Twenty minutes later, the door opened. Dr. Merrick himself emerged, a tall man with thinning hair and wire-rimmed glasses. He barely glanced at Elias as he passed, his attention focused on the tablet in his hand. Dr. Kael followed a moment later, her expression tense.
"The test results are promising, Anton," she was saying. "But we need more time before field deployment."
"Time is a luxury we don't have," Merrick replied, his voice low but carrying in the quiet hallway. "Magnus wants results, not excuses."
"And he'll have them. But if we rush this and create another Sundering..."
"That won't happen." Merrick's tone was dismissive. "The containment protocols are completely different. Besides, we're not dealing with raw Dust this time. Pandora is stable."
"Sixty percent mortality is not what I call stable," Dr. Kael hissed.
"Acceptable losses, given the potential gains." Merrick stopped at the elevator, turning to face her. "The Underground is growing bolder. The Wraith incident last night is proof of that. We need Pandora operational now, not after another six months of testing."
Elias kept his head down, methodically wiping a desk while straining to hear every word. The Wraith incident. They were talking about his raid on the warehouse.
"The Wraith is one man," Dr. Kael argued. "Dangerous, yes, but hardly an existential threat."
"One man who has consistently evaded our best security, who knows about Pandora, and who has connections to the Underground." Merrick's voice hardened. "Magnus wants him eliminated. And he wants the Underground neutralized before they can organize any further resistance."
The elevator arrived with a soft chime, cutting off their conversation as they stepped inside. Elias watched the doors close, his mind racing with the implications of what he'd overheard.
The Syndicate knew about his connection to the Underground, a connection that barely existed beyond a few isolated contacts. More concerning, they were accelerating the Pandora timeline in response to his activities. His efforts to disrupt their operations had only made them more determined.
And Magnus Voss himself was involved, directing the project from the shadows. The CEO of Syndicate Industries, the man who had rebuilt Ironhaven in his own image after The Sundering. The man who had ordered Elias imprisoned when he'd tried to expose the truth.
Elias finished his cleaning route on autopilot, his thoughts churning with new information and possibilities. The meeting at 10:00 AM in the Sector 7 Conference Room would be crucial for a status review that might reveal Pandora's true purpose and deployment timeline.
He needed to be there. Not as the janitor, but as the Wraith.
As his shift neared its end, Elias made his way to the maintenance level in the sub-basement. The janitorial locker room was empty this time of day, the night shift not yet arrived, and the day shift still working. He opened his assigned locker and changed out of his uniform, replacing it with civilian clothes, nondescript pants, and a gray hoodie that wouldn't attract attention.
But instead of leaving through the service entrance as usual, he took a different route. The ventilation system in Syndicate Tower was extensive, designed to circulate air throughout the massive structure. And like most systems designed for efficiency rather than security, it had vulnerabilities.
Behind a maintenance panel in a rarely-used storage room, Elias had discovered an access point to the ventilation ducts. Over months, he'd mapped sections of the system, identifying routes to key areas of the building. One such route led to an observation space above the Sector 7 Conference Room, a narrow maintenance crawlspace used to access lighting and climate controls.
Elias checked his watch. 9:15 AM. Forty-five minutes until the meeting. Enough time to position himself if he moved quickly.
He removed the panel and slipped into the narrow duct, replacing the cover behind him. The space was tight, designed for cables rather than people, but Elias was lean enough to navigate it. He moved silently through the metal passages, counting junctions and turns from memory.
The air grew colder as he ascended through the building, the ventilation system carrying a constant chill to counteract the heat generated by thousands of computers and bodies. By the time he reached the forty-eighth floor, his fingers were numb, and his breath formed small clouds in the dim light.
The observation space above the Sector 7 Conference Room was little more than a crawl space with a grated panel that allowed access to the recessed lighting. Elias positioned himself carefully, ensuring he could see through the grate without being visible from below.
The conference room was already being prepared. A technician was setting up a projection system, while another arranged water glasses and notepads at each seat around the large obsidian table. On the wall opposite Elias's position, a massive Syndicate logo dominated—a stylized phoenix rising from flames, rendered in brushed metal.
