Chereads / JACK MAYORS: THE FALL OF SHADOWS / Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Consequences

Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Consequences

Governments filled with rage and panic. The U.S. leadership had no clear next step. On one screen, Cyrus calmly stared at the image of Jack Mayors splashed across every major network. A man who had become the face of crisis. But Cyrus wasn't surprised—not in the least. How could Jack stay quiet when the world teetered on the brink of destruction? He couldn't. He wouldn't.

Governments raced to hunt Jack down. Whispers spread in intelligence circles—if anyone could find him and twist him to their cause, the balance of power would shift overnight. Nations could collapse, entire regions destabilized. Jack was a weapon, a man who could ignite a war at any moment if manipulated the right way.

But amid the frenzy, there was one truth no one could escape. One curse no one could change.

No one could find Jack... except for one person.

Location: CIA HQ, Langley, Virginia

"Jack Mayors… a world-known criminal has escaped from one of the safest prisons in the world…"

"No one knows his exact location…"

"A Red Notice has been dropped against this man…"

The news flooded America in a rage.

"What the hell is going on?! I thought we had this under control!" Director Marcus slammed his fist on the desk, his eyes blazing with fury. The room filled with tension as his words echoed.

Jane, an analyst, responded, her voice barely above a whisper, "We thought we had it all under control—until he escaped."

"Thought?!" Marcus barked, his anger boiling over. "It was our goddamn job to make sure he never left that cell! What were you all doing?!"

He pointed around the room. "I don't care how, I want him found—and I want him dead." His voice dropped into a dangerous growl. "Kill him on sight. I don't give a damn how many of you it takes. He's one goddamn piece of shit, and I want him buried."

The agents scrambled, chaos erupting inside the CIA itself. Hired assassins, top agents, and even informants from their own nation were being pulled in. This wasn't just about Jack Mayors anymore—it was about control, and everyone was in the game.

Location: FSB HQ, Lubyanka Building, Moscow, Russia

Colonel Petrov strode down the shadowy corridors, the weight of a confidential file heavy in his hands. The best operatives had been summoned for this secret meeting; everyone felt the storm brewing.

Inside the room, silence fell as he placed the file on the table, revealing Jack Mayors' image.

"This man," Petrov began, his voice cold as steel, "is Jack Mayors. A ghost. A man you should all fear. He's charged with 57 murders, espionage, and the Baluchistan attack."

He looked them dead in the eye, voice low and menacing. "You find him but do not kill him. I want him alive. This operation doesn't leave this room. Not even the Americans are to know. One leak—just one—and you'll wish you never set foot in this building."

Location: MI6 HQ, Vauxhall Cross, London

In the heart of London, tension hung in the air like smoke. J, head of MI6, addressed his top agents.

"Henry Blackwood, Emily Sharp, Charles Kensington—I need you and your best men on this. Jack Mayors is not your typical fugitive. This man is a ghost, a master of his craft. He's dangerous, and anyone underestimates him will pay with their lives."

His voice turned colder. "This mission never happened. It's off the books. You die, you're on your own. But we get to him first. Make no mistake—this is a race against the world."

Henry Blackwood crossed his arms, his voice sharp. "We're not just hunting a man. We're on the edge of something bigger—a war. If Mayors doesn't go down, it's us who will."

Emily Sharp glanced at the screen, her voice quiet but lethal. "We better get moving. I have contacts in the underworld who might know his next step. Time to play."

Location: Interpol HQ, Lyon, France

"I want every goddamn file on Jack Mayors—now, Elena. Every name, every face he's ever crossed paths with. I don't care how deep you have to dig," Carter barked, his voice tight with urgency.

He turned to Sam. "The world's already in a race to find him, and I promise you, they're not gonna play nice. We need to get ahead. I want eyes on every move the moment it happens. If anyone even thinks about making a play for him, I want to know about it."

"Nadia," Carter added, pacing with a hardened look, "sweep every call between the U.S. and foreign nations. Anything shady—anything—whether it's from here or abroad, I want it on my desk the moment it pings. No delays, no excuses."

His gaze burned into them all. "We find him first. No matter what it takes."

Everyone, every nation, was in the game to find Jack. But this was a game no one wanted to be on, as they were not facing an ordinary criminal, but a ghost.

Location: Unknown

Jack was placed in a dark room, the ceiling light was turned on. A man sat in front of him, a file was kept on his side of the table. The atmosphere was quiet, silence all over them. The two faced each other. The man spoke, "This is the file that you asked for, Maria C.S." The man slid the file to him. Jack opened it. The dossier said:

 

Name: Maria C.S.

Rank: Lieutenant

Branch of Service: U.S. Army

Years of Service: 2007-2019

Background: Raised in a small town in Pennsylvania by her aunt, joined the Army after high school after feeling a sense of patriotism

Military Experience:

Deployments: Served two tours in Iraq and one in Iran, and ran Operation Maverick in London. Specializations: Training in reconnaissance, and tactical survival skilled marksman. Achievements: Awarded the Army Commendation Medal for bravery during a firefight in Fallujah.

Post Life Service: Affected with PTSD and stays alone without any work. Lives on with the 100 pounds that her aunt gives her.

Personality Traits: Disciplined, hard-working and brave

The dossier ended.

