As Vigil rebuilds, Zane and Yara intensify efforts to track down Aether's leadership. Data recovered from the Eastern Europe operation reveals clues about Aether's identity and their connection to Codex's remnants. The team identifies encrypted communications linked to a high-profile tech figure, Dr. Helena Kross, a former AI researcher who disappeared after Solas's fall.
Kross's ideology mirrors Codex's vision of digital sovereignty, but her methods are more extreme. Zane discovers that Kross has been using hidden algorithms within Vigil's network to recruit followers and coordinate attacks, exploiting Vigil's decentralized nature to mask her activities.
The Guardians authorize a covert operation to locate and capture Kross, knowing that neutralizing her is key to dismantling Aether for good.