Gradually, people began to arrive. Dr. Merrick and Dr. Kael entered together, still engaged in what appeared to be a tense discussion. They were followed by several other scientists and executives, each taking assigned seats around the table. Elias recognized some from his surveillance department heads, security officials, and legal representatives.
At precisely 10:00 AM, the room fell silent as the final participant entered. Magnus Voss himself, CEO of Syndicate Industries and de facto ruler of Ironhaven. He was tall and imposing, his silver hair cropped short in a military style. Though he must have been in his sixties, he moved with the vigor of a much younger man, another rumored benefit of privileged access to refined Oblivion Dust.
"Let's not waste time," Voss said, his voice carrying clearly to Elias's hiding place. "Dr. Merrick, where do we stand with Pandora?"
Merrick stood, activating the projection system with a gesture. A holographic display appeared above the table, showing molecular structures that Elias didn't understand but recognized as Oblivion Dust variants.
"Phase Two testing is complete," Merrick reported. "The binding agent successfully integrates with compatible DNA, creating permanent enhancement without degradation. The subject's natural cellular repair mechanisms are hijacked to maintain the Dust integration indefinitely."
"And the mortality rate?" Voss asked.
"Still approximately 60% in adult subjects," Dr. Kael interjected before Merrick could answer. "Higher in subjects with previous Dust exposure."
"That's within acceptable parameters," Voss dismissed her concern with a wave. "What about control mechanisms?"
Merrick's expression brightened. "That's where we've made the most significant breakthrough. The neural override protocol is functioning at 98% efficiency. Once bonded with Pandora, subjects respond to programmed commands without question or hesitation."
"They become puppets," Dr. Kael said, her voice tight. "With no independent will."
"They become soldiers," Voss corrected. "Loyal, powerful, and disposable if necessary." He turned to a security official. "General Hayes, is the deployment strategy finalized?"
The general nodded. "Yes, sir. We've identified three primary water distribution nodes that service Underground territories. Once Pandora is introduced to the water supply, we estimate 80% exposure within 48 hours."
Elias felt cold horror spreading through his chest. They were planning to contaminate the water supply to force Pandora on the Underground population without their knowledge or consent. Those who survived would become mindless soldiers for the Syndicate; the rest would die agonizing deaths as their bodies rejected the Dust.
It was genocide disguised as pacification.
"And what about the Wraith problem?" Voss asked, his tone hardening. "Last night's breach is unacceptable."
"We've increased security at all research facilities," Hayes reported. "And we're deploying additional Nullsteel weapons to all enforcement teams. The next time he appears, we'll be ready."
"That's not good enough," Voss snapped. "I want him found and eliminated before the Pandora deployment. He knows too much already."
"Sir," one of the legal representatives spoke up, "we still don't know his identity. The Underground protects him, and our informants have been unable to..."
"Then get better informants," Voss cut him off. "Or better yet, give me a list of every Underground sympathizer in the Lower Districts, and I'll have them all arrested. The Wraith will be among them."
"That would be thousands of people," Dr. Kael said quietly. "Most of whom have committed no crime."
Voss fixed her with a cold stare. "Your concern for the rabble is noted, Doctor. And misplaced. These people chose their side when they rejected Syndicate protection." He turned back to the group.
"Pandora deployment is scheduled for one week from today. I expect all preparations to be complete by then."
As the meeting continued, Elias remained motionless in his hiding place, processing what he'd heard. The situation was worse than he'd imagined. Not only was Pandora real, but its deployment was imminent. The Underground had no idea what was coming, a silent attack that would either kill them or enslave them.
He had to warn them. Had to find a way to stop this.
When the meeting finally adjourned, Elias waited until the room was empty before carefully backing out of his observation post. His mind was racing with plans and contingencies as he navigated the ventilation system back to the maintenance level.
The Wraith had always worked alone, striking from the shadows and disappearing before the Syndicate could respond. But this threat was too big for one man, even one with his abilities. He needed allies. Needed resources.
Needed the Underground.
As Elias emerged from the ventilation duct and replaced the access panel, his decision was made. Tonight, he would reach out to his contact in the Underground, a data broker who operated from the shadows, much like himself. It was a risk, but one he had to take.
The Syndicate had escalated the war. And now, so would he.
***
Any Kind of Engagement is appreciated.