Chapter 7 - THE INTERROGATION OF SHADOWSThe lead syndicate operative slowly lowered his rifle, though his posture remained tense and coiled like a spring. He looked around the warehouse, taking in the red laser dots dancing across his tactical vest before turning his gaze back to Vincent.
"You think trapping three field agents means you've beaten the Consortium, Mr. Moretti?" the operative scoffed, his modulated voice dripping with cold arrogance. "We are only a drop in the ocean. Even if you kill us here, ten more will take our place."
Vincent walked forward slowly, his boots clicking rhythmically against the concrete floor. He stopped just five paces away from the intruder.
"I don't plan on killing you," Vincent said calmly. "And I certainly don't plan on letting you walk away."
Vincent raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
From the shadows behind the containers, Kael and four heavy tactical operators marched forward, carrying specialized electromagnetic restraint cuffs—devices designed to lock onto tactical gear and instantly fry neural-link comms and localized explosives.
"Try to resist, and your suits will administer a five-thousand-volt shock straight to your central nervous system," Kael warned smoothly, stepping up to the second operative and snapping the cuffs onto his wrists with a sharp click.
The three syndicate agents exchanged glances. Realizing they were completely outmatched, they allowed themselves to be disarmed and restrained without a struggle.
Vincent walked right up to the lead operative, his eyes narrowing. "Now, let’s talk about the real reason you're here. The Thorne family was a front. A laundering machine for syndicate assets. But why did you target Audrey specifically? What is this decentralized ledger she supposedly accessed?"
The operative let out a low, mechanical chuckle. "You really think she’s safe just because she's in your private medical suite? Mr. Moretti... you saved her from the cellar, but you don't realize what's already inside her blood."
Vincent’s heart skipped a beat. A cold wave of dread washed over him. "What did you say?"
"The cellar wasn't just a prison," the operative whispered maliciously. "It was a medical testing room. Eleanor and Richard didn't just starve her—they administered a slow-release neurological compound. A micro-capsule designed to gradually erode her long-term memories and transmit every thought she processes directly to our central servers."
Vincent lunged forward, grabbing the operative by the collar of his tactical vest and slamming him against a steel shipping container with a deafening crash.
"Where is the antidote?!" Vincent roared, his voice echoing off the concrete walls with terrifying fury. "Tell me right now, or I swear to God I will bury you in an unmarked grave where no one will ever find your body!"
The operative coughed, a thin trail of dark blood trickling past his lips, yet a twisted smile remained on his face.
"There... there is no antidote outside of our master mainframe," the operative gasped, wheezing slightly. "And the mainframe is currently self-destructing. The countdown started the moment our extraction team missed their check-in window. In less than twenty minutes... Audrey's memories will be permanently wiped out, and her neurological system will collapse."
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Vincent’s blood ran ice-cold. He dropped the operative to the floor and tapped his wrist comm with trembling fingers.
"Kael! Get me a secure link to the medical suite right now! Check Audrey’s vital signs!"