Jack closed the file. There was silence. A drop of tear fell from his eye onto the file. He spoke, "Maria Christy Summers…that was her whole name. She was umm, a sweet little kid when I was small. I was 2 years older than her you know. Mom died when she was born, Dad left us after that. My aunt, Catherine took care of us. She always used to be on my side, every day, every night, she used to hold my hand and walk. Every day, we went to church she used to tell me all the things that happened during her class. Her little innocent smile is still there in my eyes you know. She was bold, and always stood up for the things that were the truth. Imaginative girl you know. I…I left her when she was 16 years old, in order to join the army. She used to tell me that she wanted to follow my steps and join the army. Those tears of hers when I left home, I still remember and she came running to me as I went to cross the road and begged me not to leave. But, the situation at home wasn't that great so yeah, I had to leave. For a year or two, I sent her letters and she sent them back. Then came an operation in Cuba, a blast over there put me in a hospital in Cuba stayed there for months as my condition was really bad and then spent some years in the Cuban jail. Came back to the USA, and that was when Fitzroy hired me. I wanted to meet her you know, to see my little girl one more time, but the rule of the goddamn job is no connections, no family. She joined the army eventually, then came the Baluchistan Operation or famously known as The Baluchistan Attack, set up by that goddamn Cyrus. Off the records, no achievements, no memories, you come back the next day is just another day, you don't, severe torture and death, that's what my friend William told me when the operation was assigned to her team. She came back but with haunted memories. She never was the same again, PTSD, photographic syndrome shit. I went to meet her a few weeks back and tell her that her brother may not come back alive from this that's when I went to jail because of the fight that happened between me and The White Wolf. All I wanted was for her to be safe, cared for by the people who love her, and stay happy, but it will never be the same again. Cyrus has taken everything from me, and he will pay for it. Thank you for getting me this."

Tears welled up in Jack's eyes, a mix of pain and memories flooding back, as Tyler stood silently behind the two-way mirror, unable to look away. Tyler clenched his fists, feeling a deep urge to break the barrier between them and offer the support Jack desperately needed.

Location: CIA HQ, Langley, Virginia

The room was dimly lit, a harsh glow from the wall-mounted screens casting long shadows across the room. The hum of computers filled the space, but no one dared speak louder than a whisper. The tension was palpable, almost suffocating.

Cyrus stood by the large window, his back to the room, staring out at the sprawling compound of the CIA headquarters. He didn't turn around when the door opened with a creak, the sound barely audible in the thick air.

An agent stepped inside, his footsteps hesitant as if each step could trigger an explosion. He cleared his throat, nerves frayed. "Mayors broke out of his cell, didn't he?" Cyrus's voice was calm, almost too calm, his words a deadly whisper in the heavy silence.

The agent swallowed hard, beads of sweat trickling down his neck. "Y-yes, sir. He did."

For a moment, there was nothing. No response. Just the quiet hum of machines and the distant shuffle of boots in the hallway outside. Then, in one swift motion, Cyrus spun around. His icy blue eyes locked onto the agent, and for a brief second, the room felt colder.

"You let him escape?"

The question hung in the air like a noose. The agent opened his mouth to speak but found no words. The cold rage behind Cyrus's eyes made him feel small, insignificant.

"How?" Cyrus demanded, stepping forward, his movements predatory, his coat trailing behind him like a shadow.

"We... we don't know how, sir. It was like he vanished. One moment he was there, the next—" The agent stopped, afraid that any explanation would only make things worse.

Cyrus stood still for a moment, calculating, his jaw tightening with barely contained fury. His fist clenched behind his back, but his face remained expressionless.

"I need him found," Cyrus said, voice low and lethal. "Shoot to kill. No evidence. Do you understand me?"

The agent nodded quickly, though it felt like a futile gesture. "Yes, sir. We'll dispatch teams immediately. All of our global agents will be on high alert."

Cyrus's eyes narrowed as he stepped closer, his breath cold against the agent's skin. "Do you realize what's at stake if he lives? The sooner he breathes, the closer he comes to ruining everything I've built. The plan, our power—everything."

The agent felt the weight of every word and nodded once more, but Cyrus wasn't finished. His voice grew quieter, but sharper, slicing through the tension like a razor.

"Inform every agent we have in every corner of the world," Cyrus whispered, his eyes burning with the kind of fire that could raze cities. "Find him. Hunt him down. And kill him. At any cost."

The agent hesitated before asking, "Even... even those stationed in high-profile positions?"

Cyrus's eyes darkened, the corners of his mouth twitching with the hint of a smile. "Especially them. If Mayors lives long enough to see what I have in store, everything collapses. Every dollar, every life, every piece of leverage we've collected over the years goes up in flames."

There was a pause, a moment where the weight of the order truly settled over the room like a shroud.

"No mercy," Cyrus added, his voice barely above a whisper. "No traces. I want him erased from existence. His body won't even deserve a grave. Do I make myself clear?"

The agent nodded, quickly backing toward the door. "Yes, sir. I'll relay the orders immediately."

As the door clicked shut behind him, Cyrus turned back to the window, watching the clouds roll across the sky. His fingers drummed idly against his leg as he whispered to himself, "Enjoy your freedom while it lasts, Jack. The storm is coming. And this time… you won't escape it."

The faintest hint of a smile crept onto Cyrus's lips, but it was a smile without warmth. There was no joy in it—only the promise of destruction