Think of this like War. There is no true win with war. You may be victorious, but collateral is inevitable. People will die regardless, it is rather the decision of who you are willing to sacrifice in the name of justice, or whatever you stand for."

All I could do was stare at her. For a moment there, her facade dropped and I saw true pain in her eyes. An emotion I hadn't witnessed yet... and an emotion I never wanted to see again.

Before Campbell could say anything, the holograms on the glass table suddenly disappeared as the the screen turned black. All three of us stared at the monitor, then each other.

"What just happened?" I asked.

"I'm not sure." Campbell replied. The screen twitched again before a curser appeared. It blinked a few times. Writing finally came on that read: Hello, Renge|

I glanced at Rein as she gripped the edge of the table so hard, I thought it would shatter.

"Up. Now." Rein demanded, as she already started power walking towards the the entrance to Campbell's office. It took everything in us to keep up with her while she made it back to the communications room. I was about to call her name as she stood frozen, but then I saw what she saw.

Every monitor in the room had the same screen as the one in Campbells office.

"What the fuck is going on Rein?" Campbell asked as Rein began to tinker with the main monitor in the middle of the room. After a few moments, voice came through that read exactly what the print said: Hello, Renge|

I glanced at Rein but she had an emotionless expression. Her body was shaking slightly.

"Rein!" Campbell called, snapping her out of her trance. She turned to both Campbell and I before speaking in an unrecognizable voice.

"We're being hacked."

--------------------